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: 

What I'm Thankful for in 2014: Movies Edition

There's so much to be thankful about every year: family, friends, your health.  But I always make it a point to make a list of movies I'm thankful for. Why? As Mel Brooks once said, "Movies saved my life. They rescued my soul."  I feel the same way.  Through the good times and the bad times, they've been my companion in life.  So without further ado, here's my list of top 5!

GONE GIRL

1) Book adaptations: There were some great book to film adaptations out this year from Gone Girl to The Fault in Our Stars to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1.  And while they stayed faithful to the original material, they have retained their voice.  All of these films debuted at number one at the box office, a pretty impressive feat.  Who says the book is better?

THE LEGO MOVIE

2) The LEGO Movie: I'm still humming the crazily catchy 'Everything is Awesome' from the extremely funny and clever The LEGO Movie from co-directors and writers, Chris Miller and Phil Lord.  With a surprisingly emotional core and hilarious interpretations of iconic characters (I loved Will Arnett's angsty Batman), the animated film was meta to the extreme. But hey, it worked, I can't remember another film where there were more adults for an animated film than children.

THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

3) Comic book adaptations: From March until the end of summer, you couldn't go far without bumping into a comic book film.  They were everywhere, from the universes featuring Spider-Man, some Avengers, X-Men and even some new Guardians of the Galaxies.  And there's here to stay, as is evidenced by both Warner Bros. and Marvel Studios both unveiling a superhero franchise lineup that goes deep in 2020. And I'm afraid that's only the start as The Guardians of the Galaxy proved with claiming the number one this summer season.  Clearly, this audience wants more.

THE EDGE OF TOMORROW

4) Time Travel: This oft used trope was back early this summer in two highly enjoyable films, The Edge of Tomorrow (a clever sci fi Groundhog Day starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt for 2014) and X-Men: Days of Future Past where the X-Men generations past and present collided in an A-list bonanza that audiences loved.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

5) Hiccup and Toothless: It was a long wait but 2014 featured the return of one of my most favorite animated duos, Hiccup and Toothless, older and wise, but just as adorable in How to Train Your Dragon 2.  Their friendship goes through some pretty difficult tests in the second film from the trilogy and that ominous line about Toothless's future has me pretty worried for the finale.  But, until then, let's enjoy the lovable antics these two get into up high in the skies.  

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: 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: 

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.

Around the World in Posters: Gravity, Catching Fire, The Hobbit and more!

Richard Curtis' new love story About Time involves time travel.  I guessed that actually when I saw Rachel McAdams.  Either that or this film is about amnesia!

And the award for the poster most vying for an Oscar nomination goes to... The Butler.

 Ari Folman's The Congress looks seriously trippy as is evidenced in this French poster for the film. Can't wait to see this.  

I must say this is my favorite new poster artwork in a while for the indie Fruitvale Station that's winning raves wherever it goes.  Beautiful, quiet and poignant.  

Posters of The Hobbit, Gravity and Catching Fire after the cut...

Catching Fire: Sam Claflin as Finnick!

So it's official now.  Sam Claflin will play Finnick Odair in the sequel to The Hunger Games, Catching Fire.  Out of all the casting news for the film that came out within the last few weeks, this was the one that fans were eagerly awaiting, including me.

After Peeta and Gale, Finnick's the one character people will tell you that they love.  You can't judge a character by their looks and when Katniss first meets him, he's wearing nothing but a fishing net and a trident!  It doesn't help that he's described as drop-dead gorgeous.  But as author Suzanne Collins reveals Finnick to us slowly over the last two books and his backstory is known, you'll come to like Finnick even more.

Thanks to the fan-vids out there, I'd already imagined Garrett Hedlund (Tron) in the role.  I don't know what Claflin will bring to it as I've only seen the one movie of his, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.  But I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he will do justice to the role.

Catching Fire Casting Update!

Jena Malone

On the heels of the super success of The Hunger Games, its sequel Catching Fire looks to be headed in the same direction by adding to the stellar cast from the first film.  The second film features previous winners of the Hunger Games who come together to take part in the 75th anniversary of the games.

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Amander Plummer 

Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman will be head gamekeeper Plutarch Heavensbee as the last gamekeeper Seneca Crane meets a most dire fate.  Amanda Plummer has been confirmed as Wiress from District 3, half of the duo of nicknamed 'Nuts' of 'Nuts and Volts' by Johanna Mason who, today, we learnt will be played by Jena Malone.  Johanna has a prickly relationship with Katniss so I'm keen to see how it plays out onscreen.  She definitely is an interesting character.  But we still have a long way to go as Catching Fire releases in theaters November 22, 2013.  I, meanwhile, am awaiting to see who will play Finnick Odair.  

Ready, Set, Bow!

Princess Merida from Brave

The hottest weapon in Hollywood that's making an old school comeback through several big blockbusters is the simple bow and arrow.  Typically used for hunting, the origins of the bow and the arrow can be traced back to the Paleolithic age (10,000-9000 BCE) around what is now Germany.  Many civilizations have the archery weapons present in their tradition of storytelling told through generations.  But the emergence of guns as weaponry made them outdated and old-fashioned.  Now it has become more of a recreational activity and has been featured on and off in the Summer Olympics since 1900.

Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games

It is also making a comeback in the movies.  Look around and many of the heroes and more significantly, heroines of these films are archers.  Katniss Everdeen, Clint Barton aka Hawkeye, Prince Arjun from the Mahabharata and in the Pixar film Brave opening today, Princess Merida are all picking up the bow and arrow to show their skills.  Before this, the most famous archer of them all was the legendary Robin Hood who had several Hollywood incarnations, animated and live-action.  The most famous Robin was, of course, Errol Flynn but we recently can recall Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe filling in those shoes as well.

Errol Flynn as Robin Hood

So, why the surge in archers?  It just boils down to timing.  The Hunger Games books have been out for years and the films that features all our protagonists have also been in the works for years.  It is extremely fortuitous that 2012 coinciding with the Summer Olympics puts the sport and bow and arrow in focus.  Not to mention the movies all released on top of each other and were huge blockbusters.

Clint Barton aka Hawkeye

The Avengers has made over a billion dollars worldwide and sits at #3 as the all time box office champ behind Avatar and Titanic.  The Hunger Games stayed atop the US box office for four straight weeks and made over $500 worldwide.  The sequel, Catching Fire, will release on November 22, 2013.  Brave too is poised to do the same from the first original content from Pixar since 2009.  The crew of Pixar actually went to the Scottish Highlands to research the authenticity in the scenes and some of the animators even took archery lessons to get it right.

Geena Davis

The sport will even welcome people who might not previously be inclined to it earlier.  Famously former actress and Oscar winner Geena Davis took up archery and even tried out for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.  This year's archery event will take place at the famed Lord's Cricket grounds in London from July 27-August 3rd where 128 men and women from around the world will compete for medals.  Archers from South Korea, USA and Italy have usually excelled in the sport.

Prince Arjun from Arjun: The Warrior Prince

2012 might as well proclaim itself the year of the bow and arrow.  The past few months have show how well these films have hit the target at the box-office.  It's certainly not because of the weapon they use but how the skill and accuracy employed by the bow and arrow so defines these heroines and heroes.  It becomes their second skin.  It publicizes the sport of archery and gives us characters to root for and admire.  Not bad for the simple bow and arrow.

News Update: Gravity, Brave, Catching Fire and more!

(Video: Rope of Silicon)

• A new Brave featurette by way of France comes our way showing a lot more new scenes with references to the wish-gone-wrong and that ferocious bear.  I really can't wait to see how all this unfolds onscreen.  
• Gary Ross is not retuning for Catching Fire.  He cites the tight production schedules as an issue.  After days of will he/won't he, The Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire will definitely have another director.  The Hunger Games has spent the third weekend on top so I doubt Lionsgate will have a problem finding another to fill Ross' shoes.
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt has dropped out of Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained as he doesn't have the time as he is focusing on his directorial debut.  Don't worry, Gordon-Levitt fans, he still has Premium Rush, Looper, Lincoln and a little movie called The Dark Knight Rises coming out this year.  
• Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock will feature some very long shots.  According to executive producer Chris DeFaria, who spoke at a conference at USC, the opening sequence will contain a one 17-minute take and many shots will be 6-10 minutes long.  The film, however, is only two hours.  The cinematographer for this film is Emmanuel Lubezki (The Tree of Life).  What do you think? Are you looking forward this new style by Cuaron?

Recommended Links: Books Edition!

(Photo: Borders Australia)

• The Book Thief is coming to the big screen!  The book written by Markus Zusak has been on the NY Times Children's bestseller list for over 230 weeks and will be helmed for the screen by director Brian Percival (Downton Abbey).  It takes place in Nazi Germany where young Liesel Meminger "steals" books from mayor's wife and makes friends with the young Jewish fist-fighter her foster parents have hidden in the basement.  The book is narrated by Death.  I'm already imagining Elle Fanning or Chloe Grace Moretz for Liesel.  Wishful thinking?
• Here's the teaser trailer for Stephanie Meyer's The Host.  Look past the confusing Tron music, there are no machines here.  Instead, it's about an alien soul, the Wanderer, who roams the Earth in captured human body of Melanie Stryder looking to find the last remaining humans.  Saoirse Ronan is Melanie/Wanderer and the cast also features William Hurt, Diane Kruger, Frances Fisher and Max Irons (son of Jeremy Irons).  The film is directed by Andrew Niccol (In Time, Gattaca) and will release next March.
• And finally, two Buffy alums are headed to Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, the sequel to Percy Jackson: The Lighting Thief.  Nathan Fillion (Castle, Firefly) will play Hermes and Anthony Head will take over from Pierce Brosnan as Chiron the Centaur.  There are nine books in the Percy Jackson series written by Rick Riordan so start preparing yourself for more sequels if this one does well.  
• Link of the day: Get ready for your close-up, The Hunger Games!  The first film in the trilogy releases tomorrow and here's a refreshingly honest interview in the Los Angeles Times about the film's star, Jennifer Lawrence.  Her name is about to be just as famous as Katniss Everdeen.

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?  

New Effie Trinket Photo!

A website related to The Hunger Games has opened up, http://capitolcouture.pn/, with the password #lookyourbest.  Once you enter the password, this cool picture of Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket is displayed.  Love this look!  What more will the website reveal?

New Photos: The Hunger Games, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Warm Bodies

(Photo: Lionsgate)

Newly released still from The Hunger Games shows Peeta and Katniss in their matching District 12 jumpsuits.  Love it!

(Photo: Hitfix.com)

Emma Watson and Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson) from The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

(Photo: Hitfix.com)

Also in the photo: Mae Whitman and Ezra Miller with Lerman and Watson. 

(Photo: Hitfix.com)

Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: First Class) as a zombie who falls in love with a human in Warm Bodies.

(Photo: Hitfix.com)

Who else remembers him as the little kid from About a Boy? I still heart that film!

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.