EDDIE DONE WITH STARDOM
The trailer for "Meet Dave," Eddie Murphy's latest movie, is most remarkable for what it doesn't feature: namely, Murphy in a fat suit or in drag, or both.
Instead, "Meet Dave" - out Friday - looks like it could actually be a return to the Eddie of yore, primarily because of its '80s-ish premise about tiny alien soldiers commanding a starship shaped like . . . Eddie Murphy. How "Innerspace"! How "All of Me"!
Throw in co-star Elizabeth Banks - who brings a comedy resume that includes Judd Apatow and David Wain - and you've got a possible return to greatness.
How disappointing, then, to hear Murphy's pitch to the public: "I have close to 50 movies and it's like, why am I in the movies?" he told Tanika Ray of "Extra" recently. "I've done that part now. I'll go back to the stage and do stand-up."
Coming as a follow-up to Murphy's well-documented dash from the Oscars after he didn't win Best Supporting Actor for "Dreamgirls," it shouldn't come as a shock to anyone that Murphy's no ray of sunshine. But perhaps getting back to his roots will cheer him up. After all, "Delirious" and "Raw," his two stand-up concert movies, are among his most popular films ever.
Still, even Murphy may have realized that one doesn't go around proclaiming one's retirement when one is as big a cash cow as the formerly profane comedian.
Days after Murphy made the proclamation, one of his reps took it back, following the announcement with some seriously dubious news: "Eddie is not retiring. 'Beverly Hills Cop IV' is in development."
Norwegian Music Site Possibly Reveals Metallica Box Set Details
Although it hasn’t been announced or confirmed by the band or the record label, the contents of Metallica’s Death Magnetic limited-edition box set may have been revealed by a Norwegian music retailer. According to Platekompaniet, in addition to a physical CD, the box set will also get you a bonus CD of 10 demos, a “Making of Death Magnetic” DVD and an exclusive T-Shirt.
There’s also memorabilia like guitar picks, a Death Magnetic flag and a “fold-out, coffin box, poster with pictures of the band members” (We’re not entirely sure what that means either; these specs were translated from Norwegian).
Additionally, Metallica may finally embrace your fancy computer by also throwing in a Death Magnetic USB stick. According to the site, the set will cost 929 Euros (just shy of $1,500 American).
Additionally, a Finnish Website claims the album’s release date is September 18th, but since we round our release dates to the nearest Tuesday, that would be September 17th in the States.
12 Smart Ways to Save on Gas
With gas prices going up and up, a year of weekly fill-ups now drains $2000 more from your wallet than just four years ago. Here are a few tips to help you squeeze more miles out of every tank.
DRIVE INTELLIGENTLY
Avoid aggressive driving. "Drive as if you had a hard-boiled egg between your foot and the gas pedal," says John H. Davis, host of PBS's MotorWeek. "It's OK to break the eggshell, but you can't squash it." By observing speed limits and avoiding abrupt starts and stops, you can increase mileage by 5% on city streets and up to 33% on the highway — that's $27 per 20-gallon fill-up.
Control your speed. Using cruise control automatically reduces the amount of fuel you burn on the highway. When you set your speed, keep in mind that gas mileage decreases dramatically when you exceed 60 mph. Stick to the right lane, and you can reduce your fuel consumption by up to 20%.
Lighten your load. An extra 100 pounds of weight reduces mileage by as much as 2%, the equivalent of 8 cents per gallon. In other words, you can save up to $50 per year simply by cleaning out your trunk.
Don't idle. If traffic is at a standstill, turn off the engine. An hour of idling can swallow a gallon of gas. Also, avoid long lines at drive-through windows. You'll save money by going inside.
GET YOUR CAR IN SHAPE
Tune up. Keep your spark plugs clean, your engine tuned, and your wheels aligned. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your gas mileage by 10%, saving up to 40 cents per gallon. Ignore the hype about additives — from chemical mixes to mothballs — that claim to boost mileage. They're not worth the money and may even damage your engine.
Use the right motor oil. If the oil is too thick, your engine will have to work harder — burning more fuel. If it's too thin, you won't get the needed protection. Stick with the type recommended by your owner's manual for maximum fuel efficiency.
Take care of your tires. Keep tires inflated to the pressure recommended in your owner's manual. Soft tires use more gas, but overinflating your tires (as some mileage fanatics suggest) will mess with your car's handling.
If you have two cars, use the one with better gas mileage. If you drive 12,500 miles a year, switching half of your trips from a car that gets 20 mpg to one that gets 30 mpg can save more than $400.
CHEAT THE WIND
Roll up your windows. It may seem odd, but you'll get better summer mileage by cranking the A/C on the highway, since open windows create drag at high speeds. (If you're just running errands around town, fresh air is best.)
Maintain a sleek profile. Avoid accessories like luggage racks, which increase drag, and keep your tailgate upright. Fix any dents, especially to the front of the car. A high-gloss finish won't help your mileage much, but keeping the body straight will.
DELIVERING GAS SAVINGS
UPS squeezes every last drop of mileage from its fleet of 94,000 vehicles, saving 3 million gallons of gas a year. Some expert tips:
Plan ahead. Map out the most efficient routes and make single stops for multiple tasks in the same area. "Do all your work in one trip," says Jack Levis of UPS, "and time your trips so you don't run into congestion."
Keep moving. "Left turns waste time and energy," says UPS spokesperson Donna Barrett — you don't want the engine idling at a green light while you wait for oncoming traffic to pass. When you do make a planned stop, turn off the engine.
'Hancock' grabs heroic $107.3M over long weekend
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Will Smith's box-office superpowers remain intact. Smith's "Hancock" — the story of a boozing, foul-mouthed superhero who dresses like a street bum — led the Fourth of July weekend with a $66 million debut, according to studio estimates Sunday.
That raised the total for Sony's "Hancock" to $107.3 million since it opened Tuesday night to get a jump on the holiday.
It was a familiar place for Smith, one of Hollywood's most-consistent draws. "Hancock" is his fifth movie to open at No. 1 over the Fourth of July. The others were "Men in Black" and its sequel, "Independence Day" and "Wild Wild West."
"Will Smith, Mom, apple pie and the Fourth of July. It doesn't get any better," said Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony. "People just so relate to him and the characters that he plays. They totally embraced it as something different, something fresh."
The previous weekend's top flick, the Disney-Pixar animated tale "WALL-E," slipped to second place with $33.4 million. Its 10-day total is $128.1 million.
Overall business slipped for the first time in a month. The top 12 movies pulled in $158.7 million, down 4 percent from the Fourth of July weekend last year, when "Transformers" opened at No. 1 with $70.5 million, according to box-office tracker Media By Numbers.
Revenues this summer are at $2.22 billion, about 2 percent ahead of Hollywood's record pace in 2007, when summer revenues topped $4 billion for the first time.
"Hancock" co-stars Jason Bateman as a public-relations man who tries to give an image-makeover to Smith's cranky character. Charlize Theron plays Bateman's wife, who has her own reasons for wanting the superhero to stay out of her life.
It was the second-best opening weekend for Smith, following last December's "I Am Legend" at $77.2 million, and was his eighth-straight movie to open at No. 1.
"`Hancock' did not get great reviews, but it doesn't matter. A guy like Will Smith is arguably the most-bankable star in the world," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers. "He's utterly likable and he's real, and that permeates from the screen to the audience."
Overseas, "Hancock" pulled in an additional $78 million in 50 other countries.
Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. "Hancock," $66 million.
2. "WALL-E," $33.4 million.
3. "Wanted," $20.6 million.
4. "Get Smart," $11.1 million.
5. "Kung Fu Panda," $7.5 million.
6. "The Incredible Hulk," $5 million.
7. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," $3.9 million.
8. "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl," $3.6 million.
9. "Sex and the City," $2.3 million.
10. "You Don't Mess With the Zohan," $2 million.