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Who Should Play Captain America?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:59:31 PST

Rumors are swirling today about the casting for the upcoming Captain America movie. Candidates for the masked man himself have come down to six contenders, and some are more recognizable than others. John Krasinski and Chace Crawford represent the more well-known contenders, while up-and-comers Scott Porter, Mike Vogel, Michael Cassidy, and Patrick Flueger round out the list.

I don't know if I can really see The Office's Jim with his own action figure (though he'd be able to pull of Captain America alter ego Steve Rogers with ease), but I like the direction the filmmakers are going. The actors themselves will be screen testing for the role this week, but if you had your pick, who would you choose?

Watch, Pass, or Rent: Shutter Island, Happy Tears, & The Good Guy

PopSugarTV — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:00:01 PST

Find out if our editors think you should head to the theater for Leonardo DiCaprio's Shutter Island, Demi Moore's Happy Tears, and Alexis Bledel's The Good Guy, or just stay home!

PSR 2/19/10: Kristen Disses Rob's Kisses, Kate Cries For McQueen, & Scarlett's Wedding Details!

PopSugarTV — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:55:55 PST

Kristen Stewart says her costar in The Yellow Handkerchief kisses better than Robert Pattinson, Kate Moss returns to the catwalk and gets emotional over Alexander McQueen, and Scarlett Johansson reveals details of her private wedding to Ryan Reynolds. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook for all the latest celebrity gossip!

The Good Guy: Very Little Payoff

Lauren Bradshaw — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:30:00 PST

Love triangles are done to death, but The Good Guy puts a spin on the story convention, showing the audience only what the director wants us to see: our narrator knocking on the door of his girlfriend's apartment. She's with someone else (!) and turns him away with the words, "I feel sorry for you." Seems cold - that is, until our perception gets flipped, and the tale unfolds.

Said narrator is Tommy (Scott Porter), a hotshot Wall Street trader who acts as leader to his office associates, foul-mouthed lotharios with nicknames like Shakespeare and Steve-O whose egos are as big as their pockets are deep. Tommy isn't like them. He has a new girlfriend Beth (Alexis Bledel) who he whisks away on surprise dates while the rest of the boys scrounge for late-night hookups. Or so it appears.

To see what I mean,

Things get jumbled once Daniel (Bryan Greenberg) arrives on the scene. Daniel is a glorified office intern, meekly mumbling his way through the day in beaten-up khakis. In him, Tommy takes him under his wing as a project, someone to mentor at work - and with women. But despite Tommy's efforts to spruce him up with new clothes, Daniel still can't break from his awkward social shell. Instead, Daniel leans on Beth, joining her book club where he waxes poetic about Pride and Prejudice and Elizabeth Bennett. And so, Beth finds herself torn between two men - Daniel is too nice to be true, Tommy too perfect. You can probably guess who is putting on a show.

The storyline was inspired by the novel The Good Soldier, and it draws several obvious parallels. It's creative thinking on the part of the screenwriter Julio DePietro, but unfortunately none of the characters are endearing enough to carry the film. Daniel's shyness and Beth's "perfect girl" routine only come across as boring. As for Tommy, it's hard to find a single likable quality in him at all. Even the script's attempt at a twist feels expected.

Wall Street is supposed to be about drama – high risks, big rewards. You would think that something with such a fast-paced setting would be a little more, well, exciting.

If you'd like to review a movie you've seen recently, check out the Movie Reviews Group in community. I may even feature your critique on the site!

Photo courtesy of Roadside Attractions

Buzz Interview: Good Guys Bryan Greenberg and Scott Porter

BuzzSugar — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:45:00 PST

Bryan Greenberg has a lot on his plate right now. I recently spoke with the actor about his HBO project How to Make It in America, but I also had the opportunity to pick his brain about his latest big-screen role in this Friday's The Good Guy, along with his costar Scott Porter.

Greenberg stars as Daniel, a social wallflower stuck in the middle of the hustle and bustle of New York's Wall Street. Enter Tommy (Porter), a charismatic finance all-star who takes Daniel under his wing to teach him the ropes at work - and with women. Alexis Bledel costars as Tommy's new girlfriend who Daniel is crushing on (love triangle alert!).

Greenberg and Porter told me about how they adapted to playing such polar opposite characters, the Wall Street floor, and why good guys come out on top.

Greenberg on Daniel's geeky persona: "Those sneakers were mine! The wardrobe, you look in the mirror and you're like, 'Oh, god.' The hair, the whole thing - I sent pictures to some friends back in L.A. while we were shooting, and they were like, who is that?!"
Porter on his character, Tommy: He's a salesman, that's what he is, and he sells what he thinks you need to keep him around. Does that make him a good guy or bad guy? He's not exactly himself - I'm not sure he even knows exactly who he is - but that doesn't make him bad or good, that just makes him a little bit flawed. Well, a lot flawed.

For more from the actors

Greenberg on being immersed in Wall Street: "I was hanging out with Hedge Fund guys, and I went on a floor to see how these guys handle the phones. They have these mute buttons on the phones, and they're talking on the phone, but they're also having conversations all around them. It's a lesson in multitasking, and they always have their hands on their desk. All these guys they have toys, and they're playing with like, little squeegie balls and stuff like that, and being active and drinking Red Bull. It's crazy! It's a totally different world that I had no idea about."
Greenberg on the movie's message: "I liked that it's a movie about perception. A lot of these characters don't change, but the audience perception changes. That kind of fascinated me. It had me thinking a lot after I read [the script], and after I saw the movie, I was like, 'I'm thinking more about this than I thought I would be.' 'Cause it's a pretty light movie, but it does make you think."
Porter on what he took away: "When I watched the movie, I thought so much about how it's really about Beth. You can see her being a little unsure in parts about Tommy, and it's really about trusting yourself, especially in a place like New York. You have to know yourself and trust yourself, and that's the problem with Tommy. But the people who do know themselves like Daniel and Beth end up really coming out on top."
Porter on if the old adage that "Nice guys finish last" is true or false: "In life, no. In careers, sometimes yes, and it's an unfortunate bi-product of the principles our nation is built on. It's the American dream to go out there and make your own way. You make your own rules, you make own money, and you make your own worth. And sometimes people get stepped on, those who are too nice. But that being said, in life, nice guys never finish last."

2009 Tribeca Film Festival Spotlight: The Good Guy

BuzzSugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:30:46 PDT

I've been perusing the long list of interesting-looking movies scheduled for this year's Tribeca Film Festival, which starts this week. Some of them, like The Good Guy, are just starting to pick up buzz, and I'm anxious to find out what festivalgoers think once they've screened.

Gilmore Girl Alexis Bledel finds herself in a love triangle of sorts in a film by director Julio DePietro. The movie centers on a young Wall Street hotshot named Tommy Fielding (Scott Porter). The movie's description is intriguing:

[Tommy's] a rising star at his financial firm, and his budding romance with Beth (Alexis Bledel) could be the one. Then Tommy decides to take the new guy, Daniel (Bryan Greenberg), under his wing. Daniel - a quiet, stay-at-home, Banana Republic-wearing sort of guy - isn't exactly what you would call "Wall Street material," but Tommy sets out to teach him the ways of money and seduction. But as they each continue along their upward trajectories, their high-flying business lives complicate their personal lives, and money can't always fix everything.

Sounds timely and thought-provoking. Oh, Andrew McCarthy and Anna Chlumsky (My Girl!) appear in this as well. The movie will premiere at Tribeca on April 26 and I can't wait to hear what people have to say about it.

No trailer yet, but you can check out some photos from the movie if you

View 6 Photos ›

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Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode 8, "New York, New York"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:30:00 PDT

This week's Friday Night Lights is a weeper for sure, as Jason sets off for the big city to try to start a new life as a sports agent and father. Meanwhile, Julie gets a shot at playing sports agent herself when she lobbies Coach on Matt's behalf, and Tyra reaches a critical point in her ongoing college vs. Cash debate. Ready to chat about it? Just

What I loved about Jason's story in this episode - well, OK, I loved everything about it. But what I really loved is how deftly the writers balance reality (making it in New York isn't easy) with FNL-world fantasy (Jason still finds a way in). I was actually glad that Jason's first meeting in Grant's office doesn't go well; to just show up and expect to have a job is more than a little presumptuous. But Jason also has some things that Grant wants - tenacity and a natural ability as a salesman. Those are in full effect this week, as Jason first convinces Wendell to come back to Grant's office with his trademark mix of honesty and flattery, then convinces Grant to take a chance on him, then finally tells Erin that he wants to be with her and Noah. That scene just made me teary, as Jason tells Erin that "I'm never going to let this baby down, ever." Aw, Street. You're gonna make it in the big city after all.

Jason may be the star of this episode, but Riggins is a solid no. 2. I love that by this point, nobody even makes a fuss over his disappearance - a few days in New York is probably nothing compared to an indeterminate amount of time in Mexico. And he's the perfect foil for Jason: He asks some guy on the street where he got his suit and then finds Jason some off-the-rack, two-for-one deal; he gives Jason a little "Texas forever" pep talk before he talks to Erin; he gets them tickets to Gypsy! (If there's one thing this episode lacks, it's a shot of Street and Riggins at Gypsy.) Riggins is good on his own, but he's always been best with Jason.

Meanwhile, Julie becomes quite the little sports agent herself, inviting Matt over for dinner and then asking why Matt isn't getting a shot at wide receiver. (And I love Coach trying to say they don't talk about football at dinner. They always talk about football!) Everything about Matt's impromptu tryout is perfect: Matt gets in another dig at Coach for benching him; Coach can't help but notice that Matt's actually holding up his end of the deal; and then when Matt finally misses a pass, Coach takes the blame himself (and then asks Tami for some aspirin).

Some other thoughts:

Oh Tyra, no! First she takes a call from Cash right before her college interview in which he basically tells her he won't stay faithful on the road. Then, she botches the interview - which we don't see, exactly, but it's pretty clear from Tami's lukewarm reaction. And then she calls up Cash and tells him that she's going with him, school be damned.
The episode's other two subplots basically draw on one idea: The McCoys are infringing on the Taylors' life. First JD's private coach now has a job with the Panthers while Mac recuperates; then Katie gets Tami all set on buying a new, fancy house. Coach is navigating those situations well for now, but it can't be easy.
Other than Riggins quoting the Gypsy review, my favorite line of the episode is Coach responding to Tami's gushing about the house's big backyard where he and Julie could play catch: "Is that our Julie, or is there gonna be another Julie?"
A close runnerup is Riggins when Street's rehearsing his speech to Erin: "Jason, I'm pregnant."

Is that the way you hoped to see Street leave Texas? Are you glad to see Matt finding his way off the bench? And who wants to talk some sense into Tyra?

Photos courtesy of NBC

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode Seven, "Keeping Up Appearances"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:32:00 PST

On this week's Friday Night Lights, Landry starts to fear that he repels all of womankind, Tami and Coach fight over how to deal with a player whose parents didn't know he was a Panther, and Jason and Herc get into a no-holds-barred fight at their open house that just shows me you don't ever want to mess with a quad rugby player. Put on some Flaming Lips tunes and chat about this episode with me - just

This was one of the episodes I saw earlier this season during the DirecTV run, and it was my least-favorite of the batch. In a season with only 13 episodes to tell a story, "Keeping Up Appearances" sure focuses a lot on characters we've either never seen before or may never see again. That said: Poor Landry. Devin really gets him; she's sweet and awkward and not afraid to embarrass herself singing a Flaming Lips song at the top of her lungs. And when he kisses her in the car, yeah, she kisses back - but then she confesses that she likes girls (and - ouch - kissing Landry was the thing that made her sure of her sexuality). Don't you just want to hug him when he tells Tami he's afraid he's repelling women? Tami's response is fantastic: She tells him that, unlike so many of the people she sees every day, Landry's life is just beginning.

Tami has a few good moments in this episode, actually, another coming when she convinces JaMarcus's parents to let him stay on the Panthers long enough for them see him play. Coach can't help but get confrontational with them (granted, he was dealing with people who were saying his life's work was just a silly game), but Tami takes the right tone, praising Coach and the work he does to make his players be men. Love Coach holding the door for Tami on their way out, a little "thank you for saving my butt" gesture. The JaMarcus story doesn't work for me overall, though, especially because I don't think we've ever seen this kid before. It reminded me more than anything of the Bobby Reyes episode from season one, ultimately just a blip on the radar. I have the same problem with the Garrity kids' story, mostly because I'd nearly forgotten the Garrity kids existed. Sure, it's nice to see Panther football help bring them together, and there's a touching moment with Lyla and Buddy in the car, but it's much more simplistic than what I expect from FNL.

On the other hand, I buy into the Street story completely - even though it also has a few moments of easy resolution. His fight with Herc comes from a very raw place: Of course he wants the money for his family. But more interesting is the hint that Jason might have some hope as a sports agent down the line. Time and again, we've seen him be a great salesman - and putting together the Riggins highlight reel is proof that he might be great at promoting athletes. It's the first time we've seen Jason have anything to hold onto since quad rugby, and it's a relief to see him believing in his future again.

A couple of other thoughts:

Joe McCoy is turning into such a villain. Really, he couldn't find it in himself to ride home from the game with his son - who still won the game? Jerk.
Could anything be more offensive to Buddy than having his son like soccer?
I was surprised to hear Street flat-out tell Billy that Riggins isn't college material. I mean, he's your best friend!

Anyone else less than in love with this episode - or think I'm crazy? Do you think Street has a future as a sports agent? And is Joe McCoy evil, or is he trying to do right by his son?

Photos courtesy of NBC

Friday Night Lights Rundown: Episode Five, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:30:48 PST

On this week's Friday Night Lights, Jason Street returns! He has a son now - even by TV standards, one of the cutest babies I've ever seen - and he's struggling to find ways to support his new little family. Meanwhile, Julie pushes Tami one step too far and Matt gets some bad news about his future with the Panthers. Ready to chat about it? Just

Oh, it's so good to see Jason Street again. It's odd to see him not as an athlete but just as a guy struggling to provide for his child. He clearly wants more of a relationship with Erin, but this life isn't working out for her: She wants to take Noah and go live with her parents on the East Coast. But Jason is determined to change her mind. Armed with a little copper wire cash, he and the Riggins brothers and Herc go in together to buy Buddy Garrity's house. Naturally, that doesn't thrill Buddy, who already has Riggins taking his daughter from him and certainly doesn't want that kid snatching away his house, too. But in the end, Jason does what Jason now does best: He sells it. He tells Buddy that he's not giving the house to the Riggins brothers; he's giving it to the kid who used to throw perfect spirals for the Dillon Panthers. And that's enough. Not for Erin yet, but there's time.

Back on the field, the Panthers attempt the quarterback compromise, and it's nearly a disaster: The team wins, but barely, and while it's technically Matt who goes in for the winning score, JD sets it up and gets all the glory. So Matt's benched - and in the worst possible moment, when Coach has to both meet Matt's mom and get lauded by Grandma. He's angry at first (and it's so weird to see docile Matt throwing helmets around in the locker room), and he wants to quit, but he and Coach both know that will never happen. Instead, he tells Coach he'll stay on the team - but he'll hate it every minute.

Meanwhile, Julie gets a tattoo! A teeny one ("you're acting as if I have like giant dancing Popeye on my bicep") but a tattoo nonetheless, something that - as Tami points out in a melodramatic mom kind of way - will forever be on her body. They call a Taylor family meeting to talk about it - where Tami asks to know Julie's reasoning while Coach just barks, "What the hell were you thinking?" - and Julie doesn't help her case by saying it doesn't mean anything, because that's the fast track to getting the thing removed. I loved the moment when Tami points out that until Julie's 18, that ankle belongs to Tami. But that blowup turns into something touching, when Tami tells Julie she nearly dropped out of high school. Eric saved her, and they've gotten through their trials together, but Tami worries that a tattoo is the first sign Julie's going down that road. There's a continuity issue there - I would think that Julie ending up in jail would have been the real first sign - but it's a sweet moment nonetheless.

Some other thoughts:

Tyra's being naive about Cash, right? I feel like he's just playing the "sensitive cowboy" card, taking her to see the baby horse and promising he's not some wild man.
You know why I missed Herc? Because of lines like "You don't have to hide porn from a baby."
I hope I never see Tim's creeptastic ferret guy roommate again. Also, doesn't surprise me at all that Herc "knows a guy" for the wire.
Was that picture on Tami's desk really young Aimee Teegarden?

Will Matt ever truly let his mom in? Is the house-flipping plan a disaster in the making? And how do you think JD will handle being in charge of the Panthers?

Photos courtesy of NBC

Link Time! 9/2

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:38:23 PDT

Five reasons why Scott Porter should play Ryan on Brothers and Sisters. - The Ausiello Files
Dr. Horrible lives on with comics and a soundtrack. - Give Me My Remote
Have your pop culture tastes ever mortified you on public transportation? - Popwatch
New Neko Case songs? Why yes, my day has been made. - Stereogum
What other Chuck Palahniuk novels are headed for big-screen adaptations? - Cinematical
Wentworth Miller talks about Prison Break's latest reinvention. - The TV Addict
Republican National Convention viewing alternative: TCM's political movie night. - TV Squad
Hey, why weren't Brian Austin Green and Luke Perry talking in the New York Times oral history of 90210? - Vulture

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