the buzz log

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.

Filed under: Movies, Zombies

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.

Filed under: Movies, Business

Since when did Labor Day weekend become a dumping ground for movies? Sandra Bullock is in a bomb of a female stalker comedy, "Beavis & Butthead" creator Mike Judge is out with a snoozer, and "Gamer" decided to leave the bloodletting on the screen and ducked out of showing previews to critics.

And lackluster searches show it: Only Bullock is getting affection, although not for her movie. So either folks stand in line for another showing of "District 9," or they head to an old-fashioned video store and score some stalker flicks.

Rotten Tomatoes and Ask Men have compiled an impressive list, mostly of the truly creepy ilk ("The Hitcher," "Taxi Driver," "Fear") although "There's Something About Mary" and the dark comedy "Chuck & Buck" made its top 10. Light-hearted stalking's not an easy topic, and it's a preoccupation more likely done by a man .

Much critical analyses (including at Cinematical) have been done about the type of women who end up being stalkers (AKA the threatening single career woman). For better or for worse, Hollywood has created enough movie stalkers of all ilk, so it may be less of a feminist issue than in the '90s.

But, you can decide. If you want some guilty, shivery pleasures of menacing ladies or pesty chicks, here's a quick list of what to dig up in the DVD bin:

Ten  Female Film Stakers (Plus A Bonus)

• "Obsessed" (2009). The 21st-century update to "Fatal Attraction," Ali Larter wants her co-worker and good family man Idris Elba. Beyonce, as his wife, does the patootie-kicking. 
• "Notes on a Scandal" (2006). A refined version of female stalking, Judi Dench plays a spinster teacher who specializes in emotional blackmail, and Cate Blanchett her convenient victim. Both received Oscar noms.
• "Swimfan" (2002). Another homage to "Fatal Attraction" but tailor-made for teens. Erika Christensen takes a one-night stand with jock Jesse Bradford very very seriously. Not many surprises, but EW thought Christensen better than the plot.
• "The Crush" (1993). What happens when Lolita doesn't get what she wants? Sweet Alicia Silverstone got her not-so-sweet start as a 14-year-old sociopath who really likes her parents' tenant Cary Elwes.
• "Single White Female" (1992). In the days before Craigslist, people used to advertise for roommates in newspapers. Bridget Fonda opts for seemingly meek Jennifer Jason Leigh, who becomes her doppelganger.
• "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" (1992). All those ripped-from-the-headlines stories got bundled up in a complicated plot with Rebecca De Mornay as a woman who miscarried after her husband—accused of molesting patients—commits suicide, and takes elaborate revenge against his accusers by becoming the evil nanny.
• "Misery" (1990). The line ("I'm your number one fan") and her way with a sledgehammer put Kathy Bates on the map in this Stephen King-inspired thriller.
• "Desperately Seeking Susan" (1985). Not a stalker film in the strict sense, you still get Rosanna Arquette as a bored housewife who wants to be just like Madonna (who's Susan) but gets entangled with the mob.
• "Fatal Attraction" (1987). The staple of film classes about women roles, the savor-it-or-despise-it update on "Play Misty for Me" cast Michael Douglas (the '80s bad guy even when he pretended to be good) as the philanderer, and Glenn Close as the other woman who doesn't like being spurned.
• "Play Misty for Me" (1971). Clint Eastwood stepped behind the cameras for the first time here, and directed himself as a radio DJ and Jessica Walters who really really really wants to be his gal.
• "All About Eve" (1950). The name that inspired the title "All About Steve," this classic stars Bette Davis as a top-notch Broadway star, and Anne Baxter as the conniving understudy who wants her life.

Filed under: Movies, Women