Once More, Again

Conditions: Warm, Sleepy

The Old Traditions

As usual for this time of year, I find myself becoming annoyed at the amount of Christmas decorations that are popping up around town. On houses, shops, inside malls, in the letterbox, on the TV, someone has thrown open the Xmas vault once again too damn soon. There is, as always, one specific and traditional way of telling if it is Christmas yet, through the old URL:

https://isitchristmas.com/



Film Review: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Well if the first film was Running Man Lite for kids, the sequel has done a much better job of stepping up to the plate. Gone are the annoying too-close camera angles, and gone is the annoying shaky-cam, thanks to new director Francis Lawrence I guess. The sequel, in the tradition of all fine sequels, ups the stakes while delivering more of what we got in the first installment. A fact that I started to find annoying by about the halfway point. See I came for a revolution, but instead I get a reality show. Catching Fire reveals how President Snow, unhappy with Katniss becoming a figure of hope to the suppressed districts that serve the capital, determines that the new 75th Hunger Games should consist of the former winners fighting it out. All the better to get Katniss killed off and out of the way as quickly as possible. And that simple premise carries us through to nearly the end of the film. Katniss herself seems to not want to be a revolutionary figure, she understands how devastating war with the capital would be on the people of the districts, and from what we see it does look like any battle would be very one sided. But there is an underlying element of resentment and scheming against the powers that be going on, something that only becomes clear at the end.

Because at the end of the film a big twist happens, one that I won’t spoil. But it’s the kind of twist that changes a lot of the movie you just sat through. I also think it’s the kind of twist that shouldn’t have been hidden. I mean, it’s great they were able to surprise us, and it certainly sets up the next film nicely, but the problem is (obviously) that we didn’t know the twist was coming. So the whole middle of the film is kind of a drag as we watch Katniss and Peta again head to the capital, show off their moves, go on TV, do some training, then get sent to the arena and battle away for half an hour or so. There’s stuff happening in the background that we aren’t shown, and I think that background stuff would have made for a more interesting film.

Despite this, it’s still engaging. Jennifer Lawrence is pretty much perfect in her portrayal of the brave and strong Katniss. Woody Harrelson, Josh Hutcherson, even Elizabeth Banks are all doing great stuff here with their characters, and the film itself finishes on a great Matrix Reloaded beat so we get to anticipate the next chapter, that will be something different. I just get a little frustrated at a film that seems to be relying to a certain extent that the audience had read the book first. Still, I can’t deny i am fascinated with what is going to happen next. Three and a half axes out of five.



- Peace out