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Family Movie Night! 10 Christmas Movies to Watch With the Kids

Nicole Abbott — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:22:29 PST

Baby, it's cold outside! During these chilly Winter months, 'tis the season to snuggle up with the kiddos and watch a movie. From timeless classic to new animated features, check out this selection of 10 Christmas movies the entire family is sure to enjoy!

Guess the Holiday Movie House!

CasaSugar — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 05:00:32 PST

Watching holiday movies is one of my favorite things to do this time of year - even the really cheesy ones. I know I'm not alone in this, either. So take this quiz and see how well you recognize the homes from some of my favorite Christmas flicks!

Question 1 of 10

A mother and son are cozy by the Christmas tree in this photo. What movie is this house from?

Casa Quickie: Decorate With Vintage Holiday Movie Posters

CasaSugar — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:30:40 PST

When I spotted this photo on Two Peas in a Bucket, I was immediately smitten with the holiday look of this fieldstone fireplace, decorated with potted evergreens and a berry garland. The oversize movie poster from It's a Wonderful Life adds a lovely vintage touch to the look.

Why not try adding some vintage holiday movie posters to this year's holiday decorating? You can find vintage movie posters here. May I suggest searching for vintage posters from holiday movies such as Holiday Inn, Christmas in Connecticut, or White Christmas?

New Ghostbusters Movie: Yay? Yes, Yay!

BuzzSugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:32:25 PDT

Normally when '80s remake news makes its way to my computer screen, my knee-jerk reaction is something like, "People! Get some creativity and let that decade rest in peace already!" This morning, however, I read several confirmations that Ghostbusters 3 is in the works and surprised myself by feeling very, very excited.

I think there are several reasons for this including:

It has a good chance of not sucking, because it's in very capable hands. Two Emmy-nominated writers from The Office, Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, have been recruited "to work on a new installment of the 1980s franchise that starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Harold Ramis as bumbling ghost-hunting scientists."
The Hollywood Reporter also notes that "the original filmmakers, including director Ivan Reitman, and cast are aware of the project and involved in its development." Blessing from original director and cast? Another excellent sign.
And finally, it appears that we may get the best of both worlds cast-wise. Variety says the idea is to get the old gang back together in some capacity, while the Hollywood Reporter says that while original cast members may appear, the focus will be on a new group of ghostbusters. Either way, all signs point to some infusion of new talent. For example, E! has a quote from Dan Aykroyd implying he would love to have the Apatow comedy troupe involved. This is a good thing, because I'd hate to see the old ghostbusters strapping on their proton packs only to complain about how heavy they suddenly feel. I'd be worried a movie that only reunites the old cast one last time would feel too much like Wild Hogs.

So while there's a lot still up in the air, this news gets a big fat yay from me so far! What do you think? Are you excited for a third installment of this movie, and does it sound to you like it could actually be good? What actors would you want to see in a potential new cast? If you're not as pumped as I am yet, I dug up a little music video that I think might do the trick, so

Source

Holiday Fun: "How the Sith Stole Christmas"

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 11:51:47 PST

In this 16-minute fan film, animators spoof the beloved "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" story by combining it with aspects of the Star Wars series. Plenty of laughs to be had for both Dr. Seuss and George Lucas fans. May the Force be Grinched.

Movie Night: Holiday Films For Kids and Adults

BuzzSugar — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 09:30:44 PST

So many movies, so little time. Thankfully, BuzzSugar is here to help you sort through them all! Every Thursday, we'll choose a theme for a weekend Movie Night and feature three must-see movies in keeping with the topic.

This week's Movie Night: family holiday films that won't drive you nuts. If you often find yourself watching holiday movies with the youngsters in your family, it kind of kills the mood when you audibly groan and yawn. Here are three movies that will entertain the tots and keep you from nodding off in the corner like a granny.

Elf
Elf tells the story of Buddy (Will Ferrell), who was swept away to the North Pole as a boy and raised by elves. Despite the obvious physical differences between he and his elfin peers, Buddy considers himself one of them, until his foster dad (Bob Newhart) reveals the truth. Then it's off to Manhattan, where Buddy hopes to reconnect with his real father (James Caan). Dry-witted Zooey Deschanel stars as Buddy's love interest, who works as an elf at a department store. There is plenty of visual comedy that will appeal to the little ones, as well grown-up jokes to keep everyone in the room chuckling.

To see the rest,

A Charlie Brown Christmas
This tried-and-true classic tells the tale of Charlie Brown struggling to find the true meaning of Christmas in an increasingly materialistic society. Although originally released in 1965, the theme of this movie is even more relevant today. The basic animation proves that, while Pixar is impressive, the cartoons of the '60s are just as enjoyable, and sweet in their simplicity. Plus, it's always comforting to hear that familiar tune by Vince Guaraldi, "Christmas Time Is Here," which made it onto my Christmas playlist.

Olive, The Other Reindeer
"The Simpsons" animator Matt Groening helped adapt this popular children's book into a funny and unique television special. Olive is a dog who mishears the lyric "All of the other reindeer..." and assumes that she, Olive, is a reindeer. When she learns that Blitzen has broken his leg, she sets off for the North Pole. Along the way she finds a sidekick in Martini the penguin, who sells stolen goods. Adults will appreciate the punny humor (the bartender's name is Round John Virgin) as well as the all-star voices, including Drew Barrymore as Olive and R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe. Meanwhile, children will enjoy the colorful animation and the heroic efforts of scrappy little Olive.

Source, Source, and Source

The Great Gatsby Trailer: DiCaprio Always Looks So Cool

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 23 May 2012 07:22:46 PDT

The trailer for Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of The Great Gatsby is everything I hoped it would be: visually stunning, stylish, and sexy. Of course, he has the benefit of his source material being set in the 1920s, a period that offers amazing costumes, cars, and sets, especially when the story focuses on the elite and their lavish parties. At the center of those parties is Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), a mysteriously wealthy man who enjoys throwing big, fancy events but doesn't seem to relish the attention that goes with them. He prefers to watch from afar, particularly when it comes to Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan), a naive but beautiful young woman in an unhappy marriage, whom Gatsby admires.

If you had to read the story in high school like most of us did, then you know how narrator Nick (Tobey Maguire)'s story goes. There's sex, scandal, and tragedy as we learn more about the inner workings of the upper class. This is all hinted at in the preview, along with Luhrmann's signature polish that's reminiscent of his smash hit Moulin Rouge. My only gripe is that the Kanye song feels a bit out of place, but that hardly impedes my excitement for this movie. The Great Gatsby doesn't hit theaters until Christmas, but take a peek at the trailer when you

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Tom Cruise on His Beautiful, Creative Wife and Growing Up Without His Dad Around

Allie Merriam — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:33:00 PDT

Tom Cruise chatted with Playboy about his new movie Rock of Ages, but the conversation between the actor and interviewer Michael Fleming got quite personal. No stranger to promoting movies, Tom is happy to discuss his career and ambitions, but rarely talks about his childhood. However, in Playboy, Tom gave a great deal of insight about growing up with his mom and sisters, but not his dad. Tom also spoke about the tough career time he went through in 2005 after PR-unwise interviews on the Today show and Oprah. Tom additionally had nothing but kind words to say about his wife Katie Holmes and their family. Here are highlights:

On loving Katie: "She is an extraordinary person, and if you spent five minutes with her, you'd see it. Everything she does, she does with this beautiful creativity. When she becomes interested in something, she doesn't talk about it, she does it. One week I said to her, 'You've been up in the middle of the night. Is everything okay?' She smiled and then threw this thing on my desk and said, 'I wrote this script.' She wanted to try it, and she did. She wanted to try designing clothes, and now her line is wonderful and, to me, an example of how she just creates beautiful things in her life. She has a voice and warmth as an artist, as a mother. She's funny and charming, and when she walks into the room, I just feel better. I’m a romantic. I like doing things like creating romantic dinners, and she enjoys that. I don't know what to say - I'm just happy, and I have been since the moment I met her. What we have is very special."
On growing up without his dad around: "It wasn't a big conflict when I was growing up; that's just the way it was. I don't look back and feel bad. I know some people do, but it's not a burden I carry through life. It's more like, OK, this happened. That's how he behaved, that's how he did things. He tried, but it just was who he was. Traveling has given me a broader understanding of people, and I've always been interested in the similarities we have and why people make certain choices in life. I got an introduction to that as a young child, but it never felt like a weight I carried on my shoulders."
On how he looks so young: "I honestly have no idea. [laughs] I work. I'm always with family. I train, go without sleep. I just go hard."

To read more about what Tom says on having the same values as when he was a child, not caring about bad press, and his tough times in 2005, just read more

Dark Shadows: Should Have Stayed Buried

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 11 May 2012 03:05:00 PDT

Bringing back a 1960s TV series about a vampire sounds like a perfect job for director Tim Burton, who became a modern master of cinematic goth with movies like Batman, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Sleepy Hollow. But even with star and frequent collaborator Johnny Depp, the film adaptation of Dark Shadows fails to live up to Burton's previous work. Sadly, it feels more like a lazy, scattered project from someone trying to imitate Burton's style.

Depp stars as Barnabus Collins, a man who is turned into a vampire in the late 1700s by Angelique (Eva Green), a witch whose heart he has broken. After his loved ones are killed by Angelique, Barnabus is buried for 200 years until he's accidentally dug up. Back in his mansion in the 1970s, he gets acquainted with the existing Collins clan (including Michelle Pfeiffer and Chloë Grace Moretz), and sets about building a relationship with them, reinvigorating the family business, and going head-to-head with Angelique - who's been thriving for centuries. There's certainly a lot going on in, but none of it is compelling enough to make a satisfying movie.

To find out what else I thought of the movie, just keep reading.

Buzz Lines: What's Your Favorite Quote From Christmas Vacation?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:05:00 PST

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is one of those festive films perfectly fit for a holiday movie marathon. The Griswold family comes together to celebrate Christmas, but patriarch Clark (Chevy Chase) has a run of bad luck he just can't seem to beat. Despite all the dry humor and gross gags, Christmas Vacation always manages to touch our hearts with its sweet Yuletide spirit. If you love the Griswold clan as much as we do, be sure to add your favorite quotes from the flick after you check out a few of ours.

"Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?" - Clark
"Burn some dust here. Eat my rubber." - Clark
"Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, kiss my ass. Kiss his ass. Kiss your ass. Happy Hanukkah." - Clark