BuzzSugar

Which Oscar-Winning Movie Do You Want to See Next?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:30:18 -0800

Not even Oscar host Hugh Jackman got to see all the nominated films before Sunday's big night. He even found a pretty hilarious way to work the fact that he hadn't seen The Reader into his opening bit.

Mr. Jackman is not alone, as I'm sure most of us still need to see some of the movies that took home awards on Sunday. I managed to get to most of them, but there are a couple I still need to see - and others I can't wait to see again! So tell me: what Academy-approved flick do you want to see next?

Source

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 07:30:32 -0800

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 RocknRolla, The Rocker, and Kirk Cameron's Fireproof (have you seen the trailer?!) to your queue.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona
I love Penelope Cruz as an actress and I'm glad her performance in this Woody Allen flick is earning her lots of attention - including an Oscar nod. The movie follows Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson), two girlfriends who set off for a Summer in Barcelona. They soon befriend a famous painter, Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), who is known for his volatile relationship with his ex-wife, Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz). Things get wacky when a love-square gets underway between all these women and Juan.

Oddly, there isn't a single special feature available with this DVD. Not a one. Boo!

Two more up next, so read more.

Blossom: Seasons One and Two
This TV show is a nostalgic favorite of mine, so I'm excited for this release (finally!). When I did the recast challenge for this show, some folks chimed in that they had never heard of Blossom. Well, now here's your chance to get to know a '90s television gem starring Mayim Bialik in the title role as a smart, fashion-forward (for the time, depending on your perspective) teenager living with her dad and two brothers after their mom leaves the family. Blossom's fast-talking best friend Six was one of my favorite characters as a kid.

I still can't believe this show is actually out on DVD! What's next, Ally McBeal?! One can only dream. Special features include the original pilot; a retrospective look at the creation of the series and its impact on television which includes new interviews with creator Don Reo and stars Mayim Bialik, Jenna von Oÿ, Joseph Lawrence and Ted Wass; and a featurette completely devoted to the show's fashion.

As Joey might put it: "Whoa!"

Lakeview Terrace
First of all, let's discuss this DVD cover. What the heck is going on here? Is Samuel L. Jackson pointing a gun at that couple? Are they scared? Because Kerry Washington doesn't look scared, exactly. . . more like asleep with her eyes open. And why is Samuel so gigantic? They probably could have shrunken that pic a little to fit in at least his whole head. Anyway.

Despite the loopy cover, I'm curious to see this movie because it did well at the box office and it earned middle-of-the-road reviews, which is to say it probably doesn't totally suck. Oh, and the director, Neil LaBute, made the interesting and provocative flick In the Company of Men which gives me hope about this thriller.

According to Netflix Lakeview Terrace follows "Chris and Lisa Mattson (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) as they settle into their Los Angeles dream house - only to be harassed by their off-kilter cop neighbor, officer Abel Turner (Samuel L. Jackson). Turner disapproves of the couple's interracial relationship and is determined to drive them away, but as the harassment turns violent, the newlyweds have no choice but to fight back."

Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Neurotic Mixed With Beautiful

BuzzSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 06:30:32 -0700

I'd probably say I'm a medium-sized fan of Woody Allen. If I were ordering a dose of Woody Allen at Starbucks, I'd probably get it in a grande cup. His nebbishy dialogue style grates on my nerves after too long, and some of his movies remind me of me at my most neurotic, which is tiring. Vicky Cristina Barcelona is more of the same Allenistic stuff we've grown to expect, but it's also given a refreshing jolt from the (mostly) talented and entirely beautiful cast. There's a nice balance of overthinky anxiety, wacky storyline, and attractive people to make this Woody Allen film a medium-sized, easy-to-drink treat.

The movie is narrated as though someone is reading us a story, and the detached commentary provides occasional insights into the thoughts and feelings of the protagonists, which I appreciated in this case. Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) are girlfriends who set off for a Summer in Barcelona. They soon befriend a famous painter, Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), who is known for his volatile relationship with his ex-wife, Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz).

Cristina becomes Juan Antonio's paramour, but before too long, Vicky finds herself drawn to him as well, despite her engagement to the wealthy, steady Doug (Chris Messina). The love triangle becomes a square when the emotionally unstable Maria Elena returns to live in Juan Antonio's house, which he now shares with Cristina. The tangled web gets messier - and funnier - as the Summer goes on. For more of my thoughts on all of this, read more.

It's easy to relax into this Summer-in-Spain atmosphere, and the city lends a softer, friendlier vibe to the film than the usual fast-paced craziness of New York City, Allen's frequent location of choice. Bardem and Cruz are two of the hottest human beings ever, in my opinion, and both are superb as the love-crazed, passionate artists forever enmeshed in a love/hate, push-pull relationship. Even if they weren't superb, I would love watching them (I mean, look at this photo of Penelope Cruz! Look at it!).

Using Spanish actors in a Spanish setting (as opposed to solely focusing on the Americans' experiences abroad) was wise, and these two often carry some of the wackier scenes simply because they are so comfortable in the setting. They're less easy with some of the anxious, uniquely Woody Allen-y dialogue, but frankly, so is Johansson. For all that talk of her being a "muse," she doesn't do very well with Allen's material. The one who really and truly does is Rebecca Hall, playing a character who thinks so much and so intensely about everything, she has a hard time just relaxing and being content. Sound like anyone else we could name? It's like she was born to star in a Woody Allen film, and I hope we get to see her in more of them.

Photos courtesy of The Weinstein Company

BuzzSugar's Must Haves for August

BuzzSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:30:27 -0700

August is the month when Summer comes to a close and entertainment-land gets a case of the doldrums. It's typically slow for music releases, and Hollywood doesn't necessarily put out the year's best films this month either. But that doesn't mean there aren't a few good gems out there that you'll want to get your hands on this month. To see what I uncovered, hit "Start."

View Slideshow ›

Movie Preview: Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona

BuzzSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:30:39 -0700

The trailer for Woody Allen's latest effort Vicky Cristina Barcelona has no dialogue - only a montage of scenes from the film set to a song sung in Spanish. This is probably for the best, I suppose, so we can concentrate on all the making out that's going on (including a kiss between Penelope and Scarlett) and how good-looking Javier Bardem is. According to IMDB, the plot description is this: "A painter enters a relationship with two American tourists. Conflict begins with the painter's jealous ex-girlfriend."

The movie opens in theaters September 5. To watch all the beautiful people and tell me what you think of the dialogue-less trailer, read more.

Source