Best of 2015: #2 Mockingjay Part 2

I talk about why Mockingjay Part 2 made this list.

Mockingjay Part 2 Review

I give my first thoughts on the final Hunger Games movie.

Fear About Mockingjay Part 2

I talk about something from the books that might possibly be in the movie.
MAJOR SPOILER!

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014)

Title: Mockingjay Part 1

Series: The Hunger Games

Based on The Hunger Games Trilogy By: Suzanne Collins

Director: Francis Lawrence

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth

Rated: PG-13

Released: 2014

Think of the Children and YA Adaptations

There is a prevailing attitude in Hollywood, as well as in other media content producers, that children are precious little angels. That they are delicate little flowers that you can't harm slightly or they will be broken for the rest of their lives.

So when a book series is made for Young Adults (YA) and is popular, a movie/tv show is made. But while the YA audience clearly loves the source material and isn't some broken wreck, once YA books go up for adaptation they tend be toned down because "think of the children" type attitude.

Here are two brief examples:

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

Title: Catching Fire

Series: The Hunger Games

Based on the Book Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Director: Francis Lawrence

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth

Rated: PG-13

Released: 2013

Personal Rating: 5/6

Oscars: N/A

Plot: Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.
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Katniss and Love
Katniss is very goal oriented and has the ability to push her feelings aside if the situation calls for it. That is such strength that I don't usually see in a woman character. She does love Gale but tells him that she can't think like that until her current situation is resolved. Her feelings for Peeta are mixed since she has feelings for Gale, but Peeta shares an experience with Katniss that Gale can never share. I know some people don't like the character growth that Gale goes through in the final book and might find it a cheap way to resolve the love triangle but: everyone in the series goes through a change and evolves. Katniss never goes away from her 'i can live without a man' attitude, but how she views others does change.

Very Moving
I was very moved by this movie. I didn't break down crying but a tear or two went down my cheeks during the movie. The jabberjay scene was one of the hardest things to watch (and I don't truly believe when Johanna tells Katniss that they didn't torture Prim as she said the Capital wouldn't fare well with the publicity IF THE CITIZENS FOUND OUT) and it nearly broke me. Again I went to a theater that sold beer and I ran out of my drink by the time the scene was shown. Other moving scenes involved the sub-plot of Katniss trying to get Haymitch to protect Peeta over her.

The Lack of District 13
I should be happy that there were a few lines dedicated to District 13 that gave the basic info of it being destroyed and now it's used as a way to keep people from rebelling. But those lines should've been in the first film and more developed lines should've been in this one. The whole sub-plot of Katniss figuring out that the footage of District 13 never changes and so the whole truth of its current state is being kept secret plus people going to the might actual exist/might not actually exist District are both fully cut out. I don't get why the filmmakers take this erasure of District 13 as it plays a major MAJOR role in the final book (and, therefore, final two movies of the series). But, hey, at least those lines are in there so those who haven't read the book won't be totally surprised by the final two films.

Final Thoughts
I have heard a lot of people say that this movie is better than the first one and I do agree that a lot of emotions are much harsher in this film. However, that couldn't have been done without the first one. I do like how Snow is the villain of this film and how each victor reacts differently to being called on to compete in yet another Hunger Games. I especially loved Johanna as she was plain vicious, on the side of good, and protected herself by not forming attachments. The only actor that caused me some confusion was Jeffrey Wright as Beetee as I recognized him from Boardwalk Empire (I don't watch it regularly, though it is a good show). In it he plays a villain and he doesn't seem to totally drop that persona in this film.

Glimniss (Secret Door)

Series: The Hunger Games

Pairing: Glimmer and Katniss Everdeen

Plot: Glimmer is dying and admits her love to Katniss. Afterwards Katniss mourns Glimmer's death.

Splitting of Mockingjay

I talk about my opinion on Mockingjay being split into two movies.

Glimniss (The Good Left Undone)

Series: The Hunger Games

Pairing: Katniss Everdeen and Glimmer

Pairing Type: Femslash

Pairing: Non-Canon (to the max!)

Plot: Katniss Everdeen is forever changed by the Tribute from District 1 (Glimmer). Katniss, after winning the 74th Hunger Games, always remembers Glimmer fondly. However, she feels guilty about loving a Career Tribute.


I made up the title for this pairing. As far as I know I'm one of the few (if only) shipper of this pairing.

The Hunger Games (2012)

Title: The Hunger Games

Series: The Hunger Games

Based on the Book: The Hunger Games

Book By: Suzanne Collins

Director: Gary Ross

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth

Rated: PG-13

Released: 2012

Personal Rating: 4.5/5

Oscars: N/A

Basic Plot: Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place for the latest match.

Compared to the Book
I will get this out of the way first. I might even do another post on all the differences in the movie. Katniss' relationship Rue is explored more. The same basic feelings are shown in the film but you don't feel as much in the movie. The mockingjay isn't clearly explained. You don't get the fact that it basically is the symbol of rebellion. At the end of the movie it isn't shown if Peeta was using Katniss or if he had real feelings for her. In the ending of the book it's shown that Peeta's feelings for Katniss were real.

The Deaths
One thing I was worried about in this movie is if the deaths would be able to equal up to their book counterparts. I am glad to say that the deaths were very good. Rue's death cut like a knife and Riley Dawson...I mean Glimmer (played by Leven Rambin) were my two 'favorite deaths'. Well...Glimmer's death is one of my favorite deaths just because I like the actress. I will say, though, Glimmer still glimmers even in death.

President Snow
I like that the movie shows much more of President Snow than the book. Like, more than a paragraph or two. This prepares for President Snow's increased importance in the series. And he does become VERY important to Katniss especially.

Final Thoughts
This movie was just AWESOME! They were able to pull The Hunger Games off with only a PG-13 rating. The fire scene was just awe inspiring. I felt myself dodging in my seat like I was with Katniss. And there is some good eye candy in this movie: Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen) and Glimmer (Leven Rambin) being among them. This is a movie you NEED to see in a theater to get the full effect.