BuzzSugar

The Lucky Ones: Surprisingly Funny and Cute

BuzzSugar — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 14:00:38 -0700

It's hard to say bad things about a movie this well-intentioned and sweet. It's a story about Iraq War soldiers that is heartwarming and funny, which is something we haven't seen much in films about the current war. I have no idea why the trailer for The Lucky Ones includes Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You," a song practically engineered to force people to cry, because this movie isn't really sad. I brought tissues and I didn't even use them.

Rachel McAdams is the biggest reason to see this, as her character is so incredibly endearing and McAdams portrays her perfectly. She plays Colee, a young soldier on a 30-day leave from Iraq after a gunshot wound to the leg. Colee is an (extremely) open book, blunt to a fault and full of wide-eyed, childlike naiveté. Tim Robbins is career soldier Cheever who is leaving the Army for good after suffering a back injury. Michael Pena plays TK, a bit of an insufferable know-it-all whose "private parts" are not quite back to normal after being wounded. The three are stranded in New York when they land and discover that all flights have been canceled. There is one rental car available to them at the airport, and thus the three embark on a road trip together. Nothing - seriously, nothing - goes as planned, however, and challenges pop up for these characters faster than a whack-a-mole game. This bombardment of predicaments is both funny and problematic, though, so to find out more, read more.

Each character's storyline includes some kind of obstacle (or obstacles), and over the course of their shared trip a staggering number of new obstacles present themselves. This demands some powerful suspension of disbelief, and at times the plot is like a brainstorming game between friends on their own road trip ("And then all the flights out of New York will be canceled, and then two of them will fight and the old guy's wife wants a divorce but his son needs college money like, right now, so the three head to Vegas, but along the way they stop off at a bar so the girl can get into a fight, and then there's a car crash and - ooh! I know! - a tornado!" and on and on).

Some of these things are totally preposterous (do college loans not exist in this world?), but it's not necessarily a random, rambling course of events. Much of what happens feeds our understanding of each character and many of their conversations are recalled in some way later in the story. Like the words "luck" and "lucky," which they repeat about 20 times in the movie. The occasional triteness aside, it's a rewarding experience to watch this movie, as you can consistently identify references to previous things. All in all, it's a flawed script that's saved by some great performances and a sweet dynamic between these unlikely friends.

Photos courtesy of Roadside Attractions

Rachel Is One of the Lucky Ones, Even Without Ryan

Molly — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 07:05:00 -0700

Rachel McAdams looked radiant and boho chic at the Toronto Film Festival premiere of The Lucky Ones last night. She arrived solo in the late Summer dusk, but I'd like to think that Mr. Gosling has a little something to do with that big smile of hers. Ever since the amazing photos of them back together kissing at lunch we've been waiting for our next McAdams/Gosling moment, which joins The Time Traveler's Wife on the list of things we're excited to see from Rachel.

To see more from the premiere including lots more Rachel, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Tim Robbins, Neil Burger and others just read more

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Images include: Rachel McAdams, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Tim Robbins, Neil Burger

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Movie Preview: The Lucky Ones

BuzzSugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:30:23 -0700

"Well of course it is - war is messy. It can't be all perfect!"

Despite the use of one of Sarah McLachlan's sappiest tunes and the three-strangers-thrown-together-on-road-trip shtick, The Lucky Ones looks like a really good movie. The movie stars Rachel McAdams, Tim Robbins, and Crash's Michael Peña as Iraq War soldiers who return home and end up on a road trip together. What I already like about this movie is the attempt to tackle - through a quirkier lens than usual - a subject that American moviegoers have been reluctant to see thus far.

I really like the montage of people saying thanks to the three upon learning they're soldiers, and the awkwardness that ensues ("Thank you!" "No...thank you."). It seems to perfectly capture - without use of a heavy hand - how strange it must feel to reintegrate into American society after being away at war. Rachel already seems pitch-perfect in this role, and I have a feeling people will be talking a lot about Peña once The Lucky Ones hits theaters on September 26.

To check out the preview for yourself, read more.

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Model of the Week: Karolina Kurkova

BellaSugar — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 12:21:22 -0800

Welcome to the fifth installment of Model of the Week. I've written a five question interview that I have conducted with several models to share with you. The questions are both fun and beauty related and will always stay the same. To see the rest of the Model of the Week posts click here.

Here's a little history about Karolina Kurkova. She was born on February 28, 1984 in Decín, Czech Republic. She was discovered when an admiring friend sent some pictures of her to a modeling agency in Prague. She immediately booked a runway show, a commercial, an ad campaign and then traveled to Milan to explore the international world of fashion.

It was in Milan where she met Miuccia Prada who signed her to a Prada contract at the tender age of 15. She then met Vogue editors in NY, where she now lives.

Karolina has signed deals with: Yves Saint Laurent, Victoria's Secret, Tommy, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta and Balenciaga.

She is one of the most renowned models in the world. In 2001, she graced the cover of Vogue and in 2002 she was granted the "Model of the Year" title at the 2002 VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards.

She is quite accustomed to fame though. Her Dad is Josef Kurka - a former star basketball player. There is a reason this beauty has become a shining star. She is sweet, down to earth, driven and extremely articulate. Best of luck to you Karolina!

To read the interview that was conducted at Victoria's Secret in NY on her birthday, read more

BELLA: What is your secret to beautiful skin and hair?
KK: I have a steam shower in my apartment, so I steam my face everyday. For my hair, I swear by Victoria's Secret So Sexy Nourishing Shampoo for Dry/Damaged Hair, $9.50, and Victoria's Secret So Sexy Nourishing Conditioner for Dry/Damaged hair, $9.50. It smells so good and it gives my thin hair a lot of volume.

BELLA: What is the one product you can't live without?
KK: Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Makeup - Perfect Lipstick in Whisper, $12. It's a pinkish brown color - I love it.

BELLA: What is your guilty pleasure?
KK: Sweets. I really like chocolate and One Lucky Duck RAW Ice Cream in chocolate, strawberry or vanilla. It's dairy free, made from cashews and coconut meat - so it doesn't upset my stomach and it tastes delicious.

BELLA: What is your favorite drugstore product?
KK: Zip lock bags. If I don't have them in my house, I go nuts. I like to be organized and those zip locks really keep me organized; especially when I travel. I keep my makeup, jewelry, lingerie...everything in them!

BELLA: Happiness is...
KK: Being healthy, being alive! I feel really lucky to have family and friends - so it makes me happy to spend my time with them.

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A Conversation With P. Diddy

partysugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:00:03 -0800

Rapper and mogul P. Diddy was in San Francisco last week promoting Cîroc, his vodka brand. I was lucky enough to sit down with the musician, and we chatted about entertaining. Not surprisingly, he consumes a lot of Cîroc and his signature drink is a Cîroc and lemonade - say it fast and it sounds like a lyric in one of his songs, "ci-rocking lemonade." To find out what the artist formerly known as Puff Daddy had to say, read more.

PartySugar: What’s new with Cîroc?
P.Diddy: The newest thing with Cîroc is our success. Our success and our appeal. The sales went up 1,000% and just the appeal is becoming more recognizable to the consumer.

PS: Aren't you coming out with some new flavors?
PD: Yeah. In the world of Cîroc, one of the biggest differences is the flavors. Red Berry and coconut. Now most flavors, to be honest, in the vodka industry, most flavors just haven’t been done right. They taste like cough syrup. I went down with the innovation team, and I was like, whatever we do I want to make sure that this doesn’t taste like cough syrup.
And then also make something that really tastes like what it says. If it says coconut, let’s make sure it tastes like coconut. If it says red berry, let’s make sure it tastes like red berry.

PS: Do you ever cook?
PD: I cook breakfast.

PS: What music do you recommend for cooking?
PD: Music for cooking? Marvin Gaye’s always good for cooking.

PS: What are your guilty pleasure foods?
PD: I would probably say jello. Strawberry jello.

PS: If you had to drink one type of alcohol for the rest of your life what would it be?
PD: Vodka. Cîroc.

PS: Besides yourself, who are some celebrities that know how to entertain/host a good party?
PD: I never seen anybody do it how I do.

PS: What was the first alcoholic drink you ever drank?
PD: Peach schnapps and orange juice, before I was enabled.

PS: What do you think will be the next big thing in cocktails?
PD: Jello shots.

Stay tuned for Diddy's tips for hosting the ultimate party!

Enter to Win a Dream Prize of NARS Beauty!

BellaSugar — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:30:38 -0800

This year is the 15th anniversary of one of our favorite beauty brands, NARS! Our friends at Sephora want you to celebrate in style, so this week they're giving away a Thanksgiving-worthy cornucopia of products. This week's lucky winner will receive:

The Everlasting Love 15 Year Anniversary Palette - 10 of NARS's most gorgeous shades, assembled to create a full look and the perfect smoky eye.
The Multiple Coffret- Three shades of the versatile Multiple, which can be used on eyes, cheeks, and lips for a shimmering, glowing complexion worthy of any afternoon tryst.
The Drop Dead Gorgeous Gift Set - Four lovely nail polish shades from NARS's luxe lacquer collection.

To enter, just take the quiz by 5 p.m. PST on Sunday, Nov. 29, and one winner will be selected at random. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just on taking the quiz after you are logged in. You do, however, need to be a PopSugar Community member to enter. So if you're not already one, register now. One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored. Prizes can be shipped to US destinations only. Remember: You must be logged in to the PopSugar Community for your entry to count. For the complete rules, click here. Good luck!

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Win Tickets to Watch The Saturdays Perform Live In London!

PopSugarUK — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 06:00:10 -0800

Calling all UK-based Saturdays fans! To celebrate their new partnership with Impulse body spray "The Impulse Diaries", the girls are performing an exclusive gig in London and I've got two sets of three tickets for two lucky PopSugar Community members!

Simply leave a comment and you could win tickets to be part of the small audience at the show which will be held at London's Forum on the evening of Monday 7 December. The girls will perform their big hits as well as tracks from their new album, and the performance will be filmed for a special TV show! Please read the terms and conditions below carefully.

All you have to do to enter, is leave a comment before midnight (BST) on Sunday 29 November. Two winners will be selected at random to attend the gig with two guests each and will be contacted on Monday 30 November. You need to be a PopSugar Community member to enter, so if you're not already one and want to enter you MUST register for an account now. One entry per person; all repeat entries will be ignored. You must be logged in to make a comment and be eligible for the prize. Giveaway is open to UK residents aged 14 and over: please see the terms and conditions below for further rules regarding age requirements.

For terms and conditions, just read more.

Terms & Conditions

1. The Impulse Promotion is open to UK residents aged 14 and over.
2. If you are between the ages of 14 and 16 you must have obtained your parents' or guardian's consent before entering.
3. Each entrant may only enter the Competition once. No entrant may win more than one Prize.
4. Responsibility is not accepted for entries lost, damaged or delayed as a result of any network, computer hardware or software failure of any kind. Proof of sending will not be accepted as proof of receipt.
5. The tickets are not transferable, re-saleable or exchangeable. There is no cash alternative. The winner and attendee must be able to get to and from The Saturdays exclusive gig at the Forum in Kentish Town, London. If the winner or attendee is under the age of 18, a parent or guardian (over 21), must accompany them to, from and at the gig. To enter the gig, ticket holders must be at least 14 years old. The Promoter reserves the right to verify age of all ticket holders and refuse entry at the gig. The Promoter reserves the right to check that a parent or guardian (over 21) is present in a winners' group if one or more in the party is under 18. Anyone under the age of 18 who is attending the gig must have the permission of their parent(s) or guardian(s) to do so.
6. All winners will each be responsible for their own travel costs to attend The Saturdays gig and accommodation costs in London.
7. All entries will become the property of the Promoter. In consideration of the right to enter the Competition, each entrant automatically grants to the Promoter an irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free, world-wide licence for the full period of copyright to use, reproduce, alter, adapt or sub-licence their entry in any media in perpetuity.
8. All prizes are subject to availability. In the event of unforeseen circumstances the Promoter reserves the right to substitute the prizes for alternatives of equal or greater value.
9. The Promoter shall not be liable for any loss, damage or consequential damage of any nature in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise caused by acceptance of the terms and conditions or in connection with the prizes (except to the extent that death or any personal injury occurs as a result of the negligence of the Promoter).
10. The Promoter reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify or withdraw the prize of any entrant found to be tampering with the voting process for the Competition or to be acting in any manner deemed by the promoter to be in violation of the Terms and Conditions.
11. To claim their prize, winners must confirm their attendance and names of their friends attending. If the prize is unclaimed after this time, it will lapse and the Promoter reserves the right to offer the unclaimed prize to a substitute winner selected in accordance with these Impulse Promotion rules.
12. The winners' details (name and county) will be made available on request to those writing to "The Impulse Promotion, Mindshare UK Ltd, 40, Strand, London WC2N5RF" within ten weeks after the closing date, enclosing an SAE. Each entrant consents to the use of their personal details in accordance with this clause.
13. Winners may be required to participate in publicity arising from the Impulse Promotion.
14. By entering the Impulse Promotion, all entrants will be deemed to have accepted and be bound by the rules and consent to the transfer of their personal data to the Data Controller for the purposes of the administration of this Promotion and any other purposes to which the entrant has consented. All entry instructions form part of the rules.
15. The Promoter reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions at any point during the Promotion if circumstances outside our control make this unavoidable. Any amendments will be explained at the top of these Terms and Conditions.
16. These terms and conditions shall be governed by English law and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction.
17. Prize draw is open to UK residents only.
18. Competition prize includes three tickets to an exclusive Saturdays performance on December 7, 2009 in London for each winner (two winners in total). No travel or accommodation is included. You MUST be able to get to London on December 7, 2009. No alternative prize will be offered if winner is unavailable.
19. One entry per PopSugar Community member.
20. The winning UK residents will be drawn at random on Monday 30 November, 2009.
Promoter and Data Controller: Unilever UK Limited, Unilever House Springfield Drive Leatherhead KT22 7GR

Good luck!

Sunday Giveaway! Perfekt Beauty Eye Perfection Gel

BellaSugar — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:30:08 -0800

Has pre-holiday stress left your peepers less than perky? Our friends at Sephora want to help you with that, so today they're giving away a prize from Perfekt Beauty designed to keep your eyes looking fresh and bright no matter how long your week might feel. Today's lucky winner will receive:

Perfekt Beauty Eye Perfection Gel - A cooling gel that relieves puffiness and smooths the eye area to make it soft and perfect for concealer application.

To enter, just take the quiz by 5 p.m. PST today and one winner will be selected at random. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just on taking the quiz after you are logged in. You do, however, need to be a PopSugar Community member to enter. So if you're not already one, register now. One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored. Prizes can be shipped to US destinations only. Remember: You must be logged in to the PopSugar Community for your entry to count. For the complete rules, click here. Good luck!

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BellaSugar's Gift Guide: Awww, The Beautiful Baby!

BellaSugarUK — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

You're one lucky person if you know a magnificent mum-to-be who's about to bring a brand-new life into our world!

What better way to spoil the adorable infant right from the start than with baby beauty products! I've found gift sets like this skincare package from Johnson & Johnson (£29.99) to be especially helpful to new mom's. Even though it's no-frills, it contains all of the gentle essentials from a tried and tested brand.

Shop even more gender neutral baby bath and body gifts below!

Saturday Giveaway! Perfekt Beauty Eye Perfection Gel

BellaSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:30:47 -0800

Perfekt Beauty Eye Perfection Gel - A cooling gel that relieves puffiness and smooths the eye area to make it soft and perfect for concealer application.

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Mothercare Baby grooming set - £6.99	Buriti Baby Bamboo Hair Brush - £6.85
Cath Kidston Cath Kids Baby Duck Soap - £8.00	BURTS BEES Mum & Baby TLC Gift Set - £29.40
Winnie Shower Gel Topper 611484 - £3.99	Neals Yard Remedies Baby Gift Set - £23.10
Buriti Baby Mini Essentials - £15.00	Trevarno Organic Chamomile Baby Soap - £3.35
Green People Baby Care Gift Pack - £12.50	Mothercare Natural Softie - Organic nappy balm - 100ml - £3.99
Philips AVENT soothing Magic Cream - 125ml - £5.49	Banana Boat Baby Tear-Free SPF 50 Lotion - £7.99
Mothercare muslin squares - 6pk Yellow - £8.99	Mothercare Little Softie baby shampoo - 300ml - £1.99
Little Me Organics Sleepy Head Bath Milk - £3.99