Flipped

Flipped is a book about two kids Juli Baker and Bryce Loski who are next door neighbors. When Bryce moves to the new house, Juli is completely overtaken by his baby blue eyes and knows that she will get her first kiss. On the other hand Bryce tries to avoid her at any means necessary. That is until they flip.  The movie, which came out in 2010, brought the book to life wonderfully and transformed the houses to a different era. Having the movie took place in the ’60s didn’t change any of the plot lines, but brought a charm to it. The acting at times was off, but they always recovered the scene. The movie had voice over going through it the whole time which got annoying after awhile. It was telling the characters’ feelings, but not showing them. Overall, the movie was good, but nothing can compare to the book. Still it’s always fun to see your favorite characters coming to life.

Book or Movie? Book! – Stephanie Hofmann

Water for Elephants

The book Water for Elephants came out in 2006 but was recently turned into a movie. The story focuses on a young man named Jacob who runs away and finds himself a part of a circus. The book and the movie are each great in their own respects; the book is able to develop a detail that adds dimensions to all the characters, while the movie is able to bring a life to it with the amazing acting of Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon. The book is able to intertwine two timelines and by doing so increases the connection to the main character while the movie only follows the life of a young Jacob.

Book or Movie? While the movie adds a certain spark that can’t come from words alone, the book is by far better. – Shelly Spencer

The City of Ember

The City of Ember is one of the most intriguing novels I’ve ever read. It’s about a city built entirely underground to preserve the human race for 200 years, until the citizens of Ember will be instructed on how to leave the city. Time starts to run out after the instructions are lost, and it’s up to teenagers Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow to find the way out. I absolutely loved the book, so I was extremely excited about the 2008 movie. However, I was severely let down. At first, the beginning is pretty similar to the book, but as it goes on, it strays more and more from the initial storyline, with major plot changes and an entirely different ending. I was sorely disappointed.

Book or Movie? The book is so much better, because it makes a lot more sense and is very well written. –Gloriana Stolle

Harry Potter

Harry Potter is one of this generations’ most loved and recognized series. The final book came out in 2007, but for many the series didn’t end until last year when the final movie was released. As far as movies based off of books go, the films were pretty spot on though it added a little bit of flair to the series. There were only minor differences in the movies and only one or two scenes left out. Overall, the movies were really good but the books to me were better because they have more detail to them and they really have a sense of originality.

Book or Movie? Books definitely win in the end. –Nick Hage

The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones, published in 2002, was a very emotional and detailed book. It was released into theatres in January 2010. The movie was so much more descriptive than the book, leading the reader wanting to read more and more. The movie was very hard to follow and didn’t flow very well. It strayed a bit far from the storyline of the book, and the acting wasn’t that believable. The book drew a lot more emotion from you where as the movie made you fall asleep and constantly question when it would finally be over. When the movie came out, I couldn’t wait to see it. Finally, I saw it, and I absolutely hated it. Needless to say, the book was a lot more well received than the movie.

Book or Movie? Book –Bridget O’Malley