Sundance movies are the new awesome

Okay, okay. I know that Sundance was several months ago, but since the New Awesome didn't exist when I was out watching all the films, and now (three whole months later) several of my favorites are making their way to the big screens across the nation, I figured it would be okay to make you guys watch some trailers. These are just two of my must-see films from Sundance this year:

Little Miss Sunshine


I always feel a little silly when telling people that my favorite "independant" film at sundance this year starred Greg Kinear, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin and Steve Carrell. That opens up a whole new discussion on the state of the films at sundance these days that I won't go into. But there is a good reason that this was the film that everyone was talking about this year. The characters are all quirky and loveably defective: Olive is the slightly pudgy aspiring beauty queen; her father, Richard, is a struggling motivational speaker; her mom, Sheryl, has to bring her Proust scholar/brother, Frank, home after his failed suicide attempt; her brother, Dwayne, has taken a Nietzsche-inspired vow of silence until he is old enough to be a fighter pilot; and of course, Grandpa was recently kicked out of his nursing home for snorting heroin. What happens when they all get in an old VW van to go to the Little Miss Sunshine pagent in California? Oh man! Too heartwarming to talk about.

See the Little Miss Sunshine trailer here

Thank You For Smoking



See the trailer for Thank You For Smoking here

You have probably heard about this one, since it is already playing in select theatres. Basically, Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) is the chief spokesman for Big Tobacco, and makes his living defending the rights of smokers and cigarette makers, and does a pretty good job at it. I liked it because working in marketing, i think there is always part of you that is morbidly fascinated with the idea that whatever it is you are selling can seem good when spun correctly.

And, thanks to the wonder of fox searchlight publicity, you can check to see if a free preview of the film is coming to your city! Just RSVP for a free screening (but show up early - just because you RSVP, it does not guarantee you a spot)