'Justin Bieber: Never Say Never': The Reviews Are In!

Film makes 'persuasive case' that Bieber is a 'far more talented-than-usual teen idol,' one critic says.
By Eric Ditzian


Justin Bieber
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

In case you couldn't tell from the talk-show appearances and the TV spots, from the billboards and bus ads, from the ceaseless chatter on Twitter, Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never" has finally arrived in theaters after a seemingly endless promotional push that left no channel or digital sphere Bieber Fever-free.

And in case you weren't sure, most everyone who's already seen it seems to agree: The movie is pretty dang good. And that's coming from critics and reporters who don't likely hum "One Less Lonely Girl" in the shower. Whether you're begging your parents for — or are being begged by your kids about — a trip to the multiplex this weekend, check out what reviewers are saying about "Never Say Never."

The Story
"A fairly intimate look at Bieber's life on the road and his beginnings as just another talented kid growing up in small-town Canada, the movie is part-documentary and part-concert film that both embraces and pokes fun at the teenybopper mania that Bieber and his handlers have created. There's a loose countdown structure as Bieber prepares for his first concert at Madison Square Garden, but director Jon Chu is mostly content to zip around Bieber's life and the people who surround him, mixing in live performances with the interviews and fly-on-the-wall recordings. He doesn't exactly pander to the audience, but it's probably no coincidence either that Bieber takes off his shirt twice in the first 10 minutes." — Katey Rich, Cinema Blend

Meet the Real Bieber
"Bieber is a mix of intuitive performer and apparent quick study. As a dancer, his style is endearingly awkward, as if the 16-year-old still has not quite figured out how his body works. ... Yet beneath his polish there is still something unpracticed and a bit goofy to Bieber and his ever-present team of handlers. When a random girl is plucked night after night from the audience for him to serenade onstage, he hands her a big bouquet of roses; as he sings a solo acoustic number, he hangs over the crowd seated in a giant heart. Bieber seems to sit at some rare intersection of the newfangled and the traditional, where camera phones coexist sweetly with swooning romance." — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times

The Visuals
"Director Jon Chu has done a nice job of building this as a film, as a solid documentary, with a heavy side order of self-aware image-building. It is revealing in ways it may not have been intended to be, but it is crafted well, and the 3-D concert footage is designed to be very experiential. Chu wants you to see how hard the people on stage are working, how crazy it is behind the scenes, and just how much that audience feeds on it and then feeds it back in crazy prepubescent emotional hypermedia." — Drew McWeeny, HitFix

The Dissenters
"While the film makes clear Bieber is a wunderkind who wants to be seen more as a Justin Timberlake than a Rick Astley, his movie retreats from anything near the portrait that Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' posthumously became. That's a shame, because there was drama in Bieber's life. He grew up poor to a single mom in Ontario, Canada, and became a sensation only after posting his second-place finish in a singing competition on YouTube. 'Never,' though, touches only briefly on that childhood. And though Bieber taught himself to play several instruments, the film whisks past his talents to get to his bangs — and does nothing to risk 'Never' 's G-rating." — Scott Bowles, USA Today

The Final Word
"Though anyone who needs convincing won't touch this one with a 10-foot pole, 'Justin Bieber: Never Say Never' makes a persuasive case for its titular star as a far more talented-than-usual teen idol. As much a legitimate documentary as it is a 3D concert film and teen girl squeal-delivery device, the film possesses surprising moments of candor on the toil of teenage superstardom, even if the overall effect is purely promotional. Provided it skirts the curse of the Jonas Brothers (who released a similar film just as their popularity began to flatline), it should go over like gangbusters." — Andrew Barker, Variety

Check out everything we've got on "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never."

For around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Justin Bieber Vintage Video: His First Meeting With Usher

Justin Timberlake also wanted to sign Bieber, 'Never Say Never' star said in 2009.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber
Photo: Brian Phares/MTV News

Just as the world was learning who Justin Bieber was, MTV News caught up with the shaggy-haired singer in September 2009. He was gearing up to release his debut album, My World, and plotting his pop-world domination. In the year and a half since that interview, Bieber has done the nearly impossible, launching himself into the pop mega-sphere.

In the chat, Bieber recalled how he and his manager, Scooter Braun, met and eventually got big names interested in signing the teen.

"My manager found me on YouTube. He flew me out to Atlanta for the first time — I'd never actually been on a plane before. He flew me to Atlanta where i was going to the studio to meet some people," he recalled.

"And Usher happened to roll up in his Range Rover. I ran up to him, and I was like, 'Usher, I love your songs. Want me to sing you one?' The politest possible way he could say no, he did. ... I took the hint. I didn't get to sing for him: He had to run into a studio session."

But later, Usher was beckoning the teen back to the ATL. "He actually watched my videos — after my manager got to talking to him — and was like, 'I should have let this kid sing,' and flew me back to Atlanta where I got to sing for him in a proper setting. A week later, I had a meeting with Justin Timberlake, who also wanted to sign me, so they both kind of wanted me."

As the story goes, Bieber went with Usher, and the two never looked back.

"As far as Usher being my mentor, he's definitely given me words of wisdom. I hear it from everybody, but definitely to hear it from Usher is great, just to stay humble and grounded is very important," he explained.

"There's a lot of people, especially young stars, that have gone down the wrong path, and I definitely plan to stay humble and stay grounded and keep my family first, because that stuff really is important in life."

On Friday, Justin Bieber's 3-D documentary, "Never Say Never," opens. The film takes a look at how the teen star worked to hit it big. MTV News has been chatting with him along the way, from the time he first burst on the scene in 2009 until now, as he embarks on a huge 2011 that will include a tour and more new music.

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Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Other Stars Make Forbes' Top-Earning Of 2010 List

Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus also made the magazine's top 20 list of Hollywood moneymakers.
By Jayson Rodriguez


Beyoncé
Photo: Columbia/Music World

On the East Coast, revenue streams are slowly rising as banks are still cratering and trying to recover from the recession. But out West, money ain't a thing, as Jermaine Dupri and Jay-Z once rapped.

Forbes has released their list of Hollywood's 20 Highest Earners of 2010, with Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus among those rubbing elbows with the likes of power players like Oprah Winfrey.

The venerable talk-show host topped the list with a whopping $315 million haul. Winfrey's earnings were generated for the most part by her multimedia deals, which include a syndication deal for her TV show, a magazine and her soon-to-be-launched network.

"Avatar" creator James Cameron came in second, more than $100 million behind Winfrey, with a tally of $210 million. Director and playwright Tyler Perry ($125 million), blockbuster movie producer Michael Bay ($120 million) and golfer Tiger Woods ($105 million) rounded out the top five.

Beyoncé was the only pop star to break the top 10. The "Single Ladies" superstar landed at #9, sandwiched between George Lucas and Dr. Phil. Mrs. Carter, whose hubby, Jay-Z, was named Hip-Hop's Cash King by Forbes in August with a tally of $63 million, pulled down $87 million over the past 12 months.

The blond-haired trio of Britney Spears ($64 million), Lady Gaga ($62 million) and Madonna ($58 million) made their mark on the list at numbers 13, 14 and 15, respectively.

Pop tarts Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift capped the list. The young stars placed at 18 and 19 on the list, with Disney star Cyrus pocketing $48 million, and country singer Swift depositing $45 million into her bank account.

Hollywood's 20 highest-earning men and women of 2010, according to Forbes:

1. Oprah Winfrey, $315 million
2. James Cameron, $210 million
3. Tyler Perry, $125 million
4. Michael Bay, $120 million
5. Tiger Woods, $105 million
6. Jerry Bruckheimer, $100 million
7. Steven Spielberg, $100 million
8. George Lucas, $95 million
9. Beyoncé, $87 million
10. Dr. Phil, $80 million
11. Simon Cowell, $80 million
12. Jerry Seinfeld, $75 million
13. Britney Spears, $64 million
14. Lady Gaga, $62 million
15. Madonna, $58 million
16. Sandra Bullock, $56 million
17. Ellen DeGeneres, $55 million
18. Miley Cyrus, $48 million
19. Taylor Swift, $45 million
20. Judge Judy Sheindlin, $45 million

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Ke$ha Says She's 'Disappointed' By Grammy Snub

'I plan on making a lot more records, and hopefully one of them will be Grammy-worthy,' singer tells Vanity Fair.
By James Dinh


Ke$ha
Photo: Jordan Strauss/ Getty Images

Last year was full of breakout music stars, including Ke$ha, who ruled the scene with a string of dance-pop hits (and a massive overflow of glitter). But not everyone is a Ke$ha fan: The singer was snubbed when the 2011 Grammy nominees were announced in December.

The starlet recently spoke to Vanity Fair about the Grammy snub and said she's determined to score a nod sometime later in her career. And after calling the Recording Academy's award "not that big a deal," Ke$ha admitted that she was saddened by her lack of nominations.

"Of course I do," the singer said when asked if she wanted a Grammy. "I was disappointed that I didn't get nominated. But I've only been around for a year. I'm friends with the Black Keys, and they were nominated for the first time this year. And they've been around for a decade. That's like half my life, so I really can't be a brat about it."

Ke$ha isn't bitter about the situation either, telling the magazine, "I plan on making a lot more records, and hopefully one of them will be Grammy-worthy."

While she may not be gearing up for the big show on Sunday night, Ke$ha is prepping for the launch of her first North American headlining tour, the Get $leazy Tour. The country-wide trek is scheduled to kick off on Tuesday in Portland, Oregon, and continue through May.

Do you think Ke$ha deserved a Grammy nomination? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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Adam Lambert's 'Whole Lotta Love': The Story Behind The Cover

Glam rocker tackled the legendary 1970 Led Zeppelin song for 'American Idol' rock night.
By Gil Kaufman


Adam Lambert performs "Whole Lotta Love" on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox

Imagine a freight train speeding toward you at midnight. Or a rockslide barreling down a hill as you try to outrace it. That's the feeling of the ominous, chugging Jimmy Page riff that kicks off Led Zeppelin's 1970 Stonehenge of rock, "Whole Lotta Love." And that's before singer Robert Plant leans into one of the nastiest, ecstatic rock screams this side of the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again."

That's the song Adam Lambert chose to sing on "American Idol" rock night Tuesday (May 5), and, needless to say, it was a challenge that the eyeliner-loving Los Angeles stage veteran was more than up for, hitting a series of high notes and rock screams that would have made Plant proud. It was a risky maneuver that paid off for Lambert, who chose a tune that came in at #75 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004.

The legendary British rock act recorded the tribute to Chicago blues icon Willie Dixon during their second U.S. tour after working it out in their live show, including it on their 1969 classic album Led Zeppelin II. Like many of the songs Zeppelin performed early in their career, "Love" was a blues standard turned on its head with a heavy dose of crunching psychedelic guitar and thundering drums, courtesy of late drummer John Bonham. The song was based on a 1962 tune by another blues forefather, Muddy Waters, called "You Need Love," which was penned by Dixon.

For Zeppelin's version, Plant customized the lyrics by adding some lyrical quotes from a few other songs Dixon wrote for Howlin' Wolf, "Back Door Man" and "Shake For Me," nailing the tricky vocal in a single take. It was also inspired by 1966's "You Need Loving" from the British rock group the Small Faces, for whom Zeppelin had great affection, but they also did not credit Dixon for his part in writing the original lyrics. The song became Zeppelin's first U.S. single and their only U.S. top 10 hit. Though their manager would not let them release singles in the U.K. because he thought it cannibalized album sales, the song was finally released as the band's only British single in 1997.

Dixon sued Zeppelin over the song in 1985, claiming it borrowed too heavily from his "You Need Love," and Zeppelin reached an agreement with him, with Dixon using the money he received to set up a program that provided musical instruments for schools. A cornerstone of heavy rock, the tune -- which was the theme song for the long-running British countdown show "Top of the Pops" in the 1970s and '80s -- has been covered by dozens of artists over the years, from Tina Turner and Ben Harper to Prince, Slash, Leona Lewis, Train's Pat Monahan, the London Symphony Orchestra and Jane's Addiction.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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