Daily Archives: December 15, 2011

‘American Horror Story’ is another new show that received surprise nominations.
By Jocelyn Vena

Zooey Deschanel in “The New Girl”


Photo: FOX

Sure, “30 Rock,” “Modern Family” and “Glee” all received Golden Globe nominations on Thursday (December 15), but a bunch of brand-new shows also find themselves up for statues at the broadcast. “New Girl,” “American Horror Story” and even America’s newest guilty pleasure, “Revenge,” all nabbed some kind of nod.

The Comedy/ Musical Series nomination for Fox’s Zooey Deschanel vehicle “New Girl” is a bit of a surprise. The rookie sitcom follows Actress – Comedy nominee Deschanel as she plays a recently heartbroken schoolteacher who moves in with three single guys. From there, wackiness ensues.

A win for Deschanel (who goes up against heavy-hitters like Tina Fey, Laura Linney and Amy Poehler) would bring some fresh blood to the broadcast. While it’s commendable that new shows are getting recognized, it’s surprising that Poehler managed to earn a nomination for her turn as Leslie Knope but that “Parks and Recreation” wasn’t nominated in the Comedy/ Musical Series category.

Living on the polar opposite spectrum, FX’s creepy, soapy “American Horror Story” is an unexpected contender in the Drama Series category.

The show is a frightening look at relationships and suburbia, where sometimes the decisions made by the living turn out to be more frightening than the things that go bump in the night. Jessica Lange is up for Supporting Actress.

Can the show beat out a show like “Boardwalk Empire” or “Game of Thrones”? Probably not, but it’s nice recognition for one of TV’s most compelling new series. If anything, Lange’s portrayal of L.A.’s nosiest neighbor, Constance, deserves some love.

Madeleine Stowe probably won’t take home a trophy for her portrayal of the lovably evil Victoria Grayson on “Revenge” in the Best Actress – Television Series Drama category, but her nomination comes as a delightful acknowledgement of that show’s undeniable ability to keep viewers entertained week after week as they tune in to see what happens to the Hamptons’ richest and most powerful.

The most predictable nods, perhaps, go to critical favorites and awards-show darlings like “30 Rock,” “Mildred Pierce,” “The Big Bang Theory” and “Modern Family.” But what does come as a surprise is the fact that “Breaking Bad” was snubbed in the Drama Series category, given the show’s critical praise and fan fervor.

Hosted by Ricky Gervais for the third straight time, the Golden Globe Awards will air on Sunday, January 15, on NBC.

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Nominations overlook ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,’ ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Bridesmaids’ breakout Melissa McCarthy.
By Josh Wigler

Ryan Gosling in “Crazy Stupid Love”


Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

The 2012 Golden Globes nominations are here, and as always, there are plenty of surprises of both the good and bad variety. Some of our favorite actors walked away with unexpected nominations, while others were shockingly left off the ballot. Movies we did not anticipate making the cut broke past our expectations, while several films we considered shoe-ins were shut out entirely. In other words, it’s just another year at the Globes!

From Ryan Gosling to “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” here are 10 of the biggest shocks and snubs among this year’s Golden Globes nominees:

Shock: Ryan Gosling Goes for Two
There’s no question that this was a big year for the Gos. Not only did he break up a street fight in the viral video seen ’round the world, he also acted the heck out of three great movies: “Drive,” “The Ides of March” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” We’ve been on the Gosling train for years now, and it’s fantastic to see him getting recognized by the Globes this year. But it’s what he was nominated for that left us shocked. If the choice were up to us, Gosling would be nominated for “Drive,” not “Ides.” There’s not a lot of Globes love for Nicolas Winding Refn’s phenomenal thriller, save for a much-deserved Albert Brooks supporting nom. But, hey, beggars can’t be choosers. We’re more than happy with the double-header for our guy!

Shock: “March” On
While we’re on the topic, nobody here on the MTV Movies team would have predicted that “Ides of March” would get so much love at the Globes this year. It’s a strong movie by all accounts, but worthy of nominations in three major categories (Best Actor for Gosling, Best Director for George Clooney and Best Picture Drama)? We’re not so sure. Still, we love Clooney, and we love that he’s getting further awards attention besides his predestined “Descendants” nomination. And there’s no need to repeat our Gosling gush.

Snub: Melissa McCarthy Misses Out
It’s great to see “Bridesmaids” nominated for Best Picture Musical or Comedy and Kristen Wiig in the Best Actress category — the R-rated comedy was one of our very favorite movies of the year, after all — but we’re absolutely floored and disappointed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s snubbing of Melissa McCarthy. Wiig is wonderful in the film, and without her, “Bridesmaids” would not exist. But without McCarthy, “Bridesmaids” would not be excellent. She was the breakout star. She brought the thunder. She not only deserved a nomination, but arguably a win. Her absence from this year’s Globes is almost as embarrassing as what went down in the bridal shop.

Snub: Globes Hates Tattoos
We’re thrilled that Rooney Mara snagged a nomination for her transformative portrayal of punk-rock computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, but beyond that and recognition for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ score, “Dragon Tattoo” got left on the bench. After David Fincher and “Social Network” got burned toward the end of last year’s awards season, we really thought he’d at least score Director and Best Picture Drama nods this year. No such luck. Looking at the film on its own merits, “Dragon Tattoo” is just fantastic filmmaking. The Movies team is obsessed with the crime thriller, as you’ll hear in the coming days and weeks. Its lack of recognition at the Globes is more than deserving of some Salander-style revenge.

Shock: Extremely Quiet And Incredibly Far
“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” got nothing, nada, zip. We won’t call that a snub — it wasn’t our favorite movie of the year — but the fact that it got literally zero nominations is definitely a shock. Don’t count it out of the Oscar race just yet, though: An adapted screenplay nom is almost certainly in its future.

Snub: No Nolte
Not only was “Warrior” actor Nick Nolte expected to get nominated for Best Supporting Actor, many expected him to win. Surprise: He’s not going to win, because he’s not nominated! Nolte’s nowhere to be found this year, despite his recent SAG nomination. In fact, “Warrior” got absolutely nothing at the Globes. Nolte was really that movie’s best chance, frankly, so we’re starting to wonder about its awards season prospects.

Shock: Michael Fassbender has “Shame”
The Irish-German actor’s Best Actor nomination was one of the biggest surprises of all. (Sorry, we couldn’t resist.) Fassbender’s fearless performance definitely deserved recognition, but we’re very surprised — and very heartened — to see “Shame” overcome the NC-17 stigma. Odds of a win aren’t in his favor, but Fassbender’s nomination is much deserved after the actor’s absolutely amazing year.

Snub: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Snub
Perhaps Gary Oldman’s road to Oscar just isn’t meant to be. The “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” got overlooked by Globes against all odds. It really is close to impossible to believe that Oldman has never been nominated for an Academy Award, and we thought “Tinker” would finally be his chance at not just a nom, but a win. But now that he’s been shut out by the Globes, does he really have any shot at all on Oscar night? We’re still hopeful, but not optimistic.

Shock: “American” Success Story
Before we go, a quick look at TV land. Ryan Murphy’s “American Horror Story” got nominated for Best Television Series (Drama), a move that’s sure to surprise a lot of people (even if that Jessica Lange nomination surprises precisely no one — she was one of our Top 10 TV Characters of 2011, after all). “AHS” is one of the most thoroughly disgusting, unsettling shows on the small screen, now or ever: How many other programs this year showcased a school shooting in such gory detail, or stitched deceased fetuses together to create one terrible Franken-baby? That said, “Horror Story” also features one of the greatest casts on all of television, and it pushes its plot forward with a ferocity matched by few other series. Like all things on the FX thriller, the “Horror” nomination is a shock, but a welcome one.

Snub: “Breaking” Bust
No one’s going to argue that Bryan Cranston deserves that Best Performance nomination, but seriously, there’s not a single other “Breaking Bad” nom? That’s just flat-out ridiculous! “Breaking Bad” just came off its greatest season ever. Cranston nailed it as Walter White, but fellow actors Aaron Paul as reluctant assassin Jesse Pinkman and Giancarlo Esposito as meth kingpin Gustavo Fring also turned in marvelous performances worthy of not just nominations, but full-on awards. (While we’re at it, here’s my super-quick opportunity to say that “Sons of Anarchy” should have gotten some love as well. Like “Bad,” this season of “SOA” was not just its greatest one yet, but perhaps the greatest season of television all year.) Acting aside, “Breaking Bad” deserved a Best Television Series spot much more than newbie “Boss” or even “Horror Story,” much as we’re happy to see it on the list. Needless to say, we’re not happy about the oversight. Besides, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, didn’t you hear? Walter White is the danger!

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

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Singer will drop official version of ‘Gimme All Your Luvin’ in late January.
By Jocelyn Vena

Madonna


Photo: Getty Images

After rumors hit the Net on Wednesday that Madonna had signed with Interscope, fans waited to see if the ink had really dried on the contract. On Thursday (December 15), a rep for the singer confirmed the industry chatter to MTV News. In addition to signing with the label, Madge will drop her still-untitled album by the end of March.

Madonna has already completed work on the LP and her single “Gimme All Your Luvin” will be released by the end of January, according to a press release. A demo version of the song, featuring rappers M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj, leaked back in November. The three ladies recently shot a video for the track and made headlines when Nicki tweeted about a kiss she shared with Madonna on set.

The three-album deal with Interscope marks the latest chapter in the Queen of Pop’s career. She’ll now be labelmates with the likes of Lady Gaga and Eminem. She’ll also stay in her 10-year 360 deal, signed back in 2007, with Live Nation for all merchandising and tour-related matters.

“We couldn’t be happier to work with [Interscope's] Jimmy Iovine, [Chairman & CEO, Universal Music Group] Lucian Grainge and the entire Interscope team,” Madonna’s longtime manager Guy Oseary said in a statement. “We anticipate a very bright future at our new home.”

On Thursday, the newly signed Interscope Records artist became a Golden Globe nominee for her “W.E” track “Masterpiece.” “W.E” is Madonna’s directorial effort, and her tune made the cut for Best Original Song — Motion Picture.

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As MTV reveals our picks for 2011′s best artists, we ask breakout stars Mumford & Sons to weigh in on their favorites.
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Matt Elias

Mumford & Sons’ Marcus Mumford


Photo: MTV News

Mumford & Sons may have stumbled onto Stateside success in 2010 with their debut disc, Sigh No More, but in 2011, they not only grew comfortable with their newfound fame, they ran with it. Sigh was the year’s best-selling rock album (by a mile), and they nabbed four Grammy nominations — including Record and Song of the Year — for their song “The Cave.”

So, as 2011 draws to a close, and as MTV reveals our picks for the artists of the year, we’re reaching out to a host of acts that not only dominated the past 12 months, but came to define them, for their takes on the year in music. And who better to ask than Mumford, a band that began 2010 as relative unknowns but wrap up 2011 as one of the biggest rock acts in the U.S. … with a hotly anticipated new album due in 2012.

We spoke to Marcus Mumford and Ben Lovett about their favorite artists of the year, and in keeping with their breakout status, they chose a thoroughly under-the-radar act … and a rapper who busted through to the big time in 2011. Of course, they could only pronounce one of their picks’ names correctly.

“Dawes are a really important band for us,” Mumford said. “You would say ‘Dawes,’ because you can differentiate between ‘Dawes’ and ‘Doors’ — more like ‘Pawn’ and ‘Porn’ — where we can’t, it’s just ‘Porn’ and ‘Porn’ to us, so you never know which one we’re talking about.”

“I’ve watched the video for Tyler, the Creator’s ‘Yonkers’ 50 times this year,” Lovett added. “It’s f—ing amazing. Brilliant video.”

They didn’t just stop there. They’ve already picked their favorite act of 2012 too, an up-and-coming Harlem rapper who they expect big things from next year.

“I just heard an incredible song by Azealia Banks called ’212,’ ” Lovett said. “[It's] mind-blowing.”

All this week, watch “AMTV” on MTV every day at 8 a.m. ET for our Best of 2011 lists. Then, come to MTVNews.com at 5 p.m. as we reveal our top picks of the year!

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Silent black-and-white film earns six nods, while ‘The Descendants’ and ‘The Help’ rack up five each.

Jean Dujardin in “The Artist”


Photo: Weinstein Company

The stars woke up early Thursday (December 15), hoping to hear their names when the nominations for the 69th annual Golden Globes were announced. Without many front-runners in the major categories, the Globe nominations gave one of the first serious indications of how the Academy Awards will play out in February. “The Artist,” with six nominations, and “The Descendants” and “The Help,” with five each, cemented their place at the top of the Best Picture race.

“The Artist,” the silent, black-and-white tribute to old Hollywood, wowed audiences during the festival circuit and earned the most nods.
In addition to its nomination for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, both Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo walked away with acting nominations for their mostly silent roles. Writer/director Michel Hazanavicius earned mentions for both of his duties on the film.

The big surprise from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association ended up being “Ides of March,” the George Clooney-directed political drama that found mild success with critics but fell behind in the early weeks of awards season. It scored four nominations in all.

Also on the board with four total nominations was “Moneyball,” the true-life drama about the changing world of baseball starring Brad Pitt. Pitt earned a nomination for Best Lead Actor – Drama, while co-star Jonah Hill earned a Supporting Actor nod. “Moneyball” also racked up nominations for Best Motion Picture – Drama and for the screenplay written by Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, and Stan Chervin.

Two of Hollywood’s biggest stars repeated with two nominations in major categories. “The Ides of March” co-stars Ryan Gosling and Clooney both doubled up on awards. Gosling snagged leading actor nods in both the drama and comedy categories for “The Ides of March” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” which surprised by not getting a Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy nomination. Clooney also walked away with two, one for his directing efforts with “The Ides of March” and one for his lead role in “The Descendants.”

“Bridesmaids” earned a nomination in the Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy category. Actress (and co-writer) Kristen Wiig scored a nomination for Best Actress – Musical or Comedy, but co-star Melissa McCarthy, the awards favorite from the film, failed to capture the HFPA’s attention for Supporting Actress.

A potential awards dark horse, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ had gained some momentum with an extensive “For Your Consideration” ad campaign, but the HFPA didn’t hand out any awards to the blockbuster series’ final chapter, as some had predicted.

For television, the biggest story may be the shakeup in both of the Best Series categories. New series dominated both categories, taking up seven of the 10 spots with nominations for “American Horror Story,” “Boss,” “Game of Thrones,” “Homeland,” “Enlightened,” “Episodes” and “New Girl.” “Breaking Bad,” a critical favorite, went unrecognized, aside from Bryan Cranston’s lead actor nomination. Former awards mainstay “The Office” received no nominations.

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

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