The Book vs. The Movie

So i just got finished with reading The Da Vinci Code, and man! What a fun book! Fast paced, detailed (but not tediously so), twisty-plotted... and very simple all at the same time. I very much enjoyed reading it. Ironically enough, i can't wait to see the movie. I know, i know, the movie is NEVER as good as the book. This was a quandary for me: Should i read the book and spoil the movie or wait to see the movie first and spoil the book? After all, after having read the book, the movie will inevitably disappoint on two levels: 1. The simple fact that the movie will leave out crucial elements that made the book so damn good (as they always do); and 2. I'll go into the movie already knowing how it's going to end. And by that same line of logic, seeing the movie first should only enhance my enjoyment of the book, as the book will provide me with all the missing details and bits of history that were edited out of the movie for the sake of saving time. I'll also have visuals of all the places the book references that i've never been to in France and England to envision while i read.

So why did i end up choosing to read the book first? Because when it's all said and done, reading to me is much like a good courtship: a bit of acquaintence-making followed by romance that gives way to long foreplay, which melts slowly into lovemaking and ends with a climax that is timely, intense and very satisfying. Few things give me as much satisfaction as sitting down and reading all the sub plots and hints and intrigues, following the events leading up to the climax, and seeing it all come together so flawlessly as only can happen in a really good book; and the fact that all of this takes place over several days is the icing on the brownie. With a book you get to really take your time to appreciate the story that's being unfolded before you. Sometimes things can go that well with a really great movie, and while that's also very satisfying, the feeling itself only lasts a couple of hours.

So having read the book, i really think it should translate well into a movie. The key: the simplicity of the book. Even with editing, they shouldn't need to leave much out (which is what inevitably kills a movie based on a book), and it's very plausible, so they shouldn't need to change anything (also a movie-killing inevitability that movie makers never seem to understand). While i don't hold out much hope for the movie being as good and as well-thought out as the book, i think it will be worthwhile nonetheless.


Post Movie Edit: I couldn't have been more wrong about the movie being worthwhile.

Reaching Out

We all have one of those friends who, when you're with them, is peppy and laughs a lot and seems happy enough. Then you get a glimpse of them when they think you're not looking and they seem very much not okay at all. So then you wonder: What's wrong? Of course, you ask, and the predictable "Oh, nothing!" and a smile is all you get. "Okay", you think to yourself, "Maybe i just interpreted it wrong". But you keep seeing signs that something just isn't right, and your friend is hurting beneath the surface. You want to ask what's wrong, but don't want to pry or be nosy. After all, you've already asked (a couple of times, in fact), and they opted not to share the problem(s) with you, thus making it none of your business. You want to keep trying, but you don't want to alienate them, so you let it be and look on and feel helpless struggling with the desire to be helpful. So there's my problem. How do i reach out when "What's wrong?" isn't enough?

The Ole "Extended Network"

Okay, what's the deal with the 'extended network'? Everyone seems to be in it. How extensive is 'extended', and 'extended' compared to what? So far i haven't seen anyone in my local network...or anyone NOT in my network (extended or otherwise), for that matter. Now i admit, i don't have that big a friends collection on myspace (I say collection because i've seen people with upwards of 5000 'friends', and i don't believe they all actually know each other...it's more like a race to see who can collect the most people on a single list. But that's another subject entirely), but the ones i do have are pretty varied in their locations. Some are closer than others, but no matter how close or how far away, we come back to this whole 'extended network' thing. Did Tom, when he was playing Creator, look at his creation and notice a big empty space at top and wonder to himself, "Hmm. What could i put there? There's already plenty of ads: banner, box, and pop-up. Maybe people want to feel like they're part of something more than just this little miniverse i'm creating for their amusement and wasting-of-productive-work-time. I know! I'll also make them part of a Network!"?

Us lesser amusees and wasters-of-productive-work-time may never know.