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Movie Preview: Portman, Gyllenhaal and Maguire in Brothers

BuzzSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:30:21 -0700

Based on Susanne Bier's 2004 film and directed by Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father), Brothers tells the story of a young man (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) who "comforts his older brother's wife and children after he goes missing in Afghanistan." The older brother is played by Tobey Maguire and the wife is played by Natalie Portman, and from the looks of the trailer, the wife ends up getting very close with her brother-in-law, which causes some tension when her husband returns home from war.

For whatever reason, I have a hard time buying Portman as a mother of two but otherwise the movie looks intense and heart-wrenching. Brothers opens Dec. 4 and you can check out the trailer for it if you read more.

Check Out the New Fox Shows!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:30:45 -0700

With Fox's Fall schedule announcement this morning, the craziness of network Upfront week is officially under way. In just a second, I'll share videos and photos of the six new Fox shows, but quickly, a few thoughts on the schedule:

Fringe on Thursdays? Seems risky to me - even if, as Fox's entertainment guru Kevin Reilly pointed out this morning, both Grey's Anatomy and CSI are down this season. Fact is, between Grey's and NBC's The Office/30 Rock combo, my DVR is booked, and Fringe will probably be the odd show out.
I know it's a sad day for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles fans, who were pulling hard for the show to return. Here's what show-runner Josh Friedman had to say.
Reilly said the decision to bring back Dollhouse is "a bet on Joss Whedon" and added that he probably would have had "110 angry emails this morning from fans." Really, just 110?
Back in January, Reilly cited Malcolm in the Middle as the kind of comedy Fox wanted to develop. So I guess it's no surprise that Sons of Tucson is practically being called the next Malcolm by Fox officials - to the point that it's even taking over Malcolm's initial time slot in the Winter.
Speaking of which - the Fall is fine, but Fox doesn't really get interesting to me until January or so, when Human Target, Sons, and Past Life (which looks to me like Lie to Me but with otherworldly flashbacks instead of facial tics) all start.
It's no secret that I'm a big fan of So You Think You Can Dance, but I'm a little nervous about having another season starting in the Fall. I'm worried we'll be burned out from the Summer cycle and too busy with Fall TV to pay much attention - and I think Fox better hope season five is a good one with a likable winner so we'll be excited for another round! On the other hand, I appreciate that the schedule won't get torn to bits to make room for American Idol in January.

Enough of that - let's get to the clips! Just read more.

Human Target

Sons of Tucson

Brothers

Past Life

The Cleveland Show

View 2 Photos ›

Glee

View 4 Photos ›

Photos courtesy of Fox

Fox's Fall Schedule: More Dance, More Dollhouse

BuzzSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 08:50:24 -0700

Fox kicked off network Upfront week in New York this morning by announcing its Fall schedule, and here's a headline right off the bat: So You Think You Can Dance, Fox's summertime dance competition show, is getting a Fall edition as well.

The show will air in an American Idol-like fashion, with a two-hour performance show on Tuesdays and a one-hour results show on Wednesdays. That Wednesday show will lead into Glee, the musical dramedy that has its sneak peek after Idol this week.

One of the more surprising stories is the renewal of Dollhouse, which was thought to be a longshot before a flurry of renewal rumors started up over the weekend. It keeps its spot on Friday nights, and two comedies will lead into it: 'Til Death and the new show Brothers starring ex-NFL player Michael Strahan. Another new comedy, the animated The Cleveland Show, will join the Sunday lineup in the Fall.

A few other big notes: Fringe will move into the already crowded Thursday arena, airing at 9 p.m. House will be paired with Lie to Me on Mondays in the Fall and with 24 in the Winter. And the Winter will also see the launch of three new shows: the reincarnation drama Past Life on Tuesdays, the comic book adaptation Human Target on Wednesdays, and the comedy Sons of Tucson on Sundays.

I'll be back with some analysis later, but to see the full schedule and Fox's descriptions of the new shows, just read more.

The Fall

MONDAY
8 p.m. House
9 p.m. Lie to Me

TUESDAY
8 p.m. So You Think You Can Dance performance show

WEDNESDAY
8 p.m. So You Think You Can Dance results show
9 p.m. Glee

THURSDAY
8 p.m. Bones
9 p.m. Fringe

FRIDAY
8 p.m. Brothers
8:30 p.m. 'Til Death
9 p.m. Dollhouse

SATURDAY
8 p.m. Cops
8:30 p.m. Cops
9 p.m. America's Most Wanted
11 p.m. The Wanda Sykes Show
12 a.m. Encores of animated shows

SUNDAY
7 p.m. NFL post-game
8 p.m. The Simpsons
8:30 p.m. The Cleveland Show
9 p.m. Family Guy
9:30 p.m. American Dad

The Winter

MONDAY
8 p.m. House
9 p.m. 24

TUESDAY
8 p.m. American Idol performance show
9 p.m. Past Life

WEDNESDAY
8 p.m. American Idol results show
9 p.m. Human Target (Winter) / Glee (Spring)

THURSDAY
8 p.m. Bones
9 p.m. Fringe

FRIDAY
8 p.m. Brothers
8:30 p.m. 'Til Death
9 p.m. Dollhouse

SATURDAY
8 p.m. Cops
8:30 p.m. Cops
9 p.m. America's Most Wanted
11 p.m. The Wanda Sykes Show
12 a.m. Encores of animated shows

SUNDAY
7 p.m. Encores of animated shows
7:30 p.m. American Dad
8 p.m. The Simpsons
8:30 p.m. Sons of Tucson
9 p.m. Family Guy
9:30 p.m. The Cleveland Show

The new shows

Glee: McKinley High School’s Glee Club used to be at the top of the show choir world, but years later, it has turned into a haven for misfits and social outcasts. But at McKinley, things for the Glee Club are about to change. From Ryan Murphy, the creator of “Nip/Tuck,” comes Glee, an uplifting comedy musical series with biting humor that features a soundtrack of hit music from past to present. The show follows an optimistic high school teacher as he tries to refuel his own passion for singing while reinventing the school’s glee club and challenging a group of underdogs to realize their star potential. Will Scheuster (Matthew Morrison) has offered to take on the Herculean task of restoring McKinley’s Glee Club to its former glory with the help of fellow teacher and germaphobe Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays). It’s a tall order when the brightest stars of the club include Kurt (Chris Colfer), a nerdy soprano with a flair for the dramatic; Mercedes (Amber Riley), a dynamic diva-in-training who refuses to sing back-up; Artie (Kevin McHale), a geeky guitarist who spends more time avoiding bullies than chasing girls; and Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), an awkward girl who needs to suppress her stutter before she can take center stage. Will’s only hope lies with two true talents: Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), a perfectionist firecracker who is convinced that show choir is her ticket to stardom; and Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith), the popular high school quarterback with movie star looks and a Motown voice who must protect his reputation with his holier-than-thou girlfriend and head cheerleader, Quinn (Dianna Agron), and his arrogant football teammate, Puck (Mark Salling). Driven by his secret past, Will is determined to do whatever it takes to make Glee great again, even though everyone around him thinks he’s nuts. He’s out to prove them all wrong – from his tough-as-nails wife Terri Scheuster (Jessalyn Gilsig) to McKinley’s scheming cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) to an über-hip world that thinks jazz hands and sequined tuxedos litter the road to infamy rather than pave the way to Hollywood dreams.

The Cleveland Show: The Cleveland Show is a new animated series that follows everyone’s favorite soft-spoken neighbor, Cleveland Brown (Mike Henry), to his hometown in Virginia as he settles down with his high school sweetheart, her unruly kids and his own 14-year-old son, Cleveland Jr. (Kevin Michael Richardson). Many years ago, Cleveland was a high school student madly in love with a beautiful girl named Donna (Sanaa Lathan). Much to his dismay, his love went unrequited, and Donna wound up marrying another man. Cleveland once told Donna he would always love her, and if this man ever done her wrong, he’d be there when she called. Well, this man done her wrong. Donna’s husband ran off, leaving Donna with a teenage daughter and a young son. Now she’s open to Cleveland and has offered him another chance at love. Unattached after the Loretta-Quagmire debacle and true to his word, Cleveland joyously reunites with Donna, and he and Cleveland Jr. move to Virginia to join their new family. Once in Virginia, there are a few surprises in store for Cleveland, including Roberta (Reagan Gomez-Preston), a rebellious new stepdaughter; Rallo (Henry), his new 5-year-old stepson who loves the ladies; and a collection of neighbors that includes a loudmouth redneck, Lester (Richardson); a hipster wanna-be, Holt (guest voice Jason Sudeikis); and a religious pair of talking bears, Tim (Seth MacFarlane) and his wife Arianna (guest voice Arianna Huffington).

Brothers: Starring Michael Strahan and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, Brothers is a new half-hour comedy about a former NFL hot shot who learns that even though you can always go home again, the trip back might be tougher than you think. Mike Trainor (Strahan) seemingly has it all - he’s a good-looking, wealthy and recently retired NFL player living the high-life in New York City, but he’s about to get sidelined. When Mike gets a phone call from his Mom (CCH Pounder) who orders him home to Houston, he quickly realizes the more his life has changed, the more his family has stayed the same. His brother Chill (Daryl "Chill" Mitchell), whose life was altered drastically after a car accident left him in a wheelchair, is struggling to keep his restaurant afloat with the help of his loudmouth associate, Roscoe (Colton Dunn). The dynamics between Mike and Chill are the same as when they were kids, and their sibling rivalry hasn’t lessened with age. If they can stop their bickering, put aside their differences and learn to be teammates, the brothers might just turn out to be each other’s biggest asset. Wedged between Mike and Chill are their parents. Their father, whom everyone refers to as Coach (Carl Weathers), is the local high school football coach and the conservative, opinionated alpha male of his clan. Coach thinks he runs the show, but really it’s Mom who calls the shots. Saucy, stern and a schemer, she is the mastermind of the family. And when she learns that Mike’s business manager took off with all his money, she orchestrates a plan to keep Mike in Houston, save Chill’s restaurant and bring the family back together under one roof again - all without anyone realizing what she’s up to. Mom’s plan helps Mike realize that his family - however dysfunctional they may be - is the only family he’s got. And although he may not have a penny to his name, as long as he’s surrounded by people who love him, he’ll always be a rich man.

The Wanda Sykes Show: Emmy Award-winning actress, comedian and author Wanda Sykes returns to FOX to host the innovative and irreverent new Saturday late-night series, The Wanda Sykes Show (working title). The high-energy one-hour show will feature biting commentary on topical issues and heated panel discussions with recurring personalities. The series’ unique format will highlight Sykes’ outspoken comedic perspective on current events and will also allow her to leave the studio to shoot segments in the field.

Human Target: It takes a brave, selfless man to make himself a "human target" in order to save the lives of those in danger. Based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel, Human Target is a full-throttle action drama centered on Christopher Chance (Mark Valley), a unique private contractor/security guard hired to protect. Call him what you like, because for Chance, it’s about one thing only: saving his clients' lives. When there is an unusual or imminent threat that can’t be solved through "normal" means of protection, Chance is hired to completely integrate himself into his clients' lives - to become the human target. If you’re a corporate manager whose disgruntled employee has gone violently off the deep end, Chance is your new auditor. If you’re the president of a bank who’s been tipped off to a potential heist, Chance is your unassuming bank teller. During each job, Chance, assisted by his business partner Winston (Chi McBride) and hired gun Guererro (Jackie Earle Haley), puts himself directly in the line of fire as he races against time to save his client, while unraveling the truth behind the mission. With every new danger, Chance’s dark history will also unravel. Does anyone know who Christopher Chance really is, or what secrets lay buried in his past? What would make a man willingly become a human target?

Past Life: Have you ever experienced déjà vu or met someone you thought seemed familiar? Do you believe in karma, fate or love at first sight? From writer David Hudgins (Friday Night Lights, and inspired by the book The Reincarnationist by M.J. Rose, comes Past Life, a new drama series about an unlikely pair of past-life detectives who investigate whether what is happening to you today is the result of who you were before. Dr. Kate McGinn (Kelli Giddish) is not your typical psychologist. Confident, outspoken and highly educated, she works at The Talmadge Center for Behavioral Health in New York City, a world-renowned institute dedicated to the study of the science of the soul. After experiencing a past-life regression in her 20s, Kate became a believer in reincarnation. Using regression therapy and her natural gift for reading people, Kate helps solve the mysteries of her troubled clients who suffer from present-day problems caused by past-life traumas. She believes there are levels of consciousness and explanations for human behavior that science can’t begin to explain. Accustomed to skeptics, but not bothered by them, Kate is an unapologetic believer and a force of nature who marches to the beat of her own drummer. Her partner, Price Whatley (Nicholas Bishop), is a different story. A former NYPD homicide detective, pragmatic and cynical, Price is a damaged soul who constantly battles grief and guilt over the accidental death of his wife. Price feels that Kate, though not certifiable, certainly operates on the fringes of science. It’s a volatile relationship, but with Price’s solid detective skills, and Kate’s penchant for out-of-the-box thinking, together they make a formidable, if somewhat dysfunctional, team. A fast-paced emotional thrill ride, each episode finds Price and Kate working with their colleagues to unravel a new mystery involving the past-lives of their clients. DR. Malachi Talmadge (Richard Schiff) is Kate’s mentor and the center’s namesake, an avuncular but gruff elder statesman who is a legend in the field of cognitive research. Dr. Rishi Karna (Ravi Patel) is the rookie of the group, a baby-faced therapist from Calcutta who loves bad American TV, Cuban jazz and driving everyone crazy.

Sons of Tucson: In the tradition of Malcolm in the Middle and The Bernie Mac Show, Sons of Tucson is a family comedy about three brothers who hire a charming, wayward schemer to stand in as their father when their real one goes to prison. What begins as a business relationship evolves into something more complex and compelling: a family unlike any we’ve ever seen. The three brothers find their dad-for-hire, Ron Snuffkin (Tyler Labine), at the local sporting good store. Ron will be forced to draw on a wide array of skills and a vast bag of tricks as he steps into the patriarch role to take care of the boys of the Gunderson family. Robby Gunderson (Davis Cleveland), 8, is a loose cannon who doesn’t respond well to authority; Gary Gunderson (Frank Dolce), 11, is a bright and street-savvy leader who is every bit the con man his father is; and Brandon Gunderson (Troy Gentile), 13, is a gentle free spirit who simply goes along for the ride. Maggie Morales (Natalie Martinez), Robby’s second-grade teacher and the object of Ron’s affection, might just be the only stable figure in the lives of this quirky quartet. While Sons Of Tucson is grounded in the day-to-day challenges of a single-parent home, nothing in the Gunderson household is quite what it seems. An ongoing chess match between Ron and the boys will keep both parties on their toes, as neither side can afford to give up too much power or independence.

Photos courtesy of Fox

Three's a Crowd for Natalie, Jake and Tobey

BuzzSugar — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:28:33 -0700

This is a good-looking love triangle.
Natalie Portman has signed on to star alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire in a remake of Susanne Bier's Danish-language film Brothers. Writer/Director Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father, In America) will direct.

It's like "Army Wives" meets "Band of Brothers."
Okay, not really. The story "centers on a man (Maguire) who is sent to fight in Afghanistan while his black-sheep brother (Gyllenhaal) cares for his wife (Portman) and child."

That's a lot of youth, beauty and talent right there.
These three in a movie together sounds promising. I hope there are some plot twists, though, since that description sounds a little tired and predictable. Still, at least there will be some eye candy to attract both men and women to see the film.

Source

Buzz News Roundup, 9/19

BuzzSugar — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:30:21 -0700

Pop has the first images from the set of the "Sex and the City" movie!
Kanye West stomped all over 50 Cent during the first week of the album sales showdown, Billboard reports.
Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire are in talks to star together in Jim Sheridan's movie Brothers, ComingSoon reports.
It looks like "Mad Men" will be renewed for a second season, Variety reports.
Variety has news that Ryan Reynolds is joining the cast of Adventureland, director Greg Mattola's comedic follow-up to Superbad.
Speaking of Superbad, McLovin' has landed another role! Well, not McLovin, per se, but Christopher Mintz-Plasse has joined Paul Rudd in the David Wain-directed comedy Little Big Men, writes ComingSoon.
Variety states that the David Eggers novel You Shall Know Our Velocity! will be adapted for the big screen.
Jennifer Garner is in talks to join the Matthew McConaughey movie Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, writes Hollywood Reporter.
While on the topic of Matthew McConaughey, it looks like he will take Owen Wilson's part in the Ben Stiller-directed Tropic Thunder, says Zap2It.
Jerry Bruckheimer is working on a new CBS sci fi drama based on the British show "Eleventh Hour," writes the Hollywood Reporter.

A Serious Man: Seriously Hard To Wrap Your Head Around

BuzzSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:00:10 -0700

I like the Coen brothers. I loved No Country For Old Men, I still enjoy quoting Frances McDormand lines from Fargo - I even appreciated their most recent project, Burn After Reading despite lukewarm reviews. So I went into A Serious Man with high expectations. Perhaps a bit too high.

The Coens go incredibly dark and thought-provoking this time around, and unfortunately without any big-named stars attached like Clooney a la Reading or O Brother, Where Art Thou?, A Serious Man probably won't live on as one of their more memorable films for viewers. In fact, many people will probably feel put off by it. To see what I mean, read more

A Serious Man opens like a horror movie, which isn't surprising given the Coen's propensity for heavy themes (and often a few stab wounds) in their stories. The music is a big player, creating tension that doesn't let up for the audience even when the screen goes to black. But the antagonizing score fits well within the nightmare existence of Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), a professor and devoted family man in '60s suburbia. First, his wife announces that she's leaving him for a touchy-feely close-talker; his unemployed brother spends entire 24-hour periods in his bathroom; and one of his foreign students is threatening to sue him. Really, the only thrill Gopnik ever gets in life is when his neighbor Mrs. Samsky sunbathes nude.

Poor Gopnik is a wound-up guy, and you feel for him and with him. (It's true; I had to decompress after this movie.) His world is spiraling out of control, so he seeks out three rabbis for a solution. Does Gopnik get the enlightenment he seeks? Not exactly, and neither do we as the audience.

There's not a single bad thing I can say about any of the actors. Each one was believable and charmingly offbeat in their role. The Coens are brilliant with character nuances - even some of the small two-minute parts managed to get laughs - but the larger picture just seemed murky from the get-go. The first five minutes of the film starts with a man in a village who accidentally invites a ghost home for dinner. It's all in Yiddish with subtitles, and it's almost like watching a stand-alone play, but I'm still not sure what it had to do with the rest of the plot, other than the Jewish religion and setting a dismal tone. So right away I felt semiconfused, but entertained nonetheless - which is pretty much how the duration of it went for me.

The film does have some great scenes - I loved the interaction between Gopnik and his foreign student, and his wife's new boyfriend Si is particularly funny - but trying to piece it together is a bit like banging your head against the wall (just like in the movie's trailer). I get that Gopnik's life sucks, but other than that, it's hard to tell exactly what we're supposed to glean from the story. I think that was sort of the point the Coens were trying to make - Gopnik doesn't get the answers he seeks, and neither do we.

Go see it if you're a hardcore Coenaholic, and enjoy the funny scenes without trying to analyze it too much. But if you prefer to dissect your movies, I'd say rent this one at home, because you may need to watch it twice.

What movies are you seeing this weekend? Review them in our Movie Review Group!

Photos courtesy of Focus Features

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

Announcing the Winners: 2009 American Music Awards

BuzzSugar — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:42:17 -0800

The American Music Awards show is over, and I've got your full list of who earned trophies. Following her big CMA wins, Taylor Swift dominated in the female categories, taking home AMAs for favorite artist in both pop and country categories as well as the top honor of them all: Artist of the Year.

Besides Ms. Swift, there were plenty of others who triumphed, like country act Gloriana, who pulled off a shocker of an upset with Breakthrough Artist over Lady Gaga. (Even Gloriana poked fun at the win, asking the audience to raise a show of hands if they didn't know who they are.) Michael Jackson won four posthumous honors, and his brother Jermaine took the stage with family members to accept on his behalf. I'll be going over all of the highlights from the show tomorrow - including some of my red carpet coverage and notes from the press room - so check back then! For now, be sure to vote on Fab's fashion polls and Bella's beauty polls from the night's looks.

To see the full list of winners from the evening, just read more.

POP OR ROCK MUSIC

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST
Michael Jackson

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST
Taylor Swift

FAVORITE BAND, DUO, OR GROUP
The Black Eyed Peas

FAVORITE ALBUM
Michael Jackson, Number Ones

COUNTRY MUSIC

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST
Keith Urban

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST
Taylor Swift

FAVORITE BAND, DUO, OR GROUP
Rascal Flatts

FAVORITE ALBUM
Taylor Swift, Fearless

RAP/HIP-HOP MUSIC

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST
Jay-Z

FAVORITE BAND, DUO, OR GROUP
Black Eyed Peas

FAVORITE ALBUM
Jay-Z, The Blueprint 3

SOUL/RHYTHM & BLUES MUSIC

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST
Michael Jackson

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST
Beyonce

FAVORITE ALBUM
Michael Jackson, Number Ones

SOUNDTRACKS

FAVORITE ALBUM
The Twilight Soundtrack

ALTERNATIVE ROCK MUSIC

FAVORITE ARTIST
Green Day

ADULT CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

FAVORITE ARTIST
Taylor Swift

LATIN MUSIC

FAVORITE ARTIST
Aventura

CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL

FAVORITE ARTIST
Mary Mary

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST
Gloriana

INTERNATIONAL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Whitney Houston

The Blind Side: An Unexpected Delight

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:30:42 -0800

It's not that the trailer for The Blind Side isn't compelling; the problem is that it combines Sandra Bullock's twangiest, most-over-the top lines with a heartrending song, which makes it seem schlocky. That's exactly what I expected from the movie, but I have to admit that I was wrong - to my surprise, I found it to be a sentimental gem that's actually quite restrained.

The Blind Side is the true story (based on Michael Lewis's book) of NFL player Michael Oher, who grew up in Memphis's projects with his drug-addicted mother and landed in and out of foster homes. He ended up in a fancy private school and in the home of a wealthy family, the Touhys, led by tough-talking Leigh Anne (Bullock). The weaving of Michael's newfound life in the movie is effective, with sweet bits of humor and just enough emotion.

To see what I liked about the film, just read more.

The movie is full of many surprises: first, it looks like it's going to be mainly about football, but it's not all sports. There is proper attention given to Michael's life before he's taken in and the development of the relationships between the Touhy family members and Michael.

Another nice thing is how smoothly Bullock slides into her role. It's not just her wardrobe and hair that transforms her into the high-maintenance Southern matriarch; her manner as the tough mom who's not completely comfortable showing emotion is very natural - not what I'd expect from the laid-back actress.

Quinton Aaron is also impressive as a sad-eyed orphan turned well-adjusted student and son over the course of the movie. It's not an incredibly complex performance, but his teddy bear presence is irresistible. The supporting players are equally as enjoyable: Tim McGraw, whom I didn't expect much from, is charming, while the Touhy children win you over with their affection for their new brother. The late addition of Kathy Bates (whose role is basically an extended cameo) is hardly needed to bolster the movie, but she adds a nice touch as well.

At two hours and six minutes, the movie is a little too long; director John Lee Hancock seemed intent on fitting in nearly every detail of Michael's journey. Then again, at the end you're rewarded with the payoff: footage and photos of the real-life Touhys and Michael. It's an emotionally satisfying ending to a movie that makes no apologies for being so uplifting.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

New Moon: Better Than Twilight

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:45:00 -0800

Let's be honest: for most of you, it doesn't matter what I - or any critics for that matter - have to say about New Moon, the incredibly anticipated sequel to last year's Twilight. The film started breaking box office records before it was even released, and audiences will flock to the theaters for weeks to come. On the plus side, a ticket to New Moon is a win even if you're not a Twihard - provided that you know what you're getting into.

New Moon is not incredibly acted, and it doesn't boast impressive dialogue or larger-than-life special effects. But it's not trying to be the Best Picture of the Year, so I can only critique it for what it is: a fantasy movie about a love triangle between a werewolf, a vampire, and a teenage girl. To see what I mean, just read more.

The movie picks up a few months after where Twilight left off. Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is blissfully in love but she can't fight her insecurities about growing older than her perpetually seventeen vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). All Bella wants for her eighteenth birthday is for Edward to change her into a bloodsucker, but a close call with his brother drives Edward to break up with Bella and leave town instead.

The drama following Bella's abandonment is everything we remember from high school heartbreak, from Bella's night terrors to the glazed over look in her eye. The anguish and pain are easily seen on Stewart's face, and her innermost thoughts are revealed to the audience through letters to Edward's sister Alice that will never be sent. After months of moping, Bella finally starts to open up to Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), a family friend. As Bella struggles to find hope in a life without Edward, her friendship is complicated by Jacob's romantic feelings for Bella and made worse when Jacob discovers that he's a werewolf (and an enemy to all vampires).

The surprise of the movie is Lautner's performance. We've seen and heard about those muscles countless times before, but he also packs enough charm and charisma into his Jacob that you truly see him as more than just Bella's unrelenting admirer / best friend. He presents himself as a viable suitor for Bella's heart, and it's hard not to root for him against Robert Pattinson's wooden (albeit handsome) Edward. Stewart and Pattinson have chemistry to spare in Twilight, but in New Moon, Bella's relationship with Jacob seems hopeful and comfortable while her scenes with Edward are mostly awkward and frankly not as much fun to watch.

The movie belongs to Stewart and Lautner, but their melodrama is balanced out by the characters who pad out the cast. Yes, we meet the wolf pack and the Volturi, but for the most part the Forks residents and beyond make for some much-needed comic relief. The downside is that while it's funnier than what you'd expect, not all of the laughs are intentional (a scene where Jacob's temper rivals that of The Incredible Hulk comes to mind).

It doesn't take more than a grain of salt to appreciate New Moon for what it is - a film that stays true to its origin and delivers the necessary elements to ensure that you'll be back when the next installment of the franchise comes our way.

Photos courtesy of Summit Entertainment