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Which November Movie Do You Want to See the Most?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:30:21 -0800

There are only two months to go in 2009, which means Hollywood is quickly rolling out the rest of its heavy-hitters. November offers up a wide selection of comedy, drama, action and indie, but tell me - which film is at the top of your list?

Buzz's Picks For Fall Movies: Dramas

BuzzSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:30:22 -0700

I've already given you guys a look at the comedies and romance flicks that are on my radar for Fall, but now it's time to tackle the heavier stuff: the dramas. There are definitely a few Oscar contenders in this list, so check 'em out.
Photos courtesy of Fox Searchlight, Sony Picture Classics, IMDB, and Lionsgate

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Upcoming Projects Make the Future Look Dark (You Will Not Need Shades)

BuzzSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:30:52 -0700

Sometimes movies and TV shows depict a future that is bright and hopeful - look no further than JJ Abrams's optimistic Star Trek reboot as an example. But mostly the powers that be down in Tinseltown seem to believe that audiences would rather watch stories about a nightmarish, post-apocalyptic future. Turns out Terminator Salvation was just the beginning of a surge of similarly dark and scary stories. It's compelling stuff, but still, someone in LA needs a hug.

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Movie Preview: The Road

BuzzSugar — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:00:13 -0700

It must be Highly Anticipated Trailer Day today or something: First we got a glimpse of Nine, and now we have the film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel The Road. The movie stars Viggo Mortensen as a man coping emotionally and physically in a post-apocalyptic world and trying to defend his family.

The book uses an apocalyptic scenario as a way to meditate on themes of humanity, and the effect is stirring. I don't know if it's the marketing campaign or if this is the route the entire movie is taking, but I'm surprised this trailer makes The Road look more like an action-packed thriller (explosions, gun fights, chase scenes, etc.) rather than a solemn journey into our worst nightmare. Either way, it looks extremely creepy.

Even though the movie won't be out until Oct. 16, one early review is calling it "the most important movie of the year." That's a big statement!

The Road also stars Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, and Guy Pearce. To watch the trailer, read more.

Source

Buzz News Roundup, 10/17

BuzzSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:30:37 -0700

Once is going to get a remake as a Broadway musical. - LA Times
Speaking of theater, Will Ferrell will make his Broadway debut in January in the new solo comedy You’re Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush. - Variety
Mad Men will be renewed for a third season - but creator Matthew Weiner isn't officially on board yet. - The Hollywood Reporter
Michael Lewis’s nonfiction bestseller Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game will be adapted to film, with filmmakers eying Brad Pitt for the lead role. - ComingSoon
The real Sarah Palin will appear on Saturday Night Live this weekend. - AP
The film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's The Road may not be ready for release until 2009. - The Hollywood Reporter
Four Tops lead singer Levi Stubbs has passed away at the age of 72. - AP
Kim Cattrall is set to star in a movie titled Miss January. - Variety
Barry Manilow will release an album of '80s covers on Nov. 25. - Billboard

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Charlize, Viggo Travel Cormac McCarthy's Road

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:28:19 -0800

Cormac McCarthy's novel No Country for Old Men has proven so successful in movie format, there's already another film in pre-production based on another of his works, The Road. Variety is reporting today that Charlize Theron has signed on for the project, and will star alongside Viggo Mortensen. Apparently, Theron is a huge fan of the novel. Here's more:

Story centers on a man who embarks on a nightmarish road trip after a nuclear explosion in an attempt to transport his son to safety while fending off cannibals. Theron, who will play the wife of Mortensen's character, will be seen mostly in flashback. Although the role is small, Theron joined the project because she's a big fan of the book.

I haven't read the book - yet! - but I know from my recent Buzzworthy challenge that some of you are fans of this McCarthy work. Can you see these casting picks working for the film?

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The Box: An Inadequate Package to Unwrap

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:30:56 -0800

I so wanted The Box to be a worthy successor to Donnie Darko, director Richard Kelly's first film and much-appreciated cult fave. Unfortunately, I didn't exactly get my wish.

The Box is a highly stylized, good-looking thriller, from the retro 1976 Virginia setting to the Barbie and Ken looks of leads Cameron Diaz and James Marsden. They play husband and wife Arthur and Norma Lewis, who run into a bit of a financial jam when a strange opportunity conveniently presents itself. A creepy, disfigured man (Frank Langella) offers them a million dollars if they push a button inside a box - but a stranger will die if they do.

Kelly has all the right elements and the creativity to give us a hip, entertaining thriller, but there are a number of blatant missteps that make the movie unsatisfying. To see more about what I mean, just read more.

Kelly puts his stamp on everything, namely the constant eerie atmosphere and the random sinister characters (apparently an old person standing still in the road is his trademark). Though many questioned the casting of Cameron Diaz and her requisite Virginia accent, there was a similar doubt when Drew Barrymore and Patrick Swayze were cast in Darko, and it ended up working. With Diaz, it's not that I would say that she nailed the part, but that the accent and greater aspects of the plot are very campy. And I like campy, but I don't know if that's what the film is going for.

If you're not taking it seriously, the movie is a pretty good time, with some frightening scenes and jumps. There are also many parts that are supposed to be creepy, but they're so labored that they come out as funny. Like, laugh out loud in the theater funny. I wouldn't call that a failure, I'd just invoke the term I used before campy.

The major problem the movie runs into is when it begins exploring these sci-fi and supernatural angles, which end up being red herrings. For instance, much is made of Arthur's job at NASA and Mars, which made me think we were in for a weird, wild sci-fi ride. I was ready to embrace something really out there (I'm a big David Lynch fan, after all), but you don't really get it. There are so many elements that are introduced but never followed to a conclusion, so you're left shrugging your shoulders when the movie ends. It's even more perplexing because the mystery of The Box itself is explained, but you're left with all these details that went nowhere, in retrospect. It's one thing to leave things open-ended, but you have to give the audience something to work with.

Honestly, if you're a Kelly fan, you'll probably find it enjoyable. But if you want complete resolution, I'd wait for the director's cut.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

What to TiVo: Friday

BuzzSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:50:28 -0800

ABC is new with Supernanny, Ugly Betty, and 20/20
CBS is new with Ghost Whisperer, Medium, and NUMB3RS
FOX has repeats of House and Bones
NBC is new with Law & Order
The CW is new with Smallville and has a repeat of America's Next Top Model
Bravo has Legends of the Fall
E! has repeats of Leave it to Lamas, Wildest Dating Show Moments, and The Girls Next Door, and is new with The Soup
FX has Shallow Hal and Grandma's Boy
MTV has repeats of South Park and Real World/Road Rules Challenge
USA is new with Monk and White Collar
VH1 has Rock Docs NWA: The World's Most Dangerous Group
Late-night highlights include Ricky Gervais on The Late Show With David Letterman on CBS; Elizabeth Banks on The Jay Leno Show on NBC; The Pixies on The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien on NBC; Ted Danson, Khloe Kardashian, and Lamar Odom on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC; Rosie O'Donnell and Ian Somerhalder on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on NBC; and Ewan McGregor and Regina Spektor on The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson on CBS

90210 vs. Melrose Place: Which Was More Scandalous?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:30:12 -0800

This week's CW drama block may have its share of cool guest stars like N.E.R.D. and Samantha Ronson, but, on the whole, it's a total mess. On the one hand, you've got the unstable girls of 90210 having emotional breakdowns at the drop of a hat; on the other, the Melrose Place residents are busy sneaking around to cover up their crimes. Personally, I was a bit annoyed by all the over-the-topness - especially you, Annie. Oh, and you, Ivy. But hey, at least it gives us a few surprising moments.

Ready to dissect each show and decide which packed more punch? (Warning: major spoilers!) Take a peek at my arguments and then weigh in with your own when you read more.

90210 point: Sasha is officially a nut job. First she tells Dixon that she's pregnant, but when Debbie gets wind of it, she questions Sasha even further to catch her in her baby lies. But the best part? When Debbie says the line, "It starts with you're not pregnant, and it ends with stay away from my son." Oh, snap! Congrats Debbie, you just went up a notch on the list of cool TV moms. Sasha backs off, telling Dixon she had a "miscarriage."
Melrose Place counterpoint: Did David kill Sydney? They sure try to make it seem that way. David tells Ella that he was blackout drunk that night after finding out that Syd was sleeping with his father - and then he has a flashback where he wakes up with blood all over himself and a knife in his hand. I gasped a little over the big reveal, but I'm not entirely convinced that David wasn't set up by someone else.

90210 point: Annie is getting in way over her head with Jasper, and unfortunately, she seems much too insecure to dig herself out. When Navid hears that Jasper is a dealer, he tells Annie and she confronts Jasper about it. Jasper wigs out, making Annie cry and beg forgiveness. Later, we see Jasper selling drugs to someone, so we know the rumors are true. For more on his buyer, keep reading.
Melrose Place counterpoint: Jonah makes out with Kendra, the hot movie producer, literally within the first five minutes of the episode. (That didn't take long.) He stops things from going further, but when he comes clean to Riley, he gets on her case again for her kiss with Auggie. She apologizes profusely, but the damage has already been done. By the end of the episode, I was thinking, Wait, did they actually just break up?! I don't think so, but if you stuck around for next week's promo, things do not look good for the engaged couple.

90210 point: Jen is back, throwing around her prima donna wicked attitude. She walks in on Ryan during his date with the bartender from the previous episode and goes into attack mode with the verbal jabs. ("You look older closer up.") Ryan is actually turned on by her jealousy, and the two become exclusive. But what I can't understand is why, after he knows that she lies, does he actually trust her story about Liam coming on to her? He totally buys it!
Melrose Place counterpoint: Auggie finally gives his a-hole boss Marcello a piece of his mind, er, fists. Marcello passes off one of Auggie's recipes as his own, and then he makes a few lewd comments about Riley - and you know how Auggie feels about Riley. He starts swinging, knocking Marcello out. Back at the apartment later, Violet shows up, and in a moment of what I can only blame on Auggie's emotional distress, the two finally knock boots. I'm guessing this means we'll be seeing Violet's worst kind of crazy very soon (right before she and Auggie say sayonara).

90210 point: Adrianna is inching closer to her previous life of drug use. It starts when she plays a song asking for Navid's forgiveness. (So cheesy!) He turns her down, so she continues sulking in bed, sobbing. Silver and Naomi want her to go to a meeting so she can stay clean, and with due concern - at the end of the episode, we see her buying from none other than Jasper.
Melrose Place counterpoint: Ella's squeaky-clean client, Jessie, is hospitalized with major cocaine in his system, so she begs Lauren to write a fake report citing an allergy as the cause of his stay. Lauren refuses. (Anyone else confused about why Lauren continues to take the high road, despite her side prostitution gig?) Ella then discovers a wad of cash in Lauren's room and realizes her Pretty Woman secret. Of course Lauren denies the accusations, but no matter - Ella decides to let her star take the fall anyway and promises to never question Lauren again.

90210 had way more melodramatic outbursts, but those ladies were so crazy that it kind of turned me off. (You girls give women a bad name. Even Violet seemed normal this week compared to you.) So I'm giving this week to Melrose by default: I was genuinely shocked at David's bloody flashback and the fact that Jonah has suddenly broken out of his perfect-fiance persona. I expect scandal from someone like Auggie or Ella, but from Jonah? Come on!

Do you disagree? Were you actually loving all of the melodrama on 90210?

Don't forget that you can also keep the conversation going over in the 90210 Superfans group in the Buzz Community. Check it out!

Photos courtesy of The CW

What to TiVo: Wednesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:50:13 -0800

ABC is new with Hank, The Middle, Modern Family, Cougar Town, and Eastwick
CBS is new with The New Adventures of Old Christine, Gary Unmarried, Criminal Minds, and CSI: NY
FOX has Game 6 of the World Series
NBC is new with Mercy and Law & Order: SVU
The CW is new with America's Next Top Model and has a repeat of The Vampire Diaries
Bravo is new with Top Chef All Stars Dinner
Comedy Central is new with South Park, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, and The Colbert Report
FX is new with Nip/Tuck
MTV is new with Real World/Road Rules Challenge
Late-night highlights include Bill Cosby on The Late Show With David Letterman on CBS; Joshua Jackson, Big Bird, and Slayer on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC; Jenna Bush and Laura Bush on The Jay Leno Show on NBC; Amy Poehler, Magic Johnson, and The Bravery on The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien on NBC; and Cameron Diaz on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on NBC