A dramatized version of what went on behind the scenes at the legendary Woodstock music festival in 1969, this film focuses on Elliot (Demetri Martin), a young man whose initiative gets things going. When the organizers are denied a permit for a concert in the area, Elliot steps in and offers the use of his parents' rundown motel. He also convinces Max Yasgur (Eugene Levy), a local dairy farmer, to allow the concert to take place on his property. Of course, Elliot never anticipated that the concert would attract hundreds of thousands of hippies. Directed by Ang Lee. With Jonathan Groff, Emile Hirsch and Liev Schreiber. Categories: Comedy, Music. Year: 2009.
Paul Dano in Taking Woodstock
Maurice Sendak's beloved children's classic becomes a live-action movie. It tells the story of Max (Max Records), a rebellious child who gets angry at his mother (Catherine Keener) and is suddenly transported to a land of magical but frightening creatures. The creatures are portrayed by a combination of actors wearing costumes and computer-generated imagery. Directed by Spike Jonze. With Forest Whitaker and 2009. Categories: Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy. Year: 2009.
Paul Dano in Where the Wild Things Are
In turn of the century California, struggling silver miner, Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), turns his sights to oil. Traveling to a small, impoverished town with his adopted son, H.W. (Dillon Freasier), Daniel targets the Sunday family ranch, which he has been told sits on a small sea of oil. Intent on acquiring the property, Daniel faces off with Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), a young, charismatic reverend, who has his own plans for the oil. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. With Kevin J. O'Connor and Ciarán Hinds. Categories: Drama, Thriller. Year: 2007.
Paul Dano in There Will Be Blood
Don Henderson (Greg Kinnear) is a marketing executive for a successful national fast-food chain who follows his company's burgers from the barn to the bun. Meanwhile, a group of illegal Mexican immigrants (including Wilmer Valderrama and Catalina Sandino Moreno) try to make their way in America working for the meat processing plant that supplies the fast-food giant's meat. And, a group of young adults fed up with the companies environmental policies and mistreatment of cows decide to take action. Directed by Richard Linklater. With Luis Guzmán, Patricia Arquette, Kris Kristofferson, Bruce Willis and Ethan Hawke. Categories: Drama. Year: 2006.
Paul Dano in Fast Food Nation
When exuberant seven-year-old Olive (Abigail Breslin) is called upon to participate in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant, the entire Hoover family piles into their trusty yellow Volkswagen bus for the trip from Albuquerque to Redondo Beach, CA. Accompanying the aspiring beauty queen are her overworked, caring mother (Toni Collette), struggling self-help author father (Greg Kinnear), voluntarily mute brother (Paul Dano), suicidal uncle (Steve Carell) and uncontrollable grandfather (Alan Arkin). While their days spent on the road confined to a tempermental vehicle get bumpy at times, ultimately the family learns to appreciate and support one another no matter what. Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. With Bryan Cranston. Categories: Comedy, Drama. Year: 2006.
Paul Dano in Little Miss Sunshine
Elvis (Gael García Bernal) is a troubled man recently discharged from the Navy who travels to Texas to find the father he's never known. When he meets him, Elvis finds that Dave (William Hurt) is a pastor at a Christian community church, and wants nothing to do with his illegitimate son. But Elvis makes a connection with the pastor's 16-year old daughter, Malerie (Pell James), and tries to seduce her while Dave examines his faith. Directed by James Marsh. Categories: Drama, Independent Film. Year: 2005.
Paul Dano in The King
Matthew Kidman (Emile Hirsch) is a cocky high school senior with a bright future in politics. When the beautiful, young Danielle (Elisha Cuthbert) moves in next door, the two fall instantly in love. Just when Matthew thinks things couldn't get any better, the discovery that Danielle is a former porn star threatens to ruin their relationship and her reputation in town. Directed by Luke Greenfield. With Timothy Olyphant, James Remar, Chris Marquette and Paul Dano. Categories: Comedy, Romance. Year: 2004.
Paul Dano in The Girl Next Door
Illeana Scott (Angelina Jolie) is an FBI agent on the trail of a serial killer who takes the identities of his victims. Traveling to Montreal to assist the Canadian police in tracking down the murderer, Scott must tackle her cultural differences with the Canadians and stop the killer before he slips out of her hands for good. Directed by D.J. Caruso. With Ethan Hawke, Kiefer Sutherland, Gena Rowlands, Olivier Martinez and Justin Chatwin. Categories: Crime, Drama, Thriller. Year: 2004.
Paul Dano in Taking Lives
William Hundert (Kevin Kline), St. Benedict's assistant headmaster, strives to inspire his students and mold their character with impassioned lessons about the Greeks and Romans. But when freshmen Sedgewick Bell (Emile Hirsch) arrives, Hundert finds his world upended when the two enter a bitter battle of wills that will affect the course of St. Benedict's and its students for decades. Directed by Michael Hoffman. With Embeth Davidtz, Rob Morrow Edward Herrmann, Jesse Eisenberg and Paul Dano. Categories: Drama, Based on a Novel. Year: 2002.
Paul Dano in The Emperor's Club