BuzzSugar

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:30:38 -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.

The Reader
If you didn't catch this provocative movie about the Holocaust (and so much more), now is your chance to do so. This is the performance that won Kate Winslet the Golden Globe and the Oscar and if you bring this movie home it won't be hard to see why.

She's mesmerizing as Hanna Schmitz, a German woman who strikes up an affair with a teenager named Michael Berg. In college, Berg learns that Hanna harbors many secrets when she goes on trial for Nazi war crimes. Ralph Fiennes plays an older Michael who struggles to reconcile his feelings for the woman he had an affair with, while comprehending the crimes she's committed.

Special features include deleted scenes, "Adapting a Timeless Masterpiece: Making The Reader," Kate Winslet talking about how to play an aging Hanna Schmitz, and the trailer.

One more up next so read more.

The Spirit
First of all, that's kind of a funny DVD cover, right? Scarlett looks a little out of it, Eva is windblown in a way that makes me laugh, and it's like Samuel L. Jackson needs a gun in each hand to do some hard thinking. Anyway, Director Frank Miller has a way of dividing people so if you weren't a fan of Sin City you likely won't enjoy this movie. If you do like the look and feel of this guy's movies, then you may want to add this title to your queue.

Here's the description of the plot: "After rookie Central City cop Denny Colt (Gabriel Macht) is murdered, he's mysteriously reborn as masked superhero the Spirit. Setting out to rid the streets of crime, he finds his archnemesis in the Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson), whose quest for immortality imperils the entire city."

Special features include a never-before-seen alternate ending to the film.

The Spirit: A Flashy Story Lacking Soul

BuzzSugar — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 13:30:50 -0800

From dime-store digests to lush graphic novels, the comic-book genre has fully established itself as part of high culture. Along with the literary upgrade have come equally artful films, including The Dark Knight and Sin City. But for all its highbrow hopes, The Spirit plays like a B movie.

Written and directed by Frank Miller of Sin City and 300 fame, The Spirit is no Sin City or even the less cerebral 300. As both artful sketch and pure entertainment, The Spirit is lacking. For all the highs and lows, read more.

With its black-and-white brushstroke canvas and film-noir narration, The Spirit starts with promise. In cahoots with the local cops, the Spirit (Gabriel Macht) is a slain policeman turned subdued superhero and ladies man who feels indebted to keep watch over his city.

Our hero has a campy rivalry with the requisite villain, a theatrical mad scientist known as the Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson) with a genetically engineered posse of doofus henchman. When one brute gets killed off, Octopus and his evil assistant (Scarlett Johansson) just make more, all in pursuit of an urn containing the blood of Heracles that the Octopus needs to secure his immortality.

The plot is fairly simple. Yet with each new character who is introduced- a devoted doctor smitten with the Spirit, an angel of death draped in a sparkly veil, a jewel thief who is the Spirit's childhood love (Eva Mendes) - the movie gets ever more spiritless. Despite its loftiest constructs, mythic undertones, and bizarre Nazi imagery, The Spirit is almost cool but mostly just awkward. The aesthetics look impressive, but the tone is all off. It's like the comic-book film equivalent of a one-camera sitcom without a laugh track that just isn't funny enough.

Photos Courtesy of Lionsgate

Scarlett, Eva, and Jamie Have Spirit, Yes They Do

Molly — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 06:00:00 -0800

The Spirit whisked into LA last night for another red carpet premiere. Eva Mendes continued to look stunning in color while Scarlett stuck with neutrals, letting her hair do the talking. As usual, no Mr. Reynolds to go along with his Mrs., but even so they're some of our favorite newlyweds of the year. Earlier this week we got a peek at Scarlett and Samuel L. Jackson's rapport, and it looks like the red carpet was one more night of the Lucy and Ricky show. Jaime King looked all wrapped up like a present as all the beautiful women showed off their comic book movie due out Christmas Day.

To see more from the premiere just read more.

View 15 Photos ›

Images include: Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes, Samuel L. Jackson, Jaime King, Gabriel Macht, Sarah Paulson

Source

Which Eva Mendes The Spirit Look Is Most Fab?

FabSugar — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 01:45:22 -0800

Evan Mendes, Scarlett Johansson, and Paz Vega have been touring the world, promoting their new flick, The Spirit. Eva has been the one to step it up in a major way with her abundance of colorful frocks. While most of her dresses came from Bill Blass, the actress played around with bright hues and fun patterns. Each look was sexy and sophisticated. Which one was your favorite?

Source and Source

The Spirit Moves to London With Scarlett and Eva

Molly — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:00:00 -0800

Scarlett Johansson and Eva Mendes continued their The Spirit press tour, stopping off in London last night. The dynamic duo was joined by costar Samuel L. Jackson and director Frank Miller for this red carpet and it looks like this group isn't sick of each other yet. Scarlett and Eva are both already showing off an impressive dress collection, even if the new Mrs. Reynolds is half of your second favorite newlyweds of 2008, she doesn't need her hot husband to make a hot appearance.

To see more of the premiere just read more.

View 15 Photos ›

Images include: Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendez, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Miller.

Source

Scarlett, Eva and Samuel Have Spirit!

PopSugarUK — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes and Samuel L Jackson were in London last night to celebrate their upcoming movie The Spirit at the Old Post Office, before the world premiere in New York which takes place in a few days time. Scarlett and Eva looked stunning in their bright dresses on the red carpet, while Samuel L Jackson stuck to his basic black outfit and trademark hat! While posing Eva talked about how she stays comfortable when showing skin in the movie, she said:

"It's so fun because it's not me. The minute I think it's me I wig out but it's so not me. I'm playing a character so if I drop my towel and show my bum it's not my bum."

Hmm... I'm not sure that argument would convince many other people to drop their towel! The Spirit is released in the UK on January 1.

To see more of the stars on the red carpet, just read more.

View 10 Photos ›

See lots more pictures over at InStyle UK.

Source

Scarlett and Her Costars Get Into The Spirit

PopSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:30:41 -0800

Scarlett Johansson posed for a photo call for The Spirit in Madrid today - what do you think of her new hair color? As usual, her hot husband Ryan wasn't by her side, but she had the company of her gorgeous costars Eva Mendes and Paz Vega. There were plenty of smiles to go around even without the male counterparts of the cast, but maybe we'll see a bigger turnout for promotional events when we get closer to the Christmas release date of the comic book film.

To see more of the lovely ladies, just read more.

View 10 Photos ›

Source

Finding a "Spirited" Lipstick Color

BellaSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:00:11 -0700

The ad campaign for The Spirit is so sexy, intriguing, and dark that I can't help but admire the creative team behind it. In particular, this ad, featuring Sarah Paulson, makes me want to live my life in black-and-white, punctuated by a splash of coral-colored lipstick. Sure, this ad has been retouched to perfection, but a girl can dream, right?

The closest lipstick match I can find is MAC's Slimshine lipstick ($14.50) in Missy. It's shiny but not overly glossy, and it adds color without looking heavy. I'd love to find a drugstore duplicate. Any suggestions?

Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes Push Cell Phone Recycling

GeekSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:02:01 -0700

Via their upcoming film The Spirit, stars Scarlett Johansson and Eva Mendes have teamed up with the Environmental Media Association to promote the importance of cell phone recycling to reduce CO2 emissions.

The spots start running today on the Answer the Call website, with the ladies in character as Sand Saref and Silken Floss, respectively. I was already a big proponent of cell phone recycling, but glamming it up with two of the hottest celebrities ever? Irresistible.

Sights From Comic-Con 2008

GeekSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:00:34 -0700

In case you missed it, Comic-Con 2008 took over San Diego this past weekend, and Buzz was there getting the dish on all our favorite TV shows and movies that are about to hit the big and small screens. What am I looking forward to the most? Watchmen! Duh. If you weren't able to be at the San Diego Convention Center with all the rest of the geeks out there, I have a little slideshow to hold you over until next year. Seriously, get your tickets now. It's a must see!

View Slideshow ›