
Welcome to the 74th Annual Hunger Games
Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which "Tributes" must fight with one another until one survivor remains.
Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
The Hunger Games is directed by Gary Ross, with a screenplay by Gary Ross and Suzanne Collins and Billy Ray, and produced by Nina Jacobson's Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. Suzanne Collins' best-selling novel, the first in a trilogy published by Scholastic that has over 23.5 million copies in print in the United States alone, has developed a massive global following. It has spent more than 160 consecutive weeks/more than three consecutive years to date on The New York Times bestseller list since its publication in September 2008, and has also appeared consistently on USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists.





Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen), Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark), Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinket), Liam Hemsworth (Gale Hawthorne), Woody Harrelson (Haymitch Abernathy), Lenny Kravitz (Cinna), Amandla Stenberg (Rue), Alexander Ludwig (Cato), Isabelle Fuhrman (Clove), Wes Bentley (Seneca Crane) and Donald Sutherland (President Snow)









Tributes are the individuals who are selected (via lottery) to participate in Hunger Games. Some individuals can choose to nominate him/herself in place of another elected tribute. There are 12 districts in Panem and from each district 2 individuals, one boy and one girl, are usually selected to participate in each Hunger Games. Here are the tributes for the 74th Annual Hunger Games:


Tomato-meter: 87% | 176 Fresh + 27 Rotten | 7.3/10 average rating (will be updated as more reviews are added to the site)
Hollywood Reporter said:Hunger Games has such a strong narrative structure, built-in forward movement and compelling central character that it can't go far wrong.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/re...view-jennifer-lawrence-josh-hutcherson-300825
The Guardian said:The Hunger Games is that rarest of beasts: a Hollywood action blockbuster that is smart, taut and knotty.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/mar/16/hunger-games-review
Total Film said:Like its source, this is both credible science fiction and a teen tale that doesn't patronise or pander to its audience.
http://www.totalfilm.com/reviews/ci...ss&ns_source=totalfilm&ns_linkname=0&ns_fee=0
Daily Telegraph said:Despite its well-worn ideas and themes, Gary Ross's provocative, pulse-surgingly tense adaptation couldn't feel fresher, or timelier.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/9146761/The-Hunger-Games-review.html
Variety said:What viewers are left with is a watchable enough picture that feels content to realize someone else's vision rather than claim it as its own.
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117947254/
Empire Magazine said:As thrilling and smart as it is terrifying. There have been a number of big-gun literary series brought to screen over the past decade. This slays them all.
http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=136210





France - 21 March 2012
Netherlands - 21 March 2012
Australia - 22 March 2012
Germany - 22 March 2012
Greece - 22 March 2012
Hong Kong - 22 March 2012
Hungary - 22 March 2012
Singapore - 22 March 2012
Brazil - 23 March 2012
Canada - 23 March 2012
Ireland - 23 March 2012
Mexico - 23 March 2012
Norway - 23 March 2012
Sweden - 23 March 2012
UK - 23 March 2012
USA - 23 March 2012
South Africa - 13 April 2012
Spain - 20 April 2012
Italy - 1 May 2012
Complete release dates

The Hunger Games trilogy is a young-adult adventure/science fiction series written by Suzanne Collins. The trilogy consists of The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. The book tells the story of what happened during the 74th Hunger Games and the domino effects that follows after its conclusion.
The Hunger Games trilogy story summary @ Wikipedia (SPOILER ALERT!)


If you're looking for films with similar theme as The Hunger Games to watch beforehand, check out the followings:

Battle Royale is based on Koushun Takumi's novel of the same name. It tells the story of 42 high school students who are picked by the government to participate in a deadly game. The story focuses on the friendship between the students and how quickly it unravels in the face of mortality. The film stars Tatsuya Fujiwara (Death Note), Chiaki Kuriyama (Kill Bill), and Takeshi Kitano (Hanabi) and directed by the late Kinji Fukusaku. (Original Theatrical Trailer) | (10th Anniversary Trailer)

The Running Man is a loose adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name. The film is set in dystopian America in the year 2019 where a popular television show called "The Running Man" exist. The show's main attraction is watching convicted criminals trying to escape death at the hands of professional killers. The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger (Terminator) and directed by Paul Michael Glasser (Trailer)

Hunger Games Official Site
The Capitol Information Network
Capitol Couture
To be honest, the casting are not exactly who I had in mind for the characters. Katniss, Peeta, Gale, and even Cinna are completely not who I imagine they'd be. But oh well, let's see if the casting director was right or wrong.
Anyway, please tag all spoilers/discussion about the book. Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor, etc, etc!