Inkheart, the movie, based on Inkheart, Cornelia Funke’s bestselling YA novel, is an interesting specimen. The story is good (thanks to an exciting source), the cast is solid (Oscar winners! Bright newcomers), and all kinds of small elements in the film (costumes, locations, etc) are fabulous. Somehow, though, the final product doesn’t tie it all up in a bow. The flick feels kind of … average, which is fine for a fantasy adaptation in today’s culture of Harry Potter/LOTR wannabes, but not so great for fans of the novel looking for a loving cinematic incarnation. (more…)
Archive for the ‘movies’ Category
YALA on INKHEART
Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
“Carrots!”
Sunday, November 30th, 2008
The Canadian tourism board wants you to know that this year is the 100th anniversary of the publication of Anne of Green Gables. They’ve been emphasizing this important data point all year long, hoping that it will pan out in tourism dollars. If you don’t believe me, go ahead and take a peek.
So you see, yes, Carrots herself is alive and well, and inspiring consumer spending in a time of economic woe, to boot. I find this funny, because Anne Shirley and her creator, Lucy Maud Montgomery, only ever inspired me to sheer audacity. I wanted to be wild and creative, and have adventures that involved bosom friends, raspberry cordial, and cute boys (possibly not in that order) just like Anne. (Well, OK, once I was also inspired to donate money to PBS because I got sucked into a fundraising drive while they were airing those Sullivan miniseries based on the Anne books, too. But that’s about it).
YA LA does Twilight Midnight Madness
Friday, November 21st, 2008
All right, folks. I was there at 12:01 a.m., when the film adaptation of Stephanie Meyer’s inescapable Twilight finally rolled out at movie theaters across North America this morning. Surrounded by rabid fangirls, Twilight Moms, and bemused theater employees, I procured my seat, grabbed some Diet Pepsi and M&Ms, and I got ready to be dazzled …
Twilight is a very accurate adaptation. The plot never sways too far from the source, and lines of dialogue and narration have been pulled directly from the novel. The scenery and location shots are pitch perfect. Bella, as portrayed by Kristen Stewart, is done well. And the film is fun – funner than I expected. For such a heavy (even, dare I say, melodramatic?) story, director Catherine Hardwicke really made time for light hearted moments, and these snippets (Bella shopping for prom dresses with her classmates, or the parade of local Forks boys that try to catch her eye, for example) balance the darker elements of the film. The complicated relationship that Bella has with her father, Charlie, is also handled respectfully. In fact, at times, I found myself more interested in that relationship than in the Romeo & Juliet plot.
Obama, Twilight, Seacrest, and yes, finally … some Nick and Norah thoughts!
Thursday, November 6th, 2008
Hi guys, it’s Jami B. again.
I did some Nancy Drew style sleuthing and uncovered a link to the Ryan Seacrest/Obama interview that I mentioned in my last post right here.
If you’re curious, The Seacrest also does daily readings on his morning show from Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight, in anticipation of the upcoming film release. There are links to some of his recent reading passages on the same webpage if you scroll a bit. Good for a chuckle, since he has some colorful commentary.
And finally, I’d like to get some thoughts about Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist off my chest. I had high hopes for this film. The novel, coauthored by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, is pretty kickass. Like seriously. Kick. Ass. Reading. So the suggestion that some Hollywood studio might smear this adorable, yet meaty book with bubblegum pop music and cheescake tween idol actors really gave me pause. What if they f’ed it up? Really, I was concerned.
I’ve seen the movie, though, and it’s actually pretty good. Its not 100 percent accurate to the book, but it does get the important stuff right. As a screenwriter who loves YA books, I was ready to roast this film if need be, but it’s really been done right. The lead actors (Michael Cera and Kat Dennings) deliver spot on, emotionally real performances as the titular Nick and Norah. The soundtrack, of course, is respectable. And the big diffs — including edits to the Tris and Caroline characters — mostly result in more laughs for the audience or help to trim bulky plotlines to make the 2 hour movie work. I also just liked it because the chemistry between the two leads totally crackled, and that’s how it comes off in the book! Finally, a movie that gets it! GETS that they have to make the audience feel what it feels like to be living-reading-breathing it as if you’re on your own night-in-the-life of adventure!
Bottom line: It’s a good adaptation, because it gets the feelings and tone of the book down pat. In Hollywood, that’s almost unheard of. So bravo Columbia Pictures, director Peter Sollett, and screenwriter Lorene Scafaria. Let’s hope others follow your lead and we get more great page to screen adaptations like Nick and Norah and a lot less like … City of Ember.