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Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 07:30:00 -0800

The Golden Globes ceremony may have been canceled, but you can still weigh in on who you want to win in the categories, as well as fill out a Globes ballot with your predictions and be entered to win a year of entertainment! And if you're still having a Golden Globes party, check out my printable ballot.
Cashmere Mafia premiered this week, to not-so-great ratings. What do you think about the show, love it or leave it? And some people thought the second episode was better than the first. How many chances do you give a show before tuning out?
Speaking of awards, this week also brought us the Critics Choice Awards and the People's Choice Awards, along with the announcement of the Directors Guild of America nominees.
I got to chat with Simon Cowell this week, so check out what he had to say about the upcoming season of American Idol.
The video for Eddie Vedder's song Guaranteed, from the movie Into the Wild, is lovely.
This picture of Teri Hatcher on Desperate Housewives is hilarious on its own, but can you think of a funny caption for it?
Want to weigh in on this week's episodes of Desperate Housewives, Project Runway, Gossip Girl and Grey's Anatomy? For most of these, it's the last time to discuss a new episode, so chat it up!

Music Video: Eddie Vedder, "Guaranteed" From Into the Wild

BuzzSugar — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:33:25 -0800

Eddie Vedder's haunting and soulful tunes are laced throughout Sean Penn's drama Into the Wild, bringing a dimension and beauty to Christopher McCandless' journey in ways that dialogue or silent images probably could not have achieved alone. A video recently surfaced for one of Vedder's songs for the film, "Guaranteed," and to watch it is to be launched right back to the emotional experience of watching this poignant movie.

The video mainly consists of Vedder and his guitar, lit up on an otherwise darkened stage while still pictures from the movie float around him. The song alone is lovely, but paired with the images it's quite moving. To see the video and hear Eddie Vedder's "Guaranteed," read more.

Buzz Gift Guide: The Party Hostess

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:30:00 -0800

Got a friend who always loves to entertain? Don't forget to repay her for all those awesome nights with a little something special. I'm digging Alice in Wonderland tumblers which feel very Tim Burton-esque, a cute and functional Joan Holloway apron, and Cash Cab Trivia, which should create a heated game among her party guests. Or if she's like me and dreams of spinning on the turntables for everyone, DJ Hero is guaranteed good times.

Check out my picks, and then take a peek through all of my gift guides plus holiday coverage across the PopSugar Network!

Buzz-Worthy Video: Beck, Feist, Wilco Performing Together

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:30:46 -0800

Guaranteed way to make me drop everything I'm doing and press play: tell me that Beck, Feist, and Wilco are collaborating. It's true; Beck recruited the folk chanteuse, the rock band, and British singer Jamie Lidell to join him to perform a tribute to '60s musician Skip Spence.

Their cover of Spence's song, "Little Hands," was recorded in the famous Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood in ultrahip black and white. The song is beautiful, but I'm still just beaming to see some of my favorite artists in one room together (including Jeff Tweedy's son Spencer on drums!). And Beck, you're rocking that devil's haircut.

To see the video of "Little Hands", just read more.

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:30:32 -0800

New DVD and music releases are the perk of Tuesdays, and today's album picks are fresh, fun, and guaranteed to liven up your iPod. I've checked out today's new music and have some advice for what's worth the download.

Don't stop partying: I'll resist doing a full-on album review for Weezer's Raditude; it's tempting, because I've always been a fan and have much to say about the band's transformation over the last 15 years. That said, if I forget about how lyrically deep Weezer used to be, I can enjoy the band for what it is now: a group of guys who write catchy, rocking party songs. I'm definitely enjoying this album way more than the last two simply for the fun factor; first single "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" is permanently stuck in my head and I don't mind. "Let It All Hang Out," with lyrics written by Jermaine Dupri, is exactly what you should blast at your next party when you're worried no one's having a good time; and continuing with the obvious theme here is "Can't Stop Partying" with Lil Wayne guest-rapping.

Ultimate TV karaoke If you're obsessed with Glee already, you may want to get your hands on the show's first soundtrack, Glee - The Music, Vol. 1. The offerings on the album are songs that have been on the season so far, plus a few from the next episode. "Don't Stop Believin'," the first song that captured the country's attention, is worth having (especially to remind you that for every awkward Mr. Schu rap, there's a gem like this). There's also the goosebump-inducing "Somebody to Love." Finally, there's one I'm especially excited about that has yet to air: Artie's slowed-down version of Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself," where the oft-overlooked glee club member finally gets his own episode and electrifying solo.

Hear one more new release when you read more.
America's country idol: Country cutie Carrie Underwood is back with another disc of songs, Play On, that utilize her sweet voice to tell you she's not a doormat. Her first single, "Cowboy Casanova," warns ladies of players in 10-gallon hats; this infectious tune will probably be dominating the radio the rest of the year. Another catchy tale of heartbreak you're sure to hear a lot of is "Quitter," but I prefer the more uplifting title track "Play On," which showcases Underwood's pipes rather than her sassy attitude.

Fall TV Scorecard: What's In, What's Out, and What's in Danger

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:30:30 -0700

It's a tough life for a freshman TV series, and every Fall some new shows have to get cut - but on the bright side, others are given a vote of confidence and picked up for a full season. We're at the end of October now, and most of the networks have made their big decisions, so here's a rundown on what shows are in, out, or balancing on the edge.

What's In
At NBC, Parks and Recreation, Community, and Mercy have all been picked up for full seasons, as have CBS shows The Good Wife and NCIS: Los Angeles and ABC's The Middle, Cougar Town, FlashForward, and Modern Family.

Over on The CW, ratings-winner The Vampire Diaries has been given an entire season. Fox's newbies have fared very well, with pop culture phenomenon Glee having gotten an early pickup, while The Cleveland Show got a full season before it premiered, and has already been granted a second season. On HBO, Bored to Death has gotten a second as well.

But not everyone has been so lucky; to see which shows have been canceled and what's in danger, just read more.

What's Out

Despite backing from Ashton Kutcher, The Beautiful Life got axed by The CW after just two episodes, and A&E's Benjamin Bratt vehicle The Cleaner is out too. But it's not all bleak news; though NBC oversaw Southland's surprise cancellation, the show may be getting a second chance from TNT.

Danger Zone

These newer shows haven't been canceled, but that's no guarantee of safety. Melrose Place did get picked up for more episodes - but only an 18-ep season (sister show The Vampire Diaries got 22). Dollhouse is being benched for all-important November sweeps, leaving its fate unclear. And struggling shows The Forgotten, Accidentally on Purpose, and Hank haven't been picked up or axed yet, but the lack of news isn't promising.

It's interesting seeing the season's hits and misses - you guys had some correct predictions for pickups and cancellations, but are you surprised by anything overall?

Photos courtesy of Fox and The CW

Live Action Barbie Movie in the Works - Who Should Play Her?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:30:09 -0700

We were just talking about the trend of board games getting made into movies, and now comes word that the holy grail of childhood toys, Barbie, is also getting a film deal.

Universal Pictures is teaming up with Mattel to develop a family film based on the doll, but here's the kicker: it's going to be live-action. That means two Hollywood types are going to be playing the famous blonde with impossibly high arches and her anatomically challenged boyfriend, Ken.

Let's talk casting. I'm sure a bunch of celeb mommies will be lining up to take on the part - what mom wouldn't want to play a role that's guaranteed to be a huge hit with her kids? - and I'm curious to see just which lady lands the lead. Until then, let's have some fun and try a few guesses of our own. Who would you choose to portray Barbie and Ken in the new movie?

The Holiday: Frothy and Fun As a Cup of Cocoa

BuzzSugar — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 07:38:44 -0800

Holiday romantic comedies are bound to be a bit cheesy. When the movie is actually called The Holiday, cheesiness is almost guaranteed. But this latest romp from director Nancy Meyers, which hits theaters tomorrow, rises to the top of its frothy, feel-good genre. The self-aware storyline centers on two women-movie-trailer producer Amanda (Cameron Diaz) and British weddings columnist Iris (Kate Winslet)-who swap houses for the holidays to get away from their less-than-satisfactory love lives. Amanda, who sleeps with her Blackberry and has just ruined another relationship with her workaholism, goes to live in Iris's quaint Surrey cottage, while Iris takes up residence at Amanda's palatial LA haunt to forget her three-year unrequited love.

In the beginning, that scenario lends itself to too many scenes of lonely women talking to themselves; the ones featuring Diaz's high-strung Amanda are nearly intolerable. But when a trio of men enter the picture-including Iris's sexy, suntanned brother Graham (Jude Law)-things get a lot more interesting, so read more

Shortly after arriving in LA, Iris meets two very different men: a witty film-score composer named Miles (played with rare and refreshing subtlety by Jack Black) and Arthur (Eli Wallach), her octogenarian neighbor who also happens to be a legendary screenwriter. Back in England, Amanda makes the acquaintance of the hunky Graham when he shows up drunk at his sister's cottage, not knowing that she's gone on holiday.

To add drama to many of Amanda's scenes, the director employs a clever device: voice-over narration by that ubiquitous movie-trailer guy. Iris and Arthur, meanwhile, spend lots of time discussing the common conventions of script writing. That film-centric subplot on both continents gives the movie a sort of cheeky self-awareness about its own filmic-ness. That way, when the inevitable romantic-comedy cliches and convenient plot twists sneak in, it's more amusing than annoying.

I don't know what's gotten into me: maybe it's the holiday spirit or that my viewing of "The Holiday" comes on the heels of watching one of the worst romantic comedies I've even seen, Trust the Man, on a recent plane ride. (It wasn't even mentioned in the in-flight magazine, which makes me suspect that we were being subjected to a bizarre social experiment.) But implausibly neat and tidy plot aside, the way the characters interact in this movie rings very true to life. Particularly in the Iris/Los Angeles subplot, The Holiday addresses some very universal relationship truths in a clever way. I can't really say the same for the somewhat silly Amanda/Graham romance back in England, but at least there I had the Jude Law eye candy to keep me interested.

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