Catching Fire Movie

*Disclaimer: This post contains "spoilers", so if you haven't read the book or seen the movie, you may not want to read it.*

So, this past weekend, I went and saw the film version of one of my favorite books, Catching Fire (book 2 of the Hunger Games Trilogy).  I was thrilled with the adaptation.  The filmmakers paid very careful attention to so many details.  It's always difficult to translate the written word into a visual experience, especially when the majority of the novel is all inside Katniss' head.  But, wow, the film made everything come to life so spectacularly.  Here is a rundown of my top 10 favorite parts and a few of the things I felt were missing or didn't work for me.

Top 10 Scenes (in the order they appeared in the film)

1. Katniss' conversation with President Snow at her home.  
2. Conversation between Katniss and Prim when collecting snow for Gale's wounds.
3. Conversation between Katniss and Haymitch after the Quarter Quell is announced.
4. Katniss' first conversation with Finnick.  It is almost word-for-word what takes place in the book.
5. Katniss' demonstration with the bow and arrow and the computer animated attackers.  Fantastic!
6. The first encounter with Johanna in the elevator.  Hilarious.
7. The TV show scene--the interviews with the other tributes; Katniss' prep; the Mockingjay outfit reveal; Peeta's bombshell about the "pregnancy"; and all the tributes holding hands as a united front before the screen goes black.  All so very good.
8. When Peeta holds the morphling and eases her into her death.  I cried.
9. The last scene between Peeta and Katniss, when he gives her the locket and they share the "real" kiss.  
10. When President Snow realizes he's been deceived.  Yeah, baby!

A Few Things I Didn't Like

• I felt it was too apparent all along that Plutarch Heavensbee was on the "good side".  Throughout the book, you have absolutely no idea he's a part of the rebellion.

• No mention of Darius or the Avox.  

• The omission of the scene in the woods when Katniss meets Twill and Bonnie and learns about the possibility of a District 13.  I always liked that she knew about it and wanted to run away there before they actually end up there after the games.

I think that's it!  I really liked the movie and felt it did justice to the story told in the book.  All in all, 5 out of 5 stars.  Definitely adding this one to my collection when the BluRay is released in the spring.  And, hurry up November 2014--MOCKINGJAY!