Filmbook Preview: Spring/Summer Adaptations Of Doom

They aren't all that doomful, it just looked nice to write, I think you'll agree. Note: I excluded all comic-book movies from this round-up, less as a judgment on their putative merits (after all, I haven't seen them) than because that would nearly double this list and for my purposes I'll consider them a different subgenre of adaptation.

• May 6: "Something Borrowed," Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson, based on the Emily Griffin novel of the same name. I haven't caught up on the book itself but this is highly anticipated among my chick-lit-reading friends, so keep an eye on it. 
• Also May 6: "Everything Must Go," Will Ferrell, Rebecca Hall, based on the Raymond Carver short story "Why Don't You Dance." This one snuck up out of nowhere! (Costar: Christopher Jordan Wallace, son of Chris "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace.) 
• June 3: "Submarine," Sally Hawkins, Paddy Considine, based on the Joe Dunthorne novel of the same name. This troubled/obsessed teenager flick may be a little too quirky/ "Harold and Maude"esque, but that approach has worked out well for a lot of directors.
• June 17: "Mr. Popper's Penguins," Jim Carrey, based on the Richard Atwater children's book of the same name. I expect nothing. 
• July 8: "One Day," Jim Sturgess, Rebecca Hall, based on the David Nicholls novel of the same name. If adaptations have a season this is more or less the tentpole. Unpopular opinion: I expect to like this movie more than the book. 
• July 15: "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 2," Ralph Fiennes, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson. Oops, did I say "One Day" was the tentpole? This is just a wee bit bigger. 
• Also July 15: "Winnie the Pooh," voice work of John Cleese, Craig Ferguson. Oh please don't screw this up.
• Also July 15 (whew): "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," based on the novel of the same name by Lisa See. Curious about this movie despite knowing nothing about the book (I believe it's a club favorite, which could go a lot of ways)
• August 12: "The Help," Emma Stone, Viola Davis, based on the Kathryn Stockett novel of the same name. I am the last person in the continental U.S. to read this book, I'm fairly certain. I wonder if Stockett's lawsuit by her family's former maid will be settled by then? HMMM.

Ask Murakami anything!

I wish I were cool enough to be on the Haruki Murakami train. The truth is, I have been meaning to get into his works for a while, particularly after seeing an amazing theatrical adaptation of some short stories from THE ELEPHANT VANISHES at Lincoln Center. For me, he's like the TV show "Lost": I know as soon as I get into it wild horses won't be able to drag me away, so I'd better get all my other affairs in order before I even start.* See also, "Reading Murakami... enabled me to write a publishable novel." That's powerful stuff!

But for my Murakami maniacs, you should head over to Time and ask the author a question for their "10 Questions" feature. I've been a Time subscriber for ages and between you and me, sometimes the questions are lame. Only you can keep millions of readers entertained by your non-lame questions! (The best I've got so far is whether his new nonfiction book, WHAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING, is an homage to Raymond Carver's WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOVE. But the answer has to be yes... right?) If you need a primer, this Times Online profile has some facts.

*Well, except that I read "Lost" spoilers online so I'm not That Person -- but I don't spoil myself for books. Wishful thinking?