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Movie Preview: Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal in Crazy Heart

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:36:05 -0800

The trailer for Crazy Heart notes that both stars Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal have been nominated for Oscars, and the solemn, raw tone of the film looks an awful lot like awards show bait for these two big talents. Jeff Bridges stars as Bad Blake, a grizzled, hard-livin', lovin', and drinkin' country singer/songwriter who's known for his amazing music, and Maggie Gyllenhaal plays the journalist he eventually falls for.

We don't see a ton of plot in the trailer, but the story seems like a familiar one, complete with introspection and a soft country anthem that fits the title. Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall also star in the film, which features original songs by celebrated songwriter T-Bone Burnett.

To see the trailer and predict for yourself if this is one you're going to be seeing in the Oscar race, just 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 News Roundup, 4/13

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:30:56 -0700

Regina Spektor's latest album is headed to stores in June. - Billboard
William Hurt will join the cast of Ridley Scott's Robin Hood as William Marshall, the Earl of Pembroke. - The Hollywood Reporter
TNT won't renew Trust Me for a second season. - TV.com
It's confirmed: Zac Efron has signed on to play the title role in the planned live-action version of the '60s Hanna-Barbera cartoon show Jonny Quest. - ComingSoon
Ray Winstone, David Thewlis, and Anna Friel are set to join Keira Knightley and Colin Farrell in the crime drama London Boulevard. - Variety
Showtime has passed on the Tim Robbins drama Possible Side Effects, which may still be shopped to other networks. - TV Guide
Maggie Gyllenhaal will star opposite Emma Thompson in the Nanny McPhee sequel, titled Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang. - ComingSoon
Spoiler alert: Is George leaving Grey's Anatomy or not? - Entertainment Weekly

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The Dark Knight Smashes Box Office Records

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:15:23 -0700

Many thought that breaking Spider-Man 3's record for the biggest opening weekend ever would be difficult, even for The Dark Knight. But the much-hyped and critically adored sequel to Batman Begins shattered many records over the weekend - including Spidey's.

Earning an estimated $155.4 million, Bruce Wayne and gang smashed box office records for the biggest single-day gross in history and the biggest opening weekend for an IMAX release.

According to Variety, Mamma Mia! also broke records by "narrowly beating Hairspray to become the top opener for a musical," earning $27.5 million over the weekend.

That is a lot of money that people spent at the movies this weekend. What did you see? And how many times?

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

The Dark Knight: Tense, Sad, Unsettling - And One of the Best Movies I've Seen in Years

BuzzSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 05:30:27 -0700

"This town deserves a better class of criminal." – The Joker

Indeed. And by extension, audiences deserve a better class of villain. In The Dark Knight, we get one. Director Christopher Nolan seems to have a keen understanding that we want our heroes to be badass - but we want our villains to be way badder. The movie tells a story about Batman, sure, but really, this is The Joker's tale. Even when it's Batman's story. . . The Joker owns it.

The Dark Knight is unlike almost any other superhero movie that came before it. It's insanely dark, it's melancholy, it doesn't leave you with a great sense of peace. But the thing is, we can handle it. I think this is Nolan giving audiences some credit. And every superhero tale has these themes of good vs. evil, order vs. chaos, hero vs. villain. It's just that this one doesn't sugarcoat these things at all. And why should they be sugarcoated? The superhero's tale is actually the perfect vehicle for exploring these things, and explore them we do. Nolan brings us an affecting, disturbingly dark tale, and one that could easily be seen as an allegory for the goings-on of today's world (terrorism vs. peace, cowardice vs. heroism, etc.). To see more what I mean (and I promise - no spoilers), read more.

Christian Bale reprises his role as the manly, gravel-voiced Batman by night and the wealthy Bruce Wayne by day. Michael Caine again dryly charms his way through the role of Bruce's helpful butler Alfred, and Gary Oldman is again the likable Commissioner Gordon. Maggie Gyllenhaal gives Rachel Dawes, Bruce's love interest and Gotham City's District Attorney, some much-needed depth and chutzpah. In this installment, there's an evil mastermind on the loose, terrorizing Gotham, and his name is The Joker. As The Joker continues to taunt Batman, trying to get him to break his noble moral code of beating the bad guys without actually harming anyone, the body count rises and Joker gets closer and closer to forcing the citizens of Gotham City to turn on each other. He is the greatest fearmonger of all time.

Heath Ledger is thoroughly mesmerizing as Joker. Should we be talking Oscars? Absolutely. I haven't seen a performance so impeccably realized, so desperately truthful in a long, long time. However, another impressive performance comes from Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent, Gotham's great white hope for a safer, Joker-less future. His mixture of political-minded bravado and inner turmoil makes for a far more layered character than one might expect.

In perhaps my favorite scene - one that is so exciting, and yet so agonizing - we get both of these tortured souls, The Joker and Harvey Dent, alone together. The outcome of this scene is a profound sense of despair because in it we witness how quickly people can shift from good to evil, and how easy and nonsensical violence is. On Joker's part, there is no real reasoning behind his cruel madness, and we're reminded that sometimes evil simply exists for no good reason. It taps into a very real, basic and horrible fear: that in this world where terrorism could lurk anywhere, where chaos and war and murder exist, we struggle continuously to figure out "why?" The Joker represents our most feared response to that question: There is no reason.

Then again, here is another truth: Sometimes people choose good over evil, no matter what. Some will surprise you with their unselfishness. There is a lot of bleakness in this film, but there is also hope.

Of course, compounding the darkness of the movie is the maddening real-life tragedy that is forever intertwined with it. An unsettling side effect of Ledger's death is that we will never see the man behind the garish, horrifying makeup. And in this sense, the Joker is forever, hauntingly alive. There’s no Heath Ledger to do the late-night TV show circuit or the red carpet interviews. He's not coming out from behind the screen to reassure us, "No, no, it's all an act. Here I am, just a guy, just an actor, see?" Logically, we're adults who understand that the Joker doesn't exist. And yet. . . Ledger's absence causes the tiniest of doubts in the back of our minds, the part that's still on board for superhero movies. With no one telling us otherwise, we're left with the cryptic suggestion that the Joker might very well be. . . real.

This is partly what has left me with such a sense of uneasiness since watching the movie, and one of the things that is keeping The Dark Knight at the forefront of my mind. But even beyond that, the film is so well-written, thrillingly suspenseful, action-packed and brilliantly acted. It's all the things we want in a superhero movie - along with a whole bunch of dark, thorny morality issues tossed in.

All told: It. Is. Amazing.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

Bridges, Gyllenhaal, and Duvall Get a Little Bit Country

BuzzSugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:30:03 -0700

A blockbuster superhero movie can certainly get the casting directors interested: Both Jeff Bridges (Iron Man) and Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Dark Knight) will have won over critics and audiences alike come Summer's end, and now they've added another project to their schedules. Along with Robert Duvall, the two will star in a "music-based drama" based on a book by Thomas Cobb titled Crazy Heart.

The good news. . .
That cast! Love Bridges, love me some Maggie and of course Duvall is a class act, so there you go. Also, the story sounds a little generic, but I'm still curious about it. Variety has the details:

Story centers on a down-on-his-luck, alcoholic country music singer (Bridges) who is able to get his life and career back on track through his relationship and experiences with a female reporter (Gyllenhaal).

The part that makes me wonder. . .
Jeff Bridges is going to perform original songs by famed country producer T Bone Burnett in the film - but can he sing? And can he sing country music? I'm interested to see that. The movie is also being produced by CMT Films which has had a hand in the existence of Toby Keith's Beer for My Horses. So. . .yeah.

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Buzz News Roundup, 5/2

BuzzSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:30:02 -0700

Catherine O'Hara and Andie MacDowell have signed on for ABC pilots, Zap2it reports: O'Hara will play the mom in Good Behavior from Rob Thomas, while MacDowell's plot is described as a Hamlet-like drama set in the auto industry.
Maggie Gyllenhaal will replace Toni Collette in the Sam Mendes relationship comedy that also stars John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, Variety writes.
According to ComingSoon, comedian Demetri Martin will be joining Ang Lee's next project, Taking Woodstock.
Billboard writes that The Cure has announced the date of their next album release: September 13, with a new single coming out every month until then, starting on May 13.
Variety reports that iTunes will now offer movies to be purchased and downloaded on the day of DVD release.
If you liked the Christian Siriano-designed blouse that Amanda wore on Ugly Betty last night, you can bid on it now; details on how are at The Futon Critic.
E! reports that Leighton Meester will be reprising her role on Entourage as a Britney-esque pop star.
Pitchfork has new details on the new album from The Hold Steady, which will be released in July.

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Movie Preview: The Dark Knight

BuzzSugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:26:45 -0800

Finally! The Dark Knight trailer currently being shown before I Am Legend in theaters is online in a version that's not a shaky bootleg taken with someone's camera phone!

However, so far the only versions of the 6-minute clip from the Dark Knight, also shown before I Am Legend, are those jerky, low-quality bootlegs, like this one. Stay tuned for a better quality version, sure to hit the Internet before too long.

The trailer features a lot of Joker, as expected, and far less of our husky-voiced Batman. Thus, this heavy-on-the-Joker movie looks terrifying. I was genuinely frightened by a two-minute movie preview.

That Heath Ledger and his sinister laugh will haunt my dreams. To check out the chilling trailer for Dark Knight and discuss read more.

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Link Time! 4/26

BuzzSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 13:29:13 -0700

GeekSugar has the scoop on Wired Magazine's "Heroes" story.
Tube Talk chats up Kelly Carlson, better known as Kimber from "Nip/Tuck."
JoBlo has the lowdown on LonelyGirl15's (Jessica Rose) movie role in Perfect Sport.
Over on Idolator, Drew Barrymore proves she can sing out of the side of her mouth, too.
Buddy TV reaches into the bowels of "American Idol" to pick the worst singers ever to appear on the show.
TV Squad tells you how to chat with Tina Fey after tonight's "30 Rock" finale.
If you like Maggie Gyllenhaal, you may as well join the lovefest going on over at Film Experience.
Merry Swankster rounds up the best geezers playing at Coachella this weekend.
TV with MeeVee sits down with Rachael Harris, the best thing about "Notes from the Underbelly."
I'm with PopCandy, who really wants to see the short film collection Paris Je T'Aime, featuring people like Elijah Wood and Natalie Portman.
The Fader blog gets its hands on a new track from M.I.A.

The Results Are In: Recast Father of the Bride

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 14:27:48 -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 and the winner gets a BuzzSugar t-shirt!

This week's special wedding-themed recast was the 1991 comedy Father of the Bride which starred Steve Martin, Diane Keaton and Kimberly Williams. The recast lists you all came up with were super fun - I especially enjoyed Livience's all-black recast featuring Bernie Mac and Beyonce Knowles.

Also, WhiplashGirlchild's "real life couple" cast is awesome, starring Felicity Huffman, William H. Macy, Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling (ignoring break up rumors).

Yet my favorite recast overall came from Pinkrabbit, whose creative list features one of my all-time favorite comedic actors in the role of Franck: David Cross. Congrats, Pinkrabbit!

To see the rest of Pinkrabbit's list and the new cast photo, read more

Pinkrabbit's cast:
George Banks: Jeff Goldblum
Nina Banks: Michelle Pfeiffer
Annie Banks: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Bryan MacKenzie: Henry Thomas
Franck Eggelhoffer: David Cross