Josh Horowitz –MTV Movies Blog

Five Reasons To See 'Casa De Mi Padre'

Posted 3/16/12 11:37 am EST by Josh Horowitz in Five Reasons, Reviews

With a title like "Casa de Mi Padre" you might be expecting the latest from Pedro Almodovar at the movie theater this weekend. After all, Spanish language releases are few and far between without a big name behind it, right? Right.

Enter Will Ferrell. Maybe you've seen the ads for "Casa" and wondered if you were watching a trailer spoof of a telenovela crossed with a spaghetti western? Well you're sort of right, except "Casa de Mi Padre" is less a spoof than a demented extrapolation and it ain’t just a trailer. It's a feature film and here are five reasons to see it.

» Will Ferrell does NOT speak Spanish: Well, he does in the movie, but not in real life, and that's the point, the astounding point. Ferrell portrays Armando Alvarez, the black sheep of a Mexican family portrayed by Spanish speaking actors (as one would do). Ferrell learned his lines phonetically and flawlessly (if I'm to trust those who are fluent). Talk about degree of difficulty for an actor! This is remarkable Daniel Day Lewis/act with one foot territory. I'm serious. What Ferrell does here is audacious and awesome. Imagine one of the world's greatest improv comics being robbed of that very skill and still be hilarious.

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Oscars 2012: Why 'Take Shelter' Deserved A Best Picture Nod

Posted 2/23/12 2:39 pm EST by Josh Horowitz in Commentary, Oscars

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.

Here’s one of the big things for me when I contemplate my top films of any given year – what’s going to stick with me? What’s a film that will creep into my subconscious and always remain in some fashion? Whether it’s a comedy I’ll return to in years to come (ahem, “Fletch”) or a precise and near perfect execution of genre staple (I’m looking at you “Unforgiven” and “Aliens” and “Manhattan”).

And then there’s the stuff that just haunts you. You don’t necessarily want it invading your thoughts and dreams and nightmares but there it is — proof of how potent and provocative it is.

“Take Shelter” is such a film. I first saw it over a year ago when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. In the year since it’s the film I’ve probably thought about the most.

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'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon' In Moscow: Linkin Park And The Green Carpet

Posted 6/24/11 9:30 am EST by Josh Horowitz in Behind The Scenes, Commentary

MTV Movies Managing Editor Josh Horowitz is currently traveling in Moscow, but this isn't any ordinary excursion—it's more than meets the eye, as he braves cultural confusion and borscht by the bowlful in an effort to cover the world premiere of "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" in Russia. These are his stories.

Much like the film I’m here to cover, yesterday was awash in loud colorful sensory concussions. But it didn’t start that way. It started with me wide awake at 3 in the morning watching Piers Morgan on one of the few English language stations in my hotel room. However once the afternoon came around events more than made up for the mundane beginnings.

Last night was a double header of promotional ambition. Paramount certainly pulled out all the stops for their summer juggernaut, “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.” It kicked off with an opening night red carpet at the Moscow Film Festival. Moscow has a film festival? Sure, why not. And so the dozens of journalists Paramount assembled from around the globe boarded glorified school buses from our posh hotel to head to the green carpet for the big gala.

I assumed my plum window seat literally rubbing legs up to Entertainment Tonight’s Mark Steines. I know… what do you say to that? There’s something endlessly fascinating to me about grown men and women assembling on a bus in a foreign land, not really knowing where we’re going or what the hell we’re doing. We all reverted back to our nine year old selves until the bus driver told us to scram or whatever the Russian equivalent of that might be.

Tags transformers dark of the moon

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'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': Sight-Seeing In Moscow

Posted 6/23/11 10:20 am EST by Josh Horowitz in Behind The Scenes, Commentary

Being in Moscow for a press junket like this should be all gravy, right? What an insane opportunity! Who even goes to Moscow? I don't know anyone!

And yet I've been filled with anxiety since I got here, not over work (well a little bit), not for my safety (though I have heard talk of "rape tunnels"), but more for all I'm missing. I mean, let's be real. I'm probably never coming back here, right? So I should be getting my (er, the studio's) money's worth. Unfortunately between my perpetual sleep fog (aka jet lag) and the work that's kept me sitting in a hotel hallway, I haven't really taken in the sights a ton.

Tags transformers dark of the moon

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'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon' In Moscow: Red Square, Shrek And John Malkovich

Posted 6/22/11 12:40 pm EST by Josh Horowitz in Behind The Scenes, Commentary

Red Square isn't really all that red. And don't come to Moscow with your own money. These and other revelations will be unleashed in the forthcoming memoir of my junket adventures. Soon to be at the bottom of a remainder book bin near you.

It's Wednesday in Moscow and I'm writing to you from a hallway. Not that I'm complaining... I mean, it's a Russian hallway. But this is what a junket is at the end of the day. Lots of waiting interrupted by short bursts of activity. Currently my biggest concern is my stomach growling during one of my next interviews (this did happen once when I chatted with Vera Farmiga -- neither of us acknowledged it). Anyway, right now I'm in one of those junket lulls, so it's as good a time as any to bring you up to speed on my Russian misadventures.

Yesterday I did a little bit of sightseeing in famed Red Square (just down the street from the hotel). Here's what I learned...

Tags transformers dark of the moon

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'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon' Rises In Moscow

Posted 6/21/11 10:39 am EST by Josh Horowitz in Behind The Scenes, Commentary

I can now say with absolute certainty that “The Dilemma” is not a good movie. I saw it for the junket in Chicago earlier in the year (if you want to see the best thing that came out of that movie, enjoy this moment where I told Vince Vaughn that he ruined my Christmas) and I’m now on my third viewing thanks to the limited entertainment options on my 10 hour flight from JFK to Moscow. The Ambien hasn’t taken so I’m stuck with the “Just Go With It/The Dilemma” double feature. My only thoughtful analysis at this point is “The Dilemma” could have used more Brooklyn Decker.

But of course none of this has to do with giant robots and that’s why I’m here. Yes, I’m currently journeying in my economy plus seat ($80 for four more inches of leg room!) to a land I truly never thought would come my way. But Paramount and Michael Bay have some kind of spectacle to drop on the planet and you can’t do something like that half-assed, can you? So despite the fact that the last third of the film takes place in Chicago and a relatively short section apparently takes place in Russia (and not even in Moscow I believe), it’s vodka and borscht on the agenda for me this week (more of the former).

Tags transformers dark of the moon

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The Top 10 Movies Of 2010: Josh's Take

Posted 12/31/10 5:00 pm EST by Josh Horowitz in Best of 2010, Commentary

Are you top ten-ed out? Probably? But damn it, I didn't see a zillion movies this year (OK, around 150) to not earn the right to subject you to a list of my 10 favorites. Honestly this list is probably more for me than for you guys. As we head into the awards season (People's Choice is just days away, get your powder blue tux ready!), what better way to get into the right mindset of endless accolades than to bestow my own. So here we go folks... the top 10 films of 2010* according to me.

*List void on January 1st when I'll surely change my mind about a few of these.

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Disturbing Steve Carell Interview Promises To Haunt You Forever

Posted 7/21/10 11:51 am EST by Josh Horowitz in Humor, Video

MTV News has long prided itself on probing, intimate conversations. But nothing, absolutely NOTHING can compare to our new series, "Up Close." On "Up Close" we go deep, deeper than anyone ever really should, with the celebrities you love. Recently the show featured a no holds barred chat with "Cyrus" star John C. Reilly that devolved into something that would chill Crispin Glover. But we've upped the ante this time with our latest episode, featuring "Dinner for Schmucks" star Steve Carell. No doubt you've seen Steve interviewed countless times... but never like this.

Warning: the following video show involves toiletries and disgusting snack products. This WILL haunt your dreams. ENJOY!

Tags Dinner for Schmucks, steve carell, Video

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'A-Team' Cameos Revealed At LA Premiere! Classic 'Team' Members? Another Unrevealed TV Star?

Posted 6/4/10 9:59 am EST by Josh Horowitz in News

I and the lion's share of the MTV News team have set up base camp here in lovely Los Angeles for the week. In case you haven't noticed from the insane amount of coverage on this site, the splenderific MTV Movie Awards are Sunday night and we're all over it like (insert cliche here). Last night I was able to escape to Mann's Chinese for the very loud premiere of "The A-Team." By the way I'm not just talking about the decibel level of the crowds at the premiere. This is one cacophonous flick. I don't think director Joe Carnahan will argue with me when I say this is what we're talking about when we say "now that is a big, dumb, summer movie." That's certainly what it aspires to be.

But what about the cameos, right? Well I have some news for the spoiler-minded. Did the old A-Teamers make the cut? And what previously unreported TV star makes cameo at the end. Read on at your own peril.

Full disclosure first. For a variety of reasons I was not able to stay until after the credits so there's always a chance of Sam Jackson style cameo that I'm not aware of but... Read More...

Tags bradley cooper, the a-team