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Lindsay Lohan Disses Her Dad, Mr. Fox and 2012 Movie Reviews, and Taylor Lautner Talks New Moon

Molly — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:30:00 -0800

Taylor Lautner gives us some insight into Team Jacob vs. Team Edward while Lindsay Lohan has a message for her publicity-loving father. We've got your quick Watch, Pass, or Rent movie reviews of 2012 and The Fantastic Mr. Fox. We've also got a peek at January Jones on SNL. Watch the PopSugar Rush Weekend Edition now!

Buzz-Worthy Video: January Jones Plays Beer Pong on Fallon

BuzzSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:30:40 -0800

A friendly game of beer pong is nothing new for Jimmy Fallon's celebrity guests, but I was particularly interested to see January Jones show off her skills last night. Jones is anything but prim and proper Betty Draper off the set, and I can't wait to see more of that side on SNL this weekend. The self-proclaimed champion brought plenty of trash talking, but you'll have to see the video to find out if her bite's as bad as her bark.

To watch Jimmy and January face off, just read more.

Link Time! George Clooney Gets Behind A New TNT Show

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:30:05 -0700

George Clooney is signing on to exec-produce Delta Blues (with an Elvis impersonator cop!) for TNT - TV Squad
January Jones will star in the Nicolas Cage thriller The Hungry Rabbit Jumps - Coming Soon
The Short Circuit remake gets a director - MTV Movies Blog
Those DirectTV ads with Chris Farley and David Spade suffer some backlash - E! Online
Kristin Davis talks the Sex and the City sequel - Hollywood Crush
Lots of photos from this past weekend's CMJ Festival - Stereogum
Weezer and Lil Wayne's collaboration "Can't Stop Partying" is pretty darn catchy - Idolator
Check out this list of the best rock-'n'-roll movies - Rotten Tomatoes
Author Augusten Burroughs is working on two new TV series, one for CBS and one for Showtime - Movieline
Norah Jones plays a pirate in her new music video - HitFix
Just in time for Halloween: The 5 scariest TV episodes ever - TV.com
Plus, 10 girl-power inspired costumes (Bella Swan made the list!) - TresSugar

January Jones and Diane Kruger Looking For an Unknown White Male

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:30:07 -0700

January Jones is everywhere right now: This week's Mad Men was exceptionally stellar, her scandalous GQ issue is currently on stands - and the latest news this morning is that she will be appearing on the big screen soon, as well. (Much like some of the other Mad Men ladies.) Jones has been cast along with Diane Kruger in the thriller Unknown White Male. The film follows a man (Liam Neeson) who awakes from a coma to find that his identity has been stolen. Jones will be playing his wife who doesn't believe him, and Kruger stars as a cab driver who helps him seek out the truth.

Hmm, playing the spouse of a guy with identity issues? This shouldn't exactly be a stretch for Betty Draper's alter-ego.

I'm excited about this female pairing. I've always liked Diane Kruger (especially in Inglourious Basterds), and I'm curious to see if Jones can ride her current wave of success into full-fledged movie star status. (And Unknown White Male sounds like a more challenging part for her than say, American Wedding or Love Actually.)

What do you think of Jones and Kruger's new roles? Do you have a hard time picturing Jones as anyone but Betty?

Link Time!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:45:34 -0700

Justin Timberlake will present at the Emmys this weekend for the first time - The Futon Critic
The music industry wants cash for iTunes songs previews - GeekSugar
Jon Hamm and January Jones will be on Oprah next Monday - yay! - Vulture
Josh Lucas will join Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel in Live as We Know it - Coming Soon
Youth in Revolt's release date has been pushed back to January 2010 - Cinematical
LeBron James will make his movie debut in Fantasy Baseball Camp - Zap2it
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will be taking a break once their tour ends - HitFix
Five of John Malkovich's favorite films - Rotten Tomatoes
If you liked Greg the Bunny, MTV has another show for you - TV Squad

Where Are the Best Roles for Actresses: TV or Movies?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:30:00 -0700

Considering that television holds second-rate status to film in a lot of people's minds, it's amazing to think of all of the stellar silver screen actresses who are currently working on TV. In a recent panel organized by The Hollywood Reporter, a whole bunch of them - including Sigourney Weaver, Regina King, January Jones, Anna Paquin, Rose Byrne, and Mary McDonnell - talked about the great roles available for women on the small screen right now.

That got me wondering if TV is providing actresses with better opportunities than film. But then there are actresses like Kate Winslet, who prove that meaty, interesting movie roles for women are still out there.

Take a look at this discussion and then tell me: Are the best roles for women on TV right now? Or are women getting more interesting opportunities in the movies?

Which Mad Men Lady Is Your Favorite?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:30:32 -0700

The men of Mad Men can sometimes be like train wrecks - I have to watch them even when I find some of them repellent. And while Don Draper may be the center of the show, I actually think it's the ladies who keep me coming back for more week after week. The fashion is amazing for one thing, and Joan, Peggy, and Betty are some of the most fascinating and heartbreaking female characters on television right now.

I know picking a favorite can be hard but give it a try anyway. Now that we're at the end of season two, which Mad Men lady do you like best?

Photos courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode 13, "Meditations in an Emergency"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:30:16 -0700

The storm clouds swirled on this week's exciting season finale of Mad Men. As the terror of the Cuban missile crisis thrums below the surface, everyone copes with the prospect of the end of the world in his or her own way. The entire episode has a nihilistic vibe to it, with characters weighing each moment against the idea that it could be their last.

But worrying isn't just for global affairs: the ad men of Sterling Cooper are also fretting about big changes a little closer to home. If you know what I mean and want to chat about it, read more.

While the men in the office are riveted by the TV set, following every move President Kennedy makes, they are also concerned about the big merger. How will it work? Will anyone get fired? Meanwhile, Peggy and Betty each use impending doom to confront and attempt to make peace with their own issues. It's a doozy of an episode and plenty entertaining, even if it may be one of the gloomiest ever.

Betty Draper: The night opens with Betty at her doctor's office gazing at a picture of deer. An interesting image for a woman about to find out she's pregnant and immediately inquire about an abortion. From there we travel with Betty on the kind of cathartic journey that's been bubbling up in her for two seasons now. She smokes, she drinks, she broods - even when Don shows up with his tail between his legs, she doesn't skip a beat. When he tells her he had to get away for a while to think she responds flatly, "Must be nice, needing time and just taking it, all on your own terms." Oh, snap. Take that, Don. And then she drops the kids off with Don and has sex with a stranger at a bar. I got the sense that she finally understands her own discontent. She seems to place the source and no longer feels like she's the one going crazy. She takes control. It's an extremely satisfying finale to Betty's story this season (though maybe misguided). What do you think?

Peggy Olson: Peggy also faces her past head-on this episode (amazing what the threat of nuclear war will do for one's emotional development, isn't it?). Father Gill lays a humongous pile of guilt and shame onto Peggy, hoping she'll make things right with God ("Don’t you understand that this could be the end of the world and you can go to hell?"). I half expected Peggy to mumble something like, "Thank you Father" and shuffle away - but she doesn't! She stands up for herself and her ideas: "I can't believe that’s how God is." She's bright and perky when Don returns, informing him right away that she landed the Popsicle account. Later, when things get really dark, she responds to Pete's declaration of love (also: OMG Pete declares his love!) with the truth about his baby. The look on Pete's face is priceless when she confesses her entire ordeal and how a piece of her is gone forever. And now Pete's the one crying and Peggy is calm and resigned.

A few more thoughts:

I am curious about Pete giving Don a heads-up about Duck becoming president of the new merged Sterling Cooper. In the previous scene between Pete and Don, Don gives Pete some new respect for handling things in Don's absence. Perhaps Pete feels like he's closer to Don's level and gives him the information about Duck because, as he says, he'd want to be in the know if he were in Don's place. It's an interesting change of pace, the two of them on the same team.
There's something comforting about Joan and Don back together in the office. Like the old Mad Men coming full circle. I liked Don's line to Joan about Peggy, "So, other than her office and new haircut is there anything else I need to know about?" (Also, again with a cute dress on Peggy! Love it.)
Isn't it just like Don to get to drop out of work for three weeks and when you return you've made half a million dollars? Oh, and your wife takes you back after years of cheating and lying. Life goes well for that guy.
I thought Betty and Francine's conversation about the possibility of Betty having an abortion was fascinating. Even though it's illegal, the women still talk about it as a viable alternative.
I love the scene in which the guys corner Lois the phone operator and pump her for information. Can you imagine people listening in on your office calls?! I think the ominous way she delivers the news is so perfectly gossipy: "There are definitely going to be
some . . . redundancies."
What did you think about Don's letter to Betty? Romantic? Sweet? Too little, too late?
And how about Duck? After all that work on the merger and then he flips out when Don stands up to him.

So, we aren't left with too many crazy cliffhangers this time around, which is kind of nice. The biggest one is Don's future at the agency. It will be interesting to see what goes on with Pete's marriage, and the dynamics between Pete and Peggy in the office should be pretty awkward going forward. Season three will be interesting! What did you think of the finale? Is it a depressing episode or a hopeful one? Was it as exciting as you hoped or a let down?

Photos courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode 12, "The Mountain King"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:35:28 -0700

A lot went down in this week's episode of Mad Men, which makes sense as next week will mark the conclusion of season two (boo!). However, despite some character story lines progressing along, this episode doesn't offer many clues as to how Betty and Don will resolve their marital issues.

We do learn a bunch of stuff about other characters, though, including the fact that Pete is violently opposed to adoption and poor Joan is caught up in a terrible relationship with a wretched man. And while Don's away in California indulging in a mother of an identity crisis, Peggy's slowly but surely proving herself to be the brightest star in the office. So much to talk about! Let's get started, just read more.

Don Draper: Whoa. Talk about getting some answers. We finally learn the identity of the mysterious woman who showed up at Don's car dealership job in a flashback a few episodes back. She's the real Don Draper's wife! (And I so called it, as soon as I understood who she was, that she's the person to whom Don mailed the Meditations in an Emergency!) Turns out the two struck a deal that was financial as well as emotional. The "real" Mrs. Draper allowed Don to live as her legal husband until, of course, he met Betty. The flashback where he comes home to tell Mrs. Draper about the beautiful model he wants to marry is a nice glimpse into his early feelings for Betty, and I loved that dopey grin on his face as he described Betty to Anna. I can't decide if Anna (Mrs. Draper) is a force for good in Don's life or a kind of enabler. On the one hand, the little family they form together is sweet, but on the other hand she offers rationalizations like this one after he finally admits he's ruined everything by lying to Betty: "You love her. You don't have to tell her everything." I think I get what she's saying, but hopefully Don won't take this to mean that he doesn't have to be honest with Betty.

Peggy: Peggy continues to be the character I enjoy rooting for the most. Even though we know she's made some bizarre, confused decisions in the past, she still seems to be the most well-adjusted, rational person in the office. The way she lands the popsicle account is brilliant and I love watching how quickly she's become one of the guys (in their own way they seem to accept now that she's reaching their level, professionally) and they respect her. I also really enjoyed her exchange with Joan. It seems they've realized that they both struggle to stay afloat in a man's world. The cherry on top of last night? Peggy landing her own office. Hurray! When Pete is curious how she landed such a sweet situation she deadpans, "I’m sleeping with Don. It’s really working out.” Sassy, funny, upwardly mobile Peggy? Yes, please!

More thoughts:

OMG, Sally Draper smoking is so disturbing but I laughed out loud. It's heartbreaking to hear her tell her mom that daddy left because Betty is "mean and stupid." Ugh! That kid is going to be a handful as a teenager, especially if she (crossing fingers!) becomes some kind of '60s hippie activist. Probably won't be able to stick her in a closet then!
For some reason Ken's contribution to the popsicle campaign brainstorm made me laugh: "In Vermont we made our own ice cream. It was a pain in the ass."
OK, Pete's reaction to the adoption agency is crazy! After he screams "Hells bells Trudy! That's final!" and tosses dinner over the balcony, I loved how Trudy put him in his place: "You don't speak to me that way!"
Aaand. . . Daddy pulls the Clearasil campaign from Pete, who is too stubborn to back down and keep the business for Sterling-Cooper. I'm amazed that Pete's personal issues cause a client to withdraw, and Pete doesn't seem to care much about it.
Let's get the terrible scene with Joan and her fiance out of the way. Just, ugh. I could hardly stand to watch that go down in Don's office. I've never felt as sympathetic toward Joan as I do now. How soul-shattering was it that they went straight to dinner afterwards (though she left the flowers on the desk, which seems like even more heartbreaking symbolism)? She cannot marry that jerk.
One of the funniest lines to me was when Anna comments on Don's crush on Betty: "Look at you. You're in the lavender haze." Ha! People in the '60s used funny phrases.
Betty's call to Sarah Beth is also insane! Sarah Beth accuses Betty of encouraging her affair with Arthur and Betty shoots back that there's a difference between "wanting and having." It's an intense scene that makes Betty look like the puppet master over these people as a way of working out her own desires. Maybe?
Cooper's sister Alice is fabulously powerful as a character and I enjoyed her back-and-forth with Roger. She appears to convince Cooper of agreeing to the merger. And does it seem darkly foreshadow-y when she says something in the beginning about letting Roger Sterling die in the arms of a 20-year-old? Anyway, next week the staff is going to flip out! I can't wait.

What did you think of this episode? Are you sad we're nearly done with season two? Remember to chime in with your expectations for season three!

Photos courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode 11, "The Jet Set"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:43:50 -0700

This week's Mad Men episode has got to be the most bizarre yet. I was looking forward to Don and Pete's trip to L.A. (especially for the fashion and sets!) but did not see Don's little sojourn into an eerie little "family" coming. The mood in L.A. is surreal and exotic, with the figures around Don often moving around him in slow motion, making his departure from the realities and responsibilities of his life all the more creepy.

Back in New York, Roger and Jane get extremely serious and move their relationship to the next level even as Roger stares down what I'm guessing will be a nasty divorce. Also, Peggy gets a mini-makeover, Bob Dylan is the hot concert ticket in town, and someone comes out of the closet in the Sterling-Cooper break room. Ready to chat about this fascinating episode? Just read more.

Don Draper: Do we even call him Don still?! By the end of the episode he is speaking as Dick Whitman. . . but I'm getting ahead of myself. Los Angeles is, as expected, totally awesome in terms of a new swinging set of people and fabulous fashion. There's an interesting scene in the poolside bar when Don thinks he sees Betty but it turns out to be some other blonde. Pete's digging the pool scene but Don cracks the whip and makes him work only to ditch him later for a young (really young), mysterious woman named Joy who hangs out with a Count named Willy. Um, yeah. The Palm Springs abode is a den of temptations and offers Don a chance to indulge in a life without strings attached - even Joy explains she wouldn't expect him to be faithful sexually. The song at the end of the episode has the lyrics, "What'll I do?" and the sight of Don's luggage arriving on a quiet Draper doorstep makes me feel ill about what his choice might be.

Peggy Olson: Aw, Peggy. She's getting more respect at the office in some ways but we finally see how confused she is about other aspects of life, like men. It's interesting to compare the sophisticated way Jane uses her sexuality at such a young age to dazzle Roger and Peggy's innocent question, "I don't know why I pick the wrong boys. What's wrong with me?" I love her budding friendship with Kurt ("I fix you") and love her haircut even more. Of course, Pete notices her new 'do as soon as he returns. I hope Kurt helps Peggy become less insecure and I hope the Mad Men folks give her a cute straight boy to go to concerts with soon.

Some more thoughts:

How's this for coming out of the closet in the office during the early '60s? "I make love with the men, not the women." It was an awesome moment followed by homophobic slurs and jokes (once Kurt left the room, of course). Poor Sal's face broke my heart in two.
Duck's fighting for his life and drinking again. He's been a truly sad and pathetic character thus far so I'm glad to see him find his mojo in the firm. I find his desire to take over Sterling-Cooper very interesting. With three weeks to go you know things are going to get nuts now that this little plot has been seeded.
The staging of the scenes in this show is so magnificent sometimes. I was struck by the final shot of Don from behind, sitting on the couch in Palm Springs with his arm draped along the top of the couch - a replica of the black silhouette we've come to associate with the show.
In both Don and Roger's scenes the women's ages come up. They're really young. I have to admit this skeeves me out, big-time.
Back in L.A. I noted the scene where Joy asks Don if he's ever had Mexican food and he says no. In this day and age, I can't imagine a world where Americans have never heard of Mexican food! And frankly, that's not a world I want to live in. Mmm. . . burritos.
I still love the business-related scenes where the creatives brainstorm around brands like Right Guard. It's so hilarious to hear them position these products at this early stage ("Men will be men," and "Women smell bad, too").
The episode opens on a pretty chilling scene: Don and Pete watch a scientist gleefully explain America's new missiles, excitedly talking about limiting second strike capabilities via total annihilation of cities. If I had to sit through that presentation I might have hopped in a car to Palm Springs with a total stranger too, truth be told.
So, ew. Joy is Willy's daughter and he is quite involved in her sex life. Creeps-ville!
How amazing is it going to be when Joan finds out about Jane and Roger?!

What did you think of last night? Was it weird to not see Betty at all while Don is off in the Garden of Eden with a 21-year-old? And who did he call in the end? Do you think Roger will go through with this marriage to Jane? Or will the divorce get too expensive?

Photos courtesy of AMC