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Non-MX Articles: Lauren Lee Smith (7/09 Comic Con)

IGN 7/24/09: Lauren Lee Smith (Pics at CFM Music Scene)

SDCC 09: Trick 'r Treat Review: This well-crafted Halloween horror tribute is a scary blast.
by Cindy White

July 24, 2009 - After making the rounds on the festival circuit for years, and proving to be a crowd pleaser wherever it plays, the Halloween-themed horror film Trick 'r Treat will make its debut exclusively on DVD in October. But Comic-Con attendees got a sneak peek at a screening on Thursday night, along with a panel featuring director Michael Dougherty and stars Brian Cox and Lauren Lee Smith. Fans lined up as early as an hour before and nearly filled the 4,000-seat ballroom where it was shown and gave the film a thundering round of applause after it was finished. And that recognition was well deserved. Trick 'r Treat is a thoroughly enjoyable ride from beginning to end.

Set over the course of one Halloween night in the small town of Warren, Ohio, Trick 'r Treat follows several intertwining stories as the town's residents celebrate the holiday in their own special ways.

First, we meet Henry (Tahmoh Penikett) and Emma (Leslie Bibb), a couple with spilt opinions on Halloween – he loves it, she hates it. There's also Steven Wilkins (Dylan Baker), a high school principal, who catches a neighborhood kid smashing jack-o-lanterns and stealing candy. Steven's neighbor is an old curmudgeon named Mr. Kreeg (Brian Cox), who has a dark secret in his past that has come back to haunt him, quite literally. We also follow a group of adolescents as they play a prank on the weird girl from their school (Samm Todd) and an older group of 20-something girls, who set out to help one of their own (Anna Paquin) find a special someone with whom to share her first time.

© IGN

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Excerpt from Collider.com 7/24/09: Lauren Lee Smith

TRICK R TREAT Roundtable and Screening - Comic-Con 2009
by Nico Posted:July 24th, 2009 at 1:31 pm

If you’re a fan of the horror genre, you’ve been anxiously awaiting the release of Michael Dougherty’s directorial debut, Trick R Treat. Thankfully, the end is nigh and I had the opportunity to sit down for a roundtable discussion with writer-director Michael Dougherty and cast members Lauren Lee Smith and Brian Cox for some inside scoop. More after the jump –

First, let’s get the most important information out up front. You will be able to pick up your own copy of Trick R Treat on DVD and Blu-ray come October, just in time for Halloween. If you’re lucky enough, it will also be making the festival circuit and you should know, this movie should be seen with an audience.

The film is a love letter to Halloween. It’s an anthology film with four interlocking stories. A haunted aging man who hates Halloween is taunted by a mysterious youth. A principal and single dad moonlights as a serial killer. A young girl is convinced that she is ready for her first time by her trio of female companions. A group of kids tempt fate when they decide to investigate the site of a school bus slaughter for a prank. The moral of the movie is know and honor the rules of Halloween.

The big star of the movie is Sam, the mysterious seemingly youthful character and one of the main interlocking forces. You can readily identify Sam by the burlap sack he wears over his head. Brian Cox plays the tormented Old Man perfectly. Though his crankiness makes you think you would cheer on his torment, a masterful turnaround once he’s really put into jeopardy makes you start to root for him. Lauren Lee Smith plays the guiding force and older sister to Anna Paquin’s . They appear to be average horny young women, but it’s Halloween, so costumes abound.
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Lauren Lee Smith was sold on her role of when she was told she’d be playing a “storybook princess.” With her charming presence and easy smile, you could see her in that princess role. The script was being kept secret so she was pretty surprised by what her role ultimately was. Her favorite scary movie is The Shining, but she was affected by Nightmare on Elm Street when her parents put it on for her at the tender age of six. Lauren would love to have a go at some comedy and would also appreciate the opportunity to work with John Malkovich, Christopher Walken, Sean Penn and Kate Winslet. Of course, she’d also love a shot at a role on True Blood with Trick R Treat co-star Anna Paquin. If she could have a superpower, she’d choose flying, but a close second would be the ability to make herself invisible. Lauren will next be seen starring alongside Ashley Judd in Helen and just finished CSI season nine.

© Collider