BuzzSugar

Buzz Gift Guide: Entertaining Dad

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:30:07 -0700

Dads: They're just like us. They, too, need good entertainment within arm's reach to keep life fun, so today I'm sharing a couple of gift ideas that I've got my eye on for Father's Day!

What dad wouldn't kill for the newly released collector's edition of Dirty Harry? This package comes with everything a fan would want related to the movie series, which stars Clint Eastwood as the macho San Francisco police inspector, including a new retrospective documentary titled The Long Shadow of Dirty Harry. Go ahead, make dad's day.

Music-wise, Al Green is the coolest cat of all - and his new album features duets with young singers including John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae, so it's a great candidate for a daddy-daughter sing-along.

I recently passed Ian McEwan's novel Saturday on to my dad while on vacation, and he gave it two thumbs up. It's the story of a middle-aged man who has everything you could want in life - a career, great kids, a loving wife - whose ordinary day takes an extraordinary turn that pushes his courage to the limits.

Finally, if you want to sit down and laugh with your dad this Father's Day, you'd do well to stay away from films like Knocked Up (awkward). Try introducing him to the goofy fun of the Flight of the Conchords HBO show instead.

Dirty Harry Ultimate Collector's Edition ($60)	Flight of the Conchords - The Complete First Season ($24)
Lay It Down, Al Green ($13)	Saturday by Ian McEwan ($13)

Atonement: Riveting and Beautiful

BuzzSugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:28:21 -0800

I haven't read Ian McEwan's 2002 book on which Atonement is based, so speaking from a strictly cinematic standpoint, Atonement is a stunning work of film. The story is told efficiently and with an eye toward capturing both the romantic beauty of the English countryside as well as the frightening cruelties of war. The winning combination of a tight script and brilliant direction by Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice) pretty much makes everything else fall into place. The device of shuttling back and forth in time keeps things interesting, piquing our interest as to cause and effect (i.e. if this happens in the future, what happened in the past to cause it?). The performances are solid - particularly James McAvoy's, but mostly on the part of the women playing Briony at various stages in her life - though the actors most likely benefited greatly from such assured direction.

The story spans several decades, beginning in 1935 at the posh estate where Cecilia's (Keira Knightley) family lives and where the son of the housekeeper, Robbie (McAvoy), while still slightly removed because of his class, has mostly become a part of the family. Just as he and Cecilia begin to act on their attraction toward one another, Cecilia's young sister Briony (Saoirse Ronan as the young Briony) accuses Robbie of a heinous crime he did not commit, and he is sent away. Choosing military service instead of prison, Robbie is serves in World War II, and though he and Cecilia continue to love each other, their lives are never quite the same. As for Briony, the guilt of her mistake haunts her throughout her life, though she tries to achieve atonement through her writing. That's just the plot, though, so read more

My favorite aspect of the movie is this: The story's action is often accompanied by the rapid click-clack sound of a typewriter, a constant reminder of a moment that changed everything, as well as the sound that exemplifies Briony's means of seeking redemption. The most clever thing about this is when this clacking actually becomes the film's score, a rhythmic drumbeat that provides an accelerating pulse to the visuals. It not only makes the action seem more frantic and intense, it starts to sound like music, a tune of desperation.

The way the story unfolds by jumping back and forth in time works well to keep an audience riveted. I was so immersed in these peoples' lives that I was surprised at the end to find that two whole hours had gone by. And though I plan on reading the novel by Ian McEwan, in some ways I'm glad I didn't read it before seeing the film, as the surprises in the story were that much more effective. Several of my fellow viewers must not have read the book either, for there were audible gasps and murmurs floating up around the room. I just love it when that happens. I loved so much about the experience of watching this film that I must go see it a few more times. I wonder if I was so fully in the movie's grasp I might have missed some things. This is one movie I am excited to watch over and over again, and I certainly recommend everyone else see it at least once.

To see the trailer and more clips from Atonement check out movies.ivillage.com.

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First Look: Atonement

BuzzSugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 08:30:00 -0700

I was just saying how super cute I think James McAvoy is and here we are with a new full-length trailer for his WW II period movie Atonement, based on the novel by Ian McEwan and also starring Keira Knightley. Another reason I'm intrigued by this movie: Saoirse Ronan, the young Irish actress who was recently cast to play Susie in Peter Jackson's adaptation of The Lovely Bones plays a key role.

From what I can tell in the trailer, McAvoy's character Robbie and Knightley's character Cecilia are having an illicit love affair when Ronan's character Briony accuses Robbie of something and he's sent away. The trailer has that desperately romantic period piece feeling to it, so to check it out before the movie opens December 7 in the U.S. (September 7 in the UK), read more

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