Hunger Notes

What can I say about "The Hunger Games" that hasn't been said before?  OK: "The Hunger Games" was originally about penguins, and the manuscript was discovered in a Snoopy lunchbox.

There, now that that's out of the way, some random thoughts:

Overall, a good movie and definitely worth the price of admission, but I've discovered something sad about myself: I don't think I can eat movie popcorn anymore--at least, not while watching a movie.  Whether it's because of the artificial butter or the preponderance of jumpcuts, I start feeling queasy about halfway through any film featuring anything but the most sedate Merchant-Ivory-esque cinematography.  And if I were to throw up during "The Hunger Games," that would be an insult to the memory of all those starving Tributes from the outlying districts.

What, it's not a documentary?

In the various reviews, much is made of Jennifer Lawrence and the rest of the featured cast, all of whom are quite good.  I would like to give a shoutout to Donald Sutherland, though, who plays, in what may be the film's most perfect bit of casting, the diabolical President Snow.  I look forward to seeing more of him in the sequels.

The movie stays generally true to the book and does a nice job of realizing the decadence of the Capitol city.  Indeed, in certain touches, I think the film offers improvements.  In the movie, for example, we get a "mini-scene" that provides a slightly better idea of how [SPOILER ALERT] the Capitol's game-designers are persuaded to allow two Tributes the possibility of survival.  And the film doesn't make as big a deal as the book does of Katniss's struggles to overcome injury and find water, etc.--after all, someone looking for water or dealing with infection can make for good drama in a novel but not in a movie that already stretches over two hours.  I also commend the filmmakers for their choice at times to let the drama speak for itself, without background music, particularly in the scene when Katniss becomes her district's Tribute.  Silence is a nice touch.

Finally, after watching "The Hunger Games." I don't think I can ever watch "Survivor" again.  I didn't watch it before, either, but now I have an even better excuse.