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Box Office: Forbidden Kingdom Kicks the Competition

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:30:28 PDT

Forbidden Kingdom gave kung fu fans the match up of their dreams, pairing up martial arts screen giants Jackie Chan and Jet Li for the first time. Together the two stars proved to be a formidable force at the box office, earning the top spot over the weekend with an estimated $20.9 million. Forgetting Sarah Marshall came in second place, earning $17 million.

Variety reports that while this opening represents a vast improvement over recent Apatow films like Drillbit Taylor and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, it still wasn't a return to the box office glory of his mega-hits like Superbad, Knocked-Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

Prom Night continued to do well, coming in at No. 3 followed by the weekend opener starring Al Pacino, 88 Minutes which only took in $6.8 million. Nim's Island rounded out the top five followed by 21, Street Kings, and Horton Hears a Who. In the ninth spot was the Ben Stein documentary about intelligent design, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 07:30:00 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 also rent Reservation Road (not to be confused with Revolutionary Road), and Leonardo DiCaprio's global warming warning, The 11th Hour.

There Will Be Blood
This April is a great month for renting DVDs because a new stellar, Oscar-nominated film seems to come out every week. Today's release is the stirring Paul Thomas Anderson masterpiece, There Will Be Blood. The film is loosely based on Upton Sinclair's novel Oil! and follows the story of an ambitious oil man, Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) as he becomes one of those famed self-made American magnates, a la William Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie.

If you haven't heard by now that this film is both visually stunning and soul-stirring, and that Daniel Day-Lewis gives the Oscar-winning performance of the year, then you've had a very distracting year. I stuck this movie on my April must-haves list not only because of its classic story of greed vs. compassion, but also because Day-Lewis only seems to emerge to knock one out of the park every five years or so, which in Hollywood years can seem like a lifetime. You'll want to own this one to get you through to 2013 when he's had enough of shoe-making on the Italian Coast or something and decides to show the rest of those amateurs how it's done. Again.

For two more titles that couldn't be more different than each other,

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
2007 truly was the year of Judd Apatow, though admittedly this spoof on the musician biopic he co-wrote was probably his weakest submission. While it was hard to recommend paying theater prices for this film, it is a perfectly serviceable at-home rental.

Starring John C. Reilly as Dewey Cox, a rocker with secrets (shocker!), the film pokes fun at movies like Ray and Walk the Line and takes many prisoners, sparing neither Bob Dylan nor the Beatles (in a hilarious scene starring Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Justin Long, and Jason Schwartzman as the Fab Four). While it drags in some parts, Reilly is great in this role and the whole thing is more or less a good time.

Special features include deleted and extended scenes and featurettes titled, "The Music of Walk Hard", and "The Real Dewey Cox."

Lions for Lambs
First of all, the stars of this movie need to have a serious talk with the DVD cover-art people. How is it possible to airbrush Robert Redford so that he looks utterly unattractive? And that's one highly arched brow on Meryl Streep. Anyway, don't let the cover distract you from this serious meditation on the nature of current American politics.

While I realize many are turned off by movies about the current war in Iraq, I think this film, directed by Robert Redford, gives us a lot of food for thought. More talking than action, I thought this might have worked better as a play than a movie, but it's still a highly worthwhile watch. Most intriguing are the questions Redford brings up about young people who, he asserts, seem to feel disaffected amidst these turbulent times. All three performances are fine (Tom Cruise is particularly good as a smarmy congressman), but most importantly it gets you thinking and might spur on good debate.

Special features include audio commentary by Robert Redford and a making-of featurette.

2007: Year of Apatow

BuzzSugar — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 11:22:47 PST

I said it back in May, and it's still true as the year winds down: Judd Apatow is everywhere. The man whom the Los Angeles Times named "the mayor of comedy" had two of the Summer movie season's biggest hits, signed on for several more highly anticipated projects, had a New York Times Magazine cover story all about him, and generally became a household name - not bad for a self-described schlub in an unglamorous polo shirt. Want to reminisce about Apatow's big year? Just hit start.

Walk Hard: Better as a Sketch Than a Movie

BuzzSugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 06:30:00 PST

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, the final 2007 notch on Judd Apatow's ever-growing comedy belt, isn't a great movie - but it would have been a fantastic Saturday Night Live sketch. The movie, which Apatow produced and co-wrote with Jake Kasdan, can be hilarious, but it's just as often tiresome, dipping into the same well of jokes over and over again.

Even so, there are enough hilarious moments in the movie's second half that I came out of the theater feeling surprisingly good about Walk Hard. It's not the next Knocked Up, but it's a pretty good diversion, if you can get through the draggy first 45 minutes and have a high tolerance for the type of humor usually favored in high school cafeterias.

John C. Reilly stars as Dewey Cox, the archetypal rock star with a dark secret in his past - namely that he accidentally killed his brother by whacking him in half with a machete. To cope, Cox learns to play the blues, then progresses to rock 'n' roll, ultimately leaving his family for a career in showbiz. When he fills in for injured Bobby Shad (Craig Robinson of The Office) at an erotic nightclub, Cox ends up on the fast track to musical fame (and ruin), with all the drugs, women, stints in rehab, jail sentences, and folk-musician rebirths that implies. The movie sticks close to the formula it's spoofing, and that's part of why the first half feels so tired. For the rest of my take, just

If you've ever seen a musician biopic - heck, if you've ever seen a movie - you know that Cox is going to run off with his girlfriend (Kristen Wiig), give her lots of babies, and be lured toward infidelity by a Christian woman with tarty tastes in fashion (Jenna Fischer). He's going to try drugs despite his protestations that he won't, and he's going to have a confrontation with his father. What little you don't already know, the movie will drive into your head in no time: Cox being tempted into drugs by his bandmates is funny the first time, chuckle-worthy the second time, and just dumb by the third. Same goes for having Cox stare off into space every time someone utters a quasi-profound line that could become his next song.

But then, around the time the story slides into the 1960s, something changes, and the movie comes out much funnier for it. In quick succession, there's a priceless Bob Dylan parody, a scene with Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Justin Long, and Jason Schwartzman as the Beatles, and an acid trip straight out of Yellow Submarine. There were good moments after that - especially the YouTube mashup of "Walk Hard" by a rapper named Lil' Nutzzak, and yes, you know exactly where that's going - and a biopic-worthy conclusion, but that '60s segment contained all the images, scenes, and jokes that stuck in my mind days later.

In terms of spotting comedy stars, the movie is pure pleasure; everyone from Ed Helms to Jonah Hill to Jack McBrayer to Harold Ramis has a moment. But the movie really belongs to Reilly, a consistent supporting actor finally getting a featured role. Playing Dewey Cox requires hitting a very specific tone, saying goofy lines earnestly but not so earnestly they're no longer funny, and on that score, Reilly is nearly flawless. I still wish Walk Hard had been shorter by half (or maybe three-quarters), but if it means that Reilly gets some recognition for what he can do in a leading role, I won't protest too much.

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures

It Takes Two to "Duet"

GiggleSugar — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:02:00 PST

There's no doubt that Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is gonna be chock full of double entendres. The name of the protagonist is the first clue. The film's tag line is another: "Life made him tough. Love made him strong. Music made him hard." And the song "Let's Duet" ("do it"), couldn't be filthier. Listen with a dirty mind.

John C. Reilly and 2007 Comic Heavy Hitters Walk Hard

Molly — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:29:34 PST

John C. Reilly was most certainly remaining in character at last night's LA premiere of Walk Hard, even serenading the crowd with his vocal stylings at one point. Also out for the big premiere was his co-star Jenna Fischer in a hot and decidedly non-Pam Beesley dress with some sky-high heels, guess her back is all better. Justin Long managed to stop making out with Drew long enough to make it out to the show and pose alongside one of your favorite comedic actors of the year, Seth Rogen. John Mayer happily looked tall alongside Zac and Vanessa while Will Ferrell kept it cowboy (I feel bad for the person sitting behind him). Not out with all his cronies was Michael Cera, who (somewhat surprisingly) is still winning as your favorite rising star of 2007. It's been a huge year for a lot of these guys, can't wait to see what they've all got up their sleeves (and fantastic pants in Reilly's case) next year.

To see more from the premiere including Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jack Black, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Justin Long, and others just

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Images include Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jack Black, Jenna Fischer, John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Justin Long, Will Farrel, Molly Shannon, Jason Bateman, John Mayer, Ricki Lake, Rachael Harris, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Angela Kinsey, Connor Rayburn, and Kate Flannery.

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Music Video: "Walk Hard" with John C. Reilly

BuzzSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 12:29:43 PST

I wasn't terribly impressed with our first look at Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, the biopic spoof co-written by Judd Apatow that opens Dec. 21. But the full music video for "Walk Hard," the song performed by John C. Reilly as the title character, has me feeling a little better about things. It's not the best country music spoof I've ever heard - it's a shame they couldn't have borrowed the A Mighty Wind team, just for a few minutes - but the lyrics and the additional footage from the movie are pretty amusing. I'm a little afraid, though, that Apatow and Co. didn't take this one quite enough over the top; I'm still waiting for a moment that makes me laugh out loud (though Reilly smashing a sink to smithereens in the video comes pretty close). To check out the video, just

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First Look: Judd Apatow's Walk Hard, Starring Jenna Fisher

BuzzSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:28:24 PDT

Ever since Judd Apatow had a fame explosion this summer with the release of Knocked Up (and the soon-to-be hit summer comedy Superbad), every project he has even remotely touched is splashed with his name. I predict Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, which Apatow co-wrote with Jake Kasdan, will be no different.

The comedy starring John C. Reilly and Jenna Fisher (with supporting characters played by Kristen Wiig, Tim Meadows and even an appearance by Jack White playing Elvis) spoofs musician biopics - specifically, of course, Walk the Line. However, with so much built up around Apatow's name, I wonder if everyone's hopes for this movie might be set a little too high. The trailer's not terrible, but it certainly doesn't come close to seeming as interesting or funny as Knocked Up or even 40-Year-Old Virgin were. The movie opens December 21, so to watch the trailer and tell me what you think of it,

Walk Hard - Trailer
Uploaded by toma-uno

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Cream or Powder? How to Choose the Right Blush For You

Jessica Cruel — Wed, 23 May 2012 05:03:00 PDT

When you walk into a beauty bar, there are numerous choices when it comes to blush. But basically it boils down to this: Should you go with a powder or cream-based formulation? Although both have their merits, celebrity makeup artist Jake Bailey reveals the biggest differences between the two. Read more to get his tips on achieving a rosy glow.

Mad Men's 5 Maddest Moments: "Christmas Waltz"

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:38:08 PDT

This week's Mad Men brings back a character we haven't seen in a while, Paul Kinsey, and gives us a look at a relationship between two characters - Joan and Don - who we don't often see interact (but wow, when they do, is it entertaining). Financial problems also start to make Lane Pryce sweat in a subplot that's obviously leading to something far more serious.

The Paul story line kind of feels like a filler-y diversion, but I still liked seeing the old character and getting to see a side of Harry Crane, who's been relegated to being made fun of by Don lately. There are big moments this week I want to discuss, though, so to get to it, just read more.