BuzzSugar

Horton Hears A Who Marks Biggest 2008 Box Office Opening So Far

BuzzSugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 08:30:00 PDT

Opening to the tune of over $45 million in box office sales this weekend, Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears A Who has nabbed the best opening weekend so far in 2008. The title previously belonged to the January release of Cloverfield which raked in $41 million. Twentieth Century Fox's senior VP of distribution Chris Aronson quipped about Horton's success, "It's a who-mongous opening."

In second place, pulling in way less than Horton's giant pile o' cash was last weekend's holdover, 10,000 B.C. with $16.4 million, followed by Never Back Down, a martial arts drama that took in $8.6 million. College Road Trip was No. 4, with oldie-but-goody Vantage Point rounding out the top five. New release Doomsday did poorer than was expected, coming in at No. 7 with $4.7 million.

This weekend it'll be interesting to see if any of the newbies will be able to knock off Horton's crown: Drillbit Taylor starring Owen Wilson, Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns and the Joshua Jackson thriller Shutter will be the only real competitors.

Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Sugar Bits - Sienna Miller and Rhys Ifans May Be Engaged

PopSugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 09:32:08 PDT

Sienna Miller is apparently engaged to Rhys Ifans after accepting his third proposal. - The Mirror
10,000 BC took the top spot at the weekend box office, followed by College Road Trip and Vantage Point. - BuzzSugar
After expressing her desire for another child, Kimora Lee Simmons is apparently expecting a baby with her boyfriend, Djimon Hounsou! - Page Six
Helena Christensen and Josh Hartnett have ended their relationship after dating for the past year. - Gatecrasher
Pussycat Doll Carmit Bachar announced that she is leaving the group through a message on the band's website. - The Pussycat Dolls
Lisa Marie Presley is suing a British newspaper that claimed she'd "gained weight like her father Elvis," when, in fact, she's pregnant with her third child. - Reuters
ICYMI, Matt and Luciana Damon are expecting their second child!

Box Office: 10,000 B.C. Has a Mammoth of a Weekend

BuzzSugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:30:00 PDT

The lion's share of box office dollars went to director Roland Emmerich's 10,000 B.C. which earned an estimated $35 million. This same weekend last year saw the outrageous success of 300, but while 10,000 B.C.'s opening comes nowhere near the debut weekend of that blockbuster, it still fulfilled studio expectations, Variety reports.

Disney's College Road Trip starring Raven-Simone and Martin Lawrence secured second place, despite poor reviews. Vantage Point and Semi-Pro took the third and fourth spots, respectively. Coming in at No. 5 was the R-rated bank heist thriller The Bank Job, which stars Jason Statham. The Other Boleyn Girl fell three spots this weekend to seventh place behind The Spiderwick Chronicles which was No. 6.

The charming Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day failed to crack the top ten (rounded out by Jumper, Step Up 2 the Street, and Fool's Gold) as it was only playing in limited release. Not an Oscar nominee in sight for the top 10 this week, so it looks like awards season might officially be over.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

College Road Trip: Not Many People Will Be Raven About It

BuzzSugar — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 10:07:06 PDT

I should start by saying I understand that what I think is funny is probably different than what a ten-year-old kid thinks is funny. However, I'm going to base this review on the fact that parents have to go to these things, too. For an adult, College Road Trip, starring Raven Symone and comedian Martin Lawrence, is an exhausting experience. But when I noticed the little girl in the seat next to me could hardly contain her laughter, I realized I was watching the movie equivalent of a drum set: the kids love it, but heaven help the parents who have to listen to that racket.

Directed by Roger Kumble (Cruel Intentions), the movie has a simple premise: a bright high school senior named Melanie Porter (Simone) wants to go to Georgetown University. Her overprotective police chief father would rather she attend Northwestern as it is located close to their suburban Chicago home. When Melanie gets her chance to interview at Georgetown, her father volunteers to drive her there with the hope of persuading her against that school through all kinds of wacky, strange plotting. It's not the simple minded storyline, nor the one-dimensional characters that makes this movie so perplexing, but what everyone involved with this film considers funny.

For more about why I think you should approach this movie with caution,

I kept hoping the tender father-daughter bonding moments that break up the movie's incomprehensible zany sequences would last longer because that's where both leads shine. While the material was weak during those moments, I could see glimpses of what might have been: a sweet, funny little movie about leaving the nest. Mostly though, it's just a lot of the slapstick comedy routines and timing that belongs on a half-hour TV sitcom.

Simone in particular knee-jerked into overacting mode straight out of the Scooby-Doo school of drama: "scared" is portrayed with huge bulging eyes and exaggerated trembles, "happy" is a painfully wide grin and high-pitch screaming. It's a shame because she shows many signs that she's better than this, and hopefully she'll learn how to reel it in - just a tad - over time.

Also, there's Donny Osmond. In a real acting stretch for him, he plays a gratingly peppy guy who's eyeballs are perpetually bulging out of his face, too. They all must have shared the same acting coach. Like I said, the kids, they'll laugh at almost anything, but just like parents get to hold a grudge against the aunt that bought the drum set, I think we can be a little peeved at Disney for this one.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney

One Woman's Quest for the Best: The Fastest, Farthest Female Inline Skate

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:23:05 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar!

Over the next few months, families will travel across the U.S. via plane, train or car during summer road trips. Kacie Fischer will be covering the same distance (nearly 4,000 miles, on her route), but on inline skates. . . and in just 74 days. If she reaches her goal, Fischer will also be breaking five Guinness World Records in the process.

We caught up with Fischer, a Promax DOer, after a long day of skating to get the backstory about her fit trip which has been two years in the making.

How did you get started with inline skating?

I started skating when I was 7, but didn’t start skating longer distances until I was cross training as a college runner. I found that I could travel a lot farther and see a lot more, plus it was a lot more exhilarating-try flying down a hill at 40+ miles per hour! Inline skating is like running on steroids.

More of Kacie's interview after the break.

18 Spring Activities to Get Your Geek on

Laura Marie Given — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:42:00 PDT

Whether you prefer to be in the kitchen or on the road, we've come up with several creative ideas to keep you busy this Spring. Looking for some new pastimes? From DIYs to nerdy day trips, we've got 18 fun, geeky ideas to get you through the season.

Have a documentary marathon: Not sure where to start? Check out Frozen Planet, a seven-part series from the team behind Planet Earth, to learn more about climate changes (and adorable animals!) in the Poles.
Become an amateur astronomer: Pick an especially clear night and look at the stars with the 5 Stars Astronomy Guide App. It's simple: hold your phone to the sky and you'll learn all about the constellation in front of you.
Host a Comic-Con party: Get your pals to dress up as their favorite comic book characters and go for bold, bright decorations. Keep your favorite comic-inspired flicks playing in the background and serve drinks in these Vintage DC Comic Tumblers ($125 for 6).
Try a coding class: Do a bit of research to find local coding classes at a community college. Sign up solo or invite your Internet-obsessed pals to join so that you can help each other learn the HTML ropes.

Keep reading for more geeky things to do.

8 Frugal Summer Vacation Ideas

Wise Bread — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:15:37 PDT

If you're thinking of forgoing your usual Summer travel plans due to high prices, you should consider these frugal trip ideas from Wise Bread.

The sky is brighter, the air is warming up, and the layers of clothes are getting peeled off. That can only mean one thing - summer is near.

One of the things that I love most about going on vacation is the chance to break out of my everyday routine, eat crappy foods guilt-free, and stay up blissfully late watching as much trashy reality TV as I please. Setting aside daily responsibilities, trying new things, being in a different space, and having carefree fun is refreshing. But while it’d be nice to go to Fiji or another distant tropical paradise, that just isn't reality for a lot of us.

So what do you do when money is tight, you don’t want to get further into debt, and you really need a vacation? You still take a vacation, but just a frugal one. One that your budget will love. Here are eight frugal summer vacation ideas to get you going.

1. The All-American, Almighty Road-Trip Vacation

About 10 years ago, my husband was able to travel through 30 different states in the span of a month and a half with a friend in a $400 1982 Chevy Sprint. It’s an experience he’ll never forget, and while gas prices do get high in the summer, the road trip is still one of the cheapest options for frugal vacations. Grab a map, pack a large cooler, stop at grocery stores along the way, sing cheesy songs, tell stories you’ve never told before, watch the sun rise and set, and make yourself some memories. (This can be combined with the “I Had No Idea There Were Over 400 National Parks” vacation below, if you’re feeling adventurous.)

2. The Infamous Staycation Vacation

Set a time frame. If you can only get two to three days off from work (or less), that’s OK! This is how you do it - turn off the phones, put an auto reply on your email, turn off the computer (and really keep it off), don’t check your usual social media feeds, and really allow yourself a break from everyday life and the technology that comes along with it. Then go to the grocery store and get sundae supplies: ice cream, candy toppings, hot fudge, caramel, and whipped cream, and why not throw in some cherries too? You are on vacation after all! Rent those guilty-pleasure movies you’ve been wanting to see, and settle in for a movie marathon. Those books and magazines that have been stacking up? This is the time to read them! Those museum exhibits you’ve been dying to see but just don’t have the time for? Go check ‘em out! Hanging with friends on a patio on a random Tuesday night? Go for it! The point is to have fun, indulge in some pleasures you normally don’t get to, and get out of your normal routine.

Read on for more ideas.

As Madewell's Epic Road Trip Begins, Creative Director Shares Her Wardrobe Must Haves

Noria Morales — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:23:41 PDT

Madewell launched a massive road trip yesterday, using a vintage Airstream as a kind of nomadic pop-up shop to bring its awesome (we can personally vouch for this) denim to cities and college campuses from Boston to Seattle. We stopped by the Airstream yesterday morning to share coffee, donuts, and Spring shopping tips with Kin Ying Lee, the ever hospitable and eternally cool creative director of Madewell who, by the way, was wearing a pair of floral-print corduroys from the forthcoming holiday collection. That means printed pants are not going away, yay! To get Kin's rundown on Spring basics, read below, and if you want to see this seriously cool refurbished Airstream (boasting dressing rooms, a denim bar, racks of clothes, and iPad docks so you can order whatever you want from the Madewell site), check out its special map for this road trip paved in denim.

Creative Director for Madewell Kin Ying Lee's Spring shopping essentials:

A chambray shirt: "This is key. I wear one ALL the time. It's great because you can layer with it, and wear it open. I wear it as a jacket as well."
Skinny ankle: "These look amazing with heels, sandals, short boots. It's a great denim jean for Spring because it's got a shorter inseam so it hits right at your ankle. You can show off those manicured feet. It's really sexy."
The boy jean: "I think in Spring and Summer you want something that's not so tight. A boy jean gives you that little slouch, and that casual, more effortless look. This and the skinny ankle are my two go-to jeans."
The crisp jacket: "More for layering, I like that it has a little structure, a little more tailored."
A burst of color: "Even if it's just a great t-shirt or a silk shirt, it gives you a little splash of color."
Shift dress: "It's straighter, that fit is great and friendly, because not everyone can wear a waisted dress."

Financial Time Line For 20-Somethings

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:15:14 PDT

While we'd like to blame the economy, Generation Y - often called the Boomerang Generation of Americans born in the '80s and '90s - have earned that snide title for their inability to land jobs after college and for commonly moving back in with the folks several years after graduation. In an effort to move away from this common trend, here's a list of goals and a realistic time line to help you move toward an independent, adult life.

Last Year of School and Graduation

While some college students apply for jobs or graduate programs during their last semester of school, you might feel overloaded if you start the search while you have a full schedule of classes, an internship, and even a part-time job. Rather than trying to juggle all of those tasks at once, focus on completing your degree. Do make use of your college career services, so you have websites and resources at hand when you are ready to seriously start the hunt.

If you have savings or financial support from your parents, go to Europe or take that dream vacation you've always wanted. It's important to take a break after graduation to decompress before jumping into a job search or a new job. Even if it's just a road trip with your friends, take the opportunity to celebrate your graduation.

Click here to read what to do during your first and second year after graduation.

Easy Steps For First-Time Taxpayers

Kiplinger — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:08:06 PST

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

If you got your first job last year, you may have been agitated every payday to see how much of your salary was going to the tax man. If you’re like most taxpayers, tax filing time is payback time. So don’t think of filling out your tax forms as a pain. Instead, think of it as sending a bill to the IRS, demanding a refund of the amount by which you overpaid your taxes in 2011. Every year, three out of four filers get refunds.

Do you have to file? That depends on your income in 2011 and whether or not your folks will claim you as a dependent on their return (as is often the case for the year you graduate from college). If you are a dependent, you have to file if your gross income was at least $5,800; if they don’t claim you, the threshold is higher: $9,500. But even if you don’t have to file, you’ll want to, in order to reclaim income tax withheld from your paycheck.

Don’t treat your tax return like a term paper . . . by leaving it until the last minute. The absolute due date this year is April 17 (it was pushed back because April 15 falls on a Sunday and the next day is a holiday in the District of Columbia). However, the earlier you file, the better, since you will receive the money faster.

What you need. If you’ve filed before, the best way to prep for tax season is to use last year’s tax return as a road map. You can find the federal and state forms you need online at irs.gov or through the website of the Federation of Tax Administrators. Also, keep an eye out for important tax documents that come in the mail, such as the W-2 form from your employer or 1099 forms if you did freelance work. Employers should have sent these forms out by January 31. If not, give them a call.

Start with the feds. Since state forms often ask for numbers from your federal return, you’ll want to do the federal form first. Most young taxpayers can file the 1040EZ, which is the easiest form and has no supplementary forms. To qualify, you cannot claim any dependents and your taxable income must be less than $100,000.

But don’t shy away from longer forms - the 1040A or the full-fledged 1040 - if one of them is your ticket to tax savings.

Read on for more.