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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Not Quite a Fairytale

BuzzSugar — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 07:30:57 -0800

The notion of youth being wasted on the young is a compelling one, without a doubt. It inspired a famous Mark Twain quote, which in turn inspired an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, which has now lent its name to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a film starring Brad Pitt as the title character, born old and destined to die young.

It sounds like a fairytale, and at times, the screen version feels like one, with ethereal flashbacks, eerily spot-on visual effects, and a sweet if improbable romance between Benjamin and his normally-aging love, Daisy (Cate Blanchett). But director David Fincher and screenwriter Eric Roth almost crowd out the movie's central love story with too much stuff — there's a hurricane plot, a daughter learning the truth about her family, and nearly an hour of Benjamin's wacky adventures. Instead of enveloping the audience in a mystical story, it fights against its narrative, constantly breaking its own spell. Yet there are reasons to watch Benjamin Button even when it feels like work, so to see the rest of my thoughts, just

Sweet New Trailer For The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

BuzzSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:30:32 -0700

The new trailer for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is even more informative and interesting than the others that have come before it, and I am so intrigued by the eerie whimsy of it all. Brad Pitt plays Benjamin Button, a man who is born old and ages backwards, growing younger as the years go by. As an elderly child
(yeah. . . that's right, I think), he befriends a little girl, Daisy, who grows older in the regular way, so at some point the two are the same age, "meeting in the middle." The story, along with the girl's reddish-brown hair remind me a little bit of The Time Traveler's Wife, the film version of which may be hitting theaters at the same time as Benjamin Button: Dec. 25.

This new trailer gives me goosebumps, a mixture of the good kind of chills and the willies. To see for yourself,

First Look: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button With Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:30:19 -0700

Some folks are already declaring "Oscar!" just based on this Spanish-language trailer for the eerie Brad Pitt-Cate Blanchett movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I can definitely see where they're getting that feeling, as the trailer makes it look like the film succeeds in capturing the other-worldly atmosphere of the F. Scott Fitzgerald story on which it's based.

As ComingSoon puts it, the story follows "a man (Brad Pitt) who is born in his eighties and ages backwards. A man, like any of us, unable to stop time. We follow his story set in New Orleans from the end of World War I in 1918, into the twenty-first century, following his journey that is as unusual as any man's life can be." The post continues on to promise "a time traveler's tale of the people and places he bumps into along the way, the loves he loses and finds, the joys of life and the sadness of death, and what lasts beyond time."

Whoa, that's a loaded movie. But if anyone can handle it, it's Fight Club and Zodiac director David Fincher. Benjamin Button opens in theaters December 19 (oh, look at that, right when people start getting Oscars on the brain!). To check out the trailer which made my stomach all squirmy,

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: A Great Summertime Kickoff

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:17:26 -0700

There's a lot to enjoy about this fourth installment of Indiana Jones. It's fun, silly, adventure-filled and completely entertaining in ways we don't always get from movies these days, with the greatest parts coming straight from the marvelous imagination of Steven Spielberg. Plus, it's a summertime blockbuster that doesn't totally rely on CGI which feels practically old-fashioned — and I mean that in the best way possible. The performances are strong and overall it's a sequel that doesn't embarrass itself or the whole franchise. It's refreshing and, honestly, it's a relief.

Sure, there are aspects I didn't like about it, but the experience of seeing this movie with a theater full of fans and happy moviegoers pretty much trumps any quibbles I have. The story finds our beloved Indy caught up with a group of Soviets (led by one fierce Irina Spalko, played by Cate Blanchett) trying to find the secrets behind ancient crystal skulls which are said to have been shaped by some kind of higher power (or other-worldly power). They need Indy's mad archaeologist skillz (and wide base of experience) to do this and one way of luring him in is via Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), who they've taken captive. Marion gets in touch with Indy through her son Mutt (Shia LaBeouf). That's the basic gist of things but I wanted to leave plenty for you to discover at the theater, so for more of just my thoughts,

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 06 May 2008 07:30:26 -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. In addition to the titles below, you can now rent or own the Hillary Swank and Gerard Butler weepie, P.S. I Love You.

I'm Not There
I'm Not There was a highly buzzed-about film last year with a lot of the attention focusing on director Todd Haynes' unique conceptualization of Bob Dylan's (or, "a musician like Bob Dylan") life through the years. The talent associated with this film was staggering but the untimely death of one of the stars, Heath Ledger, added even more poignancy to Haynes' ambitious endeavor.

In the movie, six different actors emulate Bob Dylan using different names and appearing in different eras. I wasn't the biggest fan of the film, but other folks were enamored with this movie, more willing than I to ignore the annoying parts and focus on the great performances by Heath Ledger, Cate Blanchett (who won the Independent Spirit award for her role), and Christian Bale. This is a good addition to your queue if you have been curious about this film but would enjoy the luxury of a fast-forward button.

Special features include commentary by director/co-writer Tod Haynes, red carpet footage, and deleted scenes.

Two more titles if you

Buzz News Roundup, 3/10

BuzzSugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:31:58 -0700

Zap2It reports that Showtime has picked up The L Word for a sixth and final season.
A Ponds ad featuring Chinese actress Tang Wei has been banned in China — not because of the content of the advertisement, but because of "official displeasure" at Wei's involvement in the Ang Lee film Lust, Caution, Variety reports.
Justin Chadwick, director of The Other Boleyn Girl, is in talks to direct a contemporary London thriller titled The Property, writes ComingSoon.
According to Variety, Cate Blanchett will play Blanche DuBois in an Australian production of A Streetcar Named Desire.
Gnarls Barkley's video for "Run" has been re-edited to pass the Harding Test — guidelines intended to prevent TV images from triggering epileptic seizures — and can now air in the U.K., Billboard reports.
According to Hollywood Reporter, the Warner Bros. Television Group will resurrect The WB network in the form of a new website that will feature video of old WB favorites, like Gilmore Girls and Everwood.

Photo courtesy of Showtime

Oscar Nominee: Elizabeth: The Golden Age for Costumes

BuzzSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:30:36 -0800

In the days leading up until the Oscars, I'll be featuring the nominees in the various visual categories. This week, I'll be looking at the nominees for Best Costume Design. We've already taken a look at the costumes in Across the Universe, Atonement, La Vie en Rose, and Sweeney Todd. As a final treat, check out the breathtaking creations from Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

Of all the nominees in this category, this movie provides the most stunningly impressive costumes. The first Elizabeth movie also earned an Oscar nomination in 1999, but ultimately lost out to Shakespeare in Love. For a second time, costume designer Alexandra Byrne has dazzled moviegoers with her lush fabrics and vibrant colors to create the regal fashions of the times. I wasn't a big fan of Elizabeth: The Golden Age overall, but these costumes are magnificent. The brilliant colors and pleasing shapes — especially when paired with Elizabeth's pale skin and bright red hairpieces — look good enough to eat. Byrne truly made creations fit for a queen.

Many more images to ogle from Elizabeth: The Golden Age if you

Teaser Trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

BuzzSugar — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:29:15 -0800

It's here! Superfans rejoice! The teaser trailer for the fourth Indiana Jones movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has arrived. And it's . . . cute. I'll be interested to see a full-length trailer someday soon, as this is just a little taste. Still, we get to see old Indy back in action, we get to hear that familiar triumphant theme music, and we're sort of introduced to a young new hero, Mutt (Shia Labeouf). I can't wait to see more scenes with Cate Blanchett's character, too, as she is looking fierce.

Indiana Jones hits theaters May 22. To get your first look at the movie,

I'm Not There: You Shouldn't Be, Either

BuzzSugar — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:59:00 -0800

It must be something with the name Todd that motivates talented directors to make films that have the potential to be great, but then ruin them with complicated casting and an overly ambitious plot. First it was Todd Solondz (director of the wonderful Welcome to the Dollhouse) who cluttered Palindromes by employing eight different actors to play the same 13-year-old girl; now it's Todd Haynes who uses a very similar technique in the truly awful I'm Not There. Instead of a 13-year-old girl, the actors portray Bob Dylan, and this time around there are six actors instead of eight. One would think that two less actors would make the movie a little less jumbled. It didn't.

The reason I'm Not There is even more perplexing than Palindromes (which I didn't believe was possible) is that in addition to six actors emulating Bob Dylan, they each have different names and live in different eras. At least Palindromes was linear and each of the eight actors used the same name. In I'm Not There "Bob" is referred to as John, Jack, Jude, Woody, Arthur, and Billy. Confused? I certainly was! If you want to read the only two compelling reasons to watch this film

Elizabeth: Sloppy But Beautiful

BuzzSugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 12:09:23 -0700

Cate Blanchett, in some of the most sumptuous costumes and outrageous hairpieces, can do her best to growl and roar through this follow-up to the 1998 soapy historical piece Elizabeth, but unfortunately she can't save the faulty script and sloppy pacing that is The Golden Age. This is a shame because the more Blanchett and her equally amazing costars (Clive Owen, Geoffry Rush, Abbie Cornish) plunge into this material with all they've got, trying to compensate for the film's many flaws, the more the movie veers into camp. Thus, the mediocrity of this Elizabeth sequel is not Elizabeth's fault. It's everything else, from the uneven direction to the eye-rollingly preposterous "history lite" storylines.

Taking place 27 years into Queen Elizabeth's reign, she is, technically speaking, 52 years old, though you certainly wouldn't know if from looking at the lovely, spry Blanchett. There is a lot going on in Elizabeth's life which starts to resemble a tangled web of melodrama, not unlike an episode of The Young and the Restless. The Queen is now dealing with both a jealous Mary Queen of Scots (Samantha Morton) and a righteous King Philip II of Spain (Jordi Mollà). Add to this mix the roguish explorer Walter Raleigh who needs the Queen's support to continue his expeditions and you've got yourself a slushy spittoon of fantasy/history. To see what I mean,

Buzz Brainteaser

BuzzSugar — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 04:30:00 -0700

Welcome to Buzz Brainteaser, the trivia feature on BuzzSugar! Every weekday I'll test your knowledge about TV shows, music and movies. If you enter in the correct answer, you win points! Cate Blanchett has been nominated for three Academy Awards, but has only won once. For what movie did Cate Blanchett win the Oscar?

Link Time! 9/18

BuzzSugar — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 13:29:39 -0700

The Film Experience has a checklist to determine whether or not you are a Channing Tatum.
Popwatch's concert review makes me love both Paula Cole and Mandy Moore even more than I already did.
TVgasm celebrates the return — sort of — of "Pop Up Video."
Stereogum brings us a new track by My Brightest Diamond, "We Were Sparkling (Casey Foubert Remix)".
TV Squad lists off five great movies about television.
Pretty Much Amazing gives us five pop acts it's OK to like.
Over on YumSugar, they're planning an "Ugly Betty" party.
The MTV Movies Blog is saying that Cate Blanchett is most likely playing a "nefarious foe" of Indiana Jones' in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
If you want to hear from the latest "Bachelor" contestant, head over to Buddy TV.
Wes Anderson directed a bunch of AT&T commercials that you can view over at SlashFilm.

The Many Faces of Bob Dylan and the New Trailer for I'm Not There

BuzzSugar — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 04:30:00 -0700

Wow, Christian Bale is almost unrecognizable in these photos from the set of I'm Not There, the Bob Dylan biopic in which seven different actors will be playing the beloved musician. Between these photos, the images from the set of The Dark Knight, and the trailer for his upcoming Western 3:10 to Yuma, we're getting quite the Christian Bale fix these days, which I'm sure you all don't mind too much.

In addition to Bale, we've caught glimpses of various other Dylan incarnations as played by Heath Ledger, Richard Gere, Cate Blanchett and Ben Wishaw. Now, there's a newly cut — albeit brief — teaser trailer for I'm Not There in which we see flashes of all these Dylans. For photos of all the Dylans along with the new I'm Not There trailer,

First Look: Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan in "I'm Not There"

Molly — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 14:30:01 -0700

When I first heard that Cate Blanchett was going to be one of the actors portraying Bob Dylan in a new biopic about the singer, I'm Not There, I was intrigued.

When I first saw this photo of Cate as Bob Dylan, I was impressed.

But when I saw this first clip from the movie, all my hopes were dashed. I'm certainly not trying to knock Cate's acting chops — if any woman could pull it off, it would be her — but this is downright ridiculous. I mean, unless I was under the wrong impression and this is supposed to be a comedy...but I don't think that is the case.

David Cross is playing Allen Ginsberg? And driving around in a zany golf cart-ish mobile? Uh, okay!

Honestly, it's a little painful, but maybe it will be better in context? Let's hope. To see the clip just

Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen in Elizabeth: The Golden Age

BuzzSugar — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Why you should watch this trailer for Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Cate Blanchett
Clive Owen
It looks gorgeous

This long-awaited sequel to the 1998 Elizabeth, which was also led by Blanchett's forceful presence, will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September as their Gala presentation, which is the festival's highest-profile slot. This chapter of Elizabeth's story follows the queen's relationship with Sir Walter Raleigh (Owen), among other highly dramatic things. The movie is in wide release October 12, but to experience this just-released trailer in the meantime,

Shia LaBeouf Will Appear in Indiana Jones 4, and Everywhere

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:23:05 -0700

After seeing Disturbia, I've become a Shia LaBeouf fan overnight. Apparently, I'm not the only one, because the young actor seems to be everywhere these days. Today, the AP reported that, after much conjecture, LeBeouf will indeed star in Indiana Jones 4. The fourth installment, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett, will start production in June with an eye on a May 2008 release date.

I'm interested to see LaBeouf, who has an incredibly comfortable screen presence, act alongside Blanchett, who is another very natural actor. The pair could rescue what at first sounded like a wholly unnecessary sequel.

LaBeouf, who is probably most famous for the Disney show "Even Stevens," also appears in the new Transformers movie, and he's also hosting "Saturday Night Live" this weekend. I'm glad I like this guy, because it seems like he's going to be hard to escape for a while.

Source

Cate Blanchett Eyes Indiana Jones

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 12:45:23 -0700

As far as I'm concerned, Cate Blanchett can really do no wrong. I love watching this woman act, even in her more questionable movie roles. (Bandits, anyone?) So I'm just going to trust her instincts on this one: According to the Hollywood Reporter, Blanchett has signed on to star in Indiana Jones 4 alongside Harrison Ford.

In theory, I have no problem with Indiana Jones and very much enjoyed the first three movies. But I agree with many critics that casting Ford as the young adventurer seems a bit absurd. Still, everyone involved — including director Steven Spielberg — is keeping quiet about the plot details of the fourth movie, so maybe they'll come up with something great. And the addition of Blanchett certainly won't hurt. According to the Hollywood Reporter:

With David Koepp's screenplay shrouded in secrecy, it is unclear what character Blanchett will play. However, sources said the Oscar-winning actress has landed a starring role.

Shooting will begin in June in Los Angeles and at undisclosed locations around the world. Paramount Pictures will release "Indy 4" day-and-date around the world on May 22, 2008.

What do you guys think about this casting news? Will you go see Indiana Jones 4?

Source

Best Picture Breakdown: Babel

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 12:26:31 -0800

All week, I've been breaking down each Best Picture nominee for the 2007 Oscars, which air this Sunday night. Yesterday we looked at The Departed, and today brings the fifth and final nominee, Babel.

The sprawling Babel isn't a critical darling; in fact, when the movie first came out, the reviews were decidedly mixed. But when the awards, nominations and spots on "best of" lists started rolling in, Babel became a serious Oscar contender. Now, with a Golden Globe in its pocket, Babel looks like the frontrunner for the award. For a look at its chances of taking home the Best Picture statue,

Oscar Poll: Who Should Win Best Supporting Actress?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 10:48:44 -0800

Much of the 2007 Oscar buzz is swirling around Jennifer Hudson for her role in Dreamgirls, but does she deserve the award for Best Supporting Actress? Who do you think should win?

Oscar Poll: Who Should Win Best Supporting Actress?

Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls

Cate Blanchett, Notes on a Scandal

Adriana Barraza, Babel

Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine

Rinko Kikuchi, Babel

Someone else who wasn't nominated (tell us below)

Notes on a Scandal: Scandalously Sub-Par

BuzzSugar — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 12:34:51 -0800

It pains me to give only 2 1/2 stars to a movie that features two of the most incredible actresses of our time. But in truth, the acting is what saves Notes on a Scandal from an even lower rating. I went into this movie wanting to be moved, frightened, and, yes, scandalized, but while there are moments of greatness, the overall product is a jumble of unevenly paced narrative set to a melodramatic score, which threatens to cheapen the hard work the actors are doing.

Opening today, Notes on a Scandal tells the story of Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett), an art teacher in a poor section of London. Dressed in drooping, twill coats with her angelic golden hair, Hart has an air of pitifulness and vulnerability about her. She is married to Richard (Bill Nighy) with two children, one of whom has Down's syndrome. As fellow teacher Barbara Covett, Judi Dench narrates much of the story as though she is reading from her journal. Barbara is feared and respected by the students for her relentlessly stern attitude, while Sheba is part of what Barbara calls the “bohemian bourgeois,” wanting to help the disadvantaged children but not knowing how. She accepts Barbara’s guidance in dealing with the difficult students, and the two spark up a friendship. Barbara’s feelings for Sheba, however, progress beyond friendship into an intense obsession, so

Movie Preview: Notes on a Scandal

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 12:45:03 -0800

Iris director Richard Eyre again teams up with Judi Dench in Notes on a Scandal, a psychological thriller about loneliness, lust, and betrayal. Cate Blanchett co-stars as a schoolteacher named Sheba who has an affair with her 15-year-old student. Sheba confides in Barbara (Dench), who harbors more-than-friendly feelings toward Sheba, and Barbara then uses her knowledge of the affair to manipulate their friendship. Creepiness ensues. Opening nationwide on December 27, the movie is getting Golden Globe attention, so check out the trailer below.

Movie Preview: The Good German

BuzzSugar — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 07:35:25 -0800

Just watching the trailer for The Good German gives me chills. Opening nationwide December 22, this black-and-white murder mystery stars George Clooney as a journalist sent to Germany to cover the Potsdam conference. At the same time, he reconnects with his old girlfriend, Cate Blanchett, and the two soon become embroiled in a jumbled-up Nazi/Soviet/American conspiracy. Tobey Maguire takes a shot at playing a sociopath with a fiery temper.

I'm going to a screening of The Good German tonight, so tune in on Friday for my review. Until then, check out the trailer below.