Monday, September 26, 2011

Autumn Equinox Edition

Friday was the first day of Fall thus of course ending the Summer Solstice. Of course living in Southern California the weather is rather consistent then most places so we call this Summer-Lite instead. Other places in the country you would actually see a changing of leaves turning from green to brown/red ... but here they remain green, well, the few trees we have that is and remain so till Fire Season.

Weekly Update:
Semi-busy week but what made it more of a long week was I started to get congested and a sore throat. Luckily the throat was only sore for a day but the congestion stayed with me much longer. But before that, had some fun stuff happen during the week. On Wednesday attended a charity mixer which featured my company's first movie and also one of the cast came to the event along with some other random celebs that I got a snap with ...

*Dominic Purcell - Best known from the TV series "Prison Break" and a really great guy!
*Danielle Vasinova - some minor TV and movie roles but also very nice.
*Tom Malloy - Producer and actor of some TV and horror type films and a nice guy.
*Gabriel Jarrett - Various movies but best known from "Real Genius" and a super cool guy.

Then on Thursday I went to the Disney's "Pair of Kings" Season 2 Wrap Party which was a really nice little party! The whole cast was there who I have met many times before and it was cool when I walked in and they started giving me the hugs and asking what I was doing. Most of the crew was there as well and it was good to catch up since I have not seen them for a couple of months. While there, I did grab a photo with Ryan Ochoa's little brother who also is starting his acting career at the age of 10!

*Raymond Ochoa - Several TV shows and movies like "A Christmas Carol" and "Yogi Bear" and an incredibly grounded and great kid.

At the movies:
Some surprises and some disappointments at the box office this weekend. The first surprise is the lion still roars! Not that lion from the old MGM logo but the Disney lion as "The Lion King" in 3D takes the crown for the 2nd weekend in a row earning another 22.1 million now with a cume of 62 mil and just before its release on Blu-Ray this coming Tuesday! New at #2 is the baseball movie Moneyball with 20.6 mil for its debut. This is a bit higher than expectations. Another surprise at #3 is Dolphin Tale earning a nice mil as it barely fell short of 2nd place. New at #4 is the "action" film Abduction which earns 11.1 mil. I put the word action in quotes because I just can't see the lead in this as an action lead! Rounding off the top 5 and new this week in a disappointing end of the pack is Killer Elite with only 9.5 mil for it's debut for both the film and the studio. A number that was expected by most to be a bit higher but we have seen MUCH worse openings for other recent studio's debut films.

Quote of the week:
"Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target one else can see." - Arthur Schopenhauer

Other News:
Top 10 Ultimate Post-Apocalypse Movies ... hmmm, this could be interesting. #10) Quite Earth (1985) - Never heard of this one and it looks kind of slow and boring. Based on a book of the same name and one of those last person on Earth stories. #9) Mad Max 2 (1981) - Great movie when a world is nothing but vehicles and weapons and the biggest commodity is gasoline or oil. Probably Mel Gibson at his best. #8) Dawn of the Dead (1978) - I have to say when you make a living dead/zombie movie for a post-apocalypse type of film, it seems like a cheat or cheap way to make a movie and should be more horror. #7) Delicatessen (1991) - More of a bizarre sci-fi film where food is scarce and end up being people. #6) On the Beach (1959) - never seen or heard of this one but looks like an interesting one with an impressive cast of Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire and Anthony Perkins! #5) La Jetee (1962) - No clue but an aftermath from WWIII. #4) Logan's Run (1976) - Really interesting sci-fi movie about population control. This later went on to be a TV series which was fair. #3) Day of the Triffids (1962) - Plants taking over the world ... huh. #2) The Omega Man (1971) - Another last man on Earth story with Charlton Heston. #1) Planet of the Apes (1968) - Classic Charlton Heston as an astronaut thinking they have come to a planet of talking apes only to realize at the end ... it is a devastated Earth in the future!

Facts & Tips:
There are more then 30,000 diets on public record.

"Let me be clear - no one is above the law. Not a politician, not a priest, not a criminal, not a police officer. We are all accountable for our actions." - Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

posted by McDuck @ 00:15 0 comments

Monday, September 19, 2011

Another week another strange weather pattern. The week started off nice and cool but then mid late week we had some mass overcast and spots of drizzle!? Then the week ended up warm and sunny. I don't understand what is going on here, it feels like we are in the Mid-West or something. I can't tell if it is Winter, Summer or Fall here sometimes. Granted, here they are all pretty much the same but its the type of air you can smell and feel ... and it has been changing every day!

Weekly Update:
Last Monday I attended a special event called the MS Dinner of Champions where over 1.8 million dollars were raised for the fight against MS. During this event, I got to meet one of the honorees along with two other guests:

*Phil Keoghan - Host for the hit TV show "The Amazing Race" and a really incredibly cool guy.
*Nia Vardalos - From "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and very sweet.
*John Corbett - Also from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" but I know him best from the TV show "Northern Exposure" and also a great guy.

THEN, on Thursday I ended up going to the "Abduction" premiere and caught some folks at the after-party:

*Ashley Richards - Currently on the TV show "Awkward" and she was nice.
*John Singleton - Director of the movie and many others and a very nice guy.
*Chord Overstreet - From the recent season of "Glee" and so-so.
*Bryan Singer - Director of many movies including some X-Men and a nice guy.
*Jason Isaacs - From various movies and mostly plays the bad guy and an OK guy.
*Wilmer Valderrama - Best known from "That 70's Show" and a cool guy.

At the movies:
3D is not entirely dead as the re-release of The Lion King but in 3D hits theatres to gain the crown this weekend earning a hefty 29.3 million! The problem with 3D is everyone is doing it for everything and the surcharges are out of control. It needs to be reserved for an event film and this was it! Mild drop to #2 is "Contagion" with an additional 14.5 mil. New at #3 is Drive which earns 11 mil. Dropping down to #4 is "The Help" with 6.4 mil as it closes in at 150 mil cume for this little movie that could. New at #5 is Straw Dogs earning only 5 mil for its debut.

New films that did not make the top 5: Just one this week and it missed the top 5 by a hair. In at #6 is I Don't Know How She Does It earns only 4.5 mil. For a long titled movie, that isn't too bad but I can tell you now she won't stay long even in the top 10.

Quote of the week:
"We always say that victory begets peace, but it never does." - John Dominic Crossan

Other News:
10 Best and Worst Restaurants in America. Here is a neat little list of a combination of the 10 best and worst, not being 10 best and then 10 worst but 10 total. Let's see how it compares ... Best at 1) Subway - got a grade of A for overall but then I have to argue that this isn't a restaurant but rather more like fast-food. To me a restaurant is where you sit down and get service and served. I do eat Subway since there are very few Togo's around anymore. 2) Red Lobster - grade A- and love those biscuits (pictured). I don't know what's in them but the texture and saltiness makes me want more! 3) Chick-Fil-A - grade A- and would never eat there. The quality of food is good but the price-to-quantity ratio is way out of whack. Plus supporting them means supporting non-equal rights movements because they are a Christian-based religion however they are bigots. 4) Jamba Juice - grade A- and totally agree with this but don't consider this a restaurant. I probably go to Jamba at least 3 times a week! 5) Starbucks - grade B+, again not a restaurant and I personally have stopped going there since I discovered Jamba Juice! Worst side ... 1) Cheesecake Factory - grade F! Everything there is very heavy and of course none of the cheesecakes are good for you. 2) TGI Friday's - grade F. Isn't everything there deep fried? It's a sports bar more-or-less. 3) Friendly's - grade D. Been to them and primarily on the East coast and again, lot of fried foods. 4) Baja Fresh - grade D. Sad to see, I like Baja and they are a family run chain but don't consider it a restaurant. 5) Perkins - grade D. No idea who they are but they seem to be a localized chain with heavy foods.

Facts & Tips:
The pupils in goats' eyes are rectangular.

"This is all the money I have in the world. You're a drug dealer... negotiate." - Bryan Cranston as Walter White in the TV series "Breaking Bad."

posted by McDuck @ 00:25 0 comments

Monday, September 12, 2011

REMEMBERING 9/11 EDITION

Sunday was the 10 year anniversary of the attack upon US soil by terrorists that struck both towers in NY and a section of the Pentagon in DC along with a foiled attempt by another plane by the passengers that ended up crashing in a field in Philadelphia. It is amazing to know it happened 10 years ago yet it feels like it was just a little while ago. I do remember what I was doing when I first heard it, I was asleep and my alarm clock is set to a radio station and at first I heard a little bit but thought it was just a dumb DJ stunt and hit the snooze for 10 minutes. The radio came on again and they were still talking about it, usually tasteless stunts only last a minute or two and then I thought, "wait a minute" and started to listen to simply be in a confused state of what is going?? I quickly got up and ran over to the TV and sure enough, the 2nd tower had been struck. It was both a site of awe and shock. A moment in history I will never forgot.

Weekly Update:
This past week seems like a big blur for some reason. I can't really remember anything I did that is worth a mention. Or did I even do anything? I met up with some friends on Friday and that is about it. I guess Friday was a big day of driving for me having to go to point A to B to C back to B and then to D. Huh ... besides having some crazy weather when it reached into the high 80's (over 100 in Palm Springs) and then the weekend saw major thunderstorms and hail but I didn't get to see any of that because it didn't come to our areas. I guess otherwise it was a pretty quiet and uneventful week. That is good, right? I have to assume since I don't remember much about it ... not much must have happened.

At the movies:
A new movie finally takes back the box office crown and not exactly the one might think would. In at #1 is the suspense-thriller Contagion with a nice 23 million for it's debut. With a slight drop down to #2 is "The Help" earning an additional 8.7 mil and now well over 130 mil cume for this little film that could. New at #3 is the drama Warrior with only 5.6 mil to open. Slight drop to #4 is "The Debt" with 5 mil more. Rounding off the top 5 is "Colombiana" with only 4 mil.

New movies that did not make the top 5: Just one this week as the comedy Bucky Larson: Born to be a Star comes in at #15 with a 1.5 mil opening ... very sad indeed.

Quote of the week:"You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out." - Warren Buffett

Other News:
Double whammy this week has the entertainment community lost two of its own. Saturday Hollywood legend and Oscar winner Cliff Robertson passed away from natural causes in Stonybrook, NY. Robertson never elevated into the A-List ranks of actors but he did manage to play many memorable roles and won an Oscar for his portrayal of a disable man in the 1977 film "Charly." Robertson also played iconic roles such as John F. Kennedy in the film "PT-109" and continued a nice success of war films which include "The Naked and the Dead," "Battle of Coral Sea," "633 Squadron," Up From the Beach," "The Devil's Brigade," "Too Late the Hero" and "Midway" which is one of my favorites. Robertson was 88.

At the very end of the week, it was announced that Andy Whitfield, who is best known for his portrayal of Spartacus in the Starz original series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" passed away after a very short fight with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Whitfield left the show right after the first season due to being sick and the show went ahead and created a prequel to the series in hopes he would return the following year. It was soon announced he would not be returning and was a shock to the cast and crew. His portrayal of the legendary gladiator during the reign of the Roman Empire in which Spartacus led a revolt by the slaves, was an amazing depiction of that era and of the person itself. He was a definite rising star that was extinguished way too soon. Whitfield was 39.

Facts & Tips:
Texas is the only state that permits residents to cast absentee ballots from space.

"No! Watching TV shows doesn't create psycho killers. Canceling TV shows does!" - Shawn Wayans as Ray Wilkins in "Scary Movie."

posted by McDuck @ 00:40 0 comments

Monday, September 05, 2011

Labor Day Edition

August flew by for me and it is already the first Monday of September or more commonly known as Labor Day. I do enjoy and hate this day for the following reasons ... enjoy because its an extra day of doing nothing which I do look forward too! I hate because that means come Tuesday and the weeks to follow is MASS traffic because of all back-to-school cars on the road again. My commute has been bad as it is to work (almost 2 hours) and now it will be around 2 plus hours. Well, the price we pay for living in So Cali.

Weekly Update:
The other day I went to see a movie with some friends at a regular theatre with a regular crowd ... I know realize now why I prefer special industry screenings or premieres now. Or even private screenings for that matter. So throughout the movie (which was a violent PG13) some couple had their two kids which were about under 8 years old. Overall they didn't bug you but about every so often they wouldn't be quiet. If they are not quiet, take them outside!! It is called courtesy! Then behind you have some other people whispering about every 30 minutes and saying, "Oh that is so and so" and "He was in that other movie." Ok, we don't need their film history and just enjoy the current movie!! Then the last thing was sitting in a semi-reclining style of chair and it squeaked with the slightest move. Old seat that needs just a squirt of WD-40. Granted I didn't have to pay for the movie but still ... people are annoying.

At the movies:
The crown continues to stay with "The Help" as it holds on to the #1 spot for the 3rd week in a row after 4 weeks in release. It earns an estimated 14.2 million for the 4 day holiday weekend. In at #2 is The Debt with a so-so 6 day opening of 12 million for its debut. This film opened on a Wednesday and probably should have come out later toward the end of the year. New at #3 is the campy horror film Shark Night 3D with only 11 mil for the holiday. Also new at #4 is the suspense-thriller Apollo 18 with only a 9 million opening and this lunar module had no splash down. Rounding off the top 5 is "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" with another 7.8 mil and reaching a cum of 160 mil so far with a little steam left to go.

Quote of the week:
"Wars are not paid for in wartime, the bill comes later." - Benjamin Franklin

Other News:
There is so much going on the news, it is hard to pick something to write about it. So much natural disasters in the news lately and people have blown most of it out of proportion that it makes you wonder ... is it a slow news day?? A week ago or so the East Coast had a 5.something earthquake which to us West coasters is nothing. There were not direct related injuries or fatalities although some say there was. There was this one youtube video that showed the devastation that the quake caused ... a couple of lawn chairs in a yard falling over. Seriously folks, if there is an earthquake with no visible damage and injuries, leave it at that and move on. There was also the hurricane that hit the Eastern sea board, Irene. Now this was more severe that actually caused some deaths and completely flooded a couple of small towns off the map in New York. The city of Manhattan in NY had evacuations which is completely legitimate because it is a sea level island with subterranean subways ... Ok, you have a sea-level metropolis with below ground mass transportation system that is surrounded by water. Does this seem odd to anyone else but me? Most of the outer subway system did get flooded but otherwise no other harm was done there.

Facts & Tips:
The first TV soap opera debuted in 1946.

"The film industry is about saying 'no' to people, and inherently you cannot take 'no' for an answer." - James Cameron

posted by McDuck @ 01:47 0 comments