JULY, 29

MOVIES RELEASED

1-DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: THE SHATTERED ORB

Sci-Fi / Adventure
Directed and Produced by Peter Jackson
Starring Nicholas Cage, Bruce Willis, Claire Danes, Sean Connery, Natalie Portman, Andy Serkis, Thomas Jane, Christopher Lee. Voice of Judi Dench.

Box Office: 100 mill.
Net Gains: 67 mill.

CMP’s Reaction: Saved by the bell. What’s going on with blockbusters this Season? The major hits of the Season are not being the movies supposed to be. But, anyway, profits enough to go on with the franchise…

2-AMERICAN HEARTLAND

Drama / Courtroom
Directed by Sean Penn
Produced by Martin Scorsese
Starring Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster, Daniel Radcliffe, Haley Joel Osment, Shia Labeouf, Robin Wright-Penn

Box Office: 67 mill.
Net Gains: 31 mill.

CMP’s Reaction: Great movie and great box office breakdown for a low budget production. One of Harry Stark’s favourites of the Season.

3-THREE WOODEN CROSSES

Drama / Religious
Directed by Billy Bob Thornton
Starring Jude Law, Claire Danes, Jennifer Connelly, Chris Cooper, Billy Bob Thornton
Box Office: 16 mill.
Net Loss: 5 mill.

CMP’s Reaction: How do you make a movie like this work in box office worlwide? It was a hit in deep middle America, but that’s not enough.

THE CRITICS CORNER

1-DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: THE SHATTERED ORB

“Big show is back. This second episode develops a better storyline than the first one. Characters have gained personality and chemistry. It’s still so obvious the influence of what could be called as the ‘Star Wars spirit’, but this franchise is showing its own potential and will probably become a reference in epic adventure movies by itself. Great work.”
-Roy Winslow

“You can notice Jackson feels so comfortable with his new saga. The surprising thing is that moviegoers have not responded as well as expected. But you bet this movie has much more quality and deserve much more success than other pretentious but empty blockbusters recently seen on screen.”
-Anne Roman

2-AMERICAN HEARTLAND

“Brilliant. Penn gets his degree as movie director with this production. It works at all levels: the study of irrational violence, the corruption of the judicial system, the manipulation from the press, the analysis of the complex personality of the three convicted teenagers, the picture of a community shaken by violence… A piece of art. You bet Penn has learnt a lot from his teachers, from Scorsese to Eastwood”
-Charlie Kiggs

“The story told in the movie could be a mix between William Faulkner and James Ellroy. Penn has set up a major work from a modest production (made me think on ‘Mystic River’). And the cast shines in their perfect acting work, specially Shia Labeouf – as the mentally disturbed teenager – and Jodie Foster, as the lawyer seeking both justice and a truth she does not even know what it may be.”
-Wayne Hart

3-THREE WOODEN CROSSES

“The movie is like a church song. A fable with an obvious moral. Not much more can be said. I just wonder why big stars like Jennifer Connelly and Claire Danes were interested in working in this little movie that does not contribute in any way to their successful careers.”
-Lilly Stevens

“Probably, this movie’s destiny is to be shown in schools during Religion class. It is surprising that Thornton has been so politically correct. Froats kills again most of the cast but, besides that, this new screenplay has nothing to do with his previous brilliant works such as ‘Flashes Of Life’ or ‘Carousel’.”
-Bob Felton



AWAITING RELEASE

1-AN AMERICAN STROLL

The Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kate Winslet, Michelle Pfeiffer, Paul Giamatti, Chris Rock, Tommy Lee Jones, Winona Ryder, Sylvester Stallone

The Director: Ang Lee
The Screenwriter: James Bradley

The Plot: Meet ‘Les Toulleries Café’, a glamorous name for a little bar in the outsides of the smallest and most forgotten village in the desert of Arizona. Larry Nolan (T.Maguire), reporter from The New York Post, has just quitted from his job and decided to travel across the States for a while in an old caravan trying to find himself. When his caravan breaks and he visits the Café, he can’t imagine the people he is going to meet there and how they will enrich himself and show him a new perspective of life.
This is the story of a group of lost souls in the middle of nowhere. It is funny and sad, both hopeless and full of hope, melancholic and comical. It is a story without a beginning and without an ending. It is only a story about people. And those people are:
Frankie (Paul Giamatti): The owner of ‘Les Toulleries Café’. A pessimistic guy obsessed with the idea that misfortune rules the world. A dreamer without a dream to hold to.
Lana (Michelle Pfeiffer): She once won the local Miss Cactus beauty contest. But her life ruined due to a little problem: Any contraceptive works for her, not even condoms. That means that she has had a baby every time she has made love. And that means that she has only made love seven times in her whole life and she has seven kids to take care of and a really bad - and unfair - reputation. But still waits for true love to come.
Bumper (Sylvester Stallone): He used to be a rodeo star until he felt from a wild horse and bumped his head. Now, he just tells his old glory days stories once and again in Frankie’s bar. A sweet big guy that left his brains and his future in the sand of a rodeo.
Margarita (W.Ryder): She always wanted to be a dancer. But the problem is that she is deaf. She has no family and leaves by herself, continuously dancing a music nobody but her can hear. Larry will invent a way to make her at least ‘feel’ the real music.
Jonah (Chris Rock): The only black guy in the village. He is convinced that there’s petroleum somewhere under the village, so he spends his life digging around, talking to much and teasing Bumper at the Café.
Cooper (Tommy Lee Jones): The only cop in the village. He considers himself an essential part of the community although there has not been a crime in the village for decades. Cooper is waiting for her strict 105 years old mum to die to confess Lana he loves her and ask her to marry him.
…and Sarah (Kate Winslet): a young widow with a bad temper. She works hard her family’s land by her own to make a living for her two little kids. Never been in any other place but the village. Does not believe in love or romance anymore. But Larry will try to make her change her mind about that.
Come to ‘Les Toulleries Café’ and meet all of them. They are not important people. But you will never forget them.

The Comment: A beautiful story about ordinary – and not so ordinary – people. Once again, Bradley has written a story with a difference. Won’t be a big hit, but a certain kind of audiences will probably love it.


2-CELL MATES

The Cast: Johnny Depp, Jack Nicholson, Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson, Elle Fanning

The Director: Joel and Ethan Cohen
The Screenwriter: Ted Froats

The Plot: Dante (Johnny Depp), bitter at "the man," is in jail, awaiting trial for a drug dealing sentence that could earn him 15 years in prison, when he is suddenly released because the overwhelming evidence against him has "disapeared."

He gets to his tiny apartment and receives a phone call from someone who introduces himself as Basho (Jack Nicholson) and speaks only in haiku. He reveals that he is the one who got Dante out of jail, and now expects a favor in return. He tells Dante that he runs a national "group of ideological revolutionaries" who want to make the world a better, peaceful, more loving, safer place...by any means necessary. And he wants Dante to run the Los Angeles cell.

Dante agrees, based on his anger at "the man" and his desire for a father figure since his own father abandoned him when he was 10, and begins following Basho's orders. He begins contacting old criminal friends, plus recruiting college students, Vietnam vets, everyone who seems to buy into the "clean living" mantra. He even quits doing and dealing drugs, per Basho's orders.

Basho tells Dante to begin training his "soldiers" in case they must ever defend themselves against invaders...but while running drills in the trailer park they all live in, the LA SWAT team arrives, concerned that they are a terrorist organization. A shootout begins, with minimal casualties, but Dante and his group are now on the run and are targetted by Homeland Security, etc.

Basho tells them over the phone that he owns a christmas tree farm nearby, which he uses to partially fund his revolutionary organization, and they can hide there. However, when the group arrives, they find that there are no Christmas trees...the farm is being used to grow marijuana. Angela, the woman running the farm (Winona Ryder) tries to stop him, but Dante calls Basho and reports this fact. Basho orders that the drug fields be destroyed so their group is not associated with crime...but the SWAT team arrives before Dante can follow the order. Everyone takes off on foot, but Dante sets out to burn the fields of marijuana first. What he doesn't realize is that Angela's daughter (Elle Fanning) is playing in one of the fields. She is quickly surrounded by the flames. Dante and Angela go running through the burning fields, chased by the SWAT team, and rescue the girl...however she has been badly burned.

The three escape the SWAT team, but Basho refuses permission for them to take the girl to the hospital. The group's mantra says that holistic medicine will heal her. However, Dante feels responsible for her injuries, so he decides to disobey Dante for the first time. He takes Angela and the girl to the hospital, but a doctor recognizes that the girl must have been burned in the drug farm raid that has been all over the news. Dante takes several doctors, nurses, and patients hostage and barricades the doors just as the SWAT team arrives once again. A hostage negotiator (Woody Harrelson) makes contact with Dante. Dante demands 100 thousand dollars in unmarked bills, to destract the SWAT team while he forces the doctors to heal the girl. To his surprise, the SWAT team delivers the money in exchange for a release of hostages. He releases everyone once the girl is healed...then he, Angela, and the girl escape by stealing an emergency E-VAC helicopter that was on the roof of the hospital. They have the money, and the girl is healed...but the entire cell has abandoned them, and they must now must face Basho's wrath.

To be continued...

The Comment: A weird storyline. The perfect story for the Cohen Brothers’ peculiar moviemaking style. Expectations? A cult movie for cool moviegoers that enjoy something different.


3-POWERHOUSE

The Cast: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Demi Moore, Daniel Radcliffe, Bill Nighy, Christopher Eccleston, Hallie Kate Eisenberg

The Director: Gus Van Sant
The Screenwriter: Marcus Trax

The Plot: Sam Plunt is a simple middle aged man who works in the local coal fired power plant to make end meat for him and his family, but spends too much time out on the town. His wife Sally (Demi Moore) who drinks too much, and his children estranged Benjamin (Daniel Radcliffe) and May (Hallie Kate Eisenberg).
However when new legislation isn't pushed through government, that would see a modernisation of the plant, local environmental campaigners decide to make their voice heard and target the powerplant.
Sam bemused, along with his work collegues Frank (Christopher Eccleston), Edgar (Bill Nighy) and Polly-Anna (Eva Green), try to work past it. However things don't turn out that way when suddenly the campaigners start a personality campaign against the workers and their families. Making the local town turn against them, and the other workers at the plant, even though they work like everyone else; to put food on the table.
Under this pressure Frank decides to leave with his family, sacrificing job and friends. Edgar pushes for ealy retirement. And Polly-Anne stays with Sam as she has been trying for years to seduce him and in her own way cares for him.
As the plant is affected soon more than half the work-force has leftIt is only when Sam who isn't giving in and still going to work each day sees a report on his family specifically over allegations of abusing his son does he decide to fight back. Rallying the workers he clashes with the environmentalists in the media whilst still going to work. In celebrations of his sucesses he sleeps with Polly-Anne. When his house is firebombed by a group of the campaigners Sam is severly burned rescuing his family and he truely realises that he should have moved on. Sam quits his job and the entire affair to move on with his family, leaving all behind including Polly-Anne.

The Comment: A very ‘british’ story following the trail of the acclaimed ‘South East’. Hard to make it work beyond the British Islands frontiers. But the appeal of the cast may help.

FEATURED ATTRACTION:


DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: THE SHATTERED ORB

STARRING: Nicholas Cage, Bruce Willis, Claire Danes, Sean Connery, Natalie Portman, Andy Serkis, Thomas Jane, Christopher Lee and the voice of Judi Dench as “The Great Red Dragon”.
PRODUCER: Peter Jackson
DIRECTOR: Peter Jackson
SCREENPLAY: Marcus Trax

MY THOUGHTS: This film spells adventure at its highest level. Plenty of action, intrigue, battles, and finally we have a DUNGEONS & DRAGONS film that features… a dragon (as portrayed by the voice talent of Judi Dench). Nicholas Cage, Bruce Willis, Claire Danes and Andy Serkis all reprise their respective roles from the first DUNGEONS & DRAGONS film, helping to keep the great chemistry that had been developed, and hopefully carries over to this sequel.

I’d have to say, although I was rather skeptical about this sequel, I actually have to admit… I enjoyed it far more than I did the first film. Also, with the closed, yet somewhat open end to this film… it leaves a great opening to another sequel, and one that may just leave the movie-goer wanting to see a third film.

MARCUS TRAX has crafted a marvelous screenplay for which Producer/Director PETER JACKSON can show his filmmaking genius once again, bringing forth his great sense of vision throughout the scope of this epic film. With the additions of Sean Connery, Natalie Portman, and Thomas Jane (fresh off the heels of his starring role in NATHAN ZACHARY AND DRAKE’S GOLD) to the cast, the reappearance of Christopher Lee as the reborn Lord Deravis… this film is almost sure to be a box office smash.

My ratings for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: THE SHATTERED ORB pans out like this…

Originality of Screenplay




Interest of Storyline




Casting




I am rating this one significantly higher than my original ratings for the first DUNGEONS & DRAGONS film in what is apparently going to become the next franchise for CRAZY MOON PICTURES. I felt that I could not give it “5 STARS” in my “Originality of Screenplay” category, since it does use many of the elements from the Forgotten Realms setting of the pen & paper RPG and the many computer games as well.

All in all… it’s a far better film than the first, and deserve the “MISTERBALDY SEAL OF APPROVAL”. Two thumbs way up for this one, and looking forward to a third film in the series.

AVAILABLE NOW ON DVD, HD-DVD AND BLU-RAY DISC…

THE GREAT WAR SERIES: FINAL THUNDER is the final chapter of this film franchise, and a fitting end to the PETER WEIR/JACK HAMMER visionary screenplay saga of the “Fighting Armstrong” family.

Like all good things, this too must come to an end… and the story came to a fitting close. The “war to end all wars” has come to it’s close, and with the end to this tremendous conflict… it has come at a high price. The loss of fathers and sons, mothers and daughter… the mammoth loss of life on both sides of “The Great War”, civilian and military alike, this was something that not even the Armstrong family could escape.

Their family album is forever changed, with the portraits of loved ones etched, forever stilled within the vault of time.

Maybe this could be the season that JACK HAMMER receives his much-coveted “Best Screenplay” Golden Moon Award. This film is perhaps his best bet to date, and is just such a fitting wrap-up to this film trilogy.

My advice for the DVD release of THE GREAT WAR SERIES: FINAL THUNDER is…

BUY IT!!!

And I also recommend the other films of this great film series:

I think we may just see in the near future a collectors edition release of THE GREAT WAR Series, with additional “bonus materials”… and I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

ALSO ON CRAZY MOON DVD, HD-DVD AND BLU-RAY DISC:

Ben Stiller is somewhat of an enigma to me, for I just don’t really seem to understand the attraction to this talent. Maybe he’s sort of like the whole “Seinfeld Factor”. It’s an acquired taste, and perhaps it’s just one that I never acquired myself. Needless to say, Ben Stiller is a comic actor that seems to be in high demand… and who am I to question the apparent appeal that he does seem to have to movie-going audiences.

THE SHRINKING MAN is a wacky, Sci-fi comedy… and I must admit that although this whole “shrinking theory” has been used in books and movies throughout a plethora of works, for some reason it just never seems to get stale.

Where it comes to comedies, I have a tendency to recommend movie fans to rent, instead of buy. Comedies rarely seem to have a great “replay value”, as it seems that they have a tendency to become less appealing each time you view them… but for THE SHRINKING MAN, I’m going to advise you to…

BUY IT!!!

THE SHRINKING MAN is more than just some jokes and one-liners… it’s got something to offer with each viewing. You’ll realize things that you missed even after the third, fourth and even fifth watching of the film.

Maybe even I am starting to acquire a taste for the comedic talent that is Ben Stiller… and maybe it’s contagious.

NOW COMING… TO A THEATER NEAR YOU:

AMERICAN HEARTLAND

STARRING: Jodie Foster, Denzel Washington, Daniel Radcliffe, Haley Joel Osment, Shia Lebouf, Robin Wright-Penn
PRODUCER: Martin Scorsese
DIRECTOR:Sean Penn
SCREENPLAY: Matt Kubrick

MY THOUGHTS: The subject of The West Memphis 3 have been well documented in such books as Blood of Innocents by Guy Reel and Devil's Knot by Mara Leveritt; and has also been chronicled in two movies Two films, Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills and Paradise Lost 2: Revelations, as well. Numerous actors, actresses and musician have come out, in support of the three defendants… attempting to help mount an attempt for a retrial of the case.

Some believe that the handling of this case is considered one of the greatest miscarriages of justice; while other contend that the right people are behind bars, and that these three youths were indeed the monsters that they were portrayed to be. There are as many opinions pertaining to this case, as there are sides to this story. Whichever you believe… this is still an incredibly compelling story, and perhaps one that deserved another retelling.

The story is compelling, but for me is perhaps too biased for my taste. I don’t really have an opinion on the case, but I would much rather seen a film that just told the story, and not spend its time trying to convince me that these three are indeed innocent. This film seems to me to be slanted towards the “miscarriage of justice” angle, than just telling the story of the case.

How do I rate AMERICAN HEARTLAND?

Originality of Screenplay




Interest of Storyline




Casting





The casting was a great choice, but the story has been done already. This film was just a little too biased for my taste.

NOW AVAILABLE ON DVD, CRAZY MOON PICTURES PRESENTS…

PARODY OF ARTS was a surprise hit at the box office, and an even bigger surprise to this reviewer.

I’ll admit it… I did not give it a terribly favorable review. Even though apparently the movie-going public disagreed… I still did not like this film. So, it somehow ended up being the “sleeper hit” as I had predicted in my preview of the film last issue.

This sort of thing happens a lot in Hollywood. Many reviewers will blast a film, but it will somehow end up being tremendously successful. Anyone remember the theatrical release of the first STAR WARS film? Many respected critics passed on that film, and relegated it to the trash bin of filmmaking.

What happened next? STAR WARS MANIA!!! The world went bonkers for STAR WARS… and the rest is history.

Granted, PARODY OF ARTS is no STAR WARS. It’s not going to create the merchandising monolith that STAR WARS has become… but many people went to see this film, so maybe they know something I don’t.

My recommendation for PARODY OF ARTS…

RENT IT!!!

If you want to buy it afterwards… then do so.

AND THE FINALE, COMING TO A THEATER NEAR YOU…

THREE WOODEN CROSSES

STARRING: Jude Law, Claire Danes, Jennifer Connelly, Chris Cooper, Billy Bob Thornton

DIRECTOR: Billy Bob Thornton
SCREENPLAY: Ted Froats

MY THOUGHTS: This film, which takes its basis from the Randy Travis (released on his RISE AND SHINE album) song by the same name. It tells a compelling story of how sometimes no matter how hard we try… we never seem to understand the great mysteries in life. Things happen in life that make us question our faith… and that is the foundation on which this film is based.

For those that are unfamiliar with the song… it’s a song that tells such a great story, and I’m surprised it took this long to make it into a movie.

TED FROATS has another potential giant of a screenplay here, and may just help catapult a repeat in success that had been experienced with last season’s runaway hit of CAROUSEL. This film is going to be a tough one to be ignored, and is going to be a real contender at the GOLDEN MOON AWARDS.

BILLY BOB THORNTON was an amazing pick for director of this film, and he gives it just the right touch to make this film a true gem of a picture.

My rating for the film THREE WOODEN CROSSES…

Originality of Screenplay




Interest of Storyline




Casting




This is a film that will “tug on your heartstrings”.

IN CLOSING…

This season has so far been a really tough one to preview for me. So many well-done pictures has made it really tough to judge which films are going to be the most deserved for nominations for the GOLDEN MOON AWARDS. It’s going to be a tough on to nail down my nominations, and somehow I think that some films that are very deserving of those coveted nominations are probably going to lose out in the end.

As we are nearing the conclusion of the season, I cannot help but wonder… what will next season bring? Will we see more compelling dramas… or perhaps we are going to see more light-hearted comedies and action films. Is HE-MAN ever going to go beyond the “concept stage” and actually make it to the movie theaters?

Well everyone… That’s it for this edition of PREVIEWING ATTRACTIONS WITH MISTERBALDY. So, until next time;

Head out to the lobby, go buy yourself a large popcorn, as well as a drink, and…

SEE YOU IN THE MOVIES!!!

JULY, 25

MOVIES RELEASED

1-THE GREAT WAR SERIES: FINAL THUNDER

Action / Drama
Directed by Peter Weir
Starring Christian Bale, Claire Danes, Hayden Christensen, Jeremy Irons, Adrien Brody
Box Office: 74 mill.
Net Gains: 51 mill.

CMP’s Reaction: A severe reduction in box office for this third episode, although it is probably the best of the three movies. Profits are more than satisfactory, although the magic of the two first episodes did not return this time.

2-THE SHRINKING MAN

Sci-Fi / Comedy
Directed by Harold Ramis
Starring Ben Stiller, Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Jessica Parker, Brendan Fraser, Bill Murray
Box Office: 109 mill.
Net Gains: 84 mill.

CMP’s Reaction: A perfect product. It had it all to attract a wide range of audiences and, fortunately, it did.

3-PARODY OF ARTS

Drama / Human Spirit
Directed by David Mamet
Starring Johnny Depp, Peter O’Toole, Katie Holmes, Sean Bean, Judi Dench, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Eric Balfour
Box Office: 71 mill.
Net Gains: 46 mill.

CMP’s Reaction: A nice surprise! Unexpectedly high box office for a beautiful, moving and brilliantly written, directed and performed story. It may be the most successful drama ever released by the Studio.

THE CRITICS CORNER

1-THE GREAT WAR SERIES: FINAL THUNDER

“Epic reaches the sky. Final episode of Weir / Hammer saga becomes the most epic and moving episode of them all. Nostalgic and romantic, the movie has the best screenplay of the saga and rise the Armstrong family story to the level of epic classics like ‘Gone with the wind’ or ‘War and Peace’. Just perfect”.
-Jackie O. Callaghan

“I’m not going to discuss the quality of the movie. But looking at the drop of box office compared with the two previous episodes, it is unquestionable that three movies might be too much for this story. Obviously, the saga has been a great business for CMP, and that only justifies the three movies, but maybe Weir and Hammer should have had more capacity of synthesis to reduce the story to one or probably two movies and that would have been enough.”
-Roy Winslow

“Who missed Colin Farrell? Probably, looking at box office results, some might. But not me. This movie will become a classic. The final sequence honouring the dead is so wonderfully shot that it will become an unforgettable reference in Movie History.”
-Lilly Stevens

2-THE SHRINKING MAN

“I thought for a while that Ben Stiller had been lost for comedy. Movies like ‘Zoolander’ or ‘Starsky & Hutch’ made me feared that Stiller would get lost in auto-complacency forever. Then came ‘Night in the Museum’ and I recovered my faith in him. And now ‘The Shrinking Man’ confirms me that Stiller can still be the best comedian of his generation. A nice and funny comedy”
-Wayne Hart

“A mainstream comedy for all audiences. Harold Ramis has built up the perfect Hollywood’s product for all kind of audiences from kids to romantic comedy fans. Much better than his previous work for CMP, the excessive ‘Ultraman’s Revenge’, Ramis has offered a new perspective to the classic story of shrinking people.”
-Matt Robinson

“Much better than ‘Honey, I shrunk the kid’ but much worse than the classic ‘The Incredible Shrinking Man’, the movie works enough at all levels and the good box office breakdown proves it. It’s not about quality, it’s about bringing moviegoers to theatres. And CMP has reached that that target”
-Anne Roman

3-PARODY OF ARTS

“I have mixed feelings about this movie. It’s a brilliant, touching, intelligent and appealing story. It has wonderful performances from Depp and O’Toole. It entertains and makes you think. But the problem is I’ve seen this movie before. Its title was ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’. It was also written by Marcus Trax. It focussed in a circus troupe instead of an actors troupe. That was the only difference. But the spirit of the story is so similar than it made think I was just watching a remake”
-Charlie Kiggs

“The Academy Award has always denied an Oscar to Peter O’Toole. I just hope CMP can fix that with their GMA. O’Toole proves again in this movie that he deserves a comfortable place in the actors Olympus.”
-Jack Carter

“Thanks God the trio Mamet / Trax / Depp exists. Here is another great movie from them. A present for the ones like me that are tired of wars in the stars, dragons in dungeons, planets colonization or replicant guardians. I can only say thanks, guys”
-Bob Felton

AWAITING RELEASE

1-DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: THE SHATTERED ORB

The Cast: Nicholas Cage, Bruce Willis, Claire Danes, Sean Connery, Natalie Portman, Andy Serkis, Thomas Jane, Christopher Lee. Voice of Judi Dench

The Director and Producer: Peter Jackson
The Screenwriter: Marcus Trax

The Plot: Avery Rothin (N. Cage) is enjoying his new and law abidding lifesyle even though he still cons the odd merchant here and womanises there much to the disgust of his patner Det. Miles Strider (B. Willis) However when old friends Morin Orcsbane (A. Serkis) and Beth (C. Danes) return to the city of Waterdeep things get out of control once more. Morin and Beth come back seeking aid for the dwarvern mines up north and the barbarian tribes that have recently come under attack by a mysterious force led by cultists and made up of all manner of monsters (orcs, minotaurs, harpees, even some undead) Importantly the great dwarvern city of Giroknor has fallen. However their cries fall on deaf ears from the Waterdeep council, even though the head of the army General Orad Eriss (E. Bana) supports some aid. Things are made worse when Xanaphilia Evenwood (A.Hathaway) comes from the south east claming similar goings on down in the elven domain but again the request of help is ignored.

Being in Waterdeep however they all meet with their friends Avery and Miles when while in the tavern they are ambushed by city guards wearing an odd creast. Taken prisoner they are taken to the castle of Waterdeep and imprisoned. It is when General Eriss comes down and frees them, that it becomes apparent there are sinister forces at work. Eriss talks of how the coucil have been obsessed over 'A shattered orb' and locating the fragments. It is now Morin and Xanaphilia both recount legends of such an item of immense magic that it caused a war between mortals and the gods and the item was eventually broken as it could not be destroyed. And that it was rumored the shards were spread over the land and the lands invaded by the forces unknown were lands suspected to hold some of the shards.

Avery seeing what is coming tries to avoid the coming conversation but Eriss petions the group to find more information and report to him and his allies, Miles accepts the task much to Avery's chargrin. Eriss then leads them out of the city limits and sets them on their way.

It is on the road that after light banter, they come across an eldery man (S. Connery) wayland by monsters and some dark robed people. Going to his aid they help the man, although he seems quite competant. They learn his name is Marcus Philus a wandering cleric of the Travelling God. And that these cultists were extremely interested in him. When Marcus learns of their task he sitting around the camp fire recounts his own stories of days of old including one a great and wise dragon who was rumoured to sit upon a shard of deepest red that made the mountains glow. Miles taking faith in this story convinces Avery to help lead the group forward.

As they make their way along the road now dragon hunting, they come upon a small town where Avery catches a young and beutiful thief, Aria Long (N. Portman) who is trying to rob him. Getting talking she boasts how she has stolen from even dragons and learning of their quest offers to lead them to the mountains where the dragon resides. Marcus seems suspicious of Aria from the start.
As they journey Aria seems to tempt Avery to give up his 'comfortable' life and rejoin the ranks of thieves and con-men but Avery seem reluctanct if tempted, especially with Miles looking over his shoulder.

Back in the city Eriss is fighting the council who start to threaten him and he eventually pulls out and heads to his army camped outside the city.

Travelling north the main party start to notice more and more monsters and cultists patrolling the land and find a village ransacked and destroyed by them. Seeing this gets all of them including Morin the dwarf and Xanaphilia the elf riled. But when the town is shown to be a trap and they are captured, after a large fight, they are soon taken up the mountains to see Elorea, The Great Red Dragon (Voiced by Judi Dench) Who is orchestrating the search for the shards, but she speaks as if those are not her words and Marcus suspects the cult to be controlling her. When her monstrous Minotaur captain informs an army is approaching from the south she is confused rambling about how it is possible. But soon recovers and orders the forces to attack.

The prisoners meanwhile are sent deep within the caves of the dragon to stew while armies march against eachother. It is when Aria demonstrates a remarkable talent of getting out the prison and frees everyone, much to the suspicion of Marcus, that they investigate further and find a occult circle heavily guarded that seems to be controlling Elorea. Morin being Morin, and Beth being Beth both charge the cultists intiating a fight just as the armies of Waterdeep and the monstrous/cultist armies clash.

As the party kill the last of the cultists the symbols of the occult circle flash and merge and glow and then suddenly go and a large roar is heard for miles around which stops the fighting in the main battle for a second. Marcus leading the way, unerringly through the tunnels back to the main cavern finds Elorea devouring and killing the remaining cultists around here and when she spins on them Marcus defends them all by a firey red energy shield much to everyones surprise. Marcus informs her, with interjection from everyone else, of the cultists and the shards and she is angry at the manipulation, also notices her shard is missing obviously taken by the cultists, and flies off in revenge.

On the field of battle Eriss realises his forces are loosing and orders a general retreat when out from the sky Elorea swoops killing masses of her, once, own troops who fearing her wrath retreat soon after and the battle is turned.

After the battle Elorea is no where to be seen and Eriss is in camp when the party approaches. Much has been learned about the shards and the orb and it holds a power so vast gods themselves fought over it. Also the city of Waterdeep has been taken over at the highest level and there is now an order for the arrest of Ex-General Eriss. However much still needs to be done and obviously this is just the start.

Meanwhile in an occult cermony in a dark temple somewhere, is being perfomred and the result is the rebirth of Lord Deravis (C. Lee) in human force who upon being revived instantly sucks the life energy from one of his summoners and smiles. Then he walks to a table on it lay 4 shards of deep red that look like they will form an orb only piece looks to be missing. The cultists behind Lord Deravis chant..."...Talona...Talona..."

The Comment: Sequel of the successful ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ (Box Office: 194 mill / Net Gains: 231 mill.), the major event of the Season for CMP (specially after ‘SW: Balance Of The Force’ didn’t work as expected). On of those movies that can only be considered a success if they reach an outstanding box office.


2-AMERICAN HEARTLAND

The Cast: Jodie Foster, Denzel Washington, Daniel Radcliffe, Haley Joel Osment, Shia Lebouf, Robin Wright-Penn

The Director: Sean Penn
The Producer: Martin Scorsese
The Screenwriter: Matt Kubrick

The Plot: Based on a true story. In the year 1993 three kids were found brutally murdered in the Robin Hood hills of West Memphis Tenesee. In the morning a man walks into a restaraunt all covered with blood in a dazed state and uses the women bathroom and soon leaves. A witch hunt erupts and soon three local male teenagers are arrested for the crime. This is their story Damion Echols (D.Radcliffe), Jessie Misskelley (H.Joel Osment) and Jason Baldwin (S.Lebouf). Damion Echols is sentenced to death and the other two get life in prison. But that isn't the end, Mishandling of the crime scene by authorites, more questions than answers,a mysterious bleeding man in a resteraunt lead many to question, who really did it? The true shocking court case is brought to life in this riveting drama.
Other characters:
Jodie Foster: The lawyer trying to open the case again to prove the innocence of the three teenagers, based on the mistakes of the police investigation.
Robin Wright-Penn: A woman that will confess her testimony accusing the three teenagers was coerced by Police
Denzel Washington: A journalist that will face the FBI and local Police in his search of truth.

The Comment: Kubrick gets serious with this dramatic story about three teenagers accused of murder. Based on a true story (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Memphis_3), it is the second work of Scorsese only as producer, after the acclaimed ‘The Toymaker’, and Penn’s debut as director for CMP. Besides box office, it is expected to become a critical success.


3-THREE WOODEN CROSSES

The Cast: Jude Law, Claire Danes, Jennifer Connelly, Chris Cooper, Billy Bob Thornton

The Director: Billy Bob Thornton
The Screenwriter: Ted Froats

The Plot: A preacher (Billy Bob Thorton) greets his congregation with a question.

"Just down the road here, off the highway exit, there are three wooden crosses. Who knows the crosses I'm talking about?"

The entire congregation raises their hands.

"Good. Now...who knows why they're there?"

No one raises their hand.

"Well...then I'll tell you. This is the story of four people...three will die, one will live. But the question isn't which one lives. The question...is why?"

1956 - A preacher (Jude Law) conducts the Saturday congregation at the very same church that the narration is taking place in...but, of course, some 50 years earlier. He is charming but strict, and allows no temptation into his life. In fact, whenever he does face temptation, he simply pulls the Bible out of his pocket and begins reciting a verse at random. As his portion of the story comes to a close, he receives a letter from his brother, a missionary.

And so we transition to the farmer's story. The farmer (Cooper) is a good Christian man. We see how he loves tending the land on his 80-acre farm, we see how his wife and two young sons adore him and we see how he adores them back...we even see the four of them each attend mass at the same church the beginning of the film takes place in. But because they attend the Sunday mass, they have seemingly never met Jude Law. Finally, it is time to harvest, and it has been a good year...we see the farmer with some spare cash for the first time in his life.

And so we transition to the teacher (Danes). She teaches at the same school that the farmer's sons attend, but a different grade, so she has seemingly never met them. We see that she cares passionately for her students, especially the most troubled ones. She stays well after school hours to tutor, she is exceptionally patient, and she sincerely believes in every one of them. Her life revolves around the school...so when summer arrives, she doesn't know what to do with herself.

Which brings us to the prostitute (Connelly). This is not a prostitute with a heart of gold...this is a prostitute with a heart of prostitution. She doesn't even have a passing connection with the other three people...in fact, she lives in the city, while the other three live in a small farming community. We see her addicted to every drug known in '56, we see her attack anyone who tries to help her...and, finally, we see her kill a wealthy "John", unprovoked, and steal his wallet. Then we see her impulsively catch a bus headed for Mexico.

We follow her on the bus...and several stops later...two young boys get on the bus. Followed by their mother. And, finally, their father.

It's the farmer. And several stops later? The teacher gets on, with two of her girlfriends. And the next stop, of course, is where the preacher gets on.

And though they are strangers, they all get to talking. The farmer has decided to take the extra money he made from this year's harvest and take his children on vacation south of the border. The teacher finally caved into her girlfriends' insistance that she actually go out and live a little this summer, with them down in Mexico. And the preacher is responding to his brother's request for assistance, at a Mexican mission.

And then they all turn to the prostitute, not realizing that's what she is, and ask her why she's heading south. She begins to open her mouth...

When an 18-wheeler slams into the side of the bus, knocking it right off the overpass.

A quick vinette of scenes follow...the children and their mother, at the farmer's funeral, and then continuing to farm the land that he loved.

We see the school renamed after the teacher, and the troubled students she focused on succeeding.

And we see the bus wreck...the preacher and the prostitute are pinned together in the wreckage, and they both are dying. A rescuer comes and begins working to free the priest. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out the bible now covered in blood, and reads a verse to himself.

And, finally, we see Billy Bob Thorton standing again at the podium present day, holding the blood stained bible before the congregation.

"God bless the farmer...and the teacher..."

Back at the bus, the preacher looks up at the rescuer.

"No...take her."The preacher places the blood-stained bible in the hooker's hands.

"And you...take this."

And back at the church, where Billy Bob is finishing his sermon.

"And the preacher. He gave this bible to my mother...and she read it to me. It's not what you take when you leave this world behind you...it's what you leave behind you, when you go."

The Comment: A most peculiar concept. A religious fable with a moral based on a country standard song. It way work in middle America… but a movie needs the rest of the world to become a hit. Extremely uncertain future for this one.


MOVIES IN DEVELOPMENT

AN AMERICAN STROLL: Here is the complete peculiar cast for a story taking place in a small and forgotten village in Arizona: Tobey Maguire, Paul Giamatti, Kate Winslet, Winona Ryder, Michelle Pfeiffer, Chris Rock, Tommy Lee Jones and Sylvester Stallone. Ang Lee directs this James Bradley’s story about lost souls without a destiny.

CELL MATES: An ex-convict, a strange boss, a SWAT team, a marijuana plantation and a wounded girl are the exotic elements of this comedy directed bu Joel and Ethan Cohen with Johnny Depp, Jack Nicholson, Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson and Elle Fanning in it.

POWERHOUSE: A complete redefinition of this story. Now, it’s not taking place in the US but in the UK. Robert Redford is not longing directing it, but Gus Van Sant and the cast includes names like Daniel Craig, Daniel Radcliffe, right after shooting the upcoming ‘American Heartland’, Eva Green or Demi Moore, in her first role after starring ‘Red Light’ and making a cameo in Lieutenant USA.

RUMOURS AND GOSSIPS

David Mamet, Marcus Trax and Johnny Depp are confirmed as a winning team after the great box office of ‘Parody Of Arts’. The three of them met in the set of ‘Smoke Signals’ and, since them, they have become a kind of stable society, after reuniting again in ‘No Evil’. It looks like their names will be probably heard in the next GMA ceremony. And it is rumoured that their society has not got to an end as they are planning to keep working together in future projects.

Season 5 is being the most ‘serious’ and ‘adult’ one for CMP. So many dramas have been released during this Season and it seems like action and sci-fi shows have been left a little bit aside. Lot of quality movies have been released and some critics have pointed out that next GMA edition could be the most competitive one as there have been so many award-style movies.

A bunch of talents have been extremely busy this Season. Johnny Depp will soon release his third movie of the Season (‘No Evil’, ‘Parody Of Arts’ and now ‘Cell Mates’). Winona Ryder has shot almost simultaneously ‘An American Stroll’ and ‘Cell Mates’), Daniel Radcliffe has jumped from ‘American Heartland’ to ‘Powerhouse’… and once again Claire Danes has turned almost crazy shooting in a row ‘Three Wooden Crosses’, ‘Dungeons & Dragons: The Shattered Orb’ and ‘Final Thunder’.

As it was feared, the third episode of The Great War Series did not become the major hit the two first episodes were. The reason? Maybe the change of HM’s version, maybe the absence of Colin Farrell, maybe – as some critics pointed out – three movies were too much for the story. Anyway, the saga will be remembered as one of the most beautiful and moving stories ever told in a CMP’s movie.

Paris Hilton's boycott over Hollyweird has come to an end. She threatened a lawsuit, but was denied when no standing evidence showed the character was based on her. "It's all just another pointless story to make sure we don't stop talking about her." director Collins said. "She's really only insulting herself and admitting she has some...issues. By dragging on with it" he continued with a chuckle. Hilton says despite everything, she will still not see the film. "John's character commits adultery. Does that mean every man who cheats on their wife should sue?"

INSIDE CMP

Harry Stark has announced that he won’t be completely resting during his upcoming holidays. Stark is considering new ideas to improve CMP and, specially, these issues. Some novelties might be seen with CMP returns in September.

Finally, some changes will be introduced in the Golden Moon Awards’ voting process. Slight changes anyway. They will be announced in the last issue of the Season.