Amy Bonomi, a public health researcher and the chair of the human development and family studies department at Michigan State University, has taken several people to see the movie "Fifty Shades of Grey" — but she doesn't exactly recommend it.

"It's horrible," she says. Bonomi's biggest problem with the movie is not that it is overwrought or poorly written, but that it popularizes a dangerous relationship, misrepresenting abuse as consensual bondage play or kink.

The women Bonomi has brought to the movie, she says, are taking part in a series of focus groups that will help her assess how young women perceive the relationship between Christian and Anastasia, the movie's central characters.

This ongoing research builds on two studies by Bonomi that focused on the "Fifty Shades of Grey" book.

Bonomi's first study, published in 2013, used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's definitions of emotional abuse and sexual violence to conclude that "emotional abuse is present in nearly every interaction" between Christian and Anastasia and that "sexual violence is pervasive." The second, published in 2014, found that women who read "Fifty Shades of Grey" were more likely than those who didn't to have had an abusive partner and to have engaged in risky health behaviors like binge drinking and disordered eating (though certainly the research did not imply that the book caused these effects).

We talked to Bonomi about what piqued her interest in "Fifty Shades of Grey" and what she had learned so far. (Warning: Possible spoilers ahead.)

BUSINESS INSIDER: How did you decide to study "Fifty Shades"?

AMY BONOMI, PH.D.: I was teaching a graduate class on relationship violence, and as we were studying theories of what domestic violence is and what causes it in relationships, my grad students kept saying: "This is a lot like what we're reading in 'Fifty Shades.'" So I said OK, well let's take the second half of the semester to apply the readings to the books. We started by analyzing the first book using the national definitions of domestic violence.

BI: What struck you on your first read-through of the book?

AB: Every interaction involves abuse. Christian stalks Anastasia, intimidates her verbally, and socially isolates her. That's the name of the game in abusive relationships: isolating someone from family and friends.

She tells him she feels demeaned, debased, and abused, and he says, "Well, you need to embrace those feelings and deal with them the way a real submissive would." He minimizes her concerns. And he uses alcohol and sexual violence to impair Anastasia's consent — he begins a lot of sexual interactions when he is genuinely angry with her. Those are two big red flags.

BI: What do you suspect is going on with the association you found between women who read "Fifty Shades" and risky behaviors/abusive partners?

AB: A lot of studies have looked at the association between violent television and the use of aggression, so this was following the same lines. We're not claiming that "Fifty Shades"causes these behaviors. But the problematic abuse message in "Fifty Shades" creates an underlying context that normalizes abuse.

For young women today, if we think about the messaging we're given in television and music videos — Rihanna and Eminem's "Love The Way You Lie" also normalized abuse — it can make it challenging for someone at risk for abuse or experiencing it to recognize it when it's occurring.

BI: Some people argue that "Fifty Shades" is just fantasy.

AB: People have been making that argument about porn for a long time, but the empiricalstudies show that those who are interacting with porn are much more likely to hold attitudes that support violence against women and more likely to be violent against women in their own relationships.

There is an association that we really need to be paying attention to in society. If it is fantasy, then we need to be working with young people to look at those visions of fantasy with a critical eye.

BI: How do you respond to the argument that "Fifty Shades of Grey" is just showing a healthy BDSM relationship?

AB: "Fifty Shades" is very different from what a traditional BDSM relationship is. First off, in traditional BDSM relationships, both parties are consenting to the activity, and any use of alcohol or drugs is seen to negate consent. Second, both parties mutually agree upon what the activities will be before engaging in them.

In "Fifty Shades," both of those concepts are violated. Alcohol is used to violate Anastasia's consent, and Christian pressures Anastasia into participating in activities that she's uncomfortable with.

BI: Did you notice any important differences between the movie and the book?

AB: One thing that's very different about the film is that more elements of romance are woven in. There's a scene where Christian takes Anastasia and says "let's go for a walk in the park," and it's a tender moment that's not in the book. There's also a scene where they're dancing in his condo — a lot of people see that as a romantic scene.

BI: Does that added romance change any of your core criticisms about "Fifty Shades"?

AB: Not at all. Shame on Hollywood for romanticizing a highly problematic abusive relationship. But of course that's what Hollywood does.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

SEE ALSO: The top 10 things people fantasize about

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NOW WATCH: Forget 'Fifty Shades' — the 'Magic Mike XXL' trailer is out and it's intense

"Fifty Shades of Grey" may have dominated the box office this weekend, but it wasn't exactly easy adapting E.L. James' best-selling novel for the big screen.

While Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan ended up playing Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, respectively, finding the right chemistry between two actors with available schedules proved fairly difficult.

Initially, "Sons of Anarchy" actor Charlie Hunnam was cast as Christian Grey, but many fans of the book didn't approve of the choice.

A petition to recast the movie garnered 20,000 signatures on Change.org, and because of scheduling conflicts and reported clashes between Hunnam and Universal Pictures, Hunnam eventually dropped out of the project.

Just 11 days later, "Once Upon A Time" actor Jamie Dornan was cast in the role.

Amid all of the casting back-and-forth, the film's producer Dana Brunetti tweeted somewhat of an explanation:

There is a lot that goes into casting that isn't just looks. Talent, availability, their desire to do it, chemistry with other actor, etc … So if your favorite wasn't cast, then it is most likely due to something on that list. Keep that in mind while hating and keep perspective.

Brunetti was apparently hinting at the handful of actors who actually turned down the leading roles.

While "50 Shades" author E.L. James has said actor Ryan Gosling was the original prototype for Christian Grey, he doesn't do sequels.

"50 Shades" is a guaranteed trilogy.

Before Hunnam got the gig, Garrett Hedlund reportedly turned it down.

"Hedlund was heavily courted by Universal, but the 'Tron: Legacy' star passed in July because he couldn't connect with the character," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Backing for "White Collar" actor Matt Bomer was so strong that a petition started by fans to cast him garnered almost 100,000 signatures.

Other actors in the mix included "Magic Mike" star Alex Pettyfer, who auditioned for the role; "Gossip Girl" actor Chace Crawford, who publicly said he would "love the challenge" of the role; Alexander Skarsgård, who said on "Access Hollywood" he was "born to play" Christian Grey; and Ian Somerhalder, "The Vampire Diaries" star, told Ryan Seacrest that being cast "would be an incredible thing. Hopefully that could pan out."

Fans had their own casting ideas, pushing for Somerhalder as Christian Grey and Alexis Bledel to play Anastasia Steele, in a fan-created mashup trailer that received over a million views.

The role of Anastasia Steele was also a tricky one to cast.

According to Newsweek: "'Pretty Little Liars' star Lucy Hale auditioned, as did 'The Carrie Diaries'' Chloe Bridges, but neither was quite prepared to tackle the subject matter. Hale said the audition made her 'uncomfortable.'"

Bridges, meanwhile, told Cosmopolitan the role was too risqué.

"The scene was, like, the girl telling her friends about some sexcapade she had," Bridges said. "But it goes into extreme detail and uses the word 'sperm' a couple times. I was like, 'I don’t know, guys, I have to go home to my grandparents' house in a few months at Christmas; I don't know if I can do this.'"

Despite early rumors that Emma Watson was being considered, the "Harry Potter" actress tweeted:

And so, the role went to Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson's 25-year-old daughter, Dakota Johnson, who had previously appeared only in minor but memorable roles in "21 Jump Street" and "The Social Network."

Whether "Fifty Shades" fans agreed with the Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan casting or not, the duo pulled in a record-breaking $266 million worldwide over Presidents Day weekend.

SEE ALSO: MEET DAKOTA JOHNSON, the 25-year-old Hollywood royalty at the center of the 'Fifty Shades' phenomenon

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NOW WATCH: 14 things you didn't know your iPhone headphones could do

A new "Jurassic Park" sequel is coming to theaters this June.

"Jurassic World" will return to Isla Nublar 22 years after the original 1993 film. Starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, the island is now home to a dinosaur theme park that's open to the public.

Attendance isn't booming, and to attract some new visitors, scientists at the park begin engineering some hybrid dinos. 

While we've seen a few trailers for the new film tease a few of the new dinosaurs, we haven't had a good look at them until now.

President's Day Weekend, we headed over to Hasbro's Toy Fair in Times Square to check out the new lineup of "Jurassic World" toys coming out later this year.

We were pretty blown away by the reveal of two of the big dinosaurs that will be in the film. 

Check them out below.

Indominus Rex

This is the big one right here. This female dinosaur is the giant, mysterious hybrid dinosaur that has been teased in every trailer.

Here are a few looks at her.

Here she is in action, roaring. The Indominus Rex also has color-changing skin, which you can see in the video below. 

One more shot for fun of her in the park.

The following four dinosaurs are part of the Basic Figure Assortment and will be on sale for $9.99 each this spring. They're recommended for ages 4+. 

Allosaurus 

Anklosaurus

Here he is in the box.

Pachycephalosaurus

Spinosaurus

This next group of dinos lights up and makes sounds. They'll be out in the spring. Each one retails for $14.99. They're also recommended for ages 4 and up.

Dilophosaurus

The flap on this dinosaur flips back and forth and he'll be able to spit a dart out of his mouth. 

Dimorphodon 

Ceratosaurus

This guy looks pretty intense.

You'll also be able to get your hands on a blue Velociraptor.

Along with that velociraptor, the film will feature three raptors by the names of Charlie, Delta, and Echo.

Here's Charlie.

We had some hands on time with the trio last month.

Here's Delta and Echo.

If they look familiar, it's because you may recognize these guys as Chris Pratt's buddies in the trailer.

Remember the giant shark-eating lizard from the "Jurassic World" trailer?

You'll be able to buy him, too.

The Mosasaurus will come with a scuba diver.

You'll also be able to get your hands on one of the Pterodactyls seen in the film.

The biggest toy reveal was the presence of a giant Tyrannosaurus Rex.

We haven't seen a T. rex hinted at yet in any of the trailers, and that may be why the following toy may not be released until fall 2015 unlike most of the other toys which will be released in the spring.

The cool thing about this toy is that when you stomp his feet on the ground, he makes sounds. 

When you flip his tail down, the rest of his body drops down and he lets out a roar. When you flip his tail back up, he roars again.

The T. rex will also get his own battle arena playset that will be available in fall 2015.

Inside, kids will get a smaller version of the T. rex. The set above is a giant call back to the original 1993 film.

SEE ALSO: The visual effects in the new "Jurassic World" ad look vastly different from the first trailer

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NOW WATCH: Here's the awesome 'Jurassic World' trailer that aired during the Super Bowl

I just got back from watching "Fifty Shades of Grey"— the movie based on the hugely popular erotic novel about the BDSM relationship between 27-year-old Seattle billionaire Christian Grey and his college-student partner, Anastasia Steele. 

And I'm really bothered by a glaring tech error in the film.

There's a scene in which Steele is in Georgia visiting her mom and stepdad. One night she begins texting Grey from her flip phone.  

It appears that Grey is texting Steele from an iPhone 5S. The scene shows Grey's texts to Steele in a blue bubble. But this is so wrong.

The texts should appear in a green bubble because Steele is a non-iPhone user. The texts would appear in a blue bubble only if both participants were using iMessage, which is not the case because Steele has a cheap flip phone. 

Also, the fact that Steele uses a flip phone is just ridiculous. In the movie, Grey bought her a new car to replace her old-school Volkswagen Beetle. He also gave her a MacBook to do "research" on BDSM. You would think that he would also update her phone situation. 

We're not alone in being taken aback by the flip phone. People were going nuts about it on Twitter: 

SEE ALSO: MEET DAKOTA JOHNSON, the 25-year-old Hollywood royalty at the center of the 'Fifty Shades' phenomenon

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NOW WATCH: Learn what all the fuss is about — here's the regular guy's guide to 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

As "Parks and Recreation" fans mourn the end of an era, it seems the cast may be struggling most of all in coming to terms with the final episodes.

The show's Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Adam Scott, Chris Pratt, Aziz Ansari, and Jim O'Heir (yes, even Jerry) are as close in real life as the fictional government employees they play.

Last year, both Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman published memoirs — "Yes Please" and "Paddle Your Own Canoe," respectively — in which the stars recounted their favorite and most emotional memories from behind the scenes of the show.

Here are nine of our favorite stories from the set of "Parks and Recreation":

1. Before landing their roles as Ron Swanson and Ben Wyatt, respectively, Nick Offerman and Adam Scott both audioned for the part of Ann's love interest, named Josh.

When Nick Offerman arrived for his audition, reading lines opposite Rashida Jones, he knew he was screwed. "I thought, 'Oh great. Me and Adam Scott up for the guy who gets to kiss Rashida,'" Offerman jokes. "'He's devilishly handsome and charming and funny. ... Even I — even my mom — would cast him over me.'"

2. The crew always left time for "fun runs," or improvised last takes that rarely made it on air.

After the last take, the actors tried out all the brilliant lines they had been thinking about for the whole scene. "Ninety-nine percent of the time these scenes were longer and less funny than what was written," Amy Poehler says. "But it made the actors feel funny. It kept the crew laughing and on their toes."

3. Amy Poehler's kids gave Aziz Ansari the nickname "turkey sandwich."

"I think it's because he was eating a turkey sandwich once?" Amy Poehler says. "Either way they think he is hilarious."

The cast also calls Rob Lowe "RoLo."

4. Vice President Joe Biden was a comedy pro.

Season 5 kicked off with Leslie Knope meeting her ultimate crush, Vice President Joe Biden. The cast and crew filmed the scene in Biden's ceremonial office on the White House grounds.

"He was charming and funny and a true pro — he didn't even flinch when Leslie slightly leaned in for a kiss," Amy Poehler says. "That's some old-school improv commitment right there."

5. Each and every cast member made the other laugh endlessly

One of the greatest rewards of the show, Offerman writes, is "watching Amy Poehler and Aubrey Plaza stare each other down like two beautiful gladiators in a battle of mighty comedy wills."

Amy Poehler says one of the hardest times she laughed on set was when Jim O'Heir's character Jerry suffered a "fart attack" in Season 5, Episode 5 "Halloween Surprise." "Jim played it so real," she says.

6. Chris Pratt was not that different from his goofball character, Andy Dwyer.

In Season 5, Episode 10 "Two Parties," the boys of the show went to a freaky aroma bar called Essence, where every cocktail came in some crazy form, like a mist or a lotion. Andy Dwyer ordered a "beer," which the waiter presented  as a sphere of cotton candy.

"Pratt proceeded to sculpt a vagina (very masterfully; he's a talented visual artist with an apparently intimate knowledge of the female genitalia) in his cotton candy," Offerman says. "He then proceeded to subtly display his cotton candy vagina to us ... as we all tried to maintain a straight face because we were on camera performing our scenes."

7. A lot of bacon was consumed on set.

"This acting job has put more bacon in my belly than an entire butcher shop," Offerman says. "It has caused more Lagavulin whiskey to course through my veins than any well-stocked public house."

8. The cast took care of each other on- and off-set.

In her book, Amy Poehler describes how fluid their friendships were. She and Rashida Jones would sit on a fake apartment set, figuring out a problem, and then proceed to divulge about their real lives in their trailers.

When Poehler was going through her divorce to actor Will Arnett and was sad about coming back to LA, Aubrey Plaza surprised her by showing up at the airport dressed as an alien. True friendship.

9. Adam Scott expertly flirted with a very hormonal women.

When Adam Scott eventually landed the role of Leslie Knope's love interest, Ben Wyatt, he arrived on set just as Amy Poehler was pregnant with her second child.

"If you have any doubt as to what a great actor Adam Scott is, go back and watch him join a show and immediately figure out how to flirt with a tired pregnant lady," Poehler says "It's not easy."

She adds, he also "always has fresh breath for kissing scenes and a very dry sense of humor."

SEE ALSO: How a Post-It Note helped the star of "Parks and Recreation" land the role of Ron Swanson

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The creative director position at Gap is currently vacant, after the ailing clothing retailer cut ties with Rebekka Bay. Now there's an unlikely candidate to fill the position: Kanye West.

In an exclusive interview with Style.com, conducted in New York  last week as the rapper launched his Adidas Originals Collection, West revealed that one of his long-held dreams is to become the creative director at Gap.

Or, as he put it: "I'd like to be the Steve Jobs of Gap."

He went on to explain:

"Perhaps this is a bit of a demo tape. When I say Steve Jobs of the Gap, as I talk to the people at the Gap right now [leans into tape recorder], I’m not talking about a capsule. I’m talking about full Hedi Slimane creative control of the Gap is what I would like to do. And I can say this because it doesn’t conflict with my Adidas contract. [laughs]"

This is not the first time Kanye has offered his services to Gap. In 2013 he approached Gap to discuss a collaboration. The discussions broke down early on, he told The New York Times.

“I went to the Gap and I said ’Lemme try to do something’ and I couldn’t get past the politics. And I’m like ’I’m telling you, I got it. I know it. I can do it. Gimme a shot.’ Our first night [on the Yeezus Tour] we sold $83,000 in tour merch. Imagine if you take these thoughts and connect it with a corporation like the Gap.”

Kanye even raps about working for Gap in "Spaceship" on the 2004 "The College Dropout" album. But it doesn't sound like he was a model employee. The (NSFW) lyrics go:

Man, man, man

If my manager insults me again, I will be assaulting him

After I f*** the manager up then I'm gonna shorten the register up

Let's go back, back to the Gap

Look at my check, wasn't no scratch

So if I stole, wasn't my fault

Yeah I stole they never got caught

They take me to the back and pat me

Asking me about some khakis

But let some black people walk in

I bet they show their token blackie

Oh now they love Kanye, let's put him in front of the store

So I quit, y'all welcome

This time around, however, there's every reason for Gap to give Kanye a trial. Gap's January sales fell 9% year on year, following months of sales declines as the company's "Dress Normal" advertising campaign fails to drum up interest from consumers. Perhaps the Kanye factor could inject some much-needed spark.

SEE ALSO: Puma Has Hired Rihanna As Its Creative Director

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The best-selling novel "Fifty Shades of Grey" was written by a woman for women. But what if it were written for men? Would the titillating plot be the same?

Probably not, according to some studies of erotic literature, sexual fantasies, and pornographic consumption.

The reason lies in the fundamental differences found between the kinds of material some men and women consume for pleasure and, ultimately, what each often prefers to think about in their sexual fantasies.

Here's how a male-focused "Fifty Shades" might have been different:

Getting down to business

The story revolves around two main characters, Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, and their relationship that begins with attraction and quickly snowballs into a love affair. But the affair is an unconventional one, driven by Grey's obsession with bondage, dominance, sadism, and masochism — also known as BDSM. 

In the beginning, author Erika Mitchell (who wrote the book under the name E.L. James), takes the time to introduce the characters, establish the sexual attraction and tension between them, and build up readers' anticipation for the climatic moment of sexual release.  But it's not until Chapter 8 that Steele and Grey start to get hot and heavy in the bedroom.

That would be eight chapters too many if the novel had been written for men.

In a paper that probed differences in male and female sexual fantasies, published back in 1990 in the Journal of Sex Research, the authors wrote:

"The most striking feature of male-oriented pornography is that sex is sheer lust and physical gratification, devoid of encumbering relationships, emotional elaboration, complicated plot lines, flirtation, courtship, and extended foreplay."

This harkens back to the nature of what men fantasize about, which includes women (or men) who will never reject them and readily consent to sex at any time, according to another paper that reviews the scientific literature on sexual fantasies and was published in 1995 in the Psychological Bulletin. And the advent of the internet has only accelerated the consumption of porn and the pervasiveness of fantasies further.

As a result, the entire beginning of James's book would be of little interest to a male audience. Grey would never have pursued Steele the way he does in the novel by appearing at her place of work or inviting her to his parents' home. Instead, the two of them would likely have got right down to business in Grey's office, when he meets Steele for the first time.

Tell, don't tease

Getting to the heated parts sooner wouldn't be the only difference. 

Whether it's images in a magazine, scenes in a movie, or words on a page, pornography for men often evokes images of naked bodies, particularly the genitals. The reason for this can be explained by the fact that male brains react differently to explicit sexual images than female brains, according to a study published in 2004 in Nature Neuroscience. 

A team of researchers at Emory University studied neural activity in the brains of 14 men and 14 women as they looked at images of sexual and social interactions for 30 minutes. An emotional center of the brain, called the amygdala, showed notably higher levels of activity in male brains when they saw sexual images than in female's brains. This can help explain why, in numerous studies including one published late last year, men's sexual fantasies are more detailed and visual than women's.

Although James's bedroom scenes take the fantasy one step farther into the realm of BDSM, the writing itself leaves much to the imagination. For example, during one of the oral sex scenes, the only body parts referred to by name are the mouth, tongue, and throat. And the closest James gets to mentioning genitalia by name is the word "popsicle."

While "popsicle" does a good job as an analogous term, if James had been a man writing erotica for a male audience, this scene would have likely involved another "p" word. Moreover, it also might have included more visual imagery and explicit mentions of other body parts.

The more the merrier

It's likely that Steele would not be the only person getting spanked and whipped in a version of "Fifty Shades of Grey" written for men.

In fact, according to a study published last year in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, one of the ten things a sample of 717 men in Canada fantasized about the most was having sex with more than three women at once.

In addition to having sex with multiple partners simultaneously, men also tend to fantasize about different partners more often than women, studies show. So, instead of chasing after Steele the entire time, Grey would have probably been soliciting other women as well as Steele. A BDSM player, of sorts. Who else he might have lured into his "play room" is left to your imagination.

So, while men might wonder why "Fifty Shades of Grey" is such a hit with the ladies, opening the book will probably just satisfy their curiosity — not their fantasies. 

CHECK OUT: The top 10 things people fantasize about

LEARN MORE: The foremost academic expert on 'Fifty Shades of Grey' tells us why the movie is truly horrible

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NOW WATCH: Learn what all the fuss is about — here's the regular guy's guide to 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

If you thought "Fifty Shades Of Grey" was the first film of the year to explore an unconventional sexual relationship, you would be wrong. 

The plot of "The Duke of Burgundy" reads like a more gender-liberal take on "Fifty Shades" — it traces the sadomasochistic relationship between the dominant Cynthia and her submissive Evelyn. It's refreshing to see a film of this ilk starring two women, because most films depicting sexual fantasy tend to go a more traditional route.

Unlike "Shades," which takes nearly an hour to get to the nitty-gritty, "Burgundy" features its characters' extreme tastes right from the start and doesn't let up until the end credits roll. 

The relationship on screen in "Burgundy" parallels that in "Fifty Shades" in only the most basic ways. Both films feature kinky sex, safe words, and one partner questioning the sexual decisions she has made.

In "Fifty Shades," billionaire Christian Grey is all about control — this is his world, and we're just living in it. There's a more methodical yet unexplained air surrounding Cynthia and her sexual deviancy that is explored during the sequences outside of the bedroom. There's a lot bubbling beneath the psychological surface here, which is something I can't say about "Fifty Shades" with a straight face.

"Burgundy's" visual style is its greatest asset, and there's plenty of meaning to be derived from the juxtaposition of images on screen. The "plot" is minimal in that the movie is about their relationship and nothing more, but writer/director Peter Strickland takes this material and runs with it, weaving a thought-provoking, engaging mind game in the process.

The kinks in "Burgundy" are far more bizarre than the blasé whips, belts, and ropes in "Shades." 

Strickland has a unique flair for visuals that somehow renders the abnormal perfectly prim and proper. The audience should be gasping aloud when Evelyn enters a bathroom for a very specific "shower" scene, but it's so artfully shot and tastefully presented that the intimate moment feels completely healthy and normal in context. It's an impressive (and rare) feat for a director to command the space well enough to make an audience enjoy something completely out of their comfort zone.

By comparison, "Fifty Shades" is far more on the nose and lacks any and every subtlety that "Burgundy" employs. The characters speak in stiff, unnatural quips that garnered more chuckles from the audience than genuine intrigue. The audience laughed plenty during "Burgundy," but only when it was appropriate and always "with" it, never "at" it. 

"The Duke Of Burgundy" takes domineering control over the viewer right away, while "Fifty Shades" just flounders, lying limp, submitting to the horrid exchanges found in the book with no intention of elevating it.

"The Duke of Burgundy" is now playing in select cities and available on VOD via cable providers. You can also pre-order the film on iTunes.

Watch the trailer: 

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NOW WATCH: Learn what all the fuss is about — here's the regular guy's guide to 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

Next week's episode of ABC's Emmy-award winning series "Modern Family" is a little unusual: the whole episode takes place on a computer screen, and was shot almost entirely using the iPhone 6 and new iPad Air 2 tablets, according to Steve Levitan, Modern Family's co-creator and executive producer.

The episode, called "Connection Lost," centers around Claire Dunphy, a mother stuck in an airport on her way home from a business trip. She's trying to make up with and find her daughter Haley after a fight.

The entire episode takes place on Claire's MacBook screen, as she uses email, FaceTime, iMessages, and a bunch of other apps to try to find Haley, according to the New York Times.

Apple provided the devices, but didn't pay for product placement, Levitan told Re/code. “We called them and informed them what we were doing,” Levitan said. “They loved the idea. They provided the iPhones for us.”

Levitan said the episode was inspired by his own life. “I have two daughters at college, and we do a lot of FaceTiming," he told the New York Times. "One day I was on my computer, and I had some emails open, and some websites, and then my daughter showed up. But I couldn’t only see her, but I could see me.”

Levitan says he was also inspired by a short film called "Noah," created by two Canadian film students. The 17-minute film takes place on a computer screen as the main character, Noah, goes through a breakup, using iTunes, Facebook, and messaging apps to portray Noah's heartbreak.

Filming with mobile devices was challenging. From the New York Times:

"At certain points in the episode there are three different screens open on Claire’s computer — one shows her sitting in the airport, while the others show various family members in their respective homes. To create a sense that the actors were all actually communicating on FaceTime, the scenes were all recorded simultaneously, sometimes with as many as three sets rolling at the same time.

“Everything was shot on the iPhone 6 or new iPads,” Mr. Levitan said. “With one or two small scenes shot using MacBook Pros.”

Tony Orcena, an editor on the show, said there were also some learning curves when figuring out how to shoot the episode with mobile devices. “At first, actors tried holding the iPhones themselves,” he said, but given that they had to focus on lines and other cues, some shots ended up showing the ceiling or floor, rather than an actor’s face. To solve this problem, camera operators took control of the iPhones and the actors grabbed the operator’s arm, thereby appearing to be in control of the phone as it moved around." 

"Connection Lost" will air on Wednesday, February 25 at 9 pm on ABC.

SEE ALSO: Amazon won't be able to fly its delivery drones under the FAA's proposed drone rules

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Production is underway on the next "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequel.

Disney revealed the plot synopsis for the fifth movie in the series, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales," in a press release. 

Johnny Depp will reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow along with Geoffrey Rush (Barbossa), and Kevin R. McNally (Joshamee Gibbs).

Via Disney:  

Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Captain Jack Sparrow finds the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost pirates led by his old nemesis, the terrifying Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devil's Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea...including him. Captain Jack's only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas.

Javier Bardem, Kaya Scodelario ("The Maze Runner"), Brenton Thwaites ("Maleficent"), and Golshifteh Farahani ("Exodus: Gods and Kings") will join the cast.

The entire fifth movie will film at Village Roadshow Studios and in Queensland, Australia. 

Though Disney didn't confirm a release date, the film is expected to be released July 7, 2017.

SEE ALSO: 2017 is going to be an absolutely huge year for Disney

AND: Here's what the dinosaurs in "Jurassic Park" will look like

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The 87th annual Oscar awards will take place at 8pm EST on Sunday, February 22.

In case you missed any (or all) of this year's best picture nominees, we've put together a list with some notable reviews and where you can get the movies in your own home.

Check them out before the winner is announced.

"American Sniper"

Why you want to watch it:

"The film is, simply, a tragedy in which American certainty comes to grief against the rocks of the real world, and it views its central figure as a decent man doing indecent things for what he keeps telling himself is a greater good," writes Ty Burr of the Boston Globe.

Pre-order DVD: $28.98 $17.99
Pre-order Amazon Instant Video: from $14.99 to $19.99

"Birdman"

Why you want to watch it: 

"This is a strange and beautiful and unique film, one of the best movies of the year," writes Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Order DVD: $30.00 $19.96
Order Amazon Instant Video: $12.99 to $14.99

"Boyhood"

Why you want to watch it: 

"The year's most captivating narrative experiment, and possibly the most engrossing coming-of-age movie in the history of the genre," writes John Hartl of the Seattle Times.

DVD: $39.99 $24.88

Amazon Instant Video: from $2.99 to $14.99

"The Grand Budapest Hotel"

Why you want to watch it: 

"The comedy in The Grand Budapest Hotel is among the broadest yet undertaken by Anderson. But amid the frenzied hubbub, there are intimations of a darker, sadder history unfolding," writes Christopher Orr of The Atlantic.

DVD: $29.98 $11.88
Amazon Instant Video: $9.99

"The Imitation Game"

Why you want to watch it: 

"This film's overall success hangs on Cumberbatch and what is, to date, his finest performance on the big screen," writes Bill Zwecker of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Pre-order DVD: $29.98 $17.99
Pre-order Amazon Instant Video: $12.99 to $14.99

"Selma"

Why you want to watch it: 

"More often than not ... 'Selma' focuses on the one thing we don't expect in a movie about Martin Luther King Jr. - his doubts - and Oyelowo comes through with a deeply felt and quite brilliant performance," writes Ty Burr of the Boston Globe.

Pre-order DVD: $29.99 $17.95
Pre-order Amazon Instant Video: from $14.99 to $19.99

"The Theory of Everything"

Why you want to watch it: 

"It's an exceptional film, not because of its protagonists' impressive triumphs, but because it honors their struggle," writes Ann Hornaday of the Washington Post.

Pre-order DVD: $32.98 $22.99

Pre-order Amazon Instant Video: $14.99

"Whiplash"

Why you want to watch it: 

"Ultimately, 'Whiplash' isn't just about jazz - and it's not necessary to be a fan of the music to enjoy the film - but about life," writes Calvin Wilson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 

Pre-order DVD: $34.99$24.96
Pre-order Amazon Instant Video: from $12.99 to 17.99

WANT MORE? Click Here To See Our Other Insider Picks

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The annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition hit newsstands last week and everyone is talking about the scandalous cover and beautiful models of all sizes inside the issue.

The magazine features 16 veteran models and eight "rookies," all of whom are flawlessly posed against beautiful backdrops.

But in order to get the lust-worthy shots, the models have the help of makeup artists, hair stylists, lighting experts, staff solely dedicated to bikini adjustment, and later, Photoshop.

The results are stunning photographs of seemingly perfect-looking women.

While the 24 models featured in the issue are all undoubtedly beautiful, they're also human.

Here's a look at what the top models look like off duty.

Model Chrissy Teigen, the 29-year-old wife of singer John Legend, was photographed for Sports Illustrated on the beach in California.

But Teigen's Instagram account is filled with more natural-looking photos.

She doesn't taker herself too seriously.

And isn't afraid to show the long hair and makeup process she goes through before red carpet events or swimsuit shoots.

Here's what Teigen looks like in real life compared to her 2014 SI cover.

19-year-old model Gigi Hadid shot her Sports Illustrated editorial on the beaches of Kauai.

In real life, she often goes for a makeup-less look.

She isn't afraid to post a pajama picture to Instagram.

Or less done-up shots.

Here's the real life Gigi Hadid next to her 2014 Sports Illustrated shoot.

Model Hannah Davis landed the cover of this year's Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. 

Here she is in real life posing with her cover.

Despite her glamorous appearance, Davis — who is dating Derek Jeter — has a sporty side, too.

Model Robyn Lawley made waves this month for being curvier than most of the other models included in the annual issue.

After a weight debate, Lawley told Time: "I don’t know if I consider myself as a plus-size model or not. I just consider myself a model because I’m trying to help women in general accept their bodies."

When she's not modeling, Lawley is a DJ who goes by the name "Robelle."

Model Kate Bock shot her Sports Illustrated photos in Tennessee.

In real life, she's often more bundled up.

Here's Bock with last year's editorial.

Model Jessica Gomes posed with her 2014 shoot.

Model Ariel Meredith, who appears in this year's issue, showed off her past shoot in 2012.

Model Irina Shayk has appeared in eight issues of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.

Chanel Iman, 24, bared all in her 2014 shoot.

Model Hannah Ferguson looks similar in real life to her 2014 SI photo below.

Model Genevieve Morton covered up slightly more in real life.

Model Sara Sampaio showed off her 2014 spread.

And "Blurred Lines" model Emily Ratajkowski has appeared in a few issues of SI.

Basically, all of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit models are equally as gorgeous in real life.

SEE ALSO: 14 photos that prove why Hannah Davis is a perfect choice for Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue cover girl

MORE: People are not happy with the racy Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue cover

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NOW WATCH: This Sports Illustrated swimsuit rookie could become the next Kate Upton

Drake released his unannounced new album, "If You're Reading This It's Too Late," on the day before Valentine's Day.

It has since sold 495,000 units, broken Spotify streaming records, and gotten positive reviews out of critics.

Despite that success, the album's unusual release and the ongoing weirdness surrounding Drake's relationship with his label Cash Money Records has led many to question whether this album was released with an ulterior motive.

In short, the theory going around is Drake really released this album to fulfill his final contractual obligation to Cash Money, and the real new Drake album is coming from his own label later this year.

Let's explain.

1. While a new Drake album has been rumored since last summer, no one expected this album — an unannounced collection of new but familiar-feeling material with no singles, no promotion, and a title that's different than the rumored album's reported working title, "Views From The 6."

Most blogs reflexively called it a "mixtape" at first, even though it's for sale on iTunes. Pitchfork called it a "project." 

But it is, technically, an album released by Cash Money.

While we don't know the exact specifics of Drake's deal with the label, we know that Lil Wayne agreed to a four-album contract when he re-signed with the company in 2012.

Drake signed with Young Money (a subsidiary of Cash Money that's run by Lil Wayne) in 2009. If his deal is structured the same way Wayne's is then "If You're Reading This It's Too Late" will be his fourth and final album with the label.

2. The album itself seems to specifically reference his impending departure from Cash Money, and even takes shots at the label.

The song "Now & Forever" is a Drake breakup song, but it's not about leaving a girlfriend, it's about going out on his own to reach a new level of success. The second verse:

It's over, yeah it over, yeah I'm leaving, I'm gone
I've been doing this wrong, I've been here for too long
Yeah I'm leaving, I'm leaving, you know I got my reasons
Yeah I'm leaving, I'm leaving, I'm leaving, I'm gone
I don't wanna miss the boat, I don't wanna sit in coach
I don't wanna sit at home, I gotta get where I'm going
I'm afraid I' mma die before I get where I'm going
I know I'mma be alone
I know I'm out on my own
I just gotta hit the road
I just gotta know the road
I just gotta hit a road
I just gotta know the road
I just gotta know the road

Drake posted a long, sprawling list of people on his website that he wanted to thank after the album was released. That list, as many have pointed out, didn't include Cash Money or the label's patriarch Birdman. He thanks every player on the Toronto Raptors individually, but not the label that put out his album:

Beyond that, the album is full of anti-Cash Money asides.

On "6PM In New York" Drake fires some shots at the rapper Tyga, a Cash Money artist. Tyga recently had to deny allegations that he was dating Kylie Jenner, a 17-year-old Kardashian sister. Drake raps:

I heard a lil lil homie talking reckless in Vibe
That's quite a platform you chose, you shoulda kept it inside
Oh you tried
It's so childish calling my name on the world stage
You need to act your age and not your girl's age

Tyga responded in a tweet that he later deleted. It read: "@drake u still a b****. All that sneak dissing is weak. Just pull up. You know where I live and u know my address. U been ducking the fade from Brown."

3. Right now Lil Wayne is going through an ugly legal dispute with Cash Money. He's suing the label for $51 million. Among the allegations listed in the lawsuit is a claim that Cash Money hasn't provided a proper accounting of Drake's album sales since early 2012, and hasn't paid Young Money its share of revenue from Drake's recordings.

Wayne is the only Cash Money artist featured on "If You're Reading This It's Too Late." The two recently went on tour together, and appear to be on the same side of the Cash Money civil war.

On "Star67" Drake raps about checks that never came:

Brand new Beretta, can't wait to let it go
Walk up in my label like, where the check though?

4. Drake has his own record label, OVO Sound. It stands to reason that he wants to keep his material in house going forward. 

For all the technical mastery on "If You're Reading This It's Too Late," it's fair to say the album is of a piece with his previous Cash Money-released material. Most of this album wouldn't be out of place on "Nothing Was The Same" (most of which wouldn't be out of place on "Take Care"). It's Drake doing Drake, which adds to the impression that this is a collection of leftovers — brilliant leftovers, mind you — that were cobbled together into something that looks like an album, but is really more of a mixtape.

The album feels like a swan song for Cash Money-era Drake rather than something new.

If the theory is true, it's ultimately a smart move. Drake is so talented, and has built up such goodwill that he can put out a collection of songs that have been sitting on his MacBook for a year, not promote it, not tour behind it, and it will still sell 500,000 units in a week and not hurt his reputation as one of the best rappers alive. In the process he finishes his Cash Money deal, and gets to launch his new new Drake album on his own terms.

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NOW WATCH: This Sports Illustrated swimsuit rookie could become the next Kate Upton

Movie theaters are not making money on movies, they are making money on food.

On Tuesday, AMC Entertainment reported fourth quarter adjusted earnings and revenue that beat Wall Street estimates. 

But admissions revenue, or money paid for movie tickets, actually declined 4.5% over the prior year as both ticket prices and attendance fell. And in a statement, AMC CEO Gerry Lopez admitted that the movies released during the quarter weren't all that great, calling it a "lackluster film slate."

So where did the company make money? Food. 

During the fourth quarter, AMC reported concessions revenue rose 8.8% over the prior year to $215.3 million as average spending per customer rose 13.5% to $4.46.

In a note to clients following the report, analysts at Stifel put the strength in concessions into context like this:

Concessions were very strong: Even excluding the impact of a $5mn tax refund (aiding sales which are inclusive of tax), concessions were +10.9% with no margin erosion. The increase per patron (+$0.40/excluding tax) came from both new initiatives (+$0.25), ranging from the dine-in-theaters to bars to self-serve options while (+$0.16) came from a move to price excluding tax, similar to standard retail, allowing for price increases. For some sense of magnitude, the addition of a bar increases concession/patron at a venue by $0.35 alone. The result is that we anticipate a $0.40/patron concession increase for the first three quarters of 2015 based on these trends. With no increase to attendance estimates, this concession increase adds $50mn in EBITDA to our estimates.

Now, the question is whether this increased spending is being aided — getting what economists call a "tailwind" — from the decline in gas prices, as spending at movie heathers is right in the wheelhouse of the kinds of discretionary consumer spending economists expect to increase when the price of gas tumbles like it has over the last several months. 

On AMC's conference call, Citi analyst Jason Bazinet asked if the company has seen increased spending due to the decline in gas prices, and AMC CEO Gerry Lopez responded saying, "I have honestly not thought about it in the context of what’s been happening at the gas pump."

In talking about the strength of the current quarter, Lopez said that right now, it's about the big movies that are currently in theaters: American Sniper, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, and of course, Fifty Shades of Grey. 

Lopez also noted that the strength of these movies helps the theaters because there is limited overlap in the target audiences.

SEE ALSO: Restaurants and bars are crushing it

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Allegedly un-retouched photos from Beyoncé's 2013 L'Oreal campaign hit the internet Wednesday and now everyone is freaking out.

The Beyonce World first published the outtakes, but the images of the Queen B with less-than-perfect skin have since gone viral on Twitter:

Here's something for diehard Monopoly and Coach fanatics.

In time for Monopoly's 80th anniversary this year, Monopoly licensee and custom game design manufacturer Winning Solutions partnered with Coach to put out a $1500 version of the classic game.

While at Hasbro's Toy Fair over the holiday weekend, we took a look at the board, which is pretty stunning.

In a space full of My Little Pony toys, Play-Doh, "Star Wars" lightsabers, and "Jurassic World" dinosaurs, it definitely stuck out.

The board is covered in tanned vachetta leather. The spaces, which are usually representative of street names in Atlantic City, New Jersey, are replaced with references to iconic New York landmarks and avenues including the Brooklyn Bridge, Madison Avenue, and Central Park.

The usual Monopoly pieces have been swapped out for ones representative of Coach history.

There's a duffle bag, sculpted letter C, boot, turnlock, regular lock, Coach tag, a horse and carriage, and a baseball glove.

We were a bit confused about the reasoning behind the glove; however, it may be a nod to a limited line of Coach wallets that are made out of vintage baseball gloves. It's probably also a hat tip to NYC.

Even the normal houses and hotels are incredibly detailed.

The board was officially released back in January and limited quantities of it are available in Coach stores and on the store's UK website. 

If $1500 is a little steep for the limited edition, you can always settle for a regular Monopoly board which costs around $18.

SEE ALSO: 80 things you probably don't know about Monopoly

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NOW WATCH: How To Use Math To Win At Monopoly

Artist Guan Qingsheng from China uses a pencil, knife and a piece of wire to engineer life-like portraits of famous people on chicken eggs. The 62-year-old artist used to work as a designer at a wood production factory and started engraving eggs as a hobby in 2002.

He has since created almost a thousand egg portraits including engravings of Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Franklin and Joseph Stalin.

Produced by Jason Gaines. Video courtesy of Associated Press.

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American Express is betting big on the Oscars this year with a run of four 30-second ads during the event, which will be broadcast on ABC this Sunday, February 22. 

Each ad features a celebrity (and AmEx customer) — singer Aretha Franklin, TV star Mindy Kaling, GoPro founder Nick Woodman, and chef Natalie Young — talking about how they overcame adversity to get to where they are today.

Here's the Mindy Kaling spot. She was told "they don't put girls that look like me on TV."

Here's the Aretha Franklin ad. She said when she first started singing she was "shy, and had to hold on to the mic for confidence."

Natalie Young had an addiction that "destroyed everything — I lost my family, my partner and my job," but she built her career back up after getting sober.

GoPro's founder Nick Woodman speaks about how his first business failed.

The aim of the campaign, created by Ogilvy & Mather, is to be aspirational and open up the brand to a "new generation" of customers.

In a press release, AmEx explains: "While many associated American Express with achievement or having arrived at success, Card Members know that American Express is really about supporting them along their journey to what they define as success, as they persevere in what's truly valuable. That even in the face of failure, they find the grit and determination to take that next step on their journey and pursue that next goal."

The price of a 30-second spot during the Academy Awards has soared 10% year on year to $2 million. Broadcaster ABC says it has sold out of all the available commercial spots, according to The Wrap.

Other brands advertising during the show this year include: Coca-Cola, Comcast, Samsung, The Walt Disney Co., Netflix, AT&T, Anheuser-Busch AARP, Coldwell Banker, Discover, GM, J&J, King's Hawaiian, Mars, McDonald's, Spring, and Sonos.

Alongside the TV buy, American Express is also launching a social crowdfunding campaign. The brand is asking Twitter users to tweet to help generate the last remaining funding required to complete and distribute a documentary on the life of ballerina Mistry Copeland.

SEE ALSO: American Express launches vintage-themed ad starring Jerry Seinfeld, John Cleese, Jackie Chan and Tina Fey to promote Apple Pay

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NOW WATCH: Liam Neeson transformed what could have been an ordinary mobile game ad into a Super Bowl great

Pandora wants all your favourite musicians to send you personalised messages. The music streaming service announced a pilot of a new feature at the Code/Media conference on Wednesday, Re/Code reports. 

It's called "Artist Audio Messaging" and simply allows musicians to send fans updates and snippets through Pandora's online streaming. Currently, only a handful of acts are involved — though big names such as Lenny Kravitz is already on board. The idea is to roll out the service to more performers. 

Pandora founder Tim Westergren explained at the conference that musicians will be able to announce new tours, albums, and even context on particular songs through the service, Re/Code says. It lets artists target their audience through a new medium, while giving the public something extra to simply streaming the latest tunes. 

It looks as though Pandora is really serious about the idea. Westergren said "it's the beginning of a much longer roadmap" and it comes as the company looks to forge new links and offer more sophisticated ways for artists to connect with listeners and make the most of online streaming. Pandora launched an analytics tool for artists back in October, which lets musicians see where audience members are from and what songs they like most. 

The messaging add-on is a bold move from Pandora. In an industry where it has to compete with the likes of Apple and Spotify, companies are having to evolve past basic audio streaming to keep up. Spotify recently partnered with Uber to deliver a ride and listen service. 

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NOW WATCH: A 13-Year-Old Made A Revolutionary Invention Out Of Legos And Now Intel Is Investing In His Company

Ellen DeGeneres recently invited German magician Simon Pierro to appear on her talk show — and it will amaze you what this man can do with just an iPad.

During his segment, Pierro pulls all sorts of items out of the iPad’s screen, including apps and a collection of photos. He even steals a straw from his friend over FaceTime, uses that straw to drink his friend’s beverage, and then pours his own beverage on his friend’s head.  

Still confused? You’ll have to see it to believe it. Check out the video below.

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