April BC BBC: Looking for Alaska

A few months ago I came around to the wonder that is Nerdfighteria and the Green brothers, and when I read the Fault in Our Stars, I had more of an emotional reaction to that book than I’ve ever had before.  So when I heard that Looking for Alaska had been challenged by high schools to keep it out of their YA curriculum, I really needed to know what the fuss was about.

 

From Goodreads

Looking for Alaska follows the story of Miles Halter, later nicknames Pudge, as he leaves his Floridian home for boarding school in Alabama.  He quickly gathers a group of friends and begins a romantic obsession with a young girl named Alaska.  The book is in two parts, before and after an event, which I will not discuss as to not divulge anything.  But you see their emotional and physical relationship develop throughout the novel.

This book has been controversial for a few reasons: smoking, drinking, and sexual content.  Parents have been quoted saying it is inappropriate for teens and encourages those behaviors.  Even going so far as to say it is pornographic.  I have to wonder, having read the book, if these parents know what porn is?  Because while the book features some sexual elements, it is far from porn.  What it is instead is the story of youth.  Shockingly enough, kids experiment with drugs, alcohol, and sex.  Society most of the time has no problem bitching about “kids these days” so why are they so shocked that Green’s novel happens to encapsulate teens?  Another annoying part about attempting to ban a book from a curriculum is that you’re giving the book a “Forbidden Fruit” status.  So by saying the book is bad and not acceptable to read, they will probably find a way to read it on their own time.  So instead of banning the book from the curriculum, include the book and allow open discussion with teens about it.  There you go.

Quotes (note: there will be A LOT)

“‘I’s a-gonna learn how t’talk right Southern.’ [...] ‘Don’t do anything stupid,’ my dad said.” pg.7

“[...] between when I asked about the labyrinth and when she answered me, that I realized the importance of curves, of the thousand places here girls’ bodies ease from one place to another, from arc of the foot to ankle to calf, from calf to hip to waist to breast to neck to ski-slope nose to forehead to shoulder to the concave arch of the back to the butt to the etc. I’d noticed curves before, of course, but I had never quite apprehended their significance.” pg. 19

“I wanted to be one of those people who have streaks to maintain, who scorch the ground with their intensity. But for now, at least I knew such people, and they needed me, just like comets need tails.” pg.49

“Imaging the future is a kind of nostalgia.” pg.54

“You live for pretentious metaphors.” pg.59

“I wasn’t sure whether I liked her, and I doubted whether I could trust her, but I cared at least enough to try and find out.” pg.75

“‘God, ‘I love you’ really is the gateway drug of breaking up.’” pg.78

“‘I just did some calculations, and I’ve been able to determine that you’re full of shit.’” pg.78

“‘Because no one can catch the motherfucking fox.’” pg.104

“She taught me everything I knew about crawfish and kissing and pink wine and poetry.  She made me different.” pg.173

And obviously included in this lengthy list would be the obvious Great Perhaps and Hurricane/Drizzle metaphor.  While I would say I prefer the Fault in Our Stars, I did really enjoy this book and think that his style of writing is fantastic and this novel is something youth should read.  Young adults could easily identify with the thematic elements and maybe not feel so alone in the world.

25 Things I Wish I Knew Sooner Than 25

I came across this really great article where a girl commented on all the advice people she knew would give themselves at 25.  You can read it here. I thought this was a very interesting concept and decided to put together a list myself, since today is my 25th birthday.  So here are the things I wish people had told me about life and getting to know myself a bit earlier than my mid 20s.  But they're lessons I know now and would like other people to know too.

1.  Feminist isn’t a dirty word.

Nowadays, the word feminist is synonymous with man-hater.  And that’s not the point at all.  While certain feminists are radical, others are not.  There are many places along the spectrum of feminism that someone can find their beliefs.  Feminism is about equality.  Not downgrading men to make up for the degradation of females, which some people see in society.  It’s about drawing awareness to the way sexes are treated differently.  Robin Thicke came out with a video for his song “Blurred Lines.”  In the video, Robin and a few other artists are singing while women prance around them all topless.  Whether Robin wants to claim the song actually has an empowering message (I really doubt it), the point is why did you need mostly naked women dancing around?  You don’t.  Some students decided to make a response video, swapping gender roles.  There is a separate blog post about this whole debacle.  In conclusion, feminism is a pretty awesome thing and don’t let societal views dictate your taste for the word.

2.  Nerd life is a good life.

I relish all things nerdy, and it took me a long time to realize that it is ok to be a nerd.  I always wanted to fit in and I didn’t.  I wasn’t popular.  The place I did fit in was with my friends, who are of the nerd variety as well.  I tried too hard to be something I wasn’t for the sake of status.  Fuck that.  If you like nerdy things, you’re just as likely to find someone who agrees with you as someone who mocks you for it.  So ignore the haters and do what you want!  Let’s rebrand that word, shall we?  Nerd and proud! (And yes I did just use an X-Men reference to prove my point).  There’s a saying I heard in high school that finally dawned on me a couple years later.  “You succeed in meeting the highest expectations of the people you hang around with.”  If someone doesn’t like you, they won’t want to spend time with you.  But if they do want to spend time with you as you are, then you’re in good company! Nerdfighters unite!

3.  Sometimes boys aren’t worth it.

Now, let me preface this by saying not all guys are dicks.  There are some good ones out there.  But the vast majority I’ve encountered have been colossal asshats.  Here’s my advice: don’t get bogged down by them.  If a guy is stringing you along, cut the damn string, strangle him with it, and move on with your bad self.  My high school career was spent fawning over guys that showed no interest in me or strung me along until they got bored.  Then eventually I joined online dating and most of the chats were guys trying to get me naked.  Not my cuppa, thank you.  Value yourself enough to know when a guy is being a douche and needs to be ditched.

4.  Sometimes boys are worth it.

On the other hand, you can’t always be afraid to make a leap of faith.  Falling in love or falling for someone can hurt.  You can end up with concrete in your face.  But never taking any chances or risks will be just as bad as going zero to sixty every time.  Sometimes taking a chance is going to hurt.  But, sometimes it can turn out to be something great.  Life is about making opportunities and using the time we have, so know when to let go and when to hold on to what’s there.

5.  Don’t be afraid to let people go.

A common question I get now that I am grown up is if I’ve kept in touch with people from high school.  My answer is usually that I’ve kept in touch with a few, but most people I’ve stopped talking to, and that’s ok.  There seems to be an idea that losing touch with people means you don’t like them or want to be friends anymore.  That’s not true at all.  People grow and people move on with their lives.  Just because I stop talking to someone doesn’t mean I hate them, just that there are other people in my life that I’m closer to now.  So if there are friendships you want to keep, then keep making effort.  But if you are going your way and they are going theirs and it seems forced, let it go.  Wish them the best and move onward.  It isn’t bad, it’s just growing up.

6.  Know your personality and be comfortable with it.

I’m an introvert, but I used to spend time trying to force myself to be more outgoing and into situations.  My mom always wanted me to make more friends and go out and get into trouble.  But I was the kid that spent Friday nights at home reading or watching tv.  I tried in high school and a little in college, but I gave up.  I don’t like getting dressed up, spending an hour doing my hair and makeup, and paying cover to get into a club just to get hit on and ground up on.  I’m an introvert, and on a Friday night give me a couch, cup of tea, and movie or book, please.  The most important part of this is to learn how to interact your personality type, whichever it is, with the opposite.  It can be difficult, but just because you’re an introvert doesn’t mean you can get along with extroverts.  It’s just hard to learn how.

7.  Don’t spend frivolously.

This is a lesson that was instilled when I was younger, but kind of slipped by the wayside as I grew up.  I had been a bit flush with money so I didn't think much about spending it.  It wasn't until I was not so flush with cash that I had to ask myself with every item "Do I want this or do I need this?" Literally every item.  And it is ok to occasionally splurge or buy a want, not a need.  But you have to be aware of your financial stability.  Do I want this new movie or food for the next week?

8.  Surround yourself with people you enjoy.

This goes back to the quote previously mentioned. "You succeed in meeting the highest expectations of those you hang around with." On the flip side, don't choose to spend time with people who don't meet that for yourself.  Surround yourself with those who enjoy the same things.  Be it sports, or gaming, or reading.  You'll find yourself in good company. Not to say you can only hang out with people who are similar to you, but that it makes for good company.

9.  Confidence is sexy.

This one took me a long fucking time. I never had any luck with guys.  And everyone, upon hearing about my bad luck would consistently wonder why I was single. To which I would respond, "I don't fucking know!"  But what I didn't realize at the time was that guy appreciate a girl who doesn't give a shit.  Being true to yourself and being confident in that is incredibly attractive. You just have to be you and be ok with that and the rest will follow. People are still baffled I've only had one serious boyfriend. So am I, people. So am I.

10.  Religion doesn’t have to be a shackle.

I was raised Roman Catholic with a very conservative family dynamic.  I didn't share my struggles with the idea of the church or God with anyone else for a very long time.  Finally in college, I started to realize I disagreed with Catholicism more than I agreed with it.  I also started meeting more people that are part of a faith but also question things or disagree with some elements of the faith.  Just because you're raised in a faith doesn't mean you have to stay with it.  And just because you follow a faith doesn't mean you have to agree with everything they say.

11.  Ignorance is not always bliss, especially when it comes to big issues.

Sometimes, it is nice to put our heads in the sand and ignore what is going on, or ignore the big picture.  But sometimes, you're doing yourself (or others) more harm than good.  I never thought of myself as racist.  The things that I thought were things I had been exposed to in my life.  But in one of my favorite classes in college, I learned about hatred and racism.  And though I was not maliciously thinking those things, I wasn't knowledgeable about what other races experience.  Now I'm more open minded, especially towards people.  And feigning ignorance won't solve anything.

12.  Spend time on yourself.

Burn out.  It's not just a slang term for someone who does drugs.  It also applies when you wear yourself out completely from life.  Life will wear you down, make you miserable, and continue to suck the soul out of you. Unless, you occasionally take a break from life.  Give yourself a mental health day.  Play hookie.  It may seem dangerous or weird.  But your batteries don't last forever, they need to be recharged.

13.  Find a job that you are passionate about.

Working as a drone in an unfulfilling job is a human rite of passage.  Some people are incredibly lucky to get their dream job right from the get-go. But they are few and far between.  So here's the solution.  If you find something you love that you are working towards, it'll make the crappy job worth it.  It'll still suck balls, but you'll be working towards something you love and you'll have that to hold onto during the crappy bits.

14.  Write things down.

I would always tell my mom a story, and the first thing she would always say is, "You need to write this down." And for the longest time, I shrugged it off.  It's just a story or a joke.  But over the years I'll try to remember something and realize I can't, and that I have no way to check.  I start to wonder if that was real or if I imagined it.  So now I write down almost everything. A veritable smorgasbord of tiny pieces of information that pass through my life.

15.  Take pictures, even of the littlest things.

I know Instagram has turned picture taking into a petty business of selfies and photos that have no significance.  But that's not true.  Every photo (except maybe a blank one) has significance in some way to someone. Even the pictures from my 8th grade Washington DC trip, where hitting the camera to make the flash go off was all the rage.  It may not mean anything to another person that I took a picture of deformed cookie dough. But that'll be the memory of the night we tried to make cookie shot glasses and failed miserably. Other people might this it's insignificant, but it isn't. Not to me.

16.  There is a difference between immaturity and playfulness.

Playfulness is building a fort and coloring inside while watching Disney movies.  Immaturity is tearing someone else's fort down. Being playful and being immature aren't the same, though today society does lump them together. And sometimes, I'm immature. Everyone has those moments. But it's important to know the difference.  I'm playful if I build a fort to hang out in, but I'm immature if I use the fort to hide from my problems.

17.  How to do taxes…

School doesn't teach you this...I don't know why they don't.  But learning your part in society would be easier if people clued you in.  Also debt. It's bad. And always check your credit score.

18.  Travel when you can.

My best friend was studying in Ireland and begged me to come visit. And I sat for a while waffling over money.  If I went, I'd have a great time but have to take out more student loans.  If I didn't go, I’d have less student loans but no seeing my best friend. Moral of the story: Go to Ireland. Always go. You never know what you might miss. For instance, County Cork *teehee*

19.  Make your own traditions.

Family traditions can be amazing. But sometimes they are stupid, in my humble opinion.  So make your own.  After hearing traditions from other people, I can easily think of a few I'll opt once I have a family of my own. Don't be afraid to let go of old family traditions to make new ones.

20.  Don’t feel bad if life seems stuck.

You are going to have life moments that feel like a quagmire of suckage.  Don't worry.  It'll pass.  You'll survive.  Just remember people care about you, even if you don't know them personally.  Someone will always reach out a hand to pick you up when you fall.

21.  There is nothing wrong with asking for help.

This goes with the above. Sometimes, things are above what you can handle. That's why doctors exist. I struggled for a very long time.  Fear of reaching out or asking for help paralyzed me.  No one is going to look down on you for needing help. And if they do, then they're a shitty person you don't need in your life.  Mental illness is complicated.  Don't drown if you're afraid to ask for a buoy. Someone will be there to throw one.

22.  Step away from the technology.

Social media. Television. Internet. Sometimes living in a bygone era seems like a really grand idea.  Minus the plague and lack of indoor plumbing.  However, we need as a society to step away from the robot tech and take a break. Spend an afternoon outside. Playing with your kids. Read a book.  Have a game night (and ban phones). Free yourself for just a little bit. It's worth it.

23.  Family doesn’t always mean blood.

My family situation is complicated and down right shitty in some areas.  While there are family members that I have stayed close to (you know who you are) I have also made my family elsewhere. There are people I have chosen to spend time with who are closer to me than some family members and mean more to me.  Stick by those who stick by you.  Blood relation or no.

24.  Have at least one creative hobby.

Learning is a good thing, guys.  A seriously good thing.  So pick hobby that in some way expands your mind.  Television doesn't count.  Personally, I think photography is a good place to start.  Or invest more time in reading. Pick a specific topic to look into. Learn a language.  Try cooking classes.  Invest something in yourself that helps expand you as a person.

25.  Be yourself.

Whoever you are, whatever you choose to love...don't betray it.  Don't waste time pretending.  Love who you are. And if there's something you don't love, work on changing it for the better in a healthy way.  Don't let anyone belittle you for your choices or what you believe.  Be strong.  Believe in being the best version of yourself. Whatever that may be.

American Psycho: BC Book Club March and Movie Review #48

My friend warned me when I picked up this book, that I might not be able to handle it.  Having studied criminal justice and seen images of crime scenes, I thought maybe she was exaggerating a little bit.  Well, she wasn’t.

While I was able to make it through the entirety of American Psycho, by Bret Easton Ellis, there were times when I considered just putting the book down.  Having spent my time in lecture halls studying fairly gruesome things, and even working with victims of violence, I was not prepared for the onslaught of grotesque sexual violence that permeates (and is perpetrated) by the character Patrick Bateman.

While most people know the story from the film starring Christian Bale (movie to be discussed briefly), I didn’t know if the film can do the book justice and still be allowed to be viewed.  The story is thus: Patrick Bateman works on Wall Street.  Patrick Bateman is obsessed with status.  Patrick Bateman hates people.  Patrick Bateman kills them like a sadistic mo-fo.

End.

I can see why this book is highly challenged.  The story is an interesting one, but the in depth writing and storytelling of violent and sadistic acts gets very gory and unsettling.  It makes you question what kind of person could write this much about such a heinous topic, without possibly being a little sadistic themselves.  I can’t deny the novel is artfully written.  Bret Easton Ellis has a talent for words and telling a story.  It’s just that this one is really sickening after a while.

I didn’t have any favorite quotes from this one.  Though overall, I did enjoy his style.  Having previously read Less Than Zero, I knew I would enjoy the style though not the content.  It’s worth the read if you have a very strong stomach.  You could essentially call the novel “torture porn.”  But if you can get past that, you can enjoy the stylings of the author.

I also decided to watch the film version.  Christian Bale played the main character Patrick Bateman, which is insanely perfect casting.  Reese Witherspoon is his “fiancee” Evelyn and Willem Dafoe is the Detective Kimball, who is investigating the mysterious disappearance of one of Bateman’s kills.  A variety of other decently known actors played the rest of the small cast, though they are certainly more famous now than when they were in the film.  It sticks very well to the content, omitting what could be omitted and augmenting when needed.  I give it an 8 out of 10.  While it does hold up to the canon well, it isn’t the type of film I would watch repeatedly.  Most of the violence happens off screen, but admittedly, Bale was a little too perfect as a sociopathic serial killer that it freaked me out a bit.  Just sayin’.

B/C BBC: February

The Banned/Challenged Books Book Club returns this month, and it is a "Brave New World!"

I first read Aldous Huxley's Brave New World in my freshman high school Honors English class, and at first I wasn’t sure how to process the story.  But after rereading a few years later, it has become one of my favorite books.

The dystopian story takes place in London, England in a time where family has become obsolete and children are born from bottles.  Sex and emotion don’t go together anymore.  People are bred into different intelligence castes to perform different roles in society.  People living by old ways are considered savages.  Henry Ford is their god.  “Everyone belongs to everyone else.”  A look into what society could become.

The book has quite a bit of controversy around it.  The sexual exploits of the novel have been considered “pornographic” by some.  Others have claimed it is anti-family and anti-religion.  Huxley eventually came back to the novel and did Brave New World Revisited in the late 50s, in which he estimated whether society was moving more towards the vision he saw in the novel or farther away.  He concluded we had moved closer to that vision faster than he previously thought.  An interesting observation given that that occurred quite a while ago, and you could argue society has come close to Huxley’s vision today.  What would he say about the world now if he saw it?

The reason I enjoy the novel so much is the dystopian element. So much of that society is reflective of what we live in today, yet so much is different.  The family is still valued, but sexual freedom has become far more prevalent.  We have a type of cast society based on wealth not intelligence, but we haven’t started mass producing offspring in bottles.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

“What man has joined, nature is powerless to put asunder.” pg. 22

“They’ll be safe from books and botany all their lives.” pg.22 (as if books are dangerous! what nonsense!)

“A man can smile and smile and be a villain.” pg. 132

“One of the principal functions of a friend is to suffer (in a milder and symbolic form) the punishments that we should like, but are unable, to inflict on our enemies.” pg. 179

“No, of course it isn’t necessary.  But some kind of baseness are nobly undergone,  I’d like to undergo something nobly.  Don’t you see?” pg. 190

“He was a philosopher, if you know what that was.” “A man who dreams of fewer things than there are in heaven and earth.” pg. 231

My quote list could continue on for ages.  Since the concept and Huxley’s style of writing are so wonderful to me, the book holds too much to try and put down.  While some consider the topics enclosed in Huxley’s story taboo or inappropriate, I think nowadays it is more accurate to say people should be offended by it because that is what they’ve become. 

Banned/Challenged Books Book Club: January

Since getting my second job in September, I have been unable to attend my previous book club (sad) but have instead done my own posts about books I read (yay).  I’m actually taking that one step further this year.  I have a theme!  Isn’t it marvellous?!  This year for my book club I will be reading banned or popularly challenged books.  A couple of these are stories I’ve read already but most are books I’ve owned and needed to read, with a few books that I wanted to buy and needed a reason (yes!)

The first book for the Banned/Challenged book club was Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.  It starts with a group of men anchored, when one of them, Marlow begins to tell the tale of his trek in Africa to run a steam boat, though it doesn’t start well.  We start to hear of a mysterious man named Kurtz, who made his way into the jungle for ivory dealing.  Once his ship is repaired, Marlow is enlisted to go into the jungle to rescue Kurtz, who has fallen ill.

I had a difficult time making my way through this relatively short story because I found Conrad’s writing style to be lengthy sentences filled with superior vocabulary.  Which in and of itself is a good thing, but rather hard to navigate and make sense of at times.  I found it to be a story that I might have to reread to fully understand because I’m a fast reader and can miss things at times.

The controversy surrounding this story is the negative portrayal of African natives.  Most often compared to the white characters as savages and unintelligent, the post-colonial comparison has a tendency to rub some readers the wrong way.  I can see why this would bother some people.  I certainly had a difficult time reading some of Conrad’s descriptions.  But I think that Conrad’s story is a product of his time.  Authors have the penchant for writing what they know.  For Conrad, it was a colonial representation of Africa and its inhabitants.  That doesn’t mean Conrad doesn’t have a great story about the darkness within each of us.  It just means at times, the descriptions can be hard to read for open minded and modern people.

These are the quotes I particularly liked:

“I don’t like work--no man does--but I like what is in the work--the chance to find yourself.  Your own reality--for yourself, not for others--what no other man can ever know.” pg. 47

“I know nothing as to the fate of the less valuable animals.” pg. 55  referring to humans (!)

“He was there below me, and, upon my word, to look at him was as edifying as seeing a dog in a parody of breeches and a featherhat, walking on its hind-legs.” pg.61  seeing an African man working next to him on the boat

“To keep the eyes so long on one thing was too much for human patience.” pg. 64  

“You can’t breathe dead hippo waking, sleeping, and eating, and at the same time keep your precarious grip on existence.” pg. 68

“He positively danced, the bloodthirsty little gingery beggar.” pg. 87

That’s all for January, but coming soon (aka next month...aka will probably be a month since my life is crazy) is one of my favorite books, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.  I’m thrilled to be rereading this since I know it has been a while!  I'll probably started abbreviating Banned/Challenged Books Book Club, because that is very long to type. Or maybe just do Book Club like I did before....anywho, see you in February!

Movie Review #47: Catching Fire

As any reader of my blog could know, I’m incredibly fond of the Hunger Games series.  Having entered contests to try and get tickets to the red carpet for the first film (including but not limited to making my own Capitol costume), I was insanely excited for the release of Catching Fire.  While I didn’t go to any extremes like costume making for this film, I knew I would be waiting with bated breath until the release.

Of the three books, Catching Fire is undoubtedly my favorite.  I like the uptick in action from the first and the arena is amazing.  I tried to read the book before seeing the movie, but I was unable to get the book finished in time. I have since been able to finish, so here is my book and movie comparison!  Spoilers, btw.  You’ve been warned!

#47: Catching Fire

Katniss Everdeen is back, trying to compose herself from the damage inflicted by the games.  Quickly, President Snow is back on her, telling her that she needs to quell the insurrections or she could lose the lives of those she loves.  When her attempts fail, Katniss instead decides to go all out the other way and do what she can as an image for fighting against the Capitol.  Snow responds by sending her back into the arena.  This time, it’s a sectioned beach and jungle with the cornucopia in the middle surrounded by water and spokes of rock.  Lightning, blood raid, jabberjays, monkeys, killer fog, and a wave of water? Tick Tock goes the clock of horrors.  Fighting against other victors who are already friends and trying to survive, Katniss is constantly questioning who is friend and who is foe.  With no moments to spare, the rebellion kicks off and Katniss is rescued from the arena, only then to discover that her home was been obliterated.

So how did I feel about the film version?

FUCKING EPIC

I give the film a 9.5 out of 10.  I thought the cinematography was absolutely amazeballs, especially the arena (omg I love water). The changes that directors always make from adaptations are the catalyst for reader annoyance.  In this case, the changes made were minute or done in a way that included the vital information even if the scene wasn’t true to the cannon.  I wouldn’t have changed anything in particular.  There were only a few things I wish they could have added.

#1: Haymitch’s Backstory

Part of getting to know more about victors included reviewing film of past arenas.  Katniss and Peeta learn how Haymitch survived and it helps them understand him better.  Not as a drunk just hanging around, but as a guy who survived by clever ingenuity and drinks because he’s been through hell and seen countless kids die in the arena.  

#2: Training For The Arena

When the group learns that Katniss is inevitably going back in with either Haymitch or Peeta, all three decide to start acting like careers.  Because this arena is filled with experienced killers instead of newbies, the three tributes of District 12 train intensely for what is ahead.  Even Gale volunteers to help them prepare. I don’t think it would have been too much to do a training montage.

#3: Bonnie and Twill

This is where Katniss gets the idea that District 13 is actually still around from a deal with the Capitol to leave them be otherwise they’ll use nuclear weapons.  While I think it is pretty crappy that they ignore what is going on in other districts under the reign of Resident Douche Bag...I mean President Snow, I understand how they might not have been in a difficult position. But when Katniss comes across two women who escaped from a district in revolt, they tell her the recurring image of mockingjay bird.  I really liked this scene because it helped Katniss truly understand that other citizens want things to change.

Another thing that I absolutely love and have loved since the beginning is the casting.  I was hesitant about Lenny Kravitz but he was amazing as stylist Cinna.  I called Woody Harrelson’s casting and still think he is Haymitch.  But standout in this film is Elizabeth Banks as Effie.  We get to see the character transform from Capitol loving drone to someone who is watching her friends be sacrificed and she takes on a motherly affection for everyone, including Haymitch.  I’ll always remember the reaping scene and how well Banks portrayed Effie’s torment.  Absolutely amazing.

Overall, I not only like the story better but the film as well.  I was very impressed and can’t wait to see what they plan for Mockingjay. May the odds be ever in your favor!