Hunger Games Movie: My Reaction

Okay. So I totally went and commented on half a dozen blogs how unfair it is that this film isn't coming out in my city on 23rd, and boy, wasn't I surprised when it did release. Nearly screamed when I saw the posters had come up one day before the release. (So much for pre-release publicity.)
Anyway, I heart the Hunger Games books. I really do. They're totally awesome, and not since Neil Shusterman's "Unwind " has anything affected me the way Mockingjay did. (Forgive chronological errors, if any.)
So was The Hunger Games movie as good as the book? You bet.
I went expecting what we usually get out of the Harry Potter movies- a good show, lots of missing pieces, slightly deviant storylines. In a rare minute of panic, I even wondered if it would turn out like the Twilight movies    . (No offense, but I don't dig the movies at all. No, you are not allowed to set evil hellhounds on me for saying that. Sidenote for the HG fans: The Muttations are awesome in a creepy way.)
And what did I get? I got a solid, intelligently made movie that most fans of HG will love. Because it is amazingly true to the original book, not to mention incredibly better in a lot of ways.
Let's sum up: I LOVED IT.
Not giving away too many spoilers at the moment, I can probably say that what you must really look forward to is the following:
1) Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta. My Katniss finally has the perfect face. She was awesome.
2) The Hunger Games: dude, what the hell. It was PERFECT. Not just the arena but the stuff leading to it- the interviews etcetera.
3) The Capitol. Gary Ross deserves a lot of plaudits for creating the look of excess and vanity so well.
4) The Game- Makers. This bit is not in the original book (i.e the technical running of the Games) as the book is from Katniss's POV, and it was brilliant to put it in the movie.
5) Seneca Crane. Hullo? This guy was hot for someone with a beard. I love your beard, dude. Is that weird?

7)THE COSTUMES and MAKEUP. Oh, shit, do I need to say more?

The dress goes on fire. EEp!!! How awesome. ~Cries.~

Basically, the film stuck to the adaptation of the book. The background score is pretty terrific, the cast is well-chosen and the costumes are astounding.
The not-up-to-par stuff?  I don't think a non-HG reader would understand most of it- especially the flashbacks. Without reading the book, the Tributes would be impossible to recognize from each other as we see only bits of them from interviews etc, and they all look confoundingly the same for someone who hasn't read the book. The reason for the games isn't clear, and I felt Peeta's interview with Caesar Flickerman should have had more of an impact. Haymitch was way too sober. Katniss ACTUALLY seemed to be in love with Peeta and not pretending for the sponsors. The feel of the book- the need to rebel, the utter unfairness- couldn't properly be captured but then, that might just be impossible. 
But that said, all these little things are totally forgivable in the face of the fact that for once, the movie adaptation of a book has actually satisfied me. When is Catching Fire coming out? Aargh, can't wait.


Remember: The only team to pick is TEAM KATNISS

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Happy Hunger Games. May the odds ever be in your favor.