The Hunger Games
Blu-ray | DVD
DIRECTOR: Gary Ross
WRITER: Billy Ray, Suzanne Collins, Gary Ross
STARRING: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Alexander Ludwig, Amandla Stenberg, Wes Bentley, Donald Sutherland, Willow Shields, Paula Malcolmson, Toby Jones
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
RELEASE DATE: August 17, 2012

Before a movie adaptation of The Hunger Games was announced, I knew not one thing about it, not even the title. Going into finally seeing the movie for myself, I knew it was based on a wildly popular book series and whatever small story and character tidbits picked up while writing about various casting news and such. This is how I prefer going into any movie, whether it be an adaptation or sequel or completely original, so that there is no expectation whatsoever.

The premise is simple, yet also quite brutal. After an apocalyptic event transforms North America, a wealthy government called the Capitol takes total control over the less-wealthy people and forms them into thirteen districts. After an uprising by the people ultimately results in the destruction of one of the districts, an unthinkable punishment is put into effect to keep everyone in check: each year, one boy and one girl ages 12-18 from each of the twelve districts will be selected at random to compete in the Hunger Games, where all 24 will fight to the death until only one remains.