BuzzSugar -- Entertainment hourly.

Box Office: Semi-Pro Semi-Beats Out Competition

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 08:30:00 -0800

Despite earning the top spot at the box office, the predictable laughs in Will Ferrell's Semi-Pro only earned $15.3 million over the weekend. This is considered a disappointing sum, especially compared to opening weekends of other Ferrell films like Talladega Nights and Blades of Glory. Variety reports that this underwhelming performance by the basketball comedy may have been due to mediocre reviews and an R-rating.

Vantage Point was only bumped down one spot to No. 2 over the weekend followed by The Spiderwick Chronicles at No. 3. The adaptation of Buzz Book Club's February selection The Other Boleyn Girl took the fourth spot earning an estimated $8.3 million. Penelope starring Reese Witherspoon and Christina Ricci also opened this weekend coming in at No. 8 behind Jumper, Step Up 2 The Streets, and Fool's Gold.

Filling out the top ten were Oscar-nominated films No Country for Old Men and Juno.

Photo courtesy of New Line Cinema

Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 07:00:00 -0800

The Buzz Book Club officially wrapped up The Other Boleyn Girl this week. What did you all think? Going to see the movie? Next up: Revolutionary Road!
In case you missed it (and a lot of people did) the Oscars gave us a lot of wonderful moments and a few surprises. You can see a 60-second version of the show here, and I also researched what's next for this year's big winners.
Time to play casting director: Who would you recast as Will Hunting and who would you cast as you in a movie?
This week in music videos we learn that Jack McBrayer is Mariah's love slave, Jay-Z likes his cinematography dark, and Willie Nelson is still tight with Jessica Simpson.
American Idol is picking up speed and already we're down to 16. I think the boys need to step it up this week and it's time for those talented girls to pick some great songs and show us what they've got, don't you?
NBC ordered more episodes of Lipstick Jungle, though we haven't heard a peep about the fate of Cashmere Mafia.
Adorable indie duo alert!: Zooey Deschanel and Paul Dano are pairing up for a movie. Also, this casting news has me laughing/crying a little: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to play the tooth fairy.

Photo courtesy of Sony

The Other Boleyn Girl: Ambitious and Flawed

BuzzSugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:31:50 -0800

Not unlike Anne Boleyn herself, the movie version of Philippa Gregory's bestselling novel The Other Boleyn Girl is both greatly ambitious and flawed. It's lovely to look at, yet unsatisfying as a film. In some ways, it seems like a video that will soon be used in history classes as one of the many ways we can view Anne Boleyn's life and death. It's not the grand cinematic experience I'd hoped for as I read the novel for this month's book club.

In this version of Gregory's work, Anne is forced by her family — against her will, at first — to seduce England's King Henry VIII. Henry's queen, Katherine of Aragon, has not been able to produce a male heir to the throne, so Anne's uncle, the Duke of Norfolk — played as the one true villain of the story by David Morrissey — decides Anne should have a boy by Henry, thus allowing the whole family to advance. Yet when Henry suffers a hunting accident and Anne is blamed for it, the Duke makes Anne's sister Mary (Scarlett Johansson) become Henry's mistress. She's, you know, the other Boleyn girl. There's so much else to talk about with this film, so

Buzz Book Club: The End of The Other Boleyn Girl

BuzzSugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:30:00 -0800

Welcome back, members of the Buzz Book Club! Now that I've finished Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl, I'm excited to chat about it in its entirety. This is a fun time to wrap everything up as the movie opens this weekend as well.

Over the past several weeks I've suggested chapters to complete and posited questions to prompt discussion in the comments section. Last week's assignment was to finish the book! Of course, that means I'm going to announce the next book, so stay tuned for that.

After the jump you'll find some discussion topics that struck me as I finished the book. Also, if you're just joining and want to catch up, you can find all of our discussions thus far here.

Ready to discuss the conclusion of The Other Boleyn Girl? Just

PopSugarUK Meets the Stars of The Other Boleyn Girl!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:08:36 -0800

PopSugarUK Meets the Stars of The Other Boleyn Girl!
I couldn't possibly be more envious of my lovely English friend PopSugarUK who recently attended a screening event for The Other Boleyn Girl in London! She got to chat up Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson and Eric Bana about their feelings about the roles they play in the movie, and much more. Check it out!

Buzz Book Club: The Other Boleyn Girl, Section Three

BuzzSugar — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 07:30:00 -0800

Welcome back, members of the Buzz Book Club! We're working our way through our very first book club book: Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl.

As I mentioned before, every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in February). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

This week's assignment was to read from Summer 1529 to the end of Summer 1533. Of course, you are welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this first section. Also, if you're just joining and want to catch up, here's our first discussion, and here are our thoughts on last week's section.

The next assignment: Finish the book! Of course, that means we're on the hunt for our next book, so leave your suggestions in the comments below.

Ready to discuss the latest section of The Other Boleyn Girl? Just

Buzz Book Club: The Other Boleyn Girl, Section Two

BuzzSugar — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 06:30:00 -0800

Welcome back, members of the Buzz Book Club! Last week I announced the title of our very first book club book: Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl.

This week's assignment was to read from Spring 1521 to the end of Spring 1524. Of course, you are welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this first section. Also, if you're just joining and want to catch up, here's last week discussion.

The next assignment: Read from Summer 1529 to the end of Summer 1533.

Ready to discuss the latest section of The Other Boleyn Girl? Just

Buzz Book Club: The Other Boleyn Girl, Section One

BuzzSugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:00:00 -0800

Welcome back, members of the Buzz Book Club! Last week I announced the title of our very first book club book: Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl.

The first assignment was to read from Spring 1521 to the end of Spring 1524. Of course, you are welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this first section.

The next assignment: Read from Summer 1524 to the end of Spring 1529.

Ready to discuss the first section of The Other Boleyn Girl? Just

Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 07:00:00 -0800

Just as we came up with a strike survival strategy, TV got kind of good again, starting with the season premiere of Lost, the series premere of Eli Stone, and a very merry new episode of House. Also, got some fun stories from the set of House.
We kicked off the very first Buzz Book Club! Check out this month's selection — The Other Boleyn Girl — and read along!
Turns out a lot of you are actually going to watch the big game this weekend, even though there are other options.
This week's recast challenge is for Annie Hall! Though he would probably make a terrible Woody Allen replacement, I still totally adore Christian Bale's work.
My girl Fab and I were nominated for a 2008 Bloggie award! You can vote for us here.
I've started giving shout outs to Oscar nominees — like The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and actor-turned-filmmaker Sarah Polley — and gave you several suggestions to watch Oscar-nominated films, both at home and at the theaters.
I don't know about you guys, but it was a very nostalgic week in music for me, what with the possible New Kids on the Block reunion and Fraggle Rock coming to iTunes. Also, do you know what Brandy Alexander is?

Buzz Book Club: The Other Boleyn Girl

BuzzSugar — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 06:30:00 -0800

The time has arrived, dear readers, for our very own virtual book club! With my Buzz Book Club I'll choose a title every month for everyone to read — or re-read, perhaps — and discuss.

For the very first installment I've chosen The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. It's a timely decision, too, as the film version of The Other Boleyn Girl, starring Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson, conveniently opens on the last day of the month (Friday, Feb. 29).

Here's how it will work:
I'll announce the book on the first of each month (or the first weekday). Every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in February). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few discussion-provoking questions for you to think over and respond to in the comments section.

By the end of the month we will have gotten through this saucy piece of historical fiction together — and then we'll be fully equipped to watch the movie and see how it compares. To see what The Other Boleyn Girl is all about, and to get your first assignment,

Movie Preview: The Other Boleyn Girl

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:00:13 -0800

From the looks of this trailer, Eric Bana gets a whole lot of Boleyn booty playing King Henry VIII in The Other Boleyn Girl. The story looks gripping: two sisters Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) vie for the King's affection — and a place on the throne beside him. Though while I like both actresses well enough, they both seem to me like little kids playing dress up. That said, however, the costumes are gorgeous and I'm still looking forward to seeing this period piece when it opens February 29, 2008.

To watch the trailer and tell me what you think,