Ben Curtis is a 33-year-old actor best known for his role as the "Dell Dude." He appeared in 26 different commercials for the once goliath PC company in the early 2000s and became a national sensation for his "Dude, you're getting a Dell!" catchphrase.

After the cops busted Curtis for attempting to buy drugs, though, Dell immediately severed ties with the young actor. Curtis tells us about his time as the "Dell Dude," how much money he made, where all that money went, and what he's up to now.

Produced by Will Wei. Additional camera by Justin Gmoser

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2015 is going to be one of the biggest years at the box office in a long time.

Not only are we getting a new "Star Wars" movie, but we'll finally see the next "Avengers" grouping, which has been nearly three years in the making. 

Those two movies alone have the potential of being billion-dollar films.

In comparison, 2014 only had one movie gross $1 billion— "Transformers: Age of Extinction."

Through plenty of sequels and reboots, we're counting down the movies that will be the biggest at theaters next year. It's going to feel like the early '90s with Arnold Schwarzenegger back as the Terminator and dinosaurs roaming around in "Jurassic World."

Mark these dates down in your calendar.

12. 'Fifty Shades of Grey' (Universal/Focus Features)

Release date:
Feb. 13, 2015

Why it will be huge: This will be the movie every guy will be dragged to see.

The best-selling book series dubbed "mommy porn" is making its big screen debut Valentine's Day weekend. There couldn't be a better release date for the erotica film about a naive college girl (Dakota Johnson) who becomes involved in a BDSM relationship with a billionaire named Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan).

While the film's trailer was the most-viewed all year, there are two reasons "Fifty Shades" is lower on our list. 1. Big blockbusters rarely come out in this month. "Passion of the Christ" currently holds the record for largest Feb. gross ($611.9 million). 2. Erotica movies are usually a niche group. 1992's "Basic Instinct" is the highest-grossing film in the genre making $352.9 million worldwide.

11. 'Ted 2' (Universal)

Release date:
June 26, 2015

Why it will be huge: "Ted," featuring Seth MacFarlane's foul-mouthed teddy bear and Mark Wahlberg, became the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy ever in 2012. It surpassed the record previously held by the first "Hangover." "Ted" made $549 million worldwide.

10. 'Inside Out' (Pixar/Disney)

Release date: 
June 19, 2015

Why it will be huge: Pixar's reputation speaks for itself. The studio hasn't made a bad film yet (except perhaps the poorly-reviewed "Cars 2"). Regardless, none of them have been bombs and the majority of Pixar's animated movies make at least $500 million worldwide at theaters. 

Buzz about its next animated picture, "Inside Out," is already growing. While the movie's concept about the inner workings of the brain and our emotions may sound a bit confusing, an early sneak peek of the film was very well received at the Animation Film Festival in France back in June.

Actor Channing Tatum is already receiving Oscar buzz for his role as Olympic wrestling champion, Mark Schultz.

While Schultz previously praised the film via social media saying its stars should receive Oscars, the 54-year-old recently changed his tune.

In a New Year's Eve Facebook and Twitter rant, Schultz slammed "Foxcatcher" director Bennett Miller and star Channing Tatum.

Many of the tweets have since been deleted, but Variety managed to grab them before they disappeared:

YOU CROSSED THE LINE MILLER. WE'RE DONE. YOU'RE CAREER IS OVER. YOU THINK I CAN'T DO IT. WATCH ME.  — Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 31, 2014

YOU THINK I'M GOING TO SIT BACK AND WATCH YOU DESTROY MY NAME AND REPUTATION I SWEAT BLOOD FOR. YOU AINT' SEEN NOTHING YET DUDE.  — Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 31, 2014  

I BUILT THIS HOUSE AND I'LL TEAR IT DOWN. YOU THINK I CAN'T TAKE YOU DOWN COZ UR A DIRECTOR. WATCH ME BENNETT… http://t.co/wQSKgq9Pwz  — Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 31, 2014  

I CAN TOLERATE A LOT OF THINGS BUT I DON'T TOLERATE DISRESPECT. WE'RE DONE BENNETT.  — Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 31, 2014  

Everything I've ever said positive about the movie I take back. I hate it. i hate it. i hate it. I hate it. i hate it. i hate it. I hate it  — Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 31, 2014  

I HATE EVERYTHING THAT SCUM TOUCHES. EVERYTHING!!!  — Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 31, 2014  

I HATE BENNETT MILLER.  — Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 31, 2014

A few tweets remain on Schultz's feed:

I love Foxcatcher is about me, stars @channingtatum and immortalized Dave. I hate the way I'm portrayed. Read Foxcatcher the book for truth

— Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 29, 2014

Foxcatcher's scenes are mostly straight out of my book (except a few). But the relationships and personalities are complete fiction.

— Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 29, 2014

Now that the movie's been out a while I want to ask my friends a question. In one word, how should I feel about the way I was portrayed?

— Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 30, 2014

Schultz explained more on Facebook, saying he was upset that it was implied in the film that he and his former coach John du Pont (played by Steve Carell) had a sexual relationship, which he called "insulting."

He continued to assure "the integrity and truth of my story":

Schultz ended his criticism of the movie with a plug for his book:

The Truth behind #Foxcatcher is now available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. http://t.co/JxeuNuV5a7

— Mark Schultz (@MarkSchultzy) December 21, 2014

In November, Schultz released "Foxcatcher: The True Story of My Brother’s Murder, John du Pont’s Madness, and the Quest for Olympic Gold," which he says is the real version of what happened.

The film, which was also released in November, has earned over $6 million at the  box office and has received tons of critical acclaim.

SEE ALSO: Steve Carell And Channing Tatum Give Their Best Performances Yet In Thought-Provoking 'Foxcatcher'

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Last year had its fair share of television casualties. But despite cancellation, several shows are still worth a watch.

Crowdsourced rankings website Ranker named the best cancelled shows of 2014, and though these ones won't be coming back in the new year, they still had a good run.

Here are the top 11 shows that were canceled last year:

11. Enlisted

When Staff Sergeant Pete Hill (played by Geoff Stults) punches a superior officer while deployed in Afghanistan, he gets sent to back to Fort McGee in Florida, where his two younger brothers, Derrick and Randy, are stationed.

10. Longmire

Based off the bestselling novels by Craig Johnson, this series follows Walt Longmire, the dedicated sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming, as he returns to work after his wife's death. Longmire throws himself into his work, investigating crimes and running for re-election, as he attempts to hide the pain he still feels over the loss of his wife.

9. Kitchen Nightmares

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay (of Hell's Kitchen notoriety) travels the country helping failing restaurants turn their business around. But despite the many changes he suggests — menu tweaks, updated furniture — it's up to each owner to heed his advice and make their restaurant profitable once again. 

8. Intelligence

As the first human to be directly connected to the Internet through a microchip in his brain, Gabriel Black is able to hack any data center worldwide, which proves a valuable security tool for the United States. However, Black finds himself vulnerable to both outside threats and his own destructive personality, so Secret Service agent Riley Neal is assigned to protect him.

7. The Crazy Ones

This show followed unpredictable and unorthodox advertising executive Simon Roberts (played by Robin Williams) as he runs a powerful ad agency in Chicago with his daughter Sydney (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar). However, Roberts sometimes lets his crazy ideas get the best of him,  forcing Sydney to spend more time putting out fires than developing her own career. 

6. Being Human

In the American version of a British sitcom by the same name, three roommates (a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost) help each other attempt to live normal lives as humans. However, they quickly discover that living double lives — and keeping their true identities secret — isn't as easy as it looks. 

5. Suburgatory

When single dad George Altman (played by Jeremy Sisto) finds condoms in his teenage daughter's room, he decides to move from their New York City apartment to a suburb in Connecticut. However, the transition comes as a culture shock to both father and daughter as their new neighborhood seems like something straight out of "The Stepford Wives."

4. Raising Hope

Nine months after 23-year-old Jimmy Chance has a one-night stand with a serial killer, he visits her in jail only to find that she's given birth to his daughter. Unprepared for parenthood, Jimmy relies on his dysfunctional family — including his mother (played by Martha Plimpton), father (played by Garret Dillahunt), and grandmother (played by Cloris Leachman) — to help raise the child.

3. Revolution

Over a decade after a permanent blackout devastates the world, humanity has adapted to life without electricity. That is, until the local militia kill a man involved in the power outage, setting his daughter on a journey to find out what really happened 15 years ago.

2. Almost Human

In 2048, police officer John Kennex wakes up in from a 17-month coma — missing his leg and his girlfriend — after surviving the raid of violent gang The Syndicate's hideout, an attack that took the life of his partner. But Kennex isn't keen on working with his new partner, a human-like android named Dorian who struggles to deal with human emotions.

1. Community 

This series chronicles the lives of a group of students at Greendale Community College in Greendale, Colorado who met in a fictitious study group put on by disbarred lawyer Jeff Winger (played by Joel McHale) in an attempt spend time with attractive classmate Britta Perry. Throughout its five seasons, the show gained critical acclaim and a cult following for its parody style and frequent pop culture references.

SEE ALSO: The 15 Best Movies You Probably Didn't See In 2014

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Madonna was lampooned on Friday after linking herself to prominent black leaders while promoting her latest album.

The singer posted several images of famed civil-rights organizer Martin Luther King. Jr and former South African President Nelson Mandela — with black rope wrapped around their faces. She posted them across social-media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The altered photos appear to be in honor of Madonna's new album, "Rebel Heart," which features her on the cover with the same black rope gripping her face.

"This #rebelheart had a dream!" she exclaimed of King.

"This #rebelheart fought for freedom!" she said of Mandela.

Madonna's posts created an immediate backlash on social media, with fans calling the marketing move "gross" and offering other criticisms:

Madonna doesn't know how to Internet smh

— oh. (@amakaxo) January 2, 2015

a rich white lady using black civil icons to promote her album is pretty gross, @Madonna#stayclassy#WhitePrivilegepic.twitter.com/LhiWPlsTrS

— noryb (@sobyronic) January 2, 2015

View her controversial social-media posts below.

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Mark Cuban spoke with Henry Blodget at Business Insider's IGNITION 2014. He gave us his predictions on the future of television.

Edited by Devan Joseph. Special thanks to Justin Gmoser and Sam Rega.

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Marvel has released what they're calling an "ant-sized" teaser for "Ant-Man," and boy they aren't kidding.

The teaser is small enough to see if you can shrink to the size of an insect, like the movie's hero.

An official, "human-sized" teaser will be released during the two-hour premiere of "Agent Carter," which airs at 8 p.m. on Mon., Jan. 6 on ABC.

"Ant-Man" stars Paul Rudd as the titular superhero and Corey Stoll as the villain, Darren Cross/Yellowjacket. Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly also co-star.

The movie hits theaters on July 17, 2015.

You can check out the tiny teaser below.

SEE ALSO: 'House Of Cards' Actor Will Play Villain In 'Ant-Man'

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"A Most Violent Year" may be slow, but it's never dull. With his third feature, J.C. Chandor has crafted a beautiful, subtle film that functions both as an absorbing drama and a thoughtful examination of the adage "desperate times call for desperate measures."

The film is quite deliberately set in New York City, 1981, allegedly the most brutal year on record for violent crimes in the city. It follows Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac doing his best "Young Al Pacino" impression) and his wife Anna (Jessica Chastain, who is excellent but mostly relegated to the sideline here) through the toughest month of their lives.

Abel is a budding entrepreneur and the owner of a heating oil company, and the film opens with Abel striking a lucrative deal for a property that has the power to take his business to the next level. The deal, however, is contingent on Abel coming up with the $1.5 million in 30 days, which may not have been a problem at a different time but is a huge threat now considering Abel's drivers are getting robbed like clockwork and the city's DA is actively bringing charges against his business for corrupt practices. 

While Abel isn't exactly innocent, he's a truly honorable man doing the best the can. His wife is a gangster's daughter, and ever since Abel took over the company from her corrupt family, the DA can't seem to keep his nose out of their operation. Abel's philosophy, as he so deftly puts it, is that "the result is never in question, just the path you take to get there."

Abel believes there are always two paths that lead to the same result, and one of those paths is "most right." Despite his wife's insistence to continue cooking the books (she has an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality regarding organized crime), Abel is resolute in making it to the top of his industry through his own hard work and determination. Despite the constant hardships thrown his way, Abel consistently does all he can to excel and be successful.

The film's brutally honest take on the American Dream is refreshing and thought-provoking. The audience is asked to mediate on what it takes to become a success and question how big a role corruption and compromise play in the matter. The film's grimly twisted finale is pure cinema at its finest — it's scary, exciting, and engaging but also intellectually stimulating. 

The performances in the film are all top-notch, and Oscar Isaac turns in his second Award-worthy performance in two years. He may have been royally snubbed at last year's Academy Awards, but his performance in the Coen Brothers' "Inside Llewyn Davis" is about as good as it gets. His take on Abel in "A Most Violent Year" is the polar opposite of Llewyn — the man has some serious range.

What's so exciting about the role is how gradually his true character is revealed; we are never quite sure what Abel is capable of so each scene drips with dramatic tension. As the story progresses, we learn more about his values, and by the end of the picture, we have watched him blossom and become fully realized. When given a chance, Chastain is a scene stealer, but she simply doesn't have enough to do here. The legendary Albert Brooks (who was terrific in 2011's "Drive") shines in an almost unrecognizable turn as Abel's lawyer. 

Besides the stellar performances, the photography, editing, and meticulous pacing help make the film incredibly efficient. The period look and costume design mesh perfectly with the cinematography, and Chandor has proven yet again that he is a top-notch director and really makes every shot count.

There are a couple of suspenseful action sequences thrown in the mix that should be totally jarring in context but are so masterfully handled that they work. There's an emotional depth attached to the action, as the audience is pulling for Abel and wants him to succeed, which makes the scenes that much more impactful.

While it definitely features some of the best performances of the year, the film itself feels too understated and not flashy enough (think "The Master" and "Inside Llewyn Davis") to garner any serious attention from the Academy. It will likely get the performance nominations, but not much else. That being said, "A Most Violent Year" is so rich and deeply layered that it will receive plenty of rave reviews and stand the test of time. 

Watch the trailer below.

SEE ALSO: Jake Gyllenhaal Goes Psycho In His Dark New Movie 'Nightcrawler'

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The trajectory of Ben and Eric Kusin's pitch in the sixth season of "Shark Tank" changed significantly after they told the investors that their father was the successful co-founder of GameStop and had invested $2 million in their business.

"I feel very badly saying this to you, but I, as a matter of principle, don't invest in rich kids' businesses," Barbara Corcoran told the brothers.

Lori Greiner and some of the other Sharks disagreed with Corcoran, and the Kusins walked away with a $150,000 deal with Greiner for a 15% stake in their fabric freshener company Reviver.

In a recent interview with Corcoran, she told Business Insider that she thinks entrepreneurs from a privileged background don't have the need to have their business succeed, and that can make all the difference when their back is against the wall.

Eric Kusin saw her explanation and explained to us that he respectfully disagrees. "I think there's a huge difference between being rich and being spoiled," he says. He says he can't emphasize enough that he finds people who feel entitled to success to be "just gross."

Shark Greiner tells us that on an individual basis, children of wealthy parents "may need to prove themselves even more" than those who weren't.

Eric agrees. "I think to get out of a shadow is a huge motivator for me and Ben. And we say that with incredible respect for our dad," he says.

To Greiner, what matters more than anything to someone's upbringing is the values they're taught, whether their parents were blue-collar workers or powerful executives.

Ben left a career in the video game industry to begin developing Reviver, and Eric left a job as a buyer for Neiman Marcus to join his brother in 2011. They both grew up with their father, who is self-made, instilling in them a strong work ethic, Eric said. "We constantly heard, 'Money skips a generation," he says, referring to their father's determination to not let his children spend all of his money without trying to make their own.

The way Eric explains it, that $2 million investment from their father paid for research and development necessary to make Reviver a competitive premium product, but even though it was the result of privilege, it doesn't define their business or who they are.

Corcoran tells us that even though not every entrepreneur from a wealthy family is spoiled and that her bias could keep her from investing in a profitable business, she's going to stick by it. Ultimately, she says, "the poor kid still has the advantage over the privileged kid" because when you don't need your business to succeed to keep you from going hungry or homeless, "you get cheated out of thinking of those spur-of-the-moment, very needy ideas that get you through."

Even if Corcoran personally cannot identify with an entrepreneur with a safety net enough to invest in them, Eric says that it's a dangerous bias. "I think it's very important that we as a country don't forget that we're founded on this idea of being a marketplace of ideas," he says. "We want Reviver to sink or swim based on its functionality as a product and to not be representative of a life of privilege."

SEE ALSO: Why Barbara Corcoran Never Invests In Rich Kids

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Check out the Business Insider Jobs section >>

As part of our new partnership with CareerBuilder.com, each week we'll feature one of the awesome jobs advertised on the Business Insider jobs board.

To learn more about this opportunity click here

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On New Year's Day, while the rest of the world was nursing hangovers and signing up for gym memberships, Pete Holby was ready to start the most important resolution he made for himself for 2015. Holby decided he would watch the entirety of Dawson's Creek — all six seasons — marathon-style.

No sleeping. No stopping. And he'd live-tweet it all for charity (and the live-tweets are mocking, and somewhat NSFW, exactly what you want to see when you revisit a show that's been off the air for 12 years.)

dawson goes to nicki's house to give her grief about the camera! she tells him to eat shit

— Sorry Everyone (@sorryeveryone) January 3, 2015

In 1998, "Dawson's Creek" aired on the then-WB network, following the lives of four melodramatic teenagers who lived in fictional Capeside, Massachussetts. The program was a major hit, and even after its finale aired in 2003 it lives on through streaming services like Netflix for a brand new audience to enjoy.

Here's how it's working: Holby is encouraging people to donate to the charity of their choice, and then asks for those people to forward him the confirmation email from the charity after donating.

so make it worth my doing! donate to some charity you care about and bump up our cumulative total. details here: http://t.co/wQDT4s3Bqq

— Sorry Everyone (@sorryeveryone) January 3, 2015

That way he can keep a running tally of the money he's raising. In an email to Business Insider, Holby tells us he's raised over $3,500 to various charities.

But...why?

In Holby's email to Business Insider, he writes:

I was bouncing around wikipedia one day and noticed Dawson's Creek had 128 episodes. Doing the math on that it adds up to just under four days, which gave me the idea that you could try to do it in one sitting. This is a really stupid thing to do for all of the obvious reasons, which is where the charity angle comes in. There is zero good reason to do this, so invent a reason. In June of 2013 a buddy & I spent 24 hours at Denny's eating pancakes and raising money, with the support of SB Nation but primarily via twitter, just goofing off and directly asking people to donate money to something that mattered. So it's basically "make a spectacle, then ask nicely." Asking people to donate to whatever they care about just seemed like it would be easier to get people to kick in and they might get more personal satisfaction out of doing it.

As for what I hope to accomplish, I'm just trying to have fun. I like livetweeting things, and Dawson's Creek is a rich text if you're looking to riff on things. I had a number I was hoping to hit in mind but it was mostly "if no one donates this will be a humiliating waste of time," and the response has been tremendous. As of right now the cumulative total is just over $3,500 in 48 hours, by which I'm blown away. Twitter has been super important - I have a number of friends/followers who have their own, more substantial following and have been kind enough to help me promote, and @jon_bois in particular is an old friend who has been a huge help. But in addition to the people there, twitter is just the right venue. I tweeted about Dawson's Creek every 3-5 minutes for 41 straight hours, on facebook that would be beyond obnoxious. 

It's January 3rd, and Holby is still going strong (I can tell you, as a fan of "Dawson's Creek," that he's currently on season 3):

andie confesses to her brother that she stole the test! she did it so that people would stop thinking she was mentally ill

— Sorry Everyone (@sorryeveryone) January 3, 2015

joey feels humiliated. "No one's humiliated," Dawson says, "except maybe the person wh odid it." VALIDATE AN EXISTENCE SOMETIME, JESUS

— Sorry Everyone (@sorryeveryone) January 3, 2015

they take henry to the hospital to put some blood back in him

— Sorry Everyone (@sorryeveryone) January 3, 2015

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The flip phone isn't extinct yet. Some even say it's making a very-trendy comeback.

Celebrities, CEOs, sports team owners, and politicians have all been spotted with archaic, clunky flip phones. Some cling to them citing security reasons. Others like them for their functionality.

At a time when everything from confidential corporate emails to iCloud accounts are getting hacked, these successful people might have the right idea by turning to flip phones.

Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, is worth $3 billion and he still uses a flip phone.

Last year Jones defended his love of flip phones: "It’s free of hip dialing. You can have some pretty confidential conversations and not get overheard by the camera man by talking into this flip phone.”

Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour still flaunts hers.

Though Anna Wintour has owned both an iPhone and a BlackBerry in recent years, she was spotted carrying an unidentifiable flip phone at the US Open earlier this year.

Stephen Schwarzman, the CEO of private equity behemoth Blackstone Group, uses a Nokia 6350.

"Steve uses his flip phone to make and get phone calls. It does that better and more easily than any other device. He has an iPad for everything else," Schwarzman's representative told Business Insider.

In a new interview with The Guardian, Kid Rock reveals being in the music industry has paid off big time.

"I'm not just wealthy, I’m loaded," says the 43-year-old "Cowboy" singer. "I can say that because I’m not embarrassed — I’ve made a f--k-ton of money, but I’ve never made a dishonest dollar. I try to do right by the people around me."

The singer-actor-record producer is worth an estimated $80 million. His hit 1998 album "Devil Without a Cause" sold over 13 million albums worldwide. Rock has sold over 27 million albums worldwide throughout his career, making him one of the most successful American musicians of the last 15 years. 

In 2013, Rock capped his summer concert ticket prices at $20 to ensure his fans could see him perform live.

"Instead of taking a big upfront fee from the promoter, the 'guarantee' an act receives even if attendance is poor, he shouldered more risk by sharing ticket sales with Live Nation," The Wall Street Journal reported at the time. “In exchange, the promoter agreed to share revenue from food, drinks and parking—house earnings in which entertainers rarely get a stake."

The approach paid off, with venues selling out and more shows being added to the tour.

"I'm lucky enough that I can afford to take a pay cut," Rock said when he announced the tour.

"Let's give the fans the best deal, then us rich motherf------ can go fight about how to divvy up the money," he told WSJ. "Because even at $20, there's plenty of money there. I said to Live Nation, look at these past tours that I've done. Some nights you make a lot of money, some nights you lose a lot of money. Why don't we just be on the up and up and divide the money fairly? Then the profit is going to be in the number of people who turn out. And thank the Lord that it's working."

So what does Rock spend his money on?

"I’m always buying more guns," he recently told The Guardian. "I have everything from a Civil War cannon to an MP5 machine gun and old police guns. If someone invades your house, yeah, you can shoot them. I don’t think crazy people should have guns."

Rock is also very vocal about his politics.

"I played Barack Obama’s inauguration even though I didn’t vote for him. I didn’t agree with his policies, but there was an exciting sense of change in the air. That promise hasn’t been fulfilled – the country is more divided than ever," he told The Guardian.

Rock added: "I am definitely a Republican on fiscal issues and the military, but I lean to the middle on social issues. I am no fan of abortion, but it’s not up to a man to tell a woman what to do. As an ordained minister I don’t look forward to marrying gay people, but I’m not opposed to it."

But don't expect Rock to be expressing his views via social media.

"I don’t FaceTweet or whatever people do. I understand that I’m the old guy now. I turn on my computer and look at porn a little bit, see what’s going on in the news, but that’s about it. I’m comfortable with that."

SEE ALSO: Singer Jessie J: Writing 'Party In The USA' Paid My Rent For Years

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"Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Interstellar" may have been among the highest-grossing movies of the year, but what were the best movies of the year?

We've pulled together the best-critiqued movies of the year, according to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. 

15. "Snowpiercer" (Radius-TWC): 95%

Stars: Tilda Swinton, Chris Evans, and Jamie Bell
Box Office: $86.8 million worldwide
165 reviews

Did you know Captain America (Chris Evans) was in another popular movie this year?

This year's sci-fi cult favorite can be easily described as "The Hunger Games" on a train, minus the kid killing and archery. Instead, it follows Curtis (Evans) leading a passenger revolt between social classes upon a train to nowhere carrying the last survivors on Earth after a failed global-warming initiative kills off most life on the planet.

14. "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (Fox): 92%

Stars: Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy, Ian McKellen
Box Office: $746 million worldwide
237 reviews

Director Bryan Singer ("The Usual Suspects") returned to unite his original X-Men trilogy stars (Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, and Hugh Jackman) with the new younger crop (Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender), and it made for the year's best-rated superhero film. 

Sure, the film may have had one of the most confusing titles of the year, but it was one of the best X-Men movies yet. It even wiped away the existence of 2006's critically-panned "X-Men: The Last Stand" to the pleasure of many fanboys. Don't forget the addition of fan-favorite mutant Quicksilver (Evan Peters).

13. "The Missing Picture" (Strand): 99%

Narration by Randal Douc, Jean-Baptiste Phou
Box Office: $52,164 worldwide
74 reviews

The documentary follows a man as he looks for a picture taken between 1975 and 1979 by the Khmer Rouge when they ruled over Cambodia. He believes the picture will prove mass murder and searches vainly in archives, old papers, and country villages for the lost object. 

The film won the top prize at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for Best Foreign Film at this past year's Oscars.

On the New Year's episode of "The Price Is Right" where the show revisits some of the best moments of the previous year's episodes, contestants were asked to guess the price of a 16GB iPhone with a one-year calling plan, 4 gigs of data and unlimited talk and text.

Off the top of your head, what would your guess be?

Well, the contestants had these ideas: The first offered $7,500 (!), and the second player picked the price of $7,501. The third contestant went with $850 and the last determined the phone package would cost $930.

The actual cost? $1,969.

Tim Cook, are you watching?

Take a look at the full video:

 H/T CNet

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The November hack of Sony "resulted in the destruction of about three-quarters of the computers and servers at the studio’s main operations," David Sanger and Michael Schmidt reported this weekend in the New York Times.

American officials had previously concluded that North Korea was “centrally involved,” and intelligence officials told the Times that the US intelligence community "concluded that the cyberattack was both state-sponsored and far more destructive than any seen before on American soil." 

President Barack Obama has publicly blamed North Korea, and on Friday the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on 10 senior North Korean officials and the intelligence agency deemed to be behind “many of North Korea’s major cyberoperations.”

The Times notes that skeptics, including several cybersecurity firms, argue that the president "had been misled by American intelligence agencies that were too eager to blame a longtime adversary and allowed themselves to be duped by ingenious hackers skilled at hiding their tracks."

The evidence against Pyongyang, much of which is classified, is reportedly substantial. Shane Harris of The Daily Beast, citing sources familiar with the investigation, reports that "the most damning evidence against the Sony hackers was obtained in a secret, and years earlier, during previous intelligence-gathering efforts. "

The Times adds that "Obama’s critics do not have a consistent explanation of who might have been culpable." The notion that a disgruntled former employee masterminded the huge hack has been denied by CEO of Sony Entertainment Michael Lynton.

Others assert that it was outside hacking groups using 'The Interview' — a crude comedy in which two television hosts travel to North Korea and assassinate Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un  — as cover. In June, North Korea called the comedy "the most blatant act of terrorism" and vowed that "a merciless counter-measure will be taken" if the Obama administration allowed the film's release.

The Sony hack is the second major attack in which hackers targeted American corporate infrastructure on a large scale with the primary goal of destroying it (as opposed to stealing from it or spying on it). 

Dozens of terabytes of information was taken, revealing information including scripts, unreleased movies, actor compensation, and off-the-cuff conversations among high-level Sony executives.

After the hack surfaced on November 24, all hell broke loose in the entertainment world as news organizations scrambled to cover every possible angle. Threats of violence against movie theaters led to Sony canceling the Dec. 25 theatrical release of "The Interview."

Sony backpedaled by offering the film to independent theaters, after pressure from the White House, and the movie is being distributed via YouTube.

SEE ALSO: Stop Saying North Korea Didn't Hack Sony

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Singer Jessie J may have radio hits like "Domino" and "Bang Bang" on her resumé, but the 26-year-old didn't start out in the spotlight.

Instead, the London-born Jessie J began her career writing songs for stars such as Chris Brown, "American Idol" winner Lisa Lowes, and Miley Cyrus.

In 2009, she was responsible for writing Cyrus' No. 1 hit "Party in the U.S.A."

"You’ve got to write songs, that’s where the money is, being an artist. 'Party In the U.S.A' paid my rent for, like, three years," she recently told Glamour UK. "Actually, it was longer than that. That’s where I get most of my money. I write songs. I’m a singer. I love doing endorsements and stuff, but that’s all added on."

The singer explained further in a 2011 interview with RWD magazine: "You know what's more weird though, is that you're not actually there when they record it," she explained of the process. "I recorded 'Party In The U.S.A.,' played it for the label but they didn't think it was right for me. So they pitched it and two weeks later it was number one in six countries."

"Party in the U.S.A." became the sixth-best-selling digital single of 2009 and is one of the best-selling singles in history. As of 2012, it was Hollywood Records' fastest and best-selling single to date, selling 6 million copies worldwide.

Although "Party in the U.S.A." wasn't exactly the sound Miley Cyrus was going for at the time post-"Hannah Montana," the singer previously told V Magazine that she never regretted recording it.

"I can never say that I don't love 'Party in the U.S.A.' and that I'm not appreciative of it," Cyrus said. "It would like my dad saying that he hated 'Achy Breaky.' It's what gives you everything that you have. I would never take it back."

While it's impossible to know exactly what Jessie J earned for writing the song — between sales, downloads, streams, radio spins, and licenses to TV, films, and advertisements — Quora user Mike Podwall, who used to work for a Music Publishing company and negotiated deals on behalf of writers, explains:

In simple terms, songwriters make money in three ways: Mechanical Royalties (album sales and digital downloads), Performance Royalties (radio play) and Synchronization Royalties (licensing to TV, Films, Ads).  There are other revenue streams--especially with the advent of Internet streaming services--but these three represent the lion's share.

Read his full response on Quora here.

Watch "Party in the U.S.A." below:

SEE ALSO: 16 Surprising Facts You Didn't Know About Popular Songs

MORE: Andre 3000 Didn't Want To Do The Outkast Reunion Tour But Agreed For One Reason

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It's impossible to watch "Selma" in America today and not feel confronted by the striking parallels to recent turmoil.

The Eric Garner and Michael Brown grand jury decisions have brought the issue of race back into the spotlight, and the calculated response and protest by unhappy American people harkens back to Martin Luther King Jr.'s crusade for civil rights. 

"Selma" is not your typical biopic: We don't see Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth, we don't see his death, and we don't get very much in between. What we do get is a focused look at one key event that changed the course of the country for the better — the monumental Civil Rights March in Selma, Alabama that led to national attention and widespread outrage for the South's 'desegregated in name only' approach and systematic opression of people of color.

There are scenes throughout "Selma" — people walking in the streets, demanding justice — that parallel news coverage from the past month. Many of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speeches are depicted in the film, and each sentiment is more strikingly relevant than the last.

The basic notion that all of the cops in the movie are white and any threat of violence to white people seem to be valued more than excessive force against blacks evokes the deaths of Gordon and Brown after aggressive police responses. It brings certain numbers to mind, such as how Ferguson is 60% black, the police force is 94% white, and that 93% of Ferguson arrests in 2013 were people of color.

One of the most memorable scenes is when protesters (without MLK Jr.) descend upon the bridge towards Selma and are accosted by ruthless, angry white southern police officers as well as a slew of spectators eagerly cheering them on. This scene depicts a watershed moment and major turning point in the movement, as news cameras and photographers were able to bring the issue into the homes of Americans nationwide. Martin Luther King's comments following the first march on the bridge was a national call-to-arms for people of all races.

Countless African-Americans are beaten and a few killed by the police during the marches, and the film does not shy away from the sheer brutality that was on display during this era. When King notes that none of the white police officers were convicted or tried for their awful crimes, more connections to the present are revealed and it's hard to swallow.

The march on Selma itself is emblematic of the larger problem we still face today. While blatant beatings orchestrated by law enforcement in broad daylight may be a thing of the past, the protests in Ferguson (and to a lesser extent those breaking out across the nation) and the overzealous militarized response are not far off. Sure, you can spin it and put the blame on the small subsection of protesters who were looting and causing a ruckus, but there were thousands protesting peacefully who were tear-gassed all the same. The parallels to the "hands up, don't shoot" movement are striking and shocking. 

David Oyelowo plays MLK Jr. with such a dignified grace and commanding presence that at times it's hard to believe you're not watching footage of the man himself. It's a subtle performance in which he says just as much with his eyes and demeanor than he does with words, and it's one of the year's best — even in a year of many wonderful performances.

"Selma" is a timely, important and magnificent film that proves no matter how far we've come towards equality in America, we still have a long way to go.

SEE ALSO: It's Clear That Race Is America's Deepest Problem

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My family went to Disneyland over the Christmas holidays. The drive from San Francisco took most of a day. The park was packed to the rafters, with wait times of over an hour on many rides. My next credit card bill will probably give me a heart attack. 

And you know what? We loved it. We'll almost definitely go back.

The reason? Disneyland feels like one of the few affordable splurges left in America. Despite the crowds and wait times, we never felt ripped off or taken advantage of. I never felt like a walking dollar sign or a second-class citizen.

Think of how rare that feeling is in America today. There aren't many other companies that deliver a consistent first-class experience at a price a normal middle class family can afford.

Apple is one of the few I can think of. 

So how does Disney keep packing them in? 

Here's what I found:

The prices are exactly right. One-day tickets to the park are just shy of the psychological $100 mark. That's not cheap, but crummy seats at an NFL game or big-name rock concert easily run that much, and a day at Disneyland lasts a lot longer.

This merchandising genius extends to the food and tchotchkes as well — a decent meal costs $9 to $11, about what you pay for lunch at a food truck in San Francisco. A plastic light saber for my son cost $18 — just on the edge of being too expensive, but shy of the psychological $20 mark. They're geniuses at this stuff.

The parks are spotless. Both parks were wall-to-wall packed with people, and yet we didn't see a single unattended mess the entire time we were there. No overflowing garbage cans — attendants were always emptying them. No paper or popcorn on the streets. Spills of ice cream or soda were quickly and quietly scrubbed clean. Coming from San Francisco, where piles of garbage adorn the parks and litter blows down every street, this was absolutely amazing.

The food is actually good. It would be so easy for Disneyland to take advantage of their captive audience and serve nothing but cheap junk food. But they don't! A lot of the restaurants have special meals you can get only there, like gumbo. Lobster rolls with real lobster. A portobello mushroom sandwich that wasn't like an afterthought like most vegetarian meals. A pasta and pizza buffet. Kids' packs with fresh fruit and crackers. Plus plenty of burgers and fries if you want them.

Lots of rides, artfully done. Both parks combined probably have over 100 rides. The big roller-coaster attractions like Space Mountain are usually packed, but there are plenty of smaller rides that are fun as well — one of our favorites was the Bug's Life ride, a short 3D movie that shows you what it's like to be a bug, with special effects like getting sprayed with acid. (It's actually sugar water, and it's more fun than it sounds.)

Plus, they totally changed a lot of the rides up for Christmas — "It's A Small World" ride replaced the usual theme song with "Jingle Bells," and the Haunted Mansion was entirely rejiggered to Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas." And all the rides are just beautiful, and cleverly done — the lines are long, but often wind through a couple of set pieces that that build anticipation, rather than simply guiding you through acres of concrete.

Disney owns the rights to all the good kids' entertainment. Speaking of "The Nightmare Before Christmas," I didn't even know it was a Disney movie. So is Pixar. So is Star Wars. For that matter, so is ESPN — one adult relative got sick of the crowds and spent a couple hours in the ESPN Zone restaurant watching football. 

They've thought of everything. Need a stroller? Disney will rent you one for $15 (just shy of being too expensive). Want to bring your dog? There's a doggy day care area — all you have to do is come back to walk your pooch every four hours. Drink too much alcohol at the California Adventure side of the park, where they serve wine and beer? A smiling security guard will help you feel better as he escorts you from the park. (We saw this and it could've been an ugly disaster, but was handled perfectly.)

It's just the perfect combination of pricing, marketing, and art-meets-science, all wrapped up with a customer-first bow. Again, a lot like Apple.

Apparently a lot of other people agree. 

According to the Themed Entertainment Association (cited by Forbes), Disney's parks drew more than 132 million customers in 2013. That's nearly twice as many as its nearest competitor, Merlin, which operates Legoland.

You can expect that number to go up in 2014. In the year ended September 28, Disney's parks and resorts earned $2.6 billion in operating profit (up 20%) on $15.1 billion in revenue (up 7%). That's a profit margin of about 18% on a nicely growing business. It's not just theme parks — Disney also operates resorts and cruises and other vacation experiences — but the theme parks are the main driver of that business. 

Apparently there have been calls for Disney to raise prices on its theme parks to keep crowds down. But every person through the gates is another person who will spend money on food, Disney gear, and other extras. Disney knows exactly what it's doing, and the parks seem to be doing great.

Sort of like how people were calling on Apple to lower prices a year ago to meet the Samsung-Android juggernaut. Apple ignored them, and the iPhone 6 is one of its most profitable products yet, while Samsung is struggling.

SEE ALSO: I Can't Think Of One Reason To Buy The Apple Watch —But It Was The Same With The iPhone

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This year's box office was one of the worst in recent years.

A lack of really huge summer blockbusters resulted in the lowest domestic box-office since 2007. According to BoxOffice.com, this year's movies made an approximate total gross of $9.9 billion to date.

Superhero movies, family-friendly flicks, and high-profile book adaptations were big hits this year. Marvel did particularly well with several major releases. 

We know "Guardians of The Galaxy" was an unexpected summer blockbuster and that "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1" performed well, but which movie reigned supreme at the box office?

We've compiled the highest-grossing movies of 2014.*

*Grosses as of 1/3/15. We will continue to update this post accordingly.

16. "Lucy": $458.9 million

Studio: Universal
Release date: Jul. 25, 2014
Estimated budget: $40 million
Domestic gross:  $126.7 million

The critically divisive sci-fi indie starring Scarlett Johansson as a young woman who could unlock the full potential of the human brain exploded at the box office. It helped that the film made this out to be a female superhero movie starring a popular "Avengers" character. There’s been a lot of anticipation for Johansson to get her own spin-off Black Widow film. "Lucy" proved that even without the rest of the Avengers at her side, Johansson can bring in a large audience. After the film's success, both Warner Bros. and Marvel announced future female standalone movies.

(Source: Box Office Mojo)

15. "The LEGO Movie": $468.1 million

Studio: Warner Bros.
Release date: Feb. 7, 2014
Estimated budget: $60 million
Domestic gross: $257.8 million

"The LEGO Movie" debuted at number one on the box-office charts with a $69.1 million opening weekend, making for one of the biggest February openings ever.

The universal praise for the movie and a catchy theme song from the talented writer-director team of Christopher Miller and Phil Lord ("Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs," "21 Jump Street") helped prove everything about a LEGO movie is awesome. The film's combination of smart, subversive commentary about conformity, pop culture references and Easter eggs, along with top-notch voice talent (Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, and Elizabeth Banks) all made for an appealing movie for both kids and adults. Warner Bros. already has three sequels in the works including a Batman spin-off. 

With no Pixar film this year, "The LEGO Movie" has a good chance at taking home the Oscar for best-animated film. 

(Source: Box Office Mojo)

14. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles": $477.2 million

Studio: Paramount
Release date: Aug. 8, 2014
Estimated budget: $125 million
Domestic gross:  $191.2 million

Even though the movie was critically panned, it still managed to be a box-office success, showing nostalgia and sheer curiosity are powerful tools for bringing in audience members. The movie also starred Megan Fox.

"Ninja Turtles" debuted at number one opening weekend, knocking "Guardians Of The Galaxy" off its box-office throne with $65.6 million opening weekend. The film went on to be one of the highest-grossing movies of the summer. Paramount has no plans on retiring this franchise; it already has a sequel planned for June 2016.

(Source: Box Office Mojo)