Jumat, 10 Juni 2011

MTV News

MTV News

Beyonce's <i>4</i>: The Most Surprising Moments

Posted: 10 Jun 2011 03:53 AM PDT

MTV News takes a deeper look at the singer's June 28 release.
By Jocelyn Vena


Beyonce's <i>4</i>
Photo: Columbia

Lady Gaga is political, Britney Spears loves to party, and Beyoncé — well, she knows all about matters of the heart. Her latest album, 4, which drops June 28, is a girl-power-filled ode to the power of love: its highs, lows and all the sublime moments in between.

If you didn't listen to the full album when it leaked on Tuesday and have only heard singles "Run the World (Girls)," "1+1" and "Best Thing I Never Had," you're only getting part of the picture. There are some really surprising moments on the album that her singles only touch on.

4 is all about throwback jams, in the vein of R&B power girls like Mary J. Blige and SWV, with a little Mariah Carey thrown in for good measure. With fewer dance-floor fillers and more swirling ballads, Beyoncé's voice is the true star of the album, as evidenced on "I Care," a power ballad that recalls slow jams like the ones Phil Collins used to spill his heart on. B's voice is huge and owns the song as the instrumentals swirl and crescendo around her.

"Party," which features Andre 3000, is a, well, party jam at its very core. For anyone who attended a house party in the mid-'90s, this would have been the song to get the bash started. As Beyoncé sings, "So in love/ I'll give it all away/ Just don't tell nobody tomorrow," you'll be transported to a time when pop princesses cared more about the heart than the synth.

She kicks it even more old-school on "Rather Die Young," harking back to '70s soul. The song is about how you can't fight what the heart wants, even if it isn't right. Likening her lover to James Dean, it's all about the sexiness of bad boys and the good girls who love them, but instead of going hard, she keeps the music soft.

Perhaps the most surprising song on the album is "Countdown." Full of video-game bleeps and B doing her best Sasha Fierce (we thought she retired her!), the singer gets sassy and futuristic on the track. While it's not like the other songs on the album, it does have a "Check on It" vibe.

Beyoncé gives fans a musical kick to the head during "End of Time," a bombastic track, complete with in-your-face bass line and a marching band. B keeps things melodic, sharing lines like, "Take you away from here/ There's nothing between us but space and time."

Have you heard B's full album or are you waiting for the official release? Let us know in the comments.

'Super 8' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know

Posted: 10 Jun 2011 03:53 AM PDT

We recap the mystery surrounding the project before you learn the mystery within.
By Eric Ditzian


Joel Courtney in "Super 8"
Photo: Paramount

Almost exactly one year to the day that J.J. Abrams' rebooted "Star Trek" hit theaters, rumors started to circulate in May 2010 that the director had already shot a theatrical trailer, to run in front of "Iron Man 2," for a secret new project called "Super 8." While the film seemed to have a connection to the Abrams-produced alien-disaster flick "Cloverfield," we soon learned that wasn't true. Instead, the film was an original tale, produced by Steven Spielberg and having something to do with an escaped creature from Area 51, the mysterious government site long suspected to be involved in alien experimentation.

But that's about all we'd find out for a while. Over time, though, we began to put together the pieces. And eventually, Abrams himself started to dole out info about the movie. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's flash back in time with an MTV News cheat sheet before we can truly say we know everything there is to know about "Super 8."

The Explosion
The teaser trailer arrived, as rumored, in May. It featured a fiery train crash and the unseen presence of the mysterious creature. Sources connected to the film said the story would focus on a group of small-town kids in 1979 who begin filming a home movie on a Super 8 camera, only to capture the crash and the emergence of the creature. At this point, though, production on the flick hadn't even begun.

The shoot kicked off in September. By that point, Abrams had cast a collection of unknown young actors, plus Elle Fanning ("Somewhere"), to play his featured kids, as well as Kyle Chandler ("Friday Night Lights") to portray the town sheriff and central boy's father. That's about all we knew. The next month, all "Cloverfield" director Matt Reeves would tell us was that the film "is very, very intimately connected to an aspect of [Abrams'] childhood and to this idea of Super 8 [films]."

The Dust Settles
By February of this year, as Abrams got set to debut a "Super 8" Super Bowl ad and a full trailer, the director finally began to open up about the project, albeit reluctantly. "To me, all people need to know is that it's an adventure about a small town and it's funny, it's sweet, it's scary and there's a mystery: What is this thing that has escaped? What are the ramifications of its presence? And what is the effect on people?" Abrams explained to the Los Angeles Times. "But I know that's not enough. Look, I feel we need a little bit of a coming-out party because we are up against massive franchises and brands and most people don't know what 'Super 8' means. We're a complete anomaly in a summer of huge films ... and we don't want to be so silent or coy that people don't care or don't hear about it."

Then in April, we caught up with Abrams himself, as the helmer was putting the finishing touches on the film's score. In a long-ranging conversation, he touched on the Spielbergian influences in "Super 8" that so many observers had noticed. "He's a real producer of this movie," Abrams said. "He worked with me to develop the story. We had countless story meetings prior to and following the script. What was wonderful about working with him is the ongoing conversation. Because I was working with him, I felt free to allow the influences of his films to rise to the surface."

Seeing Clearly
With "Super 8" just days away from release, we debuted an exclusive clip at the MTV Movie Awards — one that began with a close look at the train crash and segued into a mini-trailer. Abrams, Spielberg and the kids were on hand at the show to introduce the footage. It wasn't the first time we met them face to face. At a press event in May, the kids took us behind the scenes of that epic train crash and tried to explain what the film was all about without giving away the secret.

And then on Wednesday evening in Los Angeles at the film's red-carpet premiere, the cast had fun laughing off some of the wackiest theories they've heard about the mysterious creature at the heart of "Super 8." "I've seen on IMDb that a lot of people thought it was a giant lion," co-star Zach Mills said. "I don't know why. That's the craziest thing I've heard."

Check out everything we've got on "Super 8."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Kardashians Promise Two Weddings On 'Keeping Up'

Posted: 10 Jun 2011 03:53 AM PDT

'But I'm not going to tell you who,' Khloé teases us about new season of the reality series kicking off Sunday.
By Jocelyn Vena


Kourtney and Khloé Kardashian
Photo: MTV News

On Sunday, Kourtney, Kim and Khloé will kick off another season of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." What should fans expect? Well, according to the sisters, more than one person will be tying the knot.

"We're still a family, so you're gonna see what normal families do, but it's different this time around 'cause we all have our own families," Khloé teased about the E! reality show. "So trying to combine families is hard and sometimes the men want to rip their hair out. It's always going to be that family dynamic."

Then she added, "There's two weddings this season, but I'm not going to tell you who."

Since Kim recently announced her engagement to NBA player Kris Humphries, we figured there's a good chance her wedding might be one of the two featured this season. Then Khloé hinted, "But it's not me and it's not Kim, so you figure it out."

If may seem as if the Kardashians are always on TV, what with "Khloé & Lamar" only recently wrapping up, but the girls are quick to point out there's nothing like when the whole family gets together.

Kourtney said the season premiere will let fans in on what each of the Kardashians has been up to (as if we don't already know). "I think, too, it's just a lot of catching up," she said. "We haven't all been together so, you know, just seeing us all together and what we've been up to."

"We haven't been off TV long, but 'Keeping Up,' I feel has been off TV for a while, so we're so excited," Khloé said. "And doing a family show, we love to do it 'cause we're all together all the time. So we feel like we're back and in full effect.

"The first episode, I mean, you get to really see how Kim and Kris first started dating, and especially Kim and I have a lot of arguments about it because she comes to my house and I have a lot of old memorabilia from a lot of old exes and she doesn't like that," she continued. "But I don't know who Kris is [in the beginning]. I feel like I didn't get the memo to change the pictures; a lot of just feuding going on."

Are you excited for a new season of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians"? Tell us in the comments!

'Breaking Dawn' Trailer: Four Lingering Questions

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 02:30 AM PDT

'Twilight' experts point out inconsistencies and omissions in the MTV Movie Awards-debuted sneak peek.
By Eric Ditzian


Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in "Breaking Dawn"
Photo: Summit Entertainment

On Sunday morning, a few hours before the 2011 MTV Movie Awards went live and while the red carpet at the Gibson Amphitheatre was still a hive of pre-show activity, we welcomed three "Twilight" experts into the fray with a simple assignment: Take an early look at the "Breaking Dawn" teaser trailer, which we would be debuting during the Movie Awards, and let us know what you think.

They more than came through. Kara Hassell of TwilightersAnonymous.com, Laura Byrne-Cristiano of TwilightLexicon.com and Kallie Matthews from TwilightSeriesTheories.com analyzed the trailer like only die-hard "Twilight" specialists can. But there was too much info to pack into one story. And now that a few days have passed since the trailer's debut and the bloggers' opinions are still fresh in our minds, we have a few lingering questions we want answered in the future.

Two Wedding Rings?
Early in the trailer, we see Kristen Stewart's Bella Swan wearing a large diamond-incrusted ring — a family heirloom, as explained in the book. But as Matthews pointed out, when Bella notices she is pregnant in the trailer, she is wearing a simple silver band. What gives? Will the two-ring situation be explained? Matthews thinks she knows the answer already. "I'm thinking it's one of those things where the one ring really is an heirloom," she told us. "You put it away and wear it on special occasions."

Too Hot for PG-13?
Last summer, Summit Entertainment distribution chief Richie Fay assured us that, despite the book's sex scenes and horror-like elements, the adaptation would not be rated R. That hasn't stopped online talk, as Byrne-Cristiano put it, that "we've got to make this R." Well, now that we've seen the first trailer, it seems regardless of the PG-13 rating, the flick is going to be pretty steamy. Just how hot? Though we've gotten a peek — Robert Pattinson's Edward Cullen cracking a headboard mid-coitus and the duo taking a honeymoon skinny dip — the real question about the heat factor will have to wait until we glimpse a different scene: the famous one with the feathers. "There are no feathers on the bed," she noted. "That's a well-known point that everyone wants. So in that trailer, there are three moments, and there's got to be another one."

What Else Has Changed?
The eagle-eyed Hassell noted two small but significant changes from "New Moon" to "Breaking Dawn." For one, Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays the blond vampire Caius, seems to have a reworked 'do. "His hair is A-plus!" she said. "A lot better than 'New Moon.' " And Hassell also noted the Volturi's thrones appear to have gotten a makeover. "It seems like the ones in 'New Moon' are more intricate," she said. "The ones in 'Breaking Dawn' are very square and not as ornate." It's hard to say what accounts for such changes; the same production designer, for example, worked on both films. But it does raise the question: What else has changed in the world of "Twilight" for these final films?

Will We See The Wedding Dress Before Opening Night?
While the trailer showed us much more than many predicted — a shirtless Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black, Bella quizzically examining her pregnant belly — there was one thing we didn't catch a glimpse of: Bella's wedding dress. Might we see the gown in a subsequent trailer? Or will Summit hold that back until the film itself? "I'm hoping beyond hope that we get the wedding dress in the next trailer. I'm not holding my breath. I think we'll have to wait," said Hassel, adding, "I hope it's something classic that fits in with [author] Stephenie Meyer's vision. But Kristen's gorgeous. She'll look great in anything."

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

Lil Wayne's 'Unplugged' Is 'For The Fans'

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 02:34 AM PDT

Industry insiders catch a screening of 'MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged,' premiering Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MTV, MTV2 and MTV.com.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Rahman Dukes


Lil Wayne performs during "Unplugged"
Photo: MTV

The music industry's biggest movers and shakers were on hand Wednesday night for a screening of "MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged." Weezy's "Unplugged" premieres Sunday at 9 pm ET/PT on MTV, MTV2 and MTV.com, but the specially invited guests gathered in New York City's Bar Basque for an advanced preview.

"I haven't seen an intimate portrait of Lil Wayne in a while," said Hanif Sumner, director of PR for The Source. "He's been away, came back, had to jump into Young Money, and this is a good opportunity for us to see why we're still fans of Lil Wayne. He did a new track off of Tha Carter IV that I didn't expect, and he did a lot of joints that weren't commercially all over the place but fans would know. So it's really something for the fans."

Brian "B.Dot" Miller, content director for RapRadar.com, was also impressed. "I thought it was really good. Wayne definitely deserved to have his 'Unplugged,' " he said. "I think he stands up against Lauryn Hill, the Jay-Z 'Unplugged' — he's right there. The energy was there, Wayne was in the zone and, you know, he's the best rapper alive."

While Miller placed Wayne's special on equal footing with Hov's 2001 "Unplugged" performance, Vibe music editor John Kennedy wasn't ready to make comparisons. "I think his kind of stands on its own. I don't know where it really compares with Jay's. You know, Jay had the Roots; that was crazy. And LL [Cool J], like, there has been a lot of great ones. I think [Wayne] held his own, though."

For veteran journalist Shaheem Reid, the key to the New Orleans lyricist's performance was his versatility. "Sitting down [and] watching the MTV 'Unplugged' is just a testament to the fact that Wayne is one of the premier performers — and not just hip-hop, but in all of music," he said. "He's hip-hop to the core, but he always brings in the rock element, he brings in a little bit of the R&B. He's one of the biggest, if not the biggest, pop stars in the world."

For longtime Weezy fans, "MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged" puts a new twist on some old favorites. "The best thing about it was a lot of the songs that you really don't have an appreciation for that you're already familiar with — songs like 'I'm Single,' 'How to Love' and 'Lollipop.' I kinda got a better appreciation for it when you have live instrumentation and a lot of crowd participation," said Kazeem Famuyide, online editor for The Source. "It was really dope, it was real intimate. Wayne put on a really great show, and he's the most charismatic dude in hip-hop."

Don't miss "MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged," premiering Sunday, June 12, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MTV2, MTV and MTV.com.

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Drake Reveals October 24 <i>Take Care</i> Release Date

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 02:53 AM PDT

Toronto MC slipped the date in a post linking to new track 'Marvin's Room.'
By Rob Markman


Drake
Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage

Drake can have just about any woman he wants, but on his new song "Marvin's Room," the Young Money rep has his eye on another man's squeeze.

It's unclear whether the track, released on Thursday (June 9), will appear on Drake's upcoming Take Care, but in the post accompanying the song on his October's Very Own blog, Drizzy writes, "Another piece of the story. Single coming in July. Take Care coming Oct. 24th." The "another piece of the story" in Drake's message likely refers to a May 20 post in which he dropped "Dreams Money Can Buy." The Toronto MC wrote of "Dreams," "Not my single. Just a piece of my story." But for fans eagerly awaiting his sophomore album, the announcement that it will drop on the 24th of October required no deciphering.

"Marvin's Room" opens with a phone conversation between a young lady and an unheard party. The young lady explains that she went out to a couple of clubs, came home and then "went to bed." The story begins to unfold with Drake's opening lyrics: "Cups of the rosé, bitches in my old phone/ I should call one and go home/ I've been in this club too long."

Drizzy goes on singing about how the object of his affection is happy in a committed relationship before he drops the telling hook: "F--- that n---a that you love so bad/ I know you still think about the times we had."

The track's slow thump and pounding kick drum is reminiscent of Drake's previous R&B ventures like "Shut It Down," from last year's Thank Me Later, and his Internet leak "I Get Lonely Too." "I think I'm addicted to naked pictures/ And sittin' talkin' about bitches that we almost had/ I don't think I'm conscious of making monsters out of the women I sponsored, until it all goes bad," he raps.

As fans eagerly await the release of Take Care, details remain scarce. One thing is certain, though: When Drake is around, you may want to watch your girlfriend.

Share your reviews of Drake's "Marvin's Room" in the comments below!

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Kanye West G.O.O.D. Music Tour 'Amazing,' CyHi Da Prynce Says

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 03:59 AM PDT

'The creativity level has to be through the roof,' CyHi tells MTV News.
By Rob Markman


CyHi Da Prynce
Photo: MTV News

Good concerts and summer go hand in hand, and beginning Thursday (June 9) night, Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music outfit is taking its show on the road. As a part of Heineken's Red Star Access summer concert series, West, Pusha T, Big Sean, CyHi Da Prynce and the rest of G.O.O.D. will roll through nine cities, including Miami, Chicago, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Houston and Detroit.

While in town for Thursday's New York show, CyHi spoke to MTV News about the tour. "It's amazing," he said. "We get to do a lot of big cities that I haven't been to yet. A lot of people want to see us all together."

Back in March, Kanye made a splash in Austin when he brought John Legend, Common, Kid Cudi and Mos Def out to the Vevo Power Plant to perform during 2011's South by Southwest festival. According to CyHi, this tour is an extension of that show.

"We did it in South by Southwest when we brought everybody together and it was a successful show. So we want to do the same and try to duplicate every city we go to and make it bigger and bigger every time," he said.

CyHi couldn't confirm which G.O.O.D. artists were performing in which cities, hinting that there will most likely be a rotating cast of characters throughout the nine dates. But he was able to talk a bit about his stage show. During his 20- to 30-minute set the Atlanta rapper will perform songs from his noteworthy Royal Flush mixtape as well as its upcoming sequel, Royal Flush 2.

"My new stage set is incredible," he said. "I've been fortunate enough to get little props and banners and fog machines and lights."

When asked whether Kanye had imparted any wisdom to the young rapper, he said he is encouraged to be creatively free. "He showed me that there are no limitations. The creativity level has to be through the roof," CyHi said. "Me, like I've been telling people I'm the prince of two kings. So my show has to look like that, my interviews have to look that way, my songs have to represent that as well."

Are you excited to see Kanye West and the G.O.O.D. Music crew when they pass through your city? Tell us in the comments!

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'Skins' Won't Return For Season Two

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 03:39 AM PDT

MTV calls the show 'a global television phenomenon that, unfortunately, didn't connect with a U.S. audience as much as we had hoped.'
By Kara Warner


James Newman as Tony in "Skins"
Photo: Jason Nocito

MTV was sad to announce the cancellation of the highly anticipated and controversial teen soap "Skins" on Thursday (June 9). The decision came after the American version of the hugely popular U.K. show just didn't bring in enough viewers to green-light a second season.

" 'Skins' is a global television phenomenon that, unfortunately, didn't connect with a U.S. audience as much as we had hoped," the network said in a statement to MTV News. "We admire the work that the series' creator Bryan Elsley did in adapting the show for MTV, and appreciate the core audience that embraced it."

Despite the huge buzz "Skins" had going into its premiere on January 17, the show wasn't able to build on its viewership. It also faced the obstacle of being rated TV-MA, which meant that, A) the show couldn't be broadcast before 10 p.m., and B) was intended for viewers over the age of 17, even though it was set in a high school.

Elsley created the U.K. series with his son Jamie Brittain in 2007. He called the show "old-fashioned" in the way that it focused solely on the universal experience of being a teenager and how they deal with family, friends and burgeoning adulthood. Elsley firmly defended the show's content as not so much controversial, but "a very serious attempt to get to the roots of young people's lives. It tries to tell the truth. Sometimes that truth can be a little painful to adults and parents."

The end of "Skins" does not mean the end of MTV's efforts to broadcast more original scripted programming. There are six new series set to premiere on the network this fall: "Awkward," "Beavis and Butt-head," "Good Vibes," "I Just Want My Pants Back," "Death Valley" and "Inbetweeners."

Are you sad to say goodbye to "Skins"? Tell us in the comments.

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'Twilight' Movie Awards Kiss 'Shocked' Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 09:16 AM PDT

'I'd seen it in my head many times as I closed my eyes,' Reynolds jokes of Pattison-on-Lautner lip-lock.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz


Robert Pattinson kisses Taylor Lautner at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

In 2009, Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock took the stage at the MTV Movie Awards to present the Golden Popcorn for Best Kiss. In what would become an ongoing theme over the next few years, "Twilight" stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart won the prize.

They took the stage to raucous applause and proceeded to tease a reenactment of their onscreen smooch without actually going ahead with the deed. After the pair won again the next year -- and finally puckered up for the crowd — 2011 rolled around, and Ryan Reynolds was again picked to hand out the Best Kiss award, this time with "Green Lantern" co-star Blake Lively. Thus both Ryan and Blake had quite a view when, after the Twi-kids once again nabbed the award, Pattinson bounded down from the stage, away from Stewart and into Taylor Lautner's arms for a seriously unexpected kiss.

"I did not know that there would be a 'Twilight'-on-'Twilight' kiss," Reynolds told us days later when we caught up with him at a "Green Lantern" press event. "We had no idea."

Of course, having witnessed the inaugural "Twilight" Best Kiss win, the actor had been imagining something of the sort for years. "I'd seen it in my head many times as I closed my eyes," Reynolds added. "But that was quite shocking, actually, that he would just run off the stage like that and attack that poor boy."

Lively's family, for their part, were equally stunned by the smooch — and the unwelcome attention of MTV's cameras. "My family was sitting behind them," Lively explained. "They were like, 'Ooooh!' They were hiding. They were so shy."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Flo Rida Arrested For DUI

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 09:21 AM PDT

'Low' rapper taken into custody in Miami Beach after admitting to police he'd been drinking.
By Rob Markman


Flo Rida in Miami Beach Police custody
Photo: Miami Beach Police Department/Getty Images

Things aren't looking up for Flo Rida. The "Low" rapper was arrested early Thursday morning (June 9) in Miami Beach after cops noticed the 31-year-old swerving his red and black 2008 Bugatti shortly before 4 a.m.

Flo (real name: Tramar Dillard) was charged with driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license. According to the Miami Herald, when police signaled for Flo Rida to pull over as he drove down Fifth Street, he didn't stop immediately but did slow down, swerving several times before pulling the vehicle over near Lennox Avenue.

The rapper reportedly admitted to police that he had been drinking when cops began to administer a sobriety test. "Officer, I can't do this," he said. "I can't walk a straight line. I had a few drinks."

Flo Rida then told the arresting officers that he lived close by and was able to make it home. A gathering crowd also pleaded with cops, asking them to let the hip-hop star go; a few even offered to drive him home. The rapper was arrested and taken to the Miami Beach Police Department, where he remains jailed. The hitmaker's alcohol level was reportedly measured at 0.185.

The recent arrest is not typical behavior for the pop-rapper, who is known for his high-powered club tracks like the #1 Billboard hit "Right Round."

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'Super 8' Cast Laugh Off Film's Mystery Theories

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 06:55 AM PDT

'They said Chuck Norris was in the train,' star Riley Griffiths tells us at the movie's premiere in Los Angeles.
By Kara Warner


Riley Griffiths, Kyle Chandler and Elle Fanning
Photo: Getty Images

LOS ANGELES — One of the more exciting things about the new J.J. Abrams-directed, Steven Spielberg-produced thriller "Super 8" is the overall mystery of the film. From the basic plot details that have been released, very little is known about what the heck the movie is about. Based on word of mouth and one key moment in the film's trailers that show something trying to escape a locked compartment on a train, there is a very mysterious "thing" or secret terrorizing a small town.

MTV News headed out to the film's star-studded premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday night to find out from the castmembers what crazy theories they've heard about what the "it" or "thing" or "big secret" is all about. Their answers were surprisingly varied and all over the map.

"I've seen on IMDb that a lot of people thought it was a giant lion," Zach Mills said. "I don't know why. That's the craziest thing I've heard."

"The funniest thing that someone has guessed what it is, they said Chuck Norris was in the train," Riley Griffiths revealed. "That's probably the funniest thing I've heard so far."

"I think someone said once on Facebook or something that it was the cube that Elle [Fanning] and Joel [Courtney] are looking at, and that [they think] it's some creature," Gabriel Basso said of a moment where Fanning and Courtney's characters are examining a vibrating white cube. "That was really funny. I laughed."

Ryan Lee's conspiracy theorists or secret guessers seemed to think that the mystery revolves around someone or something with a canine obsession.

"[They think] that the thing has a dog fetish," Lee revealed. "That's the funniest thing somebody has said to me about the mystery of the movie. They think that thing is hoarding dogs in its train, I guess."

And last but not least, the adult in the group, actor Kyle Chandler, recalled a theorist who thinks the mystery revolves around a certain fever- and frenzy-inducing pop star. "Someone suggested to me that it was Justin Bieber," he said. "And it could be."

Check out everything we've got on "Super 8."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Rihanna's 'Man Down' Is Her Answer To Bob Marley Classic

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 07:27 AM PDT

Songwriting duo Rock City say reggae-infused tune is 'the female version' of 'I Shot the Sherriff.'
By Rebecca Thomas, with reporting by Steven Roberts


Rock City
Photo: MTV News

The encounter begins simply enough. A handsome guy walks into a dank club and makes a beeline for the pretty girl with waist-length, red locks who's dancing by herself. He moves gently, showing only a hint of force when he grabs her wrists and pins them against the wall. But it's what happens afterward in Rihanna's new "Man Down" video that has had critics decrying the clip since it debuted last week.

Rih's onscreen character strolls out of the Jamaican nightclub with her dance-floor partner pursuing her. A terrifying struggle ensues. When it's over, his red mesh tank is torn, his cheek bruised, and the visibly shaken pop star is weeping. Rih decides to exact her own justice with a .22 caliber handgun that she calls "Peggy Sue." ("I didn't mean to end his life/ I know it wasn't right," she sings.)

While the Anthony Mandler-directed clip appears to mirror the lyrics of the dancehall-flavored tune, when MTV News caught up with Rock City, the songwriting/performing duo behind "Man Down," they said the verses were meant to be open to interpretation.

"We wanted the song to be something to where everybody had an opinion," Theron (a.k.a. Da Spokesman) revealed. "Some people felt it was literal, some people felt it was a metaphor."

U.S. Virgin Island-born Theron and his brother Timothy "Don't Talk Much" Thomas — their Free at Last album is due June 21 — along with producer Shama "Sham" Joseph (a.k.a. Sak Pase), served up the narrative track specifically to let the Barbados beauty tap her island origins in a way that sounded authentic. And in a city like Kingston, Jamaica, where guns and gangs often mar the lush landscape, what could be more authentic than a girl seeking violent retribution for a sexual assault, only to find herself overcome with regret as the singer does in the visual?

"When we wrote the song, me and my brother was trying to re-create in the best way possible, you know, like, Bob Marley 'I Shot the Sherriff,' " Timothy told us. "The female version of what that would be."

But now that the siren-laced tune's companion clip is stirring up controversy, Theron thinks some viewers are forgetting that the song, like so much Caribbean music, is about telling tales.

"It's like somebody wrote a script for a movie and she delivered it perfectly," Theron argued. "I just think sometimes people need something to talk about, and this is a thing to talk about. ... 'Cause when you listen to the song word-for-word-for-word, if she shot it theatrically how [the lyrics are], it probably would have been a little [more graphic], if you ask me," he laughed.

When we interviewed Rihanna back in November, just before Loud dropped, she defiantly described "Man Down."

"The special thing in that song is the fact that it's a female singing those lyrics," she said. "Then you have that reggae thing and the chant; the overall energy in that song is so gangsta!"

What do you think of Rihanna's "Man Down" video? We want to hear from you in the comments below!

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Nick Jonas: I 'Get My Dance On' In 'Hairspray' Musical

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 08:48 AM PDT

Youngest JoBro says he's been taking salsa classes to get ready for Link Larkin role at the Hollywood Bowl.
By Jocelyn Vena


Nick Jonas
Photo: MTV News

Move over Zac Efron, there's a new Link Larkin in town! Nick Jonas is set to play the teen heartthrob (such a stretch) this summer during a limited-run engagement of "Hairspray" at the Hollywood Bowl.

Having already starred in musicals like Disney's "Camp Rock" and a production of "Les Misérables," the Jonas brother should feel at ease when he takes the stage alongside stage stars like Harvey Fierstein and Marissa Jaret Winokur (who will both assume their original Broadway roles), as well as "Glee" actor John Stamos, Drew Carey and former Disney star Corbin Bleu.

MTV News caught up with the youngest JoBro on Wednesday and he shared with us how he's prepping for the show in August. (He also dished about his other summer plans, including teaming up withQuaker Chewy Superstar Search.)

"I'm really excited about doing 'Hairspray.' When they approached me about it, I was really blessed 'cause I knew the cast would be amazing. And when I finally saw it, I was really thrilled," Nick said.

"It's a great role and I got to get my dance on a little bit, so I'm going to figure that out," he continued. "I did some salsa dancing; just went out and did some salsa dancing, which was a really fun experience and, I think, kind of got me moving a little bit. So I'm feeling a bit more comfortable than I did before and I'm excited to get out there and do the whole Link Larkin thing."

With at least two movie versions and a Broadway adaptation to draw inspiration from, Jonas' Hollywood Bowl interpretation can go anywhere.

"[The films are] very different. I watched the original many, many years ago and loved it as a musical theater fan," he said. "And doing musical theater, it's one of those things where it's a must-watch, and then when the remake came out, I was really interested in that," he said of the Efron-starring 2007 flick. "And I think they did a really good job. It's very different and definitely a modern twist, while still being in the period, but it's a great movie."

Do you think Nick will make a good Link Larkin? Tell us in the comments!

Beyonce's <i>4</i>: Early Reviews Are In!

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 07:45 AM PDT

'It's very much the sort of album a pop star makes when she doesn't feel like she has anything to prove,' one critic writes.
By Jocelyn Vena


Beyonce's <i>4</i>
Photo: Columbia

Although Beyoncé's latest album, 4, was still weeks from its official release date, on Wednesday it was leaked and quickly caused a stir on the Internet, prompting fans and critics to weigh in on the singer's first new album in nearly three years.

So far, B's promo for 4 has been fueled by the release of tracks like the snarling "Run the World (Girls)", the track "Best Thing I Never Had," and the emotional "1+1." But now that all of the tracks are out there on the Net, Beyoncé's album is up for debate.

The Atlantic compares her latest to her last album: "In between, there's an unmistakable, if gradual, turn from melancholic top 40 ballads to the confrontational snap of military drums and giddy proclamations of love. Is this I Am ... Sasha Fierce part 2? Not quite. The course of 4 documents a progression, a maturation, of Beyoncé's worldview."

Rolling Stone observes, "Beyoncé's new album, 4, is a change of pace for the R&B queen ... 4 is a more relaxed, personal set that emphasizes ballads over bangers and showcases the singer's nuances; it's very much the sort of album a pop star makes when she doesn't feel like she has anything to prove."

Ology.com gives Beyoncé credit for working with so many producers on the album, but making it all sound "cohesive." "It stands quite easily as Knowles' most vibrant album; not saying it's her best (B'Day still holds that title), but it begs to be performed live in front of hundreds of thousands of screaming fans unlike anything else she's released yet."

Fans seem equally opinionated — and enthusiastic — about the album, which officially drops on June 28.

"This album is so not her, she took chances, went off in a new direction as far as sound, her vocal techniques are off the charts on this album," Lee Joseph Chaisson wrote on MTV.com. "She brought it vocally; the sounds are so uniquely different, her whole approach."

"I've heard the Album...The **** it BANGIN!" Oren Acquirestino added. "Beyonce's really really singing on this album."

B's most devoted also took to her Facebook page to put their two cents in. Tatyana Krasko wrote, "Beyonce thanks for great work...Album '4' it's amazing... I love Beyonce."

Another fan, Sunny Lochab, gave the singer props and said he was buying the album regardless of the leak. "I downloaded it. I couldn't help it - everyone was talking about it! and I completely love it - I'll be buying it too to show love! you show true growth on this album...it's ALL love."

Have you heard Beyoncé's album? Tell us in the comments!

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Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber Turn CMT Awards Into Crossover Celebration

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 06:01 AM PDT

Kid Rock hosted the show, which featured everyone from Ludacris and Jason Aldean to Sheryl Crow.
By Gil Kaufman


Sheryl Crow and Justin Bieber at the 2011 CMT Music Awards
Photo: Getty Images

You might have done a double-take when you saw the list of winners and guests at Wednesday night's CMT Music Awards, which included trophies for Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber as well as performances that featured Ludacris and a cover of Eminem and Rihanna's "Love the Way You Lie."

But, yes, this was a country music event. It's just that some of the hardware handed out at the show hosted by Kid Rock tipped its 10-gallon hat to the ongoing popularity of the pop-infused sound.

The biggest example of that cross-over success, Swift, took home one of the top honors, Video of the Year, for her clip "Mine." She accepted the prize from a stage in Wisconsin, her latest tour stop.

"I just want to say thank you and hi to everybody back at the CMT Music Awards," she said. "I wish I could be there, but I'm hanging out with 15,000 of my closest friends in Milwaukee. I want to thank so many people — all the little kids who are in the video and their families for bringing them to Maine and being in the video. ... I don't know what I did to deserve you guys, but you've made so many amazing things happen to me in my life."

Male Video of the Year honors went to "The Voice" judge Blake Shelton for "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking," while the female video winner was his wife, Miranda Lambert, for her emotional tune "The House That Built Me."

One of the more unusual names on the winners list was Bieber, who snagged Collaborative Video of the Year for his hookup with Rascal Flatts on the tune "That Should Be Me."

"First of all, I just want to say how honored I am to be here ... with Rascal Flatts," Bieber said while accepting his first country award. "How amazing are Rascal Flatts, everybody? I want to thank my mom. I want to thank my family. And I want to thank Rascal Flatts for even jumping on the song with me."

Flatts bassist Jay DeMarcus thanked Bieber right back for bringing the group the "great song," adding, "It was an honor to be in this video with you. What a talented guy. We appreciate it so much."

Lady Antebellum, another group that has surfed the more country side of the crossover wave, scored Group Video of the Year for "Hello World." And the Band Perry, an act that many mainstream listeners were first introduced to thanks to "American Idol" runner-up Lauren Alaina, took the USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year prize for "If I Die Young," as well as the 2011 Nationwide Insurance On Your Side Award.

Of course, it wasn't all awards and honors, there was also a hilarious opening bit in which Swift and Shania Twain killed it in a three-minute "Thelma & Louise" parody. In the clip, the two jump in their convertible and run into a perv played by comedian Ron White, practice shooting their guns and run into "Glee" star Chord Overstreet, who plays the shirtless Brad Pitt character. In addition to a gratuitous Donald Trump cameo, the video also featured Kenny Rogers singing his hit "The Gambler" by the roadside and host Rock hopping into the car with the ladies after getting kicked off his tour bus for partying too hard.

There were other highlights, including someone tossing a pair of ladies' underwear at Rock and Sheryl Crow later admitting she flashed hers while getting up from a stool after performing with the rapper-turned-heartland-rocker.

"I'm just gonna address the elephant in the room, because people all over America are tweeting that I was wearing a really short skirt when I sang with Kid Rock — and that when I got up off the stool, I showed my underwear," Crow joked. "Well, at least you were wearing underwear," co-presenter Sara Evans said.

There was further drama when Twain came out to introduce the male video winner and took a major tumble on a too-slick floor while walking to the stage. She got up quickly and regained her composure, later laughing, "I don't need a stunt double."

In addition to Rock opening the show with a bit of his hard-hitting "Bawitdaba" (which was cut off in favor of a more country-safe tune named "Till My Dying Day" that he wrote for Wynonna Judd), Ludacris hooked up with Jason Aldean for "Dirt Road Anthem," the Band Perry played "Love the Way You Lie," and Lady Antebellum did a bit of Prince's "Kiss."

"Idol" winner Scotty McCreery was on hand with Alaina to introduce a performance by Sugarland as well.

Other winners included Sugarland (Duo Video of the Year for "Stuck Like Glue"), Zac Brown Band and Jimmy Buffett (CMT Performance of the Year for "Margaritaville") and Shelton (Best Web Video of the Year, "Kiss My Country Ass.")

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