2008: World Premieres
2008: U.S. Releases
2008: Still Left to See
2008: Cannes Festival
2008: Chicago Festival
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The Movies of 2008: World Premieres
By Title // By Grade, with Top Ten
Complete Reviews
★ = Full Review /
★ = Capsule Review /
★ = Special Feature or Blog Review (new window)
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★ | Adoration Dir. Atom Egoyan. With Devon Bostick, Scott Speedman, Arsinée Khanjian B |
★ | Ballast Dir. Lance Hammer. JimMyron Ross, Micheal J. Smith Sr., Tarra Riggs B+ |
★ | Changeling Dir. Clint Eastwood. Angelina Jolie, Jeffrey Donovan, Michael Kelly C |
★ | Delta Dir. Kornél Mundruczó. Félix Lajkó, Orsolya Tóth, Lili Monori, Sándor Gáspár C+ |
★ | The Duchess Dir. Saul Dibb. Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Hayley Atwell C |
★ | Give Me Your Hand Dir. Pascal-Alex Vincent. With Alexandre Carril, Victor Carril C |
★ | I've Loved You So Long Dir. Philippe Claudel. Kristin Scott Thomas, Elsa Zylberstein D+ |
★ | Julia Dir. Erick Zonca. With Tilda Swinton, Aidan Gould, Saul Rubinek, Kate del Castillo A |
★ | Let It Rain Dir. Agnès Jaoui. With Jean-Pierre Bacri, Agnès Jaoui, Jamel Debbouze C+ |
★ | Lovely, Still Dir. Nicholas Fackler. With Martin Landau, Ellen Burstyn, Adam Scott D |
★ | Make-Out with Violence Dirs. The Deagol Brothers. With Eric Lehning, Cody DeVos B |
★ | Mamma Mia! Dir. Phyllida Lloyd. Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan D+ |
★ | The Possibility of an Island Dir. Michel Houellebecq. Benoît Magimel, Patrick Bauchau D |
★ | Quantum of Solace Dir. Marc Forster. Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Judi Dench B |
★ | Smart People Dir. Noam Murro. Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ellen Page C+ |
★ | The Square Dir. Nash Edgerton. With David Roberts, Claire van der Boom, Anthony Hayes C |
★ | Summer in Genoa [Genova] Dir. Michael Winterbottom. With Colin Firth, Willa Holland C |
★ | Synecdoche, New York Dir. Charlie Kaufman. Philip Seymour Hoffman A |
★ | Three Monkeys Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan. With Hatice Aslan, Ahmet Rifar Şungar C+ |
★ | Tropic Thunder Dir. Ben Stiller. Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Nick Nolte D |
★ | Turn the River Dir. Chris Eigeman. Famke Janssen, Jaymie Dornan, Rip Torn, Matt Ross B |
★ | Two Lovers Dir. James Gray. With Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Vinessa Shaw C |
★ | Vicky Cristina Barcelona Dir. Woody Allen. Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson C |
★ | Waltz with Bashir Dir. Ari Folman. Animated. Voices of Ari Folman, Mickey Leon B |
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Full Listing of Films Screened
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35 Shots of Rum Dir. Claire Denis. With Mati Diop, Alex Descas, Nicole Dogue B+
Adoration Dir. Atom Egoyan. With Devon Bostick, Scott Speedman, Arsinée Khanjian B
American Violet Dir. Tim Disney. With Nicole Beharie, Will Patton, Alfre Woodard D+
Appaloosa Dir. Ed Harris. Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renée Zellweger, Jeremy Irons D+
Ask Not Dir. Johnny Symons. Documentary about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" military policy C+
Australia Dir. Baz Luhrmann. Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Brandon Walters C
Ballast Dir. Lance Hammer. JimMyron Ross, Micheal J. Smith Sr., Tarra Riggs B+
The Bank Job Dir. Roger Donaldson. Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows, Daniel Mays B
Before Tomorrow Dirs. Marie-Hélène Cousineau & Madeline Ivalu. Cast: Madeline Ivalu B
Blind Date Dir. Stanley Tucci. With Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson, Thijs Römer D
Blindness Dir. Fernando Meirelles. Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Alice Braga B
Brideshead Revisited Dir. Julian Jarrold. Matthew Goode, Hayley Atwell, Ben Whishaw D+
Bronson Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn. With Tom Hardy, Matt King, Amanda Burton C+
The Brothers Bloom Dir. Rian Johnson. With Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Weisz C
Burn After Reading Dirs. Joel and Ethan Coen. George Clooney, Frances McDormand B+
The Burning Plain Dir. Guillermo Arriaga. With Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lawrence D+
Cadillac Records Dir. Darnell Martin. Jeffrey Wright, Adrien Brody, Columbus Short C+
Changeling Dir. Clint Eastwood. Angelina Jolie, Jeffrey Donovan, Michael Kelly C
Che Dir. Steven Soderbergh. Benicio Del Toro, Demián Bichir, Catalina Sandino Moreno B
A Christmas Tale Dir. Arnaud Desplechin. Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Roussilon B+
Chronic Town Dir. Tom Hines. JR Bourne, Emily Wagner, Dan Butler, Alice Drummond B
The Class Dir. Laurent Cantet. François Bégaudeau, Rachel Régulier, Esméralda Ouertani B+
Cloverfield Dir. Matt Reeves. Michael Stahl-David, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller C+
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Dir. David Fincher. Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett D
The Dark Knight Dir. Christopher Nolan. Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart B
The Day the Earth Stood Still Dir. Scott Derrickson. Jennifer Connelly, Keanu Reeves F
Delta Dir. Kornél Mundruczó. Félix Lajkó, Orsolya Tóth, Lili Monori, Sándor Gáspár C+
Disgrace Dir. Steve Jacobs. With John Malkovich, Jessica Haines, Eriq Ebouaney D
Il Divo Dir. Paolo Sorrentino. With Toni Servillo, Giulio Bosetti, Carlo Buccirossi B
Doubt Dir. John Patrick Shanley. Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams C+
The Duchess Dir. Saul Dibb. Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Hayley Atwell C
Elegy Dir. Isabel Coixet. Ben Kingsley, Penélope Cruz, Dennis Hopper, Peter Sarsgaard B
Encounters at the End of the World Dir. Werner Herzog. Documentary C
Everlasting Moments Dir. Jan Troell. With Maria Heiskanen, Mikael Persbrandt B
Food, Inc. Dir. Robert Kenner. Documentary about corporate U.S. food production B
Frost/Nixon Dir. Ron Howard. Michael Sheen, Frank Langella, Sam Rockwell C
Frozen River Dir. Courtney Hunt. Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Charlie McDermott B
Give Me Your Hand Dir. Pascal-Alex Vincent. With Alexandre Carril, Victor Carril C
Gomorrah Dir. Matteo Garrone. With Gianfelice Imparato, Salvatore Abruzzese B+
Goodbye Solo Dir. Ramin Bahrani. With Souleymane Sy Savané, Red West B
Gospel Hill Dir. Giancarlo Esposito. With Taylor Kitsch, Danny Glover, Angela Bassett C
Gran Torino Dir. Clint Eastwood. Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her C
Hamlet 2 Dir. Andrew Fleming. Steve Coogan, Skylar Astin, Phoebe Strole D
Happy-Go-Lucky Dir. Mike Leigh. Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan, Alexis Zegerman B
The Headless Woman Dir. Lucrecia Martel. With María Onetto, Claudia Cantero B
Hunger Dir. Steve McQueen. Michael Fassbender, Brian Milligan, Liam McMahon A
The Hurt Locker Dir. Kathryn Bigelow. With Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie A
In Bruges Dir. Martin McDonagh. Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes C
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Dir. Steven Spielberg D
Iron Man Dir. Jon Favreau. Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges C+
I've Loved You So Long Dir. Philippe Claudel. Kristin Scott Thomas, Elsa Zylberstein D+
Jerichow Dir. Christian Petzold. With Benno Fürmann, Hilmi Sözer, Nina Hoss C+
Johnny Mad Dog Dir. Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire. With Christophe Minie A
Julia Dir. Erick Zonca. With Tilda Swinton, Aidan Gould, Saul Rubinek, Kate del Castillo A
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Dir. Patricia Rozema. Abigail Breslin, Julia Ormond C+
Lake Tahoe Dir. Fernando Eimbcke. With Diego Cataño, Juan Carlos Lara II B
Last Chance Harvey Dir. Joel Hopkins. Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson B
Lemon Tree Dir. Eran Riklis. With Hiam Abbass, Ali Suliman, Rona Lipaz-Michael B
Let It Rain Dir. Agnès Jaoui. With Jean-Pierre Bacri, Agnès Jaoui, Jamel Debbouze C+
Let the Right One In Dir. Tomas Alfredson. Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson B
Lorna's Silence Dirs. Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. With Arta Dobroshi A
Lovely, Still Dir. Nicholas Fackler. With Martin Landau, Ellen Burstyn, Adam Scott D
Make-Out with Violence Dirs. The Deagol Brothers. With Eric Lehning, Cody DeVos B
Mamma Mia! Dir. Phyllida Lloyd. Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan D+
Man on Wire Dir. James Marsh. Documentary about a notorious tightrope walker B+
May the Best Man Win Dir. Adam Fleischhacker. With Adam Fleischhacker B
Me and Orson Welles Dir. Richard Linklater. With Zac Efron, Christian McKay D+
Medicine for Melancholy Dir. Barry Jenkins. With Wyatt Cenac, Tracey Heggins B
Milk Dir. Gus Van Sant. Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, James Franco, Diego Luna B+
Miracle at St. Anna Dir. Spike Lee. Derek Luke, Laz Alonso, Michael Ealy C
A Necessary Death Dir. Daniel Stamm. G.J. Echternkamp, Matthew Tilley, Valerie Hurt C
Nights in Rodanthe Dir. George C. Wolfe. Diane Lane, Richard Gere, Mae Whitman D+
Nothing But the Truth Dir. Rod Lurie. Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon, Alan Alda C
Of Time and the City Dir. Terence Davies. Personal essay film about Liverpool B
The Poker House Dir. Lori Petty. Jennifer Lawrence, Sophi Bairley, Chloë Grace Moretz D+
Ponyo Dir. Hayao Miyazaki. Animated. Voices of Frankie Jonas, Noah Cyrus, Tina Fey C+
The Possibility of an Island Dir. Michel Houellebecq. Benoît Magimel, Patrick Bauchau D
Poundcake Dir. Rafael Monserrate. Troy Hall, Jay O. Sanders, Kathleen Quinlan D+
Prodigal Sons Dir. Kimberly Reed. Documentary about trans woman and her brother A
Quantum of Solace Dir. Marc Forster. Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Judi Dench B
Quid Pro Quo Dir. Carlos Brooks. Nick Stahl, Vera Farmiga, Jessica Hecht C
A Quiet Little Marriage Dir. Mo Perkins. Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Cy Carter C
Rachel Getting Married Dir. Jonathan Demme. Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt B+
The Reader Dir. Stephen Daldry. David Kross, Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes B
Recount Dir. Jay Roach. TV Movie. Kevin Spacey, Tom Wilkinson, Bob Balaban B
Revanche Dir. Götz Spielmann. With Johannes Krisch, Irina Potapenko, Ursula Strauss B
Revolutionary Road Dir. Sam Mendes. Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, David Harbour C
Serbis Dir. Brillante Mendoza. With Jacklyn Jose, Julio Diaz, Mercedes Cabral B
Sex and the City Dir. Michael Patrick King. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall C
Shakespeare and Victor Hugo's Intimacies Dir. Yulene Olaizola. Documentary B
Skin Dir. Anthony Fabian. With Sophie Okonedo, Alice Krige, Sam Neill, Tony Kgoroge C
Sleep Furiously Dir. Gideon Koppel. Documentary observing village life in rural Wales B
Slumdog Millionaire Dir. Danny Boyle. Dev Patel, Madhur Mittal, Freida Pinto D+
Smart People Dir. Noam Murro. Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ellen Page C+
Splinter Dir. Toby Wilkins. Shea Whigham, Jill Wagner, Paulo Costanzo B
The Square Dir. Nash Edgerton. With David Roberts, Claire van der Boom, Anthony Hayes C
Standard Operating Procedure Dir. Errol Morris. Documentary about Abu Ghraib C
Stop-Loss Dir. Kimberly Peirce. Ryan Phillippe, Channing Tatum, Abbie Cornish B
The Strangers Dir. Bryan Bertino. Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Glenn Howerton B
Sugar Dirs. Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck. With Algenis Pérez Soto, Rayniel Rufino B
Summer Hours Dir. Olivier Assayas. With Charles Berling, Juliette Binoche B+
Summer in Genoa [Genova] Dir. Michael Winterbottom. With Colin Firth, Willa Holland C
Sunshine Cleaning Dir. Christine Jeffs. With Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Jason Spevack C
Synecdoche, New York Dir. Charlie Kaufman. Philip Seymour Hoffman A
Three Monkeys Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan. With Hatice Aslan, Ahmet Rifar Şungar C+
Tokyo! Dirs. Michel Gondry, Leos Carax, and Bong Joon-ho. With Ayako Fujitani C
Transsiberian Dir. Brad Anderson. Emily Mortimer, Woody Harrelson, Eduardo Noriega C+
Treeless Mountain Dir. So Yong Kim. With Hee-yeon Kim, Song-hee Kim, Mi-hyang Kim B
Tropic Thunder Dir. Ben Stiller. Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Nick Nolte D
Trouble the Water Dirs. Tia Lessin, Carl Deal. Documentary about Katrina survivors A
Two Lovers Dir. James Gray. With Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Vinessa Shaw C
Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys Dir. Tyler Perry. Alfre Woodard, Kathy Bates B
Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns Dir. Tyler Perry. Angela Bassett, Rick Fox C
Tyson Dir. James Toback. Documentary about former heavyweight boxing champ C+
Vicky Cristina Barcelona Dir. Woody Allen. Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson C
W. Dir. Oliver Stone. Josh Brolin, James Cromwell, Elizabeth Banks, Richard Dreyfuss B
WALLE Dir. Andrew Stanton. Animated. Voices of Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight B+
Waltz with Bashir Dir. Ari Folman. Animated. Voices of Ari Folman, Mickey Leon B
Wendy and Lucy Dir. Kelly Reichardt. Michelle Williams, Walter Dalton, Will Patton B
A Woman in Berlin Dir. Max Färberböck. With Nina Hoss, Yevgeni Sidikhin B
The Wrestler Dir. Darren Aronofsky. Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood B+
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