The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

 

Year: 2013

Running Time: 146 minutes

Director: Francis Lawrence
Writers: Suzanne Collins (book), Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt (screenplay)
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Stanley Tucci, Lenny Kravitz, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is now showing in Australian cinemas and is distributed by Roadshow Films. Opening in the UK on the 21st of November and in the USA on the 22nd of November 2013.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is without a doubt one of the most highly anticipated films of the year. Fans of "The Hunger Games" book trilogy by Suzanne Collins and 2012's The Hunger Games have been anxious to see whether Francis Lawrence's direction do the second instalment to The Hunger Games the justice it deserves.

Everyone can breathe a sigh of relief. Catching Fire is a wonderful follow up to the first film and in many ways actually better. Francis Lawrence has done a great job directing a very well adapted screenplay by Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt and has created a suspenseful and very emotional at times film. Jennifer Lawrence shines in her second venture as Katniss Everdeen and is surrounded by a number of intriguingly well-rounded characters.

After winning the 74th Hunger Games, District 12's victors, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) are about the embark on their victor's tour of the districts. Although the two are still carrying on their love affair for the cameras in order to stay alive, Katniss is confused about whether she does have feelings for Peeta outside the arena, or if she is meant to be with her long time best friend, Gale (Liam Hemsworth). However, Katniss has more pressing matters than her love life at the present time. President Snow (Donald Sutherland) has his eye on her every move as his citizens see her as a beacon of hope and her actions have inched the districts closer to a rebellion. With the 75th Hunger Games approaching, Snow does the unthinkable and announces that the pool of tributes will consist of past Hunger Games victors, which means that Katniss is definitely heading back into the lethal world which haunts her dreams every night.

With an influx of young adult book series being made into films and not all of those adaptations praise-worthy, Catching Fire is in a class of it's own. Not only is it a wonderful adapted screenplay, but it is one of the rare second films that may well be better than the first. Lawrence was a perfect choice for director for the second film as he has brought out the best in his actors and by doing so has made the characters personalities stronger by showing their raw emotions in a more powerful way than what we saw in The Hunger Games.

A lot happens in Catching Fire's 146 minutes. Such a running time would normally seem like an eternity in a movie theatre, but every scene is essential and contributes to the greater picture. In addition to that, every scene is intriguing and creates some sort of emotion. There is also a great deal more tension and suspense leading up to the finale than in the first film. The ending is done absolutely perfectly as you feel you are at the very height of suspense, and it leaves you wanting more and wanting the third film, Mockingjay Part 1 to be released sooner rather than later. It is an incredible thing for a film to be two and a half hours long and to leave you wanting more.

There are a great deal of close-up camera shots of the characters throughout the film, particularly of Katniss. These close-ups allow the audience to grasp every bit of emotion the character is feeling and you are able to tell so much by looking closer. There are also some very fast camera movements whilst in the Hunger Games arena. Although these can be a tad dizzying at times, it feels as though they were employed to represent the mayhem that the Hunger Games arena creates and the sense of always being on the look out and on edge. The actual landscape shots of the Hunger Games arena are also quite stunning.

The centre and heart of the film is absolutely Jennifer Lawrence. From the very first shot, Lawrence is perfection. When we first see her sitting beside the lake, we understand so much just by looking at her. Just from seeing her facial expression, we can tell that she is psychologically exhausted and still very much recovering from her time in the arena. Her performance packs a bigger punch than that of the first film and is much more emotionally charged. She is truly brilliant and the perfect heroine. What is so great about her Katniss is that she is effortlessly strong and a beacon of hope by being the person she is. It would be so easy to seem corny when acting as a symbol of strength, but there is absolutely nothing corny about this performance at all. Lawrence is just a powerhouse from beginning to end and her last scene is a perfect example of this strength.

Josh Hutcherson does well as Peeta, and continues to be such a likable character. Liam Hemsworth has a greater role as Gale than in the first film, and he also does very well with what he has been given. Both Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks, as Haymitch and Effie are both full of character and are a pleasure to watch. Donald Sutherland is particularly terrifying in such a subtle way, and it is the subtlety that makes him so unsettling as President Snow. Lenny Kravitz is an audience favourite as Cinna. His performance, like Sutherland's, is subtle rather than over the top, but his loyalty and love he shows for Katniss is so endearing. Jena Malone is also wonderful as tribute, Johanna Mason. Johanna was again a character that could have been made to seem corny, but Malone is so natural and real in this role and her obvious anger actually makes her very likable.

While Catching Fire is a wonderful film, it is still not a stand alone film and it is absolutely crucial that you see the first film before you see this one. That shouldn't come as a huge surprise as this is part of a trilogy, not a sequel so it can hardly be seen as a negative aspect of the film. For those who love The Hunger Games movie or books, there is no disappointment to be had here.

8.5/10



You may have also seen Jennifer Lawrence in.....
Silver Linings Playbook as Tiffany
X Men: First Class as Mystique

You may have also seen Liam Hemsworth in.....
Paranoia as Adam Cassidy

The Fifth Estate (2013)

Year: 2013

Running Time: 128 minutes

Director: Bill Condon

Writers: Daniel Domscheit-Berg (book), David Leigh and Luke Harding (book), Josh Singer (adaptation)

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Bruhl, David Thewlis, Laura Linney, Stanley Tucci, Alicia Vikander

 

The Fifth Estate is now showing in Australia, the USA and the UK.

 



Julian Assange is without a doubt one of the most intriguing figures of the twenty-first century. He may not be everyone's favourite person, but everyone wants to know what he has done, what he is doing and what he is saying. Assange is perceived as being a one of a kind dangerous man, as he has no weapons to fight with besides the truth and the ways he can obtain it.

So it definitely comes as a surprise that The Fifth Estate doesn't provide a solid platform for this enigmatic figure. One may toy with the idea that it may still be a bit too soon to have a feature film about the Wikileaks founder, but it is more to do with the fact that the film has no sense of suspense or tension and is void of any emotion. It is such a shame that an interesting case such as Wikileaks should be presented in such a tedious manner and is unable to grasp the emotion and seriousness of the situation. Yet, the representation of Julian Assange by Benedict Cumberbatch doesn't disappoint.

The Fifth Estate chronicles the rise of Wikileaks from it's very beginnings as seen largely through the eyes of Daniel Berg (Daniel Bruhl). Berg worked closely with the infamous and enigmatic Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) during the quest to uncover the truth that some of the world's largest organisations are withholding from the public. This was the quest that led Assange to having access to the collection of the most incriminating documents in American history. Whilst The Fifth Estate covers in great detail the events that led up to this controversy, it also looks at the relationship between Berg and Assange and gives insight into the real Julian Assange.

The biggest problem with The Fifth Estate is that it is completely void of tension and emotion. In a film such as this in which a recent and culturally significant event is being represented, it is vital that it have the ability to create an emotional impact. There is no emotion felt throughout the whole film, not even when dealing with the revelations of Bradley Manning, which is such an emotional topic anyway. The film coasts along without any urgency and adds at least another ten minutes on at the end which doesn't need to be there. This ten minutes is obviously there for the reason that director, Bull Condon is trying to help the film finish on a spectacular and meaningful note, but it does quite the opposite. The drawn out ending has viewers leaving the film remembering that they just felt bored and this is the memory they take with them about The Fifth Estate.

However, the cinematography is actually really wonderful and equally intriguing. The virtual workspace of Wikileaks is represented brilliantly and is genius, as it represents the deception virtual workplaces can hold. The beginning montage is also very good and the subtitles giving the sense of coming straight of a computer is a nice touch. The soundtrack is most fitting as well.

The actual character of Julian Assange in the film leads us to think that maybe The Fifth Estate has been made a little too early. Anybody who has followed Assange's movements over the past few years and seen footage of him or has seen this year's documentary, We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks will recognise many of the scenes are actual recreations of Assange. There are several scenes which mirror Assange's conferences and also one which is a recreation of footage of Assange dancing in his unique style. However, Assange being the person he is is not a personality which transfers well to screen. From what we have seen and heard of him, he is a very complex human being and has a very distinctive air about him. To those who are not familiar with the man (although it is unlikely there are too many who aren't), some of the dialogue used by Benedict Cumberbatch's Assange may seem a little too unusual and his dancing scene especially will seem ridiculous. At this point in time, it is probably a little too soon to be seeing a take on Assange on the screen. His character isn't likable at all on screen, but many may argue that he is not likable in real life as well if Daniel Berg's experiences are anything to go by. One thing is for sure, he is still an interesting and complex character, but he may not be the character current movie goers are interested in seeing. In a few years time when Assange is categorized as an historical figure, he may be even more interesting on screen when audiences are interested in knowing what he was really like. At this point in time, it doesn't feel as though we are finding out anything about Julian Assange that we don't already know, especially if you had already seen We Steal Secrets this year.

Yet this is no fault of Benedict Cumberbatch's. It is evident that Cumberbatch has studied Assange's behaviour, dialogue and body language in great depth for the film and it has paid off, as he does very well and is better than the film he is in. The Englishman's Australian accent is very convincing, just like his portrayal of Assange. Daniel Bruhl is good, but it doesn't feel as though the screenplay gives him enough opportunity to really show emotion or take his performance further. The same can be said for Alicia Vikander who plays Berg's girlfriend, Anke Domscheit. She really does not have enough to work with and all we see are sparks of potential.

It is a shame that we don't see enough of Laura Linney in The Fifth Estate because she is wonderful in this film as Sarah Shaw. She is such a strong female character and shines in her role. Stanley Tucci is in the same boat as James Boswell, as he really does not have enough screen time.

With more emotion and suspense, The Fifth Estate would have worked better in a few years time when people feel the need to find out more about what really happened with Wikileaks. Just a little too soon and a little too weak.

4.5/10



You may have also seen Benedict Cumberbatch in......
Star Trek Into Darkness as Khan

You may have also seen Daniel Bruhl in.....
Rush as Niki Lauda

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 (2013)



Year: 2013
Running Time: 95 minutes
Director: Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn
Writers: Judi Barrett and Ron Barrett (characters), Phil Lord and Chris Miller (story), John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein and Erica Rivinoja (screenplay)
Cast: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Will Forte, Neil Patrick Harris, Andy Samberg, Benjamin Bratt

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 opens in Australia on the 5th December 2013 and is distributed by Sony Pictures. Now showing in the USA and United Kingdom.

One thing that the original Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs was able to do without any trouble was to conjure up an appetite in it's audience. Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 gives much the same effect.

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 is thankfully the type of sequel that doesn't rely on the first film to make it's way in the world. It is original in it's own way, very cute and fun, the perfect film for families to enjoy together. It isn't particularly the most memorable film, but still allows for a particularly enjoyable hour and a half of your day.

We meet Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs hero, Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) again literally moments after the last film, just as he reveals to his now girlfriend, Sam Sparks (Anna Faris) that he would like to really commit to her. We are also taken through a speedy reminder of Flint's adventures up until this point in the first few minutes of the film, before Flint's life long idol, Chester V (Will Forte) appears to offer Flint the opportunity of a lifetime to work for him and become an inventor for his company. As amazing an opportunity that it is, things do not go Flint's way and he is soon summoned back to his hometown of Swallow Falls, which has now been taken over by food-animal hybrids.

The fact that Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 is a sequel shouldn't let anyone stop seeing it. Although it is a sequel, there is no possible way in which you are felt out of the loop. The first few minutes takes you quickly through what happened in the first film so not to discriminate against those who didn't see the first film. However, even without this introduction, there isn't too much in the film which relies on the first film, meaning you don't necessarily have to watch the first film in order to understand exactly what is happening. As is the case with most follow up films, it does still pay to watch the first film just to get a further grasp of the characters, but those who haven't seen the first film will not leave the film feeling as though they don't know that much about the main players.

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs is a visual treat, in more ways than one. The use of colour throughout the film is exquisite and they are used to create the optimum effect, particularly in the scenes in Swallow Falls and with Flint's hilarious celebration invention. The creativity when it comes to the food-animal hybrids is wonderful. Audiences will find that the scenes in Swallow Falls are a collage of alive food, such as "tacodiles", "shrimpanzees" and some pretty terrifying hamburgers, as well as submarines which are actually Subway sub's. There are also some very cute and social live strawberries.

The story is quite clever, but it is a story that will be enjoyed more by children than adults. Even though this is a film for the whole family, adults will find the visuals more satisfying than the screenplay itself. Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 can absolutely be described as cute above all else. It is a fun film, but has no real emotional depth or suspense as it is targeted towards family as a whole being able to enjoy it. As a result it is not particularly memorable, but still serves it's purpose of being an enjoyable and fun film.

Bill Hader once again does well as Flint and gives a great deal of character through his voice. Will Forte does an interesting job as Chester V, and Andy Samberg and James Caan are great fun as Brent McHale and Tim Lockwood. Neil Patrick Harris also makes hilarious monkey Steve even funnier with his vocals.

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 is a fun film that parents will be able to enjoy with their children. The living, breathing food are a great highlight, and will leave you craving a taco or two. You may also wish that Caffeine Stations were a feature at your workplace too.

7/10