‘Eye roll,’ Gaga tweets after music mag NME blasts her latest LP. By James Montgomery Lady Gaga Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images Earlier this week, British music mag NME set out to determine the “10 Most Pretentious Albums Ever.” The list includes (genuinely pretty terrible) conceptual fare like Kiss’ Music From “The Elder,” Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music and, uh, Lady Gaga ‘s Born This Way, which somehow bested all competitors to nab the #1 spot. How? Well, as NME writer Priya Elan wrote, “On Born This Way, [Gaga] seemed to believe in her own hype, convinced she had a message to share. Cue an album of unwieldy ‘anthems’ that couldn’t mask the fact that the fun had left the building.” Elan singled out the thumping “Schei
March 23 release tops first-day advance-sales record set by ‘Eclipse.’ By Jocelyn Vena Josh Hutcherson in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate Fans of “The Hunger Games” are hungry to get their hands on tickets to the film. Presales for the flick have surpassed a record previously held by the third film in the “Twilight Saga” phenomenon, “Eclipse.” Fandango reports that the first day of presales for the film , which kicked off Wednesday, had already led to hundreds of sold-out showtimes in advance of the flick’s March 23 opening day. “Eclipse” broke the first-day advance-sales record back in May 14, 2010. In the wake of the overwhelming interest in “Games,” many theater owners have added more showtimes to keep up with the pace. ” ‘The Hunger Games’ is off to a fantastic start,” said Rick Butler, executive vice president and general manager of Fandango. “Yesterday, we saw the biggest first-day advance-ticketing sales in our company’s nearly 12-year history — which is especially impressive for a March release and a non-sequel.” With so much anticipation building, two new TV spots were released Wednesday. They feature lots of the film’s leading lady, Jennifer Lawrence, as well as some more sneak peeks into how the rest of cast will look in the Gary Ross-directed big-screen adaptation. The 30-second clips also include glimpses at the action, heartbreak and strength of Lawrence’s Katniss character. Of course, there’s also some hot-guy eye candy, with quick glances at Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson. Before the film hits theaters, the three leads — Lawrence, Hutcherson and Hemsworth — as well as much of the supporting cast will embark on a U.S. mall tour . It will hit eight cities, kicking off March 3 in Los Angeles and wrapping up March 10 in Seattle. 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 Videos MTV Rough Cut: Jennifer Lawrence And Josh Hutcherson MTV Rough Cut: ‘Hunger Games’ Related Photos ‘Hunger Games’ Character Posters
‘The Help’ star Viola Davis will likely help herself to a statuette on Sunday. By Amy Wilkinson Viola Davis in “The Help” Photo: DreamWorks The Oscars love nothing more than a role that allows an actress to a) portray a historical figure or b) completely transform herself physically. (And, lest we forget, some combination thereof, i.e. Charlize Theron’s chilling turn as serial killer Aileen Wuornos in 2003’s “Monster”). This year’s Best Actress field is no exception, with four of the five nominees falling squarely into one of these categories. Representing real-life ladies we have Meryl Streep as first female British prime minister Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady” and Michelle Williams as breathy blond bombshell Marilyn Monroe in “My Week With Marilyn.” In the transformation category is Rooney Mara, all pierced and tatted as punk-hacker Lisbeth Salander in “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” and Glenn Close playing a woman playing a man in the period drama “Albert Nobbs.” And the wildcard nominee? “The Help” star Viola Davis. Yet, despite her non-conformity, Davis may just be the lady going home Sunday night with Oscar. Can anyone top her? Here are our predictions for Best Actress. Who will win : The big-screen adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s 2009 novel has been riding a wave of accolades this awards season, notching several wins at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, including awards for Davis, co-star Octavia Spencer and the entire ensemble cast. (In fact, we’ve already predicted a win for Spencer in the Best Supporting Actress category too.) Despite Williams and Streep both scoring Golden Globes for their respective roles, we expect Davis triumph thanks to her moving portrayal of Southern maid Aibileen Clark in this racially charged, yet uplifting film. Who should win : Davis is a strong contender to be sure, but going on sheer dedication alone, the trophy should go to relative newcomer Mara. The girl pierced her nipple for goodness’ sake! Mara has so embodied Stieg Larsson’s embattled heroine that we’ve been having a hard time separating her on-screen persona from her off-screen, as she continues to walk carpets sporting Salander’s raven locks and even darker wardrobe. Sure, the film didn’t perform as well as many had hoped, but it had nothing to do with Mara’s gritty performance. As it turns out, we’re a fool for a good transformation role too. Who do you think will take home the Oscar for Best Actress? Leave your comment below! Related Videos 2012 Oscar Nominees
As we count down the days to Sunday’s awards show, we check up on last year’s Oscar darlings. By Kara Warner Natalie Portman at the 2011 Oscars Photo: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images With less than four days to go until Hollywood’s main event, our Oscar thoughts are zeroed in on this year’s lucky nominees and potential winners. With all the hullabaloo surrounding this year’s awards season, it’s easy to forget about the shining stars who took home Oscar gold last year. Here’s a look at what 2011’s Oscar darlings are up to now: Colin Firth After taking home the Best Actor award for his memorable performance in “The King’s Speech,” Firth has kept himself very busy with a role in the critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated ensemble spy drama “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” and has a slew of projects lined up for release in 2012 and beyond: the Coen brothers-scripted “Gambit,” co-starring Alan Rickman and Cameron Diaz; “Arthur Newman, Golf Pro,” with Emily Blunt and Anne Heche; West Memphis Three-based thriller “The Devil’s Knot” with Reese Witherspoon; and the next installment in the Bridget Jones franchise, “Bridget Jones’ Baby.” Natalie Portman Portman has followed up her Best Actress win for her chilling, unforgettable performance in “Black Swan” with a very different, but far more weighty role: motherhood. Portman and her dancer/choreographer fianc
Snow White herself shows off fantastical forest, crumbling village and dwarves’ cottage during MTV News’ set visit. By John Mitchell, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Lily Collins in “Mirror Mirror” Photo: Snow White Productions When “Mirror Mirror” hits theaters March 30, moviegoers will be transported to an enchanted land of snowy forests, old-timey villages and lavish castles for a classic retelling of the Snow White fairy tale. But why wait that long when you can get a sneak peek behind the scenes right now? MTV News’ own Josh Horowitz was lucky enough to visit the “Mirror Mirror” set and received a guided tour from Snow White herself, Lily Collins. “This is where I live,” Collins declared while welcoming MTV News to the snowy forest set of the film. She was quick to caution that, unlike real snow, the white stuff piled throughout the woods wasn’t exactly appetizing. “It’s salt,” she warned. “This is the forest as you can see, obviously. The dwarves’ tree house is somewhere in these woods. The majority of the action takes place here,” Collins explained. “And I’m in big ball gowns running around in this wood. I’m fighting with Armie [Hammer].” From the forest, Collins took MTV News to another soundstage, where a dilapidated village was constructed. The place was in disrepair — and, of course, it was all Julia Roberts’ fault. “It has seen better days, yes,” Collins told MTV News. “The story is that the queen [Roberts] has spent all the money, and so the village is poor.” Next, the 22-year-old “Abduction” actress introduced Josh to the dwarves’ cottage, which features several small beds and a shorter-than-usual kitchen table. “This is the classic, iconic dwarves’ house, as you can tell by the little things around. So much goes on in this house,” the actress said. “Everything from the iconic waking up scene with the dwarves and I [to] Armie — imagine Armie, how tall he is, he is in here quite a bit.” The lovely actress even invited Josh to stay in the cottage. “Don’t you want to stay? Take a little bed up there?” she asked. Alas, none of the beds built for the seven dwarves would be a good fit and Collins knows it, having given them a go herself. “I tried fitting in one of those too; they’re really small,” she admitted. Check out everything we’ve got on “Mirror Mirror.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com .
Band set to kick off big, bad tour in support of Some Nights next week. By James Montgomery Nate Ruess of Fun. Photo: MTV News Momentum has been building behind Fun. ‘s Some Nights album since September, when the band unveiled the teaser clip for “We Are Young,” their stirring anthem that is spending its second week in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 (alongside usual suspects Katy Perry, Adele and Rihanna), cementing its status as the first out-of-nowhere smash of 2012. Since that teaser, they’ve been the subject of innumerable “Next Big Thing” pieces and released a proper video for the song, and earlier this week, Some Nights finally hit stores. So with their single sitting high on the charts and a full-scale tour in support of their album set to kick off next week, one has to wonder what it’s like to actually be in the band at this very moment, as they stand perched on the brink of big-time success. “I think we’re very aware of what’s happening around us, and I think there’s a level of excitement, but I feel like there’s so much more to accomplish, and we do want to accomplish all of that,” frontman Nate Ruess told MTV News. “So any sort of victory that we might not have had the privilege of having over the last 10 years that might be coming now, we only give ourselves about a second and then we think, ‘All right, what’s next?’ ” “Also, having done this for such a long time, we’ve put all the emphasis on the artistic victories, so we’ve always just been trained for those to be the most satisfying ones,” guitarist Jack Antonoff added. “So anything that’s happening on the other side of things, I think the three of us just think, ‘It’s so exciting. Now we can make this artistic dream come true.’ If people are finding out about the band [now], we can have this elaborate stage set up that we’ve always dreamed of, or we can work with this producer, or get this instrument that we always wanted.” And if their enthusiasm seems somewhat tempered, well, you can’t blame them. After all, all three members of Fun. have logged time in previous bands (the Format, Steel Train, Anathallo), and they’ve each seen how quickly fortunes can change. Still, they’d be lying if they didn’t say they’re looking to take full advantage of their sorta superstar status — and you’ll be able to tell on their upcoming tour. “We’re taking every penny we can squeeze out of the band to create some sort of wild show, and I think we’re always going to do that,” Antonoff said. “So if you see us in a club that holds 1,000 people, you’re going to get a big show for that size club. … We’re always going to push it” So with one smash hit under their belts, Fun. will push on into 2012 looking to expand both their fanbase and their reach — which, of course, is going to require a bit of sacrifice. Then again, after slogging it out for 10 years, the guys in Fun. are sort of used to all that. “I’m kind of annoyed, because I finally got an apartment on the Upper West Side, and I was looking forward to being there, just, you know, the calm before the storm,” Ruess laughed. “Because I know how we are; we’re just going to be on tour for the whole entire year. So there’s not going to be any time at home. Oh well.” Will you check out Fun. on tour? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists fun.
Manufactured Superstars single features the heiress’ spoken word over an electro-house beat. By Elizabeth Lancaster Paris Hilton Photo: Getty Images Staying true to her roots, Paris Hilton is speaking to party girls everywhere in the new Manufactured Superstars single “Drunk Text.” “Drunk Text” dropped with an accompanying video Thursday (February 23), featuring an electro-house beat under the socialite’s spoken word. As for the lyrics, Paris narrates a modern clubgoer’s inner-monologue, highlighting key partying moments like dancing, taking shots and, you guessed it, drunk texting. The most attention-grabbing element of the video is Hilton herself. Focusing mostly on her red-lipstick-stained mouth speaking the words to the song, the camera also occasionally pans to the songstress relaxing in various locations throughout the club in a stunning-yet-suggestive black dress. This is a major transition from her bikini-clad “Stars Are Blind” music video , channeling a chic and erotic energy for the more risqu
Manufactured Superstars single features the heiress’ spoken word over an electro-house beat. By Elizabeth Lancaster Paris Hilton Photo: Getty Images Staying true to her roots, Paris Hilton is speaking to party girls everywhere in the new Manufactured Superstars single “Drunk Text.” “Drunk Text” dropped with an accompanying video Thursday (February 23), featuring an electro-house beat under the socialite’s spoken word. As for the lyrics, Paris narrates a modern clubgoer’s inner-monologue, highlighting key partying moments like dancing, taking shots and, you guessed it, drunk texting. The most attention-grabbing element of the video is Hilton herself. Focusing mostly on her red-lipstick-stained mouth speaking the words to the song, the camera also occasionally pans to the songstress relaxing in various locations throughout the club in a stunning-yet-suggestive black dress. This is a major transition from her bikini-clad “Stars Are Blind” music video , channeling a chic and erotic energy for the more risqu
‘I don’t like anything about Drake,’ DMX tells New York’s Power 105 on Thursday. By Rob Markman DMX Photo: Jason Kempin/FilmMagic DMX never holds back, and during a Thursday morning (February 23) interview on New York’s Power 105, the Dog spoke his mind — freely. X, who is performing a homecoming concert Thursday night in New York, spoke with the Breakfast Club personalities, Angela Yee, DJ Envy and Charlamagne, opening up about his career and giving his take on some of rap’s newest stars. The Dog let loose his collaboration with MTV’s 2011 Hottest Breakthrough MC Machine Gun Kelly on “I Don’t Dance.” While Dark Man X praised MGK, saying that he was better than 80 percent of the rappers today, he wasn’t as impressed with Drake. When asked if he liked Drizzy, X responded, “No,” without any hesitation. “I don’t like anything about Drake,” he stated freely. “I don’t like his f—ing voice; I don’t like the sh– he talks about; I don’t like his face; I don’t like the way he walks. Nothing. I don’t like his haircut.” It didn’t seem that DMX had a personal problem with the Young Money standout, but Drake clearly isn’t his cup of tea. Neither is Rick Ross. “I’m just not impressed, man,” he said when asked about his opinion on Rozay’s lyrical prowess. X also went on to reveal that he turned down a deal with Ross’ Maybach Music Group. He received interest from the label while he was in prison last year, but he didn’t think MMG was a good fit. “I appreciated the offer, but I really couldn’t see it happening like that,” he said. DMX is getting ready to release his next LP, Undisputed, sometime this year, though he wouldn’t commit to the rumored March date. In his new record deal, all X says he’s looking for is the proper promotion and creative control. It’s a push that he didn’t feel he got during his last few years on Def Jam when his former Murda Inc. rhyming partner Jay-Z was the company’s president. “When he first got the job he gave me a call like, ‘Yo Dog the inmates are running the building, we good,’ ” he said of a conversation that took place between him and Jay some years ago as DMX was prepping his sixth album for the label. In DMX’s mind, his former collaborator felt threatened by the onetime rap superstar. “How do you listen to a whole album, pick a single, shoot a video, then don’t know,” X questioned about Jay’s presidential motives at the time. “OK, I see what’s really good; you’re trying to eliminate the competition.” Were DMX’s comments out of line? Leave your comment below! Related Videos ‘Hottest MCs In The Game VII’ ‘RapFix Live’ With Machine Gun Kelly And Kendrick Lamar ‘RapFix Live’ With Method Man And Irv Gotti Related Artists DMX Rick Ross Drake
From Bob Hope to Chris Rock, MTV News looks back on the most memorable Academy Awards emcees. By Kevin P. Sullivan Anne Hathaway and James Franco at the 2011 Academy Awards Photo: Getty Images Every year, almost as important as the Best Picture winner is the host of the Academy Awards . Both grab headlines the next day, and both are sure to endure their fair share of criticism. With almost every host having to face the black-and-white judgments of “good host or bad host,” who ranks among the best and the worst? Here’s our take on the Oscar hosts worth awarding and the one’s that should have been snubbed. Best Billy Crystal If someone hosts the show nine times, there’s probably a good reason. Crystal carved out a niche for himself as the host of the big show starting in 1990 by keeping it light and throwing in a good song-and-dance routine for good measure. Johnny Carson The king of late night hosted the Academy Awards five times, the third most of any host. His overwhelming popularity from “The Tonight Show” carried over into his stints as host and made him one of the most consistently successful hosts. His familiarity with celebrities and experience with off-the-cuff comedy led to one of the Oscar’s most memorable lines: “I see a lot of news faces, especially on the old faces.” Bob Hope If repeat jobs as host are a measure of success, Bob Hope takes the top prize after hosting the ceremony a record 19 times. Famously calling attention to his lack of nominations, Hope’s self-deprecating humor made him an Oscar legend and a rightful spot as the show’s most frequent host. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin As the first paired hosts since Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn and Paul Hogan in 1987, Martin and Baldwin played off each other well enough to earn them the title of “best in recent years.” Though Martin had solo hosting duties in 2001 and 2003, it wasn’t until he joined forces with Baldwin that he earned his highest praise. Jon Stewart The host of “The Daily Show” faced a good deal of criticism after his first stint as host in 2006. He didn’t shy away from controversy, calling out the liberal politics of Hollywood and Scientology, but a positive audience response brought Stewart back for a second go two years later. Worst David Letterman The late-night host’s name often leads the pack when recalling the worst hosts in the history of the Oscars. His “Oprah, Uma” gag and the negative reaction it got precedes most talk of how Letterman actually did. Letterman never returned to host after his one appearance in 1995. Anne Hathaway and James Franco The most notorious hosts in recent years, Hathaway and Franco were supposed to welcome a younger audience and make the Oscars cool again. What resulted was an odd and scattered show that was neither very funny nor cool. Many complained the Franco had phoned it in, while others found Hathaway cloying. Chris Rock Rock’s greatest offense as host of the Academy Awards may have just been doing his normal routine, but the audience (and Sean Penn, in particular) didn’t take too kindly to the comedian poking fun at some of the faces in the crowd. Chevy Chase Chase hosted the show a total a two times, but only once by himself. The year after his solo gig, no one hosted, which is all you need to know about that. Jerry Lewis It may be hard to believe with today’s bloated ceremony, but in 1959, the ceremony wrapped up 20 minutes before it was scheduled to. To kill the leftover time, Lewis vamped on stage and forced some of the night’s winners to continue singing and dancing on stage. NBC eventually ended the show early, but the dead, ad-libbed airtime remains an infamous part of the Oscar legacy. Who else should make the lists of best and worst Oscar hosts? Leave your comment below! The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Stick with us for everything you need to know leading up to the awards show, and on Sunday, February 26, tune into MTV.com at 5 p.m. ET for our two-and-a-half-hour red-carpet live stream and updates on the night’s big winners. To join the live conversation, tweet @MTVNews with the hashtag #Oscars. Related Videos Oscars 2012: And The Nominees Are…
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