reviews

The Dictator +++

Fri, 18 May 2012 14:24:21 +0100

The Dictator, Sacha Baron Cohen’s first foray into a narrative fictional comedy, tackles politics in his typical bawdy, over-the-top style of satire. Essentially a romantic comedy in structure, with moments of absurdity as Baron Cohen continues to push the bill of acceptable comedy, while tackling our own political structure with an often gleeful, satirical irreverence.

Sacha Baron Cohen is an acquired taste, as, with any comic, his specific brand of humor isn’t for everybody. This no doubt applies to The Dictator, Baron Cohen’s latest addition to his incendiary, often graphic slew of comic characters, such as Borat, Bruno and Ali G, this time playing Admiral General Aladeen, dictator of the fictional north African country Wadiya.

Ruthless ruler Aladeen (Baron Cohen) is summoned to New York City to testify to the United Nations after rumors Wadiya is attempting to enrich uranium. Agreeing to go after the encouragement of his trusted advisor Tamir (Ben Kingsley), Aladeen is kidnapped in New York, his iconic beard is cut off, and he is soon replaced by a double before testifying to the UN. Thus the plot of The Dictator becomes a rather run-of-the-mill mistaken identity story, as Aladeen must survive the streets of New York City, as he teams up with a Zoey (Anna Faris), an activist who believes Aladeen is a Wadiyan refugee.

Baron Cohen struggles with telling a wholly fictional, scripted story. The Dictator does offer up a lot of laughs and some extremely ballsy political commentary, as the film takes jabs at the whole political, social spectrum. Not all of the humor works, however, as the film is a rough-going in between the more sketch-style of comedy that redeems the film.

Where the sketch-style comedy comes in is in the broad range of comedic approaches the film takes. There are many bawdy moments to be had, including a rather disturbing birthing scene. There are moments of racial and social comedy that is certainly not accepted in typical conversation, but in Baron Cohen’s delivery is often uncomfortably hilarious. It is the political commentary, however, that works the most here. The Dictator takes jabs at the entire political, social spectrum with a keen eye and wit that offer up the most laughs of all.

Featuring many supporting characters and cameos, the talent here is as willing to poke fun at themselves as they are others, which is a refreshing approach to comedy. The issue here is in the considerable amount of time spent in between these moments of hilarity, which attempts to move along a story that isn’t nearly as revolutionary as Baron Cohen’s usual brand of comedy.

The Dictator fires at half-capacity, with an unimpressive story and its share of comedic misses, when the film works, it works marvelously. As a political satire, Baron Cohen highlights the faults in society he sees by bringing them to light in the most extreme, uncomfortable fashion. While this brand of comedy will no doubt keep a large number of audience members at arms length, it is worth sifting through the film’s failures to experience what it’s like to witness Sacha Baron Cohen work his comedic magic.

Grade: B-

Rated: R (for strong crude and sexual content, brief male nudity, language and some violent images.)

Dark Shadows ++

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:46:53 +0100

The children of the 00s might not believe it today, but before Tim Burton only made mediocre remmakes of classic children's films, he made films that were actually scary, and pretty good! After the financial battleship that was 'Alice in Wonderland', Burton was given permission to take a huge budget and make his dream project, Inception-style. Surprisingly, Burton's 'dream project' was even weirder than Christopher Nolan's: a comic reboot of a 1960s gothic soap opera that neither I nor anyone I know had heard of prior to the announcement of this film.
'Dark Shadows' is about as close a Burton film to his classics 'Edward Scissorhands' and Beetlejuice' as his fans should dare to dream about at this stage in his career.

The 10-minute prologue to 'Dark Shadows' is visually stunning and genuinely interesting, which is more than can be said for most of the film. When we first arrive at the Collinswood mansion, it feels like something out of 'Edward Scissorhands', 'Batman' or one of Burton's other classics. As the characters continue to appear, the narrative becomes more confused, and some plot threads are opened that are never closed. Helena Bonham Carter's character is a waste of time, in my opinion, and only an excuse for Burton to include his wife in the film.
'Dark Shadows' fails to be scary, or even atmospheric, due to the amount of jokes in the script, although some of them are quite funny. The film certainly passes the laugh test for a comedy, but Burton clearly wants it to be more than a comedy. He wants it to be everything. The last half-hour of the film is a mess- the cheesiness is upped by 500% and the special effects take a turn for the ridiculous. Johnny Depp is engaging as always as the film's protagonist, Barnabas, but Chloe Moretz and Michelle Pfeiffer's characters are so unoriginal that they make every scene more dull.
Tim Burton superfans should see the film, purely for the beginning and for Depp's performance, and fans of 70s references and fish-out-of-water stories will also be entertained. For everyone else, stay in your dark shadows until 'Frankenweenie' is released later this year.

The Cabin in the Woods +++

Sat, 05 May 2012 12:46:33 +0100

There are certain films where to give away even the most basic of details would ruin the experience of the film. Such is the case with The Cabin in the Woods, a film so rooted in the unexpected, to trust writer-director Drew Goddard and co-writer-producer Joss Whedon is all the preparation you need.

Taking the long used horror setup of college kids heading on a remote vacation retreat, The Cabin in the Woods abuses the horror genre as much as it pays homage to it. Writers Whedon and Goddard have managed to point-out all that is at fault for this often tired genre, as it also acknowledges the clear roots these filmmakers have in it.

This is about as much as I feel comfortable explaining, although from what I saw of the trailers after having seen the film, marketing was much more liberal in doling out spoilers. The experience is so fresh and unique, the story so ripe with unexpected twists and turns, that to have this experience significantly marred would be quite a shame. That being said, the film works strongly on a second viewing, so it’s really an experience that can’t be hurt.

Of the five college students, each character is likable, but is more of a stereotype rather than having much personality or depth, which is oddly exactly what the film intends. There is good girl Dana (Kristen Connolly), jock Curt (Chris Hemsworth), his girlfriend Jules (Anna Hutcherson), the likable stoner Marty (Fran Kranz), and nice guy Holden (Jesse Williams), who journey up to a cabin in the middle of nowhere for a weekend retreat of relaxation and fun.

The originality here, even within the archetypes and self-aware cliches, is off the charts. It’s very rare that a movie can surprise from, quite literally, the opening scene. Goddard and Whedon have infused hilarious moments into the proceedings. For a “horror” film, the comedy is ramped up, particularly for people aware of what the film is commenting on. The film is never frightening, although there are a few jumps, but don’t let that dissuade you from seeing this, as it is delightful horror in nearly every possible way.

For even the most causal movie fan, it will soon become clear just how many cliches or archetypes are present within the film, not just for the characters, but the events and even the dialogue. At the same time, the dialogue is so sharp, and the mystery is so intriguing, that the self-aware commentary on the state of movies today doesn’t outstay its welcome.

Films simply don’t get away with the amount of unique, unconventional moments and commentary that is in this film. There’s a reason there have been three (and soon four)Paranormal Activity films in the past few years, it’s safe and guaranteed to bring in an audience. The same cannot be said for The Cabin in the Woods, a curious and strange combination of a hilarious, bloody, meta commentary on all that is right and wrong with society and today’s moviegoing experience which only occasionally becomes excessive or missteps.

Turning the tired horror genre on its head, The Cabin in the Woods is absolutely delightful in nearly every way possible. Side-achingly funny at times, with all you’d expect from a mystery-horror, Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon have managed to create a spectacularly original genre-bender that offers non-stop thrills and laughs in equal measure.

The Pirates! In an adventure with scientists! ++++

Sat, 05 May 2012 12:37:00 +0100

It’s rare to get children’s films that are anything but safe these days. The exception to this comes in the form of Aardman Animation’s The Pirates! Band of Misfits, a delightfully off-beat, witty and clever pirates adventure.

In typical Aardman fashion, the film blends stop-motion animation with scenery-enriching computer graphics that actually add to the visual appeal of the film. In tradition with Aardman’s past films, such as Chicken Run and Wallace & Gromit, The Pirates! Band of Misfits’ visual style is rich, unique, and refreshingly textured. With an added history background of 1800’s England with such figures as Charles Darwin (voiced by David Tennant) and Queen Victoria (voiced by Imelda Staunton) prominently featured throughout the film’s 88 minute running time.

Hugh Grant voices the Pirate Captain, a mediocre pirate with high ambitions – winning the coveted Pirate of the Year Award. This quest takes the Pirate Captain and his ragtag gang of shipmates from the high seas to the streets of victorian London, along with such voice talent as Martin Freeman, Jeremy Piven, Selma Hayek, Brendan Gleeson, Anton Yelchin, Al Roker and more rounding out the list.

From the opening shot, the clever, typically hidden gags, come fast and often, as co-directors Peter Lord and Jeff Newitt packs each shot with detail and action. An issue throughout the film is the main jokes tend to make less of an impact compared to the small moments of wittiness. The story here is pretty light and fluffy, as it relies on these moments of truly delightful hilarity, making the film seem much longer than it’s relatively short running time.

What does work here is so refreshingly funny, that these gags make the film worth exploring on their own merits. Not only are they exceedingly clever and funny, but are packed into the film so tightly, you’ll have a hard time appreciating each one. The talent on display here is quite impressive, as Lord and Newitt add their own unique signature to the picture. The inclusion of Charles Darwin and a science-based storyline is welcome, however both the pirate and science aspects of the story feel incomplete, particularly when it comes to a rather lackluster final act which fails to display the originality of the film’s promising set-up.

While the action doesn’t reach as high as the film’s wit, the messages are successful. With any children’s film, the underlying themes are as important as anything, and one of the many reasons why Pixar has been so successful throughout the past few decades. In The Pirates! Band of Misfits, the themes of friendship and knowledge as power over personal wealth and triumph comes through strongly. Not only are these worthwhile themes, but they are worked smoothly into the film’s narrative.

While not rich on story, and featuring a rather lackluster final act, The Pirates! Band of Misfitsis a visually rich, exceedingly clever and witty animated adventure from the great Aardman Animation. With a delightful and accomplished vocal cast, strong thematic messages, and a unique vision and execution, the film works on several levels earning its place as a strong animated film that works for all ages.

The Avengers- A Second Opinion

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:49:06 +0100

Whether or not you’ve read the comics or have seen the previous movies, or even if you have only seen Iron Man and don’t particularly like superhero flicks, you’ll find something to enjoy about The Avengers.

As the sixth installment to the Marvel cinematic universe and the mega-film that the franchise had been speeding toward since Iron Man, Marvel’s The Avengers easily stands above them all as the best, or at least the most entertaining.

We begin The Avengers from the perspective of S.H.I.E.L.D. when a mysterious villain named Loki (those that have seen Thor will remember him) shows up and steals the Tesseract (a glowing cube of energy, those that have seen Captain America will remember this) and begins to wreak unimaginable havoc.

It’s at this point that S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) calls for the formation of a team the likes of which have never been seen on the big screen.

As the ultimate crossover film, the film soars magnificently from beginning to end. With his tenure on Buffy and Angel, director Joss Whedon proved that he was the king of the crossover, and with the transition from Firefly to Serenity we saw that he had the ability to translate his season long arcs into a tight two-and-a-half hour running time.

The technical aspects of bringing all of the characters together in a satisfying way was a gargantuan task, and Whedon managed to write each character in a balanced fashion that never made the film seem like Iron Man 3 or a weird Thor spin-off. It’s a team movie through and through and actually reads a little more like Oceans 11 than anything else.

Now, in the coming few days, you’ll hear people talking about how unsuspectingly funny they found the film to be. Since Joss Whedon signed on to write and direct the film, we knew that it would have that very distinctive Whedon-esque twist to it, and after the ultra-realistic Iron Man and the Shakespearean Thor, the tonal change is immediately noticeable.

Captain America asks Tony Stark, “Is everything a joke to you?” and one can’t help but wonder if a little less of Joss Whedon’s trademark wit and a little more of Jon Favreau’s stark reality would have given The Avengers a little more to fear stakes-wise.

Take a good look at that gripe. The only thing that I could find to complain about was that it was sometimes too enjoyable. It’s true, there are moments in this film that will have you roaring with laughter, but its the carefully crafted moments of suspense and drama that will stay with you long after the third act battle sequence pumps your brain full of adrenaline.

Just because a movie is action focused doesn’t mean that it can’t take the time to make things personally connected, and this movie is an excellent example of that.

It’s an ensemble cast, so the performance of every actor lays in the spotlight. Luckily, every actor has assembled in full form and handles this group hug with the utmost care. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans) prove to be more than up to the task of making The Avengers personal and join the film with just as much passion and truth as they have in their solo films.

The characters of Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) have been expounded upon by Joss Whedon to tremendous effect (Black Widow’s secrets prove to be one of The Avengers most intriguing moments) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) proves to be the best of the Hulk that we’ve seen so far, and the Jade Giant might in fact end up being the favorite Avenger of many.

The work on The Hulk in this film is jaw-dropping and is reminiscent of how the character of Ceasar was brought to life in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. We see Mark Ruffalo through that gigantic green face, and because of this, The Hulk doesn’t turn into just another CGI character that we’ve seen in dozens of other films, The Incredible Hulk included. He’s the Gollum/Smeagol of this universe and he’s also going to deliver some of the biggest moments that people remember from the movie. Spoiler: Hulk smashes.

There’s no denying, even from the people that will inevitably claim that it was “too cartoon-y” for their taste, that The Avengers is an incredibly fun ride. It jumps with a lightning fast pace from set piece to set piece, and those that get bored of dialogue easily (even sparklingly witty dialogue) will take delight in the elaborate action sequences that surge the film to its exciting finale. The film is coming to the United States next week, and you better believe that there will be people that sit through this thing three or four times and not get tired of it.

For us, the replay value of The Avengers remains to be seen, but I saw it last week and am still eagerly clutching my tickets to the midnight premiere, my brand new Iron Man 3D glasses readily in my pocket, anxious to take the ride again.

Grade: A

Rated: PG-13 (for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, and a mild drug reference)

Marvel’s The Avengers opens nationwide on May 4, 2012.

The Avengers (Marvel Avengers Assemble) +++++

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:47:43 +0100

As a massive Marvel fan, I have been anticipating The Avengers since Nick Fury appeared at the end of ‘Iron Man’, and I was certain it would be unable to live up to my expectations. Impressively, it did!

All the actors had great chemistry with one another, especially Ruffalo and Downey as Bruce Banner and Iron Man. The visuals were breathtaking, and Tom Hiddleston managed to transform his character into a full-blown superhero movie villain.

However, I thought the characters of Hawkeye, Maria Hill and Agent Coulson were under-used, and too much time was spent on developing Black Widow’s character, the aliens were also featured too little, and I would have liked to learn more about their origins.

In all, the film was incredible, and only made me more excited for Iron Man 3, Captain America 2 and Thor 2.

Titanic 3D

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:04:22 +0100

Mirror, Mirror +++

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:03:34 +0100

There has been a massive change of late in the way Hollywood and its audiences think of entertainment. Bleak and gritty stories seem to dominate the landscape, even when it comes to fairy tales, fantasy, and films targeted toward younger audiences. Mirror Mirror is that breath of fresh air; a delightful, comical and light-hearted take on the classic tale of Snow White. Though its uncertainty in parts ultimately hurts the film, charming and often hilarious performances and the usual breathtaking visuals from Tarsem, help to justify Mirror Mirror as the fairest of them all.

Julia Roberts stars as the “Evil Queen” – I put that in quotations because she isn’t so much evil as a deeply insecure, selfish, and power-hungry woman – who has inherited the throne after her husband, the King (and Snow White’s father), mysteriously vanishes in the dark woods. Deeply jealous of her beauty, the Queen keeps Snow White (Lily Collins) hidden away in the castle, under her watchful eye. It is when Snow White decides to venture out of the castle to explore her kingdom that she meets the charming Prince Alcott (Armie Hammer), who is immediately taken with her beauty. Jealous and angry, the Evil Queen desires to marry the Prince herself, so she hatches a plan to have Snow White killed by her bumbling servant, Brighton (Nathan Lane).

Unable to go through with the plan, Brighton abandons Snow White in the woods, where she is rescued by a group of bandits: the seven dwarves. The dwarves are a perfect example of where Tarsem has taken creative liberties over this classic tale, infusing personality and character into these confidants of Snow White. The seven dwarves are pitch-perfect, with numerous recognizable faces amongst the bunch, including Danny Woodburn (Seinfeld), Jordan Prentice (In Bruges), and Martin Klebba (Project X). With the help of the seven dwarves, Snow White hatches her own plan to win the heart of Prince Alcott and overthrow the Evil Queen in the process.

Tarsem never tries to make the film anything more than its story, with numerous laughs and some terrific over-the-top, self-aware performances from Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer and Nathan Lane, not to mention the terrific give-and-take displayed by the seven dwarves. Mirror Mirror thrives in its oddball fun, campy humor that never outstays its welcome, and goodhearted ways, all wrapped up in outstanding visuals. Where the film suffers is in its trepidations in fully embracing these aspects of the film.

There’s a truly hilarious moment in which Snow White proudly states she’s tired of all the classic stories having the Prince save the Princess, and maybe its time for a change. In a self-aware way, Prince Alcott pronounces that “they’ve focus-grouped this before” and “it works.” Gleefully “meta” aspects of this statement aside, it’s unfortunate that Mirror Mirror seemingly falls to the “focus-grouped” type mistakes in story. The film is unable or perhaps unwilling to fully commit to its special type of humor and story-telling, as it feels obligated to hit the usual narrative beats and often abandon what keeps this film alive: its offbeat humor and fantastical elements.

Perhaps where this is most evident is in Snow White herself. Lily Collins is able to display that she has the ability in there somewhere to match wits and talent with those she shares the screen with, but the film isn’t committed to making her character all that interesting or unique, particularly when compared to the colorful characters and settings throughout the film. Collins displays a quiet and sincere sweetness in Snow White, as well as moments of surprising strength and independence. With precious few moments where she is allowed to break out of this shell, it is the unfortunate case where Snow White is often outshone by the film around her.

At its best, Mirror Mirror is able to showcase the immense visual talent of Tarsem Singh, with utterly hilarious and impressively committed performances – particularly from Armie Hammer, who steals the show – and a campy, sincere, and colorful vision of the classic Snow White tale. While at times feeling unaware of what it really wants to be, Mirror Mirror is a pleasantly delightful family fairy tale, which is a largely enjoyable, if not uneven, fairy tale.

Note: This writer strongly encourages you to stay through a good portion of the credits. (You’ll thank me later!)

Wrath of the Titans +

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:01:27 +0100

Many Hollywood sequels are created just to squeeze every possible dollar out of movie-goers, and, in turn, end up being horrible movies all around. Wrath of the Titans falls into this category in every possible way. With his sequel to the 2010 film Clash of the Titans, director Jonathan Lieberman attempts to use historical, mythological figures in an awful and unconvincing plot, littered with excessive action and mediocre CGI. The superior cast fails to bring any redeeming qualities to the terrible plot. Wrath of the Titans is based on a premise created by Hollywood and fails to set any sense of reality.

The film is set ten years after Clash of the Titans, where we find Perseus (Sam Worthington), half-god, half-human, has chosen to live his life as a human. His wife, Io, has since passed, and he is raising his ten-year-old son, Helius (John Bell), as a fisherman. Perseus’ father, Zeus (Liam Neeson), visits him and states his need for help: the Greek citizens are no longer praying to the gods, and the gods are losing their power. Once the gods’ powers are gone, they will die. Perseus initially declines his father’s request to help, and Zeus tells Perseus that being a half-god makes him stronger, not weaker.

Zeus then travels to the underworld with one of his brothers, Poseidon (Danny Huston), and another one of his sons, Ares (Edgar Ramirez) to seek the help of Zeus’ other brother, Hades (Ralph Fiennes). Once in the underworld, Ares reveals that he has joined sides with Hades, because he is jealous Perseus has always been Zeus’ favorite son. Hades declines Zeus’ request for help and instead tells Zeus he and Ares created a deal with their father, Kronos, a Titan whom the three brothers had overthrown long ago. The gods would receive immortality in exchange for Kronos’ taking the last of Zeus’ power. Poseidon is able to escape the underworld and informs Perseus that his father is captured. Perseus then decides to rescue his father and save the world from a living hell, quite literally. Queen Andromeda (Rosamund Pike) serves as Perseus’ new love interest, and she, along with a few other new characters, helps Perseus on his journey to save his father.

While the plot of Clash of the Titans was drawn from an actual, mythological story of ancient Greece, it still fails acknowledge the reality of that culture, which would never have allowed a tale of the gods’ losing their power. The overarching premise is, therefore, pretty inconceivable (and probably would have been inconceivable to people who lived in ancient times).

The screenplay focuses way too much on fighting and barely allows the audience to digest one scene before it’s already halfway through the next action sequence. The cinematography is extremely choppy, and the CGI is only mediocre, compared with other action movies. While many phenomenal actors were cast in the film (Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes), their unfortunate portrayals of Greek gods were unconvincing and half hearted, making it seem like they only starred in the movie to earn extra money.

If you enjoy watching people fight off a ton of CGI objects being blown up, terrible plot lines, and superb actors in some of their worst roles, then this movie is for you. Otherwise, save your money and wait to see a better action movie.

The Hunger Games- A Second Opinion

Fri, 18 May 2012 14:33:35 +0100

There are precious few instances where a film can transcend its genre trappings, plot and narrative to emote so splendidly the faults of our times. Such is the case with The Hunger Games, a cautionary tale of sorts that confronts the audience with difficult questions and themes in an almost aggressive manner, highlighting the insecurities and low-points of our own culture through the abhorrent act of forcibly sentencing children to their deaths. With a refreshing approach to pop cinema, director Gary Ross has created a harrowing and ultimately satisfying take on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel, with wonderful performances and challenging themes and execution that overpower any issues to deliver a fine piece of cinema.

For those unfamiliar with the now-phenomenon of a story, The Hunger Games is a sort of post-apocalyptic vision of America, where the powerful Capitol has taken control of Panem, and twelve districts of an unsuccessful uprising now live subject to its wrath. In an attempt to maintain an iron-clad grip on these districts, the Hunger Games were put into place. Every year, each district must produce a boy and girl between the ages of 12-18 to compete in a fight to the death on state-wide television. Twenty-four young men and women enter the Hunger Games, and one is crowned victor. As the sinister President Snow (Donald Sutherland) so eloquently puts it, a winner is selected to give the districts hope, the only thing more powerful than fear.

As the “Reaping” – the drawing of participants – for the 74th annual Hunger Games approaches, our heroine Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is dealt the emotional and startling blow of having her younger sister, Prim (Willow Shields), picked for the games. Katniss courageously volunteers to protect her sister, and in doing so faces certain death and the realization she will never see her sister, mother, or even her best friend, Gale (Liam Hemsworth), again.

Katniss is joined by Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) as tribute for district 12, and under the guidance of past Hunger Games winner Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), the eccentric chaperone Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), and the kind stylist Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), Katniss and Peeta are prepared in the Capitol for “the arena,” the site in which they must challenge the “tributes” from other outlying districts to this brutal fight. The Games are just as much about politics and pleasing the powerful as they are about survival.

Taking perhaps a tad too much time at the set-up to the brutal and heartbreaking “Hunger Games,” the ultimate pay-off is a good one. Effectively toning down the more brutal, R-rated aspects of the novel, the brutality and emotional effectiveness of the movie is never really put into question as a PG-13 film. In telling this story through Katniss’ eyes, Ross is able to ensure nothing gets watered down while still avoiding excess.

Gary Ross has ensured this is Katniss’ movie. While the film boasts a larger scope and cast of important characters and situations beyond the immediate awareness of the film’s strong heroine, much of the success of the film lies in the hands of Jennifer Lawrence. There has been much comparison between The Hunger Games and Winter’s Bone – the 2010 film which earned Lawrence a Best Actress nom – and that happens to be an apt comparison, but not quite in the ways one might expect. While both characters are strong, independent woman who have to rely on their own skill and abilities for survival and both are strong performances, the comparisons go past just Lawrence.

Ross and cinematographer Tom Stern have approached The Hunger Games with a uniquely intimate style, making the film look and feel awfully like Winter’s Bone. Though telling a very grand, stylish and grotesque story, the film looks and feels very intimate and small, thanks in large part to the handheld style of shooting. Coupled with editing from Stephen Mirrione and Juliette Welfling that feels immediate and visceral, The Hunger Games manages to imbue Katniss’ perspective and emotional reactions to occurrences that are otherwise harrowing and grand in scale.

It is an impressive achievement that Ross is able to create such an intimate, bleak and stripped-down feel, even within the decadence of the Capitol. Within the over-the-top hair, costumes, set designs, and even personalities of the Capitol’s citizens, Ross always returns the narrative to its core characters and their inner struggles. In addition to Katniss, Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta has several scenes that display such emotional honesty it pulls the film away from its more lavish moments.

Amongst uniformly outstanding performances from Capitol citizens and key players within the Hunger Games, Stanley Tucci as the commentator and interviewer Caesar Flickerman stands out. The flamboyance, personality and almost uncomfortable charm represent the faux reality the “Games” hold for the people of the Capitol. Lenny Kravitz, meanwhile, is pitch perfect as Cinna, Katniss’ stylist and quiet beacon of hope within the mayhem of the Capitol. Ross takes the liberty of adding a few scenes that do a terrific job of building up themes and future developments in the world. A terrific scene that I referenced earlier is one between President Snow and chief game-maker Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley), which touches on the brewing threat Katniss poses to the Capitol. Another heartbreaking added scene is one that illustrates the beginning of the rebellion in the districts. These brief sequences – directed by Oscar-winner Steven Soderbergh – not only work emotionally within the story and narrative but remind of recent turmoil in our world, which makes these scenes of anger and frustration even more impactful.

The script by Ross, Collins, and Billy Ray is admirably faithful to the events of the novel, while capturing a cinematic feel that works as strongly as cinema as it did on the page. In fact, one issue with this adaptation is how closely it follows the build-up to the “Games,” where it drags at times in the early-going. Ross has such a clear vision of how powerful and representative these themes are of our times that he has the ability to add to the source material in astounding and heartbreaking ways.

One of the ways in which this power is achieved visually is through the use of handheld camera movement, which isn’t exactly “shaky” in the sense we’ve come to know from numerous films but has a lot of movement in it. This style enables us to really delve into Katniss’ perspective. Where the shaky-cam doesn’t work is in hand-to-hand combat within the arena, which often becomes tiresome and doesn’t really hold the same impact as the technique has in quieter scenes.

There has always been a cinematic appeal to The Hunger Games, which is evident to any who have read Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel, and this appeal is fully realized by director Gary Ross. At once harrowing and grand, the film is still grounded in the personal portrayal of Katniss Everdeen, played stunningly by Jennifer Lawrence. While the visuals and effects lack in places, holding the film back slightly, the nature of Suzanne Collins’ tale translates perhaps even stronger into cinema, and the grandiose nature of the film shines through in all the right moments.

Gary Ross has such a firm grasp of how the messages of the film affect us that The Hunger Games – the best sci-fi film in years – lives up to its potential. It is a cautionary tale with deep themes and messages wrapped in the most lowly entertainment imaginable: the Hunger Games.

Grade: A

Rated: PG-13 (for intense violent thematic material and disturbing images – all involving teens.)

The Hunger Games opens nationwide March 23.