The Hunger Games: Mockingjay--Part 2 (2015)

This is a much darker film than other blockbuster series. And that tone matches the the book but I didn't really like the last book. The Hunger Games series was great because of the hunger games. But the last two films don't feature a hunger games. They focus instead on rebellion, which is complicated, cynical and messy. Much of this final movie is spent filming propaganda. And there is no glamour in propaganda. There is no glamour in war. It makes you long for the extravagance of the earlier films. Jennifer Lawrence can do no wrong-- she'll forever be known as The Girl on Fire. The novelty has kind of worn off now that dystopian teen fiction is everywhere, only exacerbated by splitting the final book (arguably the worst one) into two films.

A Most Wanted Man (2014)

This is not your James Bond/Jason Bourne kind of spy movie.  There is little-to-no action, just the slow burn of an espionage thriller.  Real spy work is not glamorous, it is unrewarding and requires patience.  This movie requires the same of the audience--but patience is not my strong suit.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is excellent in his final role as a contemplative Gunther, a veteran in the spy game grappling with failure with the best German accent.  Compare this to Rachel McAdam's German accent that almost sounds dubbed. I don't think it sounds like her at all.  Robin Wright perfectly plays a role that is similar in demeanor to her House of Cards character.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I (2014)

The penultimate Hunger Games film is all about setting up the final battle between Katniss and the Capital.  Where this movie fails is that it does not give the viewers quite enough.  When it comes down to it, just not that much happened and the action was kind of lacking. I, for one, am not a fan of the recent trend of splitting the final book of a series into two parts. To be fair, I was not particularly fond of the last installment of Suzanne Collins's Hunger Games trilogy anyways.

But this movie does some things right.  With an ensemble cast, there are some very solid performances. This is one of Philip Seymour Hoffman's final roles and his performance does his legacy justice.  And Jennifer Lawrence is good in everything she does (though she doesn't do anything terribly special).  This film does lack the stylish glitz and glamour of the Capital, and the intensity of the Hunger Games that stood out in the first two films.     

Capote (2005)

There's no denying that Philip Seymour Hoffman is incredibly captivating, completely becoming Truman Capote.  His Oscar was well deserved.  He nails the voice, the mannerisms, and the mindset of the man who captivated America with his true crime novel In Cold Blood.  I admit that sometimes it was a little difficult to understand what he was saying, but that just makes you listen more closely to the well written script.  While In Cold Blood gives us a little insight into the killers while the movie gives us intimate insight into the author at his height.  Capote spent six long years on this book.  Capote regularly expresses his frustration over how long it took. The film genuinely feels like six years, a little slow at times.