DECEMBER, 19


FLASHMAN’S TRAVELS

Adventure / Comedy

The Cast: Rupert Everett, Catherine Z. Jones, Ewan McGregor, Aishwarya Rai, Geoffrey Rush, Kerry Condon

The Director: Kenneth Branagh
The Screenwriter: James Bradley

The Plot: London, 1840’s – Flashman (R.Everett) has returned home after the Afghanistan war. The top London society and the military elite have received him as the hero he is not. When Flashman returns home he discovers his father has recently died and he quickly offers his latest mistress, Anne (C.Z.Jones), his ‘consolation’. So, for a while, Flashman enjoys the life of a Londoner gentleman together with his wife Elspeth (K.Condon). He has inherited a nice amount of money to spend and he goes on with his peculiar love and hate relationship with Anne… and any other high society lady interested. During those days, Flashman even becomes a cricket star due to his impressive skill at the game… which makes him even more popular for the young ladies. Life is great for Flash until things begin to complicate.

Anne announces Flashman that Solomon Haslam (G.Rush), a business man from the East Indies, who has a lot of money, prestige… and a fascination for Anne, has invited her to a cruise to Singapore. Anne is willing to go for two reasons: she thinks that will help her to forget all her pain for Flashy’s father death (presuming that pain is real)… and it may take her to finally seduce Haslam and find that way a new wealthy protector. Knowing this, Flashman offers himself to accompany her and Haslam during the cruise (in the idea of difficulting the romance between them while keep enjoying Anne’s ‘company’, but also looking to put some distance between him and a few London bookies). Haslam seems to be delighted to have the popular hero with them while Anne, mad at Flashman for going with them, cannot find a good reason to get rid of him.

When they are cruising the Borneo’s seas, Haslam – bored of Flashy frustrating all his advances on Anne – decides to reveal his true identity. He is not just a business man. He has made his fortune merchandising with his partners, the Borneo’s pirates. So, one night, following Haslam’s orders, a boat of pirates board his cruise and kidnaps Anne, while Flashy is left in a small boat in the middle of the sea.

As expected, Flashy does not act exactly like a hero but shows his high self-preservation principles. Before he is left, he begs the pirates not to leave him there, accepts to sell them Anne and even offers them the money inherited from his father. But Haslam orders the pirates to abandon him anyway, as his only interest is having Anne as a captive for his own sick pleasure.

But Flashy is always a lucky guy. After a nightmare night – including a storm that almost sinks his boat and the visit of a couple of sharks – Flashy is rescued by the boat of no other than the most famous pirate fighter, James Brooke (E.McGregor), also known as the White Raja of Sarawak. Brooke and Flashy become instant friends. Brooke is a real hero and Flashy makes him believe he is too. During a night of drinking at Brooke’s elegant palace – that ends up in the Flashy’s favourite way: sharing his bed with a beautiful dancer -, Brooke promises Flashman he will help him in rescuing Anne.

Harrowing battles on the Batang Lupar River between Brooke’s men and the Haslam’s pirates take place. And, while Brooke shows his bravery, Flashman acts the only way he knows how to act: pretending to be a brave soldier but looking only to save his life. Brooke finally rescues Anne and Haslam dies in the fight.

Anne feels immediately attracted by Brooke (marrying a rich White Raja looks like another interesting option for her), so Flashy decides to leave the White Raja’s palace before Anne succeeds in her plans of seducing him. Brooke offers them a boat and a crew to continue their sail to Singapore, from where they will be able to return home in a British Army boat.

But once again, something happens when sailing those dangerous waters. Another boat boards them. They take all men as captives – including Flashy – and let Anne and her two maids go, as they don’t seem interested in women.

After rowing at the boat’s galley for more than a month, Flashman is taken to the Palace of Queen Ranavalona of Madagascar (A.Rai), where he is sold to the Queen as an exotic slave. The Queen is a nookie-loving despot who is only interested in male slaves and rules her kingdom by boiling her opponents and force-feeding them with chicken bones and poison. Flashy will spend a few weeks enslaved in the savage Court of the Queen until his charm and manoeuvres upgrade him to military advisor and lover of the mad Queen.

Finally, a French Navy frigate arrives to the Queen’s Court and Flash gets to hide in its stores and escape from Madagascar and the Queen.

Flashman returns safe to London after all these adventures to know that he has lost all the family properties due to his debts. Anne is back home too and has found a new lover after all – of course, a wealthy old man – and does not want to retake her relationship with Flashy. Only his loving wife, Elspeth, welcomes him showing affection.

Ruined but with his prestige of hero and adventurer untouched or even increased after the latest events, Flashman accepts returning to the British Army to fight for the Queen with his ‘proven loyalty and bravery’ defending the honour of the British Empire – or maybe just for a salary – when news arrive to London about a war between British and Sikhs that has just begun in India.


Stark’s Comment: Second installment of the movie adaptation of George McDonald Fraser’s books about the rogue Victorian soldier. The first movie, ‘The Misadventures Of Harry Flashman’, made a wonderful box office of 108 mill. with outstanding net gains of 101 mill. and won the GMA for Most Wanted Sequel. I hope this second movie works too cause I love the character and this is one of my favourite CMP franchises.

SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT

Horror / Slasher

The Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Trachtenberg, Karen Black, William Forsythe, Adam Baldwin, Nana Visitor, Jimmy Bennett, Robert Carradine, Bill Mosely, Ian McShane

The Director: Alexander Aja
The Producer: Michael Bay / Midnight Movies
The Screenwriter: Matt Kubrick

The Plot: Remake of the 80s cult classic. In the early 80s a young boy named Billy (J.Bennett) is excited: it's almost christmas time only three more days. But on one awfull evening a man dressed in a santa suit (B.Mosely) breaks into their home and murders his parents (N. Visitor & R.Carradine) in cold blood right before his eyes. He leaves the boy crying in terror.

A year later Billy is sent to an orphanage where he will live under the eye of mother superior (K.Black), a cruel woman who has her own ways of teaching and handing out punishment. After the abuse he suffers he grows to see the hateful and the wicked ways of people.

Enter into the year 2008 Billy is now in his late mid 20s (J.Gyllenhaal) and it is now christmas eve. This is the day that Billy finally snaps. His store manager Ed (I.McShane) makes him wear a Santa suit for the kids that will come and see Santa. He begins flashing back to all the things that have happened over the years. Finally during the annual Christmas party at the store Billy begins his rampage of terror. He will kill his boss, his girlfriend Amanda (M.Trachtenberg), two teenagers having sex in a car, an old homeless man, and three teenagers having a threesome while the girls parents are away.

As the terror escalates two cops named Rick and Jones (W.Forsyhte & A.Baldwin) who've been trying to stop the brutal murders eventually figure out who is behind it all and learn that Billy is making his way back to the orphanage. They know he is dressed in a santa costume. They try to beat him there and as they enter into the room they watch him as he kills mother superior with an axe before they gun down Billy himself infront of abunch of scared kids, splattering some with blood.

body count list for Silent Night Deadly Night

mother shot
father shot
Ed killed with hammer
Amanda strangled with christmas lights
male teen beheaded with axe
female teen axed in stomach
homeless man pushed infront of car
male teen thrown out of a window and neck broken
male teen electrocuted
female teen impaled on moose antlers
mother superior axed in face
Billy shot to death

…and a couple of songs for the movie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8palpUOIx-M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yqzDVG7NtQ


Stark’s Comment: Remake of a horror classic. A perfect release for Christmas time. One of the usual Kubrick’s caprices. I know horror movies haven’t worked too well lately in CMP but, once again, the Studio will do its best to make this one work in box office. The reunion of Bay and Aja (both regular collaborators of Kubrick in sagas like Robotech or Wild Cards) and the presence of a major star like Gyllenhaal (something not very often in this kind of movies) may be solid elements to make it work. Hope so.

HAIGHT – ASHBURY

Drama

The Cast: Jeremy Sumpter, Emma Roberts, Jack Black, Tim Allen, Ellen Page, Leelee Sobieski, Rob Brown

The Director: Oliver Stone
The Screenwriter: Richard Franzwa

The Plot: In the summer of 1967, two teenagers leave their homes and head to San Francisco.

One is an eighteen year old boy (Jeremy Sumpter) who is excited about the new possibilities and the sense of hope that the hippies are bringing about. He believes that his parents 50's mentality is old fashioned and dying, where the hippie movement is the way of the future.

One is a sixteen year old girl (Emma Roberts) who runs away from her dysfunctional and abusive home, and is looking for a family she can depend on.

They meet each other in the corner of Haight-Ashbury on the day they both arrive in the city. Jeremy had just been given two hits of acid by a wasted hippie who passed by and he shares one with Emma.

During the year they spend in San Fransisco they meet various famous people who give them advice:

Jerry Garcia (Jack Black) warns that the coming Seventies are going to be a long strange trip.

Jimmy Hendrix (Rob Brown) tells them to make sure they've lived a full life by the time they're thirty.

Janis Joplin (LeeLee Sobieski) tells them they may as well drink today because no one is guaranteed a tomorrow.

Grace Slick (Ellen Page) tells them it doesn't matter what we think, what matters is what we do.

And Timothy Lear (Tim Allen) gives them advice that seems to come from somewhere else because neither of them can understand a thing he says.

Over the year Jeremy becomes less and less infatuated with the lifestyle and comes to understand his parents way of thinking a bit more. While Emma turns from marijuana to cocaine to heroin in an attempt to outrun her past.

At the end of the movie Jeremy leaves San Francisco while Emma has become hopelessly addicted to drugs.

The Soundtrack:

1)San Fransisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) - Scott McKenzie - Plays over the opening titles

2)Light My Fire - The Doors - Plays when Jeremy first meets Emma

3) The Golden Road (To The Unlimited Devotion) - The Grateful Dead - Plays when they receive the advice from Jerry Garcia

4) Are You Experienced - Jimmy Hendrix - Plays when they receive the advice from Jimmy

5) Bye, Bye Baby - Janis Joplin & The Holding Company - Plays when they receive the advice from Janis

6) Someone To Love - Jefferson Airplane - Plays when they receive the advice from Grace Slick

7) Sunshine Superman - Donovan - Plays when they receive the advice from Timothy Leary

8) Summer In The City - The Loving Spoonful - Plays during a montage showing scenes from 'The Summer Of Love'

9) Happy Together - The Turtles - Plays while Jeremy thinks about leaving Emma and heading back home

10) The Beat Goes On - Sonny & Cher - Plays over the ending credits


Stark’s Comment: Oliver Stone returns to where he knows best: the 60’s. This original movie tells the initiation travel of two teenagers that will take them to meet the most iconic characters of the decade… and will change their life forever. Interesting premise and wonderful soundtrack. I myself am curious about how will this movie work.


DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS: Green light for a remake of the funny 90’s comedy now written by Steve Connors. George Clooney – trying again with comedy after the disaster of ‘Night Cab’ - stars this movie playing the sophisticated con that was originally played by Michael Caine. And, as he did with movies like ‘Bill and the Rocket Man’ and ‘The Little Sister’, he will get involved behind the cameras being also the producer of the movie. He has chosen a close friend to co-star the movie with him: Brad Pitt - who has not played a major role in CMP since Season 4’s ‘The Law’ -, will be the small-time hustler originally played by Steve Martin. Anne Hathaway, not seen in CMP since ‘Schroedinger’s Litterbox’ returns to complete the outstanding starring trio. Jon Favreau, who had previously worked with Hathaway as an actor in ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ and was also seen acting in ‘Only In America’, directs his first movie for CMP.

THINGS I FORGOT TO TELL YOU: Green light to a most peculiar pitch from James Bradley. A minimalist and experimental movie with the lowest budget for a CMP movie ever. A video camera shoots the monologue of five different women telling their personal stories, some of them funny, some of them dramatic. That’s all. Steven Soderbergh (‘Night Cab’) - who loves to abandon mainstream Hollywood from time to time to experiment with new movie concepts - will hold the video camera retaking partially the premise of one of his very first movies, ‘Sex, lies and videotapes’. Two of the stars to play those women are already known. Both met previously in another Bradley’s movie, ‘Man In The Mirror’. Kate Winslet, the regular muse of Bradley, and Frances McDormand. Winslet will be a prostitute while McDormand will play a housewife.

DARE TO BE PERFECT: Two characters out of the dysfunctional Berger family complete the cast of this acid comedy: GMA Winner Susan Sarandon (‘Deadly Sins’, ‘Paperback Story’, ‘Fortune City’) plays a family counsellor, and Lucas Black (‘One Man’s Hell’) will be a ‘close friend’ of the Bergers mum, Laura Linney.

MAGIC – THE GATHERING: SINISTER BLACK: Also two more names to add to the cast of this epic fantasy adventure: Jeremy Irons returns after visiting the Wild Cards’ universe in ‘Chrysalis: Pennies From Hell’ and Josh Hartnett also joins this cast after playing James Marsden’s peculiar friend in ‘Preacher’.

KILLER ON THE ROAD: David Ayer is already shooting this movie based on a serial killer memoirs written by noir novel master James Ellroy. And the serial killer will be played by Guy Pearce, previously seen in ‘Syndrome: Paradise Lost’ and ‘The Naked Sun’. Mark Wahlberg is producing the movie and also playing a cop with a peculiar relationship with Pearce.

THE FLASH. The long cast of this new superhero movie directed by Antoine Fuqua completes with the following stars: James Caan (only seen before in CMP in ‘Ace Banner’); Diane Keaton, whose last work for CMP was the family drama ‘A Standing Eight’; Matthew Fox, who played Charlize Theron’s husband in ‘Damnation Road’; and the voice of Powers Booth, making his first work for the Studio.

THE DEAD WALK: Josh Collins has chosen a cast of low profile names of young talents for this extravaganza in his writing career. Only Elle Fanning, seen before in the Cell Mates movies and in Collins’ ‘Velcro’, has previous experience in CMP. Radah Mitchell and Josh Lucas are two of the other stars to be seen running away from the zombies in front of the hand held camera hold by Eli Roth.

SHERLOCK HOLMES: Tim Burton is redefining the classic character created by Arthur Conan Doyle and now played by Johnny Depp. Burton has taken away some clichés from the legendary character – including the silly hat and the pipe – and has also rejuvenated him. But some other classic elements of the books will stay. One of them will be Holmes’ traditional enemy, the mean Professor Moriarty. The two times Best Villain GMA winner Anthony Hopkins will do again what he does best: playing the villain of the function.

BEDTIME STORIES: The three episodes horror production is almost completed and new cast members are already known. To be seen in the movie are teen talents like Saoirse Ronan, McKenzie Vega and Dakota Blue Richards, the three of them debutantes at CMP. Gillian Anderson (‘Planetside’, ‘Little Tin Goddess’) will also be in the movie.

THE SONJA BLUE CHRONICLES: Here comes the movie adaptation of the vampiress written by Richard Franzwa. But, although the movie has already been green lighted by CMP, there are still doubts about the talents involved. It is confirmed that David Cronenberg will finally be directing it, although David Fincher was mentioned before related to this project. And the main uncertainty is about who will finally play Sonja Blue. Lindsay Lohan was the main candidate but internal CMP’s sources confirm that there is not a decision taken yet and some other stars – Natalie Portman, Keira Knightley or Selma Blair, among them – are still being considered.


FLASHMAN’S TRAVELS
By James Bradley

This second CMP’s movie based on George McDonald Fraser’s books about the adventures of the rascal Harry Flashman is based in the sixth book of the saga.

Once again, I have introduced some changes in relation with the original books.

First, I have jumped from the first book to the sixth. I just thought the adventures included in that book where so appealing for a second Flashman’s movie. After a first movie focussed on war and military life, I thought I should take Flash out to travel. I might use the material from the previous books in some other movie, but I have decided to change the chronology of Flash’s adventures to my convenience.

The title has been changed too. The movie ‘Flashman’s travels’ is based on the book ‘Flashman’s Lady’. The reason? I have introduced a major change in relation to the book. In the book, this Flashman’s adventure partner is his own wife – the character played by Kerry Condon -, the naive and shy woman he married in the first movie and he loves – the only way Flash can love, which has nothing to do with fidelity or anything. I have changed that. In the movie, Flashy travels with his recently dead father’s mistress, played by Catherine Z. Jones, object of Flash’s desire and with whom he had an affaire in the first movie, as you will all remember.

The reason for that change is obvious. The chemistry between Everett and Jones and their love / hate relationship is so appealing. The relationship I have created for the characters is also so appealing to me: the womanizer Flashy feels a particular sexual attraction for her – maybe his only lover he does not feel bored of soon - while she hates him as much as she likes making love with him. Both the characters and the stars playing them make a wonderful couple for an adventure movie like this. So I decided to make that change although maintaining the storyline of the book.

Besides those changes, I have looked for a very british cast, as the series is mostly based on the most classic british sense of humour. Kenneth Branagh, seen in the first movie, returns now as director. I think he has that mix of quality moviemaker and british sense of humour the movie demands. Although she is a black woman in the book, I wanted so much Aishwarya Rai to play the Queen of Madagascar, cause she is perfect to show that surprising mixture between sweet beauty and cruel brutality. Geoffrey Rush is also perfect to play a British gentleman with dark secrets and Ewan McGregor is so funny as the heroic White Rajah (In fact, I have included in the screenplay a couple of private jokes about Rush being here partner of pirates after his work in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and McGregor back in Borneo and pirates adventures after CMP’s ‘Dr. Jones 2’.).

‘Flashman’s Travels’ has been so much fun to write. I love the absolute lack of morality in Flashman and his cowardice and also the way he passes through all kind of adventures and dangers not only surviving but also making everyone believe he is a brave hero. Flashman is the best anti-hero I’ve known and still think that no-one like Rupert Everett could play such a classy and funny cad.

Hope the movie works. If so, get ready for ‘Flashman and the Mountain of Light’!

SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT
By Matt Kubrick

It's no secret that i'm a fan of slasher movies. I knew I wanted to do another remake like I did with the Voorhees movies but which one was I to pick? The Burning? Funhouse? The Prowler? I decided to go with one of the most controversial, Silent Night, Deadly Night.

When the original was released in 1984 it opened in New York city to lots of controversy. Theatres that played it were ticketed by pissed off parents groups. It was supposed to open wide but the plans were cancelled. So this brings me to the remake, forgetting all the controversy the movie is kinda campy, some gore effects look good while others look really fake. The movie is kinda campy at times especially the montage scene of Billy stacking boxes and doing his job.

I wanted to make a more darker version of the original. Make it a bit more serious while maybe keeping some touches of dark humor. I had Alexandre Aja in mind when I wrote the screenplay because I loved the Hills Have Eyes remake. The studio offered to attach Michael Bay to the movie which I thought was great as well because he did a good job producing the TCM movies which I liked as well.

For the cast I wanted to hire people that had been in horror flicks. Bill Mosely and Karen Black had been in many horror flicks. Nana Visitor is best remembered for her role in Star Trek DS9 but she also appears in the Friday the 13th remake. Michelle Trachtenberg has been in a few of my horror films as well as the Black X mas remake as well as buffy the vampire slayer. Ian Mcshane hasn't been in any horror movies but he was great on the show Deadwood and I just wanted him in one of my movies. William Forsythe was awesome as sheriff Wydell in the Devils Rejects, who starts out as a man of the law and is pushed over the edge. Jake Gyllenhal was picked because he is a great actor and I believe he could play a menacing character.

The character of Billy is tragic in a way, he had a messed up childhood that has haunted him all his life. One of the best moments from the original is kept in for the remake it's when a girl is impaled on moose antlers. I think we turned out a great slasher flick and I hope audiences will love it.


THE WES ANDERSON FABLES

CMP releases a DVD pack for collectors with these three movies written by James Bradley, directed by Wes Anderson and starred by Paul Giamatti and Kate Winslet. Three CMP productions critically acclaimed that have entered into the exclusive list of the Studio’s classics. The three of them worked so well in box office and became GMA favourites. Original stories that were presented as ‘fables’ as there is a kind of final moral in the three of them. Movies about real people, their needs and their dreams. Comedies based on solid screenplays and talented acting works. Let’s remember them together with some quotes from the documentary ‘Making The Fables’ included in the DVD pack.


The Movies

BILL AND THE ROCKET MAN (Season 1)

The Premise: A shy guy (Paul Giamatti) has had an imaginary friend, the superhero Rocket Man (George Clooney, also producer of the movie) for all his life. Now, his imaginary friend is beginning to feel old and tired. Kate Winslet played the neighbour – and secret love – of Giamatti and Holly Hunter was his irritating wife.
The Numbers: B.O. – 102 mill. Net Gains – 89 mill.
The Awards: Nominated for Best Marketing, Best Cast, Best Actor (Paul Giamatti), Best Director (Wes Anderson). Winner for Best Starring Couple (Paul Giamatti & George Clooney)

FOOLS GAME (Season 2)

The Premise: A remake of a French movie. A group of snob and bored rich people (Michael Douglas, Catherine Z. Jones, Michael Caine, Kate Winslet and Rupert Everett) use to invite for dinner the most stupid guy they can find just to laugh at him. This time, their guest is Paul Giamatti. But, at the end, Giamatti makes all of them face the failures of their life and may be the last to laugh.
The Numbers: B.O. – 68 mill. Net Gains – 50 mill.
The Awards: Nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Paul Giamatti). Winner for Best Starring Couple (Michael Douglas & Catherine Z. Jones), Best Screenplay (James Bradley), Best Actress (Catherine Z. Jones).

MAN IN THE MIRROR (Season 6)

The Premise: A loser (Paul Giamatti) is convinced that he and a proper and successful young woman (Kate Winslet) share the same soul. Decided to know more about her, he steps into her life to put it upside down. At the end, both will learn a lot about life thanks to the other. Frances McDormand played Giamatti’s ex wife and Matthew McGouneghy was Winslet’s boyfriend.
The Numbers: B.O. – 53 mill. Net Gains – 23 mill.
The Awards: Nominated for Best Starring Couple (Paul Giamatti & Kate Winslet). Winner for Best Actress (Kate Winslet).

THE QUOTES

Wes Anderson: ‘The three movies were defined as ‘comedies’. But I am not really sure if they are. I prefer to think of them as ‘sad comedies’. They are all stories about loneliness and how hard it is for human beings to connect with each other. There is a kind of melancholic background behind the humour and the ingenious dialogues and situations. So you can watch them just as mere comedies or as something else.’

Paul Giamatti: ‘My favourite one is ‘Bill and the Rocket Man’. It’s a wonderful story about a lonely guy that needs to hold on to his fantasies and imagination to feel alive. The relationship with his aging imaginary friend is just great. But I think there is a link between the three movies: the desperate search of happiness we all look for no matter the way we choose to find it.’

Kate Winslet: ‘I love James Bradley’s stories. He creates great female characters. Usually, his female characters are smarter and stronger than men. It is very hard to find inspiring roles for women in Hollywood and Bradley’s females are. As soon as he tells me he has a role for me in his next pitch I say ‘I will do it’ even before I have read the screenplay.’

James Bradley: ‘I promise I never thought of these three movies as a trilogy or anything like that. Calling the three of them ‘fables’ was a Studio’s idea, not mine. They were conceived as independent movies with no connection between them beyond Anderson, Giamatti and Winslet. But yes, now that I see them together, I have to admit there are some shared common elements in them.’

Harry Stark: ‘These movies are three little masterpieces. They all had a low budget but worked so well in box office and became award winners too. These are the kind of movies that have given CMP its prestige. The premise in all of them is so creative and original: a man and his lifetime imaginary friend, rich people inviting a nerd for dinner just to laugh at him, a man convinced he shares his soul with a woman… Pure creativity!’

And, by the way, here is the perfect Christmas present: the CMP’s DVD Packs and Special Editions…




Mr. Thumbs Hidden Gem Special

Mr. Thumbs wishes to send you a small special article about hidden gems within the last couple of seasons that he's been reviewing. The hidden gems are those he's found with special abilities and writers, directors, actors who may or may not always get looked at come awards time, but had something in them that made them stand out in the hopes of having a lasting CMP career.

Ivanna Baquero: Dakota Fanning, who usually takes the lead in most films took the "best friend support" to Ivana Baquero, who made such an impressive debut in the tragic drama 'Blink' that it earned her a GMA win, a second film in the upcoming 'Bedtime Stories' and I hear Josh Collins has expressed interest in casting her again in a lead role he wrote with her in mind.

Emile Hirsch: He can thank Collins for most of his jobs in CMP. I hear when an older teen-young 20s role is set, Collins would go for Emile, being able to stretch his talent farther than that disappointing 'Blood Beach' but he was able to make up for it a little in 'When Dreams Die' the following season.

Jet Li: Yes, you may think I'm crazy to put Jet in this list because he's one of the most demanded Asian actors in Hollywood and CMP, but who knew he could actually do more than martial arts after they saw 'Five Thunderbolts'?

Marcus Trax: A brilliant screenwriter who happens to be one of the most consistent, but always tends to be left out of the screenwriting nominations come GMA time. I think it's way past his time to get one. He's like Scorsese of CMP, talented wonderful writer who couldn't seem to get a win. On the brighter side, Scorsese did eventually win. Trax, you're up next, sir.

Jack Black: Usually frowned upon as being one of those annoying comedy actors people love to hate but he's been moving forward in his career, always trying to reach for that next big role, and sometimes taking a step back.

Jena Malone: People won't watch another film without saying 'Hey, it's Lyra' you know how annoying that is to a celebrity to always be associated with one role? But she stood out as being an extraordinary talent and Collins saw that in her enough to bring her back for another good sized challenging role in the upcoming future.

Allison Anders: She made 'Velcro' her own vision, but missed out come GMA nominations and Sofia beat her to the history making spot of being the first female director nominee. It's uncertain whether or not people will consider her to direct another film in CMP, but I just wanted to mention her so people won't forget that Sofia's not the only female director in Hollywood!

Kate Hudson: Another CMP sought out actress who was floating in oblivion before her huge CMP breakout performance in Velcro that helped get her that lovable role in Mary's Dark Side.

Chloe Moretz: Hasn't been seen since Velcro, but I have a hunkering feeling that we haven't seen the last of her. Chloe missed her shot at supporting actress nod for a challenging emotional role in Velcro. The film didn't give too much to Chloe's character, not her fault, but the original story had her as a much more complex character.

Melissa McCarthy: Critics either loved the movie or didn't like the adaptation of Jodi Picoult's movie, Change of Heart but one thing they could agree on was Melissa McCarthy's wondrous work. It's uncertain whether or not the role will keep her more jobs in CMP, but it's nice to mention that she gave a great underrated performance.

AnnaSophia Robb: She just stole our hearts in Paternal Nightmare, an ok but forgettable kind of movie and she filmed that and Silver Sable back to back. I don't think she's out to steal the 'cute kid' throne, I think she's slowly but surely moving up the ranks of being an irresistible talent competing on the same levels of Dakota and Abigail.

Richard Franzwa: Another great screenwriter whose proven his huge range of talent in Drama(When Dreams Die), Action(Fallout), and comedy(Bond Scum) hasn't been to the big three slots in best screenwriter GMA just yet, but the quality in his films shows that he is more closer than far away. Of course it's not always about awards, but the art he displays in his films certainly deserve some time of recognition.

Dawson Edwards: We haven't seen very much of him but that's really the point in 'hidden gems' I actually am interested in his take on The Flash and I found Killing Run to be an underrated movie that got lost in the dangers of being one of the first movies that got released in its season.

I will continue to look for hidden gems each season, but since this was my first, it was a little longer since it was over the last few seasons that I've been a member of the critic team.


This week, we have a cad and two beauties. From ‘Flashman’s Travels’, here are Rupert Everett, Catherine Z. Jones and Aishwarya Rai at the London’s world premiere of the movie.



I’m sorry but I have to do it… There are so many news around it that I have decided – against my will, but my boss has said he’ll fire me if I don’t – to dedicate my column to… THE AVENGERS FRANCHISE! (yes, I know, I know, not very original, but hey, I need the pay). Well, after a big yawn, let’s go with all the news about the future of the franchise nobody voted for the Most Wanted Sequel GMA (hehehe):

First: yes, of course there will be a third mainstream installment of the saga. Matt Kubrick has already written ‘The Avengers 3’ and it is expected to be released in Season 10. And yes, as it happened with Hulk / Norton in the second episode, a major Marvel’s superhero with his own saga outside CMP will join the team being played by the same actor that played him in his own movies. Guess who?

But, before that, the first spin off of the saga – in fact, a prequel - also written by Kubrick will be released during this current Season. And who will be the chosen character? A hint: he was and will be black in other Studio’s productions but he is white in CMP.

That spin off won’t be the only prequel to the mainstream saga. David Makalaster has written another prequel that will recover one of The Avengers. Who? Ok, here goes another easy hint: the most angry one after the release of ‘The Avengers 2’.

Also, besides spin offs, prequels and sequels, the franchise will also have more crossovers after Ironman’s special appearance in ‘Silver Sable’. Joey Stark is already writing a sequel of ‘Silver Sable’ in which some of The Avengers may appear again as Ironman did in the first movie. But also Sable could make a cameo in some of The Avengers movie. They are like a big family, you know.

And will there ever be a ‘The Avengers 4’? Well, probably but… After accepting to return as Ironman in the upcoming third episode, Robert Downey Jr. recently said: ‘I have been Ironman in ‘Ironman’, the two CMP’s Avengers movies and ‘Silver Sable’. And I will dress up as Ironman again in CMP’s ‘The Avengers 3’ and then ‘Ironman 2’. Isn’t that enough? Playing the same character in six movies may be too much and it may end up damaging my career…’ Sam Raimi and Edward Norton have also said they don’t see themselves attached to The Avengers forever. But you know how this goes: it all depends on how long may be the number in the check…

And I finish leaving The Avengers but staying in CMP’s superheroes-mania. The main superheroes have already been or will be soon in CMP: Captain America, Ironman, Hulk, Preacher, Valkyrie, Thor, Hawkeye, Lobo, The Flash, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Silver Sable, Superman… What major superhero is still missing in CMP? Well, don’t worry, ‘that’ superhero missing in CMP won’t be missing for long. Out of The Avengers saga, he will have his own version in CMP soon. Just try to guess who… (shhhhh, Mr. Collins).