Film vs. Book

Five Literary Greats and Five Great Adaptations

2012-03-05T16:10:00.000-08:00

Lynn Shepherd is the author of Murder at Mansfield Park and Tom-All-Alone's. A massive fan of classic literature, here she talks about her favourite adaptations of some literary greats.
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When the nominations were announced for this year’s Oscars, one of the first things the media noticed was the number of nominees that were based on books. Eleven films shortlisted in the major award categories, and two-thirds of the Best Picture candidates were literary adaptations, including War Horse, The Descendants, and The Help.

So with that in mind I’ve compiled my own shortlist of screen dramatisations, and since my favourite reading is classic novels I’m going to concentrate on film and TV versions of some of the masterpieces of English literature. So, here we go, counting down from number 5…

5: Henry Fielding – Tom Jones
The version I’m nominating here isn’t the famous ‘60s film with Albert Finney (and that eating scene), but the 1997 BBC adaptation starring Max Beesley. Having such a famous predecessor could easily have overshadowed the TV series, but Simon Burke’s script translates Fielding’s busy boisterous book into a light-hearted, exuberant, sexy series. The thing I particularly love is the way they freeze the action every now and again, and let Henry Fielding wander on-screen and talk to us about what’s going on – it exactly captures the novelist’s intelligent, intrusive style of narration (and John Sessions is perfectly cast to do it).

Special acting honours: Brian Blessed is a hilariously rumbustious Squire Weston, complete with pack of scruffy smelly hounds - he clearly had a ball making it.

4: Thomas Hardy – Jude
Jude the Obscure is Hardy’s darkest novel, and this film certainly doesn’t flinch from the book’s desolate subject-matter. To quote one of Hardy’s most famous poems, the whole film is shot in ‘neutral tones’, as the tragedy of Jude Fawley’s thwarted ambitions and his doomed love for his cousin Sue plays out against an Oxford greyer and grimmer than Morse ever made it. But if you prefer your Hardy a little less heart-rending, then the 2003 ITV Mayor of Casterbridge is also excellent.

Special acting honours: Kate Winslet, for her portrayal of Sue Bridehead. Every bit as magnetic and mercurial as Hardy’s original.

3: Jane Austen – Persuasion
When Murder at Mansfield Park came out and I was doing the rounds of festivals and book clubs, there was one question I knew I’d be asked every time: ‘Which is your favourite Austen adaptation?’ And the answer – then and now – is the 1995 BBC Persuasion with Ciarán Hinds and Amanda Root. This version is just perfectly pitched – the production values are as high as you would expect from the BBC, but they also get some of the trickier period details absolutely right. The most obvious is the use of candlelight for evening scenes – far too many Austen balls are lit impossibly brightly (literally, given the lamps available at the time). The adaptation is also very skilful – I particularly love the (very funny) sequence in which each of Anne’s relations corner her one after the other to complain about each other. It’s a perfect example of how you can make witty prose into clever drama.

Special acting honours: There are almost too many to list here, since part of the strength of the production is the ensemble acting. Fiona Shaw and John Woodvine make a particularly touching Admiral and Mrs Croft – all the more so since these two characters are (dare I say it) rather lifeless on the page. And Corin Redgrave is a deliciously self-centred Sir Walter.

2: Charles Dickens - Bleak House
I think Bleak House is without question Dickens’ finest work, and it’s the inspiration for my own Victorian murder mystery, Tom-All-Alone’s. So as you can imagine, I’m particularly demanding when it comes to adapting this one for the screen. But this BBC version scarcely puts a foot wrong. And let’s not underestimate the scale of the task – Bleak House is a huge book, with a huge cast of characters, and innumerable sub-plots, so turning that into coherent and compelling TV was a real challenge. One way they achieved this was by adopting the ‘soap opera’ structure of half-hourly slots, which worked well for a modern TV-watching audience, but also – and delightfully – echoed Dickens’ own serial publication method, complete with episode-ending cliff-hangers. My only reservation – and it’s a relatively minor one – is that Charles Dance is hopelessly miscast as the lawyer Tulkinghorn: he’s too attractive, too young, and far too damn tall.

Special acting honours: Phil Davis is (as ever) excellent as the wicked wizened old Smallweed, but the ultimate accolade has to go to Gillian Anderson. Like many other people, I was surprised and a bit sceptical when her casting was initially announced, since it looked too much like a blatant attempt to woo the US audience, but she proved me triumphantly wrong. She was perfectly aloof and glacial as Lady Dedlock, just as she was eerily beautiful as Miss Havisham in the recent Great Expectations.

And the winner is….

1: Samuel Richardson – Clarissa
Richardson is a great literary hero of mine, and I think it’s a huge shame so few people now read him or (let’s be honest) have even heard of him. But that, dear reader, is exactly what a good screen adaptation can do. Clarissa was first published in 1748, and tells the story of Clarissa Harlowe, tricked away from her oppressive parents and eventually raped by the libertine Robert Lovelace, who is in my opinion one of the great creations of European literature. The book is told entirely through letters, and if that weren’t challenging enough for a modern adapter, it’s over a million words long. This BBC version compresses the action into three brilliant hour-long episodes that portray the stifling oppressiveness of the Harlowe family house, the increasingly unsettling atmosphere in the London house Lovelace takes Clarissa to, and the full horror of the final rape scene, which in the novel takes place ‘off stage’. A truly marvellous book, turned into equally marvellous TV, and I can’t recommend either highly enough.

Special acting honours: Sean Bean is utterly mesmerising as Robert Lovelace, capturing his dangerous charisma with amazing skill. As his feelings for Clarissa contend with his baser impulses, you can actually see that conflict written across his face in tiny but terrifying changes of expression. And, needless to say, he looks absolutely magnificent in a pair of breeches….

Lynn Shepherd’s new book Tom-All-Alone’s is out now from Corsair and will be published in the USA by Random House under the title The Solitary House in May. Her website is www.lynn-shepherd.com

The Hunger Games Trilogy: The New Twilight? Battle Royale for Teens? Or Something Entirely Different...?

2012-03-01T12:31:00.000-08:00

It is so often the case that when a new book or film comes out, it is compared to a similar predecessor. More often than not, it's essential to give people a clue as to what they are letting themselves in for. The Hunger Games has striking similarities with both Twilight and Battle Royale, but is it the new version of either of them? Well, no.

Firstly, the plot of Twilight is completely different to The Hunger Games. Apart from the obvious lack of werewolves and vampires (you can see there whose team I'm on!), the focus is entirely different. Granted, they are both young adult fiction and they both have a pretty complex love triangle. But the similarities end there. While the love triangle in Twilight is the central focus of the plot and other stuff happens around it, The Hunger Games is a dark look at a dystopian future with an incredibly strong female lead in Katniss Everdeen - it just happens to have a love triangle going on at the same time.

The main comparison though is with Battle Royale - a story which brilliantly looked at a Japan that forced a class of students each year to kill each other until only one survived. In this, The Hunger Games is the same - simply put, it is children forced to kill each other or die.

The most notable difference though is the style of each. Battle Royale is a horror film, plain and simple - it is a blood bath of epic proportions that examines the different reactions people would have if put in that scenario. Would you kill yourself, kill everyone else, form alliances or just sit and hide? In The Hunger Games, there is a whole horrific level of reality TV added. The 24 chosen participants are not only forced to kill each other, but many are trained for the eventuality and all of them are forced to put on a show. There are days between the reaping (when the 24 are chosen) and the actual start of the games and in this time, they learn new skills, perfect those they already have and are interviewed on live TV for all of Panem to see. The children in Battle Royale are drugged and wake up with a bomb round their necks.

So if you want a clever horror film with a blood-bath and fantastic lost-in-translation subtitles, check out the film of Battle Royale. If you want the back-story and a more graphic look at each of the class members, then read the book. If, on the other hand, you want an easy to read piece of fantastic young adult literature which is dark and gripping with a phenomenonally strong and brilliantly flawed heroine, check out The Hunger Games.

Roll on March 23rd for the film...

Book Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

2012-02-26T10:11:00.001-08:00

*WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM BOOK ONE - THE HUNGER GAMES AND TWO - CATCHING FIRE*

When we left Katniss Everdeen at the end of Catching Fire, she had just made it out of her second Hunger Games in two years only to learn that Peeta had been captured and a rebellion had begun against the Capitol.

Mockingjay picks up with Katniss in a state of mental confusion. She has been so heavily sedated to deal with her breakdown that she struggles to tell the difference between nightmare and reality. The leaders in District 13 are struggling to get her on board as the symbolic image of the rebels' fight and she can barely construct a coherent thought in her head. As she starts to get a grip on reality, the gravity of her absence finally seems to dawn on her and she realises the power she could have in helping the rebels with their cause. But she has her focus on more specific things - finding Peeta and killing President Snow.

Reluctant to be yet another pawn in somebody else's game, Katniss struggles to take orders as her efforts to help those fighting in other districts are recorded and beamed out to the citizens of Panem, showing them and President Snow that she and the rebels are all still fighting. But are the rebels being totally honest with her or just using her for their own gain? Has too much damage been done already for Katniss to ever come back from it? And what are the peacekeepers in the Capitol doing to Peeta?

Where many authors would have picked up this third installment in the trilogy with action and fighting, Suzanne Collins bravely acknowledges the person behind all the action - Katniss Everdeen - and allows her time out of battle to try and deal with what has happened to her. She is filled in on all that she missed while in the arena the second time round and often has relapses into a state of severe agitation and confusion. She is a fighter - there is no question - but in allowing this vulnerability and weakness to shine through, Collins allows the reader time to really embrace Katniss and will her onwards. Then of course, there is the ever confusing love triangle between her and her best friend Gale and fellow victor Peeta. Her worry for Peeta while he is being tortured by the Capitol starts to seem more than just friendly concern and Gale doesn't know how to take it.

Collins kills indiscriminately, much more like Harry Potter author JK Rowling than Twilight author Stephenie Meyer. But she does not kill off her characters lightly. By revealing early on that she is not afraid to kill people off, she keeps the reader guessing. There is no comfort in knowing it will all be alright in the end. You know no such thing. Emotions run high in this final book in the saga and Collins keeps you guessing till the very end as to whether or not it will all have been worth it. Have tissues at the ready for an emotional rollercoaster of a read.

Mockingjay is a gripping and action-packed end to the Hunger Games trilogy fraught with emotion at every stage.

4/5 FOBLES

For your chance to win the entire trilogy you have until Wednesday 29th February to enter the competition over at Novelicious.

Are the Oscars® Over Before They've Even Started?

2012-02-24T08:18:00.001-08:00

Speculation has begun over which film will take Best Picture at this Sunday's Oscar® ceremony. Here are the nominees:

The Artist
War Horse
Tree of Life
Moneyball
Midnight in Paris
Hugo
The Help
Extremely Loud
The Descendants

Many people believe that The Artist is the clear frontrunner to win and while it may not be everyone's film of 2011, it's certainly the best film out of that list. What other film has managed to charm both critics and audiences alike? None. All of the films on this year's Best Picture list are adequate - apart from War Horse and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - both of which I have heard are horrendous and have no desire to see. They're all perfectly good, watcheable films - if you like that sort of thing. But not one of them blew my socks off. The Artist did.

Yet, having won so many awards already, it seems too easy to give The Artist Best Picture. Because let's face it - people love an underdog. And for a while, The Artist was. It was a little known film with a cast people hadn't seen before, a director whose name people couldn't pronounce and it was all in black and white! In an era of spectacle at the cinema, few would have thought it would do well. Then Harvey Weinstein got his hands on it and BOOM! The Artist became a global sensation.

But if it is time for The Artist to step down as king, who could take its place and grab the gong? Drive? We Need to Talk About Kevin? No - they didn't even make the shortlist. Arguably because of their controversial subject matter but maybe the powers that be just didn't like them.

At the 2011 Academy Awards, the list was a great one. It had a mix of genres, of styles and tastes. And each one offered something great.The films from last year were: Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, The Kids Are All Right, The King's Speech, 127 Hours, The Social Network, Toy Story 3, True Grit and Winter's Bone. There's something for everyone in that list! There were front runners of course but any one of those films could have taken the crown. This year, it feels more like choosing the best of a bad bunch.

Will the American's love of baseball mean Moneyball takes it? Or perhaps their adoration for Martin Scorsese will persuade them to award Hugo with Best Picture. The cast did a brilliant job in The Help but will it win Best Picture? Unlikely.

Most of the major awards seem to be so unbearably predictable it almost seems unnecessary to have a ceremony at all. It might just be easier to give The Artist and Meryl Streep their awards by post and throw everyone a big party where they can speak for longer than 40 seconds and sob into a glass of wine, not a mini statue. It will most probably offer up something a little more controversial...

Will I still be checking out the highlights when I wake up on Monday morning? Of course I will. I can't wait to see what Billy Crystal has in store and what the ladies behind Bridesmaids make of their chance to present. I just wish the awards themselves got me as excited.

So who do you want to win Best Picture at the 2012 Academy Award Ceremony? Let me know in the comments below.

Woman in Black: Book vs Film vs Play

2012-02-23T14:05:00.002-08:00

In 1983, The Woman in Black by Susan Hill was first published. The horror fiction novel saw Solicitor Arthur Kipps sent to the northern village of Crythin Gifford to settle the estate of the recently deceased Alice Drablow. The book is Kipps's retelling of this particular story after his step-children ask him to tell them a ghost story. He is overcome with an unbearable feeling of fear and realises that he has surpressed an event in the deep recesses of his mind and never properly dealt with it. He decides to write down his story in order to finally deal with his demons and in doing so, shares his tale with the reader of that trip to Crythin Gifford, the deserted funeral for Mrs Drablow and the creepy goings-on at her estate Eel Marsh House.

An eerie ghost story with a suitably creepy setting, the book managed to scare readers so much that within six years of its publication it had been adapted into a stage play and a TV movie. The narrative style is incredibly evocative and has very little dialogue, so lending itself to interpretation.

Best of Theatre

The stage play of The Woman in Black moved to London in 1989 and still runs today. It is spectacular in its simplicity, acted entirely by two men. One, Kipps, hires an actor to reenact the account he has written, feeling that if he can get it all spoken out loud, he can finally lay the ghost to rest. There are a few terrifying glimpses of the woman herself but the actress is not even mentioned in the production's programme.

It also does what only the greatest adaptations do - it makes changes that not only stay faithful to the original story but somehow manage to really hone in what works in the new medium that wouldn't have worked in the original. The brilliant twist in the play only works in the theatre setting and enhances the true horror of the story.

This month saw the release of the new film adaptation starring Daniel Radcliffe as Kipps. It really makes the most of what the cinematic medium has that stage and literature doesn't - special effects. There is so much silent tension in the film that when she does appear it is horrifying to the point of screaming out in fright. If you like watching horror films that have you cowering in your seat, jumping and screaming in shock and hiding your face behind your hands because you can just sense that something is coming, then this delivers. Radcliffe handles the role brilliantly, looking suitably distraught and sympathetic to the woman's plight. Sadly though, all the elements that made the film brilliant were let down slightly because the filmmakers decided it needed a touch of Hollywood and changed the ending to one that was annoyingly neat and tidy.

There are a fair few changes made in each adaptation, largely the point at which Kipps starts his story. In the book, he is a widow recently remarried. In the play he has a wife and son at home and in the film his wife died in childbirth so it's just him and his son. The woman in black herself also differs in each. Often she just stands in the distance immobile. But for the rare occasions when she moves, the film and play use it to their full advantage. She also appears much more in the book and is reserved in the film and play for moments of sheer terror. But these are all trivial points and the fundamentals of the story remain intact.

I saw the play, then the film, then read the book. Whether or not this order affects the way I viewed each version I cannot say. But overall, the play - the first thing I saw - is easily my favourite because the effects of it are still with me today years after seeing it in action. The film turned me into a nervous wreck but lost me with the ending and the book was brilliantly written but over-described everything thanks to its narrative style - to the point of not just calming down its subject, but its reader too. In the book, the fear subsides quickly because Kipps seems to have the ability to talk himself out of being scared. In the film, every time he walked back into Eel Marsh House, I shrunk into my chair a little more. But the play. The play had me screaming in fright in a packed auditorium, paralysed with fear as often as I leapt a clear foot off my seat in shock and shaking with a mixture of awe, terror and excitement when it had finished.

So really, the adaptations are all very well done and suited to their respective mediums. It's just a question of what you like. If you want to read a great ghost story - go for the book. If you want to be scared at the cinema but relaxed by the time you leave - check out the film. But if you enjoy being scared to your very core and frightened to the point of an irrational fear of rocking chairs - then you simply must see the stage production. Just don't say I didn't warn you...

Book - 3.5/5 FOBLES

Film - 3.5/5 FOBLES

Play - 5/5 FOBLES

JK Rowling Makes Her Move Into Adult Fiction

2012-02-23T07:22:00.000-08:00

Daily Mail

Being the creator of Harry Potter, arguably the most famous boy in the world, has its ups and downs it seems. Author J K Rowling wanted a change after all her time spent with Christopher Little as her agent and Bloomsbury Books as her publishers.

The Bookseller has today announced that Rowling has now found a new home for her first works post-Potter in Little, Brown. The people who publish Nicholas Sparks, Dorothy Koomson, Alexander McCall Smith and Rosamund Lupton will now be bringing us J K Rowling's first novel for adults.

Bookseller said:

"David Shelley, publisher, Little, Brown, will be Rowling’s editor and will be responsible for publication in the UK with Michael Pietsch, executive vice-president of Little, Brown and Company, responsible for publication in the US. The book will be published by Hachette in Australia and in New Zealand and by Hachette’s companies and normal appointed agents for the English language in other markets."

More information on the novel will be revealed later this year but according to the Bookseller, Rowling has said that it will be "very different" to the Harry Potter series. Rowling also said:

"The freedom to explore new territory is a gift that Harry's success has brought me, and with that new territory it seemed a logical progression to have a new publisher."

Rumour has it that the book will be a crime novel set in Edinburgh but as yet this is unconfirmed.

So what would you love to see Rowling do for her first adult fiction book? Or should she have stuck to writing for children - something which she clearly has a great talent for? Let me know in the comments below.

Source: The Bookseller

Book Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

2012-02-13T13:24:00.002-08:00

*WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM BOOK ONE - THE HUNGER GAMES*

In The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins created an incredibly strong female lead in Katniss Everdeen. She was a survivor, pushed to the brink and forced to kill in order to survive in a world where the inhabitants live in constant fear of their oppresive and harsh government.

In The Hunger Games, Katniss managed to win the Hunger Games along with fellow District 12 contender Peeta Mellark. When we left them, they had just returned to their district to reap the benefits of their new-found status, wealth and security.

In Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy, Katniss is still fighting for survival - but in a very different way. Having managed to get out of the games alive - and not alone - Katniss has attracted a lot of unwanted attention. Though hers and Peeta's final act of defiance was played by the Capitol as an act of love, the devilishly sinister President Snow and his fellow officials are unconvinced that the people haven't seen through it. In his attempt to squash any rising rebellion, Snow pays a personal visit to Katniss threatening her with the assassination of everybody she holds dear - her mother, sister and best friend Gale. She soon realises that if she is to protect the people she loves, she must keep up the pretence of her love with Peeta and convince the people of Panem that she is head over heels for him. If she doesn't manage it, it's all over.

It is also the 75th year of the games, meaning that the government are about to pull something spectacular to prove their all-seeing power to the masses and take Katniss down a peg or two. It isn't long before Katniss must decide if she is to fight the system or run from it.

In this sequel, Collins has taken a much deeper look at the world of Panem. The opening celebratory tour takes Katniss and Peeta through each of the districts where they soon realise things are a lot stricter than what they are used to in District 12. The unwanted attention their win has brought on Katniss does not stop with her. More and more peacekeepers are brought into District 12 and public whippings and punishments are reinstated in a district that had, until now, been left largely to its own devices. While The Hunger Games merely hinted at the true horror of Panem, Catching Fire reveals it in all its terrifying glory.

The love triangle between Katniss, Peeta and Gale is also looked at much more closely as she starts to realise her true feelings for Gale but is forced to accept a love with Peeta. After spending so much time with him and going through the games together, she begins to realise how good he really is and allows herself to have feelings for him - though Gale is never far from her thoughts.

The action takes a while to get going in Catching Fire but the sinister arrival of President Snow and the forced pretence of the tour more than makes up for its absence. When the action does get going again, just as in The Hunger Games, the book becomes impossible to put down. I devoured it in two days and couldn't rest till I knew how it all ended. And of course all the ending did was make me desperate to read the third and final book in the saga.

The impending release of the first film next month has many people excited but I, for one, am looking ahead to when this book will be made into a film. The incredible Donald Sutherland is cast as President Snow and seeing more of him can only be a good thing along with a whole host of new characters.

5/5 FOBLES - Gripping, fascinating, clever, emotional, action-packed and utterly impossible to put down.

Read my review of the last book in the Hunger Games series - Mockingjay.

2012: The Year of Hemsworth

2012-02-10T02:15:00.000-08:00


Courtesy of Crushable - Liam supporting big brother Chris's film Thor

This may come as a surprise to nobody but me - what with their surnames being quite unique and exactly the same - but I've just learned that Chris Hemsworth (Thor) is big brother to rising star Liam Hemsworth whose portrayal of Gale in next month's release of The Hunger Games is sure to send him into stardom.

Liam and other brother Luke were both at one time in hit Australian soap Neighbours while Chris was in Home and Away.

This year, as well as starring in The Hunger Games, Liam Hemsworth will be in The Expendables 2 alongside every action heavyweight in cinema today. Chris will be starring in Snow White and the Huntsman, The Cabin in the Woods and The Avengers.

Not bad for one year - and certainly not at all bad for one family.

Tarantula vs The Skin I Live In: Book vs Film

2012-02-04T03:20:00.000-08:00

The Skin I Live in was the latest in a long line of Spanish films from master Director Pedro Almodóvar. The film is a difficult one to explain as most of the plot must be kept entirely secret in order for the audience to experience it for themselves.

The plot, for those who don't know, revolves around a doctor called Robert and the mystery woman Eve he keeps locked away in his house.

The book Tarantula, written by Thierry Jonquet, is incredibly different to the film. The big reveal - for those who have seen the film - remains in tact. It is everything else that changes. The book is in France while the film is in Spain, the maid (no relation in the book) is on holiday throughout and therefore has no involvement whatsoever. The ending, powerful in the film, is utterly different and even more shocking in the book.

But the biggest change is what the doctor does to Eve throughout. In the film, she is kept under lock and key, going slowly mad in her own solitute. In the book, however, Robert pimps her out to the nastiest men he can find and watches through the one-sided mirror, revelling in Eve's pain.

To tell you any of the other plot twists would give too much away. But if you were impressed by the film then the book is certainly worth reading. It's also incredibly short. Just beware of reading it in public as the cover might turn a few heads.

Though there are numerous differences, both book and film standalone as brilliantly complex and dark works. The care Almodóvar took with the film forgives him the alterations.

Book: 4 FOBLES
Film: 3.5 FOBLES

For my film review of The Skin I Live In, click here.

New Cover for Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid

2012-02-03T02:59:00.000-08:00

Finding an incredible debut author is like finding a needle in a haystack. Many new authors write great books which are well-received by many. However, there are a select few who come out of nowhere and have one of the most read books of the year. Recently for me this was Rosamund Lupton - whose debut book Sister back in 2010 blew my literary socks off. Her follow up had a lot to live up to but she somehow managed to pull off an incredible second book.

Now it seems that the people at Michael Joseph in Penguin towers may have stumbled across the debut author of 2012 to watch. I haven't had a chance to read this yet but the blurb and cover image are certainly enticing...

'They tried to make me go to my sister's funeral today. In the end I'd had to give in ... I'd been walking in her shadow for sixteen years and I liked its cool darkness. It was a good place to hide.'

How would you feel if your twin sister died suddenly? Particularly if she was the beautiful one and you were horribly disfigured. And how would it feel to be alone now if you and your sister were the only ones to know the truth about what takes place behind closed doors at home?And what would you do if it was your parents who brought danger and terror into your life? Would you dare reveal how your sister died? And would you be brave enough to find an escape of your own?

Black Heart Blue is a powerful novel about the domestic horrors that can unfold within a small community - and one girl's quest to stand up for the truth.

Louisa can be found on Twitter at @Louisareid

Black Heart Blue is out in paperback on 10th May 2012

Cover for Jodi Picoult's New Book: Lone Wolf

2012-02-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

I've had the pleasure of reading this book - which is out at the end of the month - and I have just seen the final cover. Now I know the saying suggests you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but wow. I think it's gorgeous and had to share it...

The book is available to pre-order now and my review will be going up at Novelicious soon.

Oscar® Nominations 2012

2012-01-24T06:09:00.000-08:00

The nominations are in and here's who I think SHOULD take the crown... whether or not they will remains to be seen. No surprise to see nothing for Tyrannosaur as it didn't reach the American audience. But sad to see no recognition for Andy Serkis's work in Rise of the Planet of the Apes or Michael Fassbender in ... well anything.

Leading the nominations list is Hugo with 11, closely followed by The Artist with 10. Moneyball and War Horse each have 6 and The Descendants has 5.

Supporting Actress

There are some impressive candidates here but Bejo has to take the crown. Her work in Artist was funny, sensitive, restrained and theatrical. Perfection.

Bérénice Bejo
Jessica Chastain
Melissa McCarthy
Janet McTeer
Octavia Spencer

Supporting Actor

Branagh as Laurence Olivier was perfect casting. Just brilliant to watch.

Kenneth Branagh
Jonah Hill
Nick Nolte
Christopher Plummer
Max von Sydow

Leading Actress
Well the Americans have clearly favoured their own here but it's an interesting mix and could be anybody's. Meryl Streep seems the most likely winner but Williams was so flawless in her portrayal of the tortured soul Marilyn Monroe, she deserves the recognition.

Glenn Close
Viola Davis
Rooney Mara
Meryl Streep
Michelle Williams

Leading Actor

Gary Oldman was easily the best thing in a talented cast when Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy came out but Dujardin just pips him to the post for me with his performance in The Artist at every stage of his character's career from the incredible high to the terrifying lows.

Demian Bichir
George Clooney
Jean Dujardin
Gary Oldman
Brad Pitt

Best Picture

I still don't see why Moneyball has made the cut and am yet to see The Descendants or Extremely Loud. The Help was a brilliant film and I just didn't "get" Tree of Life. It has to be The Artist for its originality and emotive style.

The Artist
Descendants
Extremely Loud
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
Tree of Life
War Horse

For the full list of nominations go to the official website.

Reviews: The Artist, The Inbetweeners and Carnage

2012-01-24T05:26:00.000-08:00

It's been a mixed bag of films for me over the last few days from the classic to the vulgar to the brilliantly clever and utterly hilarious.

The Artist

When a film has been raved about as much as this one has, it's hard to live up to the hype. I expected greatness - and was not disappointed. Apart from a short stint in the middle where the film started to drag just a little, the film is beautiful, emotional and utterly joyous.
The performances are incredible particularly by the two leads Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, evoking sadness and humour in equal measure and often with surprising subtlety given the style of this throwback to the era of silent films. The score is stunning and compliments each mood perfectly.
An absolute must-see for film buffs and non buffs alike. It's superb.

4.5/5 FOBLES

The Inbetweeners

Ridiculous, shocking, vulgar and ridiculous (OK I said that twice), the film sees the four boys go on holiday. Simon's stalkerish obsession with Carly takes on new heights.
The jokes are more crass, the plot all the more farcical. It's closer to Kevin and Perry than the series but for fans of the show, you will of course be expecting this. It doesn't have the same concise humour as the episodes but it's not an awful way to while away a couple of hours - if you like that sort of thing.

2.5/5 FOBLES

Carnage

When two eleven year old boys have a minor altercation at the park and one hits the other across the face with a stick, the two sets of parents decide to sit down and talk about what to do next - all amicably, all as adults.
What starts out as an adult conversation gradually turns into utter chaos. Loyalties switch, hilarity ensues and all manner of chaos takes place under one roof. And after the introduction of alcohol, the true personalities and frustrations of the four rear their ugly heads.
The script is brilliant as the film is all dialogue and very little action. Each actor is perfectly cast from the neurotic, overbearing Jodie Foster to the workaholic Christoph Waltz.
Based on the play "God of Carnage" by Yasmina Reza, this film version all takes place in the one setting - the apartment of the "victim's" parents and not for one second does it ease up.

4.5/5 FOBLES

BAFTA 2012 Nominations Announced

2012-01-17T01:43:00.000-08:00

This morning's BAFTA press release has now arrived the final nominations have been announced. Unsurprisingly it is The Artist in the lead with 12 nominations, closely followed by Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with 11. Martin Scorcese film Hugo has nine nominations, My Week with Marilyn has six and The Help and War Horse each have five.

Sadly Best Actress longlist nominee Olivia Colman has not made the final cut but first-time Director Paddy Considine has been nominated in the OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER category alongside Ralph Fiennes, Joe Cornish and Richard Ayoade. King of the award season so far, George Clooney, has some serious competition in the Best Actor category against Gary Oldman, Jean Dujardin and Michael Fassbender. And who will win the Best Actress category is anyone's guess with the final nominations including Bérénice Bejo, Meryl Streep, Michelle Williams, Tilda Swinton and Viola Davis.

Here are the nominations in full:

BEST FILM

THE ARTIST Thomas Langmann
THE DESCENDANTS Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
DRIVE Marc Platt, Adam Siegel
THE HELP Brunson Green, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Robyn Slovo

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN Simon Curtis, David Parfitt, Harvey Weinstein, Adrian Hodges
SENNA Asif Kapadia, James Gay-Rees, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Manish Pandey
SHAME Steve McQueen, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Abi Morgan
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Tomas Alfredson, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Robyn
Slovo, Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN Lynne Ramsay, Luc Roeg, Jennifer Fox, Robert Salerno,
Rory Stewart Kinnear

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

ATTACK THE BLOCK Joe Cornish (Director/Writer)
BLACK POND Will Sharpe (Director/Writer), Tom Kingsley (Director), Sarah Brocklehurst (Producer)
CORIOLANUS Ralph Fiennes (Director)
SUBMARINE Richard Ayoade (Director/Writer)
TYRANNOSAUR Paddy Considine (Director), Diarmid Scrimshaw (Producer)

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

INCENDIES Denis Villeneuve, Luc Déry, Kim McGraw
PINA Wim Wenders, Gian-Piero Ringel
POTICHE François Ozon, Eric Altmayer, Nicolas Altmayer
A SEPARATION Asghar Farhadi
THE SKIN I LIVE IN Pedro Almodóvar, Agustin Almodóvar

DOCUMENTARY

GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD Martin Scorsese
PROJECT NIM James Marsh, Simon Chinn
SENNA Asif Kapadia

ANIMATED FILM

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN Steven Spielberg
ARTHUR CHRISTMAS Sarah Smith
RANGO Gore Verbinski

DIRECTOR

THE ARTIST Michel Hazanavicius
DRIVE Nicolas Winding Refn
HUGO Martin Scorsese
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Tomas Alfredson
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN Lynne Ramsay

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

THE ARTIST Michel Hazanavicius
BRIDESMAIDS Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig
THE GUARD John Michael McDonagh
THE IRON LADY Abi Morgan
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS Woody Allen

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

THE DESCENDANTS Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
THE HELP Tate Taylor
THE IDES OF MARCH George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon
MONEYBALL Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan

LEADING ACTOR

BRAD PITT Moneyball
GARY OLDMAN Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
GEORGE CLOONEY The Descendants
JEAN DUJARDIN The Artist
MICHAEL FASSBENDER Shame

LEADING ACTRESS

BÉRÉNICE BEJO The Artist
MERYL STREEP The Iron Lady
MICHELLE WILLIAMS My Week with Marilyn
TILDA SWINTON We Need to Talk About Kevin
VIOLA DAVIS The Help

SUPPORTING ACTOR

CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER Beginners
JIM BROADBENT The Iron Lady
JONAH HILL Moneyball
KENNETH BRANAGH My Week with Marilyn
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN The Ides of March

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

CAREY MULLIGAN Drive
JESSICA CHASTAIN The Help
JUDI DENCH My Week with Marilyn
MELISSA MCCARTHY Bridesmaids
OCTAVIA SPENCER The Help

ORIGINAL MUSIC

THE ARTIST Ludovic Bource
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
HUGO Howard Shore
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Alberto Iglesias
WAR HORSE John Williams

CINEMATOGRAPHY

THE ARTIST Guillaume Schiffman
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO Jeff Cronenweth
HUGO Robert Richardson
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Hoyte van Hoytema
WAR HORSE Janusz Kaminski

EDITING

THE ARTIST Anne-Sophie Bion, Michel Hazanavicius
DRIVE Mat Newman
HUGO Thelma Schoonmaker
SENNA Gregers Sall, Chris King
TINKER TAILOR SOLIDER SPY Dino Jonsater

PRODUCTION DESIGN

THE ARTIST Laurence Bennett, Robert Gould
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan
HUGO Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Maria Djurkovic, Tatiana MacDonald
WAR HORSE Rick Carter, Lee Sandales

COSTUME DESIGN

THE ARTIST Mark Bridges
HUGO Sandy Powell
JANE EYRE Michael O'Connor
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN Jill Taylor
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Jacqueline Durran

MAKE UP & HAIR

THE ARTIST Julie Hewett, Cydney Cornell
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 Amanda Knight, Lisa Tomblin
HUGO Morag Ross, Jan Archibald
THE IRON LADY Marese Langan
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN Jenny Shircore

SOUND

THE ARTIST Nadine Muse, Gérard Lamps, Michael Krikorian
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 James Mather, Stuart Wilson, Stuart Hilliker, Mike Dowson, Adam Scrivener
HUGO Philip Stockton, Eugene Gearty, Tom Fleischman, John Midgley
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY John Casali, Howard Bargroff, Doug Cooper, Stephen Griffiths, Andy Shelley
WAR HORSE Stuart Wilson, Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson, Richard Hymns

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN Joe Letteri
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 Tim Burke, John Richardson, Greg Butler, David Vickery
HUGO Rob Legato, Ben Grossman, Joss Williams
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White
WAR HORSE Ben Morris, Neil Corbould

SHORT ANIMATION

ABUELAS Afarin Eghbal, Kasia Malipan, Francesca Gardiner
BOBBY YEAH Robert Morgan
A MORNING STROLL Grant Orchard, Sue Goffe

SHORT FILM

CHALK Martina Amati, Gavin Emerson, James Bolton, Ilaria Bernardini
MWANSA THE GREAT Rungano Nyoni, Gabriel Gauchet
ONLY SOUND REMAINS Arash Ashtiani, Anshu Poddar
PITCH BLACK HEIST John Maclean, Gerardine O'Flynn
TWO AND TWO Babak Anvari, Kit Fraser, Gavin Cullen

THE ORANGE WEDNESDAYS RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)

ADAM DEACON
CHRIS HEMSWORTH
CHRIS O'DOWD
EDDIE REDMAYNE
TOM HIDDLESTON

To Apostrophe or Not to Apostrophe: The Waterstones Debate

2012-01-16T02:56:00.000-08:00

Last week, Waterstone's became Waterstones, apparently to make the name more "practical and versatile" in this technological world. The outcry seems to follow not just from the lack of apostrophe but the fact that it is being lost by a bookstore - a shop that should be taking the written word a little more seriously than others. I strongly doubt that the same reaction would have happened were Sainsbury's to do the same.

According to The Telegraph, Waterstones Managing Director James Daunt said: “Waterstones without an apostrophe is, in a digital world of URLs and email addresses, a more versatile and practical spelling."

In response, John Richards, the chairman of the Apostrophe Protection Society said: "It's just plain wrong. It's grammatically incorrect."

So are you a stickler for grammar? Or should we stop worrying so much about apostrophes in a digital age - where people write in text language and cram entire paragraphs into one tweet - and just move with the times.

Let me know wot u think below ;-) x

Source: The Telegraph

Andy Serkis as Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes

2012-01-12T08:17:00.000-08:00

As a big supporter of the work of Andy Serkis and a believer that he deserves recognition during award season, I just had to share this incredible footage of the emotional goodbye scene from Rise of the Planet of the Apes, courtesy of Hitfix.

Watch this and I defy you to tell me he isn't Best Actor worthy.

Source: Hitfix

Scott Pilgrim vs the World: Comic Book vs Film

2012-01-11T04:45:00.000-08:00

Guest post by Scott Inkson

Scott Pilgrim vs the World was a comedy-hit in 2010 for director Edgar Wright; while it underperformed at the box-office, it became an instant cult-hit and entered many people's favourite film lists. Scott Pilgrim vs the World was an adaptation of Canadian writer Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim set of black’n’white digests about an early-twenties Canadian slacker, part-time musician who falls for an American delivery girl, Ramona Flowers. He finds she comes with baggage in the form of seven evil-exes - whom he must defeat. It is at heart your typical boy-meets-girl.

If it sounds bonkers, it is because it is joyously so. Reality is rather subjective, and if you are willing to buy into the premise and fantastical style of representation of the film – you are in for a rather good time.

As there are six Scott Pilgrim books, (the last one finished alongside the adaptation), the film obviously can only service them through its own abridged version of them; and the overall A-story of Scott Pilgrim. Much like the other comedy-comicbook hit of the same year Kick-Ass (and several other multi-issue/book adaptations) it adapts the first part almost exactly before focusing on its own path rather than remaining overly faithful - specific, necessary scenes and story-points aside.

The film itself is almost structured as if it was a musical, as it drives us towards these lavish, larger-than-life, fantastical set-pieces of expression - which of course bare no resemblance to reality but nevertheless service the kernel of truth inherent in the story. It is a testament to the level of detail and commitment to the Scott Pilgrim influence that there is a number motif in the film, informing us constantly what level we are at. That is level, as in video-game level, Scott’s main vice and by which he seemingly likes to filter reality through. It is a Canadian, filmic version of Spaced which makes Edgar Wright the perfect director for this out-there - but culturally relevant film - that acts as geek-bait to all us perpetual teens over-aware of popular culture.

I read the Scott Pilgrim books on the run-up to the film when a friend suggested to me they would be right up my street. I found that not only were they up my street but they were already in my house, sat in my bedroom and playing Legend of Zelda on my SNES.

Scott Pilgrim is a rom-com for the iGeneration who grew up with 90’s video-game consoles and lo-fi music. It may seem like a sugar-rush that is style-over-substance to non-geeks or those no longer young-at-heart. However, those who understand that style can be substance (when done with express-purpose) are in for a metatextual meal of mirth as the interplay of styles is often quite witty or wonderfully expressed. It also contains more truth than people give it credit for - who hasn’t demonised a significant other's exes and quested to overtake them in significance in a loved ones life? In Scott Pilgrim he gets to do it in glorious expressive-and-metaphoric fights and contests before learning an important lesson in love and life in the end.

If computer games, stylised fighting, slacker-comedy, and a sweet centre is your thing – you will fall in lesbian with Scott Pilgrim vs the World – just be sure to read the books too.

Book(s) – Brilliant manga-inspired reads containing a lot of humour, charm and scatological pop-culture and video-game references - 5/5

Film – Worthy and almost guilt-inspiring fun adaptation that has entered the favourites of many people of a certain persuasion or generation - 5/5

2011: A Look Back

2011-12-20T04:33:00.000-08:00

This time last year, I decided to set up a little blog. A place for me to jot down what I thought of books and films I'd been enjoying. One year on, and the site is far more successful than I could have imagined and has turned into a place not just for my ramblings, but for everyone to share their opinions and debate to their heart's content! So as 2011 draws to a close, here are my favourite things from this past year.

What have your book and film highlights been in 2011? As always, comment away! Enjoy xxx

FILMS
2011 has been an impressive year at the cinema with massive hits from comic books to classics and brilliantly original screenplays. But it all started out with The King's Speech and Black Swan back in January - two completely different films that were both staggeringly good to watch. Later in the year, there were some more arty, occasionally darker films to marvel at rather than enjoy. The violence in Tyrannosaur - Paddy Considine's directorial debut - was intense but entirely overshadowed by the phenomenal performance given by Olivia Colman. Tilda Swinton also gave a quietly torturing performance in the bloodstained We Need to Talk About Kevin.

ADAPTATIONS
We Need to Talk About Kevin was one of the biggest adaptations of the year - but not the only one. There was also One Day, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, The Help and the final Harry Potter instalment - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two. While The Help and We Need to Talk About Kevin did brilliant jobs with their original source text, it was the final Harry Potter that stood out and for all the wrong reasons. The team behind the final film opted for 3D spectacle over plot and lost all the fitting ends to the beloved characters. It was a sorry end to an incredible series.

BOOKS
While 2011 was the year I managed to read The Help and We Need to Talk About Kevin - two incredible books - the book of the year has to be Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton. It held its own, even given the high standards set by Lupton's staggeringly brilliant debut Sister back in 2010. It was a lot to live up to but Lupton managed to prove just how talented she is with her second book. I look forward to book number three...
Though released a few years ago, 2011 was also the year I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, a brilliant piece of young adult fiction set in a dystopian future. The book has been made into a film for release in 2012 and I am hugely excited to see it on the big screen.
A piece of quality non-fiction came out in 2011 in Dani's Story by Bernie and Diane Lierow. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once and looks at the struggle the Lierows had in adopting Dani, a young girl who had been removed from her family home due to severe negligence.

INTERVIEWS
In the last year, I have had the great pleasure of chatting to some brilliant people in the world of film and book, but the highlights have to be getting to pose my questions to two brilliant authors - Rosamund Lupton and John Grisham. Getting to hear Real Steel director Shawn Levy and star of Fright Night David Tennant talk about their films at Empire Big Screen Weekend was also brilliant fun.

FUN
Sometimes, films and books get overlooked because they are silly and not to be taken seriously - though this does not make them bad. For pure unadulterated enjoyment, highlights have to include the Hugh Jackman robot film Real Steel and hilarious romp My Sweet Saga by Brett Sills. Marvel film Thor was also suprisingly entertaining and saw newcomer Chris Hemsworth pull off arrogant, funny and charming with apparent ease. Kristen Wiig also proved her worth by starring in and writing the massive hit Bridesmaids which mixed gross-out comedy, humour, touching sentimentality and heartbreaking sadness with class. But the clear winner by a mile was the JJ Abrams/Steven Spielberg summer hit Super 8, which had me hooked from start to finish. It was an adrenaline fuelled ride with incredible young stars, amazing effects and a dark and twisted storyline to match.

John Grisham Talks Adaptations

2011-12-08T06:06:00.000-08:00

The lovely folks over at Tesco Books asked people to submit questions for an interview with bestselling author John Grisham. My question was picked and here's what Grisham had to say in response.

Lots of your books have been turned into films. How well do you think they represent your books and what is your favourite film?

"I have been very lucky with Hollywood. I've had nine books adapted. Eight were enjoyable. The Chamber was a bad one. I stay away from it...I try and sell film rights to people with good track records.
The best adaptation was The Rainmaker...by Francis Ford Coppola and was a very faithful adaptation from the book and my favourite movie. I also like A Time to Kill, which was my first book.
They're all fun to watch. I don't get involved in making the movies because I don't know how to make movies. I don't go to the set anymore. I don't hang out and try to tell the director how to make a film. That's not what I do. I sit back and watch it like everybody else and hope it's good."

For the full interview check out John Grisham's velvety voice at Tesco Books.

Hidden Cinematic Gems of 2011

2011-12-08T01:19:00.000-08:00

2011 has seen some incredible blockbusters hit the big screen. The year kicked off with The King's Speech and Black Swan, the summer was spectacular with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Super 8 and two Marvel films Thor and Captain America. There was the brilliantly witty and original Bridesmaids and some incredibly successful art-house films including We Need to Talk About Kevin and The Tree of Life. Even though it was widely criticized by critics, even The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn did tremendously well at the box office thanks to its massive fan base. And the year isn't up yet - we still have the Sherlock Holmes sequel, Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to go.

But in amongst all that spectacle, a few gems have hit our screens and fizzled quietly away almost as quickly as they arrived. They may not have made millions at the box office but they deserve to be recognised as great pieces of cinema and I strongly urge you to check them out as soon as you can.

First off is Oranges and Sunshine, the true story of social worker Margaret Humphreys (Emily Watson) who stumbled across one of the biggest cover-ups in recent British history. Humphreys helped a young Australian woman who was trying to track down her birth parents. What she discovered was that thousands of British children were removed from their parents, told their parents were dead (when in fact they were not) and shipped off to Australia for a better life. Many were left in care, some abused, but largely they were forgotten about. Humphreys then takes it upon herself to track down all the families she can to reunite them. The stories are heartbreaking but instead of focusing on them, the film beautifully stays with Humphreys, who divides her time between her home in the UK and a house in Australia, away from her family and dealing daily with the horrifying stories each new person tells her.

Albatross was a hilarious surprise when I saw it. I didn't really know much about it, except that Jessica Brown Findlay from Downton Abbey was in it. What I found was a brilliantly naughty and oh-so-funny script about what happens when an outspoken young girl starts her cleaning job at a B&B and gets involved in the lives of the family who run it. The film has a British cast that shine in its countryside setting. Also starring Julia Ormond and Felicity Jones, Albatross was a shining example of originality and cleverly tongue-in-cheek.

I was apprehensive about seeing Tyrannosaur as it was meant to be incredibly violent. It was even more violent than I had previously imagined but what I did discover was an incredibly powerful film about an unlikely friendship between a violent man and a woman suffering domestic abuse at the hands of her husband. Written and directed by Paddy Considine and with a performance from Olivia Colman - known before this for her comedic roles - that blew me away, the film is flawless - if you can handle the violence. I truly hope that Colman and Considine are recognised for their work and not just in the UK.

I stumbled across Welcome to the South (Benvenuti al Sud) entirely by accident as it was part of the local Italian Cinema selection. What I found was an absolutely hilarious, laugh-out-loud film about the misconceptions of others. When a man in the north of Italy is punished for lying at work by being sent to the office nobody wants in the south, he prepares - rather comically - by putting on a bullet-proof vest. When he gets there, he finds that they may speak funny and they may have a different way of approaching things but they are still great people. He soon befriends them and starts to enjoy life their way.

Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2011-12-07T12:03:00.001-08:00

Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12 of Panem with her mother and little sister Primrose. After the death of her father and her mother's subsequent breakdown, she has had to take charge of her little family, risking the death penalty daily by entering the woods with best friend Gale to hunt for food.

Every year, one boy and one girl from each district aged between 12 and 18 are selected to take part in The Hunger Games - a fight-to-the-death reality show where there can only be one victor. Once you turn 12, your name is entered and is again with every birthday. There are also ways to buy food, which is scarce in many districts, by adding your name even more times.

For 16 year old Katniss, the odds are not in her favour. She has been getting food and supplies for her family by adding her name to the pot and for her age has been entered five times already. 12 year old sister Prim has only been entered once. But when the name for the girl Tribute in District 12 is called out, Katniss is horrified to hear that of her little sister. She immediately steps forward and volunteers as Tribute in her sister's place - becoming one of the 24 young people who will, in a few short days, be dropped into the games.

In Katniss Everdeen, Collins has created a fantastic female lead. She is flawed in her social skills, cold and harsh with her mother and does not really understand the world, romance or love. But at the heart of it all she is a survivor. She loves her sister in a protective maternal way, but other than that she looks at each day as a battle, a hunt for food, for trade, for carrying on whichever way she can.

The reality show style of the games means that she quickly becomes more a pageant show contestant than a fighting machine, trying to win the affection of sponsors who will then drop things into the game to help her along the way. Though she knows she must ultimately kill him, she is advised by her team to befriend Peeta, the boy chosen to represent District 12 alongside her. The two are the only District pair to enter the procession holding hands and they share their training time, while others work alone.

"They want a good show" she is told. And so, because she will do whatever she has to to survive, she goes along with it. She blushes, flirts and plays up the romance to the cameras. Anything to put the odds more in her favour. The relationship that develops between the two, and all its hidden understones, is a fascinating one as Katniss starts to realise that perhaps it is not all just for the cameras.

The book also has an incredibly fast pace, even for the massive stints when Katniss is alone in the games. She is always thinking, always planning, so there is always something to do, some plan to follow. When each chapter ends, you just want to keep reading to see what is around the next corner.

The book has striking parallels to Battle Royale but fans of the book and film of the Japanese hit should not be put off. The Hunger Games is an entirely different approach to the same concept. It is a young adult fiction book and set in a dystopian fantasy style reality instead of the "real world" of the Battle Royale. By doing this, it manages to be different enough that fans will not be constantly comparing the two. Battle Royale is a much darker novel and though the violence still exists in The Hunger Games, it is not nearly as terrifying. A few nasty deaths did make me wince but they are more ugly than scary.

The fantasy element is not just in the customs, clothing and names of Panem's inhabitants but in the creatures. There are genetically modified birds that mimic song, the muttations - creatures that are wolf-like in nature but also walk like humans, and tracker jackers - wasps that have an enhanced sting that can easily kill a person.

A superb, clever and imaginative book that left me dying to read the following two books in the trilogy.

I cannot WAIT for the film in March 2012!

4.5/5 FOBLES

Read my review of Book 2 in the series Catching Fire here

My Week With Marilyn: A Cinematic Delight

2011-12-01T15:42:00.000-08:00

My Week With Marilyn is a true account of the week when 23-year-old Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) worked on a Laurence Olivier picture back in the 1950s and got to not only meet Marilyn Monroe but fall in love with her. Monroe, played here in the performance of her career by Michelle Williams, was a demanding star - turning up late to set, fluffing her lines and always insisting on an entourage. But according to Clark's diaries, there was much more to the woman than met the eye.

A staggeringly good cinematic debut for Director Simon Curtis, this film is a delectable treat of 50s style close ups, pouts and wiggles that Williams has mastered - as seen through the eyes of both her young admirer and her rather older, and slightly more envious admirer Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh). With a supporting cast of Dougray Scott as Monroe's husband Arthur Miller, Dame Judi Dench as Dame Sybil Thorndike, Julia Ormond as Vivien Leigh and other stars including Emma Watson, Zoe Wanamaker, Dominic Cooper and even a small part for Derek Jacobi, the film is a veritable who's who of acting class.

The film's setting is stunning, from the city shops to the rural houses and gorgeous 1950s cars. Shots of the sun shimmering through Autumn leaves just add to the majesty of Monroe herself. The always entertaining American vs British ideals and customs just adds to the chaos and humour of it all.

At its heart though is a gorgeous tale of first love as the young Colin finds himself completely taken in by Monroe. She manages to be both fragile and strong in a way that must be seen to be believed. She needs love and validation all the time and never seems happy with herself, but she also loves being Marilyn Monroe and you see that she cannot even fathom leaving Hollywood behind. Knowing how her life eventually pans out just makes this all the more tragic. You don't even realise how "herself" she is being with Colin in the film until fans ask for her autograph and she turns it on. "Shall I be her?" she asks Colin. And the transformation into Monroe takes place before your very eyes.

The only niggling thing for me was the bizarre accents of some of the cast but when you're led by Branagh, Williams and BAFTA Rising Star Nominee Redmayne, the niggling things fall to the wayside.

My Week With Marilyn takes you back to all the exquisite joy and utter heartbreak of first loves. Because after all, anyone who recalls their first love with affection saw them as Colin sees Marilyn Monroe, even if they weren't the most famous face in the world.

An absolute delight. Just like Monroe herself, when Williams is on screen it is impossible to look away.

4.5/5 FOBLES

Top Five Books of 2011

2011-11-18T04:29:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year folks! The weather is getting colder, the silly animal hats are coming out, the Christmas shopping has begun, the lights are going up on Oxford Street, the cheesy adverts have started on TV, and people have started to debate what to buy for each of their friends and family and how they are going to fit into those tight trousers after just a few too many mince pies.

But one of the images most synonymous with the holiday season is that of you getting all curled up in that new jumper grandma bought you, by a warm fire (or more often than not - a radiator!) with a hot chocolate and tucking into a great book.

So as we reach the end of 2011, I wanted to share with you my favourite reads from this year. Admittedly, not all of these five were released this year but they were still new to me so I'm allowing it!

What have you enjoyed reading in 2011? Let me know in the comments below... and seasons greetings!

5. Dani's Story by Diane and Bernie Lierow with Kay West

A gripping, heartwarming and horrifying non-fiction must-read about a severely neglected young girl who finds hope with a new family.

4. My Sweet Saga by Brett Sills

A hilarious American romp with a brilliantly flawed male lead who will take you across the world on his crazy antics and snorting with laughter throughout.

3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

A look at 1960s America amidst the race riots and what it was like for the black maids to work for a white family.

2. Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton

The follow up book by incredibly talented author Rosamund Lupton looks at the aftermath of a school fire with emotional and heart-wrenching honesty. Combines crime thriller with family drama brilliantly, and even adds a ghostly twist.

1. We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Schriver
A masterpiece of modern literature which, through a series of letters written to her absent husband, explores life for Eva after her teenage son is put in jail for killing his classmates.

#MTOS Book to Film Adaptations: The Questions

2011-11-08T03:34:00.000-08:00

On Sunday November 13th, I will be hosting #MTOS with a theme very close to my heart.... book to film adaptations. So this week our Movie Talk on Sunday is not just for film fans - it's for book-lovers too.

It seems that many films nowadays are based on books, whether it be comic book adaptations like Spiderman, Captain America and Superman, modern-day novels such as The Help, We Need to Talk About Kevin and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy or classic novels like Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre. But are they any good?

Remember, there are no right or wrong answers here - it's a discussion. So let's get chatting...

What is the best book to film adaptation ever made?
What is the worst book to film adaptation ever made?
What does a great adaptation need to be a success?
Why do you think film-makers are choosing to adapt books instead of taking on a new screenplay?
Is it easier to convert comic books, children's books or novels into films?
Have any films managed to be better than the original book?
What book would you like to see made into a film?
What book should never be made into a film?
Do you agree with the decision to split long books into two films, as with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Breaking Dawn?
Should authors be involved in book to film adaptations or leave well alone?

So see you on Sunday at 8pm GMT for this book vs film chat... and don't forget to use the hashtag #mtos.

For more information on what MTOS is, please click here.

Amanda x

BIFA Award Nominees Announced

2011-10-31T06:52:00.000-07:00

The nominees have now been announced on Twitter by Moët BIFA (The Moët British Independent Film Awards).

The nominations include Submarine, Tyrannosaur, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Albatross, Jane Eyre and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. All in all, it's been a great year for British Cinema and long may it continue. There seems to also be a great mix of fresh new screenplays and book to film adaptations.

Personally, I would love to see Paddy Considine and Olivia Colman get recognised for their incredible work in Tyrannosaur and must say a massive congratulations to Jessica Brown Findlay for her nomination for Albatross, though I am sad to see Tamzin Rafn hasn't made the list for her brilliantly witty and original screenplay of the same film.

The hardest award to call may just be the Best Supporting Actor category as Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch and Ezra Miller all brought phenomenal acting to the screen.

See what you think of the list below. Is your favourite on there?

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER (ON SCREEN)

Jessica Brown Findlay for ALBATROSS
John Boyega for ATTACK THE BLOCK
Craig Roberts for SUBMARINE
Yasmin Paige for SUBMARINE
Tom Cullen for WEEKEND

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Felicity Jones for ALBATROSS
Vanessa Redgrave for CORIOLANUS
Carey Mulligan for SHAME
Sally Hawkins for SUBMARINE
Kathy Burke for TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Michael Smiley for KILL LIST
Tom Hardy for TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Benedict Cumberbatch for TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Eddie Marsan for TYRANNOSAUR
Ezra Miller for WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

BEST ACTOR

Brendan Gleeson for THE GUARD
Neil Maskell for KILL LIST
Michael Fassbender for SHAME
Gary Oldman for TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Peter Mullan for TYRANNOSAUR

BEST ACTRESS

Rebecca Hall for THE AWAKENING
Mia Wasikowska for JANE EYRE
MyAnna Buring for KILL LIST
Olivia Colman for TYRANNOSAUR
Tilda Swinton for WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

BEST SCREENPLAY

John Michael McDonagh for THE GUARD
Ben Wheatley and Amy Jump for KILL LIST
Abi Morgan and Steve McQueen for SHAME
Richard Ayoade for SUBMARINE
Lynne Ramsay and Rory Kinnear for WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

BEST DIRECTOR

Ben Wheatley for KILL LIST
Steve McQueen for SHAME
Tomas Alfredson for TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Paddy Considine for TYRANNOSAUR
Lynne Ramsay for WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM

SENNA
SHAME
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
TYRANNOSAUR
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN