NOVEMBER, 1


SUB-MARINER

Action Superhero / Fantasy
Cast: Ian Somerhalder, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Marton Csokas, John Noble, Ruth Wilson, Bill Paxton, Kellan Lutz. Cameo by Brett Cullen.
Director: David Fincher
Screenwriter: John Malone

Box Office: 147 mill.
Net Gains: 127 mill.

Stark’s Reaction:
Every time the Studio releases a superhero movie, I can’t help expecting record-breaking numbers ala ‘Justice League 2’… Sometimes, that makes me forget that making 147 millions at box office still is a wonderful turnout. Yes, the Studio ‘has’ to feel more than happy with these numbers.

THE JUNGLE

Drama
Cast: Jim Sturgess, Emma Watson, Keira Knightley, Vera Farmiga, Rade Serbedzija, John C. Reilly, Michael Pitt, Ty Burrell, Angelica Huston
Director: Todd Field
Screenwriter: Yuri Redding

Box Office: 38 mill.
Net Gains: 11 mill.

Stark’s Reaction:
Obviously, this wasn’t the kind of release oriented to become a blockbuster. This is one of those ‘prestige moves’ we like to make at CMP. But, anyway, box office has stayed a bit below my expectations (yes, ok, I know what Bob Felton would say: I am a too greedy guy…).

HERE, KITTY KITTY

Comedy / Animation
Cast of Voices: Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mike Meyers
Director: Andrew Adamson
Screenwriter: Josh Collins

Box Office: 29 mill.
Net Losses: 12 mill.

Stark’s Reaction:
Big ouch! From time to time, animated movies turn into hard and unexpected box office’s disasters in CMP. And, sadly, this is one of those occasions. A too severe flop not deserved by this nice movie.


SUB-MARINER

‘David Fincher and John Malone have made a big effort to put up a most impressive superhero movie here. ‘Sub-Mariner’ shows its big ambitions from beginning to end: luxurious production design, very elaborated plot, the most sophisticated CGI and a clever mix of conceptual reminiscences from many movies, from ‘Avatar’ to ‘Abyss’ to more classic ones like ‘20000 Leagues Under The Sea’… and, of course, CMP’s ‘Aquaman’. The final result of it all is a quality show and an entertaining movie – although a bit too long – but not the ultimate redefinition of the superheroes genre it may pretend to be. Namor is not as powerful as a comic icon as Batman or Superman, no matter how hard Fincher and Malone try. ‘Sub-Mariner’ may be an efficient movie but still you will have the feeling that you are watching a movie about a character from the B-list of superheroes.’
-Vic Carter

‘I have this problem with Ian Somerhalder… He is so handsome, so sexy, so physically perfect that I just do not get to believe him in any character he plays. He always looks to me as a top model pretending to be an actor. He is ok playing Namor but, again, I felt he is a bit cold as an actor, as if there’s always a certain distance kept between him and his characters. Mary Elizabeth Winstead claims here that she deserves a future in CMP. And the rest of the cast do their job properly in their difficult task of making believable characters that fit better in the pages of a comic book than in a live action film.’
-Lilly Stevens

‘CMP’s ‘Aquaman’ was an unfairly reviled movie. It made a wonderful box office of 177 millions and net gains of 220 millions. But critics ate it alive and that is probably why Dawson Edwards decided not to develop a franchise out of it. This ‘Sub-Mariner’ – Marvel’s version of Aquaman – looks like a remake of Dawson Edwards and David Yates’ film. Malone and Fincher have tried hard to polish the kitsch elements in that one and to build up a most consistent plot. But the funny thing is that it has made a much lower box office. Yes, I admit that ‘Sub-Mariner’ is a better movie than ‘Aquaman’ in many aspects, including screenplay and directional job. But, in its desperate search of quality, it has lost in the way the naïve charm and freshness of ‘Aquaman’.’
-Tim Reeve

THE JUNGLE

‘Here is a hyper-dramatic story to enjoy for those who like to go to a movie theatre to suffer. Upton Sinclair’s book pictures the reality of immigration in the 1920’s without romantic concessions. And so does this movie. It presents a group of characters condemned to fatality. Every step they take goes wrong and there’s not too much room for hope in their lives. Todd Field does respect the toughness of the story without making any Hollywood-esque turn on it. The result is a honest and interesting movie about how life was for those desperate people that arrived to the US looking for a better life and fought against all odds to survive. Top quality drama and a moving story only suitable for those who look for something more than a flashy sci-fi story on a movie screen.’
-Charlie Kiggs

‘Jim Sturgess keeps growing as an actor with this new job. He shows here that he is much more than just a cute British guy. Sturgess has left behind weaker acting jobs always playing the same lovable young man – from ‘Across The Universe’ to CMP’s ‘Snow’ – to make a top dramatic performance. Also, Keira Knightley shows here she can shine on screen being something more than a heroic lady among pirates or sci-fi action heroes. And Emma Watson also grows here as an actress leaving more and more behind Hermione Granger (maybe too fast?, isn’t she a bit too young or at least looks a bit too childish for her character, same way it happened before in ‘Grow Old With Me’? ). I know we are only at the beginning of this CMP’s Season, but I hope people will remember these top quality acting works when the next GMA time comes.’
-Anne Roman

‘The struggle of immigrants looking for a better life has been a recurrent issue in both cinema and literature. Upton Sinclair’s book has had more recent popular heirs in books (and movies) like the also extremely dramatic novels by Frank McCourt’s ‘Tis’ and ‘Angela’s Ashes’. Todd Field’s movie is not, in that sense, a most original one but still it is a serious and solid approach to part of the recent American history. Yuri Redding’s adaptation has perfectly captured and respected the spirit of the book and the atmosphere of the time. Jurgis Rudkus’s life events from the family drama to his criminal career to his decadence and redemption is both an epic and intimate tale that deserved to be told with the efficiency both Field and Redding have shown in this consistent and interesting production that overcomes that certain lack of originality.’
-Jackie O’Callaghan

HERE, KITTY KITTY

‘Funny. Josh Collins has written a movie that falls in all the clichés he laughed at in the wonderful ‘Woodland Creatures’. Here we have a return to the most classic concept of animation: a comedic story with talking animals. In 2011, after having ogres, racing cars, toys, robots and many other creatures starring animated features, going back to simple animals inevitably looks a bit old fashioned. Sometimes, that concept still works (the first ‘Madagascar’), some others it does not work anymore (‘Bolt’). Sadly, this has been one of those times it does not work. Audiences have not been interested in the Australian adventures of these cats. And that does not mean that the screenplay wasn’t funny. In fact, it is (even more than the other cats’ movie written by Collins, ‘Karate Kat’, although that one did work much better at box office). It is just that audiences are not willing to surrender to predictable jokes of a funny cat interacting with a funny kangaroo… Collins should have remembered the things he laughed at in ‘Woodland Creatures’ before writing this story.’
-Roy Winslow

‘Somebody at CMP should stop Vince Vaughn from making more voice-only works in animated features. This is the third one and it is also the third box office’s disaster with him on board after ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ and ‘Toons’. For some unknown reason, Vaughn is a jinx for animated movies. Out of the starry cast of voices hired for this production, only Hugh Jackman makes a remarkable job exaggerating his Australian accent for the best character of the film. The rest of the cast just put their voices for the pay. And Vaughn confirmed again he wasn’t born for voice-only jobs.’
-Andrew Stampton

‘Andrew Adamson had directed before two very creative animated movies for CMP: the blockbusters ‘The Ice Princess’ and ‘He Man And Masters Of The Universe’. Both of them had great visual findings and meant a step forward in modern animation. That makes even more surprising that, after some Seasons away, Adamson has returned to CMP to direct this much more classic film. ‘Here, Kitty Kitty’ is a too conformist production in terms of visual creativity. There’s nothing new in it. Maybe, 20 years ago it would have been a daring and innovative proposal. But right now it does not take any risk in terms of creativity. It has a correct story, with some decent gags, but audiences demand much more than that from animation nowadays. I have the feeling that this movie is further evidence that the golden days of animation we went through the past two decades – from ‘Toy Story’ to the first ‘Shrek’ – may be definitely gone.’
-Mark Anderson