OCTOBER, 14


THE AVENGERS 2

Action / Superhero
The Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Edward Norton, Al Pacino, Orlando Bloom, Kurt Russell, Rose McGowan, Adam Baldwin, Tyler Mane
The Director and Producer: Gore Verbinski
The Screenwriter: Matt Kubrick

Box Office: 173 mill.
Net Gains: 177 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: WOW! Superb box office and net gains! New Top 2 of the Season. The franchise definitely takes off with this wonderful result. I cannot feel happier!

THE THINKING MAN

Drama / Comedy
Cast: Jim Carrey, Johnny Depp, Jessica Alba, Eric Bana, Zooey Deschanel, David Hasselhoff
Director: David Mamet
Screenwriter: Marcus Trax


Box Office: 56 mill.
Net Gains: 25 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: The best Mamet’s box office result after ‘Parody Of Arts’. A quality release. I think Trax’s intention is that this will be the last work of the trio Mamet / Trax / Depp. But I will still keep the faith and hope there will be more in the future.

PATERNAL NIGHTMARE

Comedy
Cast: Jack Black, Reneé Zellwegger, Peter Sarsgaard, AnnaSophia Robb, Amy Adams
Director: Dayton and Faris
Screenwriter: Josh Collins


Box Office: 97 mill.
Net Gains: 64 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: Way much better box office than I expected. Jack Black proves again he is becoming a main star in CMP with a loyal audience following his works. Here it is the ‘sleeper’ of the Season. Amazing.


THE AVENGERS 2

'In some rare occasions, sequels are much better than the original movies. And this is, without doubt, one of those times. Verbinski has finally spread all his creativity and his visual strength in this second adventure of the Avengers. After a weak beginning - telling us again all we already know about Bruce Banner turning into The Hulk - the sequences of the battle between the group of superheroes and Herr Kleiser's forces are simply hypnotizing and make the movie so worth to watch. The interaction between Ironman and Hulk perfectly captures the spirit of the original Marvel's comics and enrich the gang of Avengers and consequently the story. Verbinski has found the right tone for the franchise: a mix between the naivety of the comics and a visual show as powerful as it was in his 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' movies. If 'The Avengers' really wants to be the more spectacular superhero franchise ever, this is the right way to go.'
-Chris Burguess

'Verbinski has introduced some intelligent changes in his franchise. Now, the main characters are Ironman and Hulk, while the rest of the group has lost presence in favour of both. Good choice, as the problem with the first movie might be the lack of screen presence of some of the heroes - Rose McGowan is hardly believable as Valkyrie and Adam Baldwin has never made us forget Heath Ledger as Captain America. Al Pacino makes a suitable villain, although he falls again in one of his usual overacting shows at some moments. The second half of the movie is the best of it, as the story reaches the epic level an ambitious production like this need. All in all, here is an entertaining superheroes movie that may not be as innovative as it pretends, but still works as a major popcorn show appealing enough to justify its wonderful box office.'
-Jackie O'Callaghan

'After watching recently the brilliant 'Preacher', also written by Matt Kubrick, I might not be in the right mood for this second dose of Avengers. I think Zach Snyder created in 'Preacher' a new way of making a comic based movie while, compared to it, The Avengers looks as a too old fashioned way of making it. Soon, CMP will release a new adventure of 'Lobo', the wildest comic ever. Well, I think The Avengers stays in a nowhere land between the creative talent of 'Preacher' and the funny freakiest show of 'Lobo'. Too mainstream, if you know what I mean. Verbinski's excesses - already shown in his Pirates' franchise - are back here, but that doesn't mean any novelty in terms of movie language. And the story, losing so much time telling us again things that were already told in 'The Incredible Hulk', does not provide any surprise to be hooked to. While Norton makes a routine work turning green again - sold as the main appeal and novelty of this feature! -, the king of the show is Kurt Russell, who plays the most charismatic character of the function. In fact, I think the guys at CMP should forget about weak characters like Valkyrie or Thor and start to think on a spin off exclusively based on that great Nick Fury played by Russell before Samual L. Jackson takes the role in any other Hollywood Studio's upcoming release.'
-Roy Winslow

THE THINKING MAN

'Jim Carrey shows again in this movie the great actor he can be when he has the right director to control him. Mamet has known how to stop all his acting tics and excesses to build up the content character the story deserved. It is funny how Carrey's career in CMP - far from the exaggerated comedy characters he uses to play - has grown up through solid acting works - 'Carousel', 'A Standing Eight', this one... - that has transformed Carrey in a trustable dramatic talent. On the other side, while Carrey works under control here, Johnny Depp goes completely out of control in an overacted performance that, at some moments, made me remember his excesses as Willy Wonka or even Jack Sparrow. After a few brilliant works for Mamet, it seems like this time Mamet has given Depp freedom to act any way he wanted and his spontaneous character falls some time in a histrionic guy that got to my nerves, far away from his wonderful acting works in 'Smoke Signals' or 'Drawing Dreams'. So, although I would have never imagined it, Carrey beats Depp by far in their acting duel.'
-Tim Reeve

'Mamet and Trax have set up this time a light adult comedy with an elegant sense of humour and some touches of the most classic American comedies. Not as dramatic as 'No Evil' or 'Drawing Dreams', not as 'serious' as 'Smoke Signals', 'The Thinking Man' recovers that educated sense of humour Mamet and Trax showed in 'Parody Of Arts' in this parody of work in an office. Great work from the cast - David Hasselhoff included! -, with those adorable talents that are Jessica Alba and Zooey Deschanel, a funny Eric Bana showing he can do more than just his latest heroic characters in CMP and, specially, a wonderful chemistry between Carrey and Depp, the best starring couple so far this Season in CMP.'
-Anne Roman

'Marcus Trax proves again his versatility as screenwriter. He can be equally efficient as blockbusters writer - remember the Star Wars or the Dungeons & Dragons' franchises – and as minority adult oriented movies author. His association with David Mamet has provided CMP some of its more brilliant works, always supported by brilliant dialogues, peculiar situations and the work of the best talents director of our days. Mamet and Trax work again with a low budget, rejecting any kind of special effects paraphernalia, and sustaining on the acting work the whole story. That's what always make us feel so close to their stories, as they happen in a world so similar to the ones we live in. 'The Thinking Man' is a nice little dramedy that, using its title, make us not only smile but also thinking to all the men and women we have had the pleasure to watch it.'
-Lily Stevens

PATERNAL NIGHTMARE

'Here is an easy comedy that has hooked so many different kind of audiences - according to 'Variety', middle age women and young couples between 30 and 40, mainly - to reach an unexpected success in box office. Josh Collins has chosen as starting point this time a not very original premise - a movie starred some years ago by Billy Crystal and Robin Williams with a very similar premise comes to my mind now -, but he has decorated it with ingenious dialogues and a nice comedy pace to offer a tasty product for all those who want to spend an easy time in a movie theatre without big surprises. 'Paternal Nightmare' is one of those movies to enjoy and forget, which only ambition is to offer 90 minutes of soft entertainment. Not every movie must pretend to change Movie History. This one won't. But it will make you smile during all the time you are watching it... and that's something to be thankful of.'
-Amy Ratched

'I am scared. There's a big danger right now around CMP. Oh, my God... Jack Black could win again the Best Actor GMA!!! Yes, here he is again surprising us all with a great acting work, closer this time to his usual eccentric characters than the tormented guy from 'Life and Facts Of a Dirty Mind'. But, once again, Black stands up the whole function with his appropriate performance, building up a character as nasty as lovable. It's hard to admit that step by step Mr. Black is becoming a good actor... Together with him, the other main pillar of this comedy is AnnaSophia Robb, who perfectly plays the sweet and intelligent daughter without falling in corny sterotypes. With this movie, Robb has presented her credentials to be a tough challenger for the young star queen throne now shared in CMP by Abigail Breslin and Dakota Fanning. Reneé Zellwegger makes a correct work and maybe only Peter Sarsgaard does not completely takes all he could from his character, while Amy Adams will still have to wait for a richer character to show all her potential.'
-Alex Stampton

'The brilliant creators of that little masterpiece titled 'Little Miss Sunshine' have not taken many risks in their debut in CMP. 'Paternal Nightmare' is a mainstream politically correct family comedy far from the daring originality of their most famous movie. Dayton and Faris can do much better than this. And that does not mean that this movie isn't a nice funny comedy. But it is only that. All characters are socially acceptable and all situations are kept in correct limits without taking a step beyond - how about Reneé and Jack one night stand taking place at least when she was already married? or a dirty uncontrollable passion between them after discovering they have a daughter together? Don't know... Maybe I have a naughty day and this movie is just the way it has to be. But I didn't expect Dayton and Faris becoming just another 'family comedies directors' as Shawn Levy or Jay Roach. Maybe next time they will offer us something more surprising.'
-Will Hughes


THE AVENGERS 2

Despite how often we've seen the origin of the Hulk many times done only slightly different but with the same results(but you certainly can't blame the film makers for that one) it was still an excellent installment to the Avengers series. Was it better than the first? Not in my opinion, but still good enough to see and enjoy. The cast plays their parts perfectly, Gore did great work directing but I wish the plot had a little more special 'umph' but you get a lot more out of what you'd expect from a superhero movie. It's still an exciting action show.
7.5/10

THE THINKING MAN

I like it when Jim Carrey goes back to his roots every once in a while. Not nearly as goofy as his Ace Ventura days, but still not a totally pretentious actor you'd expect to come out of Eternal Sunshine. The team of Trax/Mamet/Depp should have their own clique-name. They once again pull off an interesting tale of what it's like to be a doer instead of an undoer(pun intended) and what better guy than Jim Carrey whose seen the similar characters in Liar, Liar and the Yes Man, but it still works well for Jim. I really found this film funny without it trying to be especially Eric's realization that there's nothing wrong with being unspontaneous, sometimes it's just safer that way. I always end up liking the pair of Mamet and Trax and this one was no exception.
8/10

PATERNAL NIGHTMARE

Not the best title for a film in the world, but we know Josh Collins isn't always the best at naming his products. The poster tagline was great! I feel as though the story has been done many times before though and the way everything was wrapped up in a nice little package with that moral message of 'family isn't always about blood' would probably make a few haters of the film gag, but the excellent performances, and clever jokes overshadowed most of the negativity I would have toward the film. Plus Little Miss Robb is such a heart-stealer in the film that you just want to watch the movie for her. Not a masterpiece, but I don't think Collins was looking for cinematic gold, just something that all kinds of audiences could relax and enjoy.
6.5/10