Great movies and great food are box office gold, from Forrest Gump’s chocolates to Silence of the Lambs anti-hero Hannibal Lecter’s disturbing pairing suggestion for Chianti. We’ve put together a selection of drinks and appetizers inspired by some Best Picture Oscar winners to help you get your Academy Awards viewing party rolling. So get ready [...]

Great movies and great food are box office gold, from Forrest Gump’s chocolates to Silence of the Lambs anti-hero Hannibal Lecter’s disturbing pairing suggestion for Chianti.

We’ve put together a selection of drinks and appetizers inspired by some Best Picture Oscar winners to help you get your Academy Awards viewing party rolling.

So get ready to settle in with a beverage and a bite when Hollywood celebrates itself Sunday . You’ve got all the bases covered – lights, camera, (snack) satisfaction.

SCARLETT FEVER: ‘Gone with the Wind’

A starving Scarlett O’Hara resorts to grubbing up radishes in the famous "I’ll never be hungry again" scene that ends the first half of Gone With the Wind. Luckily, you can try something much tastier with this crimson cocktail featuring cranberry and cherry juice.

Serve some manchego cheese toasts on the side for an elegant nibble. This appetizer uses banana bread, a food that came into vogue in the 1930s as baking powder and baking soda became staples of the American kitchen. It’s not likely you’ll have leftovers, but if you do, fiddledeedee! Tomorrow is another day.

The Scarlet Cocktail

Serves: 1

Preparation: 5 minutes

2 ounces cranberry juice

2 ounces cherry juice

2 ounces citrus vodka

1 ounce lime juice

Fresh cherries, to garnish

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the cranberry juice, cherry juice, vodka and lime juice. Shake and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with fresh cherries.

Manchego Banana Bites

Slice banana bread thinly and cut into 2-inch rounds with a small cookie cutter. In a skillet, melt butter over medium-high.

Toast the banana bread rounds in the buttered skillet. Serve topped with slices of manchego cheese and toasted pecans.

Makes 24 rounds.

YUM, FORREST, YUM: ‘Forrest Gump’

The 1994 movie Forrest Gump followed the adventures of a good-hearted man of less-than-average intelligence who somehow found himself with a front seat to history, from the evolution of Elvis to the Vietnam War and beyond. Along the way he makes friends with Bubba, a shrimp fisherman who waxes lyrical about the many ways to cook the crustaceans.

This recipe calls for a simple baked preparation livened up with chopped pecans. We paired it with a chocolate cocktail commemorating the movie’s catch phrase that life is "like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get."

In this case we feel reasonably safe in predicting that you’re gonna get a delicious drink.

Box of Chocolates Cocktail

Serves: 1

Preparation: 5 minutes

Grenadine

Finely shredded coconut

1 tablespoon caramel ice cream topping

2 ounces milk

1 ounce amaretto liqueur

2 ounces Godiva chocolate liqueur

Pour a small amount of grenadine into a small, shallow plate. Sprinkle the coconut on a second small plate. Dip the rim of a martini glass first in the grenadine, then in the coconut to coat the rim of the glass with coconut. Pour the caramel into the bottom of the glass.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the milk, amaretto and Godiva liqueur. Shake well, then strain into the prepared glass.

Honey Pecan Shrimp

Arrange 1 pound raw, peeled and deveined shrimp on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Drizzle the shrimp with 3 tablespoons honey. Mix together 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Sprinkle over the shrimp. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans. Bake at 400º for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through.

Serve warm.

KILLER RECIPE: ‘Silence of the Lambs’

Anthony Hopkins turned in a twisted but brilliant performance in The Silence of the Lambs as Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter, the serial killer who boasted of consuming his victims.

That’s one way to solve the catering issue, but we’re going with this much less creepy (not to mention non-criminal) combo of a delicious Chianti spritzer and fava crostini.

Peppered Chianti Spritzer

Serves: 1

Preparation: 5 minutes

1 ounce pepper-flavored vodka

2 ounces Chianti wine

Seltzer water or club soda

Fresh raspberries, to garnish

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the vodka and Chianti. Shake well, then strain into a cocktail glass. Top with seltzer water. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Fava Crostini

Makes 24 crostini

In a large skillet, cook 2 sliced yellow onions in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft and brown. Add a 1-pound package frozen fava beans (if you can’t find fava beans, use shelled edamame) and cook until soft. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the juice of 1/2 lemon and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Roughly mash the mixture. Serve spread on toasted slices of French bread with shavings of Parmesan cheese.

It's awfully simplistic to say so but with Lena Dunham's forthcoming HBO dramedy series GIRLS, which marks the latest milestone in her rapidly ascending career, the comparisons draw themselves -- comparisons to Dunham's own prior work and to all that's come before in attempting to mine the modern single female experience for insights and laughs [...]

It's awfully simplistic to say so but with Lena Dunham 's forthcoming HBO dramedy series GIRLS , which marks the latest milestone in her rapidly ascending career, the comparisons draw themselves -- comparisons to Dunham's own prior work and to all that's come before in attempting to mine the modern single female experience for insights and laughs in film and television. But whether you're a fan or a Dunham skeptic, it's worth taking a look at the show's first trailer to see for yourself what to expect from the developing filmmaker, especially with folks like Judd Apatow shepherding her post- Tiny Furniture .

Dunham's career-starting indie pic Tiny Furniture (her sophomore feature) earned equal shares of praise and criticism upon release in 2010, but it unquestionably put her brand of wry, neurotic comedy on the radar and demonstrated Dunham's willingness to expose herself, warts and all, as a writer and performer. GIRLS, also set in New York and concerned with young women on the brink of figuring out their lives, very much expands on the Dunham brand but shows a marked maturity; Dunham stars in front of the camera in addition to writing and directing, and she's joined by three strong supporting actresses (Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet) who flesh out the series' circle of twentysomething friends.

The similarities to Sex and the City can be found, but they're also deliberate; characters fully acknowledge that they're of a generation weaned on SATC's fantasy, just one of the many pop references they cite as somewhat (painfully) self-aware New York transplants. Truth be told, I was sold after previewing the first three episodes, especially given where GIRLS falls in the vast range of female-slanted shows on the air of late; it debuts on HBO this April and bridges the gap between the current class of girl-oriented network fare and the more daring stuff found on cable these days, but also captures a range of interests and talent so innately of this generation. For example: The trailer below teases appearances by Chris Eigeman (Metropolitan) and Peter Scolari (Bosom Buddies)! What's more, an upcoming episode features a particularly juicy turn by Lonely Island's Jorma Taccone that I've been thinking about repeatedly since.

This is TV (HBO's scheduled a 10-episode season to run) but more important than this or that format is the idea that Dunham's developing her voice as a storyteller in line with what we've seen previously. She's seemingly been given a considerable amount of rope to keep doing her thing (Apatow's involvement as a producer likely has something to do with that) and it should be interesting to watch as she keeps one foot in television and one in film.

GIRLS debuts at SXSW next month and premieres April 15th on HBO.

Tyler Perry is one of, if not the, most successful filmmakers working in Hollywood today. Actually to clarify, the man works out of his Atlanta home base… but what cannot be argued is the box office clout this megastar wields. He is back on screen with the touching Good Deeds and visiting with Movie Fanatic for an exclusive video interview to talk about writing, directing, producing and starring in the story of a man who has it all, but seeks much more. In our interview, Perry discusses what inspired him to write this film and what personally inspires him.

In the movie, Wesley Deeds (Perry) has always done what is expected of him, and to great success. When he meets Thandie Newton’s Lindsey Wakefield, a cleaning woman, everything changes. The film also stars Gabrielle Union, Phylicia Rashad, Eddie Cibrian and Rebecca Romijn .

Paul Dano, an actor who went toe to toe with oil giant Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) in There Will Be Blood, collaborates with another prodigious talent, Robert De Niro, in Being Flynn.  The movie is based on Nick Flynn's memoir Another Bullsh**t Night In Suck City, which deals with his turbulent relationship with his [...]

Paul Dano, an actor who went toe to toe with oil giant Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) in There Will Be Blood, collaborates with another prodigious talent, Robert De Niro, in Being Flynn.  The movie is based on Nick Flynn’s memoir Another Bullsh**t Night In Suck City, which deals with his turbulent relationship with his father.

Flynn, who’s played in the film by Dano, met his father while he was working at a Boston homeless shelter.  Director Paul Weitz fell in love with the book, and he has been developing his film adaptation since the memoir’s 2004 release.

 

Paul Dano, who spent time at the shelter where the Flynns had their fated encounter, talks about feeling “emotionally vulnerable” when he read the script to Being Flynn.  He also talks about his experience at the shelter:  

Being Flynn, co-starring Olivia Thirlby, opens in New York and Los Angeles March 2nd (wider release on March 9th).

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posted by Greg Srisavasdi ( @gsrisavasdi )

In anticipation of Sunday’s Academy Awards telecast on ABC, EW talked to Executive Producer Don Mischer about host Billy Crystal,

The Ninja Turtles are finally coming back to theaters. But is this a good thing? We explore the possibilities offered by a new live-action film.

Theme restaurants can be a fun proposition, but some themes are easier to decipher than others. Consider Tundra, the new establishment on Fort Lauderdale’s glittery Las Olas Boulevard (in the former home of Mancini’s). It’s billed as “ice art themed,” which could mean anything. Is it one of those places where everything’s made out of [...]

Theme restaurants can be a fun proposition, but some themes are easier to decipher than others. Consider Tundra, the new establishment on Fort Lauderdale’s glittery Las Olas Boulevard (in the former home of Mancini’s).

It’s billed as “ice art themed,” which could mean anything. Is it one of those places where everything’s made out of ice and you have to wear a coat and pretend you aren’t freezing? Is it decorated like a big igloo? Is Vanilla Ice involved?

It turns out that Tundra’s ice theme is much more cleverly rendered. Many of its dishes, like the Tundra Shellfish including crab claws and white prawns, are served on ice. And the place serves shots in glass actually made of ice, which is fine because you don’t hold a shot glass for very long, and the icy jolt intensifies whatever you’re shooting.

The décor (thankfully) is not of igloos or ice fishing. There are inspired choices: ceramic deer and reindeer heads, interestingly-cut mirrors, tastefully placed ice sculptures and a collection of long, glowing lights that, when grouped together over the center of the restaurant, resemble icicles, or stalactites.

As for the rest of the food? Tundra, a project of David Berman and Alex Podolny (of North Miami’s buzzy Rouge) is delicious. Try the foamy Lobster Cappuccino, a hot soup served with a tasty vanilla bean brioche, the yellowtail, sea scallop and rock shrimp ceviche or — our favorite — the fried goat cheese with mango salsa. (Ice theme aside, it’s hard for “fried” and “cheese” to be in the same sentence without deliciousness happening.)

Tundra: 1017 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Phone: (954) 761-2122. Website: TundraRestaurant.com

You must read these really depressing but totally spot on piece by Martha Lauzen (the woman who gives us the stats of how many women are making movies, today published by the Women's Media Center.

...the Academy Awards fete films made mostly by men featuring a majority of male characters intended primarily for a male audience, that are then critiqued by a largely male group of writers and critics.

So fucking depressingly true. 

Read the piece: Oscar and the Usual Suspects

Another Oscars promo video, another vain attempt to show some personality and pep by the Academy; this time around the Oscars have tapped Mike Myers to do an uppity butler type straight out of the discards of the Austin Powers supporting character brainstorming boards, who teaches Oscar winner Kevin Kline the proper way to hold [...]

Another Oscars promo video, another vain attempt to show some personality and pep by the Academy; this time around the Oscars have tapped Mike Myers to do an uppity butler type straight out of the discards of the Austin Powers supporting character brainstorming boards, who teaches Oscar winner Kevin Kline the proper way to hold his statuette. If this kind of humor tickles you silly and makes you set your TV calendar for Sunday, then hold on to your pants and chill a few cans of Ensure!

We are in for a riot, people. I mean, what says hilarious and relevant more than KEVIN KLINE and MIKE MYERS??

Sigh. It's not even funny to joke about how unfunny these bits are. I refuse to believe this is really the best that Funny or Die could do with the Oscars. Given the choice, I vote "Die."

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Nine films are nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards this year, begging the question: who deserved a tenth spot on that list? Oscars 2012: 10 Spot answers that question, as the MTV Movies team highlights some of 2011's greatest films and argues why they deserved a nod as the tenth Best Picture nominee. [...]

Nine films are nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards this year, begging the question: who deserved a tenth spot on that list? Oscars 2012: 10 Spot answers that question, as the MTV Movies team highlights some of 2011's greatest films and argues why they deserved a nod as the tenth Best Picture nominee.

Let’s get this out of the way right now: Yes, “Shame” is indeed The One With The Penis – Michael Fassbender’s , to be precise. That said, it would be a shame (no pun intended) if that’s all this extraordinary film is remembered for. For some insight into why “Shame” wasn’t nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, we should discuss what this movie is not:

» It’s not a family film (see above re: The One With The Penis). This movie is one hundred percent adult-oriented. There are no brave horses, charming pups or precocious kids in “Shame.” There are only grown-ups doing very grown-up things.

» It’s not populated by likeable characters. The siblings played by Fassbender and Carey Mulligan are two seriously damaged, dysfunctional people who sometimes behave horribly to each other. No heroes or heroines, no hearts of gold – just people in pain who are trying to get through the day.

» It’s not a period piece. “Shame” takes place in the here (New York City) and now. The city is not romanticized or sanitized; it’s depicted as a real place where real people live in the 21st century, dealing with real issues.

» It’s not an easy film to watch. Sure, there’s a lot of flesh on display, but the sex scenes are not what you’d call “sexy.” Fassbender’s Brandon is a sex addict. There’s no love or affection given or taken in these scenes. And there’s also some pretty gruesome, heartbreaking stuff courtesy of Mulligan’s Sissy. Fascinating and engaging, yes. Sweet and uplifting? Definitely not.

In short, "Shame" is not Oscar bait. Steve McQueen’s drama is unconventional, raw, risky and current. In an ideal cinematic universe these qualities would be recognized and rewarded. Alas, Oscar doesn’t live in that universe quite yet. Maybe one day they’ll get it right.

The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Stick with us for everything you need to know leading up to the awards show, and on Sunday, February 25, tune into MTV.com at 5:30 p.m. ET for our three-hour red-carpet live stream and updates on the night's big winners.