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Brush Up on New Moon Before You See the Movie!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:00:31 -0800

I don't know about you, but I read New Moon so long ago that I hardly remember all the happenings. That's why I've put together this handy little quiz to help you brush up before you head to the theater to see the movie this weekend. Warning: there are spoilers ahead! For all of our Twilight and New Moon coverage, be sure to check out TwilightSugar!

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An Open Letter to Breaking Dawn's Screenwriter

Buzz Community — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:30:00 -0800

This post comes from the group The Books of Twilight from member Audreystar.

Dear Ms. Rosenberg,

First let me say that I thought you did an impeccable job at screenwriting Twilight from Stephenie Meyer's novel. From what I can see you did a great job on New Moon as well. I can only assume that Eclipse will be no different. You have proven yourself a competent and talented screenwriter. Hell, you write episodes of Dexter for goodness sake! Your ability is not in question.

I am here to discuss Breaking Dawn. This will be the ultimate test of your career. If you can manage to pull a workable movie out of that piece of literature you should (hands down) win the Academy Award in screenwriting. Everyone seems to be wondering who will be chosen to direct Breaking Dawn because they believe that is (ultimately) the person who will sink or swim in making a film work on the last book. I beg to differ. This all lies with you and that is quite a big burden to bear. The world is on your shoulders. The movie will make a ton of money so Summit can't be THAT concerned with the script. But I know you aren't a writer to please all the people who will watch anything with Robert Pattinson in it. You actually care about putting out quality work.

To read the rest of the letter (WARNING: Breaking Dawn spoilers ahead!), just .

So here are my questions. How are you honestly going to manage to write the birth scene and still maintain a PG-13 rating? How are you going to write for Renesmee and her not look like a freak of nature? Regarding Renesmee, the hardest challenge will be for the casting directors/CGI geniuses. They have a daunting and hard and impossible job. The honeymoon scene is what everyone will be flocking to the cinema to see (the rabid fans I mean) and I am sure Mrs. Prude Meyer will be ALL OVER the writing and filming of that. Look I know she didn't write the books for a mature audience and is trying to keep it morally sound. But this is the last movie and we have to have more than just a fade to black. But I know it won't happen because SM wouldn't even let the first kiss scene stay the way Catherine had it (i.e., steamy). I find it rather hypocritical that SM has an issue with a tasteful sex scene however has ZERO problem with blood and gore which Breaking Dawn the novel is filled to the brim with. You want to see Edward and Bella consummate their relationship. . . sorry, you aren't gonna get it. But if you are excited to see Edward rip Bella's belly open with his sharp vampire teeth, well you are in luck.

And don't even get me started on how you are going to work out the awful anti-climatic ending. This is going to be the last film in the series and as a talented screenwriter you know you can't end it that way. Sure, if this were an indie film you could get away with it. But, it isn't.

So in conclusion, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers while dealing with this huge predicament and the test of your career. You will deserve a Pulitzer if you can pull this off.

Best regards,
Audreystar

(Please note: I have no clue if she has even been signed as the screenwriter for the fourth film).

There's lots of fun stuff going on in our community - join it, check it out, share your stories and posts in the great groups and maybe we'll feature them here on BuzzSugar!

Greek Goes From the Small Screen to the Bookshelves

BuzzSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:43:41 -0700

TV adaptations of books are nothing new, but a book series based on an existing TV show? That's a bit more uncommon - but it's about to happen to one of my favorite guilty pleasures. Greek will be made into a four part series of "Tie-In Novels" for teenagers, following our favorite Cyprus Rhodes students in new adventures. The books will be published by Harlequin, and the first, called Double Date will make its debut next Spring.

I might be a bit too old for young adult novels, but I admit that I've combed through the Gossip Girl books during trips to Borders. I could see these being fun for plane rides - and let's be honest, we live in a society where L.A. Candy is a best-seller, so we know there's an audience that will eat these up, too.

Spielberg Takes on Michael Crichton's Pirate Story

BuzzSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:30:56 -0700

Steven Spielberg plans to produce and is thinking of directing a film adaptation of the late Michael Crichton's as-yet-unreleased novel Pirate Latitudes. The book will be adapted by screenwriter David Koepp, who developed the screenplay for Jurassic Park. Set for release Nov. 24, the story is set in 1665 and tells of "a daring plan to infiltrate Port Royal, one of the world's richest and most notorious cities, and raid a Spanish galleon filled with treasure."

Stacey Snider, Spielberg's producing partner and CEO of DreamWorks acknowledges that the studio will be distributing another pirate story, the fourth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, but that the "movies won't clash because Pirate Latitudes will be more grounded in reality, as opposed to the supernatural fantasy of the Disney films."

Apparently, Spielberg "always wanted to direct his own pirate film," and he has only heartwarming things to say about the late author's work: "Michael wrote a real page-turner that already seems suited for the big screen. Michael and I have had almost two decades of solid collaborations. Whenever I made a film from a Michael Crichton book or screenplay, I knew I was in good hands. Michael felt the same, and we like to think he still does." Awww.

DiCaprio, Ridley Scott Bring Us a Brave New World

BuzzSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:30:06 -0700

Leonardo DiCaprio is a busy guy these days. A day after we learned that he'll be producing a version of Little Red Riding Hood with "a Gothic twist," there's news of him adapting another story: Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. DiCaprio will reportedly produce and star in the film and Ridley Scott is attached to direct. The futuristic novel has been adapted for television before but this will be its first time on the big screen. Risky Biz Blog provides a refresher on the story:

Huxley sets his book in a seemingly perfect 26th century world that has achieved harmony by tightly controlling birth, which takes place mainly in laboratories, and outlawing family. The world is populated by a series of five castes, each with its own defined roles.

Characters who figure in to the story are Bernard . . . and Lenina, the woman with whom he is infatuated. DiCaprio is would likely play Bernard, who is persecuted when the leaders of the society find his behavior antisocial.

DiCaprio is apparently looking to play Bernard. The site points out that dystopian stories have proven difficult to adapt for film, but after Blade Runner it seems Scott is a good choice to at least give this adaptation a shot. What do you think? Is it about time for a big screen Brave New World? Or should Hollywood just leave well enough alone already?

Buzz Book Club: The End of Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned From Judy Blume

BuzzSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:30:27 -0700

Welcome back, Buzz Book Club readers! We've reached the end of Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned From Judy Blume. This section contained some of my favorite essays of the entire book, and I'm excited to chat about them with you after the jump.

But more about that in a second. First, for those of you new to my book club format, here's how it works: every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, have gone up every Friday in July). In these weekly posts, I'll posit a few discussion-provoking questions for you to respond to in the comments section.

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump, you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

Now, to discuss the end of the book, in which we read from "The Wienie Girl's Guide to Making Friends" to the end, just read more.

The Sally J. Freedman lover in me was thrilled to read "Brave New Kid." I love the way author Diana Peterfreund tapped into exactly the thing that made me love Sally: she wanted to be an adventurous, questioning kid, and that was also my main goal at that age. Thinking about the book characters (not necessarily Blume's) that you've loved over the years, can you identify why you loved your favorites?
I'm not an oldest kid, but "Superfudged" still cracked me up. Are any of you oldest siblings, and did you see yourself (or your siblings) in the Fudge books?
The details in "Are You There, Margaret?" were great - like the E-S-P on the front of the author's t-shirt and the R-I-T on the back. If you were writing one of these stories about your own childhood/teenagehood, what details would you use about your attire, music choices, etc.?
Now that the book is over, did you have a favorite essay? A least favorite? One that surprised you?
Can you think of other influential authors who deserve this kind of anthology tribute?

What Book-to-Movie Changes Have Bugged You?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:30:07 -0700

In adapting a book for the big screen, adjustments are obviously necessary and often understandable - except when they're quite frustrating. Earlier this year the news came out that the My Sister's Keeper filmmakers were changing the end of the story for the film version, causing a bit of apprehension for fans of the Jodi Picoult novel. In my opinion, the change made sense for the film, but I also understand the loyalty people feel toward the source material.

Today there's more casting news for the film adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love (Billy Crudup will play Gilbert's husband) and the description of this character doesn't quite mesh with my memory of the book. Here's more:

Crudup will play Steven, who is married to Gilbert ([Julia] Roberts). His hopes to have children are dashed when her quest to get pregnant leaves her feeling she is not living the life she wants. She embarks on a journey of self-discovery around the world.

Granted, it's been a while since I read Eat Pray Love, but that's not how I remember her husband. I'd wondered if they'd include much of Gilbert's husband at all in the film, and I certainly didn't think he'd be painted as such a heartbroken victim. From reading the book, I didn't get the sense that he was much of a victim at all and it seems more than a little unfair to say that Gilbert "dashed his hopes" by wanting to do something for herself. Perhaps it's just an issue of wording within the news article, but it annoys me nonetheless.

Are there changes in film adaptations that have irritated you?

Source

Buzz In: What Kinds of Books Do You Read on Vacation?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:30:09 -0700

Just as we Sugar girls are chatting about our favorite Summer reading picks (speaking of: if you take our quiz on our favorite titles, you can be entered to win a Kindle!), NPR has posted a list of the top 100 Best Beach Books Ever, as chosen by almost 16,000 readers. It's a fascinating mix of light and breezy reads, lengthy and sobering tomes, and plain ol' classics that people might not have time for during their regular routines.

I expected the first 10 titles on the list to be fairly easygoing reads since beach time, to many, is when we relax everything - including our brains. But The Kite Runner comes in at No. 3, and while it's immensely engrossing, it is hardly a "breezy" pick.

So what do you read on vacation? Do you just want something easy and fun? Or is a week of free time the best opportunity to tackle the heavier or more challenging books on your "to-read" list? To take a look at what tops the NPR list and share your thoughts, read more.

The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Bridget Jones's Diary, by Helen Fielding
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, by Rebecca Wells
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, by Fannie Flagg
The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver

Source

The Lorax Will Be the Next Dr. Seuss Work to Hit Theaters

BuzzSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:30:37 -0700

On March 2, 2012, a CG-animated version of Dr. Seuss's The Lorax will be coming at you in 3-D, courtesy of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment. In an era when being "green" is chic, The Lorax may have particular relevance, as it follows the greedy Once-ler who strips a forest of its Truffula trees - despite warnings from the tree-loving Lorax - which only leaves him with a land devoid of animals.

Dr. Seuss's works have been fodder for a few movies in recent years, including the live-action How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and Cat in the Hat (after which Seuss's widow, Audrey Geisel, voiced her displeasure and refused to allow any more live-action adaptations), and the animated Horton Hears a Who.

I remember feeling anxious about Horton, as that book was so near and dear to me, but it ended up being completely delightful. I think The Lorax could look pretty cool up on the big screen as well. And though it's a classic work (and will therefore cause some people to be outraged about an adaptation), I still find it touching that Seuss's creations will continue to inspire more generations in new ways.

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Buzz Book Club: Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned From Judy Blume, Section Three

BuzzSugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 08:30:06 -0700

Welcome back, Buzz Book Club readers! This week's section of Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned From Judy Blume really brought back memories as the authors reflected on a wide range of Judy Blume novels, from It's Not the End of the World to Tiger Eyes.

But more about that in a second. First, for those of you new to my book club format, here's how it works: Every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in July). In these weekly posts, I'll posit a few discussion-provoking questions for you to respond to in the comments section.

The next assignment: Finish the book! We'll discuss this section next Friday, July 31.

Now, to discuss the third section, in which we read from "It Wasn't the End of the World" through "The Mother of All Balancing Acts," just read more.

Reading "It Wasn't The End of the World" got me thinking about characters we latch onto at different stages of our lives. When you pick up a book, do you look for characters with whom you can identify? Or do you look for an escape to a different world? And has that changed since you were younger?
After all the Deenie love earlier in the book, "Freaks, Geeks, and Adolescent Revenge Fantasies" sure put a different spin on things. Have you ever read a book where terrible things happen to the main character and you thought, "Ha! That's what you deserve!" If you read Deenie, did you identify more with Deenie herself or with the characters like "the Creeping Crud"?
I think my favorite part of "Guilty's House" was actually the line in Jennifer Coburn's bio about what her mom told her when someone called her "weird": "Weird was simply a word used by boring people to describe interesting ones." That's a piece of wisdom that would be right at home in one of Judy Blume's books! Have you noticed any other lines like that?
Man, I wish I had the Judy Blume diary as described in "A Different Kind of Diary." That story also touched on one of my worst fears as a kid: having my diary found and read aloud! Diaries were actually a big theme in this section, as Beth Kendrick's hilarious entry about her mom shows up in "The Mother of All Balancing Acts." If you kept a diary as a kid, can you still remember what it looked like? Have you ever reread it?
Have any of the essays encouraged you to seek out other writing from these authors? Do you think any of them have Judy Blume potential?