#hunger games movies criticism

[lasthaysileeshipper]

wow the movies really did exclude every female peer Katniss was close with in the books, didn’t they?

like I talk about Madge a lot and obviously she’s the most important example, but Delly wasn’t there either. neither was Lavinia. that makes me so sad. Johanna was there, but their friendship wasn’t really elaborated on much in the movies, either.

now obviously she had Prim and she bonded with Mags, Wiress, and Rue before they died, as well as becoming closer with her mother, but they’re not her peers. (Hazelle isn’t Katniss’s peer either, but I wish she’d been in the movies, too. their relationship is so special to me.)

Katniss’s friendships/connections with her female peers (and other female characters in general) are so much more… profound than her relationships with male characters, or at least in my opinion. she describes female characters and her relationships with them so differently than she does male characters and her relationships with them. she values all of her relationships with other girls and women so highly. with Madge specifically (and maybe Lavinia, too), her admiration borders on sapphic.

but nooooooo apparently the love triangle was more important.

[daisy-mooon]

So Jennifer Lawrence was too fat to play Katniss Everdeen, but Rachel Zegler is too thin to play Lucy Gray Baird? I don't wanna say you guys don't like women but maybe some of you guys maybe don't like women

[hozukitofu]

Every time I view the tributes as "evil" or "annoying" or "stuck up" I have to physically chant THAT'S WHAT THE CAPITOL WANTS YOU TO THINK. We watch and consume media, and we are all easily suggestible to depictions and hidden agenda of the producers - I'm a kpoppie so I've seen my fill of reality shows and evil mnet editing, how someone can have their actions, words and expressions twisted into a narrative that isn't true. Media at the scale of the Games are not designed to tell the truth - that largely marginalised kids are ritually massacred to scare the districts from thinking about rebellion. The broadcasted Games are selling the deaths almost at an unreal quality, almost like it's not REALLY happening - and the emotional distance that the Capitol citizens are able to afford/and be removed from the brutality can pretend that it's not really there and more importantly, not THEIR kids. This is just a silly little show and these kids are only characters playing a role, but ooh sometimes we can get interactive and influence their odds. How fun! How exciting! And we in the Capitol get to do this Every Year? Give us drama and twists, different arenas and costumes every year so we can keep consuming.

It's so easy to call literal kids EVIL or SELFISH and INHUMANE. Anyone would be if they've been publicly announced to fight to the DEATH and having to survive 23 other people actively TRYING to murder them. Everything is RIGGED by the game makers and sponsors - create an environment that is so toxic that people have to be the worst versions of themselves to survive - for funsies. For shits and giggles. For laughs, for bets. Doesn't matter if the chosen tribute win, but they have to be entertaining. SICKENING.

So the next time you catch yourself slipping into Capitol propaganda, thinking about how kids are evil and murderous and annoying, also consider the additional fact that they HAVE TO BE, and also just because a teenager is annoying doesn't mean they should DIE FOR IT. I know we're all disdainful of kids and think they're not fully formed humans, and sometimes they can look like they're older than they are, but that doesn't excuse TELEVISED demonisation of certain actions. Kids who are ruthless so they can go home are just trying to play a game rigged against their LIVES. I think all of the tributes can do whatever tf they want, I support tribute rights AND wrongs. They're ANNOYING and I want them to LIVE. Two statements that can and should coexist

[namedafterflowerstournament]

Botanic Tournament : Main Bracket !

Round 4 Poll U

(Tea leaves and rue)

[fouriis]

sorry didn’t like tbosas. i mean i loved the book. the movie is just not it. for me the adaptation was as bad as divergent was. keeping in only the iconic bits (not even all) and leaving out what actually makes us connect to the characters or the ships (snow and lucy gray barely interacted and suddenly they’re holding hands and shit) or the immediate cut to another big scene without giving any context (one moment they’re on the train next moment at the hanging tree next moment at the coveys show) . the script made the characters very simple like lucy gray and sejanus are angry all the time and i didn’t get any complexity from coriolanus the rewrite just felt lazy i mean there were good scenes but overall im disappointed especially knowing its the same director of the og movies

[emotinalsupportturtle]

watched the ballad of songbirds and snakes and I must say it’s one of the few mainstream things I’ve seen that did not just meet my expectations but may have even exceeded them

on another note is wonka worth watching? What’s everyone’s opinion over here?

[nellasbookplanet]

While I'm not necassarily optimistic about the upcoming hunger games movie (I rarely am about adaptations, though I generally try to stay positive until proven wrong), I am in fact very curious about how they'll handle Lucy and Snow's relationship. Like, we all seem to be on the same page about the original movie trilogy turning a social critique with a side of romance into a romance with a side of detached tragedy (ironically mirroring the Capitols approach because we live in a dystopian hellscape). That approach was possible because we more or less always knew the boys' feelings for Katniss were honest, and that while she certainly used them (Peeta especially) to survive the games and was uncertain regarding her romantic feelings, she genuinely did deeply care for them. There was a romance, the movies just over-focused on it because it was the easiest (and in my opinion least interesting) way to go about the adaptation.

With Lucy and Snow, that same approach doesn’t exist. We never truly know how Lucy feels, whether she’s only using Snow to survive or if she actually cares for him (my personal interpretation is a bit of both), but Snow... He never sees her as a whole person. She’s a romantic ideal, a mirror of his trauma, this perfect girl who isn’t like the other people from the districts (because if she were, he'd have to reckon with how the districts were treated), and the moment she falls from the piedestal he's put her on any care he'd held for her immediately evaporates. She was never real to him.

And I worry that the movie will try to turn them into these tragic, star-crossed lovers instead of a traumatized, entitled teenager projecting onto another traumatized teenager and chosing murder when she becomes too much of her own person for him to continue doing so. Please, please don’t try to turn Snow's story into that of a tragic, romantic fallen hero rather than the villain origin story that it is, I beg.

[intimate-mirror]

The Hunger Games movies work as well as they do thanks to one character more than any other, Caesar Flickerman.

It's a really really fine line he has to walk on, simultaneously drawing out emotions from the capitol audience, being in some sense kind to the tributes, drawing out their marketable traits, while still implicitly selling the story that the games are just a very exciting high stakes reality tv show.

If he were written worse, or the actor played him worse, it would fall utterly flat, and the capitol's tolerance of the game's existence would break suspension of disbelief.

[delacruzja]

Cinematictonics presents: Survival of the Spirit: in the movie "The Hunger Games"

"I just keep wishing I could think of a way to show them that they don't own me. If I'm going to die, I want to still be me."

Set in the dystopian nation of Panem, where the Capitol reigns with an iron fist over twelve impoverished districts, The Hunger Games follows the story of Katniss Everdeen, a brave and resourceful young woman who volunteers to take her younger sister's place in the brutal Hunger Games. The Games pit children from each district against one another in a televised fight to the death—a stark reminder of the Capitol's dominance and the lengths it will go to maintain control.

Throughout the film, the importance of sacrifice becomes apparent. Katniss' choice to volunteer for the Games exemplifies selflessness and love for her sister, Prim. As the story unfolds, alliances form and friendships blossom, showcasing the power of unity and compassion even in the direst circumstances. The Hunger Games serves as a poignant lesson that sometimes, true heroism lies not in personal victory but in the willingness to put others before oneself.

Katniss becomes the symbol of hope and resistance amidst a world of despair. Her determination to survive the deadly arena and protect those she cares about resonates with the audience, reminding us of our instinctual drive to overcome adversity and cling to life even in the face of impossible odds.

While the brutality of the Games is undeniable, The Hunger Games subtly brings forth themes of camaraderie and compassion. As alliances form and dissolve, we witness the struggle between self-preservation and empathy. The film powerfully highlights the impact of the Games on the tributes' psyches, prompting viewers to ponder the psychological toll of such life-or-death circumstances.

The Hunger Games is more than just a thrilling cinematic experience; it's a reflection of the human experience, urging us to cherish our resilience, embrace unity, and challenge the status quo. It reminds us that we have the power to shape our world and the responsibility to ensure justice and compassion prevail. So, as you watch this riveting tale unfold, take a moment to reflect on the lessons it offers and how we can apply them to our own lives.

"May the odds be ever in your favor." - Effie Trinket

[the-one-where-casey-watches-tv]

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: Is Katniss Lucy Gray's Granddaughter?

The Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is chock full of easter eggs and homages to the original trilogy. So much so that many folks are wondering if the District 12 survivor from years past has any relation to the Girl on Fire.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows young performer Lucy Gray Baird as she is reaped for the 10th annual Hunger Games, becoming the female tribute from District 12. Her path crosses with the ambitious yet penniless teenaged Coriolanus Snow, whose curriculum at the Capitol’s Academy causes him to take a vested interest in Lucy Gray’s performance in the Games.

Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Image courtesy of IMDb.

Similar in some ways, but different in even more, Katniss Everdeen and Lucy Gray Baird both played to their strengths to survive the brutal Hunger Games. Here are the reasons some people got the idea that these two protagonists could be related.

The Timeline Checks Out

In The Hunger Games trilogy, the white-haired President Snow has a granddaughter just a couple years younger than Katniss and her sister Prim. Given that his younger self was two years older than Lucy Gray, it’s perfectly feasible that Katniss and Prim could be her descendants.

“The Hanging Tree”

Now, Lucy Gray isn’t the only one who knew this song- certainly not after performing it for a vivacious crowd of dancers at a District 12 pub. But Katniss is no performer. She gritted her teeth through any performative act she had to take to ensure her own survival, yet “The Hanging Tree” is a song she occasionally sang willingly, one she found peaceful. It must have had a special place in her heart to bring her that comfort. And why might that be? 

Jennifer Lawrence and Amandla Stenberg in The Hunger Games. Image courtesy of IMDb.

Their Strategies in the Games

Lucy Gray and Katniss handled the Games- and the mind games leading up to the Games- very differently. Yet at their core, they played the same way. Both girls played smart, rather than violent; they both waited out the initial bloodbath and took as little life as was possible, given the circumstances. When finally forced to play their hand, Lucy Gray and Katniss both did the wholly unexpected, somehow finding a third option for themselves besides kill or be killed. Their strength in not succumbing to the animal-like behavior that the Capitol so eagerly wanted to televise is an outlier that draws a connection between the two of them.

Rachel Zegler in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Image courtesy of IMDb.

Katniss

Lucy Gray had a fondness for Katniss- the plant. It’s a swamp potato that the Covey would eat on their travels. Not everyone called the plant Katniss, but Lucy Gray liked to. Did she like it enough for a child of hers to pass the name along in her honor?

Despite all these easter eggs in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes that can’t help but draw the mind to Katniss Everdeen, no relation between the two District 12 victors is ever confirmed. A strong argument can be made for one, but there are also some reasons this theory is just that- a theory.

The Covey

 Lucy Gray Baird is a member of the Covey, a traveling performance troupe that happened to be settled in District 12 at the time of the 10th annual Hunger Games. Her Covey identity is so important to her that she is reluctant to call herself a resident of District 12, despite being reaped as the district’s female tribute. Yet, there is no mention of the Covey in The Hunger Games. The group is a new addition to The Hunger Games world with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. If Katniss was related to Lucy Gray, they would only be two generations removed, and Lucy Gray’s Covey identity would likely play a role in Katniss’s sense of self as well. The complete absence of the Covey in Katniss’s story casts some doubt on the possibility of a connection between the two girls.

Rachel Zegler in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Image courtesy of IMDb.

District 12 

The Covey complicates things even further. Given that they are a traveling group, to the extent that Lucy Gray refused to call District 12 home, it seems unlikely that she spent the rest of her life there. When you add in the fact that, at the end of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, she and Coriolanus had set out to leave the districts and never return, the thought of her establishing a family in District 12 feels even more far-fetched. The prequel ends on an ambiguous note, with Lucy Gray deliberately losing Coriolanus in the forest, so it’s hard to say if she ever saw 12 again, much less made meaningful connections there.

Radically Different Personalities

 Lucy Gray’s reaping consisted of her dropping a snake down another girl’s dress and then bursting into song. Katniss’s reaping found her intensely and tearfully volunteering in her sister’s place. The contrast between Lucy Gray’s levity and Katniss’s seriousness is a constant in their personalities. Lucy Gray, a performer for a living and a performer for survival, won Capitol hearts with her charm and voice. Katniss, on the other hand, had to be begged to grin and bear it, to give a single twirl, to save not just herself but Peeta- whose affability was an essential counterpart to her stone-faced persona. If the two girls are related, a similar demeanor is not one of the clues.

Jennifer Lawrence and Stanley Tucci in The Hunger Games. Image courtesy of IMDb.

Ultimately, though, we’ll never know for sure. It’s possible that The Ballad of Songbirds and Snake’s homages to Katniss served more as an explanation as to why the Girl on Fire bothered President Snow so much. Maybe she just got under his skin because she reminded him a little too much of the girl who bested him and broke his heart all those years ago- related or not.

What's your gut telling you? Do you think these two share blood? Or just that powerful fighting spirit?

[pyr0cue]

The hunger games is one of the only media I think you genuinely need to read the books to have an opinion about the series. If you’ve only seen the movies you really do no get the same experience nor the same amount of complexity. Like you can get the point of the maze runner or good omens or whatever by just watching film/tv adaptations but the hunger games movies are just so bad and so clearly are striving to appeal to a wider audience in pursuit of profit rather than attempting to actually discuss the themes in the books.

[lasthaysileeshipper]

ok so katniss describes effie wearing a pink wig in book one and then we learn that there were pink birds in haymitch’s arena in book two.

this seemingly minute detail has always stuck out to me. what it tells me is that haymitch and effie are incompatible on a foundational level. it also alludes to effie’s role in the story. she plays an active role in perpetuating his trauma by being a games escort, so it makes perfect sense that she’s dressed up in a way that reminds him of the birds from his arena.

I generally dislike the movies, but one of the things I will give them credit for is the capitol fashion design. it looks so goofy and over the top. when I first watched the movies, I really liked that they had effie in a pink outfit, even though her hair was white. at the time, I thought it was going to be a great set up for when katniss and peeta watched haymitch’s games in catching fire. unfortunately, haymitch isn’t in the reaping scene in the first movie and they don’t say a word about his backstory in the second movie. *sigh*

[sanjarka]

let's say you've been put in charge of a new thg adaptation, whether it's a new film series, a miniseries, or a tv show. you get complete creative control. what's one scene you would definitely make sure to include that did NOT make it into the movie @anonymousinpanem

/thank you for tagging me 🌷/

so, if i were in control, it would definitely be a television show, with three seasons and nine episodes (three chapters per episode) in each. and the casting - poc for the seam and actual teenagers for katniss, peeta, gale... i'm deleting nothing and no one.

/also, in my hypothetical universe, i'm inviting literally everyone who worked on dark netflix, cause if they can make a tv show about time travel to somehow make perfect sense than i need them and i trust them/

now, to actually answer the question, it would have to be an everlark-related scene since i'm an everlark trash okay (and their love story is so crucial to the main narrative that you'd have to rewrite the book if you removed it, so showing how and why it's so special is important!)

It's difficult to choose only one because their love is idk, like so consistent? it's always there in some form, and even the small moments that may appear insignificant to others are still so necessary. anyway from thg it would be the cave scene in it's entirety idc i need it all, from cf stay with me - always (i'm sorry but where is katniss being in love with peeta's eyelashes?) and from mj, it'd be katniss's dream about that moment (i want all the dreams and flashbacks, especially the ones with her dad - he's so essential to her and so alive in her heart, and i want to see him).

/you can stop reading here cause i just can't stop and technically i an cheating cause this scene was in the movies but it.was.so.bad. and much much shorter than it was in the books/

the bread scene.it was like what? two minutes long? believe me, i understand the time constraint and my maybe unrealistic expectations, but it is so detailed and vivid in the books that if you haven't read them you get absolutely nothing from it in the movies. nothing.

and i want to see every single thing. i want to see katniss and prim in school, finding out that their father is dead. i want to see her mother's succumb to depression and how it affects her children. then i want to see them struggling and katniss attempting to hold it all together but falling cause she is only eleven years old! things continue to deteriorate as time passes, to the point that they are on the verge of dying.

then as her last choice katniss goes into town and knocks on people's doors, begging them to buy her and prim's old clothes, and no one does anything (then we could also see that folks who live in town have a different appearance than she does and are better off, and we can see and feel the class/racial divide in d12, and how, despite the fact that they are all oppressed, people of color still suffer more - so when peeta helps her we are actually surprised that a ”rich” white boy actually cares and notices).

and again, we can see how near she is to death - how skinny, tiny, fragile, and young she looks. she's hungry and desperate. she's searching through the bakery's trash when peeta's mother sees her, yells at her, and is just plain cruel. then behind, we see peeta and how healthy he looks compared to katniss. but he gets a determined look in his eyes cause he understands what's going on and that he just needs to help her.

then katniss, tired, and crying, and scared, falls underneath the apple tree and gives up. then we hear a crack, a hit and see that peeta's mom has hit him because he burned the bread and that she is also cruel to her own child. but while that's just another day for him katniss look at the scene shocked because her parents never did that (are we even aware how rare that is!) and then he is throwing the bread and we see her confused look like - you gave this to me? on purpose?

then she's running away in the rain and she get's home and makes prim, her and her mom(!) eat together like a family for the first time since her dad died.

the next day at school, katniss is staring at peeta, wanting to thank him, but he's surrounded by friends, he's a merchant, and he has a black eye because of her, and how do you even properly thank someone for not only saving your life but also the lives of your sister and mother? so she averts her gaze, embarrassed, but now peeta is the one staring, and then he sees her picking that dandelion. then her and prim are picking them and making a salad, things are slowly starting to change for the better and that's where it stops. that is the end of the bread scene.

i know it's too much, i get it, but this moment needs to be done right if we are to completely understand everything about katniss and peeta, and i want it all.

[aidenwaites]

Watching the Hunger Games bc I recently read the book for like the first time since middle school and man they did kinda shit the bed on this one huh

[killlerfang1]

Theres a lot you can criticize about how the Hunger Games franchise marketed their movies (looking at you hanging tree club remix). But if there’s one thing we can agree on, it’s that they do not fuck around when it came to their posters

[mega-ringsandthings-world]

I sent that ask working off the assumption that generally speaking...people, don't want to talk more than necessary about things they don't like? If going on about all the ways Peeta is horrible IS something you enjoy that's fine, do it and everyone minus those who agree can block. But if you don't I don't think you should feel you have to. That was more my point. Perhaps I failed to get that across. Idk.

So, telling me to not post what I want on my own blog because of an general assumption is okay then? I'm also not "going on about all the ways Peeta is horrible?" A lot of the things I find fault with in the fandom and in the books/movies is tied into Peeta by nature of the content/fandom, and it's impossible to talk about one without talking about the other. I don't per say, like talking about those things, but I think it's important to bring awareness to things I have a problem with, because it might help make this fandom a better/more accepting place. I'm not hating because I love hating. I wouldn't complain or speak out if there was nothing to complain and speak out about, and that's true for every fandom I'm in. Again, people can block me if they don't want to see what I have to say. And either way, it's still rude/entitled to come and try to tell me I shouldn't post things in my own space, and to insinuate you assume/know better than me what I "like" doing.