What Does It Take to Have the Heart of a Soul Surfer? Bonus! A Present for You!

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Michelle Langston

Surfer Bethany Hamilton has been who the “Bravest Girl in America.” Raised in Kauai, Hawaii, Hamilton has been a surfer since the age of seven, and is said to have sea-water in her veins. Her love of big waves has never left her, not even after a shark attack on Halloween of 2003 that nearly took her life and severed her arm near the shoulder.

Most of us cannot fathom what life would be like after a catastrophic injury like what Bethany sustained. I find her resilience amazing, and inspiring. Instead of focusing on all the things she can no longer do, Bethany pushes herself to do things that would all but seem impossible to the rest of us. One of the scenes in the film that I found the most amazing was a quiet scene where Bethany strives to help put breakfast on the table. The simple act of cutting fruit for the family becomes an incomprehensible task. Yet Bethany quietly sits on the floor with fruit, cutting board and knife, and finds a way to make it happen. And if the simple act of cutting fruit with only one arm seems like an impossibility, then just wait until you see the scenes where Bethany gets back on a surfboard.

Bethany credits her family and her faith for helping her to persevere and get back on a board. Not only did Bethany re-learn how to surf, but she also went on to compete in numerous surfing competitions. Bethany has received numerous awards, including the 2004 Teen Choice award for Most Courageous Teen and the 2004 ESPY Award for Best Comeback Athlete.

Bethany’s story has been turned into a feature length film, SOUL SURFER, starring AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, Carrie Underwood and Lorraine Nicholson (Jack Nicholson’s daughter). The film hits theaters nationwide on Friday, April 8.

A young adult book accompanies the release. Soul Surfer – A Movie Tie-In: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board is available for purchase now. Click here for more info on the book. If you are looking for a hero, someone your kids can really look up to, then pick-up this book and read it with them. You’ll both be amazed and inspired!

Now, for a little present for you. If you live in the Oklahoma City area, Bookend Babes wants to send you and your family to the movies, for free !

How would you like to see a special advance screening of the film SOUL SURFER, courtesy of Bookend Babes? I’ll not make you jump through any hoops, or even promising me your undying adoration. All you need to do is print this blog post, and take it to the theater with you, or simply print the picture of the admission ticket below! Screening takes place on Tuesday, April 5, 7:30 PM at the AMC Quail Springs Theater. If you decide to go to the screening, make sure you ARRIVE EARLY! Seating is on a first come, first serve basis. You really should be there at least an hour before showtime. I can’t stress that point enough. Get there early!

The film is rated PG. I’ve seen the film myself and wouldn’t hesitate to bring my youngest child with me. Some people may have an aversion due to the shark attack, but I promise, this is handled with sensitivity and without gory detail. This is a film that the whole family can enjoy, so I hope you get the chance to do just that!

Here’s the pass, and then you’ll find the trailer to the film. Enjoy!

Visit a classic, again…both the book and the movie!

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Michelle Langston

How many times have you read Charlotte Brontë’s beloved classic novel Jane Eyre? I do not remember how many times I have read the book (they say memory is the first thing to go…), but I would estimate that I have curled up with this favorite at least a dozen times. Multiple times I have sat and watched different film adaptations of the book. Actresses from Joan Fontaine to Samantha Morton to Anna Paquin have played Brontë’s independent heroine.

Now Jane Eyre returns to the big screen in select cities beginning March 11. Director Cary Fukunaga’s version is said to be a unique take on the film, but also influenced by Robert Stevenson’s version from 1943 starring Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine. Mia Wasikowska, last seen in “Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland,” plays Jane Eyre. The film also stars Michael Fassbender (“Jonah Hex”), Jamie Bell, Judi Dench and Sally Hawkins.

Even if you’ve read Jane Eyre before, maybe it is time to re-visit this classic. Vintage Books has released a movie tie-in edition of Jane Eyre that features a reader’s guide, as well as production notes from the film. And because we love our Bookend Babe readers, we have a little something extra for you. Vintage Books is sharing a Reader’s Group Reading Guide, so Bookend Babes, get your girls together! How about planning to read the book, then a little movie night, followed by a group discussion! The discussion guide can be found here.

Get your group together and see “Jane Eyre.” For advanced tickets or group sales you can call: 855-4JANEEYRE. For more information on the upcoming film, including opening dates for your city, visit: www.janeeyrethemovie.com

Here is a look at the upcoming movie. Watch the trailer now, then leave me a comment and let me know what you think! Enjoy!

From Book to Screen: Steven Spielberg Loves Books

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Michelle Langston

In doing some research recently on directors that frequently look to books as a source for theatrical and television projects, one name kept popping up over and over again. It really should have been a no-brainer. The answer was so obvious that made me smack myself on the head and say, “Well, duh!”

Steven Spielberg, undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s most influential and prolific personalities, continues to draw from books as source material for both big screen and small screen projects. Just look at a sample list of Spielberg’s past work:

True Grit – Executive Producer – This reboot by the Coen Brothers of the John Wayne classic, and based on the novel by Charles Portis, earned a spot on my Top 10 list of best film of 2010.

Minority Report – Director – Perhaps one of Tom Cruise’s best roles, this look at a future where crime is predicted by precogs and Big Brother is everywhere is based on a short story by Philip K. Dick.

Catch Me If You Can – Director – Stan Redding and Frank W. Abagnale – The real-life story of the ultimate scam artist. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Frank Abagnale, Jr., a young man who makes his way to 26 countries, successfully impersonates a doctor, an assistant attorney general, an airline pilot and pockets more $2.5 million in the process. Based on the book by Stan Redding and Frank W. Abagnale.

Schindler’s List – Director – From the acclaimed book by Thomas Keneally, this Spielberg film is more than just a movie. It is the documentation of history, but more than that, it is a testament to the human spirit, and how one man can truly make a difference in the lives of many, many others.

Jurassic Park – Director – The film that sparked my son’s rabid fascination with dinosaurs (resulting in a massive tattoo in homage to the film…but that is a story for another time), Michael Crichton’s book is as wonderful as Spielberg’s film. This is one film I never grow tired of watching.

The Color Purple – Director – There’s just no other way to say it. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences screwed up royally on this one. Spielberg’s masterful adaptation of Alice Walker’s written work about the life and hardships of Celie Johnson (performed brilliantly by Whoopi Goldberg) was absolutely robbed of Oscar wins in 1985. Both “Out of Africa” and “The Color Purple” received a total of 11 Oscar nominations, yet “Out of Africa” won Best Picture of 1985. How many Oscars did “The Color Purple” receive? Not one.

Steven Spielberg continues to be a busy, busy man, with multiple film and television projects in the works, many of which are based on books. Here is a look at what you have to look forward to from Spielberg, and the books from which they are inspired:

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn – The animated film based on the series of graphic novels written and drawn by Georges Prosper Remi. The film is directed by Spielberg, and features voice talent from: Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg, Jamie Bell, Cary Elwes and Nick Frost. The film is currently set for release on December, 2011.

War Horse – Spielberg directs this World War I drama about a young man, Albert (Jeremy Irvine), and the special bond he has with his horse, Joey. When Joey is sold off to the cavalry and sent to the trenches on the World War I battlefront, despite being too young to enlist, young Albert sets off for France to rescue his horse. The film is based on the 1982 children’s novel by Michael Morpurgo. The film, starring Emily Watson and David Thewlis is set for a December, 2011 release.

The Talisman – Despite hitting multiple snags, Spielberg still is listed as Executive Producer of a made for TV mini-series based on the book from horror fiction giants Stephen King and Peter Straub. While few details are available, IMDb.com still lists this project as active, and with a projected 2012 date for television.

I am Number Four – Spielberg serves as Executive Producer of the film that is based on the book by Pittacus Lore. This sci-fi flick tells the story of John (Number Four), a teenager with special powers, who hides his true identity by passing as an average high school student. When an unknown enemy begins killing others like John, he finds himself on the run to avoid being number four to die. The film stars Dianna Agron (“Glee”), Timothy Olyphant and Alex Pettyfer and is set for release on February 18, 2011.

Lincoln – Steven Spielberg’s long awaited Lincoln biopic begins production later this year, and with the announcement of Daniel Day-Lewis as Spielberg’s Lincoln, this one seems destined for critical acclaim and awards success. The film is based on Pulitzer Prize-winning book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, from historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. Any casting suggestions for Mary Todd Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, William Tecumseh Sherman and John Wilkes Booth?

Oh no! I’m hooked! The Millenium Trilogy, Daniel Craig and an 11 month wait!

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Michelle Langston

I knew I would have some downtime on a recent trip to NYC and wanted to make sure I had a good book with me and I figured that there was no better time to catch-up on the book that all my book-loving friends have been raving about. I downloaded a copy Stieg Larsson’s highly acclaimed book, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” onto my Kindle, and could barely wait to start reading.

Once I made it through airport security, I sat at the gate and began reading, and of course, you know what happened next. I was instantly hooked! So much so that I found myself more than a little irritated that I had to turn off my handy-dandy “electronic reading device” for take-off. I couldn’t wait to hear the flight crew give the all-clear to turn all approved electronic devices back on so that I could dive right back into the work of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist.

I have not yet seen the Swedish version of the film, and instead have chosen to wait to see any version of the film until I’ve completed the books. I am just weird that way I guess. I want to see how the book translates on film. I want to read the book first, then see the movie second.

If you are a huge fan of the Millennium Trilogy from Larsson, then you probably have heard that an American remake of the film is underway, with a scheduled release date of December 21, 2011. The film boasts a fantastic director, David Fincher, and an all-star cast including the following:

Daniel Craig as Martin Blomkvist

Mara Rooney as Lisbeth Salander

Christopher Plummer as Henrik Vanger

Stellan Skarsgard as Martin Vanger

Robin Wright as Erika Berger

Joely Richardson as Anita Vanger

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo tells the story of Mikael Blomkvist, a disgraced journalist in the middle of personal and professional crisis, who receives an offer to redeem his career and reputation. When approached by Henrik Vanger, an elderly titan of Swedish industry, Blomkvist hesitantly takes an offer he can’t refuse. Blomkvist agrees to spend a year researching a cold case, a mysterious death of a young girl that has haunted the elder Vanger for four decades. Using a cover story of writing a Henrik Vanger’s biography, Blomkvist pours through boxes of research and police reports, and embarks on interviewing remaining Vanger family members. With his leads going nowhere, Blomkvist enlists the help of an unconventional investigator, Lisbeth Salander, an incredibly misunderstood young woman with a ton of authority issues. This page turner will keep you up at night, because in Larsson’s tale, nothing is as it seems.

So now, I will have to sit and wait another 11 months. I’ll eagerly be waiting for the release of Fincher’s film adaptation of this fantastic book! And I’m sure I’ll be having my own private movie marathon at some point to watch the Swedish films.

So dear reader, tell me…have you read Larsson’s Millenium Trilogy? If so, which was your favorite book? Have you seen the Swedish films? What do you think of the casting choices for Fincher’s film? Will anyone else be ticking off the days on the calendar waiting to see this upcoming film? I think I see a Bookette get-together coming in December! Who’s with me?

One Day Transitions from Book to Screen

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Michelle Langston

Over the summer, the novel One Day, by David Nicholls, became an immediate word-of-mouth hit, and spent weeks on the New York Times Trade Fiction Paperback bestseller list. The book quickly went into production at Focus Features, with David Nicholls adapting the novel into a screenplay. The book also landed on Amazon’s Best of 2010 list.

The film will be directed by Lone Scherfig, who garnered critic accolades with the 2009 release of the film “An Education.” The film will star Anne Hathaway as Emma, and Jim Sturgess as Dexter, a couple that meet on the night of their college graduation – July 15, 1988. Emma is a working-class girl of principle and ambition who dreams of making the world a better place. Dexter is a wealthy charmer who dreams that the world will be his playground. For the next two decades, every July 15 will reveal to us how “Em” and “Dex” are faring, as their friendship ebbs and flows with the passing of the years. Through love and loss, heartbreak and success, hopes fulfilled and dreams shattered, they experience the grandeur of life. Look for “One Day” on the big screen sometime in Fall of 2011!

Have you read Nicholls’ One Day? If not, do yourself a favor and pick this up! If you have read the book, let me know your thoughts about the casting of Sturgess and Hathaway as Dexter and Emma.

Hope this holiday season gives you a little time to curl up with a good book! Happy Holidays!