The forward-thinking, planet-positive brand creates footwear made with purpose in Annapolis, Maryland
Made Plus Debuts The SKIFF The SKIFF is a tribute to Annapolis' rich boating history. Ethically engineered, forward-thinking fashion made with purpose.
ANNAPOLIS, Md., September 26, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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Made Plus, a pioneering footwear brand founded by industry veteransTrey Hentz, Kevin Fisher, and Alan Guyan, officially sets sail today. Headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, at 190 Admiral Cochrane Dr. STE 170, Made Plus marks a new era of personalized “planet-positive” footwear proudly made in the United States. With Made Plus, every step matters, which is why the brand has reduced a complex manufacturing process from 300 steps to less than 50 – significantly eliminating negative outputs on the environment.
Having collectively contributed their designs to industry-disrupting products for athletic footwear giants such as Under Armour, Nike, and Sketchers, the trio of Guyan, Fisher, and Hentz now embark on an extraordinary journey to redefine the traditionally tedious, outdated, and wasteful shoe manufacturing process. What started in a garage in Annapolis is now a micro-factory where the team passionately advocates for a sustainable future and a reimagined approach to crafting “made-to-order” footwear.
Local production and a relentless focus on an environmentally conscious lifestyle fall at the heart of Made Plus' identity, positioning the brand as a trailblazer in the footwear landscape. “Our core mission revolves around reducing our carbon footprint, minimizing waste, and championing ethically viable practices. Every step matters, from sourcing components to the production process to the elevated performance our customers experience,” said Alan Guyan, Founder and CEO of Made Plus. “We are also focused on maintaining a local-first approach, crafting products for locals by locals, fostering a strong sense of community and connection right here in Annapolis.”
Unlike conventional shoe manufacturing, Made Plus employs a revolutionary made-to-order business model, significantly reducing waste while providing a design-thinking customization experience. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies, including 3D printing, knitting, and digital modeling, Made Plus offers personalized footwear tailored to each individual's needs – a shoe made just for you.
Guyanexpressed his enthusiasm, stating, "We are thrilled to have the freedom to focus on our mission while doing what we love best - designing and innovating in a way that raises the bar for the footwear industry while delivering customized, elevated experiences for our customers."
The debut offering from Made Plus is the "SKIFF" lifestyle shoe, a loving tribute to Annapolis' rich boating history, specifically inspired by the small boat that shares its name. Showcasing ethically engineered performance UPKNT technology, each pair is upcycled from six plastic water bottles, free of excess foams and linings, and incorporates Azo-free dyes and upcycled components such as laces, webbing, and support structures. “The 'SKIFF' encapsulates our dedication to crafting contemporary, high-quality footwear from recycled materials, embodying our vision of forward-thinking fashion made with purpose,” added Guyan.
About Made Plus Inc.
Made Plus is a visionary footwear brand founded by industry veterans who have honed their craft at major companies, including Under Armour, Nike, New Balance, and Sketchers. Steadfast in its vision to revolutionize the footwear industry, Made Plus is committed to purpose-led design thinking rooted in simplified shoe science. The brand is making a positive impact through ethical manufacturing and using high-quality, sustainable materials. Headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, every pair of Made Plus shoes is made-to-order and crafted with care in the U.S. To learn more, please visit https://www.madeplus.com/.
Contact Information:
Caitlin Wolf
PR Consultant [email protected]
410-935-2363
PLOT: A detective (Benicio del Toro) living in New England with his wife (Alicia Silverstone) investigates the gruesome death of a local real estate magnate’s (Justin Timberlake) wife.
REVIEW: There’s a version of Reptile that could have been a standard cop noir. After all, how many movies have we seen about a rumpled detective investigating a murder that implicates a well-connected family? Yet, director Grant Singer seems less interested in making the straight-laced neo-noir this could have been and instead turns this into a quirky, darkly comedic riff on the genre that almost functions as a spoof at times. After all, a movie that uses Bob Dylan’s ‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door” for a gunfight can’t expect us to take it entirely seriously.
Reptile is a weird but wonderful surprise. The odd vibe will turn some off, and it took me about thirty minutes to finally give up and allow myself to enjoy the madness. Singer, who makes his feature debut (he also co-wrote the movie), seems to have a whole raft of inspirations, ranging from David Fincher to Sam Peckinpah to Werner Herzog, with a liberal dose of camp ladled in to give us the strangest cop movie since Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.
It offers Benicio del Toro a terrific showcase, with him subverting all the expectations of your typical cop movie hero. Most cops in these things are loners, but here, he’s a popular member of the force and the life of every party. He and his upbeat wife (played by a terrific Alicia Silverstone) fit right into the New England cop community, with her uncle, played by a cast against-type Eric Bogosian, as his beloved captain. They like to square dance so much that the rest of the department calls him “Oklahoma.” Del Toro’s character sports an earring and dresses like a gangster, with his loud suits and leather jacket, and seems more interested in the designer kitchen he finds at the crime scene than in solving a murder. All of this is a facade, of course, as he turns out to be incorruptible, and over the lengthy but still fast-moving 142-minute run time, the movie’s genre changes from potboiler to neo-noir to all-out action thriller and still manages to work. Well, it works as long as you don’t mind that the movie is constantly winking at you whenever there’s a cliche, right down to the deliberately obvious song selections on the soundtrack.
In many ways, the movie seems less interested in the mystery than examining the cop community del Toro’s character finds himself a part of, with them mostly all family men in happy marriages and living comfortably in their idyllic town. That it all comes crashing down is a given, but you won’t mind the movie taking its time. If the film has a failing, it’s that the red herrings, such as Justin Timberlake’s real estate guy and Michael Pitt’s scuzzy witness, are never as interesting as the cops, who include The Wire’s Domenick Lombardozzi and an amusing Ato Essandoh as the deadpan new guy. It’s also fun to see del Toro and Silverstone reteam more than a quarter century after Excess Baggage with their top-notch chemistry. It’s nice to see her in such a prominent role again, and she gets some scenery to chew.
One thing is sure – Reptile could have only ever been made at Netflix. Any studio would have had them significantly reduce the quirkiness (and the running time) to the point that it would have been a routine thriller. Currently, it subverts, plays with, and rewards audience expectations. Those who want a straight-laced meat-and-potatoes cop movie won’t like it. Still, if you like stranger cop fare like the underrated Miami Bluesor the aforementioned Port of Call New Orleans, you might find this a very entertaining watch.
Reptile is now playing in limited release and hits Netflix on October 6th.
PLOT: In this wicked series based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher have built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into an empire of wealth, privilege and power. But past secrets come to light when the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying at the hands of a mysterious woman from their youth.
REVIEW: Since the premiere of Before I Wake and Hush on Netflix in 2016, Mike Flanagan has called the streaming platform his creative home. But, it was not until The Haunting of Hill House that Flanagan became a recognizable name to the masses. With an original film and four series for Netflix, Mike Flanagan’s final project under his overall deal may be his most ambitious until he rolls on his potential adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. Drawing inspiration from another master of the macabre, Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher is an unconventional twist on the iconic short story of the same name. Bringing together his repertory players from virtually all of his films and series to date, Flanagan’s version of The Fall of the House of Usher is a grand guignol blend of gothic horror with the cutthroat world of the ultra-wealthy. Consider it Succession if Edgar Allan Poe wrote it, and you know what you are in for. This is a spooky series with some truly innovative takes on the source material that will please fans of Flanagan and Poe alike.
Knowing what Flanagan has done with the classic stories of Shirley Jackson and Henry James, I expected a contemporary twist on The Fall of the House of Usher. Instead of updating that single Poe yarn, Flanagan took a cue from last year’s Christopher Pike mash-up The Midnight Club and modernized multiple tales from the classic author. At its core, the Fall of the House of Usher tells the story of Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood), a rich man whose crumbling manse represents his own downfall. But, by widening the scale of the story, Flanagan inserts a greatest hits compilation of Edgar Allan Poe stories organically into the narrative structure. From the trailer alone, you can tell that Usher includes riffs on “The Masque of the Red Death,” “The Black Cat,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Murders at Rue Morgue,” “The Raven,” and many more. The sheer number of Poe references in this series is staggering and goes beyond full stories into names pulled from the author’s poems and contemporaries from his life. Short of a true biopic, The Fall of the House of Usher is the ultimate homage to one of the icons of horror literature.
The Fall of the House of Usher begins with Roderick Usher’s six children dead without divulging how each Poe story factors into the overall narrative. Amid a massive lawsuit against his company, Fortuna Pharmaceuticals, Roderick invites prosecutor C. August Dupain (Carl Lumbly) to his home, where he plans to tell the lawyer his confession. Over the eight-episode series, Usher’s tale includes a chapter focused on the demise of each of his kids and flashbacks to what set this entire series of events in motion. By allowing each chapter to connect to the next and serve as a partially standalone story, The Fall of the House of Usher works as both an anthology and a singular tale anchored by the central conversation between Usher and Dupain. Bruce Greenwood, who stepped in for Frank Langella early in production, previously worked with Flanagan on the Stephen King adaptation of Gerald’s Game. Usher is a triumphant role for the veteran actor who has appeared in everything from J.J. Abrams’s Star Trek to playing John F. Kennedy in the film Thirteen Days. While spending most of his time with Lumbly, a veteran of Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep, Greenwood is astoundingly good as the patriarch watching his empire and family crumble before him.
As much as The Fall of the House of Usher is a greatest-hits compilation of Poe stories, it is also a mega-cast of Mike Flanagan’s extended roster of talent. The main cast includes actors from multiple of the director’s projects, including Carla Gugino as Verna, Henry Thomas as Frederick Usher, Kate Seigel as Camille L’Espanaye, Samantha Sloyan as Tamerlane Usher, T’Nia Miller as Victorine LaFourcade, Rahul Kohli as Napoleon Usher, Sauriyan Sapkota as Prospero Usher, and Ruth Codd as Juno Usher, Amongst the supporting cast are Katie Parker from Flanagan’s Absentia, Michael Trucco from Hush, Annabeth Gish from Before I Wake, Lulu Wilson from Ouija: Origin of Evil, Kyleigh Curran from Doctor Sleep, Robert Longstreet from The Haunting of Bly Manor, as well as Crystal Balint, Matt Biedel and Zach Gilford from Midnight Mass, and Igby Rigney and Aya Furukawa from The Midnight Club. New additions to Flanagan’s world are Willa Fitzgerald and Mary McDonnell as Madeline Usher, Mark Hamill as Arthur Pym, and Paola Nunez as Alessandra Ruiz. Everyone in this cast is well-suited for Flanagan’s style, which the series’ tone accentuates. A pitch-black sense of humor pervades the somber themes, but it never boils over into pulp or melodrama. That being said, this series is closer to The Midnight Club than Midnight Mass.
Based on the character names listed, you could dig through Poe’s bibliography to determine which stories they are connected to. Still, Flanagan and co-writers Justina Ireland, Dani Parker, Jamie Flanagan, Emmy Grinwis, Matt Johnson, Rebecca Klingel, and Kiele Sanchez are not beholden to the source material. The core of the stories are translated here, but the narrators and victims from the written page are switched around often to keep the viewer on their toes. But, as each Usher family member meets their untimely demise, you will make no mistake as to which Poe story their comeuppance was sourced from. Flanagan, who directed half of the series and handed the other four episodes to his long-time cinematographer Michael Fimognari, takes a cue from his idol Stephen King in imbuing real-world events into the mix. The Ushers are responsible for the opioid epidemic in this tale, a timely connection to current news. There are also many jabs at political figures who remain nameless, but an astute viewer will know exactly who the writers are mocking.
As a big Flanagan fan, I cannot help but find parts of this series uneven. So many of these performances are excellent, especially Bruce Greenwood, Carl Lumbly, and the always great Carla Gugino, but there are also some odd missteps along the way. Ruth Codd, who rose to fame on social media and stood out in The Midnight Club, is oddly cast here as Roderick Usher’s new wife, Juno. The role feels somewhat forced and didn’t entirely work for me as Juno seems more comic relief than a vital part of the tale. Mark Hamill is good in an understated role as the Usher’s primary attorney and fixer. Still, Mary McDonnell’s awful wig often overshadows him when they share scenes together. Rahul Kohli and Samantha Sloyan own their scenes as two Usher siblings. However, their performances sometimes feel like takes on Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook in Succession rather than original creations. These are nitpicks in the grand scheme of things, as The Fall of the House of Usher is built around the main characters being on the brink of death. We have a front-row seat to their karmic retribution, but I could not help but feel that many character traits are introduced that do not get explained in a worthwhile manner as the series heads toward the big reveal at the end.
The Fall of the House of Usher does not quite reach the level of The Haunting of Hill House or Midnight Mass. I expect fans will find this series closer to The Haunting of Bly Manor, which I do not mean as a slight in any way. Like Edgar Allan Poe’s tales, this series focuses on short stories with romantic and gothic tones that feature a main character getting their just desserts. Flanagan brings his eye for the macabre and injects the right amount of blood and guts to make this a ghoulish experience. Most of these characters deserve what is coming, so witnessing them suffer is a cathartic experience. By incorporating Poe’s poetry and figures from the author’s real life, Mike Flanagan and his writing team have built a beautiful ode to Poe and one that should open a whole new generation to check out his writing. The Fall of the House of Usher is a haunting and beautiful series. While a few characters and subplots do not quite work, the vast majority of them do. This is not as scary as Hill House, but it is every bit the worthy Halloween binge this October.
The Fall of the House of Usher premieres on October 12th on Netflix.
Preparing for Saw X, the latest episode of the WTF Happened to This Horror Movie video series looks back at 2005’s Saw II
It’s time for another episode of the WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? video series, and with this one we’re preparing for the September 29th theatrical release of the latest Saw sequel, Saw X, by looking back at the first Saw sequel: 2005’s Saw II (watch it HERE). To hear all about it, check out the video embedded above.
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, who also wrote the screenplay with Leigh Whannell, Saw II has the following synopsis: On the hunt for the twisted vigilante and serial killer Jigsaw, Detective Eric Matthews and his team must apprehend the elusive murderer to rescue eight people trapped in an abandoned house, before they succumb to his torturous and murderous games. One twist to this task is that Matthews’ own son, Daniel, is among the eight people Jigsaw has chosen to test for their lack of morality. With nerve gas pumping through the house, every second counts.
The film stars Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Donnie Wahlberg, Erik Knudsen, Franky G, Glenn Plummer, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Beverley Mitchell, Timothy Burd, Dina Meyer, Lyriq Bent, Noam Jenkins, Tony Nappo, Kelly Jones, Vincent Rother, and Arrow in the Head founder John Fallon.
This is what the WTF Happened to This Horror Movie series is all about: Hollywood has had its fair share of historically troubled productions. Whether it was casting changes, actor deaths, fired directors, in-production rewrites, constant delays, budget cuts or studio edits, these films had every intention to be a blockbuster, but were beset with unforeseen disasters. Sometimes huge hits, sometimes box office bombs. Either way, we have to ask: WTF Happened To This Horror Movie?
The Saw II episode of WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? was Written, Narrated, and Edited by Tyler Nichols, Produced by Lance Vlcek and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.
A couple of the previous episodes of the show can be seen below. To see more, head over to our JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!
What do you think of Saw II, and are you looking forward to Saw X? Let us know by leaving a comment!
American Heart Association CPR Certification School Opens in Oakland, California. This School Will Provide CPR, BLS, ACLS, PALS, and First-Aid Certification Courses to the Residents of Alameda County.
Safety Training Seminars' new Oakland CPR Training School offers a comprehensive range of courses for medical professionals, including CPR, BLS, ACLS, and PALS. Each course provides an innovative blend of online learning resources and on-site skills testing, ensuring that participants are fully prepared to handle life-threatening emergencies. After the training, students will immediately receive the official American Heart Association certification card.
ACLS Courses offer initial and renewal certification in American Heart Association Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support, providing participants with the skills and knowledge needed to respond to cardiopulmonary arrest or other cardiovascular emergencies.
CPR and First-Aid Courses are designed for a wide variety of participants, such as teachers, babysitters, childcare care providers (EMSA), supervisors, and more. Students will learn the proper techniques for administering CPR to infants, children, and adults, as well as how to use AEDs, treat bleeding, respond to seizures, and more. After completing the course, all students will receive the official American Heart Association CPR and First-Aid certification.
BLS CPR Courses provide new and renewal certification, helping attendees identify and respond to life-threatening emergencies. After attending this course, students will receive the official American Heart Association BLS certification card, which is valid for two years. Safety Training Seminars offers the lowest prices in the Bay Area, backed by its low-price guarantee.
Group Discounts are available to those clients who want to offer a CPR and First-Aid class for their employees at their location. The classes can be taught on site anytime on any day of the week. Ask about our group discounts.
Safety Training Seminars has been providing crucial courses for certification and lifesaving training since 1989. The woman-owned company has 45 locations across Northern California, and it offers the most affordable, flexible training, with the latest resources and equipment. With its new Oakland CPR office, Safety Training Seminars is committed to equipping Alameda County residents with the skills and confidence to react quickly in emergency situations. To learn more about CPR and First-Aid training in Oakland and other locations across California, visit cprclassesoakland.com.
Contact Information:
Danielle Bell
General Manager [email protected]
415-437-1600
Financial Assistance From The Assistance Fund Now Available for Eligible People Living With Epidermolysis Bullosa
ORLANDO, Fla., September 25, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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The Assistance Fund, an independent charitable patient assistance organization that helps patients and families facing high medical out-of-pocket costs, today announced the launch of a new financial assistance program for people living with epidermolysis bullosa (EB). The program is designed to help eligible individuals pay for their out-of-pocket medical costs for treatment, such as copayments, health insurance premiums, and incidental medical expenses related to the condition.
Epidermolysis bullosa is a rare connective tissue disorder with many genetic and symptomatic variations.[1] All types of EB share the prominent and painful manifestation of extremely fragile skin that blisters and tears with minor friction or trauma. More than 50% of a person's body affected with EB may be an open wound. With no known cure, the standard of care is palliative in nature, consisting of pain management, wound care, symptom relief, and preventative bandaging. EB causes numerous complications and secondary illnesses that require interventions from a range of medical specialties. EB is a painful, debilitating disease that affects people living with it physically, emotionally, and financially.
"In the EB community, we refer to the disorder as 'the worst disease you've never heard of,'" said Brett Kopelan, Executive Director of debra of America and member of TAF's Board of Directors. "As the father of a teenage daughter living with EB, I know firsthand how devastating the diagnosis is and how desperately family members and caretakers want to ease their loved one's excruciating pain. I am proud to serve on the Board of an organization that is ensuring cost is not a factor in linking families to much-needed treatment."
"Many parents who have children living with epidermolysis bullosa face the heartbreaking reality that they can't afford the treatment required to control their children's painful symptoms," said Danielle Vizcaino, President and CEO of The Assistance Fund. "We are tremendously grateful to our donors for helping us launch the Epidermolysis Bullosa Financial Assistance Program so that children facing an EB diagnosis can improve their quality of life."
To learn more or determine eligibility for financial support, visit tafcares.org or call (833) 570-2833 to speak with a Patient Advocate.
A list of all the disease programs available from The Assistance Fund can be found on the website tafcares.org.
About The Assistance Fund
The Assistance Fund (TAF) is an independent charitable patient assistance organization that helps patients and families facing high medical out-of-pocket costs by providing financial assistance for their copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and other health-related expenses. The Assistance Fund currently manages nearly 90 disease programs, each of which covers all the FDA-approved medications that treat a specific disease named in the disease program. Since its founding in 2009, TAF has helped nearly 180,000 children and adults access the treatment they need to stay healthy or manage a life-threatening, chronic, or rare disease. To learn more about The Assistance Fund, or for information on how to donate, please visit tafcares.org.
Florence Healthcare, the leading provider of Site Enablement Platforms for clinical trials, announced today that it has acquired VersaTrial, a cutting-edge clinical trial solutions provider.
ATLANTA, September 25, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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Florence Healthcare, the leading provider of Site Enablement Platforms for clinical trials, announced today that it has acquired VersaTrial, a cutting-edge clinical trial solutions provider. This strategic move amplifies Florence Healthcare's core mission to enable every study site to maximize its efficiency and capacity, effectively transforming the landscape of clinical research operations.
The acquisition unites two site-centric trailblazers in the eClinical space, bringing together complementary strengths to create a more powerful solution for research sites, CROs, and sponsors. Florence Healthcare, with its footprint of over 18,000 connected research sites in 55+ countries, will integrate VersaTrial’s innovative features designed to reduce tech burden, speed up feasibility response times, and enhance communication across frequently changing study personnel.
Ryan Jones, CEO of Florence Healthcare, said, "This acquisition marks a significant moment for our industry. Together, VersaTrial and Florence have the opportunity to help every trial site do their best work, and get this industry closer to maximizing efficiency and capacity for every research site."
Mike Wenger, CEO of VersaTrial, echoed these sentiments, stating, "Joining forces with Florence Healthcare is a monumental leap forward for VersaTrial and for research sites globally. Florence Healthcare's proven track record digitizing clinical trial sites globally at scale will undoubtedly enhance the impact of our solutions. Together, we’re poised to drive meaningful improvements in trial speed and patient outcomes."
As a result of the combined capabilities of Florence Healthcare and VersaTrial, sites, sponsors and CROs will also benefit from the expanded range of services offered by Florence Healthcare and VersaTrial. With real-time site connectivity, sites, sponsors and CROs will be able to manage clinical studies more efficiently, reduce data duplication, improve site readiness, and enhance communication with sites.
About Florence Healthcare Florence Healthcare is the leading provider of the Site Enablement Platform, committed to accelerating cures by better connecting sponsors, CROs, and research sites. With over 18,000 connected research sites on its platform in 55 countries, the company streamlines the clinical trial process, enabling seamless collaboration and efficient management of clinical research workflows. Learn more at https://www.florencehc.com.
About VersaTrial VersaTrial is an all-in-one site solution that lets Sponsors and CROs improve clinical trial speed, quality, and collaboration. Enabling sites to spend more time with patients and less time navigating technology systems unlocks faster trials with fewer mistakes, wider tech adoption, and stronger site relationships. Only VersaTrial's clinical trial site engagement platform provides Sponsors and CROs with real-time operational insights, bi-directional communication, and access management alerts to ensure measurable site oversight and quality execution. Learn more at https://www.versatrial.io
TAMPA, Fla., September 25, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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Sight360 is thrilled to announce the opening of an expanded optical retail and eye care office adjacent to its location at the Prado Vision Center in Tampa, Florida. Set to open its doors by the end of September, this cutting-edge 3,000-sq.-ft. facility stands as a testament to the company's commitment to providing comprehensive and compassionate eye care to its valued patients. This location marks the company's inaugural venture into establishing a new optometric practice and optical retail space.
The new optometry practice is in the current Prado Vision medical office complex at 7522 N. Himes Ave. in Tampa, but in a separate building in the front. The facility's meticulously planned layout and modern equipment highlight Sight360's dedication to the well-being of its patients, fostering an environment that prioritizes both ocular health and individual comfort. The location will introduce RadiusXR, an innovative virtual reality diagnostic headset designed to revolutionize the patient's vision testing and education experience. Unlike the conventional comprehensive eye exam process that often involves cumbersome equipment, RadiusXR allows patients to remain in a comfortable seated position within an exam room or reception area, seamlessly testing their visual field, visual acuity, color vision, and contrast sensitivity.
Brian Hauser, CEO of Sight360, expressed his excitement about this new eye care center, "The opening of the Sight360 Optical Center at Prado Vision expands our ability to offer comprehensive eye exams and eyewear to new and existing patients in North Tampa and the surrounding area, particularly those with routine benefits provided by Medicare Advantage plans, and popular employer benefits plans like EyeMed and VSP. This exemplifies our daily mission to care fully for our patients through the complete vision care services we offer.”
Following the comprehensive eye examination, patients will transition into a contemporary optical area showcasing expansive collections of designer branded and value frames, catering to each patient’s particular style and budget. The experienced optical team will also assist each patient in selecting lenses and coatings that will fit that patient’s daily needs, ensuring they select eyewear perfectly tailored to their lifestyle and preferences.
This new chapter for Sight360 in providing expanded routine eye care and eyeglasses at Prado Vision represents the company’s dedication to the patients of the Tampa Bay area.
About: Sight360 and its medical professional partners Pasadena Eye and Surgical Center, Eye Associates of Pinellas, Gulf Coast Retina Specialists, Ryczek Eye Associates, Vision Specialty Associates, Opti-mart, Prado Vision Center and The Eye Center provide integrated vision care services, including ophthalmology, optometry, optical services and related surgeries out of 18 clinics locations in the greater Tampa Bay region For over 35 years, Sight360 practices have provided a broad range of industry-leading vision care services, including ophthalmology, optometry, optical services and eye surgeries.
Sight360 is a portfolio company of SBJ Capital, a private investment firm with over $400 million of committed capital under management.
Contact Information:
Miriam Deckert
Director of Marketing [email protected]
813.694.7762
The Expendables franchise seems to be over as the fourth film will limp its way to the top of the charts with a potential single digit opening
Numbers have begun rolling in for this second to last weekend of September 2023 and to be brutally honest: they are pretty terrible. Expend4bles is looking to come in severely under where even the most modest of tracking had it with what is looking like an $8-$10 million opening. In our Thursday predictions I saw that the fourthquel was tracking to a mid teens opening and thought it could get to around $17 million. It seems audiences decided to go the other way with this one and let it die a quiet death, the way many members of the Expendable team seem to have, as the film only features a handful of returning stars.
In his 5/10 review for the film, our Editor in Chief Chris Bumbray said that the film was neither as bad as most critics had written, yet still not very good. I would say I agree with that assessment, although I think I may have liked it better than his 5/10. Perhaps going into the movie after reading a lot of those negative reviews tempered my expectations and when it ended I was able to say that it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had read. Although the reports of this movie having some horrible CGI/ Green Screen are not exaggerated. There is one scene in particular that I won’t spoil here that is embarrassingly bad for all involved. With a reported $100 million budget, I have to assume that money went to catering and not the VFX crew.
We will see where final estimates end up tomorrow, but it appears Expend4bles is a massive box office bomb. The good news is that even with that horrendous opening, the film will still more than likely lay claim to the top spot at the box office.
Coming in second place and proving to have some solid staying power is The Nun II with what is looking like a $7-$8 million third week take. By the end of the weekend the supernatural tale should have nearly $70 million in domestic receipts with worldwide grosses pushing this one to around $180 million. Not too shabby for a movie budgeted in the $30 million range.
Third place will go to Hercule Poirot as Academy Award Winner Kenneth Branagh’s third Agatha Christie inspired tale, A Haunting in Venice looks to drop nearly 60% of his audience with a $5-$6 million second weekend take. According to producer James Prichard, there could potentially be more Hercule Poirot adventures in the future, although I’m not sure the box office returns on Haunting in Venice are giving the studio much enthusiasm to pursue such projects.
Coming in fourth place is the Denzel Washington franchise finale The Equalizer 3 with what is looking to be a $4-$5 million weekend as the film begins to even out in its fourth week of release while the IMAX release of Barbie helped propel the blockbuster film to a tenth straight weekend in the top five with an estimated $3-$4 million weekend.
What do you make of Expend4bles dismal opening? Is the franchise DOA or can international numbers save it? Let us know in the comments your thoughts and don’t forget to check back tomorrow when we have a full rundown on this weekends box office numbers.
Some cliche somewhere said that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ This has proven to be the case for me and especially when it comes to fan art. I have always sought out great fan art and have wanted to share it with as many people as possible. “Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net” is the outlet for that passion. In this column, I will showcase the kick-ass artwork of some great artists, with the hopes that these artists get the attention they deserve. That’s the aim. If you have any questions or comments, or even suggestions of art or other great artists, feel free to contact me at any time at [email protected].
