BuzzSugar

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:30:00 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 watch some very funny recorded improv comedy starring Amy Poehler when you rent The Upright Citizens Brigade: Asssscat!

The Kite Runner
If you enjoyed Khaled Hosseini's bestselling novel, you won't be disappointed by how closely the screen adaptation resembles the book in both plot and its ability to tear your feelings apart. I gave this warning in my review and will say it again: The Kite Runner is not for the faint of heart, and some of the most gut-wrenching scenes from the book are even harder to take visually.

That said, there is much to appreciate about this story, which follows two young boys growing up in Afghanistan before and after the Taliban come to power. The relationship between the two friends is beautifully explored, as tense political events unfold around them. When one of the boys stands mutely aside while his best friend is brutalized, the decision sets off a series of mostly agonizing events and haunts him the rest of his life. In the end, however, it's a tale of love and redemption. Special features include commentary from Khaled Hosseini and the filmmakers.

Two more titles to go - one spooky, one that will take you back in time - so

Party of Five: The Complete Third Season
Check out Matthew Fox's hair on that cover. Amazing. I know it's hard to get beyond Lost and Scream and The Ghost Whisperer, but once upon a time, these stars were on a little drama called Party of Five as a family of orphaned Salinger siblings who raise themselves (or is it . . . each other?).

Season Three was a turning point for most of the characters. Charlie's (Matthew Fox) girlfriend and family nanny gets caught plagiarizing a paper for her PhD, Kate (Jennifer Love Hewitt) reveals to boyfriend Bailey (Scott Wolf) that she wants to remain a virgin, Bailey turns into an alcoholic, and sister Julia (Neve Campbell) spends a lot of time dealing with her guilt after a friend's suicide. This is a great addition to your Party of Five collection and it's a fun journey back through the fashions and style of the '90s.

The Mist
Perhaps you missed the late November release of this spooky Stephen King film, since it's sometimes hard to get in the holiday spirit and see a scary movie at the same time. If that's the case, be sure to add The Mist to your queue this week, as it's pretty much everything one could want out of a scary movie.

The movie follows local townspeople trapped in a supermarket by a thick and deadly fog. While it's spooky to wonder what, exactly, in that mist is killing people, the really scary stuff comes from the way the group deals with the threat, bringing up all kinds of topics around End of Days. Marcia Gay Harden is particularly creepy as the town's religious fanatic Mrs. Carmody.

The special two-disc set includes commentary by writer/director Frank Darabont, deleted scenes, the behind the scenes webisodes, and the complete film in black and white.

The Mist Will Creep Up on You

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 08:30:00 PST

I admit that I wasn’t expecting much from the film adaptation of Stephen King’s novella, The Mist. I thought it might be a fun-scary movie - the kind that jolts you out of your seat with fright but isn't all that memorable. Yet just as the otherwordly mist in the film creeps into a small town in Maine and traps unsuspecting shoppers in a grocery store, The Mist crept up on me, making me realize I was in for a terrifying hour and a half. If you’re looking for quickie scares that will evaporate by the time the movie’s over, look elsewhere. The Mist is a disturbing film that taps into primal fears and real world terrors, and its doomsday mood will stay with you long after you exit the theater.

David Drayton (Thomas Jane) is a movie poster artist whose house is damaged one night after an electrical storm. Together with his son Billy (Nathan Gamble) and neighbor Brent (Andre Braugher) - with whom he's had tense relations in the past - he rides into town to buy groceries. There at the grocery store, the ordinary becomes extraordinary: a dense, white mist surrounds the building, an earthquake rattles its foundations, and a man materializes from the eerie whiteness, blood dripping from his nose, shouting "There's something in the mist! It took John Lee!" Scared yet? Well,

What is this "something in the mist"? We get some visual clues: a giant octopus-like tentacle attacks a grocery clerk, spidery creatures menace a group as they venture out to get medicine for an ailing man, and a flock of prehistoric-looking insects invade the store. Where did this dangerous mist with its monsters come from? Is it a pollution cloud? Did the nearby military police unleash aliens from another world? Or, as the town religious fanatic Mrs. Carmody (a creepy Marcia Gay Harden) suggests, have they come to exact God's bloodthirsty revenge as a sign of the End of Days?

Like the great disaster films of the 1970s (The Towering Inferno, The Poseidon Adventure), The Mist's narrative tension (and horror) comes as much from the characters' interactions as from the monsters the mist occasionally spits out. In the midst of a social breakdown, what groups form and who leads them? What ties dissolve? How do race, politics and religion factor in?

With a terrific cast and special effects that do not upstage the human characters, The Mist keeps one foot in the imaginary with CGI monsters and supernatural hints, and one foot firmly planted in our real fears: unchecked military or scientific activity, the breakdown of society, the end of the world. It also has one of the most shocking endings I've ever seen. Like a blank screen onto which we can project our fears, The Mist suggests but it doesn't resolve.

Photos courtesy of The Weinstein Company

Which Scary Movie Looks Scarier?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 16:29:05 PDT

Which of these two scary movie trailers looks like it will be more successfully scary?

Stephen King's The Mist
"A freak storm unleashes a species of blood-thirsty creatures on a small town, where a small band of citizens hole-up in a supermarket and fight for their lives."

Japanese remake, One Missed Call
"Several people start receiving voice-mails from their future selves - messages which include the date, time, and some of the details of their deaths."

The Hairstyle You'll Want to Wear Every Day This Summer

Jaime Richards — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:08:00 PDT

Elizabeth Banks looked like she walked straight out of the 1970s for her Allure June cover, and it's thanks to Oribe, editorial hairstylist extraordinaire. Using a Patti Hansen cover from the disco-era for inspiration, as it turns out, the retro-themed style is perfect for modern times, as well. "The fullness at the sides gives it a really interesting, beautiful look," Oribe explained. And because the top is pulled back just a touch, "it's great for Summer to get your bangs off your face," he added. To get the exact four steps for achieving Elizabeth's warm-weather bouffant, read more.

Burberry Lip Mist Looks Good, Feels Like Real Luxury

Miriam Lacey — Fri, 27 May 2011 10:06:00 PDT

It's rare to encounter a beauty product that actually does make you feel like you're using something luxurious and precious, but Burberry's new Lip Mist ($30) has me fully in its thrall. From the delicate magnetic snap of the cap aligning itself to the elegant shimmy when its tube swivels, designer Christopher Bailey and company have managed to create a product that's rife with sensory detail. Simply put, it's incredibly satisfying to use. And the lipstick that's inside doesn't lack for charm, either. I tried the Lip Mist in Copper, so to see how it wears and get a full review, just keep reading.

How to Spray Perfume in Your Hair (Yes, There Are Rules)

Jessica Cruel — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:02:00 PDT

So, you've been spritzing your favorite fragrance on your hair to get a scent that wafts through the air with every hair flip. And while perfume can mask smoke and other unwanted odors, the question remains: Is it safe for your strands? It turns out, there are a couple things you should ask yourself before you turn your body spray into a hair mist.

What's in this? Eau de parfums usually contain a high alcohol content in order to make the scent last - even up to 20 percent. Although alcohol is a necessary evil, when you're searching for a type to spray in strands, look for a brand with lower levels (10 percent or less), recommends celebrity stylist Serge Normant. Also, consider if the perfume contains ingredients that can be good for your hair. Normant, for instance, is set to launch a low-alcohol fragrance for hair and body, Avah, on June 1, and the juice is formulated with hair-nourishing vitamin E, jojoba oil, and aloe vera.

How should I apply it? If you decide to spritz your hair with a fragrance, don't get it too close because it will rewet your hair and saturate it with alcohol. Normant recommends spraying the product in the air instead, and then walking through to get a light mist. Ahh.

Source: Flickr User AMELIA SPEED formerly foxandfeathers

What We're Sweet On: A Grown-up Detangler That Multitasks

Lizzie Fuhr — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:17:00 PDT

If you're constantly grappling with knots, breakage, or constant frizz, here's a product to tear at your heartstrings. While Johnson's No More Tangles may have been your go-to product of the past, it's time to give a big welcome hello to your newest big-girl hair product. The It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product ($17) is a leave-in conditioner that actually manages to stand up to all the multitasking hype.

It's hard to believe that one fine mist can accomplish so many different benefits, including everything from protecting color (thanks to sunflower seed extract) to detangling. But from the first use there is a noticeable difference in the silkiness of hair. The best part? The product can be easily incorporated into your routine, whether you air-dry or blow-dry. And where some leave-in conditioners tend to leave your hair feeling heavy and greasy, this mist keeps things light, airy, and ready for sweet, frizz-free Summer styling.

Don't Waste Your Dough on These Yogic Products

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:05:58 PDT

Like running, yoga doesn't take a whole lot of fancy equipment. All you truly need are a good yoga mat and a comfortable outfit that keeps you covered and dry. But with yoga's growing popularity, it seems like more and more yoga-focused products are cropping up. Here are a few you could live without.

Round Yoga Mat
Unless you practice partner yoga, attend Mommy and Me classes, or go to a specific type of class where a round Mandala yoga mat is a necessity, save your $70. The extra mat circumference isn't necessary since most instructors teach using a traditional rectangular-shaped mat. Studio space is also tight, and it would be inconsiderate to take up so much room with a circular mat. If you do invest in one of these six-foot round mats, you can't use a basic yoga bag, so purchasing a square-shaped bag would be another investment you'd have to make. So although intriguing, a circular mat isn't worth the money.

Keep reading to find out what other yoga products aren't worth the dough.

5 Ways to Wear a Ponytail (Like Kat Graham's Ultrahigh Style)

BellaSugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:55:00 PDT

Pony up: five new ways to wear a classic ponytail - Refinery 29
Why not try a DIY inkblot manicure? - Stylelist
Translate the far-out makeup looks from the runway for real life - Styleite
Get your daily dose of sunscreen with these double-duty products - The Fashion Spot
See Jessica Chastain's larger-than-life hair for W magazine - The Cut
Are you wedding ready? What to do today to prepare for your big day - InStyle
Make a funny face . . . to get the perfect makeup application - Real Simple
Discover Burberry's new lip mists - Makeup and Beauty Blog
Glimpse these gifts with prime packaging (Mother's Day, here we come) - Glo
Learn the five beauty buys Whitney Port won't live without - Beauty Sweet Spot

Got Bangs? 3 Ways to Avoid Unwanted Forehead Acne

BellaSugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:43:00 PDT

Yes, bangs elevate your Spring hair hotness level to the umpteenth degree, but are you paying the price with unwanted forehead blemishes? Hairline acne (street name "pomade acne") can be caused by the constant contact between hair and skin, which deposits debris from your styling products onto your face. Sure, your bangs are the perfect cover-up, but clear skin is the better choice. Get tips for keeping your skin clear underneath the fringe when you read more.