FILM REVIEW: "The Hunger Games"

If I'm going to be perfectly honest, there is little that raises the newly released film adaptation of "The Hunger Games" above the ranks of "John Carter". The chief difference is that one book had huge fans a century ago, and the other had huge fans right now. In trying to get understand why some of my friends, who I consider to be fairly intelligent, liked the film, they told me that it was "an adequate portrayal of the events in the book", and that the hours just flew by. Don't catch me wrong, because both of those statements are correct and I agree with them, but I focus on the "adequate" part of their description. Was the film okay? Perhaps, though I will give reasons for I why I believe otherwise. Is it the best depiction we could have gotten of this clearly beloved story? Absolutely not.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the book, "The Hunger Games" focuses on some sort of fantasy world called Panem, though calling it fantasy would be an ill description. What the film fails to mention is that Panem is the dystopian remnants of North America. There are many things the film offers little explanation towards any conclusion, instead expecting us to figure out on our own that there are 12 districts that are punished for a previous rebellion by offering up a young girl and boy from each district to fight to the death in a cruelly televised event called the Hunger Games. All the while we're being pummeled with "information" that we're expected to instantly believe is important.

"The Hunger Games" Trailer 2

And here is my first real challenge in terms of avoidance of trailers, as I rather liked the previous trailer for "The Hunger Games". On the other hand, it's not that hard to avoid this one, seeing as it's little more than a minute long, which makes me wonder, what is the point? Are they just attempting to eke out a little more material, bit by bit, till the point where their film ultimately become irrelevant. We saw precisely enough in the first trailer. None of the actual games. Nothing beyond the setup. That's all we needed. Anything else, to my eyes, is irrelevant. Still looking forward to seeing it, but please comment on your thoughts on this additional minute. Unnecessary or intriguing?

"The Hunger Games" Trailer

I really don't think we need another trailer for "The Hunger Games". I know it's only been this one, but the way it closes up fits just perfectly for a final trailer. I know it isn't, as they're bound to show another sometime in the four months to follow before the film. I think that they can put concrete plans in order to make the other two films in the trilogy, because this film is going to make a ton of money. It's going to be Lionsgate's equivalent to "Twilight", but significantly better than "Twilight". I'm not raving about this film. I think there's enough about it that looks silly. Hell, it looks like it's been ripped from the 1990s era of sci-fi film. Not that that's a bad thing. Maybe I'm looking for a ridiculous time like this.

"Like Crazy" Theatrical Trailer

So it seems like the men behind that embarrassingly incoherent first trailer for Like Crazy have either realized their mistake or been sacked altogether. This trailer is somewhat better in representation of the film, but that being said, I'm still not interested. I'm utterly spent on romantic-dramas of this sort, and if I said it had similarity to Blue Valentine earlier, I sadly changed that comparison towards One Day. Both films deal with romance in a way that is illogical, but not given good enough reason for the lack of reason. So I'm still not so interested, but let me know your thoughts in the comments!

What's Wrong With Me?

I'm completely convinced at this point that there is something psychologically wrong with me. Of course, you have be somewhat deformed in the brain in order to get into the business of film criticism, because nobody wants to judge movies. People want to enjoy movies, and that's their primary goal. I wish I was stupid enough to do that, and that's not a put-down of anybody who goes to see movies to enjoy them. Being stupid is rarely a bad thing. It shields you from harm in a sort of way. You'll notice that no sociopaths or serial killers are complete idiots. Then again, that may be because they don't make for pretty great movies.

The catharsis behind this all is X-Men: First Class, the latest blockbuster on the block that has everyone buzzing. It makes me feel so bad about not enjoying it, because everywhere I go, I find people raving about it. My friends and family love it, and I just did not, and I feel I need further explanation of why. People don't step into a movie with a necessary idea of how it was esthetically composed, other than critics who intend for such. People don't realize that nearly every shot in a film has to have a desired purpose or reason. With that in mind, X-Men: First Class is clunky as all hell in intention.

Take one of the early scenes, for instance, where Charles Xavier meets Raven Darkholme. It starts out abrupt cutting of Charles heading downstairs, and it raises absolutely no suspense or unease. Then, when he finally reaches the kitchen, he jumps so oddly into accusation of Raven in the form of his mother. There is no sense of discovery, with the exception of a giddy look on his face when he sees Raven's blue form. It all flows too smoothly and unrealistically. The next scene depicts Sebastian Shaw murdering Erik's mother in front of him, and there's absolutely no emotional pit at that moment. No grieving for the dead woman. Just an emotional outburst of over-the-top visual effects, and Erik crushing two guards' skulls with their own helmets. That's the sort of scene you'd expect of some low-class horror flick.

Film Review: "X-Men: First Class" (*)

You know that you're entirely alone a specific viewpoint when your ride back home from a midnight screening almost abandons far from home for it. That's what almost happened to me only moments after getting out of seeing X-Men: First Class, the latest superhero film to be entered into this summer. It's also the fifth film to be based off of the X-Men comics, which yielded good results for the first two films, yet pretty mediocre results for the next two films. I'm sure that most people, after seeing this film, will say that it's a return to form, but I feel like this is the death of a franchise.

The film has a very intriguing premise, and that's a lot of what carried me into the theater. It traces the origins of humanity's discovery of mutants, as well as the origins of the alliance between Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr. There's a very international spy element to the film that makes itself evident from the offset. Xavier and his group are recruited by the CIA to stop Sebastian Shaw, a former Nazi with aspirations of nuclear destruction in order to wipe out the humans and leave the planet free for the mutants' taking.

I usually start by dishing out the bad and then getting to the good, but I feel a reversal in this particular case is suitable. The performances from the cast are decent, with Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, and Jennifer Lawrence being the three main standouts. Kevin Bacon takes up the form of a lower class of scene-stealer as Sebastian Shaw. He does have a charisma about him, but I just keep thinking about how ignorant and really stupid his character is. He is a minimal form of scene-stealer in this film.

For Your Anticipation: I Wish That's All It Was

I have a slightly sneaking suspicion in regards to X-Men: First Class, the latest superhero film to arrive this summer. I know that most of what we've received points to stellar quality, but I don't quite feel it. Matthew Vaughn, while having made a few critically well-received films, is not a director who I admire at all. When I look at the execution skills put to work on this film, it all seems rather obvious and point-blank. I might be wrong, but as it stands, there's much I'm uncertain of heading into seeing the film tonight.

For Your Anticipation: A Psychological Distance

There has to come a point when the people who make the big decisions in filmmaking ask themselves if they're willing to work with Mel Gibson again. There's no denying of the man's acting qualities, and they are numerous and embellished. There's just the awkward situation of not wanting to work with a man who said and meant the things he has. The Beaver might indeed be his last film, but I don't think it will be. There are signs of a brilliant performance here, and that might overshadow all the shortcomings I'm sensing with this film. This film also displays performances from Anton Yelchin and Jennifer Lawrence, two of my favorite up and comers. If they can hold their own behind Gibson, this should be well worth my time.

Theatrical Trailer: X-Men: First Class

Against all odds, and there were a great many, X-Men: First Class is shaping up to be the most confident superhero film of the Summer. We've received a great many trailers for Thor, Green Lantern, and Captain America, each of which evoked a sense of worry when it comes to execution. I'm not really feeling a whole lot of red flags come up when it comes to this new trailer. In fact, it really gels in a way that the first two films just didn't. A lot is made of Bryan Singer, but the man is horribly overrated. There is some real conflict at work in this trailer, and I am especially looking forward to Michael Fassbender's performance. If nothing else, that should make the film for me.

Oscar Red Carpet Fashion 2011

Suppressed deep down inside me, I believe there's a bit of a fashionista in me, and that part of me just goes crazy on Oscar night. It truly sucks being a guy, because you're forced into the stereotypical suit and tie, whereas the women get such a dramatic variation of what they can wear. Mila Kunis was amongst the most impressive of the night, and made the best of not snagging a nomination. Michelle Williams was just so pretty and petite in a way, and I just kept floating my eyes back her way. Natalie Portman was as beautiful as a pregnant girl could possibly be, with her dress amplifying her natural glow.

Anne Hathaway had so many looks throughout the night, but the one she rocked the best was quite honestly the royal blue one. The most overrated dress of the night was Jennifer Hudson's, because that orange thing she wore just rubbed the wrong way, and seeing the underside of her breast didn't help in the slightest. The most underrated was Scarlett Johansson, who also rocked the purple dress, and the cutoff nature of it really struck me in the perfect way. However, the best of the night, regardless of her simple her dress was, was Jennifer Lawrence who I guarantee had every man in the audience ogling her at everyone opportunity. You can see all of the major outfits at Entertainment Weekly following this link.

Oscar 2010 Predictions: Lead Actress

I don't really think in a way that can be deemed as rational, as my brother keeps telling me of my fascination with Cougar Town. Of the nominees for Best Actress, the one I think is least deserving of recognition is Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole, and this is for a few reasons. The least important reason is that she's been pretty much absent from awards contention for the past few years, and her return feels a little awkward. There's a coldness to her performance, and it comes off as a bit forced if you ask me. It's still great, but less so than the other nominees. That's the critical perspective, and somehow that perspective can't take apart Emma Stone's performance in Easy A. Somehow her mannerisms in the film came off to me so radically that they brought me to tears with her. Don't call me pathetic!

Unfortunately, Emma Stone isn't nominated this year, which leaves a field of mistresses to sleep with deal with. Michelle Williams is an actress I have been observing rather closely, because I feel she's got the sort of talent that could explode across the screen in spectacular fashion. Somehow, and this has been nagging on me, she doesn't quite do that in Blue Valentine. She comes extremely close, and the raw intensity of her performance does warrant a nomination, but I can't really go any further for her yet. Her and Kidman are in something of the same boat, albeit in completely different ways.

The rest of the actresses here deserve to be here 100%, and it'd be so difficult to pick one out of the bunch if it hadn't been made so obvious already. Natalie Portman's iconic performance in Black Swan topped of the tragic tale of fragility and duality in a way that never once feels forced or exaggerated. She manages the transition from innocent child to sensual being of destruction so flawlessly, and that's not even to speak of the subtle nuances to the performance aspect of it. The physical brutality of the ballet world pushes the actress to emphasize every move in a way she wasn't capable of before. Any performance she gives from here on out will be better because of what she learned here. That's definitely worthy of reward.

The only actress with any hope or chance of beating Portman, though I pray that doesn't happen, is Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right. She's definitely at the point in which she's just waiting for the day she gets her award. I would've said this was her year before I saw Black Swan, and it's still worthy of note how she manages to make the character so believable in a way Julianne Moore didn't quite achieve. Perhaps that was just the way the characters were formatted, but you're definitely put on Bening's side by the end of the film, and there has to be a reason for that. Topping everything off, Jennifer Lawrence is the breakout star of the year, no matter what case you make for Hailee Steinfeld or Andrew Garfield. Lawrence shows a maturity beyond her years in this role, and if there's a film with such a solid ensemble this year, I'd say it was Winter's Bone.

1. Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
2. Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right)
3. Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)
4. Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)
5. Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)

Will & Should Win: Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
Potential Upset: Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right)
Should Have Been Nominated: Emma Stone (Easy A)

Teaser Trailer: X-Men: First Class

The first trailer for X-Men: First Class has finally hit, and it's a bit different than whatever we expected. Of course, we had absolutely no idea what to expect, because they're basically opening a new book. This is not the X-Men that Bryan Singer brought into the world, as made clear in the opening. This is as pure an origin story as there could be, and for a series that's been thrown through the ringer involuntarily, that's the best thing for it. Obviously we can't have any real idea what this is going to be, because this is merely a teaser. The fact that the visual effects are legit and the story doesn't seem ridiculous shines in the film's favor, and it's a nice piece of work for what it is. It doesn't give too much away, and that's always a blessing. Take a look and judge for yourself!

What's Next?: Best Actress

It is so easy to talk about what the nominations for Best Actress, because most of them have plans for the oncoming year. The one who doesn't, Annette Bening, is currently in pre-production on Hemingway & Fuentes, a film I am absolutely uninformed about. Nicole Kidman of Rabbit Hole has an even more unfortunate lineup for the following year. She has a mysterious role in the Adam Sandler comedy Just Go With It, and later this year's shes going to be in Trespass. I don't know much about the film other than the fact that it's directed by Joel Schumacher. Why do they still allow him to make films?

Jennifer Lawrence has a lineup of pretty outstanding bounce-back performances. She's slated to play Mystique in the upcoming period superhero film X-Men: First Class, a romantic interest for Anton Yelchin's character in The Beaver, and a supporting role in the recent winner at Sundance, Like Crazy. I doubt she'll be securing another nod for next year's awards, but she'll definitely be around. Natalie Portman has probably the most packed schedule for this year, having already released No Strings Attached and The Other Woman. The rest of her year includes the fantasy-comedy Your Highness and the superhero film Thor. No awards potential in the near future, but enough entertaining offerings to keep you going until after her pregnancy period. The only one amongst these women who has a potent chance of returning here next year is Michelle Williams. She's not only got the release of the western Meek's Cutoff to look forward to, but also her rendition of Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn. She's definitely one to watch for the following year.

Image: Michelle Williams in My Week with Marilyn

Oscar 2010: Final Nomination Predictions (Part 2: Acting Categories)

Sorry I didn't get this to you guys yesterday, but I had a lot more on my plate than I anticipated. Nonetheless, we have plenty to discuss today in terms of the acting categories, which are often the vital organs of the Academy Awards. The technical awards can be slid over, but the acting races are so closely observed. There's bound to be more than one disappointment in the books. The Supporting Actor category is perhaps the least competitive of the bunch, because everybody knows at this point that Christian Bale is going to take the award for The Fighter. It's almost unnecessary to have anyone else be nominated, and yet those slots still have to be filled.

Geoffrey Rush was the original frontrunner in the category for his work in The King's Speech, but once Bale entered the ring, there was little hope for Rush taking the win, but he should still get a nod. Mark Ruffalo was never anything more than a contender looking for a nomination for his work in The Kids Are All Right, and by that standard he should get it. This is where things get really tricky. Jeremy Renner entered the game later in the year for his work in The Town, and that's really the only outstanding aspect of that film, so he deserves a nod. That leaves only one major slot to fill, and in most ways it's the major battle between Andrew Garfield's work in The Social Network and John Hawkes' bravura performance in Winter's Bone. Personally, I'd go for John Hawkes to win the category in a second, but that's not going to happen. I shudder at the idea of him not taking a nomination at all. As much as I love Garfield's sentimental and appealing work as Eduardo Saverin, he's just outside the arena in this case.

One of the less predictable races, Supporting Actress, the entire race and its outcome depends on who is nominated. Amy Adams and Helena Bonham Carter are pretty solid bets to get nominations for The Fighter and The King's Speech respectively. Melissa Leo is in a major fight to win the award, but could so easily be thwarted by Hailee Steinfeld. It all depends on whether Steinfeld will be nominated in the lead or supporting race for True Grit, because that's still up for debate. If nominated in the supporting race, Leo has some major competition to go up against, a sad statement for such an esteemed actress. If nominated for lead, Leo should take the win, and Steinfeld walks away with some sort of consolation prize for her effort. As for who will round out the category, it's between Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom and Mila Kunis for Black Swan. I'd prefer the latter, and that's who I'm going to bet on. Of course, if Steinfeld makes the cut for lead, they could both make it in.

Fragility, Bravery, and Sexiness: Best Female Performances of 2010

If yesterday's list of the best male performances felt a bit underwhelming, it's because this wasn't so much a year for men. This was a fantastic year for women, so much so that it it's become difficult to place final decisions on those two Oscar races. I've had several favorites throughout the past few months, and I think I've finally got my choices nailed down for both categories. Many are saying that this was a year of newly discovered actresses, which I believe to be a bit of an overstatement. Maybe it's because I had already discovered Chloe Moretz in last year's (500) Days of Summer, not to belittle her efforts this year. I'm hesitant to say she's the next Dakota Fanning, because I hate Dakota Fanning. Nevertheless, her disturbing dark and controversial performances in Kick-Ass and Let Me In have certainly made a name for her.

One of the greater acting showcases this year was The Fighter, which obviously contained the jaw-dropping performance from Christian Bale, but there were also the smaller gems from the film. Amy Adams is probably the most underrated of the group, because she gives a very tough, sexy, and somewhat skanky performance as Mickey's girlfriend Charlene. She gives something a logical compass for the film when Mickey's delusional family comes to misdirect him. Probably the most overrated performance is from Melissa Leo, who I admit gave a fantastic performance as the cancer faced mother of Mickey's family, and the person who really controls all the moves of her blessed white-trash children. However, she's not really given too much of a chance to shine, and her character's purpose is a bit too similar to Bale's character, and it edges on lunacy at times. She's an amazing actress, but this just isn't her time.

This is probably the most daring praise I'll give an actress this year, I was extremely impressed with Tina Fey's voice work on the film Megamind. She joins the ranks of other actors who emotionally transcended the animated genre, most notably Ellen Degeneres in 2003's Finding Nemo. Tina Fey's vocal expression brings a lot of the charm and sexiness to the character of Roxanne Ritchi. Rounding out the actresses who didn't quite make the cut for me is Rooney Mara who had merely two or three scenes in this year's greatest success story, The Social Network, but one of them happens to be the best standalone scene in the film. Her work as Erica Albright, the soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend of Jesse Eisenberg's Mark Zuckerberg, is surprisingly passionate and gives a feminist edge to the predominantly male driven film. The top ten actresses of the year after the jump!

Awards 2010: Chicago Film Critics Association

You know the drill. The Social Network is cleaning out at least three central categories. Colin Firth and Natalie Portman continue to struggle as the frontrunners in the lead acting race. Christian Bale is really the only sure thing in the acting category. Hailee Steinfeld is getting some starting momentum for her role in True Grit, and I'll have to see the film before I call judgment. Finally, Jennifer Lawrence and Derek Cianfrance were given special honors for their breakout work this year.

Best Picture: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher (The Social Network)
Best Actor: Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
Best Actress: Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale (The Fighter)
Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network
Best Original Screenplay: Inception
Best Foreign Language Film: A Prophet
Best Documentary: Exit Through the Gift Shop
Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3
Best Cinematography: Inception
Best Original Score: Black Swan
Most Promising Performer: Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)
Most Promising Filmmaker: Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine)

Awards 2010: Detroit Film Critics Society Winners

Can we just proclaim an official winner at this point, because no matter what, it's probably going to happen. I'm calling it, right now, that The Social Network will be the 83rd feature length film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. I truly wish there was more intensity in this race, and it may unexpectedly come up out of nowhere, but David Fincher pretty much has this thing in the bag. A backlash hasn't started up yet, and it's not likely to. The film is demolishing the critics awards, but there is still recognition across the board. Detroit critics obviously decided to honor the cast of Winter's Bone first and foremost, but the adoration was spread across the board.

Best Film: The Social Network
Best Director: Danny Boyle (127 Hours)
Best Actor: Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale (The Fighter)
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams (The Fighter)
Best Ensemble: Winter's Bone
Best Breakthrough Performance: Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)

14 Actors Acting

On the ninth day of December, The New York Times gave to us... (Follow the links to see the videos. Some are fantastic. Some are just good. The music is phenomenal.)

Javier Bardem's angry. He's breaking lots of china.
James Franco is awesome. Guess that's because he's sexy.
Natalie Portman's a ho, but she's really sexy.
Chloe Moretz is evil, but her lips are sexy.
Matt Damon is crazy. Too many disappointing movies.
Michael Douglass is contemplating. His hair looks so goofy.
Jennifer Lawrence is screaming. She's also out of focus.
Noomi Rapace is smoking, and she's also singing. She's gonna get lung cancer.
Vincent Cassel is dancing. He's actually pretty fantastic.
Anthony Mackie's running. There's something behind him. He should get off that treadmill.
Robert Duvall is shaving. So long creepy hermit.
Lesley Manville is phoning. Must be a telemarketer.
Tilda Swinton's crying. Not an Oscar this year.
Jesse Eisenberg has a gun! BUM. BUM. BUM.

Awards 2010: Washington D.C. Film Critics Award Winners

The critics of Washington D.C. have spoken, and their choices are actually rather agreeable. There's always some sort of resistance in anticipation of the winners of these awards, but when the winners are announced, it somehow doesn't matter. The critics continue to opt with David Fincher and The Social Network, and this could put them in place to win Best Picture come February. Luckily, people are still in agreement that Colin Firth is deserving of a win. Meanwhile, Jennifer Lawrence took the Best Actress category, and I become a bit more tempted towards watching Winter's Bone again sometime this week. Still, where is the love for Annette Bening? I do hope she doesn't go home empty handed this season.

I'm still not quite ready to embrace The Fighter yet, and my indeed change my tone after I see it in two weeks, but I'm still definitely behind Christian Bale for Best Supporting Actor. The man is well overdue for a nomination, and it would be spectacular if he actually won. It would also be the first time since 2006 that someone has won the award for playing someone other than a psychopathic killer. Inception took hold of the technical awards, as we knew it would. However, a vote of surprising confidence lies in Christopher Nolan's win for Best Original Screenplay. Finally, it looks like I'm going to have to seek out Exit Through the Gift Shop, as it's gaining some momentum in the Documentary race. Ultimately, we're going to have to start reassessing our decisions in terms of winners and nominations pretty soon.

Best Film: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher (The Social Network)
Best Actor: Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale (The Fighter)
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network
Best Original Screenplay: Inception
Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3
Best Documentary: Exit Through the Gift Shop
Best Foreign Language Film: Biutiful
Best Art Direction: Inception
Best Cinematography: Inception
Best Score: Inception
Best Acting Ensemble: The Town

2010 Gotham Awards Nominees Announced

The awards season has begun, whether any of us is ready or not. It's a lot more taxing and time consuming for me than it is for you. The Gotham Awards has announced their nominations, and it almost easy to forget that this was a spectacular year for independent films. There are certainly a few films I haven't heard of, mostly in the Documentary category. For the most part though, I'm surprised to find myself engaged by these nominations. I'm happy that Let Me In was given representation, small though it is. However, The Kids Are All Right and Winter's Bone are the true spotlight for these nominations.

As for my predictions on who will come out on top, I'm putting The Kids Are All Right on top for both Best Feature and Best Ensemble Performance. Until the fall season, that was my favorite film of the year. If only because it's the only one I've heard of, I'm putting Inside Job on top for Best Documentary. Breakthrough Director is a complete wild card, for who can say who will win. Finally, though Greta Gerwig's turn in Greenberg was my favorite thing about the film, Breakthrough Actress is going to go to Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone. It may reignite Oscar potential for her once again. Take a look at the nominees, and make your own predictions in the comment section.

Best Feature
Black Swan
Blue Valentine
The Kids Are All Right
Let Me In
Winter’s Bone

Best Documentary
12th & Delaware
Inside Job
The Oath
Public Speaking
Sweetgrass

Best Ensemble Performance
The Kids Are All Right
Life During Wartime
Please Give
Tiny Furniture
Winter’s Bone

Breakthrough Director
John Wells, (The Company Men)
Kevin Asch, (Holy Rollers)
Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, (I Love You Phillip Morris)
Tanya Hamilton, (Night Catches Us)
Lena Dunham, (Tiny Furniture)

Breakthrough Actor
Prince Adu (Prince of Broadway)
Ronald Bronstein, (Daddy Longlegs)
Greta Gerwig, (Greenberg)
Jennifer Lawrence, (Winter’s Bone)
John Ortiz, (Jack Goes Boating)