Mockingjay Part I

[sabrelady]

Posted: 11/21/14 at 7:23pm

OK OK so there r gonna b some spoilers here so if u haven't read the books/seen the movie go away NOW. I'll wait,,,


OK so the 1st of the 2 movies of the last book in the Mockingjay trilogy is Good. Not great but still really good. Much darker than the previous 2 ( both in subject and the lighting) so many threads are being woven into a wonderful whole here.
Jennifer Lawrence- as always the heart & centre of the films. What a fricking piece of luck they had getting her. In fact, I'd venture that w/out her these films would not a) be 1/2 as good, b) 1/2 as successful. Her breakdown scene in the rubble around 13 w the white roses around her was spot on. The scenes in the hospital actually had me tearing up and I am a bitter and cynical old lady. Broadway shout out- Patina Miller as Paylor. A small role but well lets say it will be a bit more prominent by the 2nd film.
Liam Hemsworth gets to stretch a bit more here but still he has a thankless task as the 3rd corner of the triangle.
Josh Hutcherson as the captivated Peeta has a few nice moments too as the Capital's "mouthpiece" esp as he deteriorates. And his meet up w Katniss , even more devastating than in the book. ( just a shout to Ve Neill the Makeup guru on this- she actually managed to make Katniss look like she was being choked to death both in her colour and the capillaries in her eyes. a simple touch, but telling.

Elizabeth Banks is great as a de-Capital-ized Effie but not even 13 can keep our glamour girl down. She works also as a great compression devise, eliminating the need for the prep team in the books, getting a few funny lines which are sorely needed in this film.

I liked the structuring of the film- how Beetee breaks thru to the Capital, while using Finnick's reveals as a great distraction during the rescue, playing each as happening simultaneously on screen. The only bit ( not in the book) of Katniss calling out to Snow felt a bit padded w/out real purpose. In fact, the director hits all the key scenes in the book while opening up a bit more of the rebellion. The Hanging Tree song becomes a key element, a rallying cry in fact. The scenes in District 7 ( lumber) and District 5 (power) were really important as showing some action since so much else takes place under 13. (ok + the Hospital attack)
2 caveats- the darkness- really? I get the bombing is putting the electrics under strain but water and people running on staircases in what is close to complete darkness just a few lights here and there- seriously a cut would have been useful here- we get the POINT.
Rubble- again we get it -a bombed out area but set dec! on our 2nd visit to 12 did w hafta see the same firebombed bodies in exactly the same poses?

Julianne Moore is excellent as Coin and she gets several scenes w Hoffman that are integral to embellishing her character. Hoffman is the supreme backstage master advising,influencing( the scene at the end where he lip syncs to Coin's speech was a nice bit) and the additions of the camera group (Cressida, Castor & Pollux) are gonna help a lot w the 2nd film when we need to care about these people.

Sutherland as Snow is so incredibly cruel and vicious there are a few moments he skirts really close to being OTT but mostly , he holds back just enough ( the shaving scene is not in the book but u really fear for that barber!)

So OK I'm a fan, I don't even mind the split into two films, I've always felt Collins had more she wanted to say/do in the book but was constrained by time and the need to balance the book out w the other 2. The 2nd film will allow her to do this ( as well as not having to eliminate/compress so many great moments from the book.)
I'll give it an A-.






Updated On: 11/21/14 at 07:23 PM

[phantom phan2]

Posted: 11/21/14 at 10:02pm

great review. im a huge fan of the books and cant wait to see it tonight!

[Fantod]

Posted: 11/22/14 at 1:15am

So I don't love the movies to these books, but my friends went and wanted me to go so I saw it. It's pretty good, and there are many good scenes in the movie, but like all novel adaptations the books did everything better. Especially awkward in these movies is when they pull dialogue directly from the book. What reads well on page usually doesn't sound good in movies. This is probably because Suzanne Collins is a great storyteller but a dreadful writer. I though that Julianne Moore was very good as president Coin, and Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson were as good as before, possibly better. Liam Hemsworth still can't act. Josh Hutchinson's acting is getting better, and is pretty good now, while Jennifer Lawrence's acting is getting worse, and bordered on amateurish for this movie. Worth seeing if you like the books or the other movies. I wish they had just made the third book one movie.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 11/22/14 at 12:03pm

"while Jennifer Lawrence's acting is getting worse,"
Really can't agree. Some of the issues r she is reacting more but the lovely scene w the deer or the whole hospital scene well nicely underplayed. Her breakdown well, tht is the way in the book too. We forget Katniss is really only supposed to be about 17 and a bit closer to childhood whimmpering than Jlaw is.

[dented146]

Posted: 11/23/14 at 3:11am

Saw this tonight. I feel that even a half way decent screenwriter could have easily removed about half and included the rest of the story. But greed prevails. I feel the same about The Hobbit but at least Mockingjay resembles the book.

Like the first half of the book it is dark and slow. If it wasn't for JL there would be no reason to see it.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 11/28/14 at 5:22pm

The movie is far from perfect, but if you're fan of these films, than you'll have a great time at the theater. Julianne Moore's performance was very impressive. I also liked that we got to see what Effie Trinket looked like without her wigs and makeup. I obviously know that she's played by Elizabeth Banks, but I was still curious to see how much of Banks's natural look we'd see in this film.

Updated On: 11/28/14 at 05:22 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 11/28/14 at 5:47pm

I thought it was pretty meh. Like the first part of virtually any movie adaption of a book that's been split in two, it felt like it moved along at a glacial pace. I know the books aren't a riot or anything, but god, these movies are so dry and humorless.

I commented to my brother that Lawrence borders on histrionic every time she gets angry in this, so I guess I kind of agree with Fantod that she wasn't very good.

Coin's hair looked so lustrous I began to wonder if they had a stockpile of V05 hot oil treatments underground.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/29/14 at 12:25am

Elizabeth Banks was far and away the best part of this film.

Updated On: 11/29/14 at 12:25 AM

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 11/29/14 at 3:08pm

Elizabeth Banks stole the whole show.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 11/29/14 at 9:36pm

Hmmm. Not sure what people were expecting. Everything Katniss does is based on the descriptions in the book. If anything, they toned it down slightly for the movies. Remember she's a barely 17 year old girl (old for her age bcause of the responsibilty she's shouldered) and she suffering from PTSD from dealing w 2 sets of survivalist experiences.
Yes yes I'm an apologist but i just watched the the original Hunger Games and she has just as many hysterics there as a result of what she has to endure (Rue's death?).


Coin's hair looked so lustrous- yes Coin's hair is a source of Katniss's fascination too in the book.
Updated On: 11/29/14 at 09:36 PM