The Hunger Games (2012)

It's the 74th Annual Hunger Games and 'Girl on Fire' Katniss Everdeen (a superb Jennifer Lawrence in her star making role) has volunteered to take her younger sister Primrose's place. [Primrose, Willow Shields]

The games exist to keep 12 districts in line after they rose up against the vicious, affluent Capitol in regards to their poor living conditions and lack of food. The Capitol is headed by the menacing, President Coriolanus Snow, a terrific Donald Sutherland. Each year, a boy and girl is chosen from each district (24 in total), to fight to the death in a gladiatorial competition. There can only be one victor!  

A strong cast includes Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, Katniss confidant inside the games, Elizabeth Banks as (their togged up escort) Effie Trinket, and Woody Harrelson as former District 12 Hunger Games winner and now alcoholic, Haymitch Abernathy. Liam Hemsworth is Katniss' potential love interest back home, and Stanley Tucci excels as the over excited, blue haired Capitol television host Caesar Flickerman.

Reminiscent of both Battle Royale (2000) and The Running Man (1987), this is an excellent film (with a haunting memorable score) that is well shot. Unnerving, captivating and thrilling. 

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OTHER CAST: Wes Bentley, Lenny Kravitz. DIRECTED BY: Gary Ross. SCREENPLAY BY: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, Billy Ray. BASED ON: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. RUNNING TIME: 142 minutes. CERTIFICATE: 12A (Extended version, 15) / PG-13. USA.  

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Hocus Pocus (1993)

On October 31st, 1693, in Salem, Massachusetts three witches are tried and sentenced to death. Just before, the elder sister, Winifred (Midler) recites a curse that will bring them back, when someone lights a bewitched, Black Flame candle. 

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy appear to be having a great time, camping it up as a trio of cackling witches (the rather famous Sanderson sisters), in Disney's Halloween fan favourite, Hocus Pocus. 

The children are well chosen, with Omri Katz as (new to the area) Max Dennison, Thora Birch as Dani (his 8-year-old sister who loves Halloween), and Vinessa Shaw as Allison (Max's crush and classmate) proving to be welcome companions. 

Tagging along is an immortal talking cat (which is really Thackery Binx, a teenage boy from 1693) and a zombie who keeps losing his head (Doug Jones), aka Willaim 'Billy,' Butcherson, a man who was poisoned by Winifred in 1693.

Hocus Pocus is a magical good time (with clever misunderstandings of modern day life) that seems to increase in popularity every year. The enchanted dance sing-along is a highlight. Great fun. Followed by a sequel in 2022.

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DIRECTED BY: Kenny Ortega. SCREENPLAY BY: Mick Garris, Neil Cuthbert. RUNNING TIME: 96 minutes. CERTIFICATE: PG. USA.  

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Nightbitch (2024)

An overwhelmed stay at home mum (Amy Adams) is convinced she's turning into a dog. She starts to embrace this new identity much to her husband's concern.

Although billed as a black horror comedy, this is equally a perimenopause / post-partum depression drama, with moments of surrealism. The difficulty of motherhood, the transition from being on your own to the repetitive nature of caring for a child. Holding on to yourself while becoming an all-encompassing mother and trying to find yourself again.

The drama works better than the supernatural elements, which while interesting make the movie feel wildly uneven. Adams is amazing as usual, of course she is, and she carries the entire film, but it never comes together the way it should, despite being well shot.

Scoot McNairy is good value as her worried Husband, who is concerned that Mother (Adams) is taking her new dog obsession too far (see her buying a dog basket for her son to sleep in and making her husband beg for food.)

Although somewhat strange (as a concept) Nightbitch is always interesting and watchable. The dog elements could be an allegory (for how she's feeling) but it doesn't seem to be the case. 

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DIRECTED BY: Marielle Heller. SCREENPLAY BY: Marielle Heller. BASED ON: Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder. RUNNING TIME: 98 minutes. CERTIFICATE: 15 / R. USA. 

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The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

The 75th Hunger Games is coming up and President Snow (Donald Sutherland) looks to make it an especially interesting one, by cruelly putting the remaining victors back into a super advanced games, including Katniss Everdeen.  

The superb cast includes: Philip Seymour Hoffman as the new head gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee. His conversations with Sutherland are superbly written, with high calibre acting, as you might expect from the two acting legends. Jennifer Lawrence is back and on the same compelling form, with another magnificent performance as Katniss Everdeen

Catching Fire is an intense, wildly entertaining movie, with well written complex characters, who may or may not be trusted. [Who can Katniss trust, if anyone?] While the landscape might be bleak (as bleak as the vicious new peacekeepers), the movie never feels so. Of course, there is tragedy and there are heartbreaking moments (just like in the first part) but hope is never far away. We root for Katniss (the Girl on Fire) begging her to rise up against her oppressors, in a quite brilliant follow-up. Each new scene more well crafted than the last. 

The Mockingjay IS Catching Fire.

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CAST: Jena Malone, Jeffrey Wright, Sam Claflin, Amanda Plumber, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Josh Hutcherson. DIRECTED BY: Francis Lawrence. SCREENPLAY BY: Simon Beaufoy, Michael deBruyn. BASED ON: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. CERTIFICATE: 12A / PG-13. RUNNING TIME: USA.  

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Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

Once Upon a Time in America has great cinematography. Amazing period detail. The sets, wardrobe and music are spot on. The casting and acting are great too, with fine performances from its dream cast (hence the FG rating), so what's the problem then? 

The film glamourizes the gangster lifestyle. It asks us to root for De Niro's Noodles and his character is scum. 

We discover why these young men are drawn to this lifestyle, but none of the characters are likable (perhaps the point) and there is no one to hang your hat on. 

None of these people are good, we wait for their downfall. Their views on women are abhorrent and their destructive lifestyles are not to be admired.

One of the worst scenes sees the criminal gang swapping newborns' name tags in a hospital. This means none of the parents will have their correct baby going forward.

The movie is extremely misogynistic, women are abused, cast aside, raped, ogled and stared at through a peep hole (as Noodles, a young man, watches a 12 year old girl undress.) 

The whole thing is played as a joke, that women are on earth to be used and abused by men. 

It's disjointed (see below) and tasteless.

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CAST: Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, Joe Pesci, Burt Young, Tuesday Weld, Treat Williams. DIRECTED BY: Sergio Leone. SCREENPLAY BY: Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Enrico Medioli, Franco Arcalli, Franco Ferrini, Sergio Leone. RUNNING TIME: 229 minutes. CERTIFICATE: 18 / R. USA.  

When the film came out, early reviews of the 229 minute version weren't kind in previews, the audience called it mediocre, so the film was re-edited in chronological order to less than two hours. Critics hated this American version and love the full length - out of sequence - European 229 minute version. From a length of allegedly, originally 6 hours, this film still feels disjointed.

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Enchanted (2007)

Cartoon princess, Giselle is transported from fairy tale kingdom, Andalasia to the harsh realities of New York City, as the very real Amy Adams.

Adams is simply outstanding as naïve, yet sweet Giselle. She's frequently hilarious and in fine voice (with the memorable songs), actually convincing us, the audience, that Giselle stepped out of a cartoon. 

She should have been Oscar nominated. 

Patrick Dempsey is excellent as jaded, New York City divorce attorney, Robert. His calming mannerisms play well against Adams' overly exuberant cartoon princess. Rachel Covey is also memorable as Morgan, his six-year-old daughter, who needs a little Disney magic in her life.

If you've ever been been to New York City or if you're plan on going, then this is the film for you! From the bustling Times Square to the summer sights and sounds of Central Park, this is a love letter to the Big Apple! 

With a beautiful, traditional, hand drawn animated sequence (at the beginning) and delightful musical set-pieces throughout, Enchanted is live action Disney at its very best. Enchanted is undeniably, enchanting. 

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OTHER CAST: James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Susan Sarandon. DIRECTED BY: Kevin Lima. SCREENPLAY BY: Bill Kelly. RUNNING TIME: 107 minutes. CERTIFICATE: PG. USA. 

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Flight Risk (2025)

A pilot (Mark Wahlberg) transports an Air Marshal (Michelle Dockery) and a major witness (Topher Grace) across the Alaskan wilderness. The witness is a flight risk (they might run) and as a result they are bound in chains. But should they be the one in chains?

Flight Risk is a moderately entertaining (throwback to the 90's) action thriller with a good cast that doesn't overstay its welcome at just 91 minutes. It feels like a straight to streaming (Netflix) film with a script that could have been written by AI (side note: unlike this website, where everything is typed by a human.)

The story unfolds largely in the same place, a small private airplane, with a cast of three central actors. There is (just about) enough tension to see the movie through, but with inevitable far fetched moments. 

At least incapacitate them, shoot them in the knee! 

Once the end credits roll, it's doubtful you'll remember much about it. It tries (there are a few) but it needed more drama, more edge of your seat moments. But, it's fun enough. 

Maaz Ali, Paul Ben-Victor and Leah Remini provide voices on the radio.

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DIRECTED BY: Mel Gibson. SCREENPLAY BY: Jared Rosenberg. CERTIFICATE: 15 / R. USA.  

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