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By Horacio Garcia

Seventy-five years ago, the Uprising against Capitol was crushed with an iron hand and since then, every year, the 12 Districts of Panem (all that is remaining from the collapse of North America) are forced to choose two champions that will fight to the death against the champions of other districts until only one is alive.

They are called The Tributes and the contest is called The Hunger Games. The winner of the games, which are televised to the entire nation, receives enough food and supplies to never worry again in this life.
This year things will be a little different. Katniss Everdeen volunteered instead of her little sister and Peeta Mellark, a boy Katniss knows since her childhood, was also chosen. A hain of events is put in motion and will change the face of the world for ages to come.

This is the setting of Suzanne Collin’s first book in the Hunger Games trilogy, and is simply great that director Gary Ross kept his film as close to the original as possible because The Hunger Games “the novel” is an excellent adventure book, more adult in its conception and theme than the Harry Potter series and way different from the teenage soap opera that is Twilight at the end.

Even when the idea of the police estate that establishes some sort of public Death Games is nothing new, this story in which the competitors are children ages 12 to 18 is not as popular and the movie has attracted some criticism for being so crude. Just like any Japanese Manga!

The Hunger Games not only remains faithful to the story -something the fans are going to appreciate- but also has a very agile script that keeps a remarkable fast pace considering that the actual games start well into the over two hours of projection. Don't fool yourself, the movie flies.

The big surprise about The Hunger Games is that even when visually impressive, the movie relays more on the story and the performances than in the FX and the digital enhancement and the prove is that they resisted the temptation of the 3D. It came out in IMAX, though, so you can see it in the Really Big Screen.

As I said, performance and script are the key ingredients here so the best thing in the movie is the great casting with Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss. Ms. Lawrence is specializing in these tough girl characters and she almost got an Oscar with the stubborn daughter of Winter’s Bone. Her heroine is tough and fragile at the same time, exactly as it ought to be.

The rest of the cast is equally good; with Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland, and I have to say that director Ross left nothing to chance.
A real pleasure of a film, The Hunger Games is fast, violent, subversive and touching. Everything you can ask from an adventure movie.

Tags blogger: Horacio Garcia, Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Jennifer Lawrence, josh hutcherson, Stanley Tucci, The Hunger Games, Woody Harrelson

By Michael Lopez

The wait is over Hunger Games fans. The big screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' smash novel has finally arrived and it's just as epic as you might imagine. Clocking in at two hours and twenty minutes, it's also quite an undertaking for people new to the franchise. But with amazing visuals, strong performances, and an intriguing plot, we'd say it's a Game worth investing in.

It's hard to watch The Hunger Games and not think of movies like Twilight and Harry Potter. The trend of turning young adult novels into feature films has become quite a lucrative business model. But the key is, finding a talented team to adapt the material.

Thankfully, the Games producers chose movie vet Gary Ross to sit in the director's chair. A talented screenwriter in his own right, Gary was responsible for critically-acclaimed classics like Seabiscuit and Big. And he certainly added some interesting touches here, helping to develop the script and flesh out the book's famous characters.

Ross also has a great visual eye (rent Pleasantville and you'll see what we mean), which is something very important to making Games work. Though it may seem like an action-packed love story, this movie has plenty of sci-fi elements and takes place in a future world with a personality all its own.

The basic plot of Games concerns a modern day society broken down into "Districts." Katniss Everdeen, the film's heroine, comes from District 12 and is forced to represent her region in a life-or-death battle against 23 other young competitors. The entire event is filmed and broadcast throughout the world, making it almost like an extreme version of Survivor.

Though the Games are exciting, the heart of the movie lies with the characters. Jennifer Lawrence delivers a brilliant performance as Katniss, displaying emotions that are both harsh and tender. The Games ringleaders are quite compelling too, particularly Woody Harrelson and Lenny Kravitz (who both play allies of Everdeen). Though there are a few slow parts and the ending is somewhat predictable, we found The Hunger Games to be a great way to satisfy our cinematic appetite.

Bottom line: The best thing about The Hunger Games is that is has a little something for everyone. There are nods to the die-hard fans, but at the same time, it welcomes newcomers to the franchise. And the fact that Games is able to blend so many genres (action, romance, sci-fi) is a bonus too, giving it a universal appeal for both guys and girls. Plus, any movie that encourages its audience to go out and read is a big winner in our book.

Are you planning on watching The Hunger Games this weekend? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Books, Gary Ross, Jennifer Lawrence, Lenny Kravitz, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games, Woody Harrelson

By Michael Lopez

Stealing thunder away from all of those SAG honorees, this morning the Golden Globes released their 2011 nomination list (which included quite a few surprises). The Artist led the pack with a total of six nods, followed by The Descendants and The Help, which each scored five.

Interestingly, it was the morning's presenters who seemed to garner the most attention, particularly Sofia Vergara and Woody Harrelson. Glammed up at the crack of dawn, Sofia, Woody, Gerard Butler, and Rashida Jones listed off the names.

Harrelson definitely kept the mood light, joking around with Butler and shamelessly plugging his new movie, Rampart. Vergara made some headlines too, particularly when she flubbed the name of Martin Scorsese. But she was clearly having fun and even made some silly faces for the camera.

As far as the nominees go, 2011 will definitely make for an interesting mix. We were a little bummed to hear that some of our faves did not get recognized for their performances. A Better Life’s Demian Bichir seemed like the worst snub, as he was M.I.A. when the Best Dramatic Actor names were read.

It was also a shame that Edward James Olmos failed to stir up any Golden Globe attention for his excellent work on Dexter this season. And though it was a longshot, we would have loved to have seen Penelope Cruz recognized for her comic performance in Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Those who were nominated included George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio in the Best Dramatic Actor category. Glenn Close, Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, and Rooney Mara were among the Best Dramatic Actress nominees. Bérénice Bejo, who recently scored a SAG nod, was recognized in the Best Supporting Actress category for her work in The Artist.

As far as Best Dramatic Picture, voters will be choosing between War Horse, The Descendants, The Help, Hugo, The Ides of March, and Moneyball. Best Comedy Picture nominees included Bridesmaids, The Artist, 50/50, My Week With Marilyn, and Midnight In Paris.

It is worth noting that the Latino-heavy Puss In Boots is up for Best Animated Picture. And in the Best Foreign Picture category, Pedro Almodovar’s The Skin I Live In picked up a nod. Strangely, Almodovar will be competing with Angelina Jolie for that award, since her Bosnian movie, In the Land of Blood and Honey, qualifies as a foreign language film.

On the TV side of things, Boardwalk Empire received tons of Golden Globe love. Game of Thrones also received multiple nominations, as did Modern Family (including yet another nod for Sofia Vergara!) Obviously, the full list of nominees is massive and we'll admit there are some very worthy people being recognized. If you'd like to see the breakdown, head over to IMDb.

We'll be anxiously awaiting the news of who takes home what when the 69th Golden Globe Awards air on January 15!

Are you a fan of the Golden Globes? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 50/50, Award Shows, Bérénice Bejo, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Boardwalk Empire, Bridesmaids, Game of Thrones, Gerard Butler, Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globes, Hot Stuff, Hugo, In The Land of Blood and Honey, Midnight In Paris, Modern Family, Moneyball, Movies & CineMás, My Week With Marilyn, Puss In Boots, Rashida Jones, Rooney Mara, sofia vergara, Television, The Artist, The Descendants, The Help, The Ides Of March, The Skin I Live in, War Horse, Woody Harrelson

By Simone Hilliard

I walked into a screening of Friends with Benefits expecting the flick to be a Never Say Never for a generation of late 20 somethings. After all, sexy boy bander turned-solo star-turned-supporting-actor Justin Timberlake was THE teen heartthrob of the late 90s, so it's only fitting, regardless of the movie's reviews, that women from 25-29 come out in droves to support our man JT.

Surprisingly, an hour into the film Justin ignited a different reaction than my usual "musicians should stay in their lane" mantra...it seems Mr. Timberlake could helm a film.

Of course the cliche subject matter helps. Who hasn't heard the woes of a newly single's 'f*** buddy' turned "I want more" buddy. But with the help of Mila Kunis, our protagonists shift through the sticky world of casual sex with ease.

The film kicks off with Justin (Dylan) and Mila (Jamie) both getting dumped by their respective exes, played by Andy Samberg and Emma Stone. Our title actors first meet when Jamie, a NY headhunter, tries to recruit Dylan, an L.A. based web designer, for the position of Art Director at GQ. A flirty evening ensues, which culminates with Dylan taking the GQ position and ensuring Jamie's bonus for the year.

Once Dylan is settled in his new New York digs, Jamie checks up on her new recruit, which furthers their repoire from professional to friendly. The dynamic duo become fast friends before one fateful evening, where they decide to test the limits of their new found friendship and experiment.

The duo's first romp is awkward.  Both actors can't seem to relax and instead give each other a how-to on their sexual needs and how to meet them. This had movie goers erupting in bouts of laughter at JT's naiveté, and Mila's sexual prowess.

Of course it's not all fun and games...

The ending is fitting of the tale. Romantic comedies rarely disappoint, but the conclusion does seem a bit drawn out. The flick could lose a good 15 minutes for tighter more concise storytelling.

However, the writing is comical and the inclusion of 21st century technology makes it seem current. For example, when Jamie and Dylan decide to begin their emotionless sexual relationship, the duo places their hands on a Bible Ipad ap, opposed to the real word.

An all-star cast including Woody Harrelson, Jenna Elfman, Bryan Greenburg, and Richard jenkins add to the film's funny moments, and I'm giving it a Tr3s rating of 3.5 stars.

Friends with Benefits hits theaters July 22.

Will you watch? Let us know in the comments, or @MTV3.

Tags Andy Samberg, Blogger: Simone Hilliard, Bryan Greenburg, Emma Stone, Friends With Benefits, Jenna Elfman, Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Never Say Never, Richard Jenkins, Woody Harrelson