The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) - Part 1

[MrMaooz]

I hope it takes it. Not just because I loved the movie more than IM3 (and I'm one who actually did love IM3), but also because it would be awesome to see a blockbuster with a kick-ass female lead dethrone one of Hollywood's biggest and most-beloved superheroes to be the #1 movie of the year. What a lovely message that would send to some of the more thick-skulled studio execs out there.

As a male, I don't approve. Give me those *****ebag men as leads!

 

[Superhero 101]

Just came back from this movie and Man I am not huge Hunger Games Fan saw the first one without knowing much about it and I liked it but this movie was unbelievably entertaining and a really incredible film Totally enjoyed it I think It is my favorite movie this year.

 

[Still Wynning]

You mean the part with the arrow was brilliant, or the twist at the end?

I was really impressed by the part with the arrow. I didn't think the first movie's ending could be topped, and then, boom !

Such a powerful moment in the film.

Spoiler

For the entire film, Snow and Plutarch are trying to take advantage of Katniss, who is in a very vulnerable state, and try to corrupt her status as a symbol of hope into something that will turn all her followers against her and end their resistance against the Capitol.

However, in a moment of clarity, as an ultimate act of defiance against the Capitol, she, literally and symbolically, takes something of theirs and turns it against them. The Arena, a long standing symbol of strength and oppression against all of the Districts, is finally brought down to the ground, symbolizing the beginning of the end of the Capitol's long reign of tyranny.

Katniss' vulnerability becomes her greatest strength. The Capitol's strength becomes it greatest weakness.

"There's always a flaw."

 

[Teelie]

I hope it takes it. Not just because I loved the movie more than IM3 (and I'm one who actually did love IM3), but also because it would be awesome to see a blockbuster with a kick-ass female lead dethrone one of Hollywood's biggest and most-beloved superheroes to be the #1 movie of the year. What a lovely message that would send to some of the more thick-skulled studio execs out there.

I agree. I have absolutely no problem with strong female leads and maybe now we'll get some more of them with The Hunger Games' success.

There's no problem with it. I don't think it emasculates men to be secondary to a strong female lead, it's not about being "dominated" by a woman or whatever studio execs have in the minds for women not being in a position of power.

Slow as the wheels are in Hollywood, they are rolling forward.

 

[DarthDorranceBane]

Is splitting the last book of these film adaptations going to be the new trend in Hollywood?

 

[Octoberist]

it's ben a trend since Potter.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Is splitting the last book of these film adaptations going to be the new trend in Hollywood?

Sort of.

Making as much money as possible has long been a trend. And they've recently come up with this way of achieving it.

Harry Potter, Twilight, Hobbit, Hunger games. You gotta milk the franchises for everything they've got. Because history shows that's where the big money is, not "original" films.

 

[DA_Champion]

I agree. I have absolutely no problem with strong female leads and maybe now we'll get some more of them with The Hunger Games' success.

There's no problem with it. I don't think it emasculates men to be secondary to a strong female lead, it's not about being "dominated" by a woman or whatever studio execs have in the minds for women not being in a position of power.

Slow as the wheels are in Hollywood, they are rolling forward.

It's not just about a female lead. Sucker Punch, Elektra, and Catwoman all had female leads, and their performance was ... unfortunate.

I think it comes down to telling a good story. What it comes down to is that HG:CF is simply a better movie than those other non-stories trounced at the box office.

HG:CF really makes Thor, Iron Man 3, Star Trek into Darkness, and Man of Steel look like they were rush jobs, with the screenplays composed by lazy writers embedded in a cloud of pot smoke, and probably just generally incompetent. It was just so refreshing to see an action movie with good dialogue, characters with distinctive personalities, act 1 tying into act 2 and tying into act 3, a climax resolution that isn't based on pseudoscience or brute force but rather on brains and that ties into the point of the story, and a compelling and believable villain.

 

[DA_Champion]

Such a powerful moment in the film.

Spoiler

For the entire film, Snow and Plutarch are trying to take advantage of Katniss, who is in a very vulnerable state, and try to corrupt her status as a symbol of hope into something that will turn all her followers against her and end their resistance against the Capitol.

However, in a moment of clarity, as an ultimate act of defiance against the Capitol, she, literally and symbolically, takes something of theirs and turns it against them. The Arena, a long standing symbol of strength and oppression against all of the Districts, is finally brought down to the ground, symbolizing the beginning of the end of the Capitol's long reign of tyranny.

Katniss' vulnerability becomes her greatest strength. The Capitol's strength becomes it greatest weakness.

"There's always a flaw."

How would you compare it to the ending of the first one?

 

[Persona]

i loved this movie.

it's not perfect. there is some stuff in the first hour and a half or so that feels a bit rushed (i get that they already had a 2 1/2 hour movie on their hands, but i do think there was trimming they could have done here and there to allow some of the other scenes to breathe a tad more...though part of it may have just been the editing in general, some of the dialogue scenes, while featuring strong performances, felt a tad awkward due to how they were cut together). also, the IMAX was not especially kind to some of the traditional photography.

but once we get in the arena...DAYUM. maybe i'm just a sucker for IMAX-shot stuff, i dunno, but TDK in IMAX was one of my favorite movie-going experiences on a visceral level, and speaking purely in that visceral, aesthetic sense, this now might be a close second. i'm a bit amazed that they were able to shoot that big a chunk of the film on location with IMAX and it feels effortless. in fact, i think there is something about shooting in IMAX that can bring out the best aesthetic qualities of technically adept directors like Nolan and Lawrence. the limitations of shooting with those huge cameras really force the crew to think through every shot carefully in order for it to work and for there to be as little possible waste of time and expensive resources. with Nolan i feel like it brings out an almost Kubrickian feel to his setpieces. with Lawrence it seems to create an uber-lush canvas that has this incredible sense of detail and space when it comes to the action.

so, yeah, i am bummed that there won't be any IMAX for the next two movies (though my wallet's surely fine with it). i also echo the sentiments of those who have serious trepidation about Mockingjay being split into two parts. having read the books, the twists here were no surprise but Lawrence and his actors did a great job of milking them for everything they were worth. it does create a lot of cliffhanger momentum going into a final act that is now split in two parts and while i can see the last movie being good, i am having a very difficult time imagining what's gonna keep this next one from just being a whole lot of set up. maybe very well executed and acted set up, but a bunch of set up, nonetheless. really struggling to fathom what they could possibly add to the narrative that would help this next one stand on its own effectively.

if it weren't for that i'd be super pumped about this series now.

 

[Teelie]

It's not just about a female lead. Sucker Punch, Elektra, and Catwoman all had female leads, and their performance was ... unfortunate.

I think it comes down to telling a good story. What it comes down to is that HG:CF is simply a better movie than those other non-stories trounced at the box office.

Yes, and those were all terrible movies for that very reason: The studio execs all but guaranteed they'd fail by going with poor stories and bad choices in almost every way. It's a self-fullfilling prophecy they've done for decades. Making those movies fail is their way to justify not having strong women leads. And none of those were strong leads either, just poor substitutes.

Why that has perpetuated is a well-trodden discussion that's finally moving to its inevitable end. With the Hunger Games showing a strong female lead and a good story, not just some pretty face with no personality and a laughable "story," it's time to see some real attempts made again. Jennifer Lawrence didn't need to wear some overly revealing costume or do anything incredibly stupid either furthering that goal.

 

[dark_b]

what a mediocre movie. in the second act i said i am going to give this movie a 9/10 because i like JL. i am going to be a fanboy and do what fanbyos do. but i can not to it.

did i just pay money to watch a 2 hour pilot for a tv series? this was a f... movie?

 

[DA_Champion]

what a mediocre movie. in the second act i said i am going to give this movie a 9/10 because i like JL. i am going to be a fanboy and do what fanbyos do. but i can not to it.

did i just pay money to watch a 2 hour pilot for a tv series? this was a f... movie?

I guess a small number don't like this movie -- happens.

 

[dark_b]

good acting,good story,good themes. but as a whole movie? its like watching the second POTC

 

[mclay18]

To them that would just mean casting Jennifer Lawrence for everything, not that females can make money.

Bingo. It would be nice if Catching Fire is the catalyst that gets female-driven hero films like WW or Cap. Marvel off the ground, though.

 

[Teelie]

I guess a small number don't like this movie -- happens.

There always are. Few movies ever get universal praise. The best movie ever will still have its detractors for whatever reason they have. Even excluding those people who are just hating for the sake of hating.

 

[Persona]

good acting,good story,good themes. but as a whole movie? its like watching the second POTC

this confuses me. you make it sound like you think it's good in just about every way that matters but because it's the middle chapter of a larger narrative and doesn't resolve the conflict that will be continuing in the next two movies...for that reason it's bad?

 

[Iceman]

Really looking forward to seeing this on the weekend. If I had a daughter I would hope she would be more into this than Twilight!

 

[Red Mask]

I loved watching this film with my friends. They didn't have the problem of camera shake like in the 1st film. The plot points were well chosen from the book. I'm glad Effie was better developed too because the book made her seem too superficial and a social climber.

On the subject of women in action leads, Hollywood isn't completely against making them. They just don't push hard enough. Emmanuelle Chriqui and Emily Osment will be starring in "Cleaners" as a pair of hired guns. It's not a convincing plot but Hollywood shouldn't have to try too hard. It's all for fun, right?

 

[Iceman]

Wow, I didn't follow the box office recently. Almost $300m already and almost the same abroad. This is a monster!

 

[flickchick85]

To them that would just mean casting Jennifer Lawrence for everything, not that females can make money.

Oh believe me, I'm not expecting the message to get through their thick skulls in one go. It's just a nice stepping stone toward them eventually getting a clue, lol.

 

[Loki882]

I would have thought that Angelina Jolie and Kate Beckinsale's success would have already gotten that point across, guess not.

 

[TheJediBrah]

And we're right back to assuming that everyone knows better than the studios with their "thick skulls"

internet logic

 

[flickchick85]

And we're right back to assuming that everyone knows better than the studios with their "thick skulls"

internet logic

So just so we're clear...you think the studios are NOT slow on the uptake that people actually want to watch females lead stories that aren't rom-coms? Or you believe their current output is sufficient with regards to female representation?

 

[Octoberist]

And we're right back to assuming that everyone knows better than the studios with their "thick skkulls"

internet logic

No it's basic logic that studios can be the types who who can be decades behind. But sometimes green lighting a film series like Hunger Games is a stroke of genius that can turn heads. Not that they're any smart people on top but there are many be extremely ignorant an disconnected from how the world works. Hence films like Battleship and City of Bones.

Look at the Internet and how it threatens Hollywood, from Netflix to Kickstarter. They're constantly being challeged and that's a good thing. Time to shake up the status quo.