Books vs. Movies: Hugo Cabret

Orphan Hugo Cabret lives in a wall. His secret home is etched out in the crevices of a busy Paris train station. Part-time clock keeper, part-time thief, he leads a life of quiet routine until he gets involved with an eccentric, bookish young girl and an angry old man who runs a toy booth in the station. The Invention of Hugo Cabret unfolds its cryptic, magical story in a format that blends elements of picture book, novel, graphic novel, and film. Caldecott Honor-winning author-illustrator Brian Selznick has fashioned an intricate puzzle story that binds the reader like a mesmerist's spell.

I have seen The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick on the shelves of book stores for a while now. But I must admit that I had never really paid attention to it until I realized a movie based on the novel would soon be hitting theaters. When I checked it out on Goodreads I found a review by one of my favorite authors, Maggie Stiefvater, who said she loved the book. So I checked it out from my library. I read it in only a few hours. Despite its length, it's a quick, easy read. And I would say probably close to 3/4 of the book is pictures.

The story of Hugo Cabret is beautiful and sad and marvelously entertaining. He lives with his drunk of an uncle in the walls of the train station after his father dies. He has no other family, and then his uncle disappears, but Hugo continues to keep the clocks at the train station running. He becomes a thief to keep himself as fed as he can and to fix his automaton. Before his father died, they began work on a small mechanical man who ran with clockworks. And Hugo continues on their work.

There are some interesting twists and turns, and many of the characters were much more than they initially showed up. As lovely as the story was, the images made it that much more charming. While this book is not written in comic form, it is definitely a graphic novel of sorts. The images are just as important to the story as the words.

Since I enjoyed the book so much, I had to see the movie in theaters. The movie has a shortened title. Just "Hugo". The actors were great, especially Asa Butterfield who starred as Hugo Cabret. In addition to the acting, the effects were great. They weren't over the top, as I've heard many say. I think they were perfect.

According to IMDb, author/illustrator Brian Selznick makes an appearance. I'll have to look for him next time.

As far as movie adaptations of a book go, this one was really close. The order of events weren't changed much. They added and subtracted little. They did, however, cut one of the major supporting characters from the movie. But they did well explaining things, small but important details that are often left out were well done here. My understanding of why so many stories are changed when turned into movies is because pacing in a book is different than pacing in a movie. While I found the book exciting, the movie was somewhat less so. It dragged in a few places.

So... read the book, and then see the movie. Don't miss out! Both were enjoyable.

Movie Review: Breaking Dawn part 1

I'm almost finished reading Breaking Dawn and since I saw the previous 3 Twilight movies on opening weekend, I had to stick with tradition. And I was far enough past the middle of the book to know I had read enough to see part one.

The good...

The acting was far superior in this film. I've been a long-time fan of Kristen Stewart. I think she was wonderful in Speak and Panic Room, so I was disappointed with her acting in Twilight. I'm not sure if it was script or directing or something else entirely, but scenes I was looking forward to laughing at weren't cheesy enough to laugh at. *shock* Not only was her acting better, but R-Patt and Taylor Lautner stepped up their game as well.

Charlie. This guy always gets the best lines. "I know Edward will be a good husband. I know this... because I'm a cop." Actually, out of all the wedding reception speeches, he was the only one that didn't make me cringe. That scene was so uncomfortable and awkward. It only reinforces me not wanting a big wedding.

The music. Of course! These movies have incredible soundtracks.

The bad...

This movie was quite boring. I felt myself getting restless halfway through. It did a good job of following the book, but there just wasn't enough action for my tastes.

CGI wolves. I swear... For a movie franchise that makes so much money I think they would have enough to step up the CGI. They made Bella look sick, completely emaciated, and then transform into a vamp wonderfully. Great scene, visually. And then... there are the fake looking wolves. My client, however, liked them. I work with adults with disabilities, and my one client, upon seeing the wolves, said, "Doggie! Doggie! Woof! Woof!" I was amused.

I think that Breaking Dawn part 1 was the best done movie, but I think it's probably my least favorite. That being said, I'm looking forward to part 2. There is a slight teaser halfway through the credits with the Volturi. I'm looking forward to seeing them in the next movie. Aro is so creepy.

Book vs. Movie: I Am Number Four

I bought I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore several weeks ago, so I could see the movie on opening night. It took me a while to finally pick it up. I read it in only three days. I had heard complaints of it being slow. It kind of was… for a sci-fi/fantasy. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. Four becomes John, when he and Henri run to a new town: Paradise, Ohio. Trying to fit in, he goes to school, tries to make friends, and stay under the radar so the Mogadorians don’t come after him.

Slowly, John’s Legacies (powers) come into fruition, and he begins training. He needs to learn to control them so he can save his life, defeat the Mogadorians, and one day return to his home planet of Lorien. While he trains with Henri, he gets close to a girl at school and finds a friend in Sam. I loved the relationships in this book and the mild drama. I also loved the back story of the planet Lorien.

Normally, for me, the action sequences are some of my favorite. Not so here. The action begins less than 100 pages from the end. I’m not sure if I just didn’t like the writing of the action or if it was the actions of the characters. Probably a combination. There were, I will say, a number of instances where I rolled my eyes or gritted my teeth because I thought their actions weren’t so bright.

The book was pretty good. I have higher hopes for, The Power of Six. It looks like we’re getting a new point-of-view for book two, but I think our characters from book one will make an appearance.

A note about the movie tie-in edition of the book. In the back is a preview of the sequel and the Lorien horoscope. What would your powers be?

Synopsis:

We may be walking past you right now.

We are watching as you read this.

We may be in your city, your town.

We are living anonymously.

We are waiting for the day when

We will find each other.

We will make our last stand together—if

We win,

We are saved, and

You are saved as well.

If we lose, all is lost.

I did see the movie; the day after I finished the book. I’m not sure which I liked more. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed with both. But I also think that it was mostly due to the hype. Most of the stuff that I loved from the book were either skipped over or rushed so much that they weren’t very enjoyable. That being said, the action sequences were awesome. A lot of the action stuff in the book that I found repetitive and… just bad… was not in the movie.

There were some things that irritated me, and one that really peeved me. But, still, I plan on grabbing it once it’s available on DVD. Also, the movie has a great soundtrack… if it had one. I can’t find it anywhere, but the music in the movie was great, and I’ve been looking for it.

I recommend both the book and movie, but… don’t expect one to resemble the other. If you go into the movie expecting it to look like the book, you’ll likely be disappointed. My recommendation: appreciate them for what they are. They are two different things, both good, just different.

Movie Review: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

This is definitely one of the best movies I've seen this year. And I'm pretty sure this was Michael Cera's best film to date. While this movie may not appeal to everyone, if you like action, comic books, and/or video games, this one is not to be missed.

In general, I'm not a fan of comedies. And on the off-chance that I do see a comedy, I might snicker a couple of times, but rarely do I laugh out loud. I was laughing every 2-3 minutes, at least. So was everyone else in the theater. I also heard a few guys, in a group of teens, shout out "cool" or "awesome" a few times. Everyone was walking out of the theater laughing.

And I can honestly say that I haven't seen a movie quite like this one before. It was very unique, and the effects were fun!

Scott, Ramona, Young Neil, Knives, Kim, Stephen Stills

If you're a fan of the comics, I'm sure you'll love the movie just as much. They stayed true to the series. All 6 books were put into one movie. A lot of times that doesn't work so well, because so much is left out. But there was very little left out of this one. And there were very few changes. I read the entire series in the past week and a half. What little changes there were, were not very noticeable and didn't bother me at all.

And in case you've been living under a rock, and haven't seen the trailer, here it is!

Book and Movie Review: Eclipse

So… I’d been wanting to read ECLIPSE by Stephenie Meyer before I saw the movie. And then all of the sudden, June 30 showed up. So I picked the book up last Friday and finished it Saturday.

The book was perhaps better than the previous two. Of course, I read those before the first movie hit theaters, so it’s kinda hard to compare. I’d heard negative things about Jacob in this installment, but I loved him. Or, well, I, at least, liked him more than Edward, who continues to be pushy. While he was not as creepy in this book, he was all about getting what he wants before Bella. Basically, she must marry him before he will turn her and sleep with her. Someone tweeted this the other day, and it made my day:

"Dear Confused Teen Girls: someone who sparkles and won't have sex with you isn't a vampire; it's a gay guy."

http://twitter.com/barbhaynes/status/17594306422

And another one I found today.

"Voldemort is truly evil. He turned Cedric Diggory into Edward Cullen."

http://twitter.com/ScarPotter/status/17897920814

Going to the movies to see this was an interesting experience. I took my roommates son who’ll be 12 next month. He loved the movie because it’s vampires and werewolves, and what could be cooler than that? There is a sad lapse of vampires in kid movies. I assure his mom there was no blood. Vampires and no blood… WTF, right?

So, we’re standing in line… The teen boy in front of us was talking with a friend, who was behind us. He said Eclipse was great, but he cried and told his friend to have tissues handy. Um… these were 15-year-old guys. Last time I checked guys didn’t cry in movies, or at the very least, they didn’t admit to it. Also, I didn’t cry… didn’t even tear up, and I’ve been pretty weepy lately. Despite the long line to get tickets, and everyone talking about Eclipse, the theater was pretty sparse. I’d say 40-50 people. Mostly couples in their 40’s. And I do have to admit, this movie was a lot better than the previous ones. Not sure why there are reviews saying this was the worst. It was far less cheesy, though it did have their moments.

And anyone who knows what teen Twilight/R-Patt fans are like, are usually prepared for the squealing. There were a few comments made during the film… by grown men. It was odd. Considering the comments… very odd. Thankfully, there was no audience excitement in seeing Jacob shirtless, because, well… he was always shirtless. But who would complain?

Another interesting experience… watching a movie with a kid who hadn’t seen the previous ones. We are going to fix that, however. Also, he tends to ask questions anyway, instead of waiting for them to get answered on their own. He’ll ask, “What happened?” and then miss his answer because he was too busy asking. The highlight of his comments.

A: What’s wrong with his (Edward’s) face? (The glittery effects aren’t so great)

Me: He sparkles.

A: What?

Me: He sparkles in the sun.

A: I thought vampires caught fire or blew up in the sun.

Me: They usually do.

A: So he sparkles?

Me: Yes.

A: Just the good ones sparkle?

Me: No, in this series all vampires sparkle in the sun.

A: Oh… that’s stupid.

Me: *nods*

What bothered me most… Edward’s sideburns. If he shaved them off, he’d look ten times better. The best part… Jacob’s lines. He had some funny ones. Charlie had some funny lines, too. I loved how they revealed Rosalie and Jasper’s pasts. I felt like we knew less of them than the other Cullen’s. It really makes you see them in a different light. Alice, though, remains my favorite in the series.

And as much as I like Bryce Dallas Howard, after seeing the film, I’m even more annoyed that they replaced Rachelle Lefevre as Victoria. I loved Bree. Why? She was barely in the film. The girl they cast was so adorable, and even though I knew what was coming, it made me sad. I almost hoped they had changed that part. Apparently, she’s 16. I would have guessed 13 or 14. Now, I kinda want to read THE SHORT SECOND LIFE OF BREE TANNER.

Movie Review: 7 Deadly Sins (and giveaway)

I hope you all got the chance to catch 7 Deadly Sins, a Lifetime original movie based on the book series of the same name by Robin Wasserman. If you missed it, you missed an amazing movie, and I really hope you get the chance to catch it soon. I didn't know they were making this into a movie until a little over a week ago, or else I'd have read the books before last night. So, unfortunately, I can't do any comparison. The movie is four hours long and aired in two parts. Considering they put seven books into one movie, they did an incredible job.

The first half was fantastic. I was so hooked, I couldn't look away. The second half, while equally interesting, seemed a bit rushed in parts. The movie did an excellent job of segueing from one book to the other, as we followed seven characters through their senior year. The characters evolved a lot from the beginning. I liked some and hated others and they changed as the story did. One minute I'm on Harper's side. Then Beth's, and then Kane's. And now that's it over, I don't know who I love and hate. The story continually surprised me. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, I turned out to be wrong. I never knew what was coming. Sex, drugs, drinking, death, lots of eye candy... and all seven deadly sins...

The acting was really good, especially considering the fact that they were basically unknowns. The directing was good, too. There were scenes where you felt like a voyeur, which was interesting. Different. They also did a good job of incorporating the parents without making you feel like they were around too much. I know that's kinda a hot topic in YA. Having parents that care and are around without making it too much about them. And the parents had their own drama.



I really hope this movie comes out on DVD soon. It just ended, and I can't wait to see it again. It really makes you think about your actions, and payback is definitely a bitch.

Check out deleted scenes, pics, an interview with Robin Wasserman, and more here:

http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/seven-deadly-sins

I snagged a copy of LUST, the first book in the series, to give away. To enter, please answer this question: What did you love most about the movie? If you didn't see the movie, answer this question: Which is your favorite sin and why? Please be sure to leave your email in your response. Giveaway open to US and Canada.

Winner will be posted when I post a review for the book, later this week, so enter asap.

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Movie Review: The Good Witch's Garden

Another cute movie. I'm not sure if I liked this one or the first one better. It's fun and kid-friendly. And less cheesy than the first. The acting was better. Though, Catherine Bell is always charming. The storyline had less *eyeroll* moments. While she was accused of being a witch in the first movie, it was never confirmed. Although, in this one, it is generally accepted that she is a witch, asking her for magical help. The "bad guy" in this film was a hottie and less oboxious than the woman in the first. If you get the chance to see this one, don't miss it.

Cassie Nightingale has settled into Middletown and is busy making Grey House into a bed and breakfast. Her boyfriend, Chief of police Jake Russell, and his kids are happy to have Cassine in the neighborhood, but before long, a stranger named Nick appears with papers entitling him to legal ownership of Grey House. Cassie is bewildered and wonders if she really belongs in Middletown.

Movie Review: The Good Witch

I love this movie. It's cute and fun and also a little silly. Catherine Bell plays Cassie, the good witch. Very early in the movie, the townsfolk talk about Grey House, a mansion that is supposedly haunted. Two kids are chased by a dog and end up in the yard. Cassie calms the dog and tells him to run off and be good. The kids are amazed. The little girl hurts her knee, so Cassie uses "healing herbs" to heal it. So Cassie talks to dogs, uses healing herbs, has a cauldron on the stove, offers the kids gingerbread, and has a black cat named Isis. But when the broom falls out of the closet, it's the last bit of the puzzle. Cassie has to be a witch! Of course, we know this from the synopsis.

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I think the reason this movie appeals to me so much, besides the fact that I love witchy things, is that it is magic realism, as opposed to fantasy. Now don't get me wrong, I love Harry Potter, but as a pagan it's nice to see the real world with just a touch of magic. There are definitely some silly parts in here. Some ridiculously obvious "she's a witch" moments and many *eyeroll* moments. But I do recommend catching this movie if you get the chance. It's not rated, but family friendly.

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The Good Witch's Garden is the sequel and comes on tomorrow night. I'll post a review then. Looks like the third movie will be out later this year.

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Jake Russell, the friendly police chief in a town so small, initially worries about outsider heiress, Cassandra "Cassie" Nightingale, who moved into the house held to be haunted by the "grey lady", and opens a weird shop full of attributes of occultism, soon causing the rumor that she's a wicked witch. After Cassie kindly helps his brave son, Brandon (and his sister Lori), with a dog, bully Kyle - abused by his own dad - and his own fears, Jake soon makes friends with her, even romantically interested. Yet the 'chief' is professionally obliged to handle a flood of complaints and harassment started by the mayor's mean wife, her busy-bodies bunch and teenage brats. Finally Derek Sanders, Jake's only deputy, hits on Cassie's hidden background.

Movie Review: Alice in Wonderland

My good friend, Melissa, and I went to see Alice in Wonderland tonight. I had heard mostly good things, but an occassional bad review came up. Not from critics; just people on Fandango. Anyway, the most critical review I had read said that there was too much wandering around in incredible scenery. Umm... this is Alice in Wonderland... it's basically about her wandering around in wonderland on a journey. This isn't quite the same Alice in Wonderland that Disney made in 1951. Alice is all grown up and finds herself back in Wonderland, or as it is really called, Underland.


The scenery was amazing, as were the costumes. Alice had a number of neat fashions, my favorite being the red one. The costumes were amazing. I especially love the mad hatters hat. I know some people who were critical of the costumes and make-up and wouldn't see the movie because the "clown-like make-up" freaked them out. Personally, I thought it was awesome. It's wonderland... they shouldn't look "normal".

Johnny Depp was amazing, as usual. I don't think there are many actors who could pull off this role so well. I overheard a conversation between two young women criticizing the fact that Tim Burton often uses Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, and Alan Rickman (as of late). Hey... if it works, it works. I happen to love it. They are three of my favorite actors and one of my favorite directors. Alan Rickman played the caterpillar. He sounded so Snape-like in this film, and I loved that.

As usual, Helena Bonham-Carter stole the show. She is an amazing actress, and was really great in this role. "Off with her head!" The queen's army, the cards, were incredible looking. I just can't gush enough about the visuals in this film.

I really like Anne Hathaway. Ever since "The Princess Diaries" I've been a fan. She played this part so well. The Chesire Cat was fantastic. The blue stripes were fantastic, and we was as fun as always.

Casting did a wonderful job. Some of these actors were so perfect for the roles, you'd have thought they were made for them. I just saw this film a few hours ago, and already I want to go see it again. This is definitely not to be missed. And I highly recommend seeing it in theaters. You won't be able to appreciate the visuals quite as much on a small screen.

The soundtrack, I'm sure, is amazing. There is the main soundtrack, which is the score for the movie. And then there's "Almost Alice" which has songs not in the movie, all by famous singers. The lead song "Alice" by Avril Lavigne is great. It played as the credits rolled, and you've probably heard it on trailers. Again, definitely worth checking out.

Books vs. Movies, Take II

I saw the movie Matilda when it was in theaters when I was a kid. I loved it. It was cute and funny. I hadn't realized it was a book until many years later. I finally read the book earlier this month, and I loved it. The writing style was different than what I'm used to, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.


After finishing the book, I pulled out the movie. I found it for $5 a year or so ago, but wanted to read the book before watching the movie again. I had forgotten almost all of it. I didn't love the movie as much this time around. It was still silly, but it was also sad. I didn't remember being sad watching it when I was little-ish. I recommend the book, definitely, and the movie if you have the time. It's cute and fun for the kids.

I posted about this book a few days ago. After having read the book and watching the movie, I'm not sure which I liked more. Both were good. But I think the visuals in the movie were so great that it makes it more fun. While the book takes readers to Terabithia, there really aren't any descriptions of what the place looks like or what the kids see in their imagination.

The book was so much better than the movie, but if you have the time, go see it. I enjoyed it immensly. Lately, I've been teaching John (8) about myth and folklore. So he was thrilled when the creatures came on the screen, and he knew what they were. The visuals were stunning. It amazes me what they can do with CGI. Five years ago it amazed me, but they seem to continually find ways to make it better and more realistic.

There were, of course, differences between the book a movie. The movie demonized Hades, which I was not a fan of. Nor was I a fan of the underworld scene. I think parts of the underworld look that way, but I wish they had shown some of the good parts, too. I loved the look of Hades, all clad in leather. Persephone was great. Why she was in the underworld during summer, I have no clue? For some reason that inconsistency annoyed me most of all. But I did love her in the scene.

The highlight for me was the Medusa scene. The movie was PG, and yet this was the creepiest thing I had seen in any movie for years. Uma Therman was great in that role. Logan Lerman did a great job as Percy. He is such a cutie, and if I were 13 years younger, I'd have a crush. The guy who played Poseidon (Kevin McKidd from Grey's) was amazingly HOT, so I can settle for him. I almost said "yumm" outloud during the opening scene.

Movie Review: Juno

I bought Juno nearly a year ago because I had heard amazing reviews. And when I finally watched it months later, I felt it was only okay. I think I was disappointed because it hadn't lived up to the expectations I had set for it. And I was sad to say I really didn't like it.

I recently watched Whip It, and I loved it. It's the best movie I've seen in a long time. I've watched it several times this past week, so I decided to pull out Juno because I think Ellen Page is such an amazing actress. And I love Michael Cera. I think he's adorable.

This movie was so much better the second time. This actually happens a lot for me, usually when my expectations are so high. Anyway, I liked this movie. Finally. I'm really glad I gave it a second chance.

Movie Review: Whip It

I read this book back when Whip It was in theaters. Unfortunately, it was in and out so fast, I missed it. It came out on DVD earlier this week. I bought it the day it came out and watched it that evening. It was amazing! Very funny. I knew when I read the book that they cast Bliss well. Ellen Page was so great in Juno, and this character had quite a few similarities. I highly recommend this to anyone when they need something funny.

Also, please check out the soundtrack. There's some good stuff on there, and it's pretty diverse.

Books vs. Movies

I watched this movie years ago when it first came out in theaters. I loved it. But I had heard many negative reviews on account of it was very different from the books. I finally read the book, and they were right. It barely resembles the same story. But to be honest, I loved them both. A quick, fun read for little girls and women who are little girls at heart.


I had heard great things about the Georgia Nicholson series. And when I heard it was a movie (Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging - made in 2008 but aired Jan 1, 2010 in the US), I had to read it. I finished it on New Years Day so I could watch the movie that night. Both were hysterical. It's definitely targeted at teen girls. The boys I baby-sit tried to watch it... until they gave up trying to figure out what the characters were talking about. Have I mentioned that I love Britsh slang? When you need a silly movie to lift your mood, check this one out.

I've owned NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST for a while, both the book and movie. I love Michael Cera, which was the main reason I wanted to see it. But I needed to read it first. I didn't enjoy the book as much as I was hoping I would. But I did love the movie. One of the rare instances where I liked the movie more.

THE LIGHTNING THIEF is book 1 in the Percy Jackson series. He finds out that he is a demi-god, and is father is one of the big 3 (Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades). The movie comes out next month, which caused me to movie the book up my TBR list. I loved it. It was a fast-paced, action book, and I think anyone who loved Harry will love Percy. The best way to describe it would be "a modern day Hercules story".