the ballad of songbirds and snakes defrosted my obsession with the hunger games 🐍 *spoiler free* 

A Finnick movie would be the ultimate cash grab. Everybody in the Capital thirsted after him, so channel that into an entire film.

everyone who loved him was destroyed in someway. "it's the things we love most, that destroy us." so it does not have to be about who he "loved" but more about what happen to those who love him. sejanus loved him like a brother and it killed him. lucy loved him and he broke her trust. tigris loved him and he threw her aside as if she were nothing.

Haymitch IS, indeed, attractive 😂 you’re validated

i think the way a lot of movies portray the villain as being "ugly" is really problematic. like having big noses, being overweight, or having a noticeable disability, for example. conflating those things with being a bad person sends a horrible message, especially to young kids that may have one of those features. i hope we start to move away from doing this in the future.

I honestly don't think that Snow was "too hot" in the movie. Obviously charisma and attractiveness are not mutually exclusive, but it's much easier for a person to have charisma if they are also attractive, and I think that can help explain how he got so much power in the first place. Also: hot people can be villains too. Just because someone is hot, that doesn't mean they're a good person. (Also, I'm sure the filmmakers knew that him being hot would help them sell more tickets to their young mostly female fanbase)

I think Tigris was crucial for the lense through which we look at Snow. Snow and Tigris both went through war, they witnessed some truly horrific things, Tigris probably had it worse even (she alludes to being forced to become a sex worker so they wouldn't starve), but she doesn't let it turn her into a terrible person. She treats people with kindness and we know she stays that way because, obviously, she comes back in the last moments of the original trilogy to help Katniss when it matters most. Coriolanus is an elitist narcissist who doesn't understand the concept of empathy and only cares about his status

suzanne collins is genuinely a literary genius and deserves the pulitzer prize argue with the wall. the third act of tbosas was so insanely well written. SPOILERS the way she writes snow’s descent into paranoia and madness in the woods looking for lucy and how SHE LITERALLY BECOMES THE CHARACTER FROM THE POEM. don’t get me started on olivia rodrigo’s song

SPOILERS FOR TBOSBAS imo the quote “it’s the things we love most that destroy us” was a perfect way to end the movie because it has a double meaning. Snow is a narcissist, someone who can manipulate anyone, including himself, to believe a lie. he has convinced himself that Lucy’s betrayal is what ‘destroyed’ him, thereby cleverly omitting full responsibility for his actions. on the other hand, to the viewer, this quote from Snow is really a prophesy for the poetic justice he will receive later because of Katniss and the rebellion. in TBOSBAS, Snow’s closest on screen relationships are with Lucy and Sejenus. Snow betrays Sejenus by using the jabberjay, and his betrayal haunts him when the mockingjays echo Sejenus’ cry after he dies. The mockingjays later also literally mock him when he is looking for Lucy in the woods after her betrayal, when they sing her songs to him. Lucy introduces Snow to the hanging tree song, the meadow song, and so many more that will later be used in the revolution. furthermore, Lucy’s final words to Snow in the movie are “I’m going to pick some Katniss”. Snow betrays both Lucy & Sejenus because he lusts for power more than human connection. imagine the absolute shiver Snow must have felt when a girl from district 12 named Katniss sings the meadow song, makes reckless decisions of rebellion just like Sejenus, and who eventually becomes the literal Mockingjay, symbol of the revolution. Katniss resembles EVERYTHING Snow cared about (in his own sick and twisted way) in Sejenus and Lucy, and Katniss is the genesis of his undoing. The things Snow loved most (Sejenus, Lucy, and Power) did indeed destroy him. thank you for coming to my ted talk.

I think Snow was described as a handsome man in the book so it makes sense that the actor is so hot

I really wish Suzanne Collins would do cash grabs, I want more about everyone! I literally can’t get enough 😂

When he says that is the things we love most that destroy us, I think it was never about him loving Lucy but about his love for POWER destroying his humanity. Also, as someone else said here: how everyone who loved Snow was destroyed and then how in the originals books he uses the people Katniss loves to try to destroy her.

Something small in the movie that I really enjoyed was when Lucky randomly interrupted his commentary on the game to start talking about the weather. It's such a disturbingly funny way to show that the Hunger Games are something normal in this society, that many people in the Capitol don't question its existence at all.

*spoilers* i love how it doesn’t make us feel bad for coriolanus, we like him near the beginning, but we get the betrayal and villain origin near the end and it all makes sense, it builds on snows character and why he did what he did

My opinion of the quote: he believes his “love” for Lucy or Sejanus made him weak and he almost lost everything because of it. He helped Lucy because of his “love” for her and got exiled to district 12. He was constantly helping Sejanus because of his “love.” He essentially blames them for his momentary fall from Grace. Therefore, he refuses to get close or live because he doesn’t want to risk everything important to him again or appear weak. I put love in quotation because I don’t think he every really loved anyone.

I refused to read this book for 3 years because everything about it went against all the headcannons I had formed in my head for years, but since I am a pigeon and the hype got me, I have bought it and will be reading it soon before maybe going to see the movie. I can't let the opportunity of a new Hunger Games movie pass me by, my 14 year old self would never forgive me.

haymitch is SO attractive-the most attractive character, i would argue. he’s always been my favourite: nine-year-old me was so drawn to him and i’m not sure why

The eras are defrosting like there's no tomorrow 😭love it

"Why do we need a villain origin story?" - the real question here is...why do we NOT need a villain origin story? I definitly need more of those!

My thoughts on the quote were that it was directed less towards his romance with Lucy Gray and more towards the fact that his greed for power and loyalty to the capital destroyed his relationships and everything good that he had. Because the quote is “it’s the things we love MOST that destroy us” which I thought could be referring to how his love of the capitol overrode his love of other things like Lucy Gray and Sejanus.

Re: sympathy for Snow I think what Suzanne did was really smart because it showed that even though he had some harsh circumstances growing up, he is deep down an evil person and at no point did it make me feel pity for him or "justify his acts." Even his lack of flexibility in fitting in within the Capitol and its changing dynamic (people from districts moving in, ascension of different families, etc); how he sees every relationship as a transactional act, and his need to make everything and everyone about him and his needs was EXTREMELY frustrating - I was almost hoping Dr. Gaul would set some snakes on him

I'm gonna start saying "I'm only a 26-year-old teenager" to justify my actions 😂

I feel that point about Haymitch, too xD It's only natural, really. You get older and it would be way more weird to still think of those half-adults and teenagers as hot :D

I personally really liked the ending of tbosbas when we heard the old snow say his iconic line because to me it showed what conclusion SNOW made out of his past and how it influenced his thinking in the hunger games, connecting the movies.

The saddest part of Katniss’s romance is the fact that Katniss did not want a romance, she wanted a family, she wanted support, but she did not want romantic love. I loved Katie Colson’s discussions of the book from her asexual lens, highly recommend her Hunger Games video

I think it's actually really important to make the villain human, and that means making them somewhat sympathetic. casting the villain as pure evil removes him from reality in a way that makes it seem like real people can't get to that point. I haven't seen the movie or read the book yet, so I don't know the specifics of Snow's portrayal, but it makes a lot of sense to me that he would come across as sympathetic in a way.

"Its the things we love the most that destroy us" Snow didn't say thing to mean that Lucy Gray who he loved made him evil by betraying him. He meant he loved her so much that he was going to destroy the powerful man he could (and would) become in order to be with her.

Great video ! I believe the quote 'It's the things we love most, that destroy us.' is not that much about Lucy's betrayal of Snow leading him to become a villan. It appears that the idea of the quote is more "It's the love we have for things that destroys us". Ultimately, Snow's affection for Lucy is what prevents him from fully succeeding in his endeavors. It is easy to get rid of things standing in his way when they mean nothing to him, but when it's the things he loves, then it becomes impossibly difficult, to the point of destroying a part of him as well.

As a 30 y.o. teenager (at least when it comes to media I consume), I feel you girl. I'm consciously staying away from this book cause I'm not ready to relapse. P.S. and yes, Peeta team all the way💪 shit, I'm relapsing.

I simped for Haymitch since day 1 and I still do, you're not alone😅

The movie was amazing. I want to rewatch it again right now 😭 Also Snow: Hot. Lucy Grey: Hot. My Bi soul can’t handle this. I’m ready to order all the books and movies and watch/read them in order

I avoided The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes until last week because of all the reviews I read/watched when it first came out, and to those people, I can honestly say - I am so sorry their limited worldview prevented them from appreciating this book for what it is. I admit, the hype around the movie got to me in the end and I finally picked up the audiobook just before the movie release because I trusted the filmmakers to make an adaptation as good as the one they did for the original trilogy. I literally finished the book a day before the premiere and I took a day off from work to catch the earliest possible viewing and avoid the crowds :D And let me tell you, I was SO PLEASED!!! The book proves once again why Suzanne Collins is a queen of nuanced, morally ambiguous characters, even more so here than in the original series. I absolutely loved the book, and I am so happy the movie did it justice. The changes were fairly minimal and they made sense - it is not easy to adapt a story that relies so heavily on the internal monologue of the main character. They translated everything crucial onto the screen beautifully. I would not necessarily call Snow´s character hot (not even in the movie, he´s not really my type) but I absolutely experienced moments of sympathy for his character. I caught myself thinking about what would I have done in similar circumstances, whether I would have made different choices, and if I am perfectly honest, I was not always sure. When his arc is put in perspective, it is not quite so easy to dismiss him as a purely villainous character. How much was his disposition and how much was the environment he lived in? Was it a natural evolution of his character or systematic grooming? This is what I love about this story - it poses serious moral dilemmas and has the characters act in a realistic way. I remember loving Katniss´s arc because she didn´t feel like a prototypical hero, but rather someone with believable impulses (both noble and selfish ones), and this story proved to be just as powerful, or even more so. Personally, I would say the original trilogy is a more interesting read plot-wise, but The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a superior character study. Needless to say, I am already planning a second trip to the cinema :D

I’m not even kidding I read the Ballard of songbirds and snakes watched the movie and am so back into my Hunger Games bag. I also re watched the movies this week and sobbed when Katniss volunteered as tribute like I’ve never watched the movies and didn’t know it was coming, man turning 30 and hormones is weird I was crying so much like I didn’t watch those movies so many times as a teenager haha

This movie was just so good. I got chills multiple times while watching. The way that Lucy Gray goes on to haunt him for the rest of his life and comes back to him through Katniss all those years later is just so clever. Such a good villain origin story!!

I think the emphasis on the love betrayal quote was intended to show that he can't take any responsibility for his choices. He can't face his own inhumanity - that he was willing to blame the person he loved (or thought he loved) in exchange for something else he wanted, which also ties back in to how everything is a tradeable commodity for him, including her.

I think this was a story of how an inherently selfish young man with a traumatic past and borderline psychotic tendencies became a powerful dictator. Despite Snow’s inner monologue being unhinged at times, you can see how he was a natural politician from the beginning, he had the potential to become a good leader. We also see that he has developed much of his outward personality as a sort of survival mechanism. Existing as a poor person in the capitol is an almost “social” hunger games. His behavior becomes increasingly drastic and narcissistic throughout the plot of both book and movie. At one point when he is still in the capitol he sustains a couple of concussions which could have been a catalyst for his later paranoia and mental decline.

i went to see the movie yesterday and it basically destroyed my ability to function because of renewed hunger games obsession, oh well

I think one of the downsides of the movie's fast pacing takes away Snow and Lucy Gray's relationship and how it actually forms. You talk about this in the video, but I agree that we kinda lose a heavy chunk of the absolute narcissistic insanity that is Snow's inner thoughts. As for the "it's the things we love most that destroy us," I think it's perfect for Snow to say that! It's like he actively believes he was betrayed because how on earth can he be the problem LOL

I LOVED the movie. It doesnt pander to nostalgia. You see snow's manipulative personality from scene 1. He loved being on a high horse and yet essentially only ever did things to benefit himself. Hes sharp but so scary. I loved seeing the world building of panem and how we see everything in its older form.

Last night I watched the whole trilogy and I cried, laughed and enjoyed as it was my first time watching it

The quote "It's the things we love most, that destroys us. " just points to from Corio's vuew that the thing he loved the most and honestlt that is power and control that ultimately destroyed his past self(although he was still a narcissist but in the sense of like no turning back and becoming completely and ebtirely self-centered). It destroyed all his relationships to his near and dear ones Lucy, Serjanus and Tigres. Also, can you talk about what your thoughs are on Lucy surviving or not and if she did like is she related to Katniss in any way and where she went etc.

Yes, I'm currently back in my Hunger Games phase, and will drop everything to watch this video!

I totally felt you with the inner monologue part!! He felt too good felt too genuine in his friendship with Sejanus even the ending!! I loved seeing him argue with himself “Put the gun down.” when he and Lucy Gray were in the cabin. I 10000% feel you with the ending especially because we don’t get to hear him waring with himself and finally convincing himself that this was the best option. He justifies a lot of his own actions in the book and somehow convinces himself he’s in the right each time and i would have loved to see that translated to film

I too am a 26 year old teenager and my obsession with the whole Hunger Games world has reignited since I reread the trilogy and then also the ballad of songbirds and snakes in the beginning of the year. The way Suzanne Collins builds her world and tells this story is just GENIUS and I could go on about it forever. The movies are fantastic as well. Rediscovering the series as an adult, I really grasped the whole concept much better and how eerily similar it is to what is actually happening in our world.

I 100% encourage anyone who has yet to watch The Ballad of The Songbirds & Snakes to go watch it!! You don't want to miss out on seeing it on the big screen

I like to think that Snows quote "its the things we love most that destroy us" is not only about Lucy. But for example also about Sejanus and other people who he had to leave behind to reach his goals. He felt betrayed by some people he cared about because their actions did not help his ambition.

I watched The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes on Friday! I thought the first and second act were good and the third act was a bit rushed. I recognized many scenes from the book. Tom Blyth did great playing Snow and Viola Davis was a scene stealer. Now I am contemplating watching the movie again.

the movie was perfect, all of the details like the shot of the box of rat poison in the first scene and snow drinking tea in one of the final scenes like we see him doing throughout the hunger games trilogy (which confirmed the rumor/theory he poisons himself) really stood out to me. the cast was incredible, rachel’s voice is incredible and the emotion she put behind every song was exactly like lucy gray and the emotion she was able to invoke in everyone who watched her in the games. like you said, i already want to go back to the theatre and see it again!

Saw the movie last night and it made me want to read the book. So. Good.

It's interesting hearing your perspective upon first reading the books. I always had the feeling that Coin wore a facade. She was the other side of the coin. She was just as authoritarian as Snow, but made it seem as if she was the good guy fighting to change the world. But you could see beneath the mask she wore when she and Katniss went head to head with another. She despised Katniss because she knew she wasn't someone who would bow down and take orders, so she appealed to the side of her that hungered for revenge. She rescued the other victors and pardoned them when it was readily apparent that they were traumatized/brainwashed victims of the Capital. I've also suspected that sent Prim on purpose with the intention that she would die in the blast.

The move was fantastic at every level! Cinematography, acting, storytelling. Rachel was off the charts and essential. (Hope this shakes off the Snow White controversy) My only dislike is I wished they'd carried out a love story in act three and have more time for Snow to arc in an additional film. Perhaps they thought they wouldn't get that chance so they forced it. But overall it's amazing!

I actually had such a different experience with the movie and book. I absolutely loved the book, how slow it is, how it takes its time to explain every little thing that made the president snow we know in the future. I loved hearing his thoughts, because it showed so much of the potential of what he could become. That's exactly then what was missing for me in the movie. I enjoyed it enough but the condensation of it actually made me like it less. I missed all the details that were lost. And while I do think the actors did a phenomenal job, I just, and I hate to say it, prefer the book. But I find it so interesting how so many other people received it and their opinions after watching the movie. Love to hear your take on it.

I think the quote at the end "the things we love most" showcases that Snow has a warped view of love bc his love for Lucy is very possessive and he was destroyed by her betrayal even though her betrayal was warranted.

I just finished reading the original trilogy for the first time yesterday which I picked up after watching your Battle Royale video - I'm 27 but for whatever reason the Hunger Games passed me by as a teenager. Now I can't wait to read Songbirds and Snakes and watch all of the films! Thanks Leonie for getting me to finally fill in this gap in my reading history

My obsession with hunger games is coming back just bc of the hype of the movie. I haven't read the new book and haven't watched the movie yet but yeah the obsession is real

I personally believe that the character Dorian, from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, is one of the earliest examples of an attractive morally, gray . So could you do a reading vlog on reading that book? I know it's a classic and a little intimidating - but if you listen to the audio book it's so easy to get through! I was hooked and blown away by the first page! 💛

Something I missed a lot in the movie, which corelates to the missing internal monolouge, is Snows absolute hatred towards the mockingjays. I feel like that's a plot point which makes the OG trilogy even more interesting. Just as the missing meadows song, this is an obvious reason why Snow doesn't like Katniss and I wanted more of that. Anyway AMAZING work with this video, really looking forward to next week!

I LOVED the movie too! I only really missed the powerful quote: “It is not over until the Mockingjay sings” (from TBOS&S book)🔥🕊Great video Leonie!

the part that tore me about the Ballad was how Coryo reacted when his mother's compact was destroyed- calling it 'nasty paste', his cold relegation of it to the trash- It hit me more so even than his the murders he committed.

I don’t think that final Snow quote is necessarily referencing Lucy Gray, but more so Snow’s obsession with being seen as powerful and higher than. He loves the feeling of power, and doing whatever it takes to feel that power over others, and ultimately that is a toxic poison that slowly destroys him as we see him in Mockingjay.

Personally i loved the film but I wish the third act got a bit more time to breathe, maybe establishing the covey more, maybe showing maude ivory's similarities to prim, or establishing snows hatred for mockingjays which really make it seem like snow's past is back to haunt him with katniss. I was also a bit disappointed that they cut snow getting Lucy the guitar and the scene where he is trying to eat enough at the event so he doesn't starve but not so much that he seems poor, it humanised him quite a lot I thought. I get why the scenes would have dragged the length out but I would watch an extended cut. I really liked the songs, they were what drew me to the book so I'm pleased they were given so much focus and the actress has a wonderful voice, perfect for Lucy.

i have so many things i wanna say about this book but all i can do is incoherent noises every single time i think about it. it's SO GOOD. suzanne collins, you did it again!! but i do need to talk about how peeta is so much like lucy gray - they're both performers, they know how to charm the capitol and how to come up with believable lies if they have to and people fall for their charm, but it all comes from a place of love and trying to survive and protect loved ones. and katniss is so much like sejanus - they're both very passionate about doing the right thing often not caring if they're putting themselves in danger, and they act more impulsively since they're led by emotion and such a strong sense of justice and in doing the right thing. and i love how later on snow completely misinterprets who katniss and peeta are because of how he sees lucy gray - a liar, a trickster, someone who used him, who lied to the capitol just to win the games - and sejanus - someone who acts based on his emotions thus is seen as stupid by snow (and in the beginning he doesn't pay much attention to peeta because of that, he sees as a fool in love acting based solely on his emotions), and how he fails to control katniss and only see how wrong he got them both when the quarter quell already began.

O my god, yesterday I watched ballad of songbirds and snakes and Snow‘s character development is sooo good! I love it and I need to read the book 🤩

I just watched the movie. Just got home. I don't know why, but I feel more disturbed snd anxious after watching this movie than the original series. Made me feel like how I was feeling when I read the original books. I wasn't mentally and emotionally in a good place when I read the first books, and it made me anxious for weeks after. I feel similar to that after watching this movie. Not that I didn't like it, omg, it was amazing. I don't know if I wanna read the book now though.

I just saw it and the final quote felt more about Lucy's death to me. About how if she didn’t love him she would still be alive

Just went and saw this last night, was so happy to see you post this video!

Had a cozy vibe overdose when the rain started on the second day of your review 😭

I just started reading this book yesterday and you go and drop this video. PERFECT timing, and I’m even more excited to see the movie now! I will watch any and all the Hunger Games related content you make, bless.

I just finished the book on Friday, gave it 5 stars and watched the movie in the cinema yesterday. I love it!! The nostalgia along with a great new story was just so much fun

I had another interpretation of "it's the things we love most, that destroy us". Snow's love of power, wealth, and prestige destroyed him, particularly his chance at happiness by running away with Lucy. From Snow's perspective, he was probably talking about Lucy and his cynical worldview of love, but I think it had a double meaning directed toward the audience.

Can't wait for the deepdive! I love discussing the spoilery scenes of this book and movie with my friend and also hearing other people's opinions and what they noticed :)

Girl your video inspired me to reread and rewatch all the original trilogy, then read and watch BSS and finally here I am 😅 busiest week of my life haha

An hour ago I went to see the movie, and it was pure perfection! I loved the chemistry between Corio and Lucy Gray. I also liked how the movie was so similar to the book, and depicted the characters and the atmosphere so beautiful! My sister didn’t want to watch it with me, but by the end of the movie, she was fascinated and she said that Snow was so hot, I agree with her😁 Happy that people enjoyed the movie and the book as much as I did!

Im glad that the movie has given some people more appreciation for exactly what the book was trying to do. I remember as I was reading it, thinking a lot of this may translate better to screen and help connect the dots for an audience. The book can get a bit meandering at times and there are sections that are hard to get through but again I kind of felt like that was intentional. I think some of it was Suzanne Collins almost pointing a mirror on the hunger games audience that may have gotten too much enjoyment out of the children killing children plot of the original trilogy. When we didn’t have those high gruesome stakes people were less interested.

While I do think that in Snow's quote he's referring to people I like to think that is a bit ambiguous so that the audience can get to the conclusion that Snow's love for power is what destroyed him and his relationships with the people he loved

i think the quote at the end of the movie fits perfectly for two reasons: 1) Snow was wrong about love and Katniss proved that in the og triology. In TBOSAS, had Snow followed the path of love and chosen to stay with Lucy Gray then his ending wouldve been drastically different. 2) We are assuming that what Snow loved most was Lucy Gray and thats what ultimately destroyed him but Snow never loved Lucy Gray the most. He never loved anyone more than he loved himself and what destroyed him was his own narcissistic actions in the end of both TBOSAS and Mockingjay. He could never catch Katniss or Lucy Gray (assuming Licy Gray didnt die and ran away instead) because they were his parallel.

i always saw the use of the quote "it's the things we love most that destroy us" as snow reflecting that HE destroyed lucy? i am now questioning my interpretation but i saw it as it solidifying the fact that he thinks we shouldn't love or care about anyone because people always have an ulterior motive and he taught that lesson to lucy and now is trying to teach it to katniss. especially bc in the book i don't ever see him truly 'loving' lucy gray as much as him believing he 'owns' her and therefore loves that she is his. idk if i've explained this right bc its hard to put my thoughts together ahaha

I watched the video halfway last week and finally finished the rest directly after watching the movie today

Love the review but respectfully I disagree with the film being better because it was fast paced vs in the book. I believe that the point of this prequel was to take the time to understand Snow’s psyche. And as a male, I really appreciated that Suzanne took the time to write about these issues that “boys to men” go through like having a first love, pressures of taking care of your loved ones as the man of the house, the threat of your lineage disappearing/not living up to your name, male physical appearances when Snow joined the peacekeepers and contemplating suicide. I think these are issues that most bypass and the general populace doesn’t care about. Therefore, I think that the book wasn’t a cash grab but the movie def was, because they failed to deliver these messages to the audience.

I love the way you always talk about these topics, you sound so smart :)

Slaymitch definitely got significantly more attractive as ive gotten older and knowing what a cunning and deep character he was in the book, that they didnt portray in the movie

absolutely love this video i agree with most of the points you said. i watched the movie yesterday and read the book last year. i definitely enjoyed both very much and i completely agree that its an incredible villain origin story. about the quote in the end, for me it solidified how all the characters that loved snow and trusted him in the end got destroyed by him and his selfish actions to get what he wants. lucy only "betrayed" him after actually seeing his true nature and knowing she cant trust him. i personally didnt think the quote was related to her directly but to snow and his destruction of the people around him who loved him to some extent. cant wait for the full essay video!

i love listening to your perspective! i remember watching and reading the series in college but i never really watched or reread them. I look forward to watching your indepth video about the prequel!

OMG EXACTLY THAT! You said it all, thank you girl, I feel so represented and relieved!

Leonie's videos drop on Monday morning for me. I had to hold off on this one, I finished the book Monday evening then immediately bought a ticket for the film for Tuesday evening, which I just returned from. I feel like I've prepared the materials for Prof. Leo's class!

Great video, I have so many of the same thoughts. Usually I'm not one to rewatch a movie in cinemas but I’m really tempted for this film. I'm also working on a video talking about my experience reading this

i need an analysis on snow’s character bc i feel most people (me included) don’t/didn’t fully grasp the point of this book at the beginning. so if any of my friends needed an explanation, i could just send them that video! thank u :)

Loooove this review! So entertaining and so well done! You just became one of my new favs on YT. My interpretation of that quote from President Snow is that it refers to how the similarities between Katniss and Lucy was SO distracting he missed Coins bigger plan altogether. So, in a way, it's 100% correct - the only person he really loved DID destroy him - not in the sense of he became evil as a result of her / her betrayal (he betrayed her first BTW) but more it meant the end of his reign because as he says to Katniss at the very end - it was Coins plan all along to have us focus so much on each other that we missed what she was doing. AND in the very first chapter of TBOSBAS they allude to how his mind can fixate on something (which we know is what Katniss becomes for his) - Soooo, I actually think its the perfect link between the installments (prequal and trilogy) and 100% true in his case

Giiirrl, i'm so like you! I still cant stop talking and thinking about the movie and the book, and it's been almost 2 months i watched it... I read the book after watching the movie, and i really need to re-watch this movie but i feel after rewatching i'm gonna re-read the book, because i feel like there's a lot of stuff going on with coriolanus that we dont get to see in the movie and the book tell us about him.. it's like movie and book complement each other! i'm obssessed with this story once again just like you, and i love your videos, they just feed my need to talk about this story ! Thanks!

I’m going to watch it tonight!!!!! 😁😁😁😁 I’ve been waiting for this moment the whole week!!

I’m so excited to see the movie today. I loved the book so much when I read it, cannot wait for my Hunger Games relapse!

God bless you This is about to be such a parasocial comment but I love your channel. Not only do you make content that dives deep into different topics in media (I’m a little bored of the basic “here’s my November tbr” videos from everyone. Love them but I’ve been craving something more deep the last year). Your videos are actually so well researched and well filmed and edited and beautiful. Also you remind me of my cousin so I get a weird little dopamine hit when I watch your videos as if I’m hanging out with a family member. Anyways thanks for this video because I haven’t seen the movie yet I’m waiting to see it with my mom so god bless a spoiler free version. Also thank you for having just as much of an obsession with this trilogy/prequal as me

I didn’t take the end quote to be in that way. I took it as, the things we love most are our weaknesses and so we must destroy them if we want to become invincible. But I get how people could interpret that line differently. I think the majority of people thought it that way since I’ve seen multiple posts on social media asking why Lucy betrayed Snow. It wasn’t betrayal- it was the time to end things. They were never going to be a thing, and she was smart enough to realize how dangerous he was.

i actually really enjoyed the quote at the end. i do agree that it does kinda seem like lucy gray made him turn evil, but honestly hearing the President Snow’s voice come on at the end made my jaw drop

I am all in for the Hunger Games content ❤

I really wanted to read the book before watching the movie, so I did. Let me tell you - MASTERPIECE. So many references to the original series and it really picks your brain. I hated how the book made me love Snow and agree with him for the first half of the book. But I loved how things started clicking into place around the last few chapters - just realizing exactly how demented and delusional he was. The absolute confidence he had in his views were jarring, the hypocrisy and double standards. I went from loving him for majority of the book to hating him in a split second. You're lulled into thinking he's really sweet and thoughtful until that moment where he's in the forest with the mockingjays comes. Its only a few lines, but very quickly, you start to realize how wrong you were and how influenced by the Capitol he actually is. Also, I keep seeing how everyone thinks Katniss is Luvy Gray reincarnated. I think Lucy Gray is a combination of Peeta and Katniss. The movies lead you to believe that Katniss is the one doing the heavy lifting, that Peeta is some defenseless little lamb (i call it the Ron Weasley syndrome) but in the books you really get to see exactly how tacticle Peeta is. Lucy Gray has Katniss's fire and grit - her street smart. But she's also really good at reading people and rallying support for herself. She's a show woman, she knows exactly how to get people to trust her, she knows how to play to her strengths of acting all sweet, like when she interacted with the children first instead of the adults. Peeta is exactly like that, and you can see it with the interviews in the Hunger Games (Baby Bomb, "Do I smell like roses?") and also the way he tried to appeal to the Capitol citizens by waving at them from the train. Just all in all, its so funny how Lucy Gray came to bite Snow in his ass in the form of Peeta and Katniss

I reread the Hunger Games trilogy over the summer and read BOSAS for the first time and I loved them! I actually didn’t mind that BOSAS was slower because it felt more intentional and philosophical than the original trilogy. I can’t wait to see the movie in a few days, and your video!

I love love love this film and how you discussed it!! I do have a thought about the quote in the end tho. I think for Snow, the "thing" he loves the most has always been "power", and that's why that's the thing that destroyed him as a person in the end. I don't believe he can ever truly love anyone, including Lucy Gray, more than his love for power. That's just a thought that came to me while keep thinking back to his character.

This vlog was excellent! Like you, I read the book when it first came out & remember there were some pacing issues for me (too long). Your discussions helped me remember most of the plot points; I’m good now to watch the movie-TY🎉

i was always just a casual fan of the hunger games, but the movie renewed my love, like i wanna re-read them and rewatch them all

Leo, thank you for this video i just NEEDED to talk/listen about this movie 🖤