Hunger Games - Spoilers ok!

[mjantz]

My 11 YO read all three books & I'm OK with that. It was hard for her (emotionally) but she really enjoyed them. She's DYING to see the movie at the midnight showing but I've convinced her that Saturday or Sunday afternoon is fine.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I finished reading the books 2 weeks ago and I'm looking forward to the movie.

I don't go to movies until they've been out for a week or two so I'll be seeing it after some of the crowds have died down. I hate crowded movie theaters.

 

[slo]

I just started reading the first book, and I'm really enjoying it so far
I am looking forward to seeing the movie, because I love watching the movie right after I read the book to see the differences between the two - I always find it interesting

 

[Cantw8]

I just started reading the first book, and I'm really enjoying it so far
I am looking forward to seeing the movie, because I love watching the movie right after I read the book to see the differences between the two - I always find it interesting

Hey, Slo

 

[Pretty Poly]

My son was talking about this book, he's 11. A co-worker was chattering about it at work, told me the whole story. I'm not sure I could watch a movie like that. Don't like the idea of hunting people so am not sure if this would be ok for my 11 yr old to read. But he says all the kids at school are reading it and he even wants to see the movie. Guess I should read that summary someone posted uh?

My coworker's 11 or 12 year old son was just assigned to read it for English class. He had decided he didn't like it because he didn't like the idea of a female protagonist, but a couple chapters in he decided Katniss was a cool enough girl to be the main character, lol. I don't think it's any less appropriate than Elie Wiesel's "Night" that I remember reading in 6th or 7th grade, and that was a true story. Well, based on something that COULD have been a true story, at least.

My husband got a kindle for his birthday last month, and after the recommendation of a friend, I suggested he download these as his first books. A chapter or 2 into the first book, I started reading over his shoulder, seeing what it was about. Well, I got sucked it and finished 1st & 2nd books in a few days, and just finished the 3rd this evening. I think the only character casting I don't picture in the movie so far is Haymitch. As I was reading, I pictured him as Professor Moody from Harry Potter, lol. Well, with 2 eyes.

 

[DeaverTex]

I don't think I'll be seeing this one. The premise -- kids hunting each other -- keeps me away. That's just wrong, no matter how well written the books might be, or how well cast or well done the movie(s) might be. I can't wrap my head around it.

 

[piglet too]

For everyone who liked this series, here is another book to try. It is called "Divergent" and is by Veronica Roth. There are supposed to be more books to come too.

 

[Magic Mom]

I don't think I'll be seeing this one. The premise -- kids hunting each other -- keeps me away. That's just wrong, no matter how well written the books might be, or how well cast or well done the movie(s) might be. I can't wrap my head around it.

The books aren't written in a way that glorifies the killing, in fact the protagonist avoids it even though she is in a contest for her life.

 

[DeaverTex]

It's not that the characters participate, don't participate, like or dislike the situation. It's that the situation exists in the first place. I can't get past that to attempt to read the books.

 

[NMAmy]

I think the books are amazing. DD had recommended I read them. I finished the first one early one morning and stopped at a store at 7:30 a.m. on the way to work to get the second book to read at lunch. I'm glad I didn't read them as they were being written because I think it would have been agony to wait for the next one to come out!

I think the casting seems right on. I love Woody Harrelson as Haymitch and Lenny Kravitz as Cinna. I'm looking forward to the movie but will wait a few weeks for the crowds to die down.

 

[sookie]

It's not that the characters participate, don't participate, like or dislike the situation. It's that the situation exists in the first place. I can't get past that to attempt to read the books.

I was talking with someone about this and they said "well, that would never happen". I had to remind them that Romans had their arena's and gladiators. Those gladiators were probably no more than adolescents, looking at the lifespan back then. It is scary to think that society has done some pretty evil things in the past. I think that is one of the biggest strengths of the book - how the characters react to the situations they are put in and how they fight for change. Another is how the characters do things to make sure that those in control know they aren't accepting what is being done to them. Really, your concerns are part of the reason I didn't read the book when I first heard the buzz about it, and then, in the end - at least for me - it is that the same situation / reaction that hooks you.

 

[Jennasis]

It's not that the characters participate, don't participate, like or dislike the situation. It's that the situation exists in the first place. I can't get past that to attempt to read the books.

My mom won't touch the books or movie with a 10 foot pole for the same reason.

I was just discussing this with DH this morning. I must be very desensitized because I found the book to be, while entertaining, wholly unbelievable (in the way that Glee is entertaining and still completely unbelievable) and the violence to be not that big a deal (don't freak out. I'm not saying the book is light hearted and fun like Glee, just that it's still an entertaining story even thought the plot is completely far fetched). Some people, like my older sister (39 years old) had a very visceral reaction to it. She cried at parts and found the book to be disturbing on many levels.

 

[ILoveToRun]

After a long time for my friends telling me I should read the books, I finally did and I read the whole series in 12 hours! I couldn't put them down! And this was just this Monday.

I got my tickets to the midnight showing and I can't wait! I too, was thinking there would be nothing to be on par with Harry Potter for midnight showings, but now I have something for a few more years. Hopefully, there's something else that comes out so it'll continue.

It's not about the kids hunting each other, it's a part of it of course, but the bigger picture is what is most important, and the killings are there to illustrate the severity of the situation. I feel like we live in a a very sugar coated place in the time we do in the United States. In our lives, we do not accept as these things as a part of life, that kids are being killed for war. But it happens all the time, re: Kony or The Holocaust. It sucks, I know, but I think: would the people who are upset about the hunting/killings in these books be just as upset if they watched a movie about some war where children died there too?

 

[Wadecool]

would the people who are upset about the hunting/killings in these books be just as upset if they watched a movie about some war where children died there too?

I can't see spending my entertainment dollars to go watch a movie about either one.

 

[letthewookiewin]

I disagree about the casting...I didn't picture Peeta or Gale looking like the way they've been cast BUT I'm still looking forward to the movie. I think it will definitely be interesting. Bring us back a full report (no spoilers ;-) )

I agree with you. I pictured them totally different, but I'm still looking forward to it. Then again Hollywood has a way of totall screwing up the way I have something picutred. Like the movie Dark Shadows. I totally had that picured as something different, but should have known better when I heard Tim Burton was doing it. At least with the Hunger Games, it still should be a great movie. I was supper excited about the casting of Cinna.

 

[Jennasis]

After a long time for my friends telling me I should read the books, I finally did and I read the whole series in 12 hours! I couldn't put them down! And this was just this Monday.

I got my tickets to the midnight showing and I can't wait! I too, was thinking there would be nothing to be on par with Harry Potter for midnight showings, but now I have something for a few more years. Hopefully, there's something else that comes out so it'll continue.

It's not about the kids hunting each other, it's a part of it of course, but the bigger picture is what is most important, and the killings are there to illustrate the severity of the situation. I feel like we live in a a very sugar coated place in the time we do in the United States. In our lives, we do not accept as these things as a part of life, that kids are being killed for war. But it happens all the time, re: Kony or The Holocaust. It sucks, I know, but I think: would the people who are upset about the hunting/killings in these books be just as upset if they watched a movie about some war where children died there too?

YES. Schindler's List anyone? Not that Hunger Games could hold a candle to Schindler's List, but some people are just very sensitive to violence and children in any form.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Has anyone read or seen Battle Royale? I've read the book a couple of times, and for disturbing, it makes Hunger Games look like a walk through a field of dandelions.

The idea is similar (Battle Royale didn't orginate the premise by any means, but it was written about a decade before the Hunger Games.). A class of teenagers are sent to an island to kill each other until only one survives. The story is much more brutal.

Next weekend my DH is going on a fishing tournament. I'm trying to decide whether I want to just see Hunger Games once or if I want to see it twice, back to back. It's not like I'll have anyone with me. . .it might be kind of fun!

 

[Jennasis]

Has anyone read or seen Battle Royale? I've read the book a couple of times, and for disturbing, it makes Hunger Games look like a walk through a field of dandelions.

The idea is similar (but didn't orginate the premise by any means). A class of teenagers are sent to an island to kill each other until only one survives. The story is much more brutal.

Next weekend my DH is going on a fishing tournament. I'm trying to decide whether I want to just see it once or if I want to see it twice, back to back. It's not like I'll have anyone with me. . .it might be kind of fun!

Battle Royale is considered one the all time best cultclassic Japanese movies. It has a very big following. It's playing at the Alamo Drafthouse this weekend in West Oaks, and the Blue Ray comes out Tuesday. Great movie!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Battle Royale is considered one the all time best cultclassic Japanese movies. It has a very big following. It's playing at the Alamo Drafthouse this weekend in West Oaks, and the Blue Ray comes out Tuesday. Great movie!

The thing I loved about the book was how you really do get to love the characters, but the author pulls no punches in killing folks off. It's a gut hitter, whereas you always know Katniss is going to make it.

Sort of like teaching a class on the Holocaust and discussing Schindler and Wallenberg. The kids know Schindler makes it, it's just a good story. But when you tell them about Raoul Wallenberg and give them the great adventure story and then finally hit them with what happened to him, it jolts them into how dangerous the world is and why heroes are heroes. (And then you have to remind them that Schindler was pretty sure he would wind up like Wallenberg did.)

 

[Eeyore98]

Random bit of thinking but was I the only one seeing Cinna as someone right off of Project Runway or someone a la Adam Lambert?

No, you were not the only one! I'm sure Kravitz will do a good job, but that's definitely not the mental image I had of Cinna....mine was something much closer to a Latino version of Adam Lambert.

It's not that the characters participate, don't participate, like or dislike the situation. It's that the situation exists in the first place. I can't get past that to attempt to read the books.

Well, I don't know if this helps, but (spoiler) the entire point of the trilogy is about the overthrow of a system so corrupt and horrible as to have created and perpetuated this "game" for 75 years.
At the end of the last book, (spoiler) Katniss kills the president of the rebels after they have overthrown the old corrupt regime together. Why? Because she (the president) wanted to throw "one last Hunger Games" using children from the Capitol, the center of the old regime's power, whose citizens never had to participate in the Games under the old system. Katniss risks her own life to ensure that the cycle is stopped.