BuzzSugar

What Is the Best Vampire Entertainment of 2009?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:30:19 PST

Vampires are everywhere we turn these days, and the trend just keeps getting bigger and bigger. From the Cullens to the Salvatore Brothers to Bill Compton, there's a little something for everyone. But which bloodsuckers are your favorites?

Don't forget to vote on all of my Best of 2009 polls!

Box Office: Paranormal Activity Spooks Its Way to No. 1

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:30:00 PDT

Talk about a shocker! The low-budget underdog Paranormal Activity has been riding its growing popularity all the way to the top - even upsetting the reigning king of horror, the Saw franchise. Paranormal took in $22 million in its first weekend with a wide release, which has execs talking about a possible sequel. Saw VI trailed at No. 2 with only $14.8 million - the worst opening ever for a Saw film.

Completing the rest of the top five was last week's biggest moneymaker, Where the Wild Things Are, which dropped to No. 3 with $14.4 million, followed by Law Abiding Citizen at No. 4 with $12.7 million, and Couples Retreat at No. 5 with $11 million. (The box office newcomers Cirque du Freak and Amelia placed No. 8 and No. 11, respectively.)

Cirque du Freak: An Unnecessary Addition to Vampire Entertainment

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:30:09 PDT

With Halloween just around the corner, October is the perfect time for movie studios to unleash their creepiest films, since we're all in the mood for a good scare. Combine with that the insatiable desire for vampire entertainment, and you've got Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant; a tween fantasy movie that plays out like R.L. Stein's Goosebumps novels on the big screen - but not nearly as scary.

Based on the book series by Darren Shan, Cirque du Freak is the story of Darren (Chris Massoglia), your typical 16-year-old boy trying to quell his high school boredom. Dubbed "Mr. Perfect" by his mischievous best friend Steve, Darren follows the rules, has plenty of friends, and does whatever his parents tell him to do - that is, unless Steve can convince him otherwise. The boys pick up a flyer for the Cirque du Freak and decide to check it out.

That's just the beginning though, so to see what I thought of the film, just

read more. Things go awry when Darren finds himself tangled up in the world behind the Cirque, particularly that of Larten Crepsley, a crotchety vampire who couldn't be bothered with a teenager. When Darren gets himself into a sticky situation, the only way he can bail himself out is by selling his soul to Crepsley, becoming his half-vampire assistant. If you thought sorting out all the vampire lore in Twilight and True Blood was confusing, get ready for the most convoluted yet. In this story, a war is brewing between two breeds: the Vampanese represent the blood-suckers that are all for killing their prey, while the run-of-the mill vamps prefer to sedate, feed, and then letting their victims return to regular life. As a half-vampire who's reluctant to lose what little human qualities he has left, Darren obviously joins Larten Crepsley's team, while his best friend Steve joins the evil Vampanese. As for the actual Cirque du Freak, the group of misfits and outcasts are more X-Men and less Carnivale. The crew includes unusual children who were abandoned by their parents (like "Snake Boy" and "Monkey Girl"), along with a few other vaudeville acts like the Bearded Lady (Salma Hayek) and a woman who can regenerate her limbs (Jane Krakowski). Some are friendly, others are surly, but the cirque in itself is more campy than scary; little hideout is basically an island of misfit toys. The film isn't boring, but it's not exactly packed with pizazz either. Director Paul Weitz was sure to stay on the safer side of the movie's PG-13 rating, rarely pushing the envelope on what could have been a much creepier film. John C. Reilly is always reliable for a good performance, and he has some great comedic timing as the voice of brutal honesty to Darren's naivete. Massoglia gives decent performance for a newbie, and even reminded me of a young Emile Hirsch at times. That said, the movie is also packed with confusing subplots and some truly corny dialogue that evoked collective groans from the audience. If you're looking for a fun movie to get you into the Halloween spirit, this might do the trick. Just make sure you're in a tween state of mind.

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

Hollywood Halloween: 10 Costumes Inspired by This Year's Movies

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:30:59 PDT

Still hunting for that perfect Halloween costume? Never fear, for I am willing to share some of my ideas with you, culled from this year's flicks. Everyone loves a good pop culture reference, and the best part is that these are super easy to put together last minute. From spooky to hilarious, there's a little something for everyone, so take a look.

Are You Tired of Vampire Entertainment?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:15:55 PDT

You'd probably have to have taken up residence beneath a rock to miss the fact that the entertainment world has been experiencing a bit of a vampire craze. There's Twilight, of course, the HBO series True Blood, and the upcoming CW show Vampire Diaries to name just a handful.

This week I saw the trailer for Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant - and groaned. For one thing, I'd envisioned something darker and cooler than the movie seems to be. For another thing, I was way more interested in this project when it was just called Cirque Du Freak. Now it's The Vampire's Assistant.

Are you approaching your breaking point on vampire stuff? Or maybe you've surpassed it? Or can you just not get enough of the vampires?

Salma Hayek Is a Bearded Mama

PopSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:30:06 PDT

Salma Hayek sported some serious facial hair playing the bearded lady on the set of Cirque du Freak in New Orleans last week. The beard may not be gorgeous Salma's best look, but at least she took it off when her precious Valentina was around - seeing mommy like that might be a little scary for a 7-month-old. We love that Salma gets her mommy moments while hard at work, and their time together on set will be a great story for Valentina when she's old enough to see the movie someday.

View 4 Photos ›

Source

Buzz News Roundup, 1/11

BuzzSugar — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 13:35:14 PST

Reuters reports that the Writers Guild of America has canceled its own awards show, promptly after announcing this year's nominees.
According to ComingSoon, Salma Hayek will play the bearded lady in the horror drama Cirque du Freak, which also stars John C. Reilly.
First Reuben and Taylor, now this: Former American Idol contestant Katharine McPhee has also left RCA Records, Billboard reports.
Vanessa Hudgens will star in the coming-of-age dramedy Will, writes The Hollywood Reporter.
Variety reports that Steve Buscemi and Stanley Tucci are starting a production company together.
Forbes wonders: Why so many save-our-show campaigns these days?
The Hollywood Reporter has new details on Sons of Anarchy, a new FX pilot about motorcycle clubs from an executive producer of The Shield.
Variety reports that Olivia Wilde (who plays 13 on House) will star opposite Jack Black in the Judd Apatow-produced "biblical-era comedy" Year One.
Networks are going overboard to make sure people know they have new shows, writes the Wall Street Journal.

Source