Based on the Book - New Movies, Movie/Book Lists, Reviews

The Bourne Identity

A man is plucked from the sea by fisherman. He has no idea who he is, where he came from, or why he has microfilm implanted in his hip. He sets off with clues from the microfilm to find out who he is. He discovers along the way that he knows how to take care of himself and that he is being pursued with deadly intent. Assassins, CIA, millions in the bank all make for a suspense filled adventure for Bourne as he seeks to reconcile the man he was with the man he is now.

(Bourne's true identity is portrayed VERY differently between book and film. In the film, Bourne is portrayed as a former "bad guy" while in the book Bourne was only undercover as a "bad guy" and was always a "good guy".)

Check out my Opinions On: The Bourne Identity __________________________________________________________________________

The Bourne Identity (2002) - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 36 min

Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox

Directed by: Doug Liman            Screenplay by: Tony Gilroy, W. Blake Herron, David Self

Genre: Action/Adventure, Thriller

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Based on The Bourne Identity (1980) - 523 pages

Author: Robert Ludlum

Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Spy Story

      

Aquamarine

Two teenagers, Claire and Haley, find a mermaid named Aquamarine in a swimming pool. Aquamarine escaped from an impending arranged marriage and is now on a quest for real love. She has three days before her father will bring her back for the wedding. The only way to stop the wedding is to prove to her father that real love exists. Aquamarine offers to grant Claire and Hailey a wish if they will help her in her search. They need that wish to keep Hailey's family from moving away at the end of the summer. The three set out to make a love connection and learn a lot about friendship, life, love and magic in the process.

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Aquamarine (2006) - Rated PG - 1 hr 49 min

Starring: Emma Roberts, Joanna "JoJo" Levesque, Sara Paxton, Jake McDorman, Arielle Kebbel

Directed by: Elizabeth Allen                Screenplay by: John Quaintance, Jessica Bendinger

Genre: Comedy, Romance

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Based on Aquamarine (2001) - 112 pages

Author: Alice Hoffman

Style: Third Person, Reading Level: Ages 10-14

Genre: Fiction, Juvenile, Fantasy

      

Waterland

History teacher Tom Crick attempts to get through a tough time in his life by using his final prep school lecture to go over his own history.

(The book also parallels and plays up his history against the history of the Fens of England as a major theme.)

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Waterland (1992) - Rated R - 1 hr 35 min

Starring: Jeremy Irons, Ethan Hawke, Sinead Cusack, John Heard, Grant Warnock

Directed by: Stephen Gyllenhaal                                   Screenplay by: Peter Prince

Genre: Drama, Fantasy

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Based on Waterland (1984) - 309 pages

Author: Graham Swift

Style: First Person

Genre: Fiction, Fictional Autobiography, Fantasy

       

A Scanner Darkly

This strange story is set in a future where America has lost the war on drugs. Fred is an undercover cop who has gotten hooked on a popular drug. The drug has caused him to develop a split personality, Bob - a drug dealer. Fred works with his superiors to catch Bob. To make it more complicated - when Fred's co-workers see Bob they don't know it's really Fred. All undercover police wear scramble suits that change their appearances, so Fred's colleauges don't really know what he looks like.

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A Scanner Darkly (2006) - Rated R - 1 hr 40 min

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Mitch Baker, Robert Downey Jr., Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson

Directed by: Richard Linklater                                              Screenplay by: Richard Linklater

Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction, Animation

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Based on A Scanner Darkly (1977) - 288 pages

Author: Philip K. Dick

Style: Third Person

Genre: Science Fiction

Ella Enchanted

At her birth, Ella receives the "gift" of obedience from her fairy godmother, Lucinda. It ends up being a curse. She can't help but obey whatever command she is given - no matter how petty or ridiculous. When her stepmother and stepsisters begin to make life miserable for her, she sets out to find Lucinda and get her to take back the gift. On the journey she encounters all sorts of magical creatures and even falls for her friend, Prince Charmont. When her fairy godmother refuses to lift the curse, Ella must take matters into her own hands - for the good of the kingdom and the man she loves.

(The basic premise of the book and movie are the same in regards to Ella's "gift", however, the book follows the story of Cinderella - royal ball, slipper, and all - while the movie does not.)

Check out my Opinions On: Ella Enchanted __________________________________________________________________________

Ella Enchanted (2004) - Rated PG - 1 hr 40 min

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, Cary Elwes, Vivica A. Fox, Joanna Lumley, Minnie Driver

Directed by: Tommy O'Haver           Screenplay by: Jennifer Heath, Michele Wolff, Laurie Craig

Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Romance, Fantasy

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Based on Ella Enchanted (1997) - 256 pages - Newbery Honor Book

Author: Gail Carson Levine

Style: First Person, Reading Level: Ages 8+

Genre: Fiction, Juvenile, Fantasy

    

The Princess Bride

A beautiful, yet comic, fairy tale adventure framed by reality in the form of an abridged re-telling of the original. A beautiful girl loses the love of her life and concedes to marry a mean prince. Her love reappears to rescue her - encountering giants, swordsmen, beasts, torture and even death.

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The Princess Bride (1987) - Rated PG - 1 hr 40 min

Starring: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Andre the Giant, Robin Wright-Penn

Directed by: Rob Reiner                                                                      Screenplay by: William Goldman

Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Romance, Fantasy

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Based on The Princess Bride (1973) - 416 pages

Author: William Goldman

Style: Storytelling

Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Love Story

The Devil Wears Prada

The powerful Miranda Priestly, editor of a high profile fashion magazine, needs an assistant. She's been through quite a few and finally decides to give fresh out of college, smalltown girl, Andy Sachs the chance many others would give anything for. Andy knows nothing about fashion and is only given the job because of her determination not to fail. She submits herself to the most obnoxious kind of servitude all to get a recommendation that could land her a job at any other top magazine. She must do things she never thought she'd do and become a person she never thought she'd be. But how much is too much? How much is a job really worth?

(Miranda and the jabs at the fashion world are a bit meaner in the book)

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The Devil Wears Prada (2006) - Rated PG-13 - 106 min

Starring: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Tracie Thoms, Adrian Grenier

Directed by: David Frankel                                                                                                                       Screenplay by: Aline Brosh McKenna

Genre: Comedy, Drama

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Based on The Devil Wears Prada (2003) - 368 pages

Author: Lauren Weisberger

Style: First Person

Genre: Fiction, Humorous

Peaceful Warrior/Way of the Peaceful Warrior

Dan Millman seems to have the perfect life - college, a shot at the Olympic qualifiers in men's gymnastics. But Dan wakes up almost nightly from unexplainable and terrifying nightmares and odd visions. One night he meets "Socrates" at a gas station - an old man who seems outside of time and space. He begs the old man to share his secrets to help him achieve his goal of Olympic Gold. The journey shatters every preconceived notion Dan has about his world - academics, athletics, achievement. He begins to value consciousness over intelligence, strength in spirit over strength in body.

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Peaceful Warrior (2006) - Rated PG-13 - 120 min

Starring: Scott Mechlowicz, Ashton Holmes, BJ Britt, Amy Smart, Nick Nolte

Directed by: Victor Salva                               Screenplay by: Kevin Bernhardt

Genre: Drama, Sports

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Based on Way of the Peaceful Warrior (1980) - 216 pages

Author: Dan Millman

Style: First Person

Genre: Autobiography, Coming of Age, Spirituality

Loverboy

  A mother's own disturbed childhood drives her to obsession for her own child. She shelters him in an extreme way. The outside world intrudes and threatens what she's created when the boy longs to attend school with other children.

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Loverboy (2006) - Rated R - 1 hr 26 min

Starring: Kyra Sedgwick, Matt Dillon, Oliver Platt, Marisa Tomei, Campbell Scott

Directed by: Kevin Bacon                             Screenplay by: Hannah Shakespeare

Genre: Drama, Romance

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Based on Loverboy (2001) - 224 pages

Author: Victoria Redel

Genre: Domestic Fiction

Style: First Person (unnamed narrator)

What's Eating Gilbert Grape

Gilbert Grape is twenty-four and stuck in a dead-end town. His mother is morbidly obese - to the point that the floor of their house may cave in under her. Gilbert's sisters are stuck in their own worlds and obsessions. Little brother, Arnie, who is retarded, provides some excitement with the occasion of his 18th birthday. Other than that, life is pretty boring until a new girl arrives in town. Knowing her, Gilbert begins to change the way he looks at life.

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What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 57 min

Starring: Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Juliette Lewis, Mary Steenburgen, Darlene Cates

Directed by: Lasse Hallstrom                                                     Screenplay by: Peter Hedges

Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance

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Based on What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1991) - 336 pages

Author: Peter Hedges

Style: First Person

Genre: Fiction, Humorous, Coming of Age