The Hunger Games

In a dystopian future ruled by a totalitarian regime, resourceful Katniss and her partner, Peeta, represent their district in the lethal Hunger Games — a televised survival competition in which teenage contestants fight each other to the death.

Brian
Rating: 3 out of 10

Have you ever sat and thought about what you thought the future might be like? Will we be driving flying cars? What kinds of video technologies and modern conveniences will change our daily routines? Will we travel to distant planets?

I’m pretty sure your idea of the distant future wasn’t a split society where one half was the “Grapes of Wrath” where poor people hunt their dinner with bow and arrows and the other half was a technologically advanced group of drag queens that all wear makeup and can’t wait to watch young people kill each other in a boring game of “Lord of the Flies.”

The ideas in this film are so derivative of other, more original films and books that executed their material better. It takes the games of survival from “Battle Royale,” the split societies from “1984,” and the TV audience from “The Running Man.” It’s all wrapped up in a package that is completely devoid of any suspense, interesting characters, or drama. I was also shocked at just how bloodless it is. Here we have a gladiator game of survival put together as some form of half-ass peace treaty between two societies that had a war. The idea is to put different members from tribes into a survival game in a world that looks like the dome from “The Truman Show” — another film that Hunger Games rips off. The Truman dome in this film is populated with explosives, bows and arrows, knives, and spears. But somehow, we almost never see any blood. This film is so cowardly and money driven that it sanitizes the material to earn a PG-13. Instead of having a dramatic game of “survival at all costs” we end up with a stupid love story without chemistry. Why?!?! Did the writers not realize that every man for themselves was interesting on its own? Did they also not realize that a sense of danger could have been created by upping the violence? I’m not saying gratuitous violence, but make me feel the hopelessness and despair that this situation would cause. It also doesn’t even get to the games for almost an hour and a half!!! We spend time watching the characters walk around their poor town, talk, get recruited for the games, talk some more, hear about their mission in the games, talk, and talk and talk…….ABOUT NOTHING! There is not ONE piece of memorable dialogue in this crap fest.

I would rate it even lower but the director does execute what’s on the written page well. Also, Jennifer Lawrence is a very capable actress and has a wonderful screen presence. It’s a shame that they weren’t given better material to work with.

The Adjustment Bureau

A congressman (Matt Damon) who’s a rising star on the political scene finds himself entranced by a beautiful ballerina (Emily Blunt), but mysterious circumstances ensure that their love affair is predestined to be a non-starter. Screenwriter George Nolfi (The Bourne Ultimatum) makes his directorial debut with this romantic adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s classic sci-fi short story “Adjustment Team.”

Matt
Rating: 8 out of 10

I have to say that on the surface, I thought this was just another government conspiracy movie. While it’s still a conspiracy flick, it’s a darn good one.

Not unlike “The Matrix,” where they contrived a believable world out of unbelievable circumstances, this film succeeds. The world is completely controlled, well mostly. It sort of takes away the whole free will theory for most people, or at least important people. The entire concept that drives the movie is an adjustment bureau that can control your life. They have a person assigned to you who can guide your thoughts and actions by influencing you with experiences. The love story at the center of this movie, which really compels the film, was such a controlled circumstance. They meet, hit it off, and fall for each other instantly. But the bureau has other plans, despite Damon’s characters pursuit of his lost love.

The movie takes some really interesting twists and turns, with a climactic ending that is satisfying and entertaining. Definitely a solid sci-fi film with a compelling love story, good performances, and a nice pace and tone. It’s patient enough to develop characters while throwing in some intrigue and mystery that propels the film with action and drama.

Dark Knight Trailer #3 Released

Matt

The Dark Knight Rises, coming July 20, is the final and much anticipated conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s brilliant vision of Batman. The latest trailer looks very promising, leaving much to be the imagination while whetting our appetites for what promises to be an incredible closing chapter in the Nolan series. Enjoy.

 

The Cabin in the Woods

Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods.

Matt
Rating: 8 out of 10

I love it when a film comes along in a tired genre and kicks it in the ass.

The first “Scream” movie was a revolation for horror fans tired of countless sequels. Believe it or not, this movie actually doesn’t leave much need for one, either. To me, that’s the hallmark of a great movie. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The beauty of this film is that it starts like every other teenager-targeted slasher flick. It moves well, injects quite a bit of humor along the way, and keeps us engaged while we have fun. It works. But by the ending, which I will not spoil, it takes some very interesting twists and turns that will leave both fanboys and the general public happy.

Mind you, if you’re not a horror or fantasy fan, I think you’ll still enjoy this, though on a different level as horror fans. As a horror fan, I delighted in the playful nature the director took with horror and folk lore and turned it on its head a bit and looked at these conventions with a fresh take. It was a nice change of pace. Don’t go to the “Cabin in the Woods” hoping for your typical movie. You won’t find it, but that’s the beauty of it. If you don’t like change, and you like your teenagers predictably walking into dark rooms where the killer was just seen, or you think Freddy needs a 20th sequel, this may not be the flick for you.

Captain America: The First Avenger

Marvel launches another super franchise with this action-packed origin story, which follows Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) as he volunteers for a secret experiment during World War II. Transformed into a superhero named Captain America, Steve goes after the Axis. With his perfect physique and heightened reflexes — and his sidekick, Bucky (Sebastian Stan) — Steve battles the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), a super soldier created by Italian fascists.

Kyle
Rating: 8 out of 10

This actually came out about what I was expecting. I was a little concerned it would deliver similar to “Thor” but came out a lot better. My optimism finally paid off. 

Chris Evans didn’t disappoint. He brought a great performance as Steve Rogers/Captain America. Hugo Weaving was alright though I thought his German accent was off. I thought it was odd, too, that the organization that Red Skull led (Hydra) existed almost separate from that of the Nazi party. It just seemed Hydra’s intentions were very much different than that of the Nazi party from my original understanding of the Red Skull; no hints of Anti-Semitism. 

The only other thing that bothered me was at a few of the CG sequences with Evan’s head on a smaller body. A couple of the shots were a bit unbearable; his chin was not cropped properly and it just appeared to end. Also, I thought they could’ve scaled it down a tad so that his head was proportionate the body they put him on. Other than that, I thought it was a really good film. It had lots of action, suspense, and heart. Captain America just wants to help those in need and that mentality is seen from beginning to end. 

Oh, and the post-credits footage was bonerific. Great tease to what next summer will hold in store for Marvel fans.

The Last Man on Earth

A plague has wiped out most of mankind, and those who survived have become bloodthirsty vampires. The only “normal” human left on earth, Dr. Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) — who was spared by a twist of fate — spends his days methodically hunting down the undead mutants and his nights barricaded against their attacks. But when he meets the beautiful but contaminated Ruth, he discovers a secret that will unravel what’s left of his existence.

Victor
Rating: 8 out of 10

The 1954 novel “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson has always been one of my favorite sci-fi/horror novels. This 1964 film directed by Sidney Salkow and shot on a meager budget in Italy is the first adaptation of Matheson’s zombie tale. Many consider it to still be the finest of the 3 that have been done thus far. The film carries on, faithfully, the idea of an apocalypse started by disease. Vincent Price portrays Robert Morgan, the only survivor who seems immune to the plague which has obliterated mankind. During the day he goes about routine and mundane things. He fixes his home, looks for vehicles and hunts and kills vampiric zombies created by the contagion. He then takes them to burn in a crater like hole where he dumps them in. He endures attacks at night by the same horde of monsters, one being a close friend of his.

It is the versatile Vincent Price that really carries this film far and beyond the already great material. He is a lonely man and Price deftly emotes such realism in his performance. He is grieving, sorrowful, angry and at times desperate. His survival instincts, though, are always finely tuned to the dangers that lie beyond the threshold of his sanctuary. His story is told in flashbacks and it is here where we learn the origin of the contagion and we begin to feel for him and his plight. At night he endures the ghouls who want him to succumb. That is his plight.

The film is dense, dark and scary. It is eerily lit with emotion and fright highlighting the menace of the cinematography. Price is joined by a capable cast and the Italian actresses are beauties. But it is the desolation, dread and futility that stirs us. The score is disquieting and effective for this type of film. It is a hidden gem of the genre.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

In the second installment of the two-part conclusion to the überpopular Harry Potter series, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his best friends, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), continue their quest to vanquish the evil Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) once and for all. Just as things begin to look hopeless for the young wizards, Harry discovers a trio of magical objects that endow him with powers to rival Voldemort’s formidable skills.

Brian
Rating: 10 out of 10

I have to give credit to both J.K. Rowling and director David Yates. They were given the almost impossible task of resolving all the plot threads from the first 6 books and 7 movies and make it interesting and fun at the same time. Well, they didn’t just hit a home run but a grand slam. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is not only the best film in the entire Harry Potter series but it’s the best film thus far of 2011. In a way, it’s a bit of a relief considering the first part of Deathly Hallows was such a bore. In many ways, it reminded me of Kill Bill Part 1 and 2 in that the two halves feel like completely different movies. Part 1 had tons of dialogue and superfluous scenes where part 2 does not have one wasted moment. The action, storytelling, direction, acting, and writing are top notch all the way around and the last hour is jaw dropping and powerful. We have watched these characters grow from young kids to young adults and for those that are emotionally invested in the series; you’re the beneficiary of great storytelling. It’s difficult for me to expound without spoilers, so I won’t. All I can say is get to your local theaters and witness fantasy film greatness.

Side note: I saw the film in 3D mainly because of time constraints and it was a complete waste of time visually. I highly recommend a 2D showing if you can see it in that format. It’s cheaper too!

The Dark Knight Rises Trailer Released

Matt

The promise of “The Dark Knight Rises” is unlimited. I felt like that before “The Dark Knight,” which is hands down one of the best comic book films ever made.

I had concerns about the number of characters and villains in “The Dark Knight.” There was Two Face and Joker, and it’s difficult to pull off two villains in the same film because they can often not be developed into anything more than a cookie cutter bad guy. But that was not the case, at all. Christopher Nolan understands storytelling and has handled the Batman franchise with great care and respect for his audience.

I have no qualms saying that “The Dark Knight Rises” will be just as good as its prequels. The Bane charater, played by Tom Hardy, looks nothing short of menacing and terrible. The above photo is enough to give you the creeps. We also get a small glimpse of Catwoman, thought it’s hard to see much. Even though this trailer is a mere wetting of our appetites, “The Dark Knight Rises” already looks amazing. It’s going to be a long year of waiting.

Thanks for our sister blog TV-Tastic for the trailer!

The Hidden

From The Vault is our new feature, showcasing forgotten favorites from all our writers. Victor DeLeon kicks off the series with one of his favorites, “The Hidden.”

A string of cold-blooded murders puzzles diligent Los Angeles detective Tom Beck (Michael Nouri), who can’t figure out why regular people keep turning into merciless killers. When mysterious FBI agent Lloyd arrives (Kyle MacLachlan), Beck learns his problem is from another world. Soon, Beck is the human caught in the middle of an extraterrestrial showdown that’s playing out on the streets of Los Angeles. Jack Sholder directs this sci-fi cult classic.

Victor
Rating: 8 out of 10

Jack Sholder directs this 1987 sci fi-action film that oozes 80s buddy cop charm but with a neat “Terminator meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers” twist. The Hidden stars Micheal Nouri and Kyle MacLachlan as two law enforcement agents paired up to investigate why regular people are turning into wicked killers that rob, flirt, attack, drive very fast and love to shoot civilians. MacLachlan’s character is not all that he seems — and he seems to know many things regarding the perps. Nouri of course is in the dark for most of the film as he is lead around the city trying to figure all this out.

“The Hidden,” besides it’s charm, sports great make-up and alien FX and some great shootouts and car chases that solidify it as a fast action film. Also, just about every conceivable character actor from every 80s action film is in this. The film also has plenty of great humor and plays out with many nods to early classic sci fi films of the 50s and 60s. And the “X-Files” type storyline doesn’t feel dated, either.

“The Hidden” easily rates a retro classic with it’s amusing amalgam of sci-fi heart and action. Mouri and MacLachlan are the meat of the film as we watch them take on some nasty alien slugs that cause mayhem and destruction throughout. A fun, under-rated movie, “The Hidden” is a must watch for sci-fi fans.

The Illusionist

Oscar-nominated for Best Animated Feature, this wistful tale follows the fading fortunes of aging illusionist Tatischeff , who’s forced to perform in obscure venues as his act is eclipsed by the growing popularity of rock bands. He gets an emotional lift, though, from a wide-eyed girl named Alice, who thinks he possesses magic powers. But Tatischeff’s “sleight of hand” efforts to impress her with expensive gifts may lead to his financial undoing.

Lauren
Rating: 4 out of 10

“L’illusionniste” is sad. That’s the way I felt the whole movie. Sure there’s a flash of the fun times the magician had when he had a successful act in Paris, but really it’s about his decline.

I spent the whole movie waiting for the change, for something good to happen. It didn’t. On his way down, the illusionist spends some time in Scotland where he befriends a young girl, Alice. I thought this was where some happiness would come in. But Alice just seems selfish and unappreciative of his generosity.

Sometimes I enjoy movies like this, a story that is linear seems more honest and life doesn’t always have a happy ending. So maybe it was my mood or maybe I was waiting for some of the silliness that was in their previous film, “The Triplets of Belleville,” but it just felt a little empty.