Josh Hutcherson

CHICAGO – Lionsgate is hoping that their upcoming launch of film adaptations of the hit books “The Hunger Games” will be the next “Twilight” or “Harry Potter” franchise and they’ve cast two young stars to appear alongside the Oscar-nominated Jennifer Lawrence (“Winter’s Bone”) — Josh Hutcherson (“The Kids Are All Right”) and Liam Hemsworth (“The Last Song”).

CHICAGO – Lisa Cholodenko’s “The Kids Are All Right” still stands as one of the best films of the year for two reasons. One, Cholodenko’s script brilliantly tackles the challenge of playing emotional subtext instead of mere action, resulting in five completely-realized, believable characters. Two, the film features arguably the best ensemble of the year with two strong contenders for the Best Actress Oscar.

CHICAGO – Lisa Cholodenko’s “The Kids Are All Right” is a daring, masterful dramedy about the new modern American family. Annette Bening and Julianne Moore play Nic and Jules, a pair of lesbian mothers who have raised two beautiful children in Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson).

CHICAGO – For everything that Paul Weitz’s “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant” does right, there’s something about the film that just doesn’t work.

CHICAGO – Jules Verne’s classic 1864 science-fiction novel “Journey to the Center of the Earth” has been adapted well in excess of a dozen times into films, radio and stage plays along with several made-for-TV movies and video games. It has even been adapted into two amusement-park rides.