BuzzSugar

The Box: An Inadequate Package to Unwrap

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:30:56 -0800

I so wanted The Box to be a worthy successor to Donnie Darko, director Richard Kelly's first film and much-appreciated cult fave. Unfortunately, I didn't exactly get my wish.

The Box is a highly stylized, good-looking thriller, from the retro 1976 Virginia setting to the Barbie and Ken looks of leads Cameron Diaz and James Marsden. They play husband and wife Arthur and Norma Lewis, who run into a bit of a financial jam when a strange opportunity conveniently presents itself. A creepy, disfigured man (Frank Langella) offers them a million dollars if they push a button inside a box - but a stranger will die if they do.

Kelly has all the right elements and the creativity to give us a hip, entertaining thriller, but there are a number of blatant missteps that make the movie unsatisfying. To see more about what I mean, just read more.

Kelly puts his stamp on everything, namely the constant eerie atmosphere and the random sinister characters (apparently an old person standing still in the road is his trademark). Though many questioned the casting of Cameron Diaz and her requisite Virginia accent, there was a similar doubt when Drew Barrymore and Patrick Swayze were cast in Darko, and it ended up working. With Diaz, it's not that I would say that she nailed the part, but that the accent and greater aspects of the plot are very campy. And I like campy, but I don't know if that's what the film is going for.

If you're not taking it seriously, the movie is a pretty good time, with some frightening scenes and jumps. There are also many parts that are supposed to be creepy, but they're so labored that they come out as funny. Like, laugh out loud in the theater funny. I wouldn't call that a failure, I'd just invoke the term I used before campy.

The major problem the movie runs into is when it begins exploring these sci-fi and supernatural angles, which end up being red herrings. For instance, much is made of Arthur's job at NASA and Mars, which made me think we were in for a weird, wild sci-fi ride. I was ready to embrace something really out there (I'm a big David Lynch fan, after all), but you don't really get it. There are so many elements that are introduced but never followed to a conclusion, so you're left shrugging your shoulders when the movie ends. It's even more perplexing because the mystery of The Box itself is explained, but you're left with all these details that went nowhere, in retrospect. It's one thing to leave things open-ended, but you have to give the audience something to work with.

Honestly, if you're a Kelly fan, you'll probably find it enjoyable. But if you want complete resolution, I'd wait for the director's cut.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

Movie Preview: The Box

BuzzSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:45:42 -0700

I've been watching out for director Richard Kelly's (Donnie Darko) movie The Box for a long time now, and I'm excited to say that while the premise sounds odd/silly, I think this could turn out to be a great film. Cameron Diaz and James Marsden play married couple Norma and Arthur Lewis who have a pretty storybook life but eventually run into money troubles. Cue very creepy music and Frank Langella showing up on their doorstep with a box. He tells them that if they push the button in the box someone they do not know will die and they will receive a lot of money.

Again, it sounds silly but so did a movie about a teenage boy who talks to a bunny rabbit named Frank, and we know how well that turned out (really well). The trailer is weird and creepy, and totally smacks of Richard Kelly. Count me in! The movie will hit theaters Oct. 30. To watch the trailer for yourself, read more.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Movie Preview: Sex Drive

BuzzSugar — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:00:58 -0700

I heard about Sex Drive a while ago and then read a review that gave the movie a so-so rating, but now that I've seen the trailer, I'm kinda interested to see it. In some ways it resembles a way weaker version of Superbad, but also more bizarre and - it seems - a little less gross. The plot goes like this: "A horny teenager brings his friends along on a road trip from Chicago to Knoxville to lose his virginity with a girl he met online."

The cast makes me like this movie more than I might otherwise. I don't usually laugh at Seth Green, but I actually did in this case. Also, it stars one of my favorite actors from Greek: Clark Duke (who plays Rusty's conservative Southern roommate Dale on the show), pictured above in the bathrobe. And finally: James Marsden is in it. He's even cute when playing a pretty abhorrent character. Now that's talent.

The movie opens October 10. To check out the trailer, read more.

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

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Box Office: Cloverfield's Monster Weekend Breaks Records

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:30:09 -0800

January usually isn't the month to expect big things at the box office, but Cloverfield just changed all of that. JJ Abrams' monster flick was No. 1 at the box office this weekend, earning an estimated $41 million and setting an all-time January record, Variety reports. Katherine Heigl's 27 Dresses came in a respectable No. 2 earning $22.4 million - another great opening for this time of year.

On the other hand, the ladies of Mad Money didn't fare well at all over the weekend, coming in low down the list at No. 7. The Bucket List took the third slot while audiences continued to enjoy the little comedy that could, Juno, which came in No. 4.

Despite this weekend's huge numbers, we might not be done yet: Studios could gross even more today if moviegoers head to the theaters on their day off.

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

27 Dresses: Formulaic but Enjoyable

BuzzSugar — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 05:30:00 -0800

If you have just the right mindset before viewing 27 Dresses, you just might - dare I say it?- love this movie. It's not deep, it won't win any awards, but it's the perfect complement to a big buttery bucket of popcorn. And really, isn't that what going to movies like this is all about? If your expectations are low, and mine admittedly were, you will be surprised at how enjoyable this movie is. Don't get me wrong, the movie is dripping with wedding clichés, but luckily it's smart enough not to take itself too seriously. In fact, the movie takes those wedding clichés head on. My favorite example is how many times Katherine Heigl's character is told that "the great thing about the bridesmaid's dress is you can shorten the hem and wear it again." Hilarious.

True to the title, Katherine Heigl's Jane has been a bridesmaid 27 times. The movie begins with number 26 and number 27. That's right: She's a bridesmaid twice in one night. What follows is a hilarious comedy of errors as she tries to navigate two weddings: one in Manhattan, another in Brooklyn. It's quite a feat considering that Jane has to jump back and forth between the weddings, requiring, as you can imagine, a quick change in the back of a cab. The resulting antics catch the eye of Kevin, a wedding journalist played by James Marsden. But Jane's heart belongs to her boss George (Edward Burns). Smell a love triangle?

For the rest of my take on the generically enjoyable 27 Dresses read more.

Jane's love for George is unrequited, as he is so oblivious to Jane's affection that he bypasses Jane for her sister Tess (played by Malin Akerman, Ben Stiller's wife in The Heartbreak Kid). The two fall madly in love, which leaves Jane planning a wedding for her sister and her boss. Enter Kevin.

You can take the plot from here. Jane loathes Kevin, then falls in love with him, then something happens to tear them apart, then it ends in a way that won't surprise you. What is surprising is that, despite the formula, the movie still feels fresh. I commend the cast, specifically Katherine Heigl and James Marsden. Heigl, with last year's blockbuster Knocked Up, is clearly proving that she can hold a film. And the adorable Marsden (have you seen him in Enchanted, or better yet, Hairspray?) continues to delight.

All in all, it's no Atonement, but if you typically like movies in the same vein as How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, you'll adore 27 Dresses.

To see the trailer and more clips from 27 Dresses check out movies.ivillage.com.

Photos courtesy of Fox Movies

Buzz News Roundup, 11/2

BuzzSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:30:30 -0700

Variety writes that Fox has set a release date for the second X-Files movie: July 25, 2008.
All My Children star Justin Bruening will be the new Knight Rider, reports Zap2it.
ComingSoon reports that Natalie Portman is starting a production company and will make her directorial debut with A Tale of Love and Darkness.
According to Hollywood Reporter, FX has ordered a fifth season of Rescue Me.
Variety reports that Forest Whitaker will produce a Showtime series called Mr. Untouchable about a "flashy Harlem heroin dealer."
James Marsden will join Cameron Diaz for the thriller The Box, writes Zap2It.
A YouTube series called We Need Girlfriends could become a CBS comedy produced by Sex and the City's Darren Star, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
According to Billboard, Jewel is going country with her brand-new Nashville-based label.
Variety has news about a sequel to Dances With Wolves, titled The Holy Road and directed by Simon Wincer.
Dennis Miller has signed on to host the NBC game show Amnesia; details are at The Futon Critic.

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Movie Preview: 27 Dresses

BuzzSugar — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:35:31 -0700

The movie doesn't open until January 11, 2008 but we already have a trailer for Katherine Heigl's next romantic "comedy," 27 Dresses. She plays a woman who has been a bridesmaid 27 times and, surprise surprise, never a bride. It appears that her tendency to be kind of a doormat has something to do with her getting stepped on a lot.

Judy Greer (13 Going on 30) yet again plays the shrill friend and James Marsden looks beautiful but seems slightly dull. I wished this would be a better-looking movie, but the trailer makes it look pretty generic. To get a load of Heigl and her 27 Dresses, read more

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Link Time! 7/5

BuzzSugar — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 13:15:12 -0700

The Film Experience's hottie of the week is James Marsden (of Hairspray, among other things) whom I think is underused and highly attractive.
MTV's Movie Blog has a chat with John Travolta and Robin Williams about a movie they're doing together called Old Dogs.
Cinematical reports on the rumor that Jim Carrey and director Robert Zemeckis teaming up to make A Christmas Carol utilizing the same animation used in The Polar Express and the upcoming Beowulf.
The TV Addict has video of the "Battlestar Galactica" panel at Sci Fi's digital press tour.
I missed the anti-drug commercial that features a talking dog, so I'm glad BestWeekEver posted it.

Speaking of commercials, You Ain't No Picasso finds video of a couple of ads featuring songs by Feist and Architecture in Helsinki.
TV Squad tells us how to get a sneak peek of the new Ken Burns documentary, The War.
BellaSugar looks at Joan Jett's beauty with attitude.
Idolator wants to know what the soundtrack was for your local fireworks display.

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