Tag Archives: film

‘Captain America’ Villain Red Skull Photo Hits The Web

Plus: Director Joe Johnston talks to Entertainment Weekly about the politics of Captain America and ‘The Avengers.’ By Kara Warner Chris Evans in “Captain America: The First Avenger” Photo: Marvel Entertainment For all the “Captain America” fans who have been excited by the teaser trailer and magazine features , there have been just as many complaints about the fact that not much has yet been seen of the film’s chief and formidable villain, Red Skull. Luckily for those folks, Entertainment Weekly has the exclusive first look at genre-film favorite Hugo Weaving all red and scary-looking. EW also scored a meaty interview with the film’s director, Joe Johnston, in which he addresses a wide range of subjects, including why a superhuman can be sympathetic, the politics of Captain America (played by Chris Evans) and how much he had to think about Joss Whedon’s spin-off film “The Avengers.” “What I like is he’s not a superhero in the true sense of the word,” Johnston explained of how Steve Rogers/ Captain America is unlike Superman or Spider-Man. “He becomes a superhero but doesn’t have any superpowers. He is just the best possible human specimen. Imagine the fastest, strongest Olympian athlete. Add 30 percent. That’s Steve Rogers.” Regarding the character’s historic and politically charged past (the first issue of the Marvel comic featured the now-famous cover image of Captain America punching Hitler in the jaw), Johnston said that although his film is indeed a period piece, it isn’t a “flag waver.” “He was created as a propaganda tool, but he soon became much more than that,” Johnston told the magazine. “There are all these incarnations over the decades, but the film is not a flag waver. It’s about a guy who wants to do the right thing. And that transcends all nationalities and borders.” Finally, there has been much ado over the fact that several characters who have and will have their own standalone films will come together for Whedon’s highly anticipated “Avengers” movie. “I really didn’t [think about it],” Johnston said. “Because this was a period film, because this was the origin story, I didn’t have to worry about ‘The Avengers,’ which was a present-day story,” he explained. “We have present-day bookends and bring Cap back at the end, and then I basically hand him off. And ‘The Avengers’ is its own thing.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Captain America: The First Avenger.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Photos Chris Evans On The ‘Captain America’ Set ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’

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‘Captain America’ Villain Red Skull Photo Hits The Web

Johnny Depp Says There’s A Little ‘Rango’ In All Of Us

‘We find ourselves in certain situations that you have to adapt to,’ Depp tells MTV News of his cartoon chameleon. By Kara Warner Rango, voiced by Johnny Depp, in “Rango” Photo: Paramount Johnny Depp is one of those actors who disappear so fully into the characters he plays onscreen that with each new film, it’s hard to know what to expect from the Oscar nominee. Depp’s latest, the animated pic “Rango,” is no exception. In the film — directed by Depp’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” director Gore Verbinski and featuring the vocal talents of Abigail Breslin, Isla Fischer and Bill Nighy — Depp plays the title character, a chameleon living a lonely life in a cage as a family pet. But Rango is also an aspiring actor so he stages elaborate plays within the confines of his little glass home. He suddenly finds his life turned upside down when his cage is accidentally thrown out of his owners’ car during a cross-country move, landing him in the strange town of Dirt in the Nevada desert. MTV News caught up with Depp and we asked him if, given his chameleon-like abilities as an actor, he felt a sense of kinship with the little green reptile, and whether Rango is perhaps the closest he’s come to playing himself. “What I saw early on with the character, and something that Gore and I talked about, is that it is in sort of all of us, in a way,” Depp explained. “There is a chameleonic side to all of us in which we find ourselves in certain situations that you have to adapt to, sitting across from personalities that you have to adapt to in order to survive the moment or survive the day,” he said. “That’s kind of how I saw Rango.” Who’s your favorite Johnny Depp character? Tell us in the comments! Check out everything we’ve got on “Rango.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .

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Johnny Depp Says There’s A Little ‘Rango’ In All Of Us

New ‘Never Say Never’ Clip Shows Justin Bieber Singing With Fan

The ‘Director’s Fan Cut’ teaser captures the teen sensation performing an acoustic version of ‘Baby’ with a young girl. By Eric Ditzian Justin Bieber in the new “Never Say Never” clip Photo: Paramount Earlier this week, “Never Say Never” director Jon Chu promised MTV News that his new “Director’s Fan Cut” of Justin Bieber’s 3-D flick would deliver 40 minutes of fresh footage, including different songs (such as “Favorite Girl”), some more shirtless shots of the teen singer (“Maybe some abs!”) and extra scenes of him interacting with fans. video platform video management video solutions video player With the recut movie hitting theaters on Friday (February 25), Paramount Pictures has released a clip showing just that: the Biebs hanging out with some of his young fanatical followers. The 71-second promo shows Bieber — pre-haircut, of course — at an intimate gathering in Phoenix. While the pop star gives an acoustic performance on a small stage, his fans beg him to play “Baby,” but he jokes, “I don’t know that song.” He then declares to a very young fan, “I’ll only sing ‘Baby’ if you come up here and sing it with me.” Cue the cuteness. The girl sits on his lap and together they belt out the hit single. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Bieber show off an easy, breezy way with his youngest fans. Last year, he popped up on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” to surprise a 3-year-old Belieber named Cody who’d become an Internet sensation after her sister posted a video of her crying over the teen heartthrob on YouTube. As he tweeted later, “Makin faces with Cody!” The re-released “Never Say Never” represents an effort both to goose box-office receipts three weeks after the film’s initial opening and to feed the Beliebers’ seemingly insatiable appetite for anything and everything connected to the star. “We originally had a two-and-a-half-hour version of the movie, which we obviously couldn’t release,” Chu explained to us. “So we started to think about putting stuff back in that didn’t have to do with our story but that we knew people would love.” Are you planning to go see the “Director’s Fan Cut” of “Never Say Never”? Let us know in the comments. Related Photos Justin Bieber’s ‘Never Say Never’ L.A. Premiere Related Artists Justin Bieber Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1658725/justin-bieber-never-say-never-clip.jhtml Amber Heard Amber Valletta America Ferrera Amerie

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New ‘Never Say Never’ Clip Shows Justin Bieber Singing With Fan

Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ Video: A Pop-Culture Cheat Sheet

Gaga’s latest is full of nods to fashion, film, fine art and the occasional West Texas weirdo. By James Montgomery Lady Gaga Photo: Tom Briglia/ WireImage By now, you’ve had a few hours to digest Lady Gaga’s brand-new “Born This Way” video , a starry, swirly, some would say gnarly clip that features plenty of astral afterbirth, a snarling man-zombie and exactly one shimmering unicorn. So, yes, “BTW” is most definitely an eye-catching, high-concept thing — as Gaga told BBC’s Radio 1 , it’s meant to showcase “the birth of a new race,” which doesn’t make it all that different from all of her videos, if you think about it. And, much like her earlier work, “BTW” is also loaded with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments, carefully constructed odes to fashion, film, fine art and, uh, West Texas weirdos. So, in the same way we broke down her “Telephone” and “Alejandro” clips, we’ve decided to put “Born This Way” under the microscope, watching (and rewatching) each frame to compile a pop-culture cheat sheet that’s alphabetized and cross-referenced for your convenience. Believe us, this took way longer than you could imagine, but it was worth it. (Oh, and despite our best efforts, we’re sure there’s something we missed, which is why we need your help: Let us know what you spot in the comments below!) And so, without further ado, here’s our “Born This Way” pop-culture cheat sheet”: Alexander McQueen : The late fashion designer has always been an influence on Gaga (she wore his famous “armadillo heels” in the “Bad Romance” video and one of his creations on the red carpet of the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards), and in “Born This Way,” her outfit at the beginning of the video — where she’s hovering above Earth, giving birth to a starchild (or something) — seems directly influenced by the natural flourishes of McQueen’s final collection , which featured feathers, mock scales and faux wings. Denny Brewer : Deep-fried Texas musician/oddball who, along with his son, plays in the band Refried Ice Cream. In recent weeks, Brewer has risen to fame thanks to his recorded ramblings about alternate dimensions, phase-shifting, lizard people and pomegranates that serve as the through-line to Bright Eyes’ The People’s Key album. Much of what Gaga declares in her “Manifesto of Mother Monster” is lifted from Brewer’s playbook: a “mitosis of the future,” a “multiverse” and the constantly changing concepts of “temporal” and “eternal.” H.R. Giger : Swiss-born surrealist painter and sculptor, perhaps best known for designing the terrifying, sexualized beasts in the “Alien” franchise. After Gaga gives birth to her “evil” spawn, he contorts his body in a way that, when coupled with sinewy fabrics, appears to be a direct nod to Giger’s chilling work. Janus : The two-faced Roman god of gates, doorways, beginnings, endings and time. At the very beginning of “Born This Way,” Gaga’s Mother Monster features two faces, and, given the whole “rebirth” concept behind the video, that seems less than coincidental. Madonna : By now, you’re probably aware that, sonically, “Born This Way” sounds a lot like Madonna’s “Express Yourself.” So, perhaps as a bit of a joke, Gaga closes “BTW” by mimicking Madge’s iconic gap between her two front teeth. Michael Jackson : As she tries to assure her spot in the upper echelons of pop royalty, Gaga is obviously taking cues from the man who eternally sits on the throne: the late, great King of Pop. At the end of “Born This Way,” she pays direct homage to the man, strutting down a dark alleyway, slightly glowing (

2011 Academy Awards: Full List of Winners!

And the Oscar goes to … The King’s Speech . And other films, of course, but it was a royal victory for the picture about King George VI, which won Best Picture, and Best Actor Colin Firth. Director Tom Hooper and Screenplay writer David Seidler also triumphed for the film. Natalie Portman, as the troubled dancer in Black Swan , won Best Actress. “This is insane,” she said in her acceptance speech. “I truly, sincerely wish the prize tonight was to work with my fellow nominees. I am in such awe of you.” The Fighter ‘s Melissa Leo and Christian Bale won Supporting Actress and Actor. The technical awards were monopolized by Inception and Alice in Wonderland . Were you happy with how the Oscars turned out? Did anyone get snubbed? Follow the jump for the full list of winners at the 2011 Academy Awards … Best Picture

‘The King’s Speech’ Conquers The Oscars

Academy picks royal film for its Best Picture, Director and Actor honors. By Brian Warmoth Colin Firth poses with his award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in “The King’s Speech” Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images Director Tom Hooper gave moms watching the 83rd Academy Awards a reason to love his film, and the Oscars gave “The King’s Speech” four statues by the end of the night, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay. “The moral of this story is: Listen to your mother,” Hooper told the audience at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre when he accepted his directing prize. The first-time winner and nominee credited his mother for discovering the script, which also won in its category for writer David Seidler. Seidler’s tale, based on King George VI’s struggle to overcome a stuttering problem and lead Britain through World War II, entered the night with a royal recipe of previously nominated talent, historical drama and personal strife. When the ballots were finally counted, the classic formula won out, and Hooper, Seidler and star Colin Firth earned a few coveted words to put in front of their names for the rest of their careers: Oscar winner. Check out backstage photos of the big Oscar winners . “I have a feeling my career’s just peaked,” Firth quipped during his acceptance speech. The excitement, however, wasn’t enough for him to get funky in front of the crowd. “I’m afraid I have to warn you that I’m experiencing stirrings somewhere in the upper abdominals,” he revealed before excusing himself to go backstage and indulge his desire to dance. “The King’s Speech” may not have swept its nomination categories, with Geoffrey Rush losing out to Christian Bale for Best Supporting Actor and Helena Bonham Carter coming up short against Melissa Leo in “The Fighter” for Best Supporting Actress. Likewise, it failed to take home awards in six other categories where it was nominated. But failing to earn Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography won’t be the movie’s legacy. “The Social Network” edged out the Oscar night’s biggest winner for Best Film Editing and Best Music, and “The Fighter” earning the first statue of the night ensured that the Oscars would be shared this year. Nevertheless, of the three films, “The King’s Speech” will have the most enviable assortment of laurels on its DVD cover when it lands on store shelves. Stick with MTV News on Oscar night and beyond for red-carpet fashion coverage, analysis of the winners, plus interviews, photos and more from your favorite Hollywood stars! Related Videos Highlights From The 2011 Oscars Related Photos 2011 Academy Award Winners

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‘The King’s Speech’ Conquers The Oscars

Hailee Steinfeld Has Met With ‘Hunger Games’ Director

‘It’s definitely something that we’re taking one day at a time,’ ‘True Grit’ star tells MTV News on Oscars red carpet. By Aly Semigran, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Hailee Steinfeld attends the 2011 Academy Awards Photo: Getty Images Hailee Steinfeld arrived on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday night (February 27) a first-time nominee for her breakthrough performance in “True Grit” and could very well leave the evening as a Best Supporting Actress Oscar-winner. Check out photos of Hailee Steinfeld on the red carpet . But even on her big night, fans are buzzing about her possible future projects, and one in particular. MTV News caught up with Steinfeld, who was wearing a Marchesa gown, on the carpet (she told us she felt, “so honored and so blessed to be here”) and had to ask whether she was still in the running for the big-screen adaptation of “The Hunger Games,” based on the popular young-adult novel. Steinfeld has been one of the names in consideration for the coveted role of Katniss Everdeen. The young actress told us she has “a lot of projects that we’re looking at the moment,” but she also confirmed that she has met with “Hunger Games” director Gary Ross. “It’s definitely something that we’re taking one day at a time and making sure that everything is in place,” Steinfeld said of her possible casting as the film’s heroine. Whether or not the “Hunger Games” role goes to Steinfeld, she’s quickly becoming one of the hottest commodities in Hollywood. And the 14-year-old has already selected her first post-“True Grit” project , a film called “Forgotten,” based on Cat Patrick’s upcoming book of the same name. Steinfeld will play a teen who loses her memory daily. “The Hunger Games” is slated to hit theaters on March 23, 2012. Stick with MTV News on Oscar night and beyond for red-carpet fashion coverage, analysis of the winners, plus interviews, photos and more from your favorite Hollywood stars!

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Hailee Steinfeld Has Met With ‘Hunger Games’ Director

David Cross Pessimistic About ‘Arrested Development’ Movie Prospects

‘I’ll believe it when I see it,’ Cross says at the Independent Spirit Awards. By Brian Warmoth, with reporting by Josh Horowitz David Cross Photo: Steve Granitz/ WireImage An “Arrested Development” movie may be a priority in the eyes of former exec producer Ron Howard and creator Mitch Hurwitz, but David Cross doesn’t sound confident that that’s enough to make it happen. Cross thinks the film’s premise sounds “awesome” and knows that many of his former castmates want to get the cameras rolling, but as of Saturday night at the Independent Spirit Awards , he didn’t expect to be playing Tobias F