Entertainment

Showcasing Hollywoods Big Action Films

Published

15 years ago

June 12, 2010

This summer is full of big action films, pricey sequels and 3-D extravaganzas. But one of the most buzzed-about films is a low-budget comedy called MacGruber. According to the Los Angeles Times, the film “brought down the house” when it was screened recently at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Tex.

MacGruber, starring Saturday Night Live cast member Will Forte, is based on an SNL sketch about a MacGyver-esque agent who tries (in vain) to defuse bombs using ordinary household items. Forte was able to make the film edgier than the sketches (including a villain named Dieter Von Cunth), earning MacGruber an R rating.

If the film is a box-office success when it comes Forte could be on his way to joining the pantheon of SNL members who have succeeded at the box office. Many have tried to make the leap, but only a few have become box-office heroes.

Topping our list is Eddie Murphy. The comedian performed on SNL during some of its strongest seasons from 1980 to 1984. From there he went on to star in successful movies like Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America and The Nutty Professor.

But it was his work in the animated Shrek series from DreamWorks Animation that has propelled him to No. 1 on our list. As the voice of Donkey, Murphy has become a key player in a franchise that has earned $2.2 billion at the box office so far. That total will jump later this month when the final film, Shrek Forever After, hits theaters in 3-D (opposite MacGruber, which will likely attract a more mature audience).

Over the last 10 years Murphy’s films have earned $3.6 billion at the box office. In addition to the Shrek films, he’s starred in box-office winners like Daddy Day Care and Dr. Dolittle 2. Lately Murphy’s box-office prowess has come into question, though, with a series of duds including Meet Dave and Imagine That, both of which failed to earn back their production budgets at the box office.

To compile our list we looked at SNL cast members’ film work over the last 10 years and added up global box-office earnings. Usually we don’t count animation roles in these sorts of lists because the audiences often don’t know or care who is voicing the characters. We made an exception this time because Murphy and Mike Myers are so inextricably linked with the Shrek movies that the series has become as much about the actors as about the characters (which is why Murphy, Myers and Cameron Diaz earn upwards of $10 million each for their work in each film).

The Shrek films helped land Myers, who voices the green ogre, in second place with $3 billion. Like Murphy, Myers has had a rough couple of years outside of the Shrek films, culminating with the 2008 box-office bomb The Love Guru. From Viacom studio Paramount Pictures, the comedy earned only $40 million at the global box office on an estimated budget of $60 million.

In third place is Adam Sandler. Few actors are as successful at the box office as Sandler. His films have earned $2.1 billion in the last 10 years without the help of a successful animated franchise like Shrek. His 2008 film Bedtime Stories earned $213 million at the global box office.

Robert Downey Jr. ranks fourth with $2 billion. The Iron Man actor was only a cast member for one year in 1985 when the show was in a ratings free fall. After his run on SNL he appeared in well-received movies like Less Than Zero and Chaplin, but struggles with drugs temporarily derailed his career. In the last few years Downey has enjoyed one of the greatest career resurgences Hollywood has seen with hits like Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes. Iron Man 2 last weekend had the fifth-highest opening of all time, taking in $134 million at the U.S. box office.

The only woman who makes our list is Tina Fey, whose films have earned $340 million at the box office, ranking her ninth. Her most recent movie, Date Night, is also her most successful, with $116 million at the box office so far.

Entertainment

Valentine’s Day: Streaming Of Heartbreak Songs Increased Massively-Spotify

Published

1 week ago

February 14, 2025

The Tide

Spotify yesterday revealed a significant surge in heartbreak song streams in Nigeria during the Valentine’s Day season, with a 626 percent increase between 2022 and 2024.
This was disclosed in a statement issued in Lagos, Nigeria by Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa Phiona Okumu.
Okumu said, “Spotify data reveals a surprising trend, a massive surge in heartbreak song streams.
“Nigerians are turning to their playlists to express their emotions, with a staggering 626 per cent overall growth in heartbreak streams from 2022 to 2024.
“This Valentine, the sound of love is accompanied by the sound of heartbreak, and the data shows it’s louder than ever before.”
She said on Valentine’s Day, most surprisingly, male listeners streamed heartbreak songs at a significantly higher rate than female listeners, with a 362 per cent increase compared to 169 per cent among women.
“This could suggest that men resonate with the feeling of heartbreak more and turn to music as a private outlet for processing emotions.
“Whatever the reason, one thing is clear, when love is in the air, so is heartbreak and Nigerian men are pressing play on their pain more than expected.
“While Valentine’s Day is often celebrated with grand gestures, heartbreak is a common theme on Valentine’s Day -more than what’s publicly shown,” she said.
Nigerians will join their counterparts across the world to mark the 2025 Valentine’s today.

Entertainment

Tems Becomes Co-owner Of MLS Club

Published

1 week ago

February 14, 2025

The Tide

Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has joined MLS side San Diego FC’s ownership group as a club partner.
SDFC announced today that Tems joined the ownership group through her company, The Leading Vibe.
In the process, Tems became the first African woman to be involved in MLS ownership.
“We are delighted that Tems has joined San Diego FC as a club partner,” SDFC chairman Sir Mohamed Mansour said in a statement.
“Tems is a globally significant artist who will help us reach new audiences and spread the word about our unique project, which, of course, has its foundations in sub-Saharan Africa through the unique Right to Dream organisation.”
Reacting to her addition as the latest partner in SDFC’s ownership group, the singer said: “I am thrilled to join San Diego FC’s ownership group and to be part of a club that celebrates creativity, culture, and the power of community.

“Football has a unique way of bringing people together, and I am excited to help build something special in San Diego, a city that thrives on diversity and innovation.”

Entertainment

Toyin Lawani Cries Out Over Side Effects Of Epidural

Published

1 week ago

February 14, 2025

The Tide

Fashion and beauty entrepreneur, Toyin Lawani, has claimed she is enduring back pain and that her spine is degenerating.
Lawani revealed this in a video posted on social media last Tuesday.
In the clip, she opened up about her experience with epidural anesthesia, an injection administered to pregnant women in the spine to reduce pain during childbirth.
The mother of three claimed that since receiving the injection, she has not felt like herself.
She accused doctors of not fully informing women about the long-term side effects of epidurals.
According to Lawani, she received the anesthetic injection during the birth of her last two children.
She said, “When you hear ‘epidural,’ run. Doctors tell you about the side effects but do not tell you about the long-term effects on your body. I have about three friends having the same issues that I am having.
“Like, I am just 42, how did I end up with spine issues? I have a degenerating spine. I have implants in my spine. I go paralyzed. I can’t stand for a long time. I can’t even breathe properly sometimes because it affected so many things in my body when I had the surgery.
“They will not tell you because you just want the pain to go away. I have had two epidurals. I had my first as natural birth. The last two were epidural. The last one I had epidural because I had to undergo a surgery and I had no choice.
“See, the pain does not stop. My back is killing me and my spine is degenerating.”