The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games commences with a grim vision of a dystopian America a few generations down the road, where proles abide in Appalachian squalor after the world seemingly bankrupts itself during the course of a war on terror. These folks have it bad, and everyone just sits in doorways and looks miserable. Except for Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) who stalks the woods hunting for sustenance for her hungry family. To keep the edgy populace in line, the elite aspects of society have provided them with a little circus called The Hunger Games, where contestants set out to kill each other until the last one stands victorious. Guess who ends up as a contestant? The Hunger Games is leisurely paced, allowing its characters to naturally develop, with an eye for the communication of body language and subtextual manipulation. Although, it is a little too sluggish at times and the content has apparently been homogenized for better mass appeal. However, most viewers might find that the biggest downside is having to wait until November of 2013 for the next episode. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG-13.