i no longer have my icon about how wonderful peeta is
Okay, guys. Let's talk about The Hunger Games.
Before that, though, let's talk about THE RAMPENT STUPIDITY OF PEOPLE. After missing (most of) the midnight showing, I was torn between my intense desire to actually see this movie and my hatred of people. When you see a midnight showing, even though it's late and crazy, you at least know you're surrounded by like-minded people, people who are going to be respectful of the film and who know what they're getting into. when you see a popular movie on opening weekend on a Sunday afternoon in Cambridge, you do not get that luxury.
It was, to put it mildly, a shitshow. Filled with idiots. Harvard Square's not a big theatre, so they had everyone lining up outside. Where everyone bitched about how they couldn't believe we had to line up outside! Why couldn't they just let us wait in the (teeny tiny that can't hold all that many people) lobby?! One girl actually went inside and complained about how it wasn't fair and she was cold so she was just going to stand in the lobby until it was time.
(Thankfully, they made her go back outside.)
There was also the insanity of getting seats. Not so much for me--because of my issues the last time I tried to see it and the fact that I was by myself, I made a bee-line for the very last row and quickly got a single seat. But all around me, people were complaining that they couldn't get six seats together! And that they wanted to sit on the END but there were PEOPLE sitting at the end and they HATE sitting in the middle.
I hate everyone, by the way.
Anyway.
OH ALSO WE HAD AN AVENGERS TRAILER! There was a Prometheus trailer before it on Thursday night and I nearly died of excitement because...I am super excited about Prometheus. I nearly died of excitement over the Avengers trailer too, but not quite as much as I had already seen it a dozen times.
But, ON TO THE FILM.
WHICH WAS NEARLY PERFECT.
I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW MUCH I LOVED IT.
I mean, I expected to at least enjoy it, but not to love it and not for it to actually be really good. Like, not just a good adaptation, but good as a movie in and of itself. It was just... a really good film. That I think people who aren't necessarily fans of the book will still enjoy.
The cast was fucking flawless. Everyone was so suited to their roles, even the people I had been iffy about before. In particular, Lenny Kravtiz (whom I had no background for save for the fact that he had a top 40 hit when I was in middle school) just blew me away as Cinna. It was such an understated, fantastic portrayal of an understated, fantastic character. He was PERFECT. One of the two times I cried was when Cinna and Katniss met for the first time and Cinna says, "I don't think someone that brave should be wearing a silly costume, don't you?" and Katniss, showing her age for the first time, maybe, says, all quiet like, "I hope not."
I don't even know why, but I just teared up and my chest clenched.
Because. Jesus Christ, guys, I knew I loved Jennifer Lawrence going in. I knew she was a great actress. But I think I've been spending so much time watching interviews where she's funny and silly that I forgot HOW great she was because she blew me away. I went in expecting to like her and walked out with an entirely new respect for her. Her performance was flooring. She managed to be tough and strong and arrogant and obnoxious, while also having no problem with the more tender parts of Katniss and the bits where she's nervous and upset. There are parts where she's just literally shaking with fear and the look on her face is perfect and heartbreaking. Fuck, man, every single thing she did was amazing. She IS Katniss in my mind, now. She nailed it perfectly. She's phenomenal.
Everyone else was really good, too! Seriously, the entire cast shone. There wasn't a single person who I was like, "Okay, I guess they were alright."
The movie LOOKED amazing. The contrast between the outlying districts and the Capital was great and the Capital was so colorful and over the top and ridiculous. The costumes were AMAZING. The make-up was amazing. The SETS were amazing. I loved the use of music and the bits where they chose not to use music.
There were things that were different from the book, but nothing that I felt was missing, if that makes sense? Like, I didn't walk away from it going, "Oh, but I wish we had seen [whatever] and [whatever]!" The girl next to me whispered, loudly, to her girlfriend, "That's not how she gets the mockingjay pin!" right at the start, and while that's true, I liked this added dimension of working Prim into it. If you added Madge, you'd need to add her background and all this other shit that would just drag out the movie longer. I don't think the movie suffered for it. I don't think it suffered for any of the changes, really, and I really, really liked the additional stuff that was added. The behind the scenes stuff with Seneca and the control room was so awesome. Seriously. And I loved seeing the moment when Haymitch knew he needed to get his shit together and butter up some sponsors for Katniss. I even liked the glimpses of District 12, though everyone in the theatre laughed at Gale's bitter reaction face every time it was shown.
I cried like a baby when Rue died. I mean, I expected to cry a little, but as it went on, I just lost it. When she started picking the flowers and then putting them around Rue's body and then, when they cut to Katniss just sobbing openly I was also sobbing openly. Oh god.
The only things I DID wish for in the movie was more time with Rue (mostly because, let's be honest, I would watch a teevee show about Rue and Katniss being awesome together) and more about how smart and calculating Peeta is. I mean, there were hints of it, but I'd have liked more. (I know you're all so shocked. I have no feelings about Peeta Mellark whatsoever.)
It does occur to me, however, that we get MORE about how smart and cunning Peeta is in the later books than we do in the first one, so this could be me projecting my epic love for the character on the movie XD
So many little things--the way they killed Seneca at the end, Katniss' clear confusion with her feelings for Peeta, everything with Effie--it was honestly so so great. I'm so impressed and happy and relieved, you don't even know.
But I seriously thought it was great. SO GREAT. I want to see it again, but I also don't want to go back to a crazy movie theatre filled with people, so who knows if that will happen. But if anyone Boston-local who hasn't seen it yet (or wants to see it again!) needs a buddy... ::cough:: I'm available.
One last stupid person story:
On my way out, some girl stopped me on the stairs and was like, "Did you just come out of The Hunger Games?"
And I said, "Uh, yeah."
And she said, "Did it have a happy ending? Like, you can spoil me! I don't care, obviously, since I'm asking, but did it?"
I said, "Um, well--"
And she goes, "I've read the books already!"
And I said, "Oh, well, in that case, yeah. Ish. It ends the same way the book ends."
And she goes, "Like they take the train home? Back to District 12?"
And I go, "Uh, yeah."
And then she goes, "UGH!" and sighs and walks away.
Like...how did she expect it to end? Not like the book? I AM SO CONFUSED BY THIS PERSON AND THEIR REACTION!
Anyway, that is all for now, internet. I return you to your day and I will try and get some work done. Or maybe have lunch.
Before that, though, let's talk about THE RAMPENT STUPIDITY OF PEOPLE. After missing (most of) the midnight showing, I was torn between my intense desire to actually see this movie and my hatred of people. When you see a midnight showing, even though it's late and crazy, you at least know you're surrounded by like-minded people, people who are going to be respectful of the film and who know what they're getting into. when you see a popular movie on opening weekend on a Sunday afternoon in Cambridge, you do not get that luxury.
It was, to put it mildly, a shitshow. Filled with idiots. Harvard Square's not a big theatre, so they had everyone lining up outside. Where everyone bitched about how they couldn't believe we had to line up outside! Why couldn't they just let us wait in the (teeny tiny that can't hold all that many people) lobby?! One girl actually went inside and complained about how it wasn't fair and she was cold so she was just going to stand in the lobby until it was time.
(Thankfully, they made her go back outside.)
There was also the insanity of getting seats. Not so much for me--because of my issues the last time I tried to see it and the fact that I was by myself, I made a bee-line for the very last row and quickly got a single seat. But all around me, people were complaining that they couldn't get six seats together! And that they wanted to sit on the END but there were PEOPLE sitting at the end and they HATE sitting in the middle.
I hate everyone, by the way.
Anyway.
OH ALSO WE HAD AN AVENGERS TRAILER! There was a Prometheus trailer before it on Thursday night and I nearly died of excitement because...I am super excited about Prometheus. I nearly died of excitement over the Avengers trailer too, but not quite as much as I had already seen it a dozen times.
But, ON TO THE FILM.
WHICH WAS NEARLY PERFECT.
I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW MUCH I LOVED IT.
I mean, I expected to at least enjoy it, but not to love it and not for it to actually be really good. Like, not just a good adaptation, but good as a movie in and of itself. It was just... a really good film. That I think people who aren't necessarily fans of the book will still enjoy.
The cast was fucking flawless. Everyone was so suited to their roles, even the people I had been iffy about before. In particular, Lenny Kravtiz (whom I had no background for save for the fact that he had a top 40 hit when I was in middle school) just blew me away as Cinna. It was such an understated, fantastic portrayal of an understated, fantastic character. He was PERFECT. One of the two times I cried was when Cinna and Katniss met for the first time and Cinna says, "I don't think someone that brave should be wearing a silly costume, don't you?" and Katniss, showing her age for the first time, maybe, says, all quiet like, "I hope not."
I don't even know why, but I just teared up and my chest clenched.
Because. Jesus Christ, guys, I knew I loved Jennifer Lawrence going in. I knew she was a great actress. But I think I've been spending so much time watching interviews where she's funny and silly that I forgot HOW great she was because she blew me away. I went in expecting to like her and walked out with an entirely new respect for her. Her performance was flooring. She managed to be tough and strong and arrogant and obnoxious, while also having no problem with the more tender parts of Katniss and the bits where she's nervous and upset. There are parts where she's just literally shaking with fear and the look on her face is perfect and heartbreaking. Fuck, man, every single thing she did was amazing. She IS Katniss in my mind, now. She nailed it perfectly. She's phenomenal.
Everyone else was really good, too! Seriously, the entire cast shone. There wasn't a single person who I was like, "Okay, I guess they were alright."
The movie LOOKED amazing. The contrast between the outlying districts and the Capital was great and the Capital was so colorful and over the top and ridiculous. The costumes were AMAZING. The make-up was amazing. The SETS were amazing. I loved the use of music and the bits where they chose not to use music.
There were things that were different from the book, but nothing that I felt was missing, if that makes sense? Like, I didn't walk away from it going, "Oh, but I wish we had seen [whatever] and [whatever]!" The girl next to me whispered, loudly, to her girlfriend, "That's not how she gets the mockingjay pin!" right at the start, and while that's true, I liked this added dimension of working Prim into it. If you added Madge, you'd need to add her background and all this other shit that would just drag out the movie longer. I don't think the movie suffered for it. I don't think it suffered for any of the changes, really, and I really, really liked the additional stuff that was added. The behind the scenes stuff with Seneca and the control room was so awesome. Seriously. And I loved seeing the moment when Haymitch knew he needed to get his shit together and butter up some sponsors for Katniss. I even liked the glimpses of District 12, though everyone in the theatre laughed at Gale's bitter reaction face every time it was shown.
I cried like a baby when Rue died. I mean, I expected to cry a little, but as it went on, I just lost it. When she started picking the flowers and then putting them around Rue's body and then, when they cut to Katniss just sobbing openly I was also sobbing openly. Oh god.
The only things I DID wish for in the movie was more time with Rue (mostly because, let's be honest, I would watch a teevee show about Rue and Katniss being awesome together) and more about how smart and calculating Peeta is. I mean, there were hints of it, but I'd have liked more. (I know you're all so shocked. I have no feelings about Peeta Mellark whatsoever.)
It does occur to me, however, that we get MORE about how smart and cunning Peeta is in the later books than we do in the first one, so this could be me projecting my epic love for the character on the movie XD
So many little things--the way they killed Seneca at the end, Katniss' clear confusion with her feelings for Peeta, everything with Effie--it was honestly so so great. I'm so impressed and happy and relieved, you don't even know.
But I seriously thought it was great. SO GREAT. I want to see it again, but I also don't want to go back to a crazy movie theatre filled with people, so who knows if that will happen. But if anyone Boston-local who hasn't seen it yet (or wants to see it again!) needs a buddy... ::cough:: I'm available.
One last stupid person story:
On my way out, some girl stopped me on the stairs and was like, "Did you just come out of The Hunger Games?"
And I said, "Uh, yeah."
And she said, "Did it have a happy ending? Like, you can spoil me! I don't care, obviously, since I'm asking, but did it?"
I said, "Um, well--"
And she goes, "I've read the books already!"
And I said, "Oh, well, in that case, yeah. Ish. It ends the same way the book ends."
And she goes, "Like they take the train home? Back to District 12?"
And I go, "Uh, yeah."
And then she goes, "UGH!" and sighs and walks away.
Like...how did she expect it to end? Not like the book? I AM SO CONFUSED BY THIS PERSON AND THEIR REACTION!
Anyway, that is all for now, internet. I return you to your day and I will try and get some work done. Or maybe have lunch.