Category: Theaters

Ever since the Matrix, geeks everywhere, myself included, have been waiting for the Wachowskis to get back to hard core Sci-Fi, and it looks like they finally have with Jupiter Ascending.

The film is about a human girl named Jupiter (Mila Kunis) who is being targeted by the ruler of the universe, and Caine (Channing Tatum) is an alien trying to save her in order to save everyone.  It sounds a little like The Matrix in space, but hey Harry Potter is like the Matrix with magic, and that is pretty good.

The Wachowskis are wizards with special effects and worlds that don’t exist.  The future parts of Cloud Atlas were the best, and that was in no small part due to that wizardry, so a whole new movie with that sounds great!  Next year is shaping up to be a good one at the movies!

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is Lionsgate’s 2013 sequel to the 2012 film The Hunger Games, and it does everything that a sequel should:  It builds on and makes better just about every part of the first movie.  I was a little worried when they started production without a finished script and a new director Francis Lawrence, but my concerns were apparently unfounded.

The story picks up fairly soon after the first movie with Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) back home after their survival of the last Hunger Games.  They are trying to adjust to their new lives as Victors, when they are swept away on a tour of the districts.  Tensions are running high in Panem and the people see Katniss as a symbol of hope against the tyranny leveled against them by The Capitol.   Can Katniss keep her family safe as the 75th Hunger Games and 3rd Quarter Quell (Every 25th Hunger Games) approach?

Jennifer Lawrence is amazing in this film.  It would be so easy to play Katniss as a mopey jerk, but she brings so much more emotion to this role it is just wonderful.  Josh Hutcherson must have gotten an acting coach because he has gotten much better.  He gave Peeta a little more life this time, and since Peeta is such a Boy Scout any nuance that he can be given the better.  The other actors all breathed a little more life in to their characters this time around as well which made this world much more believable.

Francis Lawrence thankfully erased all the shaky camera work from the first movie, so for that reason alone it was worth changing up the directors.  He also used his much larger budget well.  The special effects and the editing were great, the world of Panem seemed like a real place.  This is one of the rare movies that didn’t feel a little too long, or like they skipped too much of the story to tighten up the running time.  I hope that they tie Francis Lawrence up for the next two movies.

If you liked the first movie than you will love this movie, but even if you were not a big fan of The Hunger Games you should still put this movie on your watch list.  It is not only one of the biggest hits of this year, but it is one of the best films of the year too.  I can only hope that they can keep the quality up for the next two movies, because if they can we are in for a real treat.

Frozen is Walt Disney Animation Studio’s latest movie, and yet another princess movie from the company known for princess movies.  Luckily for us they have gotten very good at making them because Frozen is excellent.  The movie was written and directed by Jennifer Lee, and co-directed by Chris Buck.

The story is about two young princesses: Elsa (Idina Menzel) who has magical powers over ice and snow, and the other Anna (Kristen Bell) who is normal yet fun loving.  The family tries to keep Elsa’s powers a secret, but she looses her control over them and encases the fictional Arendelle in magical winter.  It is up to Anna and her friends to help Elsa and save Arendelle.

Jennifer Lee also wrote Wreck-It Ralph, and it shows.  Despite the seriousness of the story it is incredibly goofy.  Sven the reindeer, and Olaf(Josh Gad) the magical snowman provide most of the laughs, though all the characters get their slapstick moments, but they do in it a way that adds to movie.  Judging by the trailers, I did not expect that to be the case.

The music is in this movie is wonderful, especially the numbers by Elsa, which is good because there are a lot of them.  This is the most musical Disney movie in a long time, but I think that was smart.  It brings Disney back to its roots, and if the movie house is going to bare Walt’s name, it should do that once and awhile.

The voice actors are all excellent, but the sisters really shine.  Kristen Bell plays the wide eyed Anna perfectly, as a young girl that is excited to get out of the castle, but still determined to save her sister.  Idina Menzel is great as the confused and conflicted Elsa who just wants the people she loves to be safe, and she is a wonderful singer!  I wasn’t sure about the magical snowman going in, but Josh Gad brought him to life, and the movie would have been dull without him.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I really liked Frozen.  Pixar is the studio people always expect make great movies, but lately Walt Disney Animation Studios has been making better ones.  If you are looking for a family film to watch over the Thanksgiving weekend, look no further then Frozen.

The new Muppet Movie: Muppets Most Wanted looks amazing!  I am so happy that Disney brought back my felt friends.  Next year is going to a lot of fun at the movies!  The casting of Tina Fey, Ty Burrell, and Ricky Gervais looks brilliant, and it looks like it focuses more on the core Muppets this time around, so that is even better!