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5 Cool Halloween Costumes Inspired by the Movies

Brittney Stephens — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:00:24 PDT

If you're still in need of creative Halloween costume ideas, look no further - we've put together five totally awesome looks inspired by some of our favorite cinematic style moments. So whether you're looking to channel a moody, fur-clad Margot Tenenbaum or an all-out glamorous Miss Piggy, we've got you covered. These costumes require little effort and little cash, so click through now to see and shop the goods.

Michael Bay and Co. to Remake Everything Scary Ever

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:30:48 PDT

Most of you were irritated to learn that Michael Bay is planning on remaking Wes Craven’s 1984 film A Nightmare on Elm Street and another '80s horror classic, Friday the 13th. Bay's production company also has plans to remake Near Dark and The Birds and has already produced mostly forgettable remakes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Amityville Horror, and The Hitcher.

Now there is news that Bay's production company is trying to work out a deal to develop the Ira Levin novel Rosemary's Baby into a new film. Of course, that was already done in 1968 by director Roman Polanski and is considered a classic. The fairly disturbing film wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but the way Polanski tackled unnerving subject matter earned him an Oscar nod. Somehow I doubt Bay's production will yield similar critical acclaim.

Bay certainly seems to have cornered the scary-remake market, but tell me: Do you actually care? Do you have faith in any of these remakes, or do you just wish Bay would give the whole thing a rest?

Source and Source

How to Solve 3 Common Beach Photography Problems

Anna Monette Roberts — Sun, 27 May 2012 07:12:12 PDT

A day at the beach is the perfect chance to capture carefree memories, but the brightness of the sun reflecting off the sand and water doesn't often yield the best photographic results. Before you start snapping away, take a look at three common beach photography problems and simple ways you can avoid them.

The photos are overexposed: Auto mode can overexpose photos, making them appear washed out. Experiment with the camera's manual setting. First set the camera's ISO (the setting that controls the camera's sensitivity to light) to a low number, like 100. A low ISO setting is best for bright lighting. Set it to a higher number, like 400, when shooting moving objects. Next, change the white balance, and set it to daylight, shade, or cloudy-twilight-sunset, depending on the weather.

The pics are boring: Transform a shot of the sea by finding a point of interest to focus on, whether it's a rock, crashing wave, setting sun, or flying bird. The object breaks up an otherwise basic-looking landscape. Frame the pic using the rule of thirds, and include the horizon of the beach in the background to give the photo depth.

The pics have a weird bluish lighting: Try attaching a few filters to the camera. A UV filter will remove the fog effect that is caused from UV rays, and it helps protect the lens from sun damage. Experiment with a polarizing filter to reduce the glare from water and to darken the bright blue hues of the sky. It can be used occasionally, depending on the effect you are hoping to achieve.

Can't Stop Wanting: Shourouk Bracelets

Noria Morales — Sun, 27 May 2012 03:00:00 PDT

Parisian designer Shourouk Rhaiem first had me hooked with an insanely beautiful crystal bird statement necklace, but that was $700, and I was looking for a slightly smaller investment. That's when I came across her crystal and rope bracelets ($210). The mix of pastel and neon crystal with woven cord feels simultaneously regal and sporty, the combination of which I equate with perfection. You could totally stack these, but just one is enough, and it would also make a great gift, no?

50 of the Best Kids' Birthday Party Themes

Rebecca M Gruber — Sun, 27 May 2012 02:08:26 PDT

It's your lil one's special day, so there's no stopping Mom when it comes to planning the perfect birthday bash. Kids wait all year to celebrate their big days, and with one of these amazing party themes, they're sure to have the best day ever. From an Angry Birds-themed party and a Very Hungry Caterpillar birthday to a firehouse soiree, we've rounded up the best themes for the guest of honor!

Foodie Friday Link Time: Low-Calorie Grilled Veggie Wrap Recipe

Michele Foley — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:23:34 PDT

Relax on a hot day with this cooling vegetarian wrap - Vegetarian Times
Cheers! Here are four skinny cocktails to start your Friday the right way - Self
The weird stuff lurking in your milk, olive oil, and other "good-for-you" foods - Prevention
It's National Burger Month; here are healthy ways to celebrate - Daily Spark
Are you getting these eight essential nutrients in your diet on the daily? - Shape
Get on board with protein pancakes - it's the new trend, y'all - Eating Bird Food
A firsthand account of the brand-new Larabar line; yummy or not? - The Fitnessista
Skip the store: five reasons to make your own popsicles - Blisstree

Hysteria Director Tanya Wexler Talks Vibrators, Faking It, and Duck Sex

Tara Block — Fri, 25 May 2012 04:00:15 PDT

Don't be shy . . . It's time to talk sex toys! And Hysteria director Tanya Wexler is writing us a prescription for pleasure. Tanya's film - what she calls "the vibrator movie you can bring your mom to" - is in limited release and stars Hugh Dancy, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Rupert Everett. When working on a romantic comedy that centers around the invention of the vibrator, you end up with some entertaining and embarrassing situations along the way, and lucky for us, Tanya spilled all the hilariously dirty details. From teaming up with the film's partner Jimmyjane for a drive-by vibrator drop-off to a certain female Oscar-winner to trying unsuccessfully to get ducks to shag on command, Tanya was bursting with great stories from working on this very unconventional film. And while Tanya isn't ashamed to discuss the sexy subject matter of her latest film with us, the mother of four and her partner of 21 years did have a tricky challenge telling her preteen kids what her movie was about. (She eventually gave them the script and let them figure it out themselves!) Check out our interview with the fun-loving director now, and we dare you not to have a girl crush on her by the end!

TrèsSugar: What were some of the challenges to getting a movie made about vibrators?
Tanya Wexler: Getting the script right was tricky because if you just make a movie about the invention of the vibrator, it's actually a really short movie: you go "bzz" and it's done. And we had a kind of light romantic comedy. I say I made the vibrator movie you can bring your mom to. But some people wanted it to be raunchy or some people wanted it to be more serious and about feminism. People project a lot onto this movie of what they want, because there isn't a lot out there about vibrators and women's pleasure, and we still don't really deal with that topic very well, or we're overly antsy around it. And as a result, people have a lot of ideas of what the movie could and should be, and you can't please everyone. [laughs]

TS: Ha, good one.
TW: It's nonstop!

TS: Do you find sex toys inherently funny or something to be seriously celebrated?
TW: Yes!

TS: Both?
TW: Yes! Yes. I think they make me laugh, and I think that the inner kind of Beavis and Butt-head in all of us goes "[laugh]." You know, that inner 13-year-old, like, "Hahaha vibrator . . . " and yet they're awesome and fun.

TS: What shocked you the most when researching the movie?
TW: That ducks are the rapists of the bird world, and you'll see when you see the movie, because there's a little bit of questionable duck behavior - or awesome duck behavior - in the movie. It's totally a sidebar, but you cannot make ducks shag on command. I'm just saying.

TS: What about the whole history of hysteria being a medical condition?
TW: When I first heard the idea, I was like, "What do you mean it was invented in Victorian times?" I knew about hysteria, but the idea that the treatment was manual [British accent] massage deparaxism - which is what they called it - and, of course, the denial. The most shocking thing is the denial, that they didn't think it was sexual.

TS: Do you think they were really in denial?
TW: No, I don't think that some people were. My college roommate was with her high school boyfriend for two years and she had never had an orgasm. I think there's all kinds of denial, especially with women's sexuality. So the fact that there are young women today who haven't had an orgasm, whether self-induced - which is insane - or with a partner, then why wouldn't we think back then that women wouldn't know what orgasms were?

They would get a massage, and the doctor's saying, "Without a penis, this isn't sex, because sex is about procreation," so what is this? The best physical therapy you've ever had. So once you don't think of it as something other than what the doctor's supposed to do to cure your uncontrollable crying or uncontrollable laughter or whatever, then it's just an awesome muscle spasm. If you don't think women have their own inherent sexuality, then you're not thinking about it like that.

Keep reading for Tanya's thoughts on Fifty Shades and more!

Nighttime Fasting: A New Way to Lose Weight?

Shape — Thu, 24 May 2012 04:09:52 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to Cynthia Sass, a registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health.

If you couldn’t let anything cross your lips from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m., but you were allowed to eat anything you wanted for eight hours a day and still lose weight, would you try it? That’s the apparent bottom line of a rat study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, which recently stirred up the weight loss pot.

Top 50 Summer Diet Foods for Weight Loss

Scientists put groups of mice on different diet regimens for 100 days. One group of rodents ate healthy food while animals in two of the groups chowed down on high-fat, high-calorie feed. Half of the junk food eaters were allowed to munch whenever they wanted to while the others only had access to feed for the eight hours they were most active. The conclusion: even though they ate a fatty diet, the mice who were forced to fast for 16 hours were almost as lean as those who ate the healthy fare. Interestingly, the round the clock junk food eaters became obese and developed health problems, even though they consumed about the same amount of fat and calories as the time-restricted junk food fed mice.

See if a nutritionist thinks nighttime fasting works after the break!

7 Geeky Vacation Spots For Summer Travels

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:11:11 PDT

Take some of that hard-earned PTO, and plan a Summer vacation that speaks to your geek style: peep Japan's latest and greatest, choose your favorite sci-fi convention, or check out theme parks that are anything but ordinary. Click through, and let the vacation inspiration begin!

Source: Flickr User rendomthoughts and The Consortium

Instagram Challenge: You Know You're a Mom When . . .

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:02:44 PDT

Last night, while washing the dishes, I broke a ceramic baker, cutting my finger and sending me running for first aid. The only bandages I could find in the house were decorated with Toy Story characters and Angry Birds; not exactly what this sophisticated mama wanted to be wearing today. That was just one of the many moments I realized I knew I was a mom. We know that you've experienced those moments too, so we want you to share them - graphically! Grab your iPhone or Android, photograph something that illustrates motherhood to you, and upload it to Instagram, being sure to include the hashtag #lilsugar in your caption.
We'll pick our favorite shots from the upcoming week and share them with you back here on LilSugar. And make sure to follow LilSugar on Instagram (username: lilsugar1) for daily parenthood inspiration!