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.

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

Lil Gift Guide: Great Gifts For 4-Year-Olds!

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:33:43 PST

By 4 years old, tots know what they like, and they're already forming their own wish lists for the holidays. Chances are that many of the items on that list are the hottest toys of the season - including the LeapFrog LeapPad and the VTech InnoTab, Lalaloopsy, and Hot Wheels Wall Tracks. If mama's looking for a few new ideas, we've got her covered. Check out our favorite finds for these preschoolers!

The Orb Factory's StoryCraft The Frog Prince ($20) allows for creative storytelling, as tots add shapes and jewels to a 10-page story book about the Frog Prince fairy tale. LeapFrog keeps expanding its popular Tag reading system to do more than just teach tots to read. The LeapFrog Solar System Adventure Pack ($14) uses the Tag stylus to teach lil ones about the solar system - exploring planets and educating tots about life beyond Earth. Exercise doesn't feel like a chore with Diggin's Wobble Deck ($45), which plays music and games while tots try to balance on the board. Mini American Idol fans will love First Act's Voice Rockrz Mic ($25) that not only changes the singer's voice, but provides drumrolls and applause. Kids will rule the neighborhood with Fisher Price's Power Wheels Stinger XT ($250), a motorized car with room for two.

Trendtotting: Take a Nordic Journey This Season With Fair Isle

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:15:44 PST

A sure sign Winter's in the air? The abundance of Fair Isle knits showing up on the playground this time of year! The Nordic-inspired designs are showing up on everything from sweaters and tights to outerwear this year, adding a bit of nostalgia to a lil one's wardrobes. Just in time for holiday picture-taking, we've rounded up an adorable selection of snowflake-patterned pieces for tots of all ages. All that's missing now is the snow!

Old Navy Fair Isle Trapper Hat & Mitten Sets for Baby ($17), Ralph Lauren Fair Isle Coverall ($50), Crewcuts Fair Isle Socks ($6), Old Navy Girls Patterned Sweater-Knit Slipper Boots ($15), GapKids Fair Isle heart sweater skirt ($27), Hanna Andersson Speaking of Sweden Tights ($20), Ralph Lauren Fair Isle Hat & Bootie Set ($45), Janie and Jack Fair Isle Sweater ($46), Hanna Andersson Storyteller Sweater Dress ($56), Boden Fairisle Dress ($60).

The Night Circus Author Erin Morgenstern Talks Twilight and Harry Potter Comparisons and Her Casting Wish List

Tara Sharp — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:00:33 PDT

As a huge Harry Potter fan, I must admit my interest was piqued when I heard about a new book last month being compared to the magical series, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. To add fuel to the buzzy fire, the film rights for the book have already been picked up by Twilight's entertainment company Summit. After reading the enchanting, sensory love story (targeted for adults, I should add) about dueling magicians who fall in love while competing in a mysterious circus that runs from nightfall to dawn, I believe it stands on its own. We chatted with Erin, who has a background in theater and studio art, about her first novel and whom she could picture playing protagonists and star-crossed lovers Celia and Marco on the big screen. Read her thoughts below.

TrèsSugar: What do you think of the comparisons being made to Harry Potter and Twilight?

Erin Morgenstern: It has some aspects in common with Harry Potter. I'm still not sure where the Twilight comparisons come from, maybe the fact that Summit is involved with the film rights. There are plenty of books that I think would be a little more apt, like Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell by Susanna Clarke, but not enough people have read that. I hope that it ends up being the kind of book that people don't have to compare it to anything. A lot of people tell me that they have trouble describing it. It's a complicated work because it's about the circus, but it's about the love story, but it's about so much more than that at the same time.

TS: What's your favorite love story in literature? Did it influence Celia and Marco's love story?

EM: I'm not really big on love stories. I'm not that classic romance sort of girl. Although I can't say it's my favorite love story, there's definitely a Romeo and Juliet aspect to it. I do kind of love a star-crossed romance. It makes everything so much more interesting and complicated, and sometimes angsty. I think that makes for a really good story.

TS: You say in your website's "about me" section that you were reading Stephen King at age 12 and J.K. Rowling at age 21. How did that affect you as a writer?

EM: I grew up in that time frame where there wasn't a YA section yet. There was a children's section and an adult's section. So when I hit around 11 or 12, I just started looking through the adult section. And for some reason I just got stuck on Stephen King and read practically the entire Stephen King shelf. And then when I was in college, I took a children's literature class, and we read the first Harry Potter. That influenced my lack of sense of what's an adult book and what's a children's book, because I had a very backwards reading life at certain stages. I like adult books that capture that child-like whimsy and children's books that don't hide the adult side of things. And I think there's more room for overlap between adult books and children's books.

TS: What are you reading right now?

EM: I'm in the middle of Lev Grossman's The Magician King. I finished The Magicians a couple weeks ago, and I have a couple events coming up that I'm doing with Lev Grossman. But I'm enjoying it very much, partially because I've read Harry Potter, I've read the Narnia books, and it has an interesting spin on those tales that I know really well. And before that I just recently finished the new Haruki Murakami book (1Q84) that comes out next week, and it's really just epic and wonderful. It's so, so good. It doesn't feel like it's 1,000 pages when you're reading it. I didn't want it to end.

TS: You've mentioned you could see Geoffrey Rush as Prospero in the film adaption, but who could you see playing Celia and Marco?

EM: I don't really picture actors when I write. Geoffrey Rush was sort of the one exception, because when I was coming up with him as the character he had a Geoffrey Rush vibe in my mind. For Celia and Marco, they look very particular in my head, and I don't have actors who really capture it. Celia was kind of inspired by Clara Bow. I found this old picture of her that wasn't that sort of classic short hair, her hair was all wispy and a little more Victorian-looking. She has very dark eyes, and that's sort of what Celia looks like. If we could find a modern-day Clara Bow type. And the actor who has a little of the Marco feel to me is Lee Pace, but he's going to be too old by the time we get around to the filming, which is unfortunate.

TS: Is there a sequel in the works. How long do we have to wait for the film?

EM: There's no plans for a proper sequel. I don't think it's the kind of story that lends itself well to "this is what happens next." And it was never intended to be a series. I do think at some point I wouldn't be opposed to do something like a collection of short pieces of side stories or people's back stories or a few of those things that happened afterwards.

The film is at least a couple of years away. It's in the stage of negotiations with producers, trying to find someone to head the ship.

TS: What did you learn about relationships as you wrote The Night Circus?

EM: I think that the essential thing I kept coming back to is that a relationship is about more than just two people. There's so many more factors in the equation, whether they're other people or circumstances. Relationships are never simple, there's always so much more going on.

If you read the book and want to find out more insights from Erin on the plot and process of writing, keep reading!

Avatar to Come to Life at Disney Theme Parks

Kelly Schwarze — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 04:21:03 PDT

Disney seems to be the biggest Avatar fan of all, as it recently announced plans to bring the mythical land of Pandora to life at Disney theme parks around the globe.

According to the film's director, James Cameron, two new upcoming Avatar films will help to develop Pandora in theme park form in greater detail. "Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see, hear and touch the world of Avatar with an unprecedented sense of reality." The first Avatar-themed land will open at Animal Kingdom, part of Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, though construction isn't slated to start until 2013. Additional Avatar land theme park locations are still under consideration.

Will you plan a trip to see the future Avatar land?

A Hive-Like Norwegian Outdoor Fireplace

Elka Karl — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 06:00:08 PDT

Celebrating outdoor spaces is a definite must for the Summer season, but in some countries, such as Norway, outdoor spaces are utilized year round. When considering a design for a children's playground, Norwegian architecture firm Haugen Zohar created a graceful, conical structure as an auxiliary structure for students to use in the Winter. This enclosed space was perfect for bonfires, storytelling, and playing, even in chilly Scandinavian Winters. The firm worked with an extremely limited budget to build the outdoor fireplace. Created from 80 layered circles with varied radii, the structure rises gracefully from a brushed concrete base. Haugen-Zohar reused leftover short wooden pieces from a nearby construction site for the structure, which was inspired by the Norwegian turf huts and old log construction. Each circle is made of 28 pieces of pine with oak separating wooden pieces placed vertically between the pine to help with airflow. Finishing off the structure is a curved sliding door. I'm imagining the possibilities of using a similar design here in the states. It would be a perfect rest stop for a cross-country skiing adventure, placed deep in a Sierra forest. Alternately, it would be a fantastic addition to a backyard, perhaps designed in conjunction with a Japanese outdoor soaking tub. The unique shape of this structure lends itself to a natural setting, though I can also see it making a huge impact in a more urban environment. How would you use it?

Source

Guillermo del Toro Believes "Very, Very Strongly" in Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

Allie Merriam — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:00:00 PDT

Guillermo del Toro is the force behind this weekend's Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, and he recently spoke about his involvement with the Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce film during a NYC press day. Troy Nixey directed the scary movie, with del Toro operating behind the scenes as a producer and "presenter." Del Toro discussed what his duties included and how he stuck to his original vision for the picture. He also revealed his favorite movies, admiration for the young actress Bailee Madison, and how he thinks perpetuating the weak-females-in-horror-movies cliche is immoral.

On their film having an R rating despite little sex or profanity: "We shot the movie carefully - no profanity, no sex - and it’s not graphic at all. There’s not a single moment when you see anything gory, but when we asked the MPA, 'What would it need to change?' they said, 'The whole movie. It’s too intense . . . it’s intensity with a child.' And frankly, at that point, they said something really nice! They said, 'Why ruin a perfectly good R-rated movie?' Which I thought was very nice coming from them. So we wore it as a badge of honor."
On working with Bailee: "I think the term 'child actor' is a mistake. They're either actors, or they're not; whatever they are, at any age. If a kid is a real actor, he’s a thrill."
On attaching his name to a movie, despite not directing it: "I only presented three movies, one in Spain and The Orphanage internationally, and this is the third time. I only do it when - (a) I am introducing a filmmaker to the world, but (b) I endorse and say I believe in this movie very, very strongly. For whatever reason, it’s a more risky proposition in one way, but it’s one that I believe needs to continue to support first-time filmmakers. . . . I only do it when I fully believe I was involved in the product in a way that is meaningful."
On his favorite movies: "When DVDs came out I made a solemn promise to my wife that I’m just going to get my 10 favorite movies - which are really 7,000 movies. But instinctively, which may change tomorrow, I’d say Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, Erich von Stroheim’s Greed, Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights, Taxi Driver, Blade Runner, Beauty and the Beast. It’s almost impossible to make this list. I’d say all Chaplin and Hitchcock . . . it’s impossible. It’s a horrible dilemma."

To read what Guillermo said about the movie's 10-year development period, the importance of storytelling, and female protagonists in horror films, just

The Tree of Life: Bold and Beautiful

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 27 May 2011 03:05:00 PDT

Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life is, in a word, ambitious. The film is a mixed bag of rich imagery, fragmented storytelling, and commentary on the circle of life and how we're all connected. Malick tackles themes that resonate with all of us: life, death, religion, and family, but what you take away from the abstract film is entirely up to you. I left the theater impressed by Malick's effort and execution, but wishing for a more emotional response. In a nutshell, The Tree of Life is like looking at a painting: to some it may be a masterpiece, others will just see another piece of art they don't get.

In the midst of enough gorgeous footage to fill a National Geographic documentary (Malick certainly puts the "tree" in The Tree of Life), is the story of the O'Brien family in the 1950s. More specifically, the film follows Jack, the eldest of three brothers who reflects on his childhood and the milestones that shaped him as he came of age. Sean Penn plays present-day Jack, who struggles with the meaning of his younger brother's death in battle and his relationship with his family and God. As a child, Jack is adored by his doting mother (Jessica Chastain) and berated by his father (Brad Pitt). The struggle between his innate desire to be just like his father and his will to defy him present one of the bigger conflicts of the film. As his voice-over whispers in prayer: "Why should I be good if you aren't?" To find out what else I thought of the film, just

read more. The movie explores that question by pitting nature against. grace; the same beauty that comes from the earth also brings senseless disaster, while God seems to punish us even if we're good. Likewise, Jack's parents represent that duality: Mr. O'Brien represents the harsh truths of the world: he raises his boys to fear him and grow into strong, self-serving men. Mrs. O'Brien is his perfect foil: girlish and loving, she's practically angelic frolicking around with the boys and showering them with kisses. As Jack grows up, it's clear that his relationships with his parents are having a profound effect on his upbringing. Each time his father comes down on him or one of his brothers, it becomes an impetus for Jack to engage in disruptive behavior. Likewise, his mother's goodness keeps Jack from indulging too much in his dark side. There's no easy way to describe the format of The Tree of Life; Malick weaves together his themes about family and nature, sometimes changing abruptly from one to the other. There are long scenes with no dialogue at all, making the story anything but straightforward. That's the kicker: though The Tree of Life tells a story, it doesn't quite have a plot. It's more of an exploration of relationships and flashbacks. In a sense, you're entering Jack's inner psyche as he tries to make peace with himself and God. As The Tree of Life unfolded before my eyes, I happily devoured a film that's unlike anything I've seen before. Slow, but not boring, affecting but not gripping, Malick's film leaves plenty of food for thought. However, that might just be the problem: I was engaged in the film because I wanted to find out where it was all going, but it's so open to interpretation that I hoped for a more satisfying ending. Still, it's a unique film that pushes the envelope and raises many questions; just don't expect to find any easy answers.