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Hilary Up to New Tricks in The Reaping

PopSugar — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 17:07:28 PDT

Hilary showed off what looks to be some fancy tongue tricks as a guest on The Sauce the other day in New York. She looks pretty goofy considering how scary The Reaping looks. Guess that's what makes her a two-time Oscar winner -- the ability to play anything at any time. While the reviews for The Reaping aren't great and we're thinking she won't get a nomination for this role, we still bet her performance is top notch.

For more pics of Hilary on the fuse's show, just read more

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The Reaping: Plagued By Mediocrity

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 11:00:43 PDT

Former ordained minister Katherine Winter (Hilary Swank) has turned her back on her faith after losing her husband and daughter while doing missionary work in Sudan. When The Reaping opens, she’s a skeptical scientist who debunks religious miracles.

Katherine’s skepticism is challenged when she’s summoned by Doug (David Morrissey) to Haven, Louisiana, where the locals insist they’re being visited by Biblical plagues. She and her colleague, Ben (Idris Elba), are told that shortly after a local boy died, the rivers turned to blood. The culprit, according to the townsfolk? The boy's sister and the one witness to his death: a creepy little girl named Loren McConnell (AnnaSophia Robb). After witnessing a scourge of boils and lice, frogs falling from the heavens, and the death of cattle, Katherine is drawn into a mystery that science can’t explain.

But while The Reaping has all the ingredients of a great horror film, it doesn't come close to approaching greatness. For the highlights and lowlights,

The Reaping benefits from interesting characters, an eerie setting, hints of Devil-worship, and great visual effects. And yet everything in this film seems like a poor imitation of devices seen before in superior flicks: The Exorcist, The Omen, Deliverance, and even the lukewarm but at least coherent Skeleton Key. If The Reaping were a roller coaster ride, it would be one that lurches from one cheap thrill to another, but you know where it’s going, and you can’t wait to get off.

There are some chilling and beautiful scenes in The Reaping, no question. The aerial view of the river of blood is a spectacular sight. Also heart-stopping is the moment we meet Loren, the hauntingly beautiful, backwoods child who suddenly appears at the river’s edge, setting in motion Katherine’s memories of her dead daughter. The film also captures the decaying beauty of the Deep South. Late at night, in Doug’s old mansion, Katherine discovers an old blues tune playing on a Victrola. Alongside weeping willows and a moonlit garden, the myth of the Gothic South seems to come alive.

But occasionally arresting moments cannot save a poorly edited movie that becomes so plodding that my friend was actually counting which plague we were on so she could figure out when the movie was going to end. Also, I never quite understood how Haven was significant enough for plagues of Biblical proportions, or why Doug sounded more Irish than he did Southern. (To be fair, the actor masters the Southern accent by the end.)

Ultimately, The Reaping is an incoherent mess, as murky as the swamps of Louisiana. Unless you’re a die-hard fan of horror flicks, I’d stay away or save your money and rent it. I for one, have not lost faith in the horror genre. It definitely gets better than this.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Link Time! 4/5

BuzzSugar — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 17:18:59 PDT

TV Squad compiles a quite comprehensive list of great TV drinkeries.
And Spinner presents the unsexiest album covers of all time.
Cinematical has the scoop on Coca-Cola's lawsuit against a film that features Jesus drinking a Coke.
Tracks from Nine Inch Nails' Year Zero are surfacing, and Idolator's got a good one.
Best Week Ever wonders: Was Michael Buble drunk on "Idol"?
Merry Swankster's 1990s album tourney has reached the Final Four.
Film Experience giggles at the wry though unintentional self-reference in The Reaping tagline, "What Hath God Wrought?"
The TV Addict prints up some Dunder Mifflin letterhead.
Rolling Stone Rock and Roll Daily sits down with ex-con-turned-rapper Akon.
Give Me My Remote has the details on how to win a trip to the set of "Heroes."
Meanwhile, if you've got the big bucks, Tube Talk tells you how to bid in a charity auction for TV appearances and set visits.

Movie Preview: The Reaping

BuzzSugar — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 07:15:11 PDT

When I first started watching the trailer for The Reaping, which comes out this Thursday, April 5, I was like, "Hey, this looks pretty cool!" But then, just as quickly, I was like, "Nah." The premise sounds really interesting: A small town in Louisiana appears to be suffering through the 10 Biblical plagues, attracting the attention of a Christian missionary-turned-scientific expert. Yet the woman - played by a girlish Hilary Swank - begins to regain her faith in religion when she can't explain away the town's mysterious happenings.

The execution of said premise, however, looks hokey, and what should be chilling is instead kind of "eh." You can check out the trailer and tell me what you think of The Reaping if you

read more Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Want to Age Better? Swap Your Morning Cup of Coffee For Green Tea

Leta Shy — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:05:42 PST

We all know that green tea has many benefits - eye health, sunburn protection, and disease prevention, to name a few. Now, a new study can add another possible benefit to that list: green tea may help you remain functional as you age.

The Japanese study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, tracked 14,000 adults 65 years old or older for three years and found that those people who drank at least five cups a day of green tea were about a third less likely to have functional disabilities than those who drank little or no green tea. Even those who only drank two to four cups of green tea a day also experienced a benefit as they aged. "Functional disabilities" were defined as the inability to do basic daily activities or necessities, like bathing or dressing, so the more green tea you drink the more likely you are to be able to stay independent when you're older. The study did find that those who drank green tea tended to have healthier lifestyles overall, but the researchers said a positive effect still existed when diet, exercise, and other lifestyle habits were accounted for.

Five cups may sound like a lot, but it's actually a lot less than you think. So, how much tea should you actually be drinking to reap this benefit and possibly remain independent as you age? Read on after the break.

Watch a New Goosebump-Inducing Trailer For The Hunger Games

Shannon Vestal — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:11:16 PST

The Hunger Games' release date of Mar. 23 still feels so far away, considering how excited we are about the movie. To quench that thirst, there's a new trailer to watch featuring all-new footage of the tributes practicing for the arena, Katniss and Peeta being interviewed by Caesar Flickerman, and an emphasis placed on the all-important Mockingjay pin. We see Katniss giving it to her terrified sister before the reaping, and then later, Cinna furtively placing it on Katniss's arena clothes.

Every new look at this film gets me more pumped, since it seems to be loyal to the book and appears to be as spine-chilling as it should be (honestly, Cato throwing that spear kind of made me quake in my boots). To watch the new trailer, just keep reading.

Get to Know the Types and Benefits of White Tea

YumSugar — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:32:48 PST

As National Tea Month wraps up, we're still filling you in on all things white tea. Although green tea tends to get most of the credit when it comes to health benefits, white tea is actually the least processed form of tea. Translation: it contains even more nutrients than the black or green varieties. Curious? Keep reading to learn more about white tea.

Mistakes You're Making on the Pilates Mat

Susi May — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:51:53 PST

Mat classes are the most affordable way to reap the benefits of Pilates. Taught across the country at gyms and private studios, group classes mean you don't have an instructor cuing and correcting your every move. Make the most of your time on the mat and be mindful of these common mistakes I've seen in classes over the years.

Not Going Deep
There are many benefits to Pilates, but getting in touch with the deep abs, aka the transverse abdominals, is, to me, the most important. If the deep abs are working, then all four layers of ab muscles will be working right along with it, making for a very stable torso. In class, use every exhale as opportunity to reengage your abs and pull them into your spine with a little lift up. If the abs are pooching outward, you're only working the top layer of the abs and training them to pull away from the spine - the opposite effect of what you want.

Momentum Is Not Your Friend
Deliberate pauses are built into the choreography of many Pilates exercises to prevent momentum from taking over the motion. The Pilates method was originally named Contrology (the study of control) to emphasize this very concept. Going slowly is key. Jayme Boyle, the group fitness coordinator and Pillates mat instructor at the SF Equinox, explains the importance of forgoing momentum like this: "Slower pace means you’re turning on stabilizing muscles and you’re creating more isometric contractions." And I have to agree. Pilates is not a race.

Keep reading for more common Pilates mat class mistakes.

10 Tone-Up Tweaks to Get a Better Burn

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:39:36 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar!

It happens to the best of us. Your gym routine becomes just that - a routine. Bust out of your plateau and burn more fat with these strength-training tweaks from the pros.

Make Every Day Your Best Burn Yet
Supercharge your gym routine by ditching the moves that have stopped delivering results and replacing them with ones that will challenge and build more muscle. Start with these total-body toning tips from some of our favorite trainers.

Arms: Change the Weight
Dumbbell curls are great for your arms, but unless you're changing up the sets and reps, your biceps will get accustomed to the level of stress you're placing on them, meaning you'll stop seeing the sculpting results. "Few people use the proper weight and even fewer graduate the amount of weight being used during arm exercises," says Richard Miller, owner and CEO of GymSource in New York City.

When you curl the same weight for a long period of time, your body send nutrients to the muscle you're working to help recover. If you pick up an eight-pound dumbbell every time, your muscles aren't experiencing varied stress and won't add new nutrient masses to that area, making your arms fall flat. Use this cheat sheet to know when it's time to step it up a notch:

You should feel fatigue at 15 reps or fewer. If you don't, add more weight.
Aim to increase weight by less than 10 percent. If you normally lift eight-pound weights, up it to 10 pounds, and so on.

See more helpful tips after the break!

Savvy Tip: 3 Steps to a More Relaxing Weekend

SavvySugar — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 03:13:52 PST

To make Monday through Friday run more smoothly, tweak your weekend routine and take advantage of the extra free time. Saturday and Sunday tend to fly by, but if you learn to make the most of those hours, you'll be able to tackle extra tasks and set yourself up for an easier work week. Follow these three tips for a productive weekend and prepare to reap the benefits all week long:

Schedule a time slot for errands. Spend five to 10 minutes each Friday figuring out which tasks you need to check off by Sunday night. Make a list and plan to take care of them in one day so that you'll have at least one full day to have fun and fill however you'd like. Once you've finished brainstorming and marked the to-dos on your calendar, move the chores to the back of your mind and focus on enjoying your days off.
Keep up your routine. If you wake up at 6 a.m. throughout the week, don't sleep until 11 a.m. on weekends. Give your body a break and stick fairly close to your standard sleep schedule. Same goes for your diet: don't shock your body with excess food or alcohol or you'll risk getting sick. Just because it's Saturday doesn't mean you should toss your healthy habits aside, so keep your mind and body in shape by taking your vitamins, eating balanced meals, and staying hydrated.
Chill out, guilt-free. The best thing you can do to kick-start a productive work week? Relax. Use your time off to cut yourself some slack and enjoy the things you love. It's important to maintain a work-life balance, so remember to reserve at least one day each weekend to sit back and unwind.