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Buzz News Roundup, 8/26

BuzzSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:30:19 -0700

It looks like Susan Sarandon will be joining the cast of Oliver Stone's Wall Street 2. - Entertainment Weekly
This week's episode of True Blood was the first HBO series episode to top five million viewers since the finale of The Sopranos drew 11.9 million two years ago. - Variety
Columbia Pictures has hired screenwriters Adam Fierro and Glen Mazzara to write Hancock 2, the sequel to the Will Smith superhero movie. - ComingSoon
A movie is in the works about the life of Brian Epstein, who discovered and managed the Beatles from 1961 through 1967, when he died of a drug overdose at 32. - Variety
Kate Gosselin will fill in for Elisabeth Hasselbeck on The View on Sept. 14 and 15. - AP
The next Batman movie may be shot entirely in IMAX format. - ComingSoon
The Who guitarist Pete Townshend is planning another musical, this one titled Floss. - Reuters
FX has picked up the dramatic series March to Madness, all about the glory and the seedy side of college basketball, from executive producer Don Cheadle. - Broadcasting & Cable

Link Time! 1/15

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:30:06 -0800

A love letter to Thirtysomething. - Clique Clack TV
Gus Van Sant talks Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test casting: From Heath Ledger to . . . Jack Black? - MTV Movies Blog
Ryan Adams is quitting music and blogging? - Stereogum
Yikes: Will Jack Bauer die on the big screen? - Watch With Kristin
The View got a big backstage makeover. - CasaSugar
A nice farewell to Ricardo Montalban, may he rest in peace. - Cinematical
Check out Robyn's "With Every Heartbeat" video. - Spinner
The CollegeHumor kids get to work in the coolest office of all time and they get to have a TV show about it! Lucky. Check out the preview for their MTV show. - BWE

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Did the Academy Snub Whoopi?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:30:48 -0800

Today there has been some fall-out about some of the editing choices made with the many montages featured in this year's Oscars ceremony. One of the bigger ones is the omission of Whoopi Goldberg from the Oscar hosts reel. As the ladies of The View discuss in the clip below, Whoopi's hosting broke several records, so it does seem strange that they would leave her out.

On the other hand, I don't envy producers of these award shows, given the egos in this business and how impossible it would be to assuage all of them.

Take a look at the clip below and let me know what you think about all this.

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Link Time! 5/29

BuzzSugar — Tue, 29 May 2007 14:15:09 -0700

Popwatch has a first look at Hollywood Zombies trading cards, the 21st century's Garbage Pail Kids.
The Film Experience decides to celebrate beloved witches from movies and TV.
TV Squad counts down five ways that watching "Lost" is like being in a relationship.
Rolling Stone's Rock 'n Roll Daily blog happily reports that the Ian Curtis biopic, Control, was warmly received at Cannes, and they have the trailer for the film.
Give Me My Remote puts together a mix CD of her favorite TV tunes.
The TV Addict watches "The View" without Rosie so we don't have to.
Cinematical brings us the swirling rumors that Keira Knightley may play Princess Diana in a film adaptation of the book Diana and the Paparazzi.
Thanks to Stereogum, you can now refer to Paste's list of the top 40 music venues in America.
Meanwhile, Idolator wonders if musicians who play cell phones on stage might make it less embarrassing to get a call at a show.
Pop Candy remembers Jeff Buckley.

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Rosie O'Donnell Says Bye-Bye to "The View"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 09:45:47 -0700

After a brief stint with plenty of controversy, Rosie O'Donnell announced today that she's leaving "The View," according to the Associated Press. The cause - or at least, the official cause - was that the host and ABC failed to come to a contractual agreement amenable to both of them. O'Donnell will leave the show in June.

As for the real reason, it's anyone's guess, since O'Donnell has been a lightning-rod of somewhat trivial scandals since joining the show. The AP reports:

Walters was frequently left to clean up the damage after O'Donnell. She did it most recently Monday, when O'Donnell was criticized for using bad language and attacking Rupert Murdoch from the dais of the annual New York Women in Communication awards luncheon.

To me, the Rosie controversy always seemed totally overblown; I mean, aren't talk show hosts supposed to get people talking? Plus, she was hardly any more ridiculous than Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and she gave "The View" a huge ratings boost.

I'll be most interested to see who the daytime talk show will get to host next. For a show with such ridiculously high personnel turnover, "The View" always seems to stumble when it comes to new hires. Who would you like to see fill Rosie's seat?

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The Men Who Stare at Goats: Glaringly Unfocused

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:30:00 -0800

I went into The Men Who Stare at Goats with high expectations. How could a film possibly disappoint when you have the acting trifecta of George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, and Jeff Bridges? But unfortunately, while the pros work hard to generate laughs - and they do deliver at times - the film on the whole is all over the place.

Goats is based on the non-fiction book by Jon Ronson. That's right - non-fiction. The film opens with the line, "More of this is true than you would believe," which is a nice reminder, because the plot is intentionally convoluted. At first, this far-fetched quality makes the story feel fun and quirky, but as time goes on, it gets mucked up in its own self-aware confusion and starts to feel stale. To see what I mean, read more.

McGregor stars as the movie's hero, Bob Wilton, a small-town journalist whose wife has just left him for his editor. So Bob decides to do what most men do when they're heartbroken - he goes to war. Or at least he tries to, but he only gets as far as a hotel pool bar in Kuwait. That's where he meets Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), a former "Jedi warrior" with the U.S. Army - or simply put: soldiers with superpowers. (Yes, note the coincidence: McGregor and Jedis.)

Lyn begins to tell Bob about the former founder of his unit, Bill Djanjo (Jeff Bridges), a vet who goes to find himself after Vietnam in the drug and orgy, peace and love '70s. Armed with a new, zen persona, Bill returns to the Army to share his more peaceful point of view and take charge of a new special force that uses mind control over traditional weapons. That's when Lyn comes in. As a new recruit, Lyn is exceptionally psychic, and he quickly gets a reputation for being able to find anyone, including terrorists, strictly using his mind.

So Bob and Lyn begin on a journey into Iraq. Where they're headed, Lyn's not exactly sure. He just assumes he'll find it, thanks to his extra sixth sense. As for the audience, we're sort of in the same boat - along for the ride without any real direction.

The movie tries to comment on the inhumanity (and stupidity) of war, but has a difficult time making its point alongside the slapstick elements. The actors are great with comedic timing and deliver one-liners to entertain the audience in many moments, but that was ultimately the only aspect that held my interest. (That and Jeff Bridges's sweet hippie braided hair.) What had the potential to be a funny, original story or a satire instead starts to feel boring. The characters wander aimlessly, the flashbacks float in and out, and without a clear focus, you stop caring. And that's not an easy feat where Clooney's usually concerned.

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:30:00 -0800

Looking for some fresh picks to add to your Netflix queue? I've got you covered. Just take a peek at these three new releases coming out on DVD today.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra

Many of you said that you weren't psyched to see the slick action update on the classic toy in theaters, but perhaps you'll feel differently now that it is available to watch at home. G.I. Joe has that loud, flashy, blockbuster appeal which can make for a perfect weekend rental - even if it's pretty much mindless entertainment. (Plus, I know how much you love Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Channing Tatum!) Bonus: If you're a CGI geek, the special two-disc version includes a behind-the-scenes look at the special effects.

37%

Two more new releases when you read more.

I Love You Beth Cooper
Hayden Panettiere stars as the title character - the hottest girl in school and long-time crush of the film's nerdy hero, Denis. When Denis wins class valedictorian, he uses his graduation speech to profess his love to Beth. Lucky for him, the act of courage works in his favor, and Beth shows up at his house. You can pretty much guess what happens from there - her boyfriend is not pleased, threatens to beat Denis up, etc. - but the DVD features an alternate ending to spice things up. Critics panned its release, but if you're a devotee of the teen sex comedy genre, then this is one to put on your viewing checklist.

14%

Food Inc.

Ever wondered where the meal on your plate really comes from? Food Inc. is a documentary that breaks down America's food industry step by step - from the farms where it's produced, to the big brother-like companies that monopolize it, to the supermarket. It's an interesting - albeit frightening - insider's peek that is packed with expert info. (Even my health guru, FitSugar, gave it her stamp of approval.) Consider this your brain food for the week - but if I were you, I'd refrain from eating while you're watching it.

97%

The Office, "Koi Pond": Best Lines of the Night and Video!

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:30:00 -0700

This week's opening of The Office isn't necessarily a huge spooky surprise since we already got a peek at those costumed spoiler photos, but I still laughed through every minute of the intro. Jim's "Bookface" costume? A-ma-zing.

I sort of wished the rest of the episode followed suit with a Halloween theme, but that's OK, because we still get a great set up with Michael, Jim, and a lobby koi pond - not to mention a ton of quips that had me cackling. Check out my list of faves, and weigh in with your own!

"Kids, just remember suicide is never the answer . . . Why is Christmas the only holiday that can have a message?"-Michael
It's bad enough that Michael Scott has the D*ck in a Box costume, but to wear it - and hang himself - in front of children?! That's even more hilariously inappropriate than usual for him. And am I totally off base, or is Ryan trying to be Edward Cullen?

Even more funny lines, plus that koi pond video, when you read more.

"I date models - face models. My girlfriend, on a scale of 1 to Gisele? A nine. Pam's carrying our surrogate, because my girlfriend needed to keep her figure for Fashion Week."
Andy and Pam are forced to make cold calls when their sales figures are low, and clients mistakenly think they're married. This is when things get really awkward, leading up to a belly kiss. We normally don't get much interaction between Andy and Pam, but I think they do well as foils.

"The custodian called again. Apparently a koi has died."-Erin
I don't know why a koi pond is so funny to me, but I was giggling at the random jokes about Michael's mishap - yes, even Phyllis's lame, "Did you flounder?" 'Bout time the employees took a few shots at their bumbling boss. Then, when he gathers them into a meeting to make his "mocking" board, the insecurity really flies. Dwight's upset over his small nose, Angela's worried that she eats like a squirrel, and Meredith says she's embarrassed because she . . . had sex with a terrorist? (Um, did I read that right?!)

"The guy was like, Who are your five friends? And I was like, I don't even know . . . . I'm a total loser. Loooooser. Too far."-Michael
I died over this one. Michael tries to save his embarrassment over the koi incident by making fun of himself, and instead, he comes across as pathetic. But "too far" was the real kicker for me.

"Jim is my enemy. But Jim is also his greatest enemy. And the enemy of my enemy is my friend. So Jim is my friend."- Dwight
When the staff watches the security tape from the koi lobby and witnesses Jim actually letting Michael fall in, their loyalty swiftly changes. Dwight so confused, his mind gets blown. I am enjoying this new glimpse into the Michael and Jim work dynamic - by the end of the episode, it seemed like they might actually get along as comanagers. On the other hand, I have to say that I miss the days when Jim was the dude with a sweet crush who liked to pull pranks. Check out the actual video of Jim leaning out of the way:

"Oh, do you mean Marlon Wayans? Cause he is."- Erin
Way to go Erin! I've always sort of viewed her as a background character, but she delivered several funny ones this week. (I'm also loving her right now thanks to her Subtle Sexuality music video.) Do you think the writers are really going to set her up with Andy? Pam seems to be pushing it in that direction - even comparing Andy to Marlon Brando - and I think it's brilliant.

What'd you think of this week's episode? Who wore your favorite costume? Would you like to see Andy and Erin take their relationship to the next level? (I wonder if Angela would get jealous . . . )

And don't forget that you can always head over to The Office! group in the BuzzSugar Community to dish about the show!

Photo courtesy of NBC

Highlights From the 2009 Treasure Island Music Festival

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:30:05 -0700

As expected, this year's Treasure Island Music Festival was a well-rounded weekend of awesome live music, dancing, and pretty views of San Francisco. The gorgeous and warm weather on Saturday fit the bill for the lineup that had a heavier concentration of electronic music and DJs (like MGMT and Girl Talk), while on Sunday I bundled up and chilled out to The Decemberists and Grizzly Bear. All in all it was an awesome weekend that ended with a bang as The Flaming Lips closed down the party. Check out some photos of my favorite acts from the weekend.

View Slideshow ›

Robert Pattinson Gets His Very Own Documentary

BuzzSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:30:06 -0700

Attention Twi-hards and Robert Pattinson fanatics everywhere: you're about to get a new must-have for your DVD collection. Revolver has just picked up the rights to a full-length documentary about the life and times of the man beneath Edward Cullen's sparkly exterior.

Called Robsessed, the film will give us a peek into Robert's younger years and his rise to fame. It will be available for release in on November 10 for $19.98 - just in time for a pre-New Moon viewing party!

Personally, I'd be more interested in a Pattinson-themed documentary about in about twenty years, when we can get all the juicy details about what was really happening behind-the-scenes of the Twilight sets, but that's just me. I don't doubt for a second that there are thousands of rabid fans who can't wait to run their DVD players ragged with this one. Will you be picking up a copy?

If you want to talk more about everything Twilight, check out the Twilight Movies Group in the Buzz Community!