In Bulgarian Cinemas from 23 March 2012

Игрите на глада / Hunger Games - Hunger Games comes on a wave of too many Twilight comparisons, which I'm not sure will do the movie any good as it's not only strongly superior than the vampire romance but it's entirely a player in its own league. First the story - it may bear comparisons to some previous narratives but feels fresh, coherent, topical and resonates strongly with the viewer. And yes, it comes with an alert message for the modern consumer world. Furthermore, unlike Twilight, the script (and actually the novel) are merciless, ruthless and though I didn't expect until the movie started - there'll be blood (for the record I haven't read the novel). However, as many post-Potter adaptations showed, it doesn't suffice to have a good story to have a great movie. So all the credit should go to director Gary Ross and the producers, who, despite toning down the blood moments, do not spare the viewer for a moment. The direction is steady, imaginative, the camera work is fantastic, the editing is so hectic that it translates you right within the action. In addition, the soundtrack is superb, while even the used colour palette drives the story forward. Furthermore although it's not a film of a big Hollywood studio, Hunger Games do have a real scale. As for the protagonists - the entire cast is spot-on, starting from Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson to the "grown-ups", who include Lenny Kravitz and Woody Harrelson. Oh, it feels good to have a new franchise, which actually can turn great at the end. (Forum Film) *****
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Огледалце, огледалце / Mirror Mirror - Only four months after Immortals, director Tarsem Singh brings to the world yet another title. Mirror Mirror has the privilege to be the first Snow White movie of the year, but will probably be the worse one. It's not that it is a complete disaster, not at all. The story suits well to the visual style of the director (the castle, the world of the mirror are really magical), while Julia Roberts is perfectly cast as the wicked stepmother (look at her beautification scene). The problems lie in the lightness of the tone, the too broad and uninventive comedy tricks and, though the style of Tarsem can be sensed everywhere, it is clear that he has restricted himself. At the end it's a movie desperately looking for quirkiness. Anyway, if you're in the mood for eye candy, you won't be disappointed. But if Tarsem continues this way, next time, he'll definitely enter the two-star zone. (Tandem) ***

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Лоракс / The Lorax - Little Big Panda aside, it hasn't happen for awhile to watch an animated movie for which I don't feel any desire to sit through again. But now The Lorax has arrived. Believe me, it's not a bad movie - it has odd and lovable characters, and has a clear message, but the message is too childish, the characters too thin. Lorax himself doesn't have a lot to do, and though some scenes in the wood and the forest animals are cute, the scenes in the city are too plain. In a world where Pixar pays attention to every detail, while Dreamworks attempts to at least make you laugh, to have a mediocre effort such as Lorax is okay but not enough. Oh, did I say that there are songs, so awfully dubbed, that you'd not understand a word? (Forum Film) ***

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***** Perfect

**** Unmissable

*** Just Fine

** So-so (for genre aficionados only)

* Stay away