OCTOBER, 21


THE NAKED SUN

Sci-Fi / Crime
Cast: Bruce Willis, Paul Bettany, Uma Thurman, Ian Holm, Guy Pearce, Joe Pesci
Director: Brett Ratner
Screenwriter: Steve Connors


Box Office: 91 mill.
Net Gains: 86 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: I liked so much ‘The Caves Of Steel’ and I liked even more this one. Just brilliant. Another saga that takes off with the sequel. I enjoyed it so much.

CHANGE OF HEART

Drama
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Connelly, Ariel Gade, Melissa McCarthy, Mark Ruffalo, Clea Duvall, Joseph Fiennes
Director and Screenwriter: Josh Collins

Box Office: 29 mill.
Net Loss: 0.5 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: Slight flop for this quality drama. The Studio bet so strongly on it and it was released on more than 5000 theatres – when we usually release dramas in something between 4000 and 4500 theatres -, with a strong and consequently expensive marketing campaign. Maybe a bit more modest release would have turned into net gains the final box office breakdown. So I don’t blame the movie but CMP’s strategy for this little loss of money.

THE MANOR

Mystery
Cast: Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Steve Martin, Emma Thompson
Director: David Lynch
Screenwriter: Richard Franzwa


Box Office: 43 mill.
Net Gains: 16 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: I like to try new and different things some times. And you bet this is a different kind of movie. I must confess I never thought it would even made net gains so I’m more than satisfied with these final numbers.


THE NAKED SUN

‘Once again, a sequel turns out as a better movie than the original in CMP, as it recently happened with ‘The Avengers 2’. ‘The Naked Sun’ is a great sci-fi thriller, an engrossing ‘whodunit’ that captures the attention with both its visual power and its intriguing plot. I would have never imagined that Brett Ratner – a director that I don’t particularly like – would upgrade the original Asimov’s book – no more than a nice little novel – to a movie that opens new ways for sci-fi beyond galactic battles and superheroes comics.’
-Vic Carter

‘There are a lot of movies in this movie. It is a ‘buddy movie’, with that wonderful starring couple, the sceptical policeman played by Willis and the very human humanoid played by Bettany, a couple that can be considered a mix between Lethal Weapon’s buddies and Holmes and Watson. It is also a classic thriller with a mysterious crime and different suspects. And it is an interesting sci-fi movie, offering its own vision of the future – ruled by the complex relationships between humans and androids – and picturing that peculiar planet where people do not have personal contact. All of it is interesting and the sum of it all turns out into one of the best pictures of the Season called to become a classic to remember in CMP.’
-Anne Roman

‘I always thought that ‘The Caves Of Steel’ was an undervalued production. Danny Boyle made there a visually outstanding movie with that disturbing scenario, the underground cities. Now, Brett Ratner has taken the action to the Outer Worlds and the sequel looks as good as the previous movie. Steve Connors has written an intelligent screenplay, improving the weak storyline of the original book and introducing more action in the storyline. Very much influenced by ‘Blade Runner’ and its replicants – even more than the first episode, that was closer to ‘I, Robot’ – ‘The Naked Sun’ is probably the best adult sci-fi movie made in years. I am sorry there is no more material from Asimov to go on with this saga. But I hope Connors finds the way to do it anyway.’
-Alex Stampton

CHANGE OF HEART

‘There is only one problem with this movie: its excess of ambition. Collins wants to tell too many things for just one movie. The convict’s story, a reflection about death penalty, a religious debate, AIDS, a girl suffering cancer, a family drama… There is something like a dozen plots and subplots that the story tries to develop and that’s too much. Finally, it affects the pace of the movie, with that need of mixing very emotional sequences with deep – sometimes ‘too deep’ – dialogues. That makes that a movie that pretends to be ‘intense’ becomes too ‘thick’ at some moments. This thought-provoking drama looks to provoke so many thoughts that it may become mentally exhausting at some moments’
-Charlie Kiggs

‘I loved this movie as much as I loved Jodi Picault’s book. But, as it usually happens when you have read the original book and then watch its screen adaptation, I felt uncomfortable with the cast. On one side, Cillian Murphy, Melissa McCarthy and Ariel Gade are just great. Murphy may act too ‘mystical’ at some moments, but he gets to provide his character with the mystery and emotional intensity he deserves. McCarthy is, without doubt, the great discovery of the movie, building up a wonderful minor character leaving the audience with the wish of knowing more about her. And Ariel Gade proves again she can be the perfect ‘heartbreaking suffering girl’ after her work in CMP’s ‘No Evil’. On the other side, Jennifer Connelly – usually wonderful – does not reach the dramatic level her character deserved, Mark Ruffalo’s talent is wasted on a cliché performance and Patrick Wilson is the worst of the function, as he does not know how to make the most of a character any other more talented actor would have considered a gift.’
-Amy Ratched

‘Josh Collins has tried to make a bigger than life drama with this story full of opportunities and only partially failed. Although the movie has some important defects, I still think that ‘Change Of Heart’ is a great movie, full of content and worth to watch. But the final product does not look as compact as other Collins’ dramas, specially his best ones until now, the hard but brilliant ‘Blink’ and ‘Velcro’ (not mentioning here the wonderful ‘Lyra’, as it was partially a comedy). I think Collins has approached to the story too respectfully with the original book, trying to put in the movie as much from the book as possible and forgetting that literature and cinema do not use the same language. Anyway, it is a good adult movie that looks for an audience very different to the one that will probably run to watch ‘Lobo’s Back’ and I am glad there are still products made for that audience.’
-Lily Stevens

THE MANOR

‘I will say it loud and clear: David Lynch is probably the most overvalued moviemaker in decades. Oh, yeah, it looks so cool and elitist to praise everything he does. But, let’s be honest, how many really good movies has he made? ‘Blue Velvet’? ‘The Elephant Man’? ‘Eraserhead’? All those – if we accept to consider them good movies… what is arguable – were made more than 20 years ago. So why there is a group of moviegoers and critics that still consider Lynch as a myth or a genius? With ‘The Manor’, Lynch proves again he does not know what to do even when he has a good material in his hands. But I am sure that there will still be so many people singing how modern and innovative the guy is.’
-Roy Winslow

‘It was a shame that moviegoers did not appreciated that jewel that was CMP’s ‘Little Tin Goddess’. And I’m partially glad that ‘The Manor’ has had at least a better box office turn out. Lynch – with the help of the peculiar screenplay written by Richard Franzwa – has stepped away again from mainstream stories. And, as usual, controversy around him is served. ‘The Manor’ is a brilliant exercise of suspense, perfectly shot, that does not look for a concrete climax but to disturb the audience introducing them in a dark and oppressive atmosphere perfectly created by Lynch. At the end of the movie, you feel scared and uncomfortable and you just don’t know why. Lynch does not offer answers but feelings. And he makes it brilliantly. This is not a movie for wide audiences but a delicatessen for sophisticated palates that can taste the intelligence of a different kind of movie.’
-Chris Burguess.

‘Watching ‘The Manor’, I remembered how much I loved ‘Twin Peaks’… until Lynch lost control of the story and it all became a senseless mess. Something similar happens with ‘The Manor’. Once again, Lynch sets up an appealing scenario: that mysterious married couple that are never seen talking to each other interacting with that even more mysterious couple of maids that speaks in tongues. And then what? Good stories need a good premise but also some kind of conclusion. ‘The Manor’ is a visually disturbing and interesting movie that takes nowhere. Fans of Lynch may find this so hypnotizing and look for all kind of interpretations of the story. I just found it irritating.’
-Tim Reeve


THE NAKED SUN

I guess I'm rather harsh towards sequels. Sometimes, movies just leave so much more to be told that they need more installments of a series, if they weren't split up, you'd have a 6-9 hour movie and nobody wants that.That is all not the case in The Naked Sun. I truly felt this was just as good, dare I even say better than the first. Visually stunning and that's not just about special effects, but the cast, script and direction was so compelling the film makers made it look easy! Intensity that will leave you gripping the arm of your seat and leaving you on the edge.
Great action show! It makes you forget many times that it's a sequel and it is able to stand on its own.
Rating: 8/10

CHANGE OF HEART

Aww, I missed the Collins ensemble drama...oh wait..this wasn't an original idea by him, it was written by Jodi Picoult, whom if you've read a few of her books like Change of Heart or My Sisters Keeper, has that same kind of point-of-view switching style that Collins enjoys. The film and book did somewhat remind me of 'The Green Mile' but it still manages to keep the viewer unaware of a similar concept already been done as it was able to ruffle a few feathers of religious groups.
It does deliver very well though in the acting (everyone was great in their parts it'll be hard to pick who deserves the GMA more), writing, directing. It may reduce you to tears, make you laugh (plenty of good jokes to help you get through the heartbreaking story) and Collins made sure he stuck to the book pretty well but there will always be naysayers who say the film isn't as good. But having read the book and seen the film, I can't compare, they're both great stories.
RATING: 8/10

THE MANOR

Very unique, but that's just the kind of director David Lynch is. Here is a mysterious ghost story that channels into those golden aged supernatural films that leaves you guessing til the end. A good balance of chills that don't come from pure gore horror or entities popping up in mirrors, but there's that creepy undertone that Lynch points out that he mastered in this film that you try to predict what's going to happen but just can't pinpoint it. If I had to point at another recent well known film to compare it with, I would say The Others, not that they're all that alike, but the mood is similar. Very well done!
RATING: 8/10