So the weeks starts off with a bang! Not really. Yesterday it snowed, and I was really depressed. I guess it is to expected for this time of year in this region of the U.S. Thank God it will be a short work week, but I wish that I had more time to get stuff done at work because of that very same reason. Can't win them all it seems. I remember seeing The Hunger Games when it first came out a couple years ago, and I didn't like it, although I cannot remember very well why (I suppose I could read back in my blogs and literally read why I felt that way initially). Now after watching Catching Fire today, I do have to say that I was impressed with the visuals of the film, the storytelling, and the writing as well. I have to say that most of everyone's character grew a little bit more, although it would have been nicer to see Katniss and Peeta grow a tiny, little bit more as well as their rather complicated relationship. But both Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson did an excellent job with their performances. Liam Hemsworth as Gale would have been nicer to see fleshed out as a character as well, but perhaps that will come in the next two films. All of the returning actors and actresses were awesome; the best treats were of course Woody Harrelson (Haymitch), Stanley Tucci (Caesar) Lenny Kravitz (Cinna), and last but not least Elizabeth Banks (Effie). Donald Sutherland proved that he is quite the villainous leader in this film as President Snow, and his cohort Plutarch (Philip Seymour-Hoffman) as well, who didn't have quite as large of a role, but an important one nonetheless. The casting was excellent. Jenna Malone played an interesting tribune, as did Jeffrey Wright and Sam Claflin. I was most impressed with the visuals of this film. I mean the costumes designed by Trish Summerville were amazing, breathtaking and highly intricate at times; I don't know how she came up with the ideas for many of these clothes, but it was quite impressive. The cinematography by Jo Willems wasn't per se spectacular, but there was something intimate, gritty, but....almost indescribable.....beautifully simplistic about how the film was shot, and what was chosen as background and foreground. I'm giving the film a "Strong Ability" and if you liked the first film, then you will enjoy this one as well, and if you haven't seen or heard anything about these films or books (written by Suzanne Collins) then you should; all very entertaining, and also has some thought provoking ideas, especially for this day and age. Well if I don't post before Thor's Day, then Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!Catching Fire preview
Interviews with Catching Fire cast members
