Martin McDonagh’s black comedy ‘Seven Psychopaths’ hit theaters Friday, October 14, 2012, and will compete with ‘Taken 2’, ‘Frankenweenie’, ‘Argo’, and ‘Sinister.’ It has a unique spot at the box office with its impressive cast and offbeat sense of humor. While ‘Psychopaths’ is certainly the delightful black sheep of the October movie spread, it may leave the audience feeling somewhat disappointed.

Spoilers ahead.

‘Seven Psychopaths’ takes place in Los Angeles and centers around a group of friends. The first is Marty (Colin Ferrell), a struggling alcoholic screenwriter. He is currently working on a screenplay entitled ‘Seven Psychopaths’ and needs to have it finished soon to give to his agent. However, Marty has a huge dose of Writer’s Block and cannot focus on the story for more than a few hours a day. Meanwhile, his friends Billy (Sam Rockwell) and Hans (Christopher Walken) run a dog kidnapping business. They find rich clients out walking their dogs, snatch them up, and then turn the dogs in after the owners post rewards for them. Billy does it for easy money while Hans does it to pay for treatment for his hospital-bound wife.

Billy unfortunately kidnaps Bonnie, the dog owned by an unstable mobster named Charlie (Woody Harrelson). Charlie sends his men out into the city and they quickly find Hans and Marty. Hans and Marty are rescued by the mysterious Jack of Diamonds serial killer and narrowly escape. Charlie tracks down Hans’ wife and kills her when she doesn’t give up the location of her husband or the dog. After Hans, Marty, and Billy find out that Charlie means business, it is a race to get out of town before he guns them down over his precious little shih tzu.

‘Seven Psychopaths’ has two points that make it a strong film: the cast and the writing. First, the cast is by far one of the most colorful and well picked in this year’s selection of movies. The standout performance goes to Walken, who nails every single line flawlessly. However, it is not just his comedic timing that sets him apart from the others. Hans’ storyline is the only one that is taken seriously at all times and is deeply tragic from start to finish. His backstory is chilling and impressive, giving the black comedy all the darkness it can handle. His persona is softened by the presence of his lovely wife, who easily steals the audience’s heart within five minutes of meeting her. The movie’s trailer would not lead one to believe that there would be an emotional connection with this wacky trio of friends, but it is a welcome sight in the middle of all the gore.

Harrelson is also in top form with his erratic, cruel role as Charlie, who is unbalanced in every sense of the word. His obsession with his dog Bonnie is hysterical, but his coldblooded nature sobers some of the laughs with absolute precision. There are many times in the film where one is trying to decide whether to chuckle or gasp in horror at something Charlie does. It is definitely one of Harrelson’s best roles in recent history and he nails the part.

The writing for the first and second acts is superb. The film openly mocks itself, examines its flaws, and parodies certain archetypes and clichés in action flicks. Marty is an excellent example of an upcoming writer trying to understand the process of writing and learning what works and what does not. Billy appears to represent the ignorant side of the writing world that thinks he knows what people want. Hans appears to represent the seasoned writers who take their time with themes and understand the sacrifices necessary to achieve them. It was a brilliant decision to have these three men interact and embody the warring parts that make up screenwriters and filmmakers.

However, the writing is also the movie’s biggest flaw. The third act is the weakest part of ‘Seven Psychopaths’ because things start to deteriorate. The dialogue is sloppy, unfocused, and sometimes unnecessary. There are several actions carried out by Marty and Hans that simply do not make sense in the context of the movie or in the context of their characters. They each show massive potential but neither of them fulfill it by the film’s end. Hans’ fate is especially disappointing since he is by far the best character of the bunch.

Additionally, there are a lot of predictable events in the film, despite its focus on chaotic comedy. Many events can be seen coming either due to an overabundance of foreshadowing, such as the identity of the Jack of Diamonds killer, or because of the nature of the black comedy genre. In majority of black comedies, most of the main characters die and ‘Seven Psychopaths’ is no different.

Overall, ‘Psychopaths’ has a likable tartness to it that fans of black comedies will enjoy, but ultimately, it does not live up to its potential. Still, if you like Quentin Tarantino-esque dialogue, egregious violence, or Christopher Walken, give it a shot.

Grade: 3.5/5

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Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel ‘The Hunger Games’, burst into theaters March 23, 2012 to thunderous success. It reaped over $152 million dollars its opening weekend, making it the highest-grossing film of the year thus far. However, unlike the film trailing its numbers, ‘The Lorax’ (2012), ‘The Hunger Games’ has a rich story, lush characters, and gut-wrenching emotional moments woven into the action and drama.

The plot revolves around the recently war-torn nation of Panem, where society is split between a capital full of rich, carefree socialites and twelve districts where the impoverished losers of a war live. Each year, the capitol holds the Hunger Games—a competition where a boy and girl, ages 12 to 18, are chosen from each district to fight in a survival tournament, until only one of them remains.

The main character, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), has a younger sister named Primrose, who is worried about getting picked for the Hunger Games, as everyone’s name is drawn at random. Coincidentally, Primrose’s name is picked at the Reaping, the ceremony where the competitors are chosen, and Katniss volunteers herself to take her sister’s place. Alongside Katniss is Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), a boy she had seen around her home before.

They are taken into the capitol to be trained and prepare for the games. They meet Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), a former winner of the Hunger Games and their mentor, and Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), who mentally prepares them for the vigor of the Game. Haymitch and Cinna emphasize the importance of Katniss and Peeta becoming memorable players in the Game in order to get sponsors, who will drop off food, medicine, and weapons for them if they grow to like them.

This leads to Peeta revealing that he has a crush on Katniss, thus creating an underdog couple for the citizens to root for. Katniss is angered by this revelation at first, but she eventually learns that there is more to Peeta than she thought. Then, the Game begins and everything in both their worlds becomes chaos.

‘The Hunger Games’ is directed by Gary Ross, who some will know for his work directing ‘Pleasantville’ (1998) and ‘Seabiscuit’ (2003). Ross’ direction is excellent, as every moment during the game feels tense and brutal. However, there will be a problem from viewers who suffer from motion sickness, because of the jittery camera movements at certain intense sequences of violence during the film. Otherwise, the camera work of the film is nothing short of brilliant.

The true appeal of this film is its characters. Katniss is a strong girl with enough flaws to keep the audience interested, and a will that just won’t quit. The most interesting emotional aspect of the film is her reaction to Peeta’s feelings for her. She begins feeling uninterested in him romantically, but the vicious deaths in the Game eventually bring them closer together.

However, the audience is left pondering if her feelings are genuine or if she is only obligated to stay with him due to them being the “star-crossed lovers” of District 12. Further complications come from a friend of hers back home named Gale (Liam Hemsworth), who may have been interested in her before she volunteered to take her sister’s place. The script leaves these relationships open to interpretation and thus all the more intriguing for the next film, ‘Catching Fire.’

There are only two detractors I noted in the film. First, the aforementioned character Gale does not receive adequate time to have a real emotional impact. He spends about five or six minutes with Katniss, and while their friendship is established efficiently, the lack of focus on him for the remainder of the movie leaves things too ambiguous.

Katniss’ relationship with Peeta would have better impact if the film had spent more time with her and Gale interacting because it would show the awkwardness Katniss feels when returning home, knowing that Gale saw them together. Granted, I have not yet read the novels and so this may be intentional, but strictly from a moviegoer’s perspective, it could have been done a little better.

Second, the violence of the film needs to be brought to the potential audience’s attention. These are children forced to murder each other, and some of them enjoy killing one another, so the PG-13 rating should be noted at all costs. Any unwitting parent bringing a child into the film would be horrified by the first sequence and everything after it.

I worry that the trailers do not do the brutality of the deaths enough justice, and thus warn anyone with a weak constitution to consider staying away.

Overall, ‘The Hunger Games’ deserves every cent it has taken in since the premiere. It proves that a great story about young adults can break box office records, without the help of sparkling vampires or teenage wizards. Whether it’s the novels or the film, ‘The Hunger Games’ will leave you wanting more.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com

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When Katniss and Peeta are whisked away to the Capitol for the Hunger Games, their lives are overtaken by a team devoted to turning them into both TV superstars and shrewd warriors.

This entire process is supervised by Effie Trinket, their jack-of-all-trades escort and PR campaigner. To play the outrageous but equally desperate Effie, Ross chose Elizabeth Banks. The director had worked with her in ‘Seabiscuit’, but she caught his attention for Effie when she wrote him an impassioned letter asking for the role.

“I read the book right when it was published and immediately fell in love,” Banks recalls. “I called everyone I knew the minute that I heard they were making a movie of it. It was a dream of mine to be in it from the get-go, and Effie was the one character I knew I could play.”

Ross was impressed by her enthusiasm but continued going through his usual rigorous casting process, considering a wide range of people. Yet, as time went on, the choice became evident. “Eventually, as I began to really think about the part and what it requires, I saw that it had to be somebody who has comedic sensibilities but, at the same time, isn’t just interested in the comedy,” Ross says. “Liz really understood that and she was able to see Effie in a context that was incredibly important to the story.”

Banks wanted to bring out not only Effie’s perky humor but also her complexity as she juggles her precarious position in the Capitol with the eerie realties of her job.

She’s a very flamboyant person, but I also think she’s scared,” Banks observes. “She sees firsthand the oppression that is going on around her, whereas I think most of the Capitol’s citizens live in ignorant bliss. But she also has the knowledge that, as much as these lives are at stake, her lifestyle is at stake as well, and if she ever pisses anyone off, they could take all this away from her.”

Another beloved character found in the Capitol is Haymitch Abernathy, District 12’s only living Hunger Games victor – now middle-aged, bitingly sarcastic and rarely sober – who becomes the official mentor to Katniss and Peeta. Haymitch may believe the Games are all just a show and winning is as futile as losing, yet he slowly but surely becomes Katniss’ advocate.

He is played by two-time Academy Award nominee Woody Harrelson, known for his wide-ranging screen characters in such films as ‘The Messenger’, ‘The People Vs. Larry Flynt’,‘No Country For Old Men’, and the recent ‘Rampart’.

Harrelson was seduced by the sly rebel within Haymitch’s celebrity-savvy soul. “You might say he’s a bit anti-authoritarian, which I can relate to,” remarks Harrelson. “He was a kid who won this thing and then suddenly, he was making money, people were nice to him and he had a nice place to live but he just found it all to be a fraud and absurd.

He starts out not wanting to become emotionally invested in Katniss, because as far as he’s concerned, she’s not going to be around long, but as things go along, he starts to think maybe, just maybe, she has a shot.”

Harrelson and Lawrence embodied the tricky relationship between Haymitch and Katniss. “Haymitch has a lot of friction with Katniss because they’re so similar,” notes Nina Jacobson.

“They’re both scrappy survivors and he can’t help but develop a grudging respect for her. In Woody, you can see the man who has seen and experienced it all and has that weariness. But you can also see that subversive, fiery man who has the intelligence to help Katniss through the Games.”

Ross watched Harrelson not only find the comic side of Haymitch but the disillusionment that drives his savage wit and is upended by Katniss. “There’s a truth and kind of sadness and anger underneath what Woody does in this role,” the director observes. “Even though Woody is amazingly funny, he also brought a real smoldering subtext to Haymitch.”

While Haymitch attends to Katniss’ strength and strategy, her appointed stylist Cinna forges her image, revealing not only his artistic skill with such head-turning outfits as the “Girl on Fire” dress, but a caring heart as well. Taking on the role is Lenny Kravitz, the rock star and actor who gave a memorable performance in ‘Precious’.

“We needed somebody for Cinna who could be strong, sexy and have great appeal without a lot of adornment,” Jacobson observes. “This is a character who is handsome on his own terms and a rock star in his own right. So we got a guy who’s a rock star in real life.”

Kravitz found the character riveting. “Cinna helps Katniss create her vibe and teaches her how to attract viewers during the Games so that she can get sponsors,” he explains. “I think he falls for Katniss as a person, and he not only wants to help her with her styling but as a human being.” He also says working with Lawrence made that easy. “She plays Katniss as someone who really knows who she is and for someone so young, that’s a beautiful thing.”

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Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson and Ed Harris star in HBO Films’ ‘Game Change’.  Directed by Jay Roach and written by Danny Strong – the team behind the Emmy-winning HBO Films drama “Recount” – ‘Game Change’ offers a searing behind-the-scenes look at John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, from the selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as McCain’s vice presidential running mate to their defeat in the general election.

Told through the eyes of McCain strategist Steve Schmidt, the man who most championed Palin for the ticket, the film revisits a defining moment in U.S. politics.

‘Game Change’ pulls back the curtain on the intense human drama surrounding the 2008 election, revealing the uncertainty surrounding the decisions made behind closed doors.  The film examines the chain of events that would determine the leadership of the country, offering a unique glimpse into the inner workings of an historic campaign.

Julianne Moore portrays Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Woody Harrelson plays Steve Schmidt, McCain’s senior campaign strategist. Ed Harris portrays Arizona Senator John McCain. Ron Livingston plays Mark Wallace, a senior advisor to the McCain-Palin campaign, who also led Palin’s debate preparation team.

Peter MacNicol portrays Rick Davis, national campaign manager for McCain’s campaign. Sarah Paulson plays Nicolle Wallace, a senior advisor for the McCain-Palin campaign. Jamey Sheridan portrays McCain speechwriter Mark Salter. Bruce Altman plays Fred Davis, McCain’s chief media strategist.

Synopsis

Aug. 2007: Political strategist Steve Schmidt (Woody Harrelson) receives a call from his old friend, Arizona Senator John McCain (Ed Harris), who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, asking him to join Rick Davis (Peter MacNicol) as a senior campaign strategist and advisor. In November, McCain wins the nomination.

Aug. 27, 2008:  Republican presidential candidate John McCain and his advisors Steve Schmidt and Rick Davis are faced with the task of finalizing his running mate. With McCain trailing Democratic candidate Barack Obama in the polls, Schmidt believes they need to act boldly to win the race. Schmidt and Davis think they’ve found a “game changer” with the relatively unknown but charismatic Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (Julianne Moore).

Palin is brought to Sedona, Arizona to meet with Schmidt and longtime McCain aide Mark Salter (Jamey Sheridan). Although there is little time for attorney A.B. Culvahouse (John Rothman) to properly vet Palin with the “Road to the Convention” rally imminent, Schmidt convinces McCain, despite Salter’s serious doubts, to go with Sarah Palin.

With the reception that Palin receives when she is introduced as the vice presidential candidate on Aug. 29, 2008, it seems they have made the right choice.  Palin electrifies the Republican base, turning the race around.

However, the pressures of the high-profile campaign begin to take a toll on Palin. Nicolle Wallace (Sarah Paulson), who has the task of preparing Palin for her various television interviews, soon discovers she is dangerously inexperienced and uninformed about national and world affairs. The staff’s tireless efforts to educate her, combined with two disastrous TV interviews, knock an exhausted Palin into a sullen funk that leaves McCain aides wondering about her overall health and ability to finish the campaign.

Concerned for his running mate’s well-being, McCain suggests that Palin and the group take a detour from the campaign trail and arranges for some much-needed R&R in the fresh air of Sedona in Arizona. Here she is reunited with her family and careful strategies are put into place that will offer her a less stressful, more relaxed preparation for the upcoming debate.

Oct. 2, 2008: To everyone’s relief, Palin delivers a strong debate performance, reviving her magnetic energy. Emboldened by her growing popularity, however, she starts going off-script, publicly questioning political strategy and tapping into a wave of voter anger. As a result, the campaign turns negative – a tactic McCain had been steadfastly trying to avoid.

When the race ends in Obama’s victory, Schmidt realizes that his eagerness to bring on a provocative yet inexperienced running mate may have reduced the margin of defeat, but in the process sacrificed principle.

Image Courtesy of  mistydawnphoto / Shutterstock.com

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