Tag: book adaptation

Categories
Fantasy

Re-watched Watchmen

Watched Watchmen from m.imdb.com

In 1985 where former superheroes exist, the murder of a colleague sends active vigilante Rorschach into his own sprawling investigation, uncovering something that could completely change the course of history as we know it.

I really think this movie was an excellent adaptation of the comic, true to the spirit of the comic genre while translating it to a new medium. It swapped in a more meaningful ending than the book and cut the unnecessary story-within-a-story pirate comic. The fight scenes are a fantastic translation of comics into video media, slowing down and nearly pausing on moments in the fight, and emphasizing the force and power of the hits. It’s blatantly gruesome in parts, and the sex scene is gratuitously long and hilariously self-mocking (the music, the flame thrower going off when she comes 🤣). Though it’s been years since I read the graphic novel, there are panels and lines it directly quotes — I recall fans being mad about the changes when it was released but this was clearly storyboarded by someone who loved the comic.

We own the DVD but no DVD player — so now we also own a digital copy on Amazon 🤷‍♀️  The DVD must be an extended cut because there were a few missing scenes in the streaming version — a little disorienting when I was expecting them, but fine without.

Categories
Fiction

Watched Murder on the Orient Express

Watched Murder on the Orient Express from imdb.com

When a murder occurs on the train on which he's travelling, celebrated detective Hercule Poirot is recruited to solve the case.

Categories
Science Fiction

Re-watched Dune

Watched Dune: Part One from m.imdb.com

A noble family becomes embroiled in a war for control over the galaxy's most valuable asset while its heir becomes troubled by visions of a dark future.

Previously watched:

July 2022

October 2021

 

Visual storytelling / world building just fantastic. Very artsy for an action movie. He uses the hauntingly large spaces to good psychological effect — nowhere for the characters to hide.

What is Leto’s bull? Being honorable and going to Arrakis even though he knows it’s a trap? Thinking he can do anything better than the bad guys when he’s still a colonizer? That he still doesn’t listen to his sense of danger (or doesn’t have enough of one), just in a different way than his father? I also don’t get his last line.

Good night, the volume on this is terrible for home audiences. We were constantly cranking it to hear the story, then lowering it for dramatically overwhelming music. They needed another mix for streaming than studio audiences.

Categories
Romance

Re-watched Pride & Prejudice

Watched Pride & Prejudice from m.imdb.com

Sparks fly when spirited Elizabeth Bennet meets single, rich, and proud Mr. Darcy. But Mr. Darcy reluctantly finds himself falling in love with a woman beneath his class. Can each overcome their own pride and prejudice?

I’ve seen this version three or four times, and I’m still not 100% sold on Keira Knightley as Elizabeth. Some scenes work well, and others she seems quite flighty and giggly. Honestly there was too much giggling without context/ out of nowhere from all the daughters, especially the first half.

I really like the proposal scene. She immediately regrets what she’s said but she’s too proud to take it back.

There was more arty-ness than I recalled to portray time passing. The ball scene cuts from character to character as it pans through different rooms — I feel like the acting or writing there is a bit overdone?

The ending is a little unsatisfying. He proclaims his love — she doesn’t even smile, and tells him his hands are cold. They touch foreheads and don’t kiss. She gives her speech of love to her father instead, and when she goes out to celebrate with Darcy the camera stays with the father for a joke line. She vaguely hints at an apology to him, but doesn’t truly admit her faults. And she never declares her love to him. (I read the book so long ago I don’t recall the ending at all and wouldn’t be surprised given when it was written if it was even less satisfying 😉 But that’s the point of a modern adaptation: to match the sensibility of the day and tell the story in a way to be satisfying to a contemporary audience.)

Categories
Horror Romance

Re-watched Sleepy Hollow

Watched Sleepy Hollow from m.imdb.com

Ichabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of three people, with the culprit being the legendary apparition, The Headless Horseman.

This movie is so fucking great.

Tim Burton is phenomenal at creating mood — he even uses the opening credits to build mood and plant questions to entice the audience as the hero journeys through moody forests to the scene of the crime, the sky gray and cloudy just as winter days are here, the light weak and pale even during the day. He didn’t have to show that journey, but it builds our anticipation for what is to come. Love the desaturated look for the whole movie, the way he twists the idyllic to become sinister. The design of the evil tree is fantastic, and the costuming is great. I love the callback to the original Frankenstein movie in the climax.

The movie doesn’t take itself seriously, reveling in ridiculous fake gore humor, and casting Christopher Walken in a role where he mostly doesn’t have a head, and when he does his only line is a growl, delivered through teeth “filed to points.”

The plot nails its beats — I have had my head in a beat sheet for the last three weeks and in delight watching a master storyteller showcase the key beats. One quibble with the plot motivations: the magistrate didn’t have a reason to give him a tip.

I like that they pulled in the original story element of Ichabod being a coward while giving him depth of character and a commitment to overcome his fears and dislike of blood. It feels uncommon for a cowardly character to nevertheless be the hero of the story. The visual symbol of his beliefs — the spinning cardinal disc — is used brilliantly to complement his story arc. I find this character much more compelling than Jack Sparrow, though of course this weirdo artsy horror movie with the “beta” hero isn’t going to be the role that sticks in the collective consciousness 🤷‍♀️

A few quibbles: I would have appreciated Ricci’s character to get one more scene, or at least a few more lines, at the climax. Technically it doesn’t fail the Bechdel Test, but not by much.

Categories
Fantasy

DNF The Rings of Power S1E1

Watched A Shadow of the Past from m.imdb.com

Galadriel is disturbed by signs of an ancient evil's return. Arondir makes an unsettling discovery. Elrond is presented with an intriguing new venture. Nori breaks a deeply held community rule.

Husband fell asleep and I was bored and pissed I couldn’t reach the remote 😂 He woke up and we bailed at two-thirds through.

Felt perfunctory and generic. Too many storylines with not enough connection. Weirdly slow storytelling, going for atmosphere I’d guess. They did too much backstory at once yet not enough character development for me to care about anyone. I always roll my eyes at scenes starting with a child version of the character, especially with bullies.

They chose poorly on what lore to include, weighing down the story with worldbuilding we didn’t need. Almost all that shit should have been in backstory flashbacks worked in throughout the season. In storytelling you’re encouraged to start your story as late as you possibly can… and instead the writers were like, but this is Tolkien, he does All The Lore, and the fans will be mad if we don’t too!

Episode specific comments below the fold.

Continue reading “DNF The Rings of Power S1E1”
Categories
Fantasy Horror

Watched Sandman S1E11

Watched Dream of a Thousand Cats/Calliope from m.imdb.com

In this two-part story collection, a Siamese cat dreaming of a new world and a writer in desperate need of inspiration cross paths with Morpheus.

Interesting strategy to release a bonus episode a few weeks after the series drop, another push to get people talking about the show again.

The animation of the dream of a thousand cats I didn’t find quite up to the comic, though it did seem to stay true to it. A good spot for a Neil Gaiman cameo.

I did think the Calliope episode turned out well, Arthur Darvill was good as Ric Madoc, and it gave us a chance to see another side of Morpheus.

Categories
Fiction

Watched The Hunt for Red October

Watched The Hunt for Red October from m.imdb.com

In November 1984, the Soviet Union's best submarine captain, in a new undetectable sub, violates orders and heads for the U.S. The American CIA and military must quickly determine: Is he trying to defect, or to start a war?

Star-studded cast, weird to see a young Alec Baldwin. I think I liked the recent Amazon Jack Ryan portrayal better. Sweet final battle scene.

Categories
Fantasy Horror

Watched Sandman S1E7&8

Watched The Doll's House from m.imdb.com

Lucienne comes to Morpheus with disturbing news. Rose Walker goes in search of family. Admirers of Corinthians work scheme to get his attention.

Getting into a storyline I recall as being more interesting. Hard to say what I don’t remember and what has changed.

The “collector” stuff is a little more on the horror side than I prefer 😬

Categories
Fantasy Horror

Watched Sandman S1E5&6

Watched 24/7 from m.imdb.com

With Morpheus caught off guard, John settles in at a diner to watch the people around him – and put his theory about truth and lies to a terrifying test.

The diner episode was pretty brutal to watch, I stepped out for a minute.

The Death episode was fan service, not ideal for episode 6 in a 10 episode series to acknowledge it’s used up its plot and there is no arc in play anymore. Cool to see Hob but overall too much character/ emotional work and not enough action in one episode. Much as I like his friendship with Hob, it should have been axed — they only should have indulged one, and clearly Death is the winner there.