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Bad Lieutenant: Good Cop Gone Nuts

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:30:49 -0800

Nicolas Cage has said, "There's a very fine line between Method actor and schizophrenic." In Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, he teeters that line maniacally, with an ever-increasing slur and crooked swagger. Cage plays Terence McDonagh, a detective in post-Katrina New Orleans investigating a drug-related murder and his personal threshold for cocaine and heroin.

The first news of Bad Lieutenant was puzzling: famously extreme director Werner Herzog re-imagining a 1992 cult movie, also called Bad Lieutenant, but shifting the action to New Orleans and casting Nic Cage in the Harvey Keitel role opposite his Ghost Rider costar Eva Mendes. Weird.

But in fact, Bad Lieutenant is Herzog's second surprisingly accessible movie in as many years, following 2007's Rescue Dawn. And Cage is brilliant in a role seemingly made for him, so read more.

The noirish, pulpy, desperate, and often hilarious film opens with a good deed: McDonagh dives into a Katrina-flooded jail cell to save a prisoner's life, in the process injuring his back and subsequently getting hooked on Vicodin and then far harder drugs.

As a degenerate cop in a washed-out city, Cage makes Denzel Washington's Training Day villain look like a Boy Scout. He slithers through the streets, confiscating drugs to snort with his prostitute girlfriend (Mendes), hooking up with a drug kingpin played by Alvin "Xzibit" Joiner, and fending off a rising tide of self-created trouble. "Being courteous is really getting in the way of my progress," he croaks before one of his more disturbing moral lapses.

In post-Katrina New Orleans, Herzog has found the perfect setting. He never lets the city look pretty or even charmingly decayed, and he populates it with iguanas and alligators and snakes and fish. At every turn, McDonagh is confronted by cold-blooded animals, as he careens between the call of duty and the cold-blooded instinct of his addiction. It's impossible to ignore the reptilian symbolism, and the effect is perfectly bizarre. Despite its darkest moments, Bad Lieutenant is a remarkably good trip.

Photos Courtesy First Look Studios

New York, I Love You: A Jigsaw Puzzle That Doesn't Quite Fit

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:30:00 -0700

As a city with so much personality and penchant for possibility, it's no surprise that the follow-up to Paris, Je t'aime heads to New York. New York, I Love You is a tale of the connections and personal missteps that occur every single day in the city that never sleeps. It plays out like a movie version of a song mash-up: some story lines are linear and independent of the rest while other characters wander in and out of each other's lives. Throw an all-star cast in there, and you could possibly have a recipe for perfection.

Unfortunately, the ingredients don't blend together as well as I had hoped, and instead we're left with an engaging but bland look at a handful of trials and tribulations in relationships. To see what I mean, just read more.

Made up of a series of short films, New York, I Love You is an homage to the city as well as the residents who hold it near and dear to their hearts. The "anything can happen" theme is alive and well, as strangers become acquaintances and friends, putting so much emphasis on each and every interaction that we take part in on a regular basis.

You meet a few characters that represent New York well enough; Bradley Cooper is the guy who's constantly jumping into a cab the same time as someone else, Orlando Bloom is the struggling musician who turns to Central Park for inspiration, Hayden Christensen is the pick-pocket who's as sexy as he is dangerous. But sometimes it feels just a little too forced; like the film is primarily concerned with proving that New York is a melting pot. Rather than seeing a few love stories shine through stereotypes, I was more distracted by the fake accents.

As with Paris Je t'aime, some of the stories shine brighter than others. Natalie Portman directs a sweet piece about a relationship between a father and daughter; Olivia Thirlby and Anton Yelchin are refreshing as a younger pair who makes the prom a night to remember. The lighter films are breaths of fresh air amongst others that are trying too hard to be hip and stylized.

The ensemble cast certainly gives the movie a boost; even when it's not provoking the deepest of emotions, the film always had my attention. There are solid performances all-around, particularly from Chloris Leachman and Eli Wallach as an aging couple who are still bickering when they aren't helping each other cross the street. It is the most hopeful of the scenarios, and by far the sweetest and most touching.

The film provides plenty of the standard money shots of Manhattan: a typical day in Grand Central Station in fast forward, subway rides, hours of people watching in a coffee shop. The encounters feel authentic and realistic, but the failure lies in the inability to make us feel something on a deeper level. Sometimes you can relate to the characters, and sometimes you feel sorry for them, but it doesn't squeeze your heart nearly enough - and with a title like New York, I Love You, this a disappointment.

The Yellow Handkerchief: See It or Skip It?

PopSugarUK — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:55:58 -0800

The trailer for Kristen Stewart's film The Yellow Handkerchief has been released, along with news the film will be released in the US on 12 Feb. 2010. Kristen plays a troubled teen alongside William Hurt, Mario Bello and Eddie Redmayne in the movie, which follows three strangers on a road trip in post-Hurricane Katrina Louisiana. Producer Arthur Cohn said Kristen was recommended for the part by Jodie Foster, and added: "The part of Kristen in Twilight is completely different from the one she plays in The Yellow Handkerchief, which is particularly interesting for Kristen's fans all over the world." I'm excited to see the New Moon crew in other roles, so check out the trailer and vote below to let me know: will you see it or skip it?

5 Reasons New Moon Is Good: A Follow-Up

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:30:02 -0800

Last April, while New Moon was in production, I gave you five reasons why I thought the movie could be good. I think the sequel is better than Twilight, which many of you agree with, but let's get back to my five April theories - does New Moon fulfill them all?
Photos courtesy of Summit Entertainment

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New Moon: Better Than Twilight

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:45:00 -0800

Let's be honest: for most of you, it doesn't matter what I - or any critics for that matter - have to say about New Moon, the incredibly anticipated sequel to last year's Twilight. The film started breaking box office records before it was even released, and audiences will flock to the theaters for weeks to come. On the plus side, a ticket to New Moon is a win even if you're not a Twihard - provided that you know what you're getting into.

New Moon is not incredibly acted, and it doesn't boast impressive dialogue or larger-than-life special effects. But it's not trying to be the Best Picture of the Year, so I can only critique it for what it is: a fantasy movie about a love triangle between a werewolf, a vampire, and a teenage girl. To see what I mean, just read more.

The movie picks up a few months after where Twilight left off. Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is blissfully in love but she can't fight her insecurities about growing older than her perpetually seventeen vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). All Bella wants for her eighteenth birthday is for Edward to change her into a bloodsucker, but a close call with his brother drives Edward to break up with Bella and leave town instead.

The drama following Bella's abandonment is everything we remember from high school heartbreak, from Bella's night terrors to the glazed over look in her eye. The anguish and pain are easily seen on Stewart's face, and her innermost thoughts are revealed to the audience through letters to Edward's sister Alice that will never be sent. After months of moping, Bella finally starts to open up to Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), a family friend. As Bella struggles to find hope in a life without Edward, her friendship is complicated by Jacob's romantic feelings for Bella and made worse when Jacob discovers that he's a werewolf (and an enemy to all vampires).

The surprise of the movie is Lautner's performance. We've seen and heard about those muscles countless times before, but he also packs enough charm and charisma into his Jacob that you truly see him as more than just Bella's unrelenting admirer / best friend. He presents himself as a viable suitor for Bella's heart, and it's hard not to root for him against Robert Pattinson's wooden (albeit handsome) Edward. Stewart and Pattinson have chemistry to spare in Twilight, but in New Moon, Bella's relationship with Jacob seems hopeful and comfortable while her scenes with Edward are mostly awkward and frankly not as much fun to watch.

The movie belongs to Stewart and Lautner, but their melodrama is balanced out by the characters who pad out the cast. Yes, we meet the wolf pack and the Volturi, but for the most part the Forks residents and beyond make for some much-needed comic relief. The downside is that while it's funnier than what you'd expect, not all of the laughs are intentional (a scene where Jacob's temper rivals that of The Incredible Hulk comes to mind).

It doesn't take more than a grain of salt to appreciate New Moon for what it is - a film that stays true to its origin and delivers the necessary elements to ensure that you'll be back when the next installment of the franchise comes our way.

Photos courtesy of Summit Entertainment

Box Office: New Moon Overshadows the Competition

BuzzSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:45:30 -0800

New Moon madness translated to big bucks for the Twilight sequel: After it set new records for midnight ticket sales and single-day ticket sales, it was obvious it would rule the weekend box office at number one. And how: the movie pulled in $140.7 million, clocking it at the third biggest opening weekend ever, behind The Dark Knight and Spider-Man 3.

What trailed New Moon? I was pleasantly surprised to see heartwarming drama The Blind Side in second, earning a respectable $34.5 million and beating last week's box office ruler, 2012, which was No. 3 with $26.5 million. At No. 4 was animated adventure Planet 51 with $12.6 million, followed by A Christmas Carol with $12.2 million.

Photos courtesy of Summit Entertainment

Keep Yourself Occupied With New Moon Trivia

GeekSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:45:51 -0700

There are only 35 days until New Moon hits theaters, and we know you're awake at night with anticipation. How will you ever pass the time? You could re-read the book, watch Twilight for the tenth time, or better yet, you could download the New Moon Trivia app to your iPhone and iPod touch to keep yourself occupied while the minutes tick by. Packed with questions from the second book in the Twilight series, you can play alone or with friends (preferably while you're waiting in line to see the movie), and even beat your own score in a timed trivia round. Best part? It's only $1!

While you're at it, make like Ryan Seacrest and add a New Moon countdown widget to your fan blog or Facebook page!

Link Time! New Moon Breaks Midnight Sales Records

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:30:38 -0800

New Moon tops Harry Potter and The Dark Knight for its midnight showing ticket sales - PopSugar
Is Taylor Kitsch taking an early departure from Friday Night Lights? - Ausiello Files
Top 10 star-crossed lovers in film - Rotten Tomatoes
30 Rock's Judah Friedlander talks about his hat collection and his plans to save NBC - TV.com
Steven Spielberg and Stephen King team up to frighten the bejesus out of us with Under the Dome - MTV Movies Blog
Vampire Weekend debut their new video for "Cousins" - Stereogum
Jason Segel sings about how he wants to give you his phone number - and bed you - TresSugar
Imogen Heap writes songs for Zach Braff - Spinner

Remember Me - See It or Skip It?

PopSugarUK — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:00:22 -0800

This is quite the week for all us Robert Pattinson fans, as not only is New Moon out tomorrow, but the trailer for his latest film Remember Me has just been released! We saw Robert filming the movie in New York with costar Emilie de Ravin throughout the Summer, and now we've got our first look at Robert in the romantic drama. He plays American college student Tyler, who falls in love with a policeman's daughter, and Pierce Brosnan plays his dad! The new lovers struggle with their relationship as they both try to cope with family tragedies. It's due out in March 2010, so check out the trailer and vote to let me know: will you see it or skip it?

MTV VMAs New Moon Trailer: Are You More Excited Now?

PopSugarUK — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:39:45 -0700

During the 2009 MTV VMAs last night Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner introduced this, the brand new New Moon trailer! So exciting! Check it out and let me know what you think, does it make you way more excited for the movie?