The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part I (2014)

There's a lot going on in this movie.  I don't necessarily believe they had to divide it into two parts, but it does allow for a lot more of the action sequences and time with the massive roster of side characters.

As an aside, I recently binge watched season two of Daredevil on Netflix.  I say that because I didn't realize that the actor who plays Foggy Nelson also plays the avox cameraman Pollux in Mockingjay until I re-watched the film.  Originally posted 17 Jan 15.   This is not nominated for anything at the Oscars this year, though it did get a Best Original Song nomination from the Golden Globes for "Yellow Flicker Beat" by Lorde.  I had the soundtrack for a couple of weeks before I saw the movie and the whole album is pretty decent.

I've been trying to see this since November but didn't actually accomplish it until last weekend.  I had read that the main criticism seemed to be the pacing.  People said it was slow and lacked the energy of the first two films.  I didn't notice any issues like that, though.  It is a deliberate story, yes, with less emphasis on a rush for survival but I didn't feel like it lagged.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) has been transported from the Hunger Games arena to the relative safety of District 13.  The leader, President Coin (Julianne Moore), wants her to become a symbol of the rebellion but Katniss is too traumatized by her experiences and guilt-ridden over leaving Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) behind.  She changes her mind after seeing the devastation President Snow (Donald Sutherland) has wreaked on her home district, committing to starring in propaganda films for Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman).  But as she becomes the mouthpiece of the oppressed, so Peeta becomes Snow's weapon against her.

I read the books right about when the first movie was being announced and I have been more and more impressed with the films as each one as come out.  Because of my prior knowledge of the plot, I was curious how they were going to divide it into two movies.  There was one particular scene (and I won't describe it because it is a major spoiler for people who have not read the book) that I wasn't sure if they were going to show, but it looks like they are saving it for Part II.  I approve and I am looking forward to the final installment because I enjoy hearing a theater full of people cry.