BuzzSugar

Buzz Time Machine: Natalie Portman's One of the Beautiful Girls

Lauren Bradshaw — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:30:00 PST

Natalie Portman is currently starring in the very dark, very adult film, Black Swan. But flashback to 1996, and she was a bright-eyed actress playing a wise-beyond-her-years preteen named Marty in Beautiful Girls. Even though Portman was still relatively unknown at the time, I remember being completely charmed by her performance in the film. In one of my favorite scenes, Marty suggests to Will (Timothy Hutton), that they get together - five years down the road, of course. Is her May-December flirtation wrong? Sure, but it's also kind of sweet. Watch the clip again.

Buzz In: What's Your Favorite Movie Sing-along Scene?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:01:39 PDT

Sigh. Movie sing-alongs. They are so good. When Top Gun was first out, if I wasn't head-over-heels for Tom Cruise already, his belting out of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" to Kelly McGillis would have sealed the deal.

And come on, who didn't want to run down to their local dive bar, take some shots and belt "Sweet Caroline" after that fantastic scene in Beautiful Girls? Also, I will never tire of the part in My Best Friend's Wedding when that gorgeous man, Rubert Everett, kicks off an all-restaurant sing-along to "Say A Little Prayer for You."

For me, sing-alongs can take a good scene and make it the best scene. They tap into that basic human desire to break into spontaneous song and dance when the mood strikes. OK, maybe that's just my basic desire.

So tell me, what's your favorite sing-along scene of all time?

After the jump, I just had to include the clip from My Best Friend's Wedding (note the people waving their lobster claw arms in the background toward the end!), so

What's Buzzworthy? Comfort Movies

BuzzSugar — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 09:30:00 PST

Watching challenging films is a worthy goal, but sometimes, I just want to relax with a movie I've seen a zillion times before. My comfort movies may not be the best or smartest movies in my collection, but they're perfect for curling up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and mentally reciting the lines I've heard a million times before.

So for this week's Buzzworthy challenge, I'm asking you to bookmark your favorite comfort movies, the most trustworthy films in your collection. I'm starting you off with Beautiful Girls, a movie I've seen more times than I could count on my fingers and toes put together. All through college, I toted around a VHS tape with a recording of it from my parents' TV; then, I upgraded - slightly - to a beat-up official version I bought from eBay. I finally got the movie on DVD a couple of years back, and I still pull it out every time I just want to watch something familiar. For good measure, I've tossed in a couple of my other standbys, Laurel Canyon and Drop Dead Gorgeous.

Just use BuzzSugar's cool bookmarking tool to find your favorite comfort movies from around the Web, tag them with the phrase comfort movies, and let me know why you love keeping them around. I'll post some readers' favorites here next week.

You can also now make a list of your picks. Here are mine:

Movie Night: Holiday-ish Films

BuzzSugar — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 22:58:22 PST

So many movies, so little time. Thankfully, BuzzSugar is here to help you sort through them all! Each week, we'll choose a theme for a Movie Night and feature three must-see movies in keeping with that theme. This week's theme: holiday-ish films.

There are two types of holiday films. The ones, like Deck the Halls, that are entirely driven by holiday-based plots, and movies like The Holiday, where the action just happens to unfold over a holiday backdrop. Here are three of my favorite holiday-ish films that are fun to watch this time of year.

Love Actually

Nothing puts the warmth and cheer of the season into your heart quite like a film all about love in its various forms. Love Actually brings us many love-centric storylines at once: There are the coworkers awkwardly courting, the little boy whose world revolves around his beautiful classmate, the new marriage threatening to become a love triangle, and the old marriage starting to show cracks in its foundation. The wonderful cast (Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightly, and Laura Linney, to name just a few) is stellar enough to make the movie truly enjoyable, and it's even more fun to see how the stories intersect. And if you're anything like me, the real footage of people greeting loved ones at the airport in itself will be enough to get you all misty-eyed.

To see the rest,

read more Beautiful Girls In Beautiful Girls, the holidays are the perfect time for Willie Conway (Timothy Hutton) to go back to his hometown, introduce his soon-to-be-fiancee, Tracy (Annabeth Gish), to his father and brother, reconnect with old buddies, and reevaluate his life. The movie explores the idea of growing up, making sacrifices to live the life you want to live, and learning to be content with what you have. Willie's in a very mature relationship with a nice woman and lives in New York City, while his old buddies stuck around their old hometown. He befriends precocious 13-year-old Marty (Natalie Portman) next door, a fast-talking, dry-witted mini-adult who develops a crush on Willie. It's a highly realistic and funny film about the old problem of wanting what we can't have, and coming to terms with adulthood. Added bonus: Rosie O'Donnell goes on an absolutely classic tirade about women's magazines, men and relationships. Priceless. While You Were Sleeping Yes, the idea of someone fooling an entire family into thinking that she is their comatose son's fiancee is far-fetched. Yes, it requires some serious suspension of disbelief, and yes, the characters in said family are caricatures. Still, it's all worth it for this sweet, familiar comedy of mistaken identity. Basically, Lucy (Sandra Bullock) saves the life of a man named Peter (played by Peter Gallagher), though he is knocked into a coma in the process. When she goes to see him in the hospital, his family assumes she is his fiancee and she chooses not to correct them. She ends up spending holiday time with the quirky clan, quickly falling under their warm, charming spell. Before long, she realizes she is in love with her "fiance's" cute brother, Jack (Bill Pullman), which of course sets up an awkward situation, especially when Peter wakes up. Source, Source, and Source

Honor's Cool-Girl Look Is Incredibly Easy to Wear

Annie Tomlin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:21:12 PST

For her Fall 2012 collection, designer Giovanna Randall was inspired by the love story of a preppy boy and free-spirited Argentinean girl. But when it comes to beauty, the inspiration was decidedly Gallic. Borrowing from French singer and style icon Françoise Hardy, the just-slept-on hair and chalky eye makeup were uncomplicated and cool. See how the look came together, and you'll agree: this is one runway look that anybody can pull off.

Foods That Can Make You Look Pregnant

Shape — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:29:06 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Over the weekend, I saw a photo of a female celebrity (who is in a relationship with a male celeb) leaving a café with the caption, "Baby bump?" and I had to refrain myself from shouting out loud, "Come on, can't a girl eat without the world thinking she's having a baby?!"

The truth is having a perfectly flat stomach all the time just isn't normal. After you eat or drink, food and liquids naturally expand your stomach and intestines, so at least a little "bump" is inevitable every single day. So if you regularly get stalked by paparazzi or you have family members who are anxiously awaiting news of a new addition, here's the lowdown on when you might get mistaken for being pregnant:

See which foods may make you look pregnant after the break!

10 Crosby Fall 2012

Chi Diem Chau — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:16:03 PST

Derek Lam's new venture, 10 Crosby, has fulfilled its cool-girl status for Fall '12. The third collection from the line, 10 Crosby showed plenty of bold prints, sharp tailoring, and just the right amount of femininity to please every downtown girl. Inspired by the classic holiday flick Home Alone, Lam and design director Liz Giardina envisioned what the 10 Crosby girl would wear on a snowy Winter day. With that thought in mind, the two created silky printed palazzo pants, cozy peplum cardigans, fox-fur vests, and pajama-inspired tops tempered with tailored poplin shirt dresses and sharp trousers. We especially love the chambray shirt dress and chunky peplum cardigan combo. More defining moments below, then check out the complete collection lookbook, starring Belgian beauty Hanne Gaby Odiele.

Trends: Bold prints, palazzo pants, sheer, plaid, peplum.
Colors: Red, nude, gray, green, brown.
Key Piece: We love the chic structured shirt dress and gray peplum sweater combination.
Accessories: Loafers, ankle-strap sandals, pumps, skinny belts, sling-back platform mules.
Who Would Wear It: Girls who like polish with an edge like Olivia Palermo, Amanda Brooks, and Kate Bosworth.

Pilot Scoop: Smash

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:04:40 PST

NBC is getting in on musical madness with new show Smash, a drama that follows the production of a musical about Marilyn Monroe and the two ingénues vying for the lead. With high production value and an ensemble cast that includes Debra Messing and Anjelica Huston, the show is a colorful, splashy, and tune-filled entrant into the midseason lineup. Before you check out tonight's premiere, check out my first impressions below.

What it's about: The first episode charts the early development of the musical Marilyn, the brainchild of a few theater producers (including Messing and Huston). As the idea germinates, the showrunners have to make the difficult decision of who to cast as Marilyn Monroe: the seasoned, Ivy (Megan Hilty), who's also a dead-ringer for Marilyn, or inexperienced Karen (Katharine McPhee) who comes in at the last minute and knocks their socks off.
Where it works: Former American Idol contestant McPhee is an inspired choice here; we've all heard her sing, but it turns out that she can also act. She's charming and plucky as Karen, the girl who's a waitress by night so she can nurture her dream of making it big on Broadway. I also enjoyed seeing her home life with her supportive (and dashing) boyfriend played by Raza Jaffrey.
Where it doesn't: It's unclear how much of the musical the series will be. In the opener, we hear numbers from Marilyn and familiar tunes like "Beautiful" in auditions, but when Ivy and Karen break into song at the end of the hour, it doesn't feel that organic - or necessary.
When it's on: Mondays at 10 p.m. on NBC, starting Feb. 6
You might like this show if: You like Glee, but this show is even more appealing to theater fans.

See a preview for Smash and photos after the break.

Are You Ready For Marriage, Or Are You Rushing Into It?

YourTango — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:00:04 PST

We're happy to present this excerpt from one of our favorite sites, YourTango.

When I was a little girl I remember watching all the Disney Princess movies (You know the ones: Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Snow White, Aladdin… there seemed to be an endless supply), and I loved everything about those fairy tale stories-the handsome prince, the white dress, the cake, the pumpkin stagecoach, and the big castle to live happily ever after in-I always pictured my future playing out just like my favorite princesses. Doesn't every girl?

We all know the saying "first comes love, then comes marriage," and when you feel you've found your perfect match, you start to picture yourself eventually settling down. You see the future, you see building a strong and wonderful married life together, and even creating a family. You start imagining fairy tales and castles and Cinderella dresses . . .

But you know what? It's not that simple. I wish it were. There's a lot more to marriage than just the love you feel for one another. The Beatles' might have said, "All you need is love," but real life doesn't work that way. Ever. Marriage requires effort.

Before you start calling up wedding coordinators and venues, before you start looking for a dress and picking out a cake, put away your emotions long enough to ask yourself a few questions.

What makes this person The One?

Out of all the relationships you've been in, what makes this person the one for you? Answering this question is crucial to prevent yourself from entering a marriage for all the wrong reasons. Never pressure yourself with the idea that you may never have another opportunity to get married. There's always time. Your wedding is just one day while your marriage is for a lifetime.

When I met my husband's family for the first time I saw first hand how he treated his sisters. His sisters are 13 and 20 years younger than he is, and when I saw them together, I knew he'd be a great father. Among his other great qualities, that's what sealed the deal for me.

Do you share the same values?

Issues about careers, finances, raising children, discipline, sex, spending, religion, and values are the most important subjects that need to be addressed before you even think about engagement rings. If you can't plan for and effectively discuss these topics with your partner, you won't be able to merge your two lives together with any amount of success. If you don't feel comfortable bringing them up, then you're not ready to say, "I do."

When my husband and I started dating we talked about our personal values and beliefs. We found we shared more in common than either one of us thought. Coming from similar family backgrounds, we found it easy to envision a future together, and another way that made merging our lives together almost effortless.

Get more questions to ask yourself when you finish reading the rest of the story on YourTango: Are You Ready For Marriage, Or Are You Rushing Into It?

Written by Alisha Cornett for YourTango.

Olympian Natalie Coughlin Dives Into Beauty

BellaSugar — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:05:42 PST

Two-time Olympic champion Natalie Coughlin is legendary for her 100 meter backstroke, impossible to beat as part of the freestyle relay team, and one of Team USA's brightest hopes for this year's London games. We met up with her at a shoot for her new Pantene ad and discovered that Natalie's also quite the glamour puss when she's on dry land. "I'm a girlie girl when I have the chance," she said. "I love playing up my eyes, and after my Dancing With the Stars experience, I love doing false lashes."

When she's in a pool all day, however, there's no reason to wear makeup. "It’s just the last thing I want to think about," Natalie admits. "But I do use a lot of sunscreen." With so much chlorine exposure and time in the water, painfully dry skin is also an issue many swimmers face. "I have to moisturize every day," Natalie says, "and I dry brush at night, which I think is important."

As anyone who was ever on a neighborhood swim team can attest, though, a swimmer's biggest beauty challenge is always hair. Natalie is known for her long, healthy mane, and says she's avoided the chop by following a cardinal rule. "Always wet your hair before you get in the pool," Natalie advises. "If you can put conditioner in your hair before you get in that helps, too." Wetting your hair... so you can get it wet? Apparently not as weird as it sounds. "If you think about it, "Natalie explains, "your hair is very much like a sponge, so if it absorbs tap water, that’s much better than chlorinated water." Thanks to Natalie, next time we go for a dip, our strands will have taken the plunge beforehand.