Saturday, December 31, 2011
Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart Welcome Daughter Georgia Geraldine
Emmanuelle Vaugier Emmy Rossum Erica Leerhsen Erika Christensen
Complete list of winner from the 2011 American Country Awards
Lady Gaga - Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)
'Dark Knight Rises' Star Anne Hathaway Talks Catwoman
'It's just a matter of doing your homework and getting underneath the character's skin,' actress says.
By Kevin P. Sullivan
Anne Hathaway in "The Dark Knight Rises"
Photo: Warner Bros
While it may feel like the trailers and photos from "The Dark Knight Rises" have shown us a lot from Christopher Nolan's third and supposed final trip to Gotham City, we have yet to see that much from Catwoman.
After spy photos from the set forced their hand, Warner Bros. released an early look at Anne Hathaway's take on Gotham's most notorious cat burglar astride the Batpod, but aside from that photo and her brief but enticing appearance in the theatrical trailer, Selina Kyle's role in "Rises" remains a mystery.
Hathaway did, however, open up to the L.A. Times' Hero Complex during a visit to the London set of "The Dark Knight Rises." She spoke at length about why she loves her so-far divisive costume and how her Catwoman fits into Nolan's Gotham.
Check out our photo analysis of Hathaway's Catwoman.
When Warner Bros. released the first photo of Hathaway in full Catwoman attire, fan reaction ranged from full-fledged support to outright hatred. Hathaway has always stood by the costume's unusual take on the classic look, and she once again made her case to Hero Complex. "I love the costume because everything has a purpose," she said. "Nothing is in place for fantasy's sake, and that's the case with everything in Christopher Nolan's Gotham City."
Once Hathaway won the highly coveted role, she dove deep into research, taking in Catwoman's classic comic book appearance and the original inspirations Bob Kane and Bill Finger used to create the character. Hathaway said she drew inspiration from actress Hedy Lamarr to help shape her performance. "[Lamarr] takes these long, deep, languid breaths and exhales slowly," Hathaway said. "There's a shot of her in [the 1933 film] 'Ecstasy' exhaling a cigarette and I took probably five breaths during her one exhale. So I started working on my breathing a lot."
From there, a lot of the heavy lifting belonged to Nolan and his brother Jonathan, who co-wrote the script with the director. According to Hathaway, this Catwoman follows the pattern set by Nolan's other Gotham City residents. "You look at Heath's performance as the Joker, there was a lot of madness there but there was also a grace and he had a code there. There's a lot of belief and codes of behavior in Gotham and my character has one, too," she said. "A lot of the way she moves and interacts with people is informed by her worldview. Chris has given us all such complex, defined, sophisticated worldviews that it's just a matter of doing your homework and getting underneath the character's skin."
Do you think Anne Hathaway will kill it as Catwoman? Let us know in the comments below!
Related PhotosJustin Bieber's Snake To Lady Gaga's Egg: 2011 Red-Carpet Highlights1676575
Beyonce's baby bump was one of the year's most-memorable moments.
By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber at the 2011 VMAs
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images
Anything can happen on the red carpet at any given awards show, and in 2011, it felt like anything that could happen did. As MTV News reflects on some of the biggest moments of the year, we decided to remember some of the most-memorable things A-listers did live right in front of us all.
Lady Gaga's Egg
In February, Gaga had everyone guessing how she would arrive to the Grammys. Given her penchant for crazy looks, no one would have guessed she would have showed up in an egg. Designed by Hussein Chalayan, Gaga later emerged from the structure to proclaim that she was "Born This Way." What was your favorite red-carpet moment of 2011? Vote in our Newsroom poll! Snooki
Speaking of the Grammys, the reality star joined MTV News' own Sway Calloway to talk to all the stars at the show. After helping us out on the 2010 red carpet, we learned that anything is possible with Snooki, and 2011 solidified that she's the fieriest "meatball" to grace the "Jersey Shore." We wonder if she and Bruno Mars ever ended up dating. Paul McDonald and Nikki Reed
"Twilight" star Nikki Reed surprised everyone when she hit up the MTV Movie Awards in June. No, she hadn't borrowed Gaga's egg: She was rocking an engagement rock from her beau and "American Idol" alum Paul McDonald. The couple used the red carpet as the platform to announce their engagement, and married in October. Beyoncé's Baby Bump
She might have rubbed that burgeoning baby bump onstage at the Video Music Awards in August, but hours before she took the stage, donning a bright orange gown, Beyoncé let the paparazzi know she was expecting her first child with hubby Jay-Z by flaunting her pregnancy glow. Justin Bieber's Snake
While Beyoncé shared with the world her baby news, Bieber not only planted a kiss on VMA pre-show host and real-life lady love Selena Gomez, but also introduced her to his pet snake. His name? Johnson. She seemed less interested in the snake than perhaps he would have liked. What was your favorite red-carpet moment in 2011? Share your pick below!
'Hunger Games' Soundtrack Lands Taylor Swift, Arcade Fire
Decemberists and Civil Wars also on the disc.
By Gil Kaufman
Taylor Swift
Photo: Getty Images
The soundtrack to "The Hunger Games" will feature a bumper crop of new and unreleased songs by Taylor Swift, the Arcade Fire and the Decemberists.
The album will be produced by Grammy-winning producer T Bone Burnett and released before the movie hits theaters on March 23. Burnett and the group the Civil Wars got together to write an original tune for the CD with Swift, the first single, "Safe and Sound," which was released to iTunes on December 23. The tune shot to #1 on the iTunes singles list within 24 hours of release.
Also serving up fresh tracks are the Arcade Fire, who collaborated with Burnett on "Horn of Plenty," and the Decemberists, who've offered up the original song "One Engine." The rest of the lineup has not been released, but according to a press release the soundtrack will feature all new songs based on themes that figure into the movie's storyline.
Oscar-winning composer Danny Elfman recently exited the film, citing scheduling issues as he works to finish up the music for "Dark Shadows" and "Men in Black 3." He was replaced by James Newton Howard, who is responsible for dozens of famous scores, including "Batman Begins."
Inspired by the best-selling young-adult novel by Suzanne Collins, "The Hunger Games" follows the path of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), who is chosen to compete in a vicious televised tournament in which 24 teenagers from a post-apocalyptic society fight to the death for the entertainment of the masses. The film also stars Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, as well as Woody Harrelson and rocker Lenny Kravitz.
Lawrence will not only star in the movie, but she will also lend her vocals to the soundtrack. Producer Burnett had high praise for her singing, telling MTV it was "beautiful. She did great. She's singing great. Killer actor too."
Fans are totally geeked about the new big-screen adaptation that could be the next-generation "Twilight" series, which is why we put together our list of the top 10 "Games" moments of 2011.
What other artists do you think would fit on The Hunger Games soundtrack? Tell us on Facebook!
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Miley Cyrus Calls Liam Hemsworth Romance "Pure Bliss"
Miley Cyrus is one gushing girlfriend. The singer-actress, who is currently vacationing in Hawaii, took to Twitter on Wednesday night to urge her fans to vote for beau Liam Hemsworth as the best boyfriend of the year.
BIKINI FAB: Angela Simmons' Black & White Stripped Bikini
Angela Simmons was spotted on the beaches of Miami yesterday wearing a striped string bikini. See the pics inside......
Pastry owner Angela Simmons was spotted in Miami looking stunning as she showed off her bikini body.
24-year-old Angela also went jet-skiing during her day of water fun.
Photos via Splash
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Tina Fey for President?
As the race heats up for the republican nominee, we take a look at the women we wish would run in 2012.
Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga Top Google Zeitgeist Year-End Lists1676060
Bieber named Google's Most Popular Person of 2011, while 'Born This Way' tops Fastest Rising Songs chart.
By James Montgomery
Justin Bieber performs at the 2011 American Music Awards
Photo: Getty Images
Let this serve as undeniable proof that, regardless of search engine, Justin Bieber truly dominates the Interwebs. Having already been named Bing's most-searched person of 2011, on Thursday (December 15) Bieber picked up another e-honor, as Google unveiled its annual Zeitgeist site and, in the process, declared him its Most Popular Person of the year, besting Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga to take home the title. Nicki Minaj and, uh, Casey Anthony rounded out the top 5. It's a fitting way to cap off a year that saw Bieber beat Gaga in the race to 2 billion YouTube views, though perhaps the Mother Monster can take solace in the fact that "Born This Way" topped Google's Fastest-Rising Song search list, ahead of "Watch the Throne" (which, you know, isn't actually a song) and Blake Shelton's "Honey Bee." Of course, not even Bieber could best Rebecca Black on Google's Fastest Rising Searches, as the "Friday" sensation topped the list — which tallied worldwide searches — ahead of Google Plus, Ryan Dunn, Casey Anthony and "Battlefield 3." Breakout star Adele also made huge headways this year, landing at #7 on the list and beating out Steve Jobs and the iPad 2. Not surprisingly, Black also came in atop the Fastest-Rising People list, besting "American Idol" champ Scotty McCreery and teenage bride/ pumpkin-patch enthusiast Courtney Stodden. But when it came to the year's most-searched images, well, neither Bieber nor Black made the cut. Instead, folks were seeking pics of Charlie Sheen above all else, followed by "Planking," "Kim Kardashian wedding" and a trio of hair-raising (or perhaps razing) queries: "Tom Brady Haircut," "Selena Gomez Haircut" and "Emma Watson Haircut."
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsLady Gaga To Help Drop New Year's Ball In Times Square1676579
Mother Monster was named Mayor Bloomberg's special guest for the annual celebration.
By James Montgomery
Lady Gaga performs at the 102.7 KIIS FM's Jingle Ball at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 3, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.
Photo: Joe Scarnici/ WireImage
Back in May, ahead of the release of her Born This Way album, Lady Gaga described her hometown of New York City as her "husband," and now, she's been tapped to help her spouse ring in the New Year in the most traditional of ways: by dropping the ball in Times Square. Yes, according to The New York Post, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has named Gaga as his special guest at the City's annual New Year's Eve celebration, where she'll ceremoniously push a Waterford Crystal button at 11:59 p.m., officially beginning the famed crystal ball's descent over the raucous Times Square crowd. Shortly after the official announcement was made, Gaga took to her Twitter account to express her excitement, writing "I'm so looking forward to ... dropping the Ball with Mayor Bloomberg! What an honor as a New Yorker!" Each year, Bloomberg chooses a guest to drop the ball and help usher in the New Year ... though, to date, Gaga is his most, uh, unique pick: previous honorary button-mashers have included Bill and Hillary Clinton, Colin Powell, Muhammad Ali and Rudy Giuliani. Of course, dropping the Times Square Ball — which this year is bedazzled with 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles and carries the theme of "Let There Be Friendship" — isn't Gaga's only New Year's Eve gig. She'll also perform at two NYE celebrations: the 40th annual "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" and, of course, the Japanese program "Kohaku Uta Gassen." MTV will also be throwing a New Year's Eve party of its own: "NYE in NYC 2010," a performance-packed special featuring Demi Lovato, Mac Miller, Selena Gomez, J. Cole, Jason Derülo and more. It all goes down live on MTV at 11 p.m. ET on Saturday (December 31) from Times Square. Will you be watching the ball drop this New Year's Eve? Let us know in the comments below!
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Eva Longoria Covers Health Jan/Feb 2012
Bringing her beauty to the publication's year-starting installment, Eva Longoria covers the January/February 2012 issue of Health.
The "Desperate Housewives" hottie looks adorable on the Art Streiber shot front page while clad in a BCBGMAXAZARIA top, Rachel Roy shorts, Melinda Maria earrings and a Bulgari ring.
Talking about everything from her definition of a healthy lifestyle to the pressures of feeling 'beautiful,' highlights from Miss Longoria's interview are as follows. For more, be sure to visit Health!
On how she defines a healthy life:
"People think health only has to do with your physical being, but for me, it's so much more. I remember after my divorce, I was so thin and everyone kept saying how great I looked and it was probably the most unhealthy place I've ever been. So it was funny what people would see as 'healthy.' In my worst time, people were saying I've never looked better. [But now] I have a great diet and exercise routine. And I try to have a healthy outlook. I'm your everlasting, hopeless optimist!"
On where her positive attitude comes from:
"I was just born with that. It's so funny, because I don't get depressed. Even after my divorce, everybody was like, 'Wow, you bounced back so quick.' I was like, 'I am not letting this take over. Something great is around the corner?I can't wait to see what's going to happen.'"
On her go-to exercise/nutrition plan:
"I love to cook. But when I'm on set, I have food delivery sent there. Before I could afford a food delivery system, I would make my breakfast and lunch, I'd pack some snacks, and put almonds in my purse. I was always prepared because I was always hungry. It's funny, I would be like, 'Nuts anyone?' And they'd say, 'What is in your purse?'"
On her big health regret:
"Well, I think the time that I became a vegan. [Laughs] I love the philosophy behind veganism, but I went from one day eating chicken and meat to eating just salad. I didn't know how to be a vegan. I didn't know about soy or almond butter. I didn't know that there are great breads. So I literally stuck to salads. And I think I passed out the first week."
On whether she feels pressure to keep up with the whole "beautiful" thing:
"No. I think that's probably why I make those lists, because it takes a village to build me for the red carpet. It's an illusion created by stylists, hair, makeup. I don't put as much effort into it as my team does. But I think people see something beyond that with me, and I love that I'm defined by my charity work. I think that's what people see when they give me this label of 'She's a beautiful person.'"
On the best workout song on her iPod:
"I don't workout to music. I workout to my trainer yelling at me. [Laughs]"
On her favorite sandwich:
"Bologna and cheese! [Laughs] with Kraft American, Kraft Singles. On white Wonder Bread with miracle whip. It's been a while, but that's just so nostalgic and I love it. Love it, love it, love it."
On what she plans to do a lot more of in 2012:
"Travel. Everywhere. Wherever the wind takes me. I could live anywhere; I can learn any language. I just love it. I love being immersed in the world."
Kristen Stewart Is A 'Fantastic' Snow White, Says Nick Frost
U2, Taylor Swift Top List Of 2011's Highest-Grossing Tours1676586
U2's 360 Tour is the year's most profitable in the U.S. and worldwide.
By James Montgomery
U2's Bono
Photo: Harry Herd/ Getty Images
U2 didn't even release an album in 2011, but that didn't stop them from raking in plenty of cash. The iconic Irish quartet topped Pollstar's list of the year's most profitable tours, as their massive 360 Tour moved an impressive 2.4 million tickets worldwide, grossing more than $230 million globally. Their North American dates — which were postponed (and subsequently rescheduled) last year as Bono recovered from back surgery — made $156 million, good enough to give them the highest-grossing tour on this continent, too.
Taylor Swift had 2011's second most-profitable North American tour, as her expansive Speak Now jaunt racked up $97.7 million at the box office. Swift's country contemporary Kenny Chesney came in at #3, bringing in nearly $85 million in ticket sales, followed by Lady Gaga, who, despite wrapping up the North American leg of her Monster Ball Tour in April, still managed to bring in $63.7 million at the box office. Bon Jovi rounds out Pollstar's top five, grossing more than $57 million. Kanye West and Jay-Z's Throne tour ($48 million), Lil Wayne's "I Am Still Music" trek ($44 million), Britney Spears ($38 million) and Katy Perry ($28 million) also made the Top 25 in North America. British boy band Take That's reunion tour came in second to U2's 360 trek based on worldwide receipts, making $224 million. Bon Jovi grossed nearly $150 million worldwide, good enough for third, with tours by Swift ($104 million worldwide) and Roger Waters ($103 million) rounding out the top five. Also making Pollstar's worldwide list were Rihanna, the Foo Fighters, Justin Bieber, Usher and the Kings of Leon. Did you attend any of the highest-grossing tours in 2011? Let us know in the comments!
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Complete list of winner from the 2011 American Country Awards
Kid Cudi Mourns Death Of 18-Year-Old Fan Ben Breedlove
Kid Cudi's most recent Tumblr blog entry, posted on December 26, mourns the death of an 18-year-old fan Ben Breedlove who died on Christmas Day after suffering from a heart attack. Cudi admitted that he "broke down" after learning of the Austin, Texas native's death. Cudi first heard about Breedlove after a [...]
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'Harry Potter' Comes To Bittersweet End In 2011
Arrival of 'Deathly Hallows, Part 2' was a moment that made headlines and marked the end of an era.
By John Mitchell
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
Photo: WB
For millions of people all over the world, the approach of midnight on July 15 brought with it a gut-wrenching mix of excitement and heartache. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" was set to open all over the world, and as fans lined up outside movie theaters — some in costume as their favorite character — we realized that this was it. The joy of seeing the final installment of the most successful film franchise in history was tempered with the sadness that we'd never get to do this again. This truly great thing that had been, from first book to final film, a part of our lives for well over a decade had reached its end. For an entire generation, the film's release was like turning the final page on our childhoods.
"Deathly Hallows, Part 2" wasn't just a movie; it was the event of the summer. And the bittersweet moment is also MTV News' #8 Top Newsmaker of 2011, because it made headlines and marked the end of an era.
The stars of the film definitely seemed to understand just how close to fans' hearts the franchise had become. It had, after all, touched them too. Asked if there'd be tears upon the film's release, Emma Watson cheekily told MTV News at the MTV Movie Awards, "Maybe a few. Maybe one or two, just little ones."
The film set box-office records for the biggest first day ($92.1 million) and largest opening weekend, both domestically ($168.5 million) and worldwide ($314 million), ever and received the best reviews of any film in the franchise. The praise wasn't contained to critics and fans: Even the stars of the film were in awe of the final product. "I was a wreck because of the film itself," Daniel Radcliffe told MTV News at the film's New York premiere. "You've got to have a heart of stone to not find part of it — especially Alan Rickman's performance — heartbreaking, so yeah, I've done my fair share of crying already. ... I think that we proved in doing 'Potter' that you can bring integrity and perpetual growth to a franchise."
Fans' devotion to the books, films and characters created by J.K. Rowling was manifest in the enthusiastic response to our "Harry Potter" World Cup, MTV News' month-long, March Madness-style tournament to find out which character was the fan favorite. More than 7.4 million votes were cast in the competition, resulting in a final face-off between Ron Weasley and Professor Severus Snape. In the end, the compellingly complex Snape took the title, and star Alan Rickman thanked fans at the film's New York premiere, telling MTV News that Snape's victory was "a vote for ambiguity and things where you don't quite know how they're going to turn out." He continued, "Also, it's [Snape's] values that you can't talk about without ruining the film, but things like courage and determination and loyalty and love, actually."
The success of the series itself could be seen as a celebration of those same things. On the surface, the "Harry Potter" films are fantasies about a boy wizard and his underdog friends navigating a magical universe in which evil lurks in the shadows. But above all, the "Potter" books and films champion courage, determination and loyalty in the face of great adversity and are premised on the notion that love ultimately conquers all. We can think of no better message for a film series to impart on a generation of young people facing a real world mired in conflict and economic turmoil.
It's sad that there's no more "Potter" to look forward to, but the magic created by Rowling; directors Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell and especially David Yates (who helmed the final four films); screenwriter Steven Kloves; and stars Radcliffe, Watson and Rupert Grint will live on to do great things — much like the Boy Who Lived himself.
MTV continues our Best of 2011 coverage by looking back at the biggest pop-culture stories of the year. As we count down the newsmakers that mattered to you most, also check out our top Artists, Songs, Live Performances and EDM Artists of 2011.
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Tom Cruise 'Impossible' To Beat At Box Office
'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' easily wins #1 spot over long holiday weekend.
By Ryan J. Downey
Tom Cruise in "Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol"
Photo: Paramount
This Christmas, Tom Cruise was "impossible" to beat at the box office.
"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" was the #1 movie over the long holiday weekend, easily beating competition from two competing sequels with an additional $46.2 million as it expanded into wide release. The fourth entry in the Tom Cruise franchise, this one directed by Brad Bird ("The Incredibles"), has racked up $78.6 million in domestic receipts since it debuted in limited release 11 days ago.
"Ghost Protocol" is the best-reviewed entry in the franchise, which kicked off in 1996 with an inaugural film (based on the popular late '60s TV series) directed by Brian De Palma ("Scarface"). Action maestro John Woo ("The Killer") helmed "M:I 2" four years later. The J.J. Abrams-directed "Mission: Impossible III" grossed $134 million during its theatrical run in 2006.
Meanwhile, "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" was reviewed far less favorably than its 2009 predecessor. The film, which reunites Robert Downey Jr. in the title role with Jude Law as his faithful partner, Watson, was #2 at the box office with $31.8 million for a two-week total of $90.6 million. "Downey may think this interpretation is an insight, or funny, but it pushes what was already a rude rewriting of the classic characters into eye-rolling camp," wrote the Newark Star Ledger. The first film sits at 70 percent on film review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes' "Tomatometer," while "Game of Shadows" was at a "rotten" 59 percent at press time.
The #3 movie at the box office, itself the third in a series, continues a franchise-long tradition of poor reviews. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" carried a series worst 13 percent score on the "Tomatometer" as it collected $20 million for an 11-day $56.9 million total. Neither "Game of Shadows" nor "Shipwrecked" appear likely to get anywhere near the $200 million grosses of their predecessors.
Four of the other five new releases in theaters were from major filmmakers.
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," the highly anticipated American adaptation of the popular Swedish book from director David Fincher ("Fight Club"), has made $27.7 million since it opened Tuesday night. Steven Spielberg has two new movies out, "The Adventures of Tintin" and "War Horse," which landed at #5 and #7 on the box office chart, respectively. "Tintin" has made $24.1 million while "War Horse" has made $15 million. The latest from director Cameron Crowe opened even lower than his last movie, "Elizabethtown." "We Bought a Zoo," at #6, earned just $15.6 million despite star power in the form of Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson. Rock journalist turned filmmaker Crowe has worked with box-office topper Tom Cruise twice: first with "Jerry Maguire" in 1996 and later with "Vanilla Sky" in 2001.
Finally, alien invasion horror flick "The Darkest Hour" opened at #8 with just $5.5 million. The film was not screened in advance for critics, but The Hollywood Reporter, which reviewed the movie, blamed a "flatlining screenplay and the absence of even a single compelling character."
Check out everything we've got on "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Selena Gomez: Looking Back On Her Busy 2011
Teen superstar made headlines with her thriving career as a singer, actress.
By Jocelyn Vena
Selena Gomez
Photo: Getty Images
Selena Gomez will watch the ball drop as one of the many A-listers set to hang out with MTV on New Year's Eve during "NYE in NYC 2012." As one year ends and another begins, it seems like a great time to reflect on the very busy year that the teen superstar and the show's host is bidding a fond farewell to.
When the year kicked off, Gomez was already knee-deep in reports that she was dating pop heartthrob Justin Bieber. And while her love life dominated many of the headlines, her thriving acting and singing career also managed to make a few of its own.
In March, she dropped her single "Who Says," and explained that she wanted to empower fans with the feel-good track. "So I thought it was a sweet message," she explained. "With bullying, with cyberbullying, with all the negativity that is in high school and dealing with things, you're already trying to figure out who you are; it doesn't help when people are constantly trying to tear you down. And I'm dealing with it, of course. I'm going through it as well."
As she continued to prep for her 2011 tour and album release, she also focused on her acting career. In April she dropped her comedy "Monte Carlo." "It's a fun movie about three girls who try to go on a vacation," Gomez said of the big-screen summer romp. "And it ends up being horrible and my character gets mistaken for a British heiress, and they figure, 'What better way to make a horrible vacation amazing than to be a British heiress?' "
She finished filming her Disney show, "Wizards of Waverly Place," in May. And after being briefly hospitalized in June, she was back on the scene with her album When the Sun Goes Down. For her next video for "Love You Like a Love Song," the singer took fans on a wild karaoke-fueled bender through the '80s. She followed up the clip with stints as the VMA pre-show host and then hosted the MTV EMA in November.
Right before the holidays, she released one more video, the party clip for "Hit the Lights." "This one's saying that I'm at the point where I'm having fun with it. I'm not trying to be older. I'm not trying to be younger. I'm trying to explain where I'm at in my life, and I feel like that's what describes it, and having fun with my friends and it was beautiful and it was simple," she told MTV News. "I thought it was nice."
In 2012, she's set to film her "raw" role in the drama "Spring Breakers," and as she looks back on her own 2011 she explained that she felt "humbled" by it all. "I feel like this approach of this year, I wasn't expecting any of the things that happened," she said. "And so I just kind of want to go into the end of this year and the beginning of next year just excited and in a good place and not planning anything."
MTV Movies' Honorable Mentions Of 2011
Katy Perry & Russell Brand Are Getting Divorced!
After one year of marriage, the couple is calling it quits. See more celeb pairs who are back to going solo
Friday, December 30, 2011
'Forrest Gump,' 'Bambi' Added To National Film Registry
26 New Year's Resolutions for New Parents
Our friends at Fitpregnancy created a handy list to keep you on track during the months and years ahead as a new parent. Check it out here.
U2, Taylor Swift Top List Of 2011's Highest-Grossing Tours1676586
U2's 360 Tour is the year's most profitable in the U.S. and worldwide.
By James Montgomery
U2's Bono
Photo: Harry Herd/ Getty Images
U2 didn't even release an album in 2011, but that didn't stop them from raking in plenty of cash. The iconic Irish quartet topped Pollstar's list of the year's most profitable tours, as their massive 360 Tour moved an impressive 2.4 million tickets worldwide, grossing more than $230 million globally. Their North American dates — which were postponed (and subsequently rescheduled) last year as Bono recovered from back surgery — made $156 million, good enough to give them the highest-grossing tour on this continent, too.
Taylor Swift had 2011's second most-profitable North American tour, as her expansive Speak Now jaunt racked up $97.7 million at the box office. Swift's country contemporary Kenny Chesney came in at #3, bringing in nearly $85 million in ticket sales, followed by Lady Gaga, who, despite wrapping up the North American leg of her Monster Ball Tour in April, still managed to bring in $63.7 million at the box office. Bon Jovi rounds out Pollstar's top five, grossing more than $57 million. Kanye West and Jay-Z's Throne tour ($48 million), Lil Wayne's "I Am Still Music" trek ($44 million), Britney Spears ($38 million) and Katy Perry ($28 million) also made the Top 25 in North America. British boy band Take That's reunion tour came in second to U2's 360 trek based on worldwide receipts, making $224 million. Bon Jovi grossed nearly $150 million worldwide, good enough for third, with tours by Swift ($104 million worldwide) and Roger Waters ($103 million) rounding out the top five. Also making Pollstar's worldwide list were Rihanna, the Foo Fighters, Justin Bieber, Usher and the Kings of Leon. Did you attend any of the highest-grossing tours in 2011? Let us know in the comments!
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Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber Top 'Celebs Gone Good'1676499
DoSomething.org's annual list ranks the 20 most charity-friendly stars.
By Terri Schwartz
Lady Gaga
Photo: Scott Gries/ Picture Group
Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and George Clooney better have received something nice from Santa this year, because they certainly weren't on his naughty list. Those three toplined DoSomething.org's Top 20 Celebs Gone Good, the organization's annual roundup of the most charity-friendly stars in the business.
This is Gaga's second year in a row at the #1 spot. In 2011 she dedicated much of her time to putting an end to bullying and even started a new charitable organization called Born This Way. The "Marry the Night" singer did plenty more to help out those less fortunate in 2011, including auctioning off a nude sketch for charity and performing at the Bill Clinton Foundation fundraiser. However, this was really Bieber's year to shine. He rocketed up DoSomething.org's list from #10 last year to #2 this year. It helps that Bieber donated some of his profits from his Christmas album, Under the Mistletoe, and his self-named perfume to various charitable organizations. Bieber also kept up his work with Pencils of Promise, a group that has built 41 schools in Laos, Nicaragua and Guatemala and was founded by his manager's brother.
Rounding out the top five were Will and Jada Pinkett Smith and Leonardo DiCaprio. This was a year for celeb power couples, with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie clocking at #8, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore at #12 and newlyweds Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert at #14. Other notable standouts this year were Demi Lovato at #10, Lea Michele making her charitable debut at #16, Daniel Radcliffe at #17, Miley Cyrus at #18 and Taylor Swift rounding out the list at #20. What do you think of DoSomething.org's list? Leave your comments below!
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'In The Land Of Blood And Honey': The Reviews Are In!
'No one should be surprised that Angelina Jolie is as capable behind the camera as in front of it,' one critic says of globetrotting Oscar winner.
By Kara Warner
Zana Marjanovic in "In the Land of Blood and Honey"
Photo: GK Films
For her directorial debut, "In the Land of Blood and Honey," Angelina Jolie chose to helm a harrowing, unrelenting drama set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War that highlights the horrors of the ethnic conflict that ravaged the region in the 1990s. To say that it is not a feel-good film is an understatement.
The critics are almost completely divided on whether Jolie's effort, which scored a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Film, is a success. Read on as we sift through the reviews of "In the Land of Blood and Honey."
The Story
"Eight years ago Jolie starred in a film, 'Beyond Borders,' in which she sashayed around global hot spots in elegant outfits like a fashion model on a shoot. Almost as if in atonement, 'Blood and Honey' is nothing like that, quite the contrary, in fact, as it centers on the queasy relationship between a captor, a Serbian army officer responsible for rounding up Muslims or otherwise making them disappear in Bosnia, and a female prisoner, a woman he was interested in prior to the war and is now able to exploit, but also protect, as his 'personal property.' " — Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter
The Direction
"Because Jolie is known for her very public passions, which have progressed from the relative simplicity of the carnal to a globally-oriented expression of the maternal, the relatively sedate tone of 'In the Land of Blood and Honey' is unexpected. The systematic use of rape as a weapon of war is depicted with discretion (the brutality was far more vivid in 'The Whistleblower,' another 2011 Bosnian war-themed release). Jolie might show a shrieking woman being carried away by a soldier in the background, but she keeps much of the horror offscreen, at a remove from Ajla. Meanwhile, her scenes with Danijel read as lovers taking pleasure in each other's company, legs and limbs tangled languidly in the sheets. ... No one should be surprised that Angelina Jolie is as capable behind the camera as in front of it; why wouldn't she be? Here's an Oscar winner who travels the world on behalf of the United Nations listening to horror stories from refugees; processing pain is a regular sideline for her." — Mary Pols, Time
The Performances
"Jolie's actors [Zana Marjanovic, Goran Kostic, Vanesa Glodjo], all from the former Yugoslavia and unknown in the West except for the superb veteran character actor Rade Serbedzija, give magnetic, raw performances. Their commitment helps us through a movie that is often harrowing, never less than intense but important, one unafraid of moments too many have chosen to forget." — Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News
The Final Word
"Considering the historical, ethical and technical challenges in the mix — a first-time director recreating a war of ethnic cleansing on a bombs-and-bullets level, with charged issues or power and abuse, along with the challenge of shooting in a second language in a foreign land — it is not patronizing to suggest that Ms. Jolie's first film is an ambitious step forward that promises more, and better, in the future. The film may have more in ambition than it does in execution, but it deserves to be taken seriously as a debut by someone who may yet be as natural and assured behind the camera as she seems to be in front of it." — James Rocchi, MSN.com
Check out everything we've got on "In the Land of Blood and Honey."
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