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Joseph Gordon-Levitt - Love Him or Leave Him?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:30:30 -0700

Ever since 500 Days of Summer, I haven't been able to get Joseph Gordon-Levitt off my brain. (And yesterday's trailer for Women in Trouble doesn't help!) It's not like I didn't pay attention to him before - I loved 10 Things I Hate About You - but my adoration for this guy is ballooning faster than his career.

Gordon-Levitt has loads of projects coming down the pipeline: his upcoming film Uncertainty just got picked up, and he has Inception with Leonardo DiCaprio and Hesher with Natalie Portman both slated for release next year. Sure, he's kind of an indie guy, but I'd love to see him come into his own as a leading man. (Perhaps he'll even take on the Jack Ryan series someday?)

All right, so I've gushed enough, but am I alone in my crush? Do you see the JGL appeal that I'm talking about, or is he still just the geeky guy from 3rd Rock From the Sun? What do you think of Joseph Gordon-Levitt - love him or leave him?

ABC Brings TV Show From the Writers of (500) Days of Summer

BuzzSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:30:26 -0700

What if the Friends loft and Central Perk were infiltrated by hipsters? We might find out soon, because ABC has just struck a deal to make a sitcom called Friends With Benefits from the writers of this Summer's indie rom-com (500) Days of Summer.

Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber have been given the green light to bring their show to TV, saying, "It's about a group of twenty-somethings at a point in their lives that everyone can relate to, when they ask questions like: 'Is this your girlfriend or someone you just hang out with? Is this a job, or is this a career?'"

It's a familiar concept, but a pretty timeless one - relationships can always be mined for fodder, and when you add young, good-looking actors, you have a recipe for potential success. It's not a far cry from (500) Days, which finds a new way to detail what happens when boy meets girl. I thought the movie was sweet despite its too-hip leanings, so I'd probably watch this. Oh, and the Wedding Crashers director is attached to shoot the pilot. Intrigued yet?

Photos courtesy Fox Searchlight and Getty

Music Video: Zooey and Joseph Charm Us With More Dance

BuzzSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:30:19 -0700

There's some music and dancing in their current indie romance, (500) Days of Summer, but Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and the movie's director, Marc Webb, aren't stopping there. They've put together a little music video to Deschanel's own "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" which she made with M. Ward as the musical duo She & Him. As you might expect from the adorable Deschanel/Gordon-Levitt pairing, the video is extremely cute, a little campy and sometimes sexy. Gordon-Levitt plays a bank robber who has a connection with the pretty teller who's handing him the money. Undeniably drawn to one another, the two swing and swirl and trot their way around the bank in their own private reverie.

It's so cute it practically makes my teeth ache. But, you know, in a good way. The video automatically starts after the jump. To watch and "awww!" just read more.

Harry Potter Works Its Magic on the Box Office

BuzzSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:30:25 -0700

It may be darker than ever, but Harry Potter still brings the magic at the box office. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince worked its wizardry on audiences to the tune of nearly $160 million for its first five days in the theater, with $79.5 million of that coming over the weekend.

That's not quite as strong as the five-day opening for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen last month (that movie pulled in $201.2 million in its first five days), but it's the best tally yet for a Harry Potter movie.

The other big story of this weekend's box office is the fall of Bruno. Last weekend's box office winner pulled in just $8.4 million this week, finishing in fourth place. That put it behind second-place Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, which brought in $17.7 million. Transformers kept up the pace with a third-place tally of $13.8 million.

In indie news, 500 Days of Summer had a solid debut with almost $840,000 from just 27 theaters. It'll be interesting to see how that movie holds up when it expands into many more theaters this weekend.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Soundtrack Review: (500) Days of Summer

BellaSugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:30:23 -0700

Note from Buzz: My buddy Bella is going to contribute some of her thoughtful musings about music here from time to time. Her inaugural post is an album review of the (500) Days of Summer soundtrack. Take it away, Bella!

A movie soundtrack has more or less the same goal as a great mix tape: it needs to put a scene in the listener's mind, produce an emotional response, and introduce an amazing new song or two. Considering how integral music is to the plot of (500) Days of Summer, a lot is riding on the film's soundtrack. The film isn't shy about revealing its hip-kid leanings - after all, our lovebirds initially bond over their love of the Smiths, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt sports Clash and Joy Division tees - but the soundtrack is an ambrosia salad of sweet but all-over-the-place tunes. For more of my take on it all, read more.

These songs are an easy fit for romantic late nights, and about half of the CD will make you wish you were in love. Carla Bruni (yes, the first lady of France) spreads her velvet voice over the dreamy acoustic guitar-and-violin "Quelqu'un M'a Dit," and The Temper Trap's shimmering "Sweet Disposition" has a U2-meets-Bloc Party feel that could make this band. Regina Spektor's two tracks have her crooning as lovely as ever, and the Black Lips contribute a fun, jangly countrified treat with "Bad Kids."

And yet. For all of the good music on this soundtrack - and don't get me wrong, it's there - we've heard much of it before. Feist's "Mushaboom" is five years old now, and as much as I love Moz and Marr, I wish there were something fresher than two Smiths songs. Hall and Oates? Play 'em off, Keyboard Cat. (No, really. Please do.) Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward (She & Him) succeed with a wistful cover of "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want," but Meaghan Smith's cloyingly precious version of the Pixies' "Here Comes Your Man" is a miss.

For casual listeners, this soundtrack should bring some good times. But for anyone who's already into indie-ish music - which is pretty much this movie's target demographic - this "mix tape" might seem lacking in variety and freshness.

(500) Days of Summer: A Fantastical Unromance For Realists

BuzzSugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 06:30:36 -0700

The unnecessary parentheses in the movie's title are the first sign that (500) Days of Summer might be too cute and contrived for its own good. Often, it is: the female lead (played by Zooey Deschanel) is named Summer, the wardrobes and apartments are impossibly hip, and shopping at Ikea acts as a relationship milestone. I'm willing to forgive much of that, however, because despite its overly indie constructs, (500) Days of Summer captures many achingly real sentiments. Like the relationship it chronicles, the movie is full of ups and downs but ultimately worthwhile.

She & Him Cover the Smiths on (500) Days of Summer Soundtrack

BuzzSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:30:14 -0700

The soundtrack for Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's upcoming romantic film (500) Days of Summer (opening in limited release July 17) looks like an awesome lineup, and we've already checked out one of the songs, the Temper Trap's "Sweet Disposition," featured in the movie's trailer. Also included on the soundtrack is the Smiths' "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want," along with a cover of the song sung by Zooey Deschanel herself. Deschanel and M. Ward, as musical duo She & Him, give the tune an old-fashioned '50s feel, with Deschanel's plaintive voice telling us once more that if she gets what she wants, "Lord knows, it would be the first time."

I'm looking forward to hearing the entire soundtrack when it's released July 14, but for now it's fun to get a taste with She & Him. To check out the cover, read more.

Band to Watch: The Temper Trap

BuzzSugar — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:30:24 -0800

Among all the things to love about the trailer for 500 Days of Summer - and there are many! - is the stellar backing song. Performed by the Australian band The Temper Trap, "Sweet Disposition" is exactly the sound of sunny, beachy, leafy-green days when the whole world is yours to discover.

The quartet is about to hit the United States this Spring, with shows in New York, Los Angeles, and SXSW in Austin, and the group's first full-length album is due later this year. For now, they have an EP called Sweet Disposition, which includes that song, another called "The Science of Fear," and remixes of both.

I'm digging this band's sound, which overall just seems destined for more movie soundtracks: The songs are both upbeat and offbeat, with enough sudden changes and unusual instrumentation to keep me guessing. I'm definitely curious to hear more from them this year. For now, you can hear both "Sweet Disposition" and "The Science of Fear" on MySpace, and to watch the video for "Sweet Disposition," just read more.

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2009 Sundance Spotlight: Brooklyn's Finest, The Informers, 500 Days of Summer

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:30:39 -0800

While I won't be heading down to the 2009 Sundance Film Festival this year, I will be sorting through the humongous pile of festival entries to share with you some of the films I think look most promising. From quirky documentaries to talented young filmmaker debuts to a potential runaway hit, Sundance is filled with entertainment possibilities. Here are today's selections:

Brooklyn's Finest
Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day), Brooklyn's Finest just became this year's first sale at Sundance. Apparently "Senator Distribution nabbed North American rights . . . on Saturday night, 24 hours after its world premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. . . Senator says it will release the film in the fourth quarter for awards consideration." According to Senator president Mark Urman, the company "went into aggressive pursuit right after Friday's screening." Wow! All of this spells good things for the cop drama which features a stellar cast (Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Ellen Barkin). The plot is described as: "Three unconnected Brooklyn cops wind up at the same deadly location after enduring vastly different career paths." The guy responsible for the screenplay has a unique and intriguing story himself (you can read about it here). No clips available just yet, but now that it's been purchased I'm sure we'll hear and see much more about this film in the future.

Two more great-looking movies, with talented folks like Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Mickey Rourke, if you read more.

The Informers
Well, the long-awaited movie adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's collection of short stories is upon us. The movie, starring a whole lot of people from the '80s and early '90s (most notably Mickey Rourke, continuing his amazing career comeback) is about LA in the '80s in all its beautiful, indulgent, moral-decaying glory. The Informers also includes Kim Basinger, Winona Ryder, Billy Bob Thornton, Chris Isaak, and the late Brad Renfro (his final role). I have mixed feelings about this movie, but then again, any trailer that includes a song by A Flock of Seagulls deserves a chance in my book.

FYI: The trailer for The Informers below is not suitable for work due to some topless ladies. Proceed with caution:

500 Days of Summer
Oh, man. Could these two be cuter together? I think not. I was so excited when this casting news first came out and I'm even more thrilled that the movie's premiering at Sundance (to not-bad reviews so far) and has a release date (July 24) and now has a super cute teaser trailer (see below!). At first glance, the movie's description sounds like a little tale of unrequited love (boy loves girl, girl doesn't believe in love) but here's the part that got me really curious: "energized by dance numbers, split screens, and two dynamic performances from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel." Dance numbers? Why not?! Check out the trailer below and for additional clips, click here.

Photos courtesy of Sundance

Deschanel, Gordon-Levitt Have 500 Days of Summer

BuzzSugar — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:34:06 -0700

Even more so than the Zooey Deschanel-Paul Dano pair-up, this movie casting news has me all swoony. Zooey will star alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt in - what else? - an indie film, this time titled 500 Days of Summer. The romantic comedy has Gordon-Levitt playing a man who "falls hopelessly in love with a woman (Deschanel) who doesn't believe in love."

I was never all that into 3rd Rock From the Sun, but Joseph Gordon-Levitt has consistently floored me in the movie roles he's taken since that show. He fit perfectly into the high school noir thriller Brick, and was totally sympathetic in the heist thriller The Lookout. In the recent war drama Stop-Loss he basically stole every scene he was in. I seriously can't wait to see him paired up with the ever-magnificent Zooey.

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