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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:30:01 -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. In addition to the titles below you can also watch the Tom Hanks-Julia Roberts political movie Charlie Wilson's War and the horror flick One Missed Call.

Cloverfield
With the release of Cloverfield to DVD it seems like this is one JJ Abrams chapter that has officially come to an end (well, at least until the sequel comes out, and the viral marketing campaign for that will surely precede it by about a year). Cloverfield was so overly hyped that I had some reservations going into the movie, but I was happy to report that I had been worried for nothing. It is a frightening monster movie that kept my heart racing.

This movie also earned a reputation for the shaky-cam visual style making some people feel nauseated, though if you were worried about that on the big screen, your home entertainment center will likely make for a much mellower experience. The movie follows a gaggle of 20-somethings at a going away party in New York. When the city comes under attack by a monster, what ensues is a great balance of action, relief, tender moments and "real-life" drama and humor.

As expected, this DVD is packed full of special features including commentary by director Matt Reeves, alternate endings, and the making of the film.

Two more excellent (albeit dark) films out this week, so read more.

The Savages
The Savages has some amazing talent in it, including the incomparable Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman who play siblings, with a touching performance by Philip Bosco as their father. The story centers around a scenario few of us will escape in our lifetime: dealing with an aging parent. In the movie, this situation is made even more complicated by the fact that the father has been estranged from his children for decades. The film was one of the year's best and earned Oscar nominations for both Laura Linney and writer Tamara Jenkins.

Special features include an "About the Savages" featurette, some director's snapshots and an extended scene.

The Orphanage
Omigosh, if Cloverfield isn't scary enough for you, I can guarantee that this film will haunt you for days, if not weeks. Giggle reviewed The Orphanage for me while I worked up the nerve to check it out for myself, and then once I did I totally agreed with every thing she wrote.

This Spanish-language film doesn't rely on CGI effects or grotesque torture scenes to scare the you-know-what out of you. Instead, it's an old-fashioned ghost story that follows a woman who returns to the orphanage of her youth to refashion it as a school for disabled children. But when her son starts to exhibit disturbing behavior, she is pulled into the creepy secrets of the house and thus unfolds a super scary movie. I highly recommend this one but you may need a shoulder to bury your head into or a hand to hold - I would not tackle this alone!

Special featurettes include: "When Laura Grew Up: Constructing the Orphanage"; "Tomas' Secret Room (The Filmmakers)"; and "Horror in the Unknown: Makeup Effects."

Box Office: National Treasure Still Gold, Juno Keeps Climbing

BuzzSugar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 06:30:00 -0800

For the third weekend in a row, National Treasure: Book of Secrets led the way at the box office, bringing in a respectable $20.2 million. This is nice and all, but the real success story this weekend is that of Juno, the little indie movie that has consistently jumped higher and higher in the box office ranks over its five-week run at the theaters.

More often than not movies experience a decline at the box office after the initial buzz dies down, but not little Juno. Granted, it opened in more theaters this weekend, but the numbers for this movie are still wildly impressive - particularly for an independent film. According to Variety, the movie will most likely become Fox Searchlight's most lucrative project, as it's gunning to outpace both Sideways and Little Miss Sunshine.

I Am Legend just barely pushed its way to second place with $16.4 million, just over Juno's $16.2 million. Alvin and the Chipmunks refused to budge from the top five, landing at No. 4. Rounding out the top five was newbie horror flick One Missed Call.

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

Which Scary Movie Looks Scarier?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 16:29:05 -0700

Which of these two scary movie trailers looks like it will be more successfully scary?

Stephen King's The Mist
"A freak storm unleashes a species of blood-thirsty creatures on a small town, where a small band of citizens hole-up in a supermarket and fight for their lives."

Japanese remake, One Missed Call
"Several people start receiving voice-mails from their future selves - messages which include the date, time, and some of the details of their deaths."

90210 vs. Melrose Place: Which Was More Scandalous?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:30:22 -0800

This week's 90210 and Melrose Place combo don't have a ton of shocking moments, but it's obvious both shows are gearing up for major stuff to go down. (Like a drug bust, murder arrest, and Heather Locklear, for instance?!) We do, however, get some nice moments between the characters. Teddy, for one, is acting like an angel - although I can't tell if it's sincere, because I've made it a rule not to trust a guy who ties sweaters over his shoulders. And the gang from Melrose have a nice come-together moment around the pool, which I'd like to see more of.

Not that everything is warm and fuzzy. Hardly. There's still scandal to go around, so ready to decide which gave us more gossip-worthy material? Just read more.

90210 point: Navid discovers Jasper selling Adrianna drugs in her car in the school parking lot. Navid calls Adrianna to confront her, but she of course denies his accusations. Jasper also says the story isn't true and threatens Navid in a "hypothetical" way. Like, "hypothetically if I was a drug dealer, you wouldn't want to mess with me, because I know bad people." Real discreet stuff.
Melrose Place counterpoint: The blood tests from last week's discovery of Sydney's murder weapon come back - and Auggie is the guilty party. Auggie might as well be off the show already, because he is nowhere to be found, supposedly on a trip in Mexico. Ella's relieved, Riley has doubts, and Violet continues to defend him, seeing as how they slept together and she's crazy. When she told Riley that she and Auggie were "intimate" with each other, I nearly ralphed.

90210 point: Debbie is in the doghouse with Dixon. He tries to go comfort Sasha after her "miscarriage," and Debbie admits that Sasha faked the pregnancy - and that she hid the truth. Dixon's unreasonably angry with Debbie, telling her "you're not my real mom anyway." Come on, Dixon. Deb doesn't deserve that.
Melrose Place counterpoint: David sneaks over to Michael's house while he's at work and borrows Noah. He takes his little bro to a fair, but things go amiss when Noah climbs a wall and falls. David rushes him to Lauren at the hospital, and she administers treatment - but not before Michael gets wind of everything. He's understandably furious but later tells David that he's glad he cares about Noah. Could this be the start of an actual relationship between the father and son?!

90210 point: Liam is on the rampage after he tells Mr. Matthews that Jen is psycho and Ryan doesn't believe him. He takes his attitude out on Ivy, Teddy, and an entire group of surfers. Later, Liam explains his behavior, opening up to the guys (and Ivy) about his history with Jen, and the entire thing culminates in a cheesy friend speech to take Jen down, complete with a high-five. [eye roll]
Melrose Place counterpoint: Violet is back to blackmailing Michael. This time, we find out that she's wanted for a court trial for previously resisting arrest. She enlists Michael, suggesting that he find her a lawyer in return for her discretion about their one-night stand. He, in turn, threatens her back, telling her that he can make the sentencing go against her unless she erases the sex video. Which she does . . . or so it seems. I'm still not 100 percent sure that it won't pop up later, but the power play between the two of them was an episode highlight for me.

90210: With Silver's half birthday approaching, her mom decides to make up for years of missed celebrations and throw her multiple parties at once, dressing up their entire house in different themes. The whole thing seemed like a stretch - really, Teddy called his dad's set designer friend to rig up the ambiance? - but it was still nice to see her and her mom get their moment together. Unfortunately, at the end of the episode, Silver goes to wake her mom in the morning and realizes that her mom has passed away.
Melrose Place counterpoint: Whoa, whoa, whoa - Ella makes a move on Jonah that's bold even for her. It all starts when she needs him to pose as a publicist at a lunch with a hot new indie director. The director comes on to Ella, and Jonah swoops in to put off his advances by pretending to be her fiance. They share a steamy kiss to be extra-convincing, and sure enough, once the director is out of sight, Ella suggests that the two of them go to a nearby hotel, so Jonah can see what he's been missing. He angrily tosses Ella's advances by telling her he's in love with Riley. You could tell part of her feels hurt by his words - and that part of him doesn't actually mean them.

90210 point: Annie is falling hard for Jasper. Their back and forth "I love yous" were pretty sickening, and she even gets in a sting at Dixon, defending Jasper and telling Dixon he's a bad judge of character because of Sasha. But the most cringe-worthy part is Annie tells Jasper that she wants him to be her first - and they start tossing on the bed as the episode wraps. Oh, Annie - you're so gonna wish you had given it up to Ethan instead.

Melrose Place counterpoint: You saw it coming: Lauren and David finally kiss! David's actually a standup guy this episode by taking care of Noah, but his speech to Lauren about how he wants her to see the best in him was unexpected - and welcome, in my opinion. Lauren of course is hesitant due to her call girl lifestyle, which David still doesn't know about. I just hope they don't let that hold her back too long, so we can explore these two as a couple.

This is tough one to call, since neither show packed a ton of drama, relatively speaking. I'm going to go with Melrose Place though, since we find Auggie's blood on the murder weapon, Ella propositioning Jonah, and David and Lauren locking lips. But would you argue for 90210 instead? I'll agree that it did include some pretty nasty lines, and obviously Silver's storyline with her mom carries some weight.

Let me know your pick in the comments, then head over to the 90210 Superfans group in the Buzz Community to discuss the show in more detail.

Photos courtesy of The CW

Buzz In: Which Animated Movie Is Most Oscar-Worthy?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:30:37 -0800

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued a press release today, announcing that 20 films have been submitted for Best Animated Film consideration at this year's Oscars. This means there could be five movies competing at the awards show in March. (In the history of the category, there have typically been only three.) So who is up for the honor?

Some are obvious choices. Up, for example, comes as no surprise thanks to its huge accolades. I also think Coraline stands a chance, as well as Fantastic Mr. Fox (look for my review on Friday!). But Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel seems like a long shot - even though it hasn't hit theaters yet, so I'm just making an early prediction. (Sorry, Alvin.)

With 10 movies in the Best Picture category, I wouldn't be surprised if some of these films end up with more than one nomination. Check out the full list of animated film contenders, and tell me which you think is most deserving of an Oscar when you read more.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
Astro Boy
Battle For Terra
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Coraline
Disney's A Christmas Carol
The Dolphin – Story of a Dreamer
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Mary and Max
The Missing Lynx
Monsters vs. Aliens
9
Planet 51
Ponyo
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure
A Town Called Panic
Up

The Office, "Koi Pond": Best Lines of the Night and Video!

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:30:00 -0700

This week's opening of The Office isn't necessarily a huge spooky surprise since we already got a peek at those costumed spoiler photos, but I still laughed through every minute of the intro. Jim's "Bookface" costume? A-ma-zing.

I sort of wished the rest of the episode followed suit with a Halloween theme, but that's OK, because we still get a great set up with Michael, Jim, and a lobby koi pond - not to mention a ton of quips that had me cackling. Check out my list of faves, and weigh in with your own!

"Kids, just remember suicide is never the answer . . . Why is Christmas the only holiday that can have a message?"-Michael
It's bad enough that Michael Scott has the D*ck in a Box costume, but to wear it - and hang himself - in front of children?! That's even more hilariously inappropriate than usual for him. And am I totally off base, or is Ryan trying to be Edward Cullen?

Even more funny lines, plus that koi pond video, when you read more.

"I date models - face models. My girlfriend, on a scale of 1 to Gisele? A nine. Pam's carrying our surrogate, because my girlfriend needed to keep her figure for Fashion Week."
Andy and Pam are forced to make cold calls when their sales figures are low, and clients mistakenly think they're married. This is when things get really awkward, leading up to a belly kiss. We normally don't get much interaction between Andy and Pam, but I think they do well as foils.

"The custodian called again. Apparently a koi has died."-Erin
I don't know why a koi pond is so funny to me, but I was giggling at the random jokes about Michael's mishap - yes, even Phyllis's lame, "Did you flounder?" 'Bout time the employees took a few shots at their bumbling boss. Then, when he gathers them into a meeting to make his "mocking" board, the insecurity really flies. Dwight's upset over his small nose, Angela's worried that she eats like a squirrel, and Meredith says she's embarrassed because she . . . had sex with a terrorist? (Um, did I read that right?!)

"The guy was like, Who are your five friends? And I was like, I don't even know . . . . I'm a total loser. Loooooser. Too far."-Michael
I died over this one. Michael tries to save his embarrassment over the koi incident by making fun of himself, and instead, he comes across as pathetic. But "too far" was the real kicker for me.

"Jim is my enemy. But Jim is also his greatest enemy. And the enemy of my enemy is my friend. So Jim is my friend."- Dwight
When the staff watches the security tape from the koi lobby and witnesses Jim actually letting Michael fall in, their loyalty swiftly changes. Dwight so confused, his mind gets blown. I am enjoying this new glimpse into the Michael and Jim work dynamic - by the end of the episode, it seemed like they might actually get along as comanagers. On the other hand, I have to say that I miss the days when Jim was the dude with a sweet crush who liked to pull pranks. Check out the actual video of Jim leaning out of the way:

"Oh, do you mean Marlon Wayans? Cause he is."- Erin
Way to go Erin! I've always sort of viewed her as a background character, but she delivered several funny ones this week. (I'm also loving her right now thanks to her Subtle Sexuality music video.) Do you think the writers are really going to set her up with Andy? Pam seems to be pushing it in that direction - even comparing Andy to Marlon Brando - and I think it's brilliant.

What'd you think of this week's episode? Who wore your favorite costume? Would you like to see Andy and Erin take their relationship to the next level? (I wonder if Angela would get jealous . . . )

And don't forget that you can always head over to The Office! group in the BuzzSugar Community to dish about the show!

Photo courtesy of NBC

Amy Adams and Zach Galifianakis Move In to Town House

BuzzSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:24 -0700

Zach Galifianakis's star continues to rise. The Hangover funny man is reportedly in talks for Town House. Loosely based on the novel by Tish Cohen, the dramedy follows an agoraphobic dad (Galifianakis) living off royalties from his rock star father - the dilemma being what to do when the money runs out. Amy Adams would play a call girl who befriends him.

Adams, aka Miss Enchanted, as a prostitute? Galifianakis as a father?! I love both of these actors, and I'm excited to see them branch out. With Tony and Ridley Scott producing, and John Carney of Once fame is attached to direct, I have high hopes for this one.

What's your take on the news? If the plot gets romantic - which I'm guessing it will - do you think Galifianakis and Adams will make a good pair? (I wonder if he'll shave that beard!)

Grey's Anatomy Rundown, "I Saw What I Saw"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:30:57 -0700

Another one bites the dust. This week Grey's Anatomy took a break from the typical episode fodder, and instead we are treated to a whodunnit-style murder mystery when one of the doctors loses a patient in the midst of a crisis situation. We hear each doctor's story one by one, and when the cause of death is finally discovered someone is sent home. (Kind of like a combination of House and Survivor).

Ready for my rundown? Just read more.

The war between Mercy and Seattle Grace continues, as the doctors have trouble working together when a slew of injured patients come in fresh off a hotel fire. Amidst the chaos, a patient who appears to be ready to be discharged ends up dead - and the chief starts a witch hunt to find out who's to blame.
Both Lexie and newbie Charlie lose their cool this week. Charlie forgets to eat a cookie after giving blood and passes out in the ER, while Lexie can't keep her emotions in check. She gets all choked up when trying to treat a 16-year-old with severe burns all over his body - I don't blame her, but it did seem a bit random to me. Luckily she gets herself back together after a stern pep talk from Arizona.
Cristina manages to stay out of trouble for the most part, though she does make another kid cry - when she's not sneaking off to Meredith's room to complain about the newbies.
Alex is in his own world; thanks in part to Izzie's departure. When he finally gets her on the phone, he takes the phone call instead of focusing on his patient, setting off a panic among the other doctors, particularly Reid.
Though it seems like Reid is totally going to throw Alex under the bus, in the end she's the one who realizes where the doctors went wrong - and turns in her own friend and Mercy colleague.
In the end, it's April who takes the fall - but does she really deserve to get fired? All the doctors played a small role in the chaos in one way or another, so I think it's a bit unfair that she's fired. Derek even tells the Chief that it's his own fault and that the accidental death is a product of the merger.

So do you think April deserved to get fired? Will the doctors finally start getting along now? Are you missing all the McDreamy and McSteamy screen time? To keep the conversations going, check out the Grey's Anatomy Junkies Group in the Buzz Community!

Mad Men, "The Color Blue": This Week's 5 Maddest Moments

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:30:34 -0700

I have often found myself forgetting that Mad Men began with its leading man's Big Dirty Secret - and that not everyone knows the truth. That may be about to change, as we saw on this week's episode, "The Color Blue."

As usual, I've recapped the episode by its maddest moments, so to see them, just read more.

Fits: So Don finds himself in the middle of another affair, and this time, the object of his affection seems far more emotionally invested than his previous mistresses. Don seems like he could be as invested as her, driving Susie's brother to his new job, but I think it has more to do with "doing the right thing," whatever that means to Don. Susie, on the other hand, is looking more like a live wire to me - her showing up on the train is pretty stalkery, and I didn't believe her when she denies calling Don's house.
The Box: My heart stopped when Betty found Don's desk key and the box that contains all relics of Don's existence as Dick Whitman, including a divorce certificate with Don's name on it. She may have been confused by the scrawled "Dick" on his photos, but the divorce paperwork is unquestionably damaging. Betty is frightened to bring it up and what she may learn, but her pained looks at Don at the Sterling Cooper party comprise some of January Jones's finest work on the show.
Faded ink: I really felt for Paul when he failed to write down his amazing idea for Western Union. I felt even more for him when he watched Peggy summon up a winning pitch in front of Don using his misfortune as inspiration. The look on his face was that of realizing he's not talented the way Peggy is, and to me - I thought it meant Paul may be reconsidering his career.
Mad Woman: Despite my pity for Paul, I couldn't have been more proud of Miss Peggy. Even though Paul initially tries to deride her success as being a woman on female-centric campaigns, Peggy's talent is clearly more than that (or simple spontaneity). Paul sees it, Don sees it - will Duck's competing agency Grey see it, too, if Sterling Cooper fails to recognize it on the whole?
For sale by owner: Sterling Cooper is set to be sold again, the British owners reveal. At least one person is happy about the possibility - Pryce's London-lorn wife. The agency has been thrown into upheaval in is first sale, what will happen in its next?

Do you think Betty will begin questioning Don about his box of secrets? What do you make of the title, "The Color Blue?" I took it as a moral ambiguity reference, after it came up in Don and Susie's pillow talk. Let me know what you thought of this week's episode below, and to talk more Sterling Coop, join the Mad Men group in the community!

Photo courtesy of AMC

Glee-ful Highlights and Video From Episode "Throwdown"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:30:00 -0700

This week on Glee, we find out what happens when two teachers who can't stand each other stop being polite and start gettin' real. It doesn't take very long for Sue and Will to start arguing over how to direct the glee club (even fighting in their voiceovers), and Sue succeeds in turning the kids against each other in the process. Will's problems start to affect his life at home as Terri is still struggling to keep her pregnancy a secret (with the help of her wacky sister).

Now would be a good time to enter my Glee giveaway for a chance to hang out with one of the cast members, but if you'd rather dive into all the performances and drama, just read more.

One of my favorite performances this week is when all the kids sing "Ride With Me" as a group - even though they're not supposed to be seen together. I kinda loved that we get to hear them actually singing freestyle instead of the usual prerecorded in the studio stuff.
Sue has her hilarious array of one-liners as usual and wastes no time getting all offensive and dividing the club into "Sue's Kids" (aka the minorities) and handing over the rest of the students to Will. The chain of events are typical right up to the end, when Will finally gets through to her and they call a truce of sorts. But how long will that last?
Speaking of truces, the peace between Rachel and Quinn is already broken within minutes of this episode, and surprise - it's all about Finn! I was glad that Quinn finally gets her own solo while standing up for herself to Finn. I know we're supposed to hate her and root for Rachel instead, but she's growing on me - and I kinda think she deserves a better boyfriend. On the other hand, naming the baby Drizzle is kind of hilarious.
Quinn gets all worked up when Rachel and Finn are selected to perform "No Air," but I wasn't really feelin' the chemistry on this one. Need a refresher? Check out the video below.

Emma is nowhere to be found this week, but there's plenty of tension between Terri and Will to fill in the gaps. Terri blackmails her doctor into conducting a fake sonogram for Will's benefit, which reminded me just how ridiculous that entire storyline is. (Really? We're supposed to believe that Will has never seen Terri change her clothes since she started wearing that fake bump?) It was almost too heartbreaking when Will's eyes well up at the end. Can't the truth just come out already?
Sidenote: is anyone else ready for the inevitable episode where Tina starts to gain confidence and overcome her stutter? It's a bit of overkill at this point.
Sue drops a big bomb at the end of the episode when she nails Quinn for being pregnant. (Oh. Snap.) I have to admit that while Avril Lavigne isn't my favorite artist, I did like the spin the club put on her "Keep Holding On." Or maybe I'm just a sucker for when they perform in matching outfits. Video below!

What'd you think of this week's episode? Did you miss Emma? Are you ready for Quinn and Finn to call it quits? Sound off in comments and check out the Glee Club in the BuzzSugar Community!