The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023) ✦ Full-Length Watchalong Reaction
Added 2024-09-17 19:00:09 +0000 UTCAnd we conclude this series! I think you all may be surprised by my final ranking of these films! I'm looking forward to your comments. Please enjoy! Thanks so much for joining me on this journey. [Direct link here.]
✦ KL
Comments
It was my first time watching of this film. I put it off, because I absolutely loathe prequels. 🤣 (Ironically, for me, George has to take a significant part but not the all encompassesing blame for that.) So to be fair, this was always going to be an uphill struggle for me. This had the unattainable task of being exceptional to win me over. There was just a little too much cringe, and average clichéd performances to raise this up. The effectiveness of retroactive storytelling has always been a problematic device to construct a narrative around for me. The goal of post evolving characters has too much protential for contrivance, when the aim is to protagonise the antagonist. It just doesn't feel unique enough anymore. We are just in direct contrast to one another for this one. Which is of course obviously absolutely fine and fun. You were smiles and enjoyment, and I was writhing in abject skin crawling frustration. With my head and eyes rolling back in annoyance at yet another 'understand the villian' piece. I gave this film most of my attention for just short of an hour and a half before I started troubleshooting a printer problem at the same time. 🤣 So that unresolved issue bares some of the weight of my key bashing grievance too. I'm glad that you enjoyed it however. Always nice to see that smile. 😁
Death Lego
2025-02-06 15:09:48 +0000 UTCExcellent, thanks! I hope we get more about how the games changed as well.
kaiielle
2024-09-23 19:16:24 +0000 UTCFrom what I've seen from Suzanne's interviews, I don't think we'll ever know what actually happened to Lucy. It was hinted a bit when she sings "The Ballad of Lucy Grey" that what happens to that Lucy is mystery. I think the not knowing will drive Snow mad, not being able to control it or tie up the loose ends. One thing I'm interested in learning more about is how the games changed from the victor just going back to life as it was to being a highly celebrate individual who has to go on Victory Tours and turn them into mentors. Hoping we see that more in the next book. Also the Dean was drinking Morphling, which is a morphine-like drug that a lot of the victors end up using to self-medicate. The woman who sacrificed herself for Peeta in Catching Fire was called a Morphling because of their addiction to the substance.
Breezy
2024-09-23 18:44:18 +0000 UTCYes I'm very excited to read the book to get more insight on him!
kaiielle
2024-09-22 18:41:20 +0000 UTCIt's my favourite film in the Hunger Games series, too. You're not alone) Considering the book, which I read after seeing the film, the film could have been better, but it's hard to put everything that was in the book into even 2 hours and 30 minutes. And they couldn't go to the trouble of splitting the story into two films - it wouldn't have paid off. In the book there are more details and from the first pages we can know Corio's thoughts, which are not so good, and his intentions don't seem so selfless anymore. I when I watched the film for the second time - I realised that initially there was very little good in Corio's character, his intentions were selfish from the start, and most importantly there was no empathy for people. In the film, we can't hear his thoughts, but still I think they made Corio's character more positive than he is in the book. All the actors played very well. Tom Blyth did a fantastic job. And I loved the songs in the film, although I'm not usually a big fan of songs in films, but here they all mattered and Rachel has a lovely voice. And how amazing it was to see those events described in the Hanging Tree song that Lucy Gray wrote.
Alina B
2024-09-22 17:59:55 +0000 UTCOh excellent! Yes I will be reading the books. I am actually tempted to pause my current reading of The Expanse series and dive into The Hunger Games starting this weekend.
kaiielle
2024-09-18 21:17:23 +0000 UTCI love sympathetic villains. Snow is definitely on that list now!
kaiielle
2024-09-18 21:17:02 +0000 UTCSang LIVE?! Wow, my respect has gone up. Ahh yeah Snow trying to erase Lucy makes sense. I can't wait to rewatch that scene of The Hanging Tree with Katniss! Oohhhhh a family theory, we love that! Thanks for watching along! What a movie to pick as your first. Appreciate you being here.
kaiielle
2024-09-18 21:16:44 +0000 UTCGuarantee he did.
kaiielle
2024-09-18 21:15:36 +0000 UTCLucy absolutely feels like the "celeb" of District 12 and her actions directly impacted future generations. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 50th Hunger Games, hmmm. That will be fun!
kaiielle
2024-09-18 21:15:28 +0000 UTCI hope you do get to read the books cause in the books you can read his thoughts and what he's actually thinking when he's saying nice ish things lol which you can't exactly show that in a movie and it shows quite a deeper understanding on how he "turned" into someone evil
Nabila Rahmani
2024-09-18 15:27:25 +0000 UTCA decent prequel . I just hated how I kinda liked snow as a teenager but then changed after he went crazy 😭
C. J. Ramirez
2024-09-18 12:57:03 +0000 UTCCatching Fire is still my number one favorite movie of the series but this prequel is a very close second!! Rewatches of the original films have definitely been enhanced after this movie for me. Rachel Zegler as Lucy Grey was fantastic and it was indeed her singing throughout the film. She sang live on set for most of, if not all, of her takes and it does add to the authenticity of LG’s performances. As for if she was mentioned in previous movies, she was not to the best of my recollection. However, in the original trilogy of books Katniss states that there were only two victors from District 12 before her and Peeta- Haymitch and an unnamed woman. It is said that Snow did his best to erase LG from Panem history in every way possible. And to that end, he was most likely beyond shocked to hear Katniss singing The Hanging Tree song. It is theorized that LG’s cousin, Maude Ivory is Katniss’ grandmother (both Katniss’ mom and Prim happen to look just like her) and MI supposedly taught Katniss’ father the words of The Hanging Tree. LG performed the song once publicly and was told never to sing it again. It also happens to be an Everdeen family trait that they are able to recall a song’s lyrics and tune after hearing it once- a trait supposedly passed down from MI, to Katniss’ dad, and to Katniss herself. As for LG’s ultimate fate, I would recommend reading William Wordsworth’s poem “Lucy Grey” which was published in 1799- or listen to the Lucy Grey songs (part 1 & 2) on the soundtrack of this film which is the poem almost word for word in music form. The movie character was named after the LG in the poem and when Snow asks his Lucy Grey as to her fate in the scene by the lake, she replies that it is a mystery, just like herself. And if that isn’t foreshadowing, idk what is! lol. This is my first full watch along with you KL and I was not disappointed!! Keep up the good work!!
Nicole
2024-09-18 06:21:06 +0000 UTCCame back to add that maybe that's why Snow insisted he and Katniss promise to never lie to each other, because he saw so much of Lucy in her
Nathan Jasper, the Artist Formerly Known as Primary
2024-09-17 22:16:47 +0000 UTCLove the parallel of young Snow looking down at a cockroach just like he'd eventually look down on the rest of the world. Hunter Schafer being in this film is so, so wonderful. She's got that upbeat happiness that is missing from the world. Not to mention she's a wonderful person herself. She's the perfect contrast to Snow who, as we know from the other films, eventually loses his humanity, happiness, and compassion. I need a Crazy Viola Davis spin-off please. The second she cackles on-screen, a chill runs down the spine. She's obviously trouble but she's so interesting. Lucy Gray is so fitting to be Snow's mentee. He's a snake and she knows how to wrangle snakes. Sing on, Lucy Gray. I wonder if she was the stuff of legend in District 12. Maybe that's why Katniss bowed just like her? Might have been a hero to the people. Lucretious reminds me of Jeremy Piven a little, if he was pompous and super into illegal amounts of mousse and hairspray. Huh. Treat people like shit and they fight back. Imagine that. Glass to the throat is quicker than she probably deserved but at least she got something. I like that touch of "when your tribute dies" not IF. Lucretious already knows better and it's his first time hosting! Interesting how the Games at this point were more Colosseum than Survivor. It makes sense, the games were created to be a fight to the death. Of course they'd draw from the gladiator days. Throughout all of this, I keep thinking about what Finnick said in Mockingjay Part 1 - that Snow got his status and power with poison. But poison against who? There's lots of people against him. I love how much compassion Lucy has. After that performance with the snakes, there's no doubt she's a legend in District 12. Katniss did know The Hanging Tree song, after all! "Besides me"? Why would you put yourself in that position, Lucy? I get you're mistrusting and upset but jeez, read the room and play along until the opportune moment. Remember what old Snow said? "It's the things we love that destroy us." - seems like he was using Peeta against Katniss just like Lucy was used against him. Ah, so Snow's father ultimately created the Games. Bad blood runs in the family. And now we see what poison Finnick was talking about. Nothing to stand in the way now. So, I do know that there is a sixth book and the movie rights have already been bought and talks have begun. All I know is it's set on the 50th Hunger Games. I have no idea what it could possibly be about, if we'll se this guy as Snow again or someone else, what the story is, who knows. Guess we'll just have to wait and see. Catching Fire is still my favorite but all the films are solid entries, including this one. Glad you enjoyed the series! It's been fun watching these with you!
Nathan Jasper, the Artist Formerly Known as Primary
2024-09-17 22:10:00 +0000 UTC
