Movies Adaptations that were better than their Books (about the randomly capitalised words... I'm lazy)

I started writing this yesterday - because I was thinking about The Hunger Games and the more I think about the books the better I like the movie - but got bored because, as it turns out, I don't watch a lot of movies based on books? And 98% of the time the book is better than the movie anyway, so this list was challenging to make for many reasons. Also, it seems that a lot of movies I watch are just not very good movies. Or children's movies. Or period films.


Chocolat by Joanne Harris

Why was the movie better? Weeeell...
One thing I appreciate about movies is their aesthetic: since film is a visual media a director has far more power over the look of the world they create and I hugely appreciate director Lasse Hallström's decision (if it was his decision) to move the film's chronology from the 80s/90s to the 50s. The clothes, colours, decor and culture just add so much to the film's whimsical magic.
I also greatly appreciate the changes that were made character-wise: instead of the village priest being the film's antagonist, he is a young, weak but rather adorable Father who is just a little too easily ordered about by the real villain and splendidly portrayed mayor of the town, whose vulnerabilities and tragic history are presented with far more sympathy than anything Harris originally dreamed up. The main character, Vianne, is also a lot more stable and a wiser, kinder woman in the film: I may be prejudiced but I am eternally thankful that the filmmakers chose to ditch the theme of 'good' witchcraft vs 'evil' Christianity. In comparison I would deem the book somewhat mean-spirited and meandering when held up next to the movie's redemptive message. (Also, I want all of Juliette Binoche's wardrobe from this film!)

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

There isn't really very much that Cabot's book series has in common with the 2001 film of the same name. Which is all to the good of the film. (Don't ask me about the second movie though. It was a sad cash cow suffering a bad case of sequelitis) Suffice it to say that the movie is better than any of the books. Julie Andrews can make almost anything better.

About a Boy by Nick Hornby

This is actually a pretty close one - both the book and the movie are pretty good and entertaining in their own way, but the movie nudges ahead in my estimation simply because of its ending and its treatment of the central theme of growing up. Growing up is sort of the most important idea behind the story, which deals with Will, the manchild, and Marcus, the uncool little boy, who both need to grow up in different ways. What I didn't like was the implication at the end of the book that growing up necessarily means assimilating - that awkward kids must just learn to be like everybody else. The movie didn't do that. The movie let Marcus stay his own little awkward adorable self - only plus friends.

 

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Again, only marginally. I love both the book and the movie but there were things in the book that annoyed me, as described here.

Haha, these lists just get less and less detailed as they go on, don't they? That's either because I write about the things I want to write about first and leave the ones about which I have less to say for last - or I get bored and peter out. I think I've petered out.

Frivolous Chick Flicks to Brighten a Rainy Afternoon

Let's just say that this list isn't going to be very big on films that make you think...

Suddenly 30




A lot of which has to do with fluffiness and adorableness and this scene. Gosh I love this scene.

Never Been Kissed - also fluffy and frivolous, but a nostalgic favourite for me.  Used to watch it with the family.

Easy A

Legally Blonde -  just the first one. The second is a travesty.

The First Wives Club isn't bad.

Kate and Leopold. Isn't that good. Ewwy Meg Ryan. But it's worth a watch for Hugh Jackman!

She's the Man. LOVE IT.

Chocolat - very pretty, Johnny Deppy and... chocolatey. Make sure you watch this with a block of Cadbury's on hand :-)

The Importance of Being Earnest - Silly and funny and clever and lovely.

10 Things I Hate About You - Heath Ledgerrrrrr. And a baby-faced Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It's also very quotable.

The Wedding Singer  is OK. I also happen to like my parents' cut of 50 First Dates (we're big on fast forwarding in my family).

To tell you the truth, these films have spoiled me for movies like Steel Magnolias, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. I feel like a bit of a moron for saying it, but I just don't get why you would want to make (or watch) a sappy sad chick flick.


Don't rent:

You've Got Mail (boring and stupid)
The Notebook (I don't get the hype.)
A Good Woman (a 1920s take on an Oscar Wilde play should have been good. Alas.)
Life as We Know It (Or any Katherine Heigel film, for that matter, though 27 Dresses isn't totally heinous. Oh and anything with Amanda Sieyfried in it should be avoided like the plague unless it's Mean Girls)
The Holiday
Leap Day (I enjoyed it. But it was utterly stupid and, well, stupid. Ditto When in Rome, Sydney White, Confessions Of A Shopaholic, Lovewrecked)
Bride Wars
Something Borrowed (I would endure ridiculous amounts of boredom rather than suffer this nightmare of a film once more.)
Just Like Heaven
 Rumour Has It (and all other Jennifer Aniston films)

The Holiday Movie Special

As You Wish

I'm very bad at putting numbers on things, and I don't know how I'd be able to rank one of these above the others, but here are some films that have ingratiated themselves into my life:


Ever After

If I had to pick any movie to represent my childhood, it would probably be this one. I and my siblings watched this film so many times I can recite most of the dialogue off the cuff. I love that this film takes itself so seriously - sometimes the acting (I notice this now, being not nine years old anymore) is really a bit awful - but it's so endearingly earnest at the same time. And I still laugh at all the funny bits and invent amusing backstories for the minor characters. And I still want all the pretty dresses!

The Scarlet Pimpernel


Yes, I know, I'm period drama obsessed. But this film (and the book it's based on) are absolutely splendid. Od's fish!

The Emperor's New Groove

I don't really enjoy watching movies alone very much, so it comes as no surprise when I discover that most of these films are movies that my family enjoys watching. I don't even understand how this movie can be so darn good. It just is. Heartwarming, hilarious. Truly epic. I'm racking my brains trying to think of another Disney film that depicts a pregnant woman, let alone a pregnant woman of Pacha's wife's awesome level. Unusually for Disney, this isn't a romantic plot, but somehow this chucklefest of brilliance also manages to have more heart packed into it than three standard princess movies.

Bride and Prejudice

A Bollywood interpretation of Pride and Prejudice? Of course it's awesome!

About A Boy

It's funny; I know a lot of people who dislike this film. I'm not quite sure why. Perhaps it's just usual to hate Hugh Grant films, because Hugh Grant can be a bit of a pain in the neck. (He can also be entertaining - Music and Lyrics, anyone?) All the same, I really like the unconventional idea - taking the 'coming of age' cliche movie and turning it on its head. Instead of a young boy learning to grow up and a grown man learning to embrace his inner child, we have a young boy who needs to learn to be a child and a manchild who needs to learn how to grow up. I like it very much.


Secondhand Lions

Not as much as I like this film, though. I hate the framing device - the actor playing the adult Walter was badly cast, and it adds a maudlin air to a film that is tough yet tender. Yet this movie is delightful. Go watch it. Now!

The Princess Bride
My mother compares any film that is good in a special way as being 'like The Princess Bride' The only two films I can remember (though I know there have been more than a few) her using this phrase about are Secondhand Lions and A Series of Unfortunate Events. But Princess Bride is our standard of awesome. Always. Because it is.

...fell into the washing machine and did as many revolutions per minute as a small African republic....

Just had a three hour bath.

Words cannot describe.

Whilst in that bath, recovering from a pretty lousy day, made lousy by feminine problems, (Normally I enjoy being a girl, but when the stomach cramps set in...) I finished two books. The second one was an autobiographical account of Sean Astin's experience making The Lord Of The Rings. I took it home from the library because I love love love Sam Gamgee and seriously enjoyed Andy Serkis's book about being Gollum, but I was unpleasantly surprised. Firstly Sean Astin was so BORING! Seriously, I had no desire to hear about any of the other 30 films he's made (and I haven't seen); every anecdote about his early acting career was dull as dandruff, and he didn't write about any of the stuff I wanted to hear! (Although hearing about him being really fit and then putting on loads of weight to play Sam was mildly hilarious.)

Also, he was rather egomanical and seemed to enjoy telling unflattering stories about the other actors. All in all the book made me glad that I haven't the figure, talent or motivation to pursue acting. Still, I am now overwhelmed with a desire to rewatch all LOTR movies; which I won't do right now coz it's too late...

At playgroup today we had a song that mentioned, just in the one verse, 'fat teddybears' 'popcorn' 'rainbows' and 'trips to the zoo'. Just because children are lovely doesn't mean that you should bombard them with songs of intense saccharineness.

Despite my out-of-sortsiness, I was still forced to recognise that I have the best job ever. Yesterday Juliette told me that 'nineteen-year-old ladies' don't have lightsaber battles. Today Genevieve told me I was 'easy to love'. Even when nearly doubled over like an old old lady I couldn't help return Jackie's beautiful smiles. That's my kind of job X)

Speaking of egomania: this singer is really annoying. But I quite liked it. The best part is at the end, around 3.19.

Mine is a refined and poetic nature. I like to be surrounded by joy and life, and I know nothing more joyless and deader than a dead fish.