DECEMBER, 23


FLASHMAN’S TRAVELS

Adventure / Comedy
Cast: Rupert Everett, Catherine Z. Jones, Ewan McGregor, Aiswarya Rai, Geoffrey Rush, Kerry Condon
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Screenwriter: James Bradley

Box Office: 88 mill.
Net Gains: 70 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: Not as good as it was with the first movie, still a more than satisfactory box office. Enough to go on with the saga. And, personally, I look forward for future instalments of it.

SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT

Horror / Slasher
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Trachtenberg, Karen Black, William Forsythe, Adam Baldwin, Nana Visitor, Jimmy Bennett, Robert Carradine, Bill Mosely, Ian McShane
Director: Alexander Aja
Producer: Michael Bay / Midnight Movies
Screenwriter: Matt Kubrick

Box Office: 40 mill.
Net Gains: 35 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: At last, I am glad to see a horror movie working again in box office after a few disappointments. It already reached net gains with box office but the American DVD market has increased a lot those net gains. I feel relief it worked, cause I was beginning to be scared with the genre.

HAIGHT – ASHBURY

Drama
Cast: Jeremy Sumpter, Emma Roberts, Jack Black, Tim Allen, Ellen Page, Leelee Sobieski, Rob Brown
Director: Oliver Stone
Screenwriter: Richard Franzwa

Box Office: 30 mill.
Net Gains: 16 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: A bit disappointing box office turn out for an appealing movie like this. In fact, in this one American DVD market – with outstanding results – does have saved the production from net losses. It was funny that European DVD market did not respond even closely so well.


FLASHMAN’S TRAVELS

‘Although – as it inevitably happens with any sequel – the ‘surprise factor’ is gone, this second adventure of the rogue Harry Flashman is as entertaining and enjoyable as the first movie. The charm and sympathy of this anti-hero is the main support of this saga. You cannot help loving him… and also hating him a bit for his insolence and shamelessness. The three episodes that compose the storyline – Flashy’s life in London society, the White Rajah and the pirates and the Queen of Madagascar’s court – are so much fun and maintain a great pace of laugh and thrill during the whole movie. Flashman takes to extremes the spirit of old classic adventure movies – Errol Flynn and Burt Lancaster come to my mind as references – with a touch of Indiana Jones’ anti-heroic attitude, becoming an iconic character I will follow wherever he may go in the future.’
-Charlie Kiggs

‘Adventure, exotic locations, spicy relationships and loads of comedy are the trademarks of this saga far away from the so trendy superheroes movies we are watching lately coming from CMP. The Flashman movies – the same way the books do – brilliantly mix up historical recreation with action and comedy. Branagh has taken so much advantage of the sophisticated scenarios of the story to build up a luxurious production. Rupert Everett confirms that he has found the role of his life, the one he will be undoubtedly remembered for in the future. His chemistry with the sexy Catherine Z. Jones works perfectly in that original relationship far away from the traditional hero / girl-of-the-hero flirt. McGregor and Rush add so much to the story with their caricature-esque characters and Aishwarya Rai shines as the evil and sexy Queen. The result of it all? A perfect product of entertainment in which all of its elements perfectly fit.’
-Anne Roman

‘I am not sure for how long the Flashman’s formula will work. After these two movies, we all know what it’s all about: a fake hero that always survives to any danger, a womanizer that jumps from one bed to another, a parody of the British Empire’s grandeur, a sum of bigger-than-life adventures and classy comedy… It all works. ‘Flashman’s Travels’ is as funny – or even funnier – than ‘The Misadventures Of Harry Flashman’. But audiences have not responded so enthusiastically. It’s a shame but the formula may get exhausted before expected. Anyway, before the end comes, I am ready to enjoy more Flashy’s adventures. They are refreshing and pure entertainment the way the adventure genre is meant to be.’
-Vic Carter

SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT

‘I must admit I’ve come to enjoy Matt Kubrick’s horror flicks. He has learnt a lot of how to put up a slasher show. After fiascos like ‘London Underground’ or ‘Blood Beach’, he finally hits the target with this dark remake of one of the wildest blood shows from the 80’s. This new version is pure pleasure for the fans of the slasher genre. It has the perfect doses of blood, gore, dark humour and suspense a good slasher needs. Kubrick and Aja have improved the original movie – something not very common in remakes – adapting it to our days, saving its identity and taking away many of its many defects. The result is one of the most entertaining blood festivals I’ve seen for long that will satisfy the most demanding horror fans.’
-Roy Winslow

‘Jake Gyllenhaal in a horror flick? I admit I was shocked when I read it. Is this guy trying to ruin his career or what? I read somewhere that he accepted this offer only because he is a big fan of the original movie. But after watching this remake I understand him better. Being a believable psycho killer is quite a challenge for any actor. Gyllenhaal has succeeded in that challenge. I know he’ll never win a GMA for this work, but he has upgraded the main character of this story not making it just a killing machine but a dark, tormented, mysterious and sick guy. Probably, most of the credits for that have to go too to director Alexander Aja, who has proven again he is the best director for this genre at the moment, way beyond Eli Roth, Rob Zombie or any other.’
-Jackie O’Callaghan

‘All the controversy created after the release of the original movie looks absurd in our days. Horror movies have crossed many lines since 1984 and watching at movies like ‘Hostel’ make consider the original ‘Silent Night’ as a child’s game today. That’s probably why Aja and Bay have not tried to explode that old fashioned controversy but to make a honest – and entertaining – slasher with no more pretensions than making people jump and scream in their seats – and you bet you will watching the movie. Santa – a villain before in another CMP’s production, ‘The Grotto’ – scares us again to death and makes us will not to have his visit in our home the upcoming Christmas. A great horror movie and, for once, a remake that beats the original. By the way, I am looking forward now to watch the next Aja’s horror proposal in ‘Bedtime Stories’.’
-Amy Ratched

HAIGHT-ASHBURY

‘Is Oliver Stone falling into decadence or is he just trying to begin telling his stories from a different perspective? Stone has lost in ‘Haight-Ashbury’ the acid toughness of ‘Born On The 4th Of July’, ‘Platoon’ or even his conceptually closer movie to this one, ‘The Doors’. He has got here a bit nostalgic of his favourite decade and has turned more indulgent than he used to be. That does not mean that ‘Haight-Ashbury’ is a bad movie. But it is obvious that Stone felt a certain tenderness for the characters – both the fictional and the real ones – that has kept him away from stepping deeper into the Summer Of Love contradictions. Only the bittersweet ending, with Roberts defeated by drugs while Sumptter survives to the time, recovers the critic eye from which Stone usually look at the past’.
-Alex Stampton

‘The people at the movie industry – and particularly the people at CMP, after watching ‘Goths’, ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’ or this one - will some day understand that Emma Roberts will never be a major movie star no matter how hard she tries. She is the weakest point of this movie. Roberts does not reach the dramatic intensity her character demanded at any moment and her work turns out to be a weight for the movie. Besides her, Sumpter at least survives to the challenge correctly. But I think that the brilliant Franzwa’s screenplay demanded two more consistent talents than them. Some of the special appearances of big stars playing iconic characters from the 60’s made the movie worth to watch. Jack Black keeps surprising us in his CMP’s works with a powerful appearance, being the more believable playing his character. Allen, Sobieski and Page are ok and Rob Brown does not make a totally believable Hendrix. Anyway, I would have preferred watching more from them than from the weak starring couple.’
-Lily Stevens

‘I may be getting old but I am beginning to enjoy this kind of movies that look at my younger days. ‘Haight-Ashbury’ is a realistic look at the praised 60’s decade without indulgency. Not everything was perfect there. Not all the legendary icons were such brilliant and visionary guys. Many of our friends didn’t make it and ended up like Emma Roberts’ character does. It wasn’t all flowers and love. And Stone shows that with talent in this great portrait of the times. Only one thing was for sure: all that music was just so good. And the soundtrack of the movie proves it. At least, there was something undisputable in the legend of the 60’s that still stays alive.’
-Tim Reeve


As we approach the holiday season, three more CMP released films vie to be the box office topper of the weekend. Who will it be? A continuation of one of the best CMP franchises, Flashman's Travels? The anti Christmas holiday horror Silent Night, Deadly Night? Or a journey of two teens learning life changing lessons from legendary musicians in the hippie era, Haight-Ashbury.

FLASHMAN'S TRAVELS

Flashman has done for CMP what James Bond has done for four decades. What Indiana Jones has done for the 80s. What Jack Sparrow has done in this new millennium. Create an iconic character that will be looked back on with fond memories 10-20 years from now. I really enjoyed the first one and was looking forward to the next chapter in the series and it failed to disappoint me. Maybe it's my bias talking, maybe I'm just saying what we already know. The fact that the matter is, this was a great film, on par with its first one. What a great adventure!
ACTING/CAST: 9/10
DIRECTING: 9/10
WRITING: 9/10
CONCEPT/PLOT: 9/10
RE-WATCH VALUE: 10/10
FINAL NOTES: Definitely ranks up there with being one of the best movies we've had this season, and we've had great box office numbers lately. Hopefully this one can be just another blockbuster to check off.
OVERALL: 9/10

SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT

Ah a remake of the underground cult horror brought back from its grave from none other than CMP horror mastermind Matt Kubrick. I enjoyed that Kubrick and his crew stayed true to the original film and it is a nice refreshment to see a crazy Santa Claus when all of these holiday family films are coming about. I think Kubrick made a good choice to remake, but you also really want to love these kinds of films to really like it.
ACTING/CAST: these films aren't made for award winning acting. When Gyllenhaal is given a really good movie to work with, he does nice stuff. But he's like the only guy with face value in the film so..3/10
DIRECTING: Once again, these aren't made with the greatest visionary directors ever. 3/10
WRITING: 5/10
CONCEPT/PLOT: Not that hard to make think of an idea like this one. A person could be taking a dump and think of something just like this. 3/10
REWATCH VALUE: 9/10
FINAL NOTES: It is better than the original slasher flick. If you love these movies, you'll be sure to get the first ticket, if you're not interested, don't worry, you won't be missing much.
OVERALL: 5/10

HAIGHT-ASHBURY

Here's one of those films you never even heard about because it's so indie that it just magically appeared in a movie theater one day with no promotion other than a trailer on a couple of movies a few weeks before it gets released. You buy your ticket thinking 'what if this turns out to be crap?' you watch the film from start to finish and say to yourself 'ooh...aahhh...' like watching the fireworks display at Disney. A well made movie with a few clever pokes at iconic musicians of the 60s. Did you know Richard Franzwa is a screenwriter? His movies come so quietly but speak so loudly. A pleasure to watch and I didn't even seem to mind that Emma Roberts was in it.
ACTING/CAST: 8.5/10
DIRECTING: 8.5/10
WRITING: 9/10
CONCEPT/PLOT: 10/10
REWATCH VALUE: 7/10
FINAL NOTES: Great work from a consistently great writer, whom continues to churn out quality pictures.
OVERALL: 8.5/10

MR. THUMBS' CERTIFIED MOVIE TO WATCH:
Sorry Flashman and Santa, but this certification goes to Haight-Ashubury this week.