It's been several years since I've had any interest in watching the Oscars. Last night was different. I suppose because I've seen six of the ten nominees for Best Picture and still want to see three of the remaining four. 2010 must have been an unusually good year for movies for I rarely have seen that high of a percentage of the nominated shows.
I was thrilled that The King's Speech won Best Picture and that Colin Firth took home the Oscar for Best Actor. Very well deserved. If you haven't seen the movie, you should. I had one reader of Write Thinking say she was hesitant to see the movie because of the R rating. I would say that most people can overlook the rating. There is some foul language but it is used in such a different way that I didn't find it offensive. Foul language in most films (as in life) is simply laziness, and I am often offended by that.
Anyway, as a writer, I love it when I am transported by story to another time or place or circumstance. The King's Speech
And as long as I'm talking about being transported by story, I've got to mention The Hunger Games
So what books have you read and/or what movies have you seen recently that transported you?
~robin
Last night was the first night in probably 15-20 years that I watched more than the red carpet pre-show AND stayed up to watch the entire Oscars show. For this very reason–The King’s Speech.
The show was not as bad as I recalled it being in the past and I don’t regret watching it. The King’s Speech was the only movie of the lot that I saw, though I’d like to see True Grit.
I agree with you completely about the quality of this movie and the R rating disclaimer. What superb acting. After the show I had a thought about a line in my story I’ve been mulling over and I got out of bed to change it.
I started to think about how my writing should be like creating a screenplay for my characters to express an Oscar-winning performance.
Thanks Robin!
Robin, I read the Hunger Games series and thought it was very good.
I just finished Kristin Hannah’s book Winter Garden. I really liked it. It transported me to a time in Russia that wasn’t so good and then to relationships between mother and daughters are always a catch for me. Loved the King’s Speech and how it gave stuttering a voice that can more understood. True Grit was a good remake. Now I am reading John Grogan’s auto biography. Next Icy Sparks.
Amen to wanting our characters to express Oscar-winning performances!
Deanna, I've been surprised by how it captured my imagination immediately. It's one of those books where the description doesn't make it sound like I would enjoy it. The Road was another dark story that took me by surprise in a similar way.
Thanks for sharing those titles, Nicki.
I’ve been reading Just Jane by Nancy Moser. If you are not acquainted with it, it is a novel of Jane Austen’s life. I’ve completely enjoyed it, much because I enjoy reading of that era in time. But then also, it mentions on occasion through the book about Jane’s thoughts concerning books of which plots I am already familiar with. How fun it is to see how those books’ characters filled her life and thoughts much like you authors describe what happens to your characters from your books when you write.
Pam, I haven't yet read Just Jane, but I love Nancy's writing and have enjoyed several of her books. Because I love and know Austen's stories, I'm sure those references would be great fun. In Speak to Me of Love, I was able to work in lots of Shakespeare quotes because my heroine was a Shakespearean actress. As someone who spends every summer seeing some Shakespeare plays, that was great fun for me as an author.
A book just came into my possession titled Merchant of Venice. It looks to me to be a play by Shakespeare, copyright 1879. I’ve never seen a play written by him, only heard of them. Might have to check this play out. Thanks for letting me know of your Speak to Me of Love. I may see if I can find that one as well.