BuzzSugar

Music Video: Carrie Underwood, "Ever, Ever After"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 08:30:23 -0800

Fresh off her wins at this year's Country Music Awards, Carrie Underwood has released a video for her song "Ever, Ever After," which will be featured in the upcoming movie Enchanted, and it's modeled after the very movie of which it will be a part. There's a whole animated section with a Disney-fied Carrie who somehow finds herself in present-day Manhattan, enchanting all those angry New Yorkers -and her soulmate.

The song is nice enough, a little cutesy, but Underwood sounds great. And as ridiculous as the video is, it definitely made me giggle (the magical Carrie even inspires meter maids and illegally parking drivers to drop everything and boogie down together!).

Clearly I'm not in the target age bracket for this particular video, but it's sweet enough, so to check it out and tell me what you think, read more

Source

Box Office: New Moon Overshadows the Competition

BuzzSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:45:30 -0800

New Moon madness translated to big bucks for the Twilight sequel: After it set new records for midnight ticket sales and single-day ticket sales, it was obvious it would rule the weekend box office at number one. And how: the movie pulled in $140.7 million, clocking it at the third biggest opening weekend ever, behind The Dark Knight and Spider-Man 3.

What trailed New Moon? I was pleasantly surprised to see heartwarming drama The Blind Side in second, earning a respectable $34.5 million and beating last week's box office ruler, 2012, which was No. 3 with $26.5 million. At No. 4 was animated adventure Planet 51 with $12.6 million, followed by A Christmas Carol with $12.2 million.

Photos courtesy of Summit Entertainment

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

Grey's Anatomy Rundown, "New History"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:03:32 -0800

They're baaaaack! This week on Grey's Anatomy, Meredith, and Izzie make their returns to Seattle Grace/Mercy West, though only Mere is back in scrubs. Izzie heads back to the hospital with her favorite high-school teacher in tow, a sweet guy who's suffering from what appears to be dementia and is constantly referring to Izzie as a pregnant teen. Meanwhile, Hunt brings in a new "cardio god" (Kim Raver), though Cristina isn't exactly thrilled that her "gift" is a hot leggy blonde that already has a rapport with her boyfriend.

Plus, Mere and Derek have a few adorable moments while Sloan becomes the show's new gossip girl. There's a lot more to talk about, so to get into it just read more.

Izzie strolls into the hospital like she never left, but of course her friends have lots of questions. Meredith and Cristina are both curious and a little hurt while Alex ignores her completely. Izzie doesn't exactly explain what she's been doing, but immediately starts making demands for her friends to take care of her teacher. She even blackmails Dr. Percy when he sasses her about being fired (though I kind of cheered when she threatens to tell Reid his secret). Izzie even squares off with the chief, but in the end she gets her way.
Poor Alex doesn't know how to handle Izzie's return, but Mere finally encourages him to talk to his wife. Izzie accuses Alex of getting her fired, but Karev bites back and points out that Izzie didn't even ask him about it. After seeing them square off like they have so many times before, it's almost hard to believe they were ever married in the first place. When Alex tells Izzie that he can't forgive her, he heads to the bar to drink the pain away with Mere. Love the friendship between Mere and Karev by the way - if she and Derek weren't so cute together these days, I'd almost root for a new coupling.
Kim Raver makes her first appearance on the show this week, as new doc Teddy Altman. At first Cristina is psyched to welcome a new cardio surgeon but her enthusiasm wanes when she realizes that Hunt and Teddy have a past together. Teddy takes a liking to Cristina, even when Yang gives her lip - that is, until Teddy realizes that Cristina is Hunt's girlfriend. When Teddy learns that Hunt brought her in as a "present" to his lady love, Teddy kicks into serious mode which earns Yang's respect. The ladies turn out to be a pretty good team by the end of the episode.
I have to say that I really liked Raver as the new doctor. Yes, her moment in the rain was a bit too cheesy for me, but overall I think she'll be a good addition. While she's clearly carrying a torch for Hunt, she doesn't seem like the type to go for the jugular and try to steal him away from Cristina. The real question is whether or not Hunt runs into Teddy's arms when he inevitably learns that Yang swapped a little spit with Dr. Avery.
When Adele comes into the hospital wondering where her husband has been sneaking off to for the past few nights, she quickly accuses Bailey of being his mistress. The idea is completely hilarious, though Bailey doesn't exactly do the best job of calming Adele's fears, and Callie only makes it worse by calling them "work husband and wife." Bailey immediately starts a witch hunt to figure out which doctor actually is having an affair with the chief, but things take a serious turn when Lexie and Reid discover that the chief has made a serious mistake with one his patients. Bailey covers for him, but when she tells the chief what happens, he decides to take a break and gives his surgeries to Bailey. Then he heads to the bar to drink, where Mere catches him in the act. The final scene where the chief is playing out all the recent bad interactions with his co-workers mixed in with his memories of his alcoholism is depressing to say the least. I have to say though - I thought it was sort of silly that the chief chooses the closest bar to fall off the wagon. He's clearly embarrassed when Meredith sees him, but was he really expecting the bar to be deserted? It's like he wanted to get caught.

What'd you think of this week's episode? Are you excited about Teddy? Looking forward to next week's episode where Dr. Sloan's daughter comes in? Sound off in the comments below, and don't forget to check out the Grey's Anatomy McAddicts Group in the Buzz Community!

2012: Apocalyptic Good Times

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:30:00 -0800

In terms of end-of-the-world movies, 2012 packs it all - a love story, teary family moments, action-packed adventure, over-the-top-CGI, and a ton of recycled film cliches - in a two and a half hour package. That's lengthy by today's standards, but I wasn't bored for a minute. This is pure escapist entertainment.

The film opens in 2009 as a scientist in India and his American associate Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) discover that the Earth's core is overheating. His forecast: Tectonic plates will shift, thereby causing a worldwide catastrophe that will wipe out the human race.

Dun, dun, dun! (Doesn't take long to pull you in, does it?) To hear my full assessment, read more.

The real action goes down three years later in 2012 when, according to the Mayan calendar, the Earth will reach its end. The entire So-Cal coast starts crumbling, so our hero Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) and his family begin a journey to China where the governments around the world have supposedly assembled spaceships to carry select humans to safety.

What? You expected this to be plausible?

Of course not, but the film does include tons of cool CGI - volcanos, snow storms, giant tsunamis. It's like every disaster movie you've ever watched combined. (That should come as no surprise seeing as how the director is Roland Emmerich who created The Day After Tomorrow, Independence Day, and Godzilla.)

As for the characters, we've seen them all stereotyped in other films before, but they're still enjoyable here. (Even though I admittedly winced over a Russian family complete with a fur coat, tiny dog, and an employee named Sasha.) This is thanks to the actors who play their parts with believability, even when the scenes feel ridiculous. Ejiofor portrays a great bleeding heart swept up in a governmental plan that's looking out for No. 1, and Cusack pulls off his father role without being over-the-top or sappy. Also, watch for Woody Harrelson as a nutty conspiracy theorist living in Yellowstone National Park.

2012 is purely meant to be fun, and it succeeds. There's a constant barrage of cliff-hanger moments that never let up, and though you pretty much know where things are headed, it's easy to get sucked in.

(Don't forget that if you see a movie that you'd like to review, you can post your write-up in the Movie Review Group in Community - I may even post it here on the site!)

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures

House Rundown, "Known Unknowns"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:30:00 -0800

Finally, after a two-week break and a World Series, House is back! And lucky for us, the writers packed in several juicy plot points to make up for the hiatus. This week's case involves a young teenybopper with an ego and compulsive lying streak to boot. Sounds intriguing, but personally, I was more wrapped up in all of the personal drama going on with House and a certain fellow female doctor.

Ready to cover the highlights? There's a major twist with a big reveal, so prepare for some spoilers when you read more.

Right off the bat, the sexual tension between Cuddy and House is turned on full volume, what with Cuddy's low-cut shirt and House's leering looks. I found it to be a bit over the top, but I still have to give Cuddy props for this awesome comeback after House references her breasts as "Patty" and "Selma": "I feel bad I haven't named your testicles." Touche, Cuddy. Although, I sort of feel like she wears those revealing clothes for House, don't you?
I knew this episode had to be good when I heard it involved a Wilson and House road trip and an '80s party, but House in an 1880's costume walking among guys in Devo hats is brilliant. And then, when things can't get any better, he dances with a Flashdance Cuddy to "Time After Time" and finally admits to her that he's always had feelings for her. What a fantastic scene! That is, until she walks out.
Another high point of the evening for me: When House drugs a pants-less Wilson to keep him from giving a potentially career-ruining speech on euthanasia. Now, that's a solid friend. Were you shocked over Wilson's confession of delivering euthanasia himself? We always think that House is the one with all the secrets, but I guess Wilson isn't 100 percent on the up and up either.
I definitely laughed when Wilson uses the term "friend-zoned" while talking about Cuddy. House is surprisingly open about his feelings for her instead of his usual denial, which I think is nice to see - do you agree? Or is House becoming too soft?
Surprise! Were you taken aback by Lucas? (Lucas is the private investigator that Cuddy hired last season.) When House goes to Cuddy's room to prove to her that she can "count" on him (as she puts it), Lucas is there playing with her baby daughter. I think House and I both had the same look when that happened - huh??!
Didn't this episode's diagnosis seem even more roundabout than usual? The doctors came across completely clueless - not to mention they did extra damage by giving the patient supplements. Perhaps it's just because House wasn't on the premises to pull the strings.
Lucas's mention of House's sex hallucination with Cuddy = painfully awkward. But I don't think Cuddy is over House. Did you look at her face?!
We can all breathe a sigh of relief, because Chase finally breaks down and tells Cameron the truth about the murder of Dibala. She's obviously stunned, but we didn't get her response before the episode ends. We already know that she's leaving the show, but what do you think will happen between them next week?

Please, please weigh in on the Cuddy and House saga! Do you think those two are ever going to get together? Or is Lucas's arrival going to muck things up for good? Tell me your thoughts in the comments, or click on over to the House! group in community.

Photos courtesy of Fox

Desperate Housewives Rundown, "Careful the Things You Say"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:30:07 -0800

It's another typical week on Wisteria Lane in the latest episode of Desperate Housewives. It's not the most scandalous episode thus far, but there are still plenty of lies, secrets, betrayals -and it all ends up with Susan behind bars.

To discuss what else went down with the ladies, just read more.

Susan: After Angie's warning, Susan is now dedicated to making sure Katherine is investigated for Julie's attack. Unfortunately the cops seem less interested with Susan than with their sandwiches and pickles, but a female officer named Debbie offers to take the case. Of course, nothing is ever that simple with Susan, and it turns out that she made Denise's life hell back in high school by giving her the nickname of "Moose." Naturally, Moose still wants revenge and she gets it - by throwing Susan behind bars for shooting Katherine.

Lynette: Lynette's pregnancy is put on the back burner this week, and instead she finds herself deeper in the midst of Julie and Nick's drama. She tries to tell Nick to back of Susan's daughter, but when Nick threatens Lynette, she decides it's time to go to the police - against Julie's will. I was glad that she didn't let Nick scare her into silence with Tom, but I still think Susan won't be pleased when she discovers that Lynette has kept another secret from her.

Gaby: Gaby's life as a tutor quickly comes to an end. When Juanita refuses to learn from her mom, their new housekeeper Ivana steps in to help. Gaby is thrilled with her new life that doesn't involve teaching or scrubbing floors, though it's pretty amazing when Gaby has to do a few chores to get Ivana out of a bind. In the end she explains to Carlos that tutoring is ruining her relationship with Juanita, and Carlos lets her off the hook. Meanwhile, where are Celia and Ana? Suddenly behaving like perfect little angels?

Bree: Bree is put into an awkward situation when a dinner date with the Bolens turns out to be an audition for Angie to take Katherine's spot with Bree's catering company. Clearly put off with Angie's demeanor, Bree blows her off - until a client comes in wanting some old-fashioned Italian food. Bree tries to manipulate Angie into giving up the recipes, but Angie finds Bree out. The ladies learn they have more in common than they thought, and Bree agrees to give Angie a job. I'm enjoying this new partnership, especially since Bree is so uncomfortable around Angie. Meanwhile, Orson continues to try to unravel Bree's lie about the brooch, but doesn't make much progress.

Angie: I have to say that I kinda fell in love with Angie this week. Though she's clearly the hardass of Wisteria Lane, she seems genuinely sweet trying to impress Bree with her cooking skills and offering Lynette a glass of wine. She even takes Nick back after admitting that she knew about his affair with Julie all along - though not without a swift punch in the face first. She may have a checkered past, but Angie seems to be able to take care of herself just fine.

Did you like this week's episode? Are you starting to root for Angie or do you still think she can't be trusted?

Precious: A Dark Tale With a Hopeful Light

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:30:00 -0800

When Precious first caused rumblings at Sundance, I thought, "There is no way I'm seeing this film." There are certain things that I find uncomfortable to watch - pregnant teens, abuse, Mariah Carey. But I'm so glad I did. Because despite its drawbacks on paper, Precious provides a big payback to those who watch it. It's one of those few unforgettable films that stays with you days later - for better and for worse.

Based on the novel Push by Sapphire, Precious follows the story of Claireece Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), an overweight high school student who is pregnant for the second time by her father and living with her abusive mother, Mary (Mo'Nique). She struggles at school, because on top of her circumstances, she's also coasted through the system without ever learning how to read. So after the news of her recent pregnancy reaches the administration, she enrolls in a special program to get her GED.

I realize that by now you're probably nixing this one as a weepy, formulaic melodrama, but hear me out. As you may have gleaned from my interviews with its stars, the film is indeed a hopeful story at its heart, so to see what I mean, read more.

Part of the story's positivity is thanks to Precious's new teacher, Ms. Rain (Paula Patton), and an almost unrecognizable Mariah Carey as her social worker, Mrs. Reiss. Both women reach out to Precious and uncover a girl with joy despite her abuse - but the tension at home with her mother continues to climb.

As you might expect, many of the scenes between Precious and her mother are incredibly difficult to watch, but the saving grace is director Lee Daniels. He weaves in daydreams during the most brutal scenes, transforming Precious into a movie star or a popular girl with a good-looking boyfriend. These diversions are how Precious copes, and like her aspirations, you begin to yearn for her happy ending, too.

Newcomer Gabby Sidibe portrays Precious with an understated realism that's remarkably convincing, and Mariah Carey delivers a restrained performance. But the real eye-opener here is Mo'Nique. As Precious's mother, she is raw, always spitting out vile words - and she is easily one of the most bone-chilling villains of the year. Mary truly believes that Precious deserves the hand that hits her due to her own mixed-up past.

After you leave the theater, Precious will have made an impact on you. You will feel uncomfortable in parts, you will cringe, and you may just hate it for putting you through the turmoil. But keep watching, because there is strength and spirit to be found even in the bleak subject matter - and perhaps a few award nods.

Which Lost Characters Do You Most Want to See in Season 6?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:30:51 -0800

After months and months of waiting for Lost's final season, we're finally in the home stretch! Promos for new episodes have started rolling out (though we won't see a single snip of new footage until next year) and the speculation about who will be returning is heating up more than ever.

A few weeks ago there were rumblings that a character from seasons past had been asked to return but hadn't made a decision yet, and today we learned that it's Maggie Grace. Of course, just because she's yet to confirm an appearance in season six doesn't mean we won't see Shannon. Just last week Sonya Walger said she "didn't know" if we'd be seeing Penny either, but we do know that Ian Somerhalder's pretty face will be making a cameo.

The masterminds behind the show have said that we're going to see lots of old faces in the final season, so while we wait - which Lost characters do you want to see in season 6? Should Walt make a return? What about Charlie and Claire?

If you want to keep the Lost ball rolling, check out the Fan Group in the Buzz Community!

Buzz Battle: What Is the Scariest Movie Ever?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:30:00 -0700

We're almost at the end of our long battle to determine the Scariest Movie of All Time. The two movies left standing are definitely among the classics of the horror genre: The Exorcist and The Shining. We've heard some pretty heavy arguments for each side, (particularly from my girl Fab, a horror aficionado who is on team Shining all the way) - and even the Buzz editors stand as a team divided. In today's Buzz battle, we'll give you our arguments on why each movie deserves the ultimate title.

Editor S will support The Shining while Editor B will make a case for The Exorcist. Don't forget to make your own pick after reading our arguments!

Editor S: As someone's who's long been a chicken about watching scary movies, I tend to get freaked out by a horror flick, and then eventually get over it. I have never gotten over The Shining. It's scary because it's more disturbing than anything; it's not a supernatural story like The Exorcist that you can choose not to believe in; cabin fever could realistically happen to someone - someone you know.
Editor B rebuttal: I will admit that I do think The Shining is terrifying, but it didn't haunt me the way The Exorcist does. That face? That voice? The imagery of a girl crabwalking backwards down the stairs is imprinted in my brain! You can't unsee that kinda stuff, though I wish I could. And cabin fever may be real, but The Exorcist left me believing that maybe possession is real too.

To see the rest of the arguments, just read more.

Editor S: The Shining has just about every horrific horror film element you can think of: gore, psychological disintegration, cabin fever, possession; but none of them define the movie. It's such a complex, well done film with great acting and directing. While there are a few shocks, some of the scariest moments of the movie are the quietest, like when you gaze down an empty hall, see Jack at his desk, working, or discover what's been typed on Jack's typewriter over and over again with his wife. Because the terror is so simmering and pervasive in the movie, there's no time you can stop stressing out, no calm scenes in between the madness.
Editor B rebuttal: The Exorcist has all the elements that make horror films fun and terrifying at the same time. Monstrous images? Check. Creepy child? Check. Excessive amounts of bodily fluids (hello, green bile)? Check. Not to mention the over-the-top campiness, suspenseful moments, and perhaps the scariest theme music of all time. Oh, and levitation. Talk about being stressed out - just when you think there's a safe moment, a vision of the devil flashes across the scene, trying to brainwash us all.
Editor S closing argument: With most scary movies, you can become desensitized to a gory murder scene, tell yourself it's just a movie, but that doesn't work with The Shining. It stays with you more; even as great an actor as Jack Nicholson is, I'll never not see him wielding an axe at his terrified wife. And I'm also irrationally scared of empty hotels.
Editor B: The Exorcist is the kind of movie that you can watch at 10:30 in the morning, surrounded by friends and family, and still be scared to your core. (Ever had a daymare? This is the fast track to get you there). Jack Nicholson went on to find fame with other films, but nobody could ever look at Linda Blair again without envisioning her head turning all the way around.

So, which movie has your vote?