The Hunger Games

Connor's Movie Review

Movie Title:    The Hunger Games

Released:   March 2012

Movie Rating:  PG-13

Star Rating: «««1/2

Movie Summary:

“The Hunger Games” sets in the future, where the land that was formerly North America is now separated into 12 “districts”, all ruled by an evil government led by President Snow and his representatives.  Every year, the government authorities choose a teenage boy and girl to participate in the Hunger Games, a televised competition in which the participants from each district must fight to the death until one competitor remains.  Katniss Everdeen is a brave, determined teenager who helps her poor family, consisting of her mother and her sister Primrose, survive by hunting game for their food.  On the day of the Hunger Games, Primrose’s name is unexpectedly picked, but Katniss bravely volunteers to take her sister’s place in the competition.  Katniss and Peeta Mellark, the strong-willed son of a baker, are chosen for District 12’s competitors.  When training for the Games, the two begin to form a strong relationship.  Soon, Katniss finds herself cast into a deadly and extremely dangerous game of survival as she and Peeta struggle to escape the Games alive. 

“The Hunger Games” is a very emotional and often intense movie that contains some language.  I found the plot to be very concerning, but I believe that the message of this film is to convince us that this, in a way, is reality.  Some of us will do anything to win and are driven to extremes.  Like the main characters of the film, we are going to be put to the test during various times in our life.  We must stand strong and never give up, but always remember that winning isn’t everything.   Developing your character as a child of God is by far a greater accomplishment!  “Hunger Games” has some strong performances, particularly by Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, as Katniss and Peeta.  Overall, I thought “The Hunger Games” was a good movie, but at times it can be hard to watch.

              

See “The Hunger Games”, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

 

Enjoy the Movie!  Save Some Popcorn For Me!

The Movie Critic, Connor

The Lorax

Connor's Movie Review

Movie Title:    The Lorax

Released:   February 2012

Movie Rating:  PG

Star Rating: «««1/2

Movie Summary:

“The Lorax” sets in Thneedville, a “plastic and fake” town without nature or anything growing in the city limits, except for the residents.   The movie’s main hero, a young boy named Ted, longs to impress his neighbor, a girl named Audrey.  She tells Ted that she desperately longs to see a living tree.  Ted sees his chance at helping her and sets out to find a real tree.  His journey takes him outside the city, where he discovers a vast, dark, and empty land.  Meanwhile, Mr. O' Hare, the man in charge of the town of Thneedville, doesn’t want Ted to leave the city.  Ted soon discovers the eerie home of the Once-ler, a strange old man who’s stayed cooped up in his old home for a very long time.  He tells Ted his story, told in flashback, as his longing to create weird products, which he calls Thneeds, leads him to cut down all the Truffula trees in a peaceful valley occupied by animals.  He inadvertently calls upon the Lorax, a legendary creature known as “the Guardian of the Forest”, who warns him not to chop down the trees, but is continually ignored.  As the Once-ler’s empire rises when he makes more Thneeds, the animals of the valley are forced to find a new home, because he has destroyed their land to create his products.  The Once-ler soon realizes what he has done, and spends the rest of his life regretting what he did to the animals’ homes and to the trees.  Now, he gives Ted the last Truffula seed to plant, and the boy takes off to change the world and help the people of Thneedville realize that destroying nature is wrong.  He is aided by his spunky grandma Norma and Audrey.  Evil Mr. O’ Hare learns of his plans and plots to stop him from destroying the future of his city. 

“The Lorax” is a very good movie.  I liked the storyline and the film’s message about conserving nature, but I thought that it needs additional humor.  Overall, I think that “The Lorax” is a great family film.                    

When deciding what movie to see, relax, just head to the theater and see “The Lorax”!

Enjoy the Movie!  Save Some Popcorn For Me!

The Movie Critic, Connor