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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:44:22 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue.

300
This movie won't be as captivating on DVD as it was on the big screen, but with the DVD, you'll get the inside scoop on one of 2007's most unusual films. An adaptation of Frank Miller's comic, 300 isn't going to win any screen-writing Oscars - we hope - for its portrayal of the lopsided Battle of Thermopylae. But it does break serious ground in terms of visual effects.

Be sure to check out some of the special features, like a commentary by director Zack Snyder, a gallery of production stills, and several featurettes including "The 300: Fact or Fiction?" in which "historians, authors, and filmmakers reveal how much of the film was based on fact."

Two more new DVDs if you read more

Hot Fuzz
I was fortunate enough to see Hot Fuzz in the theater and it is one hilarious movie. Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright's follow up to their zombie movie spoof Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz is a parody of classic buddy cop movies. Pegg plays a London police officer who is so good at his job that his colleagues resent him, so he's shipped off to the virtually crime-free village of Sandford and paired with a bumbling partner (Nick Frost). Not surprisingly, it turns out there might be more afoot in Sandford then expected. The movie also co-stars a roster of talented Brits, including Bill Nighy and Steve Coogan. The special features include a gag reel that I cannot wait to check out. You can watch the trailer for Hot Fuzz here.

Lonely Hearts
I posted the trailer for this movie back when it was coming out in theaters, and then I didn't hear much about it again, so now's the perfect time to check it out on DVD. Starring Salma Hayek, John Travolta, and Jared Leto, the highly stylized Lonely Hearts is based on the true story of two homicide detectives (played by Travolta and James Gandolfini) trying to track down the "Lonely Hearts Killers": a couple (played by Hayek and Leto) who lure their victims using personal ads. As an interesting tidbit, director Todd Robinson is actually the grandson of the real detective on the case.

300 Leads MTV Movie Awards Nominations

BuzzSugar — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 16:15:47 -0700

Last week we found out that Sarah Silverman will host the MTV Movie Awards, and now we know who will be vying for the coveted Golden Popcorn. 300 is leading the way with five nominations including Best Picture, followed by Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest with four and Blades of Glory, The Devil Wears Prada and Borat with three each.

Greatest potential for a catfight: the Best Performance category, which sees Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson going head-to-head for their Dreamgirls roles. Also, did I totally call Columbus Short's nomination for Best Breakout Star after Stomp the Yard, or what?

The awards will air live for the first time ever on June 3, and voting is open now online and via text message. The viewer-generated Best Movie Spoof entries can be viewed here, and to see who's in the running for the rest, read more

Best Movie
300
Blades of Glory
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Little Miss Sunshine
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Best Performance
Gerard Butler, 300
Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls
Keira Knightley, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Beyonce Knowles, Dreamgirls
Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness

Breakthrough Performance
Emily Blunt, The Devil Wears Prada
Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine
Lena Headey, 300
Columbus Short, Stomp the Yard
Jaden Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness
Justin Timberlake, Alpha Dog

Best Comedic Performance
Emily Blunt, The Devil Wears Prada
Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Will Ferrell, Blades of Glory
Adam Sandler, Click
Ben Stiller, Night at the Museum

Best Kiss
Cameron Diaz & Jude Law, The Holiday
Will Ferrell & Sacha Baron Cohen, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Columbus Short & Meagan Good, Stomp the Yard
Mark Wahlberg & Elizabeth Banks, Invincible
Marlon Wayans & Brittany Daniel, Little Man

Best Villain
Tobin Bell, Saw III
Jack Nicholson, The Departed
Bill Nighy, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Rodrigo Santoro, 300
Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada

Best Fight
Jack Black & Hector Jimenez vs. Los Duendes, Nacho Libre
Gerard Butler vs. "The Uber Immortal," 300
Sacha Baron Cohen vs. Ken Davitian, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Will Ferrell vs. Jon Heder, Blades of Glory
Uma Thurman vs. Anna Faris, My Super Ex-Girlfriend

Best Summer Movie You Haven't Seen yet
Evan Almighty
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Hairspray
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix
Rush Hour 3
Transformers

mtvU Best Filmmaker on Campus
Robert Dastoli (University of Central Florida), "Southwestern Orange County vs. The Flying Saucers"
Maria Gigante (Columbia College, Chicago), "Girls Room"
Josh Greenbaum (University of Southern California), "Border Patrol"
Alexander Poe (Columbia University), "Please Forget I Exist"
Andrew Shipsides (Savannah College of Art and Design), "Bottleneck"

Source

TMNT Tops the Weekend Box Office

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 05:04:05 -0700

I knew there was a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie coming out, but I'd heard so little about TMNT that I was surprised to see it No. 1 at the weekend box office. Taking in an estimated total of $24.4 million, it knocked 300 to second place after its two-week reign. I guess this just goes to show that you can never underestimate the power of kids - or CGI turtles who are also mutant ninjas.

Both TMNT and 300 are Warner Bros. productions, so you can bet that studio is happy after this weekend. As for me, I was bummed to see that Shooter only came in third, debuting with $14.5 million in sales. I know many people were looking to this movie as a test of Mark Wahlberg's star power, and while third place isn't bad, it may not be what the actor needs to get more A-List roles.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

What Comes After 300

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 06:56:39 -0700

Though 300 wasn't exactly a great movie, it was unlike anything I've seen on the big screen, which is why I'm excited to see what director Zack Snyder and the rest of the 300 gang will do next. Not surprisingly - given the movie's massive box-office success - most everyone involved in 300 has some very cool projects coming down the pike. Here's a look at what's brewing.

A 300 Sequel? Maybe

When a movie makes this much money, it doesn't take long for people to say "sequel." But director Zack Snyder says that issue should be taken up with Frank Miller, the graphic novelist behind the 300 source material. In a very geeky interview conducted in the virtual world of Second Life, Miller said he is talking to Warner Bros. about the possibility:

"I do know exactly what the sequel would be," Miller responded with a chuckle. "But I'll say to you the same thing that I've said to the people at Warner [Bros.]: That's all anybody gets without paying."

Snyder, meanwhile, is working on another project for the studio; for the details, read more

Snyder Eyes Watchmen

For his next film, director Snyder is tackling a beloved 1986 graphic superhero novel called Watchmen written by Alan Moore. According to a recent MTV News story:

Snyder has never met Moore, the notoriously reclusive author who has famously soured on Hollywood and said he doesn't want a Watchmen movie ever made. Still, Snyder hopes to arrange a meeting soon so he can explain that the script he's calling "closer to 'Dr. Strangelove' than 'Fantastic Four' " will embrace exactly what studios have feared in the past.

It sounds pretty awesome, so I hope that one works out.

A Sin City Sequel? Certainly

Though Miller is pretty mum about what will happen with the 300 sequel, the next installment of Sin City is a sure thing. In the Second Life interview, Miller revealed that the movie will likely begin shooting in June. "I just saw Robert Rodriguez the night before last, and we've nearly got the script," Miller said. Star Rosario Dawson will also be making an encore.

Gerard Butler's Remake

Meanwhile, star Gerard Butler, who plays King Leonidas, will likely join the cast of another cult classic: a remake of John Carpenter's Escape From New York. Butler would play Snake Plissken, the role originated by the wonderfully campy Kurt Russell.

Source

Lots of People - Including Me - Saw 300 This Weekend

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 10:02:56 -0700

The wonderfully over-the-top epic adventure 300 conquered the box office for the second weekend in a row. According to Variety, even St. Patrick's Day and the NCAA tournament didn't stop the male-skewing movie from raking in $31.1 million this weekend for a combined total of $127.4 million.

Ten dollars of that $31.1 million came from me, and I have to say, 300 fully lived up to my expectations. Sure, the movie is lacking in substance, and the clunky script leaves a lot to be desired. But it also looks unlike anything I have ever seen committed to film, which is more than I can say for most movies, and I walked away thoroughly satisfied by the visually indulgent flick. For the rest of my take, read more

The movie well blends a historical-adventure tone with graphic-novel cheekiness. The dialog and narration are often delivered with epic-poetic weightiness, while the endless march of eye-candy looks ripped from the most high-brow of comic book panels. Though the scenes are crafted from digital animation and live action, the effect is more like a painting. So during the frequent moments when the dialog slips into anachronistic silliness, you can simply admire the canvas before you.

Unsurprisingly, the movie's biggest weakness is its script, with monologues that alternate between fittingly regal and completely laughable. Star Gerard Butler does the best he can with the material, throttling into total power-hungry hyperbole whenever appropriate.

But good dialog and even good acting isn't the point of 300. It is a movie about the Spartans, an ancient people literally bred for battle, as is the movie itself. And for a film that's pretty much two solid hours of fight scenes, it is captivating and even graceful at times, and unlike some other movies of its ilk, there isn't a single instant of dullness.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Which Movie Are You Interested In Seeing This Weekend?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 06:34:37 -0700

There are some great movies out in theaters right now, like Zodiac and 300, and some others that have recently proven very popular (Norbit, Wild Hogs, Ghost Rider). Out of these options, which film would you most like to see this weekend?

300 Storms the Box Office

BuzzSugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 09:27:46 -0700

300 may not be a great movie - New York Times reviewer A.O. Scott called "about as violent as Apocalypto and twice as stupid" - but at least it's novel, which is more than I can say for Wild Hogs. So 300's triumph at the box office this weekend renews my faith in American moviegoers somewhat.

As reported in the Los Angeles Times, the comic book-inspired epic not only dominated the box office this weekend but also broke records for March opening-weekend ticket sales.

The $64 million production, which brings the ancient Battle of Thermopylae to the big screen, grossed a whopping $70 million in the U.S. It totally trounced Wild Hogs, which brought in $28 million, and in third place was Bridge to Terabithia with about $6.9 million. Sadly, I haven't gotten to see 300 yet, so if you did, tell me what you thought.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

Movie Preview: 300

BuzzSugar — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 09:04:51 -0800

I am partial toward movies that can entertain and educate me at the same time, whether about the British monarchy (The Queen) or an unsolved serial-killer case (Zodiac). That's my excuse for really wanting to see the epic new action movie, 300, in IMAX. I figure not only will it rule, but it might also teach me something about Spartan and Persian history.

Opening nationwide this Friday in both regular and IMAX theaters, the movie combines live action and animation for an effect that's sort of like Lord of the Rings meets Sin City. At the same time, it looks like nothing I've ever seen on film. 300 is based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, who also wrote Sin City, but this time, he's zeroing in on the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, an epic match-up that pitted the Spartans against the much larger Persian army. The movie stars Gerard Butler (the Phantom in the recent Phantom of the Opera movie) and David Wenham, who I loved as Farimir in the LOTR trilogy.

Are you guys interested in seeing 300? Watch the trailer and tell me after you read more

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The Vampire Diaries "Haunted": The Good, The Bad and The Bloody

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:30:00 -0700

Sorry for the hyperbole, but I'm pretty sure this week's episode of The Vampire Diaries, "Haunted," is the best one of the season so far. The Halloween setting is perfect for playing out Vicki's vampiric transition, Bonnie's exploration of her mysterious genealogical history, and the exposing of "The Council."

There's plenty to talk about, so let's chat about the good, the bad, and the bloody (spoilers aplenty ahead!) when you read more.

The Good

So much is good this week, but the episode belongs to Vicki, who's having issues turning into a vamp - which also provides us with more exposition on the mythology of The Vampire Diaries as well as Stefan's personal journey as a bloodsucker. However, Vicki isn't long for even the undead world, and her story ends both abruptly and shockingly (more on that later).
I love this show's balance of humor and intrigue, which Damon and The Council storyline provides this week. Damon overhears Tyler's parents, the Lockwoods, discussing the search they're on, just after he's noticed that Logan's murder hasn't shown up in the papers. I loved the tête-à-tête between Damon and Mrs. Lockwood at the restaurant; it doesn't take much booze to get the woman blabbing, and soon Damon knows that she's trying to procure vervain (which I finally googled; apparently it's a variant of verbena) and that she not only knows about the vampires in town, she's hunting them.
I want to know more about Bonnie, and her glamorous, witchy Grams. I still can't believe Whitley is playing someone's grandmother. Aside from having the scoop on the family and being a witch herself, she teaches Occult at the University. How cool is she? Oh, and Bonnie's great-great-great-great grandmother, Emily Bennett? We've seen her before.
I've said it a couple times recently, but I love a good Halloween episode. The costumes are priceless: Vicki goes as a vampire, Tyler's a character from 300, and Mrs. Lockwood channels Daisy Buchanan, someone Damon would certainly recognize.

The Bad

Not much bad to report this week, except for one gripe. Coffee as a vampire's secret to blending in with humans? Pretty silly. "It's the caffeine," Stefan says with a straight face. At least he didn't complain about Starbucks.

The Bloody

The Hunger rules Vicki's life as a vampire, and all she wants to do is feed . . . and see Jeremy and Matt. First she takes a love bite out of Jeremy's lip, and then, in a desperate fight, chomps right into Elena's exposed shoulder (so that's why she needed a sexy costume). Her attack on Elena pushes Stefan to stake her, killing her immediately. I literally gasped, then held my mouth open for a good five minutes as I watched this all play out. I'm still pretty stunned.

Lastly, are we witnessing Damon's evolution? His encounters with Elena this week take a major detour; she lashes out at him for being responsible for Vicki, Jeremy being in danger, and finally, Vicki's death, angering him until he tells her, "You need to leave." This would normally be a threat from Damon, but there's another dimension to it; is the man who insists he'd kill anyone, anytime, telling Elena to go because he wants her to be safe? Is he forming feelings for her? The climax of this really occurs in the final moments, when Elena begs Stefan to erase Jeremy's memory. Explaining that his human-free diet won't allow him to do it correctly, we hear a voice volunteer. "I can do it." It's almost seductive, and Elena lets him - though she doesn't say thank you, on principle, but I felt like she wanted to.

What do you think - were you surprised to see Vicki exit so soon? I was hoping to see more of her development as a vampire, but her death evoked so much more of an emotional reaction from the characters (and me) that I can't imagine it another way. And if you want to talk more about the show, join Hooked on Vampire Diaries in the Buzz Community!

Photos courtesy of The CW

Law Abiding Citizen: Deserves a Death Sentence

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:30:13 -0700

Oh, Gerard Butler, what were you thinking? You might be able to forgive the 300 actor for starring in this horror flick disguised as a meaningful thriller, but he also served as producer to help finance the train wreck. Did he not even read the script?

Law Abiding Citizen opens with Butler as Clyde Shelton, a devoted father and husband who witnesses the murder of his family by two psychopaths after a break-in. When his lawyer, Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), strikes a deal in the case that lets one of them free, Shelton begs Rice to reconsider. And that’s where Shelton's deadly resentment - and the slasher flick stuff- begins.

To hear more about what I mean, read more.

Ten years later, Shelton returns to seek vengeance against Rice and the entire Philadelphia legal system through a series of mass killings and car bombs. The man is understandably still distraught over his family’s deaths, but he’s clearly gone cuckoo.

This is when the movie becomes less of a drama and starts resembling the Saw franchise instead. While Shelton starts off as the good guy, he's later partaking in gruesome torture scenes that leave him completely in covered in blood like the prom scene in Carrie. To make matters worse, Shelton throws out bad jokes as he's wreaking havoc for a few cheap laughs. It negates any possibility for the audience to feel sympathy for Shelton, and the attempted shock value also completely ruins the movie's credibility.

The film wants to make us question the inner-workings of law - when dealing with a killer, is it better to leave things to the justice system or take matters into your own hands? Really though, it would’ve worked better as a cheesy horror movie. It has all of the requirements: splattered body parts, a giant chain saw, abandoned warehouses, goofy wigs and costumes, creepy music, the obligatory muffled voice on the end of the phone - and loads of plot holes. Like, why is Shelton rich enough to buy all of his assassin-style supplies and how does he know how to use them all? The film attempts to answer the question for us later in the film, but it feels tacked on and much too late.

In other words, if you do go see this film, don't try to think too much about it. Foxx and Butler do their best with what they're given, but the film is only good for a couple of thrills that make you jump in your seat. As for me, I just wanted to walk out.

P.S. Don't forget to check out the Movie Reviews community group if you want to weigh in about your own weekend film picks.