I think Where the Wild Things Are is a great example of how to do it: take the basic concept, stay true to the imagery of the book, but basically use it as a launching pad to make your own thing. 
That movie manages to be instantly recognizable as an adaptation of the book, while also feeling very unique, intimate, and…

I didn't feel like it was anywhere near as entertainingly over the top as say, Revenge, or the original show though… it just came off as kind of flat and dull, mostly because the young cast members were so lifeless.  I was just kind of bored whenever I was watching it.

I didn't feel like it was anywhere near as entertainingly over the top as say, Revenge, or the original show though… it just came off as kind of flat and dull, mostly because the young cast members were so lifeless.  I was just kind of bored whenever I was watching it.

@avclub-92a4841c9f86965effbc29fa6eae9f77:disqus Seriously, what was that ending? Really the worst decision that could have possibly been made on how to end the movie. You have a great ending with a compelling cliffhanger that would have audiences excited for the next installment (even given how lame the movie was)……

Honestly I'm not a nitpicker. I handwaved away a lot of things that didn't really add up in the first season (especially the finale) since the show was so tense and exciting. I even ignored the way Carrie was just teamed up with the CIA again from the start of the season, in spite of how unlikely that was, because it…

Honestly I'm not a nitpicker. I handwaved away a lot of things that didn't really add up in the first season (especially the finale) since the show was so tense and exciting. I even ignored the way Carrie was just teamed up with the CIA again from the start of the season, in spite of how unlikely that was, because it…

Yeah that's a pretty ridiculous thing to say: The Suburbs was a great comeback from Neon Bible, which had some great tracks but was pretty overdramatic and all over the place musically (the last two tracks really don't belong on the album, No Cars Go is one of my favorite AF songs but feels like something they wished…

Yeah that's a pretty ridiculous thing to say: The Suburbs was a great comeback from Neon Bible, which had some great tracks but was pretty overdramatic and all over the place musically (the last two tracks really don't belong on the album, No Cars Go is one of my favorite AF songs but feels like something they wished…

@avclub-6adbe8b2ab3a52e619c526eff905468a:disqus You seriously have to be on something if you thought The Dark Knight was narratively economical. As much as I like it, the plot was so much more overstuffed and convoluted than it needed to be, as if it was trying to convince you it was more complex than it really was.…

@avclub-6adbe8b2ab3a52e619c526eff905468a:disqus You seriously have to be on something if you thought The Dark Knight was narratively economical. As much as I like it, the plot was so much more overstuffed and convoluted than it needed to be, as if it was trying to convince you it was more complex than it really was.…

Thank you! I never got the Insomnia hate… it's probably my third favorite Nolan movie (after Memento and Inception). Al Pacino is just incredible (it's his only great performance post Scarface for my money) and the movie is incredibly intense throughout. I actually love the ending and don't get the criticisms that…

Thank you! I never got the Insomnia hate… it's probably my third favorite Nolan movie (after Memento and Inception). Al Pacino is just incredible (it's his only great performance post Scarface for my money) and the movie is incredibly intense throughout. I actually love the ending and don't get the criticisms that…

Really? Man of Steel looks hopelessly self important and pretentious, which is pretty much what sunk the last Superman movie. It also seems to take a fuckload of liberties with his backstory, resulting in most people not even knowing the trailers were for a Superman movie most of the time. Snyder seems determined to…

Really? Man of Steel looks hopelessly self important and pretentious, which is pretty much what sunk the last Superman movie. It also seems to take a fuckload of liberties with his backstory, resulting in most people not even knowing the trailers were for a Superman movie most of the time. Snyder seems determined to…

The difference is, movies are paced very differently from books. Books can drag a bit, and you don't have to read all the dialogue as if someone is saying it, you can skim the songs, put it down and pick it back up, etc. The pacing in books doesn't matter nearly as much as it does in movies. Momentum and pace are very…

The difference is, movies are paced very differently from books. Books can drag a bit, and you don't have to read all the dialogue as if someone is saying it, you can skim the songs, put it down and pick it back up, etc. The pacing in books doesn't matter nearly as much as it does in movies. Momentum and pace are very…

Heck, I actually liked the 48 FPS, I think it made the 3D look a lot smoother, clearer, and brighter than it usually does. It did occasionally make some things look a bit stagey or hokey at times (especially that shot towards the end where the whole group was standing on the cliff), but it certainly wasn't as bad as…

Heck, I actually liked the 48 FPS, I think it made the 3D look a lot smoother, clearer, and brighter than it usually does. It did occasionally make some things look a bit stagey or hokey at times (especially that shot towards the end where the whole group was standing on the cliff), but it certainly wasn't as bad as…

Well the second one is called "The Desolation of Smaug" so I'm guessing it's going to end around the point that Smaug is defeated (and should probably be the strongest of the three if that's the case, since it would have a lot of exciting events from the book). Hopefully the final movie will only be around two hours…

Well the second one is called "The Desolation of Smaug" so I'm guessing it's going to end around the point that Smaug is defeated (and should probably be the strongest of the three if that's the case, since it would have a lot of exciting events from the book). Hopefully the final movie will only be around two hours…