BuzzSugar

The Best Game Shows of My Childhood

BuzzSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 06:30:45 -0700

Ever want to "grab a piece of that glowing rock"? Or "take the physical challenge"? Some of my fondest TV memories from the late '80s and early '90s come from the spate of kiddie game shows that filled many of Nickelodeon's programming hours and even helped launch Fox. With game shows making a surge on TV, I wanted to take a look back at some of the competitions I remember so fondly from my childhood - both classic and ridiculous. Did anyone else obsessively watch GUTS or dream of battling video game heroes in Nick Arcade? To see all of my nostalgic flashbacks, just hit "Start."

View Slideshow ›

House Rundown, "Black Hole"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:30:00 -0700

This week on House, we deal with issues of trust in relationships, along with a head-scratcher of a medical case. My verdict: it makes for one really solid episode.

A high school senior is brought into Princeton-Plainsboro after she stops breathing and regurgitates liquid during a field trip. Not a pretty picture, but then again, neither is her bloody heart surgery (ick). As the docs race the clock to find the source, all scientific means turn up short, and they have to resort to newfangled methods.

On the other end of things, Taub is going through some trouble with the missus after she complains that they don't do enough together. He spends the rest of the episode making it up to her - but by the end we're left wondering if his intentions are pure.

But enough of the chitchat, let's talk questions. Just read more.

In the latest edition of "ways House can annoy Wilson," House suggests that Wilson buy some furniture for their bachelor pad. When Wilson concedes - albeit, by taking the shortcut and renting - House returns all of it. The wise doctor's reasoning: Wilson needs to pick out the pieces himself to figure out who he really is. I thought House was being a little pushy about his "lesson," but how cute is it when Wilson includes an organ for House in his newly decorated room? It's a nice, bromantic moment for the odd couple, but do you think Wilson lets House control him too much? I do.
Anyone else incredibly frustrated by Foreman in this episode? He shoots down every one of House's suggestions with his holier-than-thou attitude. I agree with the rest of the gang - he's a total buzz kill. Where is his brother anyway? At least that storyline let us see more of his human side.
I enjoyed seeing Taub's home life in this episode, even if it doesn't necessarily paint him as a good guy. When his wife complains about not doing things together, he begins texting her from work...as in, sexting. Okay, okay, so it's really House on Taub's phone. That part had me chuckling, but House continues to have his suspicions that Taub may be straying, and like usual, House's gut seems to be right. Even though Taub re-proposes (telling her he wants to be better, aww), the show closes with Taub being friendly with a nurse while House looks on with a critical stare. Do you think Taub is cheating, or is House just reading too much into things this time?
Creepy kid alert! How freaky are the imagined younger versions of this week's patient? Her visions completely remind me of The Ring. Do you enjoy this sort of horror slant, or would you rather the writers stick to basics?
Speaking of the patient, her case seems even more intriguing than typical. I love the cognitive power recognition testing, as we try to solve what's killing her. House figures out - using a mix of intuition and assumption - that the girl's boyfriend's father actually slept with the girl, passing on a parasite through his sperm. It appears to be a giant leap in reasoning, but House is right, of course. Were you surprised? I didn't see it coming at all.

Anything I missed from this week's episode? Did you like the medical case? How about the focus on Taub? Tell me your thoughts in the comments (and please help answer some of my questions!), or head over to the House! group to talk more.

Photo courtesy of Fox

She's Out of My League: Has a Dirty Mind and a Heart of Gold

BuzzSugar — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:45:58 -0800

A movie like She's Out of My League comes along every few years: average-looking guy scores a major babe and has no idea why. His friends don't know why either, and somehow the fact that the woman may not be as shallow as they are never crosses their minds.

The average guy here is Jay Baruchel as Kirk, and his ravishing conquest is Molly, played by British stunner Alice Eve. When Molly leaves her phone at airport security and TSA officer Kirk bends over backward to return it to her, they begin an awkward, funny, cute, and at times horrifying courtship. The film is marketed as a romantic comedy between these two opposites, but it's also very much a buddy comedy that gives an unexpected amount of significance to the conversations male friends have about their love lives.

I was expecting to sit through a cliched gross-out comedy, but She's Out of My League surprised me. It's plenty raunchy, but it's very sweet too, and not just about the relationship. To hear why, just read more.

While I genuinely believe both guys and girls will enjoy the movie, that desire to please everyone hinders it a bit. Mercifully, there are enough good, benign gags to help balance out the gross-out scenes that seem forced in just to appease the male audience.

My next issue is that Baruchel is really quite adorable, so it almost feels like he's miscast at first. The undeserving loser his peers see surely can't be the cute, dark-haired guy I see. But it soon becomes clear: the reason why his friends and family are confused about Molly liking Kirk lies with them; they're the unsupportive antagonists. It's actually pretty realistic - Kirk's not some paunchy dope, he's just insecure from being told he's not good enough for someone amazing.

Besides appreciating the truth of the situation, there's one aspect I really loved: the gang of four guys. Kirk's besties Stainer, Devon, and Jack (T.J. Miller, Nate Torrence, and Mike Vogel) anchor the movie. Their dialogue crackles with chemistry, crass truths, and gut-busting humor.

In point of fact, it's his friends that rescue Kirk from drowning in bad self-esteem and losing his dream girl. There's no self-realization on Kirk's part; the confidence comes from his buddies, who reverse their negativity and instead start supporting him. It's really a testament to the guys' friendship and a welcome sentiment in a movie like this.

Some may dismiss She's Out of My League, but I liked it for the reason that Molly falls for Kirk: it made me laugh.

Photos courtesy of Paramount Pictures

The Wolfman: Monstrously Bad

BuzzSugar — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:30:00 -0800

Since werewolves are so hot right now, I wanted Benicio Del Toro's The Wolfman to be the sophisticated, gothic horror entry into the creature-centric movies. It's promising at first - Del Toro's Lawrence is brooding, dark, and a little sexy, and the atmosphere is rich and spooky.

The film begins with Lawrence returning to Blackmoor, England, to his childhood home and the father who'd sent him away as a boy. Tragedy has struck: Lawrence's brother Ben has been brutally, mysteriously murdered and Lawrence is determined to find out what happened. He hopes to comfort his disapproving father, played by Anthony Hopkins, and Ben's grieving love, Gwen (Emily Blunt).

The secrets of the Talbot home rattle Lawrence and the viewer, but by the time the first werewolf attacks Lawrence, the movie devolves into slasher-flick gore, a paper-thin plot, and dialogue so bad you don't know whether to grimace or laugh.

For more of an explanation, just read more.

I'd love to know what happened between shooting the movie and editing it down. It seems like the juiciest parts of the story were cut in order to make room for the horrific scenes of violence. I assume that's where all the attention to detail went: people are torn in half, gutted, limbs pulled off, eyes gouged out - this movie is not for the squeamish. I will give props to The Wolfman for creativity, in particular showcasing little-seen human parts like entrails, which so rarely get their shining moment in film.

The gross factor is the movie's highest achievement, though, and doesn't make up for any of the spectacular failures. This is the worst acting I've seen from Benicio Del Toro in years, but that's not to say he needs to turn in his Oscar - the dreadful script carries the blame. Even fellow respected thespian Anthony Hopkins shuffles about onscreen spewing unintentionally funny lines. The only performance I wasn't appalled by is Blunt's. As Lawrence's love interest, she generates very little heat with Del Toro, but she does have an excellent scared face.

The movie ends with an uncreative hint at a sequel, clearly hoping to have a few more years with the hairy monster as a bankable item. The irony is that with offerings like this, people will only want to see the pop culture werewolf will die a swift death.

Photos courtesy of Universal Studios

Buzz-Worthy Video: "Skeletons" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

BuzzSugar — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:30:18 -0800

Just when I think my girl crush on Karen O can't get any more feverish, here comes the video for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Skeletons," yet another cinematic spectacle to ogle over. Following a gut-filled massacre at the hands of a Michael Jackson werewolf for "Heads Will Roll," the black and white footage for "Skeletons" similarly sticks to the macabre, cutting between graveyard shots and eerie inkblot-esque imagery (fun fact: Karen O's boyfriend Barney Clay is the director). Karen appears dressed almost like the ghost of Clara Bow.

I can't describe exactly why the spooky footage has me so transfixed, but it fits nicely with the slow pace and haunting feel of the song. Take a look at it for yourself when you read more.

Glee-ful Highlights From Episode, "Mattress"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:00:00 -0800

This week our beloved Glee club members encourage each other to smile, smile, smile - but there's more angst than laughs in the episode. The kids do their best to avoid having their photo defaced in the yearbook (though they ultimately fail), Sue tries once again to take down the club, but the biggest moment of all belongs to Mr. Shue when he finally discovers that Terri's pregnancy is a farce.

There's lots more to discuss with only one new episode to go (!!!), so to get into it, just read more.

Mr. Shue struggles in many of his relationships this week; he's upset when Emma tells him that she has to skip sectionals for her own wedding, and he has spats with Principal Figgins and Sue when glee is denied a yearbook photo. But, of course, the crux of the episode is his fight with Terri. In arguably the most emotional scene of the show since Quinn's confrontation with her parents, a teary-eyed Will faces Terri head-on after he finds her pregnancy pad. It's kinda hard to believe that weeks and weeks of build up could unravel so quickly. Even after so many episodes of hating Terri's guts, it's hard not to feel bad for her when she's fighting with Will in the kitchen. The icing on the cake is that Will inadvertently brings down the glee club when he sleeps on one of their free mattresses, thus making them eligible for disqualification from sectionals. Poor Mr. Shue really can't catch a break.
There aren't many performances this time around (I found myself wishing we could hear a cover of "You Might Think" in the scene where Rachel is trying to recruit a co-captain), but the mattress scene is so classic. I couldn't help snickering at Rachel and Finn's overjoyed faces as they jump from mattress to mattress. The kids probably weren't even faking - who wouldn't want to bounce around in pjs?
The glee club gets closer than ever this week, leading up to the final moment when they put on their happy faces and take their yearbook photo. Even without their fearless leader (and packing the knowledge that they'll be chastised by their peers), the gang still musters up the courage to "Smile, though your heart is breaking." Side note: who knew Quinn had it in her to finally stand up to Sue and defend the glee club? She still has her bratty moments, but her character has definitely grown up a lot in these episodes.

So, how'd you feel about all the drama? Are you glad the cat's finally out of the bag? What are your hopes and predictions for the Fall finale? I'd love to see something finally happen with Emma and Mr. Shue, but I can't really let myself believe that Terri's out of the picture for good. Sound off below and be sure to check out the Glee Club group in the Buzz Community!

Photo courtesy of Fox

Mad Men, "The Gypsy and the Hobo": This Week's 5 Maddest Moments

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:30:00 -0700

You know how everyone's always talking about how Mad Men is a slowly simmering pot, leaving you waiting for things to bubble to the surface? One of the show's major plot points, Don Draper's identity, bubbles to the top, finally. And how ironic for it to happen on Halloween eve . . .

The show is an intense marvel this week, living up to its Best Drama Emmy, and I'm ready to chat about it, so to see the five maddest moments (spoilers ahead), just read more.

"It's a lie so big": - Betty doesn't let her Don/Dick revelation from last week lie, and she seeks advice from her lawyer, who basically tells her to stay in her marriage unless she feels threatened. I worried that this was far as it would go, until she womans up and confronts Don when he comes home one night. He tells her everything, including that his mother was a prostitute and that his brother Adam committed suicide - and his role in it. Betty is confused, but more sympathetic than I expected.
The life and times of Roger Sterling: - Roger gets a blast from the past when an old flame, Annabelle Mathis, calls on the firm to help her horse farm/dog food company, Caldecott farms. Roger is cool at first, but his dinner with Annabelle reveals that she left him heartbroken as a young man - a rare insight into Sterling's silver fox facade. When she tells him he was The One, and he replies, "You weren't," I said "Ouch" as she says "Oh." Sigh. It seems to be a Roger's love life retrospective, as he even fields a call from Joan. I need more of this.
Roses: Joan asserts herself in an entirely physically aggressive way when she bashes a vase of roses over her husband's head. Why the violent response? He told Joan she never had to give up anything, never had to leave behind a dream. Hey, Joan's last nerve? Greg just found it. (And P.S., it's weird to hear Joan call herself by her married name, Joan Harris, but I love that Roger names Joan's husband "Dr. Cutup.")
Suzanne who? - While Don comes clean of his entire existence to Betty, Susie is waiting in the car. "Did you get caught?" she asks. "It's more complicated than that," he answers. And how. Apparently it's over for now, but we'll see.
Army wife - Greg drops the first real Vietnam bomb of the series, as we wait for the '60s to explode. He's taking a job in the army, and my gut tells me this will not end well for the Harrises.

Didn't the last line from the neighbor asking, "Who are you supposed to be?" to Don and Betty hit hard? What did you think of the Draper's tense conversation? Oh, and if you want to talk more about the show, join the Mad Men group in the community!

Photo courtesy of AMC

American Idol Snap Judgments: Pop and Buzz Pick the Top 12

BuzzSugar — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:30:21 -0800

American Idol announced its top 24 last night, and that can only mean one thing: It's time for irrational predictions! Last year, Pop and I faced off with our snap judgments about which of the 24 semi-finalists would make it to the finals, and we had so much fun taunting each other about it that we decided to do it again this time around.

This year's a little tricky because we've hardly seen half of these guys, and a few of the girls haven't had much screen time, either. But no matter - that's what gut feelings are for, right? To see which guys and girls we each think will make it through, just push play:

For our full lists plus pictures of all the contestants, just read more.

View 24 Photos ›

The Guys
Chikezie Eze - Buzz & Pop
Colton Berry - Neither
Danny Noriega - Buzz & Pop
David Archuleta - Buzz & Pop
David Cook - Neither
David Hernandez - Pop
Garrett Haley - Neither
Jason Castro - Buzz
Jason Yeager - Neither
Luke Menard - Neither
Michael Johns - Buzz & Pop
Robbie Carrico - Buzz & Pop

The Ladies
Alaina Whitaker - Neither
Alexandrea “Alex” Lushington - Buzz
Amanda L. Overmyer - Buzz
Amy Davis - Neither
Asia'H Epperson - Buzz
Brooke White - Buzz & Pop
Carly Smithson - Buzz & Pop
Joanne Borgella - Pop
Kady Malloy - Pop
Kristy Lee Cook - Neither
Ramiele Malubay - Buzz & Pop
Syesha Mercado - Pop

Photo courtesy of Fox