read scary stories online: February 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

Lil Wayne's Sunday Night at the Ballgame

Taking in some Sunday night hoops, Lil Wayne was spotted courtside at the Miami Heat basketball game on Sunday (February 27).

The ?A Milli? rapper looked to be in good spirits at first, but was none too happy when his team took a loss against the New York Knicks at the American Airlines Arena.

In related news, Wayne is set to team up once again with singer/rapper, Lloyd, for a track on his new album, King of Hearts.

Wayne, along with Andre 3000, will be collaborating with Lloyd for a song called ?Miss That Pu---? for the album which hits shelves on April 19.

Nicole Richie Nicole Scherzinger Nicollette Sheridan Nikki Cox Nikki Reed

Britney Spears - 3

Artist: Britney Spears
Label: Jive, Jive Label Group
Director: Diane Martel

Malin Akerman Mandy Moore Maria Bello Maria Menounos Maria Sharapova

How Do Oscar Hosts James Franco, Anne Hathaway Stack Up?

Franco's 'distracted' delivery and Anne's 'charming' turn has drawn inevitable comparisons to past emcees like Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.
By Eric Ditzian

Anne Hathaway and James Franco host the 2011 Academy Awards on Sunday
Photo: Getty Images

In the wake of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' effort to infuse some youthful vitality into Sunday's Oscar ceremony by tapping James Franco and Anne Hathaway to emcee the event, positive praise for the hosts' joint performance has been hard to find.

The New York Times called Hathaway "charming and charismatic" but said Franco came off "a little distracted and even blasé" and that "together they had an odd absence of chemistry." The Washington Post declared that while Hathaway "worked her derriere off," Franco seemed "sort of heavy-lidded and smirky." And USA Today simply said Franco appeared to be "preparing for a remake of 'Dazed and Confused.' "

A match made in awards-season heaven these two certainly were not, and early ratings numbers have the show's audience declining 7 percent from last year (though still higher than 2008 and 2009). At the very least, Franco and Hathaway were likeable throughout, excelling in their pre-taped segments and, if anything, suffering from weak writing during their live, scripted banter.

Last year's hosts, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, by contrast, were nearly universally lauded. The Los Angeles Times called them "the best hosts the show has had in years." The veteran duo's jokes were hardly Ricky Gervais-edgy, but Hollywood doesn't always have the best sense of humor about itself. They zinged Meryl Streep ("[She] holds the most nominations for any actor," Martin said. "Or, as I like to think of it, the most losses"); "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" (saying that it "lived up to its video game"); and didn't shy away from some entertaining presenter intros ("He directed 'A Single Man,' she weighs a single pound: Tom Ford and Sarah Jessica Parker").

"Baldwin and Steve Martin proved to be classy and quippy throughout the night, very piece-of-cake — not that anyone expected otherwise," Hank Stuever wrote in The Washington Post last March.

In 2009, host Hugh Jackman's bravura opening musical number was enough to assure happy memories, even two years later, of the actor's time on the Oscar stage. As New York magazine put it at the time, "Hugh Jackman saves the Oscars!"

On Sunday night, there actually seemed to be lingering sadness that Jackman didn't reunite with Hathaway — after their unexpectedly funny "Frost/Nixon" duet in '09 — for another satirical tune. Hathaway was left to sing by herself, and it just wasn't the same. Yet here's the thing: Jackman hardly knocked it out of the park after his opening shtick; it's interesting what people end up remembering after the show's over. In some sort of backhanded compliment in '09, the New York Times said, "Hugh Jackman was a shrewd, even thrifty choice for a recession-era Oscar night — the hosting equivalent of a value meal."

A similar critical shrug greeted Jon Stewart in 2008, after he and his team rushed to prep an act in the wake of the writers' strike. Variety argued that the comedian "played it pretty safe" but generally "earned his keep by maintaining a playful, irreverent tone throughout the night." That was about as positive as the reviews got, with The Washington Post on the other end of the spectrum saying, he "did only a fair-to-middling job, mostly middling."

Hosting the Oscars, then, is a truly thankless task. And perhaps an explanation for Franco's sleepy performance can be found in the advice Stewart jokingly gave him on "The Daily Show" a few weeks ago.

"Go at it with the attitude that you're above it all, with an ironic detachment bordering on contempt," Stewart told Franco. "They will eat it up." What did you think of Anne and James as Oscar hosts? Tell us in the comments!

Stick with MTV News on Oscar night and beyond for red-carpet fashion coverage, analysis of the winners, plus interviews, photos and more from your favorite Hollywood stars!

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Usher Says New 'Rev Pop' Project Is A 'Movement'

Singer teases his new project by pointing to past hits like 'Yeah!' and 'OMG.'
By James Montgomery

Usher
Photo: MTV News

With the success of songs like "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love," "Hot Tottie" and "OMG," Usher had himself a fairly massive 2010. But rather than rest on his laurels, he's looking to build on his big year, not with an album, but with a "movement."

It's something he's calling "Rev Pop" — or, simply, "Rev" — and though he's already teased his idea in a video with David Guetta (Akon is also involved), he has yet to speak in full about it. So when MTV News caught up with Ush before the 53rd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles at the (Belvedere) RED launch party, we asked him about his next musical endeavor. And though he didn't reveal much, he did let it be known that "Rev" isn't exactly something new. In fact, he's been doing it for a while now.

"I'll give it to you this way: At a later date, I'll tell you more about Rev Pop, but if I were to give you a flash: I've done it before, I did it with 'Yeah!' " he said, "taking a cultural experience, and also worldwide recognition of a feeling, and putting the soul in the middle of it. Not allowing it to shift heavily to R&B genre, or pop. I did it again with 'OMG,' once again putting the soul in the middle of it, which was an electric-pop experience, with the soul.

"It's bringing those elements together to tell a story, that was born here," he said, gesturing toward his heart, "And that's what Rev Pop is. There's more, I mean, I could really elaborate, but that's just what I'm going to tell you right now. 'Rev' is what it's called ... the movement is called Rev."

Usher wouldn't say just when his fans would be getting their first taste of Rev, but whenever they do, it sounds like they're going to be impressed ... if not a little shocked.

"Stay alive," he smiled, "Because you're definitely going to be in for a surprise."

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First Look: The New ?ThunderCats? Cartoon Releases A First Trailer

Last week we got to check out some horribly tragic leaked footage from the planned/failed ThunderCats CGI film that never was but right now we get to check out the first video trailer for the upcoming new animated reboot cartoon of ThunderCats that will air on Cartoon Network later this year. This first trailer doesn’t [...]

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Photos | Lady Gaga Performs At The Oak Room

Lady Gaga Performs At The Oak Room

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Ellen Pompeo's Giggling Girl!

Grey?s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo spent some quality time with her gorgeous 1-year-old daughter, Stella Luna, at a petting zoo in Studio City, Calif. on Sunday afternoon (February 27).

The too-cute tot got up close and personal with some baby lambs, which brought on some very sweet smiles!

Top Story? (feature beneath menu):

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Sunday, February 27, 2011

Photos | Wango Tango 2010

Wango Tango 2010

Usher - OMG

OMG

Artist: Usher
Label: LaFace Records, JLG
Director: Anthony Mandler
Album: Raymond V. Raymond

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Valentine's Day Cakes

Look at these cute Valentine's Day cakes from the blog i am baker:

Click here for the Heart Cake tutorial.

And click here for the Rose Cake tutorial.

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David Beckham Returns To SoCal, The LA Galaxy & His New American Sportscar

Huzzah! Huzzah!! Huzzah!!! Let the cheers ring throughout the landscape of Southern California, indeed, across the the entire USA — David Beckham has returned to his home in Los Angeles! As you may know, Becks has been in Europe for about 3 months dilly-dallying about but at long last, he has returned home to SoCal. [...]

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Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez: ?Jelena? Break-Up?

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez aka ?Jelena? are rumored to have broken-up. Never have so many tweenage girls screeched at the same time. But is it nothing but a dirty Internet rumor?

It?s true, Twitter is one of the best places to start a false Internet meme. Fans of the Biebs know this well?and they do [...]

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Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, Muse Added To Grammy Show

Usher, Jaden Smith, B.o.B, Janelle Monae and Lady Antebellum will also perform on February 13.
By Gil Kaufman

Justin Bieber and Usher
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

While Willow Smith is the one who made music headlines with "Whip My Hair" last year, it's her brother, "Karate Kid" actor Jaden Smith, who will take the stage at the upcoming 53rd Grammy Awards in a special performance alongside Usher and Justin Bieber, with whom he collaborated on the song "Never Say Never" last summer.

The trio joins a list of new performers added to the show on Thursday (January 20) that will also include another power trifecta made up of B.o.B, Bruno Mars and Janelle Monáe, according to a press release from the Recording Academy announcing the additions to the February 13 telecast from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Also taking the stage next month will be nominees Muse and Lady Antebellum. They will join a roster of previously announced performers that includes Eminem, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Arcade Fire, Cee Lo Green and Miranda Lambert. It will be the first time on the Grammy performance stage for Bieber, B.o.B, Lambert, Mars, Monáe, Muse and Smith. Eminem, Green, Gaga, Perry, Usher and Lady Antebellum will be making return visits for the occasion.

While 11-time Grammy winner Eminem leads the pack in nominations this year (with 10 nods), Mars has seven nominations, and Gaga and Lady Antebellum are not far behind with six nods each. B.o.B has notched five, Perry and Green are each up for four, and Arcade Fire and Lambert are vying for three awards. Bieber, Muse, Usher and Monáe are each nominated for two Grammys.

No details of the collaborative performances were released, but the Grammy announcement promised a rare, never-before-seen event for the Mars, B.o.B and Monáe segment.

With the addition of Antebellum, all five Album of the Year nominees (Eminem, Arcade Fire, Gaga, Perry) are now scheduled to perform on the show. Additional performers, presenters and special segments will be announced soon.

Which Grammy performance are you most looking forward to? Talk about it in the comments!

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'Justin Bieber: Never Say Never' Director Jon Chu Tapped For 'G.I. Joe 2'

'I still think there's a movie out there that can be done for the real 'Joe' fans,' Chu said of helming sequel.
By Shawn Adler

Jon Chu
Photo: Francois Durand/Getty Images

He's survived gunfights, and bombings, and enough doomsday machines to make James Bond blush, but action icon G.I. Joe may have finally met one affliction he couldn't counter: Bieber Fever.

"Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" director Jon Chu is going from helming a flick about a boy wonder to helming one about a toy wonder, with news that the 31-year-old has been chosen to direct "G.I. Joe 2," according to a report on Deadline.

As Paramount's first choice for the action sequel, Chu beat out rumored competitors Gary Grey and Jaume Collet-Serra.

For Chu, the chance to direct "G.I. Joe 2" is a chance to fulfill a lifelong dream, having been a fan of the character since he was a little child.

"'Joe' is something I've loved since I was a kid," Chu confessed to MTV News when word of his possible involvement first leaked. "My era was 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,' 'G.I. Joe' and 'Transformers.' When 'Joe' changed their theme song from the old style 'Go Joe!' to 'Got to get tough, go Joe!' That was the era I was in. Those are the fun, glory years that I remember."

Directed by Stephen Sommers and starring, among others, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Channing Tatum, and Sienna Miller, "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" was released in 2009 to over $300 million worldwide but mostly middling reviews.

While it is unclear which of the stars will return for the sequel, Chu believes there's a definite opportunity to build on the first film's successes, while possibly taking the sequel in another direction.

"I still think there's a movie out there that can be done for the real 'Joe' fans," he said, "the one we've been waiting for that hasn't been done before."

That other direction almost certainly won't include casting Justin Bieber. Asked if he could envision the pop superstar in fatigues, Chu simply laughed.

"That's hilarious," he chuckled.

Currently in its third week of release, "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" has earned nearly $60 million at the domestic box office. A "Director's Fan Cut" of the film with extended footage is currently in release for an exclusive one-week run.

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

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Saturday, February 26, 2011

Oscars Best And Worst Fashions: Experts Weigh In!

MTV News asked a pair of fashion-industry notables to share their choices for the best and worst looks in Oscars history.
By Jocelyn Vena

Miley Cyrus at the 2010 Oscars
Photo: Getty Images

The Academy Awards are just days away and that means that soon enough some of Hollywood's biggest names will be hitting the red carpet while donning some of the most haute couture they can get their hands on. But, before they hit the carpet, MTV News reached out to some fashion-world experts and asked them to weigh in on the event's best and worst looks ever, which the stars perhaps should take note of before they decide on what to wear.

We caught up with fashion-industry maven and People's Revolution founder Kelly Cutrone, as well as Faran Krentcil, digital director at Nylon magazine, who divulged their favorite and least favorite looks from Oscars history.

Best

Cameron Diaz in Oscar de la Renta, 2010:
Both Cutrone and Krentchil agreed that this was a winning look for the star. "On another actress it might have looked a little overdone, but Cameron managed to make the dress look like it was just lying on her bedroom floor, and she grabbed it on her way out of the bath. That's true star power, isn't it?" Krentcil explained.

Maggie Gyllenhaal in Dries Van Noten, 2010:
"I think that it's not that hard to put a beautiful dress on a girl and get away with it, and then there are people who really understand it ... I think that Maggie Gyllenhaal was a great example of that," Cutrone revealed. "Dries was not obvious; it's an inside brand. It's really about beauty and aesthetic."

Miley Cyrus in Jenny Packham, 2010:
Cutrone felt that Miley's look bridged the singer/actress from, well, tween star to teen star. She explained, "The truth of the matter is she has gone from a Disney star to a Vanity Fair cover girl and it brought it back to the middle. [She] really shined."

Natalie Portman in Lanvin, 2005:
"This dress was slightly see-through and the color of a gasping sea monster," Krentcil recalled of the outfit. "And its floaty shape and grey-blue-green-purple shimmer made it beyond chic."

Anne Hathaway in Valentino, 2009:
Krentcil didn't have much more to say than "yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes," about why the beaded, white sheath worked so well for this year's Oscars co-host.

Worst

Charlize Theron in Dior, 2010:
"She looked ridiculous and she's so beautiful. She deserved to wear something better," Cutrone noted, adding about the outdated nature of the dress, "It looked like a Gaultier throwback piece, not like Dior. I didn't know Nancy Reagan was working for Dior."

Jennifer Lopez in Giorgio Armani Privé, 2010:
"All those angular pieces, they look bizarre, and I'm hoping that this season we get rid of the asymmetrical art pieces," Cutrone explained about the Gaga-esque style J. Lo wore.

Angelina Jolie, 2000:
Jolie went gothy that year and Krentcil explained that "the whole thing was so Addams Family weird, when she started making out with her brother, we were too distracted to notice."

Gwyneth Paltrow in Alexander McQueen, 2002:
While noting that Paltrow's Ralph Lauren dress in 1999 tops her list for great looks, Krentcil said about her 2002 look, "The thing is, the dress would have worked without the bun hair and the weird chunky necklace — go with a practically bare face and loose, wavy tresses and all of a sudden, everyone would have wondered why they weren't as cool as Gwyneth."

Kate Winslet, 1998:
"Kate Winslet was my favorite actress in high school, so I was really disappointed when she showed up in an Oscar gown that looked like Maria Von Trapp had made it from the Sound of Music curtains," Krentcil explained. "Fortunately, her Yves Saint Laurent dress last year was so amazing, it exonerated this bummer of a gown."

Will it be a regal evening for "The King's Speech"? Can "The Social Network" dial up Oscar gold? Don't miss MTV News' "2011 Oscars Live" at 6 p.m. Sunday, February 27, when we'll be chatting with your favorite Hollywood stars live from the red carpet on MTVNews.com, and stick with us all Oscar night for winners, interviews, photos and more!

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Michael Jackson - Liberian Girl

Liberian Girl

Artist: Michael Jackson
Album: Bad

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'Drive Angry': The Reviews Are In!

Should you hit the road with Nicolas Cage? See what the critics have to say.
By Eric Ditzian

David Morse and Nicolas Cage in "Drive Angry"
Photo: Summit Publicity

"Drive Angry" marks three-straight supernatural films for Nicolas Cage, though each could not be more different. "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" was a Disney-driven tale of magical realism. "Season of the Witch" dove into the intersection of medieval black magic and campy B-movie wackiness. And "Drive Angry" literally begins with Cage driving a muscle car straight outta hell with the devil's henchman fast on his heels and doesn't slow down as it splashes blood and fire across the screen.

All three flicks share something else in common: below-average reviews. "Sorcerer's" and "Season" each went on to conjure up lukewarm box-office receipts. Can "Drive Angry" break the spell? Check out what the critics are saying and decide if the new 3-D film is the right choice for you this weekend.

The Story
"[It] may be a bit too slickly self-aware for its own good, but it's also rivetingly paced, outrageously funny and makes retina-scorching use of the new 3D technology. Nicolas Cage is on teeth-baring, eye-rolling form as John Milton (nice), the deceased felon who busts out of hell to track down the Southern death cult who kidnapped his baby granddaughter. Hooking up with mouthy muscle-car-driving white-trash waitress Piper (Amber Heard), Milton sets off in pursuit, all the while attempting to avoid the attentions of Satan's right-hand man, The Accountant (a majestically arch William Fichtner)." -- Tom Huddleston, Time Out

Crazy Nic Cage
"A little respect, if you please, for His Satanic Majesty Nicolas Cage. Nobody goes off the deep end like Nic. Nobody gives better value in bad movies than the sleepy-eyed Oscar winner with a gift for picking bad movies. 'Drive Angry' is a very entertaining B, C or D-movie, an over-the-top and in-your-face grindhouse gore, guns and 'Gun it' picture that's about epic shootouts, bone-snapping brawls, bare breasts and muscle cars. The gunplay is funny and the sex hilarious in this 'Ghost Rider is Gone in 60 Seconds' mashup." -- Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

The 3-D
" 'Drive Angry' is intensely bloody, violent and carries quite a few payoffs that are well delivered. It's also a movie you'd actually want to see in 3-D, unlike so many frauds in the marketplace these days. In fact, Lussier, who directed 'My Bloody Valentine 3D,' shows his growth as a 3-dimensional director by taking 'Drive Angry' to new heights. Seeing it in Real D, the depth was astounding, and Lussier throws a few CGI tricks right in the viewer's face. Even more impressive was his flashback sequence that could easily become one of the most influential in the 3-D age (the way he layers three 'thoughts' at once is mind-blowing visually). In short, it's worth the extra few bucks." -- Brad Miska, Bloody Disgusting

Going Grindhouse
" 'Drive Angry' is loud and busy, and it's rarely boring. But it's also never really good. 'Drive Angry' comes at the tail end of the grindhouse revival trend, and while it's better made than films like 'Machete' or the scores of indie films that followed in Quentin Tarantino's wake, it succumbs to the same problem so many of those movies do: it's a movie about the things that the filmmakers think are cool, and that's never cool. 'Drive Angry' isn't about anything, it's just a series of ideas that struck Lussier and Farmer as awesome, strung together at feature length. There's a lot of balls in Drive Angry, and even some brains, but no heart." -- Devin Faraci, Badass Digest

The Final Word
" 'Drive Angry' is, in the end, a genre romp. It's not aiming any higher than that. But it is made with real skill and style, and there's such knowledge of genre in the way they have built the script and both embraced and avoided certain conventions that it makes me feel like we're just seeing Farmer and Lussier warm up. Hopefully they'll keep working with collaborators as game as their partners in this particular crime, because 'Drive Angry' is a white-knuckle ride worth taking." -- Drew McWeeny, HitFix

Check out everything we've got on "Drive Angry."

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

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Exclusive 'Limitless' Photos Showcase Bradley Cooper And T.V. Carpio's Love Connection

Last week we brought you two exclusive images from "Limitless," Bradley Cooper's upcoming thriller about a black-market pharmaceutical that allows users to access the full potential of their brain power. In Cooper's case, that means ditching his life as a schlubby, struggling novelist, getting all spiffed-up with a new 'do and rack of designer suits, [...]

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Kim Kardashian W magazine covers

Kim Kardashian

Enjoy the pictures of Kim Kardashian is sporting nothing but her birthday suit on the front of the new issue of W magazine. [gallery=742]

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Photos | The 2011 Grammy Awards Show

The 2011 Grammy Awards Show

GIRL FIGHT: Ciara And Rihanna Beef On Twitter!

Don't expect to see Ciara and Rihanna having a "girls get-together" anytime soon. Ciara made a comment that seemed to imply that Rihanna doesn't have the "nicest" personality anymore, and of course RiRi responded on Twitter. See the video and responses inside...

Ciara dropped by Joan River's "Fashion Police" show on E! and when asked to judge one of Rihanna's outfits, Ciara had a vulnerable moment and told Joan that Miss RiRi used to be a nice girl but lately....not so much. Joan then summed it up and called RiRi a "B*tch." Check the video:

Then it got crunk in Twitter land!

The "mean" girl in Rihanna came out and she asked CiCi if she forgot to "tip" her last time they met. Ouch.

Then CiCi told RiRi that she didn't want ANY of her, on or off stage. Fighting words.

Lastly, Rihanna hit below the belt and wished Ciara good luck trying to book a stage. Now...ya'll know that was a low blow with Ciara's low records sales. That even hurt my feelings.

See the battle below:

Teeheeeeee...

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Friday, February 25, 2011

'Cast in Metal: Airbourne Frontman Joel O'Keefe

If AC/DC aren't cranking out albums fast enough for you and Rhino Bucket don't get your engine revin,' then check out the new Airbourne album 'No Guts, No Glory.' The second disc by these Aussie/DC obsessives is a feast of sleazy, slammin' rhythms, jagged flesh-cleaving guitars and howled melodic vocals that sound like Angus-and-company on [...]

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Oscar Preview: Can 'King's Speech' Be Dethroned?

The period drama seems poised to take the Best Picture crown once promised to 'The Social Network.'
By Eric Ditzian

Colin Firth in "The King's Speech"
Photo: Weinstein Company

If the 83rd Academy Awards had been held a month ago, shortly after the critics groups had doled out their prizes and the final glasses of champagne had been drained at the Golden Globes, "The Social Network" would almost certainly have nabbed Oscar's Best Picture statue. After all, David Fincher's film about the salacious founding of Facebook hardly encountered a critics group it didn't woo and win over, before going on to earn four Globes, including Best Motion Picture - Drama. What could possibly stand between "Social Network" and the Academy's top honor?

As it turns out, another month. And another biopic, this one telling a story that begins some 80 years ago and resembling a far more traditional Oscar film than Fincher's exploration of youth and digital beauty. "The King's Speech" bounced back from its Globe defeats (it nabbed just one of seven nominations, with Colin Firth taking top dramatic actor) and secured important wins from the Producers Guild of America, the Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild.

So much for creating a big tent with the inclusion of 10 Best Picture nominees. Like last year, we find ourselves watching a two-horse race that, at this point, might not be all that close. Kudos to "Toy Story 3," "Winter's Bone" and "Inception," but their nominations are kind of the equivalent of pity invites to a kid's birthday party: Sure, the birthday boy was forced to request the pleasure of your company, but he's not going to pretend you're anything more than a seat-filler. Our man Oscar holds the most exclusive birthday party in Hollywood, and its voters like it that way.

What's interesting this year is the nature of the two-horse race. In 2010, it came down to a decision between a populist fave in "Avatar" that made a gazillion dollars at the box office and a critics' darling in "The Hurt Locker" that maybe six people saw in the theater. Both "Social Network" and "King's Speech," meanwhile, have almost identical box-office grosses and high-90s ratings at the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator. The difference between the two is that "King's Speech" is the kind of film that could have been an Oscar nominee a decade ago — or a half-century ago — whereas "Social Network," in everything from story line to subtext to soundtrack, is directly plugged into 2011.

That's not to suggest "King's Speech" is some musty relic of yesteryear, nor that contemporary relevancy is a requirement for Oscar glory. The key, rather, is that the best film should win. And if you ask us, the finest film of the year is "Social Network." But as in so many years past — from how "Gladiator" bested "Traffic" to the way "Shakespeare in Love" beat out, well, geez, take your pick! — the best film of the year doesn't always receive that Oscar honor.

We can talk about momentum, we can indentify vital precursor wins, we can cite all manner of historical facts and we can lament fuddy-duddy voters. None of it seems to matter. On Sunday night, it appears, a very good film but hardly the year's best will win Best Picture. Let's offer our early congratulations to "The King's Speech."

Which Oscar contender should take Best Picture? Share your pick in the comments!

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

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Around the Web?

Some stories to send you into the weekend: To celebrate the revolution, an Egyptian couple names their baby ‘Facebook’ ? FOXNews.com A restaurant in London begins serving breastmilk ice cream ? BBC While heading for her delivery room, a woman gives birth in the hospital elevator ? CNN How you can help a sweet little [...]

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Photos | Jay-Z, Beyonce, Bieber And More Nominated For 2010 BET Awards

Jay-Z, Beyonce, Bieber And More Nominated For 2010 BET Awards

2011 SAG winners

2011 SAG Awards

Gathering together to honor the year's best in cinema, the 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards winners have officially been named. The complete list of 17th annual SAG winners are: THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES Outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role Jeff Bridges, "True Grit" Robert Duvall, "Get Low" Jesse Eisenberg, "The Social Network" WINNER: Colin Firth, "The King's Speech" James Franco, "127 Hours" Outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role Annette Bening, "The Kids Are All Right" Nicole Kidman, "Rabbit Hole" Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone" WINNER: Natalie Portman, "Black Swan" Hilary Swank, "Conviction" Outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role WINNER: Christian Bale, "The Fighter" John Hawkes, "Winter's Bone" Jeremy Renner, "The Town" Mark Ruffalo, "The Kids Are All Right" Geoffrey Rush, "The King's Speech" Outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role Amy Adams, "The Fighter" Helena Bonham Carter, "The King's Speech" Mila Kunis, "Black Swan" WINNER: Melissa Leo, "The Fighter" Hailee Steinfeld, "True Grit" Outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture "Black Swan" "The Fighter" "The Kids Are All Right" WINNER: "The King's Speech" "The Social Network" TELEVISION Outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series WINNER: Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire" Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad" Michael C. Hall, "Dexter" Jon Hamm, "Mad Men" Hugh Laurie, "House M.D." Outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series Glenn Close, "Damages" Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: SVU" WINNER: Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife" Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men" Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer" Outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series WINNER: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock" Ty Burrell, "Modern Family" Steve Carell, "The Office" Chris Colfer, "Glee" Ed O'Neill, "Modern Family" Outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie" Tina Fey, "30 Rock" Jane Lynch, "Glee" Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family" WINNER: Betty White, "Hot in Cleveland" Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series WINNER: "Boardwalk Empire" "The Closer" "Dexter" "The Good Wife" "Mad Men" Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series "30 Rock" "Glee" "Hot in Cleveland" WINNER: "Modern Family" "The Office" Outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or miniseries John Goodman, "You Don't Know Jack" WINNER: Al Pacino, "You Don't Know Jack" Dennis Quaid, "The Special Relationship" Edgar Ramirez, "Carlos" Patrick Stewart, "Macbeth" Outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or Miniseries WINNER: Claire Danes, "Temple Grandin" Catherine O'Hara, "Temple Grandin" Julia Ormond , "Temple Grandin" Winona Ryder, "When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story" Susan Sarandon, "You Don't Know Jack" Hollywood Gossip Enjoy the pictures from the 2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards. [gallery=750]

AnnaLynne McCord Anne Marie Kortright April Scott Arielle Kebbel Ashanti

Photos | 2010 American Music Awards Presenter, Nominee And Performer Highlights

2010 American Music Awards Presenter, Nominee And Performer Highlights

Cassie Lands Modeling Gig With Calvin Klein's CKOne Fragrance (Video)

Cassie has landed a very high-profile modeling gig as one of the stars of Calvin Klein's new campaign for CKOne. Watch the Steven Meisel shot video after the cut...

Cassie stars in a new black and white teaser video for the CK One lifestyle campaign. Shot by famed photographer Steven Meisel, Cassie is featured in the video arguing with another model while in her bra and panties.

Watch it here:

Abbie Cornish Adriana Lima Adrianne Curry Adrianne Palicki Aisha Tyler

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Usher's 'OMG' ' 'Kills It Every Night,' Says Tourmate Miguel

'There's so much anticipation for this song when he comes out,' Miguel says of MTV News' Song of the Year.
By Vaughn Trudeau Schoonmaker

Usher
Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images

MTV News just named Usher's "OMG" the #1 song of 2010, and clearly we're not alone in our admiration. But what is it like to watch it performed night after night? Miguel, who is currently opening for Usher's OMG Tour gave us a little insight.

"There's so much anticipation for this song when he comes out, and he really gives the fans what they want," Miguel laughs. "He kills it every night."

Before his latest string of hits, Usher was out of the spotlight for a period of time in 2009, when he was dealing with personal issues including a divorce. Miguel finds his 2010 comeback inspiring.

"There was a period of time, when a lot of people didn't believe in Usher and thought he was finished ... just kind of going to ride off into the sunset and disappear," the up-and-coming singer noted.

With the release of Raymond vs. Raymond and its extended, companion EP, Versus, in 2010, Usher proved the skeptics wrong with chart-toppers including "OMG" and "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love."

"He's such a tremendous example of perseverance and determination," Miguel beamed. "I was there throughout this album, so I've seen the adversity that he's had to overcome perception-wise."

MTV News' Top 25 Songs of 2010 have all been counted down. But the fun isn't over yet: We still want to see your picks in the comments below!

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Photos | Lady Gaga In The March Issue Of Vogue

Lady Gaga In The March Issue Of Vogue

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'Unknown' Leads Friday Box Office

Thriller bags $6.7 million while 'Justin Bieber: Never Say Never' tumbles to sixth place.
By Shawn Adler

Diane Kruger and Liam Neeson in "Unknown"
Photo: Warner Bros.

Asking what movie kicked off President's Day weekend by winning the Friday night box office is like the start of a bad Abbott and Costello routine: It's "Unknown."

Despite middling reviews, the Liam Neeson starrer about a man who awakens after a car accident to discover the life he thought he had has been taken away, topped all comers with $6.7 million on Friday from 3,043 screens.

Expected to end at somewhere over $25 million for the four-day weekend, "Unknown" continues Neeson's recent domination of the February box office. The secretly badass star wowed audiences two years ago in "Taken," which, after opening in February 2008, ended its run with $226 million worldwide.

"I Am Number Four," meanwhile, will have to settle for being number two. On Friday, the teen-targeted alien picture finished in second place with $6.2 million. The latest from director D.J. Caruso, and star Alex Pettyfer, "I Am Number Four" could still win the weekend with a strong Saturday bounce.

Last week's winner, the Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston starring "Just Go With It," came in third place with $5.2 million.

Rounding out the top five, new release "Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son" and holdover "Gnomeo and Juliet" earned $4.8 million and $4.3 million, respectively.

Which means America may have finally found a cure for Bieber Fever, as the doe-eyed one's 3-D concert pic, "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never," toppled all the way from second to sixth place, earning just $3.8 million on Friday.

Among Oscar hopefuls, "The King's Speech" (seventh place) continued its impressive run. The presumptive favorite at the Academy Awards will pass $100 million domestically this weekend.

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

Shanna Moakler Shannon Elizabeth Shannyn Sossamon Shiri Appleby Sienna Guillory

Lady Gaga Has Her 'Way' With Atlantic City

Gaga's Monster Ball concert in New Jersey on Saturday night included her new #1 single, 'Born This Way,' and all her other big hits.
By Vaughn Schoonmaker

Lady Gaga performs in Atlantic City on Saturday
Photo: Tom Briglia/ WireImage

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey — "I've missed you all so much!" Lady Gaga gushed to her little monsters who filled the sold-out Boardwalk Hall arena on Saturday night.

As much as she was missed during her superhumanly brief tour hiatus, the question on everyone's mind at the Monster Ball was whether or not Gaga would perform "Born This Way."

Check out photos from Lady Gaga's Atlantic City Show.

Halfway through her encore performance of "Bad Romance," Mother Monster took a beat to seductively mutter, "You better not leave when this song is done. There may be a surprise."

And sure enough, after three minutes of deafening monster screams in the darkness, Miss Gaga stormed the stage once more, surrounded by her dancers, all in the same flesh-colored latex we saw at the Grammys. She belted out her new #1 hit at the top of her lungs and danced with every bit of energy that a normal human would not have after an almost-two-hour gargantuan show.

The second-place award for the wild night's biggest moment went to the pop star's announcement that she will be back next year with the "Born This Way Ball," which — judging from the roar in the venue — is already guaranteed to be sold out a year before tickets even go on sale.

For this concert, Gaga stuck true to her Monster Ball format rather than transition to the material that will appear on her upcoming album, Born This Way. Besides the title track, the only other new song she performed was "You and I," which she has already played at several shows during her most recent round of touring.

The set list featured all of her biggest hits, including "Poker Face," "Paparazzi," "Telephone" and "Just Dance." The more intimate piano portion of the show, meanwhile, was noticeably shortened since the singer has dropped her "Fame Monster" rock tune "Speechless."

Looking as fit as ever, Gaga showed off her toned tummy for most of the second half of the performance, thrusting her body to every beat that could possibly be danced to. Singing loud and strong, Gaga took a moment during "Teeth," to remind her fans once again that she never does and never will lip synch.

Scissor Sisters opened the concert with six sultry and dance-heavy numbers, including their hit, "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'."

The next stop on the Monster Ball tour is Madison Square Garden in New York City on both Monday and Tuesday, during which Lady Gaga's first HBO concert special will be taped.

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First 'Battle: Los Angeles' Clip Puts Aaron Eckhart In Alien Crosshairs

Alien invasions are never fun. Fun to watch, sure, but not fun to experience?which is why our hearts go out to the characters of "Battle: Los Angeles," who appear to be struggling through one of the fiercest alien invasions ever captured on film.

The previous trailers for "Battle: LA" gave us a very good sense of [...]

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Les News, 022311

President Obama decides that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional, the Department of Justice will no longer defend it. Oscar the Grouch‘s Oscar picks. Billy Ray is trying to mend fences with daughter Miley Cyrus. Now the Justice League gets the porn treatment. Rachel Zoe perfectly accessories her baby bump. So … last night’s [...]

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Britney Spears and Sons: So Long, Lousiana!

Closing out their hometown getaway, Britney Spears and her boys were spotted leaving Louisiana via the airport in New Orleans on Wednesday afternoon (February 23).

Flanked by security staffers, the "Hold It Against Me" mommy led Jayden James and Sean Preston towards the departures gate after an extended President's Day vacation in Kentwood.

Meanwhile, Brit's manager Adam Leber took to Twitter to encourage fans to pick up a special package for her upcoming album through pre-order.

Leber wrote, "Limited edition FEMME FATALE Premium Fan Edition now available for pre-order... get it before it's gone -Adam, Manager"

In the Premium Fan Edition, purchasers will receive a limited edition oversized 32-page hardcover book along with the deluxe album digital download an instant MP3 download of ?Hold It Against Me?.

Izabella Miko Izabella Scorupco Jaime King Jaime Pressly Jamie Chung

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Photos | 2009 American Music Award Nominees

2009 American Music Award Nominees

Photos | 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Trailer Frames

'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Trailer Frames

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Charlie Sheen Shows Off His New Girlfriend

Charlie Sheen is back to work and, apparently, back to his old tricks again. After a strange weekend of baseball love, Sheen got himself back to work on his CBS TV series Two And A Half Men and, wouldn’t you know it … Sheen has already found himself a new chick! As soon as Sheen [...]

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Oscar Spotlights Real-life Stories

Feb 23 - With four of the 10 best-picture nominees based on true stories, contenders discuss whether fact or fiction is harder to portray.

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Sports & Me

This is how I'll be during Sunday's football games.

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Les News, 022111

Star Trek cats. Matthew Morrison and Olivia Munn play tonsil hockey in public. The Milky Way is cool-lookin’, y’all. I refuse to believe that Jesse James can even spell his own name, let alone write a tell-all book. Are you missing a wallet? Is Kylie Minogue ready to take up residency in Las Vegas, NV? [...]

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Celebrity Breakup: Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron

Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron

It was confirmed that Vanessa and her longtime boyfriend/ ?High School Musical? costar Zac Efron decided to call it quits. According to Us Magazine, the ?High School Musical? co-stars have split after spending more than three years in the spotlight together. With their romance having started as the two were paired up as co-star leads in Disney's "High School Musical," a source close to the couple now claims of the breakup, "It was mutual. They have been together for so long. It just ran its course." And, the insider insists, "They are still talking and still friends. There's no drama. No one cheated. They just grew up." [gallery=746]

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Wendy Williams Lands First Post-OP Aretha Franklin Interview + Nas And Kelis Back Together...On Stage!

Today on "The Wendy Williams Show," the talk show queen announced that she will interview another person of royalty...the Queen of Soul. Get the deets inside about Aretha Franklin's first interview since her surgery a few months ago.

Also, Nas and Kelis have reunited...at least on stage. The former couple played to an Australian audience with Erykah Badu and we have pics for you.

Wendy Williams announced on her show today that she has landed an exclusive interview with Aretha Franklin.

“The legendary Aretha Franklin has invited me to do an exclusive, in person intimate conversation with her in Detroit, that's where she lives...The way I figure, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, I'm going to go to Detroit where Aretha lives and where she reigns supreme and this is like the big sit down interview. So I'm packing my bags and we'll bring the camera crew and everything, and so far Aretha has two activities she wants us to do.

First thing is she wants us to go to the gym and the second thing is she wants us to have high tea together. That's fancy. When you have high tea, you wear one of those big hats like you're at the Kentucky derby and you drink with your pinky out and you eat square sandwiches with fancy stuff in between like grass. Even though Ms. Franklin this is a dream come true, I'm just so surprised that we're not eating the real food that I love to eat in Detroit...but that's ok, we're both on the slim down; we just need to relax. I'm going to share that interview with you guys next week.”

That should be a good interview. I'd love to know if she is considering Jennifer Hudson for a role in her bio-pic.

Watch the clip here:

And down under in Australia....

Erykah Badu was one of the main acts for the Good Vibrations Music Festival in Gold Coast, Queensland.

She wore red, white and blue with a long wig.

Kelis was one of the other acts to play that night. And it looks like she wore a pink stocking.

And you won't believe who else was on the festival's marquee..

Nas was in the building!

He brought along Damian Marley.

It's nice to see that although they aren't together, Nas and Kelis are professional performers who have no problems being in the same arena together. I'm so sad they divorced. I liked them.

Photos via WireImage/M. Grimwade

Samantha Mathis Samantha Morton Samantha Mumba Sanaa Lathan Sara Foster

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Photos | How Close Is 'Britney/Brittany' Glee Episode To Reality?

How Close Is 'Britney/Brittany' Glee Episode To Reality?

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Photos | Behind-The-Scenes: Ke$ha At 'SNL'

Behind-The-Scenes: Ke$ha At 'SNL'

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Celebrity Hairstyle: Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian hairstyle

On Thursday (December 30), Kim Kardashian was spotted out at the local gym in Los Angeles, CA. Showcasing an interesting hairstyle, the E! reality babe was clad in a black bodysuit as she passed by paparazzi upon finishing off the morning workout. Enjoy the pictures of Kim Kardashian out for her day's workout. [gallery=747]

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Watch: Kylie Minogue Is The New Spokesmodel For The Lexus CT 200h

Kylie Minogue, the Aussie pop queen who kicked off her fabulous new Les Folies Tour 2011 in Herning, Denmark over the weekend, is featured in a new video commercial for the Lexus CT 200h — which is said to be the world’s first “full hybrid luxury compact car”. The clip is cute … check it [...]

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The Real Housewives of Miami Cast

Get to know the ladies joining Bravo's newest 'Housewives' franchise, premiering Feb. 22

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Usher - Trading Places

Trading Places

Artist: Usher
Label: Zomba/LaFace Records
Director: Chris Robinson
Album: Here I Stand

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Ke$ha Says She's 'Disappointed' By Grammy Snub

'I plan on making a lot more records, and hopefully one of them will be Grammy-worthy,' singer tells Vanity Fair.
By James Dinh

Ke$ha
Photo: Jordan Strauss/ Getty Images

Last year was full of breakout music stars, including Ke$ha, who ruled the scene with a string of dance-pop hits (and a massive overflow of glitter). But not everyone is a Ke$ha fan: The singer was snubbed when the 2011 Grammy nominees were announced in December.

The starlet recently spoke to Vanity Fair about the Grammy snub and said she's determined to score a nod sometime later in her career. And after calling the Recording Academy's award "not that big a deal," Ke$ha admitted that she was saddened by her lack of nominations.

"Of course I do," the singer said when asked if she wanted a Grammy. "I was disappointed that I didn't get nominated. But I've only been around for a year. I'm friends with the Black Keys, and they were nominated for the first time this year. And they've been around for a decade. That's like half my life, so I really can't be a brat about it."

Ke$ha isn't bitter about the situation either, telling the magazine, "I plan on making a lot more records, and hopefully one of them will be Grammy-worthy."

While she may not be gearing up for the big show on Sunday night, Ke$ha is prepping for the launch of her first North American headlining tour, the Get $leazy Tour. The country-wide trek is scheduled to kick off on Tuesday in Portland, Oregon, and continue through May.

Do you think Ke$ha deserved a Grammy nomination? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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