The Hunger Games grows up...

Out of the shadow of an enjoyable, but half baked first film, steps a much more mature offering in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.  The second film in the series joins Katniss and Peeta following their victory in the 74th Hunger Games of the first film.  This film explores the social and political impact of their joint victory within the land of Panem.

We get to further explore the devious contempt of Donald Sutherland's character, Snow.  Something sorely lacking from the first instalment.  We also get a great performance from Phillip Seymour Hoffman.  His character adds gravitas to proceedings.  The 'things that go unsaid' nature of his story arc adds a very thoughtful element.
The first film was very much about survival.  You could also liken early adolescence to survival too.  Your life is rapidly changing.  You are plucked from the safety and security of primary school, thrust into the harsh dog eat dog world of secondary school.  Much in the same way as the Reaping sees Pledges taken from their homes and put into The Hunger Games.
Moving onto Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and the journey continues in much the same way.  During your early years, from the safety and security of your family home, you have but to think about yourself.  That is not to say that we are all selfish, just that we have yet to be fettered with the responsibilities that are a natural part of adulthood.  Now as The Hunger Games moves into it's second instalment, we start to see these more responsible, adult elements start to appear.
This starts with the scene between President Snow and Katniss.  Snow immediately acknowledges the deception of Katniss' relationship with Peeta, and asks that it continue.  Snow insists that Katniss do whatever it takes to convince him that it is real, otherwise Katniss’ family will be at the mercy of Snow.  So not only are we dealing with the concept of deception, but also the idea that Katniss is having to do something that she does not enjoy in order to keep others safe.  A very grown up concept, and signs that we are moving out of the comfort of childhood and into adolescence and young adulthood.
Then we are introduced to the Mockingjay symbol for the first time as a symbol of rebellion and propaganda, spray painted on the tunnel wall during the train journey to District 11.  An introduction to the politically charged element of this second film.  Having arrived in District 11 on their victory tour, Katniss and Peeta are expected to give a speech.  Effie has prepared these already and hands them cards that they need only read from.  After only a few words Peeta abandons the cards and speaks from the heart.  With the image of fallen tribute, ally, and friend Rue looking down upon her, Katniss is compelled to follow suit.  

     “Everything beautiful brings her to mind.  I see her in the yellow flowers that grow in the meadow beside my house.  I see her in the mockingjays that sing in the trees."

After these heartfelt words from Katniss, an elderly gentleman in the crowd raises a silent, three fingered salute, a symbol of the growing rebellion.  Members of the Capitol's police force are quickly on hand to put a stop to it by shooting the elderly man.
A distraught Katniss gets a very real lesson on how her thoughts, words and actions have very real consequences on everyone around her.  Like I'm sure all parents will agree however, there are still some things that are kept from Katniss.  In much the same way parents protect their children from some of the harsher realities of life for as long as possible.  This becomes apparent in the final scenes when we find out that a plot to start a rebellion was happening all around her during the 75th Hunger Games.

As the first film introduced us to the concept of The Hunger Games.  It focused mainly on the mechanics of the games survivalist nature.  In this way it was likened to films such as Battle Royale, meaning that those unfamiliar with the books were coming to watch the film with expectations that were skewed from the start.  Being compared to such an adult themed and violent film made the first Hunger Games seem perhaps more childlike than it actually was.  Throughout the second film we get glimpses of rebellion.  People talking about hope.  Unrest in all the districts, and silent salutes in respect to the two main characters that add much more.  This comes to a dramatic climax at the end when we are brought to the precipice of a full scale uprising.  When we also find out that District 12 has been flattened and Snow has followed through with his earlier threat, Katniss' steely look tells us that we have crossed a threshold and there is no going back.  A fine ending that left me wanting immediately to see the final instalment of this franchise.

As the final credits began to roll, I turned to a friend who I was watching the film with and jokingly bet that the final film would be split into two parts.  An annoying trend with such franchises.  It appears the trend will continue with The Hunger Games, where we can expect to see 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1' on our screens just before Christmas next year.  My only hope is that it isn't a case of all the action being shoe-horned into part 2.

Silver Lining and the Oscars...

With The Oscars done for 2013, I looked back on the winners and found no surprises, other than that of Best Actress. This year it went to Jennifer Lawrence, and up to that point my main knowledge of her came from The Hunger Games.  When initially offered the part of Katniss Everdeen, Jennifer Lawrence said she needed several days to think about it. Even though she was a fan of The Hunger Games novels, the scope of the part and the project could potentially go on to effect her future career.  As we know, she took the part, and I must say that it definitely seemed a part that didn't quite sit comfortably with her on screen. It will be interesting to see if that changes in the next instalment, now having one under her belt.  As a result of that performance, I couldn't imagine her sinking her teeth into a role that went on to land her the Best Actress Academy Award.

I missed the initial run of The Silver Linings Playbook at the cinema.  It was a time when I was still suffering the effects of an awkward and unintentional 'man date' situation.  Myself and a friend went to see Ruby Sparks together, not really knowing what it was all about.  As the credits began to roll, we looked across at each other knowing exactly what the other was thinking. What we had seen could only be described as a date movie.  Because of this, and an inkling that Playbook could be another potential 'man date' situation in the offing, Playbook passed me by.

Luckily, due to it's Oscar success, it was brought back for a select few showings.  So off I went, making sure I didn't miss another opportunity.  I had to get over my initial frustration at my local cinema not putting any trailers in before hand (something I've only experienced once before), which lead to me missing Bradley Cooper's opening monologue.  Once I had done this, I knew from the start I was watching something that I wouldn't find entirely comfortable.  In part due to the brilliant performances by Lawrence (Tiffany) and Cooper (Pat), and in part because they are so well supported by the likes of Robert De Niro (Pat Snr.), Chris Tucker (Danny) and Jacki Weaver (Dolores).

Pat and Tiffany are both Bi Polar sufferers.  Pat begins that film in a mental institution, where he has admitted himself to avoid jail time for beating his wife's lover to within an inch of his life.  Tiffany has lost her husband, and subsequently started sleeping with everybody she can.  The mental problems suffered by the main characters are so well executed, and between them Cooper, De Niro and Weaver create a home that is so exquisitely dysfunctional that you can see where Bradley Cooper's Pat has come to suffer from his own demons in the way that he does.  Pat's then dogged refusal to believe that his relationship with his wife is over, and his and Tiffany's using of each other to get what they want, is played out well enough to make you wonder why this would ever be considered a romance of any kind.  So that in the end, I was so convinced that their happy ending wasn't going to happen that I found myself fighting the urge to shout at the screen in frustration.

I enjoyed the film that much that it left me wondering not whether Jennifer Lawrence was good enough for her Oscar, but whether her own amazing performance was verging on being swallowed up by the strength of the supporting cast.  If you haven't seen this film already, get in there while you can for this limited post Oscar run.  You won't regret it.