It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Or, rather: First came the agony — the surprise shut-down of production on his ambitious At the Mountains of Madness — but now filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is having a ball prepping his next directorial effort, the futuristic alien invasion action movie Pacific Rim . He spoke with Movieline about the two projects while making the press rounds for Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark .
Follow-up to The Open Door, due October 4, ‘smacks you right in the face,’ singer says. By James Montgomery Evanescence’s Amy Lee Photo: Getty Images Amy Lee is having a hard time talking about Evanescence’s upcoming album , partially because she’s out of practice — it’s been a while since the band’s frontwoman has had to run the press gauntlet, after all — but mostly because she keeps using words like “fun” to describe it. And even she realizes how odd that seems. “I can’t give a good quote about it, because it’s probably the heaviest record we’ve ever done, but we’re having a great time making it,” the singer said, laughing. “I don’t want to say the word ‘fun,’ but it is … it’s totally fun. We’re just going for it. So I don’t want to say that it’s ‘expressing the pain of a thousand sorrows,’ because it’s not that. I mean, it’s just more mature; it’s just a great record. It’s hard to sum it up.” Of course, she’s quick to add that “fun” doesn’t necessarily mean “silly or poppy.” “It doesn’t translate right … I’m having fun; we’re all having fun,” she explained, “And there are moments where you can hear that.” But Lee will be the first one to admit that, when Evanescence return in October with their first album in five years, they’ll be a very different beast indeed. Case in point: the first single, which, though she won’t reveal the title, is one she feels comfortable describing as a definite departure for the band. “It’s really different for us. It doesn’t sound like any Evanescence track you’ve heard before,” she said. “It’s heavy, but the melodies and stuff, I feel like I just did what I wanted. I just literally sang what I wanted to sing, because it was fun and it kind of made me smile, and that ended up being the really fun, cool, catchy thing that got everybody hooked on it.” And though it’s different, Lee knows that there’s plenty riding on the band’s comeback single, which is why, even if she was smiling when she recorded it, the song’s still got plenty of the band’s trademark growl, too. And the same goes for the album. “You always have to think about that. We have to go through making the decisions with the label, and see what they’re going to push,” she explained. “We don’t get to do whatever we want all the time, so the single has to sound like a hit. But, for us, we want more than that. “There’s a lot I want to get across all at once, before I lose anybody’s attention. So, the song that I think is the first single is the song that wraps it all up. It’s got a cool meaning, a lot of great lyrics going on, it also just smacks you right in the face and it’s heavy and it’s great … I think that there’s a couple songs that meet that same criteria.” To that end, though she (accidentally) uses words like “fun” to describe it, the new Evanescence album might just be the next logical step for the band: The same themes are there, but for the first time in her career, Lee is writing about them (and herself) in new ways. At the end of the day, as has always been the case, catharsis is key. “There are themes of brokenness, the quest for freedom, and then there’s songs that are just about falling in love … it’s just all over the place,” she said, laughing. “There’s this beautiful song that — it’s definitely going to make the album, or I will kill someone — it’s not like a single or anything, it’s just this epic album track that’s about loss from the perspective of someone losing someone in a tragedy, and it’s really cool to listen back to that, too. “That’s not something I did on The Open Door. The Open Door was all about me and my personal experiences. And there’s some moments on this one that are actually taken from things that I watched go down, from my friends and stuff like that. But really, whatever makes me feel the most, that’s what’s on the record, because that’s what I need to get off my chest.” Are you excited for the new Evanescence album? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Related Artists Evanescence
‘American Idol’ finalist talks about his whirlwind romance and wedding plans. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias Paul McDonald Photo: MTV News Earlier this month, “American Idol” contestant Paul McDonald and “Twilight” star Nikki Reed used the MTV Movie Awards as the perfect opportunity to take their engagement public, only months after they began dating. When MTV News caught up with McDonald at the “American Idol” season 10 tour press day in Los Angeles, the singer opened up about planning the big day. “Well, yeah, I’m not allowed to say too, too much about that stuff, but it’s going good,” he dished. “I love her to death.” While outside observers may have felt that the two were rushing to the altar, McDonald says that they fell in love at first sight, which was even more surprising for him. “She’s amazing. It’s kind of one of those things you don’t expect,” he said. “Like, last year I never would have thought I’d be getting married. She’s amazing. She’s the perfect girl. We fit each other; when you know you know and she’s the one.” His gushing sentiments about the actress seem to mirror ones she’s shared about him. Shortly after announcing their engagement, she reportedly told E! News, “He’s the one. He’s the one.” For now, McDonald is on the road with his fellow Idols through September, giving him enough time to nail down who he wants to get to sing at his reception, whenever that should take place. “Oh, I told Jacob Lusk he’s going to sing at my wedding and my funeral,” he joked. “Who knows? Maybe we’ll get the whole ‘Idol’ crew to be wedding singers. Maybe we’ll get Adam Sandler.”
President Obama definitely faces an uphill battle is his campaign for re-election in 2012. Although Obama raked in lots of cash last night from a dinner at the Upper East Side restaurant Daniel — where about 70 hedge-funders and other deep pocketed donors forked over $35,800 a head — it was big-time execs turning down the invitation who raised eyebrows. Both JPMorgan Chase chief Jamie Dimon and Citigroup boss Vikram Pandit had made it clear they would not attend the event, which was closed to the press. Also planning to skip the event were Blackstone Group President Tony James and its top real-estate exec, Jonathan Gray; Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman and its president, Greg Fleming; and Goldman Sachs President Gary Cohn. “I think there are a lot of Wall Street-types who are unhappy,” said a financial exec who has supported Obama in the past. “Do I think everyone’s going to abandon the president? I’d say no — I’m not going to abandon him — but I get the sense he’s going to get far less support than he did in the past.” The POTUS is no dummy though, he has enough self-awareness to recognize his own dwindling popularity: “I know that it’s not going to be exactly the same as when I was young and vibrant and new,” he said. “Let’s face it, it was cool to support me back then [in 2008] . . . Now I’m sort of old news.” Additionally, Obama’s support amongst the gay community seems to be contingent on him taking a stance on gay marriage. Even Obama’s first stop, at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, where as many as 600 gays, bisexuals and transgendered people paid at least $1,250 apiece, showcased the gap between the president and his base. Obama stopped short of calling for same-sex nups — disappointing some of his supporters. At one point, some hecklers shouted “Marriage!” To which Obama responded, “I hear you, guys. Believe it or not, I anticipated that.” He took pains to say he was raised to abhor discrimination. “I was born that way,” he said, an apparent riff on Lady Gaga’s gay anthem “Born This Way.” Has your opinion about President Obama changed after these past few years? Do you still plan to support him in the 2012 election?? Caption this picture of our stressed out Commander-In-Chief. Source
Here you go… THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary __ __________________________ For Immediate Release June 23, 2011 REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT A DNC EVENT Sheraton Hotel and Towers New York, New York 6:59 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Hello, hello, hello! (Applause.) Thank you! Thank you so much. Hello, New York! (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Thank you. Everybody please have a… Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Pam’s House Blend Discovery Date : 24/06/2011 03:29 Number of articles : 2
[Guest post by Lee Stranahan] This press release just in from Rep. Steve King’s Office – and please take 10 seconds to sign the Petition. Congressman King reacts to strong showing of Congressional disapproval for settlement program funding unresolved Pigford v. Vilsack claims Washington D.C.- Congressman Steve King (R-IA) released the following statement after 155 Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Patterico’s Pontifications Discovery Date : 17/06/2011 23:49 Number of articles : 2
It has come to this for Anthony Weiner: a former porn star has suggested he resign, implying he’s a sexual deviant who sent lewd messages to a woman who never asked for them. Earlier today, reporters gathered for a press conference in which Ginger Lee once again said Weiner encouraged her to help him cover it his Twitter scandal . Ginger Lee Press Conference “He asked me to lie about our communication,” Lee said, with Gloria Allred by her side. “I think that Anthony Weiner should resign because he lied to the public and the press for more than a week.” Lee claims she never sexted Weiner and never reciprocated when he sent such Tweets as “My package and I are not going to beg…” and “You aren’t giving my package due credit.” Allred referred to her client as a “featured dancer,” said Lee has undergone emotional distress over the last few weeks and confirmed she would cooperate in any House ethics investigation. “If asked to testify, she will testify truthfully,” Allred said. “And she will provide all of her communications to and from the congressman to the committee.” On June 1, Weiner told Wolf Blitzer, in reference to Lee: “I don’t know who the woman is. I followed her for a moment. And then someone started Tweeting, oh my goodness, Anthony Weiner is following someone in that industry.” The very next day, Lee alleges, Weiner instructed her what to say if approached about their relationship.
The long-awaited toxicology reports and an autopsy – which were put off while his widow Lyndie Dupuis was pregnant with their son Andy Axel, born Dec. 8 – showed that dengue fever did not result in Iron#39;s death, according to CNN. “A plaque of this severity, located in the anterior descending coronary artery, is commonly associated with sudden death,” Dr. Vincent Di Maio, a forensic pathologist, explained to the family, according to the press release. “The only unusual aspect of the case is M
The actress and former Maxim hottest woman Estella Warren, 32, was charged Thursday with DUI, hit-and-run, battery on a police officer and resisting a police officer. Warren also allegedly refused to submit to a chemical test the night she was arrested. Estella Warren faces four misdemeanor charges for her bizarre, allegedly intoxicated antics that led to her May 23 arrest in Los Angeles. The Planet of the Apes star is scheduled for arraignment on June 17 for the four misdemeanors. She could f
