MOVIE OF THE WEEK/OSCAR WATCH: The Hunger Games

Yep, you read correctly. I’m putting "The Hunger Games" on Oscar Watch. This film is an undeniable hit and could be this year’s "District 9" or "Avatar". Personally, I don’t think it’s Oscar-worthy, but it definitely wouldn’t be the worst decision the academy has made. The film is actually quite good, but it could have been better. I didn’t read the books and I know it was always headed for a PG-13 rating, so maybe these factors prevented it from packing that extra punch. The story was intriguing, but I think they played it a bit safe. It could have gone a bit deeper into the philosophy and darker with the actual hunger games. Furthermore, there was practically no character development besides Katniss Everdeen. Jennifer Lawrence is great in the role, but knowing her tremendous talent, I didn’t think it was particularly challenging for her. I expect the late prestige releases to shove this aside, but watch for potential nominations in Best Makeup, Best Costume Design and Best Actress.