The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

In the final chapter of The Hobbit, the dragon Smaug has been awakened by Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield, as well as Thorin's companions, and as a result he unleashes his fury upon the unsuspecting town of Laketown. In order to kill Smaug and save Laketown, a lone man named Bard uses iron harpoons to try and pierce the almost impenetrable skin of the fire-breathing beast, eventually finding Smaug's heart through an opening in the armor-like skin. As Smaug falls to his death, celebration is cut short as the gravity of the situation sets in. The people of Laketown have lost everything, and they now look to Bard to lead them. In an effort to save his people, he reaches out to Thorin to honor their agreement of a portion of the treasure in exchange for getting rid of Smaug. However, Thorin is overcome with greed for the treasure, as well as power, so he backs out of the agreement and turns Bard and his people away. In time, as word spreads throughout Middle-Earth that the dragon Smaug is dead, other races travel to the mountain in a quest to claim what they believe is rightfully theirs: Thranduil, king of the elves; Bard and his people from Laketown; the dwarven army led by Thorin's cousin Dáin; and finally the orc and goblin army led by Azog. The danger of Smaug may of ended, but the Battle of the Five Armies for control of the mountain has only just begun.

Peter Jackson's vision for The Hobbit comes to a close with the third and final chapter, The Battle of the Five Armies. While the series as a whole doesn't hold a candle to the epicness that was The Lord of the Rings, The Battle of the Five Armies is a wonderful and fitting end to the series. The action is better, not quite as drawn out as the previous film (though it does feel like it overstays its welcome at times, especially in the final battle). Seeing Smaug in action when he attacks Laketown was a cool sequence, despite it being something I wish The Desolation of Smaug had focused on more. As with the two previous Hobbit films, there are events added that were obviously not part of the book; however, I am glad Peter Jackson left specific important plot points alone - ones that I won't specify here.The best part of the movie actually occurs in the credits: Billy Boyd (who played Pippin in The Lord of the Rings) returns to sing an original song he wrote called The Last Goodbye specifically for this final chapter.

Granted, even with all the things I did like, the inclusion of Legolas was still a big mistake to me. His inclusion still never seemed to add anything to the story other than to connect The Hobbit to The Lord of the Rings. He also yet again either had way too much makeup or CGI used on him that made him almost unrecognizable at first. The continued love story between the elf Tauriel and the dwarf Kili was an unnecessary addition as well that, to me, took away from the main story. I didn't mind the characters themselves, I just didn't like the whole love story part of it.

That being said, this journey into Middle-Earth - which began in 2001 with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - has easily been one of the best cinematic experiences I've ever had. I'm not ashamed to admit that I was a little sad when the credits rolled for this final movie. I can only hope that in the years to come either The Silmarillion (as well as other stories from Middle-Earth) makes its way onto the big screen, or someone is able to do something similar of this magnitude and recreate the magic of seeing stories such as this come to life.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay pt. 1

It's been a long, tumultuous journey since that fateful day when Katniss Everdeen volunteered to take her sister's place and first stepped into the arena of the Hunger Games. Since then rebellion has spread among the districts, growing from a glowing ember to a full blown roaring fire. Due to her actions in the arena (as well as a few on the outside), the districts look to Katniss as their symbol of hope, their Mockingjay. Of course, Katniss never wanted any of this. All she could think about was getting her and Peeta Mellark safely out of the arena and to keep her loved ones out of harm's way. As the fires of rebellion spread, the Capitol lashes out at the districts by firebombing several of them in hopes of crushing the rebels. It isn't until Katniss receives word that Peeta has been captured by the Capitol - along with several other victors - that she realizes the only way out of her situation is to lead her people against the Capitol by becoming their symbol: she must become the Mockingjay.

Going in I had really high hopes for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay pt. 1. As far as the books go, many people (myself included) agree that Mockingjay is the weakest of the three books. When it comes to the movie adaptations, however, it's actually the second best, right behind Catching Fire. The first time I saw it I had several problems with the character development, thinking certain characters didn't get their chance to shine in the spotlight. The second time I saw it, however, I took a closer look at the overall story and the character development wasn't as bad as I had originally thought, but as always there is room for improvement. Unfortunately, with the story being split into two parts, Mockingjay pt. 1 doesn't quite reach the level of intensity and storytelling that Catching Fire does. I did appreciate that the audience was able to see more of both sides of the conflict instead of mainly in Katniss's thoughts of what's going on. The story was able to have a little freedom to explore both sides and get a better feel of the motives of each side. However, I feel like it would have benefitted greatly if it had stayed as a single movie instead of being split up into two. When the credits start rolling the audience is left wanting more, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but in this case it does slightly take away from the experience of watching Mockingjay unfold onscreen. While I won't give away any details, the point in which the story gets split up results in some pretty cool visuals. The cinematography throughout the film is pretty neat as well.

To sum it all up, I wasn't completely blown away like I was expecting to be, yet neither was I disappointed. Catching Fire is still the best in terms of story, acting, and cinematography, but Mockingjay pt. 1 comes in at a very close second. I can't wait until next November when Mockingjay pt. 2 comes out.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

There are survivors of the Hunger Games, but no one ever truly wins. Since being placed in the Games one year ago, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have been trying their best to forget their experiences and move on with their lives as victors. With time, however, both Peeta and Katniss realize forgetting is virtually impossible. Every so often they are brought back into the spotlight to show off their relationship which began in the arena - and saved both their lives. It doesn't help their predicament that President Snow is still angry at them for showing the Capitol up in the arena by attempting to commit suicide instead of killing each other. Whereas the districts saw a love story, President Snow saw an act of defiance which could spark a rebellion among the districts. As punishment for their defiance, President Snow issues a decree that the 75th Hunger Games - known as the Quarter Quell - will involve only past winners of the Hunger Games, hoping that Katniss and Peeta will die and keep the embers of rebellion from fully catching fire.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is without a doubt the best so far in the Hunger Games series. Thankfully the quick, choppy/shaking cinematography where it was difficult to see what was on screen during the arena battle scenes was left behind in the first Hunger Games. I did appreciate the reasoning behind doing it that way, but it got old after awhile. The acting as a whole was leagues better than the first movie, and was also able to improve on giving the spotlight to more than just the main characters; in doing so the audience was able to care for much of the rest of the cast, instead of just using them as 'filler' or (for lack of a better description) props only as a way to propel the story along. The Hunger Games was able to do this, but not nearly as well. The director, Francis Lawrence, was also able to stay even closer to the source material this time around, going so far as to directly take bits of dialogue from the book and put it into the movie. There were some important parts of the book I wish had been included (I won't specifically name them so I don't ruin the story for anyone who has never read the books), but nevertheless it was a very solid adaptation. I would actually go so far as to say Catching Fire is one of the best sequels/adaptations I've seen in several years.

Another thing I liked was the accomplishment of building on what The Hunger Games established previously when it came to the world of the Capitol and the surrounding districts. In Catching Fire, the audience gets the chance to better understand what some of the districts are going through as they start to revolt against the Capitol, and as a result become more emotionally invested in the fate of the rebellion. In The Hunger Games, the world was limited to District 12 and the Hunger Games arena, so it was a little difficult to truly get the sense of what was going on.

In my review of The Hunger Games (which you can read here), I mentioned how the story was about kids being placed in an arena and forced to kill one another, and that I didn't think it was suitable for kids under 13 unless their parents thought they could handle the mature themes. With Catching Fire, the tone goes from a statement on our entertainment and how it affects us, to political thriller showcasing a tyrannical government essentially enslaving its people. I would still urge parents to be careful with this one, seeing as how it's still a pretty dark movie; however, the adults, teenagers, and older kids who can still understand what's going on in the story will love it. Especially if you have ever read the books.

Big Hero 6

Hiro Hamada is a teenage genius. At 14, he's already a high school graduate. There's just one problem - instead of continuing his educational career, Hiro would rather spend his days participating in underground robot fights. Hiro's brother Tadashi has attempted to get Hiro to consider college for several years. As one last attempt, Tadashi brings Hiro to the science department of the University of San Fransokyo in the hopes of sparking his interest. It is at the university where Hiro hears of a competition for young inventors to showcase their creations. Unfortunately, while competing a fire breaks out, destroying the building. Tadashi perishes in the fire trying to save others trapped inside. Overcome with grief, Hiro drops out of the University of San Fransokyo and locks himself in his room. While grieving Hiro stumbles onto one of Tadashi's own inventions - a medical robot named Baymax. The friendship that develops helps Hiro come out of his depression and search for answers to the questions surrounding his brother's death.

Big Hero 6 is, quite simply, a whole lot of fun. I honestly don't think I've had this much fun in an animated movie since seeing Up back in 2009. I liked how it tried to incorporate adult themes such as dealing with the loss of a loved one while still being appealing to kids. Big Hero 6 does it quite well, for the most part. The only problems I saw were: some of the story felt a little rushed, and as a result some of the supporting characters didn't feel fleshed out enough for the audience to truly care about them - Tadashi in particular. He only showed up in the beginning so his death didn't seem to have the same impact as it could have been. The same goes for friends of Hiro who are there for him after Tadashi dies.

Still, none of that is enough to recommend not seeing it. I would totally recommend it, especially for younger kids. I can guarantee this is one movie both kids and parents will enjoy.

The Equalizer

On the outside, Robert McCall may seem like your average Joe you would meet while walking down the street. He's the kind of person who helps out with whatever you need, no questions asked and wanting nothing in return. Since Robert's wife died a few years back, he's lived a quiet life working at the local Boston Home Mart and helping one of his fellow co-workers named Ralphie train for a security guard position at Home Mart. At nights after work, he can usually be found at the local diner reading a book and interacting with other customers. Robert's quiet and simple life comes crashing to an end after he meets a young call girl named Teri. As he gets to know her, he finds out she wants to be a singer, so he helps her out by giving her advice on how to keep her voice taken care of, among other things. One night as Robert makes his way to the diner, he sees Teri and notices she has a bruise on her cheek. Soon both Robert and Teri encounter her bosses henchmen, and Teri ends up in the hospital after being beaten. In a fit of anger Robert makes a personal visit to Teri's pimp, a Russian Mafia member named Slavi. It's at this meeting where Robert reveals his dangerous (and violent) past.

I never saw the original TV show that The Equalizer is based on, so I can't make any judgements on whether it's a good adaptation or not. Solely on the merits of The Equalizer as a movie, however, I can say that I was hoping for a slightly better story, yet Denzel Washington was (unsurprisingly, considering he's an amazing actor) able to rise above the material and give a great performance as Robert McCall. The way he's able to go from the "bad boy" image to genuinely caring for the people around him is really cool. As far as the story goes, it's still your stereotypical revenge thriller that action movies are so fond of nowadays and are a dime a dozen. I also don't think I can recommend this for younger audiences, as the violence gets pretty graphic. The body count is high, and Robert dispatches his adversaries in various...uh, creative ways, for lack of a better description.

Still, for the more mature audience who can handle this kind of stuff I can safely say that if you are a Denzel Washington fan like I am you will most likely enjoy his interpretation of Robert McCall as the Equalizer.

This Is Where I Leave You

There's an old saying that goes something like: "You can pick your nose, you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your friend's nose". The same can be said of family. The Altman family is the ultimate definition of a dysfunctional family. For years the Altman kids: Judd, Wendy, Paul, and Phillip, grew up in a household where their Dad was barely emotionally involved with them and their Mom scarred them for life by writing a best-selling novel based on their lives. Fast forward to the present and it seems this dysfunction followed the kids into their adult years: Judd is a successful radio producer who recently caught his wife in bed with his boss, Paul is married and is trying (unsuccessfully) to begin a family with his wife, Wendy is unhappily married to a workaholic, and Phillip is a womanizer who flat out refuses to grow up. After bottling up their problems for so long, each of the kids must come to terms with both their problems and each other when their father dies and they all gather for the funeral.

This is Where I Leave You is marketed as a comedy, but the first half of the film is nothing but R-rated vulgar 'humor' that really isn't all that funny. I think I laughed once, maybe twice during the whole first half. The second half of This is Where I Leave You, however, was actually pretty funny despite still being vulgar. One hilarious scene during the second half involved Judd, Paul, and Phillip smoking in a classroom and setting off the fire alarm. Another scene where Judd starts a fight with his former boss for sleeping with his wife is pretty funny when Wendy gets involved and sucker punches Judd's boss in the nose.

On a more positive note, I did appreciate how This is Where I Leave You stressed that a family's bond is one of the strongest bonds there is. All of the Altman's stand up and support one another throughout the film. Even the mother, Hillary, expresses her love for her kids and makes sure they realize their father loved them as well, he just didn't know how to express his feelings to them.

That being said, this is one movie where the content overshadowed the positive messages about family. Not to mention that for being a comedy, most of it in the beginning wasn't very funny.

When the Game Stands Tall

For 11 years (1992 to 2003), De La Salle High School's football team went undefeated. Guided by the leadership of Bob Ladouceur, they worked hard to do and be the best. Try as they might, other high school teams could not de-throne De La Salle as champions...until the first game of the 2004 season when they lose their first game. This turn of events crushes everyone involved, Bob Ladouceur most of all as he realizes he put winning football games ahead of his family. Once Coach Bob realizes this, he begins a journey for both himself and his team to return to the team they once were, learning a valuable lesson that winning isn't everything - it's how you play the game that matters.

When the Game Stands Tall is a great family flick. Considering it's based on a true story, it is predictable; and yet it still manages to be an entertaining - not to mention emotional - film. I've always been a big fan of Jim Caviezel, especially his most recent television role as John Reese on Person of Interest. His role as Coach Bob Ladouceur isn't quite as developed as his role on Person of Interest, or most of his other previous roles; but what Caviezel does as Coach Bob Ladouceur is still remarkable.

One of the bigger things I I thought was interesting - and was certainly happy to see - was the presence of the topic of faith. De La Salle is a Catholic school, and so there are dozens of references to Scripture verses, Coach Bob leads the team in the Lord's Prayer before every game, among other things. To see the topic of faith in a good light instead of being mocked was refreshing. Some people may or may not be put off by the spiritual content, but I appreciated it.

Overall, When the Game Stands Tall is a must-see film for people who enjoy feel-good/underdog types of stories.