Wrath of the Games

Let's get one thing straight - I don't read books. But I'm not oblivious to hype and I've heard people of all ages, genders, and types enjoying The Hunger Games trilogy. And then when my friend, whom I trust as a literary snob, said she loved it, I gave in. I read the first book over the course of one round-trip plane ride and I finished the second book this morning. I expect to be done with the trilogy by this time next week. I can't recommend these books enough - particularly in the first one, the teen angst is amazing and I love it.  This is a movie that has a mall tour, people - I'm too old for this shit!  BUT I'M NOT!

Let's get another thing straight. I'm Team Peeta and I won't hear any arguments in the other direction. The movie is great, but for once in my life I can actually be one of those people who is all, "The book is better."  Well, of course the book is going to be better.  The movie is based on the admittedly-odd premise that once a year, kids are sent into an arena for a televised fight to the death. There is only one victor. Honestly, I can see televised fights to the death being a real thing in the future, it's the kids thing I think is weird. Anyway, it's about a girl named Katniss sent into the arena with a fellow resident, Peeta. I also hate books with characters with weird names, which also held me back from reading them.  I got over it.  Katniss rules plain and simple. She's not gonna sit back and whine like Bella Swan. Hell, she'd shoot an arrow through that girl's heart.

Anyway, the book is naturally better because it's more in-depth.  If anything, I think the movie was missing most of the angsty romance I loved so much in the book.  You don't get as much of the on-the-brink-of-death-starvation experience either - both before and during the Games. Too many sequences are shortened, and it's nice to have read the book to fill in the blanks. It's hard to be objective about it, but it was still great and it was cool to see the awesome characters brought to life. Mike didn't read it and he liked it. I just had to answer a few questions for him, but really that's the norm around here.

Now, because marriage is about compromise, we followed The Hunger Games with Wrath of the Titans.  Fun fact: the electronic board at the theater called it Wrath of the Tit -- that movie sounds awesome.  This sequel is the same movie as the first. With more volcano. And more of me falling asleep during fight sequences.  I really can't believe they made a second one.  Skip it!