of battles that are packed with emotional kicks to the gut. Director Francis Lawrence continues to show remarkable reverence for the source novels while relying on his A-list cast to bring layers of nuance to even the smallest roles. The result is a massively textured war movie that's packed with darkly personal moments and glimpses of wit and spark. It's also a satisfying conclusion to the franchise that avoids the usual Hollywood bombast.
As the rebels prepare to attack Panem's Capitol and President Snow (Donald Sutherland), the rebellion's figurehead Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) decides to take matters into her own hands. Rebel leaders Coin and Plutarch (Julianne Moore and Philip Seymour Hoffman) try to stay one step ahead of Katniss, using her as the Mockingjay to rally the troops. With Gale (Liam Hemsworth), a not-quite-unbrainwashed Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and a small group of cohorts, Katniss works her way across the bombed-out city to Snow's mansion, intending to put an arrow through his heart. But the battle takes a shocking twist, and Katniss has to make a difficult decision about doing the right thing no matter what it costs her.
Right from the start, the filmmakers continue to echo Katniss' earliest act of heroism when she volunteered for the Hunger Games to protect her sister Prim (Willow Shields) and then vowed to keep Peeta safe in the violent arena. These are the things that drive her right to the very end of this saga, holding the audience in an emotional grip. This means that the political nastiness, violent warfare and publicity posturing all have a much deeper resonance for the audience, while for Katniss they are virtually irrelevant. Her mission remains untainted: she just wants to protect her loved ones and make the future safe. Which is why her speeches carry such rousing power.
As in Collins' novels, Katniss never accepts her role as a symbol of freedom. She knows that the world is more complicated than that, and Lawrence plays her as a young woman churning with conflicting feelings as she tries (and often fails) to understand what's going on around her. But as the series has progressed, she's grown more adept at spotting the real villains around her. And Lawrence beautifully plays her scenes with Hutcherson and Hemsworth to reveal subtle details.
But then, all of the actors are superb, offering involving, layered performances. Every supporting cast member brings a blast of authenticity to his or her role, adding to the earthy realism that makes this franchise far more than a teen-dystopia fantasy. This is a series about finding hope for the next generation. And the elegant final scene reminds us that there's always a better way to do this than shooting each other.
Steven Spielberg takes on the Cold War with a stately, sentimental thriller that gurgles along with quiet intensity, only occasionally finding a real spark of energy. Most intriguing, and important, is the way the film refuses to indulge in the usual moralising, allowing its characters to be complex and confused as they try to do the right thing. Even the Russians are depicted as real people rather than shady villains. And this makes what happens utterly riveting.
Set in 1957 New York, the story centres on lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks), who is hired to represent Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) as he is tried for being a Soviet spy. But James is fighting a losing battle against a culture that's determined to convict Rudolf, regardless of the evidence against him. Three years later, an American U-2 spy plane is shot down over Russia, and its pilot Gary Powers (Austin Stowell) captured. So now James is drafted in by the CIA to negotiate a swap: Rudolf for Gary. He heads to Berlin to orchestrate the hand-off, and there decides that he also wants the East Germans to free an American student (Will Rogers) who was wrongfully detained as the Berlin Wall was being built.
Donovan was a remarkable man who tirelessly went far beyond the call in everything he did. He's also a terrific movie character, and Hanks plays him with deadpan honesty, adding shadings to every scenes that make him easy to identify with. This is a likeable person who represents today's political ideal: a tenacious man who ignores partisan politics to do the right thing. The characters around him are less developed, although Rylance offers some strong support as an honest, perceptive man who accepts his fate with dignity. And Ryan has some pointed moments as Donovan's observant wife. All of the actors benefit from the strong screenplay by Joel and Ethan Coen and Matt Charman, which stirs plenty of edgy humour into the Cold War tensions.
As always, Spielberg tells the story with skill and elegance, using every aspect of filmmaking to bring the themes home. Some elements are a bit overstated, such as production design that depicts 1950s America as warm and comfortable while Berlin is an icy, dark nightmare. But the issues the film grapples with are hugely resonant today, mainly in the depiction of the clash between Eastern and Western styles of security and government. Spielberg depicts the Cold War without indulging in its paranoid attitudes, which offers a clear message to our own troubled times and perhaps will also help to heal some old wounds.
Its many years since I last came to Sundown, in truth I don’t recall much other than the children had a great time. That was sufficient to look into a pre Christmas treat for our nearly 20 month old Joe who has just discovered Santa.
Sundown is running a Christmas Spectacular through November and December although the drizzle that was falling as we pulled into a third full car park meant it felt a little less spectacular than we had hoped. The grim day obviously putting off speculative visitors, every cloud etc,..
Through Market square we headed for Shotgun City, a wild west themed area with static displays such as horse and carts for the kids to climb on and enough buildings to explore and capture the eye. Wes we had arrived at lunchtime we were hoping for something to eat and drink. In this area is one of the cafes and indoor play areas, here we got the first indication that catering is woefully inadequate. The place was choked and people were queuing out of the door, even if you could get food there was far too little seating. We opted to head on and luckily Joe had spotted the Rocky Mountain train ride. Bagging front seat a very excited little boy spent the next few minutes fascinated by a) the fact he was on a train) and b) all the things he could see, the waterfall, bridge, tunnels, cowboys, donkeys all sort, his excited shouts getting louder and louder. As we came back into the station he shouted “More, more” which means, again!
We walked up towards Toy Town as we knew his other fascination, Tractors has a ride there, none of the set piece areas is much of a walk and generally there is theming on the way, here be dragons and fantasy unicorns, again opportunity’s for him to climb and explore.
The tractor ride, again gives Joe the opportunity to sit up front and pretend steer a tractor through the farm with a number of set pieces depicting cartoon farm life, again fascinating for Joe and at times even mildly amusing for adults, the pigs in muck lying on their backs rubbing their bellies pre-empting my look come Boxing day perhaps.. Close by is the Robin Hood ride, again one we could pretty much just walk straight on to, at no point did we what more than 3 or 4 minutes to get on a ride, a huge plus with very young children. The Robin Hood ride follows the formula, a 5 minute ride in carriages pulled by horses through “Sherwood Forest”, the theme lost on Joe but enough for him to see and wonder what was round the next corner. Maid Marion being abducted and drunk Friars it seems!
It’s fair to note at this point too how friendly the ride operators were, given it’s a dull, repetitive job, they interacted with Joe, asking him if he was ready to which he shouted Go! It’s nice to see staff making the effort and its appreciated
Second attempt for food was at the Crash Landings indoor play area, an altogether bigger area, a raucous atmosphere as anyone familiar with soft play will appreciate. Themed in a jungle style, we luckily found a table, well sprinted to one in advance of at least two other families bearing down on it. The food choice is poor and the quality too. For a park which caters for young children I did expect better options, what did come was cold and tasted way past any freshness. My wife had a jacket potato with cheese, the potato was cold and hard, the cheese also hard as though it had been left out for a while. My chip butty fared no better, cold chips in a tiny bread bun that given how it disintegrated in my hand suggested it didn’t come out of the bakers oven that very morning.
Outside the play area was the first indication of Christmas theming we had seen (except the singing bear near the entrance) with a roped off Santa, snowman and assorted presents, etc.. the roping keeping Joe too far away to get really excited but by now it was time to take Santas sleigh ride and meet the big man himself…
I am not sure what this is the rest of the year but at this time of year it’s a simple ride through festive scenes, bright twinkly lights and snowmen, toys and elves that were exciting enough for Joe even without the promise of Santa at the end. The ride drops you at his front door where you wait for one of his assistants to lead you into Santa’s very festive front room where he and Mrs Christmas wait. Joe was enthralled and developed a severe bout of shyness.. it was still a magical moment as both Santa and his Mrs spoke to Joe as Joe received his present, said “ta” and “bye bye”. I took some photos as my wife sat with Joe and Santa and there is an official one taken too of all of us. I have to say the photos on my camera as far more vivid and colourful than the official one but at £4 it was nice to have all of us the scene.
From here we opted to retain the festive feel by moving on to the Night Before Christmas ride, more scenes of the build up to Christmas that for Joe at least continued the wonderment, perhaps we should have done them the other way around, who know..
This seemingly though is where the festivities end, there are token bits and pieces here and there but as we walked over to storybook village via Monkey Mischief we saw no other signs of a Christmas spectacular. The Monkey Mischief is a series of displays of.. well monkeys getting up to mischief. Very clearly taking its lead from the Jungle Book there are games to play which will amuse older kids, the younger ones like Joe will enjoy pressing the button to see the big crocodile come out and gnash his teeth menacingly!
Storybook village was possibly Joe’s favourite, few people around so he could run in and out of the houses, seeing the characters, hearing the story, rocking the chairs in the dwarves house, even kissing the three little pigs – he is a very affectionate little boy! If children are at all familiar with these stories they will love this area, lots of things to do and push and pull, we had a job on pulling Joe away!
The Angry Birds area is really just branding on a playground but given how far Angry birds have fallen from flavour of the month it could do with ripping out and tying into some timeless characters. Within this area there are a couple more rides, a variation on a teacups ride which Joe enjoyed but wasn’t bothered about a repeat ride and also a flying pigs ride that we though Joe just a little too young for.
There are several other areas, variations on a theme but we had promised Joe he could have repeat rides and he chose the Tractors and the Train so true to our word…still quiet and still pretty much walk up on loved them as much as the first time, .
In the car we let Joe open his present from Santa, it’s a shame he wasn’t interested in it as it was a little comforter thing, the kind that he last used at 6 months not age appropriate at all, I am not sure if the young assistant had misjudged his age but that was a shame, there are surely better age appropriate things, little books or toy cars etc…
We have to say we had a great day and Joe had a wonderful one…I am sure he will love coming back, as we will, in the summer, a time when we can bring our own food as we have learnt that the catering here is unfortunately not up to standard. Toddlers and upwards will find their own level of enjoyment and rides suitable for all, there was nothing that Joe couldn’t go on with us.
In summary a wonderful family day out, for those that have recently been its arguable whether its worth a special trip on the basis of it being a Christmas Spectacular, if you haven’t already been then yes avail yourself of Santa and all that goes with it. Guaranteed smiles all round.
Josh Warrington fights at the O2
Josh Warrington will defend his WBC International Featherweight title at The O2 in London on December 12.
The Leeds star is hunting a showdown with WBC champion Lee Selby having defended the title with a shutout win against mutual opponent Joel Brunker in his hometown fortress in Leeds, and the will be out to impress on the bumper London bill as he aims for World title action in 2016.
“2016 is going to be a very big year for me,” said Warrington. “I can only beat who is in-front of us – but it’s time to step it up and fight these guys at world level. The Selby fight has been spoke about but by this time next year, I think I’ll be ready for anyone.
“It was a great performance against Brunker, I was written off by many people who didn’t expect me to go past five rounds. We had a great camp and stuck to the game plan – it worked perfectly. We expected him to come forward and try to over-power me. We had ways of dealing with his pressure and barrage of punches.
“I’ve been down to the O2 a few times, I was there to watch Lee take the World title from Evgeny Gradovich in May. It’s a great venue and a massive card to be a part of – it has the top stars in British boxing and something I’m proud to now be a part of.
“I want to box all over the country, it’s well documented that I have a great fanbase in Leeds – but I’ve been out to Germany already and I’m keen to grow my fanbase across the UK. Anthony Joshua has done it and it’s the right approach to have to be a big star.”
Warrington is part of a stella bill at The O2 where bitter Heavyweight rivals Anthony Joshua MBE and Dillian Whyte clash for the British and Commonwealth Heavyweight titles.
Chris Eubank Jr and Spike O’Sullivan meet in a final eliminator for the WBA World Middleweight title, Liverpool Cruiserweight favourite Tony Bellew faces Mateusz Masternak, while Kevin Mitchell and Luke Campbell MBE both also feature.
Anthony Joshua vs. Dillian Whyte is SOLD-OUT – visit http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ to get your hands on tickets.
Regrettably the late addition and sell out status means that our planned train ticket / hotel offer is of little use, however if you have tickets already - or get them - please let me know if we can help!
StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua MBE.
