50/50 Friday (55): Favorite/Least Favorite Book to Movie Adaptation

50/50 Friday is a meme hosted by Carrie @The Butterfly Reads and I and focuses on the opposite sides of books (best/worst, differing opinions, etc).  Every week will have a new topic and several advance topics will be listed in the tab labeled 50/50 Friday!

Today's Topic: Favorite/Least Favorite Book to Movie Adaptation

Favorite:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Blurb:
"A story about, among other things: A girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul. Winner of the 2007 BookBrowse Ruby Award.

Winner of the 2007 BookBrowse Ruby Award.

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist – books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau. This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul."

I absolutely loved this story.  I think they did such a good job transforming the feeling of the book onto the screen.  I loved their choice of voice for Death and while there are a few discrepancies, they aren't glaring and they add to the overall effect that the movie places on the audience.  Both the movie and the book make me cry every time I watch/read it :)

Some other favorites are LOTR (the original trilogy is my favorite), The Giver, and The Fault in Our Stars.

Least Favorite:

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

The Inheritance Cycle #1

Blurb:
"Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders?

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands. . . . "

I just couldn't stand this movie.  I read these books while I was just getting into YA and I loved them (even though there was that whole LOTR controversy, I think they helped me get through all of LOTR (the movies of LOTR also helped)).  The movie ended up changing plot points (a lot like PJO) and smushed all four of the books (which top out something like 3,000 pages all together) into one movie which was such a disservice.  I'm not saying it couldn't have been done, but the way it was done was just annoying.  It did simplify everything but that ended up getting rid of all of the things that I loved about it that distinguished it a little bit from the classic hero's journey story line (and LOTR).  I also didn't really like how they did the special effects (granted, it was 2006 when special effects are nowhere near where they are today but still).

That being said, I also didn't like the PJO movies.  I still haven't seen Maximum Ride but I'm thinking it's going to be a bust for me.



What are your favorite and least favorite book to movie adaptations?  Make a post and link up down below!


Next Week's Topic: Favorite/Least Favorite Scary Novel