BuzzSugar

New Roles For Bradley Cooper, Isla Fisher, and JT!

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:30:42 -0800

Today is packed with casting news for some of my favorite stars:

Isla Fisher's name is floating around for a new comedy titled Desperados. The story follows a woman who sends a nasty email to the new guy she's seeing after he goes MIA. after they have sex. I'm already a fan of Fisher, plus they're describing it as The Hangover for women - so you know I'm on board!

Speaking of The Hangover, Bradley Cooper is picking up a new gig. He'll be replacing Shia LaBeouf for Dark Fields, a thriller following a writer who ingests a few pills to better his career. What he gets is success, women - and a group of shady characters in pursuit. Comparisons are being drawn to Fight Club with Brad Pitt, so Fields could be just what Cooper needs to complete his ascent into leading man status.
Lastly, Justin Timberlake is in talks to voice Boo Boo, alongside Dan Aykroyd and Anna Faris in the live-action/CGI version of the classic cartoon Yogi Bear. You know how I feel about the live-action/CGI combo, but you've got to admit that picturing Timberlake as a fuzzy bear in a bow tie is kinda funny. Hope he brings the pic-a-nic basket!

I think my favorite of these three may just be Isla Fisher's, but which project are you most excited for?

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.

Movie Preview: Valentine's Day Starring Everyone

BuzzSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:52:36 -0700

By now you've probably seen the myriad on-set shots for the upcoming ensemble romantic comedy Valentine's Day. Oh and by "ensemble", I mean the most star-studded cast to hit Hollywood in years.

This movie has (take a deep breath with me) Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx, Bradley Cooper, Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Emma Roberts, Jennifer Garner, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Topher Grace, Shirley Maclaine, Ashton Kutcher, Taylor Lautner, and Taylor Swift. Did I miss anyone? Probably.

Put all these beautiful stars in a rom-com, set the trailer to a booming pop song, and you've got me excited. The preview doesn't give a ton of the plot away (though I can make some educated guesses based on the title), or but I'm already analyzing the couplings we see in the clip. Anne Hathaway and Topher Grace? Brilliant. Bradley Cooper and Julia Roberts? I'm not sure about their chemistry, but I guess he does like older women. Zing!

The only question is, with these components, are we looking at He's Just Not That Into You 2.0 or Love Actually 2.0? Or neither? Watch the new trailer and let me know what you think when you read more.

Cooper, Reynolds, or Timberlake - Who Should Play Green Lantern?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:30:24 -0700

Apparently Warner Bros. has spent "the past five months searching for the actor to play Hal Jordan, the hot-shot Air Force pilot who is chosen by a dying alien to be his successor in an intergalactic police force known as the Green Lanterns." Now the list has shortened to three names: Bradley Cooper, Ryan Reynolds, and Justin Timberlake.

The director, one of the producers and the studio each have a different favorite among the three, and they're having a difficult time coming to an agreement. Budget may be another consideration, as Green Lantern will reportedly be "a full-blown space epic that is expected to cost between $150 million and $200 million."

Ryan Reynolds has proven he can play a comic book character; do you think Bradley Cooper or Justin Timberlake could also do well with this kind of role? Who should be cast as the Green Lantern?

Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper in Talks For the A-Team Movie

BuzzSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:30:07 -0700

We may be looking at the new Face and Hannibal of the upcoming A-Team movie, folks. Bradley Cooper is in talks to join the project as Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck while Liam Neeson is reportedly in negotiations to star as Col. John "Hannibal" Smith. The filmmakers "have kept the series premise - four war vets wrongly convicted of armed robbery escape from a military prison to become do-gooder mercenaries - but they've replaced the campy nature of the series with a tone closer to those of Mission: Impossible and Ocean's Eleven."

After seeing Cooper's most recent performance in The Hangover, I'm finding it a little hilarious to picture him starring alongside Liam Neeson, so if nothing else this should be interesting. The movie already has a big budget, big-name producers (Ridley and Tony Scott) and a release date of June 11, 2010. Here's what it doesn't have: Actors for "the roles of the Capt. 'Howling Mad' Murdock, played by Dwight Schultz in the original, and Sgt. 'B.A.' Baracus, the role that made Mr. T an '80s icon." Any suggestions?

Source

The Hangover: Dudes Being Ridiculous(ly Funny)

BuzzSugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:30:29 -0700

One of the most satisfying things about The Hangover is that what you've seen in the trailer is what you get. Not in the sense that there are no surprises (oh, holy cow there are surprises) but in the sense that if the movie looks good to you when you watch the trailer, it's highly likely you'll love the movie (and the opposite is true as well). I found it to be funny and crude and perfectly cast. There are a few clunky scenes and the script isn't exactly flawless, but the characters are so great and so hilarious together, you can't help but be pulled into this totally messed up adventure.

Doug (Justin Bartha) is about to get married and his two pals, Stu (Ed Helms) and Phil (Bradley Cooper) are bringing him to Las Vegas for one last crazy hurrah. Tagging along is Doug's strange soon-to-be brother-in-law, Alan (Zach Galifianakis). The four men arrive in Vegas, toast to Doug's upcoming nuptials and proceed to have a wild night that nobody can remember in the morning. The wicked hangovers are the least of their problems that morning, however: Stu, Phil and Alan have lost Doug. They can't find him anywhere, but they do find a variety of other things, like a lion in the bathroom and a baby in a closet of their hotel room. Bit by bit, the trio pieces together the events of the night and try desperately to find their friend. And we audience members know nothing more than they do, so we make all these discoveries right along with the bumbling, accident-prone gang. There's so much to like about this comedy, so read more.

At first glance, it might seem like the whole "crazy bachelor weekend in Vegas that nobody can remember because it was so crazy" seems tired and played. But the thing is, these are schmoes, essentially. They're not slick or even particularly successful in their normal lives. For every scene in the movie that's full of bravado and slow-motion and thumping club tunes, there's a scene of Alan making a baby mime lewd gestures or there's a squawking chicken strutting past Stu's bleeding face.

The casting is what raises the movie to a whole level above what might otherwise be basically Douchebag Paradise. For once, Ed Helms is basically the straight man - he's stable and responsible and kind of spineless but not in an idiotic way. And Bradley Cooper's Phil is obnoxious and sleazy - traits that Cooper is remarkably good at pulling off - but not outlandishly so. I know guys like Stu and Phil. And establishing this reality with average, normal-ish guys allows for Galifianakis's Alan to really stand out - hilariously - as a total oddball living in his own little world. With this, Galifianakis does a phenomenal job. In an interview, director Todd Phillips mentions that he and Galifianakis developed the character of Alan together, and the character that emerged really plays to Galifianakis's strengths. This is true for each of the other cast members as well. It's a (somewhat rare) example of every single cast member doing what he does best, and then all coming together to form a powerful, cohesive group.

What's more, some of the situations in which they find themselves are not just "oh-so-kooky!" - they're downright weird and legitimately scary and these guys are so worn down by the stress of it all, they start to simply not care what happens to them. And to watch any relatively sane person deteriorate before our eyes, while awful in real life, is hilarious in the movies. Also lurking beneath the zaniness is a serious problem: Their friend is missing. It's possible he's dead. Though we know it's a comedy and we more or less assume Doug's OK, we don't know for sure, and the uneasy tension of this makes the humor (especially Alan's weirdness) all the more funny and relieving. For what's basically a story about guys being dumb, there's surprising substance and awesome character work. After enjoying the trailer, the movie really did deliver exactly what I wanted to see.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

Movie Preview: The Hangover

BuzzSugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:30:00 -0700

At first glance The Hangover seems to be yet another boys-will-be-boys bachelor party movie. And it's true that these particular boys go to Vegas and, as you might predict, have all sorts of wacky experiences - except they can't remember any of them. They just know they're hungover.

I thought this movie, opening June 5, would look dumber than it does, but this trailer had me bursting out laughing (admittedly, some of that laughter was mixed with a little bit of shame (Holocaust rings?!)). Some strong comedic actors (Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis) lead the show with a few randoms adding dashes of weirdness and fun (Mike Tyson?! What?). Plus, there's a baby. Wearing sunglasses. I can't really do this trailer justice so to see it for yourself, read more.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Movie Preview: All About Steve

BuzzSugar — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:30:56 -0800

I've dragged my feet a bit in putting up this trailer for the comedy All About Steve, despite (or maybe because of) my love for Sandra Bullock. I think of Bullock as a funny actress and I enjoy so many of her comedic roles. But this? Um. I'm just not sure how I feel about it.

Bullock plays Mary Horowitz , described as "an eccentric crossword puzzler" (she's so eccentric, you guys, she never takes off her shiny red boots! That kook!) who becomes obsessed with a CNN cameraman (played by Bradley Cooper) and follows him around the world trying to convince him they belong together.

There are some funny moments in the trailer, so check it out after the jump and tell me if it looks like a cute movie after all. I can't decide. . . kinda funny? Or just cheesy-lame? All About Steve opens March 6. To watch the trailer, read more.

Dudes Demonstrate All the Rom-Com Cliches Not Included in He's Just Not That Into You

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:30:54 -0800

The men of the upcoming movie He's Just Not That Into You have teamed up to assure other guys out there that this is "not your typical chick flick" and that actually guys who attend this movie with their girlfriends "might even enjoy it." Their reason for this declaration? They say there are a lot of rom-com cliches that are not included in this movie and they demonstrate these cliches in a new video you can check out after the jump.

The video stars Justin Long, Kevin Connolly, and Bradley Cooper and they're pretty funny together. My only beef with their little show is that it assumes women totally love the lame, overused rom-com cliches, which is not the case (see a list of annoying ones here written by me - a lady). Therefore, I believe this persuasive video should be aimed at any and all people who were ready to write this rom-com off, not just dudes.

Want to see for yourself? Just read more.

ICYMI - 10 Chick Flick Cliches That Are Not In "He's Just Not That Into You" @ Yahoo! Video

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Yes Man: Genuinely Feel-Good Fare

BuzzSugar — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:30:31 -0800

It may be a silly and simplistic movie, but Yes Man is also one of the few movies this year that left me grinning from ear to ear at the end. From the premise we know that it's about the power of positive thinking and being open to things and changing one's life for the better, etc. etc. And the crazy, great thing about this ridiculous film is that it’s actually pretty effective in making you think that you can (and should) do just that. It's funny, sure, and even more inspiring. And what’s wrong with that - especially these days?

Divorced loan officer Carl (Jim Carrey) is basically a "no man," turning down everything from invitations to parties to the loan requests he hears every day. At the suggestion of a friend, however, Carl finds himself at a self-help-type meeting all about the power of saying "yes" to every opportunity that comes around. So, Carl makes a pact with himself to say "yes" to everything. And while this leads to some bizarre (and sometimes dangerous) situations, it also frees him to try new things, which ultimately improves his attitude, his job life and his relationships. He even meets the irresistibly fun, charming and beautiful Allison (Zooey Deschanel). But it turns out there are negative things that can come from this extreme yea-saying, and Carl learns that the program has its limitations. Yup, that's about it for plot, so for more of my take on the whole thing, read more.

As you can see, there's not a whole lot going on here. As a movie it isn't noteworthy or extraordinary; everything about it is straightforward, from the ordinary characters to the uncomplicated storyline to the unremarkable filmmaking. But maybe that's part of the point: It's just a simple story with a simple message: Just. Say. Yes. And because it's so basic and uncomplicated, it's pretty damn easy to get swept up in the joyful, positive, forward motion of it all.

It's not even heartwarming or all that sentimental - it's just happy. Jim Carrey is the perfect choice for this role since he's funny both when he's playing the curmudgeon and as the guy who's "seen the light," so to speak. He commits fully to both sides of this character, and thankfully scales back the hokey just a bit so we’re not left watching Ace Ventura slobber all over cute-as-a-button Zooey Deschanel. I really like him in this movie and it makes me want to see more of this Jim Carrey who we've glimpsed before a few times, the version who's not only comfortable but good at playing a regular guy who learns stuff but is still just a regular guy in the end.

That's the thing, really: He's relatable. And because we can see ourselves in him, we also end up thinking that maybe our lives could also change if we said "yes" more often. We drink the Kool-Aid, so to speak. That positive thinking thing, it's powerful stuff. It works for this random dude, why wouldn’t it work for me, too?

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.