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Eat, Pray, Love Movie Gets Going With Richard Jenkins

BuzzSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:30:25 -0700

Ryan Murphy is the creator of Popular and Nip/Tuck, writer/director of Running With Scissors and most recently the creator of Fox's high school chorus comedy Glee - and now he can add "director of Eat, Pray, Love" to his resume. And he won't just be working with Julia Roberts in the main role (as was announced back in 2006), he's got Oscar nominee Richard Jenkins to boss around as well. Here's more:

Based on the international bestseller by Elizabeth Gilbert, story centers on a married woman who embarks on a journey of self-discovery after trying to get pregnant and realizing that she's not living the life she wants. Murphy adapted the screenplay.

Jenkins will play a Texan whom Roberts' character befriends at an Indian ashram.

After at least two-and-a-half years of talking about this book-to-film adaptation, the ball is finally rolling. Say what you will about the book, it will probably make for an interesting story onscreen. Any thoughts on who should play the other "characters" from Gilbert's book? Do you think Roberts is a good pick to lead the show?

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Movie News: Krasinski, Eckhart, Blanchett Circle Roles

BuzzSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:30:11 -0800

Aaron Eckhart in Rum Diary
Amber Heard gets to work with some mighty handsome men. Aaron Eckhart is in talks to join the cast of Rum Diary, the movie based on Hunter S. Thompson's novel, which already nabbed Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in main roles. In the story, "Eckhart is part of a love triangle that sees him vying with Depp for Heard's affection." Richard Jenkins is also joining the project as "the man who oversees the rundown newspaper" where Depp's character works.

Two more movie casting tidbits if you read more.

John Krasinski Joins Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin in Nancy Meyers Rom-Com
I'm pretty much sold on this movie already, even if details are scarce about, you know, the plot. In another love triangle story, Meryl Streep plays a woman caught between two men - played by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Veteran rom-com writer/director Nancy Meyers (Father of the Bride, Something's Gotta Give, The Holiday) is behind the untitled project, which just now got John Krasinski to sign on. Again, mum's the word on any plot or character details (I'm guessing Krasinski's character is someone's son), but this casting makes me more anxious than ever for the movie.

Cate Blanchett May Play Maid Marian!
This is 100 percent just a rumor so far, but still, it's out there and it's a pretty awesome idea: Cate Blanchett might take the part of Maid Marian in Ridley Scott's movie Nottingham, a role originally intended for Sienna Miller. Actor Mark Strong (set for the role of Sir Guy of Gisbourne in the project) recently commented, "I think Cate Blanchett is set to take the Maid Marian part." Then he added what we all know to be true: "She is a wonderful actress and it would make it a much classier film if she was in it."

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Buzz News Roundup, 1/21

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:30:01 -0800

American Idol winner Taylor Hicks will release his second album in March. - Billboard
Tobey Maguire's production company has acquired the rights to Marcus Sakey's crime novel Good People. - Variety
In Sundance deals news, Fox Searchlight has acquired the Hugh Dancy romance Adam, and the bromance Humpday will be distributed by Magnolia. - Reuters
Law and Order: Criminal Intent won't air till the Summer. - TV Guide
Brandon Routh, Chris Evans, and Brie Larson have joined the cast of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. - The Hollywood Reporter
Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl, Norah Jones, and Jack Johnson are among the acts confirmed for a Nick Drake tribute album. - Billboard
Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins have joined the cast of Joss Whedon's horror film The Cabin in the Woods. - Zap2it
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is taking a break - but supposedly not breaking up. - Pitchfork

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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:30:40 -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 my selections below you can add M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening and Gus Van Sant's Paranoid Park to your queue today. Oh, and maybe there are folks out there excited to bring home You Don't Mess With the Zohan? Maybe?

Very Funny TV-to-DVD
Yee-haw! This week brings us more TV-to-DVD with two favorites headed to a home theater near you:

30 Rock: Season Two
Tina Fey has been on a roll with her frequent appearances on Saturday Night Live but come Oct. 30 she'll return to her day job, 30 Rock. Is there anything this woman can't do? I for one will be adding this DVD of the show's second season to my collection. Special features include commentary by Fey, deleted scenes, a peek at the table read for the episode titled "Cooter," and a featurette called, "The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Presents: An Evening With 30 Rock."
How I Met Your Mother: Season Three
Another adorable television comedy I would love to own (hint, hint parents). Special features include Lily and Marshall's honeymoon videos, additional scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, an unrated gag reel and, of course, music videos!

One more after the jump, so read more.

The Visitor
A lot of people have recommended this movie to me, and since I missed the boat when it was in theaters, I'm so excited it's now available on DVD. I'm not surprised by all the word of mouth given that the reviews for this little film are, for lack of a better phrase, off the hook.

The plot, according to Netflix, is as follows: "Widowed professor Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins) discovers an immigrant couple, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and Zainab (Danai Gurira), squatting in his Manhattan flat and becomes wrapped up in their lives when Tarek is thrown into a detention center." I love Richard Jenkins, so you can count me in already, but it's also supposed to be a touching and uplifting movie and you can never see too many of those. Special features include commentary by director Tom McCarthy and Jenkins.

Step Brothers: Middle-Aged Men Behaving Badly

BuzzSugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:30:03 -0700

Step Brothers is yet another entry into the canon of movies that have resulted from the collaboration between director Adam McKay, star Will Ferrell, and (. . . wait for it) producer Judd Apatow. After mining all kinds of scenarios for comedy (anchormen, race car drivers, the '70s in general, etc.), even these funny guys have to hit the bottom of the barrel sometime. I imagine the concept that would result from that rock-bottom brainstorming session would go something like this: "How about instead of making a movie about a guy who has a grownup job but sometimes acts like a childish loser, we literally just make a movie about a childish loser?" In other words, it would look a lot like Step Brothers.

And so it goes, with Ferrell of course taking the overgrown-child role. Add to the mix a crew of esteemed supporting actors including Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins, and you end up with a familiar comedy that explores some unfamiliar territory (Ferrell's private parts - I'm not even joking). The movie had me buckled over in my seat laughing about half the time, but I spent the rest of it horrified and a little bored with how standard it all felt. To see what I loved and what I'm tired of, read more.

Stripped of all the bravado that his moronic characters usually boast, Ferrell's Brennan Huff is actually humble, painfully aware that he is the world's biggest loser (he still lives at home with his mom even though he's 40-something years old). His mom (Steenburgen) speculates that things went wrong for her son after some public humiliation by other kids, led by Brennan's older brother Derek (the pitch-perfect Adam Scott). Then a middle-aged fellow in a similar boat, Dale Doback (John C. Reilly), is forced to move in with Brennan when their parents get married. The two immediately resent each other - and by "resent," I mean Dale tells Brennan how much he hates him, and then they quite literally go at each other's throats.

For the most part, the shtick works, and the two stars have great chemistry together. And when Ferrell whips himself into an angry, manic, f-bomb-laden frenzy full of sex jokes and scatological humor, it's occasionally worth a chuckle. Mostly, though, the act feels tired: The novelty of Ferrell flying off the hook like that has worn off for me by now. It's a little different when Reilly does it; we're not as used to seeing him channel immaturity and comic rage. But even then, the infantile tantrums that resort to third-grade jokes get old fast.

But, when the movie is actually working and thinking at how to make us laugh (rather than resorting to the tried-and-true stuff), it's really, really good. The fellas stay true to their characters, and in a lot of moments the natural humor inherent in their situation comes through. For example, Brennan is believed to be a great singer but is hesitant to perform for anyone. When he finally does sing for his new brother, Dale is so moved that he describes the gorgeousness of Brennan's voice as "a combination between Fergie and Jesus." Later, when we're introduced to the d-bag that is Brennan's tormenting brother Derek, he's driving his family along in a car, demanding they sing a song together and that everyone's harmonies are in key and timed perfectly. It's one of my favorite scenes in the movie.

Ferrell is a talented guy. He's especially great when he puts a little effort into making us laugh and saves the angry meltdowns and the exposing of body parts for when it really counts. Thankfully Step Brothers has more going on than just its star's juvenile proclivities.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

Movie Preview: Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried in Dear John

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:30:22 -0700

You were all pretty split on your feelings about Channing Tatum, but we can all agree that the actor has made a name for himself as the muscle-bound sensitive guy. He gets even deeper into that archetype in Dear John, an adaption from the Nicholas Sparks novel where he plays the love interest of Amanda Seyfried.

The two fall for each other one Summer while Seyfried's character Savannah is home from college and Tatum's John is home on leave. When they have to leave each other and return to their respective obligations, they begin writing letters to keep in touch, hence the title.

Normally I would be holding my nose for this schlockfest, but I can't deny the talent of director Lasse Hallstrom, the charisma of the two leads, or the major soft spots I have for The Notebook and A Walk to Remember - movies made from Sparks books. And there's another bonus: Six Feet Under's Richard Jenkins as John's dad. To watch the trailer and decide if it's going to be a cheesy mess or a heart-tugger, just read more.