Neither had one. Rose didn't love Billy Zane in Titanic and there is nothing even approaching a love triangle in ST2009 on any level.
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The Hunger Games (Dir. Gary Ross) |OT| May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor
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Neither had one. Rose didn't love Billy Zane in Titanic and there is nothing even approaching a love triangle in ST2009 on any level.
I pretty much agree. Worst camera work I've seen in a long, long time. I'm not just talking about the shaky-cam either.
I didn't think the story was coherent. Maybe if you've read the books it was, but as a movie it didn't work. For example, Woody Harrelson's character being a mean drunk when we first meet him, then suddenly turning into a wise good guy, well except we never really get to see him actually giving much worthwhile advice or training Katniss. Lenny Kravitz' character came out of nowhere. Who is he? Why does he care about Katniss? If Peter Jackson adapted this book, those two bad characters would be turned into ONE atleast decent character.
Love triangle. Bleh. Just badly handled. Rue.. why was she sneaking around watching Katniss? No reason is given. Why did some of the 'tributes' gang up in the games? Why did Peeta join them? What was all the talk about getting sponsors about? It lead nowhere. Why are the burning clothes so impressive? Are we to believe it's some brand-new tech that Katniss just happened to be the first one to get? The riot scene.. wow. I was so close to bursting into laughter. So sudden, so badly shot. Made no sense.
And so on. It felt to me like a jumbled mess of someone's favorite passages from a book. As a movie it failed in almost every way. Only the premise, set and costume design, the mostly good actors, and imo the music saved it from being a total waste of money.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
I had teh same realization (I mean, her stylist is a major character and getting primped and pretty is part of the plot)-- but it didn't really detract from my enjoyment.
The emaciated actor market's not what it used to be.
Seriously though, this is a problem in the book, too. They make it out like she's staving, but she actually seems to have her shit together and have a better life than just about everybody in the District around her, save the one rich person she knows.
I didn't particularly like THG. I felt like Katness was reactionary for maybe 90% of the movie. She doesn't do things, rather things just happen to her and she reacts with the same :| expression.
The camera work was garbage shakey-cam to hide the fact that kids seem to suck at fight choreography. The dialogue was pretty bland. I thought there were moments of potential, like the uprising in District 11 that just fizzled out. The 1 and 2 District fighters were supposed to be bred to win the games, but they acted like idiots.
It seemed pretty insane to team up and then just fall asleep beside your enemy. I dunno about you but I'd be pretty worried about someone trying to stab me in my sleep.
For a movie about violent gladiatorial combat, there was very little gladiatorial combat. Even the training bit of the movie was less about training, and more about showing us the one thing each character was good at. They learned very little.
The camera work was garbage shakey-cam to hide the fact that kids seem to suck at fight choreography. The dialogue was pretty bland. I thought there were moments of potential, like the uprising in District 11 that just fizzled out. The 1 and 2 District fighters were supposed to be bred to win the games, but they acted like idiots.
It seemed pretty insane to team up and then just fall asleep beside your enemy. I dunno about you but I'd be pretty worried about someone trying to stab me in my sleep.
For a movie about violent gladiatorial combat, there was very little gladiatorial combat. Even the training bit of the movie was less about training, and more about showing us the one thing each character was good at. They learned very little.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
Katniss doesn't love Peeta either.
ChiTownBuffalo
Either I made up lies about the Boston Bomber or I fell for someone else's crap. Either way, I have absolutely no credibility and you should never pay any attention to anything I say, no matter what the context. Perm me if I claim to be an insider
Lenny Kravitz looked good ith gold eyeliner.
Officerrob
Banned
It really felt like pages of the script were just skipped over, leaving a disjointed narrative that only people who read the book would be able to piece together. Sure, everyone gets the overall story arch, but countless details along the way are just thrown around with little thought of why and how they are introduced. Just sloppy.
Fixed1979
Member
wow...you missed something.
And good to see the same people in here arguing the same points they did +1000 posts ago. Keep fighting the good fight.
KO Traveling Hobo
Member
lol.
I didn't read the book, and I didn't have trouble following anything. There were a few things I wasn't perfectly clear on, but it was pretty easy to fill in the gaps based on context and implications.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
Oddly enough, the movie actually fleshes a few things out that you have to infer in teh book, and for the better. The book is first person, so there are things Katniss is imagining must be happening that the movie shows-- and it's an improvement. Most memorably, Haymisch pumping up the sponsors.
Some of the exposition in the book is pretty bad, too, and the movie improved on that as well.
Some of the exposition in the book is pretty bad, too, and the movie improved on that as well.
I thought the movie was pretty good but nothing amazing. And now for some nitpicking!
- I hated the synthetic dogs. At first I was thinking they'll just raise them in tubes like they did the contestants. Then those 2 dogs appeared outta nowhere and I was like wtf?!
- Hated the fire scene. You're telling me after 73 Hunger Games before this, Woody's character failed to mention that this would happen if you get too far to the edge? I'm sure Kat have seen enough games to have seen this happen before.
- Hated the parachuted goods. It landed near Kat and beeped loudly. Oh ok, if I was another contestant, let's just follow that parachute, listen to that loud beeping sound, and ambush whoever attempts to grab it.
- I pretty much hated any outside interference or manipulation to the game.
- Hated the age range. Come on, how is a 12 years old going to compete with an 18 years old in a physically conditioned game? Each game should stick to the same age at least.
- Shaky cams
- I hated how choked up I actually got when Kat volunteered for her sister and how I especially got teary-eyed at Rue's death scene lulz. ;_;
RustyNails
Member
$155 million? what the what. I haven't even seen the trailer of the film yet. Mildly intrigued, but don't like PG13 shit especially when the movie deals with dark subject matter. Go full R rated or don't go at all. Oh well, I just might check it out this weekend. Waifu wants to, and the reviews aren't disappointing.
Messofanego
Banned
BTW, if you want to see something similar but way better is the Black Mirror (modern Twilight Zone by Charlie Brooker) episode, "Fifteen Million Credits" with the American Idol dystopic future of kids living in cubicles, having to earn credits to get a chance for fame, but sell your soul in the process. You also have to pay to remove ads.
If you liked Network, this episode is a must-see.
If you liked Network, this episode is a must-see.
I found hunger games more entertaining and visually stimulating. My gf also largely preferred HG to jc
KO Traveling Hobo
Member
1. She actually knew about that mechanic from watching previous games(iirc), and it seems reasonable that she wouldn't know how far she was.
2. The games aren't supposed to be fair, broski. They're supposed to punish the districts and provide entertainment for the capitol.
My review and keep in mind I have read and liked the trilogy:
Caught it last night with what was probably the worst crowd you could imagine. Me and the wife both liked the books and were pretty excited to see the movie. Caught the 1030pm show thinking it won't be too busy and while it wasn't it was packed with dudes you could tell were being forced to be there by their significant others (Twilight style).
So right off the bat you hear tons of shit comments, petty attempts at being funny (like when Prim is screaming after Katniss is volunteers), just being loud and obnoxious.
Anyway the positives:
-The reaping scene was done really well. In fact the District looked good. Better than I imagined they would handle it. The lack of music added a sense of dread which was perfect.
-Basically everything leading up to the Capitol is done extremely well.
-Everything they did in addition to the book was good too. The quick shots of the riots in District 11 after Rue. The scenes with gameskeeper and Snow. The added sports like commentary to explain to the audience what in the book is explained by Katniss. Or the flashback to her dad's death while she is hallucinating was great.
Negatives:
-They stuck too closely to the book and yet still failed to communicate some of the more interesting portions of the book. Since the book is from her POV, you read a lot of her thoughts which I at least found interesting. Like how she trusts no one, doesn't care for love, hates Peeta because she feels like she owes him, distrusts him more when he joins the Careers, and then really fakes a love angle for the cameras.
-In fact watching the movie you can't tell if she likes him or not at all. In the book its far more clear that she is playing it up for the cameras so she becomes a crowd favorite (to get more sponsors/help).
-None of them look sickly, hungry, or rough and tough. Rue looked perfect with her makeup even though she spent her days up in the trees.
-In the book, since its aimed at YA, not much time is dedicated to the killings but its made up for by going into detail about the struggles to find water, hunt, hallucinations, injuries, and calculations. You get none of that in the movie, or if they do include it, its sort of glossed over. She finds water right away. She finds the cave right away.
-How in the world did Peeta manage to paint his face, arms, chest, to blend in when he is supposed to be bleeding to death. And why is he bleeding to death? In the book its explained. In the movie we are just told "he is by the river". Why?
-Why does Peeta join the Careers? In the book it causes Katniss to hate him and completely distrust him. It takes her a while before she gets over it and realized it was part of his plan. In the movie that's not even addressed.
-In fact the whole fake in love with Peeta was handled so poorly that it played out more like a poorly handled HS romance where you are supposed to believe they are in love.
-If Peeta is supposed to be so strong, why does he look so weak?
-The CGI on the dogs, the fire suit, and the stadium was horrendous. Hope to god with the success they have had they up the budget to make it look respectable.
OVERALL I WOULD GIVE IT A "C+"
Just like with the books, the movies would be far better if they took the actual story and the interesting premise and fleshed it out more. It was a long movie but still felt like tons of details were left out and missing. Don't know how it played for people who didn't read the books but even for us the lack of some important detail was disappointing.
Should have added more flashbacks to explain the back story while she slept or was hallucinating.
Hope for the remaining movies they add more of their own ideas and rely less and less on the book material because even when they stick by the book they fail to highlight the best parts. And by add more ideas I mean expand on the sci-fi portions, handle the rebellion more realistically, and really highlight the dread that this mysterious oppressive future is supposed to make us feel.
EDIT: Oh yeah the shaky cam was annoying but I found it a clever way to get around the pg13 rating. This movie would have been just so much better if it was rated R and based on the books, not trying to retell the books.
Caught it last night with what was probably the worst crowd you could imagine. Me and the wife both liked the books and were pretty excited to see the movie. Caught the 1030pm show thinking it won't be too busy and while it wasn't it was packed with dudes you could tell were being forced to be there by their significant others (Twilight style).
So right off the bat you hear tons of shit comments, petty attempts at being funny (like when Prim is screaming after Katniss is volunteers), just being loud and obnoxious.
Anyway the positives:
-The reaping scene was done really well. In fact the District looked good. Better than I imagined they would handle it. The lack of music added a sense of dread which was perfect.
-Basically everything leading up to the Capitol is done extremely well.
-Everything they did in addition to the book was good too. The quick shots of the riots in District 11 after Rue. The scenes with gameskeeper and Snow. The added sports like commentary to explain to the audience what in the book is explained by Katniss. Or the flashback to her dad's death while she is hallucinating was great.
Negatives:
-They stuck too closely to the book and yet still failed to communicate some of the more interesting portions of the book. Since the book is from her POV, you read a lot of her thoughts which I at least found interesting. Like how she trusts no one, doesn't care for love, hates Peeta because she feels like she owes him, distrusts him more when he joins the Careers, and then really fakes a love angle for the cameras.
-In fact watching the movie you can't tell if she likes him or not at all. In the book its far more clear that she is playing it up for the cameras so she becomes a crowd favorite (to get more sponsors/help).
-None of them look sickly, hungry, or rough and tough. Rue looked perfect with her makeup even though she spent her days up in the trees.
-In the book, since its aimed at YA, not much time is dedicated to the killings but its made up for by going into detail about the struggles to find water, hunt, hallucinations, injuries, and calculations. You get none of that in the movie, or if they do include it, its sort of glossed over. She finds water right away. She finds the cave right away.
-How in the world did Peeta manage to paint his face, arms, chest, to blend in when he is supposed to be bleeding to death. And why is he bleeding to death? In the book its explained. In the movie we are just told "he is by the river". Why?
-Why does Peeta join the Careers? In the book it causes Katniss to hate him and completely distrust him. It takes her a while before she gets over it and realized it was part of his plan. In the movie that's not even addressed.
-In fact the whole fake in love with Peeta was handled so poorly that it played out more like a poorly handled HS romance where you are supposed to believe they are in love.
-If Peeta is supposed to be so strong, why does he look so weak?
-The CGI on the dogs, the fire suit, and the stadium was horrendous. Hope to god with the success they have had they up the budget to make it look respectable.
OVERALL I WOULD GIVE IT A "C+"
Just like with the books, the movies would be far better if they took the actual story and the interesting premise and fleshed it out more. It was a long movie but still felt like tons of details were left out and missing. Don't know how it played for people who didn't read the books but even for us the lack of some important detail was disappointing.
Should have added more flashbacks to explain the back story while she slept or was hallucinating.
Hope for the remaining movies they add more of their own ideas and rely less and less on the book material because even when they stick by the book they fail to highlight the best parts. And by add more ideas I mean expand on the sci-fi portions, handle the rebellion more realistically, and really highlight the dread that this mysterious oppressive future is supposed to make us feel.
EDIT: Oh yeah the shaky cam was annoying but I found it a clever way to get around the pg13 rating. This movie would have been just so much better if it was rated R and based on the books, not trying to retell the books.
I guess you could feel that way but to me the movie is already long. I just took it as fill in the blanks with context and inferment. The drunk trainer just sobered up when he saw potential as opposed to dead men walking, the boy joined forces because he was obviously trapped and trying to survive, Lenny kravitz character doesn't really like the games and simpathized with her protecting her sister, the love triangle seemed fake and more of a bond of hardship than real love. Going in to all these would add another half hour to the movie.
I saw it on Friday, thought it was really good other than the shaky cam. I like the books, so I can't claim to be impartial but I feel like it was a good movie on its own. It was pretty faithful to the book, but everything that was different was better.
About the fire thing, they didn't do a great job explaining this in the movie, but the Hunger Games are vastly different every year. It's a huge event in a customized arena, and the trainers and tributes have no idea what it's going to be like. They do not, automatically, start a fire and shoot fireballs at any tribute who gets close to the edge every year. In fact, slight SPOILERS, but in the books some characters do reach the edge without any (immediate) interference.
About the fire thing, they didn't do a great job explaining this in the movie, but the Hunger Games are vastly different every year. It's a huge event in a customized arena, and the trainers and tributes have no idea what it's going to be like. They do not, automatically, start a fire and shoot fireballs at any tribute who gets close to the edge every year. In fact, slight SPOILERS, but in the books some characters do reach the edge without any (immediate) interference.
Officerrob
Banned
What exactly did you find visually stimulating in hunger games?
Houston3000
Member
I saw the movie last night... I never read the books.
I thought it was good.
If I had to hold any major criticisms against it it would be against the minor characters. Woody Harrelson's and Lenny Kravitz's roles especially, made practically no sense with the way they acted. The shaky cam was particularly annoying but only during a few scenes. Overall it was a fun watch, and the entire packed theater here in New York seemed to be pretty into it (people cheering, laughing, clapping, etc)
I thought it was good.
If I had to hold any major criticisms against it it would be against the minor characters. Woody Harrelson's and Lenny Kravitz's roles especially, made practically no sense with the way they acted. The shaky cam was particularly annoying but only during a few scenes. Overall it was a fun watch, and the entire packed theater here in New York seemed to be pretty into it (people cheering, laughing, clapping, etc)
It wasn't so much that things were hard to follow, the basic plot is pretty straightforward. But a lot of strings were thrown out here and there and went nowhere. And basically the whole training and "impress the sponsors" part of the movie could have been cut out and it wouldn't have made ANY difference. Just about nothing that happens in that part has any bearing on the actual 'games'. They don't even do a good job of introducing the other tributes.
And another thing, President Snow's motivations felt really unclear. Did he specifically not want anyone from District 12 to win, or did he not want anyone but the "career" guys to win?
Yeah you can piece together stuff yourself, but it's bad storytelling. For christ's sake just look at the "love story".
The city characters, the president especially, the drab disctrict, forest scenes, I found the lead visually appealing, I found the hallucinations and nervous blur effects engrossing. The only thing that bothered me was the ENTIRELY needless shaky cam.
Jc was sand and dirt with the occasional blue thrown in. Costumes seemed cheap and cheesey. It just didn't flow to me at all. It isn't hard to be better than jc IMO.
williamsan
Member
This movie disturbed me deeply. It was a good movie but man I just couldn't stop thinking if I were to be dropped in the hunger games, what would happen, how fucked up it would be. I don't know. I read the book in preparation for this but the movie still caught me off guard.
malingenie
Member
Liked the movie, was meh about the book (it put me off for the rest of the series). Anyone else feel this way?
There were some glaring omissions in the movie that had me wondering were the series is going. These things I thought would be important for the trilogy, which again, I didn't continue.
Like:
There were some glaring omissions in the movie that had me wondering were the series is going. These things I thought would be important for the trilogy, which again, I didn't continue.
Like:
no explicit mention of genetic engineering or the girl that had run away and had the tongue cut out
the 2nd part of your spoiler is definitely a head scratcher because its a continuing plot line throughout the other books, especially the 3rd
also, haymitch's behavior is just taken for granted until it gets explained in the 2nd/3rd books as well.
dskillzhtown
keep your strippers out of my American football
I saw it with my wife over the weekend. It was a pretty good movie. I had no problem following the plot so not sure how people are seemingly confused at parts of the movie. Maybe I am easily pleased, but I had a good time with it.
Sho_Nuff82
Member
She kissed a boy. Nevermind that she openly says that she doesn't want kids, with the implication that one day they will probably have to die in the arena. I'm convinced that everyone who is claiming "lol Twilight" is trolling at this point. Katniss is not Kristen Stewart's robotic princess. Peeta is not sparkly Edward. She spends a few moments in the arena
crying and gritting her teeth over 3rd degree burns and having to bury an impaled 12 year old who saved her life
We'd at least run away from the Cornucopia.
dskillzhtown
keep your strippers out of my American football
I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of romance in the movie. I expected "Twilight Games" going in. I even got a little 'dust in my eyes' at that spoiler.
Wow, this is EXACTLY how I felt - If I hadn't read the books, so much would have made absolutely NO SENSE. I realize there are inherent problems with adapting a book into a movie, but many things could have used a bit of explanation for the non-book viewers, just to round the movie out. When I finished with the movie, I thought it was the perfect movie to receive one of those "uncut, director's edition with 30 additional minutes!" blu-rays.
That said, I still enjoyed the movie quite a bit.
They used it in the trailers in a very classy way.
Definitely.
Whenever the games get boring, the gamemaster does "something" to liven it up or bring the tributes closer together. It isn't ALWAYS fire. Sometimes it's a flood. Sometimes it's bees. Sometimes it's a feast.
You don't know whats coming you simply know it's coming. Katniss spent a lot of time in the booking wondering when such events were going to happen. Unfortunately, with the lack of inner dialogue here, we never really got a taste of her knowledge in that area.
You don't know whats coming you simply know it's coming. Katniss spent a lot of time in the booking wondering when such events were going to happen. Unfortunately, with the lack of inner dialogue here, we never really got a taste of her knowledge in that area.
I read the books and could answer a few of these things but you're right, many of those story elements weren't made very clear. It seemed they were banking on people having read the book which is never a good idea.
malingenie
Member
Me too. This elevated the movie in my esteem. They could have easily gone the "Team Peeta" route.
Edit: Funny story... my GF who hasn't read the books was like: "The guy is a baker... and his name is Pita?"
keltickennedy
Member
Why are people talking about the "love triangle"? I mean, there isn't one. The romantic feelings between Pita and Katniss are purely made up. It is created simply so they have a chance to get more sponsors and survive the games. It is Pita that is the one that seems to get attached.
The main thing I hated about the movie was seriously the crowd. All the fucking carried over Twilight fans oooooing and ahhhhing at the littlest sign of romance. Fucking kill me.
The main thing I hated about the movie was seriously the crowd. All the fucking carried over Twilight fans oooooing and ahhhhing at the littlest sign of romance. Fucking kill me.
harriet the spy
Member
Having never read the books, my wife and i thought it was clear
.
she does not actually like Peeta
Keylime
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I think the folks who read the books are underestimating how much the movie actually does get across without having knowledge of things in the books. I didn't read the books and was able to pick up little tidbits that the book-readers in the group were freaking out that no one would have known had they not read the book.
Agreed with most of the stuff you guys are saying in regards to the camera work being weird and the moving seeming rushed...but overall I wasn't sitting in my chair confused about who people were or what their motivations were or anything like that.
I was foolish to go into this thinking it was going to be LOTR style epic. It ended up just being an adequate movie instead of an awesome one. My wife liked it enough as did my cousin who both read the books...but they wouldn't shut up about what the movie DIDN'T do. It seems like this movie may have missed more with people who read the book than those who didn't. As someone who didn't read the book, I think the movie did fine at telling the story it tried to tell...it just wasn't that deep and the action wasn't well shot.
What could have been a 10 ended up being something closer to a 6 or 7.
Agreed with most of the stuff you guys are saying in regards to the camera work being weird and the moving seeming rushed...but overall I wasn't sitting in my chair confused about who people were or what their motivations were or anything like that.
The sponsor stuff made sense to me. I didn't think anything more about Rue following Katniss around than just being intrigued with her. She's a young kid and Katniss is the star of the show so she cuddles up with her. Made sense to me without spelling it out. People forming alliances made sense to me even if they were from opposing districts...didn't need an explanation for that. The love triangle thing was called out clear enough from my POV. There was no doubt in my mind that Katniss cared about Peeta as a friend and a person, but didn't truly love him (or at least didn't think she did) during the Hunger Games and that it was largely for show. I didn't question or care about how the stuff in the chamber was working. You just have to accept that it was because that's all they gave you. Whatever. I got that Katniss had no intention of killing herself at the end with Peeta and that it was a gamble to save them both. Body language spelled all that out.
The movie had faults in general, but I didn't think understanding the content being presented was one of them. The characters could have surely been done with a bit more detail or backstory, but I don't think the movie really suffered as a result of them not being fleshed out more. If anything I would have done up the Rue character more so her death would have hit way harder than it did.
The movie had faults in general, but I didn't think understanding the content being presented was one of them. The characters could have surely been done with a bit more detail or backstory, but I don't think the movie really suffered as a result of them not being fleshed out more. If anything I would have done up the Rue character more so her death would have hit way harder than it did.
I was foolish to go into this thinking it was going to be LOTR style epic. It ended up just being an adequate movie instead of an awesome one. My wife liked it enough as did my cousin who both read the books...but they wouldn't shut up about what the movie DIDN'T do. It seems like this movie may have missed more with people who read the book than those who didn't. As someone who didn't read the book, I think the movie did fine at telling the story it tried to tell...it just wasn't that deep and the action wasn't well shot.
What could have been a 10 ended up being something closer to a 6 or 7.
keltickennedy
Member
It is Pita that is the one that seems to get attached
He doesn't
"get attached". He already had feelings for her way before the Games.
Also, Peeta.
My group didn't know. We all thought it was stupid and highschool-y. If they conveyed that more clearly I would have actually really enjoyed the movie. When I thought it was real I just rolled my eyes.
Baggatoast
Member
The movie didn't establish
Catniss's feelings for Gale. Also, the movie did a terrible job explaining the rules of the Hunger Games.
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