Film

Anticipated Hunger Games pleases fans, newbies alike

Although The Hunger Games isn’t a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, it is certainly a breath of fresh air.

Bleak portrayal of teen America in party movie Project X

In light of an increasing trend of finding fewer and fewer movies that I find appealing enough to watch, I was faced with making a choice at the Danville Cinemas over the weekend. I decided on a blind guess to see Project X, the enigmatically named story of a group of three high school friends who throw a party that incites a riot.

Nicolas Cage’s career sinks further in Ghost Rider 2

As an occasional movie critic for the Cento, I don’t get asked to do very much — I get paid to watch movies. However, this week proved to be much more surreal than my previous ventures.

The Oscars: who will win and who was forgotten?

It is mid-February, which means that all the entertainment world can talk about are this year’s Academy Awards, scheduled to occur on Feb. 26. It is a time when the Internet is full of people buzzing with predictions, scorning the nominations and sobbing that their favorite films did not get chosen.

Chronicle lacks originality, supplies irritating characters

When I was in high school, my friends and I would get together every once in a while to see a movie that we all knew would be mediocre. We would enter the theater prepared to destroy this unfortunate movie. These movies were plagued by numerous problems, including clunky dialogue, wooden acting, textbook cinematography, and aggravating characters that we all just wanted to slap out of sheer annoyance. The new superhero vehicle Chronicle is one such movie.

Dragon Tattoo shocks yet remains faithful to original

The good, the bad, and the ugly in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Red Tails medley of action, history of Airmen

History of famed Tuskegee Airmen the subject of George Lucas's new film Red Tails

The Rum Diary bites off more Gonzo than it can chew

Based on the Hunter S. Thompson novel of the same name, The Rum Diary stars Johnny Depp as Paul Kemp, a disorderly journalist who leaves his stifling job at The New York Times to write for the San Juan Star, a struggling, small-time newspaper in Puerto Rico.

Shakespeare no fraud, say scholars

“Was Shakespeare a fraud?” screams the tagline for the newly released movie Anonymous. Yes, according to director Roland Emmerich.

Drive offers unique, fast-paced action

Every once in a while, and not nearly often enough, a movie is released that is very difficult to classify as a particular genre. Drive is one such movie.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes excites with stunning visuals

Rest assured, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is actually not, by any stretch of the imagination, a mindless action flick riding the coat tails of its predecessor. It is really not half bad, either.

Source Code gives viewers imaginative walk through the mind

Source Code is one of several recent movies surfing in on a refreshing tide of originality that our world of seemingly endless sequels desperately needs. Almost like Inception’s little brother, the movie sets out to tell a thrilling tale with a unique science-fiction aspect that sets it aside from the traditional action flick.

Blue Valentine too close for comfort

Blue Valentine, directed by Derek Cianfrance, depicts the uncomfortably realistic story of a young couple and how they fall apart and is perhaps one of the most emotionally gripping films of the year. With stellar performances from Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling, this film will not disappoint serious film fans or drama lovers, but viewers should be warned that the highly emotional content can be somewhat overwhelming.

Recap: The 2011 Oscars

The 83rd annual Academy Awards, Hollywood’s biggest and most glamorous night, gathered artists from all over the globe at the Kodak Theatre to pay homage to the longstanding tradition of great film. Some of the biggest and most revered names turned up to see and be seen, but above all else to (hopefully) take home that little golden statuette fondly called “Oscar” as permanent proof of their success.

Outsourced: Did they outsource the writing of this sitcom?

Outsourced, a new comedy on NBC, looks to fill the gap left by Parks and Recreation in a strong Thursday night comedy lineup also including The Office, Community and 30 Rock. However, with its broad caricatures, inconsistent tone and poor jokes, Outsourced fails to live up to the standard set by its predecessor and Thursday night colleagues.

the Cento