This weekend, Hollywood's movers and shakers will be gathering in Los Angeles for one of the biggest award events around -- assuming, of course, Kanye West lets them.
So what should the discerning movie fan be on the lookout for at MTV's 2010 Video Music Awards (this Sunday at 9 p.m. EST)? Our money is on the crowded "Video of the Year" category, which has previously proven to be a breeding ground for acclaimed directors such as Spike Jonze and David Fincher.
And, of course, you can't overlook Kanye himself, who is going to be introduced by this summer's MTV Movie Awards host Aziz Ansari; considering Ansari has appeared in just about every decent comedy Hollywood has put out over the last two years, who knows what might go down in West's highly anticipated return to the VMAs. Is a surprise guest spot by Ansari's "Get Him to the Greek" co-star, Russell Brand, in the cards? After all, his fiancé, Katy Perry, is one of the presenters. Hmm…
OK, so that may be just speculation at this point, but to help you further plan your VMA viewing experience, here are a few movie stars we do know will be on hand (and make sure you don't flip away during the commercials, because we're guessing you may get a sneak peek at some of their films).
Cher
Take a quick look at the rest of our list. Go on, we'll wait. OK, notice a pattern? Yes, everyone else is appearing alongside the co-stars of their latest movie. So why is that important? Only because Cher's new movie is "Burlesque," which happens to co-star a certain someone named Christina Aguilera. Don't be surprised if Xtina makes a surprise appearance and maybe even (dare we hope?) joins Cher for a duet.
Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake and Jesse Eisenberg
It's not often that someone overshadows J.T., especially not at the VMAs, but that may be the case this year when he appears with his "Social Network" co-stars. And it's not even current It-boy Eisenberg we're talking about -- it's Andrew Garfield, who will likely have every eye glued to him thanks to his recent casting as the lead in the new "Spider-man" relaunch.
The Cast of 'Jackass'
Expect a big welcome for the cast of "Jackass," which returns to the place where it all started, MTV. We're not sure if they have any stunts planned, though we don't think it would be too much to ask to at least get Eminem in one of those flying harnesses. Regardless of what form their rebellion takes, though, we expect that by the time Johnny Knoxville and Steve-O leave the stage, they will have made an indelible mark on the VMAs -- and on the impressionable minds of those watching at home.
Chris Pine and Rosario Dawson
The team of "Star Trek" hunk Pine and "Sin City" femme fatale Dawson may not seem like the most obvious pairing, but that's only if you haven't heard about their new film, "Unstoppable," which co-stars Denzel Washington in a story about a runaway train. We don't expect Denzel to make an appearance (though the VMAs are always full of surprises) but that's OK; if all three of them were on stage at the same time, the intense concentration of physical hotness might cause the whole event to implode.
Emma Stone and Penn Badgley
Talk about a power couple: thanks to last year's surprise smash "Zombieland," Emma Stone is one of the hottest young actresses in Hollywood, while Penn Badgley has been setting hearts aflutter on The CW's "Gossip Girl." Considering that their new film, "Easy A," is a perfect match for MTV's hip target demographic, we have a feeling that their VMA appearance could be the talk of the Internet next week.
