A year after Lars von Trier was publicly castigated for making a Hitler joke at Cannes , the festival has banned a controversial comedy by French comedian/provocateur Dieudonné. Entitled The Anti-Semite , the film was scheduled to play not in the official festival but in the Cannes Film Market, but outrage over its content — including mockery of Auschwitz and Dieudonné in Nazi dress — led the organization to scrap screenings. According to Agence France-Presse, the film includes “images deriding Auschwitz,” “Dieudonne’s violent and alcoholic character dressed as a Nazi officer for a fancy dress party,” and “Holocaust denier Robert Faurisson [appearing] as himself.” Produced by the Iranian Documentary and Experimental Film Center, The Anti-Semite stars Dieudonné, who has been charged numerous times for violating European laws with his controversial statements and performances, including one recent show in France that was halted mid-performance by authorities “for breaking local defamation laws.” As for the Cannes screening, the Cannes Film Market’s Jerome Paillard explained the move thusly: “Our general conditions ban the presence of all films threatening public order or religious convictions, as well as pornographic films or those inciting violence.” [ AFP via The Wrap ]
Lee Daniels-directed film, also starring Zac Efron and Matthew McConaughey, has met with decidedly mixed reception. By Kara Warner Nicole Kidman in “The Paperboy” Photo: Lee Daniels Entertainment Much ado is made over the glitz and glamour that surrounds the exotic Cannes Film Festival each year. A lot of what brings so many celebrities and so much attention to the international film fest is its location. Who doesn’t want to travel to the sandy shores of the French Riviera for “work”? The other big draw, of course, is the opportunity to see movies of all genres, budgets, origin, etc., many of which can get an early jump into awards-season consideration with positive reviews from the notoriously hard-to-please Cannes audiences. From the outside looking in, “The Paperboy” is one of the films at the festival that has major awards-buzz potential because of its director, Oscar nominee Lee Daniels (“Precious”), and its cast: Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, Matthew McConaughey and John Cusack. Judging from the initial reactions to the small-town, sexed-up murder mystery, however, the reception has been decidedly mixed. “Daniels wants to show us realities that other movies don’t, and I truly think that he’s got the talent and drive to do it. But there’s a major downside to that impulse,” wrote . “If what happens on screen is in any way odd or exaggerated or, even worse, if it defies common sense, the clang of falseness is going to be deafening. “The line on this movie in Cannes is the same one that a lot of critics, including me, took on Daniels’ ‘Shadowboxer’: that it’s so luridly overripe it’s nuts — or, at the very least, high camp,” Gleiberman continued. “Certainly, you’re going to have that feeling during the scene when Kidman, at the beach, saves Efron from a jellyfish sting by urinating on him — which is an anti-jellyfish home remedy, but the way the scene is shot, I think Daniels had something else in mind. The wrong notes, the extremeness, just piles up from there.” Efron and Kidman spoke to the film’s extremes during a press conference Thursday (May 24). “I don’t think I was supposed to feel comfortable,” Efron said. “It’s like life. This character is supposed to be learning the ways of the world, and that can be very uncomfortable. But it’s also exciting.” “I’d been looking as an actor for something raw and something dangerous,” Kidman said. “I may be uncomfortable watching the movie. But that’s my job — it’s my job to give over to something, not to censor it, not to put my own judgments of how I feel as Nicole playing the character. I am there to portray a truth.” And no matter the discomfort surrounding the onscreen nudity, sex or the pee scene, Efron said he loved the experience of making the movie. “I’ve been in love with her for a long time, since ‘Moulin Rouge,’ “the actor said of Kidman. “It was the loveliest time in the world for me.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Photos 2012 Cannes Film Festival
Toronto MC talks up the Believe track ‘Right Here’ and details his plans to hit the studio after his Club Paradise Tour. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Drake Photo: MTV News Drake has a jam-packed schedule taking his Club Paradise Tour city to city, but the Toronto rap star still manages to find time to record, especially since he has a studio on his tour bus. Right after Club Paradise’s last show in Boston, Massachusetts, Drizzy will begin recording new music, possibly for his next album. “I’m really excited to start working on new music. I start like June 18,” Drake told MTV News correspondent Sway Calloway when the two met backstage in Houston on May 17. “I got a studio bus out here so me and 40 started working on a couple joints the other night. Just getting warmed up,” he continued. “I did like the ‘Amen’ track for Meek [Mill] and I did ‘No Lie’ for 2Chainz.” Fans have already raved over Drizzy’s performance on both “No Lie” and “Amen,” which appears on the Philadelphia MC’s recently released Dream Chasers 2 mixtape . Still, the Young Money star has a few more collaborations that fans will hear in the coming weeks, one of them being French Montana’s “Pop That.” “I’m on French Montana’s single; me, him, Ross and Wayne, which is a crazy lineup,” Drake said. “And then on Justin Bieber ‘s record. I wrote a song for him as well.” At the time of the interview, Drake wasn’t sure of the name of the Bieber record or if the song would even be included on Justin’s upcoming Believe LP. “Awkward Justin Bieber moment,” Drizzy joked after pondering the very slim chance that he wouldn’t make the final cut. “Yeah, we’ll see. It’s a good song though; produced by Hit-Boy.” Well, Drake doesn’t have to worry. On Monday, the Biebs unveiled his Believe track list , and his fellow Canadian does appear on the song “Right Here.” We have no reason to doubt Drake’s word about “Right Here,” but we’ll all will just have to wait until June 19 when Believe is released to finally hear it. Are you excited to hear Justin and Drake’s “Right Here”? Tell us in the comments Related Videos Drake Brings His Club Paradise Tour To Houston Related Artists Drake Justin Bieber
Daniel Craig experiences trauma and Judi Dench’s past comes back to haunt her in the first trailer for the new James Bond film. By Josh Wigler Daniel Craig in “Skyfall” “Skyfall” might be “done” for James Bond, but it’s only just beginning for Agent 007’s most devoted fans. The world got its first look at the 23rd Bond flick Monday (May 21) with the release of the first official “Skyfall” teaser trailer , putting Daniel Craig back into the British spy’s iconic tuxedo for the first time since 2008’s “Quantum of Solace.” Even with this early sneak peek (the film doesn’t land in theaters until November 9), the exact who’s, what’s and why’s surrounding “Skyfall” remain shrouded in mystery. The little we do know is hardly elaborated upon in the trailer: Dame Judi Dench’s M has dark secrets in her past, secrets that are coming back to haunt her and her fellow agents, and it’s up to Bond to put a stop to the madness. Somehow, Javier Bardem is involved to terrorize our hero, reliably silly bad-guy haircut firmly along for the ride, but we don’t see Bardem and his bleach-blonde ‘do in the teaser, at least not up close and personal. Still, even a teaser as secretive as this one isn’t without its share of decodable mysteries. Keep reading for five key scenes from the “Skyfall” teaser. ‘Done’ Bond’s interrogation at the outset of the trailer does more than inform the viewer that our favorite super-spy has Agent Provocateur lingerie on the mind. When the game of free-word association arrives at the term “skyfall,” Bond tenses up, thinking back on a dark memory that involves him entering a room, gun drawn, with a dead body already slumped in a chair. (It’s a split-second scene, viewable around the 29-second mark.) Though the “skyfall” referred to in the title and the interrogation remains a mystery, it’s clearly linked to a painful memory that Bond would rather forget … and given the horrors he’s seen in his kill-happy career, the events of the Skyfall mission must be truly traumatic. Killer Guilt Agent 007 isn’t the only one looking back in anger. As has been known for some time, the normally secretive M’s history plays a pivotal role in the story of “Skyfall,” and we get our first hints of that in two key shots in the new trailer. The most obvious one comes later; M and Bond wordlessly stare off at a bleak, hilly landscape, marking a rare occasion where the two agents are out on the field together. But there’s another, easier-to-miss moment involving M at the teaser’s 45-second mark. It’s M, not Bond, who stands silently in a room filled with caskets, the U.K. flag draped over each and every one. Rumors abound that “Skyfall” will see a tragic end for Dench’s M — perhaps her somber appearance in this scene is a taste of the tragedy to come. A Tale of Two Bond Girls It wouldn’t be a Bond movie without a Bond girl, and “Skyfall” has two, both of whom can be briefly glimpsed in the teaser. At the 42-second mark is French actress B
Drizzy shared the stage with T.I., Future, 2 Chainz and Waka Flocka Flame on his Club Paradise Tour stop in Atlanta. By Rob Markman Drake Photo: Getty Images ATLANTA — Drake and several thousand of his friends partied hard in Atlanta on Sunday night when Drizzy brought his Club Paradise Tour to Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood. The festivities started early as French Montana, Meek Mill, 2 Chainz and Waka Flocka Flame all rocked solo sets while the sun was still up and the crowd was filing in. Not even a few late-afternoon raindrops could dampen the electricity that seemed to only intensify as the evening beat on. Shortly after the sun set, at about 8:30 p.m., J. Cole took the stage to warm up the crowd for Drake, who would take the stage about an hour later. When the OVO general did emerge front and center, he was greeted with deafening screams as he quickly tore through tracks like DJ Khaled’s “I’m on One” and his own “Over.” After the Thank Me Later favorite, the crowd showered him with welcoming applause and the Toronto MC, of course, stood under the spotlight and soaked it all in. Drake has a genuine love for this city and paid homage to it on his 2009 mixtape cut “Houstatlantavegas.” “Atlanta, Georgia, for some reason, they kept us apart for like a year and a half, and I’ve been waiting so f–kin’ long for this show right here,” he said, noting the last time he was in the Southern rap capital. “Well, I go by the name of Drizzy Drake and I’d like to formally welcome you to the greatest motherf—in’ club in the world: Club Paradise.” For Drake, the purpose of Club Paradise was to bring the hottest hip-hop talent to one central place, and he didn’t disappoint. After he rocked joints like “Crew Love,” “She Will,” “Up All Night” and “We’ll Be Fine,” he rolled out the red carpet for 2 Chainz, and together the pair rocked to Deuce’s new single, “No Lie.” The crowd erupted but took it up another level when 2 Chainz rocked “Spend It” and then brought out T.I. for his remix verse. Waka Flocka strolled out next and he and Drizzy performed “Round of Applause” as fireworks shot out during the song’s hook. Drizzy then welcomed Future to the stage to perform their collaboration “Tony Montana” and then French Montana to do “Stay Schemin’.” The truth is Drake has a powerful enough catalog to hold down the stage by himself, but it’s always more fun with friends. For Club Paradise’s last act, the Young Money star concentrated his energy on his sophomore album, Take Care, performing “Over My Dead Body,” “Practice” and the Lil Wayne-assisted singles “HYFR” and “The Motto.” Tunechi wasn’t in attendance, but for the latter track, the crowd spit Weezy’s words on his behalf with precision. To close, Drake and the band that backed him the entire night launched into “Headlines.” It’s been almost two years since Drake last rocked Atlanta and judging from the crowd’s reaction, they clearly missed him a little when he was gone. Related Artists Drake
Also in Friday morning’s news round up, The Weinstein Company picks up a pair of films (including a documentary by Bernard-Henri Lévy), Boy Toy gets a leading lady, North America is set to Sleep Tight , and more… Cannes: Cate Blanchett and Mia Wasikowska Set for Carol The project is a new adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel Carol , aka The Price of Salt , directed by John Crowley. Carol follows the burgeoning relationship between two very different women in 1950s New York: One, a girl in her 20s working in a department store who dreams of a more fulfilling life, and the other, a wife trapped in a loveless, moneyed marriage desperate to break free but fearful of losing her daughter in the process. The film is being sold in Cannes by Hanway. Blade Runner Screenwriter In Talks for Ridley Scott Sequel Hampton Fancher is in talks to reunite with his Blade Runner director Ridley Scott to develop the idea for the original screenplay for the Alcon Entertainment, Scott Free, and Bud Yorkin-produced follow up to the 1982 science fiction classic. The project is intended to be a sequel to the original, taking place some years after the first film concluded. Cannes: Weinsteins Pick Up Rights to Qadaffi Doc The Oath of Tobruk The Weinstein Company has locked up U.S. rights to the documentary directed by French philosopher, journalist and filmmaker Bernard-Henri Lévy, who captured the unfolding of the war and the spontaneous popular revolt that became a revolution toppling the longtime Libyan dictator Muammar Qadaffi. The film charts the efforts of the Libyan people in their country and in major cities including Paris, London and New York; it will screen May 25 in Cannes as part of the festival’s Official Selection. Lisa Ray Joins Boy Toy Cooking with Stella actress Lisa Ray will star writer/director Craig Goodwill’s Boy Toy , which is based on the filmmaker’s award-winning short film Patch Town . It tells the story of an abandoned toy whose dream is to be reunited with his long-lost adoptive mother. The film begins shooting in November. MPI Grabs Sleep in North America Rights to the psychological thriller Sleep Tight have been picked up by MPI Media Group. The film revolves around Cesar, an apartment building doorman who keeps very close tabs on his residents’ private lives and whose only happiness comes from others’ misery. Jaume Balaguero’s movie will be released theatrically in the fall of 2012 through MPI’s genre arm, Dark Sky Films. The theatrical release will be followed VOD and DVD availability. Around the ‘net… Weinsteins Acquire French Culinary Pic Haute Cuisine TWC has acquired Christian Vincent’s French comedy Haute Cuisine from Wild Bunch. The film is based on the true story of Danièle Delpeuch, the private cook to the late French president François Mitterand. Deadline reports .
‘It sucks having a lot of pressure on you, knowing that you have to do this and that,’ ‘Idol’ castoff tells MTV News. By Kelly Marino Joshua Ledet Photo: MTV News “American Idol” finalist Joshua Ledet won’t be taking anyone to church during this season’s finale next week, leaving bluesy rocker Phillip Phillips and budding diva Jessica Sanchez to compete for the title. The 20-year-old powerhouse received a record number of standing ovations from the panel and has been proclaimed as one of the best contestants in the history of the show. So, coming in third place with the lowest total of the 90 million votes cast this week might come as a shock to some, but Ledet says it was more like a relief. “I just felt relief,” the soulful singer told MTV News backstage after the show. “As soon as they said Phillip was going on, I felt a lot of pressure came off of me and I was — I’m not going to say I was happy — but it sucks having a lot of pressure on you, knowing that you have to do this and that and this and that. But when they said I wasn’t going on, I was just like, ‘OK. Now I can get this song out of the way and then go home and go to sleep or do something fun.’ ” But make no mistake: It wasn’t just about getting his farewell song out of the way. After belting out “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” by James Brown, the Louisiana native claims he was so overwhelmed, he couldn’t fully recall what the judges were saying to him when they came to console him after the show. “I honestly don’t remember what they were saying because I think I was so emotional,” the preacher’s son explained. “I just remember Jennifer [Lopez] telling me never to give up and that my career is going to go higher from here on out and to just keep believing in myself. “Definitely, it gives me a lot of hope seeing Jennifer Hudson and Adam Lambert and Katharine McPhee, Chris Daughtry. All of these people that didn’t win have had a lot of huge careers, so hopefully that can happen for me.” That being said, Ledet’s career probably could take off if Jimmy Iovine has anything to do with it. For weeks, the show’s music mentor has continuously hinted at signing the singer, even claiming to know the exact type of album he should make — a bit ironic, considering the Interscope head admitted wrongdoing by picking Mary J. Blige’s “No More Drama” for the gospel sensation to perform before being voted off. Thankfully, though, Ledet has no regrets. “I don’t regret any performance that I’ve done on the show,” Ledet said. “People can say one thing, but it’s what I feel in my heart and how I feel about something. So, I don’t think I’ll let people tell me what to do as a person if it’s not true to me in my heart. “I definitely did like the ‘No More Drama’ song,” he added. “It’s not a lot of melody, but I don’t think it’s a competition song. It’s just one of those great songs that you can perform at the Grammys or something.” Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Do you agree with Joshua Ledet’s elimination? Sound off below! Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 11 Performances
‘This is my favorite place in the mother—-in’ world!’ Drizzy declares. By Maurice Bobb Drake Photo: MTV News HOUSTON — Drake’s ties to Houston run deep. It was the city made famous by Rap-a-Lot Records, the Geto Boys, UGK, DJ Screw and a litany of chopped-and-screwed odes to purple syrup that sired, cultivated and ultimately catapulted the Toronto native into the stratosphere of chart-topping, award-winning artists, so it was only fitting that the MC born Aubrey Graham would pour more of his heart and soul into Thursday night’s Toyota Center performance, an earmarked leg on his mammoth Club Paradise Tour. Before Drizzy took the stage for his nearly two-hour set, he was preceded by a coterie of hip-hop radio fixtures: French Montana, 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, Waka Flocka Flame and J. Cole. Each artist was allotted an average of 30 minutes to run through their budding catalog of hits as the crowd — an amalgamation of ages, races and backgrounds — filed into the expansive arena to see the YMCMB MC. Dressed in a simple black T-shirt and jeans — sans garish bejeweled pendant, necklace or watch — and backed by a five-piece band, the Canadian spitter took the stage just before 10 p.m., bursting with nostalgia and reverence for H-Town. “I love Toronto, but this (Houston) is my favorite place in the mother—-in’ world!” he declared. Drake jumpstarted the throng with last year’s undisputed summer anthem, “I’m on One,” before igniting the crowd with the Weeknd-assisted “Crew Love” from his critically and commercially successful sophomore opus, Take Care . In between sips of mystery drank from a grande-sized Styrofoam cup, Drake bounced across the stage like a whirling dervish, looking as if he were unchained from the restrictions and restraints of the criticism he’s faced since solidifying his brand of moody, self-reflective braggadocio in the hardened, self-policing pantheon of hip-hop. Songs like “She Will” and “Up All Night” flowed from the multiplatinum MC’s happy place like an unrelenting wave crashing on a sandy beach. Drake was having so much fun onstage he felt compelled to share it with his co-stars. “Every n—a you wanna hear is right f—ing here!” Drake said before bringing out 2 Chainz for the newly released banger “No Lie.” The record has yet to gain the kind of traction it deserves, but one thing is clear: You haven’t heard “No Lie” until you’ve heard it in a live arena setting. Next up was Waka Flocka, whose high-energy flow on “Round of Applause” was punctuated by pyrotechnics on the “Baby make that ass clap” refrain. Drizzy briefly put his parade of guest stars on hold to offer up his current crossover hit “Take Care” before Meek Mill stepped into the cypher for “House Party” and “I’m a Boss.” The biggest surprise — literally and figuratively — of the night emerged from stage right to thunderous applause: Rick Ross. The Teflon Don and French Montana joined Drake and Meek Mill for the first-ever all-hands-on-deck live performance of “Stay Schemin” from Rozay’s groundbreaking mixtape Rich Forever . Drake’s growth as a live performer was evident as he took time to single out fans for various compliments, comments and jokes, making 15,000 fans feel as though they were in a small, intimate venue meant for 1,500. Drizzy crooned and pandered to the shrieking females in the audience as a prelude to “Make Me Proud,” but the exuberant pirouettes and middle-fingered Mazel tovs were back with “HYFR” and “The Motto.” The only blemish on the evening came when a young fan managed to hop onstage ala Lil Mama before being promptly removed by herculean security guards. “Shout out to that f— ass n—a that ran onstage,” Drake said. “He probably getting his ass beat right now.” To close out his set, Drizzy thanked the fans for their unyielding support and offered up the defiantly brazen “Headlines,” lest there were any haters left in the building — or in the industry, for that matter — “overdosed on confidence” enough to think they can keep Drake from being Drizzy. Because, as he so eloquently put it on this night, Drake doesn’t care about what the naysayers have to say: He only cares about making music for his fans. Have you seen the Club Paradise Tour? Share your review below! Related Videos Drake Kicks Off His Tour In Houston Related Artists Drake
‘This is my favorite place in the mother—-in’ world!’ Drizzy declares. By Maurice Bobb Drake Photo: MTV News HOUSTON — Drake’s ties to Houston run deep. It was the city made famous by Rap-a-Lot Records, the Geto Boys, UGK, DJ Screw and a litany of chopped-and-screwed odes to purple syrup that sired, cultivated and ultimately catapulted the Toronto native into the stratosphere of chart-topping, award-winning artists, so it was only fitting that the MC born Aubrey Graham would pour more of his heart and soul into Thursday night’s Toyota Center performance, an earmarked leg on his mammoth Club Paradise Tour. Before Drizzy took the stage for his nearly two-hour set, he was preceded by a coterie of hip-hop radio fixtures: French Montana, 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, Waka Flocka Flame and J. Cole. Each artist was allotted an average of 30 minutes to run through their budding catalog of hits as the crowd — an amalgamation of ages, races and backgrounds — filed into the expansive arena to see the YMCMB MC. Dressed in a simple black T-shirt and jeans — sans garish bejeweled pendant, necklace or watch — and backed by a five-piece band, the Canadian spitter took the stage just before 10 p.m., bursting with nostalgia and reverence for H-Town. “I love Toronto, but this (Houston) is my favorite place in the mother—-in’ world!” he declared. Drake jumpstarted the throng with last year’s undisputed summer anthem, “I’m on One,” before igniting the crowd with the Weeknd-assisted “Crew Love” from his critically and commercially successful sophomore opus, Take Care . In between sips of mystery drank from a grande-sized Styrofoam cup, Drake bounced across the stage like a whirling dervish, looking as if he were unchained from the restrictions and restraints of the criticism he’s faced since solidifying his brand of moody, self-reflective braggadocio in the hardened, self-policing pantheon of hip-hop. Songs like “She Will” and “Up All Night” flowed from the multiplatinum MC’s happy place like an unrelenting wave crashing on a sandy beach. Drake was having so much fun onstage he felt compelled to share it with his co-stars. “Every n—a you wanna hear is right f—ing here!” Drake said before bringing out 2 Chainz for the newly released banger “No Lie.” The record has yet to gain the kind of traction it deserves, but one thing is clear: You haven’t heard “No Lie” until you’ve heard it in a live arena setting. Next up was Waka Flocka, whose high-energy flow on “Round of Applause” was punctuated by pyrotechnics on the “Baby make that ass clap” refrain. Drizzy briefly put his parade of guest stars on hold to offer up his current crossover hit “Take Care” before Meek Mill stepped into the cypher for “House Party” and “I’m a Boss.” The biggest surprise — literally and figuratively — of the night emerged from stage right to thunderous applause: Rick Ross. The Teflon Don and French Montana joined Drake and Meek Mill for the first-ever all-hands-on-deck live performance of “Stay Schemin” from Rozay’s groundbreaking mixtape Rich Forever . Drake’s growth as a live performer was evident as he took time to single out fans for various compliments, comments and jokes, making 15,000 fans feel as though they were in a small, intimate venue meant for 1,500. Drizzy crooned and pandered to the shrieking females in the audience as a prelude to “Make Me Proud,” but the exuberant pirouettes and middle-fingered Mazel tovs were back with “HYFR” and “The Motto.” The only blemish on the evening came when a young fan managed to hop onstage ala Lil Mama before being promptly removed by herculean security guards. “Shout out to that f— ass n—a that ran onstage,” Drake said. “He probably getting his ass beat right now.” To close out his set, Drizzy thanked the fans for their unyielding support and offered up the defiantly brazen “Headlines,” lest there were any haters left in the building — or in the industry, for that matter — “overdosed on confidence” enough to think they can keep Drake from being Drizzy. Because, as he so eloquently put it on this night, Drake doesn’t care about what the naysayers have to say: He only cares about making music for his fans. Have you seen the Club Paradise Tour? Share your review below! Related Videos Drake Kicks Off His Tour In Houston Related Artists Drake
