Movie picks: *Whistles* ‘The Hunger Games’ is back

Jennifer Lawrence returns in the first part of The Hunger Games finale
After Catching Fire lit up the box office in 2013, director Francis Lawrence is back with Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth for the first film in the two-part Hunger Games finale. If you are unfamiliar with The Hunger Games books and films, they’re surprisingly good and focus on a dystopian future where poor districts are forced to offer up residents who fight to the death in these contests. In this tale’s world, the games are entertainment for the rich, and another sad reality for the poor. Catching Fire is the rare sequel that one-ups its predecessor and has a stellar supporting cast including Woody Harrelson, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman and Julianne Moore. This weekend’s Mockingjay: Part One will no doubt be a box office hit, but early reviews are suggesting this entry is a long prologue to a more exciting finale that will be released next November. Rated PG-13. View the trailer below.

This week’s movies
V/H/S: Viral (in theaters Friday)
The third installment of the V/H/S horror series. Rated R. View the trailer.

Magic in the Moonlight 
Manship Theatre will screen the latest Woody Allen comedy Friday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m. The film stars Colin Firth and Emma Stone and is rated PG-13. Tickets are $8.50. View the trailer.

The Great Invisible
Manship Theatre will screen this documentary on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion Sunday, Nov. 23, at 6 p.m. Tickets are $7.50. View the trailer.

22 Jump Street (new on DVD/Blu-ray)
Two-time Oscar nominee Jonah Hill is overshadowed by Ice Cube and Channing Tatum in this comedy sequel. Rated R. View the trailer.

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (new on DVD/Blu-ray)
The movie that makes you think Frank Miller was overrated, starring Clive Owen, Jessica Alba, Eva Green and Josh Brolin. Rated R. View the trailer.

The Wind Rises (new on DVD/Blu-ray)
The imaginative animated filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki’s final film features the voices of Elijah Wood, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt. Rated PG-13. View the trailer.