Movie Review: "The Hunger Games"

The Hunger Games

Directed by: Gary Ross
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth,
Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci
Rated: PG-13 for intense violent thematic material and disturbing images - all involving teens

The odds were definitely in their favor: after much hype and anticipation, the first adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ popular book series The Hunger Games had one of the highest grossing weekends of all-time, setting a record 155 million dollars in just three days. Technically speaking, Gary Ross’ adaptation is one of the purest examples of modern cinematic style: Tom Stern shoots almost the entire film with handheld close-ups, Stephen Mirrione edits the film together with rapid and harsh jump-cuts, and the minimal score by James Newton Howard pushes the film only when necessary. Academy-award nominee Jennifer Lawrence , who is a rising star in my book, is a perfect choice, as is all the casting (perhaps with the exception of a somewhat dull Lenny Kravitz), while the great Stanley Tucci has the most dynamic performance as Cesar Flickerman, the television host of the games.

The film faithfully follows the novel, which depicts an evil dystopian (and post-religious) society that annually forces 24 teenagers to a life or death survival in a wilderness arena where the elements and contestants try to kill the each other off, as a reminder that they are still under the big government’s rule. The match is broadcasted across the country, and the citizens are forced to watch it. Its like 1984 meets Gladiator with The Truman Show. The plot follows Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), who volunteers in her younger sister’s place to fight in the Hunger Games. Along the way, she meets Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) the boy chosen to represent her district. Peeta is similar to Katniss in many ways: he is likewise a selfless person and holds human life in high regard, yet Katniss has trouble befriending and trusting him, knowing that they will eventually be enemies in the arena. This psychological instability and life-or-death situations is what drives the story.

Most criticism is of the film’s violence, which is disturbing, both from a physical and psychological standpoint, but this is the point of the film. Unlike the movie Gladiator (where we are given a message on the terrible ramifications of violence as entertainment, but are then entertained by the story’s use of violence) Hunger Games actually condemns violence, both in message and in form. The action and deaths in the arena are never glorious or titillating, though it is still graphic. Be warned, this is not a film for children, and perhaps not even young adults.

While surviving the arena is the external plot, the inner struggle of Katniss and Peeta really give Hunger Games it’s depth; how does (or can) one keep their humanity in an inhumane time and place? What is the value of humanity? Is it like Gale says to Katniss, that killing humans is not so different than killing animals? Or, as Peeta suggests, that there is value to humanity? These are the questions that are raised and, without spoiling the film, Katniss and Peeta’s answers to them show that selflessness and holding humanity and others in high regard is far stronger, braver, and more powerful than any accomplishment one can have on the battlefield.

Movie Review: "Hugo"

Hugo

Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ben Kingsley,
Sacha Baron Cohen, Ray Winstone
Rated: PG for mild thematic material, some action/peril and smoking.
Traditionally, Martin Scorsese films are about as far as one can get from being family friendly. Yet the great director and film historian restrains himself to a PG rating and adapted the famous children's book by Brian Selznick into the film Hugo. Scorsese fans won't be disappointed: the film still has the visual style and tone of Scorsese, but this one is far tamers, following the story of an orphan boy who lives in the inner workings of a train-station's clock tower, and how his interaction with an older man in the station restores dignity and redemption to life. Featuring some notable actors (and Scorsese favorites) such as Ben Kingsley, Ray Wintstone, Emily Mortimer, Jude Law, Helen McCrory, and Sasha Baron Cohen (who provides the few sexual innuendos that earn the film it's PG rating), Hugo is still more so a film for adults; it's pretty much a kiss up to the history of filmmaking (specifically special effects mastermind George Meiles), and is pretty slow-paced for a children's movie. But, considering the film's emphasis on the importance and purpose that everyone has, Scorsese's Hugo is as magical, wonderful, and breathtaking for adults as for his target audience, and a great reminder that you are never too old for an adventure.

Movie Review: "Like Crazy"

Like Crazy

Directed by: Drake Doremus
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence
Rated: PG-13 for sexual content and brief strong language
The docu-style forbidden love story Like Crazy took me for a spin. Going in to the film, I figured it would be a two-hour modern day story of Romeo and Juliet, but where the immigration laws of Britain and the US replaces Capulets and Montagues. And, for most of the two hour film, that seemed to be the case. But the last scene of the movie brilliantly made up for it's seemingly one-dimensional plot, and fleshed out the theme and characters to depths that both surprised and agreed with me. Felicity Jones, Anton Yelchin, and Jennifer Lawrence all have great talent at such a young age, but their characters in the film are frustratingly foolish. In their search for love, they somehow consistently make dumb decisions that the audience is sure to be frustrated by. If you are looking for a love story, Like Crazy is not for you. But, if you are interested in an honest picture of how quickly love can be confused with obsession, than Like Crazy may be the film you are looking for, or possibly need to see.

Movie Review: "Killer Elite"

Killer Elite

Directed by: Gary McKendry
Starring: Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert Deniro
Rated: R for strong violence, language, and some sexuality/nudity

While most Jason Statham films feature car chases, hand to hand combat, and bikini clad women, Killer Elite actually falls more into the action-espionage thriller than that of a cheap action movie. The film revolves around Danny, a former assassin who is forced out of retirement to free his mentor, Hunter (played by Robert Deniro) who was captured after refusing to do a complicated hit on three different English agents. Danny, along with his team, must carry out the hit in order to free Hunter, despite the fact that the agents are being protected by Spike (Clive Owen), a former agent with a chip on his shoulder. While the basic plot is easy to follow, complications arise that would require multiple viewings of the movie in order to fully understand. I'm not sure it's worth that; it's still pretty shallow, the violence and language is pretty harsh, and there is some random sexuality not needed in the film. (Though there are some great fight scenes and car chases, as well.) But not all is bad with Killer Elite; it's better than other films of it's genre, such as the Ridley Scott film Body of Lies, which was more confusing and less rewarding. The 1980s is a fun time period for the movie, which depicts espionage and hit men before the internet and cellphones made everything so accessible and boring. But it's hard to recommend something this harsh that's only ending message is that "hit men are bad people." While differentiating itself from his canon of films, Killer Elite still has the depth of a Jason Statham film.

Movie Review: "Courageous"

Couargeous

Directed by: Alex Kendrick
Starring: Alex Kendrick, Ken Bevel, Ben Davies, Kevin Downes
Rated: PG-13 for some violence and drug content

Following their 2008 hit film Fireproof, the Kendrick brothers’ next fare into Christian film is Courageous, a police/family drama (a first in it’s genre) that deals with masculinity and what it means to be a godly man. While certainly a more ambitious film then Fireproof, Courageous seems to get lost in it’s own good-intentions. The film suffers from two major setbacks. The first is that the Kendricks seemingly have a thousand themes to talk about in this one movie; dealing with the death of a child, not being able to provide for your family, fathering a child out of wedlock, and protecting your daughter’s heart (just to name a few) all our jumbled together under the broad theme of “Biblical masculinity”, which leads them to build the story around these themes, and not vice versa. This makes the film feel “preachy”, as the world calls it, and minimizes the story’s (or perhaps I should stories’) impact. All of the sub-plots of the film could have successfully made their own film, but by crashing them all-together, it comes across as rushed, forced, and illogical, with minimal impact on the audience. The story also lacks realism, such as one scene that depicts a cop’s friend riding in the back of a police car with an arrested gang member. This hardly builds the realism that the message demands.

Secondly, the film is in need of professionals to pick up the gauntlet that their earlier films have set. They could have used some professional writers, editors, cinematographers, and actors to take the story to a higher quality. Instead, the Kendricks seemingly try to do everything themselves. And what they can’t do, they ask their fellow pastors and church members to do. The problem is that they are pastors and church members, not actors. People who are portraying husbands and wives have about as much chemistry as, well, fellow church members. This is really a weakness with the Kendricks’ movies, especially when compared to other films that had Courageous’ budget.

Not all is bad with Courageous; unlike some of their films, I actually agreed with most of the theology in this movie, the film has a preachy-yet-powerful ending, and it has some decent action scenes, but even those raise some questions (like how it is okay to show gun fights and hand-to-hand combat in Christian films, but having the gang members cuss is somehow unacceptable?) I have a lot of respect for the Kendricks and Sherwood church, mainly because they’re actually making movies, but I refuse to hold their films to a lower standard. The Kendricks need to learn that they are pastors and church members trying to be filmmakers, and no amount of money, popularity, or good theology can change that. If they want to be the leaders of Christian film, they need to be courageous enough to take the next step towards professionalism.

Movie Review: "Contraband"

Contraband

Directed by: Baltasar Kormakur
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster,
Giovanni Ribsi, Diego Luna, and J.K. Simmons
Rated: R for violence, pervasive language, and brief drug use
The Mark Wahlberg action thriller Contraband is a re-packaged version of his film The Italian Job, just with grittier settings, family dynamics, and no glitzy car chases. The film follows Wahlberg as Chris Farraday, an ex-smuggler, who got honest and out of the business once he settled down with his wife (Beckinsale) and family. However, when his brother-in-law fails to deliver a run, the responsibility to pay it back falls on Chris and his family, which sends Chris back to do one last job; smuggle millions in on container from Panama. Like all heist movies, nothing goes according to plan, and soon Chris is trying to both pull off his master scheme and save his family. Besides the performances of the seemingly typecast Ben Foster, who gives a somewhat solid-performance as Chris’ troubled best friend, and Giovanni Ribsi, who plays the dealer that threatens Chris’ family, everything else is relatively forgettable in Contraband, even from an action-thriller stand point. It is also littered with profanities throughout the film, and the portrayal of Wahlberg’s character as a “good bad-guy” is as troubling as it was in The Italian Job, when, once again, Wahlberg’s character was portrayed as a "good guy" despite his criminal dealings. Just because a man has scruples doesn’t give him integrity and just because a movie has action doesn’t make it exciting.

Archive Analysis: "Tangled"

Tangled

Directed by: Nathan Greno and Byron Howard
Starring: Mandy Moore, Zach Levi
Rated: PG for brief mild violence
After years detached from their last hit, Disney Animation Studios finally returns to form of the classic Disney films with the widely successful and popular film Tangled. To do so, chief creative officer of Disney Animation Studios, John Lasseter (who is the chief creative officer for Pixar) has pushed the company away from gimmicks and returned to re-emphasizing stories and connecting on a human level with their audiences. With Tangled, Disney once again finds it’s magic. Loosely based on the fairy tale Rapunzel, this movie follows the long-haired princess, who has been locked away by her seemingly over-protective mother, but who actually is an evil kidnapper who is using Rapunzel’s magic hair for her own gain. However, the crafty thief Flynn Ryder (who seemingly reminds us of the Disney character Aladdin) crashes Rapunzel’s tower and is captured by the princess, who strikes a deal with the bandit; he must help her experience the world outside her tower, and she will, in turn, give him back the crown he had stole. And despite a quick scene of violence (which gave the film it’s PG rating), Tangled is also clean film with a pro-family message. Filled with laughs, songs, and animal side-kicks, Tangled is a fun and heartwarming story the reminds of us of the genius of Walt Disney: that the animated genre can be a moving and magical experience.