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Little Miss Sunshine PosterWhen little Olive Hoover becomes eligible to compete in the regional Little Miss Sunshine pageant, her dysfunctional but supportive family decide to help her get there.  Traveling from New Mexico to California in a failing Volkswagen bus, the family, despite an utter distaste for one another, must find a way to inhabit shared space for two straight days and face a slew of problems, both physical and psychological, along the way.  Little Miss Sunshine is a superbly written dark comedy that closely examines contemporary American family values and the growing dichotomy between what constitutes success and failure.

Little Miss Sunshine is written by Michael Arndt, directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, and stars Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, and Alan Arkin.  Rated R. 

Be sure to check out FilmCrunch’s Little Miss Sunshine Video Review. The DVD release brings along plenty of features to supplement the Oscar-nominated film:

  • Both widescreen and fullscreen viewing options
  • Two commentaries, one with directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, another with the directors and screenwriter Michael Arndt
  • Four alternate endings with optional director commentary.
  • Music video featuring music by Denver-based indie rock band DeVotchKa
  • Soundtrack spot.
  • Trailers

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Zodiac

Jake Gyllenhaal returns to the big screen with sure success in Zodiac, a low-key thriller centering around unsolved murders in California from 1968 to 1969. The star-studded cast in this 2007 movie includes Gyllenhaal as Robert Graysmith, Mark Ruffalo (Rumor Has It, Just Like Heaven) as Inspector Toschi, Anthony Edwards as Inspection Armstrong, and Robert Downey as Paul Avery. The Zodiac killer’s numbers were not what made the case so chillingly unforgettable – only five known victims fell to the serial killer’s wicked ways. The Zodiac took his killing one step further, even going so far as to mock police and public alike with strange, coded messages in the newspapers. The case was moved to the inactive files of the San Francisco Police Department in 2004, and to this day it remains unsolved. For many reasons, the self-named Zodiac is one killer that has captured public imagination time and again. The 2007 movie Zodiac, which was given a whopping four stars by TV Guide reviewers, should not be confused with the movie The Zodiac (neither the 1971 or 2006 versions). The chilling tale in Zodiac will be neither gory nor horrific, but rather lead viewers through a darker, more mellow version of fear.

Read More | TV Guide

BrangelinaThough the reps for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have not yet confirmed the news, Vietnamese officials have stated that Jolie has filed papers towards adopting a child from their country. Though Jolie filed her status as a single parent, it’s no secret that Brad has been on hand to help care for all their children: Cambodian-born Maddox (5), Ethiopian-born Zahara (2), their biological daughter Shiloh (10 months), and will no doubt take an active role in the upbringing of the new baby. The couple has been very vocal about their plans to continue expanding their clan, and they certainly aren’t wasting any time, either.  Jolie has commented that they want to continue to add to the mixed-race family, and will possibly look again to Africa the next time they decide to adopt.

Read More | E! Online

Star Trek XI Logo
Trekkies nationwide rejoiced Tuesday when Paramount Pictures revealed its planned release date for the 11th Star Trek film.  Set to premiere on Christmas Day 2008, the film, at present being called simply Star Trek XI, will follow young Kirk and Spock through their years in Starfleet Academy and into their first official mission.  Screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, along with director J.J. Abrams (Mission: Impossible III), will again team up for the project, with shooting set to begin in the fall.

While all major details about plot and casting remain unknown, this upcoming entry sounds promising and may give the series a much needed

kick

phaser in the pants.  Check back for more details as they unfold, right here on FilmCrunch.

Read More | CNN

Number 23 Carrey

When Walter Sparrow, a bashful Animal Control officer, happens upon a mysterious book entitled The Number 23, his world view is suddenly turned upside-down.  Every page turned in the ominous-looking novel becomes another parallel to Sparrow’s own life and past experiences.  When Sparrow realizes that the ‘23’ obsession that haunts the book’s protagonist is becoming his own, he must suspend his own disbelief, pacify his worried family, and follow numerically complex and morbid clues to find the answer to the mystery.  Though sporadically intense and marginally intriguing, The Number 23 is just a mishmash of special effects and plot twists surrounding an obsession that never becomes very interesting.

The Number 23 stars Jim Carrey and Virginia Madsen and is directed by Joel Schumacher.  Rated R.

Click to continue reading The Number 23 Review: Doesn’t Add Up


Spiderman 3Sony Pictures will release the third installment to the Spidey saga May 4, 2007, much to the delight of eager fans. The blockbuster status and success of the first two films promises another big bang for Spider-Man creator Stan Lee, director Sam Raimi, and leading man Tobey Maguire. Cast and crew from the previous movies will be reunited for more gravity-defying movie magic, though some new high-profile names have been added to the cast. Kirsten Dunst will again shine onscreen as Mary Jane, along with other favorite characters (including Spidey’s friend-turned-nemesis, Harry) fans have come to crave. In Spider-Man 3, Marvel’s hero will have to battle his greatest opponent yet – himself.

Click to continue reading Spider-Man 3 Adds New Villains to the Web

Read More | Spiderman 3 - New York Times

Oscars Want to know what happened on the biggest night of year for the movie business?  Can’t be bothered to actually watch the show yourself?  Hate the thought of being clueless around the water cooler tomorrow?

Well feel free to exploit our wasted time and energy and follow along with our live coverage of the Oscars!

Read More | TV Envy

Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep are back with another full episode of FilmCrunch. This time they review the theatrical releases of Dreamgirls and Pans Labyrinth, as well as the DVD releases of Employee of the Month, and The Illusionist.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review The Da Vinci Code:

Famed symbologist Professor Robert Langdon is called to the Louvre museum one night where a curator has been murdered, leaving behind a mysterious trail of symbols and clues. With his own survival at stake, Langdon, aided by the police cryptologist Sophie Neveu, unveils a series of stunning secrets hidden in the works of Leonardo Da Vinci, all leading to a covert society dedicated to guarding an ancient secret that has remained hidden for 2000 years. The pair set off on a thrilling quest through Paris, London and Scotland, collecting clues as they desperately attempt to crack the code and reveal secrets that will shake the very foundations of mankind.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


Neil Estep goes off on the people trying to sue to the makers of Borat. He gives you an overview of what the Borat film is all about, and why it’s really a genious piece of work, being that it is unique with real-life people. Watch out Borat haters…if Neil sees you on the street, he will yell at you, and then run quickly when you reciprocate. If you are unfamiliar with Borat:

Journalist Borat Sagdiyev leaves his native Kazakhstan to travel to America to make a documentary. As he zigzags across the nation, Borat meets real people in real situations with hysterical consequences. His backwards behavior generates strong reactions around him, exposing prejudices and hypocrisies in American culture. In some cases, Borat’s interview subjects embrace his outrageous views on race and sex by agreeing with him, while others attempt to offer a patriotic lesson in Western values.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


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