Mockingjay Part 2: The Conclusion of the series

                So today is the day The Hunger Games movies come to an end; Mockingjay Pt. 2 is officially out.  I went with a group of friends to go see the ‘advanced’ showing AKA what used to be known as midnight showings before they decided to put them at 7 or 8pm instead.  I have some thoughts on that change but that’s for another time, today I want to share my thoughts and feels of the concluding movie.  My review for Mockingjay Pt. 1 can be found here.

Rating:  5 Explosive Arrows!!!

                I am just in love with this conclusion.  Mockingjay was my least favorite of the books, and not just because of some deaths, but because it felt disjointed and rushed.  Some aspects were rushed wham bam next, and other aspects seemed to take forever considering the pacing of the other parts.  The movie did a great job in splitting into two movies and giving us more time to delve into some aspects.  I also give huge props for finishing up the movie without Philip Seymour Hoffman, I was unable to tell/notice while watching any scenes where he was digitally altered/added if it happened it was seamless and changing how some lines were delivered was just perfect. 

                Part 2 picks up just where we left off, Peeta and the others were rescued but upon seeing Katniss he goes into a blind rage and attacks her.  He does serious damage chocking her.  We find out he’s been hi-jacked, programed with tracker-jacker venom inducing fear and made to associate Katniss with fear and pain.  Horrible right.  Anywho we pick up with her throat still bruised but the brace coming off and her voice being rough from damage.  Still at war and trying to not lose momentum in the rebellion is key.  They need to move on the capitol but they still have other things to accomplish first.  And Snow isn’t going to make it easy for them.  Though when you’re not sure you completely trust Coin either it’s a hard place to be. 

                 I loved the visuals of the movie.  From the warn town areas to the capitols outlandish attire and fashion ideals and everything in between.  Peeta looks wrecked.  He looked like hell and given what he had been through it makes sense and looked real.  Then let us talk about the ‘games’ AKA traps.  They are insane.  That tar flood and the mutts!  Great stuff.  Really the mutts were beyond disgusting and creepy looking and sure to give small children nightmares and that tar, yikes not just water but tar.  The journey through it all was spectacular and the contrast from dark to light was on point back and forth seeing things from both sides, which again is something the movies were able to excel at and we didn’t get in the books. 

                Seeing how things went down from Snows POV was perfect.  It shows more depth to the character who wasn’t just evil for the purpose of being evil, he did have some qualities about him that make him seem human.  Do you like him?  NO!  But having him seem human was great.  Another aspect I enjoyed better for the movie was that they really worked on playing up some of the political/power play aspects and more of Coin and the not trusting her part.  The depth was nice and it made the ending resonate that much more.  We also got to see more of the ones we already love and learn a bit more about them like the propo-team, Cressida, Pollux, and Castor.  Favorites like Johanna and her spastic behavior and random outbursts add to the comic relief we find normally in Effie and Haymitch.  We also got to see more of Finnick and Annie!  Oh the wedding was just so sweet, made even more powerful given what you know he was put through not just in the games but as a victor sold out for the night.  I could name all the characters I really could because they did a great job and it was good to see familiar faces, like Commander Paylor, Boggs, Beetee, Plutarch L and new ones like Tigress.  All stunning performances. 

                 The cast did a stellar job and the story moved along and blended well, so well that even as I expected (and dreaded most) all the known deaths I still found myself shocked when they happened.  No amount of planning could prepare me for seeing it on the screen.  One particular death in the book I thought was moved through too quickly just there, bye, moved on; was given more depth and feeling which I loved.  Counter to that though I did find another death that was I believe several chapters and mental anguished for long gaps was over in an instant.  I am glad the long drawn out breakdown was played out differently but I wish they could have extended the emotion just a bit given how pivotal it was.  That was my only real complaint of the movie. 

                That’s all I really have to say.  It was amazing at keeping you on your toes.  Though I will say at certain parts I was the only one in my group who didn’t jump, just saying!  Though I did hold back tears better than I thought I would I still got teary at some parts I’ll tell you which in the comments if you ask.  I think this was a perfect wrap up to the series that is solid and true to the books.  I can’t wait to see it again and own it so I can watch it whenever I want and marathon the whole collection, because you know that needs to happen when it’s out!

                 Until next time…May the odds be ever in your favor.

Mockingjay Part 1!

The fire is catching.  If we burn, you burn with us.

                Total fangirl here.  That I think might be my favorite line in the movie and book.  Jennifer Lawrence did an amazing job with the delivery of that line.

                Yes I went and saw this movie this weekend.  Friday evening to be exact with an amazing group of people.  We had our white roses, our Effie themed glasses, and our Mockingjay pins.  We were ready.  I was up until 6am that morning re-reading Mockingjay, okay I couldn’t sleep so I decided to read instead of tossing and turning but towards the end I’m sure not putting the book down hindered the prospect of sleep.  I was ready.  I have been waiting for and wanting this since last year.  I had already talked with all my book people debating where it would end.  Where they would split the book?

               

                I was so close!  It was just where I thought but they added a bit more after, which I get.  You have to give those who didn’t read the book something to hold onto until next year.  Speaking of the split.  I know it has been a big issue with everyone splitting the last book to make more movies, dragging out the ending.  Sure you could look at it like that.  Or you could look at it as giving the movies ample time to tell the story without it being rushed.  With Mockingjay I was relieved they were splitting it.  The last book in the trilogy was my least favorite.  The end just felt, rushed.  It had some slow parts and then it had a lot of action that happened so fast you couldn’t appreciate what was happening or the deaths that were occurring.  For me it was a way to make the last book fuller, to flush out the things that had been rushed and as movies sometimes change things from their book counter parts, I would be okay with them making a few changes.

       

               One of those changes, which isn’t a spoiler, is Effie.  She wasn’t really in the final book, she wasn’t in District 13.  Having her in the movie, having her in such a different world and out of her flamboyant element was beautiful.  You get to see who she is as a person and not be disguised by all the hair, clothes, shoes, etc.  And seeing the usually colorful Effie in a new light was like seeing the series in a new light.  This book is much darker than the first two.  Sure they were never light and fluffy, but overall they are darker and more depressing.  And still in the most random moments there is the much needed levity to bring you up out of the whole.  Haymitch was good at that.  He was the Haymitch we all love, crazy, drunk, and a tell it like it is attitude.  Even sober he has that same qualities about him.

                 I can’t say enough about this movie.  I LOVED it.  It was everything I hoped it would be and more.  The acting by all parties was spot on and I had goose bumps through many scenes, despite the theatre being a tad bit toasty inside.  When Jennifer Lawrence started to sing the hanging tree song from the books, and how it played in was beautiful.  I’ve since listened to that song several more times. 

The relationships between the characters have changed, the whole story has changed.  They are now in a war.  Katniss is not just trying to survive but she is now the supposed face of the war.  Everyone is different; the games have destroyed Finnick, Katniss, and the other tributes. 

Basically this movie was WOW.  I give it a 5 Explosive Arrows.  This movie was so much better than I could have hoped.  It took the best parts of the book and it filled in the gaps with things we didn’t see from Katniss’s perspective in the Capitol and other Districts.  It gave be chill bumps and made my heart race.  I’ve been talking about it non-stop much to the cringe of my co-workers but I can’t wait to see it again.  Please share your thoughts below.  Were you excited they split the book into two movies?  Where you satisfied with where they decided to split it?  What did you think of the movie as a whole?  Tell me everything so that we can discuss. 

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

                So I have been super excited for this movie to come out.  My manager at work knows this as I have been putting in my request for the 21st off since March, though every time she turns it back saying it was too soon.  Well end of October I not only had my day approved off and plans with my Midnight Showing peoples, though now they have the showings at 8pm so it messes with our name, and my tickets.  For those of you who live under a rock, Catching Fire, is the sequel to The Hunger Games (my past review) and the 2nd book in the trilogy by Suzanne Collins (my review of the books). 

                For me Catching Fire was simply AMAZING!  Yes I am biased, due to the love I have for the series but still.  Yes there were differences from the book, some of the main ones behind in continuity with how they ended/changed book/movie 1.  For instance Peeta doesn't have his leg amputated at the end of book 1, so clearly he doesn't have that.  But over all everything flowed and it picked up after the first one just before the victors tour.  As a book nerd I would have loved some more details on the whole her and Peeta thing but they gave you enough but didn't bog it down and kept everything moving along. 

                We pick up just before the Victors Tour, before the next Games.  Though thanks to her defiance, now Snow has it in for her and they create a new game.  This is after all the 75th Games, the Quarter Quill and that demands a special game.  Their solution to make them special and eradicate the problem of Katniss and her species, the other victors per Snow, is to reap the contestants from the pool of victors.  Yep that guarantees Katniss is back again being the only female victor of district 12.  Now you are matched not just with competitors but people who have already won, already killed. 

                We still have out favorite characters, Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, Snow (come on you love to hate him), and some new ones as well.  Katniss is a tough girl who has spent her whole life trying to survive and now she is dealing with the aftermath of what the games did to her and this whole boy thing.  How is she supposed to have those feelings when her life and the lives of her family are in constant threat of loss, very rational.  Still she does care for both Peeta and Gail for different reasons and neither of which she completely understands which I liked.  It was a different take on the whole triangle romance.  She has her own junk to deal with so to speak.  Peeta, oh my Peeta, such a sweetie, so in love but hurt because he thought it was 100% real and unsure where to go.  He grows some more, it's hard not to when put through something like the games, and in that respect he can understand what haunts Katniss.  Haymitch, our drunken mentor from District 12, yes well he is a dear.  There is a clear understanding of why he is the way that he is now, they can see why he numbs the pain.  He also is torn trying to help both of them, both of his little birds even when their needs conflict.  Okay so with District 7 we have Finnick and Mags.  Mags is a sweet elderly woman who volunteers in the place of a younger woman and used to be FInnicks mentor.  She doesn't speak but she steals the scenes she's in.  FInnick sees to be a cool calculated contestant but his devotion to Mags shows a softer side (and I won't say more for fear of giving away something good).  I'm not going to do everyone I just realized how long this would be, but I will quickly do Snow.  He is the enemy, the President of the Capitol, who is in a war with the districts and himself.  He has lost his so well crafted control and let loose a spark of Hope.  In the books you don't get to see too much of him, just Katniss's reactions, but the movie does a good job of making this man so evil and sinister even while having midmorning tea.

            

    The story is fast moving, there is still plenty of action, suspense, and drama to go around.  I adored this movie for obvious reasons and I can't stop talking about it.  I will say take some tissues with you, I won't lie I balled like a girl at some parts, and had planned accordingly.  There a lot of good themes in this series, standing up, fighting the system.  Katniss, in an attempt to save herself and the life of someone she cares about she starts something she never could have imagined.  I give this movie 5 Flaming Arrows.  Have you seen it already?   Tell me what you thought below.  Did your own review, please share a link so I can check that out as well!  I know my least favorite part…waiting 12 months for Mockingjay Part 1. 

Rating:  5 Flaming Arrows 

                

The Hunger Games The Movie

                Okay so as you all know I went to see the midnight showing of The Hunger Games movie last night with friends.  I was so excited for this.  I re-read the book the night before, couldn’t sleep and all.  I couldn’t wait to see how they brought the book I loved to life.  And let me tell you I was not disappointed.

                So first off I loved the cast.  They did an amazing job with their roles.  Katniss is strong but also has some vulnerability just like in the book.  Woody Harrelson as Haymitch was brilliant.  He was everything I expected from the book, as did Lenny Kravitz as Cinna.  Effie was the great bit of comic relief here and there, she’s such an air head you can’t help but laugh.  I could spend so much time listing each person and how well they did but well I want to make this review semi short and to the point so let’s just say they did an amazing job. 

                Now the set, scenes, everything was so amazing.  I could totally see it, almost like how I pictured it.  Well…maybe not the make-up.  Because let me tell you, in the books they describe some of it and they talk about how outrageous…well yeah WOW the Capitol was just crazy.  I would look and think, I bet that hurts.  Or, how do they open their eyes with those huge eyelashes haha.  Great stuff.  District 12 was gritty and dirty, the woods a perfect little escape.  The entrance on the chariots, the fire was awesome and I was really curious how they were going to pull that off like in the book.  And her red dress was just as gorgeous.

                Now onto the most important part.  How it stands up to the book.  The book was better of course, they almost always are.  They have more time and can be way more detailed.  That being said I loved it.  Sure I noticed the little changes here and there and they sped things along in some areas but they stayed surprisingly close to the book.  I was not expecting things to be that close really and was pleasantly surprised.  Sure did I miss a couple of lines I really wanted to see?  Sure.  They didn’t give as much Haymitch as I’d have liked and they cut a lot of the cave scene but that makes sense when you think it’s already a two and a half hour movie.  They got the important parts in. 

                Along with that they also added other bits.  The books only focused on Katniss but we got to see things going on in the Capitol.  Things going on behind the scenes, and in the districts.  Things that if you read all the books you know happened but we get to see it and I think on their part was brilliant because it leaves it perfectly poised for them to do Catching Fire.  They also changed something at the end which I’m not going to lie I was perfectly happy with, since the book part made me sad so hehe selfish me liked that change.

                Emotionally it had me.  I knew going in I would probably cry like a baby in some parts.  I did.  Most of the theatre did too.  I won’t give out spoilers in case some of you have lived under a rock and haven’t read this yet.  Those who have you know what scene I’m talking about the most.  Yep lots of sniffling to be had.  I really felt for the characters, well the non evil ones anyways and those I just couldn’t wait until they got what was coming (then I giggled).  Oh and a side note that gets this movie extra points it made me jump.  Something happened and I for once wasn’t expecting it and I jumped slightly, not out of my seat or scream like some of the others but jerk back in my seat yes. 

                Well that’s all you get.  I don’t want to give too much away.  Just go see it!  You know you want to.  Even if by some chance you haven’t read the books you can totally enjoy it as an individual movie.  I can’t wait to see it again.  If you’ve seen it already tell me what you think.  If you have tickets tell me what you’re most looking forward to.  Share your thoughts on my review.  Oh and if it’s not clear…

Rating:  5 Arrows (fitting I think)