The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Dusty Behner
Nursing Student and Actor
What is your official title/occupation? I am currently a nursing student at KCC but I also manage the Office of Student Activities at KCC and, for fun, I am in Elf, the Musical at Diamond Head Theatre.
Where and with whom did you see the movie? I saw Catching Fire at Ward Consolidated Theatre with my boyfriend, Garrett Hols.
Overall what did you think? It was very similar to the book. I liked the second book the best out of the series and really liked the subtle nuances in the movie that were specifically for people who had read the books. For example, Haymitch’s (Woody Harrelson) house in Victor’s Village is supposed to be trashed and the floor is covered with empty liquor bottles. When Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) goes to visit him and opens his front door, clinking glass can be heard. I love little details like that.
Without giving away the ending, what was one of your favorite scenes? Spoiler: When the tributes go back into battle, they fight in the jungle. It was filmed mostly in Paradise Park in Manoa. It was cool to see Hawaii on the big screen. Also, I applied to be the stand-in for Mags because I am the same height as the actress playing her in the film. They wanted someone who had silvery blonde hair naturally instead of someone who had to wear a wig so I didn’t get the job because my hair is too dark. It was fun to see what the actress playing Mags looks like and to see how much shorter she and I are than Jennifer Lawrence.
On a scale of one to four stars, what would you rate this film? ★★★★
What did you think of the cinematography? The filming was beautiful. I think that most of the movie was filmed against a green screen but the backgrounds were very nice. Also, Jennifer Lawrence is so beautiful and has such nice skin! The lighting and makeup emphasized just how gorgeous she is, even when her character is trying to be ugly.
Was the message/theme clear? The book is told from Katniss’ perspective and she doesn’t know what is going on for most of the book. I knew what was going to happen, but I liked that the screenplay kept the audience in the dark and guessing along with Katniss about what was happening to her.
Did it remind you of any other works of film? The Hunger Games series is not like any other books that I have read, and the movies, both the first and second aren’t like any that I have ever seen. I think that it is unique because it is not only a commentary about how violent our world community is becoming but a statement about how easily people are manipulated by entertainment.
Who would you recommend this movie to? I think that Katniss is a strong role model for teenage girls. While the movie is violent, bloody and essentially about killing other human beings, it only has a PG-13 rating. Normally I wouldn’t recommend something as bloody as this to kids, but I guess if it has such a low rating, it must be OK.
Did any of the actors stand out? Jennifer Lawrence is amazing. Not only is she a very good actress but she is so beautiful. She is a great actress to watch on screen as a strong female lead in the movie as well as being a positive role model in real life.
Did you identify with any of the characters? I did sympathize with the people of the districts who were starting to take a stand and rebel against the man. Catching Fire is about the idea of change and uprising spreading like fire among the people of the districts against the Capitol, and Katniss is the match to light the flame even though she doesn’t know it.
What’s your favorite movie snack? Popcorn, no butter.
On a different note, what’s new with you? I am in Elf, the Musical opening at Diamond Head Theatre Dec. 6. The regular run and an extension of the show are already totally sold out, so they just released tickets to two additional performances. The play is based on the movie with Will Ferrell and most of the dialogue is the same but, if you remember, the movie is not really a musical so this show will be something fun, new, and exciting to see for the holidays.
