Movie events have become deadly little things, highly mechanized gadgets thrown by studio marketing departments into an audience’s midst in advance; then we just stand around and wait for them to explode. The Hunger Games, adapted from the first of Suzanne Collins’ hugely successful trio of young adult novels, was decreed an event long before it became anything close to a movie: More than a year ago its studio, Lionsgate, launched a not-so-stealthy advertising campaign that made extensive use of social media to coax potential fans into convincing one another that they had to see this movie. The marketing was so nervily persuasive that you had to wonder: How could any movie – especially one that, as it turns out, is largely and surprisingly naturalistic, as opposed to the usual toppling tower of special effects – possibly hope to measure up?
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Young heroes rebel against a fascist government that controls its citizenry through institutionalized terror and reality television, igniting a revolution that spreads across an isolated land via broadcast images and word of mouth. The Arab Spring? Nope. Try The Hunger Games, set in a dystopian sci-fi future that parallels current global unrest, which stars Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Banks, and Donald Sutherland say they hope could spur a generation of YA-consuming youths into political action.
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The Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2012 batch of new inductees, which includes The Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Laura Nyro, Donovan, and first-time qualifiers Guns 'N Roses. That's a varied group, but they all have one thing in common: fantastic, often bizarre appearances in motion pictures. Join us as we revisit the cinematic work of these five acts, as well as identify the key '80s actress with strong personal ties to three of the aforementioned inductees. I'll buy you a Snickers if you can name her offhand.
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Donald Sutherland -- the film legend (and, weirdly, zero-time Oscar nominee) who starred in M*A*S*H* and Klute among many others -- is slated to play President Snow in The Hunger Games, the movie based on Suzanne Collins' blockbuster book series. Snow uses the violent games to maintain control as an autocratic ruler. Mr. Sutherland's white, wintry mane -- like angelfood cake in the wind -- makes him a shoo-in for the part. To me, anyway. For the full Hunger Games cast list, click on over to our comprehensive gallery. [Deadline]
Channing Tatum may be the brawny face of this week's Roman period adventure The Eagle, but British actor Jamie Bell is its scrappy, spirited conscience. As Esca, a Scottish slave guiding Tatum's Roman centurion through hostile territory on a mission of honor, Bell flirts with an ominous ambiguity that easily makes him the most watchable performer on the screen. And when you're sharing said screen with Donald Sutherland, Mark Strong, and Channing Tatum's abs, that's really saying something.
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