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Archive for the ‘Movies’ Category

A few weeks ago, I posted an article about books that are being made into films, which included Fallen, The 5th Wave and Vampire Academy [among others]. As promised, here are yet more books that are being made into films.

They appear in alphabetical order below:

Andrew Klavan Trilogy

Andrew Klavan Trilogy

Andrew Klavan Trilogy – Fox Hill Productions is putting the Andrew Klavan mystery trilogy “Dynamite Road”, “Shotgun Alley” and “Damnation Street” into development for the big screen. The trilogy is described as a neo-noir thriller about a private detective and a serial killer in pursuit of the same mysterious woman.

Angelica by Arthur Phillips

Angelica by Arthur Phillips

Angelica – Based on the novel by best-selling author Arthur Phillips, the film for Pierpoline Films, will star Jena Malone (Hatfields & McCoys) in a psychological thriller set in 1880s London. Malone will play Constance, a young shop girl who falls for and marries Dr. Joseph Barton. After the difficult childbirth of their daughter Angelica, the doctor-ordered celibacy creates a rift in the Bartons’ marriage and a ghostly force enters their home.

Heaven and Hell by Jon Kalman Steffansson

Heaven and Hell by Jon Kalman Steffansson

Heaven and Hell – The novel trilogy by Icelandic author Jon Kalman Steffansson follow the struggles of an Icelandic man living in a small fishing village at the turn of the 19th century has been optioned by Spellbound Productions and Cap Horn Film.

Hell Or High Water by Joy Castro

Hell Or High Water by Joy Castro

Hell Or High Water – The Joy Castro debut novel has been optioned by actress Zoe Saldana and producers Jane Startz and Aida Bernal that follows New Orleans reporter Nola Céspedes as she is dragged into the city’s post-Katrina underworld on the trail of what she thinks will be her big scoop.

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

Life After Life – Lionsgate is developing the Kate Atkinson novel for the big screen. The story is set against the backdrop of WWII, focusing on a young woman who discovers she has the ability to start her life from scratch.

Lockwood & Co. by Jonathan Stroud

Lockwood & Co. by Jonathan Stroud

Lockwood & Co. – Here is another film adaptation acquired by Universal Pictures based on the upcoming supernatural book series by Jonathan Stroud that follows a ramshackle psychic detective agency that contends with murderous specters and terrifying apparitions. Lockwood and his colleagues must seek a solution to an epidemic of ghosts known as “the Problem.”

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You – MGM has secured the film right to the novel by Jojo Moyes that tells the story of two very different characters: Lou, a small town girl caught between dead-end jobs and Will, a high-profile, successful man who becomes wheelchair bound following an accident. Will has decided his life is not worth living until Lou is hired for six months to be his new caretaker. Worlds apart and trapped together by circumstance, the two get off to a rocky start; but, Lou
becomes determined to prove to Will that life is worth living. As they embark on a series of adventures together, each finds their world changing in ways neither of them could begin to imagine.

Sorta Like A Rock Star by Matthew Quick

Sorta Like A Rock Star by Matthew Quick

Sorta Like A Rock Star – Fox Searchlight has acquired the rights to the 2010 novel by Matthew Quick (the author of Silver Linings Playbook). The story centers on Amber Appleton, a high school senior who secretly lives in the back of a school bus, a situation that arose when her mother’s boyfriend kicked them out. The bus (they call it Hello Yellow) is the same one that her mother uses to drive kids to school, and despite the adversity, Amber is a self-proclaimed princess of hope and girl of unyielding optimism. But, a fatal tragedy puts her optimism to the test.

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

The False Prince – Paramount has hired Bryan Cogman to adapt the novel by Jennifer A. Nielsen that is part of the Ascendance trilogy set in a distant land where crown prince is murdered, causing a nobleman to devise a plan to find someone to impersonate the king’s long-lost son to act as a puppet. An orphan finds himself chosen with three other boys in the running; but this is no mere competition — with court intrigue and political conspiracies make it a contest to the death.

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

The Light Between Oceans – DreamWorks Studios has acquired the debut novel by M.L. Stedman that is set on a remote Australian island in the years following World War I where a lighthouse keeper and his wife are faced with a moral dilemma when a boat washes ashore with a dead man and a 2-month-old infant. When they decide to raise the child as their own, the consequences of their choice are devastating.

Will Trent by Karin Slaughter

Will Trent by Karin Slaughter

Will Trent – Yellow Bird has acquired the rights to the international best-selling Karin Slaughter book series that features Georgia Bureau of Investigation special agent Will Trent, his partner Faith Mitchell and their legendary boss Amanda Wagner.

I will have at least one more list of books being made into films (if not more) in the next few months. And, as I have said before, it will be interesting to see how these adaptations turn out; especially to learn if they will become box office smashes or disasters.

Do you have a book you would like to see made into a film? Or do any of the above strike your fancy? Or would you rather not see any of the books listed above be made into a film for whatever reason? Please share.

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Signed, Sealed, Delivered

The Hallmark Channel movie Signed, Sealed, Delivered will debut at 9 PM on October 12.

This film introduces a dedicated quartet of civil servants in the Dead Letter Office of the U.S. Postal System who transform themselves into an elite team of lost-mail detectives. Their determination to deliver the seemingly undeliverable takes them out of the post office into an unpredictable world where letters and packages from the past save lives, solve crimes, reunite old loves, and change futures by arriving late, but always miraculously on time. The intrepid team is led by the charming and handsome, but idiosyncratic, Oliver (Eric Mabius) who still considers the stamped and mailed letter to be the gold standard of human communication. His hapless team of lost letter experts, free-spirited Rita (Crystal Lowe) and oddly-intuitive Norman (Geoff Gustafson), are thrown for a loop when a beautiful, no-nonsense technophile named Shane (Kristin Booth) is mistakenly transferred to their inner sanctum. Shane inspires the lovable crew to step up in a risky and unorthodox way, beginning with a chance to clear the name of a wrongfully accused man and reconnect him with the love of his life. Will this dead letter make the truth come alive?

NOTE: This is another back-door pilot for the network that will air as a new series sometime in 2014.

Here is a trailer for Signed, Sealed, Delivered.

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The Mystery Cruise

The Hallmark Movie Channel movie The Mystery Cruise will debut on October 5 at 9 PM.

Based on the book “The Santa Cruise” by New York Times best-selling authors, Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark, this back door pilot centers on best friends and impending partners, Alvirah Meehan (Gail O’Grady), a lottery winner turned amateur sleuth and Regan Reilly (Michelle Harrison) a private investigator. After the two heroines rescue the diamond-collared pooch of a wealthy socialite, they set off with their spouses to join Regan’s mom, Nora Reilly (Colleen Winton), a world famous mystery writer, on a luxurious three-day cruise around the San Juan Island off the coast of Washington, the setting for a mystery game created to promote the release of Nora’s latest book.

Here is a trailer for The Mystery Cruise.

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Based on information provided by the Dark Horizons website and some internet research, here are just some of the movies you can expect to see in the movie theatres in October:

Gravity
Opens: October 4

The story follows brilliant medical engineer (Sandra Bullock) on her first shuttle mission, along with a veteran astronaut (George Clooney). The pair are the sole survivors when debris destroys their space station. Their only chance of survival is to reach rescue before they run out of air. Everything that can go wrong does go wrong, with one left alone and having to essentially hopscotch from satellites to vessels to floating debris – all the time facing hazards of all sorts.

Runner, Runner
Opens: October 4

Singer turned actor Justin Timberlake stars as a Princeton student cheated of his tuition money by playing online poker. He flies to Costa Rica in the hope of reclaiming his losses from the site’s billionaire owner (Ben Affleck). Unexpectedly he ends up becoming the deceptive and corrupt CEO’s right-hand man. At the same time, an FBI agent (Anthony Mackie from The Hurt Locker) sees the student’s proximity as a way into the world of this criminal CEO whom he has spent years trying to bring down. The cast includes Gemma Arterton (Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters) and Sam Palladio (Nashville).

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
Opens: October 4

The four stories in this sequel takes place before, during and after events in the first film. In “A Dame to Kill For”, Dwight (Josh Brolin) is called by his former lover, Ava Lord, who wants his help to escape her abusive billionaire husband. “Just Another Saturday Night” has Marv (Mickey Rourke) awakening on a highway overlooking the Projects and surrounded by dead young guys. “The Long Bad Night” is an original story about a cocky gambler (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) out to destroy the town’s biggest villain, and a currently untitled story picks up after “That Yellow Bastard”, following Jessica Alba’s Nancy. The cast includes Bruce Willis, Jamie Chung, Dennis Haysbert, Rosario Dawson, Ray Liotta, Christopher Meloni, Jeremy Piven and Juno Temple.

Captain Phillips
Opens: October 11

While it was the sixth vessel in a week to be attacked by the Somali pirates that roam the Gulf of Aden, the takeover of the Maersk Alabama was the first successful pirate seizure of a ship registered under the American flag since the early 19th century. Using Captain Richard Phillips’ memoir “A Captain’s Duty” as the basis for the script, the film deals with the tense five-day stand-off between the four armed invaders and the crew, a stand-off that saw Phillips offer himself as hostage in exchange for the safety of his crew. Ultimately a daring high-seas rescue saw U.S. Navy SEALs take down three of the captors. The cast includes Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener, Max Martini and Chris Mulkey.

Oldboy
Opens: October 11

An advertising executive (Josh Brolin) is kidnapped and held hostage for over a decade in solitary confinement without any indication of his captor’s motive. When he is inexplicably released, he embarks on an obsessive mission to discover just who orchestrated his bizarre and torturous punishment, only to learn he is still trapped in a web of conspiracy and torment. His quest leads him into an ill-fated relationship with a young social worker (Elizabeth Olsen) and an elusive man (Sharlto Copley) who allegedly holds the key to his salvation. The cast also includes Samuel L. Jackson

Romeo and Juliet
Opens: October 11

Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) takes on the female lead in the Shakespearean adaptation with Douglas Booth in the male lead. The cast includes Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl), Paul Giamatti, Damian Lewis and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

12 Years a Slave
Opens: October 18

Set in the mid-19th century, the film tells the true story of New Yorker Solomon Northrup
(Chiwetel Ejiofor), a married and educated free black man living in New York when two men approach him with a job offer in Washington. When he shows up in D.C., he is kidnapped and put in a slave pen, paving the way to his grueling life under numerous owners. Northup secures his freedom when a white carpenter from Canada smuggles out letters to Northup’s wife. She contacts a lawyer (Brad Pitt) who initiated legal proceedings that saw him set free. The cast includes Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti, Garret Dillahunt, Sarah Paulson, Alfre Woodard and Quvenzhane Wallis.

Carrie
Opens: October 18

Actress Chloe Moretz takes on the title role of the classic novel by Stephen King with Julianne Moore as her mother, telling the story of a sheltered high school girl with an abusive fundamentalist mother. The cast includes Judy Greer and Portia Doubleday.

Escape Plan
Opens: October 18

Sylvester Stallone plays Ray Breslin, a well-regarded structural engineer who has designed numerous high-tech buildings. Wrongly convicted of a crime, he is sent to serve out his sentence in an escape-proof maximum security prison of his own design. He now faces the challenge of breaking out with the help of his cell mate, the complicated Emil Rottmayer (Arnold Schwarzenegger). The cast includes Jim Caviezel (Person of Interest) as the ruthless warden, Vincent D’Onofrio (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) as the prison’s deputy director, Vinnie Jones (The Cape) as a corrupt guard, rapper-turned-actor Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson as a cybercriminal who plans to escape with the other two, Sam Neill (Alcatraz) as the prison’s sympathetic doctor, and Amy Ryan as Stallone’s business partner and potential love interest.

Movies coming out in November will be posted at the end of October.

Enjoy!

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The Watsons

On September 20, the Hallmark Channel movie The Watsons Go To Birmingham will debut at 8 PM.

Set in the Summer of 1963 in Flint, Michigan, the Watsons are a close knit “All American Family” made up of Daniel and Wilona Watson, (Wood Harris and Anika Noni Rose) and their three kids, 15 year-old juvenile delinquent Byron (Harrison Knight), nerdy 11 year-old Kenny (Bryce Jenkins) and eight year-old adorable sister Joetta (Skai Jackson). When Byron’s antics go over the top, his parents realize enough is enough and they decide the family needs a dose of Grandma Sands (LaTanya Richardson) no nonsense approach in Birmingham, Alabama.

So the Watsons load up the 1948 Plymouth Brown Bomber outfitted with a true tone Ultra-Glide turntable and head South with plenty of comedy en route. When they finally make it to Birmingham, they meet Grandma Sands and her friend, Mr. Robert (David Alan Grier), who show them around town and the Watsons discover that life is very different there than in Flint – and not necessarily for the better. During that historic summer, the Watsons find themselves caught up in something far bigger than Byron’s antics. Something that will change their lives and country forever.

Here is a trailer and behind the scenes look at The Watsons Go To Birmingham.

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Foyle's War

The three-part Masterpiece Mystery movie Foyle’s War will debut on PBS on September 15 at 9 PM.

The three-part movie follows Foyle (Michael Kitchen) and loyal friend Sam (Honeysuckle Weeks) in a new post-war era as their worlds shift into those of MI5. With many stories based on real life cases, Foyle will focus his attention on the world of espionage as he gathers secret intelligence in support of Britain’s security, defense and the Government’s foreign and economic policies. In his new role as a Senior Intelligence Officer, Foyle discovers that the British establishment is rife with communist sympathizers and traitors. In this delicately balanced period in history, 1946-47, Foyle will use all his intelligence, guile and intuition to keep the country safe. Meanwhile, Sam is happily married to local MP Adam and finding her feet as a wife with a daunting role in local politics. Reunited with Foyle, she is also offered a surprising new working role.

NOTE: The remaining parts of Foyle’s War will air on the next two Sundays (September 15 and September 29) at the same time.

Here is a trailer for Foyle’s War.

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Garage Sale Mystery

The Hallmark Channel movie Garage Sale Mystery will debut on September 14 at 9 PM.

Jennifer Shannon (Lori Loughlin) can always find a diamond in the rough – when it comes to garage sales, that is! Whether it’s a new antique to sell at her consignment shop, an Atari game for her son or a piece of furniture for her handy husband Jason (Rick Ravanello) to refurbish, she has made a career out of her treasure hunting prowess. When a string of burglaries hits her town, Jennifer’s keen eye for detail and her natural problem solving instincts even help her see the connection between these burglaries and local garage sales! Jennifer works with Detective Adam Iverson (Andrew Dunbar) to investigate her theory that the perpetrators of the burglaries are fellow garage sale regulars. The case escalates to dangerous levels when Jennifer discovers the dead body of her friend. Even though the deceased’s husband, Ben Douglas (Cameron Bancroft), finds nothing missing in their house, and the police label the death as accidental, Jennifer suspects that the death may be related to the burglaries.

Here is a trailer for Garage Sale Mystery.

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Last Tango in Halifax

On September 8, the six-part mini-series Last Tango in Halifax will debut on PBS at 8 PM.

This is an uplifting comedy/drama about romance and second chances. Full of zesty humor, great characters and glorious dialogue, it’s about timeless love in a modern setting. Childhood sweethearts Alan and Celia, both widowed and in their 70s, fall for each other all over again when they are reunited over the internet after nearly 60 years. As their lives collide for a second time, the couple laments what might have been as they take audiences on a life-affirming journey together. While their relationship is a celebratory tale of the power of love at any age, it is also a story about family and the complications the relationship causes, especially for their grown daughters.

The mini-series stars Derek Jacobi (The King’s Speech) and Anne Reid (Upstairs, Downstairs) [among others].

Here is a trailer for Last Tango in Halifax.

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This past October, I posted two separate articles about books that are being made into films, which included The Maze Runner, Ender’s Game and The Giver (among others).

Once again, it’s been far too long since I’ve posted another article about books being made into films so here is yet another list of books that you can expect to see on the big screen sooner or later.

They appear in alphabetical order below:

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Angelfall – Based on the originally self-published novel by Susan Ee that was later released by Amazon Children’s Publishing has been optioned by Good Universe (and Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert). The plot begins six weeks after angels of the apocalypse descend to demolish the modern world, and street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her 17-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back, including making a deal with an enemy angel Raffe, a warrior who has been left bleeding and wingless. The two journey toward the angel’s stronghold where Penryn must risk everything to rescue her sister and Raffe must decide whether to put himself at the mercy of his enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

Elusion by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam

Elusion by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam

Elusion – Based on the upcoming young-adult novel by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam, Silver Reel will develop the contemporary sci-fi thriller about two love-struck teenagers who discover that the wildly popular game created by their wunderkind best friend, which uses deep hypnosis to transport users to a virtual alternate world, is actually much more sinister than it appears.

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Fallen – Mayhem Pictures and Lotus Entertainment are adapting the Lauren Kate best-selling young adult novel series about an alienated girl torn between two charismatic young men. She is unaware that they are fallen angels who have battled over her for centuries. The cast will include actress Addison Timlin (Zero Hour and Californication) and actor Jeremy Irvine (War Horse).

Flyy Girl by Omar Tyree

Flyy Girl by Omar Tyree

Flyy Girl – Lionsgate will adapt the book by best-selling author Omar Tyree that is a coming-of-age story that explores the journey of a young woman motivated by the material life who plunges into a fast-paced world of gratuitous sex, violence and heartbreak in an attempt to find herself and to assess her goals in life during the modern Hip-Hop era.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay – Based on the Gayle Forman novel that is slated to star Chloe Moretz (Kick Ass and the upcoming Carrie remake) about a relationship between a young classical musician and her indie rock boyfriend. Director R.J. Cutler (Nashville) has lined this project up as his first feature film.

Juliet by Anne Fortier

Juliet by Anne Fortier

Juliet – Based on the book by Anne Fortier, Paramount Pictures will move forward with the film adaptation of the story of a young woman who learns that the legend of Romeo and Juliet is actually real, and that Shakespeare’s version was simply the most popular retelling.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The 5th Wave – Columbia Pictures is adapting the Rick Yancey novel about a 16-year-old heroine who survives an alien invasion only to search for her brother, who may have been abducted by human-looking extraterrestrials. The girl is helped by a boy who may also be an alien in disguise.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Boys – New Line Cinema has picked up the rights to the book based on the Maggie Stiefvater novel that revolves around the offspring of psychic parents who’s told that if she finds her true love and kisses him, he will die.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Unwind – Based on the young adult sci-fi novel by Neal Shusterman, Constantin Film has picked up the rights to the book that is set in an America following a second Civil War where the fight is over (of all things) abortion. Under a new law, no life can be taken until the age of 13, but from 13 to 17 parents and guardians can “unwind” (which means harvesting a person’s organs) any child they want.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy – Reliance Entertainment and IM Global are behind the feature film adaptation of the popular six-volume book series by Richelle Mead that will star actress Zoey Deutch (Beautiful Creatures and Ringer) and Australian newcomer Lucy Fry in the lead roles. The story focuses on the tale of Rose Hathaway, a 17-year-old girl who has a mental and spiritual bond with her vampire best friend Lissa. The two girls attend a special school for vampires who struggle to retain some humanity while other vampires become more feral.

I will have several more lists of books being made into films over the course of the next few months. And, as I have said before, it will be interesting to see how these adaptations turn out; especially to learn if they will become box office smashes or disasters.

Do you have a book you would like to see made into a film? Or do any of the above strike your fancy? Or would you rather not see any of the books listed above be made into a film for whatever reason? Please share.

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Dear Dumb Diary

The Hallmark Channel movie Dear Dumb Diary will debut on September 6 at 8 PM.

Jamie (Emily Alyn Lind) marches to the beat of her own music video. As an artistic and energetic glitter-loving diva in the making, the 11-year old’s vivid daydreams about how life should be are often played out as full-blown musical productions. In her mind, Hudson Rivers (David Mazouz), the eighth cutest boy in Mackerel Middle School, returns her affections and Angeline (Sterling Griffith), the prettiest and most popular girl in school, and other perfect people like her, are banished so that average folk get their due. Real life, however, is somewhat different and as a result, Jamie pours out her innermost thoughts in her cherished diary and shares some of her feelings with her beloved Aunt Carol (Laura Bell Bundy) as well as her shrewd best friend Isabella (Mary-Charles Jones), who may not be the best influence on her. When Mackerel Middle School’s arts program is threatened because of budget cuts, Assistant Principal Devon (James Waterston) announces the district’s first-ever Jump-a-thon fundraiser. Jamie sees her winning participation as an opportunity to not only save the arts program but also to impress Hudson, and by beating Angeline, bring justice to ordinary people of the world.

Here is a trailer for Dear Dumb Diary.

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