2008 Movies
Movie Box Office
Beverly Hills October 7, 2008
"Mall Cop." "The Burning Plain," starring Charlize Theron. The first "Wonder Woman" movie of the millennium. "Charlie Banks" and "Pippa Lee." Clive Owen in "The International." Angelina Jolie in Clint Eastwood's "Changeling." "Lovely Still" - featuring Martin Landau & Ellen Burstyn. Isla Fisher in "Confessions Of A Shopaholic." And Mickey Rourke as "The Wrestler." Jamie Foxx in "The Soloist." Matt Damon in "Green Zone." The Sony Classics movie "Ashes Of Time Redux." And "Nothing Like The Holidays" and Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire." The Mike Leigh film "Happy Go Lucky." And the documentary "The Linguists." John C. Reilly in "Cirque Du Freak." Patrick Swayze in "Powder Blue." Jake Gyllenhaal as "Prince of Persia: Sands Of Time" and "The Dark Knight" himself, Christian Bale, as John Connor in "Terminator Salvation." Sam Raimi's "Drag Me To Hell." Oscar winner Adrien Brody in "The Brothers Bloom." Rose McGowan as "Red Sonja 2009." Mark Wahlberg in "Max Payne" and the adorable Michael Cera in "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist." Also Gerard Butler in the Frank Darabont film "Law Abiding Citizen" and the sexy Chace Crawford in "The Haunting of Molly Hartley" and "Tyler Perry's Madea Goes To Jail." Rob Zombie's "Tyrannosaurus Rex" and Justin Chatwin in "Dragonball" and Keanu Reeves in "The Day The Earth Stood Still." And Seth Rogen is "The Green Hornet." Shia LaBeouf in "Transformers 2." The kid friendly movie "The Perfect Game" along with "Witchblade 2009," as well as Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor as lovers in "I Love You Phillip Morris." Sequels: Everything from Jason Statham in both "Crank 2" and "Transporter 3." Vin Diesel in "Fast And Furious 4." And "Underworld 3," the Steve Martin movie "The Pink Panther 2," and the requisite "Cloverfield 2" and "Iron Man 2." Also Channing Tatum in "GI Joe The Movie." And Seann William Scott in both "Role Models" and "Trainwreck: My Life As An Idiot." The big screen adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" and two Tony winning plays turned movies, "Doubt," starring Meryl Streep, and "Frost Nixon," starring Frank Langella. Also, "The Other End Of The Line" and The Rock in "Race To Witch Mountain." Also, "Friday the 13th 2009" and Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's next collaboration, "Ashecliffe" aka "Shutter Island." In addition, the big screen incarnation of "Marley & Me" and "City Of Ember" and "The Spirit." Also, Sacha Baron Cohen as "Bruno." "The Great Buck Howard" and Nicolas Cage in "Knowing." Also, Brad Pitt in both "Inglorious Bastards" and "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button." The big screen adaptation of Maurice Sendack's "Where The Wild Things Are Movie," to fab film director Michael Mann's "Public Enemies," to "Saw 5," or "Saw V," depending whether you're into Roman numerals. And "Taken," starring Liam Neeson. "Local Color" and "Sex Drive." Along with "Watch Out" and "Wild Child" and "The Escapist." The probable movie box office smash, "Ice Age 3." And Daniel Radcliffe naked not in "Harry Potter 6" - but Daniel Radcliffe naked at WAM and on Broadway in "Equus." More? Sure! Peter Jackson's "District 9" and "The Lovely Bones" and "The Hobbit Movies." Colin Farrell in "Pride And Glory" and Leonardo DiCaprio in both "Revolutionary Road" and "Body Of Lies." And "Thor." Dreamorks Animations' "Madagascar 2" and "Monsters vs Aliens." "The Smurfs Movie;" and "Splice;" and "Repo: Genetic Opera;" "Push;" "Terminator 4;" "AstroBoy." Even more! "Fears of the Dark" and the big screen version of "Land of the Lost" and Oliver Stone's "W" along with Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" and "Chicago 7." And "Star Trek XI." Also, a slew of animated and non animated Walt Disney movies, many in 3D: including "Fraggle Rock: The Movie" and "The Jonas Brothers Movie 3D" and "Bolt," "The King of the Elves" and "Rapunzel," "The Bear and the Bow;" "Toy Story 3," "Newt," "The Princess And The Frog," "Up," "Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea" and "Cars 2." And Universal's animated movie "The Tale Of Despereaux." Heath Ledger 's last movie, "Dr. Parnassus." "Black Devil Doll." More? Wesley Snipes in "Gallowwalker!" Even more: "Quarantine" and "Zack And Miri." Also: Zac Efron in three big screen movies: "Footloose 2010," "17 Again" and "High School Musical 3." "Bitch Slap" and Daniel Craig in "Defiance," and as 007 in "Bond 22," which now has the official title "Quantum of Solace;" "Delgo" and the Catholic films "Pope Joan" and prequel of "The DaVinci Code," "Angels & Demons;" "Hotel For Dogs" and "Synecdoche, New York" and Benicio Del Toro as "The Wolfman" and "Che." And "Notorious." Also, Hugh Jackman as "Wolverine;" "Valkyrie." The 2009 films, "He's Just Not That Into You," James ("Titanic" )"Avatar;" "Watchmen," (from the director of "300" ), "The Bad Lieutenant 2009" and Hilary Swank in "Amelia." And "Adoration" and the non Disney animated movie"Coraline." Also, "Two Lovers" and Anne Hathaway in both "Passengers" and "Bride Wars." "The Reader," starring Ralph Fiennes. The long awaited page to screen "Twilight." Will Smith in "Seven Pounds" aka "7 LBS." The Canadian smash "3 P'tits Cochons," Italian worldwide hit "Gomorra," as well as the Chinese blockbuster "Red Cliff" and the French hits "Hunting And Gathering" and "Ch'tis." Not to mention the Australian smash "The Tender Hook" . Also, Julia Stiles "Cry Of The Owl" in and Diablo Cody in "Jennifer's Body," which she also wrote. "Captain America" and Sean Penn as Harvey "Milk." And don't forget the must 'not' sees "My Bloody Valentine 3D" and Uwe Boll's "Far Cry." "How To Be A Serial Killer" and, of course, Jean Claude Van Damme in the aptly titled "JCVD." Also, the "2009 Oscars." For the current and complete 2008 movie box office report... (continue)
"A History of Violence," director David Cronenberg's latest, is not your average mobster movie. It offers depth of character (Maria Bello as the deceived wife; Viggo Mortenson as the self-deceived and deceiver) and a range of complex plots (Ed Harris, is out for justice; and Jack Stall, exhibits a unique brand of a teenage identity crisis.) Just when you think you've figured out the grudge match and predicted a happy ending, along comes William Hurt as Rickie to shake up the plot and keep you at edge of your seat. In his short appearance, Hurt manages to add an original twist to brotherly love with a portrayal so convincing that you will not be able to predict the outcome. 
A short performance, but a memorable one from Hurt. After all, Judi Dench clinched the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for only 16 minutes on screen in "Shakespeare in Love." Academy Award winner William Hurt ("Kiss of the Spider Woman") may repeat the feat.
