Hunger Games
Oh, who can forget about the Hunger Games! I honestly had no idea what the fuss was about, but then Moogles3Ever started ranting about it and got me interested, not to mention all the publicity. It sounded like a huge thing. You can't ignore "the next Harry Potter or Twilight" (god, why must those two be lumped together?), after all. Despite the responses of some critics, I had to take a look.
I went to see the movie opening weekend with T, G, and G's sister and friends. T and I hadn't read the book - I've heard many "meh" things about it. T and I arrived downtown a little too early, had awesome burgers, and got in line over an hour early - there was already a decent line, which became huge, and my sister was already in it somewhere before us. XD G and company arrived much later, and we settled in.
I have to say I had a good time! I was probably most interested in the politics, and the action scenes were kind of annoying since they had to dumb down the violence since it was a kids' movie, so you really never knew what was going on. I also had lots of other complaints, though, including the few sponsor gifts during the games (after it sounded like they were a huge thing) and feeling like I was watching a Civil Rights documentary when District 11 rebelled. G and his sister told us about what the movie excluded, and T and I talked about the movie, our complaints and our praise, the whole ride home.
Anyhow, my siblings both read the book, got both my parents to read it, and of course I had to follow. Mind you, my dad and brother never read, so this was a truly amazing feat, and the last time this had happened since we all read Holes um...ten years ago (well, except my brother, since he was three). My dad, however, "hates sad things," so he didn't enjoy the book or really even the movie, because "it was about kids killing each other." I guess it's a little different when you're a parent, but you also have to realize fiction is fiction. He got mad at the Harry Potter series because he feels that it started out as a great kids' book, and then turned horribly dark and not-for-kids. This is just my dad's personal feelings.
The book did end up answering a lot of the questions I had from the movie, and I was a little disappointed they couldn't include more. Mainly I thought Katniss being able to understand Haymitch through the sponsored items was really fascinating, and that in itself answered a lot of my questions from the movie. Like why on earth Katniss gives herself away when Rue starts screaming. I liked that the movie was able to add things like the control panel scenes and whatnot, though. I also preferred the book where Katniss' feelings for Peeta are faked, instead of the movie where...well, Peeta's last words are "I don't want to forget"....the atrocities we just endured?! Oy.
Anyhow, after reading the book, I was intent on seeing the movie again, but this time as a family, since we rarely do anything all five of us anymore. We kept having to postpone it, but we finally went on the last day of Passover. We broke our horrible Passover died with movie popcorn, and then cheap dinner at a local food place. It was a good night. My brother had a lot to say and seemed to really like it, my sister said she regretted seeing it a second time and ended up trying to take a nap, and my dad just didn't like watching kids kill each other. Better not introduce him to Battle Royale.
The reactions of different political factions has also been interesting. From a more leftist standpoint, it's really the 1% completely ruing the 99%, to use the new lingo. But on a Fox news panel, someone said that
"I sparked up a conversation with [my son] Eric Chase about the central themes of the film; an out of control government so powerful, they’re able to demand fight to the death televised hunger games. And the very important sub theme of hope."
"Hope" more in the sense of "hey, if you win you can join us in the upper class," supposedly. Interesting stuff.
Wrapping up, I can see why so many people enjoyed Hunger Games, and I am interested in reading the other books. More politics ftw. That said, I do find it frightening that you have kids (my brother included) all "omg I wish I was in the Hunger Games!" and "District X is going to own y'all" without realizing what that entails. Yeesh.
Also, I know one of you did an in-depth review of the book I really would like to read now! Was it Farla? Act? Who dun it and where can I get a piece of it? :> Edit: Thanks, Moogles, it was indeed Farla. :>
Anyhow, to summarize, I'll just leave this here. XD
~Psychic
I went to see the movie opening weekend with T, G, and G's sister and friends. T and I hadn't read the book - I've heard many "meh" things about it. T and I arrived downtown a little too early, had awesome burgers, and got in line over an hour early - there was already a decent line, which became huge, and my sister was already in it somewhere before us. XD G and company arrived much later, and we settled in.
I have to say I had a good time! I was probably most interested in the politics, and the action scenes were kind of annoying since they had to dumb down the violence since it was a kids' movie, so you really never knew what was going on. I also had lots of other complaints, though, including the few sponsor gifts during the games (after it sounded like they were a huge thing) and feeling like I was watching a Civil Rights documentary when District 11 rebelled. G and his sister told us about what the movie excluded, and T and I talked about the movie, our complaints and our praise, the whole ride home.
Anyhow, my siblings both read the book, got both my parents to read it, and of course I had to follow. Mind you, my dad and brother never read, so this was a truly amazing feat, and the last time this had happened since we all read Holes um...ten years ago (well, except my brother, since he was three). My dad, however, "hates sad things," so he didn't enjoy the book or really even the movie, because "it was about kids killing each other." I guess it's a little different when you're a parent, but you also have to realize fiction is fiction. He got mad at the Harry Potter series because he feels that it started out as a great kids' book, and then turned horribly dark and not-for-kids. This is just my dad's personal feelings.
The book did end up answering a lot of the questions I had from the movie, and I was a little disappointed they couldn't include more. Mainly I thought Katniss being able to understand Haymitch through the sponsored items was really fascinating, and that in itself answered a lot of my questions from the movie. Like why on earth Katniss gives herself away when Rue starts screaming. I liked that the movie was able to add things like the control panel scenes and whatnot, though. I also preferred the book where Katniss' feelings for Peeta are faked, instead of the movie where...well, Peeta's last words are "I don't want to forget"....the atrocities we just endured?! Oy.
Anyhow, after reading the book, I was intent on seeing the movie again, but this time as a family, since we rarely do anything all five of us anymore. We kept having to postpone it, but we finally went on the last day of Passover. We broke our horrible Passover died with movie popcorn, and then cheap dinner at a local food place. It was a good night. My brother had a lot to say and seemed to really like it, my sister said she regretted seeing it a second time and ended up trying to take a nap, and my dad just didn't like watching kids kill each other. Better not introduce him to Battle Royale.
The reactions of different political factions has also been interesting. From a more leftist standpoint, it's really the 1% completely ruing the 99%, to use the new lingo. But on a Fox news panel, someone said that
"I sparked up a conversation with [my son] Eric Chase about the central themes of the film; an out of control government so powerful, they’re able to demand fight to the death televised hunger games. And the very important sub theme of hope."
"Hope" more in the sense of "hey, if you win you can join us in the upper class," supposedly. Interesting stuff.
Wrapping up, I can see why so many people enjoyed Hunger Games, and I am interested in reading the other books. More politics ftw. That said, I do find it frightening that you have kids (my brother included) all "omg I wish I was in the Hunger Games!" and "District X is going to own y'all" without realizing what that entails. Yeesh.
Also, I know one of you did an in-depth review of the book I really would like to read now! Was it Farla? Act? Who dun it and where can I get a piece of it? :> Edit: Thanks, Moogles, it was indeed Farla. :>
Anyhow, to summarize, I'll just leave this here. XD
~Psychic