Hunger Games - Spoilers ok!

[si-am]

I saw it yesterday and really liked it. They stayed pretty close to the book-- of course some things were omitted, but really they couldn't include every single little thing or the movie would be 4 hours long.

The mockingbird pin, in particular, didn't bother me. I don't think it was really all that important in the books that it came from the mayor's daughter. She didn't play much of a role in the books anyway.

I thought the casting was perfect except I'm not a huge fan of smirky Liam/Gale for such a serious role.

 

[hulagirl87]

DH and I went yesterday. I have read the books and he has not. We both really liked it. there were some things that weren't true to the books, but nothing that made me really bothered. I did feel like the movie was a little rushed, but obviously that was for the sake of fitting things in and summing up the book for movie's sake. Going in to it I did not like Josh for Peeta, but ended up loving him!!!! I did not like Liam as Gale though. Not at all. I loved Effie but I thought that Haymitch would have been more drunk. I'm another that thought that it was so shaky and had a hard time focusing. All in all though I loved it! I came home and started reading the book again!

 

[iheartdisney]

DH and I went yesterday. I have read the books and he has not. We both really liked it. there were some things that weren't true to the books, but nothing that made me really bothered. I did feel like the movie was a little rushed, but obviously that was for the sake of fitting things in and summing up the book for movie's sake. Going in to it I did not like Josh for Peeta, but ended up loving him!!!! I did not like Liam as Gale though. Not at all. I loved Effie but I thought that Haymitch would have been more drunk. I'm another that thought that it was so shaky and had a hard time focusing. All in all though I loved it! I came home and started reading the book again!

me too! When i first saw his pictures, he did not seem Peeta at all, but I loved him! And i loved the big change in him between the reaping and in the Game- it was remarkable!
Gale was about what i pictured, but just a smidge too pretty.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Augh, I was so torn about the movie. We saw it yesterday and both read the books.

I think my mistake was rereading book 1 the same week as seeing the movie. It was too fresh in my mind. The whole time, I kept thinking of parts that were skipped instead of just focusing on the movie. I won't do that for the next two.

DH recently read it for the first time and all the way home he pointed out all the things they changed/missed

Overall, great film. Uncomfortable due to it's premise and violence but it should be! I recently saw Winters Bone and knew immediately that Jennifer would be perfect - they really are similar characters. Much of the scenery was what I had imagined in my mind so I loved seeing it come to life (ie, people in the Capitol, train, games themselves, District 12, etc)

What I hope is that everyone seeing the film will go read the book because it has so much more depth, character development, and - in many ways - horror than what can be shown in a single film.

 

[jenny105]

I guess people are torn on JHutch as Peeta. I was not crazy about him being cast but after seeing the movie, I loved him. I thought his interview scene with Caesar was one of the best in the film and his reaction during the reaping had me nearly in tears. And the braid tug! I thought that was so sweet.

As for Gale...meh. He's not a big character in the first two books so no big deal but I don't think Liam is going to be able to pull off Mockingjay when his character evolves.

As for the next movie, who will play Finnick??? Love him!

 

[Contraflow]

I heard Donald Sutherland on the Howard Stern Wrap up show today. He talked about the violence of the book being toned down to achieve a PG-13 rating. The message of the book is so important for young people to see and there are many parents who would never take their under 17 children to see it.

I took my 3rd grader and we loved it.

 

[yoopermom]

Overall, I thought this was a pretty decent book to movie adaptation (which it should be, since the author worked directly on it).

My one nitpick would be that I felt that you lost track of the fact that people around the country, in all districts, were watching each and every move that the children made, and that Katniss knows this, and is constantly using that to her advantage. Maybe they thought that it would make her too unsympathetic, but I felt that it was what made her a survivor. Raised in the environment that she was, she should have been a little sneaker, more conniving, more of an actress (or at least that's how she came across, to me, in the books). She's a SURVIVOR, albeit a kind, likeable one.

Terri

 

[st4rrab0vemybed]

I wanted to love it, but I didn't. Don't get me wrong, it was still very good, but I didn't walk away wowed like I expected.

The shakiness of the camera made me cross eyed at one point. Also, character development was lacking. They didn't mention the Avox girl or her story. What happenend to Rue's song or District 11's gift? The Mutts at the end- they were supposed to represent the dead tributes w/ their eyes. The pin didn't bother me too much, but it will become important later on. Also, Cinna's crew wasn't really there.

My DBF, best friend and I all agree that the movie didn't do the book justice.

I will still see Catching Fire & Mockingjay when it comes out though.

 

[elizke]

Saw it with DD13 yesterday and really liked it!

Nitpicks: Hated the camera work. I don't mind it for graphic scenes as I'm of the school that doesn't think we NEED to see spurting blood to get the idea, but the super close camera is not my favorite. There was one close up of Katniss' mouth that I think was the closest I've ever seen anything ever. How realistic is that? All I'm thinking about now is how close the shot is, not what's happening in the scene. And there are so many scenes not served by such proximity, like showing all the other kids backing away from Prim when her name is called. Too close! Didn't show how sad and awful that moment is!

And as far as I'm concerned, when I'm noticing the camera work instead of the story or the people, it's egotistically done and not serving the story. Rant over...........

Also, it has been a while since I read it, but I really thought of Cinna as far more flamboyant! I'm a Lenny fan but I just didn't see his laid back low cool as Cinna!

And last nitpick, bad Peeta hair!

Loved Rue and all the rest. Tucci was great! And I did like the addition of the game makers.

The two moments that got me the most in the movie: Katniss' finger sign to Rue's district (I made it through the death scene but then this made me cry damit!) and the first bad cat jumpout! (I nearly hurt my daughter!!)

 

[fortwildernessishome]

I think this sort of story is important for kids and adults to read. When you look at the cruelty shown in so many reality shows how far from this scenario are we? Very very much closer than people want to admit.

You really think that in the United States of America
we are "very very much closer" to a reality show with kids killing kids?

 

[CourtasanSatine]

Cinna: I was also seeing someone more along the lines of someone from Project Runway or Adam Lambert (not an actor I know, its more visuals). But Lenny Kravitz made it work.

 

[Colleen27]

I reluctantly went to see it on Friday, privately thinking my DH was nuts for wanting to see it over John Carter especially on opening weekend, but I ended up really enjoying the movie. So much so in fact that I bought all three books yesterday, read the first two back-to-back in a day and finished Mockingjay this morning. I'm a big fan of dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction and I love the idea of such a thought-provoking set of stories becoming so popular with kids/teens. My daughter started the first book today and I'm looking forward to hearing her take on the whole concept.

As far as movie adaptations go it was impressively faithful. Yes, some characters were left out or not given enough time to develop the personalities they had in the books. And yes, losing Katniss's narration leaves the viewer with far less insight into the whys than the reader got. But both of those things are virtually inevitable when translating a book of any length or complexity to the big screen.

My biggest complaint about the movie was the camera style. Yes, it conveyed action/panic and skirted the undesirable R rating but it was distracting! Movies shouldn't cause motion sickness.

 

[diznee25]

DH and I really enjoyed the movie. However, there was something they left out and it really bugged me!

In the book Katniss gets a parachute of bread from District 11 to thank her for honoring Rue in her death with the flowers....can't believe they left that out! (the parachute from District 11...)

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

DH and I really enjoyed the movie. However, there was something they left out and it really bugged me!

In the book Katniss gets a parachute of bread from District 11 to thank her for honoring Rue in her death with the flowers....can't believe they left that out! (the parachute from District 11...)

That bugged me too! and didn't she drug Peeta so she could go get the medicine at the Cornucopia?

 

[diznee25]

That bugged me too! and didn't she drug Peeta so she could go get the medicine at the Cornucopia?

Yes....I totally forgot about that until you mentioned it! They really left out some good parts.


diznee25

 

[snarlingcoyote]

DH and I really enjoyed the movie. However, there was something they left out and it really bugged me!

In the book Katniss gets a parachute of bread from District 11 to thank her for honoring Rue in her death with the flowers....can't believe they left that out! (the parachute from District 11...)

The movie had district 11 rioting instead. I suspect it was just pacing and plotting to move along the 2nd movie.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

I feel that anything that was left out, the Avox, the drugging of Peeta, the bread from District 11, etc, really had no impact on the film. While we enjoy those bits as readers, they really aren't necessary to the telling of the story.

I thought the film was fantastic.

 

[iheartdisney]

I feel that anything that was left out, the Avox, the drugging of Peeta, the bread from District 11, etc, really had no impact on the film. While we enjoy those bits as readers, they really aren't necessary to the telling of the story.

I thought the film was fantastic.

I would have to respectfully disagree.

The bread especially demonstrates why President Snow sees her as dangerous. The Hunger Games are a way to divide the Districts, and in the case of the gift, you have the Districts coming together to support Katniss. Yes, the movie showed a riot, but that was less about Katniss and more about the death of their own child.

Depending on where they go in the next films depends on whether or not the Avox adds to the story. She was a great comfort to Katniss when she comes back to the games, and then later is killed because of Katniss.

And Katniss drugging Peeta goes hand in hand with the part I misses the most- the way that she played for the cameras in the book. That really gave us more of a sense of her personality- NONE of which came through in the movie. Movie Katniss didn't have the confidence, the strength nor the attitude of book Katniss.

The drugging really showed the tit-for-tat part of the Game, which really highlights Katniss's ulterior motives- i.e. she isn't kissing Peeta because she is caught up in the moment, she is kissing him for the reward. Kiss on the cheek gets you broth, passionate kiss gets you stew and drugs.

 

[SgtClaymore]

I liked the book better! I thought the movie was a little vague!

 

[Terry36]

I would have to respectfully disagree.

The bread especially demonstrates why President Snow sees her as dangerous. The Hunger Games are a way to divide the Districts, and in the case of the gift, you have the Districts coming together to support Katniss. Yes, the movie showed a riot, but that was less about Katniss and more about the death of their own child.

Depending on where they go in the next films depends on whether or not the Avox adds to the story. She was a great comfort to Katniss when she comes back to the games, and then later is killed because of Katniss.

And Katniss drugging Peeta goes hand in hand with the part I misses the most- the way that she played for the cameras in the book. That really gave us more of a sense of her personality- NONE of which came through in the movie. Movie Katniss didn't have the confidence, the strength nor the attitude of book Katniss.

The drugging really showed the tit-for-tat part of the Game, which really highlights Katniss's ulterior motives- i.e. she isn't kissing Peeta because she is caught up in the moment, she is kissing him for the reward. Kiss on the cheek gets you broth, passionate kiss gets you stew and drugs.

I agree with each of your comments.