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Movie Preview: The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

BuzzSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:30:41 -0700

Though the stars of The Private Lives of Pippa Lee were walking the red carpet for the film months ago, the movie still won't hit US theaters until Nov. 27. From the trailer, it doesn't look half-bad, and it features some well-known actors like Robin Wright Penn, Julianne Moore, Alan Arkin, Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, and Blake Lively.

Robin Wright Penn and Blake Lively play older and younger versions of Pippa Lee, a woman who finds herself reflecting on her wild past when her much older husband suddenly decides that they should leave New York for a retirement home. The film is written and directed by Rebecca Miller, writer/director of The Ballad of Jack and Rose and writer of the Proof screenplay.

Pippa Lee looks like she's rather different from the character Lively's playing now in Ben Affleck's The Town, and she's certainly a far cry from Serena Van Der Woodsen. To see the Gossip Girl actress as an edgier, rebellious teen in The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, read more.

Buzz News Roundup, 5/8

BuzzSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:30:32 -0700

Universal Pictures is developing a modern retelling of the novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, titled Jekyll, with Keanu Reeves attached to star. - ComingSoon
ABC has picked up its first Fall series, a mockumentary titled Modern Family. - LA Times
Bassist Donald "Ean" Evans of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd has died at age 48. - Billboard
Guitar Hero could be turned into a reality TV series and/or a live concert tour. - The Hollywood Reporter
Marisa Tomei and Liv Tyler will star in the independent psychological thriller 10A/10B. - Variety
Jay Leno's final Tonight Show guests will include Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Prince, and Billy Crystal. - People
Director Bill Couturie and Stacey Snider are teaming on the documentary Clueless, which looks at the all-consuming media world inhabited by kids today. - Variety
Aisha Tyler is filming a talk show pilot for ABC. - The Hollywood Reporter

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Buzz Brainteaser

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:30:55 -0800

Welcome to Buzz Brainteaser, the trivia feature on BuzzSugar! Every weekday I'll test your knowledge about TV shows, music, and movies. If you enter in the correct answer, you win points! Keanu Reeves starred in an early-'90s music video for what singer?

Buzz News Roundup, 1/16

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:30:14 -0800

Metallica and Run-D.M.C. are among this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees. - E! Online
The Japanese anime TV series Cowboy Bebop is being adapted for the big screen, with Keanu Reeves attached to star as a bounty hunter traveling through space in 2071. - The Hollywood Reporter
Amy Ryan has joined the cast of Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut, Jack Goes Boating. - Variety
Also, Amy Ryan will return to The Office at some point. - Entertainment Weekly
Casey Affleck will direct a documentary on the musical career of Joaquin Phoenix who is embarking on a new path as a rapper. - ComingSoon
Kath and Kim's episode order has been cut to 17. - The Futon Critic
A guide to the musical acts appearing at Barack Obama's Presidential Inauguration. - Billboard
Kieran Culkin has been cast as Wallace Wells in Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. - ComingSoon

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A Chat With My Boyfriend About the Day the Earth Stood Still

BuzzSugar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:55:07 -0800

The last time I chatted with my boyfriend about movies here we discussed Brendan Fraser, mummies, and Yetis and it was a lot of fun. So, I recruited him again for The Day the Earth Stood Still, a remake of the 1951 sci-fi classic of the same name.

I had a feeling that despite a pretty neat-looking cast (Jennifer Connelly, Keanu Reeves, Kathy Bates, Will Smith's kid Jaden, Mad Men's Jon Hamm, and John Cleese - John Cleese!) this movie might not turn out to be all that great. My male companion was skeptical as well but we both agreed to keep an open mind going in. Now I'm here to report that we immediately came to the same conclusion upon exiting the theater: Lame.

To see our thoughts on the film, including a debate about seeing Brendan Fraser movies for the rest of your life versus Keanu Reeves movies, just read more.

Keanu Reeves plays the alien who comes to earth to warn humans to get it together or he'll blow them all up. He is cold and unfeeling. In other words, he is once again well cast. We talk about Reeves and more below, with the bold parts indicating my words and the regular type being his.

You've seen the original and liked it. Are you mad at the people who remade this movie?
Yeah, well the original was fresh and new at the time but this version is like beating a dead horse . . . just tired. It could have been great, but everything about it seems like a ripoff of other movies like Transformers, Matrix, etc. . . not to mention all the product placement. The save-the-planet message is kind of lost with all those corporate labels splashed around.

Does the original have such a hammy environmental message? Do people run around saying, "We can change! We're at the precipice!"
The original is all about the aliens being concerned about the destructive nuclear nature of mankind. It doesn't have any environmental message, just "stop blowing stuff up or we'll blow you up!" The current version seems more like Al Gore and Leo Dicaprio wrote the script.

OK, if you had to choose between only watching Keanu Reeves movies or only Brendan Fraser movies for the rest of your life, which would you pick?
Neither. I'd kill myself. Wait, if it was Point Break or School Ties over and over again, then maybe. Well, actually . . . no, I'd kill myself.

I'm tempted to lump this flick in with the likes of say, Independence Day, to give folks an idea of what they're in for, but honestly I don't think this movie is nearly as fun.
It is similar to Independence Day in that the supporting cast is pretty awesome, like Jon Hamm, James Fong, and John Cleese. But Independence Day is so much better because the main characters actually communicate with the audience, whereas Keanu is like Neo 2.0.

In the first one, is the main scientist a hot lady like Jennifer Connelly and does she have a little kid?
She lives in a boarding house and is a secretary or something, so it's an update to make her a scientist. And she's hot in the '50s pointy-boob way. Yes, she has a kid, and in that one, he blows it by telling the secretary's boyfriend (some government stooge) that he saw the alien go in the spaceship. In both the older version and this one, though, there's still that "my buddy, the alien" vibe.

Photos courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Buzz News Roundup, 12/10

BuzzSugar — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:30:37 -0800

ABC will show Wipeout opposite the Super Bowl. - The Hollywood Reporter
Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler are in negotiations to star together in an untitled comedic bounty hunter movie. - ComingSoon
Five people, including Martha Plimpton, have joined the cast of Matthew Perry's Showtime pilot. - Zap2it
Kiss has decided to hit the studio next year to record its first new album since 1998's Psycho Circus. - Billboard
And speaking of circuses, Britney Spears's album topped the charts this week, making it her fifth No. 1 album. - Billboard
John C. Reilly has signed on to play the love interest to Marisa Tomei's character in an untitled comedy. Jonah Hill will play Tomei's son who comes between the two lovebirds. - Variety
A commencement speech by David Foster Wallace will be turned into a book. - New York Times
Keanu Reeves will play a samurai swordsman in the epic period film 47 Ronin. - ComingSoon

BuzzSugar at Comic-Con: Day One!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:43:25 -0700

Greetings from sunny San Diego! And I'm not kidding about the sunny: Though I'll be spending most of the weekend indoors, I at least got to bask in the rays (or, OK, sweat next to other sweaty people) while waiting in line for this morning's 20th Century Fox panels.

Frankly, it's been a pretty insane trip so far. The morning's big events (panels for Max Payne and The Day the Earth Stood Still and surprise appearance by Wolverine himself!) were delayed because of collapsing curtains and rods. I did have some time to wander the floor, as well as to catch a Disney panel where some of the studio's storyboard staff took us through the creation of a sequence from the upcoming Bolt, which looks like it could be pretty clever. You can check out some of my initial observations - and a whole lot of photos from the floor, including a super-geeky sequence with this year's special Comic-Con My Little Pony - if you read more.

The Dharma Initiative from Lost was on the floor recruiting for new members. They're giving an eligibility test in their booth, but it was already booked for most of today, so it'll be a while before I learn whether I'm fit for service.
On my "gotta do this before I leave" list: sit on the unicorn from Harold and Kumar (see gallery for picture of someone else doing this).
My personal favorite piece of swag so far: a replica copy for Dwight K. Schrute's organizational chart from The Office booth.
In terms of impressive floor displays, the Sci Fi network totally wins. That's their big, swirling purple thing in the photos below; every so often lights blink and twirl around it.

As for today's movie panels. . .

The ladies. . . they love the Keanu! At the panel for The Day the Earth Stood Still, he barely had to speak to get a fresh round of screeching and cheering. It was intense! From afar, he looked great with a bit of scruff. When the cameras got up close, however. . . not so much.
Jennifer Connelly was beautiful and incredibly well-spoken. About the movie she said that "at the core, it's about human spirit." Which is comforting because on the surface it kinda just looks like yet another remake.
And I'm really not sold on this particular remake, even after viewing a bunch of clips. Keanu plays a cold, emotionless alien guy, so, you know, he seems to get the job done easily. And when all the special effects are done, they might make the film more impressive because so far it doesn't have the "wow" factor.
Max Payne, on the other hand, I've decided might end up being one of the coolest action flicks of the year. It's based on a video game so it's, you know, incredibly violent. But visually, stylistically, it's really impressive. As the moderator put it, director John Moore is "a wonderful, wonderful visual storyteller."
Mila Kunis said she gets to "kick ass in five-inch heels."
Finally, Mark Wahlberg (another favorite among the ladies) equated doing the Comic-Con panel to doing a rock concert in Japan (because of all the screaming from said ladies). He said the cheering and such makes him "all warm in the pants." I believe that's a direct quote.

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Movie Preview: The Day the Earth Stood Still

BuzzSugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:15:10 -0700

The modern remake of the 1951 sci-fi film The Day the Earth Stood Still attempts to update the older version, shifting its themes from Cold War political tension and the threat of human violence to the imminence of environmental retaliation from an abused Earth. Keanu Reeves, who plays the protagonist in this new version, explains:

The first one was borne out of the cold war and nuclear détente. Klaatu came and was saying cease and desist with your violence. If you can’t do it yourselves we’re going to do it. That was the film of that day. The version I was just working on, instead of being man against man, it’s more about man against nature. My Klaatu says that if the Earth dies, you die. If you die, the earth survives. I’m a friend to the earth.

The movie joins a few other recent films with possibly green messages. This one, with its apocalyptic setting, also stars Jennifer Connolly, Will Smith's kid Jaden, and Mad Men's Jon Hamm. I love most of the cast (though not all of it), but I don't know how I feel about the trailer for this one; it's just not pulling me in. The Day the Earth Stood Still opens December 12. To check out the trailer, read more.

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Box Office: A Memorable Prom Weekend

BuzzSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:30:38 -0700

Maybe it's that time of the year, or perhaps there was a strong nationwide desire to see a scary movie, but whatever the reason, horror flick Prom Night was crowned queen at the box office this weekend. Variety reports that the movie's $22.7 million marks the best opening for a horror picture so far this year, possibly due to the teen-friendly PG-13 rating.

Though Street Kings is loaded with bloodshed and big names like Forest Whitaker and Keanu Reeves, it was still no match for the teen screamfest, earning second place with an estimated $12 million. 21, on the other hand, is still performing well, taking the third spot with $11 million. It was followed by Nim's Island, Leatherheads, and Horton Hears a Who.

Little family comedy Smart People starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Ellen Page, and Dennis Quaid came in No. 7 earning about $4.2 million. The overall box office is still experiencing a slump compared to last year. I wonder if Forgetting Sarah Marshall will get more folks to the theaters next weekend?

And if you're curious about Prom Night, head over to movies.ivillage.com for the trailer and video clips.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

Street Kings: Police Officers Gone Wild

BuzzSugar — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:00:51 -0700

Street Kings is primarily focused on examining two types of police officers seen in many a film before: the rogue cop who disregards the law in the name of justice and the cop that appears to follow the rules but is deeply corrupt. You would think that in the hands of a talented guy like director David Ayer, who is well-versed in the handling of this kind of gritty material (having written Training Day and directed Harsh Times) this movie would be not only entertaining but also darkly unnerving.

So, was it entertaining? I think for some people the answer is definitely "yes" - the violence is raw and in your face, the story is intriguing, and the smorgasbord of famous male actors makes for a fun ride. Did it make me feel anything? Nope. And that's actually a shame because there was so much there to work with, but instead I left with the sense that everyone involved decided to sit back, tap into their inner nihilist, and get down to killing.

To see what parts I think are fun and what parts are downright silly, read more.

Reeves plays Detective Tom Ludlow, a man who's having a hard time and numbs whatever pain haunts him with a lot of alcohol. He also has zero regard for the "law" part of "law enforcement," and seems to break all the rules those lawyers on Law & Order are always concerned with, lest their cases get thrown out on a technicality. He doesn't necessarily take pleasure in blowing people's brains out once he's determined they're wrong, but he definitely doesn't show restraint either. In other words, the man's a live wire. And this is the guy who ends up being the moral center of a universe full of some very corrupt people.

Those people include, well, just about everyone in the film. Once Ludlow begins to yank at a string he's been repeatedly warned against yanking by his boss, the ambitious Captain Jack Wander (Forest Whitaker), it becomes clear that an entire division of L.A.'s finest are dirty. Thus, Ludlow starts heading down a trail into some of L.A.'s harshest neighborhoods and the dens of some extremely bloodthirsty villains.

The movie relentlessly strives for realism with each violent act, and bookends each one with the kind of machismo dialogue you can't help but roll your eyes at. Similarly, anytime a character waxes poetic about the nature of good and evil or the seductive influence of power and greed, it's delivered in such oversimplified prose that you might find yourself screaming "No duh!" at the screen. The best parts about the movie are the unexpected and talented performances that pop up, like Hugh Laurie as a salty captain, Cedric the Entertainer who's totally convincing as a thug, and Common who, with the delivery of no more than three lines, perfectly embodies pure evil.

If you don't require a little nuance with your bloodbaths, you might have fun. Otherwise it's a frustratingly dumbed-down experience.

To see the trailer and more clips from Street Kings, check out movies.ivillage.com.

Photos courtesy of Fox Searchlight Films