The Fantastic Mockingjay Part 2 Score – And that Cynical Remix

Yesterday the Mockingjay Part 2 Soundtrack went on sale on iTunes and Google Play. This soundtrack is just the musical score, not songs “inspired by” the movie but we LOVE it. James Newton Howard has once again blown us away with music for the movie, and has brought back many of the musical cues from previous films that give us ALL THE FEELS.

If you’ve seen the film, you know that Jennifer Lawrence sings “Deep in the Meadow” over the beginning of the closing credits. The song is a lullaby, and with the final scene of MJ2 featuring Katniss comforting her baby, it’s a lovely, quiet way to end the film. The song carries a huge amount of emotional weight throughout the series, as it’s the song Katniss sings to comfort Prim at the beginning of the first movie, and the song she sings to Rue as she dies. Fans have been talking about how much they love the inclusion of this song since the movie’s release.

The peace and happiness was short-lived however, since yesterday as well saw the release of this lullaby AS A DANCE REMIX. Cue the awful Hanging Tree Remix flashbacks, everyone!

Having a dance remix of this song is so out of place and unnecessary it seems like a joke. Add on top of it the fact that fans more or less hated the “Hanging Tree Remix” and preferred the version from the movie, this decision feels like awful trolling. In fact, back in January I joked that they would do this.

What if in Mockingjay Part 2, Katniss sings “Deep in the Meadow” and they dance remix that shit up too? #nightmare

— JJ (@jj_dash) January 22, 2015

There’s definitely a huge disconnect between what Republic Records and/or Lionsgate thinks is appropriate or what even in the slightest way works as music. As long as they see some money to be made, they seem to think anything is worth trying. Our friends at Jabberjays.net explain our frustration very well.

…all this remix signifies is a clear-cut showing of corporate greed and exploitation of Jennifer Lawrence and Katniss Everdeen. Never mind that any fan of The Hunger Games would gladly buy Deep in the Meadow in its pure, original format. Never mind that the song is supposed to have a beautiful, lasting legacy and provide peace for fans new and old alike. Never mind that this song is supposed to comfort, not inspire finger-tapping on the steering wheel.

If there was any question about the fan response to the remix, it can be found in the replies to this promotional tweet.

Get the Deep in the Meadow (Baauer Rmx) feat. Jennifer Lawrence! https://t.co/xhgCP5NYfM pic.twitter.com/iBPCcyL8Pi

— Mockingjay – Part 2 (@TheHungerGames) November 23, 2015

I don’t think the fandom could be any clearer.

So anyway, let’s go back to enjoying the score, cause it’s fantastic. And we’ll listen to THE SCORE’S version of “Deep in the Meadow” and try to forget about remix nightmares.

We need some comfort, Katniss.

JJ

 

The Illegal Spoiler Games

Okay kiddos, let’s talk about over-excitement and why it could get you in some serious trouble!

When you’re as immersed in The Hunger Games fandom as most of us are, it’s hard to TALK spoilers. We’re not talking about the very movie-specific spoilers now, but we talk book spoilers all the time, so we get it. You know what’s happening, so you just want to go out there with other fans and DISCUSS.

Officially released stills = Fair game DUH

We shouldn’t just throw all our obvious spoiler feels all over the Internet because, ya know, we’re all probably friends with someone who hasn’t read the books and didn’t get to see the movie right away for one reason or another. It’s obnoxious, but we’ve noticed it’s not even the worst of it nowadays.

Let’s talk technology, young’uns.

Pretty much everyone has a smartphone. And Twitter or Instagram or Tumblr or something like that. It is still 1000% illegal to take photos or clips of the movie screen during key moments and put them online. There’s a huge difference between visuals and the written word. There are specific revelations you can only get from visuals. But there’s more to it than that– not only does posting or reposting visual spoilers make you an absolute tool, there’s a wide variety of punishments awaiting, many of which involve a legal team coming after you.

Cressida says “Think before you post so you don’t look like a douche!”

Yes, your post could get lots of reaction from other fans. Please remember that getting lots of likes on a post on social media regarding a popular fandom does not actually make YOU popular or special (Trust us, we’ve reminded ourselves plenty. We are experts in this realization.) Is the inflated sense of ego worth an account suspension or a cease and desist letter? The answer is NO.

Also, a lot of fans just think what you’re doing is uncool and ruining the full experience for others. So there’s just that good ol’ “Don’t be a dick” factor.

If you haven’t seen this on your timelines much, this rant may sound odd. But we’ve been seeing it everywhere–some of it is even directed to us– and we know we’re not the only ones, which is pretty ridiculous. We want fans to have more respect for the film than that.

Let’s all learn our boundaries and the world will be a better place!

Everyone Deserves A Fair Spoiler Warning!
The Girl With The Pearl

Inside the Mockingjay Part 2 New York Screening

Tonight, I was super lucky to attend the Mockingjay Part 2 “Special Screening” in New York. Not a premiere, so it didn’t have the huge atmosphere of what we’ve seen in the previous days & weeks, but a huge number of cast attended, as well as Francis Lawrence, Nina Jacobson, and Jon Kilik.

The red carpet was in a tent located outside the AMC Lincoln Square theater. It was filled with press, who missed out on the LA premiere, and the small “fan pen” where I was. As per usual, everyone was very nice about accommodating fan requests for pics and signings. Here are some of my pics in the zoo-like media madness. (You will notice a lack of selfies, I don’t really do selfies, and I doubt you all care so it’s cool).

 

Then after that, IT WAS ACTUALLY TIME TO SEE THE MOVIE.

It’s been a lot to take in, so we’ll dig into the movie after official release (but spoiler alert, we’re really happy).

Nothing could prepare us for the end, so we didn’t.

JJ

The Hunger Games Disaster Theme Park

It’s been a looming threat for a long time, but as of last week, it became a reality in America: The Hunger Games theme park is being developed.

We’re not even close to the biggest Hunger Games superfans out there, but we think we’re not too shabby. We run a website dedicated to The Hunger Games and its fans, travel to premieres and big events in the fandom, buy some of the merch, discuss the promotional releases, occasionally chat on a podcast about the series, and generally pour our fangirl feels all over the Internet. Though we don’t always love every single morsel that comes out of the franchise, we’re big freaking fans!

So does that mean we want to see a theme park?

NO. FUCK TO THE NO.

There are few words to describe what a moronic idea this is, guys! The foundation for a Hunger Games theme park is:
A) Making entertainment out of desolation, poverty, and children being forced to murder each other, desensitizing visitors to violence and the world’s struggles in the ways that Suzanne Collins was trying to warn us against.
B) Yet another attempt to hype the Capitol glam, willfully ignorant to the fact that the lush Capitol lifestyles are a harsh criticism of the way the rich often manipulate and undervalue human rights.
C) A combination of both A and B.

We understand that Lionsgate owns the rights and can milk this cash cow however they want– which they will, lest they be forced to create something new and original to intrigue audiences instead– but really, this just proves how utterly shameless they are. This is not Harry Potter or Star Wars. There is no magic, there is no adventure in space. This franchise is focused around slaughter, human rights violations, and the need to stop it. This is not a fucking theme park topic!

For goodness sake, the negligent, terrible Capitol citizens even turn the arenas into theme parks IN THE BOOKS. Suzanne Collins literally put a warning against this shit in the source material!

A spokesperson for theme park developer Avatron is defending their decision to be involved, of course:
“There are so many positives about these movies, starting with the fact that she’s an empowered young woman.”

And we agree with that. But please, do tell us how you’re going to tell build a theme park with the “empowered young woman” theme alone without the terror, war, murder, torture, or political corruption also involved. Pretty, pretty freaking please. We’d bet you our life savings that someone is going to try to dress us up as Effie Trinket and just– No thank you. Because you’re missing the entire damn point.

There’s still a little hope: Lionsgate needs financing for these parks. Hopefully, people will realize that this is not actually a good investment and it won’t come to fruition, at least here in the US. That is how much we’re against this.

Go home, Lionsgate. You’re drunk.

“They Say The Food Is Excellent”,
The Girl With The Pearl

Share Your Feels And Win An Awesome MOCKINGJAY PART 2 Prize Pack!

The Hunger Games franchise is coming to an end in a matter of days, but there are other things to do besides watch cast interviews and premiere footage and weep. For instance, you can win yourself an amazing prize pack from Victor’s Village and Lionsgate!

THE FABULOUS PRIZE PACK INCLUDES…

·         The Hunger Games DVD Pack – The Hunger Games, Catching Fire & Mockingjay Part – 1

·         1 Mockingjay Part – 2 Gold Pin

·         1 Black Revolution Leaders Pin

·         1 Final Katniss Poster

·         1 IMAX Katniss Poster

·         1 Faces of the Revolution Poster (Gale, Peeta or Katniss, at random)

Sweet deal, right?!

HERE’S HOW TO WIN…

The books are important. The movies are important. But let’s not focus solely on them for a second. Let’s talk about fandom. Let’s talk about YOU!

We’re gonna get deep. To enter, comment on this post with your favorite experience as part of The Hunger Games fandom. Tell us the most profound moment you’ve had as a fan and what the fandom means to you!

Even if you haven’t traveled to an event or met the actors or any of that, your moments still matter. So let’s gather ’round to share and appreciate everyone’s! ..Okay, yes, we’re total sentimental suckers. SO SUE US.

Per Lionsgate, this contest is open to US Residents Only! Sorry guys.

Contest ends on November 20th, at which time we’ll number all of the comments and pick a winner at random. Just one thing– make sure to fill out the email section of the comment form! Otherwise, we can’t contact you if you win.

And because it’s practically obligatory at this point…

May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!
The Girl With The Pearl

Hunger Games Movie Rewatches Ahead!

You were probably planning on watching the three Hunger Games movies in advance of Mockingjay Part 2, but now we can do it together and be tempted by prizes (451 of them, nice number there).

Yes, Lionsgate is organizing movie watching parties for all 3 movies for the next 3 Fridays. We love a big group live tweet, so we’re totally in for a nice fandom-wide rewatch. Hopefully our friends in Europe are night owls so they can tweet along too.

And 451 prizes! We have a suspicion that a lot of these are Mockingjay pins… But we can always use another Mockingjay pin or 4.

We just hope the official account doesn’t get too crazy tweeting about the #feels or other embarrassing fan speak. That language is cool for FANS to use, but when official accounts use it too much, it comes off as cringey and trying way too hard.

Get your popcorn and devices ready!

JJ

FANSITE EXCLUSIVE: Watch Two New Mockingjay Part 2 TV Spots!

Can you believe that we’re a month away from the release of the final Hunger Games movies, tributes? Less than a month, even, given that screening start on Wednesday the 18th!

We’ve loved The Hunger Games since the day we picked up the first book, so now we’re thrilled to debut two never-before-seen television spots for the final film, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, alongside our fansite friends!

Check them out, savor the peek inside the series, and let us know which one is your favorite!

FINAL BATTLE

HER STORY

Haven’t purchased your tickets yet? Click on that lovely Fandango banner on your right to snag your seats!

We See Soon-To-Be Dead People

The polls keep on coming, and with it more picture reveals of our favorite characters. The trend of the fandom’s choices was a bit depressing for a while. Cause we kept voting for characters that don’t make it to the end of the story!

Yes, the back-half of Mockingjay is brutal. And whoever is in charge of picking these character pictures is very subtly choosing interestingly painful moments to share.

First, there’s this still of Finnick, in black battle gear, serious expression, with his face partially in shadow. If they were trying for ominous with a simple character image, message received.

Then on to Coin. Looking quite fab and proud of herself at what we presume is the Snow “execution” scene. Sorry, lady, someone’s about to have the shock of her life.

Then, the pic that was a big surprise – because for the first time they show Prim out wearing a protective vest. We can guess she’s in the Capitol, and what is coming for her very soon. A very effective image that stirred more emotion in us than that whole “For Prim” video.

Finally after four days of revealing characters that will die (Messalla was the first reveal), we got a little relief with Haymitch. With all the stills released previously in this gold, seemingly ornate room, we feel pretty confident this is the scene where the victors vote on holding another Hunger Games. Cue Haymitch’s “strategy face.”

Today is the choice of brother vs. brother.

Which brother would you follow into battle? Winning vote reveals exclusive NEW image!

— Mockingjay – Part 2 (@TheHungerGames) October 17, 2015

At this point Pollux has a big lead. We don’t like to think about how they’ll make us sad with this one.

No Peeta vs. Gale yet, but there’s still time for that mess to go down.

JJ

Polling for New Pics

Several weeks ago, Twitter launched a new feature – polls. We noticed that Lionsgate tried it out with The Last Witch Hunter right away, so we figured it was only a matter of time before we got Mockingjay polls.

This week it begins. Poll-o-Rama. But they smartly added a little carrot to these polls. Something WE ALWAYS WANT…

NEW PICTURES. YAAAAAAAS.

Monday, they started out with a choice between the more fringe characters, Messalla or the Leeg twins. And Messalla came out on top.

Looks like he’s in the Capitol there.

Today’s choice has a bit more fan interest.

— Mockingjay Part 2 (@TheHungerGames) October 13, 2015

The question is pretty moot, cause fans are voting for who they want to SEE, not their skills, but whatevs. These seem like they’ll be the official actor/character images on the Mockingjay Part 2 website, so we’ll see them all soon anyway.

The big, cringeworthy question awaits – do you think they’ll dare do a Peeta/Gale poll?

We’re laughing already at the disdain that would cause in the fandom.

JJ

The Reality of Mockingjay Virtual Reality

The Mockingjay Part 2 virtual reality experience debuted this weekend at New York Comic Con, which is really cool in theory. We’ve found that in practice, standing around waiting for a VR experience for ages makes you way less enthusiastic when you actually get to it but that is besides the point!

Early reports told us it was a 6-minute walkthrough of the books that doesn’t give away the end of the series. It takes fans through the major moments, but still keeps you waiting for resolution. And thanks to the beauty of the Internet (via Quarter Quell), you can watch an example now.

We realize the experience is way more immersive at the screening booths with a shaky chair, goggles, and headphones. It’s probably much more entertaining that way, because you can feel everything as if you’re really there. But we’re really surprised at how this was put together.

Even Jena Malone tried it!

In most VR experiences, you’re PART of the action, interacting with the surroundings and the characters. In this baby, it seems like the users are just following a recap with animated characters, not taking charge of the journey. Yes, they can look around, but when the user in the video above does so, it becomes pretty obvious that there’s only one focal point in each scene.

And the animation? Well, we’re a bit spoiled nowadays. We know CGI and animation can be so realistic that this feels a bit like playing an original XBox.

Hopefully, the fans who went through the experience loved it. Whenever The Hunger Games is involved, fans wanna love it, after all!

We Just Want The VR To Be Good PR,
The Girl With The Pearl