Author Topic: Hunger Games Deux (Read 7658 times)

Jocassee · « **on:** March 22, 2012, 10:20:04 PM »

I unexpectedly scored a ticket to the midnight release of the aforementioned film. I am sitting on the probably-filthy floor (I haven't looked) of a theatre surrounded by teenage girls. Report to follow, probably after I've had my third cup of coffee tomorrow after getting to work at 8.

MillCreek · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2012, 10:29:13 PM »

Getting some good initial reviews. We will go in a couple of weeks, to the Cinebarre where we can eat and have an adult beverage while watching a movie.

RoadKingLarry · « **Reply #2 on:** March 23, 2012, 07:49:57 AM »

We saw a trailer for it the other night, it has potential depending on how preachy about what cause.

We did go see John Carter reasonably decent adaptation of the story. I enjoyed it.

Jocassee · « **Reply #3 on:** March 23, 2012, 08:37:55 AM »

For its credit, there is not an ounce of preachy, except what is found in the novel--which is, against an all-powerful, central government specifically and all governments who deal loosely with lives, in general, as well as the human race which seems bent toward violence.

The movie was well shot, emotionally gripping, but due to time limitations they were not able to cover all the themes that made the books so readable and engaging. That is however a weakness of the format (in my estimation), not the writers and makers of the film. Perhaps some of those themes will be touched on in the second two movies.

Highlights
Donald Sutherland as Snow
Opening scenes in District 12 look like they were shot in WV 60 years ago. Very good Appalachian (by which I mean desolate and poverty-stricken) feel from those scenes.
The guy with the long hair who plays the announcer does a really good job. Almost TOO good.

More to come if I think of anything else. I would recommend reading the books before seeing the movie.

RevDisk · « **Reply #4 on:** March 23, 2012, 10:01:59 AM »

Whoever did the countdown in the trailer did an awesome job. Need to learn to emulate it.

K Frame · « **Reply #5 on:** March 23, 2012, 10:27:33 AM »

This is a movie that is trending absolutely HUGE with teenage girls. According to one stat I saw, an unprecedented 96% of teenage girls have heard of Hunger Games.

What I'm seeing, though, is that while it's mainly a teenybopper flick, this thing is appealing to just about every one.

I'd never heard of the books before I saw the first trailer, and I'm freaking intrigued by the story line and have no doubt that I'm going to either watch the movie on Netflix or get it on my On Demand service.

Jocassee · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2012, 10:45:21 AM »

Quote from: Mike Irwin on March 23, 2012, 10:27:33 AM

What I'm seeing, though, is that while it's mainly a teenybopper flick, this thing is appealing to just about every one.

It seems to be popular with the Harry Potter/Twilight crowd. Possibly because of the underlying love story, which in the books says a great deal about pride, selfless love, and heroic sacrifice. And unlike Bella in the Sparkly Vampire series, Katniss of the HG books has a great deal that makes her desirable besides being merely available and cute (if not exactly lovable).

I doubt the teenagers are getting out of it what you or I would. But a good story is a good story and should be universally appealing.

The NYT wrote an excellent review on the flaws of the film which I don't want to link to because it might just plain spoil your enjoyment. I actually agree with their assessment completely (make a note, that is the only time I will agree with the NYT) however in the movie's case the sum is much more than the parts.
Thematically and visually the movie is still a cut far, far above what usually takes up space on theatre screens these days.

BlueStarLizzard · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2012, 03:00:00 PM »

Meh. I guess i'll habe to read it then.

To me it seems very deriviative. Particularly of Battle Royale.

Quote from: RoadKingLarry on March 23, 2012, 07:49:57 AM

We saw a trailer for it the other night, it has potential depending on how preachy about what cause.

We did go see John Carter reasonably decent adaptation of the story. I enjoyed it.

I want a Wola.

RevDisk · « **Reply #8 on:** March 23, 2012, 03:08:31 PM »

Quote from: bluestarlizzard on March 23, 2012, 03:00:00 PM

To me it seems very deriviative. Particularly of Battle Royale.

Close, but according to the author, off by circa 1900-2300 ish years. Lady who wrote the books claimed that Theseus and the Minotaur were primary inspirations. Plus reality TV.

freakazoid · « **Reply #9 on:** March 23, 2012, 03:17:50 PM »

Just woke up after having gotten back from seeing the midnight release.

I thought it was really good. I was surprised about how many people went to see it. Every theater room was showing it and the place was packed. Harry potter and twilight I'd heard a lot about before the movies came out so I wouldn't be surprised to hear them be packed, but I'd never really heard much about the hunger games books.

BlueStarLizzard · « **Reply #10 on:** March 23, 2012, 03:21:39 PM »

Quote from: RevDisk on March 23, 2012, 03:08:31 PM

Close, but according to the author, off by circa 1900-2300 ish years. Lady who wrote the books claimed that Theseus and the Minotaur were primary inspirations. Plus reality TV.

Gladiator style games in a distopian future is not an unheard of theme. Actually, it's a fairly commen one. Battel Royale and Hunger Games both use teenagers and a llottery system to decide the contestents. Other books and movies have used it as well with adult contestents.
Sorry, but I still think it is not all that an orginial plot or set of themes.

AJ Dual · « **Reply #11 on:** March 23, 2012, 06:31:30 PM »

I just like the fact that it's introducing at least a toe in the water to millions of teenage girls a little bit of good old fashioned dystopic Sci-Fi...

The next generation of ComicCon babes in chain mail bikinis, "Slave Leias", and Star Trek TOS Yeoman Skirts has to come from somewhere.

MillCreek · « **Reply #12 on:** March 24, 2012, 09:33:08 AM »

^^^ I am sure that omitting green-skinned Orion slave girls was merely an oversight.

AJ Dual · « **Reply #13 on:** March 24, 2012, 04:34:15 PM »

Quote from: MillCreek on March 24, 2012, 09:33:08 AM

^^^ I am sure that omitting green-skinned Orion slave girls was merely an oversight.

Well yeah, but I think it's best to reserve questions of whether or not the green makeup is you know... "everywhere" until they're certifiably over eighteen years old.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #14 on:** March 24, 2012, 11:26:14 PM »

Quote

Opening scenes in District 12 look like they were shot in WV 60 years ago. Very good Appalachian (by which I mean desolate and poverty-stricken) feel from those scenes.

Joc, you know some of the movie was shot up at Dupont State Forest about 10 mins from me?

RevDisk · « **Reply #15 on:** March 24, 2012, 11:37:06 PM »

Saw it. An excellent movie. Parts were dialed down in order to keep a PG13 rating. Hopefully there will be an uneditted cut someday. As true to the book as they could get with format, time and MPAA censorship. Surprised the MPAA didn't try to throw them an R anyways. The MPAA would be more sympathetic to the fictional form of govt in the movie than the heroes of the film.

I recommend seeing it on the big screen.

MillCreek · « **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2012, 10:52:06 AM »

http://thefw.com/hunger-games-spoofs/

Spoofs of the Hunger Games trailer. Some of them are just hilarious.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 25, 2012, 02:37:43 PM »

The board game is pretty funny.

Jocassee · « **Reply #18 on:** March 25, 2012, 10:18:16 PM »

OK. Went and saw it AGAIN this morning at the Cinebarre in Charleston with my brother and his new fiance. I actually liked it better this time around since I had an idea of where they were headed with it. First time around I was too focused on comparing it to the book, but I just let it take me this time for its own sake and really enjoyed it.

T.O.M. · « **Reply #19 on:** March 26, 2012, 09:51:45 AM »

Quote from: bluestarlizzard on March 23, 2012, 03:21:39 PM

Gladiator style games in a distopian future is not an unheard of theme. Actually, it's a fairly commen one. Battel Royale and Hunger Games both use teenagers and a llottery system to decide the contestents. Other books and movies have used it as well with adult contestents.
Sorry, but I still think it is not all that an orginial plot or set of themes.

I had a lit professor in undergrad who played a game with us. Our job was to name a work (film, television, book, etc.) and she would show us where in history that plot had already been written. Her point was that there was nothing new in the world of storytelling, only new ways to tell it.

As for me, with all of the hype, and having watched my 12 year old son read the book in 3 days, I started the book last Friday, and finished it last night. Good story. I like that the book is exposing our youth to the idea that a large centralized, all powerful government ain't always a good thing.

Now, I think I'll be shopping for bows for my son and myself. Any suggestions?

RevDisk · « **Reply #20 on:** March 26, 2012, 10:04:15 AM »

Quote from: Chris on March 26, 2012, 09:51:45 AM

Now, I think I'll be shopping for bows for my son and myself. Any suggestions?

A knife, a pile of wood, and a local deer population. Tell him some assembly required.

Na, start him out on something ok but not awesome. Cheap bows will just make him ditch the hobby. Expensive bows are bloody well friggin expensive. Arrows aren't cheap either.

Jocassee · « **Reply #21 on:** March 26, 2012, 02:29:56 PM »

Quote from: Avenger29 on March 24, 2012, 11:26:14 PM

Joc, you know some of the movie was shot up at Dupont State Forest about 10 mins from me?

Yeah somebody mentioned it to me this weekend, I did think on the second watching it was probably the parts around the creek. I think they filmed the parts by the lake at a place up off the BRP in NC.

brimic · « **Reply #22 on:** March 26, 2012, 02:46:48 PM »

Your archery form.
It sucks.

redscabbard · « **Reply #23 on:** March 26, 2012, 10:44:22 PM »

Now, I think I'll be shopping for bows for my son and myself. Any suggestions?

[/quote]

If you want to see if your son has any interest in archery, you can attend a 4H or DNR youth event. Most, if not all, have bows and all of the extra stuff to borrow, and the instructors are "certified".

http://www.4-hshootingsports.org/

At the training I just finished (yes, I am now certifiable) they suggested if you want to buy a bow, find a compound that is adjustable in draw length, so you can keep the same bow as he grows.

brimic · « **Reply #24 on:** March 26, 2012, 11:05:11 PM »

Quote

If you want to see if your son has any interest in archery, you can attend a 4H or DNR youth event. Most, if not all, have bows and all of the extra stuff to borrow, and the instructors are "certified".

http://www.4-hshootingsports.org/

At the training I just finished (yes, I am now certifiable) they suggested if you want to buy a bow, find a compound that is adjustable in draw length, so you can keep the same bow as he grows.

There's also NASP http://nasparchery.com/activea.asp?CompID=23&btnSubmit=ByFileCategoryID&cboApplicationID=321&cboFileCategoryID=962

They are pushing it fairly hard in my state, and quite a few schools have this program.

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Author Topic: Hunger Games Deux (Read 7658 times)