I read the book before I see the film. Almost always.
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) is about Best/Worst Movie Adaptations. I covered my favourite movie adaptations here and I simply won’t dwell on the worst (it’s the Pollyanna in me). So, with a slight tweak to the topic, my top ten covers great movies I’ve seen before reading the book*.
1. Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick; movie starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence – because Bradley Cooper (see gratuitous pic above if in doubt… and there’s another one at the end because I have no shame).
2. The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings; movie starring George Clooney – because George Clooney.
3. Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates; movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet – because when husband picks a film, I’m just happy to watch it.
4. Little Children by Tom Perrotta; movie starring Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson – Found the film so disturbing that it has taken me years to work up to the book.
5. Election by Tom Perrotta; movie starring Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon – could not be more different from Little Children.
6. Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen; movie starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford – because Robert Redford
7. Dangerous Liaisons by Choderlos de Laclos; movie starring Glenn Close and John Malkovich – because costume spectacular.
8. Howard’s End by E. M. Forster; movie starring Anthony Hopkins and Helen Bonham Carter – because Merchant Ivory and E. M. Forster.
9. The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James; movie starring Nicole Kidman – because for once Kidman is perfectly cast.
10. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson; movie starring Frances McDormand – because Art Deco amazingness.
*Haven’t read all of the books… Yet.
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day! How could I have forgotten this movie? (Then again, I did split up my list this week rather differently, but that movie would’ve certainly made it if my list was solely on good adaptations xD) I heart it so much–the book too…
My TTT
Haven’t read the book… YET. It’s on my list. The movie is sublime and perfectly cast.
I thought The Silver Linings Playbook the movie was much better than the book. I’ve hear Revolutionary Road is super depressing- true? And I’ve been meaning to put The Descendents on my list to read. Loved the movie!
Good to know that about Playbook *moves it down the TBR stack*.
Rev Road is ‘quietly depressing’ but very, very good (even my OH agreed and he is difficult to please when it comes to movies!). I have the latest from the author of The Descendents in my TBR stack. Will get to it asap.
I haven’t read any of these books but I have seen a few of the movies. I’m about to rent Playbooks tomorrow so here’s hoping I enjoy it.
You’ll enjoy it…. because Bradley Cooper! 😉
Great reminder that I need to read Out of Africa! Awesome list!
It’s such a beautiful movie…. “I had a farm in Africa…”
I loved The Descendants — the book too! (The book’s main flaw? No George Clooney.) Dangerous Liaisons is one of my favorite movies (and I loved the book too). Great choices here! And thank you for the gratuitous Bradley Cooper. 🙂
Gratuitous Bradley Cooper is my community service for the week 😉
I saw (and liked!) Little Children first, and I haven’t yet read the book. I still think I remember too much somehow.
Agree – it was a very tough movie to watch.
I haven’t read any of those books or seen any of the movies! What is wrong with me?! I don’t actually watch many movies anymore, sadly. I don’t have the attention span to sit long enough and watch. 🙁 I would like to see The Descendants and Silver Linings though!
Thanks for stopping by my TTT!
Silver Linings Playbook was a great movie and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I haven’t read the book yet but I am definitely going to check it out now. 🙂
my TTT: http://www.bookythoughtsandme.com/top-ten-best-and-worst-book-to-movie-adaptation-experiences/
Silver Linings Playbook is a good book, the film doesn’t quite do it justice, but close.
I have no complaints about the gratuitous Bradley Cooper photos. None at all. I watched the early seasons of Alias because of him, even if his hair was awful.
Revolutionary Road (book and film) about killed me.
Re Rev Road – killed you because so depressing??
Yep, to truly believe you have no choices and want to be different, only to realize you’re the same. I’m glad I can’t imagine feeling that trapped, but it still depressed me.
What’s also hard (and depressing) for me is looking around the current state of the US and seeing a return to and a yearning for the values of the ’50’s.
People who want the 50s back either weren’t born then and/or want an edited version – we have the same thing here eg. have seen so much in the media about women wanting to be ‘housewives’… I call it the #madmenfactor
I don’t know if I happy or afraid that Aus is seeing some of the same thing. Are women that nostalgic for repression or inequality? I also get mad at the people in the US who are nostalgic for Ronald Reagan. Granted, I don’t remember his term (but I can read!), but not a good president.
Of course, my thoughts on books like Revolutionary Road are probably exactly why I am typically the dominant person in a relationship.
I’ve never watched Mad Men, though the amount of gin consumed on the show makes it sound promising.
Well I remember Reagan *feeling very old* – like any era, there are bits we all remember fondly and other bits we choose to ignore.
I think you need Mad Men. I’m only up to the fourth series and I watch it in bursts, on and off. It’s ‘quiet’ tv – no ridiculous cliffhangers but the overall aesthetic of the program is addictive.
I was alive during Reagan’s years, if that’s any consolation, I just wasn’t cognizant of politics yet.
Mad Men is upcoming in my Netflix queue, I love the furniture of that era.
Wow, I’ve only see Miss Pettigrew. I do want to see Silver Linings Playbook though.
Aww, I do heart “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” (because Lee Pace!), but I love the book even more! I really liked “The Silver Linings Playbook” too, but I haven’t gotten around to the book yet.
I’m reading Portrait of a Lady atm…well I sort of am, it’s been a while since I picked it up! I really want to read/see Silver Lining’s Playbook
Dangerous Liaisons is very good but I prefer Cruel Intentions with Reese and Ryan Phillippe. Have you seen it?
I have seen Cruel Intentions and yes, liked it a lot.
Man, I haven’t seen a single one of these movies. I don’t watch a whole lot of movies so this doesn’t really surprise me. Several of these are on my TBR and I’ve been super on the fence for a while about Silver Linings Playbook. But I’d like to see what all the fuss is about.
Maybe the fuss is just Bradley? 😉