David Fincher |

One of the best cinematic gifts I will probably get this Christmas will be sitting in a theatre watching David Fincher’s book to screen adaptation of the first book in Stieg Larsson’s wildly successful Millennium Trilogy, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”

Yeah, yeah…I know I’ve posted about this film before, but I just couldn’t resist another post. This is just one of those films for me, one where all the right elements are in place to make one hell of a movie. David Fincher directing, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross handling the music, and the cast! Oh my goodness, the cast! Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist, Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander, Christopher Plummer as Henrik Vanger, Stellan Skarsgard as Martin Vanger, Robin Wright as Erika Vanger and Joely Richardson as Anita Vanger.

Larsson’s first book is a labyrinth of lies, murder, corruption, family secrets and inner demons that surround the 40 year-old mysterious disappearance of a young girl. Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is a financial reporter who is left broken and shamed after being convicted in a court of law of libel. Hired by a wealthy industrialist, Henrik Vanger (Academy Award® nominee Christopher Plummer), to get to the bottom of the long-ago disappearance of his beloved niece, Harriet, Blomkvist heads to a remote island on the frozen Swedish coast, unaware of what awaits him.

At the same time, Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), an unusual but ingenious investigator with Milton Security, is hired to do a background check on Blomkvist, a job that ultimately leads to her joining him in his investigation. Lisbeth is a young woman who has gone to great lengths to shield herself from a world that has repeatedly betrayed her, but her computer hacking skills and single-minded focus become an invaluable resource to Blomkvist. Salander and Blomkvist form a fragile strand of trust as they are pulled into the center of a brutal crime world.

In all three books, Larsson pulls from his background in investigative journalism to create a fictional, yet all too real world of social and political corruption and moral ambiguity. The original title of Larsson’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” was “Men Who Hate Women,” but was later scrapped for a more “publishing friendly” title. The book is not only an exploration of crimes committed against women and those that commit those crimes, but also of what it means to be victimized, versus living as a victim….and the seething need to be avenged.

While you probably will not have time to finish off the first book before the film opens in theaters next week, I highly recommend you set aside some time to read all three. So, while we wait for the film to hit theatres, I’m leaving you with a gallery of “eye candy.” Just a little something to tide you over until opening day, which by the way, is now one day earlier than anticipated! Instead of having to wait until December 21, you’ll be able to see the film in theatres on December 20! Keep in mind, this film is definitely “Rated R.”

Happy Holidays to all you Bookend Babes out there! My wish for you is that your holidays are filled with lots of fun, family, friends…and hopefully, time for you to enjoy a great book, or a movie on the big screen!

I always get excited about this time of year. Summer isn’t quite over yet, yet all the retail stores are stocked full of back-to-school supplies, and Fall seems to be just around the corner. Each time I comment about all those great back-to-school displays, my kiddos begin a familiar whine about how much it stinks that summer is almost “ooooverrrrrrrr.” (Did I get the whining tone right?)

From a movie-lover’s perspective, I really enjoy summer, but fall and winter movie releases always end-up being my favorite. Don’t get me wrong, I love a big, loud summer blockbuster as much as the next girl, but we are headed into the time of year where studios start to release films that are positioned for consideration for critics best of the year lists, as well as award nominations (Golden Globe, Academy Awards, etc.). Hear are four films that I am really looking forward to seeing, several of which I think you’ll be hearing much more about closer to the end of the year as we enter into “Oscar Season.”

THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Rashida Jones, Justin Timberlake, Joseph Mazzello
Director: David Fincher (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Panic Room,” “Fight Club”)
Category: Theatrical Film
Release Date: In movie theaters nationwide October 1,2010
Based on: The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal by Ben Mezrich

On a fall night in 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer programming genius Mark Zuckerberg sits down at his computer and heatedly begins working on a new idea. In a fury of blogging and programming, what begins in his dorm room soon becomes a global social network and a revolution in communication. A mere six years and 500 million friends later, Mark Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in history… but for this entrepreneur, success leads to both personal and legal complications. From director David Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin comes The Social Network, a film that proves you don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.

WINTER’S BONE
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Kevin Breznahan, Dale Dickey, Garrett Dillahunt, Sheryl Lee, Tate Taylor
Director: Debra Granik
Category: Theatrical Film
Release Date: Roll-out release throughout U.S. cities in Fall/Winter of 2010
Based On: Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell
This Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winner for Best Picture is one of the most positively reviewed films on the horizon, and the film that is the number one slot on my “Want-See-List.” Rolling Stones film critic Peter Travers says in his review, “It means to shake you, and it does.” Read his review of the film here. David Denby at The New Yorker writes that the film is “…a work of art that grabs hold and won’t let go.”

“Winter’s Bone” is the story of seventeen-year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence), who sets out to track down her father, who put their house up for his bail bond and then disappeared. If she fails, Ree and her family will be turned out into the Ozark woods. Challenging her outlaw kin’s code of silence and risking her life, Ree hacks through the lies, evasions and threats offered up by her relatives and begins to piece together the truth.

Read an excerpt from Daniel Woodrell’s book here.

NEVER LET ME GO
Cast: Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Charlotte Rampling, Sally Hawkins
Director: Mark Romanek (“One Hour Photo”)
Category: Theatrical film
Release Date: In select movie theaters beginning September 15, 2011
Based on: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
This highly acclaimed novel from Kazuo Ishiguro (“The Remains of the Day”) made Time Magazine’s list of Top 100 books of the Century, and is a remarkable story of love, loss and hidden truths. Ishiguro poses the fundamental question: What makes us human?

Now director Mark Romanek bring Ishiguro’s hauntingly poignant and emotional story to the screen. Kathy (Oscar® nominee Carey Mulligan, “An Education”), Tommy (Andrew Garfield, “Boy A”) and Ruth (Oscar® nominee Keira Knightley, “Pride & Prejudice,” “Atonement”) live in a world and a time that feel familiar to us, but are not quite like anything we know. They spend their childhood at Hailsham, a seemingly idyllic English boarding school. When they leave the shelter of the school and the terrible truth of their fate is revealed to them, they must also confront the deep feelings of love, jealousy and betrayal that threaten to pull them apart.

Listen to Ishiguro read the opening passage of Never Let Me Go here.

THE AMERICAN
Cast: George Clooney, Violante Placido, Thekla Reuten, Paolo Bonacelli, Bruce Altman
Director: Anton Corbijn (“Control”)
Category: Theatrical film
Release Date: In movie theaters nationwide September 1, 2011
Based on: A Very Private Gentleman by Martin Booth
Academy Award winner George Clooney stars in the title role of this suspense thriller, filmed on location in Italy. Alone among assassins, Jack (Clooney) is a master craftsman. When a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, he vows to his contact Larry (Bruce Altman) that his next assignment will be his last. Jack reports to the Italian countryside, where he holes up in a small town and relishes being away from death for a spell. The assignment, as specified by a Belgian woman, Mathilde (Thekla Reuten of “In Bruges”), is in the offing as a weapon is constructed. Surprising himself, Jack seeks out the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto (Italian stage and screen veteran Paolo Bonacelli) and pursues romance with local woman Clara (Italian leading lady Violante Placido). But by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate.

On a side note, fellow BEB Bookette Anne Brown posted a great article yesterday with fun suggestions for Book-to-Movie themed parties. I have thrown a few movie themed parties in the past, but noting nearly as cool as what Anne described in her post! I highly recommend you check out her article, then take a look at this month’s list of books on their way to the big screen, and maybe you too will be inspired to throw your own Book-to-Movie party! I would love to hear your feedback about great ideas for themed parties from any of the films listed here. Go ahead and leave a comment and share are your wonderfully creative ideas!

Tag Archives: David Fincher

Books to Screen: One of the most anticipated films of 2011, David Fincher’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”