I have a tendency to mostly stream TV shows because I love a good binge. But since I'm home more, I've been trying to make a point to watch more movies. Just last week I watched Enola Holmes and I was shocked to discover that it was based on a book! It got me looking back on all the movies I've watched and I realized a bunch of them were adaptations of books I've never read and in some cases, I didn't even realize they were adaptations at the time.
Might as well start here! Enola Holmes is a mystery film based on the first book of the series by Nancy Springer. Enola is the teenage sister of Sherlock Holmes who runs away to London in search of her mother who has disappeared. It turns out she has all the sleuthing know-how of her famous brother and then some. Every single person was perfectly cast! I loved seeing Millie Bobby Brown as a character other than Eleven and she truly shined here. Then Henry Cavill as Sherlock, Sam Caflin as the other brother Mycroft (who I didn't recognize until halfway through the film), and Helena Bonham Carter as the mom were all excellent as well.
Will I read the book? Probably not since I don't read middle grade but if another movie comes out, I'll definitely watch that.
I watched this without knowing it was based a book by Liza Palmer. Honestly, seeing Josh Duhamel in the Netflix preview was all I needed to convince me to watch it. It's about Libby, played by Leslie Bibb, who is a newly widowed mother of two trying to find her footing. Staying with her mom hasn't been going well so she takes her kids to stay with an aunt she hasn't seen in years at her farm. What happens next is unexpected as she adjusts to the responsibilities of the farm, getting to know her aunt and their history, and of course, some romance too. It's such a sweet and heartwarming movie. If you need something light and feel-good, I totally recommend this.
Will I read the book? I might! I've read Katherine Center's other books and I actually do prefer her earlier work so I may read this eventually.
After all the acclaim this movie has received, I knew I had to finally watch it and I'm glad I did. The cinematography is beautiful and I can see why this was the role to put Timothée Chalamet on the map. His vulnerability in playing Elio, a young man living in Italy during the 1980s, and experiencing love for the first time when Oliver, a university student who has come to stay with his family, is just breathtaking. Every emotion plays across his face and he alone makes the film worth watching. That said, I actually felt Oliver's age very strongly as I watched. Maybe it was just the casting but he just seemed so much older than Elio and I did somewhat feel as if he was taking advantage of him. I may be in the minority with that feeling though. Still totally worth watching though.
Will I read the book? I'm very tempted! But not sure yet.
I watched this for two reasons: I was surprised to see Elle Fanning cast in it and this is my niece's favorite YA book. But I had never read it and I didn't even know what it was about. It follows two teenagers, Violet Markey and Theodore Finch, who get paired up for a school project in which they have to report on the wonders of Indiana. It slowly but surely gives them the opportunity to become friends (and more) and to learn about what they're each going through. For Violet, she's grieving her sister's death. For Finch, he's in danger of not graduating and there are lots of rumors about his unstable nature. I actually enjoyed the movie more than I expected to, although I found the ending rushed and a bit abrupt.
Will I read the book? I don't think so. Even though I liked the movie, I don't feel the need to read the book. (Unless anyone really thinks I should!)
If you didn't know yet, I love horses. I love reading about them and I love watching movies/TV shows featuring them. When I saw Secretariat on Disney+, I had to watch and wow! It was super inspiring and a tearkjerker (for me at least!). Granted I feel sports films always make me emotional for some reason. But again I didn't realize the movie was based on William Nack's 1975 book Secretariat: The Making of a Champion until after I watched and started Googling. The film chronicles the life of Thoroughbred race horse Secretariat and his owner played by Diane Lane as they train to compete in the 1973 Triple Crown and win. I thought it was super well done and another feel good, motivational type of film.
Will I read the book? I don't know if I'll read the book it's based on but I am very curious to see if there are any newer books about Secretariat and Penny Chenery, his owner. I would love to learn more about them!
What movies have you watching recently before reading the book?
I've never seen Secretariat, but I would like to watch it! And I had no idea about The Lost Husband, but I'm always down to watch a film with Josh Duhamel.
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