Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 590664 times)

Frybabe · « **Reply #3720 on:** March 28, 2014, 08:58:01 AM »

How many of you have read a book,
then watched a movie that was based on that same book?

Were you disappointed?
Or elated that they hadn't made any significant changes?
Or even surprised to discover the movie was even better than the book?

_______________________________

Books Into Movies Now on DVD
Recent Movies Based on Books
Books in a Series by Their Authors
Movies Based on the Book

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Your Discussion Leader: pedln

Bad manners to say the least. I hate the yelling and talking over, too. I do not watch any of those programs. It is also one of the reasons I don't watch too many of the panel segments on some programs. What is this "conversational style" teaching our younger folks about conversing with others? Is listening and rational debate out the window?

MaryPage · « **Reply #3721 on:** March 28, 2014, 10:13:26 AM »

Yesterday I received my preordered copy of Jimmy Carter's latest book in the mail. I burned the midnight oil. Now I urge you all to buy and keep a copy and pass it around to your family and friends:

A CALL TO ACTION, Women, Religion, Violence, and Power

Warning: it DOES contain violence, but every speck of it has been real life happening.

pedln · « **Reply #3722 on:** March 28, 2014, 10:33:13 AM »

Hmmm. Maybe there are advantages to using captions after all. I turn down the sound because of the lag, so therefore don't get all the shouting and everyone talking at once.

I like Morning Joe because of the people they have on, and of course, I don't watch the whole thing. An hour at the most, if that. I'd like to see more of Chris Mathews, but unfortunately he's on at the same time as my very favorite PBS Newshour. That and David Gregory's Meet the Press are my "must sees." I used to watch Andrea Mitchell's program, but now they've changed the time.

marjifay · « **Reply #3723 on:** March 28, 2014, 12:33:51 PM »

I'm not a fan of the Morning Joe show. Usually turn it off after about 10 minutes unless they're discussing something I really want to hear about.

My favorite is Chris Matthews, and I agree with you, MaryPage, he's so cute. His cutting someone off doesn't bother me, because it's usually when the guest is getting repetitious and Chris wants to keep the show moving. He lets the guest get his/her thoughts out before they start to get boring.

My other favorite is Rachel Matthew. She really keeps us up to date on what some of those right-wing states are doing to women's rights.

Speaking of repetitious, I really got tired of all that speculating about what happened to that airplane that disappeared. On and on and on.....

pedln · « **Reply #3724 on:** March 29, 2014, 06:17:21 PM »

Marjifay, I'm kind of surprised at CNN. It's almost as if they have made the missing airplane their mission in newsbroadcasts. I assume they have other news as well, but everytime I tune them in they are talking about the airplane.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3725 on:** March 29, 2014, 08:40:08 PM »

Ya just gotta see this one; it is BEYOND wonderful! And hey, where did all those well dressed people come from? And well behaved children? This CANNOT be an American scene!

http://www.thisblewmymind.com/street-musician-tipped-girl-happened-next-blew-whole-city-away/#8lUqYGVKW0IzjIaD.01

pedln · « **Reply #3726 on:** March 30, 2014, 11:07:38 AM »

That was lovely, MaryPage.

Night Train to Lisbon -- a few years ago someone recommended the book and I bought when I found it at a used book store. It's stil on the shelf, unread. But the DVD recently came out and I watched it last night. Jeremy Irons is a Swiss secondary school teacher who rescues a young woman who is about to jump from a bridge. She laters disappears, but he is left with her coat which has train tickets to Lisbon in the pocket and a small book. His first thought is to find the woman, but on the train he becomes involved in the book and wants to meet its author. The rest of the film is about his quest, shown in both the present and flashbacks, as he meets those who were friends with the author during the Salazar regime. Rather slow-paced, but fascinating.

Frybabe · « **Reply #3727 on:** March 30, 2014, 11:41:44 AM »

I didn't know they made a movie of it Pedln. Night Train to Lisbon was one I ultimately passed up on buying.

pedln · « **Reply #3728 on:** April 21, 2014, 10:41:52 PM »

What's everybody watching these days? On Ginny's recommendation I got The Straight Story from Netflix and thoroughly enjoyed it. A feel-good film and a pleasant contrast to some others recently watched. This is the story about the man who, unable to drive a car, rode his lawnmover close to three hundred miles to visit his sick brother.

Netflix came through without a long wait for 12 Years a Slave. Five stars for that one -- excellently done, terrific acting,Definitely deserving of its Best Picture award, and now I want to read Solomon Northrup's book.

I just returned August: Osage County, which you'll love if you like dysfunctional families. Again, extremely well-done. If it had been my decision Meryl Streep would have received the Oscar rather than Cate Blanchette. Not to fault Blanchette, she did a great job, too. I just liked "August" better than "Blue." Julia Roberts was also excellent, but I have no quibble with the Best Supporting Actress winner from 12 Years a Slave.

Nebraska finally got off the very long wait list, and our little film group will watch it Friday night. Still waiting on Philomena and The Book Thief.

Now that the Award season is behind us(?) what are you recommending?

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3729 on:** April 22, 2014, 08:20:46 AM »

Pedln, I would recommend The Lunchbox if you've not already seen it. It's a very understated love story between a neglected wife and a lonely older man in present day India. We loved it.

My daughter also really enjoyed The Grand Budapest Hotel. I quite liked it, and Ralph Fiennes was really excellent.

A friend saw Calvary and said it was well worth seeing, although rather harrowing with no real redemption at the end for any of the characters. I'm not sure I'm quite up to that myself.

Rosemary

pedln · « **Reply #3730 on:** April 22, 2014, 11:53:11 AM »

Rosemary, The Lunchbox and Grand Bud. Hotel are both on my queue, waiting for subtitled DVDs which Netflix says will be July. I hadn't heard of Calvary -- sounds intriguing.

I know what you mean about being "up" to certain movies. I started watching The Magdelene Sisters last night, but didn't want to finish it just before bedtime. The rest will have to wait for daytime hours with a block of time between finish and bed. It's excellent, very powerful, but brutal.

Need some comedies in my queue. Does anyone know anything about Butter -- about a butter sculptor? I hope it's not dumb.

marjifay · « **Reply #3731 on:** April 22, 2014, 12:23:36 PM »

Thanks for the recommendations, Pedln and Rosemary. I had not heard of Calvary. Put it on my Netflix queue.

I also was happy that the gal (Lupita Nyong'o) from 12 Years a Slave won an Oscar for best supporting actress.

A film I saw recently, but WOULD NOT recommend is a Turkish film, ONCE UPON A TIME IN ANATOLIA. Altho' this got an excellent rating at IMDB and won first prize at a Cannes film festival, I fell asleep about four times before tossing it back to Netflix. Just about the most boring film I've ever watched. About some cops out at night looking for a buried corpse. Don't know if they ever found it as I could not stay awake to see the end.

Marj

JeanneP · « **Reply #3732 on:** April 22, 2014, 04:46:04 PM »

Just starting to watch Nebraska. Needs to go back tonight. Think I will turn it off. So far not liking it. Need to get ready to go out to dinner . Will just drop it off. There is a waiting list for it.

Dana · « **Reply #3733 on:** April 24, 2014, 04:28:38 PM »

Oh no, I just don't agree about Once Upon a time in Anatolia. How funny....different tastes I mean....it is up there for me as one of my favourites of all time, watched it twice off the bat, beautiful and so realistic but done artfully...."true art is nature to advantage dressed...what oft was thought but ne'er so well expressed". When I saw it I felt that quote could have been written for that movie.

pedln · « **Reply #3734 on:** April 25, 2014, 10:42:14 AM »

Once Upon a Time in Anatolia -- Right now I must agree with Marj. I tried watching it about a year ago and sent it back to Netflix before it was over, rating it 2 stars. Looking at all the reviews just now, it seems it must be one of those films you either love or hate. So now I wonder, did I miss something, what did I miss? Should I try again? But then there are so many others, well-recommended, not yet tried.

marjifay · « **Reply #3735 on:** April 25, 2014, 12:10:58 PM »

I'm with you, Pedln, re Once Upon a Time in Anatolia.

I may have missed something by falling asleep, but I doubt it. What I saw when I was awake was awfully boring to me.

I have around 200 movies on my Netflix queue, so won't waste time re-watching it.

Marj

Dana · « **Reply #3736 on:** April 25, 2014, 01:11:37 PM »

The thing is, its about these ordinary men in their regular life expressing their ordinary feelings, having ordinary conversations which are funny and angry and sad and weak and strong and all that, but done in a way that is a poetic commentary on the human condition. Now that sounds very pretentious and I'm sorry about that, because it is completely non pretentious which is its strength I think, and makes it different from all those pretentious slow and boring movies about the meaning of life which I really do hate....it is slow but I didn't mind, somehow I got right into it and watched the apple rolling down the slope for ever, and the pretty girl bringing the prisoner the coke for ever....and then went back and watched it all again! I also then went and bought a copy from Amazon...go figure, not me at all, I'm not that into movies.

Dana · « **Reply #3737 on:** April 30, 2014, 10:04:18 PM »

Saw a great movie on TCM--The Letter--1940, with Bette Davis, one of my all time favourites. Very melodramatic, from a play by Somerset Maugham and totally gripping till the end, apparently they had to change the end to allow it to be shown because there was a rule that you couldn't get away with murder in a movie.......

mrssherlock · « **Reply #3738 on:** May 02, 2014, 01:10:59 PM »

Have you kept up with the various treatments of Sherlock Holmes these days? PBS, Movies and CBS are competing for our attention. TMC has kept up with the fad showing an early portrayal by by John Barrymore. No matter what venue becomes the setting, including both time and place, Sherlock is paired with a "John" Watson. Each treatment has its charms for me. Almost as popular in movies and tv are the inhabitants of Jane Austin's England.

Dana · « **Reply #3739 on:** May 02, 2014, 10:28:35 PM »

Saw a great movie in TCM...Breaker Morant, 1980, co-written and directed by Bruce Beresford who directed Tender Mercies and Driving Miss Daisy, two other super movies. Didn't even know they were all directed by the same guy, must look what else he's done, but in the meantime, Breaker Morant, about the trial of 3 Aussies in the Boer War is really magnificent.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3740 on:** May 03, 2014, 01:30:20 PM »

Has anyone seen the original film of Bonjour Tristesse (Francoise Sagan novel)? Our independent cinema is showing it as a one-off tomorrow and I can't decide whether to go or not. I remember loving the book as a teenager, but I imagine half of it went right over my head.

Rosemary

marjifay · « **Reply #3741 on:** May 04, 2014, 07:56:52 AM »

I got in on the last half of Breaker Morant, Dana. It looked very good. You can get the entire movie on YouTube, which I am going to do.

Marj

mrssherlock · « **Reply #3742 on:** May 09, 2014, 01:48:24 PM »

The creations based on Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes can be mind boggling yet I am endlessly entertained by the fleshing out of the bones: genius detective, doctor sidekick, bumbling policeman, shadowy older brother of said genius. The latest Elementary was a trip to the wild side of the writers' imaginations. I look forward eagerly to the next iteration.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #3743 on:** May 11, 2014, 11:01:19 AM »

Yesterday, I saw "The Railway Man" with Colin Firth. Excellent performance by him, beautifully done movie. Not going to be for everyone due to the war/torture scenes. NIcole Kidman looking totally unlike herself with brown hair, and the "work" she has had done terribly evident, as they use a lot of close-up shots, and her plumped lips are not flattering.

pedln · « **Reply #3744 on:** May 11, 2014, 07:13:26 PM »

Getting good recommendations here and have added Breaker Morant and The Railway Man to my queue. It'll be a while because the DVDs haven't been released yet, or at least Netflix doesn't have them. I also added Gallipoli based on another recommendation. Three different wars, two Australian films. That last one is a "very long wait."

Last week I watch 42, about Jackie Robinsob's barrier breaking. Very enjoyabl and Harrison Ford did a great job as Branch Rickey. Finally saw Philomena (with Judy Dench). Good acting from her and Steve Coogan who played the journalist Martin Sixsmith. It was well-done, but I thought the film The Magdalene Sisters was more powerful and was glad I had seen it before watching Philomena.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3745 on:** May 14, 2014, 04:32:54 PM »

I have not seen The Railway Man, but parts of it were filmed in North Berwick, the seaside town a few miles from where I lived until recently. The filming caused huge excitement down there, everyone wanted a glimpse of Mr Darcy, as I fear he is still thought of in the UK. The people that did see Firth and Kidman in the streets said that they were both very friendly and nice. North Berwick is used to having rich & famous people floating about because of the many exclusive golf courses in the area, so people are relatively well-behaved in the presence of celebrities.

The film has not had an especially good reception over here.

The film I have most enjoyed of late has been We Are The Best, which I would recommend to everyone - it's funny, inspiring and not too unrealistic either; brilliant acting from three young Swedish girls. Twenty Feet from Stardom has also been one of my favourites so far this year.

Rosemary

mrssherlock · « **Reply #3746 on:** May 19, 2014, 11:23:41 AM »

Not only do I love books I love books about books and movies about books. I'm thrilled to find 84 Charing Cross Road on today's TCM schedule. Seven PM here on the west coast.

maryz · « **Reply #3747 on:** May 19, 2014, 11:36:27 AM »

Jackie, THANK YOU!!!!!! 84 Charing Cross Road is one of my very favorite movies AND books. It's now marked on our TV page!

marjifay · « **Reply #3748 on:** May 19, 2014, 02:52:00 PM »

I have Charing Cross Road marked on my TCM "Now Playing" schedule booklet to watch. Thanks for reminding me, Jackie!

Marj

pedln · « **Reply #3749 on:** May 19, 2014, 10:48:13 PM »

84 Charing Cross Road is one of my very favorite films. Love it. Anne Bancroft? I picked up the DVD some time ago and get the urge to watch it every once in a while. I feel the same way about Casablanca.

CallieOK · « **Reply #3750 on:** May 19, 2014, 11:43:20 PM »

Just finished watching Charing Cross Road. What a lovely movie!

maryz · « **Reply #3751 on:** May 19, 2014, 11:44:37 PM »

There are a couple of other Helene Hanff books about the bookstore. I recommend them, too.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3752 on:** May 20, 2014, 07:57:51 AM »

Just in here, I missed the fact that 84 Charing Cross Road was to be shown on TV, but I saw it more than once many, many years ago. I thought it marvelous, but OH, the book! The book is on my list of all time favorite books, no doubt about it. Yes, there was at least one sequel. Helen Hanff wrote them, and it is all a TRUE STORY! The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street?

marjifay · « **Reply #3753 on:** May 20, 2014, 11:21:50 AM »

Thanks, MaryPage for your enthusiastic recommendation of the book, 84 Charing Cross Road. i've seen the movie, but never read the book. Now I will.

I just watched Woody Allen's film, Blue Jasmine. It was certainly not a comedy, altho it had a few humorous scenes. I was fascinated watching Cate Blanchett's performance, and see why she won the Oscar for it. I thought Alec Baldwin was perfect as her smooth but crooked husband. Also thought the sister, Ginger, (Sally Hawkins) was great. I'll watch for Hawkins in her future films. Actually all the actors were very good, as was Woody Allen's writing IMO.

Marj

ginny · « **Reply #3754 on:** May 30, 2014, 06:54:25 PM »

Yes we did a good bit on Helene Hanff several years ago in our book discussions....she was a wonderful writer.

I'm just coming in to say that I saw Maleficient today with my grandson and it is just magnificent. She has just done a wonderful job with that movie. There were plenty of adults in the theater as well. I am aware of Angelina Jolie and what she's done but I never really appreciated her until I saw this movie that she made and it is out of this world.

I love what she's done with the story.

I saw quite a few movies on my long flights and one was the Wolf of Wall Street which I didn't particularly think I wanted to see, and it's hard to watch, but is a good movie.

Is just as well I really didn't understand half of what I was seeing, and had to turn away from a good bit of it.

I'm reading the book now. The author really writes well about things that you normally would not talk about, so it's it's hard to say if you would recommend it or not.

Then I tried to watch the Dallas Buyers. Club but unfortunately again it was about, as far as i got, drugs again, and I thought I'd like to take a break with that. I did see the new HBO series True Detective, with Woody Harrelson and again Matthew McConahay. It is absolutely excellent. I don't watch the CSI things, I have managed to avoid that type of programming, and here it is two detectives and it's wonderfully done. It's a 2014 release and it will be on DVD June 10.

That McConahay can really act. I'm really getting interested in his films. He also has a small part in the Wolf of Wall Street.

I started watching a movie called We're the Millers, but ran out of time on the plane. It's a comedy with Jennifer Aniston. Aside from some really gross crude language near the beginning....and I don't know what age its intended for, you could not take a child to it, it was actually cute, and I've ordered it from Netflix.

And then just to round off these somewhat severe experiences with something wholesome I did watch Saving Mr. Banks again, which was lovely the second time around, as well.

Love the movie choices on flights!

ginny · « **Reply #3755 on:** May 31, 2014, 04:14:55 PM »

Oh, and I forgot! I also saw Nebraska, too, and I agree with the comments here that it was excellent. And it reminds me very much of the lawnmower movie. And I expect the reason that Bruce Dern and did not get an Oscar for it is that people didn't think he was actually acting, he was that good.

ginny · « **Reply #3756 on:** June 02, 2014, 08:24:55 AM »

And, having watched the Jennifer Aniston movie, I can say it's one of the most tasteless things I think I've ever seen. What a shame. Why does everything have to be so egregious now?

I think probably this is a real sign of age on my part. I mean it's just.....

salan · « **Reply #3757 on:** June 02, 2014, 06:13:10 PM »

I tried watching the Jennifer Aniston movie, We Are the Millers, Ginny. I gave up after 20 minutes. I thought the movie was in very poor taste (at least by my values). I wonder what ages it was intended to appeal to?

??
Sally

ginny · « **Reply #3758 on:** June 02, 2014, 07:33:35 PM »

THAT is a good question!

(Teen age boys? Who like body parts jokes?)

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #3759 on:** June 02, 2014, 07:35:27 PM »

Ginny, not a sign of age...a sign of good taste! And "class" if you will!

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Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 590664 times)