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Movie Preview: Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt in The Wolf Man

BuzzSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:45:48 -0700

I learned way more about The Wolf Man movie than I needed to know back in July of '08 when I saw a Comic-Con panel with actors Benicio Del Toro and Emily Blunt. At the time I thought the footage looked really cool, and I figured we'd get a real trailer for the movie soon because the release date was April 3, 2009. That Comic-Con panel was, you know, over a year ago, and obviously April came and went. But now we do have a trailer for The Wolf Man along with some interesting images, and I think it was all worth the wait.

Now set to hit theaters Feb. 12, 2010, The Wolf Man tells the story of Lawrence Talbot (Del Toro), "a haunted nobleman," who returns to his ancestral homeland and is bitten (and cursed) by a werewolf. I wish the movie were coming out around Halloween! To see the new trailer and a gallery of spooky images, read more.

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Photos courtesy of Universal Studios

Paul Giamatti and Benicio Del Toro Make Two of Three Stooges

BuzzSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:30:58 -0700

Funny filmmaker Peter Farrelly revealed to The Boston Globe that he and his brother Bobby have settled on a replacement for Sean Penn as Larry in their Three Stooges movie: Paul Giamatti. He joins the already-cast Benicio Del Toro (apparently "one Hollywood's biggest Three Stooges fans"), who will star as Moe. Though there was talk previously of Jim Carrey taking on the role of Curly, Farrelly said that this is not the case, and he didn't offer up any other names.

When I did a Recast challenge for the Three Stooges long before there was news of an actual movie, John C. Reilly was the winning choice for Curly, which I could easily envision with Giamatti and Del Toro. What do you think? Who should play Curly in the Farrelly Bros. movie?

Link Time! 4/28

BuzzSugar — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:00:00 -0700

If only we could all live in an Apatow world. - Cinematical
The Decemberists and Stephen Colbert meet for the first time since the great ShredDown of '06. - Videogum
Could you see Benico del Toro as Bret Easton Ellis? - MTV Movies Blog
In celebration of a more competent Michael Scott. - CliqueClack TV
Someone seriously has it in for Wolverine. - Vulture
Have you heard the a cappella Simpsons theme song? - TV Squad
Muppets + Ocean's 11? Awesome. - /Film

Are These Three the New Stooges?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:30:16 -0700

I've been curious about the Farrelly Brothers' Three Stooges project for a while now, and "curious" is also the word I'd use to describe today's casting news. Sean Penn is, as rumored, on board to play Larry, and Jim Carrey has entered negotiations to play Curly. And while nobody's officially claimed the role of Moe, The Hollywood Reporter says Benicio del Toro has been named as a possibility.

So, let's take a look at these three. Could they be funny together? With the exception of Carrey, none of them is particularly known for being funny solo, but maybe there's a hidden world of pratfalls and "nyuk-nyuk"s buried deep inside of them. Also of note, this tidbit about the project itself:

Originally constructed as four separate shorts, the feature screenplay has since been streamlined into a single narrative. Included in the story line is an opening that shows the Stooges as kids in an orphanage, a device that will require some Benjamin Button-style visual trickery to place the adult actors' heads on child actors' bodies.

So, it seems we've got a lot to talk about. How do these three potential Stooges-to-be stack up to your recast picks (I can't believe they wouldn't/couldn't get John C. Reilly)? And how are you feeling about the project itself at this point?

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Buzz News Roundup, 2/2

BuzzSugar — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:30:01 -0800

Daniel Day-Lewis, Benicio Del Toro, and Gael Garcia Bernal are reportedly circling Martin Scorsese's next drama Silence, based on the Shusaku Endo novel. - Variety
TNT has renewed Leverage for a second 15-episode season, which should air later this year. - TV.com
Kung Fu Panda swept the Intnl. Animated Film Society's Annie Awards this year, while Wall-E went home empty-handed. - Variety
Meanwhile, Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle won the top award from the Directors Guild of America this year. - AP
And speaking of Slumdog Millionaire, star Dev Patel is joining the cast of M. Night Shyamalan's live-action film The Last Airbender. - ComingSoon
Kristen Johnston is "99.9 percent" going to play Patsy in Fox's Absolutely Fabulous remake pilot, while Kathryn Hahn is on board as Edina. - Entertainment Weekly
Both Faith Hill and Jennifer Hudson recorded their Super Bowl performances in advance. - New York Times
ABC Family has renewed Greek, cut Kyle XY, and picked up three new shows, including the series based on 10 Things I Hate About You. - TV Guide

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Movie Preview: Benicio Del Toro in Che

BuzzSugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:30:21 -0800

"How does it feel to be a symbol?"
Che: "A symbol of what?"

Director Steven Soderbergh's lengthy biopic of Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, collectively known as Che, will reportedly release in two parts: The Argentine will open in limited release on Dec. 12, with the second part, Guerrilla, following in January. The reception of the unfinished four-hour production that screened at Cannes was somewhat mixed (Variety's Todd McCarthy claims that Soderbergh has "withheld any suggestion of why the charismatic doctor, fighter, diplomat, diarist and intellectual theorist became and remains such a legendary figure; if anything, Che seems diminished by the way he’s portrayed here"). However, praise for Benicio Del Toro's frank, unflinching portrayal of Che is plentiful - even in the less-than-positive reviews.

Now there's a full-length US trailer, which uses dialogue sparsely, mostly allowing the powerful visuals to speak for themselves. It looks brutal, but it's also something I will simply have to see. To watch the trailer, read more.

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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:30:00 -0800

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to the titles below, Awake, a thriller staring Hayden Christensen and Jessica Alba is out on DVD as well.

Into the Wild
There has been no shortage of buzz around this heartbreaking and visually stunning film directed by Sean Penn and starring Emile Hirsh. While it didn't make it as far at the Oscars as many hoped it would, it did make it onto my March Must-Haves, and I know many people are just as excited as I am that this movie is finally out on DVD. Into the Wild is based on the best-selling true story by Jon Krakauer all about a young, upper-middle class man with the world at his feet who decides to part with his normal, steady life in search of adventure. He sets out on a journey across the country and eventually ends up alone in the wilderness of Alaska.

The breathtaking scenery and unforgettable characters, along with the thought-provoking tale of a young man's journey on the path less taken makes for an important and moving film. Special features include interesting information about the true-life inspirations for the movie.

For two more selections, read more.

Things We Lost in the Fire
Starring Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro, Things We Lost in the Fire is Susanne Bier's directorial follow-up to her Oscar-nominated After the Wedding. At first glance, this movie looked melodramatic and depressing but I gave it a shot (after all, who can resist Benicio?) and I'm so glad I did.

The story follows a widow (Berry) attempting to put her life back together after her husband tragically dies. Benicio plays the husband's childhood best friend, now a troubled recovering drug addict, who moves in with the grieving woman and her children. Together they deal with the loss and learn to accept each other, in memory of the man they all cherished. This isn't an escape movie, but it is touching and features some beautiful performances by Berry and Del Toro. Special features include audio commentary and extra scenes.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
First off, until now I've never been concerned that a DVD cover might have the same effect on my vision as looking straight into the sun. Those are some bright colors. Moving on. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium stars Dustin Hoffman as a 243-year-old toy store owner and Natalie Portman as the store's manager. When Mr. Magorium discovers he's not well, he turns to Portman's character to take over his magical world of toys. Lots of colors, slapstick comedy and whimsical fun make this a great choice for family viewing, especially with little ones in the house.

Things We Lost in the Fire: Lush, Moving, and Very Sad

BuzzSugar — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 13:38:13 -0700

Based on the melodramatic-seeming trailer that told most of the movie's story in its two-and-a-half minutes, I had fairly low expectations for Susanne Bier's directorial follow-up to her Oscar-nominated After the Wedding. But Things We Lost in the Fire far exceeded those expectations. Aided by some solid performances and wise directional decisions, the movie is less cheesy and more potent than the trailer suggests.

The story starts out dreary and sentimental, then kicks into high drama and deep sadness, then it's horrifying, and then back to very sad, where it ends. There is redemption, but little joy to this story. The narrative begins with the funeral of Steven Burke (David Duchovny), which I think is a questionable move because watching people mourn without giving the audience any reason yet to be sad along with the characters creates an empty, pointless feeling. But the characters go on to earn our sympathy, and through a series of flashbacks interspersed with present-day action we are absorbed into this world of Steven's grieving widow Audrey (Halle Berry), their two children, and Steven's best friend - the down-and-out recovering drug addict Jerry Sunborne (Benicio Del Toro). For more about the story and my take on it, read more

Though she spent years mistrusting and disliking him, Audrey invites the quiet Jerry to live with her and the children in the garage that was damaged in a fire and never entirely finished before Steven's death. Once he moves in, Jerry is simply given things - a job and furniture from family friend Howard (John Carroll Lynch), the love and affection of Steven's kids - because they all loved Steven, and because Jerry knew him in a way nobody else did.

What I appreciate most about this movie is the character of Audrey, which Berry portrays as graceful and conflicted. It is so refreshing to find a true-to-life, complex female movie character. She's a caring mother and a sympathetic person, but she also acts in incomprehensible ways, making impulsive decisions fueled by grief and lack of sleep that seem heartbreakingly rash but also deeply human. At one point she demands that Jerry move out of the garage, which leads to Jerry relapsing, a most upsetting part of the film.

Certainly, I have some quibbles with the film. Steven's character is a little too goody-two-shoes to be believable, even up to his heroic death - getting shot while trying to protect a woman from her abusive husband. I'm also sure that after Audrey tells us all about the things they lost in the garage fire, two scenes later we don't need an actual written-out list of things they lost in the fire, as it just seems irritatingly redundant.

Yet these things are overshadowed by the beautiful direction (complete with perfectly-chosen music, from soothing flute to a sorrowful Spanish guitar to the steely blues that Jerry often pumps through his headphones) and some near-perfect performances. Del Toro does well with these gorgeously flawed characters, and his depiction of Jerry's relapse brings tears to my eyes even now. This isn't a breezy, escapist film, but it is very moving and lovingly crafted.

Photos courtesy of Paramount

First Look: Things We Lost in the Fire

BuzzSugar — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 08:30:00 -0700

After watching the trailer for Things We Lost in the Fire, starring Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro and David Duchovny, I felt like I'd seen the entire movie. Berry plays Audrey who loses her husband (Duchovny) to a senseless crime. Del Toro is her husband's best friend who is also a heroin addict. He moves in with Audrey and her kids, and we can all probably guess what happens after that. I'd been looking forward to seeing this trailer for Things We Lost in the Fire, which opens October 27, but now that I have it's kind of letdown. You can check it out and tell me what you think if you read more

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Link Time! Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst Cast in Upside Down

BuzzSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:38:51 -0700

Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst will star in Upside Down, a romantic sci-fi fantasy - Coming Soon
Lisa Kudrow is developing TV comedy Rapture for Showtime - Variety
Dollhouse is being pulled during sweeps, which could signal its cancellation - The Ausiello Files
Check out these new stills of Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, and Emily Blunt in The Wolfman - MTV Movies Blog
An Education originally had a different ending - Movieline
Watch Rainn Wilson's funny new commercials for the NBA - Best Week Ever
Ryan Murphy is writing an episode of Glee that mocks the show's real-life denial for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - The TV Column
Bravo has picked up a second season of Top Chef Masters - YumSugar
Before the release of Saw VI, here are six terrible sixth sequels - Rotten Tomatoes
A list of TV's memorable dumb jocks - TV.com
20 of the worst horror movies ever made - Moviefone