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Buzz Gift Guide: Teen Girl Gifting

BuzzSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:30:00 -0800

Teen girls can be kinda picky when it comes to presents. Luckily, they're also pop culture nuts. I'm thinking Lauren Conrad's novel, LA Candy, should satisfy them nicely, along with Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist on DVD and a Gossip Girl tee. Of course, Twilight seems to be every high school student's obsession du jour, but why not get them started on The Vampire Diaries book series? That Stefan is pretty hot. (Oh, but if they are crushing on Edward Cullen, check back later. There are plenty more holiday ideas as far as he's concerned.)

Don't have a younger sister or friend to buy for? Take a peek at all of the gift guides across the Sugar network!

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:30:32 -0800

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. In addition to my selections below you can now add Bottle Shock and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa to your queue.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno
I still smile when I think about this movie starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks because it's so silly and raunchy and yet manages to be somewhat heartwarming. But it should come with a serious warning: This is pretty graphic stuff so you should avoid watching with say, a boss, or a brother, or even maybe your roommate's boyfriend. It's a series of really awkward movie moments just waiting to happen. It's also hysterically funny in parts, though, so don't hesitate to add this one to your queue.

The special features both frighten and intrigue me. They include deleted scenes; a "making of" featurette; something called "Money Shots Webisodes"; outtakes, ad-libs and bloopers; and "Seth vs. Justin: Battle for Improvisational Supremacy."

Two more up next, just read more.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Juno has been playing on HBO a lot these days and I've been flipping to it during commercial breaks for little bits of Michael Cera goodness. Well, I'm just about Juno-ed out now, so I'm glad the adorable Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is finally out on DVD. I may be a little biased because I read the book but the movie is also super-duper cute due to Cera and his awesome co-star Kat Dennings. Good music, good actors, boys and girls having crushes on each other - what's not to love?

Special features include outtakes, deleted scenes, "Middle Management" music video by Bishop Allen, and "A Nick & Norah Puppet Show" by Kat Dennings.

The Secret Life of Bees
Zack and Miri, Nick & Nora, and now Bees?! Clearly I won't be hanging out with other humans this weekend because my couch and I are booked. This screen adaptation of the beloved bestseller is a satisfying tale of female friendship that might not be getting a lot of awards or attention, but will touch your heart nonetheless. The movie's dreamy cast includes Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, and Queen Latifah. I'm glad it's finally time to watch this again at home.

Special features include the director's extended cut, eight deleted scenes, and lots of featurettes including one titled "Adaptation: Bringing the Secret Life of Bees to the Big Screen."

Box Office: It's a Chihuahua World and We're Just Living in It

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:30:48 -0700

If the photo below were a Caption It contest based on this weekend's box office results, my entry would go something like: "Well Leo, there's no easy way to say this so I'm just going to come out with it. We got beat by the little talking dogs. Beat bad."

That's right, Disney's Beverly Hills Chihuahua was No. 1 for the second weekend in a row followed by the horror flick Quarantine. Ridley Scott's Body of Lies, which came in third, was expected to do much better "based on its star power alone" but the combination of mediocre reviews and the fact that audiences continue to eschew Iraq War-related movies probably worked against a successful opening weekend. Eagle Eye and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist rounded out the top five respectively.

The new sports film The Express came in at No. 6 followed by Nights in Rodanthe, Appaloosa, The Duchess, and City of Ember at No. 10.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Caption It: Which Caption Should Win?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:30:06 -0700

This week's Caption It was courtesy of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist:

Thanks to all the readers who submitted caption possibilities! Time to vote for a winner...

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

Chihuahua's Bark Is Loud at the Box Office

BuzzSugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:30:31 -0700

You know, the reviews for Disney's Beverly Hills Chihuahua were not as bad as I thought they might be, so that coupled with the fact that it's a family film meant that the movie about little talking dogs took the No. 1 spot at the box office over the weekend. The top dogs brought in a seriously impressive $29 million. That's about the same amount that Eagle Eye earned last weekend. This weekend, the Shia LaBeouf action-thriller came in second place.

Meanwhile, some smaller movies (a.k.a. "specialty films") also did well. Both Bill Maher's documentary Religulous and Anne Hathaway's Rachel Getting Married had terrific opening weekends. This was especially striking as "three of the new wide releases didn’t even crack the top 10 chart," including Flash of Genius, Blindness, and How to Lose Friends and Alienate People.

Finally, both Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Appaloosa enjoyed solid debuts, coming in third and fifth respectively. Lots of options this weekend! Which one did you see? (And come on, you can admit it if it was the chihuahua movie - this is a safe place.)

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist: It's Just So Cute

BuzzSugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 05:30:19 -0700

I'm trying to separate the experience of watching the movie Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist from the experience of reading the book. In truth, the two bear only a few similarities and I enjoyed the book more than the movie. Still, as a standalone piece of entertainment, the movie version is fun and silly and adorable, mostly due to the great cast. At the heart of what's so likable about it are Nick and Norah themselves, two precocious, creative, music-loving teens who spend a wacky night in New York City together, both learning to grow beyond their past relationships and into something that feels exciting and right. Ah, young love. Is there anything sweeter?

If there is, it's Michael Cera's cute little face. He plays Nick, a funny, self-deprecating young man who is the sole straight guy in his band. He's struggling to get over his ex, Tris (Alexis Dziena), when he meets Norah (Kat Dennings), a droll, witty girl who shares Nick's love for a band called Where's Fluffy? Nick and Norah have an immediate connection and Nick's bandmates, sensing the possibility for Nick to forget Tris, offer to take Norah's drunk friend Caroline (Ari Graynor) home, and send Norah off with Nick in his yellow, beat-up Yugo. Things go awry, of course: Caroline runs away from Nick's friends, Nick and Norah have a fight, Tris becomes jealous and follows Nick around the city, and Norah's sort-of-ex-boyfriend Tal (Jay Baruchel) keeps making Norah feel conflicted. Through it all, these cool, indie teens are trying to figure out where Where's Fluffy? is playing their secret show in New York. For my thoughts on all this, read more.

I'm not totally fond of the meandering story arcs, and at times the plot seems sort of oddly smushed together. But at the same time, this movie is an unusual addition to the ordinary movie offerings (the blockbuster, the dramatic weepie, the raunchy comedy, etc.). Here we have two kids who are different from the cookie-cutter teens - and they're proud of this. They love all kinds of music and have adventures in New York that don't include shopping for couture. Their friends are kooky, funny musicians, most of whom are gay. There's no angst over these things (being "individuals" among "the normals," etc.), but there is angst about those basic insecurities people feel when they find new love.

It's your cute, simple boy-meets-girl romance - but with a uniquely modern twist.

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures

Caption It!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:30:14 -0700

Welcome to the Caption It game on BuzzSugar! Every other Wednesday, I'll post a photo still from a TV show or movie here and challenge you to think of the most hilarious caption possible. I'll announce the finalists the following Tuesday, and you'll get to vote for the best caption; the winner will get a fabulous BuzzSugar t-shirt!

It was a pretty close race in last week's poll for the Ghost Town caption contest, but we do have a winner! Congrats to GeriAnne1932 who won for this caption:

"Um, I normally don't do this with an audience . . ."

This week's challenge comes to us from the sweet little romance Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist:

Leave your captions in the comment space below before 5 p.m. PDT on Monday, Oct. 6, to be considered for a spot in the voting round. Have fun! To see a photo of the BuzzSugar t-shirt, just read more.

The BuzzSugar t-shirt

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

Buzz Book Club: The End of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

BuzzSugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:30:45 -0700

Isn't it fun to read a book that gives you happy feelings inside, especially knowing that you'll soon be rewarded with a big-screen adaptation that looks totally cute? I love it when that happens. So, welcome back, Buzz Book Club readers! It is time to discuss the conclusion of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. I can't wait to see the movie!

But first, here's how the Book Club goes if you're new: Every week I've suggested chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, was every Friday in September). In these weekly Book Club posts, I posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

I'll fill you in on my October book soon. For now, to discuss the final section of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, in which we read from the start of the chapter 14 through the end of the book, read more.

I'm so glad that Norah was ultimately able to let go with Nick, but I was often disturbed by her use of the term "frigid." I don't think any woman - much less a teenager! - should think of herself in this way. When she said, "Frigid was a choice rather than a truth," I think I was supposed to feel good, but instead I just felt sad. It's like something eerily out of a bygone era. What do you make of all that?
Which parts of the book do you hope make it into the movie adaptation? There are a few little lines (like Nick calling "Salvatore" and saying, "Tell him I hope he likes his new home") that I think would be adorable coming out of Michael Cera's mouth. Are there any parts you think the filmmakers could skip for the big-screen version?
In the end, Norah picks a theme for a mix tape she wants to make for Nick: (T)rainy/Dreamy. What did you think of her song choices? What theme would you give the mix tape or playlist for the best date you ever had?
Speaking of which: Have you ever had an epic first date like this? If so, do tell!

Buzz Book Club: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Section Two

BuzzSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:07:51 -0700

Welcome back Buzz Book Club readers! I'm having so much fun breezing through Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. It's bringing up memories of my teen
years. . . and that's actually a good thing.

Here's a recap of how the Book Club goes if you're new: Every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in September). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

The next assignment: Read from the start of chapter 14 until the end of the book! We'll chat about the conclusion a week from today, Sept. 26.

To discuss this next section of Nick and Norah, in which we read from the start of chapter seven until the end of the chapter 13, read more.

I've been thinking a lot about Caroline. Have you ever had a friend like this? Have you been that friend? Would you have taken care of this friend so much, like Norah does, or do you think you might've tried some tougher love?
I've also been thinking about how difficult teen love can really be. Norah's relationship with Tal and the insecurities it's left her with reminds me of how little you have to reference at that point in terms of what's normal (or healthy) relationship behavior. Do you think this book captures how vulnerable teens are in that respect?
Does anyone else think it's hilarious that Jay Baruchel is playing Tal in the movie version of this book?
Once Nick and Norah finally sit down over "drinks" to chat, I think it's hilarious how Norah thinks it's a disaster while Nick is psyched that it's going so well! Have you ever been in a situation like this? Do you think these kinds of misunderstandings happen often?
We learn Tris is more than just an evil ex. Are you glad the authors made her more dimensional or was it more fun when she was the villain?

Buzz Book Club: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Section One

BuzzSugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:30:40 -0700

Hello Buzz Book Club readers! We've started reading the completely adorable Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, and so far I'm really enjoying it. What about you?

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

The next assignment: Read from the start of chapter seven until the end of the chapter 13. We'll chat about this section a week from today, Sept. 19

To discuss the first section of Nick and Norah, in which we read from the start of the story until the end of chapter six, read more read more.

Do you identify more with Nick or Norah at this point? I assumed I would identify more with Norah, but I'm finding myself relating to Nick a surprising amount.
Have you gotten used to the style of the book and the way it cuts between the two characters' viewpoints? Are there scenes you wish you could see from another character's perspective?
The book is recommended for grades nine and up. Would you have been allowed to read this book as a freshman in high school? Would you want your child to read it? Or would any of the sex talk and bars (even if Nick and Norah aren't drinking) concern you?
There is so much intense, raw emotion involved in these characters, reminding me of what it was like to be a teenager, fueled by love and angst. It makes me almost nostalgic for a time when we didn't have to always be quite so practical or logical (or "adult") about things. Do you feel wistful for this time of life? Or mostly just relieved that it's behind you?