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2009 Comic-Con: Joseph Fiennes, Dominic Monaghan and ABC's Flash Forward

BuzzSugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:30:53 -0700

I have to say, ABC's upcoming Fall show Flash Forward looks really compelling. From the few scenes I got to watch and the discussion at today's Comic-Con panel, I'm pretty much sold on this show already. And it's not just because Joseph Fiennes is very handsome, nor is it because Dominic Monaghan is on the show and made an appearance (which he did!). Really, it's not.

The series begins on an average day that soon turns unusual when everyone in the world blacks out at the same time. During this time, of course, initial damage is done (people driving while they black out get into accidents, etc.) and everyone "flashes forward" in his/her mind, seeing images of what life is like six months in the future. Then the action resumes in "present day" and the season progresses episode by episode until we "catch up" with the future that everyone has glimpsed. Thus, the question becomes: If you know what happens in the future, would you (and could you) try to change it?

Because it's ABC and it's a mysterious show that is even titled Flash Forward, many have called it a companion series to Lost, though the show is actually based on a novel by Robert Sawyer. Appropriately, though, the panel today was moderated by Entertainment Weekly's resident Lost guy, Jeff "Doc" Jensen. Panelists included the show creator David Goyer (writer of Batman Begins), a couple of producers, and actors Joseph Fiennes, John Cho, Courtney B. Vance, Christine Woods and, briefly, Dominic Monaghan. To check out some of my initial thoughts on Flash Forward, read more.

We were shown the first several scenes of the pilot episode and right away this show grabs you and yanks you in. We see images of destruction (car accidents, injured people, etc.) and then they rewind four hours and we see what each of the main characters was doing just before the blackout.
Joseph Fiennes is (yup, I'm gonna say it) so fine. He just is. I am so looking forward to seeing him on my TV each week.
John Cho, while very cute as well, is somewhat hard to buy during scenes in which he's supposed to be a tough guy. But I'll still be pleased to see him on my TV each week as well.
Also coming to our TVs: Dominic Monaghan, the beloved Charlie from Lost. He wasn't in the first preview we saw but he showed up in a clip that was shown at the very end of the panel, at which point the screaming in the hall drowned out his one line. Then he came onstage but didn't have much time to talk before we were ushered out. All we learned was that his character is named Simon and, according to David Goyer, his character is a "game changer" who "f***s up a lot of things."
In addition to the actors here at Comic-Con, Lost's Sonya Walger (Penny!) also plays a major role as Joseph Fiennes' character's wife. She even filmed a brief video explaining that she's not at Comic-Con right now because she's getting married this weekend, and besides, she doesn't like to be around all the weirdos in costumes. At the very end, though, she takes off her bathrobe to reveal a Wonder Woman costume and asks someone where her "f***ing tiara" is. It's pretty amusing.
I do think this show will appeal to many Lost fans for a few reasons (and I think it appealed to ABC for the same reasons). It's a mysterious show that's grounded in human drama. The creators and writers actually do know where they're going with the story, which is something that I think fans find comforting. There won't be any nonsense or randomness to the writing, and producer Marc Guggenheim even assured us that "we'll never see a flash forward that doesn't happen." And at the same time, it sounds as though they're trying to avoid predictability. Goyer explained, "Part of doing the show is subverting expectations . . . there are a lot of game-changing things that happen," especially in the seventh episode.
Having said all that, nobody wants to call it "The New Lost." Goyer: "Nothing is ever going to be 'The New Lost'. . . . Lost was a genre-breaking show and [we figured that] if ABC was courageous enough to put that on the air, they might be courageous enough to put this on."

So far, I'm glad ABC has taken a chance with this one. Time will tell, though. Flash Forward premieres Sept. 24.

Star Trek: Move Over Kirk, Spock Is Hot

BuzzSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:30:01 -0700

To be honest, I'm not a huge Star Trek fan. Obviously as a member of the human race who was raised in the United States, I've been exposed to the original television show and many of its different iterations. I've even seen some of the movies including Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (responsible for my lifelong fear of earwigs) and the movie I commonly refer to as "the one with the whales," aka Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

So, getting me to be excited for anything Star Trek related is a bit of an uphill battle. Given that, it's a pretty amazing thing director J.J. Abrams and his team have accomplished with this reboot. The movie successfully turns back the clock on a franchise four decades old and brings it back to life with an adrenaline shock to the system that will leave you breathless. And in pure Abrams fashion, the story and characterization do not suffer. The result is popcorn cinema at its best. Despite not being a Trekkie (or Trekker, or whatever you call megafans these days), I can't stop thinking about this movie. To see why, read more.

The question I had going into this movie was: How does one reimagine Star Trek for today's audience without completely alienating hardcore fans? The answer, it turns out, was to simply start over. In a clever twist, the opening sequence sets into motion events that alter the space/time continuum. Yes - and this will come as no surprise to Lost fans - Abrams uses time travel that bends around certain facts. Rather than disregard Trek lore, the filmmakers simply figured out an acceptable way to start fresh with the characters.

Because of these time-bending events, James T. Kirk, the future captain of the USS Enterprise, grows up fatherless in Iowa. He's brilliant but extremely self-destructive. Meanwhile, on Vulcan, a young Spock is teased and discriminated against for having a human mother (Winona Ryder). We know the two young men are destined to meet but when they finally do it's different than what you might imagine. When Kirk (played by Chris Pine with a wink and nod to the original performance) meets Spock (Zachary Quinto) at the Starfleet Academy they do not get along. Kirk is all swagger and machismo. Spock is, of course, logical but Quinto plays him with a smug know-it-all edge that hints at the human emotions beneath the surface.

However, when the movie's villain Nero (Eric Bana) declares war on Vulcan and then Earth, it's all-hands-on-deck time and the two must work together. A bunch of green, yet familiar, cadets - Dr. "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Sulu (John Cho), Chekov (Anton Yelchin), and eventually Scotty (Simon Pegg) - suddenly find themselves in charge of a brand-new ship. There are moments when seeing these good-looking youngsters in such a well-known uniform feels a little bit like the Trek version of Muppet Babies. But that feeling is fleeting and for the most part the performances are heartfelt and quite funny.

In the midst of chaos and war, Kirk and Spock become friends - but not before Spock violently pins Kirk's cocky butt to the floor. In Abrams's universe, Spock aims for logic but often succumbs to his emotions, messy though they may be. Pine charges through the film with all the charisma needed in a golden-haired leading man, but in a lot of ways this is Quinto's movie and he actually turns Spock into something of a sex symbol. Some fans might find these changes to the characters' personalities sacrilegious, but I just appreciate the fact that their friendship provides the movie with an emotional center.

In the end, the experience is completely satisfying. There are in-jokes galore that even a Trek philistine like myself found thrilling and there are action sequences that had me on the edge of my seat. It's thoughtful, it looks great, and it's completely absorbing. In terms of epic action-adventures, it doesn't get much better than this.

Photos courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Buzz News Roundup, 12/5

BuzzSugar — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:30:32 -0800

Florence Henderson will play Christina Applegate's grandma on Samantha Who? - Entertainment Weekly
Jay Baruchel is negotiating to play the title role in The Sorcerer's Apprentice. - ComingSoon
Russell Brand is developing - and may star in - a remake of the 1981 comedy Arthur, while Fox is planning a remake of the 1984 adventure story, Romancing the Stone. - The Hollywood Reporter
Guitarist Joe Satriani is suing Coldplay for plagiarism. - Billboard
Amy Adams will star in a film adaptation of the book The 10 Best Days of My Life, about a woman who must list her 10 best days in heaven. - Variety
Joseph Fiennes and John Cho are in negotiations for ABC's Flash Forward, which will possibly be paired with Lost. - The Hollywood Reporter
The Dark Knight will be re-released in theaters and IMAX on Jan. 23. - ComingSoon
Some details on the post-Super Bowl episode of The Office. - TV Week

Source

Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay: They Should Have Just Gone to Amsterdam

Molly — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:30:30 -0700

The great thing about Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle is that there were no expectations. The news of its secret hilarity spread quietly through whispers and surprised admissions - You know what I saw last night OnDemand that was oddly incredible? It was a time when a Neil Patrick Harris cameo was delightfully random since no one had seen much of him since Doogie Howser and the simple fact of two guys on a quest for greasy sliders was plot enough. Unfortunately, Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay doesn't have that luxury. The expectations are high (ha, get it?), and sadly, the movie doesn't live up them. Or maybe I'm just getting old.

The thing is, I'm not the only one getting older. Escape From Guantanamo Bay takes place just hours after their trip to White Castle, but somehow the fact that Kal Penn and John Cho are now both in their 30s and look it adds a kind of sad angle to the whole thing that didn't exist when they were fresh-faced 20 somethings who just loved smoking pot. Elsewhere in their acting careers, they're both heart-throbby and respectable in their own rights, but somehow they seem to be too old to still be playing this game. That's a bit nitpicky, though, and really the least of the movie's problems. To see the rest of my thoughts just read more.

For me, the moment the movie went awry was when they ended up at Guantanamo Bay instead of making it to Amsterdam and getting into a whole heap of trouble there. While I appreciate the notion of a noble quest, it's far too convoluted this time, and Amsterdam is just an afterthought. Speaking of bringing Gitmo into it, it's a perfect example of where this movie fails. Time and time again they go for the most offensive lines - racial, religious, sexual, bathroom-related (lots of that) - for cheap laughs rather than a) actually making relevant political satire and comedy or b) making any jokes that haven't been done a million times before.

That isn't to say there aren't good moments. Neil Patrick Harris once again knocks it out of the park, even though at this point we know that real-life NPH isn't going for the biggest boobs at the whorehouse (not even joking: that's in the movie). Plus, at the heart of the movie there's a sentimental angle - a love story, a mushy poem, perhaps a sign that Harold and Kumar are growing up after all. Maybe this is one of those movies that will get better with viewing No. 2, and I'm sure there are plenty of inebriated people of all ages who will think it's a riot. Seriously, the frat boy sitting next to me was rolling in the aisles. In the meantime though, here's to hoping Harold and Kumar think long and hard about their plan before taking another trip.

To see the trailer and video clips from Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay, check out movies.ivillage.com.

Photos courtesy of New Line Cinema

Beam Me Up, Simon Pegg

BuzzSugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:42:53 -0700

Yes, that's right folks: Simon Pegg has been cast as Scotty in JJ Abrams' Star Trek movie! The cast for this film keeps getting better and better. In addition to the news about Pegg, John Cho (Harold, from Harold and Kumar) has landed the role of Sulu, the Enterprise's helmsman. And as we already learned, the super cute Zachary Quinto was given the role of Spock.

I'm not even much of a Star Trek fan but I'm very excited for this project, just based on the cast alone. When it comes to real Trekkies, it sounds like many of them are cautiously hopeful about the Abrams project, according to a recent LA Times article. The true-blue fans of the old TV series are understandably wary of someone trying to make a new Star Trek movie both respectful to the series' origins as well as appealing enough to non-Trekkies to be successful.

But Abrams is apparently invested in making the movie satisfying for die-hard fans and many Trekkies seem to be comforted by some of the project's details: "the movie will be about the earliest adventures of the original series characters; it's said to be 'Spock-centric'; at least one of the writers is a genuine Trek fan himself; Leonard Nimoy will be involved."

The time and care Abrams and Co. seem to be taking with this movie is reassuring. And besides, they still have until December 2008 to make this the perfect Star Trek film.

Source

First Look: Harold and Kumar 2

BuzzSugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:29:27 -0700

Admittedly, the first Harold and Kumar movie (Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle) didn't quite interest me enough to watch the whole thing. I know some people loved it, but I was still surprised to find out that their continuing with Harold and Kumar's story in Harold and Kumar 2, also known as Harold and Kumar Go to Amsterdam.

The teaser trailer was recently released and it definitely made me laugh out loud several times, so it looks like I'll be checking out this installment of the Harold and Kumar adventures. In the trailer it appears that Harold and Kumar try to go on a trip to Amsterdam but are mistaken for terrorists on the plane (best line: "North Korea and Al-Qaeda working together. This is bigger than I thought."). Added bonus: some of my favorite (and, in my opinion, most underrated) comedic actors are featured in the trailer, like Neil Patrick Harris (reprising his role as himself) and Rob Corddry. There's no set release date yet, just sometime in 2008. To watch the teaser trailer and start the week with a laugh, read more

Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle image source

This Week in TV Blogs

BuzzSugar — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:30:44 -0700

I've already given you some of my highlights from the week, but today I wanted to check in with some of the web's best TV bloggers to see what they were buzzing about. To see what was making headlines this week, just read more.

With the show back for its second season, Scooter chatted with Castle star Stana Katic about working with Nathan Fillion, what she would like to see happen on the show this season and what she did during the off season. (Scooter McGavin’s 9th Green)

This week, the TV Addict talked to Glee star Chris Colfer about Kurt's coming out party. (The TV Addict)

Vance is sidetracking to movies this week because he got to see The Boys are Back and People's Choice winner Precious at TIFF09 (Toronto Film Fest). (Tapeworthy)

Sara celebrates the premiere of FlashForward, which features her beloved John Cho. (TiFaux)

FlashForward Series Premiere Breakdown

BuzzSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:30:55 -0700

So, did you guys catch FlashForward this week? Even though I had already seen the pilot (OK, I saw it twice), I still tuned in to refresh my memory. No surprises here - I caught a few nuances that I had missed the first time around, and I can already tell that this may be the kind of show that requires a second viewing. (This should be a familiar routine for all you Lost fans out there). Speaking of Lost, did anyone else notice the billboard for Oceanic airlines?

Even if you paid attention, it can be a bit confusing to keep track of who's who in new pilots, so I've broken it all down for you. Check it out and then let's discuss what you thought of the episode! To see what I thought, just read more.

Mark Benford: Played by Joseph Fiennes, Mark is an FBI agent, loving husband and father, and alcoholic. He's immediately obsessed with getting to the bottom of what caused the flashforwards after viewing his own. He sees himself agonizing over the case and drinking from a flask. Mark knows that if he falls off the wagon, his wife Olivia will leave him, so it's not surprising that he's determined to do whatever he can to prevent his vision from becoming a reality. Biggest question for Mark: can he stop his flashforward from happening?

Olivia Benford: Played by Lost's Sonya Walger, Olivia is Mark's wife. She's a doctor with a cheeky sense of humor (which includes sending her husband faux insults via text and post-it). Olivia's flashforward is one of the more upsetting of the bunch: she sees herself with a man named Lloyd Simcoe. Later in the episode we learn that Lloyd is the father of one of Olivia's patients who is admitted to the hospital after the blackout. Biggest question for Olivia: does Mark drive her away, or does she become an unfaithful wife?

Bryce Varley: One of Olivia's fellow doctors, Bryce is contemplating suicide when the blackout occurs. After seeing his vision, he has a brand new outlook on life and heads back to the hospital rejuvenated. He considers his vision to be a gift from God. Biggest question for Bryce: is simply believing in happiness the only push he needed?

Nicole Kirby: First of all, I can't believe it took me three viewings to realize that Nicole is none other than Jane Sterling on Mad Men! (Seeing those actors out of their '60s garb can be really jarring.) Anyway, we don't know much about Nicole yet, just that she's a babysitter who was caught lying down on the job (get it?! Heh). Unlike Bryce, Nicole thinks the flashforwards aren't a gift from God, but a punishment. Biggest question for Nicole: what has she done that warrants a punishment?

Aaron Stark: Aaron's an electrician by trade, but he's also got a very important job as Mark's AA sponsor and friend. After two years, he's still grieving for his daughter Tracy, who died in the war in Afghanistan. Mark's flashforward is one of the most hopeful: he sees a reunion with his daughter, who is actually alive and well. Biggest question for Aaron: could his daughter really be alive?

Demetri Noh: Played by John Cho, Demetri is Mark's FBI partner. He's still relatively new to the job and seems more preoccupied with what song he'll be dancing to at his upcoming wedding. Demetri's vision is perhaps the most mysterious of all: he sees nothing. Biggest question for Demetri: is he going to be dead in six months?

Other general questions: How did Lloyd Simcoe's son know Olivia's name? What is up with that kangaroo? Was the blackout caused by a natural disaster, or is someone behind it all? What role will Dominic Monaghan play in all this? Who was that guy at the end and why is he walking around in Detroit? We've only scratched the surface, and now I'm dying to hear how you all felt about the series premiere!