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Which Actress Should Play The Black Cat in Spider-Man 4?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:30:05 -0800

The rumor mill keeps churning about Spider-Man 4. Let's recap: First, word spread that Rachel McAdams would be playing new villain Felicia Hardy, aka The Black Cat in the fourquel - hearsay which McAdams later denied. Earlier this week Julia Stiles's name started floating around instead. And now Anne Hathaway is the latest to be added to the running.

Hathaway and Spidey seem like a solid pairing - she'll up the A-list wattage of the film, and I think a superhero blockbuster would be a nice addition to her resume. But what about Stiles? She's been in the Jason Bourne series, so she does have the experience of working on a mega franchise. Still, I just can't imagine her busting chops and throwing around kicks like Hathaway.

Neither actress is even confirmed yet, which means other ladies could still step into the roles! Let's discuss who you would like to see take on The Black Cat part -Stiles, Hathaway, or do you have another actress that you would cast?

Can You See Rachel McAdams as a Villain?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:30:23 -0800

I've been waiting for some kind of casting update on Spider-Man 4 for a while now, and this week rumors are flying about the franchise's newest bad guys. There have been whispers that the next film may feature two villains (male and female), and that Rachel McAdams is in talks to play Felicia Hardy, aka The Black Cat.

Nothing has been confirmed yet, but I like the sound of this news; I'm a big fan of McAdams and I think she's too often pigeonholed into playing the nice girl (except for Regina George, obviously). What do you think - can you see McAdams as a villain, or do that big smile and dimples belong somewhere else (like on a new love interest for Peter Parker)?

The Time Traveler's Wife: Doesn't Fulfill Its Destiny

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:30:26 -0700

What makes the book The Time Traveler's Wife so magical is how well it marries two genres: romance and sci-fi. But the big-screen adaptation leans more toward old-fashioned Hollywood love story, with the attendant schmaltz and a touch of slapstick.

Fans of the cherished book - myself included - had many hopes and fears about the film. Although the movie didn't make me swoon, it is satisfying to see the story on screen, and the movie is very sweet in parts. Still, what should be an epic tale and a first-rate tearjerker sadly let me down.

Movie Preview: The Time Traveler's Wife

BuzzSugar — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:30:51 -0700

Phew! It's finally here. The fact that we've waited this long for the The Time Traveler's Wife trailer - and the fact that the release date has been pushed back (originally to February 2010!) - had me mighty worried, not gonna lie. I wondered if there were serious issues with the movie that might ultimately delay the release even more, or I thought the studio was ashamed of it! But now the trailer is here and it's just . . . beautiful. And tender, and sweet, and filled with love.

For those who haven't read the book, it's a story about Henry (Eric Bana) and Clare (Rachel McAdams) whose love is unique because Henry can travel through time. Their relationship spans Clare's entire life as Henry travels to various points in Claire's past and future. The movie is now scheduled to open Aug. 14. To check out the trailer, read more.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Movie Preview: Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes

BuzzSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:00:04 -0700

It would be an understatement indeed to say that we haven't seen Sherlock Holmes quite like this before. As this new trailer shows, Guy Ritchie's big screen Holmes story is full of action, violence, and good-looking people. There are quippy lines a-plenty (it is Robert Downey Jr. in the lead role and Guy Ritchie in the director's chair, after all) and elements of silliness - all of which rounds out to be quite a funny and heart-poundingly tense mystery.

As you'll see in the preview, this Holmes is more of a roguish fighter than a contemplative guy chewing on his pipe. Together with his partner Watson (Jude Law), the detective engages "in a battle of wits and brawn with a nemesis whose plot is a threat to all of England." Sherlock Holmes opens Dec. 25. To check out the trailer, read more.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

State of Play: Surprisingly Gripping Journalism Thriller

BuzzSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:30:35 -0700

In the movies and on TV, investigations always look so exciting and fun - piecing together the facts, swapping clues, untangling the web strand by strand, etc. In a story centered around journalism, this mystery-solving stuff is what makes it fun to watch, especially if there's also a good dose of realism but not so much that it becomes mired in realistic details and we get bored. State of Play very nicely balances these things: It's a sensational murder mystery-thriller but with a scruffy, grumpy journalist lead character and a supporting cast of equally "normal" people. There's enough fiction and embellishment to be escapism, and enough reality to make it believable.

Russell Crowe plays grizzled journalist Cal McAffrey who is something of a legendary dinosaur at the struggling Washington Globe newspaper. His longtime friend, Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck), comes under scrutiny when a woman from his research team dies tragically and the public learns that Collins was having an affair with her. As the police conduct their own investigation, Cal himself tries to get to the bottom of the woman's mysterious death - partially to get a juicy story and partially to help clear his friend's name in the scandalous situation. The young, eager blogger Della Frye (Rachel McAdams) insists on teaming up with Cal on his search as she tries to prove herself as a writer at the Globe. Together they work to uncover the truth, but every new revelation brings with it a twisty new discovery and soon the two journalists find themselves enmeshed in a nasty mixture of political conspiracies and tangled personal relationships. That's all I'll say about the plot, but for more of my thoughts on it all, read more.

Trust and deceit are at the heart of this story, as is the blurred line between formal police investigation (to solve a case) and investigative reporting (to get a scoop). Cal and Stephen's friendship is tested repeatedly as Cal’s desire to get as many details for his story as possible gets in the way of his compassion for a buddy. Past hurts also creep back to haunt them and further confuse Cal's motives for getting to the bottom of things. Yet, thankfully, there's no needless lingering on individual characters' personal lives. What we know of these people is almost completely restricted to how they're involved in the messy web of secrets, and the extraneous stuff is pushed aside in favor of the meat of the story. Even the relationship that forms between Cal and Della is handled with a light, delicate touch. Will this remain a mentor-mentee kind of thing, or is there more there? We don't really need to know because watching the trust and mutual respect blossom between them over the course of the movie is gratifying enough.

Admittedly, I had low expectations for this movie and certain things (like Affleck’s entire performance) never managed to exceed those expectations, but regardless, I think it's a success in that it achieves exactly what films in this genre should achieve. It sweeps us up in an intriguing puzzle and maintains our attention for two full hours, while also posing some interesting questions (what is the role of journalism today - especially in relation to politics? Is journalism dying?). It's not the kind of movie that will make you feel a lot of things, but I went in looking for escape and I got it. It may essentially be a story about journalism, but it still manages to be incredibly engrossing.

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

Hurray! Time Traveler's Wife Now Coming August '09!

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 07:30:24 -0700

Once upon a time, I naively believed The Time Traveler's Wife was going to be released in late December of 2008. So I anxiously awaited a trailer for this adaptation of one of my favorite books. And the trailer never came. Then: Disaster! The release date was apparently (and quietly) pushed back - way back - to February 2010. This drastic move combined with no news about the project made me concerned that something was amiss.

Just as I was working on readjusting my high expectations to a lower, more manageable level, more news: The movie now has an August 14, 2009 release date. I don't know what to think or expect from all this date-shifting! I just know that I would love to see a trailer one of these days.

Maybe the studio is simply struggling to find the perfect weekend for unleashing this love story starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana. I don't know. I'm bewildered, but I'm going to just take this new release date as a positive sign and hope for the best. What do you think? Are you laughing at me because of my intense passion for this movie, or are you right there with me?

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Movie Preview: State of Play

BuzzSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:30:37 -0800

Based on the BBC series of the same title, the film State of Play stars Russell Crowe, Helen Mirren, Ben Affleck, and Rachel McAdams. Crowe and McAdams are reporters who get wrapped up in the case of a congressman's (Affleck) murdered mistress.

From the trailer, it looks like a compelling crime thriller, though I'm not sure how it'll stack up against the acclaimed original series. The fact that it's directed by The Last King of Scotland's Kevin Macdonald is promising, however. State of Play opens April 17. To check out the trailer, read more.

Ford and McAdams and Abrams - Oh, My!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:30:04 -0800

This movie news is just delightful. I probably would have never thought to put together the names of these Hollywood folks, but now that I see it, I think it's pretty awesome. Harrison Ford and Rachel McAdams (though she's still "in negotiations") will star in Morning Glory, a comedy that will be produced by JJ Abrams and his Bad Robot production company. Notting Hill director Roger Michell will direct. Here's more:

McAdams would play an aspiring news producer who tries to save a failing morning show by getting control of its feuding anchors. Ford will play one of the anchors, and the female thesp playing the other anchor will be set shortly.

There's still that other female anchor to cast, so is there any way to make this cast even better? I vote for Kristen Chenoweth (can you imagine her battling it out with Harrison Ford?!). Any other suggestions?

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The Lucky Ones: Surprisingly Funny and Cute

BuzzSugar — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 14:00:38 -0700

It's hard to say bad things about a movie this well-intentioned and sweet. It's a story about Iraq War soldiers that is heartwarming and funny, which is something we haven't seen much in films about the current war. I have no idea why the trailer for The Lucky Ones includes Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You," a song practically engineered to force people to cry, because this movie isn't really sad. I brought tissues and I didn't even use them.

Rachel McAdams is the biggest reason to see this, as her character is so incredibly endearing and McAdams portrays her perfectly. She plays Colee, a young soldier on a 30-day leave from Iraq after a gunshot wound to the leg. Colee is an (extremely) open book, blunt to a fault and full of wide-eyed, childlike naiveté. Tim Robbins is career soldier Cheever who is leaving the Army for good after suffering a back injury. Michael Pena plays TK, a bit of an insufferable know-it-all whose "private parts" are not quite back to normal after being wounded. The three are stranded in New York when they land and discover that all flights have been canceled. There is one rental car available to them at the airport, and thus the three embark on a road trip together. Nothing - seriously, nothing - goes as planned, however, and challenges pop up for these characters faster than a whack-a-mole game. This bombardment of predicaments is both funny and problematic, though, so to find out more, read more.

Each character's storyline includes some kind of obstacle (or obstacles), and over the course of their shared trip a staggering number of new obstacles present themselves. This demands some powerful suspension of disbelief, and at times the plot is like a brainstorming game between friends on their own road trip ("And then all the flights out of New York will be canceled, and then two of them will fight and the old guy's wife wants a divorce but his son needs college money like, right now, so the three head to Vegas, but along the way they stop off at a bar so the girl can get into a fight, and then there's a car crash and - ooh! I know! - a tornado!" and on and on).

Some of these things are totally preposterous (do college loans not exist in this world?), but it's not necessarily a random, rambling course of events. Much of what happens feeds our understanding of each character and many of their conversations are recalled in some way later in the story. Like the words "luck" and "lucky," which they repeat about 20 times in the movie. The occasional triteness aside, it's a rewarding experience to watch this movie, as you can consistently identify references to previous things. All in all, it's a flawed script that's saved by some great performances and a sweet dynamic between these unlikely friends.

Photos courtesy of Roadside Attractions