The Hunger Games Thread

[Alvedansen]

i actually think there's quite a lot of buzz about this movie, but i think we should only compare it to pre-Twilight Twilight not post-Twilight Twilight (if you know what i mean). Twilight only became a huge deal after the first movie was released, people were still anxious about the performance of the first movie. i think Rob also sold the movies massively since he's charming and never took that crap too seriously and made fun of the story himself, he was refreshing and likable and has therefore attracted a crowd that would have never been interested in the movies/books otherwise
...i have my doubts that either of these guys has that ability
i'm not sure, it can go either way, but i watch a lot of movie reviews on youtube and all the people are super excited for this movie, i believe it has quite a following already, just not as crazy and "loud" as the twilight movies

 

[dajrekshn]

i actually think there's quite a lot of buzz about this movie, but i think we should only compare it to pre-Twilight Twilight not post-Twilight Twilight (if you know what i mean). Twilight only became a huge deal after the first movie was released, people were still anxious about the performance of the first movie. i think Rob also sold the movies massively since he's charming and never took that crap too seriously and made fun of the story himself, he was refreshing and likable and has therefore attracted a crowd that would have never been interested in the movies/books otherwise
...i have my doubts that either of these guys has that ability
i'm not sure, it can go either way, but i watch a lot of movie reviews on youtube and all the people are super excited for this movie, i believe it has quite a following already, just not as crazy and "loud" as the twilight movies

oh you have great points, i totally agree with the whole post.
i wasn't around during the pre-Twilight era lol, but i do gather from all the stuff afterwards and comments from Catherine, Kristen and Rob that it wasn't such a sure-thing. i guess we just need to wait and see if "the craziness" from this fan-base translates the same way on the boxoffice results twilight in the end did. i totally agree about the "boys" - there's suspicion with josh esp since the very beginning of the casting (tho it was the same way with rob) and liam seems to be the quiet type. on the other hand, with lionsgate already having the release date for the second one, you can tell they're thinking big bucks. i personally think that it will do great worldwide, but that it won't be "huge phenomenon" in the US that will break records.

 

[Alvedansen]

...are you serious? we agree on something?!

but yeah, i'm sure it'll do fine, but definitely not a huge first weekend boxoffice, but overall it'll do really well.
but i'm curious to see how they'll approach this promotion-wise. i hope not the way "I'm sick of it although it isn't even out yet" they did with NM and Eclipse (way too much promo, too many clips released ahead of the movie)

 

[kokobombon]

I don´t think it will as massive as Twilight simple because it´s not a "love story", it´s too "violent" for little girls and it has sad elements that are not love related. For that same reason though it can be very well received by the general public.

btw, anyone seen Josh @ PCA? that boy has no presence or charisma imo...

 

[dajrekshn]

...are you serious? we agree on something?!

but yeah, i'm sure it'll do fine, but definitely not a huge first weekend boxoffice, but overall it'll do really well.
but i'm curious to see how they'll approach this promotion-wise. i hope not the way "I'm sick of it although it isn't even out yet" they did with NM and Eclipse (way too much promo, too many clips released ahead of the movie)

nah, if they decided to go that way, we'd already be thinking that. so far, they are having nice timing, tho i'd like it to be tad more. i feel that the "pause" periods are bit long this close to the release, but i'm sure they're going strong with this - fact they made "jennifer reading the oscar noms" happen is a strong indication, IMO.

Koko - i agree - women empowering never was a big crowd pleaser (twilight breaking the records is pure proof of this) depite of critics praise.

 

[Alvedansen]

^that's true as well Koko...that's also why i'm curious to see which route they'll take. it is based on a young adult book and with kids in the main roles, so it's not what grown-ups will usually be into, but the violence is too much for young kids. but how will they make it appealing to people who have never heard of it/read the books?
and yeah daj...i just realised it's only about two more months, that's nothing. i'd love a nice viral campaign, although they already have that website

re: Josh
ugh, he's so unattractive to me. i've seen him in some movie (the kids are alright...or some other movie, can't remember whether that was him) and i liked him as an actor, so it's not the acting that i'm worried about, but he needs to be crushable(is that a word?) and he just isn't. but Liam is the same way to me, just not hot...good looking, but not hot, you know? (and i was always a Gale girl so i'm disappointed)

 

[kokobombon]

^IA, neither is crushable (yeah, I´m using that word... lol) and imo only Josh can act, Liam is just bad...

 

[dajrekshn]

^that's true as well Koko...that's also why i'm curious to see which route they'll take. it is based on a young adult book and with kids in the main roles, so it's not what grown-ups will usually be into, but the violence is too much for young kids. but how will they make it appealing to people who have never heard of it/read the books?
and yeah daj...i just realised it's only about two more months, that's nothing. i'd love a nice viral campaign, although they already have that website

re: Josh
ugh, he's so unattractive to me. i've seen him in some movie (the kids are alright...or some other movie, can't remember whether that was him) and i liked him as an actor, so it's not the acting that i'm worried about, but he needs to be crushable(is that a word?) and he just isn't. but Liam is the same way to me, just not hot...good looking, but not hot, you know? (and i was always a Gale girl so i'm disappointed)

Liam's actually the Gale i imagined, i think he was just supposed to be extremely pretty, but hot? dunno, i don't find it that off comparing to the books. Josh only fits the Peeta role to the extend of sorta, just sorta his figure, but there's nothing attractive to him that would make me go "yeah, i totally get why, in the end, Katniss's decision was the way it was". dunno.

 

[YoninahAliza]

I can definitely see where everyone is coming from, questioning the boy's ability to be a crowed pleaser, but I think both are attractive, just in different ways. Neither is outright hot like Taylor Lautner or in a moody Rob Pattinson way. But I do think that Josh is sort of charming and Liam is attractive (although I'll admit it's mainly the Aussie accent that makes him seem really good looking which he won't even have in the movie). But when it comes down to it this story isn't really a love story, it's more then that, it's a story about survival and what "war" can do to people. We may be fussing about the boy's ability to draw girls in to see the movie but I'd like to hope that they don't see The Hunger Games for such a shallow reason as that. Or if they do see it just for Liam and Josh they end up taking away from the movie the message it's trying to send. One of the main reason's why I love The Hunger Games is because of Katniss, she's so strong and courageous, and it's so rare to see a "teen" movie have a female character like this. So while romance does happen in the story it's not all that's going on in Katniss's life.

 

[dajrekshn]

I can definitely see where everyone is coming from, questioning the boy's ability to be a crowed pleaser, but I think both are attractive, just in different ways. Neither is outright hot like Taylor Lautner or in a moody Rob Pattinson way. But I do think that Josh is sort of charming and Liam is attractive (although I'll admit it's mainly the Aussie accent that makes him seem really good looking which he won't even have in the movie). But when it comes down to it this story isn't really a love story, it's more then that, it's a story about survival and what "war" can do to people. We may be fussing about the boy's ability to draw girls in to see the movie but I'd like to hope that they don't see The Hunger Games for such a shallow reason as that. Or if they do see it just for Liam and Josh they end up taking away from the movie the message it's trying to send. One of the main reason's why I love The Hunger Games is because of Katniss, she's so strong and courageous, and it's so rare to see a "teen" movie have a female character like this. So while romance does happen in the story it's not all that's going on in Katniss's life.

why not? if the story's unknown to them, why not actually attract them this way so that they're in for a surprise and possible "falling in love with the empowering women motive"? there's always a chance this might happen if they actually see the movie. from that perspective it actually might be a good turnaround for young women in general and a start of a new "trend" in youth movies. not seeing it at all doesn't hold up this chance one tiny bit.

 

[Alvedansen]

^^that's why i'm wondering how they're going to promote it though
us who have read the books know it's not mainly about the love-story (which is also what i loved about the books) but apparently they have already expanded Gale's parts in the movie, maybe there will be a bit more about the (sort of) love-triangle in the movies.
and i don't think that many girls would be interested in a kids-killing-each-other movie (which is how you could describe this in just a few words) and Twilight has proven that maaany girls don't care about a strong female protagonist (sadly). promoting the male characters as heart-throbs has always been a marketing scheme, even if that's not their role in the movies and i personally just don't see either of the guys' appeal.

 

[YoninahAliza]

Sorry Dajrekshn, I didn't phrase my words very well. I meant to say that I would hope that girls aren't that shallow as to see a movie just for the lead actors. Not that they shouldn't see the movie at all. However, I do know that some girls will see promo's for THG and think "Liam and Josh are HOT" and see it. So I guess if they do see the movie I hope that they end up liking it more because it's not just a love story. And Alvedansen, I'm honestly not sure what marketing scheme they will take with THG. Perhaps the love triangle but let's hope they aim to show what a fantastic, empowering female character Katniss is. *crossing my fingers*

 

[Alvedansen]

^the thing is, most fans already don't like that Gale's role in the movie seems to be bigger and would hate if the movie/promo was all about the love-triangle, so if they'll go that route they will piss off the existing fanbase
and how will they attract guys? although i guess it's not too difficult to make a guy watch this movie with Jennifer as the lead

 

[kokobombon]

^I was thinking about the guys and how the trailer doesn´t show much killing, maybe they´ll release another one with blood everywhere LOL

 

[YoninahAliza]

^But then that would spoil everything! From what I understand the killings are suppose to be done in a tasteful way. Not like blood flying towards the camera or whatever. Well... at least I hope not... that would be a bit off putting.

 

[kokobombon]

^that would be awesome! really like Battle Royale LOL
but it depends on the rating, are they going with PG-13?

 

[dajrekshn]

Sorry Dajrekshn, I didn't phrase my words very well. I meant to say that I would hope that girls aren't that shallow as to see a movie just for the lead actors. Not that they shouldn't see the movie at all. However, I do know that some girls will see promo's for THG and think "Liam and Josh are HOT" and see it. So I guess if they do see the movie I hope that they end up liking it more because it's not just a love story. And Alvedansen, I'm honestly not sure what marketing scheme they will take with THG. Perhaps the love triangle but let's hope they aim to show what a fantastic, empowering female character Katniss is. *crossing my fingers*

oh! i get you now.
tho, i do have to add, teenagers do tend to have these kind of crushes that tend to make them irrational, hence attend the movies for the pure sake of seeing those men - i wouldn't necessarily call it shallow (if we're talking about teenagers) - just kinda typical puberty behavior that you just grow out of. at one point.

 

[YoninahAliza]

^Haha... that's true... teenagers do tend to be irrationally infatuated with good looking actors. Let's blame it on hormones! But then again... what about Twilight? With all those Twi-mom's.... we can't blame that on their age! I know loads of people who've read THG who aren't the target age group and they loved it. But they aren't infatuated with any of the male characters. Although, I have had several people ask me, after saying that I'v read THG, "who's your favorite Peeta or Gale?" So...

 

[dajrekshn]

^Haha... that's true... teenagers do tend to be irrationally infatuated with good looking actors. Let's blame it on hormones! But then again... what about Twilight? With all those Twi-mom's.... we can't blame that on their age! I know loads of people who've read THG who aren't the target age group and they loved it. But they aren't infatuated with any of the male characters. Although, I have had several people ask me, after saying that I'v read THG, "who's your favorite Peeta or Gale?" So...

that's why i said teenagers only - i had twi-moms in mind emphasizing this (they're just nutcases in my books, no amount of hormones could've induce that hysteria) .

so we're already having Team Gale and Team Peeta debate, huh? i see Summit's strategy has already put its paws on this.

 

[YoninahAliza]

^Well... to be fair... my friends started asking me who I liked more Peeta or Gale before the movie had it's cast. But yes, it looks like the Peeta or Gale question has already begun! I mean, I know who I'd pick, but I do respect other people's choices. I'm not like my friend who literally freaks if you don't like Peeta! She told me that she got angry when her friend from school was a supporter of Gale. People take certain things a bit to seriously I suppose. And for the record, I'm team Peeta. Although, I totally respect Gale and can see why a lot of people like him.

And Twi-moms.... they are a whole different level of crazy. They scare me.