JANUARY, 30


METAL GEAR SOLID

Action / Espionage

The Cast: Eric Bana, Alicia Witt, Sean Bean, Cole Hauser, Eva Green, Alessandro Nivola, Brittany Murphy. Cameo by Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones.

The Director: John Woo
The Screenwriter: Dawson Edwards

The Plot: In February of 2005, during a training mission on Shadow Moses, a nuclear weapons facility on a remote island off the coast of Alaska, the Next-Generation Special Forces unit rebels against the United States government, led by the covert black ops team FOXHOUND. Their target is the advanced weapon system "Metal Gear REX", a giant bipedal tank with a railgun capable of hitting targets anywhere in the world with a nuclear warhead.

They have one demand: the body of the greatest soldier who ever lived, Big Boss (T.L.Jones). The Special Forces need the genes of Big Boss to rectify the genetic defects caused by their gene therapy, saving their lives and turning them into the ultimate soldiers.

The government cannot let this happen. At the request of the Secretary of Defense, Colonel Roy Campbell, the former commander of FOXHOUND, summons Solid Snake (E.Bana) out of retirement and sends him to infiltrate Shadow Moses in one last solo covert operation. His objectives are to find out if Foxhound have nuclear strike capability, and to recover the hostages, ArmsTech President and DARPA Chief.

Aiding him in his mission are Dr. Hal "Otacon" Emmerich (A.Nivola), the developer of this Metal Gear; Meryl Silverburgh (A.Witt), Col. Campbell's niece, but it won't be discovered until the end, she's his daughter, and a team of the top specialists in various fields who communicate with Snake via a two-way radio dubbed the Codec.

Opposing him are FOXHOUND's members, elite special forces operatives with mercenary backgrounds, led by Liquid Snake (S.Bean), the man with the same codename and face as Solid Snake. Complicating this struggle is the fact that a mysterious virus is killing people around Solid Snake, seemingly at random.

During his mission, Snake encounters a cyborg ninja, who is his former Foxhound member Gray Fox (C.Hauser), who was thought to be dead for six years. After being tricked into activating REX, Snake is confronted by Liquid, who reveals that they are twins. Each of them is a genetically-manipulated clone of the 20th century's greatest soldier, Big Boss, both of them were created as part of a secret genetic manipulation( Enfant Terrible).

Liquid hates Snake, as he believes that Snake was given all of Big Boss's dominant traits, while Liquid was given the recessive traits. So, in turn he believes Solid Snake is the superior clone. This hatred drives Liquid to try to destroy Snake, to prove the opposite. Liquid also tells Snake the real reason for his mission. Snake is there to spread the "Foxdie" virus to kill key individuals at Shadow Moses: the Armstech President, Foxhound's members and the DARPA Chief; so that the Pentagon can recover Metal Gear REX intact.

Foxdie was injected into Snake during briefing by Dr. Naomi Hunter (E.Green). It kills quickly, appearing to the observer as a heart attack. Naomi also secretly programs Foxdie to kill Snake at a random time. She does this for revenge; in her words, "You killed my benefactor and sent my brother home a cripple." Her benefactor was Big Boss and the cripple is Gray Fox, who she thought of as a brother. She never knew the truth, that Gray Fox killed her parents.

Liquid uses the REX to try and kill Solid but fails and then they fight on top of the now damaged REX in a fist fight. Eventually Liquid pins Snake down ready to shoot to kill, but is then killed by the Foxdie. Snake and Meryl escape the facility.

After the credits, we see a conversation between Revolver Ocelot (G.Oldman) and a mysterious character. It is revealed that Solid Snake is the inferior one. Revolver Ocelot retains the Metal Gear REX data disc and plans to sell it on the black market.

The mysterious character is ultimately revealed to be Solidus, the third "Enfant Terrible" and also the President of the United States, George Sears.


Stark’s Comment: Pure action in the best John Woo’s tradition. A popcorn show to enjoy. One of those movies that only looks for entertainment. It has it all to make a more than nice box office.

THE SONJA BLUE CHRONICLES

Action / Horror

The Cast: Selma Blair, Gary Sinise, Helena Bonham-Carter, Steve Buscemi, Michael Clarke Duncan

The Director: David Cronenberg
The Screenwriter: Richard Franzwa

The Plot: After spending the night partying in a New York club, Sonja Blue (Selma Blair) agrees to accompany a wealthy man (Gary Sinise) to his Manhattan condo, but once in his limo he shows his true colors. He is a vampire who violently rapes her before drinking her blood and leaving her for dead by the side of the highway.

Except she doesn’t die, instead she slips into a coma. When she awakes four years later, she discovers that when she was nearly dead, a demon spirit (Helena Bonham Carter) entered her body anticipating she would return to life as a vampire. After fighting the demon to a draw in a psychic battle, the demon spirit provides her some handy powers as well as much needed information. Including the name of the man who raped her.

Sonja learns that the spirit world is much closer than humans think, in fact it exist along side humanity, but humans cannot see it, although a few unlikely people stumble into it. In the midst of every major city undead including vampires and their zombies slaves vie for control of humanity against werewolves, goblins, and major and minor demons of all types.

Sonja sets out for revenge against the man who put her in a coma and follows the advice of her demon and tries to ally herself with a major demon named D’Amato (Michael Clarke Duncan) who demands she kill a troubling goblin lord (Steve Buscemi) Sonja agrees and infiltrates the goblins base battling her way through numerous guards and facing off against the goblin master. During the fierce battle Sonja reluctantly allows her demon to take control. Nearing death Sonja defeats the goblin, collapses from blood lose and loses consciousness.

When she wakes she finds a Seraphim, one of Gods angels standing over her, it heals her before leaving her to her quest for vengeance.


Stark’s Comment: A more than interesting release. This is something more than just a vampires story. And David Cronenberg is such a creative guy that always surprises. The kind of movie I would pay to watch… even if I wasn’t the head of the Studio producing it. By the way, a danger for box office to be pointed out: the movie has been rated ‘R’ due to its graphic nudity and violence.

THE EXPERIENCE

Biography / Musical

The Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Casey Affleck, Kerry Washington, Chris Tucker, Craig Robinson.

The Director: Todd Haynes
The Screenwriter: Josh Collins

The Plot: This film details the short life of one of the best, most innovative guitarists to ever grace the stage. Jimmy (birth-name: Johnny Allen) and his brother were raised by their father, abandoned by their mother. Despite her leaving, Jimmy (C.Ejiofor) considers her his muse. He learned how to play guitar as a teenager and played in a number of bands before enlisting in the army for four years before being discharged due to an injury. Even while serving as a soldier, Hendrix found time for music by starting a band called 'The King Casuals'.

After his military stint, he pursued his passion in music, working as a session musician and playing backup for legends such as Little Richard and Sam Cooke. While playing small-time gigs with his then band, James and the Blue Flames, he met a man who would help put Jimmy on the map, Chas Chandler (C.Affleck) who convinced him to go to London where he would soon put together the band, 'The Jimmy Hendrix Experience' and their first single, 'Hey Joe' would soon become a smash hit in Britain.

Hendrix would soon delight audiences with his outrageous guitar playing skills, and his experimental sound. He won over the American audience after an act at the Monterey International Pop Festival which ended with Hendrix lighting his guitar on fire. The Experience would split in 1969, the same year Jimmy would go on to play Woodstock where he played the National Anthem on his guitar.

Hendrix tried his luck with another group, forming Band of Gypsys in late 1969 with his army buddy Billy Cox (C.Tucker) and drummer Buddy Miles (C.Robinson). The band never really took off, and Hendrix became working on new album tentatively named First Rays of the New Rising Sun, with Cox and Mitch Mitchell from the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Unfortunately Hendrix did not live to complete the project.

Hendrix has also had an assortment of girlfriends in his life as well. As far as love interest is concerned, the film mostly focuses on Devon Wilson (K.Washington), who was the closest one to be known as a real girlfriend by Jimmy.

Hendrix died on September 18, 1970, from drug-related complications. While this talented recording artist was only 27 at the time of his passing, Hendrix left his mark on the world of rock music and remains popular to this day.


Stark’s Comment: The uncertain release of the week. Will the new generations of moviegoers – and music fans – be interested in a Jimi Hendrix’s biopic? The answer, next Tuesday. I am. But I am not enough to make the movie work in box office. For those interested, as a Hendrix’s song says – and also the movie poster’s tagline-: you’ll probably scream and cry.


WILD CARDS: BATTLE OF THE ROX: Here it is. The announced last installment of the longest CMP’s saga. Seventh movie of the cult franchise. This time, Kubrick and Stark – the two authors involved in the saga – have co-written the story, said to be a sequel to both ‘WC: Double Solitaire’ and ‘Crhysalis: Pennies From Hell’ and presented as the most epic episode of the franchise. Zach Snyder (‘Preacher’) is the director chosen this time. And characters from all the previous movies will return. Among them, John Travolta is back to the franchise playing again the walrus-looking alien Jube he already played in ‘WC: Ace In The Hole’. Also, the character of Dr. Taychon returns. But with a major change. It won’t be played by Kenneth Branagh as usual. Dr. Taychon will suffer in this movie a change of sex and he becomes she with the look of Cate Blanchett (‘The Bridge’, ‘He-Man’, ‘One Man’s Hell’). More surprises to come.

TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED: The cast keeps growing. Three more names to add, all of them making his first work in a CMP’s movie: Stephen Fry, Tim Curry and Franka Potente.

AFTER THE STORM: He wanted her very much back to CMP after winning the Best Actress GMA for ‘Lyra’. So Josh Collins has rapidly call her to join the cast of his new movie as director. Jena Malone will be Bacon and Sedgwick's oldest daughter. Also in the movie, two talents previously seen this very same Season: Josh Hutcherson, who starred the mega-hit ‘The Land Of Nod’; and Tim Robbins, who played the villain in ‘Silver Sable’.

WOODLAND CREATURES: Green light for a most peculiar family comedy written by Josh Collins to be released in Season 10. The story of a bunch of animals living in a forest… but NOT an animated movie! Instead of that, the movie will poke fun at the traditional animated films featuring animals. The live action cast will actually dressed up the creatures costume. And leading that cast will be no other than Ben Stiller, whose two latest movies for the Studio - ‘The Shrinking Man’ and ‘The Lollipop Man’ - made more than 100 millions in box office each.

NICK FURY: The spin off of The Avengers franchise, directed by Jonathan Mostow and starred by Kurt Russell, will show two familiar faces for CMP: Eva Longoria, previously seen in the Studio in the comedies ‘Casual Day’ and ‘Crooks’, and Michelle Rodriguez, already seen this Season as a very bad girl in ‘Reform School Girls’.

UGLY: Amy Adams, who has played supporting roles in ‘Babes In Toyland’ and ‘Paternal Nightmare’, will also play a supporting character here as the girlfriend that welcomes Brad Pitt when he returns home from war transformed in a completely different man.

FALLEN KINGS: A quality action thriller written by Dawson Edwards to be released in Season 10. Denzel Washington (‘Dark’, ‘American Heartland’, ‘The Towering Inferno’) and Halle Berry, last time seen in ‘Civilization M’, were lovers in CMP’s ‘Dark’. Now, they will be husband and wife in this one being directed by an old friend of both, GMA Nominee Spike Lee (‘Dream Of A King’).

THE FANTASTIC MANSION: Dennis Quaid (‘Fear The Darkness’, ‘The Towering Inferno’) plays an evil sorcerer in this Alfonso Cuaron’s family movie. And Jennifer Garner, returning after ‘Preacher’, will be lending her voice to a friendly unicorn.

SISTERS: Let’s go on with the cast of CMP's debutantes to be seen in this slasher: Jason Ritter, Liam Rhodes and Billy Aaron Brown. Also in the movie, the non-debutante Justin Long, who starred for CMP the comedy ‘Super Bowl’.

FALLOUT 2: Hugh Jackman will lead again the cast of the sequel. The rest of the cast is not confirmed yet. Rumours say that there are still negotiations going on to have Robert Downey Jr. back. The difficulty to cast him is due to agenda problems, as he is supposed to be starting soon the shooting of ‘The Avengers 3’.


RICHARD FRANZWA
By Anne Roman

It has been a while since the last time a CMP’s author was interviewed. During the last few Seasons, a new generation of screenwriters have joined the Studio and it is time to know something more about some of them. I have chosen Richard Franzwa to talk with. Franzwa has been building a solid screenwriting career step by step proving he can work in all kind of genres from drama (‘A Standing Eight’, ‘When Dreams Die’) and mystery (‘The Manor’) to sci-fi (‘Fallout’) or comedy (‘Bond Scum’). Still waiting for his big hit, Franzwa is a solid writer whose reputation keeps growing with each new story he develops. This week, CMP releases his third work of the Season, the gothic vampire story ‘The Sonja Blue Chronicles’. Reason enough to know a little bit more about him.

A.R.: First of all, let's talk about your upcoming release, 'The Sonja Blue Chronicles'... What interested you from the original books to make this adaptation?

R.F.:The original novels were like nothing I had read before. The way Nancy A. Collins mixed classic horror concepts while posing deep philosophical and spiritual questions was fantastic. It was a completely different view of the vampire myth.

A.R.:It seems like it's been difficult to choose who would play Sonja. Why was Selma Blair finally chosen?

R.F.:I liked the way she played Liz Sherman, the girlfriend of Hellboy in Guillermo del Toro’s underrated movies. I left those movies wishing she had more to do in them. But to be honest, she wasn’t my first choice to play the part. Keira Knightley, Natalie Portman, and Claire Danes were all offered the part but turned it down. Nothing against Selma, but Keira, Natalie and Claire have a much bigger audience with CMP readers and I feel would have been bigger draws.

A.R.:Looking back at your previous pitches, it looks like you started as a drama author with movies like When Dreams Die and A Standing Eight. But then you have tried with mystery, parody and even a console game adaptation. What genre do you feel more comfortable working in?

R.F.:I really don’t have a preferred genre. If an idea crosses my mind that I think has potential I’ll work on a script. The problem I run into while writing is being able to add color to my sometimes rather sketchy plot outlines.

A.R.:'Fallout 2' is coming up soon. Did you feel disappointed with the box office breakdown of the first movie?

R.F.:The first Fallout was based on one of the first quests the Vault Dweller receives in the console game, but it didn’t contain much that was uniquely Fallout. No Super Mutants, no Death Claws, no Ghouls, no Radscorpions. It was a very small movie with little special effects. What it did very well was portray the post apocalyptic world of the game. I have no problem with the budget it received or the marketing that was done to support it.

A.R.:You still don't have a major blockbuster in your career. Do you care more about box office or critics?

R.F.: I haven’t really had a big hit with the critics either (laughs). I don’t know the exact numbers but I’m guessing my movies average 25 - 30 million in box office and they have all made money to one degree or another. The biggest problem critics have with my movies is that they tend to have weak casts. None of them have had high powered stars in lead or supporting roles and may have done better at the box office if more attention had been paid to the actors.

A.R.: You are one of the very few CMP's authors still free of the 'superheroes fever'. How do you feel about all this comic adaptations?

R.F.: I can’t get enough of them. The Avengers, the Wild Cards series, Captain America, were all wonderful movies. With new entries like Silver Sable, Bullet Witch and Preacher I’m looking forward to many great sequels in the future.

A.R.:Having been the head of a Movie Studio like F.A.R. Point Films, how do you feel working now for CMP?

R.F.:F.A.R. Point Films was fun while it lasted, but I am much happier just submitting scripts. I don’t know how many people realize the amount of work Harry Stark does every week to keep CMP running. I didn’t either until I tried running my own studio. I found out quickly that it’s much more than I had guessed.

A.R.:Do you care about winning a GMA?

R.F.: It would be nice, but frankly, nothing I’ve written has been deserving of an award. Haley Joel Osment was nominated for When Dreams Die and The Manor picked up nominations for Best Couple and Best Cast. But nothing has won any hardware. I’m not the best writer working for CMP but my movies do well enough to warrant more.

A.R.:Which are your favourite CMP's movies, besides yours?

R.F.: I thought The Heirs trilogy was genius, the adventures of Dr. Jones are great, and the movies of David Mamet, Marcus Trax and Johnny Depp are classic.

A.R.:Can you tell us what pitches can we expect from you in the future?

R.F.:Besides Fallout 2 and a hopeful follow up to Sonja Blue, I’m working on a dark comedy called The Awful Truth about a woman who learns more than she wanted to while trying to find out who her husband is having an affair with. I’ve also be kicking around bringing the old Chose Your Own Adventures to the screen but I’m working out how exactly to do it. So I’ll be around for a while longer.


ERIC BANA

Bana has become lately the official CMP’s action hero. Any CMP’s writer developing an action flick seems to have Bana in mind to star it. And that is allowing him to build up a career full of blockbusters turning him one of the most profitable stars for the Studio. He releases this week another big action show, ‘Metal Gear Solid’, his second work with director John Woo, and we take a look at his works in CMP.

CMP’s FILMOGRAPHY

THE AVENGER (Season 2, John Woo / Matt Kubrick, B.O.: 56 mill.): Nothing to do with ‘The Avengers’ movies. Bana made his debut in CMP playing a vindictive preacher riding his Harley Davidson and making justice in his very own peculiar way. Pure John Woo’s peculiar filming style.

THE LIBRARY (Season 4, Anthony Minghella / Marcus Trax, B.O.: 3 mill.): A major flop. An epic historical story in the Roman times starred by Anthony Hopkins that did not connect at all with audiences. Bana was the bad guy of the story and the movie joined the list of top box office’s disasters.

PAPERBACK STORY (Season 4, Woody Allen / James Bradley, B.O.: 59 mill.): Bana’s career resurrected with this comedy about crossed relationships. Bana and his father, played by Sean Connery, shared lovers like Scarlett Johansson and Susan Sarandon. The movie was very profitable for the Studio and Bana got his first and only nomination for a GMA as Best Supporting Actor.

PLANETSIDE (Season 5, James Cameron / Marcus Trax, B.O.: 93 mill.): Bana’s career as action hero was definitely launched with this space opera from Cameron. Although not as successful as expected as expectations were high in the sky, the movie made a great box office.

BULLET WITCH (Season 8, McG / David Makalaster, B.O.: 95 mill.): An action festival with Bana co-starring together with Hillary Swank. Again, he stayed a few millions away of his first ‘100’. But this action flick put Bana on top of the regular candidates to play any kind of action hero in CMP.

CIVILIZATION M (Season 8, Roland Emmerich / Josh Collins, B.O.: 150 mill.): It finally came. First ‘100’ for Bana with this story about human looking aliens trying to survive to the attack of alien looking humans. A blockbuster formula for the new king of CMP’s blockbusters, Mr. Bana.

THE THINKING MAN (Season 8, David Mamet / Marcus Trax, B.O.: 56 mill.): A rest for the hero. Bana joined the Mamet / Trax / Depp factory accepting to play a minor role in this dramedy. An investment in acting prestige for Bana. Critics had the chance to remember he can also be a solid actor and not just the man shooting the gun. Bana became the most active talent in Season 8 with three movies released and had the honour to be invited to present, together with Julia Roberts, that Season’s GMA Nominations.

METAL GEAR SOLID (Season 9, John Woo / Dawson Edwards, awaiting release):… and back to action. Bana and Woo meet again in another big action show. Bana’s adrenaline rise again in this console game adaptation expected to be the usual exhausting action wildness of all Woo’s movies. His risk of being typecast keeps growing.


Both will be seen in this week’s releases making their debut in CMP. Selma Blair stars ‘The Sonja Blue Chronicles’. Alicia Witt gets into action with ‘Metal Gear Solid’. And both have posed together in a classy – and more than sexy! - photo session for GQ Magazine. Here is a more than suggestive picture from that session.



I am still trying to recover from the shock I suffered reading past week Charlie Kiggs’ article about adaptations and original ideas. So adapting previous existing material is less creative than working on original one, ah, Mr. Kiggs? Oh, yeah, of course. Not mentioning that probably something like an 80 % or so of all movies past and present are adaptations from previous existing material, movies like ‘Gone With The Wind’, ‘The Godfather’, ‘Blade Runner’ or ‘Out Of Africa’ – just to mention some cinematic master pieces that come to my mind - are not creative at all according to Mr. Kiggs. Oh, please… This is what happens with some of my colleagues. You let them write what they want and they come out with the wildest premises just pretending to look intelligent. You know what I do with your article, dear Charlie? Just guess.

The good thing about some CMP’s authors is that they are so unpredictable and mysterious. I have been writing during all this Season about the retirement of John Daws. And now what? No, Daws has not retired. He was just working hard on his new projects. And that makes me look as ignorant as Mr. Kiggs writing once and again he was gone. For what I’ve recently known, Daws will return to CMP with a hyper-mega-project in the epic historical line of ‘1066’. And that’s all I know. I hope Harry Stark learns soon how to make historical epic movies work in box office before it’s released. Welcome back, Mr. Daws! The loyal fans of Hitman – like me – salute you!

And we also have to say something about another surprising return. I am talking about Mr. Ted Froats, of course. The awarded creator of acclaimed musicals like ‘Carousel’ or ‘Only In America’ and prestigious dramas like ‘Saving Samantha Moss’ or ‘Flashes Of Life’ is back from his mission in Iraq and ready to come back to the industry. And we congratulate so much for both things. Shall we finally have the chance to watch the conclusion of the Cell Mates’ story?

And let’s go with another return. Darkman will be back. The legendary character created by Matt Kubrick will come alive once more in a fifth movie of the ‘Fear The Darkness’ saga. The storyline is kept in secret. But there are no secrets for me. I have been told that this fifth installment will be completely different from all the previous Darkman’s movies. In fact, people from CMP tell me that it will be different from anything seen before coming from the Studio. ‘It is so innovative and daring that audiences will be shocked’, tells me an enthusiastic CMP’s executive. Should we believe him? Well, we will still have to wait a while to see what has created the twisted mind of Mr. Kubrick for his most famous character.

Steve Connors loves to announce projects that never come true. I remember myself writing a few weeks ago about a possible adaptation (and yes, I love adaptations) of Vampirella for the silver screen. It was even announced that Megan Fox would star it. Well, guys, forget about it. Connors has changed his plans again. No Vampirella from him. He is more worried in resurrecting Ultraman (yeah, I know, unbelievable but true).

Wanna know what’s going on in the pre-production of ‘The Avengers 3’? Be patient, my friends, be patient… You’ll know it all at the right time if you keep reading The Inner Circle (and I keep being paid for writing it).