'Instructions Not Included' Stuns Box Office With $10 Million Debut

 

MEXICO CITY — English speakers need subtitles to understand the movie and probably Google to know where they've seen the star, if at all.
But a movie featuring a Mexican actor whose shows have been a TV staple in Mexico for years has taken Hollywood by surprise.
The movie "Instructions Not Included," with Eugenio Derbez as actor, director and one of the writers, turned in the biggest Spanish-language opening ever over the Labor Day holiday weekend in the U.S., according to studio estimates Monday.
It took in $10 million and ranked fifth at the box office, competing with blockbusters such as "The Butler" and Disney animation "Planes" that were shown in 10 times more theaters.
"Latinos are becoming more and more the population. In a way, you can count on them to be an anchor audience," said Charles Ramirez Berg, media studies professor at the University of Texas and author of "Latino Images in Film."
The comedy tells the story of Valentin, a playboy in the resort city of Acapulco who one day is paid a surprise visit by one of his conquests and her baby daughter, who is his. The mother runs away, forcing the single heartthrob into a parent role.
Valentin moves with his daughter to Los Angeles after learning the mother might live there. Even when they fail to find her, they stay in the U.S., where blonde, blue-eyed Maggie grows up speaking an accent-less English in school and flawless Spanish at home. One day, the mother shows up to claim her daughter.
"It's comedy, drama. It's about family. It's about parenting children. And you are going to get the audience that can relate to that," Ramirez Berg said.
Even when the movie did not get the Hollywood P.R. treatment and relied mostly on Derbez's social media influence for promotion, it packed theaters in California and Texas over the weekend. It brought the 347 theaters where it opened $28,800 each in average ticket sales, according to Hollywood.com.
"Here is the hyper-grossing hit of Eugenio, earning more than three times per theater than Hollywood's Hot-List," tweeted Mexican actor Kuno Becker, who is currently a cast member of TNT television series "Dallas."
The film's distributor is Pantelion Films, a joint venture of Lions Gate and Mexican media giant Televisa that is tapping into the fast-growing Hispanic population, which accounts for a quarter of frequent moviegoers in the U.S.
Pantelion released the mother-daughter comedy "Girl in Progress" with Eva Mendes, which is mostly in English, and "Casa de Mi Padre," which featured a goofy Spanish-speaking Will Ferrell. But "Instructions" already brought more in ticket sales than those two films combined.
Derbez thought of the movie as his crossover to "conquer the Anglo market," even though it's mostly in Spanish, he told The Associated Press.
His face may not be as well-known in the U.S., playing only small roles alongside Adam Sandler in "Jack and Jill" and appearing in the one-season TV sitcom "Rob." But unlike Salma Hayek, whose career really took off in Hollywood, Derbez is already a big star in Latin America.
The versatile comedian has turned his characters' expressions into everyday sayings in Mexico. He has played an ugly monk who picks his nose, a hairy-chested Snow White and the patriarch of a plush-wearing family.
"Now I wanted to do a moving film that touched the heart," Derbez said.

Microsoft announces major deal

Deal-makers have wrapped up three multibillion dollar acquisitions so far this week as the markets get a late start thanks to Labor Day.

Microsoft (MSFT) has agreed to pay $7.2 billion to buy Nokia's cellphone business in a bid to make a stronger challenge to Apple, Google and Samsung. As important as the deal itself, Microsoft also acquires Nokia's (NOK) CEO Stephen Elop. He immediately becomes the favorite to succeed Steve Ballmer, who announced last week that he plans to retire as Microsoft's CEO within the year.

The three major averages all fell by more than one percent last week, with the Nasdaq dropping 1.9 percent. It was the fourth straight weekly loss for the Dow. For all of August, the Dow tumbled 4.5 percent, its worst performance in 15 months.

Verizon Communications (VZ) has made the third largest acquisition in corporate history. As expected, it agreed to buy the 45 percent stake in Verizon Wireless held by British telecom Vodaphone (VOD).

The $130 billion price tag came in at the high end of expectations, but the deal gives Verizon full control of the wireless company, with its 100 million subscribers. Despite the size of the deal, it's not expected to have much immediate effect on those subscribers.

J.P. Morgan Chase (JPM), Morgan Stanley (MS), Bank of America (BAC) and Barclays (BARC) advised Verizon on the deal. The banks are expected to split advisory fees of up to $250 million.

In a third big deal, consumer products company Jarden (JAH) has agreed to buy privately held Yankee Candle, best known for its scented candles. That deal is valued at nearly $1.8 billion.

CBS (CBS) and Time Warner Cable (TWC) have ended their bitter battle over carriage fees, ending a month-long blackout of CBS stations to many viewers in New York, Los Angeles and Dallas. Terms were not revealed but analysts say CBS got most of what it wanted in terms of higher rates.

And if the U.S. decides to go ahead with a military attack on Syria, it's likely to use Tomahawk cruise missiles. They're made by Raytheon (RTN).

Finally, this is the first trading day of September, which is traditionally the worst month of the year for the market. Investors should be prepared for a bumpy ride.

-Produced by Drew Trachtenberg

15 Notable Events Of Summer 2013

As summer inches to a close, we look back at some of the most memorable events that shaped the celebrity world from June through August 2013. They are, in no particular order:
Kim Kardashian Gave Birth & North West's Photo Was Finally Revealed
The reality star's pregnancy was one of the most followed, photographed and talked-about, maybe ever. Every bumpin' look was carefully analyzed, her weight viciously dissected in tabloids, baby name speculations ran rampant. Then, on June 15, Kim gave birth to a healthy baby girl, whom Kanye and she named North (Nori for short). It wasn't until over two months later that North West was revealed to the world via photo on grandmother Kris Jenner's talk show.
The Royal Baby, Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge, Was Born
Another highly anticipated baby was the royal heir to the throne. Many comparisons were unnecessarily made between Kate Middleton and Kim Kardashian's pregnancies, but on July 22 baby George entered the world and became its own separate, most-watched baby. A month later, the first official family portraits of the prince, the duchess and their firstborn were released.
James Gandolfini, Cory Monteith, Gia Allemand, Lee Thompson Young Tragically Passed
Every Hollywood death is a tragedy, but some took us completely by shock this summer and left us feeling great sadness. "The Sopranos" actor James Gandolfini died June 19 of a heart attack while in Italy, at 51 years old. "Glee" star Cory Monteith died of a lethal mix of heroin and alcohol in his Vancouver hotel room on July 13, at 31 years old. "Bachelor" breakout star and model Gia Allemand tragically took her own life August 14, at 29 years old. "Rizzoli & Isles" actor Lee Thompson Young, who also played "The Famous Jett Jackson" when he was younger, was found dead five days later, Aug. 19, at 29 years old. He also took his own life.
Lindsay Lohan's Rehab And Fresh Start
LiLo spent 90 days in court-mandated rehab this summer and emerged a stronger, healthier woman. The "Mean Girls" star began her 90-day stay at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., before moving to Cliffside Malibu a month later. As for her post-rehab plans, Lohan has inked a deal with Oprah Winfrey's OWN network to star in an eight-part documentary series in 2014.
Chris Brown Got In Trouble, Again
Brown's probation was reinstated and he was sentenced to 1,000 additional hours of community service on Aug. 16, following a May hit-and-run incident as well as a dispute over the community service he performed after his 2009 assault case involving ex-girlfriend Rihanna. Brown was less than pleased with the sentencing and aired his grievance out on Twitter, where he blamed the DA involved for being racist. A week earlier, the singer suffered a seizure allegedly brought on by "intense fatigue and extreme emotional stress, both due to the continued onslaught of unfounded legal matters and the nonstop negativity."
Miley Cyrus Caused Continuous Outrage
Miley Cyrus made habitual headlines this summer for trying her hardest to break out of the "child star" mold. Her attempts included wearing as little as possible at all times (here, here and here), sticking her tongue out at all hours of the day and night, releasing a disturbing music video which may or may not refer to the use of hard drugs, bringing a controversial racial and cultural discussion to the table, twerking nonstop, and capping it all off with a mind-boggling VMA performance that made everyone (but her dad) blush. And the girl isn't even 21 yet.
Amanda Bynes Spiraled Out Of Control
The former Nickelodeon star took over Twitter this summer with her unabashed, sometimes cringe-worthy, stream-of-consciousness tweets. Debate erupted over her state of mind: Is she putting on an act, is this elaborate performance art, why is she trying to turn herself into stripper Blac Chyna, what's with all the strange twitpics? Then, in July, Bynes was apprehended on a 5150 after setting a small gasoline-fueled fire in a residential driveway. She is to this day held up in a psychiatric institution getting the help she needs, which finally put an end to a myriad of questions (she's not faking it, she might be suffering from schizophrenia).
Raven-Symone Came Out On Twitter
After years of dodging the bullet regarding her sexual orientation, Raven-Symone unexpectedly tweeted on August 2, "I can finally get married! Yay government! So proud of you." It was widely assumed that she's referring to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn The Defense of Marriage Act, which will allow same same-sex marriages to be recognized by the Federal government. After garnering much support for making her private life public, the 27-year-old stated "I am very happy that gay marriage is opening up around the country and is being accepted. I was excited to hear today that more states legalized gay marriage. I, however am not currently getting married, but it is great to know I can now, should I wish to."
Kris Jenner, Kanye West, Lamar Odom, Kristen Stewart, Miley Cyrus And Alec Baldwin All Lost It On The Paparazzi
It was a bad summer for the paparazzi, as a slew of celebrities lost their patience and lashed out at the persistent shutterbugs. In June, Miley called out a photographer who asked her if she was pregnant after she was seen leaving a doctor's office, calling her a b*tch and dropping the f-word. In July, Kanye West allegedly attacked a photographer at LAX for speaking to him when told not to; Lamar Odom flipped on a paparazzo and tossed his equipment in the street after being harassed with questions of infidelity; Kim Kardashian posted a Keek of Kris Jenner chasing a paparazzo who allegedly tried to break into the family fortress; Kristen Stewart verbally attacked a paparazzo, telling him "[y]ou're a piece of s*it. You don't deserve to breathe the same air I do." In August, Alec Baldwin -- never a fan of the media -- pinned a paparazzo against a parked car after he followed Alec's wife, Hilaria, into a store in an attempt to snap a photo of her after she had given birth.
Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner have also been active and vocal this summer about paparazzi laws, lobbying for a bill that will prevent cameramen from snapping photos of celebrity children.
George Clooney And Stacy Keibler Broke Up
Like clockwork, after two years of dating, George Clooney decided he had enough and called it quits with the beautiful Stacy Keibler. Conflicting "work schedules" were the official reason for the split, but for women worldwide it just meant another (albeit nearly impossible) chance of snagging one of the world's most eligible bachelors.
Michael Douglas And Catherine Zeta-Jones Broke Up
In much more shocking breakup news, Hollywood's glam couple Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones are taking time off. Reportedly, neither star has filed for divorce or tried to legally separate, but "they're taking a break." The two have been married since 2000 and have two children, Dylan, 13, and Carys, 10, together.
Leah Remini Left Scientology
On July 11, news broke that longtime Scientology member Leah Remini had quit the church. The "King of Queens" actress was reportedly subjected to "years of 'interrogations' and 'thought modifications'" after she questioned Scientology leader David Miscavige. The next day, Remini confirmed she had indeed left the church and expressed concern over Miscavige's wife, Shelly (the rumored matchmaker behind Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' marriage). Shelly was reportedly not seen in public since 2006, except for when she attended her father's funeral in 2007. A month later, Remini actually filed a missing person report with the LAPD for Shelly. Curiously enough, the department closed the case the same day it opened "because officers had a face-to-face meeting with [Shelly]."
Lady Gaga Returned To The Spotlight
Mother Monster underwent hip surgery last February which made her cancel all of her tour dates and drop out of the limelight for a few months. But in June, Gaga was already paving her path back into the metaphorical main stage. An announcement of a new album followed, as well as the release of her song "Applause." From a fairly plain Jane-looking Gaga, the hit maker transformed into the "What is she wearing?!" celebrity we know and love -- with nude pics, an inexplicable Marina Abramovic video, and a much-talked about VMA performance to boot.
Simon Cowell Impregnated His Friend's Wife, Lauren Silverman
Sh*t hit the fan in July when, seemingly out of nowhere, news broke of Cowell's love-child with married socialite Lauren Silverman. Her husband, Andrew, was reportedly a good friend of Cowell's. It was only about a month later, after avoiding the topic and trying to remain out of the spotlight (Cowell was reportedly named in the Silvermans divorce papers), that the "X Factor" judge confirmed his pending parenthood. At the London premiere of "One Direction: This Is Us," the British media mogul stated, "I'm proud to be a dad [...] It's something I hadn't thought of before, but now I know I feel good about it." Days later, he proudly flaunted his love by walking hand in hand with Lauren in Saint-Tropez, France.
Robin Thicke's Song "Blurred Lines" Became The Unofficial Song Of The Summer
True, there were many great songs this summer (Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" comes to mind) and Robin Thicke didn't even win Video of the Year at the recent VMAs, but few songs were as ferociously loathed and fiercely adored as "Blurred Lines" these past few months. It was dubbed "rapey" and a blow to the feminist movement due to the questionable lyrics and gorgeous nude girls in the video. And yet, the catchy tunes conquered charts and reigned supreme for weeks on end, and spun numerous parodies that went viral. In its latest installment, the song made headlines after Thicke sued Marvin Gaye's family to ensure that his song's likeness to Gaye's song "Got to Give It Up" doesn't cost him any future money.

Billy Ray Harris, Homeless Man Who Returned Diamond Ring, Gets A New Home!

 

One act of kindness has given a Missouri homeless man a new lease on life.
Back in February, while panhandling on a Kansas City street, Billy Ray Harris noticed that a woman had accidentally dropped a diamond engagement ring in his cup, KCTV reported. He debated selling it, but decided to hold onto it instead in case the woman returned, a decision that would prove to change the course of his life forever.
Sure enough, three days later, an exasperated Sarah Darling came back and asked if Harris had the ring. He retrieved it from the cup and put it back on her finger.
“It just makes you realize there are good people out there,” Darling told KCTV back in February.
So grateful for his honesty and kindness, Darling and her husband, Bill Krejci, decided to launch a fundraiser for their hero. They hoped to raise about $1,000, but as the word spread of the do-gooder’s kindness, donations starting pouring in. They’ve collected more than $190,000.
Harris now owns a car and has put a down payment on a home. He hopes to launch a house painting company too, TODAY reports. He also reconnected with his family in a heartwarming reunion in March.
“When I think of the past, I think –- thank God it’s over,” Harris told TODAY. “I feel human now.”

Eden Miller to show first plus size line at New York Fashion Week

By: Fashionista

When we first spoke with designer Eden Miller, it was for a piece about the problems facing plus size fashion. Miller expressed frustration with the status quo and told us there were still a lot of changes that need to be made to improve the offerings for plus size customers.

Now she gets to be part of those changes in a major way–as the first designer to show a plus size line at New York Fashion Week.

Her line Cabiria was chosen by the Fashion Law Institute to be a part of its showcase during the spring runways. She's one of six designers chosen; the others include one accessories designer and four straight size designers. And Miller says that being a plus size designer had nothing to do with her slot in the lineup. "It just happened to be that they liked my stuff," she said of being chosen for the showcase. "It didn't matter that I'm doing plus."

"But it turns out that I'm the first plus [line to show at fashion week]!"

When Miller was able to carve a few minutes out of her incredibly hectic schedule (not only is Miller prepping for fashion week, she also works as a wardrobe supervisor and stylist for TV shows, music videos, and commercials), we hopped on the phone with her to talk about what it means to be the first plus size line to officially hit the NYFW runways, how she's preparing for the show, and what she hopes this means for the future of plus size fashion.

So how does it feel to be the first plus designer to show at fashion week?
I'm incredibly excited and so stoked about it, but there's also a lot of pressure. Even though there is a lot of plus high-end stuff out there in the marketplace, they've never shown at straight size fashion week. So there's a certain amount of pressure to show that this is still high fashion, that this is part of the fabric of the fashion world as it is now, in 2013. It's not an indie showcase, it's not these indie designers trying to make a scene or some punk kid coming in trying to be an upstart.

What kind of extra work goes into getting your line ready for fashion week? It's coming up so fast!
I can't do [my usual] design process where I would take a certain amount of time to really mull it over and see, "Okay, I like this, I like this. What does this fit with? Let me find the perfect thing over here, let me develop this fabric over here, let me see what my options are." You have to be designing it really fast–from your gut instead of your brain. And it's a really good thing that I've been doing it for a long time as a designer so I trust my gut and I know that my hand and my gut and my eye are all together on this. But it's also a little harrowing.

How do you think fittings will go? Do you think you'll have any issues?
The fittings are gonna happen on August 23. This is one of the most wonderful things about plus sizes: We're squishy. Things fit differently if you're trying to fit a piece of fabric onto a person who has very little body fat; there's not much leeway. And with my stuff there's all the more leeway because my girls can just lift, move, and shuffle and boom, they're in it.


Tell us about the models you're using.
We've already booked the model fittings, we've booked them through MSA and Wilhelmina. They're all lovely models. There's one who is not traditional–she's more of a print model than a runway model–but she's the face of my campaign and she's just gloriously beautiful, so that makes me happy. My girls are standard runway height, they have beautiful walks–I didn't hire anybody who couldn't walk on a runway. I just wanted the show to feel like it is part of the tent show. It's not the freak show on the side.

What kind of responses have you gotten from the plus community since you've announced it?
Well first of all, they're excited for me. I think they're also flabbergasted. There's a lot of questions about it. I just think nobody quite knows what's gonna happen.

What are you hoping will happen?
I'm hoping it becomes a non-issue. I hope that it's a beautiful show. I mean, I'll be happy to get press coverage...but I'm really hoping that it's seen just as the other offerings at fashion week.

And not just like "the plus line at fashion week."
Right. Like, "Why did they invite her?", or "Don't they have their own [fashion week]?"

Have you shown at the plus fashion week in the past?
I haven't shown Cabiria at Full Figured Fashion Week or all the other plus shows, in part because how I've been striving for the line to have this kind of mainstream approach. I think that what they've done with Full Figured Fashion Week is fantastic and offers a great vocal point for independent designers in the plus industry to be heard and seen, but I think that [those shows] are pretty much achieved under the radar. You're not making any new sales or new customers by going to those.

And finally, you're doing all this work, do you have plans when it's finally done, like going on vacation or anything?
Well the funny part is that I'm on this television series now [Miller is currently the wardrobe supervisor on Alpha Housestarring John Goodman] and I'm the head of my department. I'm taking two days off, one for the fitting and one for the show. To do the show, I have people working behind-the-scenes doing production but basically I have to have a conversation with production like, "Should I take the morning off? Should I take the day off?" So my plans are to go back and catalog a whole bunch of stuff for my TV series and get myself into production for a set of pre-orders and hope that it hits really big and I get lots more pre-orders.

Sounds like you're really busy!
Yeah, exactly. It would be very cool if to just say, "Oh, I'm going to Disney World," but really I'm just doing work. But if this works out, and I get enough publicity from it, then I could look into doing a diffusion line–I know exactly what I'd want to do for that, too. That opens some really exciting doors.