BuzzSugar

Keep Your Newlywed Glow: Don't Watch These Movies or Shows

BuzzSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:30:50 -0700

After the wedding, you're probably ready to just have a relaxing honeymoon and enjoy that newlywed glow. When it comes to unwinding with movies or TV, though, beware: certain stories will be wedding bliss buzzkills. Last year I made a partial list (including American Beauty and The Ice Storm, among others) and here are a few more titles to avoid during these early, happy days. You're welcome!

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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 08:30:01 -0700

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 my selections below you can also add Defiance, Army Wives: Season Two, Reaper: Season Two, and Prison Break: Season Four to your queue.

Revolutionary Road
When I first read Richard Yates's 1961 novel, Revolutionary Road, I wasn't positive it would make a good movie. However, Sam Mendes does an artful job directing his wife, Kate Winslet, and her Titanic costar Leonardo DiCaprio in this story of domestic discontent set in the '50s. I also love the costuming in this movie, inspired by the era's amazing fashions.

If you didn't catch this one in theaters, it's well worth your time at home - just be prepared feel a little sad about life afterward. It's not exactly uplifting.

Special features include commentary with director Sam Mendes and screenwriter Justin Haythe, deleted scenes with commentary, and a featurette titled, "Lives of Quiet Desperation: The Making of Revolutionary Road."

70%

Lots more up next so read more.

He's Just Not That Into You
The movie adaptation of the bestselling "self-help" book He's Just Not That Into You has a very large, very recognizable ensemble cast. Most of the screen time goes to the adorable Ginnifer Goodwin who plays a Baltimore woman desperately attempting to decode what she perceives to be mixed signals from men. Justin Long plays a bartender whose harsh words of advice ultimately spark a friendship between the two.

The rest of the cast features Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Connelly, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Aniston, and Ben Affleck.

Special features include deleted scenes, audio commentary, and featurettes titled: "Birthday Party/Walk Home," "Anna Visits Her Mom," "Anna's Song," and "Gigi's Date With Bill."

43%

Spring Breakdown
I'm fairly certain Spring Breakdown went straight to DVD and it doesn't even qualify for a Rotten Tomatoes score. None of this bodes well, but I still want to see this comedy because I'm such a huge fan of the leading ladies: Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch and Parker Posey. Amber Tamblyn's even in it! I feel like it's hard to go that wrong with that cast. (Those may be famous last words.)

Here's the Netflix plot description: "Desperate to spice up their boring lives, three thirtysomething women set off for a vacation on a tropical island known for its raucous Spring Break parties. But instead of recapturing their youth, they wind up mothering a senator's shy daughter. As they help the awkward girl grow more comfortable in her own skin, they, too, learn to embrace aging with wit, joy and grace."

Special features include commentary by Director Ryan Shiraki and Rachel Dratch plus a gag reel.

Weeds: Season 4
June 8 is just around the corner, folks, so now is the time to catch up on Showtime's wickedly funny fourth season of Weeds before the new season premieres.

These 13 episodes include Albert Brooks as Mary-Louise Parker's crazy father-in-law. We also watch Parker's character Nancy take her kids and her business partner, Conrad, to set up "the business" down at a border town. As usual, questionable parenting decisions abound and it's totally awesome.

Special features include gags, cast and crew commentaries, and featurettes titled: "Little Titles by Jenji Kohan," "Moving Weight," "I'm a Big Kid Now," "The Real Hunter Parrish," "Tour of Bubbie's House," "One Stop Chop Shop," "The Weed Wranglers," and "Burbs to the Beach."

Oscar Nominee: Revolutionary Road For Best Costume Design

BuzzSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:30:17 -0800

As we gear up for the Oscars, I'll be featuring the nominees for Best Costume Design. It's a big year for this category as the films nominated represent vastly different historical periods. Be it 18th-century England or San Francisco in the '70s, these films include some gorgeous threads. Today's featured movie is Revolutionary Road.

While Mad Men gave us a weekly dose of 1950s/early-1960s fashion over the Summer, Revolutionary Road brought the era's aesthetic to the silver screen in all its classically tailored glory. Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio play a married couple who appear to have everything, even though a storm of discontent brews below the surface. The immaculate costumes created for the actors, with their delicate pastels, only make the movie's sad and disturbing subtext that much more powerful by contrast.

To see a gallery of the costumes for yourself, just read more.

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Photos courtesy of Paramount Vantage

Revolutionary Road: A Scenic and Unsettling Journey

BuzzSugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:30:33 -0800

When I first read Revolutionary Road, I thought it might be too multilayered to make a good movie. But I held out hope that Richard Yates's 1961 novel of suburban discontent could really triumph visually, with its lush '50s setting, dark humor, the awkward embarrassment of characters realizing life hasn't turned out the way they planned, and the quiet resentment that breeds.

When I heard Sam Mendes was directing with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio starring, I really yearned for this movie to be great - which probably explains why I was somewhat disappointed by an otherwise thoughtful film. To read my bittersweet reaction, read more.

Revolutionary Road is incredibly artful, capturing the romance of the city, the seduction of the country, and the stifling effect either place can have on unfulfilled lives. DiCaprio and Winslet deliver aching performances as Frank and April Wheeler, two wannabe bohemians who feel obliged to move to the suburbs when their first kid arrives. As with the book, it's difficult to sympathize with the protagonists even as we identify with them; we resent them for how much they resent each other.

The novel chronicles the minute details of the Wheelers' lives from the moment they meet, and blessedly, Mendes makes some tough choices in order to keep his movie at two hours. It begins when the Wheelers are already settled with two kids, showing snippets of their younger selves in flashbacks. Some of the moments where Mendes chooses to linger - such as in the fastidiously drawn-out final scene - are brilliant. But other choices left me wanting more context. Even my boyfriend, who has not read the book, agreed: The movie is missing something to help us understand why the characters act the way they do.

It's easy to imagine how the book was totally unsettling when it was released, and the movie is not without haunting and hard-to-swallow realism. But suburban funk is such a common theme nowadays that we need to know the characters beyond broad strokes. For instance, Frank gets a job where his dad worked primarily because he appreciates the irony. This isn't explained in the movie, but for me, knowing how the Wheelers got themselves into this situation makes the story even more tragic. The heart-wrenching scenes of the couple arguing would be far more poignant if we knew them better. Thankfully, DiCaprio and Winslet can communicate on their faces what the script can't always say.

Photos courtesy of Paramount Vantage

Movie Preview: Revolutionary Road

BuzzSugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:29:08 -0700

I have been waiting anxiously to see what a movie version of Richard Yates's classic novel, Revolutionary Road, might look like. Back when the casting news (a Titanic reunion for Winslet and DiCaprio) first appeared, we hadn't heard of a TV show called Mad Men and we didn't have a drama set in this time period unfolding - complete with spectacular costume and set design - in our homes Sunday after Sunday. So now that we have this film, all about the repression and the ennui of living in suburbia during this era, will audiences be as interested if it's not about the Drapers?

Perhaps the cast and the director (Winslet's husband, Sam Mendes, who directed another movie about suburban frustration, American Beauty) will help to lure people in. I personally think everyone should read the novel first, as it quickly became one of my favorite books of all time. The trailer shows pretty much all you need to know about the story, so to check it out, read more.

Revolutionary Road - Trailer | Movies & TV | SPIKE.com

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Steve Martin and Diane Keaton May Reunite for Comedy

BuzzSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:29:47 -0700

There are some cinematic couplings that are so full of cuteness that I get giddy at the thought of them reuniting. Steve Martin and Diane Keaton are one such couple, having totally endeared themselves to me in Father of the Bride (I just pretend that little sequel doesn't exist).

Now, these two may couple up again for One Big Happy, a comedy by Party of Five creators Chris Keyser and Amy Lippman. Variety reports that while there aren't many details just yet, they do know that it is a "family comedy about a couple and a family reconnecting amid various obstacles."

I'm so excited by this news, and I hope costarring with Steve will get Diane back on track and help us forget some of her recent projects (ahem, Mad Money).

Based on box office returns, it looks like a lot of people love to see hard-bodied costars Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson onscreen together. And, of course, there's the big upcoming reunion of Kate and Leo in this year's Revolutionary Road. I think reuniting When Harry Met Sally's stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan in a movie might be fun, too. What other movie duos would you love to see re-coupled?

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Buzz Book Club: The End of Revolutionary Road

BuzzSugar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 08:30:14 -0700

Welcome back, members of the Buzz Book Club! Now that you've finished Richard Yates' Revolutionary Road, we can talk about what all this suburban-life-in-the-1950s stuff is about. In fact, it will be interesting to discuss this book now as a whole work, rather than section by section, because we have every piece of the puzzle in place to sort out what Yates is driving at here.

The movie, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, will be out in December, so we have plenty of time to mull over how on earth such a powerfully written book can be adapted for film.

Last week's assignment was to finish the book. After the jump you'll find some discussion topics that struck me as I read to the end. Also, if you're just joining and want to catch up, you can find all of our Revolutionary Road discussions thus far here.

Hopefully you're not too emotional after finishing this novel, so to discuss read more

Can you imagine Leo as Frank and Kate as April? I'm having such a hard time with that! And while I love Kathy Bates, I had a totally different impression of what Mrs. Helen Givings would be like. What do you think? Who would you cast?
Speaking of the movie, I’m curious which parts of the story you think will translate well to a movie and which you think are best suited to print. For example, in my mind, the events of the novel wouldn't work well in chronological order, so I'm curious to find out how the movie will give us the backstory as well as the "present day" happenings.
After the first assignment, we discussed how there wasn't exactly one single character who stood out as the person we were supposed to be rooting for. By the devastating end, however, April had become almost like the heroine in my eyes, as she seemed like she was becoming more honest with herself. Did you find yourself rooting for any of the characters in particular by the end of the book?
The theme of abortion is clearly front and center in this book - both literally (April's abortion) and figuratively speaking (the Wheelers abort their plan to move to Europe, for one). Is there a grander message about the idea of abortion that Yates is trying to get across?
What did you think of the ending? Could you envision a different ending that also could have worked?

Buzz Book Club: Revolutionary Road, Section Three

BuzzSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:38:14 -0700

Round Three, fellow Buzz Book Club readers! This third section of the March book club selection, Revolutionary Road, was longer than the others have been, so we have much to discuss after the jump.

If you're new to the Book Club, this is how it goes: every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in March). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

The next assignment: Finish the book! Next week I'll post our final Revolutionary Road discussion post and announce the title of our next book club selection.

To discuss the second section of Revolutionary Road (in which we read to the end of Part Two, Chapter 6), read more.

April and Frank go to such lengths to manipulate each other's perception of their gender roles. April wants to get to Paris, but feels the need to convince Frank that it's all for him and that, as the good wife, she's willing to go to work to support the family. Do we believe this? Or is she just supporting Frank's idea of what a man and a woman should be like when she truly wishes to work?
What does Paris represent for Frank and April? What did the East Coast represent for Shep? Are those two things related, and what do all the escapism fantasies in the book really mean?
Does Frank want to "find himself" or does he really just want to be appreciated? Would accepting the promotion be resigning himself to a life he doesn't really want, and if so, why would he consider it? Does he really want to "excel at crap like that" (p. 126) despite protestations otherwise? What does that say about the nature of work and his relationship with it?
What's up with Mrs Givings? She's another one of the Wheeler foils we meet in this section, and as such, what part of their lives is she reflecting? Her breakdown scene really struck me because it was so sudden - does she represent the suburban lie that everything is really just fine?
Then there's her husband. If anyone's pretending suburban life is just fine, it's him turning his hearing aid off. Is this perhaps the key to surviving this world? Is he maybe the happiest, and most well-adjusted character because he is able to tune it all out?
Finally, it's interesting that the Givings' son John is so creepy and mentally disturbed; clearly he is supposed to represent something. Is his ugliness and crudeness like a cautionary tale? It's all autumn leaves and glossy appliances on the outside, but maybe John represents the ugly truth about what's going on deep down inside the American suburban soul.

Buzz Book Club: Revolutionary Road, Section Two

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:30:56 -0700

Welcome back, fellow Buzz Book Club readers! Last week we examined the first section of our March selection, Revolutionary Road, and now we're moving onto the second section.

This second section was slim, but definitely intense. Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

The next assignment: Read from Part One, Chapter 7 to the end of Part Two, Chapter 6.

To discuss the second section of Revolutionary Road, read more.

In this section we get more information about Frank, his identity and how he perceives himself. As he rides home one day, he thinks about the way "a man" should ride a train. What is Frank's ideal of a man?
Along similar lines, Frank initially viewed his job as a temporary thing when April was first pregnant, and he still considers it something he is above doing but needs to do in order to provide for his wife and children. Is Frank right to believe he was unfairly sucked into a monotonous and unfulfilling work life, or should he bear some more responsibility for his decisions?
The description of Frank's office and the monotony of his job struck me as similar to that of Office Space, or an unfunny version of The Office. Do you find it depressing that the same boredom and blandness of office life continues to plague us, almost 50 years later? Or do you think things have changed?

Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski: Best Rom-Com Duo . . . Ever?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:30:47 -0800

When reading this casting news today, I got the eerie feeling that someone out there overheard my silent prayers for there to be a) more lead roles for talented female comedians, b) more funny film opportunities for John Krasinski, and c) more promising light-hearted movies in 2008. Now, the hilarious SNL star Maya Rudolph has been paired with Krasinski and given the lead role in a relationship-themed comedy. Amen!

Variety reports that the untitled film will be directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) and "follows an expectant couple (Krasinski, Rudolph) as they travel the country in search of a place to put down roots and raise a family." Other fun facts about this project: Cheryl Hines will co-star, and the screenplay was written by Dave Eggers and his his wife, novelist Vendela Vida.

With Baby Mama starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler on the way to theaters this Spring and now this news about Rudolph, I'm overjoyed that some of my favorite female comedians are no longer relegated to goofy best-friend sidekick roles. These are the actresses that I find more interesting and relatable as leading ladies, especially compared to some of what we've seen this year. Are you guys as excited for this as I am?

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