MAY, 16

ON THEATRES NEXT WEEK

1-THE AVENGERS

Action / Superhero

The Cast: Orlando Bloom, Robert Downey Jr., Rose McGowen, Kurt Russell, Adam Baldwin, Tyler Mane, Malcolm McDowell

The Director: Gore Verbinski
The Producer and Screenwriter: Matt Kubrick

The Plot: Terrorists and super villains have been disrupting the lives of millions for decades now and no end seems to be in sight for their evil acts. The U.S government turns to Shield for help, which is headed by Nick Fury (K.Russell).

He decides to form a new group known as the Avengers, a group he has brought together to combat evil everywhere. The group consists of Iron Man (R.Downey Jr.), Hawk eye (O.Bloom), Valkyrie (R.McGowen) and Thor (T.Mane).

Meanwhile the Red Skull (M.McDowell) has formed a terrorist group and plans to jump start World War 3. He has been secretly building a geneticaly enhanced army using Captain America's DNA.

After the secret army bombs major targets all over the world including the empire state building, big ben, and the petronius towers, the Avengers are called into action to put a stop to the terror.

After a major battle in a lair, Captain America (A.Baldwin) who has been crygenetically frozen is rescued and taken back to base and found that he is still living. They thaw him out, reanimate him and he joins the team.

The team is forced to go back into battle with the Red Skulls army and all out war is raged in one final massive battle. With the Red Skull dead and his army dismantled, the world for now can rest in peace but for how long?


Stark’s Comment: Shot with digital cameras. A length of almost 2 and a half hour. Big budget. Enormous marketing campaign. This pitch is not a sure bet as much as it may seem. A lot of risks. I admit I am worried about this one.

2-FORTUNE CITY

Western

The Cast: Edward Norton, Susan Sarandon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Josh Broslin.

The Director: Lawrence Kasdan
The Screenwriter: Marcus Trax

The Plot: Fortune City is a town in middle america during the 1800's. It is independant, out away from the government and the lawmakers and one rule holds sway here. That rule is that of the Misstresses. In Fortune City you see the prostitutes run the town, led by their mature leader Gwen LaBourge (S.Sarandon) they make sure law and order, and business, continue in their small part of America.

However when one client, the local priest, an elderly man suffers a heart attack during the ministrations by one of the ladies a new priest, Joshua Jackson (E.Norton), arrives in town. A devout and forward thinking man he looks forward to his own flock and his own parish. But when he arrives in Fortune City and is given the formal introduction to Gwen where the situation is explained he is outraged.

Thinking him no threat Gwen laughs him off. But when Josha befriends the local doctor, Eric Dinse (P.S.Hoffman), a drunkard he decides to try and return morality to Fortune City. Gwen therefore attaches one of the younger girls, in her twenties, to make him see things more favourable. She sends Elizabeth Grove (M.Gyllenhaal). At first Joshua pushes her away and continues to talk to people the local sheriff, Thomas Ackword (J.Brolin), who is in the pocket of the prostitutes. However during a storm Elizabeth fed up with constant rebuttle walks out and Joshua feeling guilt, as he had not given her a chance for friendship, follows her and rescues her from the, now, flooded river, that runs near Fortune City.

Elizabeth finally in starts to get close to Joshua and finds out his character. When Joshua finds out that Gwen is planning to sell Fortune City to a mining consortium for a lot of money he decides this is one breach of morality. But he tells Elizabeth who tells Gwen, herself wondering if it is true. When Gwen finds out she lets Elizabeth go but makes Thomas go and arrest Joshua. Thomas goes with a few other men and finding Joshua beat him up and drag him to the prison through the street for all to see, those under the control of the Misstresses and those not.

Joshua beaten and bloodied is left in the prison. Meanwhile Elizabeth realises that she loves Joshua and when a client approaches her she turns him down and Gwen herself beats her up. Elizabeth going to Eric talks with him and together they decide to rescue Joshua. They wait two days and in the night they go for him and take him to the clinic. The next day however the Sheriff and Gwen are out asking for Joshua to show himseld. Still injured, and not wanting innocents to suffer he goes out. But Elizabeth goes with him. So does the doctor, much to his own surprise. Then other locals also join Joshua and the sheriff both scared and impressed backs off. Gwen unhappy pulls the sheriffs gun and shoots Joshua through the chest and then all hell breaks loose. In the end Gwen is killed by the doctor fighting for his fallen friend. Elizabeth is cradling the body of Joshua and the Sheriff is under attack. The doctor calling the shots starts to issue orders as the new mayor of Fortune City and the other people follow him, including some prostitutes.

End at the grave of Joshua Jackson near the river where he saved Elizabeth. Eric and Elizabeth looking at it and then moving back to Fortune City.


Stark’s Comment: The only previous western from CMP was ‘Dakota North’. And it flopped. I like the storyline and the cast of this one so much. But I have no idea if this time we will have a nice respond for a western from the audience or not.

3-LIFE AND FACTS OF A DIRTY MIND

Drama / Comedy

The Cast: Jack Black, Bill Murray, Uma Thurman, Robert De Niro, Brittany Murphy, Holly Hunter

The Director: Bill Murray
The Screenwriter: Joey Stark

The Plot: Ryan Kirby (J.Black) wakes up one morning and he is shocked by a surprise. He is not at his bed in his Beverly Hills mansion, where he went to sleep the night before. He is in an empty and a bit old movie theatre. And there’s an elegant and enigmatic man (B.Murray) playing a piano on stage. When Kirby asks him what’s going on, the man’s answer is even more shocking. The man introduces himself as the Devil and tells Kirby that he suffered a heart attack past night and he – instead of God - is in charged of his final judgement. The Devil will decide where he should go to spend eternity.

That’s the beginning of a long conversation – some times acid, some times aggressive, some times funny… - between the Devil and Ryan Kirby. And across that dialogue we can revise Kirby’s life through flashbacks. We will see…

Kirby’s difficult childhood living with a single and alcoholic mother. They never have money and Kirby was a lonely and mistreated kid whose only refugee was his wild imagination.

His first times in Hollywood, where Kirby started to work as a writer of dirty jokes for stand up comedians. Until he meets a young but successful movie producer, Hal Callow (R.De Niro), who reads one of his screenplays and decide to bet for it.

The rising star of Kirby… His first movie – and the few next – become major hits. Kirby becomes a movie director respected by critics and adored by moviegoers due to his daring and impudent comedies and dramas. He meets an unknown actress, Jill Adams (U.Thurman), and makes her his lover, his muse and the star of all of his films.

Kirby’s glory days. Kirby is the new spoilt star in Hollywood. All stars want to work with him, everybody considers him a genius… And, step by step, he begins to lose control. Parties, lovers, drink, drugs, fights, scandals… He becomes as charismatic as rude, tyrannical, excessive, whimsical and fussy. Jill stays besides him as his lover, although he is a sort of sex addict, and every star and starlette in Hollywood visits his bed – or car or dressing room or wherever – one time or another. Meanwhile, he keeps directing and writing more and more daring and insolent movies that keep being adored both by critics and moviegoers that consider him so innovative and stylish.

Callow keeps being his producer, as Kirby’s success makes him the richest and most powerful producer in Hollywood. Callow is the only Kirby’s real friend, together with Annie Giggs (H.Hunter), a popular gossips journalist, who helps Kirby from time to time to hide his major scandals while publishes so many others.

Everything remains great until Kirby has his wildest idea: he decides to direct the first porn major Hollywood’s production. A sci-fi pornographic movie – the dirty version of Star Wars, he calls it. The movie will be his most expensive production ever. Callow considers it a crazy idea and decides not producing it. So, after years of friendship, Kirby feels betrayed and considers Callow his major enemy. Annie also advises Kirby not to do the movie. So Kirby also breaks their friendship.

Kirby finally directs the megalomaniac and dirty movie. The movie budget is extremely high. And, as none of the major Studios want to produce it, he also invests all his money in it. He convinces Jill to star it. She doesn’t want to as she is now a prestigious star. But Kirby – who has always had a strong influence on her although their stormy relationship full of fights and infidelity – finally convinces her to.

The movie is finally shot and release. And it completely fails as it is too dirty that no ordinary movie theatre wants to show it. It becomes a legendary financial disaster. And everybody hates it as it is extremely dirty and senseless.

So that’s Hollywood… Suddenly, everybody turns his back to Kirby. The same critics that used to praise him consider him now a fiasco. Movie fans vote him as the worst movie director ever in some net sites. No more big party’s invitations for him. Even Jill, whose acting career is finished after starring a porn movie, finally abandons him (and ends up in an institution for alcoholics).

So now we see Kirby’s descent to hell. Ruined and rejected by the industry, Kirby falls into a self-destruction spiral. Everything gets out of control. Together with his new lover, Pearl (B.Murphy) – a prostitute he found on Hollywood Boulevard, the opposite to the glamour of his usual lovers -, he submerges in a new life with more drugs than ever, violent incidents in the worst clubs of LA, paranoia and egomania. And the tabloids love to tell it all. His ex-friends, Callow and Annie, try to help him but he rejects their help. Kirby has become the most hated man in the industry. And no Studio dare to produce his movies, although he behaves and considers himself as a genius.

The last night before his heart attack, he had had a big fight with Pearl and expulsed her from his mansion. His accountant had just told him that he has no money left. Even the mansion will be seized soon. Before going to bed, he was in his private projection room watching the porn movie while sniffing cocaine, moving from laughs to tears…

That’s Kirby’s life. And that’s what the Devil and Kirby talk about. And the conclusion? After being egoistic, selfish, treacherous and unfaithful with everyone that got close to him, does he deserve forgiveness or redemption just because he is an artist? Was he guilty or just another innocent victim of himself? You have watched his life. Now the verdict is up to you…


Stark’s Comment: A strange story. The portrait of a nasty but charismatic man is a risky premise for a movie. Boy, what an uncertain week…

MOVIES IN DEVELOPMENT

ONLY IN AMERICA: And the list of presidential candidates keeps growing... Three more names to add to the cast. Jon Favreau returns to CMP after being seen in the first Dungeons & Dragons movie, together with John C. Reilly (‘Vorhees: The Early Years’) and Robert Duvall, in his first work for the Studio. And if that's not enough, there will also be two cameos: the current President (Aaron Eckhart) and a former one (Richard Gere).

3’s AND 7’s: First names known working for Tarantino. Orlando Bloom gets busy: just finished the shooting of ‘The Avengers’, joins this production to play the lead role. GMA Winner Russell Crowe seems to have discovered the fun of playing villains. After ‘The Holders’, he will be a bad boy again in this one. And Rene Russo leaves aside his role as McMillan’s wife to become a sophisticated Las Vegas’ casino tycoon. Sounds promising.

MONOLITH: Thomas Jane (‘Nathan Zachary and Drake’s Gold’, ‘Dungeons & Dragons: The Shattered Orb’), GMA Nominee Willem Dafoe (‘The Passion Beneath’, ’72 Hours’) and William Fichtner, debutante in CMP, complete the cast of the post-apocalyptic Christopher Nolan’s movie expected to become one of the big events of the Season.

LOBO: Another talent getting busy. Right after starring ‘Life and facts of a dirty mind’, Jack Black joins this shootage to play a DJ from a cosmic radio station obliged by Lobo to play continuously the same song (!?). Ed Harris (‘Taurus 3’, ‘Home’) will play the owner of the restaurant Al’s Diner, what at least sounds as a more simple job.

A STANDING EIGHT: Maria Bello has been cast to play Jim Carrey’s wife in this drama. Bello will also have an understanding parents played by R. Lee Ermey and Diane Keaton, recently seen in ‘Drawing Dreams’. Robert Redford is directing this family drama.


THE DARK TOWER: Green light for a new Matt Kubrick’s project: the movie version of Stephen King’s books saga. CMP plans to begin a new franchise with this movie. The cast is not closed yet. But the name of the director is already confirmed: Sam Raimi will finally join CMP, as Harry Stark has wanted for a long time.

THE MISADVENTURES OF HARRY FLASHMAN: Another appealing new project based on a books saga, this one from James Bradley. The adventures of the anti-hero Harry Flashman, a Victorian british soldier, cheeky, coward and bon vivant. Rupert Everett (‘Fools Game’) will play Flashman, in this british production that will also count with the presence of Kenneth Branagh (seen in the Wild Cards’ movies). Mike Newell (‘Alice In Wonderland’, ‘The Hooligan’) will take care of moving the cameras.

FEAR THE DARKNESS 4: Definitely, this is also going to be the Michelle Trachtenberg’s Season. After ‘Celebutantes’, it is rumoured – although not confirmed yet by CMP – that she will be the brand new ‘object of desire’ for the mean Darkman.

LYRA: Josh Collins returns to drama. This time, it will be an intense teen drama about a lesbian girl that will be played by Jena Malone. Noah Baumbach has been chosen by Collins himself to direct what promises to be another interesting story with the Collins’ ‘drama touch’.

SUPER BOWL: Last member of the group of friends travelling to the Super Bowl known: Anthony Anderson joins the group. They are all ready to begin their trip to the silver screen.

MAKING OF… ‘THE AVENGERS’
By Matt Kubrick

Comic book films are a hot commodity right now. Just about every major comic book character has been in there own movie and studios are digging into their vaults to see what characters they can profit off of. Another studio Paramount if I'm not mistaken wants to turn Justice League of America into a film so I thought I should write a screenplay for an Avengers film.

I first came up with the idea for the whole idea and story a few seasons back even before Captain America Destiny had come out because we had all heard about the death of Captain America. I thought why let it end there? why not using that as a place to start a brand new franchise. After that pieces just started falling into place it was amazing! I wrote my screenplay and the studio loved it and was excited to do it. I really hope you're all excited too.

The studio wanted Gore Verbinski to do it and there was not question about it, he was the director to do it! He is very capable of handling high budget movies and I know he will pull this off. Trust me it's going to be exciting and you'll love every minute of it. This is the highest budget movie I've ever been involved in seeing the sets and the costumes it's a thrilling experience and the cast is having fun with their roles.

The digital effects are going to be amazing we working with some top notch computer effects designers here and pyro effects technicians there is going to be eye candy galore. I hope you all see it. Thanks for reading.

PIC OF THE WEEK

Here they are at the Premiere of the movie in the classic LA’s Chinese Theatre. The complete Avengers (only Adam Baldwin / Captain America missing).


Who are the Avengers?

Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man): He had to be. Downey retakes the character from the recent Paramount Pictures’ movie, now in CMP. Downey has become one of the most demanded actors for a supporting role in CMP: ‘Piece Of My Heart’, ‘No Evil’ or ‘Drawing Dreams’, among others. He won the GMA in this category for his work in Matt Kubrick’s ‘Home’.

Orlando Bloom (Hawkeye): He had a bad beginning in CMP: ‘Tales Of The Jedi’. After ‘Dive in the sun’, we have only heard his voice in the two ‘Game Boy’ episodes.

Rose McGowan (Valkyrie): Debutante in CMP. We all know by now the influence of ‘Grindhouse’ in screenwriter Matt Kubrick. And this choice may be another proof of it.

Tyler Mane (Thor): Another debutante, he joined the cast after Dwayne Johnson had to leave the project. Coming directly from ‘X-Men’ and ‘Halloween’.

Kurt Russell (Nick Fury): He is becoming a kind of fetish actor for Tarantino and Kubrick. He worked with both in ‘Ace Banner: Return To Fury’. After that, he has repeated with Kubrick in ‘Syndrome: New Eden’ and now in this one.

Adam Baldwin (Captain America): It was hard to replace Ledger. But Baldwin has accepted the challenge in his first work for CMP.

KNOWING MORE ABOUT ‘THE AVENGERS’

A controversy. Tim Burton – director and producer of ‘Captain America vs Superman’ and ‘Captain America: Destiny’ has surprised everyone at CMP with some recent comments he has made about ‘The Avengers’: ‘I feel cheated’, has said Burton to the media, ‘The main innovation and appeal of ‘Captain America: Destiny’ was the death of the superhero. Nobody had ever done that in a movie before. It was daring and innovative. But now, he’s back. CMP has simply decided that Captain America just didn’t die. I’m shocked. Now ‘Captain America. Destiny’ has lost all its sense. I feel like if the whole movie was just a big swindle. I’m shocked and hurt with what CMP has done.”

We have written here before about the coincidences between life in and out of CMP. ‘The Avengers’ was conceived by Kubrick long before ‘Iron Man’ was released. But have you seen the end of ‘Iron Man’? If you stayed until after the credits, you could see how Tony Stark enters into his expensive apartment and then the lights go dim. He sees a figure standing in the darkness and the figure steps out and he reveals himself as Nick Fury and then says ‘Hello, Tony Stark, have you heard of the Avengers Initiative?’ It all seems as Paramount Pictures was directly introducing CMP’s movie!

Another little coincidence… Matt Kubrick was also the screenwriter of another CMP’s feature titled ‘The Avenger’. But it has nothing to do with ‘The Avengers’. That one was an action movie starred by Eric Bana and directed by John Woo that did not work in box office as expected.

Quite a few directors were considered by Matt Kubrick to take care of the film: Bryan Singer, Sam Raimi, Richard Donner, Jonathan Mostow, Gore Verbinski… It was Harry Stark who chose Verbinski, as he wanted very much to have him at a Studio’s project. And Verbinski’s first decision was incorporating Orlando Bloom, his star in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, to the project.

Dwayne Johnson was the first choice to play Thor. He already joined the shootage. But after only 15 days he had to leave, as he suffered a severe injury in his spine shooting a risky scene. Tyler Mane was urgently hired to replace him. It is rumoured that, to compensate Johnson, Stark has promised him he will play another superhero in future sequels of the franchise.

‘The Avengers’ has been shot in Digital Film. That may affect its box office, as many movie theatres won’t be able to show it due to this. Also, its neverending length (153 minutes) may keep away moviegoers not interested in such a long movie. We’ll see.

And one last thing: the screenplay for ‘The Avengers 2’ is already written. It will include another superhero not seen in this first episode. So a sequel is almost guaranteed… unless things go really bad in box office.


DVD RELEASE: ‘THE CAPTAIN AMERICA COLLECTION’

Now that ‘The Avengers’ is about to hit the screens, it is a good moment to look back to this trilogy. The movies made 198, 134 and 75 millions in box office. Brett Ratner directed the first one, produced by Bryan Singer, while Tim Burton directed and produced the two sequels. And Heath Ledger stepped into posterity playing the superhero.

Contents of the 3 Discs - DVD Box:

-The three movies: ‘Captain America’, ‘Captain America vs Superman’ and ‘Captain America: Destiny’.

-Documentary ‘Life of a legend’: during 40 minutes, we go across the character’s life – and death - both in comic books and movies since it was created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon for Marvel until the latest Burton’s movie production. Narrated by Kate Beckinsale.

-‘Remembering Heath Ledger’: a compilation of different interviews from Heath Ledger talking about the character and the saga during the promotional tour of each of the three movies.

-‘Behind The Scenes’: A look at the shootage of the three movies. Includes interviews with Brett Ratner, Tim Burton, Kate Beckinsale, Nicholas Cage, Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin.

-‘Making Of… The Avengers’


A LOOK AT… EDWARD NORTON

This week, GMA winner Edward Norton takes the risk of starring a new try in the western genre, ‘Fortune City’. Norton has never chosen the easy way. Along his CMP’s career, he has played all kind of characters not looking for financial success as much as for variety and quality. Maybe that’s the reason why he has become a screenwriters' favourite. Norton has been cast by so many CMP’s authors. Brian Kelley, Joey Stark, Marcus Trax, Josh Collins and David Makalaster have wanted to work with him. And that’s the best proof of his talent and efficiency as an actor that has allowed him to build a solid career in CMP not caring of box office’s results. Let’s take a look at his CMP’s filmography:

DEADLY SINS (Sidney Pollack, B.O.: 143 mill.): Norton’s first work for CMP was playing the son of the rabbi accused of murdering his wife, played by Robin Williams. An intense courtroom thriller where Norton shined in an allstars cast. It has been his biggest box office hit with the Studio. The movie was also a winner for critics and GMA.

CHECKMATE (Curtis Hanson, B.O.: 45 mill.): A deadly challenge: Norton (a serial killer) played a chess game against a cop (Keanu Reeves) and a chess master (Steve Buscemi). He killed a girl for each piece he took. And Norton got his first GMA nomination for Best Villain.

NO EVIL (David Mamet, 21 mill.): This time, Johnny Depp didn’t play the lead role in this Mamet-Trax-Depp’s trio drama. Norton did, as the father of a girl (Ariel Gade) attacked by a wild dog. The movie didn’t work at box office but it was critically acclaimed. And Norton won the Best Actor GMA and a nomination as Best Starring Couple together with Tea Leoni.

DREAM OF A KING (Spike Lee, B.O.: 55 mill.): A minor role – almost a cameo - for Norton this time. But an intense one. He played James Earl Ray, Dr. King’s murderer, in this prestigious biopic shot in black and white that succeeded in the last edition of the GMA with five nominations and one award.

THE HOLDERS (Ridley Scott, B.O.: 23 mill.): Finally, Norton starred a major production. Scott and Spielberg counted on him to play a peculiar cop interested in esoteric issues. But the movie did not work as expected.

FORTUNE CITY (Lawrence Kasdan, awaiting release): Norton runs away from being typecast. Always looking to play different kind of characters, this time he will be a priest looking for peace and order in a troubled Far West town. A difficult genre in this new challenge.

TALK OF THE TOWN

Decision taken. After so many – too many? – months talking about it, Harry Stark has finally decided what to do with He-Man. The Studio will finally produce John Daws’ pitch based on the character. It was the first of the few screenplays based on He-Man presented to CMP. But the Studio does not rule out the option of develop another stories based on the same character in the future, no matter how this first project work in box office. Now, Stark will try to convince Viggo Mortensen to finally play the cartoon hero.

A surprise. Last week, we announced that CMP would develop a comedy with all the cast members from ‘Lieutenant USA’. Coincidence or not, John Daws also announced just a few days later that he will be producing a sequel of the successful comedy. So the Warm Steel Gang may reunite for two different projects in the near future.

A gossip curiosity. Two members from the cast of the recently released love story ‘Together Apart’ already lived a love story in real life not so long ago. Jamie Bell and Evan Rachel Wood were a happy couple before she became Marilyn Manson’s girl. The ex couple met at the set of this love story. And some members of the movie crew have mentioned that there was some coldness in the air between them.

How is it that most of CMP’s productions are reaching net gains lately? Even low budget movies from minor genres avoid net losses. Past Season, CMP had a record winning streak of 15 consecutive movies with net gains. This Season, the first six movies released have also saved the balance. It seems like Harry Stark has learnt so much of the movie business and really know how to balance every budget to avoid losses. Even CMP’s executives are surprised of how well things are going for the Studio lately.

One of Harry Stark’s secrets of success? CMP’s internal sources say that it is the DVD market. During the first CMP’s seasons, Stark used to ignore the DVD market. But now he has understood the importance of DVD sales as they can save the financial sheet of many movies. Again, confidential sources from CMP tell us that what Stark is doing lately is releasing cheaper DVDs. If you reduce contents and formats, the DVD production costs can be lowered and the selling price can be affordable for more potential buyers. That way, sales increase so much. And that can save a production that didn’t work in box office – as it recently happened with ‘The Holders’ or ‘Damnation Road’ – or multiply net gains – as it has happened with quite a few recent CMP’s productions, from ‘The Lollipop Man’ to past week’s release ‘Celebutantes’.

SALT AND PEPPER

SALT

MICHELLE TRACHTENBERG: A rising star in CMP. Her debut for the Studio was almost unnoticed, playing a minor role in the film noir starred by George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson, ‘The Little Sister’. But, lately, it seems like this young star is becoming an eminent in CMP’s world. ‘Blood Beach’ – her second CMP’s movie - didn’t work in box office but, as time has passed, it is becoming a cult movie. But the definitive explosion of Michelle in CMP has taken place this Season. ‘Celebutantes’ has been her first lead role in CMP. And she is still deciding to accept or not another tempting proposal: the leading role in the new episode of ‘Fear The Darkness’.

PEPPER

DWAYNE JOHNSON: ‘The Rock’ already played one of the peculiar superheroes of ‘Wild Cards: Ace In The Hole’. But his big opportunity in CMP came with the offer to play Thor in ‘The Avengers’. It couldn’t be. An unfortunate accident during the shootage has obliged him to abandon the project. So Johnson has lost a wonderful chance of becoming a cast member of what promises to be a lasting CMP’s franchise. Better luck next time.