Tuesday, March 31, 2015
10 Famous Movie Hotels You Can Actually Visit (VIDEO)
Ever wanted to live like you favorite fictional movie character? Now you can! Travel from Utah to Italy visiting these fantastic places.
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Watch an 84-Year-Old 'Price Is Right' Contestant Win a Car With a Hole-in-One
84-year-old Margaret was a contestant on "The Price is Right" and had a chance to win a $16,000 car, all she had to do was get a hole-in-one. She had a quick lesson from Drew Carey and then went for it and missed! But thankfully the game is called Hole in One or Two. With a very unusual putting style she actually won the car!
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Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Joins 'Suicide Squad' as Killer Croc
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje may be suiting up for yet another superhero movie: According to TheWrap, he'll play Killer Croc in "Suicide Squad."
The site reports that Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who played dual roles in Marvel's "Thor: The Dark World," is switching comics allegiances and will portray reptilian Batman baddie Killer Croc (alias: Waylon Jones) in the DC comics supervillain team-up flick. The actor and studio Warner Bros. declined to comment on TheWrap's report.
If true, Akinnuoye-Agbaje's casting would be yet another big get for the ensemble, which is already stacked with stars. The "Lost" and "Oz" alum would re-team with his "Concussion" co-star Will Smith, who plays Deadshot.
The rest of the "Squad" cast includes Jared Leto (The Joker), Viola Davis (Amanda Waller), Joel Kinnaman (Rick Flagg), Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn), Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang), Cara Delevingne (Enchantress), and Jay Hernandez (El Diablo). TheWrap reports that Jesse Eisenberg is also expected to reprise his Lex Luthor role from "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," and Scott Eastwood is rumored to appear as a love interest for Wonder Woman in the flick.
"Suicide Squad," directed by David Ayer ("Fury"), is due in theaters on August 5, 2016.
[via: TheWrap]
Photo credit: Getty Images for DIFF
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A History of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's Friendship (VIDEO)
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are two of the funniest actresses out there, and it the fact they're besties makes us love them even more. From "Saturday Night Live" to "The Golden Globes," take a look back at the history of this comedy duo's amazing friendship.
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Fox Renews 'New Girl' for Season 5
"New Girl" has charmed the execs at Fox, and is sticking around for a little while longer.
TVLine reports that the network has renewed the sitcom for a fifth season, which has already begun production to accommodate star Zooey Deschanel's pregnancy (which will not be written into the show). The series returns from a brief hiatus tonight.
"Four seasons in, 'New Girl' continues to be one of the smartest and most relatable comedies on television," said Fox entertainment president David Madden in a statement. "The writing is razor-sharp, the ensemble is consistently hilarious, and we couldn't be more proud of... the entire 'New Girl' team. We absolutely love this show and we're so excited to bring it back for Season Five."
Coming up in the last batch of season four episodes, "Saturday Night Live" star Taran Killam will guest star as a love interest for Jess, and the show will say goodbye to Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.), who's leaving the series for a second time. TVLine also reports some news about season five: John Cho ("Selfie," "Sleepy Hollow") is set to have a guest arc sometime during the upcoming season, and "will play a guy Jess meets when she excitedly reports for Jury Duty."
"New Girl" airs on Tuesday at 9 p.m. on Fox.
[via: TVLine]
Photo credit: Autumn DeWilde/FOX
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Top 10 Eddie Murphy Performances (VIDEO)
Eddie Murphy became a star overnight as a stand-up comedian before smoothly transitioning to television. Heck, he's probably the reason "Saturday Night Live" is still kicking after revitalizing the show in the early '80s. But it was the big screen that became Murphy's home. Here are the funnyman's top 10 performances of his career.
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ABC Family Orders 'The Mortal Instruments' Series 'Shadowhunters'
After flopping at the box office, "The Mortal Instruments" is getting new life as a TV series.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, ABC Family has ordered "Shadowhunters," based on the novels by Cassandra Clare, straight to series, with the adaptation eyed for 13-episode first season. THR reported back in October that production company Constantin Film wanted to turn the franchise into a "high-end drama" series in order to "go deeper and explore this world in greater detail and depth" than a film franchise could.
The move is also financial, since the 2013 big screen adaptation, "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones," starring Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower, only accrued $31 million at the domestic box office, cancelling plans for a movie sequel, "City of Ashes."
As in the film, "Shadowhunters" will center around Clary Fray, who discovers on her 18th birthday that she comes from a long line of human-angel hybrids who hunt demons in their spare time. After her mother goes missing, she's thrust into the world of the Shadowhunters, with the mysterious Jace and her best friend Simon by her side.
"'Shadowhunters' is a big, epic saga that will resonate with viewers who come to ABC Family for the 'Harry Potter,' 'Hunger Games' and 'Twilight' franchises," said ABC Family president Tom Ascheim in a statament. "A New York Times best-seller for 122-consecutive weeks, with over 35 million copies in print worldwide, 'Shadowhunters' is the perfect story to share with our audience."
No word yet on casting. Production is expected to begin in May.
[via: The Hollywood Reporter]
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'The Breakfast Club': Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy Look Back 30 Years Later (EXCLUSIVE)
"The Breakfast Club," of course, starred Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy, as a group of disparate teens united for a Saturday's worth of detention (Paul Gleason very memorably essayed the role of the meddling principle -- "I make over $30,000 a year!"). Recently, to celebrate the movie's anniversary and commemorate the newly released (and truly incredible deluxe edition Blu-ray package), the film held a pair of screenings in Austin, Texas, as part of the South by Southwest Film Festival. At one screening, in the morning, they handed out pastries -- hey, it is the Breakfast Club after all!
That's where we were given the unique opportunity to sit down with Sheedy and Ringwald, actresses who gained immediate superstardom for the movie (with the press naming them as two members of the Hughes-cultivated Brat Pack) and are still talking about it today. While this kind of retrospective discussion can drive some actors up the wall, they were both gracious and lovely. We talked about whether or not they immediately recognized that the film would be a classic, why John Hughes didn't have any gay or ethnic characters in the script, and whether or not the movie would (and should) ever be remade.
Put on the Simple Minds theme song (really loud) and take a walk down memory lane, won't you?
Moviefone: When you first read the script did you have any idea it would be a classic?
Ally Sheedy: I loved doing the movie and I felt like it was a special experience and I thought it would probably turn out really well but I had no idea it would be this.
Molly Ringwald: I knew that it was special and like nothing else I had ever read before or since and I knew I wanted to be involved immediately. I loved it. It was my favorite script that I had read of John Hughes's. But how could you possibly know that we'd still be talking about it thirty years later?
Is that the thing that most people still come up to you to talk about?
Ringwald: For me, it's one of the three movies I've done for John and it happens to be my favorite of the three. But there are other people who love "Sixteen Candles" or some people think I was great in "St. Elmo's Fire..."
Sheedy: And you were!
What about you, Ally?
Sheedy: Well, I live in New York, so people talk to me about "Breakfast Club," "High Art," and because I work with these high school kids, I hear about this crazy character I play on "Psych" a lot.
I can't believe kids are watching "Psych."
Sheedy: I don't know what to say! But they go nuts!
The new Blu-ray has this trivia track that runs along the bottom of the screen. One of the more interesting bits was that you guys shot in sequence. Is that true?
Ringwald: Yeah, pretty much.
How did that affect your performances?
Ringwald: I think it helped a lot, definitely. Because by the time we got to that group therapy moment we already knew each other really well. We were actors and it's possible to shoot out of sequence and still do it. But I think it really helped.
And you were taking classes while this was going on?
Ringwald: I was, because I was so young. So Anthony Michael Hall and I were 15 and 16 and Ally and Emilio and Judd were in their 20s.
Were you taking classes in the same high school where you were shooting?
Ringwald: Yeah, pretty much.
Sheedy: It was actually tutoring. That's what they had to do. There was an hourly thing with the union. So they would shoot and then have to leave the set and go do work.
So you weren't showing up to Home Ec down the hall?
Ringwald: No no no. I had a studio teacher who was with me on most of those movies, who I loved dearly. She was great. She was Jodie Foster's teacher and then she was mine and then she was Winona's.
Sheedy: Fair enough.
Ringwald: But she was great. She really made the experience as great as possible because it was hard to actually have to leave the set. "Sixteen Candles" was shot during the summer, so I got to be on set all the time, but it was hard to have to leave because it seemed like there was a party going on without me. It was very frustrating.
Do you think this movie would be made today?
Ringwald: No, I don't.
Nobody would let it be rated R.
Ringwald: Probably not. There would have to be a vampire in there, at some point.
Sheedy: There would have to be a sex scene.
Ringwald: Yeah, there would have to be a sex scene in it.
Sheedy: Somebody would have to get undressed. And there would have to be some kind of special effects. I think it might be meaner if they made it today.
Would you change anything about it?
Ringwald: Obviously, if they ever made a "Breakfast Club"-like movie, I don't think they should ever remake "The Breakfast Club," but if they did something inspired by, I think it would be interesting to have something with more racial diversity.
One of the kids probably should have been gay.
Ringwald: Oh, definitely. John didn't have the vocabulary for that. I'm convinced that in "Pretty in Pink" Ducky is gay, because that character was based on my best friend Matt who is gay, who was not out at that time but we had a very similar relationship. But that just wasn't in his vocabulary. Also, John became very conservative later in life. Did you know that? It was very strange.
Sheedy: Yeah.
Did you guys keep in touch with Hughes?
Ringwald: Um... No. Not really. We came back into contact and I had always hoped that we would work together again in some way, but we weren't close.
Sheedy: I got to hang out with him a little bit because I did this movie "Only the Lonely."
Ringwald: Oh, with John Candy?
Sheedy: Right. And he was a producer on that one.
He was living in New York at some point, right?
Sheedy: He may have been but he was only in Chicago at that point, so I got to go to Chicago to do it and spend a whole bunch of time with him.
Ringwald: I think once his family moved to LA and then hated it and moved back to Chicago, he never left Chicago again.
Do you keep in touch with your costars?
Ringwald: We see each other, usually at some event or a tribute or something. Or out of the blue.
I know that some of you dated and were very good friends. Do those emotions ever come back?
Ringwald: It was a long time ago. Life soldiers on.
Sheedy: Yeah!
Ringwald: I've been with somebody for 14 years and have 3 kids so I think I'm pretty well ensconced.
How does it feel to come back and introduce the movie to a whole new generation? Do you feel like the ambassadors of planet "Breakfast Club"?
Sheedy: It's fun. You feel good about the movie and the experience, so it's nice.
Ringwald: Yeah, I think the movie has become so beloved and it's been discovered by so many generations without our help. It's incredible. Everybody in my daughter's school has seen it and they're 11. So I feel really proud to be a part of the movie.
Sheedy: This is a very cool thing, that South by Southwest did this big screening, that they're re-releasing this DVD and putting it back into movie theaters. It's pretty joyous.
If you didn't know that it was immortal when you read it, looking back on it, what do you think makes it such a timeless classic?
Ringwald: You can take that one.
Sheedy: I think it takes a group of five teenagers and very realistically puts their lives on the screen. They're basically normal; anybody could relate to them, there's nothing huge going on. But it's that their experience at that time matters enough and is interesting enough to make a movie about without embellishing. And I think for a young person, seeing that, it's like, Oh, that's me up there and somebody cares about my story.
Ringwald: And also, the issues that we're dealing with haven't really changed. I just noticed from watching my kids grow up, that political atmosphere of cliques at school, the bullying, the feeling that you don't belong that everyone feels no matter who they are, those themes really still resonate today and probably always will.
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Don't Mess With Melissa McCarthy in New 'Spy' Trailer
In a new, longer "Spy" trailer, McCarthy transforms from a mousy, desk-bound CIA analyst to full-on Bond. She's tapped to lead a mission after the identities of the CIA's field operatives are discovered by villain Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne). Everyone, from her boss (Allison Janney) to a fellow agent (Jason Statham), doubts her ability to rise to the occasion, but this is Melissa McCarthy, folks! She's about to kick ass and take names.
"Spy" opens in theaters June 5.
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'Dancing With the Stars' Recap: Most Couples Sizzle And Few Fizzle on Latin Night
It's Latin Night on "Dancing with the Stars," dance fans, and I was preparing myself for a night of slightly raunchy choreography. I'm so happy to say, it wasn't like that at all. Even the great opening number (choreographed again by Mandy Moore) and the post-break in-betweeners have more actual dancing and less strutting and posing than they did last season.
Tom Bergeron is his usual hysterical self, and even Erin Andrews is getting more comfortable with the gig, getting some good jokes in. At week three, the judges are getting pickier, and the contestants have come down a little after last week's stellar round. But they've all rallied pretty well, and some dancers are still leading the pack.
Let's check out My Top 5:
Rumer & Val's Disco Salsa: Rumer and Val start the night off with a bang and a smoking hot Disco Salsa. She's awesome, and clearly fearless, as Val said, going for that lift so hard in rehearsal that she busted Val's lip with her crotch! Yoiks! But it pays off in the routine and they do it flawlessly. I'd have liked a little more salsa in there, I only saw about 8 measures of actual salsa, but the routine is so hot that it doesn't matter. I especially love the sharp, percussive footwork, like the "rat-tat-tat-tat" part. But I still want Rumer to relax more, and have a little more fun and freedom with it, as the judges also mentioned this week. Len sure is in a good mood, awarding her a 9. Score: 33
Riker & Allison's Salsa: This is HOT!! What a great routine - and I'm so glad they kept Riker's hair back. There are still a couple slightly awkward moments in there, like Allison's hop during her opening pirouette. It's as if Riker has a little too much energy and he's overpowering Allison just a tad, pulling her off her balance. But he's also really great, with sharp, clean movements, great energy, and clearly having a ball. Wowza. I love those hip-hop moments too. Carrie Ann's comments about him being more "testosteroney" (the San Francisco treat?) are interesting, as are Julianne's comments about them relating to each other as a couple. My thinking behind this is that Allison, the "So You Think You Can Dance" alum, is such a star that she just stands out and takes the stage no matter what. I talked about this a lot last season, saying she had a "Cassie" problem. I think she's better about blending this season though, and Riker is more able to keep up with her than Jonathan Bennett was. Oh well, so much for Len's good mood; his comments do not reveal his low score. Score: 34 (tied for first place)
Robert & Kym's Rumba: This is a very nice Rumba, and Robert looks really lovely doing it, if a little stiff. His shoulders are relaxed, which is great (that's very important, and an easy mistake to make), but he needs to watch his hands. He clearly works so hard though; I love how he's internalizing the judges' comments as they're giving them to him. I also love Julianne's comment that he was in fact leading Kym, because leading is often secondary when working with choreography (since both partners know what they're supposed to do). I admit Kym's flowy dress (which, btw, is not a dress but a leotard with scarves) makes me nervous: I keep waiting for her to step on it, and I think she does at one point. I think she grabs his butt too, at the end. But I can't completely blame her; it's kind of a nice butt. Score: 29
Willow & Mark's Paso Doble: As that tweet on the screen read, "Willow is the girl on fire tonight!" What a smokin' hot, (Catching) Fire and Ice routine. And a lengthy, complicated routine at that, with great choreography-well, except for that WTF moment in the middle with Mark doing some strange footwork. He looks like he's spoofing Lord of the Dance. I sure hope he's not going for zapateado or something, because it does not work. But Willow looks great. She's got such power and strength, and growing every week. It's beautiful. Score: 32
Noah & Sharna's Argentine Tango: Wow. This is just amazing. It's really so incredible to see Noah dance, and an Argentine tango no less. And this routine is as dramatic and sexy as any other. Noah is obviously so strong, with such control. Sharna is truly amazing too, and I admire her so much. What a challenge for her as a choreographer, especially when it's literally one-sided, because Noah lost the same arm and leg. And then, having to re-choreograph with just a couple days to go because they decided not to use the prosthetic arm. What a stupendous routine, beautifully danced. Score: 30
The Rest: Charlotte & Keo's Rumba: This rumba isn't bad; it's got some nice moments. Charlotte is surprisingly flexible, despite bending her knee slightly on that impressive arabesque developpé. She does make gorgeous lines and pictures, as the judges said, but she's still a little stiff and mechanical. She needs to smooth out the transitions between each movement (what Bruno says about sustaining the concentration), and show a little emotion. Bruno's comment about her body over her brains is pretty appalling, but the audience calls him on it immediately, and it's clear he has no idea what he's saying. Might want to think a little more before talking, Bruno. Score: 22 (tied for last place)
Michael & Peta's Salsa: That's a shame. Michael's a good mover with great energy, but this salsa definitely looks uncomfortable. Maybe they were too relaxed at their spa day and didn't quite practice enough. It's a shame, but I agree with Carrie Ann that the lifts don't feel safe. But Michael looks awkward and stiff just doing footwork too. It's very difficult not to watch Peta. Michael's face during the judges' comments is truly heartbreaking though. Poor guy. Score: 24
Suzanne & Tony's Samba: Suzanne's channeling Carmen Miranda in her fun, fruity samba to Barry Manilow's classic, "Copacabana." This is a fun routine, and she dances it well, though she does lose her footwork at one point. I think she looks slightly better in the package though, because she's still a little careful. I wonder if she's nervous. I agree with Carrie Ann about showing more depth in the routines. Tony tends to do these light, fluffy (like Suzanne's tail feathers) routines with props and such, but Suzanne is an actress, so she can handle more gravitas. The judges' relatively low scores don't really match their more positive comments though. Score: 25
Chris & Witney's Argentine Tango: As I said last week, I've yet to meet an Argentine Tango I didn't like, and this one is no exception. But Chris looks very uncomfortable at the beginning-Bruno's comments about his turn are exactly spot on-and the routine really gets going when the music picks up, but at that point it's all Witney's legs anyway. I love her fast flicks and ganchos; it's what makes Argentine Tango so sexy. I'm not sure how much Chris brings to it, though of course being a good support for your partner is extremely important. Score: 28
Patti & Artem's Cha-Cha: Yes, this is an entertaining routine, but they're starting to get a little the same. Artem definitely uses more "baffle them with your bulls---" than he should. At first I thought he hides quite a bit of content in the routine, but I didn't think about it until the judges point it out: it's not much cha-cha content. It's more Patti doing her own thing or club dancing than ballroom. She's definitely a fun performer, and I like the hambone in there, but as the judges said, it's not enough. Score: 22 (tied for last place)
Nastia & Derek's Samba: Nastia is still so gorgeous, and of course she dances beautifully, even when injured (that thumb injury looks really awful too). Perhaps it's good that they have a handicap because of their schedules. I love the little assisted jump-step, which reminds me of Derek's incredible quickstep with Shawn Johnson a couple years back. Of course the judges glow, awarding them two 9s. Score: 34 (tied for first place)
With time quickly running out on the clock, they jump to the bottom three couples: Chris & Witney, Charlotte & Keo, and surprisingly, Noah & Sharna. But Noah and Sharna are safe, of course, and instead Charlotte and Keo are going home. It's a small shame she won't be able to reach her true potential, but someone has to go. At least she'll have more time to deal with the many offers that are apparently coming to her cellphone.
So what do you think, dance fans? Are you surprised by the outcome? Which are your favorite dances this week?
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'Furious 7' Star Dwayne Johnson on Family, Cheesy Lines, and 'Furious 8' (VIDEO)
"Furious 7" star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson on what it's like to be part of a "special franchise," delivering all those cheesy lines, and whether or not he'd be back for "Furious 8."
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'Masterminds' Trailer: Zach Galifianakis Pulls Off the Heist of the Century
Zach Galifianakis stars as a rather dim-witted armored truck driver who gets in league with a rather dim-witted criminal (Owen Wilson) to rob $17 million from a bank. The story is based on true events that took place in North Carolina, and the movie is directed by Jared Hess, so the movie seems to have some of that quirky "Napoleon Dynamite" feel to it.
"Masterminds" is definitely stuffed with comedy talent, with Kristen Wiig as Galifianakis's love interest and Jason Sudeikis as a rather dim-witted hitman. The movie opens in theaters August 7.
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Best of Late Night TV: Vin Diesel Talks 'Furious 7,' Helen Mirren Sucks Helium, 'Celebrity Cell Phone Profile' (VIDEO)
Claire Danes, David Beckham, and Bob Odendirk were all on "The Late Late Show with James Corden" Monday night. Claire talked about how she can be a bossy dancer when she's drunk. David talked about how his son Brooklyn has a job at a small French coffee shop in London; he also shared the story of Brooklyn's first date on Valentine's Day when the kid was 14, and Victoria made David stay in the restaurant and watch them. Bob talked about "Better Call Saul" and how he can now make a perfect Cinnabon. (Prove it - send one this way!) The trio also played Celebrity Cell Phone Profile - before the show, one of the guests surrendered their cell phone and they used it for clues so James could determined who owned the phone. Fun game, if a bit too long. Still, Corden and Beckham have a cute bromance going. Vin Diesel was on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," talking about Van Halen (they were also on JKL), the first concert he ever went to, dancing for the Beastie Boys, visiting China, meeting Mark Zuckerberg, and "Furious 7." They showed a clip from "Furious 7" with Vin and the now late Paul Walker. Helen Mirren was on "The Tonight Show," sucking helium and sharing an embarrassing story. Helen is now in a Broadway play and she commutes on the subway. She talked about manspreading (haha) and one of the worst things she's ever done. She's so ashamed. She was with some friends and they were running to catch the train to get to the theater. She stopped the door and her hand was stuck in the door. A nice guy pried open the door for them. Then the subway police arrived and asked who stopped the train. Helen didn't speak up, but the guy who kept the door open did speak up and he had to leave the train. She's so sorry and wishes she could find him. Helen also chatted with Jimmy while sucking helium - he had her accept a faux award in that voice. She should apologize to subway guy in her helium voice, that would make him smile. But seriously, hearing her say "spotted dick" in that voice might give you the giggles. Neil Patrick Harris was on "Late Show with David Letterman" for the 17th time, and he said he knows this might be his last time on the show. The first time he was on Dave's show was 25 years ago. He even repeated his electric mic magic move. NPH also talked about his new live variety show, which needs a name. "Daredevil" star Charlie Cox was also on Dave's show and he had some food poisoning issues, so he tried not to get sick. Nathan Lane was on "Late Night with Seth Meyers," talking about Taylor Swift and his heartbreak about Zayn leaving One Direction. "Seth, you think you know a boy band, you give them your heart and something like this shakes you to the core. And then the next thing you know, they're cutting solo albums and joining Isis, turning into Joey Fatone. It's one of life's cruelest lessons." Kristen Schaal of "The Last Man on Earth" was on Seth's show and talked about a gassy love scene with Will Forte. Speaking of Will Forte, he was on "Conan" and also talked about the show, his character, his ... manhood, and when he shaved a love arrow.
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Monday, March 30, 2015
'Spectre' Producers on Blofeld, Idris Elba as 007, and Who's Singing the Theme Song
Over the weekend, we were in Mexico City on the set of the next James Bond outing "Spectre." This film marks the fourth time that Daniel Craig has inhabited the role of 007 and the second collaboration between Craig and his "Skyfall" director Sam Mendes. During the last phase of our trip, we were offered a special treat: a roundtable sit down with the longtime shepherds of the James Bond franchise: producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Broccoli is, of course, the daughter of 007 producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli and is Wilson's step brother (Wilson wrote several of the 007 movies, including "The Living Daylights," which also partially took place in Mexico).
The trailer for "Spectre" having premiered just hours before, we had a lot of questions for the producing team (and surprisingly, they only refused to answer some). In our conversation, they teased the connection between "Skyfall" and "Spectre" (and to other Bond movies), dodged questions regarding the film's villain, and shot down rumors that "Spectre" was being conceived as a two-part affair. This is a rare and fascinating look behind the making of a James Bond feature and one we hope you'll enjoy.
Even though the trailer had just debuted, Wilson said that people were starting to figure out the mystery of the film. "We wanted to create something that was a teaser and a bit of a puzzle and a mystery," Wilson said. "From what I saw online, people are putting it together in a clever way. It's a little puzzle that people can enjoy."
One thing that was definitely teased in the trailer was a connection to "Skyfall," which isn't that surprising considering it was the first Bond film to gross over $1 billion worldwide. (Also since Mendes and many of his key creative confederates are holdovers from the last film.) Broccoli addressed the issue of the wishy-washy continuity that, far from being a detriment to the franchise, has become something that the fans love. "It's always a challenge. We try to get the right blend of classic Bond with a contemporary twist and come up with new storylines. I think we've done a really good job on this one," Broccoli said. "I think Sam is an amazing director, and we've got a great cast and a great director. So we've got to let the public decide." Wilson then added that, while the primarily link would be to "Skyfall," there are other ways that this connections to the franchise's history.
"I think that we saw that Mr. White showed up, and he's been there since back in 'Casino Royale,' so something's going on here," Wilson teased.
Mr. White (essayed by Danish actor Jesper Christensen), a member of a mysterious organization called Quantum, also appeared in the underrated Craig outing "Quantum of Solace." This obviously led to a question of whether or not Quantum is related to Spectre. "You have to see the movie," Broccoli cheekily shot back. Wilson added that the legal wrangling over the use of the Spectre name was finally resolved (although it sounded like a huge pain in the ass). "We had a dispute over Spectre," Wilson said, still sounding wary. "After years of discussions, we finally got the rights to it. It was the last piece of the whole issue with rights."
One thing that they remained tight-lipped on was who was going to do the theme song (the last song was memorably performed by Adele). "We're still figuring that out. That's one of the last pieces in the puzzle. But it's one of the fun things we look forward to," Broccoli said. She later added: "We've had a lot of interest from a lot of exciting people. It's a long list, and we're working our way through it."
Another thing the producers refused to talk about was speculation that Christoph Waltz, who supposedly plays Franz Oberhauser and Spectre higher-up, was actually Blofeld, a classic Bond baddie (his name was frequently referenced in leaked Sony emails). A colleague asked, innocuously enough, if there would be a cat in the movie. While several other journalists looked befuddled, Wilson knew exactly what the question was getting at -- Blofeld famously had a fluffy white cat. "That's a good question," Wilson shot back. "I don't think we can say. You wouldn't think of a white one with a little diamond collar?"
Another rumor that was dismissed was one involving "Spectre" being conceived as a two-part movie. "That's news to me. I suppose people feel that there's been a lot of films that don't want to stop, so they double themselves up to make two movies," Wilson said. "But this is not the case here." There were, of course, leaked emails that also suggested Idris Elba as the frontrunner for Craig's replacement. "I think he'd make a great Bond," Wilson said plainly. Broccoli added (memorably): "I think it's always like asking a woman who is going up the aisle who her next husband is going to be. Daniel Craig is Bond. So ask me when we're looking for a new Bond, which will hopefully not be for a long time." Later, when asked how long Craig has left, Wilson said, "We want him for as long as he'll have us." Broccoli then added, "He's got an open-ended contract."
When asked about the Mexican government pressuring the studio to change certain things in the script (supposedly a scene involving cage fighting was turned into a Mexican Day of the Dead parade, etc.), Broccoli bristled. "The script had been in existence for a long time. The Mexican part had always looked good," Broccoli said. "I don't know why that became an issue because it wasn't an issue for us. We're very happy to be here. In the script it was always the Day of the Dead and we've had tremendous cooperation from the departments and more importantly the public."
The producers also teased the importance of Moneypenny, now played by Naomi Harris (Broccoli: "You can't keep this one behind a desk. This Moneypenny is very active. She is key to the story and key to helping Bond on his mission. She's not deskbound."), the ski sequence (Broccoli: "We've been in the snow") and the size of the Mexico production team (Wilson: "It's like a military operation"), all while remaining good-natured about the prospect of following up a success as astronomical as "Skyfall," especially under such an extreme time crunch (Wilson: "The release date hovers there and we aim for it").
Of course, a question arose about some kind of larger "shared universe," like what Marvel has done (and DC and "Star Wars" are attempting to do). "I think Bond lives in his own universe. I don't think he wants to share it with anyone else," Broccoli laughed. Then Wilson chimed in: "Like Bond and 'Mission: Impossible?' I think that's the stuff for comic books. More power to them."
"Spectre" hits theaters November 6, 2015.
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The 'Furious 7' Cast Remembers Paul Walker (VIDEO)
The cast of "Furious 7" (Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel) talks about filming the movie without their friend and castmate, Paul Walker, and what it was like to have his brothers on the set.
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Disney Is Working on a Live-Action 'Mulan,' Too: Report
It's no "Bambi," but Disney may already have already set its next animated flick due for a live-action reboot.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio wants to develop a live-action version of "Mulan," its 1998 film centered around the titular ancient Chinese girl, who disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father's place in battle. Disney has already reportedly purchased a script by Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek that features the same Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, which inspired the original animated flick, THR writes.
While "Mulan"'s box office receipts were modest by Disney standards -- it pulled in around $304 million internationally -- the studio's recent success with live-action adaptations of its previous flicks has proven irresistibly lucrative. "Cinderella," starring Lily James, has raked in $336.2 million worldwide since its bow three weeks ago, and last year's "Maleficent," featuring newly-minted Kids' Choice Award-winner Angelina Jolie, hauled in a whopping $758.4 million.
Disney is already actively developing a live-action "Beauty and the Beast," starring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, and Luke Evans, due in theaters on March 17, 2017. Other properties set to hit theaters soon include "The Jungle Book" and the "Alice in Wonderland" sequel "Through the Looking Glass," both due out in 2016.
Stay tuned for more info on "Mulan" as development continues.
[via: The Hollywood Reporter]
Photo credit: luisnajera442/Flickr
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NBC Sets 'The Wiz' as Next Live Musical, Featuring Cirque du Soleil
NBC is set to ease on down the road with its next live musical, with the network announcing Monday that it will stage an adaptation of "The Wiz" in December -- with a special assist.
NBC revealed that "The Wiz" will once again be produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (the duo behind the network's previous live efforts, "Sound of Music Live!" and "Peter Pan Live!," and the past three Oscars telecasts). But this year, the network is pulling out all the stops for the broadcast, which will also feature a collaboration with acrobatic troupe Cirque du Soleil.
And the ambitious plans don't stop there: After the live staging airs on NBC in December, the show will then move to Broadway for the 2016-2017 season. Tony winner and Broadway veteran Harvey Fierstein ("Mrs. Doubtfire," "La Cage aux Folles," "Hairspray") will work on adapting the show's original book by William F. Brown, and Tony winner Kenny Leon ("Steel Magnolias," "A Raisin in the Sun") will direct both the NBC version and the Broadway revival.
"We love this yearly tradition and we're more excited than ever to not only bring another Broadway musical to America's living rooms, but also see it land on Broadway as well," said NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt in a statement. "It's a natural next step for our live musical events, and we're so pleased to be in business with this award-winning creative team and Scott Zeiger, president and managing director of Cirque du Soleil's new theatrical division. Cirque's incredible imagination will help bring the fantasy world of Oz vividly to life and give this great show a modern spin on the age-old story we all love."
"The Wiz" is an adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz," traditionally featuring an African-American and multicultural cast. It opened on Broadway in 1975, snagging multiple Tonys including Best Musical, and was adapted into a 1978 feature film that starred Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Lena Horne, Nipsey Russell, and Richard Pryor.
Look for "The Wiz" on NBC on December 3.
[via: The Hollywood Reporter]
Photo credit: Associated Press
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Top 3 Movies That Should Never Be Made Into Musicals (VIDEO)
In response to the announcement that "Pretty Woman" is being turned into a musical, here are three movies that should NEVER be adapted for Broadway.
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Post-Surgery, Angelina Jolie Gives Powerful Kids' Choice Awards Speech (VIDEO)
In her first public appearance since announcing she had surgery to remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes, Angelina Jolie delivered an empowering speech at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards this weekend.
Jolie, who snagged the favorite movie villain statuette at the ceremony for her titular performance in "Maleficent," took the stage to thank her fans, and tell the young crowd how important it was to follow their own path in life.
"I want to say when I was little, like Maleficent, I was told that I was different-and I felt out of place, and too loud, too full of fire, never good at sitting still, never good at fitting in," the actress said. "And then one day I realized something, something I hope you all realize: Different is good."
Jolie revealed last week in a New York Times op-ed that she had preventive surgery to remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes in an effort to minimize her risk of developing cancer. Jolie's mother, aunt, and grandmother all died of cancer, and she underwent a preventive double mastectomy two years ago in a similar effort to curb her chances of getting the disease.
At Saturday's awards ceremony, Jolie was all smiles, hugging her daughters Shiloh and Zahara as she ascended the stage to accept her award. Closing out her remarks, Jolie told the crowd with a wink, "Cause a little trouble -- it's good for you."
Check out some video from her speech below.
[via: ET, Time]
Photo credit: Getty Images
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Elizabeth Olsen Relied on 'Weird Dance Moves' to Bring Scarlet Witch to Life
In "Avengers: Age of Ultron," Olsen plays Scarlet Witch, a character more closely associated with the X-Men, but clearly a big part of Avengers lore as well. Her human name is Wanda Maximoff, the twin sister of Pietro Maximoff aka Quicksilver (played in the film by Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Instead of having powers involving punching, kicking, or flying, the Scarlet Witch's powers involve telekinesis, mind-control, and telepathy. One of the cooler powers (that she fully exploits) is her ability to get into the head of the other Avengers, once again played by Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, and Jeremy Renner.
Like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the first question lobbed Olsen's way was about her character's distinctive accent. "Can I talk about it?" she asks, seemingly to the unit publicist (who bears a striking resemblance to Mark Ruffalo) but also to us. "We know that we're from Eastern Europe and it's something that we got to create. It's a make-believe place, so its something that Aaron and I, with the dialect coach kind of created together." When asked what the country is, she said, "I can't talk about it."
Some will remember that we actually got to see Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, for a few seconds, at the end of last year's terrific "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." Olsen said that the sequence, which featured them contained in some kind of bunker, would be continued. "There is definitely a connection that is very evident," she said. But when asked if the two characters share ideas as is hinted at in that sequence, she nearly breaks down into an inaudible string of garbled English: " I don't know. I think there's a bit of all of it, you know. I think it's, it's interesting, I don't know what I can tell, but like it's, ah, it's..."
Olsen was more forthcoming about the powers she gets to use in the film, including the whole invasive mind power shtick. "Yeah, so I am able to go into someone's head and they'd never see. I can feel and see what they feel and see, so it's not just me manipulating them. But what I love about her is that in so many superhero films, emotions are kind of negated a bit, but for her everything that someone else could feel, like their weakest moments, she physically goes through that same experience with them, which is pretty cool." She then confirmed the exploitation of the heroes' fears: "Yeah, she can, if they have the biggest, darkest fear, I get to see that."
Not that she's only playing head-games, since she gets in on the action too: "I can control energy. I can manipulate energy away, so that's what the red stuff is that we're playing with." When asked to elaborate on the physicality of her character, she did so: "It's been so fun, because you can't be like, well, How does this magic witch hero move? Like, there's nothing physically that you can just reference from dance or, you know, martial arts or anything like that. So we started off with Joss kind of having these ideas based off just images in the comics of what the hand gestures would look like or the arms look like, and then I work with a dancer and so the two of us get locked up in a room together and we move and we try and figure out what looks strong and where the energy comes from. But also in the film, I'm having a journey of discovering how powerful she can be. So we've got to start somewhere. We've got to figure out what all those different levels are." She then described how different her choreography is: "It's funny, because everyone's doing stunt practices and choreography and she and I are just like doing weird dance moves and pretending like we're making things shoot out of our hands."
Olsen's character is also the latest in a long line of Joss Whedon heroines, dating back from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and continuing through more recent works like "Dollhouse" and, of course, Black Widow in the last "Avengers." "You feel like you're in good hands and the cool thing is that he hasn't been able to create these characters. He's been given them from other directors or writers, from their other franchises, and he's been adapting, taking what has already been created and serving them in Avengers," Olsen explained. "And in this, he's able to create Wanda, and he's such a huge fan of her and it's really awesome to get to have that. I think he is enjoying also getting to have the experience where he gets to create it, because he is such a fan of, of creating these strong, amazing women."
She also said that, even though she didn't get to work with her much, she was thrilled to contribute to the vibe Johansson's Black Widow was going for. "It's nice to have that kind of, there's obviously Black Widow, but it's nice to have another strong presence. Usually, I haven't really been around when Scarlett was working, so I kind of feel like the only female most of the time. And it's nice to have a stronger presence instead of a weak one or like an office one or something." Nobody puts Lizzie Olsen in an office!
There was a lot of discussion on the set about Whedon continually tweaking or trying out new dialogue, sometimes on the day of filming. This kind of thing is unprecedented, especially for a project of this scale. When asked if Whedon tweaked a lot of her contributions, she shot back, "No." Olsen then continued: "If there are and then we have script changes where we'll come on the set shooting a scene and he'll be like oh, by the way, I added a scene right before this. And you're like, what? And then that scene changes your full opinion of what you're about to shoot, but that's okay. You can change your mind really quickly. And so that's the only thing, while we've been shooting, as the script has been changing, but nothing that you ever feel unprepared for."
In fact, the only thing that Olsen could feel prepared for, is answering questions that she's not supposed to. When we asked what her relationship was to Ultron (James Spader), the villainous robot at the heart of the new movie, she said, curtly, "I think our relationship to Ultron will not be shared." Then she laughed. And we laughed with her.
"Avengers: Age of Ultron" hits theaters May 1.
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This Is How Much the Cast of 'How I Met Your Mother' Has Changed (VIDEO)
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'Fear the Walking Dead' Teaser: A Virus Has Hit Los Angeles (VIDEO)
The upcoming "Walking Dead" companion series, "Fear the Walking Dead," aired its first promo during the original show's fifth season finale Sunday night, offering fans a short tease of what's to come on the new drama.
The 15-second clip features a radio newscaster warning Los Angeles residents to get their flu shots, since there have been "reports in five states of a strange virus going around." Of course, longtime "Walking Dead" fans know that this ultimately leads to the zombie outbreak, but "Fear" takes place in a slightly earlier timeline than the first series -- and conventional wisdom says that all sick people should do is simply get some rest and "take care of yourself."
There are a couple quick glimpses at walkers in the clip, first a pack of them roaming through what looks like a street carnival, and another, longer shot of a lone zombie shambling toward the frame. We'll see how many more are introduced during "Fear"'s first season, which spans six episodes this summer before a full, second season is due in 2016.
"Fear the Walking Dead" stars Kim Dickens, Cliff Curtis, Alycia Debnam Carey, and Frank Dillane.
Fear The Walking Dead: A New Original Companion Series to The Walking Dead Coming This Summer.Sign up for exclusive updates: http://ift.tt/1G9b0Aw
Posted by AMC on Sunday, March 29, 2015
[via: AMC]
Photo credit: AMC
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7 Things That Need to Happen in the 'Power Rangers' Movie (VIDEO)
Since its debut in 1993, the Power Rangers have gone from a low-budget recycling of Japanese TV to a pop culture phenomenon and after more than 20 years and 17 variations, they're still going strong. After almost 20 years since their last feature film, the Power Rangers are headed back to the big screen on July 22nd, 2016 and today we're taking a look at 7 things we think need to happen in the movie.
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What's New on Netflix, TV, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: March 30 - April 5
New on DVD and Blu-ray
"Interstellar"
The Blu-ray edition of Christopher Nolan's sprawling space pic is packed with featurettes about the making of "Interstellar," including a 50-minute special narrated by Matthew McConaughey about the scientific research behind the story.
"The Imitation Game"
Benedict Cumberbatch's star turn as Alan Turing doesn't quite elevate this pic above Oscar bait, but it's big and glossy and worth a look.
"Wild"
Reese Witherspoon stars in the big-screen adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's best-selling memoir about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Witherspoon was nominated for an Oscar for her performance, as was Laura Dern, who has an extra-special role as Cheryl's late mom.
TV Worth Watching
"The Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber" (Monday on Comedy Central at 10 p.m. EST)
You know you wanna tune in and see Kevin Hart, Martha Stewart, Ludacris, Natasha Leggero, Hannibal Buress, Snoop Dogg, and other very funny people roast the heck out of this pop star.
"Archer" (Thursday on FX at 10 p.m. EST)
It's the season finale of everyone's favorite adult animated series.
"Outlander" (Saturday on Starz at 9 p.m. EST)
Bust out your favorite kilt for the mid-season premiere of this fantasy show based on the books by Diana Gabaldon. Tune in for the eye candy (Sam Heughan) and stick around for the utter coolness of Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe). Or vice versa!
New on Netflix
"The Man With the Iron Fists"
There isn't a ton of new stuff on Netflix this week, so maybe you'll want to give RZA's martial arts film a whirl. The Wu-Tang rapper co-wrote, directed, and stars in the film alongside Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, Rick Yune, and a ton of other cool cats.
"The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness"
This doc gives you an unprecedented peek behind the scenes at Tokyo's Studio Ghibli, which follows Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki, and Isao Takahata and their work over the course of an entire year.
"Garfunkel and Oates"
Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci star in this short-lived IFC series about a comedy-folk music duo in typically fish-out-of-water situations.
New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only
"Big Eyes" (iTunes)
Painter Margaret Keane is now known as the creator of those ubiquitous paintings of sad-eyed children, but it wasn't always so. Tim Burton's biopic follows the personal and legal problems of Keane (Amy Adams) with her bullying husband Walter (Christoph Waltz).
"Masters of Sex" (iTunes)
Catch up on the second season of this steamy Showtime drama, which stars Lizzy Caplan and Michael Sheen as Virginia Johnson and William Masters, who were pioneers in the field of human sexuality.
"Goodbye to Language" (iTunes)
Jean-Luc Godard probably didn't intend for anyone to watch his latest masterpiece on their laptop, but if you can't wait for the Blu-ray, well, we won't tell anyone.
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Dwayne Johnson Kicks Ass as 'Bambi' in This Hilarious 'SNL' Spoof (VIDEO)
Disney's recent trend of turning its animated classics into live-action flicks took a dark turn on "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, with the show re-imagining forest fable "Bambi" as a kickass action movie starring Dwayne Johnson and his "Furious 7" castmates.
Johnson, who hosted "SNL" for the fourth time, starred as the titular baby deer, whose image was remade as a cigar-chomping vigilante with an axe to grind against the hunters who murdered his mother. Johnson sports giant ears, wispy hair, and a painted nose to bring the character to life -- and a whole lot of guns.
But the true star of the sketch may be Taran Killam, who plays Vin Diesel as Thumper in a demented, mumble-tastic performance that's eerily similar to the real actor's stilted delivery. His cockeyed ears help complete the hilarious look.
Check out the clip -- and watch out for the excellent "Deer X-ing" sight gag and Jay Pharoah's Ludacris impression -- below.
[via: Saturday Night Live]
Photo credit: YouTube
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Trevor Noah to Replace Jon Stewart as 'The Daily Show' Host
South African comedian Trevor Noah has been named as Jon Stewart's successor as host of "The Daily Show," Comedy Central announced Monday.
Noah, a recent addition to the "TDS" correspondent roster, has been with the show since December 2014, and has made three on-air appearances. The 31-year-old will succeed outgoing host Stewart, who announced his plans to leave the program earlier this year after 16 years at the helm.
Though he's relatively unknown in the U.S., Noah has made quite a name for himself in his native South Africa, where he headlined his own late-night talk show, "Tonight with Trevor Noah." He's also made appearances on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Late Show with David Letterman," marking the first time a South African comedian has performed on either program.
"It's an honor to follow Jon Stewart. He and the team at 'The Daily Show' have created an incredible show whose impact is felt all over the world," Noah said in a statement released by Comedy Central. "In my brief time with the show they've made me feel so welcome. I'm excited to get started and work with such a fantastic group of people."
Noah added in an interview with The New York Times -- which first reported the news -- that he "need[ed] a stiff drink" when he first learned he landed the gig. "You don't believe it for the first few hours," he told the Times.
Stewart praised the selection of his successor, saying in a statement released by Comedy Central, "I'm thrilled for the show and for Trevor. He's a tremendous comic and talent that we've loved working with...In fact, I may rejoin as a correspondent just to be a part of it!!!"
"You don't hope to find the next Jon Stewart - there is no next Jon Stewart," Comedy Central president Michele Ganeless told The New York Times. "So, our goal was to find someone who brings something really exciting and new and different."
There's no official premiere date yet for Noah's "Daily Show" takeover, nor is there a firm departure date for Stewart. Comedy Central said both would be announced at a later time.
[via: Comedy Central, The New York Times]
Photo credit: Getty Images
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'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Star Aaron Taylor-Johnson Doesn't Feel 'Threatened' by the Other Quicksilver
Add to that the additional pressure of playing Pietro Maximoff, aka Quicksilver, a super speedy Marvel character that audiences had just been introduced to the previous summer in Bryan Singer's "X-Men: Days of Future Past," and it sounds like a pretty daunting proposition. (He'll appear alongside his "Godzilla" co-star Elizabeth Olsen, who plays Quicksilver's twin sister, Scarlet Witch, as the two new kids on the block.) Not that Taylor-Johnson seems all that daunted.
We visited the set of "Avengers: Age of Ultron" in London last summer and got to chat with the actor about the ins and outs of Quicksilver, even if he was very reluctant to give us much in the way of details.
When his Eastern European accent came up, Taylor-Johnson said, "We're doing one. Whether they decide to re-ADR that in the end, I don't know." What's so funny about this comment is that, based on television spots that have been released for the sequel, it's apparent that they have decided to keep his accent and it's also endearing (and true for much of the cast) that they feel so lucky and overwhelmed to be a part of a Marvel project that are almost afraid that somewhere along the way someone is going to change their mind and pull them out of it.
In fact, Taylor-Johnson seemed nervous to give us all a taste of his accent. "I can't," he said flatly, before elaborating. "Me and Lizzie have been doing dialect coaching together and trying to get that sound similar to playing twins. But it's fun, when I spoke to Joss about it a long time ago and he approached me for the role, it was one of the things I wanted to keep."
And Taylor-Johnson's accent isn't the only thing he wanted to preserve from the original character. "I wanted to have white, silver kind of hair to look like the character and I could kind of embrace the roots, where he's from, being Eastern European. It would be great to do some kind of accent to impart that kind of feeling so -- so I'm glad that we're doing it. Again, his nervousness kicks in: "But like I said, you know, they might screen it and go what are they saying? I'd like to think that they'll keep it there and you know, the Marvel guys, they totally understand; they're a studio that really cares about their characters and have real creative input." Then, optimistically: "Hopefully it will continue on that route.
Unlike some of the other actors, Taylor-Johnson has also read up on the character's comic-book roots. When asked if he's been reading the comics, Taylor-Johnson said, "Yeah, sort of a mixture of things. Obviously the character jumps in and out of different universes being in their mutant world and all that, which obviously we don't embrace cause of being with Fox and that extent as you're all aware. That's no secret, you know. So I take bits that have been done in history and all sorts of comic nooks to get an essence and the sense of Pietro as a character rather than Quicksilver just in the sense of Oh yeah, superhero powers that he runs faster than the speed of sound. I wanted to know what's he really like and get to the depths of him."
The relationship between Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch is also a huge part of "Avengers: Age of Ultron," which Taylor-Johnson elaborated on. "He's very protective of her in a physical way and her more in a psychological way so we try and embrace that and there's a lot of stuff that we could pick up from."
Not only was the relationship something new, but Quicksilver's powers are also something that is new to the franchise. As Taylor-Johnson said, "I run a lot." Not that Taylor-Johnson was all that sure about how that running would be brought to the screen. "Right now, I think they're gonna play around with maybe getting into Quicksilver time, which would be my point of view and playing around with that. That's another thing that's experimental really. With new powers and things like that, you can really play with that sort of stuff. The first time we did a running test, I was on what's essentially a running machine but it was a huge lorry-sized rig that was something that they sped up and it was a great big running machine, and they had me on a harness on a green screen." (Taylor-Johnson also said that they filmed some scenes in 120 frames-per-second, which gives that dreamy slow-motion quality.)
Of course, an inherent part of these movies is obviously the humor, largely supplied by the quip-happy writer/director Joss Whedon. "Yeah, with the Marvel Universe in general is everything's not taken seriously in a sense of even when there's points of real drama, but I love that there's a lot of sarcasm and humor to it, and people have their moment of humor and I guess, you know, it's fun. What we didn't want from me and Lizzie's standpoint is that our accents to be the humorous thing. Like I said, it's all fed through Joss and bouncing off some of the other actors and stuff." When someone asked if his repartee is mostly with Scarlet Witch or the rest of the team, Taylor-Johnson shot back: "With the rest of the team." Taylor-Johnson just elaborated: "You know, it's always that great thing where they have characters going head to head and bicker with one another and I don't want to say who...."
The inevitable comparison came up between Quicksilver in "Avengers: Age of Ultron" and Quicksilver in "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (which, at the time of our set visit, had just come out). When asked if they would shift their dramatization of the character in the wake of "X-Men: Days of Future Past," Taylor-Johnson didn't think so. "I haven't seen it yet so I don't really know. I don't feel. When the job came around, it was already out there. I think it was already shooting, you know, so it wasn't like we were like all, Oh, should I really be taking on a character that's already...? I don't feel threatened nor do we go like we're saying that's the wrong thing. It's just that's one thing and we're doing something different."
The inevitable question of a spin-off or solo movie came up. "I wasn't thinking on that line. They'd probably sort of tag us into someone else's, you know. They've got their own comic book, so there's got to be something. It's up to the Marvel guys, if they kind of wanted to go that route." But as to whether or not he'd be game to return, he didn't have to even think. "Absolutely, with these guys, it's a lot of fun. It's a great studio to be a part of and I'm not just saying that, 'cause it's like that. That's the kind of easiest thing to say. It's like, you know, you work with other big sort of studio movies and you're just one of the films in the mix of many others and you're just a character and many other in their films. Marvel guys only care about the Marvel Universe and the characters they came from so therefore that's all they think about creatively and care about. And they care about the storyline. So it becomes a really creative kind of family and a place that, yeah, I enjoy working. So the experience for me is always overall whatever the outcome is or whatever so cause this is how I work, and it's part of my life and important to have fun and work with good people, you know."
"Avengers: Age of Ultron" opens everywhere May 1.
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The 7 Secret Weapons Behind 'Home's' Astonishing Box Office Success
"Home," the fourth film from DreamWorks Animation in little over a year, was supposed to race neck-and-neck at best with "Get Hard." After all, the film got middling reviews for its relative lack of originality and unlikely voice cast (Jim Parsons and Rihanna?). Plus, it comes from DWA, the anti-Pixar, an animation house known in recent years for oversaturating the market and for costly flops (most recently, "Penguins of Madagascar"). No one expected it to do better than $30 million.
So how did "Home" manage a stunning debut estimated at $54 million? Maybe its perceived weaknesses were actually strengths. Here are seven secret weapons behind the alien-invasion comedy's success.
1. Title Change. "Home" is an awfully generic title. It's also not the title the property came with. Like many DreamWorks cartoons, it's based on a children's book. In this case, it's Adam Rex's, "The True Meaning of Smekday." Normally, studios like to try to keep the titles of book adaptations in order to capitalize on pre-existing brand awareness. In this case, though, it made sense to ditch the title for a much less awkward, more marquee-friendly one. There's no way a movie with "Smekday" in its name was going to earn $54 million.
2. Word-of-Mouth. Critics tend to find DreamWorks movies formulaic; they tend to be about outsiders who learn to cooperate in order to save their world. "Home" fits this pattern (the alien even looks like the cute, snaggle-toothed dragon from DWA's "How to Train Your Dragon" movies), and it borrows from several other familiar kid-meets-alien tales (see below). So it got middling reviews from critics. But kids and families who saw it really liked it and recommended it strongly, as is clear from the A grade it received at CinemaScore.
3. Familiar Premise. The human-child-befriends-childlike-alien premise has been done before, in movies from "E.T." to "Lilo & Stitch." Then again, maybe it helped that the premise was familiar to kids from other well-known family-friendly movies. It may have helped the film overcome the "Smekday" issue of its arcane and eccentric source material.
4. 'Toon Drought. Yes, DWA has been flooding the zone over the past year. Still, there hasn't been a new animated feature in theaters since "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water" a couple months ago. And there won't be another until Pixar's "inside Out" in June. So "Home" was poised to benefit from the lack of direct competition.
5. Voice Talent. Want to know how to get Rihanna and Jennifer Lopez songs on your movie's soundtrack? Cast the pop stars as voice actors in the film. Sure, the husky-voiced Rihanna may not be the first choice for the role of a little girl, but suspension of disbelief is a lot easier with a cartoon. Jim Parsons is probably not as well known to kids as his female co-stars (do kids watch "The Big Bang Theory"?) Then again, who better than the performer behind TV nerd-king Sheldon Cooper to play an alien who has trouble communicating with and relating to humans? Plus, the presence of Parsons and Steve Martin in the cast probably reassured a lot of parents that the movie would be funny.
6. Spring Weather. After months of brutal winter conditions in much of the country, spring finally sprung this weekend, allowing hibernating moviegoers to emerge for the first time in ages. As a result, a rising tide lifted all boats, enabling box office success not just for "Home" but for pretty much every movie currently playing at the multiplex. On the whole, domestic box office was up 16 percent over last week, and the estimated $152.2 million worth of tickets sold was the highest cumulative total since "Fifty Shades of Grey" lured moviegoers out of the cold six weeks ago.
7. Counterprogramming. The strategy of trying to target a demographic otherwise not served by the weekend's expected winner -- in this case, "Home" aiming at families and young girls while the R-rated "Get Hard" went after adults and young men -- hasn't been too productive lately. Two weekends ago, older, male-oriented action thriller "Run All Night" flopped against younger, girl-oriented "Cinderella," and last weekend, "The Gunman" repeated the scenario against "Insurgent." But this weekend, there really was something for all the fair-weather moviegoers to enjoy, so "Home" and "Get Hard" both did well. So did still-strong "Insurgent" and "Cinderella" (this weekend's No. 3 and No. 4 films), even though both films are attracting some of the same tween-girl audience, and "Cinderella" and "Home" are both big family-oriented movies with an emphasis on girls. Even "It Follows," the cult horror hit that expanded this weekend from 32 screens to 1,218, performed well, coming in fifth with an estimated $4.0 million, very good for a horror film with no star power or franchise familiarity -- and in a week when young women (who make up a preponderance of horror viewers) already had a lot to choose from.
Even all these reasons aren't really enough to explain how "Home" managed to open a jaw-dropping $20 million above even the most optimistic projections. Sure, word-of-mouth was great, but the movie was doing well even before that, with strong showings at Thursday night early-bird screenings and robust pre-sales on Fandango. Maybe "Home" was just an incredible fluke. Or maybe there's some worldwide alien mind-control conspiracy at work...
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Helen Mirren Shines in This Exclusive 'Woman in Gold' Featurette (VIDEO)
One of Gustav Klimt's most famous paintings was stolen right off the walls of a Jewish family's home in Vienna by the Nazis. That's the all-too-true story behind "Woman in Gold," which stars Helen Mirren as Maria Altmann, the Jewish woman from Vienna who took the Austrian government to court for ownership of Klimt's portrait of Altmann's beloved aunt.
Ryan Reynolds co-stars as the young lawyer who finds a new meaning in his work and his life by taking on Altmann's cause, which became a landmark case for the Supreme Court before proceeding to Austria. "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I" wasn't the only work of art the Nazis stole from her family, or even the only Klimt, but "Woman in Gold" held particular value for Altmann because of the portrait's subject, her beloved Aunt Adele.
Daniel Bruhl plays the late Hubertus Czernin, an Austrian journalist who works to help Altmann and Schoenberg (Reynolds). Tatiana Maslany plays the young Maria Altmann, alongside Max Irons as her husband. Maslany speaks German throughout her performance -- what can't the "Orphan Black" star do?
This exclusive clip gives a little behind-the-scenes look at Maria Altmann's story and her fight for justice.
"Woman in Gold" opens April 1.
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Every 'Star Wars' Movie, Ranked (VIDEO)
A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, George Lucas brought us films that thrilled audiences, threw our imaginations into overdrive, inspired a generation of filmmakers and created some of the greatest films of all-time, blazing a trail for science fiction in pop culture. Then, a couple decades later he made some CGI filled prequels.
Here are all six "Star Wars" movies, ranked from worst to best.
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'The Walking Dead' Season 5 Finale Recap: Reunited, and It Feels So Good
Earlier this season, "The Walking Dead" hammered home the notion that the world had been irrevocably changed, and that our heroes must continue pushing forward -- adapting to their new life and new surroundings, and refusing to live in the past -- in order to survive. "We can't go back" became a mantra of sorts, adopted by Rick and co. to excuse the terrible things they've had to do throughout the series's run, and convince themselves to keep going despite every urge to give up, and every loss they've encountered along the way. Even Gareth, the cannibalistic gang leader at Terminus, spouted those words, convinced that he was doing the right thing as he slit people's throats in order to feast on their flesh.
So viewers no doubt experienced a bit of whiplash when a new mantra entered the fold during last night's season five finale, "Conquer," which offered a direct counterpoint to that earlier way of thinking.
"Everything gets a return," says Morgan, as he's greeted in the woods by a member of the Wolves, the mysterious gang that's been lingering on the fringes of this back half of the season. Yes, Morgan is officially back (sometimes begging really does work!), and he's finally reunited with Rick after a season of following in his footsteps (and teasing viewers with a handful of fleeting appearances). And what a return it is, as he quickly topples two Wolves with some serious bo-wielding skills.
Before they're rendered unconscious, we get a bit of exposition delivered by the first Wolf (oh, how I love a good expository chat over a campfire), who explains that the group takes its inspiration from early settlers of the area, who put a bounty on wolves and employed native tribes to help drive the animals to extinction. The natives believed that people were wolves transformed into men, the Wolf says. "They're back now," he sneers, showing off the W carved into his own forehead.
It still doesn't fully explain the group's motivations, or its origins, but the good news is that Morgan survives the encounter, and can counsel the Alexandrians about what they're up against moving into season six. The display the Wolves left last week, of the naked woman strung up in a tree, implies that they're a vengeful people, as does the trap they set at the food factory, in which Daryl and Aaron are caught before they're rescued by Morgan. It must have taken a lot of time and effort to plan and rig such an elaborate setup (and pack it full of dozens and dozens of zombies), and the limbless torsos hanging in those trucks certainly imply that the Wolves had some fun hacking up their victims before using them to torment the living. Even the first Wolf's seemingly-benign conversation with Morgan betrays a darkness and an all-consuming need to conquer as he snaps at the man for daring to take a sip of coffee.
"I want everything you have. Every last drop," the Wolf says. "I'm taking you, too, and you're not exactly going to be alive."
Thankfully, Morgan's picked up some pretty impressive fighting skills in his travels, and he dispatches of the two men in short order, a zen-like aura buzzing about him as they fall. But Morgan doesn't kill them (shame, really), and that puts him in stark contrast with Rick, the man he's been chasing -- and perhaps idolizing -- all this time, and who's become a bit more cold-hearted since they last met. (The difference in their chosen mantras is certainly telling.)
The very moment of their reunion, in fact, occurs only seconds after Rick is finally given the go-ahead to execute Pete, an order he instantaneously obeys. The set-up to that resolution unfurled throughout the 90-minute episode (a bloated running time that hindered the proceedings, in my opinion), with talk of a community-wide meeting, led by Deanna, which would determine Rick's standing in Alexandria following his upsetting outburst in last week's installment. Rick's group was well aware that Deanna would float the notion of exile, and Maggie tried to head this off by appealing to the leader directly. Reg, doing his best mansplaining routine, assured Maggie that the two camps were better off living together.
Unfortunately, Reg doesn't survive long enough to see that promise through. Through a chain of boneheaded events -- beginning with anyone letting Father Gabriel do anything -- the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad reverend leaves the front gates wide open, allowing a flood of walkers to come waltzing in. Rick, on his way to Deanna's meeting, discovers the mistake and races through the community searching for zombies until he's surrounded by them, beating them back one by one before shoving his hand up one's head until its eyeballs explode. (A visual every bit as disgusting as it sounds.) He then crashes into the meeting carrying the corpse, defiantly throwing it down and delivering yet another impassioned speech about how screwed Alexandria is without him.
"The ones out there, they'll hunt us, they'll find us, they'll try to use us, they'll try to kill us," Rick declares. "But we'll kill them. We'll survive. I'll show you how."
Amazingly enough, Rick's ranting doesn't immediately win everyone over (I guess revealing that he planned to kill some of them to prove a point isn't the best way to ingratiate him to the locals), but that quickly changes when Pete barges in, wild-eyed and wielding Michonne's katana. In a struggle, Pete accidentally slices open Reg's throat, and Reg bleeds out in front of everyone, prompting Deanna to tell the constable, "Do it." Rick is only too happy to oblige, delivering a bullet to the doctor's head.
In the scene directly preceding Rick's discovery of the open gate, the constable is sitting in his house, psyching himself up for the meeting, when we hear Bob's words from earlier this season echo through his head. Even as he was dying, Bob truly believed that life could get better for the group, and its members shouldn't compromise too much of themselves in the process of surviving. "This is a nightmare," Bob said of the apocalypse. "And nightmares end. ... They shouldn't end who you are."
It's unclear who Rick will wind up being as the series progresses, but for now, he's securely back in the leadership saddle -- and he can't go back.
Other thoughts:
- I floated the theory last week that the Wolves could be made up of the exiled Alexandrians, who were mentioned again during the finale. Since we still don't know their whole story, I still think it's a possibility, considering the Wolves' vengeful nature and what little we know about the exile (they were driven out far beyond Alexandria's walls, left with enough food and water for a day, and stripped of their guns). Aaron said two men and a woman were banished; the only Wolves we've seen so far have been the same two men, and we still don't know the exact size of their pack. (And we also know that they killed a woman very recently.) Aaron seemed to regret the exile, and I think he'll continue to regret it as season six picks up with the pack as Alexandria's main antagonists.
- Carol's simultaneous disdain for the Alexandrians and willingness to lie to their faces continues to delight me. As the group is formulating its gameplan for Deanna's meeting, Carol suggests that they pretend to agree with the community's peacenik ways, "because these people are children, and children like stories." Later, she boldly threatens Pete with a knife, daring him to lay a finger on her. "Play your cards right, maybe you don't have to die," she says as she thrusts a casserole into his arms. "And I want my dish back clean when you're done." Add that to the pile of perfect Carol moments from this season.
- Abraham doesn't mince words when it's his turn to vouch for Rick at Deanna's meeting: "Simply put, there is a vast ocean of s--t that you people don't know s--t about. Rick knows every fine grain of said s--t. And then some."
- Several opportunities for annoying characters to die didn't pan out, with Glenn unable to pull the trigger on Nicholas (who shot him first! And continued attacking him! And let a zombie come at him! How many reasons to kill someone do you need?), and Sasha prevented from offing Father Gabriel by an intervening Maggie. Gabriel's death has been a seeming foregone conclusion ever since his introduction, and yet he somehow continues to survive. His pronouncement, "The word of God is the only protection I need," as he went off into the woods alone actually made me groan, and his umpteenth improbable escape from peril had me rolling my eyes so hard that I'm surprised they're not stuck in the back of my head.
- I've missed Eugene, who didn't have much to do in the back half of this season (or during this episode). Here's hoping he can utter more than a handful of lines in the season six premiere.
- The Richonne 'shippers were probably doing cartwheels during Rick and Michonne's heart to heart, in which Michonne assures the sheriff's deputy that she'll always be on his side.
- This season was bookended by butchering, with the Terminites actually eating their prey. We don't know yet that the Wolves are doing the same (perhaps my cries of "cannibalism" were a bit misguided; my bad), but they have the same penchant for throat-slitting that Gareth and co. enjoyed so much. (RIP, Poncho Guy.) I don't think it was a mistake that Reg was killed in this same manner, either. Bloodshed is expected on "The Walking Dead," but this action is especially brutal -- and tellingly, is a means of killing that's specifically human. It seems that "Everything gets a return" is also true of terrible ways to die; look for that mantra to repeat itself -- especially as Rick and co. face another evil outside threat -- throughout season six.
- Until then, enjoy your summer. "The Walking Dead" is slated to return sometime in October.
Photo credit: Gene Page/AMC
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