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Bad Idea of the Week #2: Nicole Richie to Help Overweight Kids

BuzzSugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 00:01:50 -0700

Some weeks, there are just too many bad ideas. Yesterday, for instance, I thought the new reality show called "Baby Borrowers" sounded bad, but next to this news, it's downright highbrow.

For the fifth season of "The Simple Life" on E!, Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton will be camp counselors, and apparently, part of that job entails counseling overweight kids at a "weight loss" camp. An E! spokesperson reportedly told Us Weekly:

"The camp has five different themes. Each week will be a different theme. And yes, one week is a weight loss/fitness camp. It's not a fat camp."

Yeah, right. Whatever you choose to call it, E!, the fact remains: a frighteningly thin woman who clearly has weight issues and who recently didn't think drinking water was all that important is supposed to offer children guidance regarding health and wellness.

Even if the weight-loss camp thing turns out not to be true - though I wouldn't put it past E! - the thought of Paris and Nicole counseling kids about anything is pretty scary. What do you guys think?

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Desperate Housewives Rundown, "Careful the Things You Say"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:30:07 -0800

It's another typical week on Wisteria Lane in the latest episode of Desperate Housewives. It's not the most scandalous episode thus far, but there are still plenty of lies, secrets, betrayals -and it all ends up with Susan behind bars.

To discuss what else went down with the ladies, just read more.

Susan: After Angie's warning, Susan is now dedicated to making sure Katherine is investigated for Julie's attack. Unfortunately the cops seem less interested with Susan than with their sandwiches and pickles, but a female officer named Debbie offers to take the case. Of course, nothing is ever that simple with Susan, and it turns out that she made Denise's life hell back in high school by giving her the nickname of "Moose." Naturally, Moose still wants revenge and she gets it - by throwing Susan behind bars for shooting Katherine.

Lynette: Lynette's pregnancy is put on the back burner this week, and instead she finds herself deeper in the midst of Julie and Nick's drama. She tries to tell Nick to back of Susan's daughter, but when Nick threatens Lynette, she decides it's time to go to the police - against Julie's will. I was glad that she didn't let Nick scare her into silence with Tom, but I still think Susan won't be pleased when she discovers that Lynette has kept another secret from her.

Gaby: Gaby's life as a tutor quickly comes to an end. When Juanita refuses to learn from her mom, their new housekeeper Ivana steps in to help. Gaby is thrilled with her new life that doesn't involve teaching or scrubbing floors, though it's pretty amazing when Gaby has to do a few chores to get Ivana out of a bind. In the end she explains to Carlos that tutoring is ruining her relationship with Juanita, and Carlos lets her off the hook. Meanwhile, where are Celia and Ana? Suddenly behaving like perfect little angels?

Bree: Bree is put into an awkward situation when a dinner date with the Bolens turns out to be an audition for Angie to take Katherine's spot with Bree's catering company. Clearly put off with Angie's demeanor, Bree blows her off - until a client comes in wanting some old-fashioned Italian food. Bree tries to manipulate Angie into giving up the recipes, but Angie finds Bree out. The ladies learn they have more in common than they thought, and Bree agrees to give Angie a job. I'm enjoying this new partnership, especially since Bree is so uncomfortable around Angie. Meanwhile, Orson continues to try to unravel Bree's lie about the brooch, but doesn't make much progress.

Angie: I have to say that I kinda fell in love with Angie this week. Though she's clearly the hardass of Wisteria Lane, she seems genuinely sweet trying to impress Bree with her cooking skills and offering Lynette a glass of wine. She even takes Nick back after admitting that she knew about his affair with Julie all along - though not without a swift punch in the face first. She may have a checkered past, but Angie seems to be able to take care of herself just fine.

Did you like this week's episode? Are you starting to root for Angie or do you still think she can't be trusted?

Where the Wild Things Are: A Passionate Ode to Childhood

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:30:00 -0700

There's been a bit of a controversy over how to market Spike Jonze's adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book, Where The Wild Things Are. Is it for kids? Adults? Adult hipsters?

The answer is anyone who wants to feel what it's like to be a child, and not in the fun-loving, no-responsibilities way. As adults, we tend to forget the insecurity and fears we had as kids, which the film's young character Max is in the throes of. There's just enough exposition before the fantasy begins: Max has a single mom (Catherine Keener) and an older sister who has recently outgrown him. His first few acts at home show his innocence and the savage emotions under the surface. He knows it as being "wild."

Where the Wild Things Are isn't a heavy-handed allegory, or an edgy children's movie; it's a loyal tribute to the way kids think and feel. To see what else I thought of the film, just read more.

Max reaches the world of the wild things after throwing a particularly heinous fit, prompting his mother to yell, "You're out of control!" After running away, Max finds himself on a boat that finally brings him to a strange land. This is where the wild things are. The creatures Jonze has created are aesthetic wonders: creepy, hostile, and huggable at once. These aren't Jim Henson's Muppets, but real characters, led by Carol (voiced by James Gandolfini). The rest of the group is comprised of Lauren Ambrose as aloof KW, Catherine O'Hara as prickly Judith, Paul Dano as timid Alexander, Chris Cooper as Douglas, and Forest Whitaker as Ira.

Each creature has a fully realized personality, with flaws and varying temperaments; their faces are so emotive and their dialogue so human that their scenes with Max are as real as those with his mother. This group is not easily classified as friend or foe - they're dysfunctional in their relationships and don't always treat each other well. One of the most successful elements of the movie is the dialogue of the wild things, which is rooted in Max's head.

In many ways, screenwriter Dave Eggers's job was tougher than Spike Jonze's, because it's imperative to remember the way children think. Max's interactions with Carol and his new clan are made up of the kind of things a kid would hear from his parents and peers and then internalize. In fact, in the wild world, Max declares himself king to bring order, and he summons up speeches from the authority figures that he's pulling away from in his real life. Naturally, he's too young to recognize how his subverted position is significant.

Max's relationship with Carol is most telling. As the de facto leader of the group who can't handle sadness, loneliness, or jealousy, he acts out as a mirror of Max while still being his own character. The richness of Carol and the creature cast stays with you; when Max has to say goodbye to his friends, your heart breaks.

Jonze impressed me with his non-conformity; in another movie, Max would have demonstrated the grand lessons he learned from his time on the island, but in this one, he doesn't have to learn anything. He just gets to feel and experience and appreciate his emotionally fragmented new friends. It's devastating as a viewer, especially if you can put yourself back in that childlike place when your feelings were so raw and simple.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

FlashForward Breakdown, "White to Play"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:00:29 -0700

FlashForward's sophomore episode packs as much punch as its pilot: more action, questions raised, and lives on the line. As the FBI continues to investigate what caused the blackout, the world's residents find themselves united in their shared experience. They may never be able to look at life the same way again, but as Aaron says, "We're all prophets now."

Last week I broke down the episode by character, but this time around I'm focusing on the biggest questions of the night and even sharing a few of my own predictions. To get down to the nitty-gritty (spoilers ahead, of course), just read more.

Who is D. Gibbons?
Knowing that one of Mark's vision cards says "D. Gibbons," Mark and Demetri start to discuss the person in question when a woman with a box of cupcakes shows up, and - you guessed it! - her name is Deedee Gibbons! Seems simple enough, but as it turns out, there's another D. Gibbons. Mark and Demetri track him to his creeptastic doll factory in Utah, where he tries to administer death by explosion. Later we learn that D. Gibbons is in contact with "Agent Zero" (aka the Detriot stadium walker) during the two-minute blackout.

Can Demetri avoid his fate?
Demetri continues to wrestle with his vision (or lack thereof), and is seemingly comforted to find a policewoman with the same experience. That is, until she's dead five minutes later. Mark tries to convince him that he may be asleep in the future, but Demetri gets an anonymous call at the end of the episode bearing the worst news: On March 15, 2010, he will be murdered.

Will Mark's actions throw his vision off course?
I have to admit that throughout the episode, I was kind of mad at Mark for a lot of reasons. First of all, he acts cold towards Olivia because of her adulterous flash-forward when he's not being truthful about his own. She took a big risk by revealing her vision to her husband; the least he can do is lay off of her a little. My other major gripe is that Mark seems to be actively fulfilling his vision. He arranges the cards in his office exactly how they were in the flash-forward, and heads to the dollhouse factory because it appears in his vision. If Mark is trying to avoid his prophecy, couldn't he be more active about moving in a new direction? (Demetri agrees with me, mostly because he doesn't want to believe his own fate). By the end of the episode, Mark finally tries to break the pattern by tossing his friendship bracelet into the fireplace. But will a butterfly effect take place?

What did Charlie see in her vision?
The episode opens to a very creepy rendition of children singing "Ring Around the Rosie" as we see Charlie's playmates re-enacting the blackout on the playground (later we get a reprise of the haunting tune). Charlie is the only kid in school who doesn't want to talk about her vision, prompting her teacher to worry about Charlie's psychological well-being. Later we find out that she had a "bad vision" and that Lloyd Simcoe's son Dylan is a part of it. The episode ends on a chilling note as she tells Mark, "D. Gibbons is a bad man."
My prediction: D. Gibbons kidnaps Dylan and Charlie at some point, which causes Mark's and Olivia's relationship to unravel. Charlie gets a glimpse of her imprisonment in her vision.

Other major points

"He who foresees calamities, suffers them twice over" - D. Gibbons mutters this line shortly before blowing up the factory.
Olivia recognizes Lloyd from her vision, but not vice-versa.
Is Bryce sketching Olivia in the hospital?
Am I the only one who noticed a little bit of sexual tension between Demetri and Janis? Could Demetri be the father of her child?

I've given you my two cents, now I want to hear yours! Sound off the comments below!