JULY, 6


STAR WARS: HOLOCRON INITIATIVE

Sci-Fi / Adventure
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Famke Janssen, Alice Braga, Benicio Del Toro, Javier Bardem. Voice of Jason Statham. Cameo by Gary Oldman.
Director: David Yates
Producer: George Lucas
Screenwriter: Dawson Edwards

Box Office: 87 mill.
Net Gains: 69 mill.

Stark’s Reaction:
If this wasn’t a Star Wars’ movie, I would be at least satisfied with these numbers. With the label of ‘Star Wars’ on it, it’s a bit disappointing that we didn’t even reach the 100’s mark. Well, let’s say it’s not ‘Tales Of The Jedi’ but it’s not ‘New Order’ neither.

PRISON LETTERS

Drama
Cast: Abigail Breslin, Dakota Fanning, Jake Gyllenhaal, Elizabeth Shue, John Carroll Lynch
Director: Francis Copolla
Producer: Grand Island Movies
Screenwriter: Josh Collins

Box Office: 14 mill.
Net Gains: 15 mill.

Stark’s Reaction:
Strange numbers for this movie. It’s another of those rare occasions when it seems like audiences worldwide have reached a global agreement to not watching this movie on theatres but on DVD. So box office is a complete disaster but at the end DVD market saves it and it makes profits. I remember something similar happened with a CMP’s movie titled ‘The Holders’: a strange mix between the poorest box office and net gains at the end.

ONE NIGHT STAND

Action
Cast: Ian Somerhalder, Olivia Wilde, Edward Burns, Joseph Fiennes, Nestor Carbonell
Director: Guy Ritchie
Screenwriter: Chad Taylor


Box Office: 58 mill.
Net Gains: 17 mill.

Stark’s Reaction:
If a Star Wars movie only makes 87 millions, I can understand that this routine action flick only makes 58. The extremely tough Season keeps going on. 18 movies released and only one has made more than 100 (‘Invasion’). Well, at least, this week all three releases saved from net losses…


‘George Lucas created with Star Wars a unique and infinite universe where new stories could be created forever. ‘Holocron Initiative’ is another one of the many stories that have come out beyond the mainstream plot of the saga. In that sense, it does not contribute with anything new to the Star Wars’ universe beyond what all the comics and books of the so called Expanded Universe have. But, at least, it is a decent entertaining piece for the fans of the franchise. Less ambitious and much more entertaining than the horrible ‘The Phantom Menace’, ‘Attack Of The Clones’ and even ‘Return Of The Jedi’, but far away from the wonderful ‘A New Hope’ and ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, this Yates’ movie can be placed in a decent position in the list of movies of the saga.’
-Roy Winslow

‘Dawson Edwards has survived to the risky challenge of making a Star Wars’ movie. Not only according to box office’s numbers but also according to cinematic quality, ‘Holocron Initiative’ is not ‘Tales Of The Jedi’ but it isn’t neither Trax’s trilogy. It seems like any story without a Skywalker family’s member in it cannot reach the same interest than those involving the Skywalkers. It’s hard to get hooked to brand new characters with no references and maybe we’ll have to wait to future sequels to see if Dawson finally gets to create a remarkable Star Wars’ trilogy or not. This first episode has left me a bit cold, but at least it has not disappointed – and even annoy me – as much as the latest Lucas’ trilogy.’
-Jackie O’Callaghan

‘Edwards’ story is not as rich and does not enter as deeply in the Star Wars’ universe as Trax’s trilogy. I would consider it a minor episode of the Expanded Universe. But still it is entertaining enough for the most loyal fans of the saga. Gosling, Janssen and Braga’s characters have a chance of becoming new icons of the franchise. Cannot say the same about Del Toro and Bardem’s villains. I just could not believe any of them in their roles and they made me miss the wonderful creations of Daniel Craig and Gary Oldman in Trax’s trilogy. Anyway, I have felt sympathy for this movie and I think that – if we forget the pressure of being a Star Wars’ movie – this new saga can still provide us nice moments of entertainment in its future sequels.’
-Andrew Stampton

PRISON LETTERS

‘Beautiful. Moving. Wonderfully written, played and directed. What else can I say? Here we have one of the best dramas coming from an expert in the genre like Josh Collins. Full of sensitivity, Collins has used again the usual ingredients of many of his dramas – family conflicts, violence on youngsters… - but has made with them something that looks completely new and different. I am also surprised of how the usually epic and intellectually complex Copolla has perfectly understood the mix of simplicity and emotional intensity this story deserved. The story flows in a calmed but interesting paced keeping audience involved in the plots and subplots of it, mainly both the relationship between Breslin and Gyllenhaal but also the relationship between both sisters. This movie is a don’t miss for those who appreciate adult dramas.’
-Charlie Kiggs

‘Finally, Dakota and Abbie had made the great movie together we could expect from these two talented young actresses. ‘Prison Letters’ has nothing to do with the big show that was ‘The Fantastic Mansion’ or the senseless sense of humor of ‘You Can’t Do That In The Movies’. It is an intimate, inspirational and intense story full of shades and feelings. The contrast of the two sisters’ personalities is probably the best of the movie. It is the different growing process of them what looked to me as the most interesting part of the story, even more than the relationship with the convict. Collins and Copolla offer an in-depth look to the issue of growing up and how painful and complex is the transition from childhood to youth. And Dakota and Abigail perfectly show it.’
-Anne Roman

‘I must thank Copolla and Collins for not turning this great drama into a cheap and easy tearjerker story. They have not abused of the sentimental elements of the plot and have hardly tried to avoid any cliché. Maybe, the plotline is only forced at the end, when Breslin’s character is strangled. That event breaks a bit the soft but intense tone of the story and does not look too natural. That shocking and unexpected twist of the plot – and I can understand that Collins needed it to finish the story they way he wanted – is too evidently a narrative resource more than a logical event in the girl’s life. But, besides that, we have here one of the biggest stories seen in a CMP’s movie lately and a new reference of the drama genre called to become a classic.’
-Tim Reeve

ONE NIGHT STAND

‘’One Night Stand’ is what it is. And don’t ask it for more. Chad Taylor has wanted to make and entertaining action show with no more ambitions than that. He has proved his skill for writing dramas or any other deeper stories. But this time it was obvious that he only wanted to pu up a show of gunfights, car chases, tough guys and sexy women. Should we punish him for that? Not me. I had a great time watching this popcorn movie. I wasn’t looking to find the meaning of life in it. I didn’t even demand it nothing particularly innovative. I just wanted to see a good old action flick as predictable as entertaining. And all I can say is that I got exactly what I wanted and expected from it.’
-Jake Cobb

‘I have a problem with this movie. I just can’t stand Ian Somerhalder. He always seems to me too conscious of how sexy he is, how hypnotizing his eyes are and how attractive he looks… In this one, I just could not buy him as a tough professional killer. But maybe that’s only a personal prejudice. Anyway, to compensate this, I enjoyed so much the presence of the always interesting and sexy Olivia Wilde, even in a character that didn’t offer her too many chances to shine beyond looking sexy and enigmatic. I am glad that Olivia is beginning to rise a career in CMP and I’ll keep waiting for her to get the big great character she deserves to show all her talent.’
-Chris Burgess

‘Guy Ritchie almost destroyed his interesting directional career during his ‘Madonna years’. ‘Sherlock Holmes’ meant a first sign of recovery for this interesting moviemaker. And ‘One Night Stand’ confirms that he can be back to be what we all thought he would get to be before his marriage almost ruined his talent. But both movies are only good signals but not definite big movies. Ritchie has proved with ‘One Night Stand’ his skills to shoot spectacular action sequences – specially remarkable here are the car chases sequences – but he has also proved the difficulties he has to save all the inconsistencies of a weak screenplay, something it also happened to him with ‘Sherlock Holmes’. ‘One Night Stand’ is a screenplay that does not care for coherence but only for putting together a bunch of classic action moments enough to keep audience interested. But you end up noticing that there’s not much behind the action and Ritchie could not hide those deficiencies.’
-Lilly Stevens


STAR WARS: HOLOCRON INITIATIVE

OPENING STATEMENT: I don't think the Star Wars franchise is ever going to be put to rest. It's going to be just as long as the James Bond series. There's so many stories that can be told with the characters that it doesn't have to end anytime soon, even after the brains behind the series George Lucas is gone. You're either going to love Holocron Initiative or hate it, but it's out and it's a Star Wars movie. It actually is worth seeing nonetheless.

BEST OF IT Star Wars has always been well renowned for the fight scenes, stunts and all out battles. This film doesn't let down in that department.

WORST OF IT The series has also been well renowned for terrible dialogue and acting.

SHINING STAR/DEAD WEIGHT Ryan Gosling, who actually looks pretty damn good in a Jedi outfit continues to impress. Famke Jansen does a decent job for a Star Wars film. The rest of the cast...we know they can act, we just also know it's Star Wars...

THE BRAINS BEHIND David Yates does a fine job keeping true to Lucas' series, as well as CMP's last Star War series. You'll be left to forget the movies are directed by different people since they seem to flow naturally together. Dawson made a correct attempt to keep the franchise alive in CMP and I am looking forward to more installments.

IN CONCLUSION A- certainly worth your admission price. It is Star Wars after all!

PRISON LETTERS

OPENING STATEMENT Similar to John Wayne last week, Prison Letters spans through many scenes of the movie of characters interacting through letters. This deeply moving film will have you drenched in tears by the end. A brutally honest look into the effects of growing apart and becoming closer with someone else so far away. Josh Collins usually makes some very good characters that can be overlooked by the slightly dull plot and he's had a very good award-worthy season this far. Prison Letters is yet again something worth awards.

BEST OF IT I love the acting and the meanings behind the films. It's real and it's tragic. Sometimes it does take an extreme circumstance to get someone else to change.

WORST OF IT The plotline was a little slow to me. But the rest of the elements that goes into making a good movie are there. Great director, writer, actors.

SHINING STAR/DEAD WEIGHT: It's Dakota, Abigail and Jake, the lead actors who all have their shining moments by far! Elizabeth and John were just generic and therefore dead weight.

THE BRAINS BEHIND It's always fantastic to see Francis has gotten some work again after being away for so many seasons. Good to see he still has it after all these years. Josh Collins continues to impress with matured dramas. He did a good job with casting and always seems to get the best out of Dakota and Abigail.

IN CONCLUSION A- it's a movie that's not going to get attention due to the popularity of the Star Wars franchise, but it's worth a viewing if you happen to see it.

ONE NIGHT STAND

OPENING STATEMENT: The summer season spirit still lives on in CMP. This all-action show delivers everything you'd expect in an action movie. A handsome lead actor, fights(fisticuffs and weapons), sexiness and sexy girls, stunts, explosions, etc. The plot and dialogue are a little tired, but the film succeeds with what it offers: entertainment for those who go to movies for entertainment. It's odd to released an action movie right next to Star Wars; how are moviegoers going to know what to see on opening weekend?

BEST OF IT: It does a fine job of entertaining the masses. There are tons of people who would go to see this kind of film. Ian is also great in the role.

WORST OF IT: It stays a little safe in the genre and is made to entertain the morons who think sexiness and fight scenes are all there need to be to make a great movie. Nothing really new. Unfortunately, many of these action films these days fall on that mediocre line whereas many of the better action films like Die Hard had it easier because it was new back then.

SHINING STAR/DEAD WEIGHT Ian can be easily bought as an action star and shines very well. Let's just hope he doesn't go the Vin Diesel route. Olivia does a fine job standing out in her desirable role. The rest of the cast did the best they could do for this kind of film.

THE BRAINS BEHIND Guy Ritchie stays safe in a role he's comfortable in, giving us his usual action show. If you've seen a Guy Ritchie movie, his style is all over this movie as well. Chad is showing his versatility in writing for several different genres, but he may want to keep thinking of something that doesn't seem like we've seen it all before. It's a lot harder than that.

IN CONCLUSION: C+ Hey more times than not do we go to see a movie just for the entertainment. The more fights and sexiness, the better. If you're into this type of film, it's just what you're looking for.

MR. THUMBS' CERTIFIED MUST SEE OF THE WEEK:

tie: STAR WARS HOLOCRON INITIATIVE & PRISON LETTERS