One of the great things to do over the holidays is to go to the movies. And I mean actually go to a movie theater, eat popcorn and candy along with a big drink, and watch a newly released movie. I do not mean sitting at home! I do mean the ambiance of a real movie theater with a real big screen and all the yummy junk food.
Yes, I know, movies have become expensive and streaming at home is a lot cheaper. But for goodness’ sake, treat yourself to the real thing once and a while. No one is going to find that Ziplock baggie filled with popcorn and a candy bar in your purse.
If you think I am an advertisement for the “big screen,” then OK, I confess. I love going to the movies at a theater almost as much as I love reading books. So here are a few of the recent movies adapted from books. But read the book first and be the judge of which you like best.
1. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON by David Grann (theater)
Grann tells the little-known story of the Osage Reign of Terror in Oklahoma, which lasted from 1921 to 1926. The Osage Indian reservation sat on top of one of the largest oil deposits in the country. Once that oil was discovered, members of the tribe with a share of the mineral rights became some of the wealthiest people in the United States. To regain control, the federal government deemed the Osage to be “incompetent” and forced tribe members into guardianships, thus taking away access to their own money. As more white people learned of the Osages’ wealth, they became enraged with envy and resorted to trickery, cruelty, and outright murder to inherit their fortunes. At least 20 members of the tribe were murdered in cold blood for their shares of oil money. Grann also presents an excellent story of the beginnings of the FBI when the U.S. government sends agents to find out what is going on. The movie promises to be an exciting telling of this terrific book.
2. ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr (Netflix)
One of the most popular World War II novels in the past few years, “All the Light We Cannot See,” centers around Marie-Laure LeBlanc, a blind French girl, and Werner Pfennig, a bright German boy. Marie-Laure learns to navigate her world thanks to the persistence of her father, who builds a model of Paris to help her learn her way around. Werner grows up in an orphanage and learns to build radios and listens to broadcasts from around the world. He eventually is accepted into military school because of his skills with radio technology. When Paris is invaded by the Nazis, Marie-Laure takes refuge in her uncle’s home in Saint-Malo and eventually crosses paths with Werner. The author imbues both characters with a great deal of humanity and shows how they lean on each other and their own inner strengths to survive the horrors of war.
3. LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmin (Apple TV)
When chemistry major Elizabeth Zott is rejected from a doctoral program, she goes to work at the Hastings Research Institute. Probably the smartest chemist in the lab, she still faces prejudice by the male-dominated department. After several years with no chance of promotion, she quits and begins working at home, where she is often sought out by the chemists from her former job for help with their research. Her love for cooking is eventually noticed by a local TV producer, who offers her a job as a cooking show host. Elizabeth turns her cooking show into a lesson in chemistry that drives the TV producer nuts at first, until he realizes how much the audience adores it.
4. THE COLOR PURPLE by Alice Walker (theater release Dec. 25)
The new “The Color Purple” differs from the 1985 Steven Spielberg movie in a number of ways. The cast is obviously different — sorry, no Oprah. Instead, the 2023 version will bring many fresh faces to the story. Also, this adaptation is based on the Broadway play, and it is a musical. Still, like the 1985 version, it is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book. Set in the 1930s in rural Georgia, the story follows Celie, an African American teenager who is poor, uneducated, and a victim of abuse by her father. She begins writing letters to God to help deal with her difficult life. Her life changes when she meets Shug, who becomes her friend and lover. Only when she begins to love herself can she stand up to the men who have abused her.
5. THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME by Laura Dave (Apple TV)
When Hannah Michaels finds out her husband has gone missing, she is left with stepdaughter Bailey, who is going through teenage angst and really does not like her. She then learns that her husband is being investigated for fraud, and she and Bailey must work together to find out what is going on. She soon discovers that her husband is not who she thought he was.
6. LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND by Rumaan Alam (Netflix release Dec. 8)
After a white couple from New York City rent a luxurious Airbnb in the Hamptons and settle in for a week’s vacation, they are surprised when the owners, who are Black, unexpectedly show up late at night. Are they really the owners? They claim there is a blackout in the city and they decided to wait it out at home. Thus begins the thriller that explores race and class relationships as the characters fight for survival during a possible apocalyptic disaster. The TV show will star Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, and Mahershala Ali, among others.
OK, OK, I give up. In looking at these adaptations, I have been confounded by the fact that several of them are being released by Netflix, Prime Video, or Apple TV. I am sorry, it is not a movie unless it is released to the theaters first. No, no, no! It is a TV show!
Sorry, pardon my rant. It may be the new normal, but just read the book first. I have read them all, and they are worth it. We will reserve judgment on the movies (or TV shows).
Or, as Gillian Flynn said, “I’m all for whatever transitions the book properly to a movie.” (Note: She said movie!)