1.28.2016

Books I've Read, Movies I Probably Won't See



A recent Twitter conversation about whether I could watch Brie Larson's (surely amazing) performance in Room got me thinking about other books that I've read, yet don't think I can handle the film version.  When I'm reading, I can take breaks, compartmentalize difficult things and even try to picture things in a positive light.  In a movie, these things are laid out for you and there's no escape for the duration.  It's funny, my husband is sort of the opposite.  He ditched The Hunger Games less than halfway through because it was just 'too awful.'  But he was fine to watch the film; his reasoning is that you can imagine the worst when reading, and that the movie version is usually made more palatable.  In some instances, I agree.  And normally I'm chomping at the bit to see the movie version of a book.  But, to me, certain movie adaptations are VERBOTEN.  These five books immediately popped into my mind (title links are to IMDB).

The Road
This story of a man and his son in a very scary and depressing post apocalyptic world is pretty horrifying.  I read it so long ago and there are images burned on my brain that STILL cross my mind from time to time, and I really wish they didn't.  
Incendiary
I really enjoy Chris Cleave's novels and highly recommend Gold and Little Bee.  (I also have a NetGalley of his upcoming novel Everyone Brave is Forgiven which I'm SUPER excited to read.)  Yet, this story of a young mother who loses her son and husband while she's conducting an affair is tough stuff.  A good read, but as much as I adore Ewan McGregor and Michelle Williams, not the stuff of a good film, methinks.

The Book Thief
When I saw that this was being made into a film, I thought, NO.  Just...  no.  The way this story of a German girl with a Jewish man hidden in her home during WWII unfolds is just so beautifully written and didn't need to be messed with.

Sarah's Key
Speaking of WWII, Sarah's Key mainly deals with children in concentration camps.  It was probably the hardest book I've ever read.  I could NOT believe they made it into a movie.  Who?  What?  Huh???  No.

Room
I mean, I think Brie Larson is awesome - she's one of the best parts of Trainwreck, she's in Scott Pilgrim vs the World (one of my all time favorite movies) and does a bang up job of singing one of my all time favorite songs in said movie.  Yet this story of an abducted girl who raises her child (and the child of her captor, if you catch my drift) in the room in which she is confined is just too much for me to take.  Maybe I could watch 20 minutes every month or so?  I do want to see her performance...

If I'm missing out on a really great movie, do tell!  I'd definitely recommend the books, but you might have to put them in the freezer for a bit...

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