The Hunger Games Review

Written by Bobby Ramos

The Hunger Games (2012)
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth


If you are like me, well then you would be a clone, but we are not here to talk about Multiplicity, we are here to discuss the new novel adaptation that is catching Hollywood by storm, of course I'm talking about The Hunger Games.

This is the first in a series of 3, which means that there will be more (Well since the movie has topped the box office for a few weeks now). People if you love foreign films and you would know the essential movie is Battle Royal, a movie (also based on a book) about how the government is scared that the rebellious youth of today will rise up and take over so they pass the BR Act which means that a School and class are picked at random via government lottery are gassed out and sent to an island where they are fitted with electronic collars, They have 3 days to kill each other, last one standing gets to go back home, but if the 3 days are up and there is more than 1 standing then the collars will activate and nobody wins. This movie showcased what a person is capable of if put in such situations and with the mild dramatics of school life being given the license to kill, we are able to see who was the bullied and who were the real weaklings.

The Hunger Games is an annual event in which 2 are selected from each district (Boy & Girl from the age range of 12-18) to participate in a game of skill, chance and death. Much like reality TV and the worlds desire to watch horrible things, this event is televised and has been a huge success running into its 74th year. The one we root for is Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) a 16 year old who had to grow up fast after the death of her father, Who volunteers to participate in the brutal event after her little sister is picked and would obviously be the first one dead come kick off time. Hunger Games is a slightly different approach. Now unlike the aforementioned Japanese classic, The kids ARE taken with their knowledge and are sent to be fed, trained and well tarted up for the cameras for interviews to get the audience behind them with their back stories, personalities and fighting skills.

Behind the scenes is the character of “Head Game Maker” Seneca Crane ( played by the dark eyebrow-ed Wes Bentley). Who is basically the shows director who has to make sure everything is up to par not just with the audience but with the network exec or the President by the name of Snow (Played by the slowly aging Donald Sutherland. Who makes it clear that if these games are not better than before and are kept in tight control then Crane will be canceled well his life will be.

Now here comes the part most of you will want to know about (Well the guys mainly). Yes there are some mushy tween love moments, Hell it can't be avoided I mean it is a franchise with a strong female lead and it for some damn reason has to have a love interest or in many cases a love triangle, it is not touched on too heavy like the so called “Vampire” trilogy (that was turned into 4 movies and just won't seem to end), but just to warn you it is there and also it is shown with hilarious reveal that Katniss has more balls than the boys when it comes to pain.




So what did I think of this movie, well since I did not read the books (It takes a lot for me to read these days, nothing has been the same since Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs.). I didn't think it was a total waste of time, the development could have been trimmed just a bit but all together it was not a bad movie. I looked at it as this, much like entertainment stolen and brought here (amongst other things we have taken in the history books) This is like an Americanized version of Battle Royal in a sense of a tv exec seeing this show from Japan where they passed a law to kill off kids to stay in power and thought to himself “Hey, we can do that, this would be a ratings goldmine” and were to take it up to the network execs and they say “We love it, but we need to change some stuff up, instead of gassing them how about we just pass this law and make it known that they can be selected and have to go, oh also we can't just give them random bags of stuff how about they all run towards it they can grab food, water or weapons, But lets not fit them with exploding collars, lets just add obstacles, Oh also we ned to interview these kids, get the audience behind them, If I were to watch something like this I wouldn't be able to care about a kid getting killed unless I know about them. Well let's see how we can avoid buying the rights, and send it down to production. Good Job Collins.”

So in closing, Check out the Hunger Games if you are a girl who loves a strong female character, or a guy who loves a strong female character (Or Jennifer Lawrence in tight gear, Oh yeah side note she is 21 but is playing 16, flip a moral coin on that one and see where it lands.)

2010: Moby Dick Review

Written by Stu Cooper



2010: Moby Dick (2010)
Starring: Barry Bostwick, Renee O'Connor

One thing I wanted to do with this blog was shine the review light on some films out there that may not be in your local theaters. The film I’m reviewing today is really what I consider a modern day Asylum monster gem. The film is “2010: Moby Dick”, and yes it is a modern day adaptation of the Herman Melville classic novel. I’m sure most of you film fans are familiar with the now notorious ASYLUM production company and the monster films that they premiere on Syfy on a regular basis. You either love these films for what they are, or absolutely hate them. I would consider myself a fan, simply because I realize these films are operating on a limited budget and are really appealing to the monster movie audience that may enjoy films like Godzilla, King Kong, Orca, Anaconda, and all those other giant creature features. So once you get past the fact that the CGI may not be Lord of the Rings equivalent, and the actors will most likely be relative unknowns with limited theatrical presence, then these films are very enjoyable!



The film loosely, and I mean LOOSELY follows the story of Moby Dick written by Herman Melville. In this version Moby Dick is 400 feet long (he is absurdly large on film, dwarfing the biggest Submarine on screen) and Captain Ahab is a sub-marine captain who survived an encounter with the beast at a younger age. In his first encounter with the whale, he loses his leg, just like the original Captain Ahab. That is really where the similarities end between the two tales.

The story picks up several years after the first attack where Captain Ahab now has control of the most powerful submarine on the planet, armed with several nuclear missiles! Ahab is the only one who still believes in Moby Dick’s existence, but he does not let that stop him from using the submarine (and the arsenal) to blow up half the ocean looking for the white whale! Captain Ahab is played by Barry Bostwick (Spin City, Rocky Horror) and he actually does a spectacular job given the cheesy surroundings. Bostwick treats the film as if it was an Oscar nominee and puts a lot of heart and emotion into the character. This actually serves as a saving grace for the film. There is a particular moment where Ahab is giving a monologue to a fellow crewmember explaining his desperation and feelings towards the whale and it really made me care about the character and the outcome. The other main character is Dr. Michelle Herman (Herman, get it? Har Har) and she is played by Renee O’ Connor. Renee tries her hardest to make her character feel significant but it still has a certain cheese that is impossible to ignore. She is brought aboard the sub-marine to assist the Captain in finding the whale because she is apparently a whale specialist. Together the two use their brains to track down and hunt the whale. This path ultimately leads to some brutal results and a continued chase. The final confrontation leaves a little to be desired but it has to be seen to be believed. There is a one on one showdown between Ahab and Moby Dick that tops any kind of CGI Monster/Actor interaction I’ve ever seen. It will definitely leave you scratching your head.



I would recommend this film to those who enjoy monster movies, period. If you enjoy giant creature features and like the Roger Corman/Asylum style, then you will not be disappointed. Just take the film with a grain of salt, set your expectations low, and you will be pleased. If you want to check out a serious Moby Dick film I would recommend the adaptation with Patrick Stewart playing Ahab. That was quite the epic film, But if you just want to munch on popcorn and turn your brain off, this should do the job.

2 out of 5

Youtube Spotlight: Cinema Cereal

Written by: Stu Cooper

One pastime that is quickly becoming the trend of this generation is finding the latest youtube gems. Well at about 3 o'clock in the morning the other day my good friend Bobby Ramos sent me a link to a series called "Cinema Cereal" in which the user mashes up two different movies and makes unusual crossovers. The user's name is CloudyEdenProduction and I thought I would share with you guys some of his videos, of course if you'd like you can just click on his name to visit his channel. I've gotten so many laughs out of these videos, I just had to share!

Casa de Mi Padre Review

Written by Bobby Ramos



Release: 2012
Starring: Will Ferrell, Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna

When I first heard about Will Ferrell being in an all Spanish film, I seriously did not know what to think, that was until I saw the trailer in 2011 for the film known as Casa de Mi Padre. I was blown away by the star power this movie possessed along with what looked like beautiful cinematography. I searched from IMDB to every movie news site I trusted to find the release date or show times for this movie. To my great disappointment (at the time) it was revealed that the movie was finished, however it had no distributor so it seemed like this film I was dying to see was stuck in distribution limbo.

After a long year of drinking and screaming to the gods why such an idea goes unseen. I found out that someone finally stepped up and was distributing the Spanish comedy. I counted down the days, watched the trailers and interviews until finally the release of the film. I sat in my chair anticipating the trailers to be over. Finally the screen stopped projecting green rating cards and the film was about to start.

Those of you who are unfamiliar with what this movie is about, allow me to explain briefly. The story centers around a rancher named Armando Alverez (Ferrell). Who has never expressed the feelings of love to anyone (Other than his cattle). While tending to his heard he witnesses a murder on his father's land by ruthless drug lord “Onza” played by Gael Garcia Bernal (Amores Perros, Science Of Sleep). When attempting to tell his father of the heinous act (Played by Pedro Armendáriz Jr
of “License To Kill” and “Once Upon A Time In Mexico) , it is cut off by the return of his much more respected and loved brother Raul (Diego Luna, “Milk” & “The Terminal”) who seems to be living the good life of an international business man and not the hard working day to day labors that of the Rancher. Raul has returned from his travels not alone for he has brought his fiancé the lovely Sonia played by the very heavenly Genesis Rodriguez (Man on A Ledge) who seems to have captured the heart of Armando as well. It is later revealed that the acts of Onza are not only affecting the land but also Raul's business as well.

Without giving too much away I will start off by saying that this movie is worth the wait. Not because it has people who's work I enjoy but because this movie pays homage and well pokes fun at the things that make Latin entertainment the amazing spectacle that it has come to be known as. From the first shot of the “Mexico Scope” logo, to the brilliant performance during the end credits. Casa de Mi Padre is beautifully shot and scored and carefully crafted to it's fullest, making it a campy delight. After a while you forget about the whole Chuck Heston joke of Ferrell playing a Mexican and just focus on the other funny elements of the movie (Novella close-ups, musical cues and amazing puppetry.)

So fans of Spanish cinema, grindhouse and painted set backgrounds check out Casa de Mi Padre and try your best not to wanna talk in an accent after it is done.



Now Playing, Check local listings.

4 out of 5

Godzilla is coming! Godzilla is coming!

Coming soon to Film Enigma...WEEKLY Godzilla film reviews!

Blindman (1971) Review

Written by: Bobby Ramos



BLINDMAN (1971)
Starring Tony Anthony, Ringo Starr, and Lloyd Battista

When someone asks you who you think is one of the great actors of the Western you think Clint Eastwood,Lee Van Cleef, Franco Nero. Well I put another man up there with those notorious names and his name is Tony Anthony. A man who went to Italy to make a name for himself as an Actor (Doing a damn fine job of it at that.). Anthony became known for his "Stranger" movies (A Stranger Comes To Town, The Silent Stranger, ect.) but in this particular movie titled "Blindman" he takes an almost Zatoichi approach, playing the role of a Blind Gunfighter who has a contract to take 50 Women to a group of Miners who have paid for the mail order Brides arrival.

Much like the Blind Swordsman, our hero Anthony wield a Winchester rifle to guide him as well as his sharp sense of hearing it's almost like radar when Blindman hears someone about to shoot him he quickly turns in their direction and unload his gun on them. The men who have taken Blindman's 50 Lovely Ladies are 2 Brothers Domingo and Candy (Played by for Beatles Drummer Ringo Starr) who have no intention of giving back the women, But Blindman finds out about Candy's little weakness for a townies daughter by the name of Pilar. Keep in mind this is not a simple crush he seriously is Batshit crazy for her, though despite many attempts to get her back to his Octopus Garden she always denies him and even goes on to say "I Will Never Be Your Woman" (Any of you who think of White Town right now are showing your age by doing so.). Ringo does an amazing job as a Mexican Psychopath I am sad to see he didn't take any more roles like this one. Although he was pretty insane or at least getting flashbacks when he decided to become a Micro sized conductor for Thomas The Tank Engine (Yeah it wasn't just Carlin).



Now you may be asking yourself what makes Mr.Anthony different or even big enough to stand on such a high pedestal, WELL it's not just the way he carries himself or the way he looks shooting his gun, it's a matter of him bringing some vulnerability to his role, by that I don't just mean him getting beat up once, no he always seems to have a grasp on the situation but then gets screwed in the end but please don't let that scare you away cause Blindman always makes them pay for their crimes.Now I have seen this movie before but every time I did, the bad dark tinted quality would always put me to sleep even the skipping over of parts (clearly made by bad editing) would just seem to ruin the movie experience, But this being my second selection from Cultcine.com it was not only just a pleasant viewing but also almost like watching a whole different movie, this is COMPLETE, and above all CLEAR. No bad cuts no dark picture, all perfect presentation as well as some clips that I did not see in the other versions, which sadly I have come to realize that even the version I saw had cut out some Violence even some dialog that basically shows you how serious Tony Anthony took his role as Blindman.This movie is an awesome title to have in your collection so I say pic it up Uncut and Remastered at cultcine.com. That's 2 for 2 on great buys from this site so I got a feeling about the next one I am gonna partake in.

Available to Buy:

Amazon

The Outside Man (1972) Review

Written by: Bobby Ramos



The Outside Man (1972)
Starring: Jean-Louis Trigtignant, Ann Margaret, and Roy Schneider

French hit man Lucien Bellon is sent to America (LA to be exact) to clean up a very disliked individual. Once his job is done with it seems people have taken the precautions to make sure that evidence of his visit is erased this includes his life. This is my first experience from Cultcine.com and I have to tell you this was a good selection. This movie is cool from the first frame to the last. At first there is a disclaimer explaining that this was the re-mastered European Cut (since the film was released here but was Originally for France) So some of the scenes were difficult to match up with English audio and so a few scenes are either in French or are a bit off with the lips of the actor. To be honest I appreciate a company that tells you right off more or less "Hey we did our best, somethings were totally fixable others were not. We're sorry but here is the complete version of the film." As a Kid who grew up watching movies dubbed over in English I seriously thought this was done extremely well. Other than the audio bits I seriously can't tell what is added in and what isn't so chocolate chip kudos to Cultcine for that.



Getting back to the film I gotta tell you that this movie makes me feel Cool. The Leading role of Bellon is played by Legendary French Actor Jean-Louis Trintignant. If you have not seen any of his other work (The Great Silence, The Conformist) do yourself a favor and see them.This man can act not just with his words but with the way he carries himself, his facial expressions, all the elements of a fine actor, this is a clear example of that style he only speaks when it is necessary and does not waste time with snappy dialog, he manages to make the audience fear him to basically sympathizing due to the situation he is stuck in. The Deadly Cat chasing the Frenchman is American acting bad ass Roy Scheider (The Seven-Ups, Romeo Is Bleeding) in a brilliant pre-Seaquest role of Lenny. Although great in The French Connection this movie allows Mr.Scheider to prove that he can do much more damage working alone then with a partner. He does not screw around as soon as he sees Bellon he does not hesitate to open fire upon him. This man is the ultimate hurdle for the Frenchie to find out the truth behind the sudden termination of his employment.This films also stars the Lovely Angie Dickenson and The Smokin Hot Ann-Margret and also includes some cameos from people who will be known later as their careers go on including Talia "Adrian Balboa" Shire, Alex Rocco and Jackie Earle Haley (Bad News Bears, Watchmen, Shutter Island).Combined with a very minimal soundtrack but yet memorable theme song, You will want to put on a suit and pretend to be as cool as either Trintignant or Scheider once all this is through. They don't make 'em like this anymore something that does not need a hug explosion or ridiculously huge guns to put over the characters.

I recommend this movie to anyone who knows that you don't have to say much to get your point across. So make yourself a martini or black cup of coffee sit back and enjoy this great display of COOL.

Where to buy the film:

Amazon: The Outside Man (1972) On VHS