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Love Happens: Not Happenin'

BuzzSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:30:40 -0700

Love Happens is not a romantic comedy, like the promo photos of Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston smooshed together might have you believe. The real focus of the film is Burke (Eckhart), a widower who's hooked on Grey Goose and his own delusion that he's "a-okay" like the title of his self-help book suggests. He's constantly quoting his own chapters, with turning-lemons-into-lemonade kind of lessons, as a means to get through his day - frankly, the guy's a downer.

The story follows Burke as he reluctantly travels to Seattle - his deceased wife's hometown - to conduct an A-Okay therapy workshop for families who have lost loved ones. He gets drenched in the rain, drinks alone, and basically mopes whenever he's not faking a smile for his book's fans. That is, until he meets Eloise (Aniston), a local florist who supplies the arrangements at his hotel.

To hear what else I thought about the film, read more.

Burke takes an interest in Eloise and comes out of his doldrums seemingly instantly. As for Eloise, even though she wants nothing to do with him at first, she has a change of heart when Burke pushes her away. As much as I love both Eckhart and Aniston separately, their chemistry is lukewarm and you never really understand why these two are working so hard to get together.

The stronger focus of the film is Burke's grieving process. Prepare for buckets of man tears. Not only does Burke shed a few, but there are also two subplots that work them in. I enjoy seeing a sensitive guy as much as the next girl - I even got misty over one scene - but when tears happen five or so times in a nearly two-hour film, it just feels overwrought.

Not that the movie doesn’t try for laughs. Try being key. They bring in Dan Fogler (Balls of Fury) to play Burke’s best bud/agent and everyone's go-to sidekick girl, Judy Greer, as Aniston’s co-worker friend. Unfortunately, the jokes fall flat, and the talented Greer, who I've always loved from Arrested Development and 13 Going on 30, is underutilized.

What I did enjoy: the soundtrack, which includes everyone from Rogue Wave to Priscilla Ahn to Postal Service. But as for the movie? It's not sure what it's trying to be. Is it a tug-at-your-heartstrings drama about a PhD overcoming his wife's tragic death? Or is it a sweet love story with the obligatory cheesy jokes? Instead, Love Happens tries to cover all the bases, gets mucked in cliches - there's actually a slow clap at the film's climax - and love never seems to quite happen. They really should reconsider that title.

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

Movie Preview: Aniston, Eckhart in Love Happens

BuzzSugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:30:46 -0700

The romantic movie Love Happens used to be titled Traveling, and I'm not sure which title is better. Both are somewhat bland and nondescript, though after watching the trailer for this movie, I guess that's appropriate. Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart star in this drama about "a widower (Eckhart) whose book about coping with loss turns him into a best-selling self-help guru. On a business trip to Seattle, he falls for a woman (Aniston) who attends one of his seminars, only to learn that he hasn't yet truly confronted his wife's passing."

For a drama, it doesn't appear to be particularly dramatic. But who knows? Maybe Love Happens will shock and amaze. The romance happens Sept. 18. To check out the trailer, read more.

Buzz News Roundup, 4/3

BuzzSugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:30:20 -0700

A Boston NBC affiliate has said it won't show Jay Leno at 10 p.m. next season, opting for local news instead. - Broadcasting and Cable
Aaron Eckhart is in talks to star alongside Nicole Kidman in a film adaptation of the Broadway play Rabbit Hole. - Zap2it
Slumdog Millionaire's Anil Kapoor will play a Middle Eastern leader on a peacemaking mission on the eighth season of 24. - The Hollywood Reporter
Paul Weitz (American Pie, About a Boy) may direct Little Fockers. - ComingSoon
The NCAA says Motown legends The Temptations will sing the national anthem Monday night before the men's basketball national championship game at Ford Field in Detroit. - Billboard
Mekhi Phifer will guest-star on some episodes of Lie to Me. - Zap2it
Idris Elba is in negotiations to join Jeffrey Dean Morgan in the adaptation of the Vertigo/DC Comics book The Losers. - ComingSoon
At long last, the 2010 Golden Globes will be shown live, not tape-delayed, on the West Coast. - TV Guide
Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds has been invited to play in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. - Variety

Source

Movie News: Krasinski, Eckhart, Blanchett Circle Roles

BuzzSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:30:11 -0800

Aaron Eckhart in Rum Diary
Amber Heard gets to work with some mighty handsome men. Aaron Eckhart is in talks to join the cast of Rum Diary, the movie based on Hunter S. Thompson's novel, which already nabbed Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in main roles. In the story, "Eckhart is part of a love triangle that sees him vying with Depp for Heard's affection." Richard Jenkins is also joining the project as "the man who oversees the rundown newspaper" where Depp's character works.

Two more movie casting tidbits if you read more.

John Krasinski Joins Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin in Nancy Meyers Rom-Com
I'm pretty much sold on this movie already, even if details are scarce about, you know, the plot. In another love triangle story, Meryl Streep plays a woman caught between two men - played by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Veteran rom-com writer/director Nancy Meyers (Father of the Bride, Something's Gotta Give, The Holiday) is behind the untitled project, which just now got John Krasinski to sign on. Again, mum's the word on any plot or character details (I'm guessing Krasinski's character is someone's son), but this casting makes me more anxious than ever for the movie.

Cate Blanchett May Play Maid Marian!
This is 100 percent just a rumor so far, but still, it's out there and it's a pretty awesome idea: Cate Blanchett might take the part of Maid Marian in Ridley Scott's movie Nottingham, a role originally intended for Sienna Miller. Actor Mark Strong (set for the role of Sir Guy of Gisbourne in the project) recently commented, "I think Cate Blanchett is set to take the Maid Marian part." Then he added what we all know to be true: "She is a wonderful actress and it would make it a much classier film if she was in it."

Source

Link Time! 1/13

BuzzSugar — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:30:55 -0800

Was Neil Patrick Harris the best SNL host this season? - Clique Clack TV
Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You": Love It or Leave It? - PopSugar
Here's a rant on the increasing Slumdog Millionaire backlash now that the movie won some awards. - Cinematical
Gasp! Two Ugly Betty stars are leaving the show? Sad. - Watch With Kristin
Also, Melissa George is leaving Grey's Anatomy. - The Ausiello Files
Aaron Eckhart is hinting at the possible return of his character Two-Face in the next Batman movie. - MTV Movies Blog
Would you go to a screening of Barack Obama's inauguration at a movie theater near you? - CitizenSugar

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:15:29 -0800

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.

Nip/Tuck: Season Five
Season five finds Sean McNamara and Christian Troy making the leap from Miami to Los Angeles. While the new city provides a welcome change of scenery, the satisfaction is for the viewer only as business isn't exactly booming at the McNamara/Troy office. In fact, the two men find themselves without any clients at all and must resort to hiring a publicist to get their practice rolling. The publicist (played by Lauren Hutton) tells the duo that they must perform surgery on celebrities to create buzz. Guest actors that pop up in this DVD include Portia de Rossi and Oliver Platt.

Special features include unaired scenes and a gag reel titled "Severed Parts."

One more up next so read more.

Towelhead
The title alone suggests that you're in for a provocative experience with this Alan Ball-directed adaptation of the book of the same title. Like the book, this movie is a sad and disturbing coming-of-age tale focusing on a young woman (Jasira, played by Summer Bishil) who is half-Lebanese and half-white, living in a largely white Texas community with a strict father and a leery older male neighbor (Aaron Eckhart).

This movie is not for the faint of heart, but it's also a tale of truth, humor and redemption and Ball's directorial style is interesting.

Special features include a featurette titled "Towelhead: Community Discussion" which is footage of two panel discussions hosted by Alan Ball about the heavy issues raised by the movie. One panel includes co-stars Summer Bishil and Peter Macdissi, and the other features the novel's author, Alicia Erian.

Buzz News Roundup, 11/17

BuzzSugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:30:27 -0800

Monk has been renewed for an eighth - and final - season. - Variety
ABC's official midseason schedule adds Scrubs and The Unusuals to Wednesdays - and drops Life on Mars and Pushing Daisies. - The Futon Critic
Aaron Eckhart will star in the action film Battle: Los Angeles. - ComingSoon
CBS has ordered more episodes of Gary Unmarried and Worst Week. - The Hollywood Reporter
Maya Rudolph will guest-star on Kath and Kim. - TV Guide
50 Cent's album release has been pushed to January. - Billboard
Nigel Lythgoe and Michael Flatley are bringing a new dance competition show to NBC. - Zap2it
NBC is developing a comedy based on the life of Criss Angel. - Variety

Photo courtesy of USA

Towelhead: Sad, Disturbing, Just Like the Book

BuzzSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:30:33 -0700

There's been some controversy and outrage surrounding Alan Ball's adaptation of Alicia Erian's novel Towelhead, which I might understand more if I hadn’t read the original work. People are calling the film "abhorrent," "ethically reprehensible and irresponsible," and "gratuitously offensive." And yet, this isn't really Ball’s fault. His adaptation is completely faithful to the novel - I don’t think there’s even one line of dialogue or one bit of action that isn’t in the book - so why wasn't there this reaction to the novel?

The story is shocking and disturbing. It’s a coming-of-age tale focusing on a young woman (Jasira, played poignantly by Summer Bishil in the film) who is half-Lebanese and half-white, living in a largely white Texas community with a strict father and a leery older male neighbor. Everything Jasira does (from using tampons to dating a black boy) seems to anger her father and disappoint her mother (played by Maria Bello). So, Jasira confuses the attention she gets from her leery neighbor (Aaron Eckhart) with a kind of true affection, which he easily exploits. Jasira's young sense of self and her burgeoning understanding of sexuality get all mixed up with abuse and humiliation and - occasionally - pleasure. This is just the tip-top of the iceberg, so read more.

There are things that will make a person’s stomach turn in this story, but there’s also truth, humor and redemption. The book is told from Jasira’s childlike point of view, offering readers an agonizing glimpse into her naivete as well as her innocent hopefulness. Lacking this insight (as the film version provides little, if any such glimpse into Jasira’s interior world), and perhaps because book-to-film adaptations often must include only the “big” plot points, the complexities of Jasira’s experiences are lost and all we see is a disturbing 2-dimensional story about a girl in an unfortunate situation.

In some ways I can understand the reactions some people have with the movie; with no real insight into Jasira’s inner landscape, it appears to be shocking for the sake of shock. But Alan Ball has never been one to avoid the ugly, sinister aspects of the human experience. In American Beauty, which he wrote, he obviously touches on some unpleasant and taboo topics, and perhaps one of the problems with Towelhead is that he actually goes there.

Frustratingly, some people are focusing on one scene in which Jasira discovers a used tampon, and holds it up for Jasira - and us - to see. Apparently this is too disgusting for some viewers to which Ball had a superb retort: "We can make movies like There's Something About Mary, using semen as hair gel, and it's a huge hit - but to show a bloody tampon is considered shocking. I think that says a lot about our culture's attitude towards women and towards female sexuality." My thoughts exactly. The horror and repulsion with which menstruation is so often treated is repulsive in itself. As Ball points out, "We all have mothers and we're all are here because of the way that female sexuality works." We just don't want to acknowledge it, apparently.

Obviously, this story is provocative, but maybe we should be provoked. Having read the book, I wasn’t shocked by anything in the film because none of it was a surprise, though I definitely sat there anticipating with dread the more upsetting scenes. I appreciate what Ball (and the excellent cast) has done with the movie – it must have been a challenge, to say the least. But between the two mediums, in this case, it would probably be wiser (and more interesting) to read the book.

Photos courtesy of Warner Independent Pictures

The Dark Knight Smashes Box Office Records

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:15:23 -0700

Many thought that breaking Spider-Man 3's record for the biggest opening weekend ever would be difficult, even for The Dark Knight. But the much-hyped and critically adored sequel to Batman Begins shattered many records over the weekend - including Spidey's.

Earning an estimated $155.4 million, Bruce Wayne and gang smashed box office records for the biggest single-day gross in history and the biggest opening weekend for an IMAX release.

According to Variety, Mamma Mia! also broke records by "narrowly beating Hairspray to become the top opener for a musical," earning $27.5 million over the weekend.

That is a lot of money that people spent at the movies this weekend. What did you see? And how many times?

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:30:29 -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. In addition to the titles below you can also rent the complete fifth season of Reno 911 as well as the Raven-Symoné comedy (and that's being generous) College Road Trip.

The Bank Job
I wouldn't be surprised if you missed The Bank Job while it was in theaters because it may have been written off as yet another bank heist flick. Now that it's out on DVD I think it deserves your rental/Netflix queue consideration.

Like I said before, it's an entertaining movie that is supposedly based on a true story. It centers around a group of crooks led by Terry Leather (Jason Statham ), who catches wind of a vulnerable vault of safe-deposit boxes. Little does Terry know, however, that the heist will end up having much farther-reaching implications involving several parties with a keen interest in this particular vault. It's not rocket science, sure, but it is a whole lot of fun and smartly directed. I highly recommend you check it out for yourself.

Special features include commentary with director Roger Donaldson, actress Saffron Burrows and composer J. Peter Robinson, and an "Inside The Bank Job" featurette.

Two more fun picks, so read more.

Meet Bill
Even though I didn't hear much buzz surrounding Meet Bill originally, I still hoped to see it. But time flies when you're watching everything else, and here it is, already out on DVD. It's possible that we didn't hear much about it for good reason, though I still want to give it a shot because I really like Aaron Eckhart, not to mention Elizabeth Banks.

Netflix sums up the plot as such: "Beleaguered bank employee Bill (Aaron Eckhart) has his hands full with his wife's (Elizabeth Banks) infidelity with a local television reporter (Timothy Olyphant), his oblivious father-in-law (Holmes Osborne) who runs the bank, and his own frustrated attempts to change careers in this screwball comedy. But when he's persuaded to mentor a teenager known as the Kid (Logan Lerman), things just might turn around for Bill."

Penelope
Me? I wasn't in love with Penelope but that isn't to say it doesn't have its charms and depending on the mood your in, could be just the anecdote to all these summertime superhero blockbusters.

The move stars James McAvoy, Reese Witherspoon, and Christina Ricci and tells the fanciful story of a girl cursed with a pig nose. In order to break the curse she must find "one of her own" (i.e. a "blue blood") to love her just as she is and marry her. What follows is a fanciful story that is visually lovely and sometimes touching.

Special features include "The Making of Modern-Day tale" as well as a Twilight sneak peek.