The best-selling The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins was adapted into four films, with the final book (Mockingjay) being split into two films. The trilogy is set in a dystopian country called Panem, where two adolescents (one male, one female) from twelve poverty-stricken districts are selected as "tributes" to participate in a televised fight to the death each year. The story explores themes such as authoritarian rule, discrimination based on class, resistance against injustice and inequality and the ethics of using peoples' suffering as a form of entertainment - all of which are still relevant to contemporary society. Each of the films also produced excellent soundtracks featuring songs inspired by (but not heard in) the films.
I read all of the the books first and I was pleasantly surprised by how well the film adaptations stayed true to the texts, with some deviations of course. In addition to the books, I purchased a collector's edition DVD box set of the films and all of the soundtracks (as well as a mockingjay pin) - so needless to say I would consider myself a fan. I recently started rewatching all of the films and decided to share my thoughts on each of them, as well as some of the highlights from each of the soundtracks. Major spoiler alerts for those who have never read the books or seen the films (where have you been??).
The Good
Liam Hemsworth as Gale
Gale calling Katniss "Catnip"
Effie's outfit for the District 12 reaping
The luxurious high-speed train to the Capitol (Amtrak could take some notes for improvements)
Lenny Kravitz as Cinna
Katniss and Peeta's "lit" costumes in the chariot parade
A young Björn Ironside from Vikings (Alexander Ludwig) - I hardly recognized him without his furs and eyeliner
Katniss shooting the apple in the pig's mouth to get the sponsors' attention
Katniss's flaming dress for her TV interview ahead of the games
Katniss unleashing the cracker jacker nest on the alliance
Peeta's "rocking" disguise
Katniss getting the medicine for Peeta's leg (an aside: I'm 99% sure the medicine in question was Zambuck from SA...that shit will cure anything)
Katniss and Peeta being declared joint winners
The Bad
The propaganda video ahead of the reaping
The head game maker's beard (which was also made fun in an SNL skit, with Bill Hader playing the game maker)
Effie's excessively powdered face
A drunk Haymitch looking like a busted Keith Urban
President Snow serving big Republican energy - ugh
The violent start to the games, somewhat reminiscent of a visit to a supermarket at the start of lockdown 2020 with people scrambling for pasta and toilet paper
Rue's death
Katniss and Peeta's intimate moment in the cave - all I could think of is that neither of them had brushed their teeth or taken a shower in days
The killer dogs
Highlights from the soundtrack, The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond
- Tomorrow Will Be Kinder - The Secret Sisters
- Safe & Sound - Taylor Swift Feat. The Civil Wars
- Come Away To The Water - Maroon 5 Feat. Rozzi Crane
- Run Daddy Run - Miranda Lambert Feat. Pistol Annies
- Nothing To Remember - Necko Case
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