Spielberg Loves Once

Once, the micro-budget Irish movie is doing very well for itself at the US box office. Costing just $150,000, the film has made $6.5 million, which is pretty remarkable, especially when you consider that it's only playing in 140 theatres. Written and directed by John Carney, Once pitches itself as a contemporary musical in which a busker falls for a Czech immigrant. The pair soon start to record songs together as a way to express their love (can't they just have sex like normal people?). According to USA Today by way of Hollywood Elsewhere, backers Fox Searchlight are so impressed with this little movie they've decided to give it an extra push by sending stars Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova on a Stateside musical tour. They aren't the only ones enamoured with the film, a certain Steven Spielberg has commented on it:

"A little movie called Once gave me enough inspiration to last the rest of the year."

Let's just hope this inspiration doesn't spill over into Indiana Jones and the Blank of the Blank Blank, otherwise we may get Harrison Ford whipping out a guitar and crooning to Karen Allen. In all seriousness, though, it's great when you hear big time directors giving props to films that you never expect them to see. In an age where Warner Bros can spend $200 million plus on Superman Returns and still fail to turn a decent profit, Once is proof that you don't need to think big to make a successful film.