MAY, 11
WW3
Action / Apocalyptic
Cast: Harrison Ford, Rafi Gavron, Ambert Heard, Alexander Skarsgard, Ryan Kwanten, Cam Gigander, Lou Taylor Pucci, Sara Paxton, Alex Pettyfer, Diora Baird
Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Screenwriter: Chad Taylor
Box Office: 58 mill.
Net Gains: 85 mill.
Stark’s Reaction:
Not a too impressive box office. But, after all, it was not the typical action flick but a more artsy and adult oriented kind of action movie. So, all in all, let’s consider these numbers satisfactory enough.
F-ZERO
Animation / Action
Cast: Josh Hartnett, Famke Janssen, John Malkovich, Terrence Howard, Forest Whitaker
Director: Karyn Kusama
Screenwriter: Dawson Edwards
Box Office: 108 mill.
Net Gains: 135 mill.
Stark’s Reaction:
I knew this one was going to work! An spectacular animation show for all ages. A very promising birth of a new CMP’s franchise.
SUICIDE SQUAD
Action / Adventure
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Woody Harrelson, Jason Statham, Jean Claude Van Damme, Freddy Rodriguez, Kurt Russell, Tania Raymonde, Adewale Akinnuoye, Dash Mihok, Olivia Thirlby
Director: Uwe Boll
Screenwriter: Matt Kubrick
Box Office: 33 mill.
Net Gains: 3 mill.
Stark’s Reaction:
I am usually a serious guy but I can’t help it... I love it when Matt gets out of control and let himself go with these ultra-violent B-series shows. The Studio did take some risks with this movie: we didn’t spend too much on marketing – after all it was a R rated film – and the budget of the movie was pretty low. And I think it was well done for this kind of movie. We knew it was not going to be a blockbuster but at least we made net gains. In conclusion, it has been a more than nice week to finish the 12th Season!
WW3
‘Bad news for those who like to have all the answers when watching a movie. ‘WW3’ is one of those stories that put up a complex, disturbing and intriguing situation and then it does not care about answering all the questions in it. If you are one of those moviegoers that needs to know the ‘because’ of each and every ‘why’ in a story, then this is not your kind of movie. The plot of ‘WW3’ has a lot of weak points and holes but, probably, Chad Taylor was fully conscious of that and didn’t worry about it. You have to take this story for what it is: an intriguing and disturbing story that will entertain you without caring about consistency or coherence. In that sense, no matter the big differences, I couldn’t help thinking all the time about the ‘Lost’ tv series while watching this movie.’
-Charlie Kiggs
‘Ford cannot keep playing the action heroes he has built his career upon. Time passes... But, still, he keeps this attractive screen presence of big stars – I see him becoming a kind of ‘Sean
Connery type’ of mature star in the coming years – that allows him to carry upon his shoulders all the weight of a big movie production like this. Without Ford, considering the weakness of the rest of the cast, this production would not have worked the way it does. So it doesn’t matter if you are not believable anymore as Indy, Harrison, we keep loving you!’
-Amy Ratched
‘Nice debut in mainstream Hollywood of the talented Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. Fresnadillo – a specialist in short-length movies, also responsible of ’28 days later’ – is a visionary moviemaker with a powerful directional style. Maybe, he has been a bit content here. Probably, that’s due to the pressure of being ahead of a top budget Hollywood production for the first time. He is wilder, more daring and usually takes bigger creative risks than what he has here. But still, ‘WW3’ is an interesting beginning for what can be a successful Hollywood’s career for a movie director that will break some rules for sure once he feels secure in the industry’.
-Tim Reeve
F-ZERO
‘Karyn Kusama? I was surprised when I saw her name attached to this project. ‘Jennifer’s Body’ is one of the worst films I’ve seen in a very long time. So I feared the worst... And now I must say I’ve been gladly surprised. ‘F-Zero’ is an awesome animation movie far away from the usual ‘funny animals’ animated flicks (yes, all those movies ‘Woodland Creatures’ laughed at). The movie is not conceived exclusively for the youngest moviegoers but for all fans of action. It has a vertiginous pace and races sequences are shot and edited in the most creative way turning the movie into a unique visual experience. Kusama hasn’t made just an animation movie: she has made a top budget action show (incidentally, animated) that will please not only kids but all fans of action adventures.’
-Jake Cobb
‘I had to watch – only because it’s my job – ‘Fast and Furious’ and ‘Speed Racer’. And now I had to watch – only because it’s my job too – this ‘F-Zero’. What can I say? Maybe I should look for
another job. I cannot find anything interested in a movie like this. Yes, from a technical point of view, it’s superbly done and some sequences are even more realistic than some live action movies. But nowadays technical perfection is the less you can demand from the movie industry. I presume Nintendo junkies will love this big screen adaptation. I just can’t get into it.’
-Jackie O’Callaghan
‘Strongly influenced by anime, ‘F-Zero tries to be a step forward in contemporary animation. Thanks God, Edwards and Kusama didn’t go for 3D. ‘F-Zero’ is a sophisticatedly designed animated feature that takes the best of an editing, some camera angles and a general production design very different from the childish perspective always adopted by Pixar, Disney or Dreamworks Animation. It’s innovative but not absolutely revolutionary. At some points, it made me remember the old ‘Robotech’ movies also produced by CMP during its first Seasons. They were not as well made in terms of technical quality but they had a charm that I have missed in this one.’
-Chris Burgess
SUICIDE SQUAD
‘Uwe Boll is not Michael Bay. And he doesn’t pretend it to be neither. He makes ‘gross outline’ action movies. No cheesy sunsets, no endless slow motion, no Ben Affleck with a shining smile... It’s all about extreme gratuitous violence, blood splashed on screen, mutilated extremities, characters with flat personalities... and a lot of wild fun. It’s a take it or leave it thing. He makes a kind of movies waiting for you to shout and clap on your seat when the hero kills another dozen of villains in the most violent way. And ‘Suicide Squad’ is just another Boll’s movie. It simply is what it is.’
-Vic Carter
‘Matt Kubrick has always enjoyed trying to impress us with violent shows. Sometimes, he reaches a peculiar, hypnotizing and disturbing quality, like in ‘Damnation Road’. Some others, they are just
uncontrolled wild features, like ‘Reform School Girls’. ‘Suicide Squad’ is closer to this second category. But still, it is so much fun if you accept what the movie proposes: a non-stop action show beyond realism where everything is possible and nothing has to be taken too seriously. This is not about quality – you have ‘The Dark Tower’ or ‘Legends Of The West’ for that – but only about having fun.’
-Anne Roman
‘I love the casting of this movie. It’s great to see my most hated 80’s action hero – Jean-Claude Van Damme, the poor relative of old Sly and Arnold – together with a wannabe-considered-a-serious-actor like Mark Wahlberg or the always refreshing and excessive Woody Harrelson. It’s a cast as crazy as the whole movie is. All in all, I will dare to say that ‘Suicide Squad’ is probably the best movie from Uwe Boll, which is not saying much. Not a date movie but a movie to watch with your best friend remembering the good old days when you two were a couple of brainless nerds at high school that used to watch (and love) together ‘Commando’ or ‘Cobra’.’
-Roy Winslow
WW3
OPENING STATEMENT: Here's a relatively innovative idea that I'm glad for Chad Taylor to think up. A post-apocalyptic film. Sure, seems like we've seen them all in the Hollywood universe, but in CMP the only apocalypse we've seen are the zombie ones. A well paced edge-of-the-seat action show that yet again fits well with the summer season mold.
BEST OF IT: Definitely those moments in the film that will leave you breathless with the action. A film made for those looking for a fun night out to be entertained.
WORST OF IT: Come for the action, but don't expect so much in terms of characters and plot, which is a tad formulaic at times. Some of the dialogue falls on the contrived line as well.
SHINING STAR/DEAD WEIGHT: Even if he's an old man who might seem to be holding back at times, I found Harrison Ford to be the shining star of this film. The rest of the cast are watchable; not necessarily dead weight but not spectacular either.
THE BRAINS BEHIND: See the film for Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's wonderful direction. He created a great vision of a post-apocalyptic world and had some great cinematography. Chad's writing was not too bad, though some of the dialogue made me laugh at times when I shouldn't have been laughing.
IN CONCLUSION: B be prepared for an entertaining action show!
F-ZERO
OPENING STATEMENT: Another film looking to take the crown of being the big action film of this week, F-Zero is, in my opinion, better than the awful Speed Racer film which came out a couple of years ago. It too delivers on spectacular entertaining moments and for those who are into the art direction in films, definitely something that wets the whistles of those buffs.
BEST OF IT: The races are exciting to watch, the film is full of great action and stunts. You are also left to forget that it's an animated film and I like that Dawson kept the film from making parents assume that just because it's animated that it's for kids.
WORST OF IT: Something many game-to-film adaptations don't put a whole lot into character development. F-Zero doesn't stray too far from that cliche.
SHINING STAR/DEAD WEIGHT: The stars of the films were really the animated characters, the actors just provided the voices. Many actors don't put much effort into the character voices, and you can tell who is who in F-Zero. There are so many truly professional voice artists who only get cartoon-video game gigs and they have better talent disguising their voices in the characters they portray. Having said that, no star in F-Zero was better at doing the voice than another.
THE BRAINS BEHIND: You may need to look twice at the director credit, but you're not dreaming: a woman directed a game adaptation. Not only that, but she did a pretty kick ass job considering her credits prior to F-Zero were huge film disasters. As for Dawson, I think we might have someone to contend with Collins for animation king, though Dawson successfully made F-Zero oriented to the teenage and up crowd.
IN CONCLUSION: B+ Racing is a huge thing, thanks to NASCAR, so put your pedal to the metal to go see this great movie.
SUICIDE SQUAD
OPENING STATEMENT: This is unheard of: three films this week with legitimate picks to be the top of the box office this week. Usually CMP may have one huge blockbuster movie and the other two are usually left out. And the usual actiony-summer movie formula is leaving one movie to have a big opening week: Iron Man, Robin Hood, Shrek, all have their own weekend to rake in their dough. Hey remember back in the 80s-90s when blockbusters actually competed to be at the top of the box office? Well, we finally get it this week. Suicide Squad is yet again, another entertaining show for the hardcore action fans.
BEST OF IT: The exuberant chemistry between the lead actors is something to look out for; They all play off each other very well. Not so much of a stunt packed film like F-Zero, but still has plenty of battle action. Moviegoers will be entertained, especially during that huge 30 minute gun fight at the end.
WORST OF IT: Only thing I really found wrong with it was it fell into the cliche of action films with the formulaic plot.
SHINING STAR/DEAD WEIGHT: The five mercenaries are the ones to look out for. Most of them are veteran actors, but they do that voodoo they do so well in this film. As stated with WW3, the rest of the cast is just there, not special but not horrible.
THE BRAINS BEHIND: Yet again, you may need to look twice, but Uwe Boll is the director of this movie. Perhaps the best film he's ever done and I'm sure Matt Kubrick had a hand in helping him not ruin his script. Matt has a talent for these types of movies: not being afraid to go all out with his action films whereas many of the CMP writers' action credits are superhero films that fall in the 'good for all ages' crowds.
IN CONCLUSION: B+ Get a big bucket of popcorn with this film, you're going to need it!
MR. THUMBS' CERTIFIED MUST SEE OF THE WEEK:
SEE ALL THREE
SEASON 13: BEST AND WORST
By Mr. Thumb
This season was actually not too bad. We've managed to pull ourselves out of the slump we hit where even our biggest blockbusters weren't making as much as we wanted; but this season, we've managed to make even some of the most ridiculous films become smash hits(You Can't Do That In The Movies), it wasn't necessarily a smash, but it did better than what we anticipated. Who really thought a movie with the words 'Monkey Island' in the title would also make it big? Same can be said for a film about an average girl making it as a playboy bunny in Nude, or a remake of a Hitchcock classic went well over the 100-million mark. Game Boy was disappointingly just shy of hitting the 200 million, but still did great. Here is my seasonal list of the films that we love to love and love to hate.
THE BEST OF SEASON 13
The Forgotten: I enjoyed the film, though critic colleagues didn't exactly agree with me.
Uncommon Valour: Only the Valiant: Moviegoers responded well to this film which was released far away from its predecessor. Welcome back, Jack Hammer! Don't leave us now!
Justice League: It was going to happen eventually, and just like how the Avengers in Hollywood's world is going to happen, the heroes in this film had their own movies before joining forces.
Dark Tower: Wolves of the Calla: Matt Kubrick's Dark Tower film series is always a big event in the studio, and he was able to successfully hold his head high after trying to do something a little different in the series instead of featuring the same kinds of things in each installment.
Nude!: Definitely one of the top best in the season, Nude was this seasons Lyra, a sleeper of a film that did well with the box office and critical reception.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: The only beef with this film from moviegoers is it's too pretentious, stretching too far to get award recognition which works well with Oscars, but not as often with GMAs. Spielberg was finally able to direct a drama and he made it work.
To Catch A Thief: we were biting our nails wondering how this was going to turn out. A hitchcock classic being remade, that didn't go over well with the Psycho remake. Fortunately, Jack Hammer did a much better job paying homage to the original without ruining it.
The Orphan Train: Josh Collins' magnificent tearjerker that left us more inspired and hopeful, unlike many of his past dramas that left us depressed.
Legends of the West: A film that actually makes you think Quentin Tarantino pitched it himself to Harry Stark, Legends of the West puts Inglorious Basterds into a western setting and teaches us how the west was really won.
The Bus: Chad Taylor's indie-spirit film which is set primarily on a bus with cameos of big stars didn't take off well in box office, but the critical and moviegoer reception made up for it.
Get Down: Didn't fair so well in box office, but I look elsewhere for what makes a great movie. Get Down was a well made flick that established Anthony McKay as a powerhouse and Cobie Smulders as more than Wonder Woman.
THE WORST OF SEASON 13
L.A. Wolf 2: Formulaic, predictable and the backstage drama of the film shown through like a piece of glass.
You Can't Do That In The Movies: No, you certainly can not.
The Wind in the Willows: We didn't need to see this story being retold for the hundredth time.
Out Partying: I'd admire the attempt to do something we haven't seen in CMP, but the execution wasn't all there. Still better than Lying Wish in terms of comedy.
SEASON 13’S HIDDEN GEMS
By Mr. Thumb
Each Season there are special kinds of talents whom we see in the films that might just have a shot at having a successful career in CMP. There are many talents who work for CMP once and we never see again, while there are many others who just have that magic staying power that keeps them employed in CMP films. Here are the Season 13 hidden gems!
Robert Pattinson: We may hate him for being part of the Twilight clique, but in the Forgotten, we've seen that he has the ability to be the next Daniel Radcliffe: someone who can be looked at beyond the most famous character he plays.
Michelle Trachtenberg: With two films this season, she may just be one of CMP's major female powerhouses. She is a CMP veteran whose been active since Season 3, but I think CMP writers are really beginning to truly discover her.
Vanessa Redgrave: Playing a dying woman with one more shot at being loved, Lover's Stage is one of her first films in CMP. Clearly, Vanessa is a highly respected elderly actress who still has plenty of fight left in her. Hopefully this won't be the only CMP film for this talented actress.
Paul Dano: Another Lover's Stage star, Paul's debut performance this season shows that not all college aged actors are one-note comedians, but can also pull off serious acting.
Luis Guzman: Not a huge resume in CMP films, but Luis Guzman manages to stick around longer than most actors in CMP. He should not be counted out as he is a very talented Puerto Rican actor seen in many Hollywood-independent films. An award worthy performance could certainly be coming his way.
James Franco: He's worked in a lot of CMP writers' films lately, and even in Hollywood, he's been slowly growing as an incredible talent.
Scoundrels Production: This brand spanking new company released one film this season, To Catch a Thief. It was a surprising smash hit that is sure to make CMP writers take notice and pitch their films with Scoundrels as the producers.
Chase Ellison: Need a teen actor who isn't Freddie Highmore or Josh Hutcherson? Chase Ellison has been gaining a huge resume in CMP with two films this season: Dark Tower and a lead role in The Orphan Train. Maybe it's his cool name? But he's proven that he has a lot of acting talent.
Elle Fanning: Usually seen floating around in CMP films being the younger version of her older sister, but Elle is a fantastic growing actress in both the CMP and Hollywood universe. Her lead role in Orphan Train shows her abilities to be given more important roles in films.
Ben Stiller More Than A Comedy Guy?: Matt Kubrick was the first one in CMP to recognize Ben Stiller as having potential to being an action/drama guy and he fared well in a film that many moviegoers first shook their heads wondering why he was even in it before seeing Legends of the West.
Cobie Smulders: This season she revived her famous role as Wonder Woman in Justice League, but like the aforementioned Pattinson, Get Down was her chance to show she can be much more than a one trick pony.
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo: He impressed me as the director of WW3.
Karyn Kusama: Speaking of directors, she too made an impressive debut as director of F-Zero. We're still wondering how a game-to-film adaptation managed to gain success with a female director.
Uwe Boll: Yes, the director we probably would never see on this list. But I gotta hand it to Uwe with his Suicide Squad film. He made an impressive work and since his greatest works are few and far between, the man's gotta get some credit.
SEASON 13’S FINAL REPORT
(Brackets: Same data from Season 12)
MOVIES RELEASED: 30 (30)
SEQUELS RELEASED: 8 (6)
ORIGINAL CONCEPTS: 17 (17)
ADAPTATIONS: 13 (17)
MOVIES WITH NET GAINS: 24 (19)
MOVIES WITH NET LOSSES: 6 (11)
NET GAINS TOTAL: 1869 (842.8)
NET LOSS TOTAL: 84.1 (137)
FINAL BALANCE: 1784.9 (705.8)
MOVIES WITH BOX OFFICE SUPERIOR TO 200 MILL.: 1 (0)
-The Dark Tower: Wolves Of The Calla (Jean-Pierre Jeunet / Matt Kubrick)
MOVIES WITH BOX OFFICE SUPERIOR TO 100 MILL.: 9 (4)
-Zoids: Eve (Alfonso Cuaron / Dawson Edwards)
-Justice League (Christopher Nolan / Chad Taylor)
-To Catch A Thief (Jack Hammer / Jack Hammer)
-Game Boy 3: Game Over (Robert Zemeckis / John Daws)
-Conspiracy Of Life (DJ. Caruso / James Bradley)
-Dragonlance: Dragons Of Autumn Twilight (Guillermo Del Toro / Richard Franzwa)
-Silver Sable & The Genesis Coalition (Bryan Singer / Joey Stark)
-The Secret Of Moneky Island: The Three Trials (Mike Newell / David Makalaster)
-F-Zero (Karyn Kusama / Dawson Edwards)
TOP 1 NET GAINS:
THE DARK TOWER: WOLVES OF THE CALLA – 249
TOP 1 NET LOSSES:
OUT PARTYING / THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS – 20
SCREENWRITERS’ ACTIVITY
(Number of releases / Best Release)
-JOSH COLLINS: 5 (The Lovers Stages)
-MATT KUBRICK: 5 (The Dark Tower: Wolves of the Calla)
-CHAD TAYLOR: 4 (Justice League)
-DAWSON EDWARDS: 4 (Zoids: Eve)
-JOEY STARK: 3 (Silver Sable & The Genesis Coalition)
-STEVE CONNORS: 2 (Assassin’s Creed)
-JAMES BRADLEY: 2 (Conspiracy Of Life)
-JACK HAMMER: 2 (To Catch A Thief)
-TRENT NIELSEN: 1 (Out Partying)
-DAVID MAKALASTER: 1 (The Secret Of Monkey Island)
-RICHARD FRANZWA: 1 (Dragonlance)
-JOHN DAWS: 1 (Game Boy 3: Game Over)
SOME CONCLUSIONS
By Harry Stark
Season 12 has been a comfortable Season both in terms of finances and creativity. We haven’t broken any record, but we haven’t suffered much neither. I feel more than satisfied. CMP keeps being a home for creativity with a perfect balance between original ideas and adaptations and also between mainstream big productions and more artsy ones.
On the good side...
It was so nice to see back to CMP two of its first franchises: ‘Uncommon Valour’ and ‘Game Boy’ (welcome back, Mr Daws!). Both returned after many Seasons away and both proved that moviegoers are still interested in them. Personally, I felt kind of nostalgic and glad to have both sagas back to the Studio.
Also, another sentimental release close to those: the old and legendary ‘The Heirs’ saga had a revamp with ‘The Forgotten’. The movie didn’t work at box office as expected, but still is a very interesting concept for me. I’m curious to know where this story may take us.
Other franchises have also proved to be in such a good shape. ‘The Dark Tower’ keeps being an icon for CMP, with four installments released and three of them making more than 200 millions in box office. Kubrick’s saga is such a creativity challenge and will probably enter into Movie History at the same rank than ‘Lord Of The Rings’ or even ‘Star Wars’. Also, Silver Sable was back and, although the amazing numbers of the previous movie could not be equaled, it stayed as one of the moviegoers’ favorite superhero franchise.
Also, we had a few releases of movies that will probably become the beginning of new very promising franchises for the Studio, like ‘Justice League’, ‘Dragonlance’, ‘Monkey Island’ or ‘F-Zero’. Sequels of all them can be expected in the future.
Brad Pitt and George Clooney made also a remarkable and wise move to launch their new Production Company, ‘Scoundrels Productions’, with the glamorous and succesful ‘To Catch A Thief’. Scoundrels Productions joins Midnight Movies and Grand Island Movies as the third CMP’s affiliate production company. Chad Taylor has already announced the creation of a fourth one: Silver Lining Entertainment.
And, together with big blockbusters, I was specially happy of being able to make some profits with two nice comedies I particularly liked. You know we always have a hard time with comedies at box office. But, gladly, these two got to make net gains and, most of all, became very much appreciated by critics. I am talking about two of my favorite movies of the Season: ‘Nude!’ and ‘The Bus’.
On the bad side...
Not much to complain about...
‘The Wind In The Willows’ was a big disappointment. I am not sure of what hurt it more: the fact that it told a story already told too many times or the lack of interest of moviegoers in the Stop-Motion Animation technique.
Some ambitious productions had a harder time on box office than expected. Top quality movies like ‘The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier & Clay’, ‘The Forgotten’, ‘The Orphan Train’, ‘Ms. Jordon’ or ‘Get Down’. None of them became a box office hit but all of them are the kind of movies that provide cinematic prestige to CMP and I feel very satisfied having had the chance to produce them.
TOP LISTS
SEASON 12
TOP 5 BOX OFFICE
1.THE DARK TOWER: WOLVES OF THE CALLA – 215
2.GAME BOY 3: GAME OVER – 199
3.TO CATCH A THIEF – 150
4.THE SECRET OF MONKEY ISLAND: THE THREE TRIALS – 145
5.SILVER SABLE AND THE GENESIS COALITION – 138
TOP 5 NET GAINS
1.THE DARK TOWER: WOLVES OF THE CALLA – 249
2.SILVER SABLE AND THE GENESIS COALITION – 239
3.GAME BOY 3: GAME OVER – 227
4.THE SECRET OF MONKEY ISLAND: THE THREE TRIALS – 135
5.F-ZERO – 135
ALLTIMES
TOP BOX OFFICE
1.SILVER SABLE AND THE WILD PACK – 352
2.THE ICE PRINCESS – 316
3.THE DARK TOWER: THE DRAWING OF THE THREE – 285
4.GAMEBOY: WARLANDS – 265
5.WOODLAND CREATURES – 262
6.DEVIL TRIGGER – 248
TOP NET GAINS
1.SILVER SABLE AND THE WILD PACK – 420
2.DEVIL TRIGGER – 382
3.THE DARK TOWER: THE DRAWING OF THE THREE – 349
4.THE ICE PRINCESS – 320
5.THE FANTASTIC MANSION – 282
6.STAR WARS: NEW ORDER – 250
WW3
Action / ApocalypticCast: Harrison Ford, Rafi Gavron, Ambert Heard, Alexander Skarsgard, Ryan Kwanten, Cam Gigander, Lou Taylor Pucci, Sara Paxton, Alex Pettyfer, Diora Baird
Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Screenwriter: Chad Taylor
Box Office: 58 mill.
Net Gains: 85 mill.
Stark’s Reaction:
Not a too impressive box office. But, after all, it was not the typical action flick but a more artsy and adult oriented kind of action movie. So, all in all, let’s consider these numbers satisfactory enough.
F-ZERO
Animation / ActionCast: Josh Hartnett, Famke Janssen, John Malkovich, Terrence Howard, Forest Whitaker
Director: Karyn Kusama
Screenwriter: Dawson Edwards
Box Office: 108 mill.
Net Gains: 135 mill.
Stark’s Reaction:
I knew this one was going to work! An spectacular animation show for all ages. A very promising birth of a new CMP’s franchise.
SUICIDE SQUAD
Action / AdventureCast: Mark Wahlberg, Woody Harrelson, Jason Statham, Jean Claude Van Damme, Freddy Rodriguez, Kurt Russell, Tania Raymonde, Adewale Akinnuoye, Dash Mihok, Olivia Thirlby
Director: Uwe Boll
Screenwriter: Matt Kubrick
Box Office: 33 mill.
Net Gains: 3 mill.
Stark’s Reaction:
I am usually a serious guy but I can’t help it... I love it when Matt gets out of control and let himself go with these ultra-violent B-series shows. The Studio did take some risks with this movie: we didn’t spend too much on marketing – after all it was a R rated film – and the budget of the movie was pretty low. And I think it was well done for this kind of movie. We knew it was not going to be a blockbuster but at least we made net gains. In conclusion, it has been a more than nice week to finish the 12th Season!
WW3
‘Bad news for those who like to have all the answers when watching a movie. ‘WW3’ is one of those stories that put up a complex, disturbing and intriguing situation and then it does not care about answering all the questions in it. If you are one of those moviegoers that needs to know the ‘because’ of each and every ‘why’ in a story, then this is not your kind of movie. The plot of ‘WW3’ has a lot of weak points and holes but, probably, Chad Taylor was fully conscious of that and didn’t worry about it. You have to take this story for what it is: an intriguing and disturbing story that will entertain you without caring about consistency or coherence. In that sense, no matter the big differences, I couldn’t help thinking all the time about the ‘Lost’ tv series while watching this movie.’-Charlie Kiggs
‘Ford cannot keep playing the action heroes he has built his career upon. Time passes... But, still, he keeps this attractive screen presence of big stars – I see him becoming a kind of ‘Sean
Connery type’ of mature star in the coming years – that allows him to carry upon his shoulders all the weight of a big movie production like this. Without Ford, considering the weakness of the rest of the cast, this production would not have worked the way it does. So it doesn’t matter if you are not believable anymore as Indy, Harrison, we keep loving you!’-Amy Ratched
‘Nice debut in mainstream Hollywood of the talented Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. Fresnadillo – a specialist in short-length movies, also responsible of ’28 days later’ – is a visionary moviemaker with a powerful directional style. Maybe, he has been a bit content here. Probably, that’s due to the pressure of being ahead of a top budget Hollywood production for the first time. He is wilder, more daring and usually takes bigger creative risks than what he has here. But still, ‘WW3’ is an interesting beginning for what can be a successful Hollywood’s career for a movie director that will break some rules for sure once he feels secure in the industry’.
-Tim Reeve
F-ZERO
‘Karyn Kusama? I was surprised when I saw her name attached to this project. ‘Jennifer’s Body’ is one of the worst films I’ve seen in a very long time. So I feared the worst... And now I must say I’ve been gladly surprised. ‘F-Zero’ is an awesome animation movie far away from the usual ‘funny animals’ animated flicks (yes, all those movies ‘Woodland Creatures’ laughed at). The movie is not conceived exclusively for the youngest moviegoers but for all fans of action. It has a vertiginous pace and races sequences are shot and edited in the most creative way turning the movie into a unique visual experience. Kusama hasn’t made just an animation movie: she has made a top budget action show (incidentally, animated) that will please not only kids but all fans of action adventures.’-Jake Cobb
‘I had to watch – only because it’s my job – ‘Fast and Furious’ and ‘Speed Racer’. And now I had to watch – only because it’s my job too – this ‘F-Zero’. What can I say? Maybe I should look for
another job. I cannot find anything interested in a movie like this. Yes, from a technical point of view, it’s superbly done and some sequences are even more realistic than some live action movies. But nowadays technical perfection is the less you can demand from the movie industry. I presume Nintendo junkies will love this big screen adaptation. I just can’t get into it.’-Jackie O’Callaghan
‘Strongly influenced by anime, ‘F-Zero tries to be a step forward in contemporary animation. Thanks God, Edwards and Kusama didn’t go for 3D. ‘F-Zero’ is a sophisticatedly designed animated feature that takes the best of an editing, some camera angles and a general production design very different from the childish perspective always adopted by Pixar, Disney or Dreamworks Animation. It’s innovative but not absolutely revolutionary. At some points, it made me remember the old ‘Robotech’ movies also produced by CMP during its first Seasons. They were not as well made in terms of technical quality but they had a charm that I have missed in this one.’
-Chris Burgess
SUICIDE SQUAD
‘Uwe Boll is not Michael Bay. And he doesn’t pretend it to be neither. He makes ‘gross outline’ action movies. No cheesy sunsets, no endless slow motion, no Ben Affleck with a shining smile... It’s all about extreme gratuitous violence, blood splashed on screen, mutilated extremities, characters with flat personalities... and a lot of wild fun. It’s a take it or leave it thing. He makes a kind of movies waiting for you to shout and clap on your seat when the hero kills another dozen of villains in the most violent way. And ‘Suicide Squad’ is just another Boll’s movie. It simply is what it is.’-Vic Carter
‘Matt Kubrick has always enjoyed trying to impress us with violent shows. Sometimes, he reaches a peculiar, hypnotizing and disturbing quality, like in ‘Damnation Road’. Some others, they are just
uncontrolled wild features, like ‘Reform School Girls’. ‘Suicide Squad’ is closer to this second category. But still, it is so much fun if you accept what the movie proposes: a non-stop action show beyond realism where everything is possible and nothing has to be taken too seriously. This is not about quality – you have ‘The Dark Tower’ or ‘Legends Of The West’ for that – but only about having fun.’-Anne Roman
‘I love the casting of this movie. It’s great to see my most hated 80’s action hero – Jean-Claude Van Damme, the poor relative of old Sly and Arnold – together with a wannabe-considered-a-serious-actor like Mark Wahlberg or the always refreshing and excessive Woody Harrelson. It’s a cast as crazy as the whole movie is. All in all, I will dare to say that ‘Suicide Squad’ is probably the best movie from Uwe Boll, which is not saying much. Not a date movie but a movie to watch with your best friend remembering the good old days when you two were a couple of brainless nerds at high school that used to watch (and love) together ‘Commando’ or ‘Cobra’.’
-Roy Winslow
WW3
OPENING STATEMENT: Here's a relatively innovative idea that I'm glad for Chad Taylor to think up. A post-apocalyptic film. Sure, seems like we've seen them all in the Hollywood universe, but in CMP the only apocalypse we've seen are the zombie ones. A well paced edge-of-the-seat action show that yet again fits well with the summer season mold.
BEST OF IT: Definitely those moments in the film that will leave you breathless with the action. A film made for those looking for a fun night out to be entertained.
WORST OF IT: Come for the action, but don't expect so much in terms of characters and plot, which is a tad formulaic at times. Some of the dialogue falls on the contrived line as well.
SHINING STAR/DEAD WEIGHT: Even if he's an old man who might seem to be holding back at times, I found Harrison Ford to be the shining star of this film. The rest of the cast are watchable; not necessarily dead weight but not spectacular either.
THE BRAINS BEHIND: See the film for Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's wonderful direction. He created a great vision of a post-apocalyptic world and had some great cinematography. Chad's writing was not too bad, though some of the dialogue made me laugh at times when I shouldn't have been laughing.
IN CONCLUSION: B be prepared for an entertaining action show!
F-ZERO
OPENING STATEMENT: Another film looking to take the crown of being the big action film of this week, F-Zero is, in my opinion, better than the awful Speed Racer film which came out a couple of years ago. It too delivers on spectacular entertaining moments and for those who are into the art direction in films, definitely something that wets the whistles of those buffs.
BEST OF IT: The races are exciting to watch, the film is full of great action and stunts. You are also left to forget that it's an animated film and I like that Dawson kept the film from making parents assume that just because it's animated that it's for kids.
WORST OF IT: Something many game-to-film adaptations don't put a whole lot into character development. F-Zero doesn't stray too far from that cliche.
SHINING STAR/DEAD WEIGHT: The stars of the films were really the animated characters, the actors just provided the voices. Many actors don't put much effort into the character voices, and you can tell who is who in F-Zero. There are so many truly professional voice artists who only get cartoon-video game gigs and they have better talent disguising their voices in the characters they portray. Having said that, no star in F-Zero was better at doing the voice than another.
THE BRAINS BEHIND: You may need to look twice at the director credit, but you're not dreaming: a woman directed a game adaptation. Not only that, but she did a pretty kick ass job considering her credits prior to F-Zero were huge film disasters. As for Dawson, I think we might have someone to contend with Collins for animation king, though Dawson successfully made F-Zero oriented to the teenage and up crowd.
IN CONCLUSION: B+ Racing is a huge thing, thanks to NASCAR, so put your pedal to the metal to go see this great movie.
SUICIDE SQUAD
OPENING STATEMENT: This is unheard of: three films this week with legitimate picks to be the top of the box office this week. Usually CMP may have one huge blockbuster movie and the other two are usually left out. And the usual actiony-summer movie formula is leaving one movie to have a big opening week: Iron Man, Robin Hood, Shrek, all have their own weekend to rake in their dough. Hey remember back in the 80s-90s when blockbusters actually competed to be at the top of the box office? Well, we finally get it this week. Suicide Squad is yet again, another entertaining show for the hardcore action fans.
BEST OF IT: The exuberant chemistry between the lead actors is something to look out for; They all play off each other very well. Not so much of a stunt packed film like F-Zero, but still has plenty of battle action. Moviegoers will be entertained, especially during that huge 30 minute gun fight at the end.
WORST OF IT: Only thing I really found wrong with it was it fell into the cliche of action films with the formulaic plot.
SHINING STAR/DEAD WEIGHT: The five mercenaries are the ones to look out for. Most of them are veteran actors, but they do that voodoo they do so well in this film. As stated with WW3, the rest of the cast is just there, not special but not horrible.
THE BRAINS BEHIND: Yet again, you may need to look twice, but Uwe Boll is the director of this movie. Perhaps the best film he's ever done and I'm sure Matt Kubrick had a hand in helping him not ruin his script. Matt has a talent for these types of movies: not being afraid to go all out with his action films whereas many of the CMP writers' action credits are superhero films that fall in the 'good for all ages' crowds.
IN CONCLUSION: B+ Get a big bucket of popcorn with this film, you're going to need it!
MR. THUMBS' CERTIFIED MUST SEE OF THE WEEK:
SEE ALL THREE
SEASON 13: BEST AND WORST
By Mr. Thumb
This season was actually not too bad. We've managed to pull ourselves out of the slump we hit where even our biggest blockbusters weren't making as much as we wanted; but this season, we've managed to make even some of the most ridiculous films become smash hits(You Can't Do That In The Movies), it wasn't necessarily a smash, but it did better than what we anticipated. Who really thought a movie with the words 'Monkey Island' in the title would also make it big? Same can be said for a film about an average girl making it as a playboy bunny in Nude, or a remake of a Hitchcock classic went well over the 100-million mark. Game Boy was disappointingly just shy of hitting the 200 million, but still did great. Here is my seasonal list of the films that we love to love and love to hate.
THE BEST OF SEASON 13
The Forgotten: I enjoyed the film, though critic colleagues didn't exactly agree with me.
Uncommon Valour: Only the Valiant: Moviegoers responded well to this film which was released far away from its predecessor. Welcome back, Jack Hammer! Don't leave us now!
Justice League: It was going to happen eventually, and just like how the Avengers in Hollywood's world is going to happen, the heroes in this film had their own movies before joining forces.
Dark Tower: Wolves of the Calla: Matt Kubrick's Dark Tower film series is always a big event in the studio, and he was able to successfully hold his head high after trying to do something a little different in the series instead of featuring the same kinds of things in each installment.
Nude!: Definitely one of the top best in the season, Nude was this seasons Lyra, a sleeper of a film that did well with the box office and critical reception.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: The only beef with this film from moviegoers is it's too pretentious, stretching too far to get award recognition which works well with Oscars, but not as often with GMAs. Spielberg was finally able to direct a drama and he made it work.
To Catch A Thief: we were biting our nails wondering how this was going to turn out. A hitchcock classic being remade, that didn't go over well with the Psycho remake. Fortunately, Jack Hammer did a much better job paying homage to the original without ruining it.
The Orphan Train: Josh Collins' magnificent tearjerker that left us more inspired and hopeful, unlike many of his past dramas that left us depressed.
Legends of the West: A film that actually makes you think Quentin Tarantino pitched it himself to Harry Stark, Legends of the West puts Inglorious Basterds into a western setting and teaches us how the west was really won.
The Bus: Chad Taylor's indie-spirit film which is set primarily on a bus with cameos of big stars didn't take off well in box office, but the critical and moviegoer reception made up for it.
Get Down: Didn't fair so well in box office, but I look elsewhere for what makes a great movie. Get Down was a well made flick that established Anthony McKay as a powerhouse and Cobie Smulders as more than Wonder Woman.
THE WORST OF SEASON 13
L.A. Wolf 2: Formulaic, predictable and the backstage drama of the film shown through like a piece of glass.
You Can't Do That In The Movies: No, you certainly can not.
The Wind in the Willows: We didn't need to see this story being retold for the hundredth time.
Out Partying: I'd admire the attempt to do something we haven't seen in CMP, but the execution wasn't all there. Still better than Lying Wish in terms of comedy.
SEASON 13’S HIDDEN GEMS
By Mr. Thumb
Each Season there are special kinds of talents whom we see in the films that might just have a shot at having a successful career in CMP. There are many talents who work for CMP once and we never see again, while there are many others who just have that magic staying power that keeps them employed in CMP films. Here are the Season 13 hidden gems!
Robert Pattinson: We may hate him for being part of the Twilight clique, but in the Forgotten, we've seen that he has the ability to be the next Daniel Radcliffe: someone who can be looked at beyond the most famous character he plays.
Michelle Trachtenberg: With two films this season, she may just be one of CMP's major female powerhouses. She is a CMP veteran whose been active since Season 3, but I think CMP writers are really beginning to truly discover her.
Vanessa Redgrave: Playing a dying woman with one more shot at being loved, Lover's Stage is one of her first films in CMP. Clearly, Vanessa is a highly respected elderly actress who still has plenty of fight left in her. Hopefully this won't be the only CMP film for this talented actress.
Paul Dano: Another Lover's Stage star, Paul's debut performance this season shows that not all college aged actors are one-note comedians, but can also pull off serious acting.
Luis Guzman: Not a huge resume in CMP films, but Luis Guzman manages to stick around longer than most actors in CMP. He should not be counted out as he is a very talented Puerto Rican actor seen in many Hollywood-independent films. An award worthy performance could certainly be coming his way.
James Franco: He's worked in a lot of CMP writers' films lately, and even in Hollywood, he's been slowly growing as an incredible talent.
Scoundrels Production: This brand spanking new company released one film this season, To Catch a Thief. It was a surprising smash hit that is sure to make CMP writers take notice and pitch their films with Scoundrels as the producers.
Chase Ellison: Need a teen actor who isn't Freddie Highmore or Josh Hutcherson? Chase Ellison has been gaining a huge resume in CMP with two films this season: Dark Tower and a lead role in The Orphan Train. Maybe it's his cool name? But he's proven that he has a lot of acting talent.
Elle Fanning: Usually seen floating around in CMP films being the younger version of her older sister, but Elle is a fantastic growing actress in both the CMP and Hollywood universe. Her lead role in Orphan Train shows her abilities to be given more important roles in films.
Ben Stiller More Than A Comedy Guy?: Matt Kubrick was the first one in CMP to recognize Ben Stiller as having potential to being an action/drama guy and he fared well in a film that many moviegoers first shook their heads wondering why he was even in it before seeing Legends of the West.
Cobie Smulders: This season she revived her famous role as Wonder Woman in Justice League, but like the aforementioned Pattinson, Get Down was her chance to show she can be much more than a one trick pony.
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo: He impressed me as the director of WW3.
Karyn Kusama: Speaking of directors, she too made an impressive debut as director of F-Zero. We're still wondering how a game-to-film adaptation managed to gain success with a female director.
Uwe Boll: Yes, the director we probably would never see on this list. But I gotta hand it to Uwe with his Suicide Squad film. He made an impressive work and since his greatest works are few and far between, the man's gotta get some credit.
SEASON 13’S FINAL REPORT
(Brackets: Same data from Season 12)
MOVIES RELEASED: 30 (30)
SEQUELS RELEASED: 8 (6)
ORIGINAL CONCEPTS: 17 (17)
ADAPTATIONS: 13 (17)
MOVIES WITH NET GAINS: 24 (19)
MOVIES WITH NET LOSSES: 6 (11)
NET GAINS TOTAL: 1869 (842.8)
NET LOSS TOTAL: 84.1 (137)
FINAL BALANCE: 1784.9 (705.8)
MOVIES WITH BOX OFFICE SUPERIOR TO 200 MILL.: 1 (0)
-The Dark Tower: Wolves Of The Calla (Jean-Pierre Jeunet / Matt Kubrick)
MOVIES WITH BOX OFFICE SUPERIOR TO 100 MILL.: 9 (4)
-Zoids: Eve (Alfonso Cuaron / Dawson Edwards)
-Justice League (Christopher Nolan / Chad Taylor)
-To Catch A Thief (Jack Hammer / Jack Hammer)
-Game Boy 3: Game Over (Robert Zemeckis / John Daws)
-Conspiracy Of Life (DJ. Caruso / James Bradley)
-Dragonlance: Dragons Of Autumn Twilight (Guillermo Del Toro / Richard Franzwa)
-Silver Sable & The Genesis Coalition (Bryan Singer / Joey Stark)
-The Secret Of Moneky Island: The Three Trials (Mike Newell / David Makalaster)
-F-Zero (Karyn Kusama / Dawson Edwards)
TOP 1 NET GAINS:
THE DARK TOWER: WOLVES OF THE CALLA – 249
TOP 1 NET LOSSES:
OUT PARTYING / THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS – 20
SCREENWRITERS’ ACTIVITY
(Number of releases / Best Release)
-JOSH COLLINS: 5 (The Lovers Stages)
-MATT KUBRICK: 5 (The Dark Tower: Wolves of the Calla)
-CHAD TAYLOR: 4 (Justice League)
-DAWSON EDWARDS: 4 (Zoids: Eve)
-JOEY STARK: 3 (Silver Sable & The Genesis Coalition)
-STEVE CONNORS: 2 (Assassin’s Creed)
-JAMES BRADLEY: 2 (Conspiracy Of Life)
-JACK HAMMER: 2 (To Catch A Thief)
-TRENT NIELSEN: 1 (Out Partying)
-DAVID MAKALASTER: 1 (The Secret Of Monkey Island)
-RICHARD FRANZWA: 1 (Dragonlance)
-JOHN DAWS: 1 (Game Boy 3: Game Over)
SOME CONCLUSIONS
By Harry Stark
Season 12 has been a comfortable Season both in terms of finances and creativity. We haven’t broken any record, but we haven’t suffered much neither. I feel more than satisfied. CMP keeps being a home for creativity with a perfect balance between original ideas and adaptations and also between mainstream big productions and more artsy ones.
On the good side...
It was so nice to see back to CMP two of its first franchises: ‘Uncommon Valour’ and ‘Game Boy’ (welcome back, Mr Daws!). Both returned after many Seasons away and both proved that moviegoers are still interested in them. Personally, I felt kind of nostalgic and glad to have both sagas back to the Studio.
Also, another sentimental release close to those: the old and legendary ‘The Heirs’ saga had a revamp with ‘The Forgotten’. The movie didn’t work at box office as expected, but still is a very interesting concept for me. I’m curious to know where this story may take us.
Other franchises have also proved to be in such a good shape. ‘The Dark Tower’ keeps being an icon for CMP, with four installments released and three of them making more than 200 millions in box office. Kubrick’s saga is such a creativity challenge and will probably enter into Movie History at the same rank than ‘Lord Of The Rings’ or even ‘Star Wars’. Also, Silver Sable was back and, although the amazing numbers of the previous movie could not be equaled, it stayed as one of the moviegoers’ favorite superhero franchise.
Also, we had a few releases of movies that will probably become the beginning of new very promising franchises for the Studio, like ‘Justice League’, ‘Dragonlance’, ‘Monkey Island’ or ‘F-Zero’. Sequels of all them can be expected in the future.
Brad Pitt and George Clooney made also a remarkable and wise move to launch their new Production Company, ‘Scoundrels Productions’, with the glamorous and succesful ‘To Catch A Thief’. Scoundrels Productions joins Midnight Movies and Grand Island Movies as the third CMP’s affiliate production company. Chad Taylor has already announced the creation of a fourth one: Silver Lining Entertainment.
And, together with big blockbusters, I was specially happy of being able to make some profits with two nice comedies I particularly liked. You know we always have a hard time with comedies at box office. But, gladly, these two got to make net gains and, most of all, became very much appreciated by critics. I am talking about two of my favorite movies of the Season: ‘Nude!’ and ‘The Bus’.
On the bad side...
Not much to complain about...
‘The Wind In The Willows’ was a big disappointment. I am not sure of what hurt it more: the fact that it told a story already told too many times or the lack of interest of moviegoers in the Stop-Motion Animation technique.
Some ambitious productions had a harder time on box office than expected. Top quality movies like ‘The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier & Clay’, ‘The Forgotten’, ‘The Orphan Train’, ‘Ms. Jordon’ or ‘Get Down’. None of them became a box office hit but all of them are the kind of movies that provide cinematic prestige to CMP and I feel very satisfied having had the chance to produce them.
TOP LISTS
SEASON 12
TOP 5 BOX OFFICE
1.THE DARK TOWER: WOLVES OF THE CALLA – 215
2.GAME BOY 3: GAME OVER – 199
3.TO CATCH A THIEF – 150
4.THE SECRET OF MONKEY ISLAND: THE THREE TRIALS – 145
5.SILVER SABLE AND THE GENESIS COALITION – 138
TOP 5 NET GAINS
1.THE DARK TOWER: WOLVES OF THE CALLA – 249
2.SILVER SABLE AND THE GENESIS COALITION – 239
3.GAME BOY 3: GAME OVER – 227
4.THE SECRET OF MONKEY ISLAND: THE THREE TRIALS – 135
5.F-ZERO – 135
ALLTIMES
TOP BOX OFFICE
1.SILVER SABLE AND THE WILD PACK – 352
2.THE ICE PRINCESS – 316
3.THE DARK TOWER: THE DRAWING OF THE THREE – 285
4.GAMEBOY: WARLANDS – 265
5.WOODLAND CREATURES – 262
6.DEVIL TRIGGER – 248
TOP NET GAINS
1.SILVER SABLE AND THE WILD PACK – 420
2.DEVIL TRIGGER – 382
3.THE DARK TOWER: THE DRAWING OF THE THREE – 349
4.THE ICE PRINCESS – 320
5.THE FANTASTIC MANSION – 282
6.STAR WARS: NEW ORDER – 250
posted by Harry at
2:14 AM
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