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What it takes for a movie to get a rare ‘F’ CinemaScore — and why it’s a badge of honor

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:45:02 GMT

Michael Phillips | Chicago Tribune (TNS)CHICAGO — CinemaScore, the movie theater exit-polling operation, has measured audiences’ opening-night reactions to new films since 1978, gradually gaining in influence and popularity. When “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” or “The Woman King” or “Avengers: Endgame” nabs an A+, it puts forth a simple grade reflecting the quick-react opinions of a few hundred moviegoers nationwide.If expectations were either happily met or exceeded, boom: It’s a sign that the movie’s appeal is all a distributor could want. Maybe. Not always. Every movie is different. Some movies that earn an A+ in exit polls go on to massive global popularity. Others don’t, for various reasons. Some movies that get, say, an A-, such as Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” may be doing pretty well at the box office but if they cost $200 million to produce, they may or may not earn it back.Then again, look at Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street.” That got a grousy, unpromi...

Patriots-Commanders injury report: Trent Brown among 10 questionable for Sunday

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:45:02 GMT

The Patriots listed a dozen players on their final injury report Friday, including starting left tackle Trent Brown and wide receiver Tyquan Thornton.Brown and Thornton are among 10 questionable. Thornton has a new foot injury. Wide receiver DeVante Parker and offensive tackle Calvin Anderson have been ruled out.In Washington, the Commanders ruled out second-leading receiver Curtis Samuel with a toe injury.Both teams’ complete injury reports are below.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Bill Belichick pays tribute to late friend, basketball legend Bob Knight New England Patriots | New Patriots cornerback arrives with Willie McGinest, Jack Jones ties New England Patriots | Patriots-Commanders injury report: Trent Brown, DeVante Parker miss second straight practice Thursday New England Patriots | Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte opens up about benching, indicates he’ll play Sunday New England Patriots | ...

Don’t pre-tip on delivery? Don’t expect your food quickly, DoorDash warns

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:45:02 GMT

Carly Olson | (TNS) Los Angeles TimesAmericans are tipping their delivery drivers less often than they did last year. DoorDash is seeking to reverse that trend with an automated nudge — one that carries a hint of a threat.The food delivery service is testing out a new in-app warning that encourages non-tipping customers to rethink their decisions.Customers selecting a $0 tip while placing orders now see a pop-up message cautioning that orders without tips might take longer to be delivered. The tech news site The Verge first reported the change.“Orders with no tip might take longer to get delivered — are you sure you want to continue?” the pop-up reads. “Dashers can pick and choose which orders they want to do. Orders that take longer to be accepted by Dashers tend to result in slower delivery.”DoorDash said it began rolling out the “reminder screen” to customers a couple of months ago, but it generated buzz after a tweet showing a screenshot of th...

Son Eric testifies in Trump civil fraud trial he relied on accountants for key financial documents

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:45:02 GMT

By JENNIFER PELTZ (Associated Press)NEW YORK (AP) — With Donald Trump due on the witness stand next week, testimony from his adult sons in his civil business fraud trial wrapped up Friday with Eric Trump saying he relied completely on accountants and lawyers to assure the accuracy of financial documents key to the case.Meanwhile, lawyers for the ex-president, his sons and their company again pressed allegations that Judge Arthur Engoron is being improperly influenced by his principal law clerk. Engoron strongly denied the claims and, as he had a day earlier, told the attorneys not to broach the matter again. Donald Trump is scheduled to testify Monday in the case, which comes as he leads Republican 2024 presidential hopefuls and fights four separate criminal cases. The unrelated civil case, brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, accuses him, his company and executives of deceiving banks and insurers by exaggerating his wealth on his annual financial statements. Tr...

Police shooting investigation underway in Escondido

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:45:02 GMT

Editors note: The correct address for the shooting investigation is 2550 East Valley Parkway.ESCONDIDO, Calif. -- A police shooting investigation is underway in Escondido, the San Diego Police Department confirmed to FOX 5.Authorities were called to 2550 East Valley Parkway around 7 a.m. Friday morning regarding a shooting involving an officer.Around 11:45 a.m., SDPD confirmed homicide detectives are on scene investigating the incident.No suspect information is available at this time.No officers were reported to be injured in this incident.This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Biden in Maine to mourn with Lewiston community after shootings

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:45:02 GMT

LEWISTON, Maine (NewsNation) — President Joe Biden will visit Lewiston Friday to mourn with a community that witnessed the deadliest shooting in the state’s history a little more than a week ago.The Oct. 25 shooting at a bowling alley and bar killed 18 people and injured 13 more. Robert Card, a 40-year-old firearms instructor, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after the killings and a dayslong manhunt.“Too many times the president and first lady have traveled to communities completely torn apart by gun violence,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on the eve of the Bidens' trip on Friday. “We can't accept it as normal.” Child care in US is unaffordable, costs continue to rise The Bidens will pay their respects to the victims, meet with first responders and grieve with families and community members affected by the shootings, Jean-Pierre said.The president has long made gun control and violence prevention a cornerstone of his politics, but ...

Judge gives life in prison for look-out in Florida gang shooting that killed 3 and injured 20

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:45:02 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — The man who served as look-out in a South Florida shooting that left three people dead and 20 others injured was sentenced to life in prison Friday.A Miami-Dade circuit judge said Davonte Barnes, 24, played an integral role in the 2021 Memorial Day weekend shooting at a music hall before handing down 23 concurrent life sentences, the Miami Herald reported. Barnes was convicted in September of three counts of second-degree murder and 20 counts of attempted second-degree murder.The shooting followed an escalating dispute between two Opa-locka gangs, officials said. Prosecutors showed jurors how they said members of Barnes’ gang pulled into the parking lot at El Mula Banquet Hall before the end of a show and opened fire with high-powered rifles as patrons were leaving. They said the gunfire came from the occupants of three different vehicles.Another man had been taken into custody for the shooting, but prosecutors dropped the charges after determining detectives made...

A former Utah county clerk is accused of shredding and mishandling 2020 and 2022 ballots

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:45:02 GMT

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Utah prosecutors have charged a former county clerk with three felonies and other counts for allegedly shredding and otherwise mishandling ballots from the 2020 and 2022 elections.The alleged misdeeds involved ballots cast by about 5,000 voters in Juab County, a desert area of west-central Utah with about 12,000 residents.Former Juab County Clerk/Auditor Alaina Lofgran is accused of allowing ballots to be shredded soon after the 2022 election in violation of a law requiring their preservation for at least 22 months. The law is for aiding recounts.Lofgran also improperly stored ballots from the 2020 election, keeping them in a basement storage room accessible by multiple county employees and easily visible, prosecutors allege in charging documents filed in Utah state court Thursday.State law requires ballots and election returns to be locked in a safe and secure place.“These charges are serious and reflect the heavy responsibility of county clerks to uphold elec...

California lawmaker Wendy Carrillo arrested on suspicion of drunken driving

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:45:02 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A California legislator who is running for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council was arrested early Friday on suspicion of drunken driving, according to law enforcement and jail records.Officers responded to a report of a traffic collision around 12:20 a.m. in Los Angeles and took Wendy Carrillo, the driver, into custody, Officer Annie Moran said. Carrillo, who represents parts of northeastern and east Los Angeles, was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence. Jail records show she was held on a misdemeanor offense.In a statement later Friday, Carrillo said she crashed into parked vehicles and that no one was hurt. She did not directly admit to driving under the influence of alcohol.“As a public servant, I am aware that I must adhere to a higher standard that demands personal accountability for my conduct and I accept responsibility for my actions,” Carrillo said in the statement. “I sincerely apologize to my family, constituents, colleagues and ...

Earthquake rocks northwest Nepal, felt as far as India’s capital

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:45:02 GMT

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A magnitude 5.6 earthquake shook northwestern Nepal and was felt in neighboring India late Friday, but there were no immediate reports of damage. The U.S. Geological Survey said the 5.6 magnitude quake had a depth of 17. 9 kilometers (11.12 miles) near the mountain town of Jumla, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) northeast of the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu.The quake struck just before midnight when many people already were asleep in their homes. Tremors also were felt in the Indian capital, New Delhi.Earthquakes are common in mountainous Nepal. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2015 killed some 9,000 people and damaged about 1 million structures.The Associated Press