Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 591953 times)

pedln · « **Reply #2280 on:** January 05, 2012, 10:50:24 AM »

So many movies – how do you choose what to watch?
Reviews? Recommendations? Actors? Availability?
Do you choose a movie the same way you choose a book?

And where do you like to watch most of your movies?
Do you stream movies from Netflix and other places?
Where’s the strangest place you’ve ever watched a film?

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Your Discussion Leader: pedln

Here's a new candidate for the WORST film made from a book -- Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.

It's 120 minutes and I can't believe I watched the whole thing, wondering the whole time, am I stupid, have I missed something that everyone else thinks is wonderful. When I finally finished (I took two evenings) I went to see what other Netflix viewers had thought. The only ones who liked it were those who had NOT read the book, everyone else disliked it. Supposedly this Wayne Wang is a good director, but not for this. They incorporated a modern day scenario which I guess was supposed to parallel the story of Snow Flower and her friend. It didn't work.

marcie · « **Reply #2281 on:** January 05, 2012, 08:23:59 PM »

Thanks, Pedln, for the suggestions for Iranian films. I'll look for them.

The trailer for Snow Flower and the Secret Fan looks lovely but I trust your judgement that the film doesn't work.

Babi · « **Reply #2282 on:** January 06, 2012, 08:44:14 AM »

Valerie and I saw those trailers, too, and thought we would like the film.
I'll tell her what you found, PEDLN. Perhaps, since we have'nt read the book,
we might decide to try it, anyway. (Actually, haven't even heard of it as a
book.) Do you think you might have found it more enjoyable if you hadn't
read the book? It can be annoying when you come expecting one thing and
find they've give you something else entirely.

pedln · « **Reply #2283 on:** January 10, 2012, 06:37:51 PM »

Babi, I really enjoyed the book, though some parts were almost dreadful in the extreme, particularly thinking of the foot-binding. The enjoyable part was seeing these two girls growing up together. This was missing in the film and I found the modern scenes quite distracting.

But I've since found a really good one -- Margin Call with Kevin Spacey. Started watching last night and will hopefully finish it tonight after Investment Club meeting, and if I get my Latin assignment finished. This is the story of what happened on Wall Street with all those layers of very risky mortgage pieces. I'm not understanding it all, and will probably watch it twice before sending it back to Netflix. It's being called a "thriller," and I think it is.

Babi · « **Reply #2284 on:** January 11, 2012, 08:08:34 AM »

Well, as you are participating in an Investment Club, you probably understand
what's going on in "Margin Call". I suspect I would be sitting there saying, "Huh?"

I know zip about higher finance.
We will be watching "Snow Flower..." eventually. Valerie put it on the queue
last night.

pedln · « **Reply #2285 on:** January 11, 2012, 04:25:15 PM »

I'll look forward to hearing what you and Val think about Snow Flower after you've seen it, Babi.

Today I got the DVD for A Woman of Independent Means, starring Sally Field and based on the epistolary novel by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey, who in turn based the book on the experiences of her grandmother (or maybe Great-grandmother), Beth Steed. It's set in the first half of the 20th century, from before the Great WAr up to the 50's or 60's. I loved the book and was looking forward to the 1995 film. But no captions, no subtitles. Maybe someday The Criterion Collection will take it on when they do their remastering, whatever that is. All their new productions will have subtitles.

Has anyone heard anything about what's coming up for the Oscars? I wonder what will be this year's big blockbusters. Will we have another King's Speech?

pedln · « **Reply #2286 on:** January 13, 2012, 11:09:56 AM »

Babi, if you've read a newspaper or listened to a new program the last four years you wouldn't have any trouble with Margin Call, just a few jaw droppers or eye openers for those of us unfamiliar with the corporate world, particularly investment banking. There is a financial crisis and a ton of people are going to get fired -- and an outside firm is hired to come in and do the firing. Then the company must save itself, but lose its soul. Rather numbing, but absolutely fantastic, and you're wondering which lamb will be led to slaughter. Good performances by Stanley Tucci and Kevin Spacey. Only one meaningful female and I forget who it was.

What was that other film about a man who spent his career flying from place to place firing people? Was that the one with Tom Hanks?

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2287 on:** January 13, 2012, 11:14:59 AM »

Or was it George Clooney?

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #2288 on:** January 13, 2012, 12:18:13 PM »

George Clooney - "Up In The Air"

JeanneP · « **Reply #2289 on:** January 13, 2012, 08:26:17 PM »

In my company. (Now retired) there was one man. His job was to go to all the Corporate offices and fire people.

Use to be awful when people saw him coming into the building on a Friday.(Day he fired.). No Warnings,they were just escorted out without anyone seeing. He had any checks they had coming with him. These were mostly Management and Exec. jobs. Married, children, did not make a difference.

When I was leaving I spoke with him about how people felt. (I always got along with him) 20 years. He told me. One day Jeanne, this will happen to me by my successor once I reach a certain age. He was right. It did.

marjifay · « **Reply #2290 on:** January 14, 2012, 06:27:35 AM »

Jeanne said, "In my company. (Now retired) there was one man. His job was to go to all the Corporate offices and fire people."

What a fun job, eh? Sounds like the one Mitt Romney had, altho' I doubt he did the firing personally. But he made millions doing it and seems proud of it.

Marj

Babi · « **Reply #2291 on:** January 14, 2012, 09:38:22 AM »

Really, MARJ? I find that a rather chilling thought. What kind of president would he
make, I wonder, from that kind of background. Ruthless? Practical? Hmm... $:-\$

Frybabe · « **Reply #2292 on:** January 14, 2012, 10:38:01 AM »

The comment Romney made was yet another one of those sound bites taken out of context. He did not choose his words wisely however. I saw more of the comment. He was talking about health insurance and his support of insurance portability. His "love to fire people" was in reference to the ability to change carriers if you don't like the one you have. He should have said companies not people. Sounds kind of Freudian though, doesn't it?

I get the impression that Bain Capital is a private equity group that specializes in "distressed" companies. There are a group of corporate leaders that have become known for their abilities as "turnaround" experts. They are often hired for a relatively short period of time as corporate CEO's to revamp and improve a company's image/business. Having done that, they are then replaced with someone who doesn't have that nasty cost and people cutting image. In other words, turn-around experts do the jobs that no one else wants to touch to get the company viable again. Corporate raiders, on the other hand, buy enough shares in a company in order to influence or push their own agenda. Ray Elliot, who recently left Boston Scientific, is a turnaround expert. Carl Icahn is a corporate raider.

pedln · « **Reply #2293 on:** January 14, 2012, 12:43:37 PM »

I just finished reading the PBS transcript of the Shields & Brooks segment on last night's Newshour. They were saying that most people( including me) don't understand the type of LBO (leveraged buyout) company that was the BAIN company. They also said that in the short-term, there were probably job losses, but in the long-term a plus in job creation. They didn't feel that Romney was doing a good job in rebutting all the attacks about this.

The financial world really does seem complicated. I would agree, Frybabe, that Bain appears to be more turnaround than raider.

The Help has been No. 1 on my queue for weeks. Netflix isn't kidding when it says "very long wait." I've got American Pastimes here and part of Desperate Housewives Season 3. If anyone knows of anything good coming on tonight, please post it here.

Also, on the Amazon discussions, a lot about viewing using Amazon Prime. Do any of you use it?

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2294 on:** January 14, 2012, 01:03:21 PM »

The two Black actors in "The Help" won the best actress and best supporting actress Critics Choice Awards.
Jean

pedln · « **Reply #2295 on:** January 14, 2012, 01:15:15 PM »

Here's a link to the ballot for the Golden Globes Award tomorrow night. And Viola Davis from The Help is a nominee for best actress

Golden Globes Ballot

Babi · « **Reply #2296 on:** January 15, 2012, 09:43:57 AM »

Valerie and I just got our copy of "Help" yesterday. We saved it for today to
share it with my other daughter. We'll return it promptly, PEDLN. so you can
move up in line.

pedln · « **Reply #2297 on:** January 17, 2012, 09:34:53 AM »

Thank you, Babi.

Is this exciting or not? -- from the words of Random House --

Kate and Kenneth

And did anyone else see that bit about the next The Killing Season starting April 1?

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #2298 on:** January 17, 2012, 12:14:01 PM »

Wow! That would be "casting" at its very best! Hope Kenneth decides to act in it as well as direct.

Babi · « **Reply #2299 on:** January 18, 2012, 08:21:01 AM »

I can see Kate Winslet in that role. I'm so pleased someone decided to try
filming the story. Mustn't expect to see it anytime soon, tho'.

JoanK · « **Reply #2300 on:** January 18, 2012, 06:29:16 PM »

Saw a promo for "One for the Money" on TV. Heigl has the wrong voice for Stephanie Plum! I don't like it already, and I haven't even seen it.

We Evanovitch addicts are still going to make plans to see it together, and maybe have a Stephanie Plum dinner (pot roast and pineapple upside-down cake. Evanovitch's latest book has a calendar with national pineapple upside down cake day on it, but I've forgotten when it is).

pedln · « **Reply #2301 on:** January 18, 2012, 07:14:18 PM »

That sounds like a really fun thing to do, JoanK. If folks are planning dinners and stuff I might have to break down and read one. Have never read an Evanovitch, no particular reason, just haven't. Is One for the Money her first one? Is this the first Stephanie Plum movie?

JoanK · « **Reply #2302 on:** January 18, 2012, 07:43:17 PM »

pedlin: yes and yes.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #2303 on:** January 23, 2012, 10:33:01 AM »

Yes, I'm glad that Kate Winslet will be in the POTATO PEEL LITERARY SOCIETY. What a sweet book - and I saw the IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS and UNBROKEN will also be made into movies. VERY GOOD BOOKS!

People are reading, I hope!!! Or going to movies anyway.

I saw IRON LADY yesterday and agreed with the critics that the film dealt too long on Thatcher's Altzheimers and her old age. And I didn't like the way it was filmed with bits and pieces going back and forth of her life; I think it all took away from her career as Prime Minister.

BUT WHAT A MASTERFUL JOB OF MAKEUP THEY DID WITH MERYL STREEP!

pedln · « **Reply #2304 on:** January 23, 2012, 12:19:19 PM »

Quote

saw the IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS and UNBROKEN will also be made into movies.

Ella, I'm glad they'll be made into movies, but I wish they'd continued with the plans to film Larson's Devil in White City. At one time it was on the docket. I'd prefer it to Garden of the Beasts. I haven't read Unbroken, but understand that it is excellent.

marcie · « **Reply #2305 on:** January 24, 2012, 10:32:50 AM »

The Oscar nominations are in. See http://news.moviefone.com/2012/01/23/oscar-nominations-2012_n_1224812.html?1327412698&icid=maing-grid7

pedln · « **Reply #2306 on:** January 24, 2012, 12:26:06 PM »

Marcie, thanks so much for directing us to that link. I'm printing that out and using it to update my Netflix queue.

Has anyone seen The Artist? Someone mentioned it here the other day. Is it entirely a silent film, or are the silent clips just part of it? Some of us here usually need captions or subtitles, and I was wondering if this would be one where that wouldn't be necessary. The USA Today had a blurb about Jean Dujardin, nominated for Best Actor, and referred to the film as silent.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #2307 on:** January 24, 2012, 03:26:09 PM »

The Artist is both "silent" and in black&white. My friend who has seen it, says it's wonderful.

Babi · « **Reply #2308 on:** January 25, 2012, 08:25:23 AM »

Ah, me..two of those films I've seen; two I have on my queue, some I've
never heard of. What is "Albert Nobbs" about? Or, "The Tree of Life"? Who
is "Hugo"? I'm so behind-times!

Frybabe · « **Reply #2309 on:** January 25, 2012, 08:35:16 AM »

Babi, I just caught the tail end of an interview with Glenn Close about Albert Nobbs. As best I can tell she plays a character who, in order to survive without going into prostitution, disguises herself as a man and gets a job as a waiter. Looks interesting.

Babi · « **Reply #2310 on:** January 25, 2012, 09:22:21 AM »

Thanks, FRYBABE. I like Glenn Close, and it does sound interesting. Though
I don't really see why the character couldn't have more easily gotten a job
as a waitress. I assume the story will explain that.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2311 on:** January 25, 2012, 09:25:50 AM »

Babi, it looks like a period piece. Not sure why not a waitress unless the only choice was a barmaid who would likely double as a prostitute or get hit on constantly. I may look into the story line a little further if I have time (and remember).

pedln · « **Reply #2312 on:** January 25, 2012, 11:00:00 AM »

Glen Close was in the stage production of Albert Nobbs in 1982 and was working to get it to film for several years. It's based on a book by George Moore (1852-1933), apparently out of print for years, but has now come back. It's also available for Kindle (and I would assume Nook).

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #2313 on:** January 25, 2012, 11:59:34 AM »

Actually, he goes into "service" as a Butler. (Think DowntonAbbey, LOL)

Frybabe · « **Reply #2314 on:** January 25, 2012, 12:04:13 PM »

Thanks, Tomereader, for the info. I am going to look into getting it for my Kindle. Glenn Close did express her excitement and pride in being able to bring this story to the screen.

I see Phyllida Law is in the cast. I remember her from countless TV programs.

marjifay · « **Reply #2315 on:** January 25, 2012, 01:49:58 PM »

Well, I saw Iron Lady yesterday. Sorry to say, it won't be on my list of the best films of 2011. Streep is a good actress, but I got tired of so much of the film being about her elderly, confused life. But, now I want to know more about the Falkland Islands and the war over them - just vaguely remember it. Also want to read her book, THE DOWNING STREET YEARS.

I can't say there are very many of the Academy Award nominations I want to see.

Marj

Frybabe · « **Reply #2316 on:** January 25, 2012, 02:04:04 PM »

I downloaded a free copy of "A Story Teller's Holiday" from the University of Toronto. Wikipedia has a notation that it includes the Albert Nobbs story. I haven't yet loade it onto my Kindle. I did take a look at the PDF version but it has no TOC. Everything is numbered chapters. I tried to leaf through it, but didn't see anything that included the name Albert. Will let you know if I actually find it in there somewhere. At any rate, it looks like an entertaining read.

Babi · « **Reply #2317 on:** January 26, 2012, 08:35:42 AM »

Thanks for all the input on 'Albert Nobbs". (I keep wanting to say 'Alfred'!)
I will be adding it to my request queue.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2318 on:** January 31, 2012, 12:43:50 PM »

Saw One for the Money today. It was entertaining. None of the characters were as i pictured them while reading the books, but they grew on me. Debbie reynolds was a Jewish grandmother, not an Italian grandmother and she was all glammed up, w/ perfect eye shadow and nicely coiffed hair, not good at all. It's a shame, Grandma Mazer should be a hit of the movie and a great character.

I didn't like Joe at first but he did grow on me. Ranger was much too smiley and as my friend said "not intimidating at all." Benjamin Bratt was my image. However, both of those guys were nice eye-candy. Mr. Plum said all the few lines he has in the books, but didn't give me enough of a sense of grumpiness. Of course, there wasn't a lot of time to get all the characters in . It wasn't as good as the book, but i laughed outloud a couple times and it stands alone, if you haven't read the books, i think you would still find it entertaining.

JoanK · « **Reply #2319 on:** January 31, 2012, 03:37:31 PM »

I couldn't picture Debbie Reynolds as Grandma Mazur. Sounds like they changed the character to fit her.

A bunch of us want to see it together, but we're having trouble getting everyone together. It's like herding turtles.

News:

Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 591953 times)