The Hunger Games Trilogy: Mockingjay Part 2

First off, if you haven't watched the film yet, and you don't want spoilers, leave. But other than that, this is a must-watch film, also, it's best if you already read the books, or at least watched the previous movies to fully appreciate this.

I've read the entire trilogy a couple of years back, and I'm so eager to finally see the finale of The Hunger Games Trilogy in film.  Anticipating this, my heart raced a little faster than it should as I thought of Prim's underserved death and while taking our seats, I've been brimming with sadness that Peeta's gorgeous physique would soon be one legless but still handsomely body.

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In one gulp, this fourth and final leg of The Hunger Games is about Katniss, the Mockingjay, leading a rebellion against the Capitol. Determined to end the bloodbath entertainment of the yearly games, Katniss under the wings of District 13's President Alma Coin,  teamed up with Gale and other victors including Peeta and Finnick in a mission, an attempt to assassin President Coriolanius Snow in the midst of a soon-to-be full scale war of Panem's Capitol against its Districts. 

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Reading the book first hand, I personally noticed a bit of changes in the movie. Some of the changes were:

1. Plutarch didn't shine well. The book has a lot of Plutarch appearances but since Philip Seymore Hoffman died in the middle of the film-making, some of his scenes were either replaced or omitted. The scene where Plutarch should talk personally with Katniss was replaced by Haymitch loudly reading Plutarch's letter to Katniss.
2. Katniss looks like a trained soldier where in fact, Coin didn't let her join at first because she's not capable. But, the twist is, although Katniss looks loaded, she in the movie, didn't kill a random Capitol woman.
3. The girl in the yellow coat didn't get shot, but I think the audience will still think that the girl's a goner since all children were pulled out in front. Killing every children, including Prim.
4. Katniss should have major burns that it contorts her face, but, alas, in the film, her face is still her face, I guess. Plus,
5. Katniss should have battled a trauma, but in the film, she looks like she already is healed inside. I think, this movie is more forgiving and gentle than the book.
6. Peeta got to keep his leg. This movie IS more forgiving and gentle than the book, I dare say.
7. But to make the fresh wound bleeds, Annie Cresta keeps in touch with Peeta through letters with a photo of her and her baby with Finnick. Heart sinking. I take it back, this movie is unforgiving as the book.

I think these changes didn't affect how wonderfully the movie has been executed because regardless of these, the movie didn't turn out well, it turned out great! (Coming from someone who reads the entire trilogy).

I remember Finnick telling Katniss "Welcome to the 76th Hunger Game!" and the unforgettable scenes for me were Bogg's, the liquid tar pod that killed Mitchell and the scene with the mutts. The mutts gave me nightmares!

Prim's death really blows hard every time (reading and watching) this trilogy, the very person Katniss wants to protect from the start, died. And then I threw my fist in the air (at least in my head, I did) right after Katniss draw an arrow straight to Coin's deceitful heart.

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Thank you Mommy Lariza, MBP and MOD Production for treating us with a movie date!

I'll end this post with my favorite lovey-dovey scenes:

Yes, you can say that I'm #teamPeeta!

Remember, some may love Gale. Some may love Peeta. But everyone loves Finnick.

I leave the movie theater thinking about Finnick. The Hunger Games is unforgiving, as always.

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May the odds be forever in your favor.

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And, why did it seems like Gale traitored Katniss in the movie?

BOOK: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

One of my best decision was to bring this book on our trip to North.

It was fitting --- although its not yet summer, the feel is just the same. Vacation, travel, another place, getting relax, letting loose.

Although im forever a fan of rain and drizzle and fog, how Belly described the sun and how she loves the beach really made me love summer season a little bit more. It made me wanna slap on tan lotion and cook myself under the sun, it made laps on pool a fun thing to do and it made it look like wearing swimwear is just as ordinary as wearing house clothes.

The real moving heartstrings though are the times when Belly narrates her past, her boys and her love for that one boy - Conrad.

If you wanna read the book and hate spoilers, then I am warning you, read until here and at least watch this trailer...

See you on book two!

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Conrad's and Isabella's love for the film Titanic makes me cringe at the end of closing this book - they have the same ending.

Tragic. Change. Loss. Death.

This book broke my heart more than once, it will to you too, so prepare yourself to fall in love. Make yourself a glass of refreshing sun tea and soak the sun.

Catching Fire by Suzzane Collins

The Hunger Games discreet mode, click here.

The Hunger Games with its beans all over the place, click here.

...

and now, Catching Fire! This post brim's spilling juicy moments. You've been warned.

This is the second book of the trilogy: The Hunger Games. This is the second sequel of the Hunger Games. This is my favorite among the three.

Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen won the 74th Annual Hunger Games held at the Capitol of Panem. "Victory Tour" follows shortly right after and sooner President Snow announced that on the 75th Annual Hunger Games - Peeta and Katniss will enter the Arena again. On the "victory tour", Katniss observed that a rebellion is brewing.

The thing is, every 25th year (the Quarter Quell) - the champions or the victors as they called it, would fight their way out of the Arena for the second (and to the others, last) time.

Another thing is, this is President Snow's way of getting rid of Katniss Everdeen together with the hope of the district's people to be free by starting a rebellion against the Capitol.

Like I said, this is my favorite among the three. This is where Katniss' problems were doubled if not tripled. The hunger games, the rebellion, and the boys.

via

Peeta Mellark in his glory suit. Oooh, that jawline's giving me butterflies on me tummy!

The boys, I mean the men in her life are both strong-headed, wise and tactful. She is as well, so the battle of personalities, beliefs and love is now on the next level, you could practically smell friction in the air!

I so can't wait to see Beetee in action! Finnick is hot but I won't switch teams, Peeta Mellark all the way to Capitol! Bring it on!

Oli’s Uncommon Cents by Deborah Allen

I received an email a month back from mum-writes notifying me that I won her giveaway! :) Just so you know, the contest is to give names for five different coins; dime, nickel, quarter, penny and a dollar.

My coins if ever shall have the names:

1 - baboosh

2 - yunnie

3 - vee

4 - moon

5 - artemis

The author herself and mum-writes chose the three winners and obviously, Im one of them! Yay! Several weeks later, I finally received my prize!

Oli's Uncommon Cents by Deborah Allen :D

Since it is sent by the author herself,

my book has her autograph on!

Started reading the book

the minute I opened the package! :)

I could read this up on one sitting but since I'm babysitting, I decided to take it slow, digest every pages in and so I ended up finishing the book after three days.

The book as you can see is thin enough, just enough for youngsters to enjoy. The way the story was told is very simple and clear. I learned and been reminded a lot of lifetime lessons and morals like love, trust and respect.. This is a refreshing book for me since there is no wicked witches doing evil things in a horrid place. And by this I realize that it is more children-friendly than any dark themed books because, you'll learn from them too but sometimes they learn the wrong things, like vengeance and angry and violence.

Deborah Allen is a children book author. Buy, Oli's Uncommon Cents, directly from the author. $8.00 plus $2.50 shipping and handling and know more about her by visiting her blog: www.readandwrite4kids.blogspot.com

Photo Blog #4 The "Storm-Assuming" Southwest Winds

My week so far as everyone else's is rainy and foggy but thankfully not floody!

perfect for cold nights!

Lemony Snicket's The Series of Unfortunate Events Book 3: The Wide Window

If you wanna know how the unfortunate events of the Baudelaires started, then read book1 - the bad beginning and follow their misery in book2 - the reptile room...

Book 3 - The Wide Window

If you don't wanna continue reading, I will never force you, but like Mr. Lemony Snicket, I already decided to stick with the orphans as they are like brother and sisters to me. Like Klaus I love to read, Violet's hair ribbon is one of my favorite fashion accessories, and just as much as Sonny loves to bite, I love to nibble finger foods too...

After Uncle Monty's death, they were introduced to

Aunt Josephine

a kind widow frightened by many, I mean almost ALL things ever since her Husband Ike died in Lake Lachrymose after being eaten by Lachrymose Leeches...

She's afraid of the lake Lachrymose yet her house is located at a cliff just above the lake. Honestly, the house is cute! hehe As an engineer, I find it very amusing! The side facing the lake is the library where an huge window is installed. Could you believe that the heaviest part of the house is on that side? o.O

Aunt Josephine's House

She is too comical and funny whenever she warned the kids not to answer the phone, open the fridge and cook their meals. :)) Although very frightful, she is strict when it comes to grammar, she loves grammar so much that she even have an enormous library of grammar on her home. The enormous library has an enormous window (this is where the book title came from) which overlooks the lake and a cave...

Count Olaf entered the scene as the one-legged owner of a boat rental Captain Sham, who lost his leg after being eaten by the horrible lachrymose leeches. The orphans easily spotted that he was the count and warned Aunt Josephine but to no avail. In the long run, Aunt Josephine was runaway with a note saying that the new Bauldelaire guardian would be Captain Sham... The letter is filled with misspelled words and grammatical errors that Klaus realized that Aunt Josephine is hiding a coded message to the children.

In the end, they saved her from hiding on a cave called "Curdled Cave" but because of Hurricane Herman and Aunt Josephine's eating banana, lachrymose leeches started to pursue them making holes on their boat while big waves hitting them... At this point I thank Captain Sham, I mean Count Olaf for being there for the children, yet again, he is the reason why Aunt Josephine was eaten alive by the leeches. Yes, in the beginning, their parents died, in the reptile room died Uncle Monty, and now in lake Lachrymose died Aunt Josephine. And all of these are doings of the Count.

So, have you read the third book or watched the film? Tell me what do you think of the Bauldelaires and their future?

*photos not mine

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Everyone's heart desires immortality. That's why we take care of ourselves, trying to eat healthy, trying to keep away from accidents and drink our medicines...

What if you could live forever?

That's why when it's about forever, I drool, I mean I dream of entering this fantasy and skip reality for a while... :) As the book title reads, it's about everlasting life.

It's about Winnie's routine-life of boredom and daily frustration. One of the oldest family known in town that owns the vast surrounding forest. Finally giving up, she run away and finds herself near a beautiful tree where spring of water pours. She's not alone though, a young man was busy drinking from it. The boy's name was Jesse Tuck, he is with his family, his mom Mae, dad Angus and brother Miles. Aside from knowing a new family, she learned that they are immortal because of them drinking the spring almost ninety years ago.

Everyone thought that their secret was safe, not until a man who believed the tales appear and demand to show him the fountain of immortality. The adventure and drama begin when the man kidnapped Winnie to persuade the Fosters to give him the forest and hence get to the water and sell it for an incredible price! In the end, Winnie returned home, got married, had a family and died two years before Angus and Mae Tuck returned to town finding her. The fountain was destroyed because of a forest fire that lead to the area being bulldozed to the ground.

I was kinda sad that Winnie didn't make it to forever! I really wish she was happily together with Jesse. But I think that's the point of the story, to live forever is a fantasy that everyone including the "man" who wants to find the fountain but some people just want to live their lives. It is a matter of choice for Winnie. And I guess, what matters most is she lived her life with no regrets!

Susannah's Garden by Debbie Macomber

paper back edition

 Some paths are dead ends. But some gardens remain beautiful...

Just like Our Mother's House this is about moms, a loving mom, caring for our mom and being a mom...

Susannah Nelson is fifty years old now, a professional teacher, a wife and a mother, she should be contented and happy, but unfinished past hinder her happiness. She feels hollow because a puzzle of her past hasn't been in place... It was about her childhood sweetheart Jake and her long-lost brother Doug who both perish the same year when she was just eighteen, her anger towards her dead father, her rebellious twenty year old daughter and the demand of her aging mom, Vivian.

She have to go home to Colville to take care of recent widowed mom. Her old friends and her used to be favorite garden welcome her and her curiosity of the past, making her reminisce her more. And in here, she'll discover things she never thought would have happen...

Path not taken always bothered her, her young love for Jake, her marital love with her husband and her mom's undying love for her husband altogether. She now doubt her husband and started "investigating" about her first love while juggling work, home assistance for her mom with the so-called-help of her daughter. She hangs out with her childhood friends and made some enlightening discoveries...

The cover caught my attention because it's so vintage-y lifestyle, of the past where no internet or cellphone, just gardens and sewing and playing the piano. :) Makes me nostalgic! :P I could relate somewhat to the story because my grandma is just like Vivian, she always talked about her dead first boyfriend husband, she suffers Alzheimer's and my aunt is taking good care of her just like Susannah. I really love to share this book with my aunt actually and for sure she'll cry for some part of the book. It's very heart warming and the twist is so unexpected, although the end kept me hanging!

Chocolat by Joanne Harris

cover of the book I read

Who loves chocolate? Well, this is a story for y’all chocolate lovers out there! Are you aware that there was a time when “eating chocolate is a sin”?

This is the era where the story begun. It’s about the dark luscious taste of pure chocolate that seduce people of the town to ignore the priest’s Sunday sermon of avoiding sinning. Vianne Rocher with her young daughter arrived in a small French village in the beginning of Lent, where they started a business of chocolate. The store faces the church hosted by a young cure Francis Reynaud that watches her with disapproval and suspiciously thinks she's tempting the villagers to over-indulge...

The people cannot resist Vianne's good humor and carefree lifestyle... She even help a woman to stand against domestic abuse and she helped outcasts and children. I like how she shows her wit to the stern town people and touched their hearts through serving them chocolates.

Her genuine intentions caught the self-righteous cure off his tracks and in the end, he gave in to the luxury taste of her pure dark chocolates and hence completely open the mind of the people to embrace this new sweet treats.

I also love the film, especially the parts where they make chocolate treats. It's a mouth-watering movie starring Johnny Depp and Julliete Binoche. Now I'm hunting for the sequel "The Lollipop Shoes". :)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Warning: Big Spoiler!

I stopped myself from watching THG because I want to read the book first :)

The Hunger Games

Just finished the book after 3 days and watched the film right away... Am I super late? Oh well, it's better to be late than never.. Fresh from my mind, I easily observe the difference between the book and the film. I love the details of the book mostly on the part where Peeta and Katniss are together in the arena. But I think this time, I love the film more. Simply because Peeta Mellark kept his foot unlike in the book that its been replaced with metal. amp!

The events took place in a nation called Panem, after the unknown war destruction, the wealthy Capitol and the twelve provinces surrounding it named by districts one to twelve. District 12, the coal region was were Katniss and Peeta came from. To avoid repeating the war, the Capitol started the Hunger Games where in a boy and a girl ages 12 to 18 are chosen randomly from different districts to participate as tributes that must fight their way in an outdoor arena controlled bu the Capitol.

Katniss Everdeens

74th Hunger Games is the first time where young Primrose's name was included to the fish bowl of tributes but that didn't guarantee that the odds are in her favor since Effie Trinket's picked her name in random. Dearest Primrose, like a duckling, slowly walked over to the stage until Katniss volunteered on her behalf.

Primrose Everdeens

Peeta Mellark, a baker's son was the boy tribute of District 12. Katniss recognized him as the bread boy from her school, once he gave her bread for her starving family. In the book, the mayor's daughter, Madge, gave Katniss the mockingjay pin, while on the film, Greasy Sae from the Hob gave her the pin. Really thought Madge is an important character! She's important on the 2nd and 3rd book! I don't know how will it be without her. hmmp Guess I'm gonna find out...

Peeta Mellark

After a brief farewell to their friends and family, both tributes from district 12 was taken to the Capitol to be trained by their drunken mentor, Haymitch Abernathy; the only victor of their district in the 50th Hunger Games. In their several days in the Capitol, they were well fed, kept clean and beautified Katniss can't even recognize herself! While practicing, Haymitch told them to watch out for other tributes, Peeta revealed his feelings for Katniss live on air with Ceasar Flickerman, and Katniss has found a small spot for District 11's girl tribute, Rue who reminds her very well of Prim.

Peeta's love declaration was thought by Katniss only as a strategy to staying alive. Aside from hunting, they survive the game because the sponsors send gifts like soup for Peeta, medicine for Katniss burned ankle and etc. Inside the arena, Katniss was joined by Rue in a short time because the boy from District 11 struck her with a spear that causes her death. Katniss sing her to death and adorned her body with wild flowers as her last respect. That part made me cry! :'( *sniffs*

To highlight the "Star-Crossed Lovers" of District 12, the rules was changed halfway of the games, two tributes can now win as a pair as long as their both on the same district. This is when Katniss finds Peeta, hiding and wounded. She took care of him and nurse him back to health while hunting for their food. She acts as a young girl falling inlove that catches the hearts of the audience in the Capitol. After defeating all the tributes, at last the Gamemakers change the rule to its original standard of lone victor. Hence, Katniss suggests they commit suicide by taking out poisonous berries from her pouch. Before they took their lives, the Gamemakers announced that both of them were official victors of the 74th Hunger Games!

Katniss thought its over... She survived and she's ready to go home; young, rich and famous. Not until she was warned by Haymitch that she puts a stirring to the districts by defying the Capitol's authority by her suicide attempt in the arena.

Peeta on the other hand was strucked and heartbroken after he discovered that Katniss in the arena was not for real. I felt sad for Peeta!  Now, as they go back to their district, Katniss was now unsure how she feels about Peeta and how she'll face her long time hunting partner, Gale.

Gale Hawthorne

Like I said earlier, in the book, Peeta had his broken ankle replaced by metal, but in the film, they didn't show that he's injured.. And I'm happy to have Peeta biologically complete! :D

Things kept on stirring! and now I'm reading the 2nd book! Cant wait to see the next film! Oooooh.. I really thought Madge should be in the film! :3 What do you think?

James and the Giant Peach

Aside from growing up watching Matilda, I always had the heart for James and his giant peach.

James and the whole gang! :)

And just now, I've learned that both Matilda and James came from the great mind of Author Roald Dahl! It's just amazing? :D

James and the Giant Peach

When James Henry Trotter is four, he lives with his parents in a cottage by the sea in the south of England. James's world is simple and happy until his mother and father died. He then was forced to live with his two horrible aunts, Spiker and Sponge in a high, desolate hill near the Dover white cliffs. Aunts, Spiker and Sponge always abuse James. He was forced to sleep in the floors of the attic, clean the house, beaten when he feels happy with his happy thoughts and was not allowed to join his aunts in meals, he hardly eats at all.

One day, when he was crying his sadness in the bushes, a strange little man appeared and gave him a sack of tiny glowing green crocodile tongues saying that supposedly to be mixed with water and ten strands of his hair that'll bring happiness and great adventure! Unfortunately, James tripped and spilled the sack's content on a dying peach tree...

There starts magic in James world. The tree grew one humongous peach! His Aunts makes a living on it while forbidding James to go near it. James got the chance when his aunts told his to clean up the backyard. He was so hungry he tried to get a handful of the fruit, while eating,  a fleshy tunnel shown and James curiously get inside where he meets different kind of insects magically transformed by the magic crocodile tongues.

His adventure with his new friends begun when the peach broke off its branch and rolled over through the village, houses, falling off the cliff into the sea, until it reaches the Atlantic Ocean. Their destination, James' dream, New York.

In the end, James' dream come true. He had new friends while his insect friends search their new places in the human world. He lived the rest of his life in the hollowed-out stone that is now a mansion in Central Park.

This is a fun-filled animation with singing and dancing. James and his friends struggles and succeeded. I just love how James lived in the giant peach! I really wish I was in there too when I was young! Hehe Who doesn't? I remembered it like eating your own house. :P

Have you watched/read James adventures yet? You'll be craving for peaches in the end! ;)

THE LITTLE RASCALS

I grew up watching this film, and I never got tired of adoring the gang and their mischief...

It's about the "He-Man Woman Haters Club" of local school aged boys who took oath not to play with girls. Their president

Spanky

decided that they will enter again to the annual go-cart race using their very own cart;

"Blur"

and the racers would be him as the president and his best friend Alfalfa which is a very not active club member.

Speaking of not-so-active member, Alfalfa skipped the meeting, hence they search to tell him he'll be the one to join the race but saw him in a romantic boat ride with his secret sweetheart, Darla!

Darla and Alfalfa

The boys tried to sabotage their date but failed...

The He-Woman Haters members started spying on the couple because of the club's rule of forbidding its club members to play with including having a romantic relationship with girls! Thinking they have to save Alfalfa! LoL

The trouble begins! Aside from their new problem with the romantic date, the club house causes fire, which means they don't have a club house anymore! They tried to call the fire department but neither Buckwheat nor Porky knew 911.. hehe And the cart "Blur" was stolen by bullies, Woim and Butch to use for the go-cart race. SMH

Alfalfa is the center of the menace! He also had a rivalry with Waldo, a rich school aged boy who eyed Darla for himself plus the fact that he has an amazing cart to use for the race while the gang's Blur just got stolen and clubhouse just got burned! All of the mayhem affected Spanky and Alfalfa's friendship too...

After all the trouble, the gang make it through the go-cart race by building an improvised "Blur-2", Alfalfa won Darla over Waldo, the bestfriends become bestfriends again, they got "Blur" from Woim and Butch plus they won the racing cup with $500 winning cash that they will use to build a new and improved clubhouse, this time the "He-Woman Haters Club" has a "Welcome Women" sign that makes Darla and her girlfriends join the club!

Light at heart, childish and extraordinarily good! Best film for all ages! What more can I ask for, Alfalfa got me by his waving ears!

Danielle Steel's Matters of the Heart

Matters of the Heart was my first book to read authored by Danielle Steel.

The first half of the book was a pretty typical. It's about two successful people meet and fall in love...

Meet Hope Dunne, a top photographer, experienced woman, once a wife, once a mother. A tiny woman, she was almost elfin in size she can fit into smallest most invisible places and go unnoticed. The only startling thing about her was her deep violet eyes. A deep blue with slightly purple color that are filled with compassion that had seen sorrows of the world.

As a loner, Hope is quite content with her life after finding serenity in India and the beauty of the world through the lens of her camera. After all her heartache came a man she is praying for if she's only looking for a man who is not the case...

But the man finds her...

Now meet Finn O'Neill, a famous writer with warmth and boyish charms. They met before the year end. When Finn wants to have Hope to shoot his cover photo for his new book. Both we're enormously successful on their own field and both are available! After the first meet, Finn pursue her. From client, to friend, to suitor, to boyfriend. From good to bad. Everything was a lie.

I love narrative psycho story  but I think this might have been a more decent book if Steel had not given it all away by defining "sociopath" in the introduction. Nevertheless, it's an excellent read a psychological type thriller. He gets her to move to Ireland, gets her pregnant and when she loses the baby, nearly dies, the veiled threats begin and he starts asking for a lot of money for him to stay around.. He wants Hope to buy him. He swings from a passionate lover to terrifying mad man, making Hope think she is going crazy.

I'm not sure if I'll be reading another book from Danielle Steel. I find her redundant. There are times when the plot gets boring. I did finish the book hoping for a greater twist in the end, but I don't know, I think it's quite lacking and dull.