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Movie Preview: Frontrunners

BuzzSugar — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:00:51 -0700

Do you ever wonder what politicians - especially presidential candidates - were like as kids? I do. So I'm fascinated by this trailer for the documentary Frontrunners, which follows the student election at a prestigious New York public high school (a place where kids have to apply to get in and of those that apply only three percent are accepted).

Is it a thirst for power? A natural gift for leadership? A real desire to make a difference in the world? For some of them it's all these things, and for others it just seems like a random decision. All I know is that watching these young'uns strategize (how to get the word out that they're running?) and spin (one candidate describes his ticket thusly: "Basically, us together creates a synergical force of amiability which is far beyond the normal reaches of human comprehension") is at once entertaining and eerily similar to the grown-up world. From the preview alone you can see hints of the adult power-players these ambitious teens might very well become.

The film opens in New York Oct. 15 but I'm crossing my fingers it will make its way to my town sooner rather than later. To check out the preview for yourself, read more.

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The Runaways: Guitars Make Girls Grow Up Fast

BuzzSugar — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:30:00 -0700

Picture this: it's 1975. The airwaves are dominated by the likes of David Bowie, The Eagles, and the Bee Gees. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a rock group - made up entirely of teenage girls - explodes onto the scene. In no time they've signed a record deal and are touring Japan, singing to thousands of fans who can't get enough. Sounds like standard film fodder, but what rocks about The Runaways is that it all actually happened.

The film is truly about the band's front-runners, Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) and Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning). Joan is the mysterious, sexually ambiguous rhythm guitar player who just wants to be taken seriously as a rock musician. She approaches producer Kim Fowley (played to a T by Michael Shannon) outside of a club one night, and after an introduction to drummer Sandy West their girl group emerges. Across town, 16-year-old Cherie Currie is slowly starting to come into her own as a social outcast from a broken home. We get a glimpse of her star power as she writhes fearlessly on stage, embodying David Bowie for a high school talent show. She meets Joan and Kim in a club one night, and weeks later she's the blond bombshell, the lead singer, and the face of The Runaways.

To see which notes the movie hits and where it misses, just read more.

It's hard to believe that a story so chock-full of cliches could actually be based on history, but it's true: Joan Jett really did meet Fowler outside of a club, and he really did have a drummer already lined up. Their smash hit "Cherry Bomb" really was written on the spot for Cherie Currie when she came in for an audition. And, sadly, Currie really did spiral out of control and was all washed up by her 18th birthday.

Stewart holds her own in Joan Jett's shoes (and mullet, and leather), but it's Fanning who steals the show. Gone is the baby faced actress who was introduced to the world as Sean Penn's precocious four-year-old in I Am Sam, and in her place is a powerhouse performer. It's almost eerie watching Cherie come-of-age (and beyond) on the big screen knowing that Fanning has grown up in the spotlight herself. Fanning truly makes Cherie transform from an independent yet callow teenager into a pill-popping, corset-wearing rock diva. Fanning manages to push the limits of Cherie's attitude problems, but holds back before going over-the-top with the dramatics.

I was disappointed to see that Floria Sigismondi's direction often falls in line with the rock movie stereotypes. Once the girls hit the road, the band scenes felt like they could have come from any movie. We're hit with the classic dizzying camera angles set to music, supposedly exemplifying all that is rock and roll: a roller coaster ride representing the band's performances, use of mind-altering substances, and experimenting with sex. It's kind of a staple for a music biopic, but the "whirlwind rise to the top" scenes almost felt too fast-forwarded.

Still, it's a ride that's fun to be on. The girls live out a teenage fantasy of fame and rebellion (albeit a vision that ends too quickly), but watching as they scream and squirm and make trouble is the perfect fodder for a popcorn flick.

Photos courtesy of Apparition

Do You Agree With This Week's Project Runway Winner and Loser?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:30:17 -0800

Wow! Season seven of Project Runway really amped it up this week, with a challenge that was a real challenge - so much so that the frontrunners panicked when they heard what it was and again when they were creating their looks.

Sending the designers to the hardware store was inspired, but the designers were less so. Seeing everyone struggle with their outfits and accessories made me appreciate the winner all the more, along with a couple of other looks that didn't win. The loser, however, did deserve to go home, but the contestants in the bottom were all really pretty sad. Did you think the judges awarded the right person - and sent the right one packing?

Photos courtesy of Lifetime

Oscar Breakdown: Best Supporting Actress

BuzzSugar — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:30:59 -0800

With the 2010 Oscars less than three weeks away on March 7, I'm ready to place my bets for who is most likely to win a statuette. Nothing is for certain with these award shows, but by now we've already had the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards, so it's possible to make an educated guess or two. Take a look at my frontrunners - and don't forget to fill in your own in my annual ballot for the chance to win prizes! First up: the best supporting actress race.

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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!

Ryan Reynolds Nabs Green Lantern Role

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:45:52 -0700

Last week, it appeared to come down to three rather different guys as options for playing the Green Lantern in Warner Bros. upcoming big-budget, "full-blown space epic": Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper and Justin Timberlake. Based on my poll, the majority of you thought Reynolds would be best for the role, and it turns out, the studio agrees. Ryan Reynolds will play Green Lantern.

Reynolds is still technically in negotiations, but "if the deal is completed, it would make Reynolds the only actor to have played heroes for both Marvel and DC." Earlier this Summer he starred as Marvel character Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a role he'll reprise when Deadpool gets his own full-length movie.

According to this latest news piece, another frontrunner for the role of Green Lantern was Jared Leto. Can you imagine? I can't. Yay for more blockbustin' Ryan Reynolds!

What Should Be 2009's Summer Anthem?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:30:00 -0700

Some Summers have obvious anthems, the catchy songs that are completely inescapable. Take last year: "I Kissed a Girl" was everywhere, with several others close behind. And 2007 was clearly the year of "Umbrella," though it also had "Rehab" and "Young Folks" hot on its heels.

This year, though, I'm not sure there's a song that seems to be as ubiquitous as those were. The Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" seems to be the frontrunner, but I'm not convinced it's completely taken over.

So I'm going to put this one to you: What songs would you offer as nominees for 2009's Summer anthem?

American Idol: Final Reflections From Kris and Adam

BuzzSugar — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:00:28 -0700

After the giddiness of Wednesday's results show wore off a little, but before preparations for albums and touring start in earnest, American Idol winner Kris Allen and runner-up Adam Lambert jumped on the phone with reporters again this morning for one last look back at their journeys on the show. Both definitely seemed to be looking to the future - conceptualizing their albums, writing or co-writing some songs - but were willing to share some highlights of their time on Idol, too. Here are highlights - first from Kris, then from Adam.

Nothing can top singing with Queen. "Seriously, it was probably the best moment of the year for me, because I just felt like it was the exhale of everything," Kris said. "We had a great time together - how can you not have a great time singing when Brian May is right next to you? It felt great."
Preparation is key. "I've always kind of been a procrastinator," Kris said, "but on the show I felt that the times I worked the hardest were the times that I did the best. I think the biggest thing that I've learned is that the harder you work for the thing that you love the most, then everything you want is going to come true."
Kris doesn't buy the report that he won in a landslide. "Come on, Adam was a huge frontrunner for the whole thing," he said. "I know that there were plenty of people voting for him."
Neither he nor Adam liked their performances of "No Boundaries" on Tuesday. "I think that [the judges] were not trying to judge us on that song, more than anything, and judge us on the year," Kris said of the comments after the final performance. "I think both of us just got tired and there were some sound issues where we couldn't hear ourselves. It was definitely a rough night at the end."
Not getting shown in the audition rounds is just par for the course. "I think there was maybe a little bit of just like, 'Wow, they're not showing me,'" Kris said of his reaction to not seeing himself in the early episodes. "I felt like I had done my thing, and a lot of people were getting shown. But that's kind of the way I live my life, though. I'm kind of laid-back and low-key, and every once in a while, I'll stick my head out."
What he wants now is respect. "The only thing that I really want to do is just be respected in the industry and have my music be respected," he said, "whether that means selling albums or winning Grammys or just people liking your music."

For some final words from Adam, just read more.

Did rumors about Adam's sexuality affect people's voting? "Uh . . . you know, probably," he said. And that's all he would offer on that topic.

He's not swearing off Broadway, but . . . "I think my direction right now is to try to become a recording artist," he said. "I spent time doing the theater thing for a number of years, and I'm not turning my back on it, but I definitely am going in the other direction now."
"Theatrical" is not a bad word. "First and foremost, it is about the music, but it kind of packages it in a little bit more of a flashy, more interesting, dynamic way, in my opinion," he said. "Theatricality is one way of performing and it's not the only way . . . but it's my way."
He was surprised that Katy Perry was a fan. "I had a huge smile on my face the minute I saw it," he said of Perry's cape emblazoned with Adam's name. "I wasn't prepared for that, didn't know she was going to do that. I gave her a big hug [after the show], and she's really, really cool. She had some good advice for me - she said, 'Make sure that you keep the friends that you had before this, and keep them close.'"
He doesn't want to be tied to any one genre. "The labels try to put one box around every artist and keep them in one genre," he said. "I'm so fortunate because I got to use the show to get myself out there - I don't have to go about [my album] that way. Obviously, we want the album to be a cohesive sound, but I think it can be a collection of different styles with me at the center of it. Everyone knows who I am singing it, so that's the common thread."

Photos courtesy of Fox

Are You Happy With the Dancing With the Stars Winner?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:00:54 -0700

This season's Dancing With the Stars winner is Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson! At the age of 17, Johnson is the show's youngest competitor and she just barely beat actor Gilles Marini and his partner Cheryl Burke for the mirror ball trophy.

The competition was fierce indeed - right down to the last minute. Johnson and her partner Mark Ballas edged out Marini, "the front-runner and judges' favorite, by less than one percent of the viewers' votes."

Less than one percent! Wow. So who were you rooting for? Are you glad the mirror trophy is now in Johnson's hot little hands? Or did you want Gilles (or Melissa!) to win?

What Will Win This Weekend's Box Office?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 06:27:30 -0700

It's the face-off to end all face-offs! Just kidding. It's just a little prediction poll about this weekend's box office.

Last week Fast and Furious took people by surprise when it snagged a whopping $72.5 million, and Variety notes that the Vin Diesel flick "is considered the front-runner" for the box office win again this weekend. However, Miss Cyrus is headed into this Easter weekend with guns blazing, too, packing Hannah Montana: The Movie with the likes of Taylor Swift and Tyra Banks. The Disney star has smashed box office records before, but recent tween offerings, like the Jonas Brothers movie, have failed to meet expectations.

So, who's it gonna be?

Hannah Montana: The Movie photo courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures and Source