BuzzSugar

Trailer: Return to Narnia With The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

BuzzSugar — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:30:00 PDT

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and the rest of the C.S. Lewis series were some of my favorite books growing up, so I've always had a soft spot for the Chronicles of Narnia movies (not to mention, I could listen to Aslan all day - Liam Neeson's voice is so soothing!). The first entry in the franchise garnered attention with its cinematography and all-star cast (remember James McAvoy as fawn Mr. Tumnus?), but the franchise slipped with the last film, Prince Caspian. Luckily, the best part of that flick - the incredibly nice to look at Ben Barnes - is back for this third installment, along with a bevy of gorgeous scenery.

In The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Lucy, Edmund, and their cousin Eustace return to the alternate world when a painting washes them into the ocean. There, they climb aboard the ship the Dawn Treader, where Caspian and Reepicheep await, and set out to find the seven lost lords of Narnia. The two older Pevensies sit this story out, so I'll be curious to see how the movie fares without them; however, this preview does a good job of getting me excited (the sweeping music helps). It's a holiday release (Dec. 10), but peep the trailer when you

Buzz News Roundup, 12/29

BuzzSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:45:19 PST

Singer Eartha Kitt died Thursday at age 81. - AP
20th Century Fox has won a ruling against Warner Bros. towards their claim over the rights to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' graphic novel Watchmen. - ComingSoon
Dr. Horrible and Slumdog Millionaire have made AFI's list of the top entertainment moments of '08. - Zap2it
Whoa, someone's leaving Privileged. - Entertainment Weekly
Disney will not produce or finance the next Chronicles of Narnia movie. - The Hollywood Reporter
Alex "Dr. Corday" Kingston's return to ER will air Jan. 15. - TV Guide
Taylor Swift's Fearless topped album sales over the holiday. - Variety

Source

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:30:50 PST

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 my picks below, you can also bring home the comedy Step Brothers today.

X-Files: I Want to Believe
Rejoice, X-Files fans: The most recent addition to the beloved sci-fi saga has arrived on DVD. The movie didn't receive stellar reviews but I don't think that will matter to those who are looking forward to seeing Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) get back on a case together. This mystery involves a missing FBI agent and a psychic priest (played by Billy Connolly). Amanda Peet also appears in the movie as a young agent.

Special features include audio commentary by show creators/movie collaborators Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, a special makeup effects featurette, deleted scenes, and a gag reel.

Two more good ones up next, so

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Is there anything more fun than curling up in a blanket with a Narnia movie and something yummy to sip on? I don't think so. I saw this in the theaters and while I had some nits to pick with it, it's hard not to succumb to the magic and whimsy of this favorite childhood book coming to life on the screen. Another pro for me? That the guy playing Prince Caspian, Ben Barnes, is way cuter than I even imagined the good prince to be.

Special features include audio commentary with director Andrew Adamson, bloopers, deleted scenes, and an in-depth look at the talking animals and walking trees that make up the magical world of Narnia.

Wanted
Wanted stars James McAvoy who plays poor, spineless Wesley, an accountant with major anxiety issues who meets Fox (Angelina Jolie), a hot lady who tells him his recently deceased father was actually a talented member of an assassins circle known as The Fraternity. The Fraternity's leader Sloan (Morgan Freeman) recruits Wesley into the ring to go after his father's murderer. What follows is a movie full of guns, blood, and bullets, all of which is now yours to take home to watch in the comfort of your own home.

Special features include extended scenes and a look at the making of the film's special effects.

Do You Want There to Be More Narnia Movies?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:30:56 PST

Media insider press releases can be fairly dull, but there's an intriguing blurb in this one announcing the departure of a Walden Media co-founder:

[Cary] Granat will be Walden's creative consultant on the third installment in The Chronicles of Narnia franchise - Voyage of the Dawn Treader - which the company hopes to greenlight soon.

Greenlight soon? So it's not already going?

While the first two movies did well at the box office, the second film, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, got mixed reviews, which may have dampened the overall affection for the franchise. Already there were rumors that the third film could be the last in the series, and now I'm curious if you're worried that it's not yet greenlit. Has your excitement for Narnia movies has worn off a little? Or do you hope they keep working their way through the book series?

Source

Should Young Adult Authors Be Careful With Their Messages?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:30:36 PDT

Now that the Twilight series's popularity has reached a deafening pitch with the release of Breaking Dawn, there is starting to be a bit of blowback, particularly concerning the messages it might be sending to young, female readers. Many have noted Bella's low self-esteem, stating that she may not be the best role model for the young tweens captivated by this tale of vampire love.

But Twilight is not the first young adult series to cause a stir. C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia books were often accused of having heavy religious undertones, while Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy (which includes The Golden Compass) has weathered the opposite criticism as a purportedly negative portrayal of organized religion.

Do you think young adult authors have a greater responsibility to their readers when it comes to messages they might be sending? Or is the simple fact that they get kids reading good enough?

Source

Continue or Kill: The Chronicles of Narnia Movies

Lauren Bradshaw — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:21:55 PDT

There's actually talk of making another The Chronicles of Narnia movie? Michael Flaherty, the cofounder and president of Walden Media, says there are plans to bring The Magician's Nephew to the big screen, the sixth book in the C.S. Lewis series (thereby skipping The Silver Chair and The Horse and His Boy). Even though Flaherty admits the project doesn't have the green light just yet, discussions are underway.

I can't imagine the film actually getting made. Even though I grew up loving the books, the movie versions have faltered ever since The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe came to theaters. Though that one reached relative box office success, the sequels Prince Caspian and Voyage of the Dawn Treader brought in fewer ticket sales and received lower marks from critics. It's doubtful that the franchise can reverse its luck at this point, so perhaps it's better to just put it to bed. Do you agree, or would you gladly give it another shot?

What to Rent: New DVDs This Week

BuzzSugar — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 05:30:00 PDT

Tron: Legacy

This film follows up the 1982 original Tron, with Jeff Bridges reprising his role as Kevin Flynn. Flynn has gotten sucked into the Grid, a virtual world he created, and has been missing for 20 years. It's up to his grown son Sam (Garrett Hedlund) to enter the cold, video game-like world of the Grid to find him. Olivia Wilde also costars as Quorra, an ally in the Grid and love interest for Sam. GeekSugar loved the movie because of its impressive visual effects and eerie soundtrack, courtesy of Daft Punk. DVD extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes and deleted scenes.

49%

Little Fockers

Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro are back as Greg and Jack, still sparring as in-laws. Though Greg has earned his place in the family, Jack still has his eye on him and the two newest Fockers, the twin children of Pam and Greg. The film has a flimsy plot - Jack wants to prevent Greg from cheating on his wife with sexy pharmaceutical rep Jessica Alba - but there are still a decent amount of laughs. Extras on the DVD include a gag reel, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and an alternate opening and ending.

See one more available new release when you

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Narnia franchise picks up with this third installment, in which the Pevensie children travel back to the magical land for another trip. This time, they're in for a journey on the ship The Dawn Treader with Prince Caspian. The film is fine for kids and features plenty of special effects and adventure, but it lacks the oomph of other recent fantasy films. Among the DVD extras you'll find deleted scenes, a director's commentary track, a game, and 10 featurettes.

50%

Box Office: Little Fockers Ring In the New Year

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 04:00:00 PST

It was another lackluster holiday weekend at the box office, and once again, Little Fockers came out on top. Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller's comedy took in $26.3 million over the weekend, though it was True Grit that really made waves. The film stayed in second place with $24.5 million, but the Western has already grossed more than Oscar winner No Country For Old Men, making it the biggest film for the Coen brothers to date.

Tron: Legacy stayed in third with $18.3 million, while Yogi Bear climbed a notch to fourth with $13 million. Completing the top five was The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader with $10.5 million.

Overall, numbers were down from this weekend last year, but perhaps a new slate of 2011 movies will help the tides change in the coming weeks.

Watch SNL's "Lazy Sunday 2"

Becky Kirsch — Sun, 20 May 2012 16:43:37 PDT

"Lazy Sunday" was one of the skits that made Saturday Night Live's digital shorts wildly popular, so I'm kind of surprised it's taken this long for The Lonely Island to put out a sequel. No matter, though, because Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell teamed up yet again for this weekend's episode, with the aptly titled "Lazy Sunday 2." This time around, the guys are off to see Sister Act instead of The Chronicles of Narnia with some hilarious lyrics about the joys of late brunching and beyond.

Watch it when you

Harry Potter Spell or Chronicles of Narnia Terminology?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:49:02 PDT

Continuing in the countdown to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, today I'm putting Hogwarts up against a magical land of another kind: Narnia. Many of you mentioned that The Chronicles of Narnia is your all-time favorite book series, but can you tell the difference between spells of the wizarding world and jargon from the land beyond the wardrobe?

Take the Quiz