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Men in Black 3: A Return to (Alien Life) Form

Becky Kirsch — Sat, 26 May 2012 10:29:01 PDT

I saw the original Men in Black movie so long ago that my memories of the film might as well have been zapped with a neuralyzer (that's the memory-erasing device the guys use in the movie, for those of you who are also having trouble recalling the original). What I did retain is that the film was funny, fresh, and silly and that it didn't hold up very well for the 2002 sequel. With that in mind, I had low expectations for Men in Black 3, but the newest installment is just as much fun as the original, and it actually benefits from the 15-year time lapse.

The script for the film is one of its biggest assets and truly sets Men in Black 3 apart from its predecessors. The aliens are still alive and ickier than ever now that they're in 3D, but the story is more focused on the friendship between J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) and how it has evolved over the years. We learn early on that K has been keeping a secret from J all these years, and the mystery drives a wedge between the partners. Meanwhile, a treacherous alien named Boris the Animal (played to hilarious perfection by Flight of the Conchords's Jemaine Clement) breaks out of maximum-security prison and goes back in time to get revenge on K, who arrested him back in the '60s. The day that K had Boris locked up is the key to K's secret, so J heads on a mission back in time to save K and learn the truth.

To see why Men in Black 3 is so much fun, just

Will Smith hasn't been in a movie since 2008's Seven Pounds, and I didn't realize I missed him until I found myself giggling all the way through Men in Black 3. His shtick is still the same (he's one-liners still consistent of dialogue like "Where did you come from? Planet damn?"), but you can't help but love Agent J as he bumbles through the '60s, desperately trying to sell his story to people who don't recognize him - or believe him. You can tell that Smith feels completely comfortable in the role, and in the signature suit, which still looks perfect on him, as he hasn't aged a day.

Tommy Lee Jones is ever the reliable curmudgeon, but the film mines extra laughs when J travels to the '60s and meets a much younger version of his partner, played by Josh Brolin. Brolin looks enough like Jones to pass for him, but it's really his studied delivery and mannerisms that sell the performance. We also get some insight into how K has evolved over the years (he's always had a penchant for cowboy music, but he also used to be a bit of a dreamer), giving the film an extra layer to the enjoyable banter between J and K.

I'm not usually one to gush about 3D, but the special effects really come to life in Men in Black 3 in a way they never did in the first two movies. Not only do the aliens look creepier than ever, but the cartoonish feel of the film is taken to the next level with the 3D aspect, especially with the time-travel thrill-ride element. Much like with the 3D movies from my youth, I found myself shrinking in my seat just to avoid being too close to the alien goo, blood, breath, and beyond. Combined with the welcome return of Will Smith, you've got yourself a fun, mindless blockbuster.

Photos courtesy of Sony

Link Time - Matthew McConaughey to Play Ex-Stripper

BuzzSugar — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:30:36 PDT

Matthew McConaughey joins Magic Mike (aka the male-stripper movie) - Moviefone
Meet Tom Cruise's new leading lady - The Hollywood Reporter
See who will play Andy's parents on The Office - Zap2It
Dakota Fanning and Emma Thompson are teaming up - /Film
Get the latest update on the new season of Dancing With the Stars -Aol TV
Check out Rose McGowan's favorite films - Rotten Tomatoes
Find out what kind of over-the-top spaces you can expect to see on the DIY network's new show - CasaSugar
The creepiest images from the latest trailer of Daniel Radcliffe's new movie - Movieline
Adam Scott lands a leading film role - Cinema Blend

Link Time - Introducing Breaking Dawn's Denali Coven

BuzzSugar — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:30:46 PDT

Mia Maestro, Christian Camargo, Casey LaBow, and MyAnna Buring will portray the Denali coven in Breaking Dawn - MTV.com
Justin Bieber's video for "U Smile" - Vulture
Matthew McConaughey joins Richard Linklater's Bernie - PopWatch
Which Fall show will be canceled next? - TV.com
Zach Galifianakis spoofs The Social Network trailer - Funny or Die
Emma Thompson joins Men in Black 3 - Slash Film
The year's best movies that weren't on the big screen - Moviefone
New music video for Eminem's "No Love" feat. Lil Wayne - HitFix
Maggie Q talks fight scenes - Movieline
Which Justin Timberlake is hotter? - TrèsSugar

Julia and Meryl Lead Hollywood's Finest in Toasting Mike Nichols

PopSugar — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 17:00:00 PDT

Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep were among those who dressed up last night to honor the career of legendary director Mike Nichols. The women were joined by stars from many of Mike's famous films like Dustin Hoffman, who starred in The Graduate, Emma Thompson, Natalie Portman, and Tom Hanks. Julia took the stage to toast Mike, saying, "Mike is one of the few people in the world who's an 'EGOT' - it means he's won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony." She mingled with Oprah Winfrey afterward to catch up since their last chat about Eat, Pray, Love. Harrison Ford also shared kind words about Mike, but he spent most of the evening cuddling up to longtime love Calista Flockhart. The evening was notable for another reason - John Goodman finally showed off his dramatic weight loss, and he made the rounds chatting with Hollywood veterans like Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty.

To see more from the big night, just

View 30 Photos ›

Images include: Natalie Portman, Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Mike Nichols, Candice Bergen, John Goodman, Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart, Cher, Dustin Hoffman, Helen Mirren, Mary-Louise Parker, Taylor Hackford

Inspired: Emma Thompson's Houndstooth Cape

CasaSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:15:53 PST

I'm loving this houndstooth cape that Emma Thompson is sporting in Pirate Radio. Houndstooth, which is characterized by a duotone textile pattern comprised of broken checks, is traditionally seen in black and white, but other color patterns are also common.

Inspired by Emma's fab cape, I looked for more housewares-oriented houndstooth. One of my favorites is this Houndstooth Accent Chair (on sale for $749). Its sleek black arms are a great accent to the nubbier pattern of the fabric.

For even more houndstooth finds, check out the widget.

Emma Thompson Tells Trafficked Woman's Story in Art

TresSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:00:00 PST

Academy-award winning actress Emma Thompson was so moved by the plight of a Moldovan woman who survived being trafficked for sex, she decided to create an art installation that would help viewers to put themselves in Elena's shoes and bring attention to this growing problem.

"Journey," which will be exhibited in New York City Nov. 10 to 16 in Washington Square Park, tells the story of Elena, a woman from the Eastern European republic of Moldova who, at age 18, was promised a secretarial job in England. Instead, once she got there, her passport was confiscated and she was forced into prostitution.

"Journey" consists of seven shipping containers. Each has a keyhole through which the viewer can peer to see a chronology of Elena's story. The first shipping container depicts Elena's childhood and the loss of her father. In another, the viewer can see Elena approached in a Moldovan marketplace and offered work.

Thompson personally curated one of the more disturbing of the shipping containers which depicts Elena's forced prostitution in England. She had Oscar-winning costume designer Sandy Powell design the clothes she was forced to wear, and when the viewer looks into the keyhole, she sees her face superimposed onto the body of a woman in prostitute's clothing. They wanted the viewer to have an experience of what it meant to lose one's identity. Thompson said that even men "didn't laugh or find it funny. They understood absolutely what it meant."

Thompson met Elena while doing work with UNODC (United Nations Office on Drug and Crime) to help raise awareness about the practice of trafficking women, and it sounds as if she's not only telling her plight, she's giving Elena the voice that was taken away from her. In the last shipping container, Elena tells her story on tape.

Movie Preview: Nick Hornby's An Education

BuzzSugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:45:12 PDT

The description for An Education goes like this: "A coming-of-age story about a teenage girl in 1960s suburban London, and how her life changes with the arrival of a playboy nearly twice her age." And the new trailer for the movie, written by Nick Hornby, shows just that. In fact, the whole movie seems to unfold within this trailer, and yet, I still really, really want to see the movie. In a rare occurrence, I'm anxious to find out what happens in between all the scenes we see in the preview. This is largely due to the engaging cast, which includes Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Emma Thompson, Alfred Molina and Rosamund Pike. Carey Mulligan, as the young woman at the center of the story, is particularly riveting, a spirited pixie with a sharp mind and the sweetest, most innocent face in the world.

An Education opens in limited release here in the U.S. Oct. 9. To watch the trailer,

Last Chance Harvey: Realistically Adorable

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:30:15 PST

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,

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.

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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:30:35 PST

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 selections below, you can also add Kevin Costner's Swing Vote to your queue.

Brideshead Revisited
Here's a movie I never got around to seeing in '08, which makes it my favorite kind of new DVD release! This lavishly costumed period drama starring the wonderful Emma Thompson sort of gives me an Atonement vibe except it didn't get nearly as much critical or box office attention.

Based on the bestselling novel, the movie follows "the memoirs of Captain Charles Ryder who is stationed at Brideshead Castle during WWII and remembers his involvement with the owners of the Brideshead estate: The aristocratic yet Catholic Flyte family and in particular brother and sister Sebastian and Julia."

Special features include deleted scenes, filmmakers' audio commentary, and a segment titled "The World of Brideshead."

Two more up next, so

Appaloosa
I enjoy a Western every now and again and Appaloosa, directed by and starring Ed Harris, is a good one. Harris plays Virgil Cole, a man who, along with his partner Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen), makes a living off the lawless frontier by helping out towns overrun with criminal activity. Things get complicated when a gal (Renee Zellweger) appears right as they're in the middle of sweeping the bad guys out of town.

It's a good-looking, sometimes funny movie with some great acting and, of course, shoot-em-ups. I recommend bringing this one home.

Special features include additional scenes and commentary by Harris and screenwriter/producer Robert Knott.

Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys
This recent Tyler Perry flick has a large and impressive ensemble cast that includes Kathy Bates, Sanaa Lathan, Alfre Woodard, Rockmond Dunbar and Benjamin Button's Taraji P. Henson. Like other Perry movies, The Family That Preys looks to be heavy on the familial melodrama that, according to Netflix, centers on "a pair of friends - wealthy socialite Charlotte (Academy Award winner Kathy Bates) and working-class Alice (Alfre Woodard) - whose families stand to be ripped apart by greed and scandal."

DVD extras include special featurettes titled "Two Families, Two Legends," "Preying in the Big Easy," "Casting the Family," and "Delving Into the Diner."

Link Time! 11/13

BuzzSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:30:56 PST

Did you watch Top Chef last night? Time to dish! - YumSugar
Jeffrey Tambor is the latest to confirm that the Arrested Development movie is a go. - RedEye Chicago
Turns out Emma Thompson (and therefore Sybill Trelawney) won't be in the final two Harry Potter movies. - Cinematical
What are the best bath/hot-tub moments in TV and movies? - Popwatch
Dev Patel talks Slumdog Millionaire and Skins. - Vulture
Tilly and the Wall on Sesame Street! - Stereogum
An interview with David Blue, Ugly Betty's adorable Cliff. - The TV Addict
The Twilight DVD will feature a bonus scene from Midnight Sun. - MTV Movies Blog

Photo courtesy of Bravo