Musings on “The Hunger Games”

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, a resident of district 12, before the annual reaping to choose players for "The Hunger Games" (Photo: Murray Close)

I had my fill of bows and arrows after watching the film “We Need to Talk About Kevin.” A pity, really, considering that archery was one of the few sports I excelled at during summer camps enjoyed during a decade when students snuck cigarettes rather than weapons onto school grounds. A teen girl poising her bow and arrow was all I knew of “The Hunger Games” before today. My kids, all in college now, never had much appetite for “The Hunger Games” books — so I had little reason to read them.

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen with other district 12 girls eligible for the reaping in "The Hunger Games" (Photo: Murray Close)

When the film based on book one of “The Hunger Games” trilogy by Suzanne Collins was released last week, I felt certain I didn’t want to see it. Violence is awful. Child-on-child violence is ghastly. I’d hate to condone anything that suggested otherwise. But I woke up this morning with a change of heart, after reading an article in TIME magazine exploring the debate over film ratings. Seems lots of folks are wondering why the yet-to-be released “Bully” carries an R rating when “The Hunger Games” garnered just a PG-13 rating.

Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne looking on as Katniss Everdeen volunteers to replace her little sister in "The Hunger Games" competition (Photo: Murray Close)

Best to check it out myself, I thought — though I’d pretty much decided ahead of time that I’d hate “The Hunger Games.” But at least I could see the darn thing, and warn parents as needed against disturbing content. When our children were younger, we sometimes went to see questionable fare ahead of time, so we could judge whether it was approriate for their age and maturity level. Best not to rely on others’ judgement about such things, and “The Hunger Games” is the sort of film that warrants parent perusal before giving the go ahead.

Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark before he's chosen as the boy who will represent district 12 in "The Hunger Games" (Photo: Murray Close)

I’d have nixed it for elementary age children, and insisted on going along were my kids still in middle school — though I respect the right of every parent to make such decisions for their own families. While “The Hunger Games” does depict youth killing one another in a future-world where that’s the only way for some to survive, there’s less violence than I’d imagined — and the scenes that felt most brutal were those that involved taunting and verbal brutality. Hearing a teen yell “Kill her, kill her” is plenty disturbing even if the intended victim escapes with her life.

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson (center) with Lenny Kravitz, who plays Cinna in "The Hunger Games" (Photo: Murray Close)

Still, many of the youth called on to fight one another in a pageant meant to punish uprisings during a prior rebellion display remarkable feats of loyalty, tenderness and integrity. To hear some accounts of contemporary youth, you’d expect them all to kill for the chance to prove their power or snatch the pretense of popularity. But that’s not the case as a single boy and girl from each of 12 districts compete in a game that’s rigged from the start by adults who use their strength to pit the weak against one another. Instead, “The Hunger Games” give some of the 24 “tributes” an occasion to exercise compassion, sacrifice and teamwork. Even true cleverness in service of the good.

Amandia Stenberg as Rue, who represents another district in "The Hunger Games" but teaches Everdeen to signal using the Mockingjay (Photo: Murray Close)

The violence feels less real, I suppose, because it transpires in a world that looks in some ways far different from our own. But some similarities are glaring. A small group of individuals seek to control the fate of the many. Some among the masses attain safety and creature comforts like food by adopting the ways of the oppressors. Watching others suffer is a form of entertainment. Cruelty wears a smile, and a bright sparkly outfit. And big brother does more than just watch.

Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket congratulating Everdeen on being the first district 12 volunteer for "The Hunger Games" (Photo: Murray Close)

I rarely journey into science fiction fare — unlike my husband James, whose bookshelves are still filled with sci-fi classics from teen and college days. I just about lost it when I felt the movie theater was vibrating during a giant sandworm scene in David Lynch’s 1984 film titled “Dune.” Yet another reason I expected going into “The Hunger Games” that I’d hate it. But the story is compelling, the cinematography skilled and the music a lovely lure. Especially the lullaby written by Collins.

Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman during an interview with Everdeen held before she competes in "The Hunger Games" (Photo: Murray Close)

My only challenge in entering the world of “The Hunger Games” was seeing so many familiar actors there. Think Donald Sutherland, Stanley Tucci and Woody Harrelson. I’d have preferred a cast of lesser known faces, if only so I could enter more deeply into “The Hunger Games” fantasy. But then, I suspect, it might have felt almost plausible. Let’s hope we never really go there.

— Lynn

Note: Click here to watch a Charlie Rose interview with “The Hunger Games” director Gary Ross — who reflects on the movie’s themes, including entertainment as oppression and oppression as entertainment.

Coming up: What makes a good poet?

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

The orphan boy in the new Scorsese-directed picture titled “Hugo” was the invention of accidental author Brian Selznick, who fully expected to do theater design work until the popularity of his books, including “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” caused him to shift gears.

Shifting gears, stolen time and secrets unlocked by the heart figure prominently in Selznik’s tale — which also features an orphaned girl. Hugo (Asa Butterfield) lives in a hidden portion of the Paris train station, while Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretze) lives with a couple she calls Mama Jeanne (Helen McCrory) and Pappa Georges (Ben Kingsley).

Hugo adores movies, but Isabelle lives for books — often shared with her by a man named Rene Tabard (Michael Stuhlbearg). Georges is convinced that he’s been robbed somehow, while his wife does her best to keep what little they have left safe and secure. Music by Howard Shore makes clear the tenuousness of her mission.

Other couples, all seemingly mismatched somehow, populate this movie — which features screenplay by John Logan. A staunch station conductor (Sasha Baron Cohen) obsessed with sending errant children to jail seeks the heart of a demure flower seller named Lisette (Emily Mortimer). An older man named Monsier Frick (Richard Griffiths) who lacks animal magnetism pursues a woman named Emilie (Frances de la Tour) who sits each day with her dog at a train station cafe.

But two other characters, neither of them human, sit at the center of Hugo’s world. An automaton, or self-operating machine (created by Dick George), who sits at a desk with quill in hand. And the fictional man on the moon. As the movie unfolds, like a delicate piece of origami art undone step by step, their role in creating and stirring memories grows more clear.

Most of the movie’s characters have been profoundly touched by tragedy, but the intersection of their lives begins fixing what’s broken. “Hugo” is at once a mystery, an adventure tale and a testament to the healing power of humanity — appreciated most fully by teen and adult audiences.

It’s also a love letter of sorts to masters of film and the art of storytelling. Author Selznick notes that Georges Méliès (Pappa Georges in the movie) was a famous filmmaker who worked from the 1890s through the 1920s. “He made the world’s first science fiction movie,” says Selznick. “It was really magical and strange.” It’s high praise, and no less true of the movie “Hugo.”

— Lynn

Note: Brian Selznick’s “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” earned a Caldecott Medal. Click here to read Selznick’s acceptance speech, which recounts his journey from childhood to children’s author and describes the origins of the boy named Hugo.

Coming up: Showing too much leg, A movie sneak peek from NYC

Pop meets culture

I ran into a single father of two young children Thursday at Desert Ridge Marketplace. He was browsing through the gift shop of the Arizona Pop Culture Experience, a museum featuring pop culture fare from baseball cards to action figures.

Think comic books, posters, music with sci-fi themes and more. My 21-year-old son Christopher tagged along, and was excited to see Hot Wheels cars like those he played with as a child.

Turns out the Arizona Pop Culture Experience was part of a special preview screening of the new movie titled “Green Lantern” and that the dad, Tim, had seen it. He described it as “much better than I expected” but said the film, rated PG-13, was a bit too intense for little kids.

Call ahead before you hit the museum if you want to enjoy a full tour. I popped in during off hours so I wasn’t able to see the venue in all its glory. There are actually two stories, and some new exhibits in the works — so my photos below offer just a taste of all the Arizona Pop Culture Experience has to offer.

I didn’t see some of the things I’ve come to expect at more traditional museums, like signs explaining materials I wasn’t familiar with. For those well-versed in pop culture, no such descriptions are necessary — but I’m a mere neophyte at best. Next time I’ll bring my 18-year-old daughter Lizabeth along to translate.

You can click here for Arizona Pop Culture Experience hours, location and such. It’s unlikely I’ll get out to see “Green Lantern” this weekend, so I hope those of you who do will take a few minutes to add a comment to this post — telling me what you think of the film and whether you recommend it for other families.

— Lynn

Note: Tim shared that he’ll soon be moving his family to a small town called Victor, Idaho. He asked about finding parenting resources (like those we share in RAK each month), and I’m happy to report that there’s a library in Victor — which means they’ll get to enjoy plenty of outdoor time plus the summer reading program and other activities presented by the library. Libraries make a great first stop when you’re new in town or vacationing with kids.

Coming up: One World, Many Stories