Mockingjay Part 1 Review

Team WtoD12!

No Spoilers!!

Courtney:
     If you've followed us for a couple years, you'd know that Mockingjay is personally my favorite book (Well, #2 to The Silmarillion). We spent one year in 2012 researching and plotting out the Mockingjay split to prove to fans of the potential. Then these past couple months we examined the first half of Mockingjay chapter by chapter.  I was overcome with intense emotion after watching Part 1 to realize that the film follows our graph pretty closely. I've always thought our graph had a little too much in it, and was quite sure at least half of it would go by the wayside. THIS IS NOT THE CASE!! Mockingjay Part 1 is a film, at long last, made for fans. So stop worrying about what the critics are saying because if you love Mockingjay you will love this film.
    I felt like most of the scenes I was saying all the lines along with the film, that is how close to the book it is. If they left something out, it was because it would have disrupted the tone of the film. Anything they might have left out is very forgivable because of how close it is to the book. It is DEFINITELY the best Part 1 film I have seen as far as action. I am seeing a lot of reviews mentioning the lack of action, and maybe this is because I am a super fan, but I think I watched a completely different movie. This has the most action in a part 1 I have seen, and they did a great job with the pacing all the while explaining story. As for the ending and feeling "unfinished", Francis made an effort to make it feel as complete as possible. I mean, is it any different than the ending to a movie that is going to have a sequel? So, bottom line -- this is a film for THE FANS. A true book adaptation.

Stay tuned for my score analysis. More than any THG film, there are moments in the score that reference the story HEAVILY. Specifically that last doozy of scene.

Tiffany:
     As a reader of the books, you think you know what you’re getting into with Mockingjay, but even from the first scene, you don’t fully realize the gravity of the situation that Katniss is in until you see it for yourself. The beginning of the movie hit like a punch in the stomach, and it set the mood for the rest of the movie.

     Being a long time fan of the books will reward you with lines of dialogue word for word from Suzanne Collins. But fans of the books won’t be bored. While the payoff of seeing scenes jump from our imagination to the movie screen is amazing, there are plenty of additions that take the story from Katniss’s head to the world outside of District 13.

     I was so impressed with how the story translated to film. Part 1 movies struggle to maintain a distinct and complete story, but this one seems to have achieved it.

Janine:
     Mockingjay Part 1 was everything I thought it would be - everything I’d imagined - but infinitely better. It was suitably dark (unapologetically so for a movie based on a young adult novel. It didn’t compromise the storytelling in an effort to be more kid-friendly or to appeal more to the younger audiences) and very accurately captured the feeling of bleakness and the intensity of war (or the beginnings of it). So much so, that it pulls you in and clenches around your heart, and doesn’t let go. The storylines were translated incredibly well from the book to the movie and so much of the dialogue was straight out of the book, which says a lot about both Suzanne Collins’ writing and Francis Lawrence’s storytelling. None of this would be possible without the incredible talent everyone in the cast. I was never nervous about the new cast additions for this movie, but I was still pleasantly surprised by every new character we were introduced to. Jennifer Lawrence has said in the past that the audience would be pissed about the ending. Having seen the movie, I understand why people would maybe react that way, but I am not at all pissed. I loved the ending and I loved the movie and I’m excited for everyone else to see it so that we can all talk about it!

Denise:
     I was completely enthralled with the movie from beginning to end. The editing and writing that the film did was phenomenal. They cut out scenes in the book that didn't directly tie into Katniss' emotional state and added scenes to enhance the story. The uprise of the rebels was the most moving and uplifting thing I have seen in cinemas in years. All the most important lines that you act out yourself when you read the books made it in and my mouthing "if we burn you burn with us" to myself at ten at night while reading the book like a crazy person holds nothing to watching Katniss' inspiring first propo.

      I was particularly pleasantly surprised by Julianne Moore as Coin. Though biased as you are being on Katniss' side, Coin does draw you in and inspires you as the head of District 13. I was much more sympathetic to her performance in the movie than I had been when reading the books.

      The hands down most heart wrenching moments were watching Peeta's condition deteriorate. Josh shines in this movie more than any other. From the first two films we are moved by his acting as he is very lovable, but watching him go from healthy and whole through to the end of the film is extremely hard to watch. Every scene of his was brilliantly acted as it is probably one of the most important roles in the film.

      Elizabeth Banks as Effie was just wonderful. I loved her addition to the story. Her reactions to the way of life in District 13 are a nice bit of comic relief to the overall somberness of the film.

Haymitch's entrance to the movie is WONDERFUL. Every bit of him was just amazing and a scene between him and Katniss had me crying in both laughter and sympathy towards his plight. 

Philip Seymour Hoffman was such a gem to have in the movies. His brand of lightheartedness sprinkled with his genius in making this revolution take place is irreplaceable.

      Sam Claflin was so wonderful in this film. Watching him was heartbreaking as you see him try not to fall apart. I was so happy to see so much more of the real Finnick and not the Finnick in the arena. I love the friendship between him and Katniss because they are the only ones in that situation that really understand each other.

      The addition of the characters of Boggs, Castor, Pollux and Cressida were incredible. Boggs is an inspiring leader. Castor and Pollux are so great together and Pollux especially shined to me. Natalie Dormer is so great as the focused director Cressida. Prim is all grown up and now acts as the older sister to Katniss. The love between the two sisters is shown more than ever in this film. 

      Jennifer Lawrence completely commands this film from the first scene to the last. From seeing her try to hold it together to accepting her position as the Mockingjay to realizing Snow's plan, I was so grateful to have such a talented actress play out these scenes I had imagined and dreamed about so perfectly.

      My favorite moments in the movie were the time in District 8 and The Hanging Tree. You will be singing The Hanging Tree to yourself for days. The scene along with her singing is probably the most inspiring moment of the film. Also Katniss trying to film the first propo as the best comedic scene in the series.

      My expectations were SO ridiculously high for this film and somehow they still exceeded them. If you leave this movie and you are not happy, I will want to do experiments on your brain because I will not understand at all. Francis Lawrence blew my mind with Catching Fire so I couldn't stop myself from thinking that this one would be even more amazing seeing as it is my favorite book. 

ALSO stay until after the credits as there is ANOTHER logo change!

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.

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

Empire Magazine Reviews The Hunger Games

While we probably won't post every review that comes out, I got a little emotional reading this, and I happen to agree with it (except for the part about the commentary which I liked). It's nice to see critics appreciate it as a movie.

(Some spoilers, especially about what the opening scenes are)

Plot

In a future version of North America a small, wealthy city rules over the rest of the impoverished nation. Every year, a number of the country’s youngest inhabitants are randomly selected to fight to the death in The Hunger Games. This year, Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) will change the game.

Review

Probably the greatest achievement of The Hunger Games, and there are many, is that in adapting a phenomenally successful teen novel its creative team have produced something that works as a film, not just as an adaptation of a book. There’s no required reading before entering the cinema in order to ‘get it’, and it’s well above the ‘all your favourite bits but with pictures’ business that has become the accepted standard. When a series has sold millions of copies, as Suzanne Collins’ trilogy has, the default position is to produce something that will look just as readers imagined, to show what we were all thinking, rather than offer something nobody had considered. The Hunger Games as a novel has been dissected, expanded and retooled into something intelligent, immersive and powerfully current.

The world of Panem, a futuristic America, is established elegantly in about 90 seconds. First we see two men discussing an event called The Hunger Games in front of an audience; both men evidently so luxuriating in time and money that they can tint and trim every inch of their surface until they resemble painted couture clowns. Then, with a literal scream, we cut to District 12, where all is grey and people dress like the cast of a regional stage production of Little House On The Prairie. This is how Panem is divided. There are the haves and the have-nots. The haves live in The Capitol, amid great wealth and power. The have-nots live in a series of impoverished districts, put under oppressive rule after a failed uprising some time in the indefinite past. Each year two of every district’s youngest members are selected to battle to the death in an arena, from which one will emerge victorious for... no real reason. The poor will do as they are told, however senseless, and the rich will keep on keeping on. The echoes of the 99%ers are clear and not unintended. 

This world bleeds with a cruelty from which director Gary Ross never retreats. Even luxury is portrayed as almost oppressive — gluttonous and requiring constant effort. Our heroine, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), is introduced hunting a cute little deer — typically movie shorthand for a complete monster. She has no time for being wistful because she has to survive. This runs right through the film: what is survival worth? Lawrence is perfect as Katniss. There’s very little softness about her, more a melancholy determination that good must be done even if that requires bad things. She stretches many of the tightly anguished muscles built in Winter’s Bone — the District 12 scenes have a similar hard-bitten feel — plus some other more traditionally gym-honed ones.

The violence and cruelty is most explicit in the Hunger Games arena, a vast, synthetic forest where 24 children hunt each other, and the level of brutality is very smartly done. You don’t get a rating suitable for a teenage audience by gutting preteens or decorating the landscape with their blood. So Ross cuts around it. The constantly searching, handheld camerawork used throughout the film comes in most useful during moments of violence, flashing round the action and making you think you’ve seen everything without ever really clocking anything that would upset your appetite. 

It’s an old trick but a very effective one. The only clumsy element of these scenes is an intermittent commentary provided by Stanley Tucci and Toby Jones, which fills in incidental story details in a brash ‘Basil Exposition’ way. When it pops up, it kills the momentum.

Arguably more interesting than the cruelty within the arena is that going on outside, which is almost entirely of the film’s invention. Unlike in the book, we see The Capital’s Gamemakers pulling the strings, despatching contestants with casual stage directions. It’s all played with a cold, even hand, chilling in its absolute lack of concern for consequence. It’s these moments that linger after the film has finished because it doesn’t seem quite so very removed from reality. If this were real, it slyly asks, would you watch it? Well, would you?

Verdict

As thrilling and smart as it is terrifying. There have been a number of big-gun literary series brought to screen over the past decade. This slays them all.

By Olly Richards

Source

The Fans Weigh In on Movies.com

I was asked to submit my reaction to Movies.com on behalf of Victor's Village so here it is!

I have never been so blown away by just a theatrical trailer. In two and a half minutes, Jennifer Lawrence’s portrayal of Katniss felt gut-wrenchingly real, so much so that the Reaping scene broke my heart into a million tiny pieces, leaving me in tears for the rest of the trailer. Seeing the glimpses of the citizens of Panem watching the games, especially the three-finger salute in District 11, is a very welcome perspective and much needed addition. District 12, the Capitol, the training center, the arena – all places that have been no more than words on paper and images in my head – are now concrete, and what’s better is that they are as I have imagined. These places sacred to me have been treated with respect. Finally, the countdown at the end of the trailer as a panicking Katniss is rising up into the arena provides such an ominous feeling that even a stranger to the series will know that this will be a movie to be taken seriously. The trailer brought it in terms of stunning visuals, true to the book scenes, emotion and depth, and phenomenal acting.

Read the article and reviews from our friends at other fansites here