The Hunger Games

Cast
Jennifer Lawrence
Josh Hutcherson
Liam Hemsworth
Elizabeth Banks
Wes Bentley
Stanley Tucci
Woody Harrelson
Donald Sutherland
Toby Jones
Screenwriter
Billy Ray
Director
Gary Ross
Running Time
142 minutes [cut by 0m 7s with substitution]

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. (Lionsgate)

The company chose to make cuts in order to achieve a '12A' classification. A number of cuts were made in one scene to reduce an emphasis on blood and injury. These cuts, which were implemented by digitally removing sight of blood splashes and sight of blood on wounds and weapons, were made in accordance with BBFC Guidelines and policy. An uncut '15' classification was available.[BBFC]

I've not read the books so maybe the film doesn't do them justice but I found it very ordinary. Whether the cuts were responsible I'm not sure. The shaky camera didn't help and they used it from the beginning not just limited to the actual games.

21 Jump Street

Cast
Jonah Hill
Channing Tatum
Brie Larson
Ice Cube
Dave Franco
Screenwriter
Michael Bacall
Directors
Phil Lord
Chris Miller
Running Time
109 minutes

Schmidt and Jenko are more than ready to leave their adolescent problems behind. Joining the police force and the secret Jump Street unit, they use their youthful appearances to go undercover in a local high school. As they trade in their guns and badges for backpacks, Schmidt and Jenko risk their lives to investigate a violent and dangerous drug ring. But they find that high school is nothing like they left it just a few years earlier and neither expects that they will have to confront the terror and anxiety of being a teenager again and all the issues they thought they had left behind. (Columbia Pictures)

Clever and very funny. There's a lot of swearing which usually I don't notice but it was like they were going for the Guiness Book of Records or something. All the jokes involving the teachers seemed to fall flat except the hallucination scene. [Spoiler]The Johnny Depp cameo was spoiled for me by a Glide FM DJ called Sophie on a review I listened to on Bleeding Cool which is a pity because as good as it was it would have been better as a total surprise.

June Comics

CBR has the new DC, Dark Horse, Image and Marvel solicitations for June.

This is the stuff I'm thinking about in addition to my regular pull list.

PLANETOID #1
story / art / cover KEN GARING
JUNE 13
32 PAGES / FC / T+
$2.99
Silas, an ex-soldier turned space pirate, finds himself stranded on a mysterious planet in alien territory. As he explores the long-abandoned industrial ruins of the planet's surface he will have to fend off rogue mechanical creatures, roving cyborg militias, and a hostile alien military with a bounty on his head. Silas will have to rely on resourcefulness and bare-bones survival tactics in order to stay alive and ultimately unlock the secrets of a planet where survival is a luxury and escape an impossibility.

Looks interesting.

John Carter

Cast
Taylor Kitsch
Lynn Collins
Mark Strong
James Purefoy
Dominic West
Ciaran Hinds
Willem Dafoe
Thomas Haden Church
Samantha Morton
Polly Walker
Screenwriter
Michael Chabon
Director
Andrew Stanton
Running Time
132 minutes

Born in Virginia and a veteran of the Civil War, John Carter is an honorable and courageous man. However, the war let him dispirited and broken. Accidentally transported to the planet of Barsoom, he soon finds his strength and jumping abilities greatly amplified. He must use these newfound powers to survive the centuries-old war between the native inhabitants and save this dying world. (Disney)

I really enjoyed lots of it but it felt long, perhaps had the earth stuff been trimmed, I could have given it 4 stars.