Movie Review: The Hunger Games

Katniss in the arena

Few movies manage to capture to true essence of a book. Fortunately, for fans, The Hunger Games succeeded where films like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Eragon failed. There were changes, as expected, but not ones that were detrimental to the feeling of the story. 

Immediately fans see how terrified Primrose Everdeen, the main character Katniss’s sister, is of the reaping that day. It’s clear from the beginning how much Katniss cares for her sister—and how emotionally distant she is from her mother. This scene sets the feel for the rest of the film beautifully.

The casting choices for The Hunger Games fit perfectly. Willow Shields broke hearts as young Prim. Woody Harrelson captured Haymitch perfectly—and hilariously. Josh Hutcherson portrayed Peeta’s feelings towards Katniss and his own life in a moving, meaningful way. The spirit and soul of Katniss comes out brilliantly through Jennifer Lawrence.  Each cast member brought his character to life in a believable, fitting fashion.

  

The addition of scenes not from the books didn’t detract from the story; they enhanced it and set up for Catching Fire and Mockingjay. The scenes with President Snow brought chills to the skin while the moments in the Gamemakers room contained a mixture of horror and fascination. The ones orchestrating the obstacles in the area seemed proud of sending children to their deaths. The technology, though, is quite interesting to see. Think Iron Man’s computer system. 

Katniss and Gale

As with any adaptation, some scenes don’t make the cut while others face alterations. The only real complaint in this department is that if a person hasn’t read the book, she may find herself confused on a few points. Fortunately, through the role of Caesar Flickerman, there’s some explanation throughout the Games. It’s almost like sports commentary. It’s easy to miss details like who Foxface is, that Peeta and Katniss trained together at first and that Haymitch was a former tribute. 

As expected, the movie contains dozens of incidents of violence. Through shaky camera work and angled shots, viewers see what happens without it being gratuitous. The shaking shots can make viewers a bit dizzy or disorientated, so this is definitely not a movie to watch up close. The amount of blood is enough to make the point without taking it too far. There’s a certain feeling of wrongness accompanied with watching children fight to the death; a feeling present in the books and that fans should never lose. Director Gary Ross captured the horror in an effective method.

Katniss and Effie

Because of the extreme violence and emotionally gripping scenes, The Hunger Games is somewhat hard to watch. From the moment when Katniss volunteers to take Prim’s place to the trials in the area, it’s impossible to remain completely calm. Be prepared for tears, laughter and anxiety. It’s difficult to watch characters die, especially ones that worm their way into the hearts of fans without us realizing it. It’s worth it, though. 

The Hunger Games is a must-see not only for fans of the book, but the general public. Katniss Everdeen is a true heroine, one that we can all admire. If the box office numbers tells us anything, it’s that the a movie lead by such a fantastic character with an amazing story can and will take the world by storm.

Review: Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse by Troy Denning

Contains spoilers.

Upon hearing the title of the last book in the Fate of the Jedi series, I cringed. Apocalypse is a word we’ve heard far too much in the past two years. The infamous Mayan 2012 prediction creeps into all media at random intervals to annoy us. Apocalypse seems as if it’s an overly dramatic title for a Star Wars book. The galaxy facing certain destruction is old news. Troy Denning closed out the FotJ with a plethora of action, just as he did Legacy of the Force.

On the surface, Abeloth sounds like a terrifying being. She can’t die. She can be in multiple places at the same time. She has no limitations. After finding out exactly what Abeloth is supposed to be, I felt highly skeptical. The history the Killiks gave bothers me to no end.

I don’t like the idea that everyone’s path is predestined. That takes away the responsibility of choice. The Killiks made it sound as if Abeloth would come no matter what anyone did. There was nothing Luke or anyone else could do about it and that’s an idea that I’m not comfortable with in literature or life. Anakin Skywalker chose to kill Mace Windu and pledge himself to Palpatine. Jacen chose to listen to Lumiya. The drunk driver chooses to climb behind the wheel of his car. The woman acts to cheat on her husband. Personal choice is necessary to avoid chaos. Regardless of how logical the Killiks argument may sound, taking it for face value even coupled with some story Yoda told Luke, is far too trusting for a group of strong Jedi. That the Force has a being that causes massive amounts of destruction for the sake of it doesn’t sound like the Force we all know. 

Right from the start, Denning pulls readers into a rich, action-packed infiltration of Coruscant. It sets the idea that the Jedi are there to take the situation into their own hands. Those who prefer a more philosophical or mystical battle for the Jedi may find the book a little frustration at times. It’s gorier than most Star Wars books, what with the way the Sith die, Saba’s fight in the Jedi Temple and Abeloth’s use of her tentacles (think Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean). The pace slows down in the middle a bit, but picks up towards the end. There’s some repetition towards the end that can bog down readers and at times, it’s hard to picture a location. 

The strongest part of the Apocalypse isn’t the plot; it’s the characters. As this is a Denning book, Han Solo dances from the pages with sarcastic humor. Master Saba Sebatyne comes across somewhat tamer than she has before (in behavior, not physical combat). Unlike previous Denning-penned books, I found myself pleasantly surprised at the portrayals of Jagged Fel and Jaina Solo. Even Tahiri became much more appealing, a first in this series. She’s wallowed in grief and self-loathing far too long. 

Probably the biggest change in characterization was Luke Skywalker. It’s clear by the end Apocalypse that Luke’s growing away from his role as Grand Master. Near the end, Ben mentions that eventually the burden will fall to Jaina’s generation. Throughout the series, Luke still acts as a competent fighter, but he’s physically weaker. While Luke’s power isn’t fading, it actually feels as if a shift is occurring with the Jedi Order. It feels like a natural change. 

These revelations came clearest through the conversations between Luke and Jaina. Gone were the rash decisions, the constant back and forth her character constantly suffers. She’s the one who acts as the voice of reason. This is a Jaina that needs to stay. Denning created a balance between the fighter, the Jedi and the woman. Her decisions were logical and sound. There were no questions about her and Jag’s relationship. Even though they didn’t appear in the same place until the very end, the little actions of her calling during a lull in battle and his concern for her during his own crisis spoke volumes more than a conversation about the relationship. 

The end of Apocalypse left me with mixed feelings, excluding the last chapter that better fits the term epilogue. Had Abeloth been a more impressive or conceivable villain, the defeat would seem impressive. The elements were there, but the problems lie in the Abeloth character, not the actual confrontations. The end leaves a plethora of questions. What happened to the Dark Man? Is Vestara the next threat or will she disappear? Where do the Jedi go from here? How will the whole future of the Empire play out regarding to Jag?

Some of these will surely come up in whatever Del Rey produces next. As Denning mentioned, the possibilities are endless. The book truly felt like a turning point in the Expanded Universe, something it desperately needs. 

And the wedding? It’s about damn time. 

Score: 7/10

SWTOR Review: Jedi Knight class story wavers, but ends strong

End shot, sans Scourge

Nadia, my Jedi Knight, ended her class story standing with the rest of the crew in front of Grand Master Satele Shan and a grateful crowd. In a moment that was pure A New Hope, T7 booped, applause rang through the ship and there the heroes stood. The only thing missing was the first notes we’ve heard after the credits countless times. 

Instead, the quest acceptance box popped up and the Jedi Knight class story came to a close. 

While leveling my Jedi Knight, I ran with my husband’s Jedi Consular. We’d do class story quests together, so I’ve seen a good chunk of the Consular. Of the two Jedi classes, the Knight is much more militaristic and action-packed. Though the Consular must defeat his own share of enemies and Sith, the Jedi Knight seemed to have more such missions. Given the roles, it makes sense. Ultimately, these differences in class story can act as a strong indication of which Jedi a person wants to play. 

Solved puzzle in Temple

By Act Three, it’s clear what Nadia’s final task will be: facing the Sith Emperor. On the way to the throne room, I had to choose whether to save a member of the crew or leave him. I choose save, much to Lord Scourge’s massive dislike (he has almost -1000 affection towards Nadia). T7 is the only companion the Jedi Knight can take on the final mission because the Emperor can't influence a droid. (So make sure to upgrade T7's gear). Immediately the fight reminded me of the Force phantoms Lumiya created in Betrayal. The confrontation is a satisfying end, but the final dialogue options with the Emperor seemed skewed with Light/Dark points. I chose the Light Side option and earned 50 points. Given the Dark Side option, it seems as if the decision warranted more than 50 points. Generally speaking, there are far less Light Side point options than Dark. 

The Jedi Knight contains a consistent military tone to it. It’s very common solider, right in the middle of everything. It felt very “Star Wars.” I’d recommend it to anyone wanting to feel as if they are on the front lines. 

While watching the Consular story, I was constantly reminded of Obi-Wan. Earning the Master title much earlier than the Jedi Knight, the position on the Jedi Council, the negotiating, it’s all there. The Consular drips Obi-Wan (if played completely Light) like the Smuggler bleeds Han Solo. The Consular heals and saves. 

Blocking the Emperor's attacks

Most of the final confrontations for the varying planet storylines are roughly the same. A bit of variety with the fight mechanics would have been nice to see. If it were a group event, the term “tank and spank” comes to mind. Those fights were always nice in World of Warcraft after dealing with a raid boss with a nasty quirk. 

My only major complaint is occurs when the crew works to capture the Emperor. The Jedi falls to the Dark Side. There’s no option to avoid it. The Emperor invades the mind and influences horrible acts that are never revealed. BioWare also doesn’t say how long the Jedi Knight is in the Emperor’s clutches. 

This story point isn’t right. The option should exist to allow players to try to trick those around her that she’s fallen; only she hasn’t. The Jedi is now tainted and there’s not a thing a player can do about it. The only point, it seems, is to push Dark Side favoritism. The move was so out of character it was ridiculous. 

Aside from that incident, the Jedi Knight storyline is quite enjoyable. I recommend it to anyone wanting to feel like Anakin Skywalker, Jaina Solo, Corran Horn and other Jedi warriors.

Movie Review: The Phantom Menace 3D

There’s nothing quite like hearing the 20^th Century Fox music in surround sound in a movie theater. The Lucasfilm logo follows and then the first chord of the fantastic work of John Williams blares through the speakers. A certain chill goes through the air. The yellow text scrolls up the screen. No matter how many times I’ve read the scroll for The Phantom Menace, I read it again. 

There’s just something about watching Star Wars on the big screen. My husband and I went to see The Phantom Menace on Friday during the afternoon. The theater gave us a pair of Darth Maul 3D glasses. The collector in me would have liked to receive one pair of Maul and one pair of Anakin’s racing goggles, but I’m not complaining. 

During the movie itself, I was constantly aware of the 3D element, which presented itself the clearest during close-up shots. The 3D, as it is in all 3D films, was distracting. The only upside to the new format was how bright the colors were. We saw this with the Blu-Ray, so it wasn’t anything new. The 3D was better than other films, but it’s still not worth it. 

I don’t like being aware of 3D while watching it. While it’s important to notice that it’s there. It shouldn’t be distracting or annoying. Even though Lucas’s 3D was much more tolerable to the eyes than others, I still experienced eye strain. 

I’d rather watched the movie in 2D once again rather than waste money on 3D. It wasn’t an option. In the small area I live in, the theater is eight screens and something must be a mega blockbuster to earn another screen. The other movies theaters closed years ago due to lack of business. 

The best part about the Star Wars movies coming out in theaters again is simply that we fans can enjoy them once again on the big screen. It brings back feelings of awe and wonder. It’s also a great way for new fans to experience the Saga. For this reason alone, I’ll go see the others—even if I have to view the 3D. 

After viewing TPM once again, I think that the story is pretty solid. It’s a good foundation for what lies ahead. I discussed the plot last week, so I won’t repeat it.

The movie was fourth in the domestic box office. That’s not bad at all for re-release. The Vow beat it, but it was also the weekend before Valentine’s Day. Plenty of people were going on the weekend for the holiday. I’m not sure what Lucas was deem “successful.” 

With the rest of the Saga, I hope that more theaters can show it in 2D so that the fans who can’t watch 3D won’t miss out on the experience. We all need to see Darth Vader say, “Luke, I am your father” on the big screen again.

REVIEW: Fate of the Jedi: Ascension

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

Fate of the Jedi: Ascension by Christie Golden loses the ability to keep readers by glorifying domestic abuse.

Around the halfway point in the book, Ben Skywalker forces his way into Vestara Khai’s room aboard the Jade Shadow. When she won’t reveal what she is doing, he takes her wrists forcefully. Vestara fights back and Ben strikes her cheek with a Force-slap. They continue to struggle until Ben restrains her with her sheets. He then reads the letters she had written. Ben feels shameful for reading her letters, but not for striking or restraining Vestara. A few minutes later, the two cuddle in bed and kiss. Vestara references the latter part of the evening towards the end of the book-with no mention of Ben’s violent behavior. The message? Domestic violence is okay. It will end in romance.

It’s not off base to think that Vestara is used to this type of behavior. Her father refers to her mother as a “good Sith wife” and acts condescending to her. She acts like someone who may have experience in that type of situation. Vestara simply gives up and allows Ben to do as he wishes.

The scene feels surreal. The concept that Ben Skywalker could strike a woman is downright insane. Expanded Universe fans know that Ben did not grow up in an abusive household. It’s beyond out of character. Luke and Mara’s son would never dream of doing such an act.

Character issues are the minor problem. The fact remains that domestic abuse is part of Star Wars with NO CONSEQUENCES. At no point should domestic abuse be seen as a good thing. It’s bad enough that women are continuously shoved down in the Expanded Universe. Adding a scene of positive abuse alienates the female audience even more.

I expect more from Del Rely and Lucas Books. That they allowed this horrible sequence to be published is disturbing and inexcusable.

Star Wars is ultimately the story of good versus evil. Heroes do not beat their spouses. They do not shove the people they care for down in a fit of rage. That is the activity for a horrible villain. Showing a future hero- the son of Luke Skywalker, no less- hurt the woman that he claims to care about in anger hurts the character, the brand and the book.

Ascension is plagued with side plots that would have been interesting if written properly. For example, the showdown between Imperial Head of State Jagged Fel and Former Chief of State Natasi Daala brings in an element that any fan of Fel will love. The stilted dialogue and glossed over space battle detract from what could have been a fantastic sequence. This is just one of the many sequences Golden doesn’t describe. She changes or adds in details with little or no explanation to fit the situation.

The book lacks a feeling of “doom” or “worry.” Abeloth is still dull. The little bit of characterization we seen makes her appear pathetic and petty. The Lost Tribe of the Sith are just unbelievable. Beings that escape isolation after thousands of years do not understand the galaxy enough to pose a threat. Their archaic lifestyle is highlighted at the beginning of the book with ceremony and masquerade. Reading these events was like watching a group of believers greet aliens for the first time or the Ewoks fawning over C-3PO.

The editing in Ascension is better than it was in Allies. Golden does use far too many clauses and repeats information a little too much. Her constant use of food becomes distracting. How many times must she discuss food in one book? Her understanding of the characters in the Star Wars universe often falls flat, especially regarding dialogue. Too many lines sound like they belong in the mouths of other people. When adding to the Star Wars universe, it’d vital to have an understanding of at least the voice of a character.

It’s clear that Vestara and the Lost Tribe of the Sith are her favorites, as they are all more developed and more intelligent than the other characters. Vestara, for example, continuously outsmarts Luke. A girl of her age could not logically take down Luke Skywalker.

Golden also uses far too many movie tie-ins. The constant references seem more like a way to say, “Yes, I do know Star Wars” than to provide amusement like Allston’s references did in Conviction.

Readers wanting a fun, interesting, worthy story in the Star Wars universe should stay away from Ascension. Its contents have forever marred the beloved fandom with an ugly, harmful moment of glorified domestic abuse.

And quite frankly, that’s enough of a reason not to buy the book.

Captain America: Too Perfect to be Interesting

Tonight I met another member of “The Avengers.” At first, I was charmed by Steve Rogers, the man who wanted to serve his country but wasn’t physically able. Too soon, though, Rogers became the man with no faults. He ran the fastest. He could swim like a dolphin. His reflexes never failed. His aim was never off. Women wanted him. He sweat liquid gold (okay not really, but you get my point).

He was boring. In the beginning, his friend Bucky mentioned that Rogers had something to prove, but it was never mentioned again. The audience could infer that he wanted to live up to his father, who died of mustard gas or that he wanted to prove that a scrawny kid from Brooklyn could defend America. This message wasn’t clear, though.

Rogers physical weaknesses weren’t enough to give him any real faults. (SPOILER) Even when Bucky died, it wasn’t a weakness on Roger’s part. It’s not like there was anything he could do. That’s not a weakness; it’s an unpleasant fact of life- and war. (END OF SPOILER)

It was too easy for Captain America to beat his enemies. Of course, he is going to win, but it’d be nice to see him break a sweat. He took some punches, but they didn’t make a real difference. At least Iron Man and Thor have faults. Their faults are part of why they are interesting characters. Even a fear of heights would have given Captain America a little depth.

The problem with a perfect superhero is that nothing is a challenge. When he can easily beat any foe, the audience has no reason to worry. There’s no suspense. Why would I watch a movie if I know that all it will take is a couple punches and the hero wins? Even if I know the hero will survive, the fights needs be difficult. I want to see a hero have to use all of his wits. I want to see a hero fight to overcome some weakness or personal flaw in order to beat the villain. That is interesting storytelling. Watching the perfect person kick the enemy a few times and declare victory is boring. It adds nothing to the character.

The movie was tolerable. The villain, Johann Schmidt/Red Skull, wasn’t fleshed out enough. It was clear that he was nuts, but there was no real information about the tesseract he uncovered. I admit, I found it amusing that Red Skull resembled a Yuuzhan Vong without tattoos or implants. The best parts were the war bond rallies and seeing so much of Howard Stark.

The entire movie felt like a quick briefing of who Captain America is. The end is rushed, and leaves out some information. (Spoiler: Like exactly how he survived the crash.)

Captain America is essentially what the army made him: the perfect tool of patriotism and physical ability. Unfortunately, no personality was injected into his veins.

Paul S. Kemp's "Deceived" places readers in mind's eye of a Sith

Within the first 35 pages of Paul S. Kemp’s “Star Wars The Old Republic Deceived,” Darth Malgus reveals to readers the reason why there will always be Sith in the galaxy. Malgus needs to kill and reveals that he would kill allies if necessary. His bloodlust appears in several parts of the books, like when he mentions the need for constant war. Following Malgus through “Deceived” is like watching footage of a video game. He’s slightly overpowered, and determined to finish his mission.

In addition to the Sith, Kemp introduces a down-on-his-luck smuggler, Zeerid Korr, and a conflicted Jedi Knight, Aryn Leneer. Zeerid isn’t as rough and dangerous as other smugglers seen in the Star Wars universe. Zeerid’s need for credits is honorable, making him the most sympathetic character in the book. This difference provides a refreshing feel to smugglers as a group. Readers wanting to see a powerful or traditional Jedi will be disappointed. While Aryn goes through realistic human emotions, her decisions lack the control and dedication associated with the Jedi.

The smuggler, trooper and Imperial agent classes are referenced, making the book a strong tie-in for “Star Wars The Old Republic.”

The books plot flows well and is easy to follow. Kemp describes all of the encounters in a way that fans of lightsaber fights and aerial dogfights will enjoy.

“Deceived” is ultimately a book for the Sith. Malgus’s overpowered actions make some parts of the book seem surreal and over the top. Fortunately, the excellent characters balance out these flaws, making “Deceived” a worthy addition to the Star Wars Expanded Universe.