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Movie Preview: Evan Almighty

BuzzSugar — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 12:33:37 PDT

I'm not too sure about Evan Almighty as a great movie, but it definitely looks like a great vehicle for Steve Carell. You've probably seen the shorter previews on TV for the family film about a modern-day Noah who is called upon by God (Morgan Freeman) to build an ark. The whole thing is pretty absurd, but that doesn't stop Carell from doing his usual hilarious thing. I'm actually surprised by how many times I laughed at this trailer. You can see for yourself if you

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Which Summer Comedy Are You Most Excited to See?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 08 May 2007 11:52:53 PDT

Having checked out my rundown of some of this summer's most enticing comedies, which of these movies can't you wait to see?

Superbad photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

Summer Movie Preview: Comedies

BuzzSugar — Mon, 07 May 2007 06:35:16 PDT

We now come to my favorite part of the summer movie preview series: Comedies.

The Simpsons Movie
For one of the most highly anticipated movies of the summer, the Simpsons are taking their half-hour Fox show to the big screen and stretching it to feature-length. All the familiar Springfield faces will make appearances, satisfying the show's loyal fan base though the filmmakers have also promised some surprises, like a new character and the full-frontal nudity of a certain Simpson. I am waiting with bated breath for the movie's release July 27.

Knocked Up
By now you may have seen the funny trailer for Knocked Up, the upcoming "bromantic comedy" written by 40-Year-Old Virgin's Judd Apatow. The story follows two strangers (Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl) who suddenly find themselves pregnant after a one-night stand. Early buzz for this movie is overwhelmingly positive, with critics everywhere calling it this year's 40-Year-Old Virgin. Check out the trailer on the movie's website (favorite line: "He's playing fetch with my kids. He's treating my kids like they're dogs.") and tell me what you think of Knocked Up, which opens June 1.

So much more comedy if you

Shrek the Third
As I mentioned recently, the third Shrek movie will be coming out May 18. Check out the trailer and some stills from the movie, which looks like it will be loads of fun.

Superbad
I posted the trailer for Superbad as soon as I saw it because it really is that funny. The movie stars one of my comedy heroes, Michael Cera and Jonah Hill as dorky high school seniors who are coming to terms with the idea of parting ways once school ends and getting in their high school kicks before it's too late. Written by Knocked Up's Seth Rogen, the movie reminds me of a more self-aware '80s teen comedy, which is why I want to see it so Superbad when it opens August 17.

License to Wed
Starring some extremely charming folks, like John Krasinski, Mandy Moore and Robin Williams, I had high hopes for License to Wed. The story follows a young couple (Krasinski and Moore) whose reverend puts them through a grueling pre-marriage course. The trailer, unfortunately, leaves much to be desired, but I'll still see it, of course, when it comes out July 4.

Hairspray
If you love the campiest of musicals and have been dying to find out what John Travolta would look like as a woman, then here you go - here's your campy musical for the summer. It may seem like Travolta is channeling Divine from John Waters' 1988 Hairspray, but in fact this summer's version is based on the stage musical and not Waters' cult hit. Set in 1960s Baltimore, Travolta plays the mom to Tracey (Nikki Blonsky), a plump teenager who hopes to make a TV dance show open to both black people and white people.Check out the trailer on the movie's treatsy website.

Evan Almighty
Word on the street is Evan Almighty was one of this summer's most expensive movies to make due to all the live animals and computer effects necessary to portray a parody of the story of Noah's ark. This follow-up to 2003's Bruce Almighty has Morgan Freeman revisiting his role as God with Steve Carell taking on Noah, and Lauren Graham ("Gilmore Girls") playing Noah's wife. Prediction: Families and fans of "The Office" everywhere will flock to this comedy come June 22. (Get it? Flock?!)

The Ex
I posted this trailer way back when the movie was still called The Fast Track and was supposedly coming out either January or March, so now that it's finally opening this Friday May 11, I'm a little wary of it. Jason Bateman plays a wheelchair-bound man who tries to come between his old high school crush (Amanda Peet) and her boyfriend (Zach Braff). I do love me some Braff-and-Bateman, so here's hoping The Ex will be awesome.

Wedding Daze
Isla Fisher is also in Hot Rod this summer opposite Andy Samberg, but the trailer for Wedding Daze (also known as The Pleasure of Your Company) actually looks funny, so this is the one I'm highlighting. In it, Fisher plays a lonely girl who agrees to marry a stranger (Jason Biggs) - not unlike the story for Knocked Up except this time they're doing the marriage thing instead of the kids thing. The trailer is funny mostly because Isla Fisher is just about the most charming, adorable thing in the world, so check it out before Wedding Daze opens August 17.

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
Apparently, the screenplay for this movie was passed from hand to hand for over a decade, and maybe that's not surprising since the movie focuses on two heterosexual firemen who pretend to be gay partners in order to get domestic-partner benefits. I myself balked at this concept when I posted the trailer for the film, wondering if a movie full of jokes that seem to depend on peoples' continued discomfort with homosexuality would be offensive. Yet, according to Entertainment Weekly, the filmmakers screened the movie for GLAAD members who ultimately said they "don't see the gay community getting upset about it." Well then, mazel tov, gentlemen. The movie opens July 20.

The Brothers Solomon
Will Arnett of "Arrested Development" fame claims The Brothers Solomon was "possibly the funniest script" he'd ever read, so if you trust the man's sense of funny like I do, this movie should prove nothing short of hilarious. Arnett and "SNL"'s Will Forte play brothers who make it their mission to give their ailing father grandchildren before he dies. It doesn't open until August 31, but check out the trailer for now:

The Simpsons Movie image courtesy of 20th Century Fox Pictures
Hairspray photo courtesy of New Line Cinema
Shrek image courtesy of Paramount Pictures
License to Wed photos courtesy of Warner Bros.
Wedding Daze photo source
All other photos source

Which Summer Drama Are You Most Interested to See?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 03 May 2007 06:10:39 PDT

Yesterday I gave you a rundown of some of this summer's dramatic movies as Part 2 of my Summer Movie Preview. These films promise a lot of romance, death, a little violence and some salsa music. Some look better than others, though, so check out my list and tell me: Which summer drama are you excited to see?

Stardust photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Summer Movie Preview: So Much Drama

BuzzSugar — Wed, 02 May 2007 05:02:07 PDT

Earlier this week I brought you glimpses of some of this summer's big-budget films and then asked you which one interested you most as the first part of my summer movie preview. Now, check out the dramatic films that promise to be most arresting.

A Mighty Heart
This story shocked and saddened me when it first appeared in the news, and while I'm not eager to relive that, A Mighty Heart seems more likely to be a tender homage to the memory of Daniel Pearl, which is important. Pearl was a journalist working in the Middle East in 2002 when he was kidnapped and ultimately beheaded, his murder recorded on videotape and sent around the Internet. A Mighty Heart chronicles his wife Mariane's (Angelina Jolie) desperate search for him when he goes missing. The film opens June 22.

Many more if you

Evening
This sentimental-looking drama features some of my favorite actresses: Toni Collette and Claire Danes. I can't help feeling happy when I watch Claire Danes, though I couldn't tell you why. Perhaps she'll always be Angela Chase to me. Anyway, in Evening she plays the younger version of a dying woman who reminisces to her daughters about her romantic past. The trailer is more intriguing than that description, however, so check it out before it hits theaters June 29.

Talk to Me
Wow - two actors I love and admire are in this true-story film: Don Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor. From the looks of the amazing trailer, Cheadle plays Ralph Waldo "Petey" Greene, an ex-con who takes over the radio airwaves - and the hearts of a city's people - during a time of social and political unrest. Yet again, Don Cheadle transforms completely into someone the world has not yet seen on screen. Start talking July 13.

Georgia Rule
This is the film that earned Lindsay Lohan reprimands from producer James Robinson for her excessive partying and unprofessional behavior. Jane Fonda and Felicity Huffman are also in it. Lohan plays a rebellious girl who is forced to live with her rules-happy grandmother (Fonda). Watch the trailer before Georgia Rule opens next Friday, May 11.

I Know Who Killed Me
In other Lindsay Lohan movie news, I Know Who Killed Me comes out July 27 - and it's no Georgia Rule. Lohan plays a young woman who is kidnapped and brutalized and then returns home with an alternate personality.

Becoming Jane
Already released in the UK, Becoming Jane features Anne Hathaway in the role of Jane Austen. The story focuses on one of Austen's greatest romances - and one of her deepest heartaches. The movie's website includes the trailer, which looks delightful and sassy in the Jane Austen kind of way. Jane comes to America August 3.

No Reservations
This film may fall more fully into the "dramedy" category, as it has elements of a romantic comedy, yet the premise sounds really sad: Respected chef Kate (Catherine Zeta-Jones) has to unexpectedly take in her niece Zoe (Abigail Breslin) after the death of Zoe's mother. The rom-com element comes in the form of the new guy at work/love interest Nick (Aaron Eckhart). The film opens July 27.

Bug
The stage play version of Bug is thoroughly creepy - and that's without special effects or jerky editing. Thinking of this in film version already has my skin crawling. Bug is a psychological thriller about an ex-military man who is slowly consumed by paranoia due to his belief that his body is bug-infested. See it May 25 with bug spray in hand.

El Cantante
I'm a little iffy about Jennifer Lopez as an actress, but maybe she'll surprise me with her magnificence in El Cantante. The movie follows real-life Latino singer Hector Lavoe (Marc Anthony) and his lady Puchi (Lopez) as they help to bring salsa music the U.S. in 1975. Watch the trailer and then see the film in theaters August 1.

Stardust
The story description for this fantasy-adventure is this: "In a countryside town bordering on a magical land, a young man makes a promise to his beloved that he'll retrieve a fallen star by venturing into the magical realm."

The all-star cast includes Claire Danes, Ricky Gervais, Robert DeNiro, Sienna Miller and Michelle Pfeiffer who looks gorgeous (er, through most of the trailer anyway). Check out the highly entertaining trailer before Stardust opens August 10.

Check out the trailer:

Bug photo courtesy of Lionsgate
Stardust photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
No Reservations photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
A Mighty Heart photo courtesy of Paramount Vantage
I Know Who Killed Me photo source
Source for all other photos

Which Big-Budget Summer Movie Are You Most Excited to See?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 05:40:07 PDT

By now you may have read the first part of my Summer Movie Preview series, featuring the movies that promise to be this summer's "big deals." Whether you're breathlessly waiting to see Harry Potter work his magic, Jason Bourne elude the authorities or Danny Ocean's gang rule Las Vegas once more, you must have a favorite upcoming summer blockbuster. So tell me: which of these big summer flicks are you most interested in seeing?

Summer Movie Preview: The Big Deals

BuzzSugar — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 23:02:32 PDT

Finally, May is upon us, and to me this means one thing: summer movie season begins! The season kicks off right this Friday with the release of Spider-Man 3. In honor of this, I present Part I of my Summer Movie Preview series, featuring this summer's big budget dazzlers. This year many filmmakers are playing it safe with super expensive sequels, and I can't deny that these Big Deal movies provide some great mega-tainment. Check out how the studios spent the big bucks for the summer, and stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 coming later this week.

Spider-Man 3
If the endless onslaught of marketing schemes has been successful, Spider-Man 3 will draw in the masses - and hopefully the revenue since it may be the most expensive movie ever made. This third installment of the web-slinger's series promises even more computer-generated superhero stunts, romantic tangles and grapplings between good and evil. Things are looking pretty good for Peter Parker as he goes to college and plans a wedding proposal to his lady love, Mary Jane. But trouble soon finds him in the form of the Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), Harry Osborn/Goblin (James Franco), and Venom (Topher Grace). To make matters worse, Spidey is forced to deal with his own inner demons - ones that threaten to change his life for the worse.

Lots more if you

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
If you haven't seen the trailer for this movie, do so now. This fifth installment of Harry Potter's story brings new evildoers, including the villainous Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who turns Hogwarts into a kind of oppressed political state. Harry experiences some highs (a certain lady friend) and some lows (a great loss), all amidst the entertaining magic - and movie magic - we've come to expect of these Potter films. The sorcery continues July 13.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Having discovered that Johnny Depp dressed as a pirate and acting like a rock star is box office gold, Disney has taken the Pirates of the Caribbean idea and run with it... or should I say swabbed the deck with it? If you enjoy poor pirate puns like that then you are in for a treat come May 25 when the latest Pirates movie swaggers into a theater near you. The deliciously campy team is back in action: Captain Sparrow has been taken hostage and Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) and Will (Orlando Bloom) must rescue him. Keith Richards shows up as Captain Teague - who may be Jack Sparrow's father - which should prove fun since Depp reportedly calls Richards the inspiration for his characterization of Jack Sparrow. Watch the awesome trailer if you darrrre, matey.

Ocean's Thirteen
Danny Ocean and his pals are back in the latest chapter of the casino heist series. Andy Garcia joins the cast as Ocean's thirteenth man, helping the crew take down the latest corrupt Vegas hot shot, played by Al Pacino. Apparently the cast and filmmakers took great care with this film, hoping to present it in apology for the second one, so I have sky-high hopes for this - especially since it will probably be the last of the series, at least with these actors. As George Clooney has quipped, "I think they're going to have to go to the next generation - because [pretty soon] we're going to have colostomy bags and wheelchairs." Check out the trailer and some enticing photos before catching Ocean's Thirteen in theaters June 8.

The Bourne Ultimatum
Matt Damon is back to playing Jason Bourne on August 3 in this third part of the Bourne series. As a relief from all the computer effects and super powers flying around this summer, The Bourne Ultimatum will provide some good old-fashioned action-thriller sweetness. The plot description goes like this: "Bourne races to discover the final mysteries of his past while a government agent tries to track him down after a shootout in Moscow." From the looks of the trailer we can expect more of the same: races against time, heart-pounding chases, and cute Matt Damon kicking butt.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Just in case you haven't quite gotten your fill of computer-generated treats this summer, gorge yourself on the latest Fantastic Four adventure. The Silver Surfer is entirely computer animated and his power is to transform matter so conquering him is going to take some ingenuity on the part of the Four - and some time. Like, maybe around 90 minutes or so. Surf's up June 15.

The Transformers
Opening July 4, this is the live-action version of the beloved '80s cartoon series (which was based on a line of Hasbro toys), and stars your dreamy Shia LaBeouf. I wasn't that into Transformers as a kid, but even I'm super stoked to see them in "real life." Check out the cool-looking trailer:

Spider-Man photo courtesy of Sony Pictures
Harry Potter photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
Pirates photo courtesy of Buena Vista Entertainment
Ocean's Thirteen: source
All others: source

Summer Movie Preview: The Action Flicks

BuzzSugar — Thu, 05 May 2011 05:30:00 PDT

Since it's May, I've kicked off my Summer movie preview series. After talking about the comedies, it's time to focus on what are usually the biggest blockbusters of the season: the action films. From superheroes to sci-fi to fantasy, I have the scoop on the action movies that you'll most want to check out in the next couple of months.

Summer Movie Preview: Romance and Drama

BuzzSugar — Wed, 11 May 2011 17:11:36 PDT

With Memorial Day weekend creeping up on us, we're rolling out the final segment in our Summer movie previews. We've already gone over action flicks and comedies, but there's more to look forward to than just jokes and explosions. As the grand finale, check out our picks for love stories and dramas.

Summer Movie Preview: Comedies

BuzzSugar — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 05:30:00 PDT

Summer may not officially start until mid-June, but any movie fanatic can tell you that Summer blockbuster season kicks off with Memorial Day weekend. That's still a few weeks away, but we're getting you prepped for all the cinematic goodness that's coming our way. There are quite a few anticipated releases in the next few months, so we've broken it down into categories so you can start making your must-see list now. First on the agenda: the comedies, which range from romantic comedies like Larry Crowne to raunchier flicks like The Hangover Part II.