Review: Catching Fire

    

Suspenseful, intriguing to the eye, and amazingly breathtaking: these are just a few ways to describe Francis Lawrence’s Catching Fire which premiered on Thursday, November 21st. Theaters were packed and audience members were certainly pleased by this film: box offices totaled an astounding $297 million after two weekends. Based off of the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, the movies gave viewers more of a visual aspect of the games they've been reading about for the past six years.

     Although Catching Fire runs two hours, the audience is quickly pulled into the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem. Jennifer Lawrence is convincingly competitive and powerful as Katniss Everdeen, who wins the previous 74th annual Hunger Games with Peeta Mellark played by Josh Hutcherson. This dynamic duo fights viciously for control as leaders of District 12, and their relationship may suffer in the process. 

     I recommend this movie to people who are able to comfortably watch highly dangerous circumstances unfold before their very eyes. This movie was very well put together by a production team that clearly worked hard to do so. If you are up for the challenge, take a trip to your local movie theater and check out Catching Fire: may the odds be ever in your favor. 

By: Natessa Storm

Review: Thor

            

            “Thor: The Dark World” is a super-hero movie through and through. The directors understood this, and they used it to their advantage.

            As the years have gone by, super-heroes have been taking on bigger and bigger challenges. When many super-heroes started, they tackled low-level criminals. In current movies, they save the world. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) bests them all. In this movie, not just one but nine worlds need saving. And, predictably, he can save them all from Earth. However, in a nice break, the action centers in and around London. (New York City must still be rebuilding from “The Avengers.”)

            Watching the first “Thor” movie and “The Avengers” is helpful to understanding parts of this one, though not completely necessary. “The Dark World” does focus on Thor’s family relationships (when it’s not focused on the action). The best scenes are the ones with Thor and Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Their relationship is enjoyable to watch because it is dynamic. Loki consistently has the best lines.

            Characters who were brushed aside in both “Thor” and “The Avengers” feel more fleshed out in “The Dark World,” particularly Darcy (Kat Dennings), Frigga (Rene Russo), and Eric Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard). However, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) fell a little flat. Maybe it was all the evil matter coursing through her, but she and Thor do not have any chemistry.

            “The Dark World” is thoroughly enjoyable, and a must-see if you are a fan of Marvel’s other new movies. If super-heroes aren’t your thing, don’t bother.

By: Emma Morrison