5 Movies Based On Books

1. Hidden Figures (2016)

The book: Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

If you’re in the mood for a feel-good movie, then look no further. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe star in this movie about the three Black women who worked at NASA during the early years of the space program. They were an integral part of launching astronaut John Glenn into orbit. This true story is most likely not one you learned about in school.

2. Gone Girl (2014)

The book: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

We could write a dissertation about Gone Girl, and it still wouldn’t be long enough to dive into the complicated issues tackled in the movie. Here’s what you need to know: The David Fincher–directed mystery movie is about a husband who becomes a suspect in his wife’s disappearance. The thriller tackles parenting, manipulation, misogyny, and most of all, marriage. When it comes to movie adaptations of books, this is near the top of the list.

3. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The book: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

The highest-rated movie on IMDb, this classic is parodied (and homaged) all over the place, a favorite of both fans and critics. It’s a drama, to be sure, but as far as prison stories go, watchable and even a little hopeful.

4. Jurassic Park (1993)

The book: Jurassic Park: A Novel by Michael Crichton

This blockbuster keeps getting rebooted for a reason: It’s just cool to watch dinosaurs chase people! Yes, there’s a lesson here about overstepping the bounds of science and hubris in the face of nature, but mostly, T-Rex go chomp-chomp.

5. Room (2015)

The book: Room by Emma Donoghue

Both the book and the film adaptation of this intense story follow a kidnapped young woman and her son, who we learn was born in captivity. When they finally escape their abuser, the child gets to experience the outside world for the first time in his life. Starring Brie Larsson who won the Oscars for Best Actress for her role in this film and Jacob Tremblay.

For The Love Of Reading Books

I don’t remember when I actually started to love reading but it is possible that it started from the time I could start reading books on my own. Ages 4 or 5 I guess. Around that time I suppose because I remember always being a voracious reader. As a youngster I loved comics and could spends hours with a bunch of them. As I turned 14-15 I turned to novels and read a lot each months. I liked to read as much as I could. People found it easy to give me gifts; they just needed to get me some books.

When I visited my cousins homes, after we all exchanged hellos and how are yous, if we weren’t playing a game or something, I would be reading the books that they had in their homes. I wish I could read as much as I used to as it now takes me a month or more to read a single novel whereas I would devour 2 or 3 in a month in years gone by. It is a bit annoying that I can’t concentrate and commit to finishing a book in a week or two whereas I used to devour books at rates of like 3 in a week up till 2008. The internet is too much of a distraction I tell ya!

Tell stories to your kids from the time that they are really young and make it a point to read from a book. Watch their big eyes go wide as you talk about kings and queens, swords and bows & arrows, big romance and big wars and happily ever after. Once you have done that, you create a habit in the kids to want to know the stories, either to be read to them or read it themselves. That curiosity and thirst for knowing will be instilled and they will soon start to read and ask for more books.

Prompt from MARCH BLOG PROMPTS {12 MONTHS OF WRITING IDEAS} #BLOGPROMPTS at Food Fun Family

E-Books Vs Printed Books

Though ebooks have become more and more popular over the last several it hasn’t meant the demise of the printed book. Far from it. Though the sales of ebooks went over 1000 million USD by 2019, hardcover and paperback books still rule the market, with approximately $3 billion and 2.5 billion in sales in 2019, respectively.

Many studies confirm that reading comprehension is better with physical books than with eBooks. Although young people may read more quickly on an eReader, the speed and potential distractions of links, scrolling, and advertisements usually mean people remember and retain what they are reading better in physical books.

Print books are still a little more expensive than e-books, but not all that much. Books on paper are difficult to carry around, especially hardcovers. If you’re an avid reader and you’re going on a trip, or if you’re just stepping out to a coffee shop, an e-reader or iPad is a far lighter burden than a book or a stack of them. There’s also the satisfaction of having an entire library at your fingertips, not to mention an infinite supply just a click away, ready to download instantly. In addition, e-book buyers have the advantage that the internet gives consumers of any products: No space constraints. Just about everything ever published is available, all the time.

The drawback is that you must recharge your device regularly while some screens may not be the best for reading conditions in bright sunlight. Also if you work primarily in front of a computer screen, relaxing with an ebook may not be all that appealing.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Print books have the feel of a book that many readers love. You can hold it, turn the pages, and feel the paper.
  • Illustrations on paper are generally higher quality than even high-end e-readers can reproduce.
  • E-books come with font style and size flexibility.
  • E-readers can store thousands of books on a single device.

Books You Want To Read This Fall/Autumn

Oh boy! Where do I start? Atleast till my early 30s. I was the bookworm. I read a lot, mostly fiction with the off biography and I also read a lot about some history and things. As a youngster I loved comics and could spends hours with a bunch of them. As I turned 14-15 I turned to novels and read a lot each months. I liked to read as much as I could. People found it easy to give me gifts; they just needed to get me some books.

The last book I have read was in 2017 and I enjoyed that book a lot. Before that it was probably in 2010. Since then only 1 full novel in 12 years. Oh man! That would be unthinkable when I was younger. I had 3 libraries that I went to a couple of times a month just to go and get some books to read. Sometimes Archies or Tintin or Asterix comics or even Nancy Drew/Famous Five & Hardy Boys until my late teens and then most novels with the odd Archies throw in until my mid 20s.

Then onwards I only read novels and Stephen King, Michael Chrichton, Anne Rice, Sydney Sheldon and others being among my favourites. Not having read any novels in a long, long time I think I would like to start slow and get atleast one book in during the next 2-3 months. Hehehe, that is a big change from the years gone by but let’s try small for now. So I have just placed an order for this novel, Elevation by Stephen King, which I haven’t read yet. So I look forward to getting it this Saturday and perhaps reading it during the weekend.

Prompt from 30 SEPTEMBER BLOG POST IDEAS at 

A Book That Reminds Me Of A Certain Time IN My Life: Christopher Pike’s “Monster”

Funny how certain movies or music reminds you about a certain time in your life, a certain place or a certain person or experience you were experiencing at the time. And it takes you back. Well books can also do that. For some reason I was thinking about a novel that I remember reading in my early 20s. I think I was 21-22 which means 1997-1998. And I think it was condensed version of two novels by the same author in one book, which some of my cousins who were born & raised in the UK had brought with them on one of their 2 months visit during that summer.

One lazy afternoon while I was there, I asked them for a book to read as I had seen that they had a bunch of them and one of my cousin sisters handed me a couple and Monster by Christopher Pike was one of them. Now, I think the cover was different but the story was the same ofcourse. Monster was about this teenage girl (college or final year of high school) who had moved to be with her aged uncle or grandfather I want to say; can’t remember which, in a town away from her own. While staying there she met and befriended the local captain of the American football team and a few others. For some reason which I do remember they were infected with the blood of some ancient creature – like bat or bird but certainly a monstrous kind that was unknown to most, except for elders of a Native American tribe.

I remember that once infected – how again, I do not remember – she starts to get these huge cravings for meat. Her going from eating 1 Big Mac & fries to several to them eating a bunch of steaks raw and even hurting her uncle/grandpa’s dog as she felt it’s heartbeat but not harming it too much as she regained her senses in time. She then realizes that she is somewhat protected as the Native tribe elder gives her a pendant; she will turn into the monstrous bat/bird but will not attack humans unlike the rest. Before she & the other teens in town can turn into those creatures, she takes a shot gun and kills them all. A police detective who was been investigating the murders is the only one who knows what has truly happened and adopts the dog that was left behind, while the girl now completely turned into the monster creature watches while perched upon a branch, not attacking the detective as the pendant is still with her.

I found the story compelling, even if it is a young adult novel and I don’t think much about them. Christopher Pike’s book do seem better than most in that genre and his work even reminds me of Stephen King, who he admits is an influence. I love this book although I haven’t read it since then and it reminds me of that time. A lot more carefree and casual time in my life.

Books & Social Media

How do you think social media has impacted the book world?

I think the best way that social media can impact the book world is reader recommendations, ratings and basic marketing. Like on Twitter for example you can share the latest book that you have read and rate it on a scale of 1-5 or 1-10. Authors or publishers can share the latest book in publication or even well before it gets published to garner eager readers to start wanting it.

Bloggers can write small synopsis and rate the books that they have read. I have done that on occasion but I don’t really read anymore. However it is a great way to spread the world. Facebook posts and on Page/Group posts are another excellent way to drum up interest in a novel or non-fictional book. I am sure that there are 100s or 1000s of Facebook groups dedicated to reading and books. Also you have websites like GoodReads and Book Riot that is dedicated to books and readers.

I suppose you can also use Youtube, TikTok, Instagram and any others to promote new books. All of them will only help get more and more business for the publishers and authors. So I hope you use some of them if not all or get left behind.

Prompt from 30 Post Ideas for Book Bloggers | Blog Post Writing Prompts at FRAPPES AND FICTION

MOVIES BASED ON THE WORKS OF STEPHEN KING (MY FAV 6-10)

Cujo (1983)

In Cujo a mother and her young son are held hostage in a hot, broken car by a massive, rabid St. Bernard — but first, there’s a whole lot of domestic drama to get through! The characters in Lewis Teague’s film version aren’t quite as fleshed out as they are in King’s claustrophobic 1981 novel, nor are their actions always understandable. Not to mention the fact that the film’s moody approach to the story makes one miss the devil-may-care sleaziness of the book. Despite all that, this dog-eat-person tale works: The central set piece of Dee Wallace v. killer canine is wonderfully tense and despairing — a terrified mother trying to protect herself and her fragile young son in the most surreal and terrifying of circumstances.

A spiritual cousin to The Shawshank Redemption, this adaptation of King’s serialized prison novel focuses on Paul Edgecomb, a guard who heads up a Louisiana correction facility’s Death Row. Edgecomb witnesses the unique healing powers of an illiterate inmate named John Coffey (Oscar-nominated Michael Clarke Duncan), and this straightforward story soon turns into a tale of magical realism. Helmed by Shawshank director Frank Daranbont it stars Tom Hanks as a death row prison guard during the Great Depression who witnesses supernatural events following the arrival of an enigmatic convict (Michael Clarke Duncan) at his facility. David Morse, Barry Pepper, Graham Greene, Bonnie Hunt, Patricia Clarkson, William Sadler, Doug Hutchison and James Cromwell appear in supporting roles.

1408 (2007)

1408 is a 2007 American psychological horror film based on Stephen King’s 1999 short story of the same name. It is directed by Mikael Håfström and stars John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. The film was released in the United States on June 22, 2007. The film follows Cusack as Mike Enslin, an author who investigates allegedly haunted houses and rents the titular room 1408 at a New York City hotel. Although skeptical of the paranormal, he is soon trapped in the room where he experiences bizarre events. Reviews were mostly positive and the film performed positively at the box office. Jackson plays the hotel manager who tries to discourage him.

As far as lycanthrope movies go, this is a cult classic. Silver Bullet is a 1985 American horror thriller film based on the 1983 Stephen King novella Cycle of the Werewolf. It stars Corey Haim, Gary Busey, Everett McGill, Megan Follows & Terry O’Quinn. The film is directed by Dan Attias, written by King and produced by Martha De Laurentiis. Its tale of a small Maine town plagued by bark-at-the-moon beast on the loose is a solid B-movie, complete with flying decapitated heads and a young Corey Haim. The workman-like approach actually fits King’s prose and tone from the 127-page novella, as well as forcing everything to adhere to a forward momentum that amps up the tension.

The Shining is a 1980 psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick and co-written with novelist Diane Johnson. The film is based on Stephen King’s 1977 novel of the same name and stars Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Danny Lloyd. The film’s central character is Jack Torrance (Nicholson), an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic who accepts a position as the off-season caretaker of an isolated hotel in the Colorado Rockies, with his wife, Wendy Torrance (Duvall), and young son, Danny Torrance (Lloyd). Danny is gifted with psychic abilities named “shining”. After a winter storm leaves the Torrances snowbound, Jack’s sanity deteriorates due to the influence of the supernatural forces that inhabit the hotel and Wendy must save her son & herself from him.

Movies Based On The Works Of Stephen King (My Fav 1-5)

IT Chapter One & IT Chapter Two (2017 & 2019)

It (titled onscreen as It Chapter One) & it’s sequel It Chapter Two, is a 2017 American coming-of-age supernatural horror film directed by Andy Muschietti. Based on my favourite novel of all time, the 1986 novel of the same name by Stephen King, primarily covering the first half of the book. The film featuring the cast of Jaeden Lieberher as Bill Denbrough, with Bill Skarsgård starring as Pennywise the Dancing Clown, with Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer, Nicholas Hamilton, and Jackson Robert Scott are all featured in supporting roles. Set in Derry, Maine, the film tells the story of The Losers’ Club, a group of seven outcast children who are terrorized by the eponymous being which emerges from the sewer, only to face their own personal demons in the process. 

It Chapter Two is a 2019 American supernatural horror film directed by Andy Muschietti, returning from the first film, with a screenplay by Gary Dauberman. The second and final installment of the It film series, it is the second of a two-part adaptation of the 1986 novel of the same name by Stephen King, primarily covering the second half of the book. It stars Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, and Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise. Set in 2016, 27 years after the events of the first film, the second film centers on the Losers Club and their relationships as they reunite to destroy It once and for all.

Carrie (1976)

King’s fourth novel, his first to be published, also became the first movie made from one of his writings. Carrie is a 1976 American supernatural horror film directed by Brian De Palma from a screenplay written by Lawrence D. Cohen, adapted from Stephen King’s 1974 epistolary novel of the same name. The film stars Sissy Spacek as Carrie White, a shy 16-year-old who is consistently mocked and bullied at school. The film also features Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, Nancy Allen, William Katt, P. J. Soles, Betty Buckley, and John Travolta in supporting roles. It is the first film in the Carrie franchise.

And what a way to start! Director Brian De Palma turns the milestone into a towering masterpiece of horror cinema, with Sissy Spacek as the tormented teen whose repressed, telekinetic rage finally comes to a boil at her prom. It’s a coming-of-age tale with a monstrous twist; Carrie is a shy, sheltered girl with high school pressures, anxieties and awkwardness to which many young viewers can certainly relate. She’s a weirdo, an oddball, an outsider.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont, based on the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. It tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), who is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murders of his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. Over the following two decades, he befriends a fellow prisoner, contraband smuggler Ellis “Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman), and becomes instrumental in a money-laundering operation led by the prison warden Samuel Norton (Bob Gunton). William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, and James Whitmore appear in supporting roles.

Critics liked it, and word of mouth was great. But so few people paid for a ticket during its brief theatrical run; the movie didn’t earn back its production costs even after its seven Oscar nominations. Now it’s become one of the most beloved films on anyone’s list thanks to cable TV and probably one of King’s most popular adaptations ever. Its story of an innocent convict Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) and his sagacious penitentiary friend Red (Morgan Freeman) holds up for endlessly repeated viewings. And when Red finally rejoins Andy in freedom on the beach in Mexico, good luck holding down that big ol’ lump in your throat. Life is too short, and too precious, to spend it rotting away in a prison of any kind.

Pet Sematary (1989)

Pet Sematary (sometimes referred to as Stephen King’s Pet Sematary) is a 1989 American supernatural horror film and the first adaptation of Stephen King’s 1983 novel of the same name. Directed by Mary Lambert and written by King, it stars Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby, Blaze Berdahl, Fred Gwynne, and Miko Hughes as Gage Creed. The title is a sensational spelling of “pet cemetery”.  This supernatural horror-thriller about a family that discovers something very troubling behind their new home. There was nothing but freak-out scares in this goose-bump gauntlet about the buried dead coming back to life. And King makes a cameo, as a minister presiding over a child’s funeral. The film was released on April 21, 1989, and grossed $89.5 million at the box office on a budget of $11.5 million. A sequel, Pet Sematary Two, was released in 1992 and a second film adaptation was released in 2019.

The Mist

The Mist (also known as Stephen King’s The Mist) is a 2007 American science-fiction horror film based on the 1980 novella “The Mist” by Stephen King. The film was written and directed by Frank Darabont. Darabont had been interested in adapting “The Mist” for the big screen since the 1980s. The film features an ensemble cast, including Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Nathan Gamble, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones, Frances Sternhagen, Buck Taylor, William Sadler, Sam Witwer, Alexa Davalos, Chris Owen, Andy Stahl, Jeffrey DeMunn, Laurie Holden, Melissa McBride, and Juan Gabriel Pareja. he plot revolves around members of the small town of Bridgton, Maine, who after a severe thunderstorm causes the power to go out the night before, meet in a supermarket to pick up supplies. While they struggle to survive, an unnatural mist envelops the town and conceals vicious, Lovecraftian monsters as extreme tensions rise among the survivors.

Congo (1995)

Congo is a 1995 American science fiction action-adventure film loosely based on Michael Crichton’s 1980 novel of the same name. The picture was directed by Frank Marshall starring Laura Linney, Dylan Walsh, Ernie Hudson, Grant Heslov, Joe Don Baker, and Tim Curry. The film was released on June 9, 1995, by Paramount Pictures. A Tech & communications giant company’s employees discover the ruins of a lost city near a volcanic site in a remote part of the Congo jungle. When their camp looks to be destroyed, Karen Ross is sent to find out what happened to them.

Meanwhile a primatologist and his assistant are looking for funds to take the sign language proficient female gorilla, Amy, back to the jungles in Zaire, which is she was found as a baby, as she is having trouble sleeping and having nightmares. When their Romanian benefactor’s funds fail, Ross gives them the money needed for the fuel & other costs to fly to Central Africa. What they end up finding there is the Lost City of Zinj and her diamonds.

11 Movies Based On Michael Chrichton Novels

The Andromeda Strain (1971) : An oldie but a goodie, an alien virus kills people in a town and scientists are brought in to investigate and try to contain it. This came out in the ‘70s, but you could already see Crichton’s clinical, scientific approach that would make Jurassic Park a hard-science fiction hit for the ‘90s. The acting in The Andromeda Strain is top notch, and the story is riveting, just like in the book. But the movie is kind of slow. As mentioned before, this would be a good example of hard science fiction in that the science is the star attraction here. It’s an accessible film, sure, but there’s a reason why The Andromeda Strain wasn’t the ‘70s version of Jurassic Park. It’s just not as interesting a concept as cloning dinosaurs.

The Terminal Man (1974): Based on Crichton’s 1972 novel by the same title, The Terminal Man is a thriller about mind control. The main character, Henry Benson, is scheduled for an operation to have electrodes and a mini-computer implanted in his brain to control his seizures. But what does that really mean for Henry? He ends up having even worse blackouts after the surgery where he gets really violent, and even likes it. It’s fun for the whole family!

The First Great Train Robbery (1979) : Crichton directed The First Great Train Robbery and wrote the screenplay, which was based on his 1975 book with the same title. The First Great Train Robbery is about the Great Gold Robbery of 1855 and takes place in London. Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland star in this really fun caper where two thieves rob a train full of gold. The whole film is basically them figuring out how to do it, and then they do it.

Jurassic Park (1993) : Based on Crichton’s 1990 novel with the same title, Jurassic Park is a science fiction thriller about dinosaurs who are recreated through DNA to populate an amusement park. Unfortunately, some of the safety measures fail, and people find themselves in danger. Jurassic Park is part thriller, part horror, part animatronic magic. It’s one of Steven Spielberg’s greatest movies, and it’s a crowd-pleaser, through and through. Jurassic Park is pretty much what made Michael Crichton a household name, and this is one movie that I think is far better than its source material.

Rising Sun (1993) : In this crime thriller starring Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes, a Japanese prostitute is killed and two detectives (Snipes and Connery) have to solve the case. A disc is in play that may or may not contain the murder on it, and tangled thrills ensue. Rising Sun is another book that is much better than the movie. The story, which concerns Japanese businessmen, is a lot more racially charged in the novel, and the movie is a bit racist, too, in some regards. But the culture clash is intertwined much better in the book, and the movie kind of starts to run in circles, making it a little clumsy as it stumbles to its conclusion. Still, as a story that doesn’t rely on any of the Crichton tropes of technology run amok, it’s still fully engaging, even though Wesley Snipes feels way underused.

Disclosure (1994) : Based on a novel Crichton published the same year, Disclosure is about Tom Sanders, who works in a high-tech company just before the beginning of the dot-com economic boom and is wrongly accused of sexual harassment.

Congo (1995) : Based on Crichton’s 1980 novel, Congo is about a diamond expedition in the rain forest of Congo that is attacked by killer gorillas. Starring Laura Linney, Dylan Walsh, Tim Curry (with a ridiculous accent), Ernie Hudson, and BRUCE FREAKING CAMPBELL (ok, he’s in the movie but he’s not “starring” in it), and even a “talking” gorilla, Congo is about a team that goes into the heart of the jungle to locate a missing team of diamond hunters.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) : The Lost World is the sequel to Jurassic Park. It takes place six years after the original story and involves the search for “Site B,” the place where the dinosaurs for Jurassic Park were hatched. The movie is based on Crichton’s 1995 book with the same title. You’ve likely seen The Lost World, and if you have, then you know it’s not as good as the original. As a follow-up, it’s actually really enjoyable.

Sphere (1998) : Sphere, which was based on Crichton’s 1987 novel with the same title, is the story of a psychologist who is called by U.S. Navy to join a team of scientists to examine an enormous spacecraft discovered on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Dustin Hoffman, and Sharon Stone, Sphere is about a team finding an alien ship underwater. Or so they think. Mysteries abound, and the conclusion is that the book is way better than the movie, despite it’s star power.

The 13th Warrior (1999) : Based on Crichton’s 1976 novel Eaters of the Dead, The 13th Warrior is about a Muslim in the 10th century who travels with a group of Vikings to their settlement. It is largely a retelling of Beowulf. Antonio Banderas stars as the Muslim who ends up with the Vikings who are at war with Grendel (yes, Beowulf’s, Grendel). That said, it turns out that the bad guys are really just cannibals who like to live with bears. It’s…interesting.

Timeline (2003) : Based on Crichton’s 1999 novel, Timeline is about a team of historians that travels to the Middle Ages to retrieve a fellow historian who is trapped there. Paul Walker, Gerard Butler, and Francis O’ Connor star in this time traveling adventure film about some archaeological students who go back to medieval times to save their professor. The action and adventure is all there, but people didn’t turn out to see it, as it was a box office bomb.

———->Bonus : A tv mini-series<———-

The Andromeda Strain (2008) : The 2008 TV mini-series of The Andromeda Strain is a remake of the 1971 movie with the same title. Both are based on Crichton’s novel about a team of scientists who are investigating a deadly extraterrestrial microorganism that rapidly and fatally clots human blood.

Top 6 Movies Based On John Grisham’s Novels

The Firm (1993): The Firm is a 1993 American legal thriller film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Gene Hackman, Ed Harris, Holly Hunter, Hal Holbrook, David Strathairn and Gary Busey in a critically acclaimed role. The film is based on the 1991 novel The Firm by author John Grisham. The Firm was one of two films released in 1993 that were adapted from a Grisham novel, the other being The Pelican Brief. Released on June 30, 1993, the film was a major commercial success, grossing $270.2 million against a budget of $42 million, making it the highest grossing film adapted from a Grisham novel and the highest-grossing R-rated film of 1993, and received positive reviews for the performances (particularly from Cruise and Hunter), although the screenplay received some criticism. Holly Hunter was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance, while Dave Grusin was nominated for Best Original Score.

A Time To Kill (1996): A Time to Kill is a 1996 American legal drama film based on John Grisham’s 1989 novel of the same name. Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, and Samuel L. Jackson star with Donald and Kiefer Sutherland appearing in supporting roles. The film received mixed to positive reviews and was a commercial success, making $152 million at the worldwide box office. It is the second of two films based on Grisham’s novels directed by Joel Schumacher, with the other being The Client released two years prior.

The Client (1994): The Client is a 1994 American legal thriller film directed by Joel Schumacher, and starring Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones, Brad Renfro (his acting film debut), Mary-Louise Parker, Anthony LaPaglia, Anthony Edwards, and Ossie Davis. It is based on the 1993 novel by John Grisham. It was filmed in Memphis, Tennessee. The Client was theatrically released in the United States on July 20, 1994 and was a box-office hit, grossing $117.6 million against a $45 million budget. It received positive reviews from critics, with Sarandon’s, Jones’ and Renfro’s performance in particular earning high praise.

The Pelican Brief (1993): The Pelican Brief is a 1993 American legal thriller film based on the 1992 novel by John Grisham. Directed by Alan J. Pakula, the film stars Julia Roberts in the role of young law student Darby Shaw and Denzel Washington as Washington Herald reporter Gray Grantham. The film, which features music composed by James Horner, was the last film that featured Pakula as both writer and director before his death.

The Rainmaker (1997): The Rainmaker is a 1997 American legal drama film written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola based on John Grisham’s 1995 novel of the same name in which a poor, struggling young lawyer who hustled for a job, ends up fighting a big insurance company who denied the claim of a leukemia struck 22 year old dying young man. It stars Matt Damon, Claire Danes, Jon Voight, Mary Kay Place, Mickey Rourke, Danny DeVito, Danny Glover, Roy Scheider, Virginia Madsen, and Teresa Wright in her final film role.

Runaway Jury (2003): Runaway Jury is a 2003 American legal thriller film directed by Gary Fleder and starring John Cusack, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, and Rachel Weisz. An adaptation of John Grisham’s 1996 novel The Runaway Jury, the film pits lawyer Wendell Rohr (Hoffman) against shady jury consultant Rankin Fitch (Hackman), who uses illegal means to stack the jury with people sympathetic to the defense. Meanwhile, a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game begins when juror Nicholas Easter (Cusack) and his girlfriend Marlee (Weisz) appear to be able to sway the jury into delivering any verdict they want in a trial against a gun manufacturer. The film was released October 17, 2003.

My Top 5 Movies Based On Books

Here Are My Top 5 movies based on books

1. The Godfather Trilogy : Needless to say that this one will be on almost everyone’s list if they have watched the films and read the book. I read the book  way, way back for the first time at the age of 18 or 19. I used to read a lot and I wanted to get some Mario Puzo books for a while after I had heard about the Godfather films. It would take me another 26 years before I actually watched the films. I’d still say that the book is way better.

2. It Chapters 1 & 2 : Ok this is a given if you know me. It by Stephen King is my fav novel of all time. I live & die by that book. It’s the novel that I have read the most – atleast 20 times. I watched the 1990 miniseries at around the age of 14 or 15 (in 1991) and loved it. I hunted the book down in a local library and read the book over a weekend. Then processed to read it many times over, got my own copy (3 times). The new movies that came out recently are amazing, especially Chapter 1.

3. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy : Oh this is a massive one. If you are movie fan, I don’t care if you do not normally watch fantasy films or period styled films – you just have to watch these films. And watch the extended editions. No way can you not marvel at these early 21st century classic. So much great stuff in these films and I honestly believe that you can rewatch them every year and not be bored.

4. Jurassic Park : To ignite the fertile imaginations of kids everywhere and to stun and make you gawk in awe whether you are a kid or adult – no one has done it as well as Stephen Spielberg. To see dinosaurs on the big screen looking like real animals – that was amazing. I honestly believe that this is the ultimate family film, if you kids are above the age of say 7 or 8. Perfect to show any generation.

5. Congo : This one may not be high on other people’s list but I love the movie and I love the book. There are some differences in the movie but not that much. I still can’t decide which one I love more but I don’t have a problem in watching the film any day of the week. It’s a fun thrilling ride and the book is a great read as well. I love some of Michael Chrichton novels and this one is a really good one.

Prompt from 30 Blog Post Ideas & Calendars | March from Elaine Howlin

What Are A Few Tips For Getting Kids Excited About Reading?

I think the very first step is to get the kids some age appropriate books. Colourful and with lots of images – this itself draws kids to the books at that age and makes them curious about learning about about the images & words in the book. That’s what it was like for me and most people I know.

Tell stories to your kids from the time that they are really young and make it a point to read from a book. Watch their big eyes go wide as you talk about kings and queens, swords and bows & arrows, big romance and big wars and happily ever after. Make the voices and make humour a big part of the story telling. These all, time honoured traditions are awesome ways to get their imagination going and tell them about stories you want them to know and love and share what you had read to you when you were a kid.

Once you have done that, you create a habit in the kids to want to know the stories, either to be read to them or read it themselves. That curiosity and thirst for knowing will be instilled and they will soon start to read and ask for more books. Provide it for them and every time there is a birthday or Christmas or any kind of gift giving opportunity, get them some books and ask relatives who want to gift your children something to also get them some books. You have now sown the seeds of reading.

Prompt from MARCH BLOG PROMPTS {12 MONTHS OF WRITING IDEAS} #BLOGPROMPTS at Food Fun Family

When Did You Start To Love Reading?

I was the bookworm. I read a lot, mostly fiction with the off biography and I also read a lot about some history and things. I think my fascination for books and reading started by the time I started to learn how to read. The kids books and comics that I got at the time fueled my imagination and I would be lost in reading the books for a few hours. When I visited my cousins homes, after we all exchanged hellos and how are yous, if we weren’t playing a game or something, I would be reading the books that they had in their homes.

When I was younger, while my cousins and uncle watched cricket matches, I could be found lying in a corner or sitting in a sofa with a book in my hands. Or maybe they were watching a movie that I had no interest in and would rather be lost in comics or in a novel. As a youngster I loved comics and could spends hours with a bunch of them. As I turned 14-15 I turned to novels and read a lot each months. I liked to read as much as I could. People found it easy to give me gifts; they just needed to get me some books.

Some weekends I would spend most of my time in my room reading books and listening to music at a low volume, coming down only for food. People found it easy to give me gifts; they just needed to get me some books. I created faces and voices for the characters in my mind – that always seemed to make the books more enjoyable for me. I didn’t go on purpose; it just came naturally for me without me even thinking about it too much.

Prompt from MARCH BLOG PROMPTS {12 MONTHS OF WRITING IDEAS} #BLOGPROMPTS at Food Fun Family

Possibly Purchase/Wishlist Item: 23 Stories In The Adventures Of Tintin Series

I am not planning on spending much money other than on food, some snacks, medicine and the essentials like toiletries this month. Most of what I used to make online via sponsored posts have dried up and what I do make I add to my monthly bills. And I am keeping the rest for anything that may cross up from time to time like the handkerchief set that bought, the kitchen towels, the mosquito repellents and stuff. These aren’t things I buy that often so it’s mostly once in a while.

I do want to buy a shirt or two and I might. There is also a need to buy a replacement body trimmer since the one that I had stopped getting charged several months ago. And I need to trim the bushes, so to speak. So I am not planning on spending that much this month and even I balance things out I can get 2 shirts and get the trimmer. But if I had a little extra cash the thing that I would buy would be this set that you see over here. It costs Rs. 6,619.00 and is the boxset of all 23 stories in The Adventures of Tintin series that Herge released. The hours and hours of enjoyment that I had as a kid is priceless when it comes to Tintin. The Adventures of Tintin has always been one of my favourite childhood comics. A few of my cousins & I being engrossed in reading and discussing the series is definitely a treasured childhood memory.

Even though I have PDF scanned copies of all the books, it would have nice to have the entire set in book format. The main cast of the comic book series is as follows: Captain Haddock, Tintin, Snowy the dog, Professor Cuthbert Calculus and the mumbling police detectives Thomson & Thompson. Pictured & certainly an essential supporting cast of the series includes Nestor, Captain Haddock’s butler, famed opera singer Bianca Castafiore & her maid Irma. Incidentally, although they are remarkably alike in appearance and mannerisms, the detectives are not actually twins or even brothers! Which explains why they are called Thompson & Thomson (Thompson with a ‘P’ & Thomson without a ‘P’). They are always a hoot and manage to get themselves in trouble a lot.

RIP Anne Rice

Anne Rice, American author best known for her gothic fiction novels, died on Saturday due to complications resulting from a stroke. She was 80. The author’s son Christopher revealed the news on Facebook and said that she would be interred in the family mausoleum at Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans in a private ceremony.

Born in New Orleans in 1941, Rice became renowned the world over as a writer of gothic fiction, with her books selling more than 150 million copies globally. In the early 1970s, while grieving the death of her daughter Michelle, she began converting one of her stories into what became her first novel, the gothic horror “Interview with the Vampire,” which was published by Knopf in 1976. The novel turns on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac, who tells the story of his life to a reporter. Michelle served as an inspiration for the child vampire Claudia. The book was the first of ten in what is collectively known as “The Vampire Chronicles.” It was adapted by Neil Jordan as a 1994 film starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas and Christian Slater, with Kirsten Dunst playing Claudia. Rice adapted the screenplay from her novel and the film gathered two Oscar nominations and a brace of BAFTA wins.

Queen of the Damned,” based on one of the bestselling sequels to “Interview with the Vampire,” was adapted as a film in 2002. Other adaptations of Rice’s novels include Garry Marshall’s “Exit to Eden” (1994), starring Dana Delany, Dan Aykroyd and Rosie O’Donnell and Emmy-winning Showtime original “The Feast of All Saints” (2001). AMC ordered a series based on Rice’s “Lives of the Mayfair Witches.” As revealed by Variety, AMC had acquired rights to “Lives of the Mayfair Witches” and “The Vampire Chronicles” last year, and casting was recently finalized on the latter. In addition to her vampire novels, Rice authored books such as The Feast of All Saints (adapted for television in 2001) and Servant of the Bones, which formed the basis of a 2011 comic book miniseries.

Rice spent much of her early life there before moving to Texas, and later to San Francisco. She was raised in an observant Catholic family but became an agnostic as a young adult. She began her professional writing career with the publication of Interview with the Vampire in 1976, while living in California, and began writing sequels to the novel in the 1980s. In the mid-2000s, following a publicized return to Catholicism, Rice published the novels Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt and Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana, fictionalized accounts of certain incidents in the life of Jesus. Several years later she distanced herself from organized Christianity, citing disagreement with the Roman Catholic Church’s stances on social issues but pledging that faith in God remained “central to [her] life.” However, she later considered herself a secular humanist.

The books of her that I have read and have in my library are Interview with the Vampire (1976), The Vampire Lestat  (1985), The Queen of the Damned (1988), Merrick (2000), Blood and Gold (2001), Blackwood Farm (2002) & Blood Canticle (2003).

A Voice For My Audio Book

If your novel is published, who would you choose to narrate your audio book of it?

If I did ever finish my novel, which is unlikely, and get it published, which is even more unlikely, I would love to have it on audio book as well. Mainly because it would be good to hear someone reading out my words and also because a lot of people would prefer to have the book read to them rather than read it out.

So if this does happen I have three names that I would want to read my book:

  • Morgan Freeman
  • William Shatner
  • James Earl Jones

If it were a woman’s voice I would guess I would choose from:

  • Meryl Streep
  • Rachel McAdams
  • Kate Winslet

Prompt from NOVEMBER BLOG PROMPTS: NANOWRIMO EDITION at Living A Sunshine Life