Archive for April, 2008

I always look forward to the moment in the American Idol season where the contestants start singing two songs per night. Not only does it make the whole show move a lot faster, but it also demonstrates what the contestants can do under more pressure and given the chance to really show off different sides of their singing styles.

That said, Neil Diamond night was a mess — not the least because of Paula, who amazingly criticized Jason Castro for a song before he’d performed it. I’m sure she had notes from the dress rehearsal and whatnot, but still, it was the first time I think I’ve ever seen Seacrest rattled (his panicked look offstage was telling). Also, going through the first half of the show without judges’ comments was an interesting choice, but it actually made the flow of the show feel even more rushed than it needed to be — and none of the contestants really got a meaningful critique on both songs.

Overall, I thought the night was just OK — no real standouts from the contestants at the top of the pecking order, no real challenges from those at the bottom. What did you think? Don’t forget to tell me which singer you think is headed home, and to hear my take on their songs, just

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Welcome to the Caption It game on BuzzSugar! Every other Wednesday, I’ll post a funny TV or movie photo here and challenge you to think of the most hilarious caption possible. I’ll announce the finalists the following Tuesday, and you’ll get to vote for the best caption; the winner will get a fabulous BuzzSugar T-shirt!

Last week’s Caption It from Samantha Who? was very intimate, but I’m excited about the winning caption because it’s such a fun Christina Applegate career reference:

Samantha: “OMG, you said he’s Married… with children!”

Congrats to jspark!.

Now for this week’s challenge, from the upcoming romantic comedy Made of Honor starring Patrick Dempsey:

Leave your captions in the comment space below before 5 p.m. PST on Monday, May 5 to be considered for a spot in the voting round. Have fun! To see a photo of the BuzzSugar T-shirt, just

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When Michael Cunningham and Nicole Kidman last got together, for 2002′s The Hours, the result was an Oscar win and a boatload of critical acclaim. So my ears perked at the news that Cunningham wants to work with Kidman again — this time on a biopic of British soul singer and chanteuse Dusty Springfield.

Cunningham told New York Magazine‘s Vulture blog that he’s currently writing the screenplay for the film, with Kidman meant to play the lead role. Cunningham said he’s trying to convey the idea that Springfield “was a great artist who no one knew what to do with” and who clearly deserves a spot in rock history with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones — but he said he won’t be shying away from the seedier side of Springfield’s life, which included drug abuse and an often-prickly personality.

Though I was disappointed with Evening, the last film Cunningham penned, there’s no denying that he has a special talent for delving into the multi-layered lives of complicated women. And I like picturing Kidman in the role, playing both the popular, public Dusty and the more private, darker side. (I don’t know if she could pull off Springfield’s sultry vocals, but I was impressed with her singing in Moulin Rouge.)

Do you think Springfield’s life story is a good one for Cunningham to pen? And could you imagine Kidman inhabiting the role?

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Bart Got A Room isn’t high art and it’s not fall-down funny, but it’s easily the sweetest of all the Tribeca films I caught, and the one movie I would wholeheartedly recommend. It’s silly and goofy and fun, all the while washed in bright hypercolor Florida shades of pink and turquoise. It trots along quickly to swinging, squealing Big Band tunes, which is a funny juxtaposition of the old timers’ Florida retirement community with the painfully hilarious adolescent experience at the center of the plot. At times the film seems to be reaching for something it can’t quite grasp, but it still shakes out to be a great indie comedy.

Steven Kaplan plays high school senior Danny Stein, whose life’s challenge has come down to finding a date to the prom. Despite receiving an invitation from his best friend Camille (Alia Shawkat), Daniel wants a girl he can take back to the hotel room after the dance. And the hotel room has become the most important factor of all now that word has gotten around that “even Bart got a room.” The significance of this — and the elusive Bart’s identity — is a mystery until the very end, but it’s clear that if even Bart’s getting a room, then Danny Stein surely must have a prom to remember. So he goes on a quest for a prom date with the support of his divorced parents (William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines) who are each experiencing their own romantic adventures.

To see what else I thought of Bart Got A Room,

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Good times never seemed so good? The top five American Idol contestants sang the songs of Neil Diamond on Tuesday — words that, frankly, I never thought I’d type. So, how did they do? And whose interpretation will land them a one-way ticket back home?

Photo courtesy of Fox

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!

In Boogie Nights, what is the name of the nightclub everyone frequents?

• Fox is new with ‘Til Death, Back to You, and American Idol
• NBC is new with Deal or No Deal and Law & Order
• CBS is new with Price Is Right Million Dollar Spectacular, Criminal Minds, and CSI: NY
• ABC is new with Wife Swap, Supernanny, and Boston Legal
• The CW is new with America’s Next Top Model and the series debut of Farmer Wants a Wife
• MTV is new with The Real World
• VH1 has Flavor of Love 3 and Miss Rap Supreme
• Bravo is new with Top Chef
• Comedy Central is new with The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report
• Late-night highlights include Matthew Broderick, Heidi Montag, and Josh Groban on Late Show with David Letterman on CBS, Cindy McCain, Ed Helms, and Augustana on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on NBC, and Gordon Ramsay and Feist on Late Night With Conan O’Brien on NBC

The WB network, once home of greats like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dawson’s Creek, met its demise in 2006 when the CW was formed. But starting next month, the WB will be revived — this time as a website that will stream classic WB series and new content from producers including Josh Schwartz and McG.

It’s not clear yet exactly which shows will end up on the site (I’m assuming the popular ones are a lock — but what about the short-lived ones like Grosse Point?) The site will also show series produced by Warner Bros. Television that aired on other networks, including Friends and The OC. I’m most excited about having Dawson’s Creek and the other shows of my teen years at my fingertips any time I want.

That got me thinking: Which show from the heyday of the WB was your favorite?