Just walked out of the Hunger Games, 11:45am showing at Regal at Kendall Villages. What a great story! Kudos to the writer Suzanne Collins for a great story and to Gary Ross and Billy Ray (sharing credit for the screenplay). This is the first (in a long time) movie I’ve seen where I have not read the book prior to viewing. So please excuse me if I talk about the movie without the benefit of the book’s details.
Hunger Games is listed as a Young Adult movie, which is marketing talk for teenage girls romance, within an adventure sitting, and without the sex that accompanies so many modern romance stories today. And being the second block buster book series to be given the ultimate Hollywood treatment, it has to be compared to Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series (which I did read before seeing the movies). While it does not have the pathos so evident in Bella and Edward’s love story, it does offer more than enough romance for the gentler gender and adventure for the male in all of us.
First you need to know where I’m coming from. I’m a hopeless romantic, but I’m also a gray-bearded, divorced fifty-three year old man, slightly overweight (stop laughing Giselle…my sister calls it as she sees it - fat) with Asperger's, who still believes in the goodness of my fellow man and that love will always win out in the end. And before you ask, no I do not believe that there is a Santa Claus, but I know his spirit still exists.
The story, for those of you who haven't read the books, and I know there are a lot of you, unfortunately, while not overly complicated, operates on several levels allowing the viewer (remember I’m commenting on the movie and not the book) continued interest in what’s happening on the screen. Unlike, many of the recent films I’ve seen, if you miss any of the movie (bathroom break) you will miss an integral plot twist or character building scene. And believe me at two hours and twenty-two minutes it was a chore, at the end, not to take a bathroom break…remember fifty-three year old man here!
Jennifer Lawrence playing the lead character, Katness Everdeen, was able to effortlessly use the non-verbal screen time to show, with an acting maturity beyond her years, the real emotions of her character at the time. Something her role competitor, Kirstin Stewart (as Twilight's Bella) was not able to do with as much success. This is where a book has the advantage, it can describe, in page by page detail, the emotions being felt by the character within any time frame, from a second or two, to months and months, sometimes even years. In film you do not have the luxury of endless screen time with only a young woman sitting and staring out of her window as the season’s change.
I was riveted for the entire two hours and twenty-two minutes as the screen play refused to use many of the romantic clichés that we, as movie goers, have become accustom to. Moving the story along at a pace that kept the viewer interested and the character alive just by the viewer wondering how they would react to each new event as it unfolded.
Though it was disturbing at first to see youngsters (from what looks like nine or ten up to early twenties) participating in killing games, especially the initial game opening brawl, I do understand enough of history – not to mention what’s happening in Africa and the middle East today -- that this scenario is not unlikely. What I did feel a bit disappointed about is the story’s lack of an in-depth rationale for why the hunger games were started in the first place and what the games instigators hoped to achieve with it. The movie hinted at a past rebellion as a reason but not enough details to explain why the game rules themselves. Maybe the book does it better and hopefully the next two movies will delve into this in more detail.
And believe me, there will be sequels, the viewing public cannot, and in my opinion, will not be satisfied with just this one magnificent movie.
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Wrath of the Titans
The return of the demi-god Sam Worthington. Since wheeling into international fame on Avatar, it seems his mere presence in a film means block buster! Avatar, then Clash of the Titans, then Man on a Ledge, now Wrath of the Titans.
But this is where he, or rather the film makers falter. The production values are great and the special effects outstanding, the Tartarus prison, while a nice effect seems to have been designed with 3D in mind and, as in most cases, where an effect determines story line, it seems a bit contrived.
Unlike Avatar, where the 3D effect enhances the amazing alien environment, Tartarus seems to be set up in isolation, with no rhyme or reason to explain its constantly shifting environment and no key to solving it…most unlike the logical Greeks.
Dan Mazeau, David Johnson, Greg Berlanti and Beverley Cross, as the writers, also fail to fully explain the complexity of the story line as was done in the first installment. What happened to Perseus first wife, Io, a simple death for one resurrected by Zeus is just not enough.
What about Perseus’ now obvious attraction to Andromeda, when did that happen? In the first installment he showed no romantic feelings towards her at all, even though she was the princess he ended up saving, though it was obvious she had feelings for him.
And, for that matter, what’s up with Andromeda? She started out as a beautiful, but pampered princess, with intelligence and a sympathy for her people’s welfare and now is a warrior queen, when did that happen? And why?
The gods’ predicament also raises a question of logical continuity. If Zeus, his brothers and children, are losing their God Power, then why are they concerned about their father, Kronos, for surely he will be losing power as well.
To solve this dilemma, while watching the movie I had to quickly develop the reasoning that the Gods all have a certain level of power to start with and this power is increased by the amount of humans that worship them, as premised by the storyline.
Zeus and Poseidon, by controlling their humans worshipers, are able to limit Hades power thus averting the dominance of his hate regime.
Kronos, recognizing that the dominance of gods was weaning, due to humans increasingly lack of fate, decided that, for gods to remain in power, humans had to be brought back into the fold, so-to-speak, and set forward a plan to get rid of his god-sons, who were obviously not up to the task.
This all fell to ashes on the death of Poseidon and Zeus, since my hypothesis would not allow this to happen, at least not in the way that it did, but at least it got me through most of the movie.
Sam Worthington, as Perseus, again excellently portrayed his character, as a human with demi-god powers (though why these powers remain when the gods powers are being reduced seemed to give credence to my personal theory) who insists on the nobility of humankind, allowing his human half to lead his choices.
Rosamund Pike, who takes over the role of Andromeda from Clash's, Alexa Davalos, works well as the warrior queen and shows the depth of her acting ability by using facial imagery only to show the love her character has for Perseus. Rosamund is perfect for the role of Andromeda, able to show the beauty and poise of a royal princess, the sense of purpose of a true ruler and the fighting ability of a true warrior.
Toby Kebbell as Agenor, Poseidon’s son, unfortunately was given a one dimensional role which, though the storyline hinted at a great back story, failed to supply the humour I think the writers were going for.
Hades, though, came through with flying colours. This character, Lord of the Underworld, usually is the bad guy, as Ralph Fiennes played him in the first installment (and again in this, the second installment) and continues in Wrath as the antagonist. But the script and Ralph Fiennes, both worked excellently together to create a depth of character seldom seen in those cast in the role of the devil.
Despite its defects, Wrath of the Titans is well worth seeing and I did enjoy, once again, sharing in the adventures of the hero Perseus, though I think the story would have been fuller with Kronos actually getting free, inciting fear in humans to create the worship he needs to retain his power, thus allowing him to rule both gods and humans alike.
But thwarted in the end by Andromeda’s army defeating Kronos’ worshipers; the solders on the battlefield, by strength of arms, and the priests in the temples, by Andromeda’s intelligence and compassion.
This would lead to a loss of Kronos’ power at a critical point in his one on one battle with Perseus, allowing Perseus and thus humanity, once again, to be self-reliant in determining their own future.
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Salmon Fishing, now ladies, before you skip over this fishing story, know that it is in fact a very romantic story, and guys before think that this is only a love story…well actually, yes, it is only a love story. The fishing really only provides the environment for the story to evolve.
But guys, before you leave, know this. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is not your typical emotional roller-coaster movie, written to drag tears up, screaming and clawing, from our macho centre, located somewhere in the depths of our balls sack. No this cleverly crafted stylish tale comes at love, not typically from straight on (a most American trait) but from the periphery of life, a style more suited to where the film was created, England.
So guys, we have no grand gesture that instigates love, no earth shattering wrong committed to break the couple apart and no insightful, emotionally charge, incident that brings them back together. What we do have is, in fact, everyday life, that’s all it is, just everyday life. Something that gives hope to very ordinary, normal man that maybe, just maybe, there is hope finding real love of each of us.
Ewan McGregor, as far from his Star Wars - Obi-Wan Kenobi character as you can possible get, plays the reluctant Dr. Jones who at first is dismissive of a Sheik’s ambition to create Salmon fishing in, as the title suggest, Yemen.
Enter the English PM’s Press Secretary, who sees this as great PR for the Government and pushes the idea using Government funding and assets. The book (of the same name by Paul Torday) from which the movie is based, plays mostly to the political satire generated from this situation but screen writer Simon Beaufoy, preferred to centre on the love story.
Emily Blunt, as Harriet, continues to excel as an actor from the first time I saw her in The Devil Wears Prada, bringing nuance and believability to her role as the instigator of the Sheik's wishes. I look forward to seeing her in The Five Year Engagement later this year.
I can see that this movie will not appeal to the typical Love Story viewers, because it does not evoke the out springing of emotion resulting in copious tears usually associated with this genre but it remains a charming Love Story that a guy can take his significant other to, without the needed box of Kleenex. So really a win win movie experience.
But guys, before you leave, know this. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is not your typical emotional roller-coaster movie, written to drag tears up, screaming and clawing, from our macho centre, located somewhere in the depths of our balls sack. No this cleverly crafted stylish tale comes at love, not typically from straight on (a most American trait) but from the periphery of life, a style more suited to where the film was created, England.
So guys, we have no grand gesture that instigates love, no earth shattering wrong committed to break the couple apart and no insightful, emotionally charge, incident that brings them back together. What we do have is, in fact, everyday life, that’s all it is, just everyday life. Something that gives hope to very ordinary, normal man that maybe, just maybe, there is hope finding real love of each of us.
Ewan McGregor, as far from his Star Wars - Obi-Wan Kenobi character as you can possible get, plays the reluctant Dr. Jones who at first is dismissive of a Sheik’s ambition to create Salmon fishing in, as the title suggest, Yemen.
Enter the English PM’s Press Secretary, who sees this as great PR for the Government and pushes the idea using Government funding and assets. The book (of the same name by Paul Torday) from which the movie is based, plays mostly to the political satire generated from this situation but screen writer Simon Beaufoy, preferred to centre on the love story.
Emily Blunt, as Harriet, continues to excel as an actor from the first time I saw her in The Devil Wears Prada, bringing nuance and believability to her role as the instigator of the Sheik's wishes. I look forward to seeing her in The Five Year Engagement later this year.
I can see that this movie will not appeal to the typical Love Story viewers, because it does not evoke the out springing of emotion resulting in copious tears usually associated with this genre but it remains a charming Love Story that a guy can take his significant other to, without the needed box of Kleenex. So really a win win movie experience.
Mirror, Mirror–what a great reflection
Let me start by saying I am biased, I love Julia Roberts, I love every film that she’s done, even the financially unsuccessful ones, because of course there are no bad ones, lol. My two favorite films are Nottinghill and Pretty Woman. That being said, Julia Roberts is great at being the evil step mother to Lily Collins’ Snow White.
A bow to Lily Collins as well, she played the updated Snow White to perfection, allowing her femininity to remain in command while taking on the hero status usually reserved for all the princes out there. A truly modern woman.
Mirror, Mirror is a tongue-in-cheek modern take of the classical fairy tale, Snow White. when I say modern I am not referring to the timeframe of the story, which remains, as it should, in fairyland time, but to the modernization of characters.
The writers have cleverly given character depth to the two female leads, as well as the seven dwarves. The dashing prince, usually the focus of these fairy tales, as regulated by the once male dominated authorship of society norms, ends up, though remaining dashingly handsome and regally cultured, as the typical “damsel in distress” who is in fact rescued by the valiant princess. The fact that he retains his maleness through to the end, despite being the rescued, gives all the more credos to the actor Armie Hammer.
Three cheers for the writers (Melissa Mallack and Jason Keller) for pulling off this subtle twist, of this widely known tale from the Grimm brothers, Jacob & Wilhelm, Creating an fully entertaining story, without shoving female prowess in the face, of a surprising amount, of males in the audience. Three cheers also to the trailer cutters, for allowing a successful tease to the greatness of the movie, but without revealing the actual story twist.
The dialog and interplay with underlying plot lines was wonderfully handled by both the screen writers and actors alike. Story lines playfully interplayed with each other to make the whole story so much better than the individual stories of the each of the characters.
Fairy tales are an important part of our literature heritage, they teach us about the whimsical part our humane nature, the innate ability we all have, but are more and more less inclined to use, of treating life-shattering personal tragedy with the optimism and fortitude that will, in the end, make you not only a better person but allow you to live a better and fuller life.
Sidebar: If you couldn’t tell by now, I’m a die-hard optimist!
And the Director (Tarsem Singh) was able to keep this whimsy alive, dancing artfully between dramatic, action and comical scenes, making each moment alive and believable without diving headlong into the typical action/drama/comical stereotypes that each genre usually requires to be successful.
The only glitch to the entire movie, and it is a small one, was a change in movie-pace, which is aptly centered more around the dialog than the action, early on in the movie when the editor included a sweeping visual ‘pull and pan’ to show the change from one story line to another. The visual was great but it did slow the natural pace of the movie, at that point, for the few seconds that it was seen.
Aside from that this movie hit all the bases, with action, drama and comedy that seems to comes naturally from the interaction of these characters and the plots as it unfolded in front of an appreciative audience. This is one of the few movies I’ve been to in the US where the audience reacted audibly to the movie as it played out. The movie is a must see for everyone and take the kids along with you they will enjoy it as well.
A bow to Lily Collins as well, she played the updated Snow White to perfection, allowing her femininity to remain in command while taking on the hero status usually reserved for all the princes out there. A truly modern woman.
Mirror, Mirror is a tongue-in-cheek modern take of the classical fairy tale, Snow White. when I say modern I am not referring to the timeframe of the story, which remains, as it should, in fairyland time, but to the modernization of characters.
The writers have cleverly given character depth to the two female leads, as well as the seven dwarves. The dashing prince, usually the focus of these fairy tales, as regulated by the once male dominated authorship of society norms, ends up, though remaining dashingly handsome and regally cultured, as the typical “damsel in distress” who is in fact rescued by the valiant princess. The fact that he retains his maleness through to the end, despite being the rescued, gives all the more credos to the actor Armie Hammer.
Three cheers for the writers (Melissa Mallack and Jason Keller) for pulling off this subtle twist, of this widely known tale from the Grimm brothers, Jacob & Wilhelm, Creating an fully entertaining story, without shoving female prowess in the face, of a surprising amount, of males in the audience. Three cheers also to the trailer cutters, for allowing a successful tease to the greatness of the movie, but without revealing the actual story twist.
The dialog and interplay with underlying plot lines was wonderfully handled by both the screen writers and actors alike. Story lines playfully interplayed with each other to make the whole story so much better than the individual stories of the each of the characters.
Fairy tales are an important part of our literature heritage, they teach us about the whimsical part our humane nature, the innate ability we all have, but are more and more less inclined to use, of treating life-shattering personal tragedy with the optimism and fortitude that will, in the end, make you not only a better person but allow you to live a better and fuller life.
Sidebar: If you couldn’t tell by now, I’m a die-hard optimist!
And the Director (Tarsem Singh) was able to keep this whimsy alive, dancing artfully between dramatic, action and comical scenes, making each moment alive and believable without diving headlong into the typical action/drama/comical stereotypes that each genre usually requires to be successful.
The only glitch to the entire movie, and it is a small one, was a change in movie-pace, which is aptly centered more around the dialog than the action, early on in the movie when the editor included a sweeping visual ‘pull and pan’ to show the change from one story line to another. The visual was great but it did slow the natural pace of the movie, at that point, for the few seconds that it was seen.
Aside from that this movie hit all the bases, with action, drama and comedy that seems to comes naturally from the interaction of these characters and the plots as it unfolded in front of an appreciative audience. This is one of the few movies I’ve been to in the US where the audience reacted audibly to the movie as it played out. The movie is a must see for everyone and take the kids along with you they will enjoy it as well.
Avengers…the movie to see this Summer
Everything works well in this block buster movie, the writing, the acting, the directing, the special effects, the story, the villain, the heroes…everything. This is a must-see event of 2012!
In any storyline, the hardest achievement is to have an assemble cast of characters coalesce into one great adventure hence why, usually, most movies will deal with only one or two main characters over the course of the movie.
Dealing with multiply characters is difficult, it requires time to allow development, not only of the plot but also of the personalities of each individual, and is usually only achieved in books, TV series and is some cases, if the viewership allows, serial movies.
The Harry Potter eight part series and the Lord of the Rings three part series worked to establish indelible characters through a complicated storyline that had to be told through a long time line. The Hunger Games also seeks to achieve this depth of character.
Do not confuse these with the ‘continuing adventures’ type series where the character really does not grow but remains constant, like in the James Bond or Indiana Jones series. Each equally enjoyable and entertaining but really the main character does not grow, does not change, but then again that is why we go to see them, because of this non-change, really, who wants to see an aging, married with children, James Bond, still killing bad guys while taking his daughter to soccer practice?!
Marvel has taken its unique comic-book approach to their character driven series, where they have successfully blended plot lines between separate personality driven worlds (in their comics) and applied it to the movies. And it seems to have worked.
First they have created the main characters and their back story in their own movies, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Fantastic Four, each story being developed independently and complete in itself. But then comes the ensemble story and, true to Marvel ideals, this story intertwines enough from the other stories to make a believable ‘new’ world where the Avengers are possible, but not so different from the other individual realities, so a complete backstory is unnecessary, leaving more time for the actual action to unfold.
To the initiated, this brings a fullness to the plot that adds believability to the storyline, the mark of any really good yarn. To the un-initiated, the stand alone facts created (say for instance the cosmic cube – in this version called the Tesserac, which we saw in Captain America) works well without the backstory and does not impact dramatically on their overall movie experience.
Joss Whedon, who’s genius created ‘Firefly’ the TV series and the spin off movie ‘Serenity’ to name a few, applied his acumen not only to helm this movie as Director but also as the screen writer, which explains not only the completeness of the story but the easy and effective way of learning about back story and understanding character nuances through normal human interaction rather than by character speeches.
Zak Penn shares credit for the story with Joss Whedon and, of course, from the comic side, the great Stan Lee & legendary Jack Kirby.
One of the great things about this movie, which is also why Marvel (as comic book publishers) are at the top of their business, is that these super heroes are really nothing more than ordinary men (all except Thor that is) with great powers. And, like me and you, are plagued with personality foibles and the intrinsic difficulties most of us have in dealing with each other, not only on a day to day basis, but under extraordinary and stressful times. That they have to deal with these, along with their powers and saving earth from total annihilation is what makes them believable, assuming of course that you believe in super powers. And really who doesn’t!
The movie also serves up new insights into the Scarlett Johansson’s character Black Widow, and wow! I’m a comic book aficionado and know about Black Widow’s character as she appears throughout the Marvel universe, but this is the first time I want to know more, never has a female character demanded (at least not since Matrix’s Trinity) such male attention. The Black Widow needs her own movie.
Of the only two non-super powered members (Black Widow and Hawkeye) of The Avengers, The Black Widow more than shows that she has the goods to belong to this group of Heroes.
In my review of the Hunger Games, I elucidate about the ability of the lead, Jennifer Lawrence, and her ability to use facial expressions to show real emotion. And here I have to give kudos to Scarlett Johansson, her scene with Hulk’s first appearance was as dramatic as any scene I’ve ever seen. The fright as she realizes what’s about to happen, the determination to survive the encounter, and then the fear at the end when she discerned what could have been, all transmitted through her eyes, was an amazing piece of acting…probably the best in the entire movie.
My advise to you is, as soon as possible, get to your favourite cinema and see The Avengers, and then see it again, because the first time you will be so blown away by the action, comedy and drama, that you wouldn’t have been able to see the nuances that are peppered throughout the movie…and wait until the credits are rolling, you’ll see the next villain and why I mentioned the Fantastic Four earlier on.
In any storyline, the hardest achievement is to have an assemble cast of characters coalesce into one great adventure hence why, usually, most movies will deal with only one or two main characters over the course of the movie.
Dealing with multiply characters is difficult, it requires time to allow development, not only of the plot but also of the personalities of each individual, and is usually only achieved in books, TV series and is some cases, if the viewership allows, serial movies.
The Harry Potter eight part series and the Lord of the Rings three part series worked to establish indelible characters through a complicated storyline that had to be told through a long time line. The Hunger Games also seeks to achieve this depth of character.
Do not confuse these with the ‘continuing adventures’ type series where the character really does not grow but remains constant, like in the James Bond or Indiana Jones series. Each equally enjoyable and entertaining but really the main character does not grow, does not change, but then again that is why we go to see them, because of this non-change, really, who wants to see an aging, married with children, James Bond, still killing bad guys while taking his daughter to soccer practice?!
Marvel has taken its unique comic-book approach to their character driven series, where they have successfully blended plot lines between separate personality driven worlds (in their comics) and applied it to the movies. And it seems to have worked.
First they have created the main characters and their back story in their own movies, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Fantastic Four, each story being developed independently and complete in itself. But then comes the ensemble story and, true to Marvel ideals, this story intertwines enough from the other stories to make a believable ‘new’ world where the Avengers are possible, but not so different from the other individual realities, so a complete backstory is unnecessary, leaving more time for the actual action to unfold.
To the initiated, this brings a fullness to the plot that adds believability to the storyline, the mark of any really good yarn. To the un-initiated, the stand alone facts created (say for instance the cosmic cube – in this version called the Tesserac, which we saw in Captain America) works well without the backstory and does not impact dramatically on their overall movie experience.
Joss Whedon, who’s genius created ‘Firefly’ the TV series and the spin off movie ‘Serenity’ to name a few, applied his acumen not only to helm this movie as Director but also as the screen writer, which explains not only the completeness of the story but the easy and effective way of learning about back story and understanding character nuances through normal human interaction rather than by character speeches.
Zak Penn shares credit for the story with Joss Whedon and, of course, from the comic side, the great Stan Lee & legendary Jack Kirby.
One of the great things about this movie, which is also why Marvel (as comic book publishers) are at the top of their business, is that these super heroes are really nothing more than ordinary men (all except Thor that is) with great powers. And, like me and you, are plagued with personality foibles and the intrinsic difficulties most of us have in dealing with each other, not only on a day to day basis, but under extraordinary and stressful times. That they have to deal with these, along with their powers and saving earth from total annihilation is what makes them believable, assuming of course that you believe in super powers. And really who doesn’t!
The movie also serves up new insights into the Scarlett Johansson’s character Black Widow, and wow! I’m a comic book aficionado and know about Black Widow’s character as she appears throughout the Marvel universe, but this is the first time I want to know more, never has a female character demanded (at least not since Matrix’s Trinity) such male attention. The Black Widow needs her own movie.
Of the only two non-super powered members (Black Widow and Hawkeye) of The Avengers, The Black Widow more than shows that she has the goods to belong to this group of Heroes.
In my review of the Hunger Games, I elucidate about the ability of the lead, Jennifer Lawrence, and her ability to use facial expressions to show real emotion. And here I have to give kudos to Scarlett Johansson, her scene with Hulk’s first appearance was as dramatic as any scene I’ve ever seen. The fright as she realizes what’s about to happen, the determination to survive the encounter, and then the fear at the end when she discerned what could have been, all transmitted through her eyes, was an amazing piece of acting…probably the best in the entire movie.
My advise to you is, as soon as possible, get to your favourite cinema and see The Avengers, and then see it again, because the first time you will be so blown away by the action, comedy and drama, that you wouldn’t have been able to see the nuances that are peppered throughout the movie…and wait until the credits are rolling, you’ll see the next villain and why I mentioned the Fantastic Four earlier on.
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