Little Miss Sunshine

Today, I went to see the movie: Little Miss Sunshine. This was a preview screening, as it's scheduled to open in theatres on August 11, 2006. This movie features many actors, but one of whom I felt took on a really different role. The actor in question is Steve Carell, who has had roles in movies such as 40 Year Old Virgin, and Over the Hedge. He was also Jim Carrey's co-anchor in Bruce Almighty.

The story is about a 7 year old girl, Olive Hoover, who gets invited to go and participate in the little Miss Sunshine pageant. She receives this on a relatively short notice, so her entire family makes her dream come true by driving across the country. In this short journey, the family learns to support each other, instead of hating each other, along with other important lessons: Communication, team work etc.

There are also some important issues that get touched upon. For example, introducing a 7 year old girl to homosexuality, or the world of beauty pageants, or anorexia/bulimia and body image.

The actors did a very good job portraying their characters, but I particularly like Steve Carell (It's nice to see him in a role other than ones in 40 Year Old Virgin), and Paul Dano, who spent about 3/4 of the movie not talking to anyone. Steven Carell played the role of Frank Hoover, the number one Proust scholar in United States. He did a very good job playing the role of a "in the middle gay man".

This is a movie with heart, lots of heart, and very clever humour and acting. It's a movie that is good for families, as well as indepedent film lovers.

And on another note, speaking of sexuality, I saw a guy downtown today, with a shirt that he proudly wore: "God mad Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!". I was very shocked about this, for the following reasons:

1) The part of town I live in right now, is very close to Concordia University, and most university students I know have a more open mind set than that;
2) Most people are very open in Montreal, and thus, to see someone who proudly wears this shirt is disturbing, since it breaks the image of an open-minded Montreal;
3) The fact that these shirts were actually manufactured. And not to mention, people bought them and are wearing them.

Oh well, it takes all types to make this world run, I guess.