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Box Office: Paranormal Activity Spooks Its Way to No. 1

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:30:00 -0700

Talk about a shocker! The low-budget underdog Paranormal Activity has been riding its growing popularity all the way to the top - even upsetting the reigning king of horror, the Saw franchise. Paranormal took in $22 million in its first weekend with a wide release, which has execs talking about a possible sequel. Saw VI trailed at No. 2 with only $14.8 million - the worst opening ever for a Saw film.

Completing the rest of the top five was last week's biggest moneymaker, Where the Wild Things Are, which dropped to No. 3 with $14.4 million, followed by Law Abiding Citizen at No. 4 with $12.7 million, and Couples Retreat at No. 5 with $11 million. (The box office newcomers Cirque du Freak and Amelia placed No. 8 and No. 11, respectively.)

Hollywood Halloween: 10 Costumes Inspired by This Year's Movies

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:30:59 -0700

Still hunting for that perfect Halloween costume? Never fear, for I am willing to share some of my ideas with you, culled from this year's flicks. Everyone loves a good pop culture reference, and the best part is that these are super easy to put together last minute. From spooky to hilarious, there's a little something for everyone, so take a look.

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Do, Dump, or Marry? Spike Jonze

TresSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:15:00 -0700

Director, skateboarder and all-around Gen X superhero Spike Jonze was told that turning the beloved children's book Where the Wild Things Are into a movie couldn't be done without serious artistic compromises. Well, not only did he prove his naysayers wrong, his movie was number one at the box office over the weekend!

This iconoclast has been doing his own thing for a while, though, starting out as an untrained videographer for skateboarders, moving on to direct cool videos for bands like The Beastie Boys, and following up on Being John Malkovich and Adaptation with a filmic ballad for the latch-key generation.

So boyish is this 39-year-old, Catherine Keener's son once asked him why he didn't live with his parents. What do you think about this talented guy?

Box Office: At the Top Is Where the Wild Things Are

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:30:09 -0700

Where the Wild Things Are lived up to its big expectations, taking the top spot at the box office this weekend with $32.4 million.

Audiences disregarded Law Abiding Citizen's less than stellar reviews (including my own), and the film took second place and raked in $21.2 million. Paranomal Activity continues to soar, climbing up to number three and making $20.1 million. Couples Retreat slid down from number 1 to 4 with $17.9 million, and The Stepfather rounded out the top 5 with $12.3 million.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

Michael Lohan Makes a Plea For In-Trouble Lindsay, Weekend Movie Reviews, and Balloon Boy!

Molly — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:54:34 -0700

The Lohan family is at it again. Michael Lohan made a scene on Maury while Lindsay Lohan was sentenced to another year of probation. We've got the weekend movies of Where the Wild Things Are, New York, I Love You, and Law Abiding Citizen. Plus, yes, the Balloon Boy and a funny Britney Spears cover from Kris Allen. Check out the PopSugar Rush Weekend Edition now!

Michael Lohan Makes a Plea For In-Trouble Lindsay, Weekend Movie Reviews, and Balloon Boy!

Molly — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:28:27 -0700

Balloon Boy Loses It, Michael's Plea to Lindsay, & Our Weekend Movie Reviews!

PopSugarTV — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:21:00 -0700

The 6-year-old who was hiding in an attic while everyone thought he was carried away in an experimental balloon implies it was a stunt and throws up on live TV, Michael Lohan goes on Maury Povich to reach out to Lindsay, and Kris Allen covers a Britney Spears song!

What Movie Will You Check Out at the Theaters This Weekend?

PopSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:00:17 -0700

It's a big weekend at the box office, and it seems like there's an option to fit every taste. There's action of Law Abiding Citizen, while The Stepfather offers a scare. New York, I Love You is star-studded but a little disjointed, and Where the Wild Things Are brings the children's classic to the screen memorably. So, tell us - which movie will you check out this weekend?

Balloon Boy Says It Was All "For the Show"

PopSugarTV — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:49:13 -0700

Hear the 6-year-old Colorado boy say the balloon incident was all "for the show," and later on PopSugar Rush, Lindsay Lohan heads to court and we review the weekend's new movies!

Where the Wild Things Are: A Passionate Ode to Childhood

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:30:00 -0700

There's been a bit of a controversy over how to market Spike Jonze's adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book, Where The Wild Things Are. Is it for kids? Adults? Adult hipsters?

The answer is anyone who wants to feel what it's like to be a child, and not in the fun-loving, no-responsibilities way. As adults, we tend to forget the insecurity and fears we had as kids, which the film's young character Max is in the throes of. There's just enough exposition before the fantasy begins: Max has a single mom (Catherine Keener) and an older sister who has recently outgrown him. His first few acts at home show his innocence and the savage emotions under the surface. He knows it as being "wild."

Where the Wild Things Are isn't a heavy-handed allegory, or an edgy children's movie; it's a loyal tribute to the way kids think and feel. To see what else I thought of the film, just read more.

Max reaches the world of the wild things after throwing a particularly heinous fit, prompting his mother to yell, "You're out of control!" After running away, Max finds himself on a boat that finally brings him to a strange land. This is where the wild things are. The creatures Jonze has created are aesthetic wonders: creepy, hostile, and huggable at once. These aren't Jim Henson's Muppets, but real characters, led by Carol (voiced by James Gandolfini). The rest of the group is comprised of Lauren Ambrose as aloof KW, Catherine O'Hara as prickly Judith, Paul Dano as timid Alexander, Chris Cooper as Douglas, and Forest Whitaker as Ira.

Each creature has a fully realized personality, with flaws and varying temperaments; their faces are so emotive and their dialogue so human that their scenes with Max are as real as those with his mother. This group is not easily classified as friend or foe - they're dysfunctional in their relationships and don't always treat each other well. One of the most successful elements of the movie is the dialogue of the wild things, which is rooted in Max's head.

In many ways, screenwriter Dave Eggers's job was tougher than Spike Jonze's, because it's imperative to remember the way children think. Max's interactions with Carol and his new clan are made up of the kind of things a kid would hear from his parents and peers and then internalize. In fact, in the wild world, Max declares himself king to bring order, and he summons up speeches from the authority figures that he's pulling away from in his real life. Naturally, he's too young to recognize how his subverted position is significant.

Max's relationship with Carol is most telling. As the de facto leader of the group who can't handle sadness, loneliness, or jealousy, he acts out as a mirror of Max while still being his own character. The richness of Carol and the creature cast stays with you; when Max has to say goodbye to his friends, your heart breaks.

Jonze impressed me with his non-conformity; in another movie, Max would have demonstrated the grand lessons he learned from his time on the island, but in this one, he doesn't have to learn anything. He just gets to feel and experience and appreciate his emotionally fragmented new friends. It's devastating as a viewer, especially if you can put yourself back in that childlike place when your feelings were so raw and simple.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.