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By Michael Lopez

Hungry for a little R-rated entertainment this holiday season? Not to worry. Lovable big screen stoners Harold and Kumar are back in theaters this weekend with their 3D Christmas movie. And their creators, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, spoke with us about what to expect for this latest outing.

"We really love these characters," Schlossberg said at the H&K press junket. "We always wanted to continue their journey. We ended the first movie with a 'To Be Continued' in the hopes we could keep writing more."

And interestingly, each Harold & Kumar film has become more and more successful. The first movie, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, became a major cult hit on DVD and H&K 2 (titled Escape From Guantanamo Bay) grossed over $40 million at the box office. Hurwitz confessed that after that kind of success, the studio was eager for a third installment.

"When Harold & Kumar 2 came out, the first Friday it did very well," Jon explained. "We actually got a call that Saturday from the studio asking if we’d be willing to do a third one."

And now, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas has arrived. And this time, the guys have surrounded themselves with a very colorful cast. Tr3s fave Danny Trejo has a memorable appearance as Harold's father-in-law and Bad Teacher's Tom Lennon adds laughs as the new buddy of the group. But the real clincher is the addition of 3D.

"We actually did not write our first draft knowing it was going to be in 3D," Hayden said. "The studio suggested that idea. Then we took a look at the script again and realized there's a lot of things that could be enhanced by 3D technology."

But rather than flying Na'vis and cute dolphins, H&K’s 3D elements include puffs of smoke, flying eggs, and munchie treats. Having seen the movie, we can definitely say that you've NEVER seen the third dimension used quite like this before.

But, Schlossberg and Hurwitz were quick to point out that this latest film also includes a new layer of maturity for the characters.

"We've aged the characters as we've aged," Jon said. "We're older now and we're deriving our comedy from different life circumstances."

You can see just how "evolved" Harold and Kumar have become when 3D Christmas hits theaters this Friday.

Are you planning on watching the new Harold & Kumar movie? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 3D, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Exclusive Entrevistas, Harold & Kumar, Hayden Schlossberg, Jon Hurwitz, Movies & CineMás, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

Get ready Shrek fans. In just four days, the green ogre's courageous kitty sidekick is getting his own movie. Anticipation is already huge for this week's Puss In Boots release and the film's director, Chris Miller, spoke to us exclusively about how he brought the animated orange tabby to life.

"We wanted to make a movie that had a legendary, epic feel," Chris explained. "There's some Clint Eastwood in there, along with Indiana Jones and a bit of James Bond."

From a technical perspective, Puss In Boots features some amazing animated action sequences. There are dynamic rooftop chases, journeys to the top of a giant beanstalk, and even a wild ride on a monster goose. Miller explained how adding the element of 3D helped take the project to a new level.

"3D really lends itself to Puss In Boots’ world," he said. "The story really plays well in that format."

Chris also mentioned how having voice actors like Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek helped breathe more life into the film. Each of them threw in improvised lines that actually made it into the final cut.

"Making this movie was such a collaborative effort," Miller said. "Working with the entire cast. They're all great writers and great improvisers. Having them around makes my job a lot easier."

Another famous collaborator who helped out with Puss was horror director Guillermo del Toro. Listed as an executive producer on the film, Chris told us that he offered quite a bit of input during the story boarding process.

"Guillermo really fell in love with this movie and wanted to be a part of it," he said. "Having him on board was great. It pushed us to make things more fun and more exciting."

But Miller made sure to emphasize that the Puss character is the ultimate selling point of the movie. With his trademark one liners, exaggerated "sad kitty" eyes, and boot kicking dance moves, he's definitely proven himself to be a major leading man (and feline).

"Puss is such a bold and romantic character," he said. "He's larger-than-life and everything kind of springs out of his personality and what Antonio created. One of the things I love about Puss In Boots is how serious he takes himself and how dramatic he can be at times. It brings a great amount of comedy to the character."

You can see Antonio's furry alter ego in action when Puss In Boots arrives this Friday!

Are you planning on watching Puss In Boots? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 3D, Antonio Banderas, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Chris Miller, Exclusive Entrevistas, Movies & CineMás, Puss In Boots, Salma Hayek, Shrek, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

Are you ready to see Robert Trujillo's bass bust out into the third dimension? According to Deadline.com, it may become a reality sooner than you think. The site is reporting that Metallica is planning on producing their own 3D film.

Not a lot of details about the project have been released yet, other than that it's certain to have a guitar-shredding soundtrack. But the rockers have already solicited the talents of producer Charlotte Huggins, who's been responsible for 3D hits like Journey to the Center of the Earth and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.

Metallica is currently in the midst of their 30th anniversary tour and we're thinking a big screen epic would be a perfect way to cap off the celebration. Perhaps an in-your-face concert movie from one of their thunderous live shows? It's very possible, but there are also rumors circulating about a metal-heavy cartoon.

Interestingly, band leader James Hetfield has been branching out into animation recently. He's lent his voice to cartoons like Dave The Barbarian and Adult Swim's Metalocalypse. So perhaps, a head banging Pixar flick may be on the horizon. We're sure plenty of details will be revealed within the next few weeks.

What type of 3D Metallica movie would you like to see? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 3D, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Charlotte Huggins, Hot Stuff, Música, Metallica, Movies & CineMás

By Michael Lopez

A generation ago, Warner Brothers produced a major success with the feel-good flick Free Willy. And now 18 years later, they're at it again with another heartwarming "boy and his fish story", aptly named Dolphin Tale. And though it's got plenty of corny dialogue and over-the-top child actors, it's hard to hate this movie and its message.

Dolphin Tale may actually have the edge over Willy, particularly because it's based on a true story. And not only that, the message it delivers is an important one and rather timely with the current state of world affairs. You see, this Tale has a special connection to Iraq war veterans and amputees.

The movie focuses on the plight of Winter, a female bottlenose dolphin who nearly died after getting entangled in a crab trap. Thankfully, a local boy named Sawyer (played by Nathan Gamble) discovers her on the shore and gets a local marine team to nurse her back to health. Though she lives through the ordeal, the trap's damage to her tail requires a swift amputation.

And that's where things get interesting. In order for Winter to survive, she will need a new faux fin. Enter Dr. McCarthy (played by Morgan Freeman), a skilled engineer who has built a career developing prosthetic limbs for soldiers injured in the battlefield. After encountering Sawyer and his adorable aquatic mammal, the good Dr. decides to try the impossible – creating an artificial dolphin tail.

But before you can "happy ending," there are plenty of obstacles that get in Winter's way. For one thing, she needs to accept the tail (which won't necessarily be easy). And beyond that, the facility she's being housed in is on the brink of bankruptcy and there's a tropical storm on the horizon!

Oh yeah, Dolphin Tale makes sure to use plenty of movie clichés to get its point across. But it has a lot of very poignant moments too (particularly involving disabled kids looking to Winter for inspiration). And did we mention it’s in 3D? Wrap it all together and you've got a slightly choppy movie that, in the end, may actually steal your heart.

Bottom line: Dolphin Tale would make a great family night DVD. Is it worth the $10 movie tickets for all the little ones in your family? Maybe not so much. Though there are some great 3D effects, they don't necessarily sell the movie. What does, is the dynamic presence of Winter (who steals every scene she's in). So we say see it, but on your own time and at your own convenience.

Do you like “feel-good” movies? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 3D, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Dolphin Tale, Free Willy, Morgan Freeman, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, Nathan Gamble, Winter

By Larry Yepez Jr.

Colombia comes out with it's first 3D animated feature film titled Pequeñas Voces or Little Voices,  about the consequences that the internal war with the guerrilla has brought to the children of Colombia, who have been forced to leave their homes to uncertain futures in unknown lands.

The film tells the story of four kids between the ages of 8 and 13.  They share their short but intense life story and also their point of views through their own drawings, which become a key element of the film.

The director del film, Jairo Carrillo, said that the idea for this project came from the need to let the world know something at first unknown to many, and then to do so through the point of view from the most vulnerable -the kids.

The kids voices are the only ones heard throughout  the whole film. Unlike the effect of the adults moaning in Charlie Brown cartoons, the adult perspective is mute and ignored.   No adult voice is taken into consideration in this film, nor even from a family member or guerrillas.

In the casting process, the filmmakers Carrillo and Co-Director Oscar Andrade interviewed 120 children and ended up with the final four stories that made it to the feature film. They tried to avoid similar stories in any form, and wanted to choose children that were fluid and natural in telling their story.

"The whole adventure of doing the film in 3D is that to make it seem much more intense and real for the audience being that the viewer can experience the film in first person as if were really happening to them", explained Carrillo.

It was in the Venice film festival that the filmmakers analyzed the audience's positive response and questioned themselves on what would be a way to reach a bigger audience.

The answer came when Avatar came out in 3d. The Colombian filmmakers felt that this is the technique that they need to use for their film to be seen, felt and understood by people of all backgrounds and education levels.

Little Voices will be released in theaters worldwide in September after its run through some of the most important film festivals of the world, like Berlin and Venice.

Are you interested in watching Little Voices?

Tags 3D, Berlin film festival, Blogger: Larry Yepez Jr, Jairo Carrillo, little voices, pequeñas voces, venice film festival

By Michael Lopez

We know what you're thinking, usually the fifth installment in a horror series has very little thought and originality. Whether it's a Saw movie or Friday The 13th, by the time number five rolls around you can pretty much predict every gruesome scene. Final Destination 5, on the other hand, actually breaks that rule, breathing new life into the franchise with a witty plot and some excellent 3D effects.

Though movie fans may not immediately recognize the name of director Steven Quale, nearly everyone has seen his work. His groundbreaking cinematography has been used in films like Terminator 2 and Titanic. Not only that, his contributions to Avatar helped break new ground for the 3D format and it shows in FD 5.

From the moment the first blade gets thrust toward your oversized glasses, you know you're in for an incredible ride. Final Destination 5 does a fantastic job of using the third dimension to its advantage. Never do the scenes feel forced or thrown in your face as an afterthought. Every "kill sequence" is meticulously calculated.

But of course, the 3D wouldn't be half as fun if it didn't have an interesting plot to go with it. By all accounts, the fourth film in the series did not live up to expectations. Though it made a decent chunk of change at the box office (hence the green light for a sequel), the premise felt tired and low on steam.

This newest chapter introduces all new characters (except for always reliable Tony Todd) and gives the concept a clean slate to work with. As you may already know, the FD premise revolves around a select group of people "cheating death" then getting their comeuppance through a series of unfortunate events.

Each of FD 5’s main leads does a fantastic job of conveying fear and dark humor. And we can honestly say that each actor meets his demise in a very fresh and inventive way (good luck going for acupuncture after this movie). There's even a great twist ending that will definitely appeal to hardcore Destination fans.

Bottom line: Final Destination 5 is a movie that NEEDS to be seen in a theater. Yes the plot is good and the actors do a fine job, but the true star here is the 3D! Plus, just hearing the audience react to the outrageous death scenes is reason enough to spend the $10.

Are you planning on watching Final Destination 5? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 3D, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Final Destination, Final Destination 5, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, Steven Quale, Tony Todd

By Michael Lopez

Oh yea, you knew this was coming. With over $600 million in total gross at the box office, the Final Destination sequels keep chugging along. This week marks the release of the franchise’s fifth installment and director Steven Quale spoke to Tr3s about what to expect in the latest chapter.

"For this movie, I concentrated on three things," Quale explained at recent press conference. "I was concentrated on the visuals, I was concentrated on the characters and the cast, and the whole 3D aspect. I wanted to use the medium to its fullest extent."

And having seen the movie, we can vouch for its excellent use of 3D. Every blood-curdling demise guarantees at least a few flying body parts. Of course, as Quale puts it, the death scenes aren’t the scariest parts of the movie.

"It’s about the suspense leading up to the execution of the kill, not the kill itself," he said. "If you don’t have the suspense, it’s an empty kill."

For those unfamiliar with the Final Destination premise, these movies aren’t about a masked murderer or an evil spirit. The freaky part about these "kill scenes" is the fact that each character is undone by circumstances beyond their control. The force of death is never seen, but rather insinuated by gruesome mishaps.

Quale went on to explain how he built the tension for the movie’s scariest moments.

"My take on it is like music and dynamic range. If everything is like a pop and loud, it gets deafening. But if it gets really loud then gets really quiet then gets really loud again, you have this thing called dynamic range. And you can integrate that into the way you shoot a film."

And don’t worry all of you die-hard FD fans, Steven has made sure that the franchise’s trademark humor has remained intact too. But he was quick to point out that the laughs won’t be based on cheesy dialogue or unbelievable scenarios (as with previous Destination entries).

"I didn’t want any camp humor with wink winks to the camera," Quale said. "I wanted the humor to be completely organic."

You can experience the laughs, frights, and a whole lot more when Final Destination 5 hits theaters this Friday.

Are you a fan of the Final Destination series? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 3D, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Exclusive Entrevistas, Final Destination, Final Destination 5, Horror Movies, Movies & CineMás, Steven Quale, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

A week in Vegas usually means all-night parties and all-day hangovers, but thousands descended upon Sin City this for an entirely different reason — to catch a glimpse of the latest and greatest gadgets at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show.

The three-day convention, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, attracts the biggest names in technology and has been known to debut some pretty cool stuff. The Xbox, Blu-Ray and the first HDTV were all unveiled at the annual event. This year showcased plenty of tech treats slated to hit stores this year. Here are a few of our faves:

Lady Gaga’s Polaroid Shades: Yes, the “Little Monster” took the stage herself, unveiling some very cool sunglasses and instant Polaroid printer. Gaga's Polaroid shades let you take pictures while you wear them. The design may be a bit bulky, but the technology is amazing.

"These glasses can be worn in public, you can walk around, you can take them to a club, take them to a show of mine, take pictures while I sing on stage," Gaga told the crowd. "But this is something that I envisioned many years ago. We're bridging fashion and technology.

PC Tablets: You had to know this was coming. With the success of Apple's iPad tablet, which allows users to surf the web, send messages and play games by simply touching the screen, a host of new competitors will be offering the same technology for a lot less cash. Motorola, Dell and other computer companies revealed their sleek tablet designs to compete with those in the Mac Store.

3D Mobile TVs: LG has built its reputation on making awesome big-screen HD TVs. Now you can hold its 3D television set in the palm of your hand. The 4.3-inch portable TV looks incredible. Sports games, music videos, movies and even Sports Illustrated swimsuit models will now be able to jump out at you when you're on the go — and you won't even need those bulky glasses.

Ford's Electric Car: This year, automobiles were just as much of a highlight as electronic gadgets. Ford garnered a lot of attention with its electrified version of the Focus car. The all-electric vehicle features voice-activated controls, Internet radio and even the opportunity to Tweet. We expect this ride to be a major hit. No gasoline required.

What 2011 inventions are you most excited about? Comment below or @MTV3.

Tags 3D, Cars, CES, Consumer Electronics Show, Ford Focus, Hot Stuff, iPad, Lady Gaga, Las Vegas, PC Tablets, Polaroid Sunglasses, Technology

By Michael Lopez

If you're a fan of Sports Illustrated's annual swimsuit issue, you may want to consider investing in a 3D TV.

In a partnership with Sony Network Entertainment, Sports Illustrated will distribute a 3D swimsuit video for Playstation 3 and other Sony formats when its annual swimsuit issue hits newsstands Feb. 15. The 30-minute video will be available for rent or purchase through PS3, Video on Demand via Qriocity and Blu-ray. It will also be available in 2D and as an iPad application, so you can digitally flip through every sexy shot.

The swimsuit issue has been around for more than 45 years, featuring such legendary models such as Heidi Klum, Tyra Banks and Mexico’s Elsa Benitez on its cover.

"Just when you think the bar couldn't get any higher for the Swimsuit franchise, we've raised it once again with our partners at Sony," Mark Ford, president of the Sports Illustrated group, said in a statement. "Swimsuit in 3D has extraordinary potential and we're thrilled to deliver its millions of fans a new perspective through the exciting world of 3D video."

SI clearly knows how to stay on top of their game. Last year, the swimsuit edition sold 1.1 million print copies, drove 11 million unique users, 100 million video views and led to 1 million iPhone app downloads, according to Mashable. Let's see if another dimension does anything for circulation.

Do you plan to buy Sports Illustrated's 3D swimsuit video? Comment below or @MTV3.

Tags 3D, Magazines, Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Supermodels, Technology

By Simone Hilliard

Bieber Fever is officially out of control. The Biebs has been immortalized in a comic, is releasing his official illustrated memoir, Justin Bieber: First Step 2 Forever: My Story in October, and now comes word that Paramount is prepping a biopic featuring the young pop star.

So, what can you expect to see in a two hour feature following the LONG life of a sixteen-year-old? Deadline New York reports that Justin will play himself and the picture will include performances from his current tour. The yet-untitled film will also be released in 3-D.

Take that "Harry Potter" and "Twilight"!

Bieber tweeted his excitement Monday (August 2) night:

"Next Valentine's we r coming with a major 3D movie telling the story with an Oscar winning director and also filming the tour at MSG in NYC!! This is so sick!! Gonna come out in theaters worldwide Valentine's 2011!!! I'm taking this thing worldwide thanks to u all!! Hyped!!"

Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, and Island Def Jam chairman L.A. Reid will produce the film. Impressive!  

A release date is currently slated for Valentine's Day weekend 2011.  

Will you go see the Bieber biopic? Let us know below or @MTV3!

Tags 3D, Chisme, CineMas Cool, Film, Gossip, Justin Bieber, latin, Movie, Movies & CineMás, MTV NEws