The Hunger Games

Caught the Midnight Screening of THG at Newport with friends and I must say, I'm so glad I did! Even with my current virus on full force, I felt exhilarated all throughout the film. While they did take some liberties with the script, and the continuity with regards to the book isn't exactly the greatest, I was enchanted enough by Jennifer Lawrence's superb performance, backed by a solid cast, to slightly overlook those details. At times, the camera work was a little too shaky for my liking, but all in all, the film was a veritable feast for the eyes and one cannot help but become gluttonous with it. My only comment is that even with the 2 hours and twenty minutes of blockbuster cinema, non-readers might find the timeline of events a little disjointed and disconnected. At the end of the day, it serves as a great accompaniment to the series, as well as a gateway for future readers.

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which "Tributes" must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Panem

I am honestly the biggest geek in the world.

The Hunger Games

Alright, hollywood. Not feeling it so far. Don't disappoint me.

EW Casts the Hunger Games

Katniss
Her book description: She's slender, with long black braids and gray eyes.
Our pick: Lyndsy Fonseca (Kick-Ass, Nikita)
Your pick (inset): Kaya Scodelario (Skins, Clash of the Titans)


Gale
His book description: ''Straight black hair, olive skin, we even have the same gray eyes.''
Our pick: Ben Barnes (The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian)
Your pick (inset): Gaspard Ulliel (Hannibal Rising)


Peeta
His book description: ''Medium height, stocky build, ashy blonde hair that falls in waves over his forehead.''
Our pick: Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right)
Your pick (inset): Hunter Parrish (Weeds)


Haymitch
His book description: ''Haymitch Abernathy, a paunchy, middle-aged man, who at this moment appears hollering something unintelligible, staggers onto the stage, and falls into the third chair. He's drunk. Very.''
Our pick: Robert Downey Jr.
Your pick (inset): Hugh Laurie


Effie
Her book description: ''Bright and bubbly...''
Our pick: Elizabeth Banks
Your pick (inset): Kristin Chenoweth


Primrose
Her book description: ''Prim's face is fresh as a raindrop, as lovely as the primrose for which she was named.''
Our pick: Elle Fanning (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Nines)


Rue
Her book description: ''She's the 12-year-old, the one who reminded me so of Prim in stature. Up close she looks about ten. She has bright, dark eyes and satiny brown skin.... It's impossible not to think of a bird.''
Our pick: Willow Smith (Kitt Kittredge: An American Girl, I Am Legend)


Cinna
His book description: ''The door opens and a young man who must be Cinna enters. I'm taken aback by how normal he looks. Most of the stylists ... are so dyed, stenciled, and surgically altered they're grotesque. But Cinna's close-cropped hair appears to be its natural shade of brown.''
Our pick: Cillian Murphy (Inception, The Dark Knight)


Caesar Flickerman
His book description: ''Caesar Flickerman, the man who has hosted the interviews for more than 40 years, bounces onto the stage. It's a little scary because his appearance has been virtually unchanged during all that time. Same face under a coating of pure white makeup. Same hairstyle...''
Our pick: Nicolas Cage


Katniss' mother
Her book description: ''In sleep, my mother looks younger, still worn but not so beaten down.... My mother was very beautiful once, too.''
Our pick: Robin Wright


Foxface
Her book description: ''A fox-faced girl with sleek red hair from District 5.''
Our pick: Danielle Panabaker (Shark, Friday the 13th)


Clove
Her book description: She's good with knives and has a ''heavy, branch-breaking'' body.
Our pick: Jurnee Smollett (Friday Night Lights)


Thresh
His book description: ''I remember him as big, but he seems more massive, more powerful than I even recall. I'm trapped in the glare of his strange golden brown eyes.''
Our pick: Taylor Lautner


Cato
His book description: ''A monstrous boy who lunges forward to volunteer from District 2.''
Our pick: Stanislav Ianevski (Viktor Krum in Harry Potter)


Claudius Templesmith
His book description: ''Then I hear the legendary announcer, Claudius Templesmith, as his voice booms all around me.''
Our pick: Jeremy Irons


President Snow
His book description: ''A small, thin man with paper-white hair'' whose eyes are ''as unforgiving as a snake's.''
Our pick: Steve Martin


Avox Girl
Her book description: ''The dark red hair, the striking features, the porcelain white skin.''
Our pick: Deborah Ann Woll (Jessica on True Blood)


The Mayor's Daughter, Madge
Her book description: ''Today her drab school outfit has been replaced by an expensive white dress and her blonde hair is done up with a pink ribbon.''
Our pick: Taylor Swift

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So... what do you guys think?

Casting Hunger Games

Katniss Everdeen

Saoirse Ronan, Demi Lovato, Nina Dobrev, Alexandra Daddario, Kaya Scodelario, Emma Watson

My opinion: Saoirse Ronan or Troian Bellisario (who isn't included in this list.)

Peeta Mellark

Lucas Till, Alex Pettyfer, Cam Gigandet, Ed Speleers, Hunter Parrish, William Moseley, Shia LaBeouf

My opinion: I'm undecided. There are some pretty wtf choices here though. Cam Gigandet? Seriously? I feel the work of the twilighters at play... I think Alex Pettyfer would make a much better Finnick Odair than a Peeta and while I do very much love Shia LaBeouf, he's just wrong for the part.

Gale Hawthorne

Drew Roy, Taylor Lautner, Gaspard Ulliel, Skeet Ulrich, Charles Carver

My opinion: Like with Peeta, I'm undecided with Gale. It's just so much harder to cast the 2 male protagonists. However, if they cast Sharkboy (Taylor Lautner), I might have to boycott the film. Just... no. Christ, no. Gaspard Ulliel is taking the lead at the EW polls and while he IS very attractive, I don't feel he's right for the part. That pretty face has no business being in the woods.

Haymitch Abernathy

Hugh Laurie, Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Johnny Depp, Jack Black

My opinion: Now we're talking! This one is particularly difficult because I can definitely see any of these actors playing the alcoholic mentor. Top choices for Haymitch are Hugh Laurie and Robert Downey Jr. Jack Black puts out a mean fight though. He is my next pick.

Effie Trinket

Christine Baranski, Kristin Chenoweth, Emily Blunt, Miranda Richardson, Katy Perry

My opinion: Out of sheer principle, I should pick Christine Baranski just because she is fabulous and can pull off any role. Katy Perry is obviously on the list only because she dons the pink and green wigs that Effie herself likes, but is she in possession of some acting skills?

Other names thrown into the mix:

For Katniss:
Chloe Moretz, Emily Browning, Malese Jow

Emily Browning might make a fair Katniss. We already know she looks good with dust and grime on her thanks to the underrated A Series Of Unfortunate Events.

For Gale:
Logan Lerman, Ben Barnes

While I adore these two, I don't see them as Gale. Logan Lerman looks too young and too pretty to play the muscular and handsome Gale. He is just too delicate. Ben Barnes, while sharing Gale's black hair and olive skin, seems too refined to play Katniss's hunting partner.

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Those are just my two cents. I think that the best way to go about this might be to cast unknowns, though.