honoluluadvertiser.com
Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Direct from Uncle | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper
Posted on: Tuesday, October 2, 2001

The Left Lane
Direct from Uncle

Uncle Sam is giving out free American flag bumper stickers on O'ahu this week.

The emblems, provided by Pictures Plus, will be handed out by employees dressed as Uncle Sam on Kalakaua Avenue near the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center from 7 to 10 tonight. Other giveaways: Kahala Mall, 6-9 p.m. tomorrow and Pearl Highlands Center, 6-9 p.m. Thursday.

The stickers, which say "Proud to be an American," also can be picked up at any of the eight Pictures Plus locations in Hawai'i.

— Mike Leidemann, Advertiser staff writer


Going outside 'Today'

Al Roker
"Today" weatherman Al Roker ventured outside his NBC show's streetside studio for the first time last week to greet visitors — an indication that life on the morning show is slowly returning to normal.

But it could be some time before he is joined there by anchors Katie Couric and Matt Lauer: The nation remains in a stay-close-to-home mode, and network mornings shows are mirroring our mood.

"Everything is a gradual process," says "Today" producer Jonathan Wald. "As Americans move outside and take a look at what's going on around them, we'd like to do the same thing."

That said, Wald said "Today" fare, which since Sept. 12 has been devoted exclusively to the fallout from the terrorist attacks, is returning slowly this week to "more traditional coverage" — meaning a mix of news and entertainment.

— USA Today


Not talking yet

Nicolas Cage
"Windtalkers," a much-anticipated World War II epic from action movie king John Woo, is the latest movie casualty of the terrorist attacks. MGM has moved the release date for this film, partly shot in Hawai'i, from Nov. 9 to June 14, says Robert Levin, MGM's president of worldwide theatrical marketing and distribution.

The change was made because of the likelihood of war, increased TV viewing and press interest in the response to the terrorist attacks — not to mention a fall and holiday movie season that is expected to be unusually competitive. "We think it's a great movie" that could reach its biggest audience in the summer, Levin said. Inspired by true events, "Windtalkers" stars Nicolas Cage and tells the story of several hundred Navajo Indians who were recruited into the Marines in 1942 and trained to use their language as code, the only one never broken by the Japanese.

— USA Today


Movies rebound

Anothony Hopkins and Anton Yelchin
A trio of strong new releases brought receipts up 52 percent over the previous weekend, the worst one of the year. "Don't Say a Word," "Zoolander" and "Hearts in Atlantis" took in a combined total of more than $43 million, claiming two-thirds of the total weekend box office of $66.2 million for the top 12 movies.

Last weekend's ticket sales at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations:

  1. "Don't Say a Word," $18 million
  2. "Zoolander," $15.7 million
  3. "Hearts in Atlantis," $9.5 million
  4. "Hardball," $5.2 million
  5. "The Others," $5.1 million
  6. "Rush Hour 2," $2.7 million
  7. "The Glass House," $2.1 million
  8. "Rat Race," $1.8 million
  9. "The Musketeer," $1.7 million
  10. "Two Can Play that Game," $1.6 million

— Associated Press
Advertisement
Advertisement