The Hunger Games Releases Kickass Official Movie Trailer

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• I was practically hyperventilating when I saw this, I'm so excited! I love the very stark, minimal feel to the trailer despite all the glorious detail we glimpse in it. (and Prim and Rue are already breaking my heart ;___;)

• Yes! You like The Hunger Games too. :D

  • Why do you dislike Mockingjay?

    • For me, it was too sad. I mean yes it was raw and realistic in that situation but oh so sad, but I did go through Mockingjay the fastest, probably cuz I wanted to see how it ended. I mean I didn't hate it, but I just didn't think it was as good as the other two. Now I wanna reread the books LOL

    • For me, it was perfect. I honestly can't see how the series could end logically in another way.

    • Mockingjay was an outlier in terms of narrative and character development. In short - it sucked donkey balls.

      I knew from book 1: Katniss would end up with Peeta (despite my love of Gale) and that she would end up disillusioned with both the status quo and the catalyst of change she was forced to become. Collins is writing a YA novel, ferssakes, there is very little she could (or ought to) push the envelope and go for broke. I was cool with that. A nice trilogy that told a riveting story is nothing to be ashamed about. Not every writer is a Pullman and His Dark Materials trilogy, which also slightly faltered in his third book The Amber Spyglass, but brought it to a closure that made me cry and lives in my heart to this day. Lyra-Will Forever is all I have to say.

      Back to THG. If Collin's writing in book 1 was like District 12, all raw talent and heart, by the third book she was the Capitol. Soullessly spouting platitudes and manipulating her characters into doing things for the sake of her plot development. I didn't care that the ending was always what I expected, even Prim's death (I figured she'd off a majority of the secondary characters), but it was Collin's shoddy writing and grossly inept way of bringing it about that roiled my stomach reading about these characters I had grown to love behaving in ways completely outside of how they were presented for the first two books.

      The biggest hatchet job was done on Gale, purely for the sake of making Katniss choose Peeta. Which fucking pisses me off, because Katniss ought to choose Peeta because he was the man that she could live a peaceful and calm existence with. She and Gale were too fiery, too headstrong, too much alike that they would burn each other out. But for Collins to turn lovely perfect Gale into an obsessed revolutionary AND have him be some inadvertent cause for Prim's death? That was beyond lame.

      If Collins were a Meyers and couldn't write her way out of a paper bag, I'd be less harsh on her failures in Mockingjay, which admittedly felt like it was written by a completely other author. Don't believe me, check on Amazon reviews. Mockingjay is by far her most reviled book of the three, whereas THG and CF have a very positive (and deservingly) review from its readers.

      I was shocked when I read Mockingjoy, without any preconceived conceptions of the novel. I read all three in two days, so I could immediately see the sudden drop in quality and narrative consistency. In my world, Mockingjay doesn't exist. Unless the movie does some major revisions, I'd find it a waste of my money to check it out. But I still love the trilogy simply for giving me the first two books.

      An ending for a trilogy needs to do two things - bring the story from the first two books to a logical and meaningful conclusion, and do it in a way that remained true to the story laid out before it. Mockingjay accomplished 1/8 of those two combined things. The ending made was right for Katniss (and I'm fine with her offing characters left and right), but to get there she did everything wrong.

    • Totally agree with you Koala (and omg Will-Lyra forever. I've got to travel to that bench someday) re: Gale's development. It just seemed so cheap. I would have loved to see Katniss just realize one day that she didn't love Gale in a romantic way. Everything in her life is confusing and chaotic, but THAT could have been the one normal teenage thing. It could have been the normal part of her growing up.

      Also, I hated everything about evil Peeta. Blegh.

    • @Katrine

      I studied at Oxford before, but hadn't yet read the books. I NEED TO VISIT THAT BENCH TOO! Sorry for the all caps, but one of THE ultimate OTPs in any medium I have ever encountered is Will and Lyra. I actually start weeping when I think about them.

      As for Mockingjay, I've had discussions with many folks and amongst my friends it's the same conclusion. What a cop out. Evil Peeta is like the least offensive part of Mockingjay. I mean, he was brainwashed, ergo Collins can do whatever the hell she wanted with his character. There was no excuse for soulless Gale and Emo-Katniss. I mean....what the heck was she thinking?

      I always knew Gale-Katniss was the teenage passionate first love that was doomed to burn out. What I never expected was for her to turn Gale cold and horrible just to make Katniss choose Peeta.

    • @ Koala,

      I was 13 when Amber Spyglass came out and it was the most moving book I had read to that date. It probably still is, actually. I spent weeks trying to wrap my head around the tragedy of Will and Lyra choosing to live apart in other universes. I still occasionally check Philip Pullman's website hoping for any news on a sequel, or just something. ANYTHING that makes me think Will and Lyra had a good life even though they weren't together.

    • I hate Mockingjay because it was a terrible terrible end to a pretty good series. Brainwashed Peeta, Crazy Gale, and WTF Katniss...wow. I mean just reading the books it was natural that Katniss would choose Peeta because Gale was more like the older brother figure than love interest...but that amount of crazy BS she stuffed into that book with character assassination was insane. More importantly what sadistic stuff to put Peeta through. We're back to torturing characters just because now...I mean really?

    • @Katrine

      In my heart of hearts, Will and Lyra were just too....important, pivotal, thought provoking and status-quo changing for them to simply live an ordinary life of perfect happiness together. So they are each in their universes, living a life full of meaning, with Pan and Kirjava, respectively. And once a year, until they are old and ready to die, they will go to their bench at the same time, same moment, and KNOW, just know, the other person is right there. Shit, I'm crying again....

      I spent weeks destroyed by The Amber Spyglass (though The Subtle Knife if my fave book and the best of the lot), and I wish, dream, pray, for Pullman to maybe find a loophole in his universe to allow Lyra and Will to be together.

      Pullman has supposedly been writing The Book of Dust for a good 8-9 years now, and is thinking of splitting it into two books. One a prequel, the other a sequel with Lyra as the lead, about 16 years old, so two years after The Amber Spyglass.

    • @ Koala

      I started crying too. In the middle of the teacher's office. Good thing I'm already weird being not a Korean, because that would have put me over. It's the idea of them just KNOWING the other is sitting right next to them that gets me. Having to put the world before their love? OMG kill me now.

      I want Pullman to find a loophole so so so bad, but then I don't. The ending was so tragic, and so poignant, and pivotal to my formation as a (romantic) person. I think I would want Pullman to find a way for them to communicate between the universes, whether they can just see each other, or even talk...but maybe not touch? They can never have that happy life, like you said, but I want them to have *something* more.

      If he ever finishes the Book(s) of Dust, it's just going to break my heart all over again. Lyra at 16? So little time will have passed. A wound like that takes a lifetime to heal, and even then the scar will be bigger than anyone could imagine. Gah. I think I'm going to go home, eat a lil ice cream, pull out my very worn copy of the book, and then cry a little more. Possibly while listening to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8TXyyiz_x8

    • Wow, Koala. You studied at Oxford!

• When I found out the trailer dropped today, I immediately hopped on youtube and watched it, over and over and oooooooover again! It looks absolutely amazing and I cannot wait! It gave me chills, especially the four note song thing. And I'm really glad they made the movie so that we see what goes on in the districts while they're in the Games, it'll be fun to watch. Can't wait! Katniss+Peetabread all the way! :P

• HUNNNNGGGGA GAMESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

  Omg I watched it so many times last night--while I watching Pretty Boy Ramyun Shop. The horror of having to choose between the two!

  I'm in the Peeta-Katniss camp, but I still hated 80% of Mockingjay. STILL. THIS ON THE BIG SCREEN. I had serious doubts about Woody Harrelson (Haymitch seemed older in my mind) but he seems perfect. I'm not completely sold on Peeta. He looks so different in my mind but whoever is playing him Josh-somebody sounds right. Gale looks exactly as I pictured him. Effie looks terrifying, which is probably how it should be.

  • LOL yes Effie looks so creepy. Cato is too cute in my opinion. Cinna wasn't how I imagined him but he does seem like he'd make a great Cinna. I'm curious to see how they portray the Capitol ppl with their crazy hair and colored skin.

  • When I was reading the books in my mind Peeta was brunette and dusky versus how he looks but whatever. I'm surprisingly still into the movie.

    • I pictured him brunette as well. I dunno, I've never been that attracted to blonde men? Still. His voice seems very Peeta-ish to me, and I'm sure about 20 seconds into the film I'll fall in love with him ha!

    • Peeta has blond hair in the novel though. "Medium height, stocky build, ashy blond hair that falls in waves over his forehead..." those are the exact description the first time his character is introduced.

• YES! Unni, you've given me two awesome movie trailers today :). This looks fantastic, just as gritty and fast-paced and thrilling as the books. I initially thought Jennifer Lawrence's face was a little too cute and round for the role (I imagined Katniss's face as more angular and mature) but she is selling it and I'm sold.

• I <3 Gale!!! I hated Mockingjay because Gale wouldn't have given up Katniss w/ out a fight.

  • Collin's destroyed Gale's character in Mockingjay because she was too lazy to write anymore and wanted an easy out. Gale was not Gale in Mockingjay, he was replaced by a robot from the Capitol.

    Seriously? Gale loves being a revolutionary more than Katniss? LOL, that would be the day. Katniss was the ONLY thing Gale cared about for two books. If I think really hard I'd be insulted Collin's thought her readers were stupid enough to buy into her crock of bullshit in the third book.

    And don't even get me started on brainwashed Peeta.

    • If you feel like it, I would love to read your thoughts about the character developments throughout the trilogy, especially on revolutionary Gale and brainwashed Peeta in Mockingjay.

      I'm not much of an analyst so I find your analysis very interesting. I just finished reading your reply to my comment and it makes sense that there is a possibility that Collins manipulated her characters.
      :D

    • @koala
      I agree with you I felt like Collins got lazy with Gale as well. I think Gale deserved a better ending. He loved not only Katniss but her whole family so to make it seem like he had a hand in Prim death was an insult to this great complex character. She made it too simple for Katniss and Peeta in the end.

• never read the book....

• Oh man, I was flipping out over the trailer as soon as I saw it. It looks so awesome... and it has just the right "flavor" of the book. I was terrified they were going to mess up the story, but it looks spot on right now.

• I haven't been able to read the other 2 volumes but I did love "The hunger games"!!! I read it last year but i found it too sad and I might avoid watching the movie for that reason :P
  I'll be looking up Catching Fire and Mockingjay
  I am also a Katniss-Gale Shipper, like i do like Peeta but I can only Katniss being his "bestfriend". Katniss' relationship is beyond cute, they were like the parents of a big family already in the beginning.
  y does everyone not like Mockingjay?? is the ending bad?? if its like that then i'll just read Catching Fire and re-imagine Mockingjay :P

• I think it looks a bit OTT in the dramatics dept (with the in-your-face music score and over emo acting). But still looking forward to it. Hoping it won't be cheesy