Drake & Rihanna lead the nominations for the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards

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MTV has announced the nominees for a Moonman this year and frequent collaborators Drake and Rihanna lead the pack with five nominations each. Rihanna’s video for her hit single”We Found Love” is up for Video of the Year, along with Drake’s “Take Care” (featuring Rihanna), Katy Perry’s “Wide Awake,” Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know,” and M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls.” Speaking of Katy Perry, she’s on the heels of Drizzy and RiRi banking four nods. Following with three nods are artists such as Beyoncé, Coldplay, newcomer Frank Ocean, M.I.A., and The Throne (aka Kanye West and Jay-Z). Thankfully ‘Ye’s clip for “Mercy” was nominated twice for Best Hip-Hop Video and Best Editing–well deserved. I know you want to see all the nominees, so go on and skip after the break for the full rundown.

The 2012 MTV Video Music Awards airs live September 6 at 8PM (ET) and will feature performances from the talented Alicia Keys and UK boy band One Direction.

Update: Host Kevin Hart jokes with lovebirds Kanye West and Kim Kardashian in a promo after the break.

[Via MTV] Continue reading Drake & Rihanna lead the nominations for the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards →

‘American Horror Story’ season 2 gets subtitled ‘Asylum’, new details emerge

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The highly anticipated second season of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story is coming soon. The facts are these: season one star and Golden Globe winner Jessica Lange is back but this time in the lead role. Zachary Quinto, Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson, and Evan Peters, other cast members featured in season one, return. All returning actors, however, will be playing completely different characters. Since AHS has been branded an anthology series, every season will tell a completely new story and feed off a different kind of fear. Season two ditches the haunted house for an east coast mental institution and goes back in time to take place in 1964.

And now for things you haven’t heard yet. Season two has a name: American Horror Story: Asylum. Murphy shares: “When we launched the show last year, we kept quiet about the closed-ended nature of the show because we didn’t want to tip off the audience that the characters were not going to survive. Now that it has been established that each year is a closed-ended story, the time seemed right to reveal what we’re calling the new installment. We picked Asylum because it not only describes the setting — an insane asylum run by Jessica Lange’s character which was formerly a tuberculosis ward — but also signifies a place of haven for the unloved and the unwanted. This year’s theme is about sanity and tackling real-life horrors.”

The growing cast is not something to bat an eyelash at. In addition to the returning season one stars, AHS season two brings the following actors into the fold: Adam Levine (yes, of Maroon 5), Jenna Dewan, James Cromwell, Joseph Fiennes, Chloe Sevigny, and Clea Duvall.

Besides what he’s said here, Murphy has yet to spill on the beans on a more well-rounded plot description. Still, Lange runs an insane asylum; that should be enough of a hook to get you watching. Surrounding this subtitle announcement, though, Murphy leaked two pictures from set; one featuring star Adam Levine shining a light on the mysterious wall paint “Bloody Face” (see above) and the other also includes Levine with co-star Jenna Dewan and Glee‘s Lea Michele (see after the break). What does it all mean? Tune into FX this October to find out.

[Via THR; Twitter 1, 2] Continue reading ‘American Horror Story’ season 2 gets subtitled ‘Asylum’, new details emerge →

‘Paranormal Activity 4’ trailer is in the present with demon Katie’s presence

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All of the activity has led to this, or so says the tagline of the upcoming Paranormal Activity film. In the fourth installment of the scary franchise, returning directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost (Paranormal Activity 3, Catfish) jump back to the present making PA 4 a true sequel to PA 2 (if you can recall, last year’s PA 3 took movie-goers to the ’80s as they discovered protagonist Katie’s backstory. 27 seconds into this extended, delightfully frightening trailer you can clearly see the camera’s timestamp display November 2011 so you can expect a story that will take place following the scares as seen in the second film. Katie (Katie Featherston) and her son Hunter are back to terrorize a mother and daughter in their demonic ways. Zack Estrin (The River, No Ordinary Family, Prison Break) wrote the script.

Paranormal Activity is out this Halloween season, as is tradition, on October 19. Spy the poster after the break. Continue reading ‘Paranormal Activity 4’ trailer is in the present with demon Katie’s presence →

Peter Jackson opens up ‘The Hobbit’, now a trilogy

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Peter Jackson is making it a point that his upcoming Hobbit story is indeed an unexpected journey. On Monday via Facebook he announced that his film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s book The Hobbit is expanding from two movies to three. Here’s an excerpt from his statement:

It is only at the end of a shoot that you finally get the chance to sit down and have a look at the film you have made. Recently Fran, Phil and I did just this when we watched for the first time an early cut of the first movie – and a large chunk of the second. We were really pleased with the way the story was coming together, in particular, the strength of the characters and the cast who have brought them to life.  All of which gave rise to a simple question: do we take this chance to tell more of the tale? And the answer from our perspective as the filmmakers, and as fans, was an unreserved ‘yes.’

Jackson will expand the Hobbit universe by using stories gathered in Tolkien’s additional appendices, a total of 125 pages the author inserted into a later publication of The Return of the King.

Part one, An Unexpected Journey, comes out December 14, 2012. Part two, There And Back Again, comes out one year later on December 13, 2013. Part three, still un-subtitled, will follow in Summer 2014. Jump after the break to read Jackson’s three-film statement in full.

[Via Facebook; Deadline] Continue reading Peter Jackson opens up ‘The Hobbit’, now a trilogy →

A 5-minute 41-second trailer for ‘Cloud Atlas’, a genre-defying film from The Wachowskis & Tom Tykwer

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Cloud Atlas explores how the actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present and the future. Action, mystery and romance weave dramatically through the story as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution in the distant future.

That is the official synopsis out now for the upcoming film Cloud Atlas. Written for the screen and directed by siblings Andy and Lana Wachowski (The Matrix) and Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run), Cloud Atlas is adapted from a 2004 novel written by David Mitchell. The epic tale tells multiple stories and intricately weaves them all together. It spans across centuries and travels between the past, present, and future. And it cannot be delegated to a single genre; Cloud Atlas is a romance story with elements of action-adventure, fantasy, mystery, and sci-fi. It’s also being described as political and philosophical. “Why keep genres separated?” exclaims Andy Washowski.

It’s got a great cast: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, James D’Arcy, Zhou Xun , Keith David, David Gyasi, Susan Sarandon, and Hugh Grant. And get this: The majority of these actors will be playing multiple characters in the film. “We all see this amazing opportunity to use the entire cast in multiple roles,” the filmmakers explain. “We love actors and we saw this chance to not just play different characters, but different ages, different races, different genders. Representing a core concept of the book: an idea of connectedness and karma, each character inheriting the consequences of their lives.”

To spread the word of their upcoming genre-defying epic, the Wachowskis and Twyker released a very long trailer maxing out at 5 minutes and 41 seconds. You’ll really get a sense of the massive scope Cloud Atlas brings to the table, both visually and in its storytelling format. For more, jump after the break to watch the filmmakers discuss how the movie came together and what movie-goers can expect from such a unique work of art.

Cloud Atlas hits theatres October 26. Continue reading A 5-minute 41-second trailer for ‘Cloud Atlas’, a genre-defying film from The Wachowskis & Tom Tykwer →

‘Skyfall’ teaser airs during the Olympics [Update: Lengthier theatrical trailers posted]

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Shortly after Daniel Craig as James Bond escorted the Queen of England to the Olympics in this highly entertaining clip, NBC aired this new teaser for the upcoming 007 flick Skyfall. Though it mostly contains selections from the previously releases teaser trailer, there are some new shots featured here including a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it look at the movie’s antagonist Raoul Silva played by Javier Bardem and a stunning action sequence that is only slightly tongue-and-cheek there at the end.

Skyfall is out November 9.

Update: Jump after the break to find two new Skyfall trailers; they’re the best ones yet packed with jaw-dropping action sequences and our first real acquaintance with Bardem’s Silva. They are domestic and international versions of the same trailer, with only slight differences here and there. Discern them after the break. Continue reading ‘Skyfall’ teaser airs during the Olympics [Update: Lengthier theatrical trailers posted] →

TV teaser: ‘Homeland’ season 2 [Update: new teaser]

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For the sake of everyone who has yet to catch up on Showtime’s breakout drama Homeland, stop reading this and do not watch the teaser embedded above. If you have watched all 12 episodes that comprise season 1, Carrie on… (get it?)

Showtime has released this schizophrenic teaser to promote the second season of the critically acclaimed political drama Homeland starring the scene-stealer Claire Daines and the enigmatic Damian Lewis. When the season concluded, Carrie Mathison of the CIA stitched together Nicholas Brody’s “Issa” night terrors with the facts at hand; but before she could tell anyone her shock treatment began and her memories erased. Or were they? In the teaser above, Carrie stands in front of a barrage of images and sounds from season 1. Toward the end of the all-too-brief clip, she shuts her eyes, opens them and we hear, “You are a traitor and a terrorist and now it’s time to pay for that.” The promo is called “Look Again.”

Homeland returns Sunday, September 30 at 10PM on Showtime.

Update (8/7): Showtime has uploaded a second Homeland teaser; this one shows war vet-turned-politician Brody inching closer to the Vice President. He asks, “If everything you had was taken away and you had nothing left to lose, what lengths would you go to for the one idea that pulled you through?” Carrie, meanwhile, looks levelheaded and determined since we last saw her. Watch the 45 second clip after the break. Continue reading TV teaser: ‘Homeland’ season 2 [Update: new teaser] →

FX renews ‘Louie’, ‘Anger Management’ expected to receive 90-episode pick-up

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High off his record-breaking seven Emmy nominations, Louis C.K. has more to be excited about. On Saturday FX renewed his comedy series Louie for a fourth season. The cable network also renewed Russell Brand’s new talk show BrandX and said it will undergo creative changes as the show continues through the fall. Wilfred and veteran Justified were not renewed, but FX entertainment president John Landgraf remains positive about their respective futures. On Wilfred, he expects the bizarre comedy to remain on the air for “many years.” On Justified, he sees the Timothy Olyphant-led show run for at least six seasons (season three concluded in April).

Charlie Sheen’s comeback vehicle Anger Management has performed well enough in the ratings for FX to grant it a (whopping) 90-episode order. Though Landgraf has yet to greenlight the order, he expects to do so in the near future. “We won’t make a decision on the 90 episodes until all 10 have aired but the series up until now has given us every indication [that it will return],” he said. In episode 10, Charlie’s father Martin Sheen will join the cast as a series regular. “What the entry of Martin Sheen’s character will do is it will give an extra dimension to the show and make it a multi-generational family show,” Landgraf explained. “The show will still deal with his relationship with his patients and the women in his life, but will also [expand to focus on his family].”

Currently Anger Management, Louie, and BrandX air Thursday nights at 9:30PM, 10:30PM, and 11PM, respectively, on FX.

[Via EW 1, 2]

G.O.O.D. Music covers Complex Magazine

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We’ve seen Kid Cudi cover don the cover multiple times, but now nearly every member of Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label has the time to shine in this month’s issue of Complex Magazine. In a four-page interview (available online and in print), Complex’s  Noah Callahan-Bever talks with G.O.O.D. Music members Big Sean, Pusha T, Kid Cudi, Common, John Legend, Q-Tip, and 2 Chainz about what it’s like working with Kanye West inside the studio and how he helped jumpstart and innovate their careers. Since ‘Ye advocates a “no press” policy, this makes for an interesting read for all fans of ‘Ye and his labelmates because it dives into material that otherwise would never make it out in the open.

The interview starts off with the artists talking about what G.O.O.D. Music means to them. John Legend sums it up nicely when he says, “We want to be known for quality. We want to be known for stuff that we all can be proud of. That creativity, that attention to detail, that quality control—that’s what distinguishes us from other folks who might just be chasing a hit. Kanye picks artists who care about making great art. We all want to make money and do well, but we also want to make great art that’s important and interesting.” From there they discuss how Kanye carries the torch and gets involved in their respective music making processes. In the end, these hip-hop musicians are a family, and under Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music umbrella they help each other push out quality music that pushes the boundaries of the genre to new heights.

Read the interview in full right here. Look in the gallery below to browse pictures from the zine’s photoshoot. Jump after the break to watch a behind-the-scenes video from said photoshoot; in it you’ll hear the various G.O.O.D. artists expound their statements put forth in the interview.

And, for those of you wondering, the G.O.O.D. Music album Cruel Summer is now set to release September 4.

Update: During the photoshoot, Complex pulled Kid Cudi aside to ask him a few questions regarding his relationship to ‘Ye and Cud explained how his mentor will always remain an integral part of his music making process. He also comments on his upcoming solo album dubbed Indicud saying, “I’ve been writing some really serious raps. I’ve been writing some sh*t that’s going to fu*k people up. And it’s about that time that I let n****s know.” Read the mini interview here.

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[Via Complex]
Continue reading G.O.O.D. Music covers Complex Magazine →

Apple’s OS X Mountain Lion is out now

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Mountain Lion, the successor to Snow Leopard and the ninth major release of Apple’s OS X, is now available. OS X 10.8 comes complete with over 200 new features including Messages, Notification Center, Share Sheets, Twitter integration, Notes, Reminders, and Game Center, AirPlay Mirroring, dictation, and iCloud enhancements. Mountain Lion requires you running OS X v10.6.8 or later, 2GB of memory, and 8GB of available space. You won’t find it in stores on-disc; you must download it from the Mac App Store. It costs a low $19.99. Upgrade today. (Note: If you purchased a qualifying Mac on or after June 11, you can receive the new OS for free. Plus all Macs shipping out now will come with Mountain Lion preloaded.)

Update: In typical Apple fashion, the hardware/software company announced that after just a mere four days after putting Mountain Lion on the market, three million copies of the new OS were sold, “making it the most successful OS X release in Apple’s history.” Added emphasis. For more self-congratulatory quotes, jump after the break for the official PR.

[Via Apple 1, 2] Continue reading Apple’s OS X Mountain Lion is out now →