The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 | Directed by Francis Lawrence | Screenplay by Danny Strong and Peter Craig

This review will contain spoilers for those who have not seen the previous movies/read the books.

Mockingjay Part 2 set the box office on fire this past weekend. Fans who read Suzanne Collins' books knew exactly how depressing this film could be... Personally, I dreaded watching it because of how the book impacted me: I cried so hard I vomited. Yes, vomited. I just wasn't prepared for all the sadness, and I brought a whole box of tissues to the theater just in case.

Even the overall premise kind of hints that this movie isn't going to be the happiest. Katniss Everdeen has been through hell in back a number of times, all because of President Snow's violent leadership. As the rebel forces gain strength, Katniss knows that the war will not end until Snow is dead. Peeta struggles to recover from his capture as he and the rest of Katniss' squad tries to make it through the Capitol (which has been filled with deadly traps) to reach Snow. All the while, they realize the true costs of war - not just for themselves and the rebels, but for the Capitol as well. Will all the pain and suffering of Panem lead to an era of peace, or will it all be for nothing?

Despite the bleak premise and the gut-wrenching events that occur... I only used one tissue during this film. Some of the heartbreaking things that happen (particularly THE event - those who have read the book know what I'm talking about) were really underplayed. Not on the actors' parts - the screenplay itself doesn't give some moments the right amount of face time to truly impact audiences in an extreme way. Part of me is disappointed that this happened, another part understands in the context of what the film was trying to achieve, and another part is just flat out relieved that I didn't have to go through the whole emotional turmoil that I endured when reading the book again. But that moment when Jennifer Lawrence is screaming at Prim's cat... Oh my God, she did it perfectly. Out of all the film's events, that one struck me the hardest. She's such a great actress.

Mockingjay definitely sends some strong anti-war messages, and I think that's what will resonate with people the most. When it comes to wars and worldly conflict it often seems society picks and chooses who to care about and struggles to sympathize at times. Mockingjay sympathizes with everyone harmed in conflict - rebels, civilians of the Capitol, and those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (Katniss, Peeta, Annie... well, most of the characters, to be frank). This story resonates with people because it isn't afraid of showing how broken we can be and because it's relevant in some ways. The again, that goes for all the installments, not just this one, but the conclusion is where the bigger picture is considered the most.

Even though I have mixed feelings about how some events were presented, Mockingjay Part 2 was one hell of a movie regardless. There's a ton of action, a heavy dose of ethics, and feels - all amid a great score by James Newton  Howard and some on-point portrayals. It seems like a lot of people like to hate on Josh Hutcherson's acting, but I honestly enjoyed his portrayal of Peeta. People also seem to dislike Liam Hemsworth's portrayal of Gale, but I think a lot of the issues connecting with Gale in the films comes from a lack of face time. As a fan of Suzanne Collins' books since 2010 I must say I'm happy with how the films turned out overall.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire | Directed by Francis Lawrence | Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy and Michael Ardnt

I've been quite excited for the release of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - not only because I adore the initial trilogy by Suzanne Collins, but also because I was very happy with the first book's film adaptation. Once again, I have virtually no complaints.

 

Catching Fire takes place just before Hunger Games winners Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mallark are about to kick off the traditional Victory Tour in which they travel to each district in Panem. But, President Snow is unhappy with the outcome of the Games, and he will stop at nothing to make things even more difficult, even if it means having Katniss in another Hunger Games. It is apparent that Katniss and Peeta have inspired some to rebel against their totalitarian government, against President Snow, thus thickening this very intense plot as we all hope that Katniss and Peeta will choose to focus on the good of Panem as well as their own survival.  Hence, Catching Fire was a fantastic novel, and now it is a fantastic movie.

 

Jennifer Lawrence was a huge reason why this film turned out so well, just like the last one. Her acting takes everything to a whole new level; it's easy to really feel what Katniss is feeling, whether it's physical or emotional pain. Between her talent and her general personality, I'll always be a Jennifer Lawrence fan.

 

Plus, I got a bit emotional during a few different parts of Catching Fire, just as I did during The Hunger Games' film rendition, notably when Katniss and Peeta visited District 11. Between thinking of Rue and seeing the awful system of governing take place, my heart broke. Of course, the emotions I felt toward this worst-case-scenario government of Panem were present throughout the entire movie, much like when I read the book. The state their country is in is just so gut-wrenching that it makes my stomach queasy just thinking about it.

 

In terms of how accurate the film was to the book... Well, I read Catching Fire in January of 2011; I don't really remember all of the nitpicky details, so I won't really talk about it from that sort of perspective. However, I will say that all of the major stuff I remember was there and was depicted the way I imagined. The only shock for me was Johanna; I just didn't picture her to look like the actress that played her (Jena Malone) at all. But I was definitely happy to see Finnick, one of my favorite characters from the trilogy.

 

I was also pleased that James Newton Howard wrote the film score again, and the general effects of the film were very cool, especially at the end. And they kept that horrific cliff-hanger... Ironically, I was really hoping that they kept the treacherous ending. Sure, no one really likes cliff-hangers, but I already know what happens, so now I can appreciate why Suzanne Collins would keep us at the edge of our seats like this. But I'm not saying any more than that. Just go watch it!

 

But as far as recommending this to people who haven't read the book (or even the first one, for that matter)... I'm not entirely sure if I can do that simply because so much of the story lies in Katniss' perspective and a lot of information is explained in a clear way. It's not that the movie failed to do anything right, the film simply cannot pause to thoroughly explain everything, and I know the person I was with (who has never read the books) had a hard time following. Fortunately, the books are amazing, so why not just read them?

 

Looking back, I remember when I was so worried about how the Hunger Games films would turn out when I first found out about the adaptations being made; it's such a relief that people are doing justice to one of my favorite trilogies. The setting and characters are so accurate to how I pictured them (with the exception of Johanna). I highly, highly doubt fans will be disappointed; I know I wasn't.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Best Movie Adaptations

It's Tuesday, everybody! Time for Top Ten Tuesday, a lovely meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. Today, our topic was given as Top Ten Best/Worst Movie Adaptations, but I thought I'd condense it to simply the Top Ten Best Movie Adaptations.

 

Harry Potter

Book series written by J.K. Rowling

*Especially The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban, The Goblet of Fire, and The Deathly Hallows Part Two*

This one's probably a crucial part of everyone's list. Childhoods have been defined by both these books and their marvelous film adaptations. They've even impacted my reading experience... How can you not have John Williams' infamous Potter theme in your head while reading the series?

 

The Lord of the Rings

Trilogy written by J.R.R. Tolkien

*Especially The Two Towers and The Return of The King*

 The Lord of the Rings' movies will enchant just about everybody with their timeless film scores and special effects galore. This is basically the only time I can say that I preferred film adaptations over the original books. While I enjoyed Tolkien's trilogy, he writes with a rather passive voice, and many parts (especially battle scenes) were glossed over in the books but given long periods of life in the movies. The excellent movies, I should say.

 

Jane Eyre (2011)

Novel written by Charlotte Brontë

Jane Eyre is a big book, so naturally, any movie adaptation will feel like it's moving at a quicker pace. That's basically the only thing I can think of that might bother people who watch this new version. There's just not much I can find wrong with it. Jane and Mr. Rochester are very vibrant characters in the novel, and they were portrayed very well. I loved it!

 

By the way... notice in the movie poster that Mr. Rochester's face is outlined in Jane's dress. It took me years to notice that. YEARS. I always thought it was weird that she had a bunch of funky light blue stuff on her dress... how did I not realize that there was someone's FACE was there?

 

The Great Gatsby (2013)

Novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald

There were quite a few people who had issues with this new film adaptation. I didn't. It held very true to the book (except I wish it was enforced that Daisy was being abused by Tom; I felt like that was important in understanding what Daisy was going through) and I definitely loved the cast.

 

The Hunger Games

 Novel written by Suzanne Collins

I was so scared of the idea of The Hunger Games being brought to the silver screen; I thought they'd ruin it for sure. But it actually turned out really well. James Newton Howard did the film score (YAY), Jennifer Lawrence was a kick-ass Katniss... I was relieved. I'm sure I mentioned some nit-picky issues here in there in my review, but overall, there weren't any major issues. Plus, it highlighted a lot of the emotion I felt when reading the book.

 

To Kill a Mockingbird

 Novel written by Harper Lee

Honestly, I do believe that they cut a little too much from the book, but I must admit, no one will ever be Atticus Finch like Gregory Peck was. Just getting that out there. And the overall feel of the book wasn't deterred much at all, even though one can't be inside Scout's head as much in a film format.

 

The Help

 Novel written by Kathryn Stockett

Was it a perfect adaptation? No, there were some things cut from the book that irked me a bit, but
there's no denying that this wasn't a great movie. The characters were brought to life almost exactly like how I pictured them while reading, and the acting in general was superb. Both Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer were nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards, and I would've been happy if either one of them ended up winning. But when Octavia did win, I actually cried; I've never seen an actress so genuinely excited before.

 

Blood and Chocolate

Novel written by Annette Curtis Klause

Fans of the book are probably scowling at the computer screen right now, and I know; I get it. Technically, this adaptation sucked. Nothing is the same at all. The entire plot is different, last names are different, there's a character that's alive in the book but dead in the movie, relationships are completely different, the way the pack acts is different, Vivian is different... It's not the same story in any sense. But, I liked this movie. I like both stories. And the film score is one of my favorites of all time.

 

I've also really enjoyed some film adaptations of books I haven't read, such as The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger and Ring by Koji Suzuki. Perhaps some day I'll get around to reading them. Plus, there are some adaptations that have already been released but I still haven't seen yet! I've yet to see J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and Victor Hugo's Les Miserables (I haven't even read the book yet either). Yeah... I'm a bit behind. On the bright side, I've managed watch two of the three episodes of Stephen King's Under the Dome's new TV series. It's a bit different compared to the book, and I really don't mind that much, but some of the characters are irritating me.

 

Anyhow, please feel free to share your thoughts on my choices; it's quite interesting to compare and contrast everyone's Top Ten Tuesday picks in the blogosphere! Have a lovely Tuesday!

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse | Directed by David Slade | Written by Melissa Rosenberg

Fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga pre-ordered tickets and waited in line inside and outside movie theaters yesterday, in rush to see the third film, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. (I pre-ordered my tickets and waited in line for about an hour) Eclipse is directed by the horror film director, David Slade, and that is obvious throughout the film, and it gave it a darker side than the previous Twilight films, but there was still plenty of romance in store.

Bella, the wolf pack, and the Cullens all have to worry about a couple of things. First, they have the vengeful vampire, Victoria, trying to kill Bella (the usual). But now, there is a new problem... a big problem. Murders are skyrocketing in Seattle, and people are missing left and right. This is no work of a serial killer, but an army of newborn, bloodthirsty vampires.

And of course, you have the love triangle between Bella, Jacob, and Edward added to the mix. This is the main reason why males do not get into the Twilight sort of thing... but I am a girl that does not typically take love triangles seriously, so this is coming from a strange viewpoint: In the movie, I really did get into the love triangle thing, but sometimes it can be a bit overdramatic, for one reason and one reason only: Taylor Lautner. No, Jacob/Taylor fans, I am not picking on him. He has good intentions and so much to bring to the films. I really can't picture anyone else as him, to be completely honest. But at times, his acting can really make things kind of dramatic and corny, as if he's trying too hard.

So, with a perfect balance of romance and action, the Cullens and the werewolves team up into stopping the army of vampires, and all the while, dealing with Victoria. This movie has something for just about everybody. Not only that, but Kristen Stewart's narrations are amazing as usual, as well as her acting. Well, everyone played their parts really well just like any other time (except Taylor could be a bit irritating at times).

Since I have read the entire Twilight series, and The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, I do have a biased opinion of the film. There are some parts that I think should have still been included or improved, like Bree Tanner saying that she surrendered to the Cullens, and the better parts of this love triangle, but that's the way movies go. Books are better than movies majority of the time, and that fact stands its ground here. There, I said it, I liked the book better...

But, I loved this movie immensly! It is a great compainion with the book, but I don't think people that see the movie and didn't read the book would have gotten the same effect. That goes for all of the Twilight Saga films.

I loved it. I loved it. I loved it.

However, my opinion is biased, and in my head I'm always going to think: "I loved the movie, but I the book was better." That is why I don't want to give this film a rating, because my opinion changes every minute. I encourage all to go see it (and maybe read the book first), because it is probably the best of the films, it's worth it... AND IT'S JUST AWESOME!

4/5 stars

The Phantom of the Opera | Directed by Joel Schumacher | Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber

5/5 Stars

A musical work of genius!

Many, many people have seen the musical before seeing the film, but I did not. So I really didn't have any set expectations for this film, or any hopes.

The Phantom of the Opera takes place at an opera house that seems to be haunted by a particular "phantom" while the beautiful soprano, Christine, finally becomes recognized for her outstanding voice. Before you know it, you'll dive into a story of a most unusal love triangle. Yes, love triangles get old fast. But this one, as I already said, was most unusal. Even gripping.

This film is oftentimes operated like one big opera. Most lines are sung, not spoken. But the lines they sing and the poetry within, and the music... it's all literately some of the best things I've ever heard in my life. It sent chilles down my spine numerous times. It's all so dark and unique; dreamy. One of those dreams you never want to wake from because of all of the beauty in their hypnotizing abnormalities.

Gerard Butler sings in this movie, playing his role as the Phantom. His voice is always great, and most importantly, he shows so much emotion it seems impossible to even imagine to project. But, he did it. My favorite song he sung was "Music of the Night". Emmy Rossum (who plays Christine) was very surprising. I'd only seen her in one other film, The Day After Tomorrow, and I loved her, of course. Obviously, if you're in the film adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera, you have some serious talent. But how was I to know she had THAT MUCH of a singing talent! And so young! She is one of my top three favorite vocalists based on her mind blowing performance here. Her voice gave me most of the chills I felt, it was clear as a bell and beyond beautiful. Everything she sung sounded perfect. I especially loved these songs she sung (note: some of these were duets): "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", "Raoul, I've Been There", "The Point of No Return", and "The Phantom of the Opera".

If you really get into it, as I did, the ending could make some people teary eyed. The works of art that make you cry are the best ones, especially when it's tragically beautiful like this.

I loved The Phantom of the Opera in every way. This story line, this gothic romance, will captivate you, keeping you in wonder of our main charecters, the Phantom and Christine. The music will give you chills, the ending will unleash a few tears (and a few chills there, as well). It's perfect. It's one of the most beautiful things ever written, and the greatest musical/opera film ever created.