| | | Includes Both Widescreen and Full-Screen Formats on One Disc!
Features: DVD, Pan and Scan (TV Format), Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 2.35:1, English, French, Spanish, Subtitled
All systems are "Go" for Charles Farmer. He's faced bank foreclosure, neighborhood naysayers and a government alarmed by his huge purchase of high-grade fuel, but now he's ready to blast into space inside the homemade rocket he built in his barn. Just be home in time for dinner, Charlie.Billy Bob Thornton portrays Charlie in this charmer about chasing dreams...and about what it means to be a family. 10,000 pounds of rocket fuel alone can't lift Charlie into the heavens. He needs a launch/recovery crew, and he has one of the best: his wife (Virginia Madsen) and children, dreamers all. They have liftoff. Our spirits have uplift. Gravity cannot hold down our dreams. The Astronaut Farmer is that kind of movie.
"...the trademark love of warped American gothic that the Polishes share with David Lynch and the [Coen] brothers..." Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
"...gloriously self-aware hokum, a fantasy movie that is, above all, about our need for fantasy and escapism..." Scott Foundas, L.A. Weekly
"...inspirational, not only to those of us with a dream, but to those who thought the quality family film had died long ago." Stephen Saito, Premiere
Editor's Note
IN THEATERS JANUARY 12, 2007 Billy Bob Thornton plays a retired astronaut who sets up a farm, but unwittingly alerts the authorities when the secret activities he is conducting in his barn causes trouble.
| Features | Audio: English, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound | | Dubbed: Spanish | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: English, French, Spanish |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Warner |
| Release Date: 9/30/2008 |
| Running Time: 104 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2007 | | Catalog ID: 82292 | | UPC: 00012569822924 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Anamorphic Widescreen/Standard 2.35:1/1.33:1 [4:3] |
| Cast & Crew
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| | Professional Reviews | New York Times
"[A] disarmingly sincere follow-your-dreams fable....[With] a visual freshness..." 02/23/2007 p.E10Entertainment Weekly
"[T]his studio release retains the trademark love of warped American gothic that the Polishes share with David Lynch and the brother Ethan and Joel Coen." -- Grade: B 03/01/2007 p.49 Box Office
"[The filmmakers] have entered a higher orbit by crafting a bigger-budget family film..." 04/01/2007 p.126 Ultimate DVD
3 stars out of 5 -- "[A] quirky ode to the need for dreams and escapism in our increasingly depressing modern world...[with] passionate performances..." 05/01/2008 p.101 ReelViews 8 of 10
"...The Astronaut Farmer offers dreams, obsession, faith, courage, and redemption...The Polish Brothers, working in a more mainstream arena than they traversed for their previous feature, Northfork, have crafted an affectionate motion picture that plucks at the heartstrings without becoming too melodramatic. The Astronaut Farmer is one of those movies that makes an audience want to cheer and clap. From a real world engineering standpoint, the movie doesn't stand up to scrutiny, but it is dramatically effective. Some might think the PG rating signals a kids' film but, while The Astronaut Farmer represents suitable viewing material for younger audiences, it evidences dramatic and thematic maturity. No adult should feel ashamed seeing it because, regardless of the age of the viewer, the reward is worth the investment of 100 minutes." - James Berardinelli
Reel.com 10 of 10
"Texas rancher Charles Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton) is convinced that he has the right stuff...How he goes about realizing that ambition lies behind Mark and Michael Polish' The Astronaut Farmer, an irresistible blend of family drama and satire that advocates not just having a dream, but living it--or at least trying to live it...There is a lot of charm and warmth in the movie. As stubborn, warm-hearted Charles, Thornton has never been better, and he receives wonderful support from Madsen and the three children. There is plenty of comedy, much of it provided by the bored G-Men Kilbourne and Mathis, who realize immediately that they have essentially been assigned babysitting duty. As is typical for the Polish brothers, the film is chockfull of tiny throwaway moments that add up to a richly textured story." - Pam Grady
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