12 posts tagged “movies”
What book do you think should be made into a movie? And do you have any suggestions for the producers?
Or, What book do you think should NEVER be made into a movie?
Worst is first:
Apparently Alexandre Dumas should never be made into a Hollywood movie. The Man In The Iron Mask was atrocious. I don't even know where to start with that one. The whole charm of the book is that it is the last part of the Musketeers' story. It's not uplifting or just or pat, but it is wonderful. The movie was horrible and distorted the plot and characters beyond salvage.
The Count of Monte Cristo was a tiny bit better, but the book has so much more depth and adventure and purpose. Plus they changed the hell out of the ending.
As to books I'd like to see...I want to see the recent adaptation of Captain Alatriste. Viggo Mortensen, yum.
A comedy and a drama from my own list of "best movies ever":
Miss Congeniality: The other day, I was watching the movie Miss Congeniality, and out of curiosity, I checked its rating on RottenTomatoes
. To my surprise, it had a "rotten" rating! Now, perhaps some of you have seen it an agree with the critics. But to me, Miss Congeniality is a beloved memory, and a hilarious movie. I saw MC for the first time on a plane trip over to England when I was almost 13. We had our own personal TVs, with a very limited movie choice. So I watched MC 3 or 4 times on the way there and back! Since then it has held a special place in my heart. This past weekend I checked it out of the library on a whim, and in all honesty it was just as funny as ever. And I hate "chick flicks"! For whatever reason, the whole dumpy -FBI-agent-transformed-into-beauty-queen plot amuses me. Plus, I really enjoy Sandra Bullock. Anyway, it's really funny and also has Michael Caine in it.
Grade: A
The Fugitive: The Fugitive is a movie that I often forget I enjoy. Like, I'll see a TV listing for and and be all, "huh, that was a pretty good movie", and then I'll see three seconds of it and be sucked in completely. It's just a well-acted, well-directed thriller of a movie. My dad introduced it to me (like so many "classics"), and took a particular joy in pointing out things, like how they actually wrecked a train during filming, that the plot is very, very loosely based on the real-life case of a Cleveland doctor, and that Chicago's St. Patrick's Day parade is just as big a spectacle in real life. Watching it now, I can appreciate the pitch-perfect acting of Tommy Lee Jones a little more, and the yuminess of Harrison Ford. And the dying wife's final message on the answering machine still gives me the creeps. If you haven't seen The Fugitive already, you should. If you have, you should watch it again.
Grade: A
So I had to work yesterday. It wasn't bad at all, but it kinda wiped me out. I spent the evening taking a too-long nap and watching The Thin Man, which was an awesome movie by the way.
This morning I was tired and coughing, so I made it a lazy morning. And then evening. My roommate was out all day, so I moved from my bed to the chair and so on and so forth while watching Sherlock Holmes in my pajamas. It's all well and good, but unfortunately I've fried my brain with inactivity. I'm sure you know how that goes.
I want to write, but I can't form coherent thoughts. I keep remembering that tomorrow is Monday and I have to work, which is a bummer. I've also been thinking about life and how I feel I haven't experienced enough suffering/love/passion/etc. to qualify as a full-fledged human being.
Perhaps Monday (and something to do) will be a good thing then!
So, y'all know that I love books. I love reading them, buying them, loaning them, the smell of them, and, of course, talking about them. That is why I love Booking Through Thursday, a weekly meme about books. The last few weeks have had especially interesting questions (for me), so I thought I'd take the time to answer them.
One book at a time? Or more than one? If more, are they different types/genres? Or similar? (We’re talking recreational reading, here—books for work or school don’t really count since they’re not optional.)
One book at a time, typically. I read books quickly, so I usually don't feel the need to try and juggle two at a time. I like to fully invest myself in one story, not spread my attentions, you know? Occasionally I will read two at a time, or start a book, put it down and read another first, but that's the exception, I think.
When growing up did your family share your love of books? If so, did one person get you into reading? And, do you have any family-oriented memories with books and reading? (Family trips to bookstore, reading the same book as a sibling or parent, etc.)
My family liked books, but I was (and still am) the most avid reader. My mom read to me all the time as a baby, and then once I could read on my own I read all the time. My family is split right down the middle when it comes to books. My dad, brother, and sister don't really like to read, though my dad loves to listen to audiobooks. My mom, youngest sister, and I really enjoy reading.
1. In your opinion, what is the best translation of a book to a movie?
2. The worst?
3. Had you read the book before seeing the movie, and did that make a difference?
1) To Kill A Mockingbird. That movie is probably the closest thing to perfection, I think. The actors, writers, and director did an amazing job keeping the spirit and power of the book. The Lord of the Rings was also a fantastic adaptation. (Why yes, I am obliged to write about LoTR in every single post discussing movie adaptations of books!)
2) The Man In the Iron Mask. It's a great book, one of my faves, but the movie blows. I doubt that the writers even read the book. Plus, John Malkovich as Athos?? Puh-leez.
3) If I read the book first, it's harder for me to like the movie. I am a bit of a nitpicker. But you know what? A good movie should be like a sibling. Same source material, but different. If that makes sense.
And as a footnote: I've been reading the Lord Peter Wimsey series on a recommendation from some wise and lovely ladies, and I must plug the series, especially Clouds of Witness. It's my favorite of the series so far, I think. The mystery is good, plus it deals with Wimsey's own family, so all the secondry characters get a lot of page time. One of the best things about the books is that they, like the Bertie Wooster series, have secondary characters that are lovable and amusing in their own right. I'm always glad to see more of Detective-Inspector Parker and the decidedly Jeeves-like Bunter.
Movies:
Ocean's Thirteen: I have to make a confession: I've seen the first two movies and remember little to nothing about them. Basically they are movies filled with beautiful men plotting elaborate, but lighthearted, robberies. They are slick, superficial summer fare, and the third installment is no different. It's fun and fluffy, a perfect "girls' night out" movie. In my (somewhat spotty) view, the third isn't quite as good as the first but better than the second. Grade: B+
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Third One: Okay, you caught me, I forget the title. I think it's At World's End or something. It's basically the same as Ocean's. Better than #2, not as good as #1. I loved the first installment, merely liked the second. This one was better, if not a movie that I would watch over again. It's long, man. Johnny Depp is still mega-weird, Orlando Bloom is still a pretty, pretty man, and Geoffrey Rush is still awesome. Grade: B
Little Miss Sunshine
TV Show:
Intervention: This TV show is totally addictive, no pun intended. I don't know why I love watching a show about people at the worst points in their lives, but I do. It's painful, sad, and angering. Every week there is a wrecked life, selfish people, often abuse and neglect, and yet...someone cared enough about the shell of a human being you see to try one last time to bring them back from the edge. Despite the fact that it's so depressing (especially with the high rate of relapse), it remains hopeful, and humane. Grade: A- (It's on Fridays at 10, on A&E, if you're interested.)
Movies:
Fast Times At Ridgemont High: Typically, I don't like the "70/80s teen movie" genre. I didn't like Sixteen Candles, for example, and Breakfast Club left me cold. However, this one I liked. Well, mostly liked. I felt that the abortion storyline was completely out of place and not keeping with the mood of the movie. I know it was the time period, but that was my biggest complaint. Other than that? Pretty funny and enjoyable, especially Sean Penn's surfer dude(!).
The Big Lebowski: I think my brother summed it up best: "It's...weird." Yes, it is. Funny, and in parts downright hilarious, but strange as anything. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, if you're in the mood for "strange". One quibble was that it was recorded from a cable channel, so it was censored. I think it would've been better in all it's cussin' glory. :-)
Cannolis:
Gavi's: The cannolis at Gavis are perfectly lovely. They are generous with the filling, the shell tastes slightly of cinnamon, and they serve it with a fresh strawberry. Delish.
Carrabba's: When I got their cannolis, I thought that I had died and gone to heaven. They were amazing. The filling was lighter than your typical cannoli, and it tasted great. It was perfect to have after a heavy Italian dinner. Something light, sweet, and spectacular. I highly recommend them.
Song:
Diner, by Martin Sexton: This song is infectious and fun, all about the history and culture of the American diner. I first heard it when Scrubs used the song for a(n equally awesome) dance montage. Check it out!
I have no patience for writing out long and detailed movie reviews, so here are some bite-sized ones:
Because I Said So: From the roommates who introduced you to such classics as Bring It On and She's The Man, comes Because She Said So, a mildly repulsive comedy that all can enjoy! Watch Diane Keaton utrn into a shrill and overbearing monster-mother! Watch Many Moore be annoying, incompetent, and whiny! Marvel at a world where mothers and daughters freely and descriptively discuss orgasms! Grade: D
The Graduate: Well, this was a lot different from what I was expecting. It's very artsy, with small, evocative scenes that don't really further the plot at all. I think I got less enjoyment out of it simply because of the generational gap. It was still quite funny in parts, but I'm not sure I quite "got it". Grade: B-
The Full Monty/Calender Girls: Both films about unlikely nude British people, the former being unemployed, older, and overweight men, the latter being old women. I prefer the latter, but I am a chick :-) The Full Monty was funny, but not as much as it should've been, for me. Plus it was chock-full of British awkwardness, which can make me antsy sometimes. Calender Girls stars the incandescent (hi, Jane!) Helen Mirren, so that already gives it an edge. It's also more serious and has a better structure. Grade: B/A-
Little Fish: Apparently I've been on an addiction kick these last few weeks, what with my renewed interest in the TV show Intervention and now this movie about heroin addicts. It's artsy like The Graduate, but more modern and realistic. I found it hard to follow the plot, partly because of the Aussie accents, but my roommate was able to pick up on it easily. I think I was more focused on the characters. Cate Blanchett stars as a recovering addict trying to put her life back together, and she's amazing, as per usual. hugo Weaving stars as a not-s-recovering addict, and is phenomanal. I admit that I rented the movie because I saw his name attached to the credits. He's uniformly excellent. (This has nothing to do with this movie, but I highly recommend the movie Proof. Not the more recent, American Proof, but an Australian independent movie.) Overall, it's a bit weird, but I didn't regret watching it. Grade: B+/A-
Video: What was the first R-rated movie you saw (or were allowed to see)?
Submitted by Lisa.
I've posted about my cinematic background before. http://elen.vox.com/library/post/action.html (The link thing won't work for whatever reason.)
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is a very funny show in which a human and two robots riff on old, cheesetastic movies. They occasionally have "shorts", which generally focus on old propaganda or safety videos. This is one about proper grooming and attracting the opposite sex. It's actually rather horrific.
The lovely SnuggleMuffin tagged me in her post, so here are some more things about me. I hope at least a few of them are interesting!
Four jobs I have had in my life: 1) Student aide for a young autistic boy at a summer rec. program run by the school. It was a fun, but sometimes tedious and frustrating, job.
2) Neighborhood babysitter. My neighborhood has lots of young boys, some of them more well-behaved than others.
3) Pet sitter. I've taken care of the usual (dogs and cats), but I also looked after my friend's alpacas while she was gone on vacation. Alpacas are basically small llamas. 4) Deputy mother. Sometimes I feel like that's my job at home ;-)
Four movies I would watch over and over:
1) The Lord of the Rings (best movies evah!!) 2) Groundhog Day (this was just on TV. I was so happy!)
3) The Fugitive
4) Benny & Joon (I have seen this movie so many times it's not even funny. I don't really know why, either.) I completely forgot about another one, until flawedheroine's post reminded me: About A Boy. That's a great movie.
Four places I have never gone, but want to:
1) Sicily
2) Scotland
3) Germany
4) Either Australia or Russia
Four songs on the CD player right now: (iTunes, in this case)
1) Hound Dog- not the Elvis version, the original by Big Mama Thornton
2) My Sharona- The Knack
3) Wild Thing- The Troggs (lots of old music recently, I guess!)
4) Store Bought Bones- The Raconteurs
Four TV shows I love/like:
1) House
2) Scrubs
3) The Office
4) The Daily Show
Four places I've been on vacation:
1) Arizona
2) The U.K. (Well, England and Wales, anyway) & Ireland
3) Italy
4) Prince Edward Island, Canada
Four of my favorite foods are;
1) Crab legs
2) Deviled eggs
3) French onion soup
4) All-cheese pizza
Four places I would rather be right now:
1) Capri, Italy
2) London (le sigh)
3) A building where I have my own bathroom and bedroom
4) At the beach near my home, taking pictures and just sitting
And the lucky tag-ees are...
emily sears, A is for Amy, wutheringheart, and Sooz.
