What to do in Oklahoma on May 28
Today’s featured event:
Hear blues and soul musician Garrett “Big G” Jacobson perform at 7 p.m. today on the Wild Rush Stage at Remington Park, 1 Remington Place.
For more information, call 424-1000.
For more events, go online to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
New releases
Again, I need a reminder as to what decade we’re currently inhabiting. Cyndi Lauper has a new CD out the same week that there’s a new “Rambo” movie on DVD, so you can understand my confusion.
Here are this week’s new CD, DVD and book releases from Amazon.com, VideoETA.com and wire reports:
CDs
Usher, “Here I Stand.”
Cyndi Lauper, “Bring Ya to the Brink.”
Al Green, “Lay It Down.”
John Hiatt, “Same Old Man.”
Return to Forever. “The Anthology.”
DVDs
“The Air I Breathe”
“Cassandra’s Dream”
“Cleaner”
“Cory In The House: Newt & Improved Edition”
“Darfur Now”
“Grace Is Gone”
“Gunsmoke: The Second Season, Volume 2″
“Holocaust”
“Jackass Presents: Mat Hoffman’s Tribute To Evel”
“Lipstick Jungle: Season One”
“Minutemen”
“Rambo”
“The Three Stooges Collection: Volume Two 1937-1939″
“The Walker”
“What Would Jesus Buy?”
Books
Elizabeth Lowell, “Blue Smoke and Murder.”
John Connolly, “The Reapers.”
Salman Rushdie, “Enchantress of Florence.”
Laurell K. Hamilton, “Blood Noir.”
-BAM
Indy digs up $311 million globally
“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” unearthed an estimated $311 million in global box office sales over Memorial Day weekend, according to studio estimates reported Monday by the Associated Press.
With that huge take, the fourth film in the mega-hit franchise more than recouped its blockbuster budget.
Families were a huge part of the audience for “Crystal Skull” even though the latest paranormal adventure of intrepid archaeologist Indiana Jones was rated PG-13. Nearly a third of the domestic audience consisted of parents with their children, Rob Moore, president of Paramount Worldwide Distribution, told the AP.
“Adults really drove this opening. This is one of their favorite franchises and they couldn’t wait to take their kids with them,” he said in the AP story.
Interestingly, concerns over the violent content in the second installment of the franchise, 1984′s “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” helped usher in the PG-13 rating.
Paramount estimated that “Crystal Skull” dug up $151.1 million in the U.S. and Canada from Thursday to the holiday Monday. It also whipped up $160 million overseas in that time frame.
The film, which came out 19 years after the third in the series, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” tallied the second biggest Memorial Day weekend opening in history. The top spot on the list belongs to “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” which made $153 million domestically last year.
“Crystal Skull” cost a reported $185 million to make, but it could have cost more. The three principals – star Harrison Ford, director Steven Spielberg and writer George Lucas – deferred their usual fees for a greater share of the profits, according to the AP story.
The first three Indy movies raked in $1.2 billion worldwide.
-BAM
The curious case of the “Benjamin Button” trailer
A trailer for the anticipated David Fincher film “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” came along with prints of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” (Frank Marshall is the producer for both films.) The atmospheric trailer, with music from the Aquarium movement of Camille Saint-Saens’ “Carnival of the Animals,” got movie fans buzzing over the Memorial Day weekend.
But the English-language version of the trailer is nowhere to be found online, and word on the Web is Paramount Pictures forced YouTube and the like to take it down. All that can be found is the Spanish-language version, which for some reason has been spared.
Based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, the film stars Brad Pitt as a man who is born 80 years old and ages backward. The tagline, appropriately enough, is “I was born under unusual circumstances.”
From the looks of the trailer, Cate Blanchett plays his love interest, who gets older as he gets younger. Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton and Jason Flemyng also co-star in the movie, which is getting the first Oscar buzz of the year.
The movie will be the third Fincher and Pitt have made together; the others are “Se7en” and “Fight Club.”
Here’s the Spanish version of the trailer, which doesn’t have too much dialogue in it anyway. Hopefully, the English trailer will be made available soon, since it’s a great preview for a movie I have been itching to see for more than two years.
The film opens Dec. 19.
-BAM
Jeff Dunham sells 2 million DVDS
Comedian/ventriloquist Jeff Dunham’s two DVDs, “Arguing With Myself” and “Spark Of Insanity” have reached a combined sales total of 2 million copies, according to a news release.
Dunham, who is known for his puppet characters such as Achmed the Dead Terrorist, Old Man Walter and Jose the Jalapeno (On a Stick), has earned a total of 20 multiple-platinum certifications. The milestone is even more impressive when you think about the fact that the average comedy DVD sells about 25,000 copies.
“Arguing With Myself” was released on April 11, 2006, and “Spark Of Insanity” followed on Sept. 18, 2007. So, Dunham reached the 2 million mark in just more than two yearss.
The comic’s tour also remains a hot ticket. His current national tour is expected to earn $25 million.
Dunham is set to perform shows at 5 and 8 p.m. Saturday at Fire Lake Grand Casino in Shawnee, but if you don’t already have a ticket, forget it. Like most of his dates, the Oklahoma shows sold out almost instantly, even before his Web site, www.jeffdunham.com, had the tour stop listed.
This performance of Achmed the Dead Terrorist has received more than 48 million hits on YouTube. There’s a bit of strong language in it, but it’s worth checking it out:
-BAM
What to do in Oklahoma on May 27
Today’s featured event:
Young artists are invited to experience art through books and related art projects at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Art Adventures.
The event will be at 10:30 a.m. today in the Dee Dee and Jon R. Stuart Classroom at the museum.
Today’s Art Adventure will center on the book ”Badly Drawn Dog” by Emma Dodson. The event is for children ages 3 to 5 who are accompanied by an adult.
The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art is on the University of Oklahoma campus at 555 Elm Ave. in Norman.
For more information, go to www.ou.edu/fjjma.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
RIP Sydney Pollack
Director/actor/producer Sydney Pollack died today of cancer. He was 73.
Pollack was last seen on the big screen earlier this summer in the romantic comedy “Made of Honor”; he played the frequently married and divorced father of Patrick Dempsey’s playboy character.
More noteworthy was his role in last year’s acclaimed legal drama ”Michael Clayton,” in which he played Marty Bach, the head of the law firm for which George Clooney’s titular character works.
In addition, Pollack co-produced the film, which was nominated for seven Oscars and won one, for Tilda Swinton’s supporting actress turn.
He won two Oscars – best director and best picture – for his 1985 period drama “Out of Africa.”
Also, he was nominated for Oscars for helming the dance drama “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” and the cross-dressing comedy “Tootsie.”
His other directorial credits include “The Intepreter,” 1995 remake of “Sabrina,” “The Firm,” “Absence of Malice,” “The Electric Horseman,” “The Way We Were” and “Jeremiah Johnson.”
He also directed on of my very favorite movies, “The Scalphunters,” starring Burt Lancaster, Ossie Davis, Shelly Winters and Telly Savalas.
Pollack is survived by his wife, Claire; two daughters, Rebecca and Rachel; his brother Bernie; and six grandchildren. Our thoughts are with them.
To read the Associated Press obituary for Pollack, click here.
For Pollack’s IMDB page, click here.
-BAM
Best of the Paseo Arts Festival
My family and I have made visiting the Paseo Arts Festival during Memorial Day weekend a tradition over the past few years. We were in the historic arts district this afternoon to check out the three-day event’s final day.
Along with sampling festival foods such as brautwurst, gyros and spiral potato chips and drinking in the relaxed atmosphere (along with plenty of water because it was a bit hot), we got to take in an impressive array of artwork.
Here’s our list of the best of this year’s fest, the 12 artists and performers whose work really caught our imaginations. If you didn’t get out to the event this year, make it a point to the visit it in 2009.
1. Jack Hill’s “Santa Fe Adobe”: Longtime Paseo painter Jack Hill died in January at age 77, but his spirit was definitely still on Paseo Drive during the festival. I kept expecting to see him out in his straw hat chatting with visitors. Since he was the featured artist this year, Hill contributed the painting that was included on all the posters and T-shirts. The painting matched the arts district’s Spanish-style architecture, and printed posters of the lovely, peaceful image sold out.
2. Scott Gamble’s glass art: This Wichita, Kan., artist makes incredibly graceful and vivid glass pieces. His paperweights resemble exotic sea anemones in glass orbs. My older son, Chris, bought an unusual black glass charm with shimmering splotches of color that appear blue or green depending on the light.
3. Brad Foster’s pen and ink: Under the name of Ye Olde Computer Sweeper, this Irving, Texas, artist uses pen and ink to create intricate fantasy drawings of dragons, owls and tigers. Artist’s Web site: www.jabberwockygraphix.com.
4. Dean Lauderdale’s acrylic paintings: The Paseo festival is known for showcasing Oklahoma artists, and Lauderdale’s neon-hued abstract paintings of floral patterns are definitely deserving of the spotlight. Artist’s Web site: www.sallyanddean.com.
5. Carolyn Mejstrik’s watercolors: This Midwest City painter is another talented Okie; her paintings of various birds and flowers are delicate and detailed.
6. Belinda Riley’s clay critters: Michael and Belinda Riley of Kansas City, Mo., craft different types of handmade products under the umbrella of Edgewater Designs Inc., and Belinda Riley’s whimsical clay versions of giraffes, hippos and other animals are particularly appealing. Artist’s Web site: www.belindariley.com.
7. Jay Garrison’s found object assemblage: Garrison, of Plano, Texas, makes sculptures of trains, trucks and cars from a variety of found objects, particularly metal, that he puts together in creative ways and then polishes to a high sheen. The results are both sleek and quaint. Artist’s Web site: www.jaygarrison.com.
8. Paper Play Theatre: The festival deserves kudos for one of the most creative children’s areas of any local art event. Children and parents are invited to use different kinds of paper, along with decorations such as feathers, buttons and beads, to make different paper structures and characters to live and perform in them. This year, it was monster traps and fairy houses, and many sets of parents and kids were intently working on them this afternoon. Chris, 13, is a bit too old for this activity, while the younger one, Gabe, 18 months, is too young. But I’m looking forward to helping Gabe make something fantastic in the next couple of years.
9. Teresa Brown’s visually speaking photography: Brown, of Kansas City, Mo., works in both color and black and white, and her images of buildings, signs, florals and nature scenes have a distinctive painterly quality. Artist’s Web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~digishot/index.html.
10. Dancing by Theatre Upon a StarDanceSwan: Along with organizing the Paper Play Theatre, StarDanceSwan provides live entertainment every year. This year, the company’s dancers were dressed in white and were dancing in the window of the Paseo performance space with huge sheets of crumpled paper. Watching a dancer twirl and twist the paper was interesting and calming.
11. Steve and Connie Buss’ woodwork: The Elk City artists’ two-tone wooden pepper grinders, cutting boards and other functional art pieces caught our eyes at last month’s Festival of the Arts, and their pair had their unusual kitchen items on display on the Paseo, too. The craftsmanship remains just as impressive as we remembered it.
12. Steve Coburn’s stoneware: Coburn, a Salina, Kan., artist, makes pretty stoneware pottery in great color combinations and at very affordable prices. Artist’s Web site: www.stevecoburnpottery.com.
-BAM
Indy whips up near-record sales
Indiana Jones found treasure at the box office over its traditional Memorial Day weekend opening – with the long-awaited sequels’ take at domestic theaters on track to become the second biggest Memorial Day movie opening on record, according to studio estimates reported Sunday by the Associated Press.
“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” grossed an estimated $101 million from Friday to Sunday, plus $25 million from its opening Thursday, distributor Paramount Pictures reported. The company expects the movie to earn another $25 million today.
If that total pans out, it would put Indy behind only “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” which had a Friday-through-Monday total of $139.8 million, on the tally books for Memorial Day weekend blockbusters.
Including Thursday’s receipts, “Indiana Jones” was expected to collect $151 million over five days, just behind “Pirates,” which took in $153 million with a partial Thursday included.
“‘Indiana Jones’ did incredibly well for a film that comes 19 years after the previous installment,” said Paul Dergarabedian, president of tracking firm Media By Numbers LLC, was quoted by the AP.
Box office estimates grew from $25 million on its opening Thursday through $37 million on Saturday, which indicates good word of mouth, Dergarabedian added. The film got solid but not spectacular reviews.
“This is the definition of a summer movie from two of the architects of the summer movie season – George Lucas and Steven Spielberg,” he told AP. “These guys have it down to a science and audiences want to go along for that ride.”
The first three Indy movies had an enormous worldwide take: $1.2 billion. So, this only adds to the quite the treasure chest for the franchise.
We’ll see if it’s enough to prompt Lucas and Spielberg to spin off the franchise with films centering on Shia LaBeouf’s character, Mutt Williams, as has been discussed.
Another big sequel, Disney’s “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” as expected, slipped to second place with $23 million. It’s banked a total of $91.1 million over two weeks. The company expects the movie to have box-office longevity and keep playing well as schools continue to let out.
However, I’m still not sure why the company insisted on moving this fantasy film into the crowded summer after the first “Narnia” movie did so well with a winter holiday opening.
“Iron Man” clinched another $20.1 million, bringing its domestic total to an superheroic $252.3 million.
The 20th Century Fox comedy, “What Happens in Vegas,” scored another $9 million in its third week, for a total of $54.2 million. It’s now well exceeded the cost to make it.
Fox senior vice president Bert Livingstone said high gas prices were prompting people to go to the movies rather than take trips.
But total movie receipts were about 16 percent less than last year’s Memorial Day weekend, and revenue for the year to date is down nearly 4 percent at $3.3 billion, with attendance off nearly 7 percent.
By this time last year, AP reports, there were seven movies with more than $100 million grosses: “Pirates,” “Shrek the Third,” “Spider-Man 3,” “300,” “Wild Hogs,” “Blades of Glory” and “Ghost Rider,” according to Media By Numbers. This year, there are only three: “Iron Man,” “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!” and “Indiana Jones.”
Here’s the rundown of this weekend’s top 10:
1. “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” $101 million.
2. “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” $23 million.
3. “Iron Man,” $20.1 million.
4. “What Happens in Vegas,” $9 million.
5. “Speed Racer,” $4 million.
6. “Made of Honor,” $3.4 million.
7. “Baby Mama,” $3.3 million.
8. “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” $1.7 million.
9. “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay,” $900,000.
10. “The Visitor,” $800,000.
-BAM
Monday Catchy Quote
A catchy quote from a movie, TV show or other source to brighten the beginning of your week:
Kate: [singing] I hate Paris in the springtime/I hate Paris in the fall/I hate Paris in the summer when it sizzles/I hate Paris in the winter when it drizzles/I hate Paris, oh why oh why do I hate Paris?/Because my love is there … with his SLUT girlfriend.
- Click here to learn the source.
-BAM
