Three Books that Would Make Amazing Movies

How many times have you heard, "Oh I didn't realize it was a book!"? For that many times, times ten, I've said the opposite. I read books, never go to movies. I was actually amazed at how many of my favorite books were movies already long past the box office. Many years ago, long before the movie came out, I read Forrest Gump so many times the spine was broken. I was actually quite disappointed in the movie as compared to the book. Particularly how the characters were cast. So you can see, I'm definitely a love the book make the movie in my head kind of woman. So in this write up are three books and how I could see the character's as a movie in my mind's eye.

Three Books That Would Make Amazing Movies-One Door Away From Heaven-Dean Koontz

"The world is full of broken people. Splints, casts, miracle drugs, and time can't mend fractured hearts, wounded minds, torn spirits."- Dean Koontz chapter one in One Door Away From Heaven. This amazing book had me laughing out loud, crying out loud, sometimes at the same time! Curtis Hammond is the character that had me rolling with laughter the most, perhaps it was his complete and open honesty. Curtis' complete and open honesty was due to the fact of this world he possessed endless book knowledge, but unfortunately for him almost completely lacked street sense. Leilani Klonk had me laughing also, but this girl tug at your heart strings with her complete honesty. Leilani had me laugh and break my heart all in the same page. Hers was a world wise character that as been through more than any child ever should. Michelina Bellsong is the broken child/adult that ends up in a whirlwind of Leilani Klonk's and eventually Curtis Hammond's life. I say child/adult because she is yet growing and figuring out who she is when she comes to meet these fantastic characters. Leilani's cocky play on words makes Michelina realize things that she herself had gone through as a child that caused her to be the broken young adult she is now. Michelina is living with her Aunt Geneva while she is trying to find herself. Aunt Geneva is a warm loving caring aunt. Although old and run down, she does not see her home that way and tends to it as it were a grand estate. The more Aunt Geneva talks, the more you realize somethings not quite right. It is not her fault though, due to brain damage ( I will not spoil why) her memories are now a total mix of movies and reality. She remembers a movie and thinks it was her life! Sinsemilla is poor Leilani's mother who is drug riddled and definitely appears mentally ill if not unstable. It is obvious that leilani acts as her mother, yet has to fear Sinsemilla at the same time. And the scariest, most broken of all in the whole book, Preston Maddoc. He appears fairly normal on the outside, yet is a complete and utter monster, cold and calculating.

Now that you get the gist of the book, here's what would turn this amazing read into a great movie. And as you'll see, this would be an impossible task, but one can dream...

The actors would be as follows:

Curtis Hammond-Haley Joel Osment if only e were around the same age as he was in "The Sixth

Sense" which ironically came out in 1999, and One Door Away From Heaven was written 2001.

Leilani Klonk-Again, if only about ten years younger, Kristen Stewart from Twilight.

Aunt Geneva-Meryl Streep

Michelina Bellsong-Julianne Moore if she was the same age as she was in The Hand That Rocks

the Cradle.

Sinsemilla-Julia Roberts, although not her typical role, I know she could do wonders with this

character.

Preston Maddoc-Nicolas Cage

Directed-Tom Ford

Three Books That Would Make Amazing Movies-Honeymoon-James Patterson

Funny how some books begin with the ending it seems. That is what happened in Honeymoon. You get to know the main character Nora Sinclair very well right from the start. Nora is a very beautiful, wealthy "interior decorator". Her main description though would be manipulative, and that's why she becomes so wealthy. She always seems to live a double life, always seeking out that next wealthy victim. She doesn't juggle more than two at a time though. Actually, I guess you could say triple life, because she also lives as a single woman whose girlfriends are completely unaware of her marriages after she became widowed the first time. She was so deceptive and so careful that she got away with this for many years, but then in comes John O'hara and his partner Susan. After the death of her husband Connor although brisk at first, Connors sister seems to warm up to Nora as easily as the men in her life did. FBI detectives who set up quite a deception themselves. John's character was so deceiving there were times you actually thought "why did he do that, now he's caught!" but it would just be one more set up for Nora. You briefly get to know the two husbands she is juggling at that time. You don't get to know them too intimately except tat they are loving and doting upon their wife and of course, wealthy. So how does she know for sure just how wealthy they are before she takes that leap? She becomes their trusted interior decorator, then lover trusted with account numbers and credit cards. Towards the end you meet her mother, Olivia another extremely manipulating woman and begin to understand what made Nora tick. Almost all the other characters in the book pale compared to Nora and John. Its not that they are insignificant, you just don't get to know them as intimately as Nora and John.

In my mind's eye, the movie, characters and director is as follows:

Nora Sinclair-Penelope Cruz

John O'Hara-Colin Firth

Susan-Jodie Foster

Connor- George Clooney

Lizzie-Kate Elizabeth Winslet

Jeffery-Woody Harrelson

Olivia-Susan Sarandon

Directed by-Brian De Palma

Three Books That Would Make Amazing Movies-Long After Midnight-Iris Johansen

Kate Denby is a scientist working on an anti-rejection type of project. Her lab where she works is a target of protest everyday because the are geneticists, and people believe they are trying to play God. Another brilliant scientist Noah Smith, wants Kate to work for him, to help him complete his project. With her anti-rejection, and his formula, they would be able to cure all ills. When Kate's ex-husband's car blows up she believes him to have been the target as he worked in law enforcement. Noah although constantly rejected by Kate to work for him, finally convinces her that it was her that was the target, not her ex-husband Michael. In order to keep her son Joshua and mother Phyliss safe, she goes to work for Noah, as he has means to keep her safe. His main concern really was of the project, not of her and her family. Phyliss seems nonplussed by the temporary move and is tough yet sweet. Noah brings in Seth Drakin, an ex-navy seal to help protect the family until the project is complete. Seth is a rough and tumble kind of guy, but then you see the sweet and funny side in him. There are many twists and turns and emotional roller coasters in this one.

In my mind's eye, the movie, characters and director is as follows:

Kate Denby-Sandra Bullock

Noah Smith-Jeff Goldblum

Michael-Keanu Reeves

Joshua-Josh Hutcherson

Seth Drakin-Owen Wilson

Phyliss-Judi Dench

Kate's father-Clint Eastwood

Director-Billy Wilder

So, there's my picks. They may seem like odd matches, but I guess you won't know until you read the book first.