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PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 10 June 2019
‘Secret Life of Pets 2’ bests ‘Dark Phoenix’ at box office

BY LINDSEY BAHR Sunday. First place went
Associated Press instead to “The Secret Life
LOS ANGELES (AP) — After of Pets 2.”
nearly 20 years and a doz- The Universal Pictures and
en films, the current mani- Illumination sequel, featur-
festation of X-Men movies is ing the voices of Kevin Hart,
going out with a whimper. Tiffany Haddish and Harri-
Scorched by poor reviews, son Ford in his first animated
the $200 million “Dark role, grossed an estimated
Phoenix” earned a fran- $47.1 million in ticket sales.
chise low of $33 million from Although less than half of
3,721 North American loca- what the first film opened
tions over the weekend for to in 2016, it’s still a major
a second place finish, ac- win for the studio, consider-
cording to studio estimates ing the production budget

This image released by Universal Pictures shows, from left, Snowball, voiced by Kevin Hart, Daisy,
voiced by Tiffany Haddish and Pops, voiced by Dana Carvey in a scene from “The Secret Life of
Pets 2.”
Associated Press
was around $80 million. In- phie Turner fresh off of her ney’s president of theatri-
cluding international gross- “Game of Thrones” run as cal distribution. “While the
es, its global total is already Sansa Stark. It also brings film didn’t open the way
sitting at $97 million. back James McAvoy, Mi- we wanted, we think the
“It’s a fantastic result,” said chael Fassbender and Jen- legacy of the X-Men series
Jim Orr, Universal’s presi- nifer Lawrence. It’s the de is important and it’s more
dent of domestic theatrical facto conclusion to the important than how one
distribution. “We couldn’t modern X-Men movies that film opens. We’re trying to
be more proud to partner started in 2000, and also keep it in perspective.”
with (CEO) Chris Meledan- the first major 20th Century Paul Dergarabedian, the
dri and everyone at Illumi- Fox film to be released by senior media analyst for
nation.” the Walt Disney Co. follow- Comscore noted even with
He noted that this is the ing the acquisition. the lackluster North Ameri-
ninth No. 1 opening for Il- But the quality wasn’t there can debut and reception,
lumination, the animated and it scored even worse that internationally “Dark
arm responsible for the reviews overall than the Phoenix” was No. 1 with
“Despicable Me” movies. widely-disparaged “X-Men: $107 million from 53 territo-
With decidedly less stel- Apocalypse.” Audiences ries including China. Glob-
lar results, “Dark Phoenix” who showed up seemed to ally, its earned $140 million.
trailed behind the talking concur with the critics, giv- “In the international mar-
animals. Directed by long- ing it a deadly B- CinemaS- ketplace, it seems like the
time X-Men scribe Simon core. spectacle and the brand
Kinberg, it focuses on Jean “It’s softer than we hoped,” wins out,” Dergarabedian
Grey who is played by So- said Cathleen Taff, Dis- said.q

Justin Rutledge turns the

pages in ‘Passages’

By JILL LAWLESS angst you can hum along
Associated Press to. On “Passages,” his
Justin Rutledge, “Passages” eighth studio album, Rut-
(Outside Music) ledge worked with a new
Justin Rutledge stands in a band and producer Chris
strong tradition of literate Stringer (Timber Timbre,
Canadian singer-songwrit- the Wooden Sky). Guitar- This cover image released
ers — think Leonard Cohen, dominated, but seasoned by Outside Music shows
Neil Young, Joni Mitchell with piano and strings, the “Passages,” a release by
or the late Gord Downie album sometimes achieves Justin Rutledge.
of the Tragically Hip. Like an Eagles-y Californian
the Hip, whose Rob Baker vibe: layered and ambient, ics that are simultaneously
plays guitar on Rutledge’s with an intoxicating sheen. mysterious and vivid, and
new album, he deserves There’s a languid melan- while his songs are often
to be better known outside choly to songs like “Cap- introspective, they are also
his homeland. Rutledge’s tive” and “Weight of the fun. He rocks out enjoy-
roots are in alt-country, World,” while the title track ably on the spirited, slide
and like the best country is a wistful love song deliv- guitar-fueled “Good Man”
songwriters he has a knack ered with Beatles-esque — the first single — and the
for lyrics full of doubt and strings. self-questioning anthem
loss, set to jaunty tunes. It’s Rutledge has a gift for lyr- “Chains.” q