Video: The Hunger Games Domino Contraption

It's a zany action, a crazy contraption, the fun is catchin' it's.......DOMINOES!!


Thanks to HGFiresideChat's Savanna for the tip!

The Hunger Games Adventures Trailer + Release Date!

The Hunger Games Adventures Facebook game will GO LIVE ON MARCH 30, 2012!

Many of you entered our contest to win Beta codes, and if you weren't lucky enough to receive them, you will finally be able to get your chance to play it on Friday!

Courtney, Denise and I have all been obsessively playing this game (check out our review of the game), and we can't wait for EVERYONE to get their chance! Make sure to like the HGA Facebook page and check out the trailer for the game below!

Source

What did Suzanne Collins Give to Taylor Swift?

Isn't this adorable?!

Source: @TaylorSwift13 via DWTC

Hunger Games Soundtrack Tops the Charts!

LA Times writes,

The musical companion to "The Hunger Games" emerged as the clear leader on this week's pop chart, bolstered by contributions from the likes of Taylor Swift, the Arcade Fire, the Decemberists and Maroon 5, among many others. The disc, "The Hunger Games: Songs From District 12 and Beyond," sold 175,000 copies in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan, easily placing it ahead of longtime chart ruler Adele. 

However, "The Hunger Games" didn't quite dominate the music industry in the way it did the film business this past week, as the instant blockbuster debuted with a staggering $155 million take at the box office, but it is the first soundtrack to top the Billboard charts since "Michael Jackson's This Is It" did so in late 2009. Yet the soundtrack, released by Universal Republic, is something of a stand-alone set piece, as only three of its 16 tracks are actually in the film. Those that made the cinematic cut can be heard in the end credits.

Source

This is INCREDIBLE news! First soundtrack to top Billboard charts since "This Is It"?! Amazing!

Jennifer Lawrence in Rolling Stone

Here's an excerpt of this article with Jennifer Lawrence. This particular issue goes on stands Friday, March 30th!

"Dude!" says Jennifer Lawrence into her cellphone. "I'm lost as ****! I've been driving around for, like, 10 minutes. Where the hell is this place?"
She's looking for a horse stable. We have plans to go horseback riding in the canyons above Malibu, but neither of us can find the place. I tell her to pull over and I'll come find her.

The most talented young actress in America is idling on a side street in her white Volkswagen, in blue jeans, a gray T-shirt and designer shades. Her naturally blond hair is pulled back in a loose ponytail, and her elbows are sticking out the open window. She's famous for playing vulnerable young women with wills of steel, as with her Oscar-nominated turn in Winter's Bone, or as the bow-and-arrow-toting Katniss Everdeen in the just-released Hunger Games. Right now her face says she means business.
"I have to pee so bad."

We drive a little more and find the stable, which, it turns out, isn't a stable, just a red-dirt parking lot where a horse trailer is parked. Lawrence jumps out of the VW and is off like a flash, running off down the trail in search of a bush. Two twentysomething hiker babes in sunglasses and sports bras, SoCal trail chic, do a double take as she sprints past. Was that...?

Lawrence, 21, has a way of making a first impression. Woody Harrelson, her Hunger Games co-star, still remembers their first meeting. "I was on my bus," he says, "and on my bus I have a yoga swing. Jennifer comes on, and she goes, 'Hi, Woody, I'm J— is that a sex swing?' Her first sentence to me."

Josh Hutcherson, also from The Hunger Games: "When I got cast, she called me up for one of those five-minute 'Excited to work with you, blah, blah, blah' things. The conversation started with her saying, 'Think about a catheter going in – ouch!' and then turns into a 45-minute rant about zombies and the apocalypse."

And here's Zoë Kravitz, who appeared with Lawrence in X-Men: First Class and who is one of her best friends: "I'd met her a few times, and she was like, 'You should come over and we'll hang out.' So I go over to her apartment, and she opens the door in a towel. She's like, 'Come in, sorry, you're early, I was about to shower.' And she drops her towel and gets in the shower, and starts shaving her legs, totally naked. She was like, 'Are we here yet? Is this OK?' And I was like, 'I guess we're there!'"

Lawrence finishes peeing in record time ("I'm the fastest pee-er ever," she says later. "I'm famous for it") and starts heading back down the trail. She's barely had time to button her jeans when the two hikers stop her. "I'm sorry to bother you," one says. "But could I get your autograph? My niece is 15. It would make her year."

Fifteen-year-old nieces are Lawrence's sweet spot right now. The Hunger Games trilogy is the biggest teen juggernaut since Twilight, with 24 million copies of the books in print. And since its post-apocalyptic action-packed love story appeals to boys as much as girls, experts are predicting the movie to make approximately a gajillion dollars, with three sequels already in the works.

Back in the parking lot, we meet up with our guide, Jasmin, who introduces us to our mounts for the day. Lawrence gets a white mare named Nay-Nay, who Jasmin says had a cameo in HBO's Band of Brothers. "Oh!" Lawrence says, petting her on the nose. "You're famous!"

Video of cover shoot:

Source: Rolling Stone

DIY Interview with Josh Hutcherson

Did you read the books before you got the script?
With these books I read them when I heard they were making the movies, as I hadn't heard of them until that point. I found out they were wildly popular among all ages. I read the whole series in a week, and I couldn't put it down. As soon as you finish each book you have to pick up the next one or you'll go crazy! It's like crack! I read so many scripts - that's my main literature that I read. When I'm not reading scripts I like to read books about psychology and sociology and non-fiction.

How involved was Suzanne Collins in the making of the film?
She was very involved. It was great actually, as she was in the first audition that I had, which was mildly traumatising. To walk into the room and see the author of the book! She gave me a call when I got the part, saying 'if there's anything you need, here's my cell phone, my home number, my email, just let me know'. She's so sweet and she was on set a bunch. It was great to have her there, as it felt it gave the fans a sense of calm to know they weren't just giving it to Hollywood to make whatever version they want. She was great at making us not feel intimidated, she was aware of it. She knows we are actors who make our own interpretation of it, said she can't wait to see what we do with it. Like, excited to see it move into the next medium. She was on board to make little adjustments to make it the best movie possible. She offered herself up for any questions, but the [character] was all in the books. I've never read a character in my life who I've felt was so much who I am as a person, and stood for the same things I stood for. When I was reading it, I thought how has Suzanne written a book that is who I am. Everything about Peeta I believe in 100%.

If you were entered into the Games, how good would you be at surviving?
I'm a modest person, I swear to God, but I think I'd be really good in The Hunger Games, as I'm a very outdoorsy person. I love the wilderness, I grew up playing in the woods, camping and hiking. I'm fast, I play sports, I've done fighting training - I think I'll be all right! I might have a good chance of survival. My downfall would be the Careers, who are trained to kill. They have a disconnect when it comes to killing people, so that would be my biggest problem. I would try to survive as long as possible without having that face-to-face conflict.

How was the atmosphere on set, with all the fellow tributes?
It was great. One of my favourite things about acting is getting to interact with really cool people. Everyone they cast in the movie I love so much. The tributes were incredible. It was strange to go from a scene where you have to be terrified of them, and then be hey, what's up, high five, let's go get some lunch.

Did fans of the book show up on the set of The Hunger Games?
Lionsgate were so tight when it came to security on location. When we walked from our trailers to set, or to our cars, they built like barricades so people couldn't see the costumes. One time we were in North Carolina, and it was the weekend, and I got into the hotel lobby and there were two girls who had driven nine hours on the chance I would be there. They had a bunch of stuff for me to sign and everything. They have their ways! All that pressure was washed away as soon as I got on set as I started acting, and doing what I loved. When I was in in New York City for the premiere release of the trailer on Good Morning America, one of the fans had made me a hand-knitted scarf, and gave it to me out of nowhere. It was one of the nicest things a fan has ever given me, for free!

Can you remember when you first realised you wanted to be an actor?
I honestly dreaded doing school plays. I hated it so much, not because I had stage fright, but because I thought the subjects were cheesy. They were like 1950s shoo-bop showaddy waddy and it made me mad. One time I was doing a grandparents day show at elementary school when I was probably eight years old. They wanted me to sing these horrible '50s songs, and I was okay, fine I'll just go up there and mouth the words 'watermelon' over and over again and pretend you're singing. So I went up there and mouthed 'watermelon, watermelon, watermelon' all angry and pissed off. Afterwards, my grandmother came up and asked 'were you singing watermelon up there?' I loved entertaining people and my family, but I never wanted to do it in a school play. My first movie was Miracle Dogs for Animal Planet, which was about these dogs who could lick people and heal them. I loved doing it, and thought, if they keep on hiring me, I'll keep on doing this. They have, thankfully.

Read the rest of the article HERE

TOO COOL that Josh mentions DWTC people Mary & Flo meeting Josh during production and Shylah giving him her scarf!!

Source: DIY via @JediShywalker

Katniss Fever! Yet Another EW Cover!

Last weekend the first film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ bestselling book series about dystopian teenage blood-sport massacred the competition at the box office, raking in an astronomical $152.5 million and taking its place as the third biggest opening weekend of all time. Jennifer Lawrence’s headstrong heroine Katniss Everdeen shot her way into the hearts and wallets of moviegoers the world over, as well as onto our newsstand cover. 

Even the folks who were banking on The Hunger Games being a success were shocked by how many fans and not-yet-fans alike crammed into multiplex seats to watch Katniss fight for her life. “This has exploded beyond anything we could have imagined,” says director Gary Ross. “There are days where it feels like we’re in the middle of some national media event that has nothing to do with entertainment. We keep looking around trying to figure out how this could have actually happened.” Lionsgate is aiming to release the sequel, Catching Fire, around Thanksgiving 2013, but everyone will be returning to work much sooner. “It’s fantastic to finally have the movie out in the world and to see all of these people who love it,” says producer Nina Jacobson, who first picked up the rights to Collins’ novel back in 2009, “but at the end of the day we’ll roll up our sleeves and it’s on to the next one.”

This issue hits newsstands on Friday, March 30th!

Source: EW

Josh Hutcherson on Conan!

Josh Hutcherson was on Conan last night (our most FAVORITE talk show), and we have to admit we were most excited than normal to see what Josh had to say.


Very amused to know that Josh was into N*Sync as much as we were in the 90s!

Also, check out Liam's interview with Conan! He apparently is obsessed with squirrels.

What's That? The Hunger Games Broke Another Record?

That's right! Check it out:

Lionsgate's film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' best-selling young-adult novel grossed $10.8 million on Monday -- the best showing ever for a Monday outside of holidays, the Christmas stretch and summer.
Hunger Games has amassed $163.4 million in only four days of play at the domestic box office, suggesting the film could easily gross $350 million or more in North America.
The pic, opening to $152.5 million during the weekend, shattered a number of records in scoring the third-highest debut of all time behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 ($169.2 million) and The Dark Knight ($158.4 million), as well as the top opening outside of summer and the top opening for a nonsequel.

Source: THR

The Fandom on Fire Project!

Check out this super cool Hunger Games fandom project! Amie from HGGirlonFire introduces the Fandom on Fire!


Amie writes,

Us and at www.HGGirlOnFire.com wanted to find a way for fans to thank Lions Gate and Gary Ross and ALL involved with bringing The Hunger Games to film so amazingly! So teamed with your other favorite fansites that have kept you in the know during the filming to make a place where you can learn what the Hunger Games means to them, share what it means to you, and GET PEOPLE IN THE THEATERS OPENING WEEK TO BLOW UP THE BOX OFFICE KATNISS STYLE;-) Each day a new video from a fansite will be added and we want you to comment and record response videos! Happy Hunger Games!!

So far they have uploaded videos from Crystal at Mockingjay.net and Megan from TheHob.org.

Check out their videos over at the Fandom on Fire YouTube Channel.

The Sound of the Hunger Games

We're very interested in the filmmaking process over here, and the sound design in The Hunger Games really intrigued us. Imagine our excitement when we found this video on The Sound of The Hunger Games!

Movie Director Gary Ross and his sound team including Supervising Sound Editor Lon Bender, Re-recording Mixer Michael Keller, and Re-recording Mixer Mike Prestwood Smith discuss their approach to creating the lush soundscapes for this highly anticipated film adaptation.

Source

The Hunger Games Midnight Showing - Our Experience and Yours as Well!

As promised, we will share our Midnight Showing experience! And some of YOU shared with us your pictures and stories as well so of course we will be including those. Check it out to see how some Hunger Games fans spent their Midnight Showing!

Welcome to District 12:

On March 22, 2012, Welcome to District 12's Courtney, Tiffany and Denise, along with our group of friends, went to see The Hunger Games at midnight in the Cinerama Dome at the ArcLight in Hollywood.

Our group outside of the ArcLight and an accurate representation of all our personalities.
Clockwise from the left: Michelle, Chelsea, Patty, Tiffany, Janine, Denise & Courtney

The bread in our mouths comes from our Hunger Games pre-movie snack: District 11-like bread, goat cheese wrapped in basil, apples and beef jerky, all in a basket.

We're all sporting our Hunger Games headbands made by our friend Patty, and eventually we all ended up with Katniss braids done by Denise!

The rest of our story and others' midnight showing experiences after the cut!

Welcome To District 12 Visits The Hob!

Check it out! We visited The Hob campground, the place where all the campers for the World Premiere of The Hunger Games resided. The day before the premiere a different cast member showed up every hour! We interview some cool super fans, and even meet some cast members! Most excitingly, we also run into Adam and Savanna from the HG Fireside Chat! Also, check out our photo album from the event HERE

Our Mall Tour Poster Giveaway! - Signed by JENNIFER, JOSH AND LIAM!!!

If you remember from our LA Mall Tour post, Courtney got a chance to meet Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, and they all signed her poster, which was given away ONLY at the mall tour stops. Now YOU may get a chance to win it! Yes, a Hunger Games poster SIGNED by Jennifer, Josh and Liam!!!

THE POSTER WITH ALL 3 SIGNATURES!

In celebration of gaining 5,000 Tumblr followers and 1,000 Twitter followers, we've decided to give back to you guys and show our love and appreciation for everyone who has made Welcome to District 12 what it is!

To enter, all you have to do is fill out the form below. By simply entering your name and email, you get 1 entry. Following us on Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest will each get you additional entries, and we WILL be checking. The contest will run until 5PM PST on April 10, 2012 and is open to US residents only (sorry international fans).

Thanks again for supporting us at Welcome to District 12 and MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!

Liam Thanks the Fans PLUS New TV Spot!

Capitol TV uploaded a video of Liam thanking the fans for making The Hunger Games the #1 movie in the country and there's a NEW TV SPOT attached to it!

Fandango: 17 Hunger Games Tickets Sold Per Second!

FANDANGO SMASHES RECORDS BY SELLING 22% OF OPENING WEEKEND BOX OFFICE FOR

                “THE HUNGER GAMES”, LARGEST SHARE FOR ANY MOVIE IN COMPANY HISTORY

Fandango Sells 17 “Hunger” Tickets per Second on Opening Day, Shattering Single Day Record and Top Mobile Weekend Record

(LOS ANGELES, CA - March 26, 2012) -- Fandango, the nation's leading moviegoer destination, announced today that it sold 22% of opening weekend ticket sales for “The Hunger Games”, marking the largest share of sales for any movie in Fandango’s nearly 12-year history. During the weekend’s peak ticket-selling periods, Fandango was selling 17 tickets per second, representing the company’s top franchise opener, best-selling March release, top-selling mobile weekend and Fandango’s top-selling single day (March 23, 2012) for a movie, besting “The Dark Knight” opening day on July 18, 2008.

Fandango's share of all domestic ticket sales for “The Hunger Games” – which took in a projected domestic box office of $155 million* - reshapes Fandango’s list of top 5 shares of opening weekends. The new record-breaker list is as follows:

1."The Hunger Games” (2012) – 22%

2. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" (2011) - 19%

3. “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” (2009) – 18%

4. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1” (2010) - 17%

5. “Sex and the City” (2008) - 16%

Fandango also broke a record with “Hunger” as the movie with the most tickets ever sold on opening weekend via mobile on Fandango; the previous record-holder was “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2.”  Friday, March 23 was also the top day for mobile ticket sales in Fandango history.

"Fandango’s record- breaking percentage of the film’s opening weekend is a testament to the growing popularity of online and mobile ticketing as the way to go to the movies,” says Fandango Executive Vice President and General Manager Rick Butler. “It’s rare to see the first film in a franchise performing like an established sequel, but ‘The Hunger Games’ is a true phenomenon. Fans have given it our highest ‘Must Go!” rating, with Web and mobile ticket sales still going strong on Monday.”

According to a Fandango online survey of thousands of moviegoers, 62% of “Hunger Games” fans plan to see the movie more than once in the theater, indicating repeat viewings throughout the week. As of Monday, the film still accounts for 87% of all daily tickets sold on Fandango.

*Estimated box office info from Boxoffice.com

Set your DVRs! The Hunger Games Stars are STILL on Talk Shows

The Hunger Games may be out already, but the cast is still doing talk show appearances to promote the movie!

SET YOUR DVRS so you don't miss them on your favorite shows! We will update this as soon as we find out about more appearances.

Monday March 26:

• Donald Sutherland - Good Morning America - ABC
• Liam Hemsworth - Conan - TBS
• Elizabeth Banks - The Tonight Show with Jay Leno - NBC

Tuesday March 27

• Josh Hutcherson - Conan - TBS

Thursday March 29

• Liam Hemsworth - The Tonight Show with Jay Leno - NBC

COMPLETE Unscripted Interview

Here's the Unscripted interview with Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Elizabeth Banks in full!

Unscripted - The Hunger Games - Complete Interview

Peter Travers Interviews Josh Hutcherson Plus Gives THG 3.5/4 Stars for Rolling Stone!

Check out these videos of Peter Travers' interview with Josh Hutcherson! Jennifer was apparently in the room during this so we're on the lookout for her interview(s) with Peter Travers as well.

Popcorn with Peter Travers



Josh Hutcherson on his and Jennifer Lawrence's "Kentucky Connection"



Peter Travers is also known for his movie reviews for Rolling Stone magazine. Check out his review of The Hunger Games, he gave it 3.5 out of 4 stars!

Relax, you legions of Hunger Gamers. We have a winner. Hollywood didn't screw up the film version of Suzanne Collins' young-adult bestseller about a survival-of-the-fittest reality show that sends home all its teen contestants, save the victor, in body bags. The screen Hunger Games radiates a hot, jumpy energy that's irresistible. It has epic spectacle, yearning romance, suspense that won't quit and a shining star in Jennifer Lawrence, who gives us a female warrior worth cheering.

 Read the rest after the cut!

The Hunger Games Grosses Over $68 Million Its Opening Day

The numbers are out! The Hunger Games has grossed over $68 million domestically its opening day!

The feast is on: “The Hunger Games” has taken in $68.25 million domestically in its first day, a record for a non-sequel.

The Friday total for Lionsgate’s “The Hunger Games” was the fifth-best opening day ever and puts the movie on track for the best debut weekend ever in March. That record is held by “Alice in Wonderland” with $116.1 million.

The big start should translate into an opening weekend of as much as $140 million domestically, according to Paul Dergarabedian, analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com. 

That makes The Hunger Games #5 in opening day sales, and if you notice those other movies are SEQUELS, which makes THG #1 in opening day sales for NON-SEQUELS!

The weekend isn't over yet, so we're expecting more records broken! This is beyond amazing for Lionsgate and The Hunger Games, as it ensure that this movie is a hit and is good news for the future of this franchise.

Source: Box Office Mojo, Washington Post

Rate and Write Your Review on Rotten Tomatoes!

Now that some of you all have seen the movie, we are encouraging you to rate and write your review on Rotten Tomatoes! Either login in with your RT account or through Facebook and go to town!

5 stars! 100%! Let's do this!

Welcome to District 12's Tiffany and HG Fireside Chat's Adam Spunberg Review the Movie on Celebuzz's '100 Days of Hunger Games'

Celebuzz invited me back along with Adam Spunberg of HG Fireside Chat for our reactions to the movie on their '100 Days of Hunger Games'. Taryn Ryder asked us our general reactions, our favorite scenes and what we thought would be in the movie that wasn't, plus our rating of it.

Check it out!

Thanks so much to Celebuzz for asking me back! I had a blast being there and speaking with Taryn and Adam about The Hunger Games.

Source

Gary Ross was in our Midnight Showing!

I guess living in L.A. has its benefits. The Welcome To District 12 crew enjoyed the midnight showing in the Cinerama Dome at the Arclight Cinema in Hollywood.

Every movie gets introduced by a staff member. We were all the way in the back, and the guy came out to introduce it. I turned to my friend and said "Hey he looks like Gary Ross from afar." Not a moment later did he say, "Hi, I'm Gary Ross." Commence flipping out. Turns out Arclight is his local theatre!

Don't Forget To Buy Your Hunger Games Tickets!

IT'S HERE!!! MARCH 23rd!! The day of reckoning has finally come!

Don't forget to buy your tickets HERE for your first time, second, third, fourth, fifth, or whatever number of times you are currently on!

Jennifer Lawrence and Gary Ross on NPR!

Jennifer Lawrence and Gary Ross will be on NPR Friday on the Morning Edition!

According to the website, it will come online around 9 EST.

You can also find your local NPR station HERE

LISTEN TO IT HERE!

Josh And Liam Thank The Fansites!

Two videos have been uploaded onto Capitol TV of Josh and Liam thanking the fansites!





Oh my, we've got tears in our eyes! You're welcome, guys, and THANK YOU for all your hard work and dedication in bringing our favorite characters to life!

Hunger Games Cast on Attack of the Show!

Not sure who exactly will be on, but set your DVRs to record if you have the G4 channel!

We're so excited! We LOOOOVE Attack of the Show! Interested to see what'll happen. We couldn't help but see all the Facebook comments on their post about this. HATERS TO THE LEFT*, please.

*So far to the left that they fall into a pit of mutts. I'm sorry, did I say that? - T

Play 'Hunger Games: Girl On Fire' on your iOS device!

'Hunger Games: Girl On Fire', the movie tie-in game for iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch, is out now and it's FREE! Download the game now for iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch at www.bit.ly/PlayHungerGames!

The game is quickly making its way up the charts; it is about to be in the Top 10 for the entire store and currently has a 4.5 star rating!

Check out the games trailer here:

I downloaded it late last night, and I have to say it's pretty fun. The game ain't easy to beat, but the idea of what to do is pretty intuitive. Avoid the Tracker Jackers by shooting them (tap) with your bow and arrow and by hopping up to the trees or dropping down to the forest floor (swipe). As you go further, the Tracker Jackers learn new tricks, and it becomes harder to get them. While playing, I found myself with some anxiety, probably because I know what tracker jackers are and I was scared of getting stung! I see from the description and the glimpse in the trailer that you'll eventually get to District 12 to battle hovercrafts, but sadly I haven't gotten there yet.

 

Here's the full description:

DEFEND KATNISS AGAINST THE CAPITOL! From the award-winning creators of indie game sensation CANABALT comes the *official* FREE teaser game for the movie event of the year — THE HUNGER GAMES. 

In THE HUNGER GAMES: GIRL ON FIRE, you'll play as KATNISS EVERDEEN, the young heroine from District 12, whose sharp instincts are matched only by her even sharper bow-and-arrow shot!

With just weeks to go before the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss ventures past the fence and into the woods beyond District 12 to hunt for food for her starving family... only to run right into a swarm of Capitol-created TRACKER JACKER wasps!

Help Katniss find her way back home, while taking down the tracker jackers with your trusty bow and arrow — but be careful once you get to District 12... The Capitol's hovercrafts may come looking for you!

May the odds be ever in your favor…

***FEATURES***

Guide Katniss's escape with simple touch controls:

- Tap on Tracker Jackers to shoot them down

- Swipe up to leap up into the tree tops and avoid enemy fire

- Swipe down to leap back down to the ground

Compete for high scores against friends on GameCenter!

Presented by Lionsgate and created by an indie game dream-team including Adam Saltsman, Danny Baranowsky and Paul Veer — creators of indie game sensation CANABALT as well as STEAMBIRDS, GRAVITY HOOK SUPER MEAT BOY, BINDING OF ISAAC and SUPER CRATE BOX!

Welcome to District 12's Admin Tiffany on Celebuzz's '100 Days of Hunger Games: Scenes We're Dying to See'

The day is finally here! Yeah, the movie comes out at midnight tonight, but also, my appearance on Celebuzz's '100 Days of Hunger Games: Scenes We're Dying to See'.

A couple weeks ago, I was invited to come down there and talk with Taryn Ryder about a scene that I'm dying to see: Cato, Katniss and Peeta on top of the Cornucopia with the muttations. This was before I had seen the movie so know that it is just speculation and could've been right or wrong about my predictions.

Check out the video here:

I had a really nice time, and everyone down there was very friendly and really knew and loved The Hunger Games. Thanks Celebuzz for having me!

Source

NowhereBad.com Mellark Bakery Shirt Available for the Next 3 Days!

Get 'em while they're hot! (See what I did there?)

NowhereBad.com is selling this lovely Mellark Bakery shirt in honor of The Hunger Games release. You have a limited time to buy this shirt so hop on it soon!

NowhereBad.com

Sara Gundell's biographical comic 'FAME: Suzanne Collins' out now!

Hunger Games Examiner's Sara Gundell is the author of 'FAME: Suzanne Collins', a biographical graphic novel about the life of Suzanne Collins and what influenced her to write our favorite series The Hunger Games! Last month, we wrote a review of this graphic novel, and we loved what we saw. Order your copy here as these are sure to sell out!

The 40-page graphic novel retails for $7.99 and is also available for NOOK and Kindle.

Would YOU survive The Hunger Games? Quiz on TheFandom.net

TheFandom.net in association with Mockingjay.net and Celebuzz presents the "Would YOU survive The Hunger Games?" quiz! Take the quiz and get your Tribute Card! Check out how far we got:

Get a Mockingjay Headband as seen on ABC's Nightline!

Want to own a Mockingjay headband like the ones seen on your favorite Welcome to District 12 admins? One even made it on ABC's Nightline:

That's Courtney wearing her Mockingjay headband on Nightline

Tiffany's Mockingjay headband, the first one!

Our very talented friend Patty makes these headbands, and she's about to branch out of making them for herself and her friends and start selling them! They are made using plastic headbands with glued on glitter, and the Mockingjay design is made out of felt, sewn not glued together, and can be moved around the headband and changed out if you wish. 

Email her at headbandsbypatty@gmail.com if you are interested and would like to place an order! They run $15 each or 2 for $25 + shipping costs. In your email, include how many you would like to order and your shipping address so the shipping cost can be calculated. Also, from now until April 23, 2012, if you include the code word "district12" in your email, you can receive your headband for $12 (that's a 20% discount!).

Domo!

Aside from the Mockingjay design, she does other designs and fandoms (Harry Potter, Doctor Who etc.) so if you're interested in what else she can do, definitely ask!

Closeup!

How cute are these?!

Meet the Cast of The Hunger Games at the Grove in Los Angeles!

Want to meet the cast of The Hunger Games? Do you live in Southern California? On Thursday, March 22, head on down to Barnes & Noble at The Grove and you might get your chance!

If you're a fan of "The Hunger Games," you're probably a seriously true-blue fan. The Suzanne Collins-penned trilogy has garnered millions of devoted readers and a big Hollywood movie to boot, not to mention hundreds of track-every-detail sites.

So, how to celebrate the first film's upcoming release, if you are such a devotee? Wherever you live, practically, you can find a theater, or reread the books, or dress up as your favorite character (we like the colorful, outrageous style of Effie, personally).

But if you live in Southern California, and you can make it to The Grove on Thursday, March 22, you can actually celebrate the film's release with the actual people in the film, or at least some of them. That's pretty dang big, right? So big that Barnes & Noble at The Grove -- where the evening event is going down -- will start handing out wristbands at 9 a.m.

Do day-long queues get more exciting? Rarely.

The cast members are not listed on the bookstore site, but a few of the goings-on are (think raffles, trivia and, yep, signings). We're pretty sure happy rumors will be flying about who is set to show.

If you want something signed, there are a few to-knows, like buying a book at the location. You'll want to read all, especially about that limited quantity of wristbands.

So, who do you want to meet most?

Also, you do know that Farmers Market'll start serving coffee and donuts long before the 9 a.m. line time? We're just saying that for the early birds. There will be early birds, too, and cheers to them.

We're not sure which members of the cast will be in attendance and it seems the actual event starts at night, but we're confident those wristbands will go fast so get there early!

Source

The Day The Fansites Met on ABC Nightline!!

It will live in infamy: The day the fansites met. It was a glorious day, and one I will not soon forget. Sunday March 11th, 2012. The fansites explored the Hob campground, interviewed campers, took photos with cast, and even met some too! But what happened afterwards was quite interesting indeed. We had a "barbecue" at one of the coolest places, the #CapitolShore. Interestingly enough, Nightline swung by the party! Fast forward to tonight, when Nightline showed a bit on The Hunger Games. It talks about the growing fandom, the fansite "barbecue", and a bit on Emily Ansara Baines, the author of The Unofficial Hunger Games cookbook.

You can watch the whole Nightline episode HERE at the ABCNews website. Skip to the second section of the video.

Check out some screencaps from the episode!

Kimmy from Mockingjay.net

There's Courtney with the headband, AJ, and Tiffany at the table.

WAY more pictures including awesome fansite people, and famous Adam Spunberg and Shylah Addante UNDER THE CUT!

Jennifer Lawrence on David Letterman

Watch Jennifer being hilarious on David Letterman:


Source

Full Review of The Hunger Games *MILD SPOILERS*

The Transition from Book to Film (honoring the text, deviations from it):

     There was such an artful balance in the book to film transition. There was so much of the book that we hadn't gotten our hopes up on making it to the film, little lines that surely would be cut out or changed up, had made it in, and it felt like such a nod to the fans. It was as if Gary and Suzanne were saying, "We haven't forgotten you." And truly, they haven't. Not every scene in the books made it to the movie, but every scene in the movie honored the books in such a way that we haven't really seen from a book-to-movie adaptation, except for maybe the Lord of the Rings movies.
      The focus is much more on the overall story and certain moments have fallen to the wayside. Don't worry though, every moment that brings a crucial point to the plot of the general arc is at least touched upon, if not thoroughly performed including the cave scene, every death of a tribute, the reaping, and the journey from tribute to victor. The Hunger Games movie not only is structured so that any non-reader can understand what the story is about, but feels the themes and emotion conveyed in the books.
       As for the additional scenes, the glimpses of the Gamemaker control room and all of Seneca Crane with President Snow and of course the consequences of a certain character's death, all of that not only fit with the books but enriched the story in a way that couldn't have been done in the books. It seems like such a contradiction, to be so close to the book but still add so much to it, but The Hunger Games does it so well it feels pretty effortless, which we know is not the case. You'd also be interested to find out that these extra scenes give a very cool functionality to the story, and establish future happenings that will occur in Catching Fire. Suzanne was right on the money when she said this movie is separate from the books, yet completely complimentary to them at the same time. Where so many books-to-film feel inadequate, The Hunger Games passes with flying colors.


Special Effects and CGI
     We are big fans of practical effects. It doesn't get used as much today, but it always yields supremely realistic results. The Hunger Games completely succeeds in the special effects department. There is such a difference with using practical effects versus CGI. This kind of restraint made it feel as if this fantastical world of the Capitol was within reach. In another director's hands, the old factory they filmed these scenes in would've been just walls upon walls of green screen, but it must be said that the practical sets don't go unnoticed.
     The only CGI used (that we could tell) is in The Capitol scenes, the fireballs themselves in the arena, and the mutts at the Cornucopia. It is a very thrilling experience to see a special effect that seems so real that you wonder if that might actually exist. The technology that was shown from the reaping to the Capitol is incredible. The Capitol scenes, no doubt, are the most CGI heavy scenes. Yet, despite this, it is still simple and realistic. As for the chariot scene, the fire on Cinna's designs for Katniss is beautiful, and just might take your breath away.
    The mutts, are very satisfactory. They are simple, and look as real as CG can bring. By being a simple design, the mutts don't suffer from looking fake. Fans may be a bit bummed that the most terrifying feature of the Cornucopia mutts are absent from the film, but I can assure you it might not have gone over well in the end. After much consideration, it's possible that entering that feature into the equation might have just looked too fake. It seems Gary Ross' supreme concern in all aspects of the film is making everything intensely realistic.

The Score

      I guess we are repeating ourselves, but it's also a fact we are huge fans of movie scores because they seem to act as the paintbrush for a film. The score was so beautifully understated. Next to other scores that may be fuller and more theatrical, The Hunger Games score seems almost minimalist. But it works in the movie's favor. The lack of score in District 12 gives the setting a fittingly hollow feeling. And when score did come in, it didn't overwhelm the scene but helped it along. The score is present when it needs to be. The movie is relatively quiet during scenes, in which there is no music under it at all. What this does is really convey the urgency and reality of the situation. The function of the score makes this movie feel very unHollywood, even independent. The score helps achieve this. But you can bet during huge moments such as the chariot scene, it delivers triumphant swelling music to accompany Katniss & Peeta's radiant capes of fire. The score does such a good job being where it needs to be and being absent where it should, makes you not even notice the incredible job it's doing to tell the story. This score complements the movie perfectly and never brought you out of a moment, but instead made you feel like you were in Panem as well. 

Costume Makeup

     While reading the books, you imagine such lavishness for the Capitol citizens, but when seeing the interpretation of this, the costumes are works of art in a way that we hadn't expected. The stark contrast between the overwashed, dull colors of District 12 and the garish, over the top clothes that the Capitol citizens wear is immediately evident from your first glance of Effie. The Capitol, though fashionable, look like they're on a haute couture runway in our history. You really do feel like Katniss the moment you see them when the tribute train arrives. "Do they really have no idea how freakish they look to the rest of us?"

     The makeup….is breathtaking. You will be quite startled when you see Peeta hiding in the riverbed. The makeup is so incredible, you'd think it was CGI. Everyone in the theatre was flabbergasted.  Same goes for the wounds in the arena, very realistic, believable, and pretty gross. But the most impressive out of this category just may be Peeta's camouflage. Bravo.

Acting Performance

Testimonial time! There was just too much we had to share about the acting:

Courtney: "WHOOOOAAA BUDDY. Everything is top notch in this movie. Truly. The best thing? The acting, by far. It's no surprise that Jennifer Lawrence's acting is out of this world, but every single actor in this movie gives an amazing performance. For many of us who have seen the film, no doubt the biggest surprise is Alexander Ludwig's performance. I see why he was cast. Really, I see why everyone was cast.  Even the lesser known tributes do a fantastic job. You won't just be sobbing at Rue's scene, you might just shed a few tears at the bloodbath. It's very realistic, and there's something about that scene that does not leave you. So realistic, so terrifying, and so tragic. Don't get me started on the chemistry between Jennifer and Josh. You can FEEL the sparks flying between their characters! Woody and Elizabeth deliver great comic relief, but just the right amount. Woody in particular, not only shows what Haymitch is all about, but his humanity. All cast members for ALL the awards!"

Tiffany: "In terms of acting, there was not a weak link among the cast. Each actor embodied their character in a way that I wholly believed them to be their character. As Katniss, Jennifer Lawrence made me feel what Katniss was feeling. When she breaks down, you feel her agony. But there was never a moment where I thought she was overacting. Lawrence has so much strength in her understatedness. Josh Hutcherson's portrayal of Peeta was understated as well. His natural charisma matches that of Peeta's in the books. There is so much that he conveys in a look; where words and lines of dialogue worked in the books, Hutcherson as Peeta told it in those looks. Liam Hemsworth brings an unexpected and much needed lightness to Gale, but still keeping in line with who that character is and what his convictions are. From the first minute we saw Woody Harrelson as Haymitch to the very end, I understood why he was Gary Ross's only choice; his take on Haymitch was interesting and really told so much of this complex character. Elizabeth Banks as Effie brings much needed comic relief to the movie; I've never seen her in a role like this before, with such a huge transformation, but she really impressed me. Donald Sutherland as President Snow was a subtle villain, forgoing the theatrics of more traditional villainy by making Snow seem as rational as possible. Donald Sutherland's Snow is not crazy, and that makes him all the more frightening. When it comes to the tributes, I could not praise Alexander Ludwig more. I didn't know what to expect from his portrayal of Cato, and I was especially blown away by him. He wasn't hired to be just another brute, and he wasn't just another model either. He really brought it and made Cato so very human. And Amandla Stenberg as Rue was sweet, lovable and clever; she was exactly how I imagined Rue to be."

Denise: "The acting is something I was very scared about, but I knew that I was in for a treat as soon as I saw Katniss and Prim interact. From Prim's nightmare on, I felt exactly what the characters felt. The pure fear on Prim's face when walking to sign into the Reaping, the happiness on Katniss' face in the woods, Peeta realizing he's been practically sentenced to death, Cato's rage, Snow's snake like eyes, everything was how I pictured it in the books, and these actors frankly shocked me. I had no idea how amazing the young cast was on their own. I have to admit, I didn't really start crying with Rue's final scene until Katniss gives herself time to mourn. Jennifer shows the anguish on her face that you can only feel when you've lost someone. Though everyone was amazing, Jennifer is something out of the past. She didn't seem like she was acting. She became Katniss Everdeen, The Girl on Fire."

Overall Feelings of the Film

Courtney: "My expectations were completely unattainable, yet they could have not done a better job. This movie is more than we could have hoped for. I usually never have a shortage of words, but this left me speechless."

Tiffany: "There were such high expectations for this movie that I was scared to see it. Surely nothing could live up to these expectations. But I was floored, with this movie and this cast far exceeding what I had thought I wanted. This is something that I've never seen before. I can honestly say I can't compare it to anything else. What you think you know about the movie, with all the trailers and clips that have been released, you really and truly don't. There is no way to explain what it feels like to watch The Hunger Games, to be in this world. Where other movies would focus on what is happening on the screen, this movie focuses on the consequences and emotion behind it all.

Denise: "Though no movie will ever be perfect for me, because books are perfection, the movie didn't annoy me the way the Harry Potter movies did. The changes they made were necessary, the acting was phenomenal, the look was perfect, it was a throughly enjoyable movie from opening scene to the credits."


What Fans Ought To Know Going In 
     Remember the message. The Hunger Games isn't about showing the violence. Excessive gore is not needed to get across the fact that violence is wrong. It is in how the characters react to the violence that tugs at our heartstrings, not the violence itself. This is the heart of what makes this movie so genius and what sets it apart as a truly unique film.
     We're all die hard fans here, but you guys MUST remember that this is a movie adaptation. Not everything can be in the movie, and yes things are changed to keep the movie going. Know that your favorite scene was cut or condensed or someone said something with one word different than it was in the books; Get over it. Seriously, it does not ruin the film. The film is its own separate entity. Let it be. Besides, it's not hard to see why these changes were made and it was all done with Suzanne Collins' approval. So please, guys, keep an open mind!

*And the usual things, don't make unnecessary noise, go pee before so you don't walk in front of someone's view, and bring lots of tissues, because you will cry.


-Reviewed by Courtney, Tiffany, and Denise