Jerry Lawler, a veteran WWE wrestler and one of the announcers on Monday Night Raw , suffered a heart attack while calling a match last night, collapsing on the air and being taken to a local Montreal hospital during the broadcast. The 62-year old wrestled in a match earlier in the show and was carried backstage at the Bell Centre as broadcasting partner Michael Cole assured viewers the development was “serious.” Lawler reportedly needed CPR before he was placed in an ambulance. “Jerry “The King” Lawler suffered a heart attack while commentating during last night’s broadcast of Monday Night Raw in Montreal,” the WWE said in a statement. “We are hopeful Jerry makes a full recovery and returns to WWE in the near future. Our thoughts are with Jerry and his family.” Monday Night Raw continued without Lawler behind the mic, but the show turned off its match-calling audio out of respect for the situation. He is now believed to be breathing on his own. “I’m shaken by the news of my friend Jerry Lawler’s medical emergency in Montreal,” Tweeted longtime broadcast partner Jim Ross. “Hands shaking. Prayers for the King. I feel helpless.”
Although the proliferation of talent shows on TV is proof of just how much audiences have come back around to watching dance on screen, Step Up Revolution suggests Hollywood is still conflicted about how to film it. On one hand, the fourth movie in the Step Up franchise was shot in eye-popping 3-D. In choreographed numbers that grow crazier and more extravagant as the film proceeds, breakdancers kick their legs out toward the camera and hold gravity-defying poses; tracking shots glide across the pavement between cars as kids stride out in time to music; performers on bungee cords leap down a ramp toward us only to snap back. As spectacle, it is resoundingly cool. On the other hand, these sequences tend to be edited to bits, as if the filmmakers were afraid their audience would get bored if either the camera or point of view weren’t constantly in motion. Directed by Scott Speer (of the web series “The LXD”) with cinematography by Karsten Gopinath, the film’s best shots, both in terms of dancing and the 3-D, are usually the ones in which the camera sits directly in front of the performers as their main audience, so that we can see their full bodies as they’re used in impossible, athletic feats of movement. But the film rarely maintains this perspective for more than a few seconds before cutting to a reaction shot, a close-up, then up and overhead, then off to the side. While the editing creates a sense of frantic momentum, it’s also dizzying and disorienting. Step Up Revolution is also not a movie you watch for its incredible story and dialogue. The film doesn’t even share much connective tissue with its predecessors save for an appearance from Adam Sevani as Moose. The plot features a boy, Sean (Ryan Guzman), and a girl, Emily (Kathryn McCormick) — who are both making their feature-film debuts. (McCormick was a finalist on the 2009 season of “So You Think You Can Dance.”) Sean is from the most adorably Epcot Center-worthy “gritty” Miami neighborhood ever, while she’s the daughter of a wealthy real estate developer Bill Anderon (Peter Gallagher) with plans to knock the place down and build skyscrapers on top of it. They meet cute at the beach club attached to the hotel that Emily’s father owns. Sean, who works at the hotel, and Emily form a mutual admiration society after facing off in a deliciously over-the-top dance duel that’s filmed like a fight scene. Emily flings sand at the camera and maneuvers Sean under the outdoor shower so that they can both have clingy wet outfits. As you might expect, both have dancing aspirations. When not waiting tables, Sean and his friends make up a flash-mob dance troupe called The Mob. Emily is auditioning for a place in the prestigious Wynwood Dance Company. Guzman, McCormick and the rest of the cast have generic good looks right out of an Abercrombie catalog and enough range to convincingly project the three sentiments for which the script (written by Jenny Mayer) calls — happy, sad and “dance face.” Guzman is particularly gifted at committing to howlers without a wince or trace of irony. “I can’t just do whatever I want,” Emily says. “There are rules.” Sean gets up close and breathes: “Break the rules.” At first, The Mob stages its elaborate pop-up routines as part of a YouTube competition — the first page to reach 10 million hits wins a cash prize. But when the neighborhood in which Sean and his best friend Eddy (Misha Gabriel) grew up is threatened, Emily suggests they use their growing internet fame to draw attention and build opposition to the development plan (without her father’s knowledge). It’s protest art! It’s the 99 percent! And it’s brutally phony, especially when picture pretends to be about the preservation of local culture. The Mob has essentially been formed out of a broad Google search for subcultures. There’s the DJ, the videographer from the SoCal skate scene, the hacker, the street artist, the parkour dudes. The only Miami-specific concession is that the group hangs out at a salsa bar called Ricky’s. Step Up Revolution is, at least, shot on location in Miami, which looks golden and gorgeous in 3D helicopter shots and ridiculously, stiflingly pretty as a backdrop in others. When Sean and Emily practice a duet on the beach, you expect an “Obsession by Calvin Klein” logo to appear next to their faces in their final pose. And it wouldn’t seem that out of place. The film is such a slick product that its vague anti-corporate ideas keep sliding right out of sight — it takes some effort to situate that Au Bon Pain logo so prominently in the middle background of a dance sequence. The movie ends with a never-explicated, and, frankly, insulting compromise. (Spoiler alert!) The Mob — who, three songs earlier, ended a performance with the declaration, ‘We’re not for sale!” — triumphantly sign with Nike as part of a marketing firm plan. Way to stick it to the man, y’all. Follow Alison Willmore on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Now that there’s no need to dance around spoilers (because everyone in the world saw it in theaters) we finally have an official Hunger Games trailer reel that includes the best scenes and plot turns of Katniss Everdeen’s journey from District 12 huntress to The Girl on Fire. Revisit highlights from Lionsgate’s mega-franchise adaptation with the Hunger Games Blu-ray trailer and see what’s in store in the jam-packed bonus features on for the August 2-disc Blu-ray and DVD release. Included in the three hours of bonus materials are an eight-part documentary on the making of the film, a sit-down chat with director Gary Ross, and the full Capitol propaganda film that appears within the movie. It would’ve been cool to see parts of the presentation and film Ross made to get the directing gig in the first place, but there are always future home video re-issues and special editions that more obscure materials could potentially find a home with. Meanwhile, start your Hunger Games Blu-ray/DVD shopping plans now, as there will undoubtedly be Twilight -level activities surrounding the release at midnight on August 18. Full press release follows: SANTA MONICA, CA, May 23, 2012 –Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games juggernaut will arrive on home entertainment at 12:01 A.M. on Saturday, August 18, as the first film in Lionsgate’s (NYSE: LGF) The Hunger Games franchise, which has already grossed nearly $400 million at the North American box office and is approaching $650 million at the worldwide box office, debuts on 2-disc DVD (plus digital copy), 2-disc Blu-Ray (plus digital copy), VOD and digital download with three hours of previously unavailable bonus materials in the biggest home entertainment launch in Lionsgate’s history, the Company announced today. The film, based on the New York Times best-selling novel from writer Suzanne Collins, achieved a remarkable four-week run as the #1 film at the North American theatrical box office where it has already grossed $392 million, ranking as the 14th highest-grossing film of all time, and it is approaching $650 million at the worldwide box office with an early June opening slated in China. The 2-disc Blu-ray and 2-disc DVD arrive loaded with over three hours of extensive bonus materials including the comprehensive eight-part documentary, “The World is Watching: Making of The Hunger Games.” Other special features include a sit-down conversation with director Gary Ross as well as numerous featurettes that examine the global success of the books, the creation of the control room in the film and the filmmakers’ motivation behind creating new scenes that were not in the book plus much more. The Blu-ray Disc set contains an additional exclusive feature, “Preparing for the Games: A Director’s Process,” which looks at the progression of taking three key scenes from the book to the screen. The Hunger Games Blu-ray Disc and DVD is a must-have film that is hailed as “exciting and thought-provoking in a way few adventure dramas ever are” (New York Daily News). Fans will be able to pre-order the Blu-ray Disc and DVD, starting on Friday, May 25th, for $39.99 and $30.98, respectively. “The motion picture event of the year is poised to become the home entertainment event of the year and, with a midnight launch and midnight retail events scheduled at stores around the country, we expect to replicate the same level of consumer excitement generated by the film’s theatrical debut,” said Ron Schwartz, Lionsgate Executive Vice President & General Manager, Home Entertainment. “This is far and away the biggest home entertainment launch in Lionsgate’s history and, true to a theatrical marketing campaign that incorporated an unprecedented reliance on digital and traditional media alike, our home entertainment launch will involve a similarly innovative and integrated digital and packaged media rollout that we will unveil in the weeks ahead.” Directed by Academy Award® nominee Gary Ross (Seabiscuit), The Hunger Games, starring Academy Award® nominee Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone), features an ensemble cast that includes Golden Globe® winner Donald Sutherland (Citizen X), Academy Award® nominee Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones), Academy Award® nominee Woody Harrelson (The People vs. Larry Flynt), Lenny Kravitz (Precious) and Emmy® nominee Elizabeth Banks (TV’s “30 Rock”). The film also stars some of the industry’s brightest up and coming actors such as Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right) and Liam Hemsworth (The Expendables 2). The Hunger Games is the first in a trilogy of books published by Scholastic that has already become a literary phenomenon with over 36.5 million copies in circulation. Set in the future, one male and one female from each of the twelve districts of the nation is forced to participate in the annual competition called The Hunger Games, which is broadcast live throughout the country for the entertainment of the Capitol’s wealthy residents. Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) volunteers in her younger sister’s place to enter the games, and is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy when she’s pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives. If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. BLU-RAY & DVD SPECIAL FEATURES* “The World is Watching: Making of The Hunger Games” – an eight-part documentary covering the “making of” the film in all aspects from the pre-production process all the way through the theatrical release and fan reactions “Game Maker: Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games Phenomenon” featurette “Letters from the Rose Garden” featurette – insights from Donald Sutherland on the development of his role as President Snow “Controlling the Games” featurette – stories and concepts behind creating the control center “A Conversation with Gary Ross and Elvis Mitchell” Propaganda Film (in its entirety) Marketing Archive “Preparing for The Games: A Director’s Process” (Blu-ray Exclusive) * Subject to change [via Lionsgate]
‘We gave him a shot at it,’ Jadakiss tells ‘Sway in the Morning.’ By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Styles P and Jadakiss of the LOX Photo: Phil McCarten/ Getty Images There will be a new LOX album, eventually, but it won’t be released on Diddy’s Bad Boy Records. “Nah, we went over there, we gave him a shot at it,” Jadakiss told MTV News correspondent Sway Calloway when he appeared on his “Sway in the Morning” satellite radio show on Tuesday (May 8). In 1998, the LOX — comprised of ‘Kiss, Styles P and Sheek Louch — released their debut album, Money, Power, Respect, with the house that Diddy built, but their relationship soon soured. When it came time to drop their sophomore LP, We Are the Streets, the LOX made the move to Ruff Ryders Entertainment . It’s been 12 years since the Yonkers, New York, trio dropped an album, and they have since reconciled with Puff, but there are hurdles standing in the way of future business between both parties. “He wanted to do it, but I don’t think contractually with all of the forces, we weren’t able to do it, but he’s still the big homie,” Jada said, without revealing where the group may sign. Since making their initial move away from Bad Boy, each group member went on to sign separate solo deals, making any would-be agreement for a new LOX album very tricky. During an August 2011 interview, Styles P tried to break things down. “It’s a lot of heads involved with the new LOX album. You got Ruff Ryders, you got Bad Boy, you got Interscope. It’s a lot of politics in one set of paperwork, but it’s gettin’ close,” the Ghost said several months ago. Though the Bad Boy deal is off the table, ‘Kiss and company will forever be tied to the storied label. It was there where they first learned to refine their raw rhyme talent and craft hit records. The crew has often credited the Notorious B.I.G. with their development, so when Sway asked Jada about his thoughts on a prospective Biggie holographic performance, similar to the Tupac stunt Dr. Dre pulled at Coachella last month, Mr. So Raspy was all for it. “It cost a lot, so I think Diddy with his connection to Interscope and Jimmy, I still think he got the resources to do a Big joint whenever he goes out to do a big tour; that’ll be cool,” Jadakiss said. “I think it was good for the ‘Pac lovers and for these young cats that ain’t really get the chance to see him or understand him. But I think if they gonna do it, we should try to do Big L, Pun — let’s do all of the fallen soldiers of hip-hop and let the people get a chance to see ’em at one of these big venues.” Catch MTV News’ Sway Calloway on “Sway in the Morning,” on SiriusXM Radio’s Shade 45 , Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon ET.
Get ready to double-exhale, folks: It looks like both the Arrested Development movie and Sin City 2 are finally happening at long last — and both are reportedly set to film this summer. Hurrah! That said, Deadline admits that none of the Arrested Development cast have been inked just yet even as Will Arnett let slip on The Today Show that the long-awaited big screen adaptation was on track for a summer shoot. Meanwhile, Robert Rodriguez’s Sin City: A Dame To Kill For is set to film in Austin, with casting to begin next week. [ Today Show , Playlist ]
With ‘On the Road,’ ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ and ‘Breaking Dawn – Part 2,’ it looks like 22 may be KStew’s biggest year yet. By Fallon Prinzivalli Kristen Stewart Photo: Michael Caulfield/ Getty Images That’s right, “Twilight” fans, the actress who plays one of our favorite heroines turned 22 on Monday (April 9)! The past year brought Kristen Stewart plenty to be proud of with the incredible success of “Breaking Dawn – Part 1,” and her upcoming year is looking to be even greater. This summer, Stewart takes on a different role from the accident-prone Bella Swan in “Snow White and the Huntsman,” where she will battle for her life as Snow White. With her shield and sword, Stewart teams up with the Huntsman ( Chris Hemsworth ) to rid their kingdom of the wicked Queen Ravenna ( Charlize Theron ). And while Theron’s and Stewart’s characters may not get along, Theron had nothing but “mad love” for the actress when wishing Stewart a happy birthday. Theron said, “Dude, happy frickin’ birthday. You’re awesome. I feel honored to know you. And just keep rocking, man. You’re amazing. Mad love.” The “Arrested Development” actress signed off by blowing Stewart a kiss. Hemsworth also had a birthday message for Stewart, saying, “Hey Kristen, happy bloody birthday! Have a great day. Lots of love.” Next up in the starlet’s grand 22nd year is “On the Road,” the film adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s highly praised novel. Stewart plays 16-year-old Marylou, the new wife of Dean Moriarty with an affinity for marijuana. The film will show yet another diverse side to Stewart’s acting abilities that will no doubt attract new fans who didn’t board the “Twilight” train. And for those of us who were not only aboard that train, but conducting it, in November we’ll see Stewart return as Bella Cullen in the “Twilight Saga” finale, “Breaking Dawn — Part 2.” We were already treated to a short, but very sweet, “Breaking Dawn” trailer sneak peek last month that has the fanbase already buzzing. And with all that KStew has planned this year, it sounds like that buzz is only going to get louder. What KStew movie are you most excited to see this year? Leave your comment below! Check out everything we’ve got on “Breaking Dawn – Part 2.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Kristen Stewart Related Photos The Evolution Of: Kristen Stewart
It’s easy to pile on Hollywood for its craven cash grabs , sequelitis and other low-hanging fruit harvested and passed off in the name of popular entertainment. It’s also fair, after a glance at the top 20 or so openings of all time, to acknowledge that mass audiences have tended to let studios get away with such output over the last decade in particular. But if we’re to take anything from the huge opening-weekend success of The Hunger Games , it might be to look at its place on that list — squarely in third place, below even better-regarded cinematic efforts Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 and The Dark Knight . With this development, could crowds and critics alike have proven what the sheer volume of lesser hits would seem to contradict — that quality matters? Of course the success of these three films owes plenty to their source material and/or established film franchises preceding them. But virtually every entry in the top 20 enjoys this built-in advantage, from comic-book adaptations ( Spider-Man , Iron Man 2 to decades-old institutions ( Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ) to literary sensations past ( Alice in Wonderland ) and present ( The Twilight Saga ). And few if any among this derivative lot have made as much of a critical impression as those films at the very top, which average nearly 92 percent favorable at the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Not to declare RT any kind of objective barometer of a film’s quality. Still, its documented regard for Deathly Hallows – Part 2 , The Dark Knight and Hunger Games harmonizes with public tastes here in a way that implies something a little more than coincidence. First of all, it is extremely hard to gross more than $150 million in three days, even with the benefit of 3-D premiums — which, of the three, only Deathly Hallows – Part 2 enjoyed (all three had IMAX releases of varying sizes). The only other film to do it, Spider-Man 3 , was met with decidedly more mixed reviews but still remains ranked “fresh” at RT. Despite all you’ve heard about their decline, in both the art-house realms and the rarefied upper box-office echelons, the evidence suggests that critics indeed do still matter. Even the most cynical observer (I’m looking at you, Armond White ) who regards the critical establishment as a legion of pliant, hype-sensitive “shills” would need to acknowledge the success of their mission — largely as a service informing readers about new releases worth considering (or not) — and be encouraged by signs of influence and relevance. It also suggests that creative ambitions require as much a role in the development process as one’s marketing innovations. Just ask Christopher Nolan, or Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins or director Gary Ross . A brand (and sure, 3-D/IMAX) can only take a film so far. Vision seems to carry it much of the rest of the way — something viewers haven’t seen before, even if they know they characters and stakes by heart. Clearly, The Hunger Games ‘ windfall may not help Hollywood reconcile — on paper, anyway — its long-standing love-hate relationship with original ideas and stories. But it doesn’t have to. The Juno s and the Hangover s and Bridesmaids and Safe House s and whatever other original scripts that develop into huge-grossing films aren’t even the same breed of blockbuster. Their conceptual integrity, to the extent they have it at all, yields its own word-of-mouth — its own long tail that may or may not necessitate sequels of its own. So even if the original idea is down, it’s hardly out — not with the potential to follow up a modestly priced, well-liked hit with a true blockbuster in the same vein. At which point we’re back to the development basics: Smarts, vision, ambition and respecting one’s audience. It pays off, Hollywood. The numbers don’t lie. Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Everyone is familiar with that special breed of screen performer whose names are associated with not only longevity, but also ubiquity. Gene Hackman reigned among this class for much of the last few decades, his title soon overtaken by Michael Caine, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicolas Cage and others who’ve shown a willingness to earn paychecks in everything from Oscar bait to glorified grindhouse fare. Yet another thespian exceeds them all in output, not only with an impressive slate of completed work but also a calendar-busting array of upcoming projects. Just who is the most in-demand player in Hollywood? It might come as a surprise, but by all appearances Danny Trejo holds that title. The character actor has achieved something close to omnipresence in recent years; so saturated are movies with Trejo’s image that you can almost overlook his appearance while watching one of his many films. Much of this has to do with the fact that, despite the former boxer and ex-con’s dependable ruffian visage, he has assembled an impressively varied resume relying on both gritty roles in direct-to-rental genre pulp and such diverse mainstream titles as The Muppets , A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas , and Spy Kids 4D — to say nothing of his frequent television work. And with news this week of Trejo and director Robert Rodriguez’s Machete Kills shooting next month, the actor’s profile will only broaden from here. Using the comprehensive (if admittedly unreliable) IMDB Pro as a launching pad, I went about separating the real Trejo wheat from the development chaff for one of the most robust slates anyone has achieved in a generation: COMPLETED Sushi Girl (the role of Schlomo): A man is released from jail after six years and has a celebratory sushi dinner with the rest of crew, eating sushi off of a naked girl who is supposed to be oblivious as they try to reclaim their loot. Haunted High (The Janitor): A New England private academy finds itself with a demonic headmaster, while the janitor is also the enforcement guardian of the school. (SyFy original movie) Counterpunch (Manny Navarro): A bipolar boxer from Miami tries to win the Golden Gloves championship, with the help of his counselor. Amelia’s 25th (Don Javier): A young actress has a midlife crisis the day she turns twenty five in Los Angeles. IN THE CAN/POST-PRODUCTION Bro’ (Gilbert): A college student gets involved in the wild partying lifestyle of a professional motocross racer. Skinny Dip (El Tigre): A grindhouse offering about a young woman (played by Sasha Grey) who, following the death of her boyfriend, dresses as a cop and takes on the role of a vigilante. The Cloth (Father Connely): Centering on a secret order of the Catholic Church formed to deal with a rise in demonic possessions. Pendejo (Pedro): A rich playboy is forced by his father into the lowest position of a company he technically owns. Alcatraz Prison Escape: Deathbed Confession (Narrator): The true story of what happened to the only escapees from Alcatraz prison. Strike One (Manny Garcia): A young boy in a gang-infested neighborhood has a former-gang-member uncle as a role model. The Insomniac (Jairo Torres): Following a break-in at his home a man develops insomnia and comes to learn the people he knows cannot be trusted. Death Race: Inferno (Goldberg): Trejo reprises his role from the first sequel of the remake. And that’s not all: Add to this glut an array of other “announced” projects in various stages of development, and Trejo may ultimately be involved with nearly two dozen titles over the next 12 months. Among those titles with the actor attached — but which remain unconfirmed and/or unproduced as of this writing — include Five Thirteen , Dead in Tombstone , Left Turn , Human Factor , Badass , Vengeance , Tarantula and Raggedy Anne . And of course there’s Machete Kills , shooting in April. At that rate Trejo could turn down half his roles and Burbank would experience a barista shortage from the bulk of actors who finally are able to find work. Brad Slager has written about movies and entertainment for Film Threat, Mediaite, and is a columnist at CHUD.com . His less insightful impressions on entertainment can be found on Twitter .
