November 21st, 2012 | 4:55 pm by Halle Kiefer (@hallekiefer)

We’re A Little Embarrassed About How Excited We Are By The Jack The Giant Slayer Trailer

Well, this is awkward. Here we were, ready to heap derision and eye rolls on the new Jack The Giant Slayer movie for being the outrageously cheesy and unappealing CGI disaster it must surely be. Then we, um, watched the trailer. It’s…we found…on this, the day before Thanksgiving…okay, we are sincerely embarrassed by how tickled we are after watching it. Jack The Giant Slayer, we’re sorry and red-faced that we underestimated you. We didn’t realize you had:

  1. A satisfyingly goth art design. We loooove the human skull wall.
  2. Stanley Tucci being catty in princely 1600s Euro garb.
  3. Decent-looking beanstalk graphics
  4. Nicholas Hoult‘s English accent. Humina.
  5. Ewan McGregor wrapped in raw dough and cooked next to two adorable pigs.
  6. Ewan McGregor’s beard while being wrapped in raw dough.
  7. A little baby sheep
  8. Did we mention the Stanley Tucci part? We did? Great! Great.
  9. A-kissing.
  10. That last second quip. We have no defenses against quips.

Seriously, this movie should look so much lamer than it does! Perhaps we have to confront the fact that sometimes it is we who are lame. Or our assumptions are, at least As for the giants’ faces…well, nothing is ever a total home run, is it?

March 20th, 2012 | 6:12 pm by Sabrina Rojas Weiss (@shalapitcher)

10 Things The Hunger Games Got Right

As a Hunger Games fan since 2008, I have to admit that I was considerably nervous at the screening last night. I mean, all the interviews and teaser clips and trailers and images seemed to indicate that Gary Ross was getting things right, but I was still holding my breath. I’ve been burned before. So, yeah, the tension headache I had on my ride home was caused as much by that suspense as by anything Seneca Crane cooked up for the 74th annual games. But I’m here to tell you that my fears were unfounded. I mean, it wasn’t a flawless movie, of course, but it was exactly the right movie. If you want to be surprised by ALL the ways in which it is right, stop reading now. But if you want to alleviate your own tension headache, read on. This will not be too spoilery for anyone who’s read the books.

1. There is no overbearing orchestration. The trailers make it seem like all the dramatic scenes are accompanied by eerie oboes and such, but thankfully, no. There is some music, of course. But at several moments, particularly at the beginning, there is nothing but dialogue and the natural sounds of District 12. Thank you, Gary Ross, for trusting that your actors can act and your screenwriter can write and your audience can understand when to be sad or happy or scared.

2. There are moments of stark realism that will take your breath away. I’m not talking about tributes spearing each other. I’m talking about a grim morning in the Seam. Effie’s overly powdered face at the reaping. The screeching of her microphone. The hollow sound of President Snow’s voice as the Hunger Games propaganda movie is projected to the silent audience. And oh, god, the three-finger salute to Katniss.

3. Jennifer Lawrence. Katniss is not all fierce arrow-slinging badass. Mostly, she is a girl. Even though she’s had to grow up fast and take care of her family, she looks vulnerable and/or unsure of herself at all the right times.
Read more…

March 13th, 2012 | 10:35 am by Ambika Muttoo (@missmuttoo)

The Hunger Games Red Carpet: The Men Decide To Suit Up

While they were plenty of well-dressed women at The Hunger Games premiere last night, the men weren’t far behind. Who doesn’t love a dude in a sharp suit? There were plenty of examples of why that makes us go gaga last night, with Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson and Wes Bentley leading the pack. Cody Simpson and Alexander Ludwig opted for more relaxed versions, deciding to forgo ties. Deciding to go the more cazh route was Donald Sutherland, who wore a rakish scarf instead. We’ve decided we want to hang with him now because he looks like he has a blast everywhere he goes. Woody Harrelson looked dressed for a luau while palling around with an appropriately clad Stanley Tucci, but we expected that. What we didn’t expect, but were thrilled to see, was Peter Facinelli who looked ridik-hot in jeans, hoodie and leather jacket combination. Want to see what we’re talking about? Head on to our gallery below.

[Photos: Getty Images]

Related: Kylie And Kendall Jenner: Looking Great Or Looking Like Sister, Kim Kardashian?
The Ladies Who Should’ve Upped The Stakes On The Hunger Games Carpet
10 Fabulous Looks Of The Ladies On The Hunger Games Red Carpet
Jennifer Lawrence Is All Mockingjay On Hunger Games Red Carpet

March 12th, 2012 | 12:49 pm by Sabrina Rojas Weiss (@shalapitcher)

New Hunger Games Clip: Peeta Mellark’s 10 Steps To Winning Hearts

There are so many reasons for Hunger Games fans to break out the goat cheese and fresh-baked bread today! First of all, tonight’s the premiere, and your favorite professional fans VH1 News will be there, so tweet us your questions for Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and the rest @TheFablife or write them in the comments below. Also, there’s a brand-new clip on MTVNews.com today: Peeta Mellark’s (Hutcherson) momentous interview with Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci). Unlike last week’s clip of Cinna and Katniss, this one’s quite faithful to the book. Those of us who have it memorized can appreciate the nuances of Josh’s performance. We studied it closely and decided Peeta could teach a course or two in public relations. Here’s how he won the audience over, in 10 faces or less.

1. Begin with a carefree smile. The Games are the farthest thing from your mind.

Read more…

December 20th, 2011 | 6:00 pm by Halle Kiefer (@hallekiefer)

Effie Trinket Is The Hot Pink Face Of Hunger Games Nail Polish

Whether you’re preparing teenagers for a government-sponsored battle royale or just getting torn apart by a pack of mutant wolves who look like your fallen opponents, you always want to be as fabulous as possible. Luckily Lionsgate is releasing twelve official Hunger Games nail polish colors, one for each district, paired in their new ad with escort Effie Trinket herself. The line being entitled “Capitol Colours,” the spot asks the all-important question: “What will you be wearing to the opening ceremonies?” Other than the steely-yet-resigned expression of a heartless warrior, of course.

On one hand…doesn’t seem a little weird to be buying a product named after the decadence of the book’s corrupt Capitol City? On the other hand, we’ll wear anything if it’ll help us look as fierce as Elizabeth Banks. Or even Mr. Stanley Tucci! What do you think? Will the odds be ever in your favor of looking like a total diva in these hues, or does representing District 12 with tribute nail polish strike you as a little grim?

[Photo: Cinemablend/ ]

May 9th, 2011 | 3:15 pm by Halle Kiefer (@hallekiefer)

Stanley Tucci Joins Hunger Games Cast

The many roles of Stanley Tucci have been getting steadily more and more fabulous since his turn in 2005′s The Devil Wears Prada: fabulous gay sidekick Sean in Burlesque, an over-the-top mad scientist in Captain America, the senator in Space Chimps. Now there’s news that Stanley Tucci joins Hunger Games as Caesar Flickerman, a tubby Kathie Lee Gifford-esque media personality with powder-blue hair that interviews Katniss and her fellow warriors before the games begin. It’s the role Stanley was born to play! Academy Award-nominee Tucci will go wig-to-wig with Elizabeth Banks, Wes Bentley and the rest of the Hunger Games cast as the journalist who interviews Katniss and the other warriors prior to their death-defying matches. The only way his character could possibly get any more amazing would be if Flickerman, oh we don’t know, wore an insane light bulb suit and a full face of monochromatic make-up. Oh, he does do that? You’re going to have a tough time topping this one, Stanley.

[Photo: Splash News Online]

April 8th, 2011 | 3:45 pm by Liz Black

Beastie Boys’ Fight For Your Right: Revisited Trailer Released

Back in January we reported that Beastie Boy Adam Yauch‘s battle with cancer was successful, and since his treatments have ended, the band has been busy. They’ve been working on their latest album, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, which will release on May 3, and they made a short film called Fight For Your Right: Revisited, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The trailer for the short was just released online and as you can imagine, the film revisits and reenacts the Boys’ famous “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)” video and consists of wall-to-wall celebrity cameos. Check out the who’s who of Hollywood comedians (and Susan Sarandon and Stanley Tucci which … sure, why not?) in the video above.

March 24th, 2011 | 2:30 pm by Halle Kiefer (@hallekiefer)

Chris Evans Channels Benjamin Button In Captain America Extended Trailer

Are we still allowed to find Chris Evans in the Captain America: The First Avenger extended trailer hot, even when he has a big head on a weird CGI body? What if we find him even more hot that way? Oh, don’t say that out loud to anyone? Our bad. As the trailer reveals, Evans stars as shrimpy Army wannabe Steve Rogers who gets turned into a Nazi-fighting super soldier by mad scientist Stanley Tucci. If the trailer is any indication, Evans is basically playing Benjamin Button meets Inglourious Basterds, with a splash of Young Frankenstein. So a man built out of our three favorite movies, essentially.

When not undergoing experiments or wearing a forty-lb muscle suit, Chris Evans has been spending time with Ashley Greene, ex of Joe Jonas. Ugh, if only Chris could stay Photoshopped to look like Smeagol, we might stand one tiny little chance. The trailer also gives a split-second peek at Hugo Weaving as villain Red Skull. Is it wrong that we sort of find him hot too? Like in a creepy, Hell Boy kind of way? No? We’re sorry; they should keep us locked up…until Captain America hits theaters, and immediately after that, forever.

February 7th, 2011 | 5:45 pm by Halle Kiefer (@hallekiefer)

Burlesque Blooper Reel Proves Christina Aguilera Is Best At Her Blooper-iest

Everyone has been up in arms today about Christina Aguilera’s Super Bowl performance, but we for one thought it was kind of adorable. Messing up the national anthem is our fourth grade nightmare come to life, so it’s endearing to see a pop megastar struggle through the same lines. Further evidence of Xtina’s innate charisma? Watching her guffaw her way through the Burlesque blooper reel with Cher. As one of the four American movie goers who actually saw Burlesque in theaters, we can personally attest to the fact that the entire cast is infinitely funnier and more charming while blowing their lines than during 95% of the actual movie.

If Burlesque‘s Christina was wooden, Cher emotionless and Stanley Tucci phoning it in from Planet Devil Wears Prada, blooper real Christina is warm and charming, laughing maniacally when she is supposed to be sobbing. Here Cher cracks a smile and a marginally-less flamboyant Tucci hisses, “I’m not gay in real life,” before declaring “Come here. I’ll show you what kind of girl I am.” Honestly, just put this video on a ninety-minute loop and forgo adding the actual movie to your Netflix queue. Like Fergie said in defense of Aguilera today, “She’s one of the best singers of our time. Nobody can take that away from you. … But you get nervous at these things. We’re human.” Unless you don’t love seeing Aguilera almost burst into song during a screaming argument, because that’s evidence that you are actually a cyborg.

April 5th, 2010 | 5:00 pm by Anthony Miccio

Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen: Who Looks Worse?

New York experienced some lovely weather this Easter, but judging from the shrouded trolls at Lend Me A Tenor‘s Broadway opening last night, you’d think it was as chilly as a Tim Burton movie. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen looked positively witchy at the musical’s premiere, with Mary-Kate wearing a massive black coat and both sporting see-through lace gowns and sunglasses. Thankfully, stars like Renee Zellweger, Julianne Moore and Zach Galifianakis kept the shindig from going too goth. Get a closer glimpse at these stars (and more!) in the gallery below and let us know which twin’s look was least impressive in our FABLife poll.