Catching Fire

Katniss is back and she does not disappoint!  Jennifer Lawrence has given us a female heroine we can get behind. She is, to borrow a line from Catching Fire, our mockingjay. 

After devouring the Suzanne Collins novels, I was excited to learn the books were being adapted for the big screen. After The Hunger Games, I was pleased with what I felt was a faithful and entertaining adaptation.  Though The Hunger Games was a solid movie, Lionsgate, the film's production company, brought in a new director and two new screenwriters for the sequel.  And it paid off in spades!! Francis Lawrence, who has done some suspect work in the past (Constantine anyone?), did a fantastic job with Catching Fire!

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is better than its predecessor. Filmed in IMAX, it is truly an immersive experience that pulls you into the gritty action with fierce intimacy and keeps you engaged with a beautifully shot and brilliantly produced juggernaut. This film is far more emotionally compelling and less clunky than the first, and delivers as one of the best I've seen this year.

At almost 2 1/2 hours, Catching Fire still feels like it was shortened in order to accommodate theater audiences.  Massively entertaining, this film could have easily been 3 hours in length and probably would have been better for it.  Though done well, there is simply too much going on in the original story to efficiently put it on the screen.  Kudos to Lawrence (Francis, not Jennifer) who does an amazing job in telling the story in a way that feels complete.

As you all know, however, the story is far from complete.  With two films yet to go, we are only half way through Katniss's epic story. Fans of the story will be pleased with the ending of Catching Fire. Those of you who are coming to the party late may need a little help understanding what's going on, so let me encourage you to go back and read the books.

Bottom Line: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is great.  I really enjoyed it!! If you can, pay the extra cash to see it IMAX.   Parents beware, however. The movie is rated PG-13 for a reason. Though the film does not contain large amounts of language or gore, the subject matter is simply too disturbing for young children who will not understand the social and political themes that serve as the story's foundation.  

Thor 2: The Dark World

This pains me to write because I had relatively high expectations for another installment in the epic Marvel catalog. Maybe I was not in the mood or something, but this film simply fell flat for me. Perhaps it was just me, but I've read numerous reviews by folks who make statements like, "The best movie of the year!" and "Way better than the first!". My first thought is that those people were stoned. The best part of the film was a 15 second clip featuring Captain America. Yes, the Dark Elves were way cool and quite menacing. but the story was uninspired and left me unfulfilled.

I'm not going to completely blame this on director Alan Taylor, but this is his first attempt at a major action film. And you can tell. Though the film gets decidedly better in the second half, it can't seem to overcome its murky beginning.  Here's a piece of advice: Superhero films DO NOT have to rely SO HEAVILY on CGI.  There's a lot to be said for real character development, dramatic acting, and storytelling.  Too bad Taylor didn't follow my advice.

Other than the perfect Tom Hiddleston as Loki, the rest of the cast ranges between good and lackluster. Hemsworth is obviously great as Thor but he has absolutely no chemistry with Natalie Portman. Stellan Skarsgard provides some hilarious moments and Jaimie Alexander looks good in Asgard attire.

Overall, Thor has never been my favorite Marvel character so it's no surprise that I don't love this franchise. However, I really enjoyed the first film as well as Thor's contribution to The Avengers. The Dark World just didn't quite capture my full attention.

If you're looking for something to take your teenage son to see, this is a good choice. It was entertaining, don't get me wrong. Just don't expect to be awed.   Oh...and I almost forgot!  Make sure to stay for BOTH of the extra scenes!!

Looking for Something to Rent?

Ever find yourself standing at the RedBox with a confused look on your face? Do you spend an hour staring blankly at the Netflix list with no idea what to put in your queue? Well, have no fear! Chris is here!! Able to shorten your DVD decision time with a single ordinary opinion!  I've done all the hard work for you. No more wasting your valuable time or money with a poor rental decision.

Now, what you're about to read is not my typical film review. In fact, for more in depth analysis, you'll have to message me or give me a call. Instead, I'm about to drop some knowledge on you with a few down and dirty opinions of some current releases. So, get ready! Grab and pencil and take some notes.

 

The East
Really interesting story about corporate espionage and environmental terrorism. I enjoyed this film on the flight from Atlanta to Quito, Ecuador. It features a great cast, highlighted by Alexander Skarsgard and Ellen Page. Definitely worth your time.





Hangover 3
Much like Hangover 2, if you were able to make a montage of all of the Zach Galifianakis lines and just watch those, it would be a hilarious 15 minutes of your day. Otherwise, don't bother.

The Internship
If you liked Wedding Crashers, you'll be disappointed with this. It features the magical tandem of Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson so The Intersnhip looks promising. But it's like setting up a hot date with a beautiful girl on Match.com only to find out when you meet her at the restaurant that she is actually a tranny with a fetish for unicorns.
 
 
The Purge
Great premise with awesome potential to explore some difficult questions about the human condition, society, civic responsibility and the political and economic factors that influence them. This movie addresses none of those. Absolutely terrible. Seldom has a movie had such an intriguing and compelling concept and fallen so far short of its possibilities.




This is the End
With the exception of a few funny moments from various members of this epic ensemble cast, this movie is terrible. In fact, the only thing that kept running through my mind during this crap fest was, "WHEN is the end?!?"
                                 

 
Tyrannosaur
Certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but if you can hang in there through the language and THICK British accents, you'll find a powerful film about the weight and consequences of our human weakness. This film is brilliantly acted and expertly directed. Desperation, fear, jealously, rage, hope and redemption are woven together to result in an overlooked but must-see film.



White House Down
This is the most realistic film about a terrorist attack on the White House that you will ever see.  Just kidding. This version makes the Gerard Butler version of the SAME MOVIE look like a documentary.  It's funny and entertaining, with Channing Tatum making another solid stride toward becoming the Schwarzenegger of the modern age. (And that's a good thing!) But it's a little too long and because of it's too often reliance on comic relief, falls short of it's more dramatic cousin.