American Hustle (2013) - ★★★½

Director: David O. Russell
Writers: Eric Singer, David O. Russell
Stars: Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner, Louis C.K, Robert De Niro

I really liked American Hustle. It has a flare for great music, great style, and great performers. We haven't really seen a film such as this since the peak of Tarantino, yet I can't help but feel that it's not on par with his greatest films, nor is it on par with the films of Scorsese. It falls short because we never truly get to know the characters and form real attachments to them. It's over two hours long, yet it lacked the character development that should have brought heart and soul into the crazy plot. Sure, we see the surface value of these people, and then some... but I left feeling like I still didn't know anyone. There were elements of greatness in American Hustle that deserve credit, but it was lacking the key ingredient that would have made it a masterpiece. In my opinion, it is the most critically overblown movie of 2013.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) - ★★½

Director: Francis Lawrence
Writers: Simon Beaufoy, Michael Arndt (Screenplay), Suzanne Collins (Novel)
Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Sam Claflin, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Jena Malone, Liam Hemsworth,  Philip Seymour Hoffman,  Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci

If one word was to sum up my experience of watching Catching Fire, it would have to be 'dull.' It's filled with very slow, long, tedious exercises in plot development. I didn't love the book, but the action was much more exciting on paper than on film. There were a few things I really liked about the movie. The costumes throughout the film are astonishingly beautiful, and the performances by Donald Sutherland and Elizabeth Banks were both highlights for me. But whenever the film gained a bit of excitement and momentum, it was taken down a peg by unconvincing scenes of romance and urgency.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012) – ★★★★

Director: David O. Russell
Writers: David O. Russell (Screenplay), Matthew Quick (Novel)
Stars: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles

Silver Linings Playbook is an extremely interesting and roaringly funny dramatic comedy. It features some of the best performances of the year, some of the most entertaining characters of the year, and is overall one of the best movies made in 2012. It’s unpredictable, and hits its punchlines with perfect comic timing. This is a movie you can watch over and over without ever getting bored of it.

House at the End of the Street (2012) – ★½

Director: Mark Tonderai
Writers: David Loucka (screenplay), Jonathan Mostow (story)
Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Max Thieriot, Elisabeth Shue, Gil Bellows

Watching House at the End of the Street is about as satisfying as eating a dry chicken sandwich. It has the ingredients for a good film, but leaves you bitterly disappointed. It’s a little bit like Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho,’ but with a far less interesting story. I enjoyed the slow pace of the film at first, but about 40 minutes in, it became unbearable. This is advertised as a ‘horror’ film, but it is NOT horrifying. It’s thrilling, and somewhat engaging, but in the end it just isn’t scary.

The Hunger Games (2012) - ★★★

Just a note; before I watched this movie I read the book myself and found it very entertaining. 

Director: Gary Ross
Writers: Gary Ross (screenplay), Suzanne Collins (novels)
Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Donald Sutherland, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley

Considering all the 'Twilight-esque' fan hype that has been building over The Hunger Games, truth be told I wasn't expecting anything great. My expectations were exceeded, (not for the first time), because this film actually lived up to the quality of the book and followed the story almost perfectly.

Set in an unspecified future, the world we are told of is made up of twelve districts which are under the rule of the Capitol. In the past, an uprising against The Capitol took place in which The Capitol won. To remind civilians that they are powerless against what can be seen as a dictatorship by President Snow, an annual Hunger Games is held. One male and female adolescent are given from each district as tribute to fight to the death with each other where only one can survive.    

Katniss Everdeen is a plain-faced and strong character which makes her instantly likable as she is not one of those typical beautiful figures, yet has beauty in different aspects of her personality. She is the rock of her family, the provider after the death of her father. She has to take care of them in the impoverish District 12, a coal mining 3rd world society. When her little sister Primrose is announced as the next competitor in the Hunger Games, she volunteers as tribute in an emotion packed scene. The boy that also had to compete in the games is Peeta Mellark, an honest and kind-hearted person that has a history with Katniss. The story revolves around whether Peeta and Katniss can survive The Hunger Games and if they've truly developed feelings for each other. The most disappointing thing about this movie was the anti-climatic fighting between the tributes in the film whereas in the book it was thrilling. Josh Hutcherson looked and sounded the part of Peeta, yet he came across weaker than the character in the book which also took away from the film. Jennifer Lawrence portrayed Katniss perfectly. She captured the look, the personality and everything that she should of been which was a great touch.

Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz and Elizabeth Banks were brilliantly cast in this film as the mentors of the two through playing the characters the way they should be. There were gut-wrenching death scenes and nerve-wracking close calls throughout The Hunger Games, but I cannot call it an 'epic' due to the lack of brilliant fighting scenes that would have enhanced this film greatly. The Hunger Games is a remarkable film that I will not easily forget. Through following the events in the book perfectly and using brilliant actors, I was not disappointed but thrilled once I left the theatre. I highly recommend this film for anyone that loves a good sci-fi flick.