The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) - Lawrence and Lawrence champion YA sci-fi

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Star Jennifer Lawrence looks tough in armor and added on wings on this fiery poster for Francis Lawrence's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

Catniss is in mourning over Peeta's death, when she learns that he is actually still alive but held captive. The resistance movement now position Catniss as their mockingjay, the leader and inspiration for their rebellion.

 

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 is written by Peter Craig (Blood Father (2016)) and Danny Strong (The Butler (2013)), adapting Mockingjay (2010) by Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games (2008)), and directed by Francis Lawrence (Constantine (2005)). It is the 3rd film in the Hunger Games franchise.

Jennifer Lawrence (Passengers (2016)) is still good as the natural center for the films, leading with big emotions and in this one also singing. Mockingjay 1 is a piece of entertaining, youth-centered science fiction with a certain amount of brains behind it; for instance the film also shows how the good heroine is also staged for effect. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 is good but feels a bit like a long middle chapter.

 

Related posts:

 

The Hunger Games franchise: The Hunger Games (2012) - A global, teen-centered sci-fi smash

Francis Lawrence: 2007 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2007 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 

I Am Legend (2007) - Lawrence's overrated apocalyptic slush 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 140 mil. $

Box office: 755.3 mil. $

= Big hit (returned 5.39 times the cost)

[The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 premiered 10 November (London) and runs 123 minutes. Shooting took place back-to-back with Mockingjay Part 2 from September - December 2013 in Germany, including in Berlin, Paris France, Georgia, Boston, Massachusetts and in Los Angeles, California. Lawrence was paid 7.5 mil. $ for her performance in the film. The film opened #1 to a 121.8 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weekends at #1 and two more in the top 5 (#2-#5), grossing 337.1 mil. $ (44.6 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 48.6 mil. $ (6.4 %) and China with 36.5 mil. $ (4.8 %). Co-star Philip Seymour Hoffman died of an overdose at a late stage of production, and the film is dedicated to him. It additionally made in excess of 73.1 mil. $ on the home video market in North America alone. The final film in the original saga was released as The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015), which was Francis Lawrence's return as a filmmaker as well as Jennifer Lawrence's return as a star. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 is fresh at 70 % with a 6.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1? 

Madea's Family Reunion (2006) - Perry returns endearing universe in enjoyable first sequel

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Tyler Perry's popular character amusingly replaced as Andy Warhol's iconic Marilyn Monroe art-piece on this poster for Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion

Madea gets a court ordered foster child, who is a rebellious teenage girl, at a time when she is also advising her grown-up nieces: One is falling on love with a solid, sweet bus driver, while the other is marrying her rich, tyrannical boyfriend through a longer period.

 

Madea's Family Reunion is written, co-produced and directed by Tyler Perry (Acrimony (2018)), who also plays title character Madea as well as two other characters. It is based on Perry's same-titled 2002 play, and the film is a follow-up to the first Madea movie, Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005).

Blair Underwood (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2015-16)) is convincing as the cruel tyrant, and in fact the cast is good throughout here, with Perry back as the wise, hard-hitting Madea - and her low-brow brother. The bus scene is fantastically sweet and romantic - the film's best - and the plot surprises, when it sheds a bold light on incest.

Madea's Family Reunion still manages to be funny, entertaining and heart-warming, although it is also theatrical and becomes cloyingly God-fixated in the end around the inevitable wedding.

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 6 mil. $

Box office: 63.3 mil. $

= Mega-hit (returned 10.55 times its cost)

[Madea's Family Reunion was released 24 February (USA, Canada) and runs 109 minutes. Shooting took place around July 2005 in Georgia, including Atlanta. The film opened #1 to a 30 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another weekend at #1 and another in the top 5 (#5), grossing 63.2 mil. $ (99.8 % of the total gross). Perry returned with Why Did I Get Married? (2006, short), Madea Goes to Jail (2006, video) and theatrically with Daddy's Little Girls (2007); as a star he returned in Madea Goes to Jail. Madea's Family Reunion is rotten at 26 % with a 4.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Madea's Family Reunion?

Gods and Monsters (1998) or, Whale

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Ian McKellen's face in a close-up before a strip of film on this regrettably fold-marked poster for Bill Condon's Gods and Monsters

Great American filmmaker Jimmy Whale's new gardener catches his interest in 1957, when the aging master is troubled by the effects of a heart attack. While he draws, he recalls episodes and highlights from his exciting life.

 

Gods and Monsters is written and directed by great New-Yorker filmmaker Bill Condon (Sister, Sister (1987)), adapting Christopher Bram's (Hold Tight (1988)) Father of Frankenstein (1995), a semi-fictional account of the life of filmmaker James Whale (Frankenstein (1931)).

Condon succeeds in getting a vivid film from this setup about Whale, which could have easily become a too passive, backwards-oriented item. This is avoided with a solid base in Ian McKellen's (Stardust (2007)) brilliant performance as Whale, with competent support from Lynn Redgrave (Shine (1996)) and Brendan Fraser (Blast from the Past (1999)), who are delightful here in each their own way. 

Gods and Monsters serves a sentimental story filled with tenderness and a defense against the very sentimentality from the collapsing master's own sense of personal record. The score by Carter Burwell (Carol (2015)) is terrific, and the film is mighty entertaining. A minor reservation is that it in fleeting moments is too film and studio-like, SPOILER including in the last shot of Fraser, in which he acts as a monster in the rain.

 

Related posts:

 

Bill Condon:  The Greatest Showman (2017) - Brace for an infectious musical show (co-writer)

Dreamgirls (2006) - Rousing star turns in unreal and sentimental musical

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 10 mil. $ 

Box office: 6.4 mil. $ - North America alone

= Uncertain - but likely a big flop

[Gods and Monsters premiered 21 January (Sundance Film Festival) and runs 105 minutes. Shooting took place in 24 days from June - July 1997 in California. The film opened #19 to a 75k $ first weekend in North America, where it peaked at #17 and in 149 theaters (different weeks), grossing 6.4 mil. $. Regrettably the international gross numbers are not released online. If we assume a likely 13 mil. $ total gross, the film would count as a big flop. It was nominated for 3 Oscars, winning for Best Adapted Screenplay. It lost Best Actor (McKellen) to Roberto Benigni in Life Is Beautiful and in Supporting Actress (Redgrave) to Judi Dench in Shakespeare in Love. It also won 1/3 Golden Globe nominations, was nominated for a BAFTA, 3/4 Independent Spirit awards, 3 National Board of Review awards, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3/4 star review, translating to a notch under this one. Condon returned with The Others (2000, TV-series) and theatrically with Kinsey (2004). McKellen returned in Apt Pupil (1998); Fraser in The Simpsons (1998, TV-series) and theatrically in The Mummy (1999); and Redgrave in White Lies (1998, TV movie) and theatrically in Strike! (1998). Gods and Monsters is certified fresh at 95 % with an 8.50/10 critical average.]

 

What do you think of Gods and Monsters?

Monster's Ball (2001) - Performances ignite Forster's heavy drama

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Three stars in different dimensions, praise from Roger Ebert and a sundown color scheme is used on this gritty poster for Marc Forster's Monster's Ball

A correctional officer at death row in a Georgia prison is readying his son to facilitate his first execution, following in his father's footsteps. But although it takes place, other things go awry, and the man re-evaluates his life, meanwhile he begins a relationship with the widow of an executed prisoner.

 

Monster's Ball is written by Milo Addica (Birth (2004)) and Will Rokos (Shadowboxer (2005)) and directed by great German-American filmmaker Marc Forster (Loungers (1995)). The title refers to a get-together that corrections officers and a prisoner about to be executed arrange on the night before the death sentence is carried out.

Thematically heavily loaded (executions, guilt, shame, abuse, racism and suicide), this serious drama moves forward thanks to fine performances from Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs (A Raisin in the Sun (2008, TV movie)), Billy Bob Thornton (Chrystal (2004)), Halle Berry (X-Men (2000)), Coronji Calhoun as Berry's son Tyrell, and Peter Boyle (Sweet Evil (1996)) as Thornton's racist father. The 'lump of sugar' that the film offers up to counter its depressing scenarios, is erotica that liven up scenes between Thornton and Berry, although I won't rule out that there are also instances of Oscar-bait overacting and exaggerations here and there.

Monster's Ball is a film about survival, riding with the waves and continuing life, when it gets dark and paradoxical. It is a fine film.

 

Related posts:

Marc Forster: 2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV] 2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
World War Z (2013) - Forster, Pitt and Co.'s preposterous zombie junk  

Machine Gun Preacher (2011) - Butler finds faith and a Sudanese purpose in Forster's incredible true story

2004 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

Finding Neverland (2004) - Forster and an inspired cast strike gold with story of Peter Pan's creation 

Halle Berry talks to Roger Ebert about the film in a 2-minute video here 

 

Cost: 4 mil. $

Box office: 45 mil. $

= Mega-hit (returned 11.25 times its cost)

[Monster's Ball premiered 11 November (AFI Fest, USA) and runs 111 minutes. Addica and Rokos wrote the screenplay in 1995, inspired by their difficult relationships with their fathers. Shooting took 5 weeks from May - June 2000 in Louisiana. Berry was reportedly paid 600k $ for her performance. The film opened #29 to a 110k $ first weekend in 7 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #12 and in 676 theaters (different weeks), grossing 31.2 mil. $ (69.3 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 3.5 mil. $ (7.8 %) and Australia with 1 mil. $ (2.2 %). The film was nominated for 2 Oscars: Best Original Screenplay, lost to Julian Fellowes for Gosford Park, and Best Actress (Berry), which she won. The film was also nominated for a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, 2 AFI awards, won a prize in Berlin, was nominated for an Independent Spirit award, won 3 National Board of Review awards and several other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, translating to 2 notches higher than this one. Forster returned with Finding Neverland (2004). Thornton returned in CatDog: The Great Parent Mystery (2001, TV movie), Billy Bob Thornton: Angelina (2001, music video) and theatrically in The Badge (2002); Berry in The Bernie Mac Show (2002, TV-series) and theatrically in Die Another Day (2002); and Heath Ledger (Paws (1997)) in The Four Feathers (2002). Monster's Ball is certified fresh at 85 % with a 7.34/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Monster's Ball?

Saw II (2005) - Bousman's effective reality show-like horror sequel

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A version of the poster with two cut-off fingers that the MPAA banned, for Darren Lynn Bousman's Saw II

A temperamental police officer searches out Jigsaw, the sadistic mastermind of the horrors of Saw (2004), but he then finds that the hooded psychopath has his own disobedient teenage son locked in in a gaseous hell with a group of ex-cons...

Saw II is written by Leigh Whannell (Saw) and co-writer/director Darren Lynn Bousman (Identity Lost (2001)).
The scenario of Saw II feels like the crazy life-or-death reality show that cannot be produced in real life. The new death traps draw inventively on claustrophobia, fear of needles, the inherent reluctance against cutting in one's own eyes, the fear of burning alive and more. The film achieves a high level of suspense due in part to the committed performances of Donnie Wahlberg (Dead Silence (2007)), who is good as the officer in question, and Tobin Bell (Buried Alive (2007)) as the diabolical lunatic Jigsaw.
But the script has some weaknesses: It seems incredible that Wahlberg smuggles mass-murderer Jigsaw out from confinement past all of his colleagues to locate his trapped son's whereabouts. The film's ending is too reminiscent of the first film's; it lacks closure and is unsatisfying. The smart thing about it from a franchise point of view is that it leaves the viewer in the condition of wanting more.
The mania of editing violently is intensified from Saw and annoys to some degree. Still, Saw II is a fair sequel.

Related posts:

Darren Lynn Bousman: Saw III (2006) - Good performances in Bousman's grisly third trappings
Saw franchise: Saw (2004) - Wan and Whannell's landmark horror beast 

Tobin Bell gives an interview about the movie here

Cost: 4 mil. $
Box office: 147.7 mil. $
= Mega-hit (returned 36.92 times the cost)
[Saw II was released 28 October (North America and 4 other markets) and runs 93 minutes. Wishing to fast-track production after the first film's major success to have a first sequel by next Halloween, the producers bought Bousman's unrelated The Desperate horror script and developed it into Saw II. With a budget 4 times the size of the first film's, shooting took 25 days from May - June in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The film opened #1 to a 31.7 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another week in the top 5 (#3) and grossed 87 mil. $ (58.9 % of the total gross). The MPAA banned the film's 'severed fingers' poster but only after it was already released. More than 10k pints of blood were donated at the film's annual Red Cross-partnered 'Give Til It Hurts' blood drive. The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 13.7 mil. $ (9.3 %) and Germany with 7.5 mil. $ (5.1 %). It is the highest-grossing Saw film in North America and the 2nd highest-grossing worldwide so far, after Saw III (2006). The film debuted #1 on the home video market, selling 3.9 mil. units in its first week in North America, accruing extra tens of millions of dollars. The franchise returned with Saw III (2006), also Bousman's and Bell's next gig. Saw II is rotten at 37 % with a 4.63/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Saw II?

Frida (2002) - Hayek, Molina shine in Taymor's excellent biopic

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+ Best Big Hit Movie of the Year + Best Biopic of the Year + Best Poster of the Year + Breakthrough of the Year: Salma Hayek

Salma Hayek looks stunning on this invitingly colored and balanced poster for Julie Taymor's Frida, which mirrors the painting style of the title character

During the first half of the 20th century, Mexican painter Frida Kahlo is made an invalid in a bus accident at age 18, meets the love of her life, the unfaithful Diego, and becomes a great artist.

Frida is written by Clancy Sigal (In Love and War (1996)), Diane Lake, Gregory Nava (Selena (1997)) and Anna Thomas (The End of August (1981)), based on the book Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo (1983) by Hayden Herrera, and directed by great Massachuetts-born filmmaker Julie Taymor (Titus (1999)).
It is a sensually dense, bubbling, inspired film with fantastic photography by Rodrigo Prieto (A Study in Gravity (2013)). It is impressively staged and scored with wonderful, often painful music by Elliot Goldenthal (Heat (1995)).
Centrally stands two major dramatic performances: Salma Hayek (No One Writes to the Colonel/El Coronel no Tiene quien le Escriba (1999)) arguably in the best role of her career, and Alfred Molina (Return to Zero (2014)), perhaps also in his best. Kahlo's art is utilized most inventively in the storytelling of Frida. It is a splendid film.

 

Related post:

 

2002 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 12 mil. $
Box office: 56.2 mil. $
= Big hit (returned 4.68 times its cost)
[Frida premiered 29 August (Venice Film Festival, Italy) and runs 123 minutes. Herrera's book was optioned in 1988, and the film was thus underway for more than a decade, before it reached fruition. Molina gained 35 pounds for his role in the film. Shooting took place in Mexico, including Mexico City, in and around March 2001. The film opened #31 to a 205k $ first weekend in 5 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #9 and in 794 theaters (different weeks) and grossed 25.8 mil. $ (45.9 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Germany with 6 mil. $ (10.7 %) and Mexico with 3.5 mil. $ (6.2 %). The film was nominated for 6 Oscars, winning 2, for Best Score and Makeup. It lost Best Actress to Nicole Kidman in The Hours, Art/set Direction to Chicago, Costume Design to Chicago, and Song (Burn It Blue by Goldenthal and Taymor) to Lose Yourself from 8 Mile. The film also won 1/2 Golden Globe nominations, 1/4 BAFTAs, an AFI award, a National Board of Review award and many other honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, equal to its rating here. During the #MeToo hullaballoo, Hayek came forth in 2017 and accused distributing executive producer Harvey Weinstein of trying to get sexual favors from her during production of Frida, as well as pressuring her into accepting performing in a 'gratuitous' sex scene. Taymor returned with Across the Universe (2007)). Hayek returned in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003), Molina in Undertaking Betty/Plots with a View (2002). Frida is certified fresh at 75 % with a 6.87/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Frida?

Fierce People (2005) - Wittenborn and Dunne's savagely under-appreciated coming-of-age gem

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+ Best Shooting Star Actor of the Year: Anton Yelchin + Most Under-Appreciated Movie of the Year + Best Box Office Disaster of the Year + Worst Distribution of the Year + Best Youth Movie of the Year 

Some of the theme and a section of the attractive cast are highlighted on this avocado-colored poster for Griffin Dunne's Fierce People

A substance abuse massage therapist single mother relocates with her unwilling son into the home of a billionaire client, where they alternately charm and stir up problems in high society, as young Finn wins the heart of the old man.

Fierce People is written by Dirk Wittenborn (Mr. Mike's Mondo Video (1979)), based on his own same-titled 2002 novel, and directed by great New-Yorker filmmaker Griffin Dunne (Addicted to Love (1997)). The story seems to have taken definite inspiration from the writings and philosophy of anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon, whether Wittenborn shares any familiar relation to the controversial figure or not. (The film's title reflects Chagnon's most famous and contested works, Yanomamö: The Fierce People (1968), a field study of the indigenous Amazon jungle tribe the Yanomamö, and the protagonist Finn character in the film here states that he prefers to visit his famous South-American Indian-studying anthropologist father, who claims to have found a 'fierce people', but is instead forced to stay with his mother and a strange rich family, whom he experiences and decides are definitely 'fierce people.')
Kristen Stewart (Camp X-Ray (2014)) and particularly Anton Yelchin (The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012)), aged 14-15 at the time of shooting, with beautifully curly locks here, are simply adorable as youngsters falling in love in a very well-produced and well-shot (by William Rexer (Ceremony (2010))) coming-of-age drama, which just gets better and better. It also has good performances from Donald Sutherland (Dirty Sexy Money (2007-09)) and Diane Lane (Priceless Beauty (1988)).
SPOILER A rape is dealt with a little conveniently lightly, but the film's ending is thoroughly touching and insightful in its context. Fierce People is a very fine film.

Related post:

Griffin Dunne: 2005 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 

An American Werewolf in London (1981) - Landis' great, funny, scary werewolf favorite (actor)

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: Reportedly 8 mil. $
Box office: 269k $
= Box office disaster (returned 0.03 times its cost)
[Fierce People premiered 24 April (Tribeca Film Festival, New York) and runs 107 minutes. Dunne optioned Wittenborn's unfinished novel in 2002. Shooting took place in British Columbia, including Vancouver, in and around February 2004. The film was only released in relatively few markets, and its release in the US was halted until 2007 for various depressing reasons. It opened #70 to a 19k $ first weekend in 2 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #65 and in 25 theaters, grossing just 85k $ (31.6 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Mexico with 73k $ (27.1 %) and Russia with 56k $ (20.8 %). Dunne returned with Your Product Here (2006, short) and theatrically with The Accidental Husband (2008). Lane returned in Must Love Dogs (2005), Yelchin in Alpha Dog (2006), Sutherland in Pride & Prejudice (2005), and Stewart in Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005). Fierce People is rotten at 24 % with a 4.7/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Fierce People?

American Psycho (2000) - Harron's disappointing butchery

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The interest-building poster for Mary Harron's American Psycho with its memorable tag-line: 'Killer looks.'

Patrick Bateman is a successful New York yuppie in the 1980s, who works out, grooms himself, pays the necessary attention to his fiancée, makes lots of money ... and kills people.

For those who have read Bret Easton Ellis' (Less Than Zero (1985)) weighty and incredible, same-titled 1991 novel, - one of the most talked about books of the 1990s, - the inevitable adaptation here regrettably pales to near-nothing in comparison.
The good things about American Psycho the film, - about Wall Street narcissist yuppie/serial killer Patrick Bateman, - is its casting for one thing: Christian Bale (I'm Not There. (2007)), who fought hard and worked hard for the part, inhabits Bateman's persona quite impressively, and he is joined by an awesome supporting cast that includes, among others, Jared Leto (Requiem for A Dream (2000)), Justin Theroux (Parks and Recreation (2010), TV-series), Chloë Sevigny (The Killing Room (2009)), Willem Dafoe (Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)), and Reese Witherspoon (The Trumpet of the Swan (2001)). Put together on a fairly low budget and piled with great 80's pop tunes as well, the pedigree is not bad at all.
But pivotally, American Psycho neglects to stage the piercing societal critique and controversial, ultra-violent, and very ugly scenes of murder and mayhem from Ellis' book to the degree they deserved. This makes it something of a disappointment: Where the novel is extremely bold and transgressive, the movie seems extremely well-behaved. The producers desperately wanted an R rating for the film, and agreed to cut 18 seconds of a sex scene to achieve this; which is absurd in a film with gruesome killings, - but that's the way of the American censorship system. However, a loyal adaptation of this particular novel would have had to be released either with an X or unrated.
American Psycho is written by co-writer/director Mary Harron (The Moth Diaries (2011)) and Guinevere Turner (Breaking the Girls (2012)). While it is certainly a respectable production with a highly committed lead actor, it also plays like a safe, somewhat steely summary of a great novel.

Watch a clip from the film here; in it we witness Bateman's elaborate morning routine

Cost: 7 mil. $
Box office: 34.2 mil. $
= Big hit (returned 4.88 times its cost)
[American Psycho premiered 21 January (Sundance Film Festival, Utah) and runs 101 minutes. The adaptation had been in development for years: Oliver Stone, David Cronenberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, Stuart Gordon, Johnny Depp and Ewan McGregor are some of the directors and stars that were attached or courted at different stages. Bale actively campaigned for the part, and Harron was adamant that he played Bateman. Besides training vigorously physically, he has described that he molded his performance on, among other inspirations, Tom Cruise. Shooting took place in Toronto, Canada and in New York from February - April 1999. The film opened #7 to a 4.9 mil. $ first weekend in 1,236 theaters in North America, its peak, where it grossed 15 mil. $ (43.9 % of the total gross). Roger Ebert gave it 3/4 stars, equal to a notch better than this review. It won a 'special recognition' award from the National Board of Review. Ellis himself has described the film as "okay" and elaborated that he did not think it needed to be made. An unrelated direct-to-video sequel, American Psycho 2 starring Mila Kunis and William Shatner, was released in 2002. American Psycho is fresh at 67 % with a 6.2 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of American Psycho?