I wanted to write a blog about my experience last night going to see the catching fire premier because the story will give you a bit of insight into the culture here on Guam.
First of all, image what it would be like in the states (say Raleigh because that is where most of you are from) when you go and see the premier of a big movie like this. You expect long lines, lots and lots of people, watch the movie and then leave the crowded theater talking about the movie, right!? Right!?
OK, now let me tell you what happened with Matthew and I. So we had went to the movie theater and bought our tickets for the 8:00 premier about 2 weeks early. Matthew kept the tickets in his wallet for safe keeping. Last night we drove to the movie theater and walked into the strip mall when the movie theater is located. As soon as we walked in we noticed a hugely long line of people to which I automatically though, "oh no are they all here early to see the movie too!" We had gotten their about 45 minutes early just for this purpose. We knew to expect a line but there were only signs telling us that the different roped off areas were for the different theaters playing the movie. Our tickets didn't tell us what theater we were in so we had to go and ask an attendant. Low and behold, what line do you think we were in...the long one! There were 3 other lines that had anywhere from 8 to 20 people in them! But no we got the longest line! Oh well I was so excited it didn't much matter to me as long as I got a seat that wasn't in the way back or very front.
As soon as we reached the back of that line they opened the doors and started checking tickets and bags. There was a young lady giving out stamps on your hand about half way up the line and when I asked what they were for she told me 'For the academy". I didn't know what that meant so we didn't get our hands stamped. That was the first thing that I noticed that was a little different. The second thing that I saw was another young lady holding a roll of tickets and a bucket full of already pulled apart tickets. Weird but we just keep moving up the line.
Matthew and I decided that the best way to tackle the lines and get a good seat would be to split up. I went to concessions and got us a large popcorn, large drink and a bag of skittles. Mind you we got there at 7:15, I didn't find Matthew until 7:45 after standing in the line at concessions. It wasn't that the line was so long it was that the others had the same idea Matthew and I did and they were buying concessions for their whole family. It takes a while to ring up and gather 5 drinks, 4 pop-corns, 2 nachos, and 6 bags of those weird Japanese corn chips!
Finally I was heading to the theater to find Matthew and my seat, that was when I noticed the third weird thing of the night. There was someone in the front of theater with a mike asking other movie goers questions about the series and giving out prices! That is what the stamps were for!! I soon find out that we happened upon the fund raiser event that some girls at a local school are holding to raise funds for a trip to London. Well that was pretty neat as long as it doesn't cut into the movie or anything! lol.
They were playing a sort of trivia game and I could get all of the questions right where as the 'contestants' obviously had not even read the first book let alone the second! But I played along in my seat and answered the questions with Matthew beside me. It was fun. They were giving out some pretty good stuff too! $25 gift cards and books and such.
Well it rolls up to 8:00 and the girl holding the mic raps it up by saying that they have a gift for everyone. They start handing out goodie that turn out to be caramel popcorn homemade! Pretty sweet right!
**Right before the movie was about to start the fire alarm buzzed once and I swear my heart dropped in my chest because I was thinking that we were all going to have to evacuate for one split second. The whole place got quiet listening for another beep but when it didn't come I relaxed a little more**
Now it was time for the movie! I have a few qualms about it and about how a lot of stuff that I deemed important from the book was completely left out in the movie, but I know that they can't fit everything in so over all I would say that it was a great interpretation of the book and I LOVED IT!! (See no spoilers! I resisted.)
So before the movie started, as I forgot to mention, they told us that there was to be a raffle after the movie. That is what the tickets were for. Since it was for a good cause Matthew went out and bought 10, why not try to win something (especially when the prizes included some Beats headphones and a PSP). So after the movie ended we stuck around for the raffle to see if we had won anything. AND WE DID! We won an book about the making of the first movie called "The Hunger Games: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion". When they got the big prizes Matthew was getting really hopeful but we didn't get those! lol. The funny thing was, all of the other movie goers were locals and they all knew each other! When someone would win they would be called by name to the front and everything. That shows how many people know each other here. But the fact that they were even able to hold a fundraiser at such a big event for the movie theater also shows the way that the community around here is so close and works together on things. It was a crazy sight to witness and made my movie going experience that much more exciting.
We are pretty sure that the only reason we got put in the big theater was because we bought our tickets so far in advance but looking back now, I am glad that we did! It was a fun night and one that I will not soon forget. You'll find me reading through that book that we won today!
I hope that when the movie comes out in the States and you all flock to see it that you will have as great of an experience as we did!
First of all, image what it would be like in the states (say Raleigh because that is where most of you are from) when you go and see the premier of a big movie like this. You expect long lines, lots and lots of people, watch the movie and then leave the crowded theater talking about the movie, right!? Right!?
OK, now let me tell you what happened with Matthew and I. So we had went to the movie theater and bought our tickets for the 8:00 premier about 2 weeks early. Matthew kept the tickets in his wallet for safe keeping. Last night we drove to the movie theater and walked into the strip mall when the movie theater is located. As soon as we walked in we noticed a hugely long line of people to which I automatically though, "oh no are they all here early to see the movie too!" We had gotten their about 45 minutes early just for this purpose. We knew to expect a line but there were only signs telling us that the different roped off areas were for the different theaters playing the movie. Our tickets didn't tell us what theater we were in so we had to go and ask an attendant. Low and behold, what line do you think we were in...the long one! There were 3 other lines that had anywhere from 8 to 20 people in them! But no we got the longest line! Oh well I was so excited it didn't much matter to me as long as I got a seat that wasn't in the way back or very front.
As soon as we reached the back of that line they opened the doors and started checking tickets and bags. There was a young lady giving out stamps on your hand about half way up the line and when I asked what they were for she told me 'For the academy". I didn't know what that meant so we didn't get our hands stamped. That was the first thing that I noticed that was a little different. The second thing that I saw was another young lady holding a roll of tickets and a bucket full of already pulled apart tickets. Weird but we just keep moving up the line.
Matthew and I decided that the best way to tackle the lines and get a good seat would be to split up. I went to concessions and got us a large popcorn, large drink and a bag of skittles. Mind you we got there at 7:15, I didn't find Matthew until 7:45 after standing in the line at concessions. It wasn't that the line was so long it was that the others had the same idea Matthew and I did and they were buying concessions for their whole family. It takes a while to ring up and gather 5 drinks, 4 pop-corns, 2 nachos, and 6 bags of those weird Japanese corn chips!
Finally I was heading to the theater to find Matthew and my seat, that was when I noticed the third weird thing of the night. There was someone in the front of theater with a mike asking other movie goers questions about the series and giving out prices! That is what the stamps were for!! I soon find out that we happened upon the fund raiser event that some girls at a local school are holding to raise funds for a trip to London. Well that was pretty neat as long as it doesn't cut into the movie or anything! lol.
They were playing a sort of trivia game and I could get all of the questions right where as the 'contestants' obviously had not even read the first book let alone the second! But I played along in my seat and answered the questions with Matthew beside me. It was fun. They were giving out some pretty good stuff too! $25 gift cards and books and such.
Well it rolls up to 8:00 and the girl holding the mic raps it up by saying that they have a gift for everyone. They start handing out goodie that turn out to be caramel popcorn homemade! Pretty sweet right!
**Right before the movie was about to start the fire alarm buzzed once and I swear my heart dropped in my chest because I was thinking that we were all going to have to evacuate for one split second. The whole place got quiet listening for another beep but when it didn't come I relaxed a little more**
Now it was time for the movie! I have a few qualms about it and about how a lot of stuff that I deemed important from the book was completely left out in the movie, but I know that they can't fit everything in so over all I would say that it was a great interpretation of the book and I LOVED IT!! (See no spoilers! I resisted.)
So before the movie started, as I forgot to mention, they told us that there was to be a raffle after the movie. That is what the tickets were for. Since it was for a good cause Matthew went out and bought 10, why not try to win something (especially when the prizes included some Beats headphones and a PSP). So after the movie ended we stuck around for the raffle to see if we had won anything. AND WE DID! We won an book about the making of the first movie called "The Hunger Games: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion". When they got the big prizes Matthew was getting really hopeful but we didn't get those! lol. The funny thing was, all of the other movie goers were locals and they all knew each other! When someone would win they would be called by name to the front and everything. That shows how many people know each other here. But the fact that they were even able to hold a fundraiser at such a big event for the movie theater also shows the way that the community around here is so close and works together on things. It was a crazy sight to witness and made my movie going experience that much more exciting.
We are pretty sure that the only reason we got put in the big theater was because we bought our tickets so far in advance but looking back now, I am glad that we did! It was a fun night and one that I will not soon forget. You'll find me reading through that book that we won today!
I hope that when the movie comes out in the States and you all flock to see it that you will have as great of an experience as we did!
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