BuzzSugar

Board Games Make Great Movies?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 05:30:00 PDT

Many of us can agree the game of Clue lends itself rather well to film - it is a character-driven murder mystery, after all. Yet now there's a rumor circulating that Monopoly may be made into a movie, which just confuses me. I was pretty bored by that game as a kid, so there would have to be a compelling plot line included for a movie based on a game about real estate.

It got me thinking about just how ridiculous this board game-turned-movie thing could become. What other board games could be brought to the big screen?

Well, I had a few ideas for Hollywood to mull over:

Chutes and Ladders
A harrowing tale of firefighters in peril.

Pictionary
A drama following a tortured artist who loses the power of speech. (Side note: The Pictionary variation with clay ensures a sequel.)

Girl Talk
Like Heathers meets The Craft: Witchy, cliquey teenage girls who can give each other pimples and moral dilemmas, etc.

Candyland
A sobering documentary tracking childhood obesity in the United States. Kiefer Sutherland narrates.

More genius ideas, so

read more Life A thriller set in seemingly idyllic suburbia. Battleship A big-budget action-war movie. Tommy Lee Jones stars. Sorry! A story of bitter betrayal and revenge, in the style of Merchant-Ivory films. Scrabble A gentle tale of a geriatric friendship based on two characters' abnormally advanced vocabulary. Olympia Dukakis and James Cromwell play the leads. Operation A medical drama set in a world where one surgical slip-up has "grave" results.

The Results Are In: Recast Clue

BuzzSugar — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 16:28:57 PDT

Every Wednesday on BuzzSugar, I post a Recast challenge, where I ask you to choose new actors for a classic TV show or movie. The reader who submits the best cast wins a BuzzSugar t-shirt!

It was a lot of fun checking out the recast lists you all submitted for Clue since it's a cast full of varied, interesting and funny people - this may be because it was based on a game that features so many colorful characters. Many of the actors you picked were spot-on, like Saaralynne and yiddidea's pick of Eddie Izzard as Wadsworth, which is pretty much perfect. I also loved redsnapper’s pick of Larry David as Mr. Green and Tiatia's decision to put Kiefer Sutherland in the role of Colonel Mustard. Brilliant!

Altogether, though, I was most excited about JessNess' recast list, so congratulations, JessNess!

To see who JessNess picked and a new cast photo,

read more JessNess' cast: Wadsworth - Hugh Laurie Mrs. White - Helen Mirren Mrs. Peacock - Amy Poehler Prof. Plum - Rowan Atkinson Mr. Green - Rainn Wilson Col. Mustard - Steve Carell Miss Scarlet - Monica Bellucci

Recast Clue and Win a Prize!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:25:32 PDT

Every Wednesday on BuzzSugar, I post a Recast challenge, where I ask you to choose new actors for a classic TV show or movie. The reader who submits the best cast wins a BuzzSugar t-shirt!

There have been so many fantastic recast challenge ideas submitted by you (and keep 'em coming if you have more ideas!), and when I saw WhiplashGirlchild's suggestion for the 1985 movie Clue, I was thrilled, since I've been dying to recast this one.

Everyone has a motive and an arsenal of great lines in this whodunit, and the cast managed to give depth to a movie based on a board game. Madeline Kahn is outstanding as "mourning" widow Mrs. White, and Tim Curry oozes as the overly gracious butler. With such great archetypes - from sultry Miss Scarlet to the mousy Mr. Green - it would be fun to see this movie recast with modern actors. Who would you choose?

Leave your entry in the comment section below, and I'll pick one winner to feature Tuesday, June 19, complete with a "new" cast photo. To see a list of characters to recast and a photo of the BuzzSugar t-shirt,

read more
Characters to recast: Wadsworth (Tim Curry) Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn) Mrs. Peacock (Eileen Brennan) Prof. Plum (Christopher Lloyd) Mr. Green (Michael McKean) Col. Mustard (Martin Mull) Miss Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren) The BuzzSugar t-shirt Source

Safe House: A Standout Thriller

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:05:00 PST

While working for the CIA may seem like a dream job, Matt Weston's (Ryan Reynolds) current position at a Safe House is certainly no picnic. He's a new agent, stationed alone in South Africa, waiting for the chance that he will have a "house guest" (someone who is taken prisoner by the CIA.) Matt's desperately trying to get some field experience so he can be stationed in some other city where he can see a little action. After a year of boredom, his wish comes true when Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) arrives.

I was constantly on the edge of my seat throughout the film, and felt everyone in the theater being equally enraptured with what was unraveling before our eyes. Safe House has high-stakes moments cut with sardonic, nonchalant comedy that Reynolds and Washington both pull off nicely. I felt connected to everyone's struggles, but the plot kept me unsure if I wanted the good guy or the bad guy to come out on top. To find out why Safe House exceeded my expectations, just keep reading.

6 Geeky Valentine's Date Ideas For Photographers

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:12:51 PST

Don't settle for dinner and a movie this Valentine's Day! As photographers, you're both stimulated by the visual elements around you - why not incorporate your favorite pastime (or profession) into your next date? Check out these ideas for a very photo-friendly evening out.

Create a photo scavenger hunt. Each of you write down a random clue, rhyme, or abstract fact about three locations, then exchange clues and have the other person take photos based on the clues received.
Honor your shared love of photography by baking some camera cookies.
Do a bar crawl to hit up the city's best photo booths. Take a set of pics and have a different cocktail at each.
Make funny gifs of your favorite memories together.
Grab your cameras and spend the day snapping photos of your hood.
Say cheese and challenge yourself by posing for self-portraits together using every filter in Instagram or every film style in Hipstamatic in different locations.
Act like a visitor and snap pics at every tourist attraction in your city.
Stay up late to capture light trails on a city street or highway.
Spend some time after dinner perfecting your bokeh skills around town.
Give each other a list of images to capture throughout the day and compare your shots over drinks.

Source: Flickr user BlueGoaॐ☮

50 Geeky Date Ideas For Valentine's Day (and Beyond)

GeekSugar — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:30:10 PST

Coming up short for Valentine's Day date ideas? If you and your sweetheart are more of the geeky persuasion, simply hitting up an overpriced restaurant just won't cut it. We brainstormed 50 date ideas that incorporate science, tech, and video games, for a special Valentine's eve. But don't limit yourself - tackle these date ideas all year!

Bundle up, pack a dinner picnic, and head to the park for some stargazing.
Watch Contact (for the millionth time).
Go to a science museum.
Hit the natural history museum and check out your favorite dino bones.
Go retro - grab a roll of quarters, a slice or two, and hit the pizza parlor arcade.
Build your own planetarium with glow-in-the-dark stickers.
Catch up with the Doctor Who craze by watching the series from the beginning.
Throw a Star Wars party for two.
Whip up a batch of Cloud 9 mojitos (complete with mason jar glasses) and have a Battlestar Galactica marathon.
Visit Nerdy Day Trips and find geeky stuff to do near you.
Go to the planetarium.
Take a dream vacay to the Hobbit Hotel in New Zealand.
Spend a few romantic nights in the Hobbit House of Montana.
Visit the actual Lord of the Rings movie set.
Travel to the Chott el Djerid salt lakes in Tunisia, which were transformed into Luke Skywalker's home on Tatooine.

See the rest of the list after the break!

6 Ways Couples Can Tell They're Financially Ready to Live Together

Business Insider — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:15:47 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Business Insider story here on Savvy!

Moving in together as a couple is more than deciding who gets the "good side" of the bed and finding the best spot to stash the PlayStation.

Not only will you be sharing household bills and probably setting up a joint bank account, but you'll also get up close and personal with your partner's money demons for the first time.

"A husband or wife, even a boyfriend or a girlfriend, is not a financial plan," says Dr. Taffy Wagner, CEO of Money Talk Matters. "We've seen enough drama on Court TV shows."

As a certified personal finance educator and author of Bride and Groom Money Talk FAQ, Wagner's an expert on all things relationships and finances.

Before you start building a bigger closet, make sure you're both ready to merge your finances by checking for these six signs:

1. You can talk money without arguing. Per Wagner: "When you can openly discuss finances without arguing and blaming the other person when there is a financial issue," you're on the right track. "The people in this situation would also be able to discuss a financial issue and reach a viable solution that is best for the overall relationship."

Read on for more.

Pilot Scoop: Bent

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:00:00 PST

NBC's comedy Bent is part of their new midseason lineup, and it stars Amanda Peet and David Walton as two people who can't really stand each other - and obviously become love interests. The half-hour show is set in Venice Beach, and the tone is as relaxed as the beach town setting. If you want to know whether Bent is something you'll want to tune in to, my pilot scoop can clue you in.

What it's about: Amanda Peet plays Alex, a single working mother who hires a contractor, Pete (David Walton) to make over her kitchen. Her uptight personality is challenged by Pete's relaxed, go-with-the-flow mentality, and though they're just client and contractor at first, there is chemistry all over the place.
Where it works: I've loved Peet since her days on the short-lived series Jack and Jill and she brings her effervescent charm (even when Alex is being uptight) to her role here. And Walton is hilarious and her perfect foil. You may remember him from Perfect Couples, which didn't get much of a chance, but Walton was one of the highlights.
Where it doesn't: The show seems like it's going to rely too much on Alex and Pete's will-they-or-won't they relationship. Sexual tension is a classic TV ingredient, but there has to be something more going on, and a kitchen renovation isn't going to cut it.
When it's on: TBA
You might like this show if: You like light, quirky comedy - think Cougar Town.

To watch a preview and see some photos from Bent, just keep reading.

6 Reasons Bachelor Ben's Season Will Be Craziest Yet

Tara Sharp — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:10:00 PST

Host Chris Harrison always promises the current season of The Bachelor will be the most exciting one yet, but if last night's premiere of Ben Flajnik's season is any indication, this may take the rose for the craziest one. While we initially thought the old lady contestant would be the newsmaker, she turned out to be the least of the dramatic moments from the night. From this first episode alone we've gathered some clues as to how Ben's search for "the one" will unfold. Check them out below and let us know in the comments if you agree!

Possible girl-on-girl love: The first feud has begun, between Carrie-Bradshaw-wannabe Jenna and mean girl Monica, who's more interested in her new lady friend than Ben. Watch the video above to see this season's inaugural cat fight evolve into lesbian territory.
Drunk drama: Jenna's disastrous, alcohol-fueled night began with her forgetting the quote she was going to wow Ben with when they first met, creating a very awkward introduction. Then an extremely emotional Jenna spent the rest of the first night talking nonsense, fighting with Monica, and crying in the bathroom so long she was the last contestant to the rose ceremony. Miraculously, she still received a rose.
Brunettes for the win: As soon as the ladies started spilling out of the limos Ben made a comment that he liked the brown-haired beauties, then five out of the seven girls he booted were blondes (naturally or otherwise). Plus, we could've sworn the "in this season of The Bachelor" glimpses of his final lady showed a brunette.
Stripping down: According to the promos, Ben and one of his ladies (who looks like Courtney, the model) bare more than their souls to each other. We see the pair strip down to their birthday suits before frolicking in the ocean, which Ben tells People isn't a big deal. "I have no problem with male nudity. When a beautiful woman asks you to go skinny-dipping on the beach, you don't say no. Granted there are cameras around, but it's a bare butt. It's not that big of a deal to me."
Scent of desperation: If the over-the-top antics of this initial episode are any indication, this season is full of some desperate women. From the rapping to the soccer playing to the horseback riding to the contestant who brought her grandma for good luck, the ladies managed to find very creative ways to try to get the bachelor's attention. And it worked for some, the girl who arrived via horse, Lindzi, received the first impression rose!
Ex-files: In the promos for the season we see a woman surprising Ben in San Francisco, much to the chagrin of the other contestants. It could be an ex-girlfriend, past Bachelor or Bachelorette contestant, or maybe even Jennifer Love Hewitt!

After the jump, see what's coming up in this season of The Bachelor!

Lil Gift Guide: Fun Gift Card Holders

Nicole Abbott — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:26:42 PST

Ah, the fine art of gift-card giving! When Mama simply doesn't have the time or a clue as to what to get a special someone on her list, gift cards are our go-to gift of choice. Everyone could use one! Sure, lots of people frown upon the idea of gift-card giving, but we think it's totally acceptable - if presented in a fun and festive holder! Click through for five creative gift-card holders ideas that'll make the recipient give a lil "ho! ho! ho!".