"SPECTRE" Trailer Review and Breakdown

Well, I said in my last post that a trailer roundup was coming, and that is still happening. But this is a special case as I am about to talk about the first teaser trailer for one of the most anticipated movies of the year: Spectre. Check it out below:

Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ashLaclKCik

Yes, that's right guys, 007 is back and....talking in the first trailer for the 24th Bond movie, Spectre. It would be unfair to use the word "kicking" as this trailer seems to focus less on action and more on the emotional and personal aspects of this latest venture. Skyfall took a first step in revealing the mysterious origins of the famous agent and this movie looks set to continue the story, introducing a potentially damaging concept, which I'll dive into in a minute. The tone seems considerably darker than anything else we've seen before in a Bond movie, with the overarching threat of this new, sinister organisation. The trailer does not showcase the full range of talent in this movie with Andrew Scott, Dave Bautista, Ralph Fiennes, and Lea Seydoux noticeably absent, but we do at least get our first look at the plot, which has me simply intrigued so far. So, let's take a look at what was revealed in this first, exciting look:

So it's clear that this movie carries straight on from Skyfall, with the opening shot showing the aftermath of the bombing of MI6 by Silva.

Next we have another appearance from Naomie Harris' Eve, otherwise known as Miss Moneypenny, who is delivering everything that the Forensics team recovered from the ruins of Skyfall. Apparently it took them 3 years to sort through it all. Anyway, the contents of the box include this:

This shows a picture of Bond as a child with a man who is not his father, and who I am presuming is Hannes Oberhauser. For those of you not familiar with the lore or background of Bond, Hannes Oberhauser was Bond's skiing instructor from when he was a young man, before he mysteriously went missing. It's an interesting enough concept to link this disappearance to the SPECTRE organisation. But when you take a closer look, it's immediately put in jeopardy when you look at the paper and it looks like the burnt out face is some sort relation to Bond. This is dangerously close to clichéd, if this is indeed Bond's half-brother or the like and it is the same character glimpsed later, then we are going to be seeing yet another evil brother who the hero is forced to go toe to toe with. 

Next, we get shots of the snow-covered slopes of Austria, presumably, where the crew of the movie have been filming recently, where Bond has come in search of a familiar face.

Looking here and especially at the later scenes of the trailer, Bond is well into his search here and believes that the key to uncovering the truth of SPECTRE lies in this little Austrian cabin.

Then we move onto a funeral scene, which features Monica Bellucci, who plays Lucia Sciarra. In a script leak, Bond apparently kills her husband, an assassin only called Sciarra, and then manipulates her into giving him information on her husband's actions. That sounds great but unfortunately that script, and in particular the ending, was not well received by Sony executives or people online who got to read it in time. At all. Mind you, it was said that time was taken during filming to rewrite the ending and hopefully they have done that.

Well, it just wouldn't be a Bond movie without Aston Martin product placement now would it? In this case, we get our first look at Bond's new Aston Martin DB10, specially made for the movie.

Here, we see that Bond has infiltrated a large meeting of what is presumably SPECTRE, while posing as the man he is seeking out in Austria. This scene also displays the huge ranks of SPECTRE. And this does not seem to include the thugs and henchman and is only the high-up members of the group. 

Bond seems to have evidence to incriminate whoever this man is in being a member of SPECTRE. Maybe its some documents that he has stolen from the meeting that we see a few times in the trailer, or that he has been tracking him across the globe for years, or he can tell by......a ring?

It is nice to see that the old SPECTRE logo is still being used over a redesign or only being hinted at in the octopus-like shatter in the logo released. A bit clumsy though isn't it? Through these branded rings, MI6, the CIA, and the like could easily identify members of the organisation if they are all carrying them or simply if the government suspect them, raid their home and find this piece of quite clear evidence.

"You are a kite, dancing in a hurricane, Mr. Bond." This is the warning given by the rather shabby looking Mr White, once again played by Jesper Christensen. You might be saying, what do you mean "once again?" Well, Mr. White last appeared in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, where he was a high-ranking member of the Quantum organisation. Now, if he is not a member of SPECTRE, that is interesting. I originally speculated that Quantum and SPECTRE were the same group and Quantum would eventually evolve into SPECTRE. If not, it looks like the members of Quantum are slowly being hunted down by this new threat, hence why White is hiding out in a cabin in Austria.

Bond does not seem too phased by this ambiguous warning. Maybe he should be, especially going by the enormous numbers in these meeting scenes!

Back to the meeting scene as we see Bond looking over the head executives of SPECTRE before the reveal of the new head of the terrorist group.

The trailer concludes with our first look at Christoph Waltz who plays the villain of the movie, reportedly called Franz Oberhauser. Notice that he has the same name as the aforementioned Hannes Oberhauser from the books. Is he the missing face from the burnt picture? Quite possibly.

So that's all for now. Overall, I'm really excited for this movie, as it did make #3 on my most anticipated movies list. Stay tuned for more content soon!

Why Tomorrowland is Going To Be One of 2015's Best

A lot of movies right now are getting a lot of trailers and coverage (don't worry, there's a trailer roundup coming soon covering all of the things I've missed over the past while): Age of Ultron, Star Wars, Jurassic World, Inside Out, Chappie. Unfortunately, that means one particular movie has fallen under the radar. Can you guess which one? Well, if you can't, you're clearly not paying attention to the title. It's Disney's Tomorrowland. Remember that short 1 minute trailer that came out a long time ago. No? I'm not really that surprised if that's so. Nobody really knows what it's about or what the plot is going to be so nobody was paying attention. And that's really unfortunate given how incredible it is shaping up to be. In hindsight, it should have been much higher on my most anticipated movies list of the year, probably ahead of Terminator at least as, in my mind at least, it's shaping up to be one of the best movies of the year. Let me explain why...

1. The Cast

The cast of this movie is quite impressive indeed. Along with younger actors like Britt Robinson and Raffey Cassidy, veteran actors George Clooney and Hugh Laurie also feature in the flick as hero and villain Frank Walker and David Nix respectively.  These actors should all be good signs. Actors as good as this who have been in this business for a long time do not sign on for just any movie. They have to read a sample of the script, talk to the director and be in weeks and even months of negotiations. The fact that they have agreed to appear should signal the makings of a modern classic, something Tomorrowland promises to be.

2. A Completely Original Concept

Be honest, can you think of one original concept coming out this year. A really original concept, that doesn't steal or borrow from lots of different things. Avengers, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Terminator. No matter how much I am looking forward to all of these movies, it will be more of the same. Minions. Basically more of every scene they were in in the first two  "Despicable Me" movies. I could go on. But I won't because I can think of one, because it is undeniable that Tomorrowland is a new concept, quite unlike anything we've seen before. It is impossible to say that you have seen someone touch a pin and then immediately be transported to another world or dimension or....something. We do not know a lot of information about this movie but that only piques my interest even more. The very fact that we are not able to predict anything in the plot or what is going to happen, especially in this day and age, only serves to emphasise how original an idea this is and makes it worth a look, in my opinion.

3. Brad Bird

Brad Bird is the director of this particular flick. Why does he deserve a special place on this list, you might ask? Because this man has yet to put a foot wrong in this industry. Mainly working in animation, he has directed 4 feature films since 1999: The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Those last 3 should be particularly good news, as all 3 are excellent and, from what I can recall, The Iron Giant is very good as well. An acclaimed director, well known for his original ideas and spectacular stories, it is difficult to doubt that he could fail now, especially with a film he has been working on since 2012! 

4. Incredible Effects

Excellent visual effects are hardly something that can be especially related to one film, especially nowadays, but Tomorrowland's effects are really something to be marveled at. These are able to compete with the extremely high-budget releases this year by which I am referring to movies like Avengers: Age of Ultron and Star Wars which rely heavily on them. This is not just robots, lightsabres, lasers and everything in between, but rather a whole city, chock full of high-tech gadgetry, strange sights and the aforementioned robots. An impressive feat even by the standards of current movies, something that would be well worth checking out on the big screen (or possibly the even bigger screen of the IMAX).

5. The Simply Brilliant Trailer

Just watch it and you'll see what I mean:

I hope that I have at least made a case for Tomorrowland and why I think it will be able to stand its own against the most anticipated flicks of the year. Stay tuned for more posts coming soon!

"Kingsman: The Secret Service" Review

Does anyone really remember when spy movies were truly fun? The old Sean Connery Bond movies and even some of the later ones had a good time with some silly gadgets and over-the-top villains who had henchman with some sort of gimmick, like a bowler hat that could kill you or a robotic arm. Nowadays though, it's all changed. Bourne is a dark take on the genre and Bond is turning into a much more violent version of itself as well with Daniel Craig. It seemed like the old days were gone.

Director Matthew Vaughn is here to tell us that they're still here. And they are awesome.

"Kingsman: The Secret Service" is a throwback to the beloved old spy movies with gentlemen spies, megalomaniac villains, and convoluted action scenes. And it does all of this with an incredible sense of self-awareness and English upper-class. The story revolves around Harry Hart, codenamed Galahad, played brilliantly with Colin Firth, as he sets out to simultaneously stop tech-savvy villain Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), and recruit a new member to the Kingsman, an independent organisation devoted to stopping any international threats, after their previous member was killed (by getting cut in half by Sofia Boutella's henchwoman and her prosthetic legs), leading him to Gary 'Eggsy' Unwin (played by newcomer Taron Egerton). The story is an extremely enjoyable one featuring various references, both explicit and subtle, to the old Bonds and other similar movies. These range from Firth and Jackson acknowledging their roles as villain and hero respectively but also having a McDonalds for dinner when they meet for the first time.

When Colin Firth was cast as a gentleman spy, nobody had any doubts that he could pull off the kind and mannerly Englishman aspect (given that he basically lives that role everyday of his life) but there were concerns over how well he could do the action scenes. So his ability to knock out these scenes like they are nothing is probably the biggest surprise of the movie. One particular scene in a hate church where Firth's Galahad is subjected to the villain's aggression amplifier is the stand out scene in the movie. Firth is not the only good actor in the movie, however. It's great to see Samuel L. Jackson in a role that he's not done before as the villain of the piece, who can't stand the sight of blood and provides much of the humour in the movie. Newcomer Egerton also does an impressive job, bringing charisma to spare, and holding his own against British greats Michael Caine and Mark Strong. Expect to see him in more films in the future.

Based off of the comic book "The Secret Service" by Mark Miller, director Vaughn and his team of writers have produced an engrossing and impressively funny script, filled to the brim with action-packed scenes. The visual effects have been created in such a way that the action flows and is fast-paced, creating the hyper-violent feel of Vaughn's previous works like Kick-Ass. The soundtrack by Henry Jackson also adds to this, creating the feel of an old-time spy flick.

It's reassuring to know that Matthew Vaughn did not abandon X-Men: Days of Future Past for no good reason, and he has given us a great excuse to go to see another movie. It's not just another movie though, as we are treated to an ultra-violent, very funny, throwback to spy movies like Bond and Bourne. A rollercoaster of a  movie with twists and turns along the way, "Kingman: The Secret Service" is a joy to watch and an impressive start to my 2015 movie year, proving that not all January movies are worthless.

Rating: 10/10

Original Release Date: 29th January 2015

Starring: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Sofia Boutella, Michael Caine, Mark Strong, Sophie Cookson, Jack Davenport, Mark Hamill

Oscars 2015: Uh...Where's the Lego Movie?

Why are a bunch of 60 plus year old men still running the Academy in Hollywood, responsible for selecting the candidates for the Oscars? Their selection criteria for Best Picture is so clear, let me set it out for you:

• Anything based on the life of a real person? POTENTIAL CANDIDATE ALERT!!
• Anything set during World War I or II? So it must be good!!!
• Both? Then everything is awesome!!!

Seriously, tell me that's not how this is going. Why the heck is American Sniper nominated over the likes of Foxcatcher and Nightcrawler, when they are supposedly far superior? And even then, you could have had all of those films as you do have the power to nominate up to 10 films remember! But, by far the biggest snub this year is The Lego Movie for Best Animated Picture. OK, great joke guys, but come on now, where is it? Wait, you're serious....What is wrong with you? So instead we're dealing with Disney flick Big Hero 6 (which will win because Disney), a creepy as anything one (The Boxtrolls in case you couldn't work it out), A Dreamworks film, and two nobody has heard of. Sure, having the last 15 minutes in live action probably didn't help it's chances, but the majority was in animation so it should count, shouldn't it? The collective gasp from the audience when the nominations were announced with no Lego Movie says it all: that having a bunch of folks running the primary awards show is not doing anything for their popularity as they continue to grow so far apart from what is relevant now and stay in the past (why do you think Clint Eastwood always gets nominated). Get it together guys, or literally no one is going to watch your awards or care about them anymore.

The Top 15 Most Anticipated Movies of 2015!

Well, it's been 2015 for a while now and I've not been posting a lot, but to kick off the Flix Reviewer New Year, here are the top 15 most anticipated movies of 2015 (your opinions may differ from those of myself)!!! (APOLOGIES TO MOBILE USERS IF YOU CANNOT VIEW THE TRAILERS)

15. Furious 7

Now, before you pull out your pitchforks, let me explain why this film is here. Yes, I am well aware that this franchise has gone down hill for some (read all) in recent years and that it is probably going to outstay its welcome. But, it feels somewhat right to see this movie after the tragic death of Paul Walker, who plays Brian O'Connor in the movies, last year. This is his last full film and that is the main reason I want to actually see this. Mind you, it still boasts a great cast which now includes Dwayne Johnson from Fast 5 on and introduces Jason Statham. The action also looks fast-paced (pardon the pun) as always. I know you might not want to see this, but I probably still will.

Release Date: March 26th

14. Pan

I've already ripped quite heavily into Pan's first trailer (my reaction to it is also up if you're interested) so it might seem a surprise that it's up here. However, I'm still hoping that I'm wrong. I hope that the dark tone of the first part of the trailer is how the tone of this film is throughout and that this isn't going to be as stupidly over-the-top as it may seem.

Release Date: July 24th

13. Kingsman: The Secret Service

This film just looks plain fun. The pure idea of Colin Firth as a super spy is funny to start with, given that he doesn't exactly have the Daniel Craig Bond edge about him, but early reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with the film holding a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing (16th January for reference). The humour seems just right and I'm excited to see just where this movie will go.

Release Date: February 13th

12. Inside Out

It's no secret that Pixar haven't exactly had the best few years what with "Brave", "Monsters University", and in particular "Cars 2" receiving very mixed reviews. So it's great to see them abandon sequels temporarily (I say "temporarily" because "Finding Dory" and "The Incredibles 2" are among the others are coming up) and go back to what made them great: original ideas. The concept of the mind working like an office looks so interesting buy funny that this could be Pixar's best film in years and a return to the golden age. 

Release Date: June 17

11. Pixels

Adam Sandler, what happened? You used to make the best films: Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, 50 First Dates! And then you started going down the drain, what with recent movies "Blended," "Jack and Jill," and "Grown Ups 2" receiving awful reviews. There is a chance, however, that this one could be different. Why, you ask? Well, for 3 reasons.

1. The Director: Chris Columbus. This guy has directed a lot of stuff over the years, most famously Mrs. Doubtfire, Home Alone (1 and 2, not the rubbish that came next), and the first 2 Harry Potter flicks. If these films are any indication, he could make this a good one.
2. The rest of the cast, including Peter Dinklage, Kevin James, and Brian Cox. All good actors and probably have enough skill to work through any script given to them, no matter how insane, which brings me to...
3. The premise: The concept of 1980s video-game characters, like Pac-Man and Space Invaders, invading the modern day just sound plain cool. It's a great idea and, if it looks anything like the fan-made film on YouTube, it will be great.

Release Date: July 24th

10. Tomorrowland

So little information has been released about director Brad Bird's ("Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol", "The Incredibles") latest film that it was easy to let it slip under the radar. For people who have been following it, on the other hand, there has been a lot of speculation surrounding it, especially regarding the plot and the mysterious teaser trailer. It has attracted my attention so far, and I am eager for answer, but one, even one, misstep on Bird's part, and it could all come crashing down.

Release Date: May 20th

9. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2

One of many movies on this list with a wide fan base already, myself included, "The Hunger Games" has kept us entertained since 2012, with Jennifer Lawrence's electric performance drawing me and millions of others in to this dark and dystopian future. Now it's all coming to a close, though, and my reason for this being one of my most anticipated films is that I, after 4 years, want to see how it all ends.

Release Date: November 20th

8. Mission: Impossible 5

"Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol" was unexpectedly brilliant. Brad Bird, who, along with this film, has already been mentioned, did a great job in bringing back Ethan Hunt with a new team of IMF agents. Well, they're back this year, with a Christmas Day release to boot. One problem. While the actors are all back, Brad Bird isn't, leaving it up to director Colin McQuarrie to take the helm. I have high hopes for this next installment in the franchise, but I'm not sure if it will live up to its predecessor. Although it might. Take a look at this and tell me this sequence isn't going to be breathtaking to watch.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/tom-cruise-shoots-incredible-death-defying-4564311

Release Date: December 25th

7. Mad Max: Fury Road

While this film is coming out this year, it has been it development hell for a long time, with a troubling production involving the script and cast. Tom Hardy replaces series regular Mel Gibson as headliner Max, as he tries to survive in a post-apocalyptic Australia. Despite concerns and practically no expectations for it, the footage blew the crowds away at San Diego Comic-Con 2014 and has been rapidly becoming more and more anticipated. However, the same problems still stand. Why was the script rewritten so many times? Does that mean the story could potentially be awful or make no sense? It may look like an engaging action chase movie but there is no denying the concerns people have.

Release Date: May 13th

6. Terminator: Genisys

What happened to the Terminator franchise? After the two iconic first installments, it all just fell apart. "Rise of the Machines" wasn't good and I'm not going to even try and watch "Salvation" after everything I've heard. This, on the other hand, doesn't look half bad. Sporting very similar effect designs and sets to the original, as well as bringing back Arnie, the series looks to be trying to reclaim some of it's former glory through a time reset, just like X-Men last year. I don't know if it has actually had effort put into it or if it's just a blatant cash grab but it has attracted my attention, either way.

Release Date: June 25th

5. Ant-Man

I think that it's fair to say that this movie has been one of the most divisive among comic-book fans and moviegoers alike. It's really easy to make fun of this project (come on, it's a guy shrinking and it's called "Ant-Man") and be concerned, mostly due to the departure of Edgar Wright from the film, which was the first big red-light for most. But, and I mean this, I think that this looks great. Not as good as the next four films but still really good. The cast is superb, with Paul Rudd maybe not seeming the most obvious choice for a superhero but still interesting, Evangeline Lilly, fresh off the Hobbit trilogy, Michael Douglas as mentor Hank Pym, and the intimidating Corey Stall playing the villain, Yellowjacket. The effects also look great (but that's to be expected from Marvel at this point) and I think that Ant-Man will prove all the haters out there wrong.

Release Date: July 17th

4. Jurassic World

Another trailer I've already dug into so I won't spend too long on this one. Unlike the two awful sequels, this looks like the first "Jurassic Park" film in a while that could actually be GOOD. Don't even pretend "The Lost World" and the third one were. You're not fooling anyone. Headed up by Chris Pratt, popular from the wildly successful "Guardians of the Galaxy" (and rightfully so), the cast all look great and the film looks excellent (besides the strange and controversial decision to use CGI to create the Jurassic World gate). This film could well be an utter mess, but I'm still interested to see how it goes.

Release Date: May 11th

3. Spectre

Another Bond film! Sign me up! With the title referencing the sinister organisation from the Sean Connery era of Bond, it seems like it's going to be a return to the mystery of the old films with the action and adrenaline of Craig's new ones, and with an amazing cast, including Dave Bautsisa, Christoph Waltz, and, of course, Daniel Craig, what could go wrong? Well, according to leaks from the Sony hacks, a lot. The production is already WAY  over budget and the convoluted and frankly poor script, including some downright lazy plot twists, has already sent fans into a frenzy. I have faith that it will be good and I'm really excited for it, but let's just say I'm a bit more cautious now than when it was announced.

Release Date: November 6th

2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

What's left to say about this particular movie that hasn't already been said, besides simply reinforcing the fact that hype is higher than ever thanks to the teasing of director J.J. Abrams and the cast, as well as a brief but effective teaser trailer. Everyone is itching for more information that hopefully will be on the way soon, but for now, the trailer along with the cast alone, never mind any of the teased info, is enough to put it this high on the most anticipated films of 2015 list.

Release Date: December 18th

1. Avengers: Age of Ultron

As a massive superhero movie fan, what else could take the number one spot for me? Sure, all of these other flicks look and sound great, but none have so far amazed me on the same level that the trailers and stills for Avengers 2 have! A stellar cast, incredible effects, and a so-far intriguing story, I have no doubts that Avengers: Age of Ultron will easily be one of the best films of the year.

Release Date: May 1st

Well, that's the end of the list but that's not all the films that are coming out in 2015. There are so many more that I did not talk about so I think it's time for some honourable mentions. These are movies that I considered but ultimately did not make the cut, either because they are already out, I am not really that excited for them (although a lot of other people are), or I have not seen the first installments.

Honourable Mentions

• The Good Dinosaur - November 25th
• Blackhat - January 15th
• Taken 3 - January 9th
• San Andreas - May 29th
• Minions - 10th July
• The Fantastic Four - 7th August
• The Peanuts Movie - November 6th
• The Revenant - December 25th
• Jupiter Ascending - February 4th
• Insurgent - March 18th
• Seventh Son - February 6th
• The Hateful Eight - November 13th
• Hitman: Agent 47 - August 28th
• Taken 3 - January 9th

Coming up...

Well, we're well into December now and I've got a lot on my plate, both to review and outside this hobby of mine. But, if you're coming to this blog at all, you're probably more  interested in the reviews so I thought I'd tell you some of my ideas on what could be coming next.

Movies

I'm sorry that it took me so long to get the Mockingjay review out but more are coming. This list isn't in any order but I can tell you that the first one is definitely getting reviewed when I see it:

• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• The Lego Movie
• The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
•  The Expendables 3
• Into the Storm
• Maleficent
• Batman: Assault on Arkham
• Man of Steel

That's about all just now for this short update. Oh, and one last thing. I'll be making top 15 (maybe 20) anticipated movies of 2015 list very soon. I'm just looking into the movies now. OK, see you later and keep checking back for these reviews, coming VERY soon.

"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1" Review

Do you know what, Hollywood? I am sick to death of your use of gimmicks to expand your franchises in order to make more money, whether it be pointless spin-offs, reboots far too early, or, in this case, the splitting of a final entry to the series into two parts! Now, in some cases, I get it. Potter deserved to have its final entry divided due to the size of the book and the amount of detail that would be missed out if it was only one part. But doing it to Twilight, Divergent, and now, The Hunger Games, is simple money-grabbing! Do it where necessary but do not do it if it is not needed! OK, rant over, so let's actually get to "The Hunger Games:  Mockingjay, Part 1." I have enjoyed seeing this dystopian future come to life over the past two years in a different way to anything that we've seen before. Normally, the future is portrayed as a magical place filled to the brim with technology that we can only dream of today. The Hunger Games has shown that in the Capital but has focused on the oppressed people of the Districts and the revolution sparked by the defiance of Katniss Everdeen. 

Katniss stands in the middle of the destruction caused by the Capital as the unwilling symbol of the rebellion

It is very easy to be wary of the approach this movie takes. Having escaped from the Capital and the Games with the help of Haymitch, Finnick, and revealed revolutionary Plutarch Heavensbee, but at the expense of Peeta, Katniss finds herself being forced to become the symbol of the revolution, headed up by District 13 leader, Alma Coin. Jennifer Lawrence is one of the best and most popular actresses in the business right now and her performance here only continues to prove that that reputation is well-earned. She puts in a powerful performance as the unwilling Mockingjay symbol, conveying that the character is really mentally fragile after her ordeals and does not want to be in this position. Liam Hemsworth also gets more of a chance to shine in this movie as Gale as Josh Hutcherson's Peeta takes more of a back seat. The same can be said for Woody Harrelson's Haymitch and Elizabeth Banks' Effie Trinket,  who provide some well-needed comic relief at points, contrasting with the overall dark tone of the movie. I also enjoyed watching Julianne Moore's adaption of President Coin, who comes across as extremely unlikable at first, but as her motivations are revealed, you really connect emotionally with the character. Unfortunately,  the supporting cast, besides a great performance from the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, do not fare so well. Sam Claflin, who plays Finnick, easily the most likable character from the last movie, has a greatly reduced role while I cannot even remember a few character names, such as Coin's right-hand man.

Remember the really likable Finnick from "Catching Fire?" Yeah, he's not in this one nearly as much.

As previously said, the movie deviates quite drastically from the formula the previous two films have had, acting as more of an insight into what makes these characters tick, rather than partaking in more action sequences than are needed. That's not to say there aren't any as Katniss gets out in the field for the revolution in one of the most visually striking  sequences of the series, as a hospital comes under attack. The effects here are beautiful and look incredibly realistic. Of course, that is helped by the staging created. The costumes and make-up are some of the best that I've ever seen, and this all helps to immerse you in this world of death and disaster. The music is also very impressive, being intense during action sequences and downbeat during the various emotional moments. It's also become something of a trend to bring in real singers to add a movie's soundtrack nowadays, and "Mockingjay, Part 1" has up and coming singer Lorde, whose single for the film "Yellow Flicker Beat" has recently been nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Original Song. I'll post a link to the song after my rating so you can hear it for yourself.

Katniss and Gale run through the destruction of the Districts, trying to get to the shops before the pre-Christmas sales end.

In a world where so many teen books are being adapted into movies, including "Divergent", "The Maze Runner", and the now-finished but still hugely successful Potter saga, "The Hunger Games" still manages to prove to me that it is one of the best in film. Made special by its stellar cast, headed up by Jennifer Lawrence, gorgeous effects and incredible soundtrack, but unfortunately let down by only a few poorly developed side characters and at some points its pacing, "Mockingjay, Part 1" is worth seeing right now as it will amaze you visually and emotionally pull at your heartstrings at the same time.

Rating : 8/10

Original Release Date: November 10th, 2014

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson,  Julianne Moore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman

"Yellow Flicker Beat" link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnoXecGpq6g