Quantcast
Channel: Business Insider
Viewing all 103267 articles
Browse latest View live

No One Wants To Watch Big Budget Westerns At The Movies

$
0
0

Disney's "The Lone Ranger" isn't even out in theaters yet, and it's already getting slammed by critics.

Other than Armie Hammer's performance as the titular character, the radio and television series remake is being called an over-the-top, violent, and boring film overrun by Johnny Depp's Tonto.

The lesson that may be learned here is that we don't need more Westerns in theaters.

There are two types of Westerns Hollywood makes.

There are serious Oscar contenders like "True Grit" and "Dances With Wolves" and then there are campy, over-the-top action thrillers. 

The first lot do pretty well at theaters. Take a look at five of the highest-grossing Westerns along with their respective estimated production budgets.

best westerns box office

Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven" (1992) also earned $159 million for Warner Bros. There's no reported production cost for the film.

Now, take a look at some far-fetched Westerns. Not only are the budgets on these films much more inflated, but the intake often fails to make up for the oversized production costs. We've included "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" because the film was a big dud at theaters.

westerns box office bust chart

The one film that did the best here was Johnny Depp's animated flick "Rango" from 2011. Will Smith's heavily critiqued steampunk "Wild Wild West" is one of the most expensive Westerns to date.

One anomaly to this pattern is "Back to the Future Part III." That film earned $244.5 million on an estimated production budget of $40 million. 

However, it was the third in a very popular franchise. Despite making more money than its predecessors, you rarely see this one on television compared to the first two.

"The Lone Ranger" will be the costliest Western to date at an estimated $250 million.

We don't need to tell you which category it falls under.

SEE ALSO: Critics are tearing apart "The Lone Ranger"

Join the conversation about this story »

    



This Comedian Is Replacing Robert Downey Jr. As The Voice Of Mr. Peanut [THE BRIEF]

$
0
0

Bill Hader

Good morning, AdLand. Here's what you need to know today:

Bill Hader, recently known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, is the new voice of Mr. Peanut. He's replacing Robert Downey Jr., who decided not to renew his contract. Hader's voice can be heard on radio ads and  the viral site www.ineedsomeenergy.com.

Droga5 is in charge of creating Google's Motorola ad campaign.

Bridgestone Tires, which regularly appears in the Super Bowl, ended its seven-year relationship with The Richards Group. It will now be working with Publicis Dallas.

The Department of Health is instilling new rules regarding how brands can market unhealthy foods, particularly to kids.

The FTC's new online privacy regulations pertaining to children officially went into effect July 1.

Digiday rounds up unexpected brands that are good at going social.

This infographic looks at whether or not consumers actually believe what advertisers have to say.

Clemens Brandt returned to BBDO after less than a year of trying his luck at B-Reel. He's now BBDO's director of digital operations.

Previously on Business Insider Advertising:

Join the conversation about this story »

    


Here's A Photo Of Gisele And Tom Brady On A Ride With Normal People At Disneyland

$
0
0

gisele tom brady disneyland

Gisele and Tom Brady went to Disneyland yesterday.

E! has a full report of the day.

The thing that caught our eye was this Instagram photo that Gisele posted last night.

Four observations:

1. Without fail, people look like idiots in these Disneyland ride photos. It's the whole appeal of the thing. You're even a little disappointed if you get off a ride, look up at the TV screen displaying your car's photo, and find that you aren't making a funny face at all. But Gisele, obviously, looks perfect.

gisele disneyland

2. Somewhere in the world, there are now a handful of people who have photos of themselves looking awkward on a Disney ride while Gisele and Tom Brady sit right next to them. This little kid in the back, for instance, will keep the photo for decades, until he is an old man with several small grandchildren of his own. And those grandchildren will ask him why he has this cheap and faded photo in his house, and he will explain all about Gisele and Tom, and how they used to be famous.

people on disney ride

3. What's up with this eye?

gisele brady eye

4. Our best guess is that Gisele cropped out Tom because their two children were sitting directly to his right, and she didn't want to post public photos of her kids looking frightened — a rational and understandable decision. But our second guess, that he was the frightened one, is the more interesting theory — one that grows stronger the longer you stare at his pixelated face and try to decipher what exactly is at the bottom of his expression.

tom brady disney ride

Join the conversation about this story »

    


Bryan Cranston's 10 Reasons To Ride With Him To The 'Breaking Bad' Premiere

$
0
0

breaking bad

What would you do to ride in the RV from "Breaking Bad" with Bryan Cranston?

At the end of June, the star of the AMC series held a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) in which he announced a contest to ride along with him to the premiere of the final eight episodes in California.

Cranston partnered with fundraiser Omaze.com to launch the event. Anyone who donates at least $10 will be entered into a raffle for themselves and a friend to attend the premiere alongside Heisenberg himself.

All proceeds raised will support the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), a charity he has been involved with for some time that helps find child abduction victims.

In addition to an RV trip with Cranston to the July 24 premiere in Culver City, California, the winner will also meet the cast and stay in a 4-star hotel.

Friday, Omaze released a video with Cranston listing ten reasons fans should enter the contest to ride with him to the premiere. 

To check out the contest, head here.

10. "We'll be the first people in Hollywood history to arrive to a star-studded premiere in a recreational vehicle."

breaking bad walt

9. "Rock candy is quite the pick me up."

blue breaking bad

8. "You can sit shotgun."

walt jesse breaking bad

7. "I'll show you my 'Breaking Bad' tattoo."*

bryan cranston breaking bad tattoo

*We don't know what the tattoo is of.

6. "Carpooling is good for the environment."

breaking bad rv

5. "I can get one or two (or maybe all) of the cast to ride with us."

breaking bad cast

4. "Your friends will be incredibly jealous."

breaking bad

3. "I'll teach you how to cook … eggs."

cook breaking bad science

2. "Funyons."*

funyons breaking bad

*In season 2 episode 9, Jesse (Aaron Paul) packed three bags of Funyons for him and Walt to consume during their marathon meth-cooking session in the desert.  

1. "You'll be helping reunite children with their family."

bryan cranston

SEE ALSO: What we learned from Bryan Cranston's awesome Reddit AMA

Join the conversation about this story »

    


A Breakdown Of What Will Happen To James Gandolfini's $70 Million Fortune

$
0
0

James Gandolfini son wife

James Gandolfini died unexpectedly in Italy last month, but luckily the 51-year-old actor already had a will in place.

The "Sopranos" star was worth a reported $70 million, according to the New York Post, who got their hands on a copy of Gandolfini's will — which was filed in Manhattan Surrogate’s Court Tuesday.

According to the document, Gandolfini left millions of dollars to relatives and friends — including his personal secretary and assistant.

But the bulk of Gandolfini's fortune will go to his two children — “beloved’’ son Michael, 13, and daughter Liliana Ruth, 8 months.

Michael, who was with his father when he died in Italy, will receive the funds through a trust he will be able to access when he turns 21.

"Through the trust, he will also get first dibs to buy his dad’s Greenwich Street condo in the West Village. The home comes with a precious parking space," writes the Post. "Michael also automatically gets all of his dad’s clothing and jewelry."

Michael will share his father's property in Italy with his half-sister Liliana, when she turns 25.

"It is my hope and desire that they will continue to own said property and keep it in our family for as long as possible," he states in the 17-page court document.

Gandolfini's second wife, Deborah Lin, and his two sisters, will also receive millions.

The former HBO star also set aside $500,000 for each of his nieces, $200,000 for his personal assistant and $100,000 for his godson.

SEE ALSO: James Gandolfini's funeral was a 'Sopranos' reunion

Join the conversation about this story »

    


The Final 'Pacific Rim' Trailer Shows Even More Robot Vs. Alien Mayhem

$
0
0

We've seen a lot of trailers and footage for "Pacific Rim," but we still don't feel like we know a whole lot about it.  

This is what we've gathered so far: Giant robots are coming to the planets aid to fend off an alien attack. Oversized robots and monsters fight. One robot goes to town on an alien with a giant ship.

The last trailer before the film's July 12 release came out and it doesn't shed much more light on the plot either. (During a time where movie plots are completely spoiled by trailers, this may be a good thing.)

Check it out below. If you've seen the previous trailers, it's essentially the same one we've seen twiceover

SEE ALSO: The monsters that will be featured in "Pacific Rim"

Join the conversation about this story »

    


Jay-Z Chokes Back Tears Talking About Blue Ivy In Samsung Commercial

$
0
0

jay-z samsung ad

Earlier this week, Beyoncé posted intimate family photos to her Tumblr— her 18-month-old daughter wearing a diamond-encrusted crown, and the pair relaxing in a jacuzzi — revealing why it's good to be Blue Ivy.

Now, Jay-Z shows some love in Samsung commercials, talking about the joys and pressures of fatherhood.

He's visibly emotional chatting about Blue Ivy and the "Magna Carta Holy Grail" album in a couchside conversation with producer Rick Rubin.

"[She's] something that we both created, you know?" the rapper, worth an estimated $42 million, said. "We still marvel at her."

He opens up about his daughter's influence on the upcoming track, "Jay Z Blue." 

"It deals with [the fact that] my pop left when I was young. He didn't teach me how to be a man nor how to raise a child or treat a woman," Jay-Z said. "The two things I need, I don't have ... and I have a daughter. It's [about] the paranoia of not being a great dad."

 Watch the commercial below.

Jay-Z gives another shout-out to his and B's bouncing baby girl in a commercial discussing the track, "Heaven."

Maybe Jay-Z will pass these clips along as a parenting guide to new dad and close friend, Kanye West.

Yeezus knows he will need the help.

SEE ALSO: Beyoncé Posts Intimate Photos Showing Why It's Good To Be Blue Ivy

Join the conversation about this story »

    


Join Fred Wilson, Mike Lazerow, Alexis Ohanian And More At IGNITION 2013

$
0
0

Fred Wilson

From Apple to--yes--Zynga and everything in between. From mobile to social to content marketing to instant video and second screen TV. Take a deep dive into the explosive future of digital business at Business Insider's flagship conference IGNITION: Future of Digital, in NYC on November 11-13.

For the fourth year running, we’re gathering 700 senior executives from the converging worlds of technology, media, marketing, entertainment, investing and finance. Together we'll explore the emerging business models being driven by disruptive technology. Join us to hear from:

  • Lerer Ventures’ Eric Hippeau, talking up the opportunity for native video news
  • Buddy Media founder Mike Lazerow (now Salesforce Social CMO) explaining social marketing’s relentless drive into the mainstream
  • Guggenheim Media’s Ross Levinsohn, unpacking the battle for Hulu and the future of television
  • Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian explores the rise and rise of participant media
  • Vice Media’s man about the planet Shane Smith, taking radical video into prime time
  • And Union Square Ventures Fred Wilson, doing a signature fireside on the future of everything with Business Insider CEO Henry Blodget

We're adding new speakers every day--check the latest full roster here.

We’re also building out November's agenda-two and a half jam-packed days of discussions including:

  • Into The Stream: Will YouTube, Netflix & Hulu totally dissolve linear TV?
  • Mobile Ads: Location saves the day?
  • Native Content: Does anyone know what Millennials want?
  • Reinventing News: Smaller, cheaper, faster--where’s the end?
  • The Empires Strike Back: Big TV piles into Web video.
  • Social Advertising: Performance vs annoyance.
  • Big Data: From many platforms, one measurement?
  • Wearables and the Internet of Things!: No, really.

For a taste of what you can expect in November, check out the latest IGNITION 2013 line-up, or the full agendas from our previous events. And reserve your spot now because extra early-bird rates expire soon.

Register Now

p.s. if you're interested in joining the IGNITION community by sponsoring, contact events@businessinsider.com.

Follow @BI_Events on Twitter for IGNITION updates.

SEE ALSO: Go to entrepreneur school at Startup, now in partnership with General Assembly

Join the conversation about this story »

    



'90210' Crew Member Says She Was Threatened Into Sex With Boss

$
0
0

90210 cast

If this weren't a lawsuit involving "90210," it certainly would have made a great script for the recently canceled CW drama.

In a complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, Jamie Squillare claims that she was pressured for sex by the show's art-department leadman — and that the show did nothing to stop the alleged harasser's unwanted advances.

In the suit, Jamie Squillare claims that Michael Sunga, the leadman — the person responsible for the props and set dressers on set — promised to hire Squillare if she had sex with him.

Oh, and he also wanted Squillare's first month in wages in exchange for the job, the suit claims.

Squillare claims to have complied with the monetary aspect of the alleged agreement, cutting two checks to Sunga. However, the suit claims, almost as soon as Squillare began working on the series, Sunga "threatened to terminate her employment unless she agreed to be his girlfriend."

"Ms. Squillare initially resisted, but in response to Mr. Sunga's constant threats, eventually obliged," the suit reads.

The complaint alleges that Sunga "flaunted his relationship" with Squillare to his supervisor, Suzette Sheets, and "regularly tried to touch and kiss Ms. Squillare in public during the course of each workday." The suit claims that Squillare blocked Sunga's advances.

The nightmare grew worse, the suit alleges. According to the complaint, Sunga "incessantly badgered" Squillare to let him spend Christmas 2012 with her and her family in New Jersey and, in retaliation for being spurned — and Squillare's "unwillingness to engage in various illegal schemes" — Sunga "refused to tender her paycheck when it became due." He also spread a rumor on the set that Squillare had given him an STD, according to the complaint.

The suit claims that Sunga's supervisor and other employees on the show were aware of Sunga's "inappropriate conduct" toward Squillare, but no steps were taken to prevent it.

Squillare's suit says that Sunga fired her on Jan. 1, 2013, roughly six months after she started the "90210" gig.

CBS Television Studios, which is also named in the suit along with Sunga, EPSG Management Services, Eye Productions and 90210 Productions, told TheWrap that it had just become aware of the suit.

"We were just made aware of these allegations, therefore it is premature for us to comment at this time," the company said.

Alleging sexual harassment, failure to prevent discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation and failure to pay wages, Squillare is seeking unspecified damages.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

SEE ALSO: Where Are They Now: The Original Cast Of "Beverly Hills, 90210"

Join the conversation about this story »

    


The 50 Most American Americans Alive

$
0
0

The most american americans final

When we think of the quintessential American, we think of people who are competitive, innovative, brave, resilient, and talented — and sometimes crude, selfish, and prone to scandal.

To celebrate Independence Day 2013, we ranked the 50 most American U.S. citizens alive today.

For better or worse, these people embody what it means to be American.

Julie Zeveloff, Gus Lubin, and Jennifer Polland contributed to this list.

#50 Edward Snowden



#49 Sheryl Sandberg



#48 Lance Armstrong



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
    


Here's The Colorful New Movie Poster For Ashton Kutcher's 'Jobs'

'Big Brother' Contestant Dropped From Modeling Agency After Making Racist Remarks In House

$
0
0

aaryn gries big brother

What happens in the "Big Brother" house doesn't stay there.

Contestant Aaryn Gries was dropped by her modeling agency after making racist and homophobic comments, according to TMZ.

The 22-year-old Gries, who is majoring in psychology at Texas State, was one of three houseguests on the CBS series caught making prejudice comments toward Asian, African-American, and gay housemates.

The content hasn't made its way on air. Rather, it was seen during a live 24-hour feed CBS offers of its popular summer series.

Comments that Gries made include calling one housemate Andy "queer," making a joke about the skin tone of Candice, a black contestant, and delivering an aside on rice about the only Asian woman in the house, Helen.

Other housemates involved included railroad conductor Spencer Clawson and pageant coordinator GinaMarie Zimmerman.

You can watch some of the footage below:

It's NSFW:

Full rundowns of what the cast was saying can be found here and here.

According to The Hollywood Gossip, the producers of the show come over the loudspeaker in the house to warn contestants against using racial slurs.

After the airing of the live feed, CBS released a statement to Entertainment Weekly distancing itself from the comments made on air.

"At times, the Houseguests reveal prejudices and other beliefs that we do not condone. We certainly find the statements made by several of the Houseguests on the live Internet feed to be offensive. Any views or opinions expressed in personal commentary by a Houseguest appearing on Big Brother, either on any live feed from the House or during the broadcast, are those of the individual(s) speaking and do not represent the views or opinions of CBS or the producers of the program."

TMZ reports Zephyr Talent agency dropped the college student after the surfacing of the live feed.

"We certainly find the statements made by Aaryn on the live Internet feed to be offensive. Upon much consideration, we have decided to release Aaryn from her contract." 

June 30, one of the previous popular housemates from season 12, Ragan Fox wrote an open letter to CBS on his blog asking for "Big Brother" to show the prejudice occurring in the house rather than edit it.  

Here's an excerpt from his letter:  

"What’s the point of casting racial, ethnic, and sexual minorities if production’s going to edit out the racism, ethnic discrimination, and homophobia that these people encounter inside the house? Moreover, why do historically marginalized players have the exclusive burden of narrating past acts of racial, ethnic, and sexual brutalization when we see this sort of discrimination enacted INSIDE THE HOUSE?

 Big Brother, I LOVE you, but, if you really want to provide a groundbreaking twist, SHOW CBS VIEWERS HOW SOME STRAIGHT, WHITE PEOPLE talk about gays, Asian Americans, and African Americans."

SEE ALSO: Lupe Fiasco obliterates Chicago public schools during a speech to grads

Join the conversation about this story »

    


Prince William And Kate Middleton's Baby Could Have One Of These Names

$
0
0

Kate Middleton kids

Expectant royals Kate Middleton and Prince William will likely soon be choosing their baby's name and they will likely be more conservative than Kim Kardashian and Kanye West who named their baby girl North West.

While William and Kate do not yet know the sex of their unborn child — who isn't due until July 11— bookies are already betting on the heir to the throne's name.

"Bookies William Hill say their punters are expecting Kate’s first child to be female," reports The Week. "As for names, Alexandra and Elizabeth are the favourites for a girl while George and James are favourites for a boy."

CNN royal contributor Victoria Arbiter says royals choose "dynastic names; names with a sense of history" that will provide the "elements of continuity that the survival of the monarchy depends on."

Arbiter predicts "Alexandra Elizabeth Frances Mary for a girl and George Philip Arthur Charles for a boy."

Kate Middleton Queen JubileeArbiter explains that Alexandra is the Queen's middle name, while Elizabeth would honor the baby's great grandmother and great, great grandmother — but it is also Middleton's middle name.

Frances is "Diana's middle name and also Michael Middleton's middle name,” Arbiter notes.

But why not honor Prince William's late mother Diana by naming the baby after her?

"I really don't think they'll use Diana for a first child," Arbiter tells MSN, noting that Middleton already faces so many comparisons with Diana.

Additionally, she says, "William and Harry are very keen to honor their mother privately" and might avoid the name "out of respect to the Queen, Prince Charles and Camilla.”

Other possible names for a baby girl include Alice in tribute to Prince Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, Eleanor for "Eleanor of Aquitaine," and Pippa Middleton's middle name, Charlotte.

As for a boy, MSN notes "George is a popular guess for a first name and also a popular name choice for monarchs: There have been six previous King Georges. Philip would be in honor of Price Philip."

Arbiter says Arthur is a "middle name shared by a number of royal men that recalls the legend of King Arthur."

Sounds solid.

Check out the baby name odds, according to Irish bookmaker paddypower.com:

Paddy Power Kate Middleton bbaby name odds

As for a last name, it's a bit tricky.

"When utilizing a surname like ordinary folks, William and his brother, Prince Harry, take a cue from father Charles, Prince of Wales' royal house and go by William Wales and Harry Wales," according to E! Online.

But, as the site notes, the baby isn't required to have a surname — but if the parents want their child to have one, they have three choices.

Kate Middle Prince William Harry Diamond JubileeAccording to BBC News, the royal baby's last name could be Wales, like dad; Cambridge, the title given to the couple when they married; or Mountbatten-Windsor, the surname of Prince Philip, who got Mountbatten from his maternal grandparents, and the queen, whose father, King George V, selected Windsor for his family in 1917.

While Middleton isn't due to give birth for another week, there's already protocol in place for how the royal couple will announce their first born to the eagerly-awaiting public.

The public will be informed that Kate Middleton is in labor "when she's in her [hospital] room and comfortable,” Arbiter told MSN.

After the baby is born, a birth announcement will be placed on an easel outside of Buckingham Palace.

"That will be the first we know of the sex of the baby and the time of birth,” Arbiter explained, but the announcement will likely not include the baby's name.

But don't hold your breath for a name announcement, because as Arbiter notes, it took William and Kate "three weeks to announce their dog's name.”

In case you're wondering, it's Lupo.

SEE ALSO: Kate Middleton Is Due To Give Birth Next Week And The Paparazzi Is Already Camped Out

Join the conversation about this story »

    


The Sweet Life Of Jay-Z: How The Hottest Agent In Sports Spends His $475 Million

$
0
0

jay z concert nets barclays

Jay-Z's newest venture is Roc Nation Sports, a sports agency that's just four months old.

The agency has already signed stars like Robinson Cano and Kevin Durant, and Jay even ditched his stake in the Brooklyn Nets so he could represent basketball players.

Despite making waves as a "part owner" of the Nets, this agency will probably be his legacy in the sports world.

Jay is signing players who grew up idolizing him as both a rapper and a mogul. His lifestyle — the houses, hanging out with Obama, getting married to BEYONCE — makes him an aspirational figure for young athletes, and is a big part of his appeal as an agent.

He broke into the sports world by buying a stake of the Brooklyn Nets.



His share was a actually shockingly small 0.067% (worth about $355,000).

Source: Darren Rovell



But he was still a huge part of the branding of the team, and the "Nets owner" label stuck despite how small his ownership stake was.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
    


Here's An Awesome Story About Steve Jobs Telling An Employee He's Going To Become The World's Best Story Teller In 1994 (AAPL, DIS)

$
0
0

Here's an incredible, though a tad apocryphal, story about Steve Jobs. 

On Q&A site Quora, a former NeXT employee tells a tale of Jobs coming into the break room and declaring that he's going to become the world's next great story teller

This was in 1994. Pixar, after years of struggling to get by, was going to release Toy Story through Disney in 1995.

It seems like once Jobs saw Toy Story, he realized the full vision for Pixar, and he realized he was going to be in charge of a company that would make films for the next generation.

Here's the story:

Read Quote of Tomas Higbey's answer to Steve Jobs: What are the best stories about people randomly meeting Steve Jobs? on Quora

Join the conversation about this story »

    



Sarah Silverman Tweeted A Weird Question About Peeing, And We Found The Answer

$
0
0

Sarah Silverman tweeted a question yesterday that we felt morally compelled to answer:

It isn't a dumb question, Sarah. Everybody pees. But the doctors we talked to say don't force it — just let it happen.

"It is not necessary to [strain]," said Dr. Neil Resnick, a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Geriatrics at the University of Pittsburgh. "The good Lord has ensured that the bladder is strong enough in both men and women to empty itself adequately for your entire life, without ever needing to strain for either sex."

Straining while peeing is common among women. Many begin forcing the stream once they start using public restrooms, which just don't accommodate women as well as they do men.

Men's rooms have urinals, or even the sometimes dreaded trough— those don't take up much room and have a high turnover rate. But women's restrooms feature much larger bathroom stalls which reduce capacity and slow things down. The long lines outside restrooms might move some women to speed things up for the sake of others.

It is a nice gesture, but it takes a women between 10 and 20 seconds to pee, and augmenting the stream with force will cut that time in half at most. So it may not make that much of a difference.

If you do find yourself tempted to rush the job, Resnick advises you keep two things in mind. First, always wait until your stream has started. Straining before that might tighten the pelvic floor muscles and actually close the valves that push urine out of the body.

Second, don't strain all the time. Once in awhile may be OK if you are in a rush. But the average person urinates several times a day. Straining every time over several years could cause "pelvic organ prolapse" where the muscles stretch or even break and the organs actually sag or droop outward.

"Some women will get a bulge down there, and that can sometimes cause blockage," Resnick said. "It can be irritating, it can make sexual relations more difficult, it can make defecating more difficult."

If you find you HAVE to work at it, you might want to see a doctor. In some cases, nerve damage resulting from disorders like diabetes can inhibit urination. But such problems are rare, and most of the patients Resnick works with can urinate just fine well into their 100's.

Find Us On Facebook — Business Insider: Science

Join the conversation about this story »

    


HOUSE OF THE DAY: Rapper Pharrell's Miami Penthouse Is Now Only $10.9 Million

$
0
0

Pharrell Williams Penthouse

Rapper and producer Pharrell Williams has lowered the price on his Miami penthouse from a staggering $16.8 million to $10.9 million, according to Curbed National.

The three-floor home is 9,080 square feet in total, and has been on the market since last December.

The home is massive, with five bedrooms, six and a half bathrooms, and unparalleled 360-degree views of the Miami skyline.

There's also a pool, elevator entry into the foyer, and massive terraces. The pad is still available through Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate.

Pharrell's pad is right on the ocean.



His house has an "opposite fishbowl effect" where he can see out, but no one can see in through the glass windows.



The expansive dining room can seat 12 people easily and has 180-degree views.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
    


'The Lone Ranger' Is Lining Up To Be Disney's Next 'John Carter' Bust

$
0
0

johnny depp the lone rangerGood thing Disney started the summer with mega-hit "Iron Man 3."

It's latest film, the Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer Western "The Lone Ranger" looks like its going to bomb over the weekend.

The first reviews for the movie didn't come out until two days before the films release — never a good sign for a potentially good blockbuster — and when they did, they shredded Disney's latest.

The film is currently hovering at 24% on film review site Rotten Tomatoes.

This morning, the film was making up 12% of ticket sales on Fandango.

Instead, we're told sales are gravitating toward Steve Carell's "Despicable Me 2." 71% of this morning's ticket sales were to see the little yellow minions back on the big screen.

After a big $4.7 million opening night, the film may surpass the $82 million debut of "Monsters University." As of yesterday, "Despicable Me 2" was outpacing "MU" in advance ticket sales.

"The Lone Ranger" has taken in $2 million at the box office after Tuesday night sales. Deadline reports the film has now earned $15 million today— far below the $35 million of "Despicable Me 2." 

Overall, analysts seem rather mixed on the long shot of the Western. 

Managing director of Janney Montgomery Scott, Tony Wible predicts the Mouse House will see $180 million in domestic earnings for the film and go on to see another $370 million from foreign box office, video game, and other sales. That would be enough for Disney to turn a profit. 

Meanwhile, another analyst with Cowen & Co. predicts Disney could lose $100 million on the film if weekend sales are weak and the film isn't good.  

When the entire holiday weekend is through analysts expect Disney's "Ranger" to bring in $60-$70 million. 

Some of those analyst predictions may be a bit too high. 

As we've said, the critics haven't been nice.

Currently, "The Lone Ranger" has dropped from a predicted $35 million 3-day opening weekend to $29 million, according to BoxOffice.com. Anything less than a $70 million number would be disasterous for the film estimated to have a budget ranging from $225-$250 million after numerous production delays. 

Other than poor reviews and opening against family-friendly film "Despicable Me 2," Vice President and Chief Analyst of BoxOffice.com Phil Contrino says the film is suffering from a campaign that never took off with fans. 

"The marketing campaign hasn't connected in a significant way," Contrino tells Business Insider. "It's not something that people are really that excited about compared to how 'Despicable Me 2' is doing on Facebook and Twitter. People are talking about that like crazy."

Contrino adds the social buzz is no where near that of other big summer blockbusters like "Man of Steel" or even "Star Trek Into Darkness" which earned $116 million and $70.2 million respectively opening weekend. 

"It's not even in the same league," Contrino tells us.  

The one film Contrino did say it wasn't pacing far behind was Brad Pitt's "World War Z" which he says was pretty strong on Twitter the week before its June 19 release in theaters. "WWZ" debuted to $66 million.

armie hammer the lone ranger

Variety points out in its latest issue that lead actor Armie Hammer's lack of social media presence could be hurting "The Lone Ranger."

"So far, Armie Hammer has followed a conventional media strategy that some marketing experts would argue ignores the current zeitgeist. ... In today's overexposed media landscape, where celebs are under the constant eye of cellphone cameras, bloogers and the TMZs of the world, Hammer has managed to keep his personal life below the radar. If anything, that has made him appear somewhat mysterious and elusive."

Variety reported findings from metric site Fizziology that say Johnny Depp has been driving most of the positive online feedback for the film.

Something else Contrino says won't help the Mouse House is the amount of violence in the film. Reviews noted a few gun scenes and one particularly uncharacteristically vile scene where a villain consumes a heart.

"It hurts that word is getting out pretty quickly that it's actually pretty violent for a Disney movie," says Contrino. "The idea that a Disney movie might not be kid friendly is going to hurt it the most at this point along with the fact it's opening against 'Despicable Me 2.'"  

Historically, film adaptations of "The Lone Ranger" have never done well at theaters. 

Jack Wrather cancelled the popular TV series in hopes it could become a successful film franchise. 

The result was 1956's "Lone Ranger" and its followup in 1958 "The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold." There's no data on how either of these films performed at theaters. 

Universal's 1981 "The Legend of the Lone Ranger" brought in $12.6 million. Today, that would equivocate to $36 million.

What may be Disney's saving grace is Johnny Depp's foreign star power.

"Depp is huge overseas, so it could be one of those cases where it's a disappointment in North America, but then they make up for it at the foreign box office," says Contrino.

SEE ALSO: Critics are tearing "The Lone Ranger" apart

Join the conversation about this story »

    


Amanda Seyfried Is A Legendary Porn Star In The First Trailer For 'Lovelace'

$
0
0

Amanda Seyfried has come a long way from her soap opera days.

Since her role in last year's "Les Misérables," Seyfried takes on her most adult role yet in the story of porn star Linda Lovelace. 

Lovelace of course went on to become the first legendary porn star for her work in 1972's erotic "Deep Throat."

The film comes from directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman and also stars Peter Sarsgaard, Juno Temple ("The Dark Knight Rises"), Sharon Stone, Chris Noth, and James Franco as a young Hugh Hefner.

Lindsay Lohan was originally set for the role of the famous redhead but was reportedly fired. Lohan later fired back saying she quit the biopic.

"Lovelace" comes to theaters August 9.

Here's the suggestive poster for the film.

lovelace

SEE ALSO: "The Lone Ranger" is set to bomb this weekend

Join the conversation about this story »

    


Jay-Z's $5 Million Samsung Deal Will Change Music Forever

$
0
0

jay-z samsung ad

Record companies have spent more than a decade keening that free music was the subsidence in their basement and the dry rot in their rafters – so they are unlikely to be grandstanding about the fact that one of the biggest acts in the world is giving away his new album for nothing.

Well, not entirely for nothing – it comes with a catch. As part of a broader deal between Samsung and Roc Nation– estimated at $20m – a total of 1m copies of Jay-Z's new album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, were given away on Thursday at one minute past midnight (US eastern time), a full 72 hours before it officially goes on sale. The Korean mobile company has paid $5m so that the first million owners of Galaxy S III, Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note II devices to claim the album though a free app from the Google Play store get a three-day headstart on the rest of Jay-Z's fans.

In the self-referential bubble of the music business, much has been made of the fact that, because it is free to consumers, those 1m "sales" will not count towards the charts in the US, the UK and elsewhere because of chart rules.

But at $5 a copy, Jay-Z is almost certainly getting a far higher royalty rate than he would if those sales came from download stores or the dwindling number of record shops on the high street. The album is already a banker in an age when there are, in sales terms, few superstar certainties.

The scale of the deal did, however, force the RIAA (the US equivalent of the BPI) to make significant tweaks to its gold and platinum awards programme, meaning Jay-Z will get a nice shiny sales disc to put in his downstairs toilet straight away rather than having to wait 30 days (as per the old sales certification rules). This will now cover any digital album sales that previously had to wait a month to be qualified in order to allow for "returns" (unsold, but shipped, stock) – a throwback to the days when music was only available on physical formats. Yet within this all is a burning contradiction. The 1m album downloads are disqualified from the chart for being "free" to the consumer, but they count towards spraypainted discs in presentation frames because someone (in this case, Samsung) paid for them. Given the pre-hype and marketing spend, the album will almost certainly go to No 1 anyway on "normal" sales, so Jay-Z should win whichever way you slice it.

Beyond the cold, hard sales and revenue issues, this has revived, yet again, the debate about what it all means for investment in music and what the future of the album could be in an age of digital dislocation.

This is not quite a new form of blanket musical patronage – that is happening instead on Kickstarter and PledgeMusic where the public has the final say and where winning projects rise like rockets (Amanda Palmer, Ginger Wildheart) and stinkers sink (Björk's Android app for Biophilia, a thousand terrible bands). This is about one megabrand (Jay-Z) linking with another megabrand to create that most 1980s of business terms – a "synergy".

The benefit for Jay-Z, apart from a guaranteed $5m, is turbocharged promotion and profile raising. But the benefits for Samsung are potentially greater. For a company that spends an estimated $4bn a year on marketing, the $20m it handed over to Jay-Z and Roc Nation is chump change. To put that in content, global record sales last year generated $16.5bn – so Samsung throws a quarter of the gross value of the entire record business just at marketing every year.

Away from the boardroom cheers, it is not all wondrous news. For the fans, this is the diametric opposite of the Philips Red Book standard that, in the 1980s, dictated all CDs had to play on all CD players. Non-Samsung-owning fans are effectively being penalized for not having the right device and given the hard sell to upgrade, because this deal is really about atoning for the fact that Samsung's own Music Hub music service has failed to capture the public's imagination. This all says, arguably, more about Samsung trying to steal a march on the iPhone and iPad in the smartphone and tablet markets and using music to do that – just as Apple did with the iPod in 2001 and the iTunes store in 2003.

Handing out brand new albums for free is nothing new. Prince did it with the Planet Earth album on the front of the Mail on Sunday in 2007, and Radiohead did it with the tip jar release of In Rainbows later than same year (fans could choose to pay nothing to download it). The idea of an album-as-an-app is not new either (see Björk's release of Biophilia for the iPad in 2011 and Gwilym Gold's Tender Metal app in September last year). And brand partnerships long stopped being a novelty. The only thing that is really new here is the scale of the deal. It is all light years beyond Groove Armada being paid to be the "face" of Bacardi for a year.

It is proof of the continued lurch in the power balance that sees the music industry continue to dance to the tech industry's tune, like chickens on fairground hotplates. It is also a premonition of the near future of the music business where 99% of the cash on the table will be mopped up by the top 1% of acts – the very ones who need the money the least.

This article originally appeared on guardian.co.uk

Join the conversation about this story »

    


Viewing all 103267 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images