MOVIE REVIEW: THE HUNGER GAMES

IN THEATERS

THE HUNGER GAMES



Based on the best-selling young-adult novel by author Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games tells the dark tale of a 16-year-old girl named Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), who is selected to compete in a vicious televised tournament in which 24 teenagers from a post-apocalyptic society fight to the death for the entertainment of the masses. In the future, North America is no more. In its place has risen Panem, a divided nation split into 12 districts. Every year, each district selects a teen of each gender (called "Tributes") to test their worth in a competition known as the Hunger Games, which are broadcast across the nation as entertainment, and to reinforce the government's total power. When her younger sister is selected as District 12's latest "Tribute," Katniss volunteers to take her place, and trains under hard-drinking former Hunger Games champion Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) to sharpen her killer instincts. Now in order to survive the game and emerge the victor, this young combatant must put all of her skills to the ultimate test. Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Gary Ross

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Wes Bentley, Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones, Donald Sutherland

Release Date: Mar 23, 2012

Rated PG-13 for Intense violent thematic material and disturbing images - all
involving teens

Runtime: 2 hr. 22 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama

Review:

As with most of the literally sensations, a shame on me I know, I’ve missed the book
series this film incarnation is based on. A massive amalgam of Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery, Stephen King’s The Running Man, the Japanese film Battle Royale blended with American Idol and Survivor shoots onto the screen in the form of The Hunger Games. Gary Jones directs this film with a wonderfully direct hand, bringing and elegance and brutality to the screen. The result is a film that feels fresh but retro at the same time. Its visuals harkens back to some of the wonderful Sci-Fi films from the 70’s and 80’s. Jones moves his film at a determined pace, never letting it drag too much, making it feel much brisker than it’s 2 and a half hour runtime. Jennifer Lawrence, continuing an impressive run of films, makes for an effectively stone faced heroine. Lawrence lets us into Katniss emotions just enough without overdoing it. After the first third of the film which is populated with excellent supporting roles from established name actors, its Lawrence’s show and she shines throughout. Josh Hutcherson suffers slightly from an underwritten role and shoehorned romance. Regardless, it’s a teen franchise the truly impresses with its heft and ability to envelope the uninitiated with its fully realized world and characters.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: CASA DE MI PADRE

IN THEATERS

CASA DE MI PADRE

The son (Will Ferrell) of a dead rancher unwittingly gets into a war with a local drug lord (Gael Garcia Bernal) after trying to settle his family's estate in this Spanish-language comedy from Gary Sanchez Productions. Frequent Ferrell collaborator Adam McKay (Step Brothers, The Other Guys) produces, with Funny or Die's Matt Piedmont handling direction duties. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Matt Piedmont

Cast: Will Ferrell, Diego Luna, Pedro Armendariz, Jr., Efren Ramirez, Gael Garcia
Bernal, Diego Luna, Adrian Martinez, Genesis Rodriguez

Release Date: Mar 16, 2012

Rated R for language, Drug Use, Bloody Violence and Some Sexual Content

Runtime: 1 hr. 24 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

The joke is simple here and if you enjoy Will Ferrell, you’ll find plenty to find. A cross between Grindhouse and telenovela, Casa De Mi Padre is a very funny if uneven film. Matt Piedmont, SNL and Funny or Die writer turned director, shoots his film with a good sense of fun. The jokes are obvious and overstated each time but then again that’s the joke. Will Ferrell is front and center, his Spanish awkwardly uneven and hilarious. He’s allowed to run wild here and you can almost sense his glee anytime he’s onscreen. The collection of Hispanic actors and actresses, mostly from dramatic background, is quite impressive. Gael Garica Bernal leaves the biggest impression, displaying some impressive comedic chops. The rest of the cast is hamming it up and having just as much fun as Ferrell. There are a few noticeable dead spots that kind of kill it’s momentum but when it hits the right cord it’s a gut busting experience.

B

[Full Trailer] Prometheus

The full trailer for Prometheus has been released and it’s quite simply amazing.





Additionally we got the Prometheus International Trailer from the UK, a different approach but both equally effective.



and a bit more of the viral marketing being used to sell one of the characters in the film...

MOVIE REVIEW: SILENT HOUSE

IN THEATERS

SILENT HOUSE



Chris Kentis and Laura Lau (Open Water) return to terra firma for this remake of the "real time" Uruguayan thriller La Casa Muda. Their summer cottage vandalized by squatters during the off-season, Sarah (Elizabeth Olsen), her father, and her uncle begin the laborious process of cleaning the place up when noises from within hint they are not alone. Now the deeper Sarah ventures into the derelict building, the further the secrets of her dark past are dragged out into the light. As with La Casa Muda, Silent House was shot in one continuous take, a production style that allows the viewer to experience the swelling tension of Sarah's horror firsthand as she unlocks a diabolical mystery. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Laura Lau, Chris Kentis

Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Adam Trese, Eric Sheffer Stevens

Release Date: Mar 09, 2012

Rated R for disturbing Violent Content and Terror

Runtime: 1 hr. 28 min.

Genres: Art House/Foreign, Horror, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Silent House is a gimmick film, 2 in fact and they both do a solid job of making a mostly taut thriller that engages only to unravel in its final reel. Visually it’s edited to appear as if it’s one continuous shot following the story in real time. In reality these gimmicks make it feel a lot like a “found footage” film without the need to explain the ever present camera man. Regardless, it feels very similar and serves its purpose for the better part of the film. Directors Laura Lau and Chris Kentis, who directed the wonderfully effective low budget shocker Open Water, keep the tension high and wind the audience up like a top in the first 2 acts. Elizabeth Olsen is pretty much alone here and she delivers a frantic fragile and frazzled performance which is effective and believable. She’s strong enough to elevate some of the weaker portions of the film. Sadly, the script provides such obvious road markers about the coming turn that you are left hoping for an unambiguous ending. Instead, it heads into very some well worn territory which would have served the film and story better had they been left open to interpretation. It falls into the same pitfalls that The Last Exorcism and Insidious feel into, taking a strange and unnecessary turn in it’s finale, nearly destroying what it’d done so well beforehand.

C

MOVIE REVIEW: PROJECT X

IN THEATERS
PROJECT X



The Hangover's Todd Phillips produces this outrageous comedy from writers Matt Drake and Michael Bacall (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), which follows three undistinguished high-school students who attempt to achieve popularity by throwing the ultimate party. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Nima Nourizadeh

Cast: Thomas Mann, Brady Hender, Alexis Knapp, Miles Teller, Peter MacKenzie

Release Date: Mar 02, 2012

Rated R for crude and sexual content throughout, nudity, drugs, drinking, pervasive language, reckless behavior and mayhem - all involving teens

Runtime: 1 hr. 28 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Project X is the kind of film that comes around every few years. It’s a hodgepodge of The Hangover, any 80’s teen flick, and Animal House with a lot more fire. Nima Nourizadez uses the found footage technique which give the film an authentic feel initially but with Todd Phillips, who produces, things get exponentially more absurd and over the top. It borrows heavily from other films and doesn’t really deliver anything new or exciting but it’s still a fun little trip. The characters all feel familiar but each one makes for an interesting cipher even if we only scratch the surface. The film is more concerned with mayhem and there’s an interesting and almost gleeful approval of losing total control, if I listened closely I could almost hear Tyler Durden approving in the background. I have no doubt that this film will become this generation’s party movie, each generation needs one, and there’s an approving nod from the filmmaker throughout. Regardless, it’s disposable entertainment, quickly and easily digested and just as easily forgotten.

C+

Bluray quality; Video quality varies depending on the type of camera, it's spotty but decent; Sound is excellent with thumping beats during the party scenes which stand out.

I was hand-selected to be a member of Blu-ray Elite, a beta program from Warner Home Video which has graciously sent me this free Blu-ray disc.

[Trailer] Piranha 3DD

I have no shame in saying that I enjoyed the first Piranha 3D, gleefully gory and over the top, it was a fine redux of the Roger Corman original.

Still, I always felt it should have gone further, this much anticipated sequel seems like it’s really upping the gore and tongue in cheek camp, small concern over the director, should be a lot of fun for genre fans…..