2016 Vanity Fair Hollywood Cover

(Photo: Vanity Fair)

Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, the Hollywood cover issue of Vanity Fair has arrived, as it does every February. Featuring the top actresses of Hollywood, many of them who have been nominated for Oscars, past and present. From left to right, the wonderful women include Jane Fonda, Cate Blanchett, Viola Davis, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlotte Rampling, Brie Larson, Rachel Weisz, Lupita Nyong'o, Alicia Vikander, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Helen Mirren, Saoirse Ronan and Diane Keaton. What do you think of this gorgeous cover? Anybody missing? 

New Trailer: Jennifer Lawrence and David O. Russell Bring Us Joy

She's known around the world as Katniss and/or Mystique yet director David O. Russell keeps seeing Jennifer Lawrence as troubled young suburbanite who's having a personal collapse in her life. For her third collaboration with Russell, Lawrence reteams with Silver Linings Playbook costars Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro in the biopic Joy.  Based on Joy Mangano's life, the single mother of three invented the Miracle Mop and went on to create her own empire.

Joy also stars Edgar Ramirez, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen, Isabella Rossellini and Elisabeth Rohm. Cooper plays an Home Shopping Network executive who helps Joy sells her products while De Niro plays her father. Releasing on Christmas Day, Joy will look to gain awards recognition especially at the Oscars as Russell, Lawrence, Cooper and De Niro have all been well accepted for their work together. 

New Trailer: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2

 The final saga of The Hunger Games series comes to a close with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. The last teaser trailer debuted yesterday and as usual, it’s delighted fans with the promise of a definitive battle between the rebels and the Capitol. This time around Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is ready, really ready to end things once and for all with President Snow.

The stage has been set up and the trailer shows up a brief glimpse of the calm before the storm with Finnick (Sam Claflin) and Annie's (Stef Dawson) wedding. All too soon, Katniss is on the battlefield leading the rebels through the Capitol. We see tender moments with Primrose (Willow Shields) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) before it's time to fight. All our of main characters and actors are back in this ultimate ending to The Hunger Games series, one last blowout, it seems.

I remember reading the final few chapters and taking a pause for a minute, the material gets dark very fast  and I'm wondering if this cinematic version will stay true to the original story. Directed by Francis Lawrence, with a screenplay from Danny Strong and Peter Craig, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 releases in theaters on November 20, 2015

Movie Review: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

Watching The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, it struck me how faithful to the book and the characters the movies remain. More so than even the Harry Potter series. Don't get me wrong, I thought the Harry Potter movies were great but I was always glad I had the books to return to.

In the case of The Hunger Games, no little detail goes unmentioned. And the characters remain true to the books. I could see Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss wrestle with her inner demons and fears just as I could imagine Katniss struggling in the books. I've said it with the previous films as well that Lawrence is the glue that holds the series together. We are centred through her experiences in this journey to make it to the other end, alive.

When we last left Katniss rescued by the rebels from the Quarter Quell had just been told that her district, the only home she's ever know, has been destroyed and she's now in District 13. Needless to say, Katniss has many questions and so do we. Here in 13, President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) is in charge, flanked by Plutarch Heavensbee (the late Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Beetee (Jeffrey Wright). They try to convince her to join the fight against the Capitol but Katniss refuses to budge until she knows what happened to Peeta (Josh Hutcherson).

Of course, Katniss does agree to be their Mockingjay eventually once she realizes she can bargain with Coin for Peeta and the rest of the tributes' lives.  From therefore, we are launched into a full-fledged uprising as the citizens and top brass of District 13 try to reach out to the other Districts to unite against President Snow (Donald Sutherland).  Snow is just as callous and evil as other film installments of this series. While he wants to quash the rebels, he is also involved in a battle of wills with Katniss.  He knows her deepest fears and attacks them ruthlessly. 

We are also updated into the lives of the other non-Tribute characters.  Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) is reduced to wearing grays, a colour that she probably knew existed.  Primrose (Willow Shields), Katniss's younger sister, is training to be a doctor.  And Gale (Liam Hemsworth) is training for war.

War is completely at the forefront in this film.  Katniss is held up by Coin and Heavensbee as the symbol of hope, the reason to keep fighting.  As we read about citizens protesting for basic human and civil rights around the world in 2014, the events of Mockingjay set in probable dystopian future does resonate.  Could this be the future we one day inherit if we are not careful? This does require a lot of pondering. 

However, the Mockingjay Part 1 is setting up the scenario for the final battle. And leaving a lot of questions up in the air.  How will Katniss get her Peeta back? How will the Districts rise up to take down the Capitol? What will their future entail? And will any of them make it out alive?

The A-list cast (most of them Academy and Emmy winners and nominees) are top-notch.  I thought the scenes negotiating Katniss's Mockingjay terms with Moore and Hoffman were wonderful. The film is dedicated to Philip Seymour Hoffman, he will deeply missed.  Moore is a welcome addition as the unreadable but tough President Coin. 

Jennifer Lawrence knows Katniss like a second skin, Katniss is much more vulnerable in this film, she not only has to worry about her friends and family. She now holds the burden of what happens to other Districts as well.  Woody Harrelson as Haymitch is completely underused and I wanted more scenes with Effie, she brings some humour to very serious film.

Director Francis Lawrence is much more comfortable in the world and characters in his second film in this series and it shows.  The details of the underground world of District 13 were just as I imagined them while reading.  Though aboveground, District 13 boasts of lush green forests and soothing rivers, it wasn't quite the broken, barren District reduced to rubble from the books.  Most of the cast also spends a majority of time in dull grays, browns and black uniforms.  Those eye-popping costumes from the previous films, (RIP Cinna), are sorely missed as well.  

Fans of The Hunger Games series will no doubt like the film but like I rushed through reading Mockingjay in one go when I got the book, I wished the film wasn't broken down into parts. But then again, it does leave you wanting more.  

Directed by Francis Lawrence; Screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong; Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins; Cinematography by Jo Willems; Edited by Alan Edward Bell and Mark Yoshikawa; Music by James Newton Howard

Additional cast: Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Stanley Tucci, Mahershala Ali, Natalie Dormer

Rating: 

New The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 Trailer

"It's the things we love most that destroy us." Poor Katniss Everdeen! All she ever wanted to was keep her sister safe and keep Peeta alive in the Hunger Games. Instead, she's involved in an all-out war against the Capital and President Snow (Donald Sutherland).  In the newest trailer for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is the Rebels' Mockingjay as the stakes have been escalated and no one is safe this time around.  While the Rebels have Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Beetee (Jeffrey Wright) and Plutarch Heavensbee (the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman), we get a first look at President Coin (Julianne Moore) and Cressida (Natalie Dormer).  Old and familiar characters are much changed as well.  Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) looks absolutely unrecognizable without her customary colorful flair and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) seems quite unlike himself too.  But with the Mockingjay at the helm, we all have faith that it's all going to turn out okay.  Eventually.  With the Catching Fire director Francis Lawrence back for another installment and a screenplay by Danny Strong (Lee Daniels' The Butler) and Peter Craig, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 will release in theaters around the world on November 21, 2014.  

Movie Review: American Hustle

All last year I saw the making of/behind the scenes images of Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams and their wild, wild hair. I cannot put enough emphasis on that wild hair which defines David O. Russell's American Hustle whose cast is the main reason to go see this film.

Christian Bale is Irving Rosenfeld, a balding middle-aged man handling a wife, a mistress and an illegal business selling loans. He thinks he's managing his life just fine until FBI Agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) enters their world and turns the tables on the tables on them. Irving and his mistress Sydney (Amy Adams) who have built this business together have no choice but to entertain this ambitious agent who is looking for 'the' case that will propel his career into the big league.

The two of them sink deeper and deeper into the sting operation DiMaso has planned involving the mayor of Camden, New Jersey Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) and other members of Congress.  And then to confuse matters more, there's a also a plot involving an Arab sheikh (played by Michael Pena, who is another FBI agent impersonating a sheikh), some mobsters and an overly jealous and possessive wife (Jennifer Lawrence).

How does this all make sense? It doesn't at plenty of times in the movie but the actors make it all worthwhile as every moment onscreen, you see Bale, Adams, Cooper, Lawrence, Renner and especially Louis C.K. all committing one hundred percent to these zany characters that inhabit this universe.  Inspired by the events of the 1970s and 80s in the actual ABSCAM case, it gives these actors some great material to work with.  Case in point, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are all nominated for their work at next month's Oscars.

While the writing didn't add up for me at several places during the film, what works is Russell's deft direction of the actors, bringing out the real emotions and motives behind their actions especially in the case of Adams and Lawrence.  I also loved the film's soundtrack, its grooving disco tunes and great use of songs at key moments.  My expectations were definitely way higher before I went in for the film.  I guess it had to do with the great quality of films that got released in 2013.  But if you are a fan of either of these actors, you won't be disappointed. 

Directed by David O. Russell, Written by David O. Russell and Eric Warren Singer, Cinematography by Linus Sandgren, Editing by Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers, Alan Baumgarten, Music by Danny Elfman

Rating:

Movie Review: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The sequel to last year's wildly successful The Hunger Games, Catching Fire builds on its momentum and delivers a solid middle film that sets up the action for the final two-parter, Mockingjay.  Book adaptations are usually so difficult and people have a love or hate relationship with them especially with a book series that's as successful as The Hunger Games have been.

Catching Fire is a near faithful adaptation of the book that keeps in the best parts of the story and elaborates nicely on its central themes. Jennifer Lawrence steps back into the shoes of Katniss Everdeen who has to adjust to life as one of the winners of The Hunger Games along with Peeta Mallark (Josh Hutcherson).  What both of them don't realize the spark of hope the two of them, especially Katniss, have ignited by challenging the system and President Snow (Donald Sutherland).  Snow wants this new found hope squashed by making sure Katniss knows her place.

While Katniss and Snow are watching each other's moves on the mandatory victory, neither are appeased by their actions and President Snow has to move forward with Plan B.  What exactly does Plan B entail? The plan is much grander, invoking an ages old rule that allows all the contestants to compete in the  Quarter Quell,  the 75th anniversary of The Hunger Games and of Panem's victory and dominion over the rest of the districts.

This time around, it's not just Katniss and Peeta but all former winners of previous Hunger Games.  Team Katniss and Peeta (including Haymitch, Effie and Cinna) have to be that much more on edge and alert to survive.  Katniss has allies in the arena like Beetee (Jeffrey Wright) and Wiress (Amanda Plummer) but others like Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin) and Johanna Mason (Jena Malone) are harder to read. Are they out to help or will they kill her to survive?

This film puts much more emphasis (and rightly so) on the sense of survivor's guilt and trauma these winners feel and how much they and their families are at risk under President Snow and the Capitol's arbitrary laws.  But the film is also laying down the blocks which will make up the arc of the final films where Katniss must choose what and who is worthing fighting for.  In the final scenes, it is made evidently clear that the lines are now clearly drawn in the sand, the fight is now on.

Overall, the film was hugely enjoyable, with great new additions to the cast.  This is the American Harry Potter series, in that as the British series drew the creme de la creme of actors from the island nation, so does this franchise, adding Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman as Head Gamekeeper Plutarch Heavensbee.  The screenplay too features two Oscar winners in the category with Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) and Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine).

I always thought Catching Fire would be the most difficult one to film and get across to the audience because it contains so much information and has so much takes place in difficult island, but it ended up surprising me with how neatly all of it was laid out without losing the core of the book.  It suddenly made me wish that had happened with some of the Harry Potter films.

Director Francis Lawrence has carried over the mantle started by Gary Ross in the first film and hopefully will continue to do so over the next two.  And of course, Jennifer Lawrence IS Katniss completely as she brings out her inner vulnerabilities and strengths.  The movie is all her.  And it's worth nothing that this franchise brings in not only the youngsters (the girls and the boys) but also the adults based on her name alone.  That is quite the achievement for a 23-year-old to have.

If you are a fan of the books or simply curious about the movies, I'd suggest you check out The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.  This heroine is worth following.

Directed by Francis Lawrence; Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy and Michael Bruyn aka Michael Arndt; Based on the book by Suzanne Collins; Cinematography by Jo Willems; Editing by Alan Edward Bell; Music by James Newton Howard

Additional cast: Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Willow Shields,

Rating: 

New American Hustle Character Posters

These new character posters are like a pack of 70s cards highlighting the questionable fashions and hairdos of the cast of American Hustle.  Directed by David O. Russell, the film based on the ABSCAM  scandal releases this December.  

Christian Bale is Irving Rosenfeld, a con man who aids the FBI against corrupt politicians.  

Bradley Cooper is FBI Agent Richie DiMasio. 

Jennifer Lawrence plays Rosenfeld's wife, Rosalyn.

Meanwhile, Amy Adams is Rosenfeld's British mistress, Sydney Prosser.

And finally, the man with the widest tie I've ever seen is Jeremy Renner as 

corrupt NJ mayor Carmine Politico.

Catching Fire First Trailer

As expected, after releasing the Quarter Quell posters earlier this week, the first trailer of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire premiered after the film's panel at Comic-Con. As we can see, we dive right back into the action as we last left Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) as winners of The Hunger Game. But their relief as winning is short-lived as they roped back in the arena for the 75th Hunger Games against previous tributes. The pressure is again on Katniss as she fights a mental game of wills with President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and Katniss' younger sister Prim (Willow Shields) rightly points out, something is different since Katniss won. People have begun to hope.

I've always thought the second book would be difficult to bring to the screen. The arena for the Quarter Quell is complicated and intensely visual and I hope the filmmakers give us the heightened emotions and paranoia that's present in every page of the book. I'm already liking this second film a lot more than the first The Hunger Games.  The franchise seems to have settled in nicely for the long run.  The Hunger Games: Catching Fire releases November 22, 2013.

New Quarter Quell Posters from Catching Fire

Just in time for the upcoming Comic-Con 2013 along with a possible trailer debut, we have our first official Quarter Quell poster showing off the key characters who will return back to The Hunger Games ring. Let's have a look. Warning: Serious poses ahead!

Photos: Yahoo! Movies

 

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mallark (Josh Hutcherson) reigning winners of the recent Hunger Games from District 12 and the overwhelming favorites going into the Quarter Quell.

From District 2, brutal and fearless tributes Enobaria (Meta Golding) and Brutus (Bruno Gunn). They kinda give me the heebie jeebies.  Watch your backs, Katniss and Peeta!

Johanna Mason (Jena Malone) the lone tribute from District 7. Is she an ally or a foe? We'll soon find out.

The District 4 tributes. First up is the dashing Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin) along with his mentor Mags (Lynn Cohen). There's more to them than meets the eye.

Cashmere (Stephanie Leigh Schlund) and Gloss (Alan Ritchson), sibling tributes from District 1 more popularly known as Careers.

And finally from District 3, we have Wiress (Amanda Plummer) and Beetee (Jeffrey Wright) nicknamed 'Nuts' and 'Volts' by Johanna.

And the Oscar goes to...

Wow, that was some Oscar ceremony, not the greatest ever but then again how do you follow up the return of Billy Crystal? Next year, guys, listen to Captain Kirk and get Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, you know they're going to kill it.  

Seth MacFarlane tried his darnedest but it just didn't cut it for me.  Movie musicals were the theme of the night and unfortunately the show ended up being too much like the Tonys and not enough like a celebration of the greatest movie awards in the world.  And what was up with only celebrating the musicals released in the last decade? It makes sense knowing the producers.  But what about Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Funny Girl or for that matter musicals like Newsies, Hairspray or even the current Pitch Perfect? Time to expand your horizons folks.

(Photo: The Hollywood Reporter)

 That said, the stage was spectacular and never looked better.  The opening monologue featured great dancing from Channing Tatum, Charlize Theron, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Daniel Radcliffe all of whom were extremely sporting.  The first award of the night was a shocker with Christoph Waltz of Django Unchained winning Best Supporting Actor.  All the other men in the category had won previously so it wasn't like anyone was robbed but it would have been nice to see Tommy Lee Jones (who was smiling so frequently! Who called him Grumpy?) win one for Lincoln.  Waltz's role is actually that of a co-lead not supporting.  

(Courtesy ABC)

From thereon in, it was on the technical awards which I did pretty well predicting with wins for Life of Pi, Les Miserables and Anna Karenina.  Brave won Best Animated Feature Film over Wreck-It Ralph which I felt was a big surprise. In the end, it was lovely to see Brenda Chapman become the first female director to win for animated feature. She had a long journey with the film which ended up with her being replaced with Mark Andrews but she got to have her moment and dedicate the Oscar to her inspiration, her daughter. Hard not to get emotional there. Ralph, you have my permission to go wreck out your frustrations. 

(Photo: Zap2it)

Life of Pi also won three great technical awards with Cinematography (Claudio Miranda), Original Score (Mychael Danna) and of course, Visual Effects.  When the guys from Rhythm & Hues were accepting their award and trying to talk about their difficult situation and honor the artists, the orchestra (which wasn't even  in the same room!) played them off with the Jaws theme and cut off their mic.  Not cool, guys, not cool.  You've got a whole legion of vfx artists online, who take their jobs very seriously, very pissed off at that. Not helping the cause they're fighting for.

Also what was up with John Williams score being used throughout the ceremony? I also heard the scores from E.T. and Jurassic Park.  A nice way to honor Spielberg and his longtime collaborator even though neither of them won yesterday. The Academy did a great new initiative this year by having film students onstage to assist with the awards instead of models.  For the first time, I did quite well in the documentary short, documentary feature and most importantly, the sound categories. I would have been two for two if it wasn't for that unexpected tie, the last time that happened was 1994.

(Photo: The Telegraph)

The two musical performance of the night were for me, the amazing Adele and the even more amazing Barbara Streisand.  I can't believe Adele is only 24 years old.  She's already halfway on her way to EGOT now.  

(Photo: Associated Press)

The rest of the acting awards predictably went to Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables, Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook and Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln. I surprised that the light emanating from Meryl Streep and Day-Lewis onstage didn't blind us completely.  His speech was both funny and moving.  

(Photo: The Hollywood Reporter)

When the editing award went to William Goldenberg for Argo, the writing was already on the wall for Argo. All that needed to be decided was best director which eventually went to Ang Lee.  I was extremely pleased to see the hard efforts behind the film recognized and how adorable was Lee in his happiness over the win. The crowd in the Dolby Theater was extremely vocal in their support for Life of Pi.  Though I did feel terrible for Spielberg after all what he has put in on Lincoln but it was either him or Lee and I'm happy if either of had won. 

(Photo: IBN Live)

And so there is it, another year gone by with Argo winning Best Picture and adding another Oscar to producers George Clooney and Ben Affleck.  What a career trajectory he's had and what a year it's been!  Here's to another great year of movies and we'll see you all again next year. 

Things I loved: 

• Ted pronouncing 'Argo' and 'Zero Dark Thirty' in his very Boston accent. Nailed it! Ted was also surprisingly well behaved. And Mark Wahlberg not getting freaked out by the surprising tie in the sound editing category. "No B.S."
• The Von Trapp family bit, that worked, we should have seen more of that.  But it didn't look like Christopher Plummer was amused.
• Hugh Jackman, the only one to assist Jennifer Lawrence when she fell on the stairs.  Can he win just for being the coolest guy ever?
• Stephen Spielberg getting choked up whenever anyone won for Lincoln (which sadly only occurred twice). It's okay, you'll get them with Robopocalypse next.  That'll show 'em.
• Suraj Sharma getting all teary eyed when Ang Lee won. All that was missing was Richard Parker to round out the trio.
• Edited to add: I can't believe I forgot to add Quvenzhane Wallis' mean muscle look. Even Denzel Washington is amused. 

(Photo: Vulture)

Here is the full list of winners:

Best motion picture of the year
"Argo" Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck and George Clooney, Producers

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Daniel Day-Lewis in "Lincoln"

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Christoph Waltz in "Django Unchained"

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Jennifer Lawrence in "Silver Linings Playbook"

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Anne Hathaway in "Les Misérables"


Best animated feature film of the year
"Brave" Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman

Achievement in cinematography
"Life of Pi" Claudio Miranda

Achievement in costume design
"Anna Karenina" Jacqueline Durran

Achievement in directing
"Life of Pi" Ang Lee

Best documentary feature
"Searching for Sugar Man"
Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn

Best documentary short subject
"Inocente"
Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine

Achievement in film editing
"Argo" William Goldenberg

Best foreign language film of the year

"Amour" Austria

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
"Les Misérables"
Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
"Life of Pi" Mychael Danna

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
"Skyfall" from "Skyfall"
Music and Lyric by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth

Achievement in production design
"Lincoln"
Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson

Best animated short film
"Paperman" John Kahrs

Best live action short film
"Curfew" Shawn Christensen


Achievement in sound editing

TIE"Skyfall" Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers
"Zero Dark Thirty" Paul N.J. Ottosson


Achievement in sound mixing
"Les Misérables"
Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes

Achievement in visual effects
"Life of Pi"
Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer and Donald R. Elliott


Adapted screenplay
"Argo" Screenplay by Chris Terrio

Original screenplay

"Django Unchained" Written by Quentin Tarantino

SAG Award winners

What do you know? Argo does it yet again and is going full speed ahead with Oscars clearing in its sight.  We also got some insight into the frontrunners for the categories not named Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis has gotten that tied up with a bow) with Jennifer Lawrence, Anne Hathaway and Tommy Lee Jones looking like they might repeat on February 24th as well.  But I don't know why but something tells me if any acting category is going to yield a surprise, it's going to be Best Actress.  But yesterday night's biggest surprise was definitely Argo winning best ensemble which looked to be Silver Linings Playbook second big win of the night.  But no, it was Lincoln who won two awards with Argo, Les Miserables and Silver Linings Playbook joining in on the spoils.  This year's Oscar race has brought the expected with momentum changing all over the place. Who will prevail in the end?

And the winners are:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Daniel Day-Lewis (“Abraham Lincoln”) – Lincoln (Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Jennifer Lawrence (“Tiffany”) – Silver Linings Playbook (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Tommy Lee Jones (“Thaddeus Stevens”) - Lincoln (Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Anne Hathaway (“Fantine”) – Les Misérables (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Argo (Warner Bros. Pictures)
BEN AFFLECK / Tony Mendez
ALAN ARKIN / Lester Siegel
KERRY BISHÉ / Kathy Stafford
KYLE CHANDLER / Hamilton Jordan
RORY COCHRANE / Lee Schatz
BRYAN CRANSTON / Jack O’Donnell
CHRISTOPHER DENHAM / Mark Lijek
TATE DONOVAN / Bob Anders
CLEA DuVALL / Cora Lijek
VICTOR GARBER / Ken Taylor
JOHN GOODMAN / John Chambers
SCOOT McNAIRY / Joe Stafford
CHRIS MESSINA / Malinov

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
Skyfall (Columbia Pictures)

Movie Review: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games was probably my second most anticipated film of the year after The Dark Knight Rises and I'm so pleased that they've both lived up to expectations.  As fun as the Harry Potter films were, the inner fan in me was always disappointed in the scenes they did leave out in the films.  No such problems here.  The Hunger Games delivers on all levels especially in the screenplay that touches on all the main points from the books and visually brings to life the spectacle of the gruesome games.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a name we all now know as well as Harry Potter or Bella Swan, is a determined young woman who lives with her mother and sister Primrose (Willow Shields) in District 12 in Panem, a dystopian future where the Capitol rules over Districts just like the one Katniss lives in.  In this future, two tributes (i.e. children) from each district must be sent to the Capitol to participate in The Hunger Games to remind people of the uprising against Panem and serve as a reminder never to be occurred again.  The Hunger Games has echoes of the Greek tales of Theseus and the Minotaur as well but it borrows most of its themes from reality television we have grow so accustomed to.

Author Suzanne Collins takes the competition to another level with children fighting to the death to survive and bring stability and food to their Districts for a whole year.  And yes, with a title like The Hunger Games, there's a whole lot of focus on food.  When Primrose's name is picked the first year she's eligible for the games, big sister Katniss volunteers herself and sets up events that will change the history of Panem.

The other tribute and her competitor essentially is Peeta Mallark (Josh Hutcherson) with whom she has a complicated moment when she was younger and feels at her lowest.  The movie dwells on it and it's extremely important as it sets up how Katniss treats him.  Within no time, the pair is whisked off to the Capitol to participate in the games.  On the train, they meet Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), their mentor and previous winner from District 12 along with their perky guide Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks).

The games are grueling, mentally and physically and the film does a good job of showing how you have to compete not just in the arena but to be savvy for the sponsors that will aide along the way and be liked by the public that supports you as well.  Isn't that the case with any reality show participant? It's not how good you are, it's how well you play the game.  Peeta has a better handle on this as he knows it's his best chance to survive while Katniss is focused on her survival skills for the arena.

Both of them are up against formidable foes like Glimmer (Leven Rambin) and Cato (Alexander Ludwig) who won't think twice before killing and possible allies like Thresh and Rue (Amandla Stenberg) who are just like them trying to stay alive. Like in any reality show, alliances are made and then cruelly broken when it becomes clear, it's all about you in the end.

Haymitch, who tries to procure sponsors so that his tributes stay alive, tries to spin "the star-crossed lovers" angle for Katniss and Peeta.  They have to rely on each other to make it through the ordeal.  Besides the clueless public and the sponsors, overseeing the games is Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley) who throws in fire and wild animals to prod the contestants when he thinks the action onscreen isn't interesting enough.  However, the man running them is all, President Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland), is a shrewd leader who's sees beyond Katniss' minor rebellions on the show and the effect it has on the people in the outer districts.

The movie deals with all these characters well, introducing them and setting up their character arcs, only Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Katniss' best friend and Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), her stylist and designer aren't given enough time to develop fully.  But as is the case with any big Hollywood film, it'll all be dealt with in the sequel.  Katniss' story is told through three books that make up The Hunger Games trilogy and the second film is due out next year.

The differences between the Capitol and the outer districts is staggering.  The Capitol is a bustling city of tomorrow whose citizens are obsessed with plastic surgery, color and fashion while in the outer districts, every day is a struggle to survive for basic needs like food and shelter. The bleakness vs. the vividness of the Capitol is seen right away and I'm guessing we'll see more of it in the movies to follow as well.

The costumes are pretty much what I imagined except I thought the flames on Katniss' Girl on Fire dress would be higher.  The movie makes them more realistic.  The mutations were also less scary than they are described in the books; they have the eyes of the fallen tributes and they taunt Katniss, Peeta and Cato.  I guess that would have made it into a stronger rating for the film maybe that's why the idea was dropped.

And lastly the reason why the film was so enjoyable was due to Jennifer Lawrence.  She almost has the same journey as Katniss.  Even though she's an Oscar nominee last year, many people didn't know who she was.  Now, with the promotion and the kind of money the film has made, everyone knows who Lawrence is.  She portrays Katniss' survival instincts and her fear of losing her sister like second skin.  She really is a fine young actress and you identify instantly.  The rest of the actors are all well cast and this becomes the rare case in the film where the actor is cast for the acting and not because he/she looks the part as can be argued for Josh Hutcherson for Peeta Mallark.

The movie will bring in new fans who obviously haven't the books and while the film is very thrilling and exciting, the books have this urgency and fear that can't be translated onscreen.  The Hunger Games has given us a new heroine to root for in Katniss Everdeen and I can't wait to see the rest of her journey as she leads an uprising against Panem.  Trust me, you'll be hooked too.

Directed by Gary Ross; Screenplay by Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins and Billy Ray; Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins; Cinematography by Tom Stern; Edited by Stephen Mirrione and Juliette Welfing; Music by James Newton Howard

Rating: 

The Hunger Games: The Next Big Thing!

The Hunger Games releases next Friday worldwide and I've got a pretty good feeling that the movie will do well.  After Harry Potter and Twilight, it's pegged to be the next big series to follow, but this will actually appeal to adults as well and not just teenage girls.  Suzanne Collins has written a fantastic gripping trilogy about a dystopian future in which children are randomly chosen to fight to their death while the rest of society watches on like a reality show.  It's disturbing but incredibly well-written that you can't help but root for the main characters Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mallark as they struggle to maintain their true self and stay alive.

Elizabeth Banks, Josh Hutcherson, author Suzanne Collins and director Gary Ross

Josh Hutcherson, Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth

The world premiere were held in L.A. and London and judging by the cast and fan reactions, I'd say we have a new fan franchise on hand.  The sequel to The Hunger Games, Catching Fire is already being adapted for the screen by Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) and will be directed by Gary Ross (Seabiscuit, Pleasantville) too.  I can't wait to see how it all unfolds on the big screen next week.  I've tried to limit myself not to spoil too much of the actual clips and TV spots that are being released but I couldn't help but peek at the clip below where Peeta (a character I have a soft spot) gets his TV interview time with Caesar Flickman (Stanley Tucci).  Take a look! 

New Photo: The Hunger Games

(Photo: Entertainment Weekly)

Another photo from The Hunger Games of Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) right before they go into the arena and I do believe Cinna (Lenny Kravitz) is about light their outfit to transform Katniss into 'The Girl on Fire'.  I shouldn't spoil myself with the images from the movie but I can't help it, I feel like right before the first Harry Potter came out.  It's hard to resist.  What do you think of the new image?  

Jennifer Lawrence to announce Oscar nominations!

On January 24th, Katniss Everdeen is going to announce the nominees for the 84th Academy Awards!  No, not really, but Jennifer Lawrence is.  The young actress has already been nominated for Academy Award herself for Winter's Bone and will be playing Katniss in the upcoming The Hunger Games trilogy releasing in March.  She will unveil the nominees for this year along with Tom Sherak, president of the AMPAS early morning at 5:30 am PST.  

The Hunger Games: First Trailer

It's here...after all that anticipation (and a tease of a first look at the MTV Music Awards), the first trailer for The Hunger Games debuted on Good Morning America this week.  And it is amazing.  The trailer only reveals plot points from the first half of the movie, showing us glimpses of the reaping and Katniss and Peeta's transformations.  Very little is shown from the battles in the arena which I think was a wise movie, keep the good stuff for the actual movie.  Many trailers these days end up spoiling the whole movie.

First impression: wow!!! The trailer has gotten me really interested in the upcoming movie.  Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss is as feisty and kickass from the books and Josh Hutcherson seems perfect as Peeta.  Still not sure about Liam Hemsworth as Gale but I've never felt he was a strong character even in the books.  The trailer gives us little teases of all the major characters: Cinna, Effie Trinket, Rue, President Snow and Caesar Flickman.  Woody Harrelson's Haymitch is not at all how I imagined the character when I read the books, the hair is seriously off putting.  Other than, I got chills when I saw Katniss' three-finger salute from District 12.  This movie is going to be epic.  I realize I like saying that about every trailer I see but it seems fitting for this film. March 2012 cannot come soon enough.  What did you think? Are you looking forward to The Hunger Games trilogy?

Entertainment Weekly's First Look at Katniss Everdeen

Just as Entertainment Weekly has become The Hunger Games central and the place to get all your breaking Hunger Games news, this blog might be a bit Katniss-heavy in the next few months.  I'm a Hunger Games fan and I'll need something to fill the void that going to be there once Harry Potter finishes.  I have to have something to look forward to.

Speaking of Katniss, here's Jennifer Lawrence on the EW cover debuting her look as Katniss Everdeen.  Get used to the name, you'll be hearing a lot of it.

So, what do we think? The bow, the arrow, the pin.  It's all there.  And I much prefer Jennifer as a brunette than a blonde.  She's on her way to becoming Katniss.  This makes me eager to see the rest of the cast in their dos now.  How long until that gets released?  

News Update: Aronofsky out of Wolverine and The Dark Knight Rises gets a another villain?

• We'll start off the linkage with some bad news.  Darren Aronofsky is no longer attached to directed the Wolverine sequel.  This puts the film in grave danger of being made.  Boo!
• Jennifer Lawrence talks about being Katniss.
• What's Daniel Radcliffe going to do after Harry Potter? He's going on Broadway in "How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying".  No danger of Voldemort following him there.
• Channing Tatum is in talks to star in the "Peter Pan" origin story.  Could this have potential? You'll have to convince me.  
• Variety is reporting that Joseph Gordon-Levitt will be playing Alberto Falcone aka The Holiday Killer in The Dark Knight Rises.  Gordon-Leavitt was long rumored to be in the film and today's announcement makes everything nice and official.  Juno Temple (Atonement) is also supposed to be up for a supporting role in the film.  

The Hunger Games finds its Katniss!

So, the big news for today is, it's official: Jennifer Lawrence is Katniss Everdeen in the first of The Hunger Games trilogy.  I've got mixed feelings about this because I know Jennifer is a great choice.  Amazing actress and she'll absolutely kill it (pun intended) as Katniss in the film but I really was hoping they would cast an unknown in the role.  It's a huge risk, yes, but I felt while reading the book that the character of Katniss sprung out of the book, she tried to be a nobody and blend in society minding her business but then was thrust into the national spotlight and became a symbol for the resistance.  We need somebody to sneak up on us like that.

Jennifer comes with director Gary Ross' and author Suzanne Collin's approval as well.  Now, as we have Katniss, who will the rest of the cast be? I am hoping for Elle Fanning as Prim and Katniss' younger sister.  She would totally fit.  *fingers crossed*  Roles yet to be cast include Peeta (Katniss' fellow competitor), Gale (Katniss' friend and ally), Haymitch (Peeta's and Katniss mentor in the games) and Cinna (designer and friend to Katniss).  It's sure is going to be exciting to find out who gets the roles.