May 5, 2012 by Write, Wrong, and InBetween Reviews

Tough…

Who do you think of when you hear, Top 5 TOUGH female movie characters in cinema? Here are mine. Would love to know yours…

Hard Candy’s Ellen Page

Hayley Stark seeks revenge… a vigilante in her own right. Warning: This is a tough movie to watch.

Underworld’s Kate Beckinsale

Selene of the Underworld, is a strong force to reckon with. She’s not a deadly machine, without cause. She strictly acts to help protect the very essence of her coven.

The Hunger Games Jennifer Lawrence

Katniss Everdeen of District 12 is a poised fierceness that is both a protector and a warrior for her people.

Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’s Rooney Mara

Lisbeth Salander of Stieg Larsson’s creation in “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” is a thought provoking survivalist. A modern fermale protagonist that projects a great internal human strength.

Whale Rider’s Keisha Castle-Hughes

Paikea (Pai) is a beautiful child, whom by custom is not allowed to inherit the leadership of her culture’s tribe because of her gender. Through her strength of personality and love, she is able to tear down these walls and bring about change.

March 23, 2012 by Write, Wrong, and InBetween Reviews

Movie Review: The Hunger Games luandry list, airing it out to dry…

Call it unbelievably high expectations where in fact the movie could never stand a chance. That could definitely be the reasoning behind the somewhat bummed and disappointed feeling I had when the theater lights rained down and the credits scrolled up. Maybe it just goes back to the old saying of, “the book is always better.” …Maybe. But I feel that some concrete-ness should be applied when speaking of the successful book turned movie franchise, The Hunger Games.

Photo Courtesy of: crushermerchant

THE NEGATIVES:

The scenes, at times, felt choppy and didn’t transition well. Often times, felt segmented.
The Cornucopia I pictured, when reading the book, to be a grand structure that just didn’t seem to translate well on-screen. Though I immediately forgave this as how could such a structure satisfy millions of imaginations who had already built it perfectly.
The history of the mockingjay, and mention of the jabber-jays, didn’t make the final cut.
The inability to be inside Katniss’s head. A fellow critic put it well when he said,

Edward Douglas, ComingSoon.net

“…you’ll certainly get more out of the movie if you’ve read the book and can fill in the blanks.”

While the dogs were almost pit-bull in appearance, in the book were described to be wolf-like. I see no rational reason for changing this detail in the movie. And didn’t they possess human-like eyes. This was left entirely out.
The dandelion scene, signifying hope, was never realized.
The added scenes in the rose garden with Snow seemed to be minutes taken away from the film that could have been used to help better develop the scenes that actually did happened, though felt rushed.
Many of the key relationships seemed underdeveloped.

THE POSITIVES:

Jennifer Lawrence is phenomenal. Her embodiment of Katniss is like a hand finding it’s perfectly matched glove. Without her portrayal, this movie would be unsurvivable.
The cheering, unfeeling/lack of empathy Capitol was represented well. The ignorant collective being cheering as if the annual Hunger Games was a football game or caged fighting match.

But let’s remember that I am a big fan of this series. And although I feel the movie underperformed to the level I had anticipated, I will definitely stay tuned for the next installment.

GRADE: ^ (refer to rating system on left column)

March 22, 2012 by Write, Wrong, and InBetween Reviews

Music Review: The Hunger Games Soundtrack

Photo Courtesy of: Austin Graver

Old time sound in a futuristic world. Many of the Songs From District 12, The Hunger Games soundtrack, possess this quality. During the first listen, I could detect shared threads of tone with musicians such as Nickel Creek and Alison Krauss.

Which I happen to think is really pretty genius.

Firstly, I want to share with you some of the songs that have already become my favorites. Abrahams’ Daughter by Arcade Fire, Tomorrow Will Be Kinder by The Secret Sisters, and Come Away To The Water by Maroon 5 (featuring Rozzi Crane).

Though, some of the songs do not have a quiet melody, such as Birdy’s Just a Game, or Taylor Swift’s (Civil Wars) Safe and Sound. Truly, a few of them sound ugly (The Ruler and The Killer by Kid Cudi and Take The Heartland by Glen Hansard), though who said The Hunger Games was a pretty book full of daisy’s, endless sunshine, and belly’s full of bread?

The album is a cohesive collection that reflects Collin’s Panem, and evokes all the feeling, thoughtfulness, and emotion emiting from the page. As far as I’m concerned… The soundtrack has given justice to what this book speaks of and represents. I don’t give letter grades, so I’ll satisfy you in saying….

GRADE: +

March 20, 2012 by Write, Wrong, and InBetween Reviews

Upcoming Reviews

Please, oh please do forgive the absence I’ve created. I have to dust this blog off, and shine it with some new reviews that I literally just cannot wait to share with you… I’ve got a few things I’m working on and upon finishing them, I will be reviewing them for your enjoyment and think you will find them to be both witty and helpful, and containing a little magic… no, I’m no boy wizard, are glittering vamp… there’s just only so much one girl can do.