2015: World Premieres 2015: U.S. Releases 2015: Still Left to See 2015: Cannes Festival 2015: Venice Festival 2015: Toronto Festival 2015: Chicago Festival 2015: Reeling Festival 2015: Anniversaries Looking Back Moving Ahead Browse Films by Title / Year / Reviews Home / Blog / E-Mail The Movies of 2015: World Premieres  By VOR Rating  (what's this?) // By Title, with Full Reviews // By Grade, with Top Ten List Full Listing of Films Screened ⑤ Indispensable to film fans, even if it's flawed Arabian Nights, Vol. 1: The Restless One Dir. Miguel Gomes. Miguel Gomes A Arabian Nights, Vol. 2: The Desolate One Dir. Miguel Gomes. Chico Chapas A– Arabian Nights, Vol. 3: The Enchanted One Dir. Miguel Gomes. Crista Alfaiate A The Assassin Dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien. Shu Qi, Sheu Fang-yi, Chang Chen, Zhou Yun B+ Carol Dir. Todd Haynes. Rooney Mara, Cate Blanchett, Kyle Chandler, Sarah Paulson A The Club Dir. Pablo Larraín. Alfredo Castro, Marcelo Alonso, Antonia Zegers B+ Creed Dir. Ryan Coogler. Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson A– The Fits Dir. Anna Rose Holmer. Royalty Hightower, Alexis Neblett, Makyla Burnam B+ In Jackson Heights Dir. Frederick Wiseman. Documentary about NYC neighborhood A– The Lobster Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos. Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Léa Seydoux A– Mad Max: Fury Road Dir. George Miller. Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Hugh Keays-Byrne B+ Right Now, Wrong Then Dir. Hong Sang-soo. Jeong Jae-yeong, Kim Min-hee A– Son of Saul Dir. László Nemes. Géza Röhrig, Levente Molnár, Sándor Zsótér A ④ Good or bad, this is risky and original work 45 Years Dir. Andrew Haigh. Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Geraldine James A– Advantageous Dir. Jennifer Phang. Jacqueline Kim, Samantha Kim, Freya Adams B Anomalisa Dirs. Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman. Animated. Voice of David Thewlis C+ As I Open My Eyes Dir. Leyla Bouzid. Baya Medhaffar, Ghalia Benali, Montassar Ayari B+ Beasts of No Nation Dir. Cary Joji Fukunaga. Abraham Attah, Idris Elba, David Dontoh B– The Big Short Dir. Adam McKay. Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Christian Bale C+ A Bigger Splash Dir. Luca Guadagnino. Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes B– Bridge of Spies Dir. Steven Spielberg. Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Austin Stowell C+ Cemetery of Splendor Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Jenjira Pongpas B Chi-Raq Dir. Spike Lee. Teyonah Parris, Nick Cannon, Angela Bassett, Wesley Snipes B+ Dheepan Dir. Jacques Audiard. Jesuthasan Antonythasan, Kalieaswari Srinivasan A– The Diary of a Teenage Girl Dir. Marielle Heller. Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård A– Embrace of the Serpent Dir. Ciro Guerra. Nilbio Torres, Antonio Bolivar, Jan Bijvoet B Francofonia Dir. Aleksandr Sokurov. Benjamin Utzerath, Louis-Do de Lencquesaing A Frenzy Dir. Emin Alper. Mehmet Ozgur, Berkay Ates, Müfit Kayacan, Tülin Özen B+ Heart of a Dog Dir. Laurie Anderson. Essay about animals, memory, and storytelling A– The Hunting Ground Dir. Kirby Dick. Documentary about campus-based sexual assault B– Inside Out Dir. Pete Docter. Animated. Voices of Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Kaitlyn Dias B Ixcanul Dir. Jayro Bustamante. María Mercedes Coroy, María Telón, Manuel Manuel Antún A Jafar Panahi's Taxi Dir. Jafar Panahi. Jafar Panahi, Hana Saeidi, Nasrin Sotoudeh B Joy Dir. David O. Russell. Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Édgar Ramirez B Lace Crater Dir. Harrison Atkins. Lindsay Burdge, Andrew Ryder, Jennifer Kim B+ Magic Mike XXL Dir. Gregory Jacobs. Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer B Mediterranea Dir. Jorge Carpignano. Koudous Seihon, Alassane Sy, Ernest Zire B+ Mississippi Grind Dirs. Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden. Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Reynolds B+ Mountains May Depart Dir. Jia Zhangke. Zhao Tao, Zhang Yi, Liang Jing Dong B– Much Loved Dir. Nabil Ayouch. Loubna Abidar, Halima Karaouane, Asmaa Lazrak A– Neon Bull Dir. Gabriel Mascaro. Juliano Cazzaré, Maeve Jinkings, Carlos Pessoa A– No Home Movie Dir. Chantal Akerman. Documentary about the filmmaker's mother B+ The Other Side Dir. Roberto Minervini. Mark Kelley, Lisa Allen, James Lee Miller B+ Our Brand Is Crisis Dir. David Gordon Green. Sandra Bullock, Joaquim de Almeida B+ The Pearl Button Dir. Patricio Guzmán. Documentary about Chilean histories B+ Sicario Dir. Denis Villeneuve. Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Victor Garber B+ A Sinner in Mecca Dir. Parvez Sharma. Documentary about gay filmmaker on his hajj B Spotlight Dir. Tom McCarthy. Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams B+ Starve Your Dog Dir. Hicham Lasri. Latefa Ahrrare, Jirare Ben Aissa, Jalila Temlsi B Tangerine Dir. Sean Baker. Mya Taylor, Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Karren Karagulian B Tikkun Dir. Avishai Sivan. Aharon Traitel, Khalifa Natour, Gur Sheinberg, Riki Blich B+ Under Electric Clouds Dir. Aleksei German, Jr. Viktoriya Korotkova, Louis Franck B+ Victoria Dir. Sebastian Schipper. Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski, Burak Yigit A– ③ Try to make time, but don't cry if you miss it 3000 Nights Dir. Mai Masri. Maisa Abd Elhadi, Nadira Omran, Raida Adon, Rakeen Saad B+ Amy Dir. Asif Kapadia. Documentary about the life and death of singer Amy Winehouse B– Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) Dir. Eva Husson. Marilyn Lima, Daisy Broom B+ Bessie Dir. Dee Rees. TV Movie. Queen Latifah, Michael Kenneth Williams, Mo'Nique B– Blackhat Dir. Michael Mann. Chris Hemsworth, Tang Wei, Wang Leehom, Viola Davis C+ Blood of My Blood Dir. Marco Bellocchio. Pier Giorgio Bellocchio, Lidiya Liberman C+ Body Dir. Małgorzata Szumowska. Maja Ostaszewska, Janusz Gajos, Justyna Suwała B+ Bone Tomahawk Dir. S. Craig Zahler. Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Richard Jenkins C Brooklyn Dir. John Crowley. Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson B Chevalier Dir. Athina Rachel Tsangari. Panos Koronis, Sakis Rouvas, Makis Papadimitriou B Crimson Peak Dir. Guillermo del Toro. Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston C– Dégradé Dirs. Arab and Tarzan Nasser. Maisa Abd Elhadi, Hiam Abbass B– Demon Dir. Marcin Wrona. Itay Tiran, Agnieszka Zulewska, Andrzej Grabowski B+ Dope Dir. Rick Famuyiwa. Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Zoë Kravitz C+ Eisenstein in Guanajuato Dir. Peter Greenaway. Elmer Bäck, Luis Alberti, Lisa Owen B The End of the Tour Dir. James Ponsoldt. Jesse Eisenberg, Jason Segel B Eva Doesn't Sleep Dir. Pablo Agüero. Gabriel García Bernal, Imanol Arias, Daniel Fanego B Evolution Dir. Lucile Hadžihalilović. Max Brebant, Julie-Marie Parmentier, Roxane Duran B Ex Machina Dir. Alex Garland. Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander B– Experimenter Dir. Michael Almereyda. Peter Sarsgaard, Winona Ryder, John Palladino C+ Fifty Shades of Grey Dir. Sam Taylor-Johnson. Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan B– The Forbidden Room Dirs. Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson. Louis Negin, Clara Furey B Fourth Man Out Dir. Andrew Nackman. Evan Todd, Parker Young, Jon Gabrus B Freeheld Dir. Peter Sollett. Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, Steve Carell B Girls Lost Dir. Alexandra-Therese Keining. Tuva Jagell, Louise Nyvall, Mandus Berg C+ Grandma Dir. Paul Weitz. Lily Tomlin, Julia Garner, Marcia Gay Harden, Judy Greer C The Hateful Eight Dir. Quentin Tarantino. Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins C Henry Gamble's Birthday Party Dir. Stephen Cone. Cole Doman, Elizabeth Laidlaw B+ High-Rise Dir. Ben Wheatley. Tom Hiddleston, Sienna Miller, Jeremy Irons B– I Promise You Anarchy Dir. Julio Hernández Cordón. Diego Calva Hernández B+ I'll See You in My Dreams Dir. Brett Haley. Blythe Danner, Sam Elliott, Martin Starr B In the Shadow of Women Dir. Philippe Garrel. Clotilde Courau, Stanislas Merhar B+ In the Underground Dir. Song Zhantao. Documentary about coal mining in China B+ Irrational Man Dir. Woody Allen. Emma Stone, Joaquin Phoenix, Parker Posey C James White Dir. Josh Mond. Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi B Knight of Cups Dir. Terrence Malick. Christian Bale, Wes Bentley, Brian Dennehy D+ Krisha Dir. Trey Edward Shults. Krisha Fairchild, Trey Edward Shults, Robyn Fairchild C+ Like You Mean It Dir. Philipp Karner. Philipp Karner, Denver Milord, Hilary Ward B Love Dir. Gaspar Noé. Karl Glusman, Aomi Muyock, Klara Kristin, Juan Saavedra C+ Love & Mercy Dir. Bill Pohlad. Paul Dano, John Cusack, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti B Macbeth Dir. Justin Kurzel. Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine B+ Manifesto Dir. Julian Rosefeldt. Cate Blanchett, Cate Blanchett, Cate Blanchett C– The Martian Dir. Ridley Scott. Matt Damon, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jessica Chastain B– Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Dir. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. Thomas Mann D– The Measure of a Man Dir. Stéphane Brizé. Vincent Lindon, Karine de Mirbeck B The Meddler Dir. Lorene Scafaria. Susan Sarandon, Rose Byrne, J.K. Simmons B+ Mia Madre Dir. Nanni Moretti. Margherita Buy, Giulia Lazzarini, John Turturro C– Miles Ahead Dir. Don Cheadle. Don Cheadle, Ewan McGregory, Emayatzy Corinealdi C+ Minotaur Dir. Nicolás Pereda. Gabino Rodríguez, Luisa Pardo, Francisco Barreiro A– Mustang Dir. Denis Gamze Ergüven. Güneş Nezihe Şensoy, Ilayda Akdoğan B My Golden Days Dir. Arnaud Desplechin. Quentin Dolmaire, Lou Roy-Lecollinet B Nasty Baby Dir. Sebastián Silva. Sebastián Silva, Kristen Wiig, Tunde Adebimpe B Naz & Maalik Dir. Jay Dockendorf. Kerwin Johnson Jr., Curtiss Cook Jr., Annie Grier B– Price of Love Dir. Hermon Hailay. Eskinder Tameru, Fereweni Gebregergs, Solomon Teka B Queen of Earth Dir. Alex Ross Perry. Elisabeth Moss, Katherine Waterston, Patrick Fugit B– Results Dir. Andrew Bujalski. Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan B Return of the Atom Dirs. Mika Taanila, Jussi Eerola. Documentary about nuclear plant B– Ricki and the Flash Dir. Jonathan Demme. Meryl Streep, Rick Springfield, Kevin Kline C+ Room Dir. Lenny Abrahamson. Jacob Tremblay, Brie Larson, Sean Bridgers, Joan Allen B– The Sky Trembles and the Earth Is Afraid and the Two Eyes... Dir. Ben Rivers B Slow West Dir. John Maclean. Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender, Caren Pistorius B Spectre Dir. Sam Mendes. Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Christoph Waltz B– Star Wars, Episode VII: The Force Awakens Dir. J.J. Abrams. Daisy Ridley B+ Steve Jobs Dir. Danny Boyle. Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Jeff Daniels, Seth Rogen C Story of Judas Dir. Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche. Nabil Djedouani, Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche B+ Straight Outta Compton Dir. F. Gary Gray. O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins B– Suffragette Dir. Sarah Gavron. Carey Mulligan, Anne-Marie Duff, Helena Bonham Carter B– Sunset Song Dir. Terence Davies. Agyness Deyn, Kevin Guthrie, Peter Mullan, Ian Pirie C– The Swedish Theory of Love Dir. Erik Gandini. Documentary about individualism B Tale of Tales Dir. Matteo Garrone. Salma Hayek, Christian Lees, Jonah Lees C Trainwreck Dir. Judd Apatow. Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn B– The Treasure Dir. Corneliu Porumboiu. Toma Cuzin, Adrian Purcarescu A– Truth Dir. James Vanderbilt. Cate Blanchett, Robert Redford, Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace C+ Underground Fragrance Dir. Pengfei. Ying Ze, Luo Wenjie, Zhao Fuyu, Li Xiaohui B A Very Ordinary Citizen Dir. Majid Barzegar. Souren Mnatsakanian, Shadi Karamroudi B What Happened, Miss Simone? Dir. Liz Garbus. Documentary about Nina Simone B The Witch Dir. Robert Eggers. Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Harvey Scrimshaw C The Wolfpack Dir. Crystal Moselle. Documentary about six cooped-up siblings C+ Youth Dir. Paolo Sorrentino. Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz, Paul Dano C ② Even if it's good, it's hardly groundbreaking Ant-Man Dir. Peyton Reed. Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll C+ Beautiful Something Dir. Joseph Graham. Zack Ryan, Brian Sheppard C+ Black Mass Dir. Scott Cooper. Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Rory Cochrane C Chappie Dir. Neill Blomkamp. Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Hugh Jackman, Yo-Landi Visser D+ A Childhood Dir. Philippe Claudel. Alex Mathieu, Pierre Deladonchamps, Angelica Sarre C+ Cinderella Dir. Kenneth Branagh. Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden B– Closet Monster Dir. Stephen Dunn. Connor Jessup, voice of Isabella Rossellini B The D Train Dirs. Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel. Jack Black, James Marsden C+ The Danish Girl Dir. Tom Hooper. Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Ben Whishaw D Embers Dir. Claire Carré. Jason Ritter, Iva Gocheva, Greta Fernández, Tucker Smallwood C+ The Endless River Dir. Oliver Hermanus. Nicolas Duvauchelle, Crystal-Donna Roberts B– Everest Dir. Baltasar Kormákur. Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Emily Watson C+ Far from the Madding Crowd Dir. Thomas Vinterberg. Carey Mulligan, Tom Sturridge B– Fire Song Dir. Adam Garnet Jones. Andrew Martin, Harley Legarde, Mary Galloway C– Front Cover Dir. Ray Leung. Jake Choi, James Chen, Elizabeth Sung, Ming Lee C+ The Gift Dir. Joel Edgerton. Rebecca Hall, Jason Bateman, Joel Edgerton B– Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief Dir. Alex Gibney. Documentary C Green Room Dir. Jeremy Saulnier. Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat F Hello, My Name Is Doris Dir. Michael Showalter. Sally Field, Max Greenfield B– I Smile Back Dir. Adam Salky. Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Skylar Gaertner C+ Jurassic World Dir. Colin Trevorrow. Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt C– Lila & Eve Dir. Charles Stone III. Viola Davis, Jennifer Lopez, Shea Whigham D+ Looking for Grace Dir. Sue Brooks. Odessa Young, Radha Mitchell, Richard Roxburgh C+ The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Dir. Guy Ritchie. Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer B Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation Dir. Christopher McQuarrie. Tom Cruise C+ Mistress America Dir. Noah Baumbach. Lola Kirke, Greta Gerwig, Heather Lind C– The Overnight Dir. Patrick Brice. Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman C+ The Promised Land Dir. He Ping. Wang Jiajia, Zhang Yi, Wang Zhiwen D Radical Grace Dir. Rebecca Parrish. Documentary about U.S. nuns fighting for justice B– The Red Spider Dir. Marcin Koszałka. Filip Pławiak, Adam Woronowicz, Julia Kijowska B The Revenant Dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy D+ Schneider vs. Bax Dir. Alex van Warmerdam. Tom Dewispelaere, Alex van Warmerdam B Shaun the Sheep Movie Dirs. Mark Burton, Richard Starzak. Animated B Southpaw Dir. Antoine Fuqua. Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker C– Spy Dir. Paul Feig. Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, Jason Statham, Miranda Hart C+ Stonewall Dir. Roland Emmerich. Jeremy Irvine, Jonny Beauchamp, Vladimir Alexis D Stuff Dir. Suzanne Guacci. Yvonne Jung, Traci Dinwiddie, Karen Sillas, Phyllis Somerville B Trumbo Dir. Jay Roach. Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Michael Stuhlbarg, Louis CK D The Walk Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Ben Kingsley C Where to Invade Next Dir. Michael Moore. Documentary about global policies D Woman in Gold Dir. Simon Curtis. Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl C– Z for Zachariah Dir. Craig Zobel. Margot Robbie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Pine C ① Low ambition, little originality, easy to forget American Ultra Dir. Nima Nourizadeh. Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Connie Britton D+ Insidious: Chapter 3 Dir. Leigh Whannell. Stefanie Scott, Lin Shaye, Dermot Mulroney C A Man Called Ove Dir. Hannes Holm. Rolf Lassgård, Filip Berg, Bahar Pars C Seeking Dolly Parton Dir. Michael Worth. Kacey Barnfield, Anya Monzikova C