JUNE, 7


EYE OF THE NEEDLE

Action / Suspense
Cast: Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, Colin Firth, Kenneth Branagh, John Hurt, Michael Caine
Director, Producer and Screenwriter: James Bradley

Box Office: 36 mill.
Net Gains: 1 mill.

Stark’s Reaction:
Another release this Season saved by the bell from net losses. The film was finally rated NC-17 due to the explicit sex sequences and that may have damaged its box office’s turnout. Anyway, much lower numbers again than expected. It’s being a tough Season…

DEATH CRUISE

Action
Cast: Eliza Dushku, Michelle Rodriguez, Steve Buscemi, Rose McGowan, Christopher Walken, Sid Haig.
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Screenwriter Joey Stark

Box Office: 43 mill.
Net Gains: 7 mill.

Stark’s Reaction:
This fourth installment has respected the pattern of the saga: forty-something millions at box office and very slight net gains. Also rated NC-17, by the way. It was never meant to become a blockbuster anyway.

F-ZERO AX

Action / Racing / Animation
Cast of Voices: Josh Hartnett, Famke Jansen, John Malkovich, Alan Rickman, Forest Whitaker, Terrence Howard, Spencer Breslin, Katie Holmes, Bruce Willis
Director: Karyn Kusama
Screenwriter: Dawson Edwards

Box Office: 84 mill.
Net Gains: 48 mill.

Stark’s Reaction:
Not bad. It has made better numbers than ‘F-Zero GX’ but not as good as the original ‘F-Zero’. This one makes 8 releases in a row without reaching the 100 millions at box office. I think that’s a negative record in the Studio’s History. As I said above, a tough Season…


EYE OF THE NEEDLE

‘A very entertaining suspense movie. This is one of those movies you follow from beginning to end wondering all the time what’s going to happen next. And that is what suspense is about. Bradley has taken a step forward in his career as movie director here proving that he knows how to create a highly intriguing atmosphere. The only objection I can make to this solid film is that it respects so loyally the book and the previous movie based on it not adding anything new to both precedents. But if you are not familiar with the book or you have not watched its previous big screen adaptation, don’t miss this one. It is an absorbing, disturbing and highly intriguing story worth to watch for any fan of suspense plots.’
-Roy Winslow

‘Here is a great show of British acting talent. Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes are simply splendid. Winslet is perfect as that tormented wife tied to his husband’s fatal destiny by a noble feeling of loyalty but still full of contained passion. And Fiennes builds up with mastery his character of a cold blooded spy. Of course, the chemistry between them fulfills the screen. The steamy sex sequences are not only surprisingly explicit but also some of the hottest moments I’ve seen on screen for a long time. But the top class acting work of the starring couple should not make us forget the brilliant work of Colin Firth as the embittered husband condemned to be in a wheel chair. Even Kenneth Branagh shines with his limited character. It is such a pleasure to watch acting works like all these.’
-Anne Roman

‘It is a shame that CMP does not get to manage too well some minor genres like thriller, suspense or horror. No matter the quality of the movie, the Studio seems incapable to find a way to reach wide audiences as soon as they are not releasing a superhero or an action film. I don’t know who’s to blame for that. But moviegoers keep missing brilliant productions of those genres like past week’s ‘Midnight’ or this week’s ‘Eye Of The Needle’. Harry Stark and his team should work harder on their strategy when releasing movies of certain genres. It is a shame that some of them are condemned to become hidden gems waiting to be rediscovered through DVD.’
-Vic Carter

DEATH CRUISE

‘Joey Stark took control of this saga since its second installment and, after four movies released, I must tell that I definitely miss the free spirit of Matt Kubrick in it. ‘Reform School Girls’, the first film of the series and the only one written and directed by Kubrick, was a wild and uncontrolled show of ultraviolent karate fights and hot lesbian sequences. It deliberately assumed its condition of being a Z-series movie without complexes and that was precisely its main appeal. Then, Stark became the new screenwriter of the saga and step by step and movie after movie he left this saga devoid of all its transgressor spirit. ‘Death Cruise’ is nothing more than a standard action film. Extremely graphic violence and all the lesbian issue have completely disappeared. Only Robert Rodriguez and his directional style ala ‘Desperado’ or ‘Machete’ still reminds us that he does not expect the film to be taken seriously. But the reason why these reform school girls were created is definitely lost here.’
-Charlie Kiggs

‘Michelle Rodriguez makes again her usual macho show and Eliza Dushku tries again to convince us that she is the sexiest girl on Earth. And yes, their passionate kiss in the middle of their final duel is surprising and hot. Buscemi plays Buscemi in his nastiest version. Sid Haig plays Danny Trejo. And Christopher Walken offers a brief sample of his renown screen presence. The girls look cool, the bad guys look bad enough and they all fight and die when they have to. That’s all that can be said about the acting works in this movie. After all, ‘Death Cruise’ is not based on Shakespeare.’
-Mark Anderson

‘Somebody should stop this… The lousy ‘Reform School Girls’ saga reaches its fourth installment. And that open ending makes me doubt if this is really the end of it or not. And I wonder why CMP insists on making these movies full of the most gratuitous violence that make such weak box offices’ numbers. Yes, I know there is a loyal bunch of freaks out there that religiously follow these movies. They still think that Rodriguez is a cool moviemaker and not a very limited talent. And they love Michelle Rodriguez talking dirty. But, you know, there’s also an audience for the silliest reality shows on tv and that does not make them good. ‘Death Cruise’ is more of the same: a greasy hamburger for fast food junkies.’
-Amy Ratched

F-ZERO AX

‘The ‘F-Zero’ franchise is not about moviemaking. It is about business. As long as these movies make a box office between 50 and 100 millions and net gains around 30 and 50 millions, CMP will keep releasing new sequels. Why should they leave this more than nice business? The followers of the franchise have proven with this third installment that they are people enough to keep generating profits for the Studio beyond the real quality or interest of each new installment released. And that’s CMP’s target. The guys from the Studio don’t care if the mass of moviegoers prefer to go to the film next door as long as those ‘F-Zero’ fans stay loyal to the series. And looking at the numbers made by the movie, they are. So, you fans of the saga, get ready for ‘F-Zero 4’.’
-Tim Reeve

‘CMP has always had a difficult relationship with animation. The Studio has produced some brilliant animated features. Let’s remember films like ‘Bird Of A Feather’, ’20 Feet Under The Tub’ or even ‘Karate Kat’. And, of course, the most visually creative one of them all: ‘Mouse Guard’. They have also gone through severe disasters with animation, like ‘Toons’ or ‘Calvin & Hobbes’. Sometimes, CMP’s animated features follow the style of Pixar or Dreamworks. Some others they return to more classic 2D animation. And then, from time to time, they try luck with anime. ‘Robotech’ was a more than decent anime saga during the first CMP’s Seasons. Now, ‘F-Zero’ has become the heir of ‘Robotech’. And it may not be the most creative or interesting line of work of all the ones followed by the Studio in that irregular relationship with animation. But at least it is being the most profitable one. So I am afraid that Harry Stark will keep supporting this kind of films although there is an obvious risk of falling into a repetitive routine in them.’
-Lilly Stevens

‘As it happened with ‘F-Zero GX’, the previous installment of this saga, Karyn Kusama has worked hard trying to take out something interesting enough from the weak material she had to work with. The storyline of this saga is so flat that the only chance she has is trying to design in the most innovative way possible those racing sequences using new angles and perspectives to shoot them. The problem is the lack of a real plot to support those sequences. The plot of these movies can work for an ordinary episode of a tv series. But it has no strength and content enough for a full-length big screen production. And beyond all Kusama’s efforts to build up something spectacular an innovative in the animation genre, you end up noticing that emptiness underneath the images.’
-Andrew Stampton