Fire is catching in the The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

     After the success of the Harry Potter film series by making the final book into two movies, it seems like every movie adaptation of popular YA novels is following that model to get all the money possible. In Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, it made the most sense with the length of the book and not trying to cheat the fans; the same with The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. With The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, the worst book of the series, splitting it into two movies made little sense to me but with more free reign in movies to make changes, it could be made better.

     After opening up to $123 million, the worst book might become the best movie of the series.

 

      

     Mockingjay - Part 1 picks up not long after the events of Catching Fire, finding Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), along with fellow Victors Beetee and Finnick Odair in District 13, an underground rebel facility. Katniss has been reunited with her mother and Prim. She doesn't have long to recover because our heroine is instantly brought into the revolution by President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore), the leader of District 13. After learning her actions during the Quarter Quell has sparked unrest in the districts, Coin wishes to capitalize and strengthen the cause by making Katniss to becoming the "Mockingjay" - the symbol of the rebellion - but Katniss declines. 

     After seeing what the Capitol had done to her home of District 12 and seeing the Capitol using Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) to stop the rebellion and to shake Katniss, she reluctantly changes her mind and becomes the "Mockingjay". Along with her best friend, Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and a guerrilla film crew that records her battlefield heroics, exposes what the Capitol has done to the districts, and sends it back to the masses of Panem.

     I give a lot of credit to director Francis Lawrence and writers Peter Craig and Danny Strong for bringing in the politics to the forefront of a big-budget film. The subplot of exposing the Capitol's wrongdoings works well in the grand scheme of the propaganda war between the rebels and President Snow (Donald Sutherland). Jennifer Lawrence once again delivered in her role, taking Katniss in a different direction after the trauma she suffered during the Games. Katniss seemed passive, lacking the fire and smarts that she possessed in the previous film; showing that the events of the Hunger Games has finally caught up to her but once she sees the devastation the Capitol has caused, Jennifer brings the old Katniss out to fight. Hutcherson's Peeta didn't have much screen time except for the Capitol television interviews but still had a powerful performance and effect on the characters. During the progression, Peeta looks worse and worse, showing the effects of the torture the Capitol is enacting on him and this torture comes back to haunt Katniss before the film ends.

     Mockingjay - Part 1 has one major problem and it's right there in the title: Part 1. Mockingjay felt like it was needlessly padded with filler scenes, even through they served a purpose to the overall film. It followed the formula that the previous films I mentioned utilized: build up the events in the first part and then create an epic and grand finale to the series in part two. If you have read the book, you know what happens in the novel and how the story ends but I won't spoil that here. I just wish we didn't have to wait until next year for the conclusion of The Hunger Games film series.

      
    

Established franchises announce their return.

     Hollywood has had a big day as breaking news was reported today when my phone was pinged with news from Entertainment Weekly. So without further ado...

The Galaxy far, far, away feels a little closer now...

     

     Do you feel that? That disturbance in the Force? It's the announcement that Star Wars: Episode VII has finished it's final day of shooting and now has a title.

     The next chapter of the Star Wars movie saga is called Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens.

     The title does bring to question what the Force has been doing the last few decades.  Has Luke been slacking over the last few years, resting on his success of helping destroy another Death Star? Are there any new Jedi that have joined the new Jedi Master? These

     This entry picks up three decades after the events of Return of the Jedi and is headlined by the original trilogy stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), and Anthony Daniels (C-3PO). New additions include Lupita Nyong'o (Best Supporting Actress winner from 12 Years a Slave), and Gwendoline Christie, the British actress who plays the female knight Brienne from Game of Thrones. It's also been announced that Andy Serkis will be a part of this phenomenal cast.

     C-3PO star Daniels tweeted an expectation-setter by stating that this movie is better than The Empire Strikes Back. That is saying a lot since a lot of hardcore fans consider that film as the standard bearer of the entire saga. I suppose we'll find out how good this film will be around 13 months.

     Star Wars: The Force Awakens is set to fly out of hyperspace on December 18, 2015.

Send in the Toys!

     

    
     This was a pleasant surprise for me and made me smile like the frozen smile of the Woody doll before he comes to life when the kids are away.

     John Lasseter, the Pixar chief, returns to the directing chair and helms another entry in the movie series that changed the animation scene forever in 1995's Toy Story.

     The fourth film in the series is slated for release in June 16, 2017 and will be written by Rashida Jones, formerly of NBC's Parks and Recreation and her screen writing partner Will McCormack . The idea was kept under tight wraps by other Pixar directors and Walt Disney's CEO Robert Iger. It has not been revealed whether or not Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, or any of the other voice actors who voiced the toybox crew will return but it's hard to see this film go on without them coming back.

     As a fan, I am excited because this is a movie saga that I grew up with; that I was willing to go see Toy Story 3 eleven years after the last movie and I loved every minute of it. I felt that Toy Story 3 was the perfect ending to the beloved trilogy and another film might sully the franchise.

     The online Entertainment Weekly article states that Lasseter thinks of these characters as family and wouldn't do anything with them unless it lived up to or surpassed what came before. So I guess that helps my confidence in this film.

     While past Pixar films have not been as well accepted such as Cars 2 or Planes, Toy Story has always been reliable. Let's hope that this return to the toybox is as epic as before. 

Vengeance comes to our favorite team of racers in the "Furious 7" preview

     It's finally here. Months of hype and set photos put up by Vin Diesel through his Facebook page have built up to the first trailer of the next chapter in the high octane film franchise. Here is the first trailer for Furious 7.

     
    
     After an abrupt stop in production due to the tragic death of Paul Walker, the fate of The Fast and Furious franchise was in jeopardy. But pulling together through the tragedy and wanting the film to honor Walker and his Brian O'Connor character, filming resumed later and the high-octane franchise is ready to bring the next chapter to its legion of fans.

     This new film finds franchise newcomer Jason Statham (The Transporter series) playing Ian Shaw seeking revenge against Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew for the death of his brother. 

     Looking at this preview, it's safe to say that Furious 7 will have more insanely and over-the-top action pieces, exotic locations, and those fast cars. It could be the best film of the franchise that seems to keep getting better since the return of the original cast. Judging from this preview, the film does not lose its constant theme of family.

     Furious 7 roars into theaters on April 3, 2015.

Movie Preview: Avengers: Age of Ultron

     We weren't supposed to see the preview or any footage until this upcoming Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode but there are those who will go out of their way to spoil surprises and cause chaos where there was originally order.

     Thanks to a grainy trailer that was leaked out onto the internet, Marvel decided to toss those "best laid plans" and release the first official trailer that will bring Earth's Mightest Heroes back to the silver screen.

     Here is the official first trailer to Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron

     After S.H.I.E.L.D. has been dismantled after the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the Avengers have been stopping threats but are in need of a break. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) attempts to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program with Ultron (voiced by James Spader), a self-aware, self-teaching, artificial intelligence. When Ultron decides that humans are the main enemy and sets his sights on destroying Earth, it is up to the Avengers. Along the way, they encounter the gifted twins, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen).

     From looking at the preview, there is definitely a sense of dread and hopelessness as our heroes seem to have met their match in Ultron. We see Thor drop his hammer, a glimpse of Cap's broken shield, and Bruce Banner not only looking lost physically but looks to be dealing with an internal battle when we see him on a plane with his teammates.

     This movie seems to be more globe-spanning instead of focusing on a major city. We see snowy mountain tops to city streets, this battle will take the Avengers all over our planet.

     One of the big things we see...The Hulkbuster armor as Iron Man and The Hulk go one-on-one! We aren't completely sure why but it looks as though this fight will happen.

     And we can see that with Thor grabbing Tony by the throat and by the synopsis, this is all Tony's fault.

     Avengers: Age of Ultron comes to theaters May 1, 2015.

Movie Review: Denzel delivers calm and chilling justice as "The Equalizer"

     My friends, it has been a little while but you all know how life gets in the way. During the fall season, good movies can be few and far between with a few possible Oscar movies or performances sprinkled in. While The Equalizer doesn't fall into that rare category, it is a good film powered by a film star's staying power.

   
     The Equalizer stars Denzel Washington (Flight) as Robert McCall, a quiet man living in Boston, Massachusetts and works at a Home Mart hardware store. He is friendly to his co-workers and tries to help a security guard trainee Ralphie pass his qualification exam. Beyond that, he keeps to himself by living alone and sticking to a routine. One night during his visit to a late-night local diner, he befriends a teenager, Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a victim of sex trafficking and forced into prostitution.

     When he sees her end up in the hospital after being brutally beaten, Robert promises to save her and enters the restaurant owned by the Russian Mafia to buy her freedom. When her pimp Slavi (David Meunier) refuse his offer to buy her freedom, Robert systematically takes out Slavi and his men. In retaliation, Robert is forced to go up against the enforcer of the Mob, Teddy (Marton Csokas) and return to a life that he promised never to return to.

     While it might not be his best acted roles in the vein of Malcolm X and American Gangster, Denzel Washington brings his own energy to the action hero role, playing the character of a man trying to tow the line between his promise and protecting the innocent. Washington perfectly acted the struggle of his character before McCall completely crosses over the line to do what is right to him. Seeing McCall in action, his calmness in executing strikes against the mob was exciting, bringing in memories of the first Taken film.

     The film is more stylishly violent than meaningful although it had potential to be. As a whole, the movie delivers with Antoine Fuqua behind the camera. The team of Fuqua and Washington again delivers in their first film together since Training Day. While up to that level, it shows that this duo can make an average gritty film appealing to audiences. It certainly speaks to Denzel Washington's star power and that he can still bring audiences to theaters to see his films. 

New Movie Preview : The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

     I know it's been a while since I have put up a post but life has been keeping me busy. I do promise more movie reviews, top ten lists, Netflix film updates and a site update in the coming weeks.

     While there have been other previews that have come up that have caught my eye and will have a super-sized preview post later this week, one preview has been long awaited since its teaser from Comic Con.

     In The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I, after surviving the Quarter Quell, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) finds herself in the hidden District 13. Under the leadership of President Coin (Julianne Moore) and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss embraces her role as the Mockingjay as she tries to rescue Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) from the clutches of The Capitol and President Snow (Donald Sutherland).

     In this preview, we see all of the characters from the previous films taking their place in the war against The Capitol. Most of our favorite characters like Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) and Effie (Elizabeth Banks) are more like refugees now, embracing the dark times they have entered. President Snow looks more sinister during his video conversation with Katniss. Peeta looks chillingly calm in his Capitol attire as he instructs the resistance to surrender and giving Katness a reason to fight.

     A war-torn country, exploding arrows, and a symbol to lead a resistance against the government. This penultimate chapter of The Hunger Games Saga has all the makings to be better than its predecessor.

     Panem's war comes to theaters November 21.

Movie Review - Marvel takes over the cosmos in Guardians of the Galaxy

     We're all fans of Marvel's Cinematic Universe, the world of interconnected superhero films that culminated in the big budget ensemble movie The Avengers to end their first phase. Now fully into Phase Two, preparing to reunite Earth's Mightiest Heroes next summer, Marvel Studios took another chance and introducing a new team to their devoted fans. A team of unpredictable and unconventional individuals who are tasked to save the galaxy and try not to kill each other in the process.

    
     The film starts on Earth in 1988, where we see young Peter Quill get hoovered up into a spaceship when he was eight years old. Twenty-six years later, Quill (Chris Pratt) is a cocky earthling "Indiana Jones"-type of fortune hunter, armed with space weapons, a Walkman with classic rock, and a wandering eye for extraterrestrial babes. All in all, he represents a fun, updated version of Han Solo, played with wily mischief and charm by Chris Pratt.

     During a botched plan to sell his most recent score, he is arrested and sent to a galactic prison along with the green-skinned assassin Gamora (Zoe Saldana), the insane grumbler Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista, whose physique from years of wrestling made him physically ready for the role), the foul-mouthed and hilarious Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and the walking tree Groot (voiced by the deep, foghorn voice of Vin Diesel, only repeating the line "I am Groot").

     I won't go too much into the plot because I feel like I wouldn't be able to do it justice. It reads the same as other action-adventure superhero films where everyone good and evil is in search of a mysterious MacGuffin - the mysterious orb that was shown during the preview that Quill was in search of that is later shown to have the power to destroy worlds. The villain Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) is looking to obtain the orb for the destructive power it holds. It is similar to The Avengers and their fight for the Tesseract.
    
     Unlike the seriousness of previous MCU films like Thor and the 1940's retro feel of Captain America: The First Avenger, Quill and his rag-tag band of pranksters bring a blast of comic relief and hilariousness to the threat that Ronan brings to the galaxy. A lot of credit goes to Pratt due to his previous experience on TV's Parks and Recreation, where he mostly played a supportive role. This film graduates him up to the status of leading man. After watching this movie, it's been long overdue. Cooper also delivered another wise-cracking, side-splitting performance as the genetically altered raccoon. He was like a Looney Toon armed with a machine gun.

     Together, this team of exiles become unexpected heroes. I better related to Gamora's opinion of the team as "the biggest idiots of the galaxy." During the time, you wonder if they will be able to put their separate selfish desires to the side and embrace the responsibility that showed up on their doorstep. Director James Gunn did a great job with his first big budget film and Marvel shows with this movie that despite their success, they are still willing to take risks. If the universe started with this film, I don't think the MCU would be where it is now. The proper foundation of The Avengers helped this film stand on strong legs. I haven't been too mixed about the Marvel films but this is the first one that was one of the more unpredictable and exciting of the universe.

     I hope everyone goes on the journey with the Guardians and rocks along with the soundtrack that accompanies the film, flowing with the rhythm of classic rock.

     In case you were curious about the soundtrack, here is the playlist for the Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix, Vol. 1.

     1. "Hooked on a Feeling" - Blue Swede
     2. "Go All The Way" - The Raspberries
     3. "Spirit In The Sky" - Norman Greenbaum
     4. "Moonage Daydream" -David Bowie
     5. "Fooled Around And Fell In Love" - Elvin Bishop
     6. "I'm Not In Love" - 10cc
     7. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5
     8. "Come and Get Your Love" - Redbone
     9. "Cherry Bomb" - The Runaways
    10. "Escape (The Pina Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes
    11. "O-O-H Child" - The Five Stairsteps
    12. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" - Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell