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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:30:55 PDT

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.

Flight of the Conchords: Season Two
If ever there was a DVD set to bring home and enjoy over and over again it's one for Flight of the Conchords! This show is a neverending source of joy because Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie are so very funny. Plus the songs are actually quite catchy.

In the second season of their HBO show, the two guys continue to struggle to make it in the music industry and meet the ladies of Manhattan. Some of the DVD extras include outtakes, deleted scenes, and Dave's Pawn Shop commercials.

Two more up next so

The Soloist
The Soloist is an ambitious little film from Atonement director Joe Wright all about the relationship between a journalist and a homeless, mentally ill man who also happens to be a gifted Julliard-trained musician. The visually slick movie stars heavyweight actors Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx in the lead roles. Wright tries to pack a ton of stuff into one movie, so watching this one is a substantial - but worthwhile - undertaking.

Special features include audio commentary by Wright, deleted scenes, a making-of featurette, a featurette about homelessness in Los Angeles, and a peek at the real-life men who inspired this remarkable story.

54%

Obsessed
Interestingly, Obsessed and The Soloist opened over the same weekend. Obsessed was No. 1 at the box office while The Soloist was No. 4.

Though I find the whole catfight thing to be a little tired, I have to admit that the trailers for Obsessed made me chuckle. In one preview, Ali Larter's character is brutally attacking Beyonce's character and Beyonce's husband calls to ask if she's OK. Beyonce responds with something like, "I got this" and hangs up. Ha! It might be worth renting for the camp factor alone.

Here's the plot: "Derek Charles (Idris Elba) seems to have it all - including the perfect job and the perfect wife (Beyonce Knowles). But his charmed life takes on an ugly tarnish when sexy office worker Lisa Sheridan (Ali Larter) sets out to seduce and destroy him. Now, it's much more than a dangerous liaison; it's a full-blown occupational hazard. Christine Lahti and Jerry O'Connell co-star in this Fatal Attraction-style thriller from director Steve Shill."

The DVD extras seem just as entertaining as the movie and include three behind-the-scenes featurettes: "Girl Fight!" (about the stunt coordination and the actresses' thoughts on "the fun of getting to fight each other!"), "Playing Together Nicely" (about the writing of the script and the casting process), and "Dressed to Kill" (featuring costume designer Maya Lieberman).

18%

The Office Spinoff: News, Rumors, and Funny Stuff

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:31:25 PDT

Well, here's our first proof that the spinoff of The Office is actually happening: The show might not have a title, a setting, or a concept, but at least it has an actor!

Aziz Ansari of MTV's Human Giant will join the show as one member of the ensemble cast that's still being assembled. In addition to his work on the MTV sketch show, Ansari provided one of the funniest moments of the first season of Flight of the Conchords, playing a racist fruit stand owner. I'm certainly not sad to be seeing more from him.

Meanwhile, there's a wild rumor going around that Rashida Jones could be joining the spinoff, with one source saying it's happening and another saying she hasn't even been asked. It's an interesting idea, though: Would you watch a show focusing on Karen Fillipelli and the Utica branch?

In announcing Ansari's casting, Office creator Greg Daniels and producer Michael Schur also talked a bit more about the spinoff in general, so to read what they had to say - and watch Ansari's great Conchords moment - just

Some tidbits from the story:

It's unlikely that any current Office characters will jump to the new show.
However, it could be a "planted spinoff" where characters are introduced on the main show and then jump to their own series.
The show could also be a completely separate series with no direct ties to The Office at all. Schur simply said, "We're focusing on making the best show we can make as a companion to The Office."
The producers have a handful of ideas for the premise and will decide which one to pursue in the coming weeks.
The writers have been hired, and they come from Everybody Loves Raymond, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and South Park, among others.

Sounds to me like it's all still kind of a mess at this point, but I'm curious to see what comes of it by the time the series premieres after the Super Bowl next year.

Here's Ansari on Conchords:

And here's the Conchords song his character inspired (vaguely NSFW, though to be fair, they're just saying "uckers"):

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Buzz Gift Guide: Entertaining Dad

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:30:07 PDT

Dads: They're just like us. They, too, need good entertainment within arm's reach to keep life fun, so today I'm sharing a couple of gift ideas that I've got my eye on for Father's Day!

What dad wouldn't kill for the newly released collector's edition of Dirty Harry? This package comes with everything a fan would want related to the movie series, which stars Clint Eastwood as the macho San Francisco police inspector, including a new retrospective documentary titled The Long Shadow of Dirty Harry. Go ahead, make dad's day.

Music-wise, Al Green is the coolest cat of all - and his new album features duets with young singers including John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae, so it's a great candidate for a daddy-daughter sing-along.

I recently passed Ian McEwan's novel Saturday on to my dad while on vacation, and he gave it two thumbs up. It's the story of a middle-aged man who has everything you could want in life - a career, great kids, a loving wife - whose ordinary day takes an extraordinary turn that pushes his courage to the limits.

Finally, if you want to sit down and laugh with your dad this Father's Day, you'd do well to stay away from films like Knocked Up (awkward). Try introducing him to the goofy fun of the Flight of the Conchords HBO show instead.

Dirty Harry Ultimate Collector's Edition ($60)	Flight of the Conchords - The Complete First Season ($24)
Lay It Down, Al Green ($13)	Saturday by Ian McEwan ($13)

Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 17 May 2008 07:30:35 PDT

We appear to have a mellow movie weekend ahead of us in terms of new releases, but there is still lots out there to keep you busy. Which movie are you headed to this weekend?
Holy cow, it was a busy week for TV! The network upfronts gave us a lot of good stuff to look forward to this Fall. Fox added some cool-looking sci-fi shows to its roster while the CW charts a clear path forward, littered with rich kids.
Speaking of the CW's rich kids, are you excited for the new 90210 now that we've got some pictures? And what do you think about the series Surviving the Rich (based on the book How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls)?
Hooray for Reaper! It will not be canceled, which I assume is a great relief to its star, Bret Harrison, who I had the honor of interviewing!
There were a lot of trailers out on the Web this week some good, some not so good. I thought Edge of Love looks breathtakingly gorgeous (and so romantic!) and I'm really intrigued by Woody Allen's latest all-star flick.
Is it just me or does it seem like only people raised in the '80s are running the show down in L.A. right now? They're bringing Fraggle Rock to the big screen and. . . wait for it. . . a cereal box mascot movie (yeah, it's odd, just read the post).
James Frey, author of the bestselling memoir A Million Little Pieces (which later turned out to be more fiction than anything else) has a new book out and it's getting stellar reviews. Are you open to reading his stuff?
Definitely make time to check out what's new on iTunes because there's some great stuff out this week, including Duffy and Death Cab for Cutie. And if you're curious about who's singing that sweet little tune on the diamond commercials, I have the entire song here.
Also, the new Flight of the Conchords video for "Ladies of the World" is. So. Funny.

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Prepare to Laugh: New Flight of the Conchords Video

BuzzSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:30:02 PDT

I'm still smiling after having watched the video for the The Flight of the Conchords' single "Ladies of the World," off of their new self-titled album (one of my April must-haves). They "just want to do something special for all the ladies in the world" and they show us this by twirling around on their skates, singing shout-outs to all the ladies (and hermaphrodites) around the globe.

I seriously love how the New Zealand comedic duo embrace the '70's time period as they skate around a softly-lit California. Especially when you compare what these guys are doing to something like Will Ferrell's Semi-Pro, it's so much funnier because they are completely, hilariously sincere when they sing about lovin' the ladies.

No word yet on when their TV show will start-up again on HBO but this is the good stuff that gets me through these days without them on the air.

To check it out for yourself,

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Sasquatch: Mythic Creature With Great Taste in Music

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:30:00 PST

The Sasquatch Music Festival, held annually at a gorgeous outdoor amphitheater in George, Washington, has just released this year's lineup, and at first glance I'm liking what I see. R.E.M. and The Cure are the big headliners, which, like Coachella where they're spotlighting Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, is in keeping with this year's trend of bringing back older bands. At least with Sasquatch I don't have to go as far back as bell bottoms; I just have to dig out my Doc Martens (or find new versions of my old Docs!).

Billboard reports that The Flaming Lips will premiere their anticipated film Christmas on Mars at Sasquatch. They'll also perform their U.F.O. Show in which the band emerges from a giant U.F.O. and then one of them finds himself in a hamster ball of some sort. I've seen these guys live, and it's super fun.

For more bands in the lineup and ticket information,

The festival is held on Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26 and tickets go on sale March 8th for $56.50 per day. The price increases two days later. Also, this is a camping event so you have to plan for that as well. More info is available here.

A good chunk of the lineup is what I would describe as "Northwesty" as many of them hail from that part of the map, including Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Cutie, Built to Spill, The New Pornographers, and Kinski. In addition to those bands M.I.A., the Hives, Tegan & Sara, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and the Breeders will be there, along with Flight of the Conchords! I'd also love to check out power-bop band The Cops that I've heard a lot of good things about.

A little something for everybody, no? What do you guys think of this lineup?

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Men in Black 3: A Return to (Alien Life) Form

Becky Kirsch — Sat, 26 May 2012 10:29:01 PDT

I saw the original Men in Black movie so long ago that my memories of the film might as well have been zapped with a neuralyzer (that's the memory-erasing device the guys use in the movie, for those of you who are also having trouble recalling the original). What I did retain is that the film was funny, fresh, and silly and that it didn't hold up very well for the 2002 sequel. With that in mind, I had low expectations for Men in Black 3, but the newest installment is just as much fun as the original, and it actually benefits from the 15-year time lapse.

The script for the film is one of its biggest assets and truly sets Men in Black 3 apart from its predecessors. The aliens are still alive and ickier than ever now that they're in 3D, but the story is more focused on the friendship between J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) and how it has evolved over the years. We learn early on that K has been keeping a secret from J all these years, and the mystery drives a wedge between the partners. Meanwhile, a treacherous alien named Boris the Animal (played to hilarious perfection by Flight of the Conchords's Jemaine Clement) breaks out of maximum-security prison and goes back in time to get revenge on K, who arrested him back in the '60s. The day that K had Boris locked up is the key to K's secret, so J heads on a mission back in time to save K and learn the truth.

To see why Men in Black 3 is so much fun, just

Will Smith hasn't been in a movie since 2008's Seven Pounds, and I didn't realize I missed him until I found myself giggling all the way through Men in Black 3. His shtick is still the same (he's one-liners still consistent of dialogue like "Where did you come from? Planet damn?"), but you can't help but love Agent J as he bumbles through the '60s, desperately trying to sell his story to people who don't recognize him - or believe him. You can tell that Smith feels completely comfortable in the role, and in the signature suit, which still looks perfect on him, as he hasn't aged a day.

Tommy Lee Jones is ever the reliable curmudgeon, but the film mines extra laughs when J travels to the '60s and meets a much younger version of his partner, played by Josh Brolin. Brolin looks enough like Jones to pass for him, but it's really his studied delivery and mannerisms that sell the performance. We also get some insight into how K has evolved over the years (he's always had a penchant for cowboy music, but he also used to be a bit of a dreamer), giving the film an extra layer to the enjoyable banter between J and K.

I'm not usually one to gush about 3D, but the special effects really come to life in Men in Black 3 in a way they never did in the first two movies. Not only do the aliens look creepier than ever, but the cartoonish feel of the film is taken to the next level with the 3D aspect, especially with the time-travel thrill-ride element. Much like with the 3D movies from my youth, I found myself shrinking in my seat just to avoid being too close to the alien goo, blood, breath, and beyond. Combined with the welcome return of Will Smith, you've got yourself a fun, mindless blockbuster.

Photos courtesy of Sony

4 Reasons the Flight of the Conchords Movie Needs to Happen

Becky Kirsch — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:30:12 PST

Will the Conchords fly again? According to Bret McKenzie, it just might happen - and this time, on the big screen. The actor recently told The Hollywood Reporter that there's definitely hope for a Flight of the Conchords film, saying, "We’re gonna try and do a movie. We just need a story." Though the HBO comedy series fizzled out after just two seasons, the show's 23 episodes are enough to convince me that these guys have what it takes to be movie stars.

The Muppets movie made me miss the Conchords' quirky songs. The Muppets was a reunion for McKenzie and director James Bobin, who co-created Flight of the Conchords. McKenzie acted as the music supervisor for the film, and the songs in the musical absolutely have an eau de Conchords. Who else could write songs like "Me Party" and "Man or Muppet?" Clearly McKenzie hasn't lost his touch, and the fun, silly musical numbers in The Muppets prove he's got the chops to take his show to the big screen.
The HBO series burned out too soon. It's pretty much consensus amongst Flight of the Conchords fans that the first season was genius, but the second was subpar. It was hard to top the random hilarity of the first batch of episodes, and it was clear that McKenzie and Jemaine Clement had some issues coming up with new songs to fit another season, but that doesn't mean we've given up on them.
Bret and Jemaine need to be bigger stars than they are. This is the first I've heard about McKenzie since his days with the Conchords (other than the news of his upcoming small role in The Hobbit), and Clement has been mostly under the radar as well. Both of these guys are talented and hilarious, and a movie is exactly what they need to get back on the map.
A movie would give them time to develop great songs and a fun story. It seemed like part of the problem with the second season of the TV show is that the guys were pressed for time, but there would be no rush on a movie. Plus, with a brand-new story, maybe the Conchords could finally get their big break?

Video of the Day: Flight of the Conchords' Binary Solo

Kelly Schwarze — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:04:12 PDT

In further celebration of the zeros and ones in today's date, binary code geeks can check out this oldie but goodie musical ode to our future robot overlords courtesy of the Flight of the Conchords. Make sure to stick with the video until the end for the epic binary solo.

Bret McKenzie Says He Can't Wait to Play His "Oscar Card" to Flight of the Conchords Buddy Jemaine

Becky Kirsch — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:26:43 PST

We've loved Bret McKenzie ever since his Flight of the Conchords days, and we were so excited to see him take home an Oscar tonight for his original song from The Muppets. McKenzie shared his giddiness with us back in the press room, where he talked about the inspiration behind his song "Man or Muppet," and how he can't wait to rub his Oscar in Jemaine Clement's face.

On being an artist from New Zealand: Well, it's a great place to grow up. You can do whatever you want there. Where in America everyone is obsessed with their careers, in New Zealand you get to live your dreams.

On how the Oscar will affect his work with Flight of the Conchords: I'm looking forward to writing with Jemaine [Clement] in the future again. Because I'll be able to pull out the Oscar card and say "Mmm, I think we should use this chord . . ." and "I won an Oscar!"

On why the song deserved to win: I think it was one of those musical numbers where everyone did a great job. James Bobin, the director, did such a great job with the video. Jason Segel went very deep both with the recording and on screen. It was one of those things that fell into place very easily.

On what he wants to do next: I want to see if I can collaborate with Chris Cooper to do a full-length rap album.

On whether or not he felt pressure to write a song for The Muppets: I absolutely do. A friend of mine said, when I got the job of working on the film, "You'll never write another 'Rainbow Connection.'" And I said, "You're right." And I didn't. "Rainbow Connection" didn't win an Oscar, but there's no doubt that their song is an absolutely timeless classic, and this song is nothing in comparison.

On how he was influenced by Jim Henson: In the '80s, when I was at home a lot watching TV, my dad one day brought home a video recorder. No one else had one, so it was pretty exciting. But he only had two video cassettes, and one was The Dark Crystal. So my brother and I watched that movie at least twice a week for about five years. Definitely, Jim Henson influenced me. He's a huge inspiration and the other thing I love about the guy is he made children's films that I think he found funny. He was making them for adults. He didn't patronize the minds of children.

On whether he prefers "Man or Muppet" or "Life's a Happy Song": I think this one is more successful in the world of the movie, because it's when the characters deal with that age-old crisis: "Am I a man or a muppet?" But that other one, that's annoyingly catchy.