'Ugly stuff' in Jackson trial

Los Angeles (CNN) -- AEG Live's lawyer warned jurors that "we're going to show some ugly stuff" as he began the defense's opening statement in the Michael Jackson wrongful death trial Monday.

The concert promoter has no choice to reveal Jackson's "deepest, darkest secret" because the company must defend itself from the accusation from Jackson's family that it is responsible for the pop icon's death, Marvin Putnam said.

Before Putnam began, a Jackson lawyer played for the jury a sentimental song Jackson wrote and recorded for his three children titled "You Are My Life."

"You are the sun, you make me shine more like the stars that twinkle at night,

You are the moon that glows in my heart,

You're my day time, my nighttime,

My world. You are my life."

Katherine Jackson, his mother, wiped tears from her face as her late son's soft voice filled the small courtroom.

And so begins a trial, which could last several months, that promises dramatic revelations and legal fireworks. With opening statements delivered, the Jackson's call their first witness Tuesday morning -- Orlando Martinez, the Los Angeles Police detective who investigated Jackson's death.

AEG Live executives are "ruthless guys" who ignored Michael Jackson's health problems and his doctor's ethical conflicts, which led to the pop icon's death, a Jackson family lawyer argued Monday.

Jurors earning $15 a day will decide whether one of the world's largest entertainment companies should pay Jackson's mother and three children billions of dollars for its liability in the pop icon's death.

Randy and Rebbie Jackson, Michael's siblings, were with their mother in the front row, just a few feet away from jurors.

"There will be no question in your mind that they were ruthless and they wanted to be No. 1 at all cost," Jackson lawyer Brian Panish said.

AEG executives knew that Jackson was emotionally and physically weak, Panish told jurors.

Jackson was in an "obvious sharp decline" in the weeks after Murray began working as his personal doctor while he prepared for his comeback concerts.

Another warning sign should have been that Murray asked for $5 million for the job and eventually agreed on $150,000 a month, Panish said. Another doctor had told AEG he would do the job for $40,000 a month as long as Jackson was "clean," meaning not on drugs, he said.

Panish played for the jury a video of an AEG expert who agreed that Murray's pay demand was "outrageous."

"That raised red flag because it was an enormous sum of money," defense expert Marty Hom said.

"AEG ignored the obvious red flags, and they hired Dr. Murray," Panish said.

Later in the trial, jurors will hear Michael's oldest son and daughter describe their father's last days. But they will also endure weeks of testimony from medical and financial experts offering opinions about the singer's health, addiction and career.

Only 16 journalists and a few members of the public will be allowed inside the courtroom because many of its 45 seats are reserved for parties involved in the trial, including the Jackson family. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos denied CNN's request to televise the trial.

Jurors chosen to decide Michael Jackson wrongful death case

The central issue

The central issue is simple: Did AEG Live, the company promoting Jackson's comeback concerts in 2009, hire or supervise Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's June 25, 2009, death?

Jackson died two weeks before his "This Is It" comeback concerts, organized by AEG Live, were to have debuted in London. The coroner ruled Jackson died from a fatal combination of sedatives and propofol, a surgical anesthetic that Murray told investigators he used to put Jackson to sleep almost every night in the month before his death.

The Jacksons argue that AEG executives knew about the star's weakened health and his past use of dangerous drugs while on tour. They're liable in his death because they pressured Jackson and the doctor to meet their ambitious schedule to prepare for the London shows despite that knowledge, their lawyers contend.

A cornerstone of their case is an e-mail AEG Live Co-CEO Paul Gongaware wrote 11 days before Jackson's death. The e-mail to show director Kenny Ortega addressed concerns that Murray had kept Jackson from a rehearsal the day before: "We want to remind (Murray) that it is AEG, not MJ, who is paying his salary. We want to remind him what is expected of him."

Jackson lawyers argue the e-mail is evidence that AEG Live used Murray's fear of losing his lucrative job as Jackson's personal physician to pressure him to have Jackson ready for rehearsals despite his fragile health.

Gongaware, in a video deposition played in court Monday, said he could not remember writing the e-mail, which the Jackson lawyers call the "smoking gun" in their case.

"They put Dr. Murray in a position where if he said Michael can't go or can't play, if he said I can't give you those drugs, then he doesn't get paid," Panish told jurors Monday.

Gongaware, who managed two of Jackson's tours in the 1990s, knew that Jackson relied on addictive opiates during his concert tours, Panish said.

He played a video of one doctor who said he warned Gongaware about it in 1993.

"We felt that we needed to an intervention," Dr. Stuart Finkelstein said. "We needed to do detox."

AEG's lawyer argued Monday that Gongaware and other AEG executives had no way of knowing about Jackson's use of propofol to sleep.

"AEG knew nothing about this decade-long propofol use," Putnam said. "They were a concert promoter. How could they know?"

He promised that Jackson's ex-wife and mother of his two oldest children, Debbie Rowe, will testify that she assisted in administering propofol to Jackson in the 1990s when she was a nurse.

She saw several doctors put Mr. Jackson to sleep in hotel rooms while on tour," he said, including in Munich, London, Paris.

"The truth is Mr. Jackson fooled everyone," Putnam said about Jackson's porpofol use. "He kept those who might have helped him at a distance and no one knew his deepest, darkest secret."

Jackson's ability to keep his private side private meant AEG could not see any red flags warning of Jackson's destruction, Putnam said.

"They didn't see this coming," he said. "They had no idea."

Putnam said Jackson family members will testify about their failed attempts at intervention and their lack of knowledge about what was happening.

"If they didn't know what was going on, how could someone else think there was even a problem," he said.

AEG contends that Jackson was responsible for his own demise, that he chose Murray to be his full-time doctor and that his drug addiction led him to a series of fatal choices.

"This case is about personal choices," Putnam said. "People have responsibility for their personal choices. It was not a tragedy of AEG Live's making."

Murray was never an AEG employee but rather was chosen and paid by Jackson for nearly four years until Jackson died, AEG lawyers contend.

"AEG Live never paid Dr. Murray anything, ever," Putnam said.

He played a snippet from Murray's interview with Martinez two days after Jackson's death.

"I am an employee for Michael Jackson but paid through AEG," Murray told police.

Jackson, not AEG chose Murray, he said.

Child molestation accusations against Jackson, for which he was acquitted after a trial, are relevant because they resulted in an increase in his drug use, Putnam said.

He focused on Jackson's doctor shopping for drugs, displaying a chart of 40 doctors and nurses who Jackson sought drugs from.

Elvis' ghost haunts Michael Jackson death trial

Jackson's family seeks billions

Just before Monday's session began, the judge issued a series of rulings that will allow Jackson expert witnesses to testify but limit some of their opinions.

The lawsuit seeks a judgment against AEG Live equal to the money Jackson would have earned over the course of his remaining lifetime if he had not died in 2009. Jackson lawyers denied media reports that they were seeking $40 billion in damages if AEG Live is found liable, but it could cost the company several billion dollars, according to estimates of Jackson's income potential.

AEG Live is a subsidiary of AEG, a global entertainment company that was up for sale recently with an $8 billion asking price.

Palazuelos reversed an earlier tentative decision Monday that would have limited the amount of damages the Jacksons could argue AEG should pay if found liable in the singer's death. The decision raises the potential damages by about $1 billion.

One of the Jacksons' experts, certified pubic accountant Arthur Erk, estimated that Michael Jackson could have earned $1.4 billion by taking his "This Is It" tour around the world for 260 shows. AEG executives discussed extending the tour beyond the 50 shows scheduled for London, Jackson lawyers said.

Jackson lawyer Perry Sanders, in arguing for the judge to allow Erk's testimony, said when "This Is It" tickets went on sale in March 2009, there was the "highest demand to see anyone in the history of the world. No one has ever come close."

"There was so much demand, they filled 2 million seats in hours," Sanders said, quoting an e-mail from AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips sent to AEG's owner.

"We would have had to do 100-plus shows to fill the demand" in London, he said Phillips wrote. Jackson could have packed the Tokyo Dome several times in a world tour, he said.

But AEG lawyer Sabrina Strong called it "very speculative" that Jackson would have even finished the 50 London shows before dying.

AEG lawyers argued that Jackson didn't perform 260 shows and make that much money even in his prime. "He never came anywhere close to that," Strong said. "No one other than Cher has ever done that."

Erk also calculated Jackson would have followed with four more world tours before he turned 65.

Palazuelos weighed in during a hearing on Thursday, noting that the Rolling Stones are still touring into their 70s.

The Jacksons will also try to convince jurors that he would have made a fortune off of a long series of Las Vegas shows, endorsements, a clothing line and movies.

Strong argued that Jackson had a history of failed projects and missed opportunities, calling Erk's projections "a hope, a dream, and not a basis for damages."

Erk, under the new ruling, will be able to tell jurors about the"loss of earning capacity" suffered by the family because of Jackson's death. This means the jury can consider the Jackson argument that hecould have earned millions with a clothing line, endorsements and movies. The expert's estimate that Jackson would have completed five world tours before he was 65, if he had lived, can also be considered.

AEG can argue, however, that Jackson's past failures diminished the potential earnings.

None of the Jackson experts can offer an opinion on the question of whether Murray was hired by AEG.

The witness lists include many members of the Jackson family, including Katherine Jackson. Other celebrity witnesses on the list are Sharon Osbourne, Quincy Jones, Spike Lee, Ray Parker Jr., Lisa Marie Presley, Diana Ross and Lou Ferrigno.

Via: 'Ugly stuff' in Jackson trial

Fall Out Boy 'Save Rock and Roll'

(CNN) -- When rock groups announce that they're going on "indefinite hiatus," usually it's publicist-speak for "don't hold your breath that they're ever coming back."

But Fall Out Boy beat the odds when they announced that they'd secretly recorded a new album, their first since going on "indefinite hiatus" in 2009. Tagged with the tongue-in-cheek title "Save Rock and Roll," the disc promptly shot to the top of the Billboard 200 album chart and debuted at number one on iTunes in 27 countries.

CNN recently spoke with singer Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley about their surprise reunion.

CNN: We thought you guys were on "indefinite hiatus."

Pete Wentz: Well, it's ended. It has become definite.

Patrick Stump: We did just genuinely mean that we were just going to take a break, like it's supposed to be.

Joe Trohman: I think a lot of people don't understand that we were kids and that some of us grew up in this band, and we needed a little time away from the band. We may have been in our mid-20s or early 30s, but we still felt like we were 17, so we kind of needed to catch up to being whatever age we were by the end.

CNN: How did you manage to record the new album in secret?

Stump: There weren't a lot of people knocking down our doors, going, "When's the next Fall Out Boy record?" That wasn't a thing that we were really getting pelted with, so we didn't really have any expectations to live up to.

Andy Hurley: Which is nice, because then you make something that you're happy with, and you don't have to do something for this group of people, which is a great way to do it.

CNN: Your first single is called "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark."

Wentz: The video is pretty cool. It has our buddy (rapper) 2 Chainz in it, basically burning a lot of stuff -- which seemed apt in some way.

Stump: 2 Chainz is in his second act, and I think he learned so much from the first time around that he has a total other perspective than a lot of others have. You don't see a lot of artists in any genre who are on time and prepared to work. I think that's something you get with the benefit of hindsight a little bit.

CNN: What are you doing differently this time around?

Wentz: I think that there was a lot of "ready, fire, aim" stuff that would go on. It was kind of like, "Oh, we've got to the do this right now," and now I think that we realize it's not so much quantity and constantly saying, "Yes." There's the power of "No" and doing things the way that you want to do it and making sure quality is the most important aspect.

I think at the end of the day, that's what determines your legacy. You can either be a fast food restaurant or you can be making art, and I don't want to flip burgers, really.

CNN: How's the communication in the group these days?

Trohman: Guys are notoriously bad at emoting and communicating, and I think we had to learn how to do that. But also taking that time apart to be with our families, do other projects, work with different people and experience different things allowed us to come back and realize that maybe we did this thing not so well; maybe we should have talked more; maybe we shouldn't have been so passive-aggressive; maybe this guy should have voiced his opinion more. I think we are better at that, and it has been very healthy for the band.

CNN: Joe, you and Patrick got married. Pete became a dad. How have your personal lives changed things?

Trohman: It changes your perspective. We had to pay attention to these people who have been supporting us for so long, have been waiting for us while we've been on the road, and I think they've been waiting long enough.

Wentz: I took my kid to preschool today, and he has a friend who is really into music there -- this little kid -- and he was like, "I want to play Fall Out Boy right now." And my kid was like, "I don't. I want to play Justice League." (laughter) That will keep you grounded.

CNN: "Save Rock and Roll" just debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. It also went No. 1 on iTunes in 27 countries.

Wentz: Wow. How mind-blowing is this? Coming back, we never thought something like that was even possible. At the end of the day, we just put the music out there in the world. We are humbled and thankful for the world's reaction.

CNN: Fall Out Boy will be embarking on an arena tour later this year.

Wentz: We just announced that we're taking our buddies Panic! at the Disco on tour with us this fall in arenas. A bunch of those -- like Barclay's in New York -- are almost sold out, so make sure you get your tickets so we can hang out and be weird together.

Stump: On the subject of arena tours, it's interesting. Sometimes I'll talk to fans, and there's always these different perspectives of "I like the big rooms" or "I like the small rooms."

Via: Fall Out Boy 'Save Rock and Roll'

Wiig, Affleck to host 'SNL'

(EW.com) -- Former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Kristen Wiig is returning to her old stomping grounds to make her debut as host of the show on May 11, NBC has announced.

Rounding out season 38 of the legendary sketch show will be Ben Affleck, who will make his fifth appearance on "SNL's" May 18 finale.

Zach Galifianakis to host 'SNL'

NBC has also confirmed the widespread rumor that Kanye West will make his fifth appearance as the show's musical guest on the May 18 episode, though it remains unclear whether the rapper, who has been in Paris working on his next album, will premiere any new music.

Vampire Weekend will provide the tunes during Wiig's hosting gig.

Both Wiig and Affleck have a busy few months ahead.

Ben Affleck takes poverty vow: Eat on $1.50 a day

Wiig has multiple projects hitting theaters in the next few months, beginning with the summer's animated sequel "Despicable Me 2."

Later this year, we'll see her in the flesh in "Girl Most Likely," "Anchorman: The Legend Continues" and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."

'Arrested Development': Seth Rogen and Kristen Wiig to guest

Affleck, whose most recent turn behind the camera "Argo" took home the Oscar for Best Picture earlier this year, is on screen now in "To the Wonder" and can next be seen in the September drama "Runner, Runner."

See the original story at EW.com.

Via: Wiig, Affleck to host 'SNL'

Pain & Gain' leads slow weekend

(EW.com) -- In the final weekend before Iron Man 3 kicks off the summer movie season in earnest, Michael Bay's R-rated action comedy Pain & Gain topped a slow weekend at the box office with $20 million from 3,277 theaters, giving it an average of $6,103 per location. The Paramount film achieved only a fraction of the opening weekend grosses of Bay's Transformers films, but it only cost a fraction just $26 million of those films as well. It's well on its way to profitability.

Pain & Gain, which stars Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, redeemed both stars following unimpressive box office results for action films earlier this year. Wahlberg's Broken City petered out with just $19.7 million, while Johnson's Snitch fared only slightly better, grossing $42.1 million. While both those films had darker, more serious tones, Pain & Gain was marketed as a sunny, over-the-top black comedy. Unfortunately, audience reaction wasn't particularly sunny. Polled moviegoers issued Pain & Gain a dreadful "C+" CinemaScore.

In second place, Tom Cruise's sci-fi adventure Oblivion, which last week debuted with $37.1 million, dropped 53 percent to $17.4 million, giving it a 10-day total of $64.7 million. While the Universal film seems unlikely to reach Cruise's one-time benchmark of $100 million domestically, its $134.1 million international total lifts prospects considerably. Still, a $198.8 million worldwide total versus a $120 million budget isn't an incredible result after accounting for distribution and marketing costs.

Warner Bros.' $40 million Jackie Robinson drama 42 scored another $10.7 million in its third weekend, representing a 40 percent decline. With a cumulative gross of $69.1 million so far, 42 is a big winner for Warner Bros., which badly needed a hit following flops like Beautiful Creatures, Bullet to the Head, and Jack the Giant Slayer. Yet most analysts expected the film, which earned an "A+" CinemaScore grade, to reach $100 million. That no longer seems plausible.

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Star-studded romantic comedy The Big Wedding flopped in its opening weekend, with just $7.5 million from 2,633 theaters, giving it a sad $2,848 per theater average. The $35 million Lionsgate release got off to a weaker start than other recent wedding titles like The Five-Year Engagement, License to Wed, and The Wedding Date and all of those were considered misfires upon release. The Big Wedding, which features performances by Robert De Niro, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Diane Keaton, Amanda Seyfried, Katherine Heigl, Topher Grace, and Ben Barnes, garnered wretched reviews from most critics, and audiences, which were 77 percent female and 66 percent above the age of 30, gave it an ugly "C+" CinemaScore.

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The Croods spent its sixth weekend in the Top 5 with $6.6 million (a 29 percent drop), lifting the colorful Stone Age comedy to $163 million total. The Fox-distributed film, produced by DreamWorks Animation for $135 million, has carried even more cash into its cave internationally, and this weekend it passed the $300 million mark. Worldwide, The Croods has earned a terrific $471 million, and it will zoom right past the half-billion mark some time in the next two weeks. Unsurprisingly, a sequel is already in the works.

1. Pain & Gain -- $20 million

2. Oblivion -- $17.4 million

3. 42 -- $10.7 million

4. The Big Wedding -- $7.5 million

5. The Croods -- $6.6 million

Despite the success of films like The Croods, Identity Thief, and Oz The Great and Powerful, the first third of 2013 hasn't been a particularly good one at the box office. For the year to date, both attendance and revenue at the U.S. box office are down 12 percent, and Hollywood is now turning its attention to potential blockbusters like Iron Man 3, Fast & Furious 6, and Man of Steel to turn this year's prospects around.

Iron Man 3, at least, seems like a safe bet. The superhero sequel debuted this weekend in 42 overseas territories (about 79 percent of the international market), where it earned an incredible $195.3 million a higher figure than The Avengers' $185.1 million start. That figure is even more impressive when your realize that Iron Man 3 has yet to open in powerhouse territories like China, Russia, and Germany. Iron Man 3 achieved the best opening weekend ever in a number of Asian countries (Hong Kong, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore), which is a testament to the continent's booming box offices, but perhaps also to Disney's efforts to tailor the picture to better appeal to Asian filmgoers. The film opens in the U.S. on Friday and is expected to open above $150 million.

See the original article at EW.com.

Via: Pain & Gain' leads slow weekend

It's a brand new (Michael) Bay

(CNN) -- Here is the question: Can it be called a Michael Bay film if there are no explosions?

With "Pain & Gain," the director best known for action-packed films such as the "Transformers" franchise and "Armageddon" goes decidedly smaller, though no less hefty in the over-the-top nature.

The film -- which opens Friday -- stars Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Anthony Mackie as a trio of hapless bodybuilders who launch a harebrained kidnapping scheme. An action-comedy, it's based on the true story of a murderous gang in Florida in the 1990s, which included a group of bodybuilders.

Unlike Bay's other projects that have found him alternately hailed and crucified (he appears on both an Internet Movie Database list of all-time worst and best movie directors), there is a dearth of stylized car chases, massive guns and things blowing up. "Pain & Gain" was not conceived as a massively budgeted, summer blockbuster.

"I wanted to do a quirky movie," Bay told The New York Times. "I wanted to do something small, just actors acting. It was almost like film school again for me."

Film school? For the man who brought the world "Bad Boys" and "Bad Boys II"?

Perhaps that is why Jack Giroux at the Film School Rejects site penned "The Case for Michael Bay as Visionary Auteur." "A Michael Bay picture is many, many things," Giroux writes. "The global showman has made his career off shiny money shots, a broad sense of humor, solid on-screen pairings, well-orchestrated chaos, and much more."

Despite the fact the new film isn't like most of his other movies, Giroux sees elements of Bay in in it.

"The director's newest movie, the abrasively entertaining 'Pain & Gain,' carries on those trademark signatures in many ways," he says. "It's not the explosions which make him an auteur, it's the little things that make his human stories more meaningful than what we see from most blockbuster directors."

Bay probably agrees. He told CNN his latest project reminds him of another of his summer films from many years ago.

"I do like releasing films in summer, but this is a small little movie, but it's got a little of that 'Bad Boys' vibe to it," Bay said. "So this kind of goes back to my roots. I like low-budget movies, and this is a character piece."

Forbes contributor Scott Mendelson notes that "it's no secret that films like 'Pearl Harbor' (an epic romantic drama set during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor) and 'The Island' (a science-fiction thriller that serves as a parable for the perils of genetic science and/or abortion) were Michael Bay's attempts at artistic legitimacy.

"They didn't quite work out, leading Bay to somewhat surrender and helm a big budget trilogy based on a toy line about cars/planes that turn into robots and fight each other," Mendelson writes. "So here in 'Pain & Gain' we see the return of 'serious' Michael Bay."

Wahlberg told The New York Times he had full faith in Bay -- who has also cast the star in his next "Transformers" film.

"You get the artsy-fartsy guys of the world who do these little quirky comedies or dramas, that think they're cool and they're the artists," the actor told the paper. "But he can do the stuff that other guys can't do."

Co-star Ken Jeong, who is best known for "The Hangover" films, told The Hollywood Reporter that "Pain & Gain" is "one of best Michael Bay's films ever."

For his part, Bay seemed to have enjoyed the respite that came with being scaled down. He told CNN he tried to keep things intimate on the set.

Via: It's a brand new (Michael) Bay

Royal baby bump

(CNN) -- Finally!

The royal baby bump has arrived, and the world can finally see evidence of the progeny of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, who we still like to think of as Kate Middleton.

The world has been on watch since the couple announced their impending arrival last December.

Well known for her fashion sense, the young duchess is now applying that to her pregnancy and stepping out in outfits that both flatter and show off the wee one.

People magazine was so impressed with one of her recent outfits that it ran a story headlined "Kate's baby blue maternity dress - how to get the look."

Likewise the Huffington Post put her on its best dressed list this week proving that stylishness doesn't have to stop for nine months.

Via: Royal baby bump

Kristen Wiig, Ben Affleck to host 'SNL'

(EW.com) -- Former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Kristen Wiig is returning to her old stomping grounds to make her debut as host of the show on May 11, NBC has announced.

Rounding out season 38 of the legendary sketch show will be Ben Affleck, who will make his fifth appearance on "SNL's" May 18 finale.

Zach Galifianakis to host 'SNL'

NBC has also confirmed the widespread rumor that Kanye West will make his fifth appearance as the show's musical guest on the May 18 episode, though it remains unclear whether the rapper, who has been in Paris working on his next album, will premiere any new music.

Vampire Weekend will provide the tunes during Wiig's hosting gig.

Both Wiig and Affleck have a busy few months ahead.

Ben Affleck takes poverty vow: Eat on $1.50 a day

Wiig has multiple projects hitting theaters in the next few months, beginning with the summer's animated sequel "Despicable Me 2."

Later this year, we'll see her in the flesh in "Girl Most Likely," "Anchorman: The Legend Continues" and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."

'Arrested Development': Seth Rogen and Kristen Wiig to guest

Affleck, whose most recent turn behind the camera "Argo" took home the Oscar for Best Picture earlier this year, is on screen now in "To the Wonder" and can next be seen in the September drama "Runner, Runner."

See the original story at EW.com.

Via: Kristen Wiig, Ben Affleck to host 'SNL'

Review: 'Reluctant Fundamentalist'

Editor's note: This article may contain spoilers.

(CNN) -- The timing couldn't be any better, or worse, for Mira Nair's film of Mohsin Hamid's novel, a sympathetic portrait of a gifted, intelligent young Pakistani whose love affair with the American dream ends in disenchantment, mistrust and violence.

This would have been a provocative movie to release at any time since 9/11, but especially so in the immediate aftermath of the Boston bombings. Still, if we're to come to any understanding of the terrorist mentality, movies are a relatively safe and responsible place to start looking.

In the opening scenes, the CIA responds to the kidnapping of a European academic in Lahore, Pakistan. A U.S. journalist who is also an undercover operative for the agency (Liev Schreiber) is sent to interview one of the professor's colleagues, a local whose classes are reported to be stirring up young Muslims and who is a known associate of jihadists. Changez (Riz Ahmed) agrees to talk, but only if the American promises to hear him out and get the full story.

Changez, it's not pronounced like the David Bowie song, but it could easily be read that way, starts out as if he means to become one of Tom Wolfe's "Masters of the Universe," a Princeton business grad whose ruthlessness puts him on the fast track at Underwood Sampson, a Wall Street valuations firm. He even dates the chairman's daughter (Kate Hudson, valiantly trying to find roots for an elusive character).

The business saga is entertaining in a snappy, sub-Oliver Stone finger-wagging vein -- Kiefer Sutherland is in strong form as his steely mentor -- but things sour for Changez when the World Trade Center comes down. Suddenly the up-and-coming executive is being strip-searched at airports and advised to shave his beard. He's treated like an alien and comes to feel like one. It forces him to rethink his own identity, his heritage and spiritual values and for the first time he questions the profit-motive that has driven his success.

The film's twin-track structure doesn't really work: the lengthy reminiscences of the disenchanted capitalist completely overwhelm the present tense against-the-clock hostage drama. Is Changez playing for time, to aid his al-Qaeda buddies? Nair doesn't seem interested in fleshing out that suggestion, and melodramatic scenes with Martin Donovan as the CIA field chief eavesdropping on the conversation fall well below the authenticity of "Zero Dark Thirty."

Still, the exchanges between Schreiber and Ahmed -- an intense, edgy British actor some may recognize from the black comedy "Four Lions" and Michael Winterbottom's "Trishna" -- do shed some light on the 21st century's most volatile culture clash.

In the starkest of these, Changez confesses that his first reaction to the planes hitting the towers was... pleasure.

It's a brave acknowledgment of an unspeakable emotion, a moment that will repel many in the audience just as clearly as it disgusts Schreiber, but which is worth hearing not because it's provocative, but because it rings true.

There are hard shards of brutal honesty dispersed elsewhere too. When Changez and his American girlfriend first make love, she stops; she's still mourning the love of her life. "Pretend I'm him," he urges, an impulse that doesn't just speak to the male's desire, but also to the immigrant's need to fit in. And then, later, the other side of the equation, when, teaching in Lahore, he challenges his students to articulate what a "Pakistan Dream" might look like...?

Via: Review: 'Reluctant Fundamentalist'

MTV orders 'Scream' pilot

(EW) -- The big-screen "Scream" franchise could be coming to MTV. The cable network has greenlit a pilot based on the films.

MTV and Dimension Films' one-hour pilot will attempt to reinvent the 1996 horror-comedy that spawned three sequels.

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The partners are in talks with the original film's director, Wes Craven, to helm the one-hour pilot; there's no deal yet for a writer. If ordered to series, "Scream" would debut in the summer of 2014.

TV's 10 most maligned comedies

MTV also announced a third season of "Snooki & JWoww," along with three new series:

-- Docu-drama "Generation Cryo" "explores the issues faced by a new generation of kids coming of age who were conceived via anonymous sperm donors and are redefining what it means to be a family."

-- "Nurse Nation" (working title) is a new docu-series that follows nine 20-something travel nurses all assigned to work at a new hospital in a brand new city for 13 weeks.

-- "The Hook Up" (working title), hosted by Andrew Schulz of MTV2's series "Guy Code," is a weekday afternoon dating show where singles looking for a match will choose from four potential suitors based on their social media history.

See the original story at EW.com.

Via: MTV orders 'Scream' pilot

Country singer Currington posts bail

(CNN) -- Country singer Billy Currington -- charged with threatening a charter boat captain who the performer allegedly thought sped too fast by his dock in coastal Georgia -- turned himself in to authorities, a district attorney's spokesman said.

Currington, 39, was released on bail a few hours after arriving at the sheriff's department in Chatham County, Georgia, on Thursday afternoon, county district attorney's spokesman Daniel Baxter said.

A grand jury in Savannah handed up a two-count indictment Wednesday accusing Currington of terroristic threats for allegedly threatening bodily harm against Charles Harvey Ferrelle last week. An elder abuse charge was included because Farrelle is 70 years old.

The police report, obtained by CNN affiliate WSAV, says Ferrelle filed a criminal complaint saying "he feared for his life" after Currington screamed at him and followed him in a boat.

Ferrelle, a charter boat captain, was giving a boat tour around Tybee Island, Georgia, when he passed by Currington's property on April 15, the report said. Currington yelled at the boat from shore and then jumped in his own boat and followed as Ferrelle went to his slip at a nearby dock, it said.

Currington threatened that "he was going to f--k Mr. Ferrelle up," the police report said.

"If I hadn't gotten into my slip fast enough, I believe he would have run me over," Ferrelle told an investigator.

Currington and his representatives did not immediately respond to CNN requests for comment. But the singer posted a message to fans through his Twitter account: "hey guys, I wanted to thank everyone for the huge amount of support that I have received already. Unfortunately, I can't comment on this situation as this is an ongoing legal matter. It means a lot to me to have your support during this time."

Although Currington resides primarily in Nashville, he is a native of Rincon, Georgia, which is about 35 miles inland from Tybee Island.

Via: Country singer Currington posts bail

Police: Drugs on Bieber's bus

(CNN) -- Swedish police found illegal narcotics on Justin Bieber's tour bus as it was parked outside Stockholm's Globe Arena, where he was performing, a police spokesman said Thursday.

While a source close to Bieber insisted it was a non-story and no charges were filed, it is the latest stumble in the teen pop star's European tour. Bieber's publicist had no official comment when contacted by CNN.

Police found a small amount of unspecified illegal narcotics on the tour bus that Bieber and about nine others had taken to the arena for the concert Wednesday night, Stockholm police spokesman Varg Gyllander said.

Bieber's growing pains

Authorities searched the bus at the arena after a police officer smelled marijuana near the vehicle when it was outside a Stockholm hotel, Gyllander said. The Bieber team had left the bus before police searched it.

The case is under investigation, but no arrests were made and no charges have been filed, Gyllander said. For a charge of possession of narcotics, police must find the drug on the offender, he said.

The Stockholm concert proceeded as scheduled. Bieber's next concert is on Sunday in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Earlier this month, Bieber drew criticism for a remark he left in the guest book of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He suggested that Frank, the teenage diarist who died in a Nazi concentration camp in 1945, would have been a fan of his. Critics accused him of being narcissistic, but others, including Frank's stepsister, criticized the uproar and said Frank might indeed have been a fan.

Via: Police: Drugs on Bieber's bus

'Glee' star's summer tour

(CNN) -- Glee star and semi-professional dreamboat Darren Criss has some "very, very exciting news" to announce: "I'm happy to officially announce my very first solo tour throughout North America. It's Canada, the United States 16 dates, all over the place. Hopefully we're coming by to a city near you," he said in a video today.

EW: 'Glee' - Sue confronts Blaine about his Cheerios duties

More deets: Criss will be playing both old and new material (like a set-list!), be having a lot of fun, and yes he has been working on a solo album whilst also acting in TV shows and online musicals.

EW: 'Glee' - Two legendary faces to play key role in important (and spoilery!) storyline

"But I still have these songs, and I really want to share them with people before we put them out into the world," Criss said. So the tour will be called "Listen up...," kicking off on May 29 in Criss' hometown, San Francisco before moving on to dates in L.A., Houston, Chicago, Nashville, and New York, among others.

Tickets and all other info at darrencriss.com. Watch the tour announcement for yourself here.

Via: 'Glee' star's summer tour

Galliano to teach design class

Editor's note: This article contains offensive language.

New York (CNN) -- Controversial fashion designer John Galliano -- fired and convicted over anti-Semitic comments in 2011 -- is heading to a New York design classroom this spring.

The former chief designer for Christian Dior will teach a three-day master class at Parsons The New School for Design.

The class will give Parsons students an opportunity to learn from "an immensely talented designer," according to a statement from the school.

Galliano was fired from the fashion giant in March 2011 after making anti-Semitic remarks in Paris. Later that year, a French court found him guilty for making public insults based on origin, religious affiliation, race or ethnicity.

"I love Hitler," Galliano said in a video obtained by Britain's Sun newspaper. "Your mother, your forefathers would be f---ing gassed and f---ing dead."

In his trial, he said that alcohol and drugs were major factors, which he realized during a stint in rehab after he was fired. Galliano apologized, saying, "Anti-Semitism and racism have no part in our society."

He added: "I only have myself to blame and I know that I must face up to my own failures and that I must work hard to gain people's understanding and compassion."

Abraham Foxman, national director for the Anti-Defamation League, said Tuesday in a statement, "I think it's time that John Galliano be evaluated on his skills."

"He apologized, he repaired, he reached out. We should just move on. I think that's the fair thing to do. I'm delighted for Parsons and I'm delighted for him," Foxman added.

Via: Galliano to teach design class

Jury picked in Jackson suit

Los Angeles (CNN) -- A jury of six men and six women has been chosen to hear the Michael Jackson family's wrongful death lawsuit against concert promoter AEG Live.

Another six jurors must now be selected to serve as alternates in the trial, which is expected to last two or three months, in a Los Angeles courtroom.

Jackson's mother and three children are suing AEG Live, claiming the promoter was liable in the pop icon's death in 2009.

The judge has not set a date for opening statements and testimony to begin, although the trial opening could happen later this week.

Jackson died two weeks before his "This Is It" comeback concerts, organized by AEG Live, were to have debuted in London in the summer of 2009.

Lawyers for Jackson's mother, Katherine; and children, Prince, Paris and Blanket, argue that AEG Live is liable because the company hired and supervised Dr. Conrad Murray, who used a surgical anesthetic in a fatal effort to treat the singer's insomnia as he prepared for the comeback concerts. Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and is serving a prison sentence.

AEG Live's lawyers argue that Jackson chose and controlled Murray.

The lawsuit seeks a judgment against AEG Live equal to the money Jackson would have earned over the course of his remaining lifetime if he had not died in 2009. If AEG Live is found liable, it could cost the company several billion dollars, according to estimates of Jackson's income potential.

Via: Jury picked in Jackson suit

'Futurama' to end

(EW.com) -- The Planet Express ship will soon make its final delivery.

Comedy Central has decided not to renew Futurama, which means that the 31st-century-set animated comedy will end its 140-episode run on Sept. 4. The final 13 episodes, which represent the second half of season 7, begin airing on June 19 at 10 p.m.

Futurama is no stranger to cancellation, of course: The series aired from 1999 to 2003 before Fox sent Fry & Co. into oblivion. After thriving in reruns on Adult Swim, Futurama was relaunched in 2007 with four-direct-to-DVD movies that Comedy Central ran in half-hour increments as a 16-episode fifth season in 2008-09. Comedy Central subsequently ordered a sixth season of 26 episodes, which aired in 2010-11, and a seventh season of 26 episodes, the first half of which debuted in 2012.

The news did not come as a shock to executive producer David X. Cohen and creator Matt Groening, who had thought their space explorations were ending three previous times (after the Fox run, after the four movies, and after Comedy Central's first 26-episode order). "I felt like we were already in the bonus round on these last couple of seasons, so I can't say I was devastated by the news," Cohen tells EW. "It was what I had expected two years earlier. At this point I keep a suitcase by my office door so I can be cancelled at a moment's notice."

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The series won the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program twice, in 2002 and 2011. It has declined in the ratings, though, averaging 2.6 million viewers in 2010, 2.3 million in 2011, and 1.7 million in 2012.

Comedy Central's EVP of Programming Dave Bernath views the network's decision as "the natural end" to the show's improbable comeback. "That's a helluva run that few shows achieve, and especially given the fact that it came back to life, it's really an amazing story," he says. "I'm more thankful and feel a sense of gratitude toward the whole process and that we found a way to keep going for 52 more episodes than I really am even thinking about the ending. It's a blessing that it came back and lasted so long."

The producers say that they are exploring options for a new home for the show, but there are no serious talks at this point. "We've been in this situation before and it's tempting when you're doing episodes that are as good or better than anything you've ever done to continue doing it," Groening tells EW. "We're catching our breath and seeing what the fans have to say. The experience of this show has been so much fun from the very beginning to now everybody is so happy to work on this show that it'd be a shame if we all went our separate ways... We would love to continue. We have many more stories to tell. But if we don't, this is a really great way to go out... I think these episodes are the best ones we've ever done."

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Cohen calls the final run which features such guests as Larry Bird, Sarah Silverman, George Takei, Adam West, Dan Castellaneta, and Burt Ward "our best 'last season ever' ever," noting that there are "a bunch of episodes that I think are going to be classics." In one installment, Futurama is "reincarnated as various cartoons of your youth, not legally resembling but somehow quite reminiscent of Scooby-Doo, Strawberry Shortcake, and G.I. Joe," he says. And the series finale, which features a wedding between Fry and Leela, is "a tasteful, emotional gorefest," he raves. "There's a lot of death but there's also a lot of time travel, so that makes for an interesting combination." Adds Groening: "It's a really satisfying ending. It's an epic ending. If indeed it's the ending."

If, indeed. Somehow we'll see Bender shout "Bite My Shiny, Revived Metal Ass!" down the road, right? "Perhaps Futurama will return in another form, on the Internet, or as a puppet show in the park," says Groening. "Or maybe as a puppet show in the park on the Internet." Deadpans Cohen: "As I said three times before, this is definitely the absolute end of the show. I don't know why nobody believes me when I say that."

See the original story at EW.com.

Via: 'Futurama' to end

Review: 'Oblivion' aims high

Editor's note: This review may contain spoilers.

(CNN) -- Remember when the movies held the impending extinction of human life on the planet as a worst-case scenario -- something that could and would be heroically averted, if only at the last second? Nowadays, the end times are only the beginning: an apocalyptic backdrop is something we're going to be seeing a lot of this year, so we might as well get used to it.

In the glossy, derivative, ambitious and fatally underpowered "Oblivion," Tom Cruise is the last guy on Earth. He's Jack, a technician -- a mechanic, really -- whose job is to fix broken down drones (in a cute touch he sticks the first one back together with chewing gum). In other words, he's a bit like WALL-E, and Andrea Riseborough is his latter day Eve.

They live in a billion-dollar birdhouse perched up above the clouds, and in a quaintly chauvinist set up, he reconnoiters the skies in a flashy starfighter prototype, while she sits at an interstellar telephone exchange and relays the commands of mission controller Sally (an irritatingly twangy Melissa Leo) from on high.

See, the remainder of the human race has taken refuge on a giant spaceship (it looks like a floating audio speaker, something that wouldn't be out of place on the cover of an '80s progressive rock album). The plan is to scoot over to Saturn just as soon as they have sucked up enough hydropower from the Earth's oceans to fuel the journey.

But why? Well, because of the alien invaders who destroyed the moon and threw the biosphere out of whack, that's why. As Cruise mournfully intones in the movie's lugubrious prologue, we won the war, but lost the planet.

That's what the drones are for: to kill off the last remaining hostiles, or "scavs," who have taken refuge on the edge of the radioactive wastelands that cover most of the globe.

That's more than enough backstory, I know, but there's much more to come out, even as Jack goes about his daily routine, tracking down lost drones, revisiting ruined New York landmarks (the top of the Empire State Building now sits at ground level on a sea of dust), and occasionally going AWOL himself to grapple with fragmentary memories of a beautiful girl (Olga Kurylenko), and a lost world he has no right to remember.

The story is officially credited to an unpublished comic book by the film's director, Joseph Kosinski. But if you poured all the most memorable sci-fi films from the past half century into a blender, from "2001: A Space Odyssey" and the original "Planet of the Apes" all the way down to last year's "Prometheus," you would probably wind up with something very similar and equally synthetic -- though quite possibly more exciting.

While he immerses us in an often dazzling futurescape, for the most part Kosinski ("Tron: Legacy") lacks the poetic imagination to animate this requiem for a dying world -- comparisons with "WALL-E" are certainly not to this film's advantage -- and fails to convince us that he genuinely cares about the fate of his characters, let alone the planet. The movie's few action scenes are competent but unlikely to wow any battle-seasoned gamers out there.

Kosinski does produce one rabbit from his hat, a real surprise late in the game that sends the movie for a loop, but also undermines a good deal of the credibility he's worked hard to build up over the preceding hour and a half or so. Like "Prometheus," this is another of those earnest, overdetermined spiritual allegories that falls apart in the rear-view mirror.

It is certainly nice to look at though.

Director of photography Claudio Miranda was last seen picking up an Academy Award for his breathtaking work on "Life of Pi," and his images of an Earth turned to ash are almost as alluring. They're enough to lend the picture a sense of scope and even grandeur, but they can't paper over the cracks running right through its core.

Via: Review: 'Oblivion' aims high

'The Croods' sequel planned

(EW.com) -- For the caveman family of "The Croods," the Stone Age isn't over yet.

The DreamWorks Animation movie is getting a sequel, EW has confirmed.

Since its release on March 22, "The Croods" has scored big at the box office, earning over $386 million worldwide.

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It was a welcome success for the company, following the disappointing performance of DreamWorks Animation's "Rise of the Guardians" in late 2012.

"The Croods," about a family of cavemen on the dangerous but adventurous search for a new home, featured the voice talent of Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Nicolas Cage, and Catherine Keener.

'The Croods' directors on their approach to scary moments

There's no official word yet on which stars will return for the sequel or when the new film will be released.

See the original article at EW.com.

Via: 'The Croods' sequel planned

It's not cool to like RUSH

Editor's note: Ann Hoevel is the producer of CNN.com's nerd culture beat Geek Out! and has been a fan of RUSH since 1990. She enjoys "singing" along to "YYZ."

(CNN) -- This is it: the night that RUSH fans have waited for since 1999, when the group was first eligible to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Thursday night, the Canadian trio -- a staple of classic rock radio stations -- will jam onstage with their fellow class of inductees.

We should feel vindicated, right?

For the last 13 years, fans of the band have been outraged as the Hall of Fame overlooked their heroes. From the moment RUSH was eligible for consideration, fans signed petitions and wondered what kind of critics could be keeping their heroes from the limelight.

Even now, fans still feel slighted.

You see, these are fans who are used to explaining -- and being summarily dismissed for -- their love of the band, said "RUSH: Beyond the lighted stage" documentarians Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen.

RUSH has been a band almost 40 years. Their music has encompassed genres ranging from heavy metal to new age. They even penned a rap once (and caught a lot of flak for it from fans, too.)

Despite selling millions of records and achieving top-of-their-field musicianship, they've never really had the respect of music critics.

By extension, neither have their fans.

"I remember reading once (RUSH drummer and lyricist) Neil Peart got voted one of the worst lyricists of all time," Dunn said.

"And I can't imagine the rage that that would inspire in a lot of fans," he said. Peart's lyrics are a major reason fans cite interest in the band's music, he said.

They identify and connect with Peart's words so personally, "I absolutely think it's 'By attacking RUSH, you're attacking us,' " Dunn said. "And it's war."

Likewise, Geddy Lee's vocals are an unavoidable hurdle to RUSH appreciation, which fans are well aware of. His singing voice is highly pitched, in the tradition of singers like Robert Plant or Roger Daltry, but in an extreme.

"I think one critic said it sounded like a hamster in a blender," McFadyen said. When they were working on the documentary and discussed with people in the industry what they were doing, people would tell him, "Oh, I detest RUSH. They suck. I cannot stand Geddy's voice."

He's heard that before. He knows Geddy Lee's singing has a polarizing effect on people. But if you love it, you love it for life, he said, and you don't mind that it's complex, nerdy music.

At their core, RUSH is a trio of outsiders. They grew up in suburban Canada, where guitarist Alex Lifeson and bassist and singer Geddy Lee were both first-generation Canadians from immigrant families, doing the best they could to avoid being the target of bullies. They didn't graduate from high school. And although they forged a career as one of the best-selling rock bands in history, the only thing rock 'n' roll about them is their music -- no drug overdoses, no sex scandals, no trashing of hotel rooms. Ever.

Musicologist, author and RUSH researcher Christopher McDonald said fans deeply identify with the band because of that nonconformity.

While the first wave of RUSH fans in the 1970s were seen as a homogenous audience of jean-jacket-wearing, frowning boys, it soon became obvious that the fan base was far more diverse.

RUSH was dismissed by critics for their complicated songs and epically tackling fantasy and sci-fi topics in their lyrics. According to McDonald, those same qualities won them the attention of a nontraditional fan base, people who loved Dungeons & Dragons.

"RUSH didn't always go after the pop culture cliches," McDonald said. "The songs were sometimes very long, the song topics were sometimes overwrought. They would have songs that quoted Hemingway, songs with a science fiction theme, an album that drew ideas from Carl Jung," he said.

"Who's going to be interested in something like that? It's going to be some of the people in the Chess Club."

That's why 43-year-old Web developer and proprietor of RUSH Is A Band Ed Stenger likes them. He's the first to admit you can "count the number of RUSH love songs on one hand."

Like many fans who were exposed to the music of RUSH before 1980, (including McFadyen) he was ushered into the fandom by an older brother.

"When '2112' came out, he was 14 and the time and I was 6," Stenger said. "RUSH was the background noise to my youth." And once his older brother went to college, it was easy to dig up old RUSH LPs and cassettes.

The science fiction-evoking titles caught his eye first. Then he noticed "2112" was a 20-minute song.

"I was like, what?!" Stenger said, "A song can't be 20 minutes long!"

So he listened, and the story of the lyrics and Geddy Lee's emotional delivery hooked him. He's been a RUSH fan ever since. The defining moment of his fandom was when RUSH played the entirety of "2112" in 1996 at Cleveland's Gund Arena.

The RUSH fandom has many social divisions. As Dunn and McFadyen showed in their documentary, some people -- especially musicians -- are fans of the ideals RUSH stands for: virtuosic musicianship, fearless exploration as artists and certainly stamina and longevity..

Most easily recognized is their level of musical ability. Billy Corgan, Trent Reznor, Kirk Hammett and Les Claypool appreciate the complexity of the music and the skill it takes to execute something like the guitar solo from "La Villa Strangiato."

"They're like musical superheroes," McFadyen said. "They do things on their instruments that mere mortals can't do."

Ask any drummer, Stenger said, and they'll tell you Neil Peart is one of the best in the world. His drum kit is a virtual fortress of percussion, dwarfing any other professional drummer's setup, McDonald said.

Peart's drum solos, which can last upwards of 10 minutes, are far from a good excuse to use the restroom during a concert. "There's people who come specifically to see his solo," Stenger said.

"He's able to make sounds and you can't even see him make them," said Dunn of Peart's legendary drumming.

Fans also appreciate the artistic integrity of the band, who has historically ignored concerns and direction from their record company -- and won autonomy.

Suburban youth especially appreciate the appeal of RUSH. McDonald discovered that the experience of the band spoke deeply to many others who dreamed of escaping their bedroom communities. Songs like "Subdivisions" and "Middletown Dreams," from the album "Power Windows" became anthems for them, he said.

But the albums themselves can also mark divisions in the fandom. When Geddy Lee introduced dominant synthesizers into the band's until-then heavy guitar sound, many fans stopped listening, Stenger said.

"There's a cutoff at (the album) "Moving Pictures," Stenger said. RUSH's next album, "Signals" put the group solidly into synth-pop territory, "and a lot of people did not like that at all." But even so, he said, the group of RUSH fans who grew up with the band's music from the 1970s is still the largest group in the fandom.

"Then you have the fans who grew up with their music from the 1990s. Their favorite albums are 'Presto,' 'Roll the Bones,' and 'Counterparts,' " he said. "I tell them my favorite album is 'Caress of Steel' and they say, 'what?' "

"Counterparts" is another one of those divisions, McDonald said. "That was the exact moment when Nirvana and Pearl Jam hit and the alternative '90s really started to go," he said. "In some ways, the world RUSH had inhabited to great success in the '80s was ending. I think 'Roll the Bones' in '91 was their last million-seller," he said.

Even specific songs in the RUSH repertoire divide the fandom. The aforementioned rap on the song "Roll the Bones" makes fans either roll their eyes or chuckle at the band's sense of humor. The song "The Trees" off the album "Hemispheres" either induces an "icky feeling," as Dunn puts it, or evokes a passionate speech about the epic qualities of the guitar-driven composition and political analysis of Peart's fable-like lyrics.

Via: It's not cool to like RUSH

DirecTV orders 'Full Circle'

(EW.com) -- DirecTV is doubling down on scripted television: The satellite service provider announced today that it has ordered 10 episodes of "Full Circle" from filmmaker and playwright Neil LaBute, making his TV debut.

The series "examines the human condition and relationships through a series of conversations between 11 people whose lives, unbeknownst to them, are intertwined," according to a press release. It continues: "Full Circle is a modern day La Ronde meets My Dinner with Andre as it explores the nature of human contact and true togetherness in our current technology-driven world."

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LaBute will serve as writer and co-exec producer on the series. Nick Hamm, the producer/director behind DirecTV's Rogue, will exec-produce/direct Full Circle.

"In dissecting how closely connected we all are, Full Circle will take viewers on a journey that will traverse the full range of human emotion. I know the series will flourish under the stewardship of Neil and Nick Hamm," said DirecTV Senior VP Chris Long.

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LaBute's prolific stage career including In The Company of Men, The Shape of Things, and reasons to be pretty is matched by his work in film, where he has often adapted his own plays or adapted previous works in a new style, such as 2006's "The Wicker Man" and 2010's "Death at a Funeral." Most recently, LaBute adapted his "Some Girl(s)" for the screen, starring Adam Brody. EW's Laura Hertzfeld wrote, "[It] has all the classic elements of a LaBute film the intimacy of a play, loads of dark humor, and a manipulative protagonist."

Production on "Full Circle" will start this summer in L.A. with a premiere planned for this fall.

See the original story at EW.com.

Via: DirecTV orders 'Full Circle'

'Pitch Perfect' sequel

(EW.com) -- Universal announced at its CinemaCon presentation today that it plans to produce a "Pitch Perfect" sequel that would hit theaters sometime in 2015.

The reveal doesn't come as too much of a surprise to anyone who's been paying attention.

'Pitch Perfect' cast reunites for MTV Movie Awards opener

"Pitch Perfect" earned $112 million worldwide against a slight $17 million budget, and in the months since its theatrical run has kept hitting new high notes. According to Universal, the film has earned over $90 million across all home market platforms, and it currently stands as the studio's third highest-grossing VOD title ever behind blockbusters "Ted" and "Bridesmaids."

On top of that, the "Pitch Perfect" soundtrack has sold over 636,000 copies and spawned a hit single complete with its own music video -- with Anna Kendrick's "Cups."

Anna Kendrick mugs her way through a diner in new 'Cups' video

Kay Cannon, who penned "Pitch Perfect," will write the screenplay for the sequel, but no other cast or crew have been revealed as of yet. Still, given the cast's recent MTV Movie Awards reunion (which, notably, excluded star Anna Kendrick), it's safe to assume that most of the major players will be back for a second round of choral comedy.

See the original story at EW.com.

Via: 'Pitch Perfect' sequel

Spike for 'MTV Movie Awards'

(EW.com) -- The MTV Movie Awards not only generated some wild headlines thanks to Aubrey Plaza, but it also posted some decent ratings.

Aubrey Plaza escorted out of MTV Movie Awards

The annual awards fest averaged 3.8 million viewers, and was up 21 percent versus the previous year among the network's core 12-34 viewers, according to Nielsen.

The news was even better in the older demographics: MTV saw a 45 percent increase versus last year among persons 18-34, and a 44 percent jump among persons 18-49. Overall, the telecast averaged 4.8 million among all the Viacom-owned nets that aired it (MTV, VH1, MTV2 and Logo).

Check out the winners for the MTV Movie Awards!

"The Avengers" was the big winner at the MTV Movie Awards, where it took home three golden popcorn trophies for Best Fight, Best Villain, and Best Movie.

See the original story at EW.com.

Via: Spike for 'MTV Movie Awards'

R. Kelly ignites Coachella

(CNN) -- The rumor blowing up Saturday was that Day 2 of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival could feature a surprise appearance by electronica icons Daft Punk. According to the Twitterverse, it would probably take place during the set of headliners Phoenix.

But when the special guest finally materialized on the main stage, it wasn't Daft Punk, it was R. Kelly. Yes, that R. Kelly.

The controversial R&B legend's unexpected appearance prompted festival-goer Katy Perry to reference last year's popular Tupac appearance on Twitter: "Production value has really gone up at (Coachella), it felt like R. Kelly was really there! rkellyhologram"

Taking the stage near the end of night, Kelly joined the headliners for a mashup of their "1901" and his "Ignition."

Kelly wasn't the only R&B artist to make a cameo at Coachella on Saturday. John Legend premiered his Benny Benassi-produced single "Dance the Pain Away" in the Sahara tent during the DJ's set, and Solange made a guest appearance during the performance of her friends the xx. Their special Coachella remix of their cover of Aaliyah's "Hot Like Fire" and Solange's "Locked in Closets" injected an upbeat energy into an otherwise moody set.

Other Saturday crowd-pleasers included the Violent Femmes, who had fans dancing and singing along to their 1983 hits "Blister in the Sun," "Kiss Off" and "Add It Up." Although the songs were released before most of the festival-goers were born, they were familiar because of their ubiquitous presence on Los Angeles radio station KROQ.

Another Day 2 favorite was 2 Chainz, the Georgia rapper best known for the tracks "I'm Different" and "Birthday Song." Coachella organizers obviously underestimated his rabid fan base, and instead of slotting him onto the main stage, they relegated him to a much smaller tent. Admirers spilled out the back and sides of the tent as puffy clouds of smoke rose from the crowd.

Moby made his first appearance at Coachella since 1999, the festival's debut year. Even though he's branched out as a musician in recent years, he returned to his DJ roots, playing the dance tent accompanied by visuals of outer space -- courtesy of his friends at NASA.

"When I was growing up, I was obsessed with science fiction," he said. "And then I became obsessed with space and science, but I was a college dropout, so I was never smart enough to be a scientist. As a musician, I've made friends with people at NASA, so every couple of years, I find myself doing something with them. This is my hometown festival in some ways, and I only get nervous performing when I know people in the audience."

On the flip side, Janelle Monae trotted out her retro soul revue. The singer/funktress was eager to kick off her debut.

"I've heard a lot about the festival. This is my first time, so I'm excited about giving -- and having -- an experience that will be unforgettable."

Via: R. Kelly ignites Coachella

Kevin Hart on drunk driving arrest

(CNN) -- Comedian and actor Kevin Hart says he'll straighten up his act. And he's not being funny.

Los Angeles traffic police arrested the stand-up comic on "suspicion" of drunken driving early Sunday.

They observed him speeding down a freeway at 90 mph in his black Mercedes, weaving across traffic lanes and almost running into a gas tanker truck, the California Highway Patrol said in a statement.

When patrol officers pursued him, he took an off ramp and pulled over, police said.

"Mr. Hart had objective signs of intoxication and was unable to perform the field sobriety tests," the statement read.

The comedian later tweeted: "When the cop asked me to take the sobriety test I said 'WHY WASTE OUR TIME ... I'M DRUNK MAN.'"

Police booked him into jail and held him on a $5,000 bond.

"This is a wake up call for me, I have to be smarter & last night I wasn't ... everything happens for a reason," he tweeted Sunday.

In a stand-up routine in his 2011 movie "Laugh At My Pain," Hart lampooned his father's alleged embarrassing behavior due to a drug addiction.

But he does not make light of his own intoxicated behavior.

"Drinking & driving is not a game or a laughing matter. People have lost lives because of stupid ... this!," he said on his verified Twitter account.

Via: Kevin Hart on drunk driving arrest

Psy hopes for another viral hit

Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- Get your dance shoes on. Korean singer Psy, who became a worldwide sensation with his smash hit "Gangnam Style," is making another attempt at a global phenomenon.

He performs his sequel, "Gentleman," live for the first time Saturday, hoping to avoid the fate of other one-hit wonders.

His video for "Gangnam Style" was the most viewed clip on YouTube with a staggering 1.5 billion views -- and growing.

More than 50,000 fans are expected to pack Seoul's World Cup Stadium on Saturday to see "Gentleman," a performance that will be streamed live on YouTube.

The concert comes against a backdrop of increasing tension in the region amid North Korea's belligerent rhetoric and nuclear threats. But it's business as usual for many in Seoul.

READ: N. Korea's neighbors on missile watch

Neither the government nor concert organizers are concerned about any additional security measures for such a massive gathering, and tickets have been selling fast.

"The thought of danger never even occurred to me," said Seoul resident Sungoh Bang, who plans on attending the concert with a group of friends.

"Gentleman" and "Psy" were two of the most searched for keywords on South Korea's biggest online portal, Naver, on Thursday, as Psy posted a snippet of his new dance.

But fans and critics eager to see the rapper's new video in full will have to wait longer.

READ: Gangnam video more popular than me, says Psy

"We wrapped the music video shoot on Tuesday, and its in the editing phase right now," YG Entertainment public relations representative Hwang Min-hee told CNN. "It's rather difficult to say when it will be released because we don't know how long the editing will take."

The music video was produced by the same team behind "Gangnam Style," and will feature K-pop girl group member Ga-In of Brown Eyed Girls.

The choreographer behind the famed horse dance also dreamed up the moves for "Gentleman."

Via: Psy hopes for another viral hit

Anne Frank 'would have been a belieber'?

(CNN) -- If Anne Frank had not died a teenager in a Nazi concentration camp in 1945, Justin Bieber hopes she would have been his devoted fan.

That's what Bieber, 19, wrote in the guestbook at the Anne Frank House when he visited there Friday, according to the Amsterdam site.

"Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber," Bieber wrote. The tourist site posted the message on its Facebook page.

Adolescent and teen girls obsessed with the Canadian singer are known as "beliebers."

Bieber, who is in the middle of a European tour, stopped by the Anne Frank House between his concert in Antwerp, Belgium, and a Saturday performance in Arnhem, Netherlands. He told fans on Twitter it was a "chill day."

Bieber visited the house "together with his friends and guards" Friday night, according to the site's official Facebook page. The Anne Frank House confirmed to CNN that its Facebook post carrying Bieber's message was authentic.

"Fans were waiting outside to see a glimpse of him. He stayed more than an hour in the museum," the Facebook page said.

Bieber: From tween sensation to adult icon

Anne Frank's story

Frank was 13 when she and her family began hiding in a dark and damp "secret annex" of the house to escape the German roundup of Jews in Holland in July 1942. She never left the house for two years, spending much of her time writing in her diary, until she and her family were found and arrested by Nazis in August 1944.

Swiss man reintroduces his cousin: Anne Frank's letters

Anne Frank died of typhus in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in March 1945. Her diary survived to tell her tragic and inspiring story.

Bieber's representatives did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment Sunday, but visitors to the Anne Frank Facebook page had plenty to say.

A sample of reactions:

"Glad he went, but, the last sentence is VERY self serving. he missed the lessons of Anne totally."

"She would've been a WHAT? That little idiot is way too full of himself. She's an important historical figure so show some respect."

"Way to turn an inspiring moment into something about yourself."

"lets hope she would have never been a belieber"

"Here I thought it was nice of him to go and see the history of her until I read what he wrote. Have some respect Mr. Bieber for she will be famous long after your fame fizzles."

"'Despite everything, i believe people are really good at heart' - Anne Frank I think before everyone goes bashing Justin Bieber we should take a moment to think about these words and why Anne said them."

Via: Anne Frank 'would have been a belieber'?

Actor, comedian Jonathan Winters dies

(CNN) -- Jonathan Winters, the wildly inventive actor and comedian who appeared in such films as "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and "The Loved One" and played Robin Williams' son on the TV show "Mork & Mindy," has died. He was 87.

Winters died Thursday evening of natural causes at his home in Montecito, California, according to business associate Joe Petro III.

Winters was known for his comic irreverence, switching characters the way other people flick on light switches. His routines were full of non sequiturs and surreal jokes. Williams, in particular, often credited him as a great influence.

"First he was my idol, then he was my mentor and amazing friend," tweeted Williams. "I'll miss him huge. He was my Comedy Buddha. Long live the Buddha."

Winters, who was widely admired by comedians in general, was awarded the Mark Twain Prize -- which goes to outstanding humorists -- in 1999.

"Genius" was a common touchstone as comedians reacted to Winters' death.

"R.I.P Jonathan Winters," tweeted comedian and filmmaker Albert Brooks. "Beyond funny, he invented a new category of comedic genius."

"Had a great run. Actual genius," tweeted Kevin Pollak.

"A genius and the greatest improvisational comedian of all time," tweeted Richard Lewis.

Gottfried: Jonathan Winters was mad brilliant

Though he never had a breakout starring role, over the years his appearances on TV shows made him a beloved figure in the entertainment world. He was a favorite guest on "The Tonight Show" -- particularly in the early '60s when Jack Paar hosted it -- and turned up on the game show "The Hollywood Squares," Dean Martin's celebrity roasts and countless variety shows.

He told the Archive of American Television about the creation of his character Maude Frickert, the sarcastic old lady, who came from a relative he had.

"I decided, having seen a lot of older people, that many of them are shelved -- put in retirement homes to rot," he said. "I decided to (be) a hip old lady" -- one who had a wicked sense of humor, the kind of person who was married 12 times and cracked a whip in a ward of cardiac patients.

Other characters included Elwood P. Suggins, B.B. Bindlestiff and Lance Loveguard.

He had a regular role on the final season of "Mork & Mindy," putting him together with Williams, who played the space visitor Mork from Ork. Winters played Mearth, Mork's son, who -- having hatched from a giant egg -- was the size of an adult but had the mind of a child. The attempted pairing of Williams and Winters was expected to create comic fireworks, but the show's already falling ratings didn't pick up, and "Mork & Mindy" was canceled in 1982.

Winters showed his range with the occasional dramatic role. In an episode of "The Twilight Zone," he played a shark-like pool player. In the 1994 film "The Shadow" -- with Alec Baldwin as the hero with the ability to cloud men's minds -- he played Baldwin's police chief uncle.

He was also a prolific recording artist, producing more than a dozen comedy records, including 1960's "The Wonderful World of Jonathan Winters."

Winters was born November 11, 1925, in Dayton, Ohio. He developed his talent for characters and voices from a young age. After serving in World War II, he married his wife, Eileen, in 1948 and hoped to become an artist. That career went nowhere, but his wife encouraged him to enter a talent contest. His win there earned him a position as a disc jockey on a local radio station, making up some of his interviewees. Eventually he left for New York, becoming a nightclub comic and earning spots on "The Tonight Show."

In 1961, Winters suffered a nervous breakdown. He spent eight months in a mental institution and was diagnosed as bipolar.

"It was one of the toughest times in my life," he told the Archive of American Television.

But when he got out -- on April Fools' Day, 1962 -- he almost immediately got a call from director Stanley Kramer, offering him a role in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World." Kramer was one of the most highly regarded directors in Hollywood, known for "The Defiant Ones" and "Judgment at Nuremberg."

He was reluctant about taking the role until his wife pushed him. "You'd better take it, because you'll never work again if you don't take it," he recalled her saying. In the 1963 film, filled with comedy all-stars, Winters stood out as a truck driver who destroys a gas station.

He was, many agreed, one of a kind.

"The first time I saw Jonathan Winters perform, I thought I might as well quit the business," tweeted Dick Van Dyke after hearing of Winters' death. "Because, I could never be as brilliant."

His wife, Eileen, died in 2009. He is survived by two children and five grandchildren.

Via: Actor, comedian Jonathan Winters dies

Reebok drops rapper Ross

New York (CNN) -- Hip-hop artist Rick Ross learned Thursday he'd been dumped by the sportswear company Reebok after the company decided he hadn't shown an "appropriate level of remorse" for using lyrics in one of his songs that seemed to allude to raping a woman.

In the song "U.O.E.N.O," Ross raps: "Put molly all in her champagne, she ain't even know it. I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain't even know it."

The drug mentioned in Ross' song is "molly," which is a slang term for a powerful form of the psychoactive drug MDMA, commonly called ecstasy.

READ: Rick Ross' faint apology for lyrics hits sour note

His lyrics sparked outrage from fans and activist groups.

Reebok released a statement on Thursday announcing it had severed ties with Ross.

"Reebok holds our partners to a high standard, and we expect them to live up to the values of our brand," the statement read. "Unfortunately, Rick Ross has failed to do so. While we do not believe that Rick Ross condones sexual assault, we are very disappointed he has yet to display an understanding of the seriousness of this issue or an appropriate level of remorse. At this time, it is in everyone's best interest for Reebok to end its partnership with Mr. Ross."

Ross took to Twitter in early April to seemingly apologize for the lyrics he used in his song. He tweeted: "I dont condone rape. Apologies for the lyric interpreted as rape. BOSS"

Two hours later he attempted to apologize again: "Apologies to my many business partners, who would never promote violence against women. @ReebokClassics @ultraviolet"

Much of the Twittersphere reacted negatively to his apology attempts:

-- @RadicalONFIRE wrote: "RICK ROSS needs to work on the sincerity of his apologies...just saying."

-- @AprilLeighTree: "Once again a mega-gross rapper promotes rape culture. @Reebok spokesperson & lowlife Rick Ross should be fired! NotBuyingIt"

-- @lovetricialee: "Rick Ross is simply another expanse of how much further we have to go. Truly pathetic."

-- @weakforcouture: "I hate rick ross. He's an idiot who's trying to backpeddle out of a scandal he brought upon himself"

On April 4, scores of protesters with the women's activist group UltraViolet picketed outside a Reebok store in Manhattan and delivered a petition demanding the sportswear manufacturer break with Ross.

"We are thrilled to hear that Reebok is joining the fight against rape culture and dropping Rick Ross," the group said Thursday. "....This sends a strong message that rapping about drugging and raping an unconscious woman is not only morally wrong, but has real consequences. ...Thank you Reebok for taking a stand."

Via: Reebok drops rapper Ross

Review: '42' a rousing tribute

(EW.com) -- These days, there are many less flattering things you could say about a movie than that it's enjoyable in a square, uncomplicated, stirringly old-fashioned way.

42, a sports drama about how Jackie Robinson broke the color line in professional baseball, is in some ways a film that could have been made 30 years ago, or 50 years ago. (In fact, it was made 63 years ago: 1950's The Jackie Robinson Story starred the legendary second baseman himself.) The film depicts Robinson, played by the dazzling, little-known actor Chadwick Boseman, as a fearless, noble athlete-crusader which, of course, is just what he was, though 42 scarcely spends three minutes trying to find any flaws in him (surely he must have had one), or even giving him a sprinkle of idiosyncrasy. Is the writer-director, Brian Helgeland (who wrote L.A. Confidential and directed A Knight's Tale), worried that we wouldn't admire Robinson enough? Helgeland works in what I think of as a conservative or maybe it's just really, really basic neoclassical Hollywood style, spelling everything out, letting the story unfold in a plainspoken and deliberate fashion, with a big, wide, open pictorial camera eye. It's like the latter-day Clint Eastwood style, applied to material that's as traditional as can be.

EW: '42' aims to be box office MVP

Yet in one vital way, the movie feels very contemporary. When Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, spearheading the civil rights era before it had a name, he was subjected, on and off the field, to a degree of racial antagonism that could almost be called terrorism. For all its wholesomely uplifting, message-movie design, 42 makes that struggle look every bit as brutal and scary as it was. Robinson's fellow Dodgers, many of them Southern boys, welcome him to the team by signing a petition to have him kicked off. He's booed from the stands, pitchers take open delight in beaning him, and in one scene, when he's up at bat, the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies (Alan Tudyk) heckles him from the sidelines by calling him the N-word for five unrelenting minutes. The way that scene goes on and on is scathingly powerful, as Jackie can barely keep himself from coming apart. Boseman, a graceful and handsome actor with a deep inner fire, gives Robinson a stare that's penetrating and guarded at the same time. A lot of the film's drama is reading that face the intelligence and masked outrage. Jackie isn't allowed to fight back against any of the viciousness (if he did, it would look to mainstream America like he was the troublemaker), yet swallowing it eats up his spirit. How does he cope?

EW: 'Star Trek Into Darkness' 10 new pics

By playing the hell out of the game. Even if he hadn't been baseball's trailblazing crossover star, Robinson had a talent on the field that was explosive. He was a wizard at stealing bases, and the movie glories in his quickness and bravado how he steps off first base and eases down the path, hopping back and forth like a jackrabbit on a hot stove, holding his arms low, letting his fingers wiggle like nervous antennae. 42 portrays this athletic showmanship with an element of racial psychodrama. Robinson isn't just teasing the pitchers (the more they look at him, the less they can tell what he's going to do next). He's mocking them, working off his anger. He triumphs, and holds on to his sanity, by beating racist players at their own game.

The movie covers just three years of Robinson's life, beginning in 1945, when he's a World War II veteran playing in the Negro Leagues and gets recruited by the forward-thinking Dodgers general manager, Branch Rickey, to join his minor-league club, the Montreal Royals. As Rickey, a stogie-chomping grump with a heart of gold, Harrison Ford seems to have reinvented himself as an actor. He gives an ingeniously stylized cartoon performance, his eyes atwinkle, his mouth a rubbery grin, his voice all wily Southern music, though with that growl of Fordian anger just beneath it. Calling Robinson into his office, he tells him that he needs a player who doesn't so much have the guts to fight back as the guts not to fight back. 42 is a rousing tribute to how impossible, and therefore heroic, a stance that was. Grade: B+

See the original story at EW.com.

Via: Review: '42' a rousing tribute

'Point Break' remake coming

(CNN) -- Things are starting to move along for the remake of Kathryn Bigelow's "Point Break" that was first announced in September 2011.

Alcon Entertainment announced Wednesday that Ericson Core will direct the project.

Core got his start in cinematography, serving as the director of photography for films like "The Fast and the Furious" and "Daredevil." His feature directorial debut was 2006 football film "Invincible," which starred Mark Wahlberg.

'Dexter': Yvonne Strahovski returning

Core is taking on sports again with "Point Break," but the remake may not focus on surfing like the 1991 original.

According to a press release from Alcon, the new film "is set in the world of international extreme sports." An undercover FBI agent, like Keanu Reeves' character in Bigelow's film, will again infiltrate a ring of criminals.

Production on the "Point Break" remake is set to begin in late 2013.

See the original article at EW.com.

Via: 'Point Break' remake coming

Ryan Seacrest's home 'swatted'

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Ryan Seacrest became the latest celebrity targeted by a "swatter" when a hoax 911 call reported armed men were shooting their way into the "American Idol" host's home Wednesday.

When police arrived at Seacrest's Beverly Hills home at about 2:40 p.m., they found Seacrest there, but no group of armed men, a Beverly Hills police spokesman said.

After speaking with Seacrest and his security team, the officers left.

Seacrest joins a growing list of celebs "swatted" in recent months, including Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Chris Brown, the Kardashians, Tom Cruise, Ashton Kutcher and Justin Bieber.

Russell Brand's Hollywood Hills home was a target Monday afternoon when a 911 caller told a Los Angeles Police Department emergency dispatcher that a man with a gun was in the house.

These prank calls earned the nickname "swatting" because law enforcement agencies sometimes would send SWAT teams to respond to the false emergencies. In most cases, though, SWAT units are not involved. Still, officers rush to the scene with guns drawn.

"It's a very high-risk response," Los Angeles County sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore told CNN Tuesday. "The problem with crying wolf is that sometimes it's not false, so we always have to respond accordingly but cautiously."

Law enforcement agencies are "making advances each day" in their ability to track the calls to their origin, Whitmore said. Along with new technology, investigators have analyzed the calls to learn how to identify them. "We're getting better at knowing what is and what isn't a hoax," he said.

When Rihanna's Hollywood Hills home was swatted last week, the dispatcher suspected it was a hoax, so just one police patrol car was initially sent, LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith said.

"We figured it was a swatting," Smith said "We really low-keyed it compared to how we've been."

Via: Ryan Seacrest's home 'swatted'