Monday, January 21, 2013

New Year, New 30 Day Book Challenge, Day 19


Someday Gianna will
understand what it is
to love Gus and Call.
Day 19: Favorite Book Turned into a Movie

Gianna:

This category is just one more chance for Liz to jump down my throat about Lonesome Dove! Some other great movies won't make my list because I never read the book, such as The Shawshank Redemption and The Princess Bride. Not that anyone asked, but I will note which I liked better, the film or the book. Here we go, my top ten books to movies. [Let me state here that it's selfish of Gianna to pick ten movies. She does this so that it's harder for me to pull alternatives out of my butt.]

Friday Night Lights – I think I liked the movie more, which may be unfair because I read the book after the movie, but man, I did really like the movie.

Atonement – The book, but what a great movie. In fact, I think I will watch it again tonight. [Sweet! Baked the cookies. I'm on my way over!]

The Silence of the Lambs -- I don’t want Jodie to think I don’t love her post-Golden Globes so I will say the movie. Well, I would say the movie anyway.

No Country For Old Men – See, now I am already regretting this list because this is tough. I think the book because it shocked me so much.

The Godfather – I thought the book was a snooze compared to the movie, but again, I saw the movie first. This is my favorite movie ever by the way (Leave the Gun. Take the cannoli. - Clemenza)

Drugstore Cowboy – This too, is one of my favorite movies ever and I do think it's better than the book. Author James Fogle was robbing pharmacies until he died last year at the age of 75. Well, technically he was robbing pharmacies until he was 74 and then went to prison.

The English Patient – I do think this movie was lovely, but it doesn’t hold up so in this case I pick the novel.

Misery
I think Liz and I will agree on this one, the movie was better. ("God I love You" - Annie to Paul as she takes the sledgehammer to his ankles.)

The Hours – I feel the same about this movie as I do The English Patient, I loved it at first but after seeing it a few times it’s a bit blah. I pick the book.

Terms of Endearment – I adore this book, but the movie the movie the movie.
(“It's past ten. My daughter is in pain. I don't understand why she has to have this pain. All she has to do is hold out until ten, and IT'S PAST TEN! My daughter is in pain, can't you understand that! GIVE MY DAUGHTER THE SHOT!” –Aurora)

I guess it’s not great that I have liked more movies than books. Hey Liz, let's start a movie blog!

Liz:

Sure, let's start a movie blog. First, we're watching Lonesome Dove. For the love of god, what do I have to do to convince Gianna that both the book and miniseries are fantastic?

Here's another fantastic miniseries based on a book: Band of Brothers. It's my favorite war drama, and since I think the writer of the book was a hack and a disgrace to historians. But the miniseries is really great. Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, a Wahlberg, David Schwimmer as a jerk.

The Virgin Suicides is that rare thing--a Kirsten Dunst movie that doesn't make me want to vomit. Of course, she barely speaks and then she commits suicide, so it's like a little cinematic gift to me. Liked the movie...didn't hate the book.

The Wonder Boys--I liked both movie and book.

Seabiscuit--I think people have forgotten how phenomenal this book is, and the movie isn't half bad. I seem to have a thing for horse racing movies. I will stop and watch even though I know exactly what happens. Black Beauty, Seabiscuit, Secretariat--spoiler, they win in the end.
Stand by Me is based on
the novella The Body.

I think we just need to declare that Stephen King's works are better as movies. I'm basing this generalization on the relatively few Stephen King works I've read--The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me, The Shining, Misery.


Ordinary People--It's that rare thing that rips me apart. If Gianna hasn't seen this movie, we're adding it to her must watch list.

To Kill a Mockingbird--Atticus Finch. 

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