BuzzSugar

Movie Preview: Valentine's Day Starring Everyone

BuzzSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:52:36 -0700

By now you've probably seen the myriad on-set shots for the upcoming ensemble romantic comedy Valentine's Day. Oh and by "ensemble", I mean the most star-studded cast to hit Hollywood in years.

This movie has (take a deep breath with me) Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx, Bradley Cooper, Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Emma Roberts, Jennifer Garner, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Topher Grace, Shirley Maclaine, Ashton Kutcher, Taylor Lautner, and Taylor Swift. Did I miss anyone? Probably.

Put all these beautiful stars in a rom-com, set the trailer to a booming pop song, and you've got me excited. The preview doesn't give a ton of the plot away (though I can make some educated guesses based on the title), or but I'm already analyzing the couplings we see in the clip. Anne Hathaway and Topher Grace? Brilliant. Bradley Cooper and Julia Roberts? I'm not sure about their chemistry, but I guess he does like older women. Zing!

The only question is, with these components, are we looking at He's Just Not That Into You 2.0 or Love Actually 2.0? Or neither? Watch the new trailer and let me know what you think when you read more.

Javier Bardem Makes Me Interested to See Eat, Pray, Love

BuzzSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:30:25 -0700

I'll admit I wasn't totally on board for the film adaptation of Eat, Pray, Love when it was announced that Julia Roberts would play the lead role, memoir writer Elizabeth Gilbert. I like Roberts, but this seemed like some odd casting. Gradually, however, I've been warming to the project, as director Ryan Murphy (creator of Popular and Nip/Tuck, director of Running With Scissors) signed on, and Richard Jenkins was cast. Now that Javier Bardem is in talks to join the project, I'm full-on interested.

Bardem would play "Felipe, the man Gilbert meets and falls in love with on the final leg of a journey of self-discovery that began with the end of her marriage." In my opinion, Javier Bardem is sex on legs. I will watch pretty much anything he's in, and I look forward to seeing how he and Roberts play off one another. What do you think?

Source and source

Eat, Pray, Love Movie Gets Going With Richard Jenkins

BuzzSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:30:25 -0700

Ryan Murphy is the creator of Popular and Nip/Tuck, writer/director of Running With Scissors and most recently the creator of Fox's high school chorus comedy Glee - and now he can add "director of Eat, Pray, Love" to his resume. And he won't just be working with Julia Roberts in the main role (as was announced back in 2006), he's got Oscar nominee Richard Jenkins to boss around as well. Here's more:

Based on the international bestseller by Elizabeth Gilbert, story centers on a married woman who embarks on a journey of self-discovery after trying to get pregnant and realizing that she's not living the life she wants. Murphy adapted the screenplay.

Jenkins will play a Texan whom Roberts' character befriends at an Indian ashram.

After at least two-and-a-half years of talking about this book-to-film adaptation, the ball is finally rolling. Say what you will about the book, it will probably make for an interesting story onscreen. Any thoughts on who should play the other "characters" from Gilbert's book? Do you think Roberts is a good pick to lead the show?

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Duplicity: Stylish Spy Caper That's a Touch Too Calculating

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 06:00:55 -0700

It's hard to go wrong with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen in a movie together. The two starred in Closer as a couple in a toxic marriage. This time around they play two corporate spies who are intoxicated with each other. The sexy part comes from the way they look (Owen is tan, Roberts is back with that big ol' movie star smile) and the fact that the characters' day jobs make it hard for them to trust each other, despite the longing between them.

I was expecting Duplicity to be the kind of movie at which I could kick back and enjoy the chemistry between the two stars. You know, the kind of movie in which double-crossing is just a spy's way of flirting, and covert operation lingo is laced with innuendo. I'm sad to report that's not the movie I viewed at all. I'll tell you why if you read more.

I've been intrigued by the idea of Tony Gilroy (the man responsible for the 2007 drama Michael Clayton and writer of the suspenseful Bourne movies) delivering a fun and sexy spy romp starring two of the world's most gorgeous people. I knew to expect a grown-up movie that respects my intelligence, though I was skeptical about how much lightheartedness Gilroy could bring to the screen.

Turns out my skepticism was valid, as I found that the romantic and comedic elements take a backseat to a complex storyline about the corporate spy organizations within pharmaceutical companies. It's all made even more tiresome by a complicated timeline (there are a lot of flashbacks). Instead of asking you to invest in the sexy leads, Gilroy asks the audience to just hang in there through every twist and turn of nonsense in return for a big reveal that will piece it all together for us in the end. Well, by the time I saw the big reveal, I was just glad the movie was over rather than blown away by the cleverness.

On the plus side, the movie looks gorgeous and is delightfully sophisticated. The opening slow-motion sequence on a tarmac is funny and stylized in a way that reminded me of the Oceans 11 movies. Julia and Clive are delightful in Rome and there's a particular moment in which he kisses her neck that satisfied the kind of airy seductiveness I was looking for. There's also a great little sequence with the hilarious Carrie Preston (of True Blood) that is truly alive with comedic timing and wit. But unfortunately, the fun stuff is weighed down by the overly serious corporate saga unfolding. I think the drama is supposed to give us some food for thought on top of the fun, but it's actually just a drag, and it's utterly useless as a parable.

Then there's the matter of Julia Roberts. It's amazing to see this famous siren of the screen back in action. She's all curves with decolletage proudly on display. She's glamorously dressed in European weekend-wear and expensive-looking heels and trench coats. She's middle-aged and it's such a blessing to see a real woman sexily strut her stuff up there on the big screen. But Roberts' performance is distractingly uneven. One moment her eyes are alive with intelligence and wit and the next it looks as though no one is home. When she laughs it's electric, but then other times she just looks drained of energy. It's a strange "comeback" to be sure, but hey, maybe it's just a warm up.

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

Separated at Birth: Clive Owen Intrigue Movies

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 07:30:59 -0800

This weekend the Clive Owen movie The International will debut in theaters. Aside from some key differences, this movie looks a bit like another Clive Owen movie that will be out in March titled Duplicity. Both appear to deal with large international corporations and potentially involve espionage. Both also see Clive in many suits without ties, and both pair Clive with an A-list female costar. But which Clive movie is which? Should you see both? After the jump I have a pretty little chart that breaks down some of the differences between both upcoming Clive movies so you'll be able to make an educated decision. To see my "separated at birth" chart, just read more.

	The International	Duplicity
Costar	Naomi Watts	Julia Roberts
Release Date	Feb. 13	March 20
Vibe	Serious thriller with a lot of action sequences, plot may require brain power	Cheeky spy movie in which con job serves as reason for main characters to flirt
How Do You Prefer Your Clive?	Disheveled, unshaven, using guns, slightly emotionally withdrawn, intense	Clean cut, witty, puppy dog eyes, flirtatious
Corporation at the Center of the Plot	A large international bank	Two large corporations that make stuff
Potential for Clive Love Scene	Low. Most likely a kiss near the end.	Very high. The trailer reveals his shirtlessness.
You Should See if You:	Enjoy movies written and/or directed by Tony Gilroy like Michael Clayton	Are able to erase the memory of Clive and Julia's dysfunctional characters in Closer from your mind

The International one-sheet courtesy of Sony Pictures and Source

Movie Preview: Clive and Julia in Duplicity

BuzzSugar — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:30:40 -0800

The next project from Tony Gilroy, writer and director of Michael Clayton, is Duplicity, a spy thriller with a sexy couple at the heart of it. Clive Owen and Julia Roberts play two corporate spies with a romantic past who "hook up to pull off the ultimate con job on their respective bosses." Paul Giamatti and the awe-inspiring Tom Wilkinson also star.

I watched the trailer a few times because I'm easily distracted by how good-looking Clive Owen is, but in the end I think it looks like an intriguing enough film. There's not a lot of chemistry going on with the main duo, but the premise seems fun. And I think the song used in the second part of the trailer is that Bitter:Sweet tune used as the theme song for Lipstick Jungle (it drove me a little crazy at first trying to figure that out). Duplicity opens March 20. To check out the trailer, read more.

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Movie Preview: Fireflies in the Garden

BuzzSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:30:46 -0700

I feel compelled to give a warning before showing this trailer: Proceed only if you're feeling emotionally strong. Fireflies in the Garden boasts an impressive cast (Julia Roberts, Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Ryan Reynolds, Hayden Panettiere) and it looks to be well-made - though I'm not sure I saw it very clearly through my tears. This film looks gut-wrenching.

The plot description is basic ("The semi-autobiographical story centers on the complexities of love and commitment in a family torn apart when faced by an unexpected tragedy"), but you get a pretty clear sense of what the movie's all about from the international trailer, which you can see after the jump. The family drama screened at the Berlin Film Festival, but it's unclear when it will arrive in American theaters. To see the international trailer, read more.

There are also some clips from the movie online: here, here and - if you've thoroughly steeled yourself - here.

Source

Charlie Wilson’s War: Eye-Opening Entertainment

GiggleSugar — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 13:30:50 -0800

Note: I asked GiggleSugar to go to write up this review, and she graciously agreed. Thanks, Giggle!

Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) is a Texas Congressman who drinks whisky in the morning, whose single notable legislative achievement is having been re-elected five times, and who hires only sexy young women as aides. “You can teach ‘em to type,” his secretary quotes him as saying, “but you can’t teach ‘em to grow tits.”

Yet we see him in a flash forward at the beginning of Charlie Wilson’s War receiving an unusual military honor for playing a part in helping to end the Cold War between the Soviets and the US. How do we reconcile the ne’er-do-well Charlie with the unlikely hero Charlie?

Based on a true story and adapted from a book by George Crile, Charlie Wilson’s War is a smart and fast-paced comedy written by Aaron Sorkin (West Wing) and directed by Mike Nichols that seeks not only to answer the question of Charlie’s transformation but also to explain the complicated history of the U.S.’s often covert involvement in global affairs. It does this in an engaging way by focusing on the flawed people who turn the wheels of history. The film manages a difficult balancing act: it is informative without being boring, entertaining without being trivial, and political without being partisan. To see more what I mean, read more.

In an opening scene, Charlie Wilson, a Texas Congressman who is on the war appropriations subcommittee, is hanging out in a hot tub with a few naked strippers and a sleazy-looking guy who’s trying to sell him on financing a movie starring his Playboy centerfold girlfriend. Instead of being fixated on the broads, booze and blow that surround him, Charlie continues to be distracted by a news program with Dan Rather interviewing Afghan soldiers. Charlie tries to get some dialogue going with his riffraff pals, but nobody seems interested in Afghanistan or even knows where it is.

Back in Washington, Charlie’s interest in the Afghan cause deepens. Like other Americans who are watching the news, he only knows the basics. Afghanistan is being repeatedly invaded and pummeled by the Soviet army, and against their modern tanks and missiles, the Afghans only have outmoded guns. In addition to the danger that the Soviets will continue their “commie” expansion, the human cost of Afghan lives (particularly women and children) affects the Congressman. His goal is to raise more funds in order to arm the Afghan mujahadeen ("fighters") with modern weapons so that they can shoot down the Soviet helicopters that menace them.

Throughout the course of the film, Charlie enlists the aid of a wealthy socialite, the brittle and powerful Joanne (Julia Roberts), a born-again Christian who is passionate about freedom of religion for the Afghans and who holds fundraisers for their cause. (Somehow, she also knows the President of Pakistan and arranges for Charlie to meet him.) He also gets help from a burnt-out CIA operative Gust Avrakatos (played by a hilarious Philip Seymour Hoffman) who clues Charlie in on how little the U.S. is doing to covertly aid the Afghan army.

With effective - if at times caricatured - performances from its actors, crisp and witty dialogue, and a bittersweet ending that makes the viewer see there’s a gray area between winning and losing a war, Charlie Wilson’s War is infotainment at its finest.

To see the trailer and more clips from Charlie Wilson's War, check out movies.ivillage.com.

Source

Clive and Julia Double Up for Duplicity

BuzzSugar — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 10:12:25 -0700

As you may know by now, I will jump at any chance to write about Clive Owen, and thankfully today's news includes some cool details in addition to Clive's gorgeous face.
In quick bites, here are the facts:

Clive Owen and Julia Roberts will reteam for the first time since they played a troubled married couple in Closer.
This next project is titled Duplicity.
The movie is "a caper pic set in the world of big business. They play longtime lovers who happened to work as spies on opposite sides. They team up to stage an elaborate con to rip off corporations and steal a valuable product."
Tony Gilroy, who recently wrote and directed the George Clooney drama Michael Clayton and who previously wrote all three Bourne movies (along with another of my personal favorites, The Cutting Edge), will write and direct Duplicity.

I'm curious to see Julia play a badass spy, and even more anxious to watch the Clive with his sparkling eyes and Julia's toothy grin paired up on the big screen.

Source

Recast Pretty Woman and Win a Prize!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:15:57 -0700

Every Wednesday on BuzzSugar, I post a Recast challenge, where I ask you to choose new actors for a classic TV show or movie. The reader who submits the best cast wins a BuzzSugar t-shirt!

I've memorized nearly every line from this 1990 hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold story, so it's hard to imagine other people bringing these roles to life. But I'd love to hear some suggestions!

If you could recast Pretty Woman with new actors today, who would you pick to play the sassy Vivian? What about Vivian's dashing john, Edward? Let's also find new actors to play Edward's sleazy lawyer Philip and Vivian's loyal girlfriend Kit. Finally, who could play Bernard, the hotel manager who helps Vivian become more "ladylike"?

Leave your entry in the comment section below, and I'll pick one winner to feature Tuesday, October 30, complete with a "new" cast photo.

To see a list of characters to recast and a photo of the BuzzSugar t-shirt, read more

Characters to recast:
Vivian (Julia Roberts)
Edward (Richard Gere)
Kit (Laura San Giacomo)
Philip (Jason Alexander)
Bernard (Hector Elizondo)

The BuzzSugar t-shirt