Healthcare is grabbing the headlines and the Chattersphere today, but one thing appears to be certain: It’s curtains for film. OK, maybe a stretch of a segue, but here’s the thing. Sure, there are some high profile holdouts and even digital-converts will attest to the quality and feel of film. But when Martin Scorsese is ready to make the perma-switch, then the slow inevitable demise may have just been given an extra boost. Scorsese will go digital for his next film and appears resigned to the format going forward. Speaking with Empire at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the director’s longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker said, “It would appear that we’ve lost the battle,” confirming his next film, The Wolf of Wall Street would be shot digitally. “I think Marty just feels it’s unfortunately over, and there’s been no bigger champion of film than him.” Of course Scorsese’s last film Hugo won an Oscar for Best Cinematography. It is also a de facto call for film preservation, something near and dear to the filmmaker’s heart. “It’s a very bittersweet thing to be watching films with him now that are on film,” said Schoonmaker. “We’re cherishing every moment of it. The number of prints that are now being made for release has just gone down, and it would appear that the theaters have converted so quickly to digital.” Scorsese and Schoonmaker get to work on The Wolf of Wall Street starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill and Jean Dujardin the second week of August. And what do you think about the switch to digital? [Source: Empire ]
Today I learned two things. 1) You can never predict SCOTUS and 2) I’m gonna punch the next guy in the eye who calls the Supreme Court of the United States ‘SCOTUS.’ You don’t need to have been swallowed up in the abyss of indifferent bureaucracy to know that our medical system is FUBAR. (Oh, God, enough with the acronyms!) All you need to do is go to the movies. Here are some of cinema’s highlights that have made me want to try chewing cardamom seeds and holding a crystal rather than make that $15 copay. The Hospital (1971), Arthur Hiller, director Writer Paddy Chayefsky was raging against failing institutions before his masterpiece Network . The Hospital stars George C. Scott as a hospital administrator whose personal life and his place of work are in a race to see which more quickly turn to shambles. It’s a movie that will anger up the blood, but worth checking out if for no other reason that to hear the term “zapping” as a euphemism for the sex act. — Critical Care (1997), Sidney Lumet, director Chayefsky’s future collaborator on Network got to take his turn tsk-tsking the medical system with Critical Care . The film is primarily a romantic comedy, but it has more than its share of startlingly frank scenes of how emergency care is weighed against ownership of insurance. For those who thought Drive was the first time Albert Brooks played a murderer, check out the below clip. — The Rainmaker (1997), Francis Ford Coppola ’97 was not a good year to be in the health insurance business. In The Rainmaker , the evil HMO “Great Benefit” don’t just deny Mary Kay Place’s son a necessary bone marrow transplant, they’re big fat jerks about it in a letter. Memo to self: don’t call a grieving mother “stupid, stupid, stupid” when she’s got an idealistic young attorney like Matt Damon on their side. — Saw VI (2009), Some Gross Guy, director We can all send letters of gratitude to John Roberts for not spiking Obamacare. Nobody deserves the fate the insurance company employees got in Saw VI , which explained why Jigsaw started torture-punishing his victims in the first place. (They were tools of the bureaucracy that denied ailing folks’ necessary care.) And the last thing we need is a Saw reboot. — The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005), Cristi Puilu, director Of course, it could be worse. You could live in Romania. This film (presented as a dark comedy in the trailer, but I didn’t do much laughing) is a near 3-hour exercise in frustration. Watch in horror as a dying man is shuffled between selfish neighbors, CYA-pencil pushers and disinterested physicians. It’s a difficult flick, and, unfortunately, a reminder than no amount of government legislation can force people not to be idiots. — Contagion (2011), Steven Soderbergh, director Woah, woah, let’s close this out with a little positivity! Contagion taught us a few things. Number one was STOP TOUCHING YOUR FACE, and number two was that there are some people who are (shock!) employed by the government who will put themselves in harm’s way for the betterment of society. Jennifer Ehle’s CDC character saves the day, while Kate Winslet’s is a martyr. I dunno about you, but every real life doctor I’ve ever spoken to wishes the nightmare of insurance, malpractice, referrals and general mishigoss would just disappear so they can do what they first set out to do: help people. Jordan Hoffman is a regular critic at ScreenCrush , columnist at StarTrek.com and contributor to a great number of your favorite websites. He has produced two independent films and was named IFC’s Ultimate Film Fanatic of the NorthEast. Follow on Twitter at JHoffman6 .
Today I learned two things. 1) You can never predict SCOTUS and 2) I’m gonna punch the next guy in the eye who calls the Supreme Court of the United States ‘SCOTUS.’ You don’t need to have been swallowed up in the abyss of indifferent bureaucracy to know that our medical system is FUBAR. (Oh, God, enough with the acronyms!) All you need to do is go to the movies. Here are some of cinema’s highlights that have made me want to try chewing cardamom seeds and holding a crystal rather than make that $15 copay. The Hospital (1971), Arthur Hiller, director Writer Paddy Chayefsky was raging against failing institutions before his masterpiece Network . The Hospital stars George C. Scott as a hospital administrator whose personal life and his place of work are in a race to see which more quickly turn to shambles. It’s a movie that will anger up the blood, but worth checking out if for no other reason that to hear the term “zapping” as a euphemism for the sex act. — Critical Care (1997), Sidney Lumet, director Chayefsky’s future collaborator on Network got to take his turn tsk-tsking the medical system with Critical Care . The film is primarily a romantic comedy, but it has more than its share of startlingly frank scenes of how emergency care is weighed against ownership of insurance. For those who thought Drive was the first time Albert Brooks played a murderer, check out the below clip. — The Rainmaker (1997), Francis Ford Coppola ’97 was not a good year to be in the health insurance business. In The Rainmaker , the evil HMO “Great Benefit” don’t just deny Mary Kay Place’s son a necessary bone marrow transplant, they’re big fat jerks about it in a letter. Memo to self: don’t call a grieving mother “stupid, stupid, stupid” when she’s got an idealistic young attorney like Matt Damon on their side. — Saw VI (2009), Some Gross Guy, director We can all send letters of gratitude to John Roberts for not spiking Obamacare. Nobody deserves the fate the insurance company employees got in Saw VI , which explained why Jigsaw started torture-punishing his victims in the first place. (They were tools of the bureaucracy that denied ailing folks’ necessary care.) And the last thing we need is a Saw reboot. — The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005), Cristi Puilu, director Of course, it could be worse. You could live in Romania. This film (presented as a dark comedy in the trailer, but I didn’t do much laughing) is a near 3-hour exercise in frustration. Watch in horror as a dying man is shuffled between selfish neighbors, CYA-pencil pushers and disinterested physicians. It’s a difficult flick, and, unfortunately, a reminder than no amount of government legislation can force people not to be idiots. — Contagion (2011), Steven Soderbergh, director Woah, woah, let’s close this out with a little positivity! Contagion taught us a few things. Number one was STOP TOUCHING YOUR FACE, and number two was that there are some people who are (shock!) employed by the government who will put themselves in harm’s way for the betterment of society. Jennifer Ehle’s CDC character saves the day, while Kate Winslet’s is a martyr. I dunno about you, but every real life doctor I’ve ever spoken to wishes the nightmare of insurance, malpractice, referrals and general mishigoss would just disappear so they can do what they first set out to do: help people. Jordan Hoffman is a regular critic at ScreenCrush , columnist at StarTrek.com and contributor to a great number of your favorite websites. He has produced two independent films and was named IFC’s Ultimate Film Fanatic of the NorthEast. Follow on Twitter at JHoffman6 .
Crazy people, they’re just like us! Sure, we may not hurl copies of A Farewell To Arms through closed windows or live with our parents at age 37 (if the Wikipedia entry on Bradley Cooper is to be believed) but as far as the trials and triumphs of burgeoning love are concerned, David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook looks like a standard rom com on prescription meds. One would think that Russell would cash in his chips after the Awards-scooping The Fighter and serve up something that defies category like I Heart Huckabees or his uncompleted feature Nailed , but my guess is since Russell has seen the interior of director’s jail he has no intention of going back. Silver Linings Playbook , despite the mouthful of a title, looks like a strong, albeit conventional flick. Count me as one of many eager to see Jennifer Lawrence play an adult (and, no, I don’t mean “adult” in any euphemistic way.) Plus this looks like an appropriate use of Bradley Cooper’s bordering-on-manic charm. The November 21 release of SLP couldn’t be better timed, as it will wipe his slate clean after September’s soporific Sundance dud The Words . From these few clips here it seems like the relationships sparkle, and even the paycheck-happy Robert De Niro looks like he’s going to bring some spin to the potentially sitcom-ish weary Dad. The other big surprise in the trailer is the appearance of a guy who may look familiar to you. You may need to hit pause. Is that…? Yes, it is! It’s Chris Tucker. You know, that comic actor who seemed like a rising star in the 1990s until he decided that prepping for the next Rush Hour movie took LOTS AND LOTS of research. Watching nut-cases fall in love has long been a pleasure ( David and Lisa , As Good As It Gets , my cousin and that kleptomaniac she married) so Silver Linings Playbook seems ready to scratch that itch. Plus, it doesn’t look too preachy. The family scenes, mere flashes in this trailer, tease some of that “gotta love ’em” positivity that made The Fighter such a standout. Verdict: Nothing revolutionary, but neither was The Fighter , and that turned out great. Gonna’ watch this one closer than the usual rom com. Silver Linings Playbook hits theaters November 21. There’s still time to change the title.
Crazy people, they’re just like us! Sure, we may not hurl copies of A Farewell To Arms through closed windows or live with our parents at age 37 (if the Wikipedia entry on Bradley Cooper is to be believed) but as far as the trials and triumphs of burgeoning love are concerned, David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook looks like a standard rom com on prescription meds. One would think that Russell would cash in his chips after the Awards-scooping The Fighter and serve up something that defies category like I Heart Huckabees or his uncompleted feature Nailed , but my guess is since Russell has seen the interior of director’s jail he has no intention of going back. Silver Linings Playbook , despite the mouthful of a title, looks like a strong, albeit conventional flick. Count me as one of many eager to see Jennifer Lawrence play an adult (and, no, I don’t mean “adult” in any euphemistic way.) Plus this looks like an appropriate use of Bradley Cooper’s bordering-on-manic charm. The November 21 release of SLP couldn’t be better timed, as it will wipe his slate clean after September’s soporific Sundance dud The Words . From these few clips here it seems like the relationships sparkle, and even the paycheck-happy Robert De Niro looks like he’s going to bring some spin to the potentially sitcom-ish weary Dad. The other big surprise in the trailer is the appearance of a guy who may look familiar to you. You may need to hit pause. Is that…? Yes, it is! It’s Chris Tucker. You know, that comic actor who seemed like a rising star in the 1990s until he decided that prepping for the next Rush Hour movie took LOTS AND LOTS of research. Watching nut-cases fall in love has long been a pleasure ( David and Lisa , As Good As It Gets , my cousin and that kleptomaniac she married) so Silver Linings Playbook seems ready to scratch that itch. Plus, it doesn’t look too preachy. The family scenes, mere flashes in this trailer, tease some of that “gotta love ’em” positivity that made The Fighter such a standout. Verdict: Nothing revolutionary, but neither was The Fighter , and that turned out great. Gonna’ watch this one closer than the usual rom com. Silver Linings Playbook hits theaters November 21. There’s still time to change the title.
A horror movie, two Bradley Cooper films and a return to Katniss Everdeen are all in the works. By Kara Warner Jennifer Lawrence at the “Hunger Games” premiere Photo: Getty Images For those of you who rushed out to the theater to see Jennifer Lawrence and company in this weekend’s box-office blockbuster “The Hunger Games,” how good was Lawrence as Katniss? If you were as delighted and moved by Lawrence’s performance as we were, you’re probably wondering what the Oscar nominee will be up to next. Lucky for you, we have a few answers! Here’s a little rundown of what to expect from Lawrence and where to see more of this talented, charming and all-around likable leading lady. (Side note: Before she jumps right into another project, we hope Lawrence takes a vacation of some sort and gets a little rest and relaxation after her extensive, worldwide promotional tour for “Games.” We loved seeing the cast at so many events and so dressed up, but she has to be exhausted!) Anyway, we have to wait until fall until we get another Lawrence film. The first is the horror/thriller “House at the End of the Street,” co-starring Elisabeth Shue. In the film, Lawrence and Shue play a mother/daughter duo who get wrapped up in the mystery of a murder in a small town. Shortly after the September 21 release of “House at the End of the Street,” fans will see a very brief appearance by Lawrence in “Devil You Know,” playing the younger version of Rosamund Pike’s character Zoe. In November, we’ll see Lawrence in “The Silver Linings Playbook,” the first of two films co-starring Bradley Cooper . “Silver Linings” revolves around a man who tries to put his life back together after spending years in a mental institution. “I just wrapped a movie called ‘The Silver Linings Playbook,’ ” Lawrence told MTV News recently. “And then I’m going to go shoot another Bradley Cooper movie. It’s not a Bradley Cooper movie — Bradley Cooper’s in the movie — it’s a Jennifer Lawrence movie with Bradley in it,” she joked. “Bradley Cooper and I are going to come out with a Jennifer Lawrence/ Bradley Cooper box set.” Their second film together is “Serena,” about a Depression-era couple who face personal complications when they learn that Lawrence’s character cannot bear children, which has a negative impact on the future of their lumber company. Fun fact about “Serena”: Lawrence’s role was originally intended for Angelina Jolie. “I’m not at the status where I have her roles. I have her leftovers, let’s be clear,” she joked of taking over for Jolie. “She left it for me. I have her garbage. No, that’s a wonderful place to be. I’m an actor digging through Angelina Jolie’s garbage. I’ve made it.” Shooting on “Serena” has yet to start. After her work on “Serena,” we’re all hoping Lawrence will be back playing Katniss for “Catching Fire” or getting painted to play Mystique in the yet-to-be-announced sequel to “X-Men: First Class.” Because “Fire” has a November 22, 2013, release date already locked in place, we’re betting Lawrence will be back wielding a bow and arrow before she’s spending countless hours in the makeup chair to “get painted again” for “X-Men.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Jennifer Lawrence Live From ‘The Hunger Games’ Red Carpet Premiere Related Photos Meet Katniss From ‘Hunger Games’: Jennifer Lawrence
With first-round voting open until Sunday at midnight, a host of MMM favorites appear headed for an early exit … unless you vote them through. By James Montgomery Marcus Mumford Photo: Getty Images It’s been a wild opening week in the 2012 Musical March Madness tournament, with plenty of potential upsets in the works and even more allegations of voter fraud levied by angry Tokio Hotel fans (a yearly MMM tradition!) And while there’s still time to vote in all first-round matchups — polls close Sunday at midnight ET — as the week wraps up, we figured it was a good time to recap all the action: the shocking results, the 4chan-inspired chicanery and all the fierce, fan-driven mania that makes Musical March Madness tick. Vote for your favorite band, discuss and share on Facebook and Twitter in the MTV Musical March Madness interactive bracket! But first, let’s address the allegations lobbed by Tokio Hotel’s fervent fanbase. After jumping out to a huge lead over fifth-seeded Arcade Fire in their first-round matchup (something like 140,000 votes), TH’s supporters watched in abject horror as the Fire quickly closed the gap and eventually took the lead. Gains of this size don’t happen every day, so we started getting a lot of feedback from Tokio fans, most claiming that there was something fishy happening with the votes (of course, others just said we were part of a massive conspiracy against their beloved Kaulitz brothers). Since the integrity of MMM is our top priority, we investigated, and it turns out those fans were right. It seems some overzealous, web-savvy fans were helping swing things in Arcade Fire’s favor, writing scripts that repeatedly voted for AF … and we mean repeatedly (like 90,000 times each). And while that level of cheating was definitely inspired, well, it’s still cheating, so we scrubbed all the votes in question, and returned Tokio Hotel to their rightful lead. They’re up by some 200,000 votes at the moment, and appear a lock to advance to the second round. We’ll be monitoring things much closer from here on out, but, for the moment, all is right with the world. And please, let’s keep it clean, folks. Cheaters never win. Of course, there are still plenty of other eye-opening (and legitimate) results to discuss as the first round wraps up, perhaps none more shocking than the upset brewing in the East region, where top-seeded Mumford & Sons are on the verge of getting booted from the tourney by Canadian crushers F—ed Up (we see you, Damian!) Right now, it’s the underdogs in the lead by nearly 11,000 votes, and we’ll be watching to see if they can hold on to the lead. Mumford fans, you’ve got your work cut out for you if you want to keep your favorite band in the tourney, so get cracking. Things are looking equally grim for the West’s #1 seed, the Foo Fighters, who are getting absolutely blasted by #16 James Durbin. The “American Idol” bandanna enthusiast surged to the lead early in the week, and has yet to wilt beneath the Foos’ full-court press. Can he keep it up through Sunday? We’ll just have to wait and see, but it appears like Durbin may be bound for round two. Vote for your favorite band, discuss and share on Facebook and Twitter in the MTV Musical March Madness interactive bracket! And while both of those matchups are verging on blowouts, others are too close to call, and probably will remain that way until the last vote is counted. The West’s #3 seed, Blink-182, are getting all they can handle from #14 Korn, and the East’s #3, Florence and the Machine, are on the brink of getting booted by reunited Swedish vets Refused, who hold a slim (like 2,000 votes) lead. Also in the East, #6 Fun. fell behind #11 Semi Precious Weapons early, but have rallied, and now lead by roughly 1,000 votes. Oh, and there’s quite a battle brewing between Maroon 5 and upset-minded Lana Del Rey, who have been locked in a fierce back-and-forth all week. Right now, it’s Del Rey by less than 2,000 votes. Can she shock the world? We’ll be watching closely. And speaking of shocking the world, there’s a potential game-changer taking place in the East’s Coldplay/Arctic Monkeys tilt, where the Monkeys lead Chris Martin and company by just 200 votes. These two have been going back and forth all week, and this one seems destined to go down to the wire. And that’s fitting … like we said, it’s been a wild ride already. Is your favorite band on the ropes? Get voting. And check back Monday, when we reveal the 32 bands that will move one step closer to hoisting the big gold trophy on April 3. MTV’s 2012 Musical March Madness Tournament is under way! Voting in the first round runs until midnight ET on Sunday, March 18, and winners are determined by fan votes, so if your favorite act made the cut, it’ll be up to you to guide them to glory. You can rally the troops on Twitter using the hashtag #MMM or by downloading one of our custom badges — but get ready, it’s gonna be a war! Related Videos Musical March Madness Returns! Related Photos MTV’s Musical March Madness 2012 Related Artists Foo Fighters Mumford & Sons
‘I’m an actor digging through Angelina Jolie’s garbage,’ ‘Hunger Games’ star jokes to MTV News about replacing the actress in Cooper’s next flick. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Jennifer Lawrence Photo: MTV News “The Hunger Games” star Jennifer Lawrence has admitted she’s not sure when she’ll be on set for the next film in the franchise, “Catching Fire,” but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have plenty of projects to keep her busy until then. “I just wrapped a movie called ‘The Silver Linings Playbook,’ and that’ll be out at some point, I don’t know when,” Lawrence told MTV News recently. “And then I’m going to go shoot another Bradley Cooper movie. It’s not a Bradley Cooper movie — Bradley Cooper’s in the movie — it’s a Jennifer Lawrence movie with Bradley in it,” she joked. “Bradley Cooper and I are going to come out with a Jennifer Lawrence/ Bradley Cooper box set.” That box set, should it ever get made, would focus on two very different films starring Lawrence and Cooper: “Silver Linings,” due in November, revolves around a man who tries to put his life back together after spending years in a mental institution, while “Serena” is about a Depression-era couple who face personal complications when they learn the wife cannot bear children, possibly destroying the future of their lumber company. Lawrence will play Cooper’s wife in “Serena,” a part originally intended for Angelina Jolie. “I’m not at the status where I have her roles. I have her leftovers, let’s be clear,” she joked of Jolie. “She left it for me. I have her garbage. No, that’s a wonderful place to be. I’m an actor digging through Angelina Jolie’s garbage. I’ve made it.” Shooting on “Serena” has yet to start. Although Lawrence has several films on her production docket, she wouldn’t rule out getting back into the “X-Men” mindset as Mystique if given the chance. “I would love to do another one. I’m hearing the same as everyone else, there’s mumblings,” she said of her “First Class” role. “I can’t wait to get painted again.” If fans can’t wait that long to see Lawrence’s on the big screen, they can head to theaters on March 23 when the highly anticipated “Hunger Games” hits theaters. Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Jennifer Lawrence Related Photos ‘Hunger Games’ Blazes Into U.K. ‘Hunger Games’ World Premiere Red Carpet
Man, this whole Oil Spill thing is such a downer. If only someone could help us see the brilliant rainbow in the inky black slick. CNN to the rescue! Today they have found the ‘good side’ of the Oil Spill! More
Former Miss California Carrie Prejean , who gained great notoriety earlier this year before being dethroned, is known for hurting people when opening her mouth.
