BuzzSugar

What to Rent: New DVDs This Week

BuzzSugar — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 04:30:00 PDT

James McAvoy stars as a young Charles Xavier, along with Michael Fassbender as Magneto in this prequel to the X-Men films, which follows the mutants as they come together for the first time in an effort to thwart a villain on the verge of causing a nuclear war. The origins behind the mutants' powers are revealed throughout the course of the movie, as are the beginnings of the relationships that shape the alliances in the subsequent films. The action scenes are balanced well with an interesting story that breathes new life into the franchise. DVD extras include deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes footage.

82%

Hanna

Saoirse Ronan plays the title character in this revenge thriller about a 16-year-old girl who has grown up in hiding and groomed to become an expert assassin by her ex-CIA father (Eric Bana). When an intelligence agent (Cate Blanchett) and former foe of Hanna's father discovers the family's location, she launches a full-scale manhunt against the teenage girl. Hanna's lack of emotion makes it a bit hard to connect with her, but it's refreshing to see a tough female character that steers clear of stereotypes. DVD extras feature an alternate ending and director commentary.

71%

One more DVD when you

read more. Everything Must Go When recovering alcoholic Nick Halsey (Will Ferrell) falls off the wagon, he loses his job as a salesman and comes home to discover his wife has left him on the same day. In an effort to put his life back together, he holds a yard sale and begins forming new friendships, including one with a neighborhood kid (Christopher Jordan Wallace). Though the premise isn't exactly uplifting, the film still provides laughs. DVD extras include audio commentary and deleted scenes. 76%

Potentially NSFW: See Jennifer Lawrence's Labor-Intensive X-Men Transformation

Jaime Richards — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 03:05:00 PDT

It's been 10 years since Rebecca Romijn played the blue-skinned Mystique on X-Men, and now Jennifer Lawrence, who stars in the most recent film in the series, X-Men: First Class, is the lady covered in the royal-hued paint. But getting the scaly, marbled getup just the right hue and texture is no easy feat. In fact, in a behind-the-scenes video featured on the flick's soon-to-be-released Blu-ray and DVD, it's revealed that each time Jennifer's body paint and prosthetics were applied, it took a team of six makeup artists about seven hours to complete.

Of the experience with her makeup team, Jennifer said, "It's like a sleepover, except I'm naked and being painted." Watch as Jennifer is airbrushed, splattered, and latexed; there's no CG here, folks. But beware: some parts include brief, albeit rather modest, nudity and may be NSFW.

Fourth of July Movie Guide: What to See and Who to Take

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:42:16 PDT

This weekend is going long thanks to the Fourth of July, and it's the perfect opportunity to relax, set off fireworks, and if you're like me, go see a movie. But with the offerings at the theater right now, you might want a little help picking something to watch, especially when there are friends or family members to please as well. Check out my movie guide to choose the right flick for you and yours.

Buzz Backtrack: The Best and Worst of June Entertainment

BuzzSugar — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:13:35 PDT

We are now in the throes of Summer entertainment - and we've got the blockbusters and dance jams to prove it! June wrapped up with a few movies that satisfied our need for fun, and a couple shows came back in full force. Since the month is over, let's talk about June's pop-culture hits and misses!

Box Office: Super 8 Finishes First

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 03:05:00 PDT

Apparently all the hype paid off: J.J. Abrams's mystery-laden Super 8 came in first at the box office this weekend, opening with a decent $37 million. It was followed by last week's winner, the Marvel prequel X-Men: First Class, which earned $25 million.

The Hangover Part II hung in there, coming in third with $18.5 million, and the animated Kung Fu Panda 2 was right behind it with $16.6 million. Closing up the top five was Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, with a haul of $10.8 million.

Link Time - A Sequel to Salt May Be On

BuzzSugar — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 13:40:13 PDT

The sequel for Salt gets a screenwriter - /Film
Josh Duhamel will reprise his role on All My Children - AOL TV
Guess which Real Housewives installment just got renewed for another season? - Zap2it
Damon Lindelof has unkind works for January Jones's acting in X-Men - Moviefone
Kevin Smith is getting a reality show on AMC - Vulture
Olivia Munn and Paul Schneider will play a couple in The Babymakers - The Playlist
Check out this tiny version of Glee's Blaine singing "Teenage Dream" - LilSugar
Naomie Harris may be the new Bond girl - Inside Movies

Box Office - X-Men: First Class Gets First Place

BuzzSugar — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 03:05:06 PDT

It was a big weekend to see sequels, though it was a prequel that racked up the most in ticket sales. X-Men: First Class took home the top spot at the box office with $56 million in its opening weekend. The Marvel mutant flick beat out last week's winner, The Hangover Part II, which came in second with $32.4 million.

Next up was animated film Kung Fu Panda 2, which earned $24.3 million, followed by Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which pulled in $18 million. In fifth place was the comedy Bridesmaids, which kept itself in the game with $12.1 million.

Movie Sneak Peek - X-Men: First Class

BuzzSugar — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:11:56 PDT

This weekend will give you another chance to get to the movies, and if you feel like seeing a brand-new release, then consider this week's big one, X-Men: First Class. The superhero flick is a fun one, and to prove it, I have a sneak peek of the movie stills from the prequel, so check out James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, and more as the famous mutants.

Watch, Pass, or Rent: X-Men: First Class

BuzzSugar — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:14:27 PDT

The superhero prequel X-Men: First Class comes to theaters today with James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender starring as younger versions of the Marvel mutants. But is the franchise's latest addition worth revisiting? Check out the video review to see whether you should watch, pass, or rent this action flick.

X-Men: First Class - A Prequel to the Rescue

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 09:45:27 PDT

In a Summer full of sequels, X-Men: First Class does more than live up to its franchise - it improves upon it. With a combination of great actors, a compelling story, and a fun, swingin' '60s setting, X-Men First Class is an entertaining blockbuster that doesn't sacrifice any substance for style. Technically a prequel rather than a sequel, First Class visits the universe of the X-Men before they came into their own as superheroes. James McAvoy is the young Charles Xavier, a new professor studying genetic mutation, with his own to boot: telepathy. Michael Fassbender plays Erik Lensherr, a man who witnessed the murder of his family during the Holocaust as a boy, and who has spent much of his adulthood tracking down and killing those responsible. At his disposal is his own mutation: the ability to attract and manipulate metal like a magnet, eventually earning the nickname Magneto.

When upstart CIA agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) is monitoring suspicious businessman Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) and his involvement with nuclear weaponry, she witnesses his alliance of mutant minions. Moira consults Charles for his mutant research, recruiting him to help in her investigation. Erik and Charles encounter each other while Erik is hunting Shaw, who happens to be the man who killed Erik's mother. Erik and Charles find that they have much in common and form a fast friendship. Though the plot is propelled forward by the pursuit of the villain Shaw, the real meat of the movie is in the origin story of the mutant characters and how they came to harness their powers as X-Men. It's an angle that breathes fresh new life into the series, and the clean slate is an opportunity that's not wasted by director and writer Matthew Vaughn. Find out why I enjoyed X-Men: First Class so much when you

read more. After four other movies, the X-Men franchise felt like it was losing a bit of its spark, especially after X-Men Origins: Wolverine failed to reignite it. Perhaps that film's focus on one character was too limiting, because First Class's breadth gives you enough to chew on to keep your attention. Introducing us to several key characters and giving us the entire mutant story is much more effective. The shared backstory is absorbing; using an invention of brilliant young scientist Hank McCoy (Nicholas Hoult), Charles and Erik locate several mutants, each in various states of bewilderment over their mutations. Most prominently, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) suffers from the angst of being unable to accept her true, blue shape-shifting form, Hank has been ridiculed for his animal-like feet, and Alex (Lucas Till) lives in fear of hurting people with his fiery gift. Along with a few others, the young outcasts form a community for the first time, and Charles establishes a school for them at his home, training each of them to take control of their particular abnormalities. Eventually, they find their way, and new monikers: Mystique, Beast, Havok, Banshee, and Professor X, to name a few. Though the characters themselves are recognizable, the fresh faces playing them are newbies to the series, and most are new to the superhero genre itself. Fassbender, McAvoy, and Lawrence are each known for their dramatic performances, and the combined acting chops are a boon in an action movie. The only negative takeaway I had was that I wanted to spend more time with the characters in their development and bonding. The relationships (and potential romances) among the mutants are far more interesting than Shaw's plot to incite a third-world war, even if it is necessary to explain how Charles and Erik came to be on opposing sides. First Class finds a balance of drama and action that keeps it from being a mindless popcorn flick, while still retaining the high energy of one. The tone varies admirably; the movie can be tragic at times, but it also has plenty of lighthearted moments to prevent it from being a totally dark, dramatic take on X-Men. Charles has an affection for chugging beer and hitting on women, and Raven's adolescence makes her an incorrigible flirt. Likewise, Fassbender breezes into each scene with charm as murderous as his mutant skills. As cheesy as it may be, the fantastic cast and story can be summed up by its title: first class.