Movies

The following post was written by Best Friend.

The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult was an amazing book!!! I loved it. Of course, I am pretty sure I will love all her books once I have read them. I have read a few and this is my current favorite. One of the best features in her writing is how she can beautifully interweave several stories into a main story, but still maintain a central theme. I really admire this ability …or maybe I envy it. Honestly, it is probably a little of both.

Anyway, back to the point. I loved the book. So, I was thrilled when I heard that there would be a movie. I immediately called everyone I knew that I thought would be remotely interested. I set my DVR to tape the premiere and I cleared my schedule for that Saturday night. Maybe this is where I went wrong. I might have expected too much from the movie. I know that some things have to be sacrificed in order to fit a book into a two hour movie, but I never dreamed they would completely cut out about one third of the story. Not only cut things out, but also change the integrity of the things they did choose to keep in. It really was not the same story I fell in love with. I was rather upset. I feel very sorry for anyone that watched the movie and hasn’t read the book. I was able to keep the heart of the story in my head, but anyone else wouldn’t have that advantage. I even got a piece of paper and wrote down the discrepancies that bothered me the most. (Pathetic, I know.)

I guess the point to all of this is just to encourage people to read!!! If someone is able to write as well as Jodi Picoult then why would you not expose yourself to that genius? And I am usually more of a movie person. But in this instance, I have to say that these books are worth it! I am not saying that the movie is horrible, it was just very disappointing. This is probably enough of my ramblings, so I will say good-bye now. Thank you, Friend for letting me voice my opinion. I love and miss you very much. Talk to you later. Best Friend

Yesterday, I mentioned movies I would watch again and again. Today, I will mention several movies I have been wanting to see but haven’t taken the time to do it. There are actually way more movies I want to see than I will list here but this is a start.

1. Brokeback Mountain (Widescreen Edition) - I would like to read the short story first then see the movie. Basically, I want to see what the big deal is. This movie has had a lot of hype both good and bad. I’m falling prey to the hype and would like to see it.

What’s so intriguing is after I’ve read the story is seeing how Hollywood interpreted it. How were they able to take a short story and turn it into a movie. That’s what I’m interested in. Plus, it’s Heath Ledger.

2. Mona Lisa Smile - I bought this movie the other day because I had been wanting to see it. Obviously I haven’t watched it yet or else it wouldn’t be on this list. It has Julia Roberts and Julia Stiles in it. That right there was enough for me to want to see it but I also liked the storyline.

3. Juno (Single-Disc Edition) - Yet another movie I own but haven’t watched yet. My husband saw a preview for this movie and thought it looked interesting. He showed it to me and I had to agree that it was something I definitely wanted to see. So, when it was released I bought it.

4. Old School (Widescreen Unrated Edition) - It’s probably totally inappropriate but I want to see it anyway. So I will. Someday. I really don’t know why I want to see this movie except maybe because it has inappropriate humor and I want to laugh. Plus, I think hubby might like it.

5. House of Sand and Fog - I loved the book and am curious to see the movie. I want to see how they portrayed the thoughts and feelings of the different characters. This is one of my favorite books and I’ve heard the movie sucks but I still want to watch it.

6. Bella - I read a book based on the screenplay and the effort that went into preparing the food in the Mexican restaurant is something I would like to witness. The author was descriptive in the preparations and reasoning behind what the chef did. Food and the closeness it brings people was a small component of the book and I would like to see it played out. I am a visual person and absolutely love food. I don’t like to just eat but I like to enjoy what I am eating.

I also love Mexican food and soccer and this movie has both.

7. The Handmaid’s Tale - I am reading this book and would really like to see the movie when I am finished. I like to watch movies if I have read the book just to see how someone else interpreted it. I may not like the movie but at least I watched their interpretation.

Again, I know there are many more movies I would like to see but this is all I can think of at the moment.

I will admit I’m not much of a movie person but am slowly becoming one. I think it has something to do with the fact that my two older children are now in school all day long and my youngest will actually watch the movie with me.

When I watch a movie it has to be quiet. Don’t talk to me and don’t make any noise otherwise I’ll quit watching. It’s hard enough for me to hear as it is let alone someone else making noises. Also, don’t make fun of what I’m watching or I won’t watch movies with you. Ever. Unless there is a really cute guy in it and you make me go to the movies with you.

That’s another thing. I’m not a big theater person. I would rather watch a movie at home when it is convenient for me than sit at the movie theater. I almost always have to go to the bathroom at some point in the movie and I end up sitting there trying not to pee my pants instead of paying attention to the movie. Then I feel as though I just wasted $20 because I didn’t get to enjoy the movie. If I were at home I would be able to pause the movie, go to the bathroom, and then start the movie back up and be much happier since I no longer had to pee.

So anyway, that said, there are a few movies that I have seen that I will watch again and again.

1. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (Widescreen Edition) - Oh gosh. I don’t think I have ever laughed so hard as I did watching this movie. This is one of the few movies I have seen in a theater. I went with Best Friend and laughed and laughed.

I actually bought this movie the day it was released on DVD. I use to watch it quite often but can’t anymore because several years ago I loaned it to my mother-in-law and she hasn’t returned it. She thinks she may have returned it to someone else thinking it belonged to them. I just need to buy another copy because it’s one of my favorites but I keep secretly hoping that she will find it and return it.

2. August Rush - Best Friend and her mom made me watch this with them not to long ago. I absolutely loved this movie. I have to see it again just so I can pick up some of the expressions I missed the first time. I love his expressions as he’s hearing the music in life. I have always wondered how people could hear the music in their head to be able to compose music. That has always fascinated me. It is a gift I do not possess and I am thankful that there are people out there who have this gift.

This is an excellent movie and I highly recommend it to everyone. Plus, it’s one that I can watch with my children.

3. The Family Stone (Widescreen Edition) - This is becoming one of my favorites. I actually bought it because I wanted to watch it again and didn’t want to borrow it from Best Friend. I love the closeness of this family. I love how even though one of the siblings has a lifestyle I don’t agree with they still love and accept him. It would be like that in my family. If one of my family members were to tell me they were gay I would still love them. I would still accept them and their partner. The family member is still my family member. I love the family closeness they share.

Now, having said that, I love how they are unwilling to accept an outsider that they feel is too unlike them. To me this is a movie about judgment and acceptance. It’s also about a family’s fierce love for one another.

4. Becoming Jane - Being a Jane Austen fan I had to see this movie. That’s all there is.

5. Pride & Prejudice - (the new one) Loved it! I love this book and loved the movie just as much. I haven’t seen the BBC mini-series yet so this is the only film version I have watched.

6. Under the Tuscan Sun (Widescreen Edition) - Disclaimer! This movie is completely different from the book. Now, I would have to watch this movie again for the guy she hooks up with and for the scene when she’s excited because she still has it. That has to be one of my all time favorite movie scenes. Ever.

Well, I wanted to do ten movies but that’s all I can think of at the moment.

I should know better. Never watch a movie that is based on a book. It is always different and I usually hate it. The one exception is Sense and Sensibility (Penguin Classics).

In all honesty, I haven’t watched very many movies based on books. I get disgusted at the movie and disappointed with myself for thinking this one might be better.

I remember when Under the Tuscan Sun (Widescreen Edition) was coming out and I wanted to watch it so bad. I hurried and finished the book so that I could watch it. (I have a rule that I have to have read the book before I watch the movie. That way I’m not influenced by someone else’s interpretation and I don’t picture their cast characters. I have my own picture in my head based on the author’s words.) Anyway, Under the Tuscan Sun (Widescreen Edition) came out…and the story line was completely different! I still loved the movie for a movie, but it was nothing like the book.

I’m always afraid people will think they don’t need to read the book because they’ve seen the movie. AAAAGGGGHHHH! I want to hit them. Yes, I know hitting is wrong.

I would rather take the time to sit for hours reading a book than the instant gratification I would get from watching a movie. Don’t get me wrong, every once in awhile I enjoy watching a movie. Let’s say…once or twice a year. Actually, I have the desire more often, I just like silence and it’s hard to get silence with children and a husband. Especially, if your husband is an Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie fan and feels it’s his duty to ruin the movie experience for his wife. Although, that only happens if I pick out the movie.

Back to movies based on books. I recently finished reading Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Book 1). I enjoyed the book so much I thought I would watch the movie. AAAGGGHHH! Why did I do that?! I couldn’t even like the movie for a movie. I should have known better. I almost stopped the movie in the first 20 minutes but decided to finish it out. This is one movie I could not enjoy. I don’t know what happened. It wasn’t too different from the book. I don’t know…I think a lot of the emotion didn’t carry over from the book to the movie. I have a friend who thinks it did, but I didn’t see it. I have to say the book is definitely much better.

So, now you know. I don’t like movies based on books. Although, I do have a confession…If Sophie Kinsella’s book, Can You Keep a Secret?, is ever made into a movie I’ll be one of the first in line. I laughed all the way through that book and kept trying to figure out who I would cast as whom. That is one book I would love to see as a movie.