The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014) Movie Review

OK, so it's been a few months since I posted on here and I apologize for that. I have been busy with work and the museum I volunteer at, but that doesn't excuse my absence.

I finally got to watch The Hunger Games: Mockingjay 1, and if you haven't seen it... I highly recommend it! I really liked the first two movies, but for me this one was the best so far. I can't wait to see the second part.

Jennifer Lawrence does an exceptional job as Katniss Everdeen, as she did in the first two installments of this franchise.

When the movie begins, Katniss, along with survivors of District 12 are in the long thought destroyed District 13. Among the survivors of District 12, which was destroyed by the Capitol, is Katiss's mother and sister, Gayle and many others. Katniss was rescued after the last games abruptly ended when she shot an arrow at the force field surrounding the arena knocking it out. Katniss tries to adjust, but can't seem to get over the fact that Peta Mellark was not rescued with herself, Finnick, and Bee Tee.

After seeing a propaganda spot by the Capitol in which Peta is asking the resistance to stand down, Katniss realizes that he is being made to say those things. She begins to become what everyone wants her to be... The Mockingjay! Katniss takes a huge leap, or push, forward to becoming the Mockingjay when she visits a hospital in District 8, and minutes after she leaves the hospital is destroyed because of her. Katniss, along with Gayle, who is being filmed takes out the hovercrafts that destroyed the hospital. While watching the still burning ruin of the hospital, knowing there are no survivors, Katniss turns to the camera and tells President Snow (Donald Sutherland) that "If we burn, you burn with us!"

But, the best performance I saw throughout the whole movie was from Josh Hutcherson as Peta Mellark. In the first two installments Peta is a mild mannered boy trying to survive or make sure Katniss does. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body. In this movie you can visibly see that something is off in Peta. Sure he is still mild mannered, and at one point he warns District 13 of an attack, but you can see the strain of him being imprisoned is taking a toll. It isn't until after he is rescued that the truth is revealed. He was being brainwashed with Tracker-Jacker venom. The brainwashing told him to kill Katniss, and that is just what he tried to do. One of the last scenes is of Katniss approaching an observation window to Peta's room, where he is strapped to a gurney. Peta is, for the lack of a better word, going nuts trying to escape... straining against the restraints... bouncing around on the gurney...

I give this movie 10 stars out of 10 stars. Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Donald Sutherland and Julianne Moore all give great performances in their respective roles. As does Sam Claflin as Finnick. Jennifer Lawrence even sings in this installment; she sings The Hanging Tree, which was written by Suzanne Collins when she wrote the book this movie is based on.

If you haven't seen this movie yet, hurry...

Popeye (1980) - Movie Review

Today is August 11, 2014, and we have lost an American Movie Icon. Robin Williams died today and he will certainly be missed. Of all the actors out there today and in the past Robin Williams has always been my favorite. That being said I have decided to review my ALL-TIME favorite Robin Williams movie... Popeye!

The story is a great one with all the characters we loved watching in the cartoon. The adaptation Director Robert Altman and Screenwriter Jules Feiffer brought to the big screen in 1980 was phenomenal. Casting Robin Williams as Popeye, Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl, and Paul L. Smith as Bluto were genius.

I won't go into any particular scene like I have in the past because the whole movie is wonderful. I give this 5 stars out of five stars.

Though I won't go into the three scenes I love I will say that all the actors that were cast for the parts they played were genius. I especially liked Dennis Franz as Spike, Bill Irwin as Ham Gravy, Ray Walston as Poopdeck Pappy (Popeye's dad), and Paul Dooley as Wimpy.

On second thought I will describe three scenes I love in this movie.

The first scene is when Popeye goes to the diner and ends up in a one-sided fight between Spike and some other Toughs. The Toughs make fun of the way Popeye talks and looks. Popeye would have walked away but when the Toughs made fun of his parentage Popeye took exception and asked for an apology. Rather than getting an apology from the Toughs, the Toughs try to get apologies from some of the other patrons. The scene is well choreographed.

The second scene I liked is the scene Bluto is frustrated that Olive hasn't come down to their engagement party. He sings a song called "I'm Mean" while destroying the house that Olive and the Oyls live in. Also in this scene Bluto sees Olive with Popeye, who have by this time found Sweet-Pea. Bluto squeezes his eyes shut so hard that when he opens his eyes he literally sees red... everything except skin pigment is red. Now that is taking "Seeing red" literal.

The third scene I liked was when Popeye saves Olive and Sweet-Pea at the end of the movie. The dancing and singing throughout the movie are pretty good.

While I will always love watching all of Robin Williams movies, it will be hard for a while for me to watch them. I did not know Robin Williams personally but over the years through his movies I and other fans have grown to think of actors and actresses as part of the family.

Robin Williams... You will be missed.

Wrath of the Titans (2012) - Movie Review

If you haven't guessed by now I am attempting to connect one movie to another in some way or another. Connecting the previous movie to The Wrath of the Titans is actor Sam Worthington. Although I could have connected using Liam Neeson or Ralph Fiennes, I chose to use Sam Worthington.

Worthington reprises his role from Clash of the Titans as Perseus. Liam Neeson reprises his role as Zeus and Ralph Fiennes reprises his role as Hades. In Wrath of the Titans Hades teams with Ares (Edgar Ramirez), the God of War, to take down Zeus and Poseidon (Danny Huston) and release Kronos.

In order to save Zeus Perseus must team with Agenor (Toby Kebbell) and Queen Andromeda (Rosamund Pike). Agenor is Perseus' cousin, a son of Poseidon. Queen Andromeda was saved by Perseus in the previous movie, she became queen when both her mother and father were killed.

Just like the last movie I liked the mythology of it all. Although it is completely different using creative license by the writers. Since the writer wrote Io as deceased, Gemma Arterton did not reprise her role. However, Rosamund Pike is an equally beautiful substitute.

The graphics are awesome and spectacular. Especially when Kronos is released from his prison and brings his wrath down upon Zeus, Hades and all human-kind. Perseus saves the day after killing his brother, Ares. The action scenes are pretty cool. The labyrinth is pretty cool also.

I give this 10 stars out of 10. Excellent movie!

Clash of the Titans (2010) - Movie Review

Gemma Arterton also starred in another fantasy movie in 2010... that being Clash of the Titans. In Prince of Persia she played a Princess who was charged with a sacred mission by the gods. In Clash of the Titans she plays Io, Io in Clash of the Titans is the protector of Perseus. Io, according to the movie, rebuffed the advances of an unknown god and was cursed with immortality.

Perseus (Sam Worthington) is the son of Zeus (Liam Neeson) and Danae (Tine Stapelfeldt). Danae was tricked by Zeus as he was disguised as Danae's husband, Calibos (Jason Flemyng). Calibos is enraged that his wife is impregnated by Zeus and kills Danae and her child... well he tries to kill the child. Perseus survives. Calibos is hit with a lightning bolt as he attempts to toss Danae's casket into the sea. The lightning bolt disfigures him.

I know I say this a lot, and I mean it a lot, I really like this movie. Although, the creative license that the writers have utilized in creating Clash of the Titans has been pretty extreme. Don't believe me. Look up Io or Perseus or any of the other characters online. The way their lives are depicted in Clash of the Titans is pretty different than what the ancient Greeks believed. Fortunately for the writers, these characters are made up... so they can use as much creative license as they was in order to make the kind of movie they want.

I liked a lot of the fighting scenes. Especially the scene when Perseus and his fellow travelers are fighting Medusa. Perseus is successful in chopping her head off which was his mission to begin with. However, it cost him his companions... including Io, who he had begun to fall in love with. And the bitch of it was... she loved him also.

Because I love mythology and everything that goes along with it I loved this movie. It didn't hurt that Gemma Arterton was in it... she is quite beautiful.  I give this movie 10 stars out of 10.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) - Movie Review

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is based on a video game, but this is more than a video game homage. In the previous movie I reviewed Jake Gyllenhaal played a political cartoonist turned amateur detective. In this movie he plays a prince who is capable of incredible gymnastic feats.

The movie begins by talking about the Kingdom of Persia. Persia was an empire that existed long ago. Many of the stories about Persia are a part of myths and legend... this included. But of course the creator of the video games and the writer for this movie did a pretty good job researching Persia in order to create a realistic looking story.

Prince Dastan (Gyllenhaal) is an orphan and street urchin as a child. As a young boy he saves a friend from being beaten by a guard for stealing an apple. The way he does this is performing his incredible gymnastic flips and jumps. The king of Persia, King Sharaman (Ronald Pickup), witnesses this act of courage by Dastan. After hearing the Dastan doesn't have parents, Sharaman adopts Dastan as his son and raises him as his own to be brother to his biological sons.

Years later, Prince Tus (Richard Coyle), Prince Garsiv (Toby Kebbell) and Prince Dastan along with their uncle, Nizam (Ben Kingsley) and their army attack Alamut. A spy reported that Alamut was supplying weapons for the enemies of Persia. Dastan does what he does best and allows the Persian army to enter Alamut and conquered it. In Alamut, Dastan discovers not only his destiny but the truth. He also discovers Temina (Gemma Arterton), Princess of Alamut.

Prince of Persia is not only a fantasy story, it is also a love story. For in this movie Dastan and Temina fall in love as the story continues. However, in the end Dastan is the only one who remembers.

There are many scenes I like about this movie. I like Dastan's gymnastic abilities. I love the fact that Gemma Arterton was cast to play Temina; she is very beautiful woman.

This movie gets 9 stars out of 10 from me.