Best Movies of 2008

These are the 48 best-rated movies released in 2008, led by The Dark Knight, WALL·E and Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father. Ranked by audience score, with cast, trailers and legal places to watch on every page.

1. The Dark Knight (2008)

★ 8.5/10

Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The…
2. WALL·E (2008)

★ 8.1/10

What if mankind had to leave Earth and somebody forgot to turn the last robot off? After hundreds of years doing what he was built for, WALL•E discovers a new purpose in life when he meets a sleek search robot named…
3. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)

★ 8.1/10

In 2001, Andrew Bagby, a medical resident, is murdered not long after breaking up with his girlfriend. Soon after, when she announces she's pregnant, one of Andrew's many close friends, Kurt Kuenne, begins this film, a…
4. Gran Torino (2008)

★ 8.0/10

Disgruntled Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, Thao Lor, a Hmong teenager who tried to steal Kowalski's prized possession: a 1972 Gran Torino.
5. Strawberry Shortcake: Rockaberry Roll (2008)

★ 8.0/10

There's music in the air - and lots of fun, too - for Strawberry Shortcake and all her friends! Strawberry and her pals form their own band, Strawberry Jam, and enter the Strawberryland Talent Show. But when they start…
6. Hana Yori Dango: Final (2008)

★ 8.0/10

Four years have passed since that emotional marriage proposal at Tsukushi Makino's high-school prom, and Tsukasa Dōmyōji announced his engagement to Tsukushi to the entire world. At an engagement dinner between their…
7. Front of the Class (2008)

★ 7.9/10

A boy with Tourette's syndrome overcomes criticism and discrimination to achieve his dream of becoming a teacher.
8. La Maison en Petits Cubes (2008)

★ 7.9/10

La Maison en Petits Cubes tells the story of a grandfather's memories as he adds more blocks to his house to stem the flooding waters.
9. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)

★ 7.8/10

When his family moves from their home in Berlin to a strange new house in Poland, young Bruno befriends Shmuel, a boy who lives on the other side of the fence where everyone seems to be wearing striped pajamas. Unaware…
10. Ip Man (2008)

★ 7.8/10

A semi-biographical account of Yip Man, the first martial arts master to teach the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun. The film focuses on events surrounding Ip that took place in the city of Foshan between the 1930s to…
11. Ponyo (2008)

★ 7.8/10

When Sosuke, a young boy who lives on a clifftop overlooking the sea, rescues a stranded goldfish named Ponyo, he discovers more than he bargained for. Ponyo is a curious, energetic young creature who yearns to be…
12. Departures (2008)

★ 7.8/10

Daigo, a cellist, is laid off from his orchestra and moves with his wife back to his small hometown where the living is cheaper. Thinking he’s applying for a job at a travel agency he finds he’s being interviewed for…
13. Still Walking (2008)

★ 7.8/10

A family gathers together for a commemorative ritual whose nature only gradually becomes clear.
14. The Chaser (2008)

★ 7.8/10

Joong-ho is a dirty detective turned pimp in financial trouble as several of his girls have recently disappeared without clearing their debts. While trying to track them down, he finds a clue that the vanished girls…
15. Presto (2008)

★ 7.8/10

Dignity. Poise. Mystery. We expect nothing less from the great turn-of-the-century magician, Presto. But when Presto neglects to feed his rabbit one too many times, the magician finds he isn't the only one with a few…
16. Louis C.K.: Chewed Up (2008)

★ 7.8/10

Profane, vulgar and obscenely funny, Louis C.K. insists on telling the truth, whether you like it or not! Join the Emmy Award-winning stand-up comic and TV star (Lucky Louie) as he shares his thoughts on the stuff…
17. Pressure Cooker (2008)

★ 7.8/10

A committed, passionate teacher tries to make all the difference in the lives of disadvantaged students.
18. Before Tomorrow (2008)

★ 7.8/10

Two isolated families meet for a summertime celebration. Food is abundant and the future seems bright, but Ningiuq, a wise old woman, sees her world as fragile and moves through it with a pervasive sense of dread…
19. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

★ 7.7/10

A teenager reflects on his life after being accused of cheating on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?".
20. Iron Man (2008)

★ 7.7/10

After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.
21. Fireproof (2008)

★ 7.7/10

A heroic fire captain values dedication and service to others above all else, but the most important partnership in his life, his marriage, is about to go up in smoke.
22. Scooby-Doo! and the Goblin King (2008)

★ 7.7/10

Scooby-Doo and Shaggy must go into the underworld ruled by The Goblin King in order to stop a mortal named The Amazing Krudsky who wants power and is a threat to their pals: Fred, Velma, and Daphne.
23. Waltz with Bashir (2008)

★ 7.7/10

An Israeli film director interviews fellow veterans of the 1982 invasion of Lebanon to reconstruct his own memories of his term of service in that conflict.
24. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

★ 7.6/10

Born under unusual circumstances, Benjamin Button springs into being as an elderly man in a New Orleans nursing home and ages in reverse. Twelve years after his birth, he meets Daisy, a child who flits in and out of…
25. Seven Pounds (2008)

★ 7.6/10

An IRS agent with a fateful secret embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.
26. Changeling (2008)

★ 7.6/10

Los Angeles, 1928. When single mother Christine Collins leaves for work, her son vanishes without a trace. Five months later, the police reunite mother and son. But when Christine suspects that the boy returned to her…
27. Il Divo (2008)

★ 7.6/10

Italy, early '90s. Calm, clever and inscrutable, politician Giulio Andreotti has been synonymous with power for decades. He has survived everything: electoral battles, terrorist massacres, loss of friends, slanderous…
28. Synecdoche, New York (2008)

★ 7.6/10

A theater director struggles with his work, and the women in his life, as he attempts to create a life-size replica of New York inside a warehouse as part of his new play.
29. Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008)

★ 7.6/10

At 14, best friends Robb Reiner and Lips made a pact to rock together forever. Their band, Anvil, hailed as the "demi-gods of Canadian metal" influenced a musical generation that includes Metallica, Slayer, and…
30. The Flyboys (2008)

★ 7.6/10

Two boys from a small town find their courage tested when they accidentally stow away aboard an airplane owned by the mob...
31. The Reader (2008)

★ 7.5/10

The story of Michael Berg, a German lawyer who, as a teenager in the late 1950s, had an affair with an older woman, Hanna, who then disappeared only to resurface years later as one of the defendants in a war crimes…
32. In Bruges (2008)

★ 7.5/10

Ray and Ken, two hit men, are in Bruges, Belgium, waiting for their next mission. While they are there they have time to think and discuss their previous assignment. When the mission is revealed to Ken, it is not what…
33. The Wrestler (2008)

★ 7.5/10

Aging wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson is long past his prime but still ready and rarin' to go on the pro-wrestling circuit. After a particularly brutal beating, however, Randy hangs up his tights, pursues a serious…
34. BURN·E (2008)

★ 7.5/10

What lengths will a robot undergo to do his job? BURN·E is a dedicated hard working robot who finds himself locked out of his ship. BURN·E quickly learns that completing a simple task can often be a very difficult…
35. I Can't Think Straight (2008)

★ 7.5/10

Tala, a London-based Palestinian, is preparing for her elaborate Middle Eastern wedding when she meets Leyla, a young British Indian woman who is dating her best friend. Spirited Christian Tala and shy Muslim Leyla…
36. Let the Right One In (2008)

★ 7.5/10

When Oskar, a sensitive, bullied 12-year-old boy, meets his new neighbor, the mysterious and moody Eli, they strike up a friendship. Initially reserved with each other, Oskar and Eli slowly form a close bond, but it…
37. The First Day of the Rest of Your Life (2008)

★ 7.5/10

A sprawling drama centered on five key days in a family's life.
38. Camino (2008)

★ 7.5/10

A religious organization interferes with the life of a terminally ill girl.
39. The Secret Life of Bees (2008)

★ 7.5/10

Set in South Carolina in 1964, this is the tale of Lily Owens a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with…
40. Ghost in the Shell 2.0 (2008)

★ 7.4/10

In the year 2029, Section 9, a group of cybernetically enhanced cops, are called in to investigate and stop a highly-wanted hacker known as 'The Puppetmaster'. Ghost in the Shell 2.0 is a reproduced version of its…
41. Barbie and the Diamond Castle (2008)

★ 7.4/10

Liana and Alexa (Barbie and Teresa) are best friends who share everything, including their love of singing. Upon meeting a girl inside a mirror, the duo embark on a journey that will put their friendship to the…
42. Man on Wire (2008)

★ 7.4/10

On August 7th 1974, French tightrope walker Philippe Petit stepped out on a high wire, illegally rigged between New York's World Trade Center twin towers, then the world's tallest buildings. After nearly an hour of…
43. Doctor Who: The Next Doctor (2008)

★ 7.4/10

The Doctor arrives in Victorian London. It's Christmas, but snow isn't the only thing descending on the tranquil and jubilant civilization, as familiar silver giants from an alternate reality are amassing in numbers…
44. Tokyo Sonata (2008)

★ 7.4/10

A young boy takes interest in piano while his family begins to disintegrate around him after his father loses his job.
45. Kung Fu Panda (2008)

★ 7.3/10

When the Valley of Peace is threatened, lazy Po the panda discovers his destiny as the "chosen one" and trains to become a kung fu hero, but transforming the unsleek slacker into a brave warrior won't be easy. It's up…
46. The Hurt Locker (2008)

★ 7.3/10

During the Iraq War, a Sergeant recently assigned to an army bomb squad is put at odds with his squad mates due to his maverick way of handling his work.
47. Frost/Nixon (2008)

★ 7.3/10

For three years after being forced from office, Nixon remained silent. But in summer 1977, the steely, cunning former commander-in-chief agreed to sit for one all-inclusive interview to confront the questions of his…
48. Mesrine: Public Enemy #1 (2008)

★ 7.3/10

After nearly two decades of legendary criminal feats, making him France's most notorious criminal while simultaneously feeding his desire for media attention and public adoration, Mesrine becomes increasingly paranoid…