The Hunger Games Movie Marathon!! Happy Hunger Games Marathon Day, tributes!

To cap off another intense, thought-provoking Sci-Fi month, we’re heading to Panem for a full-blown Hunger Games movie marathon! This is a dystopian story that hits a little too close to home these days. From the ashes of District 12 to the heart-pounding arenas and the cold corridors of the Capitol, The Hunger Games series remains one of the most riveting, emotional, and politically charged sagas of the genre!

It’s a story about survival, power, and rebellion. And it hits a little different these days…

But before we dive in, trigger warnings ahead! The Hunger Games franchise contains intense scenes of violence (especially involving teens and children), executions, torture, war trauma, and manipulation. The series also explores themes of PTSD, classism, propaganda, and government corruption. It's a deeply emotional and sometimes difficult watch, so please take care of yourselves and be mindful before diving in.

Here’s the itinerary for our Hunger Games Movie Marathon:
• The Hunger Games (2012)
• Catching Fire (2013)
• Mockingjay Part 1 (2014)
• Mockingjay Part 2 (2015)

We’ll try to avoid major spoilers, but be warned—there might be a few along the way. So, tributes, read cautiously!

Let the games begin.

Our marathon starts with The Hunger Games (2012), where we’re reintroduced to the stoic, arrow-slinging Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) as she volunteers as tribute in place of her sister. The Capitol is all sequins and spectacle, but under the glam lies a world built on fear, division, and exploitation (sounds familiar). The first film sets the stage for a dystopian society so sharply drawn that even a decade later, it still sends shivers down our spines.

The Hunger Games lays the emotional groundwork, but Catching Fire is where things truly ignite! Literally and figuratively! This sequel is tighter, smarter, and much darker, diving deeper into the consequences of survival and the price of defiance. The Quarter Quell arena is even more twisted than the first Games, and the political tension is palpable!

And then come the Mockingjay films!

Mockingjay Part 1 strips away the Games and plunges us into the heart of the revolution! Propaganda wars, psychological trauma, and the messy business of resistance fill every frame. Katniss, broken and furious, is forced to become the face of a movement she barely understands, and the media manipulation in this film? Brutal. It’s less action-packed, sure but it’s heavy, deliberate, and devastating.

Mockingjay Part 2 brings it all to a boiling point. This isn’t a happy finale. It’s war…raw, bloody, and brutal. The final installment forces Katniss (and us) to reckon with what justice really looks like, and whether revenge is ever truly satisfying. It’s not a perfect film, but it doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of revolution, and it earns every bit of its bittersweet ending.

We potatoes love these movies! And when it comes to the love triangle… we potatoes are firmly Team Peeta. That said, we genuinely like Gale too! His loyalty, strength, and deep-rooted bond with Katniss are nothing to scoff at. He’s honest with her, patient even when she’s confused, and we respect that. Honestly, it’s rare to watch a love triangle where both options feel like fully fleshed-out, decent people, and that is something we greatly appreciate! But in the end, we just don’t think Gale and Katniss want the same things. Katniss needs peace, she deserves peace, not more emotional warfare. Peeta needs peace too and we love that they are able to find it together.

Also, can we take a moment to shout out how much we adore the way The Hunger Games centers a complicated, traumatized, resilient young woman without reducing her to a trope? Katniss is a reluctant hero, dragged into the spotlight again and again, but she never stops being real. Flawed, fierce, guarded, and deeply human. We potatoes love her for it!

To make the most of the marathon, we cooked some Capital-inspired food loosely based around Katniss’s favorite dish and made a drinking game that added some fun and a little dark humor to the otherwise gut-wrenching ride! We love these films! Ultimately this is a super fun marathon, and we highly recommend it!

Duck breast over long grain and wild rice with rosemary and thyme cream sauce, roasted potatoes, homemade rolls, salad, and chardonnay. (It’s hot so we added ice to keep the wine cool). Simple, a little bougie, and incredibly delicious!

So, whether you're here to relive the revolution, shout “Down with the Capitol!” or just cry over Rue again (we know, we know), today is a celebration of The Hunger Games and the fire it lit in all of us!

May the odds be ever in your flavor!

Let us know your thoughts! Do you prefer the political intrigue or the arena action? Were you Team Gale, Team Peeta, or Team “please leave this poor girl alone”? Did you also tear up during The Hanging Tree scene? Would you try the drinking game? What do you think of it? Does it need more rules? We want to hear it all! Drop your comments below and join the resistance. Just remember: hydrate, pace yourself, and maybe question your government a little.

So, cheers to Katniss, the girl on fire! For surviving what she never asked for! For protecting the people she loved, even when it broke her. For enduring pain, scrutiny, and manipulation and still refusing to become a pawn. Cheers to Peeta, for his softness in a brutal world. For offering gentleness and love without expecting it back. Cheers to Gale, for his strength of person, and for being willing to walk away when the paths no longer aligned.

And most of all… cheers to you! For making it through your own Capitol. For showing up, speaking out, and staying kind in a world that’s doing its best to wear you down. You don’t have to spark a revolution every day, just keeping your fire lit is enough. We’re with you. We see you. And we raise our glasses to your fight, your light, and whatever comes next!

The Hunger Games Marathon Drinking Game

Take a sip anytime:

1.     Katniss fires an arrow

2.     Katniss does or says something inspiring or motivational (even if unintentionally)

3.     Katniss sings or you hear her voice singing

4.     Katniss is clever

5.     Peeta is sweet or kind

6.     Intimate moment between Katniss and Peeta

7.     Gale is honest

8.     Haymitch is snarky or sarcastic

9.     Effie is bubbly or positive at an inappropriate time

10.  Caesar Flickerman grins and/or laughs

11.  President Snow says or does something creepy

12.  Any public figure gives a speech

13.  Anyone says "district"

14.  Anyone says "victors" or "tributes"

15.  Anyone dies

16.  Anyone says "Thirteen"

17.  Anyone says "Hunger Games" or "Games"

18.  Anyone says "Mockingjay" or there's a Mockingjay on screen

19.  The Capitol is mentioned

20.  There's a reminder on screen of the extravagance of the Capitol / opulence

21.  Peacekeepers on screen

22.  Game makers create a new horror or atrocity