New Releases: November 22, 2013

1. The Hunger Games : Catching Fire (Lionsgate, 4,163 Theaters, 146 Minutes, Rated PG-13): Well, it looks like we have finally found our tween-lit adaptation that can carry on Harry Potter’s and Twilight’s success at the box office. Who would have thought teens killing teens for sport would be such a draw?

I kid! I kid! The first installment of the franchise made almost $700 million worldwide, most of it domestically. So that means it gets another shot at completing the book trilogy. It also has the added benefit of its lead actress winning an Oscar between installment, which is always nice.

This time around, rebels have used Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta’s (Josh Hutcherson) victory at the last Hunger Games as an inspiration to fight against The Capitol. Becoming too much of a threat, the pair are drafted into the Quarter Quell, a contest between former winners of the games. Once again, she must fight for her life in the Hunger Games.

2. Delivery Man (Touchstone, 3,036 Theaters, 103 Minutes, PG-13): We have a PG-13 comedy about sperm donation. That shows us a lot about how far we have come as a country. I’m just not sure if it’s in a good way or a bad way.

This film, a remake of the 2011 French-Canadian film, Starbuck, features Vince Vaughn as a man who donated copious amounts of sperm 20 years ago. That sperm was used to bring 533 children into the world. Now, 142 of those offspring are suing to find out his real identity.

I don’t know if this is savvy counter programming or sacrificing the film to the wolves. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if it makes a dent in The Hunger Games and Thor audiences.