Good on you Bob for calling out the shaky cam that this movie is filmed in. Sadly, it seems that we won't see the end of it any time soon since this movie is on the track to make ground breaking box office numbers.
However, I wonder why it is that you still thought that Uwe Boll's Rampage was good especially considering that it has some of thw worst shaky cam of all time? The thing is so damn near unwatchable at times with how much shaky cam it uses that it would even make Tony Scott's head spin.
Glad to see someone wasn't afraid to see through the hype and take an objective look at it. I kind of had the feeling that it would be a rather pedestrian film and would have been the kind of thing that, as you said, would have been material for a Nickelodeon TV movie were it not for the Hollywood production values.
Incidentally, the citizens of the Capital to me looked like they all walked off the set of a Lady Gaga video; which makes perfect sense when you realize that the makeup and costume designer for this movie also designed her costumes as well.
But I don't think this review is really going outrage as many people as you'd think; those who are fans of the book are going to see it regardless. And those like me who haven't are probably going to remain indifferent. I don't think, however, that the fandom behind this series can be dismissed as easily as that for Twilight. From what I understand, THG addresses some valid societal issues – or at least addresses them as deeply as can be expected for the tween audience it was intended for. And I guess maybe as an adult that's where you're having the problem, because you already are aware of all this whereas the teens and tweens reading them for the first time aren't as much, and so even though it may address them in general terms, it feels more of a revelation to them.
I'm actually more depressed, though, that this movie is going to make money hand-over-fist on its opening weekend while John Carter, which deserved to be as successful IMO, is now considered a dud.
Katniss, Peeta, Primrose, and other characters aren't given “alien” names. There names are largely reflective of what their parents do for a living. Katniss' mother is a “healer”, and uses herbs to help sick or injured citizens. “Katniss is a real plant. Its common name? “Arrowhead”. And its scientific name is Sagittaria, which is a transparent reference to the Zodiac sign Sagittarius, a fire sign whose symbol is an archer.” Peeta sounds like Pita bread, his family is full of bakers. The names aren't alien, made up words. The way of naming people just changed.
Thanks for the review even though I always knew I was going to skip it. When you adapt a young adult book(which almost always means FEMALE ORIENTED young adult book) you've lost me before a single scene has been filmed or actor/director assigned.
I might be a little biased in my opinions, because I don't care for “Young Adult” books. I think that “Young Adult” books are so popular right now, because a large part of the population can't read or comprehend beyond a 6th grade level.
Percy Jackson and Eragon were so bad that they never even got sequels. I think we'll see how popular Hunger Games is (by popular, I mean if the movie made as much money as the producers expected) by how the sequels get treated.
I predict that Catching Fire and Mockingjay will get condensed into one sequel, if at all.
Sound just like the book to me, and all I know is what I got from this review: http://youtu.be/x7OoPwAeO1k Watch it Bob, it will clear a few things up. Still sounds like it got a crap movie. Also wanna know something funny? Over here in SWEDEN we gave it a 11 rating and know their is moralpaink about the level of violence in the movie. Hehe, its fun because, like you said, Battle Royale is so much worse.
On the topic of other media The Hunger Games is similar to (and this could probably go on for quite a while) is the anime Chrome Shelled Regios. The anime is about moving cities that compete with each other over limited resources in a post-apocalyptic world. The student are divided into two major groups: military arts, and non-military arts. The military students train as platoons and fight for their cities, when the cities meander into each other.
In your “Batman needs Robin as much as Holmes needs Watson point.”
Couldn't you consider Alfred Batmans Watson? Isn't he that one down to earth opposite yet reliable friend Batman needs to exist? And very consistently so in all adaptations of the Batman figure.
Oh, you are a really wonderful movie reviewer. So often I find that your thoughts on a movie are more often than not my own basic feelings as well.
Until now. I use to swear by you, Bob. I don't anymore. D: It kind of comes across that you really weren't interested in seeing THG to begin with, and that your feelings on it were fairly predetermined.
I don't always agree with you, Bob. But on this film, you've pretty much nailed it. It's not the worst but how something so mediocre got to be so big is kind of a mystery. Then again, we already had truly terrible stuff(TF & Twilight franchises) get really big so maybe in a still somewhat sad way this is an improvement. Oh well, I'm off to watch The Running Man, which is far more entertaining than this movie.
The first half of the movie was definitely choppy and rushed. It felt kind of like the final Harry Potter movie, where they were obviously trying to cram in as many plot points as possible.
I enjoyed the second half. The fights aren't great, but that's what you'd expect from a bunch of kids. Some of the deaths were particularly brutal, like when one tribute casually snaps another's neck, or when one kills a girl by slamming her against the Cornucopia.
Thanks Bob. I think you exaggerated the negatives a bit but most of what you said was very fair and it helped me pull together my own views on the film. You can read my review here:
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MOVIEBOB CENTRAL 
Like I said, Battle Royale has been officially released on DVD in the US. Watch THAT instead. even if it's just to see Chiaki “Gogo Yubari” Kuriyama
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Good on you Bob for calling out the shaky cam that this movie is filmed in. Sadly, it seems that we won't see the end of it any time soon since this movie is on the track to make ground breaking box office numbers.
However, I wonder why it is that you still thought that Uwe Boll's Rampage was good especially considering that it has some of thw worst shaky cam of all time? The thing is so damn near unwatchable at times with how much shaky cam it uses that it would even make Tony Scott's head spin.
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Or go watch the original Robo Jocks and marvel at how much more sense the premise of that movie makes.
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Glad to see someone wasn't afraid to see through the hype and take an objective look at it. I kind of had the feeling that it would be a rather pedestrian film and would have been the kind of thing that, as you said, would have been material for a Nickelodeon TV movie were it not for the Hollywood production values.
Incidentally, the citizens of the Capital to me looked like they all walked off the set of a Lady Gaga video; which makes perfect sense when you realize that the makeup and costume designer for this movie also designed her costumes as well.
But I don't think this review is really going outrage as many people as you'd think; those who are fans of the book are going to see it regardless. And those like me who haven't are probably going to remain indifferent. I don't think, however, that the fandom behind this series can be dismissed as easily as that for Twilight. From what I understand, THG addresses some valid societal issues – or at least addresses them as deeply as can be expected for the tween audience it was intended for. And I guess maybe as an adult that's where you're having the problem, because you already are aware of all this whereas the teens and tweens reading them for the first time aren't as much, and so even though it may address them in general terms, it feels more of a revelation to them.
I'm actually more depressed, though, that this movie is going to make money hand-over-fist on its opening weekend while John Carter, which deserved to be as successful IMO, is now considered a dud.
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Katniss, Peeta, Primrose, and other characters aren't given “alien” names. There names are largely reflective of what their parents do for a living. Katniss' mother is a “healer”, and uses herbs to help sick or injured citizens. “Katniss is a real plant. Its common name? “Arrowhead”. And its scientific name is Sagittaria, which is a transparent reference to the Zodiac sign Sagittarius, a fire sign whose symbol is an archer.” Peeta sounds like Pita bread, his family is full of bakers. The names aren't alien, made up words. The way of naming people just changed.
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Thanks for the review even though I always knew I was going to skip it. When you adapt a young adult book(which almost always means FEMALE ORIENTED young adult book) you've lost me before a single scene has been filmed or actor/director assigned.
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Heh! Your mispronunciations of Katniss's name would make Mark Kermode proud.
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I might be a little biased in my opinions, because I don't care for “Young Adult” books. I think that “Young Adult” books are so popular right now, because a large part of the population can't read or comprehend beyond a 6th grade level.
Percy Jackson and Eragon were so bad that they never even got sequels. I think we'll see how popular Hunger Games is (by popular, I mean if the movie made as much money as the producers expected) by how the sequels get treated.
I predict that Catching Fire and Mockingjay will get condensed into one sequel, if at all.
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Sound just like the book to me, and all I know is what I got from this review: http://youtu.be/x7OoPwAeO1k
Watch it Bob, it will clear a few things up.
Still sounds like it got a crap movie.
Also wanna know something funny?
Over here in SWEDEN we gave it a 11 rating and know their is moralpaink about the level of violence in the movie.
Hehe, its fun because, like you said, Battle Royale is so much worse.
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Ugh…Everdeen? That's dangerously close to Everyteen for my liking. Sounds crappy, but at least the main character isn't as evil as Bella Swan.
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On the topic of other media The Hunger Games is similar to (and this could probably go on for quite a while) is the anime Chrome Shelled Regios. The anime is about moving cities that compete with each other over limited resources in a post-apocalyptic world. The student are divided into two major groups: military arts, and non-military arts. The military students train as platoons and fight for their cities, when the cities meander into each other.
Wonder just how much more is similar.
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In your “Batman needs Robin as much as Holmes needs Watson point.”
Couldn't you consider Alfred Batmans Watson?
Isn't he that one down to earth opposite yet reliable friend Batman needs to exist?
And very consistently so in all adaptations of the Batman figure.
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Oh, you are a really wonderful movie reviewer. So often I find that your thoughts on a movie are more often than not my own basic feelings as well.
Until now. I use to swear by you, Bob. I don't anymore. D: It kind of comes across that you really weren't interested in seeing THG to begin with, and that your feelings on it were fairly predetermined.
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Just saw this one and I agree with you Bob. The Hunger Games was pretty forgettable.
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Sir,
For your reference to Prayer of the Rollerboys you have my praise.
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I don't always agree with you, Bob. But on this film, you've pretty much nailed it. It's not the worst but how something so mediocre got to be so big is kind of a mystery. Then again, we already had truly terrible stuff(TF & Twilight franchises) get really big so maybe in a still somewhat sad way this is an improvement. Oh well, I'm off to watch The Running Man, which is far more entertaining than this movie.
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Stop it Bob! hahaha I still have to watch the movie though, might agree with you on some points. But can't take it if it's as lifeless as you say.
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Alas, I'll put it to the fact that men Generally don't connect with the female perspective.
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The first half of the movie was definitely choppy and rushed. It felt kind of like the final Harry Potter movie, where they were obviously trying to cram in as many plot points as possible.
I enjoyed the second half. The fights aren't great, but that's what you'd expect from a bunch of kids. Some of the deaths were particularly brutal, like when one tribute casually snaps another's neck, or when one kills a girl by slamming her against the Cornucopia.
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Thanks Bob. I think you exaggerated the negatives a bit but most of what you said was very fair and it helped me pull together my own views on the film. You can read my review here:
http://popcorndave.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/review-the-hunger-games-2012/
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If u wants to buy escape games and buy escape rooms, you can get very cheap escape games. You can get escape game franchise and we are expert in escape rooms designs.
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