Critics complain of the movie’s crowded cast and ‘half-dozen trivial subplots.’ By Kevin P. Sullivan Lea Michele in “New Year’s Eve” Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures How many stars does it take to make a successful romantic comedy? Whatever the right answer may be, the reviews for “New Year’s Eve” indicate that two dozen is probably too many. The follow-up to last year’s successful “Valentine’s Day,” the star-packed rom-com modeled on “Love Actually,” has earned some of the worst reviews of the year, with critics complaining of over-jammed story lines and convenient storytelling. Check out our roundup of the reviews to help you decide whether to check out “New Year’s Eve” this weekend. The Story “Elsewhere in the great big city, a wondrous toy, just made for a girl and boy: Ashton Kutcher and Lea Michele are stuck in an elevator together. Robert De Niro lies dying in a hospital, hoping to see the ball drop from the rooftop one last time. Halle Berry is his nurse. Michelle Pfeiffer is the mousy record company executive who cuts loose with the help of hopped-up delivery boy-man Zac Efron . Katherine Heigl (playing a Type-A control freak, for a change) and Jon Bon ‘Blas
‘Harry Potter’ star joined by Adele, ‘Bridesmaids’ cast and more in annual issue. By Jocelyn Vena Daniel Radcliffe on the cover of December 14th’s Entertainment Weekly Photo: Entertainment Weekly As 2011 nears its end, more Best of 2011 lists are rolling out. On Wednesday (December 7), Entertainment Weekly revealed their Entertainer of the Year: “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe. This year’s cover boy, who will next star in the 2012 thriller ” The Woman in Black ,” wrapped up the beloved and successful “Harry Potter” franchise before becoming the toast of Broadway in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” Proving himself a worthy candidate for the prize, Radcliffe just made Forbes ‘ list of bankable box-office stars . Radcliffe is joined by Adele, the cast of “Bridesmaids,” Hugh Jackman, “South Park” creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, Viola Davis and “Game of Thrones” author George R.R. Martin in EW ‘s annual issue, which hits newsstands December 9. Radcliffe — who was also chosen as the actor MTV News was most thankful for in 2011 — opened up to us earlier this fall about his ever-evolving career. “It’s been a great first year away from ‘Potter,’ ” he said. “It’s been very successful. I’ve done some work I’m really proud of in that time, particularly onstage in ‘How to Succeed.’ Just the process of doing it and doing it and doing it, I’ve got so much better, I think, during the run, as is the way it should be. It’s been a great year, but I think next year is the big one for me. ‘The Woman in Black’ is coming out, and I’ve also got a couple other things I’ll be doing. The next two or three years are going to be pretty important, I think, and if [2011] is not a breakout year, it’s a breakaway year.” In the issue, the Entertainment Weekly honorees are toasted by some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Julia Roberts, Amy Poehler, Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock. “I went and saw ‘The Book of Mormon’ on Broadway, and was so offended I peed my pants twice,” Bullock writes about Stone and Parker in the issue. “Maybe three times. I lost count I was so offended.” Poehler offers up her take on “Game of Thrones” author Martin: “[He] is such a great writer that it makes people angry. Tyrion the Imp has some of the best one-liners I have ever read from someone about to die. Did I mention a lot of people die?” Taylor Swift was the mag’s 2010 Entertainer of the Year . For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos Actors We’re Thankful For 2011
I wonder who Mitt Romney might be thinking of in this new ad that started running today in Iowa: H/T: David Weigel Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Outside the Beltway Discovery Date : 07/12/2011 03:16 Number of articles : 5
Okay folks, there are nice ways to ask your favorite celeb for an autograph…and then there’s this lady… Jim Belushi was signing autographs outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre after a screening of NEW YEARS EVE, when a fan decided that he wasn’t paying her enough attention and went off on him. Now here’s where the lady just doesn’t get it. Even when Jim agrees to sign for her, she still keeps insulting him. Jim rightly left the woman hanging…without an autograph. C’mon, people…..manners! Follow Hollywood.TV on Facebook @ facebook.com
Hip Hop star Soulja Boy spent Monday night at Colony nightclub….and judging from his mood as he left, he had a good time inside. Follow Hollywood.TV on Facebook @ facebook.com
A Croatian author has filed a lawsuit suit accusing Angelina Jolie of lifting parts of his 2007 novel for her writing-directing effort In the Land of Blood and Honey , basically arguing that the female protagonist in both works is subject to “being raped continuously by soldiers and officers” before becoming “a servant at the camp headquarters, a duty assumed by very few of the captives.” Having seen Blood and Honey , I can tell you this isn’t even an especially accurate description of the film or the context of the woman’s servitude, but hey. No such thing as bad publicity, etc. etc. [ Radar ]
The court battle between Usher and his ex-wife Tameka Foster is heating up. The drama started when Usher wanted to take their sons with him on tour and Tameka said no. He then tried to get sole custody. She followed up with a motion last week for him to be tested for drugs so she could get sole custody. According to Tameka, when he was sick onstage in Germany and had to stop the show, he was “in delirium” and not sick as he claimed. She also alleges that back in 2008 she found “mysterious pills” in his jeans pockets and she believes he gets high. Tameka said: “I believe he gets high. And if he doesn’t then he’d take the drug test, correct?” Usher filed a response to Foster’s allegations last week, calling Foster’s drug test request “frivolous and unfounded,” and intended to “harass and embarrass” the singer. So we’re assuming that Usher did not pee in the cup! SOURCE Usher’s Ex-Wife Tameka Foster Files For Sole Custody Of Kids Tameka Foster Never Thought She Would Lose Usher Usher’s Brother Arrested For Beating Baby Mama & Abusing Child Usher Attacked By Woman In Atlanta Over Parking Space [VIDEO] Usher On His Marriage: “It Just Was Never Going To Work Out 100%”
Kardashian Sisters hit their blogs to congratulate the ‘greatest mom in the world’ on her pregnancy. By Jocelyn Vena Scott Disick, Kourtney Kardashian and son Mason Photo: Getty Images Kim Kardashian is ready to be an aunt again. The reality star has taken to her blog to send love to her big sister Kourtney, who just announced she’s pregnant with her second child. Kourtney and boyfriend Scott Disick already have a son, Mason . “I have some amazing news to share with you all! Kourtney and Scott are expecting their second child!!” Kim wrote in a post on Wednesday (November 30). “This is such a blessing and the whole family is beyond thrilled! I just know Mason will make the best big brother and I can’t wait to meet my new little niece or nephew! Congratulations Kourtney and Scott.” Kourtney’s sister Khlo
Teasers for ‘Hunger Games’ and ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2′ also left us hungry for more. By Eric Ditzian Christian Bale in “The Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Warner Bros. Time, like the theatrical run of “Your Highness,” has disappeared quickly this year. It’s hard to believe it was almost 12 months ago that we were settling into our seats to check out Nicolas Cage’s “Season of the Witch.” That didn’t work out so well. And so, as the MTV Movies team begins our look back at the cinematic year that was 2011, we’re reminded that time is precious. We don’t have much of it; we must use it wisely. That’s why we’re beginning our series of best-of stories with movie trailers — those neat little packages of footage that let us know in a few minutes’ time whether the full movie is going to be worth it. Picking our 20 favorite trailers was a tough call; just look at the ones that didn’t make it, like “The Avengers,” “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “Captain America: The First Avenger” and “Breaking Dawn – Part 1.” In the end, though, we selected the trailers that truly stuck with us — some since the early days of the year and some newer ones that are sure to haunt us into next year. Read on for our picks for the 20 best movie trailers of 2011. 20. “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” The trailer teases everything the movie delivers — a slowly building whodunit of a plot, an ominous score, period details so depressingly ’70s-era British that the footage should come with a voucher for lithium — while at the same time succeeding in one area where the movie falters: It’s not pull-your-hair-out, whisper-to-the-person-next-to-you, throw-your-hands-up-in-defeat confusing. 19. “The Muppets” An unlikely companion piece to the “Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” teaser listed below, this “Muppets” trailer — one in a long line of pop-culture mash-ups — had the lovable felt creatures laser-beaming one message to viewers: Our movie may be rated PG, but we swear you’ll totally dig it. And hey, if you want to get stoned in the parking lot beforehand, that’s fine, dude. 18. “Battleship” The “Battleship” trailer got a lot of crap when it dropped in July — was this just “Blue Crush” meets “Armageddon,” with neither the former’s sugary, shameless sex factor nor the latter’s Bruce Willis? Instead let us float another way of viewing it: as an utterly wacky, probably nonsensical yet potentially blockbustering summer movie for a “Transformers”-less 2012. 17. “Martha Marcy May Marlene” The footage builds and builds its claustrophobic tension, finally giving way to John Hawkes’ homespun singer/songwriter tuneage, which somehow still doesn’t allow you any catharsis, any chance just to catch your breath: All is not well in Elizabeth Olsen’s world. And it’s simply addicting to watch. 16. “The Woman in Black” The tagline could have been, “Abandon hope, all ye Muggles who enter here.” The first full trailer for Daniel Radcliffe’s first post-“Harry Potter” film was simple and creepy and effective — and unlike anything the boy wizard has ever encountered. 15. “Red Tails” The second trailer starts off a little hokey, but it soon morphs into a shoot-’em-up dogfight between the Tuskegee Airmen and the Axis powers. Every piece of American history should come wrapped in such fiery pop-culture packaging. 14. “Devil’s Double” Torture, guns, chicks in bikinis, Dominic Cooper doing double duty as wide-eyed innocent and psychotic tyrant — what else can one ask for in a trailer? 13. “Super 8” While our favorite “Super 8” trailer dropped in 2010, the one J.J. Abrams unleashed this past March — with its classic movie-monster intrigue and Spielbergian patina — was still pretty kick-ass. If only the film itself had lived up to the potential of these early looks. 12. “Drive” In a word: cool. In a few more: awesome score, awesome car chases, awesome hints at violence, awesome performance by Ryan Gosling. Mainly, though: cool as sh–. 11. “John Carter” After checking out this trailer , we’d gladly jet off to Mars and battle a few of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ baddies if it meant catching an early screening of this sci-fi epic. 10. “American Reunion” We didn’t realize we actually missed Jim and his randy pals until we glimpsed the goofball and his flute-loving wife separately, secretly pleasuring themselves to R. Kelly’s “Bump N’ Grind.” 9. “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” Nicolas Cage pees fire. He f—ing pees fire and says it feels awesome. When do tickets go on sale? 8. “Like Crazy” One of the best movies at Sundance became the hands-down finest trailer for a romantic drama in 2011, capturing all the beauty and sadness and magic that echoes between Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones in the film. 7. “Rise of the Apes” Anyone mocking the idea of bringing back those damn dirty apes with James Franco in tow was roundly silenced when the teaser dropped in April and we peeped Andy Serkis’ Caesar and his ilk unleashing simian fury on San Francisco. 6. “X-Men First Class” Was it the sizzling score? The historical weight imbued by JFK’s voice-over? The quick looks at all those mutants? Every single frame in which Michael Fassbender was onscreen? It was all of it and more that made this “X-Men” trailer one of the most epic of the year. 5. “The Hunger Games” After the most teaser-y of teaser trailers debuted at the MTV Video Music Awards , Lionsgate came through with a ton of footage in November: districts, tributes, games-makers, the Hunger Games arena and three teens looking to swipe the throne of tween obsession-dom from Edward, Bella and Jacob. 4. “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” The feel-bad movie of Christmas gave us zero dialogue, oodles of fresh looks without anything so troublesome as context getting in the way, and Trent Reznor and Karen O’s cover of “Immigrant Song.” Oh, and chills: it gave us chills. 3. “Snow White and the Huntsman” Our expectations were not high. So let us apologize to Kristen Stewart and all who are involved with this adaptation: Well done, folks! Sweeping in scale and containing some truly creative visual effects (huge crows splintering into hundreds of smaller crows, an anthropomorphic golden mirror), the trailer already would have been a 2011 highlight on its own merits. But when the silly trailer for “Mirror, Mirror,” a competing Snow White flick, dropped days later, we had to revise our expectations for “Huntsman”: This is how you adapt a centuries-old fairy tale for the 21st-century multiplex. 2. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” Sure, we whooped it up to “Woman in Black.” But the final “Deathly Hallows, Part 2” trailer? That sucker was not only the best “Deathly Hallows” trailer, it was arguably the best trailer of the entire franchise. 1. “The Dark Knight Rises” This teaser should be encased in glass and studied at every studio in Hollywood as the perfect way to build excitement, deliver what core fans wants and yet not give away the whole shebang — and leave everyone dying to see more, more, more. There is simply no question: This was the best trailer of 2011, and we have a feeling it’s teasing what will be the best movie of 2012. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos Our Favorite Movie Trailers Of 2011 Related Photos The Hunger Games ‘Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 2’ Scenes From The First ‘Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows’ Trailer
In typical reality show fashion, we already knew about Kody Brown’s 17th child being born well before the episode aired, but Sunday we got a behind-the-scenes look. The emotions leading up to Robyn’s delivery of son Solomon were wide-ranging, including those of Kody’s first three wives, Meri, Christine and Janelle. How did the original three take it? What else went down? At lunch, Robyn says she’s nervous about how Kody feels about another child. Meri, Christine and Janelle reassure her that “Kody’s great” and that she’s going to feel “relieved.” Just what one wants to feel when one’s spouse cares. Relief. Robyn tells the wives that they are the reason Kody is so great. Heartfelt? Most likely. Politically savvy comment? Absolutely. You gotta get in good right now. Christine may be coming around as a result, too. Making peace with Robyn, she admits, “Being jealous of her, what it really did, it made her feel like she wasn’t welcome. That I didn’t want her as a sister wife.” “I welcome Solomon as my son and I promise to be better,” Christine adds, while Janelle is just sort of excited. Excited, but not get-up-at-all-hours excited. Meri observes, “It’ll be fun to have Solomon, but it’ll be very different than if it were my own.” Ya think, Meri? She and Robyn have become very close, though. She says she always wanted to feel that deep kind of connection with a sister wife and Robyn was the first to provide that. Oh, snap, Christine and Janelle. After the due date comes and goes (by two weeks), Robyn goes into labor, at home, and gives birth, at home. This happened on October 25, so it’s pretty timely. Meri came over to say, “Good luck! Happy pushing!” Read: I’m glad it’s not me! A few hours later and voila, Kody and Robyn welcomed their first child together. “I was impressed,” Kody said. “Here’s our dream come true.” Wonderful. Perhaps the most startling moment of the night, in a good way, came when Robyn said she needed to talk to Meri alone. But not to stir up drama. “I want to know if you want me to be your surrogate,” she says. Meri can’t bear children, so this is one incredible offer … from the woman also married to her husband. Robyn is genuine in her offer, and Meri is clearly moved. In this family-themed episode, the other 16 Brown children talked about the move from Utah to Vegas. It’s going well, for the most part. Keep the faith, kids. Well, that’s that. What did you think of this season of the quirky TLC reality hit? What do you think of Kody Brown and his four beloved Sister Wives in general?
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