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Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

2012-03-02T19:55:00.000-08:00

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen added to See the Movie Read the Book Directory under Comedy.

Based on the novel of the same title by Paul Torday, this movie opens March 9.

In the book, a middle-aged man from London takes on the ill-fated task of introducing the sport of salmon fishing into the Yemen River at the request of a mysterious sheikh. The satirical novel pokes fun at many aspects of British society.

Movie: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday

Really a Godmother?: The Godfather

2012-02-27T18:53:00.000-08:00

A new book by Eamon Evans, The Godfather Was a Girl: . . . And Blanche Dubois Was a Guy, reveals the real-life inspirations for famous characters of book and screen.

Evan claims that Mario Puzo, author of The Godfather, used his mother as the inspiration for his main character, played to perfection by Marlon Brando in the classic mafia movie.

An Italian immigrant, Puzo's mother raised her 12 children by herself in a New York slum. She was a 'wonderful, handsome woman... but a fairly ruthless person', Evans quotes Puzo as saying. "Whenever the Godfather opened his mouth, in my mind I heard the voice of my mother."

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The Godfather Was a Girl: . . . And Blanche Dubois Was a Guy
The Godfather by Mario Puzo
Movie: The Godfather

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Best Picture Nominations Based on Books

2012-02-20T19:42:00.002-08:00

Based on the novel, The Descendants, by Kaui Hart Hemmings, the motion picture by the same title is one of nine movies nominated for Best Picture at the 84th annual Academy Awards next Sunday, February 26.

Other motion pictures nominated for the Best Picture Oscar that were adapted from a novel or non-fiction book include:

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Jonathan Safran Foer.

The Help , based on the novel of that title by Kathryn Stockett.

Hugo, adapted from the Caldecott Medal winning-novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Moneyball, based on the non-fiction book, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis .

War Horse, based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo and the stage adaptation.

Falls Short of Expectations: The Joy Luck Club

2012-01-10T20:03:00.000-08:00

"The Joy Luck Club was an amazing book. Amy Tan painted pictures with words using imagery and other literary devices. I watched the movie right after I read the book.

As much as I enjoyed both the movie and the book, the movie couldn’t portray the stylistic devices that filled the pages of the book."

Andrea Bridges

[Tracy High School]

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Movie: The Joy Luck Club

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Rare Adaptation: Norwegian Wood

2012-01-05T19:15:00.000-08:00

"The work of popular Japanese author Haruki Murakami has only been adapted to film on a few occasions, and none of those adaptations have achieved significant international success. Perhaps it’s the surreal qualities that make them resistant to easy adaptation, or the fact that so much in Murakami’s stories rests between the lines: Simple translations of the plot elements can’t necessarily capture the tone of his work.

"French-Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung has taken on one of Murakami’s most accessible works in Norwegian Wood, likely the highest-profile of those adaptations to date. That accessibility might make it a more likely candidate for adaptation, but given the popularity of the book, which skyrocketed the author to fame, it also probably subjects it to greater scrutiny from fans."

Ian Buckwalter

[washingtonian]

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami and Jay Rubin
Movie: Norwegian Wood

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Adapted Again: The Firm

2011-12-19T22:54:00.000-08:00

On January 8 NBC-TV will premiere a new legal series, The Firm. based on the book of the same name by author John Grisham.

A film adaptation of the novel was released in 1993, starring Tom Cruise as a hot law graduate who lands a dream job in a top Memphis law firm. The senior partners played by Gene Hackman and Hal Holbrook provide the recruit and his young wife, played by Jeanne Tripplehorn with a house and plenty of money in exchange for lots of work and a little bit more.

But not long after, he is approached FBI agents, telling him the firm has a sinister secret.

The Firm by John Grisham
Movie: The Firm

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Strictly for Adults: Hugo

2011-12-08T06:45:00.000-08:00

"Director Martin Scorsese gets to play in the 3-D playground for the first time with Hugo, a delightful ode to the art of filmmaking based on the book by Brian Selznick...

"When this project was first announced, it was touted as a children’s movie. I have a feeling kids would rather be bowling or ice-skating than watching this film. It strikes me as strictly for adults, with little to keep the interest of small folks, unless the particular small folk are really into trains and Dobermans. Or Borat.

Bob Grimm

[newsreview]

Book: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Movie: Hugo

Visually Faithful Adaptation: Hugo

2011-12-05T18:53:00.000-08:00

The filmmakers of “Hugo” made considerable changes and a significant addition, though the basic story of Hugo Cabret, his discovery of a “broken” elderly man, and Hugo’s “fixing” of that man, remains...

"Hugo” starts out with images of trains, clocks and Paris, letting the audience know immediately what this movie will be about, and where these events will occur. This is absolutely faithful to the book. The movie takes us through the passages in the train station, the nooks and crannies Hugo navigates through, and the mechanics of the clockwork absolutely as depicted in the book. With so many visuals provided in the book, we can imagine this was not easy. But readers of the book will feel the movie has been completely faithful to the book’s visual feel.

Richard Warren Field

[CreativeEccentric]

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Movie: Hugo

Henry & June

2011-12-02T20:58:00.000-08:00

Henry & June added to See the Movie Read the Book Directory under Dramas and Documentaries.

The adaptation of Anais Nin's “Henry & June," the story of a woman's sexual awakening in 1930s Paris, was the first motion picture to receive an NC-17 rating from the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences instead of the dreaded X rating.

Henry & June by Anais Nin
Movie: Henry & June

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The Hunger Games

2011-11-18T19:39:00.000-08:00

The Hunger Games added to See the Movie Read the Book Directory under Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror.

The Hunger Games movie is an adaptation of a popular series of novels by Suzanne Collins popular with young female readers.

Set for release March 23, the film features Oscar-nominated Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss and a supporting cast that includes Donald Sutherland and Stanley Tucci.

Producers of the film are also developing a movie version of Collins' Catching Fire, the second novel in her young adult trilogy.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Movie: The Hunger Games
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The Hunger Games Trailer
The Hunger Games Collectibles
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Firestarter

2011-11-17T21:26:00.000-08:00

Firestarter added to See the Movie Read the Book Directory under Classic Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror.

In this motion picture adaptation of Stephen King's "Firestarter" Drew Barrymore plays the role of Charlie McGee, a young girl with pyrokinetic abilities who is hunted down by government agents to be quarantined and studied.

Firestarter by Stephen King
Movie: Firestarter
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Insulting Adaptation: The Help

2011-11-16T16:31:00.000-08:00

"With great advance buzz from devotees of the book and a stellar cast, the film was on many a must-see list. The reaction afterwards was curious — people who had never read the book loved the heck out of the movie, while people who knew the book cover-to-cover were disappointed with the oversimplified plot and dramatic shift in tone, making the story more about how the white characters came to the rescue of the black characters. No one disputed the lead actresses talents, but many were left insulted by what the movie had done to the book’s story.

- Chuck Duncan

[cliqueclack]

The Walking Dead

2011-11-07T20:24:00.000-08:00

The Walking Dead added to See the Movie Read the Book Directory under Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror

Based on The Walking Dead comic book series by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn and Tony Moore, this post-apocalyptic zombie television series premiered on October 31, 2010, and is broadcast on the cable television channel AMC in the United States. The plot centers on a small group of apocalypse survivors led by Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes and his family.

Because of acclaim for the first season of episodes, including a nomination for Best Television Series Drama at the 68th Golden Globe Awards, AMC renewed the series for a second season of 13 episodes which premiered on October 16, 2011.

The Walking Dead: Compendium One
by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn and Tony Moore
The Walking Dead
The Waking Dead Soundtrack
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Watchmen

2011-11-02T16:21:00.000-07:00

Watchmen added to See the Movie Read the Book Directory under Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror.

The Hugo Award-winning graphic novel on which the movie is based chronicles the fall from grace of a group of super-heroes plagued by all-too-human failings. Along the way, the concept of the super-hero is dissected as the heroes are stalked by an unknown assassin.

The movie is set in the mid-1980s during a time of increased nuclear tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. Richard Nixon, in this alternate reality, is in his fifth term as president and the world's superheroes have been forcibly retired.

The Great Gatsby

2011-10-15T11:11:00.000-07:00

The latest motion picture adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," directed by Baz Luhrman, is now set to open in theaters on Christmas Day 2012.

Although the novel's setting is Long Island's North Shore and New York during the summer of 1922, this film is currently shooting on location in Australia.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays the movie's lead character, Jay Gatsby, with Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
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The Great Gatsby
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Acceptable Adaptation: Moneyball

2011-09-29T19:40:00.000-07:00

"I went into Moneyball having read Michael Lewis’ masterpiece of non-fiction, a tome that changed the way many – including myself – thought about baseball.

"Of course I wanted the movie to be as true to the book as possible. But the moviemakers had to make the film appeal to a broader audience, telling the story of general manager Billy Beane and his Oakland Athletics with a narrative that engages not only the die-hard baseball fan but also the casual moviegoer."

Mike Brownlee

[southwestiowanews]

Moneyball by Michael Lewis

Moneyball

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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2011-09-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo added to See the Movie Read the Book Directory
under Dramas and Documentaries.

Based on the first book of the late Stieg Larsson's trilogy, this movie follows disgraced journalist-publisher Mikael Blomkvist and the emotionally troubled young investigator Lisbeth Salander as they delve into the disappearance of Harriet Vanger from a family gathering on and island owned by the wealthy, powerful and dysfunctional Vanger family.

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Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story

2011-09-20T01:28:00.000-07:00

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story added to See the Movie Read the Book Directory under Classic Dramas and Documentaries.

Directed by Rob Cohen, Dragon traces the rise of martial-arts film star Bruce Lee to international stardom despite numerous obstacles.

The film is inspired, but not closely based on, The Bruce Lee Story by Lee's widow, Linda Lee. Her biography is told with personal insight and accompanied by hundreds of photographs from family albums.

The film places Lee in San Francisco rather than his true home in Seattle and takes plenty of artistic license in telling his story.

The Bruce Lee Story by Linda Lee
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
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Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

2011-09-10T01:29:00.000-07:00

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides added to See the Movie / Read the Book Directory under Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror

This fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean is loosely based on a book by Tim Powers, titled On Stranger Tides, which follows the exploits of John 'Jack Shandy' Chandagnac, who travels to the new world after the death of his puppeteer father to confront his uncle, who has apparently made off with the family fortune.

In the movie, Jack Sparrow is a disgraced puppeteer whose ship is captured by pirates. Eventually, he joins the crew of the famous pirate Blackbeard in a quest for the Fountain of Youth.

On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
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Moneyball

2011-09-09T16:00:00.000-07:00

Moneyball added to See the Movie Read the Book Directory under Dramas and Documentaries.

Based on Michael Lewis' book of the same name, this movie tells the story of how the 2002 Oakland Athletics used a complicated set of statistical models to build winning baseball teams out of small budgets.

Oakland’s general manager Billy Beane and math wiz Paul DePodesta (known as Peter Brand in the film) assembled a surprisingly strong team out of baseball misfits. Beane, played by Brad Pitt, says in the film: “We are card counters on the blackjack table. And we are going to turn the odds on the casino.”

An unusual sports movie where the action mostly takes place off the playing field, Moneyball is about a group of underdogs working together to succeed.

Queen to Play

2011-08-31T19:35:00.001-07:00

Queen to Play added to See the Movie / Read the Book Directory under Dramas and Documentaries.

Based on Bertina Henrichs acclaimed novel La Joueuse d' echecs (The Chess Player), the movie Queen to Play is a stylish and sophisticated story of newfound passions and mid-life triumphs set on the postcard-perfect isle of Corsica.

Starring Kevin Kline and Sandrine Bonnair, the feature film marks the debut of French director and screenwriter Caroline Bottaro.

La Joueuse d' echecs (Le Livre de Poche) by Bertina Henrichs

Queen to Play

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Chasing Madoff

2011-08-23T21:13:00.001-07:00

Chasing Madoff added to See the Movie / Read the Book Directory under Dramas and Documentaries.

The documentary “Chasing Madoff,” which opens August 26, is based on whistleblower Harry Markopolos' book, “No One Would Listen,” which chronicles his decade-long struggle to get the media and the Securities Exchange Commission to investigate and put a stop to the worldwide financial fraud perpetrated by investment adviser Bernie Madoff.

No One Would Listen: A True Financial Thriller by Harry Markopolos
Chasing Madoff
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Sometimes a Great Notion

2011-08-16T18:11:00.001-07:00

Sometimes a Great Notion added to See the Movie Read the Book Directory under Classic Dramas and Documentaries.

Paul Newman made his directorial debut in this sweeping saga based on the best-selling novel about a two-fisted Oregon lumber family.

The story focuses on a family that bucks their close-knit timber community in order to deliver a shipment of logs in defiance of a strike. In the process, one man is killed, the family patriarch Henry (Henry Fonda) is injured, and the eldest son Hank (Paul Newman) almost loses his wife (Lee Remick) to his half brother (Michael Sarrazin).

Filled with complex characters and issues that still resonate today, the novel and the motion picture create an intense portrait of life set against the backdrop of logging.

The Help

2011-08-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

The Help added to See the Movie Read the Book Directory under Dramas and Documentaries.

Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett and set during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s, this film's story revolves around three women working together on a book chronicling the lives of African-American maids from their point of view during the height of racial tensions in the South.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Help

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Winter in Wartime

2011-07-28T11:57:00.000-07:00

Winter in Wartime added to See the Movie / Read the Book Directory under Dramas and Documentaries.

Based on the best-selling book by Jan Terlouw, this gripping film fuses Nazi occupation in the Netherlands with a coming-of-age story to produce a subtle, yet intricate experience.

Never Let Me Go

2011-02-18T16:20:00.000-08:00

Never Let Me Go added to See the Movie / Read the Book Directory under Dramas and Documentaries.

Based on the acclaimed novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, this film is an intriguing exploration of hope and humanity.

Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley co-star with Andrew Garfield in this
poignant and powerful film.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Never Let Me Go
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Temple Grandin

2010-10-27T11:39:00.001-07:00

Temple Grandin added to See the Movie / Read the Book directory under Dramas and Documentaries.

The movie is based on the writings of Temple Grandin, its title subject, especially her auotbiography "Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism."

The HBO Films production is an engaging portrait of an autistic young woman who became, through timely mentoring and sheer force of will, one of America’s most remarkable success stories.