Today I want to talk movies. I have recently seen two current releases -- THE HUNGER GAMES which perhaps 3/4 of America watched this weekend and JOHN CARTER which it seems nobody is going to see.
Both comes from books of course and both deal with worlds different than our own.
Don't worry I am avoiding spoilers for those who are unfamiliar with the stories but I am offering my brand of review.
Let's start with John Carter ...
Now it has been at least 20 years since I read Princess of Mars in which the movie is based so my memory is fuzzy. Nonetheless the movie seemed to stray a good bit from the original story while still maintaining the motivations and emotions of the characters. From the wild west to the sands of Mars John Carter hit a perfect balance of action and character development to make me give it a solid two thumbs up.
Now to the Hunger Games ...
I only recently listened to the audiobook of The Hunger Games so the story is fresh in my head. And while the movie stayed pretty close to to book it did stray on a few details, like the origins of the Mockingjay pin. The imagery in the movie was fantastic and I liked how Panam President Snow was portrayed and the way he was developed in the movie, but for the most part the movie felt like a fancy extended book trailer. There was next to no character development of Katniss, Peeta, or even Gale. The motivations of why the main characters act they way they do seemed to be taken for granted in the movie as if everyone had already read the books. The result of hurrying from one major event to the next left be a bit woozy so I give the Hunger Games movie a mediocre one thumb up, one thumb down.
Have you seen them? Let's discuss.
9 comments:
You're alive and as carnivorous as ever! Yay!
I really ought to get my butt down to the cinema...!!
Take care
x
I hope your wife's knee is getting better and didn't require surgery.
I've read Hunger Games and will eventually see the movie, after the newness wears off. I hate sitting in a packed theatre. Reviews I've read so far are similar to yours.
howdy...last time I saw a movie in theater was interview with vampire..
Hunger Games--mixed emotions. It did stick closely to the plot of the book but of course time constrictions limit the character development so much. It just seemed a bloodbath--No development of why Katniss identified with Rue; no explanation of why these kids are so bloodthirsty; no real development of why and how Peeta cares for Katniss; too short of a scene where you discover that Katniss has been the caretaker for her sister and catatonic mom after her dad is killed. This is definitely one movie you should read the book first.
See YellowDog Granny's answer---you can ask me again if I still have cable in a year or two.
I'm so glad you liked John Carter!!! I WANT MORE PEOPLE TO GO SEE IT SO MUCH. It makes me so sad that the marketing was so badly butchered.
How many more times can I use "so" in this comment.
So.
I'd hoped to see John Carter at the theater but things have intervened. I will want to read the hunger games book before I see that one though.
I loved the Hunger Games! I was happy with how it played out. Haven't seen the other tho
I have NOT seen them yet! But I really want to see both of them now. :)
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