Saturday, December 31, 2011
Ryan Gosling Makes A HAWT Mixed Martial Arts Fighter
Usher - Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)
- Artist: Usher
- Label: JLG
- Director: Chris Robinson
- Album: Hang on to a Dream: The Verve Recordings
Drake Wants Video For Rihanna Duet To Be His 'Best'1676366
'We're working on definitely the 'Take Care' video,' Drizzy reveals to MTV News.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Felicia "The Poetess" Morris
Drake
Photo: MTV News
To Drake, Take Care is the story of a kid who goes from wide-eyed Toronto dreamer to rap royalty. But while Drizzy has painted that picture through songs on his sophomore set, the Young Money star hopes to roll out more visuals in support of the album's narrative, and he has big plans for one video in particular.
We've already seen "Marvins Room" and "Headlines," the Lil Wayne-assisted "The Motto" is already in the can, and when MTV News caught up with him backstage at the Power 106 Cali Christmas Concert, Drizzy Drake revealed he's set to shoot a clip for the title track with Rihanna. "It's a project where I think visuals are called for, for a lot of those records," he said. "So we're working on definitely the 'Take Care' video, which we're trying to get shot soon and a couple of other ones, too, off the album." Drake, who can now hoist another platinum plaque for Take Care, wouldn't dish on the treatment or concept for the video, but he has high expectations for it. "I want to make it perfect — the best video I've done to date — so I'm just taking my time," he said. The Jamie xx-produced "Take Care," with its pounding bass drum and sparse piano melody, tells the story of two lovers ready to leave behind their sketchy pasts in favor of a fruitful relationship together. Drake and Rih's real-life fling (one the rapper addressed on 2010's "Fireworks") only helps to enhance the song's appeal. Standing as both an endearing duet and a club banger, it's the danceable, Gil-Scott Heron-sampling house build toward the end of the song that truly makes it a standout. What other Take Care videos would you like to see Drake shoot? Tell us in the comments!
Justin Bieber's Snake To Lady Gaga's Egg: 2011 Red-Carpet Highlights1676575
Beyonce's baby bump was one of the year's most-memorable moments.
By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber at the 2011 VMAs
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images
Anything can happen on the red carpet at any given awards show, and in 2011, it felt like anything that could happen did. As MTV News reflects on some of the biggest moments of the year, we decided to remember some of the most-memorable things A-listers did live right in front of us all.
Lady Gaga's Egg
In February, Gaga had everyone guessing how she would arrive to the Grammys. Given her penchant for crazy looks, no one would have guessed she would have showed up in an egg. Designed by Hussein Chalayan, Gaga later emerged from the structure to proclaim that she was "Born This Way." What was your favorite red-carpet moment of 2011? Vote in our Newsroom poll! Snooki
Speaking of the Grammys, the reality star joined MTV News' own Sway Calloway to talk to all the stars at the show. After helping us out on the 2010 red carpet, we learned that anything is possible with Snooki, and 2011 solidified that she's the fieriest "meatball" to grace the "Jersey Shore." We wonder if she and Bruno Mars ever ended up dating. Paul McDonald and Nikki Reed
"Twilight" star Nikki Reed surprised everyone when she hit up the MTV Movie Awards in June. No, she hadn't borrowed Gaga's egg: She was rocking an engagement rock from her beau and "American Idol" alum Paul McDonald. The couple used the red carpet as the platform to announce their engagement, and married in October. Beyoncé's Baby Bump
She might have rubbed that burgeoning baby bump onstage at the Video Music Awards in August, but hours before she took the stage, donning a bright orange gown, Beyoncé let the paparazzi know she was expecting her first child with hubby Jay-Z by flaunting her pregnancy glow. Justin Bieber's Snake
While Beyoncé shared with the world her baby news, Bieber not only planted a kiss on VMA pre-show host and real-life lady love Selena Gomez, but also introduced her to his pet snake. His name? Johnson. She seemed less interested in the snake than perhaps he would have liked. What was your favorite red-carpet moment in 2011? Share your pick below!
Friday, December 30, 2011
T.I. To Celebrate New Year's Eve With New Mixtape
'New year, new money. That's that,' Tip tells MTV News.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by FLX
T.I.
Photo: Chris McKay/ Getty Images
T.I. has a lot to celebrate this New Year's Eve. This time last year, the King of the South was locked up, serving an 11-month sentence for a probation violation, but since his September release Tip has been on a tear, dropping a ton of new music and landing a reality show with his wife, Tiny, on VH1.
Tip has some big plans for ringing in the new year, even though he tries to downplay things. "For New Year's I'm gonna be waitin' on F--- da City Up to drop. We got a party poppin' off down here in Atlanta, 200 Peachtree. We gonna turn up and it's basically that," he told MTV News nonchalantly. "Between the party and the mixtape, that's all I got going. New year, new money. That's that."
Tip has been dropping viral teasers for F--- da City Up for about a week; the latest one, which dropped on Tuesday, shows T.I. in the studio with Dr. Dre.
"Dre was here. He sent for me, and of course I answered. We really just turned up more than anything else. It was about creating chemistry," T.I. told MTV News while in Atlanta preparing for the release of the tape.
On New Year's Eve, T.I. and his Grand Hustle fam will host a party in the Grand Atrium at 200 Peachtree in downtown Atlanta from 9 p.m. ET to 3:00 a.m. Sounds like fun.
For those who want to snuggle up on their couch and avoid all the partying madness, MTV has your back. This year Demi Lovato, Mac Miller, Selena Gomez, J. Cole, Jason Derulo and more will be on hand for "NYE in NYC 2012," which will air live at 11 p.m. ET on Saturday (December 31) from Times Square, where the famous ball drops on, you guessed it, MTV.
Related ArtistsBeyonce's Pregnancy, Ryan Dunn's Death Top 2011 Twitter Topics1675512
'Pretty Little Liars,' Charlie Sheen were also hot on social networking site this year.
By Jocelyn Vena
Beyonce on the 2011 VMA black carpet
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images
It was a busy year on Twitter. People tweeted about everything from tragedy to triumph in 2011. The social networking site has released some of the year's biggest trending topics and hashtags as 2011 comes to a close.
Beyoncé's pregnancy reveal at the VMAs back in August tops the site's list for most tweets per second (TPS). The headline-making news received 9,000 tweets per second. ABC Family's mystery-drenched teen drama "Pretty Little Liars," viral-video sensation Rebecca Black, the Super Bowl and Charlie Sheen, with his penchant for #tigerblood, all made Twitter's list of hot topics and hashtags for the year. Beyoncé surprised everyone on August 28 when she revealed at the MTV VMAs that she and her hubby, Jay-Z, were expecting their first child. She first teased the announcement to photographers on the VMA black carpet, where she appeared decked out in an orange gown, touching her bump. But the big reveal took place during her performance of "Love on Top": At the end of the song, B dropped her mic, unbuttoned her jacket and put her belly on full display. "Thor," "The Dark Knight Rises," "X-Men: First Class," "Fast Five" and "Green Hornet" all made the Year in Review list in the movies category. The top five actresses on Twitter in 2011 were Elizabeth Taylor (who died earlier this year), Mila Kunis, Anne Hathaway, Raven-Symoné and Natalie Portman. Charlie Sheen topped the actors' list, where he's joined by Macaulay Culkin, "Jackass" star Ryan Dunn (who died over the summer), Ricky Gervais and late actor Pete Postlethwaite. Dunn spent more than a decade on MTV as part of the popular stunt show. He was killed in a car accident in Pennsylvania on June 20, and the outpouring of grief for the 34-year-old in the wake of the shocking news was overwhelming. He was remembered by friends like Johnny Knoxville, Dave England, Tom Green and his longtime pal Bam Margera. Rebecca Black and "Friday," the late singer Nate Dogg, the Britney Spears album Femme Fatale, Gerry Rafferty and Gil Scott-Heron topped the music-related list. In TV, "Pretty Little Liars," "Two and a Half Men," "The Craigslist Killer," the Golden Globe Awards and the People's Choice Awards all made the cut. The top five hashtags covered a variety of topics ranging from world news to pop culture moments: #egypt, #tigerblood, #threewordstoliveby, #idontunderstandwhy and #japan all had people talking in 2011.
MTV Rough Cut: 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol'
MTV Rough Cut: 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol'
Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and more talk about the upcoming action film.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Kristen Stewart Buys Rob Pattison A $12,000 Christmas Gift
Seth Rogen Forms 'B Team,' Ryan Gosling Says Noe
It's December 27, and you're tuning into [...]
Adele Notches Best Sales Year Since Usher's Confessions
In 2011, 21 moved more than 5.6 million copies in the U.S.
By Gil Kaufman
Adele
Photo: Getty Images
The music industry has been stuck in a rut for nearly a decade. But every once in a while, it still manages to produce one of those unstoppable hit albums that give everyone that good old feeling.
This year's model is Adele's 21, which not only sold more copies than any other album in the U.S. in 2011 (more than 5.6 million to date), but which has also moved the most units of any artist since 2004. According to a Reuters report, those gaudy figures (which top 15 million worldwide) make the British songbird the first artist to cross the 5 million mark in one year since Usher did it with his fourth studio album, Confessions, which sold 7.9 million units more than seven years ago.
And to think she did it by releasing just two mega singles, "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You," and barely touring North America due to recurring vocal issues.
There have been other big hits along the way to Adele's mark, including Eminem selling more than 3.4 million copies of his comeback Recovery album last year and Taylor Swift taking the honors in 2009 with Fearless, which sold 3.2 million copies. But none have come as close to Usher's mark in the interim.
There doesn't seem to be any chance Adele will be surpassed by the end of the year: The closest contenders are Lady Gaga's Born This Way (2.08 million) and Michael Bublé's Christmas (2.4 million). The other good news is that overall music sales are expected to be up slightly (3 percent) by the end of this year, marking the first time that's happened since 2004.
Related ArtistsBlack Eyed Peas Angelina Jolie Steven Spielberg Ellen DeGeneres
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Katy Perry - California Gurls
- Artist: Katy Perry
- Label: Capitol Records
- Director: Mathew Cullen
- Album: The Hit List
Rihanna Ruled Facebook In 20111675886
'We Found Love' was ranked Most Listened to Song on the social networking site.
By Jocelyn Vena
Rihanna attends the Miu Miu Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 2011 show during Paris Fashion Week on October 6, 2010 in Paris, France.
Photo: Dominique Charriau/ WireImage
What did everyone "like" on Facebook in 2011? Well, it seems that in addition to everything from "Harry Potter" to Megan Fox, Rihanna also ruled the roost on Facebook's Memology 2011 report. Rihanna not only topped the list of musicians, she also had the Most Listened To Song thanks to her chart-topping "We Found Love," the Calvin Harris-produced Talk That Talk track. The singer is also joined on the list by Bob Marley, Avril Lavigne, David Guetta, Enrique Iglesias, Usher, Lady Gaga, Metallica, Green Day and the Black Eyed Peas. In addition to "We Found Love," people also grooved to Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," "Sexy and I Know It" by LMFAO, "Titanium" by Guetta and Sia, Skrillex's "First of the Year" and "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites," the Usher and Guetta track "Without You," "Stereo Hearts" by Gym Class Heroes (featuring Adam Levine), Foster the People's breakthrough hit "Pumped Up Kicks" and "Someone Like You" by Adele. MTV has also been looking back on the Best of 2011. EDM artists Guetta and Skrillex made noise on Facebook, but they also took top prizes on our countdown of the top 10 electronic dance music artists of the year, with Guetta placing at #2 and Skrillex taking the #1 spot. Movies and TV also had Facebook users talking. "Harry Potter" topped the movies list, followed by flicks like "The Twilight Saga," "Toy Story," "Avatar," and "Jackass." Fox's medical drama "House" was the most talked-about show on Facebook in the past 12 months. Thanks to Charlie Sheen leaving and Ashton Kutcher joining "Two and a Half Men," the show placed at #2, followed by series like "The Simpsons," "Family Guy" and "South Park." Former "Transformers" star Megan Fox sits at the top of the actors and TV personalities list. She's joined by the likes of Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Taylor Lautner, "Jersey Shore" star DJ Pauly D and Kim Kardashian. MTV News recently counted down its own list of the Top 50 TV Characters of 2011. "Parks and Recreation" character Ron Swanson came out on top. Walter White from "Breaking Bad," "Jersey Shore" star Snooki and Kim's "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" co-star Scott Disick also placed in our rankings. What do you think of Facebook's 2011 Memology? Tell us in the comments. All this week, watch "AMTV" on MTV every day at 8 a.m. ET for our Best of 2011 lists. Then, come to MTVNews.com at 5 p.m. as we reveal our top picks of the year!
Related Artists
MTV Rough Cut: 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol'
MTV Rough Cut: 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol'
Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and more talk about the upcoming action film.
Playing Couch Commando
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Tom Cruise 'Impossible' To Beat At Box Office
'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' easily wins #1 spot over long holiday weekend.
By Ryan J. Downey
Tom Cruise in "Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol"
Photo: Paramount
This Christmas, Tom Cruise was "impossible" to beat at the box office.
"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" was the #1 movie over the long holiday weekend, easily beating competition from two competing sequels with an additional $46.2 million as it expanded into wide release. The fourth entry in the Tom Cruise franchise, this one directed by Brad Bird ("The Incredibles"), has racked up $78.6 million in domestic receipts since it debuted in limited release 11 days ago.
"Ghost Protocol" is the best-reviewed entry in the franchise, which kicked off in 1996 with an inaugural film (based on the popular late '60s TV series) directed by Brian De Palma ("Scarface"). Action maestro John Woo ("The Killer") helmed "M:I 2" four years later. The J.J. Abrams-directed "Mission: Impossible III" grossed $134 million during its theatrical run in 2006.
Meanwhile, "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" was reviewed far less favorably than its 2009 predecessor. The film, which reunites Robert Downey Jr. in the title role with Jude Law as his faithful partner, Watson, was #2 at the box office with $31.8 million for a two-week total of $90.6 million. "Downey may think this interpretation is an insight, or funny, but it pushes what was already a rude rewriting of the classic characters into eye-rolling camp," wrote the Newark Star Ledger. The first film sits at 70 percent on film review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes' "Tomatometer," while "Game of Shadows" was at a "rotten" 59 percent at press time.
The #3 movie at the box office, itself the third in a series, continues a franchise-long tradition of poor reviews. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" carried a series worst 13 percent score on the "Tomatometer" as it collected $20 million for an 11-day $56.9 million total. Neither "Game of Shadows" nor "Shipwrecked" appear likely to get anywhere near the $200 million grosses of their predecessors.
Four of the other five new releases in theaters were from major filmmakers.
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," the highly anticipated American adaptation of the popular Swedish book from director David Fincher ("Fight Club"), has made $27.7 million since it opened Tuesday night. Steven Spielberg has two new movies out, "The Adventures of Tintin" and "War Horse," which landed at #5 and #7 on the box office chart, respectively. "Tintin" has made $24.1 million while "War Horse" has made $15 million. The latest from director Cameron Crowe opened even lower than his last movie, "Elizabethtown." "We Bought a Zoo," at #6, earned just $15.6 million despite star power in the form of Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson. Rock journalist turned filmmaker Crowe has worked with box-office topper Tom Cruise twice: first with "Jerry Maguire" in 1996 and later with "Vanilla Sky" in 2001.
Finally, alien invasion horror flick "The Darkest Hour" opened at #8 with just $5.5 million. The film was not screened in advance for critics, but The Hollywood Reporter, which reviewed the movie, blamed a "flatlining screenplay and the absence of even a single compelling character."
Check out everything we've got on "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related VideosUsher - Without You
- Artist: Usher
- Label: Capitol Records
- Director: Christopher Hewitt
- Album: La Explosion del Momento!
Best Artists Of 20111675981
From Mother Monster to the Throne, MTV counts down the top 10 artists of the year.
By MTV News staff
Lady Gaga
Photo: Getty Images
In 2011, Beyoncé asked (rather rhetorically) "Who run the world?" The answer, of course, was girls, which was pretty apt, considering everywhere you looked this year, female artists were front and center, not only running the world, but flat out dominating it. Adele's had the year's best-selling album, by a long shot. Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift each moved 1 million units in a single week. Katy Perry continued to nab #1 singles, as did Rihanna and Britney Spears. Nicki Minaj broke through to the mainstream, B made the leap with 4, Christina Aguilera moved like Jagger ... the list goes on and on. Female artists did it all this year, to the point where you sort of forgot that dudes made music too. Of course, they did and truly you can't have a discussion about 2011 without mentioning Lil Wayne, Drake, Justin Bieber or Jay-Z and Kanye West's high-profile Throne project. Girls may have run the world, but the guys definitely picked their spots, and delivered big time. But who had the biggest year of all? It's a tough question to answer. Still, we've given it our best shot, organizing a brain trust to lead a roundtable — moderated by MTV's Sway — on the Best Artists of 2011. Panelists James Montgomery and Rob Markman (MTV News), Yomi Desalu and Malika Quemerais (MTV Music and Talent) and Tamar Anitai and Nicole James (MTV.com) pored over the charts, debated stuff like Facebook friends and Twitter followers and watched a ton of music videos. After some rather zesty discussions, we've come up with a list of 10 who not only defined the year, but dominated it too.
10. Justin Bieber
This year, the teen pop superstar upped the ante: He toppled the box office with his 3-D concert flick, "Never Say Never," and released a slew of new music, including his chart-topping holiday album, Under the Mistletoe. And when he wasn't busy recording, shooting videos, rapping, shufflin', touring and tweeting, he romanced Selena Gomez. Not even tabloid headlines could rain on his parade. In fact, Bieber proved that if he wants to try something in his career, he won't just try— he'll probably succeed. — Jocelyn Vena 9. Drake
Drizzy claimed that all he cared about was money and the city that he's from, but you've got to figure that making hits was pretty high on the Toronto MC's list in 2011. Granted, his second solo album, Take Care, came out in November, but the singing rapper (or the rapping singer) still made his presence felt throughout the year. Duets with Rihanna ("What's My Name"), posse cuts with Lil Wayne and Rick Ross (DJ Khaled's "I'm On One") and his own Internet leaks ("Marvins Room" and "Dreams Money Can Buy") served as ample appetizers before Drake served his main course. When he did unveil his emotionally driven main course, 750,000 hungry fans came to the table and purchased it in the first week of release. So much for a sophomore jinx. — Rob Markman
8. Lil Wayne
Rap star or rock star? Or maybe he's a pop star? In '11, Lil Wayne proved he's all of the above. With "6 Foot 7 Foot," the thumping "John" and his free Sorry 4 the Wait mixtape, Weezy left no doubt that he's still a premier MC. But over the acoustic guitar plucks of "How to Love," Wayne once again penetrated the pop world. If covers by Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato weren't enough, then consider Wayne's appearances on J.Lo's "I'm Into You" or Joe Jonas' "Just in Love." Tunechi also took his guitar on the road with his I Am Still Music Tour, rocked an MTV "Unplugged" special and closed out this year's Video Music Awards. Oh yeah, his ninth solo album, Tha Carter IV, nearly went platinum in its first week out, selling more than 964,000 copies. What a year! — R.M. 7. Beyoncé
Like every other Beyoncé fan, I'm thrilled the star is expecting her first child with hubby Jay-Z, but the delivery of her album 4 was just as exciting. The LP, her most mature to date, is a collection of soulful ballads and midtempo tracks tempered with a deep nostalgic streak. And those singles, the best of which were joyful, horn-blasting throwback jams like "Love on Top" and "Countdown," were unlike anything else on pop radio. Maybe that's why 4 didn't connect commercially the way many of her past records have. But B's 2011 arc has been steady and, most important, certain. Everything she touched in 2011, from 4 to those acclaimed dates at New York City's Roseland Ballroom in August (to that belly!), was golden. — John Mitchell
6. Rihanna
Rihanna had us buzzing about songs off not one, but two albums in 2011. There were a number of hits that dropped this year from 2010's Loud, including a remix of "S&M" with the one-and-only Britney Spears. And while she was still riding high off the momentum of her fifth album, Rih went back into the studio mid-tour and cranked out the sexy, grinding Talk That Talk. Thanks to "We Found Love," the chart-topping lead single off TTT, Rihanna reinvented herself as a punked-out club kid looking for love ... knowing that it's not always easy to find. — J.V 5. Lady Gaga
Gaga is that girl you knew in college with a triple-major in finance, modern dance and molecular chemistry who also played cello and made her own whole-wheat gnocchi on weekends. In 2011, she hit just about every talk show and awards ceremony known to man. And while she did all that, she also toured, released a string of controversial high-concept music videos, spoke out against bullying and starred in an HBO concert film and a prime-time Thanksgiving special. Oh, she also spent the year spinning off a string of hits that mined everything from classic rock to decadent disco. She never slows down, it's never enough and she's set a torrid pace for all divas to come. And that's exactly how she likes it. — Gil Kaufman
4. The Throne
Be honest, you didn't think this was going to work out. After all, the track record for superstar team-ups isn't exactly great (just ask Jay-Z about the Best of Both Worlds Tour), and the Throne are perhaps the super-starriest team-up in recent history. But somehow, Jay and Kanye made it happen, ditching their egos and delivering a classic album ... and a sold-out tour too. Sure, they may play "N---as in Paris" 15 times a show, but that's only because they've earned the right to do so. — James Montgomery
3. Adele
No artist was more quietly ubiquitous this year than Adele. When it came to the charts, she dominated: 21 was the top-selling album of 2011 and "Rolling in the Deep" was the year's biggest song. She ruled because everyone, from millennials to their mothers and maybe even their grandparents, could all agree that hers was the best, most universally appealing mainstream music released this year. There was no need for a year-round media assault, no reason to cause a Twitter beef; heck, she only needed to release two singles to keep it all afloat. Why? Because she's just that good. — J.M. 2. Nicki Minaj
Minaj released her debut album Pink Friday in November 2010, but her popularity hit fever pitch this year. Minaj joined her YMCMB family on Lil Wayne's I Am Still Music Tour and then surprised even herself by landing an opening stint on Britney Spears' Femme Fatale Tour, where the two treated audiences to joint performances of Spears' "Till the World Ends" remix. Nicki's following grew even more after her monster single "Super Bass," which became a pop-culture phenomenon and landed at #2 on MTV's Best Songs of 2011 list. The colorful clip that accompanied "Super Bass" nabbed a Moonman for the year's Best Hip-Hop Video at the VMAs, and the Young Money rapper took home a trophy for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist at the BET Awards. Top that off with Billboard's 2011 Rising Star Award and a much-coveted 2012 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. 1. Katy Perry
In 2011, no one shined as brightly as Katy Perry. She found success by unapologetically being herself. She sang about aliens, her foggy memories of house parties, lost love, true love, being yourself and everything in between. It's easy for fans to c
'War Horse': The Reviews Are In!
Steven Spielberg's holiday offering is a 'litmus test' for moviegoers' feelings about the director, one critic says.
By Eric Ditzian
Tom Hiddleston in "War Horse"
Photo: DreamWorks
The Christmas holiday offers a staggering array of fresh cinematic choices. The last two weeks have given us films about chipmunks and tigers, 19th-century detectives and 21st-century spies, motion-captured adventurers and motorcycle-riding hackers. Shoot, there are not one but two Steven Spielberg flicks to choose from when all of your presents have been opened and that post-holiday-meal coma has set in.
The most recent is "War Horse," which nabbed two Golden Globe nominations and is likely to garner a slew of Oscar nods, including Best Picture and Best Director (even if the reviews are mixed). The movie, which hit theaters on Sunday (December 25), isn't polarizing so much as it is, in critic Bill Goodykoontz's lovely phrasing, a "litmus test" for moviegoers' feelings about Spielberg's films in general. Some reviewers have lauded the beautiful cinematography and stellar cast, while others have taken issue with the film's overly sentimental tone.
Read on for a deep dive into "War Horse" reviews.
The Story
"The film deals with the relationship between Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine) and his horse, Joey. It's a sprawling story that uses the background of World War I as a framework, but it's really a very direct journey. Albert's father (Peter Mullan) buys a horse, Albert falls in love with it, WWI begins, the horse is sold to Captain Nicholls (Tom Hiddleston), and Albert decides to enlist so he can find his horse and keep him safe. The film follows Joey from owner to owner, using the horse's journey as a way of dipping into a number of stories along the way, and eventually reaching a rousing and nakedly tear-jerking finale. It is an episodic film, and how you feel about the movie as a whole will depend largely on whether or not you are moved by the various stops along the way." — Drew McWeeny, HitFix
The Performances
"The cast is exemplary down the line, with both names and newcomers delivering expansive, emotional and almost entirely sympathetic performances. Neither side in the conflict is ennobled or demonized; like Joey (and a striking black steed who's his companion for a while), the grunts are just pawns in the hands of unseen manipulators of countless fates. Irvine is the very picture of a sturdy, well-intentioned, ruddy-faced English country lad of a hundred years ago and Mullan and [Emily] Watson look to have come from the earth they tread. Tom Hiddleston cuts a striking figure as an English officer who understands Joey early on, setting an example for the many others who briefly come and go through the horse's life as the war grinds on." — Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter
The Action
"Spielberg's battle scenes are a marvel of sight and sound — the latter literally shakes the theatres from the pop of rifles and the thunder of cannons. Spielberg tugs at the heart strings, but he's also not afraid to smack you upside the head with combat that realistically shows the madness of war. He interrupts the action too often, perhaps fearing a punitive censor rating. There are long stretches of 'War Horse' where Joey passes from hand to hand like the precious golden circle of 'The Lord of the Rings,' as this barnyard Balzac further demonstrates its wisdom and stoicism while dispensing silent life lessons." — Peter Howell, Toronto Star
The Dissenters
"[It's] overlong, painfully earnest and sometimes even hokey. Clearly, Spielberg intended 'War Horse' as a throwback, an homage to good, old-fashioned, heartrending storytelling, full of recognizable types and uplifting themes. The skies are so impossibly colorful in such a retro way, they look like hand-painted backdrops on a soundstage. And the dialogue is so frequently on-the-nose and repetitive, it might just make you cringe." — Christy Lemire, The Associated Press
The Final Word
" 'War Horse' is a sort of litmus test for how you feel about Steven Spielberg's films. It's a beautiful movie, stunning to look at, with echoes of film history all throughout, reaching back to 'Gone With the Wind,' 'The Searchers,' Spielberg's own 'Saving Private Ryan' and more. It's also unapologetically sentimental. Spielberg all but begs you to cry, and unless you're a heartless cad, you probably will." — Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic
Check out everything we've got on "War Horse."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Katy Perry, Adele, Nicki Minaj Rule MTV's Best Of 2011
We revealed our top Artists, Songs, Live Performances and EDM Artists all week long.
By MTV News staff
Katy Perry
Photo: Getty Images
Forget ladies' night; it's the ladies' year. All week, MTV has been counting down our Best of 2011, and Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj and Adele definitely had us talking during our roundtable debates.
Perry had the biggest year of them all, being crowned MTV's Artist of 2011. "To be Artist of the Year, a whole 365 days, that's pretty cool," Perry said in her acceptance speech. Minaj landed at #2, with Adele, the Throne, Lady Gaga and Rihanna also high on our Artists of 2011 list.
Adele might not have topped our Artists debate, but there was no denying her "Rolling in the Deep" was the Song of the Year. Minaj fell just short of the prize again, with "Super Bass" nabbing the #2 spot, and Rihanna's "We Found Love," LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" and Gaga's "Born This Way" were also part of our MTV experts' roundtable debate.
But why should we have all the fun? For Best MTV Live Performance, we turned to you, asking fans to vote for their favorites among standout sets from Mac Miller, Beyoncé and Lil Wayne. When the votes were tallied, 30 Seconds to Mars' "Unplugged" performance of "Hurricane" and Paramore's "Brick by Boring Brick" at the Fueled by Ramen anniversary show landed at #1 and #2, respectively.
We kicked the week off celebrating a formerly niche genre that really broke through to the mainstream in 2011: electronic dance music. A lot of dance artists have become household names, like deadmau5 and Swedish House Mafia, but at the end of the Best EDM Artists of 2011 debate, it was pop superstar David Guetta at #2 and five-time-Grammy-nominated DJ/producer Skrillex up top.
Why end the debate now? Share your picks for the Best of 2011 in the comments below to keep the conversation going!