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It looks like 'Batman V Superman' will address the big problem many people had with 'Man of Steel'

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superman batman v superman

The "Batman V Superman" teaser leaked online late Thursday evening.

If you watched it, it looks like next spring's film will address one big issue many critics and fans had with its predecessor, 2013's "Man of Steel."

In the third act of that film, Superman, typically known for being an upstanding figure of hope and morality, uncharacteristically brought death and destruction upon Metropolis as he fought General Zod (Michael Shannon). Supes then broke the moral code viewers identify with the hero by brutally snapping Zod's neck on screen.

man of steel explosion

That wasn't the Superman viewers were used to seeing.

Many respondedcritically about how the Man of Steel was portrayed in the film because of those final scenes. 

However, in telling this origin story of Superman, director Zack Snyder was aiming to show a young man who wasn't quite Superman yet. Sure, he looked and dressed the part, but he wasn't the Man of Steel in his glory days. He was just starting out. 

Snyder reinforced that idea in an interview with Empire magazine at the time:

David [S. Goyer], Chris [Nolan] and I had long talks about it, and I said that I really feel like we should kill Zod, and that Superman should kill him. The ‘Why?’ of it for me was that if was truly an origin story, his aversion to killing is unexplained… I wanted to create a scenario where Superman, either he’s going to see [Metropolis' citizens] chopped in half, or he’s gotta do what he’s gotta do.

Regardless, if you weren't happy with the ending to "Man of Steel," don't worry. 

From what's seen in the first "Batman V Superman" trailer, one thing's clear: No one is a fan of Superman.

A voiceover from Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor refers to the Man of Steel as a treacherous being. "Devils don’t come from hell beneath us," he says. "No, they come from the sky.”

Batman is seen addressing Superman at the trailer's end inquiring, "Tell me, do you bleed?" before threatening, "You will." 

Most fans could have seen this coming. After all, the film is called Batman vs. Superman. You can bet Bats wasn't going after the Man of Steel purely for knocking out one of his Wayne Enterprises satellites in the 2013 film. 

The Man of Steel will get his dues. 

And it looks like Ben Affleck's Batman is ready to deliver.

"Batman V Superman" is in theaters March 25, 2016.

SEE ALSO: The "Batman V Superman" trailer leaks online

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NOW WATCH: Disney just dropped another 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' trailer — and it's the best one yet









HBO officially told a Brooklyn bar to stop hosting 'Game of Thrones' viewing parties

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Game of Thrones

On Sunday nights, some "Game of Thrones" fans in Brooklyn, New York, like to dress up in costume and head over to a cool bar-slash-movie theater called Videology and watch the latest episode as it airs live on HBO.

HBO is apparently not pleased. The media company has sent a cease and desist letter to Videology, telling them to stop showing "Game of Thrones," Lara Zarum at the Village Voice reports.

"They said that it's not allowed to be shown in a public setting," the bar's co-owner, James Leet, told Zarum, adding that this is the first time the bar has been asked not to screen a particular show. Videology screens other popular shows, like Mad Men, too.

Watching GoT at a bar is a fairly New York thing to do. There are a number of other bars that throw a G0T party each Sunday, and it's not clear if HBO has reached out to all of them yet.

But it wouldn't be surprising if the company did.

HBO did the same thing with cease and desist letters when bars and restaurants were throwing "Sopranos" parties back in 2002. And we understand that HBO often tries to tamp down on this sort of public showing of its content.

When we asked about this cease and desist letter, a company spokesperson told us, "As a pay subscription service, HBO should not be made available in public establishments. When it does happen, it is of particular concern when there is an attempt to profit off the programming. This is nothing new as we have taken such actions for well over a decade."

In the GoT case, HBO has its work cut out to protect the show. It's already the most pirated show of 2015, antipiracy firm Irdeto reports. GoT (all seasons) is illegally downloaded an average of 116,000 per day, Irdeto says, or more than seven million times in 2015 so far.

On top of that, somehow the first four episodes were leaked on BitTorrent file swapping sites, CNBC reported.

That said, the international smash-hit show also set a new ratings record for HBO, nabbing eight million viewers for the season premier.

SEE ALSO: Yes, Salesforce's Marc Benioff is related to Game of Thrones creator David Benioff

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NOW WATCH: George R.R. Martin's funny and insightful explanation of the role religion plays in 'Game of Thrones'








Jon Stewart explains why he's leaving 'the most perfect job in the world'

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jon stewart

The Guardian's Hadley Freeman has a great feature on outgoing "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart, who finally explains why he quit the show that made him one of the most respected news broadcasters in the world.

Although he calls hosting Comedy Central's late night satirical news show "the most perfect job in the world," Stewart told Freeman that he has become less and less satisfied in his role. The comedian announced in February that he would leave the show by the end of the year.

"Honestly, it was a combination of the limitations of my brain and a format that is geared towards following an increasingly redundant process, which is our political process. I was just thinking, 'Are there other ways to skin this cat?,'" Stewart said in his interview with The Guardian.

While the host was having increasing dissatisfaction, Freeman reports, Stewart hinted that the tipping point may have been the prospect of covering the upcoming 2016 presidential election.

"I'd covered an election four times, and it didn't appear that there was going to be anything wildly different about this one," Stewart said.

However, the race does provide incoming host Trevor Noah with an abundance of good material for when he takes Stewart's seat later this year.

"For the show, you don't want to leave when the cupboard's bare. So I think it's a better introduction when you have something providing you with assisted fuel, like a presidential campaign," the departing host said.

Check out the full interview at The Guardian >>

SEE ALSO: George Lucas asked Stephen Colbert why he wouldn't want to host 'The Daily Show' and his response was great

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: HBO's 'Game of Thrones' got the Iron Throne all wrong








There's a new trailer out for 'Fantastic Four,' and it has us excited about the reboot

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fantastic four

The new movie trailer releases aren’t done yet, folks.

20th Century Fox released a new full trailer for its “Fantastic Four” reboot Sunday, and we're finally pretty excited for this film.

That’s largely because of the cast.

You can’t really argue with the casting of Miles Teller who was in the excellent “Whiplash,” and Kate Mara who was a fan favorite on “House of Cards.”

Don’t count out Michael B. Jordan either. He’s been a star on the rise ever since television appearances on "The Wire" and “Friday Night Lights.” He recently gave a great performance in “Fruitvale Station.” 

The film also stars Jamie Bell and Toby Kebbell (as the villain, Doctor Doom).

Here’s the official synopsis via Fox:

FANTASTIC FOUR, a contemporary re-imagining of Marvel’s original and longest-running superhero team, centers on four young outsiders who teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team must learn to harness their daunting new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.

“Fantastic Four” will be in theaters August 7, 2015

Pretty good, right?

You have to applaud Fox, here.

Marvel is currently dominating the box office with its superhero movies a la Disney's purchase of the company in 2009. 

Prior to that purchase, Marvel sold off the film rights to some of its characters including the X-Men, Deadpool, and Fantastic Four to Fox. 

So far, Fox has been able to deliver with its X-Men movies. "X-Men: Days of Future Past" was one of the highest-grossing movies of 2014, and, one of the most enjoyable for this scene alone

Fox also recently discovered the enormous popularity of Comic-Con favorite Deadpool. We'll be seeing a movie starring Ryan Reynolds — who has basically been on a mission to get this film made for years— next year. It looks pretty promising.

Disney and Marvel haven't made it easy.

Marvel's been burying the X-Men series for a while. You can read more on that hereThe company also recently announced its killing the "Fantastic Four" comic line. (Though Disney's Alan Horn has said it was a “fully independent decision.”)

So, yeah, we're going to root for this film and hope for the best.

Here's another look at the film's villain Doctor Doom, who you can see below:

fantastic four doctor doom

SEE ALSO: Mark Hamill found out the name of the new 'Star Wars' movie online

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Fans are going to get some awesome posters at the 'Batman V Superman' trailer event Monday

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Monday night, select fans are in for a treat.

Imax theaters around the country will be hosting an event to launch the "Batman V Superman" trailer

After the trailer leaked online last week, Warner Bros. ended up releasing a version of the trailer in full online Friday night.

However, director Zack Snyder promised fans attending Monday's event will see some different footage. They'll also get to go home with some swag. 

It looks like that will come in the form of two pretty cool looking posters.

Regal Cinemas just shared a preview at what fans can expect.

 

Here's a closer look at both:

batman v superman imax postersuperman batman poster

SEE ALSO: It looks like 'Batman V Superman' will address the big problem many people had with 'Man of Steel'

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This trippy thriller with a future 'Star Wars' star is a must-see

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mojave lightened

"Mojave" is an examination of the privleged lives of artists, an existential "mind-game" thriller, and a comedy all at once.

Bolstered by terrific performances, it's clearly one of the best (fiction) films at the Tribeca Film Festival.

A famous actor (Garret Hedlund, in easily his best role to date) ventures off to the Mojave desert in an attempt to get off the grid and escape the hellish grip of Hollywood. While stumbling drunk in the vastness, he encounters a drifter (the incomprable Oscar Isaac, who is on a serious roll since his debut in "Inside Llewyn Davis,") and through the mysterious man's existential musings it arises that he may be the devil himself ... or not.

There may be no actor working today as magnetic or fun to watch as Isaac. Early in the film, the Guatemalan-born American channels a burned out Jack Sparrow crossed with Dennis Hopper's character in "Easy Rider" as he gets in the head of the wandering star.

The drifter's physical appearance transforms as the film dives deeper into the story. Isaac is a pure force on-screen, and he is in top form here.

mojave oscar isaac

The film is very talky and contemplative, but that doesn't make it boring. A great deal of the movie actually takes place outside of the desert and becomes a sort of cat-and-mouse game between the two characters. The script isn't exactly subtle, but the philosophical waxing by Isaac expresses the film's themes.

Hedlund (who did solid work in "Tron: Legacy") shows his range when he wrestles with himself and this stranger who is questioning him in the middle of the wild.

mojave garret

The more metaphyiscal moments are bookended by huge laughs or broad strokes that seem to accentuate the idea that Hollywood is a dangerous cesspool of self-serving ambitions. There's also a great uncredited cameo that expands on this, and it has a hilariously clever payoff.

What's a man to do with the devil inside himself? While the film seems to pose big questions such as this, it's also not afraid to poke fun at these ideas, and that's part of what makes it so enjoyable.

While Isaac's character is certainly the more menacing, it's hard to not be struck when he asks of Hedlund: "Do you know yet which one of us is the bad guy?"

"Mojave" is a confined film full of expansive ideas, and it isn't afraid to keep its tongue firmly in cheek. The film will make you think, make you laugh, and maybe even force you to question your own inner turmoil.

"Mojave" is playing at the Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday April 19th, Wednesday April 22nd and Friday April 24th. Tickets are available here.

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NOW WATCH: Watch these giant container ships collide near the Suez Canal








Channing Tatum left his backpack in an NYC cab and Twitter found it

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Channing Tatnum

It all started when  actor Channing Tatum tweeted to his over seven million followers that he had accidentally left his backpack in a cab in NYC:

He even set up an email address dedicated to getting the bag back.

Twitter was quick to respond.

Channing Tatum tweets And somehow, Tatum's social media plea worked!

No word on what was in the bag or who found it.

SEE ALSO: One of Conan O'Brien's writers went on a Twitter rant insulting Jimmy Fallon, and Conan totally shut him down

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Disney just released a new 'Star Wars: Episode VII' trailer and it's incredible








Photos of the best cosplay from 'Star Wars Celebration'

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“Star Wars Celebration,” an annual gathering of all things celebrating a galaxy far, far, away, took place April 16-19 in Anaheim, California.

Many turned out to see new footage from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," learn details about the first spinoff film, and to hear the original cast speak on panels.

The only better part about "Star Wars Celebration" is dressing the part!

If you missed out, we rounded up some of the best cosplay, short for costume play, from the weekend. 

If you've seen other cool cosplay at "Star Wars Celebration," we want to see it! Email me your photos at kacuna[at]businessinsider[dot]com.

We can't think of a better way to get around the Anaheim Convention Center ...

 



... unless you're this woman.



We’re partial to this balloon-made ride more.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider







Watch John Oliver make fun of patent trolls on 'Last Week Tonight'

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John Oliver patent trolls

John Oliver is not a fan of patent trolls.

In the latest episode of "Last Week Tonight," Oliver skewers patent trolls, or companies that make most of their money not from producing goods or providing services but by amassing the rights to numerous patents and suing as many people as possible.

Oliver takes careful aim at these companies, pointing out how they don't even deserve the name "troll," as it's insulting to the fictional trolls in literature and movies who actually do something.

"Most of these companies don't produce anything — they just shake down anyone who does, so calling them trolls is a little misleading — at least trolls actually do something, they control bridge access for goats and ask fun riddles. Patent trolls just threaten to sue the living s--- out of people, and believe me, those lawsuits add up."

You can watch Oliver's full 11-minute takedown of patent trolls in the video below (via The Next Web).

SEE ALSO: How to download a copy of your Google search history

Join the conversation about this story »








People were outraged that Nicki Minaj came out during Drake's Coachella weekend 2 set instead of Madonna

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Drake

The people of Coachella weekend two got the short end of the stick when it came to Drake's closing performance Sunday night.

While weekend one festival-goers got to witness Madonna take the stage and surprise Drake with the makeout session (and subsequent reaction) heard 'round the world...

DRAKE MADONNA KISS GIF
Madonna didn't return to the stage for Drake's performance the following Sunday night. Instead, Nicki Minaj was the much-hyped surprise guest.

Except that Minaj didn't perform, or speak, or makeout with Drake.

She simply took the stage for a few moments during Drake's "Truffle Butter," on which she is featured, hugged her friend, blew a kiss to the crowd, and then was gone as quickly as she arrived.

Nicki Minaj coachella kiss GIF
The crowd, who had been anticipating a big surprise guest performance, was not pleased.

 

 

Minaj also made a brief, surprise cameo across the fields during David Guetta's opposing performance to promote their new single "Hey Mama." But instead of performing it, Minaj lip synced a verse, blew another kiss, and that was it.

Beyoncé was also backstage during Guetta's set, but didn't take the stage.

Guetta tweeted after his performance:

Kanye West also made a few surprise appearances during Coachella's second weekend, and he even performed.

First, the rapper took the stage with The Weekend:

Then, West surprised fans during Belgium singer Stromae's set, together performing the remix to "Alors On Danse."

  

SEE ALSO: Drake is doing damage control after publicly insulting Madonna at Coachella

MORE: Madonna surprised Drake with an onstage kiss at Coachella, and his reaction was priceless

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's the video of Kanye West jumping in a lake during his concert in Armenia








Ellen Page explored legal action against Sony after nude video-game images leaked online

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Ellen Page has never appeared nude in a film. She did, however, appear nude in a video game.

As a result Page explored legal action, emails from the Sony email breach show, according to the WikiLeaks archive of leaked Sony emails.

The game, "Beyond: Two Souls," and it's exclusive to the PlayStation 3. In one scene, Page's character takes a shower. Her character model is never shown fully nude, nor is it possible to manipulate the game's camera to see her naked character.

Page didn't allow the game's developers to scan her naked body. Instead, programmers and artists at the game's development studio, France-based Quantic Dream, created a fully rendered naked model of Page's in-game character, Jodie.

So the image of a naked Page exists in the game's code, but isn't accessible by players.


But if "Beyond: Two Souls" is run on what is known as a "debug" PlayStation 3, which is typically available only to game developers and journalists and lets you see content buried in a game's code, players can see Page naked. Which is to say, yes, of course, images of a naked Ellen Page from "Beyond: Two Souls" are very much available online. They've been available online since October 2013, when the game launched.

According to the leaked emails, Page's legal team got in touch with Sony, and eventually Sony Computer Entertainment America, the PlayStation arm of Sony. By the time it got to SCEA, Page's attorney was talking legal action.

Where this began

Page's lawyer, Jeffrey Abrams, serves on the board of Bet Tzedek, a Los Angeles-based legal group, alongside general counsel of Sony Pictures Entertainment Leah Weil.

It was in the informality of a Bet Tzedek board meeting that Abrams first broached the subject of Page's unexpected nudity in "Beyond: Two Souls," according to the emails.

Here's the "shower scene" from 2013's "Beyond: Two Souls" as it appeared in the normal version game:


Page's attorney attempted to work out a fix with the game's developer, Quantic Dream, first, the emails say. Representatives for Quantic Dream "would not engage in mediation, and objected to arbitration," Page's lawyer wrote in an email to Weil in January 2014.

When that didn't work, Abrams contacted Sony (via Weil) to warn of an impending lawsuit on behalf of Ellen Page. Here's what Abrams wrote to Weil on January 29, 2014:

We have been engaging in discussions with Quantic Dream, which is based in France, regarding a potential mediation. Unfortunately, their attorneys at DLA Piper recently told us they would not engage in mediation, and objected to arbitration, leaving us with no choice but to file a lawsuit in Los Angeles.

Given Weil's position as legal counsel for Sony Pictures and not the PlayStation group, SCEA, she then contacted PlayStation's chief legal counsel, Riley Russell.

ellen page beyond two soulsResponding on February 4, 2014, Russell told Weil he'd, "started to look into this," but would need a few days to get all his facts together.

Russell said that the game's developer is ultimately culpable for the content of the game, not its publisher, Sony. Moreover, he said in one leaked email, "The developer has the responsibility, but that doesn't mean that I won't get sued."

The issue was enough for Sony to send takedown notices to websites publishing the images of Ellen Page's naked in-game character.

It's unclear where the legal action went, if anywhere, after that. The email thread between Weil and Russell ends there, and we weren't able to find any legal cases in Los Angeles pertaining to Ellen Page, her legal representation, and Sony (or Quantic Dream). Representatives for Sony Computer Entertainment, and Jeffrey Abrams, did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

SEE ALSO: Ellen Page calls out video game for ripping off her likeness

AND:  Watch Ellen Page become a video game character

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: New HBO documentary reveals what controversial singer Kurt Cobain was really like








'Shark Tank' investor Lori Greiner shares the best advice she's ever received

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"Shark Tank" investor Lori Greiner started with a single invention, an earring holder, in 1997 and grew it into a multimillion-dollar family of businesses with products on QVC and in the world's biggest retailers.

On her path to more than 400 inventions and 120 patents, she tells Business Insider that she constantly reminded herself of the advice that both her father and her husband gave: "Don't let business get personal. It's just business. Shrug it off."

It's something she's regularly told the many entrepreneurs she works with.

At the start of her career, Greiner writes in her book "Invent It, Sell It, Bank It!," she had a meeting with a patent lawyer who didn't take her seriously, but she quickly found a way to keep him from impeding her progress.

It was the mid-'90s and Greiner had just paid $5,000 to file her first patent for an earring organizer. The money had come from savings she shared with her husband Dan, so he accompanied her in a meeting with the attorney.

The lawyer spoke exclusively to Dan, even though he sat off to the side as an observer. After 10 minutes of this, Greiner told the lawyer she was done with the rude way he was treating her and that he needed to find one of the firm's partners and have them send in a female attorney. The lawyer who replaced him was Natalie Kadievitch, who has worked with Greiner ever since.

Greiner writes that it's important to call out injustices, "but be polite even as you do it."

She explains:

My entrepreneurs will say, "Aw, that person was a jerk," or, "I can't believe they did that."

And I say, "You know what? Make it work."

Be as charming and as passionate as you would be if they weren't a jerk. Get the sale. Get what you need. And then laugh your way to the bank.

If you let them upset you or they get under your skin, you have just stopped. You've halted progress.

As you develop your career or business, there will be plenty of people who do not think you are worthy of their time or respect, Greiner writes in her book. Although it can be easy to feel vulnerable when you're starting out, you can't let other people's negativity compromise your drive.

"Your success will have everything to do with how you perceive yourself, because how you perceive yourself is how others will perceive you, too," she writes.

SEE ALSO: How a sponge company became the biggest 'Shark Tank' success story, with over $50 million in sales

DON'T MISS:  'Shark Tank' investor Kevin O'Leary shares the best advice he's ever received

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NOW WATCH: 'Shark Tank' investor: Personal and professional relationships will thrive with this one key factor








The new 'Jurassic World' trailer shows why it took $190 million to make this summer blockbuster

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Universal Pictures released a new trailer for its Summer tentpole "Jurassic World." This is the third trailer we've seen so far and it definitely reveals more footage than we've seen up to this point. The visuals are pretty stunning and one can easily see where the $190 million budget went to. 

Steven Spielberg is an executive producer on the movie, which is directed by Colin Trevorrow. 

"Jurassic World" hits theaters on June 12.

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13 celebrities who are outspoken about their love of smoking weed

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Rihanna snoop dogg weed

In honor of smoking holiday 4/20, we've rounded up 12 celebrities who have openly discussed their love of smoking weed.

Some like Snoop Dogg and Rihanna make no effort to hide their habit, but others like Justin Bieber have gone to great lengths to try to keep it a secret — to no avail.

Plus, a few surprise celeb smokers.

Justin Timberlake believes "Some people are just better high."

In an interview with Playboy magazine, Justin Timberlake said he "absolutely" smoked weed.

"The only thing pot does for me is it gets me to stop thinking," JT told the magazine. "Sometimes I have a brain that needs to be turned off. Some people are just better high."

He did attempt to quit for a bit in 2003 after being high during the first-ever episode of "Punk'd." "I actually stopped smoking pot for nine to ten months after that. I was so stoned."



Cameron Diaz bought weed from Snoop Dogg.

Justin Timberlake's ex-girlfriend Cameron Diaz is no stranger to weed — especially since she went to high school with Snoop Dogg.

"We went to high school together. [Snoop] was a year older than me," she said on "Lopez Tonight." "He was very tall and skinny and wore lots of ponytails in his hair and I'm pretty sure I got weed from him. I had to have!"

 



Snoop Dogg taught his son how to "properly" smoke.

Snoop Dogg confirms Cameron Diaz's comments, saying, "I might have sold her some of that white girl weed."

Meanwhile, the rapper admits he is a proud holder of what he calls "a platinum medical marijuana card."

He even taught his son how to "properly" smoke weed.

"What better way to [learn] than from the master?" Snoop tells The Hollywood Reporter, referring to photos posted on Twitter showing his son lighting a 2-foot-bong.

“My kids can do whatever the hell they want," he explains of his parenting philosophy. "For me to say otherwise would be hypocritical. A lot of motherf-----s don't have a relationship with their kids, and that's when they get on drugs and have suicidal thoughts and drive drunk. Me and my son is mellow. I'm his father, so I wanna show him the proper way because he looks up to me.”



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






HBO just picked up Vimeo's original series about pot dealers

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"High Maintenance"

HBO's ever-expanding portfolio of excellent television is getting yet another great show.

"High Maintenance" is coming to HBO with six new episodes, and the premium cable network is also bringing the first 19 episodes to HBO, HBO Now and HBO Go "later this year."

The show follows a Brooklyn pot dealer as he navigates a tangled web of ridiculous people. It's currently exclusive to web video platform Vimeo, and is already several seasons in.

Created by Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld in 2012, episodes of "High Maintenance" can be as short as five minutes and as long as 12. It's a web-native show in this sense – there's no dependence on the 30-/60-minute format most television programs adhere to.

The announcement is particularly timely given the date of the announcement: April 20, the unofficial St. Patrick's Day for cannabis consumption.  

Here's HBO's hilarious tweet announcement:

SEE ALSO: 13 celebrities who are outspoken about their love of weed

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Incredible dash-cam video of a car chase shows suspects tossing bales of weed out the window









This brilliant sci-fi film is one of the best movies you'll see all year

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ex machina

So many science fiction films have tried, and some have succeeded, in creating a unique dystopian vision of the future. Where "Ex Machina" stands out from the rest, however, is in the way that it portrays a future that sometimes seems hellish, but only sometimes feels like a nightmare.

One of the main reasons “Ex Machina” is unique from all futuristic sci-fi films is because it takes place not in a crowded dystopian city, nor a space station, but rather somewhere deep in the wilderness (in reality, the film was shot at a hotel in Norway's Valldal valley).

Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) stars as a skilled computer coder who wins a chance to spend a week with Nathan (Oscar Isaac), the reclusive CEO of the company Caleb works for. What Caleb doesn’t know is that he’s about to be part of Nathan's pioneering experiment in the future of artificial intelligence.

While most filmmakers would have settled for a long period of exposition early on, Caleb is selected by Nathan and then immediately flown to his estate without much explanation. Story sometimes doesn’t even matter much here, so this film works best if you know as little about the plot as possible. Writer-director Alex Garland is less interested in spoon-feeding the audience information and more interested in exploring the relationship between humans and machines. 

Ex Machina

Ex Machina

The problem with films about robots is that they sometimes get, well, robotic, and leave emotions at the door. “Ex Machina” focuses on its human characters as much as its central robot Ava (Alicia Vikander), who seems to have more of a conscious than the actual people that surround her. 

Unlike other onscreen robots, Ava may have a lot to learn, but she is both intelligent and curious from the start. That is partially what makes her so compelling to watch: she seems to have a lot of knowledge, but no idea how to apply it when trying to act like a human. 

At the film's start, Nathan tells Caleb to conduct a Turing test on Ava to see how much her mind resembles that of a human. As an audience member, you'll forget at times you're watching a machine. If you're into two-fold psychological mind games, then "Ex Machina" is for you.

As the mad, yet brilliant Nathan, Oscar Isaac proves why he’s one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood today. Living in an isolated mansion filled with expensive toys, artifacts, and people who will always bend to his will, Isaac plays Nathan like Bruce Wayne meets Colonel Kurtz, with a dash of Steve Jobs. (by that i mean) He's a well-read, paranoid man with a lot of money who thinks he is saving the world. 

Ex Machina Oscar IsaacWhile Nathan may be reclusive, he is far from introverted.

Isaac and Gleeson share a consistently entertaining back-and-forth throughout the film. For most of the film, watching the two of them is like watching two friends have a discussion over a couple of beers. Luckily, we can all look forward to Isaac and Gleeson together again later this year in a high profile sci-fi film that you might have heard of: “Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens.”

Ex Machina“Ex Machina” mixes philosophical questions with scientific intrigue. This is the kind of film where knowledge of the Bible and Greek tragedies aren't necessary, but are definitely an added bonus. This is a philosophy lesson that is filled with absurdity, like a hilarious disco scene that comes out of nowhere.

The film feels like a sequel to Spike Jonze’s Oscar-winning “Her,” which is about a man who falls in love with his human-like operating system, and a huge step forward in science-fiction for Hollywood. Rather, “Ex Machina” accurately portrays a robot that is created by us for us. Ava is somebody who could be our friend and blend in with the rest of human society.

This is what makes “Ex Machina” so interesting. This is a world where the humans, and not the robots with limitless capabilities, are the villains. It is an idea that “Chappie” tried (and somewhat failed) to communicate earlier this year. Garland said that he wanted this film to feel like it could take place 10 minutes from now. This whole film feels like an idea Tim Cook might briefly mention during the next iPhone press conference.

ex machina osscar

This is thanks in part to Garland, who, despite never having directed a feature film before, might as well be a seasoned veteran at this point. Switching between glowing red and blue, stunning mountain vistas and claustrophobic white hallways, this is the sort of plunge into madness that would make the likes of Stanley Kubrick proud. 

Anybody who is a fan of "A Clockwork Orange" and "The Shining" will feel right at home with Garland's sense of paranoia and claustrophobia. There are a lot of scenes here that feel like they were put in here just for cinephiles. But just like the philosophy, you don't need to have seen every dystopian film to enjoy this one.

Ex Machina Ava

The world of “Ex Machina” is both minimalist and incredibly detailed and well-thought out. “Ex Machina” works well on its own, but I almost wouldn’t mind seeing a sequel for it. There just seems to be infinite possibilities for where Ava can go from here. 

Ex Machina

The future that is presented in "Ex Machina" can sometimes be a frightening place, but it is also overstuffed with ideas and possibilities. Garland has gone on the record as believing that it is a "good thing" that robots might surpass humans. This explains why he is able to strike a rare balance of being cynical about the selfish nature of people, yet still optimistic about where this planet is heading.

If the creation of Ava is a distinct possibility, then I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.

Watch the trailer for "Ex Machina" here: 

SEE ALSO: Here's the concept art that inspired the robot from the year's best sci-fi movie

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'Mad Men' creator Matthew Weiner reveals his biggest career regret

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Matthew Weiner Jon Hamm"Mad Men" creator Matt Weiner has won nine Emmy awards.

Time magazine has named him as one of the 100 most influential people, saying he is "no less than a genius" and that "his influence on the world of television is unparalleled." 

Matthew Weiner Mad Men emmysBut success didn't come easily to Weiner. 

Now 49, he didn't have a paid job in show business until age 30. 

As he revealed in an excerpt from "Getting There" via Fast Company, his years after film school were a "dark time," where he felt jealous of people who succeeded and started to feel like "the most useless, worthless person in the world."

"Show business looked so impenetrable that I eventually stopped writing," he said.

Eventually, Weiner would break in, thanks to a friend asking him to help "punch up" a comedy script, which lead to more writing jobs and eventually "the Sopranos," often thought of as the greatest television series of all time. That would lead to his selling "Mad Men" to AMC. The rest is television history.

Matthew Weiner Jon Hamm Christina Hendricks Mad MenBut when Weiner was in his 20s, he was creatively — and jealously — immobilized.

He explained:

The greatest regret I have is that, early in my career, I showed myself such cruelty for not having accomplished anything significant.

I spent so much time trying to write, but was paralyzed by how behind I felt. Many years later I realized that if I had written only a couple of pages a day, I would’ve written 500 pages at the end of a year (and that’s not even working weekends). Any contribution you make on a daily basis is fantastic.

I still happen to write almost everything at once, but I now cut myself slack on all of the thinking and procrastination time I use. I know that it’s all part of my creative process.

Psychology research shows that Weiner isn't alone in how debilitating social comparisons can be. Multiplestudies have shown that the more a person compares themselves to others, the worse their self-regard is. 

Read Weiners' full excerpt here

SEE ALSO: Who You Know Is Even More Important Than You Realize

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NOW WATCH: Here's what it takes to be President Obama's right-hand man








Mark Hamill rerecorded his iconic 'Return of the Jedi' dialogue for the new ‘Star Wars’ trailer

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mark hamill star wars celebrationIf you watched the brand new teaser trailer for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," you may have recognized a familiar voice. 

Mark Hamill narrates the opening of the trailer as his character Luke Skywalker.

"The Force is strong in my family," Skywalker says, "my father has it, I have it, my sister has it. You have that power, too." The voice-over caught some people off guard. Fans debated whether or not it was repurposed from "Return of the Jedi," or a brand new recording.

According to an interview with Hamill at "Star Wars Celebration," he rerecorded the famous dialogue from “Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi” a week before the trailer’s debut. However, not even he could figure out which version of his voice ended up in the final trailer. 

It turns out it was a little bit of both. 

"We used the original track and then we used what you recorded last week as reverb," Abrams told Hamill.

"There's a slight delay," Hamill explained. "So the delay is the new lines I recorded."

lightsaber star wars force awakensWatch the trailer (and listen to Hamill's awesome voice-over) below:

SEE ALSO: Here's what the first 'Star Wars' spinoff movie will be about

AND: Mark Hamill felt forced into returning for 'Star Wars: Episode VII"

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NOW WATCH: Watch the original Luke Skywalker, R2-D2 and Princess Leia take the stage at the 'Star Wars' Celebration event








It took a lot of late night drinks in D.C. for this 'Veep' actor to get into character

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Veep mike 2Warning: Spoilers ahead.

Throughout four seasons of HBO’s “Veep,” we’ve watched in enjoyment as Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and her bumbling staff mess up every way possible in their race to the White House.

But it always seems that Meyer’s overwhelmed head of media relations, Mike McLintock, makes the most colossal mistakes. Like when he uploaded the wrong State of the Union speech to the teleprompter in last week’s episode.

Veep mike 1According to Matt Walsh, the veteran comic who plays McLintock, he’s done a lot of interviews and late night drinks around D.C. to hone his clueless character.

“It’s kind of like being a journalist,” he told Business Insider. “Pulling facts or how things really happen.”

Though many of the characters and instances on the show have come from research and stories creator Armando Iannucci and his writers have compiled, Walsh also does his own research before the start of every season.

“In the first few seasons we had a lot of access to senators, congressman, aides,” said Walsh. “I want to know less about policy and more about the realities of working in DC. ‘Who would get into trouble for this? Tell me your typical day?’ You try to get a vibe for what the job is and what their lives are like.”

With McLintock in the role of press secretary at the White House this season, Walsh got to talk shop with Mike McCurry, former press secretary to Bill Clinton who had the job during the infamous Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Mike McCurry“I was curious about it,” is all Walsh would say when asked if he brought it up.

Walsh says doing these kind of meetings not just help him but the show, too.

“Sometimes there’s protocol, like who would shut this meeting down or who would introduce the president or secure this interview, and that’s helpful to know because sometimes it’s not correct in the script or not spoken to,” he explains.

But there’s also research Walsh goes through to play McLintock to his most zany that has nothing to do with Beltway politics.

On Sunday night’s episode, McLintock decides to darken his mustache, hoping to look younger on TV while doing his daily televised White House briefings, but instead the mustache has a hilarious orange glow to it. One character comments that he looks like Yosemite Sam.

mclintock veepAnd in typical McLintock fashion, things get worse for him later in the episode when the orange dye begins to drip all over his lips while being peppered with questions by the press at a briefing on why a Native American painting has been taken down in the White House.

In order to get the right orange color, Walsh says he had to go through seven or eight different sittings of dyeing his mustache until they got the exact right look.

“All I asked was whatever they do just let me be able to take it off at the end of the day,” he said. “Luckily they could.”

SEE ALSO: 9 awesome stories from behind-the-scenes of "Veep"

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NOW WATCH: The new trailer for Season 3 of 'House of Cards' is terrifying








We got our hands on 'Kinder Surprise Eggs' — the candy phenomenon that's still illegal in the US

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Kinder Surprise Eggs are extremely popular around the world, but illegal to sell in the US due to small toy parts which the FDA says could be a choking hazard.

We got a case and unwrapped each one to see what fun surprises were inside.

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