Soundtracks Released April 18, 2006

Tuesday, April 18

Hoot PG

Three middle-schoolers take on greedy land developers, corrupt politicians, and clueless cops in the mystery adventure "Hoot" based on Carl Hiaasen's Newbery Honor-winning book. Produced by Jimmy Buffet, Frank Marshall and Walden Media, "Hoot" revolves around a Montana boy who moves to Florida and unearths a disturbing threat to a local population of endangered owls. Determined to protect his new environment, the boy and his friends fight to prevent the adults from making a big mistake. Packed with surprising plot twists, quirky characters, and offbeat humor, "Hoot" is a classic story that's fun for all ages.
Brie Larson, Luke Wilson, Will Shriner, Rob Lieber, Jimmy Buffett, Frank Marshall, Logan Lerman, Cody Linley
Action Adventure Fantasy Family Kids

American Dreamz PG-13

On the morning of his re-election, the President (Quaid) decides to read the newspaper for the first time in four years. This starts him down a slippery slope. He begins reading obsessively, reexamining his black and white view of the world, holing up in his bedroom in his pajamas. Frightened by the President's apparent nervous breakdown, his Chief of Staff (Dafoe) pushes him back into the spotlight, booking him as a guest judge on the television ratings juggernaut (and the President's personal fave), the weekly talent show American Dreamz.

America can't seem to get enough of American Dreamz, hosted by self-aggrandizing, self-loathing Martin Tweed (Grant), ever on the lookout for the next insta-celebrity. His latest crop of hopefuls includes Sally (Moore), a conniving steel magnolia with a devoted, dopey veteran boyfriend (Klein), and Omer, a recent Southern Californian immigrant (who just happens to be a bumbling, show tune singing, would-be terrorist awaiting activation). When both Sally and Omer make it to the final round of Dreamz—where the President will be judging along with Tweed—the stage is set for a show the nation will never forget.
Willem Dafoe, Dennis Quaid, Rod Lieber, Hugh Grant, John Cho, Judy Greer, Mandy Moore, Kerry Kohansky
Comedy Satire
92 mins

Thank You for Smoking R

In a role Aaron Eckhart seems born to play, the hero of "Thank You for Smoking" is Nick Naylor, chief spokesman for Big Tobacco, who makes his living defending the rights of smokers and cigarette makers in today's neo-puritanical culture. Confronted by health zealots out to ban tobacco and an opportunistic senator (Macy) who wants to put poison labels on cigarette packs, Nick goes on a PR offensive, spinning away the dangers of cigarettes on TV talk shows and enlisting a Hollywood super-agent (Rob Lowe) to promote smoking in movies. Nick's newfound notoriety attracts the attention of both tobacco's head honcho (Duvall) and an investigative reporter for an influential Washington daily (Holmes). Nick says he is just doing what it takes to pay the mortgage, but he begins to think about how his work makes him look in the eyes of his young son Joey (Bright).
David O. Sacks, William H. Macy, David Koechner, Rob Lowe, Jason Reitman, Maria Bello, Cameron Bright, Adam Brody
Drama

Tuesday, April 18