MARCH, 31


DEVIL TRIGGER

Action / Supernatural
Cast: Matt Damon, AnnaSophia Robb, Brian Dennehy, Josh Holloway, Thomas Haden Church. Cameo by Patrick Stewart.
Director: Larry & Andy Wachowski
Screenwriter: David Makalaster

Box Office: 248 mill.
Net Gains: 382 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: WOW! The most profitable movie in CMP’s History!!! The movie becomes the new best box office top 5… AND THE NEW HIGHEST NET GAINS TOP 1!!! The DVD sales have been absolutely outstanding. The Wachowski Brothers have made History in CMP with their debut!

THE GUNPOWDER PLOT

Adventure / Historical
Cast: Christian Bale, James McAvoy, Christopher Lee, Ian McKellen, Cillian Murphy, Keira Knightley, Jeremy Irons, Alan Rickman. Cameo by John Daws.
Director: Ridley Scott
Producer: Tony Scott
Screenwriter: John Daws

Box Office: 122 mill.
Net Gains: 111 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: John Daws succeeds with an historical production after the bad experience of ‘1066’. A quality movie. I am so happy it worked cause it will become a classic.

THE GREEN CHILDREN

Adventure / Fantasy
Cast: Freddie Highmore, Elle Fanning, Gwyneth Poltrow, Ewan McGregor, Geoffrey Rush
Director: Mike Newell
Producer: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriter: Matt Kubrick

Box Office: 166 mill.
Net Gains: 128 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: Oh, what a week! Outstanding success again for a fantasy adventure. I think we had never had three +100 releases in the same week.


DEVIL TRIGGER

‘I must confess I never thought that the Wachowski brothers would ever repeat the creative landmark of the first ‘Matrix’. Matrix’s sequels and Speed Racer never equalled the innovative and influential creation that movie was. But, against any expectation, here we have Devil Trigger and… Oops! They did it again! Yes, here is an amazing visual show that puts up an own universe with its own rules, just as Matrix did. Hypnotizing and engrossing, Devil Trigger is called to be an obliged reference at least for the next decade. A must see.’
-Roy Winslow

‘Finally, CMP offers us a more daring bet than a superhero movie or a fantasy tale. Besides it is strongly influenced by the ‘console game culture’, Devil Trigger cannot be stereotyped in any specific genre. As Matt Damon and the Wachowskis are in it, we could say it is a mix between the action of Jason Bourne’s movies and the visual power of Matrix. An explosive mix. Who cares if the storyline is hard to follow? After all, somebody really understood Matrix’s plot?’
-Jackie O’Callaghan

‘Anyway you look at it, an excellent movie. Devil Trigger creates its own mythology of angels and devils and makes the fantasy believable the only way the great movies can. It is a relief to discover that the Wachowski Brothers are not a one hit wonder. And after ‘MTG-Sinister Black’ and this one, David Makalaster confirms himself as a master in creating epic fantasy stories. I have the feeling we are going to remember this production for a very long time’.
-Tim Reeve

THE GUNPOWDER PLOT

‘Ridley Scott has proved he can handle almost any movie genre. This time, he puts up again a historical adventure, like he did with ‘Gladiator’ or CMP’s Uncommon Valour movies, and once again he succeeds. Here is an elegant and interesting production, a classic way of moviemaking, the opposite to the innovative narrative style of ‘Devil Trigger’, but equally masterly. The recreation of the 17th Century, with such a detailed production design, is reason enough to appreciate this movie. But, together with that, the story itself is intriguing enough and it is told with a perfect pace to trap us in the legendary conspiracy of Catesby and Fawkes’
-Charlie Kiggs

‘Why this story has never been told before in a movie? As the Scott Brothers have proved, it has it all to become a wonderful movie. So thank God Daws and the Scott Brothers have decided to make this great movie. Together with ‘Pompeii’, the best historical movie ever produced by CMP. Daws’ screenplay here is much richer that the one for ‘1066’, his previous attempt in the historical genre, with a wider group of interesting characters and a plot with the perfect doses of action and suspense.’
-Amy Ratched

‘Don’t consider this movie just the classic historical recreation. It is the intriguing and absorbing story of a terrorist conspiracy back in the 17th Century. Scott has loyally turned into images events that have become part of British History and he has known how to make it in the most interesting way. The wonderful work of the whole cast – particularly the fanatic Christian Bale and the doubtful Keira Knighley – helps to make the whole function believable. The only problem of this wonderful movie is that it has been released the same week than ‘Devil Trigger’. It would be a shame to miss it just because ‘Devil Trigger’ is also showing in the next room.’
-Anne Roman

THE GREEN CHILDREN

‘Here is another dose of the formula ‘Kids + Fantasy’ that has become so profitable lately for CMP. Less spectacular than ‘The Land Of Nod’ and with a lower enchantment than ‘The Fantastic Mansion’, ‘The Green Children’ assumes its deliberate condition of a more modest production and becomes a nice minor product of the genre. Appealing enough to work in box office as well as it has - in fact, even better than other movies of the same genre -, the movie will never be placed among the major fantasy productions of recent times.’
-Chris Burgess

‘Newell and Spielberg have not taken here the creative risks they took with their previous collaboration in CMP, ‘Alice In Wonderland’. Maybe the folk legend the movie is based in was not the right material to put up a major show, but the truth is that, at the end of the movie, I had mixed feelings: I had had a good time but I also felt that there was something missing. I enjoyed it without excitement.’
-Alex Stampton

‘The people at CMP know that there is a loyal audience for this kind of movies. But they should not relax if they want to keep it. ‘The Green Children’ works at a certain level but even youngest audiences are getting more and more demanding. In that sense, this old fashioned fairy tale is a more risky movie than it may seem. Kids could have turned their back to a movie without particularly impressive special effects or scenarios. But the talent of Newell and Spielberg has upgraded what could have been a minor movie to a beautiful production that connects directly with the most traditional tales. Luckily, audiences have appreciated it.’
-Lily Stevens


This week it's an apocalyptic battle in what we here at CMP hope will become a blockbuster, Devil Trigger, John Daws returns to a historic epic in The Gunpowder Plot and children once again become the main focus in 'The Green Children' based on the folk legend.

DEVIL TRIGGER

CRITIQUE: The complexity of the plot may be the bigger turnoff in the film. Many movie goers just don't want to think too much in the film. I do hope this film becomes a production design favorite at the GMAs, had great effects and action, I don't recall seeing anything like it in the studio. Popcorn Flick for the smart people...seems kind of like an oxymoron but it's true. The Wachowski Brothers are back and not since the Matrix have we seen a well done smart action show. Plus it doesn't have Robo-Reeves in it, so that's a plus. I would pay to see this!
ACTING/CAST: 3.5/5
DIRECTION: 4.5/5
WRITING: 4/5
PLOT/CONCEPT: 5/5
RE-WATCH VALUE: 5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

THE GUNPOWDER PLOT

CRITIQUE: Everything about this film had spot on execution. Very well made and it seemed like whatever was absent in the historic epic flop 1066 was fixed in this intense period film. I don't see how anyone could leave the theater disappointed. Might still be too early to say GMA nomination, but it could be a contender. It's been common lately that period films get shunned for best pic awards, but they used to be big deals before the millennium. Excellent work, Daws!
ACTING/CAST: 5/5
DIRECTION: 5/5
WRITING: 5/5
PLOT/CONCEPT: 5/5
RE-WATCH VALUE: 3/5
OVERALL: 5/5

THE GREEN CHILDREN

CRITIQUE: Like Fantastic Mansion I was brought back to how family fantasy films were like back in the day. The Green Children doesn't try too hard and its story keeps relatively strong without having to put the audience to sleep. I think after so many of these minor roles in past CMP productions, Elle Fanning is given a role that shows her off and makes her stand out from her super famous sister. Very nice to see Kubrick step away from the hero epic and slasher flick and should this succeed I think we have discovered another creative team in the studio that should keep working together.
ACTING/CAST: 4/5
DIRECTION: 4/5
WRITING: 3.5/5
PLOT/CONCEPT: 3.5/5
RE-WATCH VALUE: 3.5/5
OVERALL: 3.5/5

MR. THUMBS' CERTIFIED MUST-SEE OF THE WEEK
DEVIL TRIGGER