> > Being a *huge* Tom Clancy fan, I'm really looking forward to this movie. I've read every single one of his books, but I've only gotten around to seeing two movies: Clear and Present Danger, which sucked because the plot was altered a good deal...
>
> Is that truly a legitimate criticism, though? Movies based on books need to stand on their own, no matter how faithful or unfaithful they may be. Some movies are *too* faithful, adapting material not as well suited to the screen as to a book, or attempting to incorporate themes that can't be done justice in the shorter time allotted to film. In the end, it doesn't really matter if a movie is faithful or not to its source material: if it stands on its own as a good story, competently executed, then it's a good movie. I think Clear and Present Danger is just that. You may not LIKE it, and that's a valid statement to make even without supporting it, but I don't think it's fair to say it "sucks" because it's different from the novel.

While I see your point, and agree that a film can stand alone from its source as a good story, I understand where TOM is coming from. If you've already read and loved the book, you've formed an expectation of what the story should "feel" like; how the characters should look and act; and can eagerly anticipate the storyline. If the film director's/casting agent's/screenwriters'/actors' interpretations differ radically from your own, it can be disconcerting and disappointing.
I think it's a case of, the higher your expectations are raised, the farther they have to fall. As I mentioned in a previous post, I seem to like the book versions much better than their film counterparts about 99% of the time.

And I expect it maybe the same with Ya Ya Sisterhood, although I have my hopes.

>June 7 - Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

>I read about this, I saw the trailer, and I ?>still don't have any idea what this is all >about. The tagline is "Mothers. Daughters. The >never-ending story of good vs. evil." It marks >the directing debut of screenwriter Callie >Khouri, who wrote one movie I like (Something To >Talk About) and one I did not (Thelma & Louise). >The cast is impressive: Sandra Bullock, Ellen >Burstyn, James Garner, Ashley Judd, Maggie >Smith. Shrug.

This was a tremendously creative and entertaining book. The story revolves around a group of Southern women and their lifelong friendship with each other. I would not have described it as "good vs. evil"; they encounter a little of both along the way, but I didn't see that as the primary focus. The mother/daughter relationship was also secondary; in the book it was treated more as a vehicle to explore the sisterhood of the other women, which I thought was the true focus of the story. They must have padded the James Garner role quite a bit for the film.
Definitely a chick flick, a la Steel Magnolias.
*Could* be good.

koala"recommends the book, at any rate"mom