The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games is a film adaptation of the book with the same name. I'll let you know up front that it will probably be better for you to read the book before viewing the film as not everything is explained well upfront. Luckily for me I went with someone who had read it and they explained things as the movie progressed. The plot synopsis that follows is based on this secondhand knowledge that I assume to be correct.

In the not too distant future some "event" has occurred and the world as we know it is radically different. There exists a rich Capitol that is surrounded by twelve districts. At one time the twelve districts unsuccessfully rose up against the Capitol. As sort of a recurring punishment and reminder the Hunger Games were born. From each district one male and one female between the ages of 12 and 18 are chosen to take part in this free for all in which only one victor will emerge. We experience this harsh reality with Katniss a 16 year old girl who through a dramatic turn of events volunteers as "tribute" to take the place of her younger sister. The rest of the film follows her path from her district (#12) to the Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games is one of the best films of the year so far. It is exciting and most importantly it shows the full spectrum of the thing we all know as the human condition. The story that is told is intriguing and gripping. Acting on all parts were very good and the overall art direction of the film was fantastic.

For the most part the CGI was good and is what is expected from such a big budget film.

Overall, The Hunger Games is very enjoyable and I can't wait for the inevitable second movie. Hopefully I will have read the series by then. If you think you can survive it you should definitely......

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Ultimate Catch-Up Review 3 of 3

Project X

Project X is probably one of the best party movies that I have seen in a long time. The cast is made up of relatively unknown actors, but for the most part they do fine. I can only say how I felt but I was actually tired after seeing this film, it was almost like I was there (almost).

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Silent House

Go into Silent House with no prior foreknowledge. Know that it is a horror film and it might have been filmed as one long take. It has a twist but you may can figure out the twist before the end. I realize i'm being cryptic but the less you know the better. I was pleasantly surprised by the film and I hope you are too.

GO NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

21 Jump Street

21 Jump Street is the best comedy of the year so far. The Hollywood re-imagining of the 80's television show doesn't take itself seriously, at all. The entire cast does well and makes the best scenes seem effortless. If you are still on the fence it has a very special cameo. You should definitely....

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And now to bring you up to speed with.... The Hunger Games

Ultimate Catch-Up Review 2 of 3

Chronicle

Chronicle is the type of innovation in the found footage genre that I was talking about. It introduced a new scenario for found footage. The characters were genuine and overall the movie felt like it really happened.

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Woman In Black

Woman In Black is a horror movie that is firmly grounded in classic old school horror films. There is no blood and gore, just good suspense and a few jump scares peppered in for extra flavor. While it might not give you nightmares it is good entertainment.

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Safe House

Safe House is probably one of the better spy fiction movies in recent memory. It has plenty of twists and turns, but overall the story stays strong. The action is what is expected from such a film today and audiences will be pleased with the overall experience.

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Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

The next entry in the Ghost Rider franchise is an utter let down. The art direction of the film is what makes it almost unbearable. It doesn't help that Nicholas Cage's portrayal of the main character got progressively worse between the two films. The overall story would have been fine if it was presented in a different way. To the duo that directed this film, (and the Crank movies and unfortunately Gamer) the frenetic disjoint style that you continue to use worked for that one film and that film only. STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

STAND OUTSIDE YOUR LOCAL THEATER AND WARN PEOPLE

For films in March take a look at part 3.

Ultimate Catch-Up Review 1 of 3

Hello everyone! After a long hiatus (which was extended by my extreme laziness) The AJ Movie Review is back. Although my time as of late has been focused on other things, this will still be purely a movie review blog (this may change in the future). With that said reviews might not be in high supply. I will try my best to cover the major films, specifically the ones coming out this summer. Other films will probably be covered in catch-up reviews such as this one. To kick things off I will start with the films I viewed in January. I won't really go into details about the plot of the movies, rather I will give you my opinions of said movie. This is by no means a comprehensive list of what I have seen over the past three months (I'm going by the ticket stubs I could find on my desk).

The Devil Inside

The found footage genre is getting to the point that it needs innovation or it will die soon. Unfortunately, The Devil Inside is not the innovation that is needed. The Exorcist part 46 is predictable and is seldom scary, some of the jump scares were okay though. To make a bad situation worst it ends abruptly (at a point where the film could have gone on to be good) and directs the audience to visit a website for more information. In my opinion it felt like they didn't know how to end the film and just stopped it. Overall, there are better exorcism movies out there.

STAND OUTSIDE YOUR LOCAL THEATER AND WARN PEOPLE

Contraband

Contraband isn't really your standard heist movie, as most of the film takes place on a cargo ship. There probably is a movie that has done this before, but I haven't seen it. Contraband had a mostly all-star cast and was a refreshing start to my movie year (the above movie doesn't count). Overall, it was a really good movie.

GO NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Red Tails

Red Tails is an exciting retelling of the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. While this movie isn't completely accurate in the historical department, it is very entertaining and gripping. The fact that the project was steered by George Lucas only adds to the entertainment value of it all.

GO NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Underworld: Awakening

Underworld Awakening is in my mind the least of the four current films. The series in one take spiraled into loud long action scenes strung together with a weak plot. In my opinion the story and the world that the previous films wove together was one of its strongest attributes. I also have some gripes about the look and design of the lycans this time through. They are shadows of their former selves and although this may be loosely explained in the movie it was just sad. Let's hope the fifth time around is better.

FX/TBS IT

For February's movies take a look at part 2.