Cineliteracy: What You Want and Need to Know about 2008 as Movie Year
My Oscar Book
Evaluation of the year
2008 as “one of the biggest years ever for movies.” It stated, “2008 was the year when the comic book movie genre not only hits its zenith, but also gained critical respectability thanks to The Dark Knight. Animated films also proved a huge draw for filmgoers, with Pixar’s WALL-E becoming not only the highest grossing toon but also the most lauded. Things got off on the right foot with the monster movie madness of Cloverfield. Marvel got down to business laying the groundwork for their superhero team-up The Avengers with the blockbuster hit Iron Man and their respectable attempt at rebooting The Incredible Hulk. The games-to-film genre took a hit this year, with only Max Payne proving to be a worthy adaptation of the source material. We also saw the highly anticipated big-screen returns of iconic characters like Batman, James Bond, and Indiana Jones – some were more successful than others.”
IndieWire described 2008 as “a stellar year for movies that gave us tons of unforgettable classics” such as The Wrestler, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.
Top-Grossing films of 2008
Rank Title Distributor Worldwide gross
1 The Dark Knight Warner Bros. $997,000,000
2 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Paramount $786,636,033
3 Kung Fu Panda $631,744,560
4 Hancock Sony $629,443,428
5 Mamma Mia! Universal $609,841,637
6 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Paramount $603,900,354
7 Quantum of Solace Sony $589,580,482 (Bond)
8 Iron Man Paramount $585,796,247
9 WALL-E Disney $521,311,860
10 The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian $419,665,568
Box Office Records
On August 4, The Dark Knight reached a $400 million domestic gross in record time of 18 days. The previous record was held by Shrek 2, which reached it in 43 days.
On August 31, after 45 days, The Dark Knight reached $500 million, only the second film in history after Titanic to cross the half-billion-dollar domestic milestone, as well as the first film of the 2000s decade. Worldwide, it grossed $997 million on its initial release, and an IMAX reissue in 2009 saw it become the fourth film to gross $1 billion at the global box office. It also surpassed Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as the highest-grossing film ever distributed by Warner until surpassed by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011.
Mamma Mia! became the highest-grossing film in UK history until surpassed by Avatar in 2010.
Slumdog Millionaire became the most successful British independent film of all time. At the UK box office, it became highest-grossing British indie (surpassing Four Weddings and a Funeral), the highest-grossing British film without US studio investment, and biggest ever weekly “increase for a UK saturation release” (surpassing Billy Elliot).
Events
Month Day Event
January 7
Due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America Strike, NBC scraps plans to hold its 65t Globe Awards, instead holding press conference about the winners
16 The 61st BAFTA Awards nominations were announced with Atonement the leading film with 14 nominations closely followed by No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood, both with 7 nominations
17 – 27
The 26th Sundance Film Festival is opened with the world premiere of Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges and screens over 120 films. The Grand Jury and Audience Award prizes are awarded to Frozen River and The Wackness, respectively. The festival closes with world premiere of Bernard Shakey’s CSNY/Déjà Vu
22 The 80th Academy Awards nominations were announced with No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood the leading with 8 nominations each, followed by Atonement and Michael Clayton, both with 7
Jan 22
The Oscar-nominated actor Heath Ledger, 28, found dead at home in Manhattan from accidental prescription pills overdose.
26
The 60th DGA Award dinner is held in Los Angeles: Film prize is Joel and Ethan Coen
27 The 14th Screen Actors Guild Awards held in the Shrine Exposition Center, Los Angeles.
February 7 – 17 The 58th Berlin International Film Fest opens with the world premiere of Scorsese’s Shine a Light and screens over 350 films. The Golden Bear prize is awarded to Elite Squad. The Silver Bear prizes are awarded to Paul Thomas Anderson, Best Director, Reza Naji, Best Actor and Sally Hawkins, Best Actress. The festival closes with premiere of Michel Gondry’s Be Kind Rewind
9 The 60th Writers Guild of America Awards are announced in a brief statement. The Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Screenplay prizes are awarded to Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men) and Diablo Cody (Juno), respectively
1
12 WGA agree a three-year deal with the AMPTP and vote to end the 3-month 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America Strike
23 The 28th Golden Raspberry Awards ceremony is held in Santa Monica.
The 23rd Independent Spirit Awards ceremony is broadcast. The Best Film award is given to Juno. The Best Actor and Best Actress awards are Philip Seymour Hoffman and Elliot Page respectively
24 The 80th Academy Awards ceremony is held in the Kodak Theatre, Hollywood.
May 14 – 25 Entre les murs wins Palme d’Or while Gomorrah receives Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.
18 Iron Man, first movie of 2008 to earn $300 million in the US.
Awards
Category/Organization
14th Critics’ Choice Awards, January 8, 2009
Producers, Directors, Screen Actors, and Writers Guild Awards
Oscars: 81st Academy Awards, February 22, 2009
Best Film: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor: Sean Penn, Milk
Best Actress: Kate Winslet, The Reader
Best Supporting Actor Heath Ledger, Dark Knight
Best Supporting Actress Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best Screenplay, Adapted, Slumdog Millionaire Simon Beaufoy
Best Screenplay, Original, Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Best Animated Film WALL-E
Best Original Score Slumdog Millionaire
A. R. Rahman — Slumdog Millionaire
A. R. Rahman
Best Original Song “The Wrestler”
The Wrestler — “Jai Ho”
Slumdog Millionaire
Best Foreign Language Film: Departures
Deaths
Month Date Name Age Country Profession Notable films
January
2 George MacDonald Fraser 82 UK Screenwriter
The Three MusketeersRed Sonja
2 Brice Mack 90 US Background Artist
FantasiaAlice in Wonderland
5 Edward Kłosiński 65 Poland Cinematographer
Three Colours: WhiteEuropa
10 Maila “Vampira” Nurmi 86 US Actress
Plan 9 from Outer SpaceSex Kittens Go to College
15 Brad Renfro 25 US Actor
The ClientGhost World
18 Lois Nettleton 80 US Actress
Period of AdjustmentButterfly
19 Suzanne Pleshette 70 US Actress
The BirdsSupport Your Local Gunfighter
21 Russell Lloyd 92 UK Film Editor
The Man Who Would Be KingMoby Dick
22 Kenneth Higgins 88 UK Cinematographer
Georgy GirlDarling
22 Heath Ledger 28 Australia Actor
The Dark KnightBrokeback Mountain
22 Kevin Stoney 87 UK Actor
StrongroomThe Blood Beast Terror
25 Christopher Allport 60 US Actor
To Live and Die in L.A.The Lincoln Conspiracy
25 Louisa Horton 87 US Actress
All My SonsSwashbuckler
February
Feb 2
Barry Morse 89 UK Actor, Kings of the Sun, The Changeling
3 Charles Fawcett 92 US Actor
War and PeaceThe 300 Spartans
4 Augusta Dabney 89 US Actress
That Night!The Paper
6 John Alvin 59 US Poster Artist
Star WarsE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
7 Tamara Desni 94 Germany Actress
Fire Over EnglandBlue Smoke
8 Eva Dahlbeck 87 Sweden Actress
Secrets of WomenA Lesson in Love
9 Robert DoQui 73 US Actor
RoboCopNashville
10 Roy Scheider 75 US Actor
JawsThe French Connection
11 James Quinn 88 UK Producer
HerostratusOverlord
12 Oscar Brodney 100 US Screenwriter
HarveyThe Glenn Miller Story
12 David Groh 68 US Actor
Two-Minute WarningThe Return of Superfly
13 Kon Ichikawa 92 Japan Director
The Burmese HarpTokyo Olympiad
13 Lionel Mark Smith 62 US Actor
MagnoliaSpartan
14 Perry Lopez 76 US Actor
ChinatownKelly’s Heroes
14 Trevor Williams 76 UK Production Designer
Police AcademyThe Changeling
18 Alain Robbe-Grillet 85 France Screenwriter, Director
Last Year at MarienbadL’Immortelle
19 Mary Barclay 91 UK Actress
A Touch of ClassRasputin the Mad Monk
19 David Hildyard 91 UK Sound Engineer
CabaretFiddler on the Roof
19 David Watkin 82 UK Cinematographer
Out of AfricaChariots of Fire
22 Dennis Letts 73 US Actor
Cast AwayA Perfect World
23 Carl Pingitore 84 US Film Editor
Dirty HarryPlay Misty for Me
25 Sidney Beckerman 87 US Producer
Marathon ManRed Dawn
28 John Bliss 77 US Actor
Intolerable CrueltyArt School Confidential
29 Gayne Rescher 83 US Cinematographer
Star Trek II: The Wrath of KhanA Face in the Crowd
March
March 4 Leonard Rosenman 83 US Composer, Barry Lyndon, Bound for Glory
5 Ronald Pierce 98 US Sound Engineer
The StingEarthquake
6 Alex Sharp 86 US Stuntman, Actor
The GooniesPlanet of the Apes
6 Malvin Wald 90 US Screenwriter
The Naked CityAl Capone
7 Kay Callard 84 Canada Actress
West of SuezThe Flying Scot
7 George Tyne 91 US Actor
A Walk in the SunSands of Iwo Jima
16 Ivan Dixon 76 US Actor, Director
A Patch of BlueA Raisin in the Sun
18 Anthony Minghella 54 UK Director, Screenwriter, Producer
The English PatientCold Mountain
19 Arthur C. Clarke 90 UK Screenwriter
2001: A Space Odyssey
19 Paul Scofield 86 UK Actor
A Man for All SeasonsQuiz Show
24 Rafael Azcona 81 Spain Screenwriter
Belle ÉpoqueLa Grande Bouffe
24
Richard Widmark 93 US Actor, Kiss of Death, Judgment at Nuremberg
25 Abby Mann 80 US Screenwriter, Judgment at Nuremberg, Child Is Waiting
31 Jules Dassin 96 US Director
The Naked City, Never on Sunday
April
April 1 Mosko Alkalai 77 Israel Actor
Blaumilch CanalThe Fox in the Chicken Coop
1 Floyd Simmons 84 US Actor
Written on the WindSouth Pacific
1 Maury Winetrobe 85 US Film Editor
Funny GirlIce Castles
2 Guy McElwaine 71 US Producer, Executive
Exorcist: The BeginningThe Good Shepherd
5 Charlton Heston 84 US Actor
Ben-HurThe Ten Commandments
8 Stanley Kamel 65 US Actor
DominoInland Empire
11 Willoughby Goddard 81 UK Actor
Young Sherlock HolmesJabberwocky
14 Ollie Johnston 95 US Animator
Snow White and the Seven DwarfsThe Jungle Book
14 June Travis 93 US Actress
Ceiling ZeroThe Case of the Black Cat
15 Hazel Court 93 UK Actress
The RavenThe Curse of Frankenstein
18 Kay Linaker 94 US Actress, Screenwriter
The Murder of Dr. HarriganCharlie Chan in Rio
18 Joy Page 83 US Actress
CasablancaThe Bullfighter and the Lady
23 Dave Atkins 67 UK Actor
HellraiserPlunkett & Macleane
24 Tristram Cary 82 UK Composer
The LadykillersQuatermass and the Pit
28 Alan Jaggs 90 UK Film Editor
Treasure IslandConquest of the Planet of the Apes
29 Julie Ege 64 Norway Actress
On Her Majesty’s Secret ServiceUp Pompeii
May
May 1 Bernard Archard 91 UK Actor
The Day of the Jackal, Krull
1 Terry Duggan 76 UK Actor
2001: A Space OdysseyBeautiful Thing
8 Dorothy Green 88 US Actress
The Big HeatPalm Springs Weekend
12 Robert Russell 71 UK Actor
BedazzledWitchfinder General
12 Claudio Undari 73 Italy Actor
SabataEverything Happens to Me
13 Jill Adams 77 UK Actress
The Green ManPrivate’s Progress
13 John Phillip Law 70 US Actor
Barbarella, Danger: Diabolik
14 John Forbes-Robertson 80 UK Actor
The Vampire LoversThe Vault of Horror
15 Alexander Courage 88 US Orchestrator, Composer
Jurassic ParkThe Mummy
15 Hanna Hertelendy 88 Hungary Actress
Rosemary’s BabyIn Like Flint
16 Sandy Howard 80 US Director, Producer
MeteorA Man Called Horse
18 Joseph Pevney 96 US Director
Female on the BeachTammy and the Bachelor
22 Harry Lange 77 Germany Production Designer
Return of the Jedi2001: A Space Odyssey
24 Dick Martin 86 US Actor
The Glass Bottom BoatAir Bud: Golden Receiver
26 Sydney Pollack 73 US Director, Producer, Actor
Out of AfricaTootsie
28 Earle Hagen 88 US Composer, Orchestrator
Call Me MadamGentlemen Prefer Blondes
29 Harvey Korman 81 US Actor
Blazing SaddlesDracula: Dead and Loving It
June
June 2
2 Mel Ferrer 90 US Actor, Director, Scaramouche, Lili
7 Dino Risi 91 Italy Director, Screenwriter
The Easy LifeTorture Me But Kill Me with Kisses
11 Jean Desailly 87 France Actor
La Peau DouceLe Professionnel
15 Sydney J. Bartholomew Jr. 54 US Production Designer
Dumb and DumberMe, Myself & Irene
15 Stan Winston 62 US Makeup Artist
Jurassic ParkAliens
17 Henry Beckman 86 Canada Actor, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Marnie
17 Cyd Charisse 86 US Actress, Dancer
The Band WagonSilk Stockings
18 Jean Delannoy 100 France Director
La Symphonie Pastorale, Les amitiés particulières
22 George Carlin 71 US Actor, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Dogma
July
July 4 Evelyn Keyes 91 US Actress
Gone with the Wind, The Seven Year Itch
6 Nonna Mordyukova 82 Russia Actress
CommissarThe Diamond Arm
7 Bruce Conner 74 US Director
A MovieMarilyn Times Five
8 Harry Spalding 95 Canada Screenwriter
The Watcher in the WoodsChosen Survivors
9 Charles H. Joffe 78 US Producer
Annie HallManhattan
17 Larry Haines 89 US Actor
The Odd CoupleThe Seven-Ups
22 Greg Burson 59 US Voice Actor
Jurassic ParkMr. Magoo
22 Patrick Connor 81 UK Actor
BrazilLifeforce
22 Estelle Getty 84 US Actress
MannequinStop! Or My Mom Will Shoot
27 Youssef Chahine 82 Egypt Director
Sira` Fi al-WadiLe Chaos
27 Marisa Merlini 84 Italy Actress
Pane, Amore e FantasiaThe Traffic Policeman
29 Luther Davis 91 US Screenwriter
KismetLady in a Cage
August
Aug 9
Bernie Mac 50 US Actor, Comedian
Ocean’s ElevenGuess Who
10 Isaac Hayes 65 US Actor, Singer, Songwriter
ShaftEscape from New York
11 George Furth 75 US Actor
The Cannonball RunBlazing Saddles
11 Terence Rigby 71 UK Actor
Get CarterTomorrow Never Dies
14 Robert Jessup 78 US Cinematographer
Race with the DevilSilent Rage
15 Molly McClure 89 US Actress
Mrs. DoubtfireCity Slickers
16 Roberta Collins 63 US Actress
Death Race 2000Caged Heat
19 Julius Carry 56 US Actor
The Last DragonThe New Guy
24 Morris Sullivan 91 US Producer
All Dogs Go to HeavenRock-a-Doodle
24 Peter Sutton 65 UK Sound Engineer
The Empire Strikes BackLabyrinth
25 Marpessa Dawn 74 US Actor
Black OrpheusLe Bal du Comte d’Orgel
25 Rita Quigley 85 US Actress
Whispering FootstepsThe Howards of Virginia
31 Ken Campbell 66 UK Actor
A Fish Called WandaCreep
31 Jerry Reed 71 US Actor, Singer
Smokey and the BanditThe Waterboy
September
Sep 1 Michael Pate 88 Australia Actor, Director
Thunder on the HillThe Court Jester
2 Bill Melendez 91 Mexico Animator, Director, Producer
FantasiaA Boy Named Charlie Brown
6 Anita Page 98 US Actress, Our Dancing Daughters, Broadway Melody
8 Celia Gregory 58 UK Actress
The Baby of MâconAgatha
18 Florestano Vancini 82 Italy Director, Screenwriter
The Assassination of MatteottiBlow Hot, Blow Cold
19 David Jones 74 UK Director
Betrayal84 Charing Cross Road
20 William Fox 97 UK Actor
Omen III: The Final ConflictThe Lavender Hill Mob
24 Irene Dailey 88 US Actress
Five Easy PiecesThe Amityville Horror
26 Paul Newman 83 US Actor, Director, Cat on a Hot Tin Roo, Color of Money
29 Louis Guss 90 US Actor
The GodfatherMoonstruck
October
Oct 1 Robert Arthur 87 US Actor
Ace in the HoleYellow Sky
5 Kim Chan 90 China Actor
The Fifth ElementLethal Weapon 4
5 Ken Ogata 71 Japan Actor, The Pillow Book, Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
7 Peter Copley 93 UK Actor
The Sword and the RoseThe Elusive Pimpernel
8 Eileen Herlie 90 UK Actress
The Story of Gilbert and SullivanHamlet
11 Vija Artmane 79 Latvia Actress
The Andromeda NebulaThe Arrows of Robin Hood
11 Neal Hefti 85 US Composer
BatmanThe Odd Couple
11 Mark Shivas 70 UK Producer
The WitchesJude
11 Gil Stratton 86 US Actor
Stalag 17Girl Crazy
13 Guillaume Depardieu 37 France Actor
Tous les matins du mondePola X
15 Edie Adams 81 US Actress
The ApartmentIt’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
15 Nathan Davis 91 US Actor
ThiefRisky Business
15 Vicki Graef 58 US Costume Designer
Half BakedAssault on Precinct 13
18 Xie Jin 84 China Director
Hibiscus TownLegend of Tianyun Mountain
19 Rudy Ray Moore 81 US Actor
DolemiteThe Human Tornado
23 Gianluigi Braschi 45 Italy Producer
Life Is BeautifulThe Monster
24 Milton Katselas 75 US Director
Butterflies Are Free40 Carats
27 Roy Stewart 83 Jamaica Actor
Live and Let DieTwins of Evil
31 Jonathan Bates 68 UK Sound Engineer
GandhiA Fish Called Wanda
31 John Daly 71 UK Producer
The TerminatorPlatoon
November
Nov 5
Michael Crichton 66 US Screenwriter, Director,m Jurassic Park, Twister
5 Michael Higgins 88 US Actor
Death Becomes Her, The Conversation
8 Arthur A. Ross 88 US Screenwriter
BrubakerThe Great Race
11 María Elena Marqués 81 Mexico Actress, Singer
The PearlRomeo and Juliet
17 Irving Brecher 94 US Screenwriter, Director
Meet Me in St. LouisBye Bye Birdie
17 Ennio De Concini 84 Italy Screenwriter
Divorce Italian StyleBlack Sunday
19 John Michael Hayes 89 US Screenwriter, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief
20 June Vincent 89 US Actress
Black AngelShed No Tears
26 De’Angelo Wilson 29 US Actor
8 MileAntwone Fisher
December
Dec 1 Paul Benedict 70 US Actor
This Is Spinal TapThe Freshman
2 Malcolm Cooke 79 UK Film Editor
Flash GordonDeath on the Nile
5 Nina Foch 84 Netherlands Actress
An American in ParisScaramouche
5 Beverly Garland 82 US Actress
D.O.A.Gunslinger
8 Robert Prosky 77 US Actor
ThiefDead Man Walking
8 Bob Spiers 63 UK Director
Spice WorldThat Darn Cat
12 Van Johnson 92 US Actor
The Caine MutinyA Guy Named Joe
13 Christine Carère 78 France Actress
Don JuanA Certain Smile
Dec 16
Sam Bottoms 53 US Actor, Apocalypse Now, Outlaw Josey Wales
Dec 20
Robert Mulligan 83 US Director, To Kill a Mockingbird, Summer of ’42
24 Harold Pinter 78 UK Screenwriter, Director, Sleuth, French Lieutenant’s Woman
25 Eartha Kitt 81 US Actress, Singer, The Emperor’s New Groove, Holes
25 Ann Savage 87 US Actress, Detour, Apology for Murder
Dec 31
Donald E. Westlake 75 Mexico Screenwriter, The Stepfather, The Grifters
Film Debuts
Chadwick Boseman – The Express: The Ernie Davis Story
Jessica Chastain – Jolene
Felicity Jones – Flashbacks of a Fool
Nick Kroll – Adventures of Power
Jennifer Lawrence – Garden Party
Margot Robbie – Vigilante
Gina Rodriguez – Calling It Quits
Blanca Suárez – Shiver
Jeremy Strong – Humboldt County
