Rare Is The Sequel To A Film Franchise That Surpasses The Magic And Wonder Of The Very First Movie That

Rare is the sequel to a film franchise that surpasses the magic and wonder of the very first movie that has laid the groundwork to a world beloved by millions of fans. Many other grand-scale epics have tried and failed to set a higher standard that the common underlying theme of such failures is the pressure for the movies to succeed financially at the expense of what really matters: giving the audience a great story. So it comes as a complete sigh of relief that "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" has effectively anchored itself as a solid foundation to a fictional cinematic universe that manages to thrill and entertain while simultaneously addressing complex themes that zeroes in on the dark side of human nature. And all of this is a winning formula that also translates to global box office records as of this post's publication. In retrospect, the movie forcefully delivers where it counts, but also comes up short in certain areas that could have been improved with a bit more tweaking. That being said, the bigger picture still is a stunning sight to look at. It goes without saying that the sheer size and scale of "Catching Fire" is significantly more ambitious than its predecessor. Acting, character casting, storytelling, cinematography, music, production design, costuming, hair and makeup, visual effects--everything melded together quite well to produce a film that has more than lived up to everyone's expectations, including mine. Just some of my personal best highlights of "Catching Fire" include:

The Victory Tour fiasco as Katniss and Peeta's appearances in the eleven neighboring Districts basically made people go apeshit with anarchy.

Gale getting whipped by Commander Thread. Because seeing those bloody whip scars on a muscled back totally turned me on in ways that sexual psychopaths could only probably relate to.

The parade of the Quarter Quell tributes in the Capitol. Looked way better than the first film, and District 12's signature "fire entrance" seemed definitely more dramatic in the daytime, especially when Cinna told Katniss and Peeta to look cool and detached like the screaming Capitol crowd was beneath them as their horse-drawn chariot drove through the promenade.

Johanna Mason's expletive-fueled rant with Caesar Flickerman and her now iconic elevator strip-down that produced the most priceless reactions from Haymitch, Peeta, and of course, Katniss.

Effie Trinket and her genuine maternal attitude towards her District 12 brood (Haymitch included). That, and her super fierce Alexander McQueen wardrobe: a S/S2011 monarch butterfly dress for the Quarter Quell reaping and F/W2012 pieces for her arrival in the Victor's Village, President Snow's party, and backstage at Caesar Flickerman's talk show.

Several great Katniss moments such as the reveal of her black Mockingjay dress, losing her shit at seeing Cinna getting beaten mere seconds before the Quarter Quell begins, her fiercely protective instincts towards Peeta, her successfully destroying the jungle arena using Beetee's wired apparatus, and her beautifully shot rescue sequence that followed.

The supplementary film soundtrack. I loved that "Atlas" by Coldplay was indeed used as the first closing credits track since this means it has a good chance at being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the upcoming Oscars. Other choice cuts I loved from the film soundtrack include "Elastic Heart" by Sia, The Weeknd (along with his solo contribution in "Devil May Cry"), and Diplo, as well as "Mirror" by Ellie Goulding.

All in all, it was definitely an exhilarating and emotional sequel that should definitely set the tone and pace for the final "Mockingjay" films which will be released in the next two years.

But where is Bruce Banner though?!

"Performance is all about state of mind. The hardest thing is to do something which is close to nothing, because it is demanding all of you..."

- Marina Abramović, The Artist Is Present (2012)

OMFG DEAD. Another awesome mashup from the amazing Leigh Lahav after "Thorested Development"!

Share 5 facts about yourself and send this to 10 of your favourite followers :)

Fact 01 : I write for a living. Yes. I get paid to write about stuff.

Fact 02 : My hair kinda looks like Tilda Swinton's, except it doesn't look as fierce as hers though I still pull it off well.

Fact 03 : I like to walk around while listening to music on my headphones. It's a great way to tune out other people while being in public so you can be lost in your own little world.

Fact 04 : I love to be creative and deconstruct my own clothes when I want something new to wear. For instance, I have turned some old shirts into really cool fringe scarves/headdresses and some battered old canvas shoes into wristbands.

Fact 05 : I am single. Yes, I am in search of a boyfriend. Please let me know if there are any cute guys out there willing to go steady with me. :)

Of course Cinna was smart enough to use fashion as a rebellious political statement because fashion was the only medium that the shallow citizens of the Capitol could possibly understand and hopefully realize that the rebellion outside their insular world is real and that shit is going to go down. All because of the Girl on Fire wearing the Mockingjay dress...

When I hear the screams of the crowd, I think it’s because I must look stunning. Then I notice something is rising up around me. Smoke. From fire. Not the flickery stuff I wore last year in the chariot, but something much more real that devours my dress. I begin to panic as the smoke thickens. Charred bits of black silk swirl in the air, and pearls clatter to the stage. Somehow I’m not afraid to stop because my flesh doesn’t seem to be burning and I know Cinna must be behind whatever is happening. So I keep spinning and spinning. For a split second I’m gasping, completely engulfed in the strange flames. Then all at once, the fire is gone. I slowly come to a stop, wondering if I’m naked and why Cinna has arranged to burn away my wedding dress. But I’m not naked. I’m in a dress of the exact same design of my wedding dress, only it’s the color of coal and made of tiny feathers. Wonderingly, I lift my long, flowing sleeves into the air, and that’s when I see myself on the television screen. Clothed in black except for the white patches on my sleeves. Or should I say my wings. Because Cinna has turned me into a mockingjay.