I must say that I love reading so much more than movies and series – which this week’s TTT is all about. However, since The Boy really doesn’t read all that much, I do watch a fair share of movies. It is also my way of ensuring he doesn’t COMPLETELY miss out on the magic (we watched The Hunger Games and Warm Bodies together, for example). Sometimes I watch the movie first, and I’ve stopped feeling guilty about that too.
THESE CONVERSIONS WERE UN-FUN
1. My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult (2009) – I am still bitter about this one. I dragged my whole family to watch this with me, because I was in a Picoult-phase and I thought they would love it. And then THE ENDING HAPPENED. Guys. I can understand little changes. But literally changing the conclusion to the complete opposite event? What?!
2. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1963) – I suppose one shouldn’t expect too much from such old movies, right? I felt the movie did not really get the horror of it all across. Or the finer nuances of Golding’s implication.
3. The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket (2004) – the book was pretty dark already, but the movie made me regret taking my little brother and sister along to the movie. It didn’t work.
4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2012) – I didn’t think the movie was technically awful, until someone told me to ask people who had only seen the movie to explain what it was about. And they just didn’t GET it.
THESE CONVERSIONS WORKED
I’m not going to say the movie was better, but it was good.
5. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Dinsey film, 2010 film) – the films made a lot of changes, especially to make the Disney film more child-friendly, but it was still twisted and trippy enough to make me pick up the original book version years later.
6. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (2007) – this was one of the first books that made me cry, and the film really did it justice. Everything looked exactly as I imagined it.
7. Life of Pi by Yann Martel (2012) – I know that a lot of people will disagree, but I thought it was done wonderfully. My biggest complaint is that the end of the story is supposed to make you wonder whether Pi had really experienced all those things or if he had hallucinated, which the movie just doesn’t bring across.
8. Matilda by Roald Dahl (1996) – It has been a long time since I watched this… but I certainly thought it was a wonderful movie!
THE MOVIE WAS BETTER (SORRY)
9. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (Swedish film) – this is just such a disturbing story, but the book was toooooo loooooong and just draaaaaagged! I thought the film accomplished its goals better.
I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR GOAL WAS, MOVIE
10. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (2012) – while the cinematography here was excellent, the movie was such a jumble that it thoroughly confused a lot of people. If its aim was to encourage people to read the book, it may have succeeded, because after being so confused I felt like only reading the book would cure me.
Whispers Unto the Aether 
I like the book Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but I also love the movies, both the Swedish and the American version. The American version is helped by the presence of Daniel Craig… 🙂
Hah, kudos! Did you read the other two books, too?
lol, where is that gif from? I love it!
I still haven’t seen the American version of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I enjoyed the Swedish version…guess I need some time in between before tackling that storyline again, lol (Daniel Craig or no Daniel Craig…but let’s face it, he’s the main reason why I’m intrigued by the US version :p)
I also need to re-read Life of Pi before checking out the movie
My TTT
You’ve caught me…. I don’t know where the GIF is from. I recognise the character but… yeah.
Hah, I thought Daniel Craig was good in the American film, for sure. I watched the Swedish film first and I guess it just left an imprint on my mind.
Read Life of Pi for sure. It starts slowly, but it is so worth it.
I completely agree with ‘My Sister’s Keeper’. That ending was…ugh. I can’t even describe my contempt for it. Haha. Great List!
Thank you! Even my family, who didn’t read the book, thought the ending was blunted.
6, 9, and 10- agree! And definitely read Cloud Atlas- it’s fantastic.
Thank you! I think I’m going to read it over our summer. Tried to start it this week but there are too many interruptions going on right now!
Great list. I totally agree about “My Sister’s Keeper”. Wish I’d thought to add Alice to my list!!
I almost didn’t! Thanks!
One of my top 10 favorite books is “The English Patient” and I was dreading what the movie would do to that intricate, compelling story. The movie not only did not disappoint but held its own delights to discover – the sound and sparkle of those glass bottles in the desert linger still almost 20 years later.
Love your blog! I’m a devoted lurker.
Marjorie
partial S13 LLL
Great to hear from you, Marjorie! I haven’t read or watched The English Patient, but it has been recommended to me, so I think I should make a plan. Thanks for stopping by!
I dragged a bunch of friends to My Sister’s Keeper and did the same thing. So disappointing.
And yes to Life of Pi and Matilda!
I was going to watch Cloud Atlas but after reading your review I’m not anymore I get confused very easily LOL 🙂 i love Love of Pi and Matilda too.
I still liked the movie but it was so weird. Book is better!
I usually like the books better, but I do remember loving both Tattoos, ha! Except the American version, which I haven’t seen.