Book: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Reason to read: July selection for the Book to Film Club
I'm trying to remember how I first heard about The Help and my memory is failing me. It's been a lock with the film club from early on as it's been very positively received and one of the few titles that had a summer release date (I really thought there would be more but I guess smishing robots and aliens kind of take over the screens). Because of it's huge popularity it took ages to get from my local library, but as luck would have it arrived just in time to start reading in July and captured my attention very quickly. I was worried about dropping the ball with my reading during July due to my recent move, but that turned out to be no worry at all as once I became quickly enraptured by the characters and their stories.
Set in 1960's Mississippi and told from the perspective of several different narrators, the film has a very unique tone & feel to it. The focus is on the lives of African American women and their experiences and challenges working as maids in white households, from caring for the children to cooking amazing-sounding food to dealing with racial tension at almost every step. That was one of my hesitations in reading the book, as prejudice of any kind gets me angry and sad about the whole world. But, one of my goals for the Book to Film Club was to encourage people to stretch their literary comfort zones, so it was only fair if I stretched mine as well. I'm glad I did as The Help deals with complicated, tense, life-altering and dangerous situations with tact, dignity and truthfulness at every step. The stories and characters felt earnest and rich, and I felt for them in their troubles and their triumphs. The book drew me in pretty quickly, but did take a bit to win me over, but when it did I was complete hooked and looked forward to any moment I could get back to reading it - and I finished it two whole weeks before schedule!
I'm really looking forward to the film and seeing the characters brought to life as they are what makes the book so special. I especially loved character interaction moments like seeing little Mae Mobley and seeing her through the eyes of Aibileen, or the awkward relationship between Minny and Celia. Because the film will certainly be condensed, I wonder what they will trim away. Considering the impressive casting of Aibileen (Viola Davis), Minny (Octavia Spencer), Skeeter (Emma Stone of Paper Man), Celia (Jessica Chastain from The Tree of Life) and Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard from Hereafter and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse), I'm stumped at what they will let go of but I'm thrilled to see a strong female ensemble cast and to see a book and film filled with womens stories. The film adaptation is Adapted & directed by Tate Taylor (Pretty Ugly People) and will be released August 10, 2011. I'm really looking forward to seeing the adaptation.
If you haven't yet joined the Book to Film Club, you can join us at any time. Sign up for updates here. Our August 2011 book is The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas.
The Help (Book Review)
The Help (Book Review)
Book: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Reason to read: July selection for the Book to Film Club
I'm trying to remember how I first heard about The Help and my memory is failing me. It's been a lock with the film club from early on as it's been very positively received and one of the few titles that had a summer release date (I really thought there would be more but I guess smishing robots and aliens kind of take over the screens). Because of it's huge popularity it took ages to get from my local library, but as luck would have it arrived just in time to start reading in July and captured my attention very quickly. I was worried about dropping the ball with my reading during July due to my recent move, but that turned out to be no worry at all as once I became quickly enraptured by the characters and their stories.
Set in 1960's Mississippi and told from the perspective of several different narrators, the film has a very unique tone & feel to it. The focus is on the lives of African American women and their experiences and challenges working as maids in white households, from caring for the children to cooking amazing-sounding food to dealing with racial tension at almost every step. That was one of my hesitations in reading the book, as prejudice of any kind gets me angry and sad about the whole world. But, one of my goals for the Book to Film Club was to encourage people to stretch their literary comfort zones, so it was only fair if I stretched mine as well. I'm glad I did as The Help deals with complicated, tense, life-altering and dangerous situations with tact, dignity and truthfulness at every step. The stories and characters felt earnest and rich, and I felt for them in their troubles and their triumphs. The book drew me in pretty quickly, but did take a bit to win me over, but when it did I was complete hooked and looked forward to any moment I could get back to reading it - and I finished it two whole weeks before schedule!
I'm really looking forward to the film and seeing the characters brought to life as they are what makes the book so special. I especially loved character interaction moments like seeing little Mae Mobley and seeing her through the eyes of Aibileen, or the awkward relationship between Minny and Celia. Because the film will certainly be condensed, I wonder what they will trim away. Considering the impressive casting of Aibileen (Viola Davis), Minny (Octavia Spencer), Skeeter (Emma Stone of Paper Man), Celia (Jessica Chastain from The Tree of Life) and Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard from Hereafter and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse), I'm stumped at what they will let go of but I'm thrilled to see a strong female ensemble cast and to see a book and film filled with womens stories. The film adaptation is Adapted & directed by Tate Taylor (Pretty Ugly People) and will be released August 10, 2011. I'm really looking forward to seeing the adaptation.
If you haven't yet joined the Book to Film Club, you can join us at any time. Sign up for updates here. Our August 2011 book is The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas.
2011 Owned/Unseen Challenge
I'm a little surprized to be sitting here writing this post for the 3rd year running. Not because I didn't accumulate more owned/unseen films (will that ever happen?), but because I failed my 2010 challenge seeing only 11 of the 19 titles, which felt very discouraging.
Then earlier this week I came across a post it note on the side of my bookshelf that had a few of the titles from 2009 challenge that I had written down to see before the end of that year - and in 2009 I did complete the challenge. That reminded me of a few things:
1. Lists work.
2. Sharing that you'll do it, means you are more likely to do it
3. Deadlines make it more likely & manageable to complete tasks
4. Tracking and updating provides me with incentive to complete it
And a bonus: I'm not going to let one failed attempt dissuade me from trying again!
Looking back at the 2010 titles a lot of them weren't that awesome, which made me re-think picking stuff up, even if it was a great deal. That being said, many of these purchases were from Blockbuster closing sales, but what can I say - I'm a sucker for a sale, especially if there is an actor in there I like or the possibility of repeat-viewing goodness. Hopefully this year I'll fair better with the selections and have fun doing the challenge to boot.
Update: As of Sept 2011 I'm podcasting my way through the remaining titles in hopes to get through the list!
Films Seen : 12/17
Attila - seen (discussed on Movie Moxie Podcast #48)
The Broken - seen (discussed on Movie Moxie Podcast #49)
The Cake Eaters - seen (discussed on Movie Moxie Podcast #51)
Carriers - seen
Clean
Duplicity - seen (discussed on the Movie Moxie Podcast #52)
The Escapist - seen (discussed on Movie Moxie Podcast #50)
From Paris with Love - seen
Jennifer's Body - seen
Open Hearts
Red Riding Trilogy: 1974, 1980 & 1983
S.W.A.T. - seen
Sweet Sixteen - seen (discussed on the Movie Moxie Podcast #53)
Moonlight * - seen
Fringe: Season 1 * - seen and chatted about it on Hexed here
* for the first time I'm including TV on DVD, because it's the first time I've actually owned anything that I've not yet seen. I only need to watch 3 episodes of Moonlight that were unaired, but I'm hoping to catch up on all of Fringe for when/if Season 4 goes live as I feel like I missed the bus on that series and have been more into TV this year, especially with the launch of Hexed: Sisterhood of the Supernatural podcast that I co-host with my sister Suzie.
Fingers crossed this years unseen films are a good set to enjoy!
2011 Owned/Unseen Challenge
I'm a little surprized to be sitting here writing this post for the 3rd year running. Not because I didn't accumulate more owned/unseen films (will that ever happen?), but because I failed my 2010 challenge seeing only 11 of the 19 titles, which felt very discouraging.
Then earlier this week I came across a post it note on the side of my bookshelf that had a few of the titles from 2009 challenge that I had written down to see before the end of that year - and in 2009 I did complete the challenge. That reminded me of a few things:
1. Lists work.
2. Sharing that you'll do it, means you are more likely to do it
3. Deadlines make it more likely & manageable to complete tasks
4. Tracking and updating provides me with incentive to complete it
And a bonus: I'm not going to let one failed attempt dissuade me from trying again!
Looking back at the 2010 titles a lot of them weren't that awesome, which made me re-think picking stuff up, even if it was a great deal. That being said, many of these purchases were from Blockbuster closing sales, but what can I say - I'm a sucker for a sale, especially if there is an actor in there I like or the possibility of repeat-viewing goodness. Hopefully this year I'll fair better with the selections and have fun doing the challenge to boot.
Update: As of Sept 2011 I'm podcasting my way through the remaining titles in hopes to get through the list!
Films Seen : 12/17
Attila - seen (discussed on Movie Moxie Podcast #48)
The Broken - seen (discussed on Movie Moxie Podcast #49)
The Cake Eaters - seen (discussed on Movie Moxie Podcast #51)
Carriers - seen
Clean
Duplicity - seen (discussed on the Movie Moxie Podcast #52)
The Escapist - seen (discussed on Movie Moxie Podcast #50)
From Paris with Love - seen
Jennifer's Body - seen
Open Hearts
Red Riding Trilogy: 1974, 1980 & 1983
S.W.A.T. - seen
Sweet Sixteen - seen (discussed on the Movie Moxie Podcast #53)
Moonlight * - seen
Fringe: Season 1 * - seen and chatted about it on Hexed here
* for the first time I'm including TV on DVD, because it's the first time I've actually owned anything that I've not yet seen. I only need to watch 3 episodes of Moonlight that were unaired, but I'm hoping to catch up on all of Fringe for when/if Season 4 goes live as I feel like I missed the bus on that series and have been more into TV this year, especially with the launch of Hexed: Sisterhood of the Supernatural podcast that I co-host with my sister Suzie.
Fingers crossed this years unseen films are a good set to enjoy!
2011 Book to Film Club
==> 
Hello book and film lovers!
- Do you enjoy reading books before the film adaptations come out?
- Want to know about a bunch of upcoming adaptations?
- Want to read & watch along with other folks?
How it works:
- Read 1 book a month for 11 months
- Watch each of the films as they come out in 2011
- I'll share a book reading and film release schedule, but you are free to go at your own pace
- You can play along for as many or as few titles as you'd like.
- If you'd like to document the experience along the way by reviewing along the way, you can! I know I will! I'll put up a post with questions to explore the book and film experience, so we'll have a home base for each of the titles. You can leave a link to your own reviews so they will all be in one place for everyone to find them.
- I'll have a email list set up for reminders about book selections, film release dates and time lines.
Reading List:
- Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant
- Brighton Rock by Graham Greene
- The Help by Kathryn Stockett
- I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore - book 1 of the Lorien Legacies
- The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- On the Road by Jack Kerouac
- One Day by David Nicholls
- The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
- Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
- The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
- January 2011 - I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
- February 2011 - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- March 2011 - Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
- April 2011 - Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant
- May 2011 - One Day by David Nicholls
- June 2011 - On the Road by Jack Kerouac
- July 2011 - The Help by Kathryn Stockett
- August 2011 - The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
- September 2011 - The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
- October 2011 - The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
- November 2011 - Brighton Rock by Graham Greene
- December 2011 - Month Off
Film Schedule:
- January 2011 - month off!
- February 2011 - I Am Number Four, release date: Feb 18, 2011
- March 2011 - Jane Eyre, release date March 11, 2011
- April 2011 - Water for Elephants, release date: April 22, 2011
- May 2011 - Month off as Bel Ami yet to be released
- June 2011 - Month off
- July 2011 - Month off as One Day release date shifted from July 8, 2011
- August 2011 - The Help (August 12, 2011), One Day (August 19, 2011)
- September 2011 - Month off
- October 2011 - The Three Musketeers, release date October 14, 2011
- November 2011 - Hugo (based on The Invention of Hugo Cabret), release date November 23, 2011
- December 2011 - Month off
Release dates to be confirmed: Bel Ami and On the Road
Participants:
- Jamie
- Norlinda
- Blake
- melly hocking
- Justin
- Nancy, Stacy & Shannan - Girls in the Stacks
- Jeff
- Nolwenn
- Cynthea
- Paolo
For January we'll be reading I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore. It's a young adult science fiction novel that is the first of a proposed 6-part series (and the only series of the book club), but we are hopping on this party train early as it's the first and only book as of yet. The film stars Alex Pettyfer (Wild Child, Beastly), Teresa Palmer (The Sorcerer's Apprentice), Dianna Agron (Quinn on "Glee") and Timothy Olyphant (High Life, "Deadwood"), is directed by D.J. Caruso (Eagle Eye, The Salton Sea). You can see the trailer for I Am Number Four here. The film comes out February 18, 2011.
You can get I Am Number Four here at Amazon.ca
(Canada) and Amazon.com
(US).I've also created lists over at Amazon that have all the titles listed:
Amazon.ca (Canada) & Amazon.com (US)
So, who wants to join in on the adventure? Leave a comment below or sign up to play along! You can join at any time.
2011 Titles Are Complete but the Adventure Continues!
Although we've worked through the final book to read and film in release for the Book to Film Club, it won't be the last *of* the Movie Moxie Book to Film Club. I'm definitely going to be doing it again in 2012 and am madly researching titles and refining the format. Be sure to stay in touch by signing up for updates and I'll be sure to keep you up to date on more book to film delights.
2011 Book to Film Club
==>
Hello book and film lovers!
- Do you enjoy reading books before the film adaptations come out?
- Want to know about a bunch of upcoming adaptations?
- Want to read & watch along with other folks?
How it works:
- Read 1 book a month for 11 months
- Watch each of the films as they come out in 2011
- I'll share a book reading and film release schedule, but you are free to go at your own pace
- You can play along for as many or as few titles as you'd like.
- If you'd like to document the experience along the way by reviewing along the way, you can! I know I will! I'll put up a post with questions to explore the book and film experience, so we'll have a home base for each of the titles. You can leave a link to your own reviews so they will all be in one place for everyone to find them.
- I'll have a email list set up for reminders about book selections, film release dates and time lines.
Reading List:
- Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant
- Brighton Rock by Graham Greene
- The Help by Kathryn Stockett
- I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore - book 1 of the Lorien Legacies
- The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- On the Road by Jack Kerouac
- One Day by David Nicholls
- The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
- Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
- The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
- January 2011 - I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
- February 2011 - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- March 2011 - Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
- April 2011 - Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant
- May 2011 - One Day by David Nicholls
- June 2011 - On the Road by Jack Kerouac
- July 2011 - The Help by Kathryn Stockett
- August 2011 - The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
- September 2011 - The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
- October 2011 - The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
- November 2011 - Brighton Rock by Graham Greene
- December 2011 - Month Off
Film Schedule:
- January 2011 - month off!
- February 2011 - I Am Number Four, release date: Feb 18, 2011
- March 2011 - Jane Eyre, release date March 11, 2011
- April 2011 - Water for Elephants, release date: April 22, 2011
- May 2011 - Month off as Bel Ami yet to be released
- June 2011 - Month off
- July 2011 - Month off as One Day release date shifted from July 8, 2011
- August 2011 - The Help (August 12, 2011), One Day (August 19, 2011)
- September 2011 - Month off
- October 2011 - The Three Musketeers, release date October 14, 2011
- November 2011 - Hugo (based on The Invention of Hugo Cabret), release date November 23, 2011
- December 2011 - Month off
Release dates to be confirmed: Bel Ami and On the Road
Participants:
- Jamie
- Norlinda
- Blake
- melly hocking
- Justin
- Nancy, Stacy & Shannan - Girls in the Stacks
- Jeff
- Nolwenn
- Cynthea
- Paolo
For January we'll be reading I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore. It's a young adult science fiction novel that is the first of a proposed 6-part series (and the only series of the book club), but we are hopping on this party train early as it's the first and only book as of yet. The film stars Alex Pettyfer (Wild Child, Beastly), Teresa Palmer (The Sorcerer's Apprentice), Dianna Agron (Quinn on "Glee") and Timothy Olyphant (High Life, "Deadwood"), is directed by D.J. Caruso (Eagle Eye, The Salton Sea). You can see the trailer for I Am Number Four here. The film comes out February 18, 2011.
You can get I Am Number Four here at Amazon.ca
(Canada) and Amazon.com (US).I've also created lists over at Amazon that have all the titles listed:
Amazon.ca (Canada) & Amazon.com (US)
So, who wants to join in on the adventure? Leave a comment below or sign up to play along! You can join at any time.
2011 Titles Are Complete but the Adventure Continues!
Although we've worked through the final book to read and film in release for the Book to Film Club, it won't be the last *of* the Movie Moxie Book to Film Club. I'm definitely going to be doing it again in 2012 and am madly researching titles and refining the format. Be sure to stay in touch by signing up for updates and I'll be sure to keep you up to date on more book to film delights.