PopSugar

The Road: A Bleak Journey That Will Haunt You

BuzzSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

It's not that I was expecting a film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's The Road to be happy sunshine - I just wasn't expecting it to seem so possible.

The apocalyptic tale takes place in a wasteland in the future after most humans are gone. It's desolate, the sky is a brownish-gray, and the land seems to be covered with ash. Unlike showy 2012, this is an end-of-the-world tale stripped down, which makes it all the more realistic and chilling.

To see what I mean, just read more.

We meet Man (Viggo Mortensen) and Boy (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a father and son making their way down south because they can't survive another Winter in this ominous setting. (Charlize Theron plays their wife and mother through a series of flashbacks). With a meager amount of food left on the planet, the select few people remaining (and there aren't many) will basically kill for supplies - or turn to cannibalism for sustenance. If this sounds like a horror film, it's because it pretty much is one. In fact, it's the worst, most plausible kind: one that explores the evils of humanity.

I'm sure many viewers won't be able to (or won't want to) stomach the subject matter, but the film is worth seeing thanks to the relationship between the father and son. In terms of plot, there isn't a ton that happens, and most of the action involves bumping into new strangers, like an elderly man (Robert Duvall) and a threatening gang. Some may find the lack of events monotonous, but this is why father and son are so important. Man is an average Joe who questions how far he'll go to keep Boy safe and what that means for his conscience; Boy is an innocent who still looks for good in people. The film obviously raises questions about the nature of who we are when tested - but the story is ultimately about their relationship.

As Man, Viggo Mortensen gives a mesmerizing performance that should bring his name up around awards season, and Smit-McPhee as his son is a great child actor, especially given the dark subject matter.

If you're a McCarthy fan or even just a fan of great acting, you'll want to check this one out. But, I'd suggest saving it for next week - after you find your Thanksgiving warm fuzzies somewhere else.

If you'd like to review a movie you've seen recently, check out the Movie Reviews Group in community. I may even feature your critique on the site!

Who Would You Rather See Quinn With?

Buzz Community — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:30:36 -0800

This post comes from Glee Club group member care0531.

Quinn Fabray was never one of my favorite characters on Glee. We all got to know Quinn as a somewhat selfish, stuck up star of the Cheerios, and head of the celibacy club who only joined the glee club to keep an eye on her boyfriend Finn Hudson. When everyone at William McKinley High School found out Quinn’s secret of being pregnant a lot changed for her, and since then her walls have come down and we have gotten to see a more vulnerable side to her.

The one thing still bothering me about Quinn is her lying about who’s her baby's real father. Which leads me to this question: Who should Quinn be with?

Finn Hudson: The captain of the football team and star singer in glee club. It’s not just Finn’s good looks that get the ladies attention - it’s the fact that he has a sensitive side that everyone gets to see. He sticks up for his outcast friends in glee club, and he never wants to let anyone down. The downside to Finn is he isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. I don’t think there are many high school students who would think it was possible to get your girlfriend pregnant without having sex.

Puck: (Real name Noah Puckerman) is the rebel jock football player who joins his friend Finn in the glee club. He has that signature mohawk and bad boy temperament but when it comes to his feelings for Quinn, he isn’t afraid to show her. Puck’s father is a “dead beat” and he doesn’t want to be that way which could be why we are seeing a softer side to him these days. Puck keeps showing an effort to be a part of Quinn’s life even though she keeps pushing him away.

Other: Maybe you think Quinn should be single and deal with this all on her own, maybe you think she should meet someone outside of glee and football to form a special relationship with, or maybe it’s just the support of all her good glee friends that help get her through the next several months of her pregnancy.

Vote and leave a comment telling us why.

Photos courtesy of Fox

Ask a Wife: How Do I Stop Being the Other Woman?

TresSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:00:58 -0800

Conventional Wisdom is a different kind of advice column. Your questions will be answered by people from all walks of life rather than by advice experts. This week, a woman in a happy marriage tries to help out a woman stuck in an affair. If you have a question you'd like answered on Conventional Wisdom, you can submit it here.

Today's Question:

I am involved with a married man and I don't know how to stop. He's been married for a couple of years, and his wife often goes out of town. I feel like I'm in a relationship with him: he calls or texts before he goes to sleep, cooks me dinner when he can, and we talk about almost anything with each other. I don't expect him to leave his wife for me, and it doesn't seem like he's going to. He just says he wishes we would have met before he got married. I know deep down that this is so wrong, but I feel like I can't do anything about it. I feel too happy when I'm around him. Help!

Signed,
The Other Woman

To see the advice, read more.

Dear The Other Woman,

I have some bad news and some good news. First, the bad news: you are not happy. You are in a relationship that is damaging to both you and this man's wife. The only person remotely benefiting from the situation is this unfaithful person you are involved with.

Now the good news: real happiness does exist. You can find someone - who's not married - to talk, laugh, cry, and have sex with. And it will be so much better. But first you need to do some work on yourself. Look at your life and decide what type of person you want to be. Do you want the adjectives selfish, dishonest, and disrespectful to describe who you are? Or would you rather have the words loving, faithful, and complete describe your behavior and your relationship? Next you need to boost your confidence. Think about what has made you do something that is undoubtedly so hurtful to yourself and this other woman. Is it because you are afraid of being alone? Is it because you think this is the best thing you can get? If so, let me tell you that a little patience can go a long way. Focus on the things you really enjoy in life (do you like running? painting? traveling?), the things that make you excited, and you will only become more desirable.

The search for love is a hard and frustrating one, but you are just going down a dark and depressing path with nothing but hurt waiting at the end of it. End things with this unavailable man, figure out why you love yourself, and then you will find someone who loves you for all those qualities too.

Signed,
A Wife

Movie Preview: Amanda Seyfried in Letters to Juliet

BuzzSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:30:33 -0800

Amanda Seyfried's latest film Letters to Juliet looks like a mash up of her other work. First off, her character's name is Sophie, which brings Mamma Mia to mind, as does the romantic foreign locale. But even the title itself made me do a double-take - wait, isn't she already doing a book-turned-film about letters called Dear John?! Still, I'm not writing it off just yet. (No pun intended). I can be a sucker for a love story, even if it's a bit sappy.

The film follows Seyfried as an American tourist who discovers an unanswered "letter to Juliet" while on a trip in Verona, Italy. (The notes are left by visitors asking for help from Shakespeare's famous heroine.) She responds to the plea, and then sets off to find its author (Vanessa Redgrave) and reunite her with the man she left decades before. Of course, there's a triangle in there too, as Sophie begins to question her own relationship with her fiance (Gael Garcia Bernal) and falls for the woman's grandson (Christopher Egan).

The trailer pretty much gives away the whole movie, but this sort of storyline is usually predictable so I'll forgive the studio for it. Bonus for Taylor Swift fans: her "Love Story" is the theme song. The film doesn't arrive in theaters until May, but check it out and tell me what you think when you read more.

Where Do You Stand? Kissing and Telling

DearSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:00:00 -0800

Our resident bachelor has narrowed it down to two final girls, but before we get to see who he picks as his future wife, we got to hear Jason wrap with Chris Harrison about what really went down behind the scenes this season. This tell-all episode also gives the women a chance to clear the air and ask Jason all their unanswered questions, but the real juicy part was Jason kissing and telling!

Though the girls signed up for their relationship to be out there for the world to see, I'd be pretty embarrassed if I was one of them listening to Jason air our dirty laundry, so to speak. Clearly I'm not a big fan of kissing and telling, but tell me, where do you stand on the notion of sharing relationship details?

Source

You Asked: What's Wrong With Me?

DearSugar — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 06:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar,

I've been dating this great man for six months, and fell in love almost overnight. We are both divorcees who have been through a lot in our past. I am not looking to get married again, at least not yet, and he says he never wants to marry again. Sure, sounds like we are on the same page right? Well we're not. I want him to WANT to marry me! What's wrong with me? I love having sex; he is happy with once a week! I want to be with him everyday; he's happy seeing me every other day! What's wrong with me? One minute I think it's time to call it quits, and then I can't imagine my life without him. I love him, and I know he loves me, but why am I always questioning this relationship? What's wrong with me? - Always Questioning Alyssa

To see Dear Sugar's answer read more

Dear Always Questioning Alyssa,

I don't think there is anything wrong with you, but something tells me you had a power struggle in a previous relationship or in your marriage. The fact that you don't want to get married but you want him to want to marry you makes me think you aren't as secure in this relationship as you think you are.

It's pretty clear that you have different expectations about this relationship, so be sure to talk to him and let him know what you need in order to make you happy. If you need more time with him, tell him that. If you need more sex, tell him that too. The only way to have a healthy relationship where both parties are happy, is to be honest with your partner and most importantly, with yourself.

Only you can answer the question of why you are doubting this relationship but could it be that you're simply not ready to be committed to someone? Or perhaps deep down you know this man isn't the one for you? Six months is not that long to be with someone, so you very well might come to the realization that you are simply not a compatible match. I wish you luck, Alyssa.

Hump Day: Sex Makes Her Uncomfortable

TresSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:30:23 -0800

Welcome to Hump Day, TrèsSugar's sex advice column. If you have questions about sex, send them to TrèsSugar, and our friend Dr. Charlie Glickman from Good Vibrations will offer his sound advice!

Today's Question:
I'm 24 and in my first relationship. I really like the guy, we've been going out for six months, but I get nervous whenever he slips his hand under my underwear. He gets the hint and stops. I don't mind him doing other things (we haven't slept together yet), but I wish I wasn't such a prude. I don't know what he expects and I worry that he will be grossed out, as I only shave/wax the bikini line but not the whole thing. What if he thinks it is ugly? I also don't know what I should expect; he knows I'm a virgin, but I don't know how to speak to him about why I get uncomfortable, and I don't know how to overcome it! I also have a few stretch marks and worry that he will be grossed out by them. Please help?

To read Dr. Glickman's response, read more.

Thank you for sharing this challenging situation. I know that it can be scary to talk about things like this, but these are all really common thoughts.

One of the things that can help when you’re on the edge of your comfort zone is to take it very slowly. It’ll probably help to tell your guy about your discomfort, even if you can’t tell him why it’s there. You could simply say "I have a lot of discomfort around sex." You also might want to do a little solo exploration. It takes the pressure off because there aren’t any partner expectations. Check out the wonderful book Becoming Orgasmic. If you’re looking for tips or ideas for techniques, Tickle Your Fancy is full of suggestions. Once you know a bit more about what you like or dislike, you and your boyfriend might be able to find something that you both like to do.

It’s worth mentioning that vulvas come in all different shapes. (The vulva is the external female anatomy. The vagina is the inside part.) There’s a long history of negative attitudes towards the vulva, but each one is unique and beautiful in its own way. A lot of women have the idea that there’s something wrong with their vulvas because they don’t look like what we see in porn or because they have hair, and I think that’s unfortunate. I strongly recommend getting to know your parts and Scarleteen has a great site about that. It’s geared towards teens, but there's lots of amazing info about sex, bodies, and pleasure.

Another option would be to explore some of these concerns with a therapist. When you have an itch on your back, you need someone else to scratch it. Therapists help us by reaching the spots we can’t reach on our own. Lastly, depending on where you are, you could join a body-image support group. While they tend not to focus on sexuality, they can be an incredibly helpful way to work through our concerns about our bodies and how we (or other people) feel about them.

Working through these challenges isn’t always easy, but it can be very rewarding. Whatever route you choose, I hope you find the pleasure and joy that you deserve.

Morning Links - Robert Pattinson Walks Out on Ryan Seacrest

PopSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:30:39 -0800

Robert's publicist makes him leave a Seacrest interview after a Kristen question - TMZ
Janet says the Jackson family tried to stage interventions for Michael - Us Weekly
Miley Cyrus hates on Twilight - PopEater
Avril might be rebounding with Wilmer - Celebitchy
Christina Aguilera is working on a new movie - ICYDK
Joanna Krupa cut from Dancing With the Stars - Fox 411
Carrie Underwood talks to Ellen about her relationship with Mike Fisher - Lifeline Live
Katy Perry overshares on Twitter - Wonderwall
Cops called to Paris Hilton's house after her argument with Doug - I'm Not Obsessed
Shauna Sand thinks Carrie Prejean should just sell her sex tapes - Gawker
Anthony Michael Hall has a restraining order filed against him - The Blemish

Robert Pattinson Has an Awkward Microsoft Bing Moment

GeekSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:10:55 -0800

Oh snap! When heartthrob Robert Pattinson arrived amid screaming fans to the Ryan Seacrest show yesterday, he not only managed to dodge questions about his relationship with Kristen, but he also asked what Bing was (Microsoft just so happened to be sponsoring the booth they were in)! The geeky goodness shows up around the 1:56 mark. I think it's safe to say that our beloved Mr. Pattinson isn't a big "Binger" and probably prefers Google over Microsoft's search engine - just like Kristen. Everybody now . . . ahhh.

PopSugarUK Meets The New Moon Cast Part Three: Robert on Music, Immortality and Harry Potter Versus Twilight!

PopSugarUK — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:55:18 -0800

Robert Pattinson is back in Los Angeles ahead of New Moon's premiere tonight, bringing his promotional tour of Europe to a close. I was lucky enough to meet Robert, Kristen and Taylor when they visited London, and Rob looked gorgeous in a white shirt and suit, which he later wore to the UK fan event. I've already brought you Rob and Kristen's response to questions about their relationship, as well as the pair's revelations about their kissing scenes, and now I've got the lowdown on Rob's future music plans, what he thinks about immortality versus ageing, and the differences between working on Harry Potter and Twilight:

On whether he's concerned Twilight will overshadow his music:
"I want to do gigs again, and I guess the only way to do gigs is you have to get an album to silence everyone and then you can play as many gigs as you want. I really miss it. I am really afraid of being overshadowed by it. That's why I haven't done any gigs or released anything for ages. I think it does make you set your standards higher, because you need to overshadow this massive thing, so it's tough. You've got to be winning Grammys before you do another open-mic [laughs]."

There's still lots to come from all three stars, but for now, to find out what Robert had to say about immortality and the differences between Harry Potter and Twilight, read more.

On whether immortality would be a good thing or a bad thing:
"It depends. If I stayed my exact same mental capacity then I would not want to be immortal [laughs]. I don't know. I wouldn't want to be considered young forever. I like the innate wisdom that comes with being old. People just think you know more, and treat you with a little bit more respect. I'd like to be able to just choose however old I am whenever I wanted."
On the differences between working on the Harry Potter and Twilight franchises:
"When I went into Harry Potter it was the fourth one, everybody knew each other. The crew had been working together for 10 years... people had married each other! Everything was so well oiled. Starting Twilight, I don't know if it would be like the first Harry Potter, but it's interesting to see there's so many different warring energies. The studio knew they had a trilogy at the time so it seemed like people think that certain criteria need to met to set up that kind of franchise. Catherine obviously had an Indie background, me and Kristen really had strong people, so it was a very volatile set in a lot of ways. But the success of the first one made everything clear for the second."

Rob's clearly an intelligent and funny guy. Check out video footage of Robert at the UK press conference, and watch his interview with Molly too. Stay tuned for my next installment of cast interviews, where Taylor reveals all about stunt work, hobbies and getting into Bella's mind!

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