BuzzSugar

Behind the Scenes at Sundance: Portrait Gallery

BuzzSugar — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 06:00:58 -0800

One of my favorite things about the Sundance Film Festival is the portrait studio. Between schmoozing and talking up their movies, the casts of each film pose for a series of casual yet artful shots that are inexplicably fun to look at. Maybe there's just something about seeing people like Sienna Miller and Steve Buscemi, who star together in Interview, mugging like they're old friends.

I've collected my favorite pics so far from the festival films, including Smiley Face starring Anna Faris, Mandy Moore's Dedication, The Nines starring Elle Fanning and Ryan Reynolds, Year of the Dog with Molly Shannon and Peter Sarsgaard, John Cusack in Grace is Gone, Waitress with Keri Russell, and the awesome young cast of The Good Life (pictured above). To see the rest of the portraits, read more

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Highlights From the 2009 Treasure Island Music Festival

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:30:05 -0700

As expected, this year's Treasure Island Music Festival was a well-rounded weekend of awesome live music, dancing, and pretty views of San Francisco. The gorgeous and warm weather on Saturday fit the bill for the lineup that had a heavier concentration of electronic music and DJs (like MGMT and Girl Talk), while on Sunday I bundled up and chilled out to The Decemberists and Grizzly Bear. All in all it was an awesome weekend that ended with a bang as The Flaming Lips closed down the party. Check out some photos of my favorite acts from the weekend.

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Weekend Tunes: A Treasure Island Music Festival Playlist

BuzzSugar — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:30:09 -0700

For the third year in a row, I'm off to the Treasure Island Music Festival! Now that I'm a seasoned veteran, I can't wait to settle in for two days and listen to some tunes. The other day I highlighted Thao With the Get Down Stay Down, but there lots of other acts I'm psyched about. From MGMT and Girl Talk tonight to The Decemberists and The Flaming Lists shutting things down tomorrow, I'm predicting the perfect balance between fun beats I can dance to and slower jams that I can quietly enjoy. For those of you who can't make it out to the Bay Area, I've put together a playlist of some of my favorite songs from the weekend's artists.

Oh, and be sure to check out the Music Review Group in the Buzz Community! To check out the playlist just read more.

Disney's A Christmas Carol: A Fun New Spin on an Old Favorite

BuzzSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:00:00 -0800

Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol is, quite literally, a tale as old as time. Hollywood has already turned the novel into countless films, so how do you keep it fresh to entertain old and young audiences alike? You give them a pair of 3-D glasses.

I was a bit skeptical about Disney's newest remake of the flick, even with the super stylized animation and all-star cast behind the voices. But once you put on those glasses, you'll be oohing and aahing right along with the kids, making the film a fun ride. It doesn't tug on the heartstrings the way other versions can, but it's not devoid of emotion either. To see what I mean, just read more.

Robert Zemeckis brings the story we already know and love; old Ebenezer Scrooge (voiced by Jim Carrey) defines miserly and crotchety, spending his days counting his pennies and bitterly snapping at those around him. On one particularly Christmas Eve, he his haunted by the ghost of his former partner, Jacob Marley. Sporting chains and a ghastly demeanor, Marley warns Scrooge that he will suffer the same miserable fate if he doesn't take heed of three spirits who will visit him over the course of the night.

The film stays very true to Dickens's short novel, borrowing much of the text straight from the book and incorporating some of the darker elements that I hadn't seen before in versions designed for kids. That said, I still feel like some of the scenes waver on the side of being too scary. Marley's introduction with the chains is frightening but funny, whereas the progression of the ghost of Christmas present to the ghost of Christmas future (complete with full decay from giant to skeleton) probably would have given me nightmares when I was younger.

The special effects are all you could want and more; the 3-D pulls you right in, carrying you along with Scrooge as he flies overhead in his nightgown (and later spits in your face). You're in the midst of Victorian England at Christmas time, from the snowstorms to the festive music. It's dazzling - until you hit the emotional stuff.

The tale is one with a great big heart, but the actors can only go so far using their voices alone. In the most sentimental scenes, I found myself just wishing I could see the big name actors (which includes Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, and Robin Wright Penn) gazing into each other's eyes pointedly. Instead, it feels a bit like watching two mannequins standing face to face. Still, you're never bored for long, and there's always another thrill waiting at every turn.

In the end, Disney accomplishes its goal, producing a film that looks amazing and will entertain kids and adults alike. It may not be the best version of the tale to date, but it will leave you feeling plenty merry on your way out of the theater.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

Link Time! George Clooney Gets Behind A New TNT Show

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:30:05 -0700

George Clooney is signing on to exec-produce Delta Blues (with an Elvis impersonator cop!) for TNT - TV Squad
January Jones will star in the Nicolas Cage thriller The Hungry Rabbit Jumps - Coming Soon
The Short Circuit remake gets a director - MTV Movies Blog
Those DirectTV ads with Chris Farley and David Spade suffer some backlash - E! Online
Kristin Davis talks the Sex and the City sequel - Hollywood Crush
Lots of photos from this past weekend's CMJ Festival - Stereogum
Weezer and Lil Wayne's collaboration "Can't Stop Partying" is pretty darn catchy - Idolator
Check out this list of the best rock-'n'-roll movies - Rotten Tomatoes
Author Augusten Burroughs is working on two new TV series, one for CBS and one for Showtime - Movieline
Norah Jones plays a pirate in her new music video - HitFix
Just in time for Halloween: The 5 scariest TV episodes ever - TV.com
Plus, 10 girl-power inspired costumes (Bella Swan made the list!) - TresSugar

Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Halloween is around the corner! Take a peek at these festive TV pics and 10 fun film-inspired costumes. Plus, don't forget to vote in my scary movie bracket!
Speaking of spooky stuff, are you pumped for New Moon? I am - despite all those spoilers. Check out the brand new TwilightSugar.com (you can win a DVF bag!) and what the stars from the film (including Robert Pattinson himself) looked like before they hit it big.
So You Think You Can Dance judge Adam Shankman got another gig directing a Rock of Ages movie, and he helped narrow down the dancers on SYTYCD. Finally, we have our list of the Top 20!
Do you care about albums by American Idols? I'm mixed, yet I'm kind of liking Adam Lambert's music video.
Melrose Place is being revamped. No surprise there, since many of you have said that you're not into it - but what returning shows have let you down?
I spoke with the lovely Paula Patton for Part 1 of my exclusive interviews with the cast of Precious. Check back next week as I talk to the director, Lee Daniels!
New movies this weekend include Amelia, Cirque du Freak, and Motherhood. None of 'em knocked my socks off, but if you go this weekend, be sure to tell me what you think - and if you have any annoying audience members like these Buzz readers did!

Photo courtesy of The CW

Buzz Interview With the Cast of Precious, Part 1: Paula Patton

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:30:27 -0700

The buzz about Precious has been building ever since it swept awards at this year's Sundance Film Festival. (I even put it on my list of Fall movie picks.) Now with its release around the corner and Oscar whispers beginning, I sat down with some of the stars and the director himself. The film is based on the novel, Push, which follows a pregnant sixteen-year old living with her abusive mother. Despite the film's dark subject matter, every cast member I spoke to brought up the story's healing and feel-good power.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be bringing you their interviews. First up: Paula Patton, who plays Precious's teacher and mentor, Ms. Rain.

On the film's unexpected success: "We thought it’d maybe be on Netflix or in my mother’s living room! And then Lee called me in the beginning of the year and said, 'We’re going to Sundance.' That was it for me. That was an award to be able to go and be part of the selection, and then it just steam-rolled.”

For more of what Patton had to say, read more.

On her response to those who think the film is going to be depressing: "I understand saying, 'I want to see it, but I don’t want to see it right now, because I don’t want to go there.' It’s not like that. I say it’s like buying a ticket to a roller coaster ride. You laugh, you cry, you scream, and at the end of the ride, you’re left shaken, but with your heart more open. What’s beautiful about this film is that it breeds love."
On what she learned from Precious: “I think we’ve all judged a Precious. What this movie tells you is, don’t judge, because you don’t know their story. I think when we made this film we all had to admit our own racist feelings, our own prejudices, and deal with them head on.”

On newcomer Gabourey Sidibe: “So many actors will have worked their whole life and never achieve what [Gabby] achieves in this film. It’s remarkable. She’s not Precious. She’s like, ‘Paula, oh my god, did you see The Hills?' She’s such a girly-girl and loves to be happy. It's a difficult thing when you have a character that’s talked about the way she’s talked about - you're fat, you're ugly, you're stupid - that it took someone as smart and as confident as Gabby to play her and not be affected by it.”
On the inspiration for her character: "[My mother] was a public school teacher for 35 years, and she was one of these teachers that went above and beyond the call of duty. She would bring students back to the house, help them pay for books, and be supportive. When I decided to do this role, I was like, this is for my mother and for all the teachers out there who are like her.”
On what's next for her: “I just finished a comedy with Queen Latifah. I went from [a character] who has dedicated her life to helping others to someone who is the most selfish human being on the planet. I call her a gold-digger with a heart of gold. It was so much fun to explore a different character and flex those comedic chops!”

Are you looking forward to Precious? I'm dying to see it and Patton's film with Queen Latifah now!

Photos courtesy of Lionsgate and Source

Video of the Day: Summer Lives on Thanks to Thao With the Get Down Stay Down

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:15:16 -0700

This weekend I'll be heading to the Treasure Island Music Festival for two days of music just outside of San Francisco. The awesome lineup includes MGMT, The Flaming Lips, The Decemberists, and Yo La Tengo just to name a few. I'm also excited to see Thao With the Get Down Stay Down, whose front-runner rocks out on her guitar to catchy, upbeat tunes that always make for a fun live show. In a new video for "When We Swarm," the band dances happily lakeside with a bunch of friends, making it the perfect pick-me-up if you're still in denial that Summer is long gone and Fall is here. Check it out below.

For more on the latest music, check out the Music Review group in the Buzz Community - and be sure to check back for updates on my Treasure Island weekend!

We Chat With Clive Owen, Video of Xavier's Vampire Transformation, and Christina Hendricks Weds Her Funny Man

Molly — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:14:52 -0700

Clive Owen hit the red carpet at the Mill Valley Film Festival in California on Friday, and we were able to chat with the handsome actor about his own parenting strategies. Plus, watch video of Eclipse star Xavier Samuel filming the pivotal scenes where he transforms into a vampire. And do you recognize Christina Hendricks's husband? We're here to jog your memory a bit about one of our favorite appearances from his past. Watch PopSugar Rush now!

Link Time!

BuzzSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:30:44 -0700

Mark Wahlberg is set to star in the thriller Reykjavik-Rotterdam - Variety
Kristen Bell shares her five favorite movies - Rotten Tomatoes
Is Lauren Graham joining Parenthood? - Ausiello Files
Daft Punk has a cameo in the upcoming Disney film Tron Legacy - MTV Movies Blog
Get Gossip Girl decorating ideas from last night's episode - CasaSugar
MTV announces its 2009 mtvU Woodie Awards Nominees - MTV
Rivers Cuomo talks Raditude and his love for Lil Wayne - Pitchfork
Kenny Rogers is going to sing on How I Met Your Mother - Show Tracker
Photos from this weekend's Austin City Limits Music Festival - Stereogum
Fantasy Island is getting the reality TV treatment - Hollywood Reporter
A fun roller derby Halloween costume inspired by Whip It - Moviefone