The Hunger Games

[Martini Girl]

I just came back from the theater. It was packed (first showing). I liked this film much better than the first one. In full disclosure, I got sick right before the first film started, and made the unfortunate decision to stay, only to leave when it became clear that I was going to get really, really sick in the theater. I missed the last 40 minutes.I have vague recollections of what happened, but would most likely fail a quiz on plot points if it was given to me. I saw the sequel because it got excellent reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

The plot was action packed. I felt like I knew what was going on (having not read the books/missed a good portion of the first film).

I like Jennifer w/ Liam more than Josh, but it seems like most people do. I figured there was something more to PSH's character, and wondered if he was going to start the rebellion. Glad I was actually right about something! I did not guess others were involved.

I still have some reservations about this dystopian future (the gadgetry still seems woefully inadequate.) I liked the new characters and cared about them more then the first batch of tributes. I think it helped that really good actors joined the cast this time.

The ending was perfect. I really want to see where it goes in part 3. Highly recommend, even for the casual fan(like me).

[plush]

Just got back from a 10 am showing. My theater was quarter full, understandably so because I expected most people to be out shopping. Which meant perfect timing to catch a popular movie at the theatre.

I too thought the second movie was better than the first one, and I liked that one too! I didn't even feel the time go by and could have gone on watching for another hour probably. Everyone did a terrific job but my favorite were Katniss and Finnick. That actor has a magnetic charm and as soon as he appeared on screen, you could tell that Finick was as likeable as he was being made out to be. I didn't understand why people would have been against his casting, though I've never read the books so had no idea who he was supposed to look like. JLaw was fantastic, she's a joy to watch on the screen and able to bring out to the surface a whole range of emotions, sometimes in one scene, like that closing one when Gale tells her about district 12. I thought PSH was good but not outstanding. This was an easy part for him so I guess he didn't have much of a role to work with. I sense his role will be even more prominent in the last movie. I like Banks. I thought Effie was a silly but vulnerable character and I think Banks does a great job with her.

I really wish the academy would not turn up its nose at these movies. There is some great acting and directing here. It's a shame they cant be more open minded about it. These movies are a lot deeper with their dystopian utopia and scathing social obsession with fame ( I thought Katniss and Peeta's tour to make people love them and how they are being used as a distraction from what is going on with the world was a minor but very good point). They're not just dumb entertainment and I wish they were recognized as such.

[bklynred]

I'm just a single person chiming in, but to me Finnick appeared just as he was described in the books: handsome, blond, charming, deadly in the water. Who did the public want cast, I wonder?

[Deleted]

Dec 2, 2013 19:21:07 GMT -4 bklynred said:

I'm just a single person chiming in, but to me Finnick appeared just as he was described in the books: handsome, blond, charming, deadly in the water. Who did the public want cast, I wonder?

I'm wondering that myself. He's almost exactly how I pictured him from the books, right down to the slightly smarmy smile. Maybe because Sam Claflin isn't blond in real life? I don't know.

[GoldenFleece]

Maybe they were picturing someone prettier, like an Alex Pettyfer or a young Brad Pitt?

[prada]

People really wanted Jesse Williams to be cast. He is gorgeous and a good actor, but Finnick had blond hair and was white in the books so I knew that wasn't going to happen.

[bklynred]

OK, I guess I can see Pettyfer, but Caflin 1) looks great with blond hair and 2) seems leaner and taller. Although after reading Jennifer Lawrence's thread, he could be anywhere between 5 ft 5 and 6 ft. I clearly have no sense of height.

[Binky]

The zero chemistry between Katniss and Peeta make Peeta seem like, well, the overly-attached needy girlfriend character everyone's already described. It doesn't watch as a love triangle, it seemed to me Katniss had PTSD, she had her boyfriendish person at home (Thor's bro), and then she had her fake boyfriend/guy with whom she had a mortal fear based bond who everyone enjoyed insinuating that she should suck it up and love. That said, shallow/sexually speaking, Peeta looks like a 4 foot tall boychild, and Thor's brother looks like Thor's brother.

I though Peeta and Johanna had better sexual chemistry. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Sam Claflin, who was pretty boring and vanilla in POTC4.

[mementomori]

Sam Claflin really worked for me. He was great. I welcome any opportunity to see Jena Malone on screen (even as an adult she was my ideal Bella Swan & I think that character would have been tolerable with her cast). JLaw owned this one & Josh Hutcherson was allowed a lot more character moments. He has a very sympathetic screen presence. Thor's brother is kinda sexy as Gale but he has a very limited range. Thought PSH, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci,& Elizabeth Banks were awesome as usual. I think JLaws real life connection to Lenny Kravitz comes through on screen. Woody Harrelson was even better this time around. Donald Sutherland's moustache twirling villain was a bit much at times but necessary for things to come. And I would be lying if I said that I didn't get teary everytime little Rue was referenced ( both because of the events of the Hunger Games and because of the real life hatred found in the controversy of the casting of Amandla. That was brutal). I loved it & will probably see it a second time.

[Deleted]

Saw it a second time last time and I thought that PSH was really bad. That final scene where it was revealed that he, the Games Maker, was part of the freaking revolution could have been so much better but he just didn't seem to be there, you know? And then he just left and never even talked about how cool that whole plan was (even though they had to throw Peeta under the bus).

Really like Sam much better this time around, he really gets the Finnick character and did what he could with what they gave him to do, which was abviously a bit more in the books.

I've read speculation that they might include more Peeta scene in Mockingjay Part I but from what I understood in red carpet interviews, they've been filming for more than a month and Josh Hutcherson only joins them now because he won't be in it very much. Which makes sense but I like him so much now and I'm not sure if Thor's brother is really going to be able to handle his bigger role. I would hate for them to tone down the aspect of Gale (Major spoiler ahead!!)>

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}turning into a little bomb-maker who later might be responsible for Prim's death.