OCTOBER, 20

COMMAND & CONQUER

Action / Sci-Fi / War
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Joseph D. Kucan, Michael Pena, Thomas Jane, Timothy Olyphant, Robert Patrick, Bill Murray
Director and Producer: Michael Bay
Screenwriter: Ben Tyler

Box Office: 75 mill.
Net Gains: 82 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: Every time I announce a movie as one of my big bets of the Season, box office turns its back to it. The Studio is not being lucky with games adaptations. Of course, this is not at all a disaster ala ‘Metal Gear Solid’ or ‘Gears Of War’. In fact, 82 millions of net gains is a nice turnout for the Studio. But expectations were so high and a box office of 75 millions is an undisputable disappointment.

RAISE OF THE DARKMAN

Horror / Evil
Cast: Matt Kubrick, Benicio Del Toro, Dakota Fanning, Harry Stark, Wes Craven, Dennis Quaid, Laura Linney, Danielle Harris.
Director: Wes Craven
Screenwriter: Matt Kubrick

Box Office: 29 mill.
Net Losses: 20 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: As I said past week, money was not the main thing here. But, anyway, a flop like this hurts. I would have loved it if Darkman could have said goodbye on style, but moviegoers didn’t answer with enthusiasm enough. A sad farewell.

THE MIRACLE MEN

Comedy / Adventure
Cast: Will Ferrell, Paul Giamatti, Holly Hunter, Emma Stone.
Director: Paul Giamatti
Screenwriter: James Bradley



Box Office: 60 mill.
Net Gains: 79 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: Here is a nice ‘sleeper’ to compensate the disappointment of the other two releases of the week. Again, Bradley shows his talent for classy comedy. I think we may have here one of the big contenders for the next GMA.


COMMAND & CONQUER

‘I had never played or even heard about the C&C’s console games. So my approach to this movie was made without prejudices. And what I found was a very entertaining movie with plenty of spectacular action sequences and an intriguing plot. Maybe this is not the best movie Michael Bay has directed for CMP - I think 'Westworld' is still the best - but it is much better than other Bay's movies that have succeeded more than this in box office, like the two terrible 'Transformers' movies. 'C&C' is a perfectly paced action story, it takes advantage of the beautiful settings around the world and it is supported by a well structured screenplay and a solid cast. The result is a great epic war movie. This production wasn’t conceived just as a routine adaptation of a game for fans only. It is an ambitious cinematic extravaganza that, sadly, has not connected with moviegoers. A shame, cause there is more appeal in this movie than what might be expected at first sight’.
-Vic Carter

‘Ben Tyler said somewhere that he wanted to make ‘a movie where things explode’. But we all know that Tyler is too perfectionist and creative to feel satisfied writing just a ‘explosions’ screenplay. This screenplay does not equal the best Tyler's works: 'Schroedinger's Litterbox', 'Monolith' or 'Tales of the Unexpected'. But the plot of ‘Command & Conquer’ has been deeply elaborated to create a believable war and politics scenario where the action sequences take place. Usually, action shows forget about the background of a solid story. But this is not the case. 'Command & Conquer' is not just the usual brainless non-stop action show. And, sadly, that may be the reason why it has not been the blockbuster it was expected to be. It's the sign of our days. Audiences prefer to watch flashy and empty shows instead of quality and intelligent entertainment.’
-Tim Reeve

‘Ten years ago, whether you liked him or not, Michael Bay was considered the pioneer of a new directing style. You know: dizzy editing with sequences full of short takes, noisy soundtracks, abuse of slow motion... All that is back in ‘Command & Conquer’. Bay stays loyal to himself. In fact, some battle sequences in this movie will bring back to moviegoers’ mind the battle sequences in ‘Pearl Harbor’. But the problem is that Bay’s style, after a legion of directors imitating it, does not look so innovative anymore. The paradoox is that when Bay seems to be learning to manage his own directional style it may have become old fashioned. Anyway, 'Command & Conquer' is a great example of Bay's style: a mix between visual power and shallowness. There's no specific reason why audiences have not surrendered to this movie the same way they have done with other Bay's shows. But it seems like Michael Bay has fallen into an unlucky strike in CMP and not even this spectacular and entertaining movie can change that by the moment.’
-Amy Ratched

RAISE OF THE DARKMAN

‘Teen audiences may have been frighten away because of the experimental spirit of this movie. A movie within a movie? A movie writer and director starring it? No sexy chicks being decapitated? Oh, forget about teen audiences. You have to sell them a much more simple product if you want to attract them to a movie theatre. But the funny thing is that ‘Raise Of The Darkman’ wasn’t at the end as experimental as it was presented. After all, it was Benicio chasing victims again, this time in a movie set. Okay, the premise was funny. But after all it was just another horror flick. Not much more. The fact that Matt Kubrick was starring it or that talents like Dakota were just playing themselves was only an anecdotal element. Below all that supposed experiment, it was just more of the same. And maybe teen audiences – indispensable target to make a horror movie work – would have been more interested in it if it was offered just like that.’
-Charlie Kiggs

‘We all get old. I remember enjoying so much ‘Fear The Darkness’ and ‘The Long Dark Night’. CMP was a young movie Studio and there was a kind of freshness around all its releases. But now CMP has become a Hollywood’s major and we both, critics and audiences, demand something more from each of its releases. Time has passed for Darkman and it seems like the perfect moment for farewell has come for him. Now’s the time for more sophisticated horror movies, like ‘Silent Hill’ or even ‘Zann’, and good old Darkman looks as the echo of a time that may not return.’
-Lilly Stevens

‘Matt Kubrick and Harry Stark have been trying to revitalize this franchise since its second installment, the brilliant ‘The Long Dark Night’. This fifth movie was a desperate attempt to recover prestige and audiences for their beloved character. First, Wes Craven recovered control of the franchise after the failed episodes directed by Robert Rodriguez and Tobe Hooper. Second, Kubrick wrote a twisted and peculiar storyline that took the franchise back to its very beginning with a plot sited in the shooting of the original movie. And third, the franchise plays with the myth of Frankenstein, becoming a duel between the creator and his creation. Wise ideas all of them. But the problem is that moviegoers did not trust Darkman very much after the weak previous episodes. It was too late for Darkman to shine again. Unfair, cause this fifth movie was in fact a daring bet and I liked it much more than other recent horror releases coming from CMP that got much better numbers in box office.’
-Anne Roman

THE MIRACLE MEN

‘Nice, funny and entertaining. Can something better be told about a movie like this? Once again, that creative team formed by James Bradley and Paul Giamatti provides us with a classy and intelligent comedy to taste and enjoy. The relationship between the manipulative preacher man and the manipulated salesman – wonderful works from both Giamatti and Ferrell – becomes a delicious entertainment as they go through the religious shows, the banks robs and the years in jail. Put a smile in your face and don’t miss this great comedy. I can assure you that the smile will remain after spending a wonderful time watching it’.
-Andrew Stampton

‘Paul Giamatti succeeds in his debut as movie director for CMP. Thanks again to James Bradley, Giamatti proves again that nobody can play a loser or a rogue as well as him. He plays the bad guy of this story – an egoist con – with mastery. And together with him, we have the nice, innocent and good hearted friend played by Will Ferrell. Ferrell shows us here that he can be a great comedian playing solid characters beyond the usual excessive clown we have seen him playing in so many lousy comedies. Giamatti and Ferrell build up a great starring couple, based on the contrast of their characters, that made me remember, no matter the big differences, the perfect balance of classic comedy duets like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.’
-Roy Winslow

‘The fables written by James Bradley, directed by Wes Anderson and starred by Paul Giamatti and Kate Winslet are still considered in CMP’s world synonymous of elegant entertainment and adult comedies far away from gross sense of humor. Bradley and Giamatti have resurrected the main elements of those movies – peculiar characters and situations and subtle humor – in this one. And now Giamatti has taken control of direction too. He must have enjoyed the chance of recreating the looks of the 1950s in costumes, cars, houses and people. You can see that every detail have been taken care of in that sense. But, besides the cinematography, Giamatti has also shown his talent telling us this story that traps you from beginning to end not needing special effects, epic situations or strange digital creatures to do it. Giamatti has directed a classic style comedy and, in fact, he has done it so well that ‘The Miracle Men’ will probably become a classic itself.’
-Chris Burgess


COMMAND AND CONQUER

CRITIQUE: Last time we had a game-based Michael Bay movie, it was promoted like crazy with some strong star power, just like this film, and still failed in the box office. I won't say we have a blockbuster until the weekend numbers are tallied and submitted. It still looks like a better attempt than Gears, but can moviegoers see the film without trying to imagine the game? It's very hard to do so as many game-based films are usually doomed to be picked apart by the hardcore fans.
ACTING/CAST: No hot chick to look at? awwwwww. But the rest of the cast is alright, so this gets a B+
DIRECTION: C
WRITING: A-
PLOT/CONCEPT: B+
PRODUCTION VALUE: A Excellent use of effects and cinematography
ENTERTAINMENT: B the war violence, effects, storyline and cast may just be the saving grace for this film.
REWATCH VALUE: B+
OVERALL: B+

RAISE OF THE DARKMAN

CRITIQUE: For the fans, by the fans. The last installment of the first CMP franchise was made to apologize for the last few Darkman films and say so-long to the series. I don't think it will be getting any GMAs or very good critical reception or put in the classics section in video stores, but the idea behind it wasn't to make acclaim. It was something for the fans to see one last time and entertaining for them. How great to see Harry and Matt act in the film! Some might think it's self-indulgent to place oneself in a film and be the hero, but Matt is the creator of Darkman. It's only fitting for him to be the one to end it.
ACTING/CAST: This usually isn't a movie reserved for a cast as strong as Linny, Del Toro, Fanning, Quaid, etc. But they made good work with what they got. A- for the casting
DIRECTION: C
WRITING: C+
PLOT/CONCEPT: C
PRODUCTION VALUE: C+
ENTERTAINMENT: B+ for the die hard fans. The standard horror aspects of killings and blood are what they come to see and there is lots of it in this film.
REWATCH VALUE: C+
OVERALL: C+

THE MIRACLE MEN

CRITIQUE: Bradley is one of the most consistent screenwriters of CMP. Most of his films are well thought out and original. Miracle Men is no exception! It may piss some religious fanatics off to see the character of Jeremiah, but you will never make everyone happy. So just make happy the ones who can take it. It was also one of the few films where I could see Will Ferrell as a different person than his stale obnoxious goofball act. Even if the film doesn't go far in box office or awards, it's still worthy of the praise. Hallelujah....sorry, I just like films that stick it to religions sometimes, and at least things don't totally work out for Jeremiah in the end.
ACTING/CAST: A-
DIRECTION: B a good first attempt for Paul. I wouldn't tell him to stop directing.
WRITING: A-
PLOT/CONCEPT: B
PRODUCTION VALUE: B+ good use of the 1950s set, costumes and the editing was nice and smooth.
ENTERTAINMENT: B+ The subtle humor, cast and story would be the biggest appeal.
REWATCH VALUE: A
OVERALL: A-

MR. THUMBS' CERTIFIED MUST SEE OF THE WEEK:

THE MIRACLE MEN