On The Help and The Hunger Games…

Last night, I had hot buttery popcorn for supper.  (Don’t judge.  I ate nothing but lettuce and dirt all day to make up for it.)

I went to see The Help last night in theatres with some of my favourite girls.  As you know, I read the book a few weeks ago, and love love loved it.  I knew immediately that I had to see the movie!!

My verdict?  Did.not.disappoint.

I had only heard one person who had seen the movie who didn’t really enjoy it, and that was because she was led to believe it was a comedy.  Having read the book, I knew that this was anything but.  Sure, a few light-hearted moments, or ironic guffaws of laughter, but overall, very serious racial issues from the early ‘60’s in the South weren’t much of a laughing matter, were they?

I was so glad the movie stayed true to the book.  The actors who brought to life the characters of Aibileen, Minny, Skeeter, Hilly, Elizabeth, Celia, and so on, were almost exactly as I envisioned them when I read it.  And trust me, you want to punch Hilly in the face even more watching her on screen as you do reading the book.  If that’s even possible.

I was impressed with how much of the book they were able to cover in the movie, and with only a few tweaks and adjustments in chronological order, kept very close to the book.  I even enjoyed seeing the ending play out on-screen more than I did reading it.  I suppose there was no way that we were going to a get a neatly-tied-up-happy-ending – it just wasn’t that kind of story – but the film brought it to a more satisfying closure for me.

Overall, I was so glad I read the book first, but still really enjoyed the movie.  I recommend both!!

Now, onto another great book that I just recently finished reading:  The Hunger Games.

I was intrigued by the hype surrounding this series, and especially by the blog posts Mom2MemphisAndRuby has recently devoted to it and the up-coming movie in March 2012.  People are comparing the hype to that of Twilight.  So of course, I had to go and buy all three books and dive right in.

I flew through the first volume in less than a week, immediately wrapped up in Katniss’ story, wondering how she would survive the Hunger Games, and if there was any way her and Peeta could possibly get their happy ending.  I don’t want to divulge too much about the plot for those of you who haven’t read it  yet, but let’s just say it’s a pretty intense book and some pretty horrible stuff happens.

So I have a few problems.  Loved the book, but I made the mistake of starting it without looking up the actors who have been cast to play the parts in the movies.  I did that after I finished reading the first one.  And the guys they’ve picked to play Katniss’ love interest, Peeta, and her best friend, Gale? 

Not really what I pictured.  They’ll have to grow on me, I guess.  Just like Robert Pattinson eventually did…

(That’s Peeta on the left, Katniss in the middle, Gale on the right)

The next problem?  Don’t let the word “Games” fool you.  This story is filled with brute violence and bone-chilling murders.  And it involves a bunch of teens fighting for their lives.  This ain’t no picnic in the park.  It makes Edward and Jacob seem like a couple of pansies.  I was cringing reading about it.  How the F am I supposed to go sit in a movie theatre and watch it?  I’m a chicken.  I don’t handle blood and gore very well.

I’ll have to keep enduring episodes of True Blood to prepare myself.  There’s lots of blood and guts flying around there.  eeep.  I’ll also have to rope some friends into coming with me.  After I told my friend Sara a bit about it, she has already bowed out.  (C’mon, Sara, it can’t be any worse than the night we spent in the theatre watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre re-make…or rather, hiding behind our coats staring at each other!!)

Any fans of The Hunger Games out there?  What do you think of the actors they’ve cast?

Oh!  I’m guest posting over at Nay’s blog Cover to Cover and Everything In Between!  Go check it!! :)

Oh!  Oh!  OH!  LAST DAY TO ENTER MY 50 FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY!!!  I will be back to announce the winner tomorrow, along with Part 2 of the Meet the Flyers Series!!  Don’t miss it!!