The Hunger Games - Part 1

[Hush]

Seeing it on sunday morning, Did they leave alot out of the movie that was in the books? I gave the book a 10/10 but what would you guys give the movie?

They adapted it wonderfully and cut what should have been cut and added generously in the right areas the right way. It was a great adaptation and it makes a great movie. Having Collins co-write was ingenious and clearly helped. These books were written cinematically anyway, they were gonna be easy to adapt. Like I said before the performances were awesome and Flickerman was practically torn from the page and Tucci is chameleon like in the role. If there was a weak character it was Haymitch, they really toned him down and I feel that lessened him in a way, Harrelson was all wrong if you asked me and seeing him with a bad wig did nothing for me. As an adaption I give it a 10/10.

 

[marvelman2006]

They adapted it wonderfully and cut what should have been cut and added generously in the right areas the right way. It was a great adaptation and it makes a great movie. Having Collins co-write was ingenious and clearly helped. These books were written cinematically anyway, they were gonna be easy to adapt. Like I said before the performances were awesome and Flickerman was practically torn from the page and Tucci is chameleon like in the role. If there was a weak character it was Haymitch, they really toned him down and I feel that lessened him in a way, Harrelson was all wrong if you asked me and seeing him with a bad wig did nothing for me. As an adaption I give it a 10/10.

thats great to hear. I thought the same of woody harrelson too, he almost seems too flashy for the role. I wanted to see it tonight or tommorow but I will let the mad rush pass first.

 

[jacobed]

I thought Harrelson was great. He like everyone was just perfect for the role

 

[Blue Sugar]

Seeing it in an hour. Sooo excited!!!

 

[rashad]

'Games' nabs $18 mil-plus at midnight bow
Pic on track to score around $120 mil three-day bow
By Andrew Stewart


Early returns from Thursday midnight screenings of "The Hunger Games" are tracking between $18 million and $20 million, validating predictions of an outsized hit for Lionsgate's biggest bet yet.

More bullish estimates late last night had pegged midnight grosses for the film in the $25 million-$30 million range.

The closest midnight comparisons are "The Dark Knight," which earned $18.5 million in midnights, and "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," with $22.2 million.

Neither of those films provide much clarity in predicting three-day grosses for "Hunger Games," since "Dark Knight" bowed during the summer with $158 million -- the second-highest opening of all time. "Half-Blood Prince," meanwhile, bowed on Wednesday and in three days collected $77 million.
But by no means is a commensurate bounty for "Games" in the bag: Bizzers are estimating a $120 million- $125 million three-day haul.

Why? For starters, "The Hunger Games" has an older audience that will catch it when crowds subside. Also, the film's March launchpad doesn't have the same breadth of out-of-school teens and tweens as a summer or holiday bow, though a portion of Stateside students are on spring break.
Finalized midnight earnings are expected to come later this morning.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118051818

 

[terry78]

Foreshadowing for a pretty good ass opening weekend.

 

[ALP]

Everyone I know is excited about this. I won't get to see it until Sunday though, which is not a bad thing because it's not opening in IMAX until then in my town.

 

[gugumugats]

I thought this movie was great (I'm also one of those that read the books beforehand). Pretty good adaptation of the book and I felt like there were some improvements.

Also wanted to say that Jennifer Lawrence is a GREAT actress. I would fan-cast her as WW.

 

[Lobo]

I'm still debating going tonight, if I go next weekend I can go free.

 

[Solidus]

I enjoyed it, at the end there was some weak points in the acting, but up to that it was strong performances. I enjoyed myself.

I find it interesting everyone keeps saying how it borrows from Battle Royale. I'm trying to get a hold of my high school literature teacher, he had a sci-fi class and this old blue book from the 80's that had lots of short stories. One of them was in the future where countries no longer war with each other, they each just send one person to fight in this arena, that is like a forest, and everyone watches on TV and there is only one survivor. It was written in the 60's or 70's. It was a small short story, and the book was blue, and it just said "Science Fiction" vertically on it. I'm trying so hard to find it.

But I just find it funny people keep saying its like Battle Royale, when both of them really took more from this short story.

But regardless that's nothing against this film, I did enjoy it. I kinda wonder if there will be some kind of extended cut on Blu or something?

 

[rashad]

The Hunger Games Earns $19.7M at Midnight Screenings
Source: Lionsgate
March 23, 2012

Lionsgate released The Hunger Games in 2,565 theaters at midnight where the big screen adaptation earned an impressive $19.735 million, which is a record for a non-sequel, the seventh-highest midnight gross of all time, and the highest IMAX non-summer, non-holiday, 2D opening of all time.

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=88328

 

[mclay18]

Foreshadowing for a pretty good ass opening weekend.

More proof that you can have big blockbuster movies any month of the year. First it was 300, Alice in Wonderland, and now this film. If Lionsgate is smart, they'll get someone to script Mockingjay and schedule that one for March 2014.

I also think this bodes well for next year's The Host adaptation, which opens the same weekend this film is.

 

[marvelman2006]

This movie aint messing around. If I hear one more radio guy say its the new twilight I may explode......

 

[Project862006]

dont know why they keep saying that first of all for there to be a love triangle one of the lovers has to be in the book for more than a few chapters(Gale)

 

[:eek:]

More proof that you can have big blockbuster movies any month of the year. First it was 300, Alice in Wonderland, and now this film. If Lionsgate is smart, they'll get someone to script Mockingjay and schedule that one for March 2014.

I also think this bodes well for next year's The Host adaptation, which opens the same weekend this film is.

Since all these movies have been released in March (and I think March have always been the biggest month outside the summer amd holiday seasons) it's hardly proof of "any month".

But, yeah, I doubt releasing a movie like The Dark Knight Rises in April or September would hurt it. Perhaps blockbusters wouldn't open as big in those months as they do in summer, but I'm sure they would have stronger legs and win in the end because of weaker competition

 

[danoyse]

dont know why they keep saying that first of all for there to be a love triangle one of the lovers has to be in the book for more than a few chapters(Gale)

I'm not seeing the movie until tomorrow, but I heard that in the movie [BLACKOUT]you do get to see Gale's reaction watching Katniss and Peeta during the games on TV, including their kiss,[/BLACKOUT] so that definitely heats up that whole 'love triangle' aspect more than the first book did.

But I agree, the only thing this story has in common with Twilight is that two boys are in love with the same girl, but even then that's still such a side story to the whole trilogy.

 

[marvelman2006]

I'm not seeing the movie until tomorrow, but I heard that in the movie [BLACKOUT]you do get to see Gale's reaction watching Katniss and Peeta during the games on TV, including their kiss,[/BLACKOUT] so that definitely heats up that whole 'love triangle' aspect more than the first book did.

But I agree, the only thing this story has in common with Twilight is that two boys are in love with the same girl, but even then that's still such a side story to the whole trilogy.

It drives me bonkers all day so far these disk jockeys saying it but ultmiately you can tell they have no clue what there talking about. Even further now with that if a "young adult" novel turned movie comes out people immediately say oh its another twilight so it will be girl driven. I personally know it isnt and thats all that matters but the ignorance sometimes just baffles me.

 

[OsGom]

I saw it last night and as a fan of the books, I would give it 8/10.

Jennifer Lawrence was awesome and many of the smaller players nailed their roles. i thought Tucci and Banks were both standouts. I think Harrelson also did a great job but I thought they didn't do enough to show how broken Haymitch really was. They might be saving it until the next movie but he was pretty messed up through most of the first book. I think filmmakers missed some opportunities with his character and his interactions with some of the other players.

I also thought that Cinna was a little under utilized and his relationship with Kat wasn't nearly as developed as in the book.

I also felt that filmmakers didn't really show how harsh life was in District 12 or the level of oppression that Districts experienced. I thought the stuff they added with Snow was okay but it didn't demonstrate scope of Capitol tyranny.

I thought Josh was okay as Peeta but Liam as Gale was a little weak.

However, overall i thought they did really well sticking to the book and JLaw was STRONG in the lead role.

I highly recommend.

 

[ALP]

Hunger games has an 87% on RT

 

[Raiden]

I thought Josh was okay as Peeta but Liam as Gale was a little weak.

I heard Liam has a very small role in the movie as Gale.

 

[gugumugats]

More proof that you can have big blockbuster movies any month of the year. First it was 300, Alice in Wonderland, and now this film. If Lionsgate is smart, they'll get someone to script Mockingjay and schedule that one for March 2014.

I also think this bodes well for next year's The Host adaptation, which opens the same weekend this film is.

I think the script for Mockingjay has already been fast-tracked and is scheduled for a November 2013 release. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Can't wait for this movie.

 

[gugumugats]

I saw it last night and as a fan of the books, I would give it 8/10.

Jennifer Lawrence was awesome and many of the smaller players nailed their roles. i thought Tucci and Banks were both standouts. I think Harrelson also did a great job but I thought they didn't do enough to show how broken Haymitch really was. They might be saving it until the next movie but he was pretty messed up through most of the first book. I think filmmakers missed some opportunities with his character and his interactions with some of the other players.

I also thought that Cinna was a little under utilized and his relationship with Kat wasn't nearly as developed as in the book.

I also felt that filmmakers didn't really show how harsh life was in District 12 or the level of oppression that Districts experienced. I thought the stuff they added with Snow was okay but it didn't demonstrate scope of Capitol tyranny.

I thought Josh was okay as Peeta but Liam as Gale was a little weak.

However, overall i thought they did really well sticking to the book and JLaw was STRONG in the lead role.

I highly recommend.

I actually thought they did more with Haymitch in the movies versus the books. I really got a sense of his biterness and anger from his reaction to the Capitol children play-fighting the Hunger Games. I also liked the scene showing how he collected sponsors for Katniss.

On a sidenote, I'm going to get all Twi-hardy (I don't care much for Twilight but I dont hate it, it gets kids to read) and say that I am Team Peeta. My gf on the other hand is team Gale. This is my reasoning:

Team Peeta = it's the woman's job to take care of their man
Team Gale = it's the man's job to take care of the family.

I also want to add that this Hunger Games is one of those examples where criticizing something (cheesy romances to cater to audiences) actually kind of promotes it.

 

[DarkSovereignty]

I caught the mid night release last night with some friends. I've never read any of the books (though now I plan to) and I have to say I really liked it. my only gripes were the shakey cam and the editing at certain parts, it took getting used to. the only thing i down right hated were the fans in the audience, my god they're almost as bad as the f***ing twihards. they sucked the momentum out of almost every scene because they just couldn't ****, laughing at every little thing, freaking out whenever Peeta was on the screen. something dawned on my though, and I may be wrong, but I picked up on a satirical element in the movie (not sure if its in the books) but it looked like they were satirizing audiences who get so ridiculously involved in the characters. all I could think was "I wonder if these girls realize that they're the ones being satirized?"

 

[gugumugats]

I caught the mid night release last night with some friends. I've never read any of the books (though now I plan to) and I have to say I really liked it. my only gripes were the shakey cam and the editing at certain parts, it took getting used to. the only thing i down right hated were the fans in the audience, my god they're almost as bad as the f***ing twihards. they sucked the momentum out of almost every scene because they just couldn't ****, laughing at every little thing, freaking out whenever Peeta was on the screen. something dawned on my though, and I may be wrong, but I picked up on a satirical element in the movie (not sure if its in the books) but it looked like they were satirizing audiences who get so ridiculously involved in the characters. all I could think was "I wonder if these girls realize that they're the ones being satirized?"

Yeah, i mentioned that in the above post. I really like Hunger Games and how relevant it is to zeitgeist. A critique on the unreality of reality shows PLUS a commentary on income inequality. I really don't get the Battle Royale comparisons, especially when Hunger Games has enough differences to stand out and become more relevant to American society today than BR is (stupid comment by me given that BR is Japanese).

Funny how things work out. At least Hunger Games/Twilight got those teenage girls to read. We just need schools to teach them HOW to read critically.

 

[LexCorp]

For some reason a girl and guy were at the showing last night dress as Wolverine and Harry Potter......