BuzzSugar

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:30:22 -0800

I can't get over the number of new DVD releases hitting shelves this week (I know what I'll be doing Saturday!). Along with these three picks, you also have Charlize Theron in The Burning Plain, Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All by Myself, Downloading Nancy with Maria Bello, and the political satire In the Loop.

The Hurt Locker

A small film with big word-of-mouth buzz, The Hurt Locker was one of the cinematic dark horses of this past year. The behind-the-scenes story of an elite bomb squad in Iraq is an action movie with depth, as it explores how the members cope with the weight of their high-risk job. Critics love it, and I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't catch Locker when it first hit theaters. I plan on making up for lost time by devoting my Saturday to it - before it runs away with all of the award season trophies. Of special note is Kathryn Bigelow, who is receiving the most accolades for her directorial work.

DVD extras include a commentary and a behind the scenes documentary.

97%

Fame

Most of you said that you wanted to see Fame in theaters, but you can take it home now in case you missed it (or if you want to see it again!). This update of the 1980s musical follows a whole new class of singers, musicians, and actors at the New York City High School of Performing Arts. It feels a little more cutesy, teeny-bopper than the original, but seeing as how I'm sucker for dance movies, I'm adding it to my queue for the flashy production numbers alone.

DVD extras include deleted scenes and the Fame National Talent Search Contest Winner.

27%

One more release to check out when you read more.

Post Grad

Post Grad wasn't a huge blockbuster, but I liked the quirky story and think it would make for a great rental. The film centers around former Gilmore Girls star Alexis Bledel as Ryden Malby, a new college grad who, like most of us, has a quasi-quarterlife crisis when her dream job doesn't fall into her lap as easily as she had hoped. Yes, the story is predicable and frothy, but it's also sweet - and thanks to supporting roles from Jane Lynch and Carol Burnett, it provides a few laughs, too.

DVD extras include deleted scenes and job hunting tips. I'm not sure if you should take employment advice from a movie, but hey, can't hurt!

Post Grad: A Cute Quarterlife Comedy

BuzzSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:30:57 -0700

The big elephant in the room while watching Post Grad is that the plot seems like it's totally zeitgeist-y, but it's actually not. A young woman (Alexis Bledel) can't seem to get a job despite her qualifications and languishes in unemployment. Unemployment! Super timely, right? But no, there is no mention of the current recession that's keeping a lot of the brilliantly competent out of work, which solidifies that this movie must have been made quite a while ago. Adding to my suspicion is the fact that Bledel's character Ryden does all her job hunting with a red pen and a newspaper. In 2009. In LA.

Once you're past the faux timeliness, however, the movie becomes surprisingly enjoyable. Is it Alexis Bledel channeling a less-successful Rory Gilmore? Not so much, though she is believable and irritatingly adorable. More than anything, the fun of this movie lies in the strength and comedy chops of the supporting cast. To hear what I thought of it all, just read more.

I could have watched a whole movie about Ryden's family alone: her grandmother is played by Carol Burnett, who couldn't not be funny if she tried and her mother is Jane Lynch, who's something of a straight man (I know) to Michael Keaton. Yes, that's right, Michael Keaton is back, and his presence is an unexpected delight. Though his character gets a little too wacky at times, he charms as Ryden's goofball dad.

As the movie goes on, the comedian cameos come fast and furious; Fred Armisen, The Office's Craig Robinson, and Kirk Fox all pop up. J.K. Simmons' role is kind of a disappointment, just because he weirdly disappears after a couple of scenes as the father of Ryden's best friend. Friday Night Lights' Zach Gilford plays said best friend, obviously in unrequited love with Ryden, who inexplicably resists him. Rodrigo Santoro's presence is questionable, but not entirely unwelcome - is it quirky or contrived that his hunky, mysterious neighbor pops up to dispense a tiny bit of sage advice? Well, I don't know, I was too busy being lost in his eyes.

But, oh yeah, there is a main character in this flick, Ryden, whose problem is infuriating at times. She has a vision of her perfect future, which she expects to start with landing her perfect dream job just days after she graduates college, and when this doesn't happen immediately, she's utterly lost. What redeems her is that her entitlement is, sadly, understandable, since the college environment really does make you feel like the brightest future imaginable is at your feet once you get your diploma. A whole trend - the quarterlife crisis - was born years ago to define the disappointment of folks in their 20s not getting what they assumed they deserved. That she buys into it reminds me of my own postgraduation experiences and those of my friends.

Ryden doesn't necessarily learn that the "perfect future" is something that takes hard work and doesn't happen overnight, but she does learn that her life could be more fulfilling if she stopped whining and started dating her sweet best friend (I knew she couldn't resist a singing, songwriting Matt Saracen for long). Is that a good lesson, or even realistic? Maybe not, and in this movie, it's predictable; but you'll still cheer when Ryden does finally stop stressing out and finds some semblance of a future.

Photos courtesy of Fox Searchlight

Movie Preview: Alexis Bledel in Post Grad

BuzzSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 06:30:39 -0700

Though parts of this trailer for Post Grad are predictable and a little cheesy, overall it's way more endearing and adorable than I had anticipated. Alexis Bledel plays Ryden Malby in this sentimental comedy that explores the scary/exciting challenges of graduating college and not having everything fall right into place. She lives with her parents, hangs out with her longtime guy friend Adam (Zach Gilford), and vies for the same jobs as countless other early 20-something hopefuls - and repeatedly faces rejection, causing her to wonder what her future will actually look like. Michael Keaton plays Ryden's father, Jane Lynch is involved somehow, and Rodrigo Santoro appears as a handsome older guy doling out life advice.

Post Grad (previously known as The Post-Graduate Survival Guide) opens August 21. To watch the trailer, read more.

Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight

Buzz News Roundup, 12/7

BuzzSugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 13:33:35 -0800

The James McAvoy-Angelina Jolie action flick Wanted has moved release dates from March to June 27, writes ComingSoon.
Johnny Depp will star in a Depression-era crime drama titled Public Enemies, Variety reports.
Some scheduling notes: Fox has renewed Don't Forget the Lyrics, writes Zap2it; Medium is headed to Monday nights, according to Variety; and The Futon Critic says ABC will start airing a tournament-style game show called The Duel.
A group of documentary directors will team up to make a documentary based on the bestselling book Freakonomics, writes Variety.
According to Hollywood Reporter, Zach Gilford will star opposite Alexis Bledel in the comedy The Post-Grad Survival Guide.
Reuters has the news that Michelle Williams will play the wife of Leonardo DiCaprio's character in Scorsese's film Shutter Island.
ComingSoon reports that five more actors have joined the cast of Judd Apatow's next comedy Year One, including David Cross and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.
Want Reba McEntire's Valentine's Day album? You'll have to buy it at Hallmark, Billboard reports.
Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson will star together in a wedding-themed comedy Bride Wars, according to Zap2It.

Source

Movie Preview: Emmy Rossum and Zach Gilford in Dare

BuzzSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:30:18 -0700

The trailer for Dare starts out like it's going to be a typical high school flick: three seniors on the verge of graduation (and adulthood) each has his or her identity challenged. The three are nice girl Alexa (Emmy Rossum), Ben (Ashley Springer), and bad boy Johnny (Zach Gilford, somehow looking even more adorable than he did in Post Grad). Of course, their emerging identities - being as complicated as they are - muddle each relationship. Rossum, channeling Rachel from Glee, plays a precocious good girl trying to go bad surprisingly well, and both guys' roles look to hold some depth. Add in supporting players like Alan Cumming, Ana Gasteyer, and Sandra Bernhard, and you have my attention.

To see the trailer, just read more.

Box Office: Inglourious Basterds Scalps District 9

BuzzSugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:30:00 -0700

Quentin Tarantino's fans did not disappoint him this weekend, helping Inglourious Basterds rake in over $37 million at the box office this past weekend. Here's your fun revenue statistic of the day: it's the highest-grossing opening ever for a movie released in the second half of August. District 9 was knocked to the number two slot with $18.9 million while G.I. Joe took third, bringing in $12.5 million. The Time Traveler's Wife and Julie and Julia rounded out the top five.

Inglourious Basterds was the only new release to score major success this weekend; Shorts came in sixth place with $6.6 million while Alexis Bledel's Post Grad just barely cracked the top ten with $2.8 million.

Adventureland: Dead-End Jobs Never Looked So Fun

BuzzSugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 07:30:31 -0700

The director of Adventureland, Greg Mottola, is no stranger to the Summer comedy. His last film, the funny (and sometimes vulgar) Superbad, was a big hit with audiences and followed two high school buddies through one crazy night at the end of their senior year. Adventureland follows a recent college grad through one crazy Summer, so it's no surprise that the director's movies would be compared to each other.

However, now that I've seen the movie I take issue with the recent ads that go something like, "If you loved Superbad you'll really love this one!" I actually think this movie has more in common with the likes of American Graffiti in terms of capturing the cultural milieu of a generation, and maybe even Juno for the warm way it approaches post-adolescent angst.

Maybe my comparisons won't sell millions of tickets but I loved this movie, and I think that in addition to laughing a lot you'll likely leave the theater in a happy haze of nostalgia. To see why, read more.

Jesse Eisenberg plays James Brennan, a recent college graduate whose plans to travel abroad over the Summer before heading to grad school in New York fall through. Forced to move home to the 'burbs of Pittsburgh, James takes a job at a craptastic theme park where he befriends other young employees, like the cynical, Russian-lit enthusiast Joel (played wonderfully by Martin Starr) and a college student home for the Summer named Em (Kristen Stewart).

I enjoyed Eisenberg in The Squid and the Whale so it's interesting to see him in an even more grown-up role like this one. He and Michael Cera have a similar gawky cuteness to them, but where Cera's characters tend to mumble and clam up in the face of a socially nerve-racking situation, Eisenberg's James is quite verbal (he wants to be a writer) and is often guilty of the over-share. He's got eyes for Em and fills in Stewart's cool silences with a lot of cringe-worthy - but endearing - chatter about what he's trying to do with his life. It's charming to see him stumble his way through a romantic relationship with Em, and when it comes to his future he vacillates between over-confidence and sheer terror at the unknown. His journey is not only entertaining but totally relatable.

While it's not perfect, there's so much good stuff going on in this movie it's hard to fit it all into one little post. Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are predictably hilarious as the amusement park's managers (Hader is rocking an awesome mustache, too), as are a lot of the douchey park-goers. I like that Em isn't just the pretty, cool girl at the park, but comes with her own set of complicated family issues and relationships that give her depth and make her love story with James all the more compelling. Their chemistry together is another positive that can't be denied.

This coming-of-age story set in the '80s will probably make many folks feel nostalgic for their youths, but I think more than anything, the movie nails what it is to be on the brink of adulthood, working a dead-end job. I've worked my fair share of weird jobs in high school and in college (and post-college if I'm being honest), and the great thing about Adventureland is that it makes me remember the positive side of that time of life, before I had things even remotely figured out. It makes me recall how free and innocent it was, despite all the anxiety.

Photos courtesy of Miramax

Pilot Watch: Privileged

BuzzSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:30:01 -0700

The networks have announced their Fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? This Summer, as the networks release their pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air - especially this year, when the writers' strike severely gummed up the production of pilots - so consider these just some quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: Privileged, a CW dramedy that will air after 90210 on Tuesdays.

What's it about? Based on the book How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls (which was also the show's original title), Privileged is the story of Megan Smith, a Yale grad who ends up personal tutor to spoiled Palm Beach heiresses Rose and Sage.

Who's in it? Joanna Garcia, Lucy Hale (who is not Nora Zehetner), Ashley Newbrough, Anne Archer, Michael Cassidy

The good: Garcia is wonderful in the lead role, a little reminiscent of Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada as she bumbles her way through various situations; she gets all of the most clever lines. Likewise, Newbrough is strong as the controlling, backstabbing Sage, and Hale turns on the sweetness to play the more delicate Rose. In fact, "sweet" is a good word for the show overall: It's very feel-good. Even the drama seems low-stakes, without the scandal of a Gossip Girl episode.

The bad: I didn't come to Privileged looking for an outstanding plot, but even at that, there were some baffling elements. The show hints that Megan has a past in Palm Beach - so why is she so surprised at the mansions and the money? And why would someone as smart as Megan supposedly is take a job as a tutor without even meeting the kids she's supposed to teach? I also can't believe this is a 9 p.m. show; it's not as family friendly as 7th Heaven or anything, but it still seems like it would appeal to a younger audience than 90210 will.

Will I watch? I'll probably check out a couple of episodes to see how the story progresses and then decide whether it's on my schedule for good.

To check out a preview and a gallery of photos, just read more.

View 14 Photos ›

Photo courtesy of The CW

TV Preview: "Traveler"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 10 May 2007 14:39:05 -0700

Watching the pilot of "Traveler," ABC's serial thriller that debuts tonight, I had the sense that we'd seen this kind of show before. It's a serial in the vein of "Day Break" or "Kidnapped" - and, well, we know what happened to them. So maybe it's best for "Traveler" that it never made it to the air until now. Summer shows have a lower threshold for ratings success, and maybe "Traveler" will be that rare serial that actually gets to tie up all its plot points before getting yanked off the air.

"Traveler" tells the story of three friends - Jay, Tyler and the unfortunately named Will Traveler - who set off on a post-grad school road trip. In New York, they decide to pull a prank in an art museum by rollerblading down the stairs; Will stays behind to film the other two. They're supposed to meet up outside, but then Jay gets a call from Will, who says "I'm sorry I had to do this." Then the museum blows up, and the next thing they know, Jay and Tyler have their faces plastered on television as suspected terrorists - and Will is gone.

The story goes in two different directions from there: one following Jay and Tyler as they decide whether to turn themselves in or run from the FBI, one piecing together their memories of Will as they try to figure out why he'd frame them. For more on the show, and to watch the first 10 minutes, read more

The story of Jay and Tyler fleeing the law provides much of the action in the pilot episode. There's something sad and almost sweet about Jay's earnest attempts to tell the FBI what happened in the museum, somehow thinking he'd be believed. And there are some interesting twists toward the end of the episode, with the introduction of mysterious characters whose motives for helping Jay and Tyler are unclear.

But I'm more interested in the question Jay and Tyler ask themselves: Who is Will Traveler? In a series of flashbacks, we see little quirks of Will's personality that weren't strange at the time but now seem awfully suspicious. Did he set up his friends willingly? Did someone make him do it? What other secrets was he keeping?

The pilot script is clunky, and the scenes between Jay, Tyler and Will suffer the most; in their attempt to showcase how the guys' friendship, the writers overshot and made the dialogue almost romantic ("I didn't think you'd come back for me!"). I hope that changes as the writers become more comfortable with the characters. Only eight episodes of "Traveler" have been produced, which suggests that ABC doesn't have much faith in the show. But I'm curious enough to come back for more when "Traveler" starts its regular run May 30; let me know if you're coming along.