Life is what happens when you are making other plans~ John Lennon
An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind~Gandhi
The time is always right to do what is right~ Martin Luther King Jr.


Showing posts with label movies based on books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies based on books. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

1000 Things You Didn't Know About Me

This book is very similar to the 3000 Questions About Me book. It allows someone to get to know you without saying much. I won't list all 1000 questions, but here are some of the questions included

1. When I have free time, I love to

-Read, do jigsaw puzzles, work on paint by number, diamond art, draw, work on my Japanese lessons

2. My biggest weakness is

-Beanie Babies, books, music

3. My favorite type of music is

-Rock, metal, country, pop, punk

4. The most exciting thing that ever happened to me was

-I went to see Judas Priest in 2018 on their Firepower tour. And two of their crew were charging people $20 to get a picture on the motorcycle Rob Halford would ride onto the stage on. They said they are donating the money to research for Parkinson's Disease. Me and my sister happily did this, knowing the money was going to a good cause

5. I am currently working towards

-Losing weight. I have lost 10 pounds of fat but gained a few pounds in muscle. I am fine with losing body fat but gaining muscle weight.  I'm still working on losing weight and trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The managing of stress is a lot harder since I have very little time to do this except for the weekends

6. The one movie I could watch over and over is

-The Living Daylights, License to Kill, Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, What a Girl Wants, The Man with the Golden Gun, too many to list

7. The weirdest thing I do with food is

-Mix corn with mashed potatoes, mix Coke and Sprite together

8. The best song for a sing along is

-Blurry-Puddle of Mudd, Baby Girl-Sugarland, No Excuses-Alice in Chains, Ain't Just the Whiskey Talkin'-Trace Adkins, Riot-Kane Brown, Bury Me in Georgia-Kane Brown, Halfway to Hell-Jelly Roll, Liar-Jelly Roll, Dead Man Walking-Jelly Roll

9. I have a collection of

-Beanie Babies, books, metal pins, CDs, Lego models, jigsaw puzzles

I actually have at least three featured in this photo. The blue jay, the green-headed mallard and the leopard

10. My favorite way to spoil myself is

-Buying a cup of coffee from Dunkin' Donuts every Friday. As a way of celebrating another week done

11. My biggest insecurity is

-My body. I was bullied as a child, by both my father and school classmates. To this day, I still think of myself as unattractive, ignorant and heavyset

12. My dream car is

-1971 Plymouth Barracuda

-1971 Ford Gran Torino

-1970s Dodge Challenger / Charger

13. The most important thing on my bucket list is

-Planning a trip to England, Australia, Japan and Hawaii




14. When life stresses me out, I always

-Work on my Japanese lessons. Paying attention to my lessons takes my mind off stress

15. My favorite sports team is

-Arsenal Gunners

-Tottenham Hotspurs

-Cincinnati Cyclones

-Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team

-Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team

16. My most complicated relationship was

-My father. He verbally abused me and my sister, put us down, belittled us, made us feel inferior, made us feel that we would never amount to anything. He even told us we would never amount to much

17. If I were to learn another language, it would be

-Japanese. I'm actually in the process of learning

18. My favorite actor is

-Jet Li, Sylvester Stallone, Al Pacino, Hugh Jackman

19. My favorite band is

-Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, too many to list

20. I don't trust myself with

-Being in bookstores / music stores with money

21. The best costume I ever wore was

-My Steampunk costume. I wore it two years ago to work and everyone loved it

22. Sometimes I suffer from

-Anxiety, depression

23. One thing I do for hours is

-Read, do jigsaw puzzles, draw, work on paint by number / diamond art, work on Japanese lessons

24. My favorite trilogy is

-Austin Powers, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, I would say the James Bond series, but that is more than three films

25. The hardest I have ever laughed was when

-I discovered this humorous series of books by a British author named Rob Temple called Very British Problems. I am not quite sure why, but the sarcastic tone he uses in those books ensured I was in tears from laughing so hard. I even bought his Very British Christmas book and nearly laughed myself into an asthma attack. I was laughing so hard I was crying. Some of the things he lists in that series are very relatable, in fact, I've done quite a few before

26. The three words that best describe me are

-Nerd, headbanger / metalhead, bookworm

27. I'm currently saving money for

-A trip to England, Japan, Australia and Hawaii. Not at the same time, of course. Over the course of time I would like to visit all of these places

28. I think tattoos are

-Awesome! I have 9 and am torn between four different ideas for number 10

29. I love the lyrics of the song

-No Excuses: Alice in Chains, Blurry: Puddle of Mudd, Last Resort: Falling in Reverse, Cats in the Cradle: Harry Chapin, Selfish Age: As Lions, Wasted Years: Iron Maiden

30. I'm quietly battling

-Anxiety, occasional bouts of depression

31. My favorite line from a movie is

-Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you are born to stand out?- What a Girl Wants

32. One golden opportunity I missed out on was

-Seeing the band Ghost when they were here in Cincinnati. It was during the week, all of the good seats were already bought and I had no one to go with

33. I love every song on the album by

-Selfish Age: As Lions, Seventh Star: Black Sabbath

34. My favorite role model is

-Queen Elizabeth II. She was elegant, classy and beautiful. Her holiday speeches were inspirational, heartwarming and she made everyone feel that she really cares if they have a good year. And plus I love the fact that she's tough as nails despite appearing as a kindly older woman

35. The best way to get me to open up is

-Talk about music

Monday, April 20, 2026

3000 Questions About Me

This is a book me and my sister found at a local store. It's a sort of "getting to know you" type book. I won't list all 3000 questions. But here are some of the questions listed

1. Choose and defend your position: The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?

-Both. I like both bands. The Rolling Stones are good because their music is edgy and sometimes risque with the lyrics. The Beatles are good because their music has an upbeat melody sure to raise your spirits


2. What is your greatest fear?

-Spiders! I am terrified of them. What scares me even more is knowing that two of the more dangerous species of spider, black widows and brown recluse, are native to the area where I live. In fact, I've seen black widow spiders hanging down from my grandmother's house and had to go around. Whereas my stepdad saw the red hourglass and he hit it with a baseball bat, killing it

3. What type of person angers you the most?

-Narcissists. I hate this type of person. They think the world should revolve around them. That everyone should drop whatever they are doing and cater to this person's every need and desire. My relative Lexie is a narcissist. She believes that everyone needs to cater to her. She's 16 and practically pestered her own aunt Margo to work in a bar / restaurant called Ford's Garage, a place where she can't even hold a bottle of liquor, being under 21; she has to have an older coworker handle alcoholic drink orders

4. Do you have a favorite t-shirt? Is there anything written on it?

-A black V-neck t-shirt that is slim fit and has two crossed Gibson Flying V's and two bony hands forming the Metal Horns gesture and saying, in Iron Maiden-style writing "Yes I'm a Girl Yes I Speak Fluent Metal"

5. Have you ever had a health scare?

-I recently went to the eye doctor and she informed me that my eye pressure was slightly elevated. She asked me if I drink coffee, I told her yes. That's when I realized I was drinking too much coffee or tea and cut it down immediately. At my next appointment, it was still elevated, leading me to my next suspect cause-stress. I've been trying to reduce my stress, but it's hard working with the people I work with. At my job, I feel as though I am the only one who does actual work, since my coworkers feel socializing and taking long personal calls are far more important. Working where I work, an ophthalmology clinic, hearing elevated eye pressure, my mind goes immediately to glaucoma, of which one of the symptoms is elevated eye pressure. This is a progressive condition that, once you have it, you can't go back or reverse it; you can only keep it from progressing

6. What was the name of the first album you ever bought and who was the artist(s)?

-Black Sabbath Paranoid

7. Would you date anyone in a wheelchair or with a handicap?

-Yes. I would not care about the handicap. I would make adjustments. So what if someone has a handicap? Simply make adjustments. If you have something in common with that person, handicaps shouldn't stand in the way

8. Do you have a nerdy side? If so, what brings it out?

-Music, Harry Potter

9. What is your opinion on rats as pets?

-I love them! I love rats as pets. They're smart, adorable and so loving. They only ask for unconditional love from their owners. Plus, I love the little squeaking noises they make. It's too cute!!

How can someone say no to this little face?

10. What is one thing you've learned about people over the years?

-People cannot always be trusted. People will lie, cheat and steal just to serve their own selfish needs

11. Who would you want as your partner on Dancing with the Stars?

-Dave Murray, Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford. I feel they would probably be good dancers

12. Where would be the scariest place to get lost?

-Hoia-Baciu Forest in Transylvania, Romania. First and foremost, it's in Transylvania, which is the home country of the legendary Dracula. Second, this forest is known as the Bermuda Triangle of Romania. People have gone missing and not returned, there are ghosts there, it's just an overall eerie place

13. What book have you read multiple times?

-Goodnight from London, Four Four Two, Memoirs of a Geisha, too many to list

14. Recall the best message you ever got in a fortune cookie

-Stop waiting! Buy the ticket that takes that special trip!

15. What was your favorite movie that was based on a book?

-Any of the James Bond films, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Green Mile, Harry Potter, Goodfellas, Casino, Donnie Brasco

16. If you were in a band, what instrument / role would you play?

-Electric guitar or bass guitar

17. What famous person's memoir would you most love to read?

-Michael Imperioli, Sylvester Stallone, Roger Glover, Dave Murray, Steve Harris, Glenn Tipton

18. What is your favorite smell / scent?

-Freshly brewed coffee, chocolate, gardenia, jasmine, citrus, eucalyptus, mint, lavender, pineapple, fresh air

19. If you were to get a tattoo tomorrow, what would it be?

-I have at least 4 ideas in my head right now. I can't decide between something related to Harry Potter, the lines "Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years" from one of my favorite Iron Maiden songs "Wasted Years", something related to the film Across the Universe, something related to Scooby Doo or something related to Japanese culture, despite already having two Japanese tattoos

20. What is your favorite breed of dog?

-German Shepherd, Irish / Russian Wolfhound, Great Dane, St. Bernard, Corgi, Pug, Golden Retriever, Chocolate Labrador, Black Labrador, Labrador Retriever, Bloodhound, Basset Hound, Doberman, Pit Bull (I am of the firm belief these dogs are good. They are simply raised to be mean by their owners. Any dog can be mean if it's raised that way), Rottweiler, Husky, English Bulldog, English Sheepdog

21. What is the longest book you've ever read?

-Louder Than H---: The Definitive Oral History of Heavy Metal by Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman. This book is around 800 pages if not more

22. What is the largest amount of money you've spent at one time?

-$5,000. This was a down payment on a car. My current car in fact. The price was $12,500. I put down $5,000 to reduce the amount I needed to pay

23. What is the most radical thing you've done, appearance wise?

-Tattoos. I have 9 so far and am planning number 10

24. Pick the title of a novel to describe your love life

-Solitaire

25. What three songs will always be found at the top of your playlist?

-Rainmaker, The Living Daylights, Deaf Forever

26. What band would you love to tour with - and be a roadie for?

-The Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest

27. What singer's voice gives you chills - in a good way?

-Bruce Dickinson, David Draiman, Ivan Moody, Sully Erna, Rob Halford, Austin Dickinson, Ronnie James Dio

28. What is your favorite sport?

-Formula 1, soccer (football), hockey

29. What is your favorite love song?

-Your Song: Elton John, Have I Told You Lately: Rod Stewart, Throwing It All Away: Genesis

30. Do you still listen to local stations on the radio or only streaming / playlist music?

-Both. I do listen to local radio stations. Here in Cincinnati, we have 92.5 The Fox, which plays classic rock and metal. 96.5 known as 96 Rock which plays a combination of both new and old rock and metal. 102.7 known as WEBN which plays the same music as 96 Rock. And when I am driving to / from work, my playlist, which can go from one extreme to the next

31. Do you like Saturday Night Live, and if so, who would you love to see as a new host?

-Yes. I enjoy watching the older episodes of SNL. If there is a newer episode with a musical guest I like, I will watch it. As for hosts, it would be interesting to see Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford or even Def Leppard host it

32. If you were having lunch with the Queen of England, what would you talk to her about?

-I would love to talk to her about all the wonderful things she's done. Her unique and heartwarming Christmas speeches that are so inspirational and heartwarming. How she visited those who were in hospital after the shooting in Manchester at the Ariana Grande concert

33. If you were musically inclined, whom would you want to have a private jam session with?

-Guitar: Ritchie Blackmore, Glenn Tipton, Dave Murray, Phil Collen

-Bass: Roger Glover, Ian Hill, Steve Harris, Rick Savage

34. Which fictional married couple from TV or cartoons best fits your parent's marriage?

-Ben and Susan Harper from My Family. Thankfully, unlike Susan, my mom can actually cook and does not think of herself as a gourmet cook

35. What song or playlist gets played the most?

-Deaf Forever: Motorhead

Friday, April 3, 2026

15 Artists Worthy of Doing the Next James Bond Theme

James Bond is one of the most iconic film characters in the world. Each film has a unique theme to it, usually being the name of the movie. But, in years past, the films have had opening themes that are not always named after the film, for example "You Know My Name" by Chris Cornell for the 2006 film Casino Royale. But, even if the song is the same as the film, it's still a pretty good opening theme. Ultimate Classic Rock has compiled a list of artists who could possibly pull off a successful James Bond theme

-Some of the artists who have written themes for the 007 series include:

  • Paul McCartney: Live and Let Die
  • A-Ha: The Living Daylights
  • Duran Duran: A View to a Kill
  • Madonna: Die Another Day
  • Adele: Skyfall
  • Chris Cornell: You Know My Name (Casino Royale)
  • Carly Simon: Nobody Does It Better
  • Tina Turner: Goldeneye, License to Kill
  • Jack White: Another Way to Die

It's a major honor for sure. In 1973, a former executive for The Beatles' Apple Records named Ron Kass approached Paul McCartney. He was working with Harry Saltzman, who co-produced the first 9 James Bond films. Kass suggested to McCartney the idea of writing the theme for the 1974 film Live and Let Die, which would be the first film to feature Roger Moore as the title role of 007. McCartney played it cool, writing in his book The Lyrics: 1965 to the Present "Writing a Bond song is a bit of an accolade. And I always had a sneaking ambition to do it. I said 'Yeah, I'd probably be interested.'...trying not to seem too enthusiastic."

At the time of the writing of this article, there are approximately 25 films officially in the 007 series. 27 if you consider the two films not made by EON, which is the primary production company making the James Bond films. Director Dennis Villeneuve is said to direct the next outing for 007, though it's not clear who the role will go to, when the movie will be released or who will write the theme song

Oasis. Or at least Noel Gallager

-December 2025 seen a fan asking Liam Gallagher on social media about the rumors of Oasis being asked to write the next Bond theme song. His reply was as follows: "It's happening you wait till you hear it it's the best BOND tune ever." Oasis fans tend to take his words with a bit of skepticism. the following month, his brother / bandmate Noel cleared the rumors, stating there had been no contact with any of the film's producers, but he did state that if there were any offers, he would accept an offer "in a heartbeat" if it were presented. He told TalkSports "I think those kinds of things should be done by Brits not Yanks."

Bob Dylan

-Certainly an unusual choice. Maybe not. His songs "Man in a Long Black Coat" and "Murder Most Foul" have an aura of mystery about them. That would certainly apply to the Bond theme, lending an air of mystery about the film. He's not a stranger at all to making film references in his music. He's very well versed in film history. In his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Song, "People will tell you that they don't watch old movies for a bunch of reasons, because they are in black and white or maybe there's a two-minute sequence that changing times have rendered politically incorrect. These people lack imagination and are fine throwing out the baby with the bathwater."

Nick Cave

-His theatrical style is dark, gloomy and dramatic, making you feel like you're watching Phantom of the Opera more than rock music. But, at least one thing going for him is that he does have prior acting experience. His style of music would actually make a pretty good Bond theme. It's said he could even play Bond himself. His music is intense, emotionally, at times, and he does write songs centering on revenge, death, violence and evil, all topics that seem to pop up in the 007 films

Radiohead

-This band did actually do a Bond song. In 2015, they wrote and recorded a song called "Spectre", which was intended for use on the film of the same name. This song and "Man of War" were rejected, using Sam Smith's "Writing's on the Wall" instead. "Spectre" and "Man of War" were released by Radiohead on their own, but many feel they need a second shot at writing a Bond theme

Tears for Fears

-Curt Smith of the band has some experience writing film scores. He wrote the music for Meth Head, a film that came out in 2011 and Gravy, a film that came out in 2015. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a possible consideration for a Bond song

St. Vincent

-This singer is known for moody, emotional music that practically advertises itself as perfect for 007. During a 2024 interview for Rolling Stone UK, she jokingly said her song "Violent Times" give a mysterious Bond vibe. "It was not intentional when I was writing the song whatsoever, but I have noticed that and, yeah, I totally hear it." She stated that if producers came to her to ask for a theme song, she would not object at all. "H--- yeah! I love those movies. Can we just put "Violent Times" in there as the song? Stick it straight in, because if [Bond producer Barbara Broccoli is] reading this it'll save me a h--- of a lot of work."

Elton John

-He's a legend in British music. His voice is filled with emotion on many of his slower songs and it's absolutely gorgeous. Elton John seems like the type who would already have a Bond theme associated with his name, but sadly, this is not the case. He certainly does have his two cents on what would make a good theme. In 2002, during an interview with Sky Sports, he described the theme Madonna sang, "Die Another Day" as "the worst Bond tune ever," despite being a fan of her music. "It hasn't got a tune. James Bond themes are usually very camp and this one's different...They should have gone for somebody like Lulu and Shirley Bassey, or maybe I'm in that league?"

The Killers

-Rumors were a plenty in 2006 that The Killers were being considered as the artists to compose the next Bond theme. The Sun found out from an anonymous source "The Killers have reached the perfect point in their career to do a Bond track. They have the right sound, right look and a huge fanbase, making them the perfect choice." Obviously it has not come to completion, but there's always a chance for them

Alanis Morissette

-There are plenty of women who have composed a James Bond song, including Carly Simon, Shirley Bassey, Nancy Sinatra, Gladys Knight, Madonna, Adele Rita Coolidge, Tina Turner and others. Alanis Morissette would make an interesting addition to that list, with his multi-octave voice and adaptable singing voice

Johnny Marr

-It might be a bit far fetched to suggest him, but technically speaking, Johnny Marr already has his name attached to a Bond theme. On the soundtrack for the 2021 film No Time to Die, he played guitar on the title theme, which was performed by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell. It would be interesting if Marr wrote and even sang it

Chris Stapleton

-Some feel that James Bond and country music simply don't mix. Chris Stapleton is very far from average country music. He's more southern rock, pulling bits and pieces from blue and traditional rock and roll. His song "Cold" has been suggested as sounding like something from a Bond film

Queens of the Stone Age (or at least Josh Homme)

-Someone with a bit too much time on their hands decided to make a mashup of Adele's "Skyfall", the titular track from the 2015 Bond film of the same name and Queens of the Stone Age's "No One Knows". Together, both songs worked well. That should state they should have a fair chance of writing the next Bond theme. Or at least Josh Homme should have a say in writing it

Iron Maiden

-Certainly a metal Bond theme would be interesting and even incredibly awesome. Who better to do it than one of the biggest names in metal themselves? Iron Maiden. To put it in an alternative way, Iron Maiden is to metal what James Bond is to spy films. Plus, Iron Maiden does have extensive experience working with a full orchestra. Sounds like Iron Maiden deserves a chance

Patti Smith

-Patti Smith had never written a song for a movie up until 2014. That rule changed with "Mercy Is", which appeared in the film Noah. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Smith said "Well, I mean, if they want a song for a James Bond film, they wouldn't go to me, you know? They'll go to someone that, you know, has the touch on the public consciousness, who has a strong contemporary voice and I understand that. I really actually never have been sought after to write songs for a movie - but my songs have been in movies." I think she would write an interesting one

Annie Lennox

-She is another vocalist who had rumors swirling about her involvement with writing the next Bond theme. See the cover of Lennox's solo album Diva. She's wearing a headdress that was actually used in the 1983 film Octopussy. With her strong status as a British icon of music, her voice would make a great song for a Bond film



Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Mark Ruffalo

For those who are fans of the Marvel movies, he played Bruce Banner, aka The Incredible Hulk

Birth name: Mark Alan Ruffalo

DOB: 11/22/1967

Where: Kenosha, Wisconsin

Trivia

-His mother Marie Rose was a hairdresser and stylist while his father Frank was a construction painter

-In 2002, he was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, a benign brain tumor, which resulted in partial facial paralysis. He has since recovered

-Spent nearly a decade bartending before entering the show business world

-He was scheduled to appear in the 2002 film Signs. Unfortunately, he had to drop out due to a brain tumor that was discovered. After undergoing brain surgery, he suffered from partial facial paralysis. He has since fully recovered

-He had a brother named Scott who committed suicide on Dec. 8, 2008 outside his Beverly Hills home. It was discovered he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head

-All three of his siblings, Scott, Tanya Marie and Nicole, are all hairstylists

-Prior to playing the role of the Incredible Hulk, he was a fan of the comic series and television show, just like his predecessor, Edward Norton

-He and Benicio Del Toro were classmates at the Stella Adler Drama School in Los Angeles

-He can successfully play the bass guitar

Filmography

Mirror 2: Raven Dance (1995)

-Christian

The Dentist (1996)

-Steve Landers

54 (1998)

-Ricko

You Can Count on Me (2000)

-Terry

The Last Castle (2001)

-Yates

Windtalkers (2002)

-Pappas

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

-Stan

13 Going On 30 (2004)

-Matt Flamhaff

Collateral (2004)

-Fanning

Rumor Has It...(2005)

-Jeff Daly

All the King's Men (2006)

-Adam Stanton

Zodiac (2007)

-Inspector David Toschi

Reservation Road (2007)

-Dwight Arno

Shutter Island (2010)

-Chuck Aule

Date Night (2010)

-Brad Sullivan

The Avengers (2012)

-Bruce Banner / Incredible Hulk

Now You See Me (2013)

-Dylan Rhodes

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

-Bruce Banner / Incredible Hulk

Now You See Me 2 (2016)

-Dylan Rhodes

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

-Bruce Banner / Incredible Hulk

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

-Bruce Banner / Incredible Hulk

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

-Bruce Banner / Incredible Hulk

Now You See Me: Now You Don't (2025)

-Dylan Rhodes

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015)

This is a sequel to the highly popular film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Summary

-Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) dreams of opening a second location for his Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. And not a moment too soon as well. Two fresh arrivals have come, creating a problem for his original hotel, which only has one room vacant








Cast

-Dev Patel: Sonny Kapoor

-Maggie Smith: Muriel Donnelly

-Danny Mahoney: Car Valet

-David Strathairn: Ty Burley

-Judi Dench: Evelyn Greenslade

-Bill Nighy: Douglas Ainslie

-Celia Imrie: Madge Hardcastle

-Ronald Pickup: Norman Cousins

-Diana Hardcastle: Carol Parr

-Fiona Mollison: Susan

-Richard Gere: Guy Chambers

Did You Know?

-The character Ronald Pickup tells a joke revolving around the Archbishop of Canterbury at the expats club. Ironically, he plays the archbishop on The Crown

-Rumor has it that Colin Firth and Helen Mirren were supposed to join the cast

-Douglas Ainslie (Bill Nighy) is seen reading the poem "Ulysses". This is the same poem that Evelyn Greenslade (Dame Judi Dench) was seen reading in the 2012 film Skyfall, where she played M

-Dev Patel is of Indian heritage, but he was born and raised in Britain. His parents are of Indian heritage, but they were born in Kenya

-Evelyn Greenslade (Dame Judi Dench) makes a claim that she is only nineteen days younger than Muriel Donnelly (Dame Maggie Smith). In real life, Maggie Smith, who was born on Dec. 28, 1934, is nineteen days younger than Dame Judi Dench, who was born on Dec. 9, 1934

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Denis Villeneuve would like to direct the next James Bond film

Bond. James Bond. Those classic words were uttered by Sean Connery in the 1962 debut film Dr. No. Now, the character of James Bond is firmly entrenched in popular culture. With over over 15 films over the years, at least 6 actors playing the role, it's no wonder people love the films. Denis Villeneuve, who directed Blade Runner 2049 and Dune, would like to take a try at directing a 007 film

Amazon MGM Studios confirmed that Denis Villenueuve will be the director of the next 007 outing. No details have been released. "Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I'm a diehard Bond fan. To me, he's sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor." Villeneuve stated in a statement.

Mike Hopkins, manager of Amazon MGM Studios, stated "We are honored that Denis has agreed to direct James Bond's next chapter. He is a cinematic master, whose filmography speaks for itself." Producers added their own commentary. "It was always his dream to make this movie, and now it's ours, too. We are lucky to be in the hands of this extraordinary filmmaker."

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

20 Books That Should Have Never Made It to the Big Screen

Whenever some people read books, they begin to wonder what it would be like if that book were to be made into a movie. Sometimes it works, sometimes not so much. On the MSN.com page Yardbarker, writer Jacquez Printup has put together a list of 20 books that they believe should have never made it onto the big screen

Personally, it all comes down to opinion. Some people like the film adaptation of their favorite books. Some people don't. It's all up to you. I personally like the film versions of The Da Vinci Code, Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief and The Lovely Bones

1. The Great Gatsby (2013)

-Based on the classic 1925 novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the film ended up not meeting the hopes of many. Production went flat, with characters deemed "unlikeable", the plot barely there and too many flashy elements of that particular time period

2. Eragon (2006)

-Many fans of the story were happy to hear their favorite book was making it onto the big screen. They were let down when the film was released. Several characters, such as The Twins and Orik, were left out, ruining the plot, the script was boring and the graphics were so-so

3. A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

-Many who read the Madeleine L'Engle story were happy to hear of a film adaptation of their favorite book. To this day, it's still a bitter pill to swallow for many fans because they feel Disney ruined the film version. The characters didn't seem to have much of a backstory, overall a poor job done

4. Me Before You (2016)

-When the 2012 book by Jojo Moyes came out, not long afterwards came the movie. The book tells the story of how a man became disabled after an accident and falls in love with the woman assigned to look after him. Many fans quickly came to hate the movie, because of its message portraying those with disabilities don't have a life worth living without a partner

5. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

-Many fans of the J.R.R. Tolkien series, The Lord of the Rings, were more than happy when they heard about this new installation into the Middle Earth series. After watching the film, many readers came to hate it. They felt that Peter Jackson, who directed not only The Lord of the Rings series, but this film as well, rushed important moments, stretched material and added characters

6. The Book Thief (2013)

-The book tells of the grueling and harsh world of WWII. While the movie seems to have softened it up. Many felt the movie was a letdown, not really keeping in tune with the story

7. The Girl on the Train (2016)

-Based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Paula Hawkins, the film starred Emily Blunt, Justin Theroux and Rebecca Ferguson. While some viewers enjoyed the film, others not so much. Those who opposed the film felt the film had bad pacing

8. Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010)

-Based on the popular children's series by Rick Riordan, many felt that the movie had not done the books justice. For example, in the book, the characters are only children, around the age of 12 while in the film they are teenagers. There were plot changes as well, leading many to dislike the film

9. The Shack (2017)

-Despite the film tackling the subjects of deep faith and forgiveness, the film seems to have made a few errors. Despite the script having good messages, the film seems to lack something special that made the book great initially

10. Artemis Fowl (2020)

-Disney tried hard to make the film version of the Eoin Colfer book good. But the film flopped. The characters were annoying and the plot was all over the place. It made the film hard to watch. It would have been the next big fantasy film had it not been for these issues

11. The Cat in the Hat (2003)

-This is a much beloved book for children by Dr. Seuss. The film, however, didn't fare so well

12. Ender's Game (2013)

-The production was messy, with an overall lack of emotion. The film simply didn't do the book justice

13. Kill Your Friends (2015)

-Based on the 2008 novel of the same name, the film and book couldn't be more different. The movie doesn't make much of an impact on viewers because of the over the top violence and seemingly shallow characters

14. Eat Pray Love (2010)

-Ryan Murphy was in charge of bring the much loved book to the big screen. Some love the film, others hate it. It's all down to personal preference

15. The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

-The storylines seemed rushed, there was a lack of emotional depth. Overall, the story felt empty, hollow

16. Paper Towns (2015)

-The novel was successful. The film, however, seemed unable to capture the same feelings as the book. The characters seemed underdeveloped, as if whoever was in charge didn't do a good enough job and tried to rush through production. There was hardly any feelings of self-discovery or emotional depth in the film

17. I Am Number Four (2011)

-Based on the wildly popular sci-fi novel, the film fails to hold the same excitement as the novel. The characters don't seem to be the same in the film as they were in the novel and the action in the film seems cliched, like they were trying too hard to be action stars

18. The Da Vinci Code (2006)

-Some believe it turned out bad. Others really like it. It's all down to personal preference

19. The Dark Tower (2017)

-Despite the fact that Matthew McConnaughey and Idris Elba are in the film, this movie is said to be a near perfect example of what results from rushing a production instead of taking time to make things right

20. The Lovely Bones (2009)

-The book centers on the spirit of a young girl raped and murdered by a pedophile in her neighborhood. From the sky, she tries to point her grieving family in the direction of the man responsible, and, as time goes on, her death seems to rip the family apart. The film adaptation tried to bring the story of tragedy to the big screen. But some felt the movie was confusing, switching back and forth between tragedy, fantasy and revenge, leaving the story messy and almost empty