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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:30:37 -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. In addition to my selections below you can also add Nobel Son, The Shield: Season Seven, and Crossing Over.

Gran Torino
If you didn't catch what might be Clint Eastwood's last big screen appearance (and his most recent directorial venture) in Gran Torino, you're in for a DVD treat. I really enjoyed the screen legend's crotchety performance, and the film tells an interesting and heart-wrenching story.

Eastwood plays a cranky, rather bigoted old Korean War veteran who isn't happy about the Hmong immigrant population that surrounds him. Over time, however, he bonds with his young neighbors, learning about the gang violence these kids face on the street and how limited their opportunities are, and he becomes protective of them.

Special features include featurettes titled "Manning the Wheel: The meaning of manhood as reflected by the American car culture," and "Gran Torino: More Than a Car."

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One more up next, so read more.

The International
The International stars Clive Owen as an Interpol operative tracking the shady dealings of a large bank. He teams up with Naomi Watts's character to take on the global financial institution and together they bounce from one visually stunning European locale to the next.

The real reason to see this movie, in my opinion, is a lengthy gun fight scene that takes place in a re-created version of New York's Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Guggenheim Museum. It's pretty awesome.

Special features include extended scenes, a making-of featurette, and a behind-the-scenes look at shooting at the Guggenheim.

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The International: Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Bank?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:00:05 -0800

The International, starring Clive Owen as an Interpol operative tracking the shady dealings of a large bank, has as much going for it as it does working against it. It's not a bad movie, sprinkled as it is with scenes that are visually extraordinary, not to mention insanely entertaining. But it's not a good movie either, thanks to half-baked characterization and dialogue that had my audience howling with laughter (which I'm sure was unintended).

To see what I think works in this action-thriller and what fails miserably, read more.

Oh, Clive! I hate to talk badly about his projects, but I'm afraid his brooding, unshaven brute with a thirst for justice is a character that even the most talented actor would have a hard time getting an audience to take seriously. His character is given just a little bit of flimsy back story that is supposed to shed some light on why this guy is so violent and totally obsessed with nailing this big bank that murders anyone who threatens to reveal its corrupt ways. But an even flimsier reason is given for why Naomi Watts's character, New York Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman, hops on board this chase for clues across Europe. These two characters are intense but empty - like a vacuum at the center of this movie.

So when the mysterious bank dealings are revealed to the audience and the drama hits its crescendo, it falls dreadfully flat. Both Watts and Owen give long, heartfelt speeches full of trite observations about the state of the globe, debt, justice - even socialism, for Pete's sake - but their personal revelations mean nothing to us because we've never invested in these hollow people.

The plot is also a little convoluted and never quite hits a cohesive narrative stride. Thankfully, I wasn't too bothered by that because all the odd pieces of the story take place in wonderfully scenic locales. From the cliffs of Italy to a rooftop bazaar in Istanbul, the aerial shots are fun to behold. The real reason to see this movie is a lengthy gun fight scene that takes place in a re-created version of New York's Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Guggenheim Museum. It's pretty awesome. In fact, I'm telling my friends to wait for this movie to come out on DVD and fast-forward to that scene.

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures

Box Office: Jason's Back as Audiences Make Him No. 1

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:15:26 -0800

The economy may be on shaky ground but you wouldn't know it by looking at the box office totals from this weekend. The Friday the 13th remake actually set records and had "the best opening ever for a horror movie in grossing an estimated $42.2 million from 3,105 theaters through Sunday." Meanwhile He's Just Not That Into You exceeded expectations by snagging the No. 2 spot over the weekend, while Liam Neeson's Taken continued to do strong box office business and came in third place. Confessions of a Shopaholic had a disappointing debut at No. 4.

Coraline rounded out the top five while Paul Blart: Mall Cop, at No. 6, became the first original January release to reach $100 million. Dang!

Finally, Clive Owen and Naomi Watts weren't enough star power to save The International from a lackluster debut. The thriller managed seventh place.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Separated at Birth: Clive Owen Intrigue Movies

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 07:30:59 -0800

This weekend the Clive Owen movie The International will debut in theaters. Aside from some key differences, this movie looks a bit like another Clive Owen movie that will be out in March titled Duplicity. Both appear to deal with large international corporations and potentially involve espionage. Both also see Clive in many suits without ties, and both pair Clive with an A-list female costar. But which Clive movie is which? Should you see both? After the jump I have a pretty little chart that breaks down some of the differences between both upcoming Clive movies so you'll be able to make an educated decision. To see my "separated at birth" chart, just read more.

	The International	Duplicity
Costar	Naomi Watts	Julia Roberts
Release Date	Feb. 13	March 20
Vibe	Serious thriller with a lot of action sequences, plot may require brain power	Cheeky spy movie in which con job serves as reason for main characters to flirt
How Do You Prefer Your Clive?	Disheveled, unshaven, using guns, slightly emotionally withdrawn, intense	Clean cut, witty, puppy dog eyes, flirtatious
Corporation at the Center of the Plot	A large international bank	Two large corporations that make stuff
Potential for Clive Love Scene	Low. Most likely a kiss near the end.	Very high. The trailer reveals his shirtlessness.
You Should See if You:	Enjoy movies written and/or directed by Tony Gilroy like Michael Clayton	Are able to erase the memory of Clive and Julia's dysfunctional characters in Closer from your mind

The International one-sheet courtesy of Sony Pictures and Source

Movie Preview: The International

BuzzSugar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:30:49 -0800

In the trailer for Clive Owen's new movie The International, there's lots of heart-pounding music and stressed out characters, and yet I failed to feel the excitement while viewing it. There's a lot going on and everyone's saying cryptic things about a bank, and I'm just not totally intrigued.

On the other hand: Yay, Clive Owen! He's so handsome and Naomi Watts is a great costar for him. Also, trailers can sometimes muck things up when trying to convey genuine suspense in think-y, talk-y, action-y movies like this so in the end, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.

To check it out for yourself, just read more.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

Clive Owen: International Man of Handsomeness

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 16:16:15 -0700

Clive Owen will put his dashing good looks to further use in his first star turn in an action-thriller, The International. According to Variety, the story revolves around an "Interpol agent who investigates corruption at powerful banking institutions."

Rounding out the film's team is director Tom Tykwer (pronounced "Tick-ver"), who is responsible for Perfume, as well as the frenetic flick Run Lola Run.

Dreamy Clive Owen is already a solid actor, and if Tykwer brings back his cool Run Lola Run style, this action film has the potential to have a very low cheese factor. Because really, there are already too many Die Hards and Mission Impossible IIs out there.

Source

Where the Wild Things Are: A Passionate Ode to Childhood

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:30:00 -0700

There's been a bit of a controversy over how to market Spike Jonze's adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book, Where The Wild Things Are. Is it for kids? Adults? Adult hipsters?

The answer is anyone who wants to feel what it's like to be a child, and not in the fun-loving, no-responsibilities way. As adults, we tend to forget the insecurity and fears we had as kids, which the film's young character Max is in the throes of. There's just enough exposition before the fantasy begins: Max has a single mom (Catherine Keener) and an older sister who has recently outgrown him. His first few acts at home show his innocence and the savage emotions under the surface. He knows it as being "wild."

Where the Wild Things Are isn't a heavy-handed allegory, or an edgy children's movie; it's a loyal tribute to the way kids think and feel. To see what else I thought of the film, just read more.

Max reaches the world of the wild things after throwing a particularly heinous fit, prompting his mother to yell, "You're out of control!" After running away, Max finds himself on a boat that finally brings him to a strange land. This is where the wild things are. The creatures Jonze has created are aesthetic wonders: creepy, hostile, and huggable at once. These aren't Jim Henson's Muppets, but real characters, led by Carol (voiced by James Gandolfini). The rest of the group is comprised of Lauren Ambrose as aloof KW, Catherine O'Hara as prickly Judith, Paul Dano as timid Alexander, Chris Cooper as Douglas, and Forest Whitaker as Ira.

Each creature has a fully realized personality, with flaws and varying temperaments; their faces are so emotive and their dialogue so human that their scenes with Max are as real as those with his mother. This group is not easily classified as friend or foe - they're dysfunctional in their relationships and don't always treat each other well. One of the most successful elements of the movie is the dialogue of the wild things, which is rooted in Max's head.

In many ways, screenwriter Dave Eggers's job was tougher than Spike Jonze's, because it's imperative to remember the way children think. Max's interactions with Carol and his new clan are made up of the kind of things a kid would hear from his parents and peers and then internalize. In fact, in the wild world, Max declares himself king to bring order, and he summons up speeches from the authority figures that he's pulling away from in his real life. Naturally, he's too young to recognize how his subverted position is significant.

Max's relationship with Carol is most telling. As the de facto leader of the group who can't handle sadness, loneliness, or jealousy, he acts out as a mirror of Max while still being his own character. The richness of Carol and the creature cast stays with you; when Max has to say goodbye to his friends, your heart breaks.

Jonze impressed me with his non-conformity; in another movie, Max would have demonstrated the grand lessons he learned from his time on the island, but in this one, he doesn't have to learn anything. He just gets to feel and experience and appreciate his emotionally fragmented new friends. It's devastating as a viewer, especially if you can put yourself back in that childlike place when your feelings were so raw and simple.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

House Rundown, "The Tyrant"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:30:35 -0700

This week's episode of House brought us right back to the usual formula. You know, unknown medical mystery that causes the team to pull together to figure it out. Only this time, the team goes through some internal turmoil, as the person with the ailment is a genocidal dictator - played by an always terrific James Earl Jones.

Personally, I think this episode is the start of a long arc for the season. What did you think? I've got a boatload of questions to ask you (spoilers ahead!) when you read more.

First of all, let's skip to the end. When Dibala's blood work comes up positive, I had a feeling Chase is cooking the results. Were you surprised to find out that Chase is OK with killing him? How do you think this is going to affect the show? I'm assuming that Chase and Cameron's relationship is going to go south because of it. Maybe this is how the writers are taking Jennifer Morrison out of the show?
Now that there's this huge secret between them, how do you think the dynamic between Foreman and Chase is going to change?
Do you think Thirteen is going to come back to Princeton Plainsboro, and is Taub already gone?
Speaking of Thirteen, I am so over her relationship with Foreman. Do you think they'll stay broken up for good this time?
I know he was playing an awful homicidal tyrant, but does anyone else get excited when they hear James Earl Jones' voice?
Did you like seeing House work with the old gang again? I loved it, but as House said, "Oh my god, it's three years ago."
As always, I loved the House/Wilson dynamic. It was fun to see House try to be a better person, although I wished Wilson could've believed him more. And is that a True Blood reference that Wilson utters? I swear he says 'Sookie' after his vampire joke.
While the old team soaks up all the drama, House provides the comic relief. My favorite bit of the evening is when House breaks in and drugs Wilson's neighbor. Did anyone else immediately yell, "OMG! It's like Dexter!"? Although I have to admit, that stuff with the mirror seemed more like magic tricks and not medicine.
This episode definitely looks like it's setting us up for a larger story. Where do you think the writers will take us next?

What were your thoughts on this week's episode? Let me know in the comments below, and to chat more about the show, join the House! group in Community.

Photo courtesy of Fox

Grey's Anatomy Rundown, "I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watchin' Me"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:00:31 -0700

This week on Grey's Anatomy, the doctors are (mostly) done grieving for George and have moved on to the newest preoccupation: the merger. With their jobs on the line, everyone can't get enough hospital time in as they fight off paranoia in the midst of a new batch of patients.

Can't get enough Grey's? Check out the Grey's Anatomy Junkies group in the Buzz community. To see what I thought of this week's episode, just read more.

Each of the doctors has his/her own way of reacting to the merger. Derek and Mark seem to be the only ones who are keeping their cool. Though Meredith also kept it together, her optimism is so out of character that it can only be chalked up to the crisis, and even she recognizes it.
Christina has never had an ego problem, but she's suddenly worried that none of the doctors "has her back." She decides to suck up to Arizona and head to peds, where she couldn't be more out of place. Her Mr. Bear voice was priceless.
Izzie tries to pretend that everything's fine, showing off a new wig and heading back to work so she won't get fired. (Sadly, we already know how this one ends). Alex tries to micro-manage Izzie and her illness, which at first seemed super annoying but was pretty sweet by the end of the episode.
Lexie is the most panicky of the bunch, talking a mile a minute and landing face down in blood. She proves her worth in the end by suggesting side-by-side surgeries for a paranoid schizophrenic and his overprotective mother. The parallel between the paranoia of the doctors and the paranoid schizophrenic was obvious to say the least. I have to admit though, his mother's "growth" could totally pass for an alien baby.
Speaking of babies, how awful is the doctor who nearly slices off a newborn's arm? I love that Arizona kept everyone together and saved her.
The Chief hides out in his office until the end of the episode, where he makes a round of layoffs via email. Among the goners are 3/4 of the interns and the syphilis nurse.
Yay for Arizona standing up for herself at the end of the episode. Not only does she give Christina a piece of her mind for using her, but she orders Callie to try to get her old job back. Love it.
In the end, Izzie realizes that she's still battling cancer and still healing from George's death. I'm happy she and Alex ended on a sweet note instead of a sour one, but it won't be long before she loses her job.

What did you think of this week's episode? Did you think schizophrenic Tom was going to wreak more havoc than he did? Did any of the main doctors deserve to get the boot?