Title: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
WWW Wednesdays are hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions… * What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?
What are you currently reading? An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott.
What did you recently finish reading? Wives And Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith.
What do you think you'll read next? Odd Thomas by...oh Dean Koontz and Watership Down by Richard Adams, its got rabbits and I love rabbits. :D
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love Nick and Nora Charles, they never fail to make me smile. I think this is my favorite book into movie because I read the book, and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't as much fun as the movie. This is a rare case of the movie was better than the book, and I think that's all thanks to Myrna Loy and William Powell who have the best chemistry together as the witty, cocktail drinking couple who solve crime, with their faithful dog Asta.
I have gone on a lot about this series only because that's how amazing it is. I like this book into movie because it is superbly cast, well acted, and the storyline is spot on. I don't think anyone could do a better version ever.
This is my favorite book of the series so I was really anxious when this movie was coming out. Now this is my favorite movie of the movie series. :) It was very well done, the directing was particularly good. Also the acting was better at this point as well. I actually liked Hermione where as before she had always driven me crazy.
This movie makes me cry every time I watch it. It is brilliantly filmed and acted. Absolutely heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. While not entirely faithful to the book, it is still a fabulous adaptation of the classic novel. But in all seriousness I prefer the movie ending anyway. :P
This movie is absolutely stunning in every sense of the word. Expanding on the underdog story by Roald Dahl Fantastic Mr. Fox has everything you would expect of top notch entertainment, stellar voice acting, wonderful direction and script, and it is really one of the best stop motion if not one of the best pictures to come out of Hollywood in 2009. Yeah I really love this movie. If you haven't seen it, see it! :D
After butchering two of the best beloved stories by Dr. Seuss Hollywood finally came out with a movie that wouldn't have the poor guy rolling around in his grave. This colorful adaptation of his book Horton Hears a Who, reminds us all why we love this brilliant fellows creative imagination. While adding on but not taking away from the original source HHAW is heartwarming, funny, and just nice to look at. I mean who doesn't love Horton? Who doesn't love those fluffy little who's? Someone with no heart that's who. :P Anyway, a lovely adaptation well worth watching.
Loosely based off of the classic fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood" this imaginative, inventive, and just plain all around clever retelling is one of my favorite movies of all time. Bringing new twists, featuring a mystery complete with a Nick Charles based detective, and wonderful characters you only thought you knew, this low budget flick is one to re-watch and re-watch until you've caught every wonderful detail and subtle bits of humor.
Based off of the lovely book by the imaginative Dianna Wynne Jones this adaptation is by renowned filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. With two such unique minds as Jones and Miyazaki this film cannot help but be amazing. While not entirely faithful to Jone's original novel, Miyazaki's admiration for her work shines through in this heartfelt, and magical movie about finding your worth. An absolute gem you must see.
I know lots of people lean towards the 1995 version, and I will be one of the first people to tell you how brilliant that adaptation is. The script is amazing and a credit to Emma Thompson's amazing talents. But I absolutely loved the 2008 version. I don't know why really, I was just glued to the screen the whole time, which is amazing because I read the book and seen the 1995 version about a million times since my childhood. I just found it thoroughly enthralling and dramatic and I really liked the cast. I get particular giggles from both movies, since in the 1995 version Colonel Brandon (whats his first name?) is played by Alan Rickman who goes on to play Snape in the HP series, and I know the guy (but not his name) who plays CB in the 2008 version from Doctor Who.
Ooooh I reached 10? Really I didn't think I could do it! Anyway this is the best adaptation of one of my favorite JA novels. Brilliantly acted, and wonderfully scripted, I watched this version while drinking tea and delicious light refreshments with my friend. It only added to the atmosphere. :D Anyway I love this version, I really need to own it.
Title: Hex HallBy the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.
As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.
My Review: This one is woefully over due. Sorry about that. Anyway, this may at first glance seem like a lame mash up of HP and every other fantasy story out there. But Hecate Hall is no Hogwarts. It is a reform school for rebel magical creatures, where they are sent when they misbehave. I definitely enjoyed this different twist. This book is full of witty and clever characters, I really liked Sophie's narrative, she was a funny and likable heroine as well as one you could feel sympathetic towards since she is so obviously a fish out of water in her new surroundings. The supporting cast is also top notch, from Sophie's vampire roommate Jenna, who has an obsession with the color hot pink to Sophie's snotty conniving rival who's name escapes me at the moment. Anyway she was good. :P Oh and of course the ever enigmatic bad boy with a secret soft spot for the main character who always seems to crop up in every YA book I've read recently. The murder mystery sprinkled throughout this book is a page turner, creepy and intriguing I had a lot of fun reading it and it kept me continuously guessing. There are twist galore in this fantasy fare, and while it's not the YA book of the century if you want to read a light weight novel to rest the brain, one that's a lot of fun you need not look further than Hex Hall.
Character Connection is hosted by The Introverted Reader.
Having just completed this novel, I feel highly compelled to heap praise upon it's main character, loyal, lovable Molly Gibson. While most people would argue that Cynthia, her pretty, easily loved by many, step sister is a more interesting character I cannot help but disagree. There is a strong heroine inside Molly Gibson unlike many I have of yet read in classic fiction. While Molly does not posses the strong ready wit of Elizabeth Bennet, or the careless charm of Emma Woodhouse (excuse the overuse of Austen heroine comparisons but I have not read too many classics which I am trying to remedy >_<) she is fiercely loyal, and willing to do anything for the people she cares for, but she is not so passive that she does not argue against injustice and criticize people when they are clearly in the wrong. Here I think it is that I have grown to love young Molly Gibson, for her slowly revealed honest, and respectful strength against the trails in her life, and I'm sure if you take time to read "Wives and Daughters" you will discover exactly what I mean.
