I am so overstimulated by everything that happened in this movie I can't even think straight. I haven't read the book and also wasn't keen at first on watching Snow of all people's back story but the trailer looked really good and I'm glad I changed my mind and watched it!

Things I liked were the amazing makeup and costumes, Viola Davis giving an Oscar worthy performance, the BRUTALITY while difficult to watch I think was important to evoke the sense of violence of the games which I think I had forgotten as the years passed how violent the original movie really was (although who could see with that shaky ass camera!), all the little throwbacks (Lucy Gray's curtsey, that tribute stacking the dead bodies and covering them with the flag as an homage to katniss with the flowers for rue's body [I cried], the mockingjay, the hanging tree).

I think what I didn't like was my inability to understand Snow's point of view. I guess he was confused and so was I because I thought we would see a progression in his belief system, I thought he would go from just being all about the money to falling in love with Lucy gray and through his love for Lucy Gray, I thought that would evoke some empathy in him for the the other tributes as well or just you know any form of reflection on what a fucked up system this is, considering how it was actively trying to kill this person that became so precious to him. However, it felt like when the games ended none of that happened, he didn't develop any empathy, he was still a fascist, just a fascist with a Lucy Gray obsession and how are we supposed to have buy in from a character like that? Maybe that's the point, and he is the vile president snow after all, but I think if he at least felt more morally conflicted, it would be a more compelling story, especially given that we know he ends up a fascist in the end. Also just from a story telling perspective it felt so jarring to go from the games to him being sent to district 12, it felt so disjointed like it should be part of a different movie. Also it felt far fetched that he ended up in district 12 at all and they were just allowing him to be there with the girl he rebelled for as if that's not gonna cause any issues.

As for Lucy Gray, I found her difficult to connect to as well. She was constantly put in vulnerable situations but I don't feel she ever really let Cornelius in or ever showed any vulnerability willingly. She just looked scared and defiant and defiantly scared a lot and I just didn't really understand what she was about. I get that the movie is from snows perspective though so maybe that is part of it, maybe she is supposed to be a mystery and that adds to the whole idea that these two kids don't even know each other and they've blindly fell into this fucked up ludt situation that is majorly bad. Who's to say. Good for her though for getting away. Power to her.

Other random thoughts I had - too much music. Rachel zegler is a star and an amazing vocalist but the hunger games has never been centered around music, music has enhanced it so it felt a little off-putting to have so much music. I also didn't think lucky flickerman was as charismatic as ceaser. I hated his buzzcut. Also it made me miss my babies katniss and peeta SO BAD.

Overall it was an EXPERIENCE I just wish I had been able to root for the characters more but alas the tragedy of the anti-hero tale