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Jennifer Lopez Returns to the Rom-Com Genre

BuzzSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:30:38 PDT

New mom-of-twins Jennifer Lopez is heading back to work in front of the cameras soon for yet another romantic comedy. Titled The Governess, the movie "centers on a professional thief who, in order to pull off a major bank heist, poses as a nanny to the three unruly children of a wealthy widower. When she starts to fall for the kids and their father, she must decide if she can give up her past for a chance to start over."

I wonder. . . will she be able to give up her past for the wealth widower and the three scamps she's come to love?!

Tell me: Do you think Jennifer Lopez is good at the romantic comedy thing? Do you like her performances in Maid in Manhattan and The Wedding Planner? Might this be a cute film?

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Dark Shadows: Should Have Stayed Buried

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 11 May 2012 03:05:00 PDT

Bringing back a 1960s TV series about a vampire sounds like a perfect job for director Tim Burton, who became a modern master of cinematic goth with movies like Batman, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Sleepy Hollow. But even with star and frequent collaborator Johnny Depp, the film adaptation of Dark Shadows fails to live up to Burton's previous work. Sadly, it feels more like a lazy, scattered project from someone trying to imitate Burton's style.

Depp stars as Barnabus Collins, a man who is turned into a vampire in the late 1700s by Angelique (Eva Green), a witch whose heart he has broken. After his loved ones are killed by Angelique, Barnabus is buried for 200 years until he's accidentally dug up. Back in his mansion in the 1970s, he gets acquainted with the existing Collins clan (including Michelle Pfeiffer and Chloë Grace Moretz), and sets about building a relationship with them, reinvigorating the family business, and going head-to-head with Angelique - who's been thriving for centuries. There's certainly a lot going on in, but none of it is compelling enough to make a satisfying movie.

To find out what else I thought of the movie, just keep reading.

Julie Andrews on the Importance of Princess Culture, Princess Kate, and Her Favorite Roles

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:32:56 PDT

It's hard not to become giddy when talking about Julie Andrews. The legendary actress's career spans more than 50 years, with multiple generations of families still enjoying her library of work together - from Mary Poppins to The Princess Diaries. What many people don't know is that the 76-year-old Academy Award winner is also the coauthor - with her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton - of more than 20 children's books, including the just-released The Very Fairy Princess: Here Comes the Flower Girl!, part of the "Very Fairy Princess" series.

As far as meeting her in person - well as someone who can still recite virtually every line of The Sound of Music, it's a totally surreal experience. From the beautiful English accent that spoke to me from my favorite films to the fact that she still exudes the authoritativeness of the governesses she played, the experience was almost regal - which is why Andrews is perfectly cast as the spokeswoman for Disney and Target's first National Princess Week, which runs from April 22-28. I met up with the living legend, her daughter, and her granddaughter at a princess-themed tea - feather boas, scepters and all - to discuss the relevance of princesses today, working motherhood, and her favorite roles over the years.

On why playing princesses is really OK:
Julie Andrews: "My personal take on it is that they may be trying on for size what it feels like to be, say, a real lady. [It] perhaps, in some way, helps them find their own identity later in life. I do think fantasy and play of this kind - whatever it is, if you want to play at being a nurse, or if you want to play at being a florist - it's all important and should be allowed, because it would be an awfully sad place if we didn't try on those airs and have fun doing it."

On raising strong, independent, confident women in a culture saturated with princesses:
Emma Walton Hamilton: "Sometimes I think princesses are given an unfair rap. We compiled a list of over 70 contemporary princesses. In doing the research for that, I was reminded once again of the extraordinary work princesses do in the world. The charitable contributions, the causes they champion, the amount of good and service they contribute and provide. I think they're a wonderful example of being strong, feminine, and kind, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that."

On her favorite Disney princess:
Julie Andrews: "Mine has to be, because I've been involved with it, Cinderella. I played Cinderella when I was about 17 years old in England, and then when I came to America it was the first Rodgers and Hammerstein musical they wrote for me. So for me Cinderella has always resonated. And I love the rags to riches, kind of like my own story in a little way."

Keep reading for Andrews's thoughts on Princess Kate, the state of motherhood today, and her favorite role.

Jane Eyre: Needs More Fire

Lauren Bradshaw — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 05:05:00 PST

Multiple miniseries and movies have taken on Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, so is another adaptation of the classic novel really necessary? Perhaps not, but director Cary Fukunaga's beautifully shot retelling is still a worthy addition to the previous versions of the tale. It stays loyal to Bronte's material while retaining the book's gothic soul.

Mia Wasikowska stars as the literary heroine, a governess at a sprawling but dreary estate called Thornfield Hall. The film begins when a distraught Jane flees Thornfield and is taken in by clergyman St. John Rivers (Jaime Bell). Though Jane won't tell John about her past or where she comes from, the audience sees all of it via flashbacks, beginning with Jane's difficult childhood under the watch of her cold-hearted aunt (Sally Hawkins). Fed up with Jane, the aunt sends her away to the strict Lowood charity school, where Jane grows up with little human connection. Once she's old enough, she lands the job at Thornfield under the aloof Edward Rochester (Michael Fassbender) and mysterious events begin to occur in the house. It's a lot of ground for the film to cover, but by encapsulating Bronte's story, we get more insight into Jane, instead of focusing on her relationship with Mr. Rochester. The downside is that their romance could have benefited from the extra attention and development.

Find out why it's worth seeing after the jump.

Would You Rather Read the Book Before Seeing the Movie?

Colleen Barrett — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 03:30:02 PST

Forget Jane Austen, I'd choose a Brontë sister any day. And I'd choose Jane Eyre over Wuthering Heights every time. Jane Eyre has everything I want in a classic: an orphan, boarding school, a governess job at an empty Gothic mansion, stormy English weather, a crazy lady in the attic - and forbidden love.

Not only have I read it, but I am rereading before the movie. As much as we complain about spoilers, reading a book before seeing its movie seems more satisfying. Or, it can be more frustrating, depending on how well it's adapted. Regardless of whether you succeed or fail at your reading attempts, would you rather read the book before seeing the movie?

What to Rent: New DVDs This Week

BuzzSugar — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 05:30:00 PDT

Something Borrowed

In this romantic comedy, Ginnifer Goodwin plays Rachel, an unhappily single 30-year-old attorney, who has always been overshadowed by her obnoxious best friend Darcy (Kate Hudson). After one too many birthday drinks, Rachel reveals to Darcy's fiancé Dex (Colin Egglesfield) that she harbored a secret crush on him throughout their law school years, and the pair end up in bed together. In the weeks leading up to the wedding, Rachel and Dex continue their secret relationship. The film feels like a teenage soap opera, but John Krasinski provides some laughs as Rachel's confidante. The DVD extras include a gag reel and deleted scenes.

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Jane Eyre

In this adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's classic book, Mia Wasikowska stars as Jane Eyre, a woman who becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall after spending a hard childhood in boarding school. Once at Thornfield, Jane begins to notice mysterious events and catches the eye of its owner, Edward Rochester (Michael Fassbender). The two begin a relationship, but the secrets that emerge prove too much for Jane to handle. The relationship between Jane and Edward could have been developed a bit more, but the film nevertheless manages to capture the novel's gothic vibe. DVD extras include deleted scenes and commentary from the director.

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One more DVD when you

The Conspirator

In this Robert Redford film set in post-Civil War Washington, Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) plays a lawyer who is charged with defending Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), the only woman accused of participating in the plot to assassinate Lincoln. Aiken, who is initially reluctant to take on the case, soon begins to uncover evidence that suggests his client is not only innocent, but also may be a pawn in a plan to lure the actual conspirator. While the film highlights a little-known historical event, its pacing is pretty slow. The extras on the DVD include segments about Mary Surratt's real trial and deleted scenes.

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