With a $97M second weekend, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ sets a new high mark for R-rated films

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

Aug 5, 2024 10:12 AM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Hollywood closed July with its best month in a year and its first $1 billion month since July 2023.

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Deadpool and Wolverine (AP) 

NEW YORK (AP) — After 10 days in theaters, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is already the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever, not accounting for inflation.

In its second weekend, the Marvel Studios blockbuster starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman continued to steamroll through movie theaters, collecting $97 million according to studio estimates Sunday. That raised its two-week total to $395.6 million, pushing it past the long-reigning top R-rated feature, “The Passion of the Christ,” which held that mark for 20 years with $370 million domestic.

Worldwide, the Shawn Levy-directed “Deadpool & Wolverine” has quickly amassed $824.1 million in ticket sales, a total that already surpasses the global hauls of the first two “Deadpool” films. The 2016 original grossed $782.6 million worldwide; the 2018 sequel collected $734.5 million. 

The weekend’s primary challengers both struggled.

M. Night Shyamalan’s latest thriller, “Trap,” managed a modest opening of $15.6 million at 3,181 theaters for Warner Bros. The film, starring Josh Hartnett as a serial killer hunted by police at a pop concert, didn’t screen for critics before opening day and scored lower in reviews (48% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) than Shyamalan’s films typically do. Audiences gave it a C+ CinemaScore.

With a budget of about $35 million that Shyamalan largely finances himself, “Trap” didn’t need a huge opening. But it may struggle to break even.

“This is a soft opening for an M. Night Shyamalan suspense crime thriller,” wrote David A. Gross, a film consultant who publishes a newsletter for Franchise Entertainment. “The writer/director’s movies out-earn other original thrillers by a wide margin, and that’s true here, but this start is not on the level of recent Shyamalan films.”

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The live-action “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” adapted from the classic kids book, also didn’t make much of a mark in theaters. Th,e Sony Pictures release debuted with $6 million. It, too, got dinged by critics (28% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), though audiences (an A- CinemaScore) liked it more. “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” which stars Zachary Levi, cost about $40 million to make.

“Twisters,” the Universal Pictures disaster film, continues to kick up a storm at the box office. It held in second place with $22.7 million in its third weekend. Lee Isaac Chung’s sequel to the 1996 original, starring Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos, has racked up $195.6 million domestically. While it has made less of an impression overseas, “Twisters” is holding particularly well in North American theaters, down just 35% from the week prior.

Hollywood closed July with its best month in a year and its first $1 billion month since July 2023. While comparisons to last year aren’t favorable — July was when “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” launched — a pair of Walt Disney Co. releases in “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine” (the two top films of the year) powered a banner month for the movie industry.

There will still reminders, though, of harder times in cinemas earlier in the spring and early summer, when a sparse release calendar and a few notable flops put the box office at a deficit. On Friday, AMC Theatres, the largest North American chain, posted a $32.8 million loss for the second quarter of 2024.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” $97 million. 

2. “Twisters,” $22.7 million.

3. “Trap,” $15.6 million.

4. “Despicable Me 2,” $11.3 million.

5. “Inside Out 2,” $6.7 million.

6. “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” $6 million.

7. “Longlegs,” $4.1 million.

8. “A Quiet Place: Day One,” $1.4 million.

9. “Daaru Na Peenda Hove,” $615,782.

10. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” $600,000.

NewJeans returning to the Philippines in September

 

Kristofer Purnell - Philstar.com

August 2, 2024 | 1:13pm

MANILA, Philippines — Korean girl group NewJeans is coming back to the Philippines after being unveiled as the headliner of Coke Studios' "Ultimate Fandom Concert."

The event will take place in Mall of Asia Arena on September 5, with more performers to be announced.

As of writing, fans can have a chance of winning tickets if they are part of the Top 100 spenders on e-commerce company Lazada's Coca-Cola Flagship Store during promotional periods: July 28 to August 1, August 7 to 12, and August 13 to 17.

"Top spending" will be based on accumulative spend per sales during the promotional periods. Orders must be fully delivered with no cancellations and winners can only win once.

NewJeans first visited and performed in the country last December for the Asia Artist Awards held in the Philippine Arena, meaning, their appearance this September will be the group's first Manila show.

The group composed of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein won Singer Of The Year and Song Of The Year for their hit track "Ditto."

The K-Pop act is also known for its songs "OMG," "Super Shy," "Hype Boy," and "ETA."

Do Filipinos point with their lips?

 

Ghemma Marie

A wanderer who thinks Middle East is the new heaven.

515 followers

153 following

Hard-core introvert, fierce but compassionate, partly IP, a self-proclaimed advocate for Indigenous People, a proud Cordilleran.

I love to pour my heart out through writings, in it I can laugh, I can cry, I can scream my heart out.

I didn’t intend to offend, but I’m not inspired to flatter either. Genuine friendship is rare.

I value people who respect people no matter how they differ physically, intellectually, who doesn't see social status as a hindrance for genuine friendship.

I'm not offended, rather I found this question amusing.

Yes. We do lip-pointing like this.

Or this:

To point at something using our index fingers, is sometimes mistaken as being rude.

Like this:

I remember asking my mother where did she put my keys, and without a word moved her body towards the direction she's pointing to, pointing with her puckered lips.

“Over there!”

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Disclaimer:

I'm receiving negative feedback from some people claiming they’re Filipinos. IMO, lip pointing isn't meant to degrade Filipinos, on the contrary, this is to show that we do see funny positive things in every day to day situation. I want to reiterate that lip pointing is an informal way of pointing at something. Specially if someone is busy at the moment(most mothers), most scenario are if both of her hands are occupied/doing something. But common sense, we don’t do it like this if we are in a formal event, or if we need to point at something to strangers/ formal people.

Formally, we do hand gestures like this:

Rhian Ramos on overcoming fear: Be scared, but do it anyway

BY ROBERT REQUINTINA

Aug 2, 2024 12:53 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• “When the World Met Miss Probinsiyana” brings hope, inspiration, and dreams coming true in cinemas starting Aug. 7.

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Rhian Ramos (Facebook)

Actress Rhian Ramos unveiled her unwavering determination, emphasizing that being told she cannot do something only fuels her drive and willpower.

During a recent media conference at Robinsons Galleria for her upcoming movie, "When The World Met Miss Probinsyana," Rhian said that she shares a similar quality with Marjorie Aviso, who is the CEO of Telework PH and President of Global Impact Production, the character she portrays in the advocacy film. Rhian emphasized that determination is one of the qualities she has in common with Marjorie.

"If I have something in common with Marge, kapag sinasabihan ako ng hindi kaya, hindi bagay or hindi niya mapu-pull off yan, mas lalo akong ginaganahan. Mas lalo akong na-cha-challenge. 

"I give myself a pep talk. Of course may mga time na naniniwala ako sa sinasabi nila but it's about overcoming that. It's like saying, 'Be scared, but do it anyway,'" said Rhian.

Marge also served as producer of the film, which is based on her life story.

"As a first time producer sabi ko wow ganito pala ang mundo (ng showbiz). Bakit ko ba pinasok ito? On the flip side, I realized bayanihan pala rito, and people put in effort because they believe in the cause. I think that's where the power is," the business process outsourcing (BPO) executive said.

Director Jenny Pearl Ninalga hopes "Miss Probinsyana" will serve as a voice to the voiceless. "We want to be the voice for the voiceless. Yun ang sinasabi namin sa film." 

FROM LEFT: Marjorie Aviso, who is the CEO of Telework PH and President of Global Impact Production; Rhian Ramos, Lance Raymundo, and Director Jenny Pearl Ninalga 

Marge was impressed by Rhian's acting abilities and unwavering professionalism.

"Nagulat ako how she portrayed my character. Everyone I knew would say Rhian captured your personality. Ikaw na ikaw yung nakita namin. She also supports causes like women's empowerment. So yun ang dalawang factors for choosing Rhian. She's a star," she also said.

Rhian said she's honored to have portrayed the character of Marge.

"I'm very flattered para mabigyan ka ng tiwala ng isang tao especially playing a character na isinulat para sa akin. But it's her life, feelings and experiences na kailangan kong gawing klaro. Just the fact na pinagkatiwalaan nila ako at kaya kong gawin yun, it feeds me as an actor," the actress said.

"When The World Met Miss Probinsyana" tells the story of Marge, a determined woman from the province, who ventures into the competitive arena of the BPO industry, a world dominated by men, where she emerges as a beacon of innovation and empowerment.

Returning to her roots with a mission to uplift her community, she faces the ultimate challenge: establishing her own BPO business amidst the skepticism of traditional norms.  

Alongside her supportive partner Wil, Marge navigates the complexities of entrepreneurship and personal growth, striving to balance her aspirations with the realities of societal expectations. 

Rhian Ramos and Sam Verzosa

"When the World Met Miss Probinsyana" is a story of resilience, empowerment, and the relentless pursuit of dreams, challenging viewers to rethink the boundaries of success and the power of returning home to make a difference.

Director Jenny recalled that the idea to make the film started when Marge was interviewed for the TV show World Changers. "When I learned about her story, deeper issues, and struggles, I told her I am an advocate myself, and your story is worth telling."

Reacting to Jenny's statement, Marge said: "I asked her if my story was worth telling. I feel like my story is not super extraordinary. For me, it's ordinary. Pero sabi nga nila yun nga yun eh. What's ordinary is very relatable to the masses. Working in the province is also not always available. But they knew there was an opportunity and let them know it was happening. Even if you are in the province, you know it's available and don't have to leave the country."

Sid Lucero, as Wil, Marjorie’s supportive partner, completes the cast, along with Lance Raymundo, James Marco, Joshua Zamora, Camille Rose, Jyra De Guzman, Kristin Abbey, Kristal Luistro, and Ayah Sarmiento at Rowie Cardona.

Drago Cruz Munoz, Mabel Reyes, Janina Lorelei, Julien Antonuccio, Sarah Ansari, Stephan Anderson, Aaron Hewson, and Hamsa Omar are also in the movie.

The artistic and production team of “Miss Probinsyana ” are screenplay writers Eligio Ninalga Jr and JP Ninalga. Director of Photography Logie Ninalga. Executive Producers: Marjorie Aviso, Lyn Baynosa/ Production by Impact Media Convergence Inc. Presented by: Global Impact Productions Inc. Music by Jonaf Del Fierro and M2arje.

“When the World Met Miss Probinsiyana” brings hope, inspiration, and dreams coming true in cinemas starting Aug. 7.

Tapping into the Pinoy-style of tipping

To tip or not to tip

BY CARLA MORTEL BARICAUA

Aug 1, 2024 10:56 PM

  

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Illustration by Ariana Maralit

For service workers living on minimum wage, tipping is a welcome gesture that could spell the difference between making ends meet and falling into debt days before payday. Far from being mandatory in the country, handing out tips has become common in some establishments or circumstances.

Tourists regularly practice tipping in areas they frequent, such as hotels, restaurants, and casinos, and when they use services like transportation and health and wellness, among others. Filipinos are generally not expected to give tips, but they have adapted the practice from Western culture, which has become more widespread, especially in commercial and urban areas.

 Cristina Santiago of Carmelo's Steakhouse

“In the US, tipping is mandatory. In Europe, some establishments have started to regard tips as mandatory. Here, it’s given out of consideration for a job well done,” shared Cristina Santiago, the restaurateur behind Carmelo’s Steakhouse. She suggests adopting the foreign practice of tipping “because our servers work so hard for their families. More than that, it’s to show that they are part of the business success; they should be able to get a portion of whatever amount the business earns for itself.”

Tipping Pinoy-style

While there are no hard and fast rules, Filipinos give tips to show appreciation for service well done, or products received beyond one’s expectations. Filipinos tip waiters, servers, taxi drivers, hotel and housekeeping staff, personal care technicians (barbers, hair stylists, masseuses), and even personal trainers or dance instructors.

“I give tips when I have extra money. I usually leave tips for the restaurant service crew, our neighborhood barber, and sometimes for a kind cab driver. I don’t see it as a requirement but as a form of gratitude for the great service. Of course, I wouldn’t feel obligated to leave a tip if I get served a soup with a fly,” said Mark Go, a long-time travel writer.

Mark Go, travel writer

From her experience, Santiago said, “Since it’s not mandatory, it acts like a motivator. Servers and waiters perform better because of the expectation of receiving a monetary reward for a job well done. On the guest side, it serves as a ‘quid pro quo’, you get what you deserve. But some guests are difficult to please, which is a disadvantage to our servers because their extra money is at the mercy of the customers.” 

For Jing Ordoñia, a travel writer and tour guide, tipping is a personal choice. Whether to tip big or small relies on the type and cost of products and services, and the number of years of good service. He also observed that just like him habitual tippers usually prepare loose change or bills in small denominations to be handed discreetly; slipped in a cash envelope, or dropped in a tip jar.

Jing Ordoñia, travel writer and tour guide

For public transport, Ordoñia feels “there is no need to give tips, in general. For taxi rides, I round off the bill since I don’t use my senior card. The same applies to delivery service and park attendants.” 

Inside establishments “a 100 pesos may be sufficient for a bellboy and staff in a 2- or 3-star hotel, higher in a 4- or 5-star hotel. Sometimes I give a bigger tip if I am there for business,” he added. 

Ordoñia's tips are based on 10 to 20 percent of his food bill, but if there is a service charge, he leaves no tips, "unless the service is extraordinary.”

Tips for equal sharing

Mc Wilson Corporation President and CEO Reagan Tan said that customers in his restaurants (Tatatito, Gringo, Honeybon, Tokyo Bubble Tea, and Kaokee) don’t feel obligated or pressured to give tips. “This makes them more appreciative which often results to giving generous tips. When there are no tips, it is not frowned upon since they know that good service is their duty and part of the day’s work.” 

Tips or no tips, Tan believes that “Filipinos are hospitality-oriented people; we give our best service whether or not customers leave a tip. A good service rendered always fetches a good tip. A returning customer will always leave a good tip for a reliable service and consistently good experience.” In some cases, tips are pooled together by the management and distributed among the service staff at the end of each month.

In their establishments, Tan shared that they practice pooling the tips to ensure that both the dining and kitchen staff get their fair share. He also finds this procedure prevents management or staff from tip pocketing, or keeping the tips to themselves.

“The management and distribution of tips is discussed among the staff. The common practice is to divide it equally. Some ‘outliers’ though push tips to be personalized. Servers get what is inside the bill jackets. A percentage is given to the non-servers, though,” shared Raymund Magdaluyo of the Red Crab Group and the SumoSam Group of Restaurants.

Service charge as tips

Some restaurants and service establishments automatically include a five to ten percent service charge on their bills based on their discretion. Its distribution, however, is regulated by law.

The Republic Act 11360 or the Service Charge Law was enacted on August 7, 2019, and defines service charge as “the amount added to the bill for work or service rendered when one dines in a restaurant or checks out of a hotel.” This law also provides for the full and equal distribution of the service charge among workers of hotels, restaurants, and other establishments. However, managers and supervisors are not entitled to service charges.

The revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) contained in the Labor Department Order 242, issued on February 1, 2024, specify the full and equal payment of service charges to all covered employees of service charge-collecting establishments, improving the distribution of tips to include those not directly hired by employers such as contractual, non-regular or agency workers.

In Carmelo’s, “tips and service charges are shared equally by everyone, regardless of ranking. We are a team and as the saying goes ‘the success of one is the success of all’ and with that, everyone shares the blessings,” said Santiago. “Service charge somewhat works like a tip. It’s an extra amount they receive on top of their salaries which I feel they are also entitled to.”

Whatever the case, it is up to customers to tip, pay the bill with a service charge, or pay the bill and tip out of generosity, gratitude, and loyalty, and show sincere appreciation for the service workers’ hard work.