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“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear.
The Biggest Box Office Flop Of All Time
Look, I’m not one to take pleasure in another person’s failure. Lord knows I’ve had my fair share of them (for example: I once sold timeshares after dropping out of law school – go ahead and laugh, my schadenfreude-inclined readers). But even still, when it comes to a flop this massive…well, brother, even I’m going to take notice.
According to SlashFilm, the biggest flop in Hollywood title now belongs to Desert Warrior, Rupert Wyatt’s historical action epic starring Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley, and Sharlto Copley. The film reportedly cost $150 million to make and earned just $742,066 worldwide, bringing back roughly 0.5% of its production budget in theaters. With very little post-theatrical marketing, I doubt this will get any big wins anytime soon. The best Wyatt et al. can hope for is a few royalty checks coming from those big $5 DVD bins at Wal-Mart, if you ask me.
The Transformers: The Movie Getting Theatrical Re-Release
I wasn’t big into cars growing up (surprise, surprise), but I was big into animals. Because of this, the only Transformers I liked was the short-lived Beast Wars from 1996, when the robots were animals (such clever wildlife names like Optimus Primal, Cheertor, and Waspinator populated the series). Even still, I have to give credit where it’s due – the Transformers franchise has made a remarkable comeback in the 2000’s, thanks to the one-two punch of the Michael Bay live-action films and the general nostalgia millennials hold onto with a vice-like grip.
And it isn’t just little ol’ me noticing. To mark the 40th anniversary of the 1986 animated film, Hasbro and Fathom Entertainment are bringing The Transformers: The Movie back to theaters in 4K from September 17 through September 21. The rerelease is being billed as “The Apology Tour,” a nod to the movie’s still-infamous decision to kill off (spoiler alert!!) Optimus Prime. While I don’t foresee my beloved Waspinator hitting the big screen anytime soon, I won’t completely lose hope just yet for a rerelease coming in 2036.
Balmuda Naturewind Studio
After ten years surviving Summers on my farm with an air conditioner that had about as much force as my asthmatic grandfather, it finally died earlier this month. While we wait for a replacement, I’ve been daydreaming about what it feels like to go to bed chilly and comfortable. In my search for a short-term solution, I came across the Balmuda NatureWind Studio which is quite possibly the only fan I’d consider chic.
Made in Japan, the fan uses Balmuda’s double-blade design to create a softer, more natural-feeling breeze, with five speed settings and a quieter mode for nighttime use. While, yes, the $429 price tag is, ahem, a little higher than what you’d get at Lowe’s – can you really put a price on feeling superior to everyone else when you post your fancy little fan all over your Instagram stories? I think not.
The World’s Highest Rolex Boutique
Anyone with even the slightest interest in watches would have seen this bit of news on their Instagram feeds over the last week or so. Rolex recently opened the highest Rolex boutique in the world, located more than 3,000 meters above sea level inside the new Titlis Tower in Engelberg, Switzerland. Operated by Bucherer, the boutique sits on Mount Titlis in a former 1980s telecommunications tower that Herzog & de Meuron, the Swiss architecture firm behind projects like Tate Modern and Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium, transformed into a cross-shaped visitor destination. The building now includes glazed viewing areas, an observation deck, a restaurant, an Alpine lounge, and panoramic views of the glacier-covered summit and Bernese Alps. Inside, the decor feels one part Wes Anderson and two parts HBO’s Mountainhead. Getting there is part of the experience, too, requiring a train into the Swiss Alps, two cable cars, and a ride on a revolving gondola before you arrive at the showroom. Los gaht’s!
Criterion to Celebrate Filmmaker Wes Anderson with Launch of First-Ever Criterion Cinema Pop-Up
Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that Wes Anderson is one of the few auteurs we have left. In the era of AI slop and remake after remake, the originality – and a hell of a lot of bathos anchoring his plots – of Anderson’s filmography is a rarity in today’s film landscape. Criterion (yes, of the Criterion Closet infamy) has taken note and is launching its first-ever Criterion Cinema pop-up in Los Angeles this July.
Timed to the Hollywood Bowl’s Music from the Films of Wes Anderson concert, the pop-up will run from July 10 through July 12 and includes screenings curated by Anderson himself. The program mixes his own work with films that have inspired his directorial eye, including The Darjeeling Limited, Yojimbo, Amarcord, Belle de Jour, Anderson’s shorts, and Adventures in Movie Going. The Mobile Closet will also be there, along with a listening booth, viewing lounge, VIP appearances, and limited-edition Wes Anderson merch.
If you do happen to go, I wear a medium in t-shirts and can Venmo you – just an FYI.
