Mockingjay Part 1 (6/10): Propaganda for what is to come

“I have a message for President Snow: If we burn, you burn with us!”

When Francis Lawrence took over director duty for the second film in the Hunger Games franchise we got a much more serious YA adaptation from Collins’s novel. The film had a great sense of pacing and storytelling while introducing us to the Capitol and the other districts and not just focusing on the actual Hunger Games. I thought it was a much better film than the first, but I still loved them both. They ended up in my list of the best films for the year in which they were released, so my expectations for this third film were huge considering Lawrence was back in the director’s chair. I still had some concerns about adapting the final book in two parts because the first parts didn’t work too well with the Twilight and Harry Potter franchises. My concerns turned out to be true because I did have a similar issue with Mockingjay Part 1. The entire film felt stretched, focusing on small details that didn’t do much to build the tension of the story. It actually hurt the pacing of the film that the director had worked so well with in the previous installment. This first part felt like a slow build-up and a giant filler to what will come next in the grand finale, so I couldn’t help but feel let down by what Francis Lawrence had to offer. I still enjoyed Mockingjay, but it doesn’t live up to its predecessors. 

Mockingjay is a huge departure from the previous films. There are no Hunger Games and very little action scenes here, while there is a lot of exposition and preparation for what is to come. The previous films worked as a social commentary on reality TV, while this one focuses more on advertising. Catching Fire allowed us into the Capitol where we got a glimpse of who the real enemy was, but in Mockingjay we don’t see what is actually going on in the Capitol and everything takes place mostly in District 13 where a big revolution is uprising. What all three films do have in common is the strong lead performance from Jennifer Lawrence who holds everything in place and keeps us engaged with this dystopian world Collins has introduced us to. When certain scenes in Mockingjay began to feel tedious or drag out a bit too long, Lawrence’s Katniss reminded us why we are tagging along with this franchise. She literally is the symbol of hope for the rebellion as much as she is for the franchise. This film is more political than the previous ones and we are introduced to a lot of propaganda (not just as a build-up for the next film, but actual propaganda as the Capital and District 13 try to smear each other’s credibility). The political intrigue plays out as a sort of chess game where one side tries to outdo the other. This was done really well here, but the problem was that it became repetitive, and that is where I felt the story was incredibly stretched out.

Jennifer Lawrence has some great scenes in this film, and others that felt a bit cheesy (the nightmares for example), but during a scene where she sends a message to President Snow she gave me goose-bumps. I also enjoyed the scene where she sings “the hanging tree” lullaby. Those were the moments that drew me back to the film and reminded me why I loved this franchise in the first place. I am sure the second part of this film will work better, but the slow build-up didn’t do much for me here. I missed some of the characters that I had learned to love and that only got a few minutes of screen time here. Haymitch and Caesar provided some of the much needed comic relief in the previous films, but here everything becomes political and serious and there is little room for them. Effie is perhaps the character who comes out better this time around and Elizabeth Banks nails the role once again. The new characters didn’t do much for me and despite the fact that Liam Hemsworth gets much more screen time as Gale he doesn’t do much either. Claflin’s role as Finnick is nowhere as nearly interesting as it was in Catching Fire. Phillip Seymour Hoffman brings class once again to his role and he also stood out for me, while Josh Hutcherson shows much more range as Peeta here despite the very little screen time he’s given. So despite having a lot of interesting characters in the franchise, they really don’t get to do anything interesting in Mockingjay. Of course, the film ends with a teaser and we will all return for the grand finale despite the slow build-up because enough time has been spent on these characters and we care for them.

My Review: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (9/10)

"Remember who the real enemy is."

Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend) takes over director duty from Gary Ross in the sequel to The Hunger Games franchise which results in a much darker and better film. I know I gave the original Hunger Games film the same rating as this one, but I think I was a little too generous with the first film. Francis clearly sets the right mood and tone for this franchise by giving us a better picture of the world outside of the games. The districts and the Capitol are better portrayed here and we get a sense of who the real enemy is now. In the first film I felt like the enemies were some of the kids from the first districts, while in this sequel you get more of a sense as to why the Capitol and President Snow are the true enemies. The film takes more time to set up this world and it does so with a great sense of pacing and storytelling. The actual Hunger Games don't begin until the second half of the film, but I was ok with the buildup since it was absolutely necessary. Catching Fire gives us glimpses of what we are going to get in the next two films as sparks of a revolution begin to develop, and it also gives us new characters that are certain to play a key role in the upcoming films. These new characters are far better developed than the ones in the first film and the entire film sets things up perfectly for the grand finale. Jennifer Lawrence carries this film and she truly is a girl on fire showing both sides of her persona: her courage and her vulnerability. She balances these elements and the struggles she's going through perfectly and allows the audience to identify with her character. I don't think that two and a half hours have gone by so quickly for me as it did during this movie (I've seen 90 minute films that seemed to be longer than this) because it was just so exciting and engaging. The action during the actual games were also much better developed (no more shaky cams). Catching Fire is probably along with Star Trek Into Darkness the best blockbuster of the year.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrece) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), the winners of the 74th Annual Hunger Games, have returned home. Katniss has turned into a symbol of hope for the people who are beginning to rebel against the totalitarian government of the Capitol under President Snow (Donald Sutherland). Katniss and Peeta's return home is short lived as they embark on a Victor's Tour around all the districts paying their respects to the falling tributes. Despite Katniss's love for Gale (Liam Hemsworth), she is forced to continue with the farce surrounding the media coverage of her relationship with Peeta. Effie (Elizabeth Banks) and Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) join Katniss and Peeta as advisors during the tour. President Snow recognizes that Katniss has become a symbol of hope for the people outside of the Capitol and therefore has a surprise for the upcoming Quarter Quell (the 75th Annual Hunger Games). He announces that for this special event a male and female tribute winner from every district will have to compete against each other in this tournament of champions. Katniss and Peeta are the chosen tributes from District 12 who will face other tributes in a special arena designed by the new Head Gamemaker, Plutarch Heavensbee (Phillip Seymour Hoffman). Other tributes include Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin) and Johanna Mason (Jena Malone) who form an alliance with them. President Snow is planning on crushing Panem's new symbol of hope, but Katniss will do what it takes to survive and protect her loved ones.

Francis Lawrence does a much better job here at exploring the different themes that the film is trying to get across. Catching Fire is more than a simple survival tale as other themes such as government oppression, heavily marked social classes, and society's obsession with celebrities are all explored very well. The characters are better developed as well. Take Katniss for example, as she's forced to live a double life feeling hypocritical and imprisoned at times as she has to hide her true feelings for Gale. She doesn't feel like a hero and doesn't want to be that symbol of hope that's she become. She has to come to grips with her new identity and the responsibility that has come with it. Jennifer Lawrence delivers a strong performance as she shows these inner struggles she's facing while at the same time proving she can be lethal. The film is also very well adapted by Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) and Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3) from Suzanne Collins' novel. The returning supporting actors like Lenny Kravitz and Stanley Tucci are phenomenal once again, while the new characters played by Jenna Malone, Sam Claflin, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Jeffrey Wright have sparked my interest as to what they can bring to this franchise. They were all very well developed and add so much to a first part which in my opinion was dependent entirely on Jennifer Lawrence. She carries this film once again, but has an even more impressive supporting cast to leave us even more hooked with the cliffhanger ending. This film was great and I haven't even mentioned the amazing sets and awesome costume designs that went up a notch from last year's Hunger Games. Catching Fire is an upgrade over the original film and one you should definitely give a chance.

My Review: Red Dawn (5/10)

¨We´re not doing too bad for a bunch of kids. We´re gonna fight. We´re gonna keep fighting cause it´s easier now and we´re used to it.¨

I agree that this was a totally unnecessary remake and that the plot is beyond ridiculous, but I still had a decent time with Red Dawn as long as I didn’t try to think too much about the unbelievable scenario. The real reason why this movie failed is because they took the ridiculous plot way too seriously when they should have played with the concept a little. A much lighter and playful approach would have made this film work. I really don’t understand why the producers thought a remake like this would be a good idea considering the original film wasn’t all that great either. I think it´s about time the film industry begins taking bigger risks instead of recycling the same material over and over again and only adding new faces and better visual effects. This version of Red Dawn was directed by Dan Bradley who is known mostly for his work as a stunt coordinator in big budget films like the Spider Man and Bourne franchises. This was his directorial debut and of course it has several flaws and a rather terrible and unsatisfying ending, but it still managed to maintain my interest throughout most of the film. It was adapted from Kevin Reynolds´s story of the 1984 film by Carl Ellsworth (Disturbia and Red Eye) and Jeremy Passmore, but their script wasn´t much brighter. I think that if the film didn’t take itself so seriously and played more with the ridiculousness of it all then it could have been much better. It never ended up embracing the absurdity of it all.

The original Red Dawn dealt with the invasion of Soviets, but since we are in different times this time the enemy is North Korea. The story is very fictional and you have to be very imaginative in order to go along with the entire situation. The story takes place in a small American town in Washington while the local High school team has suffered a defeat under the leadership of its star quarterback, Matt Eckert (Josh Peck), while his father Tom (Brett Cullen) and older brother Jed (Chris Hemsworth) watch from the sidelines. Despite the loss, his girlfriend Erica (Isabel Lucas) manages to lift his spirit and they all go out to celebrate at the local bar until they are interrupted by a blackout. Everything changes the next morning when a swarm of North Korean soldiers come parachuting down several jet planes and begin taking everyone hostage. Jed, who has recently returned from his service in Iraq, manages to escape along with his brother and several other friends to the woods. Together they decide to fight back the invaders and disrupt their plans. The young kids form a revolutionary group and call themselves the Wolverines, like the school mascot. Josh Hutcherson, Adrianne Palicki, and Connor Cruise all form part of the rebellious group that is led by Jed. It is impossible for a group of young teenagers to take down such a big military force, but somehow they manage to create chaos and inspire the rest of the American citizens to fight back.

The film was shot in 2009 but due to some production problems it was finally released last year. I don’t think they should have gone with all that trouble because the outcome wasn’t really satisfying although the recent fame of Chris Hemsworth (Thor and The Avengers) and Josh Hutcherson (Hunger Games) may have helped the box office. Hutcherson who worked with Hemsworth´s brother, Liam, in The Hunger Games doesn’t really have an important role he. The true stars of the film are Chris and Josh Peck (from the Josh and Drake show) although there really wasn’t a strong performance in all the film. It´s hard to believe the actors when the script is pretty much unbelievable. The entire film feels like watching a couple of friends play Modern Warfare. The film could have worked better as a television miniseries or something like that, but as a two hour film everything felt way out of place. This is Friday Night Lights meets Pearl Harbor.   

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My Review: The Hunger Games (9/10)

"We wish you Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor. "

The Hunger Games have begun and the odds are definitely in director Gary Ross`s favor as he has managed to adapt Suzanne Collins`s bestselling novel really well to the big screen. Ross has delivered a highly entertaining post apocalyptic, sci-fi, action, romantic thriller. Most fans will be satisfied with this film because it is truly entertaining and has a little bit of everything for those people who are looking for action, or for those who are more interested in the romantic story, and so on. It also has a great cast and the lead performance from Jennifer Lawrence is just brilliant. She captures the ideal female heroine who we all want to root for. She is truly the girl on fire. It comes as no surprise since Lawrence blew us all away with her performance in a small independent film called Winter`s Bone. She has already turned into a true star and proves she can have a lead role in what looks to be a very successful trilogy. The rest of the cast is also pretty interesting as you have great actors like Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Toby Jones, and Donald Sutherland, along with young talented actors like Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, and Alexander Ludwig. They`ve really done justice to the characters that were created by Collins, and I can`t forget to mention Lenny Kravitz who was also excellent as Cinna. As good as all these actors were, Jennifer Lawrence was above par and she really delivered the story and brought a lot of heart to her character. A great deal of the success this movie is having can be owed to her remarkable performance as Katniss.

Suzanne Collins has created a very creative new futuristic world with some common elements from the past. The United States doesn`t exist as a country anymore, but it is divided into twelve districts which are all controlled by the Capitol. The name of the country is Panem, and the further away the districts are from the Capitol the poorer its people. The wealthiest families live in the Capitol and in order to control the districts and avoid another uprising they have created the Hunger Games, which consists of selecting two teenagers (one male and another female) from each district and have the 24 teens face off one another until only one survivor remains. They force the entire nation to watch these games and it has become a popular sporting event, kind of like the Roman Empire did with the gladiators, except that the arena is much bigger as they have the wilderness to hide in. This serves as a reminder of what happens when the districts rebel against their capitol and at the same time it keeps the districts fighting amongst themselves so they won`t form any alliances to try to begin a revolution. Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) lives in the 12^th District along with her little sister and mother. She is a hunter and is excellent with the arch. Her best friend is Gale (Liam Hemsworth). When the elections for the 74^th Hunger Games take place, Katniss`s younger sister is selected, but she takes her place instead as a tribute. The other member selected from the 12^th District is Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), who is very strong and has a secret crush on Katniss. Together they must face the rest of the tributes with the help of their trainer, Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), the sole Hunger Game winner from their district in its 74 year history. The favorites are always the tributes from the first two districts because they have been raised all their lives to be prepared for these games. Cato (Alexander Ludwig) from the 1^st District and who is sadistic in nature is their biggest threat.

Once the Hunger Games begin the audience is immediately submersed into the story and Katniss`s struggle for survivor. The story is really well told and there are plenty of thrills and suspense for the audience to enjoy. The two and a half hour long movie has such a quick pace that by the end it will seem like you were only in there for an hour. The games are really that interesting and have you at the edge of your seat for almost the entire movie. I really enjoyed the pacing of this film along with the performances. It is hard to get a lot of character development with a movie that has so many things going on and that focuses almost entirely on Katniss, but we really do grow to care for several of these characters that have to face off each other. Of course there is no time to really know all 24 of them, because the story centers on Katniss and Peeta. There is sort of a love triangle going on, but the film really doesn’t delve in too deep with it. We will probably have more of that in the upcoming sequels, but most of the scenes involving Katniss don’t have to be spelled out for us. She delivers such a great performance that we can hear what she`s saying without ever having to say anything. We can read what she`s saying through her eyes alone. When I heard about the story I thought this was going to be a violent film, but it really doesn’t focus on the violence as much as it does on surviving. I really enjoyed every second of this film and it is my favorite film of the year so far.

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My Review: The Kids Are All RIght (9/10)

¨Marriage is hard…sometimes, you know, you`re together for so long, that you just stop seeing the other person. You just see weird projections of your own junk.¨

Many people may go into this movie expecting to see a feel good film about two lesbians, but it is actually a movie about marriage and the difficulties that this entices. This is one of the best family dramas of the decade, and it also has a good dose of comedy as well. I really enjoyed this film. At the beginning it felt sort of awkward, but as we get to know each member of the family we identify some elements with our own family. Why does this film work so well? First of all the entire cast in this film is excellent. It is very difficult for me to point out one person because everyone in this film is brilliant. The performances felt so real and natural and even the kids were more than all right, they were great in this film. Director Lisa Cholodenko also did a terrific job with the direction despite not receiving an Oscar nomination in that category. However the Academy made up for it by giving her a Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay nod. After the excellent performance from the cast, I think the best thing about this movie was the screenplay which Cholodenko co-wrote with Stuart Blumberg (The Girl Next Door and Keeping the Faith). The screenplay is sharp and has some very witty dialogue in it as well. The characters are very well developed and they avoided the classical Hollywood stereotypes. The family is unconventional, but we can relate to some of the things they go through and clichés are avoided very well.

Nic (played by Annette Bening) is a physician who has an apparently happy life alongside her wife Jules (Julianne Moore) and their two kids Laser (Josh Hutcherson) and Joni (Mia Wasikowska who recently played Alice in Tim Burton`s Alice in Wonderland). When I say that they live an apparently happy life it`s not because there is anything wrong with them, but they do struggle through the regular issues any other family does. Nic seems to be a little of a control freak and tries to control Jules and her kids, they get along pretty well, but they seem to be going through a sort of mid life crisis. Jules is currently unemployed although she wants to begin a landscape design business. Joni has just turned 18, she`s a very smart girl and is getting ready for college, while Laser is a great athlete who is curious about meeting his father. Nic and Jules both used the same sperm donor in order to get pregnant with Joni and Laser. Since Laser is only 15 he is not legally old enough to ask for the information at the clinic so he gets Joni to do it for him. The kids secretly arrange a meeting with their sperm donor, Paul (Mark Ruffalo), who is in his late thirties and owns an organic restaurant and garden. Paul is a cool guy who wants to meet the kids and they get along pretty well. At the beginning it`s awkward for them, but they get to know each other and want to continue their relationship, although it ends up complicating things in the long run as Paul infiltrates their lives.

Lisa Cholodenko manages to balance pretty well the drama with the comedy. There are very emotional and tense situations, but there are also very funny moments like when Jules and Nic (or as the kids call them: the ¨moms¨) want to know if Laser is gay because he hangs out so much with his buddy. The cast was so good that it`s impossible for me to single out one performance in this film. Annette Bening was great as Nic and she deserves her best actress nomination, but I don`t see how she is the main character and Mark Ruffalo only got a nomination for best supporting actor. I think he has almost as much screen time as either one of the moms. And why not nominate Julianne Moore as well? She was equally as good as the rest of the cast. The movie is just terrific and the actors had great material to work with. When Ruffalo`s character showed up in this film and complicated things for the family the movie really began to pick up and I found myself enjoying it even more. The movie is not about two lesbians being discriminated so that we feel sorry for them, but rather about marriage itself and the everyday complications any family faces in life. This is a family where each member loves each other very much, but they make stupid decisions which end up hurting those people they love the most and that is something many marriages can identify with. Overall I think this was a great film and probably will be on my top ten list for 2010.

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