"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"

 

At the end of "The Hunger Games," I was hungry for more. Directed by Francis Lawrence, "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” satisfies and yet leaves me wanting more.

 

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Lining Playbook"), along with her fellow tribute, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), emerge as victors of the 74^th Annual Hunger Games. But instead of returning to a rundown shack in the impoverished and oppressed District 12, they lead a privileged life in Victor's Village. The all-mighty and wealthy Capitol now provide for them. Katniss' mother (Paula Malcomson) and sister (Willow Shields) no longer have to starve or work like slaves to survive.

The winning comes at an unimaginable cost, however, the lives of all the other tributes from other districts. Katniss is riddled with nightmares and hallucinations. Peeta is as gloomy as ever. Having stood up to the totalitarian Capitol and broken the rules of the game by refusing to kill the other and choose to die, President Snow (Donald Sutherland, "The Mechanic") maliciously makes it clear to Katniss that they would embark on victory tours to each district as a gracious couple-in-love, saving the Capitol's face for letting them live. Never mind that Katniss and Peeta are still progressing toward friendship,and that Katniss still harbors feelings for Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth), her childhood friend. They have to give false speeches, lavishing praises on the Capitol, in front of the families of the fallen tributes. Otherwise, Katniss could count on her family, friends and district getting slaughtered. As proven from a deviation from the script of an initial speech, innocent lives are at stake.

President Snow is concerned that Katniss has become a symbol of defiance, igniting an uprising that would spark an all-out revolution. Fear is not enough as long as hope exists. With a suggestion from the new game-maker, Plutarch (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the Capitol changes the rules of the reaping day. The Capitol picks the tributes for the 75^th Hunger Games, the Quarter Quell, from the pool of all past victors. This goes against the promise that victors would be guaranteed safety for the rest of their lives. As predicted, Katniss and Peeta have no choice but to be back in the deadly game. They're assisted by their booze-inclined, sympathetic mentor, Haymitch (Woody Harrelson, "Now You See Me"), wildly dressed-to-the-nines handler, Effie (Elizabeth Banks, "Man on a Ledge") who's grown attached to her tributes, and supportive stylist Cinna (Lenny Kravitz).

While there's familiarity with the pre-setup of the game – opening ceremony, practice and get-to-know-tributes, individual assessment and final presentation hosted by a clueless emcee, Caesar (Stanley Tucci, "Captain America: The First Avenger") – it's still heart-pounding to anticipate how this life-or-death game would play out in a rigged forest, perilous beach and spinning rock platform. The level of unpredictability, especially for those who have never read Suzanne Collins' novel, makes the viewing absorbingly tense.

Lawrence is on fire. She portrays Katniss, the girl with the bow-and-arrow and gorgeous flaming gown, with equal ferocity and vulnerability. Scared, conflicted and tortured, Katniss is also sharp, fierce and determined. Hutcherson is not only adequate here, but his Peeta has developed and shows the strength of his character. With Gale in the picture, Katniss' relationship with Peeta is a tricky one, born out of necessity to survive, but their bond grows with each passing moment.

The film doesn't mask the twisted or brutal nature of the story. What ominous obstacles the tributes would face, what kind of tragic destiny awaits them, how they would get axed, what strategies they would make, which allies they would associate themselves with (Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Jeffrey Wright), how they would outsmart and outfight to survive. But there's more than meets the eye. The story, laced with political and socioeconomic undertones and complex entanglements, makes you care about the characters and their plight.

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” immerses you in this make-believe world, yet it will feel strangely real. The 2.5 hours of running time flies and you don't realize the film is about to conclude. The cliffhanger ending is unavoidable for a middle installment.

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” scorches and blazes a trail for the next intriguing chapter, “Mockingjay.”

http://www.sdentertainer.com/arts/movie-review-the-hunger-games-catching-fire/

DVD: http://tinyurl.com/l7ay2ml
DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/k6aezpn

"Oldboy"

 

[Originally posted on 12/13/13]

I knew nothing about Spike Lee's remake of “Oldboy” before going in. And boy, what a shocker.

An alcoholic advertising executive, Joe Doucett (Josh Brolin, “Jonah Hex”), was abducted and put in a solitary confinement in a windowless motel room, fed with vodka and Chinese dumplings, for 20 years and for no apparent reason. During captivity, he learned that his ex-wife was assaulted and murdered – with him as the prime suspect. His baby daughter was safe and adopted by a loving family. Then he suddenly finds himself inside an unlocked storage box in a park, inexplicably released.

In an obsessive quest to find out what happened to him and track down his long-lost daughter, Joe runs into hired thugs, led by a henchman, Chaney (Samuel L. Jackson, “The Avengers”). He's assisted by an old friend, bartender Chucky (Michael Imperioli) and a sympathetic social worker, Marie (Elizabeth Olsen, soon to be seen in “The Avengers: Age of Ultron”).

Eventually Joe meets his captor, Adrian (Sharlto Copley, “Elysium”), who tells him that he has captured his daughter. Joe only has 48 hours to figure out the identity of his tormentor and the reason for his imprisonment. If he could not find the answers within the specified timeframe, his daughter would be killed. It has never occurred to Joe that Adrian has him exactly where he wants him to be. He may be free physically, but he's still very much tormented and trapped in a queasy conspiracy.

Who is the puppet master? What is his motivation? What kind of game is he playing? Why did he kidnap, imprison, frame and then release this man? What is the connection between the two? And what is the endgame?

It would be better if you haven't seen the 2003 Korean original. Stay away from spoilers. The villain's plan has a clear flaw where its sick success relies on a certain factor. The movie has far more gore than your average suspense thriller. But it's worth staying through the shocking end.

The unraveling and ending of this who-and-why dunnit mystery is crazily twisted and a double blow to the gut.

DVD: http://tinyurl.com/lxzl8b5

2013: Year in Movies

[Note: Back from overseas and look forward to a marathon of movies.  Happy New Year!]

[Originally posted on 1/01/14]

300 movies. 10 minutes.

"Thor: The Dark World"

 

Chris Hemsworth strikes again as hammer-hurling God of Thunder in “Thor: The Dark World,” directed by Alan Taylor. What a difference two years have made. When “Thor” premiered in 2011, the Australian actor was a relative unknown. In my earlier review, I recognized that a star was born. Since then, he's been in mega superhero ensemble “The Avengers," epic fantasy adventure “Snow White and the Huntsman” and highly acclaimed racing drama “Rush."

At the beginning of time, the Dark Elves' efforts to return darkness into the universe, using a red liquid weapon called Aether, were thwarted by King Bor, the leader of Asgards, Thor's grandfather. But Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), its chief, escaped. Aether was too powerful to destroy, so Asgardians kept it deeply hidden.

Back on earth, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”) is now in London and trying to move on with her life. It's been two years since Thor left and promised to come back. He's been working hard to bring peace to all the nine realms. Jane and her assistant, Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings), and new intern Ian Boothby (Jonathan Howard), encounter another atmospheric anomaly. Jane gets sucked into a wormhole and ends up in that hidden place where the Aether is, and gets infected by it.

Thor transports Jane into Asgard to find a cure for her. In Asgard, Jane is entwined in the royal family drama. Loki (Tom Hiddleston, “The Avengers”), Thor's treasonous brother, is in prison for his crimes. King Odin (Anthony Hopkins), Thor's father would really like to send her back to earth. When Malekith, his right-hand Kurse (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and army are awakened by the Aether, and force their way into Asgard with their stealth ship, Jane and Frigga, queen of Asgard (Rene Russo), find themselves face to face with the enemy.

Malekith takes advantage of the convergence to spread darkness all around. Convergence is a phenomenon that happens every 5,000 years, where all realms align and planetary portals open. Thor needs all the help he can get. His loyal warriors (Jamie Alexander, Ray Stevenson, Tadanabou Asano, Josh Dallas) and galactic guardian (Idris Elba) are not enough. He is forced to free Loki, who possesses shape-shifting talent, to help defeat Malekith and trick him to get the infection out of Jane. Despite of the betrayal and distrust, there's a side to each brother that still cares for each other.

Hemsworth is in supreme form with such a godly physical presence. But Hiddleston steals the scenes with Loki's gleeful slyness and tricky unpredictability. Loki is one of the most layered, memorable anti-heroes in the world of superheros. Eccleston as Malekith, however, is a one-dimensional villain. You know nothing about him and there's nothing remotely interesting about him.

Portman has a bigger role here than the first installment, but nothing stands out. I enjoyed the lighter moments in the previous “Thor” and pretty much all Marvel movies, but this movie, which has a dour tone overall, have one too many comical moments, to the point of distraction. They mostly involve Jane, Darcy, Ian and returning mentor, Professor Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard). Although the filmmaker does a decent job alternating rapidly between solemn or poignant and comedic scenes. It's undeniable that these supporting characters are instrumental in assisting Thor during the multi-portal battle with Malekith.

One of the best parts the movie is the visual. Jane's journey to Asgard is cosmically colorful. Asgard is heavenly realized. Not only the lustrous, golden palace and multicolored, crystal bridge are back, this mystical realm is now shown with stunning, surrounding nature and elegantly-clothed Asgardians in the city. A ceremony taking place in nighttime over water is ethereally beautiful.

With the Asgard-setting and realm-hopping, “Thor: The Dark World” has a grander feel. Thor has matured and developed from the first movie. There's a realization that he's got a more important calling than being the heir to the throne. The twist in the closing scene may evoke mixed feelings.

"Thor: The Dark World” may not necessarily merit a thunderous applause, but it's an entertaining, otherworldly escape.

http://www.sdentertainer.com/arts/movie-review-thor-the-dark-world/

 

DVD: http://tinyurl.com/lpz5tr7

"Ender's Game"

 

While I ended up getting hooked on "The Hunger Games,” there's still hesitation whether another children warrior adaptation would nearly be as compelling. To be honest, the trailer of “Ender's Game, directed by Gavin Hood and shown at Comic-Con this summer, wasn't that enticing; it looks like a superficial, CGI-focused sci-fi. As it turns out, the Orson Scott Card's novel adaptation is more than flash.

50 years ago, earth was attacked by ant-like aliens, called the Formics. Humans were ill-prepared and countless lives were lost. While a hero, Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley, “Iron Man 3”) emerged and drove away the aliens, fear remains that they would return someday.

Children are thought to be the best defense. Trained in video games, they are used to make decisive decisions fearlessly based on instinct, and their youth translates to quicker learning ability. The most gifted ones are trained in military school, graduating to the elite battle camp in space, and ending up in the command center, closer to the aliens' home planet. It is in these battle grounds these children are physically trained, mentally manipulated, and socially isolated in order to prepare them to win the war.

Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield, “Hugo”) is tested and selected by Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford, "Cowboys & Aliens“) and his colleague, Major Gwen Anderson (Viola Davis) to be the “chosen one,” to lead and save the human race. A skinny 12-year old boy, Ender is a loner with a brilliant mind.

The film is off to a startling start where Ender is bullied and shockingly gets out of a threatening situation. As the story progresses, his brilliance shines through, which can be seen from his interactions with his superiors and fellow soldiers (Moises Arias, Hailee Steinfeld). He's a complex child, teetering between steely ruthlessness and human compassion. An intellectual strategist with a killer instinct and tactical insight, he observes, anticipates, understands how his opponents think, and plans his moves perfectly. His backstory reveals the dynamic of his relationship with his violent brother and close bond with his caring sister.

Visually, the movie is a fireworks of digital images and special effects. The battle room, where cadets train with battle formations in zero-gravity, is a wonder to discover, even coming on the heels of “Gravity.” The futuristic wars are electrifying in neon blues and electric orange, against the backdrop of a black space.

But amidst all the fireworks, the message doesn't get lost. The true cost of war, politics to win, morality of preemptive strike. Is the chance of winning future battles and saving the world worth a genocide and damaging innocent souls? The endgame of “Ender's Game” hits home.

http://www.sdentertainer.com/arts/movie-review-enders-game/

DVD: http://tinyurl.com/kbtkjlc
DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/mn2vu2m

Upcoming Movies: December 2013

[Originally posted on 12/06/13]

December 6
"Oldboy" - Obsessed with vengeance, a man sets out to find out why he was kidnapped and locked into solitary confinement for 20 years without reason.

"Out of Furnace" - When a man mysteriously disappears and law enforcement fails to follow through, his older brother takes matters into his own hands to find justice.

December 13
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" (http://www.thehobbit.com/) - The dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug. Bilbo Baggins is in possession of a mysterious and magical ring.

"American Hustle" (http://www.americanhustle-movie.com/site/) - A con man, along with his seductive British partner, is forced to work for a wild FBI agent. The agent pushes them into a world of powerbrokers and mafia.

December 20
"Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" (http://www.anchormanmovie.com/) - With the 70s behind him, San Diego's top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy, returns to take New York's first 24-hour news channel by storm.

"Saving Mr. Banks" (http://movies.disney.com/saving-mr-banks) - Author P. L. Travers reflects on her difficult childhood while meeting with filmmaker Walt Disney during production for the adaptation of her novel, Mary Poppins.

December 25
"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (http://waltermittymovie.tumblr.com/) - A day-dreamer escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job along with that of his co-worker are threatened, he takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.

"The Wolf of Wall Street" (http://www.thewolfofwallstreet.com/) - Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.

"August: Osage County" - A look at the lives of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose paths have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them.

"47 Ronin" (http://47ronin.jp/) - A band of samurai set out to avenge the death and dishonor of their master at the hands of a ruthless shogun.