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Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Bounty Hunters You Can’t Shake Off Your Trail

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In the new film The Runaways, Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning play Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, musical pioneers who broke down gender stereotypes as members of the eponymous band. A sex-charged rejoinder to the argument that men rock harder than women, Jett and Currie found their strength even as their producer and promoter, industry luminary Kim Fowley, took advantage of their youth and feminine appeal. Unlike the characters they play, however, Stewart and Fanning aren’t letting anyone exploit them, even if it’s in the guise of empowerment; the actresses have spent much of their careers redefining the limits of roles young actresses can play, and the women offer equally powerful turns in this film, proving that even a downbeat ending, such as the one that eventually befell The Runaways, can turn into triumph later on.

At a recent press day in Los Angeles, Cinematical spoke to Stewart and Fanning about both The Runaways and the exploits, both good and bad, of the band that inspired the film. In addition to talking about the influence the real women had on the way they played their characters, Fanning and Stewart reflected on their own process for playing different roles, and offered a few insights about acting against a seemingly unstoppable wall of analysis coming both from the public, and occasionally, from within themselves.

Filed under: Interviews

Continue reading Interview: ‘The Runaways’ Stars Kristen Stewart And Dakota Fanning

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‘Even though I’m a bubbly, happy person, not every song that I sing is gonna be uptempo,’ she says.
By Katie Byrne

Lacey Brown

Photo: FOX

Lacey Brown had an “American Idol” Cinderella story. In season eight, she just missed the cut for the top 36 when the judges opted for another quirky singer, Megan Joy, instead. Well, this was her year. Not only did she get past Hollywood Week to the top 24, she even made it to the top 12 and the big stage.

Unfortunately, her performance of the Rolling Stones’ “Ruby Tuesday” didn’t cut it, and she was the first finalist to get the boot.

We caught up with the 24-year-old Texan on Thursday (March 18) to talk about why she decided to try out again this year, the judges’ conflicting advice and what’s next.

Q: The judges have been offering a lot of conflicting advice this season. Do you think that made it harder to show America what kind of artist you want to be?

A: It’s difficult with the criticism this year, because it has been a little bit confusing, and therefore I would change things week to week, which can leave the audience kind of questioning who I am. I would say I’m a very different artist. I have a very different voice that’s not suited for a lot of different genres, but I really see myself doing more of a pop/folk mix. I definitely can see myself making an album soon. I would love to do that, if I get the chance to. I just want to give people the chance to hear something that’s fresh and new and different. There’s not a lot of voices like mine right now on the radio, so I kind of take pride in the fact that I’m a lot different. I’ve always been a little bit more unique and individual, and I try to embrace that, and I tried to show that in my performances. Hopefully people can get that, and hopefully they like it. I’m looking forward to writing some new music that fits my voice and that people really like.

Q: What made you come back this year after making it so far last season?

A: I’m one of those people that gets very competitive. [Laughs.] And I decided that it’s way too much of an experience to not try again, to try to get further. If I would have made it into the top 36 last year, I wouldn’t have been able to come back this year. So I’m really glad I got a second chance. I’m really glad I decided to come back, because I needed to work on a couple things and come back and get further in the competition. That wasn’t a hard decision at all, because everybody that’s involved in this show — all the contestants, all the relationships — everything about this has just been a blast for me. So I just decided, “I’m gonna do it twice!” [Laughs.]

Q: Can you pinpoint your downfall in the competition?

A: I would probably have to say energy. They kept asking for energy in my songs, and I kept trying to give it, and they kept saying it was a sleepy performance. They wanted to see a little bit more energy, because [I have] a happy and bubbly type of personality, and they just wanted to see that transferred into my music. The issue that I was having is, I really love to sing ballads. I love telling a story with a song. I love the emotion of the song. I’m very artsy, so that side of me comes out when I sing. I think I kept picking songs that I really loved to sing and really felt, and maybe it didn’t transfer as well onstage. Maybe that was it. But I wouldn’t have changed any of it, because that’s who I am. Even though I’m a bubbly, happy person, not every song that I sing is gonna be uptempo.

Q: Did you get a chance to talk to the judges after the results show?

A: All the judges came up afterwards. I think they genuinely care about the contestants. Sometimes it’s hard to hear their critiques, but they’re there to help you. It’s a fine line between taking what they say personally and taking what they say and applying it to fix yourself and work things out that you need to work out. When they came up afterwards, they had nothing but nice things to say, things like, “This is just another step into your career. You have great vocals. You’re very unique.” They’re just full of compliments, because they want to see us succeed. And they don’t want us to feel like all hope is lost, because it’s not. I’m in the top 12 right now, and even though I got voted off, this is not the end-all for me. This is a great opportunity to jump-start my career. I think that’s the point they were trying to make.

Q: Who are some of your musical influences, and would you ever like to work with them?

A: I have a lot of influences right now. One of my biggest influences is Patsy Cline. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to work with her. I learned a lot from her performances, like how to tell a story in a song to make you feel like you’ve fallen in love again or make you feel like your heart’s broken. She was a great performer. … Also, there’s new and upcoming people who I’ve been following for a couple years like Pete Yorn, who’s just an amazing musician and singer that has a great vibe, and not a whole lot of people know who he is yet, but I think he’s an upcoming huge deal. I have a lot of indie bands that I like, and I got a couple country bands that I really like right now. I’m finding influence from everywhere.

Were you sad to see Lacey go? Will you follow her post-”Idol” career? Let us know in the comments below!

Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Swizz Beatz, Melanie Fiona and Robin Thicke also performed at Keys’ hometown show.
By James Dinh

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys perform at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night

Photo: Matt Harper/ MTV News

It was a night of soaring vocals, positive messages and surprise guests when Alicia Keys’ Freedom Tour stopped in her hometown of New York City on Wednesday evening at Madison Square Garden. The singer, who was joined onstage by Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Swizz Beatz, performed a string of songs from past to present and even showcased some of her dance skills.

Before the songstress emerged onstage, fans were treated to the soulful sounds of opening acts Jermaine Paul, Melanie Fiona and Robin Thicke. Paul, who has previously served as a background singer for Keys, was enthusiastic in his efforts to hype up the audience. Fiona kept the momentum moving with her powerful vocal range and charismatic smile while she performed songs like “It Kills Me” and new single “Ay Yo.”

When Robin Thicke made his way to the stage, it was clear he was aware of his legions of female fans. Decked out in a dark suit and sunglasses, the singer crooned his way through his set, which included the thumping “Shakin’ It 4 Daddy” and “Lost Without U.” Thicke remained playful as well by ending his set with a sing-along to Lil Wayne’s “A Milli.”

Shortly after 9:30, the lights went out and the beginning of Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us” filled the air. The drums of the 1996 track intensified as the night’s main attraction appeared before fans on towering video screens.
“I’m a renegade. I’m a truth seeker. They told me I would never make it and I did. They told me I wasn’t strong enough but I am mighty. The element of freedom is tattooed on my heart,” Keys announced.

Alicia Keys appeared in a chain-wrapped cage amid the smoke that slowly flooded the stage. She began the show with a medley of her track “Caged Bird” and “Love Is Blind.” She whipped her hair from side to side until she made her way out of the spinning entrapment and happily towards the front of the stage.

“New York, you feeling good?” she asked the roaring crowd. There was no hesitation — the jam-packed arena was ready. Dressed in a tight black top, sparkling pants and a red coat with tails, Keys made full use of the stage by fluttering from side to side with her dancers during “You Don’t Know My Name.” She continued with songs like “Fallen,” which she changed around vocally, and her rocking Jack White collaboration “Another Way to Die.”

	Alicia Keys, Beyonce, More In Concert

Opening act Jermaine Paul took the stage once again when Keys sat down at her piano for “Diary.” While the two played vocal acrobatics around each other during the song’s bridge, it was evident that they shared onstage chemistry. After a quick costume change into a sleek white dress, she performed “Superwoman” and “If I Can’t Have You.”
The songstress took several moments throughout her show to explain the importance of believing in yourself.

But after another outfit change, it was her performance of “Put It in a Love Song” that really got fans riled up. Keys performed her way through the dance number, then introduced Beyoncé, who descended from a staircase and joined Keys for the remainder of the song, ending with a dance breakdown. This marks the very first time the two artists have ever performed together onstage.
Keys slowed things down after the powerhouse female duet with songs like “Unthinkable” and “Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart.”

And with Beyoncé making a surprise appearance onstage, it was only fitting that her husband do the same. As Keys momentarily stopped playing piano, Swizz Beatz ran onstage and was soon followed by none other than Jay-Z. Times Square and the city skyline engulfed the arena as scenes of the city shined brightly for the sea of people. There’s something especially moving about listening to the ode to New York City “Empire State of Mind” while actually in the city itself.

Keys is always a master on piano, but her evening in New York proved her ability to put on a show with massive vocals, strong imagery and a powerful message.

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She also weighs in on her ‘Idol’ faves: ‘I’m rooting for anyone who stands for something and who can be honest and genuine.’
By Jocelyn Vena

Ke$ha

Photo: Andreas Rentz/ Getty Images

On Wednesday night, Ke$ha, along with her pals 3OH!3, hit the “American Idol” stage with their song “Blah Blah Blah.” The performance included dancing with TV heads and Ke$ha donning a Native American headdress while bouncing around the stage.

How does Ke$ha think the performance went?

“Well, I never really know, but I think it went pretty well from what I’ve heard from family members and friends and stuff,” she told MTV News via phone Thursday (March 18). ” … I think it came across like we were just having a good time onstage, like, just playing dress-up. And I was kind of making an ass of myself at the end, but whatever. I was having a good time. I hope it was infectious.”

As for her look, which included a silver top, hot pants and the aforementioned headdress, she said she took the advice of a certain former Talking Heads frontman. “I just want to inspire people to have a good time, and I feel like if I’m being irreverent, it inspires people to have the freedom to be themselves,” she said. “David Byrne said, ‘Everything onstage needs to be much bigger.’ Maybe I wouldn’t be wearing an armored bustier just on the street, but on the stage, I wanted to look like a warrior for irreverence and dance commander.”

With the performance behind her, who is Ke$ha rooting for on “Idol”? “I don’t know anybody’s names but the blond dude that I’m rooting for,” she said of Casey James. “I also thought the chick that got voted off [Lacey Brown], I thought she was pretty while singing, which I haven’t figured out — how to look cool while singing — but she looked pretty while singing. I was impressed.”

While Ke$ha thinks everyone deserves a chance during the competition, she just hopes that whomever wins can live up to the “Idol” name. “I think that ‘idol’ is a pretty intense word to describe a human being, and you should definitely be able to sing to be an idol,” she said. “You have to have a particular message, whatever that may be. I would love to see and hear if they had a chance to put into their own words what each of them stand for, ’cause I’m rooting for anyone who stands for something and who can be honest and genuine.”

What did you think of Ke$ha’s “Idol” performance? Who are you rooting for this season? Let us know in the comments!

Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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(S01E08) I take back what I wrote last week. Kim Coates’ Bertram is no longer the best and most memorable villain on ‘Human Target’. That title now belongs to Baptiste, played by the awesome Lennie James.

The guy was brilliant as Chance’s sadistic and stealthy nemesis. I would’ve been happy to watch Baptiste sit and trade barbs with Chance on that bench for the entire hour. But this episode had a lot more to offer, including some juicy intel about Chance’s past, and the welcome return of Emma Barnes (Emmanuelle Vaugler) and computer geek Layla (Autumn Reeser).

Spoilers after the jump.

Continue reading ‘Human Target’ - ‘Baptiste’ Recap

Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free, Episode Recaps

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(S14E02) We continue ‘America’s Next Top Model’ from last week’s photoshoot cliffhanger. The nude photoshoot goes off without much of a hitch about religious morals or modesty. Either way, the shoot was borrowed from a challenge on ‘Make Me a Supermodel’ which had the same exact concept. The second photoshoot continues to stretch the definition of what a beauty shot is. Beauty shots should be zoomed in even closer than what we saw.

We saw the new and improved opening sequence; it’s going to take me a while to get adjusted to it. It’s still Tyra-centric and now with a 70s/funk vibe. This episode was also 90 minutes long, which threw off the tempo of the show. I was waiting for the show to end, but it just kept going. Speaking of editing choices, why isn’t last season’s winner Nicole in the CoverGirl lounge?

Continue reading ‘America’s Next Top Model’ - ‘Drekitude’ Recap

Filed under: Other Reality Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews

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Struggling to keep up with the hordes and reviews that Cinematical and sister sites SciFi Squad and Horror Squad are pushing? Here’s your handy round-up by day:

Thursday, March 11

Erik Childress talks to The People Vs. George Lucas director Alexandre O. Philippe.

Friday, March 12

Todd Gilchrist on Kick-Ass at Cinematical: “Unfortunately, as a full-length film, Kick-Ass is a great comic book come to life, but not much else.”

Erik Childress talks to Elektra Luxx director Sebastian Gutierrez at Cinematical.

Erik Childress talks to Greenlit director Miranda Bailey at Cinematical.

Saturday, March 13

Jette Kernion on Micmacs at Cinematical: “Its playfulness is engaging and contagious and takes over any seriousness of story or plot.”

Erik Childress talks to American Grindhouse director Elijah Drenner at Cinematical.

Todd Gilchrist checks out the Predators preview at Cinematical.

Scott Weinberg talks the Alamo Drafthouse’s Tim League at Cinematical.

Todd Gilchrist talks to Happy Poet writer-director-star Paul Gordon at Cinematical.

Filed under: SXSW, Festival Reports

Continue reading SXSW, the Mid-Way Roundup

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If I had to come out swinging for anything at SXSW, it would have to be Simon Rumley’s (The Living and the Dead) new film, Red, White & Blue (review). It’s far and away my favorite of the fest thus far, which is odd because usually I don’t assign a favorite label to things that make me feel physically battered and emotionally bruised afterwards. But I can’t help but respect a film that can pull that off without ever being outright exploitative. So, if you’re at SXSW, keep an eye out for it. If not, know that we here at Cinematical will definitely be keeping an eye out for news on the distribution front.

Cinematical: When you were first coming up with Red, White & Blue, what was your sales pitch, so to speak, to producers and friends wanting to know about it?

Simon Rumley: I guess when I first wrote it, I was looking to do a specific story about this girl who used her body as a weapon. I did a few drafts of that and it didn’t really work, so I thought that if it was going to work, it would have to be a character study first and foremost. And then once we have sympathy for the character, you can take it other places. So once I had that worked out myself, it became a bit more clear in my mind how it would progress and then the structure came.

By the time I had finished writing the script, in my own mind it was a slacker-revenge movie. The first half is very much a Richard Linklater / Larry Cohen film and then the second half becomes a lot harder and more extreme. So that’s actually how I ended up selling it to people, as ’slacker-revenge’. And some people would say, ’slasher-revenge? What’s so cool about that?’ and I was going, “No, Slacker!” and they’d go, ‘Oh, that’s interesting.’ Really I figured there aren’t any other slacker-revenge films around, so I took two elements from stuff I like in films and put them in one.

Filed under: Horror, Independent, SXSW, Interviews

Continue reading SXSW Interview: ‘Red, White & Blue’ Director Simon Rumley

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Siobhan Magnus, Crystal Bowersox shine, while the guys do their best to keep up during Rolling Stones week.
By Eric Ditzian

Didi Benami performs on “American Idol” on Tuesday

Photo: FOX

Epperly, Katelyn? Lambert, Alex? Scott, Lilly?!

Oh, that’s right. We almost forgot. Those three promising “American Idol” students were expelled from the show last week. Let’s skip attendance and jump right into Tuesday night’s “Idol” report card. We have a feeling Siobhan Magnus and Crystal Bowersox will be graduating with honors, while Andrew Garcia and Paige Miles are in danger of flunking out. Let’s see how they all fared with Rolling Stones week. (And don’t miss Jim Cantiello’s recap of their performances in the MTV Newsroom.)

Excellent

Didi Benami: Her captivating rendition of “Play With Fire” makes it two straight weeks at the top of the class for this 23-year-old old soul. It was a gutsy choice to go all slow and brooding, and it paid off. Yet her future remains cloudy: Didi just couldn’t rise up to hit that final high note, and her lack of vocal power will become ever more evident when the field narrows. For now, though, we offer Benami a slew of gold stars and our assurance that she’ll stick around the competition for a while longer.

Siobhan Magnus: Her take on “Paint It Black” was some sinister, “Alice in Wonderland”-infused glory. That’s not to say it didn’t have its fair share of problems, from those shrieky high notes to the fact that going so upbeat may not showcase her true strengths. But her vocal chops, combined with her charmingly goofy personality, have us certain Magnus is a serious contender.

Crystal Bowersox: Close your eyes during Sox’s “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and you might have thought a ’70s-era Bonnie Raitt was up on the stage busting out some countrified power blues. Crystal can wail. From here on out, “Idol” season nine seems to be a competition between the ladies, with the guys doing their best to keep up.

Good

Lee Dewyze: We’re starting to remember why we thought he was a dark horse at the start of the live shows. There were flashes of John Mayer in his performance of “Beast of Burden.” Is he still a pedestrian musical talent? Can we find a Lee Dewyze in every corner bar in every city in America? Yes and yes. Taking into account this season’s overall talent, though, Dewyze really does have the potential to keep chugging along.

Paige Miles: Would it be cruel to suggest Miles acquire a permanent case of laryngitis? Because belting out “Honky Tonk Woman” despite her illness was the best she’s sounded in weeks. We’d like to hear the same stuff in the future. Only problem is that she’s in serious danger of going home.

Aaron Kelly: The tender “Angie” was the perfect choice for the season’s youngest contestant. And it really was his best performance of the live shows thus far, which is not saying much at all. The 16-year-old still should have been sent packing last month, but there’s clearly a dedicated Kelly fanbase out there — one that votes for him no matter what. Kelly will live to sing another week.

	‘American Idol’ Season 9 Performances

Satisfactory

Michael Lynche: No one will ever fault Big Mike for his failure to communicate a confident stage presence. He commands the stage like no other contestant, and that’s no easy feat to pull off week after week. However! The promise of Tuesday’s soul-powered intro to “Miss You” failed to deliver when the band kicked in. And we’ll just pretend those odd little side kicks weren’t actually Mike’s idea of a dance routine.

Casey James: What’s going on, Casey? We suggested you bring some country twang to this performance. You did bring a slide guitar-style honky tonk to “It’s All Over Now,” but left the gritty rock and roll the song required at your hotel room. We’re certain you and your over-moussed locks will be voted through to the next round, so when you get there, please revert back to the acoustic-guitar-and-stool set-up that worked so well during your take on Bryan Adams’ “Heaven.”

Katie Stevens: “Wild Horses”? Why? Why?! It’s never a good thing when you don’t come out on the winning end of a comparison with Susan Boyle. Stevens may have thought she had no choice but to be old when performing a Rolling Stones tune, but did she have to channel a 40-something-year-old Scottish songstress? In all fairness, it was a vast improvement from the pitch-plagued performances of weeks’ past, and that pop quiz from Ryan Seacrest was deeply unfair. Truth be told, people love them some SuBo and some of that affection will certainly rub off on Katie. Expect her to continue to sneak through the competition.

Tim Urban: The judges were downright angry that Urban would dare bring a reggae vibe to “Under My Thumb.” Funny thing is, while we’ve been railing against this kid for weeks, we didn’t totally hate this reworking. Sure, it was bizarre. So too was it some island-y fun. Mind you, Urban should have been booted from “Idol” long ago. But we applaud him for taking a risk and shall plop him right in the meaty part of our grading curve.

Unsatisfactory

Lacey Brown: Her stripped-down, string-backed reworking of “Ruby Tuesday” was brilliant in conception and flawed in execution. Lacey just didn’t seem to have the vocal fortitude to soar over the lovely instrumentation. Following her strongest performance to date (Brandi Carlile’s “The Story”), this week marked a step down for the 24-year-old Texan. Still, we’re betting her taped segment — with the revelation that she comes from a family of pastors and grew up singing in church — was endearing enough to curry favor with voters. She’ll be around next week. We’re just not sure she deserves to be.

Andrew Garcia: It’s not that we’re mad, Andrew. We’re just disappointed. We’ve been hoping he’d somehow revert to the Hollywood Week form that made us believe he was a front-runner. But hoo boy! His Sting-like version of “Gimme Shelter,” with its clunky arrangement and his warbling middle register, has us ready to say goodbye. We love his story, his family, him. We’ve just been hurt too many times. Goodnight and good luck!

Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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