The Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire already green-lit and set to be released in Fall 2013

The Hunger Games – starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth, Stanley Tucci, Lenny Kravitz, Toby Jones, and Donald Sutherland – has yet to begin its theatrical run on March 23, 2012, but that hasn’t stopped Lionsgate from announcing the release date for the first of three sequels Catching Fire– set for release on November 22, 2013.  The studio plans to split The Hunger Games trilogy, written by Suzanne Collins, into four films, presumably with the final novel bifurcated ala Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Twilight: Breaking Dawn.

The heartbreaking trailer for Like Crazy (2011) shows the difficulty of long-distance relationships

Not everyone has praised the 2011 Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize (dramatic) and Special Jury Prize (acting) winner, but the first two previews for Like Crazy (2011) (the second of which is posted here) appear heartbreakingly beautiful.  Anyone who has struggled through a long-distance relationship ought to relate, and Felicity Jones’s performance has many people buzzing with admiration.  The film makes a decently high-ranking appearance on my Most Anticipated Films list.  The preview and premise has this independent romantic drama looking like a tear-jerking, poignant love-story.

The Odds of Victory for The Hunger Games (2012) & An Assessment of Its Proclaimed PG-13 Rating

With the Harry Potter film franchise completed and The Twilight Saga concluding in November 2012, movie studios have been scrambling to produce the next big, and most importantly profitable, series of adaptations.  They have had a largely disappointing past half-decade given that adaptations like The Golden Compass (2007), The Da Vinci Code (2006) and The Chronicles of Narnia films have failed to generate universal appeal and/or massive box-office success, though the latter two have been popular and lucrative enough to warrant sequels but lack the increasing dividends of Harry Potteror Twilight let alone the triumph of the essentially perfect Lord of the Rings film trilogy.  Just recall how many carbon copies come out in the years following such hugely successful films, whether they involve ancient/medieval wars or magic.  A few films have managed to rise above others, such as the Bourne series (which will continue next year with The Bourne Legacy), but even that solid franchise is less commercial and its target audience is not so widespread.  Despite a number of mediocre to flat-out-flop adaptations, studios still seek out the next gold mine to pack theaters and sell millions of dollars worth of merchandise that would make the economic recession seem almost nonexistent.  However, for the most part studios have yet to find suitable successors to the tent-pole franchises.

Enter The Hunger Games (2012).  Suzanne Collins’s vastly popular young adult novels The Hunger Games Trilogy have been green-lit into four films, the first of which will appear in theaters March 23, 2012.  The source material has all the elements necessary to become a successful film trilogy, but will all audiences, not just the fan-base of readers largely consisting of teenagers, find the movies entertaining and compelling?  Given the assertion that the film will be PG-13 and the fairly inappropriate comparison to the Twilight Saga, I am not entirely sure the filmmakers have the best approach for adapting the books.  Still, The Hunger Games has a great amount of potential that could reach all audiences and turn out to be not only a victorious adaptation but also a gripping film that stands on its own.

NOTE: I have read the novels.  Moreover, you don’t have to read the books before you read this editorial.  While the fans of the books will understand certain insights better, spoilers will be kept to a minimum for the uninitiated.

Film Review: X-Men: First Class (2011)

Don’t doubt the mutant powers – they are alive and well in the supremely entertaining X-Men: First Class (2011).  Following the weak and disappointing X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and X-Men: Origins: Wolverine (2009), most moviegoers had given up on the franchise.  So when the studio announced its decision to make another X-Men movie, many people, myself included, were skeptical.  The poor early marketing campaign for First Class only made more cynics; it boasted posters and pictures of tacky suited mutants.  However, anyone doubting the film’s potential should have had more faith in its creators; this installment may be campy but it is a ton of fun and even moving at times.  In fact, it is perhaps the new king of the series, with X2: X-Men United (2003) as its counterpart.  X-Men: First Class is highly engaging thanks to cool, 1960s James Bond-like direction and impressive performances, especially from its leading cast members.  While it cannot avoid the common setbacks found in prequels, it overcomes them for the most part to make the journey enjoyable.

Film Review: The Beaver (2011)

Will Mel Gibson ever regain his stardom?  Despite a strong turn in Martin Campbell’s gritty revenge/political-thriller Edge of Darkness (2010), the film underperformed at the box-office largely because Gibson couldn’t shake his notoriety stemming from several years of allegations of sexism, racism, anti-Semitism, familial abuse and alcoholism.  Appearing in almost no films in a decade and directing the controversial Passion of the Christ (2004) and underrated Apocalypto (2006) has also isolated him from his former glory.  Now it’s somewhat hard to remember how promising and extremely talented Gibson is as an actor, just re-watch Mad Max (1979), Lethal Weapon (1987), Braveheart (1995), which he directed, The Patriot (2000), or Signs (2002) to catch a glimpse of classic Gibson.  It’s a shame that a new generation of moviegoers may never get to see Gibson gain “freedom” from his troubles and reclaim his former positive prominence.  However, if he continues performing at a high level like he does in Jodie Foster’s The Beaver (2011), the public may have no choice but to re-acknowledge his filmmaking brilliance.  As for the film overall, The Beaver is a heartfelt family drama and character study that is limited by its tonal shifts, tidiness, and flawed premise.  If viewers can get past the repulsive behavior of Gibson the man as well as the goofy premise, then they will witness one of his best performances as an actor that truly makes this quality film worth a viewing.

83rd Annual Academy Awards Nominations, Predictions, Polls, and Pre-Ceremony Analysis (UPDATED WITH RESULTS)

The 83^rd annual Academy Awards ceremony will be broadcast live on Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 8 PM EST; James Franco and Anne Hathaway will host the presentation. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), largely comprised of filmmaking professionals and executives who vote on the Oscars, announced this year’s nominations on January 25, 2011. To view previous years’ nominees, winners, and analysis, click here.

Included below is the list of Oscar nominees. I ranked the nominees in order of how likely they are to win in their respective categories, NOT in order of my preferences. Nonetheless, I have written some thoughts, notes, and perspectives (under some categories) regarding the nominees’ chances, histories, and which are my favorites.

Also, DON’T FORGET TO VOTE! – Please vote as if you were an AMPAS member and casting your own ballot, regardless of my predictions and what you think will win. Vote for what/who you think is the best in each category.

* I shall update this post after the presentation on February 27, 2011 to highlight the winners (in red). *

Film Review: Winter’s Bone

Despite its critical acclaim, Winter’s Bone has been a largely unknown film for mass audiences. This indie, with a budget of only about two million dollars, grossed approximately seven million dollars in its theatrical run; it is far from a Hollywood blockbuster. Nonetheless, the film, adapted from Daniel Woodrell’s 2006 novel of the same name, is destined for numerous award nominations. It has already won several accolades, including the 2010 Sundance Film Festival’s “Grand Jury Prize” (Best Dramatic Film) and “Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award” (Best Screenplay), and lead actress Jennifer Lawrence has been nominated for the Golden Globe’s Best Actress. I missed the chance to see the film in theaters during the summer but finally watched it recently. Winter’s Bone is an absorbing, atmospheric drama-thriller led by an excellent, breakthrough performance by Lawrence.