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Say What? First Lady Carla Bruni to Star in Woody Allen Film

TresSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:00:07 -0800

"He asked me to be in his next film. I don’t know for what role, but I said yes. . . . I'm not an actress at all. Maybe I'll be totally horrible but I can't in my life miss an opportunity like this."

- Carla Bruni told France's Canal Plus television in an interview Monday that she agreed to star in Woody Allen's next film, which will probably be set in France. Looks like he finally found a new, above-40 muse!

Motherhood: A Harried-Mom Tale That Often Feels Tired

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:30:20 -0700

When you have a parenting movie set in New York, you should know better than to expect a warm-'n'-fuzzy story about the joys of having kids. In fact, Motherhood is out to prove that mothers have it rough.

The film follows Eliza Welsh (Uma Thurman), a Manhattan writer dealing with a cramped apartment, busy husband, and side-street parking while raising her two kids. A day in her life feels like a really, really long 24 hours. Eliza runs around frantically trying to prepare for her 6-year-old's birthday while composing an essay for a parenting magazine contest and squeezing in a sample sale with her mommy friend Sheila (Minnie Driver). We know that Eliza was once a great writer, but when she had kids, she decided to give up her job to raise her family. Now, she's a shell of her former self in frumpy clothes and messy hair. Simply put, Eliza is dealing with the classic parent conundrum: how do you care for your kids and still retain something for yourself? The answer? It ain't easy.

For more about what I mean, read more.

Eliza doesn't try to feign martyrdom. In fact, she often whines about her plight in a way that screams, "I'm angry, dammit!" And at first, you're angry for her too. (No woman deserves to put up with all that she does.) But as the film goes on, Eliza's bitterness knocks you over the head, and you have to you wonder - is she like this every day? Yeesh.

Luckily we have Eliza's friend Sheila for some needed comic relief. Sheila is the cool single mom to the more neurotic Eliza - she mouths off cheeky one-liners and uses her son's motorized bath toy for her "alone time." Jodie Foster also delivers a hilarious cameo as a celebrity mom swearing at the paparazzi on the playground - aka, herself. Both women keep Eliza's "what-can-go-wrong-will-go-wrong" storyline from wearing too thin.

Mothers will probably identify with either Eliza or Sheila but what about the rest of us? While the actors perform well and the movie provides laughs for those who can relate (read: parents), most of the jokes don't feel fresh, and you've probably seen similar setups on shows like The Middle or In the Motherhood or any of the other dozens of family comedies in recent years. Props to the filmmakers for giving mothers their due, but if you're not one yourself, an hour and a half with Eliza may be enough to make you rush out of the theater and buy birth control.

Anne Hathaway and Neil Patrick Harris Head to Rio

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:30:04 -0700

Obviously I haven't outgrown cartoons, because I'm secretly stoked for this animated film news. Anne Hathaway and Neil Patrick Harris are reportedly in talks for Rio, which follows a macaw who breaks out of his Minnesota cage for the lively city of Rio de Janeiro. Sounds like a cute concept, right?

The film already has a release date of April 8, 2011, and it will be filmed in 3D digital animation. No word yet on who the actors will be voicing, but I sort of imagine Hathaway putting on her best "don't cha know" Minnesotan accent as the macaw's owner, and NPH delivering the laughs as a Brazilian parrot in a samba costume. (Hey, just a thought, producers.)

Get the Look: (Untitled)

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:00:35 -0700

I am beyond excited for Jonathan Parker's new satirical indie comedy (Untitled), about a brooding avant-garde composer who falls for a trendy NYC gallerist, which stars Adam Goldberg and Marley Shelton - watch the trailer here. Seeing as the plot is set in the quirky world of contemporary art and music, it's no surprise that there's lots of modern design to drool over. The sets look downright hip and are full of furnishings that bridge the gap been art and décor. Many are also furnishings readily available to you! So let's see how you can get the look of this exciting flick.

Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films

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Guess What French Film This House Starred In?

CasaSugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:00:34 -0700

This ultra-modern house, equipped with all the latest automated conveniences, was one of the most important "characters" of an Oscar-winning 1958 French film. Can you name the film?

Tune In: New Documentary Explores the "Cat Ladies" Concept

PetSugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:10:25 -0700

Misunderstood like no other, "crazy cat lady" is a cultural stereotype that plagues women of a certain age with a few too many feline companions. My single pals with kitties often confess they don't share this fact with prospective beaus off the bat, just in case he jumps to an unfair conclusion.

Enter a new documentary, Cat Ladies - it shows four unique situations where women have "lives and self-worth have become intractably linked to cats" and aims to bring awareness to this phenomenon. We've just got the trailer for now but, when it's released, will you tune in?

Guess What Films These Houses Starred In?

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:00:30 -0700

Big-screen productions make a habit of showcasing coveted cribs . . . so much so that sometimes the architecture or interior design is more memorable than the plot! Take this quiz to see how well you know your movie houses.

Question 1 of 10

What movie did this Colonial star in?

Shock Art: Disturbing With or Without Cause

TresSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Antichrist, the film from director Lars von Trier (pictured here), has left the critics and screeners at Cannes shocked. About a grieving couple, Antichrist features scenes of sexual mutilation, horrific gore, and a child's accidental death. Many in the audience gasped, whiles others booed or walked out. And some critics wondered why the "offensive" film was allowed to air at the famous festival.

It may be futile to get up in arms about an offensive piece of art, since what constitutes art or offensiveness are highly subjective. Still, some consider gratuitously graphic films like Antichrist cultural pollution rather than valuable provocation because those critics think the filmmaker is using sensationalism for no other apparent reason than to gain attention and publicity.

As for the director, Von Trier, director of the beautiful film Breaking the Waves, refuses to explain the value behind the disturbing scenes, saying only that he made the film as a "kind of therapy" during his recent battle with depression. He said: "I don't think about the audience when I make a film. I don't care. I make films for myself."

Since the value of art is in the eye of the beholder, tell me: do you see a purpose for art that shocks the audience?

To see a trailer of the movie, read more.

Source

Say What?

TresSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:11:06 -0700

"I tell you, if there's anything worse than dealing with a staunch woman . . .
S-T-A-U-N-C-H. There's nothing worse, I'm telling you."

-Little Edie Beale

If you're not familiar with the fantastically crazy hermits of East Hampton (cousins of Jackie O.), check out the buzz on documentary-turned-movie Grey Gardens and click here to see the clip from the original documentary.

Source

Get the Look: Amelie's Bedroom

CasaSugar — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:00:05 -0700

Amélie Poulain took not only France but the world by storm. We were all swept away by her quirky French je ne sais quoi, awkward naïveté, and childlike demeanor. Of course, the movie Amélie also made an impression from an artistic standpoint. From the scenery and the tunes to the coloring and the editing, I was encapsulated in Amélie's fantastical world in every sense. The sets, particularly her apartment, were as captivating as the innocent girl, and I've always been intrigued by her bedroom. So, when a Su Casa member inquired about her comforter, I decided I'd attempt to show you how to get the look of the room. To hear my thoughts, read more.

To begin, you must set the stage with a metallic rouge wallpaper like Amelie's, and paint your wainscoting to match. The Graham & Brown Serenity Wallpaper ($60/bolt) shares a gold-on-red pattern with Oriental charm and a delicate, starry design.

You can find her prints by Michael Sowa, the Fowl With Pearls ($14.99) and Filmhound ($14.99), at Art.com, and have them hung in unmatching frames for the same peculiar, offbeat look.

As for the comforter, which Su Casa member eunyee9 asked about, I couldn't track the exact design. But, I think the Dream Silk Comforter ($349), with its peachy champagne color, interesting quilting pattern, and plush heft is a good match. To see more Amélie-esque bedroom furnishings, check out this widget:

Veneer Profile Frames - $19.00	Eccolo Red Heart Journal - $9.99
Swing Motif Frame 5x7" - $39.95	Linden Street® 5" Round Metal Clock - $40.00
Sealy Best Fit!® 330TC Sheet Set - $34.99	310TC Easy Care Standard Pillowcases - $30.00
Tribecca Bed - $699.00	"Dream" Silk Bed Linens - $124.90

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