So in year two we hope to have an even better site, more traffic, more contests, more reviews, and more comments! (We know you’re reading, so start commenting!)

From everyone here on the CFR staff, thanks for making our first year great!

Contest ends at 11:59 PM CST on Thursday, July 8.

SYNOPSIS:

Set in Atlantic City, junior high school best friends, Brittany (Kayla Jackson), Tatiana (Alexis Biesiada), Blaze (Pilar Martin), Cameron (Kayla Raparelli) and Maya (Na’jee Wilson) form the singing/dancing group, “The 5 Ovations.”  Despite all odds, they chase their dreams of becoming champions in the biggest television music video contest of the year.  They may be short on money, but they are rich in friendship, talent and hope and these street-smart kids use their wits, courage and passion to create some fierce musical performances.

When a national TV network announces a music video contest with a one million dollar grand prize, “The 5 Ovations” eagerly set to work on creating the perfect routine and music video.  However, they must face off against their rival group, “The Wiggies” — Ziggy (London Clark), Angel (Erika Corvette), Zita (Ashley Cutrona), Twiggy (Devon Jordan) and Zoey (Jeana Zettler) — five rich, beautiful and scheming sisters whose performance trademark is their series of extravagant wigs and underhanded pranks.  The Wiggies also enter the contest, helped by their flamboyant and unscrupulous father, Mr. Wiggs (Sal Dupree), who will stop at nothing to win … no matter what it takes!

For more info, visit www.standingovationmovie.com.

Mine (directed by Geralyn Pezanoski) tells the story of several New Orleans residents who were forced to evacuate before the storm hit, but told they could not bring their animal family members to safety with them.  Some left food and water, others refused to leave their companions until the National Guard forced them out.  Regardless, almost every family pet in New Orleans remained in New Orleans throughout the entire storm.

The story begins by focusing on the relief efforts of volunteers who set off for New Orleans to rescue the stranded dogs and cats.  One volunteer mentions that when she called the National Relief hot-line to find out what was going on with the animal relief effort, they told her to relax – that they had at least 30 people working on rescuing the animals.  Something didn’t sit right.  For weeks and weeks (even during the ill-timed Hurricane Rita), volunteers from across the country spent countless hours getting into flooded homes and rescuing thousands of animals, who were then transported to shelters around the country. Then the reuniting process began…for the most part.

The New Orleans residents that are highlighted in this film all have separate but equally powerful stories.  They all had to leave their dogs behind during the storm with full intentions of returning to the city when the coast was clear to be with their scared animal buddies.  What they experienced after the storm, however, was an entirely different situation.

Mine tells a powerful story of companionship and heartbreak.  Most of the dogs in the film were adopted out to new families after the shelters had not heard anything from the original owners.  However, these adoptive families were unaware that their post-Katrina puppy actually belonged to someone else.  The original owners are unable to re-connect with their pets because after months of living in a shelter, the animals are given the opportunity to live in a better place.  What can be done?

The film is very moving.  The entire time I could not put myself on one side or the other when each person’s story would unfold.  On the one hand, I think the owners should be reunited with their pets that they were forced to leave behind.  On the other, what’s the best for the animal that has just gone through a terrible tragedy and is connecting with a new, loving adoptive family?

Mine views animal cruelty from a different angle.  It sheds light on a dark area of society that treats animal companions as family members in the home but as “property” in the eyes of the law.

This is not a “feel-good” film but it is a film that is definitely worth seeing.  I give this movie 3.5 stars for that reason.  For anyone who loves their family pet as much as I love (and have loved) mine, Mine is a movie that you will share an emotional connection with.

(Netflix subscribers, this is an Instant Queue title!)

All comments must be submitted by 11:59 PM CST on Friday, May 7. Winners will be chosen randomly and notified on Saturday, May 8. Make sure to use a valid email address so you can be contacted if you win!

SYNOPSIS

JUST WRIGHT stars Queen Latifah (BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, VALENTINE’S DAY) as Leslie Wright, a straight-shooting physical therapist who gets the gig of a lifetime working with NBA All-Star Scott McKnight (Common – DATE NIGHT). All is going well until Leslie finds herself falling for Scott, forcing her to choose between the gig of a lifetime and the tug-of-war inside her heart. Oblivious to her romantic overtures, McKnight is instead drawn to the affections of Leslie’s gorgeous childhood friend Morgan (Paula Patton – PRECIOUS), who has her sights set on being an NBA trophy wife. Is Leslie destined to play the role of “best friend” forever or will Scott finally see that what he always wanted is right in front of him? Set against the exciting world of championship basketball, the game of love takes on the battle of the sexes in the romantic sports comedy JUST WRIGHT, starring three of Hollywood’s most charismatic personalities as they navigate the full-court-press of love.

Directed by Sanaa Hamri (THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2) and written by Michael Elliot (BROWN SUGAR), the film stars Academy Award® nominee Queen Latifah (THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES, CHICAGO), Paula Patton (PRECIOUS, DEJA VU), Common (TERMINATOR SALVATION, AMERICAN GANGSTER), Phylicia Rashad (A Raisin in the Sun), Pam Grier (“The L Word”), James Pickens, Jr. (“Grey’s Anatomy”) and features NBA all star cameos. The film is produced by Debra Martin Chase, Queen Latifah and Shakim Compere.

All comments must be submitted by 11:59 PM CST on Friday, May 7. Winners will be chosen randomly and notified on Saturday, May 8. Make sure to use a valid email address so you can be contacted if you win!

SYNOPSIS

JUST WRIGHT stars Queen Latifah (BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, VALENTINE’S DAY) as Leslie Wright, a straight-shooting physical therapist who gets the gig of a lifetime working with NBA All-Star Scott McKnight (Common – DATE NIGHT). All is going well until Leslie finds herself falling for Scott, forcing her to choose between the gig of a lifetime and the tug-of-war inside her heart. Oblivious to her romantic overtures, McKnight is instead drawn to the affections of Leslie’s gorgeous childhood friend Morgan (Paula Patton – PRECIOUS), who has her sights set on being an NBA trophy wife. Is Leslie destined to play the role of “best friend” forever or will Scott finally see that what he always wanted is right in front of him? Set against the exciting world of championship basketball, the game of love takes on the battle of the sexes in the romantic sports comedy JUST WRIGHT, starring three of Hollywood’s most charismatic personalities as they navigate the full-court-press of love.

Directed by Sanaa Hamri (THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2) and written by Michael Elliot (BROWN SUGAR), the film stars Academy Award® nominee Queen Latifah (THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES, CHICAGO), Paula Patton (PRECIOUS, DEJA VU), Common (TERMINATOR SALVATION, AMERICAN GANGSTER), Phylicia Rashad (A Raisin in the Sun), Pam Grier (“The L Word”), James Pickens, Jr. (“Grey’s Anatomy”) and features NBA all star cameos. The film is produced by Debra Martin Chase, Queen Latifah and Shakim Compere.

Celebrate Mother’s Day by treating your mom and sisters to this special screening!
To redeem your complimentary passes to this screening please visit gofobo.com.

Click on “Movie Screenings”, type LETTERS TO JULIET in “Movies” and your city or zip code in “Locations”

Passes are available while supplies last. You must log on to the website and print your pass to bring along with you to the screening.

*This post is not a screening pass!

PLEASE CHECK LOCAL/ONLINE LISTINGS FOR MOST UPDATED SHOWTIME.

IMPORTANT: Please present your pass to the theater box office. ONLY the first 100 guests will be allowed into this special Sneak Preview of “LETTERS TO JULIET.”

SYNOPSIS: When a young American (Amanda Seyfried) travels to the city of Verona, home of the star-crossed lover Juliet Capulet of Romeo and Juliet fame, she joins a group of volunteers who respond to letters to Juliet seeking advice about love. After answering one letter dated 1957, she inspires its author (Vanessa Redgrave) to travel to Italy in search of her long-lost love, and sets off a chain of events that will bring a love into both their lives unlike anything they ever imagined. THIS FILM IS RATED PG.

In Theaters Friday, May 14

All comments must be submitted by 11:59 PM CST on Sunday, March 7. Winners will be chosen randomly and notified on Monday, March 8. Make sure to use a valid email address so you can be contacted if you win!

SYNOPSIS

“Our marriage, their wedding.” It’s lesson number one for any newly engaged couple, and Lucia (America Ferrera) and Marcus (Lance Gross) are no exception. In Fox Searchlight Pictures’ OUR FAMILY WEDDING, they learn the hard way that the path to saying “I do” can be rife with familial strife. When they return from college and too suddenly announce their marriage plans, they soon discover that their fathers – two highly competitive over-the-top egos – can wreak a major amount of havoc on their special day.

With insults flying and tempers running high, it’s anyone’s guess if the alpha dads (Forest Whitaker and Carlos Mencia) will survive to make it down the aisle in one piece. Lucia’s mother (Diana Maria Riva) is busy planning the wedding of “her” dreams and the only levelheaded one in the bunch is Angela (Regina King), the groom’s father’s best friend and lawyer, who manages to keep her cool when the madness reaches a crescendo.

With only weeks to plan their wedding, Lucia and Marcus soon discover the true meaning of love and find there is truth to the saying – that when you marry someone, you marry their entire family.

OUR FAMILY WEDDING is directed by Rick Famuyiwa from an original screenplay written by Rick Famuyiwa, Malcolm Spellman, and Wayne Conley. The film is produced by Ed Saxon and Steven Wolfe. Linda Burton (CADILLAC RECORDS) is the production designer, the director of photography is Julio Macat (WEDDING CRASHERS) with costume designer Hope Hanafin ([500] DAYS OF SUMMER), Editor Dirk Westervelt (NOTORIOUS) and music composed by The Transcenders (“Gossip Girl”).

For your chance to win one of 25 posters for the upcoming film Our Family Wedding (in theaters March 12, 2010), simply leave a comment with the craziest thing that happened at, or during the planning of, your family wedding!

All comments must be submitted by 11:59 PM CST on Sunday, February 21. Winners will be chosen randomly and announced on Monday, February 22.  Make sure to use a valid email address so you can be contacted if you win! Be sure to check back here at CFR next month for your chance to win passes to a screening of Our Family Wedding!

SYNOPSIS

“Our marriage, their wedding.” It’s lesson number one for any newly engaged couple, and Lucia (America Ferrera) and Marcus (Lance Gross) are no exception. In Fox Searchlight Pictures’ OUR FAMILY WEDDING, they learn the hard way that the path to saying “I do” can be rife with familial strife. When they return from college and too suddenly announce their marriage plans, they soon discover that their fathers – two highly competitive over-the-top egos – can wreak a major amount of havoc on their special day.

With insults flying and tempers running high, it’s anyone’s guess if the alpha dads (Forest Whitaker and Carlos Mencia) will survive to make it down the aisle in one piece. Lucia’s mother (Diana Maria Riva) is busy planning the wedding of “her” dreams and the only levelheaded one in the bunch is Angela (Regina King), the groom’s father’s best friend and lawyer, who manages to keep her cool when the madness reaches a crescendo.

With only weeks to plan their wedding, Lucia and Marcus soon discover the true meaning of love and find there is truth to the saying – that when you marry someone, you marry their entire family.

OUR FAMILY WEDDING is directed by Rick Famuyiwa from an original screenplay written by Rick Famuyiwa, Malcolm Spellman, and Wayne Conley. The film is produced by Ed Saxon and Steven Wolfe. Linda Burton (CADILLAC RECORDS) is the production designer, the director of photography is Julio Macat (WEDDING CRASHERS) with costume designer Hope Hanafin ([500] DAYS OF SUMMER), Editor Dirk Westervelt (NOTORIOUS) and music composed by The Transcenders (“Gossip Girl”).

We are very excited to be part of the Me In Focus family, and to represent strong women in Chicago. The magazine is fabulous!  Please check it out and subscribe, especially if you’re a Chicago woman!

Me In Focus is:

• A groundbreaking magazine where “Runway meets Reality, Style meets Substance and Haute meets Heart”
• A fresh-faced, high-impact publication that combines the best of cosmopolitan glamour with substantive, community-driven content
• An empowering platform with positive messaging to help young (and young at heart) Chicago women discover who they are, not what they  should be
• A woman-owned business committed to promoting other women-owned businesses
• The only Chicago magazine with a dedicated space that brings our content to life and connects our community

Leave your answer below, along with a valid e-mail address for your chance to win a pass for two to a special advance screening of Dear John on Wednesday, February 3 at a downtown Chicago theater!

All comments must be submitted by 11:59 PM CST on Sunday, January 31. Winners will be chosen randomly and announced on Monday, February 1.

Edit: Winners have been chosen and will be contacted soon!  Thanks to all who entered! Check back soon for more reviews and more great contests!

SYNOPSIS

Directed by Lasse Hallström and based on the novel by best-selling author Nicholas Sparks, DEAR JOHN tells the story of John Tyree (Channing Tatum), a young soldier home on leave, and Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried), the idealistic college student he falls in love with during her spring vacation.  Over the next seven tumultuous years, the couple is separated by John’s increasingly dangerous deployments.  While meeting only sporadically, they stay in touch by sending a continuous stream of love letters overseas–correspondence that eventually triggers fateful consequences.