Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Welcome to District 12's Holiday Gift Guide




It's that time of the year, and we've got some recs for some super awesome gifts for the Hunger Games fan in your life.

1. "The Odds Are Never In Your Favor" Items by Panem Propaganda on Cafe Press

Our friends at Panem Propaganda have designs on Cafe Press, and we love their "The Odds Are Never In Our Favor" design, and you can get it on phone cases, bags, shirts and so much more!

2. Mellark Bakery Apron by StudioVim on Etsy

For the baker and Peeta fan in your life! 

Wonderfully detailed, these Catching Fire Barbie dolls are great for collectors or just someone who likes Barbies. These guys are still available at some Targets and Toys 'r' Us as well!


If you've checked out our review of these chocolates, you'll know that we're big fans. Buy the library to give your chocolate-loving loved one a taste of each district and a pretty cool box. Or check out which Districts your local Walgreens has and stock up on stocking stuffers!


For those who'd like a Hunger Games statement piece, this bangle is for them! Each one is made to order, and the colors appear more vibrant when worn or under bright lights.


Take your pick. Every knitwear lover screamed "WANT!" at Katniss's cowl in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and there are plenty of interpretations of the piece out there on Etsy.


Decorate your tree with these beautiful handmade ornaments.


Tick tock, the arena's a clock! Get this to help your friends and family know which section of the arena to avoid. It might just help save their life.

We know it's all about Catching Fire this year, but this is a wonderful item to get for fans of the first movie. From the description:
Only 100 of these extremely rare lithographs from the blockbuster movie The Hunger Games were ever made! Sold by Target to celebrate the DVD release of the movie in 2012, these high-quality lithographs are hand-signed by the 10 actors who played the main Tributes in the movie, including the big 3. 
Autographed by: 
Jennifer Lawrence ("Katniss Everdeen") - D12
Liam Hemsworth ("Gale Hawthorne") - D12
Josh Hutcherson ("Peeta Mellark") - D12
Jack Quaid ("Marvel") – D1
Leven Rambin ("Glimmer") - D1
Isabelle Fuhrman ("Clove") - D2
Alexander Ludwig ("Cato") - D2
Jacqueline Emerson ("Foxface") - D5
Amandla Stenberg ("Rue") - D11
Dayo Okeniyi ("Thresh") - D11 
Each signed lithograph is matted, framed and ready to hang! Measures 26.5x20" and comes with a hand-numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
Hunger Games Examiner's Sara Gundell wrote this biographical graphic novel of Suzanne Collins. We wrote a review back in 2012, so grab this for a chance to find out about her inspirations to write our favorite book series.


Christmas is only a week away! There's still time to get some of these items by Christmas, and if you're buying on etsy, well... perhaps you can get it by New Years!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Jennifer Lawrence and 'Atlas' by Coldplay receive Golden Globe Nominations!

Aaaaaand we have more award show news.... and probably more to com!

Jennifer Lawrence has (again) been nominated for a Golden Globe:

Best supporting Actress in a motion picture
Sally Hawkins - "Blue Jasmine"
Jennifer Lawrence - "American Hustle"Lupita Nyong'o - "12 Years a Slave"
Julia Roberts - "August: Osage County"
June Squibb - "Nebraska"
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
"Atlas" - "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire""Let It Go" - "Frozen"
"Ordinary Love" - "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom"
"Please Mr. Kennedy" - "Inside Llewyn Davis"
"Sweeter Than Fiction" - "One Chance"

LA Times


 Also, Atlas by Coldplay was nominated for a Grammy!

AtlasGuy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin, songwriters (Coldplay)
Track from: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Label: Universal Republic; Publisher: Universal Music Publishing MGB Ltd.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Jennifer Lawrence is Nominated for a SAG Award!

images courtesy of Fox Searchlight/AMC/Columbia Pictures


The Screen Actors Guild Awards nominees were announced early this morning and Jennifer is nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for playing Rosalyn Rosenfield in American Hustle! Also nominated for the category are Lupita Nyong'o, Julia Roberts, June Squibb, and Oprah Winfrey!

The cast of American Hustle is also nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture!

I haven't seen American Hustle, but I am sure her chances are great! What do you guys think?

LA Times

Who is ANTONIUS?!



The Hunger Games fandom was surprised and confused this morning when Lionsgate broke the news that Prison Break's Robert Knepper has been cast as.......Antonius?

You may be wondering..... Who the HELL is Antonius?

The most likely answer would probably be that it is a new character. Since they are splitting the film (and rightly so) this is allowing for extra scenes to round out storylines. We saw what amazing things Francis did with extra scenes in Catching Fire, so I would not doubt the same would be true for Mockingjay. If this makes you nervous, I really wouldn't worry about it as Francis has said about Mockingjay (the same for Catching Fire) he wants to make the book.

In our series Mockingjay Mockup, we've always mentioned how they are going to definitely add scenes for whats going on in The Capitol. Peeta and Johanna are there, therefore I'm sure we will be getting far more scenes with what's going on on their end.

The most likely? He's a new character. But where does he fit in? He could be on Snow's team, something to do with Peeta's storyline (yikes!), a member of Coin's team (that's my guess), or part of the military party that is the Star Squad.

My very first theory was that Antonius was Dr. Aurelius. For those who don't remember, Dr. Aurelius is the doctor who is a key witness in Katniss' trial that helps her go free. He's a very important character, and Katniss' trial is something I am really looking forward to in the movies. But alas, there are issues with this thought. Aside from the fact that it would make his name sort of silly (Antonius Aurelius? Julia Gulia?), I'm sure if this were the case they would have included his last name so that the public can identify the character is playing. Since they did not, I think it's unlikely that he is Dr. Aurelius. Sad face.

I think Francis Lawrence has more than proved his worth and I completely trust him with any big decisions such as a new character. I hope we don't have to wait a whole year to find out who he is, but I guess only time will tell.

*Update* According to The Wrap, he is on Snow's team. They refer to him as "Snow's minister".

What's is your Antonius theory?

Saturday, December 7, 2013

The Doctor Games

Finally the world of Doctor Who and The Hunger Games come together in hilarious fashion:



Thursday, December 5, 2013

Alan Ritchson announces Catching Fire DVD/Blu-Ray Preorder for Target!



Alan Ritchson (Gloss in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire if you, for some reason, have not seen the movie yet) announces the AWESOME Catching Fire DVD/Blu-Ray for Target! It is $24.99 and available for preorder at Target.com/CatchingFire.

The set includes:

Exclusive free fabric poster ($9.99 retail value) with any pre-order purchase.

Target Exclusive (45 minutes of content):
• “ONE VISION” (A FAITHFUL ADAPTATION)--translating Suzanne Collin’s source material to the big screen
• “THE ALLIANCE” (RETURNING CAST)—an inside look at the close-knit relationships of the returning actors
• “FRIEND OR FOE” (NEW CAST)--finding the perfect embodiments of the new characters

Additional Special Features (over 2 hours of content):
• Filmmaker Commentary
• 9-part Making-of Documentary
• Deleted Scenes
• Divergent Sneak Peek


You can read more about the Target Exclusive content here.

SO MUCH EXTRA STUFF WOOO!!!!

from abullseyeview.com


Target
abullseyeview.com

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Panem Run Review




If you haven't heard, YES there is a Catching Fire game and YES it's totally awesome.

Panem Run is a runner game (like Temple Run), but out of all of those out there I truly believe this is the most fun. At the moment there are three districts you can run through: 4, 5, and 12. In addition to all the usual runner elements, you can do things like collect items to craft not only your powerups - but different arrows to use in the archery bonus round. Here's what we had to say about the game --

Courtney: Panem Run takes the typical runner game and customizes it extremely well to the The Hunger Games brand and even takes it a few steps further. Not only can you increase your power ups by collecting different items in different districts, you can craft different arrows for the archery section. The visuals keep you on your toes the farther you get, in which several moving parts of scenery that include district obstacles that can land in front of you at a second's notice. You can earn points for your district and race your friends (or strangers) via Internet. This game proves to be delightfully challenging, visually engaging, incredibly interactive (in all the good ways), all the while turning a runner into what all other runners should aspire to be.

Tiffany: Panem Run is a fun endless runner game that throws a social aspect in the mix. If you are familiar with Temple Run or Minion Rush, you’d get the idea. But it is the Facebook integration and social aspects that really help this game. If you connect the game to your Facebook AND you have been given a District via theCapitol.pn, you can play as a member of your District, and the Districts are ranked so you truly are representing your District when you play. You can also challenge friends or random players, and to me, that’s where the fun is. Trying to best your friends and strangers is what keeps me playing and wanting to score high. As far as weaknesses go, I’m hoping that they roll out more Districts soon, and I wish there was some way to customize your runner.

Denise: Panem Run is such a ridiculously fun game to play! I've been playing on my mom's iPad all morning. Though not all the districts are on there yet, running through the districts is a lot of fun and it shows you little things that make each district unique. My favorite (and I'm sure most people's favorites) is the times where you get to be an archer and shoot at the targets with your bow. You can also make unique bows with the sparks that you collect as well as increase your bonuses. I love that the flowers that you collect are Katniss, Prim and Rue flowers. This is an addictive running game that is infinitely better than other ones you will find. Can't wait to get max levels on all my stuff!

Janine: Panem Run is so good it gives me anxiety! I do not really know what to say about it except everything looks so cool and that I appreciate the level of difficulty (thus the anxiety) and that I have slept significantly less since the app has come out.


This is a very solid game for this franchise, and we hope that Hunger Games fans will start playing it so that Reliance Games is able to come up with new updates, hopefully new districts, and we'd also like to add that we'd LOVE to be able to unlock avatars of our favorite characters! 


Check out the press release for the game:

Run, collect, and empower the Districts in the endless runner inspired by The Hunger Games movie series 
LOS ANGELES – Nov. 21, 2013 Reliance Games, a leading international mobile game studio, and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a leading global entertainment company, have brought the next chapter in The Hunger Games saga to mobile devices.
Based on the upcoming film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which opens in theaters worldwide on November 22, 2013, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Panem Run mobile game tasks players with running through the Districts of Panem, collecting Sparks and pursuing resources through the Districts. The game allows players to invite friends and fellow fans to see who can earn the most Sparks and bring honor to their District. Download the game on the App Store and Google Play.Watch the trailer. 
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Panem Run features:§  Explore the Districts of Panem
§  Run endlessly as a member of your current District
§  Challenge and gift resources to friends
§  Compete to be on top of the leader board
§  Dodge, Jump and Smash through obstacles 
“We are proud to be able to give fans of The Hunger Games films an opportunity to immerse themselves in the game,” said Manish Agarwal, CEO of Reliance Games. “The social features are a great way for the fans to connect with other fans worldwide.” 
“Being able to play as a citizen of Panem further expands the world-building experience we’ve created for our fans,” said Danielle De Palma, Lionsgate Senior Vice President of Digital Marketing. “The game provides an exciting new narrative for the core fans while offering a challenge for players of all skill levels.” 
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Panem Run is available now on the App Store and Google Play.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Welcome to District 12 Catching Fire Review


Since we first saw the film at the L.A. Catching Fire premiere, we've been pretty over the moon about this film as are many Hunger Games fans. Now that we've all got the chance to see it more than once,  check out our reactions to this epic movie!

Expectations

Courtney - "Just like last time, my expectations were unattainably high. Why do I keep doing this to myself?! I guess I can't help it, folks. We run a fan site, we're exposed to everything Catching Fire, and all this work we do because we love and are dedicated to this franchise. It seemed almost impossible to meet my expectation and yet- Francis Lawrence not only succeeded, he blew it out of the water. I was delightfully shocked by the added scenes and it was adapted just about perfectly. Now, I'm sure some will disagree, but this is THE EXACT film I wanted to see out of this franchise. I am more than pleased, I am ECSTATIC. This movie can do no wrong in my eyes, and I believe Francis Lawrence has saved us all."

Tiffany- "I tried my hardest not to have high expectations for this movie so that I would not be disappointed when I saw it. That didn’t exactly work out, but it turns out I didn’t really need to worry much. Catching Fire is my favorite of the three books, so I was hoping that viewers of this movie would connect to this part of the story as much as I did."

Janine- "I usually set my expectations for book-to-movie adaptations low as there had been much disappointment in the past. My excitement, however, has made it hard to manage my expectations. Catching Fire is probably my favorite book in the trilogy and after some imdb research into Francis Lawrence’s other work, the casting choices, the trailers and the tv spots, I went into the theatre thinking, ‘this is gonna be AWESOME!’ as well as, ‘if it isn’t as great as you think it is, you only have yourself to blame.” Turns out, I didn’t have to stress about my high expectations so much because the movie not only met my expectations, but exceeded them as well."

Denise- "Going into this movie, I simultaneously had high expectations and extremely low expectation. From some casting choices, I was concerned, but the trailers gave me a much bigger sense of excitement than even the first movie. It captured the look that I pictured while reading in the book just from the slight glimpse we saw of Snow's party."

Book to Movie

Courtney- "Why is it so hard for the industry to release book adaptation films that are to the fans liking? Even the most notable, Harry Potter, isn't really recognized as good adaptations among the fans. The only one I can really say has hit the nail on the head is Peter Jackson and the Lord of the Ring franchise. I guess it takes a SUPER FAN of the books to honor it completely while still maintaining the director's vision. Francis Lawrence said he wanted to make the book, and that he did. SO many scenes are straight out of the book, small details still made it in, he built more scenes into the film, plus he referenced things to come. I can't wait to see the Mockingjay films, because Francis knows how to adapt this amazing story in a way that makes everyone happy."

Tiffany- "So many scenes were as they are in the book, several lines being word-for-word, and even those deviations from the book really do work for the movie and series as a whole. I’ve said for a while now that Bonnie and Twill are a device in the books to make Katniss aware of uprisings in the districts so it makes sense that they were not needed for the movie, especially after seeing the movie and knowing now how they accomplished that. The crowd reactions during the Victory Tour make that portion of the story a lot meatier as far as significant content for the plot. The other worry that many fans had with changes was since Madge was omitted from the movies Katniss was not going to see the uprisings on the mayor’s television. The quick solve was for Katniss to see it from an open door to the Peacekeepers’ control room on the train, which ramps up the tension for the Victory Tour even further."

Janine- "I was incredibly impressed with how closely the movie has kept with the book. Hearing the characters speak word-for-word the exact lines in the book just drove the emotional stake into my heart. Visually, everything in the movie looked exactly as I’d imagined when reading the book."

Denise- "The number of times I screamed in my head "THAT IS EXACTLY LIKE I PICTURED IT" are honestly too many to be counted, to the point where I was lamenting over the fact that more movies (I'm looking at you, Harry Potter) didn't more closely follow the book.
       You can immediately tell that Francis Lawrence and the writing team paid very close attention to the book with how accurate the adaption is. Even little things (that though not important to the plot, but important as a symbol of the filmmakers trying to be faithful) like Buttercup's more accurate appearance made you feel much more comfortable with the change in direction."

Additional/Changed Scenes

Courtney- "I had a heart attack when blood came out of President Snow's mouth and into his drink. I gasped so loud in the theatre!! Mockingjay is my favorite book, and the fact that this got referenced made me so so happy. Plutarch and Snow additions really worked with the source material, and I think gave a fuller sense of the story and what is happening on both sides."

Tiffany- "The scenes between President Snow and Plutarch Heavensbee were genius. In the books, Plutarch is almost comical, but Philip Seymour Hoffman and the writing in these scenes gave Plutarch a very necessary edge and really hits home his duplicitous side once he’s revealed to be part of the rebellion."

Janine- "I feel like the the additional scenes/characters (between Plutarch Heavensbee and Snow, and even between Snow and his granddaughter) worked better visually to get the point across and move the story along that having the omitted characters/scenes from the book. Which I guess is the point. Basically, I think it’s great how the movie has tackled the third person vs first person POV and kept the integrity of the story by not only keeping elements from the book in the movie, but also by the additional scenes and conversations that we do not get to read about in the book."

Denise- "Peeta's tribute to Rue and Katniss' 'tribute' to Seneca Crane shows their personalities so perfectly and I was so happy that both of these moments were shown and Peeta's painting wasn't covered up."

Katniss

Courtney- "PTSD is a big theme in the books, especially when you consider what The Hunger Games reference in Suzanne Collins' life. They constantly deal with it throughout the movie with Marvel, her having pushed Peeta away, night terrors, etc. Combine all that with Jennifer Lawrence's super acting powers, and WABAM we have a portrayal of Katniss that exceeded our expectations. Just amazing."

Tiffany- "The portrayal of Katniss’s PTSD is much more than what I was expecting. Her seeing Marvel as she is hunting serves as a reminder to the audience that Katniss’s actions in The Hunger Games are not forgotten. And Peeta running into Katniss’s room as she wakes from a nightmare is definitely one of those scenes fans were wanting to see that I was unsure would make it into the final movie. It was very important to get the “Always” line in there.
      Katniss’s desperation to keep the people she loves safe is carried through the entire movie. As a fan of the books, I appreciated that Katniss reminds viewers throughout that having been in the Games and then going back is not okay, that it is a terrifying and horrible experience. In the books, we know through first person narrative that Katniss feels guilt for her actions, and in the movie, that feeling is portrayed through careful writing, with Katniss’s outburst on the train being about killing people instead of simply yelling “No one cares!” at Effie like in the books. Once again, I’m grateful that an amazing actress like Jennifer is our Katniss."

Janine- "An expectation that I was not worried about setting incredibly high was Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss. As soon as she starts panicking after she flashes back to shooting Marvel, the tone is set for the rest of the movie. We can see that Katniss carries the weight of what happened in the last Hunger Games not only when it is made obvious but throughout the whole movie, but in the slight nuances of Katniss’ facial expressions and actions. I am absolutely in awe of how Jennifer plays Katniss as scared and strong and determined and yes, even a little sassy, all at the same time."

Denise- "As soon as Katniss has her first PTSD related freakout in Catching Fire, I knew we were in for a much more adult film than the first one. Jennifer's brilliance in showing how traumatized Katniss had become after the 74th Hunger Games put me in her shoes and I felt her panic as I watched her struggling to breathe. This film immediately puts you in her mindset and sets you up for the reality and fear that Katniss experiences throughout the movie. You get to see that Peeta means a great deal to Katniss throughout this film, but her heartbreaking reaction to this and Peeta's almost death in the arena are incredible. We are so blessed to have someone as talented as Jennifer playing our Mockingjay."

Peeta

Courtney- "I want to give Josh Hutcherson a big hug on behalf of the entire fandom, because I think with the combination of great script writing and his acting, Peeta truly came alive in this film. He by no means overacted, and made Peeta's character appealing for the reasons we all love him without being cheesy or overdramatic."

Tiffany- "I’ve really got to hand it to Josh. Catching Fire is an important part for Peeta in that this is where Katniss gets to know him and will serve as a contrast for who he becomes in Mockingjay. Essentially, this is the start of her feelings for Peeta and what Katniss will think of when she thinks of the “real” Peeta. And Josh acted it well, keeping Peeta open but not overly lovesick. The look on his face when he takes a seat next to a sleeping Gale said it all, both heartbroken and resigned. The beach scene between Peeta and Katniss was one of those that fans talk about a lot from the books that couldn’t possibly be live up to expectations, but I was incredibly happy with it and I think the movie did that important scene justice."

Gale

Courtney- "Dude, high five! Maybe it's because we got to see more scenes, but I saw in Catching Fire why Liam was chosen for this role. My favorite scene of his is when he tells Katniss why they can't run away. You really see the fire in his heart and desire to fight back after all The Capitol has taken from him. His character really came alive."

Tiffany- "I was very happy to see the changes for Gale. Being whipped for assaulting Romulus Thread and not for poaching and his focus on rebellion when Katniss suggests running is excellent set up for Gale’s role in Mockingjay and makes him more sympathetic and three-dimensional as a character."

Janine- "Seeing Gale being whipped for helping someone as opposed to poaching was a good change. I think it helps develop his character - from wanting to run away, to wanting to fight - all leading up to the Gale we will see in the Mockingjay movies. I’m not sure if it was just that Gale did not really get a lot of screentime in the first movie, but I feel like Liam Hemsworth’s acting has improved vastly. I did not think I would root for Katniss/Gale ever, but I did a little bit."

Denise- "I have to applaud Liam Hemsworth in this movie. His acting is vastly improved and you actually want to root for him to get the girl. The acting in this film is superb."

Effie

Courtney- "Elizabeth Banks wanted nothing more than to play Effie Trinket. She has taken this role, made it her own, and really humanized her. When she is so emotional when she says her goodbyes to Katniss and Peeta, I struggle keeping it together. She was not my first casting choice a long time ago, but I am so thankful I was wrong."

Tiffany- "I was grateful to Elizabeth Banks and the writing of this adaptation for the way Effie was portrayed in this movie. Though Effie is largely comic relief, it was very important that they show that underneath the makeup, crazy clothing, and wigs, there is still a human being in there."

Janine- "I am really happy with the way Effie’s character was written for this movie, and the way Elizabeth Banks has portrayed her. The scenes where we see that Effie is clearly distraught moved me the most - Effie is from the capitol and comes across as shallow and is mostly there for comic relief. So seeing her close to tears when her victors have to go back to the arena really tugged at my heartstrings."

Denise- "Effie's reactions during the reaping scene are so genuine and Elizabeth Banks shows you exactly what Effie is feeling without toeing the line and causing her any problems with her job and with the Capitol. Appearances are everything with Effie and it is captured beautifully."

Finnick/Johanna

Courtney- "Wowie. Did these guys steal the show or what?! Jena Malone and Sam Claflin made jaw dropping performances of their characters. They became exactly what I wanted to see and then some. They truly evoked the comic relief they provide yet a real sorrowful truth under all the layers that both those characters possess. Five stars!"

Tiffany- "Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair was fantastic. I’ve liked him as an actor for a while, but hadn’t seen him act in this kind of role before. He goes from smarmy to dangerous to vulnerable in a way that is so Finnick from the books that I was thankful we had Sam for the role. Having known about his intense preparations for the role and determination to be the Finnick fans wanted, it was a pleasure to watch the results of that hard work. Sam’s biggest moments for me were when he watches Mags walk into the fog and after the hour with jabberjays are up. Both are very vulnerable moments for him, and both are hints of what’s to come for Finnick in Mockingjay. It was most important to me to be sold on him as Finnick for those moments more than anything, even the sugar cube scene, and I really think he nailed them.
     Jena Malone as Johanna was an incredible thing to watch. She embodied the character’s spirit but not in an overtly obvious way. The elevator scene added some needed levity to the film before the heavy stuff, and her Caesar Flickerman interview was a stroke of genius. The line though that really got me was “Love is weird.” It made me anxious to see Johanna in Mockingjay, even though that won’t be for a while."

Janine- "A week or so before the movie, I watched an interview where Francis Lawrence talked about Jena Malone’s audition. He said something to the effect of after having seen her audition as Johanna, he could not see anyone else in the role. This made me happy as I am a fan of her work, but after seeing her first scene in the movie (in the elevator, though to be honest it might have been the TV spot where she says, “Make him pay for it!”), I totally understood what he meant. Her Caesar Flickerman interview was amazing. She was flawless and I am excited to see more of her in the Mockingjay movies.
        Sam Claflin was not my first choice to play Finnick. Having only seen him in the Pirates of the Carribean movie maybe two years before people were discussing possible Finnick choices, I have to admit that I completely forgot about him. I was happy and excited when he got cast, though, honestly, because he was great from what I remembered from the Pirates movie (and from what Tiffany said) and also honestly, I thought he was really cute (I’m sure I’m not the only one who thought that). From what I saw from watching some interviews, meeting him at the Fan Camp signing and seeing him in the red carpet, I have learned that he is incredibly incredibly charming (incredibly!) which then lead me to think, yeah he’s got ‘Capitol-Finnick’ down but how will he do when Finnick is vulnerable? Or angry? The answer to that question is GREAT. One of my favorite scenes in the movie was Finnick and Katniss with the jabberjays. Sam Claflin was incredible as Finnick Odair."

Denise- "Seeing Peeta and Katniss snuggling up in the train caused my inner fangirl to squeal, but nothing prepared me for how perfect Sam Claflin and Jenna Malone as Finnick and Johanna would be. The sugar cube scene played out the relationship between Finnick and Katniss so well and the elevator scene had me rolling! Johanna was always my favorite character in the books, and I'm pretty certain she's going to remain my favorite character in the movies. I think it's the foul mouth and appreciation for nudity."

Arena

Courtney- "Seeing these scenes in IMAX was incredible. The visual effects were phenomenal, and I am so pleased that amidst all the fancy shmancy effects, the grittiness and terrors of the arena were emotionally compelling just as it was reading the book."

Tiffany- "Everything that happens in the arena is by and large how I wanted to see it on film. From meeting Finnick at the Cornucopia, to the CPR scene, to the fog, the monkeys, the spinning Cornucopia, jabberjays, lightning tree, everything. The fog was terrifying, and hearing the jabberjays as opposed to reading about made it such a real experience. When Peeta hits the forcefield and Katniss is crying hysterically and shaking and hugging him when he is revived, Finnick’s expression as he watches them did not go unnoticed. Again it is great setup for Mockingjay."

Janine- "I don’t know how many times I’ve said this already, but here it is again: visually, it’s exactly how I imagined it while reading the book! It really is. Every hour-long threat that we get to see, the beach, the cornucopia, when it spins - it feels like I dreamed it into the movie. When Effie says, ‘The Capitol has spared no expense,’ she was right. Every threat is terrifying and shows how far the Capitol is willing to go to make sure the power stays where it is. Then we see the walls of the arena crumble and a hovercraft take Katniss away where she wakes up to Haymitch and Plutarch Heavensbee and they talk about the rebellion - the stage has been set for Mockingjay."

Denise- "When we finally get to just before the games when Katniss is getting ready, I was gripping my arm rests so tight I thought I might break something. Cinna's beating is a quick and horrible scene and it was exactly like I pictured it in the books.
     When we get to the arena, the quick paced action gives you a real feel for how it must be like in the games. Everything from the Cornucopia to the monkeys happens so fast that you're slightly disoriented with how quickly people die, but it's brilliant because it's so real and true to life. Also, props to Weta for the AMAZING monkeys (such a huge step up from the mutts in the first film)!!!
     My favorite part of the movie is when Katniss and Finnick get tricked by the Jabberjays and are psychologically tortured, because you see the scope of what the Capitol can and will do. Not only will they break your bodies, they will break your mind, as we will see in Mockingjay."

The Ending

Courtney- "I guess it's because we didn't get a hovercraft scene last time, or maybe because when it comes to endings of book adaptation films they don't tend to be like the book, but the ending was a surprise to me. It was exactly like the book, even down to the syringe. It was everything I wanted as a fan, and even added in the epicness, "This is the revolution and you are The Mockingjay". I mean, what's not to love?!"

Tiffany- "When Katniss wakes up in the hovercraft, grabs the syringe, and bursts into the room with Haymitch, Finnick, and Plutarch, it is all I could’ve dreamed of for that scene. From Finnick’s demeanor and worry in his face (for book readers, we see that as him knowing the Capitol has Annie), to Haymitch’s line about Katniss and a syringe against the Capitol which is ripped from the books, to Plutarch declaring Katniss as the Mockingjay and their mission, it was an incredibly compelling scene. Her reaction to finding out they didn’t get Peeta out was spot on to what I wanted from that scene. And the final scene with Gale’s cliffhanger-dropping line and Katniss’s last look of determination propels the audience into Mockingjay in an understated yet intense way."

Janine- "Everything from when Katniss is lifted out of the arena up to the moment the screen turns black was just so intense. The strong acting, combined with lines taken straight from the book - what a way to go out with a bang! (or maybe, to start off with a bang - did it not make you more excited for the next movie?!) The last minute or so in the movie (right after ‘There is no District 12’ - also taken straight out of the book) with just the close up of Katniss’ face - I am getting goosebumps right now just thinking about it."

Denise- "The action in the arena is displayed much more realistically and it is much more adult than the first movie, and it sets up what the action will be like in the final two installments. When we finally get to the climax of the movie and you see Katniss figuring out Beetee's plan, I was holding my breath even though I knew what was coming.
      Though Katniss being lifted out of the arena was giving me Return of the King flashbacks, I love that if you aren't a book reader, you're not entirely sure who is actually getting her until you hear Haymitch. Katniss' horrified reaction to what actually happened and her screaming "You're a liar!" at Haymitch seemed to make up for the lack of hovercraft reaction after the first games."

Great Moments

Denise- "I cry very easily in movies, but I'm pretty sure I cried a pool's worth of tears at the entire District 11 scene. From Katniss' speech to Rue's family, to the man who gets killed and to Katniss' horrified reaction, I was sobbing my head off. It was even more emotional on screen than in the books. Then seeing the reactions on the citizens of Panem's faces to the little girl who informs Katniss that she wants to volunteer for the games because of her, the movie sets up everything for Mockingjay perfectly."

Final Thoughts

Courtney- "I've seen this movie 5 times now so believe me I've had time to dissect. I may be one of the few, but I feel this movie is the best Catching Fire film that could have ever come out. It honors the book in a very rare way. I haven't seen an adaptation this good since Lord of the Rings, and THAT is saying something. Francis Lawrence loves this story as much as we do, and I bet we can expect two more great ones."

Tiffany-"Overall, I am extremely pleased with this movie. The look of it, the feel of it, was what I have been hoping for the series for so long. It has made me incredibly excited for the Mockingjay films. From watching the movie, I could feel the reverence for the source material, and I’m grateful for that."

Janine- "I give this movie an A! As I’ve said earlier, the movie has kept the integrity of the story we get in the book, and it’s almost tangible how it does that - from the visuals, to the tone and the acting of the cast. Francis Lawrence has done an incredible job and I am so, so excited for the Mockingjay movies!"
Denise-"This is the best adaptation I've ever seen and if this is a glimpse of what is yet to come, I just might start camping out for the next one today."

Logo Reveal

Courtney- "At the premiere, I may or may not have thrown my hands up in the air and triumphantly yelled obscenities in my excitement over the logo reveal. They didn't have to attach the logo reveal to the end of the film, but they did. After all the epicness and emotion Catching Fire provides, THIS PART was the best."

Tiffany- “It was very strategic to have the logo reveal after the way Katniss’s expression changes in the final seconds of the movie. This gave the Mockingjay logo meaning and significance, foreshadowing what’s to come and making me as an audience member that much more excited for the next installment.”

Janine- "Talk about unexpected! I was ready for the credits to roll but then seeing/hearing the Hunger Games logo gave me goosebumps! And then seeing it turn into the Catching Fire logo made me gasp and think ‘WAIT A SECOND’ and then the Mockingjay logo! I definitely exclaimed something bleep-worthy. Remember, this happened in a few seconds so you can imagine my reaction irl. Also, I WANT THAT PIN!"

Denise- "Is it bad that my favorite part is the logo change at the end? The Mockingjay rising perfectly goes with the determination in Katniss' eyes at the end. THAT PART IS SO AWESOME."



Happy Catching Fire Release Giveaway!!





Another giveaway!! In celebrating the release for Catching Fire, we are giving away some cool Catching Fire swag! Win ONE of FIVE prize packs, each one includes:


1 Catching Fire Mockingjay Pin

1 Catching Fire Wristband

1 Catching Fire Glowstick

1 Catching Fire Final Poster

Just enter below! Don't forget to read the Terms & Conditions

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about the massive birthday giveaway we did a few weeks back! We've put those results on hold while we sift through all our Fan Camp and Premiere footage so we can share that with you guys ASAP! We will announce when we will draw the winners a few days ahead of time so you guys can prepare to check emails.







WATCH: 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' Insider Access: Pranksters

The cast talk about pranks and shenanigans on the set!



Do you watch The Hunger Games?!

Yahoo! Movies

Monday, November 25, 2013

Jennifer and Josh Play "The Newly-Friends Game" for Fandango

Fandango's Dave Karger sat down with Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence to play a game in the style of the Newlyweds Game to test their close friendship.

Photos: Catching Fire L.A. Premiere Red Carpet



Since we camped out with all the other hard core fans, we were in the fan area on the red carpet of the Catching Fire L.A. Premiere. It was total and utter madness in the pit, and we did our best to capture what we could! Take a look--






TONS MORE PHOTOS UNDER THE CUT!

Catching Fire earns a whopping $307.7 million worldwide, $161.1 million domestically opening weekend

Good news, party people! The Hunger Games: Catching Fire has done tremendously well this opening weekend, with $307.7 million worldwide and $161.1 million domestically.

That means The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is now ranked #4 for on domestic highest grossing opening weekends of all time, just behind such huge movies as The Avengers, Iron Man 3 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. In addition, it is #1 for all time November openings.

To put this in perspective, The Hunger Games had ranked #7 for domestic opening weekend at $152.5 million. Industry specialists had predicted around $140 million, still awesome but less so than the first, so exceeding these expectations is huge. Not only that, the film did better for Saturday than Friday, which had not been the case for popular November releases like the Harry Potter and Twilight films. Let's hope this is an indication for even more success as Catching Fire continues in theaters.

Source: Variety

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Yahoo! Book to Film "Fan-alysis"



So this is super cool -- Yahoo! consulted with Hunger Games fan sites (us included, WEEEE!) to discuss a Catching Fire book to film breakdown. Like so many others, we are THRILLED with the film (review coming very soon!) so we were totally stoked to weigh in on what book scene we liked the most and what scene we wish could have made the cut:

"Out of all the book-accurate scenes to choose from, my favorite book-to-film scene would have to be the classic sugar cube scene," said Courtney Custodio, co-founder of WelcometoDistrict12.com. "Sam Claflin not only delivers his lines exactly how I imagined them, but the script for this scene is word-for-word out of the book. It warms my heart to know that Francis Lawrence and all those involved in making this scene come together honored the fan's intense desire to see Finnick's character come to life. I also appreciate the way he sticks the sugar cube in his mouth and saunters off which provides some great comic relief."
"I really wanted to see Haymitch's Games if only to gain a fuller sense of his character," said Custodio. "I love the idea that he also won his Games in a rebellious fashion, but more importantly it is because he, sadly, was the example. It cost him everyone he loved. The 'Catching Fire' film is character-driven, so I'm sure Francis Lawrence thought seriously about whether or not that would make the cut. Given the pace of the film, it seems to me perhaps that was a good decision for it even though we didn't get to see it unfold."

Read the whole "Fan"tastic article over at Yahoo! movies to see what sites such as Mockingjay.net, HGGirlonFire, Down With The Capitol, and The Hob had to say.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Yahoo! Livestream of L.A. Red Carpet!

WE'VE HAD AN AMAZING WEEKEND AT THE CATCHING FIRE FAN CAMP!

We'll be on the red carpet, watch for us!


Friday, November 15, 2013

LAST CALL FOR HUNGER GAMES AUCTION!!

Last night, Welcome to District 12 attended a reception at Blacksparrow Auctions HQ where we got to check out the costumes from The Hunger Games that are going to be auctioned. Needless to say, we had a great time and all the costumes are AMAZING! Here are some pictures!



District 12 and Training Outfits (we LOVE Katniss' leather jacket)

Reaping Outfits


Tiffany, me (Janine), Peeta's interview suit, and Denise



Don't forget!!!

TOMORROW!
The time has come. After a year of cataloging, touring and promoting, the auction is finally upon us. We are very excited to be the curators of this exquisite collection of film history. Now it is time to find new homes for these amazing costumes.

If you have not had a chance to see the catalog, you can view it here.

Bidding will be available in person, by absentee, phone and internet. You can register on either icollector or Live Auctioneers. There is still time to register.

The auction is taking place at our headquarters. The address is 10888 La Tuna Canyon Rd, Suite L, Sun Valley, CA 91352. We will begin the auction promptly at 11am PST. So if you are attending in person, please arrive a little early to register and get your bidding paddle. Seating is first come, first served. After that, it will be standing room only.

For those who cannot attend, you can follow along on our YouTube channel or on Google Hangout. For more information, please contact us at 323-250-3980 or email us at blacksparrowauctions@gmail.com.

** Reminder!** We are still collecting donations for Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Donations of money and/or food will be accepted at our offices through Monday, November 18. Suggested items include canned fruit, cereal, dry pasta, canned meats, rice, peanut butter, canned vegetables and tuna. 
............................................................



Blacksparrow Auctions

WATCH: New Clip of President Snow and Katniss

Donald Sutherland was on the late show with Craig Ferguson and they showed this clip where President Snow challenges Katniss to convince him:



Thanks THGAustralia

WATCH: Sam and Jena on Good Morning America! (NEW FINNICK AND JOHANNA CLIPS!!!)

Sam and Jena talk about their characters and preparing for their roles and!!! We get like 5 second looks into Katniss and Finnick's first conversation and Johanna admiring Katniss' interview dress!



ABC News Youtube

Thursday, November 14, 2013

*NEW* Effie CLIP!

This is a MUST SEE clip, guys. It's Effie, Katniss, and Peeta walking to the Capitol party in Snow's mansion and I must say it is quite a gem.

Click on the photo or the link below to watch!



source: iTunes via HG Girl on Fire

UNSCRIPTED

Jen, Josh, Jenna and Sam answer some fan questions and generally just make each other (and us) laugh on Unscripted:



Thanks, THGAustralia

Also, here's a clip of Jen giving a 6-second review of the movie:




On Aol

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

BEETEE CLIP!

Here's the first clip featuring Beetee, which was debuted on Good Morning America!


Excuse us while we watch this a thousand more times.


Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Reliance Games and Lionsgate Join Forces to Launch Official Mobile Game for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Panem Run

Reliance Games and Lionsgate have announced Catching Fire - Panem Run - and endless running game where you, as a citizen of Panem, spread hope through the districts by collecting sparks and materials Katniss has left behind. It won't be as easy as you think though, as you have to dodge obstacles and swarms of Tracker Jackers as you navigate through all 12 districts. Coming this november to a smartphone or tablet near you!


Here's the press release:

LOS ANGELES, CA, and SANTA MONICA, CA, Nov. 12, 2013 – Reliance Games, a leading international mobile game studio, and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a leading global entertainment company, are bringing the next chapter in The Hunger Games saga to mobile devices.

Based on the upcoming film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which opens in theaters worldwide on November 22, 2013, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Panem Run mobile game puts the movie’s action in the palms of players’ hands. The game will employ both competitive and social elements, allowing players to challenge fellow Hunger Games fans to see who can bring glory to their District, achieve the greatest distance, and attain the highest score.

“With its epic story of struggling for survival, The Hunger Games franchise lets us recreate the competitive world of Panem in a social mobile game,” said Manish Agarwal, CEO of Reliance Games. “In partnering with Lionsgate, we’ll build a community of Hunger Games fans, teaming up to face unique challenges together as they run through the Districts of Panem.”

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Panem Run mobile game is a fun and exciting complement to the film’s spectacular action and story,” said Danielle De Palma, Lionsgate Senior Vice President of Digital Marketing.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Panem Run will be available this November on smartphones and tablets.



YOU GUYS! We are so unbelievably excited for this game! Look at that screenshot! (Also, check out what district that is! What do you think the other districts will look like?) For those who don't follow us on our personal tumblrs or twitters, we are into games. A lot of them. As a fan of endless running games myself (Hunger Games: Girl on Fire, Temple Run, Jetpack Joyride, Subway Surfers, and my personal favorite, Minion Rush), I can already tell that this game is going to be AWESOME!!!