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Buzz News Roundup, 5/27

BuzzSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:30:11 -0700

John Lithgow has landed a - ahem - killer role on the upcoming season of Dexter. - The Futon Critic
Dustin Hoffman will star opposite Paul Giamatti in the indie drama Barney's Version, based on Mordecai Richler's final novel. - Variety
Jennifer Westfeldt and John Boyd are the newest cast members of 24 season eight, joining Anil Kapoor and Chris Diamantopoulos. - TV Guide
Eminem's back on top of the Billboard charts this week, while the Glee cast's "Don't Stop Believin'" hits the singles chart at No. 4. - Billboard
HBO's new series Hung will launch after True Blood in June. - Variety
Speaking of HBO, Al Pacino is in talks to portray Dr. Kevorkian in the HBO movie You Don't Know Jack. - Reuters
Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig will star together in a new dramatic play titled A Steady Rain this fall on Broadway. - NY Post
Former Wilco member Jay Bennett died on Sunday at the age of 45. - Billboard

Last Chance Harvey: Realistically Adorable

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:30:15 -0800

Last Chance Harvey tells a basic, simple story of a burgeoning love and one that, in a rare instance, isn't about hard-bodied youngsters. Not so much a May-December romance as, say, October-December, it features two of cinema's most esteemed living actors in a narrative that is all the more lovable for its straightforwardness and simplicity. Simple, basic, straightforward . . . does that sound boring? Somehow, it's actually not.

Dustin Hoffman plays Harvey, an aging pianist who, having given up on his dreams of playing jazz, now struggles to remain relevant in his job composing music for commercials. Kate (Emma Thompson) works at the airport and meets Harvey in one of the airport’s restaurants when Harvey travels to London for his estranged daughter’s wedding. The two sad sacks get to talking and end up spending a pleasant day together, a surprise for both of them. Harvey had planned on attending his daughter’s ceremony and not the reception, but Kate convinces him to go - and he insists she accompany him. They are smitten with each other, but in the end Kate must decide if she truly wants to trust in love again. That's most of the story itself, now for more of my take on it, read more.

Fantastical stories make for wonderful escapism, but part of this movie's charm is how feasible it is and how relatable the main duo is. These are flawed, funny, very human characters, and because their flirtation and even their topics of conversation are so plausible, the sweetness of it all is that much more affecting.

Much of this is due to the pitch-perfect acting. I'm convinced there could be nobody else in these roles besides Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson. What a pair! In the first third or so of the movie, we get to know Harvey mostly as a pitiable, bumbling old man who is desperate to remain relevant in his work. Scene after scene harshly hammers home the fact that Harvey is a relic in a constantly advancing field. What with computers doing all his work, he's not really needed anymore. So, he fights tooth and nail to remain important, which only makes him seem more and more pathetic. We need these cringe-worthy scenes of Harvey's crestfallen face and gradual acceptance of his changing purpose in life, however, so that the payoff later is more intensely sweet - when he delights in getting to know Kate, and when he starts to figure out how he might fit into his daughter's life.

Thompson's Kate, meanwhile, is easy to relate to, full of good humor and kindness and realistic ambitions. She's a very "normal," attractive woman who enjoys children but just didn't do the whole married-with-kids thing years ago. Now she's a little bit older and a little bit sad, but she's not in agonizingly bad shape. She's just going along, doing her thing, not without hope for a slightly sweeter future - much like the rest of us. She is so normal, we root for her all the more, wanting her to succeed and get the guy and have some excitement . . . because that could be any of us up there. Perhaps that is what endears this movie to me so much - it provides a true and comforting sense of hope. It's adorably, realistically hopeful.

Source

Movie Preview: Last Chance Harvey

BuzzSugar — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 13:30:12 -0700

It can be a little obnoxious when the few movies featuring middle-aged folks finding love are melodramatic and poorly done, a la Nights and Rodanthe, which came complete with horses galloping on the beach. I am thankful when Hollywood pays attention to this age group at all, but I feel like there's room for improvement.

So it's a wonderfully pleasant surprise to see a romantic movie starring Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman that looks sweet, plausible, and quirky.

Last Chance Harvey takes place in London, where Harvey (Hoffman) has traveled to attend his daughter's wedding. Even though a wedding ought to be cause for celebration, Harvey's world seems to be unraveling around him and he meets Kate (Thompson) just as he's hit bottom (in a bar, naturally). The story looks sweet and hopeful with both of these tremendous actors sparking a nice chemistry together.

The film opens in limited release on Dec. 26. To check out the trailer and let me know what you think, read more.

Source

Kung Fu Panda: Defies Expectations

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:30:20 -0700

Before seeing Kung Fu Panda, I guessed the plot went something like this: A big dopey Jack Black-voiced panda bear dreams of becoming a kung fu fighter but has to reach deep within himself to find the courage to do so. In the process, the naysayers that surround said panda will learn a little something about judging a book by its cover. And it turns out, this is basically the case. However, going into it I wasn't worried that I knew the storyline, I was worried that it would be dull. If this tired premise isn't done well, it's just boring and a waste of time.

But the truth is, I was surprised and delighted by the filmmakers' decision to just stick to making this movie what it should be: light, visually interesting, and funny. It's as if they were telling us (grown-ups): "Look, we know a movie about a panda doing kung fu is just fun and we're not going to bore you with animated animal soul-searching. Instead, we're going to give you a cute, totally conventional story, without pausing to explore what makes the praying mantis tick."

To which I would like to respond with: thank you DreamWorks! To see why I thoroughly enjoyed myself at this flick and why I think it's the perfect summertime family film, read more.

The word that keeps springing to mind when I think about this movie is "surprising." Jack Black is surprisingly restrained and while there is no mistaking that voice, this is a warmer and fuzzier Jack Black: charming, sweet, a little bumbling, but the nicest guy in the world. And all of those words also describe Po, the chubby, out of shape panda at the center of the story. Po works in his father's noodle shop but dreams of one day becoming a kung fu master like his idols, the Furious Five: Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Crane (David Cross), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Monkey (Jackie Chan), who have all been taught by Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman).

According to a prophesy, it turns out Po is destined to save his village from a scary villain. Po's destiny makes the Furious Five resent him, and it means that the cranky Shifu has to teach the big clumsy panda kung fu. This is where I thought we'd be in for some predictable wax-on-wax-off moments, but again I was surprised by how lovely and irreverent the scenes were between Po and Shifu. Once it's time to get down to business and the kung fu really gets going, it is surprisingly good. It's no Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon but it's genuinely exciting and well-executed.

Another example of smart decision-making has to do with Po's dad - who is a bird. The movie flirts with explaining how this is possible, but hilariously never goes for that father-son moment where he admits Po isn't really his. Instead, we just giggle along with the absurdity of it. In the end, it's a briskly paced movie that is aware of how many times the audience has seen this same thing (be it an animated feature or a martial arts film) and figures a way around all that monotony by piling on the charm and honing in on the sweet nature of the story. You'll probably leave wearing a surprised little smile.

Photos courtesy of Paramount Pictures

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:30:00 -0800

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 the titles below, Awake, a thriller staring Hayden Christensen and Jessica Alba is out on DVD as well.

Into the Wild
There has been no shortage of buzz around this heartbreaking and visually stunning film directed by Sean Penn and starring Emile Hirsh. While it didn't make it as far at the Oscars as many hoped it would, it did make it onto my March Must-Haves, and I know many people are just as excited as I am that this movie is finally out on DVD. Into the Wild is based on the best-selling true story by Jon Krakauer all about a young, upper-middle class man with the world at his feet who decides to part with his normal, steady life in search of adventure. He sets out on a journey across the country and eventually ends up alone in the wilderness of Alaska.

The breathtaking scenery and unforgettable characters, along with the thought-provoking tale of a young man's journey on the path less taken makes for an important and moving film. Special features include interesting information about the true-life inspirations for the movie.

For two more selections, read more.

Things We Lost in the Fire
Starring Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro, Things We Lost in the Fire is Susanne Bier's directorial follow-up to her Oscar-nominated After the Wedding. At first glance, this movie looked melodramatic and depressing but I gave it a shot (after all, who can resist Benicio?) and I'm so glad I did.

The story follows a widow (Berry) attempting to put her life back together after her husband tragically dies. Benicio plays the husband's childhood best friend, now a troubled recovering drug addict, who moves in with the grieving woman and her children. Together they deal with the loss and learn to accept each other, in memory of the man they all cherished. This isn't an escape movie, but it is touching and features some beautiful performances by Berry and Del Toro. Special features include audio commentary and extra scenes.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
First off, until now I've never been concerned that a DVD cover might have the same effect on my vision as looking straight into the sun. Those are some bright colors. Moving on. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium stars Dustin Hoffman as a 243-year-old toy store owner and Natalie Portman as the store's manager. When Mr. Magorium discovers he's not well, he turns to Portman's character to take over his magical world of toys. Lots of colors, slapstick comedy and whimsical fun make this a great choice for family viewing, especially with little ones in the house.

Buzz Brainteaser

BuzzSugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 04:30:00 -0700

Welcome to Buzz Brainteaser, the trivia feature on BuzzSugar! Every weekday I'll test your knowledge about TV shows, music and movies. If you enter in the correct answer, you win points! In the 1982 movie Tootsie, Dustin Hoffman plays Michael Dorsey who dresses as a woman to get an acting role. What is the woman's name he goes by when he is pretending to be female?
Include both the character's first and last name!

Mr. Magorium's Sweet-Smelling Ads

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:35:39 -0700

The Los Angeles Times will feature the first ever advertisement using scented ink in promotion of this November's kids' movie Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. The whimsical film stars Dustin Hoffman as Mr. Magorium, the kooky owner of a magical toy shop. ComingSoon continues:

The Times becomes the first major newspaper in the country to successfully present and implement the pioneering application which adds a rich, new dimension to the medium. Fox Walden seized the opportunity to create new levels of involvement and connection with Southern California's readers and moviegoers and chose the universally beloved frosted cake scent to remind consumers of all ages to be young and have fun.

Times readers will be able to scratch designated areas of the Mr. Magorium ad, which will emit the frosted cake scent made from soy-based ink. "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is about a magical toy store that comes to life," said Jeffrey Godsick, president of marketing at Fox Walden. "So when the Los Angeles Times came to us with the idea to create a magical scratch and sniff ad we felt it was the perfect fit since it brings the ad to life."

How cool is a scratch-and-sniff movie ad? It's gimmicky and, in my prediction, probably unnecessary since I think this movie will do well anyway, but I must say I appreciate the fun idea. Check out the super-cute trailer for Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium before it opens November 16.

Source

First Look: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 07:00:00 -0700

Sure, the newly released full trailer for Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium smacks of Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but there are some key differences:

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is not a remake of a classic movie starring Gene Wilder that was darn near perfect the first time.
Dustin Hoffman as the kooky magic guy is lovable, kindly and endearing, rather than the slightly deranged Willy Wonka (and I love Willy Wonka, but I also like Hoffman's sweetness).
Jason Bateman is in this movie! As you may know, Bateman is one of my favorite people to watch. He even made The Ex almost bearable.

Directed by Zach Helm who wrote Stranger Than Fiction and also starring Natalie Portman, the trailer for Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium looks very cute and possibly quite funny. To take a peek into the wonder emporium, read more

Buzz News Roundup, 6/6

BuzzSugar — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:34:50 -0700

Die-hard "The Price Is Right" fans camped out last night to be able to attend Bob Barker's last taping of the show before he starts his retirement tomorrow, the AP states.
The creator of the fast food documentary Super Size Me, Morgan Spurlock is making another documentary, this time about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, Variety reports.
R. Kelly defies controversy to score his sixth No. 1 album, reports MTV News.
Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld will headline HBO and AEG Live's the Comedy Festival in Las Vegas come November, says Reuters.
Variety has details on New Line's recently bought documentary King of Kong, all about fierce Donkey Kong competitions.
Taking a break from film, Mandy Moore tells Billboard she hopes to tour this Fall.
Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson will team up to star in romantic drama Last Chance Harvey, Reuters reports.
Reuters has news about a Canadian journalist who is suing Judd Apatow for allegedly stealing her story and using it for Knocked Up.
Meanwhile, Variety reports that Seth Rogen's Apatow-produced comedy, Pineapple Express, will be released next August.

Photos courtesy of CBS

Recast The Graduate!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 12:35:48 -0800

Every Wednesday on BuzzSugar, I post a Recast challenge, where I'll ask you to choose new actors for a classic TV show or movie. This week, as we consider how to fill out our Oscar ballots, I've been thinking back on some of my old Academy favorites, like The Graduate, which won for Best Director in 1968 and was nominated in six other categories.

In reality, this film actually was recast several times before director Mike Nichols settled on the actors that have made The Graduate such a beloved classic. For a little movie trivia and to see which characters to recast, read more

Doris Day, Ava Gardner, and Judy Garland were all considered for the part of Mrs. Robinson before the legendary Anne Bancroft was cast.
Jack Nicholson and Robert Redford screen tested for the part of Benjamin, but it was Dustin Hoffman's "awkwardness" that appealed to Nichols.
Patty Duke, Sally Field, and Candice Bergen were among the young women considered for the role of Elaine Robinson.

Now it's your turn to play casting director. If you could recast The Graduate today, who would you pick for the lead characters?

Characters to recast:
Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman)
Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft)
Elaine Robinson (Katharine Ross)