Movie: Whip It * Trailer * Official Site	In Theaters: Oct. 2, 2009
Runtime: 111 minutes	Directed by: Drew Barrymore
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, including crude dialogue, language and drug material	Gecko Rating:

I’m a big fan of both Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page, so I’ve been looking forward to seeing “Whip It.” It delivers in all the right areas – warmth, action, empowerment, and family – despite a few cliché storylines you can see coming a mile away.

The story follows Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page), a teenager living in the small town of Bodeen, Texas with her mom (Marcia Gay Harden), dad (Daniel Stern), and little sister. Bliss is an indie-rocker girl who works at a local barbecue diner, but her mom has never left behind her own experiences on the beauty pageant circuit. Thus, she wants her own daughters to follow in her footsteps.

Unfortunately, Bliss is the exact opposite of a beauty pageant girl. She’d rather wear army boots and Stryper t-shirts. While out shopping one day, she sees a group of girls wearing roller skates come into a store, and learns about the roller derby crowd in Austin. So Bliss sneaks away to Austin with her old Barbie skates and best friend Pash (Alia Shawkat), and ends up making the “Hurl Scouts” team and becoming “Babe Ruthless.”

The girls’ names are part of the whole roller derby game – including Smashley Simpson (Drew Barrymore), Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig), and Iron Maven (Juliette Lewis).

When Bliss suddenly becomes a star on the team, it causes some major anxiety because her parents don’t know about her secret life, and her teammates don’t know she’s underage (team members are supposed to be 21).

Ellen Page has the same quirky aura of her pregnant teen character in “Juno,” and you’re instantly rooting for her to “be her own hero” as the other Hurl Scouts tell her, and break free of her mother’s dreams.

Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut is a great first, and while she hammers a few things home just a little too hard (including the drama of Bliss’ parents not wanting her to skate), she still manages to keep things loose. She has a great supporting cast to work with, including Alia Shawkat’s cool best friend character, Kristen Wiig’s sensitive tough-girl who helps Bliss through the rough spots, Jimmy Fallon’s ring announcer, and Landon Pigg’s bad-boy rocker Oliver, Bliss’ first lover (she’s 17).

NOTE TO PARENTS: Because of some of the adult-oriented material, this movie is best for kids 14 and older. But it’s a great girl-power flick, and the roller derby action makes you want to pick up some skates on your way home from the theater.

Sex/Nudity: Teens make out and kiss. Bliss and Oliver have sex, but it’s not shown (you see them stripping down in a swimming pool and kissing underneath the water). Bliss later discusses the experience with her mom. References to “crabs,” STDs, and penis size.

Violence/Gore: Much of the movie takes place in an aggressive roller derby setting, so there’s lots of pushing, shoving, elbowing, fighting, punching, and a few bruises and bloody body parts.

Profanity: Includes “sh*t,” “bitch,” “screw,” “ass,” “balls,” “hell,” “jackass,” and one use of “f*ck.” A character gives another the finger.

Images: TM and © Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

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Check out the trailer here, and a behind-the-scenes clip here. Here’s more from MTV: Ellen Page talking about what her roller derby name would be.

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The story follows rebellious teen Bliss Cavendar (Page), who finds her tribe in a group of roller derby girls. But her straight-laced Mom (Harden) is none too happy about it.

More pics after the jump. Drew’s adorable!

Image: Bauer-Griffin

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The remake already has a director – Robert Luketic – but who do you think should play Barbarella?

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Ellen Page stars as Bliss Cavendar, a rebellious Texas teen who trades in her small town beauty pageant crown for the wild and rowdy world of roller derby.

Kristen Wiig ("Saturday Night Live") and Juliette Lewis ("Old School") play roller-derby stars. Eve, Jimmy Fallon, and Daniel Stern are also featured in the movie, as is Marcia Gay Harden, who plays Bliss’ straight-laced mom.

Check out the trailer here; “Whip It” rolls into theaters on Oct. 9, 2009. 

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“Whip It” is the colorful directorial debut of Drew Barrymore, and stars Ellen Page as Bliss Cavendar, a rebellious Texas teen who trades in her small town beauty pageant crown for the wild and rowdy world of roller derby!

That doesn’t sit well with her straight-laced mom Marcia Gay Harden.  Kristen Wiig ("Saturday Night Live") and Juliette Lewis ("Old School") play roller-derby stars, and Eve, Jimmy Fallon, and Daniel Stern are also featured in the movie.

Check out the trailer and see if you agree that it looks like freakin’ amazing fun. “Whip It” rolls into theaters on Oct. 9, 2009.

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First there was Drew Barrymore, then Paul Weitz, then James Mangold, and now there are reports that Juan Antonio Bayona might be directing “Eclipse,” the third movie in the “Twilight” series.

This is an interesting pick, because Bayona is a protege of Guillermo Del Toro, who’s done some pretty interesting movies over the years, including the creepy “Pan’s Labyrinth.”

Bayona’s debut film, “The Orphanage,” centered on kids who’d been killed under mysterious circumstances. Though “Eclipse” will be romantic and adventurous, it also contains a mystery of unsolved murders. So maybe Bayona isn’t such a bad choice. He’s currently on tap to direct the thriller “Hater” for Universal.

Still, I dunno … he seems like a weird choice.

Any thoughts on this?

Image: Amazon.com

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Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Drew Barrymore voices the part of Chloe, a pampered Beverly Hills pooch who suddenly finds herself lost on the wild streets of Mexico. Also stars Piper Perabo and features the voices of George Lopez and Andy Garcia. Loved this fun movie! [Film Gecko Review] [Official Site]

Australia. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman star in this epic movie, but the real star is the sweeping vistas of the land Down Under. This movie is long but beautiful, with a killer musical score and storyline. [Film Gecko Review] [Official Site]

Awake. This psychological thriller revolves around a true-life medical condition known as "anesthetic awareness," where a patient is conscious during surgery. A friend of mine actually had this happen! Talk about a nightmare. Stars Terrence Howard, Fisher Stevens, Hayden Christensen, and Sam Robards. [Official Site]

Things We Lost in the Fire. Halle Berry plays Audrey Burke, a woman who learns that her husband (David Duchovny) has been killed in a random act of violence. She turns to her husband’s drug-addict friend (Benecio Del Toro) for comfort. [Official Site]

Image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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Personally, I think John Mayer just needs to sort of disappear. Every time I see him, he always seems like he’s trying to be funny or smart or whatever. I mean, I don’t know the guy, but I’m thinking maybe Jen could do better than him, too. Every minute she spends with him is keeping her from her true love. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. And props to Drew Barrymore for speaking her mind. 

What do you think? Yes, that’s my shameless celeb question of the day!

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