BuzzSugar

Grindhouse Loses the Box Office Race

BuzzSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 00:00:19 PDT

Mediocrity topped curiosity at the box-office this weekend, with two tepidly reviewed holdovers - Blades of Glory and Disney's Meet the Robinsons - landing in the No. 1 and 2 spots with $23 million and $17 million in ticket sales, respectively. Both movies beat out Grindhouse, the groundbreaking double feature directed by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, which earned just $11 million.

Grindhouse getting trumped by Blades of Glory doesn't surprise me; after all, it's easier for hordes of movie-going teens to flock to a PG-13 flick than two hard-core R movie. What's tragic is that Grindhouse didn't even manage to win the race against the new Ice Cube movie, Are We Done Yet?, which sounds fairly dreadful. What movies did you guys see this weekend?

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6 Tips to Start Your New Job Right

Kiplinger — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:08:12 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

I learned some valuable lessons about how to succeed in the "real world" while starting out at my first full-time job, and you can, too.

I never expected my social circle, at age 22, to use the phrase "I feel so old" so much. We know we still have our whole lives ahead of us, but making the transition from college to career can really make you feel like you've aged 20 years. For example, unlike in my college years, convincing myself to go out on a Friday night these days takes almost as much work as getting out of bed on a Monday morning. And I never thought I would be spending my beloved lazy Sundays running whatever errands I didn't get done during the week. Even four internships, including one with my current full-time employer, the Kiplinger Washington Editors, hadn't fully prepared me for this whole professional-life thing.

To help you make the adjustment and overcome common obstacles you might face when you're just starting out, here are some lessons I learned in the first few months of my first job. I hope these tips will help you feel as young as you are. SEE ALSO: Our Quiz on Navigating the First Weeks at Your New Job

Read on for tips.

Peter Dinklage Says Game of Thrones Is "Not Done Killing Off People"

Molly Goodson — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:39:08 PST

Peter Dinklage took home yet another accolade, winning the best actor in a drama TV series Golden Globe for his work in Game of Thrones this evening. During his acceptance speech Peter revealed it's the first night he and his wife have left their newborn baby girl at home with a babysitter, so his first press room question was about checking in on the little one. From there, he gushed about the GOT writing staff and said there are some more surprises - and deaths - coming our way in season two. Check it out:

On checking in with the babysitter: Yes. Texting is everything. She’s a baby. Crying never killed anyone. Well, maybe that’s not true.

On what makes his role so important: The fellow cast and crew make it so much fun to go to work. Even the mountains of Northern Ireland would get old. The cast and crew is incredible. The character is a lot of fun.

On this proving action fantasy series can work: Yeah, it depends on the writing. We have a handful of the greatest writers in the business. They have such incredible source material. That is everything to me. Doesn’t really matter about the genre, just the great writing. Hopefully it will give that genre a little more respect.

On season two: Just like the end of the first season, you never know what's going to happen. It's a really smart narrative. I’m sad that was so surprising, writing has gotten so formulaic. You have to push the envelope and challenge people's expectations. That adds to the addiction of the show. You never know what's around the corner. We are not done killing off people and it's amazing the people they choose.

Keira Knightley Compares and Contrasts Costars Jude Law and Michael Fassbender

Allie Merriam — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:12:00 PST

Keira Knightley stars as patient-turned-psychiatrist Sabina Spielrein in David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method, which expands into theaters across the country this week. The film came out in limited release last Fall, and quickly earned notoriety for the racy sex scenes Keira shares with her hot costar Michael Fassbender, who plays Carl Jung.

Yesterday, Keira spoke about working with both Michael and David. Keira shared excitement for the critical acclaim Michael's earned for another daring performance in Shame, a movie she liked quite a bit. She also spoke about her other upcoming projects, Seeking a Friend at the End of the World, the directorial debut from Lorene Scafaria featuring Steve Carell, and a remake of Anna Karenina. The later film sees Keira paired up with director Joe Wright for the third time, after Atonement and Pride & Prejudice, as well as leading man Jude Law. Keira said:

On having reservations about the spanking scenes in DM: "I was 95% going to say yes as soon as my agent said, 'Look, David Cronenberg is going to offer you a film.' . . . I did have reservations about the masochistic scenes. I actually spoke to him about it and said, 'I love the script, but I'm not sure I can do this because of these scenes. I'm not quite sure I want to go there.' And he said, 'If that stops you playing the part, that would be a tragedy so let's just take them out.' And I thought that was an amazing thing for him offer. We just talked and talked, and once he's made it clear he didn't want it to be voyeuristic and sexy, he wanted them to be kind of more clinical, I thought I might as well go for it."
On similarities between Jude and Michael: "No! No. Jude's a proper actor - he's wonderful to work with. He's a proper actor, I mean they all are . . . Michael works in a much more muscular way. Everything turns into muscle memory. He works a script, and works a script. Jude does a lot of theater so he comes from the preparation side - like a rehearsal room. He's really open to it, and he asks a lot of questions on that day. He's just phenomenal. So no there aren't any similarities, but they're all very good actors."
On first-time director Lorene: "She's just fab - she's great. She's completely the reason I think everybody signed up to do the movie. The script was wonderful. It was one of the best scripts I've ever read. The dialogue was brilliant, and the concept behind it was amazing. I haven't seen the finished article yet. I'm seeing it [today] so that's really exciting. She's an amazing woman, an amazing talent. On set, to think it was her first film - you'd never have guessed it. She was so cool, she knew exactly what she wanted, she was unbelievably fast, she was completely amazing. So hopefully it will work!"
On what she's excited to see succeed during award season: "I was really excited about Shame, because given the nature of it and the subject matter of it, quite often those ones get passed by. I think Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady. That performance was amazing. That was very good. I haven't seen The Artist yet, but I'm really looking forward to seeing that."

To read Keira's thoughts on Michael in Shame, working with the "lovely" Steve Carell, and wrapping Anna Karenina, just keep reading.

Fresh Start Resolution: Master Time Management

SavvySugar — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:53:00 PST

It's a New Year and a new you! We're detailing 12 helpful tips to start off the year right, whether it be to advance your career or increase your financial cushion. We've already given you advice on kicking your daily deal habit, quitting your caffeine addiction, and reassessing your savings account; here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

Managing your time not only allows you to be more productive but also frees up precious minutes for you to spend however you'd like. To make 2012 your most organized, exciting year yet, adopt these five helpful habits.

Consider your to-do list a schedule. A simple checklist is a great start, but it's important to gauge the time frame for each item, too. Mark each of your tasks with an estimated start and finish time, taking into account any variables that may slow you down. Next, think of ways to make your schedule more exciting. Drawn to color? Use highlighters to create categories. Need some incentives? Brainstorm a mini reward for each task completed, like a phone date with your best friend or a new song download.
Plan ahead and be thorough. It's smart to lay out your exercise gear the night before a morning workout, but take it one step further by filling your water bottle, charging your iPod, packing your purse, and leaving your gym shoes by the door. Other ideas: fill out forms online before appointments and use your phone to snap screenshots of maps or directions. Small steps like these will have a huge payoff, adding several minutes for you to fill as you please.

Read on for more time management tips .

What to Do With Your Year-End Bonus

LearnVest — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:15:06 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

You’ve just been informed by your supervisor that you have a tidy bonus coming to you soon for all of your hard work this year. (And, of course, you totally deserve it.)

But whenever a large sum of money falls in your lap, you need to have a plan for it, so you don’t wake up a month or two later and realize that it’s all gone.

That’s no way to reward yourself for a job well done.

What You Shouldn’t Do

Rack up credit card debt in advance of your bonus expecting to pay it off.
Use it to treat your family and friends to oversized Christmas gifts.
Count your chickens before they hatch. Even if you’ve been told how much your bonus is, it will be taxed like regular income. Because of all the factors that play into it, don’t assume you know exactly how much will land in your account.
Plan your finances around the same bonus showing up next year.

Read on for more.

Get the Look: A Sexy, Wavy Blowout

Real Beauty — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:05:13 PST

We're happy to present this article from one of our favorite sites, Real Beauty.

Kattia Solano, the mastermind behind NYC's Butterfly Studio, says she's done with the froufrou Kim Kardashian look (we're kind of over the whole wedding spectacle, too). This much-loved hair guru is digging softer, more textured waves, like the ones seen on Jessica Biel.

But looking like you didn't try too hard isn't as simple as it sounds. Luckily, Solano broke down the steps for scoring beachy waves, so you can easily attain this piece-y, bohemian hairdo at home. Check out the details below.

Guide to 11th-Hour Christmas Gifts

Emily Co — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:15:39 PST

The clock is ticking, and we have five more days before Christmas is upon us. If you're not totally done with buying gifts, or if you haven't even started,don't fret! Read some of my tips and suggestions to getting your holiday gift list done!

Start Now: Don't give yourself more stress and pressure to buying gifts than you have to. Nip that in the bud by starting today. Don't know where to start? Make a list and go from there.
Gift Cards: Gift cards are always a popular and easy gift, and it takes little effort to run out to the nearest Starbucks to get one! Afraid gift cards are too impersonal? Here are instructions for dressing it up in a DIY snow globe. Egift cards might be a very quick way to wrap up your Christmas shopping.
Affordable Fast Shipping: Take advantage of the next-day shipping options that won't break the bank, which some online stores are providing. Retailers like Zappos and Amazon provide the next day service for free, while Overstock will deliver it to you for free before Christmas day. Remember, these deliveries have restrictions, so remember to read the fine print!
Regifting: Consider regifting (with care!) something you’ve already received. Be sure to not make these major regifting mistakes and don’t give anything that's used or too old.

More 11th-hour tips after the jump.

How to Stick to Your Diet (or Workout)

Health — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 03:07:08 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

By Su Reid St. John

I've been struggling a bit recently with old, not-so-great eating habits. I've made a few halfhearted attempts to stem the tide, but it wasn't until last week, when I found my favorite jeans a little hard to button, that I realized I'd gotten pretty far off track. So I turned to a simple mantra for help: It's not an option.

I repeat it every time a plate of brownies shows up in the break room, my husband bakes gingerbread cookies and leaves them on the counter, or I'm simply contemplating a second helping of tortellini.

5-Minute Fat Burners

I actually got it from Lisa Delaney, author of the funny, insightful book Secrets of a Former Fat Girl (and former executive editor at Health magazine). She came up with the phrase in a desperate moment, trying to stop her formerly out-of-shape self from quitting yet another workout. "Those four little words ended the internal argument right there," she writes. Bam. Done.

It's not an option.

The finality of this particular mantra is what makes it so effective for me. It simply slams the door on the possibility of doing something I don't need to do - this is the way it is, no arguing. It's oddly freeing, too, because as soon as I say it, my inner waffling comes to a halt and I no longer have the stressful "should I or shouldn't I?" debate running nonstop through my brain.

More tips after the break.

Glee-ful Highlights From Episode "Hold On to Sixteen"

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:59:28 PST

Trouty Mouth is back in town, and just in time for Sectionals on Glee this week. The showdowns are abundant, as the Troubletones and New Directions square off for top honors, and Quinn and Shelby have yet another faceoff about Beth's future.

Not only is it good to see Sam again (though I didn't think I'd be seeing so much of him), the episode also nicely ties up some loose ends that should make fans happy before the imminent Winter hiatus. Let's break down the high notes and low notes when you