The Best Movies Based on Books

Movies based on books can rarely compare with their literary counterparts, but this is a list of some that are actually really good. These are ones that manage to capture the essence of the novels they're based on and follow them relatively well. Note: not necessarily in this order.

Bridge to Terabithia

I haven't seen this one in a while, but it's a very good movie that utilizes visual capabilities to really bring the book to life. 

Harry Potter movies

They took way too much out, and aren't nearly as good as the books, but the books are so good that it's really not fair to judge. They captured the most important themes in the novels (which are amazing), so they make the list (also, they've got a great cast). 

A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

Notice the 2018: I'm talking about the newer one, not the TV movie from 2003. This movie honestly has much more merit than its mixed reviews imply. It's visually stunning and heartwarming. Again, there were some parts taken out, but the movie works out extremely well nonetheless.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

The first one is a family classic. It brings to life all the characters in a charming way and creatively converts the novel into a sort of musical. I could go on, but you've probably seen it. The second is good in its own right, answering the question that must have kept people up at night before it hit theaters: what would Tim Burton's take on a Roald Dahl book be like? Well, here's your answer. 

The Wizard of Oz

Arguably, this one is better than the book. You've probably seen it, too, though, so I won't go on for too long about it. Interesting tidbit of information: the director was also the director of Gone with the Wind, which came out the same year! He even had to take some time off for exhaustion. And you thought you had a busy/exciting year...

Tell me some more in the comments! I'd put some superhero movies in, but I haven't read the comics and I'm sort of only counting novels here. See my list The Worst Movies Based on Books, to be published soon.

What's Wrong With the Wall

The wall between U.S. and Mexico - one of Donald Trump's most infamous campaign promises. But is it even really possible? The border is 1,954 miles (that's 3,145 km): a wall that long would only be rivaled in length by the Great Wall of China, which was built over hundreds of years. A price projection by the Department of Homeland Security estimated Trump's wall to end up costing roughly $21.6 billion dollars - and that's not even including maintenance, which would add astronomically to the price. The current federal budget only included $18 billion from the wall ... where would the other $3.6 billion (and more for maintenance) come from? Trump's bank account? Sure, that's a small cost in comparison to how much the federal budget amounted to in total (trillions), but Congress Democrats will doubtfully approve a cent more than they have. Reuters also says that it could take 3.5 years to build the wall, and Trump could be out of office by then. Sure, it would create thousands of jobs, but it's too much government dollars to be practical.

So, what's all this talk about splitting up California into three states? I may sound like some crazy conspiracy theorist here, but we're SURE it's not really a scheme to decrease the amount of sway Democrats hold in federal elections? California holds more electoral votes than any other state due to its population, and has also gone Democratic in every presidential election since 1992. The states would be divided in such a way that much of rural California, the Inland Empire, and Orange County would constitute its own state and be the 4th most populous state in the U.S: larger than the other two proposed states. A quick glance at a California political map by county would reveal that rural California, the Inland Empire, and Orange County generally lean Republican. Possibly an attempt to give those areas more sway? I know, I sound a little crazy. Tim Draper (a billionaire who claims to have collected over 600,000 signatures for getting this proposal on the 2018 ballot) has been trying to get California divided into several states for several years now...

New Blog

I will now be posting book and writing-related things on my new blog, Inkling! However, I will continue to post here about non-literary topics. You can check out my new blog at wannabeinkling.blogspot.com!

We Need Change Now

Another school shooting has happened in Parkland, Florida. 17 people were killed (and the numbers are only going up) and over 30 more injured, but sitting and doing nothing won't change anything. When will this senseless violence end if we don't act? We need change now, and that means doing more than we're doing now. It means doing more than our government is doing now. It means doing more to prevent someone from being able to walk into a school with a gun. It means that more people need to stand up and speak their minds, like Emma Gonzalez did the other day. No matter how young or old you are, the call for change is one that anyone can shout, even though many refuse to hear it. You may not agree with me about gun control, but this isn't only about gun control. It's about speaking out, to "be the change you wish to see in the world," as Gandhi said. Another wise person said, "The pen is mightier than the sword." You could also say that words are mightier than the gun, and you would be right as well. For those of you who have already started doing something, I congratulate you. For those of you who haven't, please do now. A million small shouts can make a deafening noise. #neveragain 

Here's a link to the world's oddest fan fiction. It's Harry Potter-themed, and it's written by a computer:

Four Pages of Weirdness: A Novel Chapter By A Computer

Signs That You're A Total Nerd (don't be offended, I've got most of them!)

1: You counted down the days to the release of The Last Jedi.

2: You get totally bummed out when the movie ends because you have to wait two years to find out what happens next.

3: You know the names of a bunch of Star Wars (and Harry Potter) actors. (Sure, you know who was Luke Skywalker, but who was Rey? Kylo Ren? Finn?...well, you get the idea.)

4: You get excited to find out that a Star Wars/Harry Potter actor/actress will be in some other movie, even if you don't plan to see that movie. Eddie Redmayne (Fantastic Beasts' Newt Scamander) is in some stop-motion kid's movie that's coming out soon (he really is, by the way) , and you think that's cool.

5: You dream of getting the autograph of some awesome actor (Harrison Ford for me).

6: You/someone who looks up to you says that their favorite superhero is Rey.

7: You're so upset that you've already read the Harry Potter series (what will you read now?)

8: You thought that the Star Wars prequel trilogy/Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was actually at least halfway decent.

9: You freak out when you hear they're building a Star Wars-themed hotel, or that they've created a Star Wars virtual reality experience.

10: You're constantly referencing Star Wars/Star Trek/Harry Potter/Lord of the Rings/Indiana Jones/whatever your movie or book obsession is (everybody has at least one!)