I was at my unfriendly neighborhood drug store the yesterday when I noticed they had added a mass-market paperback section. When I went over to take a look, I found the usual raised-letter romances and thrillers with forgettable titles, plus -- what's this? -- Larry Doyle's I LOVE YOU BETH COOPER, a book that is actually on my to-read list. Turns out the movie version starring Hayden Panettiere (the cheerleader from "Heroes") comes out July 10, a pretty rapid turnaround considering the hardcover was published in 2007.
Here are several more book adaptations hitting theatres this summer for your reading and viewing pleasure, and none of them are from the director of "The Notebook":
"Public Enemies" (J. Depp, C. Bale) - Michael Mann's newest movie follows an FBI agent trying to shut down the Dillinger gang in the middle of their latest Midwestern spree. Based on the nonfiction book of the same name by Vanity Fair writer Bryan Burrough. Cause of great frenzy in Wisconsin when the production shot in several cities there last year. Looking forward to the scene where Bale confesses he's only chasing Depp because "he's got a GREAT ass!" (July 1)
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (R. Fiennes, D. Radcliffe, A. Rickman) - Hey, in case you're one of the 7 people in the world who hasn't read it yet -- there's still time. Not gonna lie, I fully expect to see this in theatres and when I saw the trailer ahead of "Watchmen" in IMAX I got chills. (July 15)
"Julie & Julia" (M. Streep, A. Adams) - Most likely of this list to be described as "delightful." Based on the blog-to-book adaptation by Julie Powell, who tried to cook her way through MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING in a year. Unlike the book, the movie weaves in more of Child's life, which by all accounts was fascinating. (August 7)
"Taking Woodstock" (E. Hirsch, L. Schreiber, E. Levy) - Ang Lee's latest puts the world's most famous concert on the big screen through the eyes of an upstate New York resident who gets involved in planning the big shindig. Based on the memoir by Elliot Tiber, who is played by Demetri Martin and whose talk I unfortunately missed at BEA. (August 14)
"The Time-Traveler's Wife" (E. Bana, R. McAdams) - Audrey Niffenegger's best-seller is a love story with a sci-fi twist, but this movie has been pushed back about 8 times already, which is not promising. But anything that brings Rachel McAdams back from being a former up-and-comer is a good thing, and I did really like this book. (August 14)
"Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs" (voice work by A. Samberg, A. Faris) - Sneaking this in even though it's a fall release because this was one of my favorite books as a kid, about a time when food started falling from the sky. Naturally, for the movie they had to improve on Judi Barrett's words, by adding a plot, and Ron Barrett's illustrations, by putting it in 3-D. Still, it makes me smile. (Sept. 18)
5 days ago
2 comments:
i love "cloudy with a chance of meatballs," but it will make a terrible movie. There are less than 1000 words in the whole book and the plot will be stretched very thin. I also wish recommend "the giant jam sandwich" in the theme of books about fancifully abundant food.
It will probably be bad, though not "Cat in the Hat" bad. (Yeah, had to take my little cousins to that.) I could watch Anna Faris eat a bowl of cereal and find it funny, but that's not saying much since we won't actually see her.
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