The Hunger Games (2012)

A movie about kids forced to fight on live TV, filmed like the camera operator was also drafted into the arena. The shaky cam in the first act is so jittery you’ll want to reach out and hold the screen still. And with a PG-13 rating, the violence gets cut so fast you sometimes can’t tell who’s in danger, which takes some bite out of a story that’s supposed to have teeth. Then Jennifer Lawrence steps forward at the reaping and the whole thing snaps into focus. She plays Katniss like someone who never got time to be a kid, and she’s legit great. Stanley Tucci’s Caesar Flickerman, all blue hair and unblinking grin, is the sharpest TV host parody in years. Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks make a perfect odd couple. It made $695.3 million worldwide. A 7.3 because the world-building and the lead are strong enough to survive the wobbly camera. $888 says you flash the three-finger salute at someone this week and they do it right back.

What works: Jennifer Lawrence’s grounded Katniss and a Capitol that’s funny and creepy at the same time, led by Stanley Tucci.

What doesn’t: The shaky handheld camera makes the opening hard to watch, and the quick-cut violence blurs the stakes inside the arena.

Who it’s for: Anyone who read the books, plus people who like their action with a side of reality TV satire.