Dystopia

And you don't have to imagine it as the future.

I saw Catching Fire over the weekend. If you have seen The Hunger Games or read the books, then it is worth seeing. The film-makers assumed that you have, for they don't give any of the backstory. If you haven't seen the first one or read the books, the movie will make no sense to you.

If you have, however, then Catching Fire is excellent and probably even a better adaptation than The Hunger Games. If you've read the series, you'll catch little nuances here and there. It may be the best adaptation of a book since The Day of the Jackal.

I find it interesting, though, that almost all SF filmed is dystopian. Even when a decent future for mankind is imagined, they have to go out into the galaxy to find war, conflict and other horrors. Because while a planet where everyone is free from disease and want may be a worthy goal, realizing it apparently will be as boring as listening to a collection of speeches by John Kerry.