the buzz log
Buzz Multiplex Charts: Wild Things, Evil Stepdads and Criminal Minds
So far autumn in the Buzz Multiplex has been all about the deliciously undead, paranormal bumps in the night, and now creepy male masterminds out to dominate the world or a domestic household. The big Buzz exception belongs to a children's literary classic. Check out what could pack the moviehouse this weekend.
Top Three Movies of the Week, as ranked by Yahoo! searches
1. "Where the Wild Things Are" (PG). The critics are mostly wild for the 1963 Maurice Sendak children's book. The expected kiddie audience makes up only 9% of the searches, as nostalgic teens through adults make up the bulk of lookups. Also on the rise: plans to dress up in a "Wild Things" costume and buying the literary classic.
2. "Law Abiding Citizen" (R). Shades of '80s entertainment, with a double machismo dose of Gerard Butler (atoning for his disastrous romantic comedy) and Jamie Foxx (reminding the masses of his uber-talents). Both men pull in about equal buzz, and each boast more searches than the movie itself. Audiences will lean male (60%), but there are a quite a few ladies ready for a tale of hunk vs. hunk.
3. "The Stepfather" (PG-13). Wicked stepmothers get more than their fair share, so now the evil stepdad steps up. TV familiars make up the cast, with Dylan Walsh as the new poppa, Sela Ward the clueless mom, Penn Badgley as the suspicious teen, and Amber Heard as the supportive girlfriend. More females (55%) lean towards family domestic horrors...Must be all that fairy-tale indoctrination.
Bidding Buzz: Celeb Auctions Cause Web Frenzy
Sure, Michael Jackson's white sequined glove would be nice to have. Elvis Presley's guitar? Yah, that would be cool. But what really sent buyers into a bidding flurry at a recent California auction: Amelia Earhart's flight goggles. For real.
One lucky winner snapped them up for a cool $141,600, stunning auction experts. The historic glasses that beat out every other item on the block were worn by the pioneering pilot on her 1932 solo transatlantic flight.
The flight gear bested the King's Martin D-28 guitar used in his final Las Vegas performance, a song at $106,200. And an endoskeleton from "T2 3-D: Battle Across Time" couldn't touch the airborne adventurer, selling for a mere $94,400. But in fairness, that cinematic keepsake is a tad more bulky than aviation headwear. Same could be said for the purchase of the lower-selling, full-scale Hero Bumblebee robot from "Transformers," cashing in at $88,500.
Other cool stuff scored by some serious movie buffs: the bullwhip Harrison Ford brandished as Indiana Jones in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." (Really, a deal at $56,000.) And just in time for Halloween, some lucky dino-freak took home a full-size Velociraptor last seen chasing down prey in "Jurassic Park" with a price tag of $76,700. Recession? What recession?
Still, a pair of dusty old goggles held their own over all that movie memorabilia. Part of the frenzy for the fly-girl could be explained by a new movie, "Amelia," which opens later this month and stars Hilary Swank. The mystery surrounding the disappearance of the aviatrix — she was declared dead in 1939 after missing for two years during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe — adds to her mystique, and possibly her memento's steep price tag.
If you missed this last auction, fret not. You still have a chance to own a little piece of Barbra Streisand. The star will auction off hundreds of her possessions to benefit her foundation — practically guilt-free shopping. According to ABC News, one of the more notable items on the block: a gold-painted wooden "A" Babs kept as a reminder of the extra letter she dropped from the spelling of her name. Ah, memories.
Filed under: Movies
Buzz Multiplex Charts: Rolling with the Zombies
What warms the autumnal spirit more, taking a whack at the undead or capitalists gone wild? Zombie takedowns have double the appeal, but the Michael Moore documentary has got some teeth...and don't discount the Barrymore name. A look at how flesh-eaters stack up in Search.
Top Three Movies of the Week, as ranked by Yahoo! searches
1. "Zombieland" (R). Expect a mighty big male posse to ride out to this zombie flick starring Woody Harrelson. Critics are making an effort to keep a key cameo hush hush (except for Time magazine, that is), but even spoilers can't kill the love for the comic mayhem.
2. "Capitalism: A Love Story" (R). The Michael Moore rant got a head start with last week's limited release. That has only helped the buzz vital signs for this documentary filled with Moore-ish stunts against greedy capitalist pigs.
3. "Whip It" (PG-13). In her first directorial outing, Drew Barrymore assembles a dream team with Kristen Wiig, Marcia Gay Harden, Juliette Lewis, and Ellen Page. There are a few grousers, but it's mostly feel-good affection from critics. Plus, Barrymore's sweetheart appeal equals searches for "Zombieland." The roller-derby comedy scores as the pointy-elbowed, chick bonding flick of the week.
Buzz Multiplex Charts: No Substitute for Paranormal Fame
There is warm, but not intense, interest in this weekend's releases, a mix of musical gumption sprinkled into horror. Still, expect a reasonably healthy weekend outing.
Top Four Movies of the Week, as ranked by Yahoo! searches
1 (tie). "Paranormal Activity" (R, limited release). The documentary-syle freak-out (up 473%) has been traveling the festival circuit for a couple years, accounting for its early buzz.
1 (tie). "Fame" (PG). The feel-good musical really pulls in the 17-and under female crowd. Standout stars already being checked out: Naturi Naughton and Kherington Payne.
2. "Capitalism: A Love Story" (R, limited release). The portly Michael Moore is back, and these days the target of his abuse—economic mayhem—may find little disagreement. Pulling in searches from teens on up, but leaning 65% male.
3. "Pandorum" (R). Throw a bunch of Rip Van Winkles into deep space, and have them wake and find they are not alone. That's enough of a premise to get the guys 13-44 lining up... plus the promise of action with the casting of a champion kickboxer.
Filed under: Movies
Buzz Multiplex: Informing on "The Informant!"
Corporate satire is a slim but juicy genre. Director Steven Soderbergh has dipped into the wild true story of Mark Whitacre, the highest-ranking whistleblower in FBI history. The convoluted, crazy tale behind "The Informant!" involves bipolar conditions, Nigerian scams, food additives, and the you-can't-touch-me executive hubris that never seems to go away.
How odd? Soderbergh cast Mr. Likeable Matt Damon, who pulled a De Niro by gaining a paunch for the role, as Whitacre.
So what's the scoop behind "The Informant!" If knowing what happened 20 years ago will spoil the movie for you, stop reading. But if you want to know the story-behind-the-story, come on and wade in:
The bipolar whistleblower
In 1992 Whitacre, an Archer Daniels Midland vice president, tells his wife that his company—a massive family-run agricultural conglomerate that calls itself the Supermarket of the World—is fixing prices. His wife makes him tell the FBI. The investigation reveals that Whitacre's at some level a greedy crackpot. Whitacre wires up and helps reveal transgressions, but also gets himself an eight-year jail sentence for stealing $9 million from ADM. Oops. Part of the reason why he embezzled: He fell for one of those Nigerian scams...sent by fax in those early days.
Cruel irony
or poetic justice
Besides him, two others get sentenced, including the chairman's son and "heir apparent." On top of the fraud charges, the informant gets another prison term tacked on for managing the conspiracy he helped uncover, a ruling that leaves legal experts puzzled. Insult to injury: His prison term's six months longer than the other two.
How faithful is the movie to real life?
Based on the 600-page book "Informant: A True Story," the movie necessarily has to leave out details. Also, director Soderbergh is more interested in the message about corporate greed. While one reviewer likes his work, she feels Whitacre's moral turnabout was underplayed.
What's the informant doing now?
He went through a life change while in prison...at least, according to his press release and an extensive Q&A with a Christian site. Whitacre, who walked the red carpet for the movie premiere, is using his biochemistry know-how to figure out selenium's health benefits especially in cancer prevention. (His boss helped get Whitacre a federal pardon for one conviction.) He's also the subject of a biography, Discovery Channel documentary, and owes his moral compass to wife Ginger, who made him tell in the first place.
top movers
| Rank | Subject | 1-Day Move |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nidal Malik Hasan | Breakout! |
| 2 | Fort Hood Shooting | Breakout! |
| 3 | Tyrannosaurus Rex | Breakout! |
| 4 | Fort Hood | 43518% |
| 5 | Tropical Storm Ida | 4377% |
| 6 | Willie Aames | 3325% |
| 7 | Shannon Dedrick | 3299% |
| 8 | Gretchen Rossi | 2702% |
| 9 | Epic Mickey | 2583% |
| 10 | Lee Harvey Oswald | 1907% |
top leaders
| Rank | Subject | Move | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danica Patrick | +194 | 207 |
| 2 | Fort Hood | +185 | 185 |
| 3 | Angelina Jolie | +114 | 164 |
| 4 | Rihanna | +39 | 157 |
| 5 | New York Yankees | +54 | 154 |
| 6 | Alicia Keys | +139 | 153 |
| 7 | +1 | 153 | |
| 8 | NFL | +6 | 138 |
what's the buzz?
A subject's buzz score is the percentage of Yahoo! users searching for that subject on a given day, multiplied by a constant to make the number easier to read. Weekly leaders are the subjects with the greatest average buzz score for a given week.
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