May 21, 2024

Review Category : TMZ Music News

Angelina Jolie’s ‘Maleficent’: The Reviews Are In

by 05/30/14

A Disney villainess getting her very own big-screen origin story; a production designer from “Avatar” at the helm; the magnificent Angelina Jolie wearing prosthetic cheekbones, blood-red lipstick, and a leather horned helmet like something out of a dizzy dominatrix daydream.

For all of these reasons and more, “Maleficent” was the summer-season release that everyone was waiting for, a longed-for peek into the backstory of the woman who responded to an ordinary party snub by putting a death curse on a baby. But did the movie live up to its promises of greatness? MTV News has rounded up a selection of reviews from those who loved it, those who loathed it, and those who thought the movie’s message was more than the sum of its parts.

Angelina Jolie: Best Bad Guy Ever
“This is Jolie’s film because of the Maleficent she makes. Everyone else, even Aurora, fades in her presence. When she is on the screen, she is all you really see. In addition to an uncanny resemblance to the animated queen — those legendary cheekbones enhanced to an even sharper edge, those horns — the actress creates a queen who may not be easy to love, but she is hard to hate.” — Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

Fracturing the Fairytale
“Consciously or not, coherently or not, ‘Maleficent’ tells a new kind of story about how we live now, not once upon another time. And it does so by suggesting, among other things, that budding girls and older women are not natural foes, ...

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Which ‘Million Ways To Die In The West’ Scene Was Too Gross For Seth MacFarlane?

by 05/30/14

Seth MacFarlane’s “A Million Ways to Die in the West” has a million ways of grossing you out — but even for MacFarlane, there’s one gag that was too far over the line.

Speaking with MTV News, MacFarlane, who wrote, directed and starred in the R-rated “Million Ways,” pulled the curtain back on one scene that didn’t make the final cut of the Wild West era comedy.

“There was a scene in the doctor’s office, where we see a frontier era surgery taking place,” said MacFarlane. “The doctor gets up and leaves for a moment, and his cat jumps up on the table and makes off with an intestine.”

“It made us laugh on the day, but it didn’t quite [work],” he laughed. “I think people were so horrified by it. ‘We get that you’re portraying this as such a rough, awful place to live — which it was – but we don’t want to see a cat eating somebody out from the inside.’”

Even Charlize Theron, MacFarlane’s co-star, was horrified by the scene. “If I’m going to say something is too much for me, then it must be pretty f—ed up, because I’m pretty okay with a lot of stuff,” she said.

Indeed, Theron’s comments are coming from an actor who, at one point in “Million Ways,” inserts a daisy into… er, into an…

“Into an a—hole,” Theron clarified. “Yes, I did. Several times. Because I’m a professional, and I wanted to get it perfect. I’m a perfectionist.”

Glad we got that covered.

“A Million Ways to Die in ...

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Nostalgia Alert: All Of Your Favorite ’90s Movies Are Getting Reboots

by 05/30/14

Love it or hate it, the Reboot Robot controlling Hollywood from a secret underground lair has shown no signs of weakness.

Just yesterday, reboots of two fan-favorite (if somewhat on the fringe) movies from the 1990s were announced: “Stargate,” the portal-warping science fiction thriller that spawned numerous television follow-ups, and “Cliffhanger,” the Sylvester Stallone mountain-scaling action flick that brought you this little slice of horror:

Between those obscure reboot ideas, not to mention the fact that there’s a “Point Break” redo on the way, it’s starting to seem like all of our favorite ’90s movies are about to get the reboot treatment. What’s next?

“The Rock”

Starring Zac Efron in the Nicolas Cage role and Nicolas Cage in the Sean Connery role.

“Face/Off”

Because those faces can’t stay on forever.

“Broken Arrow”

Ain’t it cool?

“True Romance”

This is what Quentin Tarantino is doing instead of “The Hateful Eight.”

“The Professional”

Evvvvveeeeeerrrrrrryyyyyyyy reboot.

“The Fifth Element”

Re-boot multi-pass.

“The Sixth Sense”

Except this time, they were all dead the whole time.

“Forrest Gump”

Stupid reboot is as stupid reboot does.

“A League of their Own”

Okay, this sounds eerily plausible. Hollywood, stay the heck away from the Rockford Peaches.

“The Sandlot”

Now I’m just depressed.

Following “Cliffhanger” and “Stargate,” which ’90s movies do you expect to see rebooted next?

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A Billion Doesn’t Buy What It Used To: Jimmy Iovine Lost His Bid To Buy The Clippers

by 05/30/14

Thanks to that $3 billion deal with Apple to buy Beats By Dre, former Interscope boss Jimmy Iovine has a bit of walking around money now. So, what does a newly minted almost billionaire do with that pile of cash?

Well, make a $1.6 billion bid to buy the Los Angeles Clippers from disgraced owner Donald Sterling. Duh! According to ESPN.com, the new Apple boss joined a billion-dollar bid for the NBA franchise along with David Geffen, Oprah Winfrey, Oracle Software co-founder Larry Ellison, Steve Jobs’ widow Laurene, casino mogul Steve Wynn’s ex-wfe Elaine and Guggenheim Partners principals Mark Walter and Todd Boehly.

Sterling was forced to sell the team following the leak of racially insensitive remarks he made in a recording with his assistant, V. Stiviano. Sterling’s wife, Shelly, is overseeing the sale on his behalf following his lifetime ban from the league. Sterling bought the team for $12.5 million in 1981.

Late Thursday night, though, Iovine and company were outbid for the team by former Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer, whose winning price tag was $2 billion, according to ESPN.

“I am delighted that we are selling the team to Steve, who will be a terrific owner,” Shelly Sterling said in a statement. “We have worked for 33 years to build the Clippers into a premiere NBA franchise. I am confident that Steve will take the team to new levels of success.” Ballmer has pledged to keep the team in Los Angeles and not move it to his ...

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Mariah Carey: She Really Is Just Like Us, For One Night Anyway

by 05/30/14

Let’s get one thing straight. Mariah Carey is not like us. She’s a fabulously wealthy pop diva and movie actress who has just released her fabulously titled 14th studio album and lives in a fabulous New York pad with husband/comedian Nick Cannon where she probably has a costume jewelry closet bigger than the house you grew up in.

That said, on Thursday night, for one night only, we’ll assume, Mariah Carey was just like us. After hosting a Fresh Air Fund gala, the Elusive Chanteuse became a bit less elusive and went out into the Manhattan night in her glittery ballgown to mix with the normals: taking a cab, riding a 1 train with pal/producer Jermaine Dupri and marveling at the filth and piles of garbage on the city’s streets.

It was all pretty amazing, and, of course, she posted the photos and video to prove it.

1. Taking The 1

Glimpses of our joyride on the 1 train #subwayincouture Laughs pon de subway

2. The ‘Lengthly’ Cab Ride

3. Street Compliments

4. It’s Not Like She Wore Those Shoes Either

5. Sparkles Against Filth (AKA The Street)

6. Stepping All Over The Dress, On The Filth

7. Avoid This Area (The One With The Filth Piles)

8. She’s Underdressed, So Why Not Take The Subway?

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‘Breaking Bad’: Is Bryan Cranston Really Done With Walter White?

by 05/30/14

Warning: “Breaking Bad” spoilers ahead.

It’s over when he says it’s over — and he’s not saying that just yet.

Bryan Cranston, multiple Emmy-award winning star of the multiple Emmy-award winning “Breaking Bad,” has seemingly put Walter White behind him, following the show’s conclusion last fall. And based on that ending, it doesn’t seem particularly likely that Cranston could bring his Heisenberg hellfire and brimstone back to life anytime soon.

But is Walter White actually dead? In an interview with CNN’s Ashleigh Banfield, Cranston gave a seriously cagey response that have some fans wondering if the legendary Heisenberg is truly dead and gone.

“Hey, you never saw bags zip up or anything,” said Cranston. “Or anybody say… you know.”

Indeed, the show never flat-out confirms that Walter dies from his accidentally self-inflicted gunshot wound. He falls to the ground and stares up at the ceiling, seemingly lifeless, but that’s the final image of the show, without further elaboration.

In the “Breaking Bad” finale script, however, writer and creator Vince Gilligan makes it a bit more explicit, describing Walter as “lifeless” in the final shot, with “faint satisfaction” as “his final expression.”

“He got away,” the script reads.

If you take the script as canon, then Walter is definitively dead. But if we’re going solely by what’s on screen, perhaps there’s an out — or perhaps it’s just wishful thinking on everyone’s part.

“Never say never,” Cranston told CNN.

But even if Walt is in that mobile meth factory in the sky, that doesn’t mean we won’t see the character again some day. ...

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Bret Michaels Suffers Medical Emergency Onstage

by 05/29/14

Bret Michaels was rushed off stage in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Thursday evening (May 29) after suffering a medical emergency.

In an official statement issued by band guitarist Pete Evick, Michaels appeared to be suffering from “extremely low” blood sugar.

The singer is currently being evaluated by paramedics. In the latest update, his camp sent a warm thank you to the on and off-duty paramedics assisting Bret.

See the official statement below:

Breaking News: Message From Pete Evick Regarding Bret Michaels’ Medical Emergency

This is a message I never imagined I’d have to post. Tonight in Manchester, NH 3 songs into the set Bret had me sing a song as he rushed off stage. In the 9 years I’ve stood next to him, I’ve never seen a look like the one on his face as if I was a complete stranger. One of the crew returned instantly to notify me that Bret’s blood sugar was extremely low.

He returned to the stage only to announce that he could not continue. As you all know he is a health fanatic and fiercely monitors his blood sugar, he basically had to be dragged off the stage in his sickest of conditions. When I rushed to the bus he could barley speak, but begged me to apologize to the fans and seemed only concerned for them.

As of now he is with paramedics being evaluated. We will keep you posted throughout the evening.

Pete Evick

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Justin Bieber Taps The Migos For ‘Looking For You’: Listen Now

by 05/29/14

By Maurice Bobb

Justin Bieber collaborating with the Migos?

Sure, why not?

On Thursday night (May 29), Bieber surprised Beliebers worldwide with a spankin’ new track, “Looking For You,” featuring none other than Atlanta’s hottest rap triumvirate.

The uptempo song starts off with the “Versace” trio imploring the Biebs to step out and stunt, “What up, JB? It’s time to go to the club. It’s time to pull them toys out, man.”

After asking, “where the party at?,” the Canadian crooner then stamps the track with his signature falsetto, with a noticeable amount of swagger, singing lines like, “Tonight might be the night, you might mess around and fall in love and I might be the guy, that’ll make you wanna fall in love again.”

Seasoned hip-hop aficionados might recognize the drums in the break beat at the 2:26 mark is very similar to Benzino’s 2003 hit, “Rock The Party.” As the percussions and synths pulse toward a crescendo, Quavo, Offset and Takeoff go to work, taking pop’s biggest superstar to the Trap.

“My bitch is go gorgeous, I might pay her mortgage/ I run to the money like Forrest, my life is historic/ Travel ‘round the world like a orbit,” they rap.

No word on whether this song makes the cut for Bieber’s upcoming LP, but one thing’s for sure, it’ll get quite a few spins at a club near you.

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Devyn Waves A Final ‘Free Agents’ Goodbye To Her Beloved Wig, Tamara

by 05/29/14

Loss is never easy, but we can take solace in the fact that one beloved synthetic hairpiece is in heaven.

After being dragged through sand, thrust underwater and soured by tomato juice over the course of “Free Agents,” Devyn‘s favorite wavy friend, Tamara, sadly passed after last week’s “Sausage Party” mission, and on tonight’s episode, was officially laid to rest. Luckily, Devyn’s fellow competitors offered support, but neither Aneesa‘s shoulder, nor Leroy‘s assertion that “You can find another wig at another beauty supply” could properly console her.

Yes, Tamara surely went too soon — she had so many braided or bobbed days ahead of her — but the priceless weave’s memory will never be forgotten. Check out what her surviving (and adoring) owner, Devyn, told us earlier today about her fallen comrade, and be sure to offer your condolences.

When did you formally adopt Tamara?
Tamara Louise Wig was adopted October 12, 2014, from a local wig shop in downtown Kansas City.

What set Tamara apart from her companions, and why was her loss a particularly devastating one?
Tamara was actually a twin — she was purchased on sale, two-for-one. She had the ability to maintain her curl and fabulousness even when wet and wavy, and she was up for anything TJ threw at us.

What were some of your happier moments together?
I remember the first time I saw Tamara, she was sitting atop a mannequin on the corner of the weave shop. When the store clerk brought her down ...

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‘Divergent’ Sequel Adds Two More To Its Cast: See Who’s Joining ‘Insurgent’

by 05/29/14

Right in time for shooting to begin in Atlanta, “Insurgent” has added two more to its cast.

Suki Waterhouse and Jonny Weston are set to join the highly anticipated sequel to “Divergent,” the on-screen adaptation of Veronica Roth’s YA series, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “Divergent” made more than $264.3 million worldwide when it opened in March.

Waterhouse, the 22-year-old girlfriend of Bradley Cooper, will play Marlene, who is part of the Dauntless faction. Primarily known for her modeling career, she has acted in “Pusher” and the “Material Girl” TV series.

Details of Weston’s role are spare, as he’s reportedly still in final negotiations for the part.

The two join Octavia Spencer as new castmembers. Most of the major players from “Divergent” are on board to return for the Robert Schwentke-directed sequel, including: stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Kate Winslet, Jai Courtney and Zoe Kravitz.

‘Insurgent’ is set for release on March 20, 2015.

Shailene Woodley and Theo James

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