On November 17, 2023, the newest addition to the Hunger Games series was released to theaters. These movies are based off a series of books written by Suzanne Collins. Directed by Francis Lawerence and starring Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes tells the backstory of the infamous villain President Snow, and the events that transpired during the 10th annual Hunger Games. This movie is a great addition to the series, with beautiful acting and music, and many fun connections to the other movies. However, the run-time and content makes it less ideal for families with small children.
One of the most fun and unexpected aspects of the movie was the many beautiful songs performed during the show. The movie is not a musical, but the main character, Lucy Grey Baird, is a singer which leads to many great opportunities for songs. Mostly in the Blue-grass style, these songs will have viewers singing for weeks to come. The first time I went to see the movie, I had only seen the first two movies in the series. This made me able to understand most of the references to the other movies, but not all. I recommend watching all the first four movies before The Ballad.
Even though this movie is great for teens and adults, it may not be the best movie for kids. The movie is about two and a half hours long, which is a long time to sit for one stretch. Along with this, the movie does portray a fair bit of violence and graphic details. The rating is PG-13, and I would definitely advise precautions for parents.
“I liked it because it delved into the most base aspects of the human character. I thought it was cool to see President Snow’s backstory and what made him who he is in the later movies,” said Hazel Eschen (11), who went to see the movie in theaters. Movie fans can buy or rent this movie on services like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu, and settle in for the drama, intrigue, and danger of the 10th annual Hunger Games.
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