Recently, I was talking to someone about who I thought were the best child actors when I was also a child. Two that really stood out to me were Elijah Wood and Joseph Mazello, and one film those two were in together was called Radio Flyer. Then I was reminded about the uniqueness of this film. Instead of reviewing the film, I wanted to have an open discussion about the ending. It deals with a tough issue; child abuse. What I’ve noticed is the way that the film ends is interpreted many different ways, and the filmmakers never came forward to say what was right and wrong. I’m interested in hearing everyone’s opinions on it. How did you interpret the ending? Obviously spoiler alerts will follow.. For those of you who haven’t seen the film, the basic premise is this: Two young boys, Mikey (Wood) and Bobby (Mazello) move in with their single mother and her boyfriend, who refers to himself as ‘The King’. It doesn’t take long for The King to start physically abusing Bobby, and the
I never queued up for the book at Midnight but I did see the first part of the last Potter film at Midnight with my first year housemates who were much keener than I was (not saying I wasn't keen on Potter).
ReplyDeleteThe Hunger Games is good, best is the second one but I really liked Mockingjay (part 1), and To Kill a Mockingbird is a perfect choice.
Mockingjay just didn't benefit from being split in two, but it's nice to think that the 2nd part should be so much better.
DeleteI forget that To Kill a Mockingbird is technically YA. That's such a fascinating book and film.
ReplyDeleteI still have yet to see a single Harry Potter film...
:-O
GET OFF MY BLOG AND WATCH THEM NOW!
Deletelol
I used to say I loved Harry Potter more than I could love a human child, but then I went and had one. Still a close second though.
I'm really curious about To Kill a Mockingbird, both the novel and the film. I will definitely try to watch it tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it! It's always been one of my favorites.
DeleteTo Kill a Mockingbird is a fantastic film. Not the biggest fan of The Hunger Games, but i like them okay. I figured this would be the week I got exposed as the one movie blogger who has never seen a Harry Potter flick.
ReplyDeleteAt least you have Fisti in your company, he hasn't seen them either. What's that rock you two are living under like? lol
DeleteI shouldn't talk, there's so much I haven't seen.
To Kill A Mockingbird is quite possibly the best page-to-screen adaptation ever. One of my All-Time Favorites - both novel and movie.
ReplyDeleteI did not even bother to see Mockingjay in theaters - and this after seeing the first two on opening day and loving them. I'll see the last one, but something about paying so much money to see what by all accounts is really only half a movie just really rubbed me the wrong way.
I LOVE the Harry Potter books SO. MUCH. Which is why I always hate saying how much I dislike the movies. I mean, they're fine, but I don't understand the deep love they inspire in so many. Of course, a lot of this is probably due to my dislike of the first because Chris Columbus is a TERRIBLE director. I still say Tim Burton should have done the first one.
Columbus is a terrible director, but Steve Kloves is a terrible writer and he's responsible for most of the things I hated about the movies, but my love outweighs the hate. Kloves still sucks though. Order of the Phoenix was one of the best because he didn't write the screenplay.
DeleteI don't watch the big franchise films, but I do love your 3rd pick, quite a contrast!
ReplyDeletewww.assholeswatchingmovies.com
Thanks!
DeleteHey, we have one in common this week! ;-) LOVE that you included To Kill A Mockingbird! Most people didn't realize that and that film is such a classic w/ such a wonderful, enduring message.
ReplyDeleteYes! It is. It's easily my favorite book I had to read in high school.
DeleteYay, I chose Harry Potter too! So glad to find somebody else who queued up at midnight for the books. One of my favourite childhood memories is being given one of the staff member's Gryffindor scarves at one of those events :)
ReplyDelete- Allie
Yes! I love those midnight lines. I remember being really afraid at the last one that someone would open up the book and read the last aloud and ruin it all. lol
DeleteWhile I don't share your opinion on the Harry Potter franchise, your other two choices were great. Speaking of which, To Kill a Mockingbird is such a classic story, unfortunately I haven't watched the movie since I was assigned to read the book in 7th grade (almost 20 years ago) but I'm certain it would still hold up to the way I remember it today.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it would too. It's fantastic.
DeleteThe Harry Potter franchise is fantastic. I used to read the books over and over again back in high school. The third book and movie are my favorites from the franchise. To Kill a Mockingbird is another fantastic movie and book. I'm not sure if I'm going to read the sequel, but maybe my mind would have changed once it hits the shelves. Great picks!
ReplyDeleteI will definitely be reading the sequel, but I'm worried about how it will feel to me. Mockingbird is so important.
DeleteWait...why do you say you're cheating?
ReplyDeleteWandering through the Shelves
Because I didn't pick three films, I picked one film and two franchises. So basically I picked 11 films. lol
DeleteMockingbird is a brilliant choice, a very profound book. I like, don't love the film but it is so well made. The Harry Potter films are variable, I thought the first one was awful and it put me off the others for a while but they improved as they went along. Hated the first Hunger Games, for totally different reasons to the 1st HP-that was just dull but the whole kids hunting kids in HG thing turned me off completely.
ReplyDeleteThe first HP is definitely the worst because it's the most "kiddie" that series got better as it got darker.
DeleteHarry Potter is definitely my favorite series of the bunch, obviously. It's just awesome though I wished they never split the last book into two films as I felt young audiences were robbed of something that could've been even more special if it was given a 4-hour plus film with intermission as a roadshow film.
ReplyDeleteI don't think young audiences could sit through 4 hour movies anymore. I don't mind it being split because at least they didn't wait a year to release the other part like all these other franchises are doing.
DeleteI'm so with you on Mockingjay being a bit of a letdown. It's still good though. I love Jennifer Lawrence and the Hunger Games movies, especially Catching Fire, as you've seen. The Harry Potter books are much better for me, but most of the movies are great as well, especially The Prisoner of Azkaban and the the last two/three.
ReplyDeleteTo Kill a Mockingbird is one of the all-time masterpieces of both film and literature. My Advanced 7th graders are required to read it every fall and I reread it with them. I'm saving it for another category, but It's the best. I can't wait to read the new Harper Lee book, even if the whole deal does seem a bit shady.
Great picks!
I am cautiously optimistic about Lee's new book. I worry that no one has edited it since she first planned to release it though. That could be a disaster.
DeleteTo Kill A Mockingbird!!!! I never thought it's a YA novel, too, though I read it when I was in university.
ReplyDeleteI think it's definitely YA. Especially here in the states since most middle school/high schools assign it to be read.
DeleteNice picks! Definitely agree with Harry Potter and To Kill A Mockingjay. There's so many other I want to add too. haha
ReplyDelete"To Kill a Mockingjay". lol I actually almost typed that a few times too. Damn it, pop culture!
DeleteIt's s shame I missed this Thursday, I would've had fun posting about YA novel adaptations. :-) I love your picks! I am not a huge fan of the HP movies, though I loved the books passionately, but they were great family movies for us.
ReplyDeleteHarry Potter is such a great YA adaptation. LOVE the To Kill a Mockingbird mention as well. That's one of the best adaptations ever.
ReplyDeleteFor sure! And very much YA. I think it's so good that people don't want to call it that.
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