Thursday, August 18, 2011
Some thoughts about a. The Help (the Movie) b. Skippy Dies
Last Friday night, Marc, MR, Christina (aka Bellatrix LeStrange) and I went to go see The Help at the Kentucky. We gave it two thumbs up for doing the absolute best you could do with such a wonderful book with so many great storylines. My favorite actor? Absolutely, the woman play Miss Hilly. While my mental picture of her from the book was of a much shorter, heavier woman, the actress who played her was outstanding! She was The Help equivilent of Emily Blunt in Devil Wears Prada. Also, Minnie was terrific and I loved the woman who played Miss Celia. She looked like a young Julia Roberts -- like Miss Hilly, not what I pictured from the book but she might have been even better than my imagined version of her. And, I really liked Emma Stone as Skeeter. I wasn't expecting to like her that much but I did.
Skippy Dies. I just finished it. Has anyone else read or even heard of this book? It's in the audible library (if you know what I mean). I selected it based on many, many glowing reviews (much like my purchase of The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore) including the NY Times. While it was light years less disturbing than Bruno, still, I find myself somewhat troubled by this book and wondering how it can be classified as a "comic novel" which is how it is referred to by many of the reviews. I'd love to know what y'all think, my dearest darlings...
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14 comments:
YAY! Now I can't wait to see it! I was, of course, super excited about Emma Stone, but am so glad that the other characters may have been even better (especially since my first thought at the preview was "Ms. Hilly isn't fat!").
As for Skippy Dies... no clue. Haven't given it a listen yet, though I was intrigued by the brief audible write-up. Shall I listen it and let you know? I was also considering writing a review on "The Messenger" (which will be GLOWING in an australian accent!!) but I'm so excited to see this new post that I will give it a wait. You heard it yet? No worries...
Yes, good post! I've been waiting for a review of The Help since I have to admit that I wasn't too eager to see it. I just loved the book and we all know how I feel about books to movies. Maybe I will watch it now...
And I'm on it! Skippy Dies. Coming to me soon!
I'm also going to listen to "Skippy Dies" next! And then I'll probably do Drums of Autumn, but Major Pettigrew is right after! I think I'm addicted to audiobooks!
Also... I finished "I am the Messenger" this morning as I walked through the old city, full of morning sun, to work from my train. I was happy to be wearing mirrored aviators because I had tears in my eyes. RECOMMEND!
I AM THE MESSENGER. I LOVED IT. Yes, I'm shouting. I'm so glad you loved it too, Peddie. I read a bunch of reviews that said it wasn't as good as The Book Thief but I don't think I agree.
I'm finally listening to Under the Banner of Heaven now.
Ugh... Banner of Heaven... informative, yes, but I might recommend a re-listen of "Bossypants" (its the new Broadways Nights, though I just need a few more serious books before I go back to it again) after.
I honestly can't decide which Zusak is better... they are decidedly different... I thought the Book Thief was REALLY good... certain parts SO GREAT......... but on the whole, I enjoyed every bit of listening to "I am the Messenger" which I don't think I can say about the book thief. Not that I didn't enjoy it immensely, but I couldn't wait to get back to listening to Messenger.
As for Skippy Dies, just got into "Part 2" and... yeah...
http://www.amazon.com/Skippy-Dies-Novel-Paul-Murray/dp/0865478619/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314633992&sr=8-1
The "E.Jacobs" review guy there seems sort of accurate.
I just read that review of Skippy Dies and a couple of others. They said some brilliant things I wish I had.
Also, I like what you offered, Peddie, about I Am the Messenger. I think it would be a great read for a books and beliefs kind of group. I might listen to it again after Banner of Heaven. I'll definitely need some feel good therapy when I finish!
Also, the difference between book thief and Messenger really shows what an outstanding writer Markus Zusak is!
I like the cover for Skippy Dies.
I agree that Zusak is a great writer in that he has written two pretty different books, while both being great and unique. Poor Skippy... I just want to be done with. Interesting, but really... dying is way easier.
Then again, I think I'm at one of those times in life (just got out of a job, dealing with visas) where downtrodden books are not a great help. If I were reading it as a part of an advanced english class in high school or something and had to write a paper, I might love it. As is the current case, I do not.
This also opens up the fact that... years later, you actually wish you had to write a paper on a book as opposed to doing other grown up stuff. Yep. That's how professors are born...
Now we just write blogposts for fun. Although, MR has to write three blogposts on her novel she's reading for English class. I'm kind of fascinated by that.
On a more serious note, poor Peddie. You did pick a bad time to read Skippy Dies. Maybe you should read something like Major Pettigrew next. Or, have a Jane Austen fix. I read a lot of Jane Austen in the up and down decade of my twenties. Very therapeutic.
I still haven't read Everything is Illuminated. Grrr. I've started it a couple of times but always got distracted by something else. I should take it to the lakehouse. I'm about to finish my second book here. I finished A Walk in the Woods this afternoon and am now halfway through The Moses Expedition.
That's true - and blogposts are SO much more fun because you get to review books with more people you like ;) And get great captchas like... hypote which looks like "hyperbole" to me.
And on the serious note... yeah, probably. I'm ALMOST finished. I will take up Pettigrew indeed. And do you like the woman's voice in Pride and Prejudice? She always interrupts my shuffle... is it a Dame somebody reading it?
I have a better version of P & P in my Audible library. Must be a better reader as I remember your mom complaining about the version she had.
Also, I had a dream about Skippy Dies the other night. It was weird. And, I keep looking at Will's friends as several of them have turned 14 recently and I just can't imagine them being anything like the boys in Skippy Dies.
Yeah... sometimes I look at horrible movies I've seen with girls on the cover that look like MR and all her pretty friends... I'm glad they have good parents.
Make sure I get your P&P! The woman on my version (which, I'll be honest, I deleted for space) sounds like she's about to croak. Maybe I'm saying that because she has a croaky voice though...
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