MARCH,10


FALLOUT 2

Action / Sci-Fi
Cast: Hugo Jackman, Asia Argento, Ian McKellen. Cameo by Robert Downey Jr.
Director: Stephen Sommers
Screenwriter: Richard Franzwa


Box Office: 104 mill.
Net Gains: 92 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: Nice box office’s breakdown. This sequel definitely launches this franchise and leaves everything ready for a possible third installment.

FALLEN KINGS

Action / Drama
Cast: Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jay Hernandez, Eva Mendes, Omar Epps, Derek Luke, Edgar Ramirez, Mos Def.
Director: Spike Lee
Screenwriter: Dawson Edwards

Box Office: 89 mill.
Net Gains: 105 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: Excellent results! The movie has worked both in theatres and the DVD market providing those great net gains. And, besides money, it is a top class quality product. I am so happy with this one working so well!

WOODLAND CREATURES

Comedy / Children
Cast: Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Vince Vaughn, Seth Rogen, Michael Clarke Duncan, Ellen Page, Jaden Smith, Jon Heder, Mackenzie Vega, Chris Tucker.
Director: Adam McKay
Screenwriter: Josh Collins

Box Office: 262 mill.
Net Gains: 219 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: OH, YEAH!!!! Past Friday, I wrote: ‘I think this original and creative premise has a chance of blowing up box offices.’ I have to confess that I almost deleted that cause I thought it was too optimistic. But look at that! ‘Woodland Creatures’ becomes the alltimes top 4 best box office and the top 3 highest net gains ever. It reached a box office of more than 180 millions only at the foreign market. This medium budget comedy has been more successful than classics like ‘Game Boy’ or ‘Star Wars: New Order’… Oh, man! Movies oriented to children and families are becoming more and more profitable for CMP… What a wonderful and unexpected beginning for Season 10!


FALLOUT 2

‘Entertaining. That’s all that can be said about this second episode of the Fallout franchise. In this sequel, the storyline has lost some appealing characters – Hugo Weaving was the best of the first movie and Downey Jr. only makes a cameo – and it focuses on Hugh Jackman and Asia Argento, an attractive enough starring couple. The new director, Stephen Sommers, has tried to be more spectacular than Richard Donner and the movie has gained in visual strength. But at the end it is nothing more than another entertaining action pack that can be forgotten as soon as you leave the theatre. It probably did not pretend nothing more and nothing less than that.’
-Vic Carter

‘Hugh Jackman hasn’t played yet in CMP the character to turn him into one of the Studio’s major stars. The horrendous Ace Banner movies, the correct ‘Dive In The Sun’ and even the underrated ‘Visionaries’ have been quickly forgotten by moviegoers. Even his most ambitious work, ‘Monolith’, didn’t reach the success that pretended. These ‘Fallout’ movies won’t mean for him the stairway to reach the status he deserves in CMP neither. Jackman is a much more usable actor than what he has shown in CMP until now. Being the main star of this saga is a nice way of making money. But some of us still wait more from a talented man like him.’
-Lily Stevens

‘Richard Franzwa always seems to stay just one step before becoming one of the main CMP’s authors. Once again, he has written an efficient action show and this time box office has responded much better than it did with the first installment of this game adaptation. Franzwa keeps proving he can build up solid stories for all kind of genres, from sci-fi to comedy or drama. But his screenplays always show a certain weakness, a lack of development of some situations and characters that keeps his stories that step before becoming major works. Anyway, ‘Fallout 2’ confirms the rising prestige of his writer and provides him a profitable franchise to keep working on, something that CMP’s accountants particularly appretiate.’
-Tim Reeve

FALLEN KINGS

‘Mr. Edwards, I have to admit it. I have loved this movie as much as I hated ‘Metal Gear Solid’. Here is a brilliant, tough and engrossing cops thriller with the delicious taste of master pieces. Dawson Edwards has left aside his superhero and console games adaptations to offer us an adult story sharp as a knife that can be considered as one of the best CMP’s movies I’ve watched for long. Edwards tells a violent street life story without concessions with a seductive mix of gangs fights and personal conflicts that will be remembered for long as a reference for this kind of thrillers.’
-Jackie O’Callaghan

‘Great movie. With reminiscences of ‘The Departed’, ‘American Gangster’ or CMP’s ‘The Funeral Drum’, ‘Fallen Kings’ is an engrossing story focussed on the black and latin lords of crime and the personal drama of two cops whose private lives are affected by the net of corruption and violence around them. Spike Lee has directed this intense story with nerve and the whole cast shines at their best. It is remarkable the wonderful job of Jay Hernandez, a minor star that manages efficiently and without complex the interaction with big names such as Washington, Berry or Mendes. I just hope that moviegoers won’t forget this production when the next Golden Moon Awards come.’
-Chris Burgess.

‘From time to time, CMP forgets about comics and console games and offers moviegoers an adult audiences oriented production. And it is those times when the Studio does its best. Yes, we all know ‘Fallen Kings’ won’t work in box office as well as another Avengers movie or whatever. But in terms of quality, this kind of movies prove that Harry Stark and his people still care for something more than becoming richer and richer every time they release a new movie. Congratulations to Mr. Edwards and Mr. Lee, cause they have set up a cinematic experience that reinforces our faith in the future of moviemaking’.
-Amy Ratched

WOODLAND CREATURES

‘A story about forest animals played by a dressed up cast? Come on, it just sounded as a silly joke… But here is the surprise: ‘Woodland Creatures’ is an original, funny and ingenious comedy suitable for all kind of audiences. Collins has written a screenplay more intelligent that it could be expected for the premise it is based in. The movie becomes a satire of human behaviour and stereotypes that allows watching it at two different levels: just as a funny parody of animated features or as a story full of private jokes about humans. That way, both adults and kids can enjoy the show as the comedy works for all age segments.’
-Charlie Kiggs

‘Ben Stiller is becoming to comedy what Will Smith is for action. No matter what he does or what the story is about, their movies work in box office. Stiller leads a fitted cast of talents in this outrageously funny comedy that has seduced audiences all over the world. The parody spirit of movies like ‘Shrek’ is back here and Adam McKay has taken the best of the situations to make a perfectly paced comedy where all the talents involved also take the best of their characters and make us spend a great time at the movies.’
-Anne Roman

‘The premise of this movie was pretty risky. It is such an original idea that it could have taken Josh Collins to just feel satisfy with the concept and forget about the story. That way, once used to see the characters dresses up as woodland creatures, the movie could move to a boring succession of easy jokes. But that’s not the case. Once settled the premise, Collins has developed the characters and the plots and subplots with efficiency and the movie maintains its interest not just during the first surprising fifteen minutes but during all its length. Funny, very funny. And that’s what comedies are meant to be. A deserved success.’
-Alex Stampton


I love it when a new season of CMP starts up again. No more waiting and sitting through three weeks of crappy Hollywood movies. Welcome back everyone!This week, we continue the action packed Fallout 2. A crime drama with an all-star cast of black and latino actors along with the long waited return of Denzel and Spike Lee, and a bizarre yet original concept of taking the cute furry animal animated movie and stepping it up a notch.

FALLOUT 2

ACTING/CAST: 6/10
DIRECTION: 6/10
WRITING: 6.5/10
CONCEPT/PLOT: 6/10
REWATCH VALUE: 8/10
NOTES: If you're going into the theater expecting a good action show, you've got the right film. It's about as much as you can expect from the PC game renditions. It didn't wander into territories we've never seen before but it'll keep you in your seat for two hours. To me it was ok. Not horrible but not amazing.
OVERALL: 6/10

FALLEN KINGS

ACTING/CAST: 7.5/10
DIRECTION: 8/10
WRITING: 8/10
CONCEPT/PLOT: 8/10
REWATCH VALUE: 7/10
NOTES: The movie that's being seen if you're not into actors dressing up like animals or PC game adaptations. It's a good thing as the quality lives up to par. Denzel picked an excellent film to come back with. What is it doing so early into the season I wonder? But perhaps my beginning of the season curse theory doesn't quite seem to live up to its name. Anyway, this was an excellent look into the gritty side of cops dealing with life on the streets. No matter how many times we see it told, it's always such a compelling perspective. It's a good film!
OVERALL: 8/10

WOODLAND CREATURES

CAST/ACTING: 7.5/10
DIRECTION: 6.5/10
WRITING: 6/10
CONCEPT/PLOT: 7.5/10
REWATCH VALUE: 8/10
FINAL NOTES: When the trailers were out, we just thought it was a joke referencing to the Bee Movie teaser trailer, but you see the TV spots and it actually happening in the film and you can't help but laugh at these actors portraying animals, all while poking fun at the outpour of the cute furry cartoon animal movies. I'll give Collins that, it was definitely creative and had everyone: kids, adults, seeing eye dogs, laughing the whole time. In these troubled times we're living it, it was nice to kick back for 90 minutes and forget our troubles and laugh together. Definitely a Collins comedy hit. A very feel good movie.
OVERALL: 7/10

MR. THUMBS' CERTIFIED PICK OF THE WEEK:
FALLEN KINGS