Billie holiday 100 years of lady day

FRIDAY MIDDAY: Moviegoers can’t resist dinosaurs, and they can’t resist Minions, especially when they’re coming from Universal . The studio has a big Fourth of July winner in the fifth Illumination movie starring the little guys as Minions: The Rise of Gru will see a $116.6M 4-day holiday opening and a $98.7M 3-day after a $43M opening day (which includes Thursday night’s $10.75M) at 4,391 theaters. Minions: The Rise of Gru is the fifth-highest opening of 2022 after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ($187.4M), Jurassic World Dominion ($145M), The Batman ($134M) and Top Gun: Maverick ($126.7M). Rise of Gru is easily the top opening for an animated movie during the pandemic and the best for the Independence Day holiday in the Covid era, and it’s the fifth Despicable Me/Minions title to open at No. 1 in U.S./Canada. The sequel also in on pace to be the 10th-highest animated film domestically, knocking Inside Out from No. 10, … [Read more...] about ‘Minions: The Rise Of Gru’ No Small Fry At Independence Day Box Office With $116M+ Opening

When A League of Their Own hit theaters on July 1, 1992, it was up against a crowded slate of blockbusters, including Batman Returns , Lethal Weapon 3 , Patriot Games , and Universal Soldier , that were expected to linger around multiplexes all summer. But when Labor Day rolled around two months later, all those other movies had faded away, and A League of Their Own was still packing in crowds on its way toward a $107.5 million domestic gross. Love for the Penny Marshall-directed film about the World War II-era All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, staring Geena Davis , Lori Petty, Tom Hanks , Madonna , and Rosie O’Donnell, has only grown in the three decades that followed thanks to VHS rentals, DVD sales, and endless replays on cable television. It’s a rare movie that appeals to people across all age groups and demographics, and it revived interest in the half-forgotten AAGPBL. In honor of A League of Their Own ‘s 30th anniversary, we spoke with … [Read more...] about ‘There’s No Crying in Baseball!’: ‘A League of Their Own’ Turns 30

Avid fans of the Dr. Seuss canon that were excited to bring one of the author’s most well-known characters to life in a new animated iteration, Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney set out on a long process of trial and error, seeking to bring a freshness to The Grinch . The third adaptation of a classic 1957 children’s book, Illumination Entertainment ’s latest would place Benedict Cumberbatch in the role of the iconic green curmudgeon, setting out to ruin Christmas for those pesky Whos of Whoville once and for all. Making his feature debut alongside veteran Cheney, Mosier had produced a 3D animated film in 2013— Free Birds , starring Woody Harrelson and Owen Wilson—getting a “crash course” in the form. So, when it came to The Grinch , the challenge wasn’t learning the ropes—it was taking a pre-existing world and fleshing its 60-something pages out, playing with story, character and world design where possible, while delivering fans a faithful adaptation of the story they … [Read more...] about With An Eye Toward International Audiences, ‘The Grinch’ Directors Seek The Essence Of A Seussian World

Asked to direct Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation —following his work on two prior installments of the franchise—the biggest obstacle Genndy Tartakovsky faced was that he didn’t want to make the film in the first place. Seeing installments one and two snowball to major commercial success, the director was nonetheless loathe to repeat himself, continuing the story of Dracula—played by Adam Sandler—and the castle to which he is bound. Breaking out in television, through the creation of hit Cartoon Network series including Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack , Tartakovsky was used to the creative control that came with this arena, which presented an altogether different creative experience, still informing his work to this day. When he was approached by Sony Pictures Animation to make his feature debut with the original Hotel Transylvania , Tartakovsky couldn’t have anticipated the internal conflict that would result. Seeing major results at the helm of studio … [Read more...] about ‘Hotel Transylvania 3’ Helmer Genndy Tartakovsky Confronts Studio Notes, Striving To Break Out With Original Works

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. Lighting is one of the first things we notice when we enter a space. It creates ambiance and mood, two things that can make or break our experience. And even when it comes to outdoor lighting, nothing feels more inviting than sitting under string lights in the summertime. It’s a look often used by beloved restaurants, bars, and hotels. The good news is that it’s pretty easy to replicate this same look at home. That’s why we’ve rounded up some of the best backyard string lights you can buy today. Buying Guide: The Best Backyard String Lights There are a few key things to keep in mind when you’re selecting backyard string lights. Measurements: The first thing to note is that you’ll encounter a large variety of string light lengths. While you’re shopping, some packages may include 40 feet of string lights, while others may include over … [Read more...] about RS Recommends: The Best Backyard String Lights for Summer

Technoblade, a wildly popular Minecraft creator on YouTube with over 11 million subscribers, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 23. Technoblade’s family confirmed his death in a video shared on his YouTube page. In the clip, his father read a message Technoblade wrote before his death, in which the creator finally revealed his real first name, Alex — a long-kept secret amidst his massive popularity. In the letter, Alex thanked fans for all their support, especially for purchasing various memberships and merch over the past year, even if it seemed like he was selling out. He noted that the money from all that would be used to help send his siblings to college — “Well, if they want to,” he quipped. “I don’t want to put any dead brother peer pressure on them.” He added: “If I had another 100 lives, I think I would choose to be Technoblade again every single time because those were the happiest years of my life. I hope you guys enjoyed my content, and that I made … [Read more...] about Technoblade, Popular Minecraft Player and YouTube Creator, Dead at 23

Raye is done giving a fuck about what people think. After being locked in a cage of her former record label for more than five years and unable to release a debut album, Raye is ready to show the world her star power as she debuts unapologetic anthem “Hard Out Here” with Rolling Stone . “I can’t even tell you how liberated I feel,” Raye tells Rolling Stone . “This video is me done being a nice polite pop star. And for the first time, I’m performing and preparing to tell my truth — unapologetically and with no fear.” Filmed at Henry the Eighth’s old hunting lodge (the King was “notorious for his disrespect toward women,” she says), Raye brought all the different iterations of the artist she was told to be while signed to Polydor: a time when she was to change looks, genres, and identities to fit her label’s belief of who she should be. “I was reminded very often that I’m unaware of who I am, which led me to constantly look for outward validation from people who have no idea … [Read more...] about Raye Is ‘Done Being a Nice Polite Pop Star’ as She Debuts Unapologetic Comeback