BuzzSugar

TV Tonight: Shrek the Halls

BuzzSugar — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:30:00 -0800

It's not even a week since Thanksgiving, but Christmas special season is well underway on ABC. The network aired the classic Charlie Brown Christmas on Tuesday, and tonight brings our first look at the newest animated holiday special, Shrek the Halls.

The whole original Shrek gang - including Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz - is around for this half-hour special, which finds Shrek struggling to get into the holiday spirit. Who would have known Shrek wasn't much for decked halls and mistletoe? Of course, Donkey, Puss in Boots and the rest of the clan will rally the silly ogre into yuletide shape before the end of the half-hour. Maybe this will turn out to be a holiday classic - but even if it's not, we can recover by watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas immediately after. (Pushing Daisies follows at 9 p.m., while Private Practice takes the night off.)

Will you be tuning in for Shrek's take on the Christmas season? You can check out a preview of the special on ABC's site.

Photo courtesy of ABC

Janice Dickinson's Words of Wisdom

BuzzSugar — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 17:33:49 -0800

Love her or hate her, Janice Dickinson is hard to ignore, but she is so absolutely over the top that I can't help but find entertaining. I had the chance to interview her at the FOX Billboard Music Awards in Vegas earlier this week, and while I wouldn't exactly describe her as subdued, she was funny and more focused in person than she comes off on TV. And as scary as this may sound, she actually had some very practical advice. For more on Janice, read more

Her reality show, "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency" just got picked up for a second season on the Oxygen network, and this time, the single mom says she's found the next Kate Moss. There's no doubt that Dickinson, who calls herself "a gay man in a supermodel's body," is having a blast. "I’m living my dream," she says of her reality show. "I get to ask hot men to drop trou, and I get to view thousands of bodies a day. I get to really have fun."

She's also a big advocate of her models eating well and exercising and, not surprisingly, she had plenty of advice to offer: "Lots of water. No alcohol. Anything that crawls swims or flies is good broiled. As long as it’s cardiovascular, you should do it, even if it’s having sex on top." Hard to argue with that.

On Dec. 13, she's doing a one-hour special called "Christmas With the Dickinsons," but until then, here's a little something to make your holiday brighter.

Buzz-Worthy Video: Comedian Christmas Carol

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:30:48 -0800

Is it too early for a holiday music video? Not when it's one starring a host of comedians like Patton Oswalt, Paul F. Tompkins, Weird Al Yankovic, and Rob Huebel, plus many more. Even Mary Lynn Rajskub pops up for a verse or two!

The song, "Do They Know It's Christmas?", was originally written in the '80s for a group of celeb musicians, but this one is very different, and very tongue-in-cheek. Just take the, um, "special appearance" by Thomas Lennon and Ed Helms.

For a holiday chuckle, watch the video when you read more.

Disney's A Christmas Carol: A Fun New Spin on an Old Favorite

BuzzSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:00:00 -0800

Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol is, quite literally, a tale as old as time. Hollywood has already turned the novel into countless films, so how do you keep it fresh to entertain old and young audiences alike? You give them a pair of 3-D glasses.

I was a bit skeptical about Disney's newest remake of the flick, even with the super stylized animation and all-star cast behind the voices. But once you put on those glasses, you'll be oohing and aahing right along with the kids, making the film a fun ride. It doesn't tug on the heartstrings the way other versions can, but it's not devoid of emotion either. To see what I mean, just read more.

Robert Zemeckis brings the story we already know and love; old Ebenezer Scrooge (voiced by Jim Carrey) defines miserly and crotchety, spending his days counting his pennies and bitterly snapping at those around him. On one particularly Christmas Eve, he his haunted by the ghost of his former partner, Jacob Marley. Sporting chains and a ghastly demeanor, Marley warns Scrooge that he will suffer the same miserable fate if he doesn't take heed of three spirits who will visit him over the course of the night.

The film stays very true to Dickens's short novel, borrowing much of the text straight from the book and incorporating some of the darker elements that I hadn't seen before in versions designed for kids. That said, I still feel like some of the scenes waver on the side of being too scary. Marley's introduction with the chains is frightening but funny, whereas the progression of the ghost of Christmas present to the ghost of Christmas future (complete with full decay from giant to skeleton) probably would have given me nightmares when I was younger.

The special effects are all you could want and more; the 3-D pulls you right in, carrying you along with Scrooge as he flies overhead in his nightgown (and later spits in your face). You're in the midst of Victorian England at Christmas time, from the snowstorms to the festive music. It's dazzling - until you hit the emotional stuff.

The tale is one with a great big heart, but the actors can only go so far using their voices alone. In the most sentimental scenes, I found myself just wishing I could see the big name actors (which includes Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, and Robin Wright Penn) gazing into each other's eyes pointedly. Instead, it feels a bit like watching two mannequins standing face to face. Still, you're never bored for long, and there's always another thrill waiting at every turn.

In the end, Disney accomplishes its goal, producing a film that looks amazing and will entertain kids and adults alike. It may not be the best version of the tale to date, but it will leave you feeling plenty merry on your way out of the theater.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures