BuzzSugar

Is the Jim and Pam Wedding Episode Overhyped?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0700

The big moment we've all been waiting for is just about here: Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly will finally be married in an hour-long special episode of The Office tonight!

NBC (and the entertainment world in general) has gone all-out for the event, including an EW cover, video teasers, talk show appearances, even their own wedding site.

I can't wait to finally see Pam and Jim tie the knot, but you'd almost think we were being prepped for the series finale given all the promotion. What do you think - are you more excited than ever or is there too much buildup to Jim and Pam's big day?

Photo courtesy of NBC

Jim and Pam's Wedding on The Office - Video Sneak Peek!

BuzzSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:00:26 -0700

I've been all aflutter (really, there's no better word for it) about Pam and Jim's wedding pretty much since Casino Night on The Office, and the big day is almost here! We already know that Niagara Falls may be involved, we've checked out their wedding website and even gushed over their adorable EW cover, but wait - there's more!

The cast is just as excited as we are to see Jim and Pam walk down the aisle next week, and we've got some behind-the-scenes interviews with John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer, plus a few clips from next week's episode! It's going to be one to remember for sure, so check out the sweet video after the jump.

To check out the video, just read more.

Photo courtesy of NBC

Movie Preview: Krasinski's Brief Interviews With Hideous Men

BuzzSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:30:29 -0700

John Krasinski picked a pretty juicy project for his directorial debut: David Foster Wallace's Brief Interviews With Hideous Men. The film has made the festival circuit and garnered mostly so-so reviews. In fact, I read some pretty negative reviews a while ago and got it into my mind that this wouldn't be an appealing movie. But now that there's a trailer, it doesn't look too bad at all.

Krasinski also stars in the movie which follows Sara Quinn (Julianne Nicholson), a doctoral candidate in anthropology whose sudden breakup with her boyfriend motivates her to interview a variety of men in an attempt to better understand their secret thoughts and desires.

Maybe I think it looks OK simply because I expected so little of this film, but I'll probably see it. What do you think? To take a look at the trailer, read more.

The Office Season Premiere Is Something to Gossip About

BuzzSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:30:05 -0700

Tomorrow is Sept. 1, which means Summer is officially over as far as I'm concerned. Time to move on to bigger and better things - like Fall TV! Back at the TCA, I was lucky enough to explore the set of The Office and chat with the cast about the upcoming season, which starts on Sept. 17. We already heard about Pam and Jim's wedding - not to be confused with John Krasinski's real-life engagement to Emily Blunt - but here are a few fun tidbits about what else we can expect in season six:

Jenna Fischer on trying on Pam's wedding dress: "It really is very neat. Trying on the dresses for Pam was emotional and really felt significant. It feels like she's a person I've been rooting for for so long and to see her finally getting her dream come true is neat."
Producer Paul Liberstein on what we can expect from Michael: "We're trying to get him a little wackier. We'll see. I enjoy the wacky Michael."
Liberstein on keeping the show in the actual office: "We're staying in the office a lot more than we did last season. I think there's a kind of a feeling that people enjoy in-the-office stories more when all of the characters are together, interactions between the characters. And so that's - but after 100 episodes, it's hard. But we're trying harder to do it. Some episodes are out."

If the quotes aren't enough for you, NBC has also rolled out two new promo videos to get us fired up. In the season premiere, "Gossip," the cast starts speculating on Pam's secret pregnancy, which of course turns into all kinds of hilarious, yet absurd, rumors about the other co-workers. There are also some cute behind-the-scenes interviews with the actors talking about their on-screen counterparts.

To check out the videos, just read more.

Photos courtesy of NBC

Movie Preview: Streep, Martin, and Baldwin in It's Complicated

BuzzSugar — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:30:40 -0700

Though I truly love Father of the Bride and Baby Boom, I'm starting to think that the projects coming from writer/director Nancy Meyers in these later years of her career (like Something's Gotta Give) are only as strong as her casts. And even then, the actors can only do so much. This latest movie from Meyers, It's Complicated, looks cute enough, if a little bland, and it seems to benefit tremendously from the lovable Meryl Streep in the lead role.

Streep plays a divorced woman who starts to have feelings for her remarried exhusband (Alec Baldwin) just as a sweet single man (Steve Martin) takes a shine to her. It's perhaps an ordinary love triangle rom-com, but I like that it features older characters who have already gone through heartache and divorce. Still, I hope the movie in its entirety is more interesting than the trailer makes it seem. My favorite part includes Streep and Martin's characters, um, getting a little silly.

The movie hits theaters Dec. 25. To check out the trailer, read more.

Away We Go: Happy to Come Along

BuzzSugar — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:15:09 -0700

Away We Go starts with a sex scene. There's no nudity, it's not overtly graphic, but it's unexpected and a bit jarring. It's certainly not the overture I was predicting. But just as I was starting to get uncomfortable, the moment becomes quite humorous. The hilarity of the scene is grounded in the screenplay (which was written by Dave Eggers and his wife Vendela Vida), but brought to life by John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph. Known for their respective work on The Office and Saturday Night Live, the duo's comedic chops may not come as a surprise, but here these two are playing it pretty straitlaced. It's this juxtaposition that makes the film so good - seeing funny people playing serious roles with serious situations that end up being funny.

It's a formula that's worked before. As I guessed from the trailer, the film is very similar in tone to Garden State and Juno. All three are quirky little gems with heavy subject matters and great soundtracks (seriously, check out Alexi Murdoch if you haven't already). If I had to fault the film with anything, it would be that it didn't feel particularly fresh, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable.

To learn more about the film, and its cool costars, read more.

The story follows Burt and Verona (Krasinski and Rudolph) on their quest to find a place to call home. They're about to have a baby and because Burt's proximately close parents (played by Jeff Daniels and the always hilarious Catherine O'Hara) are moving to Belgium, the two find themselves looking for someplace to live. Verona's parents are dead, so they decide to visit friends and relatives in various parts of North America and Canada where they could potentially set down roots. What ensues is a road story that finds the couple in Phoenix, Tucson, Madison, Montreal, and Miami.

Along the way we meet a variety of characters who run the gamut from looney and hilarious (specifically Allison Janney and Maggie Gyllenhaal's characters) to more subtle and subdued. And this goes back to the overall tone of the film: serious sprinkled with a dash of silly. It works most of the time, but occasionally the antics of Janney, Gyllenhaal, or O'Hara seem a little too far-fetched for what is ultimately a dramatic film. But these missteps are mostly forgivable as the actresses are so hysterically funny.

Then again, maybe these women's characters aren't supposed to be realistic or relatable. Maybe we're supposed to identify solely with Burt and Verona as they navigate through their journey. I certainly did. I also identified with the film's key message - that home is truly where the heart is. It's a refreshing idea coming from the director of the great but depressing American Beauty and Revolutionary Road.

Bottom Line: If you're looking to escape the typical Summer fare, Away We Go is a solid option.

Photo courtesy of Focus Features

Buzz Interview: John, Maya, and Sam Take It Away

BuzzSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:30:37 -0700

I was giddy when I first heard about Away We Go, director Sam Mendes's quirky little film starring Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski. The movie's sweet trailer only increased my interest, so imagine my excitement upon getting the opportunity to interview Sam, Maya, and John. I sat down with the Oscar-winning director, SNL alum, and The Office star (on whom I admittedly have a bit of a crush) in San Francisco to chat about the film, which is already open in limited release.

The movie follows Burt (Krasinski) and Verona (Rudolph) as they travel across America in search of the perfect place to raise their unborn child. We journey with them as they visit different friends and family, picking up a few laughs and a lot of life lessons along the way. The trio had plenty to say about why they fell in love with the script, breaking out of TV roles, and lots more. Here are some highlights:

On Burt and Verona's relationship in the movie:

John: The thing I responded to most about the relationship is how perfect it was. And by that I mean both characters are dealing with the same world, the same cynical world that I think that we're all living through today. Especially for a time like now, the fact that you've heard the whole "love will conquer all" thing before but now you see it put into play in a real way, and not in a Romeo and Juliet way . . . I think that when you don't have a job and you're about to have a kid, all these real problems need real people and they need real best friends and they need real relationships. And that’s what I think I responded to most, it’s the relationship that I think, for the most part, most people have always wanted. . . . And that's what I thought was so great about the script, is not only did they show that it’s not unattainable, but it’s a lot simpler than we think.

There's more where that came from, so just read more.

Maya: I fell in love with Burt and Verona right away . . . I feel like they exist in this world because of each other. I loved how honest their relationship was in terms of how honest their love was that it wasn't trying to be some idea of romantic film love. That it was a real love that was bumpy, imperfect and weird, and it had stipulations about marriage and the baby was on its way and they weren't expecting it . . . I loved being a part of that, of the two of them on their own and then it branches out into them out in the world, and how you see them cope in the world, too.

On breaking free from their TV personas:

Maya: Well, luckily my television persona was a crazy person, so I don't know if anyone expected what was coming next. I’ve learned and I’ve seen this a lot with people who I’ve worked with on Saturday Night Live, that there really is an expectation of you to be that in everything that you do. And as wonderful as my relationship is with Saturday Night Live, as a human being and as an actor, there's even more inside my artillery and more inside me as a thinking, feeling human. It's really nice to be able to do other things, too. It’s never really turning my back on the world of comedy, or sketch comedy, or wigs for that matter, but just the opportunity to be able to do something else that’s closer to a real person like me, or a real girl, or a relationship.

John: I'd say that I'm in a rare position that The Office isn't really something you want to break out from. It's the best thing going. On top of that, I'm also really lucky to play a character on the show that I think is able to be funny sometimes but is probably the more realistic character of the bunch . . . I love comedy and I had never really gotten the opportunity to do something super dramatic but I had tried it a bit on the show, so it was really up to Sam to take a chance and say  "I want to go further with what I think you have to offer" and so I was really lucky to have that happen.

On the film's message:

John: In a more universal sense, it's really about that ability to find yourself, in a society that’s constantly trying to conform to whatever is going on now, or whatever's new, or whatever you parents did, or you need to make this amount of money to have a child. All those different things, even our characters are forced to think about where to live, but also bring in how are they gonna have a job, how are they gonna have all these other things that they do have to conform to, and how much of it will they conform to, and how much of it will be completely their own. Whether you bring in any political sense to it, it’s the same story at the end of the day, it’s "where do you belong?"

On how being a husband and father impacted the film:

Sam: One of the first things I thought about it when I first read it, that was kind of the magic about it, was that Dave [Eggers] and Vendela [Vida] had written it when they were pregnant with their first child. It had some of that magical period in it, where you’re on the precipice of a whole new life . . . I also recognized that there's a satirical line running through the whole movie about styles of parenting. And when you're a parent, you do watch other people’s parenting with different eyes . . . But you're also aware, as I think Burt and Verona are, that you are just as flawed as everyone else, you just have a different set of flaws. You're just a little less crazy than the really crazy ones. But there's no such thing as a perfect parent. You’re learning all the time, every day.

On making the transition from directing Revolutionary Road right into Away We Go:

Sam: It was actually really easy, because what I needed at the end of Revolutionary Road was a couple of laughs. It was a pleasure because, in a weird way, I’m not sure I would have been so certain I wanted to do Away We Go had I not just made Revolutionary Road. To state the obvious, they’re both movies about a couple that want to escape, but one of them can’t and that’s Revolutionary Road, and this one can . . . I'm not a bleak person by nature. I don’t believe that all men and women are destined to be apart and nothing can never work, and we're basically born to tragedy . . . So I felt the need to get out there and make a movie that was closer to the way I was thinking about the world I live in now, and this is it. I just happened to pick up that screenplay at the right time. And so for me it was just a pleasure from beginning to end.

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The Office Rundown: Episode 28, "Company Picnic"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 15 May 2009 11:30:29 -0700

Aw, you guys, for a comedy, this season finale of The Office is pretty darn sweet! Jim and Pam traditionally have big moments in Office finales, but there's another love story at play here when Holly Flax - and boyfriend AJ - meet up with Michael at the company picnic. There's also volleyball and "soup snakes." Want to see some of my favorite moments? Just read more.

Eeep! Pam's pregnant! I mean, we didn't actually hear the words - isn't it funny that Jim and Pam's biggest moments this season have been silent? - but her smiley reaction totally gives it away. I love the bug-eyed look on Jim's face, and then the joy as he swoops in for a hug.
Backing up: Pam and Jim only plan to stay at the Dunder Mifflin company picnic for a few minutes because they don't seem to have much luck at big office gatherings. Some drunk guy hit on Pam last year and said he was grabbing her for balance. Pam: "You don't grab these for balance." I love the mischievous look on Jim's face.
Dwight shows up at the picnic with his friend Rolf, who's the perfect companion for him. Dwight says they met at a shoe store: "I heard him asking for a shoe that could increase his speed and not leave any tracks."
Aw, the moment when Michael first sees Holly is so adorably awkward. He and Holly hug a little too long, then he pretends not to remember AJ, then when AJ asks for an iced tea he semi-jokingly tells him to go to hell. All episode long, he manages to just barely tolerate AJ: "So, what is up with you two, Holly?"

Michael's planning on finding the perfect moment to read through his list of bullet points for why he and Holly should be together, which includes the fact that they're "soup snakes." Which is apparently supposed to be "soul mates."
Charles is still so mean to Jim! And he only has one joke, about Jim being sleepy. Pam asks if she should beat him up. Jim: "No, I shouldn't have to ask you to do something like that. You should just do it."
Nobody from the Scranton branch is any good at volleyball except for Pam, who's kind of a superstar. Kevin keeps getting hit in the stomach, Ryan's on the phone, but Pam has this killer serve. "Maybe I played a little in junior high. And high school. And a little in college. And went to volleyball camp most Summers." She gets them all the way to the final faceoff against corporate.
Rolf is so mean to Angela, calling her a whore and saying he doesn't hear "cheaters, tramps, or women who break my friend's heart." Eventually, though, Dwight tells him to cut it out - does that mean they're going to reconcile soon?
When AJ tells Michael he and Holly are designing a house, Michael reveals he's designing chair-pants. I love that Holly's heard this idea before!
So Michael and Holly go through a bunch of movie parodies for their skit (Jaws: "Dunder . . . Dunder . . .") before finally settling on Slumdunder Mifflinaire. It's actually going relatively well - no laughs, but hey, Stanley's into it - until they accidentally reveal that the Buffalo branch is closing.
Which, by the way, is completely David Wallace's fault. Why on earth would David Wallace tell Michael any secret company information? He should know better.
Holly and Michael's moment after the skit is so sweet! And it's awfully big of him to just enjoy her company without telling her how he feels about her. "I think that today was just about having today. I think that we are one of those couples with a long story when people ask how we found each other."
One of the funniest moments in that scene, though, was this exchange:

Michael: I guess we shouldn't have mentioned Buffalo."
Holly: "Hindsight."
Michael: "Should have had hindsight."
And, in the end, all of Dwight's stalling tactics on the volleyball court ("How many people need to get hurt before we learn a valuable lesson? One? Two? Three?") are for naught, because there appears to be a Beesly baby on the way!

Wow, I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this finale!

Photos courtesy of NBC

Movie Preview: Krasinski, Rudolph in Away We Go

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 06:30:48 -0700

Director Sam Mendes has gone from helming Revolutionary Road to Away We Go, yet another relationship-y film (though this one looks far less devastatingly sad than Revolutionary Road). Back when we first heard about this movie, I somehow assumed it would be a sort of light and happy comedy, but now that the trailer's out it more closely resembles something like Juno or Garden State. Except, you know, with John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph in the lead roles.

Krasinski and Rudolph play a couple expecting their first child and who "travel around the U.S. in order to find a perfect place to start their family." A nice assortment of cool, random actors pop up in supporting roles, including Maggie Gyllenhaal, Allison Janney, Jim Gaffigan, Jeff Daniels, Cheryl Hines and more. The movie will have a limited run starting June 5. To check out the adorably funny and touching trailer, read more.

Movie News: Krasinski, Eckhart, Blanchett Circle Roles

BuzzSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:30:11 -0800

Aaron Eckhart in Rum Diary
Amber Heard gets to work with some mighty handsome men. Aaron Eckhart is in talks to join the cast of Rum Diary, the movie based on Hunter S. Thompson's novel, which already nabbed Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in main roles. In the story, "Eckhart is part of a love triangle that sees him vying with Depp for Heard's affection." Richard Jenkins is also joining the project as "the man who oversees the rundown newspaper" where Depp's character works.

Two more movie casting tidbits if you read more.

John Krasinski Joins Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin in Nancy Meyers Rom-Com
I'm pretty much sold on this movie already, even if details are scarce about, you know, the plot. In another love triangle story, Meryl Streep plays a woman caught between two men - played by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Veteran rom-com writer/director Nancy Meyers (Father of the Bride, Something's Gotta Give, The Holiday) is behind the untitled project, which just now got John Krasinski to sign on. Again, mum's the word on any plot or character details (I'm guessing Krasinski's character is someone's son), but this casting makes me more anxious than ever for the movie.

Cate Blanchett May Play Maid Marian!
This is 100 percent just a rumor so far, but still, it's out there and it's a pretty awesome idea: Cate Blanchett might take the part of Maid Marian in Ridley Scott's movie Nottingham, a role originally intended for Sienna Miller. Actor Mark Strong (set for the role of Sir Guy of Gisbourne in the project) recently commented, "I think Cate Blanchett is set to take the Maid Marian part." Then he added what we all know to be true: "She is a wonderful actress and it would make it a much classier film if she was in it."

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