Thursday Movie Picks: Movies Adapted from Movies of a Different Language

It's Thursday! Time for Movie Picks. I'm so gutted I missed last week's theme, especially as I had only recently watched Flightplan! Anyway, Thursday Movie Picks is a fantastic series hosted by Wanderer at Wandering Through the Shelves, where each week she picks a theme and we all choose 3 movies that we feel fit.

I really love taking part in this series, but every now and again there will be a theme that just sits right outside of my comfort zone, and I back out. This week’s theme in Movies Adapted from Movies of a Different Language. This is well out of my comfort zone. Firstly, I can count on one hand the number of foreign language movies I’ve seen, and I don’t need to use many fingers, either.

In fact, there are only 3 movies I can think of that I’ve seen that were adapted from a movie in another language, so this is not a ‘best of’ or a ‘hidden gem’ list in the slightest! They’re also all English language movies. So, please forgive me this week, but I’m looking forward to learning a lot from everyone else taking part.

Brothers (2009) is adapted from the Danish-language movie, Brødre (2004). It’s actually a fantastic movie in my opinion, but hard to watch for sure. Jake Gyllenhaal’s character is left to comfort his brother’s sister after he goes missing at war in Afghanistan. This is heartbreaking enough, but when his brother, played by Tobey Maguire, is found and returned home, tensions run high.

Delivery Man (2013) is adapted from the French-Canadian movie, Starbuck (2011). I’m a big fan of Vince Vaughn, but this was a bit of a let down. I didn’t actually realise until this week that it was a remake, and I’m curious to see the original now. Surely it wouldn’t have been re-made if it was terrible? Anyway, Delivery Man is based on a real-life situation where a man in the US came to realise that due to his donations, he was the father of 150 children.

And now I’m breaking an unspoken rule by picking a movie I’ve already chosen for another theme. Sorry! The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) is adapted from the Swedish-language movie, Män som hatar kvinnor (2009). Now say that 5 times quick. This is also based on a book of the same name, which I’m sure you knew already. It’s a great read, if you’re on the hunt for something new to start. It’s the story of a journalist who hunts down a woman who has been missing for over 40 years, with the help of a young computer hacker. It’s compelling, and gritty, and I highly recommend it!

Review: Spectre (2015)

I’m not going to pretend I was excited about this because I wasn’t, I have never liked James Bond.  I find all the films very samey and nothing new ever happens, to me it all seems like money that could be better spent.  However, my Dad loves them so as the dutiful Daughter (and because I want him to see Mockingjay Part 2 with me) I accompanied him to see it.

Do I even need to provide a synopsis? James Bond (Daniel Craig) receives a cryptic message from the past leading him to a criminal organisation, that must be stopped.  I wish that could have been longer but I don’t really know what else to say!

Ok, ok I’m going to try and stop sounding so bitter about this whole thing.  In fairness, I didn’t hate it (I did take 2 naps throughout) but it didn’t keep me gripped nor was I on the edge of my seat.  In fact, instead of being worried when Bond is in precarious situations, I find myself thinking ‘well Bond will never die’ which kind of takes the edge off it.  Furthermore, in the opening Helicopter scene, I couldn’t help but think that the helicopter would have stalled at numerous occasions and crashed into hundreds of people, but that’s none of my business!  I know I am being too picky and fussy because I wasn’t interested in it all and you all know I don’t make such a fuss over the ‘defying of gravity’ in Fast and the Furious films for example, which makes me feel mean but I can’t help it, I didn’t enjoy it.

There were bits I did enjoy, I like Q (Ben Whishaw) and how he is becoming his own character and coming out of his shell a little bit, personally I would have liked a bit more screen time for him.  Also, in going against every review I have caught on this movie, I liked Christoph Waltz.  I really like him as an actor and when I finally got some screen time, I woke up and bit and gained some interest. His character’s motives do borderline on ridiculous and his long speeches lost me around the middle but I think he has a great presence and the development of his character can’t be blamed on him as an actor surely. 

I have also read that there are lots of inspiration from previous Bond movies in this installment and die-hard fans who have seen all of them will love influence they have had on this.  As someone who has only seen Skyfall, once, a long time ago, these homages to previous movies were lost on me.

I would like to like Bond movies but I just don’t and I don’t think I ever will.