BuzzSugar

Box Office: Forbidden Kingdom Kicks the Competition

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:30:28 -0700

Forbidden Kingdom gave kung fu fans the match up of their dreams, pairing up martial arts screen giants Jackie Chan and Jet Li for the first time. Together the two stars proved to be a formidable force at the box office, earning the top spot over the weekend with an estimated $20.9 million. Forgetting Sarah Marshall came in second place, earning $17 million.

Variety reports that while this opening represents a vast improvement over recent Apatow films like Drillbit Taylor and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, it still wasn't a return to the box office glory of his mega-hits like Superbad, Knocked-Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

Prom Night continued to do well, coming in at No. 3 followed by the weekend opener starring Al Pacino, 88 Minutes which only took in $6.8 million. Nim's Island rounded out the top five followed by 21, Street Kings, and Horton Hears a Who. In the ninth spot was the Ben Stein documentary about intelligent design, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

Box Office: A Memorable Prom Weekend

BuzzSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:30:38 -0700

Maybe it's that time of the year, or perhaps there was a strong nationwide desire to see a scary movie, but whatever the reason, horror flick Prom Night was crowned queen at the box office this weekend. Variety reports that the movie's $22.7 million marks the best opening for a horror picture so far this year, possibly due to the teen-friendly PG-13 rating.

Though Street Kings is loaded with bloodshed and big names like Forest Whitaker and Keanu Reeves, it was still no match for the teen screamfest, earning second place with an estimated $12 million. 21, on the other hand, is still performing well, taking the third spot with $11 million. It was followed by Nim's Island, Leatherheads, and Horton Hears a Who.

Little family comedy Smart People starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Ellen Page, and Dennis Quaid came in No. 7 earning about $4.2 million. The overall box office is still experiencing a slump compared to last year. I wonder if Forgetting Sarah Marshall will get more folks to the theaters next weekend?

And if you're curious about Prom Night, head over to movies.ivillage.com for the trailer and video clips.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

Street Kings: Police Officers Gone Wild

BuzzSugar — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:00:51 -0700

Street Kings is primarily focused on examining two types of police officers seen in many a film before: the rogue cop who disregards the law in the name of justice and the cop that appears to follow the rules but is deeply corrupt. You would think that in the hands of a talented guy like director David Ayer, who is well-versed in the handling of this kind of gritty material (having written Training Day and directed Harsh Times) this movie would be not only entertaining but also darkly unnerving.

So, was it entertaining? I think for some people the answer is definitely "yes" - the violence is raw and in your face, the story is intriguing, and the smorgasbord of famous male actors makes for a fun ride. Did it make me feel anything? Nope. And that's actually a shame because there was so much there to work with, but instead I left with the sense that everyone involved decided to sit back, tap into their inner nihilist, and get down to killing.

To see what parts I think are fun and what parts are downright silly, read more.

Reeves plays Detective Tom Ludlow, a man who's having a hard time and numbs whatever pain haunts him with a lot of alcohol. He also has zero regard for the "law" part of "law enforcement," and seems to break all the rules those lawyers on Law & Order are always concerned with, lest their cases get thrown out on a technicality. He doesn't necessarily take pleasure in blowing people's brains out once he's determined they're wrong, but he definitely doesn't show restraint either. In other words, the man's a live wire. And this is the guy who ends up being the moral center of a universe full of some very corrupt people.

Those people include, well, just about everyone in the film. Once Ludlow begins to yank at a string he's been repeatedly warned against yanking by his boss, the ambitious Captain Jack Wander (Forest Whitaker), it becomes clear that an entire division of L.A.'s finest are dirty. Thus, Ludlow starts heading down a trail into some of L.A.'s harshest neighborhoods and the dens of some extremely bloodthirsty villains.

The movie relentlessly strives for realism with each violent act, and bookends each one with the kind of machismo dialogue you can't help but roll your eyes at. Similarly, anytime a character waxes poetic about the nature of good and evil or the seductive influence of power and greed, it's delivered in such oversimplified prose that you might find yourself screaming "No duh!" at the screen. The best parts about the movie are the unexpected and talented performances that pop up, like Hugh Laurie as a salty captain, Cedric the Entertainer who's totally convincing as a thug, and Common who, with the delivery of no more than three lines, perfectly embodies pure evil.

If you don't require a little nuance with your bloodbaths, you might have fun. Otherwise it's a frustratingly dumbed-down experience.

To see the trailer and more clips from Street Kings, check out movies.ivillage.com.

Photos courtesy of Fox Searchlight Films

Keanu Reeves: Love Him or Avoid His Movies Like the Plague?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:30:55 -0700

Next Friday a film called Street Kings hits theaters nationwide. It stars some great people, like Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie, John Corbett and the ever-delicious Common. It also stars Keanu Reeves.

Reeves' presence in a movie is almost a deal breaker for me (though, of course I'm still going to see Street Kings). When I recently voiced this opinion at the office, however, there were a few dissenting voices (though I won't name names). So, I'm curious: what say you about Keanu?

Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight

Meet Your Top 2 Scariest Moves Ever!

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Well folks, we've come a long way, but the 64 scary movies we started with have now been narrowed down to two. Only The Shining and The Exorcist have survived, and I'm proud to say that I've actually seen both (and have the nightmare memories to prove it). So now it's time to make one last decision: which one deserves the crown? You've come this far, so be sure to make one last click for yet another chance to win the prize!

The winner will receive the ultimate scary movie package to start your own personal scary movie home library courtesy of Warner Home Video! It includes bracket favorites Poltergeist 25th Anniversary: Deluxe Edition, Interview with the Vampire, The Shining, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Collector's Edition, Final Destination Thrillogy, Stephen King's It!, and The Nightmare on Elm Street Collection. Additionally you will win new scary movie releases Orphan, Trick 'R Treat, and The Hills Run Red and old favorites in special re-release, Natural Born Killers: The Director's Cut and North By Northwest: 50th Anniversary Special Edition.

Just be sure you're logged in, and to read all the official rules, click here. Now what are you waiting for? Vote now! Don't forget to tell your friends to join in on the fun.

Meet the Final Four in Our Scariest Movie Bracket!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:30:54 -0700

We're really getting down to the wire in our competition for the Scariest Movie of All Time, and now only four contenders remain! It's It vs. The Exorcist and The Silence of the Lambs vs. The Shining. All terrifying films, but which two will advance to the next round? You've been awesome with all your votes so far, so don't give up now! There are just two decisions to make, so get yourself entered for that sweet prize package!

The winner will receive the ultimate scary movie package to start your own personal scary movie home library courtesy of Warner Home Video! It includes bracket favorites Poltergeist 25th Anniversary: Deluxe Edition, Interview With the Vampire, The Shining, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Collector's Edition, Final Destination Thrillogy, Stephen King's It!, and The Nightmare on Elm Street Collection. Additionally, you will win new scary movie releases Orphan, Trick 'R Treat, and The Hills Run Red and old favorites in special re-release, Natural Born Killers: The Director's Cut and North By Northwest: 50th Anniversary Special Edition.

Just be sure you're logged in, and to read all the official rules, click here. Now what are you waiting for - vote now! Don't forget to tell your friends to join in on the fun.

Round Four of Our Scariest Movie Bracket Starts Now!

BuzzSugar — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:32:09 -0700

The votes are in, and we now officially have our Elite Eight Scary Movies! Only the strong have survived, so now your votes count more than ever! Be sure make your picks on all four match-ups for your chance to win the scary movie prize package! Be sure to select wisely - you're an important part of determining the scariest movie of all time!

Just be sure you're logged in, and to read all the official rules, click here. Now what are you waiting for - vote now! Don't forget to tell your friends to join in on the fun.

Round Three of the Scariest Movie Bracket Starts Now!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:30:00 -0700

Our Scariest Movie Bracket is chugging right along, and round three starts today! Only the most terrifying have made it this far, and now the matchups are tougher than ever. Does Freddy Kruger deserve a spot in the Elite Eight, or should it be Dracula instead? Remember, there's a sweet prize up for grabs, so be sure to make all your picks now!

Just be sure you're logged in, and to read all the official rules, click here. Now what are you waiting for? Vote now! Don't forget to tell your friends to join in on the fun.

Good Hair: A Funny, Informative Doc For Everyone

BuzzSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:06:03 -0700

Chris Rock's first shot at a documentary was spurred on by a simple question his daughter asked: "Daddy, why don't I have good hair?" Good Hair is Rock's quest to find out what that is, and why we - men and women, black and white - care so much.

It's not a race relations angle as much as the trailer makes it seem, but rather an investigation into the phenomenon his two young daughters are growing up into: that straight European hair is what's desirable, beautiful, and worth lots of money and pain to get.

Check out Bella's review, and to hear what I liked about the film, just read more.

As a documentarian, Rock excels at putting his subjects at ease, and his experts run the gamut. There are African-American women (particularly actresses like Nia Long and Eve), who can report their feelings firsthand about their hair and the extra pressure from Hollywood they endure to conform. Ice T is hilarious whether he's talking about silicone or wearing curlers in his hair for mugshots. Rock even gets Maya Angelou and Al Sharpton to deliver some of the documentary's biggest laughs. Yes, that's the kind of doc this is - one in which a political figure can make the momentous occasion of lobbying for Martin Luther King Jr. Day into a knee-slapping anecdote.

Watching a doc with as many one-liners as a Judd Apatow flick, I left wondering why more comedians don't make documentaries. Then again, Rock shows that he's green as a nonfiction filmmaker when he initiates conversations only to abruptly drop them. There is a lot to be said for black women striving for straight hair in a cultural context, and Rock raises this issue, but doesn't make a strong point about it. Particularly frustrating is Rock's discovery that most of the human hair sold as weaves in the US comes from India; specifically, from worshipers in India who sacrifice their hair to God in a ritual called Tonsure. Rock shows the Tonsure ceremony and the hair removal, but stops short of questioning what I think is a gross offense.

That's not to say Rock doesn't have some major revelations; he exposes the harms of sodium hydrochloride, also known as chemical relaxer (street name: "creamy crack"). His tenaciousness at that issue makes me wish he'd delved further into the other important matters of the movie.

On the whole, though, this is a solid effort for a first documentary, and it's surprisingly weighty subject matter. When you might think that he's gone a bit too far from his own point of reference, he brings it back to why he's looking at "good hair" in the first place -for his daughters. From salons in Beverly Hills to barber shops in Compton, Rock makes you laugh while opening your eyes to a hairy social subject.

Photos courtesy of Roadside Attractions

Vote Now in Round Two of Our Scariest Movie Bracket!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:30:12 -0700

October is moving right along, which means Halloween is getting closer every day. Now that we've weeded out half the contestants in our competition for Scariest Movie Ever, it's time to vote in round two! Just click here to vote on all the matchups, and be sure to stay tuned to Buzz to check out the results and fill out your bracket for the next round.

Just be sure you're logged in, and to read all the official rules, click here. Now what are you waiting for - vote now! Don't forget to tell your friends to join in on the fun.