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Monday, July 8, 2013

Top Ten Best & Worst (& Anticipated) Book to Movie Adaptations

Welcome to another TTT hosted by The Broke and The Bookish! I know all us bookish people get both excited and terrified when a favorite book is being turned into a movie. Some are SO well done and some are just so terrible you can't judge the book by it's movie. My personal opinion is to leave all books alone. If you "don't have time" to read the book, you don't deserve the story. Honest opinion. Sorry not sorry. But this is our topic and there have been a few GREAT movies that I LOVE. Here we go. OH and because I can never roll with the normal I added in a few book to movies that are coming out soon that I am very excited for!



The Best



The Hunger Games--I thought it not only stuck with the book and it's plot, it also gave us SO much more insight to other characters and I absolutely LOVED that we get behind the scenes of the games. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

The Help--I love this book. The movie, again, played true to the plot. Gave me a lot of feels both good and bad. I thought it really brought the book to life in a time in history that was not pretty or kind. Don't forget. You is kind.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe--LOVED this movie. True to story and it brought Narnia to life just as I pictured it in my head.

Harry Potter--Yeah, like I even have to go into detail about this. Best book to movie adaptation--EVER! 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo--The Swedish version of this film. Don't get it twisted. This movie was dark, smart, and haunting...just like the book. Lisbeth was portrayed perfectly by Noomi Rapace. The cast was excellent and I just loved this version.

The Worst




The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo--American version. After seeing the Swedish one this one just fell way flat to me. Sad face.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader--This movie made me SO mad. I LOVE this book, one of my favs! All the different islands and worlds were beautiful in my head and this just didn't do it for me at all. The story was confusing and not at all like the book. 

Twilight--Ok, I'm cheating because I have never read the book...nor will I. Don't hate. I choose my choice and I am sticking to it. But this was the WORST movie I have EVER seen in my life. End. Of. Story.

The Other Boleyn Girl--We all know how much I LOVE Tudor historical fiction...and how much I obsess over Anne Boleyn and this movie portrayed her HORRIBLY. I wanted to kill somebody. She doesn't have the best portrayal in the book but this version twisted a beautiful love story into something ugly. Hated it and I don't use the H word lightly.

Memoirs of a Geisha--This is my own fault. I adore this book and the visuals it gives me. And the feels! So my expectation was just way too high. I didn't get an emotional connection to the film version like I did the book. I was so looking forward to watching this after I saw the movie and it just made me sad.

Most Anticipated



Catching Fire--Ok so the trailer made my chest hurt, my heart race, and my eyes cry. No joke. I can't even handle it. I know this is gonna be amazing. Can't. Wait.

City of Bones--OMG THE SHADOWHUNTER WORLD COME TO LIFE?!?!? I can't wait. I can't wait. I can't wait...did I mention I can't wait. JACE. WAYLAND.

Divergent--Yeah, that guy in the picture?...that's what I'm waiting for...

Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters--Dimitri...in the flesh...whispering dirty Russian words in my ear in supersize silver screen...please hold on while I faint...



21 comments :

  1. Ha! I almost put Chronicles of Narnia! :) Heck yeah, The Help!!! I included Twilight on mine........ guilty pleasure. hahahaha

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  2. I like how you split Narnia between best and worst. Excellent points all around.

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  3. I agree, Memoirs of a Geisha in no way lived up to the amazing-ness of the novel. The Other Boleyn Girl also sucked and I really enjoyed the book. Agree, Hunger Games was surprisingly good. I'm so glad they did a good job at bringing that to the screen. Great picks!
    Bonnie @ Sweet Tidbits

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  4. We agree on several books. I, too, really disliked Memoirs of a Geisha. Please visit my blog, I am doing a Blogoversary giveaway. Anne@Head Full of Books

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  5. I love how you added the most anticipated category! I'm really intrigued about the City of Bones movie!
    My TTT- http://angelica-2009.blogspot.com/2013/07/top-ten-tuesday-12.html

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  6. Great list. It's good to see you enjoyed The Help, I have it on my list for one I'm scared to watch for fear that it's not a good adaptation. I also have The Other Boleyn Girl on there, which I've heard bad things about, so I'm glad I haven't watched it!

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  7. I have to echo your sentiments regarding the adaptation of The Other Boleyn Girl. I hated everything about that adaptation. From the casting to the portrayal of the historical figures, it was painfully awful. My interest in Anne Boleyn borders on obsession and the adaptation did a huge disservice to her legacy, particularly for those who are largely unfamiliar with her and relied on that film to give them a better understanding of who she was.

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  8. Agree about Memoirs of a Geisha - it was such a let down. I think the book is so evocative - the descriptions of the kimonos alone are AMAZING but it just didn't translate onto the screen. Such a shame.

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  9. The way you feel about Memoirs of a Geisha is the very reason I get really nervous about watching movie adaptations and why I rarely do so. Like, I haven't seen The Help and may never do so, etc. I liked The Hunger Games and a few others that I've seen, but I'm not one to just go out and see a movie on a whim. I do, however, want to see Gatsby but that is one of my favorite classics and I'm just expecting it to be different. BUT BUT BUT I love the music in the film, I love the cast, and I FREAKING LOVE BAZ LUHRMANN. So I feel like I can separate THAT movie from THAT precious book. If I can do it that way (after I re-read, of course) then I'd see more.

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  10. OK so most of your list I seem to have either read it but not watched the movie or vice versa. Totally with you on The Hunger Games and omg HOW COULD I HAVE FORGOTTEN NARNIA!!! WAH. That was so good!

    I'm TERRIFIED to see Memoirs of a Geisha because I loved that book so much! And I'm so happy you pointed out the fact that The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo version to go with is the Swedish. It's been on my netflix list for a while but then the US one came out and I'm like hmmm maybe that one instead? GOOD TO KNOW. I still need to finish that trilogy thinking of it now.

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  11. I'm so psyched for Catching Fire and Divergent too! Cannot wait!

    I'm still so mad that I forgot about The Help and Narnia. I'm such a terrible fan. Lol.

    I've seen Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Twilight on a lot of people's lists so far, and I totally agree. Both of those movies were disappointing.

    Ashling @ Reading, Writing, & Anything but Arithmetic

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  12. Agreed on Memoirs of a Geisha. The movie doesn't even come close to the book. I cannot wait for Catching Fire. The trailer brings tears to my eyes every time. So excited. Great list!
    Natflix&Books' TTT

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  13. OH, I totally should have included Other Boleyn Girl on my list of bad adaptations....
    I am super excited also about all of the films you mention being excited about. :)

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  14. The Hunger Games was a great adaptation and I can't wait to see how they do the sequel. Hopefully it is just as great. Twilight was just a disaster. It was an ok movie but the adaptation was poor.

    My TTT: http://www.bookythoughtsandme.com/top-ten-best-and-worst-book-to-movie-adaptation-experiences/

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  15. I completely agree with your thoughts on Harry Potter, The Help, Hunger Games, The Other Boleyn Girl, & Twilight. Oh and your anticipated...the rest I haven't seen/read lol. Great list!!

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  16. YES! The Help. That one was incredible and I left it out of my list! I cannot believe it! It stayed very true to the book and I really enjoyed it.

    And then all of those anticipated movies! I want to see all of them, and the TFIOS! I know they haven't started filming, but I'm so excited for it!

    My Top Ten

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  17. Oh my gosh, I am so excited for City of Bones, too! I. Cannot. Wait. I really hope I am not disappointed, though. Just a little over a month until it's released!

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  18. I will always and forever agree about Harry Potter. The movie adaptations were really fab, and I could watch them on repeat. It was awesome to get a chance to grow with the story both book-wise and movie-wise!

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  19. The Hunger Games and JLaw! =D *thumbs up*

    I've yet to read Memoirs of a Geisha *goes to look for the book* sigh.

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  20. i cannot believe i forgot The Help! *headdesk* ~daphne

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  21. Ohhhh, I just adore The Help! I actually also really liked Memoirs of a Geisha, because the scenery is just gorgeous. I don't remember too much of it though because I read it/saw the movie when I was sixteen. And they better not effing ruin Vampire Academy or I WILL KILL SOMEONE. Probably.

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