BuzzSugar

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:30:40 -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 add M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening and Gus Van Sant's Paranoid Park to your queue today. Oh, and maybe there are folks out there excited to bring home You Don't Mess With the Zohan? Maybe?

Very Funny TV-to-DVD
Yee-haw! This week brings us more TV-to-DVD with two favorites headed to a home theater near you:

30 Rock: Season Two
Tina Fey has been on a roll with her frequent appearances on Saturday Night Live but come Oct. 30 she'll return to her day job, 30 Rock. Is there anything this woman can't do? I for one will be adding this DVD of the show's second season to my collection. Special features include commentary by Fey, deleted scenes, a peek at the table read for the episode titled "Cooter," and a featurette called, "The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Presents: An Evening With 30 Rock."
How I Met Your Mother: Season Three
Another adorable television comedy I would love to own (hint, hint parents). Special features include Lily and Marshall's honeymoon videos, additional scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, an unrated gag reel and, of course, music videos!

One more after the jump, so read more.

The Visitor
A lot of people have recommended this movie to me, and since I missed the boat when it was in theaters, I'm so excited it's now available on DVD. I'm not surprised by all the word of mouth given that the reviews for this little film are, for lack of a better phrase, off the hook.

The plot, according to Netflix, is as follows: "Widowed professor Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins) discovers an immigrant couple, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and Zainab (Danai Gurira), squatting in his Manhattan flat and becomes wrapped up in their lives when Tarek is thrown into a detention center." I love Richard Jenkins, so you can count me in already, but it's also supposed to be a touching and uplifting movie and you can never see too many of those. Special features include commentary by director Tom McCarthy and Jenkins.

Box Office: Hulk Has Incredible Opening Weekend

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:00:53 -0700

It looks like fans can't get enough of Marvel superheroes on the big screen as the company scored another hit this summer with The Incredible Hulk. Despite average reviews and the fact that Ed Norton's conflict with the studio over the final cut of the film became widely known, The Incredible Hulk pulled in an estimated $54.5 million over the weekend.

Kung Fu Panda held strong in second place while M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening exceeded many expectations by landing in the third spot with about $30.5 million.

You Don't Mess with the Zohan was No. 4 followed by Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull at No. 5 and Sex and the City at No. 6.

Source

The Happening: So. . . That Happened

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:30:53 -0700

The best part of going to see The Happening was getting to watch the X-Files movie trailer - which is way more chilling on the big screen than it is on YouTube. Can't wait for that one! As for M. Night Shyamalan's latest spookfest, well, as Alec Baldwin's character Bob Barrenger remarks after a car crash in State and Main, "So. . . That happened."

The movie has been getting poor reviews, and even Shyamalan himself is calling it "the best B-movie you'll see," so I didn't go into the screening with the assumption that The Happening would be a masterpiece. And it's not that bad; it's no Jumper, say. It just gives us nothing whatsoever to care about. At all. It's empty and kinda silly and the acting is not good. There's a mystery to solve, which is interesting for a short time, but when it gets solved, the explanation for the mystery is pretty freaking lame. For more on this, read more.

The story begins with a series of New York City-set scenes in which people randomly stop what they're doing and slowly, deliberately find ways to kill themselves. The newscasters claim that the mass suicides are a result of a chemical toxin in the air, and soon the same thing starts happening in other parts of the northeast, always starting in parks and other green, leafy areas. The main characters we're following through this ordeal are Alma (Zooey Deschanel) and Elliott (Mark Wahlberg), currently experiencing some marital discord. Elliott and Alma escape Philadelphia along with Elliott's colleague Julian (John Leguizamo) and Julian's young daughter Jess. Then, the majority of the movie consists of watching the many creative ways people find to kill themselves (which is legitimately disturbing), and waiting for the main characters to either A) find a way to escape/outsmart/defy the toxin, or B) get killed by the toxin.

Parts of the movie are chilling like a slasher flick, that fun-scary way that innocently tingles the spine because we know it's just spooky entertainment. Overall, though, The Happening leaves this terrible, uneasy feeling because it's not done well enough to take very seriously, and yet, there's nothing "fun-scary" about suicide. It's just bleak and horrifying, and juxtaposed with such a flimsy story, the result is merely frustrating.

At the heart of the whole thing is Mark Wahlberg, who should probably not be trusted to carry a movie like this. His one facial expression of perplexity and concern and his but-I'm-so-baffled voice are like cartoon impressions of baffled, concerned people. Especially in scenes with John Leguizamo (who manages to imbue the film with a decent dose of reality), the differences between the two actors are like night and day. Namely, one is good in his role, and the other is not. I like Wahlberg in The Departed, I Heart Huckabees and of course in Boogie Nights, and maybe the problem lies in Shyamalan's script but whatever the reason, Wahlberg is a huge part of why I dislike this movie.

You know what M. Night Shyamalan work I really enjoyed (in addition to The Sixth Sense)? That commercial he made for American Express. The full version of that commercial is two minutes long. If you play that about 49 times, it's possible you'll feel more satisfied than you do after sitting through The Happening.

To see the trailer and more clips from The Happening, visit movies.iVillage.com.

Photos courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Link Time! 5/15

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:33:58 -0700

OMG, Cinematical has video of a real-life Wall-E, spotted in L.A.! It may just be the cutest thing you've ever seen.
The L.A. Times' Show Tracker blog warns us that this season's Lost finale looks like a major tearjerker.
Pop Candy points us to an early review of M. Night Shyamalan's upcoming movie The Happening which explains that the movie is terrifying. . .ly awful.
TV Squad has news from the TNT and TBS upfronts, and it looks like a lot more original content.
MTV Movies Blog has exclusive information on the possibility of a live-action Beavis and Butt-head movie and wonders: who should be cast as the Beav and the Butt?
Many thanks to Stereogum for turning us onto the super catchy new Wolf Parade release, "Language City."
Give Me My Remote has hilarious video of Dwight Schrute officially accepting John McCain's vice presidential nomination, through his spokesperson, Rainn Wilson.
Popwatch hobnobbed with the beautiful TV stars attending the EW's upfronts party, including Heroes' Zachary Quinto who said (as a joke?!) that the Star Trek movie in which he plays Spock will "probably skip a theatrical release and 'go straight to DVD.'" Yikes.

New Full-Length Trailer for M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening

BuzzSugar — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:30:34 -0800

The last bit of info we got about M. Night Shyamalan's next project, The Happening, was a spooky and vague teaser trailer that has since been taken down. In its place we now have the full-length trailer for the movie, which opens June 13, and it's even creepier than the first one was.

"There appears to be an event happening." This is basically all we learn about the plague that hits the US in The Happening, but it's also all we need to know. In fact, the mystery surrounding the event makes whatever's "happening" that much more frightening. To see what I mean, and to catch more of a glimpse of Zooey Deschanel and Mark Wahlberg in the trailer, read more.

Source

Teaser Trailer for M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening

BuzzSugar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:29:39 -0800

Admittedly, I've mostly been interested in M. Night Shyamalan's next project The Happening because Zooey Deschanel is in it, and I'll pay attention to most anything Zooey does. Shyamalan, on the other hand, is sometimes great and sometimes one of my least favorite filmmakers in the world. Thus, I've been awaiting more information on The Happening with some degree of wariness.

Today we've gotten a first glimpse at The Happening and it's pretty creepy, though not too descriptive. We find out that something is plaguing the citizens of New York, making them suddenly kill themselves. From the plot description we learn that one family goes on the run from this "natural crisis."

The Happening opens June 13. To watch the teaser trailer, read more.

Source

What Do You Think of M. Night Shyamalan's Work?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 16:37:54 -0700

Cinematical is reporting the plot details rumored to be involved in M. Night Shyamalan's next project (which stars Zooey Deschanel) ,The Happening and it sounds relatively spooky.

However, I wonder if Lady in the Water sounded like a good idea before he made it, too. I've found that Shyamalan is one of those directors that some people think is extremely clever and others passionately can't stand.

What do you think of M. Night?

Source

Buzz News Roundup, 7/18

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 16:39:04 -0700

Danny Glover will play a love interest for Sally Field's character on "Brothers & Sisters" next season, says Hollywood Reporter.
Variety reports that John Leguizamo has been cast in M. Night Shyamalan's next project, The Happening, also starring Zooey Deschanel.
TV Guide reports that news from the CBS presentations at the TCA press tour includes an episode of "Cold Case" with an all-Nirvana soundtrack and a lot of remarks about Mandy Patinkin quitting "Criminal Minds."
ComingSoon says Ron Howard is on board to direct The Emperor's Children, a kind of Cruel Intentions-type story for 30-somethings.

Never fear, Starbuck fans: Despite her conspicuous absence from a "Bionic Woman" event on Tuesday, "Battlestar Galactica" star Katee Sackhoff has signed a deal to continue appearing on "Bionic."
According to Zap2It, there will be a third Ace Ventura movie, this time focusing on the pet detective's son who will be played by Josh Flitter.
Victoria Beckham will "host" NBC's Thursday comedy lineup this week, promoting a 10 p.m. re-airing of her "Coming to America" special, the Futon Critic reports.
Universal has canceled the release of Evan Almighty in Japan on account of the movie's meager draw so far and the fact that "there aren't that many Christians in Japan," says Variety.

Source

Zooey Deschanel Chosen for M. Night Shyamalan's Happening

BuzzSugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 08:25:00 -0700

The Good News:
More Zooey Deschanel for everyone! Yay!

The Not-As-Good News:
She's been cast in an M. Night Shyamalan film. Sigh. Have we forgotten that Lady in the Water so soon?

The Details:
Titled The Happening and also starring Mark Wahlberg, the movie "tells the story of a man who takes his family on the run when an apocalyptical natural crisis threatens to end civilization."

Predictions:
Wahlberg's character has a temper, Zooey does her adorable, quirky, too-cool thing and there's a "twist" at the end. Shyamalan or no, I am still excited to see what's Happening.

Source

Mark Wahlberg Gets Another Star Turn! Too Bad It's in an M. Night Shyamalan Movie

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 00:00:11 -0700

I haven't had much use for M. Night Shyamalan since The Sixth Sense; in fact, I hated Signs so much I haven't seen any of his subsequent movies.

However, I have a lot of use for Mark Wahlberg, so I'm excited to see him getting so many great roles lately. He is very subtle in the decidedly unsubtle Shooter, and soon, he'll be working with Matt Damon and director Darren Aronofsky on The Fighter.

Now, Variety is reporting that Wahlberg has signed on to star in Shyamalan's The Happening, which will begin shooting in Philadelphia in August. According to Variety, Wahlberg will play "a man who takes his family on the run when the world turns upside and a cataclysmic natural crisis threatens to end the world." Sounds like typical Shyamalan fare, but if anything can get me into the theater to see one of his movies again, it's my boy Mark.

Source