Wow. Just, wow. I went to see Catching Fire last night after a year and a half long wait and I can honestly say, it was 100% worth it. Please go see this movie. You will not be disappointed. The director, Francis Lawrence, did a fantastic job expanding the world of Panem while keeping true to the tone set by the first movie. The first half of the movie, the victory tour and events leading up to the Quarter Quell, may feel a little bit rushed, but all the important details are there. The arena is colossal, so much better on screen than in my mind. The music, which I paid particular attention to since I loved the first film's score, was moving and fit perfectly in every scene. For book fans, there are a few minor details left out, but the amount of content taken directly from the book is amazing. Much of the dialogue (although not all) is taken straight from the book, word-for-word. This was probably my favorite part of the whole movie. And I need not add that the casting was phenomenal (but it was). Anyway, enough babbling. In conclusion, if you are a fan of the Hunger Games in any way, shape, or form, go see this movie. If you like a thrilling adventure fraught with unexpected surprises, humorous exchanges, and scenes that move you, go see this movie.

Nothing could have prepared me for Catching Fire; it was, quite simply, an astonishment on every level. It is so much more than just an action movie; it is also a thought-provoking look at hope, revolution, rebellion, and the importance of government. It's themes encompass grand ideas and touchy subjects with utter fearlessness.

Let us examine what sets The Hunger Games: Catching Fire a cut above the rest:

1. CAST: Surrounding the amazing Jennifer Lawrence (who has matured into a riveting young actress) is a supporting cast to die for. Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth give good roles, but it is the incomparable Donald Sutherland, who oozes quiet menace from every pore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who chews the scenery with a subtle performance, and the amazing Jeffrey Wright who truly astonish. Look also for Jena Malone as Johanna Mason in a brilliant, scene-stealing performance of incredible charisma.

2. CINEMATOGRAPHY: Filled with gorgeous and eye-catching shots, Joe Willems's cinematography fills Panem with striking, practical, gritty, but never dour visuals. From the browns and greys of District 12 to the lush, green, cramped hell of the arena, Catching Fire is one of the best photographed films of the year.

3. COSTUMES AND SET DESIGN: Catching Fire offers, courtesy of small genius Trish Summerville, some of the most luscious, gorgeous, and eye-catching dresses this side of Lord of the Rings. Look for the marked contrast between the grit and the ash of District 12 with the gleam and color of the Capitol. THG's realistic set design and costuming brings a whole new field of "real" to the game.

4. ACTION: The perfect blend of psychological build-up and riveting action, the last hour of Catching Fire is an absolute powerhouse of action.Read more ›

Seldom have I watched a movie based on a book that so accurately translates what was on the printed page. At several points I thought I must have seen the movie before because the image was so familiar but later realized that the movie just got it so right that I only imagined it.

It's also worth remembering that the movie is a children's movie based on a children's book and despite the fact that it deals with some fairly violent subject matter, it does it in a very child-friendly way. Adults who are accustomed to the usual gore Hollywood likes to spew out will notice a much tamer take on the subject.

Additionally, I've read the books but I can't imagine this movie would suffer terribly for those who hadn't. The whole thing is fairly straightforward with no great complexity so it would be difficult to get lost even without previous experience in the texts.

Lastly, the thing that makes me like this series most is its strong underlying social commentary on the plutocracy in which we live in this country. For kids reading the book today, they're probably not seeing the parallels but once they get older it's just possible they'll see echoes of this in their own government and the social stratification that we live with every day.

While not perfect, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is that rarity among sequels: it is decidedly better than the first film. Credit for this achievement goes deservedly to the new team behind Catching Fire. Director Francis Lawrence (Water For Elephants, I Am Legend) brings a surer hand to the action and the pacing, and cinematographer Jo Willems gives the world of Hunger Games a feel of seamless reality that seemed missing from the first film. But the biggest credit should go to the veteran (and Academy Award-winning) writers, Simon Beaufoy (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours and The Full Monty) and Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3) who not only managed to produce a tighter and more vivid screenplay from Suzanne Collins' novel, they also managed to compensate for the principal problem with the second novel, i.e. that much of the plot device-wise was a repeat of the first novel. One of the most noticeable ways the writers dealt with this was in how they gave the actors more opportunities to give depth to their characters, so that even though the core dilemma was the same, the events mattered because we cared more about the characters.

Anyone who has read the novels already knows most of the plot as Catching Fire, like Hunger Games, follows the book on which it was based for the most part. Note: if you haven't read the first book or seen the first movie, make sure you do at least one before seeing Catching Fire. Seriously. Background is important here and Catching Fire - quite rightly - doesn't waste a lot of time on flashbacks or lumpy exposition. For anyone who's only seen the first movie, I'm going to say very little about the plot to avoid any potential spoilers.

The film picks up things shortly after where Hunger Games ended.Read more ›