The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes REVIEW | Hunger Games 

I loved Coral’s last line: “I killed them for nothing.” The perfect encapsulation of the Games.

The flickerman weather report mid hunger games cutting back from violence to finishing the weather was excellent at showing the absurdity of the situation

You all missed a detail in the woods near the end! Lucy’s outfit changes when Snow is bit by the snake from when she was in the Cabin. Lucy is back in her rainbow dress when she “hides” from snow rather then the darker dress she wore leaving the cabin. This suggests that Snow was hallucinating when he got bit so we really don’t know what happens to Lucy in the end.

This movie definitely deserves a extended cut. I loved it how it was and I think it would be even better if it was longer

The only thing I’m upset they cut was Arachne’s funeral, the lack of implication that Tigris was selling herself, and clemensia being almost entirely cut out

Of all the theories out there, I don't believe Lucy Gray became Coin. It doesn't make sense to me. Lucy Gray would hate being trapped like that.

the erasure of Ma plinth was truly devastating. She does so much to shape sejanus. she makes so food for the tributes, and for coryo before and after the games (and the bunkmates). you talk about how they both have one good parent and one militaristic parent.. not knowing sejanus' parents makes him calling out for his ma that much more gut wrenching. it takes away so much depth from snows betrayal to the plinth's only to become their heir? the people i saw the movie with who didnt read the book had no idea who Ma or Maude ivory was. they unfortunately dropped the ball there but it was a great movie

When he first introduced her in the zoo he did say "this is my Tribute". The clues were there that he felt possessive of her as well.

39:33 After this film, I’d argue that the things Coriolanus loved the most which destroyed him were power, status, and control.

My only disappointment was that the film only made one mention of Snow being the Plinth heir. That was probably the most shocking point in the novel, showing how deeply souless Coriolanus had become.

I just wish they put one throw away line in there about how the smell of roses from the compact cover the smell of the poison to reflect how he uses roses later on

I think the “it’s the things we love most that ultimately destroy us” line fits in more with the theory that Katniss is a descendant of Maude Ivory, who was in essence raised by Lucy (and Katniss then destroys Snow)

Am I the only one that thought Lucy gray possibly didn’t try to attack Snow at the end of the book. I genuinely thought she was suspicious after Snow slipped up and said he killed three people but when she said she was going to get Katniss, she actually was going to get Katniss. However, Snow just got very paranoid and delusional and after he started shooting around, Lucy gray could have then decided to get away and that’s when she started singing to the Mockingjay’s to distract Snow. Like I genuinely believed when Snow got bit by the snake and thought it was poisonous and started freaking out that it was an accident and Lucy Gray did not plant that snake there. I just feel like the whole ending of the book was to show how paranoid and delusional snow was because Lucy Gray literally did nothing to him.

I think the reason the script was so true to the book was because Suzanne Collins wrote this book knowing it would become a movie. Also it woould be so cool to see a sequel set in the 11th hunger games where Mags wins.

Can we talk about the casting of and performance sophia sanchez? Wovey? Having a girl with Down Syndrome as a tribute really hit hard. From a story perspective, it further showed how gruesome the games are. That they'd take someone with a developmental/intellectual disability and throw them in without a second thought. And also just the representation on screen. I'm pretty sure this is the first film I've ever seen with a character with down syndrome. Definitely the first hollywood major motion picture. I feel like usually films which include characters with down syndrome have to be ABOUT the fact that they have down syndrome. But this movie didn't call any attention to it. just a character who happens to have down syndrome doing their thing.

I think it’s important to point out that A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes isn’t written in the first person like the hunger games trilogy, it’s written in the third person

I really hope they never actually explain what happens to Lucy Gray. I think it was really cool how we ended her story just like her ballad. If they made another book that explained what happened to her it would really take away from this book.

There are a few shots where a shadow covers Snow’s right eye (audience’s left) and it appears brown while his other is still blue and it makes him look like Dr. Gaul. I think that was intentional on the filmmakers’ part to show the audience that he isn’t doing this out of love, etc, but he does have a dark/selfish/deceitful side.

I watched the movie without having read the book first, and I was FLOORED. In some ways, I'm happy I didn't read it first (I meant to, but then I was invited to an advance screening and didn't have time) because every moment in the Hunger Games part was dripping with suspense. I can't wait to read the book, then rewatch the movie with that context. This might be my favorite Hunger Games movie (or second-favorite behind Catching Fire) because having it as one self-contained story instead of a trilogy really helps make this movie feel more epic.

I loved the liveliness of district 12 and all the music brought such a unique dimension. In mockingjay Katniss says district 12 knows how to dance during finnick’s wedding

I read somewhere that "Ballad" is some 500 pages to Mockingjay's 300 -- so the fact that the Mockingjay was broken into 2 films and everything in "Ballad" is all in one film might be one of the reasons some part of character development feels a leetle rushed -- because it is a LOT

When snow was in the hospital and saw Lucy's interview when she sang, i loved when he saw a nurse touch her throat sadly watching Lucy sing. Even though avoxs haven't been shown, it's cool seeing references to them. Especially since she was likely from a district, possibly even 12. That was a great moment

Dean Highbottom didn’t have much screen time but when he did Peter Dinklage knocked it out of the park. The detail in the book and movie pf him giving victors money and apologizing before sending them home really drove the point home.

I love Tigris because even she showed compassion to the tributes and when Arachne died.she has compassion for both much like snow but the Tigris in Mockingjay seemed void of that but still managed to call that side back from her in order to provide safe haven to Katniss knowing she will kill Show. She seems to have a foot on both sides.

losing snows inner dialogue in the movie was the biggest thing that brought it down, everyone who watches the movie and doesn’t read the book sees a slow decent into him being evil, but in the book it’s shown that he was always a sociopath and was more obsessed with lucy gray being his prize than loving her

The difference between Lucy Gray and Kattnis is that Lucy Gray is an actor forced to fight and Kattnis is a fighter forced to act.

I liked Sejanus so much more in the movie! Couldn’t stand him in the books. I was super annoyed how he kept saying sorry to Snow and promising to do better.. it was just hard to take him seriously sometimes. In the movie, I thought he was more sure of himself and not trying too hard to hide it from Snow… Agree abt Tigris’ character, thought she would get more screen time. Also, I think for viewers who didn’t read the book, it must have been very confusing how Sejanus got into the arena so easily, although they made it clear his father’s money opens a lot of doors. But would he have used it like that? In the woods they show Snow shooting in the air at the birds rather than all around him, making it clear that Lucy Gray escaped. I wished they would’ve kept the book’s ambiguity abt what happened to her. Also, I felt like right before that in the cabin, when Snow discovered the guns, it wasn’t very clear that he started contemplating getting rid of Lucy Gray and go back. Instead, it was almost suggested that Lucy Gray threatened to rat him out when she confirmed she was the only loose end… At this point, Snow had already betrayed Sejanus, so I don’t think his turning on Lucy Gray needed justification.

It was also an interesting choice how they made Coral so front and center as the head of the protocareers. If I remember from the book it wasn't quite so cut and dry. She was definitely a leader, but the movie made her seem like the Cato of these games

I want to see you do a theory on Dr. Gaul masterminding everything from the arena explosions to the death of Felix Ravenstill to the eventual rise of Snow as president so that he can continue the games after her death

Lucky Flickerman has Gilderoy Lockhart vibes

What I love about the movie is probably the fact that the book itself might not have existed if not for Donald Sutherland's portralule of Snow in the movie... He really fleshed out the character in a way that could only be done through the movie not showing only Katniss' perspective... It feels like the book was made specifically because of those hints...for instance, the scene in the first movie, when he says ""There are lots of underdogs. And I think that if you could see them, you would not root for them, either." That's a line that's only in the movie, and yet...it still feels like something that Snow might have said...in his mind thinking of another District 12 girl... Also I just love seeing how different the games were... I told someone sitting next to me... As bad as sending kids to fight to the death is, I think they at least had a better approach by the time of the 74th...

I finished the book hours before I went to go see the movie, and I really enjoyed it even with it all being so fresh in my mind

When I read this book when it came out I wasn’t sure I liked it, I got too stuck on Snow being the protagonist and you’re not suppose to like him. After rereading and watching the movie I think this is my favorite Hunger Games story. There are so many nuances. It’s so clever and sets up the saga so well

Also, I like the addition of Snow using the drones to fight off the other tributes (not fair, but the Hunger Games is not fair either) In the book, it felt like he was barely doing anything as she stayed hidden for so long that it didn’t make much sense that she was still getting gifts from the public.

I never read the book, so when I watched the movie, I assumed that Dean Highbottom was pro-Hunger Games but I knew something was...off about him. He looked so casual and disinterested in the Hunger Games. So, when the reveal at the end of the movie, I was a bit surprised that he didn't want it to continue but it felt like a weak reveal to me. I didn't care enough about his character to be upset when he died.

They made reaper more rebel than crazy in the movie

Lucy Gray could be Coin's mother. That would fit the age of Coin nicely. Lucy would pass along her anger and secrets to her daughter. I would love to see that happen! 😂

Oh my god, I agree so so so much! As someone who was Obsessed - with a capital O - with the Hunger Games series, movies and all that good stuff… This book did not disappoint. No, not only did it not disappoint, but it also managed to pull me right back into the world of Panem, even though the plot of this prequel is set 64 years before that of the Hunger Games. This is undoubtedly my favourite adaptation from moon to movie!

Snow, DOES NOT know what love is and I’m glad, that at the end, in Mockingjay, that Snow, who landed on top, finally did what snow does best. Snow fell.

i just got home from the cinema watching it and it was AMAZING. i've been a hunger games fan ever since the first book came out and even almost a decade later, i was so excited to read songbird and snake. the movie was an incredibly well done adaptation, while they did have to leave out things because of the sheer length of the book, the only thing that i'm really disappointed about is that coryo's relationship with ma plinth didn't show up. other than that, this is hands down one of the best movies i've ever seen.

But did Lucy Gray get shot though? You said that in the movies, it's clear that she did. Maybe I saw it wrong and I will rewatch it in slow motion when it will be out, but it looked like the Lucy Gray he saw when he shot her was wearing the rainbow dress instead of the dress she was wearing that day. So, did she really get shot, or was he hallucinating? But maybe I saw wrong, again, I wish I could see it in slow motion!

The cannibalism is diffently in the book I just started reading it. Tigris and Lucy are my fav. I feel so bad for Tigris she sees Snow turn into this villian and it must be so hard to see how he became like his father.

Quick update: we actually got our first “canon” map in the Catching Fire film when Katniss was on the train of the victory tour

I did dislike that Jessup was ‘bitten’ by a bat in the train, but in the books he was bitten in the Capital by the rats/ raccoons… this was important because the citizens believed he brought ‘disease’ from 12 because they’re all ‘savages and dirty’ but he was really bitten in the capital so their preconceived misconceptions were incorrect. I believe they did this because the timeline was shorter between reaping and games in the films, but it was important… and also was a chance to talk about how much rat poison was around for Lucy Gray to put in the compact mirror…

I was so excited for this movie and it surpassed my expectations. If not for Spider-Verse, this would be my favorite movie of the year and it's easily the best Hunger Games film. I can probably go into triple digits with moments that gave me chills and I can't wait to watch it again.

I loved the movie! I've seen it twice now and agree with you guys' observations. I also agree with Ben that the best medium to tell this story was the book but the movie does quite well too. One of my favourite parts at the end was how Tigris always called her cousin Coryo throughout the movie but at the end she calls him 'Coriolanus' and there's this tiny flicker in his eyes as he notices the change. I thought that was very well done. I'll definitely revisit the book someday soon.

Dunno if there's anything you can do with this, but I thought I'd share a reference in the book that's easy to overlook. When Lucy is singing her namesake song, Coryo references another poem about someone brought back by cremation, but can only remember the character was "Sam something." If anyone is interested, the poem in question is a fun read and is "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert Service and takes place in Alaska during the Yukon gold rush.

I enjoyed the film, though some bits from the book were missing, like the tributes from the Tech District (3?) engineering the drones to their advantage, Snow being closer to the Plinths and basically becoming their son when Sejanus dies and then inheriting their wealth, no Maude Ivory and her musical memory, the funerals of Snow’s classmates after the arena bombing/explosion ( I think they make their tributes carry the coffins)…. And 12 still allows singing as Katniss sings at school and that is when Peeta falls in love with her.

I’m so glad you mentioned the map (32:07). That was something I really enjoyed as a detail being thrown in there.

There’s supposedly a 3 hour and 40 minute version of the film, and now I’m dying to see it. I already enjoyed it, but given how much they left out, I think it would be a big improvement

This movie may have been long, but it was NEVER boring. I was engaged & excited the whole time. I had read the book beforehand, and I think they did a really excellent job adapting it!

40:17 THAT WAS THE LAST SONG!!! if you listen it's Lucy singing to snow about how she will forever haunt him. But it was playing while everyone walked out. And with it being an original song written for the movie, placed at the end as an ear worm was perfect.

The reason Snow knew about Katniss kissing G*le at the cabin I think is because he put cameras there to watch for Lucy 👀 maybe 👀

I thought the Sejanus actor did the best he could with what was probably one of the weakest characters in the books. The movie showing snow crying after the execution did a better job than the books at showing snow’s sadness too cause in the book he justifies it so much

I liked the movie but I thought it would be better. I think it doesn't show why Sejanus considers Coriolanus a brother, because in the film Coriolanus almost never says anything nice to him. The last conversation between Lucy Gray and Corio I this is so out of character for Lucy Gray. They cut out all scenes with Clemensia after being bitten by the snake (my bf who haven't read the book though she was dead). I like what they did with the hunger games themselves but I don't like how they ended in the film. And I don't like (although I understand that it is not that important) how they never mention how important to Snow is the powder of his mother. I liked the movie and I know it is difficult to make it as perfect as the book but I was a little bit disappointed (although the acting was spot on)

I haven’t watched these guys in years and only got back in for this movie. Love their vids.

15:34 J-That Academy chanting scene reminded me of gladiator fights in Ancient Rome-where the official in charge of the Games would often have to make a decision on if gladiators would survive, often taking into public opinion into account.

No way coin is Lucy. She’d be in her eighties and coin is maybe 50.

See my interpretation with the scarf and snake scene in the woods was snakes hide in leaves. I instantly remembered when i lived in Arkansas and whenever the leaves fell i would pick them up and sometimes would find a snake or two… the scarf could have easily been thrown on the ground were a snake lay….

I'm gonna say something that might be controversial, but imo this was by FAR the best Hunger Games film. I was engaged throughout quite literall the whole film, not a single stretch of time for me personally felt like it dragged, even though I know people have had an issue with the overall length and part 3 specifically.

The main thing that felt different to me was the passage of time. It kind of felt like nothing was just able to sit in the movie (which I totally understand, the length was crazy already). But I especially felt it when he got to 12 - in the book, you saw how he could actually have a life there, with Sejanus and his other friends and the packages from Ma Plinth and visits with Lucy Gray. It feels like he actually settles in, so it seems plausible that he could stay for a while. In the movie, it felt like he was there a week, and so the loss of that potential life doesn't really feel like anything. Other than that, my major disappointment was that we didn't get to hear all the songs. That was the main thing I thought the story would gain from adaptation. But I guess they didn't want to turn it into a musical. Overall I really liked it! I feel like it could have been a limited series with like 6 episodes? Maybe people wouldn't have watched it in that format.

I just really went down a mental rabbit hole. If Coin was Lucy Gray all along, that would mean that Lucy Gray was probably living in 13 after the battle with Snow, but she was probably watching over the Covey in some way. What if she had contact with Maude Ivory, who eventually gave birth to Katniss' father, who eventually married Katniss' mom and gave birth to Katniss. What if Lucy Gray was keeping contact with the Covey as it grew and splintered off, and suddenly this little girl is born and grows up to be both a hunter and a singer? How far in advance was Katniss chosen to be the symbol of the revolution? When she sang the Valley Song in elementary school? And who was the teacher who asked the class if anyone knew the song? Did she already know that Katniss knew the song? Was Katniss the only child in the class who knew the song? Did Coin-did Lucy Gray-wait for 65 years for a suitable replacement for herself to take Snow down, only to come to the conclusion that the only suitable place for her was as Snow's replacement?

Loving how much detail you guys are going into here, going back and forth from film to book. Good video so far!

In the movies, that lake is where the film crew eats lunch and then the avox guy (I forget which is Castor and which is Pollux) has her sing.

I have a new theory about Coin. What if President Coin is Lucy Gray's daughter? When Lucy Gray escapes, it's the 10th Hunger Games; by the time we meet Coin, it's the 75th HG...65 years later. Assuming that Coin is in her early/mid 50s at this point, that would give Lucy Gray plenty of time to make it to 13 and have a kid. That kid grew up to be President Coin.

9:22 I saw the film on Saturday. When I was leaving the theater, two girls behind me on an escalator were chitchatting about the film. One of the things I heard them ask each them was, “What happened to his sister-I mean his cousin.” I explained to them at the bottom of the escalator that Tigris was the shopkeeper in Mockingjay. Their exact reaction was, “Oh my gosh-that’s right.”

I read the book and have watched the movie and i agree too it was a very good book to movie adaptation. Though I was curious how did this movie seem to someone who hasn't read the books, cuz when I was watching it my brain was also referencing the books, so yea real curious.

I absolutely loved the book it was so perfectly written and I was so excited for the movie but left feeling sad cus I think it should’ve been broken into two movies the first movie the lead up to the games and the games and then the second part would be all that happened in 12. I think if you didn’t read the book you could’ve left the movie feeling confused. Their “relationship” felt rushed in the movie, Maude was hardly in it, and Ma should’ve been featured more because then hearing the birds say Ma over and over again would’ve been so much more powerful and sad. I cried reading that.

I honestly walked out disappointed. I would have prefered a 2 part movie to get that dialogue to get that build up and jealousy. If I hadnt read the book id be happier. The casting was great, the actors were solid. But watching the snakes drop and what that caused and Ma not being ANY real part of the story was just heartbreaking.

My dads first words when we went to go watch the movie we’re “this is like North Korea”, I’ve thought about it and he might actually be right. The whole not being allowed to leave without like serious punishment or death, the way out of control rules and ruthless government. I do also reckon that if there was a like civil war I could honestly see them doing a hunger games like concept. It’s sad though how these far fetched stories are becoming closer and closer to reality

I felt the movie felt FAR too short and like I missed some thing’s, while watching it. I did read the book tho. However this movie and book solidified my opinion of Snow. I HATE him. He’s, honestly, worse than Bellatrix and Umbridge, together, and I hate them too, but I’d rather be around and hang out with them, than with Snow. I never rooted for him and I DID NOT ship him and Lucy Gray. And he did not CONVINCE me of his love for her.

Lucky Flickerman was amazing in this movie! Best character for breaking the wall of seriousness in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

As someone who didn’t read the book, I did not pick up that Highbottom hated the games. I thought he just hated Snow, but everything makes perfect sense when it’s revealed.

HEY BROTHERS! How are You today! I'm great thanks to You!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

25:07 he reminds me of Commander Lawrence from Handmaids tale, he was the architect of this heinous system but then grapples with the guilt and responsibility of it afterwards

“He takes good people and makes them think bad thoughts.” What a simple but powerful condemnation of Snow I’d argue that Katniss destroyed Snow more than Coin, and if she’s descended from Maude, then Lucy’s legacy is still what brought Snow down.

I watched the movie yesterday when it came out in theaters and it was so so good

I was at the premiere and I was MINDBLOWN. I am a very big Hunger Games fan. I read all the books, watched all your hunger games videos, and I couldn’t be happier with the movie I would even say I personally preferred more to the original three movies. I’m not sure if it’s because of the style filmed or what, but i’m kinda shocked it didn’t get great reviews from critics. May the odds be ever in your favor, y’all! ❤

Speaking of other Reviews from you guys, are we ever gonna get the review for The Little Mermaid (Live Action) AND the review for Pixar's Elemental?? We never got them from you guys . . . 😥 AND oh, my gosh, what if they made a video kinda like this with Voldemort being the main character of the movie instead of Harry?? 🤯 Also, where are the notebooks?? Haha!! 😅 Raise your hand if you've been a fan of SCB long enough to remember the "notebook reviewing" days!! 🙋🏻

For your question about for those who didn't read the books, what did you think of Dean Highbottom and where he stood: I knew from your videos that he is against the games but also didn't trust that I knew it all since I didn't read the book myself. It made me ask myself often 'how are they showing he doesn't like the games?' The biggest one is the way he turns his back on things related to the games. They show you that he turns his back in order to drink the morphling but he drinks it because he is running away from something. You aren't for certain that it is the games but you're 90% there. The real question is not actually 'does he hate the games?' but rather 'why does he hate Snow?' That is the thing you are left hanging on for the answer until the end of the film only to find out that Snow's father saddled him with the thing he's now forever trapped by - The Hunger Games.

I was actually listening to the song more during Balled of The Lucy Grey… makes it seems like she planned to vanish as some point regardless of Snow or not… like she said, she was never district 12… they were travelers who were caught and placed there.

i wish it would have kept in his more "pathetic" (in his eyes) moments like him truely being traumatized by the bombing and clutching onto lucy's skirt and all of the times that he would sniff his mother's compact. but ig these things were subtle and they might have been scared to show his soft sides. im sure they were trying to avoid what happened to american psycho

33:35 According to the books, District 12 is in Appalachia and the Capitol is in the Rocky Mountains.

So I listened to the audio book but was very unattentive to it to the point of falling asleep and waking up to various points of the novel. I didnt know that Highbottom was anti hunger games prior to the movie though the moment we see him his body language and reactions are mixed between disinterest and way too excited (ie when he sits on the steps for the reapings). Further when we see him in the classroom his reaction to Snow's suggestions and supposed enthusiasm is very cold and even a little panicked. Him being opposed to the hunger games wasnt a surprise to me because of the way he reacted, even if you consider the morphling to be making him act aloof, the pattern is just a little too solid. The only thing I questioned was why he'd be so hostile towards Snow since he and his dad were best friends so the surprise was moreso when Highbottom revealed he had written the paper and Snow's father submitted it without his permission.

Thanks for such a great video! I would've loved it if you had made a longer review because I've really enjoyed watching how you compare the film and the book. I think you could've delved deeper into some topics like the aesthetics of the capitol, the worldbuilding of the capitol, more on Dr Gaul and how she pulls the strings, and the strategies used for the 10th Hunger Games.

Off topic from video. I think you guys should do what ifs and theories for Avatar the last Airbender, a what if I was always curious about is if Zuko was straight out banished with no hope for returning what would he do? And how would it affect team avatar not being chased by him?

I don’t know if you guys talk about this in the video but I just wanted to say it before watching. One thing I wish they did was give us what happened to Clemencia. Because in the movie after she gets bitten, and gets sent to the hospital we don’t see her again she never shows up for the games. And in the book it’s relevant, but in the movie it wasn’t because they also changed how Reaper dies and how Clemencia was refusing to send him food. Therefore, she wasn’t relevant because Reaper wasn’t really one of the main tributes in the 10th hunger games

Every time a new movie comes out with a big fandom I’m always so excited to see your reviews!

Getting Snow as the Plinths' heir in the movie doesn't make any sense because they did not set that up properly. We never see him have a relationship with them for it to end that way.

Florida disappearing and the other coastlines not moving would be weird, I think it's more likely that it's district 13 that they don't want to display (unless the map displays district 13 somewhere)

I saw it with my sister who have not read the book and after the first scene with dean highbottom she asked me “why does he work for the games if he hates them so much” so I think they did a great job with his character

I’m so glad I’m not the only one who noticed the official Panem map!! Great review, guys!

Great review overall but the whole, "Lucy Gray is Coin and Maude Ivory is Katniss' paternal grandmother" to be a bit contrived. For multiple reasons. In the books Maude Ivory is not in fact the only one who hears The Hanging Tree as the Covey have a concert for the Peacekeeper Commander's birthday where she sings it to Coriolanus as a way to inform him where to go so they can run away. The entire Covey was there and likely had a hand in performing the song. Throughout the story, Lucy Gray insists that she is not Capitol or District. So while it's possible that Snow hurt her to the point where she became bitter towards the Capitol people, her wanting a new Hunger Games and bombing the medics that were helping injured capitol citizens goes against her character. Maude Ivory has more similarities in physical features to Katniss' mom and Prim while Lucy Gray has almost the exact same description as Katniss herself, who gets her features from her father. So it is much more likely that Lucy Gray herself is Katniss' paternal grandmother.

In the book Snow states that he very clearly thought it was a trap, because he heard her tracking back to get to the shed. That’s how he knew how to shoot her. I think we can see that thinking clearly in Lucy Grey as well because she has been very cunning since the beginning

It would be neat to discover that the version of the games broadcast is slightly different between the capital's edition vs what airs in the districts. Just thinking about where the production team switches to a wide shot during the actual gore shot to give the capital a slightly more sanitized version, where the districts, especially the victim's district, get gratuitous violence. This is something I've noticed more with reality TV editing of when they choose to switch camera angles, and an R rated cut vs a PG-13 rated cut in film.

By far the best review I've seen on this movie! Love the detail and attention you have for not only this movie specifically, but the overarching themes as well. Super fun and enjoyable, thank you!

30:00 The word gravitas was used correctly at or near this point in time! :)

The movie was so visually pleasing. Like not only beautiful nature and such but also the way scenes were shot and the way the movie was out together. Beautiful. I thought that HG mentioned Tigris being Snow’s cousin or something or maybe I’m getting the books twisted. Rachel’s voice is AMAZING I was not prepared having never seen her play in anything!! It was beautiful.

The funny thing about watching it in a country where English is not the first language is that I wtached it in English with english subtitles. so we were able to read the captions of the song of Lucy Grey by Lucy Grey

Just got out of the theater and I loved it!!! Great acting! (I love how everyone has a little twitch, a little peculiar thing that makes them so unique and also weird and also normal and human!) Great adaptation! (I love that they didn't ruin it by adding a useless plot twist! I knew what was going on, knew what to expect, and was simply happy with all I was seeing!) Great editing job, screenplay, etc! A really neat movie!!! (I love that it starts with "show don't tell" the war scene. I love that where the book explains, the movie did something to show and show you understand!) I also love the little changes, which I feel didn't take away from the story and just made the story come to life! (Like that ending! And those drops malfunctioning - I didn't think that was necessary, but I like the idea that they are trying to set up the Games and are figuring it out!) I also don't think I ever truly understood that snow was pretty much the reason the Games didn't die. If I did, I forgot it; the movie totally makes that clear! Oh!!!!! And I love the Lucy Grey scene at the end - they did such a good job with that!!!!! (I love love you don't know ehat happened to her! I love how suspicious she was, and that snake bite thing - how Snow wasn't completely over the line until THAT, and that's when he lost it!) Love, love, love, love, love! And now can't wait to listen to you guys share your thoughts about it! :) :) :)