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Movie Preview: Robert Pattinson in Remember Me

BuzzSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:41:10 -0800

A little Robert Pattinson overload never hurt anyone, but here's a break from all of his vampire stuff - the official trailer for Remember Me! Yesterday we took a peek at the first stills from the film, but here we get a much better taste for Pattinson's chemistry with Emilie de Ravin in the upcoming drama/romance. Pattinson plays Tyler, a broody but romantic college student who falls for the daughter of a cop (de Ravin). Pierce Brosnan also stars as Tyler's dad, while Chris Cooper plays the police officer who has an issue with Tyler's bad boy antics.

I was a bit skeptical about Pattinson's next film, but I have to admit that the movie looks intriguing despite a few cliches and a bit of cheesiness. It's nice to see Pattinson playing it straight in a more grownup role than the perpetual teenage vampire, and he and de Ravin have a fair amount of sweetness. It's enough to keep his fan base happy, that's for sure.

To see the trailer for yourself and tell me what you think, just read more.

Thurman, Brosnan, McKidd to Play Greek Gods

BuzzSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:30:36 -0700

Hollywood just got even more powerful with the casting of Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan and Sean Bean in the Greek god fantasy adventure, Percy Jackson. Thurman will play Medusa, Brosnan will portray Chiron and Bean is taking the role of Zeus. Additionally, Kevin McKidd will play Poseidon and Melina Kanakaredes has been cast as Athena. Here's more:

The studio is still looking to fill the roles of Aries, Hades and Persephone.

Story centers on Poseidon's 12-year-old half-human son ([Logan] Lerman), who embarks on a quest across modern-day America to save his mother, return Zeus' stolen lightning bolt and prevent a deadly war between the gods.

Chris Columbus (Adventures in Babysitting, Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire) is directing and aiming for a 2010 release. I'm actually kind of psyched to see this. What do you think of this godly news?

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2009 Sundance Spotlight: The Greatest, Good Hair, and Mystery Team

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:25:44 -0800

While I won't be heading down to the 2009 Sundance Film Festival this year, I will be sorting through the humongous pile of festival entries to share with you some of the films I think look most promising. From quirky documentaries to talented young filmmaker debuts to a potential runaway hit, Sundance is filled with entertainment possibilities. Here are today's selections:

Good Hair
It's impossible not to feel a little emotional listening to Chris Rock describe how the idea for this documentary came about. In the video clip below, he says that despite how much he tells his daughter how beautiful she is every day, she still cried to him once, "Daddy, how come I don't have good hair?" Troubled by this, Rock "committed himself to search the ends of the earth and the depths of black culture to find out who had put that question into his little girl's head!" He himself claims this might be the best movie he's ever made. Intriguing? I'd say so.

To check out the comedian talking about his project, plus the lowdown on two other Sundance movies, read more.

The Greatest
Starring Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon (that's them, making out in the ocean!), The Greatest marks the debut of a young filmmaker and screenwriter, Shana Feste, and follows a family coping with the sudden death of their teenage son. Newcomer Carey Mulligan plays the girlfriend of the son who shows up to further complicate the grieving process for the parents. There's some buzz about both Brosnan's and Sarandon's performances as well as talk that this could be a "career-launching" role for Mulligan. Check her out in a scene with Susan Sarandon:

Mystery Team
Bookmark this trailer as "not suitable for work" due to language but make sure to check it out because it's pretty hilarious. Mystery Team stars a bunch of sketch comedy guys (who also wrote, directed, and produced the film) and follows a group of kid detectives that no one takes seriously. Some of the dialogue reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite but the rest of the movie seems like something all its own. Here's the preview:

Photos and The Greatest clip courtesy of Sundance

Mamma Mia!: Hard to Imagine a Better Party

BuzzSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:30:53 -0700

If there were a family get-together with all the slick, recent Broadway-to-film productions, like Hairspray and Dreamgirls, Mamma Mia! would be the drunk older aunt whose clothing doesn't really match and who says all the wrong things but you love her and her kooky, off-kilter self anyway. The movie is, like that aunt, all over the place: Only a third of the cast can actually sing, the plot is thin, and the characters are - with the exception of a few moments - as one-dimensional as it gets. Oh, and there are hardly three minutes between one ABBA cover and the next.

In place of the large-scale choreographed dance productions of other musicals, Mamma Mia! chooses to go heavy on stuff like arms waving in the air, frolicking through streets, and bed bouncing. It has all the girlish exuberance of a slumber party, the sweaty debauchery of a bachelorette party, and the spectacle of a big fat Greek wedding. The movie - and all the actors in it - so unabashedly embrace a spirit of innocence and joy that it's hard to imagine a more perfect form of escapism.

To see why, despite filming in a stunning sun-drenched location, the cast is the real reason this summer movie shimmers, read more.

Mamma Mia! is a party from start to finish. It takes place within a short period of time on a small Greek island where 20-year-old Sophie (played by one of the cast members who can really sing, Amanda Seyfried) is about to get married, though her hippie mother, Donna (Meryl Streep), is concerned she might be too young. The only thing Sophie's missing to complete her perfect day is that she wants her father to give her away - but she's not sure who her father is. After busting into Donna's diary, Sophie discovers that there are three men who could be her dad, and without telling anyone she invites all three to the wedding. And they all show up. . . for some reason. Meanwhile, Donna's randy old girlfriends have also descended onto the island for the wedding and are there by her side when the three men from her past suddenly appear.

Now, I understand that for some of you, this silly plot plus nonstop ABBA sounds about as fun as pouring gasoline in your eyes and if that's the case, this movie isn't for you. I don't think the filmmakers are trying to convert anyone here. No, this movie was made for the initiated. For those folks who wish real life were peppered with spontaneous bursts of song and dance, and whose idea of a good time might include getting sauced with Christine Baranski and Meryl Streep.

And basically that might be what's at the heart of this movie: wanting to hang out and have a goofy good time with these beloved actors. So when Collin Firth is suddenly in a ridiculous, gaudy outfit, singing a cheeseball ABBA song it made me buckle over in laughter, the same way it would if I saw my own dad or uncle doing it. They know it's kind of a joke, but they seem happy to be the punchline, and it's so endearing to see all these great performances come out of actors who have tossed out their vanity in the name of fun.

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

What's Your Favorite ABBA Song?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:30:53 -0700

Friends, the time is here. That spectacle of a musical, Mamma Mia!, is going to hit theaters in a matter of days. While many will rush to see The Dark Knight, some will be lured to this shining, glorious ABBA extravaganza starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried and Colin Firth.

In celebration of this, you must now choose your favorite ABBA song of all time. Ready, set, debate!

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Roman Polanski Film Gets Swinton, Brosnan, Cage

BuzzSugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:41:00 -0700

Roman Polanski's next project has brought on a recent Oscar winner, a man who portrayed James Bond, and. . . a Ghost Rider. Polanski will direct an adaptation of the Robert Harris political thriller The Ghost, with Tilda Swinton, Pierce Brosnan and Nicolas Cage set to star. Variety has more:

Cage will play a ghostwriter hired abruptly to finish the memoirs of an ex-British prime minister after the first scribe turned up dead. The ghostwriter's research leads him to uncover skeletons in the pol's closet that put the writer's life in danger. Swinton will play the wife of the former prime minister (Brosnan). Her marriage is crumbling, and she falls for the writer.

This actually sounds like something Michael Clayton director Tony Gilroy would have done an excellent job directing, but obviously I'm equally curious to see what Polanski (you know, Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown, The Pianist) will be able to do with it.

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Movie Preview: Full-Length Trailer for Mamma Mia!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 06:30:00 -0700

Way back in December we got our first glimpse at Mamma Mia!, which stars Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried and Colin Firth, with a teaser. Now, there's a full-length trailer available with yet more of the bright colors and those super catchy ABBA songs. Really, it looks like one long dance party with an adorable Amanda Seyfried and a lovely, girlish Meryl Streep at the center of it all. I am stupidly excited to see this movie!

The story is simple: Sophie (Seyfried) is getting married and wants her father to walk her down the aisle. The problem is, her father could be any one of three different men. The movie opens July 18, and until then I'm going to watch this vibrant, upbeat trailer over and over again. To check it out for yourself, read more.

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Married Life: Original, Well-Acted But Low-Impact

BuzzSugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 09:30:07 -0700

There are a lot of things I like about Married Life, a character-driven dramedy starring some seriously heavy-hitting actors. It's incredibly dark, but ends on a sweet and uplifting note. The actors are phenomenal. The costumes and 1940s atmosphere easily sweep us away to a different time period when a night on the town was dancing, nightcaps and movie tickets purchased with a coin or two. Yet despite all the good points, there's a flimsiness to the movie that makes for a mostly forgettable experience.

The storytelling format of the film is a satisfying one: Richard Langley (Pierce Brosnan) narrates as though giving his confessional tell-all, with all the ruefulness of present-day wisdom as he casts his thoughtful glance backwards. He begins by telling us about his good friend Harry Allen (Chris Cooper), a stable, predictable man in a comfortable marriage with Pat (Patricia Clarkson). Soon, however, Harry quietly reveals to Richard that he wants to divorce Pat and marry his mistress, Kay (Rachel McAdams). Harry finds it important that Richard like Kay and he encourages Richard to spend time with Kay when he cannot, as a slightly paternal way of ensuring that Kay is cared for in his absence. This is problematic, however, when Richard falls in love with Kay as well. This triangle soon turns into more of a web, though, so read more.

Being a sensitive guy who genuinely cares for his wife, Harry decides he would rather his wife die than have to live a miserable existence as a divorcee. Unbeknownst to everyone else, Harry plots his wife's murder, believing it will provide him with the peacefulness he needs to marry Kay. At the same time, Richard determinedly works on wooing Kay, and whittling down her loyalty to Harry. This sets up a frightening race against time: What if Kay decides she'd rather be with Richard - after Harry kills his wife? It sounds extraordinarily dark - and it is - but there's something very funny about this film the keeps it from becoming mired in real-life horror.

The movie's strengths lie in the high-quality performances by a talented cast. Yet, in many ways it feels like a stage play that's been videotaped, and I'm hard-pressed to figure out why, in fact, it was made into a movie instead of a play (besides the idea that more people will be able to see it if it's a film, but then again it has such a limited release, this may not prove true). The actors are superb, particularly Chris Cooper as the everyman having a moral meltdown, and Rachel McAdams, whose soft-spoken gentleness and natural beauty make it impossible to take your eyes off her. In many ways the film has all the trappings of a modern-day classic, and yet it falls flat. I was interested in the story as I watched it and then soon forgot all about it.

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Movie Preview: Rachel McAdams, Patricia Clarkson in Married Life

BuzzSugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 10:28:59 -0800

Kay: "We can't build our happiness on the unhappiness of someone else."
Harry: "What other way is there?"

This exchange pretty much sums up the dark tone of the trailer for Married Life, a romantic drama starring Patricia Clarkson, Rachel McAdams, Pierce Brosnan and the ever-creepy Chris Cooper. Cooper plays Harry, a man who decides he needs to kill his wife (Clarkson) in order to spare her the pain of him leaving her for the young, beautiful Kay (McAdams). As he sets about planning the "merciful" murder, Harry's friend Richard (Brosnan) falls for Kay.

Set in the 1940s, the film has a rich, sultry look to it, especially McAdams' shockingly white-blond hair. Married Life is set to open in limited release March 7, so to check out the trailer, read more.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

First Look: Mamma Mia!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:49:42 -0800

Good news, musical fans! The teaser trailer for Mamma Mia, starring Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth, is now online in all its cheery song-and-dance glory. The story focuses on Sophie's (Amanda Seyfried) search to find out which of three men is her father as she prepares to get married, all set to Abba music. The setting is the vibrantly colorful Greece and today's little teaser trailer is like a jolt of freshness and light. I have to admit, it put me in a fantastic mood. The movie opens July 18. To check out the preview, read more.

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