Stanley Tucci, left, with Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games," defended his co-star's weight, calling criticism "ridiculous."

While Jennifer Lawrence's acting performance in "The Hunger Games" was generally praised, some critics are saying she was too large to play Katniss Everdeen, a teen from a starving futuristic land, who must hunt every day to keep her family fed.

In her March 22 New York Times review,  Manohla Dargis wrote, “A few years ago Ms. Lawrence might have looked hungry enough to play Katniss, but now, at 21, her seductive, womanly figure makes a bad fit for a dystopian fantasy about a people starved into submission."

Lawrence's weight comes in for some mention in other reviews as well, though none as harsh as the Times' writeup. Todd McCarthy's review for The Hollywood Reporter praises Lawrence's acting but points out her "lingering baby fat." And on Hollywood Elsewhere, Jeffrey Wells focuses on Lawrence's size as compared to co-star Josh Hutcherson, calling her  “a fairly tall, big-boned lady,” and writing that "male romantic figures have to be at least be as tall as their female partners." 

Given that the movie's plot involves a starved nation, some see a point to the comments.

A Buzzfeed reader going by Pacer points out specific references from "The Hunger Games" book, saying, “Jennifer Lawrence is stunning and in no way, shape or form should she be considered fat, but I do understand the criticism. I know that Katniss was hunting to feed herself in District 12 so she wasn't exactly starving, and that the tributes were fattened up before they went into the arena, but in the actual Hunger Games all the tributes are starving and lose a lot of weight.” 

Lawrence herself is quoted in New York Magazine as telling British Glamour she purposely did not diet for the film in order to make Katniss a more fearsome competitor. "Katniss is meant to be a hunter; she’s meant to be scary," she said." "Kate Moss running at you with a bow and arrow isn’t scary."

 Some critics note that Lawrence's male co-stars don't come in for the same pound-by-pound scrutiny.

“If critics are going to pick on a 21-year-old woman for not being skinny enough for a fantasy film, why haven’t they been more consistent in their critiques of actors’ bodies?" writes LV Anderson at Slate.com. "I haven’t seen much concern about Liam Hemsworth’s muscular frame, even though his character in 'The Hunger Games' occupies the same food-strapped world as Katniss.” 

Lawrence’s co-star, Stanley Tucci told Buzzfeed, "Big-boned? (Those critics) should go make their own movie … that's ridiculous."

"I like her," celebrity style expert Robert Verdi told Hollywood.com. "I would argue that if they're working folks, they're going to be a little bit more robust and beefy. I think [you] can actually be working class and be stocky."

Even Sports Illustrated model Anne Vyalitsyna jumped in to the fray, telling Hollywood.com, "It doesn't matter what people think. She's such a confident girl in general [and] that kind of shows on the screen and it inspires people. She's sending a really great message. At the end of the day, she's not big at all, so I don't know what people are talking about. She's playing a role that's very fit."

What do you think of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss? Tell us on Facebook.

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Lionsgate Film

Amandla Stenberg plays Rue in "The Hunger Games."

Even though the character of Rue in Suzanne Collins' book "The Hunger Games" is described as having "dark brown skin and eyes," many moviegoers were surprised -- some negatively -- that a young black actress played the role in the film.

(Spoiler alert: Details of the plot of "The Hunger Games" revealed ahead.)

In an article headlined "Racist Hunger Games Fans Are Very Disappointed," the blog Jezebel pointed out that a Tumblr site called Hunger Games Tweets has been collecting tweets reacting to the casting.

Amandla Stenberg, 13, plays Rue, a 12-year-old tribute from District 11 who fights alongside heroine Katniss Everdeen in the movie's murderous tournament. According to Wikipedia, Stenberg's mother is African-American and her father Danish. She also appeared in the 2011 film "Colombiana."

While some of the comments are mere surprise, others are more opinionated. "Why does rue have to be black not gonna lie kinda ruined the movie," wrote one moviegoer on Twitter. Wrote another, "Kk call me racist but when I found out Rue was black her death wasnt as sad #ihatemyself."

Both of those accounts appear to have been deleted from Twitter since Jezebel called out the posts, but numerous other posts quoted on Hunger Games Tweets offer up similiar thoughts.

Some tweets also referenced other "Hunger Games" characters played by black actors, including Rue's fellow District 11 tribute, Thresh, and the "Games" stylist Cinna, played by musician Lenny Kravitz.

Rue's skin color should hardly have been a secret. In addition to being spelled out in the book, Stenberg and Kravitz were among those pictured in individual character posters released back in October.

As the Jezebel article and the Tumblr link spread, a backlash against the racist sentiments appeared on Twitter.

Wrote Michelle Juett, "People disgust me. Rue was great, whatever race you thought she was supposed to be."

And Andria Nicole tweeted, "Heads up: if discovering Rue is black 'ruins' the Hunger Games movie for you, you have a lot bigger issues to worry about than casting."

And by Monday afternoon, the author of Hunger Games Tweets had seen some change, posting the message, "The number of Tweets complaining about Rue & Thresh have been greatly reduced and it's all thanks to you guys."

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Lionsgate

Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games" film, will now become a Barbie doll.

Happy Hunger Games!

"Hunger Games" is doing big box office its first day in theaters, and now a Barbie doll is in the works.

Mattel's Barbie Collector is in the process of producing a custom collectible doll inspired by heroine Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence in Lionsgate's big-screen adaptation, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

PHOTOS: 'Hunger Games' Premiere: Red Carpet Arrivals

The doll is "created specifically for the adult collector," Mattel tells THR. The Katniss doll will be available for purchase on BarbieCollector.com and other retail channels.

Images of the doll will be released along with the item's availability at a later date.

PHOTOS: 'Hunger Games' Mall Tour

This isn't the first piece of merchandise being produced for the popular young-adult franchise. "Hunger Games"-themed nail polish, a workout class and a cookbook are just a few of the related merchandising efforts surrounding the book trilogy and movie.

Barbie Collector produced Twilight-themed dolls inspired by Bella and Edward's wedding that were released in February and sell for about $30.

"Hunger Games" raked in $19.7 million in receipts for midnight showings alone at the U.S. box office and earned $155 million in its opening weekend.

What would the headstrong Katniss have to say about this?

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Jennifer Lawrence stars as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games."

Making history, Lionsgate's "The Hunger Games" opened to an astounding $155 million at the domestic box office, the third-best debut of all time and the best for any film opening outside of summer.

"Hunger Games" -- the big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' best-selling young-adult novel starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth -- also reeled in the biggest opening for a nonsequel.

"It was the perfect storm. Having the first film in a franchise to be so gigantic is amazing. We had a great book, and a great director in Gary Ross," said Lionsgate president of marketing Tim Palen, whose team is credited with a savvy campaign.

Domestic box office revenues were up a whopping 78 percent from a year ago, thanks to the might of "Hunger Games," which changes the fortunes of Lionsgate and gives the studio an instant tentople franchise. Lionsgate will make three more films by splitting the final book in Collins' trilogy into two movies.

Exclusive THR photos: Behind the scenes of THR's 'Hunger Games' cover shoot

Overseas, "Hunger Games" turned in a more muted performance for a solid bow of $59.3 million from 67 markets. The foreign tally, which came in ahead of the international debut of the first "Twilight" film, puts "Hunger Games' " worldwide opening at $214.3 million.

"Hunger Games" is projected to place No. 1 in virtually every foreign market, but did best in English-speaking territories, and particularly Australia, where it debuted to $6.7 million. "Hunger Games" turned in $7.5 million in the U.K., despite unseasonably warm weather, which often keeps consumers outside.

In North America, the tentpole came in not far behind the $158.4 million earned by "The Dark Knight" in its July 2008 debut. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" holds the record for best debut with $169.2 million in summer 2011.

Among the past films that "Hunger Games" surpassed in its opening weekend were "Spider-Man 3" ($151.1 million in 2007), "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" ($142.8 million in 2009) and "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1" ($138.1 million last year).

"Hunger Games" drew an A CinemaScore overall on Friday night, with those under the age of 25 giving it a glowing A+ and those over 25 an A-. Tweens and teens turned out in force for the film, with 39 percent of the audience younger than 18, according to CinemaScore exit polling.

THR photos: 'Hunger Games' mall tour

Part of the movie's strength is that it is appealing to males as well as females, unlike the femme-heavy "Twilight" franchise, another blockbuster film property based on a young-adult book series. Males made up 39 percent of "Hunger Games' " Friday night audience.

"The numbers just kept growing and growing. And based on the trajectory of the weekend, we are going to have an unbelievable hold. We are going to play and play," Lionsgate executive vice president of distribution David Spitz said. "I think that when we initially looked at this property, we thought we were going to have "Twilight" numbers in terms of females, but we didn't."

"Hunger Games" also played like a family film, evidenced by its strong Friday to Saturday hold. The film fell a narrow 25 percent, while the "Twilight" and "Harry Potter" films fall anywhere from 44 percent to 60 percent.

According to CinemaScore, 49 percent of those showing up to see "Hunger Games" were under the age of 25; Lionsgate's exit polling showed that 44 percent were under the age of 25.

"Hunger Games" played in a total of 4,137 theaters at the domestic box office, including 268 IMAX theaters, which turned in a hefty $10.6 milion for a per screen average of $40,000, a record for a 2D nonsequel.

THR photos: 10 pre-'Hunger Games' top international film franchises

Elsewhere at the domestic box office, Sony and MGM's Jonah Hill-Channing Tatum comedy "21 Jump Street" stayed strong its opening weekend despite "Hunger Games." The R-rated pic fell 41 percent to $21.3 million, putting its domestic cume at a handy $71.1 million.

Universal and Illumination's "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax" came in No. 3 after "Hunger Games" and "21 Jump Street," grossing $13.1 million in its fourth weekend for an enviable domestic gross of $177.3 million.

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Lionsgate

Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games."

REVIEW: Fans of "The Hunger Games" books had to be nervous about how Hollywood would handle moving Suzanne Collins' beloved trilogy to the big screen. When you've already sketched out a book's universe in your head, it can be devastating to see a studio mess with your vision.

Thankfully, "Hunger Games" does its inspiration proud, thanks to star Jennifer Lawrence, some smart casting and a plot that gets up to speed immediately and never stops. The film is nearly two and a half hours long, but you won't be looking at your watch.

The success of the film rests solidly on Lawrence's shoulders, and she shines as heroic Katniss Everdeen, who will stop at nothing to protect her family. It's no surprise, really -- Katniss is very much like Ree Dolly, the Appalachian teen Lawrence played in 2010's "Winter's Bone." She's learned to survive in the woods of her poverty-stricken district, and when she volunteers to replace her young sister in the country's creepy Kid Tournament of Death, you'd be a fool to bet against her.

If you haven't read the books, you'll still be able to follow along, as Katniss leaves best friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth) behind and must strike up a for-the-camera-or-is-it? romance with Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) to save her life in the televised tournament.

If you have read them, you'll note that many elements have been left out for time reasons, but the edits were smartly made and the main entourage of characters are well represented. Woody Harrelson's Haymitch, eternally drunk in the books, is the star of the minor characters, and he develops quickly from a haunted man to one Katniss and Peeta are glad to have in their corner. Lenny Kravitz's Cinna and Elizabeth Banks' Effie have smaller roles in the film, but fans of the books know we'll be seeing them again.

The violence is toned down to a PG-13 rating, but this is still a movie about teenagers fighting to the death. Plenty of children are seen dying, though cameras don't linger on the methods and the blood -- for the most part. Parents will have to decide for themselves if the film's topic is right for younger viewers, but if the kids are familiar with the books, good luck keeping them away.

Blood and guts aside, there's something satisfying for those who devoured the books in witnessing Collins' words leap to life. The "Games" were based on our obsession with reality shows and with war, and seeing it onscreen, it becomes obvious just how similiar the tournament is to shows such as "Survivor" or "American Idol," with Stanley Tucci's Caesar as a Ryan Seacrest-like host.

The imagery is sharp and richly detailed, be it the Dorothea Lange-style bleakness of Katniss' coal-mining District 12, the garish pastels and decadence of the Capitol, or the small details, such as Cinna's gold eyeliner or the physical manifestation of the Cornucopia in the fighting arena. Only Katniss' fire dress is a little disappointing, but perhaps some things are just tough to bring to life. At least there's nothing as embarrassing as Jacob's wolf pack "talking" to each other in the latest "Twilight" film. Now fans just have to wait till Nov. 22, 2013, for sequel "Catching Fire."

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Lionsgate

Jennifer Lawrence stars as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games."

The week ahead's a good one for entertainment. The most awaited movie of the year, "The Hunger Games," hits theaters, "Mad Men" returns to TV and a whole bunch of great movies come to DVD and Blu-ray. Between this and the NCAA tournament, there's a lot to feast your eyes upon.

Movies
"The Hunger Games" is part of an enormously popular book series, like "Twilight," and like "Twilight," it features a young woman torn between two young men. But there the comparisons end. No vampires in "Hunger Games," and heroine Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) doesn't depend on a man to save her -- she goes out and fights to survive all by herself. Warning: If you don't already have your tickets, you may not be able to see this one right away. Tickets went on sale Feb. 22, and early screenings sold out in many theaters weeks ago. (Opens March 23.)

TV
The sexy 1960s ad men and women of "Mad Men" are back for season five. Star John Slattery told TV Guide, "There are some surprises coming this season that are so out of control. I wish we had cameras in people's houses and could watch them go, 'No way!' as they watch the show." The magazine says the two-hour season premiere is "built around a memorable party" and calls it "a clever and often bitterly amusing piece of writing by creator Matthew Weiner." (Premieres March 25, 9 p.m., AMC.)

DVD and Blu-ray
It's time to play the music! It's time to light the lights! "The Muppets" bet it all on their 2011 comeback movie, and it seems to have worked -- the movie was critically acclaimed and names such as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and Fozzie Bear are now familiar to a new generation. And the classic "Man or Muppet?" won the Oscar for best song. Manly Muppets and Muppets of men (and women) will want to see this. (On DVD and Blu-ray March 20.)

Stieg Larsson's "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" books have spawned not one but two separate movie series. The Swedish film trilogy was so acclaimed that many wondered why Hollywood even needed to make an American version. But the first film in that series, with Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara starring, earned raves. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! (Out on DVD and Blu-ray March 20.)

"Hop" might make a fun Easter basket addition for the kids in your life. Animation and live-action blend in this entertaining offering, with Russell Brand offering the voice of a young rebellious Easter Bunny and Hugh Laurie as his dad, who dreams of passing his title down to Junior. Pick up the movie and nestle it right in there next to the chocolate bunny. (Out on DVD and Blu-ray March 20.)

"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" didn't earn all the headlines that "The Artist" did, but the film was nominated for three Oscars, including Gary Oldman as best actor. Many fans of John LeCarre's spy novels felt that his hero, George Smiley, could never be played better than Alec Guinness did in the 1979 miniseries, but then came Oldman. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone calls his performance "flawless in every detail." (Out on DVD and Blu-ray March 20.)

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When Jennifer Lawrence was first cast in "The Hunger Games," some people were upset.

The 21-year-old actress has been called too old and too glamorous for the role of Katniss Everdeen, 16, although those who saw her play Appalachian teenager Ree in "Winter's Bone" will disagree completely. She's got the intensity and strength needed to survive not only the woes of her life in that film, but to survive the Arena in "Hunger Games."

The new poster for the movie captures that intensity, as she prepares to shoot an arrow straight at the audience.

"The Hunger Games" opens in theaters on March 23. Work in Hollywood has already begun on the sequel, "Catching Fire."  Simon Beaufoy, who won a screenplay Oscar for "Slumdog Millionaire," is reportedly writing the script.

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Lionsgate

Josh Hutcherson stars as Peeta in "The Hunger Games."

Start gathering your "Hunger Games" movie-going posse now. You can buy tickets to the sure-to-be-a-hit movie at movietickets.com and fandango.com beginning Feb. 22, Lionsgate announced.

The movie, based on Suzanne Collins' best-seller, doesn't open until March 23, but as with last fall's "Breaking Dawn -- Part 1," tickets will go on sale early. More than 2000 showings of "Breaking Dawn -- Part 1" sold out well in advance of the movie's opening date.

But for those who can't wait that long to put a little Panem in their lives, "The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook"  comes out Thursday. The "Hunger Games" trilogy is packed with food references, and cookbook author Emily Ansara Baines offers up 150 recipes, also noting where they appear in the text.

Dishes include Katniss' Favorite Lamb Stew with Dried Plums, abut not all of the recipes sound that edible -- these are foods from a starving populace, after all. Other offerings include Wild Raccoon Sauteed in Bacon Drippings, Mr. Mellark's Favorite Fried Squirrel, Mrs. Everdeen's Breakfast of Mush and Porridge for the Poor.

Will you see "The Hunger Games"? Tell us on Facebook. 

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Lionsgate, Summit

Katniss vs. Bella? No contest.

COMMENTARY

If it's "Team Twilight" vs. "Team Hunger Games," I admit it, I'm on the team that doesn't have sparkly vampires.

Sure, I can see the similarities. Both are enormously popular young adult book franchises in which a young woman must choose between two hunky guys. Each heroine's world resembles our own, but with some really weird differences. And when each set of books started to make the leap to the big screen, fans took a deep personal interest in the movie casting and filming, and hung on every leaked photo, poster, and trailer.

But if all movies based on books with young characters were the same, "Winnie the Pooh" would be indistinguishable from "Flowers in the Attic." And that would be a side of Tigger I really don't need to know about.

They're two completely different franchises. "Twilight" is a supernatural romance. Say what you will about Stephenie Meyer's writing, she created a full-fledged world where vampires and shape-shifting wolves have their own rules and customs. I'm not exactly a fan of the sparkliness, but I love the idea of the Volturi, the law-enforcing royalty of the vampire world. Yet it's the romance -- Team Edward vs. Team Jacob, with no one on wishy-washy Team Bella's side -- that rules the day.

But the "Hunger Games" books are first and foremost a well-sketched tale of survival, with the romance well in the background. In author Suzanne Collins' creepy apocalyptic world, each district in the fictional nation of Panem must send one boy and one girl, called tributes, to fight to the death. That chilling premise is backed up with all the elements we know too well from reality TV. The competing tributes even have stylists, and work to curry favor with those who watch the battles on TV in hopes that they'll be sent food, tools and medicine. It's delightfully disturbing, in part because the reality TV angle is so recognizable.

I've read all of the "Twilight" and "Hunger Games" books, and it seems pretty obvious that "Hunger Games" is being better received because of its heroine. Katniss Everdeen from "Hunger Games" has had to provide for her starving family since she was small. She bravely steps in as tribute rather than let her beloved younger sister Prim almost certainly die in the Games. She doesn't spend any time mooning around over whether she'll end up with childhood love Gale or fellow tribute Peeta. She considers it, sure, when it's part of the plot, but her mind is on survival, and somehow protecting her loved ones.

In "Twilight," Bella Swan spends a large part of an entire book pretty much sobbing on her bed because Edward left her. Sure, it's something young readers can identify with -- we've all done stupid things for love. Bella is a human in a world of vampires. She can't compete with their strength, so she gets smacked around and protected. She's the heroine we fear we really are -- klutzy and sheltered.

If a vampire tried to drag Katniss around a ballet studio, as one does with Bella in "Twilight," she'd somehow get the upper hand and shoot a flaming arrow through his skull before setting deadly traps for any other vamp who might be following him. She's the heroine we'd all like to be.

Team Katniss, or Team Bella? Or can the franchises happily co-exist? Tell us on Facebook.

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Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Taylor Swift sings the lead song from "The Hunger Games" soundtrack.

Country superstar Taylor Swift and long-anticipated movie "The Hunger Games" seem like an ideal combination. Both have zillions of young fans who can't wait for the latest news about them.

Just before Christmas, Swift teased on her Twitter account that "something I've been VERY excited about for a VERY long time is going to be happening VERY soon" and then tweeted a link to her new song, "Safe & Sound," the lead song from the upcoming "Hunger Games" film.

Grammy-winning duo The Civil Wars accompany Swift on acoustic guitar and backup vocals. The song will be included on the film's soundtrack album, which also includes songs by Arcade Fire and The Decemberists. "Safe & Sound" quickly moved to the top of the iTunes Songs chart, boosted no doubt by aid from Swift's 10 million Twitter followers.

The lyrics relate to the "Hunger Games" plot, in which Katniss Everdeen must fight other young people for her life in a cruel tournament put on by their fictional country of Panem. "Everything's on fire," Swift sings. "The war outside our door keeps raging on. Hold onto this lullaby, even when the music's gone."

Not all the musical news about the movie is as well-received. According to The Wrap.com, the president of the American Federation of Musicians union has criticized the film for recording its score in London, and not using musicians from his union. He complains that the film receives tax subsidies to film in North Carolina, and as such should be utilizing American workers.

"The Hunger Games," starring Jennifer Lawrence, opens March 23.

Listen to the song below, and tell us what you think of it in the comments.

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The movie version of Suzanne Collins' bestselling book "The Hunger Games" won't hit theaters until March, but fans are already excited about it. Even since before Jennifer Lawrence was cast in the role of Katniss Everdeen, fans have been sharing opinions online, and photos and sneak peeks all are avidly covered when they're released.

Here's the biggest bone tossed to fans so far: The full trailer, showing Katniss and her fellow tributes prepping for and beginning their battle to the death.

Not everyone was nuts about Lawrence's casting, but if you saw her in "Winter's Bone," you know she is absolutely believable as a young Appalachian woman who's built backwoods survival skills out of necessity, and will do anything for her family. Those are qualities Katniss needs too, and she's thoroughly believable in the short clip.

The scene from the trailer that most affects me is when her young sister, delicate Prim, is actually the one chosen to fight in the games, and Katniss volunteers her own life to save the girl. That works, but some other bits of the trailer remind me of corny 1970s sci-fi. ("Mystery Science" fans, do you see hints of "Parts: The Clonus Horror"?) Still, there's plenty of time for the film to be edited and fine-tuned before March.

"Hunger Games" seems set to become the next "Twilight" as far as uber-popular book franchise leaping to silver screen. Remember, the book's only the first in a trilogy, so we could be hungry for years to come.

Are you eagerly awaiting "Hunger Games"? What do you think of the trailer? Tell us in the comments.

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