An Inside View of The Hunger Games Premiere

In a world that is swamped with book-to-movie adaptations, one must wonder if the latest one will be as good as the book. When it comes to The Hunger Games, simply put, it is the most faithful adaptation one has ever seen.

Lionsgate included fan sites in the World Premiere of The Hunger Games. Representatives from various sites flocked to Los Angeles to partake in the festivities surrounding their favorite series.

After spending a day with campers and meeting the cast at 'The Hob,' fans were pleased to get dressed up in our premiere day best, and head back to The Nokia theatre to partake in the festivities.

We made our way to Will Call to wait and pick up our tickets. As we stood there waiting, Sam Tan and Ethan Jamieson, tributes in the movie walked up. They were kind enough to stop and sign autographs for fans. One by one, another star of the film made their way to pick up their tickets, and we were treated to their enthusiasm and love for the fans. Annie Thurman, Mackenzie Lintz, Amber Chaney all arrived, and stopped to spend time with the fans that supported them.

Not doing press, we journeyed into Nokia, and took our seats. The Yahoo! Live Stream played in the theatre while we waited.

It seemed to all pass by so fast, and soon we saw Joe Drake, of Lionsgate walking out to talk to us all about how the film came to be. He spoke for a few moments, before passing the microphone to director Gary Ross, who humbly came out and spoke to everyone about the film and thanked everyone involved. He then introduced the stars of the film, starting with Liam Hemsworth.

Liam said a few words, and it was Ross who made a joke and said, "I didn't know he was Australian when we cast him."

Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence came next. There is a whole new respect that we have for Jennifer. The fresh-faced girl from Kentucky came out before she was introduced, and then ran back behind the curtain. When finally introduced, she tripped over her dress, but caught herself. She laughed it off, and smiled. Hutcherson seemed to make light of it too, as they walked off, it seemed as though he was attempting to step on her train.

And then the time came...

The movie began. Silence engulfed the theatre, and diehard fans grasped each others hands, waiting for what was going to happen. Now, as much as we could, we won't. I will say this though, this is a movie that you can't miss.

From the opening scene to the ending, it leaves you sitting on the edge of your chair, begging for more. Jennifer Lawrence is a phenomenal actress and brings such depth to the character of Katniss. You feel her every emotion, hope to save her, and from the first scene with her, you know that she is it. She is Katniss. There is no denying it.

Liam Hemsworth brought the entire theatre to sighs. Elizabeth Banks was absolutely amazing, there are not enough words to describe her perfection. Elizabeth was more than a fan could hope for. Lenny Kravitz embodied Cinna and exceeded expectations. I am officially in awe of Wes Bentley and Donald Sutherland's genius.

Then there is Josh Hutcherson. I have had to think a lot about this one, because Peeta is absolutely integral to this story. There was such controversy when Josh was cast, and I wasn't positive that Josh was my Peeta. I would like to state publicly that I was wrong. Hutcherson brings life to Peeta, and takes him beyond any expectations that I have ever had. He keeps you captivated, drawn into the story, and emotionally on his side.

The Hunger Games is the best book-to-movie adaptation that I have seen. It keeps true to the story, invokes every emotion, and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Kudos Lionsgate! This fan will never doubt your casting, and will know that you know what you are doing. The Hunger Games is as close to perfect as I imagined.