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“Tron: Ares” powered up the box office grid in the top spot this weekend, but Disney’s third entry in the sci-fi franchise fell short of expectations.Despite some favorable reviews including a three-out-of-four-star one from The Associated Press the new “Tron” film starring Jared Leto, Greta Lee and Jeff Bridges earned $33.5 million, according to Comscore estimates on Sunday. The big-budget project, reported to cost around $150 million, arrived 15 years after “Tron: Legacy” opened to $44 million before grossing more than $400 million globally.The latest chapter follows a battle between two powerful technology firms, Emcom and Dillinger, who face off against the same artificial intelligence barrier. Both can generate physical creations using laser-based 3D printers but each creation lasts only 29 minutes before collapsing into ash.“Tron: Ares” was packed with action and nostalgia, but it wasn’t enough to draw big numbers across more than 4,000 theaters.“It’s been tough for that franchise to gain traction for it to become a big mega franchise,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. He noted that the original “Tron” movie in 1982 initially struggled at the box office, but it ultimately grew a cult following.Dergarabedian said the international numbers could play a key role toward the film’s profitability.“It still topped the box office,” he said. “It picked a solid release date. All eyes are on a big Disney film that is a huge brand, known and has been around for decades.”It wasn’t the only new release that struggled to connect.“Roofman,” which starred Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst in the blue-collar dramedy about a construction worker trying to rebuild his life, opened in second place with a modest $8 million debut.Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” came in third with $6.6 million. “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” held steady in fourth place with $3.3 million. The Netflix and DreamWorks family release based on the popular preschool series continues to perform well with younger audiences in its third weekend.In fifth, “Soul on Fire” debuted with $3 million. The faith-based drama tells the true story of burn survivor and motivational speaker John O’Leary, featuring performances from Joel Courtney, William H. Macy and John Corbett.“The Conjuring: Last Rites” followed with $2.9 million, marking another steady entry in Warner Bros.’ long-running horror franchise.In seventh, “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle” brought in $2.2 million, continuing the anime franchise’s strong theatrical momentum worldwide.“The Smashing Machine,” starring Dwayne Johnson as UFC legend Mark Kerr, added $1.7 million in eighth place.Rounding out the top 10 were “The Strangers: Chapter 2” with $1.5 million and “Good Boy” with $1.3 million.After a couple big weekends last month, the box office has taken a hit in October a month that Dergarabedian calls a bridge month between summer and holiday movie seasons. He said this month is perfect for films like “The Smashing Machine” and “After the Hunt,” which releases Oct. 17, to shine in their own way.“If you’re a movie fan, particularly in the indie, art house, award season types of film, this is a great month,” he said. “Moviegoers should embrace the eclectic offerings out there on the big screen.” Top 10 movies by domestic box office With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: “Tron: Ares” $33.5 million “Roofman,” $8 million. “One Battle After Another,” $6.6 million. “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie,” $3.3 million. “Soul on Fire,” $3 million. “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” $2.9 million. “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle,” $2.2 million. “The Smashing Machine,” $1.7 million. “The Strangers: Chapter 2,” $1.5 million. “Good Boy,” $1.3 million. Jonathan Landrum Jr., AP Entertainment Writer
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E-Commerce
Want a reason to be optimistic? The global food system is showing some green shoots that suggest more sustainable farming practices are on the way. But consumers play an integral role in making that a reality, and the choices they make every time they shop at the grocery store matter more than we may realize. Thats because farmers, companies, and consumers must all work together to create a more sustainable food system, according to Paul Rice, founder of Fair Trade USA, which certifies products to meet standards around fair pricing, safe working conditions, and sustainable farming practices. We have the ability to vote with our dollars . . . to choose products that are climate friendly, that are sustainable, that are healthy, that are nutritious, said Rice, speaking at the Fast Company Innovation Festival last month in New York. And by doing that, by making that choice, we reward both the retailers and brands that are bringing us those products, but then also the growers. That said, theres an obligation for all of these various players to think intentionally about their interconnectedness, added Chris MacAulay, vice president of North America at Too Good To Go, which tackles food waste by connecting consumers to surplus food at restaurants and grocery stores. At the heart of the issue, MacAulay said, is that food is a powerful connecting force that needs to be valued. When we value it more highly, there’s enough money to help drive this virtuous cycle flywheel that we can get to. ‘Internalize the externalities’ Even so, change needs to happen on various fronts. One possibility might be to internalize the externalitiesor charge consumers some incremental amount of money that goes toward sustainability, in the same way that you must pay a deposit in many states when buying beer, noted Anthony Myint, executive director of Zero Foodprint, which mobilizes businesses to contribute a percentage of their sales to support farmers. If we want healthy soil, if we want to change farming, then we need policies and laws and programs that kind of include that littleit could be a penny, it could be a dollarbut any amount going to that change directly, Myint said. While the challenges facing the food system are a little depressing, there are signs of gradual progress that offer reasons to be hopeful, Myint said. If we can just go from doing zero to just doing anything, then it’s almost going to solve itself. Opportunity for entrepreneurs Rice and MacAulay likewise see business reasons for optimism. Theres an opportunity to continue to build and iterate upon those sustainability efforts that have begun to grow, while there are so many good ideas that havent been hatched yet, MacAulay said. And players at all stages are experiencing enlightened self-interest that will fuel the sustainability movement, Rice added. While farmers are increasingly realizing that the continuation of chemical-intensive agriculture will deplete the soil for future generations, companies are realizing that supply-chain transparency is in their own interestsand supporting more sustainable practices is good for their brands, Rice noted. Corporate America writ large is moving in this direction because it’s good for business and we have to make it so, Rice said. And so therein lies [our role] . . . to reward companies that are doing the right thing, keep reading the label, and stay curious about the impact of our purchasing decisions.
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E-Commerce
Immigrants selling food, flowers, and other merchandise along the sidewalks of California will have new privacy protections intended to keep their identities secret from federal immigration agents. The measure, signed into law this past week by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, comes on the heels of other recently enacted state laws meant to shield students in schools and patients at health care facilities from the reach of President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement actions. Democratic-led states are adding laws resisting Trump even as he intensifies his deportation campaign by seeking to deploy National Guard troops to Democratic-led cities to reinforce U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who are arresting people suspected of being in the U.S. illegally. By contrast, some Republican-led states are requiring local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with ICE agents. The actions of the states really reflect the polarization of the country on this issue, said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports immigration restrictions. We have seen some states move to cooperate to the greatest extent that they possibly can with Trumps administration and others doing what they can to try to thwart immigration enforcement in their state. Across the U.S, state lawmakers this year have passed more than 100 bills relating to immigration, according to an Associated Press analysis aided by the bill tracking software Plural. The measures are divided almost evenly between those providing and denying protections to immigrants. California is shielding immigrant information Immigrants comprise a significant portion of California’s urban sidewalk vendors. Some have been swept up in immigration enforcement actions, in part, because their outdoor work in public places makes them easier targets than people behind closed doors. California’s street vendors typically need permits from cities or counties. The new law prohibits local governments from inquiring about vendors’ immigration status, requiring fingerprinting or disclosing personal information name, address, birth date, social media identifiers and telephone, driver’s license and Social Security numbers, among other things without a judicial subpoena. The law, which will take effect Jan. 1, was prompted by concerns that vendor databases kept by local governments could be accessed by federal immigration agents to target people for detention and deportation. Were talking about really security - security for businesses, security for human beings, security for people who have gone through so much,” said Sergio Jimenez, a street vending organizer with the nonprofit Community Power Collective in Los Angeles. Additional laws recently signed by Newsom add immigration status to a list of protected medical information and prohibit schools from granting access to immigration enforcement officials without a court warrant. Another new California law directs schools and higher education institutions to immediately notify staff and students or parents when immigration officials are on campus. Democratic states create safe places for immigrants Upon taking office, Trump reversed a policy restricting federal immigration agents from arresting people at sensitive locations such as schools, churches and hospitals. Like California, other Democratic-led states responded with laws attempting to create safe places for immigrants. A Maryland law enacted earlier this year requires public schools, libraries and health care facilities to restrict access for immigration enforcement officials unless presented with a court warrant. Nevada’s Republican governor vetoed a similar measure for schools that had been passed by the Democratic-led Legislature. Meanwhile, a new Colorado law allows civil penalties of up to $50,000 for public child care centers, schools, colleges, health care facilities and libraries that collect information about peoples immigration status, with some exceptions. New laws in Rhode Island prohibit health care providers and landlords from inquiring about people’s immigration status. Oregon also enacted a similar law for landlords. States split on aiding federal immigration agents By contrast, Republican-led states have passed numerous laws intended to bolster Trumps immigration policies. New laws in Texas, Florida, and Arkansas require sheriffs who run jails to enter into federal agreements for their officers to be trained to help U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. State and local participation in the federal 287(g) immigration enforcement program named after the section of law that created it has exploded from 135 agreements in 21 states before Trump took office in January to more than 1,000 agreements presently in place in 40 states. But some Democratic-led states have refused to take part. A new Delaware law prohibits participation in the program, similar to statutes already in place in California and Illinois. Democratic-led Vermont also tightened its restrictions on participating in federal immigration enforcement programs, repealing an exemption that had allow it during emergencies. A Connecticut law that took effect in October allows people to sue local governments that cooperate with federal immigration authorities in violation of the states Trust Act. Public benefits are a point of contention In Washington, new state laws allow workers to take paid leave to attend immigration proceedings for themselves or family members and prohibit employers from using immigration status to coerce their employees. But some Republican-led states have enacted laws limiting benefits for people in the country illegally. A new Idaho law prohibits immigrants without legal status from receiving some publicly funded health benefits, including vaccinations, crisis counseling and prenatal and postnatal care for women. A new Louisiana law requires applicants for public benefits to be screened for legal immigration status and, if lacking it, reported to federal immigration authorities Several Republican-led states including Florida, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Tennessee, and Wyoming have adopted laws invalidating certain drivers licenses issued to immigrants in the U.S. illegally. College tuition discounts are diminishing Entering into this year, nearly half the states provided in-state tuition to public colleges and universities for residents living in the U.S. illegally. But that number has dwindled since Trump took office and the U.S. Department of Justice began suing states. The federal lawsuits assert states are violating the Constitution by providing in-state tuition for people without legal status while not offering the same benefit to out-of-state U.S. citizens. Florida repealed its decade-old law allowing in-state tuition for students lacking legal status, effective July 1. Republican-led Texas and Oklahoma both ended similar tuition policies after getting sued by the Justice Department. Kentucky, which has a Democratic governor, also has taken steps to halt its policy after getting sued. California lawmakers attempted to enhance tuition benefits for immigrants with a first-of-its kind measure allowing community college students who get deported or voluntarily leave the U.S. to continue receiving in-state tuition while taking online courses from afar. But Newsom vetoed the measure earlier this month, citing significant constitutional concerns that the tuition break was offered only to students who left the country and not also to residents of other U.S. states. A bill passed by New Mexico’s Democratic-led Legislature this year would have expanded in-state tuition breaks to immigrants who earned income in New Mexico during the previous two years or who attended at least two semesters of adult education courses. But Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham let the bill die without her signature. David A. Lieb, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
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