Hunger Games: Catching Fire

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

    

by Frederick William Springer III

 

Hunger Games:  Catching Fire

Release Date:  22 November 2013                                                      Runtime:  146 Minutes              

Review Date:  6 December 2013                                                         Rating:  5 (of 6)

      When I reviewed the original less than a year ago, I mentioned that I was compelled to now read the books.  I'm happy to say that I did, in fact, do so, finishing the trilogy before seeing the newest installment. Both as an adaptation and as a standalone film, Catching Fire holds up.

     There have been some changes, for sure, but they were mostly minor and to help the movie flow more easily on screen.  At nearly a whopping 2 ½ hours, I was surprised when the credits starting to roll as I didn't feel I was in the theater for even 90 minutes, which is to speak highly of the pacing and editing.

     There were a few things omitted from the movie that would have helped set up the ending and the next installment (regarding one of the Districts and the Head Game-Maker), but I don't think the movie suffers without them.  Though, perhaps I feel that way because I went in with the knowledge of what was going on from the books, if I hadn't I may have been confused.  Who's to say?

     I'm looking forward to the next film, though anxious about waiting another full year for it.  And annoyed that they're pulling the typical Hollywood bullshit of taking the last book and splitting it in two (a la Harry Potter and Twilight, not to mention The Hobbit with 3 parts) to milk every last dollar they can out of the franchise and skeptical of the results--I don't know how they're going to stretch it out into 2 movies when 1 would have sufficed.

     But, for this one, we have an eclectic mix--Austrian Director Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend and Constantine) and writers Simon Beaufoy from Britain (Slumdog Millionaire and The Full Monty) and Michael Arndt from the US (Oblivion and Toy Story 3) --that made it work, so I'm optimistic about the future, even though the team is switched up again for Mockingjay.

 

Escape Plan

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

    

by Frederick William Springer III

 

Escape Plan

Release Date:  18 October 2013                                                           Runtime:  115 Minutes              

Review Date:  3 December 2013                                                          Rating:  4 (of 6)

 

     I went to Escape Plan with very low expectations.  I'm happy to report that my expectations were exceeded.  While this certainly isn't a masterpiece, the Stallone/Schwarzenegger mash-up actually kept me entertained.  And isn't that what you go to the movies for?

     (Though, I guess I wasn't the only one that was skeptical--over a month after its release, it still hasn't made half as much as it cost.  Yikes!)

 

Elysium

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

    

by Frederick William Springer III

 

Elysium

Release Date:  9 August 2013                                                              Runtime:  109 Minutes              

Review Date:  1 December 2013                                                          Rating:  3 (of 6)

     I thought the story of a destitute Earth with hero Matt Damon among the tired, poor and huddled masses trying to escape to Elysium, the orbiting paradise haven of the rich and healthy, would be something to see.

     It turned out to be something to skip, Elysium failing to get me involved or to care about anyone's plight.  Jodie Foster delivered a good performance, though.

 

Gravity in 3D

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

    

by Frederick William Springer III

 

Gravity in 3D

Release Date:  4 October 2013                                                               Runtime:  91 Minutes              

Review Date:  30 November 2013                                                          Rating:  4 (of 6)

      It was interesting to finally see space depicted as it is--vacuous and silent--which, to my recollection, hasn't been done before.  And here it emphasizes the isolation, heightens the circumstantial tension our main character, Dr. Ryan Stone played by Sandra Bullock, experiences (and George Clooney's cool-headed Matt Kowalski to a lesser extent).

     However, other than the "gravity" of the situation, I don't know how much the title really comes into play in outer space other than it keeping the catastrophic space debris in orbit around our planet.

     George Clooney was trying to hype Gravity up as the quintessential 3D movie--"It's an actual argument for 3D.  It's crazy how good it is"--not seeing the point in other motion pictures filmed this way.  I'd have to say that this aspect doesn't live up to his hype, having seen many 3D movies on par or surpassing this flick.

     This film is definitely a step up from the last two of his movies I saw (The American and Ides of March).  In the past, I had been a fan but they had been enough to make me skeptical about seeing anything of his anymore.  In that regard, he's almost like Cary Grant to me--someone I enjoy seeing and hearing onscreen but whose movies I don't always necessarily like.

     Rest assure, though, this is more of a Sandra Bullock movie, she carries the picture and she does it well.

 

Prisoners

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

    

by Frederick William Springer III

 

Prisoners

Release Date:  20 September 2013                                              Runtime:  153 Minutes              

Review Date:  24 November 2013                                               Rating:  4 (of 6)

      Prisoners was a good film with compelling performances by Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Maria Bello, Terrance Howard and Viola Davis.  Even though it ran rather long, it didn't feel it.

     The director (Denis Villeneuve) chose some interesting shots that didn't particular move the plot, for example, a lingering close up of a tree in the foreground with a house in the background as we hear the occupants enjoying their Thanksgiving inside.  There was no significance to the tree in the movie and I don't think trees are particularly ominous.

     While there are layers of mystery to unravel, most of my initial suspicions proved true.

     The ending was open-ended with a slam to black, which was somewhat annoying, after investing 2 and a half hours of my time.  An educated guess about what happened, at least to some degree, can probably be made due to our knowledge of the characters and what transpires just beforehand but it would have been nice if it were a little more conclusive.

 

Don Jon

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

    

by Frederick William Springer III

Don Jon

Release Date:  27 September 2013                                                Runtime:  90 Minutes              

Review Date:  21 November 2013                                                 Rating:  3 (of 6)

 

      I'm a fan of Joseph Levitt-Gordon.  While this role showcases his range as an actor, his writing/directing debut is one which you need not see.

     In fact, the only highlight of Don Jon--the most exciting part--was when Jon takes a date to the movie theater and I realized that they were standing in the lobby of the very theater which I was viewing the movie!  But that's an experience that is unique to me and a handful of other audience members that attended the film's limited run at Valley Plaza 6.

     Off-putting, was the accent that continually is purported in film and television as being from NJ.  This is not any more a Jersey accent than the cast of Jersey Shore are authentic inhabitants of the state.  The majority of them were from Staten Island and elsewhere in New York, which is probably where that accent incorrectly identified as belonging to New Jersey is imported from.

     As someone from NJ, and many like me, no one knows where I'm from and are very surprised to learn my first 26 years were spent in that state.  Because we don't have accents!

The Family

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

    

by Frederick William Springer III

 

 

The Family

Release Date:  13 September 2013                                                  Runtime:  111 Minutes              

Review Date:  12 November 2013                                                   Rating:  3 (of 6)

     I never heard of The Family but when it became available at my bargain theater, I decided to look it up.  Written and Directed by Luc Besson (who's Leon is one of my favorites) and starring Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones and Michelle Pfeiffer, I decided to check it out.

     Let my checking it out be so you don't have to.  Boring and unentertaining.  In fact, I kept nodding off during the first 50 minutes, and the audience may have been more entertained watching me fighting to stay awake if their eyes were on me rather than the screen.  I get to nap at home for free, thanks.

 

Kick-Ass 2

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

    

by Frederick William Springer III

Kick-Ass 2

Release Date:  16 August 2013                                                    Runtime:  103 Minutes              

Review Date:  5 November 2013                                                  Rating:  4 (of 6)

     Kick-Ass 2 certainly isn't its predecessor (few sequels ever are) but it's still worth checking out.  This installment, though still much of its trademark violence still present, felt a little watered down, perhaps due to the new writer/director, Jeff Wadlow.  Unfortunately, whereas Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) was the scene stealer in the original, both her language and actions, here it's her real identity as Mindy that gets the majority of screen time and the scene stealing aspects on her part are almost wholly absent.

     Of slight annoyance, the characters of Kick-Ass's friend Todd and Hit Girl's guardian Officer Marcus were both recast.  Here, Todd's presence was almost entirely cut and, when he was around, was made to look completely stupid which was not a characteristic of his in the original film.

     On a side note, after seeing both these films, my mind is boggled at Jim Carrey's remarks afterwards that he "cannot support that level of violence."  That leaves me wondering a) did he see the original film? b) did he read the script before he accepted the job? and c) was he present during the filming of his own scenes?  Because a "yes" to any of those--and we know the last question gets answered with a resounding "yes"--just makes him seem like an idiot.

 

2 Guns

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

    

by Frederick William Springer III

 

 

2 Guns

Release Date:  2 August 2013                                                              Runtime:  109 Minutes              

Review Date:  5 November 2013                                                          Rating:  3 (of 6)

     The trailer looked promising and I like Denzel Washington.  But 2 Guns left me feeling indifferent, the movie not bad but not good either.  While the story was executed well enough and the acting was decent, something was missing.

 

We're the Millers

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

    

by Frederick William Springer III

 

We're the Millers

Release Date:  9 August 2013                                                              Runtime:  110 Minutes              
Review Date:  5 November 2013                                                          Rating:  4 (of 6)

      While not hysterical, We're the Millers is an entertaining enough escape.  There's certainly a lot of unrealistic happenings going on, but, in contrast, the main characters of David (Jason Sudeikis), Rose (Jennifer Aniston), Kenny (Will Poulter) and Casey (Emma Roberts) all seem believable as this ragtag, thrown-together faux family.

     To get an idea of what you're in for, this film was initially written by the team that scribed The Wedding Crashers and then rewritten by the team responsible for Hot Tub Time Machine.

     (It was a pleasant surprise to see Molly C. Quinn--Alexis from Castle--also starring as a minor character here.  Though, possibly due to her character's intelligence in that show, I felt that this particular role was beneath her.)

The Wolverine

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

    

by Frederick William Springer III

 

The Wolverine

Release Date:  26 July 2013                                                                  Runtime:  126 Minutes              

Review Date:  22 October 2013                                                             Rating:  5 (of 6)

 

     Though The Wolverine is not as action-packed as some other entries, which is fine by me, the story progresses organically, never slow by any means.  The plot is interesting, the characters are good and well-acted and the cinematography is pleasant to the eye.

 

Red 2

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

    

by Frederick William Springer III

 

Red 2

Release Date:  19 July 2013                                                               Runtime:  119 Minutes              

Review Date:  1 October 2013                                                            Rating:  3 (of 6)

      Red was a movie I had wanted to see but never got around to.  Having the opportunity to see the sequel in the theater, I rented it the night before.  It was dynamic and the chemistry between the characters/actors was spectacular, the story fun.

     Red 2 didn't hold any of this magic, whatever chemistry there was seemingly lost.  Even with the addition of Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Byung-hun Lee, the story more or less fell flat for me.  While I usually herald the original writers returning, it seemingly didn't help on this one.

     A third installment has since been announced but I won't be spending any more time with these characters.

     *It is worth noting that the "review" dates I list are actually the day of the screening, me not necessarily penning my write up till the next day or even up to a week later.  This is a very extreme case wherein almost 2 months have passed--it's now November 25th.  While I don't think this has affected me here as I didn't really have anything to write and why I've kept postponing the inevitable, it may have kept me from including any fine details since forgotten.

 

     **Update: A demonstration on how fleeting and fickle our tastes can be:  Mid-January, I rewatched the original, a Black Friday Blu-ray deal I had nabbed.  It no longer enthralled or engaged me at all.

 

 

The Conjuring

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

by Frederick William Springer III

 

The Conjuring

Release Date:   19 July 2013                                                                 Runtime:  112 Minutes              
Review Date:  15 September 2013                                                         Rating:  4 (of 6)

     Boo!  And not the scary kind.

     Alright, it wasn't that bad but my advice is to watch the extended trailer--it provides some tense, creepy moments which may lead you to believe it's "conjuring" something new in the realm of ghost stories and horror movies.  But step away after that because, as a full-length movie, the magic is lost.

     The only thing The Conjuring really has going for it is that it's another of the so-called "based on a true story" movies where the real horror is contemplating that something like this supposedly actually happened and therefore, theoretically, may happen again and can happen to anyone, including you.

     However, this concept also works against it because we all know most films that claim to be "based on a true story" are usually pretty liberal with the facts, one or two sprinkled sparingly into a complete fantasy--suddenly your mom is a man named Bob who grew up on a base on the moon and you were never born, but she/he still bakes an award-winning apple pie that's popular with the other housewives.

Monsters University

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

by Frederick William Springer III

 

 

Monsters University in 3D

Release Date:  21 June 2013                                                         Runtime:  104 Minutes              

Review Date:  15 September 2013                                                Rating:  3 (of 6)

 

     Not remembering anything about the original, I thought a clean slate viewing the prequel might work in its favor but ultimately, much like its predecessor 12 years ago, I wasn't very impressed with Monsters University.  Though, if you see it in 3D, at least it looks good.

 

R.I.P.D.

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

 

by Frederick William Springer III

 

R.I.P.D.

Release Date:  19 July 2013                                                                   Runtime:  96 Minutes              

Review Date:  25 August 2013                                                               Rating:  3 (of 6)

     The trailer looked as though, while a little silly, R.I.P.D. might just be entertaining.  It was no such thing.

     The movie opened up on an overly fake CGI character which just set a negative tone right out of the gate--a lot of the CGI characters could have been modeled with good old special effects make-up, only resorting to CGI when outlandish stunts came into play, which would have made the finished product look a lot better.

     Furthermore, the one main character says he's been with the department for 500 years (these officers are recruited once they die), yet elsewhere he says he fought with the North and elsewhere still that he was out West when that frontier was being explored, all anachronisms--the age of the cowboy and the Civil War would have transpired long after his death and so he wouldn't have been involved.  (Now, it is possible I misunderstood him, as he was speaking with an accent, but 150 doesn't sound anything like 500.  Nor does 380.)

     Even a cast with the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Bacon and Mary-Louise Parker couldn't salvage this film that was DOA and should have been allowed to RIP.  I saw in the credits that this is based on a comic book, making it the only comic book movie this summer that you SHOULDN'T go see.  Let it be relegated to background noise and nothing more.

Now You See Me

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

 

by Frederick William Springer III

 

 

Now You See Me

Release Date:   31 May 2013                                                               Runtime:  115 Minutes              

Review Date:  25 August 2013                                                             Rating:  5 (of 6)

 

     It should come as no surprise that sleight of hand and misdirection are among the elements that help keep Now You See Me interesting as the viewer tries to figure out the mystery at hand.

     The movie opens with us becoming acquainted with solo magicians (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco) and their foray into becoming the group act The Four Horsemen.  But no sooner do we get to know them that the perspective then changes to that of the FBI agent (Mark Ruffalo) and his team pursuing them, where it stays for the majority of the film, occasionally shifting back to the magicians.  But even that perspective shifts, sometimes from their point of view and other times relayed by an Illusion Exposer (Morgan Freeman) dispensing how he thinks they're carrying out their escapades.

     There are many components in play but remember, "the closer you look, the less you'll see."