Tag Archives: film

James Gunn on His TIFF Hit SUPER, Sidekick Sex and Blending Art House with the Grindhouse

James Gunn just spent one of the most successful weekends of his life in Toronto, premiering his new superhero-splatter-comedy SUPER to Midnight Madness raves before selling it off to IFC Films in the festival’s first distribution deal. In the end, though, Gunn’s biggest triumph may have come in writing and directing the film he wanted to make exactly how he wanted to make it, with Rainn Wilson’s nobody Frank adopting the crimefighting persona the Crimson Bolt after his wife (Liv Tyler) is all but kidnapped by a local drug baron (Kevin Bacon). It’s a lot harder than it sounds in an age of indie-market turbulence, comic-book genre saturation, and even Gunn’s own creative apprehensions following his 2006 debut Slither . He spoke to Movieline about these and other subjects — from Joe Strummer to God — over the weekend.

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James Gunn on His TIFF Hit SUPER, Sidekick Sex and Blending Art House with the Grindhouse

2010 VMAs Nab MTV’s Biggest Ratings Since 2002

Awards show was the third-most-watched telecast on MTV ever. By Kelley L. Carter Chelsea Handler onstage during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Sunday night’s MTV Video Music Awards scored the biggest audience for any MTV telecast since 2002. The VMAs grabbed 11.4 million viewers and is the #1 cable telecast of 2010 for the network, followed by MTV’s hit reality series “Jersey Shore,” and the third-most-watched telecast on MTV ever. There were plenty of must-watch moments at this year’s awards show, and the buzz building days before the show about surprise performers likely contributed to the sizable turnout. This year’s show saw much-anticipated performances by Taylor Swift (who debuted a new song addressing last year’s controversy with Kanye West) and West himself, who also debuted a new song that seemed to address his fall from pop-culture grace. The show also featured performances by rappers Eminem, Drake and Best New Artist winner Justin Bieber. Newcomer Nicki Minaj and Black Eyed Peas mastermind Will.I.Am performed together at the VMA pre-show. Host Chelsea Handler opened up the show with a skit that featured Lindsay Lohan . In the pre-taped clip, the comedienne makes her way to the stage (and gets slapped on the butt a couple of times along the way). She meets up with the troubled actress, who pokes fun at her own struggles with sobriety before giving Handler a bit of advice: “Don’t embarrass me.” “Every year, MTV celebrates the music and creative genius of artists we have the privilege of working with all year long,” said Van Toffler, president of the MTV Networks Music & Logo Group. “Last night’s luminescent VMA setting provided the perfect backdrop to do just that and we’re thrilled the audience resoundingly agreed.” Share your VMA reviews in the comments! The Moonmen have all been handed out and the stars have gone home, but there’s plenty of 2010 MTV Video Music Awards news, interviews, behind-the-scenes scoop, party reports and more still to come, so keep it locked on MTVNews.com. Related Videos VMA 2010: Most Talked About Moments VMA 2010: The Entire Show On Demand VMA All Access Related Photos VMA 2010: Show Highlights

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2010 VMAs Nab MTV’s Biggest Ratings Since 2002

Rihanna ‘Jetted In’ For Eminem VMA Performance

‘It really killed me that I couldn’t be here,’ Rihanna says of initially not being able to make the show. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Jim Cantiello Rihanna after her VMA performance with Eminem at the 2010 VMAs Photo: MTV News It was the surprise of the night when Rihanna decked out in an outfit reminiscent of Madonna’s 1984 “Like a Virgin” VMA performance, graced the VMA stage on Sunday to lend her vocals to Eminem’s show-stopping performance . After performing “Not Afraid,” Em segued into his collabo with Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie.” It was especially surprising to see Rihanna on the stage since she had not planned to be at the show due to a prior commitment. She was filming “Battleship” in Hawaii, but as luck would have it, she got a day off and was able to make the show, much to Em’s pleasure. “It really killed me that I couldn’t be here and actually, luckily, I got the day off and Eminem called me the day before and said, ‘Please, I’m having a really hard time doing this without you. We had a really great song,’ ” she recalled. “And I just was like, ‘Oh damn!’ It killed me, and then they allowed us to leave and do it, and we jetted in and we’re gonna jet right back out.” And as quickly as the last-minute performance came together, Rihanna had to head back to the set to continue work on the film. But not before trying to get her VMA look just right. “This morning we had a quick rehearsal,” she said. “And I started doing my hair ’cause I’m doing the film and I don’t have any hair, any nails.” Rihanna also tweeted about the appearance, writing, “SURPRISE!!! Just had to do it, guys.” The Moonmen have all been handed out and the stars have gone home, but there’s plenty of 2010 MTV Video Music Awards news, interviews, behind-the-scenes scoop, party reports and more still to come, so keep it locked on MTVNews.com. Related Videos VMA All Access Related Photos VMA 2010: Performers Related Artists Rihanna Eminem

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Rihanna ‘Jetted In’ For Eminem VMA Performance

Hometown Girl Malin Åkerman on the Toronto Premiere of Bang Bang Club

Pick any random film that’s opened in the last year, and odds are about 50/50 that Malin Åkerman starred in some capacity. OK, so I exaggerate, but let me put it this way: A week after interviewing Åkerman for her film The Romantics — which opened last week in limited release — the Swedish-Canadian actress is in Toronto for the world premiere of her latest effort The Bang-Bang Club . Busy!

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Hometown Girl Malin Åkerman on the Toronto Premiere of Bang Bang Club

Steve-O Says ‘Jackass 3D’ Shows ‘Totally Different Me’

‘Being clear-headed and sober makes it more painful,’ he says of ‘scary’ stunts in flick previewing at Sunday’s VMAs. By Jocelyn Vena Steve-O Photo: MTV News Fans won’t have to wait until October 15 to get a taste of the mayhem set to take place in “Jackass 3D.” An exclusive clip from the flick will premiere during the MTV Video Music Awards , where the cast will also be presenting on Sunday. One of the movie’s stars, Steve-O, is super excited for fans to check out the preview. “I can’t wait. It’s going to be awesome. We made a great movie. Everybody’s gonna love it. People are gonna be waiting to see how being sober and filming ‘Jackass’ is different [for me],” he told MTV News at the VMA Radio Forum on Friday. “Being clear-headed and sober makes it more painful, more scary and the first thing I say is, ‘I’m Steve-O, why do I have to be Steve-O?’ ” He wouldn’t get too specific about his favorite part of the movie, but Steve-O did note that the film starts with one very eye-catching scene. “I think that after the opening credits, like, the first scene that I’m in, I think it’s pretty great,” he said. “It’s just awesome. It’s a good movie.” While doing many of the painful stunts in “Jackass 3D” proved to be quite the challenge for a now-sober Steve-O , he was certainly up for it. “I was eager to do as much as I could. I, unlike Johnny Knoxville and some of the other guys, was feeling pretty sure I didn’t want to risk paralysis or death,” he joked. ‘Knoxville just needs to risk paralysis and death, but that being the case, I was really eager to get involved in as much stuff as I could, and I think I’m in this new movie more than either of the first two. It was a totally different me and it was a real blessing to do that.” The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. The party starts with MTV News’ VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through Sunday. Check out everything we’ve got on “Jackass 3D.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos VMA 2010 Exposed Related Photos Behind The Scenes At The 2010 VMAs

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Steve-O Says ‘Jackass 3D’ Shows ‘Totally Different Me’

Producer Talks About Clash Of The Titans 2 And Other Absolutely Horrible News

Everyone and their mother is up in Toronto ( including our own S.T. VanAirsdale! ) for all the film festival hi-jinkieries. While braving our Commie-Pinko-Socialistic Neighbor to the North, ComingSoon sat down with Basil Iwanyk, producer of Clash of the Titans, who gave the depressing news that the sequel is in the works.

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Producer Talks About Clash Of The Titans 2 And Other Absolutely Horrible News

Alamo Drafthouse to Unleash Four Lions and Expand Operations to NY and LA

Those who insist there’s no reason to see movies in the theater anymore haven’t been to the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX. They program the best in mainstream and cult cinema, host unique special events, and actually enforce the no-cell phone rule. And they serve beer during the film. Now, founder and CEO Tim League has announced that the company is jumping into distribution with Chris Morris’ comedy about jihadists, Four Lions , and also discussed plans to build theaters in New York and Los Angeles.

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Alamo Drafthouse to Unleash Four Lions and Expand Operations to NY and LA

Peter Fonda Wrote Easy Rider in a Seedy Toronto Motel and You Should Too

Peter Fonda recently said that he wrote the script for Easy Rider without the aid of drugs between 1:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. in a low-rent Toronto motel. Since most of the film industry is currently in this very city, it seems like the perfect time to see if lightning will strike twice. Instead of sleeping tonight, I challenge all festival-goers to take a break from the blog updates and crowded screenings, hole up in the cheapest motel you can find and write your own script, Fonda-style. Imagine how much more you’d have to show for your trip! First person to change the direction of cinema for the next decade wins. The prize? Your entire personal life exposed by Peter Biskind. [ National Post ]

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Peter Fonda Wrote Easy Rider in a Seedy Toronto Motel and You Should Too

FUEL

This documentary talks about getting America off oil and on biodiesel. Josh Tickell, (activist, environmentalist and the director of this film), promotes sustainability, health and green living. He examines our dependence on oil, its monopoly and its influential power on our politics through lobbyism. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upTCSSkxlxE&feature=player_embedded He also mentions the Iraq War as driven by the oil and the 9/11 tragedy that acted as a catalytic event for it. He wants Biodiesel that comes from algae, from trees, garbage, cooked oil, solar and wind power to be the main source of energy. He mentions the argument that biodiesel and ethanol, respectively coming from soy and corn, would compete with our food sources leading to food shortages and raising prices, therefore he suggests biodiesel that comes from algae farms instead which should harm no one. That is correct and I couldn't agree more with him but what he does not mention is the other huge issue with these food crops and that is GMO. Genetically engineered plants like corn, soy and canola, are one of the most terrible threats to our humanity and planet and that should be the first reason to be mentioned to dismiss this kind of biodiesel. Companies like Monsanto are certainly expanding their power trying to push this false alternative energy. Also, he never mentions HEMP as the greatest, most promising form of biofuel and also the least promoted. I am definitely on the same page with Josh Tickell and his film when it comes to the elimination of our oil dependency and advice everyone to watch it. A while ago, I grew tired to see temporary moratoriums and created this petition, the one petition that can change our WORLD, asking our government to eliminate oil, coal and gas altogether and forever. The price to pay for these energy sources is too high, too many deaths, too much sickness, too much control and our Freedom and our choice as citizens and consumers is long GONE. Take it back! Please, sign this Petition and support alternative, safe, renewable energy sources now. http://environment.change.org/petitions/view/no_more_drill_baby_drill No more waiting, no more killing, no more “Drill, baby, drill”. Thank you. Join The Organic Movement: http://current.com/groups/organicgreen/ added by: lookatmypix

Tony Blair Accused of Ripping Off The Queen

The Queen screenwriter Peter Morgan has accused former British prime minister Tony Blair of plagiarizing his script. In his memoirs, Blair’s account of what was said when he went to kiss hands with the Queen Elizabeth II in 1997 is apparently very similar to the dialogue that Morgan wrote. Morgan surmises that either he guessed exactly right in the script (unlikely), that Blair decided he liked Morgan’s lines enough to use them, or that the former prime minister simply confused the film with the actual events. Blair claims to have never seen the film. Alternate guess: Blair’s ghost writer uncovered a vast conspiracy between the lines of what was actually said and used Morgan’s dialogue to cover himself. [ Telegraph via NY Times Arts Beat ]

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Tony Blair Accused of Ripping Off The Queen