Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic:
Book to Movie Adaptations
It's equal parts exciting and terrifying when a good book is adapted for the big screen. Because it can be awesome (The Hunger Games) or it can go horribly wrong (*cough* City of Bones *cough*). For my list, I'm only including adaptations where I've seen the movie and read the book so I could actually make a fair assessment.
It's been a long time since I read the trilogy but I do remember seeing the movie for the first time and thinking, "Yes! They got it right!" From the casting to the story to the sets... nailed it.
Here's an instance of the movie actually surpassing the book. I liked the book but I thought Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller truly brought those characters to life.
This one is an example of not one but two great adaptations. After reading the book I watched the 2009 Swedish adaptation which was excellent and then saw the U.S. version in 2011 which was every bit as good (if not better).
This is another case where I might like the movie just a tad better than the book. There were times in the book where Bridget was a bit much to take, but in the movie Zellweger made Bridget funny and charming and relatable. And say what you will about Hugh Grant, but he plays the smarmy jerk role very well. :)
Loved this adaptation. Yes, there were some changes but I felt like they did so much right that I could overlook they few things I wasn't wild about. Loved Moretz, loved Kat and Denny, loved the music... big thumbs up.
This might be cheating since it was adapted as a TV mini-series and not a film, but I'm going with it anyway. While nothing could 100% encompass the epic nature of the book (I mean, it's 1,153 pages of Stephen King), the mini-series pulled me right in and I tuned in night after night to watch it unfold. Gary Sinise and Rob Lowe were total stand-outs.
I've gotta say, I'm not the biggest John Green fan. In fact, TFiOS is his only book that really did anything for me. But the movie adaptation really struck gold. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort became Hazel and Augustus and I was totally on board for it.
Amazing book... stunning film.
Back in the day when I first read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants it was a decent read. But subsequent re-reads had me finding all of the girls pretty insufferable. The movie version managed to lose the qualities that drove me crazy in the book and make the girls likable and really showcase their bond. I admit, I still can't help watching this if I ever see it on TV.
All my picks have been in no particular order, but I will say that Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda/Love, Simon comes in at #1. One of my favorite books ever is also my favorite movie adaptation. I was so nervous when I heard about the movie but there was no need. Because they nailed it. Yes, there were a few changes (Leah in love with Simon... say what??) but they managed to capture all the charm and sweetness and humor from Albertalli's amazing book and translate that to the screen. Nick Robinson was perfection as Simon Spier and the rest of the casting was just as spot-on. (Right down to Natasha Rothwell as Ms. Albright.) There's no telling how many times I've read the book and listened to the audio, and I've watched the movie over and over again. Love. It. ♥
What's your pick for best/worst adaptation?
I did like Fault in Our Stars. And Hunger Games. Thanks for sharing your favorites with us.
ReplyDeleteThose were both such well done adaptations.
DeleteGreat list!! Loved Bridget Jones, FIOS, Traveling Pants and Simon!! I was so happy with how they did Simon - I was really nervous!
ReplyDeleteI know! I would have been crushed if they ruined Simon. But they sure did that one justice.
DeleteI loved The Hunger Games too! I also liked The Fault in Our Stars. I'm soo glad I'm not the only person who isn't a huge fan of John Green, I feel like his books are super juvenile for even a YA book. I need to watch Simon soo bad!!
ReplyDelete~ Kendra @ Kendra Loves Books
Doesn’t it feel like sacrilege to say you don’t get the John Green hype? LOL I just never seem to connect to his characters. And Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns felt like the exact same book: dorky guy obsessed with enigmatic girl. Yawn!
DeleteYes, they did a very good job with the Hunger Games series.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT.
One of the better adaptations, for sure!
DeleteI am probably the only person who crosses her fingers that my favorite books do not get turned into movies or tv shows. To be honest, the only ones I liked were Twilight, and that could be because I watched the first two movies before I read the books.
ReplyDeleteThe Fault in Our Stars was a huge disappointment, and I couldn't even finish Love, Simon. That was a low blow for me.
Thanks for sharing!
It’s always a gamble when they adapt a book and sadly it seems like it goes wrong more often than it goes right. :(
DeleteI loved The Hunger Games films, I thought they did a great job of adapting the books. I agree that I liked the film of Perks better than the book and I honestly don't want to read the Bridget Jones books because I love the films so much. I didn't really like TFIOS, either the book or the film. I liked the first Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants movie, but they tried to cram all three of the sequels into the second film, which didn't really work. I enjoyed Love, Simon but I've not actually read the book!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2019/05/14/top-ten-tuesday-211/
I agree about the second Traveling Pants movie. I liked it okay but they definitely tried to incorporate all the remaining books into that one movie. I’ve seen mentions online about a third movie which would be fun.
DeleteI loved If I Stay and TFIOS, both the book and the movie!
ReplyDeleteGenesis @ Whispering Chapters
All this talk about If I Stay totally has me wanting to watch the movie again! :)
DeleteI tend to stay away from one if I've read/seen the other but Love, Simon was a win for me. Of course, it's been years since I read the book so there was a lot I had forgotten. I wasn't as worried about sticking to the original because of that.
ReplyDeleteKaren @ For What It's Worth
Love, Simon just did everything right for me. I really felt like they captured the spirit of the book.
DeleteTiFOS, Perks, and If I Stay made my list. Excellent adaptations. I did YA books, but if I hadn't, To Kill a Mockingbird would have made the cut. Another fantastic adaption. I didn't read Traveling Pants, but I did love those films.
ReplyDeleteTKAM was such an amazing movie. I actually didn’t see it until well into adult-hood. Same for the book... I was probably in my 30’s before I ever read it.
DeleteI thought the Hunger Games was a pretty phenomenal adaptation actually. It's also a case where I saw the movies first, then read the books, which is a bit unusual, but I loved the books after seeing the movies! I thought they were both great!
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you read the books after. Usually if I end up seeing the movie first I tend to never go back to the book.
DeleteI agree about The Hunger Games adaptation. Everything about it felt just right for me. I also lover pretty much every other one you've listed too. If I Stay is the only one I haven't seen yet.
ReplyDeleteIf I Say did such a great job of bringing the story to life. Definitely worth watching (if you have any interest).
DeleteI didn't know that The Stand had an adaptation! I've always been too intimidated to read that book so I'll definitely have to look up the screen version.
ReplyDeleteIt’s been years and years (mid-90’s, I think?) but it was a really good adaptation. No idea if Netflix or other streaming services would have it but it’s definitely worth watching.
DeleteThe adaptation of The Hunger Games is actually one of my favourite ones. While watching it, I felt the creators got everything right.
ReplyDeleteHappy readings! ;)
Tânia @MyLovelySecret
I totally agree, Tania. It was so well done.
DeleteGreat List and The Hunger Games I loved, especially the first movie and book.
ReplyDeleteThey really did a great job taking The Hunger Games to the big screen.
DeleteI really loved The Hunger Games book and movie, and same with Love, Simon. So good! I really love the Perks of Being a Wallflower movie as well.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
THG was just done so, so well. I can’t help but stop and watch it any time it’s on TV. :)
DeleteLove this list! The Hunger Games is definitely one of my favorite book to movie adaptations - it genuinely looked like how I imagined it, and the casting was great as well. If I Stay was FANTASTIC, such good casting and the feels hit me so hard while watching it. Love, Simon I really enjoyed, though I didn't love some of the changes they made - like the fact that Simon guessed who Blue was early on and then was misled, and the ferry wheel scene with everyone watching was not it haha. STILL GREAT, THO.
ReplyDeleteVeronika @ Wordy and Whimsical
Funnily enough, I just saw Love, Simon on TV last night. I caught the last 20 minutes or so. Including the ferris wheel scene. LOL I really want to watch If I Stay again. Maybe this weekend...
DeleteI loved If I Stay but found The fault in our Stars just ...overkill. One that amazed me was Wonder!
ReplyDeleteI still haven't seen Wonder! I need to change that soon.
DeleteFrom this list I only saw The Hunger Games and The Stand, but I never read the stand ): so I cannot compare. I read and saw Salem's Lot and hated the movie.
ReplyDeleteI'm barely remember the Salem's Lot movie. Did you see the original one from back in the 70's or 80's or the more recent one (in the early 2000's)? I saw the old one and don't remember being too impressed!
DeleteI watched the Swedish Girl With a Dragon Tattoo and I think the 2nd story as well. Good to know you liked the U.S. Version as much or more! I'll have to watch it. The Hunger Games was an awesome adaptation! If I Stay was pretty good, too. Never seen Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but now I'm interested. Great post, Tanya! :)
ReplyDeleteThe first Traveling Pants movie, in particular, was really good. I liked the way they translated the story, I liked the actresses... it just really worked for me. The second movie was okay, but they tried to cram too much into it.
DeleteTFiOS was an emotional one for me, the movie that is, and it left me totally upset. I love TKAMB both movie and book also they were epic. I LOVE The Stand and The Green Mile both book and movies/TV series. They were amazing. You have a great line up!
ReplyDeleteMary
Thanks Mary! I've actually never read The Green Mile or seen the movie. I need to change that!
DeleteI need to rewatch the original Swedish Girl with the Dragon Tattoo movies! :)
ReplyDeleteLauren @ Always Me
It's been years since I saw the Swedish version but I do remember it being a great adaptation!
DeleteThe Hunger Games was an awesome adaptation. Really loved it.
ReplyDeleteIt was seriously one of the best book to movie adaptations!
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