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 Grade // By Title, with Full Reviews // By VOR Rating  (what's this?) Top Ten List (January 2016) 1.  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 2.  Carol Dir. Todd Haynes. Rooney Mara, Cate Blanchett, Kyle Chandler, Sarah Paulson A 3.  Son of Saul Dir. László Nemes. Géza Röhrig, Levente Molnár, Sándor Zsótér A 4.  Francofonia Dir. Aleksandr Sokurov. Benjamin Utzerath, Louis-Do de Lencquesaing A 5.  Ixcanul Dir. Jayro Bustamante. María Mercedes Coroy, María Telón A 6.  The Diary of a Teenage Girl Dir. Marielle Heller. Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård A– 7.  Right Now, Wrong Then Dir. Hong Sang-soo. Jeong Jae-yeong, Kim Min-hee A– 8.  In Jackson Heights Dir. Frederick Wiseman. Documentary about NYC neighborhood A– 9.  The Lobster Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos. Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Léa Seydoux A– 10.  Creed Dir. Ryan Coogler. Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson A– Runners-up: 45 Years; Dheepan; Heart of a Dog; Much Loved; Victoria Remainder of Films Screened 45 Years Dir. Andrew Haigh. Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Geraldine James A– Dheepan Dir. Jacques Audiard. Jesuthasan Antonythasan, Kalieaswari Srinivasan A– Heart of a Dog Dir. Laurie Anderson. Essay about animals, memory, and storytelling A– Minotaur Dir. Nicolás Pereda. Gabino Rodríguez, Luisa Pardo, Francisco Barreiro A– Much Loved Dir. Nabil Ayouch. Loubna Abidar, Halima Karaouane, Asmaa Lazrak A– Neon Bull Dir. Gabriel Mascaro. Juliano Cazzaré, Maeve Jinkings, Carlos Pessoa A– The Treasure Dir. Corneliu Porumboiu. Toma Cuzin, Adrian Purcarescu A– Victoria Dir. Sebastian Schipper. Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski, Burak Yigit A– 3000 Nights Dir. Mai Masri. Maisa Abd Elhadi, Nadira Omran, Raida Adon B+ As I Open My Eyes Dir. Leyla Bouzid. Baya Medhaffar, Ghalia Benali, Montassar Ayari B+ The Assassin Dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien. Shu Qi, Sheu Fang-yi, Chang Chen, Zhou Yun B+ Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) Dir. Eva Husson. Marilyn Lima, Daisy Broom B+ Body Dir. Małgorzata Szumowska. Maja Ostaszewska, Janusz Gajos, Justyna Suwała B+ Chi-Raq Dir. Spike Lee. Teyonah Parris, Nick Cannon, Angela Bassett, Wesley Snipes B+ The Club Dir. Pablo Larraín. Alfredo Castro, Marcelo Alonso, Antonia Zegers B+ Demon Dir. Marcin Wrona. Itay Tiran, Agnieszka Zulewska, Andrzej Grabowski B+ The Fits Dir. Anna Rose Holmer. Royalty Hightower, Alexis Neblett, Makyla Burnam B+ Frenzy Dir. Emin Alper. Mehmet Ozgur, Berkay Ates, Müfit Kayacan, Tülin Özen B+ Henry Gamble's Birthday Party Dir. Stephen Cone. Cole Doman, Elizabeth Laidlaw B+ I Promise You Anarchy Dir. Julio Hernández Cordón. Diego Calva Hernández 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 hina B+ Lace Crater Dir. Harrison Atkins. Lindsay Burdge, Andrew Ryder, Jennifer Kim B+ Macbeth Dir. Justin Kurzel. Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine B+ Mad Max: Fury Road Dir. George Miller. Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron B+ The Meddler Dir. Lorene Scafaria. Susan Sarandon, Rose Byrne, J.K. Simmons B+ Mediterranea Dir. Jorge Carpignano. Koudous Seihon, Alassane Sy, Ernest Zire B+ Mississippi Grind Dirs. Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden. Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Reynolds B+ 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+ 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+ Spotlight Dir. Tom McCarthy. Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams B+ Star Wars, Episode VII: The Force Awakens Dir. J.J. Abrams. Daisy Ridley B+ Story of Judas Dir. Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche. Nabil Djedouani, Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche 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+ Advantageous Dir. Jennifer Phang. Jacqueline Kim, Samantha Kim, Freya Adams B Brooklyn Dir. John Crowley. Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson B Cemetery of Splendor Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Jenjira Pongpas B Chevalier Dir. Athina Rachel Tsangari. Panos Koronis, Sakis Rouvas B Closet Monster Dir. Stephen Dunn. Connor Jessup, voice of Isabella Rossellini B Eisenstein in Guanajuato Dir. Peter Greenaway. Elmer Bäck, Luis Alberti, Lisa Owen B Embrace of the Serpent Dir. Ciro Guerra. Nilbio Torres, Antonio Bolivar, Jan Bijvoet 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 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 I'll See You in My Dreams Dir. Brett Haley. Blythe Danner, Sam Elliott, Martin Starr B Inside Out Dir. Pete Docter. Animated. Voices of Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Kaitlyn Dias B Jafar Panahi's Taxi Dir. Jafar Panahi. Jafar Panahi, Hana Saeidi, Nasrin Sotoudeh B James White Dir. Josh Mond. Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi B Joy Dir. David O. Russell. Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Édgar Ramirez B Like You Mean It Dir. Philipp Karner. Philipp Karner, Denver Milord, Hilary Ward B Love & Mercy Dir. Bill Pohlad. Paul Dano, John Cusack, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti B Magic Mike XXL Dir. Gregory Jacobs. Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer B The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Dir. Guy Ritchie. Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer B The Measure of a Man Dir. Stéphane Brizé. Vincent Lindon, Karine de Mirbeck B 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 Our Brand Is Crisis Dir. David Gordon Green. Sandra Bullock, Joaquim de Almeida B+ Price of Love Dir. Hermon Hailay. Eskinder Tameru, Fereweni Gebregergs B The Red Spider Dir. Marcin Koszałka. Filip Pławiak, Adam Woronowicz, Julia Kijowska B Results Dir. Andrew Bujalski. Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan B Schneider vs. Bax Dir. Alex van Warmerdam. Tom Dewispelaere, Alex van Warmerdam B Shaun the Sheep Movie Dirs. Mark Burton, Richard Starzak. Animated B A Sinner in Mecca Dir. Parvez Sharma. Documentary about gay filmmaker on his hajj 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 Starve Your Dog Dir. Hicham Lasri. Latefa Ahrrare, Jirare Ben Aissa, Jalila Temlsi B Stuff Dir. Suzanne Guacci. Yvonne Jung, Traci Dinwiddie, Karen Sillas, Phyllis Somerville B The Swedish Theory of Love Dir. Erik Gandini. Documentary about individualism B Tangerine Dir. Sean Baker. Mya Taylor, Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Karren Karagulian B 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 Amy Dir. Asif Kapadia. Documentary about the life and death of singer Amy Winehouse B– Beasts of No Nation Dir. Cary Joji Fukunaga. Abraham Attah, Idris Elba, David Dontoh B– Bessie Dir. Dee Rees. TV Movie. Queen Latifah, Michael Kenneth Williams, Mo'Nique B– A Bigger Splash Dir. Luca Guadagnino. Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes B– Cinderella Dir. Kenneth Branagh. Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden B– Dégradé Dirs. Arab and Tarzan Nasser. Maisa Abd Elhadi, Hiam Abbass B– The Endless River Dir. Oliver Hermanus. Nicolas Duvauchelle, Crystal-Donna Roberts B– Ex Machina Dir. Alex Garland. Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander B– Far from the Madding Crowd Dir. Thomas Vinterberg. Carey Mulligan, Tom Sturridge B– Fifty Shades of Grey Dir. Sam Taylor-Johnson. Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan B– The Gift Dir. Joel Edgerton. Rebecca Hall, Jason Bateman, Joel Edgerton B– Hello, My Name Is Doris Dir. Michael Showalter. Sally Field, Max Greenfield B– High-Rise Dir. Ben Wheatley. Tom Hiddleston, Sienna Miller, Jeremy Irons B– The Hunting Ground Dir. Kirby Dick. Documentary about campus-based rape cases B– The Martian Dir. Ridley Scott. Matt Damon, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jessica Chastain B– Mountains May Depart Dir. Jia Zhangke. Zhao Tao, Zhang Yi, Liang Jing Dong B– Naz & Maalik Dir. Jay Dockendorf. Kerwin Johnson Jr., Curtiss Cook Jr., Annie Grier B– Queen of Earth Dir. Alex Ross Perry. Elisabeth Moss, Katherine Waterston B– Radical Grace Dir. Rebecca Parrish. Documentary about U.S. nuns fighting for justice B– Return of the Atom Dirs. Mika Taanila, Jussi Eerola. Documentary about nuclear plant B– Room Dir. Lenny Abrahamson. Jacob Tremblay, Brie Larson, Sean Bridgers, Joan Allen B– Spectre Dir. Sam Mendes. Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Christoph Waltz B– Straight Outta Compton Dir. F. Gary Gray. O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins B– Suffragette Dir. Sarah Gavron. Carey Mulligan, Anne-Marie Duff B– Trainwreck Dir. Judd Apatow. Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn B– Anomalisa Dirs. Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman. Animated. Voice of David Thewlis C+ Ant-Man Dir. Peyton Reed. Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll C+ Beautiful Something Dir. Joseph Graham. Zack Ryan, Brian Sheppard C+ The Big Short Dir. Adam McKay. Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Christian Bale C+ 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+ A Childhood Dir. Philippe Claudel. Alex Mathieu, Pierre Deladonchamps, Angelica Sarre C+ The D Train Dirs. Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel. Jack Black, James Marsden C+ Dope Dir. Rick Famuyiwa. Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Zoë Kravitz C+ Embers Dir. Claire Carré. Jason Ritter, Iva Gocheva, Greta Fernández C+ Everest Dir. Baltasar Kormákur. Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Emily Watson C+ Experimenter Dir. Michael Almereyda. Peter Sarsgaard, Winona Ryder, John Palladino C+ Front Cover Dir. Ray Leung. Jake Choi, James Chen, Elizabeth Sung, Ming Lee C+ Girls Lost Dir. Alexandra-Therese Keining. Tuva Jagell, Louise Nyvall, Mandus Berg C+ I Smile Back Dir. Adam Salky. Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Skylar Gaertner C+ Krisha Dir. Trey Edward Shults. Krisha Fairchild, Trey Edward Shults, Robyn Fairchild C+ Looking for Grace Dir. Sue Brooks. Odessa Young, Radha Mitchell, Richard Roxburgh C+ Love Dir. Gaspar Noé. Karl Glusman, Aomi Muyock, Klara Kristin, Juan Saavedra C+ Miles Ahead Dir. Don Cheadle. Don Cheadle, Ewan McGregory, Emayatzy Corinealdi C+ Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation Dir. Christopher McQuarrie. Tom Cruise C+ The Overnight Dir. Patrick Brice. Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman C+ Ricki and the Flash Dir. Jonathan Demme. Meryl Streep, Rick Springfield, Kevin Kline C+ Spy Dir. Paul Feig. Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, Jason Statham, Miranda Hart C+ Truth Dir. James Vanderbilt. Cate Blanchett, Robert Redford, Dennis Quaid C+ The Wolfpack Dir. Crystal Moselle. Documentary about six cooped-up siblings C+ Black Mass Dir. Scott Cooper. Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Rory Cochrane C Bone Tomahawk Dir. S. Craig Zahler. Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Richard Jenkins C Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief Dir. Alex Gibney. Documentary 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 Insidious: Chapter 3 Dir. Leigh Whannell. Stefanie Scott, Lin Shaye, Dermot Mulroney C Irrational Man Dir. Woody Allen. Emma Stone, Joaquin Phoenix, Parker Posey 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 Steve Jobs Dir. Danny Boyle. Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Jeff Daniels C Tale of Tales Dir. Matteo Garrone. Salma Hayek, Christian Lees, Jonah Lees C The Walk Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Ben Kingsley C The Witch Dir. Robert Eggers. Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Harvey Scrimshaw C Youth Dir. Paolo Sorrentino. Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz, Paul Dano C Z for Zachariah Dir. Craig Zobel. Margot Robbie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Pine C Crimson Peak Dir. Guillermo del Toro. Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston C– Fire Song Dir. Adam Garnet Jones. Andrew Martin, Harley Legarde, Mary Galloway C– Jurassic World Dir. Colin Trevorrow. Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt C– Manifesto Dir. Julian Rosefeldt. Cate Blanchett, Cate Blanchett, Cate Blanchett C– Mia Madre Dir. Nanni Moretti. Margherita Buy, Giulia Lazzarini, John Turturro C– Mistress America Dir. Noah Baumbach. Lola Kirke, Greta Gerwig, Heather Lind C– Southpaw Dir. Antoine Fuqua. Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker C– Sunset Song Dir. Terence Davies. Agyness Deyn, Kevin Guthrie, Peter Mullan, Ian Pirie C– Woman in Gold Dir. Simon Curtis. Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl C– American Ultra Dir. Nima Nourizadeh. Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart D+ Chappie Dir. Neill Blomkamp. Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Hugh Jackman D+ Knight of Cups Dir. Terrence Malick. Christian Bale, Wes Bentley, Brian Dennehy D+ Lila & Eve Dir. Charles Stone III. Viola Davis, Jennifer Lopez, Shea Whigham D+ The Revenant Dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy D+ The Danish Girl Dir. Tom Hooper. Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Ben Whishaw D The Promised Land Dir. He Ping. Wang Jiajia, Zhang Yi, Wang Zhiwen D Stonewall Dir. Roland Emmerich. Jeremy Irvine, Jonny Beauchamp, Vladimir Alexis D Trumbo Dir. Jay Roach. Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Michael Stuhlbarg, Louis CK D Where to Invade Next Dir. Michael Moore. Documentary about global policies D Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Dir. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. Thomas Mann D– Green Room Dir. Jeremy Saulnier. Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat F