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What to Rent: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:30:00 PDT

Welcome back from the holiday weekend! If you're already looking for a way to keep that chilled-out vacation feeling going, perhaps you'll want to plop on the couch with one of these new DVD releases. Check them out!

Alice in Wonderland

While it may not be my favorite of Tim Burton's movies, this re-imagining of the classic tale leaves you with plenty of scenery to ogle. There are a few fun, colorful characters, particularly Helena Bonham Carter's Red Queen who frankly steals the show. Watch it for her or if you're a Johnny Depp aficionado. You may not be able to see Depp's good looks underneath his Mad Hatter hat, but you'll marvel at his brilliance just the same. Bonus extras include three behind-the-scenes featurettes.

51%

The Wolfman

Be forewarned: this is not the movie to see if you have a queasy stomach. Full of gouged eyes and entrails, The Wolfman is heavy on the gross factor - and not nearly as scary as one might hope. The thin plot follows Lawrence (Benicio Del Toro) returning to see his father (Anthony Hopkins) after a mysterious animal attack (read: werewolf) kills his brother. Emily Blunt does her best scream, but the all-star group of actors can't save this film from its script. That said, if you're the type who prefers to laugh at your horror flicks, then you might consider giving it a spin. The DVD includes a director's cut if you want to see a different version of the movie (perhaps it's better?).

33%

Box Office: Dragon Soars Above Alice For a First Place Finish

BuzzSugar — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 05:30:42 PDT

Families swapped out the Tweedles for some fire-breathing friends over the weekend, making How to Train Your Dragon the No. 1 pick at the box office. The animated film took in $43.3 million which was easily enough to unseat last week's champ Alice in Wonderland, which dropped nearly 50 percent for $17.3 million.

Another newcomer, the raunch-filled (but lovable!) Hot Tub Time Machine took third place with $13.6 million, while Jennifer Aniston earned $12.4 million for The Bounty Hunter. Diary of a Wimpy Kid rounded out the top five with $10 million.

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Box Office: Wonderland Is Still the Top Attraction

BuzzSugar — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 05:30:56 PDT

Alice in Wonderland continues to cast its spell on the box office. The Tim Burton spectacle earned $34.5 million, besting the weekend's newcomers. Of those, children's flick Diary of a Wimpy Kid pulled off a narrow upset over the heavily promoted Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler starrer The Bounty Hunter. Kid took the second place spot with $21.8 million, while the latter garnered $21 million for third.

Despite a disappointing number of only $6.1 million, the bloody Jude Law thriller Repo Men squeezed its way into No. 4. Returning rom-com She's Out of My League finished out the top five with $6 million.

Kristen Stewart fans may be a bit disappointed over the figures for The Runaways. The film took in $803K from its small release of 244 theaters for a per theater average of $3,291 - not terrible, but not good either. It's still slated to go nationwide come April, so here's hoping it manages to pick up some steam.

Photo courtesy of Disney

Box Office: Audiences Spend Another Week in Wonderland

BuzzSugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:30:00 PDT

The other guys didn't stand a chance. Despite best efforts from Matt Damon and Robert Pattinson to unseat Alice in Wonderland, Tim Burton and crew took in a whopping $62 million in the film's second week at the box office. Those numbers bring the movie's intake to a grand total of $208 million so far, making it the highest gross ever for a Burton project.

The new releases of the weekend filled the second through fourth place spots, with Matt Damon's Green Zone faring the best with $14.5 million (pretty disappointing considering the film's budget is estimated around $100 million).

In a somewhat surprising fight for third place, the Jay Baruchel comedy She's Out of My League beat out Robert Pattinson with $9.6 million to Remember Me's $8.3 million (perhaps The Runaways will outperform it after all!).

Rounding out the top five was Shutter Island with $8.1 million.

Photo courtesy of Disney

Michael Sheen and Matt Lucas Reveal Tim Burton's Secrets

BuzzSugar — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:30:09 PST

I've already shared with you my recent chats with Alice in Wonderland stars Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter, along with Alice herself, Mia Wasikowska, but there are two actors who you may not recognize in the film: Matt Lucas and Michael Sheen. In the film, Lucas pulls off the dual role of Tweedledum and Tweedledee, while Sheen lends his voice to the White Rabbit. You've probably seen Sheen most recently in New Moon (which I, of course, had to name drop), but I also asked the guys about the mysterious man that is Tim Burton.

Alice in Wonderland: A Fun Trip, but Lacking Muchness

Lauren Bradshaw — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:30:00 PST

Towards the opening of Alice in Wonderland, a young Alice lays in bed as her father leans in to tell her a secret. She's been having odd dreams about a rabbit in a waistcoat, and questions if she's losing her mind. He responds by telling her that crazy people are the best kind. I'd venture even further: in this film, crazy is king.

Alice in Wonderland feels like a story that's tailor-made for Tim Burton's directorial touch. Where else can you shrink ten sizes smaller with just a sip of a drink? In this new re-telling, a now 19-year old Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is about to be engaged against her wishes. That is, until she spies her old furry friend the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen).

Chasing after him, she once again ventures into the world known as Underland (which she once fondly referred to as "Wonderland" in childhood). Seeing the new landscape, we immediately empathize with Alice's mix-up. This land is not the Disney-riffic place that many of us think of, but a bleaker setting where the Mad Hatter's tea party is in the middle of a wasteland and lopped-off heads float in a moat around the Red Queen's castle.

It should go without saying then, that this film is not for tiny tykes. Older children and adults, however, may find stuff to like - particularly the performances. For more on those,

Helena Bonham Carter nearly steals the show here as the Red Queen; her huge, heart-shaped head sits atop a tiny body as she shouts "off with her head" like a bad tick. Alice infiltrates her castle in order to retrieve a sword that controls the kingdom, and put it into the benevolent hands of Red's sister the White Queen (Anne Hathaway). Thus, Alice becomes a Joan of Arc heroine, and this story is ultimately about her finding her own gumption, aka her "muchness" - with some help from the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), naturally. Depp delivers his usual silly shtick, breaking into a jig or a brogue at the drop of a, er, hat; but he also has tender scenes with Alice that depict the Mad Hatter as Alice's alternative father figure. It's these interactions that give the film heart in the midst of the chaos. It's also something I would have liked to see more of.

Where the film misses its own "muchness," however, is perhaps in the collaboration of Burton and Disney. The film is a little too dark for Disney, but a little too slicked out in CGI and 3D for Burton. I'd be curious to see where Burton would have taken the story if left to his own devices. Instead, the film we get builds up to a battle climax that takes a page from Lord of the Rings. It's still entertaining, but to me, the treasure to be found in Wonderland is its characters - and for a story that lends itself to such an array of delightful possibilities, we don't get to play with them nearly enough.

If you'd like to review a movie you've seen recently, check out the Movie Reviews Group in community. I may even feature your critique on the site!

Photos courtesy of Disney

Mia Wasikowska (aka Alice) Relives Her Trip to Wonderland

BuzzSugar — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:30:22 PST

When you're thrown into the middle of a Tim Burton film - opposite an A-lister like Johnny Depp, no less - it's easy to feel overwhelmed. That's where up-and-comer Mia Wasikowska found herself when she was cast in one of young Hollywood's most coveted parts: the title role in Alice in Wonderland. We've already heard from stars Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter about the film, but I also recently sat down with Wasikowska to discuss her involvement. Here, she talks about what it was like to join the Burton family and better yet, work with Johnny.

Alice in Wonderland Stars Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter Have Big Heads

BuzzSugar — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:30:00 PST

The hype for Alice in Wonderland has only continued to grow over the past few months, so you can imagine my excitement when I got to interview a few of its stars. First up was Anne Hathaway and Tim Burton's go-to muse (on screen and off), Helena Bonham Carter. The actresses portray the sisterly duo of the Red Queen (Bonham Carter) and the White Queen (Hathaway) in the story's retelling, and they continued to play off one another even when the film had wrapped. Watch as they speak about how they lobbied for their parts and, yes, Bonham Carter's ginormous head.

Down the Rabbit Hole: 10 Trippy Movie Scenes

BuzzSugar — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:30:00 PST

Alice in Wonderland is a tale rife with hallucinations and kooky characters, and it's possible that the story could take an even stranger turn when Tim Burton's version hits theaters on Friday. But hey, that's part of the fun, right? In honor of Alice and all things weird and wonderful, I've rounded up some of the more memorable dreams and drug trips from film. Take a break from reality, and check them out!

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:00:58 PST

I've already provided you with some movie releases, but is your iPod in need of a shot in the arm, too? These new albums feature standout tracks that should help you beef it up.

Fall into the rabbit hole: Artists collide for Almost Alice - a soundtrack inspired by Alice in Wonderland - but the mix feels all over the map. The techno beats of Metro Station's "Where's My Angel" are a miss here, along with the suggestive pop of Kerli's "Tea Party," which uses the line "nibble on my biscuits." Really. Steer clear, and instead, try Franz Ferdinand's whimsical adaptation of Lewis Carroll's "The Lobster Quadrille" or Grace Potter and Nocturnals' cover of Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" which perfectly captures trippy '60s sound.

Sensitive sunshine: After facing health issues for frontman Zach Rogue and the death of bassist Evan Farrell, Rogue Wave are putting their troubles behind them. They return with their latest Permalight, which swaps melancholy for a brighter mood. Tracks like the happily-titled "Good Morning (The Future)" feature electro-pop, and the understated but sweet "I'll Never Leave You" even includes clapping accompaniment. Download them along with "Fear Itself," where Rogue seems to hint at the band's struggles, singing "we're the only survivors." They survived - and apparently they've changed. Die-hard fans may take issue with that, but oh well, lighten up.

One more release to check out when you

Little Gaga: Many comparisons have been drawn to the UK's Little Boots (aka Victoria Hesketh) and Lady Gaga. Her voice is sweeter than Gaga's, her lyrics less tongue in cheek, but Boots still captures the same fun club feel if you have a weakness for dance albums. On her debut Hands, which hits stateside today, she captures the electro-pop of Kylie Minogue with catchy tunes like "Remedy" and "New in Town," which is a great going-out track. Play it on full blast.