BuzzSugar

Win Win: It's a Winner

Lauren Bradshaw — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 05:30:00 PDT

Win Win has all the necessary elements for a great indie film: a down-on-his-luck central character, a strong cast, and a quirky but heartwarming comeback story told with humor. Though it's a smaller film, Win Win appeals to a wider audience with its charm.

Paul Giamatti stars as small-town attorney/high school wrestling coach, Mike Flaherty. Stuck with a struggling legal practice (and a bad hot-water heater), Mike is cutting costs to keep his business afloat while still providing for his wife Jackie (Amy Ryan) and his young daughters. When one of Mike's elderly clients needs a guardian to provide for his care, Mike takes on the job to make some extra cash. But when the man's grandson Kyle (Alex Shaffer) unexpectedly shows up, Mike becomes way more involved in the family's life than he bargained for.

To find out why I enjoyed the film,

Kyle is a high school kid with bleached hair and back tattoos (Jackie calls him Eminem). After his mom (Melanie Lynskey) winds up in rehab, he flees home to track down the grandpa he's never met and encounters Mike instead. Mike takes Kyle in, and he starts bringing him along to his wrestling practices. The teenager proves to be star on the mat, and Mike finally eyes the opportunity to give his ragtag high school team a chance at ending their losing streak.

Writer and director Thomas McCarthy (The Visitor, The Station Agent) gives the actors great material to work with, and the entire cast rises to the occasion. Mike is, by nature, a good guy who makes some wrong choices. Kyle's mom is an addict who's only out for herself, but we also get glimpses of her genuine remorse for her lack of parenting skills. The dynamic between Mike and his two closest friends played Bobby Cannavale and Jeffrey Tambor are especially hilarious.

Win Win isn't just a film about a flailing wrestling team. It's about human connection, family, and the importance of doing the right thing. It's these larger themes that really take the film beyond being another underdog story.

Win Win's Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan on Jersey Accents, The Office Finale, and George Clooney's Humor

Allie Merriam — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:28:50 PDT

Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan play a married couple in Win Win, an endearing story about a stressed-out lawyer whose life changes thanks to a newfound friendship. The movie, which was a favorite at Sundance earlier this year, is out in wide release this Friday, and we caught up with the actors recently in NYC to chat about how they nailed their realistic portrayals of a committed husband and wife with authentic New Jersey accents. Amy also dished about her hopes for the season finale of The Office, while Paul said that, unlike Evan Rachel Wood, George Clooney has yet to anoint him with a nickname on the set of The Ides of March.

Paul Giamatti Tries to Take All in the Win Win Trailer

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:42:16 PST

Win Win won over critics and audiences alike at the Sundance Film Festival, and it's easy to see why. The film stars Paul Giamatti as a stressed-out lawyer who's struggling financially and personally, as the coach of an unsuccessful wrestling team. But his luck begins to change when he meets Kyle (Alex Shaffer), a teenager who's new in town now that he's living with his grandfather while his mother is in rehab.

The trailer looks funny, heart-warming, and inspiring; Giamatti's character, Mike, seems to make an emotional connection with Kyle while simultaneously coaching his team to a possible victory. The cast is rounded out by Amy Ryan as Mike's wife and Melanie Lynskey as Kyle's mother, both top-notch (not to mention funny) actresses. The film is set for release March 18, but get a peek when you

Jack Goes Boating: Muted Melodrama

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 09:30:00 PDT

Relationships have long been fodder for the introspective indie film, and Philip Seymour Hoffman tackles the subject in his directorial debut, Jack Goes Boating. The film centers on two couples: a long-married one enduring their own trials, and a tender new one. Hoffman stars as Jack, a dread-locked limo driver whose friends, Clyde and Lucy, try to set him up with Lucy's co-worker, Connie (Amy Ryan).

Though Jack Goes Boating can be so subtle at times that it gets tedious (and honestly, a bit boring), it's still a well-acted drama about striving to improve oneself and accepting imperfections in another person.

To read what else I thought of the movie, just

Oscar winner Hoffman is great as anticipated, making Jack less of a reggae-obsessed loser and more of a sympathetic, unconventional leading man. Jack is an uncomplicated person, but he's admirable because he wants to grow. His first act of bettering himself is not even really for Connie, but for the hope of love with Connie. An offhand mention of boating from her spurs Jack to learn to swim; an offhand mention of dinner, and Jack is getting cooking lessons. He seems fickle at first, just a man desperate to find someone, but the movie uses its running time to paint a portrait of Jack's motivation.

Connie is equally sympathetic, though she's a more damaged soul. Jack and Connie face so many challenges (including a horrific act of violence against Connie) when they're getting to know each other that it seems unlikely they'll ever make it to their boating date. However, these are two people who want to be loved so much that they refuse to give up on each other. Their courtship is awkward and difficult, but realistic. It's a nice change from the precious, quirky ways new relationships are often portrayed in indie films.

Rounding out the fine cast are Daphne Rubin-Vega and John Ortiz (who reprise their original roles from the play the film is based on) as Lucy and Clyde. As the married couple that introduces Jack and Connie, they suddenly find their relationship dissolving in the face of their friends' fledgling romance. Jack and Connie's union seems to be a test Clyde and Lucy put themselves up to: do they still have that early spark? Did they ever? Does it matter? These are the questions the film raises, which is indicative of what the movie is interested in. Not the idealistic nature of love, but the nitty-gritty way we behave in relationships - for better or worse.

Oh Happy Day: Amy Ryan Is Returning to The Office!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:45:23 PDT

If you've ever rooted for Michael Scott's happiness on The Office (and who among us hasn't?) then chew on this: the love of his life, Holly, is returning to the show! EW's Ausiello reports that Amy Ryan will reprise her part for Steve Carell's final season and that she'll play a "sizable role." Here's hoping Michael gets that Hollywood ending.

Photo courtesy of NBC

Movie Preview: Philip Seymour Hoffman in Jack Goes Boating

BuzzSugar — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 11:30:31 PDT

We've seen this story before - awkward, 40-something schlub falls in love with an equally awkward (yet more attractive) woman - but there's something about this trailer for Jack Goes Boating that's still endearing. In his directorial debut, Philip Seymour Hoffman stars as Jack, a limo driver who gets set up on a blind date by his only two friends in the world, Clyde (John Ortiz) and Lucy (Daphne Rubin-Vega). The lucky lady: a funeral parlor worker named Connie (Amy Ryan). They begin their courtship, but Jack hits a speed bump when Connie suggests that they go boating together - and Jack can't swim.

The film is based on an off-Broadway play, which coincidentally enough, starred three of the actors. As such, the preview has an intimate, slice of life feel, an off-beat sense of humor, and a few emotionally charged scenes. Sounds good to me, but my only question is, what is up with Hoffman's dreadlocks?! The movie premiered at Sundance, where it was well-received, but take a look at the trailer when you

Link Time - Sigourney Weaver Joins Taylor Lautner For Abduction

BuzzSugar — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:45:36 PDT

Sigourney Weaver will play Taylor Lautner's psychiatrist in Abduction - MTV
Yikes, the music industry is struggling - Vulture
Kristen Stewart is suffering backlash over her recent interview - Cinematical
In honor of Rue McClanahan, some great lines courtesy of Blanche Devereaux - TrèsSugar
The Sam Mendes rumor mill: the director may helm On Chesil Beach with Carey Mulligan; he's also reportedly bringing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to the stage - Deadline
ABC will not be saving The New Adventures of Old Christine - Ausiello Files
Amy Ryan joins In Treatment - TV Squad
Eat Pray Love now rated PG-13 - 24 Frames
A new Jay Z track! - Nah Right

Green Zone: Heavy on Action (and Preaching)

Lauren Bradshaw — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:30:00 PST

Meet Matt Damon, war hero. If the Bourne series is any indication, director Paul Greengrass knows how to get a pistol-whip out of the actor, and the two team up once again, bringing that same pumping adrenaline to Baghdad in Green Zone.

Heart-pounding blasts erupt as we open with Chief Miller (Damon) and his army comrades as they sniff out weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, circa 2003. A sniper is firing bullets from a tower and looters run through the streets kicking up dust, but Miller's unit discovers nothing. The government has been providing misinformation regarding the WMDs, and Miller takes it upon himself to figure out what's really going on.

To hear more about the film,

When Miller questions army officials, they act like he's crazy - with the exception of one CIA member, Marty Brown (Brendan Gleeson). Brown confirms Miller's suspicions, and the two begin their own investigation. With help from a Wall Street Journal reporter (Amy Ryan), Miller learns of a mysterious source named "Magellan" who provided information to the press about WMDs; yet, the only person who knows Magellan is Pentagon rep Clark Poundstone (Greg Kinnear) who swiftly tries to shut Miller down at every turn. So what is Poundstone hiding? If you've ever heard the term "conspiracy theory," you can probably guess - but that doesn't diminish the film's suspense.

That's thanks to Greengrass, who uses his fast-paced shots to take us through alleyways and over fences. His on-foot filmmaking is full of shaky camera work that puts you in the thick of the gunfire for an authentic feel, but it also makes you a bit queasy. As we head toward an explosive finish, Damon launches into Jason Bourne mode, and believability goes out the window. Lack of plausibility is OK though when it's an action movie, right?

The problem is that Green Zone wants to be more than that. With a plot about Iraq and government conspiracy, you're bound to have anti-war underpinnings, and the script doesn't miss out on any opportunity to drive the moral home. This message is voiced by an Iraqi character named Freddy (Khalid Abdalla), who Miller takes in to serve as an informant and translator. Freddy doesn't help the US for a reward, he's doing it for his country, as he proclaims "it's not for you to decide what happens here." It's a thought that echoes through to the closing credits, and a worthy point at that - but in the midst of what amounts to countless chase scenes, for Green Zone it's a little out of left field.

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 Universal Pictures

Television's Hottest Expectant Ladies

babysugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:11:42 PDT

It may be hard to top hot dog eating contests and faux pregnancies, but the networks are going to have to find a way to come up with more clever pregnancy fodder to inject into their story lines with the number of network ladies firing up buns in their ovens. ABC has quite a few expectant mamas in its lineup while NBC, CBS, and Lifetime aren't too far behind in the baby bump race. Tiffani Thiessen plans to put parenthood on hold since she's signed on to a new show, but she may find inspiration in these fuller tummied leading ladies.

2009 Sundance Spotlight: The Missing Person, Paper Heart, Spread

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:30:51 PST

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:

The Missing Person
Michael Shannon is getting all kinds of attention for the creepy role he plays in Revolutionary Road, which is one of the reasons this movie is already earning some early buzz out of the festival. Also starring Amy Ryan, The Missing Person looks like a slow-boiling noir that follows "a private detective prone to sardonic wit, gin, and the endless repercussions of what happens when you mix the two." Intrigued?

You can check out the trailer for this one and see some more of my picks (which include Ashton Kutcher and cutie Michael Cera) if you

Paper Heart
What would a film festival be without an adorable Michael Cera film? This time around he's paired with Charlyne Yi (who was one of my favorite things about Knocked Up), his friend (maybe girlfriend?) who came up with the idea for this movie. The movie is semi-autobiographical and follows Yi on her quest to find the kind of love that isn't "fairy-tale love or the Hollywood mythology."

While there isn't a preview clip available just yet, check out this YouTube video of Yi auditioning for Saturday Night Live to get a sense of her comedy style:

Spread
And what would a film festival be without Ashton Kutcher? Well, normal. That is to say, he's not exactly who I think of when I think Sundance. But he'll be there this year starring in Spread, which is described thusly: "Set in modern-day Los Angeles, Spread is a hard-biting story about a high-end lethario, Nikki (Ashton Kutcher), who has slept his way into a life of privilege. He shares his secrets with us as he hosts parties and beds scores of women, all while living it up at the Hollywood Hills home of a middle-aged female attorney, Samantha (Anne Heche)." I can definitely buy Kutcher as someone women would rather sex up than talk to. This thing can either go really well for him or really badly. Check out a clip from the movie below:

Source and photos and Spread clip courtesy of Sundance