The Lion King 3D blew past even the most optimistic expectations and scored the second highest opening ever for a movie re-release. Seems The Lion King is still one of the most beloved Disney animated features and with this 3D version a new generation can experience this true classic. The numbers are coming right after the break.

I don’t know about you guys but I still love The Lion King and consider it just as good now as it was 17 years ago when it made $312 million in North America. Back in 2002 it was released again in IMAX and went on to gross another $15.6 million. Now, in 2011, The Lion King 3D opened with a staggering $30.1 million taking a well deserved first place at the box office over the weekend. Thanks to this new 3D remastered version, The Lion King stands at a new grand total of $361 million in North America, overtaking Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and the very recent Transformers: Dark of the Moon, both 3D features.

2nd was Contagion with $14.5 million and after 11 days it has amassed $45.2 million in North America. New release Drive (that I though would finish first) was a bit underwhelming with $11.3 million for 3rd place. I have not seen it yet so I can’t comment on the qualities (or lack of) that are present in Drive. What I can say is, while critics seem to love it, audiences are not as impressed giving Drive a disappointing “C-” CinemaScore (market research firm that surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades “F” to “A+”, with the average grade for most movies being a “B+”). The CinemaScore of a movie is usually a good indication of the word of mouth it will get and for Drive, it ain’t looking pretty. I’m estimating it will end up with just $25 million when all is said and done, almost doubling the estimated production budget of $13 million (good thing it was so cheap).

The Help finished in 4th place with $6.5 million for an incredible $148 million after 41 days. Just to give you an example, this movie got an “A+” CinemaScore and with fantastic word of mouth came great legs at the box office and look where it is now after opening with just $26 million.

Straw Dogs was a bit down on its luck, only $5.1 million and among similar revenge flicks, that means half as much as the opening of the recently released Colombiana. The last new opener of the weekend was I Don’t Know How She Does It with $4.4 million and 6th place. For Sarah Jessica Parker this is one of her worst openings in recent years, definitely not a good sign for the 46 year old actress.

How one man went from Hollywood writer to diner owner -- and never looked back.

In 1998, Lawrence Rudolph was a TV writer living in Hollywood. Five years later, he's a co-owner of Lunchbox Food Co., a Greenwich Village diner that the New York Times described as bringing "a fine-dining sensibility to what by rights should be a funky waterfront dive." Here he describes the cost of following his dream.

Is opening a restaurant necessarily a symptom of a midlife crisis? Am I better off just buying a vintage muscle car?
Sports cars are for pussies; restaurants are for real men. The biggest problem you have with cars is changing your Pirellis every 10,000 miles. With a restaurant, your whole life is invested in it, so you can't just sell it if it becomes too much trouble. I employ 30 people. That's 30 families paying for schools, food, mortgages, and rents.

What do you wish somebody had told you before you opened lunchbox?
Don't scrimp on the big hires. As in any organization, one man cannot do it alone. You need the best people around you.

What's the biggest headache you encountered?
I took over an existing restaurant, which is by far the most cost-effective way into a restaurant, especially for a rookie. But this used-restaurant route means cleaning up after someone else's bad decisions.

How is your day organized differently than in your previous job?
It's really two business "days": a nine-to-five part and the after-five part. At five o'clock, we're moving into our third service of the day. We've already finished the business of the restaurant--paying bills, buying plates, and checking in with purveyors. At lunch, customers want to be in and out in 45 minutes, so we can get away with not being on the floor. Dinner, however, is a different story. If a customer's spending $125 on dinner for two, he wants to see that the owner appreciates his business. That's what I do while others are at home watching Friends.

What's it like to be working when everyone else is playing?
Sometimes it can be a drag, but I never took to the nine-to-five world anyway. I find it exciting working at 11 p.m. My office is literally a stage for all experiences. People are laughing, crying, kissing, and living right in front of me.

How do you balance being a husband, a father, and owner of a business that occupies so much of your time?
Your family really has to understand that this is what you do for a living and these are the demands. The good side is that your family can come to the restaurant.

So if it's so much work, why do guys dream about it?
Because they want to be Hugh Hefner or P. Diddy and invite everyone back to their place at the end of the evening. The catch is, Hef and Mr. Combs didn't get everyone to come over without a lot of effort.

Personal style is something you can build with a very simple toolbox. Get some quality basics that fit well, and you're there

The sad truth about men and fashion -- the bar simply isn't very high. But then again, that's also very good news for you.

Look around your office. Go to a party. Most men dress like their women dressed them. That makes looking smart and stylish pretty easy for you to pull off with minimal hand-wringing.

Let us be frank: You are going to have to go shopping. You are going to have to spend some green-probably more than you've ever spent on clothes. But there's not a whole lot to buy. You need good shoes and a well-made suit for important occasions. You need a golf outfit that won't embarrass you. You need casual clothes that aren't jeans and something to wear to cocktails at the CEO's house.

Here are seven intelligent style ideas that'll help you upgrade your wardrobe instantly. You can't go wrong with this basic uniform if it fits you well.

1. A New Suit
The easiest way to upgrade your office look instantly is to add a suit that isn't corporate gray. Be sure the jacket covers your butt completely. Rules: A wider-striped tie accents the solid shirt. A pocket square is a subtle addition that says you pay attention to detail.

2. A Leather Carry-On
Let's banish our black-canvas wheeled carry-ons to the far corner of the attic and forget them. We are not pilots or flight attendants. We are businessmen who travel light. And if we pack right, we can carry a 2-day-trip's worth of clothing in one hand. Look for a bag with two zippered compartments to separate dirty clothes from clean.

3. Serious Golf Wear
Golf clothing is a minefield. Some of the stuff at the pro shops is downright laughable. Let the other guys wear their parrot reds and yellows. Browns and creams are tasteful and handsome. Your shirt should drape loosely about your shoulders.

4. A Summer-Weight Suit
In addition to your lightweight-wool suits, a well-dressed man should own a quality linen suit. Most men get their suit sleeves too long. At least a half inch of shirt should show at the wrist. To look even sharper, make sure your lapels extend halfway or less than halfway out toward the shoulder line of your jacket.

5. Casual Clothes That'll Slim You
Strong vertical pinstripes and deep V-shaped lapels have a slimming effect. It's also a great look for a casual evening out. Rule of thumb whenever going out with a woman: Dress a third nicer than what you think looks good, and you'll be dressed appropriately.

6. An Outfit with an Edge
If you try too hard to look youthful, you'll look like you're trying. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't push the envelope a bit. A leather jacket in tan or cream is smart. Leather breathes, and it blocks the wind--good for cool summer nights. Flat-front trousers will make you look taller and thinner. Ankle-length suede boots update a classic style.

       

The next stage (presumably) will be to get a cast together, and producer Bernie Goldmann revealed that we may see some familiar faces return. They’re in the script, anyway.

From Movies.com:

Would Gerard be willing to endure the famous ’300 workout’ again just for a small part? I suppose that will depend on his availability (or how much they pay him), but seeing King Leonidas and Queen Gorgo again would be cool.

Goldmann didn’t say anything about who would be joining the film, but said he prefers casting unknowns.

While unknowns at the time, Gerard Butler, Lena Headey and Michael Fassbender have all gone on to great things post-300 (if you ignore Butler’s rom-coms). The success of 300 will probably attract some names for the prequel, but I wouldn’t have a problem if they cast a bunch of unknowns again.

300: Battle of Artemisia is based on Frank Miller’s upcoming graphic novel that takes Xerxes, the Persian leader who is an antagonist in 300, and turns him into more of a pivotal figure. He’s a man in search of godhood after the death of his father, battling an Athenian warlord named Themistocles. The story takes place over the course of several years, but the focal point is the battle of Artemisium, which occured in 480 BC.

A 20-minute review like this one, done monthly or at least quarterly, will give you peace of mind from knowing exactly where you stand financially and allow you to adjust accordingly with swiftness and confidence.

Most men treat their investment portfolios the way they treat loose change: The money's all scattered around, tucked away here and there; some of it's right where we need it, and some of it's under the sofa cushions.

Consider your own portfolio. Chances are, you've spent the past 15 or more years investing, securing assets, and building substantial wealth. But do you really know what you have, where it is, and how it has performed?

With stocks you can't even remember buying and money-market funds with various brokerages, it's easy to join the throngs of disorganized, careless investors. Just 21 percent of active investors regularly review account statements, read prospectuses, check out the backgrounds of their brokers, and have a financial strategy, according to a poll of 2,000 people conducted for the federal Securities Investor Protection Corporation.

Not staying on top of your finances is a major source of mental (and marital) stress. Who needs that? Here's a simple strategy to organize your financial life and improve the health of your wealth in just 20 minutes.


KNOW WHERE YOU ARE

Sit down at a large table with all of your financial statements, and list your assets on a legal pad. Be as exhaustive as possible: Review such holdings as money-market funds, 401(k) earnings, and college savings accounts.

Count
Add up the number of mutual funds you own. According to the Investment Company Institute, the average American investor holds four mutual funds. How many do you own? Double that? Triple? That's a red flag that your portfolio may be spread too thin. And you may find you have duplicate investments with several brokerages.

Consolidate
If, for example, you own several money-market funds in different brokerage houses, take a few minutes to move all of those liquid assets under the same roof. It takes just a phone call or Web order. Not only will you find your assets easier to track, but you may also save some money on annual fees. For instance, Schwab charges $45 per quarter for basic accounts worth less than $10,000 -- evidence of how maintenance fees from a few investments scattered about can add up. Look to consolidate other holdings, such as stocks, funds, and bonds, so they're less expensive and less time-consuming to follow.

GET RID OF PAPER
Have your account statements delivered via e-mail rather than snail mail. It takes just a few minutes to authorize paperless delivery, and it's a smart choice. Why? First of all, you'll save time by avoiding bales of paper statements that you'll eventually have to shred. If you can download your electronic statements into a financial-planning program (a solid one is Quicken 2006), tracking progress and potential problem areas becomes much easier and more time-efficient.

Second, now that identity theft tops $52 billion annually, digital transactions are safer than paper ones. According to a recent study by Javelin Strategy & Research, of Pleasanton, California, more than 68 percent of reported identity-fraud incidents are paper based, while less than 12 percent originate online. Reasons: It is harder for thieves to access Internet-based data, and online accounts tend to be checked more often, which nabs thieves sooner. "Shredding is overrated. All thieves have to do is go through your mailbox or garbage cans to get documents," says Javelin president James Van Dyke. "When you cut paper use, you cut that risk."


SET BENCHMARKS
Too many of us invest and save without a firm grasp on what we want to achieve. If that's you, earmark those objectives in detail. Be exceedingly specific. If, for instance, you're worth $500,000 now, set a goal of reaching $600,000 in 5 years. "The more detailed your objectives, the more focused your plan will be," says Jason Papier, a Sunnyvale, California, financial planner. "Money is an enabler, but you need to know specifically what you want to accomplish." Use an online calculator like this one to see what rate of return and additional savings you'll need to reach your goals.

If you have kids, don't just "save for college." Instead, figure out how much of the cost you will likely have to bear. Start by estimating future college costs by institution with the Princeton Review website. The site can also help you determine your chances of securing financial aid.


PUT OUT THE DOGS
The funny thing about mutual funds is that the "growth" fund you bought 15 years ago may have become a lot more conservative with age. Even worse, a fund heralded as a champion at one point may have turned into a dog. Case in point: Fidelity's Magellan fund was an Oprah-like celebrity with world-beating returns in the 1970s and '80s. However, Magellan has lagged the S&P 500 by 2.5 annualized percentage points over the past 3 years. "It's an 'index hugger,'" says Shannon Zimmerman, the advisor behind the Motley Fool Champion Funds mutual-fund newsletter service. "The very small bets it's made relative to the S&P haven't panned out."

X-ray your funds
Morningstar.com has a free service called "Instant X-ray" that'll give you a detailed picture of a fund's holdings and overall investment approach. Run stocks through it as well as 401(k) holdings.

Check for overlap
Services such as Morningstar help you not only dissect what you own but also uncover investments that are too similar. If nothing else, having too many similar holdings goes against the basics of diversification. "Many mutual funds and 401(k) portfolios have overlapping securities because money managers are always chasing 'hot ideas,'" says Lyle Wolberg,
of Telemus Wealth Management, in Southfield, Michigan. "You may find that your 10 different funds own virtually the same stocks."

Look out for investor bloat
A well-managed fund will often close to new investors. If your fund continually accepts them, beware. The performance of certain types of funds can be affected if they are constantly taking in new money. Call your fund company to check which of your mutual funds are still open to new investors.

Track performance
See how the fund has grown in assets since you bought it. Even funds that are not closed can be solid performers, provided they simply haven't gotten too big. Ask your broker or the fund company for the size of the asset base at inception and the fund's current size. Then check the concentration of holdings. "It's more art than science, but generally speaking, the more concentrated the fund's portfolio is, the more the size of its asset base can create a drag on the fund," says Zimmerman. "When the fund becomes too large and lethargic, it's difficult for managers to stake out meaningful positions in off-the-beaten-path equities. Few will take that risk."

Compare costs
When shopping for funds, utilize new Web sites that make it easy to compare expenses. The National Association of Securities Dealers offers free tools, including the Mutual Fund Expense Analyzer and the Mutual Fund Breakpoint Search Tool, the latter of which allows you to search for commission discounts. Likewise, indexuniverse.com is a free site that offers a function for screening index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).


BUILD "SILOS"
Now is the time to build financial "silos." Like agricultural silos, in which farmers store specific types of grain, these are logical groupings that match investments, assets, and risk to particular financial objectives. Often, as we accumulate investments and assets, we latch on to holdings that are attractive but really don't match up with a genuine objective. Grab a sheet of paper and list the specific investment goals you identified earlier, such as planning for retirement or owning a vacation home. Then match up every investment and asset to one of those goals. If some of your investments lack clear objectives, that's another powerful argument for change.

Building silos for all of your goals can efficiently assess the need for adjustments and also avoid critical mistakes, such as assigning aggressive investments to a goal that doesn't mandate high risk. "It's a fast way to delineate risk and return," says Wolberg.


BOOST RETIREMENT SAVINGS
Most financial planners recommend that households be ready to replace 85 percent of their annual preretirement income each year during retirement. If you own a business, ask your financial advisor to look into 412(i) plans, which have significantly larger contribution limits than do other programs, as well as some tax advantages. To learn more, click here.

Consider a variable annuity
If you are an employee and have already maxed out contributions to your 401(k), look into funding an annuity. Your earnings will be tax-deferred, and you'll eventually receive a series of payments for the rest of your life.

Eat these eight foods every day to cover all your nutritional bases



Spinach


It may be green and leafy, but spinach is also the ultimate man food. This noted biceps builder is a rich source of plant-based omega-3s and folate, which help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. Bonus: Folate also increases blood flow to the penis. And spinach is packed with lutein, a compound that fights age-related macular degeneration. Aim for 1 cup fresh spinach or ½ cup cooked per day. SUBSTITUTES: Kale, bok choy, romaine lettuce FIT IT IN: Make your salads with spinach; add spinach to scrambled eggs; drape it over pizza; mix it with marinara sauce and then microwave for an instant dip. PINCH HITTER: Sesame Stir-Braised Kale Heat 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger, and 1 tsp. sesame oil in a skillet. Add 2 Tbsp. water and 1 bunch kale (stemmed and chopped). Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain. Add 1 tsp. soy sauce and 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds.

Yogurt

Various cultures claim yogurt as their own creation, but the 2,000-year-old food’s health benefits are not disputed: Fermentation spawns hundreds of millions of probiotic organisms that serve as reinforcements to the battalions of beneficial bacteria in your body, which boost the immune system and provide protection against cancer. Not all yogurts are probiotic though, so make sure the label says “live and active cultures.” Aim for 1 cup of the calcium- and protein-rich goop a day. SUBSTITUTES: Kefir, soy yogurt FIT IT IN: Yogurt topped with blueberries, walnuts, flaxseed, and honey is the ultimate breakfast—or dessert. Plain low-fat yogurt is also a perfect base for creamy salad dressings and dips. HOME RUN: Power Smoothie Blend 1 cup low-fat yogurt, 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 cup carrot juice, and 1 cup fresh baby spinach for a nutrient-rich blast.

Tomatoes



here are two things you need to know about tomatoes: Red are the best, because they’re packed with more of the antioxidant lycopene, and processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones, because it’s easier for the body to absorb the lycopene. Studies show that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Aim for 22 mg of lycopene a day, which is about eight red cherry tomatoes or a glass of tomato juice. SUBSTITUTES: Red watermelon, pink grapefruit, Japanese persimmon, papaya, guava FIT IT IN: Pile on the ketchup and Ragú; guzzle low-sodium V8 and gazpacho; double the amount of tomato paste called for in a recipe. PINCH HITTER: Red and Pink Fruit Bowl Chop 1 small watermelon, 2 grapefruits, 3 persimmons, 1 papaya, and 4 guavas. Garnish with mint.

Carrots

Most red, yellow, or orange vegetables and fruits are spiked with carotenoids—fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis—but none are as easy to prepare, or have as low a caloric density, as carrots. Aim for ½ cup a day. SUBSTITUTES: Sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash, yellow bell pepper, mango FIT IT IN: Raw baby carrots, sliced raw yellow pepper, butternut squash soup, baked sweet potato, pumpkin pie, mango sorbet, carrot cake PINCH HITTER: Baked Sweet Potato Fries Scrub and dry 2 sweet potatoes. Cut each into 8 slices, and then toss with olive oil and paprika. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 350°F. Turn and bake for 10 minutes more.

Blueberries

Host to more antioxidants than any other popular fruit, blueberries help prevent cancer, diabetes, and age-related memory changes (hence the nickname “brain berry”). Studies show that blueberries, which are rich in fiber and vitamins A and C, boost cardiovascular health. Aim for 1 cup fresh blueberries a day, or ½ cup frozen or dried. SUBSTITUTES: Açai berries, purple grapes, prunes, raisins, strawberries FIT IT IN: Blueberries maintain most of their power in dried, frozen, or jam form. PINCH HITTER: Açai, an Amazonian berry, has even more antioxidants than the blueberry. Mix 2 Tbsp. of açai powder into OJ or add 2 Tbsp. of açai pulp to cereal, yogurt, or a smoothie.

Black Beans

All beans are good for your heart, but none can boost your brain power like black beans. That’s because they’re full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function. A daily ½-cup serving provides 8 grams of protein and 7.5 grams of fiber, and is low in calories and free of saturated fat. SUBSTITUTES: Peas, lentils, and pinto, kidney, fava, and lima beans FIT IT IN: Wrap black beans in a breakfast burrito; use both black beans and kidney beans in your chili; puree 1 cup black beans with ¼ cup olive oil and roasted garlic for a healthy dip; add favas, limas, or peas to pasta dishes. HOME RUN: Black Bean and Tomato Salsa Dice 4 tomatoes, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 jalapeños, 1 yellow bell pepper, and 1 mango. Mix in a can of black beans and garnish with ½ cup chopped cilantro and the juice of 2 limes.

Walnuts

Richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and packing half as much muscle-building protein as chicken, the walnut sounds like a Frankenfood, but it grows on trees. Other nuts combine only one or two of these features, not all three. A serving of walnuts—about 1 ounce, or  seven nuts—is good anytime, but especially as a postworkout recovery snack. SUBSTITUTES: Almonds, peanuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts FIT IT IN: Sprinkle on top of salads; dice and add to pancake batter; spoon peanut butter into curries; grind and mix with olive oil to make a marinade for grilled fish or chicken. HOME RUN: Mix 1 cup walnuts with ½ cup dried blueberries and ¼ cup dark chocolate chunks.

Oats

The éminence grise of health food, oats garnered the FDA’s first seal of approval. They are packed with soluble fiber, which lowers the risk of heart disease. Yes, oats are loaded with carbs, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fiber, and because oats also have 10 grams of protein per ½-cup serving, they deliver steady muscle-building energy. SUBSTITUTES: Quinoa, flaxseed, wild rice FIT IT IN: Eat granolas and cereals that have a fiber content of at least 5 grams per serving. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed on cereals, salads, and yogurt. PINCH HITTER: Quinoa Salad Quinoa has twice the protein of most cereals, and fewer carbs. Boil 1 cup quinoa in a mixture of 1 cup pear juice and 1 cup water. Let cool. In a large bowl, toss 2 diced apples, 1 cup fresh blueberries, ½ cup chopped walnuts, and 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt.