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Many stars got their start in Disney Channel Original Movies and television shows, but some of the former Disney child stars eventually disappeared from Hollywood. Any millennial who grew up watching and loving the Disney Channel will recognize Kay Panabaker. Her breakout role was on The WB's "Summerland," the Aaron Spelling drama about teens being raised by their aunt after the death of their parents.

Although not listed as one of our best Disney Channel shows of the 2000s, she was in season 1 of "Phil of the Future," a quirky sitcom about a teenager from the year 2121 stuck in the year 2004. Kay Panabaker brought her warm energy to the role of Debbie, a sugary sweet girl with preppy clothes and a sunny smile that is also hiding something. She also starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie "Life is Ruff" with Kyle Massey from "That's So Raven" and Mitchel Musso from "Hannah Montana.

Bored of the same old superhero stories where a shy, humble person transforms into a dashing hero when duty calls? Then No Ordinary Family might just be the change you need! This 2010 series brings a mix of drama, action, and even some relatable teenage struggles. Sounds like a complete package, right?

The cast of the show No Ordinary Family | Credit: ABC

Despite its unique approach and intriguing premise, the show sadly lasted only one season. Fans were left disappointed when it was abruptly canceled. So, what went wrong?

No Ordinary Family Plot

No Ordinary Family, created by Greg Berlanti and Jon Harmon Feldman, tells the story of the Powell family: dad Jim played by Michael Chiklis, mom Stephanie played by Julie Benz, son JJ played by Jimmy Bennett, and daughter Daphne played by Kay Panabaker. Hoping to reconnect as a family, the Powells plan a trip to Brazil. Things take...

In the glitz and glamour of television, while some shows last for many seasons, others fizzle out quickly. For No Ordinary Family as well, it premiered in 2010 with very high expectations blending family drama with superhero storytelling. But since it could not live up to its promises, the show was canceled after just one season, leaving fans disappointed.

Kay Panabaker in a still from No Ordinary Family | Credits: ABC

The show followed the lives of the Powell family, whose ordinary lives took a drastic turn after they mysteriously survived a plane crash that granted them superpowers. While this premise was not something completely out of the box, the humorous elements surely made it a lot more interesting. Based on this it also had a very strong start with viewers really appreciating the show and its engaging storyline.

However, it failed to maintain this momentum and was canceled after the first season itself.

Child actors sometimes continue on the Hollywood path, continuing to seek acting roles as they grow from cute kids to teens to adults.

Not all of those former child stars make the difficult transition to adult roles — and not all of them even want to.

For proof, take a look at the unique, outside-of-Hollywood jobs that these recognizable child stars now hold.

Frankie Muniz: Race Car Driver

In early January, the “Malcolm in the Middle” star announced on Instagram that he was ready to begin pursuing his dream of becoming a NASCAR driver.

“Ever since childhood, it’s been my dream to pursue racing in NASCAR,” Muniz told Yahoo! Entertainment.

Read More: Frankie Muniz Places 11th In Arca Racing Debut At Daytona Speedway

During his first professional race in February, Muniz placed a respectable 11th in the stock car racing division’s Menards Series at the Daytona International Speedway.

Catherine Willows ( Marg Helgenberger) is a beloved legacy character from the original CSI franchise, and she recently returned to CSI: Vegas. Helgenberger has teased she needed an excellent storyline to return to CSI: Vegas.

TV Fanatic chatted with both Marg Helgenberger and CSI franchise creator and producer Anthony Zuiker, who wrote Thursday's episode. It focuses on love, loss, and grief and even features Catherine's estranged daughter, Lindsey.

As an avid fan of the series, it was an honor to talk to them. Check out the interview below:

Hello Anthony and Marg. I have been a massive fan of CSI since the original premiered in 2000. What made Season 2 the ideal time for you to come back and revisit Catherine?

Marg: He made me a deal I couldn't refuse. (laughs)

I wasn't available during season one because I was doing All Rise. I was jealous since I would love to be back with everyone.

Oh, how time flies! It seems like just yesterday Lori Loughlin was starring as fashion designer Ava Gregory in the fan-favorite television show, Summerland. The series, which was cancelled after only two seasons, saw Loughlin raising her nieces and nephews after their parents were killed in a car crash. "Honestly, that is one project if I could wave a wand and bring anything back it would be Summerland," the Fuller House star admitted in an interview with Huffington Post. "I love that show so much." Summerland helmed an all-star cast, which included Kay Panabaker, Nick Benson and former teen-heartthrob and birthday boy Jesse McCartney. Oh, and Zac Efron too. "We...

In this live action/CG threequel, dog-lovers Sam (Marcus Coloma) and Rachel (Erin Cahill) hope new jobs at an upmarket hotel will mean and new start... and a home for their collection of diminutive Mexican mutts. However, new roles bring new problems and Papi (voiced by George Lopez) finds himself losing control his brood of mischievous pups, particularly Rosa (Kay Panabaker) who feels she's being neglected.

In this live action/CG threequel, dog-lovers Sam (Marcus Coloma) and Rachel (Erin Cahill) hope new jobs at an upmarket hotel will mean and new start... and a home for their collection of diminutive Mexican mutts. However, new roles bring new problems and Papi (voiced by George Lopez) finds himself losing control his brood of mischievous pups, particularly Rosa (Kay Panabaker) who feels she's being neglected.

Former Disney Channel fans may have recognized a familiar face on "Mad Men" last night: Danielle Panabaker.

Note: Do not read on if you have not yet seen Season 6, Episode 6 of AMC's "Mad Men," titled "For Immediate Release."

In the most recent "Mad Men" episode, Panabaker played Daisy McCluskey, a flight attendant that was sleeping with Roger Sterling (John Slattery) and ended up proving helpful when it came to Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce (and Cutler Gleason & Chaough) nabbing the Chevy account.

The now 25-year-old Panabaker got her start doing Disney Channel Original movies like 2004's "Stuck in the Suburbs" (with current "Saturday Night Live" cast member Taran Killam) and "Read It and Weep," a 2006 Disney movie she did with her younger sister and fellow actress Kay Panabaker.

Watch her in the former below:

Panabaker went on to appear in some horror flicks like "Friday the 13th," "The Crazies" and "Piranha 3Dd...

DVD Release Date: Jan. 1, 2013

Price: DVD $28.99

Studio: Millennium

Juno Temple (l.) and Kay Panabaker star in Little Birds.

Rising star Juno Temple (The Three Musketeers) and Kay Panabaker (TV’s No Ordinary Family) are teenage trailer park denizens in the 2011 independent drama film Little Birds.

15 year-old Lily (Temple) and her best friend Alison (Panabaker) live on the shores of the Salton Sea in an area that was once an oasis for the wealthy and famous that has since become a near ghost town. Living with her manic, single mother (Leslie Mann, The Change-Up), Lily hopes for something more exciting than visits with her young and already washed up Aunt (Kate Bosworth, Straw Dogs). After meeting some visiting street kids, Lily convinces Alison to follow them boys back to Los Angeles for what will hopefully be a better life. But in the big city, Lily and Alison quickly fall into the...

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva La Fiesta

Directed by Lev L. Spiro

Written by Dana Starfield

USA, 2012

You are a dog person. You don’t just own dogs; you fetishize them. When the holidays come around, you make sure to get your pups brand-new sweaters, hats, and gloves for each of their paws. You own canine paraphernalia, from coffee-table books displaying various breeds in ultra-cute positions to figurines. You have day-to-day and monthly calendars for dogs, possibly one set for work and one for home. You have dog-related bumper stickers on your car, such as “I’d Rather Be Playing Fetch.” Also, preferably, you have children who are just as obsessed with canines as you are. As such, you are the ideal audience for Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva La Fiesta, the direct-to-dvd threequel to the popular 2008 Disney family film.

At its best, Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3 is a bland trifle,...

It's anything but happy families for reluctant grandfather Rob (Ross Partridge) when his estranged 18-year-old daughter (Kay Panabaker) turns up on the doorstep and announces she is pregnant. He fathered her before he was ready to become a dad and is now facing the concerns of his wife Natalie (Tara Summers) about the ticking away of her biological clock. Jobless with a feckless boyfriend in tow, it's up to Rob to see if can triumph at the role of family man.

Juno Temple, Kay Panabaker and Elgin James talk Little Birds Lily and her best friend Alison know little else then the claustrophobic, decaying town along the shore of the Salton Sea where they were raised. Los Angeles is only a few hours away, but it might as well be on another continent until they run into some trouble-making guys that lead them into a dangerous world in "Little Birds." "Little Birds" is loosely inspired by writer/director Elgin James' life of crime that led him to prison. Raised in Boston, James had a difficult, violent childhood, so the only way he could cope was by joining a gang. "I’ve been through a lot of stuff since I was a child and movies were always my escape," James said. "I had nervous ticks when I was a kid and it was whenever I would watch movies that they would stop.

Juno Temple, Kay Panabaker and Elgin James talk Little Birds Lily and her best friend Alison know little else then the claustrophobic, decaying town along the shore of the Salton Sea where they were raised. Los Angeles is only a few hours away, but it might as well be on another continent until they run into some trouble-making guys that lead them into a dangerous world in "Little Birds." "Little Birds" is loosely inspired by writer/director Elgin James' life of crime that led him to prison. Raised in Boston, James had a difficult, violent childhood, so the only way he could cope was by joining a gang. "I’ve been through a lot of stuff since I was a child and movies were always my escape," James said. "I had nervous ticks when I was a kid and it was whenever I would watch movies that they would stop.

Title: Little Birds Director: Elgin James Starring: Juno Temple (‘The Dark Knight Rises’), Kay Panabaker (‘Fame,’ TV’s ‘CSI’), Leslie Mann (‘This Is 40′), Kate Bosworth and Neal McDonough (‘Captain America: The First Avenger’) Children raised in economically depressed areas with emotionally distant parents often search for ways to get attention, and often become rebellious in order to become noticed. The two teenage girls in the new drama ‘Little Birds,’ Lily and Alison, have bonded over losing a parent and living with their other, often neglectful parent, but have taken different approaches to dealing with their grief and pain. The film fearlessly shows the stark difference in Lily’s careless, rebellious streak [ Read More ]...

There's a misconception about some films that utilize a specific location by gussying it up to be a paradise on camera. Often, the results are "Little Birds," which was shot on location at the Salton Sea of California, a formative place for impetuous Lily (Juno Temple) and Alison (Kay Panabaker). The two teenage girls, both the result of trailer park lifestyles, spend their days visiting the saltine beach, admiring the view and dreaming of boys, handsome dark types who will whisk them away to what can be considered the "big city." They appreciate the picturesque landscape, as does the camera. Does the filmmaker? Elgin James writes and directs this picture, depicting Lily and Alison's lives as down-home tragic in not unfamiliar ways. Lily is the product of single mom Margaret (Leslie Mann) who can't help but hit the bars at night, not only refusing to let go of her youth,...

Teenage Wasteland: Elgin James Gives Us Teen Angst for Debut

A Sundance Lab creation, Elgin James’ debut, Little Birds is a strong first effort, one borne primarily from an interesting mutation of the professed director’s own life experiences, which he was at first going to film. Somehow, gangland activities turned into a coming of age tale of two adolescent females, and the result, while not entirely breaking new ground, manages to reach an affecting grace, one that manages to gear up into a tense boil.

Best friends Lily (Juno Temple) and Alison (Kay Panabaker), are continuously on the lookout for more exciting activities in their ramshackle Salton Sea town, where decaying plant matter permeates the air, and local denizens are either comfortable in their boredom or violent in their wish to escape from it. Of the two, Lily is definitely the more rebellious and defiant, obviously eager to discover boys,...

There are few actresses working today whose CV is as interesting or diverse as that of Juno Temple, but the past few months have shown just how diverse her range can be. This summer, not only did she have a small role in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises," but she also featured much more prominently as one of the key characters in William Friedkin's outrageous "Killer Joe." And as the season winds down, we'll see another avenue for her talents in the indie flick "Little Birds." Co-starring with Kay Panabaker, with Kyle Gallner, Kate Bosworth and Leslie Mann in supporting roles, the film follows 15-year-old Lily (Temple) and her best friend Alison (Panabaker) as they come of age and yearn to escape to something better, while living on the shores of the Salton Sea among rundown trailer parks, rotting household items, drained pools and decaying streets. And...

We've talked about Elgin James' colorful past on numerous occasions but we're now finally on the brink of seeing what he can offer with his debut film "Little Birds." Born out of the Sundance Labs, the film premiered to a warm reception at Park City last year but -- possibly due to a recent incarceration -- it won't see a theatrical release until this summer.

We've got our hands on a heap of images from the film which showcase the talented cast including Juno Temple and Kay Panabaker -- who star as two 15-year-olds who test the limits of their friendship when one follows the other to Los Angeles -- along with Kyle Gallner, Kate Bosworth and Leslie Mann also co-starring. It kind of sounds like a run-of-the-mill tale but with rising star Temple front and center, we're hoping it'll make for worthy viewing either way.

Post-release, James already has a follow-up lined up,...

Well received at its Sundance debut last year, indie drama Little Birds is due to be released in the Us by Millennium Entertainment later this year. Elgin James wrote and directed the film, with which he made his debut, with a terrific cast in front of the camera, led by Juno Temple, Kay Panabaker, Leslie Mann, Kate Bosworth, and Neal McDonough.

After the first trailer for the film surfaced last month (which you can catch below if you missed it), fifteen great new images have now come online, including one of James on the set.

“15 year-old Lily and her best friend Alison live on the shores of the Salton Sea among rundown trailers parks, rotting household items, drained pools and decaying streets. What was once an oasis for the wealthy and famous has become a near ghost town, leaving its residents fighting for breath in the deep end. Lily feels eternally claustrophobic and rebellious,...

Check out images from Millennium Entertainment's Little Birds, starring Juno Temple, Kay Panabaker, Leslie Mann, Kate Bosworth, Neal McDonough, , Kyle Galner and Carlos Pena Elgin James directs and scrips the film which comes out August 17th and tells of Lily and Alison who leave their home in Salton Sea and follow boys they meet back to Los Angeles, where they are faced with a life-changing event. The drama opens on August 17th and is rated R for pervasive language, some violence including a sexual assault, sexuality/nudity, drug and alcohol use - all involving teens.

Check out images from Millennium Entertainment's Little Birds, starring Juno Temple, Kay Panabaker, Leslie Mann, Kate Bosworth, Neal McDonough, , Kyle Galner and Carlos Pena Elgin James directs and scrips the film which comes out August 17th and tells of Lily and Alison who leave their home in Salton Sea and follow boys they meet back to Los Angeles, where they are faced with a life-changing event. The drama opens on August 17th and is rated R for pervasive language, some violence including a sexual assault, sexuality/nudity, drug and alcohol use - all involving teens.

As a former street thug-turned-real-life-Omar Little-turned-filmmaker, Elgin James is definitely looking to make up for lost time. The Boston native has teamed up with Electric City Entertainment duo Jamie Patricof ("Half Nelson," "Blue Valentine") and Lynette Howell to helm the indie hostage thriller "Come Sundown," a project that will mark his second effort behind the camera after his Sundance 2011 feature "Little Birds."

After his debut film unveiled to a warm reception at Park City, James' colorful past came back to haunt him with an attempted extortion charge forcing him to spend a year in in L.A.'s Metro Detention Center. The writer-director apparently stayed indoors throughout his time there catching up with classic films ("Gone With The Wind") and reading 101 books including the fiction of Pat Conroy. Now out, James will tackle this hostage tale scripted by Justin Marks ("The Stranger," '20,000 Leagues') which follows "a family taken hostage...

Despite appearing in The Dark Knight Rises, perhaps the biggest film of the year, Juno Temple seems to spend the rest of her time acting in smaller indies. Her latest is Little Birds, which had a premiere at Sundance last year and is now getting a theatrical release. The real-life story of director James Elgin being sent to prison a few weeks after this premiere for gang-related activities is slightly more interesting, but as we tend to just focus on the actually film, we’ve got the trailer today. This drama actually looks somewhat like a different version of Temple’s Dirty Girl last year, but much more accomplished. Check out the trailer below via Apple for the film also starring Kate Bosworth, Leslie Mann and Kay Panabaker.

Synopsis:

15 year-old Lily and her best friend Alison live on the shores of the Salton Sea among rundown trailers parks, rotting household items,...

A coming-of-age tale set against a Los Angeles background, “Little Birds” premiered at Sundance, its well-traveled narrative sparked by visual confidence and a rising star in the form of Juno Temple, and a trailer has shown up to display the results.

The trailer gives a good sense of the tone and acting pedigree in the Elgin James-directed film, along with the plot, which follows two 15-year-olds living in the remote Salton Sea area. The two then “test the limits of their friendship when one follows the other to Los Angeles, only to discover that the boredom of home may be better than learning to survive in the big city.”

Actress Kay Panabaker portrays one of the teenage girls alongside Temple, and the rest of the cast is promising as well, with Kyle Gallner, Kate Bosworth, and Leslie Mann (in a rare dramatic role) all making appearances. The performances appear...

Check out the trailer and two posters for Elgin James upcoming indie drama Little Birds. The friendship between two young women is put to the test when they run away together on an ill-fated adventure in this independent drama. Lily (Juno Temple) and Alison (Kay Panabaker) are two close friends growing up in a dead-end [...]

Continue reading Little Birds Trailer and Posters Starring Juno Temple on FilmoFilia.

Related posts: Dirty Girl Posters and Trailer Starring Juno Temple Juno Temple Replaces Dakota Fanning in Girls’ Night Out Juno Temple Joins Three Musketeers...

"What is this place?" "This is where we live." Today's trailer, delivered on Easter Sunday as a treat for those who want something a bit rebellious, is for an indie drama called Little Birds, that premiered at Sundance back in 2011. Apple recently released an official trailer, starring Juno Temple and Kay Panabaker as two teenage girls and their escapades as they run away to Los Angeles. The cast includes Leslie Mann, Kate Bosworth, Neal McDonough and Kyle Gallner. It looks like a charming, rebellious, fun teen drama, but I remember the film getting some dismal reviews at the festival. Give the trailer a look below anyway! Watch the official theatrical trailer for Elgin James' Little Birds, in high def from Apple: Fifteen year-old Lily (Temple) and her best friend Alison (Panabaker) live on the shores of the Salton Sea among rundown trailers parks. Lily feels eternally claustrophobic and rebellious,...

Sneak Peek a new poster and trailer supporting the indie feature "Little Birds".

Directed by Elgin James, the drama stars Juno Temple, Kay Panabaker, Kate Bosworth, Kyle Gallner and Leslie Mann :

"...amidst the stark landscape of the 'Salton Sea', two girls test the limits of their friendship when one follows the other to Los Angeles, only to discover that the boredom of home may be better than learning to survive in the big city..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Little Birds"...

Each week within this column we strive to pair the latest in theatrical releases to worthwhile titles currently streaming on Netflix Instant Watch. This week we offer alternatives to Woman in Black, Chronicle and W.E.

In theaters Friday Harry Potter goes ghostbusting, while teen boys with superpowers test the bonds friendship and the Material Girl tempts with her directorial debut that boasts true-to-life romance. If you’re desperately seeking more Gothic horror, superhero tales, and love-filled biopics, we’ve got you covered with the best what’s now streaming.

Danielle Radcliffe leaves magic behind to tackle the role of a young father and lawyer whose skeptical worldview is shaken when he comes face to face with a vengeance-seeking ghost in James Watkins’ gothic thriller. [Teaser]

Looking for more Gothic horror?

The Phantom of the Opera (1925) Silent film icon Lon Chaney secured his legacy with his gut-wrenching performance as the eponymous composer...

Trevor Donovan (90210) will join the cast of Fox’s smash hit Glee for Young Storytellers Foundation’s Annual The Biggest Show 2011 event to help reinforce arts education in La public schools.

The Biggest Show 2011 will also include special guest performances by Devon Bostick, Nicholas Braun, Kay Panabaker and Raven Symone.

There will be performances by Glee stars Dot Marie Jones, Jayma Mays, Cory Monteith, Naya Rivera, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Ushkowitz.

Read more...

HollywoodNews.com: Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Chris Lowell, Ahna O’Reilly, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, Cicely Tyson and Mike Vogel to be honored at the Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony.

The 15th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards, presented by Starz Entertainment, are pleased to announce that the cast of DreamWorks Pictures and Participant Media’s “The Help” – Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Chris Lowell, Ahna O’Reilly, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, Cicely Tyson and Mike Vogel – will be recognized at the Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony with the “Hollywood Ensemble Acting Award.”

The announcement was made today by Carlos de Abreu, Founder of the 15th Annual Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony, which will take place on the evening of Monday, October 24, 2011, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The Hollywood Film Awards Gala launches the awards season.

Secrets in the Walls (2010) is a horror film, written by William Penick, Chris Sey, and directed by Christopher Leitch. The film stars Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Voyager TV Series), Kay Panabaker (Fame 2009), Peyton List (Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules), and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Secrets and Lies) about a single mother who relocates to a beautiful old house in the suburbs that is inhabited by a bitter spirit.

Secrets in the Wall is a made for TV horror/paranormal thriller for the Lifetime Movie Network, which serves as warning enough for you to, perhaps, wait a bit closer to Halloween before getting into the spirit of watching a film that borderlines semi-paranormal activities involving a house, both spacious and charming. What you have here is a film comprised of a theme that is not to unfamiliar for viewers: a spooky house, a dark basement, and strange noises that eerily creep...

*here be some spoilers.

Director: Christopher Leitch.

Writers: William Penick and Chris Sey.

Secrets in the Walls is a film starring Jeri Ryan (Dead Lines), Kay Panabaker (Fame), and Peyton List (Bereavement). This is director Christopher Leitch's umpteenth television film and Secrets in the Walls was developed as a television film for the Lifetime Movie Network. If you are unaware, the Lifetime Movie Network and channel produce and distribute entertainment specifically for women and their families. Therefore, male characters are on the periphery and the messages involve issues of gender e.g. single mothers, coping with stress. This leads the film into, understandably, PG-13 territory, with Secrets in the Walls losing some of its edge in favour of a predictable plotline. However, let us put a spin on this review by looking at this myth of improper burial leading to hauntings and cleansing rituals, which are issues raised in this somewhat slowly paced thriller.

Emily Osment is a talented young actress and singer who is known for her role on Hannah Montana and in films like Spy Kids 2 and The Secret Life of Girls.

On Sunday, July 17, she will be starring in the world premiere of ABC Family’s Original Movie Event, Cyberbully, at 8/7c!!

Cyberbully follows Taylor Hillridge (Osment), a teenage girl who falls victim to online bullying, and the cost it takes on her as well as her friends and family.

We Love Soaps TV recently spoke to Osment about her new film, bullying and her career. Read the transcript below:

We Love Soaps TV: Has your big brother [Haley Joel Osment] ever protected you from bullies or given you advice on dealing with bullies?

Emily Osment: We were typical kids growing up, got into scuffles sometimes. I mean, there was never really a time where he had to protect me from a bully.

The Powells may have super powers but they weren't strong enough to save their TV series. No Ordinary Family has been cancelled after one season on the air.

No Ordinary Family revolves around suburban family who, while on vacation, crash into Amazon River and gain special abilities. The cast includes Michael Chiklis, Julie Benz, Autumn Reeser, Jimmy Bennett, Kay Panabaker, Tate Donovan, Christina Chang, and Romany Malco.

The drama had a decent debut last September with a 3.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 10.69 million total viewers. Unfortunately, the ratings didn't stay at that level and dropped by 16% in week two and then 15% in week three. The numbers kept declining and went as low as a 1.2 demo rating and just 4.26 million viewers in March.

  The network cut the episode order but it was already...

By Christopher Stipp

The Archives, Right Here

Check out my other column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp

Bridesmaids - Review

If ever there was a movie that could make a statement against the maligned “Chick Flicks” moniker this could be the one. For all the awfulness that movies like Valentine’S Day or Leap Year or Going The Distance brought into the lives of women who wrongly assumed this was about as good as it’s going to get for them, a paid admission to this film will send a message that there needs to be more movies like this and they all need Kristen Wiig to oversee them. For if this Svengali can weave a tale that deftly splices the best parts of gross-out comedy, romance, female empowerment, yet wrap it up in a story that is at...

The Killer Elite

Open Road Films has acquired U.S. rights to the action thriller "Killer Elite" starring Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro says The Hollywood Reporter.

Shot in Australia last year, the true story film follows a special-ops agent as he tries to rescue a former mentor while doing battle with a deadly group of ex-British Sas soldiers.

Open Road plans a domestic release in more than 2000 theaters with a $25 million-plus P&A commitment. No word on a date as yet.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Focus Features has acquired Us distribution rights to Lorene Scafaria's romantic comedy "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" reports Variety.

With an asteroid headed for Earth, Steve Carell plays a man who finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He decides to take a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart.

Elgin James' "Little Birds" will receive North American distribution through Millennium Entertainment, with plans for a theatrical release this fall. The drama premiered in competition at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and stars Juno Temple, Kay Panabaker, with Kate Bosworth and Leslie Mann. WestEnd Films is handling international sales in Cannes. Logline per the release: "'Little Birds' follows 15-year-old Lily and her best friend Alison on the shores of the ...

Little Birds, the Elgin James-directed drama about two restless teenage girls who leave their dying Salton Sea hometown to  take a dangerous road trip to Los Angeles with three street kids, has been acquired for North American distribution by Millennium Entertainment. The film stars Juno Temple, Kay Panabaker, Kate Bosworth and Leslie Mann. James is the reformed former gang member who in March was sentenced to spend a year in jail by a federal judge in Chicago. James had to answer for an incident from his past, the charge involving a 2005 attempt to extort $5000 from a man. I met James at Sundance, and found him to be very honest about himself, his rough upbringing, and in how he had turned his life around with a decision to embrace non-violence. Seeing his movie get a chance to reach audiences has to be a spot of good news in an Ekg...

No Ordinary Family debuted last fall with high expectations. It had a catchy concept: Typical sitcom-ready family — adorably lunkheaded loser dad, way-out-of-his-league brilliant wife, two perpetually annoyed teenaged children — get superpowers, and shenanigans ensue. It wasn’t the most original idea, but with a good cast and a lighthearted tone, Family’s early episodes had a fun vibe that didn’t really feel like anything else on television. The superpowered special effects drama felt secondary to the character drama — i.e., the kids discovered that having the power of telepathy and super-intelligence didn’t necessarily make high school any less hellish.

Prior to the start of the fall TV season one of the shows I was able to pre-screen and write about was No Ordinary Family. I had high hopes for the television show because I am, for lack of a better term, a geek who loves me the super powered people.

The first half of the season for No Ordinary Family was a super hero tale with family drama undertones. The lives of the Stephanie (Julie Benz) and Jim (Michael Chiklis) on the super hero portion of the show while Daphne (Kay Panabaker) and Jj (Jimmy Bennett) showed us the difficulties in dealing with a new level of teen angst from having and hiding super abilities. The blend was mildly entertaining for the first few episodes but the “freak of the week” super villain had already been played out to the extreme with Smallville and Buffy The Vampire Slayer so...

Now that's how you finish a season! If only the series had started off this strong, we might not be staring likely cancellation in the face.

I was absolutely riveted throughout "No Ordinary Beginning." Everything the season had been building towards came to a head, including the first family power team up. Finally, each of the Powells had a moment to prove formidable in his or her own right, from Daphne's near-mental throwdown of a particularly stubborn guard to Stephanie speed thrashing a room full of armed sentries to J.J.'s geometrically-correct toss of a hypodermic needle into the eye of his father's would-be killer.

J.J. in particular showed himself to have his father's fortitude when standing up to GlobalTech CEO Helen Burton the way he did. Though I can't suppose it would take super intelligence to feel superior to someone so out of touch that she actually brought in circa 1981 video games,...

Last night’s episode of No Ordinary Family did not live up to the hype of its futuristic promo.

After running into the future three times, Stephanie Powell (Julie Benz) warns her family about the terrible path that she saw the family nearing. What initially is less than 2 days to change the fate ahead turns into just a few hours until one of the Powells exposes the family on live television. It all comes down to what takes place at City Square one evening and what Stephanie sees ahead is not good.

Once Detective Frank Cordero (Guillermo Diaz) is murdered by a drive by shooter, George (Romany Malco) and Jim (Michael Chiklis) aid in finding the man responsible for the murder not realizing that the next day’s memorial service at City Square could be the end of their lives as they know it. The murder case involves dirty cops.

It’s game night in the Powell household on No Ordinary Family, with a broken hearted and annoyingly chipper Katie (Autumn Reeser). But fun and games are sidestepped when George (Romany Malco) calls Jim (Michael Chiklis) in to be a hero at a nearby pharmacy robbery.

The next day, Jim and George are discussing the robbery at work when Sophie (Tricia Helfer, Battlestar Galactica) introduces herself to George once alone in his office. She introduces herself as a friend instead of a lawyer in the case and charms her way into George’s personal life. That was George’s first mistake, not finding out exactly who Sophie was and what her clear goals were in coming to the police station.

Things aren’t any safer at Stephanie’s job when Dr. King wants Stephanie to inject one of his dying patients, Lucas Winnick (Eric Balfour) with the serum that could...

Battlestar Galactica Cylons Tricia Helfer and Lucy Lawless have a plan. The two will guest star in Tuesday’s episode of ABC’s super-powered No Ordinary Family as baddies, the mysterious Mrs. X (Lawless) and Sophie Adler (Helfer). Mrs. X has “[tasked] Sophie to cast a spell over Powell patriarch Jim (Michael Chiklis) and his sidekick, George (Romany Malco).” No, Sophie isn’t a witch, but she is bewitching! Warning: Spoilers Below!

Previously, Helfer has been keeping the details of her appearance on Nof quiet, but in this week’s TVGuide, she reveals that her character “basically mind-controls them. Sophie isn’t Wonder Woman – she’s not strong and she can’t run fast, but she has the ability to make men googly-eyed and control what they do.”

Mrs. X, played by Lawless, has three-episode arc beginning with this Tuesday’s episode “No Ordinary Love” and is described by Helfer as “pure evil.

An upcoming episode of No Ordinary Family will reportedly feature a song recorded by series star Michael Chiklis. According to Entertainment Weekly, 'Til I Come Home' will be heard in an emotional scene featuring Daphne (Kay Panabaker), the daughter of Jim Powell (Chiklis). "I've been a musician my whole life," said the actor. "I'm really enjoying making music again and this is a real band! Also, this was written and recorded (more)...

Not only does Michael Chiklis star in and co-executive produce ABC’s No Ordinary Family, he helps with the soundtrack, too! Fans of the ex-Vic Mackey may want to tune into the March 1 episode, which will feature a single recorded by the actor and his eponymous band.

Dubbed Til I Come Home, the sentimental tune will play over a tender moment between Kay Panabaker, who plays Chiklis’ daughter Daphne, and her boyfriend, though the song was actually written and sung by the actor to pay tribute to the overseas troops and his cousin’s service. (Sample lyrics: It’s so...

It’s not surprising that Little Birds, the feature film debut of writer-director Elgin James, was one of the most buzzed-about films at the Sundance Film Festival. The story of teenage girls drifting through life set against the awesome, shriveled up landscape of Salton Sea, California, the picture packs in the Amer-indie cliches. There are aimless youths, helpless parents, dreamy evocations of the unattainable world outside a car window and an engulfing sense of the worn down detritus of small town American life, past its peak. Yet the whole enterprise is an exercise in wheel-spinning, a plodding picture rife with familiar characters and situations, rendered with a nasty edge. It’s a brutish experience that puts star Juno Temple through an emotional and physical ringer, without the sort of larger, unifying purpose that justifies such turmoil. The actress, also seen at Sundance in Greg Araki’s Kaboom, plays rage-filled Lily Hobart, filled...

I don’t agree with most of the attacks on Hollywood by Christian fundamentalists, but there’s one criticism — and it’s a major one — that they’re absolutely right about: When it comes to portraying people of faith, Hollywood is worse than disrespectful — it’s shamefully disinterested. When a comedy like Saved, much as I liked it, passes for a vital vision of American Christian experience, you know that there’s something missing in our movie culture. (Robert Duvall’s The Apostle is a great film, but it’s about as far from the lives of everyday Christians as you can get.

The "coming-of-age" story has become a genre unto itself. Stories of teen angst, young love, and reckless mischief show up every single year, especially at the various film festivals. Therefore, it's no surprise that Little Birds, the feature film debut of writer/director Elgin James finds itself at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. This time around the characters coming into their own are 15-year old girls Lily (Juno Temple of Kaboom) and Alison (Kay Panabaker of "No Ordinary Family") living in a desolate town on the shores of the Salton Sea. Their friendship is tested by hormones and danger, but unfortunately, so was my patience. In a barren town near the Salton Sea, Lily and Alison spend their time riding bikes and dressing up in homemade clothes from Lily's aunt (a character that doesn't make good use of Kate Bosworth). While Alison is content with staying in one place and gradually...