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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

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 06:30:23 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue.

The Wrestler
I said it in my list of must haves for April and I'll say it again: In addition to being a touching film with an astounding performance by Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler is one of those rare movies that a diverse group of adults can agree to see together. There's something for everyone, really: Action, romance, some tearjerking, etc.

The movie follows an aging professional wrestler with a ton of regrets. He tries to take control of his life, however, when he befriends an exotic dancer (Marisa Tomei) and attempts to make peace with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood).

In addition to earning all kinds of nominations during awards season, the movie contains one of my favorite scenes of the year. Special features include a featurette titled "Within the Ring: A No-Holds-Barred One-on-One With Wrestlers and Filmmakers" and music videos (presumably featuring Bruce Springsteen).

Two more up next, so read more.

Frost/Nixon
Director Ron Howard successfully adapts for the screen a Peter Morgan play (Morgan wrote the screenplay for this movie as well) that portrays President Nixon's infamous interview with journalist/TV personality David Frost.

The movie follows Frost (played by Michael Sheen, reprising his stage role) on his journey to get the disgraced former President (Frank Langella, who also originated the role on stage) on television to face questioning about his involvement in Watergate. It's a duel between two giant egos where only one can really win, and the filmmakers take creative liberties filling in the backstory to the famous historical event.

Special features include deleted scenes, "The Making of Frost/Nixon," footage from the real interview, and commentary with Director Ron Howard.

Notorious
Notorious is a biopic based on the life of rap legend Christopher Wallace, a.k.a Notorious B.I.G., who was killed in his early 20s in a drive-by shooting.

Newly discovered actor and hip hop artist Jamal Woolard delivers a standout debut performance as the rapper, and is surrounded by other strong performances of well-known personalities (dead and alive). Naturi Naughton plays the pint-sized, naughty girl Lil Kim and Derek Luke does a great job channeling Sean "Puffy" Combs, as does Anthony Mackie as the late Tupac Shakur.

Special features include commentary with director George Tillman Jr., co-screenwriter Reggie Rock Bythewood and co-screenwriter Cheo Hodari, as well as commentary with Biggie's mom Voletta Wallace, Biggie's co-manager Wayne Barrow, and Biggie's co-manager Mark Pitts.

What Are Your Favorite Scenes From This Year's Oscar-Nominated Movies?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:30:48 -0800

I keep thinking about this great scene in The Wrestler between Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei's characters in a bar. I won't give it away for those who haven't seen the movie yet but it involves some funny dialogue between the two about the decade they agree was the best. It's a small, intimate moment rendered so perfectly that you completely forget you're watching two actors - it feels more like overhearing a conversation at your local dive bar.

Sometimes a movie contains a scene so well-done it has the power to stick around in our minds for years and years. Like one of the most romantic scenes in Wall-E: Eve and Wall-E's dance among the stars. So. Freaking. Cute. Not to mention beautiful. And Happy Go-Lucky contains an intense scene between the main character and her driving instructor that's so unsettling it will take me a long time to shake it off.

Sometimes I think there should be an Academy Award category for Best Scene! What do you think? Which scenes from this year's Oscar-nominated films stick out to you the most?

The Wrestler photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight, Wall-E image courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures, and Happy Go-Lucky photo courtesy of Miramax

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

Movie Preview: The Wrestler

BuzzSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:30:01 -0800

I've been swatting away the buzzings of "Oscar watch" and "best film of the year" in regard to indie drama The Wrestler for a while now, just waiting until I could see a trailer and hopefully understand what all the fuss is about. The film stars Mickey Rourke (whose "astonishing performance" here has some calling him a "comeback kid") as an aging professional wrestler with a ton of regrets. He starts to try and take control of his life, however, when he befriends an exotic dancer (Marisa Tomei) and attempts to make peace with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood).

I'm honestly amazed by the praise this film is getting, and while I think the trailer makes it look poignant, I'll have to see the movie in its entirety to fully see what has gotten people gushing so much (100 percent at RottenTomatoes at time of posting this). The Wrestler opens Dec. 17. To check out the trailer for yourself, read more.

Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight