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What to Rent: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:30:00 PST

If a trip to the movie theater isn't in the cards for you this week, how about a new DVD release to fulfill your entertainment quota? I've got the short list of what to check out.

Zombieland

In Zombieland, Jesse Eisenberg plays a rule-abiding college guy just trying to stay alive in a post-apocalypse overrun by zombies. Oh yeah, and he's trying to get the girl, too. Woody Harrelson costars as a cowboy type who teams up with him along with Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin as a sister duo. The cast of characters is completely charming; throw in some sharp dialogue for laughs, plus one amazing cameo, and you've got a fun escape for the weekend.

Bonus features include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, and behind-the-scenes featurettes.

89%

New York, I Love You

Boasting the likes of Natalie Portman, Shia LaBeouf, and Bradley Cooper as part of its cast, New York, I Love You is a love letter to the city, letting different directors give their take on relationships on the isle of Manhattan. While the story lines don't quite live up to the all-star ensemble, I wouldn't mind getting lost in the shots of classic, romantic New York from the comfort of my couch. Plus, the touching vignette with Cloris Leachman and Eli Wallach is worth the cost of rental - and you can skip over the shorts that don't strike your fancy.

If you get the special Blu-Ray version, you can catch "These Vagabond Shoes" as part of the extras. It's the segment directed by Scarlett Johansson that never made it into the final cut of the film.

41%

For more one rental, just

read more. Amelia Mira Nair's biopic of Amelia Earhart (led by Hilary Swank) follows the aviator leading up to her infamous around-the-world flight, while squeezing in the side story of her personal life - particularly her relationships with her husband (Richard Gere) and lover (Ewan McGregor). The film's a little blah, but consider it for Swank's spot-on performance and Nair's signature shots of gorgeous scenery. Bonus features include deleted scenes and three featurettes. 21%

Box Office: Paranormal Activity Spooks Its Way to No. 1

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:30:00 PDT

Talk about a shocker! The low-budget underdog Paranormal Activity has been riding its growing popularity all the way to the top - even upsetting the reigning king of horror, the Saw franchise. Paranormal took in $22 million in its first weekend with a wide release, which has execs talking about a possible sequel. Saw VI trailed at No. 2 with only $14.8 million - the worst opening ever for a Saw film.

Completing the rest of the top five was last week's biggest moneymaker, Where the Wild Things Are, which dropped to No. 3 with $14.4 million, followed by Law Abiding Citizen at No. 4 with $12.7 million, and Couples Retreat at No. 5 with $11 million. (The box office newcomers Cirque du Freak and Amelia placed No. 8 and No. 11, respectively.)

Buzz In: What Biopics Have You Enjoyed?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:30:31 PDT

The reviews for Amelia have been kind of dismal, including my own, quieting the Oscar buzz that had surrounded it before it was released. It's not a strange situation for a biopic to be in - many movies about people's lives are so ambitious that sometimes they end up boring and overlong.

The award-baiting flicks can also be very entertaining - Walk the Line and Amadeus number among my favorites because they're enjoyable and compelling. I also love those about powerful icons (Malcolm X), and sometimes, the more obscure the cultural icon, the better (Man on the Moon, Searching for Bobby Fischer).

And of course, there are ones I've sat through that have been a bit boring, despite their accolades (cough, Ray, cough) - or missed the mark, like the Bob Dylan-based disappointment I'm Not There.

But there are still plenty of great biopics that have come out of Hollywood - which ones have you liked?

Video of Charlize, Rachel, & Kristen Bell Out For Charity & Our Weekend Movie Reviews!

PopSugarTV — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:28:43 PDT

Charlize Theron and Jeremy Piven tell us about working with Matt Damon, Rachel Bilson dishes on How I Met Your Mother while out in LA with Kristen Bell, and find out if Amelia, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, and Motherhood are worth seeing in theaters this weekend.

Link Time! Soupy Sales Passes Away

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:30:25 PDT

Comedian Soupy Sales dies at 83 - Movieline
Fargo Rock City, Chuck Klosterman's novel, is being turned into a movie - The A.V. Club
Sylvester Stallone is working on Rocky 7 - Worst Previews
Here's a schedule for upcoming Halloween episodes and specials - TV.com
Melrose Place's Colin Egglesfield reveals how he feels about losing his role on the show - Watch With Kristin
Justin Theroux is producing a comedy called Air Guitar - Coming Soon
Tracey Morgan has some really sweet words about Lorne Michaels (but don't worry, there's still swearing) - Vulture
Amelia director Mira Nair says Amelia Earhart was modern and would be considered an iconoclast now - TrèsSugar
HBO series In Treatment is getting a third season - HitFix
Joss Whedon talks about Dollhouse's absence from November sweeps - MTV Movies Blog

Amelia: Never Really Takes Flight

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:30:00 PDT

I love the way a biopic makes me feel - like I'm treated to a back-in-time look at an amazing life. They're epic, and that's why I'm willing to sit through the slow moments (and often for more than two hours) for the payoff. This is the experience I hoped for from Amelia, directed by Mira Nair and starring Hilary Swank as the pioneering aviator who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

There's plenty of opportunity for grandness, even though Nair chose not to focus much on the circumstances of Earhart's disappearance during her flight around the world. Earhart had an extraordinary life, eschewing social conventions for her gender and never giving up her one true love: flying.

Unfortunately, Amelia misses the epic mark and lands instead somewhere in the mediocre, underusing its cast's talents and history's treasury. However, it's not an altogether unpleasant journey, so to see my thoughts on the film, just

read more. First, the film is beautiful - Mira Nair knows how to shoot a gorgeous scene (she was behind the richly-styled films Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake), and she really takes advantage of the oceans, the landscapes of jungles, beaches, and moors. Much of it is seen through Amelia's eyes as she's soaring over it, and occasionally you feel the same freedom in flying that she so desires. Along with the scenery, the minor success the film does achieve is ascribed to Hilary Swank's acting. I was expecting the two-time Oscar winner to be fantastic, and she didn't let me down. From transforming her looks to match the androgynous icon's to altering her voice to a Katherine Hepburn-ish gravel, she captures the pre-feminist aviatrix in all her glory. The problem is that intriguing parts of Earhart's life are introduced but merely glossed over. For instance, Earhart's marriage to publisher George Putnam (played by Richard Gere) is complicated by the fact that she carries on an affair with Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor). However, this affair is only briefly touched on (they meet, they kiss, it's suddenly over). For his part, Ewan McGregor is given little more than a cameo role, which is an unsatisfying tease for any fan of the actor. While I'm on unsatisfying, if you've ever been fascinated by the mysterious circumstances of Earhart's death (she disappeared over the Pacific on a round-the-world-flight), you'll get no gratification here. Understandably, there's no speculation about what happened, but there's no closure either. That seemed justified, because when this project was announced, it was reported that Nair wouldn't focus on the mystery, but Earhart's remarkable life instead. Unfortunately, there's not enough focus on that remarkable life to do the woman's memory justice.

Photos courtesy of Fox Searchlight

Say What? Director Mira Nair on Amelia Earhart

TresSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:00:00 PDT

"[S]o much about Amelia is so undeniably modern. If she were to walk into a room today in her jodhpurs and her aviation jackets, [with] her ideas about marriage or men and women, she would still be considered an iconoclast."

- Director Mira Nair on the subject of her upcoming biopic Amelia starring Hilary Swank, about the pioneering aviator's life. Nair, who directed Salaam, Bombay!, Monsoon Wedding, and the recent I Love You, New York was taken with Amelia's plainspoken directness when she studied archival footage of her. Earhart was the first aviatrix (I love that word!) to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She insisted on keeping her name when she married and called marriage a "partnership" with "dual control."

Hollywood Halloween: 10 Costumes Inspired by This Year's Movies

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:30:59 PDT

Still hunting for that perfect Halloween costume? Never fear, for I am willing to share some of my ideas with you, culled from this year's flicks. Everyone loves a good pop culture reference, and the best part is that these are super easy to put together last minute. From spooky to hilarious, there's a little something for everyone, so take a look.

Buzz's Picks For Fall Movies: Dramas

BuzzSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:30:22 PDT

I've already given you guys a look at the comedies and romance flicks that are on my radar for Fall, but now it's time to tackle the heavier stuff: the dramas. There are definitely a few Oscar contenders in this list, so check 'em out.

Photos courtesy of Fox Searchlight, Sony Picture Classics, IMDB, and Lionsgate

Movie Preview: Amelia

BuzzSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:30:37 PDT

From the time it was first announced last year, everything about Amelia, the Amelia Earhart biopic, has sounded good to me: the subject matter, Mira Nair as the director, Hilary Swank in the title role. Today, the first trailer for the film is out, and it's only increasing my excitement.

Like all of director Nair's previous work (The Namesake, Monsoon Wedding), Amelia looks gorgeous and incredibly well-styled, from the sweeping landscapes to the kicky aviator goggles and scarves. It's been reported that the movie will focus on Earhart's early career, and maybe that's still the case, but this trailer looks largely at Earhart's plans to fly solo around the world and the famous, fateful outcome of the flight.

Swank plays Earhart with an appealing mix of determination and sass - exactly how I always imagined the pilot would be. We'll get to see the whole movie on Oct. 23, but to check out the trailer right now, just