JULY, 21

HUMAN AXIS

Sci-Fi / Drama
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Jennifer Connelly, Joseph Fiennes. Voices of Donald Sutherland, Rebecca Romijn
Director: Christopher Nolan
Screenwriter: David Makalaster

Box Office: 124 mill.
Net Gains: 104 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: Making more than 100 millions in box office may seem as something easy, as many CMP’s releases are making it lately. But the truth is that it is not that easy at all. So I am particularly happy that this movie has made it. And I am also surprised. It’s good to know that audiences are interested in something more than just superheroes flicks.

PREACHER: ALL AMERICAN FAMILY

Action
Cast: James Marsden, Jennifer Garner, Josh Hartnett, Merryl Streep, Ray Winstone, Brad Dourif, Yaphet Kotto. Voice of Ron Perlman.
Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Screenwriter: Matt Kubrick

Box Office: 55 mill.
Net Gains: 26 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: Box office confirms that this saga’s movies are not oriented to wide audiences but to ‘fans only’. I’m ok with that. The Preacher movies are a different and alternative kind of movies to be appreciated for moviegoers that look for something rare and different from Hollywood’s mainstream.

UNITED I STAND

Drama
Cast: Ivana Baquero, Adriana Barraza, Antonio Banderas, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Luis Guzman, Gael Garcia Bernal
Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu
Producer: Grand Island Movies
Screenwriter: Josh Collins

Box Office: 31 mill.
Net Gains: 0.4 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: Saved by the bell from net losses. I knew this one wasn’t meant to be a blockbuster. But I needed some drama after so many action productions so I thank Collins for keeping the genre alive.

HUMAN AXIS

‘Here is one of the most interesting, better written and best directed movies of the Season. ‘Human Axis’ follows the trace of other adult sci-fi proposals like ‘Monolith’, also directed by Nolan, or the Robots saga based on Asimov’s novels. This is not a movie based on special effects or action but on dialogues and human intimate conflicts. But, at the end, it is much more interesting, engrossing and intriguing than the usual flashy action show. Called to become a classic of the sci-fi genre.’
-Charlie Kiggs

‘Brilliant. Makalaster has written a solid screenplay and Nolan has printed a perfect pace in it. But the best of all are the great acting works from the starring trio. McGregor, Connelly and Fiennes have perfectly understood their characters and given them all the shades they needed. You can understand the three of them and why they react the way they do. It is their wonderful work what holds up the whole show.’
-Roy Winslow

‘Just when I thought that CMP had lost its original course, which was a bet for originality and creativity, getting lost in all those repetitive superhero movies and freak violent shows, here is a risky bet that has proved that audiences are capable to recognize quality when it is offered to them. ‘Human Axis’ has made me believe that there is still hope for CMP beyond making easy profits with easy movies.’
-Anne Roman

PREACHER: ALL AMERICAN FAMILY

‘Do you like strange dysfunctional characters? Do you believe the strangest situations can be believable? Do you enjoy excessive and gratuitous violence? Then, this is your movie. Guillermo Del Toro has lost control of the peculiar characters created by Zach Snyder in the original movie with the help of a flimsy Kubrick’s screenplay. What was dark and disturbing in the first movie has now become excessive and unwarranted in this one. A shame.’
-Jackie O’Callaghan

‘Merryl Streep can do anything she wants at this point of her career. I was surprised when I read she was going to play the villain of this story. But I understand it now. She must have enjoyed playing that excessive grandma with those strange clothes and all the make up and so, probably one of the funniest and wildest villains ever seen in a CMP’s movie. At the end, she is the most interesting thing of this production. The rest of it is only enjoyable for the fans of the comic. The rest of the audience will have it hard to find any interest in this production.’
-Tim Reeve

‘Watch this movie only if you are familiar – and you like – the comic series it is based in. If not, it will be very hard for you to find any appeal in it. Del Toro, a creative and visionary director, will still have to wait to make the movie he deserves in CMP after the failed attempt of ‘Wild Cards: Double Solitaire’ – probably the weakest movie of the Wild Cards saga – and this one. He can do better than both so his chance is still to come in CMP.’
-Andrew Morrow

UNITED I STAND

‘This movie has a cultural problem. Spanish from Spain (Europe) are not Puerto Ricans or Cubans. I mean, their way of living, their uses, their lifestyle, their look and their cultural background are not the same. And this movie pictures this Spanish family as if they were from some South American country and not from Europe falling in some obvious mistakes. This movie made me remember at some moments an old 1995’s production with Marisa Tomei, ‘The Perez Family’, a picture of a latin immigrants family. Culturally, that has nothing to do with a Spanish family. I am surprised stars from Spain like Banderas, Bardem or Cruz did not make notice Iñarritu that’.
-Juan Gomez

‘Iñarritu has chosen a low profile release for his debut in CMP. And it is debatable if he has made the right choice. ‘United I Stand’ stays in a nowhere land between a deep drama and a comfortable dramedy without finding the tone for the story and that ends up confusing the audiences. You just don’t know if you are expected to cry, feel empathy or even laugh with the characters. There’s nothing extremely wrong or bad in this movie but there’s not anything particularly good or interesting in it neither.’
-Amy Ratched

‘The cast of this ordinary-life-drama has tried their best to find something interesting in a bunch of stereotyped characters – the Spaniard pregnant girl, the nice grandmother, the two misfit brothers… It is particularly hard to believe Luis Guzman (51) as Penelope’s (34) boyfriend and it is a shame that the talent of Gael Garcia Bernal, recently shown in CMP’s ‘Stanley & Livingstone’, has been wasted in an undefined minor character. Only GMA Winner Ivana Baquero proves again she has plenty of screen presence no matter her age and saves the show with her undisputable talent.’
-Lilly Stevens


The Summer Blockbuster tradition is continuing this week with a Nolan-directed Science Fiction Drama, Human Axis. Matt Kubrick returns with his sequel to the hit comic book series, Preacher. Collins returns to his familiar safe drama genre in United I Stand.

HUMAN AXIS

CRITIQUE: Makalaster's return to science fiction proves to be a good bet. Though I probably would have chosen a better title, Human Axis is a smart popcorn flick, looking beyond the special effects and focusing more on characterizations and plot. The effects are just the icing. It was entertaining with the strong power to make us think. Makalaster did it again after his brilliant 'Devil Trigger' and we can forgive him this week for reminding us that he wrote Hawkeye.
ACTING/CAST: B+
DIRECTION: A
WRITING: A
PRODUCTION VALUES: A+
CONCEPT/PLOT: A
REWATCH VALUE: A+
OVERALL: A+

PREACHER: ALL AMERICAN FAMILY

CRITIQUE: I have been looking forward to this production since the first installment, which I enjoyed. Preacher: All American Family was no exception and I felt it was more than just trying to milk money, but instead offer a continuation of the series. There is a difference, surprisingly! Preacher is the perfect selection to feed your hunger for action. The only film that can ever please you...is a Preacher, man! Ok, I tried referencing Dusty Springfield. Don't not see the movie because of my butchering of the classic song!
ACTING/CAST: A-
DIRECTION: A
WRITING: A
PRODUCTION VALUES: A+
CONCEPT/PLOT: B+
REWATCH VALUE: A+
OVERALL: A+

UNITED I STAND

CRITIQUE: This poor film doesn't stand a chance against this week's releases. A shame, because this little movie is a sure-to-pleaser. It's not going to make you weep throughout the entire film, it's not pretentious or larger than life. It's an honest look at American Life these days seen through the eyes of this lonesome grieving teen foreign girl, Ivana Baquero, who proves yet again she has the acting chops. She is the one to look for and gives us an idea of a what a leading role should be. Collins returns with his usual dysfunctional family. Adriana shines as the grandmother torn into many pieces of her family. A correct drama that won't waste your time if you can't make it to the other releases of the week.
ACTING/CAST: A
DIRECTION: A+ welcome to CMP, Iñarritu
WRITING: B+
PRODUCTION VALUES: A such beautiful shots and editing!
CONCEPT/PLOT: B
REWATCH VALUE: B not depressing enough to not want to watch again, not boring to never want to see again. But it's not an action-adventure-comedy that you just can't get enough of.
OVERALL: A

MR. THUMBS' CERTIFIED PICK OF THE WEEK

I rarely say this in this section, but I can't chose this week. I liked all the films this week, so...

SEE THEM ALL