Meggin Watches The Hunger Games

An annual game in which one victor comes out. Usually. The 74th annual Hunger Games, however, is quite different. Based on the book that has turned into a trilogy by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games is a movie that I thoroughly loved.

With my Mockingjay pin secured on my shirt over my heart like Katniss Everdeen, I purchased tickets for the next showing of the movie on Friday, the day the film was released to the public. (I wanted to go to the midnight premiere, but I had to go to school the next day. Quite a reluctant drawback, you see.) From what little I've heard about the movie (I try to enter the cinema with as little information of the film I intend to see as possible so I can develop my own independent thoughts on the subject), there is a character taken out of the film, most of the Tributes aren't named, and it isn't in first person perspective, unlike in the book, where it is based on Katniss' point of view. With all these differences in mind, I was anxious to see how it would turn out.

Over the span of two and a half hours (a bit lengthier than the average running time for films), it all seemed a bit....slow to me. Just like in the book, about 25% of the film was of the actual Hunger Games, and even then that part of the movie didn't seem like much. Lots of running away from things, hiding from people,  applying medication to wounds, and plotting. What I didn't see a lot of: killing. The intent of the Games is to kill everyone else, and even when killing did occur, it wasn't graphic and we as the audience couldn't see much of how the person was killed because they were sliced, shot, or javelined slightly out of the camera shot. Of course, this may be because the producers the film wanted to attract the same audience range as the readers of Suzanne Collins' trilogy, and so had to keep the movie PG-13, but it would have made so much more of an impact if the gore was introduced.

Another thing I didn't see: Madge. She was written out of the movie, and as the readers very well know, she's the person who gives Katniss the Mockingjay pin. So the writers of the movie had to incorporate the pin's introduction in another way, which greatly disappointed me because I so wanted them to stick to the book as much as possible. Also, the way Katniss found the pin wasn't as moving as when Madge gave it to her in the book.

What I love: SENECA CRANE. Especially his beard. The actor's (Wes Bentley) portrayal of Seneca is outstanding, and after the movie I Google searched his filmography to see what other works he's in.

I also love how the audience can see the relationship that President Snow has with the Gamemakers, for instance the little conversations Snow has with Seneca about his decisions in the Games and how they affect the society outside the Capitol.

Like Josh Hutcherson, my favourite scene is the cave scene (and yes, he did admit this on multiple talk shows). This scene gives the characters a chance to define themselves more now that things have quieted down outside, and it also starts to spark the love interest between Katniss and Peeta (although it is one-sided). However, I didn't like that it was so short! There was more that was needed to be said, and because the movie's already two and a half hours long, they couldn't say much.

Also: EFFIE TRINKET. The best line throughout the whole movie: "That. Is. MAHOGANY!" Her character just makes me laugh at how ridiculous the Capitol can be, and for the people who live in the Districts, a little laughter can go a long way.

In short, it wasn't too disappointing. And I can't wait to see Catching Fire. And, I'll put this out there -- if they ever need to replace Jennifer Lawrence for the scenes she has with Finnick:

Meggin Watches How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

It's like the new hit Broadway musical with just the most minute alterations. I mean, sure, Paris Original and Coffee Break, two of my favourite songs from the musical, were taken out, but the meaning behind the film is the same as the musical: it's totally okay for a businessman to have romantic relations with his secretary.

No, I kid, that's not the moral of the story. In fact, the moral is one that really shouldn't be practised all too often, and it's stated in the title.

It all starts out when this young little nobody from New York City, the business capital of the world, named J. Pierrepont Finch (that's F-I-N-C-H Fiiiinch *waves hands spastically*), buys a little book called How to Succeed in Business and reads it while cleaning the windows of big business buildings. The rules are fairly simple:

1. Apply for a job in the mail room
2. Get out of the mail room and become a Junior Executive
3. Graduate from that to a Vice President
4. Become entangled in a situation that could threaten your job, and
5. Settle that issue to become head of the company.

It seems so easy, in fact, that one could manage all of this within a week or two without batting an eyelash. And that's exactly what Finch does, with a little more drama added into the mix. For one thing, wearing a dark suit with a loose tie attracts a great number of women, especially one in particular named Rosemary Pilkington, who fell in love with Finch from day one. For another, is it possible for Finch to really climb up the business ladder without really trying?

The first version of this story that I saw was actually on Broadway seven days ago. I went to see the production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying with my show choir group after a fantastic competition. Being a fanatic of the '4os-to-'60s era of fashion, music, and film, I was utterly ecstatic about the show from beginning to end. Every single musical number was so brilliant I thought I might cry. (I eventually did break down when Finch was singing the outrageously beautiful ballad Rosemary, and right then and there I decided to waste all of my money on the show's soundtrack.) It's shows like these where it makes me wonder what happened to the glory days of music, film, and especially television.

When I returned home from a ridiculous eight hour drive from the city that never sleeps, I immediately began researching more about the musical, desperate to find out more about it. And that's when I discovered the film version of the musical, made in the year 1967. I knew right then and there that I absolutely had to watch it. And so I did. For a film spun from a musical of that time, I was utterly impressed. So many cinematic aspects seen in the musical were kept in the film, such as the ridiculous office spaces, the typical 1960's woman, the sharp, unison movements among the ensemble that make a musical number, and the classic idea of absolutely nothing to do in the office. The story hits so close to home that it makes me wonder if this musical is actually based on a true story. Except for the ending.

The story follows the basic plot pyramid: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution. However, when I first walked into the Al Hirschfeld Theatre that Sunday afternoon, I didn't expect Finch's fall from the top to be so short-lived. I thought he'd be well out of his job and back in the window cleaning business before Biggley and Wally came back to him for the company's head position. I think that's the only disappointing thing to me that occurred throughout both the Broadway show and the film version. But really, why couldn't Finch have fallen further? Have the big business tycoons ever heard of the Doctor's rise to power during the battle of Demon's Run?

Sorry, getting carried away with Doctor Who there...But it would make such a more brilliant story (despite the even more happy ending) with that in mind. But alas, I can't change what's been written. I'm not the Doctor. [insert troll smiley face here.]

Overall, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is an absolute firecracker. It takes me back to the times that were considered great without having to actually work hard to make those moments great. See what I did there? It also tempts me to buy a copy of the book How to Succeed in Business and follow to simple steps to enter the business world just for fun. Of course, that would be ridiculous...


P.S. Robert Morse and Nick Jonas as Finch. Just, wow.

When Will She Return?

I haven't forgotten you, blog. I've just been...busy. I haven't stopped watching films, television shows, and DOCTOR WHO, I just haven't had the time to spend a day and type out what that viewing experience was like.
BUT THAT WILL CHANGE.
The Sunday after 11 March, I will have stopped taking piano lessons and will have returned from an exhausting show choir trip to New York City, so my Sundays will be...free! Free to get back into the habit of blogging out reviews like nobody's business!
So, don't forget me. I'LL BE BACK.