BuzzSugar

Movie Preview: Towelhead

BuzzSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:31:05 PDT

Towelhead (which also goes by the title Nothing Is Private) was one of the movies on my to-see list at Sundance that kept getting edged down by other movies, partially because of other priorities, though I also worried that it would be really disturbing. Now the film, based on the novel by Alicia Erian, has a theatrical release date of August 8 and a trailer that has only made me more uneasy about watching the movie - though also more curious, too.

The story is of the coming-of-age variety, though this one features a 13-year-old girl (Summer Bishil) whose Caucasian mother (Maria Bello) sends her to live with her Lebanese father (Peter Macdissi) in a small suburban town. She begins to explore her awakening sexuality, spending time with a boy from school (Eugene Jones III) and befriending a neighbor (Aaron Eckhart) whose intentions are far from pure. Her home life with a strict and sometimes abusive father only further drives her curiosity about her identity, her sexuality, her place in the world.

Alan Ball, creator of Six Feet Under, tries his hand at directing with the movie, and it seems to bear his signature marks of examining the darkest corners of the human soul while offering glimmers of humor and redemption. I'm both interested in and slightly afraid of this film. To check out the trailer,

Zoe Saldana and Bradley Cooper Make a Smiley Sundance Appearance Together

Katie Henry — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:10:00 PST

New couple Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana were spotted leaving a Sundance Film Festival event yesterday with bright smiles on their faces. Bradley and Zoe exited the venue separately, but both hopped into the same car and drove off to their next destination. The couple are in Sundance previewing their upcoming release, The Words that also costars Dennis Quaid and Olivia Wilde. Olivia missed out on the cast reunion, and instead opted to hang in sunny California with boyfriend Jason Sudeikis.

We first saw Zoe and Bradley kissing on location in Vancouver last Summer and since then they've all experienced some major events in their personal lives. For the ladies, Zoe called off her engagement to Keith Britton while Olivia's divorce from Tao Ruspoli became finalized. Bradley's hotness was recognized when he won 2011's Sexiest Man Alive. Now 2012 is already looking to be another successful year for Bradley and Zoe. She's about to begin filming the highly anticipated sequel to J.J. Abrams's Star Trek and he's set to star as Lucifer in Paradise Lost.

Our Idiot Brother Trailer: Paul Rudd Can't Keep the Peace

Becky Kirsch — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 05:30:00 PDT

In Our Idiot Brother, formerly known as My Idiot Brother, Paul Rudd plays an out-there hippie-type named Ned who can't help but get himself in trouble despite his good intentions. When his girlfriend kicks him out, Ned couch-hops between his three sisters, played by Zooey Deschanel, Elizabeth Banks, and Emily Mortimer. Though Ned means well, it isn't long before he starts meddling in their lives and testing the bonds of family.

You can tell from the preview that Our Idiot Brother is like watching a train wreck; Ned just messes up one thing after another, from selling weed to a police officer to smashing his nephew's fingers in the door. But the film is more than just one face-palm moment after another, and its genuinely sweet themes about the importance of family made the film one of my favorites at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. To see the trailer, just

The Art of Getting By Trailer: Emma Roberts Beguiles Freddie Highmore

Shannon Vestal — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 08:30:42 PDT

Homework, the coming of age film that made a splash at the Sundance Film Festival in January, was recently renamed The Art of Getting By, and with its new title in place and a new trailer, it's ready it for its closeup. Set in NYC, the movie stars Freddie Highmore as precocious high school student George, who has slacked his way into his senior year, much to the chagrin of his teachers and advisors. He doesn't find much to get excited about besides art until he meets classmate Sally (Emma Roberts).

They become fast friends, showing each other their respective worlds, though it's obvious George is crushing on Sally from the moment he meets her. And as we do for every boy in a coming of age drama, we're left wondering if and how George will get the courage to act on his feelings. I'm a sucker for cute indie pieces like this, especially when you factor in the upbeat music in the preview (Peter Bjorn and John!). Michael Angarano, Elizabeth Reaser, and Alicia Silverstone round out the cast of the film, which is set for a June 17 release. To watch the trailer, just

Michelle Williams Takes On the Wild West in the Meek's Cutoff Trailer

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:00:40 PST

I have a little bit of Western fever after True Grit, so I may be more excited than usual for the Meek's Cutoff trailer, starring Michelle Williams. She plays Emily Tetherow, a woman whose wagon train gets lost as they attempt to take a shortcut over the Cascade Mountains in the 1840s. Conditions become harsher and more hostile, forcing the group to decide whether to trust the natives for help. There's a very threatening and somber tone to the trailer, and the film itself, I'd presume; you know that not everyone is going to survive this trip.

The film, which premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival, reunites Williams with her Wendy and Lucy director, Kelly Reichardt, and also costars indie darlings (and future onscreen couple) Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan. As for Williams, it looks like the recent Oscar nominee is turning in another superb performance from under her travel bonnet. The movie comes out April 8, so take a look at the preview when you

Alia Shawkat on Touching Ed Helms Inappropriately and Hoping For an Arrested Development Sex Change

Allie Merriam — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 05:30:00 PST

Alia Shawkat swung through NYC this week on a busy press tour for her new movie Cedar Rapids, which we previewed last month at Sundance. She plays Bree, a prostitute who enjoys a sordid entanglement with Ed Helms's straight-laced insurance salesman character, in the film directed by Youth in Revolt's Miguel Arteta. Shawkat talked about getting up close and personal with Helms and also addressed the long-running rumors about an Arrested Development movie that have regained steam after the series' creator, Mitch Hurwitz, confirmed his involvement. She also had some interesting ideas for her character, Maeby. Check it out.

BuzzSugar: In this film, you're playing a prostitute, which is new territory for you. What drew you to this role?
Alia Shawkat: "I got a call from [Miguel, the director] and he was like, 'Alia, I want you to play a prostitute!' And I was like, 'Ok!' And it kind of went from there. . . She’s a hooker with a heart of gold so it was fun. I got to do some research - not go out on the street! - but watch films with hookers with hearts of gold. And I got to say some weird dirty things.

BS: You also got to do some crazy things. Was that another perk to this role?
AS: Doing the meth and dancing, and doing real meth - no we didn’t do that! It was really fun. That’s what’s so cool about being an actor, you get to live so many different lives. This one upped every character I’ve ever played.

BS: You and Anne Heche were pretty much the main ladies in the film. Did you two take on the boys comedian club together?
AS: I’m used to being around a lot of male comedians, so it is kind of like a boys club in that you have to sort of earn your say. But after they started hanging out with us for a little while and they see we aren’t just like, 'Oh, tee hee that’s funny!' that we’re funnier than them sometimes, then they start to respect us. They’re all very sweet guys, most comedians are. They’re just a little pervvy.

BS: And of course, the leading man was Ed Helms. How was it working with him?
AS: I was expecting Ed to be a lot dirtier in comparison to some of the other comedians I’ve worked with, that are usually pretty dirty. But he’s such a gentleman, an old Southern boy. He's very polite and respectful with women.

To find out who's on Shawkat's list of dream costars and what she'd like to see happen for Maeby, just

read more. BS: That's always good to hear! AS: I remember one scene in the bathroom, Miguel would sometimes tell one of the actors, ‘Surprise me and do something!’ He told me, ‘I want you to surprise me and surprise Ed.' . . So we’re in the bathroom, and you don’t see me - just the back of my head, and I grabbed his crotch, like grabbed it tight, and he’s supposed to be on meth and he got this amazing look on his face. And afterward he was so pink and blushed, and he was like, ‘I didn’t know you were going to do that! I didn’t know you were going to do that!’ And was all giggly. BS: Everyone of course wants to know about the Arrested Development movie now that Mitch Hurwitz said it's on. What can you say about that? AS: I think it’s very exciting that he said it publicly! It would be great I think it's still kind of in the limbo of we’re in the dark still. But all the cast members, everyone I’ve seen recently, said we’re in! We haven't been sent a script or anything cause he’s still working on it. It’s pretty much the same thing, we just hope it happens but we’ll see when it comes to fruition. But hopefully it’s soon. That was kind of a nice thing, his saying it’s coming out soon. Once we read it I think everyone’s going to be in. BS: Are you looking forward to all the changes for the characters? AS: That’s the weirdest thing, and something that’s so exciting about the prospect of a movie. Every episode we had no idea what would happen to the characters. Week to week we’d be like, ‘What the shit do I have to do? Ok, whatever!’ And now that so much time has passed, and so much is going to already have happened to the characters, they’re going to have to kind of explain where they are at. I have no idea what to expect, and that’s what’ so exciting about it. Unlike any other writer, Mitch is just so out there that it’s thrilling and exciting to see what will happen. BS: Anything you're really looking forward to finding out? AS: Of course, because I’m egotistical, I’m just so looking forward to seeing where Maeby and George Michael’s relationship ends up. Because now that they’re kind of adults, how they relate to each other or if they’re together or if they’re not, it could be anything. BS: What would your dream for Maeby be? AS: My dream? I don’t know. It could be cool to do something fun, like if she got a sex change or something. BS: And you've worked with so many great comedians already - any one left on the list? AS: Everybody! I’d love to work with Bill Murray. That would be really fun. I don’t know if he’d like me very much. Gary Shandling, I don’t know if he’s doing a whole love of movies now, but The Larry Sanders Show was one of my favorite shows.

Sarah Jessica Parker Parties With Harvey Weinstein and Hits the Carpet in Cannes

Molly Goodson — Sat, 14 May 2011 07:15:00 PDT

Sarah Jessica Parker dazzled in a white Dolce & Gabbana gown at The Weinstein Company's Vitamin Water-sponsored soiree in Cannes last night. Harvey Weinstein presented previews of their upcoming slate including My Idiot Brother, which debuted at Sundance, and My Week With Marilyn, which is out later this year and stars Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe. Sarah Jessica took the stage to present a five-minute peek at I Don't Know How She Does It, the romantic comedy she recently filmed. She admitted she was a bit nervous to show off the project in front of the crowd, but the funny and touching clips left me eager to see the finished product. The movie stars Sarah as a working mom trying to juggle her career and family, and it features an ensemble cast including Pierce Brosnan, Olivia Munn, Christina Hendricks, and Greg Kinnear. Harvey gushed a bit about Sarah up on stage, saying that his friend Anthony Minghella would have loved her for the part. SJP then changed and was off to the Cannes Film Festival premiere of TWC's Wu Xia. Don't miss all our coverage of Cannes straight from the action in France!