Friday Morning Zombie Syndrome

I am a zombie this morning.  I slept about 3 hours last night after watching THE HUNGER GAMES midnight showing!  I suppose I'll give a quick review:

IT.WAS.AWESOME!

My favorite parts (Possible Spoilers):

• The Hob - it was just like how I pictured it but perhaps more cluttered on screen. 
• The reaping - and Effie's attitude during the event were chilling.  The colors were dull and depressing, all the kids dressing up for the big day.  Little Prim scared to leave her sister and that long moment where you see Prim's expression change and everyone look at her with pity but also relief of their own.  Then Katniss stepping in to save her sister.  My heart was pounding, it was as if I were her in that moment asking myself "what have I done... what have I done?!"
• Prim being carried away by Gale screaming for Katniss.  Heartbreaking.
• At the capital when she's trying to get the Gamekeeper's attention and does so by showing off her archery skills.
• The time Katniss had with Cinna before the Hunger Games began.  The countdown was slower than in real time (ie when there were 10 seconds left and I was counting in my head it was much longer than 10 seconds).  I think this was to help convey how long time seems to go when you're dreading something, but then it happened so quickly.  She gets in the platform and it closes - gives Cinna a look of desperation and starts to rise.
• The actual Hunger Games - this of course is basically the entire 2nd half of the movie.  Katniss fights to survive and at times I found myself thinking if I were her I would have given up.  It must have taken great strength to keep going - keeping Prim in mind must have been very motivating. 
• The alliance of the District 1 and 2 tributes and Peeta.  For some reason hearing the girl laughing and relishing in the murder of a fellow tribute also says a lot about who Katniss is up against.  Cold blooded killers trained from an early age to win the Games. 
• Watching Katniss take care of little Rue.  She's a hard girl, didn't cry during the reaping - or at all until later in the games.  But she truly is emotionally connected and vengeful after her death.  The whistle that they came up with to say that everything was ok was also a bit chilling but positive at the same time. 

Of course there were a few things different.  I think the reason I enjoyed the movie so much was because I hadn't JUST read the book and then went off to see the movie.  The essense of the book sticks with you and that is what the movie captured.  It's a scary world they live in.  Katniss says she doesn't want to have kids because she doesn't want them to go through this, Gale mentions that he would want kids if he didn't live there... realistic and thoughtful decisions are made and that really captures how Katniss is.  They're essentially prisoners of the capital even before they're brought together as tributes.

Go.See.It.