"SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN" (2012) Photo Gallery

Below are images on the new fantasy film, "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN". Directed by Rupert Sanders, the movie stars Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron and Sam Claflin: 

"SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN" (2012) Photo Gallery

"THE HUNGER GAMES" (2012) Review

"THE HUNGER GAMES" (2012) Review

The year 2008 saw the publication of a best-selling novel for young adults called "The Hunger Games".  Written by Suzanne Collins, the novel's success led to the publication of two sequels and a Hollywood adaptation of the first film.

Directed by Gary Ross and adapted by him, Collins and Billy Ray; "THE HUNGER GAMES" is about a sixteen year-old girl named Katniss Everdeen, who lives in  a dystopian post-apocalyptic future in the nation of Panem, which consists of a wealthy city called the Capitol that  is surrounded by 12 less affluent districts. As punishment for a past rebellion against the government, the Capitol created the Hunger Games – a televised annual event in which one boy and one girl from each of the 12 districts are selected in a lottery as "tributes".  They are required to fight to the death in a wilderness arena until there is one remaining victor. When the name of Katniss' sister, Primrose, is called as the female tribute for their district, the 16 year-old volunteers to take Primrose's place in order to save the latter from participating in the 74th Hunger Games.  Katniss is joined by her district's male tribute, the son of a baker named Peeta Mellark.  They travel to the Capitol to train for the Hunger Games, under the guidance of former victor Haymitch Abernathy.

When the media blitz for "THE HUNGER GAMES" had first began, I dismissed it.  Especially since all I  heard were comparisons to the HARRY POTTER franchise.  The comparisons merely led me to roll my eyes in contempt.  Not even the publicity blitz surrounding Suzanne Collins' literary trilogy could generate my interest.  However, by the time "THE HUNGER GAMES" was a week or two away from its theater release, I suddenly became interested.  My interest was ignited by the fact that over a month had passed since I last saw a decent new movie.  I went to see the movie at my local movie theater and left feeling more than satisfied.

I might as well admit it.  I was very impressed by "THE HUNGER GAMES".  I was more than impressed.  Director Gary Ross did a superb job in bringing Suzanne Collins' novel to life on the movie screen.  More importantly, the movie's dark portrayal of a post-apocalyptic future not only impressed me, but frightened me a little.  Considering the present economic state of the world, it was pretty easy to image such a future for this country.  "THE HUNGER GAMES" was not the first science-fiction movie with a setting featuring a wide disparity between the haves and have-nots.  Last fall saw the release of a movie called  "IN TIME".  Whereas that movie suffered from a plot that went nowhere in its last act, "THE HUNGER GAME" ended on a more satisfying note - aside from the last minute or two.  There were two main aspects of "THE HUNGER GAME" that made this movie so terrifying to me.  One, the participants of this deadly game were children between the ages of 12 and 18, not adults.  And more importantly, the actual games, which unfolded through two-thirds of the movie, came damn close to be a young adult remake of the chilling 1972 movie, "DELIVERANCE".  Watching a group of adolescents and pre-adolescents being forced to ruthlessly kill each other pretty much made my skin crawl.  Kudos to Suzanne Collins for creating a very effective tale and the same to Ross for translating it so well to the screen.

I was not surprised to learn that the exteriors for "THE HUNGER GAMES" were filmed in North Carolina.  The movie's opening sequence, along with the setting for the actual games did look as they had been filmed somewhere in that state.  However, I was surprised to learn that the entire movie was filmed there.  Apparently, Lionsgate took advantage of an $8 million tax break from North Carolina in order for the movie's principal photography to take place there.  Most of the outdoor scenes - the arena and the District 12 outskirts - were filmed at the DuPont State Forest.  And cinematographer Tom Stern did an excellent job in doing justice to the location's natural beauty.  But he, along with Ross, did an even better job in transforming the cities of Shelby and Charlotte.  They were aided by production designer Phil Messina, whose designs for the Capitol were inspired by 1939 New York's World Fair, along with Tiananmen Square in Beijing and Red Square in Moscow.  Messina's designs gave the Capitol an extravagant and decadent feel, in sharp contrast to the rural poverty of District 12.  I was also impressed by Judianna Makovsky's colorful costume designs, along with the outrageous hairstyles and make up - especially for the characters in the Capitol.

But the movie's plot, production designs, cinematography and other aspects of "THE HUNGER GAMES" would not have worked without Gary Ross' direction and the outstanding cast led by Jennifer Lawrence.  I have only seen Lawrence in one previous movie - last year's "X-MEN: FIRST CLASS" - and I was impressed by her performance.  But she was even more impressive as this movie's leading character, Katniss Everdeen.  Many have not only gushed over Lawrence's portrayal of the 16 year-old Katniss, but they have also labeled her as a new breed of female action heroes and a feminist icon that has not been seen  on television or in the movies for years.  I do not know if I agree with the latter assessment, but I cannot deny that Lawrence did a superb job in portraying an adolescent girl who is not only strong-willed and intelligent, but also very complex.  Another performance that took me by surprise came from  Josh Hutcherson, who portrayed Katniss' fellow combatant from District 12, Peeta Mellark.  Hutcherson's Peeta has such a mild-mannered persona, I had assumed that the character would not last very long in the competition . . . or would at least proved to be a weak character that would eventually turn on Katniss.  Color me surprised.  But Hutcherson's performance seemed so subtle and skillful that I was surprised to discover that his character had really grown on me by the end of the movie.

"THE HUNGER GAMES" was also lucky to possess solid performances from the supporting cast.  Liam Hemsworth - brother of Chris - gave a nice performance as Katniss' childhood friend, Gale Hawthorne.  Fortunately for Hemsworth, he will be given the opportunity to strut his stuff, when his role becomes bigger in the upcoming sequels.  Woody Harrelson already managed to show what a first-rate actor he could be in his superb performance as the complex and alcoholic Haymitch Abernathy, a former District 12 winner of the Hunger Games, who is assigned to act as mentor for Katniss and Peeta.  There was a good deal of controversy surrounding the casting of Amandla Stenberg as the Games' youngest participant, Rue.  Certain fans took issue with her racial background.  Pity.  Because I was very impressed by her subtle, yet charming peformance as Katniss' competitor and ultimate friend.  Elizabeth Banks gave a rather funny performance as Katniss and Peeta's uptight chaparone, Effie Trinket.  Singer Lenny Kravitz (and father of Lawrence's "X-MEN" co-star and friend, Zoë Kravitz) was surprisingly first-rate as Katniss and Peeta's stylist, Cinna.  It has been a while since I have seen Wes Bentley in a movie.  And it was heartening to see that he had not lost his touch in his ability to portray very complex characters.  He certainly gave a superb and complex performance as the 74th Hunger Games' Head Gamekeeper, Seneca Crane.  Donald Sutherland was also superb as President Coriolanus Snow, the introverted, yet ruthless leader of the Capitol and all of Panem.  The movie also boasted fine performances from Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones, Dayo Okeniyi, Isabelle Fuhrman and Alexander Ludwig.

What else can I say about "THE HUNGER GAMES"?  It is one of the top-grossing movies in recent years or perhaps even of all time.  Whether it deserves this honor or not, I cannot deny that it turned out to be a surprisingly well made movie, thanks to Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, the movie's production team and a superb cast led by Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson.  I heard that Ross has not signed up to do the movie's sequel, "CATCHING FIRE".  Pity.  I only hope that his successor will do as good of a job as he has done.

"STAR TREK VOYAGER" RETROSPECT: (3.26-4.01) "Scorpion"

"STAR TREK VOYAGER" RETROSPECT: (3.26-4.01) "Scorpion"

After three seasons, the series "STAR TREK VOYAGER" entered into a new era with the two-part episode, (3.26-4.01) "Scorpion". In "Scorpion", the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager finally reaches Borg space after three seasons - an event that would serve as a turning point for the series.

Aired at the end of Season Three and the beginning of Season Four, "Scorpion" finds the Voyager entering Borg space. To the crew's surprise, they discover that the Borg is engaged in a major conflict with another alien race called Species 8472. An even more discovery awaits when Captain Kathryn Janeway and her crew learn that the Borg is losing its war with Species 8472. But when the crew's Ocampa nurse, Kes, receives hostile telepathic messages from Species 8472 and when Operation Officer Ensign Harry Kim has an encounter with a member of Species 8472 that nearly costs him his life, Janeway decides that the only way for Voyager to survive this new conflict is to form an alliance with the Borg that would guarantee the ship's safe passage through Borg space.

Written by Brannon Braga and Joe Menosky, and directed by David Livingston ("Part I") and Winrich Kolbe ("Part II"); "Scorpion" turned out to be an excellent story that is regarded as the best two-part episode in the entire series by TREK fans. Personally, I do not share this particular opinion. But I must admit that it was first-rate. As I had stated earlier, "Scorpion" served as a turning point for "STAR TREK VOYAGER". First of all, the episode featured Voyager's first encounter with Species 8472. The episode - at least "Part II" introduced new crew member, Seven-of-Nine aka Annika Hansen. Consequences from Janeway's alliance with the Borg not only left her with a new crew member, but would end up having consequences in future episodes such as (4.16) "Prey", (4.26) "Hope and Fear", (5.04) "In the Flesh" and (5.15-5.16) "Dark Frontier".

The emotional consequences of "Scorpion" was also well-handled by the screenwriters and the directors. One thing, the episode revealed that aside from the "Q" Continuum, a race more powerful than the Borg existed in "TREK" universe. Many fans saw the weakening of the Borg in the following "VOYAGER" episodes as something to mourn. I found this opinion amazing, considering that an episode highly popular with the fans, would prove to provide the first real sign of weakness with in the Borg. I had no problem with the gradual weakening of the Borg. If the Borg had remained the near unbeatable nemesis first introduced in "STAR TREK NEXT GENERATION", their story arc would have remained stuck in perpetual stagnation. And it only seemed proper that the Borg's gradual decline would occur on "VOYAGER", considering that the series was set in the Delta Quadrant, their base of operation. There were other aspects of "Scorpion" that I found admirable - namely Jeffrey Baxter and Dick Brownfield's special effects, along with Marvin V. Rush's cinematography that greatly enhanced the sequences featuring the Borg's confrontations with Species 8472.

"Scorpion" also revealed that the Janeway/Chakotay command team had yet to be fully been realized by the end of Season Three. When I first saw this episode, it amazed me that the Captain and her First Officer had failed to perfect a command style after three years in the Delta Quadrant. Now I realized that I should not have been surprised. Janeway and Chakotay spent the first two seasons trying to merge the Starfleet and Maquis factions of the ship's crew. Once the two factions learned to regard themselves as one crew, both Janeway and Chakotay spent all of Season Three congratulating themselves for achieving this fusion and ignoring the fact that they had yet learned to create a stable command team. They only had one misstep during Season Three - namely Chakotay's experiences with a colony of former Borg drones in (3.17) "Unity". Seasons One and Two served as Janeway and Chakotay's attempts to fuse Voyager's two factions into one. Season Three served as their honeymoon period. But during Seasons Four and Five - starting with "Scorpion" - the two senior officers were finally forced to confront each other's personality quirks and form a solid command team.

Both Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay had made serious mistakes in "Scorpion". Janeway blindly refused to accept Chakotay's warnings about the Borg, believing that her position as Captain made her supremely right. She also allowed her disappointment in Chakotay's doubts to blind her and take his criticisms personally. As for Chakotay, he allowed his past experiences with the former Borg drones in "Unity" to disobey Janeway and literally make a mess of the alliance she had formed with the Borg. It is possible that in this episode, he made a lousy First Officer, because he had yet to recover from no longer being the Captain of his old Maquis star ship. Now, I do not expect the First Officer to follow his/her captain blindly. It might make for great screen chemistry, but in reality, I cannot help thinking that would be a dangerous situation. Imagine how the crew of the "U.S.S. Caine" would have fared if Van Johnson's character had blindly followed Humphrey Bogart's in 1954's "THE CAINE MUTINY". Or how would the U.S.S. Enterprise-E have fared if Doctor Beverly Crusher, Lieutenant-Commander Worf and Lily Sloane had allowed Captain Jean-Luc Picard to continue his obsession against the Borg in 1996's "STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT". I cannot help but feel that this conflict between Janeway and Chakotay should have been experienced by their first or second year together as Captain and First Officer. Not after three years. But unusual circumstances - namely their efforts to fuse the Starfleet and Maquis factions - prevented this.

Before I end this article, I have to comment on the acting featured in this episode. The supporting cast gave their usual solid performances - especially Tim Russ as Lieutenant Tuvok, Garrett Wang as Harry Kim, Jennifer Lien as Kes and Robert Picardo as the Doctor. But the truly outstanding performances came from three people - Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran and Jeri Ryan. The latter would prove to be an interesting addition to the "VOYAGER" cast as the ambiguous soon-to-be former drone, Seven-of-Nine. Beltran, who has always been belittled by "TREK" fans as a wooden performer, was far from wooden as a doubtful and paranoid Chakotay. Kate Mulgrew gave an equally first-rate performance as always complex and interesting Kathryn Janeway.

In a way, I can see why "Scorpion" is regarded by many "VOYAGER" fans as the high mark of the series. It is a well-written episode that steered the series into a new direction. But there are other two-part episodes that are bigger favorites of mine. I would not regard "Scorpion" as the high mark of "VOYAGER", but perhaps as one of the series' high marks.

"The Engagement News" [PG-13] - 2/5

"THE ENGAGEMENT NEWS"

Part Two

Cole materialized in the middle of a deserted mews, unseen by others. He glanced at his watch. It read three two thirty-eight in the afternoon, San Francisco time. Even though he happened to be standing next to a Dublin townhouse, at the moment. The very townhouse owned by his uncle.

After a quick glance around, the half-daemon made his way to the townhouse's front door. He rang the doorbell. Minutes later, a plumpish, handsome-looking woman with freckled pale skin and fading red hair opened the door. She gasped. "Oh! Good heavens! Mr. Turner!"

Smiling at his uncle's housekeeper, Cole replied, "Hello Bridie. Is my uncle in?"

The housekeeper smiled back. "Yes sir. He and Miss Mauve are in the drawing-room, watching television."

"At this hour?" Cole murmured.

Bridget stepped aside, as she ushered Cole inside the house. "I'll take you to them." She then led him to an elegant drawing-room, decorated in the Empire style of the early 19th century. Inside sat Cole's demonic uncle and his aunt-by-marriage. They seemed engrossed by the television set. "Sir, Miss Mauve . . . look who's here!"

The pair glanced up and regarded their visitor with surprise. "Belthazor!" Marbus shot up from the sofa and rushed forward to greet his nephew. "Good to see you, lad! What brings you here?"

Cole greeted his beloved uncle with a bear hug. "I have some news that you will find very interesting." He turned to Marbus' wife, who planted a warm kiss on his cheek. Cole returned the gesture. "It's been a while, Aunt Mauve."

"Only six weeks," Mauve Donohue Farrell warmly replied. She was a tall, thin and elegant-looking woman with graying dark brown hair and intense hazel eyes. Unlike her husband, Aunt Mauve happened to be a wizard. And human. "How is Olivia?"

A smile touched Cole's lips. "Great. In fact . . . the news I have concerns her."

Marbus handed the younger daemon a glass of whiskey. "Oh? What news would you be talking about?"

Cole hesitated. Then, "Olivia and I are engaged." The announcement drew gasps from the older couple. "It happened. Last night."

Both Marbus and Mauve reacted with pleasure and congratulated the half-daemon. His uncle gave him a bear hug, while the female wizard congratulated him with another kiss. "I'm so happy for you!" she cried. "When is the wedding?"

"Probably the second week of December," Cole replied. "We haven't decided where we'll spend our honeymoon." Thoughts of Walt Disney World flashed in his head and he shook his head, determined not to think of Olivia's choice.

Mauve surprised him by asking, "What about Olivia's family? I wondered . . . how they would react to the news." She paused. "Have you told them, yet?"

Cole hesitated, as a flash of anxiety struck him. "Uh . . . not yet. You don't think . . . you don't think they'll approve?"

Marbus retorted, "Of course they will, lad! You're practically a member of the family, as far as they're concerned. And when you consider their own family history . . . I doubt that you'll get any resistance from them."

"Marbus is right," Mauve added. "I don't believe you will have anything to worry about."

Cole took comfort in the couple's words. So much so that Marbus' next question took him by surprise. "By the way," the older daemon began, "have you told your mother the news?"

A jolt of displeasure flared within Cole's chest, as he briefly contemplated his uncle's question. He quickly retorted, "Of course not! Nor do I plan to tell her. It's none of her business, as far as I'm concerned."

Marbus protested, "How could you keep such news from your mother? You're her only child!"

"A connection that I don't particularly relish," Cole replied in a chilly voice.

"Belthazor . . ."

Maeve interrupted, "For heaven's sake, Miles!" She used Marbus' human name. "Leave the boy be! Cole and Elizabeth haven't been close in years! Perhaps it's just as well."

Marbus glared at his wife. "Just as well, eh? Is that common sense speaking, Maeve? Or simply your dislike of my sister?"

Cole knew all about the chilly relationship between his mother and Marbus' wife. He never could fathom why the two females detested each other so much. It was possible that Nimue had disapproved of her brother's marriage to a female wizard - a non-demon. But Cole found that hard to believe, considering his mother's marriage to the very mortal Benjamin Turner. And he doubted that Maeve's dislike toward Nimue stemmed from the latter's service to evil. Maeve had never exactly been the epitome of goodness. And Cole's own role as a demonic assassin had never affected his relationship to the female wizard. Perhaps the two women simply rubbed each other the wrong way.

"This has nothing to do with my feelings toward Nimue!" Maeve retorted. "You just can't tell Cole how he should feel about his mother. Whatever is wrong between them, they will have to work it out, themselves!"

Marbus scowled, but remain silent. Meanwhile, Cole pecked his aunt's cheek. He had no argument with her advice. As far as he was concerned, the less he saw his mother . . . the better.

----------

"Hey! Look who's here!" Harry declared, as Olivia and Cole entered the McNeill dining room. "Aren't you two a little late for dinner? We're almost finished."

Olivia gave her younger brother a tart smile. "Cole and I already had dinner, thank you very much." She and her new fiancé sat down in two of the empty chairs, around the table. Then she noticed another empty chair, next to Barbara. "Is Bruce working tonight?"

"Yes he is, pet," Gweneth McNeill commented. "Now, what brings you two here, tonight?"

Olivia's father added, "Before you answer, I have my own news." He paused, before he addressed everyone. "Cousin Sean will be in town, tomorrow. Tomorrow afternoon." Jack turned to his wife. "And Gwen, you don't mind preparing a special dinner to welcome him, do you?"

"Of course not, love," Gweneth replied. "In fact, I'll ask Bruce if he would help me."

Harry said, "Mind if I ask Paige to join us?"

"You can invite her entire family." Gweneth turned to her daughter. "And Livy, Cecile and Andre are welcomed, as well. But right now, I want to hear what news you and Cole have."

Olivia and Cole exchanged a brief glance. Then the former took a deep breath and declared, "Cole had proposed to me, last night. I said yes, and we'll be getting married, next month." She punctuated her announcement with a disarming smile.

The McNeills reacted . . . all at once.

"Bloody hell!" Gweneth cried.

Gran broke into a wide smile. "Congratulations!"

"Wow!" Barbara exclaimed. "Talk about your bombshell!"

A bewildered-looking Jack merely blinked his eyes and said, "Huh?"

Harry raised his hand and asked, "So, where do you plan to go for your honeymoon?"

-----------

Later than night, Cole and Olivia lay side-by-side on the large bed, inside the penthouse's master bedroom. "Well, that was interesting," the half-daemon commented. "Do you think that your dad has recovered from shock, yet?"

Olivia sighed. "I don't know. It had taken him at least two days, when I first became engaged to Richard. And you should have seen Mr. Bowen's reaction when Barbara and Bruce first became engaged." She shook her head and laughed. "For a minute, it seemed as if he had regarded Bruce as some kind of molester."

"I think your dad was too stunned to regard me as one," Cole murmured. "But I could see visions of a large wedding in your mother's eyes. Uh . . . you're not thinking of the same, are you?"

Another sigh - this one deliberate - escaped from Olivia's mouth. "Oh, I don't know. I think that Mom would like a big wedding, without any incubi or succubae to worry about." She placed her head on Cole's chest.

The half-daemon moaned. "Oh God, I hope not! I still have vague memories of that large wedding Phoebe had planned. And that's something I have no desire to repeat, possessed or not." He paused. "Hey, if we can forgo a big wedding, I'll consider Walt Disney World for our honeymoon."

Mission accomplished. The redhead leaned forward and gave him a brief, warm kiss on the lips. "You have a deal," she crooned. "Don't worry. I'll make sure that any grandiose plans Mom may have for our wedding will be quickly nipped in the bud. I'll suggest that we keep it . . . moderate. A few friends and family. Okay?" She kissed him, again.

Cole smiled. "Is it any wonder why I love you?" He wrapped his arms around Olivia's torso and kissed her.

"Hmmm," Olivia moaned, after their lips had parted. "Oh boy! I'm really looking forward to the honeymoon. By the way, since you've already told Marbus about our engagement, when will we tell your mother? I figured that tomorrow evening . . ."

A scowl appeared on Cole's face. He sat up, causing Olivia to roll off his body. "Has Marbus talked to you recently?" he demanded harshly.

Olivia stared at him. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

With a sigh, Cole explained that his uncle had suggested - and argued - that he announce their engagement to his mother. "Naturally, I said no. I didn't think it was any of her business. And I still don't. After all, I never told her about my marriage to Phoebe, and I don't intend to inform her about this one."

"Cole, you were possessed by the Source during your last marriage. How could you tell your mother?"

The half-daemon snapped, "I wasn't possessed when Phoebe and I first became engaged."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "For heaven's sake, Cole! Why won't you tell your mother? You're her only . . ."

"Don't! Don't tell me that I'm her only son! Or her only child! It's an association that I don't particularly relish!" Cole replied in a hard voice. "And I'm not in the habit of inviting my father's killer to something I would consider a special moment for me."

Contempt dripped from Olivia's voice. "Oh, I see. It's okay for us to forgive you for past crimes. Or, you can forgive the Halliwells for killing you when you were possessed. And I can just forget the fact that you and Dad once tried to kill each other, over twenty-five years ago. But your mother? I guess she doesn't deserve your forgiveness, huh?"

Cole shot back with equal contempt, "Speaking of forgiveness, I don't recall you extending that sentiment toward Leo for what he and Margolin had done to us, last summer."

"Leo hasn't bothered to express any remorse for his actions!"

The half-daemon retorted, "Neither has my mother!"

"At least I know why Leo tried to coerce me into killing you!" Olivia sat up and gave Cole a penetrating stare. "Tell me Cole, do you know why your mother had killed your dad?"

With a contemptuous snort, Cole replied, "Yeah! She was an evil bitch, who wanted my father out of the way."

"Cole, your mother had waited four to five years to kill your father. Now that's a hell of a long time to wait to get someone out of the way. Haven't you ever asked yourself . . . why?" With those words, Olivia turned away, her back facing Cole. A sigh rose from her throat. "But, if you don't want to tell her about us . . . fine. It's your choice."

Olivia closed her eyes. And pretended that she did not hear the oath that came from her fiancé's mouth.


End of Part Two

"ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER" (2012) Photo Gallery

Below are images from the new supernatural thriller based upon Seth Grahame-Smith's 2010 novel, "ABRAHAM LINCOLN:  VAMPIRE HUNTER".  Directed by  Timur Nuruakhitovich Bekmambetov, the movie stars Benjamin Walker, Dominic Cooper and Anthony Mackie:

"ABRAHAM LINCOLN:  VAMPIRE HUNTER" (2012) Photo Gallery