"Transformers: Age of Extinction" is aiming to be one of the most staggering special effect films of the entire summer.

One of the most challenging aspects for the cast is acting alongside giant Transformer robots that are computer generated (and painstakingly so).

Business Insider recently caught up with Mark Wahlberg's stunt double on the film, Dan Mast, who told us when it came to interacting with the Transformers on set, the cast wasn't taking on a giant shape-shifting robot but rather just staring at a really big stick, sometimes with the face of a Transformer atop it.

"Anytime there was a robot that I was interacting with, we would have a giant pole so we could see the eye-line," said Mast.

When one of the robots would "attack him," there were actual explosive charges set around where he would have to dodge the transformer.

However, the stunt man didn't have much interaction with the Transformers.

"For the most part, a lot of the robot interactions is robot on robot," Mast said. "There weren't too many robot-human interactions."

Mast, who usually does more practical stunt work in films like "Divergent," said it's a big change doing that sort of digital stunt work in the film.

"There's a big difference," Mast told us. "If we're doing anything on the green screen we're able to fake a lot of things, we're able to fake a lot of the impact, but if we're on an actual set and I have to go through a real window it becomes much more difficult." 

Mast said other than the addition of the Transformers, little digital effects were used in the movie. 

"There wasn't a whole lot of green screen on this particular film," said Mast. "A lot of the sets, they were really built and they were really there. It's not like doing [the special effects heavy] '300' or something like that. Everything was very real, and that was one of the cool things working with Bay."

For Mast, the biggest difference between practical and digital stunt work is really a matter of emotion.

"[Practical stunt work] is physically more demanding, but the reactions are more real," Mast said. "It's a little bit harder on the body but we get over that and in the long run when you watch the film... it pays off."

"Personally," he added, "I prefer the real thing."

SEE ALSO: Mark Wahlberg's Stunt Double Explains What It Takes To Work On 'Transformers'

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"Transformers: Age of Extinction" could very well do something no other film has managed to do yet this year — make $100 million at the box office opening weekend.

Not any of the other big Hollywood blockbusters have hit the mark, though a few have come close:

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier": $95 million
"Godzilla": $93.2 million
"The Amazing Spider-Man 2": $91.6 million

Last year, "Iron Man 3" cleared the $100 million mark the first weekend of May. In 2012, "The Hunger Games" passed $150 million opening weekend in March.

What's going on?

Right now, the box office is about 11% behind last year's gross. Sure, "X-Men: Days of Future Past" has performed well, crossing the $200 million mark domestically, but there just haven't been a lot of big films released everyone has wanted to rush out and see. There is no "Avengers," or DC Batman film and Katniss Everdeen of "The Hunger Games" won't return to theaters until November.

That could change with "Transformers: Age of Extinction."

So far, the fourth installment has made $8.7 million in midnight showings. Fandango told us the film represented 96% of the ticket seller's weekend sales.

Boxoffice.com is tracking the Michael bay directed sequel to bring in $99 million this weekend.

Sure, the reviews aren't great. Right now, the sequel is sitting at a sour 17% on Rotten Tomatoes; however, none of the Transformers films have fared well with critics. The original 2007 "Transformers" is the best of the bunch and that has a 57% rating.

The numbers are in the sequel's favor though. The previous two installments, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," have made $109 million and $97.9 million respectively opening weekend.

However, this time around Bay is not only introducing an entirely new cast led by Mark Wahlberg — stripping Shia LaBeouf from the franchise — but also a new roster of Transformers characters. The only ones fans will recognize from previous films are lead Autobot Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. Ratchet, from previous installments, is briefly seen.

This film does have the advantage of introducing dinobots, dinosaurs that transform into robots, which have caused a lot of excitement around the film.

SEE ALSO: Here are all the vehicles you'll see in "Transformers: Age of Extinction"

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Five-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams displayed some very un-Hollywood behavior Friday on a flight from Detroit to Los Angeles.

Adams, who was born and raised on military bases, gave up her first class seat for a solider who was sitting in coach.

ESPN personality Jemele Hill witnessed the act of kindness and tweeted about the incident to her 244,000 followers:

Just saw actress Amy Adams do something incredibly classy. She gave her 1st class seat to an American soldier. I'm an even bigger fan now.

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 27, 2014

I don't think he knows she did it RT @cryengine1007: @jemelehill if i was the soldier i would have refused, she is after all a lady.

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 27, 2014

Hill later explained to ABC News: "I noticed Ms. Adams was in first class and as I was getting seated, I saw the flight attendant guide the soldier to Ms. Adams' seat. She was no longer in it, but it was pretty clear that she'd given up her seat for him. I was incredibly impressed, and I'm not even sure if the soldier knew who gave him that seat. I guess he will now!"

Looks like Adams also took time for a selfie with a fan:

Told @InsideEdition why Amy Adams was classy for giving up her 1st class seat to the soldier sitting next to me! :) pic.twitter.com/qAcxif2kvz

— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) June 27, 2014

SEE ALSO: Robert De Niro Crashed A World Cup Party At Someone's House In Brooklyn

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Just because video games are fun doesn't mean they can't mean serious business.

People are willing to pay a hefty price for nostalgia and one-of-a-kind releases, and thanks to retro gaming website RacketBoy, you now see just how much.

From golden Nintendo cartridges to games that let you play as an 8-bit Moses crossing the Red Sea, we've tabulated the rarest and most expensive games of all time.

Spoiler alert: People love rare Atari games.

15. "Elemental Gearbolt" Assassin’s Case (PS1): $1,400-$1,750

"Elemental Gearbolt" is a Japanese sci-fi shooter released for the original Playstation in 1997.

The Assassin's Case was awarded during a 1998 E3 tournament, and only 40 of these limited-edition bundles were produced. The case includes the "Elemental Gearbolt" game and a golden "GunCon" and memory card.

14. "Eli’s Ladder" (Atari 2600): $1,500-$1,700

"Eli's Ladder" is the rarest educational video game in existence.

Players answer simple math questions to move Eli up the ladder and into his spaceship, all so he can fly to the moon. The game even includes a wall chart and motivational stickers, according to RacketBoy.

13. "Karate" (Atari 2600, Ultravision release): $2,500-$4,000

"Karate" for the Atari 2600 was designed by black belt Joseph Amelio. The game was actually released by two publishers, Ultravision and Froggo.

The Ultravision version, released first in 1982, is far more valuable than the Froggo release, though the games are exactly the same.

Disney's video game unit was struggling. It lost $1.4 billion from fiscal year 2008 to 2013. 

So the company decided to take a different approach to gaming. Rather than making standalone games, which are expensive to make and market, Disney followed the "Skylanders" model and launched "Disney Infinity" in August. 

"Infinity" — and "Skylanders" before it — isn't just a video game; it incorporates physical toys from Disney and Pixar films that interact with what's on the screen. And you can even mesh the characters from different movies together.  

Before "Infinity," the hits coming out of Disney Interactive were few and far between. The first "Kingdom Hearts" game, which merged classic Disney characters and storylines from "The Lion King," "Beauty and the Beast," and more, with characters from Square Enix's "Final Fantasy" franchise, became one of the best-selling PlayStation 2 games in the U.S. It was followed by several sequels.

Later came "Epic Mickey," which was a moderate success, selling 1.3 million units in its first few months alone. But the sequel, "Epic Mickey 2," bombed: it only sold 270,000 copies between its debut in November 2012 and the end of 2013.

Disney needed a boost. And it seems "Infinity" was just the thing to do it.

Last month the company reported global revenue of $550 million for Infinity. The company told Reuters that it expects revenues to reach $1 billion. 

"Infinity" was released originally for the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U, and 3DS. It was later released for PCs and there's even an iPad version. 

Gameplay Basics

There are two different modes: Play Set mode and Toy Box mode. In Play Set, you play through the game as different characters from each film, such as Captain Jack Sparrow from "Pirates of the Caribbean." You then go through a specific campaign, based on the film you're playing. 

The game knows which pieces you'd like to play because you place a special disk into the Infinity Base. One or two players can play in this mode. 

You can't mix players from different films in Play Set mode. If you want Lightning McQueen to hang out with Mr. Incredible, however, you play Toy Box mode. 

Toy Box is what's known as an open sandbox, in video game lingo. In this mode, you can build your own world, mix and match players, and basically just roam around and discover new things.

This is also where you interact with stuff you unlocked in Play Set mode, such as vehicles and weapons. This mode also supports online multiplayer, so you can play with people who aren't even physically in the same room as you.

Why It Works

The game is more than just a game; it's also about collecting figurines. As GameSpot's Kevin VanOrd wrote when the game was released, "'Disney Infinity' isn't just a game, but a platform as well — in this case, a platform designed to keep you spending money."

The game boosted Disney's interactive unit to post a $14 million profit, which was its third consecutive quarterly profit. And in 2013, it was one of the 10 best-selling games in the U.S., according to the New York Times.

Every movie that comes out is a potential goldmine.

A starter pack, which includes the game, base, and some figurines, will set you back around $75. Then there are play sets you can buy, which have a couple different characters. Those cost around $30. And individual figurines cost around $15. 

That's not to mention all the accessories, like special "Infinity"-themed game controllers and "base protectors" you can get. 

At the unveiling of "Infinity" in January 2013, Pixar's chief creative officer, John Lasseter, described what draws people to the game, and its future potential:

They call it a toy chest. It has all your toys. You pull out your play sets. You just do whatever you want. To me, I also look at it as a tool chest for creativity that we're giving everybody. What's staggering is not what's happening with it right now, but the potential of what's going to happen in the future. When it gets out there in the hands of kids, and adults, of creative people and just getting off and rearing stuff and creating stories and juxtapositions that we can't even imagine now, that's what's so exciting and I've never seen that before in any game for this level of quality and aesthetic and beauty and fun.

Lasseter even joked that "Infinity" might even be tempting for Disney fans who aren't necessarily video game players.

"I do want you to notice how cool these [figures] are, folks," he said. "Even if you're not into video games, baby, you've gotta have these." 

And this is just the beginning. 

Disney will launch the next version of the game, "Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes," in the fall. This will bring Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and others, as well as Disney originals, like Maleficent from the new live-action movie, and Merida from the film "Brave."

And others want in on the party. Nintendo showed off its entrant in the "toys-to-life" category of gaming, called Amiibo, at this year's E3 conference. Nintendo hopes Amiibo help boost sales of its dying Wii U game console. 

Hey, if it worked for the House of Mickey, then Nintendo bets it can work for the House of Mario, as well.  

SEE ALSO: The man who created the video game in the movie 'Her' is making a game in real life

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Cindy Holland, Netflix's head of original content, recently revealed why the on-demand Internet streaming service responsible for hits like "House of Cards" and "Orange Is The New Black" decided to produce shows with a straight-to-series model, forgoing networks' traditional pilot seasons.

Holland explains to The Hollywood Reporter that the straight-to-series strategy was the result of three key things:

1. "Being necessity because I was a dep­artment of one when we licensed 'House of Cards.'" [Holland now oversees 16 employees.]

2. "Out of wanting to show our commitment to being serious about this business."

3. "When we had the opportunity as outsiders coming into a new business to take a look at what the best practices are at different networks, we were able to try on what works for us and what doesn't. We talked early on about not wanting to develop projects and not wanting to sink money into pilots because even if it's less perfect than you might want it to be, at least you have a full season that you can put in front of your subscribers and there will be people who will enjoy it. I expect that we'll mostly continue that."

Holland explains the only reason Netflix wouldn't continue with a straight-to-series model:

"We've been licensing series from third parties; as we start to get into developing and owning some of our own series, I expect that we'll spend a little bit of money on development. But we, as a group, want to keep a firm mantra of only putting things into the pipeline that we believe we'll actually make. I don't anticipate that we will spend money on pilots; it doesn't seem like an efficient thing for us to do.

It makes complete sense for networks to do it when you're talking about maximizing eyeballs for an hour's worth of time on a given day — there, you need to have a full bench that you can draw from. For us, it's quite a different proposition."

To read the rest of Holland's interview with The Hollywood Reporter, click here >

SEE ALSO: Here's How Involved Netflix Is In The Production Of Its Series'

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When most people think of "next-generation" gaming graphics, they envision crisper textures, added realism, detailed environments, and a sharper resolution.

Resolution plays a huge role in the overall gameplay experience, and it's fast becoming a low-hanging ceiling that effectively limits the "next-generation" Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles.

Here's an example.

"Titanfall," the parkour shooter with large mechs thrown into the mix, is arguably the biggest debut yet for Microsoft's Xbox One. But did you know that when it debuted, there were regular old Xbox 360 games running at a higher 1080p resolution? Keep in mind, the Xbox 360 launched back in 2005 — some eight years before the Xbox One.

"Titanfall" ran at only 792p when it shipped, which is a significant drop compared to the 1080p HD quality most people are accustomed to by now.

In an age where we're beginning to see a push for 4K "Ultra HD" displays, which promise four times the resolution of 1080p HD TVs, it's tough to call anything "next-generation" when it's pumping out games at a lower resolution than the mobile games in people's pockets.

It's not just the Xbox One that's hampered by too little horsepower. While Sony's PlayStation 4 does have beefier hardware, it's still running into similar issues, just less frequently.

One of the biggest games at this year's gaming expo, E3, was the medieval roleplaying game, "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt." The game will be released in 2015, but even a full year and some change after the Xbox One's release, the development team still can't promise 1080p HD graphics.

"We will hit 900p no problem," executive producer John Mamais said in an interview with Cinameblend. "We'd like to get it up to 1080p on Xbox One. That's our goal. Whether we can do it or not I don't know. We've got to squeeze everything we can out of the hardware."

The graphics bottleneck stems from the graphics cards nestled within the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The graphics card inside the PlayStation 4 is more powerful than the graphics card inside the Xbox One, but they're both vastly underpowered when compared to even mid-grade gaming PCs of the last couple of years.

A lot of that has to do with cost; Sony and Microsoft have to ship gaming consoles that people can afford, and people have gotten used to spending around $400 for a gaming console.

But that creates a tradeoff for the PS4 and Xbox One.

It's a bit like a three-legged chair. If you forego one of the three important gaming pillars (resolution, game detail, frame rate), the remaining experience is far from what people have come to expect in next-generation gaming.

Game developers are itching to cram more textures and polygons into their games to up the level of detail, but the more detail involved, the more taxing it is to output the game in a higher resolution.

So if game developers want their games to have higher resolutions and higher levels of details, they often do so at the expense of the game's frame rate, or how smooth it is when you look around the environment. Ever try a game with a lot of choppiness and screen stuttering? That's what a low frame rate looks like. For ideal smoothness, most people say the minimum required frame rate is 60 frames per second (fps).

To combat these limitations, game developers, such as those working on "The Witcher 3" and "Titanfall," have attempted to compromise on all three aspects. They've lowered the resolution on their games, compromised on the level of detail people can see in their game environments, and chosen the below bare-minimum frame rate of only 30fps ("The Witcher 3" team is targeting a PS4 experience of 1080p HD, but with only 30fps).

For many, these are small details an inexperienced eye can often overlook.

But while the PS4 and Xbox One are both selling huge numbers, the hardware's limitations will quickly become more apparent as the level of detail in games outgrows the constraints of the game consoles they're designed for.

Microsoft has attempted to mitigate the graphics bottleneck by freeing up graphics power reserved for its Kinect sensor. The move will certainly help, but Microsoft said it expects the Xbox One to be around for "conservatively 10 years," a lifespan that could begin to feel stale and "standard-definition" within the next two.

Thankfully, game developers do have an ace up their sleeve: optimization.

One of the nice things about selling millions of the same device, all with the same hardware specifications, is that game developers can devote the entirety of their time to tweaking and squeezing every last ounce of horsepower from the machine.

Since developers know for certain that everyone will have the same device, it allows for a more laser-focused optimization process, compared to the wider scope of optimizing for PC users, where everyone has a slightly different build.

Optimization is the only thing allowing game consoles to get away with offering games at such a low resolution and frame rate, but the problem is only going to get worse with age. Chances are, Microsoft and Sony will need to revisit their respective product cycles, perhaps aiming for a new generation of game consoles every 5-7 years instead of 10. Otherwise, the games we'll see might just be more of the same. 

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Let the critics say what they want about "Transformers: Age of Extinction," the movie is a huge hit.

Not only is Michael Bay's fourth installment of "Transformers" the biggest opening of the year so far making an estimated $100 million upon debut; however, it's also the largest premiere ever in China.

The film debuted to a whopping $90 million in the country. 

That shouldn't come as a big surprise. 

The studio heavily catered to the world's second-largest box-office market and it was a huge payoff.

A lot of the movie's filming occurred in China and Paramount Pictures held the film's global premiere in Hong Kong.

The sequel also has a big cameo from one of the country's most popular actresses, Li Bingbing, while Ken Watanabe voiced a samurai transformer. 

Paramount Pictures Vice Chairman Rob Moore told Reuters the Asian audience is critical for the studio.

"Ensuring we have the best movie for Asia and for China is definitely part of the strategy," said Moore.

Previously, the largest American film debut in China was "Iron Man 3," making $64.5 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

With those two large debuts, "Transformers: Age of Extinction" has now made more than $300 million worldwide. The movie cost an estimated $165 million to make. 

At this rate, the film should be well on its way to being the highest-grossing movie of the year until November swings around ushering in the release of "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part I."

Currently, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is the highest-grossing movie of the year with $712.7 million.

SEE ALSO: Here's how much the vehicles in "Transformers: Age of Extinction" cost

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The only thing bigger than the explosions you'll see in "Transformers: Age of Extinction" this weekend, is the array of different Transformers that will appear on screen. 

Before they turn into Transformers, they're just a bunch of really cool, expensive vehicles.

We've broken down how much the cars in the new film cost, ranging from $15,000 to $2.4 million.

Let's start out with the most recognizable vehicle. Here's the estimated $150,000 2015 Western Star 5700.

The 5700 won't hit the market until later this year and the exact pricing is unknown, however its predecessor, the 4900, retails for as much as $150,000 depending on configuration.

It will transform into Autobot leader Optumus Prime.

While Optimus Prime opens the film in the form of a rusted out 1973 Marmon cab-over truck, the autobot leader eventually takes the form of an awesome 2015 Western Star 5700-based semi.

We'll see two iterations of the famous Chevy Camaro on screen. This vintage modified '67 Camaro can run up to $60,000.

Even though the autobot scout originally appeared in Transformers canon as a humble VW Bug, Michael Bay's Bumblebee continues to take the form of Chevy's Camaro.

A well maintained version of a '67 Camaro SS can cost as much $60,000.

The music industry isn't quite dead — it's merely completely unrecognizable from what it once was.

The following chart from music industry analyst Mark Mulligan explains: Since 2000, overall global music revenues have declined just 3%, not exactly a cataclysm.

But actual recorded music now comprises just 36% of the industry's revenue stream:

So what has taken its place? Tours — revenue growth in which has grown 60% since 2000. Unfortunately for artists, industry heads have adjusted deal terms so that, since 2000, they've take an ever-increasing share of the live pie. Artist income has been declining for five consecutive years, Mulligan says.

And this shift is still not complete. "Expect every traditional element of the industry to be challenged to its core, expect dots to be joined and old models to be broken," Mulligan writes. "But be in no doubt that what we will end up with will be an industry set up for success in the digital era."

Read his full commentary here »

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"The LEGO Movie" has been one of the highest-grossing movies of the year.

The surprise hit from directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord has taken in $467 million worldwide.

The animated picture came out on DVD and Blu-Ray last week. First, if you haven't seen the movie, you should check it out. If you have seen it, you've probably missed a lot of references or cameos by actors.

We watched the DVD commentary for the film over the weekend where the directors revealed a lot of Easter Eggs you may not have noticed the first time around.

Here are the ones they mentioned along with a few we've picked up on while watching.

Let's start with an easy one.

1. President Business' horns are made out of coffee cups.

His entire wardrobe is a play off of his business persona. His cape is a tie.

2.Spot the non-Lego

You can see a ruler stand in for a bridge in the opening scene.

3. The card in the beginning is a hint at the movie's twist later on.

Early in the film there's a title card that reads, "8½ Years Later." That's the age of Finn, the boy we see later in the movie.

4. Emmet's soap suds are Lego pieces.

The bubbles in the early shower scene are ice cream scoops.

5. Look closely at the posters in Emmet's house.

They're nods to Lord and Miller's previous movie, "21 Jump Street." The directors mention "Macho and the Nerd" is actually the Russian title for the film starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill.

6. Octan, the company run by Lord Business in the film, is the fictional gas company from Lego.

7. Batman's license plate reads "BAT2DBONE."

Keep your eyes focused on the back of Batman's ride right before he flies into the sun and you may be able to make out his clever license plate. 

8. There's a pig that explodes into a pile of sausages.

9. Vitruvius' staff is a lollipop stick.

10. A Ninjago ninja makes an appearance in the film. 

The Lego property is getting its own movie will be released next year.

11. There are a lot of celebrity cameos.

Shaquille O'Neal actually voices the Shaq Lego.

The stars of "21 Jump Street," Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill voice Superman and Green Lantern, respectively. Directors Lord and Miller said they told Hill to be as annoying as possible to Superman's character.
Dave Franco, who also appeared in "21 Jump Street," and Jack Johnson play construction workers.

Cobie Smulders voices Wonder Woman.

Actual "Star Wars" castmembers Anthony Daniels and Billy Dee Williams reprise their roles as C-3PO and Lando Calrissian. Keith Ferguson voiced Han Solo.

12. Real brick films made by fans are displayed on monitors near the end of the movie.

The videos, from a fan competition to appear in the movie, can be seen on the DVD and Blu-Ray.

13. Director Chris Miller made some of the drawings seen in the movie.

14. There are Lego versions of Phil Lord and Chris Miller in the end scene of the film. 

We didn't spot them, but the directors said they were put in there unknowingly by animators.

15. You can spot a Catwoman helmet and an Oscar in the end credits.

Both are nods to animation co-director Chris McKay who has been nominated for Primetime Emmys and loves the Batman character.

SEE ALSO: The 30 most expensive movies ever made

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Sunday night, when Matthew McConaughey accepted the award for Best Actor in a Drama Series at the Critics' Choice Awards for his role in "True Dectective," he addressed a question he — and probably many other big actors — get asked all the time: "Why did you make the move from film to TV?"

McConaughey said it was an easy answer. 

"Quality. Not only quality that specifically came out of ‘True Detective’ which was quality of the highest, but I’m talking about quality of television today," said McConaughey. "Television is raising the bar on the character-driven drama series. It just is."

"What other medium do you get to have that as actors and writers — that tasty act one which is all that character development that we love?" he continued. "You don’t get that anywhere else. Where else do you get to see that introduction to character so patiently unfold on the screen? ... Plus, you’ve got the weekly episodes. You’ve got the Monday-morning watercooler talk. You’ve got the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, whatever those days are, anticipation of seeing the next episode and I can’t wait to see it. That’s what television has given us as artists and that’s also what television has given us as audiences. I’d say thank you to that."

McConaughey joins a long list of actors who have boarded a television series in the past few years whether in a miniseries or a network series. Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton were a part of History's record-breaking 2012 miniseries, "Hatfields & McCoys," Ashton Kutcher boarded CBS' "Two and a Half Men," and Claire Danes leads Showtime's "Homeland." 

This summer, Halle Berry will appear as an astronaut on CBS' "Extant."

Watch McConaughey's speech below:

SEE ALSO: Why Sony Keeps Making Adam Sandler Movies

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Call for nominations!

Behind every executive is an assistant who makes stuff happen.

We're not talking about low-on-the-totem-pole employees who get coffee and dig up unpublished "Harry Potter" manuscripts for their bosses.

For our list of Most Powerful Executive Assistants In America, we want to acknowledge the behind-the-scenes operators who carry decision-making power at their companies, and make an impact in the lives of their employers, co-workers, and clients. We're looking to include assistants in all industries, from finance to tech to entertainment.

Nominate a powerful executive assistant by sending an email to lists@businessinsider.com, including the executive assistant's name, email address, a brief description of their role and impressive feats, and any relevant website links.

To be eligible, candidates must work in the United States.

We'll be accepting nominations through Friday, July 4.

Thanks!

SEE ALSO: 11 Assistants Who Run Hollywood

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Chris Rock opened Sunday’s BET Awards with an 8-minute monologue mocking everyone from Donald Sterling to Jay Z.

After calling the BET Awards "The Black World Cup," Rock said, "Tonight you're going to see something you never see — "black artists getting credit for something they created."

Rock then recapped some of the year's biggest entertainment stories:

1. Solange v. Jay Z:

“Solange hit the right rapper. Jay's a businessman now, he can't just go punching girls in the face — he's got a meeting with Nabisco in the morning. She hit 'Blueprint 3' Jay Z, because if she hit 'Reasonable Doubt' Jay Z, that elevator would have been filled with lipstick, blood, and weave."

2. De. Dre's $3 billion deal to sell Beats Electronics to Apple:

"Dr. Dre got $3 billion. The man who made 'The Chronic' made $3 billion! The man who started NWA got $3 billion! It looks like the west coast won, sorry Puff."

3. Hit TV show "Scandal":

“A lot of people think ‘Scandal’ is a hit because of Kerry Washington — and she's great in it — but the real reason that ‘Scandal's’ a hit is because every Thursday at 10 o'clock there's a white president. Like for one hour, everything is back to normal.”

4. Oprah in the Oscar-nominated movie "The Butler":

"Oprah Winfrey should have gotten an Oscar for that role because she had to act like she was poor. There was one scene where she was stirring a pot of food for her man. You know they had to get specialists in to help her with that — had to show her what a spatula was — she thought it was a money flipper!"

5. Donald Sterling:

 “Now let me get this straight: an 83-year-old white man doesn't like black people. Is that news? First of all, a black man couldn't look him in the eye until he was 45. The first black person he even met he got for Christmas.

... Don't make me defend Donald Sterling, [but] what exactly did he say? ‘I don't want my woman around black basketball players.’ Me neither! Are you kidding me? Who the hell wants their woman around black basketball players?”

Watch the full monologue below:

SEE ALSO: Nicki Minaj Talks About Her Own Near-Death Experience At BET Awards After Fatal Party Shooting

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"Transformers: Age of Extinction" had a huge opening weekend, becoming the first film this year to have a $100 million debut.

While it's fun to look at, the movie is an exercise in excess: too many plots, too many new Transformers to learn (unless you're a diehard fan), and too many characters (Kelsey Grammer is part of a giant CIA unit that joins forces with the Decepticons).

Considering how female roles in film have drastically changed since the first film's release in 2007, possibly the most annoying thing in the continuing franchise is director Michael Bay's constant objectification of young women on screen.

It started in "Transformers" with Megan Fox and carries on through the current "Age of Extinction" release with actress Nicola Peltz.

Here's probably what you remember of Fox from the first film in the series:

She was replaced by Victoria Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in the third film as the new pretty woman in revealing clothing.

In the latest sequel, we're introduced to Tessa Yaegar (Peltz), a daddy’s girl with dreams of going to college, who is banned from dating but has a secret older boyfriend, and who loves to party with her girls. (There’s actually an opening scene where she drops a line to friends about high school ending soon: “Yeah girls, almost time to get wasted!” We never see those characters again.) 

It’s the most clichéd role in the entire film and one of the worst characterizations of a female in recent movies.  

Similar to the Rosie Huntington scene above, the first time we’re introduced to Peltz, we see her legs walking down a long driveway. The camera slowly pans its way up her body until her face is finally revealed. 

In case the audience doesn’t get it from her blonde hair and short shorts, her dad Cade (Mark Wahlberg) almost immediately (and throughout the film) makes a comment about the length of her shorts asking her to change (spoiler: she doesn’t). His friend Lucas Flannery (T.J. Miller) also chimes in about Tessa’s sex appeal.

There’s nothing wrong with showing a beautiful girl in a movie and highlighting her body, but can't these women be portrayed in a non-stereotypical light? Fox’s character was at least knowledgeable about car mechanics in the first film. In "Age of Extinction," we don’t see much emphasis on creating a strong female character for Tessa.

For most of the movie her character is yelling out, screaming for Daddy Wahlberg to save her from danger. (She actually uses the word Daddy.)

Many of her scenes look like this:

At one point when Tessa’s screaming, she can’t figure out how to escape from a non-moving vehicle she just jumped inside when she could have just opened the door. 

Wahlberg’s character tells her to shatter the window glass but she continues sobbing and whimpering waiting for someone to save her instead. It's kind of pathetic to watch, at least for any female in the audience. 

We've seen these same damsel-in-distress scenes in previous movies with Fox and Huntington-Whiteley.

This is exactly what females on screen have been trying to work against for years.

It’s why “Avengers” director Joss Whedon introduced audiences to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" to fight against the “blonde bimbo” stereotype. 

Weak feminine characters were a staple of action movies in the '90s and early 2000s (Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson in "Spider-Man" comes to mind).

With so many strong female heroines in movies today — “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent” — it’s annoying to see Tessa act like a helpless, whining teenager in 2014.

The only saving grace in this film are the two other female actresses, Sophia Myles who plays a geologist assistant and Li Bingbing as a Chinese factory owner. But there isn’t enough of them. 

At one point in the film, Wahlberg says Tessa wouldn’t last on her own without him. She says it’s the other way around, but the next two hours prove she’s anything but right. Why can't we have a strong, sexy female lead in a "Transformers" film?

Sure, sex sells, but so does a realistic badass female character.  

Look no further than “The Hunger Games” and “Frozen.”

SEE ALSO: Here are all the vehicles you'll see turn into robots in the "Transformers" sequel

AND: "Age Of Extinction" was the most difficult "Transformers" movie to make

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Erykah Badu awkwardly interrupted a local Pix11 newscast in New York on Saturday.

As reporter Mario Diaz was doing a live shot discussing Shia LaBeouf's latest legal issues, Badu walked up and tried to kiss him.

Diaz pushed the singer away while telling viewers he "couldn't avoid a fan just now," without realizing who the intruder was.

Badu later tweeted an apology to Diaz:

@MarioPIX11 sorry Mario. :-)))))

— ErykahBadoula (@fatbellybella) June 28, 2014

But clearly the reporter wasn't offended, tweeting back with the Prince lyrics:

@fatbellybella I get it because... "Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with I just want your extra time and your..... kiss"

— Mario Diaz (@MarioPIX11) June 28, 2014

@fatbellybella#Btw my wife and 2-year-old were 20 yards away when it happened... She saw the roll up, you putting on hat & everything.

— Mario Diaz (@MarioPIX11) June 28, 2014

After Diaz promised "Next time I won't do the NYC push back," the two began joking about the incident:

What street u gone be on today ? :-) “@MarioPIX11: Just another Monday right @fatbellybella ?”

— ErykahBadoula (@fatbellybella) June 30, 2014

Watch it all go down live on Saturday's newscast:

Badu had a busy weekend. After crashing the newscast and performing with Dave Chappelle at Radio City Music Hall, she performed Saturday at a block party in Brooklyn to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing."

SEE ALSO: Shia LaBeouf Arrested, Escorted Out Of Broadway's 'Cabaret' In Handcuffs

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A lot of fan photos and videos of the "Batman V Superman" set have been hitting the web since filming began in Michigan recently.

Now, we have a clear look at Henry Cavill dressed as his Superman alter ego, Clark Kent. 

Comingsoon.net caught sight of this first.

The photo comes from The Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund, an organization which helps raise money for injured marines and their families.  

Cavill is seen holding up a shirt for the foundation. The actor recently helped launch the Royal Marines 1664 Challenge in which commander units are participating in a five-phase challenge consisting of skiing, sailing, cycling, kayaking, and running that covers the span of 1034 miles. 

You can read more about the challenge here.

A treat for a Monday morning for all our #HenryCavill fans. Henry is a great supporter of the @RM1664Challenge! http://t.co/q4HcEqw0Mr

— RMCTF (@RMCTF) June 30, 2014

SEE ALSO: 'Game of Thrones' actor will reportedly play Aquaman in the "Batman V Superman" movie

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Supermodel Heidi Klum is selling her incredible 12,300-square-foot Brentwood estate for $25 million.

According to Trulia, Klum hired a team that spent 6 months restoring the 8-bedroom, 10-bathroom home, which was originally built in 1999 and left empty for some time. The team replaced every window, re-stained the home's woodwork, upgraded all appliances, expanded the garden, and built a master bath.

Now, the oceanview home is more luxurious than ever. Set on 8.5 acres, the estate includes features such as an infinity-edge pool, a spa, a rose garden, hiking trails, and a koi pond.

Lynn Teschner of The Agency, Beverly Hills, is the listing agent for this property.

Heidi Klum's 12,300-square-foot property has 8 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms.

It sits on 8.5 acres of land, which includes flat lawns, gardens, and hiking trails.

The home's foyer is simple yet elegant.

Netflix totally took the cake for best float at NYC's Pride March over the weekend, thanks to a little help from the Litchfield Correctional Facility.

Fans went berserk when Netflix's float turned the corner at 36th Street and Fifth Avenue on Sunday, revealing the cast of "Orange Is the New Black."

Danielle Brooks (Taystee), Samira Wiley (Poussey), Yael Stone (Morello), Matt McGorry (Officer Bennett), Dascha Polanco (Daya), and Barbara Rosenblat (Rosa) danced, took selfies, and waved to crowds during the entire two-mile parade route.

The float was decorated to look like the inside of a prison, with concrete walls and orange canvas laundry bins.

Fake correction officers wearing Netflix logos escorted the float down Fifth Avenue.

Danielle Brooks, who plays fan-favorite Taystee, made goofy faces at the crowd.

Samira Wiley, whose character Poussey came into the spotlight in Season 2, stood beside her TV BFF at the front of the float.

Matt McGorry (Officer Bennett) danced with his TV baby mamma, Dascha Polanco (Daya).

Earlier in the parade, crowds went crazy for Laverne Cox: Litchfield's resident glamour queen, Sophia Burset. Cox is the first transgender woman of color to have a starring role in a scripted TV show, and served as Grand Marshal of the parade.

Meanwhile on the West Coast, Lea DeLaria (or, Big Boo) marched at the 44th annual San Francisco Pride Celebration & Parade.

In short, well played, Netflix.

SEE ALSO: Big, Beautiful Photos Prove That No City Does Gay Pride Quite Like New York

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