Friday, April 30, 2010

'Nightmare On Elm Street': The Reviews Are In!

Freddy is back, for a new "Nightmare," or an old one, depending on how you view these things. This latest "A Nightmare on Elm Street" — the ninth of the horror franchise — is a remake of the 1984 original, faithfully recreating gory murders past. But a new Freddy has entered the fray: Doing all that bloody butchery is Jackie Earle Haley, replacing Robert Englund in the role of the scar-faced, scissor-handed, dream-hopping psycho.

Will 2010's "Nightmare" mark the rebirth of a beloved series that had fallen on hard times (see the abomination that was 2003's "Freddy vs. Jason") will it prove to be another misguided effort to breathe life into a franchise that was better left in peace? Well, the flick arrived in theaters Friday (April 30) and the reviews are in. Check 'em out and decide for yourself!

Let's start with the hard-core fans and, of course, with Freddy himself. How does the new version of the classic killer stack up? "Haley, who has become the master of playing dark characters, takes his Freddy to some wicked and terrible places as he chases down his victims," writes Heather Wixson of DreadCentral.com. "While he doesn't have that certain charisma that only comes from being Robert Englund himself, Haley does give the character a cold viciousness that has been lacking in the franchise since 1994's 'New Nightmare.' Haley's Freddy is pissed and disturbed and doesn't have time for one-liners or sight gags. He's just here for revenge. And it was nice to see Freddy finally have a little menace back behind the glove."

That's a solid endorsement from the horror aficionados, but not everyone agreed. Haley "is betrayed first by the [makeup], which makes him look like a wet alien cat," writes Drew McWeeny on HitFix.com. "It's not scary. It's not memorable. And for most of the film, it's barely visible. And yet, they hew so closely to his wardrobe that it just strikes me as a redesign for no reason. He's given way too many one-liners here, and his performance never walks that line of did-he-or-didn't-he that the script wants to suggest, so the result is pretty much one-note and never manages to bring anything fresh or interesting to our understanding of Krueger as a character."

It's not just the question of Haley's Freddy that has divided reviewers. The efforts of director Samuel Bayer have been both slammed and praised. Time 's Richard Corliss falls into the latter camp. "Bayer, who directed such music videos as Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' brings a craftsman's loving attention to every aspect of the movie, from the opening credits (which appear in a child's script, like an S.O.S. jotted desperately on a sidewalk, and where the sign 'Badham Pre-School' turns into 'Bad School') to flicked references to old scare movies like [David] Cronenberg's 'Shivers' (a somnolent teen in a bathtub, her legs asprawl, with Freddy's claw rising briefly, teasingly)," he writes. "Bayer isn't Orson Welles, exactly, but he has plenty of assurance and the props to back it up."

There's also the question of the folks on whom Bayer trains his camera, including Kellan Lutz and Rooney Mara. "The atrocious acting, even for a horror movie, just gets worse and worse to the point where every scene in between the fairly regular dream sequences and kills is as boring as a soap opera," writes Edward Douglas of ComingSoon.net. "After a number of the characters are quickly disposed of in their dreams without much effort, it essentially leaves Rooney Mara to utter all her lines through gritted teeth and Kyle Gallner to mope around, both of them trying to stay awake while putting us to sleep."

We'll give the final word to our own Kurt Loder. "So Freddy is no longer the lovable wisecracker we once knew; and after a quarter of a century and seven previous films in the original 'Nightmare' series, he can no longer really terrify us the way he once did, either," he writes. "Which raises the unavoidable question: Why did the filmmakers feel the need to do such a formulaic remake? Why did they think anyone would feel a need to watch it?"

The critics are split on whether the new "Nightmare" is formulaic or fun. Let us know what you think in the comments!

Check out everything we've got on "A Nightmare on Elm Street."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.



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'Eclipse' Stars Eager To Show Cullens' 'True Vampire-ness'

The latest "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" trailer proved that the third film in the popular franchise is going to be the most action-packed "Twilight" film yet. And in an interview with The Los Angeles Times the actors who make up the Cullen family are clearly excited to show that their characters aren't just about playing baseball and sitting around the piano.

"This time around, you get to see their true vampire-ness," said Peter Facinelli, who plays Carlisle Cullen.

One of the bigger surprises for fans is going to be a chance to see a "dark, dangerous side" of Alice Cullen, played by Ashley Greene. The fan-favorite character is typically portrayed as a bubbly fashionista and party planner who is overly protective of her vampire family and Bella (Kristen Stewart). But Greene promises that "Eclipse" will showcase the toughest Alice yet.

"Alice gets a little edgier with each installment," she told the Times. "It's a reminder to the audience that even though we restrain ourselves at times, we're still vampires and we're dangerous."

Elizabeth Reaser, whose Esme had very little to do in "Twilight" and "New Moon," enjoyed her part in "Eclipse." "It was interesting to get in touch with the vampire side of her in ways that haven't really been explored," Reaser said. "Her family is in danger and that brings out the mama bear in her."

Jackson Rathbone and Nikki Reed also spoke about Jasper's and Rosalie's flashbacks in the third installment. "You'll get to see a little bit of the root of what makes Jasper so withdrawn and quiet in the Cullen family," Rathbone said. "There's a bit of the softer and darker side of Jasper in this film."

Reed added, "Fans got to see a bit of [Rosalie's] sensitive side. Her sane side. Her logical side. And her desire to help her family. This time around, she is much more of a participant. She's a survivor."

Who is your favorite Cullen family member? Talk about it in the comments.

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.



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Thursday, April 29, 2010

Jessica Alba Defends 'Killer Inside Me' Violence At NYC Premiere

NEW YORK — When the cast of "The Killer Inside Me" hit the red carpet on Tuesday at the Tribeca Film Festival, it seemed all the buzz was about the noir flick's violence. Jessica Alba, who plays the prostitute lover of Casey Affleck's character, was ready to defend any criticism that the violence might be gratuitous.

"Just getting into the head of someone who's so connected to her darkness ... she's quite a dark person, and she certainly instigated the darkness in Casey and provokes him to channel that," Alba told MTV News at the premiere. "It is violent against men and women, and [Casey's character is] a violent, cowardly person. This is fiction. ... If you tried to depict it in a beautiful way, it wouldn't be true to what it is. It's a terrible thing."

The film, about a small-town sheriff who gives in to his sociopathic tendencies, also stars Kate Hudson, who plays the two-timing Affleck's girlfriend. Hudson said she was delighted to be cast again alongside Affleck, whom she co-starred with in the 1999 ensemble flick "200 Cigarettes." The actress called her scenes with Affleck in "Killer" "difficult," but said the pair couldn't get along better offscreen. "To work with Casey again ... we've known each other a long time," she said. "[We] grew up together basically in the business. It's nice."

Affleck, the flick's male lead, said he'd never been a huge fan of the film-noir genre. "It was never a big thing for me," he said. "Obviously, I like old movies. I like all kinds of movies. There are some people that are real super film-noir geeks, lovers, and I'm not one of those people. I like doing period movies. I love this period [the 1950s], and I actually love that part of the country — we filmed in Oklahoma, and it takes place in west Texas. I find it really fascinating. ... It's a little like fantasy time travel."

We asked Affleck what period he'd like to tackle next. "I really want to do a movie in 2008," he joked. "I think that would be great. That'd be weird. It was like when the Priuses are just bursting on the scene everywhere. That'd be wild."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.



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Ricky Gervais To Return As Golden Globes Host In 2011

The 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards aren't scheduled to take place until January 16, 2011, but the Hollywood Foreign Press Association made the surprising decision to announce its next host on Wednesday (April 28): Ricky Gervais.

The hosts for major awards shows are often announced just a few months before the ceremony. But in this case, the HFPA has elected to tell the world that it will bring back the "Invention of Lying" star, who in 2010 acted as the Globes' first master of ceremonies since 1995.

The announcement is also surprising considering that Gervais' much-hyped hosting debut received a mixed response at best, with such heavyweight outlets as the L.A. Times and The Hollywood Reporter offering some of the harshest criticism of the British entertainer. One of the deciding factors in the decision may have been the ratings for this year's ceremony, which were up 14 percent from the previous year.

As if that weren't enough to make the announcement raise some eyebrows, there's Gervais himself. While speaking with the BBC the night of the Globes, the outlet reported that he "admitted in his usual self-deprecating manner that he may have bitten off more than he could chew," and that he said: "I'm not going to do this again."

Ricky Gervais is best known as the star and co-creator of "The Office," a hit British comedy that was later adapted for American television. He also co-created and starred in the HBO comedy "Extras" and has appeared in the movies "Ghost Town," "Stardust" and "For Your Consideration." His latest film, a comedy called "Cemetery Junction," recently opened in the U.K. but currently has no U.S. release plans.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.



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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

'Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam' Premieres September 3 On Disney Channel

With plans to hit the road for a massive tour this summer, the Jonas Brothers certainly have a busy year ahead of them. And it's about to get busier. It was announced on Tuesday that their Disney Channel movie with tourmate Demi Lovato, "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam," will premiere on September 3 at 8 p.m. ET.

On July 27, long before they watch the sequel to the 2008 flick, fans can pick up the soundtrack, featuring 15 original songs that a press release promises will span genres from hip-hop to rock to pop.

The flick will not only have more summer lovin' between real-life couple Lovato and Joe Jonas as Mitchie and Shane, but there will also be a little friendly rivalry between the Camp Rockers and a group of musicians at another summer camp, Camp Star, including a love interest for Nick Jonas, played by Chloe Bridges.

The JoBros promise the movie's music will be every bit as entertaining as its plot, which has been kept a secret since the movie was shot. "The songs are really cool," Joe told MTV News. "[We shot] at so many different locations this time. The storyline is really great. They built a camp for the movie, and they blocked off a whole mile radius so that people couldn't really find out what the movie was about. It was a really fun experience, and everyone really kept it under wraps. The director was the one who kind of leaked pictures on his Facebook ... of all the people!"

Are you looking forward to "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam?" Tell us in the comments!



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'Iron Man 2' Premiere Finds Robert Downey Jr. Playing Red-Carpet Hero

HOLLYWOOD — One of them flies around the world, is greeted by roaring applause everywhere he goes and works a red carpet like nobody's business. Ladies love him, men want to be like him and many call him a hero. The other one is Tony Stark.

On Monday night, Robert Downey Jr. continued to blur the line between real life and fiction, arriving at the premiere of "Iron Man 2" in one of his character's many cars. Like Stark in the film, Downey was greeted by scantily clad dancing girls, rapturous applause and reporters with questions. So, where does Downey end and Stark begin?

"Tony Stark is the movie star of superheroes, for sure," co-star Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts) insisted. "He's slightly debauched, handsome, funny."

"Yeah, I think he's the Marlon Brando of superheroes," Mickey Rourke (Ivan Vanko) agreed. "He's on top of the world. He's a real interesting character; he's not your typical superhero. I think a lot of people can identify with him in that way."

As Downey himself came walking along the carpet, he greeted reporters with the same sort of half-joking answers and sly winks that have made his Stark such an intriguing character. In the sequel, much of the film deals with the repercussions of Tony's refusal to keep a secret identity, a move that turns him into the Marvel equivalent of ... well, a guy like Robert Downey Jr.

"I hadn't thought of it in that way, but yeah," Don Cheadle (Rhodey) said. "He's the movie star of superheroes. He's a rock star in his own life, a billionaire that goes after it hard. And that's what stars do — not me, but a lot of stars do."

"Tony Stark is Tony Stark," explained Samuel L. Jackson, a.k.a. Nick Fury. "He's a rich guy who is used to klieg lights and big events. He shows up — all the superheroes have some ego, but he's the one that doesn't take it too seriously."

For his part, Downey told us that there are still plenty of distinctions to be made between himself and the man in the iron suit. But when the film comes out on May 7, don't be surprised if you see a Downey more comfortable in Stark's skin. "I stopped thinking about the character I was creating and started thinking about the themes running through the film," he explained of his performance in the sequel. "And [I focused on] just being a little bit more of a vulnerable Tony this time."

Clearly one of the biggest premieres of the year, the "Iron Man 2" bash pulled in a truly eclectic crowd. Everyone from Hugh Hefner to Sylvester Stallone to Ron Jeremy and Dane Cook were present, along with franchise stars like Scarlett Johansson and director Jon Favreau. According to Rourke, they were all there because of Downey.

"I think the success of the first one was due to the fact that Robert is such a fine actor," Rourke said. "He brought in a different kind of superhero, something different, which is part of himself."

As the crowd grew increasingly eager to see what Downey would do in his second go-around as Stark, Paltrow counted herself among the assembled fans. "I'm excited to see it myself," she admitted before heading inside the theater. "I'm excited for the world to see it. Everybody seems pumped up to see it."

Check out everything we've got on "Iron Man 2."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.



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Sunday, April 25, 2010

'Eclipse' Live Chat Reveals On-Set Jam Sessions And Roughhousing

With the premiere of the new "Eclipse" trailer on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" =and the first-ever "Twilight Saga" live chat on the film's Facebook page on Friday (April 23), it's been an exciting day for "Twilight" fans. Almost 8,000 viewers tuned in to listen to stars Nikki Reed, Bryce Dallas Howard and Julia Jones answer fan questions.

While the submissions tended to be fairly generic — "What was your favorite memory on set?" "What was your favorite scene and why?" — it was clear that Reed, Howard and Jones all had great chemistry with one another, despite the fact that they didn't work together too often. They admitted that there was a lot of downtime on the set, because outdoor scenes were weather-dependent and the cast and crew would have to wait around for the moment to be right.

Reed said that led to a lot of guitar playing, considering co-stars Jackson Rathbone, Xavier Samuel and, of course, Robert Pattinson are all musically inclined. But Jones — who plays soon-to-be-wolf Leah Clearwater — said that, since she spent her time with "incredibly energy-filled boys," her experiences offscreen were a bit different.

"There was a lot of football throwing. There was a lot of hitting people with sticks," Jones said with a laugh. "I think there was a full-on day of 'who can break the biggest stick over their head.' "

"They played a game that was 'let's see who can break through Nikki's trailer door and tackle her the hardest and get her to come out and play football,' " Reed said with faux irritation.

But even when they were shooting, Jones said she didn't always get to film with the rest of the cast. Since the wolves are done with CGI, the fight scenes used cardboard cutouts of wolves instead of the actual actors.

"It's hard to be intimidating while looking at cardboard," Reed said.

Both Jones and Howard were new to "The Twilight Saga," but they said they were immediately embraced by their fellow castmembers. Howard remembered when she was getting on the plane to fly to Vancouver and hid in the corner because she was so nervous about meeting the rest of the cast. Fortunately for Howard, that quickly changed.

"I haven't had an experience on a film where you actually get to know a group of people as well as I did on this film," she said. "I just have so much respect for everyone who's involved with them. They've stayed really grounded, and their friendships have stayed really true."

Since Victoria had already appeared in "Twilight" and "New Moon," Howard said she focused heavily on keeping the movements and looks of her character consistent with how Rachelle Lefevre played her in the previous films. Interestingly enough, Lefevre's name was not mentioned during Howard's discussion.

Another new person to the film was director David Slade, who all the actresses said they had a great experience with. Reed said he would sit down with each of the actors for several hours to talk about the characters, since he was a very detail-oriented director.

"It's scary being a part of this sometimes, to be honest, because you want to make sure you get it right, and you don't know what right is," she said.

The live chat was only 30 minutes long, but moderator Shira Lazar emphasized that this was all the time the cast had for today, implying that there could be more chats to come with other castmembers in the coming months.

Which actors do you hope will take part in future live chats? Let us know in the comments below!

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.



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New 'Eclipse' Trailer Premieres On 'Oprah' <i>And</i> Online

Many in the "Twilight" fan community thought they'd have to wait until this afternoon to see the brand-new "Eclipse" trailer on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." But Oprah posted it on her Web site as soon as her show aired in Chicago (at 9 a.m. CT). And now we can all determine whether this look at "Eclipse" gives us a clearer sense of the film than the first one.

Most important, this new trailer highlights the the violence of "Eclipse," and a lot of it. While the first teaser focused on the love triangle between Bella (Kristen Stewart), Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner), this one is all about the threat bad-girl vampire Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard) is posing with her newborn vampire army.

The trailer kicks off with Jacob confronting Bella and Edward at their school. "Jacob, what are you doing?" Bella asks him. "I'm here to warn you," he replies, adding as he looks at Edward, "She has a right to know." The tension between the three of them is pronounced, setting up that dynamic without having to dedicate an entire trailer to it.

While Edward narrates the "situation in Seattle" for Bella, the trailer shows Riley being attacked by Victoria on the dark streets of the city. Continued shots of newborn vampires trashing cars and causing havoc are spliced with the Cullens planning their response. "Someone's creating an army," Carlisle (Peter Facinelli) says.

Finally there are some clear shots of the new vampires climbing over what looks like an unused lumber yard and walking up to a body of water. Then there's a close-up shot of Riley (Xavier Samuel), their leader. "They're coming here," Alice (Ashley Greene) foresees.

"This means an ugly fight, with lives lost," Carlisle tells an unseen person, and then Jacob replies, "We're in." The next scene shows the werewolf pack walking out of the woods, for the first time showing the alliance between the vampires and werewolves. "As long as we get to kill some vampires," Jacob adds while looking at Edward.

This trailer also shows the Volturi as a presiding force over the battle between the newborns and Cullen/Quileute team. It's a bit surprising that the vampire elite have been featured so much in both trailers, considering they have a fairly small role in the actual novel. Fortunately, after their brief moment in the trailer, the much-hyped epic "Eclipse" battle is shown, and plenty of violence ensues.

In the midst of the final battle scene, a scene with Edward pressing an engagement ring into Bella's hand is cut in, showing that the editors of this trailer didn't forget the romance that accompanies the action-packed plot.

In the last 20 seconds of the trailer, Victoria runs away from Edward in the woods. Then we see the wolf pack leap into the fight, in a shot reminiscent of Jacob's transformation at the end of the "New Moon" trailer.

Unlike the first "Eclipse" teaser, this newest trailer will give viewers an adequate idea of what they have to expect from the third installment of "The Twilight Saga." Judging by the great action scenes shown in this newest video, "Eclipse" might convert some new fans to the "Saga" after all.

What do you think of the "Eclipse" trailer? Share your reviews in the comments below!

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.



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Friday, April 23, 2010

Jennifer Lopez Says 'Back-up Plan' Was Great Gig For A New Mom

LAS VEGAS — When it comes to backup plans, few have engineered a better one than Jennifer Lopez has over the past decade. In case that whole acting thing didn't work out, she launched a career as a singer. If the singing thing didn't go over as planned, her day job as a movie star certainly didn't pay badly. And then when both took off, well, let's just say there wasn't much need for further planning.

Then for a few years, those successes stepped aside for baby-making and enjoying a lower profile with husband Marc Anthony. Lucky for her fans, making movies like "The Back-up Plan" fits in nicely with her new life.

"A good romantic comedy has to make you laugh, but it also has to make you tear up a little too," explained Lopez, one of the queens of the medium after appearing in "Maid in Manhattan," "Monster-in-Law" and "The Wedding Planner." "If you can go on that journey — and get people to go on that journey with you — it's usually a good one.

"I've seen ['The Back-up Plan'], and it really does make you laugh and you get that tear," J. Lo promised of her new film. "You really do go on the whole thing, the ride with these people."

Since the film is about a woman who conceives twins through artificial insemination and then meets the man of her dreams that very same day, the script spoke to the mother of twins as few do.

"When you have a baby, it's almost like every kid in the world becomes your kid," Lopez explained of her mind-set these days. "You understand what it is to care for a child and love a child so deeply.

"So yeah, it was great to do this movie right after having the experience of being pregnant and having kids," she continued, "because the movie is so much about that obstacle of the fact that she gets pregnant."

But if you aren't in that group of new parents who know what it's like, Lopez said you shouldn't worry, because the laughs in the film are open to all.

"I have several favorite scenes, but I think the scene that people are really going to remember is probably the pool scene," she teased. "I won't tell you what it's about, because you just need to experience it. But it's funny."

Check out everything we've got on "The Back-up Plan."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.



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'Eclipse' Star Nikki Reed Looks Forward To New Trailer

On Friday, the second trailer for "Eclipse" will make its squeal-inducing debut on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and Twilighters aren't the only ones eagerly anticipating its debut. Co-star Nikki Reed is pretty amped to see the sneak peek to the June 30 release too.

"I'm really excited!" she told MTV News on Thursday night at the Us Weekly Hot Hollywood party in Los Angeles. "I'll see it when you do!"

As for the movie itself, Reed said she's excited for fans to see her character Rosalie's backstory played out in the next flick.

"I guess it's nice for Rosalie to be able to get the chance to explain herself," she said. "She's not all that bad, but I think the fans obviously know, and they know who she is and they know what's going on.

"All of the stuff in the 1930s was really cool [to shoot]," Reed added. "And then Kristen [Stewart] and I had a really amazing seven-page scene that was also really intense."

Reed also warns that "Eclipse" and "Breaking Dawn" (which still hasn't been officially announced) will force Team Edward fans to admit that it's OK to have feelings for Jacob too. "There's a lot of tension, and I think in the last movie/book Jacob's character really wins you over," she said. "I think the audience is torn now too and so that continues."

What do you want to see in the new "Eclipse" trailer? Tell us in the comments!

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.



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Thursday, April 22, 2010

Robert Downey Jr. May Play Wizard In 'Oz' Prequel

"Iron Man 2" star Robert Downey Jr. may soon be traveling to the Land of Oz, led by "American Beauty" director Sam Mendes ... or by "Hairspray" director (and "So You Think You Can Dance" judge) Adam Shankman.

This changing potential lineup comes from the combined reportage of Production Weekly, via Twitter, and the Los Angeles Times. Just hours after Mendes was named on Twitter as a "front-runner" to direct Downey Jr. in a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz" titled "Oz, The Great and Powerful," the Times chimed in with word that Shankman is being considered as well.

Producer Joe Roth is developing the project, which comes from a script by Mitchell Kapner. Kapner based his story (initially pitched to Disney as "Brick") "on parts of a number of ['Oz' author] L. Frank Baum books." Audiences will learn of the circumstances that led the Wizard, originally a charlatan from Kansas, to gift brains and hearts to those in need from behind his curtain in Oz's splendid Emerald City.

The Kapner/Roth take on the Wizard's origins is described as "dark and complex," putting it in league with Gregory Maguire's popular spin-off novel "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West," which has itself been adapted as a stage production. The proposed story's darker angle makes Mendes the more likely choice, as the Times suggests. Moreover, Roth has already seen such success with this year's "Alice in Wonderland," on which he served as a producer.

"Oz, The Great and Powerful" is one of several projects in development that would use as inspiration Baum's original work of fantastical fiction. There's a CGI take on the original book and an adaptation of the Caliber Comics series "Oz" and a loosely interpreted, contemporary version of the original story, starring Sean Astin, Christopher Lloyd and Lance Henriksen. And add to that list the long-in-development Warner Bros. project scripted by Josh Olson, "Oz: The Return to Emerald City."

Would you have cast Robert Downey Jr. as the man behind the curtain? Tell us in the comments.



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Kellan Lutz, Kim Cattrall, 'Shrek' Top Our Tribeca Must-See List

These days, it feels like every major city — and more than a few minor ones — has its own film festival. But few can approach the credibility, level of quality and star-studded pleasure of the annual Tribeca Film Festival, which once again kicks off in the heart of New York City this week. When we recently sat down for an interview with co-founder Robert De Niro, he was as excited for the new crop of films as we are.

"I'm very happy that we've managed to make it work and it be a success, and I'm very happy," explained the Oscar-winning screen legend. "I hope it goes down for a long time — a lot longer than I'm around. That would be great. [I hope it becomes] part of a real tradition of New York and part of the fabric of New York."

With that in mind, and as the fest kicks off, we've combed over our TFF guide and humbly present this list of the five films we're most eager to see:

"Shrek Forever After": The crew is back for what is (in the studio-approved press notes, at least) the final chapter of the "Shrek" series — and in 3-D! This time around, everybody's favorite ogre finds himself struggling with domesticated life and is lured into an alternate reality where he's never met Fiona, ogres are hunted and Rumpelstiltskin rules over it all. The nation can feast its eyes on the film next month, but a few lucky Tribeca ticketholders get to say goodbye to Shrek early.

"Meskada": For "Twilight" fans, three words explain why this movie is in such great demand: Shirtless. Kellan. Lutz. The crime drama follows an affluent town dealing with the brutal murder of a young boy, co-stars Nick Stahl and Rachel Nichols and is sure to elicit an "OME!" or two.

"Beware the Gonzo": Sadly, this is not a horror film about a deranged blue Muppet, but instead a highly anticipated indie film starring Jesse McCartney and Zoe Kravitz. The flick follows a school newspaper reporter who begins his own off-campus publication and drives the faculty crazy with his scoops. If the "Pump Up the Volume"-meets-"Assassination of a High School President" plotline plays as good as it promises, this one could be something special.

"Meet Monica Velour": Let's face it: Kim Cattrall was a cougar before the phrase had even been coined. Now she embraces the title once again as Monica Velour — a soft-core actress whose '80s heyday is long forgotten in the minds of many, but not dorky Tobe ("Unfabulous" star Dustin Ingram). The movie starts off with Tobe driving a Weinermobile for hundreds of miles to meet the sexpot — and from there, things get really interesting.

"Nice Guy Johnny": Believe it or not, somebody is still giving Edward Burns money to direct movies after all these years. We've gotta admit, we're still holding out a glimmer of hope that he can return to his "Brothers McMullen" brilliance with this film about a man who makes his fiancйe a promise that he'll get a real job — then meets a girl who may change his mind. Burns is still a great dialogue writer and engaging screen presence, and with any luck he's done spinning the same wheels he's been on since the mid-'90s. Then again, it could be worse — at least he's not doing Geico commercials.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.



Figure 5 album released this month‘Breaking Dawn,’ ‘Transformers 3′ And Other Films That Might Go 3-D

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

'Kick-Ass': What Happened At The Box Office?

Up, up and ... yeah, not so much.

"Kick-Ass," this year's first superhero movie, had been attracting considerable pre-release buzz and was expected to rake in as much as $30 million over its opening weekend. But it failed to take off, plunging to a less-than-$20 million bow.

So what happened? Was it a case of fanboy hype failing to translate to hefty box-office bucks? Did Lionsgate stumble in its marketing campaign? Was the flick just too darn violent? Or, taking into account factors such as its rating and relatively unfamiliar source material, was the performance of "Kick-Ass" not all that bad?

"What happened to 'Kick-Ass' is exactly what happened to 'Snakes on a Plane,' " said David Poland of Movie City News.

That 2006 thriller, starring Samuel L. Jackson, was famously hyped on the Web — and just as famously stalled during its first weekend, falling well short of box-office expectations with a $13.8 million opening. "The distributor bought into the idea that the passion of the core market for the film would spread as the hype rose in the media," Poland added. "So they kept selling what that core market was drooling over — and forgot that getting past a $12 million opening or so requires them to sell [to] other people outside of the geek crowd."

But there's one big difference between "Snakes" and "Kick-Ass," as industry experts have pointed out in conversations with MTV News: "Kick-Ass" is a good movie and "Snakes on a Plane" simply is not. "Snakes" succeeded as an Internet meme and not much else, crashing and burning in its second weekend. "Kick-Ass," conversely, has drawn critical buzz (77 percent on Rotten Tomatoes), audience approval (an A- user rating at Yahoo!) and according to Harry Medved of the ticketing service Fandango, the film is expected to do "great second-week business."

" 'Kick-Ass' actually did as well as we expected," Medved explained. "The advance ticket sales were decent, not spectacular. Obviously, the R rating played into it. Considering the film didn't cost that much — I've heard $35 million to $50 million, probably more in the $35 million range — I think the film will do fine. I think it will have a cult following. And the DVD will be a collector's item."

Perhaps, then, "Kick-Ass" is a victim of its own tracking numbers. That $25 million to $30 million projection is based on consumer awareness, which does not always translate to folks forking money over at the theater. Its $19.8 million weekend haul puts it right in the range of confirmed past hits like "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and far above this year's "Hot Tub Time Machine" (which had a budget comparable to "Kick-Ass"). When you consider that "Kick-Ass" isn't based on a long-established property, doesn't have an A-lister in a starring role and was rated R, the movie begins to seem less like a box-office disappointment. After all, in revised box-office numbers, the film did in fact beat out "How to Train Your Dragon" for the weekend's top spot.

"Considering the content, this opening is not bad at all," Poland said, defending the returns. "The hype made it look bad."

The fact is that "Kick-Ass" isn't your typical comic book movie. It doesn't have the built-in audience of an "Iron Man" or "Batman" movie, nor does it have a boldfaced name in the lead role or as its director. Rather, the movie is a "subversive, ultra-violent comedy masquerading as a superhero movie," as Jeff Bock, box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations, put it.

"Even Quentin Tarantino had to build an audience, as 'Reservoir Dogs' was certainly not embraced upon release, grossing just $5 million, although it received high critical praise and had a rabid following," Bock said. "Yet, it was the start of a mini-revolution in film, one that had found a new auteur. It takes time to build a new genre of film, but now that Tarantino has a 'brand,' his ultra-violent films ('Pulp Fiction,' 'Kill Bill') are considered socially acceptable entertainment."

In this way, "Kick-Ass" could be a slow-building success. As positive word-of-mouth spreads, the film will look to maintain strong sales during its sophomore week and beyond. And talk of a flawed marketing campaign — one that focused more on the fanboy than the mainstream audience — may fall by the wayside. "This film has cult classic written all over it, but it's too good to be a typical cult film, and eventually it will expand its audience," Bock said. "It just might have to wait for DVD to do so."

Did you see "Kick-Ass"? Do you think positive reviews will get more people to the box office in future weeks? Let us know in the comments!

Check out everything we've got on "Kick-Ass."

For breaking comic book movie news, columns and more — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.



‘Kick-Ass’ Creator Mark Millar ‘Very Proud’ Of Film’s PerformanceU2 to release live DVD

MTV Movie Awards Are Important Proving Ground For Comedian Hosts

For decades, comedy clubs have been the primary spotlight for young comedians, a place to hone their craft for small audiences and not leave behind any long-term proof of those nights they bomb. Shows like "Saturday Night Live," "SCTV" and "MadTV" have also played an important role in giving many comedians their first national audience, albeit one that is forgiving of the occasional bad night. In recent years, another important step on the ladder of comedian success has emerged: hosting the MTV Movie Awards.

MTV Movie Awards Are Important Proving Ground For Comedian Hosts

 

MTV Movie Awards Are Important Proving Ground For Comedian Hosts

 

MTV Movie Awards Are Important Proving Ground For Comedian Hosts

 

MTV Movie Awards Are Important Proving Ground For Comedian Hosts

 

MTV Movie Awards Are Important Proving Ground For Comedian Hosts

 

MTV Movie Awards Are Important Proving Ground For Comedian Hosts

 Past Movie Awards Hosts 

MTV Movie Awards Are Important Proving Ground For Comedian Hosts

 

Now, we don't like to toot our own horns. But hosting the Movie Awards has become an important showcase for up-and-coming comics eager to display good one-liners, an ability to roll with improv opportunities and an overall sense of affable anarchy. To help celebrate the news that Aziz Ansari is set to host the 2010 Awards, let's look back on some notable comedian hosts — and how their careers have fared since playing emcee for MTV.

Jimmy Fallon: He was already a household name thanks to "SNL" and movies like "Fever Pitch," but when Fallon hosted the Movie Awards in 2005 he was at a bit of a career crossroads. With "Saturday Night Live" in the rearview mirror and movies like "Taxi" not connecting, Fallon showed millions that he was a fun host while playing Anakin Skywalker in a memorable "Star Wars" sketch; three years later, Fallon landed the high-profile gig taking over Conan O'Brien's "Late Night" show on NBC.After a year on the air, we're not saying MTV is responsible for making "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" a reality, but his Movie Awards stint probably didn't hurt!

Sarah Silverman: Another "SNL" alum, Sarah's time on that show didn't go exactly as anyone would have liked. After a few years of finding her footing and building up a loyal following, Silverman roared back in 2007 with the double-threat of her "Sarah Silverman Program" and a high-profile gig as MTV Movie Awards host. Sarah promised to be funny, foul and full of spunk and certainly didn't disappoint on any of those levels. True, Paris Hilton may not be a fan, but in bashing America's most-hated heiress, Sarah hooked an army of new fans who are perpetually wondering what she'll say next.

Andy Samberg: When Andy took on hosting duties for last year's awards show, it felt like the longest, coolest viral-video clip ever made. One minute, ; another had Andy partying naked with Justin Timberlake; yet another had Ben Stiller hilariously receiving his Generation Award. Between it all, there was plenty of "Twilight" and Andy acting like the crazy brother who was ready to make fun of something as quickly as we could praise it. For the time being, Samberg's gone back to his steady "SNL" gig — and judging by how his digital shorts are always the best part of each week's show, we wouldn't want it any other way.

Don't miss the 2010 MTV Movie Awards, airing live from Los Angeles on Sunday, June 6, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.



Aziz Ansari: From ‘Human Giant’ To MTV Movie Awards HostRecharged Radio Awards in April

Aziz Ansari: From 'Human Giant' To MTV Movie Awards Host

Three years after Aziz Ansari got his start on MTV's "Human Giant" — using that sketch show as a launching pad to juicy movie roles, a co-starring gig in NBC's "Parks & Recreation" and his own Comedy Central stand-up special — the 27-year-old funnyman is returning to the channel to host the 2010 MTV Movie Awards. The high-profile gig could very well make the comedian a household name.

Ansari got his start working the New York stand-up circuit, which he first entered on a whim at the suggestion of some NYU college friends. Those performances led to regular appearances at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, an improv mecca in Manhattan that has helped launch the careers of "Saturday Night Live" performers. It wasn't too long before he joined forces with Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer to form the improv troupe Human Giant.

Their self-titled comedy show premiered on MTV in spring 2007. Over its two-season run, the group busted out a slew of classic sketches: "Shutterbugs," about struggling execs in the ruthless world of a child talent agency; a clip in which Ansari declares that, as the old joke goes, the hardest thing about learning how to rollerblade is telling your parents you're gay; and a mock news segment investigating the ridiculous and painful acts some people endure to become viral-video stars.

Ansari's true gift proved to be the contrast between his sweet, slightly nerdish everyman appearance and the raw, macho-man declarations he often spouted. It was simply so unexpected, and it landed him a prime role alongside Amy Poehler in "Parks & Rec," where his scenes were consistently the funniest during the show's six-episode first-season run.

Season two of the NBC series has seen Ansari's character, a low-level functionary in local government, receiving more and more screen time. Various plot points have had him attempting to raise funds to become a nightclub owner and dealing with the revelation that his marriage was a sham to get his wife a green card.

Perhaps after watching Judd Apatow's "Funny People" and the movie's viral videos, the show's writers had witnessed what Ansari could pull off when given the chance. His creation of the unforgettable Randy — or "Raaaaaaaandy!," as he likes to scream — was nothing short of brilliant. He's a foul-mouthed sexual braggart and stand-up comedian who tells stories of hot-tub hookups and over-the-top macho antics. Randy stole a handful of the film's scenes and became a breakout Internet star based on a FunnyOrDie.com mockumentary. Apatow has even talked about the possibility of giving Randy a movie of his own.

Ansari's character popped up again this month on Funny or Die in a bit that had him accusing Justin Bieber of stealing the song that has become the teen's hit "Baby." In the clip, an actor impersonating Bieber ends up shooting Randy in the knee, trashing his studio and leaving a warning: "Don't f--- with the Bieb!!!"

Pitch-perfect both in its outrageous laughs and its focus on pop culture's flavor of the moment, the video became a viral sensation. It's the sort of comedy we're hoping to see more of in 2010 on Ansari's biggest platform to date: the MTV Movie Awards.

Don't miss the 2010 MTV Movie Awards, airing live from Los Angeles on Sunday, June 6, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.



Will Smith disrupting to wife’s TV show‘The Losers’ Stars Zoe Saldana And Chris Evans Get Their Revenge

'Kick-Ass' Creator Mark Millar 'Very Proud' Of Film's Performance

The dust has settled on the box-office drama centering on Lionsgate's "Kick-Ass," as the comic book adaptation has officially secured first place with a $19.8 million performance. While the final weekend tally isn't quite in the $30 million region that some box-office analysts expected from "Kick-Ass," comic book author Mark Millar is nonetheless elated with the film's performance.

"I'm just back from a weekend's break to find messages from Lionsgate, Matthew Vaughn and various actors on the movie buzzing that we were #1 in America this weekend," Millar told MTV News in an exclusive statement on Monday (April 19). "We were top Friday, Saturday and Sunday — which is amazing, considering we're up against 3-D competition with an R-rated superhero movie.

"It's also worth remembering that [the film] only cost $28 million after the U.K. tax breaks, and our U.K. and U.S. gross alone is already at $38 million as of last night," he added. "We're looking at a very nice profit here and word of mouth is spectacular — the reviews being among the best I've ever seen — and so we're all very proud to find ourselves in this position."

While Millar confessed his hopes that "Kick-Ass" could earn " 'Avatar' numbers," the comic book creator said that director Matthew Vaughn provided some sensible wisdom on the matter: "We were made on a Tarantino budget and should be more than happy with Tarantino numbers."

Millar said that he is "very excited" to see if "Kick-Ass" can stay in first place at the box office next weekend, with new competitors including rival comic book movie "The Losers" and Jennifer Lopez's big screen comeback "The Back-Up Plan."

"[Box office #1] is brilliant news for all concerned, and it's amazing to see a movie at the top of the charts that was rejected by every studio when we pitched it," he said. "The whole gang are feeling very pleased and, since most of us took deferred payments, pretty relieved, too."

For breaking comic book movie news, columns and more -- updated around the clock -- visit SplashPage.MTV.com.



Will Smith disrupting to wife’s TV show‘Kick-Ass’: Moppet Mayhem, By Kurt Loder

Sunday, April 18, 2010

'Kick-Ass': Moppet Mayhem, By Kurt Loder

Sitting through "Kick-Ass" is like seeing a Tarantino movie for the first time. Terrible things are happening up onscreen — a musical ear-removal, say, or a nasty basement geek interlude — and yet, somehow, they're breathtakingly funny. Tarantino's discursive tone and giggly humor allow us some distance from the horrors he works up. "Kick-Ass" director Matthew Vaughn isn't as jokey as Tarantino — he unapologetically plunges us right into the ultra-bloody mayhem. But this movie's juicy comic-book colors and exuberant fight choreography remove the action from any possible real world and anchor it firmly in the land of fantasy, where no one, of course, ever actually gets hurt.

The movie is wonderful in several ways. Apart from its gasp-inducing hilarity, it marks a welcome return to form for Nicolas Cage, who portrays the hulking vigilante Big Daddy in the halting, campy cadences of Adam West in the old "Batman" TV series. (Who else would have thought of such a thing?) And it features a door-busting breakthrough performance by Chloл Grace Moretz, 11 years old at the time the film was shot, who plays Daddy's little Hit-Girl as a knife-happy mini martial arts avenger capable of reducing a room full of mobsters to moist, dripping sashimi. The movie isn't really about Hit-Girl, but it's Hit-Girl who runs away with the movie.

The story is nominally focused on Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), a teenage dweeb who longs to make a difference in the world. Dave's high-school pals laugh when he floats the idea of becoming a superhero, but he goes ahead and buys a cheap green wetsuit for a costume and sets out to fight crime anyway. This doesn't go so well at first — an initial street-thug encounter puts him in the hospital — but he soon gets the hang of it, sort of, and after administering rough justice to another group of bad guys in front of a crowd of cheering teens, he finds himself transformed into a YouTube celebrity, reborn as Kick-Ass. This notoriety brings him to the attention of Big Daddy and Hit-Girl — who have their own crime-busting agenda — and then to the notice of drug lord Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong) and his son Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), another dweeby kid with his own superhero sideline, as Red Mist (his customized sports car is called the Mist-mobile).

The movie isn't just faithful to the gore-soaked "Kick-Ass" comic-book series by Mark Millar and John S. Romita Jr.; in some ways it's an improvement. The film went into production just as the comics began publication, and the picture is more of a collaboration with Millar and Romita than it is a simple adaptation of their work. This allowed Vaughn to tweak the material in beneficial ways, adjusting Big Daddy's backstory to more gratifying effect, and sweetening up a subplot involving a high-school babe named Katie (Lyndsy Fonseca), after whom Dave pathetically lusts. (This storyline is still awfully light, but at least it's not as gratingly hostile as in the comics. A dopey jet-pack prop, on the other hand, could've been dropped with no loss to the film.) And presumably Millar was responsible for some of the picture's comic-geek flourishes: Spider-Man creator Steve Ditko gets name-checked at one point, and at another we get a passing glimpse of a movie marquee advertising "The Spirit 3" — a film one hopes will never, ever be made.

The movie advances in a series of beautifully-staged set pieces, the most memorable being a furious Hit-Girl attack on D'Amico's gangster-packed penthouse headquarters. Some of this long sequence was compressed into one of the movie's red-band trailers, but it's even more spectacular in its entirety — a bloody ballet of bullets, butcher knives and even an unexpected bazooka. The violence is fairly horrific (Vaughn had to finance the film himself after every studio he approached passed on it), but it's also, for the most part, explosively funny.

There have been some outraged complaints among critics in Britain, where the film opened a few weeks ago, that Moretz is exploited in this picture in ways that only a pedophile could find appealing. I don't think so. She's not sexualized in any way, and the astonishingly gross epithets she's called upon to deliver are, after all, only words (and coming from such a pint-size character, astonishingly funny ones). Most pertinently, Hit-Girl is not a victim. When Kick-Ass, in the aftermath of a battle that almost went wrong, tenderly inquires about her future prospects, she tells him, "I can take care of myself." After all, she says, "I saved your sorry ass."

Don't miss Kurt Loder's reviews of "The Joneses" and "Exit Through the Gift Shop," also new in theaters this week.

Check out everything we've got on "Kick-Ass."

For breaking comic book movie news, columns and more — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.



‘Kick-Ass’: The Reviews Are In!Figure 5 album released this month

'The Joneses': Unsold, By Kurt Loder

The Joneses have it all: the great new car, the great new flat-screen TV — all the great new stuff of every consumer's dreams. And they've brought it all to their great new house in a new town where they plan to, as one of them puts it, "do some damage."

These people — father Steve (David Duchovny), mother Kate (Demi Moore) and perfect kids Jenn (Amber Heard) and Mick (Ben Hollingsworth) — are traveling envy dispensers. They're not really a family; they're a sales team employed by a marketing company to travel around from town to town, putting down temporary roots and fomenting lust among their new neighbors for all the high-end goods they've brought along with them. Manufacturers pay big money for the sales spikes the Joneses trigger, and once the team's latest locale is played out, they move on to a new upscale suburb in search of new suckers.

The movie might have amounted to nothing more than its high concept if it weren't for the actors. Duchovny plays Steve — the new guy on the team — as a rootless man in search of human connection who slowly realizes that signing on for this job, in which he doesn't even get to sleep with his "wife," may have been a big mistake. And Moore, as the all-business team leader, effectively portrays Kate as a woman of buried warmth who does everything she can to keep it hidden (haters may be surprised at how good this sometimes off-putting actress is). Hollingsworth is a hunk of the entirely likable variety, and Heard is ... well, she's Amber Heard, here keeping her clothes on for the most part, and very funny as the weak link in the team (her real passion is for jumping older men).

The concept plays out pretty much as you'd expect. We see Steve at a golf course, where the local fairway hotshots are drooling over his expensive new clubs; Kate at home, wowing the neighborhood women with her stock of domestic wonders (frozen sushi!); and Mick and Jenn impressing their new high-school friends with pricey fashions and slick new cell phones. Modest plot complexities are provided by the Joneses' neighbors, Larry and Summer (Gary Cole and Glenne Headly), who prove tragically vulnerable to the new family's siren song of boundless materialism; by Lauren Hutton as KC, a steely home-office exec who turns up to evaluate the team's sales stats; and by Christine Evangelista, who gives the film's most emotionally affecting performance as Naomi, a sales-resistant local girl who's romantically drawn to Mick (who has a dark secret that complicates their relationship).

Director Derrick Borte keeps the story chugging along in an efficient if generally unsurprising way. There are some clever twists (although an attempted shocking development is a fizzling clichй) and some solid laughs, too. But the movie is never quite as lively as we'd like it to be — it might've benefitted from a little satirical nastiness. The story seems to offer more than it ever really delivers, and in the end we're not quite sold.

Don't miss Kurt Loder's reviews of "Kick-Ass" and "Exit Through the Gift Shop," also new in theaters this week.

Check out everything we've got on "The Joneses."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.



Miley Cyrus Is ‘Incredibly Grounded,’ ‘LOL’ Co-Star Demi Moore SaysLindsay Lohan’s mum has a protective ‘team’ around daughter

Saturday, April 17, 2010

'Kick-Ass': The Reviews Are In!

"Kick-Ass" kicks off 2010's big-screen comic book adaptations. And while the bloody movie, starring Nicolas Cage, doesn't have the name recognition of an "Iron Man 2" or a "Green Hornet" (both arriving later in the year), "Kick-Ass" is attracting serious critical and fan buzz for its eye-popping visual style, its lighthearted badassery (if there can be such a thing) and the breakout work of young Chloe Moretz as the purple-wigged butt-buster, Hit Girl.

As well it should. The flick is a purely fun sugar buzz of a cinematic experience — that is, if you don't mind wicked amounts of bloodshed and the sight of an 11-year-old disemboweling bad guys and getting her face smashed in a few times. As our own Kurt Loder writes in his review, "Sitting through 'Kick-Ass' is like seeing a Tarantino movie for the first time. Terrible things are happening up onscreen — a musical ear-removal, say, or a nasty basement geek interlude — and yet, somehow, they're breathtakingly funny."

Of course, not everyone is so amused by the violence and the tweaking of familiar comic book tropes (the story line follows a groups of ordinary New Yorkers who decide to become superpower-free superheroes). Count The Boston Globe 's Ty Burr among the less-than-pleased. "[Director] Matthew Vaughn and company keep cranking up the old ultra-violence and weaponry — the film eventually breaks out a bazooka with a joy that can only be called orgasmic — and at some point it becomes exactly the big, boneheaded movie it was making fun of in the first place," he writes.

Perhaps it's a little much to expect everyone to embrace the "Kick-Ass" vision, but for the fanboys and fangirls the film most clearly has in its sights, "Kick-Ass" has scored a direct hit. " 'Kick-Ass' slips into a groove most 'real' comic book movies can only dream of," writes Jordan Hoffman in UGO.com. "Always funny, but never a parody, Matthew Vaughn's adaptation nails each story beat as stakes slowly and deliberately get raised. Some assume 'Kick-Ass' is somehow subversive — if not to the world of comics, then to the world of action-adventure cinema. It isn't. Hearing a tween girl curse or shoot someone directly in the skull isn't that shocking. 'Kick-Ass' is, above anything else, two full hours of great, well-developed fun."

More must be said about this cursing tween, Chloe Moretz, and her father-in-crime, played by Cage. "Chloe Grace Moretz simply owns this movie, deliriously complemented by Nicolas Cage as her doting but dotty dad," says David Germain of The Associated Press. "That's not to take anything away from [star] Aaron Johnson, solid but rather bland by comparison in the title role as a teen who takes on a superhero alter-ego and bumbles out to fight crime — without a trace of the special powers that usually go with the job. It's just that in Cage and Moretz's Batman-and-Robin-style duo, Vaughn and comic-book writer Mark Millar have created one of the sharpest — and certainly most lethal — father-daughter combinations ever to hit the screen."

We'll give David Edelstein of New York magazine the final word: " 'Kick-Ass' is a compendium of all sleazy things, and it sings like a siren to our inner Tarantinos."

Check out everything we've got on

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.



Will Smith disrupting to wife’s TV show‘Kick-Ass’ Stars Defend Flick’s ‘Cartoonish’ Violence

'Kick-Ass' Stars Defend Flick's 'Cartoonish' Violence

"Kick-Ass" isn't close to being the bloodiest film to hit the big screen in recent months. That violent prize — ignominious or awesome, depending on your cinematic tastes — goes either to Rain's "Ninja Assassin" or Jude Law's "Repo Men." But what neither of those films had was a foulmouthed, bloodthirsty 11-year-old as one of its co-stars.

For that reason alone, "Kick-Ass" — and its pint-size actress Chloe Moretz — has had both the media and some of the film's own cast wondering if this comic adaptation went too far in its depiction of violence.

"I was concerned," co-star Nicolas Cage told us last month about Moretz's character. "I knew it was going to be something that was uncomfortable for me as an actor."

Moretz plays Hit Girl, a preteen trained by her father (Cage) to become a gun-loving, knife-wielding superhero out to avenge the death of her mother and take down a New York mobster in the process. To that end, she slices and she dices. She kicks and she punches. She shoots and she shoots some more — spilling blood at every turn. Yet the film is no more violent or blood-soaked than the features you're likely to catch on any given trip to the theater. What separates "Kick-Ass" from other action flicks is its co-star's youthfulness. Your opinion on whether there should be an age limit when it comes to participation in big-screen violence probably will determine your stance on this movie.

Cage came to view Hit Girl as "a pop icon of feminis[t] strength" and happily took part in fight scene after fight scene. So too did Moretz, and she has no patience for those who for months have complained about the violence. "It's a film, and I really don't care what you say until you go see it," she said.

According to director Matthew Vaughn, what audiences will see when the movie arrives on Friday (April 16) are clashes more cartoonish than anything else. "People go in thinking it's going to be violent and horrible and they come out going, 'God, it just made me laugh,' " he argued. "It's sort of like 'Tom and Jerry' violence [more than] the sort of 'Saw' gratuitous violence."

In the end, the film is simply delivering what its target audience craves, said Aaron Johnson, who plays the titular Kick-Ass, a green-suited amateur hero who spends most of the flick with blood pouring from his face, nose or gut. "We're giving the comic book fans what they want to see," he said. "If we didn't give them as much violence that's in the comic book, it'd just be ridiculous. It'd be stupid."

How young is too young to play a violent superhero? Tell us in the comments!

Check out everything we've got on "Kick-Ass."

For breaking comic book movie news, columns and more — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.



Will Smith disrupting to wife’s TV show‘Kick-Ass’ Star Chloe Moretz Gets ‘Primal’ In ‘Let Me In’

'Transformers' Director Michael Bay Breaking Into Reality TV

Michael Bay is teaming with "Top Chef" and "Project Runway" producers Magical Elves for a reality competition series titled "One Way Out." Bay and his partners, Elves' Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, are shopping the idea to networks this week.

Variety describes the pitch as an "action-adventure" competition that pits contestants against one another in physical challenges and requires them to focus on "the PSYOPS [psychological operations] of creating alliances and keeping their own 'secret pasts' hidden from other players." The description doesn't get any more specific than that, but the principals make some big promises.

"For my first television project I wanted to do something that had never been done before," Bay said in a statement on his Web site. "And I believe that 'One Way Out' accomplishes that. Combining unique twists, death-defying challenges, and stunning visuals, we are reinventing the genre, showing just how far people will go when they are stripped of their bare necessities and forced to do whatever it takes to survive."

Lipsitz echoed the "Transformers" director, predicting that the particular aesthetic Bay brings to his big-screen work — spectacle-heavy, big-budget productions — will bring the program "a fresh perspective that's not just new to reality TV, but new to television, period."

Bay graduated from music-video work in the mid-1990s — including clips for Meat Loaf and Great White — with the breakout success of his Will Smith/Martin Lawrence buddy cop flick "Bad Boys." He quickly earned a reputation for big explosions and rapid-fire editing, on display in the action comedy and in subsequent efforts like "The Rock" and "Armageddon."

Bay has been locked in as director of the "Transformers" franchise since 2007; the first of which was followed by a 2009 sequel, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." A summer 2011 release is planned for "Transformers 3." While Bay has served as producer on a range of films since the success of 1998's "Armageddon," "One Way Out" will be his first foray into television.

Do you think the director can recreate his big-screen excitement for reality TV? Sound off in the comments!

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. 



‘Breaking Dawn,’ ‘Transformers 3′ And Other Films That Might Go 3-DShakira was driven to success

'Kick-Ass' Star Chloe Moretz Gets 'Primal' In 'Let Me In'

In horror-geek circles, there are few recent films as beloved as the 2008 Swedish vampire flick "Let the Right One In." Telling the tale of a bullied boy and a girl who has been 12 for roughly two centuries, the movie is tender, brutal and, to many, untouchable. So, when Matt Reeves ("Cloverfield") decided to remake it, he knew he might as well have been drawing a giant bull's-eye across his back.

"Absolutely, and I totally understand it," said the filmmaker, who is currently in post-production on "Let Me In," the American remake that stars "Kick-Ass" breakout Chloe Moretz and 13-year-old newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee. "When I was first shown the [original] film, it was way before it came out. I was so taken with it, and I had such a personal reaction. This was probably a year before it came out. [Director Tomas Alfredson] so brilliantly melded those two concepts of taking that eerie dreadful horror film and mashing it up with those feelings of coming of age. I was just blown away."

In some of his most revealing comments yet about the project, Reeves — whose version hits theaters on October 1 — explained why it's important to not be too precious about what can and cannot be remade. "I saw the movie and I said, 'I have two things to say: If you make the kids older, as [some people behind the remake] had suggested, you destroy the film; it's the preadolescent moment it captures.' The other thing I said is, 'I really don't know if you should remake this movie.'

"Then they gave me the book, and the book was so beautiful. I just had this really personal connection with it, and I couldn't get the story out of my head," he said of the source material, written by author John Ajvide Lindqvist. "I thought, this may be a crazy thing to do, but I can't resist this. So I decided to write to John, and I said, 'I'm incredibly interested in doing this, but I want you to know why.' I said the thing about this story is it resonates in such a personal way with my childhood and that feeling of growing up and that painful coming of age. And he wrote back to me and said he was a big fan of 'Cloverfield' and that he was excited about the prospect of me getting involved.

"Visually, this film is very restrained," Reeves said, addressing those who think "Let Me In" will transform the story into "Cloverfield" with vampires. "If anyone looked at the other stuff I've done, they'd see it's restrained and naturalistic. In a certain way, it's connected to 'Cloverfield,' because as shaky and crazy as that movie was, my approach was to make this as naturalistic as possible. So there's a kind of naturalism and restraint."

As for the up-and-coming Moretz, he said, "The last thing I wanted her to do was to play a vampire. We kept looking for real-world analogies. I saw these photographs by Mary Ellen Mark of this homeless family, and there was this 12-year-old girl, and the pictures were so haunting.

"I thought, 'This is the perfect analogy. Here's this 12-year-old-girl who has seen so many things a 12-year-old should never see, and yet she's still a 12-year-old,' " he said of Moretz's character. "With Chloe, we just talked about imagining what her life would be. It's not a sexy, glamorous vampire story. It's this burden she has. She really connected to it. She got into her primal side."

Reeves said he's most excited about the kids' performances, as well as that of Richard Jenkins, who plays Chloe's father. "I knew the challenge of the film would be to find kids that you really believe. I wanted to immerse the film in a classical point-of-view style style like a Polanski/Hitchcockian thing," Reeves explained, defending his vision and hoping people will keep an open mind until it comes out.

"I knew there would be a bull's-eye [on me], and that it would intensify," the filmmaker admitted. "But 'Americanization' doesn't mean a dumbing-down of the story."

Check out everything we've got on "Let Me In."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.



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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Hugh Jackman, Alicia Silverstone, Olivia Wilde To Star In 'Butter'

Hugh Jackman, Alicia Silverstone and Olivia Wilde have all joined the growing cast of "Butter," the 2012 comedy by "She's Out of My League" director Jim Field Smith. The news comes just a week after it was revealed that "Twilight" star Ashley Greene had joined the ensemble cast, which already boasts Jennifer Garner, Rob Corddry and "Modern Family" star Ty Burrell.

"Butter" is set around a butter-sculpting competition in a small Midwestern town. Garner stars as a woman driven to win the competition, like her husband (Burrell) before her. Those plans are disrupted when a newcomer, a young orphan girl (Yara Shahidi), shows exceptional skill in shaping the dairy product.

Movieline broke the news early yesterday that Wilde has been cast as "a tattooed stripper with a Bettie Page hairdo" who is Burrell's character's mistress. The actress is poised to have quite the 2010, with lead roles in "Tron Legacy" and the Paul Haggis crime thriller "The Next Three Days," plus comic-book adaptation "Cowboys vs. Aliens" due out in 2011 and (presumably) a "Tron" sequel or two.

Variety reported that Jackman and Silverstone joined the "Butter" cast as well. Jackman will play a former lover of Garner's, and Silverstone, who had previously been rumored for Wilde's stripper part, will instead play the adoptive mother of Shahidi's character.

Jackman recently confirmed to MTV that the sequel to "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" will "definitely" be shooting soon in Japan. Silverstone will soon re-team with her "Clueless" director Amy Heckerling for "Vamps," a comedy described as " 'Sex and the City' with vampires" that also stars Sigourney Weaver and Krysten Ritter.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.



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Robert De Niro Says 'The Irishman' Could Become A Two-Part Project

When word first dropped that Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro were re-teaming for "I Heard You Paint Houses," the project appeared to be a straightforward adaptation of the book about the Mafia and Teamsters union boss Jimmy Hoffa.

Since that October 2008 announcement, the movie has been re-titled "The Irishman" and, as MTV News has exclusively learned, is being developed as just one of two Scorsese/ De Niro films, the second of which is to be based on the real-life experiences of the frequent collaborators.

"We have the script, and we have a more ambitious idea, hopefully, to make it a two-part type of film, or two films," De Niro told MTV News on Tuesday. "Steve Zaillian wrote the first script, which is terrific. The other part, Eric [Roth] is supposed to do it, and we're hoping to move these things together."

How the Oscar-winning actor described the proposed second film is — in the best sense — utterly perplexing: a mash-up of fact and fiction that apparently will owe a debt in subject matter and technique to Federico Fellini.

"I'm still not sure what I mean yet, because it's an idea that came about from Eric Roth," De Niro said, "to combine these movies using footage from 'Paint Houses' to do another kind of [film that is] reminiscent of a kind of '8 1/2,' 'La Dolce Vita,' [a] certain kind of biographical, semi-biographical type of Hollywood movie — a director and the actor — based on things Marty and I have experienced and kind of overlapping them."

So there's that.

No word yet on when either film will shift into production. Next up for Scorsese is a 3-D adaptation of the children's book series "The Invention of Hugo Cabret." After that project, the director will tackle "Silence," a long-planned drama about Jesuit priests in 17th-century Japan, co-starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Benicio Del Toro. But De Niro is biding his time for the moment when he can reunite with Scorsese for the ninth — and perhaps 10th — feature since the pair first collaborated on 1973's "Mean Streets."

"Hopefully it will all come together," De Niro said of the new projects.

Are you intrigued by the film's semi-biographical concept? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Check out everything we've got on "The Irishman."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.



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Monday, April 12, 2010

Arcade Fire, Spike Jonze Collaborating On Film, Rep Confirms

On Thursday, movie blog /Film reported that "Adaptation"/ "Being John Malkovich" director Spike Jonze is working on a "secret film project" with Canadian rock band the Arcade Fire, which is scheduled to shoot in Austin, Texas, and revolve around a concept of "friends growing apart."

/Film also wrote that Jonze — who last year collaborated with Kanye West on the short film "We Were Once a Fairytale" — is casting "mostly late-teen actors" for the project, and that it would be another short film. Additional details were not provided.

On Friday (April 9), MTV News reached out to a spokesperson for Jonze, who confirmed pretty much everything in the /Film report but declined to reveal further details, saying, "Spike will be in Austin shooting a short film which is a collaboration with Arcade Fire."

A spokesperson for the Arcade Fire had not responded to MTV News' request for comment at press time.

The still-untitled short film isn't the first time Jonze and the Arcade Fire have worked together: last year, the band re-recorded a version of their song "Wake Up" for use in the trailer of Jonze's most recent feature film, "Where the Wild Things Are." It's not known whether the project will be used to promote AF's upcoming third album, which is reportedly due later this summer.

In a postcard (yes, a postcard) sent to British music mag New Musical Express last month, Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler confirmed that the band will be debuting songs from their new album on the summer festival circuit, which includes headlining gigs at the Reading and Leeds festivals and Lollapalooza.



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Miley Cyrus Is 'Incredibly Grounded,' 'LOL' Co-Star Demi Moore Says

BEVERLY HILLS — She began acting in her late teens, broke through with a series of youth-oriented romantic films and went on to launch a decades-long career as one of the most famous women in the world. Now, Demi Moore is ready to share the screen with Miley Cyrus — who began acting in her late teens and has recently broken through with a series of youth-oriented movies.

The title of the flick might be "LOL," but the thought of the pair onscreen together already has fans thinking "OMG!"

"She plays my daughter," Demi told us Friday (April 9) of the upcoming flick. "It's a remake of a French film called 'LOL,' with the same French director [Lisa Azuelos]. She's incredible."

We caught up with Moore while she was doing interviews for her April 16 film "The Joneses," a cool, thought-provoking flick about a phony family dispatched to rich neighborhoods by corporate America to make them jealous of their possessions. Moore plays the "mother" of the family opposite David Duchovny — who couldn't help but speak up when he heard the name Miley Cyrus.

"Can I come visit you on set with my daughter?" asked Duchovny, who watches "Hannah Montana" with his 10-year-old, knowing he'd get immediate cred as a hip dad.

"Yes, you can," promised Moore, revealing that the film will shoot outside of Los Angeles. "But you will have to travel on location."

"She's funny," Duchovny added, revealing himself as an unlikely fan of the "Last Song" actress. "I watch it with my kids, and I'll be like, 'That girl is funny!' "

"I'm really looking forward to it," Moore said of the flick, which casts Miley as a teen who gets dumped by her boyfriend while her mother is simultaneously getting over her divorce, causing both to seek out new love while struggling to remain close to each other.

Recently, Moore met with Miley, and she told us they hit it off and the film is full-speed ahead. "We're just kind of getting going," Moore said. "She's great, and I think that she is incredibly grounded."

Moore also said she got to spend some time with Billy Ray Cyrus, who makes it a point to stay involved in his daughter's career. "[Miley] is a true professional, and she truly has a wonderful family," Moore said. "It really shows."

Are you excited to see Demi and Miley team up for "LOL"? Let us know in the comments below!

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.



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'Who Do You Love': White Boy Blues, By Kurt Loder

It's questionable whether Chess Records, the great rhythm & blues label of the 1950s, required two movies to (sort of) tell its story. Nevertheless, less than two years after the so-so "Cadillac Records," here comes "Who Do You Love," which is so-so in different ways.

The story is essentially the same in outline: how two scrappy Polish Jews, the brothers Leonard and Phil Chess, parlayed their family junkyard business into an R&B nightclub on Chicago's South Side, and then into an independent record label, which in 1950 they dubbed Chess. "Who Do You Love" is better on this part of the famous tale than "Cadillac Records" managed to be, thanks mainly to a clenched, forceful performance by Alessandro Nivola, who plays Leonard Chess as the overbearing hardass he quite likely was. (The recessive Adrien Brody was all wrong for this role in the previous movie.) In addition, Jon Abrahams brings a sturdy likability to the part of Phil Chess (an invisible man in the earlier film). So far, so good.

Chess Records started scoring R&B hits right off the bat, first with the awesome Muddy Waters, and subsequently with Little Walter (the harmonica virtuoso in Muddy's band), Howlin' Wolf (whose early sides were actually recorded in Memphis by Sam Phillips), and many other acts. Then, in 1955, came Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley, whose Chess recordings may not have marked the birth of rock and roll music, but certainly confirmed its arrival.

Arguably, no movie could be big enough to contain both Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. And so Berry, who was gleefully portrayed by Mos Def in "Cadillac Records," is absent from this film, while Diddley, a non-person in the earlier picture, is excitingly brought to life here by the pedal-steel guitarist Robert Randolph (an inspired bit of casting). Elsewhere in the able cast, David Oyelowo contributes a touching portrait of Muddy Waters as a fading star who knows he's being eclipsed by the upstart likes of Bo Diddley, but who accepts it with the stoic grace of the blues itself. And Chi McBride gives an ebullient performance as the bassist and prolific songwriter Willie Dixon, the man who showed Leonard Chess the R&B ropes. ("I'm his guide into the exotic Negro world," Willie says.)

The picture suffers from the usual problems of focus (black music, white protagonist) and resemblance, both physical (only McBride really looks much like the man he's playing) and musical (the club, concert and studio performances here are spirited, but no one would mistake them for the real deal). Where the movie goes most wrong, though, is in its depiction of singer Etta James. In "Cadillac Records," Beyoncй Knowles aced this part — she was compellingly abrasive, and of course she could really sing. Here, the character is given the fictitious name of Ivy Mills — purportedly a composite of James and other singers with whom Leonard Chess carried on affairs. This is an awkward evasion, especially since we see Ivy in the Chess studio attempting to record "At Last," which was James' most resonant hit. Megalyn Echikunwoke, who plays the part, is a strikingly beautiful actress, and she's affecting in her portrayal of a woman whose career is being strangled in the iron grip of drug addiction. But Echikunwoke is anything but Etta-like as a singer; and when her character is killed off to support a sentimental plot point — when we know the real Etta James is still alive — it feels like a cheat.

It seems as if Darnell Martin, who directed "Cadillac Records," like Jerry Zaks, who directed this movie, felt that the story of Chess Records could be straightforward period drama. But it's much more than that. There may be too much complex musicology, racial sociology and arcane business scammery woven through it to cram into any one film. Or, as we see now, any two.

Don't miss Kurt Loder's reviews of "After.Life" and "Date Night," also new in theaters this week.

Check out everything we've got on "Who Do You Love."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.



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'Date Night': Married To The Mob, By Kurt Loder

"Date Night" resists just about every temptation to turn itself into run-of-the-mill rom-com crap. The setup — mild-mannered out-of-towners mugged by big-city chaos — is not entirely fresh; and there's an overlong car chase that feels extraneous (although it's redeemed by some inventive taxicab inter-mangling). But the picture has so much going for it &#8212 especially its top-rank cast and a very witty script (by Farrelly Brothers associate Josh Klausner) &#8212 that you're happy to let it lift you up and sweep you away on a gust of pure, sweet lunacy.

It's hard to imagine the movie working as well as it does with any other actors but Steve Carell and Tina Fey in the leads. They play Phil and Claire Foster, a suburban New Jersey couple — he's an accountant, she's a real-estate agent — whose marriage, under constant siege by their two hyper-demanding kids, is growing stale. They've tried to refresh it with weekly date nights at a dull local steakhouse, but these outings have lost their sizzle. So one evening Phil decides to switch things up — they'll drive in to nearby Manhattan for a big-town date night at a trendy new seafood place called (rather brilliantly) Claw. This turns out to be a glittery studs-and-models glamour pit, and since the Fosters have cluelessly arrived with no reservation, they're shunted off to wait at the bar, possibly forever. Then they hear a table being called for another couple, the Tripplehorns; when there's no response, the Fosters announce themselves to be that absent party, and they claim the reservation. This seems to have been a good move, but it quickly devolves into a very bad one.

Carell and Fey are tuned to the same comic wavelength, and their underplayed responses to the uproar that mushrooms around their characters makes the rampant pandemonium seem even funnier. Midway through the breathtakingly expensive meal, Phil and Claire are accosted by a pair of thugs (Jimmi Simpson and Common) who've been looking for the Tripplehorns. Marching the Fosters outside, they demand the return of a flash drive, of all things, that's been stolen from a local crime boss named Miletto (Ray Liotta). Phil and Claire manage to escape the thugs — momentarily, at least — and after much intervening tumult they make their way to the swank condo of one of Claire's old real-estate clients, a high-tech security expert named Holbrooke (Mark Wahlberg). Phil is dismayed to realize why Claire would remember this guy — he's a man of superhero buffness who walks around his home bare-chested at all times. (That Wahlberg manages to invest this character with a certain soulful concern is a tribute to his own low-key comic instincts.)

Holbrooke agrees to help the Fosters track down the conniving couple who call themselves the Tripplehorns: a small-time drug dealer named Taste (James Franco) and his stripper girlfriend, Whippit (Mila Kunis) — who, in a winning script twist, are having relationship problems much like Phil and Claire's. From that encounter, the Fosters move on to pay a disastrous visit to the Peppermint Hippo, the strip club where Whippit works and the mobster Miletto maintains his lair. Here, inevitably, the Fosters attempt to pass as a stripper and her "androgynous friend" — a sequence that might have collapsed into strained idiocy were it not for the stars' happy knack for physical clowning and commitment to their characters' unconquerable sincerity.

The movie has a wonderful comic fullness. Apart from Wahlberg, Kunis and Franco (who's even funnier here than he was in "Pineapple Express"), it's packed with other notable performers in small roles, among them Kristen Wiig and Mark Ruffalo (as the Fosters' divorcing neighbors), Leighton Meester (as their manipulative babysitter), and William Fichtner (as a crusading D.A.). Will.I.Am even puts in an appearance, and Olivia Munn passes through as a frosty restaurant hostess. Director Shawn Levy (of the "Night at the Museum" films) knows how to punch up the picture's many hilarious lines, and working with ace cinematographer Dean Semler, he's given the movie a sleek urban shine. It's a smart, spicy mix. Most rom-coms attempt to leave you with a sappy, feel-good glow; this one leaves you still laughing.

Don't miss Kurt Loder's reviews of "After.Life" and "Who Do You Love," also new in theaters this week.

Check out everything we've got on "Date Night."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.



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