The Hunger Games (2012)

Plot: Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which “Tributes” must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. — (C) Lionsgate

Rating: PG 13 (for violent themes and disturbing images)

Staring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hamsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Lenny Kravitz, Donald Sutherland

Director: Gary Ross

Running time: 2hr 22min

James Rocchi (Box Office Magazine) says – 4 1/2 of 5 stars “As action, as allegory, as cinema, The Hunger Games is the best American science-fiction film since The Matrix, and if Ross and his crew stay with the series for the next two books, we may get that rarest of things: a blockbuster franchise that earns our money through craft, emotion and execution, not merely marketing and effects.” (read full review)

Christy Lemire (Associated Press) says – 3 stars “The Hunger Games” runs nearly two and a half hours in length but is the rare film that never drags and doesn’t overstay its welcome. It could keep running as long as Katniss does, and we’d want to be right there every heart-pounding step of the way.” (read full review)

Lisa Schwarzbaum (Entertainment Weekly) says – A- “This Hunger Games is a muscular, honorable, unflinching translation of Collins’ vision. It’s brutal where it needs to be, particularly when children fight and bleed. It conveys both the miseries of the oppressed, represented by the poorly fed and clothed citizens of Panem’s 12 suffering districts, and the rotted values of the oppressors, evident in the gaudy decadence of those who live in the Capitol. Best of all, the movie effectively showcases the allure of the story’s remarkable, kick-a** 16-year-old heroine, Katniss Everdeen.” (read full review)

Michael Phillips (Chicago Tribune) says – 3 stars “The games have begun, and so far they’re pretty gripping.” (read full review)

If you haven’t pre-ordered tickets for opening weekend, you best be opening up a new tab right now to get those babies. Hop on over to Fandango. According to CBSNews, “The Hunger Games” is already breaking records, and it hasn’t even opened in theaters yet. Fandango announced Tuesday that the film, based on Suzanne Collins’ wildly popular novel, has sold more advance tickets than any other non-sequel ever.”

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You might also enjoy…

Jennifer Lawrence All made over and Katniss-like

Are you Hungering for More Hunger Games?

Reel reviews for real people

Plot: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. The much-anticipated motion picture event is the second of two full-length parts. In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here. — (C) Warner Bros

Rating: PG 13 (some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images)

Genre: Family/Action Adventure

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Gambon

Director: David Yates

Running time: 2:10

Kate says – 4 stars “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2″ is the grand finale we’ve all been waiting for with both a sense of anticipation and of dread. Anticipation, because we finally get to see the big conclusion and get closure on characters that we’ve come to love (or hate, depending on the character) over the last ten years. Dread, because with each scene we watch, we know that we are nearing the end of our time in the Potter world. We know these characters and we have a whole cache of remembered stories that factor in to how we feel when we watch this movie.  Visually, the film is gorgeous with each scene framed as if it were a photograph, with painstaking attention paid to every element and detail. What a perfect combination of  cinematography,  lighting, set design, sound (there’s a surprising amount of silence), and nuances in the expressions of the characters. The film takes its time and never rushes towards the finish, but with each scene we feel the urgency that the end is near. By the conclusion of the two hour movie, all questions are answered, and loose ends are tied up with a pretty maroon and gold striped bow. My favorite line (other than when Bellatrix Lestrange gets called the ‘B’ word) is spoken by Dumbledore from beyond the grave, “Words are our most inexhaustible source of magic.” Indeed they are J.K. Rowling, indeed they are.”

Ebert says – 3 1/2 stars “After seven earlier films reaching back a decade, the Harry Potter saga comes to a solid and satisfying conclusion in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.” The finale conjures up enough awe and solemnity to serve as an appropriate finale and a dramatic contrast to the lighthearted (relative) innocence of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” all those magical years ago.” (read full review)

USA Today (Claudia Puig) says – 3 1/2 stars “As masterfully directed by David Yates and superbly written by Steve Kloves, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, the final adaptation of J.K. Rowling‘s incandescent, absorbing novels, is the ideal culmination of a fantasy series that has artfully blended excitement, adventure and terror with humor, kinship and love.” (read full review)

Rolling Stone (Peter Travers) says – 3 1/2 stars “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 puts a triumphant capper on a decade of Pottermania…I dare you not to choke up, especially at the epilogue that takes us 19 years into Harry’s future. That’s the true power of the finale. These characters are ours now. What an exhilarating gift to watch Harry and Company go out in a blaze of glory and amazing grace. Note to Academy muggles: Get busy coming up with that Best Picture nomination you’ve denied all the other Potter films. Oscar attention must be paid.” (read full review)

Box Office Magazine (Pete Hammond) says – 5 (of 5) stars “After the underwhelming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I, a penultimate segment too dark and convoluted to entertain, Part II gets everything right to send off Harry on a cinematic high…Already a must-see for fans (after seven films, why stop now?), the film’s real feat is that it manages to stand on its own against the sky-high expectations of its base. With director David Yates’ eye-popping visual effects launching one brilliant set piece after another, this thrilling finale should add, oh say, another billion to the most successful franchise in movie history, one already worth more than $6 billion. But who’s counting?” (read full review)

Associated Press (Christy Lemire) says 3 1/2 stars “Oh, it’s dramatic, to be sure: gorgeous, somber and startling as the young wizard faces his destiny and fights the evil Lord Voldemort. But the end of this staggeringly successful movie franchise, an epic fantasy saga spanning eight films over the past decade, provides a necessary emotional catharsis for Harry and for us. Even those who aren’t ardent Potterphiles — who aren’t waiting in a line around the theater with their homemade wands and hand-drawn lightning scars — might find themselves getting unexpectedly choked up a couple of times.” (read full review)

Richard Roeper says – ‘A+’ ‘This is a masterful and worthy final chapter in one of the best franchises ever put to film.” (watch full review)

Other movie reviews by Kate

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Unless you’ve been in solitary confinement in Azkaban for the past few months, you know that we are mere hours away from the release of  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

At my house we are counting down the minutes until the magical moment.

(It’s no secret that I have some Harry Potter fanatics in my family. You can check out the party we had a few summers ago to celebrate the release of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince here.)

Anyway, we found a fabulous craft to keep ourselves occupied, and to help us while away the hours until the big event at 12:01 on Thursday night. (Unless of course you’re lucky enough to be me this week. I get to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 at 8:00 on Thursday, thanks to a friend who has rented out two theaters for a corporate showing.)

So without further ado…

How to Make Harry Potter Wands

Supplies:

Construction paper
Elmer’s glue
Chop sticks or small dowels cut to the size of a chop stick
Glue gun and glue sticks (You’ll need about 3 glue sticks per wand.)
Craft paint
Marbles or small stones
Scissors

Directions:

Step 1 - Spread a generous amount of Elmer's glue on a piece of construction paper, paying special attention to the edges.

Step 2 - Place chop stick at corner of paper and begin to roll paper securely around stick.

Continue rolling paper around chop stick, wrapping tightly.

Make sure to have plenty of glue at the end corner. Let dry completely before continuing on to Step 3.

Step 3 - Cut off both ends of rolled up construction paper roll, to desired size.

Step 4 - Put hot glue into both ends of roll, making sure to fill up each end until the glue is even with the end of the roll.

Step 5 - Place marble or stone at one end of wand, using a large amount of hot glue. Once attatched, add more glue around where the marble meets the paper.

Step 6 - Put generous amount of glue on the handle end of the wand, being careful to keep hot glue from dripping onto your hand. As it begins to set a bit, add another layer of glue if you'd like a thicker handle.

Step 7 - Use glue gun tip to shape the handle, making grooves, lines or squiggles, whatever you think fits your own personal wand style. During this shaping step, DO NOT add more hot glue, merely use the tip to shape while glue is still pliable.

Step 8 - Once glue is set and cooled on the handle, add hot glue to wand end of paper roll. Be creative. There is no right or wrong way to design your wand. On this one, I simply made a thin vine around the wand end.

Step 9 - Once all hot glue has set and cooled, paint a base coat of black on the entire wand. Let dry completely.

Step 10 - Now it's time to paint your wand using craft paint. Let dry completely before moving on to next step.

We like to use metalic paints for a more magical looking wand. Gold, silver, copper, brown and bronze work well as the overall color. Brighter shades are good for the accent color.

Step 11 - Now comes the black-wash step, which makes your wand look antiqued. Simply mix a few drops of black paint with a small amount of water. Mixture should be thin. Test it out by putting the wet brush at the inside top of the cup. The mixture should run easily down the cup, but still leave some black color as it goes.

Step 12 - Standing wand on end, quickly apply a generous amount of black-wash over entire wand. It's okay if it runs down the wand.

Step 13 - Using a dry paper towel, lightly wipe off the excess black-wash, leaving black in the nooks and crannies. Let dry completely.

And viola…your own magical Harry Potter wand. (FYI…they are surprisingly sturdy because of the chop stick  and the hot glue and paint. Definitely sturdy enough for plenty of spell casting.)

Here are some other wands we’ve made, in case your creativity needs a jump start.

~Kate

Enjoy your Coffee Break…and your Harry Potter wands!

Here’s the trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

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Here are a few videos for your entertainment this weekend. I’ve been following “The Voice” for the past few months, pulling for Dia Frampton (she’s friends with my oldest daughter from her Salt Lake days a few years ago). (Is Dia Frampton ‘The Voice’?) Javier Colon was crowned “The Voice”, but Dia came in a very close second.

Here’s a favorite moment of mine, Dia Frampton and Miranda Lambert singing  Miranda’s hit, ‘The House That Built Me’.

The second video is a cuter than cute interview of Dia after the finale, and the third video is of her coach, Blake Shelton, who has taken her under his wing and is my new favorite man about town.

You can read a great article about Blake in the New Your Times here.

~Kate

Related articles

• The Voice: A Look at Dia Frampton’s Style (news.instyle.com)
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• Is Dia Frampton The Voice? – Kate’s Escapades (coffeebreakwithlizandkate.com)
• Dia Frampton beaming after 2nd-place finish on `The Voice’ ()
• Dia Frampton Reflects on The Voice Experience, Looks to Future (thehollywoodgossip.com)
• THE VOICE Wrap-up (popculturenerd.com)
• The Voice Winner: Javier Colon (ninatidwell.com)
• Javier Colon Wins The Voice, Narrowly Beats Dia Frampton [PHOTOS] (socialitelife.com)

Reel reviews for real people

Plot: Until he was downsized, affable, amiable Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks) was a superstar team leader at the big-box company where he’s worked since his time in the Navy. Underwater on his mortgage and unclear on what to do with his suddenly free days, Larry heads to his local college to start over. There he becomes part of a colorful community of outcasts, also-rans and the overlooked all trying to find a better future for themselves…often moving around town in a herd of scooters. In his public-speaking class, Larry develops an unexpected crush on his teacher Mercedes Tainot (Julia Roberts), who has lost as much passion for teaching as she has for her husband. — (C) Universal Pictures

Rating: PG – 13 (for brief strong language and some sexual content)

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Starring: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Cedric the Entertainer, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Taraji P. Henson, Byran Cranston, Wilmer Valderrama

Director: Tom Hanks

Running time: 1:38

Kate says -  3 stars “In this summer full of loud, fast-paced, action-filled, 3-D, special effect laden movies, it’s nice to be able to go to a movie to relax, be entertained and leave feeling  peaceful and happy. ‘Larry Crowne’ is a calm, gentle movie, which relies completely on the charm, talents and likeability of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. It’s a rather harsh world we live in these days, and Hanks provides us with an escape from the sometimes depressing realities of life by focusing on a story with goodness and optimism. This movie feels like a throwback to another era, when Capra was king with his wholesome, feel-good movies which showed the value of unselfishness and hard work. Some may think this movie is too sappy and sugary sweet, but I say it’s just what the doctor ordered.”

Richard Roeper says – ‘A-’ “Corny beyond belief, but a welcome relief from the summer noise. Hanks is at his everyman best…A thoroughly enjoyable summer romance.” (watch full review)

Box Office Magazine (Pete Hammond) says – 3 1/3 out of 5 stars – “This charmer about late middle-aged renaissance is pertinent for these times and a perfect summer comedy for grown-ups looking to escape robots and superheroes. Flashing their superstar wattage, Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks (who also co-wrote and directed) make a dream team and should prove a slow but steady draw despite the monster competition.” (read full review)

New York Post (Lou Lumenick) says – 3 stars “It’s been quite a few years since we’ve seen a vehicle for a pair of Oscar winners — Hollywood prom king and queen Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts — as disarmingly modest as “Larry Crowne,” a romantic comedy about a newly downsized cook and the unhappily married community college teacher who changes his life. “Larry Crowne” isn’t for anyone looking for edgy entertainment…But if you’re looking for a movie you can take your parents or young children to without fear of embarrassment or the need for endless explanations, this is the one.” (read full review)

Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips) says – 1 star “The best romantic comedies have a blithe, take-it-or-leave-it spirit. “Larry Crowne” has the opposite. It’s the neediest movie of 2011, and one of the phoniest.

Ebert says – 2 stars “Larry Crowne” has Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts and a good premise and a colorful supporting cast, but what it doesn’t have is a reason for existing. The screenplay carries blandness to a point beyond tedium. At some point the sinking realization sets in that Larry Crowne was born a nice guy, will always be a nice guy, will find few bumps in his road and is destined for a happy ending. We watch not in suspense but in envy.” (read full review)

Related articles

• Video: Larry Crowne’s Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts Talk Parenthood and Making Work Feel Like Play (popsugar.com)
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Reel reviews for real people

Plot: In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth – something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined. ~Paramount

Rating: PG 13 for intense scenes of sci-fi action and violence, language and some drug use

Starring: Joel Courtney,Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard, Noah Emmerich, Zach Mills, Gabriel Basson, Ryan Lee, and Amanda Michalka

Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy

Director: J.J. Abrams

Producer: Steven Spielberg

Running time: 1:51

Kate says – 3 1/2 stars ” Super 8 is a good old fashioned sci-fi suspense thriller that’s a pays homage to an earlier, more simple time in American cinema (think E.T., Close Encounters, Stand By Me, Goonies).  This movie has a great story packed full of innocence, adventure, humor, suspense, young love, a scary monster, government secrecy and the plain and simple love of movie-making. Super 8 is written and directed by J.J. Abrams (Star Trek, Mission Impossible 3, Lost) and produced by none other than Mr. Movie, Steven Spielberg. While watching Super 8, I felt something that seems to be missing in most movies these days, a sense of joy wonder at the whole movie going experience.  Even though Super 8 has it’s fair share of action and special effects, Abrams somehow doesn’t let that over shadow the characters and their relationships.  The young cast of actors is refreshing and surprisingly good. And to top it all off, it’s NOT in 3-D!”

Ebert says – 3 1/2 stars “Super 8″ is a wonderful film, nostalgia not for a time but for a style of filmmaking, when shell-shocked young audiences were told a story and not pounded over the head with aggressive action. Abrams treats early adolescence with tenderness and affection.” (read full review)

USA Today (Claudia Puig) says - “Super 8 packs the emotional punch of vintage Steven Spielberg with the spectacular effects and sense of mystery at which writer/director J.J. Abrams excels…The young cast — particularly newcomer Courtney and the impressive Fanning — is mesmerizing.” (read full review)

EW (Lisa Schwarzbaum) says – ‘A’ “Loving, playful, and spectacularly well made, Super 8 is easily the best summer movie of the year — of many years. And I make that declaration with full knowledge that the season has just begun. It’s been eons since a movie has conjured up such intense, specific feelings, images, memories, and nostalgic fantasies about American summertime youth — everyone’s American summertime youth, regardless of current age, nationality, sex, or climate.” – (read full review)

Rolling Stone (Peter Travers) says – 3 stars “What happens when a kid with a camera finds reality rocketing beyond his eeriest alien fantasies? For answers, catch Super 8, a retro monster mash with a child’s heart, a prodigy’s unstoppable imagination and FX dazzle to spare. Writer-director J.J. Abrams and producer Steven Spielberg have tapped their youthful cellu­loid dreams to craft the ultimate home movie, a creature feature built to scare you silly and maybe save the world.” (read full review)

Snide Remarks (Eric Snider)  says - ‘B+’ “Abrams is remarkably adept at the art of good old-fashioned storytelling — in addition to being a whiz at the technical side of moviemaking — and “Super 8″ is a reminder of how often those crucial elements are missing from big studio productions. You draw the audience in with a story that has a hint of mystery to it, you give them characters to root for and situations they can relate to, and you take them on a ride. It’s simple to explain, hard to execute. Abrams gets it.” (read full review)

~Kate

Related articles

• No Secret: J.J. Abrams’ ‘Super 8′ Is Thrilling and Great (time.com)
• Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams discuss how they met and reveal the true origins of ‘Super 8′ (insidemovies.ew.com)

This summer, however…

‘Yay!’ for the fact that The Voice is on. Double ‘Yay! Yay!’ for the fact that the contestant that some are calling the frontrunner, Dia, is a Utah gal and friend of my oldest daughter, Megan. In this house, we’ve been fans of the music of sisters, Meg and Dia, for many years.

On Tuesday’s live episode of The Voice, Dia  performed a slowed down, soulful version of Kanye’s “Heartless.” The judges (Christina Aguilara, Cee Lo Green,  Adam Levine and Blake Shelton) loved her performance with Cee Lo calling it “the greatest rendition of a song I’ve ever heard” and Shelton and Levine both saying it was their favorite moment ever on The Voice.

Here’s what Rolling Stone had to say…

Dia was the evening’s clear winner, with an acoustic take on Kanye‘s “Heartless” that Cee Lo called “probably the greatest rendition of a song I’ve ever heard.” Is Cee Lo perhaps exaggerating a tad? Sure, but Dia was no slouch, and she deserves the top spot amidst the likes of our number two, Jared Blake, who sang well but indulged in weird anterior activities like throwing his guitar offstage and nearly kissing a stranger after going on about his enormous family. Xenia hits at number three, a shy talent made shyer by awkward dance moves, and Patrick Thomas ranks dead last for owning the terrible decision to sing, “I Hope You Dance.” ~Rolling Stone

So take a look for yourself. Here’s Dia’s performance of “Heartless” from Tuesday’s live episode of The Voice. If you like it (how could you not?!)  please vote for her by calling 1-855-864-2304*. Voting ends Monday morning.

Vote online at: The Voice – NBC Official Site

(10 votes per method)

For more on how to vote, go here.

~Kate

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A few months back I wrote about the brouhaha over the casting of Jennifer Lawrence for the role of Katniss Everdeen in the movie adaptation of the literary bestseller, The Hunger Games. (If you missed it, take a look…Are you hungering for more Hunger Games?) Seems fans thought she was too old, too tall, too blonde, too glamorous…

Well, here she is all made-over and Katniss-like.

I think we have a winner here. I already know she is an amazing actress from her Best Actress nominated portrayal of Ree, in Winter’s Bone. According to Entertainment Weekly, for over a month Lawrence has been, “…enduring a grueling training program consisting of archery, track work, stunt drills, and yoga,” to toughen up for the Hunger Games role. And now that she’s got dark hair and tanned skin, maybe the naysayers will back off and let her do her thing.

As an added bonus, Lawrence is a big fan of The Hunger Games trilogy…

From the way Lawrence speaks about The Hunger Games, it’s as if she too is one of those suspicious fans who don’t want to see their favorite book cheapened in its transition to the screen: “I told Gary (Ross, the director) “I totally understand if you don’t hire me, but please remember that after Katniss shoots a bow and kills someone, her face cannot be badass. It has to be broken.” It’s so tempting, especially with a cool, big-budget franchise movie, but we have to remember that she’s a 16-year-old girl…I know from the bottom of my heart that I love Katniss. I love her.” ~Entertainment Weekly

Entertainment Weekly

Here are some of the other cast biggies…

Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark

He was excellent as Laser in last year’s Oscar nominated The Kids Are All Right. You may also know him from Cirque du Freak, Bridge to Terabithia, Zathura, and Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Josh Hutcherson/Peeta Mellark. The male tribute from District 12, Peeta is the son of the local baker and harbors feelings for his Hunger Games partner, Katniss.

Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne

This cutie is the younger brother of yummy Thor star, Chris Hemsworth. You might remember him from last year’s The Last Song and from paparazzi pics of him getting cozy with Miley Cyrus.

Liam Hemsworth/Gale Hawthorne - Gale is Katniss' tall, dark and handsome best friend. The two have gone hunting together in the forbidden woods since their fathers died, and he forms the third point of the book's love triangle.

Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket

I know Elizabeth from her role as Avery on one of my fav TV shows, 30 Rock. She’s also known as Dr. Kim Briggs on Scrubs, and from her roles in The 40 Year Old Virgin, The Next Three Days and Role Models.

Elizabeth Banks/Effie Trinket - The pink haired, chipper Effie Trinket is the bubbly micro-manager tasked with escorting Katniss and Peeta to the Games. She's the annoying sort who enjoys making sure every little thing goes according to plan.

Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy

Of course Woody’s stint as Woody Boyd on Cheers immediately comes to mind. More recently he’s been in Zombieland, No Country for Old Men, and 2012.

Woody Harrelson/Haymitch Abernathy - Haymitch is a former District 12 tribute and winner of the Hunger Games who is now a middle-aged drunk. His job is to come out of his alcoholic stupor long enough to coach Katniss and Peeta to victory in the Hunger Games.

Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman

I love this guy and am so excited he will be playing Caesar. You”ll remember Stanley from Julie & Julia, The Devil Wears Prada, The Terminal, and the role I may never be able to remove from my mind, the ultra creepy George in The Lovely Bones.

Stanley Tucci - A nimble-minded interviewer, Flickerman is essentially the Ryan Seacrest of the Hunger Games.

Lenny Kravitz as Cinna

Lenny seems like an interesting choice for Katniss stylist and friend. He’s best known for his music but had  small role in 2009 Oscar nominated Precious.

Lenny Kravitz/Cinna - Cinna, is a mild-mannered stylist and friend to Katniss whose own wardrobe is much less flamboyant than that of his fellow Capitol citizens.

Amandla Stenberg as Rue

This 12-year-old little cutie is a new-comer to the acting world and seems perfect for Rue.

Amandla Stenberg/Rue - Rue is the tribute from District 11 is smart and agile. Katniss feels a srong affection for Rue, who becomes an ally, in part because she is the came age as Katniss' sister, Prim.

Here’s more of the cast, courtesy of IMDb…

	Liam Hemsworth	…	Gale Hawthorne
	Jennifer Lawrence	…	Katniss Everdeen
	Elizabeth Banks	…	Effie Trinket
	Josh Hutcherson	…	Peeta Mellark
	Willow Shields	…	Primrose Everdeen
	Woody Harrelson	…	Haymitch Abernathy
	Stanley Tucci	…	Caesar
	Wes Bentley	…	Seneca Crane (rumored)
	Leven Rambin	…	Glimmer
	Jacqueline Emerson	…	Foxface
	Paula Malcomson	…	Mrs. Everdeen
	Isabelle Fuhrman	…	Clove
	Alexander Ludwig	…	Cato
	Dayo Okeniyi	…	Thresh
	Tara Macken	…	District 4 Tribute Girl
	Kalia Prescott
	Jack Quaid	…	Marvel
	Ashton Moio	…	District 6 Tribute
	Chris Mark	…	District 5 Tribute Boy
	Ian Nelson	…	District 3 Tribute Boy
	Ethan Jamieson	…	District 4 Tribute Boy
	Jeremy Marinas	…	District 10 tribute boy
	Sam Ly	…	District 7 Tribute Boy
	Annie Thurman	…	District 9 Tribute
	Mackenzie Lintz	…	District 8 Tribute Girl
	Dakota Hood	…	District 10 tribute girl
	Kara Petersen	…	District 6 Tribute Girl
	Latarsha Rose	…	Portia
	Imanol Vepez-Frias	…	District 9 Tribute
	Sam Tan	…	District 8 Tribute
	Brooke Bundy	…	Octavia

Haven’t read The Hunger Games yet? No time like the present. Head on over to Amazon and pick this baby up.

Plot:  In a not-too-distant future, North America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss’ young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district’s female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives.

~Kate

Related articles

• Jennifer Lawrence Speaks on Becoming Katniss Everdeen (thehollywoodgossip.com)
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Thor (2011) – movie review by Kate

Reel Reviews for Real People

Plot: The epic adventure THOR spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the mystical realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. As a result, Thor is banished to Earth where he is forced to live among humans. When the most dangerous villain of his world sends its darkest forces to invade Earth, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero.– (C) Paramount Pictures

Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence)

Genre: Action/Adventure

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Stellan Scarsgard, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Kat Dennings

Running time: 1:55

Kate says – 3 1/2 stars (3 stars for the actual movie and the extra 1/2 star because I may have a teeny weeny little crush on the not so teeny weeny Thor star, Chris Hemsworth) So allow me to be totally unprofessional here for just a bit. I should just get this out of the way right here at the beginning of this review…

Holy cow this guy is gorgeous!

No joke, during this scene towards the beginning of the movie when Thor is cast down to Earth to live as a mortal, I could hear a collective female/male/gay/straight/young/old gasp reverberate throughout the theater. I think it would be safe to say that Thor, God of Thunder, left us all thunderstruck.

And those eyes…

hmmmm…uh, where was I? Oh right, a review.

It was actually really good. I did not have high hopes or expectations for this comic book-superhero adaptation, the first in a seemingly endless string of movies of this genre set to explode onto the screens this summer. I’m not really a big fan, in general. Thor, however, was fun, entertaining, lighthearted, fast-paced, funny, and visually impressive. The director, Kenneth Branagh, is more used to adapting the works of Shakespeare (Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, Henry V, Love’s Labour’s Lost, As You Like It) than the works of Marvel comics. This experience works to his advantage , giving Thor a kind of Shakespearean intelligence and feel. Don’t let that mislead you, though.  Branagh balances the mix of action movie-love story-comic book superhero flick-smart drama with ease. It’s just as interesting for a 10 year old boy as it is for a 30 year old man or 40 year old woman. And this Chris Hemsworth guy, he’s not just delicious to look at,  he’s actually really quite impressive playing the part of Thor. The ‘real’ critics seem to agree with me on this one. They like him, too. Go see this movie!  I think you’re gonna like it!

And some ‘real’ reviews…

Peter Travers (Rolling Stone) says – 3 stars “Hemsworth, an Aussie actor with a vocal command to match his heaving brawn, doesn’t just play the role, he owns it. I’m expecting both sexes will feel his impact.” (read full review)

Richard Roeper says – “A“ “Thor” is the most entertaining superhero debut since the original Spiderman.” (watch full review)

Roger Moore (Orlando Sentinel) says – 3 stars “Thor,” the first summer comic book blockbuster out of the gate, has a lot of that winking wit we’ve come to expect from our post-’Spider  Man” Marvel movies. It has a hunky, self-mocking young star, solid support from a couple of Oscar winners and the slick sheen that state-of-the-art effects can give you.” (read full review)

More movie reviews by Kate

~Kate

A week or so ago, I was scrolling through the playlist of my recorded TV shows and noticed something that kind of surprised me; about 60% of the shows on our list were reality shows. Then I started paying attention to what shows were on our 3 TVs during the next week. Truthfully, it’s like ‘Reality Central’ around here. Sure, there was a spattering here and there of ‘real’ TV shows, you know, the ones with actors and scripts, but for the most part, reality TV is pretty dang big at our house.

I’m wondering what in the world this says about my family?

Sure, we watch the typical popular reality shows that it seems all of America is tuned into: American Idol (my fav is Casey Abrams) , Dancing with the Stars (I’m shocked that I don’t hate Kirstie Alley), Survivor (I’m liking Matt all by his lonesome over there on Redemption Island) , and Undercover Boss. Add to that list our regular viewing of Amazing Race (I’m secretly pulling for Kent and Vyxin) , The Apprentice (that Star Jones is a meanie), America’s Next Top Model (Jaclyn is so dang cute in all her southern innocence) , and Secret Millionaire.

But it doesn’t stop there. Between the seven of us in our home,  there was also an episode or two of Cupcake Wars, What Not to Wear, Teen Mom (I promise that wasn’t me!), Parking Wars, Punk’d, Say Yes to the Dress, Made, and Storage Wars,

Oh, wait! I almost forgot Pawn Stars, American Pickers and Antiques Roadshow.

Houston, I think we have a problem! Clearly, we watch A LOT of reality TV.  As a small consolation, I’m happy to say that as far as I know, there was no Jersey Shore, and nothing to do with any of the Kardashians . (Ah, Bruce Jenner. How did this even happen to you?)

It’s obviously not just the folks at my house that are addicted to reality TV. In fact, the top three Broadcast TV shows for the week of March 21, 2011, were reality shows, according the the Neilsen ratings. (Dancing, Idol and Idol.)

“Reality shows again dominated ratings this summer, especially among viewers whom the majority of networks consider most valuable, those 18 to 49. On broadcast television, 15 of the top 20 highest-rated programs among that younger adult group were reality or unscripted shows.New York Times (Sept. 2010)

Haha, I had to include that quote, if for no other reason than it places me within that younger adult group.

So why is it that we as a culture are so addicted to reality TV? Why are we so  interested in other people’s lives? Why is our escape from reality, really just an escape into someone else’s reality?

I’ll leave you to ponder these weighty issues. I’ve got some Dancing with the Stars to watch.

Are you addicted to reality TV, or do you avoid these shows at all costs? Any thoughts on the matter? Just leave  your two cents worth below.

Also, here’s a pretty comprehensive list of the hundreds upon hundreds of reality shows: All Reality TV Shows.

~Kate

Enjoy your Coffee Break!