BuzzSugar

Couples Retreat: Not Exactly a Relaxing Getaway

BuzzSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:30:11 -0700

Everyone loves a vacation, right? Beautiful scenery, tropical drinks, fun in the sun. Add a few of your closest friends and you could have the trip of a lifetime - or a romantic getaway gone horribly awry.

To be fair, the four pairs in Couples Retreat don't realize what they're agreeing to when they head to Eden East, a swanky resort on a remote island. But once the relationship boot camp begins, the friendships quickly break down, and it's often more depressing than hilarious. To see what I mean, just read more.

The movie's couplings range in age, family size, and personality, with Vince Vaughn and Malin Akerman at the epicenter. As Dave and Ronnie, they are perhaps the most "normal" of the bunch. Between Dave's demanding job making video games (hello, Guitar Hero product placement) and raising two young sons, Dave and Ronnie don't even realize their problems until they are forced into couples skill-building. Vaughn is his typical wise-cracking character, but a touch of sweetness makes his on-screen relationship with Akerman the most enjoyable to watch. You can actually believe that they love each other and aren't using the trip as a band-aid for a bullet hole.

Jason and Cynthia (played by Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell), on the other hand, are a lot harder to relate to as two type-A personalities with an undying love for organization and PowerPoint presentations. Jason and Cynthia present the idea of the group vacation to their friends as a last-ditch effort to save their marriage (promising that the therapy sessions are optional, of course). Bell is her typical adorable self, but Bateman is insufferable. His character is painfully meticulous and overbearing, making the audience feel just as suffocated as Cynthia does.

Joey (Jon Favreau) and Lucy (Kristin Davis) represent the worst of the worst: the couple that's been together so long that they don't even notice each other anymore. The high school sweethearts take the trip not as an opportunity to re-kindle the flame, but to chase skirts (or in this case, bikini bottoms) and muscular yoga instructors. Favreau gets a few laughs with his quest to get to Eden West, the "singles" side of the island, but age-wise, Davis doesn't quite fit in with Bell and Ackerman. It's also hard to laugh at characters that embody one of the biggest fears for young couples, and their ice-cold relationship is almost too realistic to scoff at.

Then there's Shane (Faizon Love), who's newly separated from the wife he still loves, but brings along his 20-year-old girlfriend for the ride instead. As Trudy, Kali Hawk steals a lot of the laughs as she yearns to drink and party all night long while her boyfriend would rather take a nap. One joke that never gets old: Trudy's insistence on calling Shane "Daddy" throughout the entire film.

With such a strong headline cast, it's disappointing that the supporting actors steal the show. I laughed the hardest at Dave and Ronnie's adorable boys (who get very little screen time) and at the motley crew of therapists and other wacky workers at the resort dedicated to making this the trip from hell.

At the end of it all, you'll get a few laughs along with some very beautiful imagery, but you might just want to put your money toward your own vacation instead.

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

Movie Preview: Couples Retreat

BuzzSugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:02:27 -0700

This movie stars a whole slew of actors who are no strangers to comedy (Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Jason Bateman, Kristin Davis, Kristen Bell and a bunch more), though the trailer for their upcoming movie Couples Retreat doesn't really elicit the big laughs. It does look pretty cute, though, so maybe it's more of a silly-funny thing than a ha-ha-funny thing.

The story follows four couples - some happy in their relationships and some on the brink of separating - who attend a couples retreat together in a beautiful tropical location. As they go about working on their relationships, funny stuff happens, I guess. I will say that it's very cool to see Jon Favreau back in a more central role (he also wrote the movie). I love it when he directs movies, but I love it just as much when he's being funny on the big screen. The comedy opens Oct. 9. To check out the new trailer, read more.

Buzz News Roundup, 10/15

BuzzSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:30:55 -0700

Don Cheadle is replacing Terrence Howard in the role of Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes for Iron Man 2. - ComingSoon
The sequel to Wall Street is actually happening and will "center on Gordon Gekko, who has recently been sprung from prison and re-emerges into a much more tumultuous financial world than the one he once lorded over." - Variety
Amy Sedaris has signed a deal to create, write, and star in a new comedy series. - Hollywood Reporter
Amy Adams is in negotiations to star in the comedy Leap Year, the story of a woman who travels to Dublin to propose to her boyfriend on Feb. 29, a day when he has to say yes, according to tradition. - ComingSoon
Comedian D.L. Hughley is getting his own comedy/news show on CNN. - Broadcasting and Cable
Kristen Bell, Kristin Davis, and Malin Akerman are joining the cast of Jon Favreau's comedy Couples Retreat. - Hollywood Reporter
Best Week Ever is changing its format, with just one host: Paul F. Tompkins. - New York Times
Marilynne Robinson and Aleksandar Hemon are among the finalists for the National Book Award. - AP
Starz has picked up a series called Party Down co-created by Rob Thomas and Paul Rudd. - Hollywood Reporter

Source

Sex and the City: Sugary Sweet With a Sad Center

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 05:45:56 -0700

Despite the fact that I've never owned shoes in the $500+ range and have never been a single and fabulous 30-something (or 40-something) New Yorker, I related to and loved the characters on Sex and the City. Every week I could count on seeing four women who placed a high value on their female friendships rather than tearing each other down (ahem, The Hills), who fought bravely against those who would look down on them for being unmarried, and who talked candidly about not just sex, but everything. Amidst hardship, lapses in judgment, and insecurities, they were smart ladies who had the understanding that life - even for the truly sophisticated - is no fairytale.

Some of these cherished characteristics translated well to the big screen version and I'm so thankful for that. But I'm also a bit mystified by how far it strays at times from the very aspects I loved so much. I wish I could say that it's a witty and modern take on the meaning of love and friendship for middle-aged women (and women approaching middle-age). Instead, the film is at times a fun fantasy, but it's not the Sex and the City I remember.

To see what I totally enjoyed about seeing these women back together and what struck a false note, read more.

The first third of the film has a lot of the good stuff from the series: it's irreverent, funny, absurd, intelligent, and full of sharp insights into marriage and being single in your 40s, all the while poking fun at its own universe. Then, slowly but surely, the movie veers into some strange territory and the women start taking themselves and their designer bags way too seriously, and everyone loses a normal dose of perspective.

Bravo to the writers for taking a risk with some genuinely dark moments (a necessity for a feature-length film, and this one is lengthy at over two hours) but even so (without giving away too many details, I promise you), nothing is so bad that any character should ever seriously utter the line, "Will I ever laugh again?" Even Miranda, who could always be counted on for some snappy, cynical retorts that zap her friends back to reality is morosely silent for most of the film. I really liked how strong Miranda was in the series, and in the movie it's like she isn't given enough words. It's so disappointing.

That said, you will probably laugh at some hilarious moments, and you might even cry. Your heart will likely race with the excitement of seeing all of these characters together again and will revel in the exhilarating fact that they're here, living their lives as if they'd never left us. But there are many moments where everything just feels forced and lackluster. Of course there's an emphasis on couture and living the high life in New York, which is sometimes glamorous but mostly just rings empty. We're not all "looking for labels and love," actually. We want to laugh, we want these ladies to give at least some kind of voice to our modern hopes and fears and we definitely do not want to be pandered to.

My bottom line: For each moment of applause and laughter at my screening, there was an equal amount of groaning and eye-rolling. It succeeds in that it's not a disaster and I'm glad I saw it. It fails in that it isn't really a movie, it's a season of SATC smooshed together, and compared to the other seasons, well, they've done a lot better.

Photos courtesy of New Line Cinema

New SATC Movie Spot - And SATC Man Match-Up Game

BuzzSugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:28:37 -0700

Did you catch the TV spot for the Sex and the City movie that aired during Gossip Girl last night? Well, now you can check it out after the jump. There's more of the brassy theme music, some squealing amongst the ladies and euphemistic talk of "crayons" and "coloring," among other cute stuff.

As I was perusing the movie's website last night I came across the little online quiz in which you can find out who your manly SATC match would be. And yup, I got Harry. He's not the sexiest of the bunch but he sure is loyal and good. Who's yours? Click here, then go to "About the Movie" and the "Match Your Man" option will appear.

To check out the TV spot for the SATC movie, read more.

How Much Would You Pay to Attend the SATC Movie Red Carpet Premiere?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:28:50 -0700

In recent months, celebrities have been raising awareness for the relief and development organization Oxfam by collaborating on eBay auctions for things like Shakira's clothes and radios signed by Tom Hanks, as well as tickets to the red carpet premieres of movies like Mamma Mia! and He's Just Not That Into You. Just a few days ago, a woman from Japan had the highest bid for a trip to the Manhattan premiere of the Sex and the City movie. The bidding started at $0.99 and the winning bid was for $52,100, all of which will go to Oxfam.

As the winner, she receives a pair of tickets to the premiere, arriving via chauffeured car service after having her hair and makeup done at Manhattan’s Prive Salon. At the premiere, she'll have an on-camera "meet and greet" with Kristin Davis. And she also gets a pair of Jimmy Choos in her size.

I'd say this is a pretty sweet package. Of course, most of us don't have $52,000 to spend on an online auction for movie premiere passes, but I could definitely envision mega-fans of Sex and the City paying some hefty sums for this kind of thing. What would be your cutoff for a package like this? To walk the red carpet, if not with then at least near the glamorous ladies of Sex and the City and to attend the premiere of the film with them?

Photo courtesy of New Line

Recast "Sex and the City" and Win a Prize!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:16:03 -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!

Now, before some of you get all up in arms about this recast challenge idea, remember that this one was actually requested by Buzz readers! So, having just heard the news about the "Sex and the City" movie going into production, I'm making it a "SATC" kind of week. I understand that the original actors were perfect, but since you suggested this challenge, go to it! If you could recast the parts of Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte, which actresses would you pick? And, based on the comments in today's post, let's also recast Mr. Big, Smith, Harry and Steve.

Leave your entry in the comment section below, and I'll pick one winner to feature Tuesday, July 10, 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:
Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker)
Miranda (Cynthia Nixon)
Samantha (Kim Cattrall)
Charlotte (Kristin Davis)
Mr. Big (Chris Noth)
Steve (David Eigenberg)
Harry (Evan Handler)
Smith (Jason Lewis)

The BuzzSugar t-shirt

Source

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

What to TiVo: Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:50:18 -0700

ABC is new with Shark Tank, Dancing With the Stars, and The Forgotten
CBS is new with NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, and The Good Wife
FOX has the ALCS Game 4, Yankees vs. Angels
NBC is new with The Biggest Loser
The CW is new with 90210 and Melrose Place
Bravo is new with Flipping Out
Comedy Central is new with The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report
FX is new with Sons of Anarchy
MTV is new with The Hills and The City
Late-night highlights include Kristin Davis on a repeat of The Late Show With David Letterman on CBS; Jon Hamm, Cobra Starship, and Estelle on a repeat of The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien on NBC; Edward Norton on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC; Ted Danson on The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson on CBS; and Seth Meyers and Landon Pigg on a repeat of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on NBC

What to TiVo: Thursday

BuzzSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:50:34 -0700

ABC is new with FlashForward, Grey's Anatomy, and Private Practice
CBS is new with Survivor: Samoa, CSI, and The Mentalist
FOX is new with Bones and Fringe
NBC is new with Community, Parks and Recreation, and The Office
The CW is new with Vampire Diaries and Supernatural
MTV is new with Bully Beatdown, Nitro Circus, and Pranked
Bravo is new with The Real Housewives of Atlanta
Comedy Central is new with The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report
FX is new with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Lifetime is new with Project Runway
Late-night highlights include Kristin Davis on The Late Show With David Letterman on CBS; Gerard Butler, Ben Harper, and Jack Black on The Jay Leno Show on NBC; Backstreet Boys on The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien on NBC; Kelsey Grammar and Stana Katic on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC; Sophia Bush on The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson on CBS; Christopher Meloni and Eve on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on NBC; and Joss Stone on Last Call With Carson Daly on NBC