Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Holiday TV Calendar 2011!
Ali Landry: It's A Family Affair
Looks like motherhood isn't slowing Ali down!
After giving birth to her son Marcelo Alejandro less than two months ago, Ali Landry was spotted back at work in Mexico on Monday (November 28).
Lady Gaga, Britney, Taylor Swift, Beyonce Drop Concert DVDs
Four pop divas released concert specials on Monday — just in time for Black Friday!
By Jocelyn Vena
Taylor Swift
Photo: Getty Images
Music fans planning to burn off those post-Thanksgiving calories with some holiday shopping are in luck: Some of pop's biggest divas dropped live DVDs on Monday (November 21): Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Britney Spears all have concert specials out, just in time for your Black Friday wish list. Here, MTV News breaks down the four releases (and one more to watch out for).
Taylor Swift
Just as Taylor wraps up her Speak Now Tour this week, the American Music Award winner is releasing "Speak Now World Tour - Live." The 18-song DVD features Swift performing some of her biggest tracks during that arena-filling trek. And if that's not enough Taylor, there's also a 16-song CD that fans can snatch up.
Beyoncé
Filmed over four shows in New York, weeks before B announced her pregnancy at the VMAs, the "Live at Roseland" DVD special shows the Queen B recounting some of the greatest moments of her career before launching into a nonstop live performance of her 4 album. It also includes behind-the-scenes footage that gives fans their first look at the wedding dress Beyoncé wore the day she married Jay-Z.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is giving her little monsters a front row seat to her epic Monster Ball Tour. Filmed during stops at Madison Square Garden earlier this year, the concert originally aired on HBO and earned the pop star an Emmy. The DVD also includes previously unseen material that didn't make the final cut on HBO. In addition, Gaga is releasing a new album, Born This Way - The Remix, today.
Britney Spears
After debuting her Femme Fatale live concert special on Epix earlier this month, Spears is releasing the spectacle on DVD this week for those who may have missed it. Full of costume changes, swirling dance numbers and a sexy lap dance, this special is perfect for the Brit enthusiast.
One to Pre-Order: Adele
A fifth diva will get into the game on Cyber Monday. On November 28, Adele drops her own concert special, "Live at the Royal Albert Hall." And given that it might be a while before the singer hits the road again (she's on the mend from throat surgery), the DVD will at least give fans a taste of Adele's live stage show.
Share your concert DVD shopping picks in the comments section!
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'Prometheus' Trailer Leak 'Heartbreakingly Unfair'
'When that material is ready and it comes out, you should go see it in 3-D,' Fox Filmed Entertainment CEO Tom Rothman tells MTV News.
By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
'Prometheus'
Photo: 20th Century Fox
Tom Rothman, CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment, does not like leaks. He especially doesn't like leaks when they come from one of Fox's most anticipated and fiercely guarded films, Ridley Scott's "Prometheus."
A bootlegged, shaky and watermarked version of the first trailer for "Prometheus" showed up online Sunday, and even though the unauthorized debut didn't last long before 20th Century Fox had the video pulled, an untold number of eager fans caught it and spilled on the details.
On the red carpet of the Gotham Independent Film Awards, Rothman spoke with MTV News' Josh Horowitz about his disappointment with the leaked trailer. "I heard some of it leaked, which wasn't so good," he said.
For such a drawn-out buildup, the release of the bootleg trailer marked a point of anticlimax. To Rothman, the leak was nothing short of a severe injustice. "That's not fair. It's heartbreakingly unfair, because ... the quality of the visuals is as spectacularly beautiful, shot in 3-D compositionally the way only a master could do it," Rothman said. "For some early, early, early, early half-baked, half-assed test to leak, it's so unfair."
The Fox exec did, however, guarantee that the film will make a splash once it sees a proper release. "I will promise you this: When that material is ready and it comes out, you should go see it in 3-D on a screen. It will deliver."
Even though the secrets of the trailer are out, that still leaves many questions to be answered, namely where "Prometheus" fits in the "Alien" universe. While certainly connected, claims that "Prometheus" acts as a prequel have been shot down by almost everyone involved with the project.
Rothman made the same denial, even going so far as to place his hand over his heart. When pressed to explain how "Prometheus" could share continuity with "Alien" and take place before the events of that film but still not qualify as a prequel, Rothman offered up his explanation.
"I suppose if you want to definitionally be that literal, but it does it a great disservice. I will tell you, here's the way to think about it. If you looked at the whole movie, 95 percent of it is entirely unto itself," Rothman said. "Ridley said it right: If you're a fan and you look closely, you'll spot strands of DNA."
For him, "Prometheus" ends up being about so much more than continuity. "I'll tell you the great thing: It's way bigger than that. The ideas are way bigger, way more original and — it's a scary word — way more profound."
Check out everything we've got on "Prometheus."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Kyla Pratt Clears Up Rumors About Her Daughter Lyric & "Stripper" Boyfriend
After Kyla Pratt revealed she had a 1 year old baby girl named Lyric on BET's "106 & Park" earlier this month, the rumor mill got to turning. Now she's addressing the talk about her "stripper" baby's daddy and letting people know she was never ashamed of her pregnancy or her baby girl.
Check it inside, plus a pic of Baby Lyric...
Kyla's set to appear on the January 10th premiere and second season of "Let's Stay Together" on BET. So she's getting some things out the way before her promo run.
The 25-year-old took to her tumblr account yesterday to dispel rumors about purposely hiding her pregnancy because of shame, and the rumors that her baby's father was a Cali stripper who recently became a tattoo artist in order to keep her name clean.
Kyla says her man/child's father, who also has a son, was never a stripper, but a choreographer of sorts. And she says she never hid her pregnancy, she simply chose not to sell her story to blogs and paparazzi. Here's her post in full:
Woke up this morning to some bullshit so i decided to blog about it.
I announced a little over a month ago that i have a one year old daughter named Lyric. Ever since then there has been mostly negativity thrown our way. This is something that i knew would happen so THAT is why i delayed the process of sharing my happiness with this lovely world. I did not HIDE. I was out doing everything i normally do. Please believe i was not in the house looking at the wall waiting for time to pass. Jus because i didn’t publicize my pregnancy or try to make money off of it doesnt mean i am not proud of my daughter or her Father.
While i was pregnant i didnt want to deal with any negativity. When you have a human being growing inside of you, they can feel every emotion you feel. i didnt know how i was going to react with my hormones going crazy. SO i decided, im not announcing anything. If someone catches a pic then so be it, but i was going to enjoy my pregnancy no matter what. I believe that is why my daughter is such a happy baby, because i didnt subject myself to this random blog bullshit during the happiest time of my life.
Now lets briefly discuss her father since he has been the subject people cant stop talking about. We have been together for a few years now. He has been a tattoo artist for about eight years and has been writing and producing music around the same. This whole he is a stripper and changed careers real quick so i wouldnt look crazy is some bullshit. Just like every man out here, he found a hustle that had nothing to do with selling drugs, robbing people, or anything where he would be put in jail. A lot of people make assumptions about a profession based solely off of one experience you have had or something you have seen on TV. The club he used to work at years ago for (2yrs) was basically a competition where guys would compete for the most attention by creating the hottest dance routines and music in L.a, that I now see all over the music biz and videos you all love. Some dancers were into the frilly costumes. and a other just wore jeans, bandanas chucks and a tank tops (mine). He never Strip down naked or to a thong. His image was and is Compton, Hood. My man/Daughters father, is a song writer, HipHop Artist and a Well-Known Tattoo Artist. And has been doing these things for years. And is making money to take care of his Son & his Daughter the legal way so he can be here to raise them. When he releases his Music and Art Work he has been doing i guarantee u, i wont have to say anything else.
I dont owe anyone an explanation about MY life. Just decided to set the record straight so people who think i CARE about their opinions will MAYBE give it a rest.
The past is the past & the future is the future, and its Here.
i love my daughter & i love her father. And would not change ANYTHING for ANYBODY
Thanks for listening.
I get the frustrations about people maybe misunderstanding the job your baby's daddy has or why you were never pictured pregnant or with a baby. Most people don't realize the overwhelming majority of celebs pimp out their kids and families and call the paparazzi on themselves. And it's actually not hard (for black celebs especially) to go under the radar from paps and gossip. But once you do break your silence about something personal, you're also breaking the privacy seal. Especially when you didn't provide clarificaton from the beginning-it leaves room for rumors and falsities. Celebs getting mad about people talking about their situations that they've made public themselves just doesn't make sense.
On that note, this new GQ interview from Daniel Craig caught my eye last night. Brilliant. And on another note (only since he's using them as an example), Kourtney Kardashian just announced today that she's 9 weeks pregnant with her and Scott Disick's second child. Double sigh....
Jenni "JWoww" Farley: Fragrance Launch Foxy
Kicking off her promotional blitz, Jenni ?JWoww? Farley gave press to her new namesake fragrance at a Kmart in New York City this afternoon (November 30).
Known for her uber-sexy style, the "Jersey Shore" starlet dressed in a black knit sweater and over-the-knee black leather boots as she posed with her latest product.
Containing top notes of citrus and pear accompanied by musky bottom notes, the sultry scent will be sold in a set with shimmering body lotion.
Following the press stop, Ms Farley tweeted, "Can't wait for everyone to see my perfume commercial!!!! So excited u have no idea. Ill let u know when it hits tv."
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Beyonce Invites J. Cole Over For A 'Party' In New Video
Clip, which premiered Wednesday night, also features appearances from Kelly Rowland and Solange Knowles.
By James Dinh
Beyonce in her "Party" music video
Photo: Columbia
Beyoncé is known as one of the industry's hardest-working pop stars — even when she's expecting. A mere week and a half since dropping her boy-band tribute video for "Love on Top," the pop titan has unveiled the visual for her J. Cole remix of "Party" on Wednesday night's (October 26) episode of BET's "106 & Park."
"Party" takes viewers back to an old-school backyard celebration full of colorful bikinis, freestyle dancing and a few familiar faces, including sister Solange Knowles and former Destiny's Child bandmate Kelly Rowland. Throughout the video, B lets loose, playing a sort of party host. If she isn't lounging in beach chairs, she's dancing among her friends or mowing the yawn. Yes, Beyoncé is multitasking!
And it wouldn't be a celebration without an appearance from J. Cole, the guest MC behind the remix of the Kanye West-produced tune. Midway through the video, the Roc Nation signee pulls up to the party with his ride glimmering brightly in the sun and spits his verse in the parking lot.
B fans learned there would be a clip for "Party" back in August, when the mom-to-be was spotted in New Jersey's Oakdale Mobile Home Park. Probably due to her impending motherhood, Queen B shot a slew of videos for cuts from her album, 4, ahead of time. "Party" follows previous clips for "Love on Top," "Countdown," "1+1," "Run the World (Girls)" and "Best Thing I Never Had."
What do you think of Beyoncé's new video? Share your reviews below!
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Here's a photo of my niece Lila eating a nectarine:
Don't you love her ears? (The one on the left is a little big.) (My sister doesn't like to talk about it.)
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Lady Gaga Reveals Elton John Duet For Next Album
'I played him a song that I wrote and he really loved it,' Gaga says on U.K. talk show.
By Jocelyn Vena
Lady Gaga and Elton John
Photo: Kevin Kane/ WireImage
Lady Gaga is wasting no time in working on her follow-up to Born This Way. Half a year after she dropped the chart-topping album, she is already crafting the sound for the next one. Over the weekend, Lady Gaga appeared on British talk-show host Alan Carr's "Chatty Man" and teased what fans should expect for her follow-up to BTW.
"My next duet, I believe, will be with Elton," she said. "I'm already working on my next album, and I played him a song that I wrote and he really loved it. I don't want to give anything [else] away!"
Of course, Gaga and Elton have quite a backstory together. The two recorded the track "Hello Hello" for the "Gnomeo and Juliet" soundtrack, and Gaga is godmother to Elton's son, Zachary.
In addition to the chat, Gaga also cooked up some chicken Milanese and performed her latest single, "Marry the Night," in a bright pink dress and giant pink hair bow. Her performance was uncharacteristically simple, with Gaga simply sitting at a piano. Last week, she teased the video for the clip, which includes a nearly two-minute-long monologue about the nature of sanity and art.
In other Gaga news, there was recently a shake-up in Gaga's camp when creative director Laurieann Gibson departed. For anyone who hasn't been paying attention for the last couple years, Gaga explained just how important the people who work with her are.
"To explain really what it's all about, me and my friends travel the world together and what we do, we all lay around in bed and we write down every idea that we have," she said. "It's quite honestly the greatest dream of my life. We get to make art for the whole universe."
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'The Muppets': The Reviews Are In!
Critics are overwhelmingly happy with the big-screen reboot featuring Kermit and the gang.
By Kevin P. Sullivan
Miss Piggy in "The Muppets"
Photo: Muppets Studio
It's time to play the music. It's time to light the lights. It's time to meet "The Muppets" for the first time in over 10 years. Everyone's favorite felt friends are back in a big-screen reboot brought to life mostly on behalf of the hard work of lifelong Muppet fan Jason Segel.
The reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. (You can see our own rave here.) Critics have praised the return of the Muppets as fun, warm, family-friendly fare, true to the characters and the fans who have loved them for decades.
Check out our roundup of the reviews.
The Story
"A clever idea holds this reboot together, as simple as making one brother (Gary, played by Segel) human and the other (Walter, voiced by Peter Linz) a Muppet in love with the Muppets legacy. (He sports a Kermit wristwatch.) The locale is Smalltown, USA, which Gary and Walter introduce to us in the opening number, 'Life's a Happy Song.' Gary, his schoolteacher sweetheart Mary (Amy Adams) and Walter journey to Los Angeles for a vacation. Touring the old Muppet Studios facility, the trio learn of the plan to raze the historically significant and sentimentally priceless structure. There's oil under the ground, see, and the weaselly millionaire (Chris Cooper) after it doesn't give a Gonzo's patoot about nostalgia. To preserve the old homestead the visitors must gather together the Muppets from various locales and raise $10 million in a save-the-Muppets telethon." — Michael Phillips, The Chicago Tribune
The Songs
"The setup works like a charm. So do the songs, with several new ones by ["Flight of the Conchords"] star Bret McKenzie. Adams rocks out on 'Me Party.' And Segel's heartfelt ballad 'Man or Muppet?' deserves Academy attention as the movie song of the year." — Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
The Comeback
"As a theatrical troupe, the Muppets haven't exactly been AWOL these past dozen years; the gang rocked YouTube in 2009 with their kick-ass rendition of Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody.' But they've certainly been lying low while our twitchy, tweet-y times have favored snarkier, more air-quote-driven entertainment, even from puppets. And in a way, that showbiz hiatus has worked in favor of The Muppets. For adults, the movie's gentle, clever, unironic humor feels freshly, trendily retro now, enhanced by laughs provided in cameos from a very up-to-date roster of stars." — Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
The Muppets
"These are the same old, adorable Muppets, as sweetly innocent and likable as ever. Winking at itself, the movie is casually, amusingly self-reflexive. In one joke Kermit the Frog considers telephoning President Carter. 'The Muppets' makes no attempt to match the wisecracking hipness of the 'Shrek' movies. If it doesn't provoke belly laughs, it elicits many affectionate chuckles." — Stephen Holden, The New York Times
The Final Word
"The remarkable thing about the Muppets, then and now, is what distinctive personalities and presences they have. When 'The Muppet Movie,' the first in the series, came out in 1979, there was astonishment that — ohmigod! — Kermit was riding a bicycle! How could a Muppet do that? Today, characters can do anything in the movies, but these Muppets are still played by Muppeteers, and they're still endearing." — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Check out everything we've got on "The Muppets."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, John Paul Jones Unveil Supergroup
Them Crooked Vultures make their debut with a post-Lollapalooza set.
By James Montgomery
Dave Grohl (file)
Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images
Officially, Lollapalooza ended Sunday night in Chicago's Grant Park, with dueling sets from the Killers and Jane's Addiction. Unofficially, it ended very early Monday morning, across town at venerable rock club the Metro, with a surprise show by Them Crooked Vultures.
To the unfamiliar, the Vultures might seem like an odd choice to close out Lolla weekend ... until you realize that they're made up of Foo Fighters frontman/ former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age mastermind Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones. And their gig at the Metro was their world premiere.
According to some reports, the Vultures actually turned down Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell's request to replace the Beastie Boys as headliners at the festival, opting to debut in front of some 1,100 super-psyched fans at the Metro, rather than 75,000 in Grant Park (tickets for the gig were announced via Foo Fighter/ QOTSA fan clubs). Meaning that, in a lot of ways, this was the most sought-after ticket in town.
Taking the stage just after midnight, the Vultures — Grohl on drums (of course), Homme on guitar and vocals, Jones on bass and keys and frequent QOTSA contributor Alain Johannes on guitar — ripped through 12 songs in 80 minutes, all taken from their upcoming debut, which may or may not be called Never Deserved the Future, and may or may not be hitting stores on October 23 (early "promo" videos touting both those facts were revealed over the weekend to be hoaxes perpetrated by QOTSA fans).
The songs, with appropriately Homme-ian titles like "Scumbag Blues," "Mind Eraser (No Chaser)," "Caligulove" and "Interlude w/Ludes," sounded pretty much how you'd expect, given the band's pedigree. They rocked, hard — Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot described them as "fresh, invigorating and just plain nasty" — delving off into psychedelic, reverb-filled excursions and exploring proggy territory, "both of the old-school Yes variety, and the more modern Tool flavor," according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Jim DeRogatis.
It's not known if Monday's Metro performance was a one-off event for the Vultures — there have been whispers of a full-blown tour, but a spokesperson for Homme had not responded to MTV News' request for comment at press time. Nor was it clear whether or not they'll have an album out in October.
Early Monday, a Crooked Vultures Twitter account, which had previously posted links to the band's official-looking Web site and the Metro's online ticketing site — posted a link to what appears to be the group's first bit of official merchandise: a Deserve the Future T-shirt. Cost: $30.
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsAvril Lavigne 'Re-Inspired' By 'X Factor' Mentor L.A. Reid
'I never had that connection with anyone ever again,' she tells MTV News of label exec, who signed her at age 15.
By Jocelyn Vena
L.A. Reid and Avril Lavigne in 2006
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Avril Lavigne made headlines earlier this month when she signed with Epic Records, reuniting her with early mentor L.A. Reid.
The "X Factor" judge helped shape the early part of the Canadian pop star's career when he discovered her at the top of the millennium and signed her to Arista, launching her to pop-star status. Now that Reid is at Epic, he decided it was a good time to get back together with the singer.
Lavigne couldn't be happier that Reid snatched her up.
"It's really exciting for me, because L.A. Reid signed me. He met me when I was 15, and he signed me on the spot. We did my first album together, and it was really successful and then what happens in the record industry, you know, changes are made," she told MTV News. "We didn't get to work together, and I was so bummed out, 'cause I never had that connection with anyone ever again, like, my whole career at the record company."
Ever since they were split up, Lavigne and Reid have hoped to reunite. "Every time we'd see each other, [we'd be like] 'We want to work together again,' so we've been waiting for this day," she said. "Now he is the president of Epic Records, and I just was able to move over, and so he's taking over for me and we're working together again."
Thanks to their reunion, Lavigne is able to focus on what she does best: make music. "We're also starting music for a new record for 2012," she said. "So I feel, like, really re-inspired, and I feel like it happened at the right time, 'cause I was really discouraged with record-company stuff on my last album. It was not something I was looking forward to dealing with again. Now I'm so excited."
Earlier this year, Lavigne released her album Goodbye Lullaby, which features her current single, the Max Martin-produced ballad "Wish You Were Here."
What are you expecting from Avril and L.A.'s reunion? Let us know in the comments!
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Lady Gaga To Debut 'Marry The Night' Video Thursday
Autobiographical clip, shot in various New York City locations, will premiere on E!
By Jocelyn Vena
Lady Gaga
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images
On Thursday, Lady Gaga will officially "Marry the Night." The singer announced on Twitter that she'll premiere her highly anticipated video for the song on E!
Directed by Mother Monster herself, it marks the first time she's ever directed a video completely on her own. Gaga previously directed clips in collaboration with her Haus or former creative director Laurieann Gibson.
Shot at various locations in New York City in October, including the Snug Harbor Cultural Center in Staten Island, Gaga weaves an autobiographical tale in the new clip. At another NYC location, Gaga was spotted rolling around on the roof of a car.
In a preview released earlier this month, a "Girl, Interrupted"-type story line was teased. In it, Gaga is rolled on a gurney through a mental ward. She goes on a long monologue about the nature of memory and art: "When I look back on my life, it's not that I don't want to see things exactly as they happened, it's just that I prefer to remember them in an artistic way."
In her Thanksgiving Day TV special last week, Gaga teased another part of the "Marry the Night" video. The clip references films like "Fame," with Gaga donning leggings and a tube top and practicing a dance routine at a studio.
During a trip to India, Gaga opened up a bit about shooting the clip and being a first-time director. "It has been a wonderful experience. I worked alongside director of photography Darius Khondji, who is an absolutely amazing DP, and I worked with Gideon Ponte, who is an incredible art director," she explained. "So I'm looking forward to sharing this autobiographical video with the world. I'm very excited. It's my favorite song on the album."
Kate Moss Channels David Bowie for Vogue Paris
She?s always been about living on the edge, and Kate Moss does a masterful job of channeling the energy of David Bowie on the cover of Vogue Paris' December/January issue.
The British supermodel dons a Balmain jumpsuit in the shot, having undergone hair and makeup to transform into the Ziggy Stardust image.
In related news, Ms. Moss has announced she?ll throw a swanky shindig to celebrate the final episode of ?Strictly Come Dancing? on December 17.
An insider told press, ?Kate loves throwing parties for her friends. This will be a huge pre-Christmas soir�e held at her country home in the Cotswolds. Kate loves all the glitz and glamour of Strictly so she has decided to host a Strictly themed party. She?s invited 17 of her close family friends and told everyone to dress up to the nines.?
?It will be a very glamorous affair, all of the girls in silk, ball gown-style dresses and the men in formal dinner jackets. Kate loves singing and prancing around so it?ll definitely end up in a karaoke session. Kate has asked her new pal Timmy Mallet to host the event and invited her closest mates including Meg Mathews, Stella McCartney, James Brown and Fazer from N-Dubz.?
'Dark Knight Rises' And More: 20 Best Trailers Of 2011
Teasers for 'Hunger Games' and 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2' also left us hungry for more.
By Eric Ditzian
Christian Bale in "The Dark Knight Rises"
Photo: Warner Bros.
Time, like the theatrical run of "Your Highness," has disappeared quickly this year. It's hard to believe it was almost 12 months ago that we were settling into our seats to check out Nicolas Cage's "Season of the Witch." That didn't work out so well.
And so, as the MTV Movies team begins our look back at the cinematic year that was 2011, we're reminded that time is precious. We don't have much of it; we must use it wisely. That's why we're beginning our series of best-of stories with movie trailers — those neat little packages of footage that let us know in a few minutes' time whether the full movie is going to be worth it. Picking our 20 favorite trailers was a tough call; just look at the ones that didn't make it, like "The Avengers," "The Amazing Spider-Man," "Captain America: The First Avenger" and "Breaking Dawn - Part 1."
In the end, though, we selected the trailers that truly stuck with us — some since the early days of the year and some newer ones that are sure to haunt us into next year. Read on for our picks for the 20 best movie trailers of 2011.
20. "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"
The trailer teases everything the movie delivers — a slowly building whodunit of a plot, an ominous score, period details so depressingly '70s-era British that the footage should come with a voucher for lithium — while at the same time succeeding in one area where the movie falters: It's not pull-your-hair-out, whisper-to-the-person-next-to-you, throw-your-hands-up-in-defeat confusing.
19. "The Muppets"
An unlikely companion piece to the "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" teaser listed below, this "Muppets" trailer — one in a long line of pop-culture mash-ups — had the lovable felt creatures laser-beaming one message to viewers: Our movie may be rated PG, but we swear you'll totally dig it. And hey, if you want to get stoned in the parking lot beforehand, that's fine, dude.
18. "Battleship"
The "Battleship" trailer got a lot of crap when it dropped in July — was this just "Blue Crush" meets "Armageddon," with neither the former's sugary, shameless sex factor nor the latter's Bruce Willis? Instead let us float another way of viewing it: as an utterly wacky, probably nonsensical yet potentially blockbustering summer movie for a "Transformers"-less 2012.
17. "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
The footage builds and builds its claustrophobic tension, finally giving way to John Hawkes' homespun singer/songwriter tuneage, which somehow still doesn't allow you any catharsis, any chance just to catch your breath: All is not well in Elizabeth Olsen's world. And it's simply addicting to watch.
16. "The Woman in Black"
The tagline could have been, "Abandon hope, all ye Muggles who enter here." The first full trailer for Daniel Radcliffe's first post-"Harry Potter" film was simple and creepy and effective — and unlike anything the boy wizard has ever encountered.
15. "Red Tails"
The second trailer starts off a little hokey, but it soon morphs into a shoot-'em-up dogfight between the Tuskegee Airmen and the Axis powers. Every piece of American history should come wrapped in such fiery pop-culture packaging.
14. "Devil's Double"
Torture, guns, chicks in bikinis, Dominic Cooper doing double duty as wide-eyed innocent and psychotic tyrant — what else can one ask for in a trailer?
13. "Super 8"
While our favorite "Super 8" trailer dropped in 2010, the one J.J. Abrams unleashed this past March — with its classic movie-monster intrigue and Spielbergian patina — was still pretty kick-ass. If only the film itself had lived up to the potential of these early looks.
12. "Drive"
In a word: cool. In a few more: awesome score, awesome car chases, awesome hints at violence, awesome performance by Ryan Gosling. Mainly, though: cool as sh--.
11. "John Carter"
After checking out this trailer, we'd gladly jet off to Mars and battle a few of Edgar Rice Burroughs' baddies if it meant catching an early screening of this sci-fi epic.
10. "American Reunion"
We didn't realize we actually missed Jim and his randy pals until we glimpsed the goofball and his flute-loving wife separately, secretly pleasuring themselves to R. Kelly's "Bump N' Grind."
9. "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance"
Nicolas Cage pees fire. He f---ing pees fire and says it feels awesome. When do tickets go on sale?
8. "Like Crazy"
One of the best movies at Sundance became the hands-down finest trailer for a romantic drama in 2011, capturing all the beauty and sadness and magic that echoes between Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones in the film.
7. "Rise of the Apes"
Anyone mocking the idea of bringing back those damn dirty apes with James Franco in tow was roundly silenced when the teaser dropped in April and we peeped Andy Serkis' Caesar and his ilk unleashing simian fury on San Francisco.
6. "X-Men First Class"
Was it the sizzling score? The historical weight imbued by JFK's voice-over? The quick looks at all those mutants? Every single frame in which Michael Fassbender was onscreen? It was all of it and more that made this "X-Men" trailer one of the most epic of the year.
5. "The Hunger Games"
After the most teaser-y of teaser trailers debuted at the MTV Video Music Awards, Lionsgate came through with a ton of footage in November: districts, tributes, games-makers, the Hunger Games arena and three teens looking to swipe the throne of tween obsession-dom from Edward, Bella and Jacob.
4. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
The feel-bad movie of Christmas gave us zero dialogue, oodles of fresh looks without anything so troublesome as context getting in the way, and Trent Reznor and Karen O's cover of "Immigrant Song." Oh, and chills: it gave us chills.
3. "Snow White and the Huntsman"
Our expectations were not high. So let us apologize to Kristen Stewart and all who are involved with this adaptation: Well done, folks! Sweeping in scale and containing some truly creative visual effects (huge crows splintering into hundreds of smaller crows, an anthropomorphic golden mirror), the trailer already would have been a 2011 highlight on its own merits. But when the silly trailer for "Mirror, Mirror," a competing Snow White flick, dropped days later, we had to revise our expectations for "Huntsman": This is how you adapt a centuries-old fairy tale for the 21st-century multiplex.
2. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
Sure, we whooped it up to "Woman in Black." But the final "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" trailer? That sucker was not only the best "Deathly Hallows" trailer, it was arguably the best trailer of the entire franchise.
1. "The Dark Knight Rises"
This teaser should be encased in glass and studied at every studio in Hollywood as the perfect way to build excitement, deliver what core fans wants and yet not give away the whole shebang — and leave everyone dying to see more, more, more. There is simply no question: This was the best trailer of 2011, and we have a feeling it's teasing what will be the best movie of 2012.
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Beyonce And Jay-Z Expecting A Baby Girl?
Kelly Rowland seemingly let the news slip on a red carpet in London.
By James Montgomery
Jay-Z and Beyoncé
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Are Beyoncé and Jay-Z expecting a baby girl? Well, according to one of Bey's closest friends, the answer is "yes."
While in London to attend the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year Awards on Thursday, it was none other than Beyoncé's former Destiny's Child mate Kelly Rowland who let it be known — rather inadvertently, it would seem — that the high-powered couple would be having a girl.
"I'm so happy for my sister and her husband. They're so happy in this moment right now, as they should be. They made a little bundle of love. I'm so excited for them," Rowland told U.K. news agency Bang Showbiz. "I have no idea what I'm going to buy Beyoncé at the baby shower because Jay is going to buy that little girl every single thing possible. She won't be spoiled, but she will be very well looked-after."
So there you have it. Of course, there's yet to be an official statement from the couple, and a spokesperson for Beyoncé did not respond to MTV News' request for comment on the matter.
Last month, Rowland told MTV News that she was excited "to be an auntie" to the couple's child and added that she can't wait to babysit. And assuming she hasn't been placed on Jayoncé's blacklist for letting the information slip, Rowland also told Bang Showbiz she's planning to make herself available to help out the couple as much as possible.
"I'll be on hand for babysitting duties," she said. "And I'm actually very good with messy diapers."
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Lady Gaga To Debut 'Marry The Night' Video Thursday
Autobiographical clip, shot in various New York City locations, will premiere on E!
By Jocelyn Vena
Lady Gaga
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images
On Thursday, Lady Gaga will officially "Marry the Night." The singer announced on Twitter that she'll premiere her highly anticipated video for the song on E!
Directed by Mother Monster herself, it marks the first time she's ever directed a video completely on her own. Gaga previously directed clips in collaboration with her Haus or former creative director Laurieann Gibson.
Shot at various locations in New York City in October, including the Snug Harbor Cultural Center in Staten Island, Gaga weaves an autobiographical tale in the new clip. At another NYC location, Gaga was spotted rolling around on the roof of a car.
In a preview released earlier this month, a "Girl, Interrupted"-type story line was teased. In it, Gaga is rolled on a gurney through a mental ward. She goes on a long monologue about the nature of memory and art: "When I look back on my life, it's not that I don't want to see things exactly as they happened, it's just that I prefer to remember them in an artistic way."
In her Thanksgiving Day TV special last week, Gaga teased another part of the "Marry the Night" video. The clip references films like "Fame," with Gaga donning leggings and a tube top and practicing a dance routine at a studio.
During a trip to India, Gaga opened up a bit about shooting the clip and being a first-time director. "It has been a wonderful experience. I worked alongside director of photography Darius Khondji, who is an absolutely amazing DP, and I worked with Gideon Ponte, who is an incredible art director," she explained. "So I'm looking forward to sharing this autobiographical video with the world. I'm very excited. It's my favorite song on the album."
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Justin Bieber Takes Paternity Test
Even after lawsuit was dropped last week, Bieber's team is taking steps to prove the allegations are false.
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Justin Bieber
Photo: Dave M. Benett/Getty Images
Justin Bieber is a man of his word. After promising he would take a DNA test when a paternity suit was brought against him, TMZ reports the pop star took one Friday night at a lab in New Jersey.
The gossip site reports that the test was taken under "very controlled circumstances," and the next move is on Mariah Yeater, the woman who claimed that her son is Bieber's before dropping her paternity suit last week.
Bieber and his team have maintained that the 17-year-old is not the father of 3-month-old Trystan. E! News reports that there is no timeframe for when Yeater must provide a DNA sample.
When MTV News caught up with Bieber on Thursday night, one day before he took the test, he shrugged off the controversy, instead focusing on the positive and saying he's been doing "great" these days.
Bieber sat down with NYC radio station Z100 earlier that day and joked that he'd prefer the rumors be about running away to South America with a supermodel. "Right now, I'm focusing on my album and the music and the [Pencils of Promise] charity we're doing and just being positive, because Christmastime is a time for joy and happiness, so that's what I'm thinking," Bieber said. "And as far as the whole baby situation, it's unfortunate that it had to happen like that. People make false accusations, but things happen in this industry and you have to keep your head high and be positive."
Those words mirror the advice Bieber's mentor, Usher, shared with him: "Stay strong. And know that all of this comes with the territory."
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Even after lawsuit was dropped last week, Bieber's team is taking steps to prove the allegations are false.
By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber
Photo: Dave M. Benett/Getty Images
Justin Bieber is a man of his word. After promising he would take a DNA test when a paternity suit was brought against him, TMZ reports the pop star took one Friday night at a lab in New Jersey.
The gossip site reports that the test was taken under "very controlled circumstances," and the next move is on Mariah Yeater, the woman who claimed that her son is Bieber's before dropping her paternity suit last week.
Bieber and his team have maintained that the 17-year-old is not the father of 3-month-old Trystan. E! News reports that there is no timeframe for when Yeater must provide a DNA sample.
When MTV News caught up with Bieber on Thursday night, one day before he took the test, he shrugged off the controversy, instead focusing on the positive and saying he's been doing "great" these days.
Bieber sat down with NYC radio station Z100 earlier that day and joked that he'd prefer the rumors be about running away to South America with a supermodel. "Right now, I'm focusing on my album and the music and the [Pencils of Promise] charity we're doing and just being positive, because Christmastime is a time for joy and happiness, so that's what I'm thinking," Bieber said. "And as far as the whole baby situation, it's unfortunate that it had to happen like that. People make false accusations, but things happen in this industry and you have to keep your head high and be positive."
Those words mirror the advice Bieber's mentor, Usher, shared with him: "Stay strong. And know that all of this comes with the territory."
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The penultimate entry in the vampire romance series pulled off an impressive haul of an estimated $62.3 million, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com. The weekend brought the film's domestic total [...]
Lil Boosie Sentenced To Eight Years In Prison
Louisiana rapper pleaded guilty to drug-smuggling charges.
By Nadeska Alexis
Lil Boosie
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images
Lil Boosie has been incarcerated since June 2010, awaiting trial for a murder charge. On Tuesday (November 29), the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native (born Torrence Hatch) pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiring to smuggle drugs into prison and was sentenced to eight years behind bars.
Local TV station WFAB reports that District Judge Mike Erwin passed down the sentence after Boosie admitted that he tried to smuggle drugs into Louisiana's Dixon Correctional Center and Angola State Penitentiary. Upon hearing his sentence, the 29-year-old rapper requested admittance to a drug rehab program, and while the judge agreed to recommend treatment, he wouldn't order it. Boosie will receive credit for the time he has already served behind bars.
Last June, Boosie pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree murder, two counts of conspiracy to introduce contraband into a penal institution, three counts of possession with intent to distribute narcotics and three counts of conspiracy to commit possession with intent to distribute narcotics.
The first-degree murder charge stemmed from the October 2009 death of Terry Boyd. Boosie is accused of paying hit men to kill the 35-year-old man and, if convicted, he may face the death penalty. During Boosie's stint behind bars, the East Baton Rouge DA's office also began to build another case against Boosie, trying to link him to five additional murders.
During a prison interview in May, the Trill Entertainment rapper told XXL magazine he was being unfairly targeted by the justice system. "[I'm here] 'cause of the songs I made, before I was indicted, about the police in Baton Rouge and what's going on here," he said. "There's a lot with our record label that the system don't like. ... They took my hard drive out of my house after I got arrested. I have albums for days in there. They still haven't returned it. They've had it for damn near a year now. I need that music."