BuzzSugar

Who Is the Best Dramatic Actor of 2009?

BuzzSugar — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:30:56 -0800

The men in my dramatic actors poll can sing, dance, put on accents and inhabit legendary figures like second nature - and how I enjoyed watching them this year. Some have started bringing home the nominations, but until we find out who gets the statues, vote on who you think was the best dramatic actor of 2009.

Don't forget to vote on all of my Best of 2009 polls!

Johnny Depp Has No Enemies in Japan

PopSugar — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:00:48 -0800

Johnny Depp stopped to say hello to fans on his way into the Tokyo premiere of Public Enemies yesterday. He's been making the promotional rounds for his film since arriving in Japan earlier this week, with a press conference before the big screening. Johnny's had a quite a year since being named the Sexiest Man Alive for the second time and has a full schedule of projects and premieres to take him through 2010 and beyond.

View 5 Photos ›

Do You Use Your Bathtub?

CasaSugar — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:15:44 -0800

This racy photo from Public Enemies has me thinking about how rare a bath is in my cleansing routine. There's really nothing more relaxing than a bath with some candles and light tunes, but a quick shower is usually really all that fits into my schedule. How about you?

Photos courtesy of Universal Studios

Johnny Hasn't Seen Public Enemies but Is Happy to Promote It

PopSugar — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:45:00 -0800

Johnny Depp was in Tokyo this morning for a Public Enemies press conference. Japan is a usual stop on the international promotion circuit, and Johnny looked fresh-faced despite only arriving yesterday morning. Public Enemies is already out on DVD in the US, but it's due to hit the big screen in Japan this Friday. Even so, it doesn't appear as though Johnny has seen the film yet. At today's event, he opened up about seeing the project and also discussed whether he has any enemies of his own. He said:

On Public Enemies: "I haven't seen the film yet, but I hear great things about it.
On if he has any enemies "I don't think I have any enemies, really . . . The scariest enemy is within, allowing yourself to conform to what is expected of you."

Hopefully he's getting a little rest, since another project was just confirmed to be on his already busy schedule - production on Dark Shadows, his next collaboration with Tim Burton, is set to start next year.

View 5 Photos ›

Johnny Depp Journeys to Japan to Promote Public Enemies

PopSugarUK — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:00:00 -0800

Johnny Depp arrived in Japan last night and was greeted by many fans at Narita airport in Tokyo. He's traveling to promote his film Public Enemies, showing that even the Sexiest Man Alive has to work for a living. Yesterday Johnny admitted he hadn't seen the film, which surprised some even though he regularly says that he often doesn't watch his own work, and talked about his lack of enemies in life, saying, "I don't think I have any enemies, really. The scariest enemy is within, allowing yourself to conform to what is expected of you." Johnny's certainly not one to conform - is that a reason that you like him?

To see more photos of Johnny in Japan, just read more.

View 10 Photos ›

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:30:18 -0800

Want a new movie to curl up with this week? Today's DVD releases offer something for everyone. (And If you've seen a film you love lately, give it a review in the Movie Reviews Group - I may even feature it on the site!)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
With anticipation building for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - did you check out my sneak peek? - I fully intend on watching the most recent chapter one more time. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hasn't been my favorite movie in the series, thus far, but I still enjoyed it due to the special effects and the raging hormones between the main characters, which was fun to watch. This time Harry is coping with his godfather's death and the pressure of Hogwarts, so the themes are decidedly darker (and at times, even scary). If you're a fanatic, check out the two-disc version which includes a peek at Universal's "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" theme park. I've already seen a short preview of the place, but I'm excited for a more in-depth look!

83%

Two more DVD releases to check out when you read more.

Public Enemies
What better way to spend your weekend than with Johnny Depp? He's the big draw of Public Enemies as a rebellious 1930's gangster in Chicago trying to escape from FBI agents, particularly Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale). While I didn't love some of director Michael Mann's techniques which often felt too Hollywood-slick, Depp (and Marion Cotillard as his love interest) make the film well worth watching. Even as Depp wields his gun and takes lives, you question whether his bad-guy motives aren't so bad after all - the sign of a truly good performance. The 2-disc version includes several behind-the-scenes featurettes.

67%

Julie & Julia
Director Nora Ephron's Julie & Julia tells the parallel stories of Julia Child (Meryl Streep) and blogger Julie Powell (Amy Adams) who tried to recreate every recipe in Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking over the course of a year. It's a cute movie, but the main reason to watch is for Streep. She's completely charming as the larger than life chef, and in my opinion, she turns in one of the best comedic female performances this year. The only downside: Adams's Powell plot gets overshadowed. As for special features, I bet YumSugar will appreciate this: the Blu-ray version includes a tour of Julia's kitchen and cooking lessons!

75%

Will You See or Skip These July Movies?

PopSugarUK — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:00:00 -0700

July sees the release of big Summer blockbusters, including one of the most anticipated films of the year: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. There are also comedies, animations, thrillers and dramas released this month, so check out what's heading to our cinema screens in July and let me know whether you'll see or skip each film.

View Slideshow ›

Public Enemies: Depp Shines Through a Shower of Bullets

BuzzSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:30:31 -0700

The reason to see Public Enemies is the same as the reason to see any Johnny Depp movie: Johnny Depp. The story is engaging enough - there's plenty of sputtering machine gun shoot-outs and exciting escape plans and dashes of romance - but the actual enjoyment of watching this movie comes from Johnny Depp in a role he's naturally gifted at playing: the dark, mysterious rebel.

Depp plays John Dillinger, a bank robber who has gained a certain celebrity status with the public. His charm and calm cleverness have made him and his gang quite rich and have kept him from being permanently captured. Soon, however, J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) focuses his attention on Dillinger, his "Public Enemy No. 1." Hoping to use Dillinger's capture as a way to elevate his Bureau of Investigation into the national police force, Hoover puts his dashing agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) on the case. The majority of the movie is a back-and-forth dance with Purvis pursuing Dillinger and Dillinger eluding Purvis's grasp. Consistently thwarted by the sly criminal, Purvis's desperation to catch Dillinger leads to some extreme measures. Violence, gunfire, and bloodshed ensue as Purvis and his team start to close in on their enemy. For more of my thoughts on the movie, read more.

It's mind-boggling to see how relatively easy it is for Dillinger and his gang to pull off these crimes. In our era of constant surveillance and advanced technology, these guys wouldn't get three feet without someone snapping a picture or video with a camera phone. The movie is set during a more trusting time period, and one that is - for better or worse - far behind us. At the same time, we may have more in common with that era than we think. As we experience a recession, we watch a story in which the protagonist robs banks in the midst of the Great Depression - should we be rooting for this guy? Depp makes us want to, that's for sure, but what with all the bloodshed, it's hard to always think that what Dillinger's doing is cool. Public Enemies actually makes us think about this stuff, and making us think is more than most of the big Summer movies can boast.

The movie also features good performances by an impressive cast, with Marion Cotillard standing out as Dillinger's lady love, Billie Frechette. She is perfectly paired with Depp, her bright eyes and lively charisma nicely complementing Depp's dark and intense steadiness. The two make a sexy duo and their scenes together are some of my favorite of the whole movie. They're both soulful actors, interested more in substance than style. Some scenes that don't include either of these actors are all shiny cars, slicked-back hair, and terrible accents, making me yearn for Depp or Cotillard to be back on screen.

The actual filmmaking, however, made me queasy. I know Michael Mann is an intense director but I hate the herky-jerky camerawork and the random close-ups on things in this movie. The other distracting element is the actors' makeup, their faces clay-like, their lips bright pink. It's hard to become immersed in this world when the streaks of blush constantly remind us that this is all make-believe. But aside from these things, the film overall is an intriguing thrill-ride with a little bit of heart and the sharp, intelligent Johnny Depp leading us through it.

Photos courtesy of Universal Studios

Johnny Joins Marion In London For Public Enemies Premiere

PopSugarUK — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:20:39 -0700

Back in May we took a look at the trailer for new movie Public Enemies, starring the gorgeous Johnny Depp, Marion Cotillard and Christian Bale, and last night London played host to the European premiere of the movie. Directed by Michael Mann, it's a 1930s gangster flick based on a true story, and fans were out in force last night to get a glimpse at the star of it all, Johnny. Other celebs attending included New Moon's Jamie Campbell Bower, Amelle Berrabah, and The Feeling, but will you go and see it when it comes out on Friday?

To see more photos from the London Public Enemies premiere, just read more.

View 15 Photos ›

Johnny Depp Is Who He Wants to Be

PopSugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:30:51 -0700

Johnny Depp and Marion Cotillard looked glamorous at the Public Enemies premiere in London earlier today. Over the weekend he was turning heads in NYC but now he's back to promoting his new film. Johnny recently spoke about why the movie is relevant in our current economy and also discussed staying true to himself. Here's more:

On his character robbing banks: "Back then the banks were the enemies. We're learning today that they've been the enemies yet again. So when it comes to Dillinger, isn't it somehow nice to see the underdog kind of take control, even if it was another time?"
On what's important to him: "My kiddies are getting bigger. My daughter's 10 and my boy's 7. The greatest thing is just the sort of beauty of watching my kids grow up and become little adults."
On his advice about growing up: "Remember that you make your own reality. You don't have to stay in a little shell that was hammered out for you from childhood. We're all conditioned to live the way our parents want us to live, and that turns people into serial killers sometimes. At a certain point you have to come out and live your life the way you want to live it. I had to fight to retain my individuality. I'd get agents who'd say, 'Well, what are you fighting against? Why are you going against the grain?' But I knew that if I continued on in the way that they wanted me to, it was death. It's just a question of standing straight and saying, 'No. I'm not going to be what you want me to be. I'm going to be what I want to be.'"

To see more photos of Johnny and Marion, plus Terri Seymour, just read more.

View 25 Photos ›

Images include: Johnny Depp, Marion Cotillard, Branka Katic, Stephen Graham, Michael Mann, Terri Seymour