In the course of one chaotic week, the lives of three New York City police officers are dramatically transformed by their involvment in a massive drug operation in the streets of Brooklyn. From the director of "Training Day", Antoine Fuqua.
Burned out veteran Eddie Dugan (Golden Globe®-winner Richard Gere) is just one week away from his pension and a fishing cabin in Connecticut. Narcotics officer Sal Procida (Oscar® nominee Ethan Hawke) has discovered there’s no line he won’t cross to provide a better life for his long-suffering wife and seven children. And Clarence “Tango” Butler (Oscar® nominee Don Cheadle) has been undercover so long his loyalties have started to shift from his fellow police officers to his prison buddy Caz (Wesley Snipes), one of Brooklyn’s most infamous drug dealers. With personal and work pressures bearing down on them, each man faces daily tests of judgment and honor in one of the world’s most difficult jobs. When NYPD’s Operation Clean Up targets the notoriously drug-ridden BK housing project, all three officers find themselves swept away by the violence and corruption of Brooklyn’s gritty 65th Precinct and its most treacherous criminals. During seven fateful days, Eddie, Sal and Tango find themselves hurtling inextricably toward the same fatal crime scene and a shattering collision with destiny. The film captures the volatile and deadly world of one of New York’s most dangerous precincts through the eyes of the men and women pledged to protect and serve, as they face the wrenching choices that make them Brooklyn’s Finest (brooklynsfinestthemovie.com).
-http://www.brooklynsfinestthemovie.com/main//
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Avril Lavigne Falls Through The Rabbit Hole For 'Alice' Video
It's a tale as old as time: Distraught girl sees bunny, follows him, falls down rabbit hole and finds herself in a mad, mad world. It also happens to be the plot for Avril Lavigne's new music video, "Alice," off the "Alice in Wonderland" soundtrack, which premiered on Vevo.
The video opens with Lavigne decked out in modern-day pop-punk street clothes. She sees a rabbit and follows him into a world that features Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, a piano and lots and lots of mushrooms. In this world, it seems, she must wear an old-timey dress.
Scenes from the film are edited with newly shot scenes of Lavigne. The Canadian pop star stares and runs around aimlessly as she sings, "When the world's crashing down/ When I fall and hit the ground/ I will turn myself around/ Don't you try to stop me."
In one scene, she sits down at the Mad Hatter's tea party before running off to try to find her way back home. Eventually all works out for Lavigne. She's back in the real world with her memories of Wonderland safely intact as she fondly looks back.
Lavigne recently blogged about the video's premiere, writing, "I had so much fun doing this video. We shot it in the Los Angeles Arboretum. ... It was beautiful. We wanted the visuals to capture the spirit of the movie."
Although the video gives fans a taste of what they can expect from the Tim Burton-directed flick, Lavigne says that writing the song for the film has amped up her desire to see the finished product.
"I feel very lucky to be a part of Tim Burton's new film 'Alice in Wonderland,' " she blogged about the project. "Working on this project was such a treat! It was such a great experience and Tim Burton was an absolute pleasure. He is very smart. I am so grateful for this opportunity ... and can't wait to see the whole film!!!!"
- Jocelyn Vena
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1632134/20100218/lavigne_avril.jhtml
The video opens with Lavigne decked out in modern-day pop-punk street clothes. She sees a rabbit and follows him into a world that features Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, a piano and lots and lots of mushrooms. In this world, it seems, she must wear an old-timey dress.
Scenes from the film are edited with newly shot scenes of Lavigne. The Canadian pop star stares and runs around aimlessly as she sings, "When the world's crashing down/ When I fall and hit the ground/ I will turn myself around/ Don't you try to stop me."In one scene, she sits down at the Mad Hatter's tea party before running off to try to find her way back home. Eventually all works out for Lavigne. She's back in the real world with her memories of Wonderland safely intact as she fondly looks back.
Lavigne recently blogged about the video's premiere, writing, "I had so much fun doing this video. We shot it in the Los Angeles Arboretum. ... It was beautiful. We wanted the visuals to capture the spirit of the movie."
Although the video gives fans a taste of what they can expect from the Tim Burton-directed flick, Lavigne says that writing the song for the film has amped up her desire to see the finished product.
"I feel very lucky to be a part of Tim Burton's new film 'Alice in Wonderland,' " she blogged about the project. "Working on this project was such a treat! It was such a great experience and Tim Burton was an absolute pleasure. He is very smart. I am so grateful for this opportunity ... and can't wait to see the whole film!!!!"
- Jocelyn Vena
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1632134/20100218/lavigne_avril.jhtml
James Cameron Says 'Everyone's Highly Motivated' For 'Avatar' Sequel
In early February, just as "Avatar" became the highest-grossing movie in U.S. box-office history, News Corp top dog Rupert Murdoch announced that Fox had held "very early talks about" a sequel to James Cameron's sci-fi love story. More than two weeks later, Cameron tells MTV News he's still waiting to sort out those contractual details before committing to a return to the motion-captured world of Pandora.
"I've got some deal hurdles I got to get over with the studio before I want to emotionally embrace that," the writer/director said.
Declining to elaborate about the specific obstacles — not compensation-related, he assured us — Cameron nonetheless said all parties involved expect a deal to be signed at some point down the road.
"[Sequel details have] never properly been worked out, let me put it that way," he said. "But everyone's highly motivated. Rupert Murdoch told us we were doing it, so now they have to make a deal."
During the Wednesday interview, Cameron also confirmed what he's been telling us since December: that the sequel will pick up after the events of the first film — spoiler alert! — when Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) permanently transfers his consciousness to his Na'vi avatar and begins a new life with Princess Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) after they defeat the human colonizers.
"It would be a continuation of their story and I expect that those nasty humans didn't go away forever: 'Oh, well that didn't work!' " he said.
For now, though, Cameron adamantly refuses to say whether a second "Avatar" will be his next feature film project as a director. He's got his hands in a number of other creative ventures and will soon jet off to Australia for work on "Sanctum," a 3-D underwater cave-diving tale that he's producing.
"I'm sort of reacquainting with a bunch of projects that are non-theatrical film projects, like space stuff and ocean stuff," Cameron said. "But yeah, I'm thinking about what the next feature will be and another 'Avatar' film is a strong possibility."
-Eric Ditzian
thttp://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1632147/story.jhtml
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
'The Wolfman' Now Playing
The Wolfman", released on February 12th, is just another werewolf movie; but I think this one is meant to scare the audience more than anything else. Other movies such as 'Van Helsing' and the 'Underworld' movies depict the war between werewolves and vampires. In my opinion they are dark and gloomy, full of action but still have some kind of love story underneath pushing the plot forward, and are very entertaining. 'The Wolfman' doesn't have any vampires in it, just a lot more blood and gore.
Universal Studios resurrects the classic lycanthrope with this tale of a man who experiences an unsettling transformation after he returns to his ancestral home in Victorian-era Great Britain and gets attacked by a rampaging werewolf. When Ben Talbot (Simon Merrells) vanishes into thin air, his brother Lawrence (Benicio Del Toro) returns to his family estate to investigate. Upon reuniting with his estranged father, Sir John Talbot (Anthony Hopkins), however, he discovers a destiny far darker than his blackest nightmares. Ben is dead; the victim of a savage attack by a beast that keeps the superstitious locals cowering in fear every time the moon shines bright in the sky. Shortly after discovering his brother's true fate, Lawrence swears to Ben's wife, Gwen (Emily Blunt), that he will bring her late husband's killer to justice. As a young boy, the untimely death of his mother caused Lawrence to grow up before his time. Though Lawrence had previously attempted to bury his pain in the past by leaving the quiet Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor behind, he discovers that you can't outrun fate when he's attacked by the very same nocturnal beast that claimed his brother. Not even recently arrived Scotland Yard inspector Aberline (Hugo Weaving) can dream up a rational explanation for the gruesome spell cast over Blackmoor, yet rumors of an ancient curse persist. According to legend, the afflicted will experience a horrific transformation by the light of the full moon. Now, the woman Talbot loves is in mortal danger, and in order to protect her he must venture into the moonlit woods and destroy the beast before it destroys her. But this isn't a typical hunt, because before the beast can be slain, a simple man will uncover a primal side of himself that he never knew existed.
Universal Studios resurrects the classic lycanthrope with this tale of a man who experiences an unsettling transformation after he returns to his ancestral home in Victorian-era Great Britain and gets attacked by a rampaging werewolf. When Ben Talbot (Simon Merrells) vanishes into thin air, his brother Lawrence (Benicio Del Toro) returns to his family estate to investigate. Upon reuniting with his estranged father, Sir John Talbot (Anthony Hopkins), however, he discovers a destiny far darker than his blackest nightmares. Ben is dead; the victim of a savage attack by a beast that keeps the superstitious locals cowering in fear every time the moon shines bright in the sky. Shortly after discovering his brother's true fate, Lawrence swears to Ben's wife, Gwen (Emily Blunt), that he will bring her late husband's killer to justice. As a young boy, the untimely death of his mother caused Lawrence to grow up before his time. Though Lawrence had previously attempted to bury his pain in the past by leaving the quiet Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor behind, he discovers that you can't outrun fate when he's attacked by the very same nocturnal beast that claimed his brother. Not even recently arrived Scotland Yard inspector Aberline (Hugo Weaving) can dream up a rational explanation for the gruesome spell cast over Blackmoor, yet rumors of an ancient curse persist. According to legend, the afflicted will experience a horrific transformation by the light of the full moon. Now, the woman Talbot loves is in mortal danger, and in order to protect her he must venture into the moonlit woods and destroy the beast before it destroys her. But this isn't a typical hunt, because before the beast can be slain, a simple man will uncover a primal side of himself that he never knew existed.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Avatar Prequel in Progress -- But Not for The Big Screen
It's the highest-grossing film of all time, possesses the most Oscar nominations of any film heading into next month's ceremony and is the word on everyone's lips: "Avatar." Now, James Cameron is beginning work on a prequel — but it won't be coming soon to a theater near you.
"Jim is going to write a novel himself," the film's producer, Jon Landau, told us when he stopped by the MTV News studios recently. "Not a novelization — and there is a distinction. A novelization basically retells the story of the movie. Jim wants to write a novel that is a big, epic story that fills in a lot of things."
Ever since "Avatar" mania engulfed Hollywood, rumors and small details have leaked out about possible prequels, sequels, comic books and novelizations. But Landau's comments appear to indicate the first definitive plan to provide more from the "Avatar" world to the seemingly endless appetite of its fans.
"It would be something that would lead up to telling the story of the movie, but it would go into much more depth about all the stories that we didn't have time to deal with — like the schoolhouse and Sigourney [Weaver's character] teaching at the schoolhouse; Jake on Earth and his backstory and how he came here; [the death of] Tommy, Jake's brother; and Colonel Quaritch, how he ended up there and all that," Landau explained.
Although Cameron has extensive writing credentials, including the screenplays for everything from the first two "Terminator" films to "Titanic," the "Avatar" prequel would mark his debut as a novelist.
If the "Avatar" prequel novel is a success, Cameron and Landau could potentially follow in the footsteps of George Lucas, opening up their sci-fi universe to other authors for interpretation. "We certainly have stories that are set before the movie opens and after," he explained. "I think that what we want to do is find out what mediums those stories are best told in. There might be opportunities in publishing to tell some of the backstory, tell some of the Earth war stories, what went on in Jake's life before the movie. And we'd have that lead up to the sequel that might take place on Pandora several years after our movie closed."
As for when "Avatar" fans can look forward to experiencing Cameron's novel, Landau had some encouraging news: "I'm hoping by the end of this year."
-Larry Carroll
http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1631859/story.jhtml
Ever since "Avatar" mania engulfed Hollywood, rumors and small details have leaked out about possible prequels, sequels, comic books and novelizations. But Landau's comments appear to indicate the first definitive plan to provide more from the "Avatar" world to the seemingly endless appetite of its fans.
"It would be something that would lead up to telling the story of the movie, but it would go into much more depth about all the stories that we didn't have time to deal with — like the schoolhouse and Sigourney [Weaver's character] teaching at the schoolhouse; Jake on Earth and his backstory and how he came here; [the death of] Tommy, Jake's brother; and Colonel Quaritch, how he ended up there and all that," Landau explained.
Although Cameron has extensive writing credentials, including the screenplays for everything from the first two "Terminator" films to "Titanic," the "Avatar" prequel would mark his debut as a novelist.
If the "Avatar" prequel novel is a success, Cameron and Landau could potentially follow in the footsteps of George Lucas, opening up their sci-fi universe to other authors for interpretation. "We certainly have stories that are set before the movie opens and after," he explained. "I think that what we want to do is find out what mediums those stories are best told in. There might be opportunities in publishing to tell some of the backstory, tell some of the Earth war stories, what went on in Jake's life before the movie. And we'd have that lead up to the sequel that might take place on Pandora several years after our movie closed."
As for when "Avatar" fans can look forward to experiencing Cameron's novel, Landau had some encouraging news: "I'm hoping by the end of this year."
-Larry Carroll
http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1631859/story.jhtml
Thursday, February 11, 2010
'Valentine's Day" Releases Tomorrow
The movie 'Valentine's Day' is set to release everywhere on February 12, 2010. This movie has more famous famous actors in it that any other movie has yet had. With an all-star cast including Jessica Alba, Kathy Bates, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Hector Elizondo, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner, George Lopez, Shirley MacLaine, Emma Roberts, Julia Roberts, and Taylor Swift (just to name a few), the movie will draw attention because of the largely famous cast.
Plot: A diverse group of Los Angelenos navigate their way through romance and heartbreak over the course of one Valentine's Day. Couples and singles experience the pinnacles and pitfalls of finding, keeping or ending relationships in a day in the life of love.
Plot: A diverse group of Los Angelenos navigate their way through romance and heartbreak over the course of one Valentine's Day. Couples and singles experience the pinnacles and pitfalls of finding, keeping or ending relationships in a day in the life of love.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Ellen DeGeneres Makes 'American Idol' Debut Tonight
On Tuesday night (February 9), we find out what kind of chemistry — if any — talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres has with the rest of the "American Idol" judging panel as the comedian makes her debut as the fourth judge during the start of Hollywood Week.
In the early going, DeGeneres reportedly clashed at times with lead judge Simon Cowell, who is departing at the end of the current season, a move that has set off rampant speculation about who might fill his opinionated shoes next season.
DeGeneres has some pretty big sneakers to fill herself, as she steps in following the departure of beloved loopy ex-judge Paula Abdul, who quit the show last year after failing to reach a new contract settlement. The ninth season of "Idol" will be the first without Abdul's lovably loony and predictably supportive commentary. Fox is hoping the cuddly and quick-witted DeGeneres can make fans forget about Abdul's exit and boost slowly eroding ratings on what is still the #1 show in prime time.
"Ellen brings a huge fanbase and people will be curious to see how she does. But if she performs poorly, that is bad for the show's long-term health," Entertainment Weekly senior writer Michael Slezak told Reuters.
MTV's resident "Idol" expert Jim Cantiello couldn't agree more. "I am super excited to see it for several reasons," he said. "One, it's a new element to a show that's been on the air for nine seasons, and we heard rumors there might have been tension on the first day because Simon showed up late, so it's fun to watch that episode with that filter. Also, she's one of the most famous people out there, so anything she does warrants attention."
Like a lot of "Idol" followers, Cantiello said he was a bit nervous about the addition of DeGeneres to the expert panel following her poorly received guest stint on "So You Think You Can Dance" last summer, where detractors faulted her for making jokes, but not really commenting on the dancing. "That was really bad, and if she does that on 'Idol,' the show will die a horrible death this year," Cantiello said. "When the news first came out about her, people freaked out, but that's subsided, and once I saw the promos Fox cut, they did a really good job teasing it."
-Gil Kaufman
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1631516/20100208/story.jhtml
DeGeneres has some pretty big sneakers to fill herself, as she steps in following the departure of beloved loopy ex-judge Paula Abdul, who quit the show last year after failing to reach a new contract settlement. The ninth season of "Idol" will be the first without Abdul's lovably loony and predictably supportive commentary. Fox is hoping the cuddly and quick-witted DeGeneres can make fans forget about Abdul's exit and boost slowly eroding ratings on what is still the #1 show in prime time.
"Ellen brings a huge fanbase and people will be curious to see how she does. But if she performs poorly, that is bad for the show's long-term health," Entertainment Weekly senior writer Michael Slezak told Reuters.
MTV's resident "Idol" expert Jim Cantiello couldn't agree more. "I am super excited to see it for several reasons," he said. "One, it's a new element to a show that's been on the air for nine seasons, and we heard rumors there might have been tension on the first day because Simon showed up late, so it's fun to watch that episode with that filter. Also, she's one of the most famous people out there, so anything she does warrants attention."
Like a lot of "Idol" followers, Cantiello said he was a bit nervous about the addition of DeGeneres to the expert panel following her poorly received guest stint on "So You Think You Can Dance" last summer, where detractors faulted her for making jokes, but not really commenting on the dancing. "That was really bad, and if she does that on 'Idol,' the show will die a horrible death this year," Cantiello said. "When the news first came out about her, people freaked out, but that's subsided, and once I saw the promos Fox cut, they did a really good job teasing it."
-Gil Kaufman
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1631516/20100208/story.jhtml
Michael Jackson's Family Reacts To Conrad Murray's Manslaughter Charge
After appearing together at Monday's arraignment for Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's family issued a series of statements decrying the doctor's not-guilty plea to the charge of involuntary manslaughter.
"He's lying. He's guilty. Nobody was there but him," Jackson's mother, Katherine, told the assembled media while leaving court. "He's just trying to save his own behind. ... He killed him. He wasn't monitoring him."
Murray, who faces up to four years in prison if convicted, didn't make a statement following his court appearance, during which he did not interact with the Jackson family members, according to reports. The Houston-based doctor is expected to leave Los Angeles after posting $75,000 bail.
Murray was hired as Jackson's personal physician several months before the singer was slated to leave for England to begin his planned 50-show residency comeback stint at the O2 arena. The cardiologist told investigators that he administered the surgical anesthetic propofol, as well as other tranquilizers, to Jackson several times in the hours leading up to his June 25 death. The coroner has ruled that the singer died of lethal levels of the drug. Murray obtained propofol legally, but is accused of negligence in the administration of the drug, a stance prosecutors came to after speaking with more than 10 medical experts.
"To me, he's just a fall guy," Jackson claimed. "There's other people, I think, involved with this whole thing. But I think that he's interrogated — he would come clean and tell everything he knows." According to Joe, Michael Jackson told his mother that he feared he would be killed in the lead-up to his London shows.
"He was afraid to even do all of these shows, because he was afraid that he wouldn't get a chance to finish all of the show," Joe Jackson said. "He couldn't do all those shows back-to-back. Even his kids say that he had told them that he would be murdered."
Sister La Toya Jackson issued a statement later in the day, which read, "Michael was murdered, and although he died at the hands of Dr. Conrad Murray, I believe Dr. Murray was a part of a much larger plan. There are other individuals involved, and I will not rest and I will continue to fight until all of the proper individuals are brought forth and justice is served."
-Gil Kaufman
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1631538/20100209/jackson_michael.jhtml
Murray, who faces up to four years in prison if convicted, didn't make a statement following his court appearance, during which he did not interact with the Jackson family members, according to reports. The Houston-based doctor is expected to leave Los Angeles after posting $75,000 bail.
Murray was hired as Jackson's personal physician several months before the singer was slated to leave for England to begin his planned 50-show residency comeback stint at the O2 arena. The cardiologist told investigators that he administered the surgical anesthetic propofol, as well as other tranquilizers, to Jackson several times in the hours leading up to his June 25 death. The coroner has ruled that the singer died of lethal levels of the drug. Murray obtained propofol legally, but is accused of negligence in the administration of the drug, a stance prosecutors came to after speaking with more than 10 medical experts.
"To me, he's just a fall guy," Jackson claimed. "There's other people, I think, involved with this whole thing. But I think that he's interrogated — he would come clean and tell everything he knows." According to Joe, Michael Jackson told his mother that he feared he would be killed in the lead-up to his London shows.
"He was afraid to even do all of these shows, because he was afraid that he wouldn't get a chance to finish all of the show," Joe Jackson said. "He couldn't do all those shows back-to-back. Even his kids say that he had told them that he would be murdered."
Sister La Toya Jackson issued a statement later in the day, which read, "Michael was murdered, and although he died at the hands of Dr. Conrad Murray, I believe Dr. Murray was a part of a much larger plan. There are other individuals involved, and I will not rest and I will continue to fight until all of the proper individuals are brought forth and justice is served."
-Gil Kaufman
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1631538/20100209/jackson_michael.jhtml
Monday, February 8, 2010
What Lil Wayne Can Expect During His Time In Jail?
Lil Wayne's life revolves around a daily regime of "SportsCenter," studio time and sweets. But on Tuesday (February 9), the Cash Money lyricist will be formally sentenced to prison after he struck a plea deal with Manhattan prosecutors stemming from a 2007 arrest in New York on gun charges. After he officially enters his plea, the rapper is expected to then turn himself in immediately to begin a one-year jail sentence.
Not since 2Pac has an MC been as accomplished and relevant yet faced an impending prison term at the height of his career. But will the lithe New Orleans rapper survive the daunting conditions at the notorious Rikers Island facility?
"Lil Wayne is gonna be OK," retired NYPD detective and noted "hip-hop cop" Derrick Parker told MTV News. "While he's in jail, it's a matter of fact they may not put him with the general population because of who he is and his popularity. They might lock him down and let him come out with a supervisor and stuff like that [when he's] in the main area — but he's definitely going to be treated differently."
According to Parker, the way Wayne will be handled is due to safety concerns for him, of course, but also to ensure as much normalcy as the facility possibly can — it won't resemble pampered treatment by any means. Parker said despite Wayne's small physical stature and his propensity to signal a particular gang affiliation in his rhymes, the rapper won't have much to fear in terms of extortion, bullying or worse.
"Wayne is from the streets, from the Magnolia Houses in New Orleans, so I'm sure those guys have been in jail or locked up at some point," Parker said. "So being in prison is no big deal to them."
But what exactly can Wayne expect? Fortunately, he won't to cut his trademark tresses.
"The days of doing that are over," retired corrections officer Charles Reid told MTV News. "They can't make inmates do that anymore — it's within their rights to maintain any kind of hairstyle."
Wayne will have a few comforts of home while he's away. He will be able to watch network television — not cable, however. And he'll be able to watch DVD movies. He told Rolling Stone recently he plans to take an iPod in with him assist with writing music, but a source close to the prison facility told MTV News that would not be allowed.
Due to the short nature of Wayne's sentence — one year, which could mean 10 months, including the possibly of early release after serving 80 percent of good time, possibly putting him back onstage in a little as eight months — the rapper could very well spend his entire term at Rikers Island.
"I think he's gonna go in there and do his time and do it quietly," Parker said. "If he does it with good behavior, that will be a plus for him — then he'll be out and putting out a new album."
-Jayson Rodriguez
Not since 2Pac has an MC been as accomplished and relevant yet faced an impending prison term at the height of his career. But will the lithe New Orleans rapper survive the daunting conditions at the notorious Rikers Island facility?"Lil Wayne is gonna be OK," retired NYPD detective and noted "hip-hop cop" Derrick Parker told MTV News. "While he's in jail, it's a matter of fact they may not put him with the general population because of who he is and his popularity. They might lock him down and let him come out with a supervisor and stuff like that [when he's] in the main area — but he's definitely going to be treated differently."
According to Parker, the way Wayne will be handled is due to safety concerns for him, of course, but also to ensure as much normalcy as the facility possibly can — it won't resemble pampered treatment by any means. Parker said despite Wayne's small physical stature and his propensity to signal a particular gang affiliation in his rhymes, the rapper won't have much to fear in terms of extortion, bullying or worse.
"Wayne is from the streets, from the Magnolia Houses in New Orleans, so I'm sure those guys have been in jail or locked up at some point," Parker said. "So being in prison is no big deal to them."
But what exactly can Wayne expect? Fortunately, he won't to cut his trademark tresses.
"The days of doing that are over," retired corrections officer Charles Reid told MTV News. "They can't make inmates do that anymore — it's within their rights to maintain any kind of hairstyle."
Wayne will have a few comforts of home while he's away. He will be able to watch network television — not cable, however. And he'll be able to watch DVD movies. He told Rolling Stone recently he plans to take an iPod in with him assist with writing music, but a source close to the prison facility told MTV News that would not be allowed.
Due to the short nature of Wayne's sentence — one year, which could mean 10 months, including the possibly of early release after serving 80 percent of good time, possibly putting him back onstage in a little as eight months — the rapper could very well spend his entire term at Rikers Island.
"I think he's gonna go in there and do his time and do it quietly," Parker said. "If he does it with good behavior, that will be a plus for him — then he'll be out and putting out a new album."
-Jayson Rodriguez
Friday, February 5, 2010
Mary J. Blige, Drake, Chris Brown Join Forces For BET's 'SOS Saving Ourselves: Help For Haiti' Tonight
The talent roster for BET's "SOS Saving Ourselves: Help for Haiti" telethon continues to expand as the Neptunes' Pharrell Williams will join Diddy and Queen Latifah as co-hosts of the proceedings, while Drake, Chris Brown and Nas have been added to the performance slate.
Wyclef, Ne-Yo, Keri Hilson and Akon have also been added to the bill; Pete Wentz, Gloria Estefan and Trey Songz are scheduled to participate at the event, set to take place at American Airlines Arena in Miami on Friday (February 5).
The telecast will be broadcast on MTV, BET, VH1 and Centric beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Money raised will go to organizations providing immediate relief in Haiti, including Wyclef Jean's Yele Haiti foundation, C.A.R.E. and Project MediShare. Tickets to the benefit will also be available on Ticketmaster.com and at the American Airlines Arena box office.
The event follows on the heels of George Clooney and MTV Networks' "Hope For Haiti Now" telethon that was watched by upwards of 83 million people and helped raise more than $61 million in donations. Aid to Haiti is still needed following the devastating earthquake that struck the island last month. It was announced on Thursday that former U.S. President Bill Clinton, now a United Nations special envoy to Haiti, will visit the country to meet with government officials and deliver more supplies.
"More than three weeks after the earthquake, the relief efforts in Haiti have been increasing to meet staggering needs, but the long road to recovery has just begun," Clinton said in a statement, according to CNN.
In addition to the Wyclef, Hilson and Akon, other performances scheduled for "SOS Saving Ourselves: Help for Haiti" will include Pitbull, Damian Marley, Monica, India.Arie and Kirk Franklin. Common, David Banner, Missy Elliot, The-Dream and T-Pain will also participate.
Previously, Justin Bieber, Ludacris, Robin Thicke, and Mary J. Blige were announced as performers.
Learn more about what you can do to help with earthquake-relief efforts in Haiti, and for more information, see Think MTV. Visit HopeForHaitiNow.org or call (877) 99-HAITI to make a donation now.
-Jayson Rodriguez
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Jay-Z: The BP3 Hits the Palace
The Blue Print 3, Jay-Z's most recent album release, was the second highest selling hip hop album of 2009. The album features hits such as "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)", "Run This Town" featuring Rihanna and Kanye West, and "Empire State of Mind" featuring Alicia Keys.
If you are any type of Jay-Z fan, this is an event you will not want to miss.
'Dear John" Releases Tommorow in Theatres
The movie that has every girl and woman in America waiting its release opens in theaters tomorrow. 'Dear John" staring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried is open the new year as the first majorly anticipated love story.
Director Lasse Hallström and screenwriter Jamie Linden collaborate to adapt author Nicholas Sparks' novel about a young soldier who falls for an idealistic college girl. Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried) was on spring break when she first met John Tyree (Channing Tatum), who was home on temporary leave. For the smitten soldier it was practically love at first sight. Over the course of the next seven years, when each deployment seemed more treacherous than the last, the love letters that Savannah sent to John were one of the only things that kept him going. However, those loving and heartfelt correspondences would ultimately yield consequences that neither the brave soldier nor his one true love could have ever foreseen.
The movie will draw large crowds to theaters as girlfriends and wives will be dragging their significant others along with them to watch the romance. It will be "The Notebook" round two.
The movie will draw large crowds to theaters as girlfriends and wives will be dragging their significant others along with them to watch the romance. It will be "The Notebook" round two.
Beyonce 'Shocked' Jay-Z By Saying 'I Love You' At Grammys
Jay-Z and Beyoncé are notorious for keeping their private life just that. Rarely do they speak about each other in interviews, and they skillfully avoid public displays of affection. So, when Beyoncé told her hubby that she loved him onstage at the Grammys on Sunday night, no one was more surprised by her televised proclamation of love than Jay-Z himself.
"I'd love to thank my family for all of their support, including my husband. I love you," she said while accepting her Best Female Pop Vocal Performance award.
"He was shocked! He was just like, 'What did you say?' " Beyoncé told "Access Hollywood" about her acceptance speech.
B, who eventually went home with six Grammys on Sunday, said that she didn't even realize what she was saying. "I was so happy, I could've said anything. That's why I ran off the stage," she explained. "I just looked up, and he was the first face I saw. And I was like, 'What did I just do? No, I didn't just say that.' "
While Jay-Z seemed surprised she shared with the world her feelings for him, he also seemed incredibly proud of his wife's very successful evening. "He said, 'You have six Grammys and you smell good,' " she joked, deftly turning her embarrassment into a plug for her new perfume Beyoncé Heat. "This morning I woke up and they told me the fragrance is the number one fragrance in America. I had absolutely no idea."
- Jocelyn Vena
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1631270/20100204/knowles_beyonce.jhtml
"I'd love to thank my family for all of their support, including my husband. I love you," she said while accepting her Best Female Pop Vocal Performance award.
"He was shocked! He was just like, 'What did you say?' " Beyoncé told "Access Hollywood" about her acceptance speech.B, who eventually went home with six Grammys on Sunday, said that she didn't even realize what she was saying. "I was so happy, I could've said anything. That's why I ran off the stage," she explained. "I just looked up, and he was the first face I saw. And I was like, 'What did I just do? No, I didn't just say that.' "
While Jay-Z seemed surprised she shared with the world her feelings for him, he also seemed incredibly proud of his wife's very successful evening. "He said, 'You have six Grammys and you smell good,' " she joked, deftly turning her embarrassment into a plug for her new perfume Beyoncé Heat. "This morning I woke up and they told me the fragrance is the number one fragrance in America. I had absolutely no idea."
- Jocelyn Vena
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1631270/20100204/knowles_beyonce.jhtml
Drake Says He'd Be 'Down' For A Taylor Swift Collaboration
"Seeing Taylor Swift in person is always fun for me," the rapper told "Extra" on Sunday. "I bought this Taylor Swift T-shirt the other day that I might wear tonight."
While Drake didn't end up wearing any Swift merch onstage for his performance of "Forever," alongside Eminem, Lil Wayne and Travis Barker, he is willing to show his fandom in other ways. "I just have this small little thing with her; I just like her whole being. I'm excited about her career," he said, adding he'd like to get into the studio with her. "That would be nice, I'm down!"
Swift has already dabbled in hip-hop. Who could forget T-Swizzle's memorable "Thug Life" duet with T-Pain at the CMT Awards last year?
And long before she and Kanye West had a more contentious relationship, Swift shared with MTV News that she wouldn't mind hitting the studio with him. "I'd like to do a completely off-the-wall collaboration," she said. "I would like one of my songs to be the hook to a rap song. That would be so much fun! You know, I love Kanye West and I love T.I. — he's amazing."
-Jocelyn Vena
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Oscar Nominations Led By 'Avatar' & 'Hurt Locker'
Days after winning its seventh-straight weekend at the box office, "Avatar" nabbed nine nominations for the 82nd Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, tying "The Hurt Locker" for most Oscar nods in 2010. "Inglourious Basterds" garnered eight nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, while "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" and "Up in the Air" collected six and "Up" secured five. For the first time since 1943, when "Casablanca" triumphed, the Oscars have selected 10 nominees in the Best Picture category, rather than the usual five. Despite the increased number, there were few surprises. Joining Cameron's big blue-alien epic are "The Hurt Locker," "Inglourious Basterds," "Up in the Air," "Precious, "District 9," "An Education," "A Serious Man," "Up" and "The Blind Side."
In the Best Actor category, Jeff Bridges ("Crazy Heart"), who won the Golden Globe for best lead dramatic actor, was nominated, as were George Clooney ("Up in the Air"), Colin Firth ("A Single Man"), Morgan Freeman ("Invictus") and Jeremy Renner ("The Hurt Locker").
Meryl Streep ("Julie & Julia") and Sandra Bullock ("The Blind Side"), who both won Golden Globes in January, anchor the Best Actress category, joined by Helen Mirren ("The Last Station"), Carey Mulligan ("An Education") and Gabourey Sidibe ("Precious").
Following her recent Directors Guild win, Kathryn Bigelow was tapped in the Best Director category, alongside ex-husband Cameron ("Avatar"), Jason Reitman ("Up in the Air"), Lee Daniels ("Precious") and Quentin Tarantino ("Inglourious Basterds").
It will be interesting to see how many of the 9 nominations the biggest movie of the year will take home with them. I wouldnt be suprised if they took them all.
-Eric Ditzian
http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1631023/story.jhtml
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
From Paris With Love Opens in Theaters Friday
From the director of "Taken", Pierre Morel's next movie "From Paris with Love" should be nothing less than an action-packed thriller that will keep the audience entertained from start to finish.
A personal aide to U.S. Ambassador in France, James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) has an enviable life in Paris and a beautiful French girlfriend, but his real passion is his side job as a low-level operative for the CIA. All James wants is to become a bona fide agent and see some real action. So when he's offered his first senior-level assignment, he can't believe his good luck until he meets his new partner, special agent Charlie Wax (John Travolta).
A trigger-happy, wisecracking, loose cannon who's been sent to Paris to stop a terrorist attack. Wax leads James on a white- Knuckle shooting spree through the Parisian underworld that has James praying for his desk job. But when James discovers he's a target of the same crime ring they're trying to bust, he realizes there's no turning back...and that Wax himself might be his only hope for making it through the next forty-eight hours alive.
Release date- 2/5/10
A personal aide to U.S. Ambassador in France, James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) has an enviable life in Paris and a beautiful French girlfriend, but his real passion is his side job as a low-level operative for the CIA. All James wants is to become a bona fide agent and see some real action. So when he's offered his first senior-level assignment, he can't believe his good luck until he meets his new partner, special agent Charlie Wax (John Travolta).
A trigger-happy, wisecracking, loose cannon who's been sent to Paris to stop a terrorist attack. Wax leads James on a white- Knuckle shooting spree through the Parisian underworld that has James praying for his desk job. But when James discovers he's a target of the same crime ring they're trying to bust, he realizes there's no turning back...and that Wax himself might be his only hope for making it through the next forty-eight hours alive.
Release date- 2/5/10
Monday, February 1, 2010
Grammy's Shined with Brilliant Performances
Lady Gaga kicked off the show with a theatrical version of "Poker Face" — which featured a steam-powered set dubbed "The Fame Factory," some flames and a pair of seriously sparkly shoulder pads — then welcomed Elton John to the stage for a dueling-piano take on Gaga's "Speechless" (and a few bars of the John/ Bernie Taupin classic "Your Song"). And, in keeping with the rather flamboyant nature of both artists, show producers made sure their conjoined piano was topped with severed mannequin arms.
It was a pretty epic opening, but Beyoncé didn't back down from the challenge. She stormed into Staples with an army of riot-gear-clad escorts, then got down to belting out a fiery version of "If I Were a Boy," complete with a shredding backing band and a brief foray into Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know." She wrapped up her performance by channeling her inner Tina Turner, dropping to her knees and singing for the rafters. By the time B had gotten to her feet, so had the audience, who showered her with applause.
Pink got aerial (and soaking wet) during her performance of "Glitter in the Air," which saw her wrapped in linen, sent soaring above the crowd at Staples, then dipped into a pool of water. The Black Eyed Peas rattled the roof with a booming medley of their hits, which featured a battalion of electric-clad dancers, Fergie donning her Robocop finest and Will.I.Am rocking an inexplicable black molding of his head on his head. Green Day offered a preview of their American Idiot musical, featuring members of the cast. And Lil Wayne, Eminem, Drake and Travis Barker roared versions of Weezy's "Drop the World" and D's "Forever," though, judging by the frequent audio drops, it would seem the network censors got a little too anxious with the "delay" button.
There was also a 3-D tribute to the late Michael Jackson, which featured Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood, Smokey Robinson and Jennifer Hudson performing Jackson's "Earth Song," while 3-D images played around them (and featured unintentionally comical shots of stars like Rihanna, Beyoncé and Will.I.Am wearing their 3-D glasses in the audience). It will probably be remembered best for what happened next, as two of Jackson's children — son Prince and daughter Paris — accepted an honorary lifetime-achievement award in their father's memory.
It was an emotional moment in a night largely bereft of them, though the Dave Matthews Band's stirring performance of "You & Me," and Wyclef's from-the-heart speech about his native Haiti — in which he spoke in Creole and thanked the world for their support, before adding, "We will continue" — did manage to tug on the heartstrings. But this night will probably be best remembered for Beyoncé and Swift's dominance, not to mention the sheer spectacle of the performances, which proved that even in dour times, the music industry knows how to throw a party — a massive, eye-popping, over-the-top one at that.
-James Montgomery (mtv.com)
Grammy Night Belongs to Two Female Artists
While there we plenty of thrilling moments at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards, nothing could outshine Beyonce and Taylor Swift. The duo was nominated for a combined 16 Grammy Awards — took home 10 of them, with Beyoncé winning six, including Song of the Year, and Swift snagging four, including the night's biggest trophy, Album of the Year.
Swift's three other Grammys came in the country category, with Fearless winning Best Country Album and her hit "White Horse" grabbing Best County Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Beyoncé's haul was spread out across many categories. Her ubiquitous "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" won three Grammys, for Song of the Year, Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. "Halo" won for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance, and her version of Etta James' "At Last" took home the award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.
Following close behind Beyoncé and Swift were a pair of artists who won three Grammys, including Jay-Z (Best Rap Solo Performance, Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration) and the Kings of Leon, who shocked many (but not us) when their "Use Somebody" took home Record of the Year, a win they were definitely in the mood to celebrate.
"We're a little drunk, but we're happy drunk," Kings drummer Nathan Followill laughed while accepting the award, before rattling off a lengthy "thank you" list. "If there's anyone else I forgot; I'll buy you shots later."
Later in the telecast, while accepting the Grammy for Best Rock Album, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong sounded like he was looking to party too, signing off with, "And now, I'm gonna have shots with Kings of Leon!"
Also in the mood to celebrate: the Black Eyed Peas, who won three Grammys (one for Best Short Form Music Video); Eminem, who took home two awards; and Lady Gaga, who won two of her own (though both were during the pre-televised ceremony).
-James Montgomery
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1630905/20100201/knowles_beyonce.jhtml
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