We all delight in seeing our favorite books brought to life on the big screen. We cringe at casting. We scoff at release dates. All the while, we're gearing up to see if the director's vision lives up to the world we've conceived in our own imaginations. Sometimes it does...and sometimes it doesn't. We could lament the movies that don't measure up, or we could return to the books for a re-read, possibly with a slightly different mind-set. All's fair when it comes to artistic vision, right?
First up, a review of Stardust. It's been showing on cable a lot lately, and I finally caught the whole thing. :)
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Director: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer
Release date: August 10, 2007
Based on: Stardust by Neil Gaiman
In a countryside town bordering on a magical land, a young man makes a promise to his beloved that he'll retrieve a fallen star by venturing into the magical realm.
Okay, so I'm kinda pissed at myself for not reading this book first. I love Neil Gaiman, as many of you do. I've only read Coraline and Neverwhere, but I've also seen MirrorMask, which I loved. And I have the audio of Anansi Boys...I just haven't gotten around to listening yet. I've wanted to read Stardust for a while, but you know how it is. And then I saw the movie on tv and it was so pretty and I just couldn't pass it up.
It was visually stunning, which I kind of think of as a prerequisite for any movie based on a story by Neil Gaiman. After all, he does craft these spellbinding and beautiful worlds that just beg to be made real. But I also love the complexities of his characters, the trials and adventures they must undertake. I don't think I've ever fully reviewed a Neil Gaiman novel, but I think they'd probably all seem relatively similar. Not that his books are all the same -- they are undoubtedly not -- but he always manages to make the story come alive for me. I didn't have an inkling to read Neverwhere when it was pushed on me by an older male friend who adores everything Gaiman. And it took a bit for me to get into it, but I was sucked in after that.
This movie, though...I loved it from the very onset. Yes, it was beautiful. But the characters and those cast to play them...perfection. I've always loved Claire Danes, even back in her My So-Called Life days. I wasn't familiar with Charlie Cox, but I liked his character a lot more once he got that long hair. :P But best of all was Robert De Niro as a cross-dressing pirate. That. Was. Priceless. And I'm not the hugest De Niro fan, but I think more highly of him now. :D
I thought this movie was rather brilliant, and I want to read the book even more now.
Rating:
Okay, after ComicCon, everyone's talking about Catching Fire, and while I'm wildly excited about the release of that movie in November -- especially after seeing the new trailer -- there's another movie that I'm just dying for:
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Director: Rob Thomas
Stars: Kristen Bell, Chris Lowell, Jason Dohring
Release date: 2014, i.e. not soon enough
Based on: the beloved TV series of the same name
Feature film adaptation of the TV series, 'Veronica Mars'.
I told my hubby they were making a full-length movie based on the show, and he said, "Why?!?" You see, he was never a fan, and it annoyed him to no end that he'd come home every day and find an episode on. One I'd probably seen a hundred times. What? Veronica Mars is awesome...she's that kick-ass girl who I wish all YA heroines would endeavor to be. Plus some.
I am beyond excited about this movie. BEYOND. From my vantage point at the office, I can see a yellow Xterra pass by on the street below at roughly the same time every day. And my thoughts immediately turn to Logan Echols every single time. Obsessed much? Maybe. But I wasn't ready for that show to end when it was cancelled.
So news of the movie and the release of a sneak peek have me keyed up again. The only thing that will make the wait bearable is knowing that there are going to be two Veronica Mars novels released after the movie. Okay, maybe that doesn't help with the wait. But for fans of the show, it's pretty exciting stuff.
Have you seen Stardust? Are you ready for Veronica Mars to take over the world?
OMG when I see a yellow Xterra or anything close to it I also think of Logan! LOL Anyway I am also beyond excited. I recently got my mom into it and my dad is so annoyed. He's like no more Veronica Mars! He loves Columbo though so we told him Veronica Mars is like a new young hip Columbo! He is rather picky with his TV though. Doesn't like anything but he does randomly love Legally Blonde for some reason.
ReplyDeleteI love Stardust! I've seen it a dozen times. I didn't realize that it was even based on a book when I first watched it (which is pretty odd for me, but you can't catch them all). I was absolutely obsessed with My So-Called Life (Jordan. Catalano.) for its single season and have seen each episode a hundred times. So I've been a huge fan of Claire Danes for years. Also Michelle Pheiffer! So funny and still absolutely gorgeous. I really should read the book.
ReplyDeleteI never got into Veronica Mars (I know, I know--for shame). I'll have to catch up on the show before the movie comes out.
I love Stardust the book and the movie! They're different but both amazing in their own way :) And I agree, Robert De Niro in a dress is priceless!!! XD
ReplyDeleteI really like Stardust. I've seen it a couple of times now, but it stays good. Especially that scene with Robert De Niro :D
ReplyDeleteI am so looking forward to Veronica Mars coming out. I could watch that show over and over again. :D
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Stardust, but didn't know it was a book until after I saw it. I really want to read it one of these days!
ReplyDeleteI didn't get to watch Veronica Mars when it originally aired. I started watching CW shows when it was mid-series, but it was always a series I wanted to see. Thanks to the SOAP net, I recently started DVRing two episodes a day!! My husband is mad because I got him hooked ;)! We are only just beginning season two and I can't wait for the movie!