By Amelia Mularz
March usually comes in like a lion or a lamb. This year it blew in shrieking like a Bieber-crazed junior high girl. Movie news seemed to be steeped in love this past week. But it wasn##Q##t the kind of romance that##Q##s written about in 16th century literature; it was more the kind that##Q##s etched into Trapper Keepers with Wite-Out during study hall.
Yep, between a major Mila Kunis crush and a kiss-and-tell involving Oprah, the last seven days were all about puppy love. Here##Q##s how it went down:
» The week kicked off with a Mila Kunis interview that veered from her film “Oz The Great and Powerful” (opening today) to talk of “Baywatch,” yager bombs and dropping trow at weddings. During a press junket for the film, the actress helped quell the nerves of a jittery British journalist by making small talk. Eventually the endearing reporter (who had a remarkable similarity to Hugh Grant in “Notting Hill”) found the courage to ask Kunis out not once, not twice, but three times! No word on any future date plans, but in the meantime the interview has gone viral and America has simultaneously fallen in love with Kunis and the Brit.
» On to a less gentlemanly suitor, Terrence Howard, who shot some love scenes with Oprah for the upcoming film “The Butler,” has been bragging about his on-screen sexy time with O. He even mentioned her “tig ol##Q## bitties” in a recent interview. Now, that may fly with some of the real housewives of reality TV, but nobody speaks of tig ol##Q## bitties and the queen of all media in the same breath. Gayle is totally gonna throw down.
» Speaking of on-screen romance, the nominees for the MTV Movie Awards were announced this week and KStew and RPatz apparently aren##Q##t that good at kissing anymore. After a four-year reign as the best smoochers in town, the “Twilight” stars didn##Q##t even score a nom in the Best Kiss category. So what spit-swapping duo might take the honor this year? Terrence and Oprah? Unfortunately they##Q##re not on the list either, but we##Q##d settle for Emma Watson and Logan Lerman from “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”
» In heartthrob news, “Hunger Games” fans have been going gaga for the “Catching Fire” portraits released this week, especially the ones featuring Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, and Sam Claflin (see it here). The less predictable tweens will use their Lisa Frank stickers to hang the portrait of Stanley Tucci (aka Caesar Flickerman) on their bedroom walls.
» In a special movie-inspired episode last night, the gang paid tribute to some of the most memorable cinematic tunes with songs from “Moulin Rouge,” “Footloose,” and “Ghost.” There was laughter, there was heartbreak…there was singing “Unchained Melody” over a pottery wheel. You know, just the typical high school experience.
And that##Q##s a wrap!
We’ve been rolling in “Catching Fire” goods recently here at MTV News. In addition to the scene-specific details dropped by star Josh Hutcherson regarding arena sequences being shot in IMAX and a wardrobe malfunction during a key scene, leading lady Jennifer Lawrence delighted us with an excellent behind-the-scenes secret. Never mind the romance between Katniss and Peeta; there is a budding bromance between Hutcherson and new castmember Sam Claflin.
Naturally, when we caught up with Hutcherson shortly thereafter, we had to ask him for a response to Lawrence’s claim that the two actors are involved in a “full-blown bromance.”
“We totally hit it off,” Hutcherson admitted of his new friendship with Claflin, who plays Finnick in the upcoming sequel. “He’s just one of those guys that’s always down to have fun and is generally a good person. We have a similar sense of humor. He likes to play soccer; I play soccer. It’s kind of really a great match. Everything just kind of melded together.”
Speaking of co-stars who are always down to have fun, we asked Hutcherson if Lawrence, who is prone to joking around on set, had become more serious for “Catching Fire” versus her antics on the set of “The Hunger Games.”
“Oh God, no, I think it’s gotten worse,” Hutcherson said with a laugh. “It’s gotten out of control. All of us, if you have me and Woody [Harrelson] and Jennifer on set together, it’s like a group of toddlers. I don’t even know how we’re making this movie.”
Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.”
Spoilers ahead if you have not read “Catching Fire.”
In between mouthfuls of tender turkey and sweet potato casserole, MTV News took the time last week to reflect upon a few of the movies we were thankful for in 2012, and it should come as no surprise that the big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins‘ best-selling “Hunger Games” was among the chosen. As such, star Josh Hutcherson, who plays baker boy Peeta Mellark, stopped by our studios to share his own thankful list (“Gigolos”?), as well as reveal a few details about the in-production follow-up, “Catching Fire.”
Among the many moments fans are surely craving is Peeta’s proposal to Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) in front of the bright lights of Caesar Flickerman‘s cameras. But for Hutcherson, the highly anticipated scene didn’t quite go as planned.
“I have proposed to Katniss,” Hutcherson confirmed. “It was good. Actually, funny story: When we shot it, the actual proposal itself is done where you don’t hear what we’re saying, so I was just saying gibberish while I was proposing to her on one knee. Actually, the very first time I went to get down on one knee my pants ripped right down the crotch. The worst thing that could happen when you’re proposing to somebody is that your pants rip right down the crotch, and that’s what happened to Peeta. So… he’s doomed. He’s doomed. Poor guy, he just can’t catch a break.”
Thankfully, the pants predicament seems to be the worst the actor has weathered while filming. In fact, when asked which scenes were his favorite to film so far, Hutcherson was quick with one pivotal moment in particular:
“The Reaping stuff was really great. The Reaping stuff we did was really powerful, really well written,” he recalled. “The extras were so awesome. Like, literally, every extra was a very, very talented actor, and so in the really emotional scenes, all the background really brought their A-game. It really added a lot. That was really cool to see that all come together.”
Next up, the cast will fly to Hawaii to film the tropically-inclined Quarter Quell.
“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” lights up theaters on November 22, 2013.
Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.”
Don’t be confused by the title; there are no vampires to be found in “Red Dawn.” Instead, director Dan Bradley’s remake of the 1984 action cult classic sees “Avengers” and “Hunger Games” stars (among others) engaged in guerilla warfare against North Korean soldiers on American soil — about as different from “Breaking Dawn” as it possibly gets.
But even though “Red Dawn” has “Thor” actor Chris Hemsworth and the bread-baking Josh Hutcherson on its side, the impressive cast list hasn’t been enough to attract favorable reviews on its own. While some critics have praised the film’s acting and action sequences, many others have skewered “Red Dawn” over plot and script issues, not to mention the controversial decision to change the nationality of the film’s villains in post-production.
Read on for a sample of “Red Dawn” reviews.
All In On Action
“A lot of the movie’s success comes down to the excellent action sequences, and that’s where having a guy like first-time director Dan Bradley — who spent years working as a stunt coordinator and second unit director on a number of big films — pays off. He may not get the best performances from his actors when it counts, but the action scenes are never lacking in excitement, and they account for a large part of ‘Red Dawn.’” — Jason Zingale, Bullz-Eye.com
Better Than The Original?
“It’s not saying much that the new ‘Red Dawn’ is better, but it is. By quite a bit. Where the original’s chilling opening of foreign paratroopers invading Colorado and firing into a school gave way to a nonsensical tale of high school kids absolutely dominating trained soldiers, the makers of the 2012 ‘Red Dawn‘ actually took time to figure out how to make the movie work.” — Matt Pais, Red Eye Chicago
Maybe Not.
“Made in 2009, and then set on a shelf since 2010 as part of the financial woes of original distributor MGM, this remake, directed by stunt veteran Dan Bradley, feels a little too quick and crisp and cool. You know when one of your favorite rock songs gets rewritten and sped up and cleaned up to sell, say, orange juice or dietary supplements? That’s what the new ‘Red Dawn’ feels like: a surface-level photocopy with all of the problems of the first film and none of the accidental, seen-in-the-rearview power.” — James Rocchi, MSN Movies
The “Garbage” Review
“‘Red Dawn’ is one of the rare cases where a movie isn’t just poor, it is inadvisable. It is even, perhaps, irresponsible given the current political climate. The meat of ‘Red Dawn‘ remains free of politics, which is actually a detriment to the story, but it opens with a montage of rock solid xenophobia and saber-rattling against Kim Jong-un, the young new leader of North Korea. It’s almost preposterous enough to elicit laughter. Almost. … This paint-by-numbers picture with false drama and middling action has next to nothing to justify its very existence. ‘Red Dawn,’ on a fundamental level, is garbage.” — Jordan Hoffman, Film.com
The Face-Value Review
“Ultimately, ‘Red Dawn’ is a fun film that knows enough not to try to be anything it’s not. Most of the cast is solid, the action is good, and there’s a nice sprinkling of legitimately funny moments throughout. Thankfully, the high melodrama from the original is toned way down and traded for some quiet heart and emotion. Political stances and statements take a backseat to kids kicking ass allowing the audience to simply set back and enjoy themselves. — Luke Mullen, Film School Rejects
Check out everything we’ve got on “Red Dawn.”
If you’re a movie fan, 2012 has been a pretty great year. And even though it’s a little early to be thinking about the best of this year, since a lot of potential awards contenders have not yet hit theaters, we have no qualms about naming “Breaking Dawn – Part 2,” “The Avengers” and “The Hunger Games” as the 2012 films we’re most thankful for.
Here to represent the blockbuster big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins‘ bestseller is star Josh Hutcherson, who stopped by MTV News recently to chat about his very big 2012.
“I’m very thankful [for 2012] as well,” Hutcherson said. “I had a lot of work that came out this year and was pretty successful thus far, so it was exciting for me. It definitely exceeded my expectations.”
Speaking specifically to “The Hunger Games,” Hutcherson said that in embarking upon an international press tour, he was able to see just how widespread the enthusiasm is for the film, as well as experience a couple big “firsts.”
“I had a lot of firsts this year. I went to Paris, London and Berlin for the first time, so I got to see a lot of new places,” he said. “I had a blast. The press tour was so fun with me and Liam [Hemsworth] and Jen [Lawrence] and [director] Gary [Marshall] flying all over the world together. … Being with Liam and Jen was great because we were experiencing something brand-new to all of us. I think Liam had the most experience dealing with [a lot of press], just because of him and [his engagement to] Miley [Cyrus], but having really good people experiencing it with you made it a lot easier.”
Hutcherson isn’t just thankful for “The Hunger Games” in the last year; he’s also happy to have discovered new music and grateful for a second season of the saucy reality show “Gigolos.”
“I’m thankful that I’ve been turned on to the Lumineers,” Hutcherson said of the “Ho Hey” group. “I am still watching ‘Gigolos.’ I haven’t been caught up to date on the latest episode, but when I was in Atlanta, I was getting my Gigolo on — I was watching the ‘Gigolos’ TV show.”
Something else Hutcherson is keeping up with is Kim Kardashian — on Twitter, that is, though he didn’t seem aware of that fact.
“I follow Kim Kardashian?” he said when asked about how he chooses who he follows on the social-networking site. “I have my reasons,” he added with a smile. “They are top-secret. I can’t divulge my secrets.”
Finally, what does Mr. Hutcherson want for his 2013 in order for it to outdo the successes he enjoyed in 2012? As it turns out, the 20-year-old has his mind not only on himself, but on the bigger picture.
“There is the obvious that everybody will say, which is a better economy and a better America, so I hope for a better economy, a better America,” he said. “Outside of that, we’re shooting the next two ‘Hunger Games‘ movies back-to-back, and then I’m shooting another ‘Journey,’ so as long as the world doesn’t end, I have a busy 2013 coming up.”
Stick with MTV Movies leading up to Thanksgiving as we discuss the films we’re most thankful for in 2012!
If you ask “Hunger Games” fans about what scenes they most anticipate seeing in “Catching Fire,” you’re likely to get a variety of responses. The fact is, Suzanne Collins‘ second novel in the trilogy has a lot going on. But if you ask what character they’re most looking forward to seeing in action, dreamy District 4 champ Finnick Odair would likely get the majority vote.
Ever since the fan favorite role was cast with “Snow White and the Huntsman” star Sam Claflin, we’ve been dying to hear some details about Claflin’s performance thus far from someone in the know. Thankfully we had a recent opportunity with lady Katniss herself, Jennifer Lawrence, who revealed a surprising little tidbit when we asked her what she loves most about Claflin in the role.
“That is not a question for me,” Lawrence told MTV News Monday (November 19) at a Los Angeles screening of her new movie “Silver Linings Playbook.”
Oh no? Who among the star-studded cast should we consult about the subject then?
“Josh Hutcherson,” Lawrence said. “They are in love. It’s a full-blown bromance and it’s really bromantic and adorable. It’s really cute. It’s annoying, but it’s cute.”
We can’t wait to see that in action, despite the fact that Hutcherson and Claflin’s characters aren’t exactly the best of friends in “Catching Fire.” Anyway, annoying real-life bromance or not, Lawrence has praised Claflin’s acting chops.
“He’s really sweet, a great, wonderful actor,” she told us at the Toronto Film Festival. “He’s got a great American accent.”
Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games :Catching Fire.”
