BuzzSugar

Straight-to-DVD Preview: The Lost Boys Sequel

BuzzSugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:29:15 PDT

Once upon a time, the sensational teen duo known as "the Cories" were hot young Hollywood talents. Over the years, though, neither of them have had much of a career, whatever celebrity sparkle they once possessed dulled by both obscurity and stints on reality television.

Given this, you can kind of see why both Corey Feldman and Corey Haim would feel compelled to reprise their roles in the quintessential cult vampire flick of the '80s The Lost Boys in the straight-to-DVD sequel, Lost Boys 2: The Tribe. I just wish they'd directed this need to become relevant again into something else.

In an interview with MTV News, Corey Feldman describes this next installment as the first film "on steroids," by which he means there is "more gore, there's more nudity, which there definitely wasn't in the first film." Ugh. As a fan of the original, I don't understand why the Cories feel the need to ruin my memories with this ridiculousness. To check out the trailer for the DVD,

The Vow: Channing Tatum Is More Memorable Than the Romance

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:30:00 PST

It's no accident that The Vow's release date coincides almost perfectly with Valentine's Day. The film promises the kind of epic love story that many of us, like it or not, are more amenable to getting swept up in at this time of year: a man tries to make his wife fall in love with him again after a horrific accident leaves her with no memory of the last four years, or of him. Channing Tatum is endearing as Leo and though he has chemistry with Rachel McAdams's Paige, it almost goes to waste due to the film's lack of focus and uneven plot.

For starters, having a stranger for a husband is just the beginning of Paige's problems. Sometime in the four years she's lost, she went from being a preppy law student to a free-spirited artist. Naturally, when she wakes up, she wants an explanation for why she doesn't talk to her family anymore, what happened to her pretty boy fiancé (Scott Speedman), and why her hair is so "weird." It's understandable that she's a little different from who she used to be, but a complete life transformation is a bit hard to swallow - both for Paige, and for the audience.

To see why The Vow may not be the love story you're expecting, just

read more. Watching Tatum and McAdams play off each other is what keeps the movie engaging, and Tatum is particularly sympathetic. Though Paige is the one who has suffered the trauma, it's even more difficult to watch Leo quietly suffer as the love of his life continues to slip away in favor of the life she actually remembers. Leo represents a life that the new Paige is enticed by but can't imagine: he's goofy, laid-back, and immensely committed to her. But Paige can't come to terms with a life she doesn't feel part of, and instead reverts back to her former self. The sincerity and sweetness that Tatum brings to Leo are reflected in flashbacks of his life with Paige and in his current attempts to win her back, but the film isn't the epic romance that it's packaged to be. In fact, it's more depressing than it is joyful; not only are most of the characters in pain throughout the film, but with the exception of Leo, most of them are downright irritating. Paige's family and friends couldn't be more stereotypically conservative, which only makes Paige's decision to stay with them all the more frustrating to watch. As the film goes on, the love story starts to take the backseat to her family issues, and the crux of the film rests on a subplot that's both lame and contrived. The Vow is certainly watchable, thanks to the intrigue of the premise, and the mystery of how Leo and Paige will (inevitably, of course) find their way back to each other. But the film tries too hard to manufacture extra drama out of Paige's memory loss, when all the audience really wants to see is a love story to get swept up in.

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures

Pirate Rock! Disney's Sharky and Bones Open Up About Pirate Culture, Jake, and Peter Pan

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:37:27 PST

Can you talk like a pirate? If your lil one is between 2 and 5 years old, chances are he'll know exactly what we're talking about!

Since its launch last February, Disney's Jake and the Neverland Pirates has become the top-ranking series among kids in that age group. The animated show - about a new crew of pirates who work together to outwit Captain Hook and Smee around Pirate Island - is about to embark on its second season with a prime-time special Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Peter Pan Returns (airing Feb. 13), where the little boy who won't grow up enlists the minipirates to help him find his lost shadow. As with the daily show, the special will feature original pirate rock songs written and sung by Sharky and Bones of The Never Land Pirate Band. I spoke with Loren Hoskins and Kevin Hendrickson, the men behind Sharky and Bones and the stars of the live-action music videos featured at the end of each episode, about the popularity of pirate culture and what it can teach tots today.

LilSugar: Obviously you two are well versed in little kids' obsessions with pirates. How did it start for you two?
Kevin Hendrickson (Bones): It started before our kids. Loren and I met maybe 12 years ago, and we both just had a love of pirates and the old Disney records we grew up listening to. We decided to make a pirate album for kids, even though we didn't have kids.
Loren Hoskins (Sharky): We were pirates before pirate was cool. We had an affinity for pirate and pirate culture and the old Disneyland rides - you know the old Pirates of the Caribbean attraction - and we combined all those into a rock album for kids of all ages. We say "for buccaneers of all ages" because we had a lot of fans that were not kids and a lot of fans that were kids and then families that were fans. We just decided to not be a children's band, but a band for all buccaneers!

LilSugar: It's been almost 60 years since Disney released Peter Pan, and unlike other Disney flicks, it hasn't received a rerelease or a 3D upgrade. Why do you think the pirate obsession remains so strong today?
Loren Hoskins (Sharky): I have always maintained that what pirates represent for play is all the best things about play. That's imagination, adventure, being bold-hearted, silly voices, and fun dress-up costumes. You put all that together and you get classic kid play. It's like pirates and dinosaurs. Dinosaurs were huge for a while, and I think for the same reason – you can just go "roaar," and play all these great games, and they were bold and adventurous and from exotic locations. Pirates are the same thing. They're one of those classic play building blocks

Keep reading for more of our talk about pirate rock and the show's educational value.

Real Steel: Real Predictable

Rose Curiel — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 05:30:47 PDT

When you sign up to watch a movie about boxing robots, chances are you want to see mechanical carnage, and plenty of it. In Real Steel, Hugh Jackman stars as Charlie, a man who makes his living piecing robots together and sending them to the ring, so the potential for spectacular robotic clashes is high. But when Charlie's estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) shows up on his doorstep, what you get instead is a predictable father-son story that's a swing and a miss.

The film is set in the not-too-distant future, when machines have taken over the role of boxers because humans are hungry for more gore. The premise is a bit hard to believe - how do bolts win over blood, and why would sports fans be more invested in a machine than a human? On that note, the film barely lets the audience begin to connect with the beat-up, underdog robot Max uncovers in a junkyard, paying more attention to the relationship between the boy and his dad. When Max just so happens to share his father's passion for robot boxing, the film establishes a convenient means for the pair to bond. To find out why else you can pass on a ringside seat to this film, just keep reading

David Beckham Shows Off New Soccer Kicks Bearing His Four Kids' Names

Molly Goodson — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 07:10:00 PDT

David Beckham hit the field for the MLS West Coast team to take on Real Madrid in LA Saturday as part of the World Football Challenge. The soccer star had his sons Romeo and Brooklyn in the stands, though Victoria, Cruz, and baby Harper sat this one out. All four of his kids were still on David's mind and adorably in the spotlight, thanks to David Beckham's new pink and white cleats adorned with the names Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz, and Harper. His squad lost the match 2-0, and by Sunday he was back to relaxing with his family. David Beckham went shirtless to hit the beach with Brooklyn and practice their latest hobby, surfing, which the boys recently picked up. Over the weekend, the Beckhams gave fans another treat, releasing the first pictures of Harper Seven Beckham in intimate shots of both Victoria and David holding the 1-week-old girl.

Thursday Comic-Con Must Sees

GeekSugar — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:15:22 PDT

Hooray, it's the return of Comic-Con and all the madness that accompanies it! As usual, the show's schedule of events is packed this July 21-24, so we'll attempt to highlight the most exciting must sees. The convention starts with a huge bang on Thursday with the Twilight panel, though there are plenty of other events to add to the Comic-Con itinerary.

Twilight: Breaking Dawn, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. - Hope you've already been camping out for this one, because fans began lining up days in advance. Expect new footage from the next Twilight film and a cast Q&A. Location: Hall H
Kinect Star Wars panel, 10-11 a.m. - First announced at E3, Kinect studio head Jorg Neumann and LucasArts lead producer Craig Derrick will share fresh news on the game, including a mystery announcement. All attendees will receive a limited-edition poster! Location: Room 32AB
Stan Lee, Yoshiki, and Todd McFarlane, 1-2 p.m. - Comic fans unite for the Q&A session with legends Stan Lee and Todd McFarlane, who are creating a new character, Blood Red Dragon, with rockstar Yoshiki. Location: Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Warner Premiere: H+ and Mortal Kombat: Legacy, 2-3 p.m. - A Comic-Con exclusive first look at H+, the new web series from X-Men producer Bryan Singer. The web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy will take the stage next for a panel discussion with the director, Jeri Ryan, Michael Jai White, and others. Attendees will see the final Mortal Kombat: Legacy episode. Location: Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Game of Thrones panel, 3-4 p.m. - If addicted to both the books and TV series, this is one not to miss. In attendance are cast members Emilia Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, and Jason Momoa, as well as the show's executive producer and writer, George R. R. Martin. Location: Ballroom 20.
Beavis & Butthead, 5-6 p.m. - 2011: the return of the original bad boys of animation. Creator Mike Judge is on hand to offer a sneak peek on MTV's new episodes. Location: Room 6A
Batman: Arkham City, 5-6 p.m. - A preview of the gaming follow-up to 2009's fan favorite Batman Arkham Asylum. Location: Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Entertainment Weekly: The Visionaries: A discussion with Jon Favreau and Guillermo del Toro on the Future of Pop Culture, 6-7 p.m. - Cult favorite directors Jon Favreau and Guillermo del Toro discuss bringing geek life to the mainstream entertainment industry. They'll discuss their inspiration, current film work, and how technology is changing cinematic storytelling. Location: Hall H
Her Universe: What Women Want in Their Female Sci-Fi Heroes, 6-7 p.m. - Gone are the days of the "damsel in distress" sci-fi character (we hope). If you can't get into Hall H, check out the panelists with a background on Star Wars, Smallville, DC Comics, Universal Cable Productions, and Lost discuss the future of strong female characters in the genre. Location: Room 25ABC
History of the Modern Zombie, 7-8 p.m. - Beginning with the classic horror film Night of the Living Dead, zombies have become a large part of modern pop culture. Panelists including the author of Zombie Survival Guide, a UC Berkeley professor, and a Harvard Medical School psychiatrist will discuss the history of zombies in entertainment and why we're so interested in them. Consider it the most fun college lecture you'll ever attend. Location: Room 7AB

What's on your must-see Comic-Con schedule? Which panels and events are you looking forward to most?

5 Things We Already Know About The Hangover Part II

Lauren Bradshaw — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:10:16 PST

Hollywood sequels are usually a crapshoot (um, Transformers 2?), but I'm holding out high hopes for The Hangover Part II. It's one of this year's most anticipated releases, thanks to the smashing success of the original. As a big fan of the first film, I've been keeping my eyes peeled for hints about the followup. What we know for sure: Liam Neeson's in, Bill Clinton will cameo, and this time, the guys travel to Bangkok for Stu's wedding. As far as additional details, we can only rely on the movie's photos. There are two new pics making the rounds today, and I've been studying them carefully to pull together clues. Take a look at the "spoilers" I've discovered!

What happens in Thailand, stays in Thailand? OK, it doesn't have the same ring to it as Vegas, but the boys pack their bags for Bangkok - and judging by the photos, they're slumming it a lot more than they were in that fancy Sin City hotel suite.
Zach Galifianakis has a shaved head! Yep, the very scraggly Alan has let go of his wild mane - though his beard still remains intact. I have two theories in regards to the new 'do: 1) he either cut if off due to the sweltering heat or 2) there's some sort of subplot that involves Alan joining a group of Thai monks. I'd almost put my money on the latter.

Check out another new photo from the film (and three more revelations) after the jump.