REVIEW: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 1

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

RATED: PG-13

RUNNING TIME: 123 MINUTES

SCORE: ****/*****

 

THE PREMISE: (VIA IMDB) With the Games now destroyed and in pieces, Katniss Everdeen, along with Gale, Finnick and Beetee, now end up in the so thought "destroyed" District 13. Under the leadership of President Coin and the advice of her friends, Katniss becomes the "Mockingjay" and the symbol of rebellion for the people. 

 

THE PRO'S: Great storytelling, fantastic performances, great use of tension, a very faithful adaptation of the source material, great additions to the story through SHOWING the rebellion.

 

THE CON'S: Drags along at parts.

 

THE REVIEW:

 

Let me start by saying that I am in the minority in this series. Going by the books, I liked Catching Fire the least, and Mockingjay the best. Something which is usually the opposite, of course. And though Catching Fire as a MOVIE was great, I still have not changed my stance as far as books go. And here, I still believe that Mockingjay - Part 1 is by far the strongest of the three movies so far.

 

So, if you're seeing this movie, you probably know a bit about the story. But just in case, here's teh rundown. After the devastating, and shocking events at the end of Catching Fire, Katniss Everdeen finds herself in long-thought destroyed District 13 in the midst of a revolution. Driven to save Peeta, but with very little choice, she is unwillingly drawn into the conflict as a catalyst known as the "Mockingjay". A role that will help her start a revolution that is steadily beginning around Panem.

Mockingjay is a departure from the last two movies, and the first two books in many ways. We are finally not restricted to the arena, and rather the story moves into the revolution that has been stirring against the Capitol. And for the movie, this works to amazing lengths not even the book reached. Whereas in the book, we only saw it from Katniss's point-of-view, it excellently handles showing us what is going on beyond just this one point of view. 

And that's where some of Mockingjay's strongest scenes come from: the revolution. Scenes of bloodshed and revolt are difficult, with tons of intensity in this one. But without a doubt, it works well to hammer the point they are trying to make in: this is a very real war, and revolution. Rather than skip around the harder points of it, Mockingjay shows just how horrifying and intense things have become, and that's what makes it so strong.

As always in this franchise, the acting is superb. Jeniffer Lawrence is especially great, nailing many emotionally jarring scenes perfectly. Her rendition of the "If we burn, you burn with us!" scene was even met with a fierce applause from the entire audience. (I won't say the context for those who have not read the books, but it's definitely an amazing scene) While other stand-outs come from Julianne Moore, Josh Hutcherson, and Donald Sutherland who all simply own every scene they're in.

But someone who truly brings some great things to this adaptation is Effie. She was absent for almost all of the book, but here, she really brings her spark and charm into it. Her presence is greatly noticed, and her character is slowly beginning an interesting and well-written transformation. One which I am very interested, and dare I say it, excited to see play out on screen. Especially given my love for the character.

 

But while this movie is action-packed, and fun, I will admit its fault is that it can drag sometimes. It's a very faithful adaptation, and it was great to see some scenes expanded. But other expanded scenes could have been kept shorter, and as a result there are times I really wish they had had their focus elsewhere. Though it doesn't detract from the movie much, it is highly noticable, and hurt this one just a little bit.

 

But none of this matters, because in the general scheme of things, I can definitely say that...

 

IN CONCLUSION

 

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 is a fantastic adaptation of the first half of the last book. Its expansion of the storyline, and great performances drive it towards what I'm sure will be an awesome conclusion. It's definitely a movie to check out, especially if you're a fan of either the movies or the books.

 

4/5 STARS

HIGHLY RECCOMMENDED

REVIEW: Big Hero 6

BIG HERO 6

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

RATED: PG

RUNNING TIME: 102 MINUTES

SCORE: *****/*****

THE PREMISE: (Via IMDB) From Walt Disney Animation Studios, the team behind "Frozen" and "Wreck-It Ralph," comes "Big Hero 6," an action-packed comedy-adventure about the special bond that develops between Baymax, a plus-sized inflatable robot, and prodigy Hiro Hamada. When a devastating event befalls the city of San Fransokyo and catapults Hiro into the midst of danger, he turns to Baymax and his close friends adrenaline junkie Go Go Tomago, neatnik Wasabi, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. Determined to uncover the mystery, Hiro transforms his friends into a band of high-tech heroes called "Big Hero 6." 

 

THE PRO'S: Beautiful animation, lots and lots of heart, great story  of grief  and inner strength, handles the tougher aspects of the story perfectly, and just a whole lot of fun to boot. 

THE CON'S: Underdeveloped/predictable villain.

THE REVIEW:

Alright, so for my first review in a while, I'm going to take a look at my favorite animated feature this year: Big Hero 6. Which is based on a little-known superhero group from none other than MARVEL, and may go down, in my opinion, as one of the greatest superhero movies ever. If not completely skyrocketing this teams populalirity!

The movie tells the story of Hiro Hamada, a boy genius who loses his brother, and his impressive invention to a horrific fire at the school he was auditioning for. In a state of grief, he surprisingly befriends his own brother's greatest invention: Baymax, and along with him discovers someone has taken his invention for nefarious purposes. A discovery which leads the two unlikely heroes to gather his late brother's friends to form a superhero team, and hunt down the villain before it's too late. 

On the outside, Big Hero 6 sounds like any other superhero film. But where a lot of superhero films are dark and serious, or lighthearted and goofy, this movie seems to fall in the middle. Though it is very much meant for younger viewers, Big Hero 6 very excellently handles some tough issues regarding loss, depression, and closure while still making it whimsical and fun for the younger kids out there. 

The heart of the film, of course, if you haven't seen the trailers is Baymax. Never since I first saw Guardians of the Galaxy, and discovered Groot, have I found a more adorable badass like Baymax before. He's fun, goofy, and a great character, whether he's kicking butt, or just being a good friend to Hiro and the rest of the gang, it's hard not to find a lot to love in him. I definitely left the theater wishing I could have a Baymax of my own.

And that brings me to where the show really shines: the characters. They're not the most developed of characters, but they all have so much personality, and vibrancy to them it never really amtters. You grow to love, and feel for them anyway. With big props here coming from the character of Hiro, whose transformation, and character arc throughout the film is really, really impressive for a film of this caliber. 

But we all go to superhero movies for action too, right? And let me tell you, this movie does not tone down the action. In fact, the action may be one of the most fun parts of the movie itself. Once "Big Hero 6" has formed, the movie kicks it into high gear, and even adds to the personality and fun of the characters.  Something which really adds to the story rather than detracts, and really, again, left me impressed.

 

The only, minor thing I found fault with was the villain. Even for a kids movie, it really feels like they could have taken more time to think this one through. And perhaps set up the motive in a way that was a little more original. But otherwise, this doesn't detract too much from the movie, which is still fun as heck anyway.

And so....

IN CONCLUSION

I cannot recommend this movie any more if I tried. It's a fun, action packed adventure which is fun for the whole family, and makes a great hour and forty minutes at the movie. Despite the minor fault of the villain, it's well worth a look, and sure to be another hit from Walt Disney Animated Studios.

5/5 STARS

MY HIGHEST RECCOMENDATIONS