Latest episode features a massive departure from the source material. By Josh Wigler Alfie Allen in “Game of Thrones” Photo: HBO See that beautiful platinum-blond princess across the way? That’s Daenerys Targaryen. Stay away from her. Everyone she loves dies or gets taken away — not ideal for those of you who value your lives. Honestly, as much as I’m loving this season, I’m not happy with where “Game of Thrones” is taking Dany. I’m an avid fan of George R.R. Martin’s source material but not a stickler or purist who believes his novels must be adapted to the letter. Still, the liberties taken with Dany in Qarth, this week in particular, feel needless and damaging to who the character is. We’ll get deeper into that later in our recap. Keep reading for more updates from Westeros, most of them blood-soaked and reeking of death — with one lovely exception. Bye-Bye, Whiskers Northerners, man. Those guys have a hard time hanging onto their heads, don’t they? Ser Rodrick is the latest to die on the chopping block, at the hands of the traitorous (not to mention embarrassingly weak) Theon Greyjoy, now fancying himself Lord of Winterfell and Prince of the Iron Islands. As we say goodbye to the sweetest whiskers in Westeros, Rodrick’s final words ring true: Theon really is truly lost now. But where Theon falls, his performer rises: Actor Alfie Allen continues to kill it as Theon this season. If you think you’ve seen him at his lowest after this week — well, keep watching. Gone With the Reeds With Winterfell sacked, Bran and his companions are left powerless … well, not entirely powerless. The crafty Osha sleeps with Theon and manages to sneak Bran, Rickon, Hodor and the direwolves out of House Stark’s royal seat as a result. It’s cool to see this story moving so quickly, but still, where are Jojen and Meera Reed? The greenseer and his sister are huge parts of Bran’s story at this point in the books, but with their continued absence and Osha’s increasing prominence, I’m beginning to think they’re out of the picture for good. Casualty of adaptation, I suppose, but a change I’m sorry to see. Ra Ra Riot The North isn’t the only area of Westeros under fire. In King’s Landing, the wicked Joffrey’s awful behavior nearly costs him his life when he incites a bloody riot that turns the streets red. He barely escapes with his life — though he thankfully doesn’t evade a physical shaming at Tyrion’s hands once again — as does Sansa, who is nearly raped by a trio of rioters. Her life is saved by the Hound, who finally gets his long-awaited Terminator moment when he guts one of the would-be rapists and kills the other two in equally merciless fashion. One of the best characters in the books, Sandor Clegane hasn’t had much to do on the show so far. Perhaps this is the beginning of bold new things for the most feared burn victim in the Seven Kingdoms. Kissed by Fire It wasn’t all doom and gloom on “Thrones” this week. Finally, Jon Snow has met his match in Ygritte, a wilding warrior woman who is more than prepared to meet her maker should the worst come to pass. Of course, she also values her life greatly and isn’t afraid to make some moves on Jon to keep herself safe. That’s not great news for Jon; as a man of the Night’s Watch, Lord Snow isn’t allowed to take women into his bed. Then again, he’s a teenager and, well, you know — hormones and all that. Perhaps what happens north of the Wall stays north of the Wall? Where Are My Dragons? All the way east in Qarth, Dany is unsuccessful in recruiting the city’s leaders to her cause to sail to Westeros and claim the Iron Throne. Worse, when the khaleesi returns to her quarters after her failed attempt to secure a fleet, she finds many members of her khalasar — beloved handmaiden Irri included — dead, with her dragons missing to boot. None of this happens in the books. I’m guessing it’s a dramatic new way to get Dany to the House of the Undying, where she’ll experience her fair share of life-altering events. But it’s an unnecessary departure that, A) kills even more of the characters in Dany’s story despite their survival in the books, further complicating the butterfly effect the show will have to deal with as it gets deeper into Martin’s mythology, and B) cheapens Dany’s character by stealing her dragons right out from under her. Just as she says, Dany is a strong and fierce fighter fueled by fire and blood. She is the mother of dragons. There is no world in which Dany’s dragons are taken from her without her losing her life in the process. I don’t like what the show’s decision to steal Dany’s dragons away from her says about the character, but maybe that’s just me. What say you, readers of “Ice and Fire”: Are you as bothered by the new changes to Dany’s story as I am, or are you not sweating it? Hit us up in the comments below and let us know! In Previous “Game of Thrones” News …
We take a closer look at the latest action-packed sneak peek. By Kara Warner Andrew Garfield in “The Amazing Spider-Man” Photo: Columbia Pictures Holy web-slingers, Spidey fans: Another trailer for “The Amazing Spider-Man” has arrived! While there are several familiar scenes from the first two epic teasers weaved into this exciting new two-and-a-half minutes, director Marc Webb has introduced a bunch of intriguing new elements into the new footage. Here are five key scenes from the latest trailer: Lonely Boy Webb told us previously that the fact that Peter Parker is an orphan will play heavily into the story of this film, which is very much exemplified by the multiple “lonely boy” shots of Parker standing atop various buildings or walking by himself through the city streets with a forlorn look on his face. Not to mention Andrew Garfield’s voice-over: “This life is not an easy one. I’ve made enemies, powerful enemies. I’ve put people I love in danger, but the one thing that has haunted me my entire life is finding the truth about my parents … ” “I think there’s a real emotional consequence to someone who’s left by their parents when they’re 7 or 8 years old,” Webb has said . “And that contributes to sort of this trickster, chip-on-his-shoulder attitude.” Other Mischief May Come Speaking of Parker’s trickster side, we get another glimpse of his comedic and sarcastic sensibilities during his encounter with a carjacker, as shown in the previous trailer. What’s new and fun this time around is Parker taunting the guy: “You found my weakness!” Parker says to the carjacker sarcastically. “It’s small knives!” The other intriguing and very possibly mischievous element in play here is the quick shot we see of Parker looking up at the impossibly tall and menacing Oscorp skyscraper. Yes, we know Parker is interested in the building because of its ties to his father and that Oscorp ID card he holds onto, but we can’t help but feel a little bit of foreshadowing is at play in knowing what plays out with one Norman Osborn. Lizard in a Lab Coat Behold, the recently transformed, very dangerous-looking Lizard crumpled on the floor and bursting out of his lab coat — or the lab coat of his former self, Dr. Curt Connors (played by Rhys Ifans). We’ve seen some very quick shots of the film’s central villain before, but this trailer offers us multiple glimpses at the before-and-after of Dr. Connors. And he is not at all a nice guy in his hulking green lizardy form (“Avengers” pun un-intended). We see the Lizard hurling innocent people around and later in heated pursuit of our heroic web-slinger. Mystery Man With Intel Speaking of the pre-reptilian Dr. Connors, there is a very brief, but intriguing interrogation-like scene in the trailer between Connors and an unidentified older gentleman. The gentleman looks to have long-ish white hair and is shown in a sort of shadowy silhouette asking the good doctor a very pointed question about Peter Parker and his parents. “Did you tell the boy about his father?” he says to Connors. We don’t get to hear the Doc’s response during this brief exchange, but the worried-but-stubborn look on Connors’ face says the man is definitely withholding some key information that will undoubtedly prove to be of major importance to Parker down the line. Action, Action and More Action And just like all great superheroic trailers before it, Webb spends the last minute or so of his new trailer impressing us with tons of action. We see Parker-as-Spider-Man’s extraordinary athleticism in some scenes of good old-fashioned chasery: He dodges police officers, carjackers and the Lizard, not to mention one impressive feat wherein he appears to be holding a burning car from plunging into a river — which, by the way, totally reminds us of a scene from Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man,” whether that was intended or not; we’ll have to see the finished film to decide. There is also more demonstration of Spidey’s fancy web-slingers as he masters his skills with swinging from building to building and stealthily sliding into rooms upside down. Check out everything we’ve got on “The Amazing Spider-Man.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Photos ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ Trailer 2: Five Key Scenes
Biggest joke in LeAnn Rimes other than being LeAnn Rimes is that she renewed her wedding vows with her husband – because they’ve been married a minute and felt it was time – you know since marriage and the sanctitude of marriage is so important to them – that’s why they both cheated on their last spouses when they found each other….that they can play off as being love at first sight, soul mates or whatever other bullshit they want, when we all know it was all about the fuck….and just cuz you marry the guy you cheated on your husband, who you vowed to be with til death do you part, clearly an empty promise on her part, still makes you a useless fucking whore of a person who happens to have her hard fake titty body in a bikini on this spiritual journey of bullshit love….fuck this cunt like it was married cuz marriage doesn’t matter – even if you double up with the same guy every fucking year until you’re cunt finally does die…while your face still looks 11 with all that freaky botox- you fucking monster or the kangaroos/ICE T in TANK GIRL….. that face is pulled back harder than her clit hood when she’s trying to squirt….I assume she does that…all the religious freaks do…. Speaking of Religious freaks…check this idiot out who says beat the gay out of your kids when they show signs of gay like wearing dresses and playing with dolls…. Playing with dolls as a kid is what led me to playing with stripper and hooker pussy….idiot….this makes me mad…because gay guys are our partners…they teach their female friends how to be slutty…ever see Sex and the City….the shit that inspired all girls to slutty career chicks, written by a homo….that shit is vital to us getting laid by the 27 – 35 year old crowd…….shit may have even inspired LeAnn Rimes, who was married to a gay dancer, to step up her game and homewreck….you see it all comes full circle…the journey that is my brain…. TO SEE THE REST OF THE PICS OF LeAnn Rimes in a BI FOLLOW THIS LINK
It’s not every day that a studio turns 100. As such, Universal is making the most of its centennial with a host of events including the recent Tribeca Film Festival shout out to the the company courtesy of Robert DeNiro and Judd Apatow . But today, April 30, is the big day itself, and to kick off the first day of its second century, the company released “100 fun facts” from its history. The list includes many factoids sure to show up on a crossword puzzle near you, such as the name of the mechanical shark in Steven Spielberg’s Jaws , what happened to the hole left by John Belushi when he smashed in a wall with his guitar in Animal House , and the store where the crew from American Pie bought that “warm apple pie” subsequently deflowered by Jason Biggs. There’s the skinny on what inspired Carl Laemmle to name his studio Universal a century ago. Fans and film enthusiasts can celebrate online today at the official Universal Centennial website . Meanwhile, read on for 100 facts about Universal: 1. Universal Film Manufacturing Company was officially incorporated in New York on April 30, 1912. Company legend says Carl Laemmle was inspired to name his company Universal after seeing “Universal Pipe Fittings” written on a passing delivery wagon. 2. The only physical damage made during the filming of National Lampoon’s Animal House was when John Belushi made a hole in the wall with a guitar. The actual Sigma Nu fraternity house (which subbed for the fictitious Delta House) never repaired it, and instead framed the hole in honor of the film. 3. The working title for E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial was “A Boy’s Life.” 4. In the movie All Quiet on the Western Front , the Greek writing on the blackboard in the schoolroom is the beginning of Homer’s Odyssey: “Tell me, oh Muse, of that ingenious hero who traveled far and wide.” 5. In 1969, a then 22-year old Steven Spielberg was assigned to direct the Universal Television series pilot, Night Gallery . It’s safe to say things went pretty well for Steven after that. 6. The word “dude” in The Big Lebowski is used approximately 161 times in the movie: 160 times spoken and once in text (in the credits for “Gutterballs,” the second dream sequence). The F-word or a variation of the F-word is used 292 times. The Dude says “man” 147 times in the movie — that’s nearly 1.5 times a minute. 7. The first feature filmed at Universal City was Damon and Pythias in 1914. 8. President Ronald Reagan starred in the 1951 Universal feature film, Bedtime for Bonzo . 9. Back to the Future ’s DeLorean time machine is actually a licensed, registered vehicle in the state of California. While the vanity license plate used in the film says “OUTATIME,” the DeLorean’s actual license plate reads 3CZV657. 10. The film A Beautiful Mind was shot in sequence in order to help Russell Crowe better develop his character’s emotional and physical arc. 11. American Graffiti ’s budget was exactly $777,777.77, and it was delivered on time – and on budget. 12. In the Alfred Hitchcock classic The Birds , Tippi Hedren was actually cut in the face by a bird during the shooting of one sequence. 13. Throughout his career, Rock Hudson appeared in 46 feature films with Universal including Pillow Talk , All That Heaven Allows and Magnificent Obsession . In 1953, he was elected Mayor of Universal City. 14. The infamous apple pie in the movie American Pie was purchased by the production from Costco. 15. In the movie The Breakfast Club , the students ate the following for lunch: Andrew: A bag of chips, chocolate cookies, three sandwiches, milk, a banana and an apple. Claire: Sushi. Allison: Sandwich with Pixie Stix and Captain Crunch cereal. Brian: Soup, sandwich with peanut butter and jam and apple juice. Bender: Nothing. 16. In Brokeback Mountain , the song Jack plays on his harmonica is “He Was a Friend of Mine,” the same song Willie Nelson sings during the closing credits. 17. The film Buck Privates took in $4 million at the U.S. Box Office (at a time when theater admission ranged between 10 and 25 cents). 18. A sneak preview of the film Buck Privates was held in late January 1941 for soldiers at Fort MacArthur, California. 19. The Munster’s House on Colonial Street was originally built for the 1946 production, So Goes My Love . 20. The title of the movie Do The Right Thing comes from a Malcolm X quote: “You’ve got to do the right thing.” 21. According to reports, during some of the Russian roulette scenes in the movie The Deer Hunter , a live round was put into the gun to heighten the actors’ tension per Robert De Niro’s suggestion. It was checked, however, to make sure the bullet was not in the chamber before the trigger was pulled. 22. In the first scene of the movie Double Indemnity , when Walter first kisses Phyllis, there is a wedding ring on Walter’s hand. Fred MacMurray was married and the ring was not noticed until post-production. 23. When Bela Lugosi, star of the monster classic, Dracula , died in 1956, he was buried wearing a black silk cape similar to the one he wore in the film. 24. At 29,500 sq. ft., Universal Studios’ Stage 12 is the 7th largest soundstage in the world. It was originally built for the 1929 musical Broadway . 25. Carl Laemmle Jr. offered James Whale a list of more than 30 film adaptations he could direct and out of them all, Whale picked Frankenstein . It was his transition from war movies to monster pics. 26. Today’s Universal City officially opened March 15, 1915, nearly three years after Universal film Manufacturing Company was created. The first mayor was Herbert Rawlinson. 27. Vans, the company behind the checkerboard shoes worn by Sean Penn (a.k.a. Jeff Spicoli) in the cult movie classic, Fast Times at Ridgemont High , became a national brand after the film’s release in 1982. 28. Actor Charlton Heston “parted” the Red Sea attraction on the Universal Studios Tour at the attraction’s grand opening in 1973. 29. Neither Michelle Rodriguez nor Jordana Brewster had drivers’ licenses or even learners’ permits before production of the film in Fast and the Furious . 30. Universal pioneered the Academy Award-winning Sensurround Sound System which made its first appearance in the 1974 movie, Earthquake . The Sensurround system caused low-frequency audio waves to be felt by the audience and created a visceral complement to the seismic tremors and destruction depicted on screen. 31. In the movie Field of Dreams , both Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are among the thousands of extras in the Fenway Park scene. Over a decade later, when Phil Alden Robinson worked with Affleck on the production of The Sum of All Fears , Affleck said, “Nice working with you again.” 32. In the coliseum scenes in Gladiator , only the bottom two decks are actually filled with people. The other thousands of spectators are computer-animated. 33. Carole Lombard in My Man Godfrey was the first actress at Universal to receive a nomination for “Best Actress” at the Academy Awards. 34. William Powell from the 1936 film, My Man Godfrey was the first actor at Universal to receive a nomination for “Best Actor” at the Academy Awards. 35. The Universal sound technician, Jack Foley, developed the method of creating and recording many of the natural, everyday sound effects in a film. Today this method is named after him. 36. Universal’s first talking picture was Melody of Love . 37. The Universal Amphitheatre opened in 1972 with a staged concert version of Jesus Christ Superstar . The film version was released in 1973. 38. The legendary thriller and suspense director Alfred Hitchcock did not win any Academy Awards while working with Universal. 39. Thomas Edison presented Universal Studios with a plaque dedicating its first electric studio on October 27, 1915. 40. In the infamous shower scene in Psycho , the sound of the knife-stabbing actress Janet Leigh was made by plunging a knife into a melon. 41. The film Traffic in Souls is considered Universal’s first full-length feature film. 42. The legendary studio head Irving Thalberg got his start in show business as Carl Laemmle’s personal secretary in 1917. 43. ET: The Extra Terrestrial is Universal Pictures’ all-time highest grossing film. 44. With the over-budget production of Show Boat , Carl Laemmle was forced to sell Universal Studios to his creditors in 1936. 45. In 1995, Waterworld generated worldwide attention for being the most expensive film made to date. Unable to live up to expectations at the box office, the film eventually turned a profit due to strong home video sales and inspired one of the most popular theme park attractions of all time. 46. About 25% of the film Jaws was shot from water level so audiences could better relate to treading water. 47. In the film The Invisible Man , the director dressed Claude Rains in black velvet and filmed him against a black velvet background to create the effect that he wasn’t there. 48. Some of the props used in the 2005 version of King Kong were original props from the 1933 version. These props came from Peter Jackson’s personal collection and include the Skull Island spears and brightly painted shield, and some of the drums from the sacrifice scene. 49. In Jurassic Park , a guitar string was used to make the water ripple on the dash of the Ford Explorer by attaching it to the underside of the dash beneath the glass. 50. Universal entered the 3-D market with the film, It Came from Outer Space (1953). 51. Universal won its first Best Picture Academy Award for All Quiet on the Western Front in 1930. 52. Steven Spielberg nicknamed the mechanical shark in the movie Jaws , “Bruce.” 53. In the film The Incredible Shrinking Man , when Louise is on the phone asking for the operator, the music playing on the radio is the theme song to Written on the Wind , which was made at Universal the year prior. 54. The script Charlton Heston holds in the film Earthquake as he’s running lines with Genevieve Bujold is actually the script for “Earthquake” and on the page of the scene being shot. 55. It took two-and-a-half hours a day to apply Lon Chaney’s makeup in The Hunchback of Notre Dame . 56. Legendary Universal Chairman Lew R. Wasserman received an Academy Award in 1973 for his role as a humanitarian. 57. With the film Meet the Fockers , the MPAA would not allow use of the name ‘Focker’ unless the filmmakers could find an actual person with that last name. 58. The first American film to show a toilet flushing on screen was Psycho . 59. While Jurassic Park was in post-production, Steven Spielberg began working on Schindler’s List in Poland and worked via satellite, courtesy of technology provided by George Lucas. 60. In the film, Scarface , an M16 assault rifle with an M203 40mm grenade launcher attached to the barrel is Tony’s “little friend.” 61. The 1932 film Scarface was one of the first films to feature the Thompson submachine gun, known historically as the “tommy gun.” 62. In the film Pillow Talk , Tony Randall was supposed to fake a reaction to being decked in the face by one of the restaurant patrons. However, during filming, the actor overestimated and actually knocked out Randall. The shot was so well done— it was used in the film. 63. Alfred Hitchcock did not choose to conclude the film, The Birds , with the usual “THE END” title because he wanted to leave the audience with the feeling of unending terror and uncertainty. 64. Groucho Marx explained the title Duck Soup as follows: “Take two turkeys, one goose, four cabbages, but no duck, and mix them together. After one taste, you’ll duck soup the rest of your life.” 65. For Despicable Me , the film’s directors Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin provide most of the voices for Gru’s minions. 66. In The Nutty Professor starring Eddie Murphy, the family dinner scene was initially going to be cut out due to what was believed to be its lack of relevance. 67. When the Universal Studios Tour opened to the general public in 1964, the general admission price for one adult was $2.50. 68. The children who sang the song, “Every Sperm is Sacred” in the Monty Python film, The Meaning of Life , later said they had no idea what sperm was or what they were singing about. 69. In the film, My Little Chickadee , Cuthbert J. Twille (W.C. Fields) says to Flower Belle (Mae West), “Why don’t you come up and see me sometime?” — This is in reference to West’s famous line in the film She Done Him Wrong . 70. The following institutions have existed at one time on the Universal Studios lot—a school, zoo, and hospital. 71. The hair-washing scene in Out of Africa was shot very close to a live, territorial hippopotamus. Meryl Streep was extremely nervous during its filming. 72. The locusts in the 1999 film, The Mummy , were mostly computer-generated, however, some live grasshoppers were used. Hours before filming they were chilled in a refrigerator to make them more sluggish. 73. In Smokey and the Bandit , the Trans-Am featured in the bridge jump scene was fitted with a more powerful Chevrolet engine. 74. The average shot length in the film Vertigo is 6.7 seconds. 75. The permanent set in Stage 28 was created to be a replica of the landmark The Paris Opera House, for the classic film, The Phantom of the Opera . 76. When you hear the sound of the crowd cheering, “Spartacus! Spartacus!” in the movie Spartacus , it was actually a pre-taped recording from a 1959 football game at Michigan State University’s Spartan Stadium. 77. In Sullivan’s Travels , director Preston Sturges can be seen in the background on the set of ‘The Girls’ period movie. 78. The cake in the movie Sixteen Candles is made of cardboard. 79. The final speech by Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird was done in one take. 80. The diner in the movie The Sting is the same diner interior used in Back to the Future . 81. In 1928, famous cartoon character, Mickey Mouse, debuted at a Universal-owned theater. 82. Elizabeth Taylor made her feature film debut in Universal’s 1942 film, There’s One Born Every Minute . 83. Yes, at some point, some Universal executive, or team of executives, thought 1986’s Howard the Duck was a good idea. 84. The dog chase scene at the beginning of the film Beethoven was filmed on the Universal backlot. 85. The title of the film Streets of Fire starring Michael Paré and Diane Lane, was drawn from a Bruce Springsteen song, from his album Darkness on the Edge of Town. The song, unfortunately, does not appear in the film. 86. Robert Redford’s character in The Sting is named after blues legend John Lee Hooker. The character’s name is Johnny Hooker. 87. 1920’s Shipwrecked Among Cannibals was the first film to gross $1,000,000 for Universal. 88. Prominent Universal Director Edward Laemmle was the nephew of Universal Founder Carl Laemmle. He directed over 60 films (including shorts) for Universal. 89. In The 40-Year-Old Virgin , the films that are watched by the “employees” in the Smar-Tech store are all produced by Universal. 90. The Blues Brothers “Bluesmobile” is a 1974 Dodge Monaco. 91. Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein is only the second time Bela Lugosi would play “Dracula” in a feature film. (He played other vampires in the interim, but not Dracula.) 92. In 1973’s High Plains Drifter starring Clint Eastwood, one of the headstones in the graveyard bears the name Sergio Leone as a tribute. 93. On Golden Pond was Henry Fonda’s final film, and the only one he starred in with his daughter Jane. 94. Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax is the third major motion picture produced by Universal from a book written by Theodore Geisel a.k.a. Dr. Seuss. 95. In 1992’s Scent of Woman , Al Pacino repeatedly shouts “Hoo-ah.” “Hoo-ah” comes from the military acronym “HUA” which stands for “Heard, Understood, Acknowledged.” 96. The car wash in Car Wash was named The Dee Luxe Car Wash. 97. 1971’s Play Misty for Me was set in Carmel, CA, where Clint Eastwood later lived and became mayor in 1986. 98. The Bride in The Bride of Frankenstein is the only one of Universal Studios’ Classic Monsters to have never killed anyone. 99. Throughout its hundred year legacy, Universal brought to audiences the first films of talents such as John Ford, Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg, Norman Jewison, Ben Stiller, Robert Zemeckis, John Hughes, Amy Heckerling, Spike Jonze, Zack Snyder and Judd Apatow. 100. More than 100 million people from around the world have taken the Universal Studios “studio tour.” While the tour officially began in 1964, Universal has been welcoming the public to our studio since 1915 and the silent era.
With The Dark Knight Rises release fast approaching, Warner Bros. has launched their latest bit of buzz-driving viral marketing by teasing a brand-new trailer for the July release. But in order to see that trailer, Bat-fans must first “help” the Gotham City Police Department “find” Batman by tracking hundreds of pieces of Bat-graffiti strategically placed around the world; for each bit of graffiti located and tagged via social media, Warner Bros. will unveil the new trailer one frame at a time . Graffiti: it’s not just for Oscar-nominees anymore! Tucked away in a dossier containing Batman’s GCPD criminal file (posted to TheDarkKnightRises.com ) are documents detailing where Batman stands following the events of The Dark Knight : Namely, at the top of the city’s hit list, having taken the rap for murder, kidnapping, and aggravated assault. In a viral call to action cleverly disguised as a police memo, “officers” (that’s you, Bat-fans) are directed to find pieces of pro-Batman graffiti stenciled across Gotham City (that’s every box office-targeted metropolis, right?) in an effort to stamp out grassroots support for the caped crusader. “Officers should also be directed to report any and all information pertaining to the investigation to the designated contact (#tdkr07202012 or tdkr07202012@gothampolicedepartment.com). This includes submitting photographic evidence of graffiti related to any movement in support of the vigilante’s return so we can suppress it before it becomes a problem. Officers should make sure that location services or store location is on in their camera settings.” The campaign has already unlocked a number of frames from the trailer (see below, courtesy Coming Soon): I’m sure Warner Bros. doesn’t endorse graffiti — except in bat form, and leading up to July 20, 2012, and in chalk, of course. And it’s a brilliant way to get fans in a tizzy over seeing a trailer ONE FREAKING FRAME AT A TIME. But isn’t this guy who shaved the Bat-signal into his facial hair (via Reddit) just as effective a piece of viral marketing? Move over, Movember! It’s time for… Bat-stache-uly? [via Coming Soon ]
My name is Alexi and my Bieber experience happened on April 27th 2012. My friend and I skipped school to go see Justin in the city at the Tribeca Film Festival . We got there at 8:00 a.m and it started at 11 a.m. We were so excited and anxious. We didn’t know if he was going to be in the front or the back so we went to the back and spoke to the security guards and it seemed like he was going to the back. One of the guards told us he was coming through the back and we started bugging out! We were the ONLY ones in the back! It was finally 12 and he was really late, we were so nervous. Finally he pulls up and comes over to where I was and I start shaking! I said, “Justin can you take the picture?” He smiled and checks out my weird purple sweatshirt phone case and took the picture. Then he took a picture with two other girls and I go, “JUSTIN WAIT! Can I get a kiss?” and he kissed my cheek and made a ”Mwaaah” sound! I literally started hyperventilating and thank God I got a picture of it! Then an hour later we walked back out and there were SO many girls this time. He came to me again and I asked if I can give him a kiss on the cheek this time and he put his cheek out and I kissed him! We then followed his car and it was just 4 of us. We started talking to him but he didn’t put his window down all the way because of paparazzi. He was so funny and nice! I took my phone case off and gave it to him and he put it on his phone! Then they drove away! I was so happy that this happened, I couldn’t be more happy. I love Justin and I can’t wait to meet him again! -@alexiiezz View post: My name is Alexi and my Bieber experience happened on April…
I’m Kendall and April 28th, 2012 was literally the best day I have ever had in my life because I met my boyfriend Justin Drew Bieber. On the 27th, I heard Justin was going to the Tribecca Film Festival but it was during the day and I wasn’t allowed to go because I of course had 3 tests that day . It turns out that all my friends who went, met him and got kisses on the cheek from him in pictures and I started bawling my eyes out in school and at my lacrosse game and I was just depressed. That night I heard from a friend where he was staying and I called up my two other friends saying, “GUYS LETS GO TO THE CITY TOMORROW,” at like 12 o’clock at night and I didn’t even tell my mom until the morning. We took the train in at around 9:30 and we were shaking and going crazy on the train. People were texting me saying I heard he left, I heard he’s here, I heard he’s there and blah blah blah, and so at this point I was like whatever I’m not going to get my hopes up, I doubt I’ll meet him. I got there around 10:45 am and there was no one there except for 2 girls and a mom and we weren’t sure if they were waiting for Justin or not so I asked and they were, which meant he was most likely still in the city so my hopes went up a little bit. As time went on a few more people came and of course beliebers become friends. There were not many people, it was only about 12 kids which wasn’t bad at all. They started to put these two barricades around us and at that point I was like OMG JUSTIN IS DEFINITELY HERE! I went up to the escalade we thought he was going into and we talked to the driver. He told us he was driving Justin, as soon as we walked away from the driver, he drives away to the back of the building. I sprinted as fast as I possibly could to the back just in case and he went into a garage in the hotel and the door closed. We were here for about 2 and a half hours already at this point and there was paparazzi around the front so we didn’t know where to wait, of course. I was about to cry not knowing what to do. About an hour later, the garage doors open and the escalade comes out and the window rolls down what it seemed to be slow motion. At that moment I was just in complete shock, Justin was so beautiful he looked airbrushed he was so perfect. I sprint up to the car and was the first one there. I was like, “HI JUSTIN!” Everyone was FLIPPING out so Justin goes, “Don’t worry guys. I’m not going anywhere.” I start taking my picture and all of a sudden I realize I took a video and I’m like OH NO! So then I took another picture with him and it was just perfect. He grabbed out for my phone and held it with me while we took a picture and he smiled with his teeth in this picture, which I love when he does that. After everyone got the picture I ran back up to the car and I was like Justin one more, he goes I’m sorry guys I gotta go, and I was holding his hand in the car and then he starts rolling up the window and my hands were in the car. I screamed, “I LOVE YOU SO MUCH JUSTIN!” He said, “Love you too!” and the window rolls up and he pulled out. Tears start POURING down my face and I ran around the perimeter of the hotel screaming, “I JUST MET JUSTIN BIEBER!” It honestly couldn’t have been more perfect, Justin was so sweet. I absolutely never expected this at all, I just went with the flow and it turned out for once I was lucky. I always sat here reading MBE’s and I would bawl my eyes out! Everyone who hasn’t met him yet, you all know the motto to NEVER SAY NEVER because it will happen and when it does, you will be the happiest person alive. -@kendallrochlin See the original post: I’m Kendall and April 28th, 2012 was literally the best…
On the 23rd of April our dreams came TRUE as Justin arrived in London! The day began at 4:30am where me, Emily and my friend Lindi got ready and tubed into the central London. While at the ITV Studios we met two guys @harrycooke & @lozzypurry, who without, meeting Justin would not of been possible. They suggested we go to Heathrow Airport to wait for Justin’s flight to land, and it was the best decision we could of made. At 10 am, we waited at terminal 5 for Justin, alongside a huge crowd of beliebers. The next few hours were the most tense but exciting hours of our lives! Jeremy exited through the terminal and our hearts raced and our iPhones shook with adrenaline as we were one step closer to meeting Justin. But he was not on the same flight as Jeremy. When I saw Jeremy, my instant reaction was to run to him, even though I felt bad for asking for a photo after his flight. But I knew it was a one in a lifetime chance, so I did, and he was kind enough to allow it even though he was in a rush. The photo was shaken due to my shaking hands from being near him, but I knew then that even if I didn’t get to meet Justin I would of had an amazing experience. We were confused and contemplated heading into the city centre as rumors circulated that Justin had exited through the Windsor suite. But there was something strange about it all and something in us told us to stay and wait for the next flight in from LAX. Then our dream became a reality. As soon as I heard fans screaming I knew the wait was worth it all. I ran under the terminal barrier and luckily got straight behind Justin. I could not believe what was happening. I was shaking and couldn’t help but scream as I was touching Justin, trying so hard to get his attention. Finally he caught my attention and we had a photo and when I looked at it, I could not process what my eyes were seeing. A photo. Of Justin and myself. In my hands. Security and paparazzi made getting close to him so difficult but I had done it. I was standing next to the most flawless, gorgeous person in the world. I had my Twitter account written down on paper that I wanted him to take. Scooter and security needed to escort him to his car so everyone was rushing to get to him before he left, but I got close to him again and gave him that piece of paper, the piece of paper which the paparazzi took a photo of him holding and I was completely love struck . I was one of the luckiest girls in that crowd, I stood right behind him all of the way to his car and my hands were on his shoulders. He was so lovely to everyone, and ever since I met Justin I haven’t stopped thinking about him. His smile in our photo is beautiful! When he got in the car I stood back and tried to fit together what had just happened. I had just met Justin Bieber. And all my emotions came flooding at once, I cried with happiness like I had never done before, I was in shock. Everyone swarmed to the front Justin yet we were lucky enough to be able to round the back of him. Everyone was going crazy, shoving and pushing. All I remember hearing was Justin continuously saying how he wanted to see us all and have photos with us all one at a time. He was so amazing and sweet even after his 10-hour flight , I was in awe of his kindness. I made sure to remain calm the whole time and not to push or shove, and because of this the security helped hold others back while I was able to go in and get a photo. I remember having my hand on Justin’s hand as I was trying to get my photo and just thinking “OMG HIS HAND IS SO SOFT! WHY IS HIS SKIN SO SOFT!” It was just AMAZING!!! It was the best experience of my life! It was more than I could ever expect! We were determined to catch a glimpse of Justin again so caught the tube to his hotel. That tube journey was surreal. We both sat there for 40 or so minutes unable to stop smiling. At his hotel, we waited in the rain for Justin to come outside, but missed him by minutes. Then we heard of the secret location, thanks to Harry and Loz. We jumped in a taxi and headed to the supper club where Justin and his team were. Even though we didn’t see Justin again, we were happy to be in the amazing atmosphere with all the other beliebers, there to support Justin. Lindi however managed to catch Scooter before he entered his car. I saw Kenny and Alfredo walking out and noticed Kenny talking and hugging people so I left my spot and ran to him alone. Although I was unable to talk to him or Alfredo, I did manage to catch Scooter before he got into his car. I asked for a photo and he was more than happy to have one. I was so happy words cannot describe. After taking the photo, Scooter asked me why I was shaking, and the only response I could come up with was “ajdhfjkidsba cause like ahdjjfjfhshbb”. Slightly embarrassing, but I didn’t know what to say, SCOOTER BRAUN WAS TALKING TO ME. Really was the icing on the cake. That day couldn’t of been more incredible! I love Justin and his crew so much! Nothing will ever change that. Thank you so so much Justin, we were only able to travel to London for the one day, and the realization that we both got to meet you has made us the happiest girls alive. Emily found a penny that morning, picked it up and said to herself, “find a penny, pick it up, all day long you’ll have good luck” and we had the most incredible luck being in the right place at the right time with you and meeting you. If you’re reading Justin please follow Emily on Twitter – @emilyrichards_ it was on the piece of paper you took but from her but she’s still waiting for that notification that you are following her. Thank you so much for coming to the UK! You have made both of our dreams come true and we had the best day of our lives. You have made us so happy and so grateful and made us realize that you have to BELIEVE and NEVER SAY NEVER because these dreams DO come true! – Emily and Lindi (@Emilyrichards_ @SwaggaliciousJB) Go here to see the original: On the 23rd of April our dreams came TRUE as Justin arrived in…
British boy band premieres latest music video during ‘MTV First: The Wanted.’ By Kara Warner The Wanted’s “Chasing the Sun” music video Photo: Universal Music Group Lucky us! MTV News has been spending a lot of time with
Filmmaker Boaz Yakin has taken a circuitous route through the years tackling indie dramas ( Fresh , A Price Above Rubies , Death in Love ) and studio gigs ( Remember the Titans , Uptown Girls ) alike, not to mention his writing stints on films like Prince of Persia and producing duties on the Hostel films. But this week’s Safe , a frenetic throwback actioner starring Jason Statham , marks a return to his roots — both to the streets of New York he grew up loving and to the genre beginnings that gave him his start. Safe follows Luke Wright (Statham), a disgraced NYPD officer-turned-cage fighter who hits rock bottom and then becomes the protector of a 12-year-old Chinese girl (newcomer Catherine Chan) who’s being pursued by an entire city filled with Triads, Russian mob, corrupt city officials, and dirty cops. As Yakin told Movieline, writing and directing Safe gave him liberty to craft a kind of homage to his favorite ‘70s New York action pics while adding his own flair to the well-worn genre, and the result is an authentically gritty, ultraviolent action romp filled with flying bullets, twisty machinations, and – yes – the glory that is the sight of a single tear rolling down Jason Statham’s steely face. Yakin spoke with Movieline about shooting on his beloved New York City streets, the “beautiful decrepitude” of a bygone NYC that he hoped to capture, how filming limitations gave way to the film’s most inventive and impressive sequences, and how he almost learned the hard way why you shouldn’t cut before Jason Statham has turned on the waterworks. Even though you partially shot Philadelphia for New York, you manage to capture so many authentic-feeling New York locations in the film. How much did you split filming, and how much were you able to shoot in the city itself? We shot in Philly but the thing I made sure of was that we shot the lion’s share of our exterior work, the New York subways – that was all done in New York. And then we went to Philadelphia and did some night shots, night exteriors, and basically all of our interior stuff was done in Philadelphia, and some key things that would have been very difficult to do, like some street car chases and things like that. New York is an amazing city to shoot because it looks so great and you get so much of its energy and texture on film, but it’s also really hard to shoot there just physically. People don’t really give a damn that you’re there and move you around, and it’s so grueling to shoot there. In Philly it was a lot easier and people were a lot more accommodating, and you’re able to get away with shooting things there at all hours of the night, making noise and things like that, which they’d never let you get away with in New York. So it worked out for us. Which were your favorite New York locations, the ones that were most gratifying to get that really nailed that texture? I have to say that even though it was so incredibly difficult to shoot there, I’ve never directed an action film but I’ve written a bunch of them [ The Punisher , The Rookie ] and one of the things that really gives New York its flavor is the subway system and the way the subway feels. In the classic New York action film it’s always there — there’s the classic French Connection subway chase, and all that – and for me it was really important to do a memorable subway sequence that could stand up there with some of the best ones that have been done in the past. None of them will ever touch the French Connection one, but I wanted to sort of add my entry. So for me, the location I got to shoot in that just really defines the film is the subway scene. Which stops did you film at? It was between two stops — one of them, we sort of made a stop on Wall St. look like a stop in Brooklyn and then there was the 14th Street L that goes cross-town on the East Side. You mention The French Connection , and the film conjures that meaty throwback, ‘70s and ‘80s action feel reminiscent of that film and many others. That’s what I was going for – seeing the movie as sort of a double throwback movie, both to the films that I was writing when I broke into the business in the late ’80s and more so to movies about the city that I grew up in. I grew up in New York in the 1970s, when it was sort of in a state of decay, a kind of a colorful, crazy lawlessness; you felt like anything could happen at any time. There was a kind of a beautiful decrepitude about it, like it hadn’t gotten Starbucks-ized. It still had this kind of gritty texture and an “anything goes” improvisational feeling and even as a kid there was a part of you that sensed that this was never going to be this way again. This is crazy! Someday I’m going to miss this, you know? And it’s true; I still love New York, but I miss its texture and its crazy kind of falling apart quality, and I wanted to capture that in the film. I wanted to capture the New York movies that I love, like The Seven-Ups , Death Wish , The Warriors , just the kind of movies that soaked up the streets of the city in their DNA, but really also a tribute to the way I felt about New York when I was younger. In terms of filmmakers, were you inspired by a shot here or a technique there or an archetype from the genre staples? I thought a lot about the classic John Woo and Hong Kong cop movies, for example. I think having seen so many of those films over the years, you sort of just absorb them and I just know them really well at this point. I would say that whenever you’re going to do an action scene you study the stuff in Better Tomorrow Part II and so on but there were a lot of other films that I looked at too. And one thing I kind of didn’t want to do that John Woo does, actually, is that he slows things down for the action scenes — like, kind of sexualizes and glamorizes every gunshot, and makes it into this slow-motion ballet of violence which is just fantastic and he’s a master of it post-Peckinpah. But for me, there are maybe two slow-motion shots in the film. I wanted things to feel hectic and in your face and jumping around and very present; I didn’t want to treat the action like, ‘Aha! Here’s the action scene!’ I wanted the action to spring out of what was happening in the moment and for you to feel like you were catching up with it while it was going on. So in that sense I tried to find a different approach to it. Your shooting and editing style really jump out throughout Safe , and there are a number of action sequences that are really impressive to watch. You wonder, ‘How did he pull that off in just one shot or one staged sequence?’ And more to the point, why go to so much trouble to pull off these deceptively complex scenes? I think you want to bring something interesting and add to it when you’re doing a genre film — you want to appreciate the genre and do what you can to add to it. I think that part of it, by the way, is the creativity that comes from having limited time and money. For instance, the scene where the girl gets kidnapped from the car and they get driven into, you see everything through the windows and the rearview mirrors of the car, and it’s like, okay — I’m going to have one day to shoot a scene that if I was really going to cover every guy killing every guy and all that stuff it would take me three or four days. Okay, what’s the emotional grounding of the scene? It’s this girl’s experience. And it’s sort of like putting you into the shoes of the people in the car. So I go, okay — I can do this all with three kind of complicated shots, but that’s three shots — when you look at that sequence it’s something like three or four — for something that you could shoot in fifty shots if you were really covering it. So it’s complex, but it has a point of view and it’s specific. Sometimes being limited enables you to think in a way that’s more creative. You could never replicate it in this film, but Alfonso Cuaron did Children of Men and he did like three or four sequences, there’s this one in a car, and he’s shooting these fabulous long takes… That’s actually something that there was no way I could try to get to that in this film; we just didn’t have the time or the wherewithal. But there were a few places where I wanted to recreate a little bit of that feeling. That totally works, because you do get swept up in the chaotic feeling of being there in scenes like the kidnapping and the memorable unbroken shot in which a fight is witnessed via a rearview mirror. You have a shot of Reggie Lee shooting someone randomly in the middle of a hotel exodus that most directors might cut around, but instead it draws attention to the execution of the scene itself and the power of the chaos in that moment. In a way, the less you cut the more you feel like you’re in a situation. And by the way, how great was Reggie Lee in the film? He’s such a great actor. For me I thought there were a lot of really terrific character actors in the film and it was important to me to create that tapestry of characters, the way they did in those New York films that I loved so much. But Reggie Lee just constantly surprised me. Every time he showed up onscreen there was something authentic and genuine and nuanced. His part doesn’t have a lot of dialogue to convey his mixed feelings about what he’s doing. You’ve just got to feel it all from his performance and his looks. And you give him a scene in the car where he unexpectedly reveals some measure of a fatherly impulse toward Mei, which dimensionalizes him. Which brings me to my next question: Here you have Asian Triads and Russian baddies with a capital B, so to speak — why make the ethnic villains so larger than life? Look, when you make an action movie and a thriller, someone’s got to be the bad guy! And in this film, the main bad cop is a Jewish cop called Captain Wolf, you’ve got a sort of evil gay Italian mayor and his lover… Everyone in this film is bad, there’s nobody good. And I think at this point the Italian mafia has become a little played out. After The Sopranos , they’re just cute; when you see the Italian mafia in movies anymore it’s just like Robert De Niro in Analyze This , you want to send them to a therapist and have a few laughs. It’s a little played out, so I think that dealing with the Russians and the Chinese is a little fresher for me — not that it hasn’t been done. But frankly, the heroine of the film is a little Chinese girl, and she’s in a way almost as big a part as Jason. But to answer your question — I don’t care, you know what I mean? It’s an action movie, and there are tons of bad guys in it of all ethnicities. Equal opportunity villainy. It’s equal opportunity! And it’s like everyone should be able to be bad, and everyone should be able to be good. I can’t think that way and start limiting myself that way. Let’s talk about Jason in this film; the character he plays is at once very much in his action wheelhouse but also much more vulnerable at times than we’ve ever seen Jason Statham in the movies — he loses everything, he’s wracked with guilt, he’s suicidal… You know, it’s interesting. The way the part was written, and especially having Jason, who has developed this reputation and made so many films where he is in many ways not vulnerable, it was important to me to emphasize those aspects of his character. I think that when you put, say, Matt Damon in a Bourne film or something like that, the work that you have in those films is that everyone knows Matt is a really wonderful actor and nuanced and your challenge in a Bourne movie is to make people believe that he’s also a bad-ass, right? With Jason it’s the reverse, where you know he’s a bad-ass, you know he can do all this stuff — how can we bring these other elements and colors to his persona? That was something I really tried to emphasize and bring to the table. There’s a scene when he’s at a very, very low point where you orchestrate a surprising emotional moment for him — his entire world is collapsing and as the camera moves in, he conjures a single tear. Yes, that long take moving in on Jason. Look, I think Jason is a much, much better actor than people give him credit for, and that even he gives himself credit for. I think that there are a lot of people who are more highly regarded as actors who could not have held that close-up and that kind of shot, moving in on him, for the amount of time and the level of intensity that Jason did. When he commits himself to something, he’s very, very good. And there is a funny little story about that one shot; I’m a terrible one for cutting as soon as the scene is over. I think a lot of smart people, when the scene is over you just kind of let it sit a little to see what’s going to happen — like, if there’s anything extra that happens that’s good. I tend to try to keep the set moving, so as soon as it’s over I’m like, ‘Cut! Okay!’ We did a few takes of this shot with Jason and he was good in all of them, but then we were doing that one more take to see what would happen — and this is the one that was in the film — and as it was getting to the end, the dialogue was finished and I was about to call cut, the DP [Stefan Czapsky] and my friend, the producer, Lawrence [Bender] , literally picked me up and moved me away from the monitor so that I wouldn’t say ‘Cut.’ I was surprised – they didn’t tell me they were going to do that – and three seconds after that happened, the tear came down Jason’s face! [Laughs] I was about to say ‘Cut’ and they literally tackled me and pulled me away and I was like, ‘What the fuck?’ Then the tear came down Jason’s face and they were like, ‘You see?’ I’m like, okay – lesson learned. Safe also stars Chris Sarandon, Robert John Burke, James Hong and Anson Mount and is in theaters Friday. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
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