OCTOBER, 8


THE DARK TOWER: SONG OF SUSANNAH

Action / Mystery

The Cast: Russell Crowe, Angela Bassett, Jake Gyllenhaal, William Moseley, Brian Cox, Chazz Palminteri, Timothy Olyphant, Tom Waits

The Director: Goro Miyazaki
The Producer: Sam Raimi
The Screenwriter: Matt Kubrick

The Plot:

Roland (R.Crowe) believes Susannah Dean (A.Bassett) has been possessed. He believes it happened during the period when they opened a doorway to bring Jake into their world. He also believes that she is pregnant. Night after night he follows her as she is lost in a trance. She goes into the deep woods of their camp and feasts on small wild animals ripping them apart for nourishment. This has been going on for two weeks now and every morning she knows nothing of her nightly treks. At the moment he doesn't know what to do with her and how much of a problem it will be. Roland is also shocked to discover that Father Callahan (B.Cox) has come into possession of one of the black 13. One of the orbs that Roland first peered into AKA the wizards glass. He believes that it could possibly help Roland further with his quest. Roland gladly accepts it.

Susannah slowly loses herself to the demon in her called Mia. She can feel herself slipping away but is unable to warn anyone else about what is happening to her. The demon inside of her is named Mia. Sometimes it speaks whispers to her of a deal made with someone called the Crimson King. Inside of her mind Susannah can see the deal made. Flashes of the demonic looking Crimsons king. A baby growing inside of her body. Mia made a deal with the king for immortality. All the demon has to do is take her through a portal and when she gives birth gives the baby to the king, the deal will be sealed. That night Susannah/Mia flees into the night with his katet in tow. Jake (W.Moseley), Eddy (J.Gyllenhaal) and Oy - a dog like animal that can mimic human speech - follow her into the night and soon follow her into a cave. But they are to late Susannah/Mia with her demonic looking eyes they can see flashes of the demon living inside. They watch upset and she slips through a doorway she entered and it snaps shut behind. They bring the news back to Father Callahan. Everyone is upset that Roland didn't inform everyone else about Susannah's problem. Roland peers into black 13 and learns that she is in Newyork city. Father Callahan decides he has to call a group of priests known as the manni to come to the Calla. It takes days for them to arrive but when they finally do they perform a ritual and in a flash of color and magic explosions the door opens wide. Through it they can see the skyline of NYC. Roland, Father Callahan, Oy, jake all go through the door and they are enveloped in white. The door shuts behind them.

They find themselves being split up however. Jake, Oy and Father Callahan find themselves in New York city. The others are not with them. They take it upon themselves to try and figure out where they are and how to find Susannah. They are not sure where to start or what they should do first. Meanwhile Roland and Eddie are sent to a different part Of NYC in the early 1980s. They are in a vacant lot which only has one red rose in the center. Roland can feel that this Rose is somehow connected to the dark tower. It could be anchor between this world and his. Eventually they become embroiled in a a feud of people that want to own the lot itself. A corporation called the tet foundation wants to control the lot and Eddie's old aquaintance Balthazaar (C.Palminteri). They are attacked by the mafia guys and eventually fight them off. They team up with the owner of the tet foundation named Calvin Tower (T.Olyphant) which leads into several violent conflicts to control the lot. They learn that Calvin is from Rolands world and is the protector of the Rose and he's been trying to buy the lot for years now. Balthazaar wants to set up an illegal business. But eventually after a battle between Balthaar's men and the tet foundation the deed ends up in Calvin's hand who vows to protect the Rose.

Meanwhile Father Callahan and jake have run into a man by the name of John Collun (T.Waits) who acts as a seer to Mid-world. He tells them all about the Crimson King. He believes that all worlds are connected he calls them hubs and they all lead back to the Dark Tower. he believes that the Crimson King wants to collapse the hubs. He also believes that the Crimson King is involved with this. Eventually with the help of Oy's sense of smell they track Susannah to a resteraunt called the Dixie Pig. They believe that Susannah is somewhere inside. John Collun can feel the danger the evil and monsters within. Jake and Father Callahan leave for now. They need guns. John Collun warns them that they are walking into a death trap. He can feel the Crimson Kings presense. They use Oy to track down the rest of their friends Jake and Callahan tell them everything that has happened. They decide to spy on the Dixie Pig. Father Callahan makes his way inside unarmed to scout the place out and when he returns with what lays inside. The place is infested with demons and Vampires. This is when Callahan tells him all about how he used to live in Salems lot a small town. He killed vampires. Everyone feels there is only one choice left. They have to storm the Dixie pig and they need weapons. Eddie uses one of his old contacts to get them all sorts of machine guns and shot guns. They are now ready to storm the building.

Finally Roland and his katet storm the dixie and battle many of the vampires and monsters secretly lurking inside. Hidden away in the back Susannah/Mia is getting ready to give birth. When it happens the baby rapidly grows and mutates into a spider and lashes out attacking at everything including Susannah. Thanks to being inhabited by Mia Susannah is given the use of her legs back and manages to get away from Mordred and escapes. The Crimsons king lets out a burst of energy and transports the Dixie king back to Mid-world taking them to thunderclap. Susannah joins the battle and watches as Father Callahan sacrafices himself to save Jake and dies after being attacked by monsters. Roland, Jake, Susannah, Eddie and Oy all escape from the Dixie pig and onto thunderclap.......


Stark’s Comment:
‘The Dark Tower’, based on Stephen Kings’ books, is by far the most successful, acclaimed and prestigious CMP’s saga. The release of each new installment turns into a major event for the Studio. And considering how well this Season is going on at box office and the numbers made by its predecessors, I confidently expect this one to become a big blockbuster.

Behind The Scenes:
-Sam Raimi directed and produced the three first movies of this saga. The fourth one was produced by Raimi and directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
-Goro Miyazaki, an anime artist, has only directed before the animated feature ‘Tales From Earthsea’. This is the first live action movie he has ever directed.
-Before choosing Miyazaki, Kubrick considered Andrew Adamson to direct the movie. Adamson and Kubrick worked together in the animation megahit ‘The Ice Princess’.
-Previous box offices of the saga: The Gunslinger (79 mill.), The Drawing Of The Three (285 mill.), Waste Lands (212 mill.), Wolves Of The Calla (215 mill.).
-‘The Drawing Of The Three’ still is the top 3 alltimes best box office and the top 4 alltimes highest net gains in CMP’s History.
-It is confirmed that there will be one more installment of this saga. Matt Kubrick wanted to release in consecutive weeks the fifth and sixth movies of the franchise but finally CMP decided to separate both releases.

GAME OF TRUTH

Espionage / Action

The Cast: Olivia Wilde, Daniel Day-Lewis, Kenneth Branagh, Will Patton, James McAvoy

The Director: Marc Forster
The Screenwriter: James Bradley

The Plot:

In 2004, the most efficent agent of the MI6, William Alexander (D. Day Lewis), disappeared without a trace. Since then, the British Services have considered him a traitor, a double agent that worked for the Iranian Secret Services.

It’s April, 2010. Angela (O.Wilde) is a young CIA analyst that works in a special joint unit MI6 / CIA specialized in Islamic terrorism. The chief of the unit is also an American, Jack Illsley (W.Patton), that reports directly to one of the MI6’s big bosses, Thomas McKingley (K.Branagh). Angela is not an operative agent but an expert in analyzing information. She is enjoying her time in London, having a nice new relationship with a lawyer, Mark (J.McAvoy).

Suddenly, Angela begins to receive at her apartment envelopes with no address containing very confidential and useful information. Thanks to that information, the MI6 can execute a few successful operations: the detention of a very important weapons’ trafficker, the abortion of a terrorist action in Berlin’s subway, the assassination of a diplomat in Lebanon… Angela tells her boss Jack about the mysterious envelopes and he tells her that, as long as they keep being so useful, they won’t investigate where they come from.

Weeks after the first envelope arrives, a man steps into Angela when she is jogging in Hyde Park. He identifies himself as William Alexander. Alexander is a classy and enigmatic man with educated manners and a certain disturbing halo around him. He tells Angela he’s the man that has been sending the envelopes to her. ‘They were only tests. I wanted to know if you managed the information correctly. Now I know you do.’, he tells her.

Alexander explains Angela that he cannot trust anybody at the MI6. He discovered there were some corrupted people there. People selling sensitive information to foreign governments. And that same people decided to kill him when they knew he had suspects about it. That’s why he disappeared. For the last five years, he has been working by himself at the Middle East. Now, he needs to transmit something really big to the British Government. But he does not know who he can trust. That’s why he has chosen Angela, because she is new at the MI6. He wants Angela to help him to discover who is corrupted at the MI6 and also to transmit his information to the right people.

Angela does not know what to do. Can she trust Alexander? Or is he trying to manipulate her?

Alexander offers her to make a test. He will give her now false information and they’ll see what happens. The plan is: Angela will say to her superiors that a man from the Kuwait Embassy in London is in fact a spy that knows the identity about double agents at the MI6 and he is going to denounce them.

Angela passes the information. Two days later, she reads at the newspaper than a diplomat from Kuwait has been murdered. Alexander was right. Somebody got scared and reacted. Somebody is corrupted at the MI6.

…and somebody not seen on screen is watching some pictures. They are photographs of Angela and Alexander talking at Hyde Park…

Angela and Alexander meet regularly in secret places. They do not completely trust each other so a peculiar relationship grows up between them. Alexander finally tells Angela the big thing he wants her to transmit: Iranian Government has a secret nuclear plant hidden under the appearance of an ordinary electrical plant. They are planning to drop a nuclear bomb in Israel. And that could mean the beginning of a global war… The Iranian plant should be bombed before they do so. But what if it’s only an electrical plant? Then, Iranian could use the bombing as an excuse to declare war to Israel or even the US and the whole Middle East could enter into the conflict. It’s a very delicate decision… Alexander can be working for the Iranian and manipulating Angela or he can be telling the truth…

Angela does not know what to do. But, finally, she tells Jack about the Iranian plant…

In the meantime, she realizes somebody is following her. She becomes a bit paranoid. Finally, one day she is assaulted by a masked man at her own apartment. The man tries to strangle her but she reacts on time. She gets a gun and shoots the man. Once he’s dead, she takes off his mask. And, to her surprise, it’s Mark, her boyfriend.

Under a shock, she immediately contacts Alexander. He runs to her apartment. Alexander helps her to get rid of Mark’s body, throwing it at the Thames River. He tells Angela that obviously Mark wasn’t a lawyer but an MI6 agent assigned to watch over her. He also recommends Angela to act naturally as the only way to discover who has ordered to kill her.

So the next morning, Angela goes to her office as if nothing has happened. But soon, McKingley calls her to his office. Jack is also there. They act strange from the very first second. McKingley tells Angela that their agents in Iran have not found any evidence of that supposed nuclear plant. He tells her that everything around her has been pretty strange lately and that they do not trust anymore about the envelopes she gets and the information she manages. She realizes that she is going to be accused of being a double agent…

She looks at Jack, who has remained quiet, and asks him: ‘Do you trust me?’
Jack only answers: ‘I don’t know what to think anymore…’

After that, Angela runs away from the office when she realizes she is going to be arrested. Alarms sound all over the building. But Angela, desperately trying to escape and followed by guards, gets to run away of the building before being captured.

She meets Alexander, who let her stay at his apartment.

A few days later, Angela gets in at night in Jack’s home. She wakes him up putting a gun in his forehead. ‘You have to listen to me…’, she tells him. Angela tells all the story to her boss: Alexander, corruption inside the MI6, the death of Mark… She tells him she believes Alexander now and the story about the nuclear plant is probably true. Jack tells her that she’s wrong: Alexander is a traitor and he is using her to create an international conflict useful for the Iranian. Angela runs away from Jack’s home.

Angela keeps hiding at Alexander’s house. And one night they end up making love… although she still doubts if he is playing fairly with her or not.

Meanwhile, Jack makes his own investigation at the MI6. He discovers that Mark worked for McKingley. And that takes him to discover too that it was McKingley who ordered to kill the man at the Kuwait Embassy. Finally, he decides to face McKingley and accuse him of betrayal and corruption. McKingley denies it all but right after Jack leaves his office telling him that he will officially accuse him, McKingley takes a gun from his desk and shoots himself.

Alexander tells Angela that she should leave England for her own security. He has arranged everything – a fake identity, a passport… - to help her go. But the day he is driving her to the airport, they are chasen by a few police cars. Alexander tries to escape but they are finally surrounded.

Policemen points their guns to Angela and Alexander, who stay behind the car, also holding guns. Everyone seems ready to open fire.

Then Jack arrives. Jack tells Angela what has happened with McKingley. Alexander was right. McKingley used to sell information to other nations’ secret services. But, on the other side, Alexander’s information about an imminent nuclear attack from Iran to Israel is false. He invented all that just to make McKingley nervous and force him to make mistakes. So Alexander was right about the corruption inside the MI6 but, at the same time, he was also manipulating Angela giving her false information. And that’s a crime after all. So Jack tells Angela that if they give up, she will be free but Alexander will be arrested for transmitting false information to the British Government and even inducing the death of an innocent Kuwait diplomat.

Before policemen can react, Alexander jumps into his car and runs away. Policemen shoot at the car and a few hundred meters ahead the car explodes and falls down an embankment. When Jack, Angela and the police forces get to the car on fire, they cannot find Alexander’s body there…

Weeks later, we see Jack and Angela at Jack’s office. They are watching the tv news. They talk about a US Government diplomatic mission visiting Iran. They say that Iranian Government has accepted to let United Nations to visit all their electric plants to prove that there’s no secret nuclear plants hiding. But, according to the news, the US Government still suspects that some secret nuclear plants could be hidden under the appearance of electrical plants.

‘Maybe he was true after all’, says Angela. Then, she gets a sms at her phone. It only shows the picture of a nice beach.

Jack tells her: ‘Find a good man and go on with your career, Angela. He played a dangerous game following his own rules. Nothing convenient for a good girl like you…’

Angela smiles.


Stark’s Comment:
Funny, but CMP has never produced a movie under the genre label of ‘Espionage’ so I have no idea of how that will work in box office. So the paradox is that this very classic concept becomes an innovative experience for the Studio.

Behind The Scenes:
-This is the second movie directed by Marc Forster for CMP. The first one was Richard Franzwa’s remake of ‘Altered States’.
-Olivia Wilde has been making one movie per Season in CMP since Season 13, when she made her debut in the Studio playing a supporting role in ‘Uncommon Valour: Only The Valiant’. Past Season, she starred the action movie ‘One Night Stand’.
-Daniel Day-Lewis has worked before with James Bradley in ‘Tender Is The Night’.
-Daniel Day-Leis has worked before in three CMP’s movies: ‘Quadrophenia’, ‘Tender Is The Night’ and ‘Fireflies In The Jelly-Jars’. He has got at least a GMA nomination with each and every one of them. He won the Best Villain award in Season 11 with ‘Fireflies In The Jelly-Jars’.

PACKING UP LONDON

Drama / Romance

The Cast: Diane Kruger, Joshua Jackson, Orlando Bloom, Vanessa Redgrave, Emma Watson, Anton Yelchin

The Director: Danny Boyle
The Screenwriter: Dawson Edwards

The Plot:

"There is no one else in the world I could ever make this journey with. I need you in my life, you have always been there. Be with me forever. Come away with me."

LONDON. Jennifer Bennett (D. Kruger) is an art curator at a prestigious museum. For her, life is grand. Her life revolves around two things: her work and her boyfriend, Ken (J.Jackson). Ken shows up to the museum and asks for Jennifer's hand in marriage. She says yes, and the two kiss in front of the museum crowd amidst tremendous applause. Later that night, after a romantic dinner, Ken takes Jennifer to the bedroom as they're about to make love she says she is so happy their getting married. He kisses her and says that he can't wait to take her to America and make her happier. She stops his kisses and the two argue about the idea of her leaving a job that makes her happy and a city that she's never left. Ken tells her that they won't be leaving soon but she should use to the idea of starting anew.

The next day Jennifer is seemingly feeling better about the idea of moving, and decides to visit her mother, Mrs. Bennett (V.Redgrave). She tells her mother the good news and is told that she should look through the garage for anything she would like to keep before she leaves. Her mother complains that the heat is up too high, but Jen dismisses it. Jen looks at the many items in the garage and is instantly drawn to the box labeled 'School'. She rummages through items until she finds a book. Jennifer opens it and reads: "Could there be a happier day than this?"

We flashback to a younger Jennifer (E.Watson) walking alone in a museum. Amazed by the beautiful gallery she bumps into a boy and falls. The scruffy headed teen picks her up and apologizes. He tells her that he was distracted by such beauty. The bashful Jennifer blushes and says thank you, but boy was referring to the art surrounding them. Saving her the embarrassment, he introduces himself as Daniel Wright (A.Yelchin). The two of them enjoy the rest of their time together at the museum before Daniel offers to take her home. Its dark outside when they exit the museum, so Daniel suggest she take a cab.

Just as he hails one in, we flash to the present where Jennifer looks outside the garage window at a similar cab picking up a young girl across the street. Her smile leaves her face as she knocks the book on the floor. Before picking it up she notices a piece of paper with a number on it, taped to the book. We flashback to young Jennifer on the phone with Daniel. The two seem in perfect bliss. We see Jennifer writing a number down and taping it a book, "There. I promise you its where I'll never lose it. I'll always call you."

Back to the present, Jennifer's mother yells from another room, asking if she would like some tea. She says yes, and we flashback to a dark night in a hotel room. Its prom night, and Daniel and Jen are about to have sex for the first time. He lays her on the bed and the two begin to undress. Under the sheets, Daniel lays atop of her, and is about to get started. At the last second, Jennifer stops him and says she isn't ready. "Its because tonight was too cliche wasn't it? I knew that walk would ruin the mood." Jennifer giggles and says that tonight was perfect but it just doesn't feel like the right time. Daniel rolls over and says "Want to order some tea then,yes?"

The loud sound of glass breaking takes us back to the present, and Jennifer runs to it. A cup of tea is on the floor, and so is her mother. She's unconscious, so Jen calls emergency 999. We flashback to another dark night with Jennifer and Daniel. Tears fall from her eyes, and he wipes them off with a smile. "We're too busy. Its not our fault. I will always love you, but its just not meant to be." says a less scruffy looking Dan. The two of them are wearing their graduation gowns, and in the background we can see people celebrating at a restaurant. "I don't want to lose you."

The ambulance is rushing to the hospital, and Jennifer barely understands what's going on. Words crawl in and out as time seems to slow down. We hear a doctor say "Severe heat exhaustion..." Jennifer takes out her cell phone and calls Ken. He doesn't answer so she leaves a message: "On the way to the hospital, something is wrong with Mum. I need you there...please be there, I love you."

Once at the hospital, they rush her into a room where Jen is quickly stopped by a doctor before proceeding into another area. The doctor says that she has to stay here, and that her mother will be okay. "She'll be fine, its just not meant to be today." She looks up at the doctor and cries in the arms of a much older Dr. Wright (O.Bloom). "I got your message, I'm here and I promise you that she'll be okay." He sits her down in a waiting room, and tells her that he'll be right back. Jennifer is left sitting in the waiting room reflecting on what just happened. A quick flashback reveals her calling Dan instead of her fiance Ken. We then get a fast paced collage of the last two days, just to revert back to the present where Jennifer faints.

When she awakes, the first thing she sees is Dan's smile and scruffy hair. "Your mother is fine, she's much more worried about you at the moment." Jennifer says "There is no one else in the world I could ever make this journey with. I need you in my life, you have always been there. Be with me forever. Come away with me." Dan smiles, and says that while that would be lovely, he doesn't think Ken would approve. Dan then points to the window of the room where Ken stands outside pacing back and forth. "Tell you what Jen, you make sure your mother stays hydrated and I'll be sure to make every day cliche." She giggles and smiles back at him. Dan brings Ken in the room and lets them be together. Ken hugs her and we see Dan now looking in on the two. Jennifer smiles at him while hugging Ken, and Dan waves and walks away.


Stark’s Comment:
A different story from the ones usually written by Edwards. I will repeat myself once more: dramas are a hit or miss. Anyway, it’s not an expensive production so it could reach net gains without a big effort.

Behind The Scenes:
-Cameron Crowe was also considered by Edwards to direct this movie.
-This is the second movie of the Season with Joshua Jackson in it after ‘What You Deserve’, also written by Edwards. The third one will be ‘Justice League 2’.
-Jamie Bell rejected the offer to play Orlando Bloom’s character in his teen years as he considered himself too old to be believable.
-Diane Kruger has been seen before in CMP in ‘The Beatles’ and ‘Nathan Zachary and the Pilfered Prototype’.
-Vanessa Redgrave has only worked before for CMP in ‘The Lovers Stages’. She won the Best Supporting Actress GMA for her work in that movie.


JUSTICE LEAGUE 2: Once released ‘Superman: Last Son’, everything is ready to develop this sequel of Chad Taylor’s franchise. Again, Christopher Nolan will be behind the cameras shooting the adventures of the gang of DC Comics’ superheroes: Batman (Christian Bale), Wonder Woman (Cobie Smulders), The Flash (Joshua Jackson), Green Lantern (Ryan Reynolds) and, of course, Superman, now with the face of Henry Cavill replacing Nicholas Cage. The first movie of this franchise made a nice box office of 130 millions. The novelty of this sequel is that it will be shot using digital film.

FANTASY WORLD: The two GMAs winner Bill Murray returns to CMP after his latest work in the acclaimed comedy ‘The Bus’. Murray is playing here a sorcerer who demands very high fees for his services. He will appear in the movie almost unrecognizable under a thick cover of latex and make up.

TRAIL OF THE LOST EMPIRE: It is known that Tom Cruise is playing a treasure hunter in this Gore Verbinski’s action comedy. But he won’t be the only one. Two other treasure hunters are lifetime rivals of Cruise’s character. And they are going to be played by Pierce Brosnan, not seen in CMP since ‘Uncommon Valour: Only The Valiant’, and Christoph Waltz, the mean Nazi of ‘Inglorious Bastards’, making here his debut in CMP.

AMEDIA: The neverending list of the cast members of this drama being directed by Chad Taylor finally gets to an end with two more names: Zoe Saldana, who succeeded past Season with ‘Jack Vance: A True Hollywood Story’, and Sam Worthington, only seen before in CMP playing the superhero Cable in ‘The Avengers 4: Civil War’.

THE PLEDGES: Green light for a drama written by the very active Dawson Edwards and placed in the world of university’s fraternities. Albert and Allen Hughes, who directed past Season the acclaimed Edwards’ drama ‘Rebel’, team up with him again in this one. The story follows a group of black students going through the ritual of the pledges to become members of a fraternity. Brandon T. Jackson stars the movie together with some regulars in Edwards’ movies like GMA Winner Derek Luke, in his seventh work in an Edwards’ movie, or Rob Brown, who could be seen in ‘Get Down’. Olivia Thirlby, seen past week in ‘Based On Real Life’, will also be in this movie.

OTTO RAHN: After past week news about his rejection to be in movies like ‘Mega Man’ or ‘Packing Up London’, the news this week is that Jamie Bell has accepted to be in this biographical movie about the legendary German archeologist being starred by David Strathairn. Steven Spielberg, who is producing this movie being directed by Werner Herzog, has been the one to choose Bell to play the young gay lover of Otto Rahn, after working with him in ‘The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier and Clay’.

MEGA MAN: Renny Harlin’s movie already has a replacement for Jamie Bell. And it is no other than Jesse Eisenberg. Eisenberg starred in CMP’s ‘The Secret Of Monkey Island’, the beginning of a promising franchise that was interrupted when its writer, David Makalaster, retired. Also in the movie, in his second work for CMP this Season after ‘Vixen’, Christopher Walken, playing another one of his usual eccentric characters.

SON OF THE BRIDE: It seems like Ben Stiller has decided to look for new challenges in CMP after starring quite a bunch of successful comedies. After accepting a minor role in Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Legends Of The West’, now Stiller has decided to direct this funny and sentimental dramedy. ‘Son Of The Bride’, written by James Bradley, is the American remake of a great Argentinian movie that was nominated for the Academy Awards some years ago. Ben Stiller will not only direct but will also star this story about a man going through his middle age crisis while organizing the wedding of his old parents. This will be the second directional job of Stiller for CMP. In Season 4, he directed the Marcus Trax’s comedy ‘Eureka!’ and it didn’t work in box office.

A FAREWELL TO ARMS: Martin Scorsese is directing this Chad Taylor’s adaptation of the classic Hemingway’s novel. Two prestigious actresses are going to play supporting roles in it: Emily Blunt, only seen before in CMP in Josh Collins’ movies until now (‘Blink’, ‘Goldmine Killers’, ‘The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time’), and GMA Winner Nicole Kidman, not seen in CMP since her special appearance in Season 9’s comedy ‘Bond Scum’.

THE FANTASTIC ISLAND: This Alfonso Cuaron’s movie, starred by Jeff Goldblum and Jennifer Garner, has been shot in 3D. In fact, it is the first live action CMP’s movie in 3D but it probably won’t be the last. Although it is known that Harry Stark is not exactly a fan of 3D, if ‘The Fantastic Island’ works, 3D might become something usual in CMP’s movies… against its President’s will.


MATT KUBRICK
‘THE DARK TOWER: SONG OF SUSANNAH’

Matt Kubrick has written more than 80 screenplays for CMP, being the most active director of the Studio. But, without doubt, his most ambitious and successful task has been taking to the big screen the Stephen Kings’ books saga ‘The Dark Tower’. No other CMP’s franchise has ever been as successful as this one, with three out of its four previous installments making more than 200 millions in box office. This week, CMP releases ‘Song Of Susannah’, the fifth episode of the saga, and still there will be one more movie to come to put an end to this epic and intriguing adventure.

1.After the wonderful box offices made by all the previous episodes of the saga, you must feel a certain pressure with this release. What's new in this fifth installment to keep audiences interested?

There is a lot more action in this installment than the previous entries and we get closer to learning the mysteries of the story. Some new mysteries pop up and a new villain who is perhaps the one behind the whole thing.

2.Goro Miyazaki was a peculiar choice to direct the movie. Why did you choose him?

I'm always looking for new talent to hire and find new people with ideas that haven't worked in CMP before. I decided on trying to get him for this movie because of the movie Tales From the Earth Sea. I believe he can bring a lot of great things to the movie and bring a distinctive style to it.

3.There are many jokes around CMP's world about the complex plot of the saga. Can we expect that the sixth and final installment will clarify the shadows in the story?

Heck yea all will be revealed in the final installment. Lots of action, surprising twists and turns all leading to a mind blowing conclusion. Just stay till after the credits if you want to know how it really ends.

4.Don't you have the feeling that this wonderful series of movies has been unfairly treated at the Golden Moon Awards?

Yeah I thought it has been treated unfairly but these movies gets a lot of competition and there are a lot of great movies that have been produced. What can you do? just hire the best people you can. I'm proud that there has been such a massive response to it and that audiences love them I think that is what is really important.

5.You have recently announced the creation of Midnight Movies Animation. What can we expect from it? Any project MMA is already working in?

I have chosen a new name for the new department and it's called Midnight Movies The Edge. This department will be DVD only and all the films will be released un rated. We have turned in our first script called Demon Hunter which is a post apocalyptic fantasy action film. This is a new world for us and the studio and we hope it works. We hope that other writers may submit scripts and let their imaginations fly in new ways.


DANNY BOYLE

Some directors (and not only the female ones) have difficulties to reach continuity in their CMP’s careers. The Studio has had quite a few ‘one hit wonder’ directors or moviemakers that have only had the chance to direct two or three movies for the Studio. But that’s not the case of Danny Boyle. This week’s release, ‘Packing Up London’, will be his seventh movie for the Studio. Since Season 12, Boyle has been directing regularly one movie per Season. So we have here one of the most active directors in CMP’s history, even though he has never got a single nomination at the GMA and his movies do not usually become big box office’s hits. A peculiar case in CMP that deserves a close look at his career in the Studio.

THE CAVES OF STEEL
Season 6 – Steve Connors
B.O.: 83 / N. Gains: 68 mill.
Boyle made his debut in CMP directing the first installment of the Steve Connors’ ‘Robots Trilogy’ based in Isaac Asimov’s novels. A top budget sci-fi thriller co-starred by Bruce Willis and Paul Bettany. The movie wasn’t as successful as expected, so Connors decided to replace Boyle behind the cameras for the two sequels. They were directed by Brett Ratner and both became two blockbusters with also a remarkable presence at the Golden Moon Awards. But still this is the movie directed by Boyle for CMP that has made a highest box office.

DAISY LANE
Season 7 – John Daws
B.O.: 49 / N. Gains: 21
Maybe disappointed with the experience of ‘The Caves Of Steel’, Boyle left Hollywood to direct this more British story. A thriller taking place in the streets of London. Daniel Radcliffe, Pierce Brosnan and Catherine Z. Jones starred a movie that made discrete box office’s numbers and also had a discrete reception by movie critics.

THE RUNNING MAN
Season 8 – Ben Tyler
B.O.: 78 / N.Gains: 26
Back to Hollywood and back to a big budget production. Ben Tyler chose Danny Boyle to direct this remake starred by Mark Wahlberg. It was a dark sci-fi and action story and again audiences responded with a lack of enthusiasm. Maybe disappointed again, Boyle decided to take a rest from CMP for four Seasons after this release.

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
Season 12 – Josh Collins
B.O.: 22 / N.Losses: 7
Back to the islands, Collins offered Boyle to direct the big screen adaptation of the bestseller by Mark Haddon about a peculiar autistic boy, played by Freddie Highmore. After directing thrillers and sci-fi stories, this movie meant a U-turn in Boyle’s career in CMP. Since this work, and maybe due to a kind of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ effect, Boyle turned from directing big budget productions to specialize in intimate dramas. This first one was unfairly treated by audiences and critics. In fact, it meant the first box office’s flop for Boyle. But the truth is that it was a very nice and moving film that deserves a re-watch.

THE ORPHAN TRAIN
Season 13 – Josh Collins
B.O.: 53 / N.Gains: 33
And again Boyle returned to an American story with this second collaboration with Collins. ‘The Orphan Train’ was a pretty ambitious drama. It recreated the sad story of many kids separated from their families back in 19th century at the US. Again, as it happened with ‘The Curious Incident…’, Boyle made a beautiful, moving and quality movie and audiences and critics unfairly responded in a too cold way.

HALLELUJAH
Season 14 – Chad Taylor & Trent Nielsen
B.O: 12 / N.Losses: 14
Besides critics or audiences’ indifference, Boyle kept being demanded by many different CMP’s authors to direct their stories. This one was a daring gay love story co-starred by Ryan Gosling and Benjamin McKenzie (winners of the Best Starring Couple GMA with it). Audiences turned their back to the movie and it became the second and biggest box office’s flop for Boyle in CMP.

PACKING UP LONDON
Season 15 – Dawson Edwards
Awaiting release
No matter box office’s flops or critics’ mistreat, Boyle keeps insisting in doing what he wants to do and that seems to be getting involved in sentimental dramas dealing with love relationships or family issues. Again, Boyle has bet for a story that takes place in the British Islands. This will be his fourth Season in a row releasing a movie in CMP and that must mean something. CMP’s authors keep on trusting him as director beyond the financial turnout of his works.


As they have done before, the people from Vogue magazine have reunited in a glamorous photo session two of the stars of this week’s releases coming from CMP. Here are two rising stars in the Studio: from ‘Game Of Truth’, Olivia Wilde and, from ‘Packing Up London’, Diane Kruger.



You were surprised? Yes, many colleagues have mentioned me their surprise for the negative critics got by ‘Superman: Last Son’ at this blog. I know the movie has been a huge success. But box office’s success and good reviews not always go hand by hand. Personally, I must say I enjoyed the movie and maybe some critics were too hard on it. But it is also true that it wasn’t my favorite Dawson Edwards’ screenplay for a superhero movie. Call me eccentric, but I think that the best superhero story written by Edwards is ‘The Flash: Blitz’. He perfectly balanced and mixed there the usual double personality of any superhero, dealing with both the save-the-world-as-we-know-it routine and his personal problems. Anyway, you can count on me to pay a ticket to watch ‘Superman 2: Another Son’!

A funny problem. As I have written before, Steve Connors is writing the adaptation of the acclaimed console gain ‘Heavy Rain’. The problem is that, according to Connors, the game has something like 18 possible endings, depending on the player’s decisions. So, which one to choose for the movie? After many considerations, Connors latest option seems to be building up his own ending not using any of the possible ones in the game.

I wanted to update this week a recurrent issue in my articles: will there be a sequel of ‘Star Wars: Holocron Initiative’ or not? But I am afraid I don’t have any news. I have been asking all my team of spies in CMP’s offices and all of them assure me that they have no idea about it. Nobody knows if Edwards is too busy working in all the rest of his franchises to focus on this one or if the discrete numbers made in box office by the movie have discouraged him of going on with a sequel. Asked about it, both George Lucas and Harry Stark have kept silence, maybe waiting for Mr. Edwards’ decision.

Matt Kubrick has a good reason to feel hurt with Harry Stark. Kubrick had proposed CMP’s President to release the fifth and sixth installments of the Dark Tower saga with only a few weeks of difference. That way, the end of this acclaimed and prestigious saga would become a very special event for CMP. But the mean Harry has ignored Kubrick’s request. Why? My confidants tell me that Stark simply forgot the request. My opinion? Stark is a cruel little dictator that always does what he wants with his Studio not caring about his talented authors’ demands no matter if they are the writers of the most successful CMP’s franchise ever as ‘Dark Tower’ is.

And talking about Kubrick, CMP has confirmed that Matt has not only written but will also direct a third installment of ‘Deep Silence’. Yes, that terrible saga starred by Jessica Alba and amphibian underwater creatures. The new movie will be released in 3D. And maybe Harry Stark is supporting Matt Kubrick here but it is the rest of the world who should torture him for making another installment of such a lousy franchise…