Are you reading a book right now? Giving birth to the characters through your imagination, intricately painting their abode, their next of kin, their manoeuvers, their countenances through the brushes of your psyche? Do you wish to extend these compositions on screen and watch this world in your head come to life? Guess what? You are not alone. We do too! So, here we present to you the movie adaptations of some of your favorite books fostering the theme of stepping beyond the 'real'.
Ready Player One
Ready player one is a beautiful cinematic experience that has some very prominent themes. It shows a world in which people escape digitally to avoid the harsh realities of the real world, to evade the capitalist hell, where a majority of people are poor and starved. The movie is centered on the idea of preserving the only bastion of freedom available to the general population which is in the form of a game. The theme of escapism is very strong, there are scenes of neglectful parents who are avoiding their jobs and lives, to live in this apparent virtual utopia. There is also a strong representation of reliving past mistakes and events. The book of the same name, on the other hand, deals with some other significant ideas, such as those of nostalgia, and the real terror created by capitalism. Within the book, the entire population is obsessed with reliving the “good old days” of the 80s and running away from a dying planet. Living in the past forbids one to live one’s life in the present to the fullest because people are busy fantasizing about the time lost. Both the movie and the book urge people to reconsider their day-to-day choices as they engage with digital content and spend increasing amounts of time in these digital spaces. The book also brings into light the exaggerated version of the debt cycles the populations of many capitalistic countries fall victim to even in this era. The book and the movie are very intriguing and bring to light the dangers of escapism and avoiding the problems surrounding people’s lives and societies. It is a brilliant series in the aspect of issues it attempts to tackle within society.
Matilda
Matilda (1995) is a lively retelling of Roald Dahl’s charming book of the same name, catered primarily towards a young audience. With Danny DeVito at the directing helm, Matilda is the story of a prodigal young girl who grew up with a family characterized by crookedness and outright neglect towards their daughter. Matilda’s inherent genius and her hunger for knowledge meant that much to the disapproval of her parents; she would repeatedly scrounge the entire library for books and pick up skills that most others would at the onset of early 30s. Having gathered considerable ire from her parents, she is sent off to a school to absolve them of their responsibilities, a school with a rather violent and irritable headmistress. Much of the black humor and charm from Dahl’s original books are present in the film, and a lot of it can be observed in the mannerisms of Matilda’s dismissive parents or in the deeds carried out by the unpleasant headmistress of the school. The headmistress’s overly critical and aggressive nature culminates in a series of comically evil albeit brutal antics and incidents. Things such as throwing a child out of the school boundaries in the same vein as one would throw javelins, or locking them up in a narrow chamber lined with spikes and glasses, are commonplace and much like the books, they are played for laughs and gags. It is in this stressful environment that Matilda awakens her inner powers of telekinesis, leading to an eventful series of stunts and developments. A good introductory experience into the world of Roald Dahl, it is a short yet enjoyable watch for kids and grownups alike.
If you watch and enjoy these movies then let us know your reviews in the comments down below!!
Wow! These are some really cool suggestions!!!
Will surely check them out!