The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is the latest film by acclaimed director Francis Lawrence. Responsible for such movies like I Am Legend starring Will Smith and Constantine starring Keanu Reeves, Francis Lawrence has proven to be an imaginative director which is just what the Hunger Games movies needed. Francis did an amazing job and because of that I give Catching Fire four buckets of Killer Korn.












From the very first shot you can see this installment of the Hunger Game series is a far better looking movie than the first movie. Whereas the first movie looked like a made for TV movie, Catching Fire was framed and captured like a movie with scope. The producers must have felt the same way after seeing The Hunger Games because they fired the director of that film, Gary Ross and replaced him with Francis Lawrence. A move that I felt was a master stroke. While Gary's previous films were good (see Seabiscuit and Pleasantville) , The Hunger Games was completely out of his realm of comfort and the movie came across that way. Enter Francis Lawrence, a director who seems to be at his most comfortable with source material like this. He raised the bar on this film but thankfully he is currently filming the next installments to this franchise so there won't be another director having to step into Lawrence's big shoes.

Starring the Oscar Award winning Jennifer Lawrence reprising her role as the tough, defiant, yet somewhat sensitive Katniss Everdeen, Catching Fire put Katniss right back into the arena to fight for her life yet again. This was done by decree of President Snow, played charmingly again by Donald Sutherland (I still think he's horribly miscast for this role but, he plays it better this time around than in the first movie). Going back into the arena with her again of course is Peeta Mellark, played much better this time by Josh Hutcherson. Liam Hemsworth plays Gale, Woody Harrelson plays Haymitch, Elizabeth Banks plays Effie, Lenny Kravitz plays Cinna, and Stanley Tucci let's it all go as Caesar Flickerman. The cast from the first film basically remained intact except for a few major upgrades. This time around Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amanda Plummer, Sam Clafin, Lynn Cohen, Jena Malone, and the amazing Jeffrey Wright join in on the fun. Honestly, for a movie based on a book that's aimed at young adults, this is one hell of an impressive cast.

Shot entirely in Georgia, Catching Fire is a beautiful film to look at. Photographed by cinematographer Jo Willems, Catching Fire was fun for the eyes. From the way the camera hovered over the actors as they made there way through the arena to immersing us dizzyingly under water, Jo brought you into the arena alongside Katniss and Peeta. My only issue with this movie was the score. Once again scored blandly by James Newton Howard, the music is utterly forgettable. I don't know why the producers or the studio, whoever it was that sent Gary Ross packing didn't do the same for James. His score for The Hunger Games was yawn inspiring and yet they allowed him to score this installment. I feel that was a huge mistake and a missed opportunity to make this film better all around. I suppose they kept James on so there would be some continuity between the movies, which is understandable but the score was so weak they could have gone with someone better. Nevertheless, Catching Fire is without a doubt a most impressive film and I highly recommend it. I'll see you at the theater.

Trailer Alert: NOAH

Fresh from the visionary and imaginative mind of the man that brought us Black Swan, The Fountain, The Wrestler, and the amazing Requiem For A Dream comes Darren Aronofsky's latest, and it looks like a masterpiece. He tackles the tale of the man at the helm of the ark, the tale of Noah. And if the movie is nearly as good as the trailer then the movie is going to be mind blowing. Check out the trailer and see for yourself. Personally, I can't wait to see this film. I'll see you on line.

Thor: The Dark World

Thor: The Dark World is the latest film from director Alan Taylor who has directed a handful of Game of Thrones episodes and has recently been announced to helm Terminator film. Where the first Thor directed by Kenneth Branaugh worked, this one fails. The charm and humor of the first one is in short supply this time around. Because of that I  give Thor: The Dark World two buckets of Killer Korn.











Thor: The Dark World is in my opinion a mediocre movie, fueled by a plot that someone seemed to have pulled from out of their ass. With a story from Don Payne and Robert Rodat and a screenplay written by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely, it seemed to me that these men just thought some nonsense up, in brainstorming sessions that must have included copious amounts of alcohol, and decided to run with it. If they took this story from the Thor comic book line, they could have picked a better storyline to work with. Thor: The Dark World in my opinion was a confusing mess. I enjoyed certain parts of the film but Alan relies far too heavily on the same character antics that made the first one so charming. No one has evolved or grown into themselves in the time the first movie ended and this Thor began.

Thor played solemnly by Chris Hemsworth has imprisoned his brother Loki played by Tom Hiddleston after he tried to take over the planet in The Avengers. Natalie Portman reprises her role of Jane Foster who is in England along with her crew of misfits, Erik Selvig played by Stellan Skarsgard, and Darcy Lewis played by Kat Dennings. They are investigating anomalies that seem to happen ever five thousand years. It's in one of these anomalies that swallows up Jane and transports her to a different realm where the "aether" has been buried. In the beginning of the movie the "aether" is supposed to be the harbinger of destruction, the one thing that could render the universe dark for all eternity and yet Jane pops up right next to the unguarded container that houses it, and then predictably gets infected by it.

This time we get to see more of Asgard and it's people going to and fro. It's a visual feast for the eyes but pretty visuals never thrill me unless backed up by a competent story. If the story is weak then you have a pretty car with no engine. That's what Thor: The Dark World is to me, a pretty car that never goes anywhere. The cinematography was well done, an impressive job by Kramer Morganthau. The movie deftly displays the different moods and feels from one realm to another. Scored by Brian Tyler, a composer who when he is on is incredible and when he's off is horrible, this score is a miss. It's tired, pedestrian, and predictable. The producers and director would have done better had they gotten someone else to score their product. Thor: The Dark World is a miss in my book and I would wait for the next Avengers film to see Thor, seeing him in this mess is a waste of tine. I'll see you at the theater.

Ender's Game

Ender's Game, the latest film from director Gavin Hood, a director whose last project was a Stargate SG-1 TV episode back in 2004. He uses many of the tricks from his sci-fi background in Ender's Game, but sadly he's dealt a weak hand with the source material. Ender's Game didn't connect with me on any level except musically, that's not a very good thing and because of that, I give Game a bucket and a half of Killer Korn.











Ender's Game the movie is a weak adaptation of Ender's Game the book written by Ian Scott Card. If you did not read the book, you should skip the movie because the movie makes very little sense and is confusing with all the unanswered questions that will arise if you're a thinking person. If you're a non thinking person and you just accept what you're given on the screen then you may actually enjoy Ender's Game. I pride myself on being a thinker, therefore I found this movie seriously lacking in many areas.

The cast was incredible. Starting with Oscar Award nominee Viola Davis as Major Gwen Anderson, Oscar Award winner Sir Ben Kingsley as Mazer Rackham, Oscar Award nominee Hailee Steinfeld as Petra Arkanian, Abigail Breslin as Valentine Wiggin, Harrison Ford as Colonel Graff, and Asa Butterfield as Ender Wiggin. I firmly believe that if there were an Oscar handed out for casting a movie, John Papsidera would walk home with the golden statue. Again though, sadly this magnificent cast was put in a movie where the book needed to be read before the movie was seen. Since I have not read the book, much of this movie made absolutely no sense. Gavin Hood tried to make it accessible to those who never read the book, he failed on an epic level.

Visually, Ender's Game is wildly entertaining. It's almost like the makers knew they were coming up short on the storytelling aspect and decided to give the viewer some very nice distracting eye candy to appease us. Battle School has some fantastic moments, it lost me a little when it went into the Harry Potter/Hogwarts realm but it held together due to some great acting by Asa, Hailee, and some overacting by Moises Arias-who I am a big fan of-who plays Bonzo Madrid. Shot by cinematographer Donald McAlpine you're brought into many different worlds with many different looks and feels seamlessly. Musically this movie boasts one of the best scores of the year. Crafted by Steve Joblonsky, the music takes this weak movie to another level. At times it dominates but that's because it has too but overall it's the perfect score to this kind of film. I would suggest you buy the Ender's Game soundtrack and listen to that as you read the book, skip the movie and I'll see you at the theater.
 

The Best Man Holiday

The Best Man Holiday, the latest film from director Malcolm D. Lee is an emotional powerhouse of a film. The look of the film and the performances by the very talented cast elevates this movie past just being a sequel to 1999 film The Best Man, The Best Man Holiday is a film that could solidly stand on it's own, and it's because of that that I give The Best Man Holiday four buckets of Killer Korn.












Very rarely does a sequel come along that somehow outshines its predecessor. I can think of three off the top of my head and it starts with The Godfather II, it almost made the first Godfather sleep with the fishes. Then there was Superman II that just threw the first Superman movie into the closet. Then The Empire Strikes Back almost made Star Wars forgettable, almost. Now comes The Best Man Holiday, a movie that in almost every way outshines and out performs its predecessor The Best Man. The entire cast from the 1999 hit is back reprising their roles, and once again the movie centers are Taye Diggs character, author Harper Stewart. He and his now wife Robyn, played by Sanaa Lathan have relocated to NYC where Harper teaches at NYU while continuing to write and Robyn is an up and coming chef.

Still reeling from the fractured friendship between Harper and his one time best friend, devout New York Giant football player Lance Sullivan, played by Morris Chestnut, Lances wife Mia who is played by Monica Calhoun sends Harper and his wife an invite to come celebrate Christmas with them. Mia has invited all the old gang to do the same and they all converge on Lance's mansion in New Jersey. From there the hilarity ensues, along with some serious family and friendship issues. The laughter is brilliantly offset by the drama so there are times where you think you should laugh only to find out the moment wasn't what you thought it was. There's a lot of anger, resentment, distrust, jealousy, and love in this movie amongst the characters. That love comes to the forefront when tragedy strikes at the heart of the friendship. I warn you now, bring some tissues.

The Best Man Holiday is not the gigglefest the first movie was. Where that one dealt with young people just finding their footing and the world was their oyster. Holiday shows them now as adults dealing with all the pressures that come with that. Expectations unmet, troubled finances, lies and omissions between spouses, and misplaced anger amongst friends. Malcolm D. Lee wrote the first Best Man and he wrote this one as well and he displayed a firm grip on not just his characters and where they are but life as a "responsible" adult.

Shot by cinematographer Greg Gardiner, the look of the film is exquisite, the color palate of the film was somewhat boring but Greg captured each moment perfectly. There was no score, Malcolm choosing instead to sprinkle in Christmas songs and a Stevie Wonder hit throughout the movie and it was a deft decision. I highly recommend The Best Man Holiday, especially if you enjoyed The Best Man and want to revisit these characters again. It's well worth the price of admission, just don't forget to bring some tissues (you'll thank me) and I'll see you at the theater.

12 Years A Slave

12 Years A Slave, the latest film from accomplished director Steve McQueen is a disturbing, brutal, and in-depth look at the horror and the atrocities of slavery here in America. It's hard to watch at times, but the film itself is spectacular and I applaud Mr. McQueen on choosing to tackle a subject many here would like to ignore and if possible forget altogether. For all it's wonders and sadness, I give 12 Years A Slave four buckets of Killer Korn.










Going in, I prepared myself for what was to come. I steadied and steeled myself for what I was about to see on screen, and I fear I may have done myself a disservice by doing so. I walled myself up so much that what I saw regarding Solomon Northrup's journey from free man in Saratoga NY to the plantations in the bowels of Georgia didn't quite strike that emotional chord hard within me. Starring that magnificent Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon, this movie struck me as almost a documentary and not a drama, and it could have been the latter. Based off of Solomon's book of the same title, screenwriter John Ridley did his best to turn the book into something worth seeing. It was an amazing job.

12 Years chronicles Solomon's fight to regain his freedom any way he can, however he can and that means staying alive. He is determined to do so even if that means turning on his fellow slaves. Solomon is lured from the cozy, warm confines of Saratoga to Washington D.C. by the prospects of employment. His fiddle playing is second to none and two men who run a circus beseeched him to play for their show. Once in D.C. and after a very successful week, the two men drug Solomon and sell him to slavers. From there he is transported south and his life is never the same again. Many scenes in this movie resonated with me but none like the scene where Solomon has been sent to the market but decides it's time to run. He takes off and right when he is about to hit his stride, he runs straight into a lynching party. It was at that moment when Solomon realized that there was no place safe for him to run to, and there was no place safe for him to hide.

The cast of this film was an impressive one. Alongside Chiwetel starred Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael K. Williams, Paul Giamatti (who I may never look at the same again), Paul Dano, Lupita Nyong'o, Alfre Woodard, Brad Pitt, Liza J. Bennett, and Michael Fassbinder who was simply electric. It's an impressive collection of talent and I am certain Steve was approached by most of the actors to be in the movie, I doubt he had to chase any of them down and beg them to take a role. I find it somewhat shameful that it took an Englishman to tackle the subject matter of slavery in a realistic manner and not the Django way, but honestly I am just pleased it was made at all.

Shot on location in Louisiana by cinematographer Sean Bobbitt, he captured the brutal beauty and danger in such a way it almost felt like you were there. Scored by the equally talented Hans Zimmer, the music was subtle, barely there and yet when it played, it was perfect. This film really didn't need a score and I think Hans recognized that and brought a light musical touch to such a heavy film. 12 Years A Slave is not necessarily an entertaining film, it's more like an educational one, and one in my opinion that everyone should see. Primarily the youth who seemed to have forgotten what their ancestors endured and what the struggle is still all about today, dignity. I'll see you at the theater.

Last Vegas

Last Vegas, the latest movie from acclaimed director John Turteltaub, the man behind the box office smashing National Treasure movies brings to theaters a movie about life long friendships and all that comes along with it. The chemistry between the four elite actors was good but I felt the story needed more than what was given. Because of that, I feel Last Vegas has earned two and a half buckets of Killer Korn.











When you have a movie starring Kevin Kline, Michael Douglas, Robert DeNiro, and Morgan Freeman, you would hope they would be in a vehicle worthy of their abilities. While Last Vegas was entertaining at times, it certainly didn't capitalize on those four men prodigious talents in the slightest way. The crux of the story line dealt with the animosity between two of "The Flatbush Four",  Michael Douglas' Billy and Robert De Niro's Paddy. It all stemmed over a girl that the young boys both fancied and she wound up with Paddy. Paddy never forgave Billy for not attending her funeral and now Billy, according to Paddy has the temerity to want to get the four old friends together again for his impending nuptials.

Archie lies and breaks away from his over bearing and overly concerned son Ezra, played by Michael Ealy. Sam needs some time away from sunny southern Florida and all of it's retirees. He feels he's aging well before he should. They are two great supporting characters but they really have nothing to do in this movie, basically their performances are wasted. The main pulse of this movie centers around Billy and Paddy and their deep seeded issues. Billy is about to marry a woman half his age when he and Paddy fall for the same woman, Diana played by Mary Steenburgen. The two old friends go at it again for the majority of the movie until a secret is revealed and Paddy feels obligated to help Billy in a way that's not surprising at all.

The laughs are there, four old timers in the world of the young and pretty but it's not enough to carry this film across the finish line in first place. If anything, it's a distant third, and that's only based on the cast of the film. No way does a film with Freeman, De Niro, Kline, and Douglas not place in the top three, no matter how bad the film is. The score by Mark Mothersbaugh is a tad too Ocean's Eleven for me but it gives the movie a light feel, which is what I think the producers were aiming for in the first place. Last Vegas does not have staying power so if you are looking for something light, something that will make you chuckle, go see it now before it gets forced out of the theaters by the big winter movies that are looming on the horizon. I'll see you at the theater.