BuzzSugar

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 05:30:00 -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. This week's DVD selections are all TV series, though there are some movies coming out on DVD today, like the Kevin Costner thriller Mr. Brooks.

Veronica Mars: Season Three
VM fans, the wait is over! Season Three has finally made it to DVD and the 6-disc set looks to be a doozy. In addition to all the episodes that made up what turned out to be, sadly, VM's final season, there are a bunch of interesting extra features. There's a gag reel (natch), unaired scenes, cast interviews and set tours. Most interestingly, however, there's a featurette called "Pitching Season 4" in which Rob Thomas explains the idea he had for a new direction for the series - fast-forwarding years later with Veronica as a rookie FBI agent.

Two more new releases if you read more

The Sopranos: Season Six, Part Two
Continuing on the train of sad final seasons, today you can also find the second part of The Sopranos' sixth season, complete with that much-discussed final episode. In addition to the episodes that aired last spring (Episodes 13-21), you can hear commentary by some of the cast members and delve deeper into the music of show. There's also a featurette that goes behind the scenes of Christopher's horror film Cleaver. So the series may have been laid to rest but if you come away from the show with nothing else, don't forget: "Don't Stop Believin'."

The Company
It may not be the most fantastic CIA drama ever made, but this miniseries that aired on TNT over the summer is fairly compelling. Sure, a similar story is told in The Good Shepherd, but The Company does explore some different territory. The story follows the Cold War intelligence battle between the CIA and the KGB from the end of World War II to the fall of the Soviet Union. The performances of Alfred Molina and Michael Keaton are particularly absorbing.

TV Tonight: "The Company"

BuzzSugar — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 13:30:25 -0700

Here's the bad news: I didn't love the first installment of TNT's "The Company" the way I expected to. The two-hour segment, which airs tonight, seemed a bit jumbled, covering a lot of ground without a good hook to pull me in. The good news is that there was enough compelling content in the first episode that I'm still planning to check out the other two.

Broadly speaking, "The Company" tells the story of the CIA in the Cold War. More specifically, it focuses on two friends (played by Chris O'Donnell and Alessandro Nivola) who are recruited from Yale into the CIA, a third friend (Rory Cochrane) who ends up working for the KGB, and an American intelligence expert's quest to uncover a KGB spy within the CIA.

The book by Robert Littell on which the series is based weighs in at almost 900 pages, so I suppose it's no surprise that the miniseries (which will air in three two-hour segments) also plows through a lot of material. But what did surprise me was how disorganized the whole thing felt, so to hear more about that and see a video of Chris O'Donnell talking about his role, read more

The screener copy of "The Company" that I received came with a poster-sized chart of who's who, breaking down which characters work for the CIA, which work for the KGB or other intelligence agencies, and which are (or at least appear to be) civilians. And thank goodness; part of the idea of "The Company" is that you don't know who's really working for which agency, but I thought the first two hours contained too many characters with too little context.

Beyond that, "The Company" doesn't seem to have a coherent identity thus far. Is it a story of three college friends who end up working on opposing sides of the Cold War intelligence effort? Or is it a story of one man's lifelong quest to track down the KGB's mole within the CIA? I also had to roll my eyes at the "love story" portion of events; those who fall in love seem to do so in about 10 seconds, and of course all of the main characters' relationships are with people who could jeopardize their jobs and their lives. (One of those women, a ballerina who seems to do nothing but dance 24/7, is particularly grating.)

The first hour certainly had its good points, though. I mentioned I'm a sucker for spy stories, and there's some great code-cracking, phone-tapping and allegiance-switching here. Alfred Molina delivers a strong performance as a CIA agent nicknamed "The Sorcerer" who mentors O'Donnell's character and thrives on the danger of his job. And I hope Cochrane gets more screen time in future installments; his character, a conflicted Russian-born, American-bred spy, has more depth than anyone else so far. Overall, "The Company" looks to be a mixed bag - but fellow fans of spy stories still might find it worth a try.

Source

First Look: "The Company"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:33:39 -0700

Sure, on the surface, I'm a pop culture-obsessed, concert-going, movie-watching maven. But behind it all, I'm really just a nerdy, somewhat spy-obsessed gal. So TNT's new miniseries, "The Company," easily earned a spot on my list of reasons to keep the TV on this summer.

The three-night, six-hour exploration of the history of the CIA, which premieres this coming Sunday, Aug. 5, has an excellent pedigree. Based on an acclaimed novel by Robert Littell, the miniseries is directed by Ridley Scott and counts Chris O'Donnell, Michael Keaton and Alfred Molina among its cast. I have high hopes that this miniseries - like "Mad Men" - can be not just a great period drama but a great drama, period. I'll share my thoughts on the first episode later this week, but in the meantime, you can check out
this tense trailer and a sneak peak from the first episode.

Photo courtesy of TNT

Sundance Snapshot: The Company Men

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 07:30:08 -0800

One of the films I was most interested in checking out at Sundance was The Company Men. The timely tale, which focuses on three high-paid corporate executives slapped with downsizing at their company, boasts a stellar cast and is already drawing comparisons to Up in the Air. But does it have the potential to enjoy the same success?

Who's behind it? Like I said, there are some heavy hitters here: Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Maria Bello, Craig T. Nelson, and Rosemarie DeWitt star in the film, with writer and first time director John Wells at the helm.
What's it about? Affleck, Jones, and Cooper play three colleagues who excel at their jobs and have plenty to show for it - big houses, fancy cars, privileged families living in the suburbs of Boston. Their cushy lifestyles are quickly brought into jeopardy, however, when massive layoffs begin at their company; the men are forced to re-examine themselves, their careers, and their family lives as they face unemployment and potentially losing everything they've been working for all their lives.

To find out what I thought of the movie, just read more.

What did I think? The film gives an engaging, accurate portrayal of unemployment in the current economy. The juxtaposition of the three lives, families (and even their homes) ties the story together nicely, and all of the actors give very solid performances. However, there's just something that feels insincere about watching high-paid actors pretending to really understand what it feels like to lose everything. Perhaps the movie is a little too timely, since we all still know plenty of people who continue to struggle every day. That said, I still think the film is primed and ready to go for major release - but the real question is whether or not audiences are feeling up to another film about the depressing realities of the economic downturn.

Be sure to check out all of my Sundance movie reviews!

Movie Preview: Ben Affleck in The Company Men

BuzzSugar — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:00:22 -0800

I'll be bundling up and heading to Park City, UT, next week for the Sundance Film Festival, and one of the movies I'm excited about is The Company Men. Ben Affleck plays a stereotypical corporate executive - sleek suit, perfect family, gorgeous house in the suburbs - who must reassess his life after he's been laid off. Tommy Lee Jones and Chris Cooper star as his colleagues, with Maria Bello and Craig T. Nelson rounding out the all-star cast.

The trailer doesn't give away much, especially since it's montage of scenes set to music, but you can already see how the different men will be affected and their relationships tested by the changing economy. Kevin Costner also makes an appearance as a construction worker who offers Affleck's character a blue collar job after he's been let go. The cast alone is enough to capture my intrigue, and I always love to see Affleck in meatier roles. Check it out for yourself, when you read more.

The Results Are In: Recast Three's Company

BuzzSugar — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 10:25:49 -0800

For last week's Recast challenge, I had you guys to hunt for a great new lineup to fill the shoes of John Ritter, Suzanne Somers, and Joyce DeWitt on "Three's Company."

There were some really great ideas batted around, particularly for the Jack Tripper role. I loved RCLDesign Girl's casting of Tom Cavanagh and ControlledSpin's choice of Zach Braff. But the award for best Recast goes to Elynette, whose list was both clever and surprising. To see her picks and the "new" cast photo, read more

Elynette was the first reader to suggest Jason Ritter for the role, saying "I think that his late father passed on some good genes to him." Here are her picks:

Jack Tripper - Jason Ritter (Happy Endings, "The Class")
Chrissy Snow - Anna Faris (Scary Movie)
Janet Wood - Mila Kunis ("That 70s Show")

Reminder: Recast "Three's Company"!

BuzzSugar — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 05:33:55 -0800

We've gotten some good entries for this week's Recast challenge, but the contest is still open. So if you haven't already entered your picks for a new cast of "Three's Company", leave your entry in the comment section below!

Who could fill John Ritter's shoes as Jack Tripper? Who would you cast now as ditzy blonde Chrissy Snow or sassy brunette Janet Wood? I'll pick one winner to feature next Tuesday, Jan. 9, complete with a "new" cast photo.

Characters to recast:
Jack Tripper
Janet Wood
Chrissy Snow

Recast Three's Company!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 07:30:15 -0800

Ever wonder what a movie or TV show would be like if you could be the casting director? Well, now's your chance. Every Wednesday on BuzzSugar, I'll be posting a Recast challenge, where I'll ask you to recast a classic TV show or movie for these modern times.

This week's challenge: the 1970s TV comedy "Three's Company." Who could fill John Ritter's shoes as Jack Tripper? Who would you cast now as ditzy blonde Chrissy Snow or sassy brunette Janet Wood? Leave your entry us in the comment section below, and I'll pick one winner to feature next Tuesday, Jan. 9, complete with a "new" cast photo.

Characters to recast:
Jack Tripper
Janet Wood
Chrissy Snow

Weinstein Co. to Make Live-Action Fraggle Rock Movie

BuzzSugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:29:44 -0700

Guess what? It's time to "Dance your cares away/ Worry's for another day/ Let the music play/ Down at Fraggle Rock!" The Fraggles are back! According to Variety, the Weinsteins are teaming up with Lisa Henson of the Jim Henson Company to bring a live-action, half-human half-puppet Fraggle Rock extravaganza to the big screen. Check it out:

Just like the series, the film will be populated by a mix of human characters and Fraggle Rock puppets. . .Pic will take the core characters Gobo, Wembley, Mokey, Boober and Red outside of their home in Fraggle Rock, where they interact with humans, which they think are aliens. The show premiered on HBO in 1983, ran five seasons and was broadcast in more than 80 countries. It posted strong sales recently when the first three seasons were released on DVD.

Awww! I'm excited about this news for so many reasons, but first and foremost: Hooray for no CGI! It'll be so great to get some good old-fashioned puppets, just like we'll get with Jason Segel's Muppet project. Plus, I can't wait to see some Fraggle musical production numbers choreographed for the big screen - and hopefully accompanied by Gobo on his gourd guitar.

Want to take a sweet little trip down Memory Lane? After the jump, relive the adorableness that is the opening sequence to Fraggle Rock. You can enjoy when you read more.

Source

Jay Baruchel and Nate Torrence Talk Dating, Their Own Number Ratings, and Scenes They Hate

BuzzSugar — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:30:00 -0800

In She's Out of My League, Jay Baruchel plays a guy who inexplicably starts dating a gorgeous girl who friends have rated a "hard 10." Nate Torrence plays one of his friends, and the two very funny actors recently sat down to talk about the movie, becoming friends on set, and the controversial scenes they wish had never made it in the film.

On whether they knew each other and their other costars before filming:

Nate: No, we didn't know each other at all. But that's what's nice, you spend six weeks in a city, you get along pretty well. That's what was cool with this movie - the four guys specifically, TJ [Miller], Mike Vogel, Jay and me. We got to hang out quite a bit and we like each other. What we've been talking about is how that really plays into the movie, that you can kind of tell that we all got along and have the same sense of humor, and that makes for some fun moments.
Jay: It's kind of cheesy, but my happiest thing about the movie is that I came away from it with a bunch of best friends. I really enjoy this kid's company like crazy. I have to say I was a bit of a fan of his before the movie.
Nate: It's not like I had this long resume . . .
Jay: I can do every Capital One character.
Nate: And I would do Million Dollar Baby for him.

To read the rest of the interview (warning: hilarity ensues) just read more.

On whether they've dated anyone "out of their league.":
Nate: I'm currently married to someone way more attractive than me. We've been together since we were 17 - we got married when I was 20 - and I remember being like, I am proudly not going to ever get anyone more attractive. I do remember going, "Wow, this is pretty neat." So I will definitely say that I relate to She's Out of My League. I do actually believe a lot more in my character's point of view in movie than what the other friends are trying to say. I don't think it's all about numbers.
Jay: I don't either, and for my money, I'm a catch.
Nate: For a long time, he thought it was 15, not a 5. That was a really hard day, breaking it to him.
Jay: The movie we were making in my head was completely different.

On assigning themselves number ratings, like the characters in the movie:
Jay: Oy.
Nate: I will say, I'm a little intimidated by the advertising.
Jay: It's terrifying.
Nate: Did you see they put me as an eight?! I'm in Hollywood at Wilshire and I thought it was going to be, like, a three. And I love myself, but I wasn't ready for that. Because that's when you have the trolls come out and say, "Why's he an eight?!"
Jay: I think unfortunately, I have to echo what he said. I agree with his character's view of things: You are what you are in your heart.
Nate: You're a ten no matter what.
Jay: You're a ten no matter what.

On whether guys in real life talk the way the characters do in the movie:
Jay: Yes, but it's not nearly as intricate as in the movie. It's more like yeah, she's good looking and she hasn't gotten bored with me yet. These are the conversations behind closed doors. . . They ring true in that the authenticity is in the intention. They're earnest, you know. I'm not one of those dudes, so I don't talk about that stuff. And I think what we're real proud of about those scenes specifically, is that, unless we failed miserably, we don't come off as douche bags. We very specifically were trying to combat the Alpha-male-misogyny-frat aspect of that because none of us are like that.
Nate: And I think the truth is, too, maybe the judgmental stuff comes from the guys who are rated higher than what our characters are in the movie. When you're a bunch of nine guys hanging out it's like, "Oh she's got too big of a butt!" But you get a bunch of fives around, and it's like, "Wow, she's looking over here." Maybe that's why. We're not models.
On what makes She's Out of My League different:
Jay: I think that there are certain movies that have left a legacy and set the tone for how other movies are made, but how it's changed is, truthfully, the emergence of more of the regular guy, and not just the movie regular guy. In movies it's like clearly, oh, that's the main guy because he dresses a certain way and is cordial to everyone. We're trying our best to show four quintessential average American dudes hanging around. But again I stress that to me what separates ours from other movies is that we're just not crummy guys. Nate's married and has two kids, Mike is married and has two kids. We very desperately wanted to be genuine and authentic and as crass as boys get. But I'm also a momma's boy; I live two blocks away from my mother so I didn't want to do anything that would upset her.

On whether there were any scenes they wish hadn't been cut:
Nate: I just watched a blooper reel, and I guess the thing is, most of the things that get cut are just different ways to say a line. But as far as actual scenes -
Jay: There are scenes that I wish weren't in the movie. I really wish that my mother never had to see me prematurely ejaculate!
Nate: I'm with you: There are scenes a man should never have to show his son.