Literary Quote of the Month

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies," said Jojen. "The man who never reads lives only one." - George R.R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons

Sunday, February 28, 2016

The Sunday Salon and the Winner Is... 5 Best Picture Nominees based on a Book (with 3 more movies based on books you may or may not want to see)!


Welcome to The Sunday Salon and The Sunday Post! It's that day of the week bloggers from all over the internet get together virtually in a large gathering place called The Sunday Salon and talk books!  And The Sunday Post, which is a weekly meme hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, in which more bloggers share their bookish news!!

I thought we'd talk a little about the Oscars this week. There are so many movies based on books, and it's not surprising. Why not adapt something that's already written. Though it sounds like it may be easy, it's not. Sometimes the results are great, and I put all the Harry Potter movies based on the J.K. Rowling books in this category, and sometimes the movies fall short (this I'm going to have to think further on because I can't think of any that were that bad off hand).

3 Movies based on Books I enjoyed...




1. True Grit by Charles Ports... One movie I LOVED based on a book(that I also loved) was the 2012 version of True Grit! Starring Jeff Bridges, this was so well done. The original with John Wayne, I thought more of a comedy, but the 2012 version really held true to the feel of the book. The book was True Grit by Charles Portis, and tells the story of Mattie Ross, who is just fourteen years of age when a coward going by the name of Tom Chaney shoots her father down in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and robs him of his life, his horse, and $150 in cash money. Mattie leaves home to avenge her father's blood. With the one-eyed Rooster Cogburn, the meanest available U.S. Marshal, by her side, Mattie pursues the homicide into Indian Territory

2.The Reader by Bernard Schlink...  I also LOVED the book AND the movie based on The Reader (although they changed the ending in the movie, the ending in the book was better). The movie was devastating and the book was just as gripping. The Reader takes place in postwar Germany, with 15 year-old  Michael falling ill on the way home from school, and 30-year-old Hanna helping him. They become friends, then lovers and then then she disappears, only to reappear years later on trial for war crimes. When they finally meet again she is an "old" woman.

3. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Gold... And lastly, I LOVED the book Memoirs of a Geisha (can we say how amazed a MAN actually wrote this book one more time!) but I did not really care for the movie. It was beautiful to look at, the scenery, the Geisha's, but I don't think it really brought the characters to life. The book was so wonderful, but the movie didn't do the story justice.

But tonight night are the 2016 Oscars, and here are the 5 movies up for best picture that were based on books...

1. The Big Short based on The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis about the build-up of the housing and credit bubble during the 2000s. This kind of movie (or book) isn't really my cup of tea, so I have not seen it, but hey, it's up for best picture! Have you seen it or read the book?

2. Brooklyn based on the book Brooklyn by Colm Tobin. Set in 1952, the film tells the story of a young Irish woman's immigration to Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a romance. When her past catches up with her, however, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within them for her. This is on my list of movies to see. The cinematography looks beautiful! And the book is in my TBR pile. Anyone see this movie yet? How about reading the book?

3. The Martian based on the book The Martian by Andy Weir. About a research expedition to Mars gone wrong. One astronaut gets injured, is presumed dead and left on the planet during an evacuation. When it's found out that he survived, it's a race to see if they can rescue him before he runs out of food and water. I really enjoyed the book, which I wasn't really sure about at first, but to me the movie was not as good as the book. Book was just so much better probably because I was reading about those long periods of not much happening instead of watching them on the screen. Definitely you should read the book. It is science fiction, but so much more than that! What did everyone else think?

4. The Revenant based on the book The Revenant by Michael Punke. About a fur trapper who is mauled by a bear and left for dead, but doesn't quite die and seeks revenge on those that left him. I have heard that this movie is pretty grizzly (no pun intended), but it looks like the movie to see these days. Has anyone seen this and what did you think?

5. Room based on the book Room by Emma Donoghue. About the mother and her 5 year old son who are held captive in a room. The room is all the 5 year old has ever known, but the mother devises a plan to escape.When this book came out many moons ago I had a copy, but just found it so hard to read. Not because of the writing, but because of the story itself. What
did you think? And have you seen the movie?

I'm more curious about how the movies I saw do at the Oscars than what movies get what awards. This year my hubby and I saw a handful of movies up for awards (Bridge of Spies, The animated movie Inside Out,which is absolutely wonderful! (and yes, it was not one of hubby's first choices to see), The documentary What Happened Miss Simone, which if you like Jazz music and like Nina Simone you will love this movie as I did, Ex Machina, and of course The Martian.), but I have a few more books to read before seeing these other movies, because I like to read the book first! Enjoy the Oscars, and enjoy these books!

Question... 

  • What movies have you enjoyed that were based on a book?!
  • Do you like to read the book before you see the movie?

Weekly Wrap up...
 Last week we started with Mailbox Monday and ended with a feisty little girl and her Dinosaur...




Happy reading... Suzanne

18 comments:

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

Our book club has decided to read any book of Michael Lewis next month. What better choice than this Big Short? Maybe a read followed by the movie?

Thanks for sharing!

http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2016/02/even-raging-cold-cant-stop-this-reader.html

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

I loved The Reader...both the book and the movie. But I'll see anything with Kate Winslet.

I have the book Brooklyn, but haven't yet read it...nor seen the movie.

I recently downloaded Room...and saw the movie yesterday! Loved it!

Thanks for sharing...and here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES

Bryan G. Robinson said...

I liked both the book and movie of The Martian. They were different, but they both were good in their own ways, to me. I used to like to read the book before the movie, but to be honest, I can't always keep up with what was a bok first so I don't think it matters as much to me anymore.

Books on the Table said...

Brooklyn was amazing -- both as a book and a movie. We went the day after Thanksgiving with our entire extended family -- all 11 of us. The youngest was my 23-year-old son and the oldest was my 80-year-old father-in-law. We all LOVED it. And do see The Big Short, even if you think it isn't your thing. It makes the whole financial crisis comprehensible, the performances are great, and it's very entertaining.

Laura Greenwood said...

Movies is a funny one for me. I'm not much of a movie watcher anyway but there have been several based on books that I've hated (the Series of Unfortunate Events is one example!)

Then there's the movies I think did a great job from a book, The Hunger Games, Brideshead Revisited and for the most part the Harry Potter films.

There are only two books I can think of that I prefer the films for; The Fellowship of the Ring and The Phantom of the Opera!

But Memoirs of a Geisha was a beautiful book AND film!

Have a great week and happy reading!

Laura @ http://a-reader-lives-a-thousand-lives.blogspot.co.uk

Joy Weese Moll said...

What a great topic for a post today! I have all these movies on my to-watch list. I generally watch the movie instead of reading the book (I know, that's a terrible thing for a librarian to say!). But, there are so many books that never become movies that I use my reading time for those.

Suzanne Yester said...

It should be so much fun to read the book and then watch the movie as a group! We've always wanted to do that in our reading group, but can never get everyone coordinated for the movie! Enjoy!

Suzanne Yester said...

You know, Laurel, I love Kate Winslet too! She is just so elegant, isn't she. And she was fabulous in The Reader. The scene in the prison when she was getting out was so sad!!!

You may have convinced me to see Room, since you really enjoyed it. I hesitated because of the subject matter, but I hate to miss out on a good movie!

Suzanne Yester said...

Yes, Bryan, I can't keep up with reading the books first either. If it's a book I really really want to read, then I'll make a point of waiting on the movie. But then, if I really want to see the movie it may be a LONG time before i get to it! Brooklyn is a book I really wanted to read, but I really want to see the movie too, so I will probably just go see the movie.

Suzanne Yester said...

Hi Ann,
Yes, I definitely will be seeing Brooklyn, and I just can't wait until I read the book because I won't get to it any time soon. The movie just looks so beautiful! I can't wait! And thank you for recommending, The Big Short, I will give it a go now since you've enjoyed it. Especially since you say the performances were great, which really makes a movie no matter what!

Suzanne Yester said...

Hi Laura,
Yes, Memoirs of a Geisha was a beautiful movie and an awesome book!!! It was so long ago that I read that book, that sometimes I forget to share that with people looking for a great read. It is one of my all time favorite books!

Now I need to think about reading Brideshead Revisited and then watching the movie! Brideshead Revisited is one of those classics that I haven't read, thanks for the reminder!

Suzanne Yester said...

Hi Joy!
Yes, I try not to watch the movie first because I like to have it "fresh" when I read, and not feel like I am re-reading something just after reading it. I remember trying to read The Firm after watching the movie and couldn't because it felt like the movie was word for word of the book. That was when I thought if I want to read the book, I should try and do it first. But, then again, sometimes I really really want to see the movie and can't help myself… Brooklyn will be that kind of movie!

Harvee said...

I saw Memoirs of a Geisha and also read the book. Enjoyed the movie of The Reader. Many times, if I see the movie first, I don't read the book!

Suzanne Yester said...

Yes, Harvee, I totally agree, seeing the movie first discourages me from reading the book! It's like I read the book already.

I am wavering on doing that with Brooklyn. Hmmm, maybe I could get a quick read in before Brooklyn comes out on DVD.

Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer said...

The Reader has been on my wishlist. I listened to and love the Martian. I am off to add some more of these books to my tbr wishlist!

Suzanne Yester said...

Oh, Kimberly, definitely get The Reader! It was such an emotionally rich read. Heartbreaking at the end, but so worth your time!

Elizabeth said...

What a great post.

I haven't seen any of these movies, but have read Room and Memoirs of a Geisha.

Thanks for sharing, and for stopping by my Mailbox Monday Post.

Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My Mailbox Monday

thecuecard said...

Yes I usually like reading the book first before the movie which I did for The Martian. But in 2 other instances, I saw the movie first: The Big Short and Room. (I felt I cheated a bit seeing the movie first, but I still liked both!). My favorite books turned into movies include: Out of Africa, Sophie's Choice, and Ordinary People. All three are very sad but oh so good. Enjoy your week.

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