Happy Friday everyone! I'm back with another movie review, although most of you have probably seen the blockbuster that is "Catching Fire." The second installment to the Hunger Games movie franchise. And I am so not sorry, but I did not like this movie. As I did with the first one and the book series. Honestly if you want to watch a good take on the government games that use children murdering each other as entertainment look up Battle Royale the book came out in 1999 and is so much better than the Hunger Games and Divergent. It has become so predictable and boring these stories focusing on a young woman who somehow deifies a government system and falls in love with some guy. At least with Battle Royale they are so creative and gruesome with everyone's death its a marvel.
While in Catching Fire it seems so long when its only two hours and 26 minutes long. Which isn't to long, but it was never able to retain my interest except for little quip moments. Like when we see the redundancy of how the people are so enamored with these victims of trauma and how little girls see that as bravery, when it is in fact sacrifice. I took it as how youth can be so impressionable and how easy it is to convince a populous to morally except terrible things. Thats the message I always get from this particular story of Katniss and those around her. And we see that a bit more in this film which is a high light fore me. Also Effie's little moments on screen is always a perk. But, I swear you guys that by the end of the movie Jennifer Lawrence's acting falters to "I am so dome". That may just be me and how I was so done, but I have seen Lawrence do better in other films. Typically ones where she is given more freedom to be herself and not forced into this almost awkward situation of constant crying. Not to say that her acting was horrible, it was spot on, but I have seen her spark to life the character, but not as much with this movie. As was all the other actors in this movie, there acting is pretty great and thats a highlight. Actually another highlight, the detail that is put into these costumes is astounding and just blew me out of the ball park. They really spoke for the character and what they were like before we really we introduced to them. Which I loved.
Okay race or pace time. Personally I am not in any way a fan of The Hunger Games, but that doesn't mean that I will not advise you to wait to see this movie on Netflix or DVD. Its has a lot less action then the first one and may be one you want to pause halfway through and take a walk around mars then come back later.
I love how right after I rewatch Kite and I blog about its beauty and amazing story telling a live action trailer is released. And I am on the fence about it, but leaning toward the side of "WHY HAVE YOU MADE THIS A THING!?" So let's see if I can write this without devolving into a Reddit rant.
This all began when I was checking my subscription on youtube last night, as perusal. Since I pride myself in being in the know of movie soon to be released and I saw a trailer labeled "kite". I remembering thinking, "It can't be what I think it is?" Then I watch the trailer, being met with Samuel L. Jackson, a man and fellow anime member who I deeply admire with his work in anime voice acting (Afro Samurai) again thinking, "He wouldn't do this." But then I he did as I confirmed with the description which clearly indicted that this film is based off of my favorite anime OVAs.
Now I am going to be seeing this film once it comes out, a release date has yet to be announced, just to make sure that I was right about my claims. Many of them are negative, and typically I'm on the side of giving every movie that has been adapted to the big screen a chance. Though sometimes I get a feeling that something is going to be horrible and its rare that I am wrong. But in the defense of films which I predicted to be absolutely awful Pacific Rim was underrated by myself to be pretty, but lack a good story and characters. Ultimately proving me wrong and becoming a favorite film.
After seeing the extended trailer my hopes for this film have not been shaken too much. Firstly because we do not see Sawa's pivotal earrings made from the blood of her murdered parents or her crimson pistol with exploding bullet. Although she does have a gun, but with no personality, and very delayed exploding bullets. Another huge issue for me is that it seems that Sawa will be given a dependency on drugs and be very fragile with the memories of her parents. Not as stone cold and strong as she was originally. This may due to the woman playing Sawa, India Eisley, who may be playing up the sense of lostness that Sawa feels throughout the film. How I have personally interrupted Sawa as a very strong girl who is struck with tragedy then plagued with irony. (And as a side note, I thought that Sawa was going to be played by Chloe Moretz, who may have been a better choice) It should also be noted that Samuel L. Jackson will be playing the Karl Aker or Akai in the original OVA. His performance I have no doubt will be superb, but the others shaky. The final point that I would like to bring up about this movie something that I am not so sure about. The length of the film, will it be feature or featurette? Since the original was 48 minutes long, nothing really to expand on. Though from what I have gathered is that they will be playing up more of a mystery to who killed Sawa's parents. Instead of Sawa finding it out on her own and Oburi just confirming the knowledge we may see them work together and solve the crime. That's my guess, but we'll see I guess.
