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'Mockingjay — Part 2' gives Jennifer Lawrence a triumphant end to the 'Hunger Games' movies

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jennifer lawrence hunger games mockingjay part 2

The worst decision the mostly consistent “Hunger Games” movie franchise made was splitting its final chapter in two. And yet, it still managed to (mostly) come out on top.

“Mockingjay — Part 2,” the final “Hunger Games” movie, is a solid and fitting conclusion to a great series. And while it might not stand perfectly on its own, it feels like exactly the ending that this story needed.

Josh Hutcherson Hunger Games Mockingjay

One issue this franchise has faced is with its cliffhangers. Each of the movies, no matter how good, felt like it ended so abruptly. “Mockingjay — Part 1” literally ends in the middle of a scene. The good part about this is that it allows “Part 2” to jump right into the action. 

At the start, the long-awaited revolution begins. But before it can fully get going, Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) needs to snap out of a brutal brainwashing, and Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) needs to recover from her injuries. It's representative of how powerful this character is that she still seems like the strongest person in the world even with damaged vocal cords preventing her from giving a rousing speech or bursting into song.

The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2 Murray Close Lionsgate

Once she gets better, Katniss sort of returns to the frontlines of battle. President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) and Plutarch (the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, in his last film appearance) lead troops to the Capitol in hopes of finally overthrowing President Snow (Donald Sutherland). For better or worse, “Mockingjay” is paced sort of like the “Lord of the Rings” movies: There is a lot of wandering with pit stops including battle scenes that are worth the wait.

“Mockingjay — Part 2” emphasizes that this is probably the darkest young-adult series ever put on film. The "Hunger Games" movies include an incredibly healthy dose of cynicism while also including the requisite love triangle. It's not something you often see in movies targeted at teenagers. A lot of the colorful ceremony sequences from the previous films have been replaced by the landscape of the Capitol, which looks like a Chinese ghost city. 

Hunger Games Mockingjay

The biggest reason that “Mockingjay — Part 2” is such a satisfying conclusion is because it feels like every theme and every bit of character development from the previous films were actually building up to something. The “Hunger Games” movies are partially about revolutions fought through propaganda rather than violence. Even though some bombs are going to be dropped, the key to winning Panem is symbolism.   

Here, Katniss is told not to fight and instead be the face of the revolution. This is an interesting challenge to “The One” narratives that make up most popular blockbusters, from “Star Wars” to “The Matrix.” Katniss, the supposed chosen one, is told that she was nothing more than “a face in the crowd.” But in a stellar twist, she proves us wrong. And with this narrative, “The Hunger Games” series proves itself to be much smarter than people give it credit for. 

One of the greatest buildups here is watching the actors evolve. As Peeta, Hutcherson has become much more confident of himself. He never seemed like the kind of guy who could tell it like it is until “Mockingjay — Part 2.”

Hunger Games Mockingjay

Then, of course, there's Jennifer Lawrence, who's filled Katniss with so much humanity over the past three years. There is a scene in “Mockingjay” where the ever-strong Katniss finally breaks down. It is a reaction that is both genuine and overbearing. It is the kind of moment that looks physically exhausting.

Again, “Mockingjay — Part 2” might have been better if it had been combined with the weaker “Part 1.” And yet, even when “Part 2” had a lot of action to get through, it still managed to get to the heart of what makes “The Hunger Games” a surprisingly thoughtful blockbuster.

SEE ALSO: 'Spectre' is a fun throwback to James Bond's past, but it could have been so much more

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NOW WATCH: A new theme park is going to have 'Hunger Games' rides — here's what they'll look like











Someone's getting resurrected on 'Game of Thrones' — here are 4 likely candidates

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jon snowWarning: Spoilers ahead if you haven't watched through season five of "Game of Thrones."

"Game of Thrones" fans are going nuts over a fascinating new spoiler for season six courtesy of former "Deadwood" actor Ian McShane.

McShane, who was cast in a small but pivotal role on the show's upcoming season, recently revealed just how important his character would be.

“I'll give you one hint," he told Pop Goes the News. "I am responsible for bringing somebody back that you think you’re never going to see again. I’ll leave it at that.”

Fans are going wild with theories as to whom McShane will resurrect.

Here's a look at some of the possible candidates.

SEE ALSO: 'Game of Thrones' star Jason Momoa is getting his own action show on Netflix

MORE: This failed show almost ruined George R.R. Martin's TV career before 'Game of Thrones'

Jon Snow (Kit Harington)

While HBO top brass, co-stars, and Kit Harington himself have said Jon Snow is either dead or not returning, fans have continued a constant vigil for the beloved character's return.

Harington sightings have propelled fans to believe that the character will be back. Others feel the show hasn't completed his story.

Was Jon Snow meant to go down in a bloody coup? Or is he the one McShane's character will bring back to life?



Lady Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley)

Although she lost her life during the murderous Red Wedding during season three, there's reason to believe that Lady Stark may come back again. (Warning: book spoiler follows.) According to the novels by George R.R. Martin, Lady Stark's corpse is brought back to life under the name Lady Stoneheart. The new character is basically a zombified version of her.

That seems like it could be a job for McShane.



Sandor Clegane aka The Hound (Rory McCane)

The Hound was supposedly killed during his fight with Brienne (Gwendoline Christie), but many fans are placing their bets on a theory called Cleganebowl. The belief basically says that a priest saved The Hound from his mortal wounds and he sets off for a destiny that sees him locking swords with his brother in a trial by combat.

Some believe that McShane will be playing that priest, therefore bringing The Hound back from "death."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider








Martin Sheen encouraged Charlie Sheen to reveal he's HIV-positive for months

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martin sheen on charlie sheen hiv

Martin Sheen praised his son Charlie Sheen's courage after he admitted he is HIV-positive on NBC's "Today" show Tuesday.

The "West Wing" actor was in Naples, Italy, on Tuesday attending the annual CME Group's Global Financial Leadership Conference, the Naples Daily News reported.

Martin said that the confession was a long time in the making, because Charlie had a hard time committing to his announcement.

"He had been leading up to this sort of story for several months, and we kept encouraging him to do it," Martin, 75, said at the conference. "And he kept backing away and backing away, because it was like going to his own execution, I guess."

Charlie, 50, told "Today" host Matt Lauer that he had been diagnosed with HIV about four years ago. And over the years, he had paid upward of $10 million to blackmailers threatening to expose that he contracted the virus.

"It was the most difficult thing he'd ever done," Martin said. "And he kind of sealed it when he called Matt Lauer last week and asked if he could go on."

Ahead of the interview, Charlie wrote an open letter expressing his feelings about his diagnosis and why admitting it was akin to "claiming back my freedom." Martin said that although he was a continent away, he was supporting his son.

"We didn't know until he walked on the set this morning that he was going to do it," Martin Sheen said. "I saw him Saturday night, my wife and I went to see him, to make sure he knew we were behind him, and if he wanted me to go, I would have canceled this event. He said, no, this was his and his alone."

After the interview, Sheen's ex-girlfriend Bree Olson said he had not informed her of his HIV status. Sheen contended on "Today" that he had told every sexual partner about his status.

SEE ALSO: Charlie Sheen confirms he's HIV-positive on 'Today' show, says he has paid 'millions' to silence blackmailers

MORE: Charlie Sheen's HIV is 'undetectable,' his doctor says on 'Today' show

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NOW WATCH: Charlie Sheen said he paid $10 million in ‘shakedown’ money to keep his HIV a secret










Jennifer Lawrence got drunk to film her sex scene with Chris Pratt

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Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence recently filmed her first sex scene, which happened to be for "Passengers," with Chris Pratt, and she got drunk to do so.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter as part of the annual actress roundtable, Lawrence revealed that she hadn't said no to doing something on-screen, even skinning a real squirrel for "Winter's Bone." She said filming her first sex scene, however, was "bizarre."

To prepare for the scene, Lawrence said, she drank — heavily.

"I got really, really drunk. But then that led to more anxiety when I got home because I was like, 'What have I done? I don't know.' And he was married. And it was going to be my first time kissing a married man, and guilt is the worst feeling in your stomach. And I knew it was my job, but I couldn't tell my stomach that. So I called my mom, and I was like, 'Will you just tell me it's OK?' It was just very vulnerable. And you don't know what's too much. You want to do it real, you want everything to be real, but then … That was the most vulnerable I've ever been."

She also shared her most embarrassing moments on Wednesday night's episode of "The Tonight Show." Watch below:

SEE ALSO: Jennifer Lawrence reveals the moment she decided to go into acting

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NOW WATCH: How they shot the epic opening scene in the new Bond movie 'Spectre'










What's next for the TV industry? Find out from CBS CEO Les Moonves at IGNITION 2015

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Les Moonves

What does it take to deliver great television — not just once but year after year, across multiple networks and digital properties?

If you’re curious about what’s next for television, you're going to want to catch CBS Corporation President and CEO Les Moonves when he takes the stage at IGNITION: Future of Digital, Business Insider's annual flagship event in New York City on December 8-9.

No one else has Moonves’ track record. Under his direction, CBS Television Network has been No. 1 in viewers for 12 of the last 13 years. CBS boasts TV's most popular drama (“NCIS”), comedy (“The Big Bang Theory”), and news program (“60 Minutes").

At IGNITION, Business Insider Editor-in-Chief Henry Blodget will sit down with Moonves and CBS Interactive's Jim Lanzone to discuss the future of television and what it takes to compete successfully in an increasingly dynamic marketplace. If you care about the future of media and entertainment, do not miss this very special conversation. 

Keep ahead of the digital media curve and get your tickets before it's too late. IGNITION sold out in 2014, so reserve your seat today!

 

 

Follow @BI_Events on Twitter or join the IGNITION group on LinkedIn to find out who will be speaking at IGNITION 2015. 

SEE ALSO: ANNOUNCING: James Murdoch, Carolyn Everson, Jim Cramer and more will speak at IGNITION 2015

SEE ALSO: This week only — get your second IGNITION ticket for 50% off

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8 reasons why Seth Rogen's 'The Night Before' is the year's new holiday comedy classic

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the night before Columbia Pictures

Now that the holiday season is in full swing, this is the time you dust off the old classics like "A Christmas Story" or "Christmas Vacation," and sit around the TV with those nearest and dearest.

But starting Friday, you'll have another movie to add to the holiday canon.

"The Night Before," starring Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Anthony Mackie as three friends who go out to find the ultimate party on Christmas Eve, might look like just another dumb Christmas comedy — but it's much more. Not only hilarious, it combines a "Hangover"-style party-hard/male-bonding vibe with classic holiday movies of the past to create something that's certain to be an instant classic.

Don't believe us? Here are the reasons why we're right.

Warning: some spoilers for the movie.

SEE ALSO: "Mockingjay - Part 2" gives Jennifer Lawrence a triumphant end to the "Hunger Games" movies

1. This isn't your parents' Christmas story

Co-written and directed by Jonathan Levine, who grabbed people's attention with the urban indie "The Wackness" and found success with "Warm Bodies," this is a story catered to the late-twenties/early-thirties demo, people who are thinking about starting a family but still have the urge to go wild (and play the Nintendo 64 classic Bond videogame "GoldenEye") once in a while.  



2. Run DMC's Christmas song gets respect

One of the joys of the film is its appreciation of a holiday classic like Run DMC's 1998 anthem "Christmas in Hollis." The three friends in the movie perform the song a couple of times in very different settings. In both instances it's perfect.



3. Ilana Glazer is the perfect Grinch

One half of the funniest duo on television, comic Ilana Glazer briefly parts from her "Broad City" pal Abbi Jacobson so she can make Mackie's life a living hell in the movie as the "Grinch" of the story.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider








Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson opens up about his personal experience with depression

This photographer is helping save babies in the most adorable way possible

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Seth Casteel is saving babies — one photo at a time.

Formerly photographing puppies underwater, he has moved on to humans, photographing babies for his new photography project, "Underwater Babies," from which he's also made a book.

His work is meant to bring awareness to infant water safety, as drowning is the number one cause of death for children under the age of five, according to the National Institute of Health. However, infant swimming lessons can decrease that risk by up to 88%.

As it turns out, raising awareness for the cause can be an adorable experience: he's worked with 750 babies and 18 different swimming schools for the project.

Story by Jacob Shamsian and editing by Adam Banicki

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SEE ALSO: This disturbing book teaches kindergarteners how to defend themselves against school shooters

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Stephen Colbert's viewers are more likely to be Democrats and atheists in late-night poll

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colbert

New poll results are shedding light on the current late-night TV landscape. They show that Stephen Colbert's fans are more likely to belong to the Democratic party, while Jimmy Kimmel's audience steers more Republican.

According to the results in a poll from the Hollywood Reporter, Colbert's "Late Show" viewers at CBS are 47% Democrats, an 11-percentage point increase over Jimmy Fallon's "Tonight Show" at NBC (36%) and 13 more than "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" over at ABC (34%). (The poll data did not account for all late-night shows.)

hillary clinton stephen colbertOn the other side of the spectrum, Kimmel's audience is 33% Republican. Fallon isn't that much further away at 31% Republican. But what's really shocking is the 16-point gap between Kimmel's Republican audience and Colbert's, which is a very small 17%.

Colbert, apparently, was able to bring over many of his fans from his previous job as host of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" to CBS.

Among Colbert viewers, favorite shows include Family Guy and Game of Thrones, and atheist leads the audience's religion category with 30 percent.

"Colbert Nation is filled with wealthy, socially liberal men who overwhelmingly support legalizing marijuana and want Bernie Sanders to be president," explained Jon Penn, the CEO of polling company Penn Schoen Berland, which carried out the research.

You can see the full poll results below:

The Great Late-Night Poll

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert will set a first for late night with coveted post-Super Bowl spot

MORE: Here's what the late-night hosts had to say about Donald Trump's presidential-run announcement

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NOW WATCH: The 10 most incredible things about the 'real' Stephen Colbert










This is why Tina Fey and Amy Poehler never want to star in a TV show together

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Despite having been BFFs since their Chicago improv days in the early 90s, and having proven their undeniable chemistry on SNL, in movies, and hosting the Golden Globes, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will probably never produce a TV show together.

Fey recently revealed to The Advocate that, "She and I haven't really talked about this, but I don't know if we could ever do a series together. We're both alphas who like to do our own thing and then meet up occasionally." 

Fey and Poehler previously co-anchored "Weekend Update" on "Saturday Night Live," co-starred in movies like "Mean Girls" and "Baby Mama," and co-hosted the Golden Globes for three years.

Their new movie, "Sisters," hits theaters December 18th.

"What makes it great now is that the only time we see each other is when we work on things, hosting the Golden Globes, doing 'Sisters,'" Fey added. "So those experiences are exciting and fun." 

But Fey and Poehler will work together again soon, as the two are co-hosting "SNL" on December 19th.

Story by Aly Weisman and editing by Chelsea Pineda

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SEE ALSO: Amy Schumer is doing something awesome for veterans and other women who are re-entering the workforce

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George Lucas says if he could be any 'Star Wars' character, he'd be Jar Jar Binks

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george lucasOf all the characters in "Star Wars," creator George Lucas says he'd be Jar Jar Binks in a video for Vanity Fair.

"I like all the characters," he said when posed the question of which character he'd want to be, before making his unusual choice.

In the interview, Lucas gives his thoughts on the new "Star Wars" film, and he says that he doesn't enjoy being criticized for making the movies he wants to make.

"You go to make a movie and all you do is get criticized, and people try to make decisions about what you're going to do before you do it, and it's not much fun," he says. "You can't experiment. You can't do anything. You have to do it a certain way. I don't like that; I never did."

He'd rather make experimental films.

"I started out in experimental films, I want to go back to experimental films, and of course, nobody wants to see experiemental films." 

He also had a question for "The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams: "What happened to Darth Vadar's grandchildren?" 

Watch the Vanity Fair video below: 

SEE ALSO: Finn goes full-on hero in new 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' TV spot

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NOW WATCH: Lady Gaga almost quit music, and she had a good reason










This small-town sheriff is super sad that the government is taking away his tank

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Alabama Sheriff Larry Amerson isn't happy that the federal government is taking away his tank.

"Today is a sad and frustrating day for us here at the sheriff's office," he told the AP. 

In January, President Obama issued an order to demilitarize local police units. That meant that the government would soon be reclaiming dozens of military tools, such as tanks and grenade launchers.

Calhoun County, where Amerson is sheriff, was the latest to have its somewhat out-of-place tank taken away.

"The federal government, the US military, is withdrawing a piece of equipment that we found extremely valuable for our purposes, and that is a tracked armored vehicle," Amerson said. "Those vehicles are defensive in nature. They have no offensive capability."

He said the idea that local police having tanks is dangerous is completely misguided, adding that his constituents were big fans of the tank.

"Almost every week we had requests to take this vehicle to public events, to lead the Cancer Society cancer walk," he said.

His department only used it twice for actual police work, he said.

Story by Allan Smith and editing by Stephen Parkhurst

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SEE ALSO: Here's the gargantuan aircraft carrier France sent to fight ISIS

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You won't be able to listen to Adele's new album '25' on Spotify or Apple Music (AAPL)

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Adele

Adele fans won't be able to listen to her upcoming album '25' on any streaming services, according to a new report from The New York Times.

The highly anticipated album — Adele's first album in over four years — comes out on Friday, but this new development means '25' won't be available on popular streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music.

Citing three people with "direct knowledge of the plans for release," The New York Times reports that Adele herself was involved in the talks over whether to keep the album off streaming services.

Spotify has confirmed with Business Insider that Adele's album won't be available to stream when it launches.

"We love and respect Adele, as do her 24 million fans on Spotify," Spotify said in a statement to Business Insider. "We hope that she will give those fans the opportunity to enjoy 25 on Spotify alongside 19 and 21 very soon."

Earlier reports indicated that Adele was at least considering allowing her album to launch on Spotify, but only for paid subscribers, and was negotiating a potential rollout deal with Spotify. This appears to no longer be the case, though it's possible that Adele could later decide to make the album available for streaming after a period of time — her wildly popular album '21' was added to Spotify more than a year after the album's release in 2011, for example.

Adele's decision follows in the wake of Taylor Swift's controversial decision to remove her albums from Spotify — and for a time, Apple Music — due to music licensing disputes, which came to a head when she penned an open letter to Apple asking for them to reconsider their decision not to pay artists during the streaming service's 3-month trial period. In that particular instance, Apple reversed its decision after Taylor Swift's letter gained widespread attention throughout the media. After Apple promised to pay artists on Apple Music during the 3-month trial period, Taylor Swift decided to allow her music back onto the platform.

Adele's '25' is expected to be a huge hit among fans who have waited more than four years for the album, and Billboard Magazine reports that sales are expected to be in the range of 2.5 million in the first week alone, and that Columbia Records will be shipping out 3.6 million physical copies of the album.

Interestingly enough, you can still listen to 'Hello,' the first single from her upcoming album, on Spotify. For those looking to purchase a digital copy of the album, you can also pre-order '25' on iTunes.

 

SEE ALSO: Here's how Apple reacted to Taylor Swift's takedown of Apple Music

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Skinnygirl founder Bethenny Frankel has some great advice for working moms

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Bethenny Frankel says she's found the key to a work-life balance: keeping them separate.  

"As far as professional and motherhood, when I'm working, I'm completely working and I'm focused," Frankel told INSIDER while promoting her new line of Skinnygirl snacks in New York City. "When I'm with my daughter, I'm completely focused on that and I'm not working."  

Frankel stars on "The Real Housewives of New York City," runs the Skinnygirl empire, is a best-selling author, and is mom to 5-year-old daughter, Bryn.  

"I create my entire schedule and life so it's separated," the 45-year-old added. "And it works really well because I am as much a mom as I am a businesswoman. And vice versa. I love having this legacy to leave for her, and I love that she'll see that I work, but I don't miss her drop-offs and pick-ups, and I don't do work instead of being with her, ever."  

Frankel encourages other working moms to "not be so hard on yourself."  

"You have to just know that you're a good person, your child — when they're at school — is where they're supposed to be; when they're playing with their friends, it's what they're supposed to be doing," she explained. "And it's quality time when you're with them. Be present and focused and let them know how much you love them."  

Story by Aly Weisman and editing by Kristen Griffin

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SEE ALSO:  Skinnygirl founder Bethenny Frankel says the word 'no' changed her life

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Adele's new album is projected to be the fastest-selling in chart history

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adele

Everyone knew Adele's new album "25" was going to be big, but not necessarily this big.

Billboard reports that if industry projections for the album's sales are hit, it will be the largest-selling album in a week in Nielsen SoundScan history (the company started monitoring album sales in 1991). It would beat the record currently held by  *NSYNC’s "No Strings Attached," which came out in 2000.

Sony Music projects first-week CD sales for "25," which comes out Friday, at 1.5 million, while downloads should come in at about 1 million. "25" is expected to have a larger proportion of digital sales than Adele's previous album, "19," whose digital copies only accounted for 28 percent of sales.

If that holds, Adele will be selling a total 2.5 million copies in her first week. The *NSYNC album sold 2.4 million 15 years ago.

Additionally, Adele's album will not be available on streaming services Spotify or Apple Music.

It goes without saying at this point, but this kind of sales achievement is unheard of in the current music market. It seems Adele is breaking one recordafter another.

SEE ALSO: You won't be able to listen to Adele's new album '25' on Spotify or Apple Music

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How they shot the epic opening scene in the new Bond movie 'Spectre'











CNN's Fareed Zakaria gave Hillary Clinton a 30-second summation of the near-impossible complexity of Syria

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hillary clinton zakaria

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sat down for a foreign-policy interview with journalist Fareed Zakaria after she gave a speech laying out her plan to defeat the Islamic State, also known as ISIS.

The Obama administration has all but ruled out sending US ground troops into front-line combat action in the Middle East.

At the same time, the US has struggled to build an effective force with partners on the ground to defeat both the Islamic State and the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

During their exchange at the Council on Foreign Relations, Clinton noted that Assad "has killed far more Syrians than ISIS has to date."

This prompted Zakaria to ask a rather pointed question about how difficult it would be to stabilize Syria:

If the only way you could put together a moderate Syrian force is by having the United States cajole, bribe, arm, and train it. We are then looking for this force to defeat ISIS, then defeat Assad, then defeat al-Nusra,then defeat other al Qaeda affiliates, keep at bay the Shiite militias and Hezbollah, taken control of Damascus, and establish a pluralistic democracy in Syria. Isn't that kind of a tall order?

"Certainly described like that!" Clinton replied to laughs.

The Democratic presidential front-runner said she planned to prioritize defeating the "common enemy of ISIS."

"And that's why I focused on ISIS. Because I think right now we have one overriding goal, as I outlined. We need to crush their territorial domain and we need to try and secure the entire border between Syria and Turkey," she said.

"There is not going to be a successful military effort at this point to overturn Assad," Clinton continued. "That can only happen through the political process. So our effort should be focused on ISIS."

SEE ALSO: A visibly angry Hillary Clinton just went off on Republicans for their Benghazi investigation

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NOW WATCH: US governors say they don't want to accept Syrian refugees, but one that made it to the US describes the horrors he fled










Daniel Radcliffe opens up about his struggle with alcohol addiction — and getting sober

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Daniel Radcliffe Hair product

Daniel Radcliffe has been sober for more than two years, but the journey from alcohol addiction wasn't easy.

In a conversation with Marc Maron for his "WTF" podcast this week, Radcliffe opened up about his addiction, which started while he was filming the "Harry Potter" franchise.

Cast as Harry Potter when he was 10, Radcliffe says he struggled to return to reality following the franchise's end in 2011.

“There was definitely a time when I was coming out of 'Potter' and I was into the real world, suddenly I was in a world where I'm not going to have that consistency anymore," he said on "WTF." "I'm not going to see all those people every year. I'm not going to have my friends around me all the time." 

"I was pretty inconsolable on the last day of 'Potter.' I was really worried," he added. "I was living alone, and I think I was really freaked out... I drank a lot, as has been recorded.”

The drinking, he said, stemmed from trying to seem normal when he was going out in public. He realized he had a problem and got "bored" with the feeling he had waking up.

He previously spoke about his addiction in a 2012 interview with Heat magazine. 

In that interview he said, "I can honestly say I never drank at work on 'Harry Potter.' I went into work still drunk, but I never drank at work... I can point to many scenes where I’m just gone. Dead behind the eyes.”

Radcliffe said that he's found it easier to stay away from drinks in America than in England. 

"And even at work, people in America go, 'Hey, do you want to go out for a coffee?' 'What? Yeah, I suppose I do,'" he said. "That's what I can do now. It's very different.” 

You can listen to the full interview here.

SEE ALSO: Daniel Radcliffe reveals the truth about what the rest of the world thinks of Southern accents

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YouTube is opening its wallet to protect video creators from legal threats (GOOG, GOOGL)

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Susan Wojcicki - Sun Valley

YouTube has promised to defend a handful of video creators from legal threats to help protect "fair use" rights overall, the company announced on its blog Thursday

When someone uploads a video using existing content, like news clips or music, they're protected from copyright infringement if the final product has social value beyond the original, often as a parody, remix, or news criticism.

But that doesn't stop some copyright owners from trying to have the videos removed from the web. YouTube believes that some videos taken down through the Digital Millennium Copyright Act actually represent clear fair use cases.

So, it will now protect videos that it says represent the best examples of fair use  by keeping the them live on the site and covering the cost of any copyright lawsuits brought against them. 

For example, creator Constantine Guiliotis tells The New York Times that he has received three takedown notices for videos in hit UFOTheater channel, where he explains how you can tell that many UFO sightings from YouTube videos are hoaxes. YouTube reposted the videos and says it will defend him against any future legal actions. 

YouTube copyright legal director Fred von Lohmann writes that the company is taking these steps because it doesn't want creators who are intimidated by the DMCA’s counter-notification process to remove fair use videos out of fear. 

He's also hoping that this stand could help educate people on both sides. 

"In addition to protecting the individual creator, this program could, over time, create a 'demo reel' that will help the YouTube community and copyright owners alike better understand what fair use looks like online and develop best practices as a community," he adds. 

The Facebook factor

YouTube's stand for fair use could also benefit its business. The announcement positions YouTube as a positive partner for creators. That's important as YouTube faces growing competition from Facebook to be the main online destination for video.

With billions of dollars in video advertising at stake, both Google and Facebook want to be the primary place where video creators decide to post their work.

Right now, Facebook is facing a lot of criticism. A video accusing Facebook of "stealing" views and failing to do enough to protect creators from content thieves recently went completely viral

YouTube wants creators to know it will stand with them to protect their rights. 

"We believe even the small number of videos we are able to protect will make a positive impact on the entire YouTube ecosystem," Lohmann writes, "Ensuring YouTube remains a place where creativity and expression can be rewarded."

SEE ALSO: Google just scored a huge win for its mobile search

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What will and won't be solved on the 'How to Get Away with Murder' midseason finale according to the creator

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how to get away with murder abc midseason finale

There are dozens of threads running through this season of ABC's "How to Get Away With Murder." And as the midseason finale approaches on Thursday night, the show's creator warns it won't slow down.

"There's so much to come," Peter Nowalk told Business Insider over the phone. "Obviously, the episode is 'hold on to your seats' and watch carefully, because it's very twisty and time warp-y and it's very emotional. I'm very proud of it. I'm very proud that our writers have come up with something different for the show structurally."

The season so far has concentrated on the Hapstall case, in which a wealthy couple's adopted children are being tried for their murder. There's also the major question introduced through flash-forwards: Who shot Annalise (Viola Davis)? And, of course, there's the volatile relationships among the characters. 

Nowalk has this warning for fans:

"Be careful about your assumptions about who is involved in what and how guilty they are. That’s always a general theme of the show and what we like to talk about with the criminal justice system. You hear a story and you assume one thing, but is it actually true?"

Here's what will and won't be wrapped during the midseason finale, titled "What Did We Do?":

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The Hapstall case won't be closed.

On last week's episode, it looked as if we found the true killer in the Hapstall case. It was revealed that adopted daughter Catherine Hapstall had known long lost true son of the Hapstalls, Phillip Hapstall (Jefferson White), when a painting she gave Wes (Alfred Enoch) matched up with paintings Phillip had in his apartment.

Then, adopted son Caleb Hapstall (Kendrick Sampson) showed Michaela (Aja Naomi King) a gun he discovered hidden in an air duct in the house. He wondered if his sister could really be behind their parents' murder.

But Nowalk suggests that it all could be very misleading. 

"All we know is that Caleb says he found it and decided to tell Michaela about it after they have sex, which to me is strange timing," he said.

Then, Nowalk dropped the bomb. The Hapstall case probably won't be wrapped up on the midseason finale.

"Our characters think there are certain answers, but whether they’re right or wrong is going to be up in the air for the rest of the season," he said.



The question of who shot Annalise — and prosecutor Emily Sinclair (Sarah Burns) — will be resolved.

Annalise has rubbed everyone the wrong way. Everyone has a reason to kill her. The question is who did it, who killed prosecutor Emily Sinclair, and who's really loyal to whom.

"There’s a question of where will they go and who’s on board and who’s not, who likes each other and who wants to kill each other," Nowalk said. "I think all of that will become more clear once you watch episode nine. You know, the different teams."

 



The question of how Wes and Annalise are connected will begin to get answered.

A theory that Wes is actually Annalise's son has been floating around since season one. But that got skewed a bit earlier this season when things got flirty (read: awkward). Annalise finally confirmed that there is some sort of connection between her and the law student when she told her college girlfriend Eve (Famke Janssen) that "it's him," referring to Wes.

Well, that relationship is about to become more clear.

"He is something to her," Nowalk admitted. "There’s basically a backstory there. The next episode, and after that, is giving the audience answers and what that backstory is."

The midseason finale of "How to Get Away with Murder" airs Thursday at 10 p.m. on ABC.

Watch a preview below:

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See the rest of the story at Business Insider








Why the new 'Star Wars' won't be winning many awards

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With the release of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” less than a month away, anticipation for the seventh installment and seeing the original cast in the saga after a 32-year hiatus is at an all-time high.

And though box-office numbers are projected to be record-breaking, it’s unlikely that the J.J. Abrams-directed movie will compete for much award consideration.

Disney did not enter “The Force Awakens” to be eligible for awards-season staples like the National Board of Review, the New York City Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics, or the Screen Actors Guild Awards, according to The Wrap

The major reason why the movie will be largely absent this awards season is simple: Disney does not want any spoilers to come out.

To be considered for end-of-year awards, a film has to be sent to (or screened for) voters. And for a movie like “The Force Awakens,” that's too much of a risk for plot revelations (Not to mention the likelihood of bootleg versions suddenly appearing on the streets.)

In fact, rumors have swirled for a month that Disney will likely not have any advanced screenings of the movie for press. (A source at the studio has confirmed to Business Insider that this is likely.)

But historically, “Star Wars” movies haven’t meshed with Oscar season.

The Hollywood Reporter points out that while “Star Wars: A New Hope” earned 10 nominations, including best picture, director, and original screenplay at the 50th Academy Awards, the other entries have won only a few Oscars (mostly for visual effects), and the three prequels didn’t take home any gold statues.

With the film having its world premiere on December 14 before a wide US release on December 18, it’s still possible the film could grab some Oscar nominations, as voting doesn’t close until January 8. But if history proves correct, it won’t be an impressive showing.

SEE ALSO: Finn goes full-on hero in new "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" TV spot

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