Last year The Hunger Games surprised a lot of people.  It was based on a fairly popular book series, but for most people was something of an unknown.  It featured a handful of familiar faces but no true stars, was directed by a man with only two moderate successes on his resume, and told a story that some found to be conceptually off-putting.  However, all of those potential negatives combined to create something of a phenomenon.  The low-budget aesthetic, gritty storyline and strong performances generated strong word of mouth and the result was one of the biggest success stories of 2012 and nearly $700 million in box office receipts.

For the sequel, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, things have definitely changed.   Continue reading →