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Patrick Swayze Tribute: Favorite Screen Moments

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:33:44 -0700

Yesterday, Patrick Swayze tragically passed away at the age of 57. To celebrate his life and acting career, I've compiled my favorite movies and TV appearances by Swayze. From his iconic role in Dirty Dancing to smaller roles that made me smile, enjoy the bright moments of a truly memorable career.

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Would You Go See a Donnie Darko Sequel?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:30:06 -0700

There's a crazy bit of news floating around today that the 2001 cult classic, Donnie Darko might get a sequel. According to one story, this new film would pick up "seven years after the first film when little sister Samantha Darko and her best friend Corey are now 18 and on a roadtrip to Los Angeles when they are plagued by bizarre visions."

Daveigh Chase, who originally played Donnie's sister, is on board and but that's about it from the original Darko team.

The first film earned a devoted following due to writer-director Richard Kelly's knack for eerie, strange storytelling. Dorm room conversations have never been the same ever since Kelly tantalized his fans with philosophies about time travel and alternate universes. Seriously, people have spent a lot of time breaking down this movie! It's hard to imagine these folks would be happy with a sequel without his involvement or at the very least his blessing.

What do you think? Is this something you would check out?

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Happy Easter!

BuzzSugar — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 05:06:34 -0700

Happy Easter, readers! From all of us at BuzzSugar - including our imaginary bunny friends - have a safe and pleasant holiday.

Movie Night: Films With Rabbits

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 13:20:23 -0700

This Easter weekend, bunny-related things will be everywhere, so I thought I'd add to the frenzy with a rabbit-themed Movie Night! The bunnies in these films aren't necessarily the cuddly springtime icons we normally associate with Easter, because those kinds of bunnies don't make the greatest movie characters. So grab your pile of Peeps and prepare for a "hare-raising" night. (I know, sorry, sorry.)

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
If you're familiar with Wallace and Gromit, then you may already adore this movie, and if you're not, this is a perfect opportunity to fall in love with the endearing British duo. Bucktoothed, cheese-loving inventor Wallace and his mute, loyal dog Gromit are determined to solve the case of a giant were-rabbit (like werewolf, but a rabbit) who is terrorizing the town's vegetable growers. Watching this film I had to marvel at how completely entertaining a claymation movie can be for a grown-up, and I appreciated the many adult jokes.

Two more bunny-licious picks, so read more

Donnie Darko
Before Jake Gyllenhaal was a superhot celebrity, he was the quiet angsty teen in Donnie Darko, a twisty psychological thriller. Gyllenhaal plays Donnie, a loner who glimpses visions of the future - including his own demise - that nobody else seems to see. He's haunted by a large, creepy rabbit who keeps showing up at random times, and that's how this movie counts as an Easter weekend movie. Jena Malone, Patrick Swayze, and Drew Barrymore help to round out the stellar cast, which also includes Maggie Gyllenhaal as Donnie's sister.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
When this Hollywood detective spoof was released in 1988, it broke new ground in the realm of live action combined with animation. Visually, the movie holds up well, and endless references to classic animation (including the murder victim, Marvin Acme) keep the movie captivating. Bob Hoskins is entertaining as P.I. Eddie Valiant, and you can always amuse yourself by trying to get to the bottom of that rumor about Jessica Rabbit not wearing panties.

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The Box: An Inadequate Package to Unwrap

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:30:56 -0800

I so wanted The Box to be a worthy successor to Donnie Darko, director Richard Kelly's first film and much-appreciated cult fave. Unfortunately, I didn't exactly get my wish.

The Box is a highly stylized, good-looking thriller, from the retro 1976 Virginia setting to the Barbie and Ken looks of leads Cameron Diaz and James Marsden. They play husband and wife Arthur and Norma Lewis, who run into a bit of a financial jam when a strange opportunity conveniently presents itself. A creepy, disfigured man (Frank Langella) offers them a million dollars if they push a button inside a box - but a stranger will die if they do.

Kelly has all the right elements and the creativity to give us a hip, entertaining thriller, but there are a number of blatant missteps that make the movie unsatisfying. To see more about what I mean, just read more.

Kelly puts his stamp on everything, namely the constant eerie atmosphere and the random sinister characters (apparently an old person standing still in the road is his trademark). Though many questioned the casting of Cameron Diaz and her requisite Virginia accent, there was a similar doubt when Drew Barrymore and Patrick Swayze were cast in Darko, and it ended up working. With Diaz, it's not that I would say that she nailed the part, but that the accent and greater aspects of the plot are very campy. And I like campy, but I don't know if that's what the film is going for.

If you're not taking it seriously, the movie is a pretty good time, with some frightening scenes and jumps. There are also many parts that are supposed to be creepy, but they're so labored that they come out as funny. Like, laugh out loud in the theater funny. I wouldn't call that a failure, I'd just invoke the term I used before campy.

The major problem the movie runs into is when it begins exploring these sci-fi and supernatural angles, which end up being red herrings. For instance, much is made of Arthur's job at NASA and Mars, which made me think we were in for a weird, wild sci-fi ride. I was ready to embrace something really out there (I'm a big David Lynch fan, after all), but you don't really get it. There are so many elements that are introduced but never followed to a conclusion, so you're left shrugging your shoulders when the movie ends. It's even more perplexing because the mystery of The Box itself is explained, but you're left with all these details that went nowhere, in retrospect. It's one thing to leave things open-ended, but you have to give the audience something to work with.

Honestly, if you're a Kelly fan, you'll probably find it enjoyable. But if you want complete resolution, I'd wait for the director's cut.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.