DISCUSSION | What Do I Value in Film Adaptations?

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog! I'm Genni, and today we're going to be discussing book adaptations. Whether it be television shows, movies, web series, etc., book adaptations are abundant. 

For today, I'm going to self reflect on my experience watching YA book to film adaptations, and ask myself,  "What do I look for in an adaptation?" As a reader, do I look for accuracy and staying true to the source material? Do I hope that the adaptation stays true to the heart of book, but am okay with certain changes? As a viewer, do I  care that a film is even adapted from something, or am I just looking for a quality film? When the two intersect, reader and viewer, what do I value the most?

As a critical reader and viewer, I want whatever media I consume to be first-rate. I've come to learn that what I value most in an adaptation is dependent on my relationship to the book. For instance, I read The Darkest Minds years ago, and frankly, did not enjoy the book that much. If I were to watch the film, I would hope that the film's plot followed that of the book, and that key scenes were the same or similar. However, I wouldn't mind if a character's name or appearance was changed. I also wouldn't mind if the plot was altered, if the adaptation maintained the core of the novel. This is not the same for an adaption of a book that I loved, though. When The Fault in Our Stars was coming to theaters, I absolutely loved the book. I was so worried that the movie wouldn't include certain scenes, even lines, from the source material. I don't care about this for The Darkest Minds, but I did for The Fault in Our Stars, because I had a much stronger connection to the source material at the time. When I'm watching an adaption but haven't read the book, I then simply look for well-produced and well-acted entertainment. I have never read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, so when I watch the film, I don't compare it to its source material. Instead, I take in the movie as a separate entity, as individual. When I do this, I tend to enjoy the film more, as I'm not nit-picking the movie, and instead taking everything all in. Even then, some film adaptations have fallen short.


It is not a secret that Young Adult Adaptations have had a tumultuous relationship with critics. Some films and franchises, like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games are critically applauded. Other adaptations, such as Twilight, Percy Jackson, and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, are critically reviled. Let's look at some of the most recent films based on young adult literature, and their Rotten Tomatoes scores, as of 8 August 2018. 

• Love, Simon - 91%
• Maze Runner: The Death Cure - 41%
• Every Day - 63%
• Midnight Sun - 17%
• Ready Player One - 73%
• The Darkest Minds - 19%
• Everything, Everything - 47%
• The Miseducation of Cameron Post - 80%
• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - 63%
• Allegiant - 12%

As you can tell from this sample of 10 movies, YA adaptations are a mixed bag. The scores above aren't a grade, exactly, but the percent of critics that enjoyed the movie. Out of these ten, five of them were "fresh", or above a 60 percent approval rating. These "fresh" movies range from a 63% approval rating to a 91% percent approval rating. The other five, however, have much lower approval ratings, ranging from 12% to 47 percent. The average percent of these 10 movies is 50.5%. This isn't a horrible score, but shows that, at least with critics, there is much more room to improve upon when it comes to YA adaptations.

We might not all agree with critics, or even watch movies critically, but the evidence is clear: there are some bad film adaptations, and some quality ones. However, I would argue that these film critics aren't reviewing the movie based on whether the movie stayed true to the book. These critics are professionals and know what to look for in movies to determine is something was well made or not. Odds are, they haven't read the book the film is based on, and if they have, they would try to keep the two separate from each other. Since I am both reader and viewer,  it can be difficult to separate book from movie. When I do, I get the most rewarding results. 

I can with strong conviction that Love, Simon was an amazing film. I also thought the book, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, was equally amazing. When I watched the movie though, I didn't go in thinking, "I can't wait for this specific scene, etc.!" Instead, I immersed myself in the movie and attempted to not make comparisons. Because of this, I was able to shrug off changes made and just enjoy the movie for what is was. Since the movie also stayed true to the majority of the book, I am able to watch it with the book in mind, and still enjoy it! 

My resolution, from here on out, is to separate adaptations from the source material upon first watching. That way, I am not nit-picking the movie, and I am just watching the film for what it is. If the movie follows the book closely and is good, that is the best of both worlds! But if the film takes major detours, there is a better a chance I'll still enjoy it since I'm watching as a film and not an adaptation. If I watch the movie and dislike it, it's not because the movie made changes from the book, as that's to be expected. Instead, it will be because it simply was not executed well. 

What do you value when watching adaptations? 

Thank you so much for stopping by and I'll see you soon with another post!

Happy Reading!

Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!

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MOVIE REVIEW | Love, Simon

Love, Simon
Release Date: March 16, 2018
Run Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Genre: Drama/Romance (coming of age)
Rating: PG-13

Everyone deserves a great love story. But for seventeen-year old Simon Spier it’s a little more complicated: he’s yet to tell his family or friends he’s gay and he doesn’t actually know the identity of the anonymous classmate he’s fallen for online. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, terrifying and life-changing. Directed by Greg Berlanti (Riverdale, The Flash, Supergirl), screenplay by Elizabeth Berger & Isaac Aptaker (This is Us), and based on Becky Albertalli’s acclaimed novel, LOVE, SIMON is a funny and heartfelt coming-of-age story about the thrilling ride of finding yourself and falling in love.

Mini Movie Reviews | Passengers, Baby Driver, Before I Fall

Hey everyone and welcome back (or to!) my blog! I'm Genni, and today I'll be doing some mini movie reviews on what I have seen recently. I've been seeing a ton of movies with my sister since we're both off of school until the school year starts. Whether it is from redbox, on tv, or at the movies, I'll be reviewing some of the movies I've been seeing!

Passengers
Release Date: December 22, 2016
Run Time: 1 hour, 56 minutes
Genre: Scifi/Romance
Rating: PG-13

Spoiler: I really didn't like Passengers. I thought that Passengers would be this thrilling space opera, and instead it's a romance film just set in space. The main conflict isn't that the ship is breaking down, and death is imminent. Nope, the main conflict is a moral one! There is a lot of moping around and longing looks, and it was so irritating. Plus, this movie is sleep inducing. I mean, I was literally falling asleep watching this movie. Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence are huge talents, but the dialouge was flat, the plot mind-numbing, and the characters weren't compelling at all. It's obvious that Pratt and Lawrnece do the best with what they are given, but they're best isn't enough to make the movie good, even bearable. What this movie needs is a better script. I would have been fine watching a romance film in space with moral conflicts if the script was just written better. The script was the nail in the coffin for me. It didn't help that the pacing was all over the place either. There were some thrilling sequences, and then right after were slow, romance-y scenes. The tonal shift gave me whiplash. I give Passengers a D.

MOVIE REVIEW | Nerve

Nerve was such a thrilling movie and I had so much fun watching it! I did have some faults here and there, but the pros definitely outweighed the cons. If you don't know, Nerve is based off of the YA novel of the same name written by Jeanne Ryan. The plot centers around Venus, or Vee. She is a shy upcoming college freshman who is anything but outgoing. Vee decides to become a player in a Nerve, a game like truth or dare without the truth. The watchers give out dares to players, and the more dangerous they are, the more money the players receive. The movie was released on July 27th, and I saw it on the 31st. I'm going to review the movie in three parts, one for each act.

Movie Review: Vampire Academy

The movie adaptation of Vampire Academy, the first in the six book series by Richelle Mead, was downright cheesy.

I have actually seen this movie three different times. The first two times were right after I read the book and I was kind of watching it without looking for flaws. This time around, I felt like I was watching a completely different movie. Vampire Academy was recently released on Netflix, so if you want to watch it, you're good to go!

I think that what really made this movie below average for me was the script. Some of the lines were so stilted and unnatural, and it was obvious in the acting. There were several times where the movie told us what was happening instead of showing us, and it just irked me. If you think that the movie is so confusing you have to blatantly explain what is going on while it is happening, then something is not translating well.

There was also no chemistry between the two main couples. Rose and Dmitri just weirded me out. The actress that portrayed Lissa Dragonmir, Lucy Fry, fell flat for me and she never made me feel for anything. I remember while reading the book that I liked Lissa while Rose annoyed me, and it was completely the opposite for this movie. The actress who played Rose, Zoey Duetch, showed real promise. There were some really cheesy scenes, but some of them actually struck me. I am excited to see how it plays out when she plays Samantha Kingston in Before I Fall, another young adult movie adaptation.

To be fair, Vampire Academy had a lot going for it. Mark Waters and his brother Daniel Waters, both worked on teen moves we now revere as classics. Instead of making another teen classics to join the ranks of Heathers and Mean Girls, we got another flop. This was one of the many young adult book to movie adaptations that just didn't translate well. 

Vampire Academy had so much potential, and unfortunately, it just did not translate well into screen. Instead of the perfect blend of funny and kickass, we got a corny teenage movie. It is pretty entertaining, so if you aren't too critical on movies or just want to watch something for fun, go for it! Vampire Academy is by no means a great movie, but it is one of those movies that is perfect to watch at a sleepover.

With that, I give this book 

2.5 out of 5 Stars!

What have you guys thought of this movie? Have you read it yet or are planning to?

Thanks guys for stopping by and I'll see you soon with another post!

Happy Reading!

Genni @ Ready, Set, Read! 

Movie Review: Mockingjay Part 2

I literally have nothing bad to say about this film! I absolutely loved it!

Mockingjay Part 2 is everything I wanted in a concluding movie of one of my favorite franchises. I never knew I could be so happy with something. Right once I finished seeing the movie, I wanted to go back and see it again. 

This was such a faithful adaptation and I loved every second of it. They really stuck true to the books and I adored how they translated it into film. The acting is on point throughout the entire movie, and Josh Hutcherson's portrayal of a broken Peeta was excellent. Even though the movie is pretty long, 2 hours and 17 minutes, there was not one time I was bored. Because I knew what was going to happen since I have read the books, I was eagerly anticipating some scenes and anxious at others. I was low-key hoping they didn't kill off a certain character in the sewers, but the scene was so well done and truly paid tribute to the character. 

One thing I love about this book is that there is so much symbolism and " Easter eggs" throughout the film. For instance, at the end of the movie (no major spoiler don't worry!) Peeta is holding a dandelion. If you don't remember, at the end of Mockingjay Katniss explains how Gale is like a fire while Peeta is a dandelion. Already fire-like herself, she needs something to calm herself and Peeta is her perfect match. In another scene, when President Snow coughs up blood, it comes out in the shape of a mockingjay! Now that is just brilliant. Another scene that I felt was really cool was one of the end scenes where Peeta and Katniss are just sitting together looking outside as it rains. They are in the same exact post they are in on top of the roof in The Hunger Games movies, and it made the scene so much more powerful. You can really see their character development from then to now. 

I was also worried about the scene near the end with President Snow, President Cain, and Katniss at the trials. (I'm trying so hard to not give spoilers! Haha!) Because I knew what Katniss was about to do, Cain's speech was so powerful and ironic. Not only is she talking about Snow, an evil dictator, but herself as well as she continues on with her tyranny.  

I literally have no complaints. Not only was this movie faithful to the book, but was extremely well written, directed, and acted. If you haven't heard already, there was this scene between a couple that never happened in the book that became canon in the movies. I loved that change! I've been shipping this couple ever since I first read the books and I was fangirling and my friend and I freaked the crap out when they kissed! SO. GOOD. 

Another aspect that I wanted to talk about was the music and score throughout the trilogy of movies. I just realized this when watching this final movie, but they always use this same music phrase in key moments, and it made the scenes even more powerful! Hearing that progression actually pushed me into crying in one scene. Talking about crying, I did that. Multiple times. How could you not? The movie is so bittersweet and touching, and my heart felt like it was breaking and rejoicing at the same time. As you can tell, the movie gave me all the feels.

Does anyone else want prequels of these movies? Ever since I heard the news that The Hunger Games was adapted into film, I have been thinking of all the other movies they can make. For instance, they could do a prequel on the revolution that would start the Hunger Games and the first game to happen. I would also love to see Finnick's game and Annie's as well. To be quite honest, I want to see their love story enfold. But the one prequel I want to happen the most is Haymitch's! If you don't know, Haymitch was victor of the 50th Hunger Games, a Quarter Quell where instead of 24 participants there were 48! Haymitch used the game boundaries as a weapon, and in turn the Capitol killed his family. Talk about brutal! But also, it would give more insight and depth to Haymitch as a character. 

To just recap everything I just said up in those billions of paragraphs, I pretty much said that I loved everything about the movie. This was such a perfect adaptation and I couldn't have asked for a better movie for a better series. In ranking the movies, this was my favorite followed by Catching Fire, and Mockingay Pt. 1 and Hunger Games tied. 

I couldn't recommend this movie more! It was such a great conclusion and though it is bittersweet the series came to an end, I could not be happier. 

With that, I give this book

5 out of 5 Stars!

What's your favorite of the Hunger Games movies? The books? What did you think of the movie? I'm definitley going to watch this again - proabably during Thanksgiving break!

Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you guys soon with another post!

Happy Reading!

Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!

Top Ten Tuesday: Adaptions I'm Looking Forward To!

Hey guys and welcome back to my blog! Today's Top Ten Tuesday is about all the book adaptations coming out that I cannot wait for! I'm not going to limit these adaptations to just movies; there's some great TV shows coming out or optioned as well! Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and Bookish. Be sure to check them out! These are in no particular order!




1.) Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Obsidian was optioned for film in 2013 and just got its production company this year! I'm super excited to see how the film will be portrayed in the movies! I already know that if it does come out *fingers crossed*, I'm going to love it! The series is so much fun to read. Check out Armentrout's post about it here!

2.) Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Before I Fall was optioned way back when by Fox 2000, but is now being adapted by Awesomeness Films. I read Before I Fall a really long time ago, but I loved it! It was just announced in September that Zoey Deutch is going to play the main character, Samantha. Deutch has starred in both Beautiful Creatures and Vampire Academy, so she knows what she's doing.

3.) Shadowhunters by Cassandra Clare

Shadowhunters is the television adaption of The Mortal Instruments. It's coming to ABC Family, or should I say Freeform (such a cringeworthy name!) in January! I'm sure you guys know that The Mortal Instruments was adapted in 2013 into a movie. (Guess what I'm watching right now?) I heard that the show derives from the book a lot, so I'm a bit nervous.

4.) Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

I was so excited to hear the news that Shatter Me was being made into a TV show! Shatter Me is one of my favorite series, so I can't wait to see it on the silver screen. Find out more here! I think that Shatter Me will be better as a TV show than a movie just so that we can get all the back stories and everything.

5.) Mockingjay Pt. 2 by Suzanne Collins

To say I'm hyped for this is an understatement! Every movie in the series has been so good and I can't wait for this epic conclusion! I'm so nervous about you-know-what. Also this movie poster guys! So. good.

6.)  We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars kind of blew my mind when I read it last summer. E Lockhart wrote the script, so I know its going to be good! Find out more here!

7.) The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection has been optioned before for TV by the CW, but never made it to the screen. Warner Bros. optioned the film in April! Find out more here!

8.) Graceling

There hasn't been much news about the Graceling movie since it has been optioned for film, but I won't let that rain of my parade! I completely love the novel and hope that it will be made into a movie! Click here to go to the IMBD page about it!

9.) Angelfall

Angelfall was such an epic book, so I hope it is translated well when it comes to the big screen! As of now, the movie has a writer and producer and is in development. Learn more about it here!

10.) Cinder

There hasn't been much news about the movie adaptation for Cinder or any of the other Lunar Chronicles novels. I just went to one of the stops on Marissa Meyer's tour (post is coming soon!!) and she said that they are being secretive and nothing it set in stone. Maybe they'll see just how crazy the book community is about these books and will actually do something?


So that's my top ten book to movie/TV adaptions! Did we have any in common? What are some of your most anticipated ones?

Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you guys soon with another post! 

Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!


P.S. Sorry this is sooo late! :)