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Movie Preview: Harold

BuzzSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 08:30:39 -0700

"I'm going over the nerd wall and I ain't never going back." Those are words to live by.

Trying to guess exactly how the film Harold would shape up based on the casting news alone was kinda difficult. There is an odd mix of actors involved, including Cuba Gooding Jr., some Saturday Night Live alums (Rachel Dratch, Colin Quinn, Chris Parnell), '80s star Ally Sheedy, and cute young actors like Spencer Breslin and Nikki Blonsky in her first feature film role since Hairspray.

The trailer is goofy and sweet and makes me laugh. The idea of a kid with premature balding getting picked on is you know, heartbreaking, but I can't help but giggle at people mistaking the poor guy for an elderly person. And Cuba Gooding Jr. actually looks like he may be back on his game, as he seems pretty charming and funny in the preview. The whole thing looks sweetly absurd with something life-affirming at the core.

The movie opens in limited release July 11. To check the trailer, read more.

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Buzz News Roundup, 8/13

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 14:29:06 -0700

Channing Tatum and Columbus Short are signed on to star in an untitled buddy action flick, says Hollywood Reporter.
Instead of Harvey Keitel, Joe Mantegna will replace Mandy Patinkin on "Criminal Minds," Zap2It reports.
"Saturday Night Live" folks Rachel Dratch and Chris Parnell will join the cast of Harold, which includes Nikki Blonski and Ally Sheedy, says ComingSoon.
Billboard is reporting that Jennifer Lopez's next album will be in English, titled Brave, and will be released October 9.
ComingSoon reports that Corey Feldman, Corey Haim and Jamison Newlander will all be in the Lost Boys 2 straight-to-DVD movie.
Fox has purchased "Drop Dead Diva," a drama script about a dead beauty queen whose soul enters the body of an unattractive lawyer, Mediaweek reports.
According to the LA Times, New Line is eager to patch things up with Peter Jackson so he will direct The Hobbit.
Variety is reporting that "The Sopranos"' James Gandolfini will return to HBO to play corporate sports scout Sonny Vaccaro, who signed Michael Jordan to the first million-dollar shoe deal at Nike.

Blonsky, Quinn and Sheedy Join Teen Comedy

BuzzSugar — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 16:36:44 -0700

Harold, the rapidly aging teen.
Nikki Blonsky, Ally Sheedy and Colin Quinn have been added to the cast of the comedy Harold, all about a prematurely balding teenager (played by Spencer Breslin). Blonsky, in her first role after Hairspray, will play Harold's loyal, nerdy friend Rhonda. Sheedy, returning to her teenage movie roots (she played Allison in The Breakfast Club), will play Harold's mother tasked with the challenge of helping her son endure the teasing of his peers. Quinn, who I rarely enjoy watching at all, will play Reedy, "a drunken barfly who's a regular at a strip club Harold frequents."

Interestingly...
The movie will be shot at Blonsky's real-life former middle school, about which she says, "It's kinda creepy. I didn't have the best time there, so going back is definitely cooler."

Oh, and then there's this:
"Cuba Gooding Jr., one of the film's producers, plays a school janitor who befriends the troubled title character."

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First Look: Harold and Kumar 2

BuzzSugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:29:27 -0700

Admittedly, the first Harold and Kumar movie (Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle) didn't quite interest me enough to watch the whole thing. I know some people loved it, but I was still surprised to find out that their continuing with Harold and Kumar's story in Harold and Kumar 2, also known as Harold and Kumar Go to Amsterdam.

The teaser trailer was recently released and it definitely made me laugh out loud several times, so it looks like I'll be checking out this installment of the Harold and Kumar adventures. In the trailer it appears that Harold and Kumar try to go on a trip to Amsterdam but are mistaken for terrorists on the plane (best line: "North Korea and Al-Qaeda working together. This is bigger than I thought."). Added bonus: some of my favorite (and, in my opinion, most underrated) comedic actors are featured in the trailer, like Neil Patrick Harris (reprising his role as himself) and Rob Corddry. There's no set release date yet, just sometime in 2008. To watch the teaser trailer and start the week with a laugh, read more

Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle image source

Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay: They Should Have Just Gone to Amsterdam

Molly — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:30:30 -0700

The great thing about Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle is that there were no expectations. The news of its secret hilarity spread quietly through whispers and surprised admissions - You know what I saw last night OnDemand that was oddly incredible? It was a time when a Neil Patrick Harris cameo was delightfully random since no one had seen much of him since Doogie Howser and the simple fact of two guys on a quest for greasy sliders was plot enough. Unfortunately, Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay doesn't have that luxury. The expectations are high (ha, get it?), and sadly, the movie doesn't live up them. Or maybe I'm just getting old.

The thing is, I'm not the only one getting older. Escape From Guantanamo Bay takes place just hours after their trip to White Castle, but somehow the fact that Kal Penn and John Cho are now both in their 30s and look it adds a kind of sad angle to the whole thing that didn't exist when they were fresh-faced 20 somethings who just loved smoking pot. Elsewhere in their acting careers, they're both heart-throbby and respectable in their own rights, but somehow they seem to be too old to still be playing this game. That's a bit nitpicky, though, and really the least of the movie's problems. To see the rest of my thoughts just read more.

For me, the moment the movie went awry was when they ended up at Guantanamo Bay instead of making it to Amsterdam and getting into a whole heap of trouble there. While I appreciate the notion of a noble quest, it's far too convoluted this time, and Amsterdam is just an afterthought. Speaking of bringing Gitmo into it, it's a perfect example of where this movie fails. Time and time again they go for the most offensive lines - racial, religious, sexual, bathroom-related (lots of that) - for cheap laughs rather than a) actually making relevant political satire and comedy or b) making any jokes that haven't been done a million times before.

That isn't to say there aren't good moments. Neil Patrick Harris once again knocks it out of the park, even though at this point we know that real-life NPH isn't going for the biggest boobs at the whorehouse (not even joking: that's in the movie). Plus, at the heart of the movie there's a sentimental angle - a love story, a mushy poem, perhaps a sign that Harold and Kumar are growing up after all. Maybe this is one of those movies that will get better with viewing No. 2, and I'm sure there are plenty of inebriated people of all ages who will think it's a riot. Seriously, the frat boy sitting next to me was rolling in the aisles. In the meantime though, here's to hoping Harold and Kumar think long and hard about their plan before taking another trip.

To see the trailer and video clips from Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay, check out movies.ivillage.com.

Photos courtesy of New Line Cinema

Buzz Book Club: The End of Important Artifacts and Personal Property . . .

BuzzSugar — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:30:33 -0700

Hey, Buzz Book Club readers! We've reached the end of this lovely but heart-wrenching book, and now I'm really curious to find out how it will be adapted into a movie. But we'll talk about that in just a second.

Here's a recap of how the Book Club goes: Every week I've suggested chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, have gone up every Friday in April). In these weekly Book Club posts, I posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

Also, make sure to keep an eye out for my May book club selection announcement!

To discuss last week's section of Important Artifacts, in which we read from Read LOT 1226 through the end, read more.

How did you feel reading a book in which you're basically watching a relationship slowly deteriorate? Do all the pretty pictures and interesting notes make up for the fact that it's actually really sad?
I really like Lenore's sister, Ann, and I love that she's so straightforward with her advice for Lenore and her thoughts on relationships. Do you admire Ann's honesty? Or do you think she might be a bit pushy?
I don't know that I could ever do something like this - put a whole collection of private relationship memorabilia up for auction. I think I would feel incredibly exposed. Would you? Or does it not really matter once the relationship is all over anyway?
On a related note, what do you do with your stuff from old relationships? And does it vary based on how bad the relationship and/or breakup was?
Do you think this book can be successfully made into a movie? And if so, how? Would you want to see a fairly straightforward story of the relationship, without the auction catalog aspect? Some kind of flashback structure where we see a particular artifact and then scenes of how it came to be? Something totally experimental? A combination?

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:30:26 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue.

Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay
My pal Molly had the honor of heading out to the screening of Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay to let the rest of us know how it was. She basically came away feeling that it was a bit on the offensive side of the fence, even for a movie like this. But she also acknowledges that it could be the kind of movie that gets funnier with each viewing, and that Neil Patrick Harris is once again pitch-perfect in his ability to make anything hilarious.

So I'll be honest: I'm adding this to my queue for when I'm in the mood for some dumb laughs. Also, after enduring that-of-which-we-do-not-speak and an Eddie Murphy bomb in the past month, I kinda feel like I can't get too picky about my at-home comedy at this point.

Special features include commentary with the directors and stars as well as a featurette titled "The World of Harold and Kumar."

Two totally fascinating documentaries if you read more.

Surfwise
When I first viewed the trailer for this documentary about nine surfer kids raised in a camper who travel from one beautiful surfing locale to another, I was totally intrigued. At first blush it sounds like an ideal childhood (to me at least): cool parents who thought outside the box, exposing their kids to the joys of surfing and travel. Of course, this isn't as straightforward as it sounds, and in the documentary the kids "speak out" about the unorthodox parenting practices of their father.

Special features include commentary with Doug Pray (director) and Matt Weaver (producer), and lots of outtakes.

Shine a Light
This movie surprised me in its ability to make me reconsider my contention that emptying my wallet to see a Rolling Stones concert in a giant stadium at this point is something I would pass on. Martin Scorsese's rock doc chronicles two Stones concerts from 2006 and totally succeeds at capturing what all the fuss is about. The movie is particularly absorbing when capturing the quiet moments you'd miss as an audience member.

If you're a Rolling Stones fan you'll want to own this immediately, and if you are currently ambivalent about what these aging rockers can bring to a live show, this movie might make you see the light.

Special features include four bonus performances by the Rolling Stones, not shown in theaters.

Buzz Book Club: Important Artifacts and Personal Property . . . Wow, This Title Is Long

BuzzSugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:30:14 -0700

Buzz Book Club readers, I'm excited to announce my April book club selection because I think it's really cool. Ready? It's an auction catalog! Just kidding . . . kind of. The full title is Important Artifacts and Personal Property from the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Including Books, Street Fashion, and Jewelry by Leanne Shapton (art director for The New York Times op-ed page), and it's a fictional catalog of items belonging to a couple that has broken up.

If the long title sounds familiar to you it might be because of the recent news that Natalie Portman and Brad Pitt will likely star in a screen adaptation. Without having read a word of the book, I'm already in awe of how cool the pictures are and I can't wait to dig around this fictional couple's stuff. I'm also intrigued by this quote by author Dave Eggers:

The task is daunting: How to render the dissolution of a relationship in a new way? Leanne Shapton succeeds against all odds with this wildly romantic and erudite book.

Wildly romantic? Yes, please. For those of you new to my book club format, here's how it works: I announce a new book each month. Every week I suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in April). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few discussion-provoking questions for you to respond to in the comments section.

To read a description of the book and to see the first assignment, read more.

The synopsis for Important Artifacts reads:
"In Leanne Shapton’s marvelously inventive and invented auction catalog, the 325 lots up for auction are what remain from the relationship between Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris (who aren’t real people, but might as well be). Through photographs of the couple's personal effects . . . the story of a failed love affair vividly (and cleverly) emerges. From first meeting to final separation, the progress and rituals of intimacy are revealed through the couple’s accumulated relics and memorabilia. And a love story, in all its tenderness and struggle, emerges from the evidence that has been left behind, laid out for us to appraise and appreciate."

The first assignment: Read from the introduction postcard text from Hal through LOT 1112. We'll chat about this section next Friday, April 10.

Year One: Primitive Humor

BuzzSugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:30:45 -0700

The trailer for the new movie from director Harold Ramis, Year One, kind of confused me. How were two cavemen types (Michael Cera and Jack Black) bumping into Romans? What? Well, it turns out nothing regarding an accurate historic timeline in this movie makes sense, but that's OK. It's the least of its problems.

If I had to describe this comedy in one sentence I would say it's as if a Mel Brooks comedy and a so-so Saturday Night Live sketch had a baby. It's a gross-out buddy comedy set in the Old Testament that generates a few good laughs. As a comedy duo, Black and Cera are surprisingly good together - although each relies heavily on his respective well-worn shtick. I'm also genuinely surprised at how much mileage the script is able to get out of riffing on what is essentially one big joke about ancient humans and the Bible.

So that's the good news. There is some bad news, though, which you can learn about if you read more.

Black and Cera play two men from a tribe that is apparently separated from the rest of civilization. They are both really bad at the things humans in their tribe need to master (hunting and gathering) and they get themselves banished. Before long they're rubbing elbows with Biblical celebrities like Cain (David Cross) and Abel (Paul Rudd) and they find themselves in and out of slavery. In the end, they're mostly concerned with boobs and hitting on ladies.

This movie is packed full of gross-out humor, and I use the word "humor" lightly. There are fart, poop, pee, sex, and armpit hair jokes galore. And they are rarely funny. OK, fine. The scene where Cera pees on his own face is a little funny but the rest of it is just really . . . tiresome, not to mention disgusting. It just never ends. There's another scene with Cera in which his character is forced to sleep in a bed with a country boy who farts a lot. It's about five full minutes of screen time devoted to farting. I laughed a little at the beginning but there comes a point when one just wants the farting to end.

The saving grace here is the supporting cast. Cera's mumbly shtick only goes so far, as does Black's exuberance. It's a blessing when someone like Hank Azaria shows up on screen to give the audience a little break from those two. Azaria plays Abraham, a man obsessed with circumcision. There is a decent amount of brain power and wit behind Azaria's performance that elevates what is basically a silly fourth grader joke about male genitalia to a slightly higher level. This movie could have used more of that.

Mostly, though, there isn't anything particularly new or inventive about the gags in this movie. The broad humor feels borrowed from other, funnier movies like History of the World, Part I. It's not that Year One is terrible; it's just that you've seen it all before and you've probably seen it done better. And you know, I bet in year one, early humans gathered around to watch someone fart and then they laughed hysterically. Maybe that even counted as an entire standup routine. But this is 2009. A little wit with that fart would be nice.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

Box Office: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Win the Weekend

BuzzSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 05:30:38 -0700

It's always exciting when a comedy that's genuinely funny does well with audiences, and that was the case this weekend with the female buddy comedy Baby Mama starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

The ladies won the top spot with an estimated $18.3 million, handily beating out the other comedy opening over the weekend, Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay. EW reports that while this wasn't the best movie opening for either Fey or Poehler, their film did much better than many box office watchers predicted. In fact, Baby Mama gave Universal Studios its first box office winner of the year.

The Forbidden Kingdom was No. 3 and Forgetting Sarah Marshall was right behind in the fourth spot, with both films earning approximately $11 million their second weekend out - a respectable achievement.

While Fey and company had good reason to pop the champagne, another film didn't post opening-weekend results worthy of celebration. Deception, starring Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor, and Michelle Williams, "fared dismally," as Variety put it. The thriller barely beat Street Kings for the No. 10 spot, earning only $2.2 million over the weekend. I thought that the very talented cast did the best they could with poor material, but apparently that wasn't enough of a draw.

So, which movies did you check out this weekend? Did any of you see both Baby Mama and Harold and Kumar?

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