BuzzSugar

AFI's 10 Top 10 Films: Do You Agree?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:31:21 PDT

This week, the American Film Institute announced its choices for the 10 greatest movies in each of 10 genres, ranging from fantasy to epic to mystery. To create the list, AFI chose 50 films in each of the categories, then handed out ballots to 1,500 greats from the film community, who narrowed the choices down to the final winners. Lists like this are simply meant to be debated, of course, so I'm curious to hear your take on which films are deserving and which were left out. To check out which films topped AFI's list, just hit "Start."

The Top 10 Reasons to Keep Your TV On This Summer

BuzzSugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 06:30:41 PDT

After this strike-afflicted TV season, it would be excusable to think that Summer TV would be even worse than normal. And, to be fair, there are a bazillion vaguely awful reality series - from Wipeout to Brooke Hogan Knows Best - on the docket. But you can safely ignore all of those and still stock your TiVo well this Summer: Cable networks are shaping up to have some of their best months ever, and a few network shows look like they'll be must-sees, too. So, without further ado, I present my second-annual Top 10 Reasons to Keep Your TV On This Summer. Just hit "Start" to see them.

Good to Know: Entertainment by the Numbers

BuzzSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 09:30:00 PST

Nielsen, the company that measures TV ratings, among other things, just released its annual top-ten lists ranking everything from the most-watched TV shows to the most-purchased supermarket goods (bread's a big one). I'm a sucker for entertainment-related factoids, so here are a few nuggets from this year's lists:

Where in the United States has the most-avid moviegoers? Salt Lake City! The Salt Lake area ranked first in the percentage of adults who had been to the movies four or more times in the three months before the survey was conducted. Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, El Paso, and the San Francisco Bay Area were next.
By those standards, only 8 percent of US adults qualify as avid moviegoers.
After the Super Bowl and Oscars, the top 10 TV programs of the year were all various installments of American Idol.
Lost and Heroes tied for the TV series that's most commonly timeshifted, or watched on a DVR. Each gained almost 18 percent more viewers than the number who watched the shows live.
Only four TV shows can regularly get more than 10 percent of US residents to tune in at any given time: Idol, Dancing With the Stars, Sunday Night Football, and CSI.
As of Dec. 2, the High School Musical soundtrack was on pace to become the top-selling album of the year, followed by Daughtry, and Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight.
Through Nov. 25, Khaled Hosseini had books ranked at number one and two on the list of best-selling fiction: A Thousand Splendid Suns was first, followed by The Kite Runner.

You can check out all the lists, and then let me know: Does anything surprise you about 2007 by the numbers?

Source

My Top 10 Wishes for the Emmy Nominations

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 04:45:00 PDT

The nominations for this year's Emmy Awards will be announced next Thursday, July 19. That means it's high time we started to speculate about which shows will be selected and which will be snubbed. Here are 10 of the things I hope happen when the names are read next week:

No. 10: A drama series nomination for "The Wire."
Alright, yes, I'm starting out with one that I'm sure is not going to happen; "The Wire" has fervent devotees, but it's not accessible enough for an Emmy nod. I understand why: Series creator David Simon has created such a busy, bustling world that it's tricky to jump in and see what it's about. When I finally started watching the show, I had to watch the pilot twice; even after that, I only knew one character's name. A show with that kind of niche appeal tends to get acting nominations only (see: Michael Chiklis on "The Shield"), and "The Wire" is too much of an ensemble show for even that to be likely. But hey, a girl can dream.

No. 9: "24" left out of the series nominations. Don't get me wrong: I still like this show. But I want the producers to know that "24" can't coast by on the strength of its previous seasons when this one was not up to par. Yes, having it rank second-worst in the critics' survey should be a wake-up call, and the production problems the show's been having lately seems to suggest that the powers-that-be know they need to change things up, though they might not know how best to do it. Leave it out of the nominations this time around, and wait to see if it reclaims its old magic.

Eight more, including my No. 1 hope, so

No. 8: Nominations for the CBS comedies that aren't "Two and a Half Men." When the list of the series finalists leaked a while back, I was sad to see that "Two and a Half Men" was the only CBS sitcom up for consideration. If one of the network's shows was going to be picked, I would have preferred "How I Met Your Mother" (at left) - or, frankly, even "The New Adventures of Old Christine." If voters only want to nominate one comedy from that group, I'm afraid they've chosen the wrong one.

No. 7: A writing nomination for Tina Fey. The first season of "30 Rock" might have started out a little rocky, but it totally smoothed itself out by the end, and I think Fey has done a superb job. I don't know Fey personally, but I feel oddly proud of her for having created the show. She's head writer and lead actress of a hit TV show all while being a fairly new mother and working on a movie. She's clearly very clever, funny and determined, and it would be most excellent to see her rewarded.

No. 6: Acting nominations for the women of "Brothers & Sisters."
I was a little surprised when this show didn't make the list of Emmy finalists, but I suppose I shouldn't be; it had a rough start, and that might have turned a lot of people off. But this Sunday-night drama got progressively stronger as the season went on, and that had a lot to do with the performances from the female half of the cast, including Sally Field as the Walker family matriarch, Rachel Griffiths and Calista Flockhart as her daughters, Patricia Wettig as the "other woman," and Emily VanCamp as the family's surprise half-sister. Maybe this show isn't ready for a best drama nomination yet, but the women have earned their spots.

No. 5: Love for some of comedy's great supporting players.
Just a handful of the folks I'd like to see recognized: Becki Newton, Vanessa Williams and Michael Urie of "Ugly Betty," Jack McBrayer of "30 Rock," and Rainn Wilson and Angela Kinsey of "The Office," Elizabeth Perkins of "Weeds." They make their shows fuller and richer creations, and sometimes, these so-called supporting actors are the main reason I tune in.

No. 4: An acting nomination for "Lost" that's not Evangeline Lilly or Matthew Fox.
In an ensemble cast chock-full of fabulous actors, it bugs me that these two are consistently given so much praise and attention. I find their performances to be repetitive, one-dimensional and often bland. There are many other more deserving actors in this show, so here's hoping at least one of them gets some attention at the Emmys. Specifically, I'd love to see Yunjin Kim (Sun, pictured at right), Michael Emerson (Ben), Terry O'Quinn (Locke), or Henry Ian Cusick (Desmond). But any of them, barring Kate or Jack, would be fine by me.

No. 3: Some recognition for "Gilmore Girls." Nobody loves a canceled show more than the Emmys (is Megan Mulally still being nominated for "Will and Grace"?), and I think that, in its last season, "Gilmore Girls" should finally get a nomination. I wouldn't give it a nod in a "best series" category; this season wasn't the strongest, and that's the kind of pandering I despise when it happens to a show I dislike. But Lauren Graham has been snubbed out of an acting nomination for years now, and I hope this year will finally be her time.

No. 2: Nominations for Pam and Jim. Yes, Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski are getting their own category here. They've both done work deserving of an Emmy this year - and I'm worried that neither one of them is going to get the recognition they've earned. Emmy voters seem to have particular trouble with shows that don't fall easily into "comedy" or "drama" categories, and that goes double for performances that blur the lines. Fischer, in particular, is a perfect example of that; her "Beach Games" speech was a fantastic moment of acting, but it's not the kind of work people think of when they think of comedies. Krasinski's best work comes when he's being the straight man, setting up Dwight and Michael for embarrassment. This season of "The Office" was rocky at times, but these two could be counted on to deliver the right mix of humor and heart.

No. 1: At least one major nomination for "Friday Night Lights" - be it for drama series, best actor, or best actress (if not all three).
I'm not delusional enough to think that a nomination alone - or even a win - would be enough to boost this show into the top 10 programs in the ratings next season; I learned that lesson well enough from "Arrested Development." But it would be some kind of proof to the world at large, beyond the critics and the few million devoted viewers, that this is a show worth watching. No, it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it has undeniably strong acting, tackles with themes that many shows either shy away from or make trite, and consistently aims to be great - exactly the kind of work the Emmys should be praising.

"Friday Night Lights," "The Office" and "30 Rock" photos Source
"Brothers & Sisters," "Lost" and "Ugly Betty" photos copyright 2007 ABC, Inc.
"How I Met Your Mother" photo courtesy of CBS
"The Wire" photo Source
"Gilmore Girls" photo courtesy of The CW
"24" photo courtesy of Fox

Which of My Top 10 Movie Dads Is Your Favorite?

BuzzSugar — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 09:32:44 PDT

I know there are tons of notable movie dads out there, but there are only ten that can make my Top 10 Movie Dads list.

So tell me: Which of my Top 10 is your favorite movie dad?

Top 10 Most Memorable TV Dads

BuzzSugar — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 00:16:04 PDT

Father's Day is fast approaching, so what better time to honor some of the most memorable television fathers? I've compiled a list of my top 10 dads (and a few father figures) to go along with my great movie dads list from the other day. There were so many stern, sweet and just plain goofy men to choose from, ranging from Sandy Cohen on "The OC" to George's dad on "Seinfeld" to Al Bundy on "Married with Children," so be sure to let me know your favorites. Here's who made my final cut:

No. 10: Philip Drummond, "Diff'rent Strokes"
Philip Drummond often went around with an expression of good-natured surprise. He was utterly patient with his one natural child Kimberly and his two adopted boys Arnold and Willis. The three kids somehow found their way into crazy stressful situations (riding in cars with strangers, bank holdups, learning how to "just say no" to drugs, etc.), and then there were the hand-wringing moments, like when Philip was in the hospital after a car crash and had amnesia! But the sweet, even-tempered Philip Drummond always bounced back, and provided a supremely healthy living environment for all his kids - both adopted and natural.

No. 9: Joey Harris and Michael Taylor, "My Two Dads"
Nicole's hot city apartment with its spiral staircase and giant high-heeled chair more than made up for her strange and awkward situation: With her mother deceased, joint custody was awarded to both Joey and Michael, both of whom had had a thing with Nicole's mom. The way I saw it, Nicole had the best life, living with two dads who were remarkably opposite. There was the hot, free-wheeling dad (Greg Evigan) who could totally show her how to lighten up and party, and the uptight nervous dad (Paul Reiser) who could help her with school and who was great for anxious comedic relief. Plus, if Nicole ever needed womanly advice, "Night Court"'s Judge Margaret W. Wilbur was there to lend a hand. Besides having lost her mother, she had an awesome arrangement!

Eight more if you

No. 8: Jason Seaver, "Growing Pains"
To some extent, we have Jason Seaver to thank for giving stay-at-home dads a good name on TV. By working from home while his wife took a series of journalism jobs, Jason was present for all of the misadventures of his two troublemaking sons and brainy daughter.

No. 7: Henry Warnimont, "Punky Brewster"
Everybody's favorite multi-colored multi-print orphan, Punky Brewster, showed up in Henry's apartment building and they were instant soul mates! Well, okay, she had to grow on Henry a little bit. And even then she was a major handful. But still, one could not hope for a funnier, cuter, more loyal little girl, and Henry knew this, even if he was kind of on the elderly, grouchy side. The two made an unlikely - but heartbreakingly adorable - pair, and I'm not sure I miss any TV duo the way I miss Punky and her Henry.

No. 6: Steven Keaton, "Family Ties"
For some reason, one of my earliest TV memories is watching Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox) tell his father, Steven, to stop acting like it was the 1970s. But Steven never really stopped being a hippie, and I always got a kick out of watching him try to reconcile his flower-child, liberal, public-television perspective with the views of his stodgy, conservative kids.

No. 5: Charles, "Charles in Charge"
OK, so Scott Baio's Charles wasn't technically a dad. But as a live-in babysitter for not one but two different families, he helped all the Pembroke and Powell kids through their awkward years - while also nabbing a perfect girlfriend, reigning in eccentric best friend Buddy, and rocking many a pair of suspenders. What child of the '80s didn't secretly want "Charles in charge of our days and our nights"?

No. 4: Jack Bauer, "24"

Jack Bauer is gruff and grumbly, fierce and loving, protective and sweet. His relationship with daughter Kim (Elisha Cuthbert) is rocky at times, and he puts her life in danger more than a lot. But the thing is, Kim is one character who can always (always!) pout, "My dad is coming for you - and he's gonna make you pay!" and totally be right about that. Every time Jack Bauer saves his blonde-haired little girl (who's actually like, 25 years old), I have to cheer.

No. 3: Homer Simpson, "The Simpsons"
Possibly the greatest television oaf of all time, Homer's belching, beer drinking and crude humor might not make him the best role model. But he's always done his best - however bumbling he may be - to show Bart, Lisa and Maggie that he cares for them. I mean, what other father would demand that his son cut school so they could steal grease together? That's love.

No. 2: Danny Tanner, Joey Gladstone and Jesse Katsopolis, "Full House"
Unsure of how to parent his three little girls after his wife's death, Danny Tanner did the only thing he could think of: He recruited his best friend and his wife's little brother to move in. As a result, Danny, Uncle Jesse and Uncle Joey teamed up for eight cheesy but wonderful seasons chock full of life lessons. No matter how serious the topic - drinking, drugs, abuse, meat loaf - it was nothing that couldn't be resolved with a heart-to-heart between Danny or the Uncles and their girls. I loved how almsot every episode seemed to freeze-frame on a father-daughter hug.

No. 1: Cliff Huxtable, "The Cosby Show"
Was there any doubt Cliff would be my No. 1? He was the kind of dad we all wanted (and some of us were lucky enough to have): stern but sensitive, endearingly goofy, and serious without being preachy. He was close to his son, Theo, but also knew how to navigate the challenges of raising four daughters. It's no wonder he was your favorite sitcom dad, and it's going to take one heck of an amazing TV father to ever knock him from this perch.

"24" and "The Simpsons" photos courtesy of Fox
"Full House" photo Source
"Punky Brewster" photo Source
"My Two Dads" photo Source
"Charles in Charge" photo Source
"Growing Pains" photo Source
"Family Ties" photo Source
"Cosby Show" photo Source

Top 10 Movie Dads

BuzzSugar — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 23:52:44 PDT

Father's Day is only a few days away, and as I search around for some way to properly honor my dad this year, let's take a look at some of the coolest, funniest, bravest or just plain "dadliest" dads in movie history. Honorable mentions include Daniel Hillard, Mrs. Doubtfire; Ted Kramer, Kramer vs. Kramer; Don Vito Corleone, The Godfather; Jack Byrnes, Meet the Parents; and Sonny Koufax, Big Daddy. As for the ones that made the final cut, read on...

10. Mr. Levenstein, American Pie
Mr. Levenstein's (Eugene Levy) earnest bumbling when it comes to discussing matters of sexuality with his son Jim (Jason Biggs) is so misguided and yet so endearing. The filmmakers take your average awkward exchange between father and teenage son and multiply it by about a thousand, creating moments of excruciating embarrassment many of us have only had nightmares about.

9. Peter, Michael and Jack, Three Men and a Baby
What's more endearing than three grown male friends teaming together to collectively parent a baby girl left on one of their stoops? Nuthin'. It's fun to watch three bachelors adjust their lives to include little Mary, from taking her to work with them to shielding her from the drug dealers that are chasing them down. Ah, those early formative years.

Eight more if you

8. The Old Man, A Christmas Story
Darren McGavin as "The Old Man" to Ralphie "you'll shoot your eye out" Parker scared the bejesus out of me as a kid. He's certainly not the sweetest dad on the list, but he's definitely unforgettable. Like Roseanne on my Mother's Day Top Ten TV Moms and Daughters list, The Old Man was much more true-to-life than many of the dads on TV and in movies. He's tempermental, impatient and a little self-centered. But he also loves his kids. He just has a less sappy way of showing it.

7. Clark Griswold, National Lampoon’s Vacation
Before Little Miss Sunshine, there was Vacation, the classic family road movie. Even in the most slapstick moments of this cross-country adventure, Chevy Chase as daddy Griswold is driven by one tender desire: to give his family the best vacation possible. But on the way from Chicago to Wally World, he's stymied by multiple obstacles, many of which he brings on himself. But in the end, he's still a worthy navigator of any beloved station wagon.

6. Leon, The Professional

Yes, I know Leon is not Mathilda's (Natalie Portman) real dad in The Professional, but the way he warms to her, protects her, and truly loves her by the end of the movie (even putting on a pink bandana!) is utterly heart-rending. Especially seeing as he's kind of a cold-blooded killer in the beginning and Mathilda teaches him how to feel love again. Sigh!

5. Sam Dawson, I Am Sam

This is one of those movies I can't even think about without feeling like I'm going to cry. Back when people weren't overexposed to Dakota Fanning she played Lucy Diamond Dawson, a precocious little girl (as always) with a mentally challenged dad, Sam (Sean Penn). Sam named his daughter Lucy Diamond after the Beatles song, and raised her on his own. Yet as she gets older, Lucy intentionally holds herself back at school to avoid seeming smarter than her dad. Thus ensues a legal battle, to Sam's great anxiety. Luckily, they have an excellent lawyer on their side: Rita Harrison (Michelle Pfeiffer). Sam's abilities may not be the same as other dads, but his love and devotion toward his daughter are just as strong - if not stronger.

4. Gil Buckman, Parenthood
The problems plaguing the Buckman family are myriad - and mighty familiar to just about anyone with a family. Like many dads, Gil (Steve Martin) is struggling to hold everything together and just barely succeeding. In this poignant dramedy, Martin strikes a perfect balance between desperation and levity, whether he's making makeshift cowboy chaps out of a bathmat for his son's birthday party, trying to explain away his sister's vibrator as an electric ear cleaner, or solemnly realizing that his even own father needs advice sometimes. Steve Martin really is one of the "dadliest" of all movie dads - his roles in Father of the Bride and Cheaper By the Dozen only further prove how well he can play the harried, frustrated yet ever-proud father.

3. Daniel, Crash

Whenever I think of Crash - which is a movie that has a lot going on - my first thought is of Daniel (Michael Pena) and his daughter Lara. Having experienced a stray bullet coming through her bedroom window, Lara is fearful and has taken to hiding under her bed. Daniel teaches her that she can tie an invisible cape around her shoulders and be protected. Later in the movie, of course, there is a callback to the cape which totally gives me the chills, even now. Ah, invisible cape!

2. Chris Gardner, Pursuit of Happyness

In this rare motion-picture depiction of a single dad, Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is hardly perfect, focusing relentlessly on the future while making some scary sacrifices in the present. As he gets beat-down working as an unpaid intern and living in shelters, Gardner tries to never let his son know how bad things are, and when that becomes impossible, he does the next best thing. He makes the kid understand that even when things get really really bad, dad will be there to protect him.

1. Guido Orefice, Life is Beautiful
The funny, sweet, do-no-wrong Guido Orefice (Roberto Begnini) tops my list of Movie Dads because he gave his son Giosué some of the best gifts in the world. Even in the most dire of situations, Guido is all about Giosué - making him laugh and generally distracting him from the gruesome world of war. The ending, when I first saw this movie, made me gasp. It could be called "manipulative" in how firmly this movie yanks on the heartstrings, but I completely fell for it - and for Guido.

Top 10 Reasons to Keep Your TV On This Summer

BuzzSugar — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 23:54:31 PDT

Summer used to be a time of reruns, but no more. Now summer TV is its own event, with cable and broadcast networks pulling up a whole new crop of shows. And here's the bad news for those of you who planned to get off the couch this summer: A lot of the summer series look great. Here are 10 great reasons to keep the remote control close at hand:

No. 10: "Saving Grace" (starts July 18, TNT)
I could watch Holly Hunter in practically anything, so it's really just a bonus that her new TNT series looks good. Hunter plays a hard-charging detective who drinks too much, sleeps with too many guys and generally plays by her own rules. But then a tragedy drives her to break down and ask for help - which comes in the form of an unconventional angel named Earl.

No. 9: "State of Mind" (starts July 15, Lifetime)
I know what you're thinking: "Lifetime? As in the Original Pictures about victimized women?" But now that I've been pleasantly surprised by the compelling "Army Wives," Lifetime has earned a little more credibility in my eyes. And now this series about a psychotherapist with personal problems of her own has at least three good things going for it: 1) Lili Taylor (right), who always delivers the right combo of charm and angst; 2) the producing team that brought us "Nip/Tuck" and "The Closer"; and 3) Devon Gummersall, aka Brian Krackow from "My So-Called Life." Yeah, I'm so there.

To see the other 8,

No. 8: "Hex" (on Saturdays, BBC America)
I don't know how I missed out on the first season of this show, which sounds essentially like a British "Buffy the Vampire Slayer": Ella, a sassy young witch, must use her powers to save humanity, aided by a passel of ghost-friends and fallen angels. The show gets bonus points for describing its characters as "hexy beasts" (side note: from looking at the cast page, apparently blunt-cut bangs help your witching powers).

No. 7: "Damages" (starts July 24, FX)
FX apparently liked Glenn Close's guest-starring role in "The Shield" so much, the network gave her a show of her own. In "Damages," she plays a big-time, high-stakes lawyer who starts questioning whether she's ruthless enough to maintain her place at the top. Along for the ride is a young associate who's just now learning what it takes to win. Legal shows often make me yawn, but I'm hopeful this one will have just enough FX edginess to hold my interest.

No. 6: "Californication" (starts Aug. 13, Showtime)
David Duchovny (the mere mention of whom always makes me get this song stuck in my head) returns to TV in this dark comedy, focusing on a blunt, self-destructive novelist trying to raise his 13-year-old daughter and still maintain his sex-obsessed, alcohol-fueled lifestyle.

No. 5: "So You Think You Can Dance" (on Wednesdays and Thursdays, Fox)

I've already admitted that I like this show more than "Idol," and that goes double for when the competition rounds start June 13. The show never fails to keep me entertained, and I'm not ashamed to say I sometimes end up dancing around my living room practicing my own terrible versions of the moves.

No. 4: "The Company" (starts Aug. 5, TNT)
Here's a nerdy thing about me: I'm weirdly fascinated with the CIA and spy culture in general. So this three-part, six-hour miniseries sounds like it will be right up my alley. Based on a novel by Robert Littell, the show depicts Cold War-era CIA agents trapped in double lives. Alfred Molina and Chris O'Donnell star in the miniseries, which is produced by Ridley Scott.

No. 3: "Creature Comforts" (on Mondays, CBS)

Yes, I'm going to talk about this show again, just because I don't want to be the only one watching it! I love the Claymation critters, the "Studs Terkel meets Shaun the Sheep" premise, and the fact that CBS took a risk by airing such an unconventional show. I'm afraid it's too smart to be on network TV, but I'm hoping viewers will prove me wrong.

No. 2: HBO Sundays
Anyone wondering how HBO is going to fill the void of "The Sopranos" leaving should look no further than the new Sunday lineup. There's "John from Cincinnati", a spacey surf-noir from the creator of "Deadwood." There's the fourth season of Hollywood humor from the "Entourage" boys. There's the hilarious pseudo-reality "Flight of the Conchords" featuring folk-song parodies and my man Jemaine Clement. Throw in a "Big Love" repeat (new episodes of that one will air Monday nights), and I can't see why I'd ever change the channel.

No. 1: "Weeds" (Showtime, starts August 13)
I literally cannot say enough about this show. It's hilarious, it's heartwarming, it has Mary Louise Parker, and it's quirky enough that it never, ever becomes predictable. The cast is outstanding, and I must admit I'm pretty curious to see what Mary-Kate Olsen adds to the show. Hopefully crazy Kat (played amazingly by Zooey Deschanel) will be around, too. Season two ended with an incredible set of cliffhangers (spoiler alert). Peter the DEA Agent is dead! The guns are pointed at Nancy and Conrad! Silas is about to be discovered with the entire crop of weed in his trunk! Sigh, August 13 cannot come fast enough.

"Weeds" and "Californication" photos courtesy of Showtime
"Creature Comforts" photo courtesy of CBS
"Flight of the Conchords" picture courtesy of HBO
"Saving Grace" and "The Company" photos courtesy of TNT
"Damages" photo courtesy of FX
"So You Think You Can Dance" photo courtesy of Fox
"Hex" photo Source
Lili Taylor photo Source

Top Ten Ladies of Summer

BuzzSugar — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:01:40 PDT

I recently brought you my list of the Top Ten Gentlemen I am most excited to check out on the big screen this summer, and now I'm turning my attention to my favorite ladies. And no, John Travolta simply doesn't cut it for either of the top ten lists. Honorable mentions, however, include the entire cast of Evening (Claire Danes, Toni Collette, Meryl Streep, etc.) and Leslie Mann whose pixie-voiced crassness in Knocked Up just about killed me. But I digress. On with the list of ladies...

No. 10: Jessica Biel
Jessica's summer flick, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, may not end up being my cup of tea, but there is no denying that the hyper-fit starlet is everywhere these days. Her relationship with Justin Timberlake is certainly catapulting her to A-List gossip status, but she has been getting these coveted roles without the help of anyone bringing SexyBack. Plus, it's hard not to root for a girl who could definitely beat most of our Boys of Summer in a fight.

To see the rest of our top 10,

No. 9: Nikki Blonsky
Hollywood newcomer Nikki Blonsky is about to shake things up in Hairspray alongside John Travolta. I don't know how awesome Hairspray will be - the clip I've seen of the film so far is fun but also makes me blush and cringe - but I have to say Miss Blonsky definitely has that "je ne sais quoi" that makes her irresistible to watch.

No. 8: Keira Knightley
What Top Ten list would be complete without little bird-boned Keira Knightley and her winsome toothy grin? Even dressed as a pirate in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End she can't hide her dainty ways. Starring opposite two of my Top Ten hunky guys, Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp, I have that envy-resentment thing going on towards Knightley.

No. 7: Jennifer Lopez
Ah, J.Lo. Since she's starring this summer alongside her real-life husband Marc Anthony in El Cantante, a movie about the origins of salsa music in America, I should make some kind of comment about her spicing up an already overheated summer lineup or something but... nah. The always stylish Jennifer is hot, apparently unable to learn the lesson of not co-starring with real live lovers, and in a movie this summer, so she makes the list.

No. 6: Mandy Moore
I've been a die-hard believer in Mandy Moore's comedic chops ever since seeing her in Saved! so her upcoming License to Wed could suck and I'd still go see it. Well, I'm also going to see the ever-adorable John Krasinski, so there's that. As long as it's not A Walk to Remember-depressing, I'm there.

No. 5: Michelle Pfeiffer
Starring in not one, but two summer movies (Hairspray, Stardust), Michelle Pfeiffer is once again the lady of the hour. In Hairspray she plays Velma Von Tussle, the catty, overbearing stage mother to Brittany Snow's character, Amber. In Stardust she plays a witch intent on staying young and beautiful, which is funny because she really looks young for her age. Pfeiffer is kind of getting up there but still looks like she's my age, and she seems rather spry. It's freaky.

No. 4: Angelina Jolie
Kudos to Angelina Jolie. She's saving the world, one underprivileged child at a time and she's making the important films, like A Mighty Heart which opens June 22. The reviews from Cannes, where the film premiered, have been largely positive, with most critics giving props to Jolie for her sensitive portrayal of Mariane Pearl, whose husband Daniel was brutally murdered in Pakistan in 2002. Somehow the rebellious wild child who wore a vial of Billy Bob's blood around her neck has almost seamlessly transformed into a doting mother. In my eyes, Jolie is a strong, elegant and intelligent lady.

No. 3: Isla Fisher
Like Michelle Pfeiffer, Isla has two movies coming out this summer: Wedding Daze (aka The Pleasure of Your Company) and Hot Rod. One has to do with marrying a stranger and the other deals with mountain biking. I'm hoping Hot Rod will be like that '80s movie Rad. Anyone remember that one? No? Anyway, Isla is perhaps my favorite young actress right now for how well she mixes sweet 'n goofy, and I think she might secretly be a genius. Plus, she and her fiance, Sacha Baron Cohen, are possibly expecting their first child, which is cute enough to make even me a little sentimental.

No. 2: Ellen Barkin
Ellen Barkin is one tough broad. I love watching her in movies, and since she doesn't do too many, it's a treat to see her this summer in Ocean's Thirteen. Moreover, every interview I read only further endears me to her. In this week's Entertainment Weekly, for example, she asserts, "Hollywood likes a girl who looks like men can make her cry, and I'm not that girl." How cool is she? Her tough-sassy-sexy thing got her the coveted role of being the only lady in a cast of hot men, and it got her the Number 2 spot on my list.

No. 1: Katherine Heigl
Knocked Up is an awesome movie - I'm officially saying that now (and you can read why in my review later... wait for it...). Part of its success is Judd Apatow's writing but a large part is the cast, most notably Katherine Heigl. There's just something natural and down-home about her that I find charming. I hesitate to say girl-next-door because that seems weirdly porny, but she does remind me of someone I'd want as a friend. So, I give my new friend Katherine Heigl the Number 1 spot on my Top Ten Ladies of Summer list.

Memorable TV and Movie Mother Figures

BuzzSugar — Thu, 10 May 2007 03:58:17 PDT

On Mother's Day this Sunday, it's important to honor our moms. It's also important to celebrate all the stepmothers, grandmothers, aunts, neighbors and other women who nurture and raise children that are not biologically their own. Thus, I present my homage to these women with a list of TV and movie mother figures, those characters whose hearts are generous enough to take in children who are not technically theirs. Don't worry that you don't see Henry from "Punky Brewster" or other male caretakers since dad figures will be featured next month for Father's Day! And stay tuned for tomorrow's list of memorable moms-and-daughters from TV.

Mrs. Garrett, "The Facts of Life"
As the housemother of a girls' school dormitory, Mrs. Garrett functions as a stand-in mom for several teenage girls. And with all the morality lessons those girls had to learn each episode, Mrs. Garrett certainly has her work cut out for her, yet she always comes through with her sense of humor intact. She even taught me to "take the good, take the bad, take 'em both and there you have... The Facts of Life... The Facts of Life."

Many more great ladies if you

Corrina, Corrina, Corrina
Sure, she's paid to clean the house and take care of Molly (Tina Majorino), but it takes a very special person to bring the somber, mute little girl out of her shell after her mother's death. And Corrina (Whoopi Goldberg) is just the person for the job. I smile-cry every time I watch Molly and Corrina sing "Pennies From Heaven."

Angela, "Who's the Boss?"
Angela (Judith Light) provides a feminine influence for tomboy Samantha (Alyssa Milano), helping her out with issues that the sweet but kinda bumbling Tony (Danza) can't quite grasp. You know, girl stuff. It was always a relief to know that little Sam had a woman to turn to if needed.

Aunt May, Spider-Man
Together with Uncle Ben, Peter Parker's gentle Aunt May raises Peter, molding him into a sweet, gentlemanly young man who has deep respect for his elders. Aunt May is particularly good at dispensing pearls of wisdom such as: "A man must always put his wife before himself." Damn straight, Aunt May. Damn straight.

Alice, "The Brady Bunch"
Sure, the Brady kids already have a mom (or a stepmom) in Mrs. Brady, but Alice has just as much to do with those kids growing up right. Who makes their food and cleans up after them and makes wry, sarcastic comments? That's right: Alice.

CC, Beaches
She might not start out as the most obvious choice to mother young Victoria when her mother dies, but the powerful sisterly bond that CC and Hillary shared during life means that all of Hillary's love for her daughter will continue to live on in CC's relationship with Victoria. Plus, despite her selfish, narcissistic nature, CC will probably make a pretty fun mom.

Rebecca, "Full House"
"Full House" is a house full of little girls being raised by three grown men. Aside from alleviating the weirdness of that which is hitting me only now, Rebecca is a great addition to the group for a variety of reasons. Most of all, she's a smart, pretty role model for those little girls and often provides a voice of reason.

Jen's grandmother/"Grams," "Dawson's Creek"
Similar to Peter Parker/Spider-Man's Aunt May, Grams is an older lady with a solid sense of propriety, though she's got a little more fiestiness in her, probably due to the fact that Jen is a rebellious turd sometimes. Seriously, there were moments when I was like, give the old lady a break! But Grams never gives up on her granddaughter, and always lets her know she is loved.

Isabel, Stepmom
I'm not sure how I feel about this movie, but it is an interesting look at a family going through some painful transition, and smack-dab in the middle of it is a young woman (Isabel, played by Julia Roberts) who will soon be the guardian of some grieving kids. It takes a fiercely strong, loving person to enter into this kind of situation, so I give props to Julia Roberts' character Isabel, the stepmom.

Lynette, "Desperate Housewives"
I feel sorry for little Kayla, I really do. Sometimes kids are really angry after the death of a parent, and they take out their anger on the easiest target, which is usually a stepparent. I don't fault Kayla for any of that, though she makes it darn near impossible to feel sympathy for her when she's so thoroughly trying to ruin Lynette's life. And I think Lynette's doing a pretty good job with the whole thing. She's patient and kind, which is saying a lot, seeing as she now has five kids in her house and a new restaurant to take care of. Kudos, Lynette!