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S3:E14 Catching Fire (2013 Film)
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The spark has officially caught fire! We’re kicking off Next Chapter November, our month-long theme where we continue the series we started back in Season 2, with Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins and its explosive movie adaptation. This episode dives back into the world of Panem for the 75th Hunger Games, where survival means rebellion and no one is safe.
Hosted by Lindsey with co-hosts Crystal and Keri.
Books & Adaptations Mentioned:
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Question of the Episode:
- Since we've gotten two spinoffs, is there another tribute from the Hunger Games that you want a book about?
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Thanks for listening to Based on a Book—see you in the next chapter!
Chapters:
(00:00) Introductions
(01:29) Ratings and Non-Spoiler Discussion
(07:04) Book vs Movie Breakdown (SPOILERS)
(1:18:52) Final Verdict
(1:21:34) Question of the Episode
Recommended
Transcript
Podcast Introduction & 'Catching Fire' Overview
00:00:07
Speaker
Welcome listeners to Based on a Book, the podcast where stories fight to survive from printed page to the silver screen. I'm Lindsay, and I'm back to escort you through the 75th Hunger Games quarterquill.
00:00:20
Speaker
I'm k Crystal, and I've learned that when you volunteer for things, sometimes it's a lifetime commitment. I'm Carrie, and if anyone wants to sponsor me with emotional support as we continue through the Hunger Games, it would be greatly appreciated.
00:00:37
Speaker
And this episode marks the start of our next chapter November. And we ended our first in a series with The Hunger Games.
00:00:47
Speaker
And now we return to the arena with Suzanne Collins' fiery sequel, Catching Fire.
Return to District 12: Sparks of Rebellion
00:00:53
Speaker
After the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Malark have returned to District 12 as victors, but their defiance in the arena has sparked something far bigger than they ever intended.
00:01:07
Speaker
As whispers of rebellion spread across Panem, President Snow tightens his grip on power and reminds Katniss that her every move has consequences.
00:01:18
Speaker
When the Capitol announces the 75th Hunger Games, the Quarter Quill, Katniss soon learns that surviving once doesn't mean she's free. And this time, the games aren't just about survival, they're about revolution.
00:01:35
Speaker
So, before we dive back into the arena, let's talk about how Catching Fire held up for each of us.
Emotional Reactions to 'Catching Fire'
00:01:43
Speaker
I want to start with Crystal.
00:01:46
Speaker
Oh. As expected, i spent this entire read crying. I was putting it off because I knew that it was going to be an emotional gut punch.
00:01:59
Speaker
And it was. um But I give it five loaves of bread. It was really good. It was really good. Worth every tear. Uh, same.
00:02:11
Speaker
I mean, it is freaking incredible. i love that this is a reread that holds up, especially, i mean, I think I talked about this in first episode for Hunger Games.
00:02:25
Speaker
It's a young adult dystopian that's, you know, older that holds up with age. And I gave it.
00:02:36
Speaker
This is a six star read for me. So I gave it six Mocking J's. Same rating that I used before. yeah it holds up. And honestly, like I was really thinking about this and, you know, some people still haven't read The Hunger Games. And if you're like at this point as an adult, um I don't know if I want to read this young adult series or even if you've, you know, watched the movies and maybe don't want to, you know, I've never thought to pick up the books.
00:03:03
Speaker
Pick up the freaking book, man. Read Pick up the book and read it. I'm telling you, it's incredible. it's for everybody.
00:03:13
Speaker
You won't regret it. It's for everyone. It is so freaking good. I've got a million tabs in this book, man. I'm telling you, is amazing. And it it's like, I feel my Hunger Games obsession every time we like dive back in.
00:03:32
Speaker
I can feel it just growing and growing. And I just like, I've been sending edits to you guys constantly ever since I picked this up again. And I just, I'm obsessed and I freaking love it.
00:03:43
Speaker
who So good. yeah I gave this one five mocking jays.
Comparing Book and Movie Differences
00:03:50
Speaker
So I'm right there with you. and This was a reread for me, but for some reason I didn't remember anything.
00:03:58
Speaker
and once again i fell in love with it again just like hunger games and i was so surprised i was like why wasn't i reading this over and over and over again like this is so good right it's crazy it like like i said i can't believe that this reread holds up so well and i've never picked it up i think i mean we were kind of talking about this before that it I read it so long ago, the entire like series kind of feels like mushed together for me. And the movie kind of falls into the book series for me in my memory.
00:04:40
Speaker
So it was kind of hard for me to remember any significant differences between the book series and the movie series. And just rereading this, I'm like, oh, my freaking God.
00:04:52
Speaker
This book series is incredible, like on its own. It's so good. And I've watched these movies like so many times. Like I've rewatched them, like especially Catching Fire.
00:05:05
Speaker
Love this movie. This is literally my favorite movie in the first three because disclaimer, we have not read the two newest books. So we, so don't spoil us, okay? So we have not read those two newest books. so A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and No Sunrise on the Reaping. None of that.
00:05:26
Speaker
We have not read those yet. We will in the future, but we haven't read them. And this one I've just rewatched so many times because it's just so good.
00:05:39
Speaker
and I'm like, I can't believe I haven't been rereading it. Like, that's so crazy to me. I think that ah think this movie is the highest rated movie out of all of them. maybe not Maybe not the newest one, but out of the original series.
00:05:55
Speaker
Yeah, I can't remember. I don't think I really rewatched Mockingjay lot. Maybe like once or twice. But like, I honestly can't remember Mockingjay ton.
00:06:07
Speaker
Like the movies. Catching Fire, I know from beginning to end. yeah Like that movie is everything. I don't even remember any of the movies. i remember movie. own them all.
00:06:21
Speaker
Yeah. I remember this movie. I watched it a lot. at least a handful of times but it has been quite a few years and so watching it again it like there weren't any parts that surprised me i remembered them but there were definitely parts that like felt heavier this time around i think because i read the book you know what i mean yeah and the book i don't just feels a little bit It goes into a lot more depth for a lot of things. And so some of the things that happen in the movie, you don't realize the weight of them without some of the backstory.
00:07:00
Speaker
and yeah And so it was really um just hit me really hard. This rewatch after having read it. Yeah, for sure. Totally agree.
Visualizing Trauma: Book vs. Movie
00:07:10
Speaker
Well, I know we have a lot to get into, and I know there's a lot that we want to talk about. So before we get into spoilers, was there anything else we wanted to talk about?
00:07:23
Speaker
I'm ready to get into the spoilers. I have so many notes. Let's do it. so All right. Before we dive into the breakdown, here is your spoiler warning.
00:07:34
Speaker
From this point forward, we'll be discussing Catching Fire in full, including major plot points from both the book and the movie. So if you haven't read or watched it yet, this is your chance to pause, catch up, and then come back to join the conversation. Yeah.
00:07:50
Speaker
And just as a quick content warning, Catching Fire includes themes of violence, death, government oppression, and trauma. We'll be touching on those topics throughout our our discussion, so please listen with care.
00:08:04
Speaker
and So we're going to immediately start off with the book and the movie, starting about six months after Katniss and Peeta's victory in the 74th Hunger Games.
00:08:18
Speaker
In the book, Katniss spends time hunting and trying to adjust to her new life in the Victor's village. And we get a lot of her internal thoughts, how uneasy she feels about fame, how she misses her old life, and how much the games still haunt her.
00:08:35
Speaker
And in the movie, that same trauma is shown visually instead of through narration. And we open with Katniss in the woods. She's clearly shaken.
00:08:46
Speaker
She's suffering from flashbacks. And it is an emotional start that basically sets the tone immediately. yeah how did How did you guys feel about the movie visualizing her trauma?
00:09:02
Speaker
i plug I think that it's still it definitely worked. I think, you know... Something I've really noticed, and i kind of talked to you guys about this a little bit already, but I'm really noticing, and it's it's standing out more to me in this book.
00:09:21
Speaker
It already kind of was like touching on it more in Hunger Games, but it's really pushing it more and catching fire where I'm not picturing
00:09:35
Speaker
Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss. Yeah. I'm not picturing her. And that's not to say that Jennifer Lawrence isn't doing an incredible job in Catching Fire. Like, I love these movies and I think that they do such a great job in this adaptation.
00:09:53
Speaker
But it almost feels like two different people. Katniss is very different in the book. She's so much more innocent to the point where the her trauma...
00:10:08
Speaker
Feels so much more. Heartbreaking in the book to me. Because she feels so much younger. Yeah. There's a sweetness. She feels so much younger. Yeah there's like a sweetness to it. Childlike innocence.
00:10:22
Speaker
ye Yeah there's like an innocence to her. When all this trauma. has had This terrible thing. That she is going through. That she should never be going through.
00:10:33
Speaker
Is happening to her. And she still has like. this innocence to her and the way that she's processing it feels very innocent. And the way that we're seeing it on the movie, the way that she's processing it feels more like an adult processing it, in my opinion. Yeah. I think it's kind of shown like where she kind of feels like she's like the adult in her household. Yeah.
00:11:03
Speaker
I think and when we see it on screen, I think that is like a major difference that I'm noticing, especially like even in the beginning, like right when we're starting off in the story.
00:11:15
Speaker
now i agree. i I feel like in the story, we get a lot more of her almost as though in her trauma, she's reverting back to childhood, being more willing to rely on her mother, which she wasn't before being more willing to seek out the comfort of the adults in her life, Greasy Say, and and even Gail to to kind of rely on people a little bit more than she had before.
Katniss' Portrayal: Book vs. Movie
00:11:46
Speaker
But in the movie, we see her almost pulling away, being more introverted, being, you know, more withdrawn and more having to take on that adult role right that hyper independence you know it's almost like she just dives even further into it and like you said jennifer lawrence pulls off a katniss really well these movies are great but i don't think it's the same katniss that we see in the book yeah what do you think lindsey Yeah, kind of like what Carrie was saying.
00:12:15
Speaker
I didn't realize until I was reading Catching Fire that as I'm reading it, i'm I'm not picturing Jennifer Lawrence. And it's not like you said, she is embodying this character, but I am picturing someone younger.
00:12:28
Speaker
Much younger. aha and And even though we know in the book that she's 16, 17 in these these first two, it feels like we're almost talking to like a 12 13 14 year old at times because she you know like her mom is saying that like you're too young to date anyone she is shy about Joanna's you know getting naked in the elevator what you know like she she's shy and innocent she's really super innocent
00:13:02
Speaker
I think she has an innocence socially, but like she doesn't have and and necessarily an innocence about life because she has had to do a lot of things to survive. Right. It's just an interesting dynamic. Except give CPR because she doesn't know what CPR is. yeah Sure didn't. No. She's like, what is doing? Why is he kissing Peter?
00:13:29
Speaker
My God.
00:13:32
Speaker
so in early scenes of the movie, Katniss is wearing like this weird wool garment. Yeah. I, I want to say, this is my theory. I want to say that's where they're trying to incorporate,
00:13:47
Speaker
the almost subplot from the book where all of the victors are supposed to have this talent and Peeta's painting and hers is designing clothing.
Katniss vs. President Snow: Portrayal Analysis
00:13:59
Speaker
Right. no when I want to say this was her design. Yeah. That she's wearing. I was trying to, cause it's like a one armed thing too. Like, and part of me was like, maybe that's on purpose to allow better ease of movement using the bow, but it was like the wrong arm. So.
00:14:17
Speaker
Maybe not. I don't know. It was weird. What is this vest thing going on? But I kind of liked it and I want one now. So i just looked warm and fuzzy and cozy. And i I instantly was like, I wonder if I could make that.
00:14:31
Speaker
If Katniss can make it, you can make it. Yeah, for sure. For sure. first sir And then in the story, President Snow personally visits Katniss in both the book and the movie.
00:14:45
Speaker
And he tells her that her defiance in the arena has sparked rebellion and that she must convince everyone that she is in love with PETA or Snow's going to take everyone out.
00:14:58
Speaker
And this honestly is another thing that I feel is big representation between the difference between the book and the movie of Katniss. In the book, we have Katniss is like, okay, yes, I will do like everything. i will do exactly what you tell me because I don't want like my family, anything happened to my family. I don't want anything to happen to Gail.
00:15:18
Speaker
Because, you know, Snow also shows that he saw her and Gail kissing and, like, all this stuff because he Gail kissed her the second he saw her come back and all everything.
00:15:29
Speaker
And, you know, he's like she's like, I'll do exactly what you tell me to. In the movie, the way that Jennifer Lawrence is playing Katniss, she has this, like, very straight-faced, you know, stoic personality where she's just standing there and she's, like,
00:15:47
Speaker
Trying to like not show any emotion. in this conversation. Trying to show that nothing affects. Her what he's saying. Like I'm not going to show. That what you're saying bothers me.
00:16:01
Speaker
are what part of your sentences. Are emotionally affecting me. And then I'm gonna. You know wrap my head around it later. Kind of conversation.
00:16:15
Speaker
and like She's almost butting heads with him in a way, like trying to get an upper hand almost in the conversation.
00:16:27
Speaker
yeah She's much more competitive in the movies. I'm really noticing that watching this, that she's kind of playing a different character. like It's still Katniss, but she's taking the personality on differently. like i I like this personality. I really enjoy it, but it is different.
00:16:47
Speaker
I don't think I could have pictured Jennifer Lawrence being the sweet Katniss though. Yeah. I don't think she could have pulled that off. And so I like that she didn't, she was just like, let's just take this in a different direction. i don't, yeah you know, i think and it really worked.
00:17:02
Speaker
It pushes the opposites between Katniss and Peeta more. I think. Yes. For our eyes in the movie. I think we see it more how opposite they are because they,
00:17:16
Speaker
how Jennifer Lawrence is playing this character.
Absent Characters in the Movie
00:17:19
Speaker
One small detail that was different between the book and the movie is when Katniss comes home and she doesn't know President Snow was there. She comes through the door and her mom asks, how was your walk?
00:17:34
Speaker
And she was like, why is she asking me how my walk was? she She knows what I was doing. And as she goes to answer, she realizes there's someone else in the home and she's like able to flip her answer and kind of cover up what she was doing and she's like my walk oh it was more can't remember exactly what she said like speak or something like that because it's icy uh-huh and then in the movie she starts to question her mom and Prim is like we have visitors i was like yeah that's gonna give you away more than Katniss saying anything but okay yeah true also in the very beginning of the book we are introduced to a character that we don't even see
00:18:18
Speaker
in the movie at all Darius who I think this is a interesting dynamic who is a peacekeeper who actually is like I don't want to say friendly I want to say like an acquaintance type he's still a peacekeeper Right. But he's like, he still buys things like from people in District 12 and like, you know, he talks to people. He's somewhat friendly to other people, but he's still a peacekeeper. You know what I mean? He shops in the Hob.
00:18:50
Speaker
Right. yeah he shops in the Hob and everything. And Darius, you know, we meet him in the beginning and he, you know, follows Katniss around a lot too. And that character is not in the movie at all. And he becomes significant later.
00:19:06
Speaker
Really, none of the AVOX, I believe that's what they're called, the AVOX, are in the movies. like Because they're in The Hunger Games as well, in the first book. Right. Yeah.
00:19:17
Speaker
yeah And we see them in the movie, but there's no... There's no indication that we're supposed to know what's going on with that. Yeah. I think they're in the background or something. Wearing weird masks.
00:19:31
Speaker
yeah there's Yeah. There's a specific scene in I think it's like the the room that they're staying in at the training center. when haymitch is talking to katniss and pita about their plan what they're gonna do and there's someone in the background and if you're just watching the movies and you don't know right what's going on you're like oh you're just telling all your secrets in front of this person you you don't know that they don't have a tongue and they can't speak yeah yeah um But both the book and the movie feature the victory tour where Katniss and Peeta travel through the districts.
Impactful Speeches: District 11
00:20:08
Speaker
In District 11, Katniss gives an emotional speech about Rue and Thresh and Peeta offers part of his winnings to their families. And an older man begins the chain of salutes from the crowd.
00:20:25
Speaker
And then the man is executed in front of everyone. Mm-hmm. Yeah, that honestly, I forgot in the movie that they showed their images because I don't think that's in the book where they show like their images in the background. I don't think so.
00:20:41
Speaker
That got me. Oh, no, that got me, man. I was like, oh my gosh, that hurt really bad. It was literally in the beginning, even before they go on the tour, Katniss has like She's looking at Prim doing something and she has kind of a flashback to Rue and I was bawling.
00:21:00
Speaker
I was instant crying. um and But then when they get to District 11 and they're giving like their little speech to... And their little tribute to the 11... District 11 tributes that died, Rue and Thresh, I...
00:21:15
Speaker
Just bawling. Just crying. The whole time. Yeah, this part really got me. Yep. Something that I think is interesting is, like, okay, so when read with this reread, what I'm really doing is I'm trying to pick, because I know that we have a Haymitch book coming.
00:21:34
Speaker
So I'm paying attention to everything that Haymitch is doing and really trying to mark down of what I need to know about the future. And I will say, I have not seen any spoilers of Haymitch's book. I'm really trying to avoid them because I don't want to know anything.
00:21:51
Speaker
But something I did notice in the book and the movie is Haymitch kind of knowing his way around District 11 little bit.
00:22:02
Speaker
Yes. I noticed that too. So he, right after this happens, he like pulls them into like an attic space and even Katniss says like, how does he know that this is up here?
00:22:16
Speaker
I'm like, what does this mean? Like, why does he know his way around here? i mean, he may just like, you know, he's been doing this for a while, but he knew his way around that area.
00:22:30
Speaker
And who knows all- crawlspace area. Right. And if all justice buildings are built similarly, you know. Who knows? Yeah. Who knows? I thought the same thing, though.
00:22:41
Speaker
Yeah. At this point, you know- Something like we saw Peeta and Katniss, like they were like kind of struggling because they were like kind of avoiding each other. And like Katniss is having like this internal conflict about, you know, her home in District 12 and then how she was in the games and then they have this like moment together where he's like if you i forget what he says he goes if you stop looking at me like i'm wounded i can stop acting like it right and so they have this moment of being like okay i'm not gonna hold you to anything that you said in the games and obviously pita cares about her so much
00:23:27
Speaker
And he's like, I just want us to move on and be friends so we can get through this. And he knows how much, you know, she cares about Gail, too. And she's having this internal conflict between Peeta and Gail, which... Don't get me started on that.
00:23:44
Speaker
I can go on way too long about that, but I'll wait on it. I completely forgot to mention when...
00:23:53
Speaker
Oh, maybe it wasn't at this part. I was thinking of when they reunite the first time on cameras. And they slip and fall.
00:24:05
Speaker
In the book, she runs to him and knocks him over. And in the movie, it looks more like they throw each other on the ground. Like, it doesn't look passionate. Like a wrestling move. yeah It's John Cena. Yeah.
00:24:21
Speaker
yo I just know because Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence are like such good friends in real life. And like they loved like working together during this movie. I just know they were probably like dying laughing at that. Absolutely.
00:24:34
Speaker
And they're both really big klutz. I'm sure they were tripping and falling. That was probably real. Yeah. Could have been real. Love She probably just like threw him to the ground.
00:24:48
Speaker
Yuck. Oh my god. It's great. Love it. ah But then in both versions, Peeta proposes to Katniss publicly...
00:24:59
Speaker
in hopes of convincing the Capitol that their love is real. And this actually hurt me, okay? So this actually really hurt my soul because, you know, literally, Hamish, like, so they make this decision to do that because they
Peeta's Proposal and Capitol Politics
00:25:16
Speaker
tell...
00:25:16
Speaker
So Katniss tells them, Hamish and Peeta, that she's like, what Snow has said. That he's going to do all this stuff because she has to convince everyone that the relationship is And she's going need your help convincing everyone. Yeah.
00:25:30
Speaker
Because ah this like a lot of people are trying to do an uprising right now because of her. So she needs to convince everyone that this relationship is real. And so she's like, why don't we get married then?
00:25:42
Speaker
And she's all like, you think he'd be happy. He's getting what he wants. Yeah. And Peeta, like, he's like, yeah, sure. And walks away and he's upset. And Haymitch, like, has to tell her, like, he wouldn't, he didn't want it like this.
00:25:56
Speaker
That hurt my soul. Yeah. That, that. that broke my heart and josh hutcherson in the movie does this so well like when he marches off so good yeah such a good part it really hurts me like i like pita i can't with pita like pita really gets me in everything that he does
00:26:25
Speaker
man he really does like all of his actions i can't like it literally will bring me to tears and it's not even so much like it's not even so much about like their romantic relationship sometimes it's just like their closeness through their bond through trauma that just like freaking gets me yep oh my gosh i can't so after the victory tour, Katniss returns home to District 12, and things are darker.
Choosing Between Rebellion and Stability
00:27:00
Speaker
more dangerous. um In the book, we get a new subplot where Katniss meets two refugees from District 8 who tell her about the failed uprising and the rumor that District 13 still exists.
00:27:14
Speaker
Okay. This is when, because I wasn't sure if I had read this book or not. When, like, i I kept thinking, I feel like I have, I feel like I have. But when we got to this part, that's when I was like, I have not read this.
00:27:26
Speaker
I have not, I did not know this. And so I was really glad to have a little bit of an an explanation because i feel like in the movie, we don't find out about that until the absolute end of the movie. And it kind of comes as this shock. Like, wait, what? Where did that come from?
00:27:46
Speaker
You know, and so knowing that this was already a rumor, Katniss had already kind of heard about it. And now she's actively looking for more clues that it might be there, that this might actually be happening. Because in the movie, Katniss although she knows that there's some uprisings happening, she seems to be in incredibly ignorant of any sort of organized rebellion.
00:28:17
Speaker
But in the book, she starts to see evidence of this between these two women. and then that like they had a biscuit or cracker that had the Mockingjay on it.
00:28:29
Speaker
and she's And they're like, you're the Mockingjay. It means we're with you. you know and and she was just kind of like, holy shit. This is more than just some uprising.
00:28:41
Speaker
hmm. You know, in the book, we literally see sprinkles of her reaction to seeing the Mockingjay like in random places. Right. Throughout the book.
00:28:52
Speaker
And like for a long time. And in the movie, I think she sees it whenever they're going into District 11. She sees it like almost spray painted on a wall really fast.
00:29:03
Speaker
And she's like, what the heck is that? But in the movie, she does see she oversees like security camera footage on the train a couple times. hmm. And at this point in the movie, she and in the book, she goes to Gail and she's like, they're having uprisings in these different areas.
00:29:25
Speaker
We need to go like we need to like run away or something. And, you know, Gail has his whole thing about that. Like, okay, so this is what my thing. but Okay, I need to get into this real quick.
00:29:38
Speaker
I need to get into this real quick. Because this is my thing. And, you know, I wrote this down because I had to put my thoughts together. And i already kind of talked to you guys about this. But...
00:29:50
Speaker
I really have to say this. Okay, so this is the difference between Gail and Peeta, and I think it shows in this exact moment in the story. Okay? And this is where I really, like, could see it with my eyes.
00:30:05
Speaker
And that realized I don't hate Gale. And I used to always be like, yeah, I don't like Gale, blah, blah, blah. You know what i mean? i mean, i won't say this will continue in the third book, okay?
00:30:17
Speaker
This may change in third book, but right now, from what I can remember, i don't hate him, okay? So don't come for me yet. I don't hate Gale because Gale is pretty much tunnel visioned. Okay.
00:30:30
Speaker
Right. reseliion And I think we see it really start to come forward in this, in this story at this moment, you know, he, and also kind of is like, you know, he's still like a teenage boy. Like he's like,
00:30:42
Speaker
Do you love me? you know, if we run away together and like all that stuff, you know what I mean? And we have to remember that he's young too. Yes, we have to remember that he's young too. And his hate for the Capitol helps fuel his own fire, you know.
00:30:58
Speaker
and he is just ready whenever someone tells him to start this thing. You know, he really is. And it's shown in this part of the story, which I think is not necessarily good because it's not smart.
00:31:13
Speaker
Because I think his way of doing it would die out quickly. Because there's like a bigger picture going on. Because there's like, you know, people are moving pieces on the chessboard at the moment. You know what I mean? Right.
00:31:26
Speaker
Not saying that there's not good reason for him to feel that way. And to go about it that way. um But I think there's a bigger picture going on. and I think Gale struggles to follow it because he's angry.
00:31:39
Speaker
Angry and rightfully so. See, I do hate Gail. Yeah. But it's for similar reasons. Because I feel like Gail is very much like everything to advance the cause, anything to advance the cause.
00:31:55
Speaker
who And Katniss, you know, his cause is revolution, rebellion, capital sucks, whatever.
00:32:06
Speaker
yeah And Katniss, on the other hand, is keep everyone safe. Anything to keep everyone safe. Yes. And Gil refuses. He doesn't care about safety.
00:32:19
Speaker
he He literally, he's like, who cares? If, you know, it doesn't matter if we keep five people safe, if everyone else has to die. And Katniss is basically like, we need to at least save someone. Mm-hmm.
00:32:33
Speaker
You know, and that's why i i think they're so different because they're very similar in that stubborn kind of fight to survive way. But he's willing to put everyone at risk and she's not.
00:32:47
Speaker
Yeah. i think that if I think that if Katniss and Gale were to like move forward together, Katniss dies in the end. Katniss does not survive in this series if she moves forward with Gale.
00:33:01
Speaker
And this is why I think PETA will always be superior. I think PETA will always be better for Katniss because like we said, Katniss and Gail are so similar.
00:33:16
Speaker
and i Like I said, I think that if she ran off with Gale, she wouldn't survive. And she survives with PETA.
Peeta's Supportive Role
00:33:24
Speaker
Because PETA is Katniss's balance. To the point that I think it makes her helps her make decisions in the future for the endgame that helps her survive.
00:33:34
Speaker
Yeah. And she survives for you know herself and, like you said, for other people. And also for her PETA like throughout this entire story.
00:33:48
Speaker
And I think she also needs someone that's an open book. Gail is not an open book. PETA is a completely open book. Yep. and that's And I said that.
00:34:00
Speaker
And I said what I said.
00:34:03
Speaker
Also, I think that yeah Gail will never understand the trauma about being... like He understands the trauma about being in District 12. And he he gets that. And Katniss can connect with him on that.
00:34:16
Speaker
But he will never understand the fact that she has to act a certain way with the people in the capital and in the capital two for survival as well. Yeah, he's just like, well, the games are over now. You're home. Let's get back to normal life. And she's like there're like, no, I'm stuck in this forever. I still have to play the part for the rest of my life.
00:34:36
Speaker
Like Haymitch said, you do not get off this train. The train does not end. Like you are here forever. You are in the games forever. Yep. You feel better now, Carrie? I do.
00:34:49
Speaker
ah really do. Because I was like always like in the mindset of like everyone getting so upset about this Gail-Pita thing. I was like, I'm really going to dive into this. I really need to dive into this and understand why he's better and have an explanation. Also, and i think it's right he bakes.
00:35:07
Speaker
And I'm not going to lie. There's something about a man that feeds a woman that I love. He's creative. He paints. He paints. And he doesn't tell her to stop. Like, she has these horrible nightmares. And he's not all like, you know get over it or, you know, whatever. or do you want to talk about it? Tell me all about them or any of that. he He's just like, yeah, I get them too.
00:35:37
Speaker
it sucks. It's going to be okay. You know, like She doesn't have to explain anything to him. Yeah. And he even says, like, he's like, I have nightmares about you.
00:35:48
Speaker
and then I feel better when I wake up and, like, knowing that you're here. And then that's how I get through it. i love PETA so much. It's just so good.
00:36:02
Speaker
So good. Oh, man. I love it. So the movie cuts out the entire subplot of yeah refugees from District 8.
Oppression in District 12
00:36:14
Speaker
ah But the movie does go... like, where are we at? i don't even know. Lindsay got notes. It's okay. She got a plan. I needed the notes. you But the movie does go directly into the the new Peacemaker... Peacemaker.
00:36:31
Speaker
The new Peacekeepers coming in and taking over District 12. They burn the hob. They basically starve them. for, ah you know, they're, like, the peacekeepers are there, like, they shut down the mines for, like, security upgrades or whatever. so like, nobody's making any money.
00:36:51
Speaker
They've burned down the hob so they can't, and they re-electrified the fence so nobody can go hunting. They, they like, starve District 12 for a hot minute. And right about the time that people are literally starting to die, they reopen the mines and get everybody back to work.
00:37:08
Speaker
Like, yeah. Which is basically what the rep the the District 8 girls said happened to them. who Yeah.
00:37:20
Speaker
So the the book actually builds up to the Quarter Quell It's more of a slow build. with the With the real sense of dread, um you get more of what is going on in District 12 before the games begin again. And Snow announces that the next games will draw tributes from the existing pool of victors.
Quarter Quell Announcement
00:37:46
Speaker
So immediately we know Katniss is going in again because she's the only female victor from District 12. And at this point, whenever they announce it on like the TV, Jennifer Lawrence does this part so well. Like her face, like slowly coming to realize what was just said hu and what this means for her.
00:38:12
Speaker
She did that so well. It was so good.
00:38:17
Speaker
I loved it. And then whenever, like, you know, she comes to realize that, okay, so we need to save PETA. Like, we need to save PETA through this. And she goes to see Haymitch because this means Haymitch is going to be drawn between Haymitch and PETA.
00:38:34
Speaker
And then I love this part where he's like, you know, he came freaking 45 minutes ago. He came 45 minutes ago begging to save your life and make sure that we save you.
00:38:45
Speaker
And he goes, you could live a hundred lifetimes and not deserve that boy. Period. You really could, Katniss. You really could. You could live a hundred lifetimes and not deserve him. Because he would do anything.
00:38:59
Speaker
The man, Gail was literally being whipped by these people. And he was out here trying to do everything he could to make sure, knowing how you and Gail were.
00:39:14
Speaker
And you in your head were ready to be like, I choose Gail. Like, this is Gail's my person. And the book. That's how was in the book. Like, we don't really, we can't really tell in the movie what the vibes are. But in the book, she's like, I'm picking Gail. Gail, I have to stick with Gail. Like, I can't let this ever, i can't be apart from him ever again.
00:39:32
Speaker
yeah you know, Peeta is like, whatever Katniss wants, I don't care. I just need to make sure that she's happy. Yep. Like, let me tell you, i hate Katniss too.
00:39:44
Speaker
Because here's Katniss. All I choose Gail. I choose Gail. Peeta, no matter what, this is fake between us. We're just doing this to survive. But also, will you hold me at night while I'm sleeping? Because I have these nightmares.
00:39:59
Speaker
And of course, Peeta's going to say yes, because Peeta's a fucking saint. and And she's all just like, there's nothing there's nothing there for you. But hold me. No, don't do that to him.
00:40:12
Speaker
That's not okay. So for real, she could live a hundred lifetimes and not deserve him. And she knows it. She knows it. That's why she's like, we have to save him.
00:40:24
Speaker
Yeah. He deserves it more than any of us. Yep. um the book also describes the previous quarter quells. So the quarter quell happens every 25 years.
00:40:35
Speaker
So it happened on the 25th hunger games, the 50th hunger games. And of course now we have the 75th and for the first quarter quell district members had to vote on who would be selected as the tributes and And the second quarter quail had twice as many tributes.
00:40:52
Speaker
Two boys and two girls from each district. And this is when it's revealed that Haymitch won the second quarter quail. Yeah, I was actually very surprised that we got an entire, basically, breakdown of Haymitch's games in Catching Fire.
Haymitch and Effie's Emotional Struggles
00:41:13
Speaker
Yeah. And I think that this... her name is maizley think who was also selected with him yep think that she is going to be like super significant in his book i'm pretty sure i hope so yeah i think katniss's mom is going to be more significant too yeah i think so yep yeah because she knows her so well she friends with maizley yeah yeah i think that's interesting i'm so excited for that i am too
00:41:47
Speaker
I'm terrified. so don't cry like I thought it was interesting also that like they knew that this was coming up. um So they all decided in the book to like they weren't going to be drinking. They were going to start training the three of them together. They start acting like...
00:42:07
Speaker
The careers. The career careers. Yeah. and And we don't get any of that in the movie. we I feel like in the movie they almost made it sound like this quarter quell was a whole new idea, a new concept. But like they've they've done the quarter quells twice before. yeah And we're also led to believe that the original makers of the game planned each one of the quarter quells twists in advance. But we know that that probably ain't true. Yeah.
00:42:36
Speaker
No. at least not for this year's. Yeah, definitely not. But I really liked that ah we get to see that more behind the scenes of how the games were created originally.
00:42:51
Speaker
And that I really liked that here we have the three of them preparing for this. like And and they're making they're making Hamish not drink. And he's going along with it. like Hamish is even in on this like, okay, we're going whatever it takes. we're go One of us is going to survive.
00:43:08
Speaker
That's how know it's serious. For real. One thing I didn't like about the book and I liked more in the movie was when they select the names.
00:43:20
Speaker
I was going to talk about this. Yeah, that's so like in my brain. that part in the movie where, you know, she really like Katniss really wants it to be Haymitch because she doesn't even want PETA in the games, you know?
00:43:34
Speaker
Right. And so she knows that if PETA's name is drawn, because it's only two people um for the guys, if PETA's name is drawn, she knows Haymitch is going to volunteer.
00:43:46
Speaker
And so she's really hoping that's going to be the case. And then it's not. And it's much more dramatic in the movie. Mm-hmm. aye I think Elizabeth Banks plays Effie so well in this moment because we, we, we get a little bit more in the books that Effie is a little bit more of a tender heart than she lets on. And Katniss is a little bit kinder to Effie, I think in the book than she is in the movie right up to this point, but in the movie, but Elizabeth Banks really
00:44:20
Speaker
you can see she's struggling with having to draw and announce these names. she's She knows she's having to do it. you can And she plays it so well because she's also the face of the Capitol for this moment. and She has her part to play as well.
00:44:35
Speaker
She has to you know be that Capitol representative. So when she's doing this, she's still also trying not to bring down the wrath of president snow on herself you know she doesn't know that president snow has threatened them but she knows better you know and i just think she does this part so well that i'm i'm tearing up as she's tearing up you know it was really well done yeah for sure
00:45:07
Speaker
And in the movie, she's very gung-ho. We're a team. We're doing this together. Did you ever notice that their last names, the first letter of their last name spells team?
00:45:19
Speaker
I didn't. No. Because it's, ah her last name is Trinket. Effie Trinket. Katniss Everdeen. Haymitch Abernathy. And Peeta Malark.
00:45:31
Speaker
Oh my gosh. I've actually never seen somebody like talk about that. I love it so much. That's really sweet. Yeah. That's cute. I think this is the part two where she does the whole, I want us to have gold medallions as a team.
00:45:46
Speaker
And I hate that Peeta's locket that he gets is, it doesn't have the mockingjay on it. Like it does in the book. It kind of makes me sad.
00:46:00
Speaker
yeah I was really confused when I saw it in the movie. I was like, wait a minute. That ain't right. It's not Mockingjay. Not at all. But in both versions, the book and the movie, once they're back in the whole Hunger Games, um they have to do their interviews and everything.
Katniss' Transformation: The Mockingjay
00:46:23
Speaker
Katniss must wear a wedding gown for her interview. And Senna secretly designs it to transform into the Mockingjay dress with the feathers and everything.
00:46:37
Speaker
Can I say something that I saw? I saw someone say a hot take, and I think I kind of agree about it. Okay. It's maybe a little controversial. Uh-oh. And I will say that I do adore... I really like Senna a character, and just I really like him a lot.
00:46:56
Speaker
But people say that, you know... Senna kind of uses Katniss a lot, just like, you know, everybody else does. and And I really noticed it a lot in this book. And I was like, you know, I was thinking this too.
00:47:10
Speaker
Really uses Katniss just as much as, you know, everyone else does. Yep. For this uprising. Yep. Like just as much as everybody else.
00:47:22
Speaker
Like he is a little sneaky snake. Yep. And really uses the 16, 17 year old. Yeah, she had no idea that dress was going to transform. And she knew what it would mean the minute it did. She was like, aw, crap.
00:47:37
Speaker
Yeah, and no does like, risks his own life, but does risk this girl's life too in the process. You know, I never thought about it until you said that. But he does make the comment about how he uses design techniques.
00:47:56
Speaker
Design is his form of art. And he uses it. So it only hurts him. totally hurt Katniss too. Yup. Yeah. you're You are risking her life. Her family's life.
00:48:09
Speaker
Yup. By doing this in the process. For i mean. For what you think is the greater good. well and all of those outfits that he puts her in. Even for like the chariot ride. In book one. Like these are all to make political statements.
00:48:24
Speaker
He's making political statements. With another human being. The whole time. again And she has no idea. about it yeah not Without her consent at all. Yeah. I never thought about it.
00:48:36
Speaker
ah jerk. Yeah. I honestly was thinking about that. Honestly during this round i was like. You know Sinner. Mm hmm. He's kind of just as, you know, he's I mean, I do like Senna and I think he does care about Katniss a lot, but I think it's just up there. Same level of his, you know, his own priorities.
00:49:00
Speaker
Right. Like a different version of Gale. um Absolutely. They're all playing Katniss. They are. we're We're done for. Just in the sense that it's everything for the the revolution. Everything for the rebellion.
00:49:16
Speaker
Yep. Yeah. And forget everybody else. And no one's telling her. And no one's telling her because she's being watched, you know, by... She's being scrutinized by, you know... And they're afraid she'll slip up.
00:49:26
Speaker
Yeah. You know. So that's why they don't tell her, but... But before she does the whole transformation thing, they... like they're still acting like careers in the book and they have like researched all the other tributes, right? They watched all their videos from their games. They've watched the interviews. They know their strengths and weaknesses. They know their names and they've had a chance to meet a lot of them at the training center.
00:49:50
Speaker
And so they're looking for allies and we start to learn about the other tributes. What I think is really like the political statement is at you during these interviews, like each one of the tributes is basically laying it on thick. They don't want to do this either.
00:50:09
Speaker
And they are spelling it out for the Capitol that like, don't you love us? I thought you loved us. Why would you want to do this to us again? know, what's laws were written by men. They can be unwritten by men. Yeah. So like, they're like, you can be unwritten.
00:50:25
Speaker
And Joanna's out here just screaming, you know, fuck the Capitol. Like, you know i I love that. Yeah. Like she's doing great, you know, but each, each one, even the careers are like, we don't want to do this. This is why are we doing this?
00:50:44
Speaker
And we get that whole, like, they're all kind of unified in this. We don't want to do it. And so for half a moment, there's a little bit of hope. Mm hmm. And then we have PETA come in. With another fucking bombshell.
00:50:59
Speaker
it wasn't for the baby. I remember reading that for the first time and like wanting to throw my book and be like, what the fuck? What? What is she talking about? And Katniss is like, he did it again.
00:51:13
Speaker
But I'm okay with it this time. was going to say, at least she was okay and like played along with it this time. Last time she was very upset. She broke a vase. Yeah. like She's just like, we're literally going to do everything that we can.
00:51:27
Speaker
We'll say anything. Yep. And like you said, all the tributes are doing that. And then they all hold hands. Yeah. ah Literally, I had chills, like head to toe chills during that part.
00:51:39
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Reading it. Yep. like lifting hands together. and then the capital goes wild. Yeah. Because they don't want to lose their tributes either. Yeah. They're realizing that like, oh, wait, this is kind of shitty.
00:51:54
Speaker
Maybe we don't want to do that. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's kind of insane that in the book, we don't even get to the games until 30%, like 30%
Arena Events & Emotional Sacrifices
00:52:05
Speaker
of the end. So like 70% in.
00:52:07
Speaker
There's so much lead up and so much backstory that we don't get in the movie. In the movie, it hits at 50%. We get to the games. lot more games in the movie.
00:52:19
Speaker
also wanted to mention Donald Sutherland who plays President Snow. Mm-hmm. was also in a movie with the Jenna Malone, who plays Johanna Mason. And they like they were father and daughter in Pride and Prejudice. Pride and Prejudice. Yes.
00:52:36
Speaker
So it's interesting to see their dynamic. Well, I know they weren't really like in scenes together, but to see them in this was, it was kind of funny because I forgot they were in Pride and Prejudice together. yeah That's true.
00:52:50
Speaker
But yeah, we get into the games and well we didn't even talk about the training scores and and what happened in training. oh yeah. but I mean, they're just like, you know, Katniss and Peter just like, fuck you basically. Katniss Peter. Yeah. yeah Because we have a new game maker, right?
00:53:08
Speaker
um Plutarch. Heavens be. Yeah, he's the new game maker, which something I hate that they left out of the movie. I hate that they left this out. he So they have like a whole little ball to celebrate the engagement, right?
00:53:24
Speaker
And Plutarch is there. He's the new game maker, and he asks to dance with Katniss. And when they dance, he shows a watch. a That has the Mockingjay on it.
00:53:38
Speaker
And I swear he's showing the watch to indicate also the games being a clock. Yep.
00:53:50
Speaker
And so, but he's also showing a Mockingjay. So he like is kind trying to tell her. Yeah. Yeah. That they're together. Like, hey. But, like, she also doesn't kind of put it together. And this is before she might meets the the District 8 refugees. So she she didn't realize that this was, like, some sort of symbol.
00:54:10
Speaker
Yeah. She also, this was before she was going into the games again. This is before they've announced what the quarter quail is. Or they don't know who the tributes are going to be. So this is just Plutarch just like, hey,
00:54:24
Speaker
I'm showing you this. hey And she has no idea what the significance is. Yeah. Yeah. I thought that I was mad that that wasn't in the movie. I was honestly expecting to see it because I just, that wasn't like a detail I was paying attention to.
00:54:40
Speaker
And then that wasn't in it at all. and I was like, wow, like that's crazy. was sad about that. I think it's to make the plot twist more significant maybe at the end.
00:54:52
Speaker
Yeah. and Not so obvious maybe. i don't know. Yeah. also don't know how feel about. and So when they're doing their, their one-on-ones with in the training center to get their scores, Peta goes in before Katniss.
00:55:05
Speaker
And when Katniss comes in, she has no idea what he's done. They're already covering up what he did in the training ring. So then she does what she does and then goes back and they're discussing it together. And that's when she finds out that Peeta painted the picture of Rue the way Katniss like honored her when she died.
00:55:29
Speaker
And I liked that in the book, they hadn't, she had no idea what he did and then what her reaction was, was so similar to Peeta without her knowing that.
00:55:43
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And then you also got the opportunity for PETA to explain what he did to Katniss. And I felt like that was more emotional between the two. i don't know. yeah I also think that we, we don't know that PETA paints in this movie, like in the book he talks about, like he's an excellent painter that this is his hobby. This is his skill that he has been working on since the games and And that he loves color and that he loves, you know, painting. And he's painted a ton of pictures of her and the games and his nightmares. And and we don't know that in the movie.
00:56:26
Speaker
We just is' kind of hinted that like, oh, he kind of can. Like he's not bad at it. you know the only painting that we know is whenever he was hiding in those rocks right and that he can do the cakes at the bakery that's it you know how did he do that how did he do that how did he paint himself that way in the middle of the arena like this I need to know there's a lot of mud out there how did he paint that entire picture of Rue in 10 minutes right
00:57:01
Speaker
bob ross in it i guess just yeah it was really good it was a lot detail it really was that's why was confused so but with their scores they both get 12s which they're the only tributes to ever get 12s and that's not shown in the movie yeah nope but that puts a target on them yeah And then once the games begin, both the book and the movie follow similar events.
00:57:36
Speaker
The poisonous fog, the mutt attacks, the discovery that the arena is a clock. It's obviously a lot more faster pace in the movie than in the book.
00:57:52
Speaker
Mags. Mags. Yeah, I
00:57:56
Speaker
yeah i was going to say Mag's sacrifice did happen like mid-fog sequence as opposed to like at the very end of of the the fog time frame. Mm-hmm.
00:58:10
Speaker
Super, super sad in the movie. I can't believe also in the book that I noticed about that scene is that Katniss actually carries Mags.
00:58:23
Speaker
For like a significant amount of time during that scene. Like Finnick is carrying Peeta. She's carrying Max. Because we don't see it in the movie as much as it's explained in the book.
00:58:37
Speaker
That this isn't just a gas or a fog that causes the blisters and pain. It's some sort of nerve agent. Yeah. And Peeta is unable to walk at this point. Because it's affecting the nerves in his legs. And his face is drooping. And he's...
00:58:51
Speaker
Like, he can't. And so Finnick picks up Peeta and Katniss carries Mags. And then Katniss is also being affected by the fog and she is starting to not be able to walk. And so she's like, can you carry them both? And Finnick's like, I can't.
00:59:10
Speaker
Yeah. I literally... so this... Don't cry, Crystal. so but I know. I know. I know. That scene was bad. That scene was rough and so super, super emotional.
00:59:27
Speaker
yeah Like that, one really got me too. And in the book though, Finnick doesn't cry out for Mags like he does in the movie. And Katniss does Katniss is like, no, wait. And Finnick is just like, picks up PETA and keeps going.
00:59:46
Speaker
And Katniss runs after her cause they hear the cannon. They know that Mags is gone. There's nothing, you know? And so she keeps running too. And she's, she's messed up about it. And Finnick is internalizing it. And then later on is basically like, I'm going to go do something.
01:00:02
Speaker
and Just goes to have his time to process that on his own. Something I really love in the games is like near the beginning.
01:00:13
Speaker
This is before that happens to Mags is whenever PETA hits the force field walking and he like dies for a second.
01:00:25
Speaker
You know, the CPR thing happens when Katniss doesn't know what they're doing, thinks they're kissing.
01:00:32
Speaker
Or that Finnick is about to kill him or something. Because Katniss doesn't want to have any type of alliance with anybody. But Finnick has like the band that Haymitch originally had on his hand.
01:00:45
Speaker
So he's like, Haymitch was making alliances with people without her having any knowledge of it. And so that happens and she freaks out and she literally is like crying, sobbing. And then Peeta, you know, takes a breath and you he's, his heart is beating again.
01:01:06
Speaker
and Finnick is like looking at her like weird. Like they even say it in the book and it's shown in the movie, looking at them strangely. And I think that is when Finnick was,
01:01:18
Speaker
realizes that their relationship is real like it's not actually 100% fake like it's actually a real relationship between them and how they care for each other and I think he realizes for the bigger picture of whatever he has planned of keeping them alive he knows that he needs to keep PETA alive yeah In order to get Katniss to do what he needs Katniss to do.
01:01:49
Speaker
I really think that just like in that one scene, seeing it in his eyes and then what she describes him looking like, I think that is almost like you can see Finnick's thought process there. Hmm.
01:02:03
Speaker
also like this scene in the movie because it's kind of a plot hole because Peeta does die. His heart does stop. Right. And we never hear the cannon. And the cannon should have gone off immediately.
01:02:15
Speaker
But in the movie, it shows that the game makers are watching them and they're watching Fennec try to revive him. So I'm guessing they're giving him the opportunity to make his heartbeat again. i think that was Plutarch's doing probably you yeah i think he was like no it's fine just wait just wait right and it's a lot more obvious in the movie than it is in the book because in the book you know we know he dies and we're like okay where's the cannon so we at least got to see kind of like behind the scenes yeah can you imagine in the book if you like were like you heard a cannon go off whenever that happened like right i would be devastated reading that for the first i'm like oh my gosh no this can't be happening right now
01:03:01
Speaker
That would be horrible. We also in the book, though, Finnick and Peeta both constantly are saying things like for the baby and you must be tired because of the baby. You need to rest for the baby.
01:03:16
Speaker
um and we don't get that in the movie. In the movie, it's almost as if like the whole world knows that you were just, you know, that was just a Hail Mary pass. It wasn't real.
01:03:27
Speaker
the but in the book they're still trying to play that up yeah they're they're still actively working that angle yeah they forgot about it in the movie yeah they think it's i think they're doing it to get almost to get sponsors exactly yeah because they realize they still need the capital sympathy yeah yeah So in the book and the movie, and we mentioned that Katniss was trying to make allies and she wanted to but make i allies with some of the weaker tributes. So she does befriend Beda Wiris. Wiris.
01:04:06
Speaker
And and love love them so much. Yep. But they're in the movie, they are... saved by johanna and this is at this point they have met up on the beach and they're trying to work out a plan so i don't remember when beaty starts to carry around this spool of wire i think he had it the entire time because he got it from the yeah he got it from the cornucopia
01:04:42
Speaker
Because it was left there for him. And he got stabbed in the back. Attempting to get this wire. And that's when... Which obviously was a lot worse in the book than in the movie. Because he was like dying in the book.
01:04:55
Speaker
Yeah. In the movie he was just like, yeah, I got an owie. ah yeah Yeah. Basically. Also just didn't expect the spool to be so big. I didn't either. I kind of like had a like a large spool of thread.
01:05:09
Speaker
Yeah. In my mind, you know? Like, I don't know. I know that was heavy. Right. To be turning that around. That was definitely heavy. I have to talk about it because this one hit me harder than I expected it to. The Morphling's death.
01:05:22
Speaker
Oh, yeah. And she sacrifices herself for Peeta. And like we never knew her name other than she was the Morphling addict. You know, like one of the tributes that was ah had been um dealing with her trauma by medicaid self-medicating.
01:05:39
Speaker
and And she dies and Peeta's holding her hand. Katniss and Peeta stay with her while she dies. and PETA starts talking about, going to cry again, starts talking about the colors of the sunset.
01:05:51
Speaker
And as she's, as she's fading. And again, this is one of those moments where like PETA shows and even Katniss, because she stays too, that she's this, she's way more compassionate than president snow wants anybody to see.
01:06:10
Speaker
And we see this, this woman who sacrificed herself for PETA's sake we don't and And he's like, I don't even know her name. And she again, these you know somebody who addicts are like in our society the lowest of the low for the most part. is But they have so much value. And she literally saves his life. And I have a soft spot for you you know anybody who's struggling with addiction.
01:06:37
Speaker
just really hit me hard to watch this person die nameless. yeah Because we never we never know her name. You know? Yeah.
01:06:48
Speaker
Yeah. And even Katniss is like, you think she sacrificed herself for you? Like, she's very confused. And he's like, yeah, like, she literally, like, ran out in front of me to save me.
01:07:02
Speaker
And, like, they do not understand what is going on. Right. And... Yeah, that part that part definitely got me emotional too, for sure.
01:07:13
Speaker
So at this point, Mags has sacrificed herself. The Morphling sacrificed herself. Finnick resuscitates Peeta. And Katniss is putting this together.
01:07:26
Speaker
like why is everybody saving Peeta? yeah so like Something else is going on. Yeah, and they're like starting to come up with a plan to you know go against all the other people that are also in the arena.
01:07:43
Speaker
And she kind of is like, we to start separating ourselves from these people because there's going to be a point that we all have to turn on each other. So she's still kind of like not understanding what's going on. She's still playing the Yeah, she's still playing the game. Yeah.
01:07:56
Speaker
So at this point, they're reconvening at the cornucopia. And this is also where Wiris dies. in an ambush from the actual careers, and and which was also very different in the movie as far as the sequence of events.
01:08:22
Speaker
Yeah. But then in both versions, BD creates the plan to use lightning to destroy. Well, it's not to destroy the force field, but it's to kill the other tributes.
01:08:36
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. and but also to destroy the force field. Right. Right. Because he started to. Right? He did. I'm going to need you guys to clarify that because I was confused.
01:08:49
Speaker
It's not the way that he explained the plan to Katniss. Right. Right. But he did have that spear thing going. So he was going to destroy. Okay. He stabbed the field with the spear. And that's what shot him back. So when Katniss runs back.
01:09:06
Speaker
In the book it doesn't explain it. But when Katniss runs back. He's on the ground. He's mostly unconscious. He's mumbling. It doesn't explain that he hit the force field with the spear.
01:09:18
Speaker
And you see that in the movie. You actually see him do it in the movie. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So he was going to take down the force fields. Yes. That was his goal. Because I was very confused. i was Katniss is trying to piece it all together. And I was too at that point. I was lost.
01:09:36
Speaker
And this is the point where in the book Katniss reminds herself of what Hamish said before. Is remember who the true enemy is. And in the movie it's Fennec who reminds her. Mm-hmm.
01:09:50
Speaker
Whenever they're making the plan, i have to go to this point because this is literally one of my favorite scenes in Catching Fire.
01:09:59
Speaker
Whenever they're making the plan and the Jabber Jays come in and they start yelling and they're mimicking voices of like the people that she knows, like Prim, Gail, her mother.
01:10:14
Speaker
and she runs out to them and follows them because she's like what is prim doing here and she runs after them and then finnick follows her because he hears a woman named
Psychological Attacks in the Arena
01:10:26
Speaker
annie who we find out was another person from his district that was supposed to be pulled but mags volunteered for her spot and they both run out there and realize that they're jabber jays jabber jays are
01:10:44
Speaker
They were used like during the rebellion to I guess, like send messages or something. Spy on the rebels.
01:10:55
Speaker
Spy on the rebels, but then they were flipped back against them. Against the capital. Yep. So they're using them against Katniss and Finnick, and so they realize what's happening, and they try to run back to Peeta, Joanna, and everybody.
01:11:10
Speaker
And they hit a force field, like not really ah force field that could kill them, but like that's blocking them of that section of the clock, basically. And this part literally freaking kills me. And I actually go back and rewatch this scene whenever I just want to freaking feel something.
01:11:32
Speaker
I look up this scene when I want to feel something because I love the scene so much. And it's even better in the book because in the movie, it kind of feels like it goes by really fast. But if you, if you listen to what he says, she, so she hits the force field and Peeta's like on the other side, trying to calm her down and tell her everything's fine. Everything's fine.
01:11:53
Speaker
Like they're just jabberjays. They're just not real. It's not real. And he like has his forehead to the thing and she's like covering her ears screaming. And if you hear him, he says, it's done. The hour's up.
01:12:06
Speaker
The hour. It was happening for an hour that he was sitting there, head against the force field, waiting for it to be done with her as she's like screaming for it to be done.
01:12:19
Speaker
And then after the hour's up, he like holds her and like carries her to the beach in the book. Because she's so like distraught over. she just was hearing her loved ones screaming at her.
01:12:30
Speaker
but She was also our like clinched. And yeah she was in a ball. She's holding her hands over her ears and her muscles are just like. Yeah. Yeah. Tired.
01:12:41
Speaker
And Peta's like literally not leaving her side. And he's just sitting there on the other side waiting for it to be done. Doesn't care about anything else. Doesn't care about careers or whatever about to come.
01:12:53
Speaker
He does not care. He's going to stay here until it's done. It kills me. It gets me. love that man. i love that man. That was the only scene I remembered from the book and the movie.
01:13:05
Speaker
Yeah. I remember anything else. I've watched that so many times because I just freaking love that scene. That scene so good.
01:13:13
Speaker
Love it. um So Katniss does use Beattie's wire to shoot an arrow into the force field and destroy the force field. There's a big explosion.
01:13:25
Speaker
it knocks her unconscious. We have no idea where Peeta is at this point. But after the explosion, Katniss wakes up and she's on a hovercraft and she's headed to District 13 with Fennec, Beattie, Haymitch, and ah Plutarch.
Discovering District 13: Overthrowing the Capitol
01:13:42
Speaker
Because they were all like, we find out that half of these tributes were in on this. And you know what? Something else I don't like. I don't like that in the movie, we didn't get like the sponsors that they were like sending things to were actually indications of, you know, when to start.
01:14:03
Speaker
Right, what time yeah was how many rolls were sent was what time. And the type of bread from what district it was was like... The day. The day. It like there were it was coded.
01:14:14
Speaker
And so every time they would get more bread and Finnick would grab it and start counting it out, huh but he was looking for the message. He knew. Katniss was trying to divide it evenly and she's like, the math isn't mathing.
01:14:29
Speaker
hu And I... Peeta and Katniss got separated because, you know, They were required to go like different ways and I for to set everything up.
01:14:41
Speaker
And I don't know if that was done on purpose or not by, you know, Finnick, BD or whatever, whenever they were setting everything up.
01:14:52
Speaker
But they were originally being like, OK, we're going to, you know, get away from these guys once it's over because we're going have to go against each other. So that's how they got completely separated.
01:15:06
Speaker
And then we don't we didn't know where PETA was. Right. Right. This is like my least favorite part of the movie. When she's on the hovercraft or plane or whatever it is.
01:15:17
Speaker
And she's like demanding to know what's going on. And Clutarch, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rip, is like, this is the rebellion and you are the Mockingjay.
01:15:32
Speaker
To me it was like... What? I know. just spits it out like you should know exactly what this means. huh Yeah, like, hello? Right.
01:15:44
Speaker
I also like how Haymitch is like, okay, because she just has a syringe. And he's like, yeah, okay, it's gonna be you and the syringe against the capital. This why no one lets you make the plan. Yeah, this is why no one tells anything.
01:15:57
Speaker
I love Haymitch. I know. He's got best lines. I just really can't wait for his story. And I am terrified of his story. Yeah. And this like whole ending sequence, way better in the book.
Book vs. Movie Endings
01:16:14
Speaker
and Way better in the book. Oh, it is way better. And it even goes into Katniss where she's waking up and then knocks herself unconscious by hitting her head on the table.
01:16:26
Speaker
That, you guys... Literally, i was shook to my core because I know how that whole ending is in the movie. And then I'm reading this in the book and her reaction to the fact we find out PETA has been taken by the Capitol.
01:16:42
Speaker
They couldn't get PETA out of there. And also we find out Joanna has also been taken by the Capitol. And so... She finds out because the whole purpose, she's like, you hit to Haymitch, we made a deal. we were supposed to save Peeta and he just got taken by the Capitol.
01:16:59
Speaker
And she goes freaking feral. And she's just like throwing things, literally attacking Haymitch. And the movie smacks him across the face. And they're like holding her down to the table, putting her arms down.
01:17:11
Speaker
And she just starts slamming her head into the table out of just like anger. And I was like, I cannot believe this. This is insane. i can't believe that I'm reading this right now. Like this, that made me start bad.
01:17:24
Speaker
crying yeah So once Katniss wakes up again after she's found out about PETA, there's Gale.
01:17:36
Speaker
And Gale gets to break the news that District 12 has been destroyed. He managed to save Prim and her mother, destroyed himself. We don't know who else.
01:17:49
Speaker
Right. You know. Yeah. Yeah.
01:17:54
Speaker
It's very like kind of Twilight, like Breaking Dawn.
01:18:01
Speaker
or no, it's the end of ist the end of Breaking Dawn part one, where she's like turns into a vampire and she like opens her eyes and that's how it ends. That's how it feels like at the end of the this movie, where it's like just zoomed in on her eyes and she's like processing that there's no more District 12 and then it just ends.
01:18:20
Speaker
That's how it feels like. And now you guys are going to make me wait forever to read the next one. I'm not, I don't like that. and now I know. I can't wait to read the next one.
01:18:31
Speaker
I can't wait to read the next one because honestly, like I, I know I keep saying that about the first one, the second one that I kind of don't remember things. The third one, I really don't remember anything. I don't remember and anything. I remember one thing.
01:18:44
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. True. Okay. one thing Actually, no, I remember two things, two major, major things. than that, don't remember anything. I've never read it. I know this for sure. Okay. Well, this might be a little more difficult than I expected.
01:19:02
Speaker
But what's our final verdict? Oh, book. Yeah, I'm going to say book for sure. I love the movie. I'm not going to say that the movie is bad. I love the movie. I will rewatch the movie probably soon.
01:19:14
Speaker
But the book is better. i agree. The movie has its moments, but i think overall the book is better. Yeah, definitely not a bad adaptation at all by any means.
01:19:26
Speaker
And I can honestly like just feel and sense that... We, like, the bookish community and just, like, production companies in general are just, like, their mouths are watering for an adaptation that's, like, popular like this.
01:19:46
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Like, they are just grasping for, like, a dystopian or a fantasy series that's going to make it like this and be popular like this. And I'm really curious.
01:19:59
Speaker
Mm-hmm. the next one that we're gonna see i was honestly hoping it was gonna be like shadow and bone or something but we know how that went don't we though yeah i i mean i want to see like a movie like a really well done movie like not a tv series even though you get to do more in a tv series but like we just saw this it could do a decent amount and just enough in my opinion so i really want to see that happen again and I think it can be done and I'm curious if it will be done soon because there's a lot of good ones out there that are in talks and it's about time yeah it's about damn time ah well that's gonna bring us to our question
Exploring Other Tributes' Stories
01:20:42
Speaker
of the episode since we've gotten two spinoffs is there another tribute from the Hunger Games that you want a book about Carrie?
01:20:55
Speaker
I, because Mags is older, like she's from, i think the 11th Hunger Games. I think that would be really interesting where it's not like the first Hunger Games or something, but it's like a little more into it.
01:21:10
Speaker
Also, Annie and Joanna. I really would love to see. I really want to see Joanna's. Especially because she has that line in the book and in the movie that, like, there's nobody left that I care, that I love.
01:21:22
Speaker
Yeah. and Very true. like I want to know what happened. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I think in Joanna, like they said in the book that she had a thing where she was like pretending to like that she didn't know anything.
01:21:36
Speaker
then all of a sudden she was able to just go off. Yep. And because she just pretended to be completely innocent. And I think with Annie, which is like, you know, Finnick's person. Yeah.
01:21:48
Speaker
She, I think it was something do with water. yes she was able to swim better than anyone else. So she survived. and But it was like something... There was a flood end. There was a big flood at the end or something like that. That wiped out everyone but her. And I think I've seen a theory that the reason why the clock had an area where it would flood was because to like affect Finnick.
01:22:18
Speaker
because of Annie so I don't know if that's true or not but that's in that theory BD also was able to electrocute tributes in his game and then they had the lightning yeah so maybe and then the mockingjays for Katniss I don't true yeah that would make sense I guess not mockingjays but the jabberjays yeah the jabberjays yeah What about you, Lindsay?
01:22:50
Speaker
It was really hard for me to pick one because i I'd like to see Phoenix. Because Fenix, he was the youngest tribute to ever win the games. He was only 14. So I think that would be really interesting.
01:23:01
Speaker
um I also want to see Beattie. I want to see Wyrus. I want to see Mags. I want to see them all. Give them all. Give us all of them. Yeah. i There's a non-tribute character that I'd love to know more about, though. And that's Madge.
01:23:15
Speaker
the The mayor's daughter. The mayor's daughter and her family. Because we know that there's something going on there. Well, her mother was also really good friends. With Maisalie. Yeah.
01:23:27
Speaker
It wasn't, no, Maisalie, she was sisters with Maisalie. Oh, yes, that's right. They were sisters. That's right. Oh, And, of course, Madge is the one who gives Katniss the original Mockingjay pin.
01:23:40
Speaker
I remember that. And so... or His mom's sister, her aunt. Oh, I wonder if that's going to be significant in night the newest one. It better be. I need to know more about what's going on there.
01:23:52
Speaker
I need to. Somebody that's already read this is laughing right now. Don't tell me. Don't tell us. Don't tell us.
Spoiler-Free Discussion & Themes
01:23:58
Speaker
We don't know. They're screaming. We're happy to live in ignorance for a little bit longer until we can read it. Don't spoil it. For now.
01:24:05
Speaker
For now. now All right. Well, once again, we find ourselves leaving Panem for now.
01:24:15
Speaker
had Catching Fire proved that sequels can raise the stakes without losing the heart of the story. Whether you prefer the emotional depth of Suzanne Collins' writing or the stunning visuals of the film, one thing's for sure...
01:24:30
Speaker
This is where the spark became a revolution. And we want to hear your thoughts. So what did you think of Catching Fire? Drop your ratings, your favorite moments, or the scenes you wish had made it into the film over on our socials.
01:24:46
Speaker
And if you want to read Catching Fire or any of the books we cover on the show, check out Libro FM. When you buy audiobooks through Libro FM, you support your favorite local bookstore.
01:24:57
Speaker
And you get to keep your books forever with no subscriptions required.
Next Book Introduction: 'The Subtle Knife'
01:25:02
Speaker
um Up next in our November theme is Crystal's ah take on The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman.
01:25:12
Speaker
So she'll be taking us to an entirely different world. Mm-hmm. Yeah, many of them.
01:25:19
Speaker
But thanks for voluntarily listening. May the odds continue to be in your favor. And we'll catch you in the next chapter Based on a Book.