Movies: 2833

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008), an American action adventure fantasy film directed by Rob Cohen, is a story about a warlord who becomes the Dragon Emperor and unites China’s kingdoms to form an empire. The warlord then leads a civil war to establish the Qin dynasty and burns books and scrolls in the process. He also orders the construction of the Great Wall of China and buries his enemies’ remains underneath it. In addition, he discovers how to control fire, water, earth, wood, and metal using traditional Chinese elements known as Wuxing. However, fearing that his death will undo all he has ...

Valkyrie (2008), a thriller directed by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander, features Tom Cruise. Set during World War II, the film follows Wehrmacht Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg in Tunisia as he becomes increasingly disillusioned with Hitler’s regime. After his battalion is attacked by P-40 fighter-bombers, Stauffenberg is gravely injured and returned to Germany for treatment. However, he ultimately loses his left eye, right hand, ...

Tropic Thunder (2008), a satirical action comedy film directed and co-written by Ben Stiller, tells the story of a film adaptation of Hook-handed Vietnam veteran Staff Sergeant John ‘Four Leaf’ Tayback’s memoir. The cast includes has-been action hero Tugg Speedman, five-time Academy Award-winning Australian method actor Kirk Lazarus, closeted homosexual rapper Alpa Chino, and drug-addicted comedian Jeff Portnoy. Despite newcomer supporting actor Kevin Sandusky’s reliability, the rest of the actors cause chaos for inexperienced director Damien Cockburn. With the project falling behind schedule and ...

Rambo (2008) is an American action film directed and co-written by Sylvester Stallone, featuring the iconic character John Rambo created by author David Morrell for his novel First Blood. Set during the Saffron Revolution in Burma, the story follows a brutal SPDC officer named Major Pa Tee Tint as he spreads terror through ruthless tactics. Meanwhile, John Rambo has been living in Thailand for 20 years since his time in Afghanistan and Vietnam. He works as a snake catcher and boat driver, but his peaceful life is soon disrupted when missionary doctor Michael Burnett asks for his help in transporting a group on a ...

Stop-Loss (2008), directed by Kimberly Peirce, is a war drama following U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Brandon King and his squad stationed in Tikrit during the Iraq War. The film opens with footage from their tour, highlighting their remaining 28 days before they return home to the United States. While on duty at a checkpoint, they encounter gunshots as a car filled with insurgents speeds past. In response, the squad pursues them into an alley where they are ambushed from rooftops. Amidst the chaos, two soldiers are killed when an RPG is fired and another is injured when an Iraqi vehicle explodes. Fortunately, Pvt. Rico ...

W. (2008) is an American biographical comedy-drama film that tells the story of George W. Bush, directed by Oliver Stone and written by Stanley Weiser. In 1966, George endures an initiation into Delta Kappa Epsilon at Yale University with his fellow students. Despite having a famous political family, he has no interest in their legacy. However, after getting arrested for causing a scene at a football game in New Jersey, his father offers to help him one last time. After graduating from Yale, George takes a short-lived job at an oil patch in Texas before revealing his true ...

Smart People (2008), a American comedy-drama film, tells the story of Lawrence Wetherhold, an English professor at Carnegie Mellon University. As a single parent to his college-aged son James and high school daughter Vanessa, as well as the sibling of his adopted brother Chuck, Lawrence’s life is complicated. He often clashes with Chuck, who he sees as a ne’er-do-well, and is generally bitter, arrogant, and self-absorbed. These traits also affect his relationship with his students; he has little interest in teaching them and even parks illegally on campus. However, when his car gets impounded and he can’t retrieve it due to a former student working ...

Slumdog Millionaire (2008), a British drama film, is a loose adaptation of the novel Q & A (2005) by Indian author Vikas Swarup. The story follows 18-year-old Jamal Malik, an Indian Muslim from the Juhu slum of Mumbai, who participates in the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati. Before reaching the final question worth ₹20 million, Jamal is wrongfully accused of cheating by the police and subjected to torture. As he gives his answers, we see flashbacks of key moments in his life that have helped him gain knowledge. For instance, when he was five years old, Jamal jumped into a cesspit just to get Bollywood star ...

Let the Right One In (2008) is a Swedish romantic horror film directed by Tomas Alfredson, adapted from John Ajvide Lindqvist’s 2004 novel of the same name. Set in 1982, the story follows 12-year-old Oskar and his mother Yvonne, who live in the western Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg. Oskar is constantly tormented by his peers and takes solace in collecting news articles about murders while daydreaming about revenge. One night, he meets a pale girl named Eli who has recently moved in next door with her caretaker Håkan. At first, Eli rejects Oskar’s friendship ...

Jumper (2008) is an American science fiction action film that loosely follows Steven Gould’s novel of the same title. Directed by Doug Liman, the movie centers around 15-year-old David Rice, who discovers his ability to teleport after falling through thin ice on the Huron River while retrieving a snow globe for his crush, Millie Harris. Using this newfound power, he leaves his abusive father behind and moves to New York City where he uses it to rob banks by teleporting into their vaults. Eight years pass and David now lives a lavish lifestyle in a penthouse, ...

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), a rom-com written and directed by Woody Allen, follows the story of two friends as they spend their summer in Barcelona. They stay with Vicky’s relatives, Judy and Mark. While Vicky and Cristina are close, they have different outlooks on love. Vicky is more traditional and practical, engaged to her dependable fiancé Doug. Cristina, on the other hand, sees herself as a free-spirited nonconformist who is unsure of what she wants from life or love. While visiting an art exhibition, Cristina is captivated by the artist Juan Antonio, whom Judy reveals had a tumultuous relationship with ...

The American fantasy romantic drama film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), directed by David Fincher, follows the loosely based storyline by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1922 short story of the same name. In August 2005, Daisy Fuller shares with her daughter Caroline the tale of Mr. Gateau, a blind clockmaker commissioned to create a train station clock in 1918 as a tribute to those who lost their sons in World War I, including Gateau ...

Next Floor (2008) is an award-winning Canadian dark comedy short film directed by critically acclaimed Denis Villeneuve. The largely wordless film follows a group of eleven individuals as they endlessly indulge in raw meats at a banquet. A motley crew of overindulged and ravenous diners sit around an extravagant dining table, surrounded by opulent decorations. Despite being coated in dust, the guests continue to voraciously consume the never-ending supply of exotic dishes brought out by tireless waiters. As their gluttony reaches new heights, one must wonder: is there any limit to their insatiable appetites?

Directed by Alexander Eik and released straight to DVD, the sixth film entitled Varg Veum – Buried Dogs (2008) follows a series of events in Bergen that have heightened racial tension. It all starts with the tragic death of a young black asylum seeker at the hands of police, followed by a shooting at a public rally targeting a right-wing politician and resulting in his wife’s death. As the Party prepares for an upcoming leadership election, Marit Holm, one of the candidates, turns to Varg Veum for help claiming she is being stalked. Varg soon finds himself entangled in a complex web of deceit and treachery ...

The fifth installment in the series, Varg Veum – The Woman in the Fridge (2008), was helmed by director Alexander Eik and distributed directly to DVD. Private detective Veum is hired by an international oil drilling company to investigate the disappearance of one of their employees, Arne. During his search, he stumbles upon a disturbing discovery: a woman’s torso hidden in Arne’s apartment fridge. Before he can gather more clues, Veum is suddenly assaulted and rendered unconscious. By the time he regains consciousness, the police have arrived on the scene, but the limbless body has mysteriously ...

The fourth installment, Varg Veum – Fallen Angels (2008), was helmed by Morten Tyldum, who gained recognition for his 2011 adaptation of Jo Nesbø’s novel Headhunters. It was released in theaters. A chance encounter with his former classmates in the band Camp brings complications for Veum. Matters are further complicated when he reconnects with his former love, Rebecca, now married to Jakob, the frontman of the band and Varg’s friend. The city is plagued by a series of murders involving young girls dressed in white and hanged in a bizarre manner. ...

Varg Veum – Yours Until Death (2008), the third film in Varg Veum’s series, was helmed by award-winning director Erik Richter Strand. Unlike his previous works, this one bypassed theaters and went straight to DVD. While Varg has encountered numerous women as a private investigator, none have been able to hold his interest for long. However, when he meets Wenche Andresen while searching for her missing husband’s car, he thinks she may be different. Unfortunately, Jonas is found dead and Wenche becomes the main suspect. Refusing to believe that a woman with traditional values on love and loyalty ...

Erik Richter Strand, a multi-award winning director from both Europe and the United States, helmed the second installment of Varg Veum – Sleeping Beauty (2008). This particular film went straight to DVD. The story kicks off in Copenhagen, as Varg Veum stumbles upon Lisa, a teenage prostitute and daughter of a wealthy businessman. Bringing her back to his client’s home in Norway, Veum is approached by concerned neighbors who ask for his help in locating their missing son Peter, who happens to be Lisa’s close friend. Initially hesitant, Veum’s resolve changes ...

Il divo (2008) is a biographical drama directed by Paolo Sorrentino that delves into the life of former Italian Prime Minister, Giulio Andreotti. The film competed at the Cannes Film Festival and received the prestigious Jury Prize. It follows Andreotti’s political career, which was plagued by accusations of Mafia connections and scandalous events such as his seventh election in 1992, his unsuccessful attempt at becoming President, and his controversial trial in 1995. As the film begins, Giulio Andreotti reflects on his ability to endure a tumultuous political career, unlike his ...

Abel Ferrara’s Chelsea on the Rocks (2008) is a documentary that showcases the iconic Hotel Chelsea. Through interviews with current and former residents, as well as reenacted scenes of notable moments, the film honors the unique individuals and their artistic contributions to New York’s legendary Chelsea Hotel. Despite its roots as an impenetrable haven for writers, artists, musicians and nonconformists, this storied residence has now been transformed into a boutique hotel by a management company that fails to recognize its rich history.