Movie News: Catching Fire Theatrical Trailer

Guys. GUYS. Guess what I just saw.

HOW AWESOME DOES IT LOOK! Everything looks brilliant - the arena, all the tributes, all those city shots of Panem, and that Mockingjay dress - it just looks so good! And you can tell that we've got a bigger budget (did you see those special effects!?!) = AWESOME.

Here's hoping that the movie is as awesome as the trailer makes it look - I'm really excited for this one, since Catching Fire was my fave novel in the trilogy - let's hope it lives up to expectations! (I'm sure it will)

Is it just me, or is everyone else just as excited as I am?!?

Catching Fire Movie Poster Revealed

Just the other day, Lionsgate unveiled the Catching Fire movie poster on Instagram

How cool does it look! Katniss, her bow and arrow, the cloud shaped as a mockingjay - it all looks so good! And the tagline, taken straight from the book itself: "The sun persists in rising, so I make myself stand". Just perfect. 

Anyone else eagerly awaiting it's release, because I know that I sure am!

Movie News: Catching Fire Teaser Trailer

The Catching Fire Trailer premiered at the MTV movie award today and it. is. brilliant. Catching Fire was my favourite of the three novels, and the first film was brilliant, so here's hoping the second will be even better!

Movie News - Tris and Four are cast, DOSAB has a screenwright, and Mockingjay is split

It's been a while since I wrote a post concerning movie adaptations, because it's not often that I read a book before it's translated to the big screen. More often than not, movies actually introduce me to new books - The Hunger Games, The Mortal Instruments and The Caster Chronicles were all brought to my attention when I heard about the films or saw the trailers. BUT, I actually have some thoughts on some upcoming films which are based on books that I've already read - for once I'm ahead!

1. Divergent Casting
If you've been reading my book reviews, you guys would know that I absolutely loved Divergent when I read it earlier this year (my review here). And no sooner had I finished the book that news came out that it was being adapted for film. What with the success of The Hunger Games, dystopian films are all the rage right now. The film's currently in pre-production and will be released sometime next year, and only a little information about the casting has been made public - but we do have our two leads! 

Shailene Woodley was cast a little while ago as our female lead Tris. To be honest, I'm still not sure on this casting. Woodley didn't jump out to me as the perfect choice, not the way Jennifer Lawrence did with Katniss. But, Woodley can act - she's proven herself in Secret Life of an American Teenager and The Descendants. I'll be interested to see how Woodley goes - I'm still not convinced she's the absolute perfect choice for Tris, but she could prove me wrong. 




More recently we were told who has been cast as our male lead Four - Theo James. You might recognise him from The Inbetweeners Movie or Downton Abbey, where he had a small part yonkers ago playing Kemal Pamuk. Personally, James is an unknown to me, so I have no idea what his acting abilities are like. Again, I'll be interested to see how James goes.


Alongside Woodley and James, Kate Winslet is set to appear in the film, but what role she will play is still under wraps. It's been theorised that she'll either play Jeanine or  Tris' mother, both roles that Winslet could easily rock. Also, Zoe Kravitz - is it just me who thinks she is the perfect fit for Christina?!?



2. Daughter of Smoke and Bone
I was super excited when I heard that Daughter of Smoke and Bone is being turned into a movie. It's very early days yet, but we do have a screenwright - Stuart Beattie, who is responsible for Pirates of the Caribbean. I really hope Beattie is able to translate DOSAB well - I think it could be a bit tricky, but if it's done right, I've no doubt this movie will be amazing.



3. Mockingjay will be 2 films
The 3rd installment of The Hunger Games film franchise will be split into two films. Whether or not this is the right decision, I'm not 100% sure. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was split into two films and that worked out, but I think everyone can agree that one Breaking Dawn film would have sufficed. I think, if done right, splitting Mokingjay in half could work - I think there is just enough material in the book to fit into two films. Finding a place to stop the first film and start the second is probably going to be tricky, but I think that's always going to be the tricky part of splitting a story into 2 sections. The Hunger Games was an amazing film, so I think it's safe to assume that the sequels are going to be amazing too (at least I really hope so). And, one of my main gripes with the first film was that it cut out some important plot points - splitting Mockingjay into two films is sure to solve tihs problem!

What about you? Have you read Divergent? What about Daughter of Smoke and Bone? Are you excited for their upcoming movies?

Book Review: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins
Release Date: 24th August 2012

Publisher: Scholastic
Format: eBook 
Pages: 400
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge 

Summary from Amazon:

" Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. "

Review:
After finishing this book, I have mixed feelings about it. I'm not really sure if I loved it (I know that I liked it at least...), because there's something nagging at the back of my mind. But, whilst I don't think this was Suzanne Collins' best effort, it was a fitting end to The Hunger Games, and this was a book that I enjoyed reading.

You could kind of guess where the series was heading at the end of Catching Fire. We were moving away from the Hunger Games themselves, and more towards a rebel vs Capitol war till the last man standing won. The final instalment of the series is much more serious, focusing more on politics than on action and adventure. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - there is still plenty of action and adventure in this book, its just surrounded by a much more grown-up plot - a small nation's struggle for independence from their oppressive dictator. I guess, you could say that Mockingjay was a bit of a war propaganda book, but honestly, this didn't faze me. 

What did bother me though, was Peeta. Peeta, who was such a great character in The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, was missing for the first half, and then when he did return, he wasn't really Peeta anymore. Of course, Suzanne Collins has to take the best character in the novel, the one that everyone loves, and mess around with him. That was not a plot point that I particularly enjoyed.

Overall, I would have to say that Mockingjay is my least favourite book of the series. This isn't me saying that its not a good book, because it is, but I just think that The Hunger Games and Catching Fire were in a different league. Fans of the series will probably be a little disappointed, but the book is a fitting end to the series and I do recommend that they read it. 

Page to Screen: The Hunger Games

Last night, I went to a midnight screening for The Hunger Games (what with being a harcore fan of the series and all). And, with the excitement surrounding the movie, I just thought I'd let everyone know exactly what they're in for. So, here's the breakdown:

The Pros:

The Set: The set for this movie was perfect in every single way. District 12, the Capitol, the Arena - everything looked exactly as I had imagined it. And for a movie to achieve this is a massive, massive pro in my book

The Actors: When the cast for this movie was announced, I don't think anyone had any doubts about how suited the actors were for their characters. Jennifer Lawrence perfectly balances strength and vulnerability in Katniss and Josh Hutcherson perfectly plays the sweet and charismatic Peeta. Shout outs also have to go to Woody Harrelson as Haymitch, Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket and Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman, who literally brought their characters to life. 

The Atmosphere and Underlying Message: the one thing that made this movie amazing was that it felt so real. This movie was so down-to-earth, that it didn't feel like a scifi, dystopian, out of this world movie. Pair this with the underlying messages about humanity and morality, and the movie has a profound impact. 

The Cons:

The Plot: With every book that is translated onto the big screen, there are bound to be plot points that don't make the final cut. I expected this when I went in, but I have to say that I have some serious problems with some of the plot points that were missed in the movie. One major problem for me involved the mutts, and if you've read the books, you'll know what I mean. 

The Budget: The Hunger Games was made on a budget of $78mn, and I hate to say it, but the movie fell short in the special effects department because of this. 

The Overall Verdict: The Hunger Games movie has managed to be very true to the novel whilst also establishing itself as a separate entity. Was it amazing, yes, but could it have been better. The answer: probably. 

What about you? What did you think of The Hunger Games movies?

WWW Wednesdays (15)

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly Meme hosted by Mizb @ Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions:

1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you'll read next?

*Note: all links go to Amazon, except for when you click on the pictures :)

My Answers:

1. I'm currenlty reading Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I was hoping to have finished the book before I saw the movie, but since I'm going to the midnight screening tonight, that's probably not going to happen! So excited to see the movie though! 
   
   
2. On Sunday I posted my review for The Sorceress by Michael Scott {which you can read here} 
   
   
3. I actually have no idea what to read next - so many books to choose from!

Book Review: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins

Release Date: 15th December 2009
Publisher: Scholastic
Format: eBook
Pages: 480
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge 

Summary from Amazon:

"Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge."

Review:
I was actually a bit worried when I picked up this book. I didn't really know where the story could go, what exactly could happen after the end of The Hunger Games. But as soon as I started reading, everything made perfect sense. I was sitting there thinking I was such an idiot, because obviously this is where the story would continue too. And then BAM, at the end of Chapter 12, the story went somewhere I wasn't expecting, but probably should have in hindsight, but knew I would thoroughly enjoy. I'd like to say what happens, but I'll be spoiling the book if I do that.

What I loved about this book was that Suzanne Collins continued doing what she does best. She took what was an amazing premise in The Hunger Games, a story filled with plot twists and incredible characters depicted in the dystopian world of Panem, and took it to a whole new level. The characters that I know and love were still there, and extra attention was payed to Gale, which I enjoyed. All the action and adventure from the first book was still there, just taken to the next level. I feel weird saying this, but this book blew me away. I can't wait to read Mockingjay - I have no doubt that it will be amazing!

Teaser Tuesday (11)

Teaser Tuesday is a Meme hosted by Mizb @ Should Be Reading. Anyone can join in, as long as they do the following:

• Grab your current read. 
• Open your book to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page. 
• Warning:  Avoid spoilers in your teaser as not everyone has had the pleasure to read your current read
• Share the Title & Author so anyone can add your current read to their list if they wish to do so. 
• Note: links go to Amazon
  
  

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Release Date: 15th December 2009
Publisher: Scholastic 
Pages: 480

"That's when I hear the scream. So full of fear and pain it ices my blood. And so familiar. I run wildly in the direction of the voice, heedless of danger, ripping through vines and branches, through anything that keeps me from her.

From reaching my little sister." 

Book Review: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins

Release Date: 3rd July 2010
Publisher: Scholastic 
Format: eBook 
Pages: 384
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge and 2012 ATS Challenge

Summary from Amazon:

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed."

Review:
When I picked up this book I had no doubt that I would enjoy it. I learned about the Hunger Games series long after they were released, so I knew that not only did they have a pretty strong following, but they were also being translated to the big screen. And everyone knows that a book has to be pretty good for Hollywood to consider making a movie version. 

From the beginning, I was drawn in. The one thing you've got to love about dystopian novels is that they fully immerse you into a new and different world, and with Panem being so different and so interesting, you can't help but get pulled in. And then you have the characters. Katniss is definitely my favourite character (I really can't go past a strong heroine), but I also loved Peeta, Haymitch, Cinna and Rue too. And, whilst this may be a little grim, I absolutely loved reading about the Hunger Games themselves. The action and adventure that took place was exciting to read, and I did also enjoy seeing how the character's dealt with being thrown into a battle to the death.
I pretty much loved everything about this book - the setting, the storyline and the characters melded so well together that I got through this book within a matter of days (which is a feat for me). If you haven't read this book yet, you need to add it to you TBR pile.