Hello, all! Welcome to Meet You on Monday! This is a very new semi-regular feature here: I’m going to be posting
a fun question or subject (sometimes book related, sometimes not!) and
of course, answer it myself here. Feel free to answer it also, in the comments
or grab the banner and do your own post! Through this feature, I hoping we all get to know each other better! :)
Here's a question for today:
Movie Adaptations: Love them or hate them?
So I'm not just talking about Book-to-Movie, I'm encompassing them all: Cartoon-to-Movie, TV Show-to-Movie, Play or Musical-to-Movie. But I think as book lovers, movie adaptations are an especially touchy subject for us. Especially YA readers, because after Twilight and Hunger Games and Harry Potter, turning YA/kids books into movies seems to be THE THING TO DO in Hollywood.
As for me...I don't love them or hate them; but I always go into them with a mixed bag of emotions, mostly excitement with nearly equal parts absolute dread. And the closer the book is to my own heart, the more extensive the level of dread. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see some of my favorite stories brought to shining life on the big screen. But as strong as that desire is, the worry is even stronger. Will they do it justice? Will they change important plot lines? Will the chosen actors completely annihilate my own vision of my favorite characters? Will it just plain suck?
Here's some adaptations that I've loved:
- Now is Good (adapted from Before I Die by Jenny Downham)
- How to Train Your Dragon --- LOVE these movies :)
- Harry Potter
- Hunger Games
- Perks of Being a Wallflower
- Maleficent (I wouldn't say I loved it, but I liked it a lot and I like how they twisted the original story)
And some that I didn't:
- Most of the Twilight movies---I actually really liked Breaking Dawn pt 2 :)
- Beautiful Creatures (far too many changes made and cheesy acting)
A few forthcoming that I'm really excited about:
- Mockingjay (They've done such a fantastic job of these so far)
- Fallen (Excited but also a bit worried)
- Maze Runner
- Into the Woods (adapted from the musical,...can't WAIT)
- The Giver
And lastly, here's a few adaptations that I'd love to see done (done well, that is)
These would be stunning on-screen. Though I think I would worry myself sick that it wouldn't be done justice.
This book is so chock-full of cool steampunk imagery, I would love to see this world come to life.
Sisters Red would make an awesome movie with all the fenris butt-kicking that goes on.
It would be a bit gruesome with the plague scenes, but awesome with ghostly photography.
What do you like? Love adaptation movies or hate them? Fear them, maybe? Any coming out soon that your especially excited for? Any you've really loved that I need to check out?
I like movie adaptations but I usually have always read the book first so I hate when they stray too far from the book. I'm excited for Gone Girl but they say the ending has been changed from the book which scares me a bit. Rule of thumb: don't mess with a good boook.
ReplyDeleteHmm...this is a really interesting question Becky! :D It definitely depends on the adaptions you're referring to. In general, adaptions usually sit well with me since most of them are well-done. As long as they're as close to the original as possible, I'm good! :D I'm also really excited for The Giver and Mockingjay! :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, and as always, BRILLIANT post! <3
~ Zoe @ The Infinite To-Read Shelf
Such a great discussion! I love movie adaptations, and I#m always excited and eager to watch the movie of my favorite book. However, not always are they doing the book justice.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned Beautiful Creatures - gosh this movie was so bad;( especially the actors they choose, they were so far off from what I pictured them that it was a shame, plus the acting. Yeah;(
I really liked City of Bones! They wanted to stay true to the book and picked the actors very well! Too bad we are waiting for the next one...
I loved the Twilight movies - all of them to be honest!
Karen Marie Monings Fever Series needs to be made into movies, but I fear they would never do them justice.. Oh well...
LOL, that is the big question isn't it!! When a movie comes out for a book you haven't read, is it better quickly read the book before seeing the movie (which almost always leaves me disappointed with the movie) or is it better to see the movie and then read the book after. There are only two occasions where I saw the movie and then read the book after, and both left me liking the movie just a tiny bit better (Stardust and Princess Bride). Hmmm....
ReplyDeleteWhich is what I love about the Hunger Games movies..they really have done a fantastic job at staying as close to movies as possible---and they are all beautifully acted.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Zoe!
I'll have to see City of Bones, even though I haven't read the books, it does look interesting. Did you see Vampire Academy? I'm curious how that one was.
ReplyDeleteOooh, the acting in Beautiful Creatures---I really couldn't believe it. Emma Thompson is one of my favorite actresses and they even got a pretty cheesy performance out of her! And what in the world happen to Ridley's character?
Aren't the Fever books a faerie series? That would be awesome to see faeries taken on by Hollywood! As long as they didn't screw it up! :D
I think they've done a really good job on The Hunger Games so far! Twilight adaptations were not great but I still watch them when they are on TV! Ha!
ReplyDeleteI'm excited for If I Stay and Gone Girl!
I'm SO excited for Mockingjay, especially after the amazing Catching fire. They just seem to get it right :) Sisters red, In the shadow of blackbirds and Cinder would provide awesome storylines for a movie. I think Cinder has the potential to become a hit :) I absolutely adored Maleficent and How to train your dragon. The HP movies are special to me, because it's my favorite series, but I always try to forget about the 6th movie. What a horror.
ReplyDeleteAw, yay :D Amazing post sweetie. <3 Thank you so much for making and sharing. Sigh. I love the Harry Potter movies too :) And yess. I didn't like the Beautiful Creatures movie either :( Just.. not good :\ And ack. Dying for Cinder :) Hoping it will get made and that it will be good.
ReplyDeleteI do too LOL, but the acting in them actually makes me cringe. Still, can't help it.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited for If I Stay, too!
I think I actually HAVE forgetten about the 6th movie. I literally can't remember it---I guess that says something about how memorable (or not) it was! I love most of the HP movies, but Goblet of Fire remains my favorite!
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be just AMAZING to see the world of the Lunar Chronicles brought to life?? The story is so visual to begin with...wow, it would be glorious!
ReplyDelete