Perhaps a final question about high grossing films at a recent virtual trivia game was a foreshadowing of sorts. Little did I know that the very next day, a trivia team I’d allowed to assemble under our league number would be taken out of the semifinal running for getting a question about high grossing movies incorrect. I’d heard there was some confusion about the wording, but that question wanted to know:

Name the films appearing in the top 100 highest grossing movies (domestic) with five letters or fewer (not adjusted for inflation).

Final question in a december 4 semifinal game

The team playing as our “stunt doubles” decided to go with a guess from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and put Thor as their answer, which was incorrect. I honestly can’t fault them at all for thinking of a MCU movie, since those movies have made freighter hulls chock full of money. But Thor performed better globally than it did domestically.

A friend playing on that team quizzed me on that question and I wound up coming up with two correct guesses – one of which involves singing animals – and the other involving a grumpy old man living in a flying house or something.

For inquiring minds, the correct answers to that question were Sing, Up, Jaws and It.

I’m not at all disappointed about any of this! I’m just happy to have found players willing to give a money tournament the old “college try.” It’s not exactly easy to find players willing to brave pandemic conditions and go out into the world. Hell, I’m not even quite there yet! All I want for Christmas is to be able to go to a live trivia game that doesn’t end with me having an anxiety attack or potentially getting infected with COVID-19!

Really…is that so much to ask? If I do go out for any more live games, I will bring my one and only trusty trivia pardner Mike – and not invite anyone else!

Now how about those questions from the December 3 game?

Round One

1) Charts – From 2019-2021, what monthly music and pop culture magazine, founded in 1967, published its own music charts, intended to directly compete with the Billboard charts that have become the industry standard?

2) Stores – What department store with over 1,100 locations in the U.S., founded in 1927 by a Polish immigrant as a corner grocery store, is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin? I remembered this chain was based in Wisconsin, but we still weren’t super confident – got this for low.

3) Disney – What 2010 Disney film features characters named Flynn Rider and Mother Gothel? We talked about the right movie, but nope, it didn’t wind up as our answer…

4) Netflix – Name either of the performers who play Joel or Sheila Hammond on the Netflix series Santa Clarita Diet, which aired from 2017-2019. NERD POINT: Name both. I gave that series the “college try,” but it just got too gross – even for me. Got this for the points and nerd bonus.

Mystery One

This question was not put into the chat, and I didn’t write it down. But it involved NBA teams.

Round Two

1) Tennis – In 2009, who became the first person to win fifteen Grand Slam men’s singles titles when he defeated Andy Roddick at Wimbledon? Close but no cigar, miss.

2) Awards – Since its official revival in 1932, the Purple Heart medal has featured a profile image of which U.S. president?

3) Supreme Court – What 1819 U.S. Supreme Court decision established that state action can not impede valid constitutional exercises of power by the federal government? Miss.

4) Fans – What band has fans known as the Blue Army, who have been described by Joe Perry as “long-haired teenage boys wearing blue denim jackets and jeans. An army of blue jeans. Our people.”?

Myst “D” Abbreviations For each given abbreviation or acronym, name the word that the letter “D” stands for.

M1) OED, first published in 1884

M2) DARE, an education program

M3) LED, a light source

M4) FDIC, a government corporation

Got all of these.

Final Directors Five films have grossed more than $2 billion at the worldwide box office, including Avatar and Titanic, both directed by James Cameron, and Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, both directed by the Russo Brothers.

Name the other person to have directed a $2 billion-grossing film.

We were in sixth going into the final with 44 points.

We got this, after discussing a couple of possibilities. Moved up to fifth.

As always, Go Pods, and stay classy, Rapunzel!