I recently saw the new movie The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 at the Theatres at Mall of America with my sisters.

When I was watching the movie it was a little slow in parts but other wise it was a pretty interesting film.

The movie was about how Katniss is leading the rebels to the Capitol aiming to kill President Snow. The Gamemakers have rigged the entire city with lethal traps to make sport of their deaths, making it the most dangerous Hunger Games so far.

Not going to spoil the ending here.

On a scale from 1-10 I give it an 8.5 because it was kind of dull but I liked all the previous Hunger Games movies, and overall it’s a good film.

I recommend this film to people who liked the previous Hunger Games movies and books.

Halloween is usually a time when people like to be scared. Here is a list of some movies that could fit the bill not just around Halloween, but any time you feel like you might need a chill.

Horror Movie Classics

1. Halloween (1978) – The unstoppable murderer behind the pale white mask and black jumpsuit is killing everyone in his path on his way to get his hands on Jamie. While all of the adults in town are gone, Michael Myer is out hunting for teenagers who don’t believe he is just a Halloween myth. Mr.Loomis is the only one out searching for Myer, in desperation to end him once in for all, but all of the time that Myer has been captured and supposedly killed, he would always resurrects himself.
2. Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – A teenagers realize that the clawed hand man with the red and green stripe shirt and the burnt griming face revealed under the brown hat is stalking teenagers down in their dreams, Eventually their goals is to never fall asleep in order to save themselves from their destined fates. Main character Tina realizes that some of her friends also experience the approach of ”Freddy” after they doze off in their dreams and goes on the pursuit to kill them. After finding out that Freddy has been killing all of her friends in their sleep, Tina is scared to fall asleep again and stays awake for seven days to figure out the mysteries of Freddy Kruger. This is based the nursery rhyme, “One, two, Freddy’s coming for you.” There are a total of nine films for this series, not including the latest one from 2010, which basically sums up the series into one film, and yet has a way better plot and tension compared to the older versions.
3. The Exorcist (1973) – Based on an actual event, a little girl, Regan, is possessed by Pazuzu, a demon who had been defeated several years ago and has returned to seek revenge. After playing with a Ouija board, Regan begins to act strange, everything from consistently shaking, chanting in strange noises, and acting in violent manners physically and verbally, and eventually resulting in a murder. After medical treatment fails, her mother turns to a priest for help, and from there he tries to destroy the Pazuzu once and for all.

Horrors for the Pros

1. The Ring (2002) – I would recommend that you rent out the video form of this movie to get the best out of experiencing the plot. The movie will begin with the flashing static screen and then black out. A couple seconds later it is replaced with flashing images of random settings, only to which you will comprehend after finishing the movie. The overall plot is about a mother who receives a threatening phone call, quietly whispering “seven days”, hence meaning she will only have seven more days to live. Everyone who watches this video will experience the same phases, such as a bloody nose, then choking out a wire attached to an old electrode. The main character attempts to uncover the mystery of this little girl cursing the video and becomes determined to change her fate.
2. Insidious (2011) – A married couple and their children move into a their new home. One of the sons, Dalton, seeks to find out the origins of the sounds in the attic and caught sight of a shadowy figure and eventually falls into a coma. Strange events begin to arise in the new home as voices are being heard over the baby monitor, seeing ghostly figures, and the parent would figure out that their home is being occupied by supernatural activities. The Lamberts must come to face the demon and rescue their possessed son.
3. Carrie (2013) – This movie is a new remake of the 1974 version of the horror movie, Carrie. The movie depicts the life of a teenage girl who obtains telekinesis but her shyness had isolated her from other students. After being bullied during an event in the shower room, the girl who tensed her was soon suspended and banned from attending prom. On the day of prom, Carrie became homecoming queen, but had pig blood poured all over her as this was her bully’s way of seeking revenge. Carrie being humiliated and embarrassed unleashes her telekinetic abilities and goes on a rampage.

International Horror Movie Reviews

1. Shutter (2004) – This is a Thai horror that even had an American remake of this. The girl who he had unintentionally humiliated in the past comes back as a ghost to haunt him and his friends. He had taken a picture of her being abused and taken advantaged of, and the photograph eventually spread throughout the school population.
2. Shomba Coming Soon (2008) – This is also another Thai horror film, which I will admit, is the most terrifying movie I have ever watched. An elderly woman had been killed during a filming of a movie after acting the scene of her being hanged. The women possesses the film and anyone who watches this movie in theaters becomes the victim of her vengeance.
3. Death Bell (2008) – A class of 20 Korean elite high school students are being attacked while in class preparing for college entrance exams. Later they come to realize that a student has been kidnapped and was displayed on a TV screen, being trapped in a tank with water pouring in. Given a limited amount of time, the only way to save her is to solve a posed questions, and failure to do so would result in the student’s death. The process would continue as more students are mysteriously being taken away one by one until two students and two teachers are left to uncover the situation.

New Horror Movies you should check out this weekend (2015)

1. The Visit
2. The Insidious: Chapter 3
3. Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension

I recently saw the movie Everest in 3D at Regal Brooklyn Center Stadium 20. When I got to the theater I paid $10.87 for my ticket and they gave me 3D glasses. When I got into the theater it was empty and my brother and sister and I were the only ones in the theater.

The beginning of the movie was kind of  boring but it looked cool because it was in 3D. When I was watching the movie in 3D it made it more interesting to watch the film and it made things in the film look beautiful like the mountain and the snow; it  also made it look like you were right there.

The movie was about a team of climbers that try to climb mount Everest, the highest point on earth, and how they had to overcome situations during the journey up the mountain. It was based on a true story, and it’s a little sad. To be honest, my sister and I cried towards the end of the film (not to spoil the film, I won’t say why).

Overall, it’s a good movie. On a scale from 1-10 I give it a 7.5 because it has a slow start and is kind ofboring in the beginning but overall it’s a great film. I recommend this film to people who like to see people conquer their dreams.

By: Gigi LeFebvre

Like most movies based off of Young Adult series (or YA for short), the last movie/book is split into two parts. The last Hunger Games book, Mockingjay, was published in 2010 where in shortly the first movie was produced and was a huge hit. For many fans, the last book was disappointing and was hoping that the movie would change a few things that would help improve it, which it did.

The movie starts at least a month after the ending of Catching Fire where Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is now in District 13, the district many thought was destroyed by the Capitol many years ago. The Rebellion against the Capitol has taken base underground in District 13 and are planning on using Katniss as the image for the cause. Katniss not only has to deal with inner demons as she continues to suffer from PTSD but with the treats from the Capitol and from the leader of the Rebellion itself.

Unlike the first two movies, there isn’t much action in this first part. Much of it takes place in District 13 where the Rebellion is planning propaganda (or “Propos”)and getting all of the districts of Panem on their side. The few times Katniss is seen outside is when she’s being filmed for Propos, in which Lawrence shows off her best.

Acting wise, the cast is still very strong. Jennifer Lawrence is powerful as ever and continues to portray a teenager with PTSD appropriately and near flawlessly. Julianne Moore (who plays President Coin, the leader of District 13 and the Rebellion) is able to show that she’s as much of a dictator as President Snow (Donald Sutherland). Best of all, Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark) has greatly improved as an actor in these past movies. Having to play a person suffering from more than one kind of pain and doing it well not easy, but Hutcherson does it.

As a fan of these books and the movies, I have to be honest in saying that Mockingjay is the weakest of the books. They’re all written in Katniss’ perspective, which lets you know that she makes it through the end and that much of the interpretations of the situations are biased. However, the movie was very good.

The real question is: Was it necessary to split it into two parts?
In some ways, yes. Since they added and changed a lot in the movie, like showing what was happening in the Capitol and in the Districts rebelling, having the first part as a calm-before-the-storm was what was going to set up the main action of the ending. Obviously Lionsgate split it up solely for money reasons, but for the plot it makes the most sense. Reading the book should not be done in one day, it’s far too slow for that. Having the first part show the plans and the consequences of said plans leads up to an explosive ending (badaboom stss).

Four Stars (There would’ve been more if my favorite line hadn’t been cut out)