10s Movie Review - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Director: Francis Lawrence
Genre: Science Fiction/ Action/ Drama/ Dystopian
Runtime: 146 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland, Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones, Sam Claflin,, Jeffrey Wright, Amanda Plummer, Jena Malone, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Description: Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.

Review: The first film in “The Hunger Games” franchise was a huge success and was really good. The second movie gets a new director, Gary Ross steps down and makes room for Francis Lawrence. 
Instead of getting in to the action right away, Lawrence takes time to look back on the happenings from the first film. The surprising climax of the 74th Hunger Games has changed a lot and it’s not over for Katniss and Peeta just yet. Together they have to visit all the districts for a victory tour, something they both don’t like doing. The people love Katniss and president Snow is anything but happy about it. 

Plutarch Heavensbee is the new game maker and decides to make the 75th Hunger Games into something unforgettable. Together with president Snow they decide to let former winners from each district fight it out in the arena. Because Katniss is the only female winner from district 12, she has to enter. And Peeta joins her again, when he volunteers after Haymitch was chosen. 

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is a case of bigger and better. But also visually it brings us more. No shaky cam here, which make the actions scenes even better. And the new arena brings a lot more variation and new dangers. The story is very true to its source material. 

It takes some time before the actual battle starts, but the movie never bores. This is also a big thank you to Jennifer Lawrence, who shines once again as Katniss. A tough heroine, who can also be vulnerable and it’s easy to identify with her. This franchise separates itself from other young adult films that were based on books. The film also adds some great new characters, like Finnick, Beetee, Plutarch and Johanna. 

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” was already my favorite book in the series, it’s a fantastic film as well.

Rating: 5 / 5

10s Movie Review - The Hunger Games

Director: Gary Ross
Genre: Adventure/ Action/ Dystopia/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 142 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Wes Bently, Donald Sutherland, Toby Jones

Description: Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in the Hunger Games: a televised competition in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to fight to the death.

Review: The plot of the by Suzanne Collins written book is promising. Lead character is Katniss Everdeen, who lives in Panem, the new name for the completely destructed North America in a near future. Panem is divided in districts, where the 13th district is already gone. As a punishment, the twelve districts have to deliver one boy and girl to attend the Hunger Games. In this battle only one will come out alive, everyone will literally fight ‘till the death. When Katniss’ sister Primrose is the chosen one for the 74^th Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to go herself.

All the tributes are dropped in a forest and the people of Panem are watching them every move. The Hunger Games are a big event. It all starts even before the games, where all the tributes have to win over the audience in order to get sponsors.

Jennifer Lawrence is a worthy leading lady and she carries this film easily. She is an underdog, yet a fantastic heroine. Katniss doesn’t want to be a hero though, she is just as afraid as everyone else. But she chooses to fight for her life, without having to kill everyone in sight.

The plot is pretty cruel, but it’s softened a bit to make it more appropriate for a broader audience. That’s okay, because the film’s story is still pretty disturbing.

“The Hunger Games” is a good book to movie adaptation and a great start to a strong franchise.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 45: The Butler

Director: Lee Daniels
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, Robin Williams, Alan Rickman, James Marsden, Vanessa Redgrave, Terrence Howard, Cuba Goodingg Jr., Lenny Kravitz, Liev Schreiber, Jane Fonda

Description: As Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker) serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.

Review: The story of “The Butler” is inspired by real-life butler Eugene Allen, who worked at the White House for 34 years. Here the main character is called Cecil Gaines. We see how he goes from working the cotton fields with his parents to being a butler in the White House.
Director Lee Daniels wanted to make a film about the position of Afro Americans in their battle for equality. It looks promising, but Daniels bit off more than he could chew. He is known for his heavy themes, like the film “Precious”. There it works a bit better, because he focused on the life of one girl. “The Butler” is set in a timespan of almost 90 years. He simply doesn’t have enough time for that, so his story is a bit lost.
Forest Whitaker does his task. His performance is solid and convincing and it’s better than the movie itself. Oprah Winfrey probably gave her all, but she doesn’t bring it. David Oyelowo, who played Cecil’s son, did a fantastic job. The rest of the cast is hard to judge, because they simply don’t get the room to exploit.
I understand where Lee Daniels was going with this film and the result is definitely not bad, because I enjoyed watching “The Butler”, but I think this project was too ambitious.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 20: Precious

Director: Lee Daniels
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Sherri Shepherd

Description: In New York City's Harlem circa 1987, the overweight, abused, illiterate teen Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) who is pregnant with her second child is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction.

Review: Not a lot of people would want to trade lives with Claireece ‘Precious’ Jones. She is sixteen, weighs 330 pounds and lives in one of the poorest neighborhoods of New York. She can barely read and write and is constantly bullied at school. Despite all that she’s rather in school then at home with her mother. She yells at Precious, treats her like a slave and abuses her. Four years ago she had a child with Down Syndrom, who was conceived by her own father. He rapes her and Precious is now expecting her second child. Mother Mary does nothing. She blames Precious for stealing her husband.
Lee Daniels previously produced movies like “Monster’s Ball” and “The Woodsman”, which also dealt with heavy themes. In the first 45 minutes of “Precious” you don’t see one inch of hope for the young girl. When she meets Ms. Rain at the alternative school ‘Each One, Teach One’, Precious grows, she blooms. Paula Patton easily could have made Ms. Rain into a soft teacher, but instead she portrays her as a strong woman on a mission.
“Precious” stands out because of the convincing acting performances. Newbie Gabourey Sidibe is overwhelming in her title role. She is believable. Mariah Carey surprised everyone as social worker Ms. Weiss, who only has a few scenes but was very solid. The best performance is by Mo’Nique, who is known as a comedienne. She plays Precious’ mother and is scary good as the mom from hell.
“Precious” is a grabbing film, that leaves a mark. I don’t understand why Lee Daniels wanted to make this movie a bit lighter by adding several dream sequences. And there are also some irrelevant close-ups and misplaced symbolic. But you do have the constant feeling that you’re dealing with real people and real misery. That this film gets under your skin is because of the wonderful acting.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Moments: "The Hunger Games"

"The Hunger Games" is definitely one of the coolest and most fantastic movies I've seen this year. And it's full of great moments, recognizable for those who read the book. Here are my favorite scenes.

Moment # 1: Hunting
Katniss is hunting and sees a deer. She is about to shoot it when Gale appears and the deer runs away.

Moment # 2: Gale’s plan
Katniss and Gale are talking about the hunger games. Gale has a plan, he says they could run away. But Katniss doesn’t think they’ll make it.

Moment # 3: The reaping
The day of the reaping has come and Effie Trinkett is about to pick the tributes. When she pulls out the girls name, she calls out Prim’s name. She’s scared and Katniss volunteers as tribute. Peeta is the male tribute for district 12.

Moment # 4: Gale’s promise
Katniss and Gale have a few minutes before she has to leave. He tells Katniss that she can hunt and that she will win. Katniss wants him to promise her that he’ll take care of her family and that Gale doesn’t let them starve.

Moment # 5: Meeting Haymitch
Katniss and Peeta meet Haymitch Abernathy, the man who’s supposed to get them ready for the hunger games. He’s drunk and not really in the mentoring mood.

Moment # 6: Tribute parade
Peeta and Katniss take part in the tribute parade. They surprise everyone with their flaming costumes.

Moment # 7: “Thank you for you consideration”
Katniss has to show of her skills in the last evaluation. She gets a bow and arrow and misses the target. Gamemaker Seneca Crane and his fellow watchers start laughing and stop paying attention. Even when Katniss does hit the target. All of a sudden Katniss shoots an apple, in the middle of the crowd and thanks the men for their consideration.

Moment # 8: Eleven
Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch, Effie and Cinna are waiting for the evaluation. Peeta got an 8 and Katniss and 11. She’s officially the favorite of the hunger games.

Moment # 9: The night before
Katniss and Peeta can’t sleep and have a conversation the night before the hunger games.

Moment # 10: Cinna and Katniss say goodbye
Cinna is the last person Katniss sees before she enters the hunger games arena. He gives Katniss her jacket and he put the mockingjay pin on it. Katniss is getting scared and when she’s in the tube she realizes that this is it.

Moment # 11: Cornucopia
The countdown starts and all the tributes are standing in the cornucopia. When the clock stops, all the tributes start running and fighting for their lives. Katniss grabs a bag and runs into the woods.

Moment # 12: Tracker Jackers
Katniss was chased by some tributes from district 1 and 2. She is in a tree and when she wakes up she sees Rue. She points to a hive of Tracker Jackers, genetically manipulated wasps. Katniss cuts the branch and the hive falls down. The other tributes run for their lives and Katniss has time to get away.

Moment # 13: Rue dies
Katniss is attacked by Marvel, but she strikes first and kills him. But Rue is also hit and dies in Katniss’ arms. She makes sure Rue gets a proper burial.

Moment # 14: Gale sees Katniss and Peeta kiss
Katniss found a wounded Peeta and decides to take care of him. Peeta wants to know why she helps him and Katniss kisses him. Gale sees it on t.v. an is annoyed by it.

Moment # 15: Hounds
The gamemaker wants some action and sends some blood thirsty hounds after Katniss and Peeta.

Moment # 16: Katniss and Peeta win
After Cato was killed by the hounds, Peeta and Katniss are the only two ones left. Adjusted rules say they won, but again there is a change. Only one of them can win and Peeta thinks it should be Katniss. Katniss doesn’t agree and she gives Peeta some poisonous berries. They both want to eat them, so there will be no winner this year. Right before they eat them, the game is stopped and Peeta and Katniss win the game.

Moment # 17: Katniss sees Gale
Katniss and Peeta return to district 12 and Katniss sees that Gale kept his promise. He’s with Prim and her mother, who both seem happy to see her. When Peeta sees Katniss looking at Gale and smiling, he grabs her hand.

Favorite Moment: Moment # 13: Rue Dies

Top 5 Thursday: "The Hunger Games" Characters

"The Hunger Games" has been a thing this week. It was the subject of my item "In the Picture" and I bombed you with pictures of Liam Hemsworth, one of the actors in the film, in my pic spam. So this weeks top 5 is also about "The Hunger Games" (book and movie) Here are my favorite characters from the first installment.

5. Haymitch Abernathy
Haymitch doesn't look like a reliable man when you first meet him, but once you get to know him he turns out to be the best mentor you could wish for. He has a certain sense of humor that not everyone understands, he's drunk or under the influence of alcohol almost all the time and always bickering with Effie.

4. Rue
Rue is one of the youngest tributes of the Hunger Games. People underestimate her becausse she's so young a small, but she is very clever. When Rue died, I cried.

3. Cinna
Cinna was the first person Katniss met that she experienced as 'normal'. He made her feel comfortable in a scary situation and Cinna was the last person Katniss saw before she was sent of for the Hunger Games.

2. Gale Hawthorne
Gale is Katniss best friend and hunting buddie. He takes care of her family when she has to enter the Hunger Games. Gale is loyal and kind and I seriously think he's the guy for Katniss.

1. Katniss Everdeen
It's very hard to not like her. Katniss doesn't like to be in the center of attention, but will do everything for her sister Primrose. She has a strong will, is very intelligent and has a good instinct. Katniss is one of the best movie/ book characters ever written.

They almost made the top 5: Effie and Primrose Everdeen

In the Picture: The Characters from "The Hunger Games"

I read the books and yesterday I finally saw the movie. I have been looking forward to this for so many months. Here are the characters from “The Hunger Games” and I’m going to apologize in advance, I picked two favorites….

Katniss Everdeen
Played by: Jennifer Lawrence
Katniss is 16-years old and lives with her mother and younger sister Primrose. After her father dies in an mine explosion, she hunts to provide for her family and she’s the glue that keeps the three of them together. When Prim’s name is called out during the reaping, Katniss volunteers as tribute for the Hunger Games. She promises her sister she will try to win the games and during the training she catches the eye of the viewers. She has to act like she’s in love with Peeta in order to survive and to earn sponsors. Katniss is a fighter and a survivor and does everything to return to her sister.

Peeta Mellark
Played by: Josh Hutcherson
Peeta is the son of a baker and the male tribute for District 12. He has been in love with Katniss for a long time. Peeta is loyal and brave, but can also act very arrogant.

Gale Hawthorne
Played by: Liam Hemsworth
Gale is Katniss’ best friend and hunting partner. When Katniss leaves for the Hunger Games, he promises her to take care of her family. Gale calls her “Catnip”. He is a true friend, because he keeps his promise and may even have feelings for Katniss. When he sees her kiss Peeta, he isn’t happy about it.

Haymitch Abernathy
Played by: Woody Harrelson
Haymitch is Katniss’ and Peeta’s mentor and a former Hunger Games winner from district 12. He is drunk, or at least under the influence of alcohol, most of the time. He sends Katniss gifts throughout the games to help her survive.

Cinna
Played by: Lenny Kravitz
Cinna is Katniss’ stylist. He’s a sly and witty man and clever with his fingers and even smarter in the mind. His fantastic design for Katniss’ clothes, increases her popularity. Cinna has a strong connection with Katniss.

Effie Trinket
Played by Elizabeth Banks
Effie is the District 12 escort and always happy and bubbly. She has a very colourful appearance and helps Katniss and Peeta to get sponsors. Effie is constantly bickering and arguing with Haymitch. She also hates it when people don’t have proper etiquettes.

Caesar Flickerman
Played by: Stanley Tucci
Caesar is a TV-host and interviews the tributes before they enter the Hunger Games. He’s an extravagant man, with bright blue hair and pearly white teeth who knows exactly how to entertain a crowd.

President Snow
Played by: Donald Sutherland
President Snow is the president of Panem. He is loved by many and hated by maybe even more people. Mostly the ones in the lower districts. Snow is vicious and can’t stand the fact that Katniss was so smart during the Hunger Games.

Seneca Crane
Played by: Wes Bentley
Seneca is the head gamemaker of the 74th Hunger Games. He is appointed by President Snow and his job is to maximize the excitement of the Hunger Games. He looks very confident but remains aware he's at the President’s mercy.

Favorite Character: Katniss Everdeen and Gale Hawthorne (sorry, couldn’t choose)

The Hunger Games, Sneak Peak

Finally we can catch a glimpse of the movie "The Hunger Games". It was announced that at the 2011 VMA's they would show footage of the movie. It's not much, but here is a Sneak Peak of "The Hunger Games" which will hit theaters in March 2012.
This short teaser already looks great and the music sounds really good. That can also be heard on the official website. I can't wait to see the extended trailer.

Preview: "The Hunger Games"

Let's talk about the upcoming and highly anticipated book to movie adaptation of "The Hunger Games". It's set to be released march 23rd 2012. I haven't read "Mockinjay" yet, which is the third book in the trilogy, but I loved both "The Hunger Games" and "Catching Fire". I'm very excited to see this be turned into a movie and I would like to share my thoughts with you.

Gary Ross is going to direct the movie. He also wrote and directed "Seabiscuit" and "Pleasantville" and he wrote the screenplay for "Big". "The Hunger Games" is going to be something completely different for Ross and I can't really say how he's going to do it. I don't know that much about him

Jennifer Lawrence is going to play the role of Katniss Everdeen, the heroin of the story. I haven't seen her in many movies, but I loved her in "Winter's Bone". She has great acting skills and she was even nominated for an Academy Award. After seeing pictures of her as Katniss, I just knew that they made a good choice by making her Katniss.

Josh Hutcherson is Peeta Melark. I didn't like Peeta that much in the book. But I do like Hutcherson, especially in "The Kids Are All Right" and "Bridge to Terabithia". He wouldn't be my choice, but I think he will do just fine.

I was much more excited about Gale Hawthorne's character. If I'm going to choose teams, I will have to go with team Gale. Liam Hemsworth is going to portray him in the movie and I have to say, he looks a lot like I pictured him. First I thought, 'hey, he's the guy from "Thor"'. Uuuh, wrong. That's his brother. I seriously never saw him in a movie. I saw pictures of Hemsworth as Gale, very nice.

Haymitch Abernathy is going to be played by Woody Harrelson. I think he's awesome, especially in "Zombieland". He will be a good Haymitch.

Elizabeth Banks is going to be Effie Trinkett. I love Elizabeth Banks. She was in "Spider-man", "Knocked Up", "The 40 Year Old Virgin", "Definitely, Maybe" and "Zack & Miri Make a Porno". She can play very diverse roles, so I think she can pull this off as well.

The role of Caeser Flickerman, the Capitol's favorite television host, goes to Stanley Tucci. How great (and creepy) was he in "The lovely Bones" and I liked him "Captain America: The First Avenger", which I saw recently. He can be that charismatic and rambunctious personality.

Lenny Kravitz as Cinna. Hell yeah! Totally how I would picture him. When I read the book, I was thinking of actors. Kravitz was the first one I thought of for the role of Cinna. I really don't know why, maybe because he's a bit excentric. I'm just a bit worried about his acting skills, don't know much about that.

Donald Sutherland is going to be portraying the role of President Snow. We all know how good he is while playing an evil, sleezy scumbag. Good choice.

I think I'm pretty happy with the casting, but still they have to prove it. There's no trailer yet, but here's a link to The Hunger Games Official Website . Check it out, it's very cool. Here are also some production stills.

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen

Two photos of Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Melark

Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne

My favorite picture so far, Katniss and Gale

I hope they stay close to the actual story and that they keep the crucial storylines in the film. I can't wait to see this movie, so far it looks very good. First, we have to wait for its trailer, I will probably comment on that if I get to see it.