The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - In theaters November 17, 2023

[bloodsnake007]

4.00 star(s) Rating: 4.00/5 3 Votes

Title: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Genre: Thriller, Action, Drama

Director: Francis Lawrence

Cast: Tom Blyth

Release: 2023-11-17

Plot: This prequel to The Hunger Games focuses on Coriolanus Snow at age 18, years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem. Young Coriolanus is handsome and charming, and though the Snow family has fallen on hard times, he sees a chance for a change in his fortunes when he is chosen to be a mentor for the Tenth Hunger Games, only to have his elation dashed when he is assigned to mentor the girl tribute from impoverished District 12.

 

[Lenny Nero]

Whoa! This looks awesome. President Snow and the stolen Battle Royale concept were the only good things in the, eh, Trilogy. That, and the TV host. Is that Jason Schwartzman playing the younger Stanley Tucci character? He's actually a good match.

I mean it's pretty stupid to parallel their past with our 1940's, screens, cars, guns and all, because it's all obviously still a post-apocalyptic future, but whatever, let's assume it's a parallel world with alternate history.

Looks good but I am wondering who really wanted this to be a thing.

 

[Noodles]

 

[Space Cadet]

 

[Space Cadet]

looks teRRible.

 

[Noodles]

 

[Flloydo]

I rewatched the 4 hunger games last week. I was never a massive fan to begin with but I did really enjoy catching fire when I first watched it. After watching them again the first one still bored me to death and I hate how dumbed down they all are. Should of been more violent. 2nd still the best. 3rd is even more boring than the 1st and the last is semi okay so I have no enthusiasm to watch this except for Jason Schwartzman, Rachel Zegler and Hunter Schafer which I’m only just finding out are in this

 

[Noodles]

I rewatched the 4 hunger games last week. I was never a massive fan to begin with but I did really enjoy catching fire when I first watched it. After watching them again the first one still bored me to death and I hate how dumbed down they all are. Should of been more violent. 2nd still the best. 3rd is even more boring than the 1st and the last is semi okay so I have no enthusiasm to watch this except for Jason Schwartzman, Rachel Zegler and Hunter Schafer which I’m only just finding out are in this

An ex made me watch them and I loathed every second... thankfully we broke up by the time the fourth was released so I didn't have to sit through that one and never will lol

 

[3Maters]

I personally love all the films. Each is a different entity then the previous installment and the final film is just so incredibly devastating. I kind of see the Mockingjays as one film, but always enjoy how Part 1 is a moody slow burn before the gritty all out war of 2. They all rise above the YA trend of the 2010s to be actual pieces of cinema. Catching Fire in IMAX 70MM was so positively stunning. I might have wished they were gorier at one point in the past but now it just seems unnecessary and purposeful. The devastation of the final film makes up for any "gorehound" needs. And why should films commenting on the bloodlust of spectacle be the thing its condemning? We always have Battle Royale and The Belko Experiment

With that being said I LOATHED the book of Songbirds and Snakes so I am hoping the movie elevates the material.

 

[Lenny Nero]

I liked the Divergent series more, and didn't appreciate Jennifer Lawrence at the time, as much as I do now, after her 'full frontal' pic leak and No Hard Feelings scene...
The rest of the cast, though, has always carried that franchise.
But I agree it needed 'more violence', only it was always a stolen, watered-down soap opera version of Battle Royale.

always enjoy how Part 1 is a moody slow burn before the gritty all out war of 2.

Only there was no war shown, everything happened somewhere off-screen, giving this high budget conclusion a 90's TV series feeling, failing on its promises on all counts.
Only liked the President Snow scene at the end, that was really cool!

 

[Noodles]

 

[Lenny Nero]

Excellent prequel, setting up my favorite character from the Hunger Games Trilogy. This could've been two movies, if they expanded the second half and split it in two.
I've even liked Rachel Zegler, and her singing, especially the creation of that Hanging Tree song, a nice send-off.

P.S. Zegler's 'country' dresses looked too much like old slavic national clothing, and seeing this was filmed in Poland, it's now understandable the custom 'designer' took inspiration from the locals.

 

[Billy Talent]

Amazing movie, I enjoyed it a lot more than the previous installments, Rachel ziegler was really good in this!
Suprised they went dark with this one, they should have done it with the previous movies as well.
1 big issue remains, if they are really starving how come they all look well fed???