From a Q-Tip mishap to a Kanye cover, here##Q##s what got us talking about the HBO series.
By Gil Kaufman and Amy Wilkinson
Lena Dunham in “Girls”
Photo: HBO
Tag Archives: Amy Wilkinson
‘Star Wars’ Spin-Offs: Ewan McGregor Totally ‘Up For’ Obi-Wan Movie
‘Catching Fire’ Ignites: The Scenes We’re Anticipating Most
Production on “The Hunger Games” sequel “Catching Fire” began this week in Atlanta, and like most ravenous fans, we have plenty of hopes, dreams and fears regarding the Francis Lawrence-directed dystopian drama.
Woody Harrelson, who plays District 12 mentor Haymitch Abernathy, happily allayed many of our apprehensions, telling MTV News at the Toronto International Film Festival that the script is “strong” and that Lawrence is going to do “great.” Well, phew! Thanks, Woody. Now that our anxiety is squelched, we can focus on the positives, like, which scenes we’re most excited to see translated to the big screen.
As such, this week’s Hobnobbing is a collaboration among the members of the Movies team in which we divulge which “Catching Fire” moment we’re hungering for. Read on for our thoughts and leave your own in the comments! (SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVEN’T READ SUZANNE COLLINS’ NOVEL)
President Snow Knows About the Kiss
The scene I can’t wait to see: the one from early in the book in which Katniss finds herself face-to-face with the evil President Snow. He alerts her to the fact that her Hunger Games performance has sparked rebellion in the Districts … and then also lets fly with the news that he’s been spying on her and Gale during their sexual tension-filled reunion back in District 12. Not because it’s a particularly important moment — the revelation that the Prez is a creepy peeping Tom is more unintentionally hilarious than anything else — but I can’t be the only one dying to see if Donald Sutherland can deliver his line (“I know about the kiss!”) with a straight face. —Kat Rosenfield, writer
Victory Tour Stop in District 11
There are so many awesome scenes in this book! I had a really tough time selecting just one to write about. However, I settled on the scene that still makes eyes well up to this day: Katniss and Peeta’s Victory Tour stop in District 11. Try to tell me you weren’t moved to tears when the entire district saluted Katniss with the District 12 gesture, and I will not believe you. I still get teary-eyed just thinking about it. And yes, there was a hint to the scene in “The Hunger Games,” but I’m hoping that Francis Lawrence includes the full-scale version in “Catching Fire.” After all, it does start to set the tone for rumblings of rebellion… —Kara Warner, senior writer
Haymitch’s Hunger Games
Haymitch Abernathy is a mean, take-no-guff-from-you-young-whippersnappers-even-if-you’re-about-to-die drunk. He’s also, under Woody Harrelson’s scene-stealing control, totally loveable and the best part of “The Hunger Games.” In that film, we hear all about Haymitch’s former exploits as a 16-year-old champ of the kill-or-be-killed tourney. But it’s hard to square that badass warrior with the blotto bozo attempting to mentor his District 12 charges. “Catching Fire” fills in the blanks, and I can’t wait. As Katniss and Peeta train for the 75th Games, they watch footage of Haymitch’s tactical wizardry on his way to victory. It’s a short scene, yet one on which the man’s entire character arc depends. Plus I wonder who will play young Haymitch. Is Aaron Paul too old? Probably. What about Jamie Campbell Bower? Or — oh, please — Woody going in for a “Benjamin Button”-style makeover. —Eric Ditzian, Movies managing editor
Mags’ Death
I’m a Finnick fan. Sure, he looks good armed with nothing more than a trident and a bathing suit, but there’s more than meets the eye to that one beyond appearances. You really get your first glimpse at what makes Finnick tick, the kind of person he is and the types of values he holds, when Mags sacrifices her life not just so would-be rebellion figureheads Katniss and Peeta can survive the Quarter Quell, but so her dear friend Finnick can live, too. It’s not just a wonderfully poetic death for an old soul; it’s a moment of profound sadness for a guy who, up until that point, was little more than a walking, talking pair of pecs. I’m very curious to see how Sam Claflin and Lynn Cohen bring that scene to life. It won’t be easy, but it’ll (hopefully) be great. —Josh Wigler, Splash Page editor
The Ticking Arena
It probably isn’t a spoiler anymore, but Katniss heads back to the Hunger Games in “Catching Fire.” Except this time, since the Games are for the Quarter Quell, the stakes are even higher. The arena that Plutarch Heavensbee (played by the fantastic Philip Seymour Hoffman) creates puts Seneca Crane’s to shame, and the drama is only heightened when — surprise! — we find out the arena is actually a giant clock. The setting is much more fantastical than the one in “The Hunger Games,” so I can’t wait to see how director Francis Lawrence brings it to life. —Terri Schwartz, writer
A Chink in the Armor
Much like Terri, I’m keen to see the vicious Quarter Quell in all its gory glory. But the moment I’m anticipating most is the arena’s destruction at the hands of Katniss and a single, well-placed arrow. Early in the Games, our heroine realizes that the jungle is surrounded by an electrified force field — with one small imperfection in its surface leaving it vulnerable. Katniss files the flaw away in her mind, but uses it to her advantage in a particularly dire moment of the Games. Recalling Haymitch’s words, “Remember who the real enemy is,” Katniss points her arrow not at a fellow tribute but at the “chink in the armor,” taking down the arena in a manner that only the Girl on Fire could. —Amy Wilkinson, Hollywood Crush editor
Which scene are you most excited to see? Sound off in the comments below and tweet me @amymwilk with your thoughts and suggestions for future columns!
Earlier “Hunger Games” columns
:
» Fall Movie Preview: ‘Hunger Games‘ Edition
» ‘Hunger Games‘ DVD Viewing Party: Foxface Has Tips!
» ‘Catching Fire‘: Finnick Is Just One Casting Mystery
» ‘Catching Fire‘ Casting: Who Is Mags?
» ‘Catching Fire‘ Casting Rumors: What About Sam Claflin?
Watch It: ‘Battleship’ Goes For A ‘Drive’
Finally, a blockbuster that stands a shot at dethroning “The Avengers” (not that we’re necessarily rooting for such an outcome) sails into the scene this weekend: “Battleship,” the action flick starring Taylor Kitsch! Loosely Based on the board game of the same name, “Battleship” has already been invading theaters globally for weeks, but it’s now ready to make its domestic debut this coming weekend. One of our regular Watch It contributors checked the movie out this week, and loved what they saw.
Get more on “Battleship” and everything else we’ve been watching lately — yes, as the headline implies, you’ll get some Ryan Gosling action today — in today’s Watch It!
Joel Hanek, MTV Movies producer:
You either love it or hate it, but “Drive,” my favorite movie of 2011, is now available for streaming on Netflix. If you haven’t seen it yet, please watch it! Right, we get it, Ryan Gosling is the hottest thing on the planet (no one is disagreeing the man is Charm personified), but let’s look at the film in a bigger picture. Director Nicolas Winding Refn does a beautiful job at creating a world around a wordless character by combining a syncopating warm electronic soundtrack with the clean Nagel-esque glossy lens of LA to pull off this modern day film-noir. Not to mention that this film has the coolest supporting cast: Hank Scorpio and Hellboy (Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman) give great gangster gravitas as the film’s baddies, Bryan Cranston pushes the plot with shades of Ratso Rizzo, and Christina Hendricks, while she doesn’t have much to do, is always a great addition.
Tami Katzoff, MTV News producer:
I’m on a continuing quest to catch up on the films from last year that seemed intriguing but I somehow missed, so I recently watched “Hanna” on DVD via Netflix. It’s about a teenage girl raised in total isolation by her dad, who (for reasons too complicated to enumerate here) has taught her to be the consummate assassin. Director Joe Wright is responsible for respectable dramas such as “Pride Prejudice” and “Atonement,” so I was expecting to see a dark yet straightforward thriller. “Hanna” is not that. It’s strange and trippy and somewhat confusing. Also I’m not sure if Cate Blanchett was the right choice to play Hanna’s nemesis. But what makes “Hanna” worth a couple hours of your time is the amazing performance of Saoirse Ronan as the title character. She manages to make Hanna wise yet innocent, sweet but absolutely terrifying.
Fallon Prinzivalli, MTV Movies editorial assistant:
Amidst mixed opinions on whether “Battleship” would sink or swim at the box office, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I went in without any expectations and thoroughly enjoyed the film. I think the biggest surprise was the humor, which is especially present in Taylor Kitsch and his “Friday Night Lights” co-star Jesse Plemons. I also want to note the audience reaction. One scene left the man in a suit who sat next to me covering his mouth in horror and two other scenes found practically the whole audience erupting in applause and celebratory cheer. There’s something to be said about a film that can unite an audience. And while I don’t claim to be a tech whiz, I thought the special effects were stunning. Overall, I recommend grabbing a few friends and heading out to see this flick. It may not be on the same level as “Avengers” (at this point, what is?), but the film stands on its own.
Kevin P. Sullivan, MTV Movies editorial assistant:
Since I consider “The Road” to be one of my favorite books of all time and “The Proposition” to be one of my favorite movies of all time, it was curious that it took me so long to watch John Hillcoat‘s adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. I didn’t actively avoid it, but I never felt compelled to sit through it until the preview for “Lawless” hit and I knew I had to. “The Road” is undoubtedly made with an amazing performance from Viggo Mortensen, but when the horrifying images are stripped of McCarthy’s poetry, they lose any shred of beauty or hope that the author stitched in.
Josh Wigler, MTV Movies Blog editor:
I’m the cheater of the group, aren’t I? I cheated by listing “Hunger Games” books instead of movies a few weeks ago, and here I am again touting the “Survivor: One World” season finale. Sorry, I just can’t help myself. I’m a lifelong “Survivor” fan — one of few who started in the very earliest seasons and hasn’t stopped watching yet — and it’s always been my pie-in-the-sky dream to be on the show. I even auditioned back in college. (No, the tape doesn’t still exist, which is a shame; I ate a cat and it was awesome.) I have no illusions that I’ll never get the chance to compete for the million bucks, but I did make it onto the show in a way I didn’t expect — by attending the live finale in New York City. It was an unforgettable experience getting to watch Jeff Probst read the votes live and grant the Sole Survivor title to all-too-deserving winner Kim Spradlin. Definitely a super-nerdy experience that I won’t soon forget. Okay, enough gushing… back to movie-watching next week, I promise!
Amy Wilkinson, Hollywood Crush editor:
Now that my cable provider is HBO Go compatible, I’m finally jumping on “The Wire” paddy wagon. (Better a decade late than never, right?) A season into the gritty crime drama, and I’m beginning to understand the near-universal reverence for this show (despite my belief that there never possibly could have been that many payphones in Baltimore). Economical yet poignant writing, coupled with nuanced performances by Dominic West and Idris Elba (actually make that the entire cast — there’s really not a weak link in the bunch) make this series worthy of much more than the two paltry Emmy nominations it received during its five-season run.
What are you watching? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!
Watch It: ‘Where The Wild Things Are,’ ‘Annie Hall’ And More
With “The Avengers” smashing box office records left and right, it’s a bit challenging to focus on any other movies that don’t involve Earth’s mightiest heroes. But we’re doing exactly that in this week’s Watch It, which contains an ode to Maurice Sendak, a trip six feet under, and a visit to ’70s era New York with Woody Allen and Diane Keaton.
Tami Katzoff, MTV News producer:
“The Frisco Kid” was one of my favorite movies when I was very young. The 1979 film stars Gene Wilder as a fresh-off-the-boat Polish rabbi on his way to a gig in San Francisco, and Harrison Ford as a soft-hearted Wild West bank robber who helps him get there. I must have watched “The Frisco Kid” (and “Time Bandits”) on VHS a dozen times in the 80’s, but until recently I hadn’t seen it in many years. So when I sat down to watch it on DVD with the fam I was sort of expecting to be disappointed – tastes change over time, of course, and the things we loved as children often lose their appeal. I’m happy to say, however, that this 13th viewing did provide some laughs. “The Frisco Kid” is no “Blazing Saddles,” but it’s still entertaining, especially if you happen to understand a bissel Yiddish.
Brian Phares, MTV News producer:
It was just another Tuesday night and I really wanted to find a good background movie to go with my “Diablo 3″ Beta hack-and-slashing. I chose chose Ryan Reynolds’ “Buried.” Unexpectedly, I found myself spending more time watching the movie than I did killing n00bs with my monk, to the point where I logged off, dialed down the lights, and got fully into it. Of course then the ending came, and I remembered why this was a “background” movie.
Fallon Prinzivalli, MTV Movies editorial assistant:
They say you should never judge a book by its cover and I think the same thing goes for movies. But it’s something I can’t help doing when I’m perusing Netflix looking for a movie to wind down with at the end of a long day. What struck my eye this time was the British film “Albatross.” Jessica Brown Findlay (“Misfits,” “Downton Abbey”) plays Emelia Conan-Doyle, an aspiring novelist obsessed with her familial relation to “Sherlock Holmes” author Sir Authur Conan Doyle. She lands a cleaning job at the inn run by Beth (Felicity Jones) and her family and simultaneously begins a friendship with Beth and an affair with her father. The cheeky, yet thought provoking drama is a great after work dinner companion.
Kevin P. Sullivan, MTV Movies editorial assistant:
I wanted to see “Never Let Me Go” when it came out two years ago, but I forced myself to wait until after reading the Kazuo Ishiguro book it’s based on before watching it. My patience was handsomely rewarded. Mark Romanek directed this loving and visually-stunning adaptation, which adds a new level of sorrow to the book’s already despairingly beautiful story by illustrating it in such literal and haunting images. Add to that uniformly great performances from Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightley, and you have one of the most overlooked films of 2010.
Josh Wigler, MTV Movies Blog editor:
I returned home from an excellent and much-needed vacation to the sad news that Maurice Sendak had died. This week, I’m planning a “Where the Wild Things Are” reread and rewatch in his honor. The original story he penned speaks for itself, but critics weren’t exactly kind on Spike Jonze’s “Wild Things” adaptation when it hit a few years ago. Me, I loved it — an excellent execution of childhood whimsy and make-believe, even if it wasn’t the most coherent tale of all time. If nothing else, that first trailer remains one of my very favorites of all time. I’m looking forward to revisiting the film, even if I’m not happy about the reasons behind the revisit.
Amy Wilkinson, Hollywood Crush editor:
One of my admitted pop-culture blindspots is, rather regrettably, the early works of writer/director Woody Allen. I’ve somehow managed to see several of his more, um, interesting later films like the Jason Biggs-starring rom-com “Anything Else,” but classics like “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “Manhattan” have eluded me. (Mea culpa!) I began to remedy the situation this weekend with a viewing of 1977′s “Annie Hall,” starring Allen and then-ingenue Diane Keaton. To be sure, watching a movie for the first time more than 30 years after its release presents its own set of issues, namely that the whole thing feels like a bout of deja vu. After all, many of the lines have become part of the pop-culture lexicon (“I luuuurve you”) and the motifs, while probably fresh at the time, have become well-worn. But there was still enough novelty to the viewing experience (like spotting a much-younger Christopher Walken) that made it an enjoyable watch.
Tell us what you’re watching this week in the comments section and on Twitter!
Watch It: ‘The Sound Of My Voice,’ ‘Veep’ And More!
Brit Marling is not necessarily a name you know, but it’s a name to keep an eye on all the same. The actress and co-writer of “Another Earth” is back this weekend with another flick that grounds science fiction with reality: “The Sound of My Voice,” about a woman who might be from the future, or might just be a sadistic cult leader, depending on your interpretation. It’s a fascinating film that left three of our writers wanting more.
Keep reading for more of what we’ve been watching in this week’s Watch It!
Fallon Prinzivalli, MTV Movies editorial assistant:
I had the opportunity to attend a screening of Zal Batmanglij’s debut feature “Sound of My Voice.” Batmanglij co-wrote the script with actress Brit Marling, who also stars in the film. The story follows two documentary filmmakers, Peter (Christopher Denham) and Lorna (Nicole Vicius) who infiltrate a cult with the intent on exposing its mysterious leader Maggie. Maggie claims to be from the future and convinces her followers that they’ve been chosen to escape an impending disaster—as long as they follow everything she says. The film takes on an original concept that makes the audience re-think its views on community and the human need for inclusion. For Brit Marling’s performance alone, I’d definitely recommend seeing the film when it hits theaters Friday.
Ryan Rigley, MTV Movies contributing writer:
Look. I know that “Adventure Time” is technically a children’s cartoon, but hear me out. Not only is the show beautifully animated, it also has an amazingly epic back story that can only be realized once one has seen multiple episodes. Finn, the last human on Earth, has taken it upon himself to become the hero that the mystical “Land of Ooo” needs. Surrounded by mythical and magical creatures of all shapes and sizes, Finn and his shape-shifting dog, Jake, must defend the seemingly endless array of princesses from the likes of trolls, zombies, fire wolfs, demons, vampires, and the mentally-unstable Ice King on a daily basis.
Kevin P. Sullivan, MTV Movies editorial assistant:
With just two movies, Brit Marling has established herself as someone to watch. At the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, Marling co-wrote and started in two of the in-competition films, “Another Earth” and “Sound of My Voice.” In the latter film, Marling stars as a cult leader who claims to be from the future, and to avoid spoilers, I’ll have to leave it at that. As a writer, Marling has covered science fiction topics within the means of an independent film, and the results have been fascinating. As an actress, she projects intelligence in a way that few actors can. Fox Searchlight is just getting around to releasing “Sound of My Voice” in select theaters this week, and it is absolutely worth checking out.
Marvin Van Buren, MTV Movies contributing writer:
This week I finally saw Gareth Evans’ “The Raid: Redemption.” The movie is amazing; I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire time. The actions sequences are intense and brutal which left people in my theater applauding when Rama (played by Iko Uwais) battled his way through a hallway of gang members. This week I also saw Joe Cornish’s “Attack The Block,” another film I can’t believe I hadn’t seen before. Cornish does so much with a minimal budget and a lot of relatively unknown actors, but the special effects and performances exceed expectations. “Block” is easily one of the best alien invasion movies in recent years I have seen. John Boyega, who plays Moses in the film, will definitely get more work as an actor in the future. If you haven’t yet, trust me: “Attack The Block” and “The Raid: Redemption” are two movies you need to watch.
Josh Wigler, MTV Movies Blog editor:
I saw Val Kilmer in “The Fourth Dimension.” It was light and fluffy and filled with cotton candy. That description makes about as much sense as the anthology movie itself, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the absurdity of it all. Less absurd, though still bizarre on paper, is “The Sound of My Voice,” the low-level sci-fi flick from “Another Earth” rising star Brit Marling. “Earth” was among my favorite movies seen in 2011, and while “Sound” might not get that same distinction this year, it’s definitely an interesting spin on the time-travel subgenre complete with an excellent performance from Marling, who needs to exclusively make weird pseudo-sci-fi movies for the rest of her life.
Amy Wilkinson, Hollywood Crush editor
HBO‘s current Sunday night line-up gets my vote for the week’s best night of television. With the epic return of “Game of Thrones” and the debut of Lena Dunham’s buzzy “Girls,” my DVR clearly isn’t observing a day of rest. The newest choice addition to the pay network, “Veep,” debuted last Sunday and follows the exploits of harried vice-president Selina Meyer (played to perfection by Julia Louis-Dreyfus). One episode in, I’m still contemplating its approval rating; I enjoyed it, but wasn’t necessarily rolling with laughter in the congressional aisles. That being said, it’s hard not to cheer for a series giving Anna “My Girl” Chlumsky a second act.
Eric Ditzian, MTV Movies managing editor:
Friends, remember my TV? This Sunday, the living room in which it proudly stands was the scene of an epic movie-watching binge, thanks to the slashing, day-long rainstorm outside and a bloated Netflix streaming queue. Let’s break ‘em down individually:
» We began with a second viewing of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” which I ended up enjoying, purely and simply, more than when I caught a screening last year. Gone were the inescapable impulses to compare the film to the book and the Swedish adaptation, giving way to a new appreciation for Daniel Craig‘s performance and a reinforced view that Rooney Mara gave the finest performance of any actress in 2011.
» Next came “The September Issue,” the 2009 doc that takes you inside Anna Wintour’s Vogue and the creation of the magazine’s über-important fall issue. The journalist in me wanted less attention paid to the photo spreads and more time spent exploring the creation, deconstruction and recreation of the mag’s words, but I suspect I’m in the minority here. The true star of the doc is Vogue‘s charismatic and conflicted creative director, Grace Coddington, who makes “September Issue” a must-watch even if you don’t give a crap about Thakoon Panichgul’s latest ready-to-wear collection.
» Finally, it was on to another documentary, Cameron Crowe’s “Pearl Jam Twenty.” Alas, it was more hagiographic portrait than objective look at a band with as much creative tension as hit records. Juicy pop-culture topics like Kurt Cobain’s beef with the band and Eddie Vedder’s debatably successful ascension to the role of the band’s head musical honcho after 1993′s Vs. are raised and quickly swept under the storytelling rug. Bummer. What’s not a bummer? Watching three movies in a row on a rainy Sunday.
Tell us what you’ve been watching in the comments section or hit us up on Twitter!
‘Magic Mike’ Trailer Commentary: The Naked Truth
Did that “Magic Mike” trailer leave you wondering: where’s Alex Pettyfer? It did for us. It also left us with an answer: who cares? As long as that R-rating really does stand for “rock hard abs,” the lady folks at MTV News are going to be very happy about this movie, Pettyfer be damned.
MTV’s Christina Garibaldi and Amy Wilkinson teamed up with NextMovie’s Brooke Tarnoff to dissect the new trailer for “Magic Mike,” the Channing Tatum-starring stripper movie from filmmaker Steven Soderbergh. See what they had to say about the new spot in the video above.
Watch It: ‘Hunger Games’ Sequels Are ‘Catching Fire’
We’re only three weeks into our new Watch It column, and one of our contributors is already cheating: instead of telling you what he’s watching, he’s telling you what he’s reading, and it may have a little something to do with a certain bow-wielding heroine in the post-apocalyptic land known as Panem.
Keep reading for more on “Hunger Games” sequels “Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay,” a bit on the latest “Prometheus” viral video, and more of what the rest of the MTV Movies team is devouring in this week’s edition of Watch It!
Eric Ditzian, MTV Movies managing editor:
A new flat-screen TV that my wife at first claimed was a monstrous waste of money and far too large for anything but hanging from the ceiling of Madison Square Garden has given me two unexpected gifts: one, the ability to gloat, since she now passionately loves the TV; and two, streaming Netflix. Of all the new shows I’ve been watching, the greatest is “Workaholics.” It’s hard to explain the genius of Blake, Adam and Anders — the three dope-smoking numbskulls who excel in all things “holic” but don’t give a hoot about the daily grind — so just check out this. And this. It’s all got me so inspired that, riffing on a poster hanging in their office, I made this and put it on my wall. I may be late to the “Workaholics” party, but right now I’m SOARING!
Tami Katzoff, MTV News producer:
I just watched “50/50″ on DVD. I’m not sure why I didn’t see it when it was in theaters last year (it might have been because I become suspicious when movies have that much positive buzz), but it turned up at the house via Netflix so I gave it a look. Seth Rogen is his usual Seth Rogen self in the film, and that’s OK, but I was really impressed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the earnest radio producer who’s sucker-punched by cancer. And I have to admit his bald head is quite adorable.
Brian Phares, MTV News producer:
This week I watched a lot of movies new and old. I finally saw “Cabin In The Woods” (totally awesome), as well as the classic “Chinatown” (quasi-awesome), but one piece of video stands above all else this week: David 8. The “Prometheus” viral campaign marches on, boldly going where every nerd has wanted a movie to go. I can’t express my excitement, and if you haven’t seen the David 8 video, or the TED talk that preceded it, then you don’t deserve to troll the interwebs.
Ryan Rigley, MTV News contributor:
There’s no greater pleasure than the uncontrollable fits of laughter brought on by John C. Reilly mispronouncing words and projectile vomiting. In “Check It Out! With Dr. Steve Brule,” an uncomfortably hilarious “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” spin-off series, Reilly plays the affable Brule, a bizarre man with the mentality of a 10 year old. So far this season he’s checked out boats, pleasure, money, space, and animals. This show is worth watching for the “Doctor to Doctor” segment, if nothing else, in which Brule butts heads with industry professionals and, more often than not, makes a fool of himself.
Kevin P. Sullivan, MTV Movies editorial assistant:
When a movie sits unwatched and collecting dust in your Netflix queue for over two years, there’s little hope it will ever meet your eyeballs. I was pretty sure I would never watch Cary Fukunaga’s debut “Sin Nombre.” Thankfully, Fukunaga signed on to direct the upcoming television series “True Detectives” with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey and left me with no choice but to check out his work. “Sin Nombre” is a brilliant film that I wish I would have seen years ago. A rather simple story of a Mexican gang member and a young Honduran girl attempting to cross the board into Texas, the film grabs your complete attention from the first, painfully beautiful shot and never lets go.
Marvin Van Buren, MTV Movies contributor:
This week I saw the premiere of “Girls” on HBO. I did not really go into it with any high expectations, but I must say the show is smarter than it let on in its marketing campaign. Lena Dunham does great taking real situations and elevating them to hyper-real awkward moments. I’m not an affluent white girl from the East Village, so some of the problems that the characters deal with I cannot relate to, like my parents cutting my funding to write my memoir. Still, “Girls” has tons of laughs and offers this generation of young women their own “Sex in The City,” albeit a poorer and more gentrified version. I can’t wait to watch the next episode!
Josh Wigler, MTV Movies Blog editor:
I’ll tell you what I haven’t watched yet: “The Avengers.” The reviews for Earth’s mightiest superhero movie have been positively glowing, and like Hulk, that’s making me angry. Not because the reviews are strong, mind you, but because I haven’t seen it yet and other people have! In protest, I traded in my weekly moviegoing status for a pair of books this past weekend: namely, the next two outings in the “Hunger Games” novels, “Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay.” I read them both on a trip to and from California this weekend (one book on the flight out, the other on the way back), which is a testament to just how deeply Suzanne Collins‘ dystopian universe can suck you in. Figuring out how to translate these two books to the big screen is a tall order for any director, especially one who has to fill Gary Ross‘ considerably-sized shoes. Nevertheless, I am very excited to see where the franchise goes next, especially now that I have new characters like Finnick, Johanna and Beetee floating around in my head.
Amy Wilkinson, Hollywood Crush editor
In search of something fun and frothy to supplement my sofa snuggletime Saturday night, I selected “Chalet Girl” from my trusty OnDemand. The 2011 rom-com stars “Like Crazy” actress Felicity Jones as former skateboard competitor Kim, who abandons the half-pipe after her mom’s death and signs on to work as a — you guessed it — chalet girl at Jonny’s (Ed Westwick) Austrian vacation home. And faster than you can say wiener schnitzel, fish-out-of-water Kim befriends her resort cohorts, falls for the already-taken Jonny and masters the snowboard. It’s everything you’d expect from a silly romantic comedy, and I’m okay with that.
What are you watching this week? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter, and join the MTV Movies team every week as we tell you what we’re watching!
Watch It: ‘Cabin In The Woods,’ Guy Pearce, ‘Titanic’
“Cabin in the Woods” is out this weekend. That’s probably all we’re allowed to say about that. Well, one more thing: go see it, it’s awesome. Okay, fine, we’ll talk a little bit more about the Joss Whedon-produced horror flick in today’s edition of Watch It, but that’s not the only movie on our minds.
With “Lockout” coming out this week, one member of the MTV Movies team dove back into another Guy Pearce classic as his pick of the week. And somehow, someway, another of our writers never got around to seeing “Titanic” until last weekend’s 3-D rerelease. Madness, we say! His take on James Cameron‘s historical-fiction epic is past the break, along with our other picks.
Ryan Rigley, MTV News contributor
I saw “Titanic” for the first time ever this weekend. It was good, as I’m sure everyone is well aware of by now. My initial reaction was to try to figure out how much of it was based on fact, but then it occurred to me that there’s no way anyone in their right mind would be chasing two star-crossed young lovers around a ship while it’s sinking. That’s just ridiculous. On a separate note, the 3-D was spectacular! However, all of that rushing water kept reminding me that I had to pee and 3 hours is a long time to hold it.
Brian Phares, MTV News producer
In honor of what I have officially deemed Guy Pearce Week (you’ve heard about “Lockout” by now, right?), I’ve been doing a deep dive and reconnecting with everyone’s favorite amnesiac turned murder pawn, Leonard Shelby. “Memento” has proved itself just as confusing now as it was to me when I was thirteen, but you’d be surprised by how many now-famous actors are in that movie doing bit roles.
Fallon Prinzivalli, MTV Movies editorial assistant
As usual, I’m on a British television kick. I just finished the series “Misfits” and loved every episode. The supernatural drama follows a group of delinquents in their early 20′s beginning community service who, after a freak lightning storm, obtain different powers (mind reading, traveling back in time). The cast is brilliant, especially Nathan (Robert Sheehan) and Rudy (Joseph Gilgun) whose raunchy jokes bring comedy into every one of their scenes. All three seasons are available on Hulu with the fourth premiering later this year. Oh, and full disclosure, it’s a bit racy. See: Skins.
Kevin P. Sullivan, MTV Movies editorial assistant
What I watched this week: “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey.” I had been meaning to watch this documentary about the man behind the muppet, Kevin Clash, but I only sat down and watched it when it was just the next thing on PBS. It might seem like a silly thing or that seeing Clash operate Elmo would take away the magic, but it’s the complete opposite. Clash has lived an inspiring life, and what you might not know is that so much of the fun of Elmo comes from the man pulling the strings. I highly recommend “Being Elmo” if you grew up watching Sesame Street or just love things that are good and kind.
Josh Wigler, MTV Movies Blog editor
“Cabin in the Woods.” Nothing more needs to be said. It’s the best movie out in theaters this week, and easily in my top five favorite movies of 2012 already. I can’t believe it took so long to get this gem off the shelf — “Cabin” was supposed to be out in 2009, for crying out loud — but it’s here, it’s weird, and it’s wonderful in every way. Whedonites are going to this no matter what, but even for the skeptics out there, I’ll say this: if you like horror, and if you like comedy, there is no reason to miss this movie. It’s phenomenal.
Amy Wilkinson, Hollywood Crush editor
Like Fallon, my love affair with all things Britannia continues with the BBC’s instantly addicting crime series “Luther.” Idris Elba stars as the titular John Luther, a detective in London’s Serious Crimes Unit, whose unparalleled insight into the human psyche proves a formidable foe for the city’s ne’er-do-wells. But what elevates the drama beyond your run-of-the-mill procedural is its unflinching look at John’s own troubled life — and what happens when he can’t separate the personal and the professional.
What are you watching this week? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!
‘Hunger Games’ Director Gary Ross Not Returning For ‘Catching Fire’?
That sound you hear is a cannon firing in the distance, because a new report is claiming “Hunger Games” director Gary Ross will not be returning for the sequel, “Catching Fire.”
The Playlist is reporting that Ross informed Lionsgate and Summit earlier this week that he would not return to direct the sequel to the box-office smash, which has made $263 million to date.
This directly contradicts a report from The Hollywood Reporter earlier this week that indicated that negotiations between Ross and the studio were ongoing but tough. According to that story, the issue simply came down to money, something the Playlist story calls a “small part of the motivation.” Lionsgate reportedly paid Ross a relatively low $3 million for “The Hunger Games,” with 5 percent of the back end.
MTV News reached out to both Lionsgate and Gary Ross. The studio had no comment, and a rep for Ross said he was traveling and could not comment at this time.
The Playlist explained that Ross’ departure from the series based on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novels comes from the director’s desire to work on something different. The report also says that his next project could be one he’s written himself and one that could earn him more money than directing “Catching Fire” would have.
The news of Ross’ departure comes right on the heels of word that Fox and Lionsgate have agreed to a filming schedule for their shared star Jennifer Lawrence. The sequel to “X-Men: First Class” will begin filming this January to make room for “Catching Fire,” which shoots later this year.
There’s no word yet on who could potentially replace Ross, but our own “Hunger Games” columnist Amy Wilkinson had some ideas of her own.
Check out everything we’ve got on “Catching Fire.”
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