BuzzSugar

What to Rent: New DVDs This Week

BuzzSugar — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 05:30:00 PDT

Along with the DVDs listed below, Insidious also comes out this week.

Matthew McConaughey plays Mick Haller in this drama about an attorney who works out of his towncar defending small-time criminals. When he lands a bigger case defending a charismatic playboy (played by Ryan Phillippe), it goes from straightforward to sketchy, and Haller finds his own life in danger. Though the movie doesn't break any new ground, it still makes for a great popcorn thriller. DVD bonus features include making-of featurettes and deleted scenes.

83%

Arthur

In this remake of the '80s film, Russell Brand stars as Arthur, a hard-drinking, ridiculously rich man whose wealth has allowed him to avoid growing up. When his mother gives him the option to marry a business executive (Jennifer Garner) or be cut off from his fortune, he balks. Once he begrudgingly agrees, he falls for a sweet tour guide (Greta Gerwig). Though Brand and Gerwig don't have a ton of chemistry, his comedic banter with Helen Mirren (who stars as his beloved nanny) makes for plenty of laughs. The film DVD extras include deleted scenes.

27%

To see one more new release, just

read more. Rango In this animated Western, Johnny Depp voices a freewheeling chameleon who lands in a dusty town. He dodges villains and predators while helping to replenish the town's dwindling water supply. Gore Verbinski directed the film, which also features the voices of Isla Fisher and Abigail Breslin. The DVD's extras include an alternate ending, filmmakers' commentary, and deleted scenes. 88%

Box Office: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Stands Tall Against the Competition

BuzzSugar — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 03:05:00 PDT

Bradley Cooper and Zack Snyder were no match for a wimpy kid at the box office this weekend, as Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules was the top earner with $24.4 million. Snyder's Sucker Punch proved to be all bark and no bite (perhaps due in part to bad reviews), earning $19 million. Last week's champ Limitless dropped to third with $15.2 million, while Matthew McConaughey's The Lincoln Lawyer stayed in fourth with $11 million. Rango rounded out the top five with $9.8 million.

Box Office: Bradley Cooper Really Is Limitless

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 03:05:00 PDT

Limitless lived up to its title in its opening weekend by coming in first at the box office. The dizzying drug drama starring Bradley Cooper earned a total of $19 million, besting the rest of the weekend's offerings. In second place was the Johnny Depp-voiced animated film Rango with $15.3 million.

In third place was last weekend's champion, action flick Battle: Los Angeles, with a total of $14.6 million. Unlike Limitless, the other new releases didn't fare so well, but still managed to make it into the top five. The Lincoln Lawyer came in the fourth spot with $13.4 million, and goofball alien comedy Paul was right behind it with $13.2 million.

Box Office - Battle: Los Angeles Wins the Weekend War

BuzzSugar — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 03:05:00 PDT

Audiences invaded theaters for the action flick Battle: Los Angeles this weekend, pushing the Aaron Eckhart alien movie to the top of the box office with a winning total of $36 million, despite poor reviews. Following right behind it was last weekend's big winner, animated film Rango, which earned $23 million.

Also opening this week was Red Riding Hood, which only managed to come in third with a modest $14.1 million. Matt Damon's The Adjustment Bureau nabbed the No. 4 spot with $11.5 million, and rounding out the top five was another new release: Mars Needs Moms. The animated kids' movie also disappointed, with just $6.8 million to show for its first weekend out.

Geeks We Love: Maia Kayser, Lead Animator at ILM

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:02:44 PST

ILM lead animator, Maia Kayserr, sat down with me last week to give us an inside look at the making of Rango, and while it seems that this particular project was unique in the way it was made, the life of a feature film animator is one that requires a lot of skill, patience, and a good sense of humor.

Maia was first interested in studying medicine, but after seeing Jurassic Park, she was turned on to a career in animation: "I was really fascinated with the idea of making something look so real, basically giving it life on the screen." So she headed to school in Germany to study computer arts; 10 years and 14 films later, Maia got the chance to head up the animation team for the character Beans, and says that Rango has been the most fulfilling experience of her career thanks to the solid relationships that have developed between team members. Find out what she has to say about becoming an animator, "cartoons" for adults, and whether or not ILM will be working on more animated films in the future after the break.

Box Office: Rango Wrangles the Number One Spot

BuzzSugar — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 03:05:00 PST

Animated films have been landing on the top of the box office heap for the past couple of weekends now. While Gnomeo and Juliet won last week, this weekend's new release Rango claimed the number one spot. The Johnny Depp-voiced flick earned $38 million, while Matt Damon and Emily Blunt's romantic thriller The Adjustment Bureau trailed it with $20.9 million.

Beastly managed to get third place with $10.1 million, followed by the Farrelly brother's crass comedy Hall Pass, which brought in $9 million. Completing the top five was last week's champ Gnomeo and Juliet with $6.9 million. Newbie Take Me Home Tonight had a rough go, making just $3.5 million and landing it in the 11th spot.

Which New Movie Will You See This Weekend?

PopSugar — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 08:04:00 PST

There are many new films to choose from at the box office this weekend, as the studios get into full gear with their Spring offerings! Johnny Depp and Isla Fisher star in a fun animated option called Rango, while Matt Damon and Emily Blunt get serious in The Adjustment Bureau, a thriller Buzz reviewed. Take Me Home Tonight is an '80s party romp with Topher Grace and Anna Faris, and Beastly is a modern take on Beauty and the Beast starring Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer. So, tell us - which will you see?

Turning Johnny Depp Into a Lizard: Behind the Scenes of Rango

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:37:13 PST

After talking with ILM lead animator Maia Kayser this week and hearing about how the cast of Rango was filmed acting out the script to give animators even more detail to work with, I wanted to see more. Thankfully, I was able to get my hands on some behind-the-scenes B-roll footage of Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Bill Nighy, and others doing their thing before any of the actual animation had been started.

Traditionally, actors voicing animated characters are sequestered to sound booths. But Gore Verbinski took a different route by gathering all of the actors together to act out the entire film on a sound stage, complete with props. It's really funny to watch, and it seems like the cast had a lot of fun. And while animations are traditionally aimed at children, Rango is definitely a film that adults will enjoy. Check out both clips after the jump.

Buzz Quiz: How Well Do You Know Johnny Depp?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:15:36 PST

Johnny Depp adds yet another project to his illustrious résumé with this week's animated western, Rango. He voices a chameleon, which is appropriate given the versatile actor's countless list of unusual roles. To pay tribute to Depp, I've whipped up this trivia quiz. You may think you're a die-hard Depp fan, but find out how well you really know his career!

Take the Quiz

5 Things You Didn't Know About the Making of Rango

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 02:05:05 PST

I've been pretty excited to see Rango (which hits theaters today), not only because it stars Johnny Depp and Isla Fisher (who is so adorable), but because it was animated to perfection by the brilliant staff at George Lucas's ILM! I sat down with lead animator Maia Kayser this week to talk about her job, animating the character Beans, what it was like working with Gore Verbinski, and along the way learned a few interesting tidbits about the making of the movie. Find out what they are in this slideshow, and keep an eye out for the full interview with Maia coming up soon!

Photos courtesy of Paramount Pictures