With major hits out there, you gotta love the parodies that people come up with. I’ve come across many videos and songs, and so far this one is my favorite. Over two million views! Outstanding! Watch it. Love it. Drool over it 🙂
More parodies to come!
Monday got you down? Here, have a laugh with some Hunger Games memes I came across. Some are from future books in the series, so some of you may not understand them unless you read the books. But hey, you should have read the books anyway. Would you watch a movie about the Mona Lisa, or would you go in person to see it? Read the masterpiece too, don’t just cheat and only watch a movie about it. It’s so much better than the movies. So do it! Do it now!!
After reading these memes, of course 🙂
More to come later on! Have a good Monday, and may the odds be ever in your favor. Even if those odds are to get the last donut in the office.
Time to go back and quote some of our favorite parts of the second novel to the series The Hunger Games: “Catching Fire.” There’s so many good ones!
“Just the sound of his voice twists my stomach into a knot of unpleasant emotions like guilt, sadness, and fear. And longing. I might as well admit there’s some of that, too. Only it has too much competition to ever win out.” -Katniss (about Peeta), Ch.1
“Your stylist turned out to be prophetic in his wardrobe choice. Katniss Everdeen, the girl who was on fire, you have provided a spark that, left unattended, may grow to an inferno that destroys Panem.” -President Snow, Ch.2
“You would think that after all the hours I’d spent with Gale–watching him talk and laugh and frown–that I would know all there was to know about his lips. But I hadn’t imagined how warm they would feel pressed against my own. Or how those hands, which could set the most intricate of snares, could as easily entrap me.” -Katniss, Ch.2
“I hate earmuffs, I think. They make it hard to hear, and since I was blasted deaf in one ear in the arena, I dislike them even more.” -Katniss, Ch.3
“What happens next is not an accident. It is too well executed to be spontaneous, because it happens in complete unison. Every person in the crowd presses the three middle fingers of their left hand against their lips and extends them to me. It’s our sign from District 12, the last good-bye I gave to Rue in the arena.” -Katniss (in district 11), Ch.4
“I look at Peeta and he gives me a sad smile. I hear Haymitch’s voice. ‘You could do a lot worse.‘ At this moment, it’s impossible to imagine how I could do any better.” -Katniss, Ch.4
“Isn’t is strange that I know you’d risk your life to save mine…but I don’t know what your favorite color is?” -Peeta, Ch.4
“My nightmares are usually about losing you, I’m okay once I realize you’re here.” -Peeta, Ch.6
” ‘Maybe if the whole country puts its mind to it, we can get you married before you’re thirty.’ ‘You’ll probably have to pass a new law,’ I say with a giggle. ‘If that’s what it takes,’ says the president with conspiratorial good humor. Oh, the fun we two have together.” -Katniss and President Snow, Ch. 6
“I act delighted, but I have zero interest in these Capitol people. They are only distractions from the food.” -Katniss, Ch. 6
“I watch his hands, his beautiful, capable fingers. Scarred, as mine were before the Capitol erased all marks from my skin, but strong and deft. Hands that have the power to mine coal but the precision to set a delicate snare. Hands I trust.” -Katniss (about Gale), Ch. 7
“I love you.” “I know” -Gale and Katniss, Ch.7
“The hatred I feel for him, for the phantom girl, for everything, is so real and immediate that it chokes me. Gale is mine. I am his. Anything else is unthinkable. Why did it take him being whipped within an inch of his life to see it?” -Katniss, Ch.8
“At some point, you have to stop running and turn around and face whoever wants you dead.” -Katniss, Ch. 8
“I wish that Peeta were here to hold me, until I remember I’m not supposed to wish that anymore. I have chosen Gale and the rebellion, and a future with Peeta is the Capitol’s design, not mine.” -Katniss, Ch. 9
“None of you deserves candy!” -Katniss (to Haymitch, Prim, and Peeta), Ch. 11
“…but I know it’s not safe to and I can feel myself slipping away, so I just get out one more sentence. ‘Stay with me.’ As the tendrils of sleep syrup pull me down, I hear him whisper a word back, but I don’t quite catch it.” -Katniss (with Peeta), Ch. 11
“The idea that Thirteen has somehow rebounded and the Capitol is ignoring it? That sounds like the kind of rumor desperate people cling to.” -Haymitch (to Katniss), Ch. 12
“Back in the arena. Back in the place of nightmares. That’s where I am going. I have to admit I didn’t see it coming.” -Katniss, Ch. 13
“However it falls out, two of us are going to be in the arena again with the other as mentor. We can’t afford any drunkards on this team. Especially not you, Katniss.” -Peeta, Ch.13
“It’d be better if he were easier to hate.” “Tell me about it. If I could’ve just hated him in the arena, we all wouldn’t be in this mess now. He’d be dead, and I’d be a happy little victor all by myself.” -Gale and Katniss (about Peeta), Ch. 13
“I’m called. Then Haymitch. And Peeta volunteers. One of the announcers actually gets teary because it seems the odds will never be in our favor, we star-crossed lovers of District 12.” -Katniss, Ch.14
” ‘Why don’t you sleep?’ he says. Because I can’t handle the nightmares. Not without you, I think.” Peeta and Katniss, Ch.14
“…I think I finally know who Haymitch is. And I’m beginning to know who I am. And surely, two people who have caused the Capitol so much trouble can think of a way to get Peeta home alive.” -Katniss, Ch. 14
“He wets his lips just ever so slightly with his tongue. Probably this drives most people crazy. But for some reason all I can think of is old Cray, salivating over some poor, starving young woman.” -Katniss (about Finnick), Ch.15
” ‘With secrets,’ he says softly. He tips his head in so his lips are almost in contact with mine. ‘What about you, girl on fire? Do you have any secrets worth my time?’ For some stupid reason, I blush, but I force myself to hold my ground. ‘No, I’m an open book,’ I whisper back. ‘Everybody seems to know my secrets before I know them myself.’ He smiles. ‘Unfortunately, I think that’s true.’ His eyes flicker to the side. ‘Peeta is coming. Sorry you have to cancel your wedding. I know how devastating that must be for you.’ He tosses another sugar cube in his mouth and saunters off.” -Katniss and Finnick, Ch. 15
“Having an eye for beauty isn’t the same thing as weakness. Except possibly when it comes to you.” -Peeta, Ch. 15
“I look up into those blue eyes that no amount of dramatic makeup can make truly deadly and remember how, just a year ago, I was prepared to kill him.” -Katniss, Ch. 15
“Johanna Mason is naked again and oiling her skin down for a wrestling lesson. I decide to stay put.” -Katniss, ch.16
“I carefully finger paint the words on its body, concealing them from view. Then I step away quickly to watch the reaction on the Gamemakers’ faces as the read the name on the dummy. Seneca Crane.” -Katniss, Ch. 16
“Then I notice something is rising up around me. Smoke…Wonderingly, I lift my long, flowing sleeves into the air, and that’s when I see myself on the television screen…Cinna has turned me into the mockingjay.” -Katniss, Ch.17
“I guess this is a bad time to mention I hung a dummy and painted Seneca Crane’s name on it.” -Katniss, Ch.17
“I just want to spend every possible minute of the rest of my life with you.” -Peeta, Ch.17
“By late afternoon, I lie with my head on Peeta’s lap, making a crown of flowers while he fiddles with my hair, claiming he’s practicing his knots.” -Katniss, Ch.17
“I’m screaming my head off, banging on the unyielding glass, trying to reach him. The Peacekeepers ignore me completely as they drag Cinna’s limp body from the room. All that’s left are the smears of blood on the floor.” -Katniss, Ch.18
“Slowly I raise my eyes and take in the water spreading out in every direction. I can only form one clear thought. This is no place for a girl on fire.” -Katniss, Ch.18
“I pull an arrow from the sheath that’s still wedged in the pile and arm my bow as I turn. Finnick, glistening and gorgeous, stands a few yards away, with a trident poised to attack.” -Katniss, Ch.19
“For a moment we’re frozen, sizing each other up, our weapons, our skill. Then Finnick suddenly grins. ‘Lucky thing we’re allies. Right?’ ” -Katniss and Finnick, Ch.19
“Because whatever happened in the past is in the past. And no one in this arena was a victor by chance…Except maybe Peeta.” -Finnick (to Katniss), Ch.19
” ‘No, I’m going to do some hunting if I can,’ I tell him. I don’t add, ‘And you can’t come because you’re too loud.’ But it’s implied.” -Katniss (to Peeta), Ch. 20
“Peeta has another idea. He takes a cube of rodent meat, skewers it on the tip of a pointed stick, and lets it fall into the force field. There’s a sharp sizzle and the stick flies back. The chunk of meat is blackened on the outside but well cooked inside. We give him a round of applause, then quickly stop, remembering where we are.” -Katniss, Ch. 20
“She gives me a look filled with loathing, like I’m the biggest drag possible on her life. I wonder if this is what it’s like to have an older sister who really hates you.” -Katniss (about Johanna), Ch.22
“Poor Fiinick. Is this the first time in your life you haven’t looked pretty?” “It must be. The sensation’s completely new. How have you managed it all these years?” “Just avoid mirrors. You’ll forget about it.” “Not if I keep looking at you.” -Katniss and Finnick, Ch.22
“Finnick and I fall back in the sand, laughing our heads off. Every time we try to stop, we look at Peeta’s attempt to maintain a disdainful expression and it sets us off again. By the time we pull ourselves together, I’m thinking that maybe Finnick Odair is all right.” -Katniss, ch.22
“Remembering from last year how Haymitch’s gifts are oftem timed to send a message, I make a note to myself. Be friends with Finnick. You’ll get food.” -Katniss, ch.22
“A clock. I can almost see the hands ticking around the twelve-sectioned face of the arena. Each hour begins a new horror, a new Gamemaker weapon, and ends the previous.” -Katniss, Ch.23
“But the only thing that distracts me from my current situation is fantasizing about killing President Snow. Not very pretty daydreams for a seventeen-year-old girl, I guess, but very satisfying.” -Katniss, Ch.23
“Peeta presses his hand against the surface and I put my own up to meet it, as if I can feel him through the wall…I try to make out what he’s saying, but I can’t focus, so I just stare at his face, doing my best to hang on to my sanity.” -Katniss (during the Jabberjays), Ch. 24
” ‘Don’t want that, do they?’ She throws back her head and shouts, ‘Whole country in rebellion? Wouldn’t want anything like that!’ ” -Johanna, Ch.24
“The sensation inside me grows warmer and spreads out from my chest, down through my body, out along my arms and legs, to the tips of my being. Instead of satisfying me, the kisses have the opposite effect, of making me need greater. I thought I was something of an expert on hunger, but this is an entirely new kind.” -Katniss (with Peeta), Ch.24
“Katniss, there is no District Tewelve.” -Gale, Ch. 27
What are your favorite quotes from Catching Fire? May the odds be ever in your favor!
TGIF! What a better way to celebrate the wonderful day than to talk and gush about mister Finnick Odair.
(art thanks to patsie on deviantart)
We first meet Finnick when the chariots arrive at the Quarter Quell, and Katniss is by herself when he comes up to her. He’s just in his boxers, leaning close to her and asking her in his “seductive” voice about her secrets, while meantime offering her a sugar cube. This is one of the first times we read about Katniss blushing, but I don’t blame her, I would be too if an incredibly handsome guy in just boxers was trying to seduce me with sugar cubes. Hello? They’re yummy!
As the novel continues, we get to see his character develop into someone quite hilarious, but he’s also one of the most protective and loyal characters we see. He’s one to save Peeta’s life, while also willing to scare him a couple days later with Katniss just for a prank.
Flirting aside, we find out that Finnick loves a girl back at home, miss Annie. Although she’s known to be a little messed up in the head, he’s still so in love with her. Can I get an encore of “awwww”s? 🙂
A powerful man from district four, armed with a trident and a will to survive, it becomes difficult to see such a man fail in anything. He’s known for his knots, and specifically tying them when he’s troubled. We mainly see this in the third book, and he teaches Katniss to stay sane by tying different variations of knots. So although strong, when he has his weak points, he knows how to handle them accordingly.
He’s personally one of my favorite characters, and I’m excited but nervous as to see who’s going to be casted as him in Catching Fire (and obviously Mockingjay). I just hope they don’t pick a totally well known actor for the role because when Finnick comes on screen he has to be seen as that character and not just some actor filling the shoes. Who do you think should be Finnick Odair?
Go district four! And may the odds be ever in your favor.
It’s always fun going back and quoting some of the best quotes from The Hunger Games, and I’m sticking with the first novel in the series for today.
“I can hardly tell my mother to carry on if I’ve already given up myself. Besides, it isn’t in my nature to go down without a fight, even when things seem insurmountable.” -Katniss, Ch.3
“As long as you can find yourself, you’ll never starve.” -Katniss’ Dad, Ch.4
“The thought of that scruffy old Buttercup posting himself on the bed to watch over Prim comforts me…I’m so glad I didn’t drown him.” -Katniss, Ch.4
“I’m sure they didn’t notice anything but you. You should wear flames more often. They suit you.” -Peeta to Katniss, Ch.5
“Perhaps the girl doesn’t even remember me. But I know she does. You don’t forget the face of the person who was your last hope.” -Katniss (about Avox girl), Ch.6
“If only you could frost someone to death.” -Katniss to Peeta, Ch.7
“I give up, sweetheart. Just answer the questions and try not to let the audience see how openly you despise them.” -Haymitch to Katniss, Ch.9
“I am not pretty. I am not beautiful. I am as radiant as the sun.” -Katniss, Ch.9
“Only…I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense? I don’t want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster that I’m not.” -Peeta, Ch.10
“Stupid people are dangerous.” -Katniss, Ch.11
“No, I need to look one step ahead of the game. So as I slide out of the foliage and into the dawn light, I pause a second, giving the cameras time to look on me. Then I cock my head slightly to the side and give a knowing smile. There! Let them figure out what that means!” -Katniss, Ch. 12
“To this day, I can never shake the connection between this boy, Peeta Mellark, and the bread that gave me hope, and the dandelion that reminded me that I was not domed.” -Katniss, Ch.12
“His face and arms are so artfully disguised as to be invisible. I kneel beside him. ‘I guess all those hours decorating cake paid off.’ Peeta smiles. ‘Yes, frosting. The final defense of the dying.'” -Peeta and Katniss, Ch.19
“I’ve left on Peeta’s undershorts because they’re not in bad shape and I don’t want to pull them over the swollen thigh, and all right, maybe the idea of him being naked makes me uncomfortable.” -Katniss, Ch. 19
“You know, you’re kind of squeamish for such a lethal person. I wish I’d let you give Haymitch a shower after all” -Peeta to Katniss, Ch.19
“I woke up and you were gone. I was worried about you.” “You were worried about me? Have you taken a look at yourself lately?” -Katniss and Peeta, Ch.20
” ‘For what? Nothing’s going on here,’ he says. ‘Besides, I like watching you sleep. You don’t scowl. Improves your looks a lot.’ This, of course, brings on a scowl that makes him grin.” -Peeta, Ch.20
“This is the first kiss that we’re both fully aware of. Neither of us hobbled by sickness or pain or simply unconscious. This is the first kiss where I actually feel stirring inside my chest. Warm and curious. This is the first kiss that makes me want another.” -Katniss, Ch.22
“I think of Gale, with his velvet tread. It’s eerie how little sound he makes, even when the leaves have fallen and it’s a challenge to move at all without chasing off the game. I feel certain he’s laughing back home.” -Katniss, Ch.23
“Before I am even aware of my actions, my bow is loaded with the arrow pointed straight at his heart. Peeta raises his eyebrows and I see the knife has already left his hand on its way to the lake where it splashes in the water. I drop my weapons and take a step back, my face burning in what can only be shame.” -Katniss, Ch.25
“He looks so clean and healthy and beautiful, I can hardly recognize him. But his smile is the same whether in mud or in the Capitol and when I see it, I take about three steps and fling myself into his arms.” -Katniss, Ch.27
“So now that you’ve got me, what are you going to do with me?” “Put you somewhere you can’t get hurt.” -Peeta and Katniss, Ch.27
What are your favorite quotes?
May the odds be ever in your favor!
So, how do the characters compare from novel to movie when it comes to the Hunger Games? Well, I think some were more of a hit than others. Time to explore.
-Katniss Everdeen
Katniss, I think, is the hardest character to bring into reality in a movie. Why? Because we as readers got to dig deep into her mind throughout the whole experience. To cast that character on the big screen would be extremely difficult because the audience not only needs someone to express those feelings and thoughts clearly, but also executing her personality to a T.
That said, I think they casted a great role for Katniss. She’s strong, self kept with emotion, and doesn’t show her weakness in the wrong situations. She did a great job portraying someone who doesn’t do well with other people, and also someone that’s willing to sacrifice themselves for her family. The part when she volunteers? I still get teary eyed from that scene, it was beautiful. And the part with Rue? Amazing.
Katniss gets my approval.
-Peeta Mellark
Oh, the boy with the bread. We can critique all day with the physical stuff, like how he should be a bit taller and naturally blonde and more built, but I’m not going to do that. In the first novel we see Peeta as a free spirit that knows how to work a crowd, which he also uses to manipulate other people. I heard from other people that they didn’t like Peeta in the movie (mainly those that didn’t read the book, ugh), but I have to explain to them that it was created that way. Peeta was supposed to be iffy and questionable, to a point where we wonder if he’s manipulating us. But that’s the beauty of his character, he isn’t pretending with Katniss, and that’s what makes his character so amazing. His love is unconditional, and he’d sacrifice himself for her without question.
So, was he well casted? Personally, in my head I visualized Peeta with a more innocent face, but that’s just looks. As for personality? I think Josh pretty much nailed it. Although I would have enjoyed more loving looks from him toward Katniss, or more fear in his tone when begging her to stay in the cave, but those are minor things I hope will improve next movie. Oh, and the eyes? I wish they were more obviously blue.
The boy with the bread gets my approval.
-Gale Hawthorne
I don’t think I have to talk much for this one. His casting was perfection. Gale is tall, rugged, strong, and his personality is as rough and sturdy as his appearance. We don’t see much of him in the first movie, but I’m excited to see his character grow in the second movie, especially when his relationship with Katniss gets a little different. Personally, I always viewed him as a brother, so to see him say “I love you” to Katniss still gives me the shivers. Although I admit the scene after the whipping was very touching and sweet.
Gale gets my approval by a long shot.
-Haymitch Abernathy
Where do I start with this character? Let me get this out of the way: I was so sad that he didn’t show up on stage at the reaping. The part when he gropes Effie made me laugh so hard, and I’m so sad that wasn’t in there!
Now, I always pictured Haymitch to be balding, have a big belly, and brown hair. The casting basically threw that out of the window. Granted, Woody is a great actor, I’m just not sure if Haymitch was perfectly casted. Well, scratch that, probably well casted, just the script didn’t embody his full character. Where’s all the stumbling? He just wasn’t drunk enough for me.
So, I give half a star for this character. Not Woody’s fault, the movie just didn’t embrace his character as much as they should have. Tsk, tsk.
-Effie Trinket
Oh, Effie. She annoyed me yet amused me in the books. In the movie she was all right, but I wish they captured more of her bubbly personality. Not just a little bubble, more like pop in your face and screaming until you notice her kind of bubble. In the movie she’s kind of there to make some comments, while in the novels she was the planner, to a point of nagging people to let her be heard.
I think her character could’ve been better in depth. Although I loved the part with the mahogony, they needed more scenes like that with her.
Effie, I give her a so-so in the movie.
-Cinna
I’m just going to say it short, sweet, and to the point: horrible job on the movie’s part. Now don’t scream at me, let me explain.
I think Lenny did a great acting job with Cinna, don’t get me wrong on that. His character was just so dully touched on. In the novels, Cinna ends up being a huge support and friend for Katniss, and in the movie he’s just a small shadow that’s sometimes there in a screen shot. Cinna isn’t only her designer in the novel, but her advisor and friend. I don’t think they did very well on touching that. It was brief, very brief. I really hope they give Cinna the recognition he deserves in Catching Fire. He’s one of my favorite characters, and he deserves to shine.
Cinna, sadly, doesn’t get my approval in the movie. Tsk, tsk Hollywood.
-Caesar Flickerman
They did a fabulous job on Caesar, quite frankly probably too good of a job, if that makes any sense. In the novels, Caesar is a funny interviewer, yes, but I felt like in the movie it was more wrapped around his character than the others in the Games. I mean, his character was better portrayed than Effie, at least for me, and that’s no good.
I think they should of concentrated more on building the character of Haymitch and Cinna instead of putting so much focus on him. However, I still give them props for casting Caesar so well.
Caeser? You, individually, get my approval. (still would’ve liked more Haymitch and Cinna, though)
-Rue
Oh, little Rue. I wanted more scenes with Rue! Take more time to build her relationship with Katniss would’ve been nicer. Oh, and when Katniss describes her as a bird about to take off for flight (after Rue points out the tracker jacker nest and crouches down), that would’ve been nice to put in the movie somehow. Her being free like a bird is very imperative in the story, considering Katniss constantly wears one on her pin.
However, I think the casting was great; she is so cute! The part when she dies, wow, the acting was stupendous. When a single tear went down Rue’s face, oh my goodness, I just broke apart.
Rue definitely gets my approval.
-Cato
Oh, mister Cato. What a twisted, powerful, and scary man. Alexander did well with this role, I think. I wish they showed the interview with him though just to send a bigger idea of what a threat he can be. In the books he freaked me out, in the movie he still freaked me out, I just wish they had more scenes with him to send more fear into the audience that this guy means business. Then again I’ve been wanting more scene time for many characters. Hmmm. Three hour movie next time then? I say yes!
Cato, you get my approval. I think I should, I don’t want a fictional character knocking on my door and slicing into my leg.
-Clove
Let me be honest: this girl scared the living daylights out of me in the book. A girl with knives and huge in muscle and determined to kill? Uh, hello? Ah!!
I think the girl who played Clove was great, however, she seemed too tiny for my taste. I guess I just saw her in “The Orphan” and already knew how crazy she could act, so my personal experience with the actress helped put a crazy side to Clove that the movie may not have done itself. Clove wasn’t in the book as much as Cato, so they did well with screen time with Clove. Kudos.
A little too tiny, but other than that, Clove gets my approval.
-Foxface
I wanted more scenes with Foxface. And, sadness, they never even said in the movie that her nickname was Foxface! Very sad they didn’t, the idea of her being like a fox (aka: looking like one and being sneaky like one), kind of dulled her true character. They did show all the scenes she was in the book in the movie, so I guess I shouldn’t complain. Her idea of being a fox should’ve been put in there too though.
Overall, though, Foxface gets my approval.
-Prim Everdeen
You’re probably wondering why she’s so far down this list of importance, and I apologize. Her character is much stronger in the next two novels, but in the first one she’s mainly for background inspiration. There’s not much to say about Prim at this point since her role isn’t strong just yet, but so far I’ve seen her play the part wonderfully. When she started breaking down in tears at the reaping, I instantly fell in love with Prim on screen.
Well done, I approve miss Prim. Who can’t? She’s adorable.
-President Snow
We kind of see President Snow in the first novel, so I can’t rely on much to critique his character in the movie. In the movie they went outside of the Games to show what goes on during it, and I thought that was an interest way to do it; we got to see more of Snow in the movie than we did in the book. Well, with the first one, at least.
I personally never imagined Snow with a beard, and for some reason I always pictured him as some super thin dweeb with a constant sneer on his face. I always pictured him younger for some reason too. I suppose President Snow is fine in the movies, I just can’t picture him playing the role in Mockingjay. I can’t see him laughing as Katniss aims an arrow at him, but hopefully they can prove me wrong.
I can’t judge on much just yet, so I suppose so far President Snow gets my approval. So far.
-Seneca Crane
This one will be short. I’ll simply put: great casting. That beard? Fantastic! By the time the second book roles around and Katniss hangs a dummy with Seneca’s name on it, I forgot who that even was. I’m glad that the movie emphasized his importance in the story so that scene will be even more powerful in the next movie.
He gets my approval.
And that’ll be all, folks! Of course the characters are always more detailed in the books, but in this case, the movie generally did a good job on giving these characters justice. I’m looking forward to Catching Fire to see the characters progress!
Agree or disagree with my feelings toward the characters? Discuss below!
May the odds be ever in your favor.
Or maybe *cough cough* you should read the books before even seeing the movie, and then nothing will be spoiled *cough cough*
As you can see, I’m not annoyed with people like this at all 🙂
So, there’s a new director for Catching Fire, and I’m thrilled to see how he’s going to do it. Since they have more money this time around, I’m hoping *crossing fingers* that the special affects will be a mind blow! Granted, the fire Katniss and Peeta had while in the chariot wasn’t that impressive for me. Oh, and I was waiting for a snippet of their humor at that scene. “Shouldn’t Haymitch be here?” “Are you sure you want him around fire?” Awesome.
Quite a few chunks to look forward to. If you haven’t read the books then I tell you now not to keep on reading this post. Then again, I think it’s kind of lame to just see the movie and not read the book; books offer so much more than the movies ever could. Sure, they have the visuals, but the book is so much more detailed than a movie could ever be. Plus you get to learn more vocabulary! Yay!
-The relationship with Katniss and Peeta.
Let’s face it, the first book just builds it up. Personally, I didn’t trust Peeta in the first novel since sometimes I thought he was being manipulative, and in the second one his character gets more solidified. Katniss’ feelings start to get pretty jumbled, and we get to see her actually kiss him and mean it by the water in the arena. I would say that their relationship isn’t the whole force around this book, but that’d be kind of false. President Snow isn’t personally killing off Katniss because she claims she loves Peeta so much, and that’s why she was about to commit suicide with him in the first book, and not because an act of rebellion. So, basically, her life is surrounded by proving something to the Capitol so her butt isn’t whooped with explosives. I know their relationship isn’t the whole idea of the book (hello? overthrowing The Capitol is difficult!), but it’s the small foundation that spices up the plot. I’m looking forward to them portraying this desperation in the next movie.
(not sure of artist, but much appreciated for image on Google!)
-The wedding dress.
No, I’m not gonna blab like a girl shrieking if it’s a mermaid dress or blah blah blah. I’m looking forward to this epicness:
“When I hear the screms of the crowd, I think it’s because I must look stunning. Then I notice something is rising up around me. Smoke. From fire. Not the flickery stuff I wore last year in the chariot, but something much more real that devours my dress. I begin to panic as the smoke thickens. Somehow I’m afraid to stop spinning because my flesh doesn’t seem to be burning and I know Cinna must be behind whatever is happening. So I keep spinning and spinning. Then all at once, the fire is gone. I slowly come to a stop, wondering if I’m naked and why Cinna has arranged to burn away my wedding dress.
But I’m not naked. I’m in a dress of the exact design of my wedding dress, only it’s the color of coal and made of tiny feathers. Wonderingly, I lift my long, flowing sleeves into the air, and that’s when I see myself on the television screen. Clothed in black except for the white patches on my sleeves. Or should I say wings.
Because Cinna has turned me into a mockingjay.” (p.252)
In other words? Epic.
(poster thanks to kath-da on tumblr)
-The new characters.
Beetee, Wireess, Johanna Mason, and *swoon* Finnick Odair. Beetee and Wiress are elder but the brains of the operation, Johanna is sarcastic and usually hot tempered, and Finnick is the protective and hilarious spark placed in the series. I’m looking forward to this new casting!
(art found on google, but whoever the artist is, props to you!)
-The arena.
Gas, crazy monkeys, lightning storms, and just so many more goodies to look forward to in the arena. They better do a good job with the special affects! “tick, tick tick…”
(image by tealbabe)
-The relationship with Katniss and Gale.
I won’t go too into detail, but in this novel we get to see their deeper connection that we didn’t get to see in the first novel. The part that Gale gets whipped and he’s brought back to Katniss’ house is just heartbreaking, but a scene I’m looking forward to see how it plays out. No doubt an emotional ride.
-The beginning of the uprising.
When Katniss and Peeta go on their tour, once Katniss is in Rue’s district, she offers to give some of her food earnings to Rue’s family. One man ends up holding up the sign for peace in district twelve’s district (three prominent fingers), and once the peackeepers start running a muck and Katniss and Peeta are rushed inside, there are gunshots. Sure, this is a small step, but such a powerful one that it can’t be missed.
There are many other snippets in this book that need to be touched on, but those are the main things I’m looking forward to the most. What are yours?
May the odds be ever in your favor.
Okay, so I’m going to make a claim here…movies are never as good as the books. Do most of us agree? If they could actually get every single detail, then we’d be sitting through maybe a five hour movie or something crazy like that! So I may be overexaggerating, but a three hour movie doesn’t hurt. Like *cough cough* Lord of the Rings *cough cough* Although I understand the books were much larger than the Hunger Games, so I’ll have to cut that some slack.
So, in general, I thought the movie was done very well. Of course there are some things that really, really bothered me. So here we go: the top ten things they didn’t quite touch up on!
1. How the mockingjay pin was given.
I guess to most it may not be a big deal, but I really enjoyed how it was given before. The basics: it was given by Madge, not by randomly finding it. Although this character doesn’t show up much, later in the series she gets connected with Haymitch, and that small story in itself is quite the shocker. Also, the pin in the movie changes the symbolism all entirely. In the movie the pin symbolizes safety, but in the books it symbolizes rebellion. I think that’s a major point the movie messed up on.
2. The relationship with Haymitch and Katniss.
So, in the movie this wasn’t really touched very well, whereas in the book their relationship was so much better defined. Over the screen you can’t read into Katniss’ thoughts, and that in itself is saddening. Their relationship is pretty strained, and quite frankly Katniss gets annoyed by him most of the time especially when he calls her “sweetheart.” I just think they didn’t do a good job with that one.
3. Gale and Katniss’ goodbye.
I’ll give them credit, they did the whole goodbye scene very well, so kudos! They just missed one little snippet with Gale that really bugged me. In the novel, right when he’s getting pulled out, Gale says, “Remember-” and then he gets cut off. We never, ever know what in the world he was trying to say to her, and that mystery in itself is still in the air (the book never tells us!!) So I was disappointed that wasn’t in there.
4. Cinna and Katniss’ relationship.
They barely touched on this at all, it seems. Cinna is a vital character in the series, and in the movie it just seemed like he was more in the background. He’s quite a funny and great person, and he barely got touched on. Hopefully they’ll do that next movie.
5. District twelve’s symbol.
Three fingers prominent, hold hand in the air, and that’s the symbol of district twelve. Now don’t get me wrong, they did this scene perfectly, I was just confused that they never explained what it meant to people who haven’t read the books. To them it’s just three fingers, but to us book lovers, it means peace.
6. The tributes in training.
This one isn’t really a big deal, but it would’ve been nicer if they emphasized this idea more. In the books, Peeta and Katniss would always be matching, and quite frankly it made Katniss embarrassed; they even matched on interview day! (Peeta had fire on the cuffs of his jacket). But most prominent was the fact that only Katniss and Peeta matched in the training room, and I think they should’ve kept it that way.
7. The cave scene.
I think many are complaining with this one. I think they could’ve cut out the district revolting and show more of that cave scene! It builds up their relationship a lot, and missing out on key points of it was pretty disappointing to say the least.
8. The mutts.
I thought it was a cool twist that the mutts they sent in near the end had the tributes’ eyes. I remember reading her spotting Rue’s eyes and my heart just sunk. Plus I think they needed to be bigger, they weren’t scary to me. Oh, and Cato was running away from them in the book, and I thought that was cooler b/c we got to sit up in suspense reading about him sprinting toward them and then being shocked when he passes right by them. Awesome.
9. The last interview.
The cutest quote in this book, I think, when Katniss says that she’s glad to have Peeta with her. He responds with, “Now that you have me, what do you want with me?” And sadly *sniffles* they don’t have this. As well as revealing Peeta’s fake leg, which totally got thrown out of the movie. Weird. I guess him having one leg isn’t important?
10. The ending overall.
Soooo many things to list here, get ready. The last part of the Games, Katniss has to drag Peeta to the lake since his leg is so torn up, and there they eat the berries together (which they actually put in their mouths!) They get lifted by a helicopter, where Katniss madly persists to be with Peeta for his surgery, but she’s held back. When they reunite is a wonderful scene, we get to see Katniss truly caring about him; oh, and here they show reruns of the Games with the theme of them two (Peeta saying Katniss’ name in the night? Awww). The interview (as mentioned above), Peeta reveals his amputation. Once returning home, it’s revealed that Katniss was only being passionate toward him in order to survive, and that’s when their relationship starts to dwindle. How could they leave that out?
I’m sure there are others I’m missing, so talk about it below! The movie was very well done though, they casted brilliantly and I’m looking forward to the next one! New director, new ideas. My favorite part I’m looking forward too next movie? Finnick 🙂
May the odds be ever in your favor!
So, I think we’re all very much aware of Hunger Games being a recent movie phenomenon and a HUGE box office hit sensation. However, all of this success is very greatly appreciated and needs to be recognized by the original art piece by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games trilogy is fast paced, action packed, and filled with snippets of great life philosophies. It’s jam packed with wonderful characters and interesting relationships, and through the series we get to dig our mind into Katniss’ world.
So, I’ve heard the outragious claim of Hunger Games being like Battle Royale. No. Just no. Let me make a point that Stephen King wrote a novel about a fight to the death before Battle Royale came out, and yet no one complained about that. Sure, the idea of a fight to the death isn’t new, but the characters, setting, conflict, and evolution of this book is SO much more different than Battle Royale. Glad we got that cleared up.
In the book series we’re faced with the corrupted ways of President Snow running the Capitol, and the uprising of the twelve districts to revolt against them. Katniss is the Mockingjay, leader of this revolution, and she must shove aside her emotions and stand up for something much greater than herself. In her journey we meet great characters, thrilling conflicts, and a whole new world that’s worth obsessing over.
So, reading these novels have made me go a bit crazy on the fan side. Here are some fun side effects from reading this series:
-constantly wearing my hair in a side braid.
-freaking out that the bee flying by is a tracker jacker
-singing to birds hoping they’ll mock me
-wearing the famous pendent
-yelling at the movie screen: THAT’S NOT HOW SHE GOT THE MOCKINGJAY PIN!!
-pita bread=peeta
-working out in case I get thrown into the Games myself
-have a sudden desire to take up archery
Love the series, love the characters, just so much love!! I’m looking forward to the Catching Fire movie (hopefully better than the first), and I’m excited to reach out to other fans out there!
May the odds be ever in your favor!
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