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Critic Says Hollywood Abuses Arab Bogeyman

LibertySugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 11:00:37 PDT

One critic is getting very critical of Hollywood's portrayal of Arabs and Muslims in film and television. Jack Shaheen, an American of Lebanese decent, told Reuters that in America, where it is politically incorrect to make derogatory comments about other groups like African Americans or Jews, there is no social taboo against reinforcing damaging Arab or Muslim stereotypes.

In his latest book, Guilty, Shaheen says that the an anti-Arab tendency was present before September 11^th. Disney's Aladdin (1992) and Father of the Bride Part II both fail the test. (Remember the Arab guy trying to buy Steve Martin's house?)

But, since September 11^th, the vilifying has picked up. Shaheen writes that
2006's The Kingdom presented some of the most damaging depictions of Arabs in which "even Arab children cannot be trusted." Movies that make the A-list? Shaheen says Babel (2006) and Rendition (2007) presented a more complex view of Arabs.

Do American movies and television shows rely on the "Arab bogeyman"? Why do you think American society tolerates such indiscriminate demonization?

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What to Netflix: 2007 Oscar Winners

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 06:00:08 PST

Now that we know who won at the 2007 Oscars, a lot of you are probably looking to catch up on your Oscar-movie viewing. Well, you're in luck, because most of the winning movies that aren't still in theaters are out on DVD and just waiting to be added to your Netflix queue. Here's a look at all of the Oscar-winning films now available for home viewing.

The Departed
Oscars: Best Adapted Screenplay, Achievement in Film Editing, Best Director for Martin Scorsese, and Best Picture

Trust me: Just watch The Departed once, and you'll understand what all the fuss is about. The fast-paced drama isn't terribly deep: A good cop (Leonardo DiCaprio) goes undercover with a mobster (Jack Nicholson), who has his own man (Matt Damon) inside the force. But the intricately woven plot and masterful performances, particularly by supporting cast members like Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin, prove that this movie deserves all of the Oscars it won.

Little Miss Sunshine
Oscars: Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Alan Arkin

Skillfully mixing pathos with absurd comedy, Little Miss Sunshine tells the story of one family's quest to get bespectacled Olive to the Little Miss Sunshine competition on time. In an astounding cast (Alan Arkin, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear), Steve Carrell is perhaps the most impressive as a suicidal Proust scholar forced to live with his sister's bizarre family. As a special bonus, the DVD features four alternate endings to the movie.

Four more, so

read more Babel Oscars: Best Score Though it didn't take home the Best Picture trophy, Babel has gotten a lot of buzz for its universal themes and good-looking cast. Set in three continents and featuring five languages, the film follows four different stories revolving around the aftermath of a shooting in the Moroccan desert. The strong performances, compelling story, and sharp cinematography make it a must-see. For a more in-depth look at Babel, check out my review.
An Inconvenient Truth Oscar: Best Documentary and Best Song He may have lost the presidential election, but Al Gore can now say he's the only candidate to have ever won an Oscar. Gore's pet project tackles the important issue of climate change with compelling facts and a great soundtrack. Like a great documentary should, An Inconvenient Truth will make you care about the film's concerns while also keeping you thoroughly entertained.
Marie Antoinette Oscar: Best Costumes The bright, beautiful period clothes featured in Sofia Coppola's stylized depiction of the young Marie Antoinette are impressive enough to warrant a viewing of the film. Kirsten Dunst stars as Marie, the naive Austrian princess who became the Queen of France at age 19. The film follows her betrothal to Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman) at age 15, through her reign as Queen and the eventual fall of Versailles.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Oscar: Achievement in Visual Effects While I can't recommend this movie for its compelling plot, the second film in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has plenty of eye candy, including star Johnny Depp and astounding special effects. (It was also nominated for art direction.) In this well-conceptualized fantasy world, you get everything from regal, tall-masted ships to creepy sea monsters and nautical costumes, all of which help give the special-effects-heavy movie a unified look and feel.

Oscar Roundup: Best Picture Breakdowns

BuzzSugar — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 07:45:16 PST

This week I've been breaking down the good and bad qualities of each 2007 Best Picture nominee. Just in case you need a refresher, here is a recap of all five Best Picture breakdowns; hopefully they will help you make an educated guess on the Oscar ballot!

Letters From Iwo Jima
The Academy are suckers for these historical dramas - and for director Clint Eastwood - yet there are no other big names involved and not many people actually saw it.
Chances of winning: Moderate

The Queen
Having already won tons of critics' awards, the film may or may not be just a vehicle for Helen Mirren.
Chances of winning: Slim to Moderate

Three more, so

read more Little Miss Sunshine Well-crafted and uplifting, the movie did wonderfully with both critics and viewers, if not in box office sales. However, it actually might be too uplifting for the Academy's often somber tastes. Chances of winning: Slim
The Departed All-star cast, esteemed director, good screenplay, and critical acclaim make for an impressive package, but it being a violent almost-action film (quite different from a bloody war film, mind you) reduces the movie's chances for the top award. Chances of winning: Good
Babel Some critics adore this film while others loathe it; it could go either way, but the Academy does like to reward these big theme dramas. Chances of winning: Good
Letters and Departed photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Source, Source, and Source

Best Picture Breakdown: Babel

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 12:26:31 PST

All week, I've been breaking down each Best Picture nominee for the 2007 Oscars, which air this Sunday night. Yesterday we looked at The Departed, and today brings the fifth and final nominee, Babel.

The sprawling Babel isn't a critical darling; in fact, when the movie first came out, the reviews were decidedly mixed. But when the awards, nominations and spots on "best of" lists started rolling in, Babel became a serious Oscar contender. Now, with a Golden Globe in its pocket, Babel looks like the frontrunner for the award. For a look at its chances of taking home the Best Picture statue,

Oscar Poll: What Movie Should Win Best Picture?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 08:58:34 PST

Well, after a week of Oscar-related polls, we've finally arrived at the big one. So tell me, what movie do you think deserves the best picture prize?

TV Dinners: Babel - Couscous

YumSugar — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 07:46:32 PST

If you've seen Oscar Nominated Babel then you know that traveling in a foreign country isn't always fun and games. However, if you can put all of your fears aside, you'll realize that there are some mighty good eats to be had.

However, if after seeing Babel, you've decided to cross Morocco off of your list of places to visit, then you'll just have to learn to cook the food at home. Because from what I've experienced, authentic Moroccan food is absolutely amazing.

To check out a fantastic recipe for Sweet and Nutty Moroccan Couscous and see a clip where Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt argue over dinner (as in argue over it, not argue about it),

Sweet and Nutty Moroccan Couscous
From All Recipes

2 cups vegetable broth
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup chopped dates
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 cups dry couscous
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

To toast almonds, spread them out on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven, or until they are fragrant.

Pour the vegetable broth into a large saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add the butter, apricots, dates and raisins. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the couscous. Cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon and toasted almonds, and serve.

Print recipe with images | without images To see the scene where they should have been enjoying a dish similar to the one above, play the clip below.

2007 Oscars: My Predictions

BuzzSugar — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 05:04:55 PST

Have you filled out your Oscar ballot yet? I sure have! Some categories really are a toss-up - Best Picture, for example - while others are highly predictable.

Helen Mirren has already won about a gazillion awards for her performance in The Queen, and if anyone else gets the little gold man for that category, it will truly be shocking. The Best Supporting Actor and Actress categories, however, could easily end up surprising everyone. As for the visual categories, I have high hopes for Children of Men and Pan's Labyrinth in many of the visual categories and will be supremely disappointed if they lose.

As for the other categories, I present to you my predictions for this year's Academy Awards:

BEST PICTURE
Babel

BEST DIRECTOR
Martin Scorsese, The Departed

To see the rest,

read more BEST ACTOR Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland BEST ACTRESS Helen Mirren, The Queen BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Cars ART DIRECTION Pan's Labyrinth CINEMATOGRAPHY Children of Men COSTUME DESIGN Curse of the Golden Flower BEST DOCUMENTARY An Inconvenient Truth BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT The Blood of Yingzhou District FILM EDITING Children of Men BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM Pan’s Labyrinth (Mexico) ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP Pan’s Labyrinth BEST ORIGINAL SCORE Babel BEST ORIGINAL SONG “Listen” from Dreamgirls Music by Henry Krieger and Scott Cutler Lyric by Anne Preven BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM “The Danish Poet” (National Film Board of Canada) BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT “West Bank Story” ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING Letters from Iwo Jima ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING Dreamgirls ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest ADAPATED SCREENPLAY Children of Men ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Little Miss Sunshine Source

What to Netflix: New (Oscar) DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 16:00:32 PST

Just in time for the Oscars this Sunday, several nominated films have come out on DVD! You can Netflix them now and have a totally Oscar-themed weekend. That way, you can make savvy, well-informed decisions when filling out your own Oscar ballot. And the new DVDs are...

Babel
Earning, among others, a Best Picture nomination, Babel has gotten a lot of buzz for its universal themes and good-looking cast. Set in three continents and featuring five languages, the film follows four different stories revolving around the aftermath of a shooting in the Moroccan desert. The strong performances, compelling story, and sharp cinematography make it an obvious Best Picture nominee. For a more in-depth look at Babel, check out my review.

Two more 2007 Oscar nominees, so

read more The Prestige Visually arresting, The Prestige is nominated for both Art Direction and Cinematography. This dark psychological thriller follows two rival magicians at the beginning of the 20th century. As they try to outdo each other, their acts become more and more dangerous until they turn deadly. The engaging cast includes Michael Caine, David Bowie, Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, and Scarlett Johansson.
Marie Antoinette This film came out last Tuesday, but it goes well with these other new releases, having earned an Oscar nomination for Costume Design and all. Certainly the bright, beautiful period clothes featured in Sofia Coppola's stylized depiction of the young Marie Antoinette are impressive enough to warrant a viewing of the film. Kirsten Dunst stars as Marie, the naive Austrian princess who became the Queen of France at age 19. The film follows her betrothal to Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman) at age 15, through her reign as Queen and the eventual fall of Versailles.

Announcing the 2007 Oscar Nominees!

BuzzSugar — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 07:05:49 PST

Salma Hakek woke up bright and early this morning to announce the nominations for the 79th Annual Academy Awards. There were some pleasant surprises (I didn't really think Dreamgirls was Best Picture worthy) and some total shockers compared with my predictions. To see how I did, use this key:

* BuzzSugar Shoo-In
** BuzzSugar Wild Card Pick

Wow, I'm actually really glad to see some surprises in there! No nomination for Leo for The Departed (he was nominated for Blood Diamond), but his co-star Mark Wahlberg got a much-deserved nod. Tune in later today for more analysis, and until then, check out the nominees and tell me what you think!

BEST PICTURE

Babel *
The Departed *
The Queen **
Little Miss Sunshine **
Letters from Iwo Jima

BEST DIRECTOR

Clint Eastwood, Letters from Iwo Jima *
Martin Scorcese, The Departed *
Aljenador Gonzalez Inarritu, Babel *
Stephen Frears, The Queen **
Paul Greengrass, United 93 **

To see the rest,

read more BEST ACTOR Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland * Peter O'Toole, Venus ** Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson ** Leonardo DiCaprio, Blood Diamond Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness * BEST ACTRESS Helen Mirren, The Queen * Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal * Kate Winslet, Little Children * Penelope Cruz, Volver ** Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada ** BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls * Djimon Hounsou, Blood Diamond * Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children Mark Wahlberg, The Departed ** Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine ** BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Cate Blanchett, Notes on a Scandal * Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls * Adriana Barraza, Babel * Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine ** Rinko Kikuchi, Babel ** BEST ANIMNATED FEATURE Cars Happy Feet Monster House ART DIRECTION Dreamgirls Pan's Labyrinth Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest The Prestige The Good Shepherd CINEMATOGRAPHY The Black Dahlia Children of Men The Ilusionist Pan's Labyrinth The Prestige COSTUME DESIGN Curse of the Golden Flower The Devil Wears Prada Dreamgirls Marie Antoinette The Queen BEST DOCUMENTARY Deliver Us from Evil An Inconvenient Truth Iraq in Fragments Jesus Camp My Country, My Country BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT The Blood of Yingzhou District Recycled Life Rehearsing a Dream Two Hands FILM EDITING Babel Blood Diamond Children of Men The Departed United 93 BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM After the Wedding (Denmark) Days of Glory (Indigènes) (Algeria) The Lives of Others (Germany) Pan’s Labyrinth (Mexico) Water (Canada) ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP Apocalypto Click Pan’s Labyrinth ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC Babel The Good German Notes on a Scandal Pan’s Labyrinth The Queen BEST ORIGINAL SONG “I Need to Wake Up” from An Inconvenient Truth Music and Lyric by Melissa Etheridge “Listen” from Dreamgirls Music by Henry Krieger and Scott Cutler Lyric by Anne Preven “Love You I Do” from Dreamgirls Music by Henry Krieger Lyric by Siedah Garrett “Our Town” from Cars Music and Lyric by Randy Newman “Patience” from Dreamgirls Music by Henry Krieger Lyric by Willie Reale BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM “The Danish Poet” (National Film Board of Canada) “Lifted” (Buena Vista) “The Little Matchgirl” (Buena Vista) “Maestro” (Szimplafilm) “No Time for Nuts” (20th Century Fox) BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT “Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)” “Éramos Pocos (One Too Many)” “Helmer & Son” “The Saviour” “West Bank Story” ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING Apocalypto Blood Diamond Flags of Our Fathers Letters from Iwo Jima Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING Apocalypto Blood Diamond Dreamgirls Flags of Our Fathers Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest Poseidon Superman Returns ADAPATED SCREENPLAY Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan Children of Men The Departed Little Children Notes on a Scandal ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Babel Letters from Iwo Jima Little Miss Sunshine * Pan’s Labyrinth The Queen

Sugar Bits - Alicia Helps out College Kids

PopSugar — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 09:31:58 PST

Alicia Keys is helping talented kids go to college by offering $5,000 scholarships to students in four cities. These days that will cover about half a semester, but every little bit helps, right? - AP
Pam Anderson has written an angry letter to the Postmaster General demanding he turns down KFC's request to put its founder on a stamp because of the way they mistreat their chickens. We're sure the chickens appreciate it. - The Scoop
Naomi Campbell lashed out at a cameraman in Brazil surrounding him with her girlfriends until he gave up his tape of her. At least she didn't throw her cellphone at his head. - R&M
Former Sister, Sister star Tia Mowry is engaged to her boyfriend of six years, actor Cory Hardrict. But, does he have a friend for Tamera? - People
Stomp the Yard retained its top spot for the 2nd week while the Golden Globes gave Babel a 500 percent sales jump to the 12th spot in its 13th week. We're sure it will get another boost after Oscar nominations are announced tomorrow. - AP

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