*flails*
That's the short of my initial reaction to "Catching Fire." Slightly longer: I loved it, probably even more than the first movie. Longer and more spoilery still, click the cut:
Cons:
-- The music, at least partly. It seemed like so much of the score was recycled from the first film, however, there were some bits there that were still utilized to great effect, like the music from Rue's death scene playing over the District 11 stop on the victory tour.
-- No rooftop picnic scene, but that's more of a personal nitpick.
-- In retrospect, I wish we'd seen a glimpse of Haymitch's Games and more about District 13, but on the other hand, I don't remember feeling they were a critical/jarring omission either.
Pros:
-- Pretty much everything else, including:
-- I didn't hate the shaky cam of the first film to the extent that a lot of people seem to have, but on the other hand, I didn't miss it, either.
-- The acting. The original players all stepped it up a notch, and Jena Malone as Johanna and Sam Claflin as Finnick were excellent. Josh Hutcherson in particular seemed much more embodied in the role, though I liked him fine in the first film.
-- It's a good thing Jennifer Lawrence is getting critical recognition for other films, because it's such a shame her performances in these films will never be recognized similarly. Moments like when she is trapped in the tube, screaming and fighting to get to Cinna while the Peacekeepers are beating him to death, or pleading with Haymitch after they see the man shot in District 11... God.
-- So much I did love was kept in the film. Peeta and Katniss's conversation on the train, the mockingjay wedding dress, the fake baby bombshell, Katniss's first scene with Snow (nice touch with him just silently showing her footage of the kiss with Gale), Peeta's speech to Rue's and Thresh's families, Katniss not getting her final goodbye at the reaping, Peeta's painting of Rue, Katniss's Seneca Crane dummy. And stuff I didn't love but which was necessary, like Gale's flogging and Cinna's beating.
-- It looks like they had a greater special effects budget. You get to see far more of the Capitol in this film, and in greater detail.
-- The arena is spectacular as well, spot on. The monkeys scared the shit out of me, and Finnick and Katniss broke my heart again in the jabberjay scene.
-- Considering the actress playing Annie Cresta was only cast a couple of months ago, I was very surprised to see her in the film. Then again, you only see her for about three seconds, which I'm sure was a quick and easy shoot/insertion.
-- Effie - of all people - had me getting choked up in a few scenes. Wow.
-- Like the first movie, this film does a brilliant job in creating additional scenes/moments that remain true to and flesh out the spirit of the novels. Not five minutes in, Katniss shoots a turkey and instantly sees herself shooting Marvel (the boy who killed Rue and who she then killed) instead, and her reaction is heart-rending. There are a few bits where you see Snow with his granddaughter, which is a nice touch when you remember the leaders of the rebellion want to reap her in a Capitol-only Games in "Mockingjay." I also liked the scenes with Plutarch and Snow, Plutarch pretending to be on Snow's side but manipulating him the whole time - fantastic. Nice reversal from the Seneca/Snow scenes in the first film, where all the power was clearly Snow's. There's also a blink-and-you miss it bit where a young girl in one of the districts on the victory tour tells Katniss, "One day, I'm going to be a volunteer, just like you." OH. Cutting.
-- The Katniss/Peeta relationship. Maybe it's because the actors are more familiar with each other, but their chemistry was miles improved from the first film. You get to see the transition of the frigid awkwardness at the beginning of the victory tour to the comfortable, spontaneous kisses in the arena, and Katniss utterly losing it when Peeta is in danger. (When he's electrocuted, when she's separated from him at the end of the film). The kiss on the beach was everything I hoped it would be. And yes, the pearl is shown too. <3
I can't wait to see it again when my mind's not so blown away and I can remember more. :)
Cons:
-- The music, at least partly. It seemed like so much of the score was recycled from the first film, however, there were some bits there that were still utilized to great effect, like the music from Rue's death scene playing over the District 11 stop on the victory tour.
-- No rooftop picnic scene, but that's more of a personal nitpick.
-- In retrospect, I wish we'd seen a glimpse of Haymitch's Games and more about District 13, but on the other hand, I don't remember feeling they were a critical/jarring omission either.
Pros:
-- Pretty much everything else, including:
-- I didn't hate the shaky cam of the first film to the extent that a lot of people seem to have, but on the other hand, I didn't miss it, either.
-- The acting. The original players all stepped it up a notch, and Jena Malone as Johanna and Sam Claflin as Finnick were excellent. Josh Hutcherson in particular seemed much more embodied in the role, though I liked him fine in the first film.
-- It's a good thing Jennifer Lawrence is getting critical recognition for other films, because it's such a shame her performances in these films will never be recognized similarly. Moments like when she is trapped in the tube, screaming and fighting to get to Cinna while the Peacekeepers are beating him to death, or pleading with Haymitch after they see the man shot in District 11... God.
-- So much I did love was kept in the film. Peeta and Katniss's conversation on the train, the mockingjay wedding dress, the fake baby bombshell, Katniss's first scene with Snow (nice touch with him just silently showing her footage of the kiss with Gale), Peeta's speech to Rue's and Thresh's families, Katniss not getting her final goodbye at the reaping, Peeta's painting of Rue, Katniss's Seneca Crane dummy. And stuff I didn't love but which was necessary, like Gale's flogging and Cinna's beating.
-- It looks like they had a greater special effects budget. You get to see far more of the Capitol in this film, and in greater detail.
-- The arena is spectacular as well, spot on. The monkeys scared the shit out of me, and Finnick and Katniss broke my heart again in the jabberjay scene.
-- Considering the actress playing Annie Cresta was only cast a couple of months ago, I was very surprised to see her in the film. Then again, you only see her for about three seconds, which I'm sure was a quick and easy shoot/insertion.
-- Effie - of all people - had me getting choked up in a few scenes. Wow.
-- Like the first movie, this film does a brilliant job in creating additional scenes/moments that remain true to and flesh out the spirit of the novels. Not five minutes in, Katniss shoots a turkey and instantly sees herself shooting Marvel (the boy who killed Rue and who she then killed) instead, and her reaction is heart-rending. There are a few bits where you see Snow with his granddaughter, which is a nice touch when you remember the leaders of the rebellion want to reap her in a Capitol-only Games in "Mockingjay." I also liked the scenes with Plutarch and Snow, Plutarch pretending to be on Snow's side but manipulating him the whole time - fantastic. Nice reversal from the Seneca/Snow scenes in the first film, where all the power was clearly Snow's. There's also a blink-and-you miss it bit where a young girl in one of the districts on the victory tour tells Katniss, "One day, I'm going to be a volunteer, just like you." OH. Cutting.
-- The Katniss/Peeta relationship. Maybe it's because the actors are more familiar with each other, but their chemistry was miles improved from the first film. You get to see the transition of the frigid awkwardness at the beginning of the victory tour to the comfortable, spontaneous kisses in the arena, and Katniss utterly losing it when Peeta is in danger. (When he's electrocuted, when she's separated from him at the end of the film). The kiss on the beach was everything I hoped it would be. And yes, the pearl is shown too. <3
I can't wait to see it again when my mind's not so blown away and I can remember more. :)