565
21 August 2012
R. Linda:
I don't usually do movie reviews, but in this case, you'd find this one right up your alley. Last night I watched The Hunger Games, a futuristic story starring Bristol Palin, ok kidding, not Ms. Palin but the young actress, Jennifer Lawrence. I had to find humour somewhere so this was it, so forgive the stab at making you smile (excuse the pun).
Like the Twilight series (which I have not seen) Tonya had to do a lot of talking to get me to watch this movie. I haven't recovered from the sappy and sobby Notebook, but I finally succumbed to what I thought was a more mature Harry Potter movie. I was wrong! It is more like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and I was hooked, but unlike The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, this movie will appeal to less mature audiences.
If the scenery seems familiar, it is the same used in The Last of the Mohicans. If you like that picture (which is one of Tonya's favourites because Daniel Day-Lewis was in it) you will recognise some of the places filmed and that may distract you for a wee bit, but that's the only thing that will distract you. The film is riveting, and for the most part (not all) it flows easily from one situation to the next. Even the music is perfect, adding to the excitement, sadness, and sorrow, and builds each scene to a smooth transition between life and death struggles.
The early concept has a Sophie's Choice comparison in that there is a horrible set of circumstances. Unlike Sophie, decisions are made in which young people are drawn to fight to the death by lottery, retribution for fighting a war that the other side won. But like Sophie, a choice arises as one child takes the place of another, the emotions should be powerful here. The gut-wrenching choice that Sophie made and the viewer's reaction is not achieved. The scene in The Hunger Games didn't come close leaving me disappointed. I wanted to feel that horror and the sacrifice but it fell short. Without giving too much away, as you watch that scene you might ask, would I be brave enough to love that much to do the same? Because the opportunity to affect the viewer intensely was lost, the thought doesn't resonate as it should have.
Once the "tributes" were taken to the city, I found myself wondering during the vetting process, why these chosen young people would not balk at some of the things they were required to do. But shortly, one ascertains they knew their turn might be coming and they were prepared to handle swords, bows, arrows, knives, etc., and the survival of the fittest had been with them early. A little melodramatic, for sure, a little unrealistic, yes, but it kind of works.
Tonya drooled over Lenny Kravitz who was very convincing as a "stylist" with a heart, named Cinna, who offered some damn good advice to our heroine. However, it made one wonder has he an ulteriour motive down the road? It is just enough to keep the viewer guessing and Kravitz did the role justice. The casting couldn't be more perfect. Stanley Tucci's portrayal of the host of the Hunger Games, Ceasar Flickerman was spot on host-wise. And Wes Bentley as the games keeper, besides having the most interesting beard I've ever seen, was convincing as his character began its undoing in an attempt to put on a "good show."
This is a movie of female empowerment that is exceptionally well acted by Miss Lawrence. But credit goes to Director Gary Ross for drawing out the best of his actor's abilities and in particular Lawrence's Katniss character's convincing performance seemed to convey to the audience she was really scared, really mad, really concerned, really there. And most importantly her unique oneness was intact from beginning to end.
Though I hate that something so terrible in story content as the Hunger Games could be conceived and brought to the bookshelves and screen, I realise as most would, that we have had child sacrifice in world history in many cultures (think Mayan). That we would like to think ourselves too "civilised" to such a thing in this day and age is a misconception. One has not far to look to see we as humans still do some pretty horrific things to our children; take the child soldiers of Sierra Leone who are forced to fight at ages they aren't fully aware or awakened from childhood; thrust into an adult primal world, to become mini killing machines, brainwashed and threatened to do the bidding of a more powerful group.
In a deeper sense, the film evokes the idea that humans as individuals have always tried to make sense of their world. This film will help the thinker to realise just how close to nature we are as a product of evolution rather than God's creation. Simple forms of thinking morph into complex forms and all this from within the human psyche. This alone keeps us above the lower creatures. Here is reductionism taken to a mini extreme as if the great pieces of a machine were dismantled and one is reduced to examining the individual parts (even in minuscule) that are necessary to get the whole of the machine working, i.e. the government selecting the best to live, the others die, not to mention retribution at its most violent (small cogs in a big wheel).
The film's premise, much like the devastation growing in Africa that is currently being visited upon its primal lands, leaves in its wake victims of limitless greed, and need which parallels the movie's regions of people devastated by war and now feeling the effects of oppression, in which they become the needy and downtrodden, with no rights, no real freedoms, and hanging over their heads payback in the form of a deadly lottery.
The Hunger Games is more than about the empowerment of women, it is about oppressive governments and how oppression leads to the slow boil of rebellion. Think about it, underlying all that is the concept of family, readily apparent at the beginning of the film, and reminded again with the death of Rue (played beautifully by Amandla Stenberg). Family is never forgotten in the flashbacks as Katniss struggles to survive and keep the good within her intact in a savage environment. At times the group's taunting of Katniss is enough for the viewer to see how anger can lead to savagery. The hunting of Katniss is well done and well mastered by Ross's cinematic images and special effects.
There should be no aggrandisement of the film concept, only the idea that survival can cost, but may be achieved if one works hard enough toward that end. That a female may be as adept as a male in fierce situations is no longer a concept dreamt up by feminists. If SHE is driven to protect SHE will at all costs do what is necessary -- the momma lioness. In this case, the hope is she will from a natural predilection of protection of family, take on the big guys and overturn the oppression of one group over another to hopefully a more harmonious end. It takes but one voice.
I have not read the trilogy, so I am writing without the benefit of complete knowledge of the story. However, by this first instalment of three, I see where the story is going. And if I am correct, then this first instalment does a nice job of setting up the downtrodden to not taking it anymore, rethinking taking on not each other, and turning an aware and hungry eye toward the governing body. I think the portrayal of the "haves" in power is revealing in that there is just enough soft living to find an edge. Donald Sutherland's mysterious leader (President Snow) is well done, he looks like a kindly old grandfather but he is nothing near that. I rather enjoyed his scenes, the menace was an undercurrent among the roses, and I did wonder if the film purposely showed him tending the roses, the thorns hidden but there ready to prick the tender, the one who decides to clip or trim. The idea of blood on snow was in the back of my mind.
This film will entertain you, have you on the edge of your seat, but most of all make you think and hope. I can't think of a better perk to seeing a film than to come out and think about our oneness, our individuality, but also our connection to each other.
Gabe
Copyright © 2012 All rights reserved
21 August 2012
R. Linda:
I don't usually do movie reviews, but in this case, you'd find this one right up your alley. Last night I watched The Hunger Games, a futuristic story starring Bristol Palin, ok kidding, not Ms. Palin but the young actress, Jennifer Lawrence. I had to find humour somewhere so this was it, so forgive the stab at making you smile (excuse the pun).
Like the Twilight series (which I have not seen) Tonya had to do a lot of talking to get me to watch this movie. I haven't recovered from the sappy and sobby Notebook, but I finally succumbed to what I thought was a more mature Harry Potter movie. I was wrong! It is more like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and I was hooked, but unlike The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, this movie will appeal to less mature audiences.
If the scenery seems familiar, it is the same used in The Last of the Mohicans. If you like that picture (which is one of Tonya's favourites because Daniel Day-Lewis was in it) you will recognise some of the places filmed and that may distract you for a wee bit, but that's the only thing that will distract you. The film is riveting, and for the most part (not all) it flows easily from one situation to the next. Even the music is perfect, adding to the excitement, sadness, and sorrow, and builds each scene to a smooth transition between life and death struggles.
The early concept has a Sophie's Choice comparison in that there is a horrible set of circumstances. Unlike Sophie, decisions are made in which young people are drawn to fight to the death by lottery, retribution for fighting a war that the other side won. But like Sophie, a choice arises as one child takes the place of another, the emotions should be powerful here. The gut-wrenching choice that Sophie made and the viewer's reaction is not achieved. The scene in The Hunger Games didn't come close leaving me disappointed. I wanted to feel that horror and the sacrifice but it fell short. Without giving too much away, as you watch that scene you might ask, would I be brave enough to love that much to do the same? Because the opportunity to affect the viewer intensely was lost, the thought doesn't resonate as it should have.
Once the "tributes" were taken to the city, I found myself wondering during the vetting process, why these chosen young people would not balk at some of the things they were required to do. But shortly, one ascertains they knew their turn might be coming and they were prepared to handle swords, bows, arrows, knives, etc., and the survival of the fittest had been with them early. A little melodramatic, for sure, a little unrealistic, yes, but it kind of works.
Tonya drooled over Lenny Kravitz who was very convincing as a "stylist" with a heart, named Cinna, who offered some damn good advice to our heroine. However, it made one wonder has he an ulteriour motive down the road? It is just enough to keep the viewer guessing and Kravitz did the role justice. The casting couldn't be more perfect. Stanley Tucci's portrayal of the host of the Hunger Games, Ceasar Flickerman was spot on host-wise. And Wes Bentley as the games keeper, besides having the most interesting beard I've ever seen, was convincing as his character began its undoing in an attempt to put on a "good show."
This is a movie of female empowerment that is exceptionally well acted by Miss Lawrence. But credit goes to Director Gary Ross for drawing out the best of his actor's abilities and in particular Lawrence's Katniss character's convincing performance seemed to convey to the audience she was really scared, really mad, really concerned, really there. And most importantly her unique oneness was intact from beginning to end.
Though I hate that something so terrible in story content as the Hunger Games could be conceived and brought to the bookshelves and screen, I realise as most would, that we have had child sacrifice in world history in many cultures (think Mayan). That we would like to think ourselves too "civilised" to such a thing in this day and age is a misconception. One has not far to look to see we as humans still do some pretty horrific things to our children; take the child soldiers of Sierra Leone who are forced to fight at ages they aren't fully aware or awakened from childhood; thrust into an adult primal world, to become mini killing machines, brainwashed and threatened to do the bidding of a more powerful group.
In a deeper sense, the film evokes the idea that humans as individuals have always tried to make sense of their world. This film will help the thinker to realise just how close to nature we are as a product of evolution rather than God's creation. Simple forms of thinking morph into complex forms and all this from within the human psyche. This alone keeps us above the lower creatures. Here is reductionism taken to a mini extreme as if the great pieces of a machine were dismantled and one is reduced to examining the individual parts (even in minuscule) that are necessary to get the whole of the machine working, i.e. the government selecting the best to live, the others die, not to mention retribution at its most violent (small cogs in a big wheel).
The film's premise, much like the devastation growing in Africa that is currently being visited upon its primal lands, leaves in its wake victims of limitless greed, and need which parallels the movie's regions of people devastated by war and now feeling the effects of oppression, in which they become the needy and downtrodden, with no rights, no real freedoms, and hanging over their heads payback in the form of a deadly lottery.
The Hunger Games is more than about the empowerment of women, it is about oppressive governments and how oppression leads to the slow boil of rebellion. Think about it, underlying all that is the concept of family, readily apparent at the beginning of the film, and reminded again with the death of Rue (played beautifully by Amandla Stenberg). Family is never forgotten in the flashbacks as Katniss struggles to survive and keep the good within her intact in a savage environment. At times the group's taunting of Katniss is enough for the viewer to see how anger can lead to savagery. The hunting of Katniss is well done and well mastered by Ross's cinematic images and special effects.
There should be no aggrandisement of the film concept, only the idea that survival can cost, but may be achieved if one works hard enough toward that end. That a female may be as adept as a male in fierce situations is no longer a concept dreamt up by feminists. If SHE is driven to protect SHE will at all costs do what is necessary -- the momma lioness. In this case, the hope is she will from a natural predilection of protection of family, take on the big guys and overturn the oppression of one group over another to hopefully a more harmonious end. It takes but one voice.
I have not read the trilogy, so I am writing without the benefit of complete knowledge of the story. However, by this first instalment of three, I see where the story is going. And if I am correct, then this first instalment does a nice job of setting up the downtrodden to not taking it anymore, rethinking taking on not each other, and turning an aware and hungry eye toward the governing body. I think the portrayal of the "haves" in power is revealing in that there is just enough soft living to find an edge. Donald Sutherland's mysterious leader (President Snow) is well done, he looks like a kindly old grandfather but he is nothing near that. I rather enjoyed his scenes, the menace was an undercurrent among the roses, and I did wonder if the film purposely showed him tending the roses, the thorns hidden but there ready to prick the tender, the one who decides to clip or trim. The idea of blood on snow was in the back of my mind.
This film will entertain you, have you on the edge of your seat, but most of all make you think and hope. I can't think of a better perk to seeing a film than to come out and think about our oneness, our individuality, but also our connection to each other.
Gabe
Copyright © 2012 All rights reserved
