Month: March 2012

Hunger Games…

/ Varza / Leave a comment

I sit here thinking about the movie “The Hunger Games” and trying to put down in words my thoughts on this movie. I will say there will be spoilers for the movie in this review so proceed carefully.

I guess the best way to start is to discuss the most important issue: adaptation from book to movie. I personally think they did a pretty good job with the adaptation. It is not easy to take any story and adapt it for the screen while keeping the essence and beauty of the story alive. There have been some absolutely horrid adaptations and this is not one of them. I do not know how much Suzanne Collins was actually involved in the creation of the screenplay but it always is a plus to me to see the novels author on that list of names. Yes, as per usual there were many things left out of the movie that were in the novel but they were able to work in many of the more important plot points in other ways. There were times I wish they had expanded upon some parts of the story, like the relationship between the two tributes – Peeta and Katniss. It made it hard to believe there was any connection between the two by the end of the movie – whether it be friends or lovers. But this may work for the upcoming movies or maybe we are made to feel the disconnect, the unrealness just as some of the other characters do. But all in all, it was not a bad adaptation of the novel. While at points the story was rush, it would have been nice if we could have felt a little more depth in the story. More on that in a bit. My favorite part in the adaption is their use of the anchors for the Hunger Games to explain some of the things that happen in Katniss’ head in the novel. They gave us the explanations of certain aspects of the film that we wouldn’t have gotten unless they had inserted a narrator into the story. Plus, it gave us more Stanley Tucci! But it felt that they gave up parts of the actual novel to give us a different aspect of the story. Showing us how the game worked behind the scenes to show us how much of a “tv show” the games are for the people in the Capital.

As for the acting, before I even heard of the novels I heard of the uproar around the casting of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen and I hope they were not disappointed. I feel that she did a wonderful job in the role. One of the biggest traits we see in the novels of Katniss is a kind of disconnect, she has this huge shield up not letting anyone in except maybe her sister and her best friend Gale and I felt that Ms. Lawrence was able to make this happen on the screen. You as an audience member were able to feel this shield she has up because you wanted to see her to express something, anything to see her breakdown and unfortunately this is one of the parts where the screenwriters screwed up because they cut out some of those moments in the novel where Katniss lets it all go and shows so much emotion. These were some of the most powerful moments in the novel because they let us see the humanity in Katniss, instead they did not give that to us and showed us for the most part a very robotic character.

Now the other characters, there acting was very well done as was the casting. You could sense the nonsensical desperation in Effie Trinket (played by the wondrous Elizabeth Banks) in the few scenes that she had. I wish we had, had more of Woody Harrelson. His part in the story is brushed over even more. It would have been nice to see a bit more from him but alas the movie was already a long 2 1/2 hours long. I am very torn on the casting of Peeta. I do not know if I should love it or hate it. In truth, like a lot of the other characters I felt as though there really wasn’t enough of him to be able to really know anything of his character. In the novel, we learn so much about his strength and character after he and Katniss can finally fight together but part of the movie is rushed by and smushed into what now seems to only be one day instead of days and days of time for them to connect and bond.

My favorite character was the President, okay not favorite character but my favorite role in the film because we really don’t see him at all in the first novel but they gave him a bigger role in the movie. Showing us what could have happened with him behind the scenes. But even with a few scenes, Donald Sutherland, was able to show us so much about how this man thinks and what makes him tick. They did a great job casting him in this role because he is one of the few actors I think who could have given us so much and helped set the stage for this important character.

I will say that the screenwriters did a good job at projecting the essence of the overall story into this movie. There is a scene in the film that I believe give us a hint of the next two films and did not happen until then. And I do hope the next two books do make it to the screen and this film doesn’t fizzle out like some of the other series have once they made it to the box office – Lemony Snicket and Eragon. I want to see who they cast in the future movies for certain roles. Can’t you see Meryl Streep as President Coin?

I think fans of the book will be happy with the movie, it gives you more to talk about when discussing the story. It makes you double think some of the things that you thought were important to the novels but maybe they really aren’t. And I think people who go see it may be slightly confused at certain points but will enjoy the movie as well. I wouldn’t take younger children to see it and I think any parents who let their kids see it, should see it themselves and use it as a starting point to a deeper discussion on humanity and how wrong it can go. We have many examples from the past but sometimes a fictional story can help explain the darkness in our own reality.

Now on a side note: Before I had a chance to read the novels, I read a lot of reviews and there were a lot of people aghast at the idea that anyone would think that this was a good idea for a novel for teenagers, tweens or anyone to read. How dark they were and how can they dare make this into a movie?! But in many ways, this is not a new story to us. Even I made the comparison to Battle Royale before I picked up the books. Or even the short story I think everyone I have ever met has read The Lottery. But Collins took this basic plot and made her own story of it. Yes, the idea of killing children for the entertainment or as tribute is something many people could not fathom but in many ways, death as entertainment is not anything new. While not real, just as The Hunger Games is not really real, how many horror films center around teenagers being ganked by some faceless serial killer? In many ways the story of The Hunger Games reminds me of a future despotism society’s version of the Gladiator games. We saw a similar story with The Running Man. This not anything that is new. Yes, it is a horrific idea but death as entertainment is not something we made up recently. Think about how people used to go to hangings for entertainment. I stated it a little bit ago that I think this story is a great thing for a parent to use to sit down and talk to their children. Maybe one day I will use it as well when my son gets older.

To Comic-Con or Not to Comic-Con…

/ Varza / Leave a comment

More specifically San Diego Comic Con. My husband and I recently sat down to talk about trying to make it out to San Diego Comic Con this summer, unfortunately it coincides with some family plans so we couldn’t. Then we talked about trying to make it next year but we are having some doubts. We have both been in the past. I made it the last year that they sold passes at the con for that year. He went the year the Twi-Heads destroyed it. Talking about these events made us wonder if it would really be worth going. I mean it is one of the few conventions we can attend that have some of the artists that do not make it to some of the smaller local conventions. Artists and Writers such as Jim Lee, Geoff Loeb, etc. It is also probably one of the largest gatherings of some of the lesser known artists. Guys who have been in the business for decades but no one stands in line to meet and barely acknowledges. I love meeting these guys, even if I do not know them by name. You can stand there for hours talking to them about their careers, looking at their books and they are always extremely friendly.

But one wonders is San Diego Comic Con really a comic convention anymore? Is it worth really going now for just the comics when it has become just another junket on the Hollywood Press tour for movies? And it’s not just comic movies they show anymore or even really sci-fi/fantasy. Most of them are centered on this but it’s about who can spend the money. I didn’t go and I don’t want to go to run into a famous actor or actress. This is not saying I haven’t met some famous people on the floor… I ran into Joss Whedon, Jim Lee, and more just walking around on the floor. And I loved it but that isn’t why I went.

While there is still a base of comics at the convention it is mainly just a basic con now. It has become a fashionable, hip place to go for your summer vacation. It’s now an item on many bucket lists. And sadly, it is because of this that we may not attempt to go. We want to because we have friends we want to see that will be there but not sure we want to deal with the mass crowds of people lining up to see some hip Hollywood star. This year we are hitting some smaller more local comic conventions in Albuquerque and Denver. As for next year, maybe we will go but we aren’t really sure. I think it depends on who is going and if we really want to hit the crowds. I personally want to go because there is a chance to have a wonderful conversation with a random person or sitting in a panel that others are ignoring and being slapped upside the head with a wonderful conversation that is going on. I don’t want to go to SDCC for the main stream things, I want to hit the Alex Ross table and see about purchasing one of his scratch papers finally. I want to sit in a panel of Garth Morrison as he waxes philosophical about Batman. I want to walk down an aisle and see amazing original artwork. I want to meet a random artist to discuss making comics with. I want to have dinner with friends I rarely get to see. I want to attend the costume contest and cheer for said friends as they conquer the event.

Damn it, I think I just talked us into going…

 

The Way…

/ Varza / Leave a comment

I don’t do many personal blogs anymore just because it seems with everything else going on in my life – baby, husband, school and writing – that sitting down and writing a blog about some random topic just seems to never happen. Especially since my child likes to play with my computer if I have it open. But I am sitting here working on some homework and watching a new movie by Emilio Estevez called “The Way”  which stars his father Martin Sheen. I had never heard of it before and while it was filmed in 2010, it only recently came to OnDemand in the past month or so. I had been seeing trailers for it and wasn’t too sure I wanted to watch it, I mean there are so many other big blockbusters to watch. But today, I decided to put it on just to see what it was about and I will say I am glad that I did.

Not only was I pleasantly surprised by the soft, rolling story that had me in tears from the beginning to the end. But also because in our movie world today its all about the big blockbuster, how shiny and graphic filled it is, that it has to be a major blockbuster with big names in it. While yes it does have Martin Sheen in it, one of the bigger names in Hollywood, you know he did this for the love of his son and you can see this. Emilio plays his fathers son in the movie – literally. It is always nice to see these two working together on the screen. Their dynamic is different then when we see Martin with Charlie on screen. Their moments together are very few and far in between but each time they happen it is meaningful.

I do not want to give too much away but the blurb on IMDB.com states:

A father heads overseas to recover the body of his estranged son who died while traveling the “El Camino de Santiago,” and decides to take the pilgrimage himself.

And it is that simple… a man loses his son and decides to take the journey his son could not make. Now, if you have never heard of the El Camino de Santiago, it is basically a pilgrimage taken by thousands each year from various starting point to the Santiago Cathedral in Spain. It is also called The Way, hence the title, or the Pilgrimage of St James. And it is a pilgrimage people have been taking for thousands of years. I won’t go too much into it, you can easily find out more about it by doing a simple google search where you will get thousands of hits from companies that take you one it, guides, personal stories, photos, histories and more. But first and foremost it is a spiritual journey in all ways.

This is a film about the journey of Tom, his son and those that Tom meets on his way… his reluctant journey mates who all come with their own baggage and desires and pain. It is a personal journey, a spiritual journey and about becoming someone he never believed he could be.

I wanted to write about it because by the time the movie end, it made me want to do something. Not walk the El Camino because I am unsure if I could physically do it right now but to express my enjoyment of the film. Is it an Oscar winner… no but it was a beautiful, moving movie that has made its Way onto my list of must see films for those I care about. Yes, there is a religious aspect to the film because of the fact that its a Pilgrimage but the main part of the story is about a man finding himself and coming to peace with the loss of his only child. We don’t see these movies enough and if they are out there we do not hear of them very often. Its hard to hear their quiet musings through the loud explosions that take over most of our movie outings.

I will say this, I have found that this type of film – a tight story with a small focused group telling it is a specialty of Emilio Estevez as a writer and director. He hasn’t directed a huge amount but I always enjoy it when he does because you can see the love he puts into it.

So in the end I will say… watch the movie and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.