BuzzSugar

Box Office: Forbidden Kingdom Kicks the Competition

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:30:28 -0700

Forbidden Kingdom gave kung fu fans the match up of their dreams, pairing up martial arts screen giants Jackie Chan and Jet Li for the first time. Together the two stars proved to be a formidable force at the box office, earning the top spot over the weekend with an estimated $20.9 million. Forgetting Sarah Marshall came in second place, earning $17 million.

Variety reports that while this opening represents a vast improvement over recent Apatow films like Drillbit Taylor and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, it still wasn't a return to the box office glory of his mega-hits like Superbad, Knocked-Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

Prom Night continued to do well, coming in at No. 3 followed by the weekend opener starring Al Pacino, 88 Minutes which only took in $6.8 million. Nim's Island rounded out the top five followed by 21, Street Kings, and Horton Hears a Who. In the ninth spot was the Ben Stein documentary about intelligent design, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

Sugar Bits - Dr. Phil Gets Himself Into More Trouble

PopSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:27:21 -0700

Dr. Phil is in hot water again after a production assistant on his show posted bail for one of the teenage girls accused of filming an assault on a classmate. Apparently Phil hoped that by loaning her bond money, he could secure an exclusive interview. - TMZ
Prom Night took the top spot at the weekend box office, followed by Street Kings and 21. - BuzzSugar
Project Runway's Nina Garcia has left her position as fashion director at Elle magazine. - FabSugar
Full House's Jodie Sweetin welcomed her first child, a baby girl name Zoie, with her husband Cody Herpin on Saturday. - People
Pete Doherty, who entered a London jail last week, is apparently receiving special treatment - like his own cell, two mattresses, a radio, and a TV - and other inmates are angry because those rewards are usually earned for good behavior. - The Sun
Despite filing for divorce in 2007, Shaquille O'Neal and his wife Shaunie have been spotted together multiple times during the past month. - Page Six
Donald Trump's ex-wife Ivana married Italian actor Rossano Rubicondi on Saturday in Palm Beach, FL. -ET Online
ICYMI, Cate Blanchett and her husband welcomed their third son, Ignatius Martin Upton!

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Box Office: A Memorable Prom Weekend

BuzzSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:30:38 -0700

Maybe it's that time of the year, or perhaps there was a strong nationwide desire to see a scary movie, but whatever the reason, horror flick Prom Night was crowned queen at the box office this weekend. Variety reports that the movie's $22.7 million marks the best opening for a horror picture so far this year, possibly due to the teen-friendly PG-13 rating.

Though Street Kings is loaded with bloodshed and big names like Forest Whitaker and Keanu Reeves, it was still no match for the teen screamfest, earning second place with an estimated $12 million. 21, on the other hand, is still performing well, taking the third spot with $11 million. It was followed by Nim's Island, Leatherheads, and Horton Hears a Who.

Little family comedy Smart People starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Ellen Page, and Dennis Quaid came in No. 7 earning about $4.2 million. The overall box office is still experiencing a slump compared to last year. I wonder if Forgetting Sarah Marshall will get more folks to the theaters next weekend?

And if you're curious about Prom Night, head over to movies.ivillage.com for the trailer and video clips.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

Street Kings: Police Officers Gone Wild

BuzzSugar — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:00:51 -0700

Street Kings is primarily focused on examining two types of police officers seen in many a film before: the rogue cop who disregards the law in the name of justice and the cop that appears to follow the rules but is deeply corrupt. You would think that in the hands of a talented guy like director David Ayer, who is well-versed in the handling of this kind of gritty material (having written Training Day and directed Harsh Times) this movie would be not only entertaining but also darkly unnerving.

So, was it entertaining? I think for some people the answer is definitely "yes" - the violence is raw and in your face, the story is intriguing, and the smorgasbord of famous male actors makes for a fun ride. Did it make me feel anything? Nope. And that's actually a shame because there was so much there to work with, but instead I left with the sense that everyone involved decided to sit back, tap into their inner nihilist, and get down to killing.

To see what parts I think are fun and what parts are downright silly, read more.

Reeves plays Detective Tom Ludlow, a man who's having a hard time and numbs whatever pain haunts him with a lot of alcohol. He also has zero regard for the "law" part of "law enforcement," and seems to break all the rules those lawyers on Law & Order are always concerned with, lest their cases get thrown out on a technicality. He doesn't necessarily take pleasure in blowing people's brains out once he's determined they're wrong, but he definitely doesn't show restraint either. In other words, the man's a live wire. And this is the guy who ends up being the moral center of a universe full of some very corrupt people.

Those people include, well, just about everyone in the film. Once Ludlow begins to yank at a string he's been repeatedly warned against yanking by his boss, the ambitious Captain Jack Wander (Forest Whitaker), it becomes clear that an entire division of L.A.'s finest are dirty. Thus, Ludlow starts heading down a trail into some of L.A.'s harshest neighborhoods and the dens of some extremely bloodthirsty villains.

The movie relentlessly strives for realism with each violent act, and bookends each one with the kind of machismo dialogue you can't help but roll your eyes at. Similarly, anytime a character waxes poetic about the nature of good and evil or the seductive influence of power and greed, it's delivered in such oversimplified prose that you might find yourself screaming "No duh!" at the screen. The best parts about the movie are the unexpected and talented performances that pop up, like Hugh Laurie as a salty captain, Cedric the Entertainer who's totally convincing as a thug, and Common who, with the delivery of no more than three lines, perfectly embodies pure evil.

If you don't require a little nuance with your bloodbaths, you might have fun. Otherwise it's a frustratingly dumbed-down experience.

To see the trailer and more clips from Street Kings, check out movies.ivillage.com.

Photos courtesy of Fox Searchlight Films

Keanu Reeves: Love Him or Avoid His Movies Like the Plague?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:30:55 -0700

Next Friday a film called Street Kings hits theaters nationwide. It stars some great people, like Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie, John Corbett and the ever-delicious Common. It also stars Keanu Reeves.

Reeves' presence in a movie is almost a deal breaker for me (though, of course I'm still going to see Street Kings). When I recently voiced this opinion at the office, however, there were a few dissenting voices (though I won't name names). So, I'm curious: what say you about Keanu?

Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight

Keanu Goes From Night Watchman to Street King

PopSugar — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:30:40 -0800

Keanu Reeves finally ditched the scraggly beard and was looking pretty hot riding his motorcycle around LA over the weekend. Keanu sightings are few and far between these days, but he's got a new movie coming out in April, which means we get to see more of him. The film was originally called The Night Watchman, but the title got changed to Street Kings, so be sure to keep a lookout for cute Keanu when he starts his promotional tour.

View 2 Photos ›

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Keanu Hung Up His Ted Logan Converse Long Ago

Molly — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 07:05:00 -0700

That's Officer Reeves To You, Missy. Keanu Reeves was looking more clean cut than he has in a while on the set of The Night Watchman in LA. It seems that action movies are more Keanu's Speed (heh, Speed) these days, but it's hard to forget his comedic days of yore. In fact, someone is feeling the need to remake Keanu's cinematic masterpiece Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (in a straight to video form). Excellent! Obviously, Keanu is passing on this venture, though I wouldn't mind seeing him reprise the role of Johnny Utah in Point Break? Pretty Please?

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Splash News Online, Pacific Coast News

Street King Keanu Puts Ted to Bed

PopSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:30:07 -0700

Keanu Reeves joined his co-stars Forest Whitaker and Chris Evans on the red carpet last night for the premiere of their new movie Street Kings. Minnie Driver brought her baby bump along for the event, while Kristin Cavallari dressed to match the carpet. While the film was obviously the hot topic of the night, Keanu also weighed in on the rumors of a Bill and Ted remake, saying, "If there is [a remake] I don't know anything about it. Alex Winter (Bill) and I have spoken a bit about that over the years but I think we're done. Long live Bill and Ted!"

More pics including Keisha Whitaker, Claire Forlani and Rick Schroder, so just read more

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Images Include: Forest Whitaker, Keisha Whitaker, Jim Gianopulos, Kristin Cavallari, Holden Schroder, Rick Schroder, Naomie Harris, Martha Higareda, Minnie Driver, Chris Evans, David Ayer,Terry Crews, Claire Forlani

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Is McDonald's Launching a Dollar Breakfast Menu?

YumSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:00:56 -0800

In this economy, even the savviest of fast food diners have a hard time stretching their dollar. But if the rumors are true, value-seekers may soon find it a lot easier to fill up for a buck early in the day. According to the Chicago Tribune and the Wall Street Journal, McDonald's plans to reveal a nationwide breakfast dollar menu.

Based on internal documents obtained by the two publications, the McDonald's breakfast dollar menu will begin a national advertising run in January 2010. Although McDonald's has declined to comment, the burger giant tested a breakfast menu with $1 items in August in its Chicago stores, offering items such as a sausage McMuffin, breakfast burritos, and hash browns.

The chain, which is also rolling out the Mac Snack Wrap nationwide in January, will face some stiff competition.

Burger King recently added the quarter-pound Double Cheeseburger to its menu through March, and Dunkin' Donuts just rolled out a temporary $0.99 menu in Chicago. If two leading newspapers are publishing stories on it, the alleged menu can't be too far from the truth. What would you hope to see on a $1 breakfast bonanza?

Meet Your Top 2 Scariest Moves Ever!

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Well folks, we've come a long way, but the 64 scary movies we started with have now been narrowed down to two. Only The Shining and The Exorcist have survived, and I'm proud to say that I've actually seen both (and have the nightmare memories to prove it). So now it's time to make one last decision: which one deserves the crown? You've come this far, so be sure to make one last click for yet another chance to win the prize!

The winner will receive the ultimate scary movie package to start your own personal scary movie home library courtesy of Warner Home Video! It includes bracket favorites Poltergeist 25th Anniversary: Deluxe Edition, Interview with the Vampire, The Shining, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Collector's Edition, Final Destination Thrillogy, Stephen King's It!, and The Nightmare on Elm Street Collection. Additionally you will win new scary movie releases Orphan, Trick 'R Treat, and The Hills Run Red and old favorites in special re-release, Natural Born Killers: The Director's Cut and North By Northwest: 50th Anniversary Special Edition.

Just be sure you're logged in, and to read all the official rules, click here. Now what are you waiting for? Vote now! Don't forget to tell your friends to join in on the fun.