Month: April 2014

HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE (2013)

HUNGER-GAMES

That’s the way to do it.

There are many reasons why this film works but the main one is the casting of our main protagonist.
The glue that binds.

I’m not gonna go into it but Kristen Stewart she ain’t.

Jennifer Lawrence really is something else. She was the most interesting part in American Hustle, even though she may have been a little young for the part, you always know that she will bring something real, rooted and emotionally honest and that’s one of the main reasons why this film works.

She is present in all her scenes and gets to the heart of the complex character of Katniss Everdeen.

If you have a great lead and an intelligent story then you can put into place all the other elements with relative ease, as long as you are not an idiot (there are a few out there in the wonderful world of cinema).
The other actors, the soundtrack, the direction all blend into each other in equal parts to make the whole. A beautiful composition has all these elements and while Catching Fire is no Tchaikovsky Piano concerto in B Flat minor it is definitely way above the formula that is applied to most modern music or movies.

I equate all art to this composition theory, all elements in their perfect places complementing each other to make the whole a beautiful piece of art.

Hats off to the new director, Francis Lawrence for taking the reins off Gary Ross and running hard, fast and daring with them.
Lawrence’s previous work was I Am Legend (above average) and Constantine (what a waste) but was also interestingly involved in Kings, an alternate reality version of David and Goliath that showed some serious promise but was axed after one series.
Kings dealt with the internal power struggles and political motivations of the leaders as does Catching Fire. This is what elevates Hunger Games far above any other films aimed at tweens.
It’s not The West Wing but it intelligently deals with hierarchical structures and what they do in order to maintain their power.

It was a treat to see Philip Seymour Hoffman in one of his final performances being just brilliant again; a bittersweet moment when he entered the screen.

By the end of it you are most definitely left with the desire to get Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2 on the go as soon as is possible.
A lot happens in this film and it is testament to the director that he is able to fit it all in without the loss of quality.

Lastly props have to go to Suzanne Collins for creating a very interesting dystopia.
My brother put me onto the books a few years back when I had written them off as some Twilight meets Battle Royale bullshit, I read the first one and was more than pleasantly surprised.

Goes to show you that what you think ain’t always right.

Bring. On. The. Mockingjays.

3.7/5

BUY THE BLU-RAY DVD HERE

DOWNLOAD THE FILM ON iTUNES HERE

 

OLDBOY ‘Oldeuboi’ (2003)

Oldboy-Wallpaper-2

As the remake was coming out and it was being made by Spike, I thought a revisit to the original was in order to refresh the memory.

Chan-wook Park’s 2nd part of his Vengeance trilogy opens with a startling image and doesn’t let up until the final credits. A man holding a dog is being held precariously by his tie off the top of a very high building.

In a sense this could be a metaphor for Oh Dae-Su’s state throughout the film. Never safely on the roof nor splattered onto the ground below. We also feel this as the audience, never quite knowing until the end what the reason for all this is.

It reminded me that I have yet to see Lady Vengeance, the director’s final part to the trilogy, in theme only. It also relit the fire I have for South Korean cinema.

Over the last 15 years or so South Korea has been churning out such quality fare that supersedes the quality of most western films. The first one I saw also came out in 2003, the sublime Untold Scandal, a reworking of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Since then I have been more than impressed by the outpouring of artistic, innovative films that this country has been producing.

Oldboy really is a classic, a film with its own sense of individuality.

Choi Min-sik is brilliant as the main protagonist, Oh Dae-su. He perfectly balances anger, vengeance, confusion beautifully.

Yi Ji-tae plays Lee Woo-jin with charisma and menace and Kang Hye-jung as Mido, Dae Su’s guardian angel is heart breaking.

Rightfully lauded with awards upon its release this epic piece of cinema was always going to be remade, it just took someone with balls like Spike to do it. (Misguided balls?).

If you haven’t seen it, watch it. If you are squeamish, maybe close your eyes for some of it.
(Octopus, anyone?).

It is a superb film that really shouldn’t be tainted by any remake.
I have yet to see Spike’s version, but I will be very surprised if it adds anything to this incredible tale of vengeance and deception.

The music is exceptional. Nearly all of the music cues are named after film titles, mostly noirs (thanks Wiki). And like my friend said, if all the pieces of the film are in place you have yourself a masterpiece. That is most definitely an accurate description of this very well made film.

On another note there is a fantastic documentary-The Autobiography of Oldboy which has English subtitles. It is 3 and a half hours long and really takes you into the process of the making of.

Here is the link, in case you wish to see it:

The Autobiography of Oldboy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D55QL0TkiJ0

4.8/5

BUY THE BLU-RAY DVD HERE

DOWNLOAD THE FILM ON iTUNES HERE