"The Hunger Games" - film

[Bryancd]

Estimates of a total box office haul of $350 Million, maybe 4.

[X]

Estimates of a total box office haul of $350 Million, maybe 4.

Hey, I called it too. In fact, I think my stating that it would easily do 150 is better than the analyst's 125 -150 range.

[X]

I will also go out on a limb and say it will 500 -600 world wide and it will probably have a pretty long release time.

[Geekyfanboy]

Saw the movie this past Sunday in IMAX (well faux IMAX) . I really enjoyed it. I think I had more of an emotional response to the movie because I have read the books and loved them. I think the movie does the book justice. It's like Harry Potter... the main stuff is in there but of course you get many more details from the books. I'm glad it's doing well at the box office and I plan to see it at least one more time in the theater.

[Rico]

I think I might want to see it again too while it's still playing in theaters.  Going to start reading book two soon too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kij2kzRC_YA#

[Rico]

Well, director Gary Ross won't be making the sequel movie, "Catching Fire."  He says it's due to the tight schedule the studio has set.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/04/the-morning-fix-ross-out-of-hunger-games-sequal-spears-to-x-factor.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newsandbuzz+(News+%26+Buzz)

[billybob476]

Saw the movie and really enjoyed it. The only downside for me was all the shakycam scenes had me in a cold sweat and semi-nauseous for the duration.

[alanp]

I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to, but I have to rule this one a thumbs up.

When I heard about it at work it was my understanding it was something like twilight and aimed and the preteen girl market so I would feel silly going to it.  Then heard more about the plot and that 24 kids were being put in a game to fight to the death, by definition breaking a huge taboo about killing kids onscreen.  And the horror/scifi curiosity kicked in and wanted to see it. I felt like it missed a mark, but not by much.

  *****Spoiler alerts*******  You might not want to read if you haven't seen the Mist.

I know I'll be in the minority, but killing a kid is horrific, and toning down the violence to sanitize it hurts the film a little bit.  I know Rico was shocked and disturbed at the end of Stephen King's the Mist where a child was killed at the end. And this gets me on my horror movie soapbox because we have this reaction to a well made horror flick if we care about what happens to the characters in the story.  Even if we get angry, but that is a different topic. I think they should have pressed for at least a more psychologically intense scene when kids were killed to make the film stronger.  You're supposed to cry when Old Yeller dies!

[Rico]

I won't really defend the "whole killing kids thing" in a film, but there are some major differences between "The Hunger Games" and what happens in "The Mist."  I can't quite tell if you've read "The Hunger Games" book but it gives you much more regarding the brutality and nastiness of the games.  Also, in the games they are at least trained and have a chance to survive.  There's also much more going on than just the games in the books.  Again, I'm not defending the idea of this type of society but there are reasons for it.  I think you missed my point about why I didn't like "The Mist" and it wasn't just the kid thing.  I just felt the ending didn't work for me at all.  I've seen that type of ending before.  I'm also a mixed fan of Stephen King in general.  Some of his stuff I love and other things I've seen or read of his just don't do it for me.  But, I digress.

[alanp]

I haven't read the book yet, but from your review I do plan to read it soon. 

The warped and morally absent futuristic society is something I really like about scifi.  I recently watched the The Obsolete Man (Twilight Zone) again and forgot how good it was.  A Taste of Armageddon is another good example in a way.  I really don't have a problem with how far they go as long as it is within the boundaries of a fiction story.

[Rico]

Not to get off on a HUGE tangent or touch on a sensitive subject, but conscripted military service (especially during war time), isn't too far removed from the scenario in "The Hunger Games."  In fact, many more young people have died in wars than in just about any fictional scenario.  It's actually something they touch on in the books - to a degree.  How this "Games" thing in a way keeps all out war from breaking out - where many more would probably die.  "The Needs of the Many,..."

[WillEagle]

Finally got to see 'The Hunger Games' yesterday. I thought it was pretty good didn't think it was awesome but did enjoy it. I'm glad the violence wasn't over the top but I really didn't expect it to be. Don't get me wrong not a fan of seeing kids getting killed but I thought it wasn't to graphic. I went with the wife and my Mom. My Mom has read all the books so I told her not to fill in any gaps or mention anything from the other books. The wife and I do want to read them but we like to read the book after seeing the movie. The wife and I give it a rating of 8 but mine was almost a seven. My Mom really liked it maybe because she did read the books. I'll also say I liked 'John Carter' better than 'The Hunger Games.' Next up at the theater for me will be 'The Avengers.'

[Rico]

Glad you finally got to see it.  I think reading the book will enhance your experience a lot.  I know I enjoyed the movie much more since I had just read the book.  I usually try to read books that get turned into movies before I see the film (did that with all the Potter stuff, Lord of the Rings, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, etc.).  Much more depth in the books.

[Bromptonboy]

Just saw this last night with the family (yes pretty late in watching, I know).  It was a pretty good adaptation.  They simplified things a bit, but it worked well. 

[WillEagle]

This is being released on August 18 on Blu-Ray and DVD.