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Buzz Brainteaser

BuzzSugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:30:00 -0700

Welcome to Buzz Brainteaser, the trivia feature on BuzzSugar! Every weekday I'll test your knowledge about TV shows, music, and movies. If you enter in the correct answer, you win points! The opening theme song used for Party of Five was performed by The BoDeans. What is the name of this song?

Steve Martin and Diane Keaton May Reunite for Comedy

BuzzSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:29:47 -0700

There are some cinematic couplings that are so full of cuteness that I get giddy at the thought of them reuniting. Steve Martin and Diane Keaton are one such couple, having totally endeared themselves to me in Father of the Bride (I just pretend that little sequel doesn't exist).

Now, these two may couple up again for One Big Happy, a comedy by Party of Five creators Chris Keyser and Amy Lippman. Variety reports that while there aren't many details just yet, they do know that it is a "family comedy about a couple and a family reconnecting amid various obstacles."

I'm so excited by this news, and I hope costarring with Steve will get Diane back on track and help us forget some of her recent projects (ahem, Mad Money).

Based on box office returns, it looks like a lot of people love to see hard-bodied costars Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson onscreen together. And, of course, there's the big upcoming reunion of Kate and Leo in this year's Revolutionary Road. I think reuniting When Harry Met Sally's stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan in a movie might be fun, too. What other movie duos would you love to see re-coupled?

Source

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:30:00 -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 watch some very funny recorded improv comedy starring Amy Poehler when you rent The Upright Citizens Brigade: Asssscat!

The Kite Runner
If you enjoyed Khaled Hosseini's bestselling novel, you won't be disappointed by how closely the screen adaptation resembles the book in both plot and its ability to tear your feelings apart. I gave this warning in my review and will say it again: The Kite Runner is not for the faint of heart, and some of the most gut-wrenching scenes from the book are even harder to take visually.

That said, there is much to appreciate about this story, which follows two young boys growing up in Afghanistan before and after the Taliban come to power. The relationship between the two friends is beautifully explored, as tense political events unfold around them. When one of the boys stands mutely aside while his best friend is brutalized, the decision sets off a series of mostly agonizing events and haunts him the rest of his life. In the end, however, it's a tale of love and redemption. Special features include commentary from Khaled Hosseini and the filmmakers.

Two more titles to go - one spooky, one that will take you back in time - so read more.

Party of Five: The Complete Third Season
Check out Matthew Fox's hair on that cover. Amazing. I know it's hard to get beyond Lost and Scream and The Ghost Whisperer, but once upon a time, these stars were on a little drama called Party of Five as a family of orphaned Salinger siblings who raise themselves (or is it . . . each other?).

Season Three was a turning point for most of the characters. Charlie's (Matthew Fox) girlfriend and family nanny gets caught plagiarizing a paper for her PhD, Kate (Jennifer Love Hewitt) reveals to boyfriend Bailey (Scott Wolf) that she wants to remain a virgin, Bailey turns into an alcoholic, and sister Julia (Neve Campbell) spends a lot of time dealing with her guilt after a friend's suicide. This is a great addition to your Party of Five collection and it's a fun journey back through the fashions and style of the '90s.

The Mist
Perhaps you missed the late November release of this spooky Stephen King film, since it's sometimes hard to get in the holiday spirit and see a scary movie at the same time. If that's the case, be sure to add The Mist to your queue this week, as it's pretty much everything one could want out of a scary movie.

The movie follows local townspeople trapped in a supermarket by a thick and deadly fog. While it's spooky to wonder what, exactly, in that mist is killing people, the really scary stuff comes from the way the group deals with the threat, bringing up all kinds of topics around End of Days. Marcia Gay Harden is particularly creepy as the town's religious fanatic Mrs. Carmody.

The special two-disc set includes commentary by writer/director Frank Darabont, deleted scenes, the behind the scenes webisodes, and the complete film in black and white.

Buzz Brainteaser

BuzzSugar — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 04:30:00 -0700

Welcome to Buzz Brainteaser, the trivia feature on BuzzSugar! Every weekday I'll test your knowledge about TV shows, music and movies. If you enter in the correct answer, you win points! What was the name of the oldest child on "Party of Five"?

Alison Brie Talks Dancing on Mad Men and Loving Community

BuzzSugar — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 06:30:00 -0800

Joel McHale wasn't the only Community cast member I chatted with at the 2010 Winter TCA. I also was lucky enough to talk to adorable Alison Brie, who pulls double duty as Annie on the show and as Trudy on Mad Men. Brie gushed about how much fun she has on the set of Community, mentioning that Annie will be getting a new love interest on the show (yay!), and also dishing on her hopes for Trudy. Here are highlights:

On Community: We're having so much fun, I can't even tell you. I drive to work every day - Danny Pudi, for Christmas, amongst other gifts, he gave us a mix CD of music from the show, and inspired by . . . so I've been listening to it in my car on the way to work, and I'm such a jerk to other people sitting in traffic going to these jobs that they hate, and I'm like "I love my job! I'm so happy to go to work!" We're just having the best time.
On the atmosphere on the set: It's such mayhem all the time. We won't shut up. Everybody talks and jokes constantly. It's like kids on a playground. It's great. It really trickles down into the episodes. They let us have our fun onset and through that, our jokes in between takes, we're working in little things that are making their way into the next takes. It's amazing. I love these people, we all felt instantly connected after we shot the pilot, and now after five months of working together I think we feel even closer. It's amazing.
On working with Joel McHale: You can't keep a straight face around Joel because he is ready to make fun of your outfit, or your hair, or your taste in music at any time. And you just want him to, because he's so charming.
On the next season of Mad Men: I can't even begin to imagine what's going to happen on that show. I just want to still be involved. I would love to see Trudy trying to help out in the new office and it being a disaster. It was great to shoot the finale and shoot that scene where she brings them all sandwiches.

To see what Brie had to say about working with Jack Black and upcoming guest stars, just read more.

On shooting tonight's episode: We have Jack Black, who came and shot with us. It was amazing. It was as good as you would think it would be. We were all so excited to have him there, and he's just so laid-back and cool, and then just turned it on and was Jack Black. He's dreamy! We were all awkward fangirls and -boys, wanting to hang out with him between takes. But he was super cool, just hung out with us and was very gracious to do it. He tries to join our study group in the episode but he's a little unstable and we have a problem with that.
On upcoming guest stars: We just learned that we're gonna have Katherine McPhee guest starring, so that should be fun. She'll be playing Chevy's stepdaughter, I think. So we'll see what happens with that.
What else can we expect on Community? Annie gets a love interest which is cute. It's fun to see Annie blossom out of her shell. She's becoming more of a woman, romantically. And in other ways maturing. And that's fun to play, to go back to that time and seeing everything for the first time and think of your first crush, and your first kiss. It makes it a fun character for me to play because she's so naive and constantly learning so much about life.
On the Jeff and Annie kiss: I don't know what's gonna happen with the Jeff and Annie thing, that was sort of unexpected. You know, the writers throw so many different things out and kinda see where we go with them. When we shot the debate episode I do not think it was the writers plan to have Jeff and Annie end up together but the fan feedback was so incredible, and very supportive of that union. I'm sure the writers are taking that into consideration, but the age difference might be a bit of a problem.
On filming that amazing dance sequence on Mad Men: We actually took lessons, Vincent Kartheiser and I, for maybe three weeks or so before shooting that episode. And then we practiced a bit in our free time. It was so much fun. When we shot the scene, it was a long scene that party scene. It went on into the night and by the time we got around to shooting the Charleston it was maybe 2 a.m., 3 a.m., and luckily the dance is so fun and upbeat that we didn't have to do it too many times. We just got right out there and had a blast.

Announcing the 2010 Grammy Award Nominees!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:22:28 -0800

The Grammy Awards rolled out the red carpet this evening with a one-hour live show to celebrate their 2010 nominees. (Check out photos from the event here.) The night featured performances by previous winners like the Black Eyed Peas, along with the announcement of the acts who will be competing for the special honor. The results? This year is all about the ladies. Taylor Swift has already run away with the majority of awards in 2009, and she's towards the top here too, earning eight nominations including Record of the Year and Album of the Year. But somewhere out there, Kanye West is smiling, because his girl Beyonce bested Ms. Swift tonight with a total of ten nods.

As for me, I'm especially happy to see Lady Gaga get recognition in multiple categories following a disappointing run for her at the American Music Awards. Also worth noting - the boys of The Lonely Island are nominated for their music video "I'm on a Boat" featuring T-Pain. Nice to see the nomination committee has a sense of humor.

We'll find out who takes home the golden record player when the awards show airs on Jan. 31. To see who made the cut, just read more.

RECORD OF THE YEAR
"Halo," Beyonce
"I Gotta Feeling," Black Eyed Peas
"Use Somebody," Kings of Leon
"Poker Face," Lady Gaga
"You Belong With Me," Taylor Swift

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
I Am...Sasha Fierce, Beyonce
The E.N.D., The Black Eyed Peas
The Fame, Lady Gaga
Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King, Dave Matthews Band
Fearless, Taylor Swift

SONG OF THE YEAR
"Poker Face," Lady Gaga
"Pretty Wings," Maxwell
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Beyonce
"Use Somebody," Kings of Leon
"You Belong With Me," Taylor Swift

BEST NEW ARTIST
Zac Brown Band
Keri Hilson
MGMT
Silversun Pickups
The Ting Tings

BEST FEMALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Hometown Glory," Adele
"Halo," Beyonce
"Hot N Cold," Katy Perry
"Sober," Pink
"You Belong With Me," Taylor Swift

BEST MALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"This Time," John Legend
"Love You," Maxwell
"Make It Mine," Jason Mraz
"If You Don't Know Me By Now," Seal
"All About the Love Again," Stevie Wonder

BEST POP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
"I Gotta Feeling," Black Eyed Peas
"We Weren't Born to Follow," Bon Jovi
"Never Say Never," The Fray
"Sara Smile," Hall and Oates
"Kids," MGMT

BEST POP COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS
"Sea of Heartbreak," Rosanne Cash and Bruce Springsteen
"Love Sex Magic," Ciara and Justin Timberlake
"Lucky," Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
"Baby, It's Cold Outside," Willie Nelson and Norah Jones
"Breathe," Taylor Swift and Colbie Caillat

BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
"Besame Mucho," Herb Alpert
"Throw Down Your Heart," Bela Fleck
"The Fire," Imogen Heap
"Phoenix Rise," Maxwell
"Funk Joint," Marcus Miller

BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM
In Boston, Chris Botti
Legacy, Hiroshima
Potato Hole, Booker T. Jones
Modern Art The Rippingtons Featuring Russ Freeman
Down the Wire, Spyro Gyra

BEST POP ALBUM
The E.N.D., The Black Eyed Peas
Breakthrough, Colbie Caillat
All I Ever Wanted, Kelly Clarkson
The Fray, The Fray
Funhouse, Pink

BEST DANCE RECORDING
"Boom Boom Pow," The Black Eyed Peas
"When Love Takes Over," David Guetta and Kelly Rowland
"Poker Face," Lady Gaga
"Celebration," Madonna
"Womanizer," Britney Spears

BEST ELECTRONIC/DANCE ALBUM
Divided By Night, The Crystal Method
One Love, David Guetta
The Fame, Lady Gaga
Party Rock, LMFAO
Yes, Pet Shop Boys

BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM
A Swingin' Christmas, Tony Bennett
Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden, Michael Buble
Your Songs, Harry Connick, Jr.
Liza's At the Palace, Liza Minnelli
American Classic, Willie Nelson

BEST SOLO ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Beyond Here Lies Nothin,'" Bob Dylan
"Change in the Weather," John Fogerty
"Dreamer," Prince
"Working on a Dream," Bruce Springsteen
"Fork in the Road," Neil Young

BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
"Can't Find My Way Home," Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood
"Live in Technicolor II," Coldplay
"21 Guns," Green Day
"Use Somebody," Kings of Leon
"I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight," U2

BEST HARD ROCK PERFORMANCE
"War Machine," AC/DC
"Check My Brain," Alice in Chains
"What I've Done," Linkin Park
"The Unforgiven III," Metallica
"Burn It to the Ground," Nickelback

BEST METAL PERFORMANCE
"Dissident Aggressor," Judas Priest
"Set to Fail," Lamb of God
"Head Crusher," Megadeath
"Senor Peligro," Ministry
"Hate Worldwide," Slayer

BEST ROCK INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
"A Day in the Life," Jeff Beck
"Warped Sister," Booker T. Jones
"Playing With Fire," Brad Paisley
"Mr. Surfer Goes Jazzin,'" Brian Setzer Orchestra
"Now We Run," Steve Vai

BEST ROCK SONG
"The Fixer," Pearl Jam
"I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight," U2
"21 Guns," Green Day
"Use Somebody," Kings of Leon
"Working on a Dream," Bruce Springsteen

BEST ROCK ALBUM
Black Ice, AC/DC
Live From Madison Square Garden, Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood
21st Century Breakdown, Green Day
Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King, Dave Matthews Band
No Line on the Horizon, U2

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM
Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, David Byrne and Brian Eno
The Open Door, Death Cab for Cutie
Sounds of the Universe, Depeche Mode
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Phoenix
It's Blitz!, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

BEST FEMALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)," Beyonce
"It Kills Me," Melanie Fiona
"That Was Then," Lalah Hathaway
"Goin' Thru Changes," Ledisi
"Lions, Tigers & Bears," Jazmine Sullivan

BEST MALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"The Point of It All," Anthony Hamilton
"Pretty Wings," Maxwell
"Sobeautiful," Musiq Soulchild
"Under," Pleasure P
"There Goes My Baby," Charlie Wilson

BEST R&B PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
"Blame It," Jamie Foxx and T-Pain
"Chocolate High," India.Arie and Musiq Soulchild
"Ifuleave," Musiq Soulchild and Mary J. Blige
"Higher Ground," Robert Randolph and The Clark Sisters
"Love Has Finally Come at Last," Calvin Richardson and Ann Nesby

BEST TRADITIONAL R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"At Last," Beyonce
"Soul Music," Anthony Hamilton
"Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," Boney James and Quinn
"Sow Love," Ann Nesby
"Woman Gotta Have It," Calvin Richardson

BEST URBAN/ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE
"Daykeeper," The Foreign Exchange
"All Matter," Robert Glasper and Bilal
"Pearls," India.Arie and Dobet Gnahore
"A Tale of Two," Eric Roberson, Ben O'Neill, and Michelle Thompson
"Blend," Tonex

BEST R&B SONG
"Blame It," Jamie Foxx and T-Pain
"Lions, Tigers, and Bears," Jazmine Sullivan
"Pretty Wings," Maxwell
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Beyonce
"Under," Pleasure P

BEST R&B ALBUM
The Point of It All, Anthony Hamilton
Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics, India.Arie
Turn Me Loose, Ledisi
Blacksummers' Night, Maxwell
Uncle Charlie, Charlie Wilson

BEST CONTEMPORARY R&B ALBUM
I Am...Sasha Fierce, Beyonce
Intuition, Jamie Foxx
The Introduction of Marcus Cooper, Pleasure P
Ready, Trey Songz
Thr33 Ringz, T-Pain

BEST RAP SOLO PERFORMANCE
"Best I Ever Had," Drake
"Beautiful," Eminem
"D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)," Jay-Z
"Day 'N' Nite," Kid Cudi
"Casa Bey," Mos Def

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP
"Too Many Rappers," Beastie Boys and Nas
"Crack A Bottle," Eminem, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent
"Money Goes, Honey Stay," Fabolous and Jay-Z
"Make Her Say," Kid Cudi, Kanye West, and Common
"Amazing," Kanye West and Young Jeezy

BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION
"Ego," Beyonce and Kanye West
"Knock You Down," Keri Hilson, Kanye West and Ne-Yo
"Run This Town," Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West
"I'm on a Boat," The Lonely Island and T-Pain
"Dead and Gone," T.I. and Justin Timberlake

BEST RAP SONG
"Best I Ever Had," Drake
"Day 'N' Nite," Kid Cudi
"Dead and Gone," T.I. and Justin Timberlake
"D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)," Jay-Z
"Run This Town," Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West

BEST RAP ALBUM
Universal Mind Control, Common
Relapse, Eminem
R.O.O.T.S., Flo Rida
The Ecstatic, Mos Def
The Renaissance, Q-Tip

BEST FEMALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Dead Flowers," Miranda Lambert
"I Just Call You Mine," Martina McBride
"White Horse," Taylor Swift
"Just a Dream," Carrie Underwood
"Solitary Thinkin," Lee Ann Womack

BEST MALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"All I Ask for Anymore," Trace Adkins
"People Are Crazy," Billy Currington
"High Cost of Living," Jamey Johnson
"Living for the Night," George Strait
"Sweet Thing," Keith Urban

BEST COUNTRY PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
"Cowgirls Don't Cry," Brooks & Dunn
"Chicken Fried," Zac Brown Band
"I Run to You," Lady Antebellum
"Here Comes Goodbye," Rascal Flatts
"It Happens," Sugarland

BEST COUNTRY COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS
"Beautiful World," Dierks Bentley and Patty Griffin
"Down the Road," Kenny Chesney and Mac McAnally
"Start a Band," Brad Paisley and Keith Urban
"I Told You So," Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis
"Everything But Quits," Lee Ann Womack and George Strait

BEST COUNTRY INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
"Under the (Five) Wire," Alison Brown
"The Crystal Merchant," The Greencards
"Mansinneedof," Sarah Jarosz
"Producer's Medley," Steve Wariner

BEST COUNTRY SONG
"All I Ask for Anymore," Trace Adkins
"High Cost of Living," Jamey Johnson
"I Run to You," Lady Antebellum
"People Are Crazy," Billy Currington
"White Horse," Taylor Swift

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM
The Foundation, Zac Brown Band
Twang, George Strait
Fearless, Taylor Swift
Defying Gravity, Keith Urban
Call Me Crazy, Lee Ann Womack

BEST NEW AGE ALBUM
Faith, Jim Brickman
Prayer for Compassion, David Darling
Laserium for the Soul, Henta
In a Dream, Peter Kater, Dominic Miller, Kenny Loggins, and Jaques Morelenbaum
Impressions of the West Lake, Kitaro

BEST CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUM
Urbanus, Stefon Harris and Blackout
Sounding Point, Julian Lage
At World's Edge, Philippe Saisse
Big Neighborhood, Mike Stern
75, Joe Zawinul and The Zawinul Syndicate

BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM
No Regrets, Randy Crawford and Joe Sample
Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music of Coltrane and Hartman, Kurt Elling
So In Love, Roberta Gambarini
Tide, Luciana Souza
Desire, Tierney Sutton

BEST AMERICANA ALBUM
Together Through Life, Bob Dylan
Electric Dirt, Levon Helm
Willie and the Wheel, Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel
Wilco (The Album), Wilco
Little Honey, Lucinda Williams

BEST COMEDY ALBUM
Back From the Dead, Spinal Tap
A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!, Stephen Colbert
Internet Leaks, Weird Al Yankovic
My Weakness Is Strong, Patton Oswalt
Suckin' It for the Holidays, Kathy Griffin
Tall, Dark, & Chicano, George Lopez

BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FOR MOTION PICTURE, TV, ETC
Cadillac Records
Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds
Slumdog Millionaire
True Blood
Twilight

BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FOR MOTION PICTURE, TV, ETC
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Disc 1)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Milk
Star Trek
Up

BEST SONG WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURE, TV, ETC
"The Climb" (From Hannah Montana: The Movie), Miley Cyrus
"Decode" (From Twilight), Paramore
"Jai Ho" (From Slumdog Millionaire), A.R. Rahman, Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah, Mahalaxmi Iyer, and Vijay Prakash
"Once in a Lifetime" (From Cadillac Records), Beyonce
"The Wrestler" (From The Wrestler), Bruce Springsteen

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR (NON-CLASSICAL)
T Bone Burnett
Ethan Johns
Larry Klein
Greg Kurstin
Brendan O'Brien

BEST REMIXED RECORDING
"Don't Believe in Love (Dennis Ferrer Objektivity Mix)," Dennis Ferrer (Dido)
"The Girl and the Robot (Jean Elan Remix)," Jean Elan (Royksopp)
"I Want You (Dave Aude Remix)," Dave Aude, (Dean Coleman Featuring DCLA)
"No You Girls (Trentemoller Remix)," Anders Trentemoller (Franz Ferdinand)
"When Love Takes Over (Electro Extended Remix)," David Guetta (David Guetta Featuring Kelly Rowland)

BEST SHORT FORM MUSIC VIDEO
"Mr. Hurricane," Beast
"Boom Boom Pow," The Black Eyed Peas
"Life in Technicolor II," Coldplay
"Wrong," Depeche Mode
"Her Morning Elegance," Oren Lavie

BEST LONG FORM MUSIC VIDEO
In Boston, Chris Botti
Johnny Cash's America, Johnny Cash
Anita O'Day - The Life of a Jazz Singer - Anita O'Day
Love Pain and the Whole Crazy World Tour Live - Keith Urban
The Beatles Love - All Together Now - Various Artists

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

TV Tonight: V Premiere

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:30:28 -0800

The Visitors are coming! Tonight, V invades ABC with an updated redo of the eighties sci-fi series. I'm still somewhat confused over why the network is splitting up the season into two separate installments (the first four episodes now; the rest in March), but you can bet I'll be watching to assess if the show is worth following into Spring.

If you're not familiar with the original - or didn't take a peek at the my video of the first ten minutes - the storyline follows a group of aliens who visit Earth seeking resources in exchange for their advanced technology. But as you might guess, their "good" intentions aren't what they seem. Scott Wolf of Party to Five fame is one of the stars, along with Elizabeth Mitchell from Lost - which is perhaps why I'm already drawing up comparisons to that fan favorite. (Seriously, ABC even has a Peace Ambassador Program online that viewers can join. The Dharma Initiative, anyone?)

I doubt I'll be as addicted to this new group as I am to the Oceanic gang, but I am loving the trailer thanks to Muse's "Uprising" as its theme song. Check it out for yourself, and tell me if you'll be tuning in this evening, when you read more.

Buzz Battle: Kristin Cavallari as the New Face of The Hills

BuzzSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:30:29 -0700

The editors here at BuzzSugar stand united in our undying love for all things pop culture, but we don't always see eye-to-eye on every topic. After checking out the premiere of The Hills, this morning's water cooler discussion quickly evolved into a debate about whether or not the show can survive with Kristin in Lauren's place.

In corner number one we've got editor B, who is ready to cancel her season pass to the show after last night's episode. In corner number two, we've got editor S, who couldn't be more thrilled to welcome Kristin to the show. We've both compiled our strongest arguments, so check out both sides of the story and weigh in for yourself when you read more.

Editor B: Let me start by saying that I am not a Cavallari hater. I thought she was adorable and entertaining on Laguna Beach. The problem is that her sassy, bad-girl attitude doesn't make her unique anymore. Now she just seems like one of those girls that peaked in high school and never got over it. LC may not have been the most dramatic character on the show, but I appreciated that she kept it real instead of blatantly starting fights five minutes after walking into a party.
Editor S Rebuttal: By replacing LC with Kristin, The Hills just flipped the script. Within ten minutes of this week's premiere, there's a screaming match (Audrina had to be held back!). The show hasn't seen action like this since Lauren hollered that Heidi knew what she did outside of a nightclub ladies room in season three. Last night, no one stared at each other with emotive eyes and pregnant pauses. They talked, they flirted, they yelled. Thanks to Kristin, The Hills is fun again!
Editor B: Her valley girl voice is annoying me more than ever.
Editor S Rebuttal: Have you ever heard Spencer's voice? Hasn't stopped me from watching yet.
Editor B: It's hard to root for a protagonist that you repeatedly want to kick in the shins. I used to think Stephanie and Audrina were whiny, but now I can't blame them for leaving the show.
Editor S Rebuttal: After four seasons of feeling sympathy for LC (someone's being mean to Lauren, someone's lying about Lauren, someone's hooking up with Lauren's maybe boyfriend), it's refreshing to root for a live wire. Kristin's not sympathetic and she doesn't need your sympathy. There's only so many female friendship dilemmas you can go through, and The Hills has gone through them - really, is it a big deal if Lauren hangs out with Lo more than Audrina?! I'm sick of smeared mascara and tearful conversations; I'm ready for stilettos and scheming.
Editor B's closing argument: I'll give her a few more episodes, but I have a feeling that this show is a sinking ship and KCav is the captain. With LC gone, it's like back-to-back obnoxious scenes featuring Kristin and Spencer. There's only so much a person can take!
Editor S's closing argument: Did you see the previews for the coming season? Kristin will get put in her place by Jayde and the catfights are only starting. If the rest of the season is as juicy and action-packed as this week's episode, then I have my new Tuesday night destination for guilty, mean girl pleasure.

So whose side are you on?

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell: An Unfunny Waste of Time

BuzzSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:30:13 -0700

You're supposed to think that the jokes in I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell are so shocking, so offensive, that you laugh because you forget being PC for a moment. And if you don't laugh, you're the kind of square that Tucker Max, the lead character, takes aim at.

The real story is that the movie is offensive, but not because it's just so edgy. It's offensively unfunny - that is, the movie's jokes are not so offensive that they're not funny, they're such bombs you're shocked someone got paid for this. To see why I thought this movie was so terrible, just read more.

The Tucker Max of the movie (played by Matt Czuchry) is based on the real-life Tucker Max, who wrote the memoir the film is based on, which was based on his blog. I read the blog a bit and found it mildly amusing - so what changed in the film version? Nothing, really, I just think the larger scale of a movie can't validate the boringly immature Max. There's a plot, here, sort of: Tucker wants to give his best friend an epic bachelor party and whisks him out of town, where hijinks ensue (sound familiar? More on that later).

Tucker is supposed to be totally boorish and offensive, but his crudeness and raunchy jokes are not shocking; they're just lame. He talks about killing a fat girl and brags about having sex with a deaf girl. Yeah. Laughing at the inappropriate is not the new territory this movie acts like it is; five minutes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia provides more laughs than this movie does in its 105 minutes.

The one emotion I had watching I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell that wasn't disgust or boredom was sympathy. I felt bad for the poor actors, especially Gilmore Girls' Matt Czuchry, whom I've rooted for - I hoped he would land a great role that would invigorate his career. This is not that role. (All is not lost: he's in this Fall's The Good Wife.)

Even the adorable Czuchry can't make Max charming, nor can cute Jesse Bradford make Max's best friend Drew anything but abhorrent. It's painful watching him force out such pathetic one-liners. By the time Max and Drew are supposed to be redeemed, you don't believe any of it (but it does signal the end of the movie, so that's a relief). And I have to mention: there's the grossest fecal scene I've ever seen in a movie (it puts the poop monster in Dogma to shame).

Pouring salt in the movie's unfunny wounds is timing - The Hangover was released earlier this summer with a similar storyline, and it was a huge hit. But to call it a poor man's The Hangover is too generous; The Hangover was funny.

What movies are you seeing this weekend? Review them in our Movie Review Group!