Happy Thursday!
Five mood-boosting ways to celebrate this day (June 15th) in movie history
2005 Batman Begins opens, taking Christopher Nolan from critical darling to mainstream sensation, particularly for the fanboys. It also reignites the Batman franchise which we'll never be free of. In short: it's a good movie but it basically doomed us to countless retellings of origin stories we already sat through and reboot culture. Thomas and Martha Wayne have now died so many times... (sigh)
In its honor today: If you've been feeling down in the dumps, consider today a chance to Reboot your own franchise. Start over. You can be a bigger hit than you were before!
2001 Angelina Jolie IS Lara Croft: Tomb Raider new in theaters. Wish Alicia Vikander luck trying to outdo her next year. We love Vikander but wouldn't want to be in her boots in this particular pop culture iconography duel.
In her honor today: Let your bangs hang seductively in your face all day. If you are hair-challenged, pretend. You're a sexy beast!
1990 Dick Tracy opens. Becomes a commercial and Oscar hit. Is still one of the best comic adaptations ever made for the big screen.
In its honor today: Wear something really colorful. And listen to Sondheim's great songs today.
1960 The Apartment has its world premiere in New York City. It will win 5 of its 10 Oscar nominations the next spring including Best Picture.
In its honor today: Don't get caught up in your office politics. Shut up and deal.
1952 Cinematographer John Toll born. He wins back to back Oscars for Legends of the Fall and Braveheart but his amazing prowess behind the camera also brought us beautiful, earthy, and sensual images in Sense8, The Thin Red Line, The Last Samurai and more.
In his honor today: Take a walk outside. Look at how beautiful the world can actually be.
Other Anniversaries
ACTORS: Jorge Rivero (1938), Polly Draper (1955), Julie Haggerty (1955), Helen Hunt (1963), Courteney Cox (1964), Ice Cube (1969), Neil Patrick Harris (1973), Ray Santiago (1984), Alice Englert aka Spawn o' Jane Campion (1994) and Oscar nominated Barkhad Abdi (1994); OTHER LUMINARIES: Composer Edvard Grieg (1843), Comic book artist Neal Adams (1941), Director Laurence Cantet of Palme d'Or winning The Class fame (1961), Dancer Benjamin Millepied aka Mr Natalie Portman (1977); MOVIES RELEASED: The In-Laws (1979), Rocky II (1979), Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001), Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)