ALSO WATCH: This Is What 'The Most Interesting Man In The World' Does With His Lifetime Supply Of Dos Equis

Follow BI Video: On Facebook

Join the conversation about this story »

Morgan Freeman was promoting his new Science Channel series, “Through The Wormhole,” this week with Don Lemon on CNN when the conversation took a more serious turn.

Lemon asked the 77-year-old actor, "Do you think race plays a part in wealth distribution?"

"No, I don't. You and I are proof," Morgan told Lemon. "Why would race have anything to do with it? Stick your mind to what you want to do and go for that. It's kind of like religion to me — it's a good excuse for not getting there."

Morgan continued, "If you talk about it, it exists. It's not like it exists and we refuse to talk about it, but making it a bigger issue than it needs to be is the problem we have."

Many were skeptical of Morgan's comments:

Hey guys Morgan Freeman is rich that means there's no possible excuse for poverty-stricken minorities

— Jordan Chapman (@Jchapman13) June 5, 2014

And real talk. Lemon ain't funny no more and Morgan Freeman just spent his last "But I played Black GOD..." points with me. That dude...ugh.

— Elon James White (@elonjames) June 5, 2014

MORGAN FREEMAN IS NOT THE LEADER OF BLACK PEOPLE. HIS WORDS DO NOT ERASE REALITY NO MATTER HOW GOOD THEY SOUND.

— Elon James White (@elonjames) June 5, 2014

The idea that Don Lemon and Morgan Freeman are proof that race doesn't matter because they "made it" is as idiotic as it is insulting...

— Elon James White (@elonjames) June 5, 2014

Others defended the actor:

Morgan Freeman is absolutely correct that income inequality isn't about race. Personally, I think it's about work ethic (or lack of).

— Melissa (@PennyDreadful81) June 5, 2014

Morgan Freeman is a great actor. I don't see why this means I have to care about his opinions on anything unrelated to acting.

— Ralph Crammed In (@jteeDC) June 5, 2014

Watch the full discussion below:

SEE ALSO: The Actors From 'Shawshank Redemption' Still Make A 'Steady' Income Off TV Residual Checks

Join the conversation about this story »

The author of the "Game of Thrones" books, George R.R. Martin, is crowdfunding for a good cause: he's asking for donations to the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary and The Food Depot, two Santa Fe-based organizations. 

He's asking for donations to the two organizations through a Prizeo campaign, and there are 60 days left. But feeling good about donating money to a good cause is only half the reward.

For $20,000, Martin will name a character after you in an upcoming "Song of Ice and Fire" novel. You can choose what your character does, and, perhaps best of all, your character will "certainly meet a grisly death."

For $7,500, you "will be sent one of George's old greek sailor caps (well worn!)." 

But even if you don't have that much coin to spend, you can still win a pretty tremendous prize: all donors will be entered into a contest where the prize is to fly out to Santa Fe with a friend to spend a day touring the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary with Martin himself.

Check out the video from fundraising page below:

SEE ALSO: Want to feel old? 'Tetris' turns 30

Join the conversation about this story »

Wildly popular young adult novel "The Fault In Our Stars" has been lifted from the page to the big screen, opening in movie theaters today.

It's a love story with a bittersweet twist— both of the main characters have cancer, and while there are uplifting moments throughout both the book and the film, don't be surprised if you find yourself sniffling amongst your fellow movie-goers this weekend.

Lots of the best lines from the book made it into the movie, but author John Green admitted there was one line in particular that he was glad Shailene Woodley (who plays main character Hazel Grace Lancaster) was able to deliver.

"I fell in love the way you fall asleep; slowly, and then all at once," Hazel says about Augustus Waters.

"Shailene just says that line so beautifully," Green said, "so I am very grateful to her for that."

Here's Green on his favorite line:

Join the conversation about this story »

The summer movie season has officially begun, which means you, the moviegoer, will be forced to make some tough decisions over the next three months: Do you go see the new Seth Rogen raunch-comedy or the latest superhero blockbuster? Are you more in the mood for transforming robots or evolved apes? A cackling Angelina Jolie or a riotous Melissa McCarthy? Channing Tatum's bulging pectorals or Dwayne Johnson's bulging pectorals?

Naturally, we have your back when it comes to breaking down the big-budget blockbusters and big-name studio releases that will be taking over your multiplexes from Memorial Day until Labor Day — but what if you're looking for something besides the latest pop-franchise installment or A-list star vehicle to see?

Check out the best indie movies here >

Man can not live on cheeseburgers alone, and the same goes for the movies: occasionally, you crave something without giant lizards and blue-skinned mutants.

So we've put together a list of 20 off-the-beaten-path films coming out between now and the end of August that will satisfy your alternative-viewing needs — the documentaries, indies, foreign-language flicks and a few straight-up unclassifiable projects that will also be coming to a theater near you soon. Some have recognizable names attached, while others are the cinematic equivalent of a blind date. All of them will offer you a break from the blockbuster blues.

More From Rolling Stone:

• In Pics: Summer Film Preview 2014: The Season of ‘Fierce’
• In Pics: The 20 Most Disappointing Movie Sequels
• In Pics: The 25 Funniest Movies of All Time
• 8 Summer TV Shows You Should Be Watching Right Now
• In Pics: The 40 Best Cult TV Comedies Ever

'Night Moves' (May 30)

A young environmentalist ("The Social Network's" Jesse Eisenberg) and his female companion (Dakota Fanning) meet up with a reclusive, off-the-grid ex-Marine (Peter Sarsgaard).

Identities are assigned, "ingredients" are procured, maps are consulted regarding some sort of locale — but what exactly is their goal here? Anyone familiar with filmmaker Kelly Reichardt's work ("Wendy and Lucy," "Meek's Cutoff") knows to expect atmosphere over easy answers, but the bigger questions she brings up in this slowburn thriller — at what point does activism become terrorism? Do the ends always justify the means? — leave a banquet's worth of food for thought.

Watch the trailer.

'We Are the Best' (May 30)

'Borgman' (June 6)

Have you heard the one about the vagrant who enters a well-to-do family's ecosphere and completely changes everyone's lives? Of course you have — Dutch filmmaker Alex van Warmerdam is banking on the fact that people know this narrative, all the better to f--- with audiences' heads.

After the titular character (played by Belgian actor Jan Bijvoet, in a star-making turn) shows up, bearded and filthy, on the doorstep of an upper-middle-class couple, you expect a certain amount of uncomfortability. Instead, you get a bona fide creepfest and the kind of assault on bourgeois values that would make Buñuel beam. Unless Michael Haneke releases a film in the next six months, this will be the feel-bad movie of the year.

Watch the trailer.

AMC's new "Halt and Catch Fire" has received some flack over its odd title, but the show's name is actually a reference to tech history.

The show, starring actor Lee Pace, takes place during the early wild days of the 1980's computer boom — and while the title may seem strange, it's one of the most mythical command codes in the tech world.

The show explained in its first episode that "halt and catch fire" (or HCF for short) was an early computer command that forced the machine to go as fast as possible, causing it to stop functioning.

The "catch fire" aspect of the name relates to the computer supposedly catching fire and basically self-destructing.

The Wrap points out that having the show open with an explanation of its title is very similar to how "Mad Men," another great AMC show, opened its series.

The show premiered last weekend to somewhat lackluster ratings.

"Halt and Catch Fire" airs Sundays at 10 on AMC.

SEE ALSO: AMC's New Drama Is About The Advent Of Personal Computing, And It's Excellent

Join the conversation about this story »

With two episodes remaining in the fourth season of Game of Thrones, the show has now become the most popular series in HBO's history.

Episodes of the show, which debut Sunday nights (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), have an average gross audience of 18.4 million viewers, surpassing the previous record set by the 2002 season of The Sopranos, which had an average gross audience of 18.2 million viewers per episode. Season 3 of Game of Thrones had an average gross audience of 14.4 million viewers per episode.

The next episode of Game of Thrones debuts Sunday, June 8, followed by the season finale Sunday, June 15.

Based on the bestselling fantasy book series by George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones is an epic story of treachery and nobility set on the continent of Westeros, where summers and winters can last years, and only the lust for power is eternal. The Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning series was recently renewed for a fifth and sixth season.

Season 4 credits: The executive producers of Game of Thrones are David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Carolyn Strauss, Frank Doelger and Bernadette Caulfield; co-executive producers, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis and George R.R. Martin; producers, Chris Newman and Greg Spence.

SEE ALSO: For Just $20,000, You Could Get Violently Killed In An Upcoming 'Game Of Thrones' Book

NOW WATCH: That Fear You Feel On Sundays Is Real — Here's How To Overcome It

Join the conversation about this story »

The world's largest video game collection — as recognized by Guinness Book of World Records — is currently being auctioned off by GameGavel.com, an auctions site "for gamers and geeks."

The collection, consisting of over 11,000 video games, has a current bid of $50,000. The bid comes from a user named "palmertech" — the same username that Oculus Rift founder Palmer Luckey has used in other gaming forums.

Luckey, who already boasts to have the largest collection of head-mounted displays, may be cashing in on some of his windfall from his virtual reality company's recent acquisition from Facebook, a deal worth roughly $2 billion.

Reddit user kilgoretrout86 first made the connection on the Oculus Rift subreddit forum.

The massive hoard of video games took over three decades to stockpile, and a quarter of the games (over 2,600) are still factory sealed. None of the games are duplicates. The auction includes the official Guinness Book of World Records certificate, too.

You can place your own bid for the massive games collection or just check out the official auction here.

Join the conversation about this story »

If you get swept into the teen frenzy of "The Fault in Our Stars" this weekend, two things will happen.

The first is that it will reduce you to a puddle of tears.

Second, it will make you wonder if there's a miracle cancer treatment drug called Phalanxifor.

The adaptation of the best-selling young adult novel by John Green tells the story of two star-crossed lovers, Hazel (Shailene Woodley) and Augustus (Ansel Elgort), who meet at a cancer support group. 

You soon learn that Hazel, diagnosed with thyroid cancer that spread to her lungs, is alive because of the experimental drug called Phalanxifor.

Fans of the book going into the movie know it's a fictional drug.

Green makes note of this in his acknowledgments at the end of the novel, saying he made the drug up simply because he would like it to exist. However, not everyone who sees the film is going to know that.

Business Insider headed to the inaugural Book Con (think of it as Comic Con for bookies) last weekend to see "The Fault in Our Stars" author himself speak on a panel for the film.

We caught up with Green on the phone the following day to discuss the book, its film adaptation, crying, and the fictional drug he put in the book. 

He tells us that while Phalanxifor may not be real, it is inspired by very real cancer treatments.

"It's based on a couple of drugs that have emerged in the past decade or two that are extremely well-targeted drugs for very specific kinds of cancers like Herceptin, used for certain kinds of breast cancers," says Greene. "Then there's one that treats abdominal cancer."

"In both of those cases, people who are very, very sick and very close to death were able to maintain and recover their health and live, still with cancer, but with much longer lives," Greene added.

According to a pharmacist we spoke with, Herceptin is an IV drug used to treat patients with breast cancer who have the HER2+ gene.

If you're wondering why the drug is called Phalanxifor, look no further than the root word of the fictitious drug.  

"I was imagining, the way that those drugs usually work, they connect to something in the molecule and the phalanx means like finger," says Greene. "I was imagining a drug that sort of connects like a key into a keyhole."

SEE ALSO: The only 10 shows you should watch this summer

Join the conversation about this story »

Want to feel old?

"Tetris," the game where you have to manipulate falling blocks to create lines that are then cleared from the screen, is celebrating its 30th anniversary today. That's 30 years of yelling at the screen when the blocks speed up at an almost unmanageable rate. That's 30 years of getting the theme music stuck in your head. 

The game is simple. But its story is anything but. Let's go back in time and check out the history of those falling blocks — called "tetrominoes" — and how they came to be synonymous with Nintendo's Game Boy handheld gaming system. 

It all started in Russia

In 1984 in Moscow, Russian scientist Alexey Pajitnov developed the first version of Tetris on an Electronika 60 terminal computer while working at the Soviet Academy of Sciences.

"I've always loved puzzles, so I think it started when I tried to make a 2-player computer game based on Pentomino, a popular puzzle game that I really liked and still play to this day," Pajitnov tells Business Insider. "What I ended up creating was unique, but at the time, I thought it was just a good game — not any worse or any better than other popular games out at that time. I had no idea it would turn out to be such a global success."

The following year, it was ported to an IBM PC and it quickly spread all over the Soviet Union. And two years later, the game was distributed to PCs in North America and Europe.

But in 1988, everything changed. That's when Dutch video game designer and publisher Henk Rogers discovered "Tetris" at that year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and became instantly hooked on the game.

"My first impression was that this game was too simple, that there was nothing to it," Henk told The Guardian in an interview in correlation with the game's 25th anniversary. "Then I came back and played it again. And again. Soon I realised there was something going on — no game had grabbed me at a show just like that."

But that's just the beginning of "Tetris'" success. As with any great origin story, there first was some drama to sort through.

Legal battles 

The legal history of "Tetris" remains a little unclear to this day.

At the time, "Tetris" was being distributed under a master license agreement. And the details of the licensing were still uncertain.

In fact, by 1989, several different companies claimed the rights to create and distribute "Tetris" software for computers, consoles, and handheld systems. Companies were licensing and sublicensing rights to the game that they didn't even hold to begin with.

Some companies were distributing the game on consoles, some on computers. But none of them was sanctioned by the Soviet government, which actually held the rights to the game. 

Finally, the Soviet government had had enough.

It began to market rights to "Tetris" through an organization called Elorg. It decided that Atari Games would have rights to the arcade version, and Nintendo would have rights to the console and handheld versions of "Tetris."

Atari's subsidiary, Tengen (which was in charge of consoles), however, disregarded the licensing agreements and started distributing the game for consoles.

Nintendo sent a cease and desist, and Atari sued.

And after only a few weeks on store shelves, the courts ruled that Nintendo was the only company allowed to distribute the game on home consoles. The lawsuits between the two companies continued for years. 

Rogers' company, Bullet-Proof Software, developed the game for Nintendo. During Rogers' trip to Moscow to help secure rights to the game, he and Pajitnov quickly became friends.

And that's also when "Tetris" found its big break. 

Taking the world by storm

In 1988, Nintendo was working on its Game Boy handheld gaming system. 

When Rogers flew to Moscow to get the rights to "Tetris," he struck a deal that would change history forever: exclusive pack-in rights for the game to be bundled with the Game Boy, rather than the company's own game, "Super Mario Bros."

"I convinced the CEO of Nintendo of America, Minoru Arakawa, to include 'Tetris' rather than 'Mario' by saying to him, 'If you want little boys to buy your machine include 'Mario,' but if you want everyone to buy your machine, include 'Tetris,'" Rogers tells Business Insider. "I guess it worked. People say 'Tetris' made Game Boy and Game Boy made 'Tetris.' Both statements are true."

It would go on to make the handheld platform the most popular portable game system of its time, and in the process, sell more than 35 million copies.

"Tetris is a simple geometric game. There is no such thing as a person who does not like squares or circles," Rogers says. "On the other hand there are people who are not into Mickey Mouse or Mario. The basic pleasure of putting blocks together to make something is a universal basic pleasure center. 'Tetris' hits that pleasure center right in the center."

Since then, it's become one of the top-selling video games of all time. It's been released on more than 50 platforms, translated into more than 50 languages, and played in more than 185 countries. It's sold more than 170 million copies to date. 

Even the game's creator still loves to play.

"I enjoy all the games I create, and I still play 'Tetris' to this day," Pajitnov says. "Maybe I’m not addicted as much as I used to be, but I do make time to play many of the more recent versions just to keep up on new variants, and to make sure my creative input is still there. I’m glad the rest of the world is still hooked on the game, though."

And Rogers is just as addicted, and has spent "way, way, way too many" hours playing. "I really don't want to try counting since I may not want to know the answer to that question," he says. "It's like asking someone how many hours they have spent reading or running or watching television or eating ot sleeping. Sometimes it's better not to know the answer to a question."

The future looks bright

But that's just the beginning. In 1996, the Tetris Company was formed. It became the exclusive source of all licenses to Tetris. It also created the Tetris Guidelines to establish consistency and quality standards for the game.

There have been numerous spin-offs and sequels, some official, and some not so official. 

And earlier this year, Ubisoft announced a partnership with the Tetris Company to bring the beloved game to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The game, "Tetris Ultimate," will come out this summer. 

"I see Tetris becoming a Virtual Sport. There will be leagues and teams from cities or from colleges that compete," Rogers says. "There will be professional players and it will be a spectator sport."

But the key to becoming a pro? "Practice, practice, practice," Rogers says. "There is no way to become a great player without putting in the time."

SEE ALSO: The 15 highest-paid professional gamers in the world

Join the conversation about this story »

In a giant coliseum early Friday morning, singer Pharrell Williams performed his hit song "Happy" and shouted to throngs of screaming fans: "Make some noise for Wal-Mart!"

He wasn't paid to say that. He wasn't even paid to perform at the event, not a major concert but the annual Wal-Mart shareholders' meeting in Fayetteville, Ark. Musicians Robin Thicke, Sarah McLaughlin, Aloe Blacc and Harry Connick Jr. also performed Friday, free of cost.

These stars usually command six-figure payments for performances and appearances. So what's in it for them?

"Every entertainer that is here has something to do with our business," Wal-Mart spokesperson Dianna Gee told MSNBC during last year's equally star-studded event. "There’s some connection from the business, whether it’s CDs, books, or t-shirts." Film studios and record labels "really work with us" to recruit the performers, she added.

Her explanation makes sense. As one of the world's largest retailers, Wal-Mart has access to 35 million shoppers daily.

If the company decides to feature a DVD or album, sales of those items could spike.

A Wal-Mart spokesman confirmed to Business Insider that none of this year's celebrities were paid for their appearances.

Last year, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Tom Cruise, and Hugh Jackman performed at the meeting.  

This year's event drew about 14,000 people, including workers and shareholders, from around the world. The meeting is mostly a pep rally of sorts, with celebrity performances punctuated by speeches from Wal-Mart executives on their plans for the future of the company. 

Here's a look at Friday's festivities.

First, Pharrell Williams performed "Happy."

Then Robin Thicke joined him on stage. 

Despite the early hour — it was about 7 a.m. local time — the crowd went wild.

Harry Connick Jr. sang a song and also served as the master of ceremonies.

Sarah McLaughlin slowed things down with her somber hit, "Will You Remember Me." 

The meeting ended with a performance by Aloe Blacc, who sang "Wake Me Up."

SEE ALSO: 14 Facts About Wal-Mart That Will Blow Your Mind

Follow us: On Pinterest

Join the conversation about this story »

Check out the Business Insider Jobs section >>

As part of our new partnership with CareerBuilder.com, each week we'll feature one of the awesome jobs advertised on the Business Insider jobs board.

To learn more about this opportunity click here

Follow Business Insider Jobs on Twitter here

Join the conversation about this story »

Tom Cruise's new movie, "Edge of Tomorrow," is out in theaters Friday and it's getting really good reviews.

That may come as a surprise. 

If you've seen any trailers for the film, you may have done an eyeroll as the film has the feel of 1993's "Groundhog Day." The premise sees Tom Cruise's character, Major William Cage, relive the same day over and over again until he can find a way to defeat a threatening alien menace. 

The film is based on Japanese sci-fi novel "All You Need Is Kill" and cost Warner Bros. approximately $175 million, so the studio needs this to be a big hit.

Though Cruise's movie is estimated to bring in $30 million, it looks like Shailene Woodley's tear jerker "The Fault in Our Stars" will rule the weekend.

Here's why the movie sounds like a must-see.

Don’t be worried about it feeling like "Groundhog’s Day" or any other déjà vu flick. 
The Wrap:

“For a film about repetition, “Edge of Tomorrow” never feels tired or familiar.” 

Variety:

"The scribes have solved the problem of how not to make the film play like a repetitive slog; aided enormously by James Herbert and Laura Jennings’ snappy, intuitive editing, they tell their story in a breezy narrative shorthand (and at times, sleight-of-hand), transforming what must surely be an unbelievably tedious gauntlet for our hero into a deft, playful and continually involving viewing experience." 

Total Film:

"The time-loop works. Far from being the multiplex equivalent of a trek to the laundry, the spin-cycle lends a fresh tilt to the time-worn Us vs. Them genre, with Liman and Cruise serving humour and invention to ensure each rewind veers into territory as unexpected as it is familiar."

It’s funny with laughs from both Cruise and Bill Paxton.

Cinemablend:

“The script crackles with humor and variations, making Cage's (Cruise) deaths and resurrections as funny as they are shocking.” 

Film School Rejects: 

“Liman’s movie moves fast, and not only because it has a ton of set pieces, but also a sharp sense of humor … Bill Paxton gets some huge laughs.” 

The design of the aliens look awesome. 

Variety:  

“The excellent production package is distinguished by the expertly designed Mimics, which resemble overgrown, radioactive crustaceans that got caught in an oil spill.”

This is one of Cruise’s most fun and enjoyable performances in a long time. Empire: 

“This is his strongest performance in some time and he revels in the character’s development. He starts out as a smug, smirking, weaselly coward, not above trying to blackmail an implacable general (Brendan Gleeson).” 

Film School Rejects: 

“Most A-listers would demand a more conventionally heroic character from the start, but not Cruise. He plays up Cage’s cowardice whenever he gets the chance, to both great comedic and dramatic effect.”

Emily Blunt is great, too. 

The Playlist:

“She is a rich, beautifully realized female character, strong and smart and sensitive, which is already a welcome change from the summer movies we've seen thus far, where women are mostly seen falling from tall buildings and hiding from giant monsters.”

The one disappointment from multiple reviews? The ending isn’t anything too special.

The Wrap:

"If there's anything disappointing about the film, it involves the ending; it's a defensible one, but everything leading up to it fooled me into expecting something smarter or more daring." 

The Hollywood Reporter: 

"Unfortunately, the final stretch becomes dramatically unconvincing and visually murky, … where a seriously underwhelming and downright odd final reckoning takes place.”

Overall, the film sounds like a solid action flick from Cruise that should do well overseas and at home. 

Empire: 

“A playful and frantic science-fiction twister which mimics the best (Aliens, The Matrix, Groundhog Day) while offering something fresh and — most importantly — thrilling.” 

Film School Rejects:

"Director Doug Liman hasn’t forgotten how to craft real escapist entertainment, despite his last popcorn film Jumper suggesting otherwise. His latest, Edge ofTomorrow, is maybe his most accomplished work to date, a massive blockbuster with scale, heart, plenty of humor, and no shortage of coolness. This, ladies and gentleman, is what we call a summer blockbuster.” 

The Playlist:

"It's snappy and funny and violent and weird and sets the bar impossibly high for the rest of this year's summer movie crop."

Watch a trailer for the movie below:

SEE ALSO: "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is the movie of the summer

Join the conversation about this story »

We know Mark Hamill is reprising his iconic role of Luke Skywalker in "Star Wars: Episode VII," but we don't know much else about what his role will entail.

Now, we have a little bit of an idea of how the 62-year-old actor will look wielding a lightsaber once more.

Disney is currently celebrating Star Wars Weekends at its parks through June 15. Hamill will be appearing at Disney's Hollywood Studios June 6-8.

Naturally, Hamill made the trip and posed with a Jedi Mickey Mouse along with a lightsaber.

To jog your memory, here's how Hamill looked in the original "Star Wars" films:

And, here's how the 62-year-old actor looks today via a Disney Parks' video:It looks like Hamill will be sporting a beard in the new film, which has had fans wondering whether the actor could play an older Jedi mentor like Obi Wan Kenobi to one of the new, younger cast members. 

SEE ALSO: It looks like the Millennium Falcon will be in "Star Wars: Episode VII"

Join the conversation about this story »

Today marks the birthday of Tetris, the falling blocks game created by Alexey Pajitnov in 1984 that has had gaming fans hooked for the past thirty years. 

Perhaps none so more than Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who posted a comment on Gizmodo's piece about the iconic game, claiming that he was a Tetris superstar. 

According to the Woz, he was so great that "Nintendo Power" magazine started refusing to print his high scores in its Gameboy Tetris rankings. In order to sneak his name onto the list, he spelled it backwards (Evets Kainzow) and changed his home city from Los Gatos to Saragoga. 

"Sure enough, they printed that name at the top of the next list of scores," he writes. "I even have that issue of Nintendo Power, thanks to a thoughtful fan who gifted me with it recently."

Read the Woz's full comment here.

SEE ALSO: The Complicated History Of 'Tetris,' Which Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary Today

SEE ALSO: We Were Blown Away By The Miracle Berry That Let Us Down Shots Of Vinegar

Join the conversation about this story »

Admittedly, there's tons of pressure on "Wheel of Fortune," but that doesn't change the terrible, nonsensical guess that came from a recent contestant.

The answer from a contestant named Stephen came during the "Toss Up" round, where letters are revealed and contestants can buzz in to guess the puzzle. When he buzzed in, this was the board:

His guess: "Surf Clay Here We Go," which, you know, doesn't even fit. Host Pat Sajak responded only with, "Um, no."

Stephen later told TMZ he panicked and forgot the category, and despite his screw-up here, he ended the show with $7,200, CNN reports.

Watch the video:

SEE ALSO: You'll Never Believe This Guy's Crazy 'Wheel Of Fortune' Solution

Join the conversation about this story »

Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant that's set to IPO in the U.S. later this year, sells some pretty weird stuff, including "barf bibs" and live leeches, but that didn't stop one woman from shopping around the site to find her dream wedding dress. 

Hermione Way, the founder of Way Media and former cast-member on Bravo's "Start-ups: Silicon Valley," decided to start browsing the site once she realized how much her July 19th wedding in Istanbul was going to cost. She knew that many of the gorgeous wedding dresses that she could get from U.S. stores were manufactured in China anyway, so she decided to go straight to the source through Alibaba. 

She wrote on her blog that although she had heard plenty of horror stories about people who had ordered dresses from the site, she'd also seen some rave reviews. She started searching around and found the "mermaid" style wedding dress of her dreams for a shockingly low price: $169. 

At a price-point like that, Way figured that ordering the dress couldn't hurt, even if it ended up being a disaster. She sent in her various measurements and a few pictures in January and the dress arrived in the mail six weeks later. Way says that it fits like a glove. 

"The site is an eye sore and sells a lot of crap, but now I get it," she told Business Insider.

The woman that she dealt with for her measurements was polite and quick to respond (she even addressed the letter to Hermione with "dear friend"), and the whole process felt seamless. It was like a breath of fresh air after so many experiences wading through crowded shopping malls to buy over-priced clothes that were manufactured abroad.

"I would definitely buy from Alibaba again," Way says. "It's all about experience and trust."

The two most popular Alibaba websites — Taobao and Tmall — are Chinese marketplaces and rather inaccessible if you don't know the language, but Alibaba.com is the company's English site for sales between importers and exporters in more than 240 countries.

Here's another shot of Way in her gorgeous wedding dress:

SEE ALSO: We Were Blown Away By The Miracle Berry That Let Us Down Shots Of Vinegar

Join the conversation about this story »

You may think of Stan Lee when you hear the word Marvel, but the comic-book giant has also been called "the house that Jack built."

One of history's most influential comic book artists, Jack Kirby had a hand in creating more than 200 characters for both Marvel and DC Comics, including Captain America, the Hulk, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor, and Spider-Man.

Since Disney bought Marvel in 2009, Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man have led hugely successful movie franchises like "The Avengers," which made more than $1.5 billion, while licensed movie properties like 20th Century Fox's X-Men franchise and Sony's Spider-Man franchise are also box-office gold.

Kirby's kids say their dad is the true owner of his characters and they are asking the Supreme Court to hear their case, which seeks to recover the copyrights for characters the now-deceased artist created for Marvel between 1958 and 1963.

"The case deals with a substantial amount of the key character franchises for which Disney paid Marvel $4.2 billion and could now may be worth twice that amount," Marc Toberoff, a lawyer for Lisa, Neal, Susan, and Barbara Kirby recently told Business Insider. Toberoff added, "This is like the mother of all copyright cases because of its implications."

Jack Kirby and the creation of the First Avenger

In 1940, Kirby created his first character, Captain America, along with writer-editor Joe Simon, for Timely Comics (which became Marvel Comics in the ‘60s).

The first copy, which showed the Captain punching Hitler in the jaw, was a hit with one million sales, according to “Tales to Astonish: Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and the American Comic Book Revolution.” After its success, Kirby joined Simon at Timely as its art director.

Timely paid Kirby and Simon relatively low salaries, only $75 and $85 a week, respectively, according to "Tales to Astonish."

The two ended up heading over to DC Comics, where they asked for $250 a week each along with a one-year contract.  

When Simon and Kirby left Timely, Stan Lee (who would later become Marvel's chairman and president) took over as top editor and art director after starting out there as an assistant.

Timely, now known as Atlas Comics, tried to revive Captain America with Lee as a writer; however, the comics weren’t as big of a success and the storyline was retired.

The Stan Lee And Jack Kirby Era Of Marvel

Kirby and Simon eventually went their separate ways, with Kirby doing a lot of freelance work for DC and Atlas, which eventually evolved into Marvel Comics. Soon after, Kirby started working primarily with Lee, who was in a far more powerful position this time around.

At a time when DC Comics was having success with its Justice League franchise, Atlas was looking for a similarly bankable group of heroes. Kirby and Lee collaborated on bringing the Fantastic Four to fruition.

The story featured four characters with super powers and led to future collaborations including the Hulk, Thor, and Spider-Man in that order.  

Kirby also claimed to create Iron Man, saying he “drew a cover for a bulky, gray-armored hero” and discussed it with Lee. However, when Iron Man debuted in March 1963’s “Tales of Suspense,” Kirby’s name was nowhere to be found. Stan and his brother Larry Lieber took the idea and turned the character into the millionaire Tony Stark we know today. 

Today, Marvel's site lists Kirby as both the cover artist and author alongside Lee.

Kirby's work on Iron Man and other iconic characters paved the way for what has been referred to as the “Marvel style.” Future Marvel editors tried to replicate the way Kirby presented the characters — "angular, muscular heroes with decorative squiggles and bold lines."

Although Kirby helped bring big-name characters to life at Marvel, he was technically a freelancer who didn't get the same credit as Lee.

“He was very unhappy with the way he was being treated,’ comic book writer Mark Evanier said in "Tales to Astonish." "He found that the businesspeople wouldn’t talk to him. He had this rotten deal that wasn’t even properly committed to paper. His contract had expired. It was all kind of verbal. And he felt since Marvel had been taken over that he ought to have an actual contract that spelled out everything he was promised. He said, ‘I want this,’ and nobody would talk to him. He wouldn’t get his calls returned. He went over to the executive offices and heard people say, ‘We’re all too busy to talk to you. Go back and draw The Fantastic Four.’” 

It didn’t help that his former partner Joe Simon made an agreement with Marvel in 1969 on the copyright for Captain America. Simon reportedly received a settlement of $7,500 for the rights to the character. Kirby wasn’t paid in the Simon settlement.  

After this, Kirby left Marvel and headed back to DC Comics. Despite returning in 1975, he never felt that he was given due credit for his creations. He left Marvel for good in 1978 and headed to the animation industry.

A Copyright Battle That May Be Headed To The Supreme CourtThe Kirbys are trying to obtain the copyrights to many of their dad's iconic characters under a section of the Copyright Act that allows children of deceased artists like Jack Kirby to recover their parents' copyrights for works made before 1978. However, the Copyright Act also specifies that employers own the copyright to any works their employees made for them — so-called works for hire.

The Kirby kids say the work for hire rule doesn't apply to their dad, though. He created his comics while working as an independent contractor — not an employee. And up until 1972, America's courts generally interpreted the Copyright Act's work-for-hire section to apply to official employees and not contractors, the Kirbys point out in their Supreme Court petition. The Kirbys want the Supreme Court to rule that the work-for-hire provision shouldn't apply to contractors like their father.

First, though, the high court has to decide to take the case. The Supreme Court gets thousands of petitions for certiorari like the Kirbys' every year, but the justices did suggest they were interested in the case by taking it up for discussion at a recent conference.

The epic copyright dispute between the Kirbys and Marvel started in September 2009, when the Kirbys served Marvel with notices that they were seeking to terminate their copyrights. Marvel then sued the Kirby kids in March 2010, claiming they had no right to serve them with the termination notices because the comic book characters at issue were works for hire.

A federal judge granted Marvel summary judgment in the case, meaning it was dismissed in the company's favor before ever even going to trial. That judge found Kirby's characters were in fact works for hire because they "were made at Marvel's instance and expense."

The Kirbys appealed that decision and lost in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which agreed that Marvel should own the copyright for the works because they were made with Marvel in mind.

"Although Jack Kirby was a freelancer, his working relationship with Marvel between the years of 1958 and 1963 was close and continuous," the Second Circuit wrote in an August 2013 opinion. Here's more from the Second Circuit:

Understood as products of this overarching relationship, Kirby's works during this period were hardly self-directed projects in which he hoped Marvel, as one of several potential publishers, might have an interest; rather, he created the relevant works pursuant to Marvel's assignment or with Marvel specifically in mind. Kirby's ongoing partnership with Marvel, however unbalanced and under-remunerative to the artist, is therefore what induced Kirby's creation of the works.

If the Supreme Court reverses that decision, it could be a boon for heirs of creative independent workers like Jack Kirby, who didn't get many of the benefits of full employment when they were alive, and it could be a nightmare for the likes of Disney.

Although Toberoff didn't break through in the similar case of Jerry Siegel's heirs suing Warner Bros. for the rights to Superman, he has had victories or settlements for properties including "Lassie," "Get Smart," "The Dukes of Hazzard," "The Wild Wild West," and "Smallville."

SEE ALSO: Stan Lee reveals his biggest mistake

Join the conversation about this story »

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

If you head out to see Tom Cruise’s new movie “Edge of Tomorrow” this weekend, you’ll probably have a good time until the end.

It’s not that it’s all out terrible, but it is kind of confusing.

(If you’ve read the graphic novella the film is based on, “All You Need is Kill,” you may have a difference in opinion.)

Last chance to head back before major spoilers.

As you’ve probably seen in trailers, the movie follows Cruise’s character Major William Cage as he relives the same day over and over again trying to figure out how to defeat an alien race called the Mimic.

The movie avoids getting caught up in the usual monotone drone of its own déjà vu, moving the plot along to feel fresh. It’s particularly fun watching Cruise get beat up again and again until he masters the suit used by military to take on the Mimics. 

The movie hits nearly every beat until the final stretch.

At the film’s end, Cage risks his life to kill an alien species at the Louvre while dying in the process.

However, his blood mixes with that of a specific alpha alien’s blood. Earlier in the film, it’s explained this is what causes a person to relive days over and over again.

Afterward, Cage wakes up a few days prior at the movie’s start, except this time, he finds that the future is completely changed. There are no oncoming alien attacks. There’s been an explosion in Paris. 

The movie ends and the viewer is left with a lot of questions:

1. Why did Cage get sent back to the beginning of the film as opposed to any other point in time?
2. Does Cage still have the ability to relive days over and over again?
3. And, most importantly, are the aliens actually dead?

It’s not a great ending.  

Honestly, the film could have (and probably should have) ended a few minutes earlier with Cage dying, mixing his blood with that of aliens, and fading to black to let the viewer wonder what happened next.

Reviews have pointed out it was the weakest part of the film:

The Hollywood Reporter: 

“Unfortunately, the final stretch becomes dramatically unconvincing and visually murky, … where a seriously underwhelming and downright odd final reckoning takes place.”

IGN:

"Lazy, obvious plotting supplants innovation and ingenuity as the end nears, making for a film that comes close to greatness, but sadly falls short at the final hurdle."

Paste:

"Eventually our hero has to reach the final level of this feature-length video game and complete his mission, and that’s where Edge of Tomorrow disappointingly succumbs to the routine territory of third act showdowns in post-apocalyptic sci-fi. You know the drill: nest invasion, bomb drop, heroic sacrifice, last-minute twist."

If you weren’t impressed with the movie’s end either, there’s a simple explanation for why it paled in comparison to the rest of the film.

Screenwriters couldn’t get it right to make Warner Bros. happy.

The script for “Edge of Tomorrow” was reworked so many times that when the movie started filming the ending to the movie still wasn’t sorted out.

According to the L.A. Times, two-thirds of the original script was tossed out six months before filming began. 

"A mere eight weeks before physical production began on 'Edge of Tomorrow,' with screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie taking over from 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' scribe Simon Kinberg, who had in turn taken over from sibling writers Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, the film was still without a final act that [Doug] Liman [the director] found satisfactory."

When "Edge of Tomorrow" finally began filming, it was without a finished script that the L.A. Times says resulted in "a testy exchange" between the director, Cruise, and Blunt.

The current end to the film bears little resemblance to the novella which sees Cruise's character live while Blunt's dies in a sacrifice for his life.

SEE ALSO: It took over 4 months to build the elaborate battle suits worn in "Edge of Tomorrow"

AND: "Edge of Tomorrow" is doomed at the box office

Join the conversation about this story »

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the ghoulish comedy classic, "Ghostbusters," which has earned over $291 million worldwide since its 1984 release.

In celebration of the film starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Sigourney Weaver, designer Mike Seiders put together an awesome infographic that goes over the movie's making, history, and impact.

Everything from how John Belushi and Eddie Murphy were originally supposed to star in the film to the cost of the Stay Puft Marshmallow suits (three suits at $20,000 each), are included in the infographic — so enjoy it below.

Just make sure you don't cross the streams.

SEE ALSO: Harold Ramis' Character In 'Ghostbusters' Would Probably Be A Tech Billionaire Today

Join the conversation about this story »