Movie Review: THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
Director: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Stanley Tucci, Lenny Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Lynn Cohen, Donald Sutherland

I have seen enough of these movies adapted from young adult books to know that the majority of them are crap. I love that The Hunger Games series has set a high bar which others in a post-Harry Potter era will have to compete with when it comes to gaining a wide audience base outside of screaming teen girls. The second film, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, kicks it into high gear in every possible way. Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are back as District 12 victors Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Malark, respectively. Their joint victory of the 74th Annual Hunger Games have defied the odds and broken the rules according to President Snow (Sutherland), the ruler of The Capitol and all of Panem.

With their victory, the two of them must go on a victory tour of the twelve districts of Panem to pay their respect to the fallen tributes that lost their lives in the Games. They are both sickened from killing innocent people as part of the Games and are now suffering night terrors. Their win came from a suicide pact between the two of them in an attempt to defy Snow and the Capitol. In an unannounced meeting, President Snow informs Katniss that the people of Panem are now rebelling just like their heroine has done. He threatens her that if the rebellion keeps up, he will harm her family and loved ones. She must convince the people and President Snow that their suicide pact was done as a romantic move between the two of them and that their love is "real" and all is well in the Capitol. Sounds like so many of the fake romances coming out of Hollywood. We all know that is not true as as Katniss' heart belongs to childhood friend Gale (Hemsworth). To add another wrinkle in their lives, Snow and new Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee (Hoffman) announce the Third Quarter Quell. The Quarter Quell happens every twenty five years and brings back the surviving winners of past Hunger Games for an all-star version that is more challenging than anything they experienced the first time. Katniss and Peeta are both thrown into the competition knowing full well that only one of them will come out alive.

I was a bit leery at first when it was reported that Francis Lawrence would be taking over the directorial duties after Gary Ross stepped down after the first one. His last film was Water for Elephants which I loathed. Call me converted as he delivers a fast-paced, high octane thrill ride. Even though the third book “Mockingjay” will be released into two movies The Hunger Games: Catching Fire has the tone and feel of what the middle part in a trilogy should feel like. Lawrence knows how to carry out the fact that author Suzanne Collins has upped the ante and raised the stakes not just for Katniss, but for all of our characters. The rebellion and conflict within the districts and within the Capitol rises as we approach the Quarter Quell and the impacts it will have on our two victors are even more life threatening. For a two and a half hour run time, Lawrence keeps the pace up and the action flowing without comprising on the story, dialogue, and character development. You cannot help but notice the production design is more grandiose then its predecessor. The lush rich costume design by Trish Summerville (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) spans the spectrum from the gorgeous gowns worn by Katniss to the sports wear and hard military design of the Peacekeepers. Many of Effie Trinket's designs are straight from the Alexander McQueen collection.

Credit should also be given to Oscar winners Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) and Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine) who adapted the screenplay from the book by Collins, which many consider the best in the series. Both are new to the series but have penned a rich adaptation allowing the story to showcase not only Katniss and Peeta, but have given some more depth to the some of the supporting characters like Haymitch, Effie, and Caesar. Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, and Stanley Tucci are all fantastic character actors who start to peel off the layers of these larger than life characters to make them more than simple cartoonish figures of the Capitol. Sam Claflin, Jeffrey Wright, Jena Malone, and Lynn Cohen are all newcomers to this world as they play the former victors who must compete again in the Quarter Quell. Malone brings the sass and attitude that she is known for playing before. The only newcomer to the cast that seems a bit out of place is Phillip Seymour Hoffman. We have seen him play evil characters before, so it seems a bit like he is phoning it in at times here.

The anchors of the story are Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson. Hutcherson brings his charm and cuteness to Peeta that really makes you question why Katniss is still pining after Gale. It should not be too hard to fake a romance with Peeta. As you can tell, I am clearly Team Peeta. What is not to love about Jennifer Lawrence. Her rich and complex portrayal of Katniss puts her leagues above say Kristen Stewart in those darn Twilight movies. Katniss' ferocious drive against the Capitol makes her one of the best action heroines since Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley slayed an alien or Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor battled a terminator. Her Oscar win for Silver Linings Playbook was no fluke. I think her down to earth personality shines through in each role and makes them each a little bit more believable and realistic, no matter if they are in an action/sci-fi flick or a heavy drama like the upcoming American Hustle.

I have seen the film twice now and I can easily say it is better than the first one. The two and a half hours goes by swiftly and culminates into a pulsating cliffhanger of an ending. Another amazing thing is the fact this is shown in regular 2D. No crappy post-production 3D baloney here that costs us an extra few bucks, and it still rang in some serious change at the box office. What a concept! I think more action/sci-fi films should take note.

RATING: **** 1/2 (4.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: NOW YOU SEE ME

NOW YOU SEE ME
Director: Louis Leterrier
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine, Mélanie Laurent


Magic comes in a variety of forms each appealing to a different kind of crowd. J. Daniel Atlas (Eisenberg) is your fast-talking brainiac who performs your standard set of card tricks. Merritt McKinley (Harrelson) pulls out unsuspecting people from a crowd and gets them to divulge life secrets as a mentalist. Jack Wilder (Franco) makes his living by doing sleight of hand tricks. He may end off ripping people off and stealing their money in the process. Henley Leeves (Fisher) pulls off the death-defying stunts as an illusionist.

All four of them are targeted and are given vague instructions to meet in a secret location. The world of magicians must be small as they all know each other or know of each others reputations. When they each arrive and notice that other people got the invitation their curiosity is sparked regarding this gathering of the who's who of magicians. They enter an abandoned apartment and a hologram of blueprints starts playing. They have been brought together to form a "super group" called The Four Horsemen.

One year passes and The Four Horsemen are performing to sold out crowds as an act in Las Vegas. During one special performance, they rob a bank in Paris and the money starts falling from the rafters onto the audience. This is no simple illusion as the money appears to be real and the bank mentioned during the trick has actually been robbed. This is just Act 1 of 3 of their plan to take over corrupt businesses and shower the people they have wronged with their money. The feds led my Dylan Rhodes (Ruffalo) and a member from Interpol (Leaurent) are brought together to catch the Four Horseman. Rhodes brings along former magician Thaddeus Bradley (Freeman) along for the ride to explain and uncover their tricks along the way. He is the type of retired magician who makes a living off making videos exposing the tricks of the trade.

The film plays out as your standard cat and mouse chase between The Four Horsemen versus the authorities who want to bring them down. Like any good magician, they are always two steps ahead in their plan. None of the characters are all that original or new. You've got your dumb detective who gets angry every time they get away. You've got your wise old mentors, and of course you've got your hot shot "criminals" who do not believe they are doing anything wrong. None of the actors are really playing outside their comfort zones. Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine have all played this types before. The film may sound conventional, but who cares.

The tagline for the film "The closer you look, the less you'll see." is frequently used throughout the movie to describe the magic and illusions being performed. It is also a decent way to describe the movie. Now You See Me is a perfectly good summer popcorn film. This is the kind of movie where you can go in, have fun, enjoy it for what it is worth, and not have to think too hard. Magic is like that. On the outside, if you watch a magic trick and the person performing it has done their job you will leave amazed and surprised. If you take it at face value, it can be a fun time in that moment. If you start to dive in and deeply dissect how the trick was done, you will get aggravated or frustrated that you wasted your time on something. This is that kind of movie. I do not think the filmmakers were going in trying to make the most artistic movie about magicians ever made. There are no hidden meanings or deep thoughts behind it. You will be severely disappointed if you are looking for high art or the mysteries of magic to be explained. If you want to see that movie, go rent Christopher Nolan's The Prestige. Don't worry, you will still get your Michael Caine fix in. This movie is meant to be taken at face value as a fun joy ride that may keep you guessing along the way.

RATING: *** 1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Trailer: THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

Movie Trailer: THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
Director: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Donald Sutherland, Sam Claflin, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson



I must say that this teaser trailer was more than I expected. Usually teaser trailers contain a couple of images from the film with some narration or dialogue from the film playing over it. This teaser feels like your standard full length trailer. The second in the The Hunger Games trilogy looks to be just as thrilling, exciting, and exhilarating as the first part. Now that Katniss (Lawrence) and Peeta (Hutcherson) have won The Hunger Games, they must embark on a victory tour of the districts in Panem. Their win sparks controversy and rebellion which does not sit well with President Snow (Sutherland). Another competition, known as the "Quarter Quell", is announced that could leave a massive impact on the districts. This competition, which only happens once every twenty-five years, pits Katniss and Peeta against each other again and are now joined by previous winners to leave the last man or woman standing.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Sam Claflin, and Jena Malone are all newcomers to the series. Hoffman is always fantastic whenever he plays mysterious and untrustworthy characters. I am already looking forward to his scenes with Sutherland based on this teaser alone. Francis Lawrence takes over the director chair from Gary Ross. His previous films include Water for Elephants and I am Legend. I hated Water for Elephants, but I attest that to the book and not him. I expect huge box office numbers as this opens Thanksgiving weekend which is always a big movie going weekend. I know what I will be doing after stuffing my face with turkey and pie.

RELEASE DATE: November 22, 2013