Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Book to Movie Adaptations 

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!

This is our freebie week for our Top Ten topic so I chose to go with one that has been previously done over at the Broke and the Bookish so I can rave about some of my favorite movies!!

The Princess Bride – I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!! It is probably my favorite movie EVER and I can quote every.single.line. Also? It’s better than the book! I know, it’s blasphemous to say, right? Tough cookies because if you don’t agree you are crazy and need to go watch it again right this minute… “Have fun storming the castle!” 

Harry Potter series – Who wouldn’t have this on their list? I have to admit that as I was watching each movie I was whispering with my sister about what exactly they did different between the book and movie. I mean honestly what were they thinking adding that shrunken Jamaican head hangin’ next to Ernie on The Knight Bus and what about S.P.E.W?! Huge differences and frankly, we were appalled. However these movies are still some of the best adaptations everrr and I love them a lot.

Pride and Prejudice – I love all of the film adaptations and I can’t believe I am saying this but I might actually like the newest version best. This is probably mostly because Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy was just jaw dropping. Every time I hear him say “I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on,” I just scream out loud and rewind over and over and over!!

Lord of the Rings Trilogy – Okay I will admit it, I only read the Hobbit and I know that movie isn’t out yet but if it is half as good as the trilogy then it will be epic…and long.

The 3 Musketeers – The Disney version with Chris O’Donnell? Yum. I definitely just bought it via my Disney Movie Club (yes, I am a member of Disney Movie Club) and I watch it every night as I am snuggled in my bed. I remember watching this movie with my brother when it was still ON Disney Channel. It has Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland and TIM CURRY!! “Rochefort. Isn't that a smelly kind of cheese?”

Dracula – I pretty much love all versions of this movie (even Dracula: Dead and Loving It) but I have to say that Bela Lugosi is THE man and he is the reason I became obsessed with all things Dracula when I was a wee tyke. 

Big Fish – This movie is just beautiful in so many ways. I just recently read the book by Daniel Wallace and it is just as colorful and imaginative.  

Game of Thrones – I only just started the first book but so far I am finding the two to be nearly exact and I like it. Though I do feel like I have to get through the first two books before season 2 of the show starts because I am finding myself a bit bored with the first book as I already know what is going to happen. Also: Jon Snow is love.

True Blood – The show is not so close to the book and I find myself not liking Sookie as much as I do in the novels but overall it is pretty awesome and I am highly anticipating the next season as the last season finale was jaw dropping.

Alice in Wonderland – Some people really didn’t like the remake of this film but I loved it. I don’t particularly like Mia Wasikowska but I think she portrayed Alice nicely. Tim Burton was genius as always and Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter were perfect.

Honorable Mentions:

Wuthering Heights – This movie isn’t even that good, in fact I remember going to the special “Hollywood at the Bijou” showing with my aunt and literally LOLing at numerous parts throughout because it was so ridiculous. Still love it though!

Stardust – I didn’t read the book (shame on me) but the movie was quite awesome and I am frequently irritated that I can’t get it through Netflix instant stream.

A Few of My Favorite Things (of 2011)

Though much of my free time is spent reading fabulous novels, I do turn my brain off every once in a while and enjoy some other means of entertainment. Though I numbered this list from 10-1 I have to remind you that it is nearly impossible for me to put any of my favorite things in any particular order so these numbers are not binding!! Even as I write this post I have been changing my mind on their order! Without further ado, here is my list of my favorite time passers from 2011:

10. Water for Elephants

I will be honest; I had little desire to see this movie as I am not a drooling fan of Robert Pattinson. However, I read the book a few years ago and absolutely loved it and I do enjoy the circus venue so I gave it a try and I am so happy that I did! I was very impressed by Reese Witherspoon and I actually found myself enjoying Pattinson’s portrayal of Jacob as well. Overall I believed it to be a great on screen portrayal of a very enjoyable book.

9. True Blood 

Being a fan of the Sookie Stackhouse series I was very excited to hear when HBO picked up the rights for the show. The series didn’t disappoint me until this season, I didn’t like the way in which Bill was made king and I found Eric’s character to be much more loveable in the books. Despite my misgivings the show totally redeemed itself in the season finale. **spoiler alert** First of all I shed serious tears over the loss of Jesus and I found myself “OH MY GODing” when Steve Newlin appeared AS A FREAKIN’ VAMPIRE and Alcide finds a hole in the cement insinuating that RUSSELL IS BACK BAYBEE!! I am so extremely excited for next season, though I hope Sookie and Bill are a little less annoying.

8. The Muppets 

Who doesn’t love the Muppets and their crazy ways? This movie was hilarious, though I think it spoke more to me than the 5 year olds in the audience. Jason Segal and Amy Adams were amazing next to the classic Muppet characters and there were quite a few awesome cameos throughout the film. Though Muppet Treasure Island is still my favorite Muppet movie (Tim Curry as Long John Silver, looove!) this movie is a close second. Mahna Mahna!

7. New Girl 

Love, love, love to Zooey Deschanel and her quirky self! This show literally makes me LOL and I find myself relating to Deschanel’s character in some way in almost every episode. I adore her roommates and can’t help but long for her to fall in love with Nick though I know it would ruin many aspects of the already amazing show!

6. Jane Eyre 

I was wary to see how Mia Wasikowska portrayed Jane Eyre on the big screen since I didn’t really love her in Alice in Wonderland but she pulled off the haunting character beautifully. I was also very impressed by Michael Fassbender, though I may be a bit biased because he is delish and I tend to fall for those dark, brooding characters more often than not. Overall this was a wonderful portrayal of the novel and I was extremely impressed.

5. Once Upon a Time 

The characters in Once Upon a Time are stuck in the “real world” due to a curse put on them by the evil queen, portrayed flawlessly by Lana Parrilla. The show may have started off on a somewhat lame foot but the producers knew what they were doing and they ended the fall season on an “OH EM GEE” note that really plucked the heartstrings. I am very excited for the second part of the season to start (this Sunday!!) and I definitely recommend it to anyone loving a good fairy tale with a twist.

4. Zelda: Skyward Sword 

I am a long time Zelda fan and have been since I was just a little tyke pressing random buttons on my dad’s Super Nintendo controller so it is no question that I was eagerly anticipating this new release in the Zelda franchise. I was wary when I saw the preview, afraid that the graphics were too animated and cartoon-like but thankfully I was wrong and Nintendo delivered another nearly flawless chapter in the Zelda series. Though I am only in the second temple and have not put in a lot of hours yet, the game is pretty awesome. The game is designed so your enemies can learn your swordplay and use them against you so the fights are more complicated than simply running into an enemy and swinging your Wii remote frantically, this makes for a more intense and more enjoyable game play.

3. Game of Thrones 

I first saw the trailer for this show as I was watching True Blood on HBO. A rider on a white horse flies through the woods at top speed and the words “Winter is coming” come over the screen with ominous music playing in the background. I was immediately enthralled, “Winter is coming? WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!?” I started searching for the phrase via Google and found links to all kinds of juicy tidbits, along with the information that I had MONTHS to wait for the release of the new show. Well, after months of waiting HBO delivered and like so many times before they did not fail me! Every episode left you hanging and needing more and the finale was full of jaw droppers. I can’t wait for next season!

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 

How can this movie NOT make my favorite list? As I did for each film in the franchise, I nit picked my way through each scene and obsessed over the parts that were even slightly changed but I have to admit that even with the slight adjustments, the movie was ahhhhmazinggg and I was very impressed. Like so many fans, I cried when it was over. Not just because the movie was sad but because these books and movies were such a HUGE part of my life as I grew up, and now they were over! I definitely bought the blu-ray the day it was released and had a Harry Potter marathon as I finished up my last finals of graduate school ever. Ahh memories!

1. American Horror Story 

This is probably my favorite show of all time; it’s so unbelievably awesome that I can barely describe its awesomeness. From the first few minutes of the first episode it had me going through a rollercoaster of emotion. It was beyond freaky and confusing yet at the same time was 100% intriguing and every episode had me trying to decipher what the eff was going on in that house! As the show progressed it brought new characters, like The Black Dahlia (!!) and answered questions as it created even more confusion. I looooved the characters, Jessica Lange deserves a plethora of awards for her portrayal of Constance. I seriously had a crush on Tate though he is quite messed up. I like to think of him as layered, though he has mostly been described as evil. Eh, po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe…The producers said that each season will be completely different, possibly even taking place in a different setting, so I am very excited to see what comes up next. If you like scary movies and especially if you are often disappointed at how they are lacking, then this is a show for you!

More Once Upon a Time...

In keeping with the fairy tale theme of this week’s review I have to shamelessly promote some things that I love, love, love.

First, the new abc series, Once Upon a Time starring Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White and Josh Dallas as Prince Charming. Though it has not been admitted that the producers of Lost used Bill Willingham’s Fables series as an influence there is a very similar plotline. The characters in Once Upon a Time are stuck in the “real world” much like the characters in Willingham’s Fables series.

 

Only a few episodes have aired but so far it is awesome!! The characters are likeable and Lost fans will enjoy the way in which the episodes are focusing on the past lives of the characters and what brought about the evil queen’s ire. I will be honest and say that at first glance I fell in love with Sherriff Graham, played by Jamie Dornan, and I am convinced that he has a big bad wolf alter ego (see below: love affair with Bigby Wolf) but I do have to admit that Josh Dallas has charmed (pun intended) his way into my heart after the last episode.

Definitely give this show a chance, it is quite loveable; also check out the website for some fun extras!

Once Upon a Time airs on Sundays at 8pm.

My second guilty pleasure is the fantasy miniseries, The Tenth Kingdom, which aired on NBC in 2000.

The Tenth Kingdom follows the adventures of a woman, played by Kimberly Williams and her father, played by John Larroquette, after they are transported from New York to the world of fairy tales. Ultimately they must help Prince Wendell save his kingdom from his evil stepmother after she has turned him into a dog! The show originally aired over a course of five nights and is almost seven hours long. There are many familiar faces on the cast including Scott Cohen as Wolf (LOVE him, I realize that this is probably shocking), Ed O’Neill as the Troll King and Dianne Wiest as the evil queen.

There have been many rumors about a second film being made but I try not to have high hopes, for now I will have to appease myself by watching my DVD over and over again :]

Check your local library for this movie, if you like fairy tales you will love this!!