FREE Summer Movies in the Park is the largest free and family-friendly outdoor movie series in San Diego with over a hundred screenings at dozens of parks across the region. The program launched in 2007 as a ‘take back our parks’ initiative, providing residents with unique opportunities to visit their local recreation destinations after hours to watch blockbuster hits under a starry night sky. Shows run May through October, with pre-show activities before dark and movies beginning about 15 minutes after sunset.
While nothing groundbreaking on the animation end ("Elemental"), "Inside Out 2" illustrates complex emotions well for kids and teens and it surely resonates with adults alike.
Anxiety is good in small doses; it gives you a drive to perform better. But when it goes overdrive, it will overrule your life. Don't let bad memories of the past or fear of what might happen in the future take away your living in the present. You can only prepare, but you can't predict the future.
Don't lose your whole sense of self and embrace all your emotions - don't suppress them; observe them, but also learn to let go. You can't control the outcome; you can only control your efforts. Have passion in what you do, regardless of the outcome. It's part of the joy of living!
Inspired by stranger-than-fiction true story of Gary Johnson, a mild-mannered psychology and philosophy professor who leads a double life as a fake hit man in Texas.
Glen Powell showcases his versatile take on the multifaceted role, after a streak of success with worldwide hits “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Anyone but You” in the last couple of years (and will be seen in the "Twister" remake this summer). In addition to doling out philosophical questions and lessons in college, Gary has a talent for all things electronics and digital. He assists with police surveillance to catch those who hire a hit man in the act.
When the crooked cop, Jasper (Austin Amelio), assigned as a fake hit man, is hit with a suspension on the way to a sting operation, Gary is tapped to be in his role. He discovers his surprising hidden talent in disguising himself as a hit man - meeting with unsuspecting suspects, connecting with them to tell him their stories, confessing their darkest desires to eliminate their most problematic problems by killing certain people in their lives.
Beyond hair wigs, colored eye contacts, stained teeth and varied outfits, Gary looks like a new man. A chameleon, he drastically changes his posture and tone of voice from meek to cocksure, switching personalities and transforming himself to be a murderer-for-hire. He compellingly details his methods of disposing human body parts – head, body, teeth, fingertips as if he’s done this often. This is spoken in a convincing yet cavalierly comical way and the interaction is hilarious to watch.
Wearing a wire with the police listening in, Gary’s undercover work catches the murder plotters in the act, leading to numerous arrests. This changes when Gary, as hit man Ron, encounters Madison (Adria Arjona), a distressed woman who claims that the reason she wants to hire a hit man is to kill her husband is because he is abusive and she is scared of him.
Gary is drawn to the beautiful and vulnerable Madison and convinces her that there must be another way to escape her marriage and asks her to think about her future self. She listens intently and ends up divorcing her husband. When they reconnect, it’s Madison who looks like a new woman. The timid-turned-beguiling Madison is now free and flirtatious.
Madison doesn’t know Ron's true identity, and Gary, aware that he’s being with a woman who’s capable of hiring a hit man, can’t exactly have her in his real life either. Madison sometimes doesn’t believe Gary kills people for a living based on what she’s seen him as a person, and sometimes she does; she doesn’t quite know what to make of it. They decide to keep their playful trysts in the confines of Madison's place. And Madison always knows Gary as Ron.
Real life has a way of intruding itself, however. Nothing stays hidden indefinitely and entrapment ensues. Gary must make a split-second, life-changing decision that concerns his concept of self and the tricky persona his has built for himself.
Imagine if your life as a mere construct and you can be anyone you want to be. Netflix takes a really wide turn to fiction in the femme fatale character and final act that counts. The wild ending of the Richard Linklater-directed noir thriller, screwballromantic comedy is not meant to be a morality tale, so take it with a comedic stride.
An irony of twists and comedy of errors, “Hit Man” is an entertaining tale of role plays and possibilities.
In Illumination’s first Despicable Me movie in seven years, Gru, the world’s favorite supervillain-turned-Anti-Villain League-agent, and his family welcome a new member, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. As Gru faces a new nemesis, Maxime Le Mal and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina, Gru and the family are forced to go on the run, in this exciting new chapter of Minions mayhem from the biggest global animated franchise in history.
Absolutely astounding feat, superhuman precision and sky-soaring choreography. Exhilarating in the skies and humbling on the ground. The unanimous selection, G-force centrifuge training, and 300-day a year tour are not for the faint of heart. The dangers are real. Get the feeling of being inside the world-spinning, high-flying cockpit, and learn more about the outstanding people and tremendous preparations that pull off the aerial miracles! See it on the biggest IMAX screen possible.
For 15 cool facts about the Blue Angels, please click here.
The unsung heroes of movies. The invisible people behind the scenes who risk their lives for our entertainment, while the actors and actresses get all the glory. “The Fall Guy” pulls no punches and shines the light on the stunt cast.
Ryan Gosling (“La-la Land,” “The Ides of March,” “Drive”) is on a roll, fresh off his memorable performance as Ken in “Barbie” last year. Not only is he equally memorable and believable as a plastic doll toy coming to life, but also as best-in-the-business stuntman, Colt Seavers, making stunt performing looks nonchalantly cool. Falling off buildings, flying off high ramps, speed driving, car crashing, boat jumping, helicopter leaping, wall hitting, or being lit up on fire over and over.
Colt was the stuntman for self-centered star, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). When Tom's ego got the best of him and asked Colt to perform a falling stunt one more time, Colt fell for real and broke his back. No longer feeling invincible and recovering in pain, he disappeared from the business and ghosted his girlfriend, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt; “Jungle Cruise,” “Mary Poppins Returns,” "The Girl of the Train," “Edge of Tomorrow,” “The Adjustment Bureau”). Jody is a camera operator and aspiring filmmaker.
Even after Colt has recovered, he refuses to back into the business and now works as a valet car attendant at a local restaurant. That is until he gets a call from a top movie producer, Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham), who has worked with him for years prior to his accident. Gail tells Colt that he's needed back on set in Australia for a movie directed by first-time filmmaker, Jody, his ex-girlfriend. Apparently, there are issues during filming and Jody wants him there.
Hoping to win back his ex-girlfriend for a happy ending, Colt hops on the plane and lands on the set, a blockbuster in the making, Dune-esque with Star Wars flair. Unbeknownst to Jody, Colt is back in the stunt driver seat, pulling off a record-breaking cannon roll of eight-and-a-half times on a sandy beach (Guinness World Records of cannon rolls in real life, performed by Gosling's real stunt double, Logan Holladay; watch the epic clip here).
Jody is none too pleased seeing Colt back, but the former flames can't resist the pull of reconnecting. Gosling and Blunt play off each other with an ease of chemistry and charm. Nostalgic montage of happy times, cute, honest and heartfelt in real time. Gosling is the MVP, tough as rock yet sensitive and isn’t afraid to shed tears.
Gail clues Colt in that Tom, who's the lead star in the movie, has gone missing, and she needs his help in finding him. Colt was Tom's longtime stunt double and presumably knows him. She doesn't want to involve the police for fear of negative publicity and having the production shut down by the studio. There's too much at stake, especially considering how popular of a movie star Tom is.
Colt comes sniffing and tries to track down Tom. He ends up being pursued by bad dudes. Thankfully, his stunt skills come in handy, as he deals with rough-and-tumble criminals. There's a lot more than meets the camera lens though. A dead body tied to Tom becomes part of the mystery, as well as the whodunnit and unforeseen conspiracy. The title of the movie has a double meaning. The ending is laughter-inducing, with a surprising cameo. Stay for a fun end credit. There's also a nod to Comic-Con fans.
Things go slower and more chaotic at the same time during the mid-section, but not without glass-breaking, gun-shooting, fist-fighting, car chasing-and-crashing, as well as dog-and-foot pursuit. Yet, beyond an action movie with huge set pieces, rain, sand, dust, fire and explosives. “The Fall Guy” shows a lot of love on how the stunts are performed and filmed, with crisp camerawork.
There's something magical about movie-making (“Trumbo,” “Hail, Caesar!”, “Babylon”). Massive number of people getting together in a single location, playing real life roles down to the smallest detail, creating a make-belief world into something real that is etched in history. An artistic creation that entertains, educates, informs, touches, uplifts and inspires millions of people around the world.
Summer blockbuster has arrived. “The Fall Guy” is an action adventure, mystery thriller and romantic comedy, a crowd-pleaser that has something for everyone. A joyride on full throttle for movie lovers and thrilling tribute to stunt performers.
Guinness World Records for the longest cannon rolls:
"Queen of Knives" follows the Benetto family, which is scattered to the winds in Brooklyn, NY. There’s no predicting where they will end up. Relationships keep shifting. Generations keep trying to adapt to a new world. Risky behavior is the norm. Eventually, their paths all lead back to a fateful dinner at their former home, with surprise visitors and lots of unintended consequences. Where secrets are revealed, and a final page is turned. The biggest question is: who exactly are the adults here? A mix of sharp and witty dialogue, comedy, and drama that so many of us can relate to.
Join us for a special Post Screening Q&A with Producer and Lead Actor, Gene Pope.
Harriet (Lucy Boynton) has been mourning the loss of her belated boyfriend, Max (David Corenswet; soon to be seen in the next “Superman: Legacy”) in the last two years. Since a car accident took Max’s life, when Harriett hears songs that played when they were together, she not only finds herself nostalgic and lost, but she is physically transported back to the past, to those moments with the same songs in the background. Happy flashbacks of their love at first sight, beaches, concerts, road trips or simple moments at home. Those precious memories that stay with her forever.
This is also why Harriet now works in a library and wears a noise-cancelling headphone when she’s out in public, to avoid accidental hearing of those songs, as at the present time, she would appear like having a seizure. However, at home when she’s alone, she’s purposely playing song after song in desperate attempts to prevent Max’s death. She soon learns she could affect her own actions, and no matter what she does, she couldn’t change Max’s actions that would alter his fate. It mirrors real life, where we can't control anyone else's actions.
One day at a grief support group meeting, she meets David (Justin H. Min), who joins the group after losing his parents. They have natural chemistry and their interactions are charming, with cute flirtations and conversations rolling fast. While Harriet is cautiously beginning to spend time with and create new memories with David, he’s rightfully crestfallen, worried and in disbelief when he finds out what’s really happening with Harriet.
Things seem going to be going in a loop with no solution, until a very surprising and reflectively affecting revelation bring them closer, and the two connect on a much deeper level as a result. Harriett comes to a painful realization what she will need to do in order to break the time travel cycle, although it will not come without a cost and that would also cost her newfound relationship and future with David.
If you have the ability to prevent the death of your loved one, but it means the two of you would have never met, would you take that choice? Were those moments still real if none of you would remember them? Would you erase the past if it means sacrificing a future filled with potentials?
Time travel is a paradox and therefore tricky to do right, even more challenging when coupled with romance. “The Greatest Hits” balances the heightened emotions with music as a time travel device and its timeless impact, but most importantly it shows the transformative power of letting go and moving on.
A story about love and loss, heartbreak and grief, healing and hope, faith and fate, “The Greatest Hits” hits all the right notes, it’s poignantly surreal and human.
March 19, 2024 - 7 p.m. (arrive no later than 6 p.m.)
Regal Mira Mesa
(age group: 13-49. Parents 50+ bringing teens 13-17 years of age are welcome)
***Everyone seated at this event will receive a $20 Visa Digital Prepaid Card sent via email within (3) business days of the event. Rewards will be sent to the email address used to confirm only.***
When a family becomes a test candidate for a state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence device, they find this groundbreaking technology is life changing and makes their lives so much easier. But when they begin to realize that the device is slowly taking control of the household and manipulating their lives, they fear that it might be far more sinister than they could have ever imagined.
Movie stars John Cho ("Searching," "The Grudge" (2020), "Star Trek" movies), Katherine Waterston ("Babylon," "Fantastic Beasts" movies) and Riki Lindhome ("Knives Out," "Candy Cane Lane") and is directed by Chris Weitz (Operation Finale, About a Boy).
As part of the research process, everyone attending the screening will be required to wear a Fitbit-like device to participate in biometric experience.
This movie has not yet been rated but is believed to be 'PG-13'. The studio cannot guarantee the rating that the film will ultimately receive.
Get your FREE movie passes: (limited availability)
When a family becomes a test candidate for a state of the art Artificial Intelligence device, they soon realize this groundbreaking technology is life changing. But when they realize the technology is slowly taking control over the household and manipulating their lives, they fear that the device might be far more sinister than they could have ever imagined.
Movie Preview stars John Cho ("Searching," "The Grudge" (2020), "Star Trek" movies), Katherine Waterston ("Babylon," "Fantastic Beasts" movies) and Riki Lindhome ("Knives Out," "Candy Cane Lane") and is directed by Chris Weitz ("Operation Finale," "About a Boy").
The movie has not yet been rated but is believed to be ‘PG-13.’ The studio cannot guarantee the rating that the film will ultimately receive.
Get your FREE movie passes: (limited availability)
Truth is stranger than fiction. Whatever you imagine “Argylle” is from the posters and trailers, you can't judge the espionage movie by its cover. The sleek marketing pulls wool over even the most spying eyes.
Strangely, it's almost intuitive how Elly comes out with the characters and plots. Words are mightier than swords and Elly soon finds out that her stories get her in more trouble than she could ever imagine. Elly is hunted down by a rogue spy organization named Division. Somehow her stories are mirroring real world events. Division agents are trying to get their hands on a device that is part of the plot of her yet unpublished novel, which is next in the series. That device, if released, would threaten the organization's existence.
The nonstop action begins on a train ride, where Elly encounters a covert operative disguised as a fan of her novels, Aidan (Sam Rockwell). After bodies pile up, Elly and her spy savior have no choice but escape out of the train in a Mission Impossible way. Faint-hearted Elly is flabbergasted to say the least. She has to deal with gun-toting goons, basement-hiding, rooftop-jumping, boat-speeding and plane-riding. Tagging along is her cute cat-in-a-backpack, Alfie, a humorous furry sidekick.
Hyperventillating Elly doesn't know who to trust. Even when she's able to escape and reunite with her parents, the sequences of incidents hit her like a thunderbolt and make her question her reality and sanity. Elly's dangerous misadventures take her from the heart of London to a French countryside, where she's met with a reclusive, mysterious figure (Samuel L. Jackson; "The Avengers" series, "Oldboy") that holds the key to what's going on.
Secrets and identities come to light. Allegiance and alliance are revealed and reformed. Verisimilitude and veracity are tested and turned over. But just as you think you've got the storyline figured out, a twist comes along, then another and another, and turning into different directions. The fast and furious surprises will take you along on a rollercoaster. Prepare to gasp and guffaw when these happen. This is one movie that it's much better to go in blind, so the shock and awe will hit maximum impact.
There are a couple of extended fighting and dancing sequences, including a colorfully explosive musical montage and gravity-defying ice-skating. Preposterous and boisterous, it's like a self-aware wink from director Michael Vaughn (“Kingsman” series, “X-Men: First Class”), a hysterical and twisted treat for Kingsman's fans. Dynamic duo Howard and Rockwell, Howard in particular, rock and roll as if there's no tomorrow.
The spy caper starts off slow and inexplicable, gets muddled and overly piled up, but the never-ending espionage twists and turns, and stylized over-the-top comedic action, offer tons of fun. Stay for the post-credit for a final intrigue.
Not only the greater the spy, the bigger the lie, “Argylle” is one twister of a wild ride.
Set against the vibrant and tumultuous tapestry of 2014 Hong Kong, Expats centers on three American women—Margaret (Nicole Kidman), Hilary (Sarayu Blue), and Mercy (Ji-young Yoo)—whose lives intersect after a sudden family tragedy. The series interrogates privilege and explores what happens when the line between victimhood and culpability becomes blurred. The six-part limited drama series will premiere with two episodes on January 26, 2024, with new episodes following weekly, on Amazon Prime.
“Every good thing in this world started with a dream... so you hold on to yours.”
After traveling the seven seas and perfecting his chocolate-making craft, wide-eyed Willy Wonka (Timothee Chalamet) arrives in town where the Gourmet Gallery is located and seeks to set up roots there. When Willy was little, he got his taste of his first chocolate from his mother (Sally Hawkins) and dreamt of opening a chocolate shop someday.
Willy's mother mentioned a fancy marketplace called the Gourmet Gallery. While Willy was wistful about having such a dream, before she passed away, his mother said everything good in the world started with a dream and she asked him to hold on to his.
Cash-poor with a heart of gold and a haftul of dreams, Willy arrives in a wintry snowy night and needs a place to stay. Tricked into an indentured servitude, the aspiring chocolatier ends up working as a lodging launderer for merciless proprietor Mrs. Scrubitt (Olivia Colman) and her henchman Bleacher (Tom Davis).
As it turns out, Willy is not alone. Also trapped and living in the basement for years are former money-cruncher Abacus Crucch (Jim Carter), plumber Piper Benz (Natasha Rothwell), telephonist Lottie Bell (Rakhee Thakrar), funny man Larry Chucklesworth (Rich Fulcher), and an orphaned girl named Noodle (Calah Lane). Willy quickly makes friends with his fellow laborers and forms a special bond with Noodle. Noodle and Willy share a sweet connection about their respective personal dreams. There's more to Noodle's parentage that meets the earnest eye.
Luckily for all the unlucky laborers, Willy is not merely as an aspiring chocolatier. He's also an inventor with a mystical flair, a magician. Special levitating chocolates, for example, make people soar up and hover in the air. Willy's concoctions are often fantastical, composed with exotic ingredients or from faraway lands.
One would imagine that, with such unique concoctions, it wouldn't be hard for Willy to attract consumers and open up a chocolate shop. Well, it wouldn't have been, except for the fact that the Gourmet Gallery is monopolized by a chocolate cartel who means mean business.
The villainous merchants; Arthur Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), Prodnose (Matt Lucas) and Fickelgruber (Matthew Bayntohn) will do everything in their ruthless power to squash competition and ensure that Willy would never be able to open his chocolate shop, including resorting to bribing a sweet-toothed Chief of Police (Kaegan Michael-Key) and corrupt cleric, Father Julius (Rowan Atkinson).
The chocolate cartel has a massive supply of chocolates stored underneath the Cathedral and a guarded vault. They don't shy away from attempted murders and death by chocolate method either. Seriously harmful stuff blending in with lighthearted fantasy. Their illicit dealings are recorded on an off-the-book accounting journal locked underground, which Abacus knows about.
Willy's ingenuity, complemented by his friends' trade specialties, allow them to concoct a plan to sneak out of the basement and sell or hand out chocolates to the fascinated public and escape undetected, at least for a little while. There's also a zoo escapade and mischievous heist.
Willy and friends are able to magically transform a long-abandoned, topsy-turvy space into a candy-colored chocolate shop, an enchanting forest of confectionery, at least for a brief moment. The chocolate cartel and authorities soon catch up with them.
The chocolate cartel hatches a nefarious plan to discredit Willy to the chocolate-loving consumers, sever his ties with his friends, run him out of town for good, and ban him from making chocolates ever again. They have nearly succeeded, if not because of Willy's quick thinking and apprehensive, side partnership with sardonic Oompa Loompa (Hugh Grant, "Cloud Atlas"), giving a glimpse into the backstory of the legendary master candymaker and his chocolate factory.
Amid the plot-heavy story, “Wonka” is delightful musical with a taste of magic. Rousing and modish musical numbers, skyward-soaring crowd, nighttime balloon-floating and illuminated rooftop-dancing, lamp-gliding and gently touching down the streets.
Chalamet is perfect as the young, fresh-faced and wholesome Willy who wants to share his special gift, uplift people, make them feel better about themselves, and changing the world into a happier place to live. He subtly conveys Willy's hopeful optimism, unwavering even in the face of menace, despair or defeat. He also learns the joy of friendships and sharing moments with the people he cares about, beyond crafting chocolates and realizing his sugary ambition.
On a surface level, “The Shift” is a sci-fi movie about parallel universes where there are many versions of you, each living a different life. Below the surface, there is no way around saying that it's heavy-handed on the religious message. It's one of those films that would divide audience into polarized camps.
The day Kevin (Kristoffer Polaha) met Molly (Elizabeth Tabish) at the bar was one of the worst day of his career life. Molly won him over quickly. Their interactions were charming and they hit it off instantly, flashing forward to images of their future. Kevin and Molly got married and had a son. A family tragedy occurred and their marriage was on the rocks. One day, after an argument, Kevin got into a car wreck. When he came to, he was met by a man with otherworldy powers. The man called himself the Benefactor (Neal McDonough).
Kevin is in total disbelief, finding out that he's been shifted or transported into another world, a dystopian one where despair and misery reign. The Benefactor gives Kevin an option that's hard to refuse. Work for him as one of his shifters, and in turn, he will have the perfect version of everything and everyone in his life. In other words, his life would be perfect. In his disbelief, Kevin challenges the Benefactor to prove himself and unknowingly causes great sufferings to others. And his decision also keeps him stuck in this universe for years. During this time, he's never stopped finding ways to get back to his beloved wife.
The middle of the movie is muddled and the parallel world is never fully realized, but the acting is strong and moving with tense moments. A twist finally moves the story along.
Fear of the unknown. Not knowing what will happen is perhaps one of the scariest human experiences. What if you were given definite options to choose from where you know where everything would be exactly what you want? Would you make the choice? What would you sacrifice to get it? And at what cost?
The main character represents a flawed human tested with temptations by the devil, but in the end, he stays true to his character and relies on his faith in God. He chooses the path of redemption.
“The Shift” is a faith-based story about about choices and sacrifices, believing in oneself to do the right thing, seeing the good in humanity even during the worst times, trusting the higher power, letting go one's own desires in order to right wrongs while not knowing what the future would hold, and allowing people to live on their own free will. The ending comes full circle, yet in unexpected ways.
For a FREE ticket to see the film at the theaters, visit the Angel Studios website here.
When “The Hunger Games” first premiered over a decade ago, the YA dystopian series became a pop culture phenomenon and launched Jennifer Laweence (“Passengers,” ”American Hustle,” “X-Men: First Class”) into super stardom from her girl on fire role, heroin Katniss Everdeen. When I traveled to San Francisco and Atlanta, I visited the magnificent exhibition and mansion. I also attended the Comic-Con panel and talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien in San Diego with the stars in attendance.
What makes the “Hunger Games” series intriguing for me was the political allegory, social commentary and moral quandary the series represent. The great disparity between the haves and the have-nots, and the powerful and the powerless; prosperity and poverty, freedom and oppression, power and despair.
When the series concluded, it seemed like that was the last time we'd ever see that kind of battle royale world-building and setting, the worlds of tyrannical Panem and tyrannized Districts, where Districts' children and teens are picked at random every year and sent to fight to the death as an inhuman punishment in the name of honor for their failed rebellion, where there could only be one survivor. With District residents divided and dehumanized, it shows the Capitol's ultimate power, which also squashes the possibility of another uprising.
As it turns out, there's still much story to tell. “Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” tells the backstory of the center villain in the series, Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland), the President of Panem, and the early days of the Hunger Games. 'Songbirds and Snakes' is set over 60 years ago, when Snow (Tom Blythe) was a young man.
The film opens even earlier, a few years prior the first of the Hunger Games' creation and the aftermath of the war in the Capitol. The Snow family fell from grace during the war and Coriolanus witnessed an unimaginably gruesome act that shows the horrors of humanity. After the death of his father, a general during the war, Coriolanus was left to live with his older cousin Tigris (Hunter Schafer) and grandmother.
In his last year of the Academy, which coincides with the 10th year of the Hunger Games, viewership has dropped and people aren't watching. In an effort to boost ratings, snake-obsessed and delightfully devilish Head Gamemaker Dr. Volumnia Gaul (Viola Davis; “Air,” “Ender's Game”) collaborates with morphling-addicted and morbid Hunger Games creator and Dean Casca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage) require all final year students to each mentor a tribute picked from every district to fight to the death in the lethal game. The dean had a tainted history with Coriolanus' father.
That is a main requirement to graduate, instead of stellar grades. And the winner will be awarded the Plinth Prizes, massive monetary rewards, which Coriolanus sorely needs for the University, his family and maintains their status as the Capitol elitists.
At the Reaping Ceremony, Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) from District 12 is one of the 24 names or tributes picked for the Hunger Games. In a rainbow-colored ruffled skirt, plucky Lucy slithers and sings her way out of the crowd, making her a siren standout from the start, and is in contrast with the pious Katniss. At the same time, she's also loyal and compassionate. Coriolanus is assigned to be Lucy's mentor. Tigris tries to be a good influence to conflicted Coriolanus, and for a while, it works.
It could be said that Coriolanus needs Lucy to win the game so he can win the prizes and Lucy needs Coriolanus to stay and come out alive. At the same time, they also bond instantly and there's some level of genuine care. There are shocking moments from the moment they are thrown in together prior to the game.
Another key character here is Sejanus Plinth (Jose Andres Rivera), Coriolanus' best friend. Sejanus was born and raised in District 2, but when his family accumulated wealth through weapon manufacturing during the war, they were able to move to the Capitol. He's never felt like he belongs there, however, and was the first to question the ethics of the Hunger Games. And tragically, he also knows the tribute assigned to him, who happens to come from District 2.
Coriolanus, charming yet cunning, strategizes that viewership would increase if they get to know the tributes better, as human beings to root for and against. When tributes do something or perform for spectacle that grabs the snooty Capitol residents' attention, they would be get sponsors, showering them with gifts or donations, such as water or weapons, and therefore could likely increase their odds at survival.
The centerpiece of the film, the Hunger Games itself, hosted by the comically callous Lucretius Flickerman (Jason Schwartzman), is bare bones here. A concrete gladiator arena, no fancy forest or tropical island camouflage. No intense fitness or fight training. No stylish outfits or bountiful banquets.
The trapped and terrified youngsters remain in plain and dirty clothes, some are malnourished or diseased, are literally thrown in the arena as savages with nothing. They literally are left to fend for themselves with rocks, knives, axes or pitchforks. These kids are running, chasing, hiding, hanging, falling, tumbling, stabbing, crushing one another. The attacks and deaths are brutal and horrific.
There's a particularly chilling scene involving snakes slowly piling and curling up, enveloping a tribute and the ending could go either way. This is also the point where Coriolanus realizes that winning doesn't necessarily mean surviving. The odds will never be in their favor.
At nearly three hours, the movie feels overlong, and when you think it might end, it goes on, almost like it could be split into another chapter. It's needed though, to see Coriolanus' continued transformation and turning points into the merciless man and ruthless ruler in the trilogy.
Controlling desire for power and privilege, fractured friendship, broken burgeoning romance, betrayal, grief, paranoia, anger, deception and destruction lead Coriolanus down the pathological path of no return. It would be interesting to see his tyrannous rise to the highest power in the land.
Strong performances, melancholic melodies, psychologically twisted storytelling, boldly biting scenes, fantastic aesthetics and production value make 'Songbirds and Snakes' a vigorously engrossing and victorious return of “The Hunger Games.”
I've just returned from traveling abroad and finally caught the “Taylor Swift: the Eras Tour” concert movie. The scope, style, scale, sophistication... it's a spectacle! Not just easy-on-the-ear music and clear voice, but the colors, compositions, costumes, cinematography, glitters, pyrotechnics, impressive digital screens with moving images, elaborate prop and set designs made up a memorably immersive and spectacular production.
We got to see all angles, intimate solos, powerful closeups, synchronous dancing with the dancers, towering layers of glowing lights surrounding the stage, and massive overhead, bird's eye view of the booming and shining SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Swift has an exuberant stage presence and infectious energy, embodies various personas that fit with different songs, and fluidly transitions from one era to another. She got little girls dancing, audience turning on their cell phone flashlights, waving and singing along at the theaters.
At nearly three hours, the concert movie covers a span of 17 years and 41 songs (country, edgy, folklore, pop, etc.). It would have been interesting to see backstage preparations and interviews. Whether you're a ‘Swiftie’ or not, if you enjoy pop music or concerts in general, go see it on the biggest screen! It's the closest thing of being there in person. No friendship bracelet needed.
.jpg)
.jpg)
