Screw The Hunger Games - Watch Battle Royale!

All across the news media (especially my Facebook feed), I've seen so much buzz on the highly anticipated Hollywood Blockbuster - The Hunger Games. If you haven't already purchased a ticket for this weekend, chances are you'll be sadly disappointed arriving to a sold-out show. However, if you want to avoid seeing 21 Jump Street for a second time, pick up a copy of the original Hunger Games - Battle Royale!

Now I'm going to be a hypocrite since I've neither seen nor read Suzanne Collins' novels, but The Hunger Games sounds like a ripoff of Battle Royale. Let's compare each film's IMDB one-sentence synopsis:

Battle Royale: "In the future, the Japanese government captures a class of ninth-grade students and forces them to kill each other under the revolutionary "Battle Royale" act."

The Hunger Games: "Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place for the latest match."

With the exception of Katniss Everdeen, Entertainment Weekly even points out the similarities between Battle Royale and The Hunger Games. I'm fairly certain this weekend's movie based on the 2008 book will be pretty awesome, but how can you not think there is a little theft of ideas from the 2000 Japanese film?

I'm probably angering a lot of fans because I'm talking a lot of smack for someone who has never seen either film, but until now, Americans couldn't get their hands on Battle Royale unless they pirated a bootleg copy. Luckily (and smartly planned) Anchor Bay Entertainment has finally made one of the most controversial film series readily available on Blu-Ray disc. And why am I so excited? Look at the red sticker on my beautifully packaged collection:

Tarantino! Until I have enough time to watch, digest, and enjoy, 'Nuff Said!