Catching Fire Movie
Author Archive: Heather Leigh Hunt
I am the author of a handful of novels, and work for a Detroit newspaper, but most importantly, I love The Hunger Games trilogy!
Taylor Swift Would Kill in an Indirect Way
It’s to be expected: if you ever find yourself watching American Idol, you probably have a moment where you think about what you would sing if you happened to be on that stage. And if you contemplate The Hunger Games, well… it’s another kind of stage in a sense, isn’t it?
When asked during an interview with MTV News what her skill would be if she were in the Hunger Games, Swift admitted she would be a little dodgy.
Honestly, I just, I think I would just be the person who runs and hides. Just to be as self-aware as possible, like I kind of freeze. You know how you have like fight, flight, or freeze. Those are your three reactions to something scary. Like, I just freeze. So I would try to run and hide somewhere. There are a few ways that Katniss, kind of, in the book she has to kill people, but she does it in an indirect way. I think that would be something I would try to do.”
She went on to show some love to The Hunger Games fans, explaining that she “likes them a lot” and that they have been saying great things about her song, “Safe and Sound.” Swift also admitted that “Safe and Sound” is her favorite music video that she has ever made!
So, perhaps it is a bit morbid, but what would your skill be if your name was drawn in the reaping? Would you be confrontational like the Careers? Evasive like Foxface? Charismatic like Peeta, and align yourself with a group for an ulterior motive?
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Jennifer Lawrence apprehensive about hearing herself sing
Most people can attest to disliking the sound of their voice while recording their voice mailbox message. Now just imagine having to sing that message, and allowing millions of people to hear it.
Okay, so maybe the context will be a little less ridiculous than a voice mail recording, but I can’t say I blame Jennifer Lawrence for cringing at the idea of watching herself sing Rue’s Lullaby on the big screen. When she spoke with MTV News, she expressed her less-than-eager attitude toward the filming of that particular scene.
Oh God, oh God. Yeah, I did [sing]. I’m a terrible singer,” she said.
Her co-star, Josh Hutcherson jumped in to reference Will Ferrell in Step Brothers, by adding, “She’s been called the songbird of her generation.”
No, I am a horrible singer. And I’m an even worse person to be around when I’m singing. I’m a terrible singer. I hated it,” Lawrence said.
She went on to explain that having to lay down some recordings with famed producer T-Bone Burnett was particularly uncomfortable – explaining that as he listened from the other room, the music would come on and she would “freak out,” being left speechless.
Of course, we are usually our harshest critics. I’m sure she will do just fine.
[MTV News]
The Most Well Researched Map of Panem?
There is some debate about what exactly the map of Panem looks like; and if you’re anything like me, while reading The Hunger Games you found yourself wishing Suzanne Collins would have painted the picture in a little more detail. Perhaps that is some of the lure – the mystery and opportunity to imagine it on your own. That is exactly what V. Arrow did, in very thorough detail. While authoring Smart Pop’s The Panem Companion: An Unofficial Guide to Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games (December), she researched not only the novel, but also the placement of tectonic plates and possible flood regions.
I chose to center part of the cataclysm in the Gulf of Mexico as a tectonic shift and moved the Yucatan Peninsula, rather than sinking it. Mostly this is because I ♥ Finnick/Annie and wanted them to have a little island for the D4 Victor’s Village. Plus, it doesn’t really alter the topography of any other District, so hey! While feasible, it wasn’t really jelling for me. [Her collaborator] brought up that there would be a natural floodbreak at the Sierra Nevadas and, likely, the Grand Canyon. Incidentally this went into a long discussion about the Mississippi River being the dam that broke in the 70th Games, but that’s not really pertinent!.”
According to Arrow’s map, I would be in District 10. Where would you live? What do you think of her district placements?
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Jennifer Lawrence ‘should be nominated’ for an Oscar for role of Katniss
It’s easy to imagine that once The Hunger Games is released, Jennifer Lawrence will be in the running when it comes to the Teen Choice Awards, or the MTV Movie Awards. But the weighty, serious Oscars? According to director Gary Ross, who spoke with Entertainment Weekly, she should be nominated.
The range in this performance, the emotional terrain that she investigates, the demands of what this role are. It’s such an intensely physical role and an emotional one. She carries the entire movie. To be able to do that at that age is so kind of incredible that I was in a little bit of awe. Do I think she should be nominated? Absolutely.”
Lawrence, likewise, shared her esteem for Ross. She said that they bonded during the 83-day shoot, and when it came to the crew, “we were all family.” She added that Ross liked to dangle the possibility that he might leave everyone in the hands of a new director for Catching Fire. Lawrence joked that he wanted her to worry about it, “because he enjoys my anxiety,” she said. But with Ross confirmed to return for the second installment, she is anticipating returning to set.
Signing onto the movies I was like, ‘Well, I’ll probably love the first one and then I’ll just want to get the rest of them out of the way. But I can’t wait to start training. As soon as they were like ‘We need to start training in July,’ I was like ‘Woohoo!’ I can’t wait to get back. Though I don’t know if that’s because I think we might shoot in Hawaii,” she said.
Hawaii would make sense for Catching Fire, though regardless of where it’s filmed, it’s sure to be beautiful. So what do you think? Will Jennifer bring enough acting chops for The Academy to see through the young adult genre, and appreciate Katniss at a more universal level?
Woody Harrelson’s vision for Haymitch
For avid fans of The Hunger Games books, a first look at Woody Harrelson’s depiction of Haymitch Abernathy may seem a little incongruous with the character in Suzanne Collins’ novels. He’s described as a paunchy middle-aged man with short, dark hair – obviously not a spitting image of Harrelson’s overall look for the film. But Harrelson wanted to bring something less than cliche’ to Haymitch’s character.
He’s got a drinking problem and he’s got some issues and he’s damaged, but I didn’t want to do it totally like your typical version of an alcoholic in a movie. So I tried to keep him a little put-together. I dressed him up from what you would expect, too. That was one of my things I wanted – to make him, particularly in the Capitol, a bit of a snazzy dresser — or at least a dresser with his own style.”
He also went on to rave about the sets, wardrobe, and makeup. After seeing only one scene he says the look of the film is great.
I was really impressed by everybody that was associated with it. The look of everything is amazing too. The wardrobe is incredible and the makeup, the [stuff] they came up with is mind-blowing. The imagination behind the hair and the makeup and set decoration, it was just really impressive. It’s the work of brilliant people.”
I know there will be some purists who dislike the creative liberties Harrelson took with the character, but I appreciate his attempt to make Haymitch a touch less stereotyped. I find something more intriguing about about a a drunk who has a problem but shows contrast in trying to be more polished, as opposed to sloppy all around. What are your thoughts on the Haymitch we will see on the big screen?
Josh Hutcherson talks kissing Jennifer Lawrence, and moving in with co-stars
Mmm-hmm… you heard that right kiddies. Josh Hutcherson spoke with Access Hollywood and apparently the man’s fondness for kissing his fellow District 12 tribute is not limited to his character, Peeta.
“Jennifer is beautiful, so I’m not going to complain. It was good,” he said.
As we’ve read before, he previously mentioned that he got along well with Jennifer and that they are very similar in some ways. He also dished about his camaraderie with co-star Liam Hemsworth. They got along so well, he claimed there is a “strong possibility” that they will become roommates.
“Me and Liam got along right away, we’re good buds,” he said.
With two more movies in the series to go, what do you think? Will Josh and Jennifer end up having a fling at some point? Let’s hear your thoughts!
Elizabeth Banks says ‘Hunger Games’ movie is not all violence
If you’re one of those who has been contemplating whether or not you’ll be watching certain scenes of The Hunger Games through your fingers, remove your hands from your eyes, squeamish one. Elizabeth Banks recently spoke with MTV News and attest that violence is not the keystone of the film’s experience.
It’s certainly not the focus of the movie at all,” she assured us. “We made a PG-13 movie.”
And instead, said Elizabeth, the focus of the film is the same thing that made the “Hunger Games” trilogy such a major phenomenon: “What I think is great about how we did it, and what I think is amazing about Suzanne Collins’ books, is that you’re so invested in the characters. That’s what the movie is really about. It’s about creating characters that want to go back to their families, that have longings, that are looking for justice, and who matter.”
This may be disappointing for those who are fans of Saw and such, but I think we knew it wasn’t going to be extremely gory considering the books fall in the Young Adult genre. You can read the rest of the article at Hollywood Crush.
A Message from President Snow
Capitol.pn has released a message from President Snow to the citizens of Panem. You can now post letters, photos, and postcards to support your favorite tributes through the official website.
This started the gears turning, and now I’m curious to see what sorts of back stories others might imagine as to how Panem began. While reading The Hunger Games, did you envision what might have happened to North America to result in this dystopian future? How far in the future to you see think of the story existing? We’d love to hear the different perspectives on possible prequel events that led to the 74th Hunger Games!
The Katnisses that almost were…
Shailene Woodley
Celebuzz has released a list of 10 of the actresses who auditioned for the coveted role of Katniss Everdeen. Among them: Emma Roberts, Abigail Breslin, Chloe Moretz, and Shailene Woodley. So who is your favorite of the list? Any of them you wish would have landed the role, or are you happy with Jennifer Lawrence?
The Hunger Games to trump Twilight in 2012
According to a recent poll, Reuters reports that The Hunger Games has stolen some of the light cast by Twilight’s Breaking Dawn. As of Wednesday, 51 percent of those polled said that The Hungers Games was the movie they were most looking forward to in 2012, with Breaking Dawn Part 2 falling to 45 percent of the votes. The poll received more than 982,000 votes.
With Twilight and Harry Potter being the most lucrative franchises in the past few years, this is no doubt good news for The Hunger Games films.
