(trailer review) - The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping

 

Have I seen all of The Hunger Games movies? Yes and No. Not that I can remember all of them, but I am pretty sure I have seen all the ones with Katniss Everdeen, and while they were decent, they were nothing really to write home about for me. Because I have seen Battle Royale, which is essentially the same thing and that came out years ago, and nothing has really matched that energy, bar Squid Game. Squid Game was captivating, and although these types of films/shows are all essentially the same thing, you know what to expect and get. So the reason I say "No" to seeing all of The Hunger Games movies is because I did not see the last one, 'A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' or something like that, it was called, and I did not really have an interest in it. But funnily enough, seeing this trailer, it did make me rethink my thoughts on the franchise and consider if I should get back onto the continuation of this prequel to the original batch of films. 

So this trailer starts off with a woman welcoming Panem to the Reaping of District 12, and the next shot is of a meadow with a structure in it and several people standing in a circle around it. We get a few quick shots of the main character and other characters with one woman who reminds me of an actress in Gen V (so I am going to look that up), and the little black boy was giving me vibes of the little black girl in the original series, I think her name was Rue. There is a countdown, and when the countdown reaches one, everybody in the circle runs towards the structure whilst trying to be first and also trying to take out one another. We get a shot of Ralph Fiennes, Jesse Plemons and more shots of the Rue boy and the main guy together. There is a quick shot of the Karate Kid: Legends actor I saw in The Long Walk. It looks like there may be a romance blooming if it hasn't already, since the first movie, and there are a couple of fight scenes, but at the very end, that sounded like Haymitch from the tones of Woody Harrelson. I think I need another trailer, to sell me, correction, have me a bit more intrigued and committed to actually wanting to watch it.

(trailer review) - Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

 

Murder mysteries have been interesting since the dawn of time. Who done it? Rian Johnson has injected new life into that genre, and the Knives Out franchise has become a franchise that has had a great story with great dialogue, wit, charm and dark comedic ingredients all baked into it. I remember watching the first 'Knives Out' and really enjoying it. The second one was also very enjoyable, although maybe not as great as the first, but still really good. This trailer for the third Knives Out movie looks darker in tone and enjoyable simply by the sheer history of the franchise and direction, but with that said, I really hope it does not go down the paranormal route, as I have heard (and possibly incorrectly) 'Death on the Nile' did, but I have yet to confirm.

So, a vicar dies on the premises of a church in a small box of a room in 30 seconds after entering it, whilst several people are around, and Benoit Blanc tries to investigate, and figures out there is a possibility of foul play. So during his investigation, he tries to find out how a murderer killed a priest who was in a room by himself with no other entrances to commit the impossible crime, and I am sure, everyone has a reason to commit the crime, so the death will remain a mystery until it is solved.

(film review) - Guardians of the Galaxy vol.1

Marvel Studios took a huge gamble with Guardians of the Galaxy by making this comic into a film. If you did not know, in which you ought to, the over arching storyline regarding the Marvel Cinematic Universe films are, Thanos wants to destroy EVERYTHING! I'm not entirely sure if it is all life on particular planets or all life as we know it, but he wants to destroy EVERYTHING. This is the nature of his character. In order for him to do that, I believe, would be to Ashley Catchem the 6 or so Infinity Gems/Stones, attach them to the Infinite Gauntlet and he would be able to do whatever he pleases. He would be unstoppable.

So, to understand this a touch further over the films, Captain America: The First Avenger and Avengers Assemble, deal with the Tessaract which is a Infinity Stone. There are rumours that there is another Infinity Stone in Avengers Assemble, but we will not see that, I'm assuming until Avengers: Age of Ultron. The other Infinity Stone was seen in the Thor: The Dark World movie, so that could be 3 so far, and the rest remains to be seen over the background story arc over the next few films.

Guardians of the Galaxy, is a film which is to bridge the gap between Earth and the cosmos. Although this was achieved with Thor, in this film, you get a better sense of a wider and greater existence of space, spaceships and aliens along with an imminent threat which spans across not only Earth, but the Galaxy as we know it or not know it. I'll explain.

The film starts off with a young Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) who is seen being abducted from Earth with his little backpack and Walkman. You then see him 20 years later exploring a derelict planet for an artefact. Think of it as Tomb Raider meets Indiana Jones, but in space. He Stumbles across Korath the Pursuer (Djimon Hounsou) in which he narrowly escapes, heads to Xander, the home of the Nova Corps in which he gets into a situation which leaves him imprisoned. At this point, he teams up with 4 other guys, Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) & his friend Groot (Vin Diesel) who decide to work together from that point onwards for a greater cause, sort of. There is a lot more to the film, but I would be spoiling it. Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace), along with Nebula (Karen Gillian), under directions from Thanos (Josh Brolin), go after the artefact, currently being held by Star Lord and they find themselves in an entanglement between Ronan the Accuser, Yondu and the significance of the artefact in their possession. The Guardians of the Galaxy must come together and make the right choice.

This film for me was NOT the best Marvel film of this year, as I do believe, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is, but is most definitely a great film. The film doesn't take itself too seriously and the characters are weird and wonderful with a lot of depth. The film is visually, stunning and you really do get a feel of space and the many different worlds you see. A little bit like Thor, but greater. Most of all, the film is very funny. The characters work very well together, although their dynamic is weird and with their depth, they more or less bounce off one another as they work as a team.
My only faults I found with this movie, was that, the villain could have been explored a little more have been a bit more villainy. Also, although everyone more or less had a back story, it would have been nice to go that little bit deeper with the back stories of the Guardians and I did feel that Gamora, being the universes most deadliest assassin was watered down and I just didn't see enough from her.

But with that said, A great film to watch. Very entertaining. It is like watching Avengers: Assemble again but with a weird looking cast and a barrel of laughs. Go out and see it before the sequel comes out.