BuzzSugar

Link Time! 8/21

BuzzSugar — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 15:33:28 -0700

Give Me My Remote has pictures from the first episode of the new season of "The Office."
Pop Candy points me to a cool site with videos from MTV's "120 Minutes."
Speaking of MTV, the MTV Movie Blog brings us this tidbit of information: High School Musical's Olesya Rulin will next star alongside Jessica Simpson in Major Movie Star
Best Week Ever lists the top 10 karaoke songs to avoid at all costs. Where's "It's the End of the World as We Know It"?
TV Squad knows what really happened with Mandy Patinkin and "Criminal Minds."
Cinematical provides us with a retrospective review of National Lampoon's Vacation.
GeekSugar rocks out with a little dancing robot and a cool Spoon song.
TV Filter says the version of "Grease" with the stars from that reality show isn't doing so hot.
Eyeballs and Fishlips shares the exciting news that the quickly canceled U.S. version of "Creature Comforts" is coming to DVD.
Popwatch agonizes over whether to love or hate the cowboy rap song "Hick Chicks."

90210 vs. Melrose Place: Which Was More Scandalous?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:30:12 -0800

This week's CW drama block may have its share of cool guest stars like N.E.R.D. and Samantha Ronson, but, on the whole, it's a total mess. On the one hand, you've got the unstable girls of 90210 having emotional breakdowns at the drop of a hat; on the other, the Melrose Place residents are busy sneaking around to cover up their crimes. Personally, I was a bit annoyed by all the over-the-topness - especially you, Annie. Oh, and you, Ivy. But hey, at least it gives us a few surprising moments.

Ready to dissect each show and decide which packed more punch? (Warning: major spoilers!) Take a peek at my arguments and then weigh in with your own when you read more.

90210 point: Sasha is officially a nut job. First she tells Dixon that she's pregnant, but when Debbie gets wind of it, she questions Sasha even further to catch her in her baby lies. But the best part? When Debbie says the line, "It starts with you're not pregnant, and it ends with stay away from my son." Oh, snap! Congrats Debbie, you just went up a notch on the list of cool TV moms. Sasha backs off, telling Dixon she had a "miscarriage."
Melrose Place counterpoint: Did David kill Sydney? They sure try to make it seem that way. David tells Ella that he was blackout drunk that night after finding out that Syd was sleeping with his father - and then he has a flashback where he wakes up with blood all over himself and a knife in his hand. I gasped a little over the big reveal, but I'm not entirely convinced that David wasn't set up by someone else.

90210 point: Annie is getting in way over her head with Jasper, and unfortunately, she seems much too insecure to dig herself out. When Navid hears that Jasper is a dealer, he tells Annie and she confronts Jasper about it. Jasper wigs out, making Annie cry and beg forgiveness. Later, we see Jasper selling drugs to someone, so we know the rumors are true. For more on his buyer, keep reading.
Melrose Place counterpoint: Jonah makes out with Kendra, the hot movie producer, literally within the first five minutes of the episode. (That didn't take long.) He stops things from going further, but when he comes clean to Riley, he gets on her case again for her kiss with Auggie. She apologizes profusely, but the damage has already been done. By the end of the episode, I was thinking, Wait, did they actually just break up?! I don't think so, but if you stuck around for next week's promo, things do not look good for the engaged couple.

90210 point: Jen is back, throwing around her prima donna wicked attitude. She walks in on Ryan during his date with the bartender from the previous episode and goes into attack mode with the verbal jabs. ("You look older closer up.") Ryan is actually turned on by her jealousy, and the two become exclusive. But what I can't understand is why, after he knows that she lies, does he actually trust her story about Liam coming on to her? He totally buys it!
Melrose Place counterpoint: Auggie finally gives his a-hole boss Marcello a piece of his mind, er, fists. Marcello passes off one of Auggie's recipes as his own, and then he makes a few lewd comments about Riley - and you know how Auggie feels about Riley. He starts swinging, knocking Marcello out. Back at the apartment later, Violet shows up, and in a moment of what I can only blame on Auggie's emotional distress, the two finally knock boots. I'm guessing this means we'll be seeing Violet's worst kind of crazy very soon (right before she and Auggie say sayonara).

90210 point: Adrianna is inching closer to her previous life of drug use. It starts when she plays a song asking for Navid's forgiveness. (So cheesy!) He turns her down, so she continues sulking in bed, sobbing. Silver and Naomi want her to go to a meeting so she can stay clean, and with due concern - at the end of the episode, we see her buying from none other than Jasper.
Melrose Place counterpoint: Ella's squeaky-clean client, Jessie, is hospitalized with major cocaine in his system, so she begs Lauren to write a fake report citing an allergy as the cause of his stay. Lauren refuses. (Anyone else confused about why Lauren continues to take the high road, despite her side prostitution gig?) Ella then discovers a wad of cash in Lauren's room and realizes her Pretty Woman secret. Of course Lauren denies the accusations, but no matter - Ella decides to let her star take the fall anyway and promises to never question Lauren again.

90210 had way more melodramatic outbursts, but those ladies were so crazy that it kind of turned me off. (You girls give women a bad name. Even Violet seemed normal this week compared to you.) So I'm giving this week to Melrose by default: I was genuinely shocked at David's bloody flashback and the fact that Jonah has suddenly broken out of his perfect-fiance persona. I expect scandal from someone like Auggie or Ella, but from Jonah? Come on!

Do you disagree? Were you actually loving all of the melodrama on 90210?

Don't forget that you can also keep the conversation going over in the 90210 Superfans group in the Buzz Community. Check it out!

Photos courtesy of The CW

Movie Preview: Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Uncertainty

BuzzSugar — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:30:32 -0700

You all agreed that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is so hot right now, so here's a treat for fans. In the upcoming Uncertainty, Gordon-Levitt stars as Bobby, who leaves a major decision up to a coin flip along with his girlfriend Kate (played by Wolverine's Lynn Collins). We then watch as the two very different scenarios play out for the couple: one is action-packed while the other is more emotionally grappling. It looks kind of like Sliding Doors, but even more intense.

I'd definitely check this one out for JLG alone, but I am a little worried that the film is already too much like other movies. Besides Sliding Doors, I'm also immediately reminded of Eagle Eye and Phone Booth. Hopefully the film's structure will be able to break the mold and stand tall as a solid indie drama rather than a cliche. To check it out for yourself, just read more.

The Invention of Lying: Sweet, but Unsteady

BuzzSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:45:37 -0700

In his Hollywood directorial debut, Ricky Gervais takes us to an alternate universe where honesty makes the world go round. It's not just that lie-telling is an impossibility; everyone can't help but speak their minds at all times, no matter how personal, embarrassing, or brutal their innermost thoughts may be. The premise of The Invention of Lying is rife for comedy, but the film is also a commentary on religion and has its sad moments as well.

The film tells the story of Mark Bellison, an average joe who just can't seem to get ahead in a world where his mediocrity is ridiculed day after day. His co-workers can't stand him and women reject him based on his looks alone. When he loses his job as a screenwriter, Mark is ready to give up - until he mysteriously becomes the world's first liar.

To see what else I thought of the film, just read more.

Ricky Gervais stars as Mark, living in a world that's mostly free of flair, frills, and aesthetics. Mark's house and office are plain and boring, complementing his every-day appearance. Those who stand out are the people who are naturally attractive, like the object of Mark's affections, Anna (Jennifer Garner) and his snarky co-worker Brad (Rob Lowe). Anna can't help but show her shallow side on her first date with Mark. She immediately rejects him on the basis that she doesn't want to have "fat, snub-nosed" children someday and must find a "better genetic match." Once Mark starts to stretch his newfound talent though, he decides he can have whatever he wants - and begins a quest to win Anna's affections.

Gervais surprised me with his performance because he finally takes a break from his typical British dry humor. As affable, down-on-his-luck Mark, Gervais proves that he doesn't need his signature sarcasm to be witty. The most important scene of the movie requires a lot of raw emotion from Gervais, and he absolutely nails it, showcasing a sweet side that we rarely see from the actor.

There are two major aspects of the movie that wore me down: the cameos and the product placement. I love a good celebrity appearance, but after Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ed Norton, and Jason Bateman pop in, it starts to feel like Gervais is trying to use his comical buddies to keep the storyline afloat when it starts to lose focus. Seeing a familiar face is always fun, but this isn't a Judd Apatow movie.

The product placement is funny and fitting at first; there's not much room for advertising in a world of stark truth. With only a reputation to rely on, Coke and Pepsi are left with the slogans "It's very famous" and "When they don't have Coke," respectively. The film goes way overboard from there though, and suddenly Mark is surrounded by Budweiser bottles at all times and at the film's climax he's standing in front of a group clutching a pair of cardboard Pizza Hut boxes.

The movie's biggest problem is that it tries to appeal to too many genres. It's packaged as a comedy, but Mark becomes a god-like character once the world gets wind of his lies. His peers literally take everything he says as gospel, and Mark becomes a blatant modern-day Moses (complete with long hair and beard). Just as the audience begins to wonder where it's all going, the movie quickly ditches the religious aspect and finishes up as a love story. The ending is satisfactory, but what's the point of satirizing religion when it doesn't hold much water for the overall message of the movie?

Like I said, the premise is rife for comedy and starts us down a path that's packed with laughs - I just wish Invention of Lying didn't wander off before finding its way back home.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

15 Stars' Straight-to-DVD Shame

BuzzSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:30:52 -0700

Week after week, we head to the theater to see our favorite actors in their latest projects. Though today's A-listers have made some of the finest films in Hollywood, you may be surprised to see how many movies don't make it to the big screen. Many films of the straight-to-DVD genre aren't so shocking (hello, Major Movie Star), but let's take a look at 15 movies that may have landed on Netflix before you even realized it.

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