Buttered Popcorn: Buzzmans Movie Review Thread

[BrntO4Life]

It kinda seems like you answered your own question about John Carter's low RT score: cheesy start, stale in the middle, bad dialogue, problems with the female lead, generic villains. Just sayin'.

On the other hand, very glad you liked Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. That's an underappreciated gem.

You've just never been able to put yourself in The Shoes of Question. Until you walk a mile in those, you'll never know how his review ended up at a cool 80%.

 

[Houston]

John Carter somehow caught up to its budget, no longer making out to be the biggest flop in movie history.

 

[Buzzman]

It kinda seems like you answered your own question about John Carter's low RT score: cheesy start, stale in the middle, bad dialogue, problems with the female lead, generic villains. Just sayin'.

On the other hand, very glad you liked Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. That's an underappreciated gem.

The thing is, all of those things can be looked passed because as a movie overall, its very fun to watch. Everyone I've chatted with about the movie enjoyed it, and just think a few critics gave it a rotten score because they hate blockbusters and a lot just followed suit to keep it trendy.

 

[dell71]

The thing is, all of those things can be looked passed because as a movie overall, its very fun to watch. Everyone I've chatted with about the movie enjoyed it, and just think a few critics gave it a rotten score because they hate blockbusters and a lot just followed suit to keep it trendy.

Whether or not things can be overlooked depends on the person. That said, there is a bit of a disconnect between critics and audience on RT - critics gave it 51% positive, the audience 68%.

 

[Buzzman]

Silent House (2012)

Silent House is a uniquely unsettling horror thriller starring Elizabeth Olsen as Sarah, a young woman who finds herself sealed inside her family's secluded lake house. With no contact to the outside world, and no way out, panic turns to terror to terror as events become increasingly ominous in and around the house.

While it wasn’t a found footage film in form, the selling point of the single continuous shot made it seem like it was. It still followed her around and previewed the environment through her point of view, and the constant quick turns and jumps made the camera feel like the tired genre. The shakiness isn’t as bad as the others, but it’s still very present and still feels as tired as usual. I get the idea behind the idea, but it really didn’t seem to be a gain for the film. Had it been 100 shots, it still had good enough scares to not really need this form of a gimmick.

As with many haunted house films, the story moves pretty slowly around a very small group of characters. In this case its three people; a dad, uncle, and daughter. None of them are very interesting, but that isn’t a necessity for this kind of film. The real crucial part is setting up the house to be a place to fear. They use a pretty creative technique that keeps the house essentially pitch lack even during the day, and the reliance on lanterns helps create a claustrophobic appearance to it. A lot of the tension isn’t from a big boom, chases, or even jump scares, but simply the lead character hiding from her pursuer and all you get to look at is the silent screams coming out of her mouth. It’s done pretty well, but occasionally gets a little carried away. Silent House created a nice indie horror film that wasn’t mind blowing, but pleasantly tense to watch, but then they go ahead and fuck it all up. It has a truly terrible ending that follows suit with countless others that use this form of ending that feels lazy. It almost feels like they had no idea how to end it, so they just throw something at you and pray to the lord you don’t realize how bad it is. Go what an awful ending.

Elizabeth Olsen is a real actress to watch. I know some of you around here weren’t very impressed with Martha Marcy, but I was and she does a lot here with very little. She displays a wide range of fear without having to talk or scream. It’s all in her face, trembling body, and heavy breathing. It’s a performance that stands out to me in a horror film. Most seem to just go through the motions, but she impressed me enough to make her 2/2 in her early career. The other two characters aren’t given a whole lot of screen time, but they aren’t’ good because the script takes such a drastic change, I find it hard to enjoy their time on screen. It’s just a reminder of how frustrating a horror film can be when there side characters development is largely ignored.

If Silent House would’ve just had a mediocre ending, it’d be an easy recommend to horror fans and some others, but they completely mess it up and the movie is really not worth the time to have the buildup they create just to end it the way they did. It’s a very frustrating film that may seem to get worse with time. If you want to see more of Elizabeth Olsen, she’s good in this, but aside from that sole reason, I’d steer clear despite the quality of most of the film.

Overall Score: 5.5/10

 

[Buzzman]

Jeff Who Lives At Home (2012)

On his way to the store to buy wood glue, Jeff looks for signs from the universe to determine his path. However, a series of comedic and unexpected events leads him to cross paths with his family in the strangest of locations and circumstances. Jeff just may find the meaning of his life...and if he's lucky, pick up the wood glue as well.

A movie doesn’t have to be a complex mind-turning thriller that keeps you on your toes or a balls out comedy shocking you into laughter. Sometimes the simplicity of a film can work in its favor, winning you over with sheer charm and heart that you really seem to get a lot in really good indie dramadies. The genre has always been around but I’ve taken a keen interest in it lately and Jeff Who Lives At Home is a great showcase of how well the genre can play out when you nail the formula.

As I said the story is very simple. Jeff receives a phone call from a man named Kevin and takes it as a sign to explore the world around him and see what it has in store for him. You see Jeff believes in a high purpose, in fact Signs is his favorite movie because the glasses of leftover water end up being such a crucial solution to a big problem. He wants that for himself. The wrong call winds up into this mini adventure around town where he runs into all sorts of characters, including his brother. His brother is having a midlife crisis of sorts and its holding his marriage down. It’s a good change of pace from Jeff’s adventure because while its very similar in tone, is presented from a whole new perspective that allows your mind to wonder at who Jeff is as a character. You see him as an irresponsible loser rather than the misunderstood potential. The two stories work separately with occasional collisions between the two, but the both lead to the same destination. It’s a really heartwarming moment that works for both parties and brings beginning to the end well. It’s a really creative ending that you probably tell yourself you should’ve seen coming.

Jason Segal is very laid back here from his other roles. Just about all of his other roles allow him to be this raunchy coaster of sorts, but here he’s very calm. When given the opportunity really brings the dramatics into the film that you caught a glimpse of in his other films. He’s fucking great here. His brother, Ed helms, also manages to build this chemistry between both his brother and his wife. It probably wasn’t that easy, but his toned back dialogue allowed him to interact easier with his co-actors. The one real unsatisfactory character and just overall plot device was their mother Susan Sarandon. It’s probably my younger age that disinterests me from her interactions throughout the film, but they felt a little too forced and out of place in this film. She felt like a fake character in an otherwise realistic universe.

If you’ve been of fan of Jason Segal or Ed Helms, this is right up your alley. It is a great little indie comedy that manages to be bold and big. With its limited release and early year release, it’ll probably be vastly overlooked and passed by, but it’s very deserving of your time. Just don’t go in looking for laugh out loud moments; it’s not one of those type of comedies. This could very well be the start of the year of Jason Segal with two more big releases due to come out. I highly doubt either will come to match this quality though.

Overall Score: 8/10

 

[Buzzman]

The Avengers (2012)

When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

When Iron Man came out in 2008 that post credit scene involving Nicky Fury and the Avengers Initiative was building for something bigger. Each movie that followed inserted another piece of the puzzle, until the final piece was ready and the image revealed itself to be The Avengers, one of the most memorable movies, let alone superhero films, since they really burst onto the scene with the first Spiderman. Nobody probably thought they could actually pull it off, but man, what a joyous thrill ride it was, topping any previous entry in their Marvel Universe of films.

With a film of this caliber, it took a bit to get the wheels turning. They had to gather the team together, which took a decent amount of time, re-establishing the characters in their respective situations. The introductions to each of these characters were mostly impressive; each showed off flashes of the skills they have managed to master since we last seen them on screen. The villain of the film, Loki, is much quicker to get the plot rolling, as he gathers a small horde of alleys to help him start a war to gain control of Earth. This is what gathers the team in the first place. The tension between the team at the beginning is high, creates a lot more than expected laughs, but still manages to keep the focus at hand. This can seem to be the downtime for the film, but it’s actually needed to work out the kinks they have with one another. You simply cannot place that much better in such a small amount of space and not expect a little pushing and shoving. Once they sort out their minor quibbles, the move really starts to kick into high gear. The last fifty or so minutes (maybe longer), Loki unleashes his army onto the city of New York and the Avengers go to town. Constant breath taking action is shoved down your throat and instead of it being mindless; it so greatly transitions from character to character. It seems so effortless, but Whedon is a master at work here. Every character is given ample screen time during the ballet, they bounce back and forth working together with a variety of tag teams, and is filled with a lot of creative two team combo moves that make you gawk at the sight of them. When it’s all said and done, you don’t want it to end. I’ve heard very unfair comparisons to its last act to Transformers 3, but the way Whedon weaves in his characters into his action makes it completely shit on T3 and Michael Bay’s numbing explosions.

The action was amazing, but I walked away mostly impressed with the characters in the story. I knew what to expect out of Downey Jr as Iron man and Hemsworth as Thor, (both great btw), but I was so happily surprised by Captain America, Hulk, and Black Widow. I enjoyed Chris Evans in the role, but his solo movie blew ass. This is exactly what I expected out of him in a modern day setting, a natural true leader with an old fashioned set of morals. So glad, they didn’t have Iron Man try and be someone he’s not. Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk completely wiped Norton from memory. He brought a lot of life to the character as Banner, but brought a ton of great laughs as Hulk. He was the biggest badass of them all during the final fight. The most surprising and my favorite character of the movie was Johansson as Black Widow. I disliked her and felt she was out fo place in Iron man 2, but here shes given a fantastic introduction and never lets off the gas from there. She is a complete badass in the film, and her interactions with Bruce Banner were some of my favorite moments of the film. In a film this massive, it was so great Whedon gave each character the time, and added his female dominance into the script. The other allies characters such as Agent Caulson, Nicky Fury, and Hawkeye are fine, but don’t quite set themselves apart as much as the other. Hawkeye in particular felt way too cheesy with his indestructible bow that he never missed with. Loki as the villain isn’t as good as he is in Thor, but is still good enough. This wasn’t his show though; this was about the team, so I’m not too upset at him not being focused upon more.

This is the type of film that is an event. You will remember every little detail that happens before, during, and after your viewing experience. Just about everyone will and should be seeing it, most more than once. When you meet a complete stranger, you can bet this can be a topic of conversation. What’s so insane is despite the tremendous hype and buzz; it still seems destined to be the second best superhero film of the year. Boy though does that look harder to happen now that the Avengers as come out and has surpassed the crazy expectations that the years of anticipation has built. If you haven’t seen the film already, I don’t know what you’re waiting for, it’s all but guaranteed to be one of the best of the year.

Overall Score: 9/10

 

[Buzzman]

Goon (2012)

Not content with his job as a bouncer at a local Beantown bar and a bit of an embarrassment to his accomplished family, Doug Glatt (Seann William Scott) dreams of the kind of success enjoyed by minor league hockey goon Ross Rhea (Liev Schreiber). When a chance encounter with an on-ice thug leads to a bloody fist fight that Doug easily wins, the coach of the Halifax Highlanders sees potential in this mammoth sized man who is only hampered by his lack of any hockey playing ability and his brother's old figure skates. Standing up to the taunts of the other players, Doug manages to join the team, and with the encouragement of his hockey obsessed best friend (Jay Baruchel) quickly becomes a rising star. Soon he'll have the opportunity to face off against Ross "The Boss" Rhea and perhaps finally land a girlfriend. Now - all he needs is to learn how to skate.

This is another tale of a movie taking a sport that it used to market it as front and center, but when you sit down and watch the film and realize it takes a back seat to the characters only really lingering in the background. That’s the best way to use a sport, and is more than likely why this film manages to stray above the water and save itself from drowning. The actual hockey scenes are average to bad, but it doesn’t want the grand scale of finesse, but rather the dirty brawling side of its main character, Doug Glatt, and the message he represents. It wins you over in ways you didn’t really come to expect.

The main character, Doug Glatt, is a loser. Plain and simple; no way around it. When chance circumstance occurs, he finds himself in the minor leagues of the NHL as an enforcer for a team that desperately needs it. Doug’s only talent is fighting, and the team’s biggest problem comes with protecting a star player named Xavier Laflamme. The two make each other work, and with it comes a nice heart-warming story that manages to leave a smile on your face. Laflamme was a rookie star in the NHL until very early in his career, a man named Ross Rhea, levels him into a corner. He becomes afraid of hits and quickly spirals into a state of substandard play. Watching Doug protect him on and off the ice is touching, even more so when the relationship is so heavily one-sided. Over the course of its quick 90 minutes it does enough with these two men too keep you interested, and then throws in a constant mirage fights to hold your attention. If it were up to me, I would have toned the amount of fights down, as they seemed not to care about the actual sport of hockey. This is supposed to be a minor league team to an NHL team, yet it as the atmosphere of Slap Shot-esque league that feels very sloppy and fake. If they hadn’t crafted such a likeable lead in Doug Glatt, you might not be able to forgive the questionable decision, but this is his story, not the sport, so they can be forgiven. The climax fight the film builds toward too doesn’t disappoint, and you feel good inside for each character involved. They spin it in a way that works for everybody without feeling like a copout.

Sean William Scott has made a name for himself playing loud, obnoxious characters, but here he plays a dumb, trouble-free, dimwitted guy who you cannot help but root for. No matter how badly you treat him, he doesn’t want you as an enemy. It’s surprising to see him display this kind of emotion and not have it come off as a joke. This is the kind of role that could open a door to better things and a better career. You got to start somewhere. Marc-André Grondin as the future star player works well with Scott, helping shape a bromance that feels like a real relationship. Then you have Liev Schreiber playing the fearful Ross Rhea, the old piece of meat looking got his last whorah. It’s a better performance then you think after watching, and is the glue that really makes the story hold together. In smaller, minor roles, Jay Baruchel brings laughs and Alison Pill brings the love. It’s a nice good ensemble cast of recognizable small actors that don’t normally get a chance to do anything.

A fan of hockey should find plenty of enjoyment from this film, but even if you’re not a fan, there is a lot to like here. It’s not some grand masterpiece or anything, but it’s exactly the kind of film that helps you remember how much you love movies. If every movie had has much heart as this one had, you’d have a hard time finding a movie you dislike as you can now. Go in looking for a fun charming film and you will walk away satisfied.

Overall Score: 7/10

 

[Buzzman]

Cyrus (2010)

Cyrus stars John C. Reilly as John, a middle-aged lonely divorced guy who, as the film opens, gets dragged to a party by his remarried ex-wife (Catherine Keener) -- who remains his best friend. After a few clumsy, drunken passes at a variety of women, John encounters Molly (Marisa Tomei), an attractive single-mom who finds John's social awkwardness appealing. They hit it off, and quickly begin a tender new relationship. Problems soon arise in the form of Cyrus (Jonah Hill), Molly's twentysomething son, who has an off-puttingly close relationship to his mom. Soon the jealous Cyrus sets about trying to break them up, and John must figure out how to deal with this unhinged and unexpected rival.

The Duplass brothers are a pair of directors that you probably have no real idea who they are or what they have directed but seem to be on the brink of earning the right to your attention. This year they put out the very heart-warming indie, Jeff Who Lives At Home, which made me curious about their history where I stumbled upon their previous directional effort, Cyrus. I find they have a very unique signature to their direction that just seems to fit with their likeable heart-warming characters set in their typical indie universes. They are a joy to watch and rely so much on its charm, you cannot help but love what they do. Hopefully their style doesn’t change with success.

Cyrus was marketed more towards a awkward comedy, but it’s far from it. It can be funny when they decide to go for it, but it mostly lingers into this light-hearted romantic drama territory that is better than any comedy it could have been. The relationship is introduced in such a realistic awkward manner and from there transforms the into a story about two very lonely people looking for compassion from a lover. This is the best parts of the movie, where the two leads are just on screen together, talking and interacting with each other as if they are the only ones there. It’s a very developed and likeable relationship that is so much better than the crap you get from the fluffy Hollywood films. The other part of the film comes from the son of the woman, Cyrus. He feels a bit out of place in an otherwise pretty realistic world, but they make it work enough to not be a big bother. He provides most of the comedy, and is the obstacle in its best dramatic moments. He’s a bit of a nuisance, but a necessary one that makes the movie better.

John C Reilly is the man. That’s all I really should have to say. He’s such a underappreciated actor that can make you laugh your ass off, but quickly turn around and punch you in the gut with heavy emotions. This is the best type of role for him; One that mixes both talents and basically tells him to do his thing. His on-screen partner, Marisa Tomei, is another that seems underappreciated to the point where she has to take any role she’s offered. The two share chemistry that instantly clicks and provides the emotional backbone for the rest of the film. If you’re a fan of either, this film is a bit of a wet dream. Jonah Hill playing the title character is good for what he’s asked. He still brings that sarcastic awkward comedy with him, but here it’s toned down enough not to annoy you. I’ve seen worse, and nothing more than a forgettable role in an otherwise rising career for Hill himself.

If indie romances are your style, this is the perfect film for you. It’s a light-hearted easy watch that makes you feel good about yourself. It’s a film that takes the actors always on the sidelines and puts them front and center for you to finally get a chance to see them lead and carry a film to the finish line. With Cyrus and now Jeff Who Lives At Home, The Duplass brothers are big names for me to watch out for, and you should be looking to, they are an absolutely treat to watch.

Overall Score: 8/10

 

[Houston]

Cyrus is a real good movie, surprised you're just now seeing it. Disagree completely about Marissa Tomei though. She's won a Oscar and has 2 more nominations. Plus lately she's been in some good stuff: Crazy Stupid Love, Cyrus, The Lincoln Lawyer, The Ides of March, not to mention The Wrestler which she got a ton of praise for. Sure she hasn't really had big roles but I don't think she's under-appreciated or just taking whatever she can get. In fact, minus My Cousin Vinny, 08-'11 is probably the best 4 year stretch of her career.

 

[Buzzman]

Cyrus is a real good movie, surprised you're just now seeing it. Disagree completely about Marissa Tomei though. She's won a Oscar and has 2 more nominations. Plus lately she's been in some good stuff: Crazy Stupid Love, Cyrus, The Lincoln Lawyer, The Ides of March, not to mention The Wrestler which she got a ton of praise for. Sure she hasn't really had big roles but I don't think she's under-appreciated or just taking whatever she can get. In fact, minus My Cousin Vinny, 08-'11 is probably the best 4 year stretch of her career.

You say its her best 4 year stretch but every movie you just named shes essentially a throwaway side character with not a whole lot of screentime. Cyrus is the first movie since her amazing performance in the Wrestler that had her as the leading lady. That just doesn't seem right, does it? She's too good right now for that.

 

[Houston]

The more Tomei the better.

 

[Palooza]

Cyrus is awesome. I will watch and enjoy anything with John C. Reilly, except Chicago.

 

[dell71]

You say its her best 4 year stretch but every movie you just named shes essentially a throwaway side character with not a whole lot of screentime. Cyrus is the first movie since her amazing performance in the Wrestler that had her as the leading lady. That just doesn't seem right, does it? She's too good right now for that.

She's awesome, but the fact is unless your name is Meryl Streep or Helen Mirren it's pretty difficult to get leading lady roles after age 40. And I'd argue that she was the leading lady in The Lincoln Lawyer.

 

[Buzzman]

American Reunion (2012)

In the comedy American Reunion, all the American Pie characters we met a little more than a decade ago return to East Great Falls for their high-school reunion. In one long-overdue weekend, they will discover what has changed, who hasn't and that time and distance can't break the bonds of friendship. It was summer 1999 when four small-town Michigan boys began a quest to lose their virginity. In the years that have passed, Jim and Michelle married while Kevin and Vicky said goodbye. Oz and Heather grew apart, but Finch still longs for Stifler's mom. Now these lifelong friends have come home as adults to reminisce about-and get inspired by-the hormonal teens who launched a comedy legend.

The American Pie series is one that people of my generation grew up on. It was that raunchy franchise everybody saw and enjoyed, but as the movies went on, the magic seemed to wear down a bit thin. I was a fan of American Wedding simply for the fact of shoving Stifler down our throats, but aside from that, I agree each films quality decreased more than the previous installment. Years later, after the entire cast never hit it big, they finally come back for an easy paycheck, and after that original nostalgia factor wears off, the phoning in seems all too clear in a film that never tries to be better, but rather a constant reminder of how good the series once was and where it has fallen now.

Years have passed since the gang was back in high school and whatwouldyouknow, its reunion time and the guys decide to show up early and catch up on each other’s lives. Just about all of them are parodies of their real life selves, with none of them being all that successful. Once again Stifler wasn’t invited but forces his way into their little together and then the old times really come crashing down on them again. Finch and the mother jokes pop up, Stifler has to prove he has heart, and Jimbo has to prove once again that he really does love the band geek. It basically retreads a bunch of random cameos and Easter eggs that are callbacks to the originally trilogy, and then they throw in some very absurd, cringe worthy plot points that you just can’t overlook. There is a point when its so lazy it becomes a problem, and that’s the biggest flaw in this entry. It can still be pretty funny at times, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good film.

Of the gang, you get exactly what you’d expect based on their previous performances. They haven’t really changed all that much. Jimbo is still a clutz, Ozzie is the jock with a heart of gold, Finch is still socially awkward, Kevin is a loser, and Stifler is still a child at heart. They still have the chemistry that has developed over the years, and it really does feel like a group of friends getting together for a last whoorah, but I found myself not really enjoying them as much as I did. Stifler is still the highlight of the show, but the others felt stupid. Thomas Ian Nicholas is on the brink of looking homeless, and the constant cameos feel really forced and unnecessary. Any movie that helps Tara Reid get work anymore can’t be very good, and looks completely cut up and gross. The cast just felt messy. Almost as if they just threw them all on screen and expected people to cream over it.

If you’ve been a fan of the franchise, you’ll still find this worth your while. It has enough moments to justify the watch, but if American Wedding steered you away, you better skip this one. It feels like the characters go through the same transition in that film as they do in this. It’s a disappointing film, but what can you really expect out of the 4th entry in a film that was in its prime ten years ago.

Overall Score: 5.5/10

 

[FirstTimer]

Kevin's character in the last three movies has been cringe worthy.

The Stifler plot in this movie seems pretty fucking stupid given the ending of American Wedding.

 

[Buzzman]

Kevin's character in the last three movies has been cringe worthy.

The Stifler plot in this movie seems pretty fucking stupid given the ending of American Wedding.

That's what I thought. It's as if they acted like that movie din't exist at times.

 

[FirstTimer]

That's what I thought. It's as if they acted like that movie din't exist at times.

I was hoping to see more of Michelle's sister.

:kobe:

 

[Buzzman]

The Hunger Games (2012)

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which "Tributes" must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

I really bought into the hype before the movie came out. The initial trailer really disinterested me, but the massive amount of buzz forced me to give the books a try and I surprisingly really enjoyed them. I had a hard time putting down the first two books, and once I expanded my knowledge on the universe of this story, the trailer made a lot more sense to me. Things I didn’t notice had a lot more meaning and weeks before the film, I was dying to see the film. Maybe it was my insane amount of expectations, or my unwillingness to separate the two versions, but I came away feeling a little underwhelmed by a lot of interpretations that got brought to life.

As a standalone film, it does cover and create its own world full of fear and misery. The looks of the districts and the people living in them are captured pretty well. The war feels real, the consequences from it feel real, and the tiny banner of hope the film develops for the revolution feel real. That’s its biggest strength, along with Jennifer Lawrence playing Katniss. They seemed to put a lot of work into the futuristic bizarre set pieces and costumes to let you know this isn’t your world. When you learn about the Hunger Games, it’s a fascinating event that is a bi mysterious. You want to know more about it, and the previous results, but the film keeps it in the dark. A lot of things that can be explained in the pages have to be passed up due to time constants and a matter of establishing these games and not the ones before it. It’s a disappointing spot where you can add things not from the book and improve them it a slight way. The games don’t feel as dangerous as they make it appear because the entire time you’re looking at teenagers training against dummies and mostly given pre-game festivals that help establish the Capitol as the enemy. They treat this like the grand party of the year, but can a reasonable human being really cheer with joy as kids prepare for the eventual doom? That’s where the wacky costumes and characters that got left out from the book hamper his a bit. It helps show that these aren’t your normal people, they are brainwashed folks with a wall of protection on around them. They have never worked for anything, nor wanted, they simply just get.

Once the games begin, the story of survival is pretty much absent. Gone are the days looking for water, the massive feel of the arena, and the strategy of using your environment. For the sake of not boring the audience, they cannot do this kind of thing. They have to have Katniss with danger lurking around every corner, and they do a decent job of it. The moments they really needed to get done are done really well. The pain and anguish from small burns and cuts feel as painful as they should. Katniss is revealed to not be Rambo, but rather a simple teenager just trying to stay alive long enough to give her a chance to win. That’s a problem for her after she starts to feel something for her district partner, who she must kill in order to win. The bond they form in the movie is done a lot differently, which is where it really starts to hamper its quality for myself, but a lot probably don’t mind. The media plays a big part in these games, and when you give them a show they love, you get the things you want. The film plays it off as a simple romance that is just that, a romance. The book does a better job of showing how one side of the party is putting no a show while the other actually has feelings. The movie really ignores this except a simple nod towards the end, but it’s such a drastic impact on the sequels, I don’t know how they managed to cu tit out. It would have felt a lot less cheesy if you knew the entire intention of the romance rather than telling you after it is done.

Getting to the deaths and action of the actual Hunger Games, there pretty poor. The shaky cam is absolutely dreadful, a lot of the deaths happen off-screen or simply implied, and the haunting images that destroy the minds of these players feel way to tame for us to give them a second thought. We have seen a lot worse in other films, and this is where the PG-13 rating hurt it. Its conclusion is a little different that feels very climatic and worth the buildup, but it also leaves an abrupt ending that is due to the sequel. It can leave a bitter taste in those that don’t’ know what happens next.

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss nails it. The reluctant to let down her wall due to her hardship in life is put on perfect display. I thought all the voice over in the books would be needed for the movie, but all you had to do was look at Jennifer Lawrence Her body language and movements said all you need to know. Her performance throughout the entire Games was awesome and that reluctant survivor came to life. Josh Hutchinson as Peeta is a bit weak, but not due to him. His characters dialogue works on page but when heard aloud, sounds awfully cheesy and he comes off as a giant wimp. He has no special ability about him except the horrible looking camouflage that looked so bad on screen. The two main villains, if you’d call them that, do an impressive job, specifically Cato, who earns your feelings in a moment of surprise. Some of the side characters such as Seneca Crane, Caesar, and Gale make a lot happen in little screen time, others such as Haymitch, Cinna, and Snow are lazily written that fail to capture how important they are to Katniss. Once again, you will portably not think of this if your blinded from the novel.

If you were a huge fan of the book, you might be as disappointed as me, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t accomplish a great feat. They managed to create their own version that you can really enjoy as long as you can spate the two. If you haven’t read the book, I see no reason you shouldn’t really enjoy this. A lot of the material I lied and enjoyed were cheesy and wouldn’t have worked on screen anyway, and it’s probably better for it. This was the first big hit of the year, and the next big franchise that is a lot more like Harry Potter than Twilight. If the next two films are as well defined as this, this could turn into a hell of a franchise.

Overall Score: 7/10

 

[Buzzman]

13 (2011)

Vince Ferro is a man in desperate circumstances. While on a quick fix-it job, he steals an envelope containing instructions for a mysterious job that promises a potential fortune. He assumes a false identity and follows the instructions, only to find himself a numbered participant in an underworld Russian roulette competition, where gamblers place bets on who'll survive when the trigger is pulled. The stakes are high, but the payout is more than he can resist. Many are competing for the first time, and a precious few have even returned to play again, but are his odds any better than other players in this most deadly game? What will it take to be the last man standing?

A lot of movies have a great premise that sounds like it would make a great film, but in short it probably works much better as a short story that’s in the fifteen minute range. 13 is that kind of movie that hooks you on the premise and the game it enlightens you upon, but when it tries to stretch it out over ninety minutes with generic plot points and some worthless character devolvement, it leaves itself with a wasted opportunity. Something that could have been really good simply isn’t. It was a nice try though.

The movies biggest strength is the pure amount of mystery surrounding the game they play and the way it’s executed. It’s a very intense sequence of events every time it’s played onscreen, but the scenes are few and far between and before you know it the game is over, and it’s time to go home. It’s a bit of a tease having the best parts lasting a total of 10 minutes spread over a 90 minute stretch, but that’s where the short story idea becomes ever more apparent. The idea is there and great but it can only work as a film with absolute precision and writing, which a straight to DVD movie does not have the luxury of getting. The main characters arc is a bit generic, whereas he’s just looking for a payout to help his struggling family, but the charisma of Sam Riley makes it work. The side characters and their quick character flashbacks all appear to be useless until the ending confirms it. These aren’t the characters they want to focus on and in doing so leave them still undeveloped and abandoned. Some of the characters have an interesting aura about them, but the idea to try and go through 5-6 of the other players situations forced them to rush. It’s so strange to have this problem with a remake because this should have been easy fixes, but I guess if you’re forced to cast some of the actors they got, I guess the budget wasn’t there to make this work.

Sam Riley, as I mentioned above, makes this film work just enough to hold it together. His charisma and screen presence help overcome the generic character arc, and helps give you someone to root for. You want him to win this game. The shock and horror that he his character was unprepared for oozes through his acting and it stands out in such a poorly acted movie. The other note-worthy actors are Ray Winstone playing a fellow player whose past is revealed by his present state of mind. His shakyiness approach and depressed monotone voice create a character that feels tired of this game, ready to finally lose. He’s a great small character that should’ve been the other star of the movie. Michael Shannon is a complete koo-koo role, is simply a joy to watch in his duties as host of the game. He comes off so crazy and psychotic; it feels right at home for Shannon. The rest of the cast is pretty damn bad, but that’s no surprise when you have names like Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, and 50 Cent.

If you’re looking for a quick watch with some really good tension, this will do the trick for you. It’s got some generic material, some poor characters, and a new Hollywood ending, but it does enough right to be worth the time if you have some. It’s one of the better straight to DVD movies I’ve seen and it makes me intrigued about the original. This is the perfect film to be one and done with after a few minutes thought. Enjoy.

Overall Score: 6/10