APRIL, 4

ON THEATRES NEXT WEEK

1-CELL MATES 2: HEARTS AND MINDS

Action / Thriller

The Cast: Johnny Depp, Jack Nicholson, Wynona Ryder, Elle Fanning, Woody Harrelson, James Woods

The Director: Brett Ratner
The Screenwriter: Ted Froats

The Plot: From the helicopter, Dante (Depp) calls Basho (Nicholson) and confesses that he did not follow Basho's orders. Basho, continuing to speak in haiku, is pissed...until he learns that Dante has 100k from the cops. He instructs Dante to use the money to rebuild the cell, increase their weapon stash as the SWAT team is clearly at war with them, and await further orders.

Dante does this, with Angela (Ryder) and her daughter (Fanning)'s support, until receiving the next order. Basho believes the only way to defeat the police is through public opinion. He wants Dante and his cell to kidnap a powerful industrialist, Tammany (Woods), and videotape Tammany confessing to intentional, terrible crimes against the environment. By showing that the cell believes in protecting the environment and other elements of "clean living", he hopes he'll win over the public.

Dante and his team break into Tammany's house, unknowingly setting off the burglar alarm in the process. They catch Tammany in the kitchen and quickly overpower him... when Tammany's eight-year-old daughter starts to scream. They're unwilling to hurt a kid, but the screams bring Tammany's wife running in as well, until all three are held at gunpoint. The cell begins to move their hostages out the front door...when the phone rings. They stare at it for a moment, until Dante tells Tammany to answer it. It's the SWAT team. Dante takes the phone, and the hostage negotiator (Harrelson) realizes it's the same voice as from the hospital stand-off. He offers another 100k for the release of the hostages. Dante agrees, releasing the wife and daughter. He then opens the door to retrieve the cash...only to realize it's not there. It's a trick. The SWAT team opens fire, as Dante runs back into the house, dodging bullets as they rip through the walls and shatter windows. He, Tammany, and the cell retreat to the second story, then climb out a window and land on the garage roof, unseen. They get into the garage and steal Tammany's car, speeding away as Harrelson watches and throws the phone in anger.

They make the video tape, with Tammany confessing at gunpoint. They release Tammany and go to a TV studio, demanding they air the tape. The studio chief refuses, until Dante shoots one of the employees in the leg to make his point. The tape is aired, and public opinion begins to move towards support for the cell's clean living beliefs. When Basho writes a manifesto (in haiku) and a major newspaper publishes it after Dante holds them at gunpoint as well, support for the cell is overwhelming. They're getting funding and new recruits through the roof.

Finally, Basho gives them another order, saying this will be the ultimate test of their beliefs. A very important man is being held prisoner by the evil police. He tells them the prisoner is being transported to a maximum security prison, where he will be executed. Dante and his men must rescue the prisoner during the transport.

They set up a line of roadside bombs, which successfully stops the prisoner transport convoy. After a shootout with the cops, they finally reach the prisoner and rush him to safety.

Once they are safe, they realize...

The rescued prisoner is none other than Basho.

To be concluded...


Stark’s Comment: Saga redefined. Froats rejected the Coen Brothers to direct this sequel although the first movie made a good box office of 78 mill. He didn’t like the satiric approach they made to his story. So Ratner has got more serious in this one. One of its major appeals: the GMA’s Best Starring Couple Winners Johnny Depp and Jack Nicholson. It should work.

2-QUADROPHENIA

Drama / Musical

The Cast: Jamie Bell, Evan Rachel Wood, Daniel Day Lewis, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Ryan Gosling

The Director: Alan Parker
The Producer and Screenwriter: Ben Tyler

Plot: The story covers about five days of the life of a certain Jimmy (Jaime Bell), a participant in the circa 1964 Mod lifestyle in England. The opera represents Jimmy's looking back at the events of the previous day or two that led him into the gloomy situation where he finds himself at the end of the story.

The first half of the opera consists of songs that allude to the frustrations and insecurities that govern Jimmy's life, including brief glimpses of his home life, his job, his psychoanalyst (Hugh Laurie), and his girlfriend (Evan Rachel Wood), who leaves Jimmy for his best friend. Additionally, he recalls a brief conversation with one of the members of the Who about who the REAL leaders of the Mod movement were.

Halfway through the story, he finds himself kicked out of his home when his parents (Daniel Day-Lewis and Tilda Swinton) find his box of 'blues' (amphetamines). His father is stone drunk at the time, which makes his subsequent moral tirade tragically ironic. Distraught and with nothing better to do, Jimmy takes a large dose of blues and takes a train ride to the coast (Embodied in the song ‘5:15’, which is supposed to be the time when the train departs).

During his stay near the beach in Brighton, he encounters the former "Ace Face", the leader of a group of Mods, whom he admires greatly (Ryan Gosling). However, the "Ace Face" now works as a bell boy at a nearby hotel. Ironically, this is the very same hotel the Ace Face had smashed the windows of two years before. This display of masculine bravado had earned him the admiration of many of his fellow Mods two days before during Jimmy's first stay in Brighton. Jimmy is disgusted to learn that the person he had admired as a Mod had "sold out".

At this point, Jimmy is inconsolable. Everybody from his parents to his girlfriend had disappointed him before, but he had never expected the Mod lifestyle to let him down. Drunk and depressed, he steals the now former Ace Face's scooter from the front of the Brighton hotel where he is employed, takes it out to a barren rock protruding from the sea, and crashes psychologically. With nothing left to live for, he nontheless finds redemption in the pouring rain which is expressed in the final song, "Love, Reign o'er Me", leaving an ambiguous but hopeful ending.


Stark’s Comment: Ben Tyler returns after the critically acclaimed ‘Schroedinger’s Litterbox’. A remake of the classic The Who’s rock opera. A quality musical. But, will audiences still be interested in the Mods, the Who, the old days? A more than uncertain release.

3-ULTRAMAN: AFRAID OF THE CLONES

Sci-Fi / Comedy

The Cast: Eddie Murphy, Jessica Simpson, Rob Schneider, Jackie Chan, Tia Carrere

The Director: Tim Story
The Producer: Eddie Murphy
The Screenwriter: Steve Connors

The Plot: Doctor Krasiwinski (J.Simpson) was the ugliest girl in school. She never had a date in College. She was a swot, nasty, always black dressed, unpopular kind of young genius. But everything changed after she discovered how to genetically manipulate her morphology. Suddenly, she turned into what she always had wanted to be: an astonishing sexy blonde. In fact, she not only has won the Nobel Prize for her investigations about clonation but she is also the first scientist to be in the cover of ‘Sports Illustrated’.

But nobody knows that she has not overcome all her youth complexes. The truth is that she has become a completely crazed scientist.

When the most popular American superhero, Ultraman (E.Murphy) is invited by Doctor Krasiwinski to visit her in her Beverly Hills mansion, Ultraman is so thrilled to meet such a prestigious scientist and accepts.

Ultraman flies to LA. There, he meets an eccentric taxi driver, Feldman (R.Schneider) that shows him the city. Also, he makes a courtesy visit to his famous colleague Kataman (J.Chan). While Ultraman still lives in his modest Bronx’s apartment, Kataman lives like a movie star in a fancy mansion with limousines, amazing girls always wondering around his swimming pool and so.

Ultraman finally meets Doctor Krasiwinski. And he will soon discover it is all a trap. Krasinwinski narcotize Ultraman to take his ADN. What she wants is to clone Ultraman with her new invention – the Instant Cloning Machine - to create an army of obedient superheroes and conquer America. After awaking, Ultraman gets to escape, but Krasiwinski has already created a clone of Ultraman.

The fake Ultraman stars to act. Following the Doctor’s orders, as she wants to check his obedience, he does all kind of bad things around LA. Everybody thinks it is the real Ultraman, so our hero becomes the most hated man in California and, in fact, also the most wanted by the Police. An FBI agent, Samantha (T.Carrere) leads the team that tries to capture Ultraman.

Anonymously and hidden, the real Ultraman tries to capture the fake Ultraman with the help of his new good friend Feldman. He also asks for help to Kataman. The three of them will face Krasiwinski and the fake Ultraman in the streets of LA.

During the fight, Kataman proves to be a coward while Ultraman finally beats both Krasiwinski and his clone. Samantha also joins the battle. She first fights on Krasiwinski’s side until she understands that the real Ultraman is innocent. At the end, the cloned Ultraman auto-explodes, Krasiwinski surrenders and confesses that her boobs are the only part of her body not genetically generated but made with silicone and Ultraman promises Kataman that he won’t tell anyone he is not in fact the brave hero everyone thinks.


Stark’s Comment: Third adventure for Ultraman. The two previous ones didn’t make a great box office but both made net gains. This time, Murphy has deeply changed his franchise, introducing new characters and forgetting the old ones. Will this be the last flight or the reborn of Ultraman?

MOVIES IN DEVELOPMENT

FACTION 12: Will Smith, initially considered to co-star this sci-fi adventure, finally rejected the offer. Gerald Butler has been chosen to replace him, making his debut in CMP. Other faces to be seen in the movie: Ron Pearlman – a specialist in mega-productions as we have seen him in the Trax’s Star Wars trilogy and ‘Planetside’ and heard his voice in ‘Game Boy 2’ – and Ian McKellen, returning to CMP after his last movie for the Studio, ‘Nathan Zachary and Drake’s Gold’.

FIVE THUNDERBOLTS: Jet Li (‘The Guardians’, ‘Yeoman’) will play the lead character of this Chinese mobster story directed by Ang Lee. And a nice surprise, Martin Scorsese, a big fan of Chinese and Japanese cinema, has decided to produce the movie. Scorsese is an experienced producer as he has previously produced other CMP’s movies with nice results: ‘The Toymaker’, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and ‘American Heartland’, directed by Sean Penn.

CELEBUTANTES: James Bradley already has an actress to play the main character of this satire about Hollywood. Michelle Trachtenberg, seen in ‘The Little Sister’ and ‘Blood Beach’, gets her first starring role in CMP. One of the main appeals of the movie is said to be its surprising cameos. Intriguing.

HITMAN: PAIN OF DESTINY: The new villain of the saga in this new beginning is going to be played by Arnold Vosloo, who has never worked for CMP before. Everything is ready to release this new episode that is said to be as violent as the precedents, this time with stronger religious elements.

THE AVENGERS: Get ready to see Hawk Eye, Iron Man, Valkyrie and Thor together. These are the Matt Kubrick’s Avengers in what is expected to be one of CMP’s big bets for Season 7. Gore Verbinski is in command as director and the first star confirmed is Orlando Bloom, playing Hawk Eye. The other members of the cast are being decided these days. As everyone knows, the story will begin where ‘Captain America: Destiny’ ended. Wow.

DAMNATION ROAD: A new feature developed by ‘Midnight Movies’, the independent Production Company. And you all know what that means: horror, blood and fear. This one, directed by Rob Zombie, is said to be the most violent story ever released by CMP. Scary.

WHEN DREAMS DIE: Some more names joining this sport drama written by Ralph Franzwa. Mary-Louise Parker and Cary Elwes will debut in CMP playing Haley Joel Osment’s parents. And Emile Hirsh will work together again with Ellen Page after being together in ‘Blood Beach’.

DRAWING DREAMS: Two more names to add to the peculiar cast of this moving drama: Diane Keaton (‘Deadly Sins’, ‘Poor Little Rich Boy’) and Christina Ricci (‘Contract Killing For Dummies’), who will play one of the lovers of Johnny Depp.

THE METAL: The terrible heavy metal band Napalm Bath has a number one fan (or maybe just one fan). And she is not the classic young and sexy groupie. She is an obsessed and a bit hysterical middle age woman. Annette Benning has been chosen to play this funny character and debuts this way in CMP. Welcome.

TOGETHER APART: A love story. In some way, the ‘serious’ version of the CMP’s romantic comedy ‘LOL’, as it also tells a love relationship through the net. David Makalaster is behind this story. No cast or director confirmed yet. Haley Joel Osment refused to star it as he preferred to be in ‘When Dreams Die’ and David Mamet also considered but finally decided not to get back to work so soon after ‘Drawing Dreams’.

MAKING OF… QUADROPHENIA
By Ben Tyler

I first listened to Quadrophenia when I was 16 years old. It wasn’t until about halfway through my second listen that I realized how much I loved it. If that isn’t evidence that some things are worth a second look, I don’t know what is.

It’s difficult for me to describe in words how this album changed the way I think. Nonetheless, I will try to sum things up as briefly as I can: Quadrophenia is an album for frustrated young men (which makes it an album for ALL young men, as all young men are frustrated). It is targeted toward anyone who is, has been, or just knows what it’s like to be a young person, thrust without warning into a world of myriad expectations that you fear you might not be able to meet.

In many ways, I was entirely unlike the main character, Jimmy – he was rebellious and had a severe neurological disorder, and I was (and still am) a nerd with a few minor neuroses. But in other ways – the confusion, the indecision, and the inability to really STAND OUT amongst my peers in spite of my own freakishness – I was exactly like him. And I think that was exactly what Pete Townshend intended when he sat down and wrote all those magnificent songs.

So, why “remake” Quadrophenia? Well, I wouldn’t consider this to be as much of a remake as a re-take on the same subject material. I liked the original movie – it had its heart in a good place, and it certainly was a lot better than the Ken Russell acid trip that was the Tommy film. However, I’ve always felt that Quad deserved a full, “proper” musical film adaptation, with the songs, themes, and neurological disorder left intact. I had been envisioning a “film” in my head since I was 16, and seeing an independently-produced stage version at a theater in Chicago convinced me that it could be done.

Now, a movie can only be as good as its cast makes it out to be, and the cast of Quadrophenia can only be as good as the lead role, Jimmy. And Jamie Bell is absolutely perfect for the role. He has exactly the sort of look I’ve envisioned Jimmy having – short-haired, somewhat nervous-looking, and just a TAD bit awkward in his clothes. Factor in the fact that he’s proven he can deal with choreography (in Billy Elliott), he’s an honest-to-God Brit, and a hell of an actor to boot, and we have ourselves a young lad to build a cast around. It’s a real honor to get to see talented people like Jamie, Evan Rachel Wood, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Tilda Swinton in action, working with material you’ve written. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of actors. This has always been a dream of mine, and they’re the ones making the dream into a beautiful, spellbinding illusion.


A LOOK AT... THE SEQUELS THAT NEVER WERE

CMP has always been Sequelmania World. The Studio’s writers seem to love writing more and more about their own stories. But, due to different reasons, some pitches clearly born to be the starting point of another of the Studio’s franchises never had their expected sequel. This is a look at those movies and the sequels that never were (at least until now.

VISIONARIES (Bryan Singer / Marcus Trax): This high budget production directed by Bryan Singer and starred by Hillary Swank and Hugh Jackman made a great box office. Based on the toys by Hallbrook, it all seemed like the beginning of a new franchise for CMP. It had it all. But a screenplay for a sequel never arrived and the movie got lost in the dark. Chances of a sequel: very low.

PLANETSIDE (James Cameron / Marcus Trax): When Marcus Trax presented this movie, he directly stated that it was conceived as the first episode of a saga. James Cameron produced and directed it. It had a neverending allstars cast leaded by Liam Neesom and Sean Connery. And box office breakdown, although not spectacular, was decent enough to trust a sequel would work. But the next episode never came and now, with the temporary retirement of its author, the future of that promised sequel is more uncertain than ever. Chances of a sequel: frozen.

NATHAN ZACHARY AND DRAKE’S GOLD (Jack Hammer): It was announced as the first of no less than five episodes based on the computer game 'Crimson Skies'. The choice of Thomas Jane to star it was a bit controversial. And, although it was a very entertaining movie, box office wasn't as good as expected. But, most of all, its author, Jack Hammer, abandoned CMP due to some discrepancies with the GMA's voting rules. Without him, doesn't seem like Nathan Zachary will ever fly again in CMP. Chances of a sequel: orphan.

CORSAIRS (Michael Campbell / Joey Stark): 'Corsairs', the pirates adventure written by Joey Stark, already had a sequel, 'Corsairs: The Search For Nantayalah'. It wasn't as successful as the original movie, but it worked well enough to go on with the franchise. And that was the intention of both Harry and Joey Stark. But the truth is that Joey never found the time to write the next episode. So nobody knows if Antonio Banderas and Naomi Watts will ever sail the seas together again. Chances of a sequel: yawm!.

ROBOTECH 4 (Michael Bay / Matt Kubrick): The successful animation saga created by Matt Kubrick and Michael Bay was originally planned to be developed in at least six movies. In fact, when presenting a DVD Box Set with the first three episodes, Kubrick announced the development of the fourth one. But the truth is that it never came. Now, another Studio is developing a live action movie based on the original anime tv series and that could either resurrect or definetely kill CMP's franchise. Chances of a sequel: a maybe forever?

DR. JONES AND THE SWORD OF FAITH (Steven Spielberg / Joey Stark): When this movie was developed, the fourth Indy movie was only a rumour. Now that it is a reality, Spielberg may not be interested anymore in developing another adventure for his father. He recently stated that he had no plans for a sequel. Chances of a sequel: at least in a short term, Indy’s dad will stay retired.

TALES OF THE JEDI (Peter Jackson / Matt Kubrick): Produced before the successful Trax's Star Wars trilogy, it was obviously conceived as a major franchise. But it turned into the most surprising and painful flop the Studio has ever had. Nobody at CMP's offices wants to even mention it. Chances of a sequel: are you kidding?

TALK OF THE TOWN

Kirsten Dunst was supposed to show up in the upcoming John Daws' sci-fi adventure 'Faction 12'. But she finally won't. The reason? Kirsten (25) was going to play Nicole Kidman's daughter. But Nicole (40) stated that she would not accept playing Dunst's mother, as that could hurt her image making her look older than she is. As Nicole had already signed the contract to be in the movie, producer Nicholas Cage and director J.J. Abrams will have to solve the problem. Maybe Kirsten will stay out, maybe the daughter could be changed into a younger sister... The answer coming up soon.

And some other age problems. Kate Beckinsale (35) has also refused to appear in another upcoming John Daws' project. The screenwriter wanted her to play Daniel Radcliff's mother. The actress considered it would not be believable. The age problem seems to be a pattern in Daws' castings. Daniel Radcliff was rejected by the Studio to star 'Misplaced Affection' as they thought he was (and looks) too young to deal with a love triangle with Knightley and Dunst. And the screenplay of 'Hitman: Pain Of Destiny' had to be changed, as the story was originally supposed to take place 15 years before the original movie and Farrel (31) would still play the teen (!!) Hitman while Patrick Stewart (67) was going to be replaced by Ewan McGregor (37). Stark considered all that would hurt so much the credibility of the film that, finally, the story will take place only 7 years before the first Hitman's movie, so Farrel can play a twenty-something Hitman and Stewart is able to return as Father Michaels.

And talking about 'Hitman: Pain Of Destiny'... Sean Connery - not seen in CMP since ‘Dungeons and Dragons: The Shattered Orb’ - was Daws' first choice to play Father Greening, a superior to Patrick Stewart's character and member of the mysterious Brotherhood. Connery showed his interest in being in the movie. But when he read his last scene, he automatically refused to play the character. He just didn't want to appear like that in a movie screen so John Hurt was quickly hired to replace him. Appear like what? The answer, next week, when the movie is released.

And now going back to 'Faction 12'... Will Smith refused the offer to co-star the movie with Nicholas Cage, so he has been replaced by Gerald Butler. Some sources say that Smith was not interested in playing just the buddy of the lead character. Other sources say that Will Smith preferred to concentrate on his upcoming pitch for the new CMP's Season. In it, Smith won't be playing the usual action hero. Back to his origins as rap singer, Smith has accepted Ted Froats' offer to star what CMP has defined as 'a political satire musical'... whatever that may be.

The Blood Beach Pack? When releasing 'Blood Beach', Harry Stark stated that the movie had two objectives. First, as any other release, box office success. And obviously the movie failed on that one. And second, giving the chance to a group of new and young talents to make their way in CMP. And it seems like that second target was hit. In upcoming weeks, most of the talents included in the cast of Kubrick's horror flick - like Michelle Trachtenberg, Emile Hirsch or Lou Taylor Pucci - will show up in new pitches. Ellen 'Juno' Page, also seen in 'Blood Beach', is already shooting 'When Dreams Die'.

Last week, we wrote that CMP wasn't going to be so conservative anymore, as some upcoming pitches will include explicit nude scenes (it was about time... we are starting Season 7!). But that's not the only sign of maturity from the Studio. Also, for the first time, some CMP's pitches could be classified as 'R' movies due not only to sex but also to the violence in them. Although an 'R' usually means 'box office poison', Stark has agreed to take the risk and give a try to some movies that won't be able to avoid the dangerous and feared 'R'.

IMPORTANT! With Season 7’s Production Schedule almost closed, this is the best moment to send new pitches to CMP for both regular and new screenwriters. According to Studio’s sources, there is room enough for new pitches for Season 8 and CMP is looking forward to analyze new proposals from authors.

SALT AND PEPPER

SALT

REESE WITHERSPOON: Step by step, Reese is other one of those stars decided to build up a solid career in CMP. Not as regular in the Studio as others, Reese takes her time between one movie and another. And, decided not to be typecast, she has dared to try all kind of different stories. The last one, the risky experience of a musical, ‘Babes In Toyland’. Before that, Reese was seen in the comedy ‘The Women Club’, the terrifying ‘Cursed Neverland’ and the blockbuster ‘The Shrinking Man’. All of her works for CMP have made net gains. Reese’s prestige in CMP has grew up with each of her appearances.

PEPPER

SHIA LEBOUF: Some times an award may change your life. For good or for bad. Since he won the last Best Supporting Actor GMA – or maybe since he has entered in the A-League playing Indy’s son -, Lebouf (the talent with the most difficult surname to spell correctly) has refused each and every offer to be in a CMP’s movie. Before winning the GMA with ‘American Heartland’, he had only been seen in ‘Syndrome: Paradise Lost’. After the award, he has rejected to be in three different CMP’s productions (including the sequel of ‘Syndrome’) waiting for the right role. It is said that he will finally return as the lead star of an upcoming pitch. But it seems like Shia has become a hard to cast star after the award.

WHAT HAPPENED WITH… JASON BIGGS?

Was there life after ‘American Pie’? It seemed so, at least in CMP, where Jason Biggs starred the first movie ever produced by the Studio, the sexy comedy ‘Entertaining Mrs. Sullivan’ – a kind of revision of ‘The Graduate’ – together with Sharon Stone and directed by Jay Roach. After that, Harry Stark publicly said that he was considering developing a few comedies with Jason Biggs in it. The first one was ‘Poor Little Rich Boy’, also directed by Jay Roach and co-starred by Jessica Alba. And the movie became a major (and deserved) box office’s disaster. And that was it. The promising future for Biggs in CMP darkened. While Jessica Alba is beginning to recover from that flop, Biggs and Roach have never returned to the Studio. For some unknown reason, some talents do not pay any price for a flop while others pay a price (maybe) too high.