The Hunger Games

I don't normally do this.  Usually when I seen something, I read or watch it, and then sit on it for a while, letting it sink into my head.  Not this time.  I've just come back from watching The Hunger Games, the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novel. 

I was going to review the entire book trilogy, and then the movies, but I don't think I'm going to do that.  For one thing, it'll be too much time between reviews, and leaves out the excellent chance to do a brief comparison.  I usually don't do comparisons between books and film adaptations, but for this, I'll make an exception. 

First off, the book.  I read the book at the urging of my friends, and I normally don't read too many teen/young adult books.  I tend to find the themes and stories of self-discovery rather bland and unable to relate to me, even when I was a teen.

Somehow, I find it very unlikely that most teenagers reading The Hunger Games will be able to completely relate to Katniss Everdeen.  How many of us live in a futuristic dystopia, struggling to survive against governmental forced starvation, and then volunteer to participate in a battle royale death match for the spectacle of the ruling class, just to save your little sister?*
Yeah, not too many of us.

At the same time, this is a story that is about survival and the emotions of dealing with tremendous amounts of stress with a dash of relationship and self-discovery added in there.  And I do say a dash.  There is nothing terribly romantic, but it is very honest and bleak.    While there is a sense that the book is a sort of memoir and that Katniss survives, it exists subconsciously in the first person narrative.  The rest of the time, it is never certain whether she will make it, and if she does, what the cost will be.  I wouldn't call it gritty or dark, but it is emotional, heart-wrenching, breath-holding story of survival.

Strangely enough, I find this a refreshing change.

As for the movie...  okay, film makers, pay attention.  This is how you make an adaptation for a book.  Yeah, you can't follow the internal thoughts and emotions, so show them.  Show them, don't tell them.  And yes, there are a few changes and deviations from the book; it's reasonably needed in order for film format.  The changes were made to keep the important details in the story and worked with the story, added original parts presented the audience with information needed, and the parts taken out did not distract from the overall narration.

And in the end, it produced the same effect as the original.  I laughed, cheered and wept at all the same spots as in the book.  I walked out of the theatre feeling the same way I did when I put down The Hunger Games the first time.  It is one of the best adaptations I have ever seen, and an incredible film on its own. 

While I highly recommend both the book and film for readers and audiences looking for, well, everything I said above, I do have to put in a warning.   Both the book and film(s) may not be appropriate for people who are triggered from trauma and/or have a history of mental health issues.  The series does address these issues in its narrative, and due to the very emotional nature of the series, it kinda hits hard at times.  So be aware and stay safe, especially with young viewers.  This one earns its rating. 

Otherwise, enjoy!




*yes, it can be argued that there is sociology-economic-political commentary there, but those aren't my areas of expertise, so I'm not going to address it.  I'll leave that for the people who are better versed in such matters. 

Brendan and the Secret of Kells

Brendan and the Secret of Kells is otherwise known as just The Secret of Kells in some areas.   I have to admit, I'm a bit biased on this one.  I saw it when it came out in 2009 at the Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema, and fell in love with its storytelling and art style.   Plus, I'm always intriguied by animation from areas outside my expertise, and this is a beautiful example.

The Secret of Kells is an animated film about the fictitious origins of the Book of Kells, a rather important piece of Irish history and heritage.  There are many theories on the origins of the Book of Kells, and the movie plays around with some of these in order to build a gorgeous original spin of a story.

The premise of the film is somewhat simple: Brendan, a young boy at the Abbey of Kells, ventures outside the safety of the walls in order to complete the Book, befriending the fairy Aisling and facing the dangers of Viking invaders.  However, the story and characters are well-made and solid, developing in a subtle and meaningful way.  They address serious issues and their own fears relative to their time period and relateable to the audience as they move through a rich celebration of Irish art and history as it unfolds on the screen.

It is a complete delight to watch.  I highly recommend it for families and everyone who loves to watch well made animated films.

Akira

Ah, who doesn't love a movie that starts with a city blowing up? Akira is one of those movies that starts with a bang, and keeps at it for the entire film, starting with its plot and including it's themes and animation. In many anime circles, Akira is considered to be a classic and one of the defining moments in anime history. If you're interested in anime, it's usually required watching, not because a person may like it, but for educational purposes. It's kinda like Neon Genesis Evangelion; you watch it because everyone else has and makes reference to it, even in university lectures*. Except I think more people argue about Evangelion and like Akira more**.

Let me make something clear though: Akira is not a kids movie. Subject matter includes sex, drugs and teenage biker gangs beating the crap out of each other. Which then becomes exploding peoples heads and exploding cities. And that's the simple stuff.

Akira also boasts some interesting theories about where human knowledge and creativity comes from, theories which are dwarfed by the topics that occur in the seven huge volumes of graphic novel that the movie just skims over. The movie takes the basics of the original manga and condenses it into a compact but coherent and spunky whole.

Yes, subject matter can be a tad heavy, but Akira is in no way boring. Rather, it is packed with action, with a lively script and animation that has held up over time. Also, the voice acting for both the English and Japanese cast is really superb. I highly recommend it to viewers, anime lovers or no, new or old, who want something that will take them seriously, is fast-paced and full of action, and who aren't afraid of blood and gritty parts of reality.

I also recommend that you pick the language settings that are the easiest for you to follow along, because you really don't want to miss out for a second when watching Akira. 

*at least, they do in mine. But then, I went to a pretty progressive university with courses on cyborg fiction in English that included a lot of movies, and a course on comics in culture studies where we studied speed lines in manga and had Ty Templeton as a guest speaker.

** However, that's just my opinion.

Sucker Punch

I have to review this one.  I'm not entirely sure how, but I have to.  It's one of those movies that, for better or for worse, you can never fully forget.  It is incredibly unforgettable.

Sucker Punch is purely a fantasy action movie, and doesn't even pretend to be rooted firmly in reality.  For that, I am glad, because if it were taking itself seriously with its loose historical inspirations for its depictions of mental hospitals and by extension, mental illness, then I'd have a problem with it. 

It takes the images and plot points that it needs from stark reality, and weaves them into a somewhat complex narrative and highly detailed graphics.  At least, I think it's suppose to be complex, but I'm pretty sure it's just the visuals that makes it seem that way.

The overall result, however, is an explosive string of action that really wants to be a video game.  Like, it really really really wants to be a video game, so much that it's not sure which setting and genre to place its cast of scantily dressed girls.  But given how brutal the "reality" scenes are, I don't think I can blame it.

And honestly, I'm not entirely sure how I really felt about Sucker Punch when I walked out of the theatre.  There were parts that were just sheer action and eye candy, and parts where it seemed to hint at a deeper meaning behind all the un-sugar-coated reality.

So you can watch it for the action, and you can puzzle over the subtleties, but I know one thing for sure: this movie is not for children or the faint of heart.  

Tron: Legacy

Okay. I love this movie. I saw it twice in theatres in 3D, forgot to take pain medicine, got a headache both times, and it was worth it.   Of course, I was mainly going for the special effects, but hey, the rest of it was worth it too.

Tron: Legacy is one of those sequels that you don't really need to see the original to enjoy, but you have a better understanding of what's going on and the importance of names and events if you do.  Also, you can chuckle at the inside jokes and references that they work in.

But then, I'm one of those that insist in watching things in order, so I'm a bit biased.  Honestly though, this is a good action-based movie with a fairly solid script.  I want to say a good, solid script, but I'm also mindful that I am biased about this.   I like the acting, I like the music, I like the dialogue, and of course, I love the special effects.   Like the original Tron movie (for its time), the computer graphics and special effects in Legacy is just awesome, and suits the 3D medium perfectly.  Not that it's not enjoyable in 2D, but in my opinion, this is how 3D ought to be used. 

What I also is like is how the romance in it is kept to a minimum, if it could be called a romance at all.  Which is kinda refreshing, especially coming from Disney.   I won't argue/discuss feminist points, or potential meanings of free/share-ware vs commercial software here; so let me just say that for the thinking types, there's some brain food for you in Legacy as well. 

So, for wrap up: good plot with a lot of action, good acting, and awesome effects.  To me, this is a good movie for the family, for action fans and even for the thinking people in the audience. Have fun!

Skyline

I'm a little conflicted with this one. I recall watching the trailer and thinking "oh cool!! This looks so awesome!!!" and really, it does look really cool. Skyline has a really interesting story and tries to work beyond its limits as an independent film. There are moments where it is very awesome, full of action and excitement. However, there are moments and scenes where I winced, mainly with the times where characters actually interacted and spoke to one another.

Okay, putting it simply, the dialogue and directing needs a bit of work. The plot was stiff at times and probably would have done better about five years ago, or maybe before the Matrix came out. Also, I don't think that the actors were quite the right choice to make, bur it's kinda hard to tell through the day-time tv drama dialogue.

However, I want to give the directors the benefit of the doubt. The movie has potential, and while it didn't quite live up to the awesome trailer, it was still entertaining. Personally, I'm really hoping that this isn't the I hear of these people and that we have yet to see the best from them, because I would love to see their future movies.

As for this one, yeah, it's no masterpiece, but if you're looking for a decent movie to pass the time, this is a good choice.

AVATAR: The Last Airbender, movie and TV series review

Okay, so it's taken me a while to write this.  I actually saw The Last Airbender in theaters; this is something like my third attempt at writing a review for it.  Maybe I'll get through it this time. 

The movie The Last Airbender based on Avatar: The Last Airbender, an excellent TV series that has lots of fans, myself included. When I saw the first trailers for The Last Airbender movie, I was overjoyed.  I squeed.

And here's why:

The actual series uses influences from many different cultures to create an original world.  The story itself is skillfully crafted so that the characters develop and grow in a manner that is easy for the audience to relate and is extremely enjoyable by a wide range of ages. 

It covers quite a few topics too, from friendship, to people's differences, to dealing with extreme hardships like the death of loved ones, being responsible, and doing what is right, no matter the costs.

Avatar covers these topics without losing its delightful charm and humour, and I greatly recommend it to a wide range of audiences, including families and the young-at-heart. 

The Last Airbender movie, however, doesn't quite live up to the standards of the series.  There are many many issues that I have with it, but I shall be brief.  Basically, M. Night Shyamalan takes most of what makes Avatar great, and tosses it aside, relies on his own egotistical self-justification to not consult the original creators of the series, and takes apart the show and pieces it back together half-haphazardly to create a monstrosity that severely disappoints every loyal fan of the series. 

Seriously.  The script is awkward and stiff, the actors occasionally do a good job, and the only consistently good thing about the movie is the special effects.  The rest of it doesn't live up to the hype.

So in my opinion, save yourself the agony, and watch the original series. 




and oh yeah, I actually made it through it this time without going off on a rambling rant. woot!