Ignore the bad photo taken with a flash on my iPhone against my jeans while we were sitting, waiting for the movie to begin on Saturday night. 

You know how it was a total mistake to re-read Catching Fire before it was released? (You know, because I could easily remember everything they cut out) Well, I made the mistake of re-reading half of the rest of Mockingjay before I saw it on Saturday night (so technically I read the middle ¼th). I only got through 100 pages before we arrived after some snacks and drinks at The Smith to the Lincoln Square movie theatre (the big one; yes, there was a line, and we even got there 45 minutes-ish early). 

The 100 pages that I read took about 15 minutes to get through in the movie. I always gloss over the fact that most of the book is inside Katniss’ head so it’s impossible to translate that to the big screen. There are spoilers after the cut. 

I’m still a little torn about my feelings regarding Mockingjay Part 2. They made Peeta’s recovery a little too easy. They totally cut out the part where District 13 becomes as totalitarian as living in the old districts. The scene in the rose garden with Snow was ridiculous. They met in the book, but he would’ve been in a holding cell, not his white rose garden. I don’t remember the part in the book where they hide with Tiggress and then “go with the refugees” to the Capitol. It seemed a little too apropos considering the current situation with Syria refugees, but I know it probably had little to do with it because the film was finished months ago. Katniss’ and Gale’s disguises were barely disguises at all and I laughed a little bit at that. I didn’t like that we didn’t see more of the rebels overtaking the Capitol. It seemed too clean. To be honest, the last part of the movie after that kind of dragged. 

And I’m not kidding when I say that the entire movie theatre erupted into laughter when the final scene, with Katniss, Peeta, and their children, came on. It was so ridiculous. I know that’s how the movie ends, but it was so ridiculous on screen and it felt so disjointed (it felt like Purple Summer following Those You’ve Known in Spring Awakening). 

I think I need to go see this again. Justin enjoyed it, so that was a plus. I’m knit-picking the shit out of it and it’s my fault considering I re-read some of the book beforehand, but that was my mistake and I guess I have to live with it. I think Mockingjay just may be an inferior book compared to the first two (or rather the last half of Mockingjay because I LOVED Mockingjay Part 1). 

I bought the keychain pictured above on sale at the Borders in Columbus Circle in 2010 while I was reading all of the books. I loved the books and will continue to love the books. 

I’m glad I saw the final movie in it’s opening weekend but I just wish it would’ve been a stronger ending. 

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