BuzzSugar

Buzz News Roundup, 11/21

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:15:22 -0800

Strike news: A huge number of actors will be recording PSAs in support of the writers on the LA Weekly's Deadline Hollywood Daily blog; the New York Times says some showrunners have returned to their non-writing duties; the LA Times says the strike could cost the city $20 million per day; and Variety has the news that directors have reached a deal that will probably keep them off the picket lines.
Billboard says Weezer will release a new album in April, while NME has the tracklist for frontman Rivers Cuomo's solo album.
David Hasselhoff may reprise his Knight Rider role for NBC's remake, Zap2it reports.
Cirque du Soleil will open a show in Hollywood starting in 2010, writes Variety.
TV Guide reports on a survey that says Americans wish Clair Huxtable were cooking their Thanksgiving dinner - and want to keep Peg Bundy away from the stove.
Fox has apologized for a Polish slur in an episode of Back to You, writes the New York Daily News.
Variety reports that advertisements for Shoot 'Em Up have been banned in the UK.

Shoot 'Em Up: Good, Dirty Fun

BuzzSugar — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 08:30:00 -0700

There couldn't be a better title for this movie than Shoot 'Em Up because, well, that's what happens. It's loud. It's crass. And most of all, it's hilarious. This is the perfect film to see with your rowdiest girlfriends, possibly after a few martinis. There's tons of raunchiness, some sick humor and so much outrageous gunfire your ears will be ringing by the end. It's violence with a very healthy sense of humor. Yet what makes it all work is Clive Owen as Smith, our rough-and-tumble hero, a grumpy, low-income version of James Bond who was weaned on weapons and, apparently, carrots.

Indeed, carrots are a running gag throughout the film - Smith chomps on them when he needs to think, and creatively employs them as murder weapons, making him a kind of R-rated warrior version of Bugs Bunny. It's this kind of silliness that makes Shoot 'Em Up the perfect combination of high-energy, over-the-top violence and absurd humor. Simply put: it's pure entertainment. To find out more about why, read more

Chomping a carrot by himself one night, Smith observes a man with a gun pursuing a frightened pregnant woman. Smith reluctantly follows them, a gun fight ensues, Smith saves the woman long enough to help her give birth before she's shot. Smith realizes both the woman and baby were wanted by some evil folks, most notably the leery, sneery, slimy-in-every-corner-of-his-soul Hertz (Paul Giamatti). Smith brings the baby to a prostitute friend (Monica Bellucci, oozing sex and sympathy) who eventually agrees to help him save the child from all the evildoers. Plenty of chases, fighting, inventive gun play, sex and bloodshed follows, peppered with glib one-liners.

I had no idea how much of a parody this movie would turn out to be. It's so ridiculously over-the-top, you can't help but laugh. It almost feels wrong to be laughing at such darkly twisted things, but it's not that we find murder funny, it's that it's all so utterly absurd. However, the best thing about this wildly entertaining ride is that it's not a full-on spoof. There are certainly elements that remind me of movies like Hot Fuzz, its tongue so firmly planted in its cheek. Yet there's a streak of seriousness to Shoot 'Em Up that holds everything just anchored in reality enough to keep the audience riveted. And it's especially funny to watch the actors take it all so very seriously. I know many of you will go for the Clive Owen, so it'll be a pleasant surprise to find that it's a hugely funny, bloody movie to boot.

Photos courtesy of New Line Cinema

Watch, Pass, or Rent: Boondock Saints II

BuzzSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:30:26 -0700

Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, the buzzed-about sequel to the cult fave, hits theaters tomorrow - just in time for All Saints Day. (Such clever marketing.)

I already peeked at the trailer, and it looks like a very cool, stylized follow-up to its predecessor. This time, the storyline follows the MacManus brothers (Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus) as they return to Boston to seek vengeance on mob members who murdered a priest.

Fans will probably be curious to see if it lives up to their beloved original, but I'm on the fence. It seems entertaining, but it could be one of those films that you love or hate - depending on if you're in the mood for gun-toting bloodshed. I'm just not 100 percent sure if that's how I want to spend my Saturday.

Tell me your stance: are you going to buy a ticket to Boondock Saints II? Or is shoot-'em-up stuff just not your thing?

Desperate Housewives Rundown, "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:30:30 -0700

This week's episode of Desperate Housewives is all about judgment (though it's also a little bit about monkey attacks, but more on that later). The Bolen family continues with their shady behavior, while Julie is having some trouble adjusting to life on Wisteria Lane after her attack. Meanwhile, Gaby is accused of being a bad mom and Bree has a showdown with a motel housekeeper.

Ready to talk about it? Just read more.

Gaby: Gaby gets the comic relief once again this week as she tries to prove her mothering skills to the other snippy ladies at school. In order to regain their trust, she lures their children to Juanita's birthday party by pulling out all the stops. Of course things go awry when the trained monkey starts attacking the clown while Gaby is busy having drinks with Susan. In the end Carlos comforts her, but I have to admit - Gaby isn't exactly the greatest mom in the world. That said, Carlos isn't exactly a model parent either - where was he during his daughter's birthday party?

Susan: Susan and Katherine's rivalry reaches new heights this week, when the ladies have a mini-showdown at their neighborhood watch meeting. Susan is paranoid about Katherine coming on to Mike, and it culminates when Susan accidentally shoots Katherine through a window. Susan wouldn't be Susan without her usual clumsy antics, but couldn't she just ignore Katherine? Katherine seems so desperate, but Susan is kinda sinking to her level. Not to mention that calling Katherine a "loon" isn't exactly the best method of telling your friend that she probably needs to see a professional.

Angie: Most of Angie's problems take place without her even knowing it this week, as Danny gives the family gun to Julie for protection. Danny also confronts Dominic about his affair with Julie, and Dominic responds in a typically creepy manner, telling Danny to go ahead and spill to Angie. Angie keeps her distance for most of the episode, but then she plays a big factor in keeping Katherine crazy, to keep Katherine from turning in the Bolen family gun. I know Angie is a tough cookie, but somehow I feel like she may be the moral member of her family.

Lynette: Lynette's "twins" situation (both of 'em) is put on hold this week as she tries to help out her friend Mrs. McCluskey. First of all, McCluskey talking about her sex life - eeew. Lynette agrees to hire McCluskey's boyfriend Roy as the Scavo family handyman, but Roy won't stop going over Lynette's head and turning to Tom for ultimate decision-making. When Roy basically tells Lynette that she's emasculating her husband, Lynette loses it and fires him. But how sweet is Tom explaining to Roy that he lets Lynette have control so that she can feel safe? By far my favorite moment of the episode.

Bree: I thought Bree's storyline was kinda lame this week. The maid at the motel starts judging Bree's cheating ways, so of course Bree does all she can to defend herself. In the end, the housekeeper is just trying to warn Bree that she was once in her shoes, and that everything went awry. (Lesson to all: cheat on your husband and you'll end up a maid?) The maid does get one awesome one-liner: "Cheating's not a sin when you do it in pearls?"

What'd you think of this week's episode? Are Katherine and her crazy antics starting to bug you? Are you more creeped out by Dominick than ever? Let's dish in the comments!