In Theaters This Weekend: May 8, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Magnolia, Paramount, Sony, Adaptation, Adventure, Documentary, Drama, Foreign, Independent, Period, Political, Religious, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Sports, Lists, New Releases

Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:

• Next Day Air (R): starring Donald Faison, Mike Epps, Wood Harris (directed by Benny Boom)
• Star Trek (PG-13): starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana (directed by J.J. Abrams)
• Adoration* (R): starring Rachel Blanchard, Scott Speedman, Katie Boland (directed by Atom Egoyan)
• Julia* (R): starring Tilda Swinton, Ezra Buzzington, Kate Del Castillo (directed by Erick Zonca)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: May 8, 2009

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FilmCrunch 039: This Film Is Not Yet Rated DVD Review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: IFC Films, Documentary, DVD Reviews, Short FilmCrunch, Videocasts

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Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review This Film in this episode of FilmCrunch:

The MPAA, a lobbying organization for the movie industry, maintains a rating system first implemented in 1968 by longtime president Jack Valenti. This system, with its age based content classification using letter grades G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17 (formerly X), has become a cultural icon. But behind its simple façade is a censoring process kept entirely secret. Board members are anonymous; deliberations are private; standards are seemingly arbitrary. Thus, the trade organization for the largest media corporations in America also keeps a trademarked lock on content regulation over our most unique and popular art form. Filmmaker Kirby Dick asks whether Hollywood movies and independent films are rated equally for comparable content; whether sexual content in gay-themed movies is given harsher ratings penalties than their heterosexual counterparts; whether it makes sense that extreme violence is given an R rating while sexuality is banished to the cutting room floor; whether Hollywood studios receive detailed directions as to how to change an NC-17 film into an R, while independent film producers are left guessing; and finally, whether keeping the raters and the rating process secret leaves the MPAA entirely unaccountable for its decisions.

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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FilmCrunch 034: Letters from Iwo Jima, This Film is Not Yet Rated, Movie Theater Etiquette

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: DreamWorks, IFC Films, Warner Bros, Adaptation, Documentary, Independent, Period, Short FilmCrunch, Theatrical Reviews, Videocasts

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Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep are back with a full episode of FilmCrunch. In this show, expect a review of Clint Eastwood‘s Letters from Iwo Jima, along with a DVD review of This Film is Not Yet rated.

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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