BuzzSugar

New York, I Love You: A Jigsaw Puzzle That Doesn't Quite Fit

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:30:00 -0700

As a city with so much personality and penchant for possibility, it's no surprise that the follow-up to Paris, Je t'aime heads to New York. New York, I Love You is a tale of the connections and personal missteps that occur every single day in the city that never sleeps. It plays out like a movie version of a song mash-up: some story lines are linear and independent of the rest while other characters wander in and out of each other's lives. Throw an all-star cast in there, and you could possibly have a recipe for perfection.

Unfortunately, the ingredients don't blend together as well as I had hoped, and instead we're left with an engaging but bland look at a handful of trials and tribulations in relationships. To see what I mean, just read more.

Made up of a series of short films, New York, I Love You is an homage to the city as well as the residents who hold it near and dear to their hearts. The "anything can happen" theme is alive and well, as strangers become acquaintances and friends, putting so much emphasis on each and every interaction that we take part in on a regular basis.

You meet a few characters that represent New York well enough; Bradley Cooper is the guy who's constantly jumping into a cab the same time as someone else, Orlando Bloom is the struggling musician who turns to Central Park for inspiration, Hayden Christensen is the pick-pocket who's as sexy as he is dangerous. But sometimes it feels just a little too forced; like the film is primarily concerned with proving that New York is a melting pot. Rather than seeing a few love stories shine through stereotypes, I was more distracted by the fake accents.

As with Paris Je t'aime, some of the stories shine brighter than others. Natalie Portman directs a sweet piece about a relationship between a father and daughter; Olivia Thirlby and Anton Yelchin are refreshing as a younger pair who makes the prom a night to remember. The lighter films are breaths of fresh air amongst others that are trying too hard to be hip and stylized.

The ensemble cast certainly gives the movie a boost; even when it's not provoking the deepest of emotions, the film always had my attention. There are solid performances all-around, particularly from Chloris Leachman and Eli Wallach as an aging couple who are still bickering when they aren't helping each other cross the street. It is the most hopeful of the scenarios, and by far the sweetest and most touching.

The film provides plenty of the standard money shots of Manhattan: a typical day in Grand Central Station in fast forward, subway rides, hours of people watching in a coffee shop. The encounters feel authentic and realistic, but the failure lies in the inability to make us feel something on a deeper level. Sometimes you can relate to the characters, and sometimes you feel sorry for them, but it doesn't squeeze your heart nearly enough - and with a title like New York, I Love You, this a disappointment.

Another Trailer for Your Consideration: Beverly Hills Chihuahua

BuzzSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:30:07 -0700

We've discussed some of the big trailers that premiered over the weekend, and now I would like to point your attention to another little summer movie preview hitting the Web.

I think there are several ways to approach the movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua (previously known as South of the Border): with excitement (singing dogs!), dread (what the heck is going on in Hollywood?), or wonderment at the jaw-droppingly ridiculous fact that this thing is happening. I've chosen the last approach because this thing is just so funny to me.

Not that you'll get any of this from the preview, but the movie's plot is summed up by IMDB as such: "While on vacation in Mexico, Chloe, a ritzy Beverly Hills chihuahua, finds herself lost and in need of assistance in order to get back home."

There are a bunch of celebrities lending their voices to this canine bonanza, including Drew Barrymore (Chloe), Salma Hayek, Edward James Olmos, Andy Garcia, and Cheech Marin. Of course, I'd only subject you to something like this on Cinco de Mayo, as you're probably more likely to be in the mood for this little song and dance number on a holiday. As the poster says, the chihuahuas will rise September 26. To check it out, read more.

Source

Movie Preview: The Air I Breathe

BuzzSugar — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:30:32 -0800

This movie is intriguing for the incredible ensemble cast, although when that's the only good thing its own stars have to say about it, that's not a good sign. The Air I Breathe opens in New York and Los Angeles tonight and I wanted to get your thoughts on the preview, as I'm a little torn. There's a lot of talent piled into this flick (Forest Whitaker, Andy Garcia, Julie Delpy, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Emile Hirsch), but I'm a little confused by the trailer . . . which is maybe the point.

Apparently the plot follows several intersecting stories based on "four emotional cornerstones: happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love." IMDB continues, "A businessman (Whitaker) bets his life on a horse race; a gangster (Brendan Fraser) sees the future; a pop star (Gellar) falls prey to a crime boss (Garcia); a doctor (Kevin Bacon) must save the love of his life."

The New York Times reports that debut feature director Jieho Lee describes his movie this way:

"[It's] a film noir variation of The Wizard of Oz and an exploration of the theme of character as destiny."

Huh. Okay. To check out the trailer and tell me what you think, head on over to iVillage.

Photo courtesy of ThinkFilm

Ocean's Thirteen: New Website and Lots of Photos

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:51:04 -0700

Warner Bros has fully launched the official website for the latest Danny Ocean casino heist, Ocean's Thirteen, complete with plenty of stills from the film. This third in the series will feature the same handsome men and excellent actors as usual - we got us some Clooney, some Pitt, a little Cheadle, and a dash of Damon, among others.

As you may have seen from the preview, Ocean's 13th addition is Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), who helps the gang take down another high roller, played by one of cinema's ultimate casino guys, Al Pacino. The movie hits theaters June 8, so you have plenty of time to peruse the new site and drool over all the photos. To see a gallery of stills, read more

View 24 Photos ›

Source

What to TiVo: Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:50:52 -0800

ABC is new with V, Dancing With the Stars, and The Forgotten
CBS is new with NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, and The Good Wife
FOX is new with So You Think You Can Dance
NBC is new with Merry Madagascar and The Biggest Loser
The CW is new with 90210 and Melrose Place
AMC is new with The Prisoner
Bravo is new with Tabatha's Salon Takeover
Comedy Central is new with Daily Show With Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report
E! is new with Fashion Police: New Moon
FX is new with Sons of Anarchy
MTV is new with The Hills, The City, and Styl'd
Late-night highlights include Andy Garcia on Lopez Tonight on TBS; Tyra Banks on The Jay Leno Show on NBC; Penelope Cruz on The Late Show With David Letterman on CBS; 50 Cent and Jane Lynch on The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien on NBC; Woody Harrelson on The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson on CBS; Neko Case on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on NBC; and John Stamos on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC