Only Love: Interview with Animation Director Lev Polyakov

Lev Polyakov

The Squeerelist - Your short movie Only Love treats harsh and violent topics to a background of goofy characters and light-hearted tunes. What is the message you’re trying to send by making those 2 opposite worlds run into each other?

Lev Polyakov - Goofy characters turn out to be the most dangerous... Even the goofy guard because of his earnest love towards the dictator. I chose light-hearted music that seems to contrast with the gruesome things that occur on screen, to give another angle from which all the violence can be viewed... Instead of casting pity on a particular side with the aid of serious music, the sillier music makes both sides and their grand desires look equally ridiculous.

You came to New York City at an early age with your parents who immigrated as Jewish refugees. Your movie is set in a totalitarian regime with strong authoritarian figures. How much of this story is based on your personal family experience?

My great-grandparents and grandparents were among those who were either killed or sent to concentration camps during Stalin’s reign of terror. My parents, especially my mom, also endured a relative amount of punishment during the Soviet Union.

As a child you tried out acting then turned to the animation field of this Film industry you seem to be fascinated with. Why the change of heart and the choice of a less traditional filmmaking specialty?

For me, acting, directing films, drawing, and writing, are all pretty interrelated. While it takes time to learn how to do each well, the knowledge from doing one are a bit like college credits that end up counting in any of these other accredited universities. Now, for example, I’m going to be directing a live action film, but I’ll never close my mind to doing any of the above mentioned things.

You seem to be very attached to a somewhat traditional drawing technique and seem to avoid Computer-Generated Imagery. What is the reason for this commitment?

The thing is, I have no commitments. I do what I feel like at the moment and what suits the story.

There is a recurring character in your movies – this little hamster seen in your music video My Heart Belongs to You. I feel like there is a story behind this, can you tell us more?

After being inspired by Colin Huggins’s amazing song for the video, I thought about a dictator who lived all cramped up in the teacher’s cage who ends up dreaming about falling in love with her, but it wasn’t appropriate, so ended up going with his pet.

Dreams and nightmares are at the core of your movies. Are those a fear, an obsession of yours or simply a source of inspiration?

I don’t have much nightmares, but I get lots of inspiration from the occasional day-mare:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q4VoLC3GtM

Any advice you want to share with the indie animators out there ?

Don’t lose your sense of humor.

Find out more about Lev's projects at:  levpolyakov.com

Only Love (2008)

Sleeping With the Enemy

Only Love is not your typical animated short movie. It deals with a plethora of ever-darker topics. The main character is a dictator using terror to rule his land and engaging in a constant fight against his nemesis - the leader of the rebellion. Nightmares occupy the plot and become the stage of the leader's issues. Lev Polyakov - the multi-tasking creator of this tragicomedy - makes two opposite worlds collide in his short. He balances the very dark and violent story with goofy characters and playful tunes. Only Love's very strange universe is filled with flying body parts and torture scenes. Polyakov has a traditional-ish 2-D style which is ironically quite refreshing in this era in which CGI - Computer-Generated Imagery - is King. Another ironic point the director makes is to use the Peace sign as the symbol of a totalitarian regime. His universe is completely imaginary and this include the language that is mainly made of aggressive grunts. Even if the storyline is somewhat violent, the universe reminded me of my childhood as the dictator's soldiers look similar to The Beagle Boys from the Scrooge McDuck books. Just like the Beagle Boys, those soldiers have bad intentions. But in Polyakov's story, they are much more wicked and the result is a fine short animated film non-suitable for children.

1 reason to watch it: the traditional 2-D drawing technique 

Read my interview with Lev here!

Watch the whole movie here!

Wild Girl Waltz (2012)

Fear and Loathing in Western Mass

Writer and Director Mark Lewis takes us to the back roads of Western Massachusetts for this comedy with character. Lewis chooses to explore the friendship and dumb decisions of two best friends - Angie and Tara - who take drugs in order to escape their routinely boredom for a few hours. Dazed and Confused, the two compadres find a baby-sitter in Brian - Tara's boyfriend - who is stuck taking care of the girls until they come down from their high. To a background of country music, the movie makes us travel through rural New England with the three amigos. Wild Girl Waltz focuses on friendship and tiny bits of romance. I feel like the goofy comedy is just a cover to address real-life young adults' issues. Angie and Tara are stuck in their rural hometown. Out of college and money, they have nowhere to go so they decide to get wasted for a moment to mentally escape their reality. The two female leads are hilarious and naturally impersonate the wasted characters. The story flows around their offbeat personality. Wild Girl Waltz is shameless, sarcastic and is just the comedy that girls have been waiting for too long.

1 reason to watch: the catchy leading duo

Read my interview with Writer/Director Mark Lewis here!

Wild Girl Waltz: Interview with Writer/Director Mark Lewis

Marl Lewis on the set of Wild Girl Waltz

The Squeerelist - Why did you make the unusual decision to choose 2 female leads to support your story?

Mark Lewis - I really wanted to do the small-town version of a "hang out" comedy, like Clerks or Dazed and Confused, but most films like that are very male focused. I felt by making the leads female it would be an interesting flip side to what people usually expect from these types of stories.

There is a background of romance in Wild Girl Waltz but it doesn’t take over the main topic which is Angie and Tara’s friendship. It is really enjoyable as the opposite often occurs in movies. Why was it important to you to show this special relationship as the core of the plot?

Two major reasons: First, I wanted to make the antidote to the typical male-bonding comedy, where you have two male leads that get all the funny lines, and they're saddled with a ball busting shrew of girlfriend that acts as a buzzkill that sucks the fun out of everything. Second, I wanted to do a female buddy comedy that didn't revolve around a wedding or them fighting over a man or some other romantic comedy cliche. I designed this story to let the women have the kind of comedy adventures that the guys get in a Kevin Smith or Judd Apatow film.

When you make a movie that is supported by - and only by -  3 main characters, the audition process is quite intense and stressful. You have to find a cast that has chemistry and you can't go wrong or the whole plot collapses. Tell us more about what you went through with this part of pre-production.

This is where time and patience are crucial. This script is all dialogue-driven. So, when you don't have masked killers or special effects to fall back on, casting is 100% the most important element. I gave myself close to five months of pre-production that was dedicated to internet searches and just going through one demo reel after another, looking for flashes of magic. When I found someone I was interested in, I had them do a video audition. After that, it was a roll of the dice and hoping that the chemistry from auditions would transfer to the screen.

Where did you find a gem and a riot like Christina Shipp - who plays Angie - to star in your movie?

She was a friend of one of the actors from my previous feature. She had done some commercial work that really blew me away with how natural and funny it was. And I figured if she could create a unique character in 30 seconds of screen time, imagine what she could do with 80 minutes. Actually, that was the case with all three of the main leads. I'd seen examples where they all managed to elevate material they were working with. That's what I look for: someone who could take what I wrote and make it even better, as opposed to just reciting it like a robot.

I feel like your movie addresses current middle class issues through the eyes of a young adult generation under a comedic cover. How personal is this story?

Very personal, but I didn't want to beat the audience over the head with a message. It's an entertainment first, but if you're looking for it, there is more under the surface about the monotony of the small town, 40-hour-work week existence, and the need to escape it. Even it's just for an afternoon.

Your plot is set in the New England countryside. It feels more like a bashing of the boring way of life of rural USA than its celebration. Do you have mixed feelings about home?

A bit. The older I get, the more I realize that the "nobility of the struggling American worker" really is a bunch of crap. Most of us are working towards something better or dreaming about something better. Even if it's just playing the lottery. There are a lot of broken dreams be it through lack of talent or lack of luck. And that discontentment runs through Wild Girl Waltz. Sometimes you just get high, get goofy and do some crazy stuff to forget about the big picture and dread of the future.

You shot your film in 8 days with a $10,000 budget. What were the specific challenges to take into consideration in order to complete your feature film in such a short period of time and on such a low budget?

Primarily, scheduling and casting. Finding locations that were visually interesting, but in fairly close proximity to each other helped with the scheduling. And casting actors with great talent and good attitudes helped in that we could blow through major scenes in three takes or less and move on to the next. If any of them were unprepared or didn't know their lines inside and out it could have taken twice as long as it did. Also, I fought the impulse to do extravagant camera moves or shots that were overly fancy. Those can be time destroyers. So, I really just concentrated on performances and the farm country locations that opened things up and were unique to the eye.

Any advice you'd like to share with the independent filmmakers out there?

In terms of a first film, I'd say: Aim high, but also realistically. Making any film at a micro budget level is a challenge, so I'd really avoid anything with heavy action sequences or a huge number of extras. It's way too easy for it to come off looking cheap. Also, don't underestimate the physical toll it takes on the body. We shot eight days in a row, and usually, by day three fatigue starts kicking in and it's real easy to get sick. You don't want an actor being fine for scenes four and six, but having a head cold in scene five. I know a lot of filmmakers like to turn their sets into a party atmosphere, but a little discipline improves the final product.

Learn more about Wild Girl Waltz at http://www.wildgirlwaltz.com/

Emile Hirsch to Play the Late Great John Belushi in Biopic

Read my Cinema Chords article here!

Steve Conrad will write and direct the second John Belushi biopic – Wired, starring The Shield‘s Michael Chiklis being the first one in 1989 – this time with Emile Hirsch becoming the Saturday Night Live comedian and Blues Brothers showman. Known for his intense dramatic roles – Into the Wild, Milk – Hirsch also has comedic skills up his sleeves as we’ve witnessed early in his career wooing Jack Bauer’s daughter, Elisha Cuthbert, in The Girl Next Door.

Writer and director, Conrad also knows how to juggle both comedy and drama in the same film. He proved it with The Weather Man and more recently with The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

This untitled Belushi biopic is based on the book by the comedian’s widow Judith Belushi Pisano whilst Belushi’s friend and Blue Brother Dan Aykroyd will be the movie’s executive producer so it certainly looks like we can expect the movie to deliver a close and personal take on Belushi’s life. So early in pre-production, it’s hard to know what Conrad will focus on. Will he explore the dark side of Belushi’s fame or will he emphasize the comedy genius? One thing is sure, whatever direction Conrad takes – probably a mix of both comedy and drama as he’s used to do so –  we believe this part will fit Hirsch like a glove.

Sixteen Pretty Pink Breakfast Club Candles – John Hughes’ Casts Before & After

Read my Cinema Chords article here!

Those John Hughes movies have been the root of our teenage affairs and what led us to discover what love and friendship were all about. We are talking about The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles. Those three classics star Molly Ringwald in the lead. Molly, our first redheaded crush, who ultimately became America’s sweetheart and the icon of a generation. And then there was her counterparts, Judd, Emilio, Ally, Anthony, and the others…

So what happened to the cast of our favorite John Hughes’ movies ?

Molly Ringwald

Then: Molly was the main character in those three movies. She was the uptight prom queen in The Breakfast Club, the pristine ingenue in Sixteen Candles, and the infatuated working-class kid in Pretty in Pink.

Now: For the last decade, Ringwald has acted in TV series. She’s been playing a mom in the series The Secret Life of the American Teenager for the past 5 years. Quite a funny leap from being the Ultimate American Teenager back in the 80’s to be playing a mom in a series focused on teenagers’ relationships. Molly Ringwald also has other talents up her sleeve. Earlier this year, she has released her debut album of jazzy cover songs – with the obvious Don’t You (Forget About Me) cover to draw attention to this. Molly was a singer long before being America’s sweetheart.

Emilio Estevez

Then: Emilio played the part of the whole-hearted jock in The Breakfast Club.

Now: Emilio also has more than one string to his bow. He has been far more active behind the camera for the past few years as a director and producer. He made his last movie – The Way – back in 2010 but doesn’t seem to have any upcoming projects to show us.

Ally Sheedy

Then: Ally was the misfit hoarder that turned out to be this beautiful shy girl that Emilio’s character fell for.

Now: Ally has had a small role in the series Psych for the past 4 years and has returned to the silver screen with a project that is announced for 2014 and currently in post-production : Sins of Our Youth.

Judd Nelson

Then: Everyone remembers the badass rebel that Judd impersonated in The Breakfast Club.

Now: Judd has starred in Down and Dangerous which only premieres at US-festivals this year. He also has two more films coming up this year - Last Chance Holiday, A Haunting in Thornby – as well as two others coming up in 2014 – Road to the Open, Bigfoot Wars.

Anthony Michael Hall

Then: Anthony was ‘the Geek’ in love with Molly’s character in Sixteen Candles and in The Breakfast Club he was the nerd with suicidal thoughts.

Now: With 4 movies to be released by 2015, Michael seems to have grown apart from his teenage roles. We will see him in Foxcatcher, Zombie Night, Something About Her, Cottonwood.

Jon Cryer

Then: Jon was Duckie in Pretty in Pink. He was a really stylish guy and one of those poor schmucks who were in love with Molly’s characters.

Now: After ten years alongside Charlie Sheen - who got replaced with Ashton Kutcher - in the TV show Two and a Half Men, Cryer is coming back to the movies with Hit By Lightning that will be released in 2014.

Andrew McCarthy

Then: Andrew was Blane, a rich preppie boy whom Molly’s character was in love with in Pretty in Pink.

Now: McCarthy has been taking little parts in diverse projects switching from TV series to TV movies or movies. The next movie he stars in – The Haunted House - will come out this year.

Stuck: Trick or Treat for a New Perk!

You still have almost a month to help Stuck to be made! For Halloween, the film crew will be adding a new perk to their roster of incentives. This perk will be available for $30 dollar donations and they need to know what you guys want! 

The options are: 

A. Stuck Baseball Hat - Custom Stuck Baseball Cap

B. On-Set Lunch w. Cast & Crew - Join us on set during filming for a lunch date with the cast & crew

C. Visual References Pack - Receive a digital pack of the references that inspired the look of the film. Stills, video clips, soundbites & more - See where the look & feel came from!

They will be posting the winning perk on Halloween. So vote here!

Stuck (2014) - IndieGoGo Campaign

A Film About Seizing the Day, Or Not.

Stuck is an independent Massachusetts-based comedy about a group of twenty-somethings that deals with with life after graduation. This movie is going to be a witty and hilarious take on real life and its look and feel are inspired by movies such as Garden State, Tiny Furniture or Kicking and Screaming. As Writer/Director/Producer Angela Palladino states, "It's my story, it's your story". Stuck avoids the hipster tales from big cities like NYC or LA. Instead, it focuses on where most of our generation is located: the suburbs. It is a story of uncertainty and decision-making in the post-graduate fog that we all go through. The movie is mainly inspired by the little town of Maynard, Mass. 

The Crew

Angela Palladino and her New England crew at AMP Indie plan to begin principal photography in spring 2014 and complete the project by fall 2014. The team wants to go beyond the traditional independent approach and produce a high-quality feature-film to reach a broader audience and impress the entertainment industry. The crew behind Stuck wants to get this Boston-based project selected for famous independent festivals - SXSW and Slamdance among others. The key crew members are: Director of Photography William Schweikert, Line Producer Michael Ricci, Associate Producer Vincent Patsios, Assistant Director L. Bennett Tyler and Production Mentor Richard Farrell

How can you help?

I will be covering Stuck from start to finish but how can YOU help? Glad you asked. Angela Palladino has launched the Stuck IndieGoGo Campaign - that will be running until November 24th. All it takes to support this crew of independent filmmakers that wants to make a movie about you, your peers, your children is to donate. No amount is too small. With your support, Stuck might be a great impact on the entertainment industry and who knows... Twenty years from now, it might be a pop-culture reference and you could have your name in the credits. 

Find out more at: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/stuck-a-film-about-seizing-the-day-or-not

Stuck - Proof of Concept Trailer

Aatsinki: The Story of Arctic Cowboys (2013)

Reindeer Slaughter Made Poetic

Aatsinki: the Story of Arctic Cowboys is a visual marvel and a mind-blowing tribute to Finnish Lapland and self-sustainability in the harshest natural environment. The title is a little misleading as this documentary is not a story per se, it is an observation of the Aatsinki family and their reindeer herder business. The director, Jessica Oreck, seems to pose as a discreet and spy-ish witness of their Lappish way of life. The lack of narrative and explanation may seem strange to most viewers. They legitimately can think that the film's structure is dubious but I feel like this is an ideal directorial commitment that captures the essence of the Finnish mindset: the majesty of silence, the harmony of man with nature, the everyday rituals - especially the religious Finnish coffee-making process. Anyone who is slightly familiar with Finnish culture knows that Finns are not the biggest sharers and that there is no such thing as small-talk in Finland. Oreck takes us where winter's endless nights oppose the summer endless days. You will almost see it all - this includes a wonderful aurora borealis. But I said 'almost' because I do think there is a major thing lacking from this movie: the importance of Finnish sauna. I'm pretty sure that the Aatsinki family possesses a traditional sauna but not even once is it mentioned. This is probably due to the fact that this is an American movie. I haven't seen such a beautiful and masterly-handled cinematography since Heima. The sound editing in itself immerses us into a cottony winter wonderland that subtly muffles the wilderness sounds. Even with minimal dialog and no exchange with the observer, Oreck makes us enter the privileged and very intimate Aatsinki family circle and heightens our senses. I wouldn't recommend Aatsinki for anyone with vegetarian or vegan sensitivity as there are scenes of reindeer slaughter and various animal branding acts. This documentary is a beautiful ode to the wild that you ought to watch on a big screen in a comfortable theater to witness each magnificent detail.

1 reason to watch: one of the best cinematography

1 reason NOT to watch: if you are vegetarian/vegan, you may want to pass

Before & After: Total Recall (1990)

My cinemachords.com article!

Total Recall is still – to this day – one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. Why? Because it is based on a Philip K. Dick short story and he was one of the major science-fiction writers to ever have set foot on Earth. Total Recall also encapsulates the spirit of 90’s-style filmmaking thanks to director Paul Verhoeven’s vision. It features everything we loved about the 90’s : Arnold Schwarzenegger as your muscular common dude and part-time hero, Sharon Stone as a demonic uber-fit wife, a triple-breasted alien, suspense, action, romance, bad guys… Long story short, Total Recall is one of those movies that you have to watch once in your life. Or once a year.

But what happened to the cast of Total Recall?

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Then : Arnold was obviously the hero, Douglas Quaid. The year is 2084. Doug is a construction worker on Earth but has strange recurring dream about Mars and a mysterious woman. As it turns out, Quaid’s memory was erased and he is in fact a secret agent…

Now : After a few years in office as the Governor of California, Arnold has been back on the silver screen. As of now he has 3 announced projects for 2015 : Terminator, The Legends of Conan and Triplets. He has just finished filming Sabotage that has been sent to post-production and he is on the set of two movies : Maggie and The Expandables 3. In case you missed Arnold when he was no longer acting, you’ll be pleased to be seeing plenty of him in the next years.

Rachel Ticotin

Then : Rachel was Melina, Douglas Quaid’s mysterious dream-girl. Melina is a resistance fighter who knew Quaid before his memory was erased.

Now : Ticotin has mainly scored small roles in TV series for the past few years. With a last appearance in an episode of Blue Bloods, it doesn’t seem like she has any upcoming projects.

Sharon Stone

Then : Sharon played Quaid’s wife, Lori. This loving-wife persona is just a cover and she actually works for the bad guy in order to monitor Quaid.

Now : Sharon will star in 3 movies that will be released this year : Lovelace, Fading Gigolo, Gods Behaving Badly. While on the set of Un Ragazzo d’Oro, she has acted in What About Love – currently in post-production – and will be part of 3 projects coming up : Papa, Army Bratz, Mothers Day.

Ronny Cox

Then : Ronny was Vilos Cohaagen, the governor of Mars. He is the corrupt head of the bad guys.

Now : Cox has appeared in a few TV series and is back to the silver screen. The Reach is currently being filmed and Nadia’s Promise is in pre-productio. Both projects are scheduled to be released in 2014. 

Liberal Arts (2012)

A Liberal Arts Education Solves All Your Problems

2 years after writing and directing Happythankyoumoreplease, Josh Radnor delivers yet again a witty and efficient romance tale. This time, it is narrated to a college background. The plot focuses on the reality following a Liberal Arts education and the complex attraction between a 35-year-old and a college freshman. Radnor chooses to explore a fascinating classical-music-mixtape-themed epistolary relationship. This is especially cute in this day and age. It strikes me as a beautiful modern ode to Dangerous Liaisons. And it's really enjoyable to witness actual handwritten human interactions in a recent movie. The whole cast is magnificent and works very well with each other. Allison Janney is her usual fantastic self, Elizabeth Olsen is a gem, Richard Jenkins is funny, and it is nice to see Elizabeth Reaser as well as Kate Burton for a little while. Even Zac Efron - and I never thought I'd say this - plays his uncommon part with no misstep. Josh Radnor knows how to pick his soundtrack which is a flawless combination of classical music and indie rock. The storyline surprises me as it doesn't turn out to be your typical Rom Com. Liberal Arts is a very good silver-screen moment that combines a high-quality college story and a surprisingly non-mushy and unusual romance. 

1 reason to watch: it is unusually unpredictable for a Rom Com

Blue Jasmine (2013)

Blue Moon Martini, Xanax-Stuffed Appetizer with Denial on the Side

Blue Jasmine is a typical Woody Allen comedy. Jazzy tunes, a fucked-up protagonist and a simple plot that flows around the characters' flaws. Jasmine is broke, delusional and hooked on Stoli martinis. Before she was, Jasmine had her whole life figured out. She had a successful social life and was married to a wealthy finance mogul. When her husband's financial fraud was discovered, Jasmine's world collapsed. She lost everything she had from the money to the husband who committed suicide in jail. Now she is forced to leave New York City and temporarily move in with her sister in San Francisco to start a new life. This witty film reminds me a lot of Allen's Melinda & Melinda in which the core protagonist was also a mentally damaged alcohol and pill-popping addict. Woody Allen definitely has a thing for depressed yuppie female leads. Those generally occupy my favorite Allen movies. The way the writer punctuates the basic plot with insightful flashbacks transforms the story into a very interactive viewing experience. Blue Jasmine's cast is impressive. Actors and comedians from Louis C.K. to Peter Sarsgaard and Alec Baldwin are part of the picture. But the main character and by far the most mind-blowing performance of the panel is Cate Blanchett's. She is phenomenal and masters the art of a cinematic nervous breakdown with such dexterity that those 98 minutes alone are an Inside the Actors Studio's seminar of its own. 

1 reason to watch: Cate Blanchett's astonishing presence

Top 5 Badass Movie Kids: Who Would Likely Win The Hunger Games?

Find my cinemachords.com article here!

As you may have heard of – unless you have been living in a cave for the past 6 months – Catching Fire – the second opus of The Hunger Games franchise – is to be released in a few weeks. The film will actually hit London first on the 11th of November. The dystopian sci-fi first movie does feature kids killing each other on live television. As cruel as it sounds, it may be the most accurate portrayal of what could become reality-TV if broadcasters keep going in the direction they’re headed. For the upcoming release of this disturbing follow-up directed by Francis Lawrence, we came up with the Top 5 Badass Kids in Movies. Who do you think would win in this bloodbath?

5. Simon - Mercury Rising (1998)

Simon Lynch (Miko Hughes) is this autistic genius who threatened U.S. National Security in Mercury Rising. The 9-year-old solves a puzzle only to discover it was hiding a government secret code. Bad government guys are obviously on to him and they send a hitman to get rid of the boy. That’s when Simon teams up with FBI Agent Art Jeffries (Bruce Willis) to escape from this situation.

Simon might not be big on sword fights but he could probably pierce your eardrums with his scream and come up with an ingenious scheme to get rid of the other kids in the Hunger Games arena. This boy who screwed up U.S. National Security could probably be able to fight off a few kids with bows and arrows.

4. Hayley - Hard Candy (2005)

Hayley (Ellen Page) is the modern Little Red Riding Hood. In Hard Candy, she tracks down a pedophile to make him pay for his crimes. All it takes is a few weeks to seduce the man over the internet, agree to meet him in a café and Hayley manages to get invited to his place and makes us forget who the real predator is.

Hayley is the master of convincing and uses elaborate plans. She isn’t scared of blood and she can handle a scalpel, a rope, or a gun. Hayley is used to attack adults. Sure enough, a bunch of kids wouldn’t do her a lot of harm.

3. Rufio - Hook (1991)

Rufio (Dante Basco) is the leader of the Lost Boys. He took over the gang when Peter Pan left Neverland to become an adult. He is a kickass skateboarder who knows his way around a golden sword and has killed several pirates during his adventures.

We all know Rufio’s tragic fate but if he had another chance and was thrown in the arena, he would certainly not blow it. He may not be able to fly but nobody can in The Hunger Games. He could challenge Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) at climbing trees. The guy lives in them! He’s also very good at cursing.

2. Wednesday Addams - The Addams Family (1991)

Wednesday (Christina Ricci) is a deadpan kid with a passion for deadly weapons. She spends a lot of time terrorizing other kids and trying to kill her brother as part of her sick games.

That little homicidal maniac isn’t afraid of anything or anyone. Death is her favorite extra-curricular activity. She feeds on other people’s fear. If no electric chair is available in the arena, she will probably be able to come up with a lethal use of any item around her. Wednesday wouldn’t just kill the kids though, she would torture them until they die. Otherwise, where’s the fun?

1. Mathilda - Léon : The Professional (1994)

Mathilda (Natalie Portman) is so adorable that she could seduce any kid in the arena to team up with her and probably shoot them in the head at the first opportunity. After all, she learned from the best. Mathilda was trained to be a 12-year-old hitman by Léon (Jean Réno), the best in his field. Even though he hasn’t trained her to master the bow and arrow, she’d be good at using anything with a trigger. A crossbow would do.

So who do you think would challenge Katniss Everdeen the most ?

Enjoy the trailer of Catching Fire until it hits your theaters in November !