The Art of Adaptation

A collection of 35 posts

The Odyssey

First impressions of The Odyssey — Part Two: What does this movie love?

In Part Two of my reflections on Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, I consider what Nolan’s movie does well... and what it “loves.”

Film Review

Train Dreams (2025)

Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar (Sing Sing) collaborate on another enthralling film about men seeking meaning in hard times.

Animation

An unforgettable evening for fans of Watership Down

Film Review

Dune (2021)

Six or seven sentences on Dune. Well... six or seven long, detailed sentences. I can probably hold myself to that. That's what I've been telling myself. Maybe if I force myself to sum up, in just a few lines, my first impressions of Denis Villeneuve'

On Books & Writing

The best book-to-movie achievements... and the worst

In which I talk about the art of book-to-movie productions, a lot of great movies, and a few terrible movies, with David Kern and Steven Greydanus. Listen to our lively, in-depth exploration of the art of adaptation!

On Movies & Media

In Space, No One Can Hear You Have a Mid-Faith Crisis

It's a beloved science fiction novel, full of adventure, suspense, terror, and questions about the existence of God and the problem of evil. Would it make a good television series from the makers of "Mad Men"?

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games: Did You Ask For Seconds, or Send It Back to the Kitchen?

Time for a post-game show on The Hunger Games. What did you think of the movie? Can you think of other novels for teen readers or young adults that better deserve this kind of treatment and attention?

On Movies & Media

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

[July 2012 Update: In the buzz of recent Hollywood news, we've learned that Jennifer Connelly will reunite with Russell Crowe for Darren Aronofsky's epic retelling (reinvention?) of the story of Noah, the Ark, and the Deluge. That inspires me to look back at Crowe and Connelly&

On Movies & Media

Should we stomp Blue Like Jazz because it isn't some kind of timeless, poetic masterpiece?

It's been interesting, perusing the reviews and comments provoked by Steve Taylor's movie Blue Like Jazz. I posted my thoughts at Filmwell earlier. It inspired some interesting comments. After you see the movie, let me know what you thought. (Act fast. It probably won't

Corrie Moore

Madeleine L'Engle goes to the movies.

A few weeks back on my Facebook page,  I said I'd have news for fans of Madeleine L'Engle. A little later, I posted that I'd soon be reporting on a new film based on a book by one of my favorite writers. Well... are

On Movies & Media

"The Great Divorce" on the Big Screen?

Variety reports: Veteran producer and Mpower CEO Steve McEveety will lead the production team. Childrens' book author N.D. Wilson ("Leepike Ridge," "100 Cupboards") is attached to write. Lewis, who wrote the "Chronicles of Narnia" books and often wove Christian themes into his

On Movies & Media

Adaptation (2002)

[May 2010 Update: This review is eight years old. It's been off of the website for a while because it needed some slight revisions. My first encounter with the movie was very, very different from my second viewing. I've watched it several times since then and

On Movies & Media

Stockwell Takes On L'Engle, DiCamillo, Miyazaki. [-updated-]

[THIS POST HAS BEEN REVISED TO CORRECT AN ERROR. Bedrock Pictures is not necessarily making all three of the films in question. But the screenwriter, Jeff Stockwell, is attached to all three projects.] Bedrock Pictures plans to make a movie of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle In

On Movies & Media

What's Your Favorite Stage-to-Screen Adaptation?

Casablanca? Henry IV? Ordet? Join me in celebrating the birthday of Ron Reed, the Artistic and Executive Director of the excellent Pacific Theatre in Vancouver B.C., and a contributor to Filmwell.org. Since movies and plays are both passions for Ron, you can help by recommending your favorite adaptation

On Movies & Media

Dawn-Treading Where They Shouldn't?

Let's just be clear. These Narnia movies aren't supposed to be based on the books. They're supposed to be based on the filmmakers' memories of the books, which they might not have read since childhood. Because, you know, those memories will be so

The Art of Adaptation

"Life of Pi" interests yet another talented director

First it was Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Then it was M. Night Shyamalan. Now, Variety reports, Ang Lee is considering Yann Martel's Life of Pi. Have you read it? Which director would you pick? It'll take someone with a poetic sensibility and a flair for fantasy. I&

On Movies & Media

"The Tale of Despereaux": Read the Book. (Don't Wait for the Movie.)

My review of The Tale of Despereaux is coming to Christianity Today Movies next Friday. For now, I'll just say this: Read the book before you see the movie. Please. Pretty please. You'll thank me for it. It's one of those classic books like

On Movies & Media

DecentFilms on Prince Caspian: Lewis's Themes and Ideas are "Largely Lost."

When it comes to The Chronicles of Narnia films, well... I want them to be great. I want them to be entertaining, yes. But more than anything, I hope that the filmmakers finds ways to preserve the ideas at the core of the story. In The Lion, the Witch and

On Movies & Media

"The Defanging of Aslan"

Steven D. Greydanus interviews the men behind Prince Caspian. And he finds them making some rather dubious claims. "I've produced a lot of movies based on books," he said, speaking at a New York press event with other Narnia filmmakers. Citing titles from The Natural to

Narnia

Specials: Reepicheep. Indy trailer. Katherine Heigl. Philip Yancey.

Today's specials concern a mouse, an archaeologist, the star of Gray's Anatomy, and one of my favorite Christian writers... REEPICHEEP... you know, that insane killing machine from Narnia... It will be interesting to see if Walden Media is able to bring C.S. Lewis's

On Movies & Media

Susan Cooper's "The Dark is Rising" Seeks a Title

First came the announcement: The Dark is Rising, Susan Cooper's classic novel of fantasy and adventure, was becoming a movie. Then came the trailer, and hopes quickly began to crumble. It looked awful. And the story had clearly been revised to be more "accessible," rewriting the

On Movies & Media

Christ the Canceled

Looks like creative differences have buried the big-screen version of Anne Rice's Christ the Lord... at least with Good News Holdings. I have a hunch that it'll rise again.

On Movies & Media

The Dark is... um... well...

Here's the trailer for The Dark is Rising. I've met a lot of fans of Susan Cooper's novels. My wife Anne, for one. I have a feeling the fans will pull out their hair when they see this. And no, I don't

The Art of Adaptation

"Children of Men": Literary sabotage, or award-winning adaptation?

The debate continues: Did the screenwriters for Children of Men take a novel written by a Christian, which offered a profoundly Christian vision of human depravity and redemption, and turn it into an attack on Christianity? Or were they just interested in taking P.D. James' premise and exploiting

On Movies & Media

Mike Johnson prepares "The Tale of Despereaux"

One of my favorite childrens' stories... the kind that's so good, adults should be reading it... ...is coming to the big screen.