FEBRUARY, 22


PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES

Romance / Horror
Cast: Natalie Portman, Johnny Depp, Carey Mulligan, Henry Cavill, Joseph Fiennes, Emma Watson, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Susan Sarandon, Bryce Dallas Howard
Director: Tim Burton
Screenwriter: James Bradley

Box Office: 125 mill.
Net Gains: 68 mill.

Stark’s Reaction:
Excellent turnout! There’s been a huge difference here between domestic and foreign market. The movie has worked way much better in Europe than at the US. Anyway, I feel more than happy because I wasn’t completely sure about how this extremely peculiar concept would work.

DEEP SILENCE 3

Action / Sci-Fi / 3D
Cast: Jessica Alba, Michael Emmerson, Lara Belmont, Channing Tatum, Michael C. Hall, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Walton Gogging, Abigail Bianca, Parry Shen
Director: Matt Kubrick
Screenwriters: Dawson Edwards & Matt Kubrick

Box Office: 88 mill.
Net Gains: 61 mill.

Stark’s Reaction:
Correct box office although below expectations for a big production like this. But still it has worked well enough to trust in another future installment if you are in the mood for it, Dawson and Matt!

A MURDER OF CROWS

Action / Thriller
Cast: Harvey Keitel, Mickey Rourke, Kim Bassinger, Giovanni Ribisi, Sean Penn, William H. Macy, Marisa Tomei, Lindsay Lohan
Director and Screenwriter: Richard Franzwa
Producer: Sean Penn

Box Office: 61 mill.
Net Gains: 23 mill.

Stark’s Reaction:
Ok. But only ok. I knew this one wasn’t going to be a blockbuster. Teenagers were all in the room next door watching the 3D show of ‘Deep Silence’ or Portman and Depp kicking the zombies’ ass. But it meets my expectations and I personally enjoyed not only producing but also watching it.


PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES

‘Here is a great movie to watch and enjoy with pride and without prejudices. Of course, altering a classic like ‘Pride and Prejudice’ introducing hordes of elegant British zombies in the plot can be considered as a kind of sacrilege. But, hey, let’s be open minded and not strict purists. Grahame-Smith’s book and now this big screen version make that impossible twist with the story with intelligence. The movie adopts a humoresque tone not taking itself too seriously but, at the same time, it does not become a kind of silly parody, a spoof of classic British literature or a gross-humor comedy ala ‘Zombieland’. Zombies are introduced in the story as the most natural thing. In fact, the story does not focus on the zombies. They are there as part of the scenery. And that’s what makes the story specially funny. Not trying to be too comedic becomes, precisely, the best finding of this story, a very original revisitation and redefinition of the classic.’
-Anne Roman

‘Again, I like Tim Burton better when he works for CMP than when he works out of it. Along the years, Burton has been taking his visual concepts to extremes losing the freshness of his old movies (I still consider ‘Edward Scissorshands’ one of my favorites movies ever) and becoming a too excessive moviemaker full of tics, exagerations and self-indulgence (yes, I hated his ‘Alice In Wonderland’). But when he works for CMP he is a much more self-controlled author (remember his wonderful version of ‘Sherlock Holmes’ or even the interesting ‘One Man’s Hell’). In his CMP’s movies, he still cares for the story and the acting works and not only for the empty visual show. And that happens again with ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’. He has avoided all the opportunities to commit excesses this story offered him. Burton has taken the best of the peculiar story and the wonderful cast and has built up not only a very personal vision of England during the 1800’s but he has also told a consistent story turning believable the unbelievable. In my opinion, one of his best works in years.’
-Charlie Kiggs

‘We have written before at this blog that it was impossible to offer anything new about zombies. The only flop so far of this CMP’s Season, ‘Viral’, proved that the zombies subgenre had reached a point of total exhaustion. Well, we were wrong… I would have never thought I would enjoy a movie with zombies again. But I have. ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’ is funny, interesting, absorbing and extremely original. Just when you think that everything has been said and done about something (in this case, zombies) a brilliant moviemaker like Burton and a reputed writer like Bradley have resurrected the zombies in a most original way. So never undervalue the talent of talented people: there are always new ways of telling stories even about such an old and recurrent issue like zombies.’
-Mark Anderson

DEEP SILENCE 3

‘From time to time, Hollywood reminds us that film industry is not only about the art of moviemaking but also about the art of making money. And making money is the only reason possible to explain why CMP keeps releasing new installments of this awful saga. The original ‘Deep Silence’ was saved by the talent of James Cameron, although it was obvious that he was plagiarizing himself with a mix between ‘Aliens’ and ‘Abyss’. ‘Deep Silence 2’, now directed by Renny Harlin, was an embarrassing action adventure movie only suitable for not too demanding moviemakers. And this ‘Deep Silence 3’ – although I admit that it is a bit, only a bit, better than the second one – looks again to make some more money with the same exhausted formula of mutant underwater creatures ruining the day to humans. If this is about making money, ok, I can understand it. But if you pretend me to judge this movie from a cinematic point of view, just don’t count on me.’
-Jackie O’Callaghan

‘Ok, I accept that there’s something sexy in watching Jessica Alba wet, holding a gun or looking alternatively scared or encouraged. In fact, there’s something sexy in watching Jessica in any possible situation. But I am not completely sure if that’s reason enough to pay a ticket to watch this movie. But the sad truth is that’s the main reason to watch this movie. If something should be added, I was glad to see Michael Emmerson around, now that ‘Lost’ is over. He proves he can make a career playing sinister villains. But, besides that, there’s not much more in this B-series action movie that proves again how useless is to stretch franchises when the concept is so obviously exhausted.’
-Roy Winslow

‘Jessica Alba pretending to be Ripley / Weaver, Marines, hordes of evil creatures attacking tough guys… Yes, we’ve seen this before. The title was ‘Aliens’. Or maybe the title was ‘Deep Silence 2: Red Code High’. Dawson Edwards and Matt Kubrick have taken control of this old CMP’s franchise just to squeeze the formula again. Not too many novelties – Alba worked for the Government in the previous movie, now she’s a mercenary… - and pretty repetitive situations. And the most scary thing of it all is that the ending of the movie leaves the door open for a fourth movie of the saga. So fear the worst.’
-Vic Carter

A MURDER OF CROWS

‘I have always liked Richard Franzwa as screenwriter. In a quiet but constant way, he has built up a very solid career as writer in CMP, including brilliant pieces like ‘The Manor’, ‘The Awful Truth’, ‘The Sonja Blue Chronicles’ or ‘Turn Of A Friendly Card’ plus the highly successful fantasy saga ‘Dragonlance’. But, paradoxically, in this movie, his first work as movie director, I have liked him better as director than as writer. I mean, the Franzwa director has been capable of putting up an interesting and powerful crime story with a screenplay written by the Franzwa writer that it’s not as consistent as he pretended. The strength of the images and the acting works hide the weakness and inconsistencies of the plot and turns the movie into an appreciable production with the correct dose of tension, suspense and visual power.’
-Tim Reeve

‘Now that a new generation of talents is definitely taking control of Hollywood – cute and soft guys most of them, ala Robert Pattinson -, it’s a pleasure to watch on screen tough guys with the wonderful screen presence of Keitel, Penn or Rourke. And also actresses with something to offer beyond a sexy look like Kim Bassinger and Marisa Tomei. That’s the best of this movie. The casting choices. Shoot a close-up of Keitel’s face and just his face will tell you more things than the longest monologue. This kind of talents do not need long dialogues to express things. And Franzwa knows that. This is a story of very little words where looks, actions and face’s expressions tell more than words. Younger generations of Hollywood’s stars should watch this movie as an acting lesson.’
-Amy Ratched

‘As most of the CMP’s blockbusters are games or books adaptations or sequels, it is almost an obligation to support CMP’s authors when they develop original stories. ‘A murder of crows’ is a honest attempt by Richard Franzwa to develop an original story not based on any previous existing material. And it deserves my applause just for that. But it is also true that Franzwa does not completely avoid some clichés and stereotyped situations in the story. Here we have again that uncomfortable feeling again when you are watching a movie and wondering ‘have I seen this before?’ Franzwa directly connects here with a movie style that lived its glory days in the 60s and 70s. Movies sharp as knives full of tough guys with no moral. Sam Peckinpah and ‘The Getaway’ or some Don Siegel’s movies can be mentioned as a reference for this one. Anyway, this is the right way to keep balancing CMP with adapted and original ideas, no matter if the attempt is partially failed.’
-Chris Burgess