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Kesha drops a case against producer Dr. Luke, and her legal war might be ending

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Kesha has made a major shift in her legal dispute with producer Dr. Luke that could mean the beginning of its end.

The singer is dropping a civil lawsuit against Dr. Luke, whose Sony-owned Kemosabe Records she is signed to, alleging that he drugged and raped her. She filed an order today to dismiss the claims made in California, Vulture reports.

Kesha is clearly signaling that she would like to move on and get back to music. In addition to dropping the claims, she delivered new tracks to Sony (which she recorded away from Dr. Luke).

Her counsel said in a statement, "We have conveyed to Sony Music and the label Kesha’s strong desire to release her next album and single as soon as possible."

But this dive back into musical output could also be part of a wise legal strategy. A judge previously refused to let Kesha out of her recording contract with Sony, a ruling she is still appealing. However, if she makes new music and gives it to Sony and the label still balks, she may have more leverage.

Either way, it's a hopeful step forward for the singer and her fans.

SEE ALSO: 20 modern classic movies everyone needs to watch in their lifetime

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NOW WATCH: The directors of 'Catfish' and 'Nerve' reveal how to make it in Hollywood without going to film school


Stephen Colbert calls Donald Trump a 'P.O.S.' and 'D-Bag' over Khizr Khan controversy

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colbert trump werd

On Monday night, "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert reprised his "Werd" segment — a slightly tweaked version of his former "Colbert Report" segment "The Word" — to criticize Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's controversial response to the speech of Khizr Kahn at the Democratic National Convention. 

Kahn and his wife Ghazala Khan, the parents of a a Muslim US Army captain killed in Iraq, called Trump out at the DNC over his calls to ban Muslims, and Trump's response to the situation drew the ire of Colbert and the media at large. 

Colbert ripped into Trump's claims that Ghazala Khan "maybe wasn't allowed" to speak at the convention because she's a Muslim wife.

"Yes, Trump knows a good husband allows his wife to say something," Colbert responsed, with a "Werd" text punchline that read: "... That Michelle Obama Already Said."

Colbert went on to repudiate the Trump campaign's history of making controversial statements and following them up with ideas that are "even crazier" to make the country forget about previous scandals.

The "Late Show" host summed up his take on the situation in a couple succint "Werd" nicknames for Trump: "D-Bag" and "P.O.S."

Watch the video below.

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert used a Nazi symbol to slam Donald Trump's 'new low' in the election

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NOW WATCH: We took a ride around NYC in the new ‘Ghostbusters’ car which is actually a 1984 Cadillac hearse

The 'Suicide Squad' director just yelled 'f--- Marvel'

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David Ayer Jamie McCarthy Getty final

"Suicide Squad" director David Ayer isn't your typical Hollywood player.

Having spent a lot of his youth around South Central Los Angeles, which led to the inspiration for scripts he wrote when he started his career like the first "Fast and Furious" movie and "Training Day," he's far from the usual soft-spoken director who keeps it very PC in public. 

He likes to get a crowd amped up, like at this year's Comic-Con in San Diego, where he announced that DC Comics runs Hall H, the epic convention floor where the biggest event films and TV shows have their presentations during the convention.

But he might have taken his hype-man persona a little too far on Monday night at the "Suicide Squad" premiere in New York City. While introducing the DC Comics movie, he repeated an audience member who yelled out, "F--- Marvel."

People inside the screening immediately started tweeting the occurrence, leading to many voicing their displeasure over Ayer trying to start a rivalry between DC Comics and Marvel properties.

Ayer tweeted an apology soon after:

SEE ALSO: Here are all of J.K. Rowling's favorite books

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NOW WATCH: We took a ride around NYC in the new ‘Ghostbusters’ car which is actually a 1984 Cadillac hearse

Samantha Bee took an ax to the RNC and Donald Trump, 'the least qualified candidate ever'

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Samantha Bee

Samantha Bee thinks the Republican National Convention was just a "four-day blooper reel."

The "Full Frontal" host compared the "poorly attended rage-a-thon featuring a parade of hemorrhoidal has-beens" to the Democratic counterpart's "USA lovefest."

Bee then praised the Democrats for their success, though not without the biting comment that it took "the looming certainty of Armageddon" for them to get their act together.

After running through the long list of notable and diverse speakers who dominated at the DNC, Bee summarized her point about what it takes to be the first female presidential nominee from a major party.

"Oh just for good measure, half the f------ Pentagon standing onstage saying 'Vote for Hillary if you want to live,'" Bee said. "That is how good you have to be if you're a woman running for president, and she still might lose to this [Trump], the least qualified candidate ever to lurch into the public spotlight and s--- on Gold Star moms while cradling Putin’s sweaty sack."

Watch Bee's full rundown of the DNC's triumph over the RNC:

SEE ALSO: Samantha Bee tells her network to 'delete your account' following anti-Hillary Clinton tweet

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NOW WATCH: Disney just released 3 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage from the new 'Star Wars' movie

The world’s first 8K TV broadcasts are now live — here’s what that means for you

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8k tvJapan’s NHK has started to broadcast TV in 8K resolution ahead of this weekend’s Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The public broadcasting organization is sending the extremely high-resolution video to its “Super Hi-Vision” satellite test channel, which launched on Monday and also includes 4K content.

The channel isn’t available for Japanese residents to watch at home, so NHK has set up six public viewing stations across the country for those interested in the tech. It’ll broadcast footage from Rio Olympics, highlights from the 2012 London Games, and various concerts, among other things.

NHK has been preparing this test for yearsThe larger hope is to implement the technology nationwide in time for 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

The 8K spec itself broadcasts at a resolution of 7,680 x 4,320 pixels. That’s about four times the resolution of most 4K TVs, which are still not fully ubiquitous today, and 16 times the resolution as 1080p HDTVs. The "Super Hi-Vision" format is also capable of advanced 22.2-channel audio — that's bigger, deeper, better surround-sound audio.

TV makers like Samsung, LG, and Sharp have showcased 8K panels at events like CES for the past few years. In late 2015, Sharp actually put one on the market in Japan, but it cost well over $100,000.

This is all exciting tech, but it’s worth remembering that, on its own, 8K will never mean much to the average TV user. Apart from the usual challenge of getting content makers to actually adopt the format, it’s physically impossible for the human eye to see the benefits of 8K under most circumstances.

4k 8k tvsThis is still the case with 4K, too. This chart from Carlton Bale has been passed around for awhile now, but it hasn’t become any less true. From just five feet away, you’d need an 80-inch TV to start seeing the added sharpness. 80 inches! Unless all TV manufacturers suddenly become charities, TVs that big will never adorn most people’s homes. People aren't sitting closer to their 50-inch TVs, either; nor should they.

This isn’t to say Ultra HDTVs are pointless, just that resolution alone isn’t why you should buy them. 4K is an easy buzzword to sell, but it becomes much less of an important, tangible thing once you hit a certain threshold. (Things like motion blur, contrast, color gamut, and black uniformity are more significant, but harder to grasp.) If 4K is already breaking through that threshold today, something that adds four times the pixels will turn it to dust.

There’ll still be some cases where 8K might make sense — VR, perhaps, or just enormous displays — and there’s still plenty of room for today’s TVs improve. Just don’t expect NHK’s breakthrough to be a big boon for your living room anytime soon.

SEE ALSO: Get ready, here's when the iPhone 7 will probably come out

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NOW WATCH: Sorry Apple fans — the iPhone 7 is going to be boring

The 15 worst movie sequels ever, ranked

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son of the mask new line cineam

This summer has been filled with sequels we really didn’t want to see.

From “Alice Through the Looking Glass” to “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows,” they really should have stopped at one.

But in no way are the failures of sequels in 2016 a new thing in Hollywood. There are decades upon decades of bad sequels that have abused our eyeballs.

Here we rank the 15 worse sequels of all time.

SEE ALSO: 20 modern classic movies everyone needs to watch in their lifetime

15. “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace”

The late 1980s was an interesting time. We were coming out of the Cold War and peace was a big theme throughout the world. So why wouldn't we make a movie where Superman collects all the nuclear weapons the world ever created and throws them into the sun?

That launches Lex Luthor's latest plan to destroy Superman. The problem is we got a poorly produced movie with lame special effects and yawn-enducing action sequences. 



14. “The Godfather: Part III”

When you go and make arguably the greatest sequel of all time, it's likely a studio is going to throw money at you until you finally make a third. That's what happened to director Francis Ford Coppola.

After making two of the most memorable movies ever, he tried to go for the hat trick. And though the (presumably) final feature-length tale of the Corleone family has grown in acceptance over the years, it still is hard to watch. 



13. “The Matrix Reloaded”/"The Matrix Revolutions"

After "The Matrix" became a sensation, it was obvious there would be another movie. And given the hype around Neo and his quest to become "The One," most were dissatisfied by how the eventual trilogy ("Reloaded" and "Revolutions" were shot together) continued.  



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Jon Stewart is doing something he's never done before for his new HBO show

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Jon Stewart

When former "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart signed a four-year production contract with HBO last fall, the details of the deal were cryptic and simply promised a "short-form digital content" series from Stewart.  

Now we know that Stewart's HBO program will be an "animated parody of a cable news network," according to a Variety report.

Casey Bloys, HBO's programming president, said at a Television Critics Association event recently that the project will be "an Onion-like portal" for Stewart to comment on daily news through short segments, featuring "simple animation." 

Stewart is also reportedly establishing his own animation studio for the program and will be working in concert with a 3D graphic firm called OTOY, which HBO acquired stakes in in April

In addition to the short animated content, the program will also reportedly feature a "linear-television element" that will likely be around a half-hour in duration, according to Variety. It is unclear whether that segment will be animated as well. 

Bloys said Stewart's HBO series will premiere "sometime in September or October."

SEE ALSO: Jon Stewart takes over for Stephen Colbert to tell Trump supporters they 'don't own' America

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart reunited to unleash an even more special guest

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NOW WATCH: The directors of 'Catfish' and 'Nerve' reveal how to make it in Hollywood without going to film school

Jared Leto gave Jimmy Fallon a terrifying Joker-like gift

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Jimmy Fallon Jared Leto Joker gift

Jared Leto's tricks on the "Suicide Squad" set are the stuff of legend now.

He sent a rat to Margot Robbie, bullets to Will Smith, and a video with a dead hog in it to the entire cast.

And now the Joker has a gift for Jimmy Fallon.

On "The Tonight Show," Leto gave Fallon an ominous, tiny black box with a red ribbon.

Smartly, Fallon was hesitant to open the present, and his instincts were right. In the same vein as his previous antics, Leto gave Fallon a snake — of which Fallon has a known fear.

"I'm afraid of snakes, a little bit," Fallon said after he jumped from behind his desk when the live snake got loose.

Leto calmly handled the snake before he put it back in the box for the rest of the interview.

Watch Leto's prank:

SEE ALSO: The 15 worst movie sequels ever, ranked

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NOW WATCH: Jon Stewart just ranted against Republicans who have praised Trump for the same things they have bashed Obama on


Why Netflix's newest hit show could have big implications for investors (NFLX)

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Stranger Things Eleven

Netflix's new series "Stranger Things" is a monster hit.

It currently has a 94% Rotten Tomatoes critic rating, a 96% audience rating, and it has sent the internet abuzz since it was released in mid-July.

If you haven't seen the show, it's a supernatural sci-fi thriller that draws heavily from '80s movies and TV. Tech Insider's Tim Mulkerin describes it like this: "Imagine putting 'The X-Files,' 'Freaks and Geeks,' 'Twin Peaks,' 'Super 8,' 'It Follows,' and 'E.T.' in one big giant blender."

It's nostalgia bait, done very well.

But Pacific Crest analysts Andy Hargreaves and Evan Wingren don't love it for that. They love "Stranger Things" because they think it proves that the Netflix model works.

In a note to investors on Tuesday, the analysts wrote that with "Stranger Things," "Netflix has taken an idea and a project that was off the radar of most, and grown an audience at what is likely a small fraction of the cost per hour viewed of any other TV show to premiere this year."

That has been Netflix's pitch all along. It will identify those seemingly niche hits that can grab a worldwide audience. And sometimes those hits can dominate the cultural conversation.

Growth driver

"Using search volume as an indicator, Netflix original series 'Stranger Things' is the biggest TV series to debut this year, and it's not close," the analysts wrote. "In fact, it is already one of Netflix's most-searched-for shows ever. A show that had limited explicit marketing, no huge stars (sorry, Winona), and likely a discount budget relative to other premieres dwarfed 'larger' debuts on traditional TV."

It's no doubt that Netflix scored big with "Stranger Things." But the bigger question is whether Netflix is any better at identifying these sleeper hits than your average network.

Netflix will release an insane 600 hours of original programming this year, according to the company. That includes "The Get Down," Baz Luhrmann's upcoming show that cost a whopping $120 million to produce, according to Variety. When the dust settles from that spree, we'll see whether it was a cost-effective means of driving subscriber growth, which is the only statistic Netflix really worries about.

Netflix missed Wall Street's subscriber growth estimates in both the US and international markets last quarter — badly. But the Pacific Crest analysts are bullish.

"Despite recent earnings hiccups, we believe this core efficiency advantage remains firmly in place and can drive global subscriber growth in excess of investors' current expectations," they wrote.

SEE ALSO: How to easily find all the Netflix movies in a secret category like 'military dramas'

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NOW WATCH: Warren Buffett challenges Donald Trump to release his tax returns

REVIEW: 'Suicide Squad' doesn't live up to the hype

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Suicide Squad Clay Enos Warner BrosTwo years ago, Marvel released "Guardians of the Galaxy," a movie about an obscure rag-tag group of heroes from a random '60s comic series. That movie surprised everyone with a huge August debut and went on to be one of the highest-grossing movies of 2014.

Now, DC's trying to do the same with Suicide Squad, but with a rag-tag group of many B-list villains. Sadly, it won't pack the same punch as "Guardians."

These villains, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Deadshot (Will Smith), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), Diablo (Jay Hernandez), and Enchantress (Cara Delevingne) — are you tired yet? There are two more characters I haven't even mentioned which lead the team — have been assembled together by U.S. Intelligence Officer Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) after the events of "Batman v Superman." As every trailer has iterated, she's creating a task force to save the world from metahumans who may go rogue (think Wonder Woman, The Flash, or any other characters, hero or villain.)

suicide squad amanda wallersuicide squad

After "Batman v Superman," I really wanted to like "Suicide Squad." I'm a DC girl over Marvel. I grew up loving Batman, but for some reason Warner Bros. just can't seem to figure out how to make a great superhero movie after "The Dark Knight." While there are some good things about "Suicide Squad," I felt like I was watching "BvS" part two.

The film is just stuffed with a few too many characters, all of whom are unnecessary to the overall film. After the movie introduces its initial task force, it randomly adds several more characters to the Suicide Squad club — Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Slipknot (Adam Beach), and a sword-wielding Katana (Karen Fukuhara) with little explanation why.

suicide squad

There are so many side characters in "Suicide Squad" that character development falls by the wayside unless you're one of the big players, primarily Harley Quinn and Deadshot.

I get wanting to introduce a bunch of cool DC villains to the mix, but the film could have done without Slipknot, who I only learned is good at tying knots and scaling buildings, as well as Katana, who's admittedly pretty handy with a spooky sword that holds the souls of everyone it kills. It seems like they're only there to add diversity to the film's cast.

And unlike other screen adaptations of Captain Boomerang, all I gathered from "Suicide Squad" is that he seems to have a random obsession with a pink unicorn plush that's never explained. I guess it's supposed to be funny.

captain boomerang

It's just nearly impossible to build an emotional connection to about a dozen characters in a two-hour movie. There's a point in the film where Diablo, a tattooed man who can shoot out flames, says, 'I lost one family. I'm not gonna lose another.' But you don't even feel like they are truly family. This isn't "Fast and the Furious." There isn't enough time to give each character the development they need (outside of a small few) when there are not one, but two villains  — in a movie filled with supervillains, mind you — to take down.

The villains themselves are just too generic (imagine the whole 'We want to take over the world' mantra — is this what we've come to expect from superhero films?) and confusing to anyone who's not deeply ingrained into DC lore. I won't spoil who they are because it's supposed to be a surprise, though some have figured it out by now due to a casting sheet.

It's hard to even get excited about the villains in a movie based around supervillains. They're actually the least interesting part of the film. Half the time you're more invested in Harley and the Joker's relationship to even care about the bad guys they're fighting.

Oh and if you're hoping to see a lot of Jared Leto's new incarnation of the Joker, you're out of luck. While he pops up in the film several times, if you've seen the photos, trailers, and clips released for the film, then you've seen most of his role in the movie.

Suicide Squad Trailer Joker Toys

Though Leto brings a fresh brand of psycho to the clown prince of crime, in a year's time no one will say this performance outshines that of Jack Nicholson in 1989's "Batman" or Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning role in 2008's "The Dark Knight." Maybe that's because this version of the Joker is not the main star of the film. Though a proven psychotic maniac, Batman's main nemesis has a soft spot for his girlfriend Harley, his Queen of Gotham, who he pines after throughout the film like a lovesick puppy.

Joker's still all guns ablazing, but he'll move heaven and earth to be reunited with his number one girl.
The film feeds into the fandom's love for the pairing of Harley and her puddin' Mistah J (the Joker). Fans will be delighted to see the two in a few shots reenacting a popular mad love scene.

You know, this famous shot:

harley quinn

In fact, I wouldn't mind a film centered around those two. Robbie and Leto share some of the movies best scenes.
The film hints that could very well be in the cards. If Warner Bros. is smart, they'll capitalize on the characters' popularity and make a solo Joker/Harley film or include them as the main villains in the solo Batman movie.

The real heart and scene stealer of "Suicide Squad" is Robbie's Harley Quinn, but that shouldn't be a surprise. She has dominated the marketing for the film. And rightfully so. This is the character's first time on the big screen. She was first introduced in '90s cartoon "Batman: The Animated Series" as the Joker's henchwoman. She's grown in popularity starring in her own comics, and fans have been waiting years to see one of the best female antiheroes in a movie.

harley quinn

Though the movie is about a group of villains, it's heavily centered around Harley trying to get back to her love, the Joker. Not that Harley can't take care of herself. She can. We see her take down a number of villains ruthlessly with a gun and a bat without so much as blinking an eye. She even has to save the Squad leader Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) a few times.

When the first trailers came out for "Suicide Squad," I said the success of this movie wouldn't depend on the Joker, it would depend on Harley Quinn, and she nails it. She may not have the accent fans are used to from the cartoon, but she makes the former psychiatrist Harleen Quinzel her own.

While I suspected the film would mostly belong to Margot Robbie, Will Smith (maybe not so surprisingly) dominates the film as well. And that's entirely welcome. If you've seen last year's "Focus," you already know Smith and Robbie have excellent chemistry and they share that again in "Suicide Squad." This movie really belongs to Harley, Deadshot, and the Joker, suggesting WB is perhaps setting the threesome up for some sort of romantic quarrel in the future. I'd throw money at that.

suicide squad deadshot harley quinn

Truly enjoyable moments in the film include cameos from Batman and another future "Justice League" member. That's one thing DC is actually doing better than Marvel — creating a connection between their films that feels natural by having star players show up in subsequent films instead of just mentioning them by name.

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The film also has a pretty solid soundtrack. "Heathens" from Twenty One Pilots and a "Bohemian Rhapsody" cover by Panic! at the Disco are stand outs.

Director David Ayer may have said "f--- Marvel" on stage at the "Suicide Squad" world premiere Monday evening, something he has since apologized for, but I don't think Marvel has anything to be worried about.

With "Suicide Squad" as the second movie in DC's planned cinematic movie universe, the films are quickly feeling like pieces that have been slapped together too fast to catch up to the Marvel machine. That's a shame because not only does DC have two of the most lucrative characters in Batman and Superman, but several years ago when Christopher Nolan's Batman was reigning supreme at the box office, it was Disney and Marvel who had to play catch up. (And how they have!)

Opening weekend estimates are calling for "Suicide Squad" to break $120 million. While it may perform well upon its debut for fans eager to see the latest incarnation of the Joker and Harley Quinn's first on-screen appearance, it's not a movie you'll head out to see more than once. The movie thinks it's funnier and more fun than it actually is.

And if it does well opening weekend, a sequel is reportedly already planned. The film certainly lends itself to one. If not, at the least, Warner Bros. has a rotating cast of villains for future films.

"Suicide Squad" is in theaters Friday.

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NOW WATCH: Margot Robbie’s crazed Harley Quinn steals the show in the new ‘Suicide Squad’ trailer

Jimmy Fallon is hosting the next Golden Globe Awards

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Jimmy Fallon has been announced as the host for the next Golden Globe Awards.

NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt made the announcement during the Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills on Tuesday.

“This is the most spontaneous and uninhibited award show on television," Greenblatt said. "And Jimmy’s playful, disarming comedic brilliance makes him the ideal host to enhance and elevate the sense of fun and irreverence that’s made the Golden Globes one of the premier events of the entire broadcast year.”

This will be Fallon's first time hosting the awards, which are voted on by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

JimmyFallon is an exceptionally talented and dynamic entertainer and we couldn’t be more excited that he’ll be hosting the 2017 Golden Globes,” HFPA President Lorenzo Soria said in a statement. “His charm, wit, and incredible spontaneity will play exceedingly well both to everyone at the show as well as the millions watching at home from around the world.”

Fallon will have to live up to last year's dynamic Globes host, comedian and star of UK's "The Office," Ricky Gervais. It was watched by 18.5 million total viewers.

"The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" host is currently dominating late night against ABC's Jimmy Kimmel and CBS's Stephen Colbert.

The Globes nominations will be announced on Monday, December 12.

SEE ALSO: Barack Obama took a humorous dig at Donald Trump on Jimmy Fallon's 'Slow Jam the News'

DON'T MISS: Andy Samberg found a way to mention Jimmy Fallon in every interview he did for his new movie

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NOW WATCH: Watch Jimmy Fallon do a spot-on impersonation of Bernie Sanders on ‘The Tonight Show’

'Suicide Squad' star Jai Courtney gets honest about reshoots and being 'jaded as f---'

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Jai Courntey Nicholas Hunt Getty final

Jai Courtney's rise to fame has gone the express route thanks to being thrust into big franchises opposite even bigger action stars ("Jack Reacher," "A Good Day to Die Hard," "Divergent," "Terminator Genisys").

The Australian actor is the first to admit that not all the movies have been successful, but he's learned the dog-eat-dog reality of the business, which has prepared him for the intense scrutiny surrounding his next film, "Suicide Squad" (in theaters Friday), in which he plays DC Comics' dysfunctional Captain Boomerang.

Business Insider talked to Courtney (who was in a foul-mouthed mood, so be prepared) in New York City about those highly publicized "Suicide Squad" reshoots, if there will ever be another "Terminator" movie, and whispers he's heard about stars of another franchise who can't stand each other. (Is he talking about Marvel?)

Suicide Squad Jai Courtney Boomerang Clay Enos finalJason Guerrasio: So let's get the whole news of you taking mushrooms while Skyping with director David Ayer out of the way.

Jai Courtney: I've heard so many versions of that story.

Guerrasio: So let's get the real one.

Courtney: It's not even worth getting into because it's f---ing — it's just a silly thing when s--- gets misconstrued.

Guerrasio: It was more you having fun with a reporter?

Courtney: Yeah, I was f---ing around a little. But then that's me having to learn when to put the brakes on because when a conversation turns into print, it's a little harder to grasp the concept.

Guerrasio: So we can we say you did not have to go to such lengths to get the role?

Courtney: No. I would never do that.

Guerrasio: All these stories about how David Ayer prepares his cast — having you box each other and get interrogated — at a certain point do you go, "Enough of this, David, let's just act"?

Courtney: That's the beauty of it. It's not like he's complicating anything with this stuff. It's fueling. It's fanning the fire. It's a really cool way to shake up the usual pattern of preparation for a job. It's good that you never really know what that's going to mean, you know? That's a gift.

Guerrasio: Did doing all that actually help your performance?

Courtney: Yeah, for sure. It kind of feeds into it. You can do whatever work you think is necessary for a job but unless you have a system like this in place, you may not uncover certain things. There's not a right or wrong way to prepare. My approach changes on every job. But I think David having this long preproduction and the physical demands — I think it's all in the luxury of rehearsal. You're only going to go deeper and that's what he's interested in.

Guerrasio: You've done numerous franchises. Is this the most prep you've done out of any of those?

Courtney: Yeah, 100 percent. I mean, I have had to do prep that's heavy on the physical expectations, but never had a rehearsal period like this before.

Guerrasio: The "Justice League" character who shows up in a cameo is in a scene with Boomerang. Did you know that person would be in the scene with you?

Courtney: I didn't f---ing know that was happening when we were filming. That was a surprise for me when I saw the film.

Guerrasio: How was it written originally?

Courtney: It was written like we didn't really know. But it's part of the roundup of the squad, so my interpretation was that he had been taken out by [Rick] Flag's crew. But it's not specified [in the script]. When I saw it, I was like, of course!

suicide squadGuerrasio: But that has to be fun because while filming, surrounded by green screens, you're thinking one thing and then when you see it on-screen, it's another.

Courtney: Totally. It was just a nice little thread. That's what's cool about all this. The potential for that to happen over the course of wherever all this goes is there. The relationships between these characters and different characters in other properties, too. The fact that we can all get into bed and mix it up, the future is bright in that sense.

Guerrasio: How much reshooting was there? Set the record straight.

Courtney: I was a little pissed off by all the reports. The rumors around us having to inject levity into it and all this shit. It was silly because the movie already had all that. All we did was shoot a big action sequence that was changing the shape of another one we had already shot.

Guerrasio: The ending?

Courtney: Yeah. We were just doing stuff with Enchantress. We did things that introduced stuff earlier that they wanted to get rid of basically. Changing her ability to engage with the squad, they enhanced that interaction. It was normal. It was strengthening the ending. The original [ending] we shot was dope, it was just adding to it, not doing an alternative.

Guerrasio: So when you see this movie, you like it? There's no feeling that they screwed it up in post?

Courtney: I f---ing love this movie. It's great to see it all come together. I love that about filmmaking and getting to see everyone else that you don't necessarily engage with on set everyday and getting them to showcase their talents. Whether it's effects, music, the edit, the rhythm of a film is driven by that, so it's cool to see it come together. It's great to be standing in front of something you're genuinely proud of.

Guerrasio: Are you bummed that, as far as the immediate future, there are no more "Terminator" movies?

Courtney: Um, no. I mean, look, I would like to do more, but that's not a decision that's up to me and so for whatever reason they put it on the back burner for now.

Guerrasio: You have been thrown into a lot of franchises. Do you have to have a short memory and not anticipate the sequels too much?

Courtney: Yeah, I've certainly learned to become unattached to the idea of it having to come around again. And that has been a possibility since, f--- man, like ["A Good Day to] Die Hard." It was like, "Oh, we'll make another one."

Terminator GenisysGuerrasio: And that was early in your career, so back then were you pumped by the idea of more movies?

Courtney: Totally. I was still f---ing impressionable. [Laughs]

Guerrasio: You didn't have the scars yet.

Courtney: Yeah. I'm jaded as f--- now. But look, you learn to really not listen to it. And look, if it happens, it happens. If it seems like an obvious movie to make then cool. The thing is if they are going to make another one then hopefully it's for the right reasons, and if that's the case then I'm game to do it. But with "Terminator," who knows — it's probably time to leave it where it is. But if they can get back in there and dig around and decide if there is another film to make, well, I'll take the call.

Guerrasio: What franchise are you more happy to see in the rear-view mirror, the "Terminator" franchise or the "Divergent" franchise?

Courtney: Most in the rear-view? "Divergent." Look, "Divergent" did a lot for me and I liked that character, but I'm glad I was in and out of there in a couple of films. I don't think it hurts anyone, but some of those guys have been making that movie since 2013, and I'm glad I had the fun with it that I did and it's not my future.

Guerrasio: You had a little joke when talking to Stephen Colbert the other night, saying you were happy with "Suicide Squad" because at least you guys get along with each other. Was that a hint that on "Divergent" you all weren't friendly with one another?

Courtney: No, I didn't mean that. I think the thing was I was joking about the fact that it's not always the case on movies. I've heard stories from other sets, I won't name names, but another high-profile franchise that was shooting at the same time we were, and individuals don't speak to each other.

Guerrasio: A franchise that might shoot down in Georgia? [Marvel Studios shoots a lot of its films in the Atlanta region.]

Courtney: I don't know, couldn't tell you. But it's a wrestle every day when that happens because they aren't the only people shooting a movie. That energy affects everyone on set. So I was just remarking to the fact that it's cool that was something we didn't have to bull--- about in press. We love each other, you can tell.

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The first reviews of 'Suicide Squad' are here, and people hate it

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The first reviews for the upcoming "Suicide Squad" film — out this weekend — are in, and most critics say that the movie neither lives up to its ubiquitous hype nor its sprawling premise.

The film, which David Ayer ("End of Watch") wrote and directed, features an all-star cast of DC Comics villains — starring Will Smith as Deadshot, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, and Jared Leto as The Joker — but critics generally aren't pleased with the way the ensemble picture turned out.

Read some of the film's scathing reviews and biggest gripes below:

SEE ALSO: REVIEW: 'Suicide Squad' doesn't live up to the hype

Putting the film's star power aside, several critics criticized the "Squad" conceit itself, suggesting that the film's concept of a group of villains working together either makes no sense or doesn't deliver.



"It hardly matters who the 'Suicide Squad' is fighting or why. These supervillains just don't feel like they belong in the same zip code as DC's gritty urban antiheroes, let alone the same movie," The Daily Beast said.

Source: The Daily Beast



"Unfortunately, the result resembles a sports dream team whose combined efforts don't nearly measure up to the talents of its individual players," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's the fascinating new novel that Oprah just picked for her book club

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Oprah

Oprah has selected her latest pick for her beloved book club. Colson Whitehead’s "The Underground Railroad" is the lucky title to be named the 2016 selection.

"This book has kept me up at night, had my heart in my throat, almost afraid to turn the next page," Oprah said in a video announcement on Amazon. "Get it, then get another copy for somebody you know because you are definitely going to want to talk about this with somebody once you read that last, heart-stopping page."

"The Underground Railroad" is Whitehead's sixth novel and follows Cora, a slave on a Georgia plantation who makes a desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South.

According to Barnes and Noble, in Whitehead's story, the Underground Railroad is a literal thing and not a metaphor for secret passageways. The retail bookseller even compares it to "Gulliver's Travels."

"When I got the call, I let out a stream of loud, joyful expletives — which was awkward because my plane had just landed and everyone looked at me like I was crazy," Whitehead said in a statement, according to Entertainment Weekly. "Oprah has introduced so many wonderful books to people, from 'The Song of Solomon' to 'The Sound and The Fury,' that I’m honored and grateful that 'The Underground Railroad' is joining such great company. You write the best book you can, and hope it finds its way. This is the best kind of sendoff."

Watch clips of Oprah's interview with Whitehead on Amazon, and check out the other books featured in the club.

SEE ALSO: The most important science book of our time is being made into a movie starring Oprah

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How the 'Suicide Squad' cast looks compared to the comic-book characters

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suicide squad

"Suicide Squad" is finally here.

After a massive marketing rollout and tons of fan-generated hype, the early word is not great on the DC Comics movie with an all-star cast.

But that won't stop stampedes from seeing it when it comes out this weekend. "Squad" is looking at a historic box-office launch.

So what and who do you need to know?

Based on the comic-book series of the same name, the Suicide Squad is a team of supervillains recruited to go on missions that have almost no odds of survival. They're suicide missions, hence the name. The team is made up of almost a dozen unique villains, but many have never appeared in a DC film before.

Here's what you need to know about each member of the team.

SEE ALSO: The 15 worst movie sequels ever, ranked

Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) creates the Suicide Squad.

Amanda "The Wall" Waller forms the Suicide Squad and acts as its leader. Because the squad members are all officially serving life sentences in maximum-security prison, she works hard to maintain their cover during missions.

In the comics, she keeps the squad in check by implanting bombs in their necks and threatening to detonate them if they step out of line. But Waller's greatest weapons are her mind games. She keeps encyclopedic knowledge of each member's weaknesses and uses them to keep the squad members under control. She wants her team to succeed, but never lets them forget they're all expendable.



Deadshot (Will Smith) is a sniper and master gunman.

Real name Floyd Lawton, Deadshot is a master assassin and gunslinger. In addition to his sniper rifle, he can fire bullets from his gauntlets and laser monocle.

In the comics, he joins the squad in the hopes of clearing off a life sentence so he can reconnect with his adopted daughter. He also starts an on and off again fling with Harley Quinn. Interestingly, Batman is the one who put Deadshot in prison after foiling an assassination attempt in Gotham City. We know Ben Affleck's Batman will appear in "Suicide Squad," so perhaps he'll be a part of Deadshot's story.



Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), the Joker's main squeeze, will appear on film for the first time.

Described in the comics as a "psychoanalyst turned psycho," Harleen Quinzel was once a brilliant psychologist. But she fell in love with her most disturbed patient, The Joker, and soon after took on the persona of "Harley Quinn."

In the comics, Harley is among the most feared of the squad members because she's unpredictable and uncontrollable. She's a surprisingly strong martial artist and Deadshot develops something of a soft spot for her. This is the on-screen debut for the character, and we'll get to see her life as Dr. Harleen Quinzel, attempting to treat the Joker, and as Harley Quinn, the giggling supervillain and squad member.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A couple who put their life savings into a surf business can't keep up with demand after Mark Cuban and Ashton Kutcher invested $200,000

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slyde

Angela Watts' mother saved $10,000 for her and her fiancé Steve's wedding, but instead of using it to get hitched, they put $8,000 of it into their surfing company, Slyde Handboards, ahead of their "Shark Tank" pitch last June.

The couple has since been married, and the Watts told Business Insider that since their pitch aired in the latest episode of the show's seventh season, "We haven't been able to keep up with the orders, because they just keep coming in."

Mark Cuban and guest Shark Ashton Kutcher split a $200,000 investment for a 22% stake in the company, and the deal closed last November.

Angela Watts told The Orange County Register that the deal changed their lives by easing their struggle to scrape by and allowing them to move operations from their bedroom in Dana Point, California, to a proper office in San Clemente, several miles south.

In the Tank, the Watts sought $200,000 for 15% equity for their company, which Steve founded in 2010. He grew up bodysurfing in South Africa, and he enjoyed using random flat objects, like fast-food trays, as hand planes to help him gain more control over a wave as he glided across it. It's a practice that's been around for decades, but Watts wanted to create a hand plane with the same careful design companies put into surfboards.

The average Slyde hand board retails for about $170. Here's one of them in action:

Watts' future wife, Angela, joined Slyde in 2013 in a role similar to co-CEO, and the two committed full-time to Slyde and invested roughly $40,000 of their own money into the company — their life savings. To get the company rolling, the couple lived off credit-card debt (which they're still paying off) and didn't pay themselves a salary.

They applied three times to "Shark Tank," and when they finally were accepted, their total sales from 2011 to the first half of 2015 were $356,000, and they expected to end 2015 with $295,000 in annual revenue.

The numbers were a bit low for the Sharks, but Cuban wasn't worried, because one of his best investments from the show has been Tower Paddle Boards, which is highly profitable and bringing in around $10 million in annual revenue. He considered Slyde Handboards to be a perfect complement to his surfing business.

Kutcher, whose investments include Uber and Airbnb, said that the surfing space was way out of his element, but he could see himself using the product and saw potential for big sales.

Kutcher said he'd be happy to join his buddy Cuban in a deal for 25% equity, which the Watts were able to negotiate down to 22% after both Kevin O'Leary and Robert Herjavec made offers. The Watts made a deal with Kutcher and Cuban after considering the value of their talents and networks.

mark cuban ashton kutcher

"We could not have asked for better partners," the Watts told us via email. "Both have been incredible in helping us in not only refining our message and brand but helping us focus on the right things to grow the business. Ashton and his team are social media wizards and Ashton himself has some really awesome ideas for the brand and Mark and his team have brought a level of business knowledge to our team that any Fortune 500 company would kill for."

Since closing their deal last year, the Watts have regularly stayed in touch with Cuban and Kutcher via email, and they have monthly conference calls with Kutcher and his team to discuss strategy.

Cuban has also hooked Slyde up with Amazon Exclusives to give them continued exposure.

The Watts said that Kutcher's comment, "This is cool 'cause you're cool," gave them confidence that he and Cuban would respect their brand.

"The attitude both of them displayed on the show toward keeping to our roots was a huge reason for us choosing them," they said.

SEE ALSO: 'Shark Tank' investor Barbara Corcoran explains why every 20-something should spend a week using only cash

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Netflix has more subscribers than its biggest cable competitors combined, but that might be a bad thing (NFLX)

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house of cards

Netflix may have missed on its subscriber growth estimates for the US last quarter, in a big way, but it still has more customers than the top US cable companies.

Here is how Netflix compares to its top cable competitors in video:

  1. Netflix: 47.1 million (Q2)
  2. Comcast: 22.4 million (Q2)
  3. Charter: about 17 million (May)

Netflix has more subscribers than Comcast and Charter combined, and it's almost as big as the entire cable video industry.

According to Business Insider Intelligence, the top nine US cable companies had 49.1 million subscribers total, adding just over 50,000 subscribers in Q1 2016. Netflix is sitting just below that level, at 47.1 million for Q2 (some of its cable competitors have yet to report their Q2 earnings).

That news might sound like a good thing for Netflix, but it actually could be a source of worry for investors who are concerned about Netflix's slowing subscriber growth. Netflix has blamed the slowdown on accidental cancellations from the new chip-enabled credit cards and on media reports, but the big fear among investors is that the slowdown is actually because Netflix has saturated the market. 

Netflix added just 160,000 new subscribers in the US last quarter.

So the question is whether Netflix's appeal can push beyond that of cable, or whether this is as big as it gets.

Correction: The subscriber counts in this post have been updated after an error by a third-party data provider.

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George Lucas is obsessed with this Han Solo comic book and wants to buy every original page

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George Lucas Han Solo Marvel

George Lucas certainly approves of Marvel Comics' latest "Han Solo" series.

The "Star Wars" creator emailed Marvel comic-book artist Mark Brooks asking to purchase every original page from "Han Solo #1" and "#2."

"Surreal is an understatement," Brooks said in a post on his Facebook (below) reacting to the request from Lucas.

"Han Solo #1" and #2" are both available now, and "#3" will be released on August 3.

The series is written by Marjorie Liu and finds everyone's favorite scoundrel on a top-secret undercover mission for the Rebellion, with his cover as a contestant in the biggest and most infamous starship race in the galaxy.

(Is this the potential source material for the future standalone Han Solo film?)

It's certainly a better reaction than the rather quiet one he gave to "The Force Awakens," comparing it to a divorce and calling the situation an "awkward reality."

Hey, you can't please George Lucas all the time.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about the next 'Star Wars' movie, 'Rogue One'

DON'T MISS: 'Star Wars' just released a ton of new footage from 'Rogue One' in a behind-the-scenes video

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'The Apprentice' network distances itself from Donald Trump's campaign: 'It surprised all of us'

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Republican U.S. Presidential nominee Donald Trump attends a campaign event at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio August 1, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Thayer

NBC isn't responsible for making Donald Trump's campaign successful by making him famous in the first place with its "The Apprentice" series — at least that's what NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt is saying.

During a Television Critics press tour in Beverly Hills on Tuesday, a reporter asked Greenblatt if NBC had considered its pivotal role in making Trump a celebrity.

"We were happy to have a show that was doing really well with a guy that was a big TV star," Greenblatt said. "It's impossible to figure out where he goes from there. I think it surprised all of us that he wanted to do this, but I guess that’s what's great about this country."

Greenblatt referred to the 1951 comedy film "Bedtime for Bonzo" in making former President Ronald Reagan famous. He also cited that "Doonesbury" cartoonist Garry Trudeau predicted Trump would run for president about 15 years ago — before "Apprentice" aired.

"I don't think there is too much of a correlation" between Trump's celebrity from "The Apprentice" and his successful campaign, the chairman said. "And I think he has been a popular figure for so many years."

NBC had renewed "Celebrity Apprentice" last year for an eighth season — a 15th season if you count the entire "Apprentice" run. Last season, in which on-air personality Leeza Gibbons triumphed, "Celebrity Apprentice" averaged 7.6 million viewers— its best since 2012.

Arnold Schwarzenegger will replace Trump when the reality show returns in 2017.

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Hulu's upcoming live TV service just snagged a huge chunk of channels

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You might think of Hulu as the place to go for TV shows the day after they're broadcast. That is, indeed, the service in its current incarnation: the place where "New Girl" shows up the day after it airs.

new girl renewed zooey deschanel

But Hulu is in the process of transforming into a live TV service as well, similar to a traditional cable TV operator. And that new, live TV service just got a ton more channels: CNN, TBS, Cartoon Network, TNT, and more. Not a bad haul!

So, where is all this stuff coming from? Who's paying who?

Time Warner, the company that owns all these channels, just bought a 10% stake in Hulu. Alongside that buy-in is the guarantee of Time Warner's many TV channels (and the content they produce) coming to Hulu's live TV offering.

"Turner has signed an affiliate agreement for its full suite of networks to be carried on Hulu’s live-streaming service slated for launch early next year," the company said in its announcement press release.

Turner's "full suite" of TV channels includes CNN, TBS, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, TNT, HLN, Turner Classic Movies, truTV, Turner Sports, and Boomerang. 

Parts Unknown, Anthony Bourdain

Time Warner is far from the first major TV content creator to hook up with Hulu's live TV service. NBCUniversal, Disney and Fox are all in talks with Hulu to offer channels on the new service; a survey obtained by CordCuttersNews also indicates that the service will offer local channels, at least in some areas, similar to how Sony's PlayStation Vue TV service operates.

There are still lots of questions about the new service, like when exactly it will launch and how much it'll cost. Rumors put the service at between $30 and $40/month, with an expected launch in early 2017. 

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