Jemaine Clement reveals that Flight of the Conchords will tour the U.S. later this year.
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Flight Of The Conchords Set To Tour The U.S. Later This Year
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It would be very easy to show up here and report that Men in Black 3 has no reason to exist, that it’s just another threequel that didn’t have to be made. The truth is a little more complicated: Men in Black 3 — which was, like its two predecessors, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld — is neither as much fun as the first picture in the series nor as totally useless as the second. It has an actual story line, one that’s quite moving in places. And it features a bit of casting that’s pure genius. Men in Black 3 is almost good enough to make you care about its existence. And yet not quite. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones return as Agents J and K respectively, and their partnership is no more harmonious than it ever was: Agent J accuses K, quite justifiably, of barely being able to communicate on any human level. Agent K responds with yet more evasiveness: He’s a man of few words who appears to be carrying a great deal of baggage beneath his eyes alone. He has secrets, dammit, things that Agent J might be better off not knowing. Which makes Agent J that much more eager for some sort of connection with his partner-slash-father-figure. Meanwhile, Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement, from Flight of the Conchords , doing his best Tim Curry imitation), a goggle-eyed alien villain whose dastardly plan was foiled years ago by Agent K — the episode also cost him an arm — escapes from prison with the goal of traveling back in time to kill Agent K before that arrest, and that arm-hacking, can happen. Simultaneously, Agent J wakes up in world where Agent K has been dead for years; he too travels back in time, to 1969, aiming to save the life of his taciturn hound dog of a partner, a guy who, as J aptly puts it, has “kind of a surly Elvis thing happening with him.” Outside of an early scene in which J and K show up at a Chinese restaurant to investigate a health-code violation that involves noodle dishes laced with alien eyeballs and such, Men in Black 3 is pretty low on the silly, clever creepie-crawlies that were the mainstay of the original. (The script is by Etan Cohen, based on the comic-book characters created by Lowell Cunningham.) And because this is a costly summer blockbuster, released in 3-D no less, its last third is cluttered with the usual manic action, which is undistinguished and unmemorable. But Men in Black 3 does have its charms, partly thanks to some first-rate second-banana players: The luminous Emma Thompson and the radiant Alice Eve play older and younger versions of the same character, and their presence helps tone down some of Will Smith’s unbearable “Love me!” rays. Jones is barely in the movie, but at least he makes an impact: It’s fascinating to look at his face, aging apace in the normal fashion — how has it gotten to the point that it’s such a wonderful thing to watch an actor grow into the face he was meant to have? But most wonderful of all is Josh Brolin as the young Agent K. It’s so easy to believe that Brolin could turn into Jones, given a couple of decades. Brolin mimics Jones’s phrasing perfectly, capturing the essence of his easy drawl, getting those Southern-fried pauses just right. His features even carry that half-worried, half-exasperated look that Jones’ Agent K has always worn so well. The plot of Men in Black 3, once you strip away the silly action and 3-D falderal, is relatively simple and straightforward, and even though, in essence, it’s not anything you haven’t seen before, it still manages to strike a semi-meaningful chord. Its effects, particularly a sequence that takes place near the very top of the Chrysler Building, atop one of those majestic art deco eagles, are reasonably impressive. But somehow, its actors end up mattering more. Is that a strength or a liability in a summer blockbuster? It ought to be the former, but these days, who can tell for sure? Follow Stephanie Zacharek on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
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REVIEW: Josh Brolin Makes Men in Black 3 Matter — Almost
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Bret McKenzie’s ‘Man or Muppet’ is up against ‘Real in Rio’ for Best Original Song. By Kara Warner Miss Piggy in “The Muppets” Photo: Muppets Studio There are always plenty of shocks, snubs and surprises when it comes to the unveiling of Oscar nominees each year. Tuesday’s (January 24) announcement was met with all of the above, but overall there were more pleasant surprises than not. One of our favorite nominees is “Flight of the Conchords” actor-turned- “Muppets” music supervisor Bret McKenzie, who scored a Best Original Song nod for his “Man or Muppet.” MTV News was lucky enough to get a few minutes on the phone with the still-in-shock McKenzie, who called in from his home in New Zealand. “We’re celebrating with breakfast,” McKenzie said. “I woke up to the phone ringing nonstop, so then I picked up my phone and saw the news. I was very excited. I don’t sound it, but I am very excited. It’s a great day.” The multitalented New Zealander revealed that while “Man or Muppet” is his favorite song in “The Muppets” and that he is very proud of the earnest ballad, he never expected it to be recognized for anything. “I really wanted it to be hilarious and beautiful, and I feel like we got that combination. It’s sincere but ridiculous,” he said. “The idea of children singing the song at school cracks me up.” McKenzie said that the nomination surprised almost the entire “Muppets” team, except perhaps writer/star Jason Segel, who made an outlandish prediction during production about the earnest tune’s award potential. “The night we recorded ‘Man or Muppet,’ we had a few drinks and Jason Segel was predicting we’d get together at the Oscars, but he was joking,” McKenzie recalled. “[Maybe] that guy can see the future.” Once the actor/musician gets over the shock of his nomination, he’ll have to start preparations for how the song will be performed during the 84th annual awards ceremony. “I was thinking we’ll definitely need a man and a Muppet,” McKenzie joked. “Yeah, that’s what we need.” When asked about his chances, McKenzie marveled at the fact that there are only two nominees, “Man or Muppet” and “Real in Rio” from “Rio.” “I was amazed there were only two nominees; I was surprised. It seems unusual, but it’s great because the odds are 50-50,” he said. “The only thing I guess would be better if there was only one nomination.” What song should win the Oscar for Best Original Song? Sound off in the comments section! See the complete list of Academy Awards Nominations . Related Videos Oscars 2012: And The Nominees Are…
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‘Muppets’ Music Man Calls Oscar Nod ‘A Big Surprise’
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Critics are overwhelmingly happy with the big-screen reboot featuring Kermit and the gang. By Kevin P. Sullivan Miss Piggy in “The Muppets” Photo: Muppets Studio It’s time to play the music. It’s time to light the lights. It’s time to meet “The Muppets” for the first time in over 10 years. Everyone’s favorite felt friends are back in a big-screen reboot brought to life mostly on behalf of the hard work of lifelong Muppet fan Jason Segel . The reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. (You can see our own rave here .) Critics have praised the return of the Muppets as fun, warm, family-friendly fare, true to the characters and the fans who have loved them for decades. Check out our roundup of the reviews. The Story “A clever idea holds this reboot together, as simple as making one brother (Gary, played by Segel) human and the other (Walter, voiced by Peter Linz) a Muppet in love with the Muppets legacy. (He sports a Kermit wristwatch.) The locale is Smalltown, USA, which Gary and Walter introduce to us in the opening number, ‘Life’s a Happy Song.’ Gary, his schoolteacher sweetheart Mary ( Amy Adams ) and Walter journey to Los Angeles for a vacation. Touring the old Muppet Studios facility, the trio learn of the plan to raze the historically significant and sentimentally priceless structure. There’s oil under the ground, see, and the weaselly millionaire ( Chris Cooper ) after it doesn’t give a Gonzo’s patoot about nostalgia. To preserve the old homestead the visitors must gather together the Muppets from various locales and raise $10 million in a save-the-Muppets telethon.” — Michael Phillips, The Chicago Tribune The Songs “The setup works like a charm. So do the songs, with several new ones by [“Flight of the Conchords”] star Bret McKenzie . Adams rocks out on ‘Me Party.’ And Segel’s heartfelt ballad ‘Man or Muppet?’ deserves Academy attention as the movie song of the year.” — Peter Travers, Rolling Stone The Comeback “As a theatrical troupe, the Muppets haven’t exactly been AWOL these past dozen years; the gang rocked YouTube in 2009 with their kick-ass rendition of Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’ But they’ve certainly been lying low while our twitchy, tweet-y times have favored snarkier, more air-quote-driven entertainment, even from puppets. And in a way, that showbiz hiatus has worked in favor of The Muppets. For adults, the movie’s gentle, clever, unironic humor feels freshly, trendily retro now, enhanced by laughs provided in cameos from a very up-to-date roster of stars.” — Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly The Muppets “These are the same old, adorable Muppets, as sweetly innocent and likable as ever. Winking at itself, the movie is casually, amusingly self-reflexive. In one joke Kermit the Frog considers telephoning President Carter. ‘The Muppets’ makes no attempt to match the wisecracking hipness of the ‘Shrek’ movies. If it doesn’t provoke belly laughs, it elicits many affectionate chuckles.” — Stephen Holden, The New York Times The Final Word “The remarkable thing about the Muppets, then and now, is what distinctive personalities and presences they have. When ‘The Muppet Movie,’ the first in the series, came out in 1979, there was astonishment that — ohmigod! — Kermit was riding a bicycle! How could a Muppet do that? Today, characters can do anything in the movies, but these Muppets are still played by Muppeteers, and they’re still endearing.” — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times Check out everything we’ve got on “The Muppets.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
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‘The Muppets’: The Reviews Are In!
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A Thousand Suns tune will be in third installment of franchise. By Gil Kaufman, with reporting by Audrey Kim Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda Photo: MTV News On the surface, it makes perfect sense that Linkin Park would contribute a song to the third installment in the “Transformers” film franchise, “Dark of the Moon.” Both the band and the film are known for their thunderous, metallic noise and post-apocalyptic vibe. Plus, LP were on the first two soundtracks and they clearly have a connection with director Michael Bay. But LP vocalist Mike Shinoda recently told MTV News about why the band offered up a remix of their A Thousand Suns tune “Iridescent” for the soundtrack to the summer blockbuster. “The ‘Transformers’ collaboration has been really fun for us. I mean, we grew up playing with the toys,” Shinoda explained. “When we first got approached on the first one, we said yes based on the idea of taking that thing that we loved so much and bringing it to life in a modern way. As it’s gone on, that’s still a big part of it for us.” The original “Transformers” soundtrack led off with the LP song “What I’ve Done,” and the companion CD to the sequel, “Revenge of the Fallen,” also gave LP the pole position with the tune “New Divide.” So when director Bay approached the band to contribute a song for the third film, Shinoda said the tune that came to mind right away was “Iridescent.” It’s been a fan favorite at live shows, even though it doesn’t have the kind of bombastic sound that you’d expect for the battling-robots flick. “We put out the record in the late part of last year and even though it’s never been a single up until this point, [when we played it live] you could really hear the singing pick up momentum during that song. It was just something that seemed a natural fit.” Though it’s less of what Shinoda called an “in-your-face” kind of tune, he said the somber, hopeful tone of the song appealed to both the band and to Bay. “We loved that part of it when we were in the studio, but Michael actually loved pairing it with the movie because there’s something that he feels it speaks to about the story line.” Do you think LP’s “Iridescent” will fit well into the “Transformers” movie? Let us know in the comments below. Related Artists Linkin Park
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Linkin Park Say ‘Iridescent’ Was A ‘Natural Fit’ For ‘Transformers’ Soundtrack
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Critics swoon over CG animation so colorful it ‘glows’ in this Brazilian bird tale voiced by Jesse Eisenberg, Jamie Foxx, more. By Eric Ditzian “Rio” Photo: 20th Century Fox If “Hop” has proved anything with its two straight weekends at the top of the box office (including a $37.5 million debut), it’s that animated fare is so often review-proof. The Russell Brand-starring tale about the Easter Bunny has owned the multiplex all this month despite being a critical dud. Now comes “Rio,” a film that not only has been garnering stellar reviews but is dropping into theaters as spring vacations unleash students from schools around the country. Is it any surprise, then, that some box-office prognosticators are suggesting the 3-D flick could gross as much as $50 million in its opening weekend? Critics have been lauding the film’s eye-popping visuals, winning musical numbers and memorable cast of supporting characters. The only criticisms, it seems, are that “Rio” perhaps jams too much wackiness into its 96-minute running time. For those assessments and more, read on for what the critics are saying about the movie. The Story “The opening musical number, featuring the exotic birds of Brazil in choreographed flight, is splashy enough to be promising. The CG animation is so colorful it just about glows. And it certainly seems a great idea to have Jesse Eisenberg, with his nerdy-hiccupy eagerness, voice the animated hero, a macaw named Blu who got poached from his native South American rain forest and has grown up as the companion of Linda (Leslie Mann), a Minnesota bookstore owner. The perfectly sturdy bird-out-of-water setup has Blu being taken back down to Rio by ornithologists so that he can mate with Jewel (Anne Hathaway), a gorgeous female macaw. They’re the last two adults of the species. Once there, of course, he must learn how to be a wild bird: how to fly and fall in love.” — Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly The Performances “Eisenberg’s tremulous voice is just right for Blu, giving him a neurotic, urban, understated wit. ‘You know how people say, “It’s a jungle out there?” ‘ he complains to Jewel when they find themselves in the middle of a rain forest. ‘Not a good thing.’ He gets strong support from Tracy Morgan as a bulldog, George Lopez as a toucan, and will.i.am and Jamie Foxx as friendly birds. But the star of the show in every respect is a cockatoo named Nigel (Jemaine Clement of HBO’s ‘Flight of the Conchords’), one of the most masterfully animated characters in movie history.” — Nell Minow, Chicago Sun-Times The Looks and the Sounds “Produced by the team responsible for ‘Ice Age,’ the far more colorful ‘Rio’ bursts with the native beauty of Brazil, from the taut tushies on Ipanema to the familiar sights of Corcovado and Rio’s cramped favelas. Composers John Powell and the great Sergio Mendes take their cues from samba and Antonio Carlos Jobim to create a musical backdrop every bit as evocative as the dazzling visuals, which exploit the flora, fauna and distinctively built environment for all their jewel-toned riches.” — Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post The Dissenters “Too many supporting characters of too little comic distinction compete for our attention in ‘Rio,’ including a pack of martial-arts-trained marmosets designed to give the penguins of ‘Madagascar’ some spinoff competition. The movie isn’t dull, exactly; the problem lies in the other, antsy direction. Culminating in a melee taking place during the annual celebration of Carnaval, the movie makes it difficult to enjoy its party vibe. Serial kidnappings have a way of harshing the tropical mellow.” — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune The Final Word ” ‘Rio’ is such a delight, so much better than anything we’ve seen in animated form this year, that you won’t mind the 3-D premium prices, you won’t hate that your children want to watch the Blu-ray over and over again when it comes out on video, and won’t dread the compulsion they’ll feel to do sequels — lots and lots of sequels — and probably spoil it as they do.” — Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel Check out everything we’ve got on “Rio.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
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‘Rio’: The Reviews Are In!
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Kristen Schaal talks to MTV News about playing power-suited commander in chief in brand-new clip. By James Montgomery Kristen Schaal in the National’s “Conversation 16” video Photo: 4AD In the National’s brand-new video for “Conversation 16,” comedian Kristen Schaal drew perhaps the toughest assignment of her career: She had to play the president, a role that required not only exhaustive research, but an equally exhaustive hairstyle too. “Well, what I did is I went through several pictures and videos of all the presidents, even George Washington — I found a flipbook — and I studied their demeanors. And you know, you’ve got to play your cards close to your vest as president, so I’ve just got this serious look that I have throughout the video … it took me three weeks to master it,” Schaal told MTV News. “[And] I got my friend to do my hair, and she’s good at hair, so she put it up. I said I wanted it to be up like Janelle Mon
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The two-time Emmy winner joins Sunday’s show hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Timberlake Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images The small screen’s hottest stars will come out on Sunday for the 61st Annual Emmy Awards , hosted by “How I Met You Mother” star and Emmy nominee Neil Patrick Harris
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Justin Timberlake Joins Emmy Awards Presenters
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The man at the center of the investigation into Michael Jackson’s death, Dr. Conrad Murray , is in the LAPD’s crosshairs thanks to his own comments. According to TMZ, which cites law enforcement sources, Dr
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Dr. Conrad Murray Incriminating Himself in Jackson Death
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Candidates for the 2009 Emmy Awards were announced this morning. 30 Rock and Mad Me n led their fields with 22 and 16 nominations, respectively. Sadly, there was no love for The Hills or The Bachelor in the Best Drama category, but here’s a full list of major nominees: Outstanding Comedy Series Entourage Family Guy Flight of the Conchords How I Met Your Mother The Office 30 Rock Weeds Tina Fey, seen here holding last year’s Emmy, and Alec Baldwin bring the funny to 30 Rock every Thursday night
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Emmy Award Nominations: 30 Rock, Mad Men Dominate
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