Catching Fire (not called Hunger Games 2 but whatevs)

So I've seen the movie, made an executive decision to go see it twelve more times, talked to friends, parents, and even professors about it, and we've all come to the same conclusion: Catching Fire ROCKS! Dare I say it? Yes, I dare. Catching Fire was maybe one of the best book to film adaptations... ever. After Deathly Hallows Part 2 (aka the movie that I could quote in the theater because they took it all straight from the book).

The acting was phenomenal (Jennifer Lawrence should win another Oscar for that last scene, amiright?) and stayed so true to the characters from our beloved book. Johanna, played by Jena Malone, was flawless. She had the right amount of spunk and sass that embodied book Johanna, and she had a bigger role in the movie which I really enjoyed seeing. Going into the movie, I can't lie, I was hesitant about Sam Clafin playing Finnick. It wasn't anything personal. Finnick is just my favorite character and I hold him dearly in my heart so I was maybe a bit too protective over him. In my mind (before), there was no candidate who could live up to the character. With that said, I would like to applaud Sam Clafin for doing such a good job with my baby. I was sold in the sugar cube scene and he had my love for the rest of the movie.

Josh Hutcherson was fantastic, reminding me over and over why I love Peeta so much. He saves Katniss so many times, not physically though he does that, but also emotionally. He's her rock (no pun intended) and he would literally do anything for her. Basically, if I hear one more person say that Peeta Mellark is useless, imma throw my computer at them. Then, imma throw the complete book series at them.

Also, I'm really excited to see how Mockingjay plays out with his character. That's going to be some A+ acting.

Now, I would like to talk about Her Majesty, Queen Jennifer Lawrence. She embodies all that Katniss is and I honestly couldn't see anyone else in that role. In the last scene (that goes really well with the book), she says so much with her expression that no words are even necessary. How many actors can do that in today's industry? Exactly- JLaw wins. She is a phenomenal actor, plain and simple. 

There was just so much that went into this movie. Epic costumes, chilling scenery, super well done CGI, all the tears because of deaths and rebellions, and so much more. They did really well with the story as a whole, and split the time between the victory tour and going back into the games just as they should have. Actually, I probably could have sat in the theater for a couple extra hours to see every detail, but that might be a bit too ridiculous. Basically, if you haven't gone to see Catching Fire, do it ASAP. And if you have, go see it again and then go see it with me.

For next week, I'll be reviewing Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood.

A gorgeous, witchy, romantic fantasy by a debut author! Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and the Beautiful Creatures series!

Everybody thinks Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave. Then Cate finds her mother's diary, and uncovers a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra. But if what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe--not even from each other.

-Annie