BuzzSugar

The Invasion: Still a Good Story, Boringly Updated

BuzzSugar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 15:28:35 PDT

I recently had a conversation with friends about why the sci-fi thriller The Invasion of the Body Snatchers keeps getting remade (after the original 1956 movie, there was a remake in 1978 starring Donald Sutherland followed by a 1993 remake with Forest Whitaker). Someone pointed out that the movie continues to be relevant, that the themes within it can be interpreted and applied to current social or political happenings at any given time. With The Invasion, however, it seems there was no firm decision made about whether it should be a political commentary or a suspenseful horror film. So, it ends up trying weakly for both and accomplishing neither.

The basic plot is this: A space shuttle crashes on Earth covered in creepy microorganisms which, when touched by humans, cover said humans with a gooey, sticky film in their sleep. Upon waking, the humans are transformed into emotionless shells of their former selves, unaffected by sorrow or love. Psychiatrist Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman), her friend Ben (Daniel Craig) and her young son Oliver (Jackson Bond) are among the few residents of Washington, D.C. who very rapidly figure out the whole deal and struggle to not get infected with the zombie disease (which disgustingly can be passed when one zombie projectile vomits on a non-zombie and then it's just a matter of falling asleep, perchance to congeal). More about this story and my take on it if you

In this version of the body snatchers story, it becomes apparent that Oliver is immune and can never become "one of them." So, rather than being simply a choice of whether or not to fall asleep and become a droid, it becomes imperative that Carol stay awake because her son would be killed by the zombies (who "have no need" for an immune kid) if she were not around to protect him.

Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig commit fully to this movie, a stoic and noble move on both their parts seeing as it seems to be a waste of their supreme talents. If it were not for these two, this film might have quickly slid into the realm of campy horror flicks perhaps enjoyed by a cult following. As it is, though, it's just a middle-of-the-road movie - not too scary, not touching, but not utterly boring, either.

With nods to the previous incarnations of Invasion of the Body Snatchers left and right (people in the middle of the road screaming crazily at cars rushing past them, the repeated phrase "My husband is not my husband; my son is not my son"), the original idea behind the work lurks somewhere inside The Invasion. Yet this version tries to modernize the story as well, heavily featuring text messaging between mother and son, for example. Also, Carol's apparent knowledge of how to Google things results in her extremely swift and total understanding of how this new "disease" works. Yet a disappointing new tweaking to this version is a removal of the bleak and chilling overtones. The ending is so neat and tidy it's like nothing happened at all during the previous ninety minutes. Thus, I found myself wondering why I'd spent those minutes with this movie.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

Movie Preview: The Invasion

BuzzSugar — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 06:30:00 PDT

You may recall several months ago that there was news of Nicole Kidman getting into a minor accident on the set of a movie. Well, The Invasion is that movie, and the full, creepy trailer was just released. Also starring Daniel Craig (who, along with Kidman, has an American accent in the film), The Invasion is about a strange, zombie-like, extraterrestrial infection sweeping all of humanity, and a Washington DC psychiatrist (Kidman) realizes her son might be the only hope they have to find a cure. Opening August 17, we have some time to recover from the trailer, which is pretty darn chilling, so

What to TiVo: Wednesday

Maggie Pehanick — Tue, 22 May 2012 23:59:56 PDT

8:00 The Middle (new, season finale)
8:30 Two and a Half Men (repeat)
9:00 Modern Family (new, season finale)
9:30 Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (new, season finale)
10:00 Revenge (new, season finale)
11:35 Nightline (new)
12:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live (new, with guests Josh Brolin and Bethenny Frankel)

8:00 The Big Bang Theory (repeat)
8:30 Two and a Half Men (repeat)
9:00 Criminal Minds (repeat)
10:00 Criminal Minds (repeat)
11:35 Late Show With David Letterman (new, with guest Bill O'Reilly)
12:37 The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (new, with guests Jennifer Love Hewitt and Rutina Wesley)

8:00 American Idol (season finale)

8:00 Betty White's Off Their Rockers (new)
8:30 Betty White's Off Their Rockers (repeat)
9:00 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (repeat)
10:00 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (new, season finale)
11:34 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (new, with guests Charlize Theron and Jeffrey Dean Morgan)
12:37 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (new, with guests Edie Falco and Jim Gaffigan)

8:00 America's Next Top Model: British Invasion (repeat)
9:00 America's Next Top Model: British Invasion (new)

Get more TV to watch when you read more.

"I Snooped and Found Something . . . Now What?"

Tres Community — Tue, 22 May 2012 03:05:00 PDT

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I'll try my best to make this short. I really appreciate any and all advice here, I am so stumped on what to do.

My boyfriend and I have been together for about three months now. I'm 24 he is 28. We met at work, and were not really friends before we started dating. So basically I have some trust issues because I don't really know much about his dating life before we got together, other than the fact that he was kind of a player.

We have an interesting relationship. Most of the time we are great, have a good time together. He told me he loved me first, probably about two months in. That was a big deal for him because he had only said it to one girl before, and they dated for five years.

A couple weeks ago we had a bad string of fights about all sorts of things, but the past couple weeks have been great with no problems.

I'm not really sure how much of this back story is relevant, but there it is anyway lol.

So back to my trust issues.... I snooped in his phone last night because I just had a bad feeling. I know it's totally wrong and an invasion of privacy, but I couldn't help it. Anyways, I found something. A text conversation between him and another girl from last Saturday late night / Sunday afternoon.

This conversation happened when he was away at a bachelor party all weekend on a boat with a bunch of guys. I was under the impression that he didn't have cell phone service out there, so seeing that he was talking to anyone was kind of a shock, because I didn't hear from him until Monday, only one little text on Saturday.

He initiated the convo, asking for her to send him a video. She responded that her boyfriend probably wouldn't like the type of video he was trying to get her to send. He then asked her for a picture of her boobs the next afternoon. Thankfully she didn't send one. The whole convo was only around 10 texts, and in it he also made a comment implying that he didn't have a girlfriend.

I don't want to be conceited, but I'm an attractive girl. This girl he was talking to is really not that pretty and also pretty white trash.

Also I'm not a prude, we have a great sex life and see each other all the time, so it's not like he's missing anything in that department. I had actually sent him a naked picture two days before this, so why would he go asking another girl for the same thing?

I'm so confused. I really don't know what to do in this situation, so please if anyone has been there, let me know how you handled it. I really want to trust him deep down, and don't think he's actually cheating on me, but this is definitely not ok behavior. What do I do?

Thanks for any help!

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

What to TiVo: Wednesday

Maggie Pehanick — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:59:00 PDT

8:00 The Middle (new)
8:30 Suburgatory (new, season finale)
9:00 Modern Family (new)
9:30 Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (new)
10:00 Revenge (new)
11:35 Nightline (new)
12:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live (new, with guest Rita Wilson)

8:00 Mike & Molly (repeat)
8:30 Rules of Engagement (repeat)
9:00 Criminal Minds (new, season finale)
11:35 Late Show With David Letterman (new, with guest Betty White)
12:35 The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (new, with guest Michael Clarke Duncan)

8:00 American Idol (new)

8:00 Betty White's Off Their Rockers (new)
8:30 Betty White's Off Their Rockers (new)
9:00 Law & Order: SVU (repeat)
10:00 Law & Order: SVU (new)
11:34 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (new, with guests Joel McHale and Bobby Brown)
12:37 Late NIght With Jimmy Fallon (new, with guests Taylor Kitsch and Tony Hale)

8:00 America's Next Top Model: British Invasion (repeat)
9:00 America's Next Top Model: British Invasion (new)

More TV to watch when you read more.

3 Iconic British Brands Launch in the US - Shop Our Favorite High-Street Picks Now!

Marisa Tom — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:37:07 PDT

The British invasion continues with today's launch of AndOtherBrands.com, a new online retail destination that allows you to shop three of the UK's most beloved high-street brands: Oasis, Warehouse, and Coast. Previously, you could find select styles on ASOS, but now you've got a real lay of the land. Oasis and Warehouse offer up a fun mix of this season's boldest prints, slick espadrille wedges, pastel-hued topper, and ladylike frocks. Meanwhile, Coast is your go-to spot for dresses, perfect for Summer wedding fare. With price points that won't break the bank and a splash of London's cool-girl ethos at your shopping finger tips, what's not to love? Click through to see our top 10 picks and shop your favorites.

What to TiVo: Wednesday

Maggie Pehanick — Tue, 08 May 2012 23:59:00 PDT

8:00 The Middle (new)
8:30 Suburgatory (new)
9:00 Modern Family (new)
9:30 Don't Trust the B---- in Apt 23 (new)
10:00 Revenge (new)
11:35 Nightline (new)
12:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live (new, with guests Steve Harvey and Dev Patel)

8:00 Survivor: One World (new)
9:00 Criminal Minds (new)
10:00 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (new, season finale)
11:35 Late Show With David Letterman (new, with guest Eva Longoria)
12:37 The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (new, with guest Jenna Fischer)

8:00 American Idol (new)

8:00 Betty White's Off Their Rockers (new)
8:30 Betty White's Off Their Rockers (new)
9:00 Rock Center With Brian Williams (new)
10:00 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (new)
11:34 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (new, with guests Garry Shandling and Alison Brie)
12:37 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (new, with guests Howard Stern and Brooklyn Decker)

8:00 America's Next Top Model: British Invasion (repeat)
9:00 America's Next Top Model: British Invasion (new)

More TV to watch when you read more.

What to TiVo: Wednesday

Maggie Pehanick — Tue, 01 May 2012 23:59:30 PDT

8:00 The Middle (new)
8:30 Suburgatory (new)
9:00 Modern Family (new)
9:30 Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (new)
10:00 Revenge (new)
11:35 Nightline (new)
12:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live (new, with guest Eva Green)

8:00 Survivor: One World (new)
9:00 Criminal Minds (new)
10:00 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (new)
11:35 Late Show With David Letterman (new, with guest Norah Jones)
12:37 The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (new, with guest Anjelica Huston)

8:00 American Idol (new)

8:00 Betty White's Off Their Rockers (new)
8:30 Betty White's Off Their Rockers (new)
9:00 Rock Center With Brian Williams (new)
10:00 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (new)
11:34 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (new, with guest Scarlett Johansson)
12:37 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (new, with guest Amy Poehler)

8:00 The L.A. Complex (repeat)
9:00 America's Next Top Model: British Invasion (new)

More TV to watch when you read more.

A First Look at the Rosie Pope Collection For A Pea in the Pod

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:01:07 PDT

It really is looking like this is the Summer of the British Invasion. With British boy bands burning up the charts, the London Olympics just a few months away, and the Queen's jubilee celebration about to begin, we can't turn around without spotting the Union Jack! Now the maternity world is set to be conquered by none other than Pregnant in Heels star and British expat Rosie Pope. As we told you earlier this year, Rosie Pope is creating a capsule collection for A Pea in the Pod filled with designs similar to her own high-end boutique pieces, but at a fraction of the price (pieces from the collection will start at $85).

I caught up with the expectant Rosie (she's less than two weeks away from delivering her third child and the second season of her show) to see the collection firsthand - and it's beautiful. The 15 "desk-to-dinner" pieces - including a shirt dress, shifts, silk tops, blazers, and cardigans - are designed to make moms-to-be feel more glamorous than ever before. And as for the design details, Rosie said she was inspired by what Kate Middleton wears. For all of the bending down the nonpregnant Duchess must do when greeting people, she chooses tops with higher necklines and lower backs, thus avoiding wardrobe malfunctions. Rosie employed the same principle for her new collection, hoping to keep pregnant women's growing assets covered up, but not in a frumpy way. When asked about an overall theme for the collection, she noted that it definitely has sex on its mind - just like many of her clients on the show this season! Check out some pieces from the Rosie Pope For A Pea in the Pod collection.

What to TiVo: Wednesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:59:00 PDT

8:00 The Middle (repeat)
8:30 Suburgatory (repeat)
9:00 Modern Family (repeat)
9:30 Don't Trust the B----- in Apartment 23 (new)
10:00 Revenge (new)
11:35 Nightline (new)
12:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live (new)

8:00 Survivor: One World (new)
9:00 Criminal Minds (repeat)
10:00 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (repeat)
11:35 Late Show With David Letterman (new, with guest Rob Lowe)
12:37 The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (repeat, with guest Carol Burnett)

8:00 American Idol (new)

8:00 Betty White's Off Their Rockers (new)
8:30 Best Friends Forever (new)
9:00 Rock Center With Brian Williams (new)
10:00 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (new)
11:35 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (new, with guest Adam Levine)
12:37 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (new, with guest Jim Gaffigan)

8:00 The L.A. Complex (repeat)
9:00 America's Next Top Model: British Invasion (new)

More TV to watch when you read more.