The Fault in Our Stars Movie: My Thoughts

When I read the news tonight that The Fault in Our Stars movie has officially hired a director, I was at first ecstatic.

However, after thinking about it for awhile, I got worried.

I absolutely adore John Green and everything he does. I love his books first and foremost, and I will always be a fan. I adore his and Hank's Youtube channel. I also love Crash Course and his Swoodilypoopers videos. Basically, everything he and his brother do is amazing to me. So I am incredibly happy that The Fault in Our Stars will probably be made into a movie.

However, I know what happens when books become made into movies, and that's what has me worried.

The Fault in Our Stars is such a gem, and as a book it really functions to directly touch a readers' soul and inspire them. I know it has helped people through tough times, and people have a connection to that book that goes way deep.

How is that connection going to be translated into a movie?

Well, only time will tell. John seems thrilled about the director; he thinks that Josh Boone's close and personal connection with the book will translate well into the direction of the movie. However, I can't help but be skeptical.

I have a firm belief that what makes a good book is not what makes a good movie. I have always believed that, and that is why I am so accepting of movie adaptations that some of my friends might cast off as bad adaptations. However, a book like The Fault in Our Stars- which already has such a huge fan base with such a large amount of the readership having a personal connection with the story- might not translate well onto the big screen. I remain optimistic; I would love for this movie to be a huge success. However, I can't help but remain skeptical.

Which leads me to ask the question.... how do you feel about The Fault in Our Stars being made into a movie?

Jane

Water for Elephants [movie review]

Water for Elephants
Starring Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon
Fox 2011

Based on Sara Gruen's novel, Water for Elephants is a movie that tries to recapture the magic from the novel and transform it into something that can be witnessed through film.

I am happy to say that the movie was a success. I am not somebody who is extremely picky about things staying true to the book, because I know that the things that make a good book are not always the things that make a good movie, but this movie was able to retain all the important aspects of the book and still make a decent movie. It was hard not to be nit-picky when I had just finished reading the book, but in reality there is very little to nit-pick at. The movie was very well done, and I must say that Robert Pattinson makes a much better vet than he does a vampire.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: A ((Swedish)) Movie Review

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Starring: Michael Nygvist and Noomi Rapace
Rated: R

I picked up this DVD on a whim; having read the book, I am really interested in the movie. I was going to wait until the American version came out later this year, but my curiosity got the better of me. So I rented the Swedish version.

While I can't say the movie was better than the novel, I can say they come pretty close. My one huge complaint about the novel was the huge amount of backstory and mumbo jumbo that I just didn't care about. The movie didn't have that- it jumped right into the story full throttle, caught my attention, and held it to the very end.

My one worry was that the movie would be confusing and hard to follow. It turns out that whoever adapted this movie from the book did an excellent job of knowing what to keep and what to discard, and the movie was easy to follow, even for someone who might not have read the book(s). My only complaint about the movie is that Erika Berger didn't play a big enough role. I know there's a lot to put in a short movie, but I feel like she's important enough to get more time on screen.

The actress who played Lisbeth was incredible; she was exactly what I pictured her to be. The actor who played Mikael was wonderful as well.

Overall: If you're a fan of TGWTDT, don't miss out on the Swedish version. Unless, of course, you have an extreme aversion to subtitles or dubbing.

NOTE: Heed the Rated R warning. This movie is SOOO not meant for young viewers.

Jane

Movie Review: Eclipse

On Tuesday night I was one of the eager fans waiting three hours early to see Eclipse at 12:01.

The wait was not pleasant. Me + lack of sleep + giggly girls in movie theater = absolute crankiness. However, this post is not about that. This post will be about the movie.

First of all, I'd like to say that I am not a movie critic. I would just like to share my thoughts on a movie that has been highly anticipated by many fans of the Twilight series.

Overall, I really enjoyed the movie. It's been interesting to watch the actors develop and change from Twilight to Eclipse. I'd say, to an uneducated eye like mine the actors seem to be growing into their roles and becoming better actors in general. This makes Eclipse a much more pleasant movie to watch than Twilight.

I had a slight problem when it came to the fighting scene. When the vampires were attacked, it made a sound like glass breaking. That bothered me.

However, it was probably the only thing that bothered me about the movie. I really enjoyed it, and I am eagerly awaiting Breaking Dawn (which was my least favorite book, but I'll probably enjoy the movie.) Eclipse, the movie, is a good adaptation of an amazing book, and I think it'll delight Twilight Saga fans all over.

Now that that's over, I will go back to book reviews. After all, I'm a bit better at those!

Jane