Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence)
and Peeta (Josh Hucherson) are back for the wildest ride of their life – The Winner’s Tour. With revolution ripe
from the 74thHunger Games,
where Katniss and Peeta defied the Capitol by being the first winners to be
from the same district (not to mention, defying the odds of having a single
winner), President Snow (Donald Sutherland) is breathing down their necks to
maintain his control over the twelve districts.
But with the reality of
hope seeping through the districts, the 75thHunger Games Quarter Quell has sent even more uproar as past
winners are being brought back into the arena, once gain risking their lives
for the sake of entertainment.
The Story
For those of you who
haven’t read the trilogy, this second instalment to the Hunger Games simply sees Katniss and Peeta attempting to keep their
“star-crossed lovers” act alive for the duration of both the Winner’s Tour and
the next leg of the Games. Gale (Liam Hemsworth) also returns, but this time as
the wedge of reality and reason between the couple.
This time the Games are
more dangerous; everyone that will enter the arena have entered it once before
– and WON. Each contestant had their own means of winning the Games before,
thus everyone is just as deadly as the other – no matter what district they’re
from.
It’s a great adaptation of
the book and follows the story nicely, allowing you to enjoy the progression of
the story from the first film. What this film does well that the first film
seemed to lack, was the creation of the unseen events of the book (since it was
written from Katniss’s perspective) to the screen. In saying that, it could
possibly be because the first film set the pattern for this film, thus, making
it easier to appreciate the poetic license of adding the Gamemaker’s room and
Plutrach Heavensbee’s (Phillip Seymore Hoffman) conversations with President
snow.
The Cast
Reprising their roles, Jennifer
Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson
(Haymitch), Elizabeth Banks (Effie), along with Stanley Tucci (Caesar
Flickerman) all stepped it up a notch in giving their characters a different
dynamic for the pressing demands of the Quarter Quell. They all brought a
darker side of their characters, which gave the new comers are great playing
field when it came to supporting them.
Sam Clafin and Jena Malone
were the two standouts for me as I was watching the film. Playing Finnick Odair
– District 4’s seemingly self-absorbed, good-looking “darling of the Capitol” –
and Johanna Mason – a feisty firecracker with not remorse from District 7 –
both played a great contrast to Lawrence’s and Hutcherson’s “stubborn-girl and
loving-boy” portrayals. Malone was the extreme version of Lawrence’s characters
and Clafin was the flirt that Hutcherson’s character could never be – or would
ever want to be.
Overall the film was a
great adaptation of the book and it left you wanting more. It was exciting,
moving and thrilling all at once. It’s one everyone will enjoy no matter what
age you are. I recommend reading the series, but like I said, the film can
stand alone if you’ve seen the first film. If you do watch it without seeing
the first one, I’m sure you’ll pick the story up pretty easily, but you may not
have the emotional attachments to the scenes and characters as those around you
(:P).
Why Don’t We Go There resonates with NeonTrees’, Everybody Talks both in the melody and the accompaniment. Lyrically
it talks about pursuing a girl and making sure that no minute is wasted on not
telling this girl how they feel (and more). It’s up beat, fun and embedded with
the thrill of the chase.
Does He Know is a cheeky version of Rick
Springfield’s, Jesse’s Girl. Much
like the theme of C’mon, C’mon of
watching a girl dance and being hypnotised by the way she moves, this song
talks about noticing a girl from far away – a girl comfortable in who she is,
but seems to hide that confidence from her boyfriend. It’s another throwback
song that leaves you singing and dancing along.
Alive
brings back the electric guitar and attitude. Singing about a relationship
that’s carefree, where it’s about doing things that make you feel alive. It’s
really a rougher version of Live While
We’re Young basically – it belts out, “YOLO!”
Half A Heart is an acoustic-based heartbreak song, where the lyrics are beautiful
and simple as it talks about being incomplete. It’s a song that attempts to
mend a broken relationship. I have to say this is my favourite track out of the
four bonus tracks on the Deluxe
edition.
As they wrap up their 2013 Take Me Home Tour, One
Direction are not stopping their chart-topping success as they release
their latest single, Story of My Life.
With their third studio album, Midnight Memories, hitting the airwaves in less than a month, their
second single is a different vibe to their film’s title track, Best Song Ever.
Story of My Life
talks about a man giving all his love to girl who’s finding it hard to stay in their tumultuous relationship. It’s a song that captures the essence of promising
to be there regardless of the hard times, yet also finding hard to believe that you can keep that promise.
It’s a great acoustic-based track that grips you from the
first note and leaves you breathless as you take in the story it portrays.
Each member shines and supports the others; you can really sense that 1D finding their feet and defining themselves in the music industry.
Kudos to the team of songwriters, musicians and mixers for creating
a beautiful and emotive track for the next year with 1D!
sL Star Rating:★★★★★
Next on sL:One Direction - Midnight Memories (Deluxe Edition) Review
Firstly, I just want to say, I have
never been in a room full of people willing to be up on their feet for every
song, let alone cheer at the top of their lungs after every song.
I count myself included in that
description as I can finally say that I have seen One Direction LIVE. It was in fact my highlight – concert / gig
wise – for 2013 due to a few things:
1) The level of energy in the room,
2) The great choice in an opening act
and
3) I was not told to sit down!
The last one is really important to
me, considering I’ve been told to sit in my seat countless times during these
arena concerts. I’ve just always believed that you should be up on your feet
when the music is pumping! Sure if it’s a slow song I’ll forgive you for asking
me to sit down, but don’t get mad if I stand back up for a song that demands me
to be up on my feet! *Rant Over*.
Enough of that! Let’s get to ONE DIRECTION!!!
5 Seconds of Summer opened for 1D, and
they were incredible.
I’ve found that when people are in
their hometown they seem to own the stage a lot more, because it’s home!
Ironically, seeing as this is 1D’s Take
Me Home tour, that’s exactly what 5SOS did! And without a doubt they warmed
up an already excited crowd to a boiling level! So big, big KUDOS to 5SOS for kicking the night off
with a bang!
As Up All Night opened the set, the directioners all around the arena
were still taking in the fact that they were watching One Direction as they sang and danced along to a beloved track from
1D’s first album. But just as soon as they opened they were straight into
another one of my favourites, I Would.
Testing out my moves, I was spelling out, “L.O.V.E” as the boys were singing
the chorus – just like Hi5 taught me!
Heart Attack followed straight on
cue, as some fans seemed to be breathless after the two opening songs.
Regardless, everyone was still up on their feet cheering, singing and dancing
along.
As the song finished, Louis and Niall
took over and greeted the crowd gingerly. Liam, Zayn and Harry followed in suit
as they all took turns thanking us for being there before they slowed things
down just a smidge with another track from their first album – and my favourite
track!
As More Than This resounded throughout the arena, glow sticks, camera
flashes and light sticks flooded the darkness swaying from left to right. But
as the tempo kicked back up with Loved
You First, and the directioners were right back up singing at the top of
their lungs – or maybe that was just me…
Either way, by the time One Thing was introduced, the boys had
already told the crowd that we were, “The LOUDEST crowd they’d had across the
world.” I’m going to give the boys the benefit of the doubt considering my ears
were still ringing when I woke up the following morning. I can only imagine
what the boys feel like every night
since March!
C’mon, C’mon set another motion of high-energy
movement as everyone in the room obeyed the lyrics to dance about – and in
truth, “the music was so loud”, so
much so, you couldn’t help but let it lead your movements.
For a change in scene, Change My Mind saw the boys soaring
above the crowd to make their way to the floor stage located towards the back
of the arena. Giving those of us in that section a little glimpse of them. With
a bit of light banter and a mini-Q&A conducted by Niall, their Comic Relief charity single, One Way or Another / Teenage Kicks,
kicked off the next leg of the set.
Resting their vocals for a moment,
the boys answered some twitter questions with a piggyback race and a
demonstration of the worm by Liam. They also gave us a little insight into their
favourite foods by giving us a list of three things that they would eat for the
rest of their lives. I just remember a lot of chicken – haha!
Getting back to the music side of
things, the lads strapped themselves back unto their elevated stage and glided
the airwaves with my favourite track on this album, Last First Kiss. And as promised, by the time the boys were singing
Moments – still in the air, they let
the crowd’s voices take them back to the main stage as the finishing the song
for them.
Live While We're Young signified a change
in pace as time was ticking away – although mind you, I’m pretty sure everyone
in the room were pretty happy to stay until the following day and start
everything “all over again”!
The final few moments of the night
happened in couplets, Summer Love
took the tempo back down just enough for fans to settle themselves in their
seats to sway and wave anything that was glowing from the left to the
right. And as Over Again filled the arena, fans were ready to get up on their
feet again (yes, I was singing hard-out by the time the second verse kicked in;
and yes, I did keep up with Harry and Louis!)
As the band turned up the notch on
the tempo and the volume, their Wheatus
cover, Teenage Dirtbag, rang out
across the arena with the crowd’s contribution rising and falling depending on
their age. Being a 90s kid, this song was second nature to my lips, thus
needing no prompter to lead me as to when the chorus was coming or when the key
change was headed in my direction. And by the time, Rock Me demanded the crowd’s participation, I was a little
disappointed that the boys didn’t know the basic ‘stomp-stomp-clap’ that their
take on Queen’s classic, We Will Rock You, instructs.
Fortunately She's Not Afraid swooped in to get the crowd back in gear, just in
time to warm us back up for Kiss You!
Leaving the crowd on a high, 1D made
no effort and hiding that the night was not finished just yet. Their
silhouettes were still visible as they made their way to their final positions
for the night. When everything was ready and a small snippet from This
Is Us had fluttered the audience’s hearts, Best Song Ever kicked in right on cue.
But before leaving the stage for good, Niall takes the
lead once again to thank us for spending the evening with them and being part
of the “best fans in the world”. Liam, Harry, Zayn and Louis followed in suit
from their seated positions, happy to let Niall take the reigns as the night
drew to a close.
Closing with their very first single, What Makes You Beautiful, gave the crowd one last hurrah as everyone
was up on feet, singing and dancing to the song that launched One Direction to
the top all around the globe.
Overall it was a great night. Like I
said before, it was a great crowd to be a part of. The setlist was well
selected and the blueprint for the entire show was well maaped-out. Although
the set was amazing and the graphics were appropriate in summarising the last three
years of their life, I wish there was a bit more on stage for the boys to use
in order to really make the most of the space they had. I was also a little
disappointed in their use of the floor stage. Although it was meant to be a
‘casual space’ it was a little too casual and I felt like they were closing
themselves off from their fans instead of fully interacting with them. But in
saying all of that, it’s just the drama teacher / director side of me talking.
I had a blast and have no regrets in going to another One Direction concert in
the future.
