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Across the Universe class=

When I first heard the words Julie Taymor, The Beatles and musical linked in the same sentence, I immediately etched the title Across the Universe into my brain.  Without even glimpsing a trailer, I knew I had to see the film.  I was raised on The Fab Four and was curious to see what Taymor, the award-winning director behind the stage production of The Lion King, would do with their library.  After months of waiting, I knew from the minute I heard Jim Sturgess’ haunting vocal on the opener (‘Girl’) that this would be a special event.

The movie centers around a dock worker from Liverpool, England (Jude) who travels to America in the early ‘60s to find the father he never met.  He quickly befriends a rich college dropout (Max) and later falls in love with his younger sister (Lucy).  All three eventually end up in New York where their lives become tied to the anti-war movement.

Click to continue reading REVIEW:  ‘Across the Universe’


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Mr. Skin bookJim McBride has a great job.  For the last eight years, he and a small group of dedicated employees (including his own mother) have fastidiously watched, pinpointed, and categorized female nude scenes in over 25,000 movies and television shows, and this Saturday McBride—or as millions know him, Mr. Skin—released a book chronicling the best of the best with Mr. Skin’s Skintastic Video Guide: The 501 Greatest Movies for Sex & Nudity on DVD.  Of course, after nearly a decade of harmless pay-it-forward sexual decadence, one book would seem unfitting—this book is the second from McBride, after 2004’s Mr. Skin’s Skincyclopedia: The A-to-Z Guide to Finding Your Favorite Actresses Naked.

Those unfamiliar with Mr. Skin need look no further than this year’s outrageous comedy Knocked Up, where a group of men spend all of their time and money (what little they have) on the development of a website dedicated to nude women in mainstream film, only to find Mr. Skin has beaten them to the punch—a plug that, according to McBride, has increased the website’s hits by 35 percent.

The new book takes the same approach as the website, recording the length of time an actress is nude along with her name and which body parts are shown.  But McBride is careful to draw a line between his craft and pornography, keeping his focus on mainstream film and television, and leaving the extreme sites to compete with each other.

If skipping all the artistic fluff (you know—plot, character development, soundtrack, cinematography, acting, etc.) and getting right to the debauchery excites you, pick up a copy of Mr. Skin’s Skintastic Video Guide today.  Here at FilmCrunch, we’re inclined to watch the entire movie.  But if we happen upon a nude scene or two, we’ll keep right on watching—everything is sexier with context.

Read More | Reuters

TransformersSo you’ve just watched our Transformers review and now you’re yearning to watching the film (again).  Well, those lucky enough may soon get a re-mastered version heading their way.  On September 21, Transformers: The IMAX Experience will open nationwide.  If the Autobots and Decepticons didn’t seem larger than life before, they will now.

Click on the link below to find a theater in your area:

Read More | IMAX

Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review the theatrical release of in this episode of FilmCrunch. In addition, they also look at the 9/11 documentary Loose Change and give their thoughts on the evidence and theories presented in the movie. Lastly, they take a look at the influx of old-school cartoons being transformed and updated for the big screen. Check the video for all the goods.

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.


Reese Witherspoon will appear on the cover of Elle this month, but it’s the inside story that’s getting all the attention. In her interview, Witherspoon talks candidly about her divorce from fellow actor . The actress said there were times when she was crippled by emotional pain, and she had to keep telling herself “it’s okay” just to go about her normal life. Witherspoon went on to say that her role as June Carter Cash helped her come to terms with the divorce – the Oscar she walked away with ain’t bad, either. Reese Witherspoon is at least one actress who doesn’t crave media attention, saying “if you’re wearing your panties – gosh darn it, leave me alone!” Like any good southern girl, Reese at least knows how to properly exit and enter vehicles – and certainly wouldn’t be so trashy as to go sans underwear.

Read More | MSNBC

Madeleine McCannDespite some great early buzz, Ben Affleck’s directorial debut will be taking a backseat to international news.

The actor, who’s been fairly quiet since his Golden Globe-nominated turn in Hollywoodland (and a small role in Smokin’ Aces), has been focusing his energy lately behind the camera.  His upcoming project, Gone Baby Gone, centers around the disappearance of a 4-year-old girl.  The story, based on a novel by Dennis Lehane (Mystic River), features Ben’s brother (Casey) and an impressive list of veteran actors (Ed Harris, Amy Madigan and Morgan Freeman). 

Gone—which was recently dubbed ‘one of the top crime movies this decade’ by Reuters—had been scheduled to debut at the Times London Film Festival on Oct. 26.  Unfortunately, the film will now be indefinitely shelved in the U.K.  The storyline, which bears an uneasy similarity to the disappearance of 4-year-old Madeleline McCann, hits too close to home for the country.  Additionally, the film’s actress (also named Madeline) bears a resemblance to McCann.

The British girl’s story has been heard around the world for months now.  Her parents reported her missing on May 3 while they were on a family trip in Portugal.  They claimed she was abducted from her bed while they were nearby eating dinner.  But an interesting turn of events now has the media spotlight focused on Gerry and Kate McCann.  The worried parents have now been named suspects by the Portugese authorities.  It’s unclear whether this recent development had anything to do with the film’s last-minute delay.

As for the US distribution,  Gone Baby Gone is still scheduled for release on Oct. 19th.

Read More | Variety

Paris Hilton and Nicole RichieJoe Nasser, the executive producer of the new Anna Nicole Smith movie, is embarking on another Hollywood project. He’s in pre-production on a flick titled Hollywood Brats, which will be based on the real-life crime events of “a trio of young celebrities.” Hmmmm. I wonder to whom he could be referring? Nasser said the film is about Hollywood girls getting into trouble. All will go to jail, get arrested, and go through trials and tribulations during the flick. The script will use the names of real celebs, but Nasser is staying tight-lipped about what those names are. Early guesses suspect , , , and . Hollywood Brats will be an independent flick, and Nasser says he can make the feature even without permission to use certain names. “As long as we stick to the truth, we’re in good shape.” The move will be based on public record.

Read More | LA Times

The Brave One movie poster has been a permanent Hollywood fixture since she was a young girl, first gaining notice in Disney flicks like Freaky Friday (that’s right – Foster was in the original version of the flick, and she never buckled under pressure like ). She made a name for herself when she snagged a huge paycheck for The King and I, and she established herself as one of the baddest dames in the biz. Foster is back on the big screen in The Brave One, a tough-as-nails role that harks back to earlier Foster hits like The Silence of the Lambs and Panic Room. Jodie Foster plays Erica, a vigilante with little fear of personal peril or death. Critics say the film will even help viewers work out some of their 9/11 trauma, which is intriguing enough to take a closer look at the latest Foster flick. Get your tickets while you can – The Brave One opens Friday.

Read More | MSNBC

The Brave One

If you need a little help planning your weekend, here are a few possible suggestions:

Russell CroweAccording to the New York Post, may be dismounting his horse and going sci-fi for his next venture.

If the reports are true, we could see the 3:10 to Yuma star boldly heading where no man has gone before in the latest movie.  The details of his role are vague, but he’s being courted to play the villain in the series’ 11th installment.

The film, currently starring Zachary Quinto () as Spock and Anton Yelchin (Huff) as Chekov, is being directed by ().

Read More | NY Post

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