This Week In Headlines- June 14th

Hope everyone is staying cool as the temperatures are on the rise...and safe from any tornadoes and other crazy weather! Let's talk entertainment!


Buddy comedy The Internship had a very disappointing opening frame, as duo Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson failed to generate a spark similar to their runaway hit, Wedding Crashers. The reason for this could be attributed to several causes, chief of which is cynicism over the fact that its entire plot centers on a corporate tie-in. It can also be argued, somewhat persuasively, that the PG-13 limitations kept it from really covering any distinct or outrageous territory, a problem Crashers certainly did not have (nor did Vaughn's comedy with brother Luke, Old School) (...whatever happened to Luke Wilson, anyway????). The Internship's $17.3 million opening weekend doesn't come close to Wedding Crashers' opening weekend of $33.9 million, a fact that becomes more significant when you factor in 8 years worth of inflation and difference in ticket prices (yes, it's been EIGHT years since that movie was in theatres). I saw the film and enjoyed it, but I won't be putting in a pre-order on Amazon anytime soon. It was funny, but in the end, forgettable and formulaic.

Fanboys of Sony and Microsoft have begun to draw their battle lines and pick sides this week, as the two major companies unveiled details of their upcoming PS4 and XBOX One consoles, respectively. It was not an overly flattering week for Microsoft, as many have raised their voices in complaint over the system's limitations and requirements. It seems that, in their efforts to exert more creative control over their product, Microsoft has come off as totalitarian and uncaring for their fan base. A quote from one major higher-up essentially stated that unhappy fans have a solution: Microsoft's 8 year old console, XBOX 360. The negative press surrounding XBOX One's unveiling gave Sony a tremendous advantage, leaving them in the coveted just-don't-screw-up-and-you're-good position. As long as their presentation did not involve execs wearing clothing featuring racial slurs while using drugs and abusing puppies with prostitutes, they were coming out smelling like a rose (and, this reporter is pleased to announced, nary a puppy was found). However, it's ridiculous to count Microsoft out, current negative press notwithstanding. The console DOES have positives to it, and will likely give Sony a run for its money in this round of the console wars. I'll be eager to see who emerges victorious*.

*Kid brother Nintendo could not be reached for comment, but could be seen peering in through the window on a stack of phone books, mouth agape in an apparent (and very sad) bid for attention. 

A bombshell was dropped in Hollywood this week, as burning effigy and whipping boy M. Night Shyamalan was revealed to have been the scribe behind the emotional, gripping, Shakespearan-level epic She's All That. Said Shyamalan, "See, I haven't always sucked! And I'm still kinda good!" Replied America, "Yes you have. And no you aren't." They promptly went out and did not buy tickets for After Earth.

In reference to After Earth, it appears Will Smith has his first bonafide flop of his career, as the big-budget sci-fi film has grossed $49.5 million in 2 weeks time. Apparently audiences did not want to pay $10 to see a father and son bitch at each other via Bluetooth for over an hour when they can simply go outside or to Wal-Mart and see the same free of charge. The concept of taking the film's largest draw, immediately incapacitating him, sticking him behind a desk, sucking out all energy and personality that his box office drawing characters are known for, and then letting his young son without the chops to carry a movie all by himself run around onscreen as the star, is ASTOUNDING to me. And I'm not knocking Jaden. He seems like a GREAT kid, with a lot of promise. He'll grow into this eventually (or his parents will die trying). But that kind of role is very difficult. TOM HANKS barely pulled it off with Castaway, and even THEN, depending on who you ask, you might get told even HE didn't. Don't take it bad, Jaden. We'll all just blame M. Night, set him adrift on an ice floe like we SHOULD have done in 2004 after The Village, to spare us the horror that was Lady In the Water, and happily pretend like none of this eeeeeeeeever happened. Our secret.

Any opinions on this week's topics? Any major topics I didn't cover that you want to discuss? Sound off in the comments below! Happy Friday, and thanks for reading!