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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 06:30:48 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. In addition to the titles below you can now rent the Diane Lane thriller Untraceable, Francis Ford Coppola's Youth Without Youth, and Mad Money.

The Great Debaters
The Great Debaters stars Denzel Washington (who also directs), Forest Whitaker and newcomer Nate Parker in a movie that is maybe formulaic but also poignant and powerfully acted. As I pointed out in my review, the film borrows the the same elements of storytelling you find in underdog sports movies and inspirational teacher movies. However the film, based on a true story, is no less inspiring thanks to some moving performances.

The movie takes place in Texas circa 1935 when schools were segregated and economic times were hard all around. A group of young black college students work to become a debate team worthy of challenging Harvard. Washington plays the hard-driving debate team coach who encourages his students to succeed. You've definitely seen this all before in one form or another, but it's a great family rental with an inspirational message. The movie was honored earlier this year with an NAACP Award to boot.

Special features include deleted scenes and featurettes titled, "The Great Debaters: An Historical Perspective," and "Learning the Art: Our Young Actors Go to Debate Camp."

One more release to go so

read more Autism: The Musical I have been curious about this documentary ever since it showed at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival and I'm so glad it's out on DVD now, as I missed its airing on HBO a couple of months ago. The film has earned high praise and was even one of the Academy's 15 documentaries considered for an Oscar nod. As Netflix puts it, the documentary follows "five autistic children as they develop and rehearse The Miracle Project, an original musical about autism." Between this flick and The Great Debaters I'd say you've got yourself a great family movie night here. Special features include deleted scenes, a featurette called, "About Autism Speaks" and a filmmaker biography.

The Great Debaters Wins Big at NAACP Image Awards

BuzzSugar — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:08:18 PST

The Golden Globe-nominated drama The Great Debaters won big Thursday night at the 39th NAACP Image Awards. The NAACP, which uses the annual Image Awards to honor outstanding achievements and performances by people of color and individuals and groups who work to promote social justice, recognized the film with four awards, including Best Motion Picture, Best Actor for Denzel Washington, and Best Actress for Jurnee Smollett.

Talk To Me also nabbed a couple of awards, including one for director Kasi Lemmons. On the television side, Grey's Anatomy won for Best Drama, while Tyler Perry's House of Payne won three awards, including Best Comedy. Alicia Keys won four awards in the music categories, and American Idol alum Jordin Sparks took home the award for Best New Artist.

To see a complete list of winners from Thursday's awards, just

read more. MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES Motion Picture The Great Debaters Actor in a Motion Picture Denzel Washington, The Great Debaters Actress in a Motion Picture Jurnee Smollett, The Great Debaters Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Denzel Whitaker, The Great Debaters Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Janet Jackson, Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? Directing in a Motion Picture Kasi Lemmons, Talk To Me Writing in a Motion Picture Michael Genet and Rick Famuyiwa, Talk To Me Independent or Foreign Film Honeydripper Documentary Darfur Now TELEVISION CATEGORIES: Comedy Series Tyler Perry's House of Payne Actor in a Comedy Series LaVan Davis, Tyler Perry's House of Payne Actress in a Comedy Series America Ferrera, Ugly Betty Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Lance Gross, Tyler Perry's House of Payne Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Vanessa L. Williams, Ugly Betty Directing in a Comedy Series Ken Whittingham, The Office, "Phyllis's Wedding" Writing in a Comedy Series Ali LeRoi, Everybody Hates Chris, "Everybody Hates Guidance Counselor" Drama Series Grey's Anatomy Actor in a Drama Series Hill Harper, CSI: NY Actress in a Drama Series Regina Taylor, The Unit Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Omar Epps, House Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy Directing in a Dramatic Series Seith Mann, Friday Night Lights, "Are You Ready For Friday Night?" Writing in a Dramatic Series: Shonda Rhimes and Krista Vernoff, Grey's Anatomy, "A Change is Gonna Come" TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special Life Support Actor in a TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special Wendell Pierce, Life Support Actress in a TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special Queen Latifah, Life Support Actor in a Daytime Drama Series Kristoff St. John, The Young And The Restless Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Christel Khalil, The Young And The Restless News/Information, Series or Special In Conversation: The Senator Barack Obama Interview Talk Series: Tavis Smiley, "Crisis in Darfur" Reality Series Run's House 4 Variety Series or Special Celebration of Gospel '07 Children's Program That's So Raven Performance in a Youth/Children's Program, Series or Special Raven-Symone, That's So Raven RECORDING CATEGORIES Album Alicia Keys, As I Am Song "Like You'll Never See Me Again," Alicia Keys Male Artist Chris Brown Female Artist Alicia Keys. Duo or Group Eddie and Gerald Levert New Artist Jordin Sparks Jazz Artist Herbie Hancock Gospel Artist Kirk Franklin World Music Album Angelique Kidjo, Djin Djin Music Video: "Like You'll Never See Me Again," Alicia Keys LITERATURE CATEGORIES: Fiction Blonde Faith, Walter Mosley Nonfiction Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond, Don Cheadle, John Prendergast Debut Author The Women Who Raised Me: A Memoir, Victoria Rowell Biography/Autobiography: Obama: From Promise to Power, David Mendell Instructional The Covenant in Action, Tavis Smiley Poetry Acolytes: Poems, Nikki Giovanni Children Nothing but Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson, Sue Stauffacher, author; Greg Couch, illustrator Youth/Teens More Than Entertainers: An Inspirational Black Career Guide, Charles B. Schooler, author; Gary Young, illustrator Source

Sugar Bits - Obama and Huckabee Win in Iowa

PopSugar — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 09:35:37 PST

Big win for Barack Obama last night at the Iowa caucus. He won with 38 percent followed by John Edwards and Hilary Clinton. On the Republican side Mike Huckabee beat Mitt Romney, despite the former Massachusetts governor out spending the Arkansas one by millions of dollars. Britney may have stole their thunder, but we bet both campaigns are still celebrating right now as they head to New Hampshire. - CNN
Pamela Anderson will be proceeding with her divorce from Rick Salomon after all, as she served him with divorce papers on Dec. 28. Not too shocking considering her solo NYE in that too-revealing dress. - Us Weekly

Natalie Imbruglia and husband Daniel Johns, of the band Silverchair, are separating after four years of marriage because they "have simply grown apart." So sad to hear this couple is "torn" apart! - Reuters
It looks like those twins J Lo is expecting might be a girl and a boy, as her friends are shopping for baby items in both blue and pink. Somehow we have a feeling that the wardrobe of J Lo's children will go beyond just blue and pink. - Page Six
Jay Leno was scolded by the Writers' Guild yesterday after the monologue he used on Wednesday's show violated their rules. He (a union member) admitted that he wrote it beforehand and did the same thing again last night. Sounds like he may not have much respect for the strike after all. - People
Some details in The Great Debaters, which claims to be based on a true story, were changed in order to make the film more compelling. For example, in the film Denzel's debaters face off against a team from Harvard, but they were actually from USC. Hardly seems like a scandalous lie considering other things Hollywood has fabricated in the past.- Page Six

Source

The Great Debaters: Good Story, Not-So-Great Film

BuzzSugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:28:51 PST

Even in a movie as formulaic as The Great Debaters, Denzel Washington manages to create a character who keeps us guessing. The truth-based tale of a debate team at a small Southern black college in 1935 borrows familiar elements from both underdog sports movies and inspirational teacher movies, but Washington's portrayal of the complicated debate coach is anything but clichéd. His performance, combined with equally subtle character renderings from Forest Whitaker and newcomer Nate Parker, makes this predictable movie worth watching.

read more Though its plot devices are very familiar, The Great Debaters, also directed by Denzel, benefits from an inspiring story and a unique premise. It's set in segregation- and Depression-era Texas, when middle-class blacks attended college even as lynching was still a fact of daily life. It is both a hostile and fitting backdrop for a determined team of college debaters: the graceful Samantha (Jurnee Smollett), who aims to be a lawyer; well-read but angry young man Henry (Parker); and the optimistic and overachieving 14-year-old, James Farmer Jr., played by the improbably named Denzel Whitaker (no relation). We get the requisite scenes of Tolson's tough training techniques, as well as a budding romance, family drama, and plenty of impassioned speeches as the Wiley College debaters handily defeat a string of opponents. After a victory over the much larger Fisk, Prof. Tolson sets out to get a match against Harvard, who eventually extends an invitation. Unfortunately, the script isn't as smart as I would have liked it to be; the supposedly brilliant debaters aren't given very poignant lines to work with. But, particularly because the story is based on fact, you can't help but get caught up in the characters' astounding ambition and victory over seemingly impossible adversity. Of course, the phrase "victory over adversity" should suggest that this isn't the most original movie ever, but it's a fitting feel-good drama for the holidays. To see the trailer and more clips from The Great Debaters check out movies.ivillage.com. Source

Denzel Knows the Power of a Good Debate

PopSugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:33:32 PST

Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker showed off The Great Debaters in NYC last night. Newlyweds Harvey Weinstein and Georgina Chapman were also in the house but there was no sign of Oprah this time around. In the movie, Denzel plays a professor who helps get a debate team started at all-black Wiley College in Texas in 1935 and apparently he was still feeling his character's spirit this week. On Tuesday it was announced that he had donated $1 million to re-establish the debate team at Wiley. Sounds like Denzel's new movie can still teach us a lesson, even many decades later.

More pics including Candice Bergen, Jill Stuart and Cady Huffman so just read more

View 30 Photos ›

Images include: Cady Huffman, Candice Bergen, Denzel Washington, Denzel Whitaker, Forest Whitaker, Jennifer Missoni, Jill Stuart, Jurnee Smollett, Liz Lange, Marshall Rose, Nate Parker, Pauletta Pearson, Sondra Nielsen, Sharon Jones, Zuleikha Robinson, Harvey Weinstein, Georgina Chapman. Source

Movie Preview: The Great Debaters

BuzzSugar — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 10:26:01 PST

Right as everyone's buzzing about Denzel Washington's award-worthy turn in American Gangster, we get a trailer for The Great Debaters, another movie that has Washington's magical charm all over it. Add to that an inspirational historical plot fraught with race tensions, and a tight-looking cast - which includes another Oscar favorite, Forest Whitaker - and you've got the makings for a huge Hollywood success.

Washington plays Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at the all-black Wiley College in Texas in 1935. He helps form the school's first debate team which goes on to challenge Harvard's team in the national championship.

Weird sidenote: One of the young actors in this movie is actually named - and I'm not kidding - Denzel Whitaker. He's not a relative of either Denzel Washington or Forest Whitaker, though he was named after Denzel. Weird, right?

To watch the heartwarming trailer for The Great Debaters which opens December 25,

Will an Agency for "Normal Sized" Models Actually Work?

Fashionista — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:58:40 PST

We're excited to bring you the best fashion finds, shopping stories, and style news from one of our favorite sites, Fashionista. Today, they're taking a closer look at the great model debate.

I'm 5'5" and a size 6, with a not-insignificant ass. I don't see many models out there who look like me. In fact, very few women-no matter what their sizes-probably see themselves reflected in the ads we're bombarded with every single day. There seem to be two distinct types of models-the traditional beanpole "straight size" fashion model, and the zaftig hourglass on the plus-size end of the spectrum.

When these two worlds collide, as they did recently in a controversial editorial that appeared in the online publication, PLUS Model Magazine (wherein a plus-size and straight size model were shown naked and embracing), one gets a sense of how emotionally charged this issue can be. Women on both sides of the scale's needle feel attacked for being too big or too small. But what about those who fall somewhere in between?

Click over to Fashionista for the rest of the story.

The Help Cast Celebrates Their Critical Success and Talks Late Nights Bonding Over Moonshine

Lindsay Miller — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:38:18 PST

The cast of The Help earned the best ensemble cast win tonight at the Critics' Choice Awards, and the ladies from the film were in a reflective mood as they talked about taking on the sometimes-painful movie, as well as bonding off the set over moonshine and fried butter. Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Allison Janney, and Ahna O'Reilly were among the actresses who stopped to talk with reporters about the latest honor for the film, which has already scored several awards and nominations.

Octavia on how much prejudice still exists today: "We've made progress, but there is still progress that has yet to be made, and thank god for a film like The Help that is making us talk about it."

Viola on the debate the movie sparked: "I agree with Octavia . . . I felt it absolutely once the film came out, that people were outraged that these types of films are still being made, and the wonderful thing that came out of that was just great discourse. I hope that this kind of encourages to keep making films with a cast that looks like this: a racially diverse cast, a female cast, because I think that would be the biggest statement of progress in and of itself."

Allison on getting into character:"I would say that Tate [the director] was wonderful in getting us all down there early before we shot and making us watch this wonderful documentary called Eyes on the Prize that really opened our eyes to remind us of what a terrible time that was in our history in America . . . I'll never forget it. It was truly inspiring . . . and just the heat down there, that played a huge part in just making us feel very much a part of the South. That's a whole character itself, 113 degree weather . . . There was so much that we went through to try and re-create that time in history . . . it made for a really delicious Summer of just love, and pain, and everything that it should be."

Ahna O'Reilly on taking characters from a beloved book: "I think we all were so excited about the book and loved it, but definitely there was an enormous amount of pressure. You know, so many people had read the book and were attached to their ideas of these characters, but you know, it's such a wonderful team of women and there was so much chemistry that we didn't have to create. I think, probably, from the get-go everyone would agree that we knew it was something special whether a lot of people saw it or not. And thankfully, they did."

Viola on the friendships they formed off set: "Thank god for moonshine, lemon pie, fried butter on fried bread . . . I think we needed to cut loose on this one. I mean, we needed to escape from this time period to remind us that we weren't really in this time period. And, really, being in Greenwood, MS, instead of on a sound stage in Los Angeles, we were kind of forced - happily forced - to be with each other and have a lot of laughs with apple-pie moonshine at night. And I think that's what you see. That love, that bonding that happened during those fabulous times. That's when we really built an ensemble."

In Season: Belgian Endive

YumSugar — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:29:18 PST

It's known as "white gold" in some parts of the world, and while there may be some debate on how it should be pronounced (en-DIVE or ON-deev), there is no debating the fact that Belgian endive is simply delicious.

Endive is an incredibly interesting leafy vegetable, starting with the fact that it is grown in the dark. The story of its discovery goes like this: a farmer in Belgium was storing chicory roots in his cellar. He forgot about them and came back to find that they had sprouted leaves even in the dark, damp cellar. He took a bite and found that he loved the tangy, slightly bitter flavor of the bundle of leaves, and thus, Belgian endive was born.

Find out how to grow your own Belgian endive and how to best enjoy it when you read on.

Buzz Blabber: DiCaprio Looks Great as Gatsby

BuzzSugar — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 05:30:00 PST

BuzzSugar readers were in a tizzy about the first photos of The Great Gatsby this week - or more specifically, about how good Leonardo DiCaprio looks in the title role. That wasn't the only topic that got you talking though; fans took sides on a Harry Potter vs. Twilight debate, and Glee fans applauded the show's Christmas special. Take a look at this week's most buzzed-about topics.

The new Great Gatsby is already making us swoon

"I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS. Cannot contain myself. One of my favorite books + my all-time favorite actor!" - Gabriela Une Vie Saine
"Holy hotness! Leo looks amazingly sexy in that pic. I love the book, LOVE Leo, and all the other actors work for me, but 3D has me scared. Although, having Leo come out of the screen at me could be good." - mrsld
"I can't wait to see this! The Great Gatsby was one of the favorite books in high school. Plus, Leo and Carey is all I need to hear!" - carrothead

To see why fans think Harry Potter is better than Twilight, just

"Harry Potter, absolutely. The film is much better written and acted than anything in Twilight, and the Potter films have several fantastic messages throughout them." - indigo15
"I'm a fan of both series but Harry Potter has a substance Twilight never had. It's a harlequin romance for teenagers, and it's good for what it is. The Harry Potter series sets the bar for a fantasy series that translates to all readers, not just fantasy fans." - testadura67
Harry, for sure. Twilight is a guilty pleasure...something to make me feel 17 again, but Harry Potter deals with some of the fundamentals in life. Much more meaningful (and better on the big screen)." - planetkate

Glee brings the holiday cheer

"I liked I'm dating Kim Kardashian' moment. So true!"
"Kurt and Blaine's duet was so good! I enjoyed the whole show, and I really liked how the show opened with Mercedes belting out 'All I Want for Christmas is You.' I loved that the show was so light hearted last night." - kimmieb124
I also liked hearing the Blaine/Kurt duet, their voices go great together. Same goes for the "Favorite Things" presentation." - demarco11

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.