Woody Harrelson on working with Francis Lawrence

While promoting his new movie Now You See Me, Woody Harrelson was asked on what it's like working with Francis Lawrence for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Woody: "Believe me, the whole 'Hunger Games' franchise will not suffer from having him at the helm."

Source: HitFix

Hunger Games BTS Sneak Peeks!

We got a couple more for you guys, one from EW about Jennifer Lawrence's tree climbing training and another very interesting video about the design process for The Capitol. Remember, the Blu-Ray/DVD comes out August 18th!!

Click HERE to see Jennifer Lawrence climb trees!

Source: EW

DESIGNING THE CAPITOL




Source: IGN

BTS Clip of the Forest on Fire

Entertainment Weekly shares with us a behind the scenes clip that premiered at Comic-Con from when they filmed Katniss running to escape the Gamemakers' forest fire!

The video is not embeddable yet but click here to watch it at the source!

EW

Conflict With Fox May Have Cost Us Gary Ross

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that scheduling conflicts with Fox regarding X-Men is what caused Gary Ross' decision not to return for Catching Fire.

When writer-director Gary Ross announced his decision to drop out of the next installment in The Hunger Games saga, he stated his reasons succinctly:  

"As a writer and a director, I simply don't have the time I need to write and prep the movie I would have wanted to make because of the fixed and tight production schedule," he said Tuesday. 

Ross did not allude to Fox, which had imposed that schedule by putting a January start date on its X-Men: First Class sequel with an ensemble role for star Hunger Games Jennifer Lawrence. And Ross did not express his misgivings about the particular challenges he perceives in framing and executing a film version of Catching Fire, the second book in Suzanne Collins' young-adult series.

Fox's January date led the bond company on Catching Fire to insist that Lionsgate commit to finish filming by Dec. 20, backing the studio into a production schedule with an August start date that Ross felt he could not accommodate. (Fox's deal with Lawrence predates her contract for Hunger Games, putting X-Men in a priority position.) 

According to knowledgeable sources, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-chair Rob Friedman pressed Fox to set a later start date for the X-Men movie, even offering allurements including a chance to handle some of the overseas distribution on Catching Fire. 

Fox was willing to move back its start date a few weeks and is still in conversations with Lionsgate on that issue. But the additional time would not have been enough to allay Ross's concerns. And Fox might have been inclined to cooperate only up to a point: When X-Men: First Class was released in June, the studio very much wanted Lawrence to attend the premiere. But the actress was starting The Hunger Games then and Lionsgate did not make her available, apparently causing severe friction with Fox. Friedman, who was not at Lionsgate then and has a good relationship with Fox's Tom Rothman, has been negotiating to win a little more time. Lionsgate is now said to be confident that it can complete shooting in the time allotted.

Some sources are skeptical that Fox actually will start filming the X-Men movie -- which still lacks a finished script -- in January. Its deal with Lawrence allows the studio to start within six months, so filming could begin as late as June. But given the possibility of an earlier start, the bond company on Catching Fire required a commitment that the film would be finished shooting in December. 

Ross, who has earned screenplay Oscar nominations for Big, Dave and Seabiscuit, felt that he had to focus on the script for at least two months, leaving him only six to eight weeks to prepare for shooting. Sources also say he feels the second novel is the most challenging in the trilogy to make into a compelling film. Collins, who shares writing credit on The Hunger Games with Ross and Billy Ray, is said to want a screen version that is very faithful to her book. 

Although the key actors are locked into Catching Fire, Lionsgate didn’t kick off a negotiation with Ross for the sequel until about three weeks before Hunger Games opened March 23.

It is unclear who might replace Ross and make the sequel in the time allotted, though no doubt many directors will be interested. And Friedman has shown in the past that he is willing to make changes. When he ran Summit Entertainment, the company memorably did not invite Catherine Hardwicke back to direct the second Twilight movie, New Moon.

Fox and Lionsgate declined to comment for this report.

Even though there haven't been official statements made about this from any of the parties, this sounds very plausible, especially coming from THR. All I'm saying is that I will be pissed if X-Men starts filming much later than January.

Source

Our Director Picks for Catching Fire

In case you haven't heard, there was some heart breaking news yesterday: Gary Ross will not be returning to Catching Fire. This obviously leads us to wonder what brave individual will be the next one to rise to the challenge of not only living up to the high bar set by Ross, but to do so with an extremely limited preproduction schedule. Keep also in mind, said director must have the time to do it (many directors already have other commitments) and MUST have the passion and a clear understanding of what the books are about. Oh, and I suppose it would be a good thing that they conform to Ross' original vision for sake of consistency.

Here are our picks for directors we would want the most, a mix of pie in sky dreams and viable candidates!

1. Christopher Nolan
Okay, my pie in the sky dreams. Director of some of my favorite films such as Inception and The Prestige, he could do wonders with the multiple storylines occuring in Catching Fire. Most likely he is far too busy with post production for Dark Knight Rises and working on Man of Steel. The same goes for Peter Jackson and Ridley Scott. A girl can dream, can't she?






2. Steven Soderbergh
Most known for the Ocean's movies, definitely a solid choice for Catching Fire. I just loved how he handled the District 11 riot scene in The Hunger Games. Most likely a large pricetag, I would trust him to handle Catching Fire.

3.The Coen Brothers
Joel and Ethan Coen have directed some of the coolest films of our time! They're responsible for films such as O Brother Where Art Thou and the legend, The Big Lebowski. Not sure how their schedule is, but might give Catching Fire a nice edginess.

4. Ron Howard
Ron Howard's the man! Do I need to explain all the great work he's done over the years? He seems to have a great handle on multiple genres, and would do great with working with younger actors. We say, "Yes, please!"

5. Kathryn Bigelow
Here's an interesting choice that's being thrown around. She directed Best Picture winner The Hurt Locker and the new film about Navy Seal Team 6. Granted she's got a great handling on war, but interestingly enough she's a big painter. I wonder if any of that would come into play with Peeta's storyline in Catching Fire?








Well Lionsgate, it looks like you've got a tough job ahead of you! I wish you guys the best of luck, and we hope that you will keep consistency with The Hunger Games in mind, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Gary Ross Won't Direct Catching Fire

From Deadline:

Lionsgate executives and reps around Gary Ross for weeks have expressed confidence that The Hunger Games director would helm the second installment of the book trilogy, Catching Fire. They expected the deal to go down right after Easter weekend. And they even went so far as to privately deny an Internet report that Ross had told the studio at the start of last week that he would not helm the sequel because he didn’t want to repeat himself. Instead, as a Lionsgate exec now tells me, “I am in shock.” I understand the negotiations were handled by Lionsgate toppers Jon Feltheimer, Michael Burns, and movie chief Rob Friedman, newly arrived from Summit. There, that studio also changed up directors after its massive hit Twilight debuted — and the franchise not only wasn’t hurt but thrived at the box office. So let the speculation begin about Ross’s replacemen

Gary Ross released a statement about not returning to direct Catching Fire:

Despite recent speculation in the media, and after difficult but sincere consideration, I have decided not to direct Catching Fire. As a writer and a director, I simply don’t have the time I need to write and prep the movie I would have wanted to make because of the fixed and tight production schedule.

I loved making The Hunger Games – it was the happiest experience of my professional life. Lionsgate was supportive of me in a manner that few directors ever experience in a franchise: they empowered me to make the film I wanted to make and backed the movie in a way that requires no explanation beyond the remarkable results. And contrary to what has been reported, negotiations with Lionsgate have not been problematic. They have also been very understanding of me through this difficult decision.

I also cannot say enough about the people I worked with: Producer Nina Jacobson, a great collaborator and a true friend; the brilliant Suzanne Collins, who entrusted us with her most amazing and important story; the gifted and remarkable Jennifer Lawrence whose performance exceeded my wildest expectations, and the rest of the incredible cast, whom I am proud to call my friends.

To the fans I want to say thank you for your support your faith, your enthusiasm and your trust. Hard as this may be to understand I am trying to keep that trust with you. Thank you all. It’s been a wonderful experience.

Lionsgate's statement:

We’re very sorry that Gary Ross has chosen not to direct Catching Fire. We were really looking forward to making the movie with him. He did an incredible job on the first film and we are grateful for his work. This will not be the end of our relationship, as we consider Ross to be part of the Lionsgate family and look forward to working with him in the future.

Source

Update on the Gary Ross situation...

Contrary to previous media reports, Ross -- who returned from a vacation in Italy on Friday -- has not exited the booming franchise. But he is not yet signed to return for the second installment, Catching Fire, and sources say the filmmaker is concerned about an ambitious production schedule that would require shooting to begin in August so that star Jennifer Lawrence can complete her work before she is due to start filming a sequel to Fox's X-Men: First Class in January.
The Hollywood Reporter said last week that Fox has informed studios and talent agencies of its planned start date for the Matthew Vaughn-directed X-Men movie. Since Fox's deal with Lawrence predates her contract for Hunger Games, X-Men is in a priority position. With the script for the second Hunger Games not yet locked, that means all preparations for a sequel would have to be done in four months -- a tough schedule to meet.


Sources describe the negotiations between Ross and Lionsgate as delicate. In addition to his concerns about the schedule, THR reported Wednesday that the filmmaker would like a raise from the $3 million (and 5 percent of backend) that he received for the first film, which has passed $450 million in worldwide box office and received an 85 percent "fresh" rating from critics on Rottentomatoes.com. Ross, an accomplished screenwriter and director (Pleasantville, Seabiscuit) has several other projects in development and could choose to pursue any of them.
One option for Lionsgate is that it could attempt to "buy" more time for Ross, essentially paying Fox (or horsetrading in other ways) to bump its production schedule to accommodate the Hunger Games shoot. Or Lionsgate could move on and hire another filmmaker to take on the sequel, much like Twilight studio Summit Entertainment dropped Catherine Hardwicke in favor of Chris Weitz for the second installment of that franchise.
Either way, the next week or so should bring some clarity to the future of Hollywood's hottest movie franchises.

Source: THR

Gary Ross is Boss!!

Let's Have Our Voices Heard! We want Gary Ross!

By now we’ve all heard the news that Gary Ross may not be returning for Catching Fire. It’s sad news that has sent shockwaves across the Hunger Games fan community- partially because Gary has always presented himself as one of us, as a fan. Having a fan in charge of the film meant that the source material was always going to be respected, that the messages of the book would be honored, that our series would be more than just an adaptation-- it would be an experience akin to reading the books.

Keeping Gary at the helm for all films in the franchise also means continuity, both in style and theme. It means that we get one complete journey (like in Lord of the Rings) instead of a fragmented mosaic (like in Harry Potter). If any story deserves to be told as one complete journey, it is The Hunger Games.

We want Gary Ross back, and we know you do, too; and, fortunately, with nothing confirmed officially, we may still have time to make a difference in this decision. Fans, especially passionate fans, have made great things happen before. They’ve saved TV shows from cancellation. They’ve brought TV shows back from cancellation. They’ve pushed cancelled TV shows to be extended into feature length films.

Fans have power.

So, today, Tributes, if you want to see Gary Ross in the director’s chair for Catching Fire, we ask that you make your voice heard and sign our video petition. Here’s how it works:

1.) Create a 2-3 minute youtube video asking for Gary Ross to come back for Catching Fire. Be creative! Be impassioned! But, most of all, be courteous-- we know you might have a lot of FEELINGS, but remember to be polite.

• At the end of the video, please thank Gary for his work with the film and give him the three finger salute.
• If you get stuck and aren’t sure what to say, here’s a prompt you can follow:

Hi, my name is ________, and I am a fan of The Hunger Games. It means a lot to me and to other fans of the series to have someone directing Catching Fire who is not only successful and talented, but who also loves the series as much as I do.

I believe that person is Gary Ross.

From his devotion to casting the perfect Katniss to his vision of Panem to his dedication to ensuring that the film respects the socially conscious messages of the books, Gary Ross has proven time and time again that he loves this series as much as I do. I want to see his vision continue throughout the rest of the franchise. I want to see who his Finnick is, what his Quarter Quell Arena looks like, how he’ll plant the seeds of revolution in Panem.

I am asking that Gary Ross come back for Catching Fire. As a fan of the books who was sold on the movies because of his commitment, I need him to return.

Thank you to Gary Ross for all of his incredible work.

And thank you for your consideration.

2. Upload your video to YouTube -- make sure to do the following:

• Title your video “Gary Ross Is Boss - [Your Name Here]”
• Tag your video with the following: GaryRossIsBoss

*All submissions will be collected and featured on http://www.youtube.com/GaryRossIsBoss

3. Spread the world. Link to this post or to the YouTube page. Share it on Facebook. Tweet it. Tumble it. Get your friends to do it!

4.  If you don’t feel comfortable posting a video, send a picture of yourself doing the three finger salute and holding a sign that says Gary Ross Is Boss with the link (youtube.com/garyrossisboss) to GaryRossIsBoss@gmail.com--we’ll compile all the pictures into a youtube video.

• Also, please take a second to sign this twitter petition.

So that’s it! Record your videos/submit your pictures, and let’s make sure that the voice of the fans is heard!  And, don’t forget:

“Make sure they remember you.”

Thanks to Shylah Addante from Down with the Capitol for putting this all together so quickly, efficiently and thoughtfully!

Gary Ross in Tough Negotiations for Catching Fire

Yikes! This news makes us a tad nervous, as Gary Ross is responsible for The Hunger Games being such a success. If Harry Potter is taught us anything, it's that multiple directors for a franchise does not work very well for consistency. We hope Lionsgate realizes this and coughs up the cash to keep Gary on for Catching Fire and preferably, the rest of the movies too! Check out what The Hollywood Reporter had to say about the negotiations:

Now that The Hunger Games is a hit with more than $363 million in the till, the question is whether writer-director Gary Ross will return for the next installment in the lucrative Lionsgate franchise.
Unlike stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, Ross is not signed for a sequel. And negotiations for him to do the first movie were "a terrible experience," says a source with knowledge of the discussions, because Ross is a seasoned filmmaker (Pleasantville, Seabiscuit) and Lionsgate isn't accustomed to paying seasoned-filmmaker fees. He ended up taking a relatively low $3 million to write (with Billy Ray and novelist Suzanne Collins) and direct. But he will collect a very remunerative 5 percent of backend.


Sources say Ross, 55, would like a significant raise for a second Hunger Games, but Lionsgate didn't kick off negotiations with him until about three weeks before the first film's March 23 opening. By then, with tracking suggesting a huge opening weekend, Ross and his CAA reps were in no hurry to bargain.
Lionsgate has a script from Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) that Ross has yet to revise. The studio is in a rush to start the next film in the fall, though Fox might upset Lionsgate's plan by exercising its option on Lawrence to start another X-Men movie first. (Fox's option would trump Lionsgate's hold on Lawrence, say sources.) Adding urgency: Lionsgate already has booked a November 2013 release for Hunger Games: Catching Fire.


With other big literary properties, directors have been seen as fungible. Warner Bros. entrusted the first two Harry Potter films to Chris Columbus before employing a host of other filmmakers, and Summit memorably did not invite Catherine Hardwicke back to direct the second Twilight, despite the success of the first installment. (And Summit's Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger now run Lionsgate's film division.)
But Ross will argue that his film was much better received than any in the Twilight series, with an A CinemaScore and an 85 percent "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes in addition to huge worldwide box office. He'll contend that the movie will play longer and stronger in theaters and that he could direct his pick of other movies should Lionsgate refuse to pony up. (But to state the obvious, Hunger Games' bi-gender story line appeals to a wider audience than Twilight.)
It's always striking when a giant hit leads to anger and hurt feelings in Hollywood, but that seems to be the case here. Nonetheless, sources involved with the franchise are betting that Ross will return. "Ultimately, it will be difficult, and yet everybody will do the sane thing, which is to work it out," says one. "Everybody will end up unhappy in their own way. It's just the nature of the beast."

 Source: THR

We're BEGGING you, Lionsgate!! The fans want Gary Ross for the long haul!! Let this be more like Lord of the Rings where Peter Jackson helmed the duration of the films as opposed to the Twilight franchise!

Gary Ross Answers NYTimes Reader Questions

Check out this article from the New York Times. Readers submitted questions to Gary Ross, and he chose a few to answer!

Gary, what was the biggest challenge that you encountered in the editing room? Also — just because I love my state — how did you like North Carolina? Would you be wanting to come back for future projects? — Savanah, North Carolina 

I think the biggest challenge was keeping the feeling of dread and tension alive in the first part of the film. It would have been easy for these “games” to feel like an abstract concept (the first part of the movie has no real IMMEDIATE threat to the tributes) and yet the characters are facing near certain death. The tone that was established in the reaping was essential in doing that. Steven Mirrione and I did quite a bit of restructuring in the first half to make sure the tension did not abate. As for your state, I LOVED it. And I miss Asheville very very much and I cant wait to go back. 

Given the tremendous pressure to make this movie a blockbuster, there must have been even more of a tension than usual between your artistic vision and the commercial one. How did you have to modify that artistic vision to arrive at the movie as released? — Ken N., San Francisco 

Actually, I felt the only way to make the film really successful was to be totally subjective (Suzanne wrote in the first person present). So I tried to put “commercial” considerations out of my mind. You can’t really make a movie by worrying about the marketplace and I always felt the only way to realize this story was to make it as personal as I could. I also felt this couldn’t feel or look like other “franchises” without sacrificing the naturalism the story needed. It helped being in the woods a long way from Hollywood. 

After watching the film, I felt you choose some specific spots for the pacing of the film. How did you decide on what you felt were important moments to emphasize and moments to move forward on? — Marcelo, Orlando, Fla.

Some of this is done in the screenplay and some of it is done editorially. After you’re finished shooting, the areas that the movie needs to accelerate or slow down become apparent. For instance we take a long time with the reaping, but the last third of the film is accelerated more than it was written in the screenplay. These things only become evident once the cut is complete. There are always surprises but that’s a good thing. It keeps you engaged in a process of invention even after you are done shooting. 

Was a lot of thought put into how far you could push the satirical element inherent in the story without undermining the emotional reality of Katniss’s journey? I was really impressed by the balance. — Adam L., Albany, N.Y. 

Yes, I think “tone” is the main challenge in adapting the novel to the screen. Some things that read fine on the page (especially in terms of the Capitol’s excess) might have broken the tension of the film if pushed too far. A novel (because it is left to the readers imagination) has more latitude tonally than a film does. I had to be careful that in depicting the excesses of the capitol it never felt too broad or as you say “satirical” on screen. It is a question of maintaining the tension and dread that the book did so well. 

How did your team develop the idea to create a NASA type control room for the arena? It is not in the book, but I think it was an important and clever addition to the movie. — Jalling, Groton, Mass. 

In the book, Katniss speculates about the game-makers manipulations while the games are going on. Of course, in the film, we can’t get inside Katniss’s head, but we do have the ability to cut away and actually show the machinations of the Capitol behind the scenes. I created the game center and also expanded the role of Seneca Crane for those reasons. I thought it was tonally important. So much of the film happens in the woods that it’s easy to forget this is a futuristic society, manipulating these events for the sake of an audience. The look of the control center, the antiseptic feeling of it and the use of holograms were all intended to make the arena feel “constructed” even when you weren’t seeing the control room. 

Can you talk about the use of CGI in the film as it relates to Katniss’s experience and human scale? I was struck by the grandeur of the Capitol in comparison with the intimate focus on Katniss in the woods outside 12 and in the arena. I have seen “zones” of a film differentiated by color or tint before (as in “Traffic” and “The Matrix,” for instance), but rarely as effectively by scale of surroundings. Was that a conscious choice or a natural result of telling the story from Katniss’ perspective? — Mike Z., Los Angeles

The contrast from District 12 to the Capitol is vital to establishing Katniss’s sense of alienation when she first arrives. And you are right—a lot of that is done with scale. The Capitol needed to feel authoritarian, imposing, overwhelming. Obviously we wanted Katniss to feel dwarfed by her surroundings. Phil Messina (the production designer) and I looked at a lot of reference from various periods of architecture that were meant to establish might and authority. In terms of the differences in hue, none of that is actually done through the color “timing” — the film is “timed” the same throughout. But the palate of District 12 is much bleaker than the palette of the Capitol. That’s simply a matter of palette control through production and costume design. 

If you had another half hour of film run time to use — assuming no consequences or complaints for the purposes of this question — is there anything you’d add to this first film? A cutting room floor wish? — Jenny B., Harlem, N.Y.

Honestly no. The movie I put out is the movie that I want, and I wouldn’t add anything to the running time. Equally, I would never make a movie too short just for sake of running time. I think a director should stand behind the cut of their film. I won’t be putting “additional” scenes on the DVD for the same reason. That said, there are a few things that I didn’t have room for in the script just for reasons of a linear narrative. A good example of that is the Avox subplot in the novel. I loved what Suzanne did but couldn’t find a way to get it in the screenplay and it was never shot. 

With the ongoing transition from film to digital capture, the fundamental aesthetic of movies (and TV) is changing. Why did you decide to shoot “The Hunger Games” on film rather than in a digital format? — David, Los Angeles

Several reasons. I love the look of the film and, for the aesthetic of this movie, I wanted both the richness and the grain that film provides. We were also shooting in very remote (and occasionally hot) locations and I wanted the reliability of film. This movie was shot on a very tight schedule and it rained at least half the days. I didn’t want to run the risk of the technical issues that often come with shooting digitally — we simply couldn’t afford any delays. Most systems are very reliable but even if this was a remote possibility, we didn’t have the room in our schedule to run that risk.

Source

Gary Ross was in our Midnight Showing!

I guess living in L.A. has its benefits. The Welcome To District 12 crew enjoyed the midnight showing in the Cinerama Dome at the Arclight Cinema in Hollywood.

Every movie gets introduced by a staff member. We were all the way in the back, and the guy came out to introduce it. I turned to my friend and said "Hey he looks like Gary Ross from afar." Not a moment later did he say, "Hi, I'm Gary Ross." Commence flipping out. Turns out Arclight is his local theatre!

Jennifer Lawrence and Gary Ross on NPR!

Jennifer Lawrence and Gary Ross will be on NPR Friday on the Morning Edition!

According to the website, it will come online around 9 EST.

You can also find your local NPR station HERE

LISTEN TO IT HERE!

Full Review of The Hunger Games *MILD SPOILERS*

The Transition from Book to Film (honoring the text, deviations from it):

     There was such an artful balance in the book to film transition. There was so much of the book that we hadn't gotten our hopes up on making it to the film, little lines that surely would be cut out or changed up, had made it in, and it felt like such a nod to the fans. It was as if Gary and Suzanne were saying, "We haven't forgotten you." And truly, they haven't. Not every scene in the books made it to the movie, but every scene in the movie honored the books in such a way that we haven't really seen from a book-to-movie adaptation, except for maybe the Lord of the Rings movies.
      The focus is much more on the overall story and certain moments have fallen to the wayside. Don't worry though, every moment that brings a crucial point to the plot of the general arc is at least touched upon, if not thoroughly performed including the cave scene, every death of a tribute, the reaping, and the journey from tribute to victor. The Hunger Games movie not only is structured so that any non-reader can understand what the story is about, but feels the themes and emotion conveyed in the books.
       As for the additional scenes, the glimpses of the Gamemaker control room and all of Seneca Crane with President Snow and of course the consequences of a certain character's death, all of that not only fit with the books but enriched the story in a way that couldn't have been done in the books. It seems like such a contradiction, to be so close to the book but still add so much to it, but The Hunger Games does it so well it feels pretty effortless, which we know is not the case. You'd also be interested to find out that these extra scenes give a very cool functionality to the story, and establish future happenings that will occur in Catching Fire. Suzanne was right on the money when she said this movie is separate from the books, yet completely complimentary to them at the same time. Where so many books-to-film feel inadequate, The Hunger Games passes with flying colors.


Special Effects and CGI
     We are big fans of practical effects. It doesn't get used as much today, but it always yields supremely realistic results. The Hunger Games completely succeeds in the special effects department. There is such a difference with using practical effects versus CGI. This kind of restraint made it feel as if this fantastical world of the Capitol was within reach. In another director's hands, the old factory they filmed these scenes in would've been just walls upon walls of green screen, but it must be said that the practical sets don't go unnoticed.
     The only CGI used (that we could tell) is in The Capitol scenes, the fireballs themselves in the arena, and the mutts at the Cornucopia. It is a very thrilling experience to see a special effect that seems so real that you wonder if that might actually exist. The technology that was shown from the reaping to the Capitol is incredible. The Capitol scenes, no doubt, are the most CGI heavy scenes. Yet, despite this, it is still simple and realistic. As for the chariot scene, the fire on Cinna's designs for Katniss is beautiful, and just might take your breath away.
    The mutts, are very satisfactory. They are simple, and look as real as CG can bring. By being a simple design, the mutts don't suffer from looking fake. Fans may be a bit bummed that the most terrifying feature of the Cornucopia mutts are absent from the film, but I can assure you it might not have gone over well in the end. After much consideration, it's possible that entering that feature into the equation might have just looked too fake. It seems Gary Ross' supreme concern in all aspects of the film is making everything intensely realistic.

The Score

      I guess we are repeating ourselves, but it's also a fact we are huge fans of movie scores because they seem to act as the paintbrush for a film. The score was so beautifully understated. Next to other scores that may be fuller and more theatrical, The Hunger Games score seems almost minimalist. But it works in the movie's favor. The lack of score in District 12 gives the setting a fittingly hollow feeling. And when score did come in, it didn't overwhelm the scene but helped it along. The score is present when it needs to be. The movie is relatively quiet during scenes, in which there is no music under it at all. What this does is really convey the urgency and reality of the situation. The function of the score makes this movie feel very unHollywood, even independent. The score helps achieve this. But you can bet during huge moments such as the chariot scene, it delivers triumphant swelling music to accompany Katniss & Peeta's radiant capes of fire. The score does such a good job being where it needs to be and being absent where it should, makes you not even notice the incredible job it's doing to tell the story. This score complements the movie perfectly and never brought you out of a moment, but instead made you feel like you were in Panem as well. 

Costume Makeup

     While reading the books, you imagine such lavishness for the Capitol citizens, but when seeing the interpretation of this, the costumes are works of art in a way that we hadn't expected. The stark contrast between the overwashed, dull colors of District 12 and the garish, over the top clothes that the Capitol citizens wear is immediately evident from your first glance of Effie. The Capitol, though fashionable, look like they're on a haute couture runway in our history. You really do feel like Katniss the moment you see them when the tribute train arrives. "Do they really have no idea how freakish they look to the rest of us?"

     The makeup….is breathtaking. You will be quite startled when you see Peeta hiding in the riverbed. The makeup is so incredible, you'd think it was CGI. Everyone in the theatre was flabbergasted.  Same goes for the wounds in the arena, very realistic, believable, and pretty gross. But the most impressive out of this category just may be Peeta's camouflage. Bravo.

Acting Performance

Testimonial time! There was just too much we had to share about the acting:

Courtney: "WHOOOOAAA BUDDY. Everything is top notch in this movie. Truly. The best thing? The acting, by far. It's no surprise that Jennifer Lawrence's acting is out of this world, but every single actor in this movie gives an amazing performance. For many of us who have seen the film, no doubt the biggest surprise is Alexander Ludwig's performance. I see why he was cast. Really, I see why everyone was cast.  Even the lesser known tributes do a fantastic job. You won't just be sobbing at Rue's scene, you might just shed a few tears at the bloodbath. It's very realistic, and there's something about that scene that does not leave you. So realistic, so terrifying, and so tragic. Don't get me started on the chemistry between Jennifer and Josh. You can FEEL the sparks flying between their characters! Woody and Elizabeth deliver great comic relief, but just the right amount. Woody in particular, not only shows what Haymitch is all about, but his humanity. All cast members for ALL the awards!"

Tiffany: "In terms of acting, there was not a weak link among the cast. Each actor embodied their character in a way that I wholly believed them to be their character. As Katniss, Jennifer Lawrence made me feel what Katniss was feeling. When she breaks down, you feel her agony. But there was never a moment where I thought she was overacting. Lawrence has so much strength in her understatedness. Josh Hutcherson's portrayal of Peeta was understated as well. His natural charisma matches that of Peeta's in the books. There is so much that he conveys in a look; where words and lines of dialogue worked in the books, Hutcherson as Peeta told it in those looks. Liam Hemsworth brings an unexpected and much needed lightness to Gale, but still keeping in line with who that character is and what his convictions are. From the first minute we saw Woody Harrelson as Haymitch to the very end, I understood why he was Gary Ross's only choice; his take on Haymitch was interesting and really told so much of this complex character. Elizabeth Banks as Effie brings much needed comic relief to the movie; I've never seen her in a role like this before, with such a huge transformation, but she really impressed me. Donald Sutherland as President Snow was a subtle villain, forgoing the theatrics of more traditional villainy by making Snow seem as rational as possible. Donald Sutherland's Snow is not crazy, and that makes him all the more frightening. When it comes to the tributes, I could not praise Alexander Ludwig more. I didn't know what to expect from his portrayal of Cato, and I was especially blown away by him. He wasn't hired to be just another brute, and he wasn't just another model either. He really brought it and made Cato so very human. And Amandla Stenberg as Rue was sweet, lovable and clever; she was exactly how I imagined Rue to be."

Denise: "The acting is something I was very scared about, but I knew that I was in for a treat as soon as I saw Katniss and Prim interact. From Prim's nightmare on, I felt exactly what the characters felt. The pure fear on Prim's face when walking to sign into the Reaping, the happiness on Katniss' face in the woods, Peeta realizing he's been practically sentenced to death, Cato's rage, Snow's snake like eyes, everything was how I pictured it in the books, and these actors frankly shocked me. I had no idea how amazing the young cast was on their own. I have to admit, I didn't really start crying with Rue's final scene until Katniss gives herself time to mourn. Jennifer shows the anguish on her face that you can only feel when you've lost someone. Though everyone was amazing, Jennifer is something out of the past. She didn't seem like she was acting. She became Katniss Everdeen, The Girl on Fire."

Overall Feelings of the Film

Courtney: "My expectations were completely unattainable, yet they could have not done a better job. This movie is more than we could have hoped for. I usually never have a shortage of words, but this left me speechless."

Tiffany: "There were such high expectations for this movie that I was scared to see it. Surely nothing could live up to these expectations. But I was floored, with this movie and this cast far exceeding what I had thought I wanted. This is something that I've never seen before. I can honestly say I can't compare it to anything else. What you think you know about the movie, with all the trailers and clips that have been released, you really and truly don't. There is no way to explain what it feels like to watch The Hunger Games, to be in this world. Where other movies would focus on what is happening on the screen, this movie focuses on the consequences and emotion behind it all.

Denise: "Though no movie will ever be perfect for me, because books are perfection, the movie didn't annoy me the way the Harry Potter movies did. The changes they made were necessary, the acting was phenomenal, the look was perfect, it was a throughly enjoyable movie from opening scene to the credits."


What Fans Ought To Know Going In 
     Remember the message. The Hunger Games isn't about showing the violence. Excessive gore is not needed to get across the fact that violence is wrong. It is in how the characters react to the violence that tugs at our heartstrings, not the violence itself. This is the heart of what makes this movie so genius and what sets it apart as a truly unique film.
     We're all die hard fans here, but you guys MUST remember that this is a movie adaptation. Not everything can be in the movie, and yes things are changed to keep the movie going. Know that your favorite scene was cut or condensed or someone said something with one word different than it was in the books; Get over it. Seriously, it does not ruin the film. The film is its own separate entity. Let it be. Besides, it's not hard to see why these changes were made and it was all done with Suzanne Collins' approval. So please, guys, keep an open mind!

*And the usual things, don't make unnecessary noise, go pee before so you don't walk in front of someone's view, and bring lots of tissues, because you will cry.


-Reviewed by Courtney, Tiffany, and Denise

Gary Ross Discusses Catching Fire!

In this Moviefone interview, Gary Ross talks about Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire, and Steven Soderbergh. We've included some cool parts of the interview here, *BUT BE WARNED* if you read the actual article on the Moviefone site there are MAJOR spoilers about one particular scene!

But you can feel free to read what we've put here, you'll find no spoilers in this post!

On Directing Catching Fire-
I'm attached to the next one. I'm looking forward to it. Simon Beaufoy, ["Slumdog Millionaire"] who's a writer I've been a fan of for a long, long time, is doing the script. We had great meetings with him when he was here in LA. And I'm really excited about that. I can't write the "Catching Fire" script right now because I'm finishing ["Hunger Games"], and we're on a schedule where the script has to get written right now. So I'm unbelievably fortunate that someone like Simon is going to be writing the script. That was the person I wanted to do it. One of the great things about this is that you get to work with people that you respect and you love and I think I'm at a point in my career where that's exciting for me. Would it be great to have time to write the script right now? Yeah. But I get to work with Simon Beaufoy. That's a thrill. He's somebody that I respect and I just love his work.

Casting Donald Sutherland and Elizabeth Banks-
Donald I just thought was right for the part. He and Elizabeth Banks both wrote me letters based on the book, where they said, "Listen, I think I'd be great for this part for this reason." I'd worked with Liz before [on "Seabiscuit"]. I was thinking of her already. So that was easy. But with Donald, he wrote such a compelling case for who this man was and what this kind of autocratic power did and the imposition of his kind of authority and what this sort of fascism really was, that not only did I cast him, but I ended up writing two more scenes based on that letter. It was a really amazing story because I'd already cast him, then he wrote me another letter about how he felt the character related to this world. I was shooting it in Asheville in the woods and we were by this beautiful lake. And I wandered down to the edge of the lake as I'm reading his letter on an iPad and thinking, "Wow, this is so intelligent and so sophisticated." It departed from the way he would play his character into what the nature of this power really meant. And there was a clearing by the lake and there was this one white folding chair there and I thought, "Well, that's sort of a sign I should go sit in this chair and think about this." And I did and I came up with these two scenes that are really kind of pivotal in the movie as a result of that email. That's what you want when you make a movie. You want these happy accidents and you want it to be a conversation with the people you're working with. That was kind of a sublime little moment.

Working with Suzanne Collins--
I would never give myself carte blanche to make changes. My job is to faithfully adapt something I love and to get at the essence of what I love about it. It's incredibly compelling. It's wonderfully urgent. It's the beautiful evolution of a girl into a leader as she matures under very extraordinary circumstances. So it wasn't so much about having carte blanche, but finding the most deft way to get at the essence of the story. So I wrote a draft of the script and then I sent it to Suzanne. We'd talked about it a bunch and she responded really, really favorably to the script. And then she came out to California so we could talk further and she had wonderful thoughts about it. And we started pitching back and forth and she was bringing a whole new layer in her insight because she had obviously lived with these characters a long time and before we knew it, we were working together. it wasn't like I invited her in to work on the next draft with me, it just evolved. So I said, "Well, this is crazy. You're not giving me notes, why don't we just write the next draft together?" And she said, "Great." So we locked ourselves up in a room and wrote the next draft of the script. Which was great for me, because I hadn't had a writing partner since Anne Spielberg on "Big." And I loved writing with someone again. That was a fun, special, really unique experience.

The Violence in the Film-
I think that there's a way to be as urgent and as compelling as the book is without being lurid or indulgent with the violence. If you tell the story from Katniss's point of view, which is what the job is, then you're in a perspective where you never become lurid or fetishistic about the violence. It's a horror going on around her, but that can be done in a way that is very precise and select and even sparing at times without sacrificing any of the urgency or the immediacy of it. So no, it's not done for the rating. It's pretty intense. I've had people see the movie and they said it was more intense than they even expected. But it's PG-13. It's not gratuitous in any way. It's just appropriate, I feel.

You can read the rest of the article HERE, but READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! SPOILERS!

Simon Beaufoy Talks Catching Fire

Check it out! Looks like things are on track for the Catching Fire script...

The second adaptation in The Hunger Games book series by Suzanne Collins has already been completed by the screenwriter. “I think she’s reading the first draft, right now,” Beaufoy proudly stated. As collaborators go, the screenwriter reported that the entire process with Collins has been pure bliss. “She’s been fantastic.”

The screenwriter said that because of two aspects, Collins has been an invaluable asset. She has written for TV and film before, and therefore, helped make Beaufoy’s job easier. “She's done a lot of the work for me already. They’ll cut my wage if you print that,” he said and laughed. “But that’s what I understood when I got to grips with it. She’d actually done a lot of my work for me already.”

“It’s the one time I have not read the book twice and then put it to one side. Usually, I never go back to them. With this one, I had to be a lot more faithful because there’s such a fan base that are more than usually keen that you get it absolutely right,” he added.

Normally he has to go through and figure out what to pump up and what to weed out for the big screen. But, Collins’ background in the visual has made that job easy, especially considering the microscope with which this particular page-to-screen effort will be under. “They have a Hunger Games fan base that is passionate beyond anything before that I’ve come across, and I would fear for my life if I got that adaptation wrong. If I do it too free of that, I shall get firebombed,” he said and smiled. “I’m being very careful with that.”

Beaufoy feels that Collins may be the author he’s worked with who most understands her readership. “She knows her audience brilliantly. She’ll tell me, ‘That bit, you just can’t cut out because they’ll go crazy,’” he said. “Other bits, she’ll tell me, that’ll be fine to change this. But, she really knows her readers. Because she’s been in the film world, she understands about adapting that things have to go, things have to change.”

In order to accurately get the second in the series correct, Beaufoy has had the rarest of opportunities. He’s seen The Hunger Games. “I had to. I’m not going to tell you what happens, but seriously… it’s brilliant,” he said. “It’s really good.”

 Source

MTV's Josh Horowitz on the Black Carpet!

We've embedded 7 interviews with Josh Horowitz from MTV! We love him over here so the fact that he got Liam and Josh to talk about Mockingjay is so exciting!

(Hint: Click "Stop Countdown" after the video to avoid autoplay)

Jennifer Lawrence:

Liam Hemsworth:

More after the cut!

Celebuzz's 100 Days of Hunger Games Black Carpet Interviews

We're big fans of Celebuzz's 100 Days of Hunger Games segments, and Taryn Ryder was on the black carpet of the LA premiere interviewing the stars of The Hunger Games!

Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and Gary Ross:



Dayo Okeniyi and Jackie Emerson:



Amandla Stenberg, Willow Shields and Paula Malcomson:



Alexander Ludwig, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jack Quaid and Leven Rambin:



Source

Gary Ross talks to Josh Horowitz of MTV: Spoilers, but LOTS of information!

Biggest challenge:

The essence of The Hunger Games:



More after the cut!

Gary Ross Interviewed By SFX Magazine

The SFX issue with Gary Ross's interview is out now but some of the Q&A is online. Here have a snippet!

SFX: You’ve done the book-to-screen process before with Seabiscuit but how different an animal was The Hunger Games? 

Gary Ross: “I have a much closer relationship with Suzanne (Collins) than I had with [Seabiscuit author] Laura Hillenbrand. In fact, Suzanne and I wrote the last pass of the screenplay together.” 

Passionate fans sometimes forget that you can’t do a literal book translation for film, so did you feel the pressure of knowing your screenplay was going to disappoint some purist readers? 

Gary Ross: “First of all, I’m a fan, so pleasing myself is half the battle. Obviously the fact that Suzanne loved it instilled in me that I had been properly calibrated and my tonal sense of the material was coming through. In terms of pressure, I don’t know. I felt an excitement and opportunity to dive into something that I love. Anytime you write or direct anything you are also the audience or the reader. You want to give them the same thrill you had when you first read the book.” 

From the time the film was announced to when you were actually shooting in North Carolina in the summer of 2011 was very rapid. Were you worried about the window of turnaround time you had to write, shoot and then finish the film for the March 2012 release date? 

Gary Ross: “I had a very, very short prep on the movie just because of the release date. More than anything, I think the prep was pretty truncated – post is pretty truncated too – but the shooting was fairly normal. In prep we just worked 18-hour days so we did four months of prep in two months by working double days essentially, so we were able to get ready.”

Read the rest of the interview here, it's very enlightening! He talks about CGI use and casting Lenny Kravitz and Donald Sutherland.

Gary Ross talks to MTV's Josh Horowitz

Here's Gary Ross's interview with Josh Horowitz for MTV Rough Cut in 5 parts.




Watch the other 4 parts under the cut!