Tag Archives: performances

‘Prometheus’: The Reviews Are In!

‘The performances are excellent, especially from Michael Fassbender,’ writes the AP ‘s Christy Lemire. By Kevin P. Sullivan Michael Fassbender as David 8 in “Prometheus” Photo: Twentieth Century Fox After 30 years away from the genre, director Ridley Scott returns to science-fiction with “Prometheus,” a film with tenuous connections to the “Alien” universe. Reactions to “Prometheus” have been decidedly split, but parties on both sides can’t help but praise Scott’s stunning visuals and the ambition of the screenplay. Here is our roundup of critic reactions to “Prometheus.” The Story Since most reviews can’t seem to explain the story without giving away significant plot details, let this suffice: A group of scientists go into space. Bad things happen. The Look “Nearly all the bits and pieces in director Ridley Scott’s ‘Prometheus’ come from other movies — either one of Scott’s or someone else’s. More and more, though, I appreciate Scott’s fundamental squareness as a filmmaker. ‘Prometheus’ may be the ‘Gladiator’ director’s first picture shot digitally and in 3-D, but there’s an old-school assurance in the pacing and the design. ‘Elegant’ and ‘stately’ are two adjectives that won’t mean a thing to the potential teen audience for ‘Prometheus,’ but they’re the most apt.” — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune The “Alien” Connection “Ridley Scott’s ‘Prometheus’ is a magnificent science-fiction film, all the more intriguing because it raises questions about the origin of human life and doesn’t have the answers. It’s in the classic tradition of golden age sci-fi, echoing Scott’s ‘Alien’ (1979), but creating a world of its own. I’m a pushover for material like this; it’s a seamless blend of story, special effects and pitch-perfect casting, filmed in sane, effective 3-D that doesn’t distract.” — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times Michael Fassbender “The performances are excellent, especially from Michael Fassbender as a robot with the looks and impeccable manners of an adult but the innocence and troublemaking instincts of a child. His character, the genteel, fair-haired David, serves as an homage to Scott’s own work as he calls to mind Ian Holm’s android Ash from the original ‘Alien.’ His eerily calm, precise demeanor also is reminiscent of the HAL 9000 computer program in ‘2001: A Space Odyssey,’ and the pop-culture influences that shape David’s habits and speech are a clever celebration of the power of classic cinema in general. (‘Prometheus’ probably will not go on to be considered one of Scott’s classics in the same category as ‘Alien’ and ‘Blade Runner,’ but you’ve got to admire its ambition.)” — Christy Lemire, The Associated Press The Final Word “You might also call [elements of the film] science-fiction clich

Justin Bieber To Star In First Prime-Time Network Special

‘Justin Bieber Believe: All Around The World” will air on NBC on June 21. By Gil Kaufman Justin Bieber Photo: Getty Images He’s conquered the charts, the Internet and arenas all around the world, so it just makes sense that Justin Bieber is bringing his swag to prime-time. The “Boyfriend” singer will star in his first network special on June 21 when NBC airs “Justin Bieber Believe: All Around the World.” The hour-long show will give Beliebers a behind-the-scenes look at Justin’s global promotional tour in support of his upcoming Believe album, using a combination of documentary and music performance footage. “We’re thrilled to air Justin Bieber’s first network special,” said Doug Vaughan, SVP of Special Programs and Late Night for NBC in a statement announcing the show, which will air from 8-9 p.m. ET/PT. “We’ll have unprecedented access to Justin as our cameras film not only his performances, but his every move on this global tour — giving our viewers an all access pass to his life over a 12-day period, something rarely seen on TV today.” Viewers will get a unique perspective on Bieber’s grinding schedule on the seven-country, 12-day promo tour thanks to the “Justin-cam,” which will show fans the madness from his perspective. The whirlwind tour will culminate with a special concert performance in New York City. Bieber dropped a new single this week, “Die in Your Arms,” 
 which laces his pop attack with bits of Motown harmonies and producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins’ signature funky beats. The song’s vintage swing, finger snaps and melodies certainly recall the heyday of feel-good R&B from the 1960s, which is mirrored in the song’s sentiment. On the chorus, Bieber sings, “Honestly, the truth is, if I could just die in your arms/ I wouldn’t mind/ ‘Cause every time you touch me/ I just die in your arms/ It feels so right/ So baby, baby, baby, please don’t stop girl.” “Die” is the follow-up to the more pop-‘n’-b-leaning “Boyfriend,” 
 which he dropped back in March. Last week he released a remix to the song , featuring 2 Chainz, Mac Miller and Asher Roth, which certainly ups the song’s hip-hop ante quite a bit. “And we can be like Selena and Biebs/ Wild and free, a couple disobedient teens/ Sneaking out to meet like two o’ clock in the eve/ Paparazzi ain’t a problem, we just hide on the beach,” Roth spits on the track. Related Videos Frame By Frame: Justin Bieber’s ‘Boyfriend’ MTV First: Justin Bieber Related Photos The Evolution Of: Justin Bieber Related Artists Justin Bieber

View original post here:
Justin Bieber To Star In First Prime-Time Network Special

MTV Buzzworthy Blog – Watch Justin Bieber, The Wanted Perform …

Check out Justin Bieber and The Wanted slay their performances at the Billboard Music Awards. Here is the original post: MTV Buzzworthy Blog – Watch Justin Bieber, The Wanted Perform …

View original post here:
MTV Buzzworthy Blog – Watch Justin Bieber, The Wanted Perform …

Buzz Bites (5/21/12): Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber And Katy Perry …

Justin Bieber Dances Like A BAWSS At His Billboard Awards Rehearsal (VIDEO). Posted 5/18/12 … Buzz Bites (5/21/12): Taylor Swift, Adele, Justin Bieber And Katy Perry Among Billboard Music Awards Winners. Posted 9 … Continued here: Buzz Bites (5/21/12): Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber And Katy Perry …

Here is the original post:
Buzz Bites (5/21/12): Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber And Katy Perry …

Elise Testone Earned J.Lo’s ‘Respect’ On ‘American Idol’

Jennifer Lopez calls latest castoff a ‘fighter’ for speaking her mind during the show. By James Montgomery, with reporting by Christina Garibaldi Elise Testone Photo: MTV News Elise Testone’s ouster from “American Idol” last week wasn’t exactly shocking — after all, she’d practically built “a vacation home” in the bottom three (thanks Jimmy Iovine!). But that doesn’t mean she ever really expected to go home either. “I never really allowed myself to think about it,” Testone told MTV News. “But, you know, it happened. I don’t take it to heart; it’s a TV show, you know? It’s dramatic. People agree, they don’t agree. No matter what you do, people are going to respect you and people aren’t.” It’s telling that Testone mentioned the whole agree/disagree thing, mostly because, during her time on the show, it seemed like the “Idol” judges could never truly agree on their critiques of her performances. And, of course, that led to Testone frequently disagreeing with their assessments. And now, much like fellow castoff Erika Van Pelt , she’s letting her displeasure about that fact be known. “I can look at it like they’re contradicting themselves, or it could be mistaken for I’m just not finding the balance,” she said. “So, they’ll bring one thing to your attention, and then they’ll pull back and they’ll bring another thing to your attention, [and] that might contradict the other thing, but it’s probably because I’m not balancing out the advice that they’re giving, if that makes any sense. Sometimes it didn’t make sense. … I have to say my least-favorite comment was ‘Elise is back!’ because I’m like, ‘I really never went anywhere.'” Still, Testone said she’s eternally grateful for her time on “Idol” — she mentioned bonding with Stevie Nicks as a highlight, joking, “She’s basically my best friend at this point” — and added that she’s exiting with her head held high, mostly because she never was afraid to speak her mind. “[I talked to the judges] on a few occasions, especially J.Lo,” she said. “I was like, ‘Are you mad at me? I’m not trying to talk back in a rude way!’ It’s just that, being older, and knowing the direction I want to go in, I feel comfortable. Maybe because of my experience with music or my age, I thought I could talk to [the judges]. And I thought that people would respect that in a way, like, ‘This girl is speaking up for herself, trying to figure out a clear answer.’ “And Jennifer was OK with that,” she continued. “She was like, ‘No, I totally understand. I like that you’re a fighter and you stand up for what you believe in. That makes me respect you more.’ She always says she respects me as an artist, so that’s great.” Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 11 Performances Related Artists Jennifer Lopez

More here:
Elise Testone Earned J.Lo’s ‘Respect’ On ‘American Idol’

The Hobbit 48 FPS Preview Divides Audiences at CinemaCon

Unveiling 10 minutes of Hobbit footage in 3-D at the revolutionary frame rate of 48 frames per second (vs. the standard 24 fps), as Warner Bros. did Tuesday at CinemaCon, should have been the first big buzz moment for Peter Jackson ‘s return to Middle Earth. The immediate reaction to the presentation, however, was anything but good news for the studio or for proponents of the kind of cutting-edge high frame rate cinema technology Jackson and folks like James Cameron and Douglas Trumbull have been championing as the future of film. Instead, it left members of the blogger corps. calling it ” jarring ,” ” non-cinematic ,” and ” like a made for television BBC movie ,” predicting that audiences will be split in embracing the brave new advance. The footage, preceded by a taped introduction by Jackson, drew breathless raves for portions of aerial footage whisking, in the style of an IMAX nature doc, over wide landscape shots that seemed to prompt unanimous praise. Then came the character footage, which told another story: At its increased frame rate, Jackson’s 48-fps scenes were reportedly almost too realistic, approximating what many compared to an HD TV or television soap-like quality. Badass Digest’s Devin Faraci described the effect thusly : …Here’s what The Hobbit looked like to me: a hi-def version of the 1970s I, Claudius . It is drenched in a TV-like – specifically 70s era BBC – video look. People on Twitter have asked if it has that soap opera look you get from badly calibrated TVs at Best Buy, and the answer is an emphatic YES. Slashfilm’s Peter Sciretta concurred : The movement of the actors looked… strange. Almost as if the performances had been partly sped up. But the dialogue matched the movement of the lips, so it wasn’t an effect of speed-ramping… It didn’t look cinematic. Variety’s Josh Dickey was a bit more reserved in his reaction: 48 fps has an immediacy that is almost jarring. And lighting it just right will be a learning process, as 3D was and still is…48 fps also, unfortunately, looks a bit like television. But it does bring 3D to a different level. And The L.A. Times’ Amy Kaufman called the feel of 48fps “hyper-realistic,” quoting one anonymous projectionist in attendance (“It was too accurate — too clear”) as well as an unnamed film buyer who wasn’t quite ready to discount The Hobbit ‘s playability: “The question is if people want to watch movies that really look real or not. I was expecting a subtle difference, but this was dramatic,” he said. “Might that work against a narrative? I don’t know. But I’m not going to judge it based on 10 minutes.” Stay tuned for more from the Hobbit camp as Warner Bros. and Jackson regroup from the CinemaCon blow, and in the meantime sound off below: Does 48 fps still seem like the future of cinema?

Read the original here:
The Hobbit 48 FPS Preview Divides Audiences at CinemaCon

Twee Alert: Watch Six Adorbs Clips from Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom

You already know you’re in for a twee-fest packed with richly colorful characters and a healthy dose of quirky charm in Wes Anderson ‘s period kid romance Moonrise Kingdom , so watching these six newly unveiled clips from the film probably won’t spoil all that much. Instead, they give us more of what we’re already expecting: Game turns by Anderson regulars like Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman as well as Bruce Willis , Frances McDormand , and Ed Norton , the hazy muted palette of the isolated New England countryside as if filtered through Instagram, and our two preternatural adolescent heroes, plotting their summer camp flight through the wilderness in the name of love. Obviously, avoid the below clips if you’d like to go in completely spoiler-free. While I’m guessing the scenes in question occur in the below order in the film, who knows? The charm of Moonrise Kingdom promises to be in the performances (get a fun glimpse of Tilda Swinton ‘s ball-busting turn as Social Services, for instance), though I will add this spoiler: Moonrise Kingdom ‘s dolly shot budget appears to have been quite high. “New Penzance” “The Most Important Decision in Your Lives” “Were You Followed?” “Loaded Question” “I’m Deputizing the Little Guy” “Juvenile Refugee” Official synopsis: Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, MOONRISE KINGDOM tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore — and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle. Bruce Willis plays the local sheriff. Edward Norton is a Khaki Scout troop leader. Bill Murray and Frances McDormand portray the young girl’s parents. The cast also includes Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, and Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward as the boy and girl. Moonrise Kingdom debuts at Cannes and opens in limited release May 25.

See the original post here:
Twee Alert: Watch Six Adorbs Clips from Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom

‘Hunger Games’ Studio Taps Francis Lawrence To Direct ‘Catching Fire’

Director behind ‘Water for Elephants’ and classic music videos is set to take over for Gary Ross. By Kara Warner Francis Lawrence Photo: Ian Gavan/ Getty Images Just last week, the “Hunger Games” fandom was sent into a bit of a tailspin when director Gary Ross announced he would not direct the film’s sequel , “Catching Fire.” Jaws dropped, heads were scratched and new names were thrown out and analyzed . Now, it appears Francis Lawrence will be stepping into Ross’ shoes to direct the highly anticipated sequel to the record-breaking first film. According to a very brief report from Deadline , Lionsgate has decided to go with Lawrence over “Moneyball” helmer Bennett Miller, the other recently rumored Ross replacement. There is no official word from the studio about the done deal, but by all appearances, they have found their man. For those not familiar with Lawrence’s r

‘American Idol’ Fresh Out Of Saves For Colton Dixon

Seeming front-runner shockingly voted off the show, joined in the bottom three by Elise Testone and Hollie Cavanagh. By Adam Graham Colton Dixon on “American Idol” Photo: Fox “Bad Romance” turned out just plain bad for Colton Dixon on Thursday (April 19), as the 20-year-old Tennessean — who had never before landed in the bottom three — was voted off “American Idol.” Dixon found himself at the bottom of the 53 million votes cast following Wednesday’s performance episode . Dixon, the Mohawk-mullet-wearing emo-rocker who entered “Idol” initially only as a show of moral support for his sister, performed a goth-lite version of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” on Wednesday’s show, as well as an emo reading of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September.” When given the news he had been voted off — and would indeed be going home, since the judges used their one-and-only save for the season last week to rescue Jessica Sanchez from oblivion — Dixon said sorry to his fans. “I need to apologize. I wasn’t myself last night, and I get it,” he said, turning to the judges. “I appreciate what you told me last night. I’ll take that when I’m making a record, and I’ll choose songs … ” He was cut off by Jennifer Lopez, who told him, “You’ll make many records,” and Randy Jackson, who offered, “You have a huge career ahead of you, man.” Dixon had received generally favorable remarks from the judges throughout the season but was dinged for his performances Wednesday, in particular for the Earth, Wind & Fire tune. In a video that aired Thursday (April 19) that caught him backstage, Dixon reacted to the criticism. “Ouch, that kind of stung a little bit,” he said. “But honestly, I’m not trying to sound cocky, but I don’t care.” Dixon was in the bottom three along with Hollie Cavanagh and perpetual bottom-dweller Elise Testone. Testone was sent back to safety first, leaving Dixon and Cavanagh to sweat it out. Host Ryan Seacrest was up to even more tricks than usual when handing contestants their fate Thursday; at one point he told Joshua Ledet, “I’m afraid … you didn’t get the right number of votes … to put you in the bottom three. You are safe!” (C’mon, Seacrest, that barely even makes sense.) Regarding Ledet, “Idol” mentor Jimmy Iovine remarked, “He could end up in the finale.” In a video package, Seacrest paid tribute to his mentor Dick Clark, who died Wednesday at age 82. The evening also saw performances from Kris Allen, who sang his new song “The Vision of Love,” and party rockers LMFAO, who apologized for their party-rocking ways with a typically raucous rendition of “Sorry for Party Rocking.” What did you think of “Idol” on Thursday? Let us know in the comments! Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos Most Shocking ‘American Idol’ Exits ‘American Idol’ Season 11 Performances

Read more:
‘American Idol’ Fresh Out Of Saves For Colton Dixon

Dancing With the Stars Results: Goodbye, Gavin?

Unlike the ousters of Jack Wagner and Sherri Shepherd , the fourth elimination on Dancing With the Stars was not a decision that will leave heads scratched. Just as things looked up last week for Karina Smirnoff and partner Gavin DeGraw, they once again sunk to the bottom Monday night after a 19-point samba. The second lowest DWTS scores went to Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Melissa Gilbert, with 21, with Gladys Knight and Tristan MacManus posting just 22. Which of these tandems comprised the dreaded bottom two? Melissa and Maksim and Gladys and Tristan were among the first to be declared safe. Gavin and Karina faced off with Jaleel White and Kym Johnson. Dancing for survival, the judges made their final call based purely on the quality of the performances as both couples did the cha cha side by side. And that call was a fairly easy one. Their decision was unanimous: the judges saved Jaleel and Kym, bringing DeGraw’s run on DWTS to a close. “It’s amazing just being part of the show,” an upbeat Gavin said. “Knowing Karina Smirnoff, of course, having a great mentor. And getting to reach out and know all these amazing people who are a part of this show.” Jaleel and Kym will be back next week to compete in the top eight. You tell us: With Gavin out, who will win Dancing With the Stars?

Read more here:
Dancing With the Stars Results: Goodbye, Gavin?