BuzzSugar

Ratatouille Heats Up the Box Office

BuzzSugar — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:30:00 -0700

How many puns can we make about Ratatouille, the animated movie about a rat chef, taking the top slot at the box office this weekend? Ratatouille deep fries Die Hard at the box office? Ratatouille slices and dices the competition? Ratatouille gently folds in the ingredients for success?

Bringing in a sizzling (wow, this is fun) $47 million its opening weekend, Ratatouille easily came in first place, beating out Live Free or Die Hard, which raked in $33 million. Evan Almighty was No. 3, though had a much weaker showing than its opening weekend with just $15 million, which doesn't spell good things for the comedy that cost a mighty penny.

1408 continues to do exceptionally well for a summer thriller, taking fourth place. Michael Moore's documentary Sicko came in ninth with $4.5 million - the second-highest opening ever for a documentary (second only to Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11). Sad disappointment Evening groggily limped behind Sicko in tenth place.

Unfortunately, the reign of the little Pixar rodents will most likely be short lived. Transformers opens this Tuesday, just in time to rope in the July 4th vacationers looking for a cool theater and gigantic robot cars. Well, License to Wed also opens this week, but something tells me that movie won't provide too much competition for the Transformers. And that something is Robin Williams.

Image courtesy of Disney/Buena Vista Entertainment

Evening: Time to Sleep

BuzzSugar — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:51:26 -0700

I went into Evening really wanting - nay, expecting - to love it. Look at the cast of respected actresses in this film: Vanessa Redgrave, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Toni Collette... the list continues. I hunkered down in the theater, equipped with tissues, readying myself for some heartwarmth and perhaps a cathartic sob or two. What happened instead? I nearly fell asleep.

The story follows the dying Ann (Redgrave), who is beginning to lose her grasp on the difference between past and present. She mentally relives a period of her life that she never shared with her adult daughters Nina (Collette) and Constance (Natasha Richardson) - the time she fell in love with the same man (Patrick Wilson) her best friend Lila (Mamie Gummer/Meryl Streep) also loved. Some other stuff happens that's of consequence though we're not allowed to concentrate on it for long because the daughters' stories are also roped into Ann's story. It sort of has that Beaches friendship 'n death thing going on, but there's so much other clutter involved that it's ultimately unsatisfying. There's more to say, though, so read more

Swathed in the dusky colors of evening-time and employing adorable period costumes, the look and feel of the movie is luscious and pleasant. Some of the performances are excellent, especially given the sloppy script. Toni Collette, in particular, is a breath of fresh air every time she's onscreen, as usual. Vanessa Redgrave is given little to work with, and by midway through the film I had her pattern down: Lie in bed, babble incoherently about things we don't yet understand, drift off to sleep murmuring to self, repeat. Ann's story told in flashbacks with Danes playing the young Ann would have been quite interesting Danes played Ann with any shred of personality at all. Thus, I come to the greatest problem with this movie: Claire Danes.

As I've mentioned before, I actually like Claire Danes. I enjoyed her part in The Hours, found her pleasant to watch in Shopgirl, and of course she'll always have a special place in my heart as Angela Chase. So watching her fail in this film was disappointing. For a movie almost entirely about her character she doesn't manage to keep the audience's attention for more than a minute or so. Most of all, there is a massive disconnect between Vanessa Redgrave's characterization and Danes' lack thereof - not once did I believe the two women to be playing the same character. The resultant feeling is one of muddy confusion and irritation.

Everyone else is more intriguing to watch than Danes, and I was particularly mesmerized by the character of Lila. Lila in general seems more complex than Ann, but Mamie Gummer's performance as the young Lila is also more interesting than Danes'. And then there is Meryl Streep as the adult Lila, whose screen time is quite brief, but for the few minutes she's there she far outshines anything else in the movie. One gets the feeling watching Streep that she has all the world's wisdom in her possession, and is doling it out in tiny increments. I was left desperately craving more Streep, as she was the only truly great thing about the film. But alas, I only got more of Danes until, to my relief, the movie ended.

Source

Movie Preview: Evening

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 06:30:00 -0700

Back when I was drawing up my summer movie previews, Evening was one of my most highly anticipated dramatic movies. The cast is full of amazing women: Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Toni Collette, Claire Danes, and Vanessa Redgrave, among others.

Based on a book by Susan Minot, the story follows Ann (Redgrave), a dying woman who is having vivid memories about a love that changed her forever - but that she never spoke of to her two adult daughters Nina (Collette) and Constance (Natasha Richardson). As Ann dreamily relives this period of her life on her deathbed, her daughters struggle to make sense of their mother's life as well as their own. You may have seen the previews for Evening on TV lately since the movie opens this Friday June 29, and if you're like me you still have Dido's "White Flag" stuck in your head, but in case you haven't seen the full trailer you can check it out if you read more

Summer Movie Preview: So Much Drama

BuzzSugar — Wed, 02 May 2007 05:02:07 -0700

Earlier this week I brought you glimpses of some of this summer's big-budget films and then asked you which one interested you most as the first part of my summer movie preview. Now, check out the dramatic films that promise to be most arresting.

A Mighty Heart
This story shocked and saddened me when it first appeared in the news, and while I'm not eager to relive that, A Mighty Heart seems more likely to be a tender homage to the memory of Daniel Pearl, which is important. Pearl was a journalist working in the Middle East in 2002 when he was kidnapped and ultimately beheaded, his murder recorded on videotape and sent around the Internet. A Mighty Heart chronicles his wife Mariane's (Angelina Jolie) desperate search for him when he goes missing. The film opens June 22.

Many more if you read more

Evening
This sentimental-looking drama features some of my favorite actresses: Toni Collette and Claire Danes. I can't help feeling happy when I watch Claire Danes, though I couldn't tell you why. Perhaps she'll always be Angela Chase to me. Anyway, in Evening she plays the younger version of a dying woman who reminisces to her daughters about her romantic past. The trailer is more intriguing than that description, however, so check it out before it hits theaters June 29.

Talk to Me
Wow - two actors I love and admire are in this true-story film: Don Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor. From the looks of the amazing trailer, Cheadle plays Ralph Waldo "Petey" Greene, an ex-con who takes over the radio airwaves - and the hearts of a city's people - during a time of social and political unrest. Yet again, Don Cheadle transforms completely into someone the world has not yet seen on screen. Start talking July 13.

Georgia Rule
This is the film that earned Lindsay Lohan reprimands from producer James Robinson for her excessive partying and unprofessional behavior. Jane Fonda and Felicity Huffman are also in it. Lohan plays a rebellious girl who is forced to live with her rules-happy grandmother (Fonda). Watch the trailer before Georgia Rule opens next Friday, May 11.

I Know Who Killed Me
In other Lindsay Lohan movie news, I Know Who Killed Me comes out July 27 - and it's no Georgia Rule. Lohan plays a young woman who is kidnapped and brutalized and then returns home with an alternate personality.

Becoming Jane
Already released in the UK, Becoming Jane features Anne Hathaway in the role of Jane Austen. The story focuses on one of Austen's greatest romances - and one of her deepest heartaches. The movie's website includes the trailer, which looks delightful and sassy in the Jane Austen kind of way. Jane comes to America August 3.

No Reservations
This film may fall more fully into the "dramedy" category, as it has elements of a romantic comedy, yet the premise sounds really sad: Respected chef Kate (Catherine Zeta-Jones) has to unexpectedly take in her niece Zoe (Abigail Breslin) after the death of Zoe's mother. The rom-com element comes in the form of the new guy at work/love interest Nick (Aaron Eckhart). The film opens July 27.

Bug
The stage play version of Bug is thoroughly creepy - and that's without special effects or jerky editing. Thinking of this in film version already has my skin crawling. Bug is a psychological thriller about an ex-military man who is slowly consumed by paranoia due to his belief that his body is bug-infested. See it May 25 with bug spray in hand.

El Cantante
I'm a little iffy about Jennifer Lopez as an actress, but maybe she'll surprise me with her magnificence in El Cantante. The movie follows real-life Latino singer Hector Lavoe (Marc Anthony) and his lady Puchi (Lopez) as they help to bring salsa music the U.S. in 1975. Watch the trailer and then see the film in theaters August 1.

Stardust
The story description for this fantasy-adventure is this: "In a countryside town bordering on a magical land, a young man makes a promise to his beloved that he'll retrieve a fallen star by venturing into the magical realm."

The all-star cast includes Claire Danes, Ricky Gervais, Robert DeNiro, Sienna Miller and Michelle Pfeiffer who looks gorgeous (er, through most of the trailer anyway). Check out the highly entertaining trailer before Stardust opens August 10.

Check out the trailer:

Bug photo courtesy of Lionsgate
Stardust photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
No Reservations photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
A Mighty Heart photo courtesy of Paramount Vantage
I Know Who Killed Me photo source
Source for all other photos

TV Tonight: The American Music Awards

BuzzSugar — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:30:36 -0800

This has been a huge year for music so far: Taylor Swift has won every trophy imaginable, Whitney Houston is staging her comeback, and Michael Jackson is still topping the charts, even after his death. Perhaps that's why tonight's American Music Awards sounds even better than in the past - and I'll be at the show to bring you all of the exciting moments!

Let's go over what to expect from the evening. First off, the performances. There are so many big-name acts I honestly can't choose which is my favorite. Janet Jackson is opening the first eight minutes, but The Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, Adam Lambert, Rihanna, and Carrie Underwood are taking the stage, too, among others. (I cannot wait to see what over-the-top spectacle Gaga has up her bedazzled sleeve!) As for the awards, everyone will be watching to see if Michael Jackson earns a posthumous statue; he's up for five categories, bested only by Taylor Swift who is in the running for six.

Check back for my coverage on all the winners, or follow me on Twitter where I'll be sending regular red carpet sightings. The show starts at 8/7c on ABC - are you tuning in?

Stars on the Set This Week!

PopSugar — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:30:00 -0800

Even stars need a break! Between working hard in front of the camera, studying scripts, and rolling just one more take, these stars have to sneak a little time for themselves. This week Eva Longoria escaped to her trailer while America Ferrera grabbed a bite between takes. Check out more hardworking stars on the set this week!

View Slideshow ›

Bad Lieutenant: Good Cop Gone Nuts

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:30:49 -0800

Nicolas Cage has said, "There's a very fine line between Method actor and schizophrenic." In Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, he teeters that line maniacally, with an ever-increasing slur and crooked swagger. Cage plays Terence McDonagh, a detective in post-Katrina New Orleans investigating a drug-related murder and his personal threshold for cocaine and heroin.

The first news of Bad Lieutenant was puzzling: famously extreme director Werner Herzog re-imagining a 1992 cult movie, also called Bad Lieutenant, but shifting the action to New Orleans and casting Nic Cage in the Harvey Keitel role opposite his Ghost Rider costar Eva Mendes. Weird.

But in fact, Bad Lieutenant is Herzog's second surprisingly accessible movie in as many years, following 2007's Rescue Dawn. And Cage is brilliant in a role seemingly made for him, so read more.

The noirish, pulpy, desperate, and often hilarious film opens with a good deed: McDonagh dives into a Katrina-flooded jail cell to save a prisoner's life, in the process injuring his back and subsequently getting hooked on Vicodin and then far harder drugs.

As a degenerate cop in a washed-out city, Cage makes Denzel Washington's Training Day villain look like a Boy Scout. He slithers through the streets, confiscating drugs to snort with his prostitute girlfriend (Mendes), hooking up with a drug kingpin played by Alvin "Xzibit" Joiner, and fending off a rising tide of self-created trouble. "Being courteous is really getting in the way of my progress," he croaks before one of his more disturbing moral lapses.

In post-Katrina New Orleans, Herzog has found the perfect setting. He never lets the city look pretty or even charmingly decayed, and he populates it with iguanas and alligators and snakes and fish. At every turn, McDonagh is confronted by cold-blooded animals, as he careens between the call of duty and the cold-blooded instinct of his addiction. It's impossible to ignore the reptilian symbolism, and the effect is perfectly bizarre. Despite its darkest moments, Bad Lieutenant is a remarkably good trip.

Photos Courtesy First Look Studios

Buzz-Worthy Video: Sneak Peek at Chuck Season 3!

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:30:24 -0800

I was so excited yesterday to learn that Chuck's third season premiere has been scheduled - and it's less than two months away. Still, the big two-hour kickoff can't come soon enough for me, especially after last year's epic finale. If you feel my pain, then you need to check out this sneak peek at the upcoming season. Zach Levi (sporting a new, shorter 'do) presents a very sweet message thanking his fans for all their support before showing a brand-new clip.

Even though Chuck has been given an upgrade, he's just as goofy and lovable as ever. Casey and Sarah are back undercover as our hero tries to play debonair once again - only this time he's actually got a few skills. We also get a taste for that famous sexual tension between Chuck and Sarah. I'm already counting the days so to check it out just read more.

Photo courtesy of NBC

FlashForward Breakdown, "Believe"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:30:32 -0800

The most central characters of FlashForward take a backseat this week, letting Bryce and Aaron take the spotlight. It's a nice relief from Mark and Demetri's constant agonizing over their own fates (though we still get a dose of that, too).

We learn that Bryce has been keeping a big secret, and Aaron's reunion with his daughter isn't all he had expected it to be. Ready to get into it? Just read more.

I want to believe: We finally get some insight into why Bryce tried to kill himself: he has stage four cancer and has been keeping it a secret from everyone but his therapist. We also get to see his saving grace - in his flashforward, Bryce is laughing and smiling in a restaurant with a pretty Asian woman. Determined to make his fate come true, Bryce takes up Japanese (with Nicole's help) and even heads to Asia when he's supposed to be in Houston testing out a wonder drug. Here's what confuses me: in Bryce's vision, he sees himself saying "you're really here" and he knows it's months into the future. Why does he try to rush fate? I wasn't surprised at all when he and Keiko don't make the connection in Japan (though I did feel a bit disappointed for him). Side note: Nicole is totally falling for Bryce.

Across the pond: Bryce isn't the only one who is featured this week; we get some background info on the (literal) woman of his dreams. Keiko is a young, bright woman living with her parents and working for a robotics firm. Though her life looks perfect on paper, Keiko is bored at work and with her personal life, longing to play her guitar and find her soulmate. She gets a shiny new outlook on life when she sees Bryce in her vision, and we realize that their meeting doesn't take place in Japan after all, but in LA.

Family ties: Aaron is having a hard time adjusting to life with Tracy. Her continual drinking habit causes a fight between them; Aaron can't be around alcohol, and Tracy feels entitled to drink after all she's been through. Tracy storms out and Aaron blames himself for her addiction and her post-war transformation. Mark only makes matters worse when he accuses Aaron of telling Olivia that he was drinking in his flashforward, and Aaron tells Mark he shouldn't be his sponsor anymore. Losing his sponsor can't be good for Mark and his vision.

Other major plot points:

Demetri finally makes strides on figuring out who called him about his murder. The call is traced back to Hong Kong, and though Stan doesn't want Demetri heading overseas, Mark offers to go with him in secret.
The FBI agents discover that suspect zero wears a ring with an alpha symbol on it but aren't sure what to make of it.

Did you like this week's episode, or were you longing for more action? Will Nicole get in the way of Bryce and Keiko?

The Vampire Diaries "The Turning Point": The Good, The Bad and The Bloody

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:15:00 -0800

I was already bummed knowing this was the last week of new episodes of The Vampire Diaries until January; and now, having seen it, I'm freaking out a little bit. I knew there was going to be an epic cliffhanger, I just didn't know how epic!

With new vampires, violence and passion come "The Turning Point" - a title that would apply to many things that happened this week. So as usual, let's break down the good, the bad, and the bloody of this week (plenty of spoilers ahead!) when you read more.

The Good

Stefan and Elena finally gave up on their "are we or aren't we" dance and got together. I mean, together together. Vampire boots were knocked, but there wasn't a happy ending. More on that later.
Logan's vampiric turn made for gruesome excitement, especially now that Damon is trying to be on his best behavior. It also brought forth new mysteries; why did Sheriff Forbes bury Logan and write emails on his behalf instead of saying it was an animal attack? And who did turn him? My money was on Alaric, but now I'm not so sure. I also enjoyed his interactions with Damon, despite their constant shooting of wood bullets at each other.
OK, fine: I do like Caroline and Matt together now. Their coupling is just kind of sweet, and the fact that they bonded over So You Think You Can Dance?! I felt like it was my birthday.
I'm a fan of cool guy teacher Alaric, even if he is probably a vampire. I like to think he's more exciting than that - could he be a good vampire like Stefan? Interestingly, I don't think that Stefan or Damon has actually interfaced with Alaric yet, which is telling to me. If I had to guess, I'd say they knew each other. And what of him also being a "daywalker," when Stefan and Damon are so secretive about their rings?
I need to know more about the Gilbert family legacy, especially since Jeremy discovered an ancestor who wrote fiction about monsters. I like that the show made me care about more side characters I hadn't previously, like Jenna, Jeremy, and even Tyler. About Tyler. . . I don't want to speak too soon, but I think there's something very interesting happening with him.

The Bad

Isn't it a little too early to be saying "I love you," Elena? She even wants to see and make out with his scary vampire face when he gets turned on. Weeeird.

The Bloody

Newborn Logan is literally out for blood, but that pile of hoarded bodies that Logan was keeping made me sick to my stomach.
Anyone else feeling sorry for Caroline? Girlfriend's always getting bloodied up. Someone give her a self-defense lesson.
So basically unless you're Stefan or Damon, if you're a vampire you will only last one episode before being staked. Logan gets staked by Alaric by the end of the hour, which is unfortunate for Damon, because Logan had just promised him there was another way to break the spell holding Katherine and the other vampires under Fell's Church. Guess we'll just have to wait to meet little Miss Vixen.
It might have been time for Stefan to hide the Katherine photo, or at least have come clean about their resemblance. Lord knows finding a photo of my doppelganger at my undead boyfriend's house would freak me out too. That's what happens for Elena, who leaves Stefan's in a devastated rush. When someone stands in front of her car, she has a gnarly crash, which is terrifying in itself. It gets much more horrifying when the "person" she hit uncracks their limbs to stand up and come toward her. Yeesh! (BTW, did that scene remind anyone of Tara in the first season finale of True Blood?)

I don't know how I'm going to deal with the show's hiatus for two long months, let alone waiting that long to find out what was coming for Elena. Or, who Alaric is; did he kill Logan to protect Jenna, eliminate a problem-causing newborn, or something more insidious? To talk more about the show (especially in the next few weeks without new episodes) join the Hooked on Vampire Diaries group in the Buzz Community!

Photos courtesy of The CW