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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:30:51 -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 take home The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Tale of Despereaux, and Beverly Hills, 90210: Season 7.

Yes Man
I'm a little baffled as to why the DVD cover for Yes Man doesn't include Jim Carrey's costar, Zooey Deschanel. She's a major selling point for me! Anyway, this movie is actually pretty cute and a great choice if you're looking for some laid-back, feel-good entertainment at home.

The story follows divorced loan officer Carl (Carrey) who lives life turning down everything from invitations to parties to the loan requests he hears every day. One day Carl finds himself at a self-help-type meeting all about the power of saying "yes" to every opportunity and it completely turns his life around. While he's in the process of becoming a "yes man" he starts up a romance with the free-spirited Allison (Deschanel), and soon learns that there are some negatives to his new lifestyle.

Special features include "Downtime on the Set of Yes Man with Jim Carrey," and "Jim Carrey: Extreme Yes Man - The Outrageous Physical Stunts the Star Performs."

Two more up next so read more.

Doubt
If you're looking for some serious actors doing some serious work, look no further than Doubt. Adapted from a stage play, the movie follows Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep), the principal of a Bronx Catholic school in 1964, who becomes suspicious of the parish priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) when he takes a particular shine to one boy. Things get more complicated when a young nun named Sister James (Amy Adams) is pulled into the conflict and doesn't know who to believe. The movie also includes an excellent performance from Viola Davis.

Each main member of the ensemble cast - Streep, Seymour Hoffman, Adams, and Davis - earned an Oscar nomination for his/her work in this movie.

Special features include "Doubt: From Stage to Screen," "Scoring Doubt," and commentary with writer/director John Patrick Shanley.

Bedtime Stories
Directed by Hairspray's Adam Shankman, Bedtime Stories is about a handyman who tells his niece and nephew imaginative stories that start to come true. Whatever the kids come up with each evening he has to survive in real life, including a gumball rainstorm and being set on fire.

It's so cute-looking and I really like the idea of a kids' movie starring Adam Sandler. Keri Russell, Guy Pearce, and Russell Brand also pop up in the film.

Bonus features include deleted scenes and outtakes.

PopUK's New Release Roundup!

PopSugarUK — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 06:00:00 -0800

It's time to let you know all the new releases that I recommend this week! First up I have a couple of DVDs for you - Guy Ritchie's RocknRolla came out yesterday and I very much enjoyed this fun-filled crime caper. It has some amusing performances in it, especially from Gerard Butler and face to watch Tom Hardy.

I also recommend The House Bunny for some laugh out loud moments, and I have to admit I was very skeptical of it before I watched it. Anna Faris makes the Playboy bunny of the title likeable and amusing - it's a comedy in the same vein as Legally Blonde - though Colin Hanks is an uninspiring love interest for her. There's amusing support from the sorority girls she takes under her wing, including Kat Dennings, Emma Stone, American Idol's Katharine McPhee and Rumer Willis.

I'll be telling you all about The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button in my review on Friday, but films also worth checking out at the cinema this weekend include animated movie Bolt, a cavalcade of stars including Jennifer Aniston and Drew Barrymore in He's Just Not That Into You, or if you fancy something a little more serious you could go and see Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt.

To check out all my music choices this week, just read more.

Album releases this week include Which Bitch by The View - you can click on the album name to preview all the tracks! Welsh songstress Jem has her album Down To Earth available to download this week, and if you're looking for something a little different or what to discover some new artists, then check out Rough Trade's Counter Culture 2008 which includes tracks from Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes, as well as bands you might not have heard of. If you want some new singles to download, then Coldplay's "Life In Technicolour II" is released this week, as is Daniel Merriweather's "Change" and the awesome Of Montreal's uplifting "An Eluardian Instance".

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Meryl and Amy Have No Doubt About Their Movie's Success

PopSugar — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 08:00:19 -0800

Meryl Streep and Amy Adams posed at a photo call for Doubt in London yesterday. The movie has been garnering a lot of praise recently, with Meryl, Amy and Philip Seymour Hoffman all up for BAFTA awards. It didn't win in any of the five categories it was up for at the Golden Globes but Meryl did tie with Anne Hathaway for Best Actress at the Critics' Choice Awards. As award season heats up there are still plenty of opportunities for more trophies for this star-studded cast.

To see more photos from the photo call just read more.

View 10 Photos ›

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Doubt: All About Meryl and Philip

BuzzSugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:30:55 -0800

Doubt is a tense, thought-provoking and incredibly well-written play, and it must be difficult to adapt such a dense play for the big screen. With a play there's the understanding that we're somewhat confined in terms of location and there's often a lot of talking and emoting. The film adaptation of Doubt is pretty much entirely talking and emoting. It's not that that's a bad thing, per se, it's just that it requires a bit more wrangling of the ol' attention span than most movies require. In some ways, I'm not completely sure why it was adapted for the big screen, except to cement in cinematic history these exceptional performances by some of today's Hollywood giants.

There's nothing visually interesting about it (at all), though surely the visuals aren't the focus here. The exploration of what's moral and good, which sin is greater than another sin, and the back-and-forth dance of trust and suspicion - these are central to the story that Doubt attempts to tell. But it is, well, a lot of talking. It's often absorbing because these actors so expertly guide us through the narrative, but it might take a particularly patient modern-day moviegoer to enjoy this movie. To see what it's all about and more of my thoughts, read more.

The story takes place in a Bronx Catholic school in 1964 where the school's stern, unyielding principal, Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) becomes suspicious of the parish priest, the likable Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), when he takes a particular shine to one boy: The school's first black student, Donald Miller (Joseph Foster). Father Flynn insists that he is merely trying to help a lonely, isolated boy, but Sister Aloysius is convinced that the nature of this relationship is inappropriate. The sweet, young nun Sister James (Amy Adams) is pulled into the conflict and doesn't know who to believe: Her kind and gentle-seeming priest or this steely nun who is utterly certain (despite a lack of hard evidence) of wrongdoing. The audience is basically in Sister James's shoes, wanting to believe the best about this seemingly good-hearted priest, but worried that if there is something going on and it goes ignored then this boy will be further harmed.

The performances are top-notch, and all the awards buzz is completely deserved. Restricted by clothing and (for the women) modest head-covering bonnets, as well as a nearly action-free script, it's up to the actors and their facial expressions, vocal intonation, and slight changes in body language to convey the emotion within this story. Lesser actors would have brought down the entire thing, but as it is, Streep, Hoffman, Adams and Viola Davis (who plays Donald's mother) manage to make this heavy, talky script loom more powerfully before us than I ever thought possible. They each have such tremendous presence, emitting a heat that we can practically feel in the audience. However, all in all it feels like watching a play, so if you aren't exactly a fan of plays, this may not be the movie for you.

Photos courtesy of Miramax

Box Office: The Day the Earth Earned a Lot of Money

BuzzSugar — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:30:45 -0800

The Day the Earth Stood Still may not have been a critical hit but it is now officially a box office success, earning $31 million over the weekend and topping Four Christmases, which slid into second place. Twilight, Bolt, and Australia followed in third, fourth, and fifth places respectively.

Meanwhile, Variety is reporting that smaller, independent films "delivered one of the best weekends ever for the specialty box office." Movies like Doubt, The Reader and Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino all enjoyed strong debuts, while movies like Milk and Frost/Nixon continue to draw good sized audiences in theaters.

Photos courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Sugar Bits - Kate Winslet Nominated For Two Golden Globes!

PopSugarUK — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 01:15:00 -0800

Homegrown talent Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes have both earned two nominations each for Golden Globes. The ceremony takes place on January 11, and Brits Dame Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, Kate's husband Sam Mendes, Stephen Daldry and Danny Boyle are also nominated. Meryl Streep has two nominations in the Best Actress category for Doubt and Mamma Mia, and the late Heath Ledger is also nominated for Best Supporting Actor for The Dark Knight. - BBC
Simon Cowell has said he's "very embarassed", after the contracts for this year's The X Factor contestants were leaked yesterday. It includes a clause that states they may not say anything nasty about Simon, which he laughed at, saying "I wasn't aware I was one of the clauses. You can't be horrible about me? That's probably the most useless clause in the history of contracts, because everybody does talk horribly about me, and you know what? I don't care. It sounds ridiculously hypocritical for me to slate loads of people who come on the show and then say, 'You have to be nice about Simon.'" - Telegraph
Mark Owen and Howard Donald both remained positive yet mysterious about the chances of a Take That reunion with Robbie Williams as they performed at the Royal Variety Show last night, with Howard saying, "Everyone loves a chance to remininsce." - PA
Macaulay Culkin's sister Dakota was killed yesterday in Los Angeles. The 29 year old was hit by a car as she crossed the street. Our thoughts are with her family and friends. - The Sun

Doubt: See it or Skip it?

PopSugarUK — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:30:00 -0800

Meryl Streep is one seriously versatile actress, and her latest role in Doubt is a far cry from her rendition of the all-singing all-dancing single mum in Mamma Mia.

Set in 1964 in the Bronx, the film is based on John Patrick Shanley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Meryl plays Sister Aloysius, the Principal of a Catholic school who believes in the power of fear and discipline. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Father Flynn, a charismatic priest who tries to upend the school’s strict customs.

The pair become locked in a battle of wills when young nun Sister James (Amy Adams) tells Sister Aloysius she suspects Father Flynn of paying too much personal attention to Donald, the first black student to attend the school.

Sister Aloysius sets off on a personal crusade to unearth the truth, leading to the devastating consequences of blind justice in an age defined by moral conviction.

The film is released in the UK on 6th February 2009. I'd love to know what you think, so tell me: do you plan to see it, or do you think you'll skip it?

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Movie Preview: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt

BuzzSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:45:02 -0700

Um, we're not in Mamma Mia! anymore. The trailer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning-play-turned-movie, Doubt, has hit the Web and it's dark - and bubbling with Oscar potential. The adaptation was written and directed by Doubt's playwright, John Patrick Shanley.

The story focuses on a Catholic school in 1964 where a nun (Meryl Streep) suspects a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of abusing a young student. Amy Adams plays the pious young nun trying to make sense of it all within the grander scheme of her faith.

Meryl Streep is so focused and immersed in every role she plays, and this - a difficult and complex role, to say the least - is no different. And Philip Seymour Hoffman is equally impressive as a man who must appear trustworthy and calm, though with an edge of darkness.

Having seen the play I can say that audiences are in for a highly provocative story. Have you seen the play? If so, do you feel like that was enough, or are you intrigued to see it played out onscreen by some of our greatest film actors?

Doubt opens in limited release Dec. 12. To see the trailer, read more.

Doubt - Trailer
Uploaded by hawkbcn

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You Asked: How Can I Know if He's Cheating?

DearSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar,

My boyfriend and I have been together for two years and two months. He's a wonderful man, but I've been noticing some strange things that lead me to believe that he might be cheating on me. For example, he doesn't want me to see his phone, and before he used to have a picture of me on his phone wallpaper, but suddenly he has a picture of himself instead.

Just yesterday we were at the beach having a great time when he decided to check his voicemail. I was close enough that I could hear the messages, which were clearly left by another woman - he just smiled while he listened. I have no problem with him having female friends, but what was particularly off-putting was that when he was done listening, he said, "It was the guys." I've known my boyfriend long enough to have built a wall of trust between us, but all these little things lead me to think that maybe he might be cheating. He says he loves me very much, but I'm starting to doubt him. Does this mean that he is cheating on me or will be soon?

- Doubting Darla

To see DearSugar's answer, read more.

Dear Doubting Darla,

I wish I could tell you with certainty whether or not your boyfriend is cheating on you, but obviously I can't. I will say, however, that if you've been dating for over two years and you're suddenly feeling uncomfortable about certain things, don't ignore your instincts. Regardless of whether or not he's engaging in any kind of intimate relationship outside of your own, there's something about his behavior that's making you feel insecure. And sudden insecurity in an otherwise healthy relationship is definitely a red flag.

Ask your boyfriend what's going on; you don't have to accuse him of cheating, but I think it's perfectly reasonable to tell him that for the first time in your relationship, you're doubting his honesty. Once you confront him, your boyfriend can handle it one of four ways: he can offer a completely reasonable explanation; he can tell you that you're imagining things; he can get defensive; or he can admit to doing something behind your back. Unfortunately, aside from the last, none of these offer a 100 percent guarantee of truth, but I do think you can use his reaction to get a better sense of things. In the end, my best recommendation is to follow your instincts; usually there's a reason they're trying to tell you something.

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Handle This: Your Wedding Is Weeks Away, But You Have Doubts

DearSugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:00:00 -0700

You and your fiancé have been planning your nuptials for nine months. You've had your bridal shower, and everything is booked with all the details in place. But recent fights with your fiancé have led you to see your relationship more clearly than ever. Suddenly you're not sure if this is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with.

You love your fiancé dearly, but you feel like there are things you've ignored for a while that just aren't working for you. The idea of canceling your wedding is humiliating and terrifying - both sets of parents will be devastated - but you're also scared of making a mistake, so how would you handle this?

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