- Artist: Beyoncé
- Label: Columbia, Music World Music
- Director: Adria Petty
- Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce
Scarlett Chorvat Scarlett Johansson Selita Ebanks Shakara Ledard
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Beyonc� - Sweet Dreams
'Ghost Rider 2' Trailer: An Expert Analysis
'Spirit of Vengeance' sneak peek has MTV Movies team excited for what's to come from the Nicolas Cage superhero.
By Eric Ditzian and Josh Wigler
"Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance"
Photo: Columbia Pictures
The "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" trailer popped up online late last week, and what else is there to say about it other than Nicolas Cage closes out the new footage by pissing fire? Well, it turns out there's a heck of a lot left to say, which is why the MTV Movies team jumped into the comic book action for an expert commentary.
The trailer begins sweetly, with a score reminiscent of "Lost" and some epic title cards: "He fought the curse ... evil will force him ... to face his demon." But any wacky notion that directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, who also helmed the "Crank" films, have delivered a kinder, gentler Johnny Blaze is quickly dismissed when the music picks up and the flames flicker to reveal our first look at the new Ghost Rider.
It's a look the directors have spoken with us about at length. "We wanted this black skull, with this gasoline fire and this black, inky smoke to get this real feeling of explosions and fire and heat," Neveldine said at San Diego Comic-Con. "That's something we really went for: 'Let's feel the heat in this movie.' "
The grittiness of this Ghost Rider most definitely shines through in the trailer. Charcoal skull? Check. A whiff of gasoline seemingly rising off the screen? Check. Neveldine and Taylor not holding back in this trailer and delivering a full-on look at our hero right off the bat? Check. And they don't stop there, quickly showing off Ghost Rider's signature move, the Penance Stare: He looks into your eyes and makes you feel all the pain and suffering you've ever inflicted on other people. This is no fairy-tale power. This is not X-ray vision. This is a hard-core demonic power, one which was not played very well in the first film. Even in this quick shot, the Stare looks very cool.
Speaking of demonic powers, the trailer got us thinking this film might not just be a sequel to the 2007 original, but to Cage's "Drive Angry," the 3-D action flick that had the actor busting out of hell to inflict gory revenge on his enemies. Crazy talk? Sure. But since "Drive Angry" hardly performed well enough at the box office to justify a sequel, we'll take whatever we can get.
We get to see plenty of Ghost Rider here, but the trailer gives us the briefest glimpse of Johnny Whitworth as Blackout. He's part human, part demon, all bad news. Whitworth is a guy to watch — hardly a household name but one who delivered an energetic supporting role in the largely forgettable "Limitless." With Neveldine and Taylor in control, there is serious potential for killer fight scenes between Blackout and Ghost Rider.
Another character we get a peek at is young Danny Ketch. Comic fans will know him as one of the guys who eventually becomes Ghost Rider. The big departure here is that Danny is a kid. In the comics, he's a young man. While this film probably won't turn into a passing of the torch from Cage's Johnny Blaze to Danny as the next Ghost Rider, it's nonetheless cool to see filmmakers laying the mythological groundwork.
The trailer ends with pure, absurd fun: Ghost Rider declaring that it feels awesome when he pees fire. That's essentially how Cage feels about the movie as a whole. "The Ghost Rider is just the coolest-looking superhero, and it has to be the one that goes to film and looks the best," the actor told us at SDCC. "I think they've achieved that with this."
Check out everything we've got on "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance."
For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.
Related VideosBeyonce, Lady Gaga Dominate Twitter Trends On VMA Night
Hashtags #whatwillgagawear and #DemiYouAreBeautiful also made an impact on Sunday.
By Kara Klenk
Lady Gaga at the 2011 VMAs
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
Just as predicted, the 2011 Video Music Awards generated even more buzz than last year, with over 3 million tweets sent from 8 p.m. ET at the start of the pre-show until the end of the West Coast broadcast, 11 p.m. PT. Which makes perfect sense when we're talking about a show in which Selena Gomez interviewed Justin Bieber, Britney and Gaga almost made out, and, oh yeah, Beyoncé announced her pregnancy!
Female artists definitely ruled Twitter this year. Bey's baby news made her the most tweeted-about celeb overall, with the first twitpic of her touching her pregnant stomach on the red carpet passing 600,000 views in six hours. In that same six-hour window, the VMA Twitter Tracker clocked the top subject as Nicki Minaj in the first hour, Adele in the next, and then Lady Gaga and Beyoncé alternating in the final hours. But the guys weren't far behind, with Jay-Z and Kanye West (a.k.a. the Throne), Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Tyler, the Creator giving the ladies a run for their money.
Britney Spears talks about Jo Calderone after their onstage encounter.
For the entire duration of the VMAs, over half of the worldwide Twitter trends were VMA related, and at points they dominated eight or nine of the top 10 trends. Trends tended to coincide with a celeb's arrival (Wiz and Amber), a live interview (Selena and Justin) or the live performances (Adele). But some humorous trends emerged as well: The Karate Kid himself, Ralph Macchio, might have been surprised to see his name trending if he didn't tune in to see his doppelganger, Lady Gaga as Jo Calderone, appearing several times throughout the show. And Happy Trees trended briefly after Rick Ross appeared in a sketch in the show channeling the late painter and personalitya Bob Ross.
The trend #whatwillgagawear was one of the longest running of the evening, as was BEYONCE IS PREGNANT, which clearly called for caps, and #DemiYouAreBeautiful was a message to Demi Lovato from her many fans. Joe Jonas, Bruno Mars, Adele and Justin Bieber were all the subject of trends with words of encouragement started by their supporters.
The Twitter Tracker is continuing to monitor VMA activity, under top 10 celebs to check it out and see who's up in the days following the big show!
Top 10 celebs by number of mentions:
Beyoncé 280,000
Lady Gaga: 237,000
The Throne: 183,000
Adele: 159,000
Chris Brown: 110,000
Lil Wayne: 104,000
Tyler, the Creator: 72,000
Nicki Minaj: 66,000
Bruno Mars: 57,000
Katy Perry: 54,000
The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards have wrapped, but the real action is just getting started! Stick with MTV News for winners, fashion pics, video and behind-the-scenes stories about everything that went down. Visit VMA.MTV.com for the latest.
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Sarah Silverman Sarah Wynter Scarlett Chorvat Scarlett Johansson
Chuckie Will Debut Michael Jackson Remix In Miami
Official 'Hollywood Tonight' remix coming to Miami Music Week.
By Akshay Bhansali
Chuckie
Photo: Jason Ano/ One and Only Productions
Leaving the South by Southwest festival, Lavo New York and Las Vegas' Marquee in his wake, house DJ Chuckie has his sights set on the week ahead. With Miami Music Week now upon us, Chuckie plans to seize the opportunity to debut new material. Fans will be tickled to know the Dutch producer has tracks in the can with Kelly Rowland and T-Pain, but when MTV News caught up with him Friday in New York, Chuckie shared the achievement of which he's most proud.
"I did a Michael Jackson remix, which was really scary — to touch Michael Jackson vocals," Chuckie said. "I did this remix for this track 'Hollywood Tonight.' I couldn't say it for a minute: The label called me, and they said, 'You can't say nothing about this. It's kind of a secret project.' It's gonna come out anytime now."
"Hollywood Tonight" was originally produced by Teddy Riley for Jackson's posthumous Michael album, and Chuckie's mix of the song will be the sole official remix of the track.
"I will play it Miami," Chuckie revealed. "I told them this is the best week to launch the remix. So it feels really good. I'm the only one remixing that Michael Jackson track, and they are considering it a single. For me, especially, it's an honor to remix the King of Pop because he died on my birthday."
So, will the mix be a thundering Chuckie Dutch house banger or will it have a melodic progressive house feel, like his Marquee remix of Diddy-Dirty Money's "I Hate That You Love Me"? Well, according to the "Let the Bass Kick" producer, fans will be getting a healthy dose of both.
"I had to bring in the raucous," Chuckie confessed. "Yeah, I did the Chuckie flavor, but then again, I wanted to make it really musical, so I went progressive (house) on it."
Chuckie will be performing twice at Miami Music Week: at the Cr2 Records Party at Wall Lounge on Wednesday, and then headlining "No Sugar Added" at Nikki Beach on Friday.
Are you excited to hear Chuckie's remix of Michael Jackson's "Hollywood Tonight"? Let us know in the comments below!
Related Artists
Katy Perry Explains Why VMAs Are 'Funnest' Show
'You just want to watch a spectacle, you want to watch what goes down,' Video of the Year winner tells MTV News.
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Rob Markman
Katy Perry
Photo: MTV News
As anyone watching the MTV VMAs over the years can attest — anything can happen. And Sunday evening's action-packed broadcast did not disappoint. There was Gaga in drag, Chris Brown flying on wires, Beyoncé making her baby announcement and general electricity in the air around L.A.'s Nokia Theatre.
"Anything can happen during the VMAs," Video of the Year winner Katy Perry told MTV News. "It's definitely just the funnest awards show of the whole gamut, of all the awards shows. The VMAs are like a f---ing monkey out of hell awards show," she laughed. "You just want to watch a spectacle, you want to watch what goes down and I think so many different sparks fly creatively."
Speaking of sparks flying, romantic moments are fast becoming a trademark of the big show, whether it's a couple meeting there for the first time and, as in Perry and Russell Brand's case, getting married, or teen royalty like Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez sharing a kiss or two.
"People feel like they can be themselves," Perry explained of the VMA vibe. "So, if sparks fly creatively, I'm sure they're flying romantically as well."
It's not surprising that the "Teenage Dream" singer is a fan of the Video Music Awards, considering she not only got a husband out of the deal but also a couple Moonmen. Going into Sunday night, Perry was nominated in nine categories and picked up two trophies for Video of the Year and Best Collaboration.
The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards have wrapped, but the real action is just getting started! Stick with MTV News for winners, fashion pics, video and behind-the-scenes stories about everything that went down. Visit VMA.MTV.com for the latest.
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Michael Jackson's Legacy, Two Years Later, By the Numbers
Legendary singer's impact continues to blossom in the two years since his death; MTV News breaks down the figures.
By Gil Kaufman
Michael Jackson
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Like Elvis, Bob Marley, Notorious B.I.G. and Frank Sinatra before him, Michael Jackson's influence has continued, and grown, since his untimely death on June 25, 2009.
On the second anniversary of the King of Pop's passing, MTV News took a look at the enduring appeal of MJ's music, videos and imagery, which continue to fascinate and attract fans across the globe thanks to a series of posthumous albums, a movie, video games and two upcoming Cirque du Soleil live shows.
Where Were You Two Years Ago When You Heard the News? Tell Us on Facebook
$72 million: According to Box Office Mojo, Jackson's posthumous concert film, "This Is It," has grossed more than $72 million to date domestically and $189 million in foreign markets for a worldwide take over more than $261 million. It ranks as the #2 music documentary of all-time behind Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never." The film has also generated nearly $45 million in DVD sales in the U.S.
16: In May, Jackson lodged his first #1 on the Billboard magazine Dance/ Club Play Songs chart in 16 years with the latest single from his posthumous Michael album, "Hollywood Tonight."
2: Number of posthumous albums that have been released since Michael's death in June 2009. Last year's Michael has sold just over 510,000 copies to date, while the This Is It collection has moved nearly 1 million copies to date in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.
15,000: The number of videos submitted by fans since March for the crowdsourced video for "Behind the Mask." After they were edited down by a five-person team over two months, the resulting clip used submissions from more than 1,600 participants from 103 countries.
3 million: The amount of copies sold of the Ubisoft "Michael Jackson: The Experience" video game worldwide.
$57 million: The reported cost of Cirque du Soleil's traveling MJ show, "The Immortal World Tour, which is slated to kick off on October 2.
$1 billion: That gaudy figure is the reported amount the Jackson estate had generated by last June on the first anniversary of the singer's death. According to Billboard, the revenue was generated by a combination of music sales ($429 million), film/TV revenue ($392 million), music publishing ($130 million), licensing ($35 million) and a $31 million recording contract. (A spokesperson for Jackson's estate declined to provide updated figures for this story.)
$310 million: The amount of gross earnings reported by the executors of the estate in a December 2010 court filing detailing the progress made in paying off the $400 million in debt run up by the spendthrift singer during his lifetime.
16.1 million: MJ was always a big singles artist. Yes, Thriller is one of the best-selling albums of all time, but even in death, fans can't resist cherry-picking some of Michael's best songs. That explains why he's sold more than 16 million digital tracks since June 28, 2009, the first sales week following his passing, according to Nielsen SoundScan. To put that in perspective, from the time Nielsen began counting digital tracks in 2004 until the week before Jackson's death, the singer had sold just over 8.1 million digital tracks, a figure that has doubled in just the past two years.
2013: The projected launch for a second, non-touring Cirque show celebrating Jackson. The yet-untitled show is slated to open in the spring of 2013 at a new theater being built at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
$25 million to $50 million: That's how much Jackson's estate takes in on an annual basis thanks to his stake in the half-million-song Sony/ATV catalog, which includes titles by Elvis, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Beyoncé and Bob Dylan.
Share your memories of Michael Jackson in the comments.
Related Photos Related ArtistsKim Kardashian's VMA Highlight: Beyonce's Big News
'It was really cool of her to come out and show that at the VMAs, 'cause music is her outlet,' newlywed says.
By Kelley L. Carter
Kim Kardashian at the 2011 VMAs
Photo: Getty Images
Kim Kardashian rushed back from her honeymoon this weekend and made it to the Nokia Theatre in time to present Best Male Video at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. But her favorite highlight of the evening was the same as many of us viewing from home: getting the Beyoncé pregnancy news!
The newlywed talked with MTV News' Jim Cantiello after the show and said that she loved seeing the pop star pat her pregnant belly onstage after running through a high-energy performance of her track "Love on Top."
At the beginning of her performance, Beyoncé emerged from the darkness, saying, "Tonight I want you to stand up on your feet. I want you to feel the love that's growing inside of me!"
Beyoncé and Jay-Z celebrate their big news backstage.
Married to hip-hop superstar Jay-Z for three years, the star has said time and time again that she planned on having a baby by the time she was 30, and she turns 30 on Sunday. Her husband beamed at the end of her performance while pal and collaborator Kanye West congratulated him.
None of that excitement was lost on Kardashian.
"Beyoncé is definitely my highlight," Kardashian said. "I adore her anyway, but it was so sweet. I thought it was really cool of her to come out and show that at the VMAs, 'cause music is her outlet. She could have done it with any magazine or news station, but she chose her home. I thought it was really cool."
And speaking of having babies, that's exactly what Kardashian said she'd be doing right now if she weren't busy with her ever-rising career.
"I would be a mom right now, for sure," she said, in response to a question from fans. "I love kids, and I would probably have done this a lot sooner."
The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards have wrapped, but the real action is just getting started! Stick with MTV News for winners, fashion pics, video and behind-the-scenes stories about everything that went down. Visit VMA.MTV.com for the latest.
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Michael Jackson - Hold My Hand
- Artist: Michael Jackson
- Label: Columbia Records/SMG
- Album: Michael
Nicole Richie Nicole Scherzinger Nicollette Sheridan Nikki Cox
Concert Picks: Whitman, Saint Motel, The Dodos?
So let’ face it – some of you have started school, some of you are about to start school; some of you are working so summer break really means nothing to you. Yet, with the weekend being a somewhat universal concept, there’s no reason we can’t all come together and hang loose to some pretty [...]
Sara Foster Sara Spraker Sarah Gellman Sarah Michelle Gellar
Usher Says New 'Rev Pop' Project Is A 'Movement'
Singer teases his new project by pointing to past hits like 'Yeah!' and 'OMG.'
By James Montgomery
Usher
Photo: MTV News
With the success of songs like "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love," "Hot Tottie" and "OMG," Usher had himself a fairly massive 2010. But rather than rest on his laurels, he's looking to build on his big year, not with an album, but with a "movement."
It's something he's calling "Rev Pop" — or, simply, "Rev" — and though he's already teased his idea in a video with David Guetta (Akon is also involved), he has yet to speak in full about it. So when MTV News caught up with Ush before the 53rd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles at the (Belvedere) RED launch party, we asked him about his next musical endeavor. And though he didn't reveal much, he did let it be known that "Rev" isn't exactly something new. In fact, he's been doing it for a while now.
"I'll give it to you this way: At a later date, I'll tell you more about Rev Pop, but if I were to give you a flash: I've done it before, I did it with 'Yeah!' " he said, "taking a cultural experience, and also worldwide recognition of a feeling, and putting the soul in the middle of it. Not allowing it to shift heavily to R&B genre, or pop. I did it again with 'OMG,' once again putting the soul in the middle of it, which was an electric-pop experience, with the soul.
"It's bringing those elements together to tell a story, that was born here," he said, gesturing toward his heart, "And that's what Rev Pop is. There's more, I mean, I could really elaborate, but that's just what I'm going to tell you right now. 'Rev' is what it's called ... the movement is called Rev."
Usher wouldn't say just when his fans would be getting their first taste of Rev, but whenever they do, it sounds like they're going to be impressed ... if not a little shocked.
"Stay alive," he smiled, "Because you're definitely going to be in for a surprise."
Related ArtistsBritney Spears, In 10 Minutes, Backstage At The VMAs
Meeting the princess of pop, behind the scenes at the biggest awards show of the year, in Bigger Than the Sound.
By James Montgomery
Britney Spears
Photo: Getty Images
I'm not sure how many times this has happened to you, but when you're in the middle of recording voice-overs during the Video Music Awards and all of a sudden you get an email from the assistant of your bosses' boss telling you that you have to interview Britney Spears in her dressing room in 10 minutes -- man, that's weird.
Because it's Britney Spears. One of the hugest pop stars on the planet, constant target of the tabloids, decided enigma. She's not exactly forthcoming with the press (for reasons that are certainly understandable) and not particularly interested in sitting down for a chat -- especially when said chat is supposed to take place in her dressing room, surrounded by her team of publicists, makeup artists and friends. Needless to say, the odds of the whole thing going down in a ball of flames are pretty high.
And yet, there I was on Sunday night, winding my way through the backstage corridors of the Nokia Theatre, the VMAs literally happening all around me, on my way to meet Britney. Armed only with an email (and a rather paltry level of security clearance), I talked my way past the stone-faced security guards -- who, it should be noted, didn't seem to believe that I was about to interview Britney Spears either -- found my way to her dressing-room door and awaited further instructions. As I stood there, my mind raced: What, exactly, was I going to ask her, anyway? And, perhaps more importantly, what is she really like?
After a few minutes, the door swung open, one of her publicists poked his head out and told me, quite matter-of-factly, "Britney's ready." I entered the tiny dressing room, scanned the faces lining the walls (publicist one, publicist two, manager Larry Rudolph, makeup artist, sister Jamie Lynn) and suddenly came face to face with Britney herself, eyes wide and sparkling, head cocked slightly, big smile on her face. I noticed the tiny pair of red dice she has tattooed on her left wrist, the hem of her black dress, the way she crossed her ankles. And then, I noticed she was looking right at me.
"Hi, I'm Britney," she said.
No kidding.
I am happy to report that Britney Spears is a very nice person; she is funny and carries herself with a relaxed grace that belies her superstardom. We spoke about her VMA tribute -- during which she spent much of the time praising others -- and how, even after winning a boatload of awards, she's still blown away each and every time her name is called. Shoot, we even laughed about Lady Gaga's alter ego, Jo Calderone ("She's definitely in character," Brit laughed). In fact, the thing that struck me the most about her was her quick wit: She cracks jokes like they're going out of style.
And while I guess you could say that I learned an awful lot about Britney on Sunday night, the biggest lesson was probably this: Basically everything you think you know about her is wrong. It's sort of a shame she doesn't do more interviews, because, really, I think most folks would leave feeling the same way I do. Then again, I can understand why she doesn't. It's sort of an uphill battle at this point.
Regardless, interviewing her was definitely a highlight, and not just because she's press-shy. It most certainly ranks as my greatest VMA moment, even ahead of the pre-show I hosted live Sunday night. So the next time you get a panicked email and an invite to sit down with Britney, I highly recommend you respond immediately. It will definitely be worth your time.
The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards have wrapped, but the real action is just getting started! Stick with MTV News for winners, fashion pics, video and behind-the-scenes stories about everything that went down. Visit VMA.MTV.com for the latest.
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsUsher - Fed Up (featuring Usher, Young Jeezy, Drake, Rick Ross)
Fed Up (featuring Usher, Young Jeezy, Drake, Rick Ross)
- Artist: Usher
- Label: We The Best, E1 Music
- Director: Gil Green
Emmanuelle Vaugier Emmy Rossum Erica Leerhsen Erika Christensen
'Hunger Games' VMA Teaser 'Epic,' Experts Say
Fan sites say Jennifer Lawrence 'captured Katniss onscreen.'
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Eric Ditzian
Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games"
Photo: Lionsgate
Ever since production began on "The Hunger Games," fans around the world have been waiting patiently for a first look at footage of heroine Katniss Everdeen in action. MTV News was very happy to provide that first-ever teaser, which star Jennifer Lawrence introduced to the world during the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night.
Given the excitement surrounding our exclusive look at footage of the big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' beloved dystopian bestseller, MTV News sought out three "Hunger Games" experts to get their reactions to seeing Katniss' survival skills first-hand.
"That was epic," gushed Samus Belle of fan site Sparks Will Fly. "I'm so excited. Especially seeing Jennifer Lawrence running through the whole arena, she looked like a hunter," Belle said. "She just captured Katniss onscreen."
Kimmy West, of Mockingjay.net agreed with Belle on Lawrence's spot-on portrayal: "Jennifer Lawrence is just embodying Katniss," West said. "The big trait about Katniss is that she's animalistic when she hunts. You can totally tell that she's been training so much for that shot," West explained of seeing Lawrence wield a bow and fire an arrow in the clip. "She really looks like a pro."
Our experts were so delighted to see Lawrence assume pole position in the teaser, they didn't mind not getting to see male leads Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and Gale (Liam Hemsworth) in action. Hemsworth's voice can be heard throughout the footage, however, offering Katniss words of encouragement that echo in her mind as she's running for her life.
"I think they maybe want to wait a little bit longer on [showing] Peeta to build up the excitement even more," said Arianna Ruiz of Down With the Capitol. "And Gale is still a very important part of Katniss' life."
"Basically, [Gale] is saying, 'You know how to hunt,' 'All they want is a good show,' 'Show them how good you are,' " West said, summarizing the voiceover. "I feel like it's a really good message to send across for the trailer because it's showing she's not a career tribute," she explained of the story's highly trained expert contestants. "She's not someone who wants to kill anyone; she's just wants to live after this."
Belle speculated about when fan favorite Peeta might appear in the film's marketing campaign: "I'm a Peeta fan, but I think they will put him somewhere during the trailers because half the 'Hunger Games' fandom probably wants him in there at some point.
"In all fairness, throughout the first part of the games, she is thinking mostly about Gale and the advice he gave her."
West added that although she is just as excited as anyone to see Peeta, she's happy for certain elements to remain a surprise for as long as possible.
"I like to be in anticipation still; I don't want to see everything," she explained. "I'm excited to see Effie and Haymitch and Primm and Peeta," West said of her favorite characters. "But I think it's good I'm still waiting for it."
Speaking of waiting for things, West thinks director Gary Ross and Lionsgate added a special bonus for fans to pick up on at the very end of the footage.
"Right as you see the 'Add us on Facebook' stuff, and the screen turns black, and you can hear four really high-pitched whistles, kind of like if you're not listening hard, you might miss it," she explained of a character's memorable communicative methods with Katniss in the book. "That's really awesome. I was wondering what tune they were going to use, and it sounds really perfect for what I was thinking."
Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related VideosMonday, August 29, 2011
'Dark Knight Rises' Director Is 'Genius,' Tom Hardy Says
'I just trust him and how he slowly feeds what he's about to do to the world,' Bane actor says of Christopher Nolan's 'enigmatic' methods.
By Kara Warner
Tom Hardy as Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises"
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
The only problem with Christopher Nolan's hugely anticipated "The Dark Knight Rises" is that no one involved in the project can talk about it, and with such secrecy comes obsessive fanboy quests for spoilers and on-set footage and photos.
When MTV News caught up with "Rises" star Tom Hardy as he promoted another of his anticipated films, "Warrior," we asked what he thinks about the incessant quests for details about his character Bane and the rest of the film.
"I think it just shows that people are really into it. It's great," Hardy said. "If you love something, why not follow it?"
He added that he doesn't much care for those who seek out spoilers, however, and also hasn't paid much attention to the photos that have been released, official or not.
"There are photos out there; it's nice to see them," he said, before changing the direction of the conversation toward more general territory. "Chris Nolan is amazing. How he releases his films, he's a very enigmatic human being. It's genius, what he does, and I just trust him and how he slowly feeds what he's about to do to the world."
Speaking of one of the things Nolan and company have fed to the world, we asked for his reaction to Anne Hathaway's catsuit.
"I've seen it, obviously. I've seen it up front," he said, not willing to expand on the subject. "I think everything Chris Nolan and every person at Warner Bros. [does] is amazing," he continued with a cheeky smile. "As I do Lionsgate as well [the studio releasing 'Warrior']. Funny, isn't it?" he said when his "Warrior" co-star Joel Edgerton burst out laughing at Hardy's politically correct outpourings of love for everyone. "Mercenary of me," he joked, proud to be toeing the company line. "Ka-ching!"
Check out everything we've got on "The Dark Knight Rises."
For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.
Related PhotosColdplay, Led Zeppelin Album Covers Featured On New British Stamps
Album art from Pink Floyd, Blur and David Bowie also included.
By James Montgomery
Coldplay's new British stamps
Photo: Royal Mail
On Thursday (January 7), the U.K.'s Royal Mail unveiled a series of 10 new stamps, honoring the most iconic album covers of the past 40 years.
The albums featured in the new series are the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed, Led Zeppelin's IV, David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, The Clash's London Calling, New Order's Power, Corruption and Lies, Primal Scream's Screamadelica, Pink Floyd's The Division Bell, Blur's Parklife and — the most recent album on to make the cut — Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head.
Meant to honor "the most potent graphic images of modern times, many of which have provided a visual soundtrack to people's lives," the series is the end result of a lengthy research process by the Royal Mail, who looked through thousands of album covers by British artists before deciding on the final list. And, during a Wednesday night BBC Radio broadcast, it was revealed that the queen herself actually approved each design.
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page — who helped design the cover for IV — was on hand to celebrate the release of the stamps and recalled the mysterious nature of the album's iconic imagery.
"Almost 40 years after the album came out, nobody knows the old man who featured on the cover, nor the artist who painted him," he said. "That sort of sums up what we wanted to achieve with the album cover, which has remained both anonymous and enigmatic at the same time."
Of course, any great honor is befitting of an equally great contest, so, on the same day the stamps were made available to the general public, Coldplay decided to give one of their Rush of Blood stamps away. In a message on their official site, the band held a contest to send one lucky fan "a letter using a Coldplay stamp, postmarked with today's issue date."
"We visited our local post office earlier today and bought some of the Coldplay stamps," the message read. "Very nice they are too."
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Katy Perry, Adele, More: VMA Ladies' Night?
Fellow Best Female Video nominees Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj have also had a massive past 12 months.
By Jocelyn Vena
Best Female Video nominees Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj and Adele
Photo: Getty Images/ MTV News
Video of the Year might be the top prize at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, but this year, there is some serious competition in another category: Best Female Video.
With pop heavyweights Adele, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj all looking to take home the Moonman, it's a battle between five women who have all had stellar years. Leading up to their showdown, MTV News takes a look back at the divas' massive past 12 months:
Katy Perry
Nominated Video: "Firework"
Her Massive Year: Katy Perry dropped the feel-good clip in October, saying she "believed in people" when she wrote the track. Months later, in January, she announced the dates on her sugar-coated California Dreams Tour. In late June, Perry threw herself a party in her other VMA-nominated video, for "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," which director Marc Klasfeld said "is definitely '16 Candles'- and John Hughes-influenced."
In July, it was announced that Katy was the lead nominee for the VMAs, racking up nine nods. To top it all off, weeks before the VMAs, it was announced that Perry had tied with Michael Jackson's record of five #1 singles from the same album.
Check out our "VMA Time Machine" — an interactive timeline celebrating the ladies' epic year!
Beyoncé
Nominated Video: "Run the World (Girls)"
Her Massive Year: In November, just two months after last year's VMAs, Beyoncé started teasing fans about her fourth album. What was her plan? To "make my own genre of music," she declared. B later added that her musical influences on the then-untitled project included Michael Jackson and Lauryn Hill.
Fans finally heard and saw what she was talking about when she dropped the VMA-nominated video for "Run the World (Girls)" in May. Her album 4 eventually leaked three weeks early but still managed to debut at #1 on the Billboard albums chart. The year of 4 culminates when Beyoncé hits the VMA stage Sunday.
Lady Gaga
Nominated Video: "Born This Way"
Her Massive Year: Fans were teased with a taste of "Born This Way" at the 2010 VMAs when the meat-dress-wearing Lady Gaga belted out part of the chorus as she accepted her award for Video of the Year. By the time the full song dropped in mid-February, it broke a record as the fastest-selling single in iTunes history. Weeks later, the video, directed by Nick Knight, had everyone talking, thanks to its spacey theme.
Then Gaga finally released the album of the same name and it sold 1.1 million in its debut week on the charts, doing what no one has done since 2005. To celebrate her successes, Gaga is set to open the VMAs this year. Anything is possible with Gaga kicking off the show.
Nicki Minaj
Nominated Video: "Super Bass"
Her Massive Year: Since hitting up the VMA Pre-Show last September, putting on what she described as an "amazing look" along with will.i.am, Nicki Minaj dropped her debut album, Pink Friday. The album debuted at #2 on the charts, only topped by Kanye West's Runaway, leaving Minaj feeling "so grateful and kind of still in shock."
In March, Minaj proclaimed she was "letting it all hang out" in her "Super Bass" video. Whatever she did, it worked, earning her first VMA nomination. Then she not only had a "crazy" set on the I Am Still Music Tour along with Lil Wayne, she also told us that touring with Britney Spears "raises the bar" for her own stage show.
Adele
Nominated Video: "Rolling in the Deep"
Her Massive Year: Adele's 21 was a smash from the start, hitting #1 on the charts in its first week. Then, week after week, the album kept reaching #1. Adele's only hiccup in her banner year was having to shuffle around tour dates after she got sick in June.
Adele bounced back in a big way by earning seven noms for her video, feeling "flabbergasted" by the honor. Just weeks ago, her album topped the charts again, as the singer geared up for the VMAs and her performance on the show.
The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday from Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.
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Will '(Drop Dead) Beautiful' Be Britney Spears' Next Single?
Spears' collaborator Sabi weighs in on whether her song with Spears will be the next Femme Fatale single.
By Jocelyn Vena
Britney Spears
Photo: MTV News & Docs
Britney Spears flirted with fans on "Hold It Against Me," threw a party with "Till the World Ends" and got a bit cheeky on "I Wanna Go." Now the singer is wondering what her fourth Femme Fatale single should be. She even recently posted a poll on her Facebook page pondering whether her next single should be "Criminal," "Inside Out" or "(Drop Dead) Beautiful."
The Internet has been abuzz about what that next single could be, and Spears' "(Drop Dead) Beautiful" collaborator Sabi says that she's just as anxious to find out what the decision is as well. "I don't know, I don't know, it's all up in the air," she explained to us backstage at the Femme Fatale Tour. "Nothing is for sure yet. We'll see. It would be really nice if that were the next single. The crowd seems to really love it when we do it in the set. That's kind of like how we've been checking it out."
The videos off Femme Fatale have been as unique as the singles selected, with Spears playing a resurrected pop star ("HIAM"), a sweaty party queen ("Till the World Ends") and a paparazzi-stalked pop star ("I Wanna Go"). Sabi said she would love for the "(Drop Dead) Beautiful" video to mirror the setup she and Brit use during their tour performances of the song.
"What we do onstage is very Egyptian, Middle Eastern-like feel and a lot of vanity kind of stuff," she said of the performance, which features lots of mirrors and sparkles. "So I would just imagine what we kind of did for the green screen, where there's mirrors and there's boys that are like oiled up ... I would imagine us in goddess-looking outfits and us looking vain," she added.
Do you think "(Drop Dead) Beautiful" should be Brit's next single? Tell us in the comments!
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Sunday, August 28, 2011
Michael Jackson - Thriller (Long Vers.)
- Artist: Michael Jackson
- Label: Epic Records
- Album: Thriller [Bonus Tracks]
Do Foo Fighters Know Robert Pattinson From Robert Plant?
During band's rehearsal break for Sunday's Movie Awards, we put Foos to the test.
By Ryan J. Downey, with reporting by Jim Cantiello
The Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl
Photo: MTV News
UNIVERSAL CITY, California — Hard rock, heavy metal, hardcore and punk have long gone hand-in-hand with evil wizards, magic, vampires and werewolves. And with a collective sub-cultural pedigree that includes stints in the Germs, No Use for a Name, Sunny Day Real Estate, Scream and some band called Nirvana, you'd think the Foo Fighters — set to perform at Sunday's Movie Awards — would know their "Potter" from their Zeppelin. Certainly they can recognize a "wand" reference and pinpoint its origin?
Right? Before we put MTV News' magically crafted trivia to the band, it seemed safe to assume the Foos would accurately distinguish between the words of Harry Potter, a "Twilight" character and Led Zeppelin. But was their underground nerd cred blown to shreds? Read on — and click the video! — to see how the Foo Fighters fared when we caught up with them on the Universal Studios lot, shortly after they finished rehearsing their Movie Awards performance.
Our own Jim Cantiello played dungeon master as Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Taylor Hawkins, Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear were given a series of semi-famous lines and asked whether they originated with "Harry Potter," the "Twilight Saga" or the lyrics of hard-rock pioneers Led Zeppelin.
Here's a sampling of a few of those one-liners:
» "The elder wand, the most powerful wand ever made."
» "Why don't you let me be yours ever truly? Can I make your garden grow?"
» "You're lying, Dolores! You mustn't tell lies!"
Can you guess whether the lines above came from the "Potter" flicks, "Twilight" or Robert Plant?
Watch as the Foos try their best to do exactly that. Then tune in to the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday to catch the Foo Fighters rock the stage with their new single, "Walk."
Will wizards, vampires or dream thieves steal the 2011 MTV Movie Awards? Find out June 5, when the 20th annual show airs live at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Tune in at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT that night for the "America's Best Dance Crew" finale and Movie Awards pre-show, loaded with live action from the red carpet, exclusive movie clips and a special edition of "After Hours."
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsKaty Perry: From VMA Rookie To VMA Royalty
This year's top nominee has yet to win a Moonman, but she did nab a husband!
By Jocelyn Vena
Katy Perry at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards
Photo: Steve Granitz/ FilmMagic
At Sunday's VMAs, one very kooky, colorful California Gurl is poised to rule the night: Katy Perry tops the nominees with a whopping nine nods for "E.T.," "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," "Teenage Dream" and "Firework."
"It's always exciting to be a part of the VMAs because there's so much spontaneity," she told MTV News. "I just remember growing up seeing craziness ensued with the VMAs. I wasn't allowed to see it, but I done watched it!"
While Perry has yet to win a Moonman, the show has played an important role in her career and personal life in other interesting ways. Let's take a look back at Perry's short-but-memorable history with the Video Music Awards and look forward to what she can expect Sunday night:
2008
Kinga Burza, the director of Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" video, warned MTV News that the up-and-coming pop star would soon be a force to be reckoned with. "She's fresh, original, intelligent and talented, with a star-like charisma, which will have boys and girls all around the world cooing for more," Burza said.
And she was right. Perry made her VMA debut that year, singing along with the night's house band, Travis Barker and the late DJ AM. That night, "I Kissed a Girl" was up for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Female Video and Best New Artist.
She went home empty-handed, but the show was the first time (and certainly not the last) that she and host Russell Brand crossed paths.
2009
The VMAs returned to New York City, and Perry had become a household name. She was nominated for Best Female Video for "Hot n Cold" and opened the show with a rocking performance of Queen's "We Will Rock You" alongside Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry.
Although she didn't take any prizes home, she did manage to nab Brand, who hosted the show for a second year. Perry said she saw a different side of the comedian during and after the show. "I really appreciate his sense of humor," she explained. "It's real dark, it's real wrong and it's really funny."
2010
Perry hit the white-hot VMA carpet in Los Angeles, and was by then one of the biggest pop stars in the world. Her relationship with Brand had escalated to an engagement, and her sweet and sassy "California Gurls" video, featuring Snoop Dogg, was nominated for Best Female Video and Best Pop Video.
"I like the idea of this being like a board game," she said of the video in 2009. "It's kind of like Candy Land. That was probably one of my favorite games to play growing up. I like to bring back those pure childhood moments and give them a little bit of a naughty twist, of course."
2011
Perry is coming up on her fourth VMA appearance, and this could finally be her year. She's back in her home state of California, she's tied the knot with Brand, and she's broken all sorts of records with the songs from her Teenage Dream album, including becoming the first female artist with five #1 singles from the same album.
Considering she's up for hardware in categories like best Female Video ("Firework"), Video of the Year ("Firework") and Best Collaboration ("E.T.") featuring Kanye West, to name a few, her chances of bringing home a Moonman or two are looking good.
The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday from Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.
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'Our Idiot Brother': The Reviews Are In!
Paul Rudd, in the title role, walks away with much of the critics' praise in this ensemble comedy.
By Terri Schwartz
Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks in "Our Idiot Brother"
Photo: Big Beach Films
Even with strong performances from the ensemble cast in "Our Idiot Brother," the Sundance darling is being heralded as Paul Rudd's movie. Reviews for the comedy, which opened on Friday (August 25), are heralding Rudd's turn as one of the best of his career. And although the response has been generally positive, critics did take issue with some of the other idiotic parts of the movie.
Some found the script's approach to the characters too formulaic: Rudd's character might be an idiot, but he is actually a commendable guy when compared to his three jaded sisters, his hippie ex-girlfriend and his wine-drinking mother. Others thought the movie was a bit unconvincing despite its well-meaning message. Still, the jump from "My Idiot Brother" at Sundance to "Our Idiot Brother" in wide-release seems to imply a more inclusive element to the film that resounded with critics.
So will "Our Idiot Brother" charm you? Here's what the critics had to say:
The Idiot Brother
"Though the ensemble cast is uniformly strong, this is Rudd's film. His inherent likability and genial manner are ideal for the character. He plays laid-back especially well. (His aging surfer dude in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' was a variation on Ned.) Watching Rudd bring dimension to what could have been a clownish caricature is the best reason to see this good-natured family comedy. 'Our Idiot Brother' is as irresistible and easy to love as a golden retriever." — Claudia Puig, USA Today
The Characters
"Peeking out from a curtain of shaggy hair and a beard, Rudd invests Ned with every ounce of the effusive, natural warmth that has become his trademark. And like so many movies in his career, he makes Our Idiot Brother much more tolerable than it deserves to be. Screenwriters Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall play up Ned's innocence by making his sisters thoroughly unappealing: Emily Mortimer plays a dowdy, sad-sack hausfrau married to a pompous documentarian (played with withering contempt by Steve Coogan); Elizabeth Banks flails in a misguided brunet pageboy as a ruthless Vanity Fair reporter; and Zooey Deschanel lends spaced-out self-absorption to a lesbian tempted by a similarly navel-gazing male artist." — Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post
The Script
"You want to laugh at this, except the movie is forcing you to do so. Adultery and dysfunction are cute problems. Deschanel's character shares a loft with her girlfriend (Rashida Jones, underutilized again and still the best thing here) and a gang of bohemians who don't get up to anything interesting. Though Deschanel's compulsion to play another Quirky Performance Artist is satisfied. Banks (shrill careerist) and Mortimer (neurotic wimp) conform to type, too. Ned makes their relationships harder than they already appear to be. He's a gimmick, and yet without him the movie is just Hanna-Barbera and Her Sisters. Either way, it's all emotionally counterfeit, and that bogusness infects the comedy." — Wesley Morris, The Boston Globe
The Direction
"Efficiently directed by Jesse Peretz, (Ms. Peretz's brother, evidently quite capable), Our Idiot Brother is a thin, unconvincing movie made likable by the charm and skill of its cast and by a script (by Ms. Peretz and her husband, David Schisgall) peppered with wit and insight. ... A handful of scenes — a visit to a cultish self-help seminar, a family game of charades with Mom (Shirley Knight), a profile interview gone off the rails — are sharp, funny and surprising. But the filmmakers mostly look for humor in obvious, picked-over places. Can we please have a moratorium on private-school interviews? Like yoga classes (which this movie blessedly leaves alone), they are hard in real life and suspiciously easy in movies." — A.O. Scott, The New York Times
The Final Word
" My Idiot Brother might have made Ned more of a symbol and less of a person. Where the filmmakers, and Mr. Rudd, go right is making him such a round and sympathetic figure, rather than the desperate, pathetic and/or slapstick character he might have been in different hands. Our Idiot Brother — not My or Your or Their idiot brother — is goofily funny, and silly, and in many ways follows the currents of contemporary comedy into the gulf stream of inanity. And yet Ned turns out to be a strangely moving figure, a comic foil worthy of affection, perhaps even respect." — John Anderson, The Wall Street Journal
Check out everything we've got on "Our Idiot Brother."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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