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TV show review: CONTINUUM season 4
PHOTOGRAPHY
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE (2013)
Movie review by David Blackwell

146 minutes, rated PG-13
STUDIO: Lionsgate/ Color Force
Theatrical RELEASE DATE:  11-22-2013/ 11-21-2013 (US sneak previews)

STARRING Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Stanley Tucci, Jena Malone, Sam Claflin, Amanda Plummer, Lynn Cohen
SCREENPLAY by Simon Beaufoy and Michael Ardnt
based on the novel by Suzanne Collins
DIRECTED by Francis Lawrence
Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is still recovering from the 74th Hunger Games when she and Peeta (Mark Hutcherson) go on tour of the 12 Districts of Panem.  She is visited by President Snow (Donald Sutherland) at the Victors Village in District 12 and he urges her to play up the romance between her and Peeta or her family (and loved ones) will be killed.   The tour of the Districts shows people rising up against the Capitol as they see Katniss as a symbol of hope and rebellion.  Soon Katniss and Peeta are thrown into the third Quarter Quell for the 75th Hunger Games as President Snow is looking for a way to rid Panem of what the Victors stand for.

CATCHING FIRE is a worthy follow up to THE HUNGER GAMES as Francis Lawrence puts his own mark on the sequel as a director (he will be back to direct Part 1 and 2 of MOCKINGJAY).  The story is expanded as it explores the emotional side of the characters and the politics of Panem.  Jennifer Lawrence is great as Katniss again while Josh Hutcherson is a little better as Peeta this time while Liam Hemsworth gets the short shaft again for his character Gale, but they do feature Prim's cat a little bit more this time.  Also Jena Malone is fantastic as Johanna Mason for the screen time the character has in CATCHING FIRE and she impresses me more than Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair (who I am more impressed with in the book than the movie).   I would definitely want to see CATCHING FIRE again and revisit THE HUNGER GAMES on Blu-ray.   

CATCHING FIRE is one of the better adaptations of a book and I hope they keep it up as they adapt MOCKINGJAY into two movies (and not flat in some places like when Summit split BREAKING DAWN into two movies).  The adaptation of CATCHING FIRE hits the right beats in the story even though they again rush the first part of the story like they did with the adaptation of THE HUNGER GAMES.   I know film and novels are different mediums, but I hope they do have an extended version or some deleted scenes for CATCHING FIRE.  Go see it once or maybe even twice because this sequel is on fire as one of the best book to film adaptations I have ever seen.

this movie review is (c)11-24-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  send all comments and questions to feedback@enterline-media.com and visit the tumblr at http://enterlinemedia.tumblr.com/ for additional content