The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

There are movies like the "Twilight" series and then there are movies like the "Hunger Games" series. Similar in that the hero is a female protagonist caught in a love triangle and torn between what is right and wrong but different in almost every other facet up to and including how the execution of the movie adaptation from YA novel series to worldwide blockbuster franchise is done right or for lack of a better term: holocausty.

"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" is the 2nd in the 4 movie series based on the "Hunger Games" YA trilogy of novels (make sense?) The original brought two major things to the table upon its release last year, first was a new franchise that both women and men could find interest in and more importantly it brought Jennifer Lawrence into the mainstream with her role as heroine Katniss Everdeen. Catching Fire is the rarest of rare sequels in that it exceeds the overall experience from the first movie, basically improving on every flaw that the first one had.

I, along with other fans of the book series felt that the 3 books dissolved in quality as they progressed. The filmmakers have made great decisions in creating new things for the book to film adaptation that even at a 2 and a half hour running time makes the film feel fast paced and not just recycling the best things from the first movie. The first Hunger Games is by no means a bad movie but it took its time introducing the characters and original director Gary Ross relied too much on the hand held shaky camera to get his point across. "I Am Legend" and go to "TRL" music video director Francis Lawrence is better suited for this type of material, "Catching Fire" just seems crisper and cleaner than its predecessor.

Lawrence is, as stated in previous entries a "AOM" fave. Continuing to show she has many hats, "Catching Fire" is her follow up to last years Oscar winning turn in what was my favorite film of 2012 "Silver Linings Playbook".  Unlike say Kristen Stewart, Lawrence seems game and ready to take on a blockbuster franchise as well as hone her craft with smaller fare like "Silver Linings" and "Winter's Bone". Delivering hokey dialogue is a must in this kind of movie and Lawrence delivers on all levels, her take on Katniss has to be considered one of the best female action heroes along with Sigourney Weaver's "Ellen Ripley" from the "Alien" series. The rest of the cast is almost pitch perfect. Early 2000's indie darling and almost "it" girl Jenna Malone nearly steals the movie from Lawrence as fellow arena competitor Johanna Mason, its definitely a supporting role but every time she is on screen you want more of her. Donald Sutherland as President Snow and Phillip Seymour Hoffman as game creator Plutarch Heavensbee eat up all their scenes and the 2 or 3 they have together are especially juicy. Much like Anthony Hopkins in "Thor 2" these two distinguished actors know they are above the material they are given but they have fun and do the most with it. Stanley Tucci and Elizabeth Banks return as fan favorites Caesar Flickerman and Effie Trinket. Josh Hutcherson improves the most from the first film as one part of the Katrniss, Peeta, Gale love triangle. Liam Hemsworth, Thor's younger and especially boring brother treads dangerously on Robert Pattison territory again as Gale. Other fun casting choices include Jeffery Wright and Amanda Plummer as two older arena competitors and especially Patrick St. Esprit as Commander Thread who makes a great splash in his lone introductory scene.

For the uninitiated "The Hunger Games" tells the story of America in the distant future that has been through another, much more destructive civil war. The losers of the war have been divided into districts with "The Capitol" ruling over them all. As a constant reminder to stay in check each year "The Hunger Games" are held which requires a lottery in each district selecting one male and female to travel to the capitol and participate in a fight to the death with the other competitors with the lone remaining survivor reaping the benefits as "Hunger Games" champion. This premise is what sold me in the beginning and leaving out the fancy costumes and love triangles its far and away the most interesting thing about the movies. "Catching Fire" wisely focuses more on the training for the games and the battle itself than the first one. "Catching Fire" also needs to set up a lot bigger picture that will be seen in parts 1 and 2 of "Mockingjay" and it does so-unlike some Marvel features without taking away from the current movie at hand.

"Catching Fire" in no way suffers from a sophomore slump, if you were a fan of the first movie this should exceed all expectations and if you've read the books you'll be especially happy.

Dallas Buyers Club

"Dallas Buyers Club" is a small movie whose premise alone shouts "nominate me for something!" Usually things so blatantly packaged for end of the year awards consideration are either A) dramatically overhyped to make some money or B) so randomly mis-marketed that it gets lost in the shuffle. "DBC" avoids these ploys almost in full, this is a good movie with an outstanding performance from the nude bongo player himself- Matthew McConaughey who has transformed himself from absurd action and or romantic comedy roles to probably one of the best mainstream Hollywood actors going now.

"DBC" is the true story of Ron Woodruff, a rodeo cowboy/hustler who after years of a hard partying lifestyle and countless random unprotected sexual encounters finds himself with the HIV virus in the mid 1980's which was the beginning and the scariest time for AIDS in America. Confused as to how he could contact what is perceived as only a "gay" disease there is a moment early in the film when McConaughey as Woodruff reaches the point of realization that this is in fact a real situation that he now has to deal with, its a moment with no dialogue that immediately makes you feel empathy for the character and shows what a commitment McConaughey has made to the role- along with the much publicized 40 pound weight loss he made for the role. For the majority of his career McCounaughey has been an actor with a lot of potential, from his early work in "Dazed and Confused" and "A Time to Kill" but never seemed that interested in becoming a truly great actor. Roles in such fodder as "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" and other mindless crap has only helped in the conclusion that he just wasn't interested in expanding his horizons. With recent roles in another indie "Bernie" and his supporting turn in the "Citizen Kane" of stripper movies "Magic Mike" which he was criminally overlooked for in last years Oscar race he has seemed to turn a corner, "DBC" is for lack of a better term his official coming out party.

The title "Dallas Buyers Club" is in reference to the "club" that Woodruff starts to supply himself and others with HIV/AIDS with currently unapproved or illegal drugs to fight off the disease. Along the way he meets a transsexual named "Rayon" played by one time 90's TV star and current 30 Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto. Leto as well transforms himself into his role in a very effective and heartbreaking turn that has the potential for Oscar talk in the supporting actor category. Jennifer Garner also stars as a doctor torn between doing what she feels is right and what her bosses at the hospital feel is right, Garner is perfectly fine in the role but doesn't bring anything new to the table. Look for one time 80's star Griffin Dunne "After Hours" in a near cameo as the doctor working in Mexico who turns Ron onto to these new experimental drugs.

"DBC" at first glance could be lumped in with other "message" movies such as "Milk" or "The Help" but it really isn't. Its basically a black and white story about a time period in America that is confusing and scary for those who thankfully haven't had any experience with it. While I didn't necessarily identify with Woodruff the man you can't help but feel his pain and identify with the position that the politics and culture of the time put the people effected by this disease in. For that much the movie is good with the bonus of the fantastic acting by the performers that makes this a film that you should not miss.

Thor: The Dark World

"Thor: The Dark World" is the latest installment in the Marvel Studios "Avenger" series, it follows the years earlier "Iron Man 3" as the two most current follow up's to 2012's superhero mash up "The Avengers". Thor probably ranks behind only Iron Man as the most popular Avenger and a lot of that has to do with the good will that the original "Thor" brought as well as his role in "The Avengers". Most of this is due to star Chris Hemsworth's ability to bring a human side to the half man half god Asgardian. While its a good sequel the problem with "Thor 2" is that it suffers from a lot of the same problems that plagued "Iron Man 2" in that it preoccupied with setting up future installments of "Thor" and other Marvel entities.

With a : title such as "The Dark World" its already a preconceived notion that most of this adventure will take place in other realms other than Earth, unfortunately this portion of the nearly 2 hour film is the weakest and to be blunt: boring. The story begins with the return of an old enemy of Thor's home planet of Asgard. As this is the main villain at hand this is the main problem I had with "Thor 2". The villain known as "Malekith" is basically a dwarf that looks like something cut of "Lord of the Rings", he doesn't really talk and is not a very imposing figure unlike the much more charismatic, glam rock star in waiting "Loki" who is also featured and is just screaming for his own stand alone movie. Malekith also disappears for times and while its a welcome absence there is no feeling for his return and in turn never poses a threat to Thor and or the overall picture.

What does work is anytime Thor is on Earth. He does reunite with his true love "Jane Foster" played again by Natalie Portman who does look annoyed at times but never the less does a admirable job as the scientist/damsel in distress. "The Dark World" sets are often dark and dusted with charcoal and CGI that makes it look more like a video game. Thor on Earth plays like a fish out of water which adds to the comedic and relatable elements for the audience. The final battle scene ranks up their with the finale of "The Avengers" and a lot of this has to do with the human elements it brings with being based mostly on Earth. Other cast highlights include Anthony Hopkins as Thor's dad King Odin, I always enjoy seeing actors with such a high caliber as Hopkins delivering slightly over the top dialogue while overacting, if Shakespeare ever wrote a Hollywood blockbuster I hope it would be something like Thor. Kat Dennings, one half of TV's "2 Broke Girls" offers a lot of comic relief as Portman's intern and the depressingly underused Rene Russo returns as Thor's mom Frigga.

As a whole "Thor 2" works even with some parts not working at all. If you've followed the characters through their miscellaneous adventures you will find enough here to stay entertained even with the massive fails that occur during the middle portion. As with any Marvel feature be sure to stay until the last end credits roll as you get not one but two Easter eggs one of which sets up the big screen adaptation of the lesser known Marvel comic "Guardians of the Galaxy" featuring an almost unrecognizable Benicio Del Toro as "The Collector".