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- Action-Adventure
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Hey there, tributes! Mockingjay Part 1 is finally here, and dang, it’s bleak. Mostly because District 13 is a dry county.
So whether you’re seeing it for the first time or heading in for a repeat viewing, take some comfort in the form of alcohol with our official drinking game!
The Official FYA Mockingjay Part 1 Drinking Game
Take a drink every time:
- Someone says the word “mockingjay”*
- A white rose appears
- Buttercup appears
- Peeta does a Capitol broadcast
Take a shot when:
- President Coin raises her fist during a speech
- Haymitch says the word “Prohibition”
Pour one out:
- When Philip Seymour Hoffman first appears. Because dammit.
*Yeah, the game should really end there but hey, we’re feeling generous.
This one’s for you, Haymitch. And this one. And this one.
In case you’re looking for a tasty beverage themed to the film, here’s the recipe for Tracker Jacker Venom, which is also available at your local Alamo Drafthouse! (I may or may not have had several last night.)
Tracker Jacker Venom
1.5 oz of vodka
1 oz lemon juice
.5 oz simple syrup
4 oz ginger beer
.5 oz Combier Creme de Fruit Rouge
- Combine vodka, lemon and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake until ice cold and strain over fresh ice into a collins glass.
- Top with ginger beer.
- Gently pour Creme de Fruit on top of the drink, so it slides down around the ice.
- Serve and enjoy. (Feelings of hatred towards Katniss may or may not occur.)
Now, on to less important things like the actual quality of the film. **Spoilers ahead!**
Overall, I enjoyed it, and it was a helluva lot better than the book. But there’s no denying that splitting the novel into two movies was completely unnecessary. (Thanks for being greedy, Lionsgate!) While it’s never boring, Mockingjay Part 1 does feel stretched thin in places, and the electrifying final scenes of Peeta’s rescue only serve as a reminder that nothing else really happened in this movie.
With that said, here are the things I found notable about this installment:
- Philip Seymour Hoffman. Obviously. I had no idea he would be in so much of the movie, and I’m exceedingly glad that he was. In addition to just being a g-d fantastic actor, he added some much needed charm, and his interactions with Katniss and Coin were absolutely golden.
- Elizabeth Banks. Again, obviously. Watching Effie face an existence without make-up and wigs was comedic perfection, and, more importantly, it added nuance to an already endearing character.
- Speaking of humor, the script had a healthy dose of laughs, which were crucial amidst all of that grim shizz. I believe we can thank Danny Strong for that!
- And maybe we can also thank him for the thoughtful examination of both propaganda and terrorism. The similarities between Coin and Snow are in much sharper focus in the film adaptation, while the filming of the “propos” was a rather enlightening look at the politics of war. (And that one Katniss sound stage scene? Hysterically funny.)
- More Gale. Now before you get all riled up, understand that I’m totes Team Peeta. But Gale didn’t get much screen time in the first two films, so his character development in this installment felt not only deserved but also vital for adding emotional complexity to the love triangle. And then there’s the fact that I never mind seeing Liam Hemsworth’s gorgeous face.
- BUTTERCUP! So much Buttercup! I have a feeling that someone on the writing team has been reading fan sites…
- I could’ve used WAY more Johanna, but her one second appearance at the end was maybe the best shot in the entire film. Jena Malone, I bow down to you.
- Peeta’s rescue was like NEXT LEVEL SHIZZ. I was all, “Wait, when did this blockbuster YA movie turn into a blockbuster action movie?” Intensity in ten cities! Which only makes me more impatient for the last film because it will have ALL the action.
So, what did y’all think? Grab your opinions and meet me in the comments section! And feel free to answer these additional questions:
- Did anyone else kind of hate Prim for going back to rescue Buttercup? I mean, obvs I’m a huge fan of that cat but COME THE EFF ON.
- When Katniss kissed Gale and then he said, “I’m in pain. That’s the only way I can get your attention,” did you roll your eyes or feel punched in the gut? I fall in the latter camp.
- Did it feel like there was a lack of explanation about the whole District 13 thing?
- Can we talk about that moment when Effie may or may not have been flirting with Haymitch?!
