“Only on afternoons when the cinema offers retirees half-price tickets has there been much of a crowd for The Iron Lady , the controversial film about Mrs. Thatcher, who is now 86. A therapist, Lauren Hall, 24, had her own perspective. ‘People who come to Grantham are more interested in Isaac Newton,’ who attended school in the town from 1655 to 1661 and has a statue in the town’s main square, she said. In case the visitor had not grasped Newton’s place in history, she offered a prompt. ‘Did you know he invented the cat flap?’ she said.” Huh. This can only benefit Viola Davis , right? [ NYT ]
This year’s Oscars may have average nominee ages of 47, 61 and 62 in such categories as Actor, Director and Supporting Actor (respectively), but trust producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer to rope in the youngs where they can. To wit: If the Academy won’t nominate the four-quadrant blockbuster Bridesmaids for Best Picture, then at least the cast can drop by to present an award. Hence this morning’s news from AMPAS: Six actresses – Rose Byrne, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig – from the hit comedy Bridesmaids will be presenters at the 84th Academy Awards, telecast producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer announced today. McCarthy received her first Oscar nomination this year for her supporting role in the film, and Wiig also became a first-time nominee for the film’s original screenplay. All six will be making their first Oscar show appearances. No word yet on which category they’ll present or how Bruce Vilanch will work very relevant and timely sink-defecation jokes into their shtick. Suggestions welcome below. [ AMPAS ]
If you think his screenplay is implausible , check out Pablo Fenjves’s earlier work: “Fenjves, who lived in Brentwood in the early ’90s, was the person who heard a dog wailing at the time of the murders of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman. Even odder, Fenjves found himself years later ghost-writing Simpson’s If I Did It pseudo-memoir.” [ THR ]
It would be too easy to seethe and writhe with dismay about Matthew Broderick — who’ll turn the big five-O(MG I’m old ) in March — reprising his role as everyone’s favorite truant teen from the ’80s, Ferris Bueller, for Honda. But factor in a 10-second teaser and a few other implications reported this morning, and the spasms of outrage might just ensue involuntarily. Indeed, there is something more than a little destabilizing about a doughy, gray-haired Bueller ripping open his curtains, uttering a midlife-crisis variation on his indelible dictum from the 1986 John Hughes classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off : “How can I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?” The new video’s most optimistic observers wondered, “Sequel?”, while a new dispatch from Jalopnik may prompt a more piercing cry of, “Heresy?” A source familiar with Honda’s operations hinted to us earlier this year that the company was going to do a Ferris Bueller -style ad for the Super Bowl starring none other than Matthew Broderick. The source also added that the spot was going to mimic much of the original film, except this time prominently featuring Hondas. The big jump the two valets do in Cameron’s dad’s Ferrari? We hear this time it’s going to be a Honda CR-V. Honda is pouring a lot of money into this ad and, according to our source, hired The Hangover writer/director Todd Phillips to put it all together. Ah… ha . [Cue prolonged silence] I reached out earlier to both Phillips and Hughes’s family for insights and reactions to the news; neither has yet responded, but as far as I can tell, licensing the Bueller likeness is a two-party process involving Honda and Paramount, so you probably don’t have any legal drama or the like to anticipate. Coaxing Broderick, meanwhile, probably wasn’t too hard but couldn’t have been cheap at all . It’s strange, too — I always thought of Sarah Jessica Parker as the paycheck-part pants wearer in the family. According to the teaser’s YouTube page, viewers can “[s]tick it out until the Super Bowl, or take a ‘day off’ on Monday and catch the big reveal.” Your call. Developing… Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
One for the Money feels like the forgotten pilot for a TV show that wasn’t picked up for series. Watch as Stephanie Plum ( Katherine Heigl ), Trenton divorcee-turned-bounty hunter, hunts down bail skippers in her high heels while trying to choose between troubled cop Joe Morelli (Jason O’Mara) and badass fellow bond agent Ranger (Daniel Sunjata) — Tuesdays on USA! Plum is the creation of author Janet Evanovich and the basis of a bestselling 18 novel franchise, and if you squint at this big screen adaptation (directed by Julie Anne Robinson, of The Last Song and episodes of Weeds , Grey’s Anatomy, 2 Broke Girls and others) you can make out some of the character’s potential appeal — she’s an everywoman who discovers an unexpected talent for a tough gig, an outspoken Jersey girl who refuses to let the fact that she’s out of her comfort zone stop her from getting the job done, etc, etc. But as played by Heigl, Stephanie is mind-blowingly charmless, the latest variation of the on-screen persona the actress has mysteriously embraced — the prissy, once-wronged gal prone to bouts of inconveniently timed clumsiness and acrimonious banter with her eventual love interest. I don’t dislike Heigl on principle, but it’s all too easy to call out everything that’s gone wrong with the romantic comedy in recent years by way of her filmography. Her characters apparently need to be subjected to a journey of humiliating comeuppance in order to win over/come around to their unlikely loves — the rom-com as punishment fantasy. Here her hostile Romeo, Morelli (no one refers to him by his first name), is the roguish town heartbreaker who’s on the lam after having been charged with murdering Ziggy Kuleska, a local tough involved in some major criminal activity. For Stephanie, Morelli’s more serious offense is not calling her back after relieving her of her virginity in the back of a bakery when they were in high school, for which she still bears a grudge. ( One for the Money ‘s tendencies to see things like murder only as vexing complications in its protagonist’s personal life speaks both to its tonal confusion and to how minor the case around which it’s theoretically structured actually is to the film as a whole.) Stephanie will net $50,000 if she can bring the man in, though the first time she finds him she realizes she doesn’t actually have a way to do that unless he agrees to come with — and he insists he’s innocent. Heigl and O’Mara snipe at each other with the sizzling chemistry of two people who can’t wait to whip out their BlackBerries and check their email as soon as a take is over. The pair’s rictus pantomime of sexual tension is countered by Stephanie’s relationship with the hyper-competent and permanently Kevlar-clad Ranger, whom she describes as “Michelangelo’s David dipped in caramel,” and who serves as an alternate aloof romantic possibility as well as a tutor in the ways of bounty hunting. He’s more superhero and plot device than person, but he’s at least not burdened with the New Jersey accent Heigl and O’Mara gamely, unsuccessfully attempt. Stephanie is supposed to be earthy and sassy, not qualities Heigl is able to summon, but she’s also problematically written as somewhere between active if imperfect heroine and Bella Swan-style object in need of rescuing. She’s terrible at what she does, even for a beginner — a running gag about her having to rummage through her purse for her gun at urgent moments is enough to make you want to bang your forehead on the theater seat in front of you. She gets one person killed and another badly beaten, and she frequently places herself in danger, requiring the intervention of Morelli or Ranger. The tension between the allure of being saved and protected versus the desire to do things oneself is by far the most intriguing part of One for the Money , because the film (which was written by Stacy Sherman, Karen Ray and Liz Brixius) has no idea how to balance the two and ends up instead making Stephanie seem like an indulged annoyance. One for the Money ‘s TV pilot air is furthered by the flat look of the film, and by characters who are introduced largely to have no other purpose, there to be given storylines in some (saints forbid) later installment. Annie Parisse is Mary Lou, the best friend Stephanie always calls for advice; Debbie Reynolds plays Stephanie’s loopy grandmother who shoots the roast the rest of the family is eating while fooling around with her granddaughters newly acquired pistol, because accidental domestic gun violence is always good for a laugh. Patrick Fischler is Vinnie, Stephanie’s sleazy cousin/boss, and Sherri Shepherd plays Lula, a brassy hooker who offers our aspiring bond agent information. John Leguizamo, Fisher Stevens and Leonardo Nam show up too. Hopefully the masses won’t, because there are 17 more of these books just waiting to be dragged, kicking and screaming and rummaging in their purses for their weapons, onto the big screen. Follow Alison Willmore on Twitter . 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‘There’s explosions and there’s shooting! You’re gonna like it too,’ Katherine Heigl tells MTV News, selling her new movie to men. By Christina Garibaldi Katherine Heigl and Daniel Sunjata in “One For the Money” Photo: Lionsgate NEW YORK — Since parting ways with “Grey’s Anatomy,” Katherine Heigl has established herself as a queen of romantic comedies, starring in several “chick flicks” such as “27 Dresses,” “Life as We Know It” and “New Year’s Eve.” In her latest movie, “One for the Money,” based on the best-selling Janet Evanovich novel, Heigl takes on the role of Stephanie Plum, a tough Jersey girl who becomes a recovery agent sent to track down a murder suspect — who just so happens to be her ex-boyfriend. If it sounds like the perfect recipe for a ladies’ night out, not so fast. At the movie’s New York premiere, Heigl promised that “One for the Money” will keep women and men on the edge of their seats. “I wouldn’t qualify it as a romantic comedy. It’s got [romance] and it’s got comedy, but it’s mostly about this sort of murder-mystery undertone that keeps it moving and keeps the pace going,” Heigl told MTV News. “I always feel like I’m selling it to men, like, ‘There’s explosions and there’s shooting! You’re gonna like it too, I promise!’ ” Lending her comedic chops to the flick, “The View” co-host Sherri Shepherd agreed with Heigl’s assessment: “It’s a lot of action and it’s a lot of fun. It’s something that I think my husband, who is 6-6, 280 pounds, would love. So no, it’s not just a chick flick; it’s a fun film.” Now, if the ladies of the film haven’t convinced non-female moviegoers, they may want to take some advice from their male co-stars. “There’s action sequences,” Daniel Sunjata said. “There’s definitely a healthy enough dose of testosterone and really good storytelling that I think the guys will have a great time at this movie too.” Heigl’s love interest in the film, Jason O’Mara, added, “I think if the guys come and see it, there’s gonna be lots in it for them. This is not a frilly romantic comedy. With all due respect to Katie’s past work, this is not ’27 Dresses.’ There’s something kind of edgy, something kinda blue-collar about this that gives it a bit of a realism, and I think it’s cool. Whether you’re male or female, I think you’re gonna have a good time.” Check out everything we’ve got on “One for the Money.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
Sarah Drew has become a first-time mom. The Grey’s Anatomy star delivered son Micah Emmanuel Lanfer at 6:21 p.m. Wednesday in Los Angeles. She did not know the gender until that very moment! “She and her husband, Peter Lanfer, are in love with him!” her rep says of the couple’s new baby boy, who weighed in at 7 lbs., 4 oz and is 19 inches long. Sarah in late November, when she was seven months along . “I thought it would be a good idea to wait to find out because I’m such a control freak by nature,” Drew explained of their decision to be surprised at the birth. “I am about to walk into this chapter of my life where I have no control over anything anymore, and I figured I’d ease myself into it by not allowing myself to plan.” “It was hard but in the end it’s good training for me!” Congratulations to Sarah and her growing family, and expect another new addition to the extended Grey’s family this year – Jessica Capshaw is pregnant again! [Photo: WENN.com]
Perhaps fed up by repeated references to bands and TV shows jumping his kind, this four-foot spinner shark decided it was time for some aerial acrobatics. In a video amazingly captured by Orlando Sentinel photographer Jacob Langston, the giant fish can be seen showcasing serious vertical leap and hang time. It happened in the blink of an eye, but pay attention and you’ll clearly see it clear a stunned New Smyrna Beach surfer just off the coast of Florida: Shark Jumping As unreal as this clip is, it’s a fairly common occurrence, and spinners, whose teeth are made for munching small fish, don’t attack people. When this occurred, a nearby surfer exclaimed, “Dude! Did you see that?” Langston actually didn’t at that very instant, but his camera did. Awesome on its own merit, and for the joke potential. This is the most blatant shark jumping since Denny came back as a ghost on Grey’s Anatomy . We’re here all day.
Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner greet each other with a ‘Twilight’ chest bump, a Foo Fighter invites a ‘Harry Potter’ villain out to drinks, and more. By Kara Warner Kristen Stewart at the 2011 Movie Awards Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images Given that we are MTV News, and the Movie Awards is one of our biggest events of the year, our intrepid team of writers, reporters and producers enjoy what is, hands down, the best behind-the-scenes access to any and everything that happens before, after and during the live broadcast. With that, we narrowed down a pretty impressive list of can’t-believe-it-happened-off-camera moments for you. In no particular order, here are the top five “events” witnessed backstage at the 2011 Movie Awards : Dave Grohl Hijacks Our Best Villain Interview Minutes after accepting his second Movie Award for Best Villain, MTV News was chatting up “Harry Potter” star Tom Felton about the win, where he’ll keep his award, and so forth. Foo Fighters frontman Grohl suddenly jumped into the frame and asked what we were talking about. He went on to congratulate Felton on his win with a friendly hug. Grohl ended the brief encounter by extending an invite to a visibly star-struck Felton to join him for some post-show Absinthe. Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart Chest-Bump We love it when the stars of our favorite films seem to be genuinely good friends both on and offscreen — especially when those real-life pals are two of our favorite “Twilight” actors, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner. In between accepting and presenting awards, we watched Stewart and Lautner greet each other backstage with an actual chest bump, which they followed up with a friendly hug. Emma Watson Gets McDreamy’d In spite of the fact that stylish Emma Watson always looks so composed, not even the “Harry Potter” star could resist the dashing good looks of “Grey’s Anatomy” hottie Patrick Dempsey, a.k.a. McDreamy. We witnessed Watson and the “Transformers: Rise of the Fallen” actor passing each other with a smile and a nod. But once Dempsey was out of earshot, Watson turned to her rep, put her hand over her heart and sighed at his dreaminess. “Chocolate Wasted” With Alexys Nycole Sanchez For its sheer adorableness, this moment might be the lead contender for the best thing we witnessed backstage. Moments after “Grown-ups” starlet Alexys Nycole Sanchez nabbed her first Golden Popcorn trophy for her “I want to get chocolate wasted!” line, our MTV News team caught up with the pre-tween to get her reaction. Really, she was too cute for words. And You can see the delight in our faces in the photo posted on our a href=”http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/06/05/mtv-movie-awards-behind-the-scenes-live-blog”> Movies Blog as we had to kneel to speak with Sanchez. OMG, Celebs Are Totally BFF Not all of the celebs in Hollywood are BFFs
Spears drops to #2 as sales of Femme Fatale trail off in second week. By Gil Kaufman Adele’s 21 Photo: Columbia Records It’s a bit early to call it a changing of the guard, but British songbird Adele will make a strong case that she is a major force to be reckoned with on the Billboard charts next week when her album 21 retakes the #1 spot. Thanks to sales of 88,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan, Adele pulls the feat off — her fourth non-consecutive week at #1 since the album’s release in late February — while forcing last week’s #1, Britney Spears ‘ Femme Fatale , down to #2. Spears’ highly anticipated new effort suffers a steep drop-off in its second chart cycle , plunging 73 percent on sales of 75,000, for a two-week total of 352,000. In contrast, Adele has pushed past the 1 million mark in seven weeks to notch the best-selling album of 2011 to date. Also losing a significant amount (70 percent) of business in its second week is rapper Wiz Khalifa ‘s Rolling Papers , which falls three spots to #5 on sales of 59,000. Masked rap-rock crew Hollywood Undead scored their best chart debut ever with American Tragedy, which comes in at #4 (66,000), while little-known metalers Asking Alexandria come in at #9 on sales of 31,000. The rest of the top 10: Radiohead , King of Limbs (#3, 67,000); Chris Brown , F.A.M.E. (#6, 51,000); the iTunes Songs for Japan compilation (#7, 51,000); Mumford & Sons ‘ Sigh No More (#8, 34,000); and Kirk Franklin ‘s Hello Fear (#10, 31,000). Jennifer Hudson ‘s I Remember Me slips four spots to #11 as sales dip 46 percent to 31,000, while Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and former Band member Robbie Robertson scores a #13 debut (22,000) for How to Become Clairvoyant, his first studio album in 13 years. Rapper Jim Jones hits #20 with the debut of his latest, Capo (21,000), indie faves The Kills come in at #37 with Blood Pressures (13,000), and superstar DJ Ti
