The Hunger Games

Sure, that's definitely part of it.

I think it's also a commentary on a lot of things that are happening right now, though.

It's also just plain a book intended to sell. The plotting is amazing, since it offers a built-in engine for the story, as well as providing a way to twist the plot this way or that in a way that would strain credulity in any other context. (She needs water or she'll die? There's water. He needs hot broth or he'll die? There's hot broth. Things getting too slow and settled? Here's a forest fire. Etc.)

For those of us wondering about bringing our kids to the movie, here's a review from a mom who watched with her 11-year old:

http://www.parenting.com/blogs/show-and-tell/deborah-parenting/the-hunger-games-review

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/closeread/2012/03/a-novices-guide-to-the-hunger-games.html

We went to see it yesterday. Have you seen it yet, soz?

I haven't! Sozlet did with a big group of friends. (I know, PG-13, but I spoke to the theater owner -- it's a little local place -- and asked if I should provide a note or something, and she said no don't worry about it.) It ended up being a big pack of fifth-graders, one pack of about a dozen girls and then another pack of boys, about the same number, who sat behind the girls and laughed when they cried. (!) Just some of 'em. Sozlet thumped one on the forehead for it.

Anyway, she said it was very good, some diversions from the book which made sense even though she missed them (no Madge), some other diversions that were distracting (Foxface introduced to the world by Ceasar Flickerman as "Foxface" even though she had an actual name and "Foxface" was just Katniss' own internal nickname for her).

I plan to see the captioned version sometime soon, she says she'd like to see it again.

What did you think?

Hmmmm... that's a hard question to answer. I don't want to say too much until you've had a chance to see it.

We all liked the movie, it is a good movie, but it was somehow dissatisfying.

To me (and Mo) Katniss was very much an anti-hero in the book (we spent quite some time talking about anti-heroes). She was a bit too heroic in the movie. Her motivation wasn't clear. I think in the interest of a PG-13 rating that they had left out some of the "hard" parts of the book (the mother in particular, Haymitch's despair and subsequent alcoholism, hunger).

Several things about the movie were very good -- there was a good sense of restraint, not just in the violence, but in the whole feel of the movie.

Casting was goddamn brilliant.

Thanks, that all makes sense. I think I'll probably feel similarly.

Was just talking about it tonight, someone mentioned that the movie doesn't really make it clear that Katniss was going along with the in-love-with-Peeta thing because of the advantages it afforded her (and him) and that she wasn't necessarily actually in love with him.

I do think that's pretty central to her, both in terms of the quote above (about not knowing whether she loves either of the boys [Peeta and Gale] and being grumpy about it, which is kind of refreshing for this genre), and in terms of her awareness/ intelligence/ cunning.

Lenny Kravitz as Cinna seems perfect. Stanley Tucci looks really good. Jennifer Lawrence doesn't seem feral enough -- too old, too pale, too well-fed -- but it sounds like she does a good job.

Did you think Josh Hutcherson got Peeta's essential sweetness?

Everyone was too well fed in the movie. Hunger was such a huge part of the book. People entered their names more than they were required to because they were hungry. Hunger was the way the capitol subdued everyone.

Maybe it was having seen "Winter's Bone" that made Jennifer Lawrence seem like such a good choice for Katniss.....

I haven't seen the actor who played Peeta in anything else, I don't think. I thought he did a good job. Kind of stupid and clumsy but... but... I can't quite put my finger on it.... maybe... clever. There is a scene early in the movie where he's looking out the train window and waving and smiling and you know he knows that the only thing that will save him is being likable and the actor nailed it. The fact that he isn't swoon worthy really worked in his favor to establish that Peeta was the good guy. So yeah.... I'd say the role was perfectly cast.

The hunger games movie was very intrusting.all peoples like very much.

yes read it number of times..

Hi guys,

The hunger games is one of the best movie in this session.I watched two times and fully enjoy it......

I didn't like it all that much. It was ok, but not nearly as enjoyable as The Avengers. And I thing Prometheus will be much better than Hunger Games or Avengers.

http://www.nextmovie.com/blog/south-park-movie-characters/

Looks like my prediction for Prometheus was horribly wrong

Well I loved the books as well as the first movie (it took me a second viewing to appreciate the movie and forgive it's sins against the first book).

And I loved Prometheus.

Rosborne! I guess we all learned that you are not a member of all peoples like I am!

I'd rank the three movies:
1. Prometheus
2. The Hunger Games
3. The Avengers