Mark's blog

Sunday, June 24, 2012

'Dredd' Trailer: Five Key Scenes

Karl Urban makes his debut as the helmeted arbiter of justice in the first official trailer for 'Dredd,' in theaters September 21.
By Josh Wigler

A scene from "Dredd"
Photo:

He says he's the law — but do you believe him? Longtime "Judge Dredd" fans (heck, anyone old enough to have seen an R-rated movie in the 1990s) have plenty of reasons to be skeptical about "Dredd," the Pete Travis-directed adaptation of the "2000 AD" comic book, judging purely on how the Sylvester Stallone film of 1995 was handled. By all accounts, "Dredd" is not that film. It takes its inspiration from sources much closer to the original text and has a leading man — Karl Urban — who takes his job very seriously.

So did the "Dredd" trailer do it for you? It did it for us ... mostly. Here are five key elements from the "Dredd" trailer that informed our verdict.

Welcome to Mega City One
Gritty, impossibly huge and absolutely the last place on the planet you would ever want to live: that's Mega City One, and from the opening moments of the trailer, all of those points are clearly established. Hooligans run amok fueled by all kinds of illicit drugs, with one in particular gaining new traction: Slo-Mo, a dangerous product that "makes the brain feel as though time is passing at 1 percent of the normal speed." Why anyone would want to be on such a drug in the middle of Mega City One is beyond us, but it's certain to pave the way for some fantastic action, based on the trailer alone.

Big Ma-Ma's House
A hero is only as worthy as his villain, and in the case of "Dredd," the quality of the nemesis won't be a problem. Lena Headey of "Game of Thrones" fame is the bad guy here as Ma-Ma Madrigal, ruling the roost of a drug empire with enough ruthless efficiency to make Queen Cersei Lannister blush. Her scarred visage and crystal-clear goals — "If we play this right, we can take the whole city," she tells her underlings — make her a force to be reckoned with, and Headey seems to be having a ball in the role.

Judge and Be Judged
We'll get to Urban specifically in a second. In the meantime, look at all of the judges! Dredd explains their role in Mega City One thusly: "800 million people living in the ruin of the old world, and only one thing fighting for order in the chaos: the men and women of the Hall of Justice." Though "Dredd" will center mostly on the titular judge and his new trainee Cassandra Anderson (played by a bleach-blond Olivia Thirlby), it's nice to see some attention paid to the greater gaggle of law enforcers.

Fifty Shades of "Raid"
If you thought the plot of "Dredd" seemed a little familiar after watching the trailer, you're not losing it. There are undeniable similarities between this and "The Raid," the incredible Indonesian martial arts film from Gareth Evans that debuted this past spring. Ma-Ma Madrigal has her drug operation holed up in one massive tower that she has full control over, not unlike "The Raid" drug kingpin Tama. Also not unlike Tama, Madrigal commands all the tenants of her building to seek and destroy Dredd and Anderson. So, yes, the similarities are there, but there are more than enough differences in the setting, genre and characters — not to mention the action-dictating Slo-Mo — that we're more than happy to look the other way. (Besides, we'll take another "Raid" movie however we can get it, even if it's called "Dredd.")

Is He the Law?
That's the big question, isn't it? On paper, Karl Urban is a fantastic choice for Judge Dredd. In motion? That might be another story. His Dredd spits out a few too many one-liners for some folks' tastes — "negotiations are over," "the sentence is death," etc. — but he's got the look, the voice and the attitude down by our estimation. Whether or not that all adds up to a fully formed Dredd remains to be seen, but the trailer leaves us cautiously optimistic, if not fully sold, on Urban's performance.

"Dredd" is set to hit theaters on September 21.

What do you think of the "Dredd" trailer? Tell us in the comments below!

Check out everything we've got on "Dredd."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Source:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1688008/dredd-trailer-key-scenes.jhtml

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Michael Jackson Lives On In 'Immortal' Tour

Cirque du Soleil show pays tribute to late icon with world tour.
By Uptin Saiidi

NEWARK, New Jersey — Music, dance and acrobatics combine in celebration of <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/jackson_michael/artist.jhtml">Michael Jackson</a>'s iconic life in the "Immortal" World Tour. From trapeze artists to acrobats and even a world-champion pole dancer, guests at the Cirque du Soleil show can expect a high-energy tribute to the legend.The tour stopped for two nights in Newark, New Jersey, this past weekend (its 40th stop) and will open Tuesday night (April 3) at New York's Madison Square Garden, where it will remain through Thursday. From there, it will continue across North America through the summer before heading to Europe in the fall.<center><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:755805/cp~vid%3D755805%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A755805" width="460" height="260" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="."></embed></center>Having already produced the <a href="http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/love/default.aspx" target="_blank">Beatles "Love" show</a> in Las Vegas, Cirque is no stranger to musical tributes."Immortal" serves as a sensory explosion that starts on the subdued side and progresses in both spectacle and energy. More than 60 artists perform to 32 songs in a presentation that feels much like a concert with an ensemble of circus-inspired acts elegantly melding together. The stage is two levels with a long peninsula extending into the audience, where the majority of the acrobatics takes place. MJ's famed choreographic style was present in nearly all the numbers, and the audacious task of the performers was well-received by the audience.The progression of the musical numbers moved seamlessly. The energy kicked into high gear with Jackson-like characters performing "Fanatics Medley" as Jackson 5 — one of them in MJ's signature fedora and another as a gold-suited mime. Jackson's youth was remembered in "Childhood" during which a recording of Jackson's voice referred to his early stardom as he sang, "Have you seen my childhood?/ It's been my fate to compensate/ For the childhood I've never known."While the moving screens, elaborate stage designs and detailed costumes were impressive, one of the most awe-inspiring moments was witnessing what the human body is capable of during the pole-dancing number. Felix Cane, a two-time world pole-dancing champion, maneuvered in the sky dancing on a pole — with no harness — appropriately performing to "Dangerous," as the audience was captivated by her every move.Another highlight was "Human Nature," during which the back screens were dominated by Neverland graphics and an image of a young Michael sitting on the moon. In front of the backdrop, a half-dozen artists wrapped in multicolored LED costumes soared through the air in sync, representing the constellations."Beat It" got the crowd moving while they watched performers in MJ's signature accessories, including his famous glove and penny loafers, dance in dynamic movement. A rock-infused duel between an electric guitar and electric cello capped the song.After an elaborate performance to "Black or White," as the night seemed to be over and the audience slowly started spilling into the aisles, the lights illuminated one last time for an encore to "Man in the Mirror." The artists appeared to take a bow in front of exploding fireworks.Have you seen "Immortal"? Share your review below!

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HGTV, LA and Dining Room Tables

I've been watching a lot of HGTV since coming to LA. My favorite shows are House Hunters and House Hunters International. There's also another show I like to watch called For Rent, but only because it makes me angry.

When it comes to apartments/homes, I think living in New York for the past eleven years has made me bitter because there was this whiny broad on For Rent a few nights ago who was looking at a huge place—A HUGE PLACE—and was like, "There's no place for a dining room table..."

B*TCH, YOU'RE LUCKY TO GET A KITCHEN IN NEW YORK.

I hated her.

Now there's some stupid lady on House Hunters who wants a townhouse with a fireplace that she can turn on with a light switch. IT HAS TO BE A LIGHT SWITCH because she doesn't want to bend down and flip a switch on the floor.

WHO DO THESE PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE?

Anyway, I know my LA update is WAY overdue (and truth be told I wrote a long one last week but for some reason it didn't save so I lost the whole thing and I was so angry that I just said, "Ah, f*ck it," and closed the computer instead of rewriting) but to give you a quick update, I AM SO HAPPY HERE. I MEAN, I'M REALLY, REALLY HAPPY. And I think living here and watching HGTV—both of these things combined—has made me realize that New York was just beating me down. I mean, the fireplace lady—yes, she's an idiot. But there's nothing wrong with wanting a dining room table. Why did I get so mad at that lady?

Since being here, at least once a day I ask myself why I have lived in New York for so long. (It's like I had Stockholm Syndrome or something.) CALIFORNIA IS AWESOME. It's like the promised land. It's sunny all the time and there are birds and flowers everywhere. I have space out here. I have a sofa on the patio out here. I HAVE A SOFA OUTSIDE. I haven't seen one rat since I've been here. But hummingbirds? THEY ZIP BY MY HEAD EVERY DAY. I am so happy.

I'm supposed to go back to New York in November, but truth be told, I'm not sure I will.

Source: http://www.prettyinthecity.com/blog/2011/7/15/hgtv-la-and-dining-room-tables.html

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Photos | The 2010 Soul Train Awards Nominees

The 2010 Soul Train Awards Nominees

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Photos | Janet Jackson Performs A Tribute To Michael Jackson At The VMAs

Janet Jackson Performs A Tribute To Michael Jackson At The VMAs

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Meet Harry Potter: Alan Moore's Magical Antichrist

The Boy Who Lived gets a hellacious makeover in the pages of Moore's latest 'League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' comic book.
By Josh Wigler

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"
Photo:

"Harry Potter" is not for everyone. Some people do not like fun. Some people do not like magic. Some people do not like fun and magic together. I get it, and I accept it. Harry hate isn't something I'm into, but if that's your position, have a ball. You'll get no killing curses out of me.

But killing curses are flying, it seems, from the wand of Alan Moore.

The critically acclaimed and famously reclusive "Watchmen" writer is drawing a harder line against the boy wizard than even the staunchest "Potter" hater could dream up as the latest installment of Moore's "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 2009," out in stores Wednesday (June 20), features Harry Potter as the Antichrist. Well, almost, at least.

There's an undeniable resemblance between Potter and Moore's Antichrist. How startling are the similarities, you ask? Let's count the ways: Moore's character has a notable scar, a mentor named Riddle (the real last name of Potter's lifelong nemesis, Lord Voldemort) and travels to a magic school by way of a magic train hidden in King's Cross station, just like the Boy Who Lived. There is no mention of the words "Harry" or "Potter," but the result is clear: Moore has cast an analogue of J.K. Rowling's globally renowned hero as his very own Antichrist.

Discuss: Did Alan Moore Say Harry Potter Is the Antichrist?

But don't start shipping Howlers off in Moore's direction just yet, "Potter" heads, at least not until you get the full meaning of what the writer is going for here.

In an early review of the new issue of "Century 2009," the Independent's Laura Sneddon analyzes Moore's choice as follows: "The headlines almost write themselves — 'Alan Moore says Harry Potter is the Antichrist!' — yet they miss the point. When the Antichrist is met, overgrown and high on anti-psychotics, raging at the education system that let him down and sounding peculiarly like Harry Enfield's teenage Kevin, he is surely no stand-in for one particular character but of the current obsession for replacing stories with money-generating franchises. Today, film rights are bought before publication, comics are written as storyboards, and teenage celebrities are given memoirs."

"What better representative of modern pop literature than J K Rowling's boy wizard?" Sneddon continues. "Moore's distaste for modern culture is made obvious, in keeping with his stance on the comics publishers he feels betrayed him."

Indeed, it certainly doesn't go unnoticed that "Potter" is a part of the Warner Bros. family, the very same company backing DC Comics' controversial "Before Watchmen" prequel series against Moore's wishes; turnabout is fair play, after all. Moore's choice of Potter as an Antichrist figure isn't necessarily directed at that character or franchise itself, then — instead, he's using the most famous, most recognizable and most relevant face possible to get his anti-franchise point across the table.

"Before Watchmen" Confirmed: Will More Movies Follow?

Is Potter the best option to make such a point? At first, I didn't think so. Haters are going to hate, but the "Potter" books, if not excellently written, are compelling stories with compelling characters who have introduced new readers the entire world over to the fantastic realm of literature. The films, too, aren't just commercial juggernauts, but critically acclaimed ones boasting top-tier talents such as Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon — the list goes on and on and on. There is strong craftsmanship on display in the "Potter" series on numerous levels. Why target something that's actually good rather than, say, a series that hinges on hollow, vampire-obsessed protagonists? (Hate mail can be sent this way, FYI.)

But in truth, "Potter" doesn't end with the stories. The books are closed, the theaters are empty. (For now.) But there's a whole new wizarding world out there: theme parks, online encyclopedias, unofficial off-Broadway shows and countless other parodies, toys, candy, more. I wouldn't go as far as saying "Potter" replaces story with money-generating greediness, as Moore seems to believe. But there's no denying that "Potter" really is more than just a collection of books and films: It's a lifestyle, not just for fans, but for flesh-and-blood, real-world muggles who keep the Rowling-manufactured train rolling ahead full steam.

If you're looking for an instantly recognizable face to hang your broader anti-franchise sentiments upon, then? Well, I suppose you really don't need to look any further than Hogwarts' finest.

As a "Potter" fan, I don't like seeing Harry used as a symbol of what's wrong in the world today. I'd like to think that there are better examples out there. But if you're looking at what Moore's trying to say here, maybe there really isn't a better example for him to use. Harry isn't just the Boy Who Lived anymore, after all; he is, inarguably, the Boy Who Lived Luxuriously.

How do you feel about Moore's depiction of "Potter" in the latest "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" comic? Give us your reactions in the comments below, or let me know on Twitter @roundhoward!

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Usher Had Plans To Record With Amy Winehouse

'It could have been one of the most incredible records ever,' he says of his attempt to record with Winehouse.
By Gil Kaufman, with additional reporting by Christina Garibaldi

It's one of the great R&B duets that never was. While <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/usher/artist.jhtml">Usher</a> was working on his seventh studio album, <a href="/news/articles/1685178/usher-looking-4-myself.jhtml">Looking 4 Myself</a> , he was determined to take fans on a musical journey and <a href="/news/articles/1686990/usher-looking-4-myself-evolution.jhtml">experiment with sounds</a>  he'd never explored before.So, in addition to teaming up with Diplo for the seductive lead single, <a href="/news/articles/1685264/usher-climax.jhtml">"Climax,"</a> , as well as EDM giants Swedish House Mafia, Usher said he sought out producer Salaam Remi because he was very interested in doing a song with Remi protege, <a href="/news/articles/1667799/amy-winehouse-dead.jhtml">Amy Winehouse</a>,  before the singer died unexpectedly died at age 27 in July 2011. "We met and we talked about it for a moment when I saw her," Usher said of a brief sit-down with the troubled crooner to discuss the potential soul summit.<div class="player-placeholder right" title="Usher Had Plans To Record With Amy Winehouse" id="vid:789773.id:1686957" width="415" height="255"></div>"There was a few conversations that took place, but we never quite made it to it ... I would have loved it." One of those talks occurred while the unlikely duo were shopping at the ritzy London department store Selfridges. "I was shopping and she was doing some private shopping and she came out and we kind of crossed each other's [paths] and, [I was like] 'Is that Amy Winehouse?' ... And before you know it we talked and exchanged information and I invited her to a show ... and she didn't come."Winehouse was out of the country at the time and sent a relative to the gig in her stead, but that missed connection has stuck with Usher to this day. "It could have been one of the most incredible records ever," he said. "A voice like that comes once in a lifetime."Usher still wanted to get in the studio with Remi, and though it was a hard time for the producer, the pair met in New York and worked it out. "The style and the sound that we worked, I felt would definitely compliment what he does as a producer and what I have to offer."The story that the two explored on "Sins of My Father" was a new one for Usher, who had never spoken about his feelings for his dad in song before. "That was a hard one, but he gave me a palette that really worked."<div class="player-placeholder right" title="'Every Album Should Represent An Evolution,' Usher Says" id="vid:789771.id:1686957" width="415" height="255"></div>

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