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'X-Men: Days Of Future Past' Cuts Anna Paquin As Rogue From Film

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anna paquin rogueWith so many characters in one movie, this was inevitable. Entertainment Weekly has learned that Anna Paquin's Rogue has been edited out of the finished cut for X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Director Bryan Singer himself announced the news, describing the cut as a rescue sequence that was shot early in the film's production schedule.

It also featured Magneto (Ian McKellen), Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Iceman (Shawn Ashmore).

Bryan Singer explains the reasoning behind the edit, and that we will see it eventually.

"Through the editing process, the sequence became extraneous. It's a really good sequence and it will probably end up on the DVD so people can see it. But like many things in the editing process, it was an embarrassment of riches and it was just one of the things that had to go. Unfortunately, it was the one and only sequence Anna Paquin was in, the Rogue character was in. Even though she's in the materials and part of the process of making the film, she won't appear in it."

The actress was only on set for one week, with the director emphasizing that the cut had nothing to do with her performance.

"She did a fantastic job. She was awesome in the sequence. She's a brilliant actress. I would work with her in a heartbeat."

Director Bryan Singer is continuing to cut down the film, aiming to hit his May 23 release date on time. Anna Paquin is the first casualty of the process, and he has let the actress know that she is no longer involved in the storyline.

"She completely understood. It's very disappointing, but she's very professional and she knows that stuff happens, particularly with material you shoot early on in production. Films evolve."

With so many new and returning characters, this might not be the only high profile actor, or returning character, that gets shuffled into the inevitable deleted scenes on the Blu-ray. Always a very forthcoming director, Bryan Singer will likely let us know as soon as the next big cut happens.

X-Men: Days of Future Past comes to theaters May 23rd, 2014 and stars James McAvoyMichael FassbenderRose ByrneJennifer LawrenceNicholas Hoult,Patrick StewartIan McKellenHugh Jackman. The film is directed by Bryan Singer.

SEE ALSO: The First 'X-Men: Days Of Future Past' Trailer Is Awesome

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One Scene In 'Home Alone' You've Probably Never Noticed That Explains The Entire Movie

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Home Alone

Since it's Christmastime, airings of "Home Alone" are in abundance on TV right now. In between watching childhood star Macaulay Caulkin destroy burglars played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, there's probably one huge thing you've been missing every time you watch.  

Reddit user matt01ss discovered a small scene that answers a question you may ask yourself every time you watch: 

How could Kevin's (Culkin) parents forget to bring their child on vacation (other than the fact that they had too many kids on hand)?

Think back to the part in the beginning of the film where Kevin and Buzz accidentally spill milk over everyone's plane tickets and passports.

His dad quickly cleans up, tossing the napkins in the trash. 

The camera lingers over the garbage can for an extra second. You probably don't think anything of it. Upon closer inspection, you'll see Kevin's plane ticket was carelessly tossed away. 

Here's the scene below via Reddit:

home aloneWhat?home alone

We checked out the film to make sure this is there and not some clever photoshop. (If you're curious, the scene in question takes place around the nine-minute mark.)

Now, fans may be thinking, how is that possible? Doesn't Kevin's mom count all of the tickets at another point? 

Precisely. A subtle move showing that his mom messed up counting the number of tickets in her hand.

So even if Kevin woke up on time and headed to the airport, he still wouldn't have had his plane ticket. 

Yikes.

A reader pointed out to us that one of the girls counting heads before leaving for the airport counts herself twice. Very subtle. The moment starts at the 1:40 clip below.

Happy holidays.

SEE ALSO: The 12 worst-reviewed movies of the year

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Read Screenplays From Some Of The Year's Best Movies

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leonardo dicaprio wolf of wall street

"The Wolf of Wall Street" isn't out until Christmas, but you can read the screenplay for it.

Toward awards season, studios begin releasing their film scripts as part of their "for your consideration" campaigns.

Movie site The Film Stage gathered together links for 33 of this year's screenplays. So if you're looking for some quality reads over the holiday and don't want to pick up a book, here's a great alternative for you to download.

We've put 10 of our favorite from the year below. 

Check out the rest at The Film Stage.

Paramount
"The Wolf of Wall Street"
"Nebraska

Roadside Attractions
"Mud
"All is Lost" (32 pgs.!)

Fox Searchlight
"12 Years a Slave"
"The Way Way Back

Warner Bros.
"Gravity"

The Weinstein Company
"Fruitvale Station
"Lee Daniels' The Butler

A24
"Spring Breakers"

SEE ALSO: There are 8 movies coming out Christmas — here's which ones you should see

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Filmmaker Was Given $25,000 To Make A Promo Video For ‘Walter Mitty’ But He Used It To Help Typhoon Victims Instead

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Indie Filmmaker Casey Neistat was offered $25,000 of Twentieth Century Fox's advertising budget money to create a promotional video with the theme “live your dreams" for the upcoming Ben Stiller movie, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” 

Neistat accepted the challenge, but there was a catch -- he wanted to take the studio's money and travel to the Philippines, where a massive Typhoon had hit days earlier. 

Fox agreed and the result is an inspirational, six-minute YouTube video following Neistat’s journey to the Philippines and how he provided more than 10,000 meals, tools to 35 villages, and medicine to local organizations.

In the end, it was perfectly on-theme with the studio's “living your dreams” video assignment. Watch the result below: 

Neistat documented the journey via Instagram:

"Couldn't find any trucks so I filled two busses with; 4,000 cases of crackers 1008 cans of tuna 1000 cans of canned fish 4290lbs of rice 1440 cans of spam 15000 packs of instant coffee 30 hammers 35 wood saws 35 umbrellas and 1000 medical masks all out of money now, headed to tacloban to distribute."

Casey Neistat Typhoon relief in Philippines

"Part 2 of the Tacloban relief project. we put the buses filled with aid on a boat."

Casey Neistat Typhoon relief in Philippines

"It's worse than it looks."

Screen Shot 2013 12 24 at 12.53.47 PM

"Tacloban relief project; I assembled this small army of locals to help pack over a thousand relief bags for distribution."

Casey Neistat Typhoon relief in Philippines

"In total we delivered over 10,000 meals to the people of Tacloban. this little girl was particularly excited about her package."

Casey Neistat Typhoon relief in Philippines

"The people of Tacloban are not complainers. hungry and desperate but not complainers. most resilient group I've ever been lucky enough to encounter."

Casey Neistat Typhoon relief in Philippines

SEE ALSO: Indie Filmmaker Has Busiest Day Ever, Captures It All On Tape

MORE: Ben Stiller Goes On An Epic Adventure In New 'Secret Life Of Walter Mitty' Trailer

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The 15 Highest-Grossing Movies Of 2013

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gravity sandra bullock

Space flicks, superheroes, and sequels made it a big year at the box office.

We've compiled the 15 highest-grossing movies of the year worldwide, which made a combined $9.7 billion at theaters.

We're aware there are still a few films coming out Christmas day, but we'll be surprised if "The Wolf of Wall Street" takes in $400 million+ by the end of the year.

"The Hobbit" sequel "The Desolation of Smaug" will definitely make more money before the year's end, so we'll adjust accordingly.

We know "Iron Man" tops the list. Let's see who else joins Robert Downey Jr.'s Marvel man.

15. "The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug": $403.8 million

Studio: Warner Bros.
Release date: December 13
Estimated budget:  $225 million
Domestic gross: $127.5 million

The sequel to last year's "An Unexpected Journey" may be bringing in plenty of box-office dollars, but it's off to a slower than the first film in the three-part trilogy ($127.5 million vs. $150 million domestically).

(Source: Box Office Mojo)

 



14. "Pacific Rim": $407.6 million

Studio: Warner Bros.
Release date: July 12
Estimated budget: $190 million
Domestic gross: $101.8 million 

The monsters vs. robots movie from Guillermo del Toro may have underperformed in the states, but it made up for that overseas. A sequel is already in works for the film which ended up being the costliest sci-fi flick of the year.

(Source: Box Office Mojo)



13. "The Wolverine": $414.8 million

Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release date: July 26
Estimated budget: $120 million
Domestic gross: $132.6 million 

Forget Iron Man. Collective reviews even went so far as to call it the best superhero film of the summer. Still, Hugh Jackman's return as the Marvel slasher didn't perform nearly as well as the Wolverine Origins film from 2009 opening weekend. Instead, "The Wolverine" became another example of a film that took off abroad at theaters.

(Source: Box Office Mojo)



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The Biggest Movie Doppelgangers Of 2013

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gravity sandra bullock

Every year, there seem to be unintended themes emerging from movie releases. It’s almost as if the studios called each other to coordinate projects like friends in high school planning to wear matching outfits on a Friday.

Sometimes this effect is unintentional, like when an emerging movie star manages to have multiple films comes out the same year (see Melissa McCarthy below); other times, it’s a result of executives switching studios and developing similar projects (like the infamous Disney and DreamWorks 1998 double-header grudge match of A Bug’s Life vs. Antz and Armageddon vs. Deep Impact).

This year is no different, producing a slew of movie doppelgangers. For the sake of creativity, I left the painfully obvious off. Still, who can forget offerings like Olympus Has Fallen up against White House Down as well as This Is the End paired with The World’s End? And, if you really hate yourself, you can watch a terrible trippleganger of A Haunted HouseScary Movie 5 and 30 Nights of Paranormal Activity with the Devil Inside the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Whether it’s similar themes, the same actor in noticeably similar roles, or parallel stand-out moments in two films, this list of 13 movie pairings can provide a nice selection of companion pieces for your viewing pleasure.

1. Homefront and Mud

doppelganger_homefront mud

Though they came out months apart, and one of these was a respected award-bait film while the other was a piece of action escapism, Mud and Homefront covered similar ground. Both take place in the South. Both feature a hero trying to protect a child from an uber-sleazy villain. However, the doppelganger nature of these films becomes most apparent in the climactic scene involving a home invasion shoot-out.

2. Gravity and All Is Lost

doppelganger_gravity allislostThis was the year for award film isolation. The location of these movies are about as different as you can get and still be near the same planet. However, both feature a (mostly) lone protagonist fighting against terrible odds in extreme environments. They also have very similar resolutions, not just in tone but in location. Of course, All Is Lost could also easily cross paths with Captain Phillips.

3. Indentity Thief and The Heat

doppelganger_identitythief theheatAfter Melissa McCarthy became a break-out success in 2011’s Bridesmaids, she has been on Hollywood’s funnywoman radar. It’s no surprise that studios started developing projects with her playing foul-mouthed characters similar to that role. Even though she’s a criminal with bad hair in Identity Thief and a cop with bad hair in The Heat, the characters are clear doppelgangers.

4. Inside Llewyn Davis and Frances Ha

doppelganger_llewyndavis franceshaOne theme this awards season is the wandering bohemian. Noah Baumbach’s story of an inspiring (yet not terribly talented) dancer shares a lot of connective tissue with the Coen Brothers’ tale of a folk singer who can’t catch a break. Not only do both films show the struggles of being an artist in New York City, Frances Ha features black-and-white cinematography that is a different style but still similar to the desaturated look of Inside Llewyn Davis.

5. Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and Jack the Giant Slayer

doppelganger_hansel jackNot only was 2013 the year of fairytales, it was also the year of not-very-good fairytales. Here are two films that take children stories and give them unnecessary CGI updates. Other 2013 releases that share similar elements include Oz the Great and Powerful and Beautiful Creatures.

6. 42 and 12 Years a Slave

doppelganger_42 12Sure, the obvious comparison one might have with 12 Years a Slave would be Lee Daniels’ The Butler, but why should we conform to expectations? Both of these films depict distant but related historical touchstones in the lives of African Americans, though admittedly seen in radically different contexts.

Both feature white men helping out (Harrison Ford in 42 and Benedict Cumberbatch in 12 Years a Slave). Both have a number in the title. However, the real connective tissue between these films is the comically racist performance of Paul Dano in 12 Years a Slave and the comically racist performance of Alan Tudyk in 42. Did anyone else wonder if these characters were somehow related?

7. Rush and Turbo

doppelganger_rush turboRace cars were the big thing in cinemas this year. Well, at least for the filmmakers, if not the general audiences. Both films featured the need for speed with a protagonist as a professional racer. Both films also gave it the old college try to popularize a sport not well represented in American cinema (Formula 1 for Rush and IndyCar for Turbo). Also, both featured a superhero in the lead role with Chris Hemsworth (aka Thor) in Rush and Ryan Reynolds (aka Green Lantern and Deadpool) in Turbo.

8. Fast & Furious 6 and G.I. Joe: Retaliation

doppelganger_furious6 gijoeThe connection between these two movies is pretty simple: sweaty Dwayne Johnson and high octane action. Sure, we could throw Snitch into the ring here, too, but no one cared about that movie. 

9. The Great Gatsby and The Wolf of Wall Street

doppelganger_gatsby wolfThe charming charlatan character of Jay Gatsby is a far cry from the shyster penny stock pusher of Jordan Belfort. However, both were wealthy playboys that threw outlandish parties. Both films feature lots of jiggles and plenty of drinking. Also, both films feature a corrupt protagonist whose downfall is at least partially caused by his inability to handle romantic relationships.

10. Delivery Man and Philomena

doppelganger_delivery philomenaJust as 2013 was the year of fairytales and wandering bohemians, it was also the year of searching for your children. In Delivery Man, Vince Vaughn is getting in touch with some of the 533 children he sired through sperm donations. In Philomena, Judi Dench is trying to find her son that was taken from her in an Irish nunnery. Though wildly different in tone and delivery, both of these films feature a parent trying to connect with his or her offspring with unintended results.

11. Paranoia and Closed Circuit

doppelganger_paranoia closedcircuitThe similarities between these two movies go beyond the fact that they weren’t terribly good or well received. Paranoia features corporate espionage in a world when your every action can be tracked. Closed Circuit features a barrister trying to solve a crime in a city where every inch can be seen by a camera.

12. Jobs and The Internship

doppelganger_jobs internshipA look behind tech giants was a theme this year, too. The Internship took a whimsical (and unfunny) look at the Google intern program. Jobs pulled back the veil to the inception of Apple computers as a TV-movie-style biopic of Steve Jobs. In the end, it was also clear that audiences liked the technology being referenced in these films much more than the films themselves.

13. The Lone Ranger and Saving Mr. Banks

doppelganger_loneranger mrbanksFinally, here’s the biggest stretch, because these movies have very little in common.

In fact, the films are not wholly doppelgangers, but a key scene in each connects them. The Lone Ranger features a climactic moment at the site of the connection point of the Transcontinental Railroad. Though the “Western” scenes in Saving Mr. Banks exist as flashbacks to PL Travers’ early life growing up in Australia, it features a strikingly similar moment at railroad stop. More over, actress Ruth Wilson stars in both movies and appears in almost the same exact outfit in each scene.

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8 Big Movies Came Out On Christmas — Here Are The Ones You Should See

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December is a BIG movie month.

For those heading out to theaters on Christmas, there are eight movies coming out. Of those, four are big wide releases. 

Not sure what to see? We've broken down which films are worth watching for everyone.

1. Skip: "47 Ronin"

keanu reeves 47 roninWhat it's about: Reeves swings around a sword as a samurai as he leads an army of 47 warriors to avenge the death of their master.

The only reason to see it: Keanu Reeves.

It's the actor's return front and center in a big-budget film for the first time in 10 years.

Why you should pass: 

We love Reeves, but after some thought, we're not convinced from the trailers this looks like a great film. Maybe it's the monstrous woman turning into a cheesy-looking CGI dragon, maybe it's the fact the film has a tumultuous production story — it's been pushed back since November 2012 with a budget estimated at $225 million— either way, both leave us hesitant.

At the least, you should check out the graphic novel.

Worth noting: Since his time away on screen — his lastbig films were in 2003 — Reeves has become Internet famous gaining traction for viral meme Sad Keanu.

The once-Matrix actor really resonates with fans and no matter how bad this movie may be it may very well end up surprising at the box office despite all the competition.

2. Run out and see: "The Wolf of Wall Street"

the wolf of wall street leonardo dicaprio

What it's about: Leonardo DiCaprio is back as another wealthy socialite, this time as crooked stockbroker Jordan Belfort.

Why this is a must-see: 

Other than the sex, drugs, and over-the-top wild parties on screen?

1. This "Anything for the Oscar" GIF of Leonardo DiCaprio

leonardo dicaprio wolf of wall street

This is DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese's fifth time working together on a film. Despite DiCaprio's two Oscar nominations for Best Actor, he has yet to win an Academy Award.

2. Early reviews, including one from our Executive Producer Justin Maiman, are raving about the performances.

3. If that isn't enough, our own Linette Lopez got her hands on the script for the film last year and picked out the 15 scenes she can't wait to see.

3. Overrated: "Grudge Match"

grudge match robert de niro sylvester stalloneWhat it's about: Robert DeNiro and Sylvester Stallone are returning to the boxing ring to go a few rounds for the title of top boxer.

Why to watch: The addition of Kevin Hart for comic relief may be the only saving grace to an otherwise campy film that seems outdated and unnecessary. 

Why to pass: Do you really want to watch "Rocky" vs. "Raging Bull"? We're not sure how many crowds of audiences have been saying they want to see this "epic" fight onscreen.

How many other films with two older actors trying to recapture the spotlight have you seen do well this year? ("The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" with Jim Carrey and "Escape Plan" with Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger are two examples that come to mind.)

This isn't something like "The Avengers" vs. "The Justice League" that may get fans all riled up.

4. Steer clear: "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"

secret life of walter mitty

What it's about: Based on the James Thurber book, Ben Stiller stars as a shy guy constantly lost in a daydream who finally goes on a big life adventure.

Who should see it: Fans of the book. Kristen Wiig/Stiller fans.

Why you should pass:

Collective early reviews for the film agree Mitty's dead on arrival with the adaptation lost in its own fantasy.

If we're being serious, between "American Hustle,""The Wolf of Wall Street," and this pick, we'd go with either of the former choices.

The four other movies out Christmas Day:

5. "August: Osage County": How can you go wrong with Meryl Streep AND Julia Roberts?A group of women come together for a family crisis. Ewan McGregor also stars in the film produced in part by George Clooney. Worth a watch.

6."Labor Day": Kate Winslet plays a mom who unknowingly gives a ride to an escaped convict (Josh Brolin). See it.

7. "Justin Bieber's Believe": A follow-up documentary to the singer's 2011 "Never Say Never" movie that teenage girls and "Beliebers" may want to check out, but that will probably get lost among all the other big releases. Skip.

8. "Walking With Dinosaurs 3D": Stick with Disney's animated flick, "Frozen." The title sounds like the film is geared toward one demographic, but upon viewing the trailer it feels like a kid's film (a la "The Land Before Time"). Having 3D in the title doesn't do the film any favors as audiences often assume that means you must see the movie in that format. Skip.

Other films you'll want to check out:

Maybe you don't want to see any of those movies. 

There are a few other movies coming out RIGHT before the holidays you should consider:

Must-See: "American Hustle"

american hustleRelease date: Dec. 13 (limited) wide release Dec. 20

After last year's Oscar winner, "Silver Linings Playbook," director David O. Russell is back with actors Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. This time Amy Adams and Christian Bale join as two con artists trying to take down corrupt politicians.

Early reviews for the film are saying this could very well be O. Russell's next big Oscar win.

For the diehard film fan: "Her"

her joaquin phoenixInitial release date: Dec. 18

Need something a little more quirky? Look no further than Spike Jones' romantic dramedy about a man (Joaquin Phoenix) who falls in love with an operating system (voiced by Scarlet Johansson).

For the Peter Jackson fan: "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"

the hobbit martin freemanRelease date: Dec. 13

Weren't a fan of the first film? The second of the trilogy should be the movie where the majority of the high-action takes place. 

Don't take our word for it, the majority of early reviews say the second installment is better than the first. 

Fans of Benedict Cumberbatch ("Sherlock") will appreciate him voicing the menacing dragon Smaug. "Lord of the Rings" fans will welcome back the return of Orlando Bloom as Legolas.

And yes, it looks like it will be in that high 48 frames per second frame rate.

For the Disney fan: "Saving Mr. Banks"

tom hanks saving mr banksRelease date: Dec. 13

Love "Mary Poppins" or Walt Disney? This film will tell you how the legend himself brought the film to the big screen. If you thought you were signing up for a film about Disney himself, look elsewhere. You may not get the full (true) story of the adaptation but you will get strong performances from Oscar winners Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson.

Must-watch comedy: "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues"

will ferrell christina applegate anchorman 2Release date: Dec. 18

The news team reassembles!

Even if the movie's bad — and with all of the marketing oversaturation lately it very well could be — it won't matter. Fans have been waiting for nearly a decade to see Ron Burgundy reunite with the Channel 4 News team. And great Odin's raven are there a number of cameos — Tina Fey, Jim Carrey, Harrison Ford, and more. If it's the last thing we do, we'll be seeing this sequel — for better or worse.

SEE ALSO: The highest-grossing movies of the year

AND: The best TV moments of the year

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10 Real Wall Street Stories That Should Be Movies

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icahn brooksMartin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street" is giving moviegoers around the world a stylized glimpse into the corruption and opulence that can plague the finance world.

Its loads of sex, drugs, and money have critics wondering if Wolf's attempt at a morality tale is just one loud cheer for gonzo greed.

It isn't the first time audiences have had this debate either. From "Trading Places" to "American Psycho," Hollywood loves examining what goes on behind the scenes on Wall Street.

But there are some "based-on-a-true-story" tales that have yet to become blockbusters.

So here are the 10 true Wall Street sagas — and the corresponding must-cast actors — that should be movies.

10. 'The Rise and Fall of Jon Corzine.' Corzine went from top dog at Goldman Sachs to a senator and governor to seeing his firm MF Global collapse in spectacular fashion.



Starring Charles Dance (AKA Tywin Lannister)



9. 'The Collapse of Bear Stearns.' The top brass at Bear were known for their wild boys club, but it all came crashing down when JP Morgan almost bought the bank for $2 a share as the market crashed.



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'The Wolf Of Wall Street' Was An Amazing Movie With An Important Moral Message

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leonardo dicaprio wolf of wall street

I saw "The Wolf Of Wall Street" yesterday. I don't know how to write a proper movie review, so I'll just say a few quick things.

The first is that it was an incredibly entertaining Martin Scorsese classic. The story is funny, dirty (tons of sex and drugs), and the directing is top notch (it's Scorsese so the soundtrack is great throughout). It's just really enjoyable. It was three hours long and I never got bored.

There's been some whines about how the film glorified Jordan Belfort (who made a fortune starting his own boiler room, pump-and-dump brokerage) and didn't focus on any of the victims. And there's truth to that. But that doesn't mean it was an amoral movie.

In fact it had a pretty fascinating message, which was: The American Dream isn't about becoming middle class and having your kids go to college, it's about becoming ridiculously rich. But the institutions that allow people to become ridiculously rich (Wall Street banks, etc.) aren't open to people with the wrong background and without the correct connections and breeding. So in light of that contradiction, the only way for normals to achieve the American dream is to find something that's in a grey area of the law.

Thus the story depicts how Jordan Belfort took a group of losers from Long Island and turned them into sales geniuses that could sell stocks like crazy (many of them penny stocks or scammy IPOs or other schemes). 

The movie features several scenes where Belfort delivers powerful, motivational speeches to the brokers at Stratton Oakmont (his brokerage) and to some they may recall the famous speech of Gordon Gekko in "Wall Street." But they're actually more similar to Tom Cruise's character in "Magnolia," who gives workshops to losers purporting to teach them how to be as successful as he is with women (even though they all lack his charisma and good looks).

It makes for an inherently interesting theme of how people who lack resources (connections, education, social graces, good looks etc.) can achieve wild success.

SEE ALSO: Watching Wolf Of Wall Street with a bunch of Wall Streeters was disturbing

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The Biggest Box-Office Bombs Of 2013

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grudge match robert de niro sylvester stallone

Despite big hits from studios, 2013 was really the year of the box-office bomb.

Currently, the Rocky vs. Raging Bull-esque "Grudge Match" and Justin Bieber's "Believe" both opened to weak Christmas debuts.

Keanu Reeves' return in "47 Ronin" is off to an $8 million start, and has a long way to go to reach its estimated $225 million budget for Universal.

We've gone through this year's box office releases to round up the biggest flops. 

From failed young adult novel adaptations to Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger films that belonged in the '80s, here are the year's biggest duds, surprises, and misses.

22. "Kick-Ass 2" (Universal)

Budget: $28 million
Worldwide gross: $59.6 million
Opening weekend: $13.3 million

While the movie ended up making nearly $60 million, it was an upset compared to the box-office intake of 2010's first movie which brought in $96 million. Without Nicolas Cage, the addition of Jim Carrey didn't prove a big enough draw to make this sequel a bigger success than the original.

(Source: Box Office Mojo)



21. The Last Exorcism 2" (CBS Films)

Budget: $5 million
Worldwide gross: $15.1 million
Opening weekend: $7.7 million

When one low-budget horror movie does well in theaters, it often warrants a sequel (look at the successful "Paranormal Activity" franchise and this year's "The Purge"). 

"The Last Exorcism" won't be among those. Though the first film from Lionsgate made nearly $70 million on a measly $1.8 million budget, this year's sequel — which cost $5 million — only managed to triple the studio budget.

(Source: Box Office Mojo)



20. "The Host" (Open Road Films)

Budget: $40 million
Worldwide gross: $48.2 million
Opening weekend: $10.6 million

Many thought "The Host" was supposed to be the next "Twilight" series cash cow at theaters since the novel also came from author Stephenie Meyer. However, the alien-romance story didn't take off with audiences — "Twilight" made $392.6 million worldwide on a $37 million budget.

The search for the next young-adult adaptation movie franchise continues.

(Source: Box Office Mojo)



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 13 Best Movie Posters Of 2013

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While we've been talking a lot about the best and worst movies of the year, we haven't discussed the ads used to promote them.

Millions of dollars are spent on ad campaigns to get us into theater seats. While most posters are forgettable, here are the ones that went above and beyond to break the mold and capture our attention this year.

1. "Spring Breakers"

There was the typical girls-in-bikinis ad for this movie. Then there was this trippy psychedelic one. Know who your audience is and make the poster feel like an all-out rager.spring breakers poster

2. "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues"

While there were promotional posters highlighting the entire team in New York City, this poster highlighting Ron Burgundy's instantaneously recognizable mustache was genius. Outside Madison Square Garden in NYC there was a giant ad up with a 3D mustache for added effect

anchorman 2 poster

3. "Side Effects"

How do you market a psychological thriller starring Jude Law and Rooney Mara? Make the entire poster look like a subscription. It's not perfect — we may have checked off all the actor's names and would have substituted something else for expiration date since Feb. 8 was the film's release date — but it's still cool.

side effects poster

4. "A Good Day to Die Hard"

You may not have cared for the fifth installment of the film, but you can't go wrong with the film's poster.

Plain and simple. The iconic phrase from the original "Die Hard" paired with the actor famous for saying it. What else do you need to know from this poster to know what movie we're talking about?

a good day to die hard poster

5. "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"

Later advertisements focused on individual characters and the fire element in the title of the movie, but the first poster for the "Hunger Games" sequel was a classic retro throwback. the hunger games catching fireFans of the novel and films will notice the subtle hint of the cloud in the background shaped like a mockingjay — the symbol of the rebellion in the novels against a tyrannical government. In a series about an uprising — it's more than kid-killing, that's why it's non-existent in the second book for the most part — this poster sheds light (literally) on the one sign of hope for the people (Katniss).

6. "The Heat" 

You've probably seen these posters for the Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy comedy; however, we prefer this retro action-packed look much more.

the heat poster

 7. "Blue is the Warmest Color"

Sometimes the best way you can advertise a movie is by using the negative space to fill in the blanks.

blue is the warmest color

8. "The Wolverine"

Instead of slapping another image of Hugh Jackman onto a one-sheet, Marvel and 20th Century Fox had gorgeous Japanese-inspired illustrations done to promote the film. 

wolverine poster

9. "Godzilla"

In an effort to not show the monster, Warner Bros.' first teaser poster shown at San Diego Comic Con for the reboot showed a path of destruction outlined as the big bad Godzilla. Very clever.

godzilla poster

10. "X-Men: Days Of Future Past"

What better way to showcase that this movie will have both new and old actors? Combine both of their faces into one on the poster, torn apart by the iconic "X."

x men days of future past posterx men days of future past ian mckellen

11. "Escape from Tomorrow" 

Not only does this poster for the guerrilla project made inside Disney World use contrasting yellow and red colors, but it also shows two of the most contrasting concepts: Mickey Mouse's hand and blood. A character symbolic with the happiest place on Earth drenched in violence. escape from tomorrow poster

12. "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"

If a poster can get you to turn your head to look at the world from a different perspective, then it's doing its job. Bravo.

the secret life of walter mitty

13. "Gravity"

Warner Bros. delivered not one, but two gorgeous posters for Alfonso Cuaron's space trip. gravity posterBoth posters have the same effect in different ways. The simple phrase "Don't let go" and an image of someone in a spacesuit floating hopelessly away from you sets up a perfect juxtaposition to gain viewer interest. Both tell us one thing while showing the complete opposite.

In the first poster (above) we feel that exact moment when the astronaut breaks away. You're right there with them, frozen for a moment in time. The second does it simply on a vast black landscape that serves as the unknown abyss of space. We have no idea where they're going, but we know it must be bad since we're told we shouldn't let go.Gravity DetachedWhat was your favorite movie poster this year? Did we leave it off the list?

SEE ALSO: The Biggest Box-Office Bombs Of 2013

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The 'Wolf Of Wall Street' Was Real And Then Some

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Wolf of Wall Street trailer leonardo dicaprio as jordan belfort

Real quick – I finally managed to see The Wolf of Wall Street today, thought I’d write up some impressions…

For starters, I began in the business on Long Island at the tail-end of that era and I had met a lot of the guys depicted in the film while cold-calling at Duke & Company during the summer after my freshman year.

They really were dumbasses and savage maniacs, but to the young guys who didn’t know any better, they were Ferrari-driving gods.

Duke & Co was the boiler room spin-off opened and run by ex-Stratton Oakmont guys who had broken away during the regulatory troubles. I’m fairly sure that the Asian character in the movie, “Chester Ming” is meant to portray Victor Wang, one of the founders of Duke (Jordan refers to him as “the depraved Chinaman” in the book).

The big irony is that Duke & Co’s office was on Third Avenue in the 50′s, next door to the Lipstick Building where, even then in the late 1990′s, Bernie Madoff was running his secret (but much larger) fraud all along.

I’ve known ten or twelve guys who worked at the Lake Success headquarters of Stratton during its heyday; all the stories are true and there’s very little embellishment in the movie. It all happened and then some. I’ve been hearing these stories for fifteen years.

There was a diaspora of sorts that happened after that firm went down, a thousand others had opened up shop as the brokers were scattered like seeds in the wind. Boiler room brokerages had sprung up from Westchester to New Jersey to Staten Island to the Financial District in Manhattan to Boca Raton, Florida.

But nowhere was there as heavy a concentration as there was on Long Island. At one point, there was a nickel broker-dealer in every glass office tower in Suffolk and Nassau Counties (and many big buildings had several firms housed on different floors, imagine the stairwells).

The scripts used in the movie were the exact same ones taught to every NY metro area broker in the late 1990′s. I printed the entire Belfort pitch (which itself had been stolen from the Madison Avenue office of Lehman Brothers) in my book Backstage Wall Street, I’m fairly certain the producers got their hands on it for the film. I doubt Jordan had a copy lying around from twenty years ago. They also used the term “Wildebeest” which is something I use on TV a lot to describe runaway stocks. My friend Paul and I made it up in a finance context five years ago, so I’m flattered, I guess.

The great irony that’s not discussed is that Belfort, had he done Wall Street brokerage the legitimate way beginning in the late 1980′s, would probably have become a billionaire by now. I could picture him running a hedge fund of funds business or being a brokerage CEO and just selling the shit out of it while other people did all the real work. He could have been a major player legitimately if he wasn’t in such a rush.

Leo’s Long Island accent was perfect, so was Jonah’s. And I should know. Don’t be surprised if they start talking like that in real life now, it’s kind of addicting after a while ;)

Margot Robbie as Nadine. Oh my god.

The drug stuff was sad/hilarious. Leo’s scene on Lemmon quaaludes might have been the most humorous thing he’s ever done on-screen.

The real Jordan Belfort has a cameo at the end where he introduces Leo as Belfort the motivational speaker. He’s tan and fit and undoubtedly having a great time. Not sure how anyone consulting on a biopic of their own life starring and directed by Oscar winners could even be capable of remorse.

I found it pretty shocking that they didn’t incorporate one scene showing the victims of this systematic theft. They don’t show the face of a single one, although we hear a handful on the phone. These scenes are played so that the audience is meant to laugh at the “customers” whilst high-fiving with the Wolf and his crew. It’s pretty ugly.

The female boiler room broker character was based on a woman I knew named Chrissie. Only she wasn’t just an ordinary “single mom,” she was actually a stripper who was so aggressive that the Strattonites figured she’d be a killer on the phones. She was, until they hauled her out in cuffs from another firm years later over Stratton-era IPOs.

There are still a handful of wannabe Belforts and mini-Strattons out there to this day. There are a handful of firms still holding out and doing the whole yelling into the phones while wearing Armani suits thing. A big one was taken down this past summer, but the brokers simply jump to a new firm and start all over again.

These days, they can’t take inside rips in penny stocks, so it’s more about churning accounts using real stocks or selling clients private placements. There’s a good chance you’re talking to a boiler room broker if his office is actually located on actual Wall Street.

But these guys are dying out. Their licenses are swiss cheese and potential suckers don’t answer their landline phones anymore anyway – hard to con someone over the phone you can’t get in touch with. It’s been over for a while but what else are they going to do? They think Stratton’s coming back someday and they’ll get rich again selling shit over the phone.

The movie itself if extremely well made and entertaining. Lots of people are saying it reminds them of Goodfellas and I agree. Maybe even a little more like Casino given the theme – guys who had no business running something that lucrative could never be smart enough to hold on to it without going too far.

100% of teenage boys who see this movie are going to want to grow up to be Jordan. I’m sure Scorsese didn’t set out to accomplish that but it’s inescapable. Oliver Stone didn’t think he was inventing Gordon Gekko to be the role model for a million young would-be finance guys, but that’s exactly what happened.

Don’t think Belfort and Danny Porush (on whom Jonah’s character Donny Azoff is said to be based) didn’t have serious Gekko envy, that was the blueprint. Gekko’s like Billy the Kidd in that regard. He’s still quoted, revered and even emulated in every corner of the business world.

I recommend seeing it, if you can get past the real moral issues that some have raised. I get the argument against going to see it, but I couldn’t stay away.

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The First Official 'Guardians Of The Galaxy' Photo

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This year's big Marvel movie will be "Guardians of the Galaxy."

While we've already seen some concept art for the filmDisney and Marvel released the first official photo still for the film ahead of New Years. 

The film will follow a team of aliens played by Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Bradley Cooper (Rocket Racoon), Chris Pratt (Star-Lord), and Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer).

Vin Diesel was recently confirmed to voice tree monster Groot after hinting at a role in the film.

"Guardians of the Galaxy" will come to theaters August 1.

Check out the photo below.

guardians of the galaxy first photo

Here's the official plot synopsis from Disney and Marvel:

An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits — Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Peter discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand — with the galaxy’s fate in the blanace.

SEE ALSO: Concept art for the film

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15 Must-See Wall Street Movies That Will Make You Wish The Market Was Open Today

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the pit documentaryThe market is closed, the world is at a standstill, it's New Year's Day and you may not be at your best.

That doesn't mean you can't get a little Wall Street in your day though. Kick back with a tall glass of (coconut) water and watch one of these Wall Street movies.

You'll definitely enjoy yourself, and you might even learn something.

 

Rogue Trader (1999)

In a sentence: Faster paced British version of "Wall Street."

Plot: Based on the real-life story of Barings Bank trader Nick Leeson, Ewan McGregor does a surprisingly awesome job of emulating the British wunderkind down to his addiction to fruit candies. While a relatively unsuccessful movie at the box office, Rogue Trader is entertaining.



Trading Places (1983)

In a sentence: No movie about Wall Street is funnier than the 1983 comedy "Trading Places."

Plot: Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd are at their best as director John Landis tells the tale of how one man's fall from Wall Street is another man's blessing. Watching Murphy talk about futures and markets is hilarious and unparalleled in humor.



Wall Street (1987)

In a sentence: The classic Wall Street film.

Plot: Oliver Stone originally set out to depict the greed associated with Wall Street in the 1980s. Little did he know, it would go on to become one of the finest pieces of financial cinema ever created. Traders still go nuts for this movie and everyone loves Michael Douglas' character Gordan Gekko, who is modeled partly after Michael Milken and Ivan Boesky.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Stan Lee Premiered A New Trailer For 'The Amazing Spider-Man' Sequel New Year's Eve In Times Square

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This is pretty cool. 

If you were in (or around) Times Square for New Years’ Eve, Sony premiered a new trailer for “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.”  

Though he wasn’t there in person, former Marvel president Stan Lee introduces the short trailer which shows new footage of Spidey facing off against villains Electro (Jamie Foxx) and the Rhino (Paul Giamatti). 

“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” comes to theaters May 2.

SEE ALSO: One image from "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" trailer hints at the future of the franchise

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The Most Pirated Movies Of 2013

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the hobbit

Last week, TorrentFreak revealed the most-pirated television shows of 2013.

Today, they've released the list of which movies were downloaded the most.

Unsurprisingly, some of the year's highest-grossing films made the list — "Fast and Furious 6" and "Iron Man 3."

However, you may be surprised "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" tops the list.

The first in a trilogy of films from Peter Jackson was downloaded an estimated 8.4 million times.

Numbers are gathered from BitTorrent downloads.

Here's the full list along with each film's worldwide gross.

Most Downloaded Movies on BitTorrent 2013

MovieEst. DownloadsWorldwide Gross
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"8.4 million$1 billion
"Django Unchained"8.1 million$425.4 million
"Fast & Furious 6"7.9 million$788.7 million
"Iron Man 3"7.6 million$1.2 billion
"Silver Linings Playbook"7.5 million$236.4 million
"Star Trek Into Darkness"7.4 million$467.4 million
"Gangster Squad"7.2 million$105 million
"Now You See Me"7 million$351.7 million
"The Hangover Part III"6.9 million$351 million
"World War Z"6.7 million$540 million

SEE ALSO: The most pirated television shows of 2013

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Here's Stephen Colbert's Blink-And-You'll-Miss-It Cameo In ‘The Hobbit’ Sequel

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Did you spot Stephen Colbert’s cameo in “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”? 

We’ve been waiting to hear about “The Colbert Report” star’s role since late 2012 after he mentioned visiting the New Zealand set to watch “them shoot some scenes” during a Playboy interview. 

Looks like he also filmed a few of his own. 

Colbert appears in the second half of the film as a Lake-town spy. 

Here’s a screenshot from a GIF that started circulating around Reddit: 

stephen colbert the hobbit the desolation of smaug 
“The Colbert Report” star has made it no secret he’s a huge “Lord of the Rings” fan 

We’re surprised he didn’t play an elf considering Colbert can read Elvish. 

Did you spot him in the film? 

[h/t ScreenCrush]

SEE ALSO: The "Desolation of Smaug" is a vast improvement over the first film

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The 25 Deadliest Actors Of All Time

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A computer scientist has created a fascinating chart of top 25 deadliest actors of all time by on-screen kills.

Drawing on the the database of MovieBodyCounts database, Randal Olson created a mostly complete list that shows that Arnold Schwarzenegger is the deadliest man in movies.

A couple surprises on the list are Charlie Sheen and Michael Clarke Duncan, who has more on-screen kills than Chuck Norris (102).

25 Deadliest ActorsIn an accompanying blog post, Olson notes a couple of interesting facts:

Uma Thurman is deadliest woman with 77 on-screen kills.

150 of Tomisaburo Wakayama's 226 kills came in the film "Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell" (1974). It is considered the highest kill count by any one person in a film.

Commando_Arnold_SchwarzeneggerOlson told BI the body count database took more than five years to build, but some kills may be missing from the list because "some actors have worked in dozens of low-kill-count, B-rated movies" that haven't been cataloged.

Olson added that there is one key omission in the database: John Wayne.

"I'm almost certain he'd be ranked in the 'deadliest actors' chart if some film-watching hero were willing to do the counts on his [pre-1960] films," Olson, who is a PhD student in Michigan State University's Computer Science program, told BI. "That said, it may be best to qualify that these counts cover the period of 1960 and onward."

Olson also charted the deadliest films and most violent films of all time based on the kill count data.

NOW WATCH: Movies Of The Past That Correctly Predicted The Technology We Have Today

   

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The First 'Veronica Mars' Movie Trailer After $5 Million Kickstarter Campaign

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Kristen Bell is back as "Veronica Mars" in the first full trailer for the one-time TV show's new feature-length film.

The silver screen sequel to the cult TV series was produced after fans contributed more than $5 million to a Kickstarter campaign to fund the film.

The film opens in theaters on March 14, just one year after the online fundraiser began.

Mars (Kristen Bell), ex-boyfriend Logan (Jason Dohring), and the rest of the original cast reunite at their 10-year high school reunion in the new trailer nine years after the show’s 2007 cancellation. Watch below:

Bell released a first-look from the film at Comic Con in July:

SEE ALSO: 'Veronica Mars' Movie Campaign Has Raised $4.5 Million From Online Donations — But Is Still Begging Fans For More

MORE: Kristen Bell Premieres First Footage From The Kickstarter-Funded 'Veronica Mars' Movie

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‘Wolf Of Wall Street’ Breaks F-Word Record

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the wolf of wall street leonardo dicaprio martin scorsese

"The Wolf of Wall Street" is all about excess  including the number of times curse words are spewed through the characters' mouths.

The Golden Globe-nominated Martin Scorsese film used the F-word so many times, in fact, that it set a new record in an American feature film.

"The word 'f---' and its variants is used 506 times over 'The Wolf of Wall Street’s' 180-minute running time," according to a Variety report.

Previously, the record for a non-documentary was Spike Lee’s 1999 film “Summer of Sam” with 435 instances.

But Scorsese is no stranger to expletives — his movies "Casino" (422 times "f---" is said) and "Goodfellas" (300 times) both make the top 12.

The overall record, however, belongs to a 2005 comedy documentary called "F---" about the word.

SEE ALSO: 3 Reasons Why Audiences Hate 'The Wolf Of Wall Street'

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