Non-Spoiler Hunger Games ...

[Morrison_Lad]

Can someone tell me, without spoiling the whole thing, whether it is a good story?

I know that there is another story about this. But I've never read the books or seen the films.

[JBK405]

From what I've heard (Heard, mind you) it's an interesting series of books that are quite enjoyable, but not quite as good as all the hype and hooplah have made them out to be.

Of course, since that's heresay, I'd take it with a grain of salt.

[Morrison_Lad]

From what I've heard (Heard, mind you) it's an interesting series of books that are quite enjoyable, but not quite as good as all the hype and hooplah have made them out to be.

Of course, since that's heresay, I'd take it with a grain of salt.

I'm curious as to the "changing" of the story, or something. Since I didn't read the books, I don't care, really. But I would like to know what I am getting in for. :)

[Laevatein]

The books kept me hooked as well as any I can remember, and I'm eagerly anticipating the movie.

[DungeonMasterJim]

Book one and two are pretty much identical. Decent but felt kinda movie franchise like. Book three wraps up the series (obviously) and looks at the some of the characters and their actions throughout the whole story. I didn't care for book three as much as 1 & 2 but overall the series was pretty good. I'd give it a 'B' if I was to grade it.

A nitpicky complaint on my part is that I really disliked most of the names of the characters in the books. Guys felt like they had girl names or just wussy names and the girls had odd names that left me rather disconnected to them because. I couldn't help but go 'Who'd name their kid that?'

[Kingsmythe]

I found book one rather predictable almost throughout. Book two had some interesting twists and a pretty good stunner ending. Haven't gotten to three yet.

[MacQuarrie]

What's interesting to me is how overtly political the books are, despite the complete absence of any lectures on the points Collins is trying to make. The third book in particular, since it deals with a revolution, is heavy with grey areas.

The second book is not a repeat of the first, it's a further exploration of the themes of the first, with some different twists and more attention to the background characters, and it serves to really showcase how corrupt and evil the Capitol is.

Katniss is not, and is not intended to be, a badass. She's a capable girl who fights for her life despite being terrified.

[Matt_Y]

A nitpicky complaint on my part is that I really disliked most of the names of the characters in the books. Guys felt like they had girl names or just wussy names and the girls had odd names that left me rather disconnected to them because. I couldn't help but go 'Who'd name their kid that?'

Hunger Names (http://hungernames.com/)


Your name is Oregano Hogsbriar

Congratulations! You had the honor of being a District 11 tribute in the 3rd Hunger Games!

You were killed by a swarm of monkey creatures.

[michealdark]

Your name is Patchouli Crabbletooth

Congratulations! You had the honor of being a District 10 tribute in the 62nd Hunger Games!

You were killed by unrequited love.

[Kingsmythe]

Your name is
Blight Franklewood

Congratulations! You had the honor of being a District 6 tribute in the 22nd Hunger Games!

You were killed by a tidal wave.

[Dragonbat]

Violet Crabapple

Congratulations! You had the honor of being a District 5 tribute in the 29th Hunger Games! You were killed by jousting.

[DonC]

I guess "good" would depend on your point of view. The target audience for the novel was teenage girls. And they seem to think, "OMG this is teh best book EVAR!!!!!!!! SQUEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

As an adult male, I thought it was an interest premise, poorly realized. In the book, characters like Katniss' sister and mother are paper thin and it lessens the emotional impact when Katniss volunteers to take her sister's place in the games. (I wouldn't call that a spoiler since it's in every trailer and TV commercial.) Also, the boys in love with Katniss are fairly interchangeable. Of course the plot is very straight forward so it doesn't really leave much room for character development.

The movie, from what I've read, is supposed to chuck most of the stilted text ("This bread came from District 11. I cautiously lift the still warm loaf. What must it have cost the people of District 11 who can't even feed themselves?") and strengthen the characters quite a bit. Hopefully it does because I know at least one of my friends or family will hold a gun to my head and make me go see it.

[Weeto]

The format of picking a group of people to fight to the death as individuals has been done several times before. To tread such worn ground means that you have to have your own unique selling point and I haven't read the book or seen the movie but it seems a bit too obvious how it will turn out.

About the only thing that made me interested in the movie is the casting of the beautiful Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. I thought she was great as Mystique in X-Men : First Class and I was looking forward to another appearance from her.

[Tegan]

I liked the first two books, but slowly grew to despise the main character, as she was entirely too self-centered. Not enough development of some of the secondary characters meant that moments that should have had massive emotional impact were just kind of... eh. I wasn't fond of the third book, although it definitely took the whole thing in another direction.

Overall I enjoyed the series, but I think the hype around it is not deserved.

[sk716]

Can someone tell me, without spoiling the whole thing, whether it is a good story?

I know that there is another story about this. But I've never read the books or seen the films.

You'll have to read the books and decide that for yourself. Good tends to be subjective. I'm a fan, but some others who have posted here are not.

[Morrison_Lad]

Well, I appreciate everyone's contribution.

I'll definitely see the film, since I'm a bit Jennifer Lawrence fan. I know the general gist of the story, but realize that they made some changes, from what I understand.

[Corrina]

I was just on a conference call with Nina Jacobson, who produced The Hunger Games.

Smart women. She's got me stoked to see the movie. My favorite quote: "Anybody who underestimates the power of girls in the marketplace does so at their peril." But she also talked about the big change from the book that you already see in the previews about the mockingjay, and a lot about what Katniss' core story is, which is that she's heroic because she's defending her family but it's not until all the events in the Games that she realizes there's an ethical line she won't cross to defend them.

[Morrison_Lad]

It definitely sounds interesting. I'm looking forward to it. I guess I'll have to actually move my butt and go out and see it in the theatre. :)

[Cassandra]

I just finished reading the first book and am excited to see the movie. I think this is a story that will look great on screen, a lot of it even feels written that way. I'm excited about having a female protagonist in a movie that (seems to be) aimed at young adults and above.



Your name is
Portia Etherdongle

Congratulations! You had the honor of being a District 11 tribute in the 14th Hunger Games!

You were killed by kissing the wrong person.
There I go again, always kissing the wrong person.

[Keith Richard]

Your name is Greasy Hedgecutter

Congratulations! You had the honor of being a District 10 tribute in the 69th Hunger Games!

You were killed by falling out of a tree onto a bear.

[Kingsmythe]

I just finished reading the first book and am excited to see the movie. I think this is a story that will look great on screen, a lot of it even feels written that way. I'm excited about having a female protagonist in a movie that (seems to be) aimed at young adults and above.



There I go again, always kissing the wrong person.

Silly Cassandra, you should be more careful about things like that. Especially with disreputable folks about. *smirk*

[michealdark]

I honestly thought that the special features were good, but could have been longer. A discussion of sociological, political, and psychological meanings of the story, like they sometimes do with the DC dvds (ie. the Gotham Nights DVD), would have been useful. They were still pretty good though. I stuck with the straight 2 disc DVD because there wasn't anything different on the blu-ray that I could tell.

[Karen El]

Jinstance Jambox

Congratulations! You had the honor of being a District 6 tribute in the 9th Hunger Games!

You were killed by falling out of a tree onto a smaller pointy tree.

I enjoyed the books, partly because I felt like they were doing something original with a protagonist. Wheras normally the protagonist starts out weak and becomes more and more powerful, here it felt like she started out competent, and over the course of the three books she's just utterly destroyed.

The movie was a decent adaptation. It missed a lot of Katniss' internal dialogue, of course, but that's very difficult to translate to film. I hope the sequels are as faithful, and they don't wimp out on the third one.

[michealdark]

I wonder how they're going to have Jen Laurence pull off Katniss' look at the end, because she ends up being heavily scarred IIRC (her exterior reflecting her inner state). I could see them doing a Cass Cain maybe; pretty face with a pretty wrecked but still tough as hell body.

[Morrison_Lad]

You know, since I got the Blu-Ray yesterday, I've watched it twice and watched all the extra features.

Honestly, if Jennifer Lawrence isn't nominated (which she probably won't be), then I'm going to be super-pissed. She is just amazing in this film, she obviously carries the whole thing as she's the p.o.v. character, and the sort of emotional power and development she imbues in the performance is the sort of thing you just don't see all that often.

Each time I watch it, I gain extra appreciation for just how excellent both her performance and the film itself were.

[MacQuarrie]

The girl can act. Plus she worked her ass off.

[Morrison_Lad]

The girl can act. Plus she worked her ass off.

Yeah. They talked a decent amount about what they put her through during weeks of physical training. There was everything from training her to be able to run the amounts she would have to while filming, to training to be able to climb the trees by working on rock climbing walls, to the obvious archery and weapons stuff, and all sorts of other things. She definitely worked her ass off.