Box Office Report: October

Time to recap things for the month! First, how much is this blog worth now?

My blog is worth $15,242.58.
How much is your blog worth?

Not bad huh? A pretty big increase over what the worth was last time. I've finally got the technorati ranking up to almost what is was before (30). Let me know if you'd like me to add you to my technorati favorites, we can exchange the favors! As you know, I'm trying to build up my network of blogs, so feel free to visit the ones on the right and add them too... it's much appreciated!

Now for the monthly famous blog. When I decide that you're famous, I give you some stumble love, add you to my NewsFire feed reader, and also add you in to the famous blogs section of the forum over at To Infiniti and Beyond! This month, I think it's someone who really deserves it. It's been a while coming for him, but I'm proud to announce that October's famous blog is.....

Mom Yelled My Full Name Last Night

Congratulations, Matt! You've been there from the very beginning with me, and it's time that you get the recognition that you deserve. I don't know what it is about the writing over there, but it always draws people. He gets tons of comments, and lots of loyal readers, and he should get some more! I mean, cmon.. the guy works at NASA for chrissakes!!! I do admit that he wasn't as excited about the Red Sox winning the world series as he should have.. but I guess that's ok. He was also recently rewarded with a PR of 2!!! Congrats again Matt!

Send the link love his way.. and visit his great blog! Oh.. btw matt, they updated your alexa ranking... sorry.

Speaking of alexa ranking, mine has gone up again! See the bottom of my page for the results. I didn't hit as many pageviews as I would've liked, but again, I appreciate all of the time that you guys spend reading my blog. I know its not always the most interesting thing in the world, but I am proud of my work and I hope you enjoy it sometimes. I really enjoy reading your comments and visiting your blogs as well, though I've been a bit busier than I've been before, running so many blogs. The feed reader should help though! :-) Check out newsfire if you have a mac!

The following posts will return to more movie related themes, with PayPerPost thrown in sometimes! Look for:

• Some sort of video podcast at some point!
• New Rules at the movie theatre!
  

And much more. That's the report for this month.. only one more till another one!

Online Merchants

Everyone has done their fair share of shopping online. I admit that I do it quite frequently myself. One of my favorite online vendors is GoDaddy. I purchased this and several other domains from them, as well as hosting services. The frustration that many people have with these is that there is no one right there to help you deal with any issues. I'm glad to say that while you don't have someone right in front of you with GoDaddy, you can call them and get an immediate response any time of the day! I've done this several times and have always been satisfied with the result.

Their website may be a bit cluttered, but I think that their services are great, and the GoDaddy name is well known. Be sure to visit them for any of your internet domain name, hosting and other online needs!

Newegg is another online store that I approve of. They've always got great deals on electronics, especially computer memory and computer accessories. Also look for them to have special deals every week, and excellent customer service to boot! Again, another good reason to do business online! Keep in mind that doing business online is just as safe as buying in stores!

Also, be sure to check out Coupon Kathy for these great sharper image coupons! Shopping online just got better!

This post has been sponsored by Coupon Kathy.

Movies this Weekend!

Wow, I've been so busy with other things that I almost forgot about this! But I didn't. November looks like its going to bring us less movie releases, but that could be a good thing. It should mean more quality product... hopefully. Well, here we go for this weekend:

American Gangster - Based on the powerful true story of Frank Lewis. Frank was a driver for one of the most powerful crime bosses in Harlem. When his boss suddenly dies, Frank takes advantage of the gap in power to take power and begins to build his empire. In addition to taking control of the drug trade, he becomes one of the most respected civic authorities in the city. In the meantime, Robert Crowe plays an officer who is close enough to the streets to sense a shift in the power. He suspects that a powerful black man is climbing his way to power. Their paths become intertwined, and they meet in a confrontation that only one can win.

How I think it will do - Historical dramas are not really my thing, but they tend to do pretty well at the box office, especially when they are centered around a certain area. This movie should do especially well in the New York Area. 2nd in the week I think. The trailer does look really good.

The Martian Child - Based on the novel by David Gerrold. John Cusack plays a recent widow who forms a relationship with a close friend and adopt a child who claims to be from Mars. Against the advice of his wife's sister, a series of strange occurrances leads them to believe that his claim may be true.

How I think it will do - I don't see this film performing particularly well. It has an interesting concept, but may be a bit too out there for a mainstream romantic drama. It should break the top 5 but just barely.




Bee Movie - A CG movie featuring a bee voiced by Jerry Seinfeld. Barry B. Benson is disappointed that he has only one career choice, and that is in honey. As he ventures out, he makes contact with a human and realizes that humans have been stealing the bees honey and eating it. He finds a new calling, and that is suing humans for stealing the bee's honey for all these centuries.

How I think it will do - These types of movies always do well, and I like Seinfeld, so I think that this one will do very well. It's definitely going to compete for #1 and I think that this will make it. It's the one that I want to see this weekend. Lots of happy kids and their parents will drive this one to the top.




More movies this weekend! Limited!!!!

Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten
Diva
Sharkwater
Fat Girls
Darfur Now
Quantum Hoops

Well, thats all for this week. Which one are you going to see?

I Have Been Accepted by PayPerPost

Well, after a couple of attempts, and opening up a ticket, I have been approved by payperpost. Now I know that I was going to try to put less advertisements on this site, and believe me, I am going to try to hold true to that. Once I get 10 posts in I will likely continue sponsored posts on a different blog because this service looks like a really great moneymaker, but I still want to provide quality movie information on this blog.

Anyway, for those of you looking to make money online, I believe that payperpost is a great way to make consistent income on your blog. You can almost always find an opportunity that will suit your likings! Best of all, its easy to sign up and there is no commitment required! Just sign up, qualify your blog, and start posting for money. It's that easy. I know it can seem like a long time to wait to get approved, but I believe that once you get approved, it will be definitely worth your while!

Another great thing is that if you are afraid you are being too commercial, you can donate your earnings from this to a charity of your choice! Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this opportunity.

Movie Review: Saw IV

Whoo, what a thriller. Saw Saw IV today with my girlfriend. This is one of her favorite series, and I've grown on it. I still need to see the second one, but that doesn't matter for this review.

For those of you who don't know anything about the Saw series, I'll provide a bit of background. Each film involves several characters being tested by Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) for things that they have done. Each character generally is either strapped to a deadly trap or trapped somewhere, and must discover their way out, but only in the way that Jigsaw wants them to.

Saw IV picks up where Saw III left off, seemingly. Jigsaw's body is being autopsied, and in the process, a wax covered tape is found in his stomach. Playing the tape, it is reveled that again "The games have just begun". One of the officers in the precinct, obsessed with the disappearance and death of many of his fellow officers, is drawn through a series of clues set by Jigsaw. At several points, he encounters traps which have been set up for other people, and aids Jigsaw in testing them.

Meanwhile, the FBI have become involved in the case, and attempt to track down Jigsaw's new apprentice. This leads them to interrogate Jigsaw's ex wife, and much of the history of what made Jigsaw who he is now is revealed. Following the clues, one of the agents goes to the warehouse where Saw III occurred, where several officers have been trapped.....

Not going to spoil it for anyone who plans to see it, but this one was quite psychological, and the traps were excellent. It really played games with your head, and I enjoyed it. It was a really good movie to release right now, with Halloween (duh) and I think it should do quite well. It did leave an ending open for more Saw movies to be created, so I'm looking forward to it.

If you're looking for a good gross out movie that makes you think a little bit, then this one will be great. I think it was better than Saw III, though I don't know if it matches the original Saw. This one will be a series to look for as a horror classic in the years to come, in my opinion.

It gets an 8 out of 10 for me! First movie in a while :-)

Movie Preview: I Am Legend

A friend of mine pointed me over at the trailer for the new Will Smith movie, I Am Legend and I have to say that I'm getting pretty excited about it. The movie looks beautiful, and I've always been a fan of Will Smith movies.

The premise behind I Am Legend is that Will Smith plays a brilliant scientist who is unable to stop a deadly virus. Somehow immune, Smith's character sends out daily radio broadcasts, hoping to reach some of the remaining survivors of the world. However, the mutated infected, who have survived, are watching his every move and are waiting for their chance to strike. Dr. Neville (Smith) now must race to find a cure to revert the infected using his own blood, but he is quickly running out of time.

Check out the trailer and let me know what you think!



An interesting fact about Will Smith: He turned down a scholarship at MIT to pursue his music career more seriously. That officially makes him smarter than me.

Movies this Weekend!

I know this is kind of late, but I actually went out tonight (I have a life?). Had some great Indian food. I'm surprised I'd never been to this restaurant cuz its really close to where I went to school. Definitely check out some Indian food if you get a chance, its great! I wish I could remember what it was all called so that I could order it again!

Anyway, not too many movies opening up this weekend, but here we go!

Saw IV - "If it's Halloween, it must be SAW". Jigsaw and his apprentice Amanda are both dead. Special agents have been called in to aid the depleted police precinct in trying to sift through the clues. The final SWAT team member not touched by Jigsaw is then abducted, and thrust into yet another game. Following the clues and trail of dead bodies, we learn the reasoning behind Jigsaw's evil, and his plan for his past, present, and future victims.

How I think it will do - I think this is going to do AWESOME. The timing is just right, Wednesday will be a huge day for this one. The Saw series, just like most series, hasn't been as good as the first one, but the crowds will come. Unlike Halloween, this one is gonna hit people right when they're looking for a new horror flick. Congrats on these guys for finding a weekend when there is little competition too!



Dan In Real Life - A comedy starring Steve Carrell. Dan is an advice columnist who is struggling to raise a house full of girls all by himself. Things get more complicated when he falls in love with a woman who just happens to be dating is brother.

How I think it will do - I think this one will do ok, its another comedy out there. It has Steve Carrell, so that will help. But it also has Dane Cook, who is ok at times but unbearable at others. Saw will still be the big movie of the weekend, but this one can be for the non-sqeamish types. It's also the golden PG-13 rating, so people who can't get into Saw will see this one too. It's the only real competition, and its been getting some pretty good reviews.

More Movies! Limited Releases!

• Pete Seeger: The Power of Song
• Jimmy Carter Man From Plains
• Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
• Trailer Park Boys - The Movie
• The Island
• DarkBlueAlmostBlack
• Slipstream
• Bella
• Music Within
• How to Cook Your Life
• Black Irish
• Mr. Untouchable
• Rails and Ties
• Lagerfield Confidential
• Lynch
• No Smoking
• Total Denial
• The Living and the Dead
• O Jerusalem

Lots of indie movies coming out recently. I know that they're the ones that get appreciated more, but when are we going to get the next big blockbuster?!?! Is it going to be Saw IV? Those movies just make my weekend more fun because they make it busy.

Know that I've been tagged for a couple memes by Daszzle, and I will get to them! Just been so busy trying to run 4 blogs :-P. That's all for now!

Does Where You Live Affect What You See?

First off, GO RED SOX. My boys made it to the World Series again. I'm pretty spoiled, as its been two times in four years, but that doesn't make me any less happy. I'll be sure to pick up a hat and a tshirt if they win the Series. You can do it boys.

Now onto the real subject of this post. The title is pretty self explanatory. Having more access to the numbers than the general reader, I can say that it does. I've had quite a few experiences where being located in or near Boston has affected what the general public is around here, in terms of movies. Most recently, this happened with Gone Baby Gone. This movie was pretty highly anticipated around here, and you can tell from the movie poster that it is based in Boston.

How much of an affect did this have? Well, my theatre was in the top 10 for grosses when it came to this particular film. Not that my theatre is usually terrible or anything, but we usually don't break the top 10 in the country for any movie. This has happened once before, and guess what movie it was? That's right, Fever Pitch. Great movie, by the way. Who would've thunk that a movie about the Red Sox would do the best in the Boston market? That's really strange, isn't it? ;-)

Have you ever found yourself watching a movie because it happened around where you live? I think it really does affect things. Now that I think about it, Mystic River did pretty well around the Boston area. Let me know!

Not too much happened to me this weekend, except for my boys making a near miracle comeback in the ALCS. Saw IV comes out this week. I'm excited.

Customer Service Call

Working at the movie theatre, I have had many experiences dealing with customer service. It is basically all the industry is about! (Ok, movies too, but sometimes those play second string even) Knowing this, I often keep my eyes open as to how people at other locations where customer service is important are treated, such as restaurants and sports events. Knowing how difficult customers can be sometimes, it was pretty interesting for me to observe a customer at a restaurant.

We'll call our difficult customer "X". My girlfriend and I had arrived at the restaurant about 10 minutes before. It was soaking wet outside, so I can understand that no one coming in would be the happiest people around, I certainly wasn't. However, our hostess was friendly and we were seated promptly. After drying off a bit, I sat at our table waiting for my girlfriend to get back so that we could start our meal. During this time, X and his friend had come in and been seated. X decided to move his own seat, insisting that he should sit there because it was "brighter".

The table was open, but the server for that table had just left and so there was no one to serve the table. X asked if that was ok, and at first the hostess said No. A mistake on her part, but she quickly made up for it. X threatened to leave, and was allowed to sit at his desired table. The hostess made sure that their server knew they would be at a different table. I knew from this point that X would be difficult, so I observed him while we ate. Our service was pretty good, though the food took a little longer than I would've liked.

X, on the other hand, waited about 5 minutes for his server, who had accidentally went to our table first. (We had a different server) When he got there, he asked politely "Has anyone been around to help you yet?" Basically, he was checking to make sure he had the right table. X responded, "No one has done anything for us yet here" in one of the most sarcastic tones I've ever heard. Sheesh.. I felt bad for the server already.

X orders his drink which was "Jack Daniels with Soda". I know what I would've thought if he said that. Jack and Coke. The server smartly checked though, asking if he wanted Coke or Soda water. "I said SODA!" he responded. So the server then confirmed that it was "soda water" and not coke, and went to go get their drinks and food (ordered at the same time). As soon as he had walked away, X commented on the incompetence of the service there, and quite loudly. Wow. I'm sure his friend was embarrassed.

When the drinks came back, the server asked if they needed anything else until their food got there. X said "I said no ice in my drink, but of course your too busy so it doesn't matter." Again in that sarcastic tone. I had been paying attention, and he did not say that. The server asked if he wanted the ice strained out, or a new drink, and X said "No No you're too busy for that." After checking again, the server left. Again, X commented on his incompetence. This time his friend said "They're trying their best." To which X responded "No they're not, this is the worst restaurant and I'm never coming back here again."

Ok ok.. sheesh. This continued for the rest of his meal. Now I know that the tone wasn't set right at the beginning, but they did try to make up for it, and his server was trying. I just can't believe some people think acting this way in public really makes things better. I'm sure the hostess and server wish he had left instead of staying. The server does not get paid enough to do that (especially since their pay is tip based, and X probably would not tip well).

That being said, I am appalled at the kind of behavior. I've gotten angry before, but I've never insulted a server, especially in such a loud and public way. Have you had any observations on this? Or perhaps experienced bad customer service yourself? Let me know, and I'll compile the best ones and post em. If you don't feel comfortable leaving it in a comment, let me know and you can e-mail me!

Difference Between a Movie Trailer and an Ad

This is my response to a recent article that has been Dugg. The basic premise of the article is that movie theatres should be responsible for paying back the consumer (moviegoer) for time that is spent watching ads that show before movies. However, being a theatre manager, there are many false claims made in this article, and I want to shed some light on what the truth of it is. My forum may not be as large as the one that his article reaches, but I hope that someone will notice this. This is also not my normal tone, but he really irked me on this one.

I'd like to make two key points right away:

• The ads plays before the movie, typically on digital projectors.
  
• Trailers start at the published show time, and are considered part of the movie. When you pay for a movie, you get trailers also. (You also get credits!)
  

Yes the advertising business does provide movie theatres with a lot of money. Half a billion dollars, according to that article. I am inclined to believe this, but he also mentions another point. According to IMDB, most movie goers don't mind the ads. While I do believe that some people are against the ads, there are also many who either like the ads, choose to ignore the ads, or watch them because they are there. Next, and I quote:

But you don’t have to have a degree in advertising to know that the bulk of that $456 million in ad money doesn’t come from those “pre-show” commercials. Oh no no no no… most of that money comes from the ads I LOATHE. The commercials (not trailers… I like those) that they start playing at the time they advertised the MOVIE was supposed to start.

I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating.

- When you take my money for popcorn, at least I’m getting a tasty treat

- When you take my cash at the box office, I’m getting to come in to watch the movie

- When you take my time for commercials on TV, I’m getting a “free” TV show out of it

But what are we getting for our time with commercials in movie theaters? When the ad says “Movie starts at 7pm” and I’m in my seat (that I paid admission for) at 7pm, it’s time for you to start giving me what I paid you for… the movie. If you want to show me commercials, fine… give me the movie for free then.

This is just not true. At the theatre I work at, the ads are run on a digital projector. This beeps when the movie is scheduled to start, and the projectionist then hits the start button, on the FILM. Included in the film are several things. First, a note to find the nearest emergency exit in case of an emergency. Next a snipe that says "Coming Attractions". Then, depending on the movie, 10-15 minutes of trailers. (It even shows on movietickets.com! Feature Presentations Start 10-15 Minutes Following Published Showtimes. That's for trailers!!!) Next, another snipe for "Feature Presentation". Then... guess what.. THE FEATURE PRESENTATION. There are no extra ads there, at least for the company I work for. The writer of that article just assumes that this is common practice. Well I work for a large theatre chain and its definitely NOT common practice for us to do that.

I don’t mind theaters making money off me when I get a product, service or entertainment in return… but commercials playing at 7pm when you told me the movie would be starting is doing nothing but STEALING my time. You are taking from me without giving anything in return. HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM ONLINE MOVIE PIRACY!?!?

He makes a very strong point about this. First of all, theatres do not steal your time. YOU choose to go to the movies. And, as I've stated before, our ads run before the scheduled start time. This is just an asinine point.

Finally, his calculation on how much theatres owe him for watching ads.

I see approximately 8 films in theater each month. At about 15 minutes of commercials per film (remember, these are ads that begin to play at the movie advertised start time), I end up spending about 2 hours per month watching ads in theaters uncompensated. That’s 24 hours, or a full day of uncompensated ad watching in a year.

MONEY

I’m not a doctor or lawyer, so let’s say my time is worth a measly $20/hour. Since I spent about 24 hours watching uncompensated ads in theaters last year, I figure the movie industry owes me about $480 out of that Half Billion they made last year off my time. Seems fair.

The principle for piracy and time theft is the same. Taking an asset (a movie, or your time) without providing the due compensation for taking that asset. So where do we start the class action lawsuit?

If you tell me the movie starts at 7pm, then when I PAY YOU to get into the movies, there is an implied contract that you give me what I paid for… a movie at 7pm. When you instead put up 15-20 minutes of commercials at 7pm you are stealing my time, and also stealing MY SHARE OF THAT $456 MILLION you made off my time.

So the next time you’re pirating a movie (which is neither something I do nor endorse), let that ease your conscience, because although you’re stealing the $10 you would have paid in admission… they probably owe you about $150 for stolen ad time anyway.

So, I guess the next time you see a movie, you should ask for that $140 as a check, since that's how much you're owed for watching ads. You are not paid for watching ads on TV, reading ads on the internet, or anything else like that. True, you are not paying for TV (Basic) but even cable has ads, and so does the internet. He is basically making a point tat you should get paid for anything that wastes your time. After having read his article, I felt like I have wasted my time, and would like some of my money back.

Again, I can't speak for all theatres, but I know that his points are just invalid when it comes to who I work for. Next time, do the research before you scream about something you don't really know about. Make sure it applies to all situations before you say it does.

Movies This Weekend!

I guess the great blog rating that I got in my last post paid off. Due to my excessive track record in helping out the community, saving cats and such, I have been bestowed this great honor by the blogging community. Allow me to go to my throne as I type this post.

Just kidding. Thanks to Mandypoo for passing this award on to me. I will be passing the award on at the end of this post. Maybe Matt will get lucky.. who knows!!

Anyway, a lot of movies opening again this week. It seems like Hollywood is getting more concerned with pumping out number of movies instead of quality of movies. I personally would prefer quality over quantity. But, I suppose that this is what will bring in the money, right? Without further ado, your cinema offerings for this weekend.



30 Days of Night - Based on the ground breaking graphic novel (They say that in the commercials), Sam Raimi brings a thriller based in Barrow, Alaska. This arctic area is plunged into a full month of darkness every year, and with the darkness comes a mysterious group of bloodthirsty vampires. As the darkness continues, Sheriff Eben (Josh Hartnett) and the dwindling group of survivors must do whatever they can to survive.

How I think it will do - There is a lot of media backup to this movie. I never read the graphic novel, but I think this looks like it could be a decent flick. It'll have the "make you jump" moments but won't be the most memorable horror/thriller you've ever seen. Go see it with a group of friends, it should be a decent time. Number 2 or 3 at the box office this weekend.




Rendition - Reese Witherspoon stars as the wife of an Egyptian born chemical engineer, who mysteriously disappears on a flight from South Africa to Washington. She tries everything she can to find her lost husband, while a CIA analyst(Jake Gyllenhaal) begins to question his assignment as he observes the unorthodox interrogation.

How I think it will do - I haven't heard too much about this one, but I think that it has a decent premise and covers a somewhat controversial subject. It's not at the top of my list to see, but I think that it will have a decent amount of success, partly due to the strong performers in this film.







The Comebacks - From the producers of Wedding Crashers, this comedy features David Koechner as Coach Lambeau Fields. Spoofing every inspirational sports movie ever made in Scary Movie fashion.

How I think it will do - This movie looks extremely silly, and that's why I want to see it! I think this one will provide great laughs, and I love the characters that David Koechner plays. He's always over the top, and its just what you expect from him, and it usually works out pretty well. Plus, these guys made Wedding Crashers, so they know what they are doing. I think this will make a strong showing at the box office, as high as 2.. I think. It is rated PG-13, so that will hurt it a bit.


Things We Lost in the Fire - After the death of her husband, a widow played by Halle Berry invites her longtime childhood friend (Benicio Del Toro) to move in with her and her kids.

How I think it will do - This is actually the first I heard of it, and it opened in limited release a couple weeks ago. I think that it won't do spectacularly, but that Berry will provide a decent performance. A drama that seems more on the independent side, I think that it will appeal to certain crowds, but won't break into the top 10.






The Nightmare before Christmas (3-D) - A re-release of the popular Tim Burton classic in 3-D. The story of Jack, the star performer in Halloween city, who is losing his interest for the scare. He discovers Christmas, and works to bring the celebration to Halloween City.

How I think it will do - Well this is only going to be playing in digital cinema, so it won't be a huge hit at the box office. I do see this movie doing well though, and I can't wait to see it myself. This is definitely a hype movie, and its coming out at jus tthe right time, unlike Halloween. It's going to bring a lot of smiles to people's faces. :-)






Well, thats it for our major releases this week. Again, there are a ton of movies opening in limited release, including the highly anticpated Gone Baby Gone. That one recently had its premiere in Boston, and is directed/produced by Boston Boy Ben Affleck. Also in limited release:

Sarah Landon and the Paranormal Hour (PG)
Wristcutters: A Love Story (R)
Out of the Blue (Not Rated)
DarkBlueAlmostBlack (Not Rated)
The Girl Next Door (R)
Weirdsville (R)
Reservation Road (R)
Klimt (Not Rated)
Moondance Alexander (G)
House (R)
Trigger Man (Not Rated)
Summer Love (Not Rated)
Meeting Resistance (Not Rated)
Bordertown (R)
The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell (Not Rated)
Fuego (Not Rated)
The Man Who Souled the World (Not Rated)

Wow. That's a lot. For anyone who's still reading, its time to pass out my Community Blogger award! I'm going to hand it over to two bloggers, Skittle and Pelf. Both of these blogs are quality blogs which I enjoy reading a lot. Great job guys!!!

That's all for this blog for now.. time to write an entry somewhere else... See you at the movies!

This Blog Approved for All Audiences

JustSayHi - Free Personals

This is a good thing... I am after all.. geared towards all readers. :-) I apparently used the word crappy once in this blog. This is awesome, great for my blog especially since I write about movies. Got this from Mrs. Mandypoo!

100!

I've made it. 100 posts as of right now, and you've all made it with me. Thank you very much! I'm officially a #2 "Big Screen"! :-)

Pretty crazy looking prices huh. Can you imagine what it would be like if that were really $100 instead of me just messing it up? Things have changed a lot since I started. Here's some examples:

S, M, L Popcorns were $2.75, $3.75, and $4.75 when I started. They are now $4.50, $5.50 and $6.50. That is freakin crazy. I can't imagine paying those prices before, and they are so much higher now. I actually feel bad most of the time when I have to change up these prices, but I guess it provides me with a job? Maybe I can replace it with blogging, who knows, lol. I do little things like that image just to amuse myself. Maybe its not so funny now, but I laugh whenever I see it!

What else does $100 signify? When adsense pays you? hehe. I don't know if I've ever really stuck with anything this long before, besides working at the movies. I suppose that's why this blog has survived this long, through the trials and tribulations of the blogosphere. I should make a move about bloggers. I bet someone already has. This is turning into a Matt post, time to take it back on track.

With 100 also comes a new header for this page, I hope you like it! I'm going to be using my WeeMee to start spreading my "brand". Lots of things in development, and they'll allow me to focus this blog on movies, as I intended. I'm going to be using To Infiniti and Beyond to report on how I'm doing with affiliate programs and making money online. I'm going to be using Joe Likes it! for product reviews, tech news and product information. Intermission at Work will be used for movie reviews, my oh so fun customers, and any other cool things that might be going on in the world (Like my famous blogs! - gonna make that monthly). The sidebars will be cleaned up a bit so that its not so cluttered! Perhaps I am spreading myself a bit thin but I hope that I can keep it up, and that you will join me!

Thank you again for reading this blog, I really appreciate it! By the way I'm at almost 4000 pageviews! I know that's not as great as some of the huge blogs but I appreciate that nonetheless!

More Interesting Customers

Sorry about the long hiatus, I've just been so busy! Here's some of the things that have kept me from posting:

• My regular job - 9-5:30 Mon-Fri (Pays the bills!)
• Price changes at the theatre (2.5 hours on Thursday night). That also caused me to miss my own screening of We Own the Night. I still kinda want to see it. Got home at 1:30 AM.
• Worked Friday night also - Got home at 2 AM. :-( ew. So tired.
• Hung out with my baby tonight :-)
• The Red Sox are losing as I type this. :-(
• My BU Terriers just gave up a goal and are tied 4-4 going into overtime. :-\
• They lost to Robert Morris University last night :-(

So not too bad, but the last two are real tough to deal with right now, being a huge sports fan. I was thinking about starting a sports blog, but that's for another time.

On to my interesting customers! This actually happened last Sunday, but I've been holding it for now. It actually involves a topic that is really touchy, and I don't mean to offend anyone by doing this. It involves racism, and "profiling".

My boss at the theatre had been checking tickets inside one of our many rated R movies. We're quite vigilant in doing this, just check my previous post for an example. He had just asked two girls for their tickets, and they were quite offended by it. They came out to the concession stand, where I was working, and I heard the following statement:

"That guy was straight up profiling right there. What kind of racism is that?"

That was the problem right there. These two girls happened to be African American. Like I said before, I don't mean to offend anyone, so don't take this the wrong way, but I see and hear about this happening way too often. Their friends (who they were at the movies with) decided to add their own comments.

"If I had been there, I would've told that guy to get out of my f***in face before I sue his ass. I'd get the cops in here so fast he wouldn't know what hit him. I can't believe they be profilin' like that."

I was actually quite upset by this. I can't believe that they thought that he was profiling. Yes, my boss is white, and yes they did happen to be the only two African Americans in there at the time, but I don't feel that his request was racially driven. I myself have been called racist by African Americans for, which I think is somewhat unfair, because I am a minority myself (asian). If someone asked me for my tickets, I wouldn't immediately assume that it was racial profiling.

It doesn't help that if it had been white kids in there, we would have done the same thing, but not had this issue. What made it worse was that there was an African woman in line, who got quite upset that we were apparently profiling. It just really irked me. You're at a movie theatre, you look young, and you're in an R rated movie... does that scream racial profiling at you?

How Much is Your Blog Worth?

My blog is worth $10,161.72.
How much is your blog worth?

A slight improvement over last week! I just have to keep the linking from technorati blogs up and it should continue to go up. The increase isn't too great, but any improvement is good. How are you doing with this?

Just checked the alexa rankings, and it doesn't look like anything has changed. I don't know how often they update, so I will make that a monthly thing here. Someone remind me when the time comes three weeks from now. Hmm, this entry seems pretty boring right now. What do I have that is exciting right now?

How about some crappy people that come to the movies! Sunday evening, there was a gentleman who came to the theatre, bought two tickets and left. Boring huh? Well, he actually gave the tickets to two kids, one his son, and one not. For a rated R movie. They got caught, and called him to come pick them up. Here's where things get interesting. He asked to speak to me, and when he came up to me, he explained that he bought them tickets, and that they should be able to see the movie without him. I explained the policy to him. Simple, right?

Of course not. He said "Why did you sell me two tickets then?" Of course, it was under the assumption that he was going to the movie, right? "Don't assume anything. You shouldn't have sold me the tickets." How were we supposed to know? Anyway, right after this he demands to see the MPAA guidelines. You guys know that I've had my experiences with this. So I go upstairs looking for the pamphlets we carry, and I couldn't find them. I did find the poster from this post though. It was sitting in our lobby, right where it should be. He goes on to tell me that all he has to do, according to that poster, is accompany them to the theatre, not the movie. At this point the GM has gotten involved, and re-explains it to him again. His final response? "You've got about 30 seconds to return my money." Geez. What a jerk.

I don't like people who speak in a threatening tone. I don't know what they think, that intimidating people will get them far in the world? It's easier to be nice, and keep things like that in. The look on their faces as you stay calm while they freak out is priceless. :-) I've got another one, but I'll save that for another post!

Movies This Weekend!

Lots of movies opening this week! So much to write about! After such a huge summer though it's been a very disappointing fall season so far. I mean.. have you found anything that has really piqued your interest yet? Maybe this is the week! Here we go:


Michael Clayton - Michael Clayton is a "fixer" at one of the biggest corporate law firms in New York. Unhappy with his job, his mounting debt, failed business and pending divorce leave him tied to the company. In the meantime, one of U/North's lawyers has her career riding on a multimillion dollar settlement, a case that Clayton's firm is leading to conclusion. However, when the case is sabotaged, Clayton faces the biggest challenge of his life, fixing the case, and putting his life on the line.

How I think it will do - This film has excellent hype heading into its release, and having George Clooney as the lead only helps it. A compelling story will help catapult this one to big numbers at the box office. I'm predicting a number 1 finish this weekend. Rotten Tomatoes has this one as a limited release, but my theatre is getting it, so I'm inclined to think that it is a wide release. My projections change if it is limited release, even though I think it will still do well.




We Own the Night - Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix) is a manager of a popular Russian nightclub, having turned his back on the family business. He has changed his name, hiding his connection to a family line of distinguished New York cops. Green has built himself a successful life, and every night is a party to him. However, a Russian drug dealer being targeted by the New York police begins operating from his nightclub, bringing conflict between Bobby and his family. His dad is the legendary police deputy, and his brother is an up and coming officer in the force. Family ties are tested as the police hunt down the drug dealer.

How I think it will do - Plenty of star power in this one, and it looks decently interesting. Robert Duvall has a way of making a movie better, I like almost everything I've seen with him in it. The #1 this week if Michael Clayton is not opening wide. I'm a pretty big Marky Mark fan, as he is from around here. Gonna try to get out and see this one this weekend. Will it be ok with the girl though....




Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married - A big screen adaptation of the Tyler Perry stage play of the same name, it tells the story of the difficulties in maintaining a loving relationship in modern times. On a seven day getaway in Colorado, 8 college friends discover the infidelity of one couple. Secrets are revealed, and the couples begin reconsidering the strength of their relationships.

How I think it will do - All of Tyler Perry's movies have been decently successful, and have appealed to a certain niche. I think that this will be the same as the others, having a strong showing at the box office. Always able to tell a good story with a good amount of laughs, this will please those who go out to see it. I don't think it will do as well as Diary of a Mad Black Woman though.






Elizabeth: The Golden Age - Reprising the roles that helped them get nominated for 7 Academy Awards, Geoffrey Rush and Cate Blanchette star in Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Telling the tale of the bloodlust and betrayal for the throne of Elizabeth I. In the changing times, Elizabeth finds her throne challenged by the King of Spain. Preparing to go to war to defend her people, she struggles between her royal duties and her new fondness of Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen). Meanwhile, her trusted adviser, played by Rush, discovers an assasination attempt that could topple the throne, unknowingly setting up England for destruction.

How I think it will do - Haven't seen a historical drama in a while, but I haven't really heard much about this until I wrote this piece on it. I don't think many will be out to see this one, despite the success of the first installment. It has potential, with the star power, but unfortunately many who are heading out to theatres are looking for something they couldn't see on this History channel.



The Final Season - A story of a small time baseball team from Norway, Iowa. This small town is known for one thing: baseball. After winning their 19th state championship, the 20th is a foregone conclusion. However, when the team is merged with the team from a neighboring city, jealousy and conspiracy come into play, potentially robbing the city of its championship.

How I think it will do - A feel good sports movie, eh? This one doesn't have any hype behind it, but I love baseball and wouldn't mind seeing this one. One that parents won't mind bringing their kids to or seeing as a family. It should break into the top 10.






Limited Releases this week:

Across the Universe
Lars and the Real Girl
Sleuth
Terror's Advocate
Canvas
Bool Buhlaiyaa
King Corn
Naked Boys Singing
Control
Golda's Balcony
Laaga Chunari Mein Daag - Journey of a Woman

Phew, that's a lot! Anyway, I'm going to be trying to rearrange a few things around here and clean up the ol blog. So there will be some minor changes. Look for another post about some fun customers coming soon!

Review: Feel the Noise

I didn't expect this to be great, and it wasn't great, but it wasn't totally unbearable either. Feel the Noise , starring Omarion, is about a wannabe rapper from New York who, after a run-in with a local gang, heads to Puerto Rico to stay with his estranged father. There, with the help of his step brother Javi, he discovers reggaton and they begin to produce hot tracks together. He also finds a girl who he falls for, C.C. After overcoming some local troubles, they manage to sign a record contract and head back to New York.

Once they arrive in New York, the troubles start. Their producer tries to change up the sound they have worked hard to create, and then tries to take advantage of C.C. In the meantime, the gang that was searching for Rob (Omarion) catches up to him. Not gonna spoil what happens if you're planning on seeing it, but I'm assuming its quite predictable.

What was not predictable, was the crowd in the theatre. It's Columbus Day here in the MA, and that means no school for the kiddies (and a paid holiday for me!). However, that also meant that I had to see it with 100 kids who just don't understand how to SHUT THE HECK UP during a movie. Geez, I've never heard so much talking during a movie before. And there were three girls behind me kicking the seat next to me, shaking my seat. She even had the nerve to yell at me when I looked back because of the constant kicking!

I wanted to kick them out, but the girl always tells me to just ignore it, cuz I'm not working. If there weren't so many of the little troublemakers, I would've said something myself. I can't tolerate that. So while the movie itself wasn't great, the crowd made it that much worse.

Guess you can take this as kind of a warning.... Be careful of the movie going crowd. They can make or break the experience.

Feel the Noise gets a 3.5 out of 10. The music was ok.

The Movies are not the same as real life..

I told the girl I'd write about this today, so here it is! I've never had a problem with scary movies. I can handle pretty much the worst you can bring. Let's just say it was a lot different for me when we went to Spooky World last night. I'll flat out say it: I was scared $***less last night. I don't handle the whole people jumping out at me too well... and jumped out of my socks more than once.

What makes it so different? I think it's how close these "monsters" get to you. At the movies, I can handle a lot because you know its not real. Now if they had a movie theatre where they had a guy dress up and run into the theatre, that would be different. Yesterday, these things were breathing down my neck. I would not survive in a horror movie. lol.

So to top it all off, I was the one holding on for dear life last night, while the girl laughed at me. Quite the opposite from when we're at the movies. Hey, it's not my fault they were all popping out on the side where I was walking!!! I guess I can't say that was all they did to freak me out, cuz a flesh eating zombie DID pin me up against the wall while I was waiting for the girl at the restrooms.

It was an enlightening experience for me, makes me think I life in a fantasy world too much haha. I never thought I would have been as scared as I was yesterday. I'm too attuned to what movie scary is (blood, gore, music giving away what's going to happen), that I wasn't ready for what was going to happen at Spooky World. I'll say it for real now: I was a huge wimp last night. lol.

That's all for now. Have you had any experiences at haunted houses and graveyards that were like the movies? What movies have really freaked you out?

Review: The Heartbreak Kid

The perfect wedding photo, right? Sure looks like it. Of course, if this were the perfect wedding, there would be no movie, and that just can't happen! I saw The Heartbreak Kid last night, and I have to say that I enjoyed it. It wasn't too over the top like Good Luck Chuck was, and was generally a lot of fun.

The Heartbreak Kid stars Ben Stiller as Ed Cantrow, a guy just can't settle down. He was actually engaged for 5 years, but didn't want to break his routine, and so the engagement didn't work out. Of course, his ex ends up getting married, and Cantrow just HAS to go to the wedding, where he ends at the singles table. Not only that, he gets humiliated by his friend Mac... you'll see that if you watch the movie.

After a ton of pressure from his friends and Dad (played by Stiller's real life dad Jerry Stiller) Cantrow hooks up with and marries Lila(Malin Akerman, aka Freakshow's wife in Harold and Kumar go to White Castle), a woman who he tried to save from being mugged (unsuccessfully). Once they are married, Lila changes in Cantrow's eyes... not quite the girl he married. You can see where this is going, and I don't want to spoil anything! Anyway, after a bad sunburn incident, Cantrow has a lot of alone time on his honeymoon, and meets a girl he actually loves, Miranda (Michelle Mognahan). Oh yeah, I forgot I told Matt I'd mention Mississippi in this post. Miranda's family comes from Mississippi. This is the fourth time I've republished this post.

Also, this movie does have Carlos Mencia in it, who is carving out a nice niche playing the funny Mexican, Uncle Tito. He does some things that just make you stop for a sec, then laugh out loud. The movie also has some fun with a deviated septum... but again, you'll have to see it to know what happens!

The movie did have some flaws in that it did move slowly at some points, but overall, you don't really think too much of it. Let's just say that this is a fun comedy, with romantic comedy elements built into it. A remake of the 1972 comedy starring Charles Grodin and Cybil Sheperd (Thanks Tarametblog!), this is a solid movie. The Farrelly brothers are reminding us of some of the success they had with There's Something About Mary. The movie this most reminded me of was Wedding Crashers. Rated R for a reason... not quite for the kids, but I'm sure the adults will enjoy this one!

I'm giving it a 7.5 out of 10, if you see it, let me know what you think!

How Much Is Your Blog Worth?

My blog is worth $9,597.18.
How much is your blog worth?

Well, my blog worth has apparently gone up about 3k since last we checked! Now where is that check so I can cash it!!! I could start my own movie theatre, and every one of my bloggie friends could get in for free, :-). Hopefully I am still beating Matt at something.. or has he caught up again and overshoot me like crazy, like he did with Alexa. But did HE manage to save up 52 bucks in change? Didn't think so. :-)

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone who reads this has ever worked at a movie theatre, or wanted to. If you have, what did you like and not like about it? If you wanted to, what made you want to?

I can tell you what made me want to work at the movies. It was that my friends were working there, and every teenager wants to work with their friends. That way work will be just one big party all the time! Of course, when I first applied I was too young, and when I reapplied no one else did. I have to say that it's been an incredible 6 years! I really can't believe it's been that long. What kind of jobs did you guys hold through high school... and do you wish you could go back to them?

Sorry that this post has been off topic, I've haven't had any real exciting stories at the movies or seen any recently. I'll hopefully provide a review of The Heartbreak Kid sometime on Friday, so look for that. I've also still got to make someone famous this week.... would anyone like that honor?

In movie trivia.......

Evan Almightyis the most expensive comedy made to date. What was it's budget?

Problogger's Blog Contests!

Darren Rowse over at Problogger is celebrating the birthday of his blog by giving away over $54,000 in prizes! Makes his seem a bit better than my contest. hmph. One day Darren... one day. Anyway, he's giving away a ton of cool things, and while I usually don't enter contests, I'm pretty interested in some of the prizes.

To enter, you do have to create one blog entry (so don't worry about this blog being spammed by contest entries). This will be my blog entry. The prize for this entry is pretty awesome. It's two USB powered 20" LCDs made by DisplayLink. That would go great with the cinema display that I already have! I might even be interested in giving one away too in a contest if I win! Actually, I think I would do just that!

Anyway, if you are interested, head over to Problogger and check out his contest pages. I think it's a great place to read about blogging and also perhaps win something awesome! I hope one day I can have a blog as successful as that!

Website Goals!

Hi everyone! I just refound this widget on alexa that gives your traffic ranking. Well, I've previously been monitoring my website success on the How Much is Your Blog Worth posts, but I will also be using this now. It's WAY down at the bottom of my main page if you want to see it, but I'm going to try to increase it every... month we'll say. Currently, I'm at a rank of 1,838,167. Ok, I didn't say it was great, but hey, you gotta start somewhere!

On another note,
WidgetBucks
is a new system for monetizing your blog. As with AuctionAds, they're offering $25 to people who start up, so give them both a look if you're looking to monetize the blog!

Just for fun here, let's see the traffic rankings of my Famous blogs, according to Alexa:

Skittle: 5,561,619
Mrs. Mandypoo: 2,959,921
Blog Cabins: 2,062,642
It's All Good..Gossip: 3,756,778

And for some added competition... here's Matt's:

Mom Yelled My Full Name Last Night: 13

Whoa!! WHAT THE CRAP MATT?!?! How did you manage that?!?!?! You ever think Alexa makes a mistake? If you do, digg this and let them know!!! I'll probably combine this with my blog worth post next week, but this was fun to start now! I have some catching up to do.... Matt "ranks" higher than John Chow and Problogger! We'll post the rankings again next week!

Movies this Weekend!

Haven't you been worried about the product that Hollywood has been coming out with recently? I mean, I've enjoyed some of the movies that have been released recently, but there's nothing that's been particularly spectacular. I haven't even SEEN a movie in over a week, and that's unheard of! This week doesn't look too promising, but who knows, you might see something you like, so here goes!

Love Hurts - A Farrelly Brother's movie, starring Ben Stiller and Michelle Mognahan. Stiller plays Eddie Cantrow, a man terrified of commitment. When he finally decides to take the plunge and get married, his seemingly normal wife turns out to be significantly more "interesting". (Read: crazy) Thing begin to turn ugly, and during their honeymoon, Cantrow finds another woman who might just be his true love.

How I think it will do - Well, these guys did make There's Something About Mary so there might be some merit behind this one. This will probably be my screening movie on Thursday, so I'll be sure to let you know how it pans out. From the commercials and synopses I've read, I think it will be ok... the movie to see this week most likely. It's sure to have its funny moments, but I think Stiller might be past his prime. He even looks a little old in the previews, has anyone else noticed that? Well, it's also got an 80% rating on the tomatometer, so hey, check it out if you're goin to the movies! Just noticed that it's rated R too, so that adds to it!



The Seeker - Based on the bestselling novel The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. Will Stanton has just found out he is the last in a line of warriors who have spent their lives fighting the forces of the dark. Blessed with the ability to travel through time, among other powers, Will uncovers clues that lead him into battle against the rising forces of the Dark.

How I think it will do - I've said before that I'm a fan of the sci-fi/fantasy genre, so this one does have some intrigue for me. I don't think it will perform particularly well at the box office, but it is probably well suited for anyone who likes a good fantasy movie. I don't see this one cracking the top 10, but it should be a decent fantasy movie. Reminds me of Eragon a bit.







Feel the Noise - An aspiring rapper from Harlem, after a run in with some local thugs, runs to a place and father he never knew. He discovers Reggaton, and along with his half brother Javi, begins to realize a dream of becoming a Reggaton star. Along with their dancer C.C. they learn about being true to themselves and each other, culminating in a performance at the New York City Puerto Rican Festival.

How I think it will do - Phew. I don't even know what to say about this one. I know the girl wants to see it but I have a feeling it's going to be pretty... mediocre at best. Omarion's first foray into movies, along with a lot of hip hop artists recently, I don't see this one doing any business at all. It's very crowd oriented, so it will appeal to some people, but not enough to be a hit.



Well, that's it for this week, except for the limited releases. For that, we've got :


My Kid Could Paint That
Michael Clayton
For the Bible Told Me So
Finishing the Game
The Night
Deal
Weirdsville
Desert Bayou
Lake of Fire (Oct. 3)
Kurt Cobain About a Son (Oct. 3)
Broken (Oct. 3)

In something not movie related, House has been removed from Apple's iTunes store. I personally don't buy shows from iTunes, but I think this is a pretty big loss for Apple and NBC. Oh well, not my loss, but theirs! :-P Anyway, House is on tonight, so anyone who doesn't have anything to watch, go check it out!

Let's Make Someone Famous: jleegirl!

Unfortunately, I'm late with this one this week, I don't know what happened! Well, I'm going with jleegirl this week, and her blog, It's All Good...Gossip!

I almost always take a browse at the headlines on this blog. I mean, Britney Loses Custody of Kids, Eva Longoria Sex Tape, are just a few of her recent headlines. Pretty racy huh? I also really like the daily feature that she has, Celebrity Anniversaries. That means you're pretty much guaranteed a nice tidbit from the entertainment world every time you visit!

Overall, I think it's a great entertainment blog, providing interesting and sometimes controversial stories. Always short and to the point, it's never a drag to read! There are also an incredible amount of photos on the site, as demonstrated by the post "The Heartbreak Kid Premiere". There's also that mash up video of the cartoon characters to the new Soldier Boy song, which is pretty annoying and funny at the same time! A great supplement to your favorite movie blog, which is right here, right?!?

Congrats to jleegirl on becoming famous! Take a peek on over there, I'm sure you'll find something interesting!

Million Euro Wiki

Hey everyone, just browsing around on the internet and found another opportunity I'd like your advice on. I've been looking to purchase a page on the Million Euro Wiki. Pages run for 75 euro, or about $100. That's a lot of money. However, the benefits are that the site is going to go viral soon, and that you can do whatever you want with a page that's going to be hosted for free, for life. Well.. what do you guys think? Should I give it a shot? Or should I just stick to trying to build up traffic the regular way?

As with everything, there's a risk involved. It looks like a good promotion, but its a lot of money. Who knows what will happen from it though? Please let me know what you think, yes or no. As always, your opinions are important to me! As a reader, or perhaps blogger yourself, would you even consider it?

Blogging has been really fun for me, but I always worry about what people think when I try something new with monetization. I know the blog is not very old, and not established yet, but its something that I care about, and something that I plan on doing for a long time to come. My readers are important to me, and I admit I do like reading comments, and replying to them! The community feel of a blog is something I really like! However, trying to satisfy some of my own personal goals seems to have drawn criticism, and it does bother me sometimes.

I mean, I've been trying to work on my other blog as well, and when things don't work I get so frustrated. For example, my feeds aren't working and my wordpress install is messed up on that blog, but I've been trying really hard to find solutions, sometimes spending way too much time on it! It's the same here when I customize, or when I read blogs! It sometimes takes up too much time... but I get attached!

DOH! I FORGOT TO MAKE SOMEONE FAMOUS! THAT WILL COME TOMORROW!!!!

That's all for now, hopefully I will get some responses. If I do decide to do this you can be sure that your links will be there! Ummm.. if this was too serious for you.. maybe this will make you laugh :-). (NSFW)

NEW: Decided not to do it.. would rather spend my money on something else, perhaps hosting on the new blog I started!