What Makes The Hunger Games Different

It's been a while (two weeks) since I've posted a blog post that was just about whatever I wanted to talk about, so that's what I'm going to do.
Today is the last day of the 30 day challenge I've been doing.  (It will also be the last one, but I'll talk about that more in my video on Monday.  Today I'm supposed to talk about what makes The Hunger Games different from other series.  I'm not sure what I'm going to say, so I'm just going to start writing and see what happens (in other words, this will probably turn into a long rant).

The first thing that comes to mind for me is the fact that a huge part of the plot is children killing each other.  Sure, things like that happen in other series, but I don't think it's ever been done quite like it is in Hunger Games.  I think that's the main thing that makes is completely unlike other series.  Their government is so corrupt that they put 24 kids in an arena and force them to fight to the death.  That's pretty messed up.  I've read a lot of dystopian novels, and none of them have ever effected me quite like The Hunger Games.  It's full of starvation, killing, etc.  The main character kills loads of people over the course of the three books, and *SPOILER* even votes to have more children fight to the death at the end of the third book.  I think that definitely makes The Hunger Games different from other series.  What do you guys think?

I actually thought of a lot of things to say while writing that last paragraph, but none of it really had anything to do with the challenge.  Maybe I'll save those topics for future blog posts or videos.  Most of the ideas had to do with politics (mainly politics today compared to The Hunger Games) though, and I don't want to say something that will turn into an argument or anything.

I quickly wanted to mention a site I found the other day that you should check out if you're a Hunger Games fan.  You can find it here.  You sign up (you can even sign up to get text messages) for "tesserae," and then they'll send you an email assigning you to a district.  I got District 1.  I'm not entirely sure what all's going to happen yet, but I'm assuming it's going to be sort of like this Harry Potter site since I found it through that site.  If you sign up, let me know what district you get.

Oh, and I'm being a bad Harry Potter and Twilight fan.  I have yet to get the Deathly Hallows Part 1 DVD or the Twilight:  Official Illustrated Guide yet.  I need to convince my mom to take me somewhere to buy them.  (Or, I could use my debit card to buy them online, but in the month or two I've had that thing I've only used it once.  You'd think I was slightly scared of it or something...  Okay, so I am...slightly...  It just makes it so easy to overspend!)

Days Until:
LeakyCon 2011: 88 (We're down to less than 100!)
Deathly Hallows Part 2 Movie: 90 (Same here!)
My 18th Birthday: 110
Breaking Dawn Part 1 Movie: 216
Breaking Dawn Part 2 Movie: 584

(New) Books Read in 2011: 12 (I've decided not to count books I'm re-reading anymore.)

Harry Potter Reread: Ootp 16 (I know, I know.  I'm extremely behind.  What's new.  I'll catch up (again) soon.)

Haley

Lots of Hunger Games and Harry Potter Talk

I'm trying something new and separating this post into different sections.

Hunger Games 30 day challenge:

Today is my last day of doing two challenges a day because of missing the days I was in Georgia.  (For more about they 30 day challenges, see the page at the top of this page.)

The first one I have to do today is:  something you wish didn't happen in the series.  This is a difficult question, and my answer is going to contain some spoilers for the Hunger Games series.  I didn't really enjoy the fact that Peeta was hijacked, but I think it was a good move storywise.  I don't think I would change it because it would change Mockingjay too much.  I enjoyed it as a part of the plot, but I was sad to see Peeta go through that.  I also wish Rue, Prim, Finnick, etc. hadn't died, but again, I see why that was important for the story.  I'm also not a huge fan of any scene that includes Katniss and Gale kissing.  As for something that I hate becase I thought it was unnecessary to the plot, I can't really think of anything.

The second one is:  your favorite kiss.  I'm going to choose Katniss and Peeta's kiss in the Capitol in Mockingjay.  (I always seem to choose scenes from Mockingjay for these things.)  I just love that scene (not that I don't love everytime Katniss and Peeta kiss in the series).  It's the first time Katniss and Peeta have kissed without having cameras filming them and having to pretend for the Capitol.  In case you're interested, here's the scene:

Only one figure stays huddled against the wall. “Peeta,” I say. There’s no response. Has he blacked out? I crouch in front of him, pulling his cuffed hands from his face. “Peeta?” His eyes are like black pools, the pupils dilated so that the blue irises have all but vanished. The muscles in his wrists are hard as metal.



“Leave me,” he whispers. “I can’t hang on.”


“Yes. You can!” I tell him.

Peeta shakes his head. “I’m losing it. I’ll go mad. Like them.”


Like the mutts. Like a rabid beast bent on ripping my throat out. And here, finally here in this place, in these circumstances, I will really have to kill him. And Snow will win. Hot, bitter hatred courses through me. Snow has won too much already today.


It’s a long shot, it’s suicide maybe, but I do the only thing I can think of. I lean in and kiss Peeta full on the mouth. His whole body starts shuddering, but I keep my lips pressed to his until I have to come up for air. My hands slide up his wrists to clasp his. “Don’t let him take you from me.”


Peeta’s panting hard as he fights the nightmares raging in his head. “No. I don’t want to…”


I clench his hands to the point of ain. “Stay with me.”

His pupils contract to pinpoints, dilate again rapidly, and then return to something resembling normality. “Always,” he murmurs.

Hunger Games news:

I just want to briefly say that the Hunger Games movie casting is driving me crazy.  That's all I really have to say.  I was wondering what you guys think about all of it.  I'm not sure how I feel about any of the guys up for the role of Peeta.  I wish I could actually see them acting as Peeta.  I used to have a huge crush on Josh Hutcherson, but I'm not sure I'd like him as Peeta.  I think he's a good actor, it's just that I can't picture him as Peeta.  What about you guys?

Harry Potter news:

Apparently Deathly Hallows Part 2 is going to be the shortest Harry Potter film.  I guess it makes sense.  It is only half of a book.  It's still over two hours long though, so it's not a short movie by any means.  I just hope it's good.

A few deleted scenes from Deathly Hallows Part 1 have been released on the Internet.  I'm strongly attempted to watch them, but I'm forcing myself to wait for the DVD.  There's supposed to be one of Ron teaching Hermione how to skip rocks.  It sounds so cute!  I can't wait to watch them, but I'd much rather watch them on the DVD.  That just makes it more special to me.  I have no idea if that makes sense to anyone else.  Have you guys watch any of them yet?

Someone also leaked the opening scene of Deathly Hallows Part 2 online, but it's already been taken down.  (*Slight spoilers* It's apparently of Ollivander and Harry talking about the Elder wand.)  It's actually going to be on the Part 1 DVD, but I'm not sure if I'm going to watch it.  It's going to be really hard to stop myself once I have the DVD in my hands, but I think it would be a much better idea to wait until I get to see the whole movie.  I don't think watching Part 2 would be as epic if I've already seen the first scene of it.  What do you guys think?

There was also a test screening of Part 2 today.  I'm jealous of the people who got to see it and yet not jealous at the same time.  It would be amazing to see the film early, but I wouldn't want to watch it unfinished.  It just wouldn't be the same.

Wow, there was a lot of Harry Potter news the past couple of days.

Life:

I had no idea what to title this section, so that will just have to do for now.  Honestly, not much happened today.  I worked part of the day and got to find yet another cockroach (this one was dead, but I don't think that's much better).  I'm trying to enjoy my last two days of spring break.  Unfortunately, I have to work for six hours tomorrow.  That is not a fun way to spend your last day of spring break (especially if I find another cockroach).

Days Until:
Deathly Hallows Part 1 DVD: 9!
The Twilight Saga: The Complete Illustrated Guide released: 10
LeakyCon 2011: 102
Deathly Hallows Part 2 Movie: 104
My 18th Birthday: 124
Breaking Dawn Part 1 Movie: 230
Breaking Dawn Part 2 Movie: 596

Books Read in 2011: 10

Harry Potter Reread: Order of the Phoenix 6

Haley

Hunger Games and Phantom of the Opera Talk

In the Youtube video I posted yesterday, I started a new Hunger Games-themed 30 day challenge.  Today's thing asks who your least favorite character is.  My least favorite Hunger Games character is Coin.  I hate her even more than Snow.  While Snow is horrible, everyone knows he is (except the Capitol).  Snow even agrees not to lie to Katniss in Catching Fire.  For some reason, that makes me like him (very, very slightly) more than Coin who tries to hurt or kill Katniss multiple times but still pretends to be on her side.  Maybe I'm the only person who feels this way, but that just makes her even more despicable of a person to me.

If you watch my Youtube videos, I mentioned Jennifer Lawrence being cast as Katniss a few days ago.  I said I was going to say more about it after I saw an interview with her or something.  I still haven't seen any video of her, but I've read a few more things about her.  I have to say, she's really starting to grow on me.  As I said before, I'm trying not to judge until we see her as Katniss, but I wasn't incredibly thrilled about her being cast.  Suzanne Collins and the director (I can never remember his name) seem to think she's perfect for the part though, and that's giving me hope that she'll be good.  If the person who created Katniss thinks Jennifer Lawrence is a great Katniss than Jennifer Lawrence is probably a great Katniss (I hope).

I also want to say how incredibly awesome my school's drama department did tonight.  Today was their second preformance of Phantom of the Opera.  (My sister was in the chorus.)  We're the third school to perform Phantom which is really cool to me since I love Phantom so much.  They did an amazing job!  I'll admit I didn't have that high of expectations, but they were fantastic.  I was very impressed.  Although I probably would have enjoyed it more if: 1. I hadn't been sitting right behind a little girl who was constantly moving around, blocking my view, and whispering to her mom and 2. We hadn't been sitting right under the air conditioning vent.  I was shaking the whole time.  That being said, the actual play was actually wonderful.  If any of you lived around here, I'd probably make you go see it.

Days Until:
Deathly Hallows Part 1 DVD: 23
The Twilight Saga: The Complete Illustrated Guide released: 24
LeakyCon 2011: 116
Deathly Hallows Part 2 Movie: 118
My 18th Birthday: 138
Breaking Dawn Part 1 Movie: 244
Breaking Dawn Part 2 Movie: 608

Books Read in 2011: 7
Harry Potter Reread: GoF 29

Haley