NOTE: I will only discuss specifics of the first two books of the Hunger Games series as they are discussed on the flap of the first book. I won’t even bring up anything about the second book other than letting you know it exists. THIS IS A SPOILER FREE ENTRY. The comments, however – are not. DO NOT READ THE COMMENTS IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE BOOKS.

Mockingjay comes out this coming Tuesday and I am beyond excited about it. I’ve not been this excited about a book release since the days of Harry Potter. While these books are popular, they don’t have the widespread appeal I feel like they deserve so I wanted to tell you why I adore them so much and hope maybe you’ll find time to read the first two in the next week so you can wrap up the series with me next week.

Hunger Games is about a girl, Katniss Everdeen, who lives in Panem which basically post-apocalyptic North America. She lives in District 12. There are 12 total districts controlled by The Capitol which keeps the districts from rebelling by crushing their spirits annually with the Hunger Games. This is a televised fight to the death of 24 kids between the ages of 12 and 18. One boy and one girl – chosen randomly – from each district. Katniss – who has already learned to be a badass in District 12, just trying to keep her family alive – finds herself the girl contestant from her district in the 74th Hunger Games.

That’s really all you need to know. This is one of my favorite types of stories, whether it’s on book, TV, or film. The story of the little guy being treated poorly and rising up to fight the Big Bad Guy who is oppressing him.

Except, unlike in many movies and books…it’s not that easy.

While we like to imagine both historical uprisings and fictional ones as simply people deciding their situation is unjust and fighting (AND WINNING!) against their oppressors – It’s not that easy. And Katniss shows us that time and time again. She has friends and family she adores and wants to protect AT ALL COSTS. Although she has a killer survival instinct, she would even sacrifice her own life for theirs if she knew it would protect them. However, this is opposes her basic desire to fight against what threatens them all: The Capitol. I guess this is how oppressors in history (and fiction) keep power over those beneath them: With the constant threats to the lives of their subjects and their loved ones. It’s a great battle that plays out emotionally and in the Games as Katniss is constantly finding herself trying to protect herself and her family but also wishing she could fight what is so terribly wrong with her world.

It’s heartbreaking, at times. I’ve read Catching Fire (My favorite of the two) now 2 times and listened to it on audiobook two times and I sob in the same points every time. Collins writes a very realistic scenario of oppression and how little power the subjects usually have in these situations. And how, often times, no matter how wrong you know your situation is: There’s often not a damn thing you can do about it.

I would love to get into these books more, my favorite parts and my hopes for Mockingjay, but I want to keep this entry spoiler-free. HOWEVER: I have no control over the comments. Do Not Read The Comments On This Entry If You Haven’t Read The Books. If you guys who have read the books talk about them in the comments? I’ll come back and join you. If you’re read them – what are you hoping for most out of Mockingjay? What were your favorite parts of the previous two books?

I’ve been stuck in my childhood this week with MamaPop reminding me about The Last Unicorn and Metalia reminding me of The Watcher In The Woods. Those are two movies I know I watched more than once from my childhood, which was unusual for me. My Dad didn’t get a VCR until I was almost in high school, but my Mom had one. So on the weekends I was at her house, I remember picking out The Last Unicorn at the movie rental place to watch several times. I don’t know what it was about that movie that I loved so much, but my affection for it is so deep I’ve been scared to re-watch it as an adult. I’m afraid the magic will be ruined.

The daycare I went to after school and during the summer for most of my childhood had a staple of movies we could watch. Every afternoon we chose an “activity” to do. There was a movie room, a homework room, the gym and roller skating. (I know! I went to an awesome daycare.) When the movie choice was The Watcher in the Woods? I always chose it. I have no idea why, as I’ve never really liked scary movies. But something about that movie freaked me out in AN AWESOME WAY. I couldn’t get enough of it.

Ghostbusters also played a big part in my childhood as it was one of the few VHS tapes my Dad’s office/shop kept around to test VCRs. He worked in a hospital as a biomedical engineer for my childhood, and while many of the guys repaired hospital equipment, there was also the periodic VCR that needed attention. Because of this, they kept a few tapes around to test with. Ghostbusters was one of them, so if my brother and I had to go to work with my Dad? We inevitably ended up watching that movie as there’s very little else to do in a shop full of broken EKG machines. There was also The Neverending Story and Goonies as two others I remember watching and truly adoring. But didn’t everyone love those movies? If not, you’re dead to me.

(JUST KIDDING.)

When most of us were kids movies were still a rare treat, not something airing on every channel, on ever DVR, in every cell phone in every home. Movies are now so ubiquitous that I doubt any of our kids will have standouts from their childhood. I remember a few standouts from when LilZ was little: Jungle 2 Jungle, Wild America, and Mary Poppins were a few of his favorites. As he got older Matilda became a staple as well. But NikkiZ and AndyZ? They’ll have seen so many movies by the time they’re 5 I just don’t see any of them sticking out in their mind or mine.

(Although NikkiZ is oddly attached to Avatar and can’t quite wait for it to come out on DVD. She’s a weird kid.)

What movies stand out from your childhood? Do you have older kids? Do you remember any of their faves?

(Way above the legal limit…if you should know.)

I made it. I went to the New Moon premiere last night. I go to a lot of midnight premieres and I always judge the movie based on whether or not there’s any regret the next morning. I can say – beyond a shadow of a doubt – there is NO REGRET. This has been a long and busy and exhausting week. Put aside the fact that I have been fighting some sort of hayfever/cold thing – I’ve also been trying to accomplish a lot of prep before my family comes in town for Thanksgiving and before I leave for a few days. I’m glad I’ve thought enough to write my NaBloPoMo entries in advance or every entry this week would have simply said, “Sneezing. Sick. Can’t Breathe. Tired. The End.” On top of that, We’ve also had soccer games, theater rehearsals, and other relatively normal weekly obligations. I’m torn between being exhausted from sneezing nineteen million times in 12 minutes, sleeping only 3 hours last night, and just the general OH MY GOD MY LIFE IS SO BUSY exhaustion that we all feel this time of year.

Needless to say? I’m a little loopy this morning. I was going to take some cold medicine so I can try to fight the symptoms while I work, but I’m afraid the loopy factor will get out of control then. I may change my mind later but for right now? I’d just like exhaustion to be making my head fuzzy…not medication.

Now – what we’ve all been waiting for – My Non-Spoilery Comments On New Moon

• I love Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black. I mean – I really hoped I’d love him in the role. He worked so hard to keep it and he seems so dedicated to it. But I really loved him. And he and Kristen Steward have great chemistry together. Their scenes just felt so honest.
• The characters of Mike and Jessica were great for the little screen time they had. They really made the most of their few minutes of the spotlight. I loved them.
• I liked the score of Twilight better…sometimes the music distracted me from a scene instead of like in Twilight when it just enhanced it.
• Alice had the most HIDEOUS outfit on during the Italy scenes. All I kept thinking was that if I had grandmother’s still alive? They’d probably be wearing it. And I’m not talking just about the scarf/gloves to hide her from the sun…I’m talking the shirt/smock/dress thing. Man…I hated that.
• Jasper’s hair. I hated that too. I knew I’d hate it because I’ve hated it since the first viewing of the birthday party scene. It’s like they hot-rolled it. And maybe frosted it. I think it reminds me of the 1980s soccer Mom look. He is such a good looking guy in real life..someone in the costume/hair/makeup department must truly hate him.
• The Super Fast special effects were much better this time. Actually…relatively speaking? They were all better. I feel like we’re still short a bit on some of the tricks but overall? Much better.

All in all? I loved it. And I’m going to post my SPOILERY comments after the jump -

(more…)

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON trailer

Yes. I’m about to write more about the New Moon premier than I did about my son’s first birthday. Please don’t remind him of this fact when he grows up. After reading my Pink’s awesome writeup, I had to do my own.

When that birthday party scene opened up, my first thought was: “WHAT DID THEY DO TO JASPER’S HAIR?” Dude. Seriously? It’s like bad 80′s Mom Hair. The kind that required hot rollers and Rave hairspray. SERIOUSLY? Jackson Rathbone is super-hot. Why must they make him look so ridiculous?

Beyond that…the scene was totally fine with me. However, I see Pink’s point here…

Let me ask you this, have you ever had a papercut? Did you ever toss aside the offending materials and exclaim “ouch! a papercut!” while drip-dropping blood on your hosts’ white carpet?

But here’s the thing: I like Kristen Stewart as Bella. I didn’t like her that much in that Adam Brody movie – but I really like her as Bella. I don’t know why, and I always understand where people are coming from when they criticize her, but I have really liked her performances.

I just wish Kristen Stewart wasn’t so obviously uncomfortable with the media. She comes off looking like a jerk, when in reality I think she’s just socially awkward. And dude – I can totally relate to that.

Now, the Edward/Jasper/Bella pushing slow-mo moment? Great. Brilliant. While I liked all three performances I totally agree with Pink here:

Jasper’s lame ass slow-motion run at Bella during the birthday scene is disappointing, but is quickly saved by Edward’s response. And so I’m thinking that New Moon will be very similar to Twilight: lots of lame, easily correctable awkwardness and so-so special effects, countered by Robert Pattinson’s magical ability to actually transform into Edward Cullen and remind all of us that Edward IS real and life WILL go on.

Robert Pattinson does make that scene. I didn’t mind Jasper’s part, but Pattinson does a spot-on Edward in that scene and I love it. Even when he leaves her in the woods, which totally made me cry. Again, probably because I really enjoy Stewart as Bella.

Now…the culmination of the preview: JACOB THE WOLF.

I did not have any complaints about the special effects because I was bracing myself for it to be SO MUCH WORSE. As a matter of fact, LilZ and I both had that “AWESOME!” initial reaction. And we watched it again. And again. And maybe again. I thought it was great. Maybe it’s because I thought Taylor Lautners was perfect, maybe it’s because I just love everything associated with the franchise. I don’t know. But I loved it. And can not wait. Pink puts it the best,

Friends, I love Jacob. I adore him. I am so, so glad that they didn’t pull an actor switch because I really think that Taylor Lautner is capable of BEING Jacob, perhaps as much as Robert Pattinson pulls off Edward. And since we know that Edward is going to be scarce in New Moon, let’s all breathe a hearty sigh of relief over that one.

I agree. As long as they don’t give him that horrible Too White smile this time, he’ll be brilliant. I think he’s dedicated and determined to own Jacob and I appreciate him bulking up to play the part as much as I appreciated Pattinson reading Midnight Sun to prepare for his role.

Although Lautner’s effort does seem a bit more…um…noticable.

And that’s all I’ll say about that.

• Entertainment Tonight is going to have special footage tonight from the set of New Moon. They’ve been airing teaser footage of the segment on their website all week and all I can think is: The promotional department of Summit Entertainment SURE KNOWS HOW TO KEEP FANS INTERESTED.
• Speaking of Twilight, Catherine Hardwicke’s Director’s Notebook was AWESOME. Not only is it awesome if you loved the movie like I did, but if you just find the behind-the-scenes stuff of movies cool? Then check out that book.
• There are so many movies coming out that I’m excited about that I have decided to get a second mortgage to pay for all the movie tickets I’ll be buying this summer: Star Trek, X-Men, Transformers and…the best of all…Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It is going to be the summer of THE AWESOME ACTION FLICKS, that’s for damn sure.
• I have decided to move Bones to the top place on my list of favorite shows currently on television. The last couple of episodes have been awesome in nineteen million ways. The Steal The Body From The Visitation episode had me cracking up. It takes special writing talent to pull off that kind of storyline in a crime drama.
• And at the bottom of that same list? Ghost Whisperer. Why am I still watching that show? Why did I not stop watching it when her dead husband’s soul entered the body of another dead guy who would wake up and not remember he was her dead husband? But now that he’s remembered? And he’s going to use his new body to follow his dreams of becoming a DOCTOR? WTF? Jennifer Love Hewitt has some sort of magical hold over me and I can’t let go. It must be the boobs. They have the same effect on my husband.

What has been entertaining you lately?