Catching Fire

I saw Catching Fire tonight with two other Hunger Games fan friends. In case you haven't heard of this one yet, Catching Fire is the second book of The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. This time last year we welcomed The Hunger Games to the big screen and tonight, Catching Fire.

Actually, it was a double feature, so we saw Hunger Games first/again. Armed with some sweets and a gallon of pop (really, I'm not sure how many ounces that cup they gave me was), we settled in to watch.

Now, all three of us have read the books, so we knew the main concept, who would make it to the end, etc. But there's always a nervousness about what "the movie people" might do to your beloved book. And there's the "Oh, I forgot about that" parts. (I've read about 300 books since I read Catching Fire, so give me a break here people!) As we watched we whispered the "Oh I forgot about this" and "This is the sad part" back and forth. There was whispered commentary on the various characters, including many new ones since the first book/movie. Caesar more hilarious than before, Cinna still amazing, and Effie just as oblivious, although that human side begins to shine through.

As a matter of fact, there was definitely more human side shining throughout the whole movie. Action packed and a cause for as many laughs as cringes and worried looks, the viewer gets a better look at each character and his/her dedication to a higher cause. As the plot thickens, the audience finds themselves in the beginning stages of a revolution. Revolution on the screen translates as: dark looks; sarcastic, snide, and/or cocky remarks; wry smiles; brave standings that give you chills; complicated relationships; tears; and an ongoing foiling of President Snow's plan. What made me like Catching Fire was the step-by-step uniting of the people across the districts, including the Capitol's citizens. You could see the sparks fly as they moved into revolution mode.

And now we wait. Mockingjay, the third book in the trilogy, will be broken into two movies, the better to torture us fans with. Although, if the splitting of Breaking Dawn and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows are any indication of how awesome a split final book can be, then it will be worth the wait. The two-part conclusion of Mockingjay is set for release on November 21, 2014 and November 20, 2015. I will be there!

Any other Hunger Games fans out there?