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Books based on movies. Movies based on books. Two things that in general don't work well at all. Books based on movies seem to lack the basic essentials that make good books. In a lot of movies there isn't a whole lot of information, or narration as with books. There is a chance to take a movie and expand it into a well-written novel, however, that rarely seems to be the case.
The biggest problem, though, is books being turned into movies. Queen of the Damned was a good movie if you completely divorced it from the book which was full of subplots and cool vampire history. It is sad that they chose not to follow those plots and tell the whole story behind the King and Queen of vampires and Maharet, her twin and Khaymen.
Many movies can do tolerably well because if they don't really follow the book they are based upon, they can at least be well-made and interesting. Unfortunately for fans of Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series, The Seeker was a total bomb. It didn't follow the first book well at all. It changed some of my favorite characters and combined and added characters. Nothing necessarily wrong with that, but it just didn't work.
They made the Will's family Americans living in Britain, they put a special focus on Max and Will getting a girlfriend (which didn't happen in the book, but I guess you have to have some romance). Besides that, the plot of the movie was bad. It didn't follow true to the book, which may have helped it more. Instead it became a silly movie, full of special effects, bad acting, and bad storytelling. I couldn't even make it through the movie. It was sad. I was such a fan and excited to hear that one of my favorite series would become a movie.
But, books made into movies do have a high risk rate. A high risk of failure if there is deviation far enough from the plot to upset purists without enough originality and genius to make up for the lack of accuracy.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Just Because
How do we choose who runs our country, who represents the American people to the world? Do we vote based on intelligence, voting record . . . or something else? Do we vote for the minority to create history?
Um, no?
Why vote for John McCain? Because he chose a female running mate? What kind of answer is that? Why vote for someone based on sex, race, ethnicity? If that is the criterion being used for this election, why not make the presidency a beauty contest? Seriously. It is sad when that is what some people's mindsets are coming down to.
Let actions speak louder than words. Let what they have accomplished and what they stand for influence the decision. I suppose if you don't like either candidate, you could use the minority reason, but shouldn't you really be looking at what other options you have? There are other parties running, not that they'll garner enough votes to win, but still, support what you believe. Or, I guess, go with the popular which is the lesser of the two "evils?"
I am not sure how I feel about Senator McCain, but I do know that I won't vote for him this coming November just because he chose a female running mate. And no offense, I am less likely to vote for him because of his running mate. She doesn't seem like she has enough experience. If the worse should happen, or if she should be in a position where she must take over the reigns for a little while, she seems horribly ill-equipped to handle situations like we've had in the past. She is still green, still wet behind the ears. Sure, she can learn, but do we want it at our country's, our people's, expense?
Just some food for thought.
Um, no?
Why vote for John McCain? Because he chose a female running mate? What kind of answer is that? Why vote for someone based on sex, race, ethnicity? If that is the criterion being used for this election, why not make the presidency a beauty contest? Seriously. It is sad when that is what some people's mindsets are coming down to.
Let actions speak louder than words. Let what they have accomplished and what they stand for influence the decision. I suppose if you don't like either candidate, you could use the minority reason, but shouldn't you really be looking at what other options you have? There are other parties running, not that they'll garner enough votes to win, but still, support what you believe. Or, I guess, go with the popular which is the lesser of the two "evils?"
I am not sure how I feel about Senator McCain, but I do know that I won't vote for him this coming November just because he chose a female running mate. And no offense, I am less likely to vote for him because of his running mate. She doesn't seem like she has enough experience. If the worse should happen, or if she should be in a position where she must take over the reigns for a little while, she seems horribly ill-equipped to handle situations like we've had in the past. She is still green, still wet behind the ears. Sure, she can learn, but do we want it at our country's, our people's, expense?
Just some food for thought.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Health Care
America. Land of the the free, home of the brave - where the elderly and poor cannot afford health care. Due to the rising costs, many employers are also cutting down health care/insurance packages. Who can afford to go to regular doctors appointments, let alone pay for all of the medications or treatments that may be needed?
In an age where people are drowning in students loans, the health care quagmire makes things infinitely worse. Doctor and hospital bills quickly escalate to the amount of a full four years or more of college - in only a matter of months. How tragic. Even worse is the fact that many insurances won't cover as much as they once did.
My grandmother was recently in the hospital, both visits lasted a little over a week. She is on social security. She is supposed to be covered by Medicare but they won't pay a dime to help because she also has Humana (apparently good for prescriptions). Her first stay resulted in over $30,000 in medical bills owed to the hospital. For a week and a half stay! We have not received the results of her second visit, but hopefully, since she was there a little less, the bill won't be as bad. But now we hit a quandary. She has to have this heart medication. She just does or her heart will have a greater chance on giving out. Well, fine and dandy. Thing is, we can't afford the medication. She is rapidly approaching the donought hole in her insurance with Medicare probably not stepping in at all.
What a great age for Americans to live in. Health care seems to be in decline (as most cannot afford it) and the elderly especially are having to make the choice to either put all of their money towards the prescriptions they need to live or to buy food. Yet there are so many Americans afraid of allowing a law to pass that would get better health care for those who need and can't afford it. How is it that Canada can basically cover its people's expenses and help them out and we cannot do so?
America is a great country, so can't we do a little more to keep its people healthy? Or do we leave them with the choice of needed medication but no food or food but not the medicine they need to survive?
In an age where people are drowning in students loans, the health care quagmire makes things infinitely worse. Doctor and hospital bills quickly escalate to the amount of a full four years or more of college - in only a matter of months. How tragic. Even worse is the fact that many insurances won't cover as much as they once did.
My grandmother was recently in the hospital, both visits lasted a little over a week. She is on social security. She is supposed to be covered by Medicare but they won't pay a dime to help because she also has Humana (apparently good for prescriptions). Her first stay resulted in over $30,000 in medical bills owed to the hospital. For a week and a half stay! We have not received the results of her second visit, but hopefully, since she was there a little less, the bill won't be as bad. But now we hit a quandary. She has to have this heart medication. She just does or her heart will have a greater chance on giving out. Well, fine and dandy. Thing is, we can't afford the medication. She is rapidly approaching the donought hole in her insurance with Medicare probably not stepping in at all.
What a great age for Americans to live in. Health care seems to be in decline (as most cannot afford it) and the elderly especially are having to make the choice to either put all of their money towards the prescriptions they need to live or to buy food. Yet there are so many Americans afraid of allowing a law to pass that would get better health care for those who need and can't afford it. How is it that Canada can basically cover its people's expenses and help them out and we cannot do so?
America is a great country, so can't we do a little more to keep its people healthy? Or do we leave them with the choice of needed medication but no food or food but not the medicine they need to survive?
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