Friday apparently has not seen many movies based on books

Fave weather:  Spring when it’s about 70 degrees and nicely sunny, but not too hot in the sun and with a nice breeze.  Also Fall under the same conditions, but about 60 degrees so you can comfortably wear a light jacket.

Fave thing about the 90s: This one’s hard! All my childhood nostalgia comes from the 90s, as that’s when I grew up (as we all did!), but I’ll pick just one part. I think my favorite part of it may have actually been that childhood wasn’t yet dominated by technology and the internet. Children didn’t have cell phones (hardly anyone except hardcore businessmen had cell phones when I was in elementary school), families were only just starting to get house computers, and more. When I’d play with my friends after school, we played with our toys, went outside to the playground, and in general used lots of imagination in everything. So, to sum up, my fave thing about the 90s would be that we lived without the massive connection to technology that we have now. (Don’t get me wrong, I love technology, but it’s always nice to get some time away.)

Okay, book-to-movie adaptations! First off, I’ll talk about some of my favorites:

1.       1. The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Yes, Peter Jackson changed some things, added in some, and edited out others, but I just love the finished product. I think the movies do a wonderful job of portraying the books and also led a whole new group of people to love the stories. It was the movies that led me to the books and the fandom, so they’ll always hold a special place in my heart for that reason as well.

2.     2.   Harry Potter-wise, Deathly Hallows Part 1 is also one of my favorite adaptations. In addition to the first and second films, I think this was the most book-accurate of the Harry Potter movies. There are omissions of course (Dumbledore’s family, anyone?), but overall the style and feel of the movie is, I think, very similar to the feel of the first half of the book. (I also have to take this moment to freak out a bit- Part 2 in one week?????? I’ve got my tickets and costume ready and will be bringing a pursefull of tissues to the theater, that’s for sure.)

As for bad adaptations:

1.      1.  I also have to mention Ella Enchanted. I loved that book when I read it in elementary school and the movie just did not do the job of telling the original story well. That scene where she jumps up, spins around, and kicks a bunch of people? No, just no.

2.       2. Again, Harry Potter-wise…. My least favorite HP book-movie adaptation is probably Order of the Phoenix. This may, actually, have something to do with the fact that OotP is my least favorite HP book. It also happens to be my least favorite HP movie. I found it to be very forgettable and it didn’t completely feel like a Harry Potter movie, you know?

My question for everyone: What are your thoughts on the last Harry Potter movie coming out and what are you doing next week for the premiere?!