'Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark' Is Guillermo Del Toro's 'Hide And Seek'

It's a cautionary tale straight out of a mother's mouth: "If you don't brush your teeth, monsters will creep into your mouth at night and devour them like candy." But Guillermo del Toro's rated-R version is less cavity, more cryptic. Based on a 1973 TV movie with the same name, Friday's "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," starring Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce, features the same hollow whispers from menacing monsters trapped behind brick fireplaces, only now those creatures are out for innocent, bright-white baby teeth. But even with del Toro's new spin on what he said was the scariest movie he'd ever seen as a kid, the producer told MTV News some things always stay the same. "In horror films, there are only two dynamics. One is what I call hide and seek, meaning there's a lot of tension. If you're searching, you're really tense about opening the door and somebody jumping out of the closet that was hiding. "And if you're hiding in the closet, you're really afraid when you hear footsteps nearby," he added. "And then tag, when the person finally comes out, and you're going to chase them to tag them." With a mind as complicated and fantastical as Pan's Labyrinth, you'd expect del Toro to have a more intricate stream of thought. But the method behind his moviemaking is simply, well, simple. "I do sort of a tag, hide and seek, hide and seek, hide and seek, tag, tag, tag," he explained. "So that's the rhythm of the movie in a horror genre. You just pace it like that." Check out everything we've got on "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Guillermo del Toro Photo: Andrew H. Walker/ Getty Images

Al Pacino Thanks Rappers For 'Scarface' Revival

LOS ANGELES -- Hard to believe, but when Brian De Palma's "Scarface" was released in 1983, it wasn't the beloved cult classic it is now. Critics panned the underworld drama in which actor Al Pacino played Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee who went from dishwasher to cocaine drug lord. Today, the film lives in infamy with its ultra-violent-yet-indelible scenes and quotable one-liners like "Say hello to my little friend." Most of the appreciation and film's support has come from rappers, a fact not lost on Pacino. "The hip-hop people and the rappers got together and they made a video and they talked about the movie. I don't think anybody's ever talked about it as articulately and clearly. I understood it better having heard them talk about it," Pacino told MTV News on the red carpet for a party celebrating the Blu-ray release for "Scarface" on Tuesday night. "I mean, they really get it and they understand it, and that's a great thing. They've been very supportive all these years. I think they've helped us tremendously." The documentary Pacino referred to is 2003's "Scarface: Origins of a Hip-Hop Classic." In it, rappers like Diddy, Nas and Snoop Dogg analyze the movie's impact. The 71-year-old actor likens rap's affinity for his film with his appreciation for the 1932 original version of "Scarface." "When I saw it for the first time -- and I don't mean mine, I mean Paul Muni's from [the] 1930s -- I had that feeling about it too," he said. "Anything when the hero is just reaching for something." Ultimately, Pacino believes the appeal of his character lies in his desire to make something out of nothing -- a mantra rappers have been preaching since the 1980s. "Man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for? That's a great expression, and I think that's Tony Montana," Pacino poetically explained. "Reaching for something he can't get but he keeps going. There is an element of hope in it, believe it or not." Check out everything we've got on "Scarface." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Al Pacino Photo: MTV News

'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon' Returns To IMAX

The moon will go dark again as Paramount gears up to re-release "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" in IMAX this Friday. The third "Transformers" flick is currently the second-highest-grossing film of the year in the U.S., coming in second to "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" with $348.5 million. "Dark of the Moon" will get a second life in 246 IMAX theaters in North America beginning on Friday, according to The Hollywood Reporter , and will run in IMAX through September 8. In most cases, that means the Michael Bay flick will screen alongside already running movies like "Deathly Hallows, Part 2," "Cowboys & Aliens" and "Final Destination 5," given that Steven Soderbergh's soon-to-open "Contagion" doesn't hit IMAX until September 9. Last year, "Avatar" made a similar move at the end of the summer, attempting to recapture moviegoers' interest before the end of the blockbuster movie season. The major difference between re-releases for "Avatar" and "Dark of the Moon" is that James Cameron stuffed "Avatar" with nine more minutes of previously unreleased footage to entice moviegoers. While "Dark of the Moon" doesn't have new footage, the newest releases haven't been big draws at the box office and that may make it a good time to try to nab any stragglers who still want to see giant robots blow things up. Christopher Nolan's Batman flick also benefited from this strategy. After its initial July 2008 opening, Warner Bros. gave "The Dark Knight" a February 2009 IMAX re-release. And even though the studio bypassed the summer movie season for the second release, the stunt still worked. There was plenty of residual interest in the flick following its Academy Awards success, and the second run helped push "Dark Knight" onto the list of the highest-grossing films of all time. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a trend in summers to come, with blockbuster films like "Prometheus," "Men in Black III," "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Dark Knight Rises" all set to hit theaters in 2012. Check out everything we've got on "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Bumblebee in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Photo: Paramount

'The Help' Weathers Irene To Hold #1 Box Office Spot

"The Help" managed to fend off competition from a new action movie, a horror flick and a comedy as the overall box-office suffered from stormy weather on the East Coast. The adaptation of the popular novel took in another $14.3 million over the weekend to remain at number one with a $96.6 million total. The Box Office Top Five: 1. "The Help," $14.3 million 2. "Colombiana" $10.3 million 3. "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" $8.6 million 4. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" $8.6 million 5. "Our Idiot Brother" $6.5 million Hurricane Irene certainly affected box-office receipts, according to studio estimates released Sunday. Ticket sales were down roughly 23 percent compared with the same period last year. AMC theaters closed all of its theaters in New York, Virginia, Philadelphia, Marlyand and D.C. while Clearview Cinemas and Regal Cinemas closed many locations as well, The Los Angeles Times reported. "The Help" has been in theaters for three weeks now and will certainly cross the $100 million mark domestically soon. Zoe Saldana, whose supporting turns in "Avatar" and "Star Trek" have made her a fan favorite, stars in "Colombiana," the latest female driven action flick from Luc Besson. The filmmaker behind "Leon: The Professional" and "La Femme Nikita" served as co-writer and producer on the movie (it was directed Olivier Megaton), which has suffered from unfavorable reviews. The revenge-driven tale which stars Saldana as a drug dealer's daughter turned assassin was #2 at the box office with a $10.3 million debut. "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" is another movie with a famous director as co-writer and producer. Guillermo del Toro told Comic-Con audiences that the original "Afraid...," which was a television movie he saw as a kid, was one of the scariest things he'd ever seen. Katie Holmes stars in the creepy-house centered remake, which took in just $8.6 million in its debut to land at #3. "Our Idiot Brother" was the only of the weekend's bigger new releases to receive mostly favorable reviews from critics, according to Rotten Tomatoes, but it opened with the worst box-office receipts. The Paul Rudd comedy earned just $6.5 million. This weekend's new release schedule includes espionage thriller "The Debt." Check out everything we've got on "Our Idiot Brother." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Emma Stone in "The Help" Photo: DreamWorks

'Our Idiot Brother': The Reviews Are In!

Even with strong performances from the ensemble cast in "Our Idiot Brother," the Sundance darling is being heralded as Paul Rudd's movie. Reviews for the comedy, which opened on Friday (August 25), are heralding Rudd's turn as one of the best of his career. And although the response has been generally positive, critics did take issue with some of the other idiotic parts of the movie. Some found the script's approach to the characters too formulaic: Rudd's character might be an idiot, but he is actually a commendable guy when compared to his three jaded sisters, his hippie ex-girlfriend and his wine-drinking mother. Others thought the movie was a bit unconvincing despite its well-meaning message. Still, the jump from "My Idiot Brother" at Sundance to "Our Idiot Brother" in wide-release seems to imply a more inclusive element to the film that resounded with critics. So will "Our Idiot Brother" charm you? Here's what the critics had to say: The Idiot Brother "Though the ensemble cast is uniformly strong, this is Rudd's film. His inherent likability and genial manner are ideal for the character. He plays laid-back especially well. (His aging surfer dude in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' was a variation on Ned.) Watching Rudd bring dimension to what could have been a clownish caricature is the best reason to see this good-natured family comedy. 'Our Idiot Brother' is as irresistible and easy to love as a golden retriever." — Claudia Puig, USA Today The Characters "Peeking out from a curtain of shaggy hair and a beard, Rudd invests Ned with every ounce of the effusive, natural warmth that has become his trademark. And like so many movies in his career, he makes Our Idiot Brother much more tolerable than it deserves to be. Screenwriters Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall play up Ned's innocence by making his sisters thoroughly unappealing: Emily Mortimer plays a dowdy, sad-sack hausfrau married to a pompous documentarian (played with withering contempt by Steve Coogan); Elizabeth Banks flails in a misguided brunet pageboy as a ruthless Vanity Fair reporter; and Zooey Deschanel lends spaced-out self-absorption to a lesbian tempted by a similarly navel-gazing male artist." — Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post The Script "You want to laugh at this, except the movie is forcing you to do so. Adultery and dysfunction are cute problems. Deschanel's character shares a loft with her girlfriend (Rashida Jones, underutilized again and still the best thing here) and a gang of bohemians who don't get up to anything interesting. Though Deschanel's compulsion to play another Quirky Performance Artist is satisfied. Banks (shrill careerist) and Mortimer (neurotic wimp) conform to type, too. Ned makes their relationships harder than they already appear to be. He's a gimmick, and yet without him the movie is just Hanna-Barbera and Her Sisters. Either way, it's all emotionally counterfeit, and that bogusness infects the comedy." — Wesley Morris, The Boston Globe The Direction "Efficiently directed by Jesse Peretz, (Ms. Peretz's brother, evidently quite capable), Our Idiot Brother is a thin, unconvincing movie made likable by the charm and skill of its cast and by a script (by Ms. Peretz and her husband, David Schisgall) peppered with wit and insight. ... A handful of scenes — a visit to a cultish self-help seminar, a family game of charades with Mom (Shirley Knight), a profile interview gone off the rails — are sharp, funny and surprising. But the filmmakers mostly look for humor in obvious, picked-over places. Can we please have a moratorium on private-school interviews? Like yoga classes (which this movie blessedly leaves alone), they are hard in real life and suspiciously easy in movies." — A.O. Scott, The New York Times The Final Word " My Idiot Brother might have made Ned more of a symbol and less of a person. Where the filmmakers, and Mr. Rudd, go right is making him such a round and sympathetic figure, rather than the desperate, pathetic and/or slapstick character he might have been in different hands. Our Idiot Brother — not My or Your or Their idiot brother — is goofily funny, and silly, and in many ways follows the currents of contemporary comedy into the gulf stream of inanity. And yet Ned turns out to be a strangely moving figure, a comic foil worthy of affection, perhaps even respect." — John Anderson, The Wall Street Journal Check out everything we've got on "Our Idiot Brother." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks in "Our Idiot Brother" Photo: Big Beach Films

'Ghost Rider 2' Trailer: An Expert Analysis

The "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" trailer popped up online late last week, and what else is there to say about it other than Nicolas Cage closes out the new footage by pissing fire? Well, it turns out there's a heck of a lot left to say, which is why the MTV Movies team jumped into the comic book action for an expert commentary. The trailer begins sweetly, with a score reminiscent of "Lost" and some epic title cards: "He fought the curse ... evil will force him ... to face his demon." But any wacky notion that directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, who also helmed the "Crank" films, have delivered a kinder, gentler Johnny Blaze is quickly dismissed when the music picks up and the flames flicker to reveal our first look at the new Ghost Rider. It's a look the directors have spoken with us about at length. "We wanted this black skull, with this gasoline fire and this black, inky smoke to get this real feeling of explosions and fire and heat," Neveldine said at San Diego Comic-Con. "That's something we really went for: 'Let's feel the heat in this movie.' " The grittiness of this Ghost Rider most definitely shines through in the trailer. Charcoal skull? Check. A whiff of gasoline seemingly rising off the screen? Check. Neveldine and Taylor not holding back in this trailer and delivering a full-on look at our hero right off the bat? Check. And they don't stop there, quickly showing off Ghost Rider's signature move, the Penance Stare: He looks into your eyes and makes you feel all the pain and suffering you've ever inflicted on other people. This is no fairy-tale power. This is not X-ray vision. This is a hard-core demonic power, one which was not played very well in the first film. Even in this quick shot, the Stare looks very cool. Speaking of demonic powers, the trailer got us thinking this film might not just be a sequel to the 2007 original, but to Cage's "Drive Angry," the 3-D action flick that had the actor busting out of hell to inflict gory revenge on his enemies. Crazy talk? Sure. But since "Drive Angry" hardly performed well enough at the box office to justify a sequel, we'll take whatever we can get. We get to see plenty of Ghost Rider here, but the trailer gives us the briefest glimpse of Johnny Whitworth as Blackout. He's part human, part demon, all bad news. Whitworth is a guy to watch — hardly a household name but one who delivered an energetic supporting role in the largely forgettable "Limitless." With Neveldine and Taylor in control, there is serious potential for killer fight scenes between Blackout and Ghost Rider. Another character we get a peek at is young Danny Ketch. Comic fans will know him as one of the guys who eventually becomes Ghost Rider. The big departure here is that Danny is a kid. In the comics, he's a young man. While this film probably won't turn into a passing of the torch from Cage's Johnny Blaze to Danny as the next Ghost Rider, it's nonetheless cool to see filmmakers laying the mythological groundwork. The trailer ends with pure, absurd fun: Ghost Rider declaring that it feels awesome when he pees fire. That's essentially how Cage feels about the movie as a whole. "The Ghost Rider is just the coolest-looking superhero, and it has to be the one that goes to film and looks the best," the actor told us at SDCC. "I think they've achieved that with this." Check out everything we've got on "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. "Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance" Photo: Columbia Pictures

'Dark Knight Rises' On Set: Best Pittsburgh Sneak Peeks!

In late May, to mark the start of "Dark Knight Rises" production in Pittsburgh, we got our first look at the newest villain to face off against Batman: Tom Hardy as the broad-backed, rubber-face-mask-rocking Bane. That juicy, studio-approved first look, it turned out, was a harbinger of spoiler-y sneak peeks to come. Over the next three months, we feasted our eyes upon villains and vehicles and massive action set pieces and more. The free-for-all, though, is probably at an end, as "Dark Knight Rises" production in Pittsburgh has wrapped ahead of a shift to Los Angeles, where on-set security is likely to be significantly tighter. So as we bid goodbye to Batman's adventures in the Steel City, let's take a look at the five coolest things we've peeped since May. Check out photos from the set of "Dark Knight Rises." Kickoff at Heinz Field Early in August, director Christopher Nolan took over the Pittsburgh Steelers' home stadium of Heinz Field for an epic action sequence in which NFL stars like Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu got into character as the Gotham Rogues in front of 10,000 extras. For once, these gridiron greats weren't the center of the action, as the game was interrupted by the explosive arrival of Bane and a few camouflaged tumblers. Crashing Catwoman We need not rehash the not-exactly-warm reception to the photographic debut of Anne Hathaway in character as Catwoman. A far more perilous situation unfolded days later when Hathaway's stunt double crashed the Batpod into a cameraman working with a super-expensive IMAX camera. Reportedly, neither the camera nor the operator was injured. So that's good, as was the peek at the scene they were shooting: police officers beating the heck out of people outside Gotham City Hall. Totaled Tumbler Everywhere you looked in Pittsburgh, there were tumblers — those armed vehicles Christian Bale made into his newfangled Batmobile. Where'd they all come from? And what the heck happened to one of them, which wound up buried in rubble? Our guess is Batman's latest badass vehicle is responsible for the damage. Batwing Takes Flight The latest vehicle, of course, is the Batwing. In mid-August, we got our first look at the craft, which has popped up in previous "Batman" films but never before in Nolan's versions. Gone was any resemblance to director Tim Burton's earlier iteration, or the Batplanes present throughout comic-book history; in their place was an ultra-realistic aircraft that seemingly owes its existence, like the tumbler, to a military design. Bane Takes on Batman Of all the many character-centric set pics, our favorite is probably this one of Bane grappling with Batman. For all the high-tech gadgets this movie will feature, the fight between these two adversaries might well come down to some old-fashioned fisticuffs. The photo also showcased a fat scar on Bane's neck, perhaps Nolan's way of explaining the villain's life-or-death addiction to an experimental drug called Venom. Check out everything we've got on "The Dark Knight Rises." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. On the set of "Dark Knight Rises" in Pittsburgh

'The Help' Defeats Remakes, Reboots, Sequels At Box Office

Librarians, booksellers and English teachers, rejoice: Moviegoers overwhelmingly chose "The Help," adapted from the best-selling novel, over all of the remakes, sequels and reboots in theaters this past weekend. "The Help" dropped just 21 percent in its second weekend of release, taking in $20.5 million (for a 12-day $71.8 million total) to become the #1 movie in America, according to studio estimates. The heavily promoted "Fright Night" remake, the "Conan" reboot and the latest "Spy Kids" all flopped. Last week's #1 movie, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," was in second place this week with $16.3 million. The well-reviewed sci-fi film's $133.8 million total put it past where Tim Burton's critically maligned "Planet of the Apes" remake was during a similar spot in its 2001 theatrical run. The scratch-and-sniff cards given out at screenings as part of the "aromascope" experience did nothing to take the stink off of "Spy Kids: All the Time in the World," which debuted with a franchise low of $12 million. Only 23 percent of critics on Rotten Tomatoes enjoyed filmmaker Robert Rodriguez's latest, in which he cast his "Sin City" and "Machete" veteran Jessica Alba as a "spy mom." It's been eight years since the last "Spy Kids" movie and nearly 30 years since Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke of the lamentation of his enemies' women in the original "Conan the Barbarian." Newcomer Jason Momoa's franchise reboot (Conan originated with fantasy writer Robert E. Howard in 1932) mustered only $10 million in its debut. The 1982 "Conan" enjoyed three times the attendance when it opened. Another flick with an '80s nostalgia bent, "Fright Night," suffered the worst opening of the weekend's new wide releases. The remake of the tongue-in-cheek "Rear Window"-like vampire flick opened at #6 with just $7.9 million, putting it behind "The Smurfs," which took in $8 million for a $117.7 million total. The Anne Hathaway romance flick "One Day" was also new in theaters this week. Although it's playing on just 1,719 screens ("Apes," by comparison, is on 3,471), its $5.1 million opening was still low by most industry expectations. Next weekend's new releases include the horror flick "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," which was co-written and produced by Guillermo del Toro, and the Paul Rudd comedy "Our Idiot Brother." Check out everything we've got on "The Help" and "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Emma Stone in "The Help" Photo: DreamWorks

'Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark': The Reviews Are In!

There are few childhood fears more common than being afraid of the dark, but Bailee Madison's character, Sally, in Guillermo del Toro and Troy Nixey's reimagining of the '70s horror flick "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" certainly has good reason to be scared. And she'll likely never want to leave anything for the tooth fairy again. Del Toro loved the 1973 TV movie of the same name that terrified him as a small child, and set about remaking it. Hoping to scare the pants off a new generation, the "Pan's Labyrinth" director co-wrote the screenplay and produced the film and handed it off to director Nixey. So will "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" have you leaving the lights on all night, or let you sleep like a baby this weekend? Here's what the critics had to say: The Story " 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark,' which puts Guy Pearce, Katie Holmes and young Bailee Madison in some serious stomach-churning, can't-bear-to-watch-it jeopardy, is really, truly, very scary. ... At least until about 30 minutes in, when you start to be distracted by the lack of logic in the storytelling and the fact that the nasty little gremlins responsible for all the bumps in the night can be offed pretty easily. Possibly a good sturdy broom would have been enough to clean them out along with the cobwebs in the corners of the Gothic manse where the film is set." — Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times The Cast "There isn't much for Guy Pearce to do as the tone-deaf, perennially irritated dad, but Holmes — whose acting is often overwhelmed by her Mrs. Tom Cruise fame — delivers a sensitive performance as Kim gradually builds a tender, hesitant rapport with Sally. Still, there are problems with the characters and story here that the cast can't fix. It feels as if del Toro and Robbins never clearly chose between leaving the film in the cruel, manipulative horror idiom of the '70s — in which telephones never work, cars never start, and minor coincidences and catastrophes keep the family inside the house long past the point when any ordinary idiot would have fled — or uprooting it." — Andrew O'Hehir, Salon The Scares "Nixey provides us with a very gradual introduction to the inhabitants of the flue, which opens over a dark, deep space. Into this space we earlier saw Emerson Blackwood fall. Or was he pulled? Exploring the area, Sally innocently checks out the grating, and we hear ominous whispers and rustlings, and glimpse the body parts of ... something. These creatures are eventually seen more clearly, which I must say is a disappointment. The mastery of CGI allow filmmakers to show just about anything they can imagine, when sometimes it's scarier to show nothing at all. Consider the timeless 'Cat People' (1942). We never saw a thing. But when the heroine goes alone for a late-night plunge in a swimming pool, she hears something growl, and pace, and nothing we could [possibly] see could improve on that scene." — Roger Ebert, The Chicago Sun-Times The Comparison To The Original "Reimagining the 1973 television movie that terrified him as a boy, the producer, Guillermo del Toro — who wrote the screenplay with Matthew Robbins and who has made a career transforming childhood trauma into art house shivers — may have entrusted directing duties to Troy Nixey, but his fingerprints are all over the screen. The child's-eye view (the original Sally was an adult), the mash-up of history and fairy tale, the overly fussy story — all bear his stamp, as do the richly detailed visuals and prolix tension. None of Mr. del Toro's classy fiddling, however, can improve on the original's marvelously economical scares." — Jeanette Catsoulis, The New York Times The Final Word "Pearce and Holmes, often fine performers, here stoop to the kind of 'Amityville Horror' acting in which every line gets highlighted and overstated. (And why is Pearce wearing a scruffy dark brush cut that looks like a wig?) Of course, it's the kind of cheesy acting you can forgive when a horror film delivers, but 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark' grows less suspenseful as it goes on. The spirits, heralded by echoey whispers ('Sall-eee! Now you'll see what it's like down here!'), are a small, scurrying army of 10-inch-tall, humpbacked simian beasties who look like they came out of a CGI demo reel. There's no mystery to them, which may be why there's no fear." — Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly Check out everything we've got on "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

'Hunger Games' First Look To Debut At VMAs!

Katniss Everdeen is stepping out of the Hunger Games arena and into the Moonman-filled madness of the MTV Video Music Awards. At the VMAs on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET, MTV will debut the very first look at footage from "The Hunger Games," the Jennifer Lawrence-starring adaptation of the best-selling dystopian novel. Up until now, we've seen photos of Lawrence as the arrow-wielding Katniss, plus glimpses of Josh Hutcherson as Peeta and Liam Hemsworth as Gale. But we haven't yet seen "Hunger Games" in action. All that will change during the 28th annual VMAs, when Lawrence herself introduces the exclusive look, which will then be available exclusively on MTV.com. If you don't already know all there is to know about "Hunger Games," now's your chance to study up. Set in a future in which the United States has crumbled and 12 districts are overseen by a brutal Capitol, Katniss and Peeta find themselves forced to participate in an annual ritual called the Hunger Games. Pitting 24 young boys and girls against one another in a bloody battle to the death, the games are broadcast throughout the land at once to entertain and subjugate the citizenry. And at the center of it all is Katniss, a brave soul with expert hunting skills and the determination not to let the games destroy her soul or take her life. "I was a fan of the books before I really knew about the movies," Lawrence told MTV News back in May, adding that she'd be working her butt off to get into character. "It's lots of training, but the training's actually really fun. I've done archery for about six weeks and rock climbing, tree climbing — and combat, running and vaulting. But also yoga and things like that, to stay catlike!" The first glimpse at the film, which hits theaters March 12, 2012, is just one juicy part of the pop-culture parade that is the VMAs. Get ready for performances from Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Adele, Lil Wayne, and Chris Brown, plus appearances by Jonah Hill, Rick Ross, Seth Rogen, Selena Gomez, Kim Kardashian and Odd Future. The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com. Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss in "The Hunger Games" Photo: Murray Close/ Lionsgate Entertainment

Anne Hathaway 'Surprised' Fans With 'One Day' Accent

"One Day" might not mark the first time Anne Hathaway has a British accent in a film, but that doesn't make it any easier to get back into character after filming has wrapped. When MTV News caught up with Hathaway, we asked if she could turn the English accent on easily, having previously acted with a British accent in "Becoming Jane," but she said she never had an easy time slipping into it. "The accent, as soon as I left England, the accent left me," she said. "We had to go back to do [audio] looping; I made sure I went over many days in advance to get back into it. It's not one that comes naturally, for sure." To prove her point, Hathaway offered to show off the remnants of her accent to MTV News. " 'Ello, MTV, how's it going?" Hathaway said in her best Cockney voice while wearing a big smile on her face. "I just insulted, by the way, an entire nation of people," she said afterward, but British co-star Jim Sturgess appeased her by saying, "I feel all right about it." That earned a laugh from Hathaway, who said, "OK, good, I have one on my side." So far, Hathaway said she hasn't gotten any negative feedback about the accent. Everyone she's talked to who has seen her in the flick has been impressed by her performance, and she's hoping it will stay that way. "I've had people come up to me who have seen it actually and they say, 'I didn't think you could pull it off.' And people feel inclined to tell me that they really had no faith in me whatsoever," she said with a laugh. "So far, it's ended with a 'But you surprised me, and I really enjoyed your performance.' But I'm just waiting for that person to come up and say, 'Well, I knew you couldn't do it.' " Check out everything we've got on "One Day." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Anne Hathaway Photo: MTV News

'Avengers' Star Scarlett Johansson Praises 'Fanboy' Joss Whedon

While we have yet to see anywhere near enough "Avengers" footage to get a sense of what direction Joss Whedon is taking the ensemble superhero flick, if leading lady Scarlett Johansson is to be believed, it will be unlike any of the previous Marvel films. The cast of "The Avengers" assembled at Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, on Saturday to unveil new scenes from the comic book movie, and after a panel presentation, MTV News caught up with Johansson and co-star Jeremy Renner. The actress explained how Whedon has set himself apart from the series' previous directors. "Joss is a fanboy," Johansson said with a chuckle. "I think that Joss is going to protect the franchise by staying true to the characters' integrity." The "Iron Man 2" star had only worked with Jon Favreau on that Marvel film, but that experience was enough to underscore for her that Whedon is taking a unique approach to "The Avengers." "I think Jon Favreau is such a different director from Joss Whedon," Johansson added. "The flavor is different, their fingerprints are different; they just have a different way of storytelling — same with Ken Branagh." "Avengers" castmembers have remained mostly mum about the movie's story line, talking primarily only about the tease revealed at the end of "Captain America: The First Avenger." But over the weekend at D23, two new scenes were revealed. Still, when asked about her favorite scene to shoot, Johansson said it was the big ensemble sequence seen in that first "Avengers" teaser. "I do think one of my favorite moments is when we all assembled together. That was kind of amazing, when all of us were there," she said. "It's extremely surreal. It's strange." "Thor" leading man Chris Hemsworth had the same pick as Johansson when we spoke to him at D23. "One of our first days was the whole assembly. That was pretty crazy," he said. "Not only meeting Robert Downey and Scarlett and whatever, but it was meeting Iron Man and Black Widow and the Hulk. It's exciting." Check out everything we've got on "The Avengers." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Scarlett Johansson at the D23 Expo Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/ Getty Images

Jeff Buckley Biopic Finds Lead In 'Spider-Man' Actor Reeve Carney

Penn Badgley may have landed the Jeff Buckley role in "Greetings From Tim Buckley," but "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" star Reeve Carney has landed the role in yet another film based on the musician's life. Carney is set to star in a still-untitled film about the "Last Goodbye" singer. It's set to begin production this November and is being helmed by "Welcome to the Rileys" director Jake Scott, who noted that Carney has "the perfect combination of musical prodigy, impish charm, innate intelligence and sensitivity to play Jeff." Carney will do all his own singing. Buckley's mom, Mary Guibert, will also be involved in production, Deadline.com reports. The film's production has been granted rights to use Buckley's music and archives, and they have also been given rights by Sony to use "Hallelujah," the Leonard Cohen song that Buckley famously covered. "The Rocker" scribe, Ryan Jaffe, will man the script based on the book "Dream Brother: The Lives and Music of Jeff and Tim Buckley" by David Browne. For some time, "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson had been attached to one of the Buckley roles, but now that both films have found their leads, it seems unlikely that the Hollywood star will get to show off his singing chops in an adaptation of the singer's life. However, Deadline.com notes that a third Buckley biopic is in the works. That one is based on the book "A Pure Drop: The Life of Jeff Buckley" and is being directed by Brendan Fletcher. A California native, Buckley rose to fame in the 1990s in New York City and recorded only one studio album, Grace, before his untimely death. He was the son of singer/songwriter Tim Buckley. During his lifetime, his moody, romantic tracks paired with his signature voice established him as one of the go-to singer/songwriters of his generation. His trademark songs include "Last Goodbye" and "Hallelujah." He was just 30 years old when he drowned in a river in 1997. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Reeve Carney Photo: WireImage

Anne Hathaway Talks Pressures Of Adapting 'One Day'

Anne Hathaway knows you have your doubts about her, but she's ready to impress you with "One Day." The actress is no stranger to adapting well-loved literature to the big screen, having starred in "The Princess Diaries" and "Brokeback Mountain." But having to speak in an English accent and co-helm a romance novel that fans were so protective of certainly put the pressure on when she was filming "One Day." Fortunately, the response from fans has been positive so far. MTV News caught up with Hathaway and her co-star Jim Sturgess recently, and "The Dark Knight Rises" actress said that people have received her performance in the flick positively. "I've had people come up to me who have seen it actually and they say, 'I didn't think you could pull it off.' And people feel inclined to tell me that they really had no faith in me whatsoever," she said with a laugh. "So far, it's ended with a, 'But you surprised me, and I really enjoyed your performance.' But I'm just waiting for that person to come up and say, 'Well I knew you couldn't do it.' " She added that the pressure was amplified by the fact that when she and Sturgess were filming in London, Hathaway saw people all across the city reading the book. The cover of the novel's U.K. edition is orange, and Hathaway said it would freak her out to see "One Day" so prominently featured in every bookstore she walked into. "At night, it kind of lights the streets of London," Sturgess joked. People who want to walk into "One Day" spoiler-free might not be too psyched to hear that both Hathaway and Sturgess say they prefer "ill-fated, tear-inducing" romantic films as opposed to ones that end happily ever after. That news certainly doesn't bode well for the love story between their onscreen characters. While Sturgess said he feels that way because he's "just cynical," Hathaway explained that she feels tragic romantic stories stay with a person longer. "If something's happily ever after, yay, you're happy for them, but what else do you feel about it? When something rips your guts out, you're more inclined to remember it," she explained. Check out everything we've got on "One Day." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Jim Sturgess and Anne Hathaway in "One Day" Photo: Giles Keyte

Robert Rodriguez Explains '4-D' Smells In 'Spy Kids 4'

Director Robert Rodriguez has made a career out of pushing the filmmaking envelope in various ways, from "Desperado" to "From Dusk Till Dawn" to his very successful "Spy Kids" franchise, which includes the first resurgent 3-D film, 2003's "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over." To mark the release of the fourth "Spy Kids" film, Rodriguez has added another level to the 3-D canon with "Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D." And what exactly makes a film 4-D? A little extra sensory overload provided by what Rodriguez calls an "Aroma-Scope." "Instead of just going 3-D like we did on the last one, we brought in 4-D, which is a very fun gimmick that I found in this old movie in the '80s," Rodriguez told MTV News of being inspired by John Waters' use of Smell-O-Vision for 1981's "Polyester." "It's kind of a scratch-and-sniff [experience] and you get to be really, almost like a video game, interactive with the movie. There are some really surprising smells, and some of the biggest laughs come from that." Rodriguez went on to say that the Aroma-Scope, which is a card with eight numbers on it that audience members are given with their 3-D glasses, provides viewers with a less passive and more interactive film-going experience. "Even my own kids, people today are so interactive with gaming that to go and watch the movie feels so passive, so this really bridges the gap between the two," he explained. "You're watching the movie and then almost like video game numbers come up and you [scratch] the cards and smell almost exactly what the characters are smelling. It's funny, the characters are all reacting to it, the adults are reacting to it — it's really fun." Check out everything we've got on "Spy Kids: All the Time in the World." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Joel McHale, Jessica Alba, Mason Cook and Rowan Blanchard in "Spy Kids 4" Photo: Dimension Films

'Conan The Barbarian': The Reviews Are In!

"Conan the Barbarian" isn't trying to pull any punches. From the beginning, the remake of the 1982 cult classic proclaims that its lead lives, loves, slays and is content. And critics are saying that's exactly what you get in theaters. Reviews haven't necessarily been positive, with critics complaining about the script and the one-dimensional characters. But they seem to agree that Jason Momoa did a better job in the title role than Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the movie is fun — at least as a mindless summer blockbuster. It might not be worth spending the extra money to see the flick in 3-D, but the fighting is good and gory if that's what fans are looking for. But don't let us tell you what to think. Before you head to theaters to watch "Conan the Barbarian," find out what the critics thought of "Conan the Barbarian" in our review round-up: The Script "With a script so pat and humor-free, Momoa has little to do but sneer and slice. The film informs us that Conan has the heart of a lion and 'the loyalty of a bloodhound,' but we get nary a sniff of that in this carnage fest. He's built like a tank, but Conan emotes like one, too." — Scott Bowles, USA Today The Effects "This 'Conan' plods along, regularly erupting in action scenes that make scant visual sense in two dimensions and none at all in 3-D. The few that stick out involve supernatural beasties; there's one ferocious battle against warriors made of sand that combines athletic parkour and digital effects to surprisingly exciting ends. Other than that, it's tame stuff, and there's little sense of the larger mythical stage the hero strides across." — Ty Burr, The Boston Globe The Remake "The original 'Conan' was a sloppy, grandiose, unforgivable muckbath directed by the (I say the words lovingly) right-wing maniac John Milius. I watched it about four times to make sure it had no redeeming qualities. The reboot (re-sandal?) isn't good either, exactly. But it has a certain commitment to its cause, and by that I mean it supplies the necessary flayings, slayings, beheadings and, um, a be-nose-ing, all of it dancing to the tune of those amusingly stilted He-Man declaratives — King James Bible cadences applied to comic-book visions. It knows it's a B movie, and gets on with it." — Kyle Smith, The New York Post The Schwarzenegger Connection "In this dank ultimate-fighting challenge, Jason Momoa as Conan provides the only visual vivacity; he has an eye-catchingly sensuous face atop the requisite statuesque beefcake. Much more than Schwarzenegger in his early Teutonic-slab phase, Momoa nicely fulfills the law of Hollywood Darwinism: survival of the dishiest. Such is his sex appeal that he almost brings plausibility to the movie's silliest scene, when Conan tells Tamara, 'I live, I love, I slay, and I am content,' and the virgin instantly falls into his arms. Guys bringing their dates to this murky holocaust are advised not to try using Conan's credo as a pickup line." — Richard Corliss, Time The Final Word " 'Conan the Barbarian,' starring the excellent rippling chisel of Jason Momoa, is brutal, bloody beyond belief, and has no socially redeeming value. So it is with a certain amount of guilt that I say it's kind of a wicked blast to watch, especially if you're in the mood for some righteous revenge." — Betsy Sharkey, The Los Angeles Times Check out everything we've got on "Conan the Barbarian." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Jason Momoa in "Conan the Barbarian" Photo: Lionsgate Entertainment

'Big Lebowski' Pulls Reunion Together In New York City

NEW YORK — The rug really did tie the room together. And the Dude was pleased. We were outside the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City for the cast reunion of "The Big Lebowski" on Tuesday — partly in celebration of the film's Blu-ray release, partly because 13 years after its theatrical debut, fans still can't get enough of Jeff Bridges' cult comedy — and the ground was adorned, in lieu of the standard red carpeting, with a fancy runner calling to mind the peed-upon Persian rug that sets the film's entire plot in motion. Between that carpet, the opportunity once again to hang out with his old castmates and the sight of so many fans dressed up like their favorite characters, Bridges was having a grand old time. "They're so deeply into that movie, which is so wonderful," he told MTV News of those fans. "I don't have any fans quite as strong as the 'Lebowski' fans." His co-stars, it turned out, are pretty big supporters themselves. "He worked so hard on this, and you could never know it by looking at the film," John Goodman said about Bridges. "He made it look effortless. People ask me all the time if we improvised anything. That's just how he made it look — very graceful." Julianne Moore's experience on "Lebowski," at least physically, was far from graceful, but she credits Bridges with helping her through the shoot. "I was pregnant, so I was sick most of the time," she recalled. "I remember how patient Jeff was and how funny and how artistic he is, all the pictures he took. He was always playing guitar in his trailer. He was an amazing guy." Moore's pregnancy wasn't the only one that factored into "Lebowski." As fans of the film will recall, Moore's character, the intensely odd Maude, sneakily beds the Dude in order to make him the father of her child. And while all that talk of a sequel will likely never come to fruition — the cast, as if of one mind, dismissed the idea of future "Lebowski" films — Bridges and Moore have some ideas about what has happened to the child since the conclusion of the original movie. Moore thinks the kid wound up in boarding school. But Bridges has a different notion, based on another film from his past. "Ooh, I just had a flash!" he laughed. "Maybe he hooks up with the Starman's child. Ooooh, huh? And they get together in sort of a Butch Cassidy/Sundance Kid thing, man!" For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. T-Bone Burnett, Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore and John Goodman at the "Big Lebowski" Blu-Ray release party Photo: Mike Coppola/ Getty Images

Kristen Stewart Is 'Gorgeous,' Other 'Snow White' Director Says

In one corner of the fairy tale-meets-Hollywood world, there is Kristen Stewart and mighty Universal Pictures. In the other, there is Julia Roberts and upstart Relativity Pictures. Both sides are pushing forward with "Snow White" adaptations. Only one can boast of having, in Stewart, one of the biggest young names in the business. But the director of the other "Snow White," Tarsem, not only isn't worried, but paid Stewart a high compliment when we caught up with him at San Diego Comic-Con. "She's gorgeous," he told us, adding that he'd only seen her onscreen work in David Fincher's "Panic Room." "She's great." For his Snow White, Tarsem cast up-and-comer Lily Collins, looping her into a production that has already kicked off and which will hit theaters months ahead of Stewart's in 2012. "For me, when I looked at it, I thought there's only room for one of these," he explained of the two competing films. "And it looks like there's more. Nobody's backed off. I just know that we were ready so much earlier. And thank God for Julia, because when she came in, I got everything my way." While we have seen photos of Stewart, as well as co-stars Liam Hemsworth and Charlize Theron, in "Snow White and the Huntsman," thus far from Tarsem's film, we've only seen Collins in character. So what type of evil queen will Roberts end up being? "A mixed-up queen," Tarsem told us. "I don't know how to do for the 'now you shall' kind of person. For me, [it's] the personality of a person who looks into the mirror and does all the evil deeds she needs to do. Like serial killers, you outsource your evil: The devil made me do it or I hear voices. It's kind of one of those people. She does what she does, but she thinks it comes from a place where the person in the mirror tells it to her." Check out everything we've got on "The Brothers Grimm: Snow White." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Kristen Stewart as "Snow White" Photo: Universal

'Glee' Stars Nominate Castmates 'Most Likely To' Date Fans, More

When presented the excellent opportunity to interact with a cast of characters as fun and free-spirited as the cast of "Glee" and, more specifically, "Glee: The 3D Concert Movie," it is not to be wasted by asking generic interview questions like "Why do you love this role?" or "Why should people see this movie?" Instead, MTV News first had the "Glee" cast give us a musical preview of the film's story line. Following those melodic results, we put together a list of rapid-fire superlative-style questions, which required stars Lea Michele, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Jenna Ushkowitz, Cory Monteith, Dianna Agron, Naya Rivera, Mark Salling, Ashley Fink, Darren Criss, Heather Morris, Kevin McHale and Harry Shum Jr. to decide which of their castmates deserved a series of "Most Likely to ..." titles. If you've ever wondered which actor is most likely to mess up choreography or date a fan, we've got your answers! Read on (and click the embedded video) for the cast's candid responses, as well as adorable moments featuring the cast cracking one another up with lightning-quick answers. Most Likely To Screw Up Choreography Honorable mentions: Mark Salling (1 vote), Cory Monteith (4) Winner: Chord Overstreet takes this category with seven Most Likely to Slip Up nods from his fellow castmembers. Most Likely to Date a Fan Winner: Mark Salling, who all but swept this one, save for the one vote Fink cast for herself in the category. Salling's reaction upon learning he was the clear choice? "Me? Oh, hell no." Mostly Likely to Join "Jersey Shore" Cast Honorable mentions: Salling and Riley each received one vote. Runner-up: Lea Michele Winner: Naya Rivera "Naya," Michele said. "But she's not Italian, and I'm Italian," she added with a smile and hint of the familiar accent. "She'd bring some serious 'tude [to the show]," Criss said. Biggest Flirt Honorable mention: "Matthew Morrison," Fink said. "Yeah," Criss agreed, "He flirts with me all the time." "Matt is the flirtiest human I've ever met," Fink assured us. Winner: Cory Monteith "Yay!" Monteith said when he heard he was the front-runner in the category. "I guess? Hey, how you doing?" he said with a naughty smile. Best Game Honorable mentions: Monteith and Kevin McHale Winner: "Darren Criss," Michele said with authority. "Darren Criss. Let me tell you something, he'll be like, 'See that girl over there?' And he will go over, and then a couple minutes later, you'll see her from afar and she'll be like, [ demonstrates a shy smile that grows into a wide, enamored grin ]." "Me?" Criss said, appearing shocked, when he heard he'd been praised for his lady-killing skills. "I don't know about that," he said. "[But] I'll take it." Check out everything we've got on "Glee: The 3D Concert Movie." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Chris Colfer, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and Dianna Agron of "Glee" Photo: Lester Cohen/ WireImage

'30 Minutes Or Less' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know

Like a bomb indestructibly attached to an anxious pizza delivery boy's chest, "30 Minutes or Less" hasn't been able to shake MTV News off itself. From the early news updates (Jesse Eisenberg as that unfortunate pie-slinger, "Zombieland" helmer Ruben Fleischer in the director's chair) to the exclusive first look at the Michigan set to an MTV Sneak Peek Week public screening of the action-comedy and beyond, we've been all over this movie. And now that it's finally hit theaters, we're not letting go quite yet. So slip on our "30 Minutes" cheat sheet for everything you need to know before heading to the multiplex this weekend. Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock The project began to come together in earnest in the spring of last year, when Fleischer signed on, followed by Aziz Ansari, Eisenberg (a "Zombieland" vet), Danny McBride and Nick Swardson. In the film, McBride and Swardson play lowlife slackers who hatch a devious, deranged plan: hook Eisenberg's delivery dude up like a suicide bomber and force him to rob a bank before the explosives go kablooey. Eisenberg, in turn, recruits his best friend, played by Ansari, to help out with the unfortunate activities. "They're kind of simple dudes," Swardson later explained to us. "They're not very learned. But they're not like robots. At the core, they are actually very nice people. They believe in friendship and things like that." "They just want to be loved," added McBride, "whether it takes a bomb or a bank robbery to get there." Filming kicked off that summer in Grand Rapids, Michigan. MTV News was invited to check out the action in August, when the production settled into a dusty junkyard to shoot McBride and Swardson blowing up watermelons and kidnapping Eisenberg. Fun! But we had to keep the whole thing under wraps for months, until well after the F-bomb-laden, red-band trailer hit the Web this past spring. Light 'Em Up! On set, all it seemed anyone could talk about was how bad a driver Eisenberg was. The future Oscar nominee didn't seem to care. "I live in New York City and ride a bicycle, so I never drive ever, so I've been given the opportunity and a cool car," he told MTV News. "Every time I drive, I get yelled at by the crew, but the stunt drivers always wink at me and say, 'Nah, that was good, man. Keep doing it.' I've been subtly and subversively encouraged to be very dangerous in the car." In his defense, there is something dangerous and subversive about the whole movie, as further clips would make clear. In one exclusive MTV News debuted, Eisenberg, newly sporting a bomb on his chest, heads straight to the elementary school where Ansari teaches, because hey, where else would a bomb-carrying pizza boy go other than a school filled with young children? "Jesse, to his credit, is a great improviser," Fleischer told us. "Both in 'Zombieland' and in this movie, he is responsible for so many funny lines, and he can kind of roll. I don't think that's his most comfortable gear, but when it's pushed up, he can give back as good as anybody." Added Ansari, "What was really fun about the movie, and Ruben did such a good job putting the cast together, we all kind of have different energies that play off well with one another." Almost Out of Time Fans got an early look at those energies days before the MTV Movie Awards, when we staged a sneak-peek screening of the film. It was at the post-screening Q&A that we got to the bottom of the rumor that Taylor Lautner had shot a cameo in the film. "He's in it!" Ansari joked, before admitting the truth. "I read that somewhere. I was like, 'I didn't know about that.' ... Let's start that rumor. People like him, right? Just say he's in the movie. 'That Lautner cameo is dope, man! You gotta see that movie with Taylor Lautner!' " There are far more reasons than a "Twilight" star, though, to merit checking out the film in all its ridiculousness. Just peep some footage from the set, when McBride and Swardson blow those watermelons to smithereens. Those guys are, in the best buddy-comedy tradition, total freaking idiots. Their real-life counterparts kind of are too. "Just point to the bank," Swardson said when we asked what it'd take for him to rob a bank. "Give me a good mask and a loaded weapon, I'm on," McBride added. Check out everything we've got on "30 Seconds or Less." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Aziz Ansari and Jesse Eisenberg in "30 Minutes or Less" Photo: Wilson Webb/ Columbia Pictures

Emma Stone Living Out Dream With 'The Help' Role

With roles in "The Help," "Crazy, Stupid, Love" and "Friends With Benefits," this has been the summer of Emma Stone. But the 22-year-old's role as Skeeter Phelan in "The Help" marks a big departure from her previous onscreen personas. Gone are the now-token red locks and girl-next-door vibe that have become so familiar. Instead, Stone is a blonde, curly-haired modern woman determined to tell the true story of what it's like to be a black maid in 1960s Mississippi. On the surface, Skeeter might seem like a big change from the Stone audiences have come to know and love, but "The Amazing Spider-Man" actress said she has a lot more in common with her character than it might seem. "When I was younger, I always wanted to be a writer or a journalist, and I don't think I'd be much good at it, but it was really wonderful to kind of live out that dream through acting," Stone said when MTV News caught up with her during Sneak Peek Week. "She's curious about people and curious about her life and is questioning why things are the way they are, and I've definitely done that too, as I'm sure everyone has." The kinship Stone felt with her character didn't make her any easier to play, though. She had to adopt a Southern accent for the flick and also get in the mentality of what it's like to be a Southern woman. Fortunately, Stone's mother was raised in Louisiana so she was able to share her own experiences. Her co-star, Bryce Dallas Howard, had an easier time because she had previously played a Southern woman in "The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond." But in that flick, Howard's character came from a very different environment and background than Hilly Holbrook in "The Help." She told us that filming the movie in Mississippi helped her get into the right mindset. "I feel like, in the movie, you get a sense of true authenticity in terms of the period and obviously the setting because we shot the film in Greenwood, Mississippi," Howard said. "I think it made all the difference in the world." Check out everything we've got on "The Help." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Emma Stone Photo: MTV News

Bruce Willis In Talks To Join 'G.I. Joe 2' Cast

Bruce Willis is in talks to put the "Joe" back in "G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation," if the latest casting rumors are to be believed. The veteran action hero is just the latest actor to circle the upcoming "G.I. Joe" sequel, which is set to begin filming in New Orleans later this month. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Willis may join the cast of the recently retitled "G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation" (formerly "G.I. Joe: Cobra Strikes"), playing General Joe Colton, the man responsible for starting the G.I. Joe strike team in the 1980s comic books. The sequel already has some big names attached to it, including leading man Channing Tatum and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as heavy machine-gunner Roadblock (the character sidelined as a cook in the "Joe" comics). When MTV News caught up with Tatum at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con, he said he had yet to meet Johnson but was looking forward to it. "I'm so excited to meet him. I hear he's literally one of the nicest people on the entire planet. I'm just excited to hear that he's that huge and that nice," Tatum said with a laugh. "G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation" will also feature many new faces: RZA, Adrianne Palicki, Ray Stevenson, Joe Mazzello, D.J. Cotrona and Elodie Yung are all new to the sequel. They'll join previous "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" castmembers Tatum, Ray Park and Lee Byung-hun. In addition, "Retaliation" replaces "Rise of Cobra" director Stephen Sommers with "Step Up 3D" director Jon M. Chu. "It's all going to be new," Tatum told us, "New director, new writers, new actors, so it's going to be fun." It's also going to feature plenty of ninjas, so "G.I. Joe" fans can look forward to seeing their favorite American heroes facing off against some pretty nasty villains. "G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation" will hit theaters on July 29, 2012. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Bruce Willis Photo: Bruce Glikas/ FilmMagic

'Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas' Trailer: Five Key Scenes

In a way, "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas" is the most high-concept installment in the stoner-comedy franchise. The titles of both "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" and "Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay" told you everything you needed to know about the films. But the latest addition? Well, it's in 3-D and has something to do with the holiday season, yet it can all get a little confusing for the series' munchies-having, navel-gazing fanbase. The first "3D Christmas" trailer, which hit Yahoo! on Wednesday evening, should clear up most of that duuuuude-what's-it-all-about confusion. And MTV News' picks for the five key scenes should wipe away any remaining brain fog. The Santa Formula The witty tweaking of clichés has been at the heart of what this franchise is all about. After years of derivative stoner comedies, many with premises thinner than a tab of LSD, "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" took the formula to its storytelling extreme — what if we make a movie about two dudes trying to get some hamburgers? — and wound up delivering not only a funny movie, but one that breathed new, smart and ridiculous life into what had become a hackneyed subgenre. "3D Christmas," which hits theaters in November, turns its postmodern attention to the holiday movies, as we see in this scene of Harold accidently shooting Santa in the face. How many Christmas movies will the new movie riff on? We smell the heady scent of a future college-dorm-room party game. The Comedy Equation If the big picture of the franchise has been devoted to undercutting cinematic clichés, the undercurrent running through so many individual scenes has been the filmmakers' quest to identify and explode stereotypes. Race, religion, sexuality — it's all been roped into laugh lines, sometimes with less success than others (see "Escape from Guantanamo Bay"). The third film in the series keeps the fearless tradition going, as in one scene where Kumar is rejected by a lovely lady with the line, "Sorry, I don't date black guys." Claymazing! But hey, perhaps we're being a bit too high-minded. The franchise can also be enjoyed (when it's enjoyable) as a straightforward, drug-addled buddy comedy. In "3D Christmas," the two friends are still getting' high and gettin' into trouble, as when they mistakenly get a toddler stoned or, in this scene, when they're dosed with a hallucinogen. Cue one of the more creative visual representations of the drug experience in recent memory: Harold and Kumar become claymation figurines. It's a fun, unexpected moment, which makes us think filmmakers should have held the scene back so it'd be fresh (and fun and unexpected) in theaters. "Avatarted" The new movie clearly wants to have its three-dimensional cake and eat it too, as Harold asks at one point in the trailer, "Hasn't the whole 3-D thing jumped the shark by now?" The answer, delivered by a TV salesman, is that the movie makes "Avatar" look "Avatarted." He's probably right. "Avatar" director James Cameron's approach to 3-D is to use the technology to create depth, as if in looking at the screen you're looking through a window. "3D Christmas" takes the opposite approach, hurling things (eggs, the Pope's tooth) out at the audience in a manner that has become less favored among filmmakers. Though not entirely. Hey, that in-your-face approach worked for "Jackass 3D." NPH There was a time when Neil Patrick Harris probably thought he'd forever be remembered as a super-smart teen doctor named Doogie. But his turn in "Go to White Castle" changed all that, launching the actor's professional second act. Now, NPH might host award shows and star in a hit network comedy, but he continues to pay respect to the raunchy franchise that resurrected his career. Ignore the fact, as NPH himself does, that he was shot and seemingly killed in "Escape from Guantanamo Bay." What's important is that he's back and ridiculous as ever. The same might well be said of "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas." Check out everything we've got on "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Kal Penn and John Cho in "A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas" Photo: New Line Cinema

'Dirty Dancing' Remake A 'Big Challenge,' Director Says

Kenny Ortega has been tasked with remaking the 1987 classic "Dirty Dancing," and he knows you aren't happy about it. The announcement earlier this week was met with seemingly universal backlash, especially in the MTV News comment section. Commenter lisha.16 lashed out against Hollywood's continued dependence on remakes, while Valerie Anne Devine pointing out that "Dirty Dancing" is "not broken therefore does not require a makeover." In an interview with "The Insider," Ortega said he was in the same boat at first as well. "Saying yes to this project was a really tough decision for me, and one that I wrestled with for a long time," said the "This Is It" director, who was a choreographer on the original "Dirty Dancing." "I had to be won over too." So far, there's no script or casting ideas set, just the idea to remake the movie first made famous by Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. But "Dirty Dancing" is no stranger to reinvention. The movie inspired a successful Broadway musical as well as well as the 2004 box-office flop "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights." Ortega said his first step in creating this remake is to not try to top anything the original movie did. "We have a big challenge and a long road ahead of us," Ortega said. "All I can say is that I hope we can bring something unique and original to help change the naysayers' minds about the film." That starts with not trying to find a way to replace Swayze and Grey. "They're one of a kind, and they deserve to be called that," he said. Ortega said he has been impressed with "So You Think You Can Dance" finalist Melanie Moore's skills and told her live on the air that she has a role waiting for her in the film if she wants it. He also said that he would love to find a role for Grey in the remake if she'd want to be part of it. As for who should play male lead Johnny Castle, MTV's Hollywood Crush blog thought Ryan Gosling could be a pretty good choice. Ortega is no stranger to fans rebelling against remaking '80s dance flicks. He was originally attached to direct the upcoming "Footloose" remake before dropping out because he didn't like the tone Paramount wanted for their modernized take. It will be interesting to see whether Ortega's "Dirty Dancing" also gets updated to the present day with current popular dancing or if it maintains the 1960s setting and styles that the original had. For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the 1987 classic "Dirty Dancing" Photo: Vestron Pictures

'Rise Of Planet Of The Apes' Star James Franco: What's Next?

It looks like "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" director Rupert Wyatt and co-star Andy Serkis had it right when they recently praised James Franco's performance in the flick, which hit theaters Friday (August 5). "Apes" has opened to great reviews and a strong first weekend, but we wouldn't be surprised if Franco barely gives that success a second thought. The actor has so many films on his plate right now we can hardly keep track, not to mention a record on the way and classes to teach. The most high-profile of Franco's upcoming projects is Sam Raimi's "Oz: The Great and Powerful," which is currently filming. Franco plays the titular Oz opposite Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and recently announced castmate Bruce Campbell. The flick is set for a March 8, 2013, release. Franco is also filming the indie "Cherry," co-starring Dev Patel and Heather Graham. Additionally, three of his movies are currently in post-production: "Sal," "Maladies" and "The Stare." On top of all that, Franco has plenty more movies left to shoot. Once he's done with "Oz," the actor will get started on his murder thriller "The Iceman," which also stars Benicio Del Toro. Then there's the Linda Lovelace biopic he's rumored to be attached to. As if that weren't enough to keep him busy, Franco is reportedly in talks for roles in "Zeroville," a likely "Pineapple Express" sequel and a movie with his brother Dave. Franco isn't limiting himself to just acting, though. He's also planning to direct adaptations of "Blood Meridian" and "As I Lay Dying," the latter of which may star Paul Dano. That batch doesn't include the movie he's already directed, "The Broken Tower," which has yet to be given a wide release. Beyond the film industry, Franco is also making theater plans. He has said he intends to turn the "Three's Company" art installation he debuted at Sundance into an off-Broadway play. On the music front, he just dropped the first CD from his group, Kalup & Franco. With all those projects under way, Franco doesn't seem to be taking any time off. In fact, he has signed on to teach two film-related courses, one called "Master Class: Editing James Franco ... With James Franco," and another on making poetry into film, at NYU. Check out everything we've got on "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. James Franco Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

'Amazing Spider-Man' Villain A 'Mentor And Adversary'

It's a familiar trend in superhero movies for the protagonist to feel a kinship with the villain. Just look at Batman and the Joker, or Professor Xavier and Magneto. But "The Amazing Spider-Man" director Marc Webb told MTV News that the concept will be taken to the next degree in his film. Curt Connors, a.k.a. the Lizard, will be played by Rhys Ifans in the latest "Spider-Man" incarnation. Connors has lost his arm and, as Webb explained, "That desire to get that arm back corrupts him in some way." But the connection between him and leading man Peter Parker, played by Andrew Garfield, is that Parker is also looking for something that he's lost: his parents. "Curt Connors is both a mentor and an adversary, and that's what I think is fascinating about that villain character," Webb told MTV News at San Diego Comic-Con. "That's what makes this story different." Ifans echoed similar sentiments when MTV News caught up with him in San Diego, saying Connors doesn't see himself as a villain and "wants to save the world," so that element adds an additional layer to his character. But at the film's heart, Connors' relationship with Parker will keep audiences interested. "In the same way as Peter is looking for his parents, Curt is looking to complete the circle in his life," Ifans explained. "They both dance to the tune of the same moral question." Webb said "The Amazing Spider-Man" is definitely going to deal with Parker's missing parents, which is something the previous three "Spider-Man" movies didn't touch upon. There have been many different versions of that story line in the comics, including one where Parker's parents are actually CIA agents, but Webb said they would be telling their own story in "The Amazing Spider-Man." "We're creating a world of our own devising, but we take cues from the comics," he explained. "In terms of the CIA agent thing, we aren't really going down that road in particular, not in this movie anyways, but there's a lot of stuff to explore and define and that was part of the fun of creating this universe in a new and different way." Check out everything we've got on "The Amazing Spider-Man." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies -- updated around the clock -- visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Andrew Garfield in "The Amazing Spider-Man" Photo: Sony Pictures

'Man Of Steel' Taps Laurence Fishburne As News Chief Perry White

The Daily Planet has made its latest, greatest hire: Laurence Fishburne will reportedly play Perry White, the long-standing editor in chief of Metropolis' go-to newspaper, in the Superman reboot "Man of Steel." EW.com and other sources report that Fishburne has been cast as Clark Kent and Lois Lane's hard-charging, occasionally comic-relief-bestowing boss. Warner Bros., however, is not yet making the official announcement, with a rep telling MTV News the studio cannot comment on the reports. Fishburne is joining a long line of previous Perrys, from Jackie Cooper, who played the newsman in Christopher Reeve's "Superman" films, to Frank Langella, who stepped into White's shoes for 2006's "Superman Returns," to Michael McKean, who took on a short Perry arc on TV in "Smallville." Fishburne becomes the first African-American actor to portray White. He's also, in one of those odd Hollywood confluences, one of a handful of crime-procedural vets to join "Man of Steel." After recently departing "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," Fishburne will meet up in the Superman film with Christopher Meloni (the "Law & Order: SVU" vet who is playing a military general) and Harry Lennix (who is also playing a general and once appeared on "Law & Order: LA"). Lennix also starred with Fishburne in the final two "Matrix" films. The Fishburne casting leaves one prominent Daily Planet post unassigned. Amy Adams is playing reporter Lois Lane, while Henry Cavill is gearing up to become Clark Kent himself. So who will step up to play photographer Jimmy Olsen? Stay tuned, because even though "Man of Steel" has been delayed until June 2013, Warner Bros. isn't wasting any time putting together the remaining in-front-of-the-camera talent. Check out everything we've got on "Man of Steel." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Laurence Fishburne Photo: Getty Images

Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp Top Highest-Paid Actors List

They both make the ladies swoon, and they both bring the bang to the box office. But only one can be Forbes ' highest-paid leading man. This year that distinction goes to "Inception" star Leonardo DiCaprio, who beats out last year's winner, Johnny Depp. According to Forbes.com, "Pirates of the Caribbean" star Depp topped the list in 2010 with $75 million but this year drops to #2, raking in a still-impressive $50 million. DiCaprio, however, was able to break his previous record by making $77 million in 2010 thanks to the success of flicks like "Shutter Island" and "Inception." Both Depp and DiCaprio are sure to keep their profiles high thanks to a slew of upcoming projects on both their dockets. DiCaprio is set to star in "J. Edgar," "The Great Gatsby" and "Django Unchained." Meanwhile, Depp has upcoming films "Dark Shadows" and "21 Jump Street" on his plate. They weren't the only Hollywood heavyweights making bank in the last 12 months. Adam Sandler nabs the #3 spot thanks to box-office smashes like "Grown Ups," which helped earn him an estimated $40 million in 2010. Will Smith lands at #4 on the list with an impressive $36 million salary. And "Larry Crowne" himself, Tom Hanks, who squeaked out $35 million, lands at #5 on the list. The list is compiled by Forbes based on earnings made during the period between May 1, 2010, and May 1, 2011. According to the magazine, the estimations are made based on interviews with agents, lawyers, producers and other industry insiders. Last month, Forbes released its list of highest-paid actresses, with a bevy of beauties like Sarah Jessica Parker, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston, Kristen Stewart and Reese Witherspoon making the list. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Leonardo DiCaprio Photo: Kiyoshi Ota/ Getty Images

James Franco May Be Worried, But 'Apes' Director Isn't

James Franco is worried. Is the what's-that-dude's-deal backlash going to follow him into the multiplex? There's the Oscar debacle and the dozen or so degrees he's pursuing and the "Three's Company" performance-art installation and any number of other accomplishments and interests that get on some people's nerves, and Franco is fearful his newest movie, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," is going to suffer because of it all. "Critics will be out to kill this movie and blame me for it just because they are out to kill me," he said in a July Playboy interview. "Last year people were pretty nice. This is the year when people are going to have fun going after me." One person who isn't concerned is "Apes" director Rupert Wyatt. "I think people are going to see this film, hopefully, for the film," the British filmmaker told MTV News at San Diego Comic-Con. "Those that will go see this film for James Franco will still see the film for James Franco. I totally understand where he's coming from. Obviously he took a bit of a knock with the Oscars, but at the end of the day, he's an actor and that's his job." Likely helping matters, from critical reviews to box-office pop, is that "Apes" is a first-rate piece of popcorn entertainment. And, honestly, we're kind of surprised to say that. But after checking out an early screening, we can say the story is engrossing, the CG apes look amazing, and Andy Serkis, as the lead ape, delivers one heck of an emotional performance. Seriously! The humans, even Franco himself, take a backseat to Serkis' motion-captured performance as Caesar, the super-smart simian who leads his fellow creatures in their San Francisco-trashing uprising. For his part, Serkis credits his co-star with helping create a believable relationship between Caesar and Franco's kindhearted but misguided scientist. "It was amazing working with him," Serkis told us. "It really is a testament if they can truly believe the person opposite them — who is wearing a performance-capture suit with a head-mounted camera — actually go full-on and have a relationship with them. It's all about believability. All credit to him that he bought into the whole process." Check out everything we've got on "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Freida Pinto and James Franco in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Film

'Dark Knight Rises' Won't 'Disappoint Fanboys,' Tom Hardy Says

The Man Who Broke the Bat is opening up about "The Dark Knight Rises." Tom Hardy, who is currently filming the final installment of Christopher Nolan's "Batman" trilogy in Pittsburgh, has been keeping mum on the subject for a while now. But in a recent interview with Total Film, the "Warrior" star opened up as much as he has to date about his role in the movie. "I think Bane's f---ing cool so I'm really excited to play him," Hardy told the magazine. "It's not the guy in Joel Schumacher's film [played by Jeep Swenson], but it shouldn't disappoint fanboys." Set photos and video surfaced on the Internet over the weekend, showing Hardy's Bane in his full glory. In addition to showing off a clear look at Marion Cotillard's Miranda Tate, the "Dark Knight Rises" pictures showed Hardy's Bane and Christian Bale's Batman in the middle of a heated battle that could occur at the climax of the flick. But will he be the villain to literally break Batman in "The Dark Knight Rises"? Hardy won't tell. "All I can say is that Chris has a plan up his sleeve that's not at all disappointing. And that is a definite choice that's watertight in every respect," he teased. Check out brand-new photos from the set of "Dark Knight Rises." When MTV News caught up with Hardy at San Diego Comic-Con, he was unwilling to even talk about his opinion of the movie's recently released trailer. After giving a convoluted answer about being a person and how nice it is to see people happy because "it's a lot better than seeing them violent," he finally shared his thoughts about what fans have seen of the movie so far. " 'Dark Knight Rises' looks like it's going to be an awesome, awesome movie. I saw the trailer myself, and I am very excited too," Hardy conceded. "I should be working right now. I came to Comic-Con just to have a little look." Check out everything we've got on "The Dark Knight Rises." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Tom Hardy as Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises" Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

'Cowboys & Aliens': Everything You Need To Know!

"Cowboys & Aliens" may be lassoing its way into theaters on Friday (July 29), but the movie's journey to the big screen began a long time ago in a galaxy ... well, not so far away. The current incarnation of Jon Favreau's adaptation of Scott Mitchell Rosenberg's 2006 graphic novel is a far cry from what the director had originally envisioned. When we first heard about the project back in '08, it seemed to be shaping up to be "Iron Man 2.0," with Favreau directing, "Iron Man" screenwriters penning the script and Robert Downey Jr. pegged as the flick's leading man. "Cowboys & Aliens" was initially set to begin filming in 2009, but with Downey Jr. unsure about committing to the role and Favreau still not officially onboard, things were still up in the air. Also by then, the "Cowboys & Aliens" script was in the capable hands of "Star Trek" writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, who admitted that they had veered from the source material. In January 2010, Downey Jr. parted ways with "Cowboys & Aliens." Fortunately, things started looking up only two days later, when it was announced that Daniel Craig was in talks to replace the "Iron Man" star as protagonist Zeke Johnson. In addition, the movie was set to start filming in July, potentially in 3-D. The casting announcements continued flowing in, including Olivia Wilde who came onboard as the movie's leading lady. With the majority of the major players set to go, "Cowboys & Aliens" was given a July 2011 release date. In April 2010, rumors began to swirl that Harrison Ford would join "Cowboys & Aliens". Favreau confirmed on Twitter that Han Solo himself would star opposite Craig and Wilde, making this one of the coolest casts around. The casting news just kept coming, with Noah Ringer, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, Paul Dano, Keith Carradine, Clancy Brown and Walton Goggins added as well. The buzz for the flick continued to grow right through to its 2010 Comic-Con presentation, where fanboys salivated at the news that Wilde had filmed a nude scene just days before the event. But it wasn't until November that the rest of the world got a taste of what was in store. The first trailer arrived on November 17, and Favreau stopped by MTV's offices to offer his own commentary on it. Then in February, another exciting new trailer aired during the Super Bowl. MTV News was lucky enough to get Favreau back for more trailer dissection. Plenty more "Cowboys" trailers followed, as well as clips. In mid-July, MTV News headed to Montana, where we chatted with the cast, including Craig and Wilde. Not long after that trip, Favreau stopped by our San Diego headquarters to talk about the movie's big Comic-Con world premiere. It was the nerd event of the convention. Check out everything we've got on "Cowboys & Aliens." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Daniel Craig in "Cowboys and Aliens" Photo: Universal Pictures

'Change-Up' Stars Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds Ponder Career Swaps

HOLLYWOOD — The stars stepped out in fine form on Monday night to support Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman's R-rated body-swap comedy, "The Change-Up." Reynolds and Bateman were joined on the red carpet by their lovely lady co-stars Olivia Wilde and Leslie Mann, along with surprise guest, Reynolds' pal Sandra Bullock. In the spirit of the life-swapping element in the film, MTV News asked the attendees what other actor they'd like to swap careers, if not bodies, with, if given the opportunity. "I would like to be Robert Redford," Wilde said. "I think being Robert Redford would be really nice. And also directing as well as acting, and doing Westerns as well as all sorts of movies, then living a really good life, starting a film festival. I would take Robert Redford. I wouldn't miss a day of my Robert Redford life." Mann settled on Oscar winner and Hollywood legend Shirley Maclaine. "That's a good one, right?" she said, adding that Maclaine's film classics "The Apartment" and "Terms of Endearment" are two of her favorite movies of all time. "I think Jeremy Renner has got a nice thing going right now," Bateman said of "The Avengers" and "Hurt Locker" actor. "Joaquin Phoenix is working with Paul Thomas Anderson then Spike Jonze, not too shabby," he added, seemingly torn between the two. "Ryan, top that." "Wow. You just nailed it, man," Reynolds admitted. "I'd take Quentin Tarantino, that guy makes some fantastic films." "That's a good one," Bateman said. "Can I change mine?" Check out everything we've got on "The Change-Up." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds and Olivia Wilde at the "Change-Up" premiere Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

'Smurfs' Cast Recall Watching Original Cartoon

"The Smurfs" took "Cowboys & Aliens" for a ride at the box office over the weekend when the two blockbusters tied for the top spot. And the movie's cast recently chatted with MTV News and recalled some of their favorite memories from the vintage "Smurfs" cartoon. "We were a big 'Smurfs' household," "Glee" star Jayma Mays explained. "We had the glasses and the sheets and the whole thing. We didn't have the figurines that some people collect, but my mom loved 'The Smurfs,' so she would make me watch." Co-star Hank Azaria also has a backstory with the lovable cartoon. "I was highly familiar with Gargamel and 'The Smurfs,' being an animation fan, even though I was technically too old for 'Smurfs,' " he recalled. "When they came to America, I watched them anyway 'cause I'm immature," he joked. "I always wanted to improve on Gargamel," he continued. "I always felt he was too one- note and borderline annoying and wanted to make him funny and more amusing and a little scarier in other moments. I ended up using a voice very similar to the cartoon, but I thought he could be more three-dimensional and sarcastic and laid-back, and mostly I was curious as to why he was married to a cat." Neil Patrick Harris said he enjoyed the cartoon back in the day, and recalled his favorite moments shooting the 3-D, part CGI/part live action flick. "Hank's great. My favorite elements of Hank being in the movie was that since we didn't really have scenes together, it was my days off," he jokingly explained. "So when it was Hank-heavy scenes, [Jayma] and I were like, 'Woohoo!' "For me, I really liked filming around New York," he continued. "I'm mostly a West Coast guy, and I've always been a fan of the city and I think the film is a wonderful homage and love letter of New York. So to be able to film in New York ... you don't get that opportunity." Check out everything we've got on "The Smurfs." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. "The Smurfs" Photo: Sony Pictures

'Smurfs' Cast Imagines Navigating NYC -- In Miniature

"The Smurfs" are three apples high, as the legend goes, and in this week's big-screen adaptation of the beloved children's cartoon, Hollywood takes a stab at re-telling the tale for a new generation of kids. The 3-D tale (with some CGI) is voiced by an A-list cast, including VMA-nominated Katy Perry, George Lopez and Alan Cumming, to name a few. In the movie, the Smurfs land in the Big Apple, where they end up staying with expecting newlyweds played by Neil Patrick Harris and "Glee" star Jayma Mays. Of course, they're also trying to stay as far as possible from their nemesis, Gargamel, played by Hank Azaria. The little creatures find themselves in some silly situations as they try to navigate the big city. When MTV News caught up with Harris, Mays and Azaria in New York, we asked what they would do if they suddenly found themselves having to survive the city in Smurf-sized bodies.' "I've always been fascinated by what really goes on in the subways," Harris said. His onscreen lady love, Mays, agreed, "That's a good one," before warning him, "but then the rats would be bigger than you. So that'd be a little scary." "Maybe I'd sneak into really fun buildings," Mays added. "I would get into clubs that won't let me in now." Harris later quipped of a popular Broadway show, "You could sneak into the 'Book of Mormon.' That's a hard ticket to get right now." The actor who plays the movie's bumbling bad guy had a less glitzy answer. "If I were three apples high and I lived in New York, I would sneak into the Mets game. That's what I'd do," Azaria said. "And I'm blue, so they'd probably just mistake me for some kind of mascot. I'd wear orange to go with it. You see Gutsy's beard there? It's orange; that's Mets colors right there. I'm sure Gutsy is a Mets fan." Are you going to check out "The Smurfs" this weekend? Tell us in the comments! Check out everything we've got on "The Smurfs." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. "The Smurfs (In 3-D)" Photo: Sony Pictures

'Twilight' Studio Takes Legal Action In 'Breaking Dawn' Photo Leak

When Robert Pattinson asks, he receives. Summit Entertainment released a press release Monday (August 1) announcing that it has tracked down some of the alleged people responsible for leaked images from the upcoming "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" and has taken legal action. In the release, the studio said the March leak came from the town of Posadas in northern Argentina, but since there may be more people involved, the investigation is still ongoing. Specifically, Summit is identifying Daiana Santia as allegedly being involved in the group that stole the images and footage. Civil action has been filed in the U.S. and Argentina, while criminal action has also been filed in Argentina. The images released were from Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward's (Pattinson) honeymoon scene and some of the final shots of the flick when Bella transforms into a vampire. When MTV News caught up with Pattinson shortly after the incident occurred, he was obviously very annoyed by the whole situation. "It's just ridiculous. I literally can't believe that it happened," he said. "I want the 'Twilight' troops to mobilize, all the good fans, and find out who these little sh--s are and just hack into their computers and destroy them. ... I'm being genuinely serious, 'Twilight' fans." Summit hired law firm Keats McFarland & Wilson LLP to search four continents (North America, South America, Europe and Australia) to find the people behind what director Bill Condon called a "deeply upsetting" experience. Summit Executive Vice President David C. Friedman released a statement in the press release about the situation, saying that a strong fan community should not result in property theft. "While we very much appreciate the legions of committed fans of the franchise and encourage them to create community online, we cannot ignore that property was stolen," he said. "It is not fair to the majority of fans that want to see the final chapter of the 'Twilight Saga' film franchise fully realized by the filmmaker and dedicated cast and crew to have these images out and available on the Internet." In the earlier MTV News interview, Pattinson said the people involved in the incident could not even be considered fans. "It's raw footage; it's not even what people are going to see," he said "Why do this maliciously? You're not a fan. You're just a di--." Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1" Photo: Summit Entertainment

'Deathly Hallows' DVD Will Feature 'Crazy Stuff'

Although this year's big blockbuster box-office record-breaker, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" is still reeling in the dough at theaters — we're only in week three of its release, after all — it's never too early to start thinking about what might be on the DVD and Blu-Ray versions of the film when it's released in November. MTV News caught up with "Potter" actor Tom Felton on Thursday at the premiere of his other film being released this year, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," to find out what more of Draco Malfoy we might see on the DVD. "They shot a bunch of stuff," Felton said. "There are documentaries and us doing all sorts of [things on set]. You saw us playing golf last time. There was all sorts of crazy stuff. They were trying to compose this mega-edition," he teased, but was not able to go into any great detail about exactly what will make the final cut. "I'm sure there will be a bunch of stuff. I'm excited for that." Felton revealed he was able to come away from the 10-year experience with more than just incredible memories: He also scored some sweet "Potter"-related mementos. "I have my ring, Draco's ring, which is cool," he revealed. "I have a script that's signed by the cast, and they actually signed it as characters. Helena Bonham Carter signed it as 'Auntie Bella,' which is quite sweet." Check out everything we've got on " Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Tom Felton Photo: MTV News

'Crazy, Stupid, Love.': The Reviews Are In!

Although the summer season is packed with big, noisy, CGI-enhanced blockbusters, studio executives are wise to the fact that not everyone wants to see flashy, action-heavy films, so they smartly offer up counter-programming in the form of romantic comedies. This week's star-studded "Crazy, Stupid, Love." is a perfect example, underscored by its 74 percent "fresh" rating at Rotten Tomatoes. The film revolves around Cal Weaver (Steve Carell), whose wife (Julianne Moore) has recently announced her infidelity (the "other man" is played by Kevin Bacon) and requested a divorce. Cal takes his sorrows to a singles' bar, where he's adopted by local ladies' man Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling). Jacob educates Cal in the new ways of wooing the ladies, and although Cal picks up some decent skills, his heart is in the wrong place: He's looking for that elusive true love, a soul mate. Cal is also dealing with the fact that his adolescent son Robbie (Jonah Bobo) is in love with his teenage babysitter (Analeigh Tipton), who in turn is in love with Cal. Meanwhile, Jacob eventually realizes that he's still pining for the woman (Emma Stone) who got away. Critics seem to be most pleased with the film's ensemble cast, with only a few grumbles about clichéd plot twists and turns. Without further ado, let's dive into the "Crazy, Stupid, Love." reviews. The Story "Just because it stars smart actors and isn't aggressively dumb doesn't automatically make it good, and while 'Crazy, Stupid, Love.' works in fits and starts, its wildly inconsistent tone and Dan Fogelman's overwritten screenplay make it too frustrating to properly enjoy. Every time one of the many plot threads hits its stride, another careens wildly out of control, leading up to a conclusion so clichéd it seems the movie has moved into parody." — Katey Rich, Cinema Blend Ensemble Cast and Performances "Frequently, the zaniness stops and some genuinely impressive acting breaks out. The accomplished Moore is an obvious candidate and, even in a confined role, she delivers — here a nervous look, there a tender gesture. Cast against type, his customarily troubled characters, Gosling is all dressed up (and occasionally undressed) in a fashion guaranteed to set hearts aflutter. But the guy is too skilled to settle for a hunky stereotype; rather, he rescues the roué from cliché by adding a certain delicacy, a repressed yet palpable sensitivity. ... Although not in their performing league, Carell is blessed to have a faint hint of Buster Keaton in his otherwise handsome face — a mug whose deadpan stare is fraught with comic nuance. Even the kid actor is a cut above here. Jonah Bobo brings to Robbie that adolescent knack of travelling at warp speed from deep cynicism to idealistic innocence." — Rick Groen, The Globe and Mail The Final Word "It's hard to ignore the fact that very little in the movie feels true — no one clicks as a couple, and there are carefully contrived coincidences around every corner. ... But while the filmmakers bungle the romance, they handle the comedy with skillful precision. I laughed all the way through, thanks to both consistently clever dialogue and deft delivery from Carell and Gosling, who clearly relished a chance to flex his comic muscles." — Elizabeth Weitzman, Daily News "This film is the total of all its parts, from the string-bean beauty Tipton to the sly adolescent Bobo and all the veterans. It's notable that no one — not even Bacon's character — is a villain in this film. They're all just people looking for, wrestling with and falling in love. ... This is the sort of film that Oscar generally ignores come awards season. It shouldn't. "Crazy, Stupid, Love," is a crazy smart film." — Tom Long, Detroit News Check out everything we've got on "Crazy, Stupid, Love." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Ryan Gosling in "Crazy, Stupid, Love." Photo: WB