November 24, 2024

About the author  ⁄ Craig Flaster

‘Chef’ Director Jon Favreau Reveals Robert Downey, Jr.’s Only Flaw

by 05/09/14

With Reporting By Josh Horowitz

Robert Downey, Jr. has mastered just about everything imaginable. But according to “Chef” director and star Jon Favreau, there’s one thing the superstar, who has a brief but memorable turn in the new movie, needs to work on.

“Downey’s not a cook,” Favreau told MTV News. “He’s a singer, he’s a writer, he’s an artist, so he’s definitely a jack of all trades.”

Ok, so Iron Man’s no Iron Chef. Who in the star-studded cast, which also includes Scarlett Johansson, Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, and Dustin Hoffman, is best in the kitchen?

“John’s worked the hardest,” Favreau said. “He staged in kitchens in New York, and I was training here. And so together, we were able to look like we could work a food truck.”

The two kids from Queens the best cooks in the cast? That actually doesn’t sound too surprising. And Favreau said that for him, cooking was something that’s now taken on a much bigger role in his life.

“For me, I’ve really taken it on as a hobby now,” Favreau explained, “and I’m going to keep going with it.”

Check out “Chef,” in theaters today (May 9).

...

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‘The Flash’ TV Series Is Officially Speeding To The CW

by 05/08/14

The CW is hoping that lightning can strike twice with their young superhero franchises, announcing that they’ve ordered “The Flash” as a new live-action TV series set to air this fall, Entertainment Weekly reports.

The show, which will be part of a lineup that includes the recently renewed “Arrow” as well as “Beauty and the Beast” and the DC Comics adaptation “iZombie,” is a spin-off of “Arrow.” The fan-favorite Barry Allen character, played by Grant Gustin, first appeared in a few episodes of “Arrow.”

Gustin will reprise his role as the Fastest Man Alive for the new series, a scientist who gains super-speed after getting hit by a lightning in a fateful experiment (check out the origin scene from “Arrow” in the clip above).

It will be the character’s second television incarnation, as he first appeared in the 1990 TV series “The Flash” hot on the heels of the success of 1989′s “Batman.”

Gustin’s Flash will be of course a far younger incarnation of Barry Allen (Gustin is only 24), in keeping with other CW superhero shows like “Arrow” and “Smallville.”

Marvel might have some competition on its hands: with “Flash” and “Arrow” locked down as TV series, DC looks like it’s going to give their rival a run for their money when Marvel’s Netflix series debuts in 2015.

And with Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” movie being fast-tracked, who knows if DC will attempt to create a Marvel-like multi-platform universe of its own, using “Arrow” and “The Flash” as springboards to a ...

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‘Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers’ Movie: Get Prepped With Our Beginner’s Guide

by 05/07/14

If you’re like me, you grew up with the “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.” You cried when the Green Ranger lost his powers. You dressed up as your favorite Ranger for Halloween. And you owned literally every single toy that came out.

If you’re like me, then, the announcement of a new “Power Rangers” movie fills you with a ton of nostalgia.

But the “Power Rangers,” like it or not, are a little old. The original series started in 1992, and the “Power Rangers” my generation knows and loves haven’t existed since 1997. Even kids who love the series today, watchin “Power Rangers Megaforce” and “Power Rangers Samurai” likely don’t really know anything about the franchise’s origins.

But we’re here to help with that. Here’s all you need to know about the “Power Rangers.”

The Theme Song

Great TV theme, or the greatest TV theme? The music for the Rangers, like their outfits and cast, has varied over the years, but this theme stands out as the best of them all. Instead of going the sci-fi route for the music, we were instead treated to a “Rocky”-inspired power anthem with an immediately recognizable guitar riff and lyrics so simple that you can’t help singing along. “Go, go Power Rangers” indeed. We can only pray the reboot doesn’t forget this key component to the series.

The Mythology

I was going to say the concept’s pretty basic, since I understood it at around three years old, but trying to explain it gets a bit complex. In a nutshell: ...

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Watch Every Single Zac Efron Shirtless Movie Moment In This Supercut

by 05/07/14

In case you didn’t notice, Zac Efron is shirtless a lot.

The “Neighbors” star doesn’t shy away from flaunting his body, and why should he? The dude’s been ripped from the time he was 17 to the time he was “17 Again.” Even his more dramatic roles make some time for the audience to appreciate Efron’s 0 % body fat.

So, in a service to America, we put together a comprehensive supercut (watch above!) showcasing every single time Efron’s been without a shirt in movies. As a disclaimer, this only includes trailer shots from “Neighbors” and “That Awkward Moment,” his two most recent shirtless tours de force.

But just how many times has the hunk been shirtless in his movies? We counted and took screenshots, which, be honest, is really all you care about.

High School Musical (2006)

Shirtless Scenes: 1

Locker Room
Screen shot 2014-05-06 at 2.53.07 PM
When playing shirts and skins, Zac’s always skins.

High School Musical 2 (2007)

Shirtless Scenes: 2

Swimming Pool
Screen shot 2014-05-06 at 2.53.27 PM
“I’ll just stand here alone shirtless for no apparent reason, it’s cool.”

Playing Basketball
Screen shot 2014-05-06 at 2.54.07 PM
There’s actually a shirt in the frame for this one (all the way on the left), which is shocking in itself.

17 Again (2009)

Shirtless Scenes: 1

Playing Basketball
Screen shot 2014-05-06 at 2.55.33 PM
Like we said, skins. Always.

Charlie St. Cloud (2010)

Shirtless Scenes: ...

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Liam Hemsworth As The Red Ranger? We Cast The New ‘Power Rangers’ Movie

by 05/07/14

If you didn’t hear by now, there’s a new “Power Rangers” movie on the way, and it looks like it’ll be a darker, grittier reboot in line with “Hunger Games” and “Divergent.”

We’re sure all of Hollywood will be lining up to audition, because honestly, who wouldn’t want to add “Power Ranger” to their resume?

With that in mind, we decided to do the producers’ job for them and cast the movie ourselves, based on the original six Rangers.

Red Ranger (Jason) — Liam Hemsworth

The Red Ranger is essentially the most red-blooded (get it?), bro-y Power Ranger, and the de facto leader. He’s got the good looks, and he’s built like a rock. Sounds like a Hemsworth to us, and since Lionsgate, who’s producing the movie, already has a nice relationship with Liam from the “Hunger Games” movies, he seems like the best choice.

Green/White Ranger (Tommy) — Michael B. Jordan

Ok, the Green Ranger wasn't an original original Ranger, but he's easily the most popular, and we can't imagine he wouldn't be in the new movie. Jason David Frank is probably too old to reprise his role, so we need some fresh blood. Tommy, first and foremost, is just plain cool, a sarcastic bad boy with a wry smile and charm for miles. He also has to be the best dramatic actor of the bunch because of his character’s arc, and Jordan has clearly proven himself in that regard. Plus, look at the picture… he already looks great in ...

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It’s Morphin’ Time! New ‘Power Rangers’ Movie Announced

by 05/07/14

Soon, the Power Rangers will be go, go, going again, and this time, it’ll be on the big screen.

Lionsgate is partnering with Saban Brands (which produces the “Power Rangers” show) to create a brand new “Power Rangers” movie. Here’s the proper reaction to the news.

While it’s not clear exactly whether the movie will be aimed purely at kids, like the original 1995 film “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie,” or at an older audience, Haim Saban, head of Saban Brands, did mention a couple interesting comparison movies during the announcement.

“They [Lionsgate] have the vision, marketing prowess and incredible track record in launching breakthrough hits from ‘The Hunger Games’ to ‘Twilight’ and ‘Divergent,’” Saban said. “In partnership with the Lionsgate team, we’re confident that we will capture the world of the Power Rangers and translate it into a unique and memorable motion picture phenomenon with a legacy all its own.”

By the sound of it, Saban and Lionsgate seem to be trying to market the new “Power Rangers” as the next big franchise along the lines of “Hunger Games,” with perhaps the darker, grittier feel that’s made those Young Adult films so successful. Plus, you might not just be getting one more “Rangers” movie: you might be getting a whole slew of them.

No word as to release date or cast, but here’s hoping they find some room Alpha 5, Zordon, Bulk and Skull, and of course, for Jason David Frank. Green Ranger forever!

Will We Ever See Shailene Woodley’s ‘Amazing Spider-Man 2′ Performance?

by 05/05/14

With reporting by Josh Horowitz

The Amazing Spider-Man 2” dominated box offices across the country this weekend, and was packed with characters from the comics. But there was one very conspicuous absence: Shailene Woodley as Mary Jane Watson.

CLICK: ‘Amazing Spider-Man 2′: What The Ending Means For ‘Amazing Spider-Man 3′

Woodley was cast as Peter Parker’s red-headed flame opposite Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, but the character never got to see the big screen. Fans hoped that they might at least get a glimpse of Woodley as Watson in deleted scenes when it’s released on Blu-Ray.

MTV News decided to get to the bottom of the issue once and for all, along with whether or not the studio would hold on to Woodley’s scenes or release them to the public.

“I think we’ll just keep that, it’s so brief,” Webb said. “It was just a couple of days, and we really wanted to focus on the Gwen Stacy storyline.”

Sorry, Shailene fans! But Webb did open up a little about some other, non-Mary Jane scenes that might be included.

“There’s a few scenes that’ll be on the DVD,” Webb explained, “but they’re not massive, earth-shattering scenes that change the story.”

Hopefully, someday, we’ll get to see Woodley’s Mary Jane in a Super-Special Edition of “Amazing Spider-Man 2.” But it’s not this day, Spider-Fans.

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Marc Webb Explains How ‘Game Of Thrones’ Influenced ‘Amazing Spider-Man 2′

‘Amazing Spider-Man 2′ Easter Eggs You May Have Missed

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Marc Webb Explains How ‘Game Of Thrones’ Influenced ‘Amazing Spider-Man 2′

by 05/05/14

Marc Webb is having a pretty amazing few years.

The director took the helm of the rebooted “Spider-Man” franchise back in 2012, and just saw the latest incarnation of the webslinger, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” light up the box office with $92 million.

CLICK: ‘Amazing Spider-Man 2′ Easter Eggs You May Have Missed

Webb sat down with Josh Horowitz for his latest “Happy, Sad, Confused” podcast, and dropped some pretty awesome tidbits about his MTV past, his early comic book loves, and how “Game Of Thrones” might have influenced a pivotal scene in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.” We picked the seven best ones. You can listen to the full audio below.


Play

7) He went on the road with No Doubt

“I went on the road with No Doubt for like six months and that was really great because I would shoot all their shows. And that really was informative because I couldn’t conduct them, I couldn’t direct them. I had to sit and observe and watch them and just be aware all the time. That trained me into thinking about how to do the coolest shots and how to get the right angles. And then with the music videos, I started to conduct and orchestrate things a little be more.”

6) He used to hang around MTV

“God, I spent so much time in this building at MTV before. I don’t know if I told you but I was here in 2000. I was on the road with ...

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All 52 LEGO Easter Eggs In ‘The Simpsons’ Episode ‘Brick Like Me’

by 05/04/14

“The Simpsons” episode “Brick Like Me” was one of the family’s most fun and creative adventures in years. With the whole town turned into LEGOs, the writers took every single opportunity to make as many clever LEGO jokes as they could…

But just how many LEGO puns and gags are hidden in the episode? We found all 52 (we think):

1) Homer says that Marge gave him her hand in marriage, and literally takes off her hand.

Simpsons_Hand

Luckily, she has a special champagne hand that she last used on New Year’s Eve.

Marge_Hand

2) Homer on LEGO Maggie: “They’re so cute when they’re Duplo.”

Maggie

3-5) 99-Stud Store, Lard Fig Donuts, Brik-E-Mart

BrikEMart

6) H and R Brick

HRBrick

7) BS – First Brick Of Springfield

BrickBank

8) Brick, Block, & Beyond

BBB

9) Adult Blocks

AdultBlocks

10) Basic (LEGO) Human Anatomy

Anatomy

11) Bart rebuilds school following LEGO playset guidelines.

School2

School playset is 15,000 pieces, for ages 12+, though as Principal Skinner says, “Age guidelines are conservative. Everyone knows it.”

12-15) Philip K. Brick Books: “UBrick”; “Minifig In The High Castle”; “We Can Bulid You”; “The Three Stigmata Of Timothy Archer” (with a LEGO eye on a LEGO hand).

16) “Block Runner”

17) “Radioactive Fig”

Dick1

18) “Bloc-quaman”

19) “Block-Go Comics”

BlockGo

20-23) More Philip K. Brick Books: “Sort My Pieces, The Policeman Said”; “Beyond Lies the Stud”; “A Scanner Blockly”; “Do Mini-Figs Dream Of Plastic Sheep?”

Dick2

24) Brick iPhone

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Every ‘Star Wars’ Movie And TV Show Ranked

by 05/04/14

On this May the Fourth, we celebrate 37 years of “Star Wars.”

Most of you reading this weren’t born when the first movie blew minds at cinemas around the world (disclaimer, I wasn’t). Heck, a lot of you might not have been old enough to see “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” in theaters, and yes, that freaks me out.

“Star Wars” is a phenomenon like no other, having spawned a cross-platform universe that includes seven movies and seven TV spin-offs (including one ill-fated Holiday Special), and of course, the upcoming and recently castStar Wars: Episode VII.” What better way to celebrate this holiest of “Star Wars” days then by ranking every single one of them?

Here is our definitive list of the good, the bad and the ugly of the “Star Wars” franchise.

14) “The Star Wars Holiday Special” (1978)

You’ve probably heard the legend of this insane — and insanely bad — “Star Wars” spin-off that was meant to celebrate Earth Day or something. We don’t know; we’ve blocked it out of our minds. The problem with the Holiday Special is that it’s not even so bad it’s good — it’s just really, really bad. It’s like watching the most boring trainwreck of all time, except Bea Arthur is there for some reason. It’s no wonder George Lucas ordered this, this thing to never be shown again. Unfortunately for him, the Internet exists, and we can all bask in the special’s glorious awfulness.

13) “Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure” (1984)

It’s hard to ...

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