“…We’re fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self-destruction.” -Plutarch (from Book 3: Mockingjay)
I’d like to know in the comments how familiar you are with this series. Who your favorite characters are. And your feelings about the infamous love triangle. Whether you were Team Gale (Kale) or Team Peeta (Peenis). Lol.
I’m quite fond of the original trilogy but have yet to catch up on the prequels— the most recent of which, Sunrise On The Reaping, is due out November 20.
My older sister who is an English teacher introduced me to the series back when. Burned through Book One beneath palm trees, and attended the midnight mass with her for Movie 2: Catching Fire… I just rewatched the movies, as homework for the next EF montage.
James Newton Howard’s score is superb. Movie One in particular. Easy to take, good study music. Rooted in earthy folk, with modern and future techno flavors which also somehow feel organic. The whole orchestra can go big, like for a capital scene, but most of the arrangements are… I wouldn’t say minimal, just intricately quiet, and calming… like a babbling brook. I think using silence for the initial bloodbath at the cornocopia was a brilliant choice also.
Synopsis: The Hunger Games is set in the dystopian nation of Panem, where a wealthy Capitol rules over 12 oppressed districts and annually forces children to compete in a televised fight-to-the-death called the Hunger Games as punishment for a past rebellion. When teenager Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her baby sister’s place in the Games, she becomes both a reluctant survivor and an emerging symbol of resistance against the authoritarian regime.
Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is a sterling protagonist. Irresistible from the moment she volunteers as tribute to save Prim. Book One must’ve been a breeze for Suzanne Collins once she had this bird in hand. I’m using this exact beat to catapult the next montage. What a boost!
Experience Film
I’m totally unfamiliar with the series, book or film, just know the name. I like a few vintage dystopias, like Brave New World and 1984, that are prophetic or have social relevance. Maybe I should check this out?
Oh yeah, Hunger Games is for you!.. There’s no better modern dystopian. Culturally relevant. Very popular among Millenials and Gen Z in particular. I def recommend Book One. And Films One and Two. Star-studded cast you’ll recognize… The films all have long-winded setups which can be enjoyable or boring depending on your set and setting. Give it a go. And thanks for the feedback👍👋
Ive read the main trilogy 3 times, Snow’s prequel twice, and I will read Haymich’s prequel a second time before I watch the movie in November.
The main trilogy gets me everytime, each read is like the first time because there are a few years in between. My favorite characters are Finnick, Plutarch is a complex character as well, and of course my celebrity crush is Josh Hutcherson so Peeta is also a favorite despite the fact that he has close to no survival skills at all, but he gives Katniss more humanity. If I keep going I’ll just end up naming every character as my favorite 😂. They’re easy reads but leave a lasting impression.
I remember when I was 13 not wanting to read it just because it was popular, then ended up binge reading all three books in 2 days over the summer, I didn’t sleep until after I finished them😂
Most excellent! I wanna read the prequels this summer. Which one should I start with?.. A decisive vote for Peeta, love it. 🏹📘✌️
I honestly am not the biggest fan of Snow’s story, so I’d def go with haymich’s first
Okay that’s good bc Haymich’s movie comes out November.
I’ve never seen but might need to check it out! 🎬🍿
I was supposed to read The Hunger Games for summer reading, but I wasn’t much of a reader at the time. So I saw the movie instead when it first came out. I saw it by myself, but my brother has seen every sequel and prequel with me. I personally really like the franchise despite some of the weaker installments. The story never gets old.
I relate— hated summer reading up until late high school. Cool you’ve all the other movies with your brother.
I enjoyed the Lawrence films. I don’t recall the love triangle making much of an impact on me. I was more involved with Katniss surviving everything. As for the new releases, I’m too attached to what Lawrence achieved to make time for the new stories and characters. Maybe my mind will change in time.
I look forward to your next montage. 🥳
Just messaged you back🌞🙌
🤓🙌
How right Plutarch was! I must admit I know nothing about this series, and unfortunately, I can’t watch the video because it says “this video is not available!”. Still, I can imagine it might be an interesting disclosure.
May the force be with you, mate! 🖖
A good job….however, I am unable to give any other feedback on ‘The Hunger Games’!
Thank you💛
Hey EF! I like the original trilogy too but also haven’t caught up with the newer movies. I love Howard’s score as well, but can’t remember much about the movies, ahah.
Heyy, welcome back🎌 And thanks for this great feedback✌️
I watched the original movies and enjoyed them. I dont feel the pull to rewatched them but the message is powerful. It have me a post world war 1 vibe.
Haven’t yet got into the prequels, but im planning to. For sure it’s a defining series for your generation. Like Star Wars was for mine and Harry Potter for another. If you think about it all of them are essentially about fighting the regime.
Star Wars is really the GOAT— has become a defining series for about 3 consecutive generations. I understand you watched the originals in Slovenia with no subtitles or translation!…. I recently learned about the bloody Isonzo front in WWI and the mountain fortresses of Slovenia… What an insane time that must have been. Europe is forever scarred from that war… Yeah, “fighting the regime” is all I know this Episode. It’s the theme. I don’t have an appetite for much else.
Best wishes to you and the family. Have a great weekend my friend🥋🙏
P.S. still drafting the Enter The Dragon review… It’s proving difficult— I want to do it justice.
Cheers
know the series but never watched an episode; will, if it comes back on one of the movie channels; ‘video unavailable’ 🙁 loved Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in ‘Silver Linings Playbook’: watched over and over ….
Silver Linings is a favorite in my household. Go Birds.
I read the first trilogy, which was pretty good. I haven’t bothered with the follow-ups as I kinda feel like they fall into the “milking it” category. I wasn’t particularly invested in the love triangle but definitely feel like Gale was, uh, responsible for some stuff which disqualified him from being “good partner” material in the end.
Johanna Mason was easily my favorite character from the books as well a from the movie, because I’ve been a fan of Jena Malone since her “Donnie Darko” days. Sadly I feel like they left too much of her on the cutting room floor in the last movie.
You presence, as an expert of the genre, reminds me there are probs better modern dystopians. But perhaps none more popular.
I feel the exact same about Johanna, and Malone’s lack of screen time in the 3rd movie… I was really hoping I could use Malone’s scenes in Hunger Games as an extension of her character from Sucker Punch. But there’s very little to work with… The scene where she lashes out at Katniss in the hospital feels more like Malone’s genuine anger about being slighted by the production than it does the character’s anger. Vexing indeed.
Yeah, Plutarch says it all. I can stop my head from spinning, wondering why the world is upside down and inside out. Duuuuh. So obvious! Thanks, Plutarch, lol.
As for Hunger Games…we were a little too old to fully appreciate it. We were immediately annoyed when Peta (sp?) threw the bread into the mud. Like…goodwill undermined by lack of awareness of human dignity? I mean, there MUST have been somewhere drier he could have tossed it! lol
I’m a big Jennifer L. fan, tho. I first saw her in “Winter’s Bone” and was like, who is this chick? She’s amazing! Her acting chops aren’t really pulled forth in Hunger Games, I guess ’cause maybe they’re not necessary.
We liked the core of the idea, ’cause yeah, dystopia will happen 99 times out of 100 before Utopia every happens, but it felt a little hamfisted for us. Probably our age. 🙂
The fact you’ve seen Hunger Games is cool. They certainly have their flaws. Peeta— I had forgotten he tries and very nearly succeeds in killing Katniss with his bare hands… Twice!✌️ Can you believe that? And she still marries him. I think Josh Hutcherson does a great job at portraying a frustrating character. And J Law— her Winter’s Bone performance set the tone for this production. The crew knew they were working with a special actor. Thanks for the great comment, and made my day to see a new post from you— about a topic which truly demands laughter over tears…😭 (✌️)
I enjoyed this revisit of The Hunger Games. What still stands out to me is how well the first film balances the personal story of Katniss with the larger political world around her. The Capitol’s control of image, entertainment, fear, and public performance feels even sharper when watching it years later.
It is also one of those franchise starters that benefits from being revisited on physical media. The production design, costumes, arena sequences, and quieter character moments all play differently when you can sit with the film outside the pace of streaming. For collectors, it remains an interesting early entry in a series that became much bigger than a single YA adaptation.
E.F., I admit I only ever saw the original film. I have seen bits and pieces of the two movies that followed the original, so I “kept up” to some extent. Mind you, I liked that original well-enough. I think perhaps I anticipated a long franchise ahead, and decided to step away because I didn’t want to make that kind of investment in time. That being said, the prequel activity has certainly gotten my attention, and after reading this I am now wondering if I might re-enter this world. Enjoyed the read!