Top Ten Picks: Favorite Books to Movies

I have to warn you...I know I didn't just make this up but by the time I procrastinated from finishing this post, I can't find this "top ten" listed on Jillian's blog.
Anyway, you know it's been too long since your last [meme]post when the picture has changed unexpectedly on you so you no longer know what you're looking at.

Trying to get back into the swing of things, though, I'm back with my top ten picks of favorite books to movies. I'll admit, the criteria may seem a little...odd...to some. My top 10 picks are not in order of my favorite movie; rather, my top 10 picks this week are books I was glad to see turned into movies, in the order that I think best improved the book. Comprende? Maybe, kinda, sorta?  

1. Shrek

Let's see if you understand what I meant about my order of the top 10 this week...Is Shrek my favorite movie? No. In fact, it's probably my least favorite of this entire list; however, did I think William Steig was on some seriously strong stuff trying to pawn the book version of Shrek off as a picture book for kids? Yes indeed! Was I glad to see it turned into a much more kid-friendly funny, cute, etc. movie? Very!

2. Peter Pan

Before you go criticizing my resonings for this being on my top ten...I know that J.M. Barrie wrote the book before the Disney movie came out; however, the Disney movie was so prominent in my young life (it's still my favorite Disney movie) and I just can't imagine me having wanted to read the book as a child without having seen the movie. Don't get me wrong, I like the book - I remember it made me cry the first time I read it, which is always a good sign if I'm that "into" it to care - it's just a bit more "grown up" than I think the [Disney] movie is. And as my Peter Pan shirt states, I'll never grow up.

3. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Movie in 3-D = awesome and really cute | Book = dull illustrations and fairly boring.

Simple, right?

4. The Passion of the Christ

Technically this movie doesn't cover an entire book...then again, my number six covers several books, so...anyway... Part of me thinks it's "bad" that I was didn't get over-emotional reading about Christ crucified in the Bible; the other part wonders how you can't cry actually seeing a depiction of it.

5. Horton Hears a Who

Needless to say, after number three, movie adaptations of books stopped making my list due to "bad" books being "saved" by movies. I don't remember a lot about Dr. Seuss from when I was little, but now that I'm an adult, I have to admit, his ability to rhyme is uncanny. Don't you think? Just a bit? Haha, okay I'll stop trying so hard. But really, to see his rhymes go from the page to the screen with talented voices, bright colors, accompanied by that little annoyingly happy ball of fluff who eats rainbows and poops butterflies...what more could a girl ask for?

6. The Spiderwick Chronicles

I'm not going to use a bunch of space rambling about the books, I've already reviewed them here, but I do think I preferred seeing the adventure rather than just listening to it. Plus, Freddie Highmore is just so cute (in a little kid way...)!

 

7. Tuck Everlasting

I don't want to spoil the book or the movie if you haven't seen or read it (I recommend both reading and watching it), so all I can really say is that I think the ending in the movie meant so much more to a hopeless romantic (such as myself) than the ending in the book... (plus I really like Alexis Bledel) Thoughts? Opinions?

 

8. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

I really enjoyed C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia series as books, so I was a little wary going to see the movie (then again I even liked the BBC versions of the first four books, so maybe it's just a really hard series to mess up?). Something about the combination of Disney magic, battle scenes, and epic music, though, won me over for the movie as well (and can I just say how disappointed I am in Disney for dropping the series because it wasn't making them enough money).

 

9. The Princess Diaries

I don't have much to say about this one - again, it's not like the book was bad. I guess there was just something special about that charming Anne Hathaway/Julie Andrews duo (and Disney!).

 

10. A Walk to Remember

Congratulations. You've made it through my top ten picks. Let's see if you still understand my order...A Walk to Remember was a hard choice because the book was great in and of itself. Then again, it's always a whole 'nother "level" of-sorts to be able to watch the story come to life (especially if you don't have a very vivid imagination while reading). Plus with this story, the whole thing is so great, so sad, and it's almost like the book and the movie tell two [almost] completely different (yet awesome either way) stories.

So, what's your top ten?

Guest Review (Movie) - Despicable Me

Remember how I went to Peru? I met awesome people on the trip - both in Peru and members of my mission team. As I mentioned already here, one of my new friends is a teacher who liked my blog enough to help me out with it.
Without further ado, I would like to present to you my first guest review! *(with minor editorial changes made by me...Juan likes to tell me how he has impressed even military aptitude test proctors with his brilliance, but his spelling is atrocious)

A “Juan-in-a-Million” review.



Being evil doesn’t always mean being bad…Does it?


Rated: PG for rude humor and mild action.


For ages 8 and up.

Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) is your atypical super-villain with an odd Russian accent. He lives in a dreary looking house that sticks out like a sore thumb in a small American neighborhood with a secret lair that is full of Oompa Loompa-looking minions that each have a very distinct personality. Gru's number one ambition in life is to be known as the greatest super-villain in all the world. There is just one problem…the biggest heist the world has ever seen was not done by him, but by a younger, more cunning villain by the name of Vector (voiced by the hilarious Jason Segel). Gru continues to look for help in his biggest scheme of all, stealing the moon! His evil plot comes complete with an Igor like assistant who creates very unique and sometimes strange weapons, and a plan to steal a shrink-ray, adopt three orphan girls that will challenge him in every way, and the use of robot cookies to once again prove to everyone that he is the number one villain of all time. What he doesn’t realize is that somewhere deep within himself, his Grinch-like heart is about to grow three sizes bigger than before.


Even with the predictable set up, Despicable Me still made me laugh, even at times that I didn’t want to. It uses a wrong vs. right atmosphere to teach a lesson, but strangely uses the wrong side of that equation to bring it on home. With a bit of mild humor and a ray-gun blast or two of violence, this family friendly movie allows laughs for the young and old.

Carell does a wonderful job voicing Gru and his hilarious “glasses wearing” helpers steal every scene even though you can’t understand a word they are saying. The rest of the voice cast is filled out by Nickelodeons “iCarley” Miranda Cosgrove as the oldest of the orphans, Kristen Wiig as the eccentric “mom- like” figure that is in charge of the “Home for Girls” orphanage, and the wonderfully talented and always surprisingly funny Julie Andrews as Gru’s un-accepting mother. 


If you are looking for a fun movie that doesn’t make you think all that much, this is the movie for you. It is 95 minutes of mindless entertainment that has a feel good ending. I will be honest, I am not going to run off to the theaters to see it again, but I might take a gander at it when it comes out in a few months on DVD.

*The credits at the end of the movie are worth a second look for sure. Make sure you stay until the very end!

Juan's rating for this movie:

If you are interested in guest reviewing on my blog (for anything children/YA friendly), feel free to go here and contact me!

Daily Dose - Weekly Inspiration

I have three words for you - It is finished. Sure they've already been used before, like...when Jesus died on the cross...but either way, it's true. Hallelujah! I'm done with school and get a whopping 16-day break before starting the fall semester. Hopefully fall will be less rushed, being 16-week semesters instead of 6. I'm making it my goal this week to have a new post for you every day in celebration of my not only finishing but passing my summer classes!

What did I look up to get these image results? Freedom, of course!

Can I just say how much this last one reminds me of Mike Doughty's I Hear the Bells?

Thanks for sticking with me through my hiatus(es). I really truly appreciate it.