Review: Beyond the Hunger Games

I think this book should have been titled Before the Hunger Games as most of the book pertained to the starts of the actress and actors career before making the film.
Each star has roughly 30 pages where their previous work is described along with how they achieved the roles for the Hunger Games.  Plus their family life, love lives, and quotes from interviews are shared.
There's a 20 page ending to the book that talks about moving from the book to film. 

My Thoughts: A quick and interesting read for those interested in the stars of the Hunger Games, but not much information about the Hunger Games movies. I thought that the book was too short, I would have liked to learn more about them.


The photos are great - ranging from young photos to red carpet photos to photos from the movie. 


I wish some of the other actors/actresses had been touched upon, still it's a fascinating book. I like that Jennifer, Josh, and Liam love the Hunger Games and really wanted the roles.


Cover Thoughts: Interesting.


Source: my Libary

Sunday Matinee: Hunger Games

I've been waiting for this movie for forever it seems. I couldn't wait a minute more and went to the midnight showing on Thursday night.  While there were some differences from the book, I really thought it was well done. I loved it.

Differences my husband and I noticed:  
the introduction of the pin
The saluting of Katniss
Prim (was she so terrified at the reaping in the book?)

Moments they tried to include but lost significance: 
The bread moment
The long talks between Peeta and Katniss both before the games and during the games
Haymitch's drinking problem and the deal he made with Peeta and Katniss

I heard teens in the library talking - most loved it. There was one girl who didn't like it because she felt it missed the romance of the book.

My husband and I talked about that too. I thought the romance seemed forced from Katniss's perspective, but that it was supposed to feel that way. Chris remembered her being unsure in the book - but feeling something. I thought that didn't happen until the second book.

We also had different viewpoints on the Cinna/Katniss relationship. the movie didn't show the development of the relationship - how he was unique in the Capitol, more human.  With the style team not in the movie, it made it hard to see how different he was from the others. Aside from the gold on his eyes, he didn't share the crazy fashion of the Capitol. They were close in the movie, but the relationship seems more significant in the books.

Moments that stood out for me:

The scenes between Katniss and Prim (I teared up at these scenes)


Rue's scenes:

Caesar - was great for comic relief

The Capitol costumes were amazing

How the games were controlled:  a great addition to the movies that was not detailed in the book - really cool!

Overall:
I thought it was true to the book. I loved Katniss and Peeta. I thought all the characters were well done.

 I thought the violence was handled really well - it wasn't too gruesome, but it wasn't cut out either. It was significant but not graphic.

All in all - a great movie. I hope to show it at the library. Everyone I know is buzzing about it - if they've seen it, when they're going, and what they thought of it.

What did you think of it?