Hunger Games: Mocking Jay-Part 1

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

by Frederick William Springer III

Hunger Games:  Mocking Jay-Part 1

Release Date:  21 November 2014                                                      Runtime:  123 Minutes              

Review Date:  18 December 2014                                                       Rating:  5 (of 6)

      I'm not usually a fan of the corporate greed that leads a company to milk the last novel of a series by making 2 films based on it while every other previous entry is condensed into 1.  It was a complete failure, in my opinion, when done with the Harry Potter series, Part 1 of the Deathly Hallows two and a half hours of completely unnecessary exposition, the important elements capable of being more concise and included in Part 2 for one WHOLE movie. So it was a pleasant discovery to find that Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1 was worthy of its own standalone picture.

     They kept with the same director from the last chapter and, though they hired a new batch of writers for the screenplay, the original author Suzanne Collins did the initial adaptation.  Much to her involvement I'm sure, Mockingjay seems to reasonably follow what happened in the novel.  And while I still would rather watch one supersized movie in one sitting than 2 viewings a year apart, I walked away more than satisfied with the final product.

 

Guardians of the Galaxy

TAKE 1: One Man’s Opinion

…because film is largely subjective

by Frederick William Springer III

 

Guardians of the Galaxy

Release Date:  1 August 2014                                                               Runtime:  121 Minutes              

Review Date:  16 December 2014                                                         Rating:  3 (of 6)

      While those that can't get enough of superhero films may bask in Guardians of the Galaxy, it failed to capture my interest.  Not that it was bad, per say, just didn't interest me in the least.  Which is too bad, because I've loved raccoons since I was a kid...

     On a side note, while I think Zoe Saldana is decent enough looking--she made an attractive Uhura--the green make-up job for Gamora made her pretty unappealing (despite the fact, it's worth noting, that green is my favorite color).  I don't know if it's meant for the whole "beauty is in the inside" sentiment or to convey that not all kick-ass warrior women have something going on in the looks department, but I thought it was a shame.  They could have gone more the route they did for Karen Gillian and her minor character of Nebula who was looking quite hot for an alien.  Just saying.