Monday, May 29, 2017

Memorial Day Edition

What is this day suppose to mean?  Its not about having an extra day off, its not about BBQ'ing and it's not about doing nothing.  But what it is about, all of those things and the freedom to do them because of our Veterans who served and are now serving today.  The risked their lives and time to ensure we are able to do the mundane things that honestly do not hod much meaning because what they do does.  So take a moment or several to just remember what you have is mostly because of them.

Weekly Update:
Pretty busy week but Thursday was exciting.  Attended the "Wonder Woman" premiere at the Pantages Theatre and played the publicist hat again.  It was an amazing event, WB does seem to do them right overall from their premieres to the Golden Globes.  And this was no exception or it was another example of how exceptional they are.  The movie was amazing, to me it brought DC and WB back in the super hero business when it comes to theatrical releases.  They have been wavering a lot but this brings them back on track.  I just hope the films to follow can keep up with this one.

*Jacqui-Lee Pryce - Niobe in the film and so amazingly sweet.
*Ewen Bremner - Charlie in the film and best know him from "Black Hawk Down," as well as being an all around great guy!
*Robin Wright - General Antiope and best known from "Forrest Gump," awesome person!

At the movies:
Ahoy matey's as the end of a franchise earns the chest of gold this holiday weekend!  New at #1 is Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales earns 62.2 million.  Below expectations, especially for a holiday and could be a sign that this franchise is in fact done.  Holding its ground at #2 is "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" with another 19.9 mil while it continues its climb to try for that 1 billion world wide gross.  New at #3 is Baywatch with 18.1 mil and a very disappointing opening.  BIG drop to #4 is "Alien: Covenant" with 10.5 mil and may not hit 100 mil for this franchise film.  Rounding off the top 5 is "Everything, Everything" with 6.2 mil and should be dropping off next week.

Quote of the day:
"If you do not think about your future, you cannot have one." - John Galsworthy

Facts & Tips:
Baby bunnies are called kittens.

"Brother, however I have wronged you, whatever I have done that has led you to do this, I am truly sorry. But these people are innocent, taking their lives will gain you nothing. So take mine, and end this." - Chris Hemsworth as Thor in "Thor."

Monday, May 22, 2017

The heat is on ... the heat is on on on ... yep, it now feels like Summer time has hit Southern Cali as we hit 90+ degrees.  Not thrilled, spending time inside and turning on the AC $$$.  Please do not let this heat be an indication of what is to come for the season.  If so we will probably have a fire or two, if not three or four.  Despite the rain we had and moisture, it will dry up and fast.  The rain simply was not enough to sustain us for the rest of this year as we needed so much more and people don't realize that!  But I feel like everyone thinks we received all this water, they can change their lawns back to grass, start spraying down their driveways with water and build fountains now ... nope.

Weekly Update:
So this was kind of fun.  Last minute I was invited to this presentation at work with the co-directors of "Moana" along with one of the producers.  It was pretty interesting but at the same time nothing new since I have seen the process before.  But they were all great and fun speakers and luckily before they started I caught one of them for a quick picture as they didn't allow any at the end.

*Ron Clements - Very nice guy and accomodating.

Ron also directed "Aladdin," "The Little Mermaid" and one of my favorites "The Great Mouse Detective."

At the movies:
A new #1 this weekend as to be expected as Alien: Covenant takes the crown with 36 mil to open.  Below expectations but could be enough to get it past the 100 mil cume when it is said and done.  Slight drop to #2 is "Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2" with an extra 35.1 mil as it crosses 300 mil cume for domestic box office.  New at #3 is Everything, Everything earning a decent 12 mil and around expectations for this one.  Drop to #4 is "Snatched" with 7.6 mil and this one is about out of steam.  New and rounding up the top 5 is Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul with 7.2 mil and as much to be expected for this franchise.

Quote of the week:

"Commitment is an act, not a world." - Jean-Paul Sartre

Facts & Tips:

President John Quincy Adams' pet alligator lived in a White House bathroom.

"There will be no rescue, no intervention for us. We can only save ourselves. Many of you know influential people abroad, you must call these people. You must tell them what will happen to us... say goodbye. But when you say goodbye, say it as if you are reaching through the phone and holding their hand. Let them know that if they let go of that hand, you will die. We must shame them into sending help." - Don Cheadle as Paul Rusesabagina in "Hotel Rwanda."

Monday, May 15, 2017

It cool down again ... what is happening?!  Again, not sure what is going on with the weather but the days were in the 60's again and its nice!  What is happening around here??  I have no clue but I so hope it continues with this nice weather.  I mean its borderline windbreaker weather during the day which is what I love.  Then that means the night will be jacket weather which is what I love even more!  I have to imagine this is what places like Seattle are like but with more rain and moisture than what we have here.  We could use that weather here about now.

Weekly Update:
I think I worked a lot this week but it seems a bit blurry to me now.  I think I am just super tired that being in a constant dazed and almost auto-pilot when it comes to work!  I think only having one day off a week does that you to and also working 9 to 12 hours a day for the other six.  But at the same time soft of just gotten use to it too.  I know it will catch up to me, it has to.  But I am maxing out on my vacation day which honestly doesn't feel like a lot of days at all, like a week a year or something.  Meh, what can you do and have no desire to go any where and do anything so I guess that is why I just work all the time perhaps.  Well, I am sure within the next 2 years I will go some place or some where.

At the movies:
Holding ground at #1 for a 2nd week is "Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2" with an extra 63 million and just shy of 250 mil cume.  It should reach that by end of day tomorrow though.  New at #2 is Snatched with 17.5 mil to open and slightly below expectations but no surprises either.  Also new at #3 is King Arthur: Legend of the Sword with 14.7 mil in its debut.  This was pretty much on target and unfortunately not a good number for this high budget film.  Drop to #4 is "The Fate of the Furious" with an extra 5.3 mil as its starting to run out of fumes.  Rounding off the top 5 is "The Boss Baby" with 4.6 mil more as it also is running out of diapers to change.

Quote of the day:

"Love alone could waken love." - Pearl S. Buck

Facts & Tips:

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams chipped off a piece of Shakespeare's chair as a souvenir when they visited his home in 1786.

"You friend there is very persuasive." - Dennis Haysbert as Master Ox in "Kung Fu Panda 2."

Monday, May 08, 2017

It cooled down!  It was a nice week of really almost cold weather, low 70's to mid 60's.  Aaaah, it was so nice and hope it will stay that way for awhile.  Got a few drops of rain but nothing worth mentioning even though I just did.  It is so odd how the weather almost knows when the week ends and starts because lately when it gets hot, it starts at the beginning of the week, the weather changes, the week changes.  Is mother nature set to our weekly schedule now or something?  Almost plan your week around it or so it seems.  Not sure how long that will happen for though.  But ... wonder if its partially due to our smog-emissions that are causing some of the patterns?

Weekly Update:
What went on this week ... nothing?  I don't remember anything going on this week that I can recall.  Other than I can't believe its May already.  I feel like it was just January and yet we are in May ... where does the time go?  You blink and its gone, you sneeze and if flies away ... you yawn and you slept it away.  Although sleeping it away isn't as bad as an idea as it sounds!  I wish I could sleep, or at least get more than 4 hours in a row, if 3?  I don't sleep much once I have a day off I seem to nap through it.  I guess that is me catching up but I'm afraid that I will crash and get sick or something soon.

At the movies:
The heroes of the galaxy take the crown this week as Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 earns top honors with 145.1 million to open.  Strong word-of-mouth on this film should carry it for awhile and they say its just as good as the first one.  Big drop to #2 is "The Fate of the Furious" with another 8.5 mil as it just crosses the 200 mil mark. Slight drop to #3 is "The Boss Baby" with another 6.2 mil to add to the funds.  Down to #4 is "How to Be a Latin Lover" earning another 5.3 mil and not bad for this small film.  Rounding off the top 5 is "Beauty and the Beast" with 5 mil more as it crawls to reach 500 mil cume domestic.

Quote of the day:

"Either move or be moved." - Ezra Pound

Facts & Tips:

Benjamin Harrison was the first president to have electricity in the White House; however, he was so scared of getting electrocuted, he'd never touch the light switches himself.

Dad, that's bleach for the laundry." - Demetri Martin as Elliot Teichberg/Tiber in "Taking Woodstock."

Monday, May 01, 2017

HOT!  The party is over ... Summer is here and with a vengeance.  Saturday it got into the 90's which wasn't nice at all.  It was a slow creep as each day seemed to get warmer and warmer than hot.  It was nice while it lasted but I guess we were due to not enjoy going outside anymore.  I hate heat, it sure increases my electric bill with the AC on but at least the nights are cold because several years ago the nights were also hot!  That really was awful because trying to sleep when everything is so uncomfortable and sticky, it was just gross.  So again, need the AC on to keep it at least a reasonable temperate to sleep with!

Weekly Update:
So this week was pretty busy!  On Monday had a nice studio tour at WB.  What was surprising about it is when we got there, turns out the tour was just two of us.  Usually they are about 13 people for each one but WB bought out the whole tour so it would just be two of us uinterrupted.  That was pretty crazy amazing!  We also visited DC Film and DC Comics which were both pretty cool and amazing to check out.  Saw a few celebs on the lot but was with one for the tour so ... cool.  Then on Saturday I was in the Burbank on Parade for the city of Burbank in the Grand Marshall car (since I set that all up for them).  Luckily the parade was earlier in the morning, before noon, because later on it got so hot.  But this past week was just full and fun at the same time.

At the movies:
For its 3rd week in a row, "The Fate of the Furious" remains on top with another 19.4 mil and just shy of 200 mil cume for domestic.  It is starting to run out of gas but it had a solid run, especially in the international market.  New at #2 is How to Be a Latin Lover with 12 mil and right at expectations.  new at #3 is Baahubali 2: The Conclusion and this film came out of nowhere with less than 500 screens and doing a nice 10.1 mil which is over 25k per screen average!  New at 4 is "The Circle" with 9.3 mil and slightly below predictions.  Rounding off the top 5 is "The Boss Baby" with another 9 mil as it slowly fades out.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week as Sleight comes in at #13 with only 1.7 mil and no surprises with that one.

Quote of the week:
"to be is to do." - Immanuel Kant

Facts & Tips:
Mangoes can not get sunburned.

"Let's go home." - Rebecca Staab as Susan Storm in "The Fantastic Four."