That's the thing. The whole thing is basically a commentary of the excess and warfare of our society. Our culture. There's basically no way where all the cross-merchandising isn't going look terribly, terribly ironic.

Okay, so I finally saw the Hunger Games trailer. My first thought? Nobody looked dirty, hungry, or oppressed enough...

And Jennifer Lawrence is too pretty. ::shrugs::

I want that Flaming Gem polish. Man, I am so shallow.

I think Katniss is supposed to be very pretty. Thinner maybe, and dirtier. But pretty. She wows all the Districts for a reason.

Yeah, I think it's a classic "doesn't know she's pretty" scenario. In the books, she doesn't recognize or mischaracterizes a lot of the response to her. She's oblivious to Peeta's attentions and Gale's growing affection, and I think I remember a few other allusions to male response to her appearance that get by her. It's the unreliable narrator thing.

OMG, I just looked at the story from the YA movie view point of the guys making the bet they can get the geeky girl, or whatever, and it's really a freaking cold way of looking at the makeover and betting on her that's life and death. Let me not use that angle to view the story again, thanks.

I just realised I never bought the middle book. I just borrowed it. Nook is very kind--it leaves a stub in your library to remind you of how easy it would be to just click and buy your own copy, and I think I'll probably fall for it.

Ha, yes, that's considerate of Nook, isn't it? Usually on our road trips we amble around bookstores and buy books since we don't have local ones. This trip, I totally went to the Barnes and Noble and bumbled around, and then left and went back to the hotel and bought "Snuff" on the Nook. I mean, I guess it's good that it's all in the family this time, and I didn't take my business away from an independent local. But it has lost the OMG must get to the store element for me.

Now all I need is my 3D digital printer and I can just order stuff from the internet and have it materialize in my house. What do you mean it doesn't work that way? What are you talking about materialism of the Capitol?

Anyway, yes. That's totally a cold way of looking at it. But there are those elements there.

Okay, so I finally saw the Hunger Games trailer. My first thought? Nobody looked dirty, hungry, or oppressed enough...

Definitely

And Jennifer Lawrence is too pretty. ::shrugs::

She looks too grown up to me. I still really feel that part of the power of these books is how young Katniss is and how much she has had to deal with at a young age, JL just looks too adult for the role for me. I'm hoping her acting can make up for it.

She looks too grown up to me.

Yeah, that too. She's only supposed to be 3 or 4 years older than Prim, but she looks about 8.

I guess by "too pretty" I mean, even in the "before makeover" scenes, she's too clean & neat. She doesn't look poor & beaten down. She's spent her life being cold, hungry, & desperate--but she doesn't look it.

I guess by "too pretty" I mean, even in the "before makeover" scenes, she's too clean & neat. She doesn't look poor & beaten down. She's spent her life being cold, hungry, & desperate--but she doesn't look it.

I completely agree with this.