Monday, December 10, 2007

Review, Interview, Apology

So, I feel a little bad about how harsh I was on Chris Weitz in my last post. Sorry, Chris Weitz. I guess I should clarify: I didn't hate the whole movie. I was willing to go along with it until about halfway through, then it lost my good will, but still -- there were good things about it. I still think it's a good exercise for examining storytelling choices, though.

Some stuff to check out:

Awesome review of Blackbringer
at Jen Robinson's Book Page


Interview at HipWriterMama


Thanks, Jen and Vivian!

Happy week, all!

7 comments:

Jen Robinson said...

You are very welcome, Laini! And I really enjoyed the interview, too, especially having just read the book.

Still looking forward to Silksinger...

Have a great week!

Sam said...

oh, you definately do NOT need to apologize! If hollywood is going to take a good novel and make it into a movie- they better do it properly!!!!! If not they need to take their lumps.

Take for instance the movie- the Scarlette Letter. They changed the ending. How does one make a movie of an American Classic and change the ending. I never got that.

Anonymous said...

gerry rosser here, twoblueday.wordpress.com

I have such a near-phobia about movie theaters that I doubtless won't see this movie until it is available on demand on cable. I will try to read the book before then.

It has been months since I picked up a book I didn't want to throw against the wall after a few pages. Sigh.

Amber said...

Laini, you are such a nice person. I didn't think you were too hard in that last post! Just your opinion, after all. You didn't say anything mean, I didn't think.

Also, what you said about writing once again, I found very valuable. I would love to take a class from you! i am going to write down "what do i want them to care about" on a card and tape it to my laptop, or something.

I have been waiting to read this book with Wyatt, and I was thinking of taking him to see the movie. Would it be better to see the movie first, for him? Keep in mind he is six. Or should we not see it until after we read it?

I felt this way about "The Prince of Tides". I loved that book. I thought it was poetry, and such a moving and deep story. And then the movie is made into some kind of stupid romance! The romance was a MINOR plot in the brilliant book. I was so mad.

:)

Anonymous said...

I am with Amber--that was a great, passionate but not personal critique.

I am also with Amber in that I would LOVE to take a class with you. Reading your thoughts on writing always sparks me to think about writing in a new way, or clarifies something I believed but could not express.

And that interview at HipWriterMama is really a treasure trove (and I think I need to spend some time at the site as well).

I would still love to take a vacation in your head. :)

Rampian said...

Laini!
It feels like we haven't corresponded in ages. I'm going to write you a long letter, but first, I wanted to tell you that 'Firefly' and 'Serenity' finally came up on our Netflix list. Very cool show. Even though Bri and I are not "space show" fans, we were quickly hooked. The movie, especially, captivated us. The scene on the uninhabited planet sent shivers up my spine. And Reevers have got to be some of the scariest things I ever heard of. Thanks to you and Jim for the tip!

Can't wait to see the second book---is the heroine still that beautiful black-haired faerie?

Tinker said...

Great interview, Laini - and if you're giving writing classes, I'd like to sign up, too!

As for the review - well, the movie worked ok for me, but then I still haven't read the book - and I do understand how aggravating that can be, when the movie just seems to either miss the whole point of the story entirely or else grinds it in the audiences faces unmercifully...I still am looking forward to reading the book - fortunately it doesn't seem to ruin it for me -- reading the book afterwards, as much as it does seeing the movie after reading the book. Not sure if that made sense but I hope you know what I mean!