BuzzSugar

Buzz News Roundup, 6/2

BuzzSugar — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:33:11 PDT

According to ComingSoon, Dawson's Creek's Kerr Smith will join the cast of the 3-D remake of My Bloody Valentine.
Rock legend Bo Diddley died today at the age of 79, writes Billboard.
ABC's Life on Mars adaptation is looking pretty troubled already, according to the LA Times, though it's the network's only new drama for the Fall.
The Hollywood Reporter announced that Bryce Dallas Howard will replace Charlotte Gainsbourg in the fourth Terminator installment.
American Idol winner David Cook's recording deal is official, and he's still setting all kinds of iTunes records, USA Today reports.

Variety reports that Family Guy will compete as a regular comedy at the Emmys - not just an animated one - for the first time.
Katharine McPhee and Wes Bentley are set to star together in the indie psychological drama The Storyteller, reports ComingSoon.

HBO's Game of Thrones Enters Facebook Gaming World

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:07:01 PDT

Engage in the messy drama, bloody politics, and sexual escapades of the mythical world of Westeros in the new Game of Thrones Facebook game. Based on the TV and book series, the social game Games of Thrones Ascent mixes storytelling and strategy as seven noble families fight for control of Westeros.

Players choose one of seven noble families to swear allegiance to, cultivate their land, earn money and positive reputation, and make important decisions and alliances with other players. The game's movement relies on conflict arising from social interactions and decision-making, which sounds awfully similar to The Sims Social. In addition, the game seeps into Farmville territory, as players "develop the land," a possible hint at cultivating crops and earning new tools, houses, etc. While the date of release is still unknown, Disruptor Beam, the game's creator, promises fans will be impressed with the original artwork and the social experience.

For a chance to play the beta version, "like" the Game of Thrones Ascent Facebook Page.

What to TiVo: Monday

Maggie Pehanick — Sun, 20 May 2012 23:59:00 PDT

8:00 Dancing With the Stars (new)
9:00 The Bachelorette (new)
11:35 Nightline (new)
12:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (new, with guests Kathy Griffin and Emily Maynard)

8:00 How I Met Your Mother (repeat)
8:30 2 Broke Girls (repeat)
9:00 Two and a Half Men (repeat)
9:30 Mike & Molly (repeat)
10:00 Clash of the Commercials: USA vs. the World (new)
11:35 Late Show With David Letterman (new, with guest Lea Michele)
12:27 The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (new, with guest Jeffrey Dean Morgan)

8:00 House (new, series finale)

8:00 America's Got Talent (new)
9:00 American Ninja Warrior (new)
11:34 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (new, with guest Kevin Costner)
12:37 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (new, with guests John Lithgow and Miranda Cosgrove)

8:00 One Tree Hill (repeat)
9:00 One Tree Hill (repeat

How to Prepare Your Child For a New Sibling

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 06:43:49 PDT

While some older siblings might be thrilled by the news of your pregnancy, children often will react negatively. Some might even break down into tears, like in this sad but relatable home video of a mom's pregnancy announcement.

The news of a new sibling can be devastating to a child, because it means that he might receive less of your time and attention and will have to share his toys and your affection. Especially if you are already dividing your time between two or more siblings, the arrival of another baby can be threatening. To help prepare your child (or children) for a new sibling, here are a few steps to take while you are still pregnant.

Nurture children during the grieving period: News of the new arrival might be the greatest heartbreak of your child's little life thus far. Take the time to hold and comfort them, which will help them feel secure and less apprehensive about splitting your attention with the baby. Reassure them that you love them, that you recognize they are sad, and that you are here when they need attention and affection.
Set aside some daily alone time: Every child needs a little special attention from mom and dad, even if it's breakfast in the morning, a special note in the lunch box, or a book to read in bed. Kids tend to misbehave when they don't feel recognized or listened to, so it's important to make an effort to give them some undivided attention every day.
Make your child feel like a hero: Repeatedly tell your child how important his role as an older sibling will be. Talk about his unique qualities and contributions to the family, whether it's his exuberant storytelling, willingness to help out, or great listening skills.

Check out four more ways to prep for baby.

Happy Birthday, Marc Jacobs! See His Coolest, Quirkiest Ad Campaigns Yet

Marisa Tom — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:15:43 PDT

Never one to shy away from provocative storytelling, Marc Jacobs has become just as well known for his bohemian-meets-sexy ads as for the clothes he creates. With famed shutterbug Juergen Teller lending his signature brand of no-frills photography to Marc's campaigns for the last 14 years, we've come to expect nothing less than memorable editorials. From his longtime friend Sofia Coppola starring in a series of the perfume ads poolside in 2002 and Winona Ryder's cheeky shopping spree spread in 2003 to Elle Fanning's retro gamine vibe for Fall 2011, the campaigns have always featured a mix of cool-girl style and pop-culture quirk. And of course, who could forget Victoria Beckham's doll persona peeking out of bags and garment boxes in Spring 2008? To celebrate Marc's 49th birthday today, we've culled his best and most striking campaigns throughout the seasons - click through to see them all.

The Hunger Games: A Satisfying Adaptation and a Stunning Movie

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:20:28 PDT

If you've been holding your breath about The Hunger Games, it's time to let it out, because the movie fulfills any and all hopes you could have. Not only is the adaptation loyal to its cherished source material, as a film, it's simply incredible.

Based on Suzanne Collins's novel, The Hunger Games portrays a dystopian future in which what's presumed to be North America has been broken up into 12 districts surrounding an ultra-rich, powerful Capitol. To remind the districts of their subordination, the Capitol holds an annual event in which one teen girl and boy (known as tributes) from each district are forced to fight to the death (until only one remains) as a televised show. At the center of all this is Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a 16-year-old from one of the poorest districts, who volunteers to participate in the place of her younger sister, Prim. The movie follows Katniss from her hardscrabble life at home with her family and best friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth) to the flamboyant excess of the Capitol and into the action-packed arena as she does everything she can to survive. The story is already well-known to legions of readers, and director Gary Ross brings Collins's novel to life as a visual treat, with an emotional punch as strong as the film's heroine.

To find out why I thought The Hunger Games is so fantastic, just keep reading.

Kate Walsh on Bond Girls, Polo, and Eating Perfume

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:04:58 PST

Private Practice star Kate Walsh is also a perfume impresario, and she just came out with her second scent, Billionaire Boyfriend. We recently talked to Kate about what it's really like to design a celebrity fragrance, what scents she associates with actual boyfriends, and whether she has any intention of following in Justin Bieber's footsteps. Check out the world premiere of her newest commercial above (there's an octopus and a mermaid, so you know it's good), and find out more about Kate's Boyfriend experience below when you read more.

Michelle Williams Celebrated as an Honorary Irishwoman

Allie Merriam — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 05:54:06 PST

Michelle Williams wore Givenchy to hit the green carpet in LA last night at the annual Oscar Wilde: Honoring the Irish in Film event. She was named honorary Irishwoman at the ceremony, which brought out proud Irish people like Colin Farrell, Kenneth Branagh, and musician Sharon Corr. Kenneth stars alongside Michelle in My Week With Marilyn, which earned her multiple nominations this award season. The two-month run of shows will culminate at Sunday's Academy Awards, where Michelle is up for best actress thanks to her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe - have you filled out your Oscars ballot yet? Make sure to enter by Saturday night to get in the running to win an iPad.

Previous winners of the Oscar Wilde honor include Paul Rudd and James L. Brooks. Michelle, though, is the first woman to receive the accolade. Colin approves of the choice, telling us before the ceremony that he loved Michelle's work in the Marilyn picture. Michelle was humbled by the prize, and said, "I consider it [the award] is from a land and from a people who are known for poetry, for literature and lore, for myth and legend. Being in a business that is about storytelling, I'm honored to be acknowledged by the original storytellers."

Lego to Introduce Girl-Friendly Lego Friends Sets in the New Year

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:47:11 PST

Think the LeapPad and Air Swimmers were the most anticipated toys of 2011? Think again! On Jan. 1 (or Dec. 26 in the UK) Lego is introducing Lego Friends - its first significant entry into the world of girls play, with a $40 million global marketing plan to support 23 different products - including six new colors (think pastels) and 29 minidolls that look more lifelike than the current minifigs.

After years of anthropological studies, Lego learned the differences in how boys and girls play. Among their findings are:

"Whereas boys tend to be 'linear' - building rapidly, even against the clock, to finish a kit so it looks just like what’s on the box-girls prefer 'stops along the way' and to begin storytelling and rearranging."
"The key difference between girls and the ladyfig and boys and the minifig was that many more girls projected themselves onto the ladyfig - she became an avatar. Boys tend to play with minifigs in the third person."
"The greatest concern for girls really was beauty." Girls want their toys to demonstrate beauty, just as boys wanted theirs to demonstrate mastery.

The result is a line of toys that includes five main characters, each with a backstory and a "set" that she can play in, including a salon, a horse academy, and a veterinary clinic. Major retailers plan to give the new sets plenty of shelf space after the holidays, so expect to see the pastel colors everywhere.

Do you think the new Lego Friends will attract more girls to build and play? Click through the images that follow for a sneak peek at the sets and share your thoughts in the comments below!

Hugo: 3 Reasons Why You Should See It - and 3 Reasons Why You Shouldn't

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:35:37 PST

Iconic film director Martin Scorsese veers off his beaten path with this week's Hugo. Based on the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the film tells the tale of a young orphan who is secretly living in a train station in Paris. He spends his days winding the clocks in the station, hiding from a villainous station agent, and trying to fix an automaton (a robot-like machine) left behind by his deceased father. Scorsese definitely packs magic into this film, but it's not exactly the children's fantasy film I was expecting. Before you head to the theater this Thanksgiving weekend, check out my reasons why this might be the film for you - and why you might want to avoid it.

Why you should see it:

The cinematography is stunning. With Scorsese at the helm, it's pretty much guaranteed that you're in for a visual treat, and Hugo is no different. His depiction of 1930s Paris in the wintertime is dazzling; the train station where Hugo lives and spends most of his time is enveloped in warm tones and rich colors, making the film look like a beautifully illustrated children's book come to life - which is exactly what it is.
The acting is superb. It's no surprise that a veteran like Ben Kingsley delivers a spot-on performance as a prickly man who fixes toys in the train station. His mysterious animosity towards Hugo and Hugo's desire to fix his father's automaton becomes the crux of the film, and Kingsley turns in a complex performance as a character with a secret. In turn, Sacha Baron Cohen provides comic relief as the station agent with a bum leg who is intent on having Hugo shipped off to an orphanage. However, it's the performances from young actors Asa Butterfield and Chloe Moretz that hold the film together, and both are impressive. Butterfield particularly does a wonderful job carrying the film; his big, curious blue eyes portray Hugo's loneliness, curiosity, and pain, and he brings his A-game to the film's most emotional scenes.
The story has enchanting elements. I loved the whimsical idea behind Hugo, and Scorsese captures all of these elements perfectly. From the automaton to Isabelle's fascination with storytelling to the Parisian setting, Hugo certainly qualifies as escapist entertainment that pays homage to the magic of moviemaking, on multiple levels.

To see the reasons why this movie might be a pass for you, just

Why you should skip it:

The 3D is nauseating. Part of the fun of Hugo is that Scorsese pulls out all the stops to capture the childlike wonder of Hugo and his world, but he has a little too much fun with it. In the opening sequence, Scorsese pulls us into Hugo's fascinating life behind the clocks in the train station by taking us through the twists and turns that are necessary to get Hugo up into the rafters. After a couple of minutes, the effect goes from thrilling to stomach turning, and it felt like a ride that I couldn't get off of.
It's too long. For a kids' movie, Hugo is awfully slow. Scorsese clearly wanted to lay out his story and develop it slowly, but Hugo's "adventure" isn't rife with enough twists and thrills to justify the run time (which is over 2 hours). Though there's an emotionally satisfying conclusion, it takes way too long to get us there, and the movie started to lose my attention.
It doesn't spend enough time on Hugo's backstory. About a third of the way into Hugo, the focus of the film is largely shifted away from the lonely young boy and onto the secret of Kingsley's character. Hugo is still there every step of the way, but the heart of the film is in Hugo's relationship with his deceased father and how he's been coping on his own since the tragedy. Unfortunately, we only get one scene between Hugo and his father (Jude Law). It's one of the most touching scenes of the whole movie, and I wish I could have seen more of their relationship and Hugo's upbringing before he became an orphan.

Now that you've been properly informed, are you planning to see Hugo?