HUNGER GAMES

Have you read the book?  Have you seen the movie? I will try to give you a few of my thoughts about both without giving away too much.  I hate it when someone spoils it for me. 

 There were something like 97 people in front of me for the first book at the library, so I got on Amazon and ordered all three, together.  They arrived last Tuesday.  On Friday night, I went to bed at 8 p.m. and finished the book by 9:30 p.m.  (Going to bed to ready, really early on a Friday night is one of my favorite things to do.  I don't get to do this very often.)  First of all, I found the theme of young people killing young people to be a disturbing theme for a Y.A. (Young Adult) book.  But look at other controversial books that are popular with young adults- The Giver by Lois Lowry,  The Harry Potter books, Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, the list goes on and on.  As one who has a degree in English, if it gets young adults to read, I applaud it.  And I applaud a book with a strong female protagonist.  I would have totally been the girl with the bow and arrow scampering about in the woods.  I was a Girl Scout, back in the day I had archery in gym class.  I probably wouldn't have tipped the Tracker Jacker nest, because I'm allergic to bees and I probably would have done myself in.

 

 If you haven't read the book, read it.  Before you see the movie.  To me, the movie was a shell.  Framework.  I've read where people are raving at how wonderfully it captured the book.  I disagree.  The movie had snippets.  Flashes.  Literally flashes. Which was a cool way to cover the story.  I guess there is no way to truly capture an entire book on film. 
This movie will affect the world of fashion.  The Effie Trinket look:  (played by Elizabeth Banks)

 It already has.

 If you've seen the movie, did you notice the scene where Katniss has the red dress on and the gems are glued to her skin?  That will be the rage at prom this year. 
Was this beard a one take?  I doubt men will go for this look because it is too much trouble, but you may see more men wearing beards, or trimming them differently than before. 

And was this the best casting of all?  Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman?  Does he do an outstanding job with any role he plays?  (This will be a popular costume, come Halloween, among other Hunger Games costumes.)

 Now here is what I have to say about the love triangle-  I would never go for the quiet brooding boy.  Liam Hemsworth plays Gale Hawthorne and hates the Big Brother government and isn't afraid to say so but is more tight lipped when it comes to confessing his feelings for Katniss.
This is the way to catch this girl:  throw me a loaf of bread.   Along with some (real) butter and he would have me literally eating out of his hand.  I would much sooner go for the baker's son than a guy that runs around in the woods killing defenseless animals.

 And that is when I would want that first kiss, too.  The white t-shirt, the apron, flour dusted upon his skin. Smelling of the best cologne ever- the smell of bread.  Not in the woods after days without a toothbrush or a shower.  Ick.  And add a gaping leg wound?  I would faint at the sight of all of that blood and puss.  Someone asked me if I thought  Josh Hutcherson was cute as Peeta Mellark.  Those big brown eyes?  Yes. 

And Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen?  Yes.  With brown hair?  Yes.  I read they hired a special trainer to teach her how to shoot a bow and arrow and scamper about in the woods.  I read that the last day of her movie training she ran full force into a wall.  How blonde of her.  Maybe she hadn't colored her hair, yet.  O.k.  Enough tacky comments. 
The book grabs hold of you and keeps you.  In the end, you just want to find out what happens.  I thought it was a bit predictable.  Am I the only one?  While watching the movie, I was just tense.  Because I knew what was going to happen.  I do think if you see the movie without reading the book, you might not understand parts of it.  (For example, the coal mine accident scenes.)  Am I the only one? 
Oh, and may the odds be ever in your favor.