The last two times I was at the movie theater in the last five days (can’t remember what I saw…wink/wink), there was a trailer for the movie Dear John. It’s based on the book by Nicholas Sparks. It looks like it has potential.
So I bought the book and finished it in two days.
It made me wonder…have you ever read a book to prepare yourself for the movie? Or seen a trailer and then went out to buy the book to see what the hype was all about? Is so, let me know in the comment section. I’m a sucker for a book being turned into a movie.
And check out the Dear John trailer below and let me know if you think it’s going to be major cheese or just enough romantic comedy. Although nothing can ever touch The Notebook in my opinion. Noah and Allie forever!
Oh Lincee, his books give me that sore throat thing from trying not to cry. And I don’t think I EVER cried so much as when I saw The Notebook (my Dad has dementia). And yet I keep reading and keep watching. And besides… Channing Tatum. Nuff said.
I read Dear John years ago when the book first came out. I’m always excited when a book I have read becomes a movie. I don’t really think this is one of my favorite Nicholas Sparks books, but I’ll go and see the movie anyway. And yes, I enjoy reading a book before the movie comes out or in the case of a certain vampire series, reading a book for the umpteenth time before I see the movie
I bought The Time Traveler’s Wife when the previews for the movie came out (hello Eric Bana) and read it before the movie. Didn’t like the book at all, this was one of the few times the movie was so much better than the book.
Lincee, I am a huge fan of Nicolas Sparks books (except for Nights in Rodanthe, hated that one. Didn’t bother with the movie version). I saw Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember and The Notebook before reading the books. It was from this that I adopted my new rule. Except for in cases when it can’t be helped (such as you read the book years ago and then they decided to make a movie), I never read the book before watching the movie. Why? Because 99% of the time the book is better. If you read the book and then watch the movie you will point out all the things that they missed or things they should have done better, or wondered why they changed certain points. BUT, if you watch the movie and then read the book, you can watch the movie, fall in love with the story and then read the book and discover an even better story. I have yet to be disappointed using this method (though now I’ve been warned about the Time Traveler’s Wife).
For all the Nicolas Sparks lovers out there, know that he has 3-4 movies in the works from most of his recent books.
i love your grandmother.
oh and…was the book worth it? need a good read for my mexico trip i’m taking wednesday…worth it???
also, it should be noted that i saw jeremy from the bachelor at the dallas turkey trot on thursday. did a triple take at him just KNOWING i knew him from somewhere, but couldn’t figure it out…10 minutes later, it occurred to me who he was…damn….he’s SMOKING hot in person…just saying. 
The movie was filmed in Charleston South Carolina. You can attend the Charleston premiere of the movie and meet the stars (and maybe Nicholas Sparks) while you help children with autism. Visit DearJohnCharlestonPremiere.com
Yes… I have read the book to prepare for the movie. The most recent was “My Sister’s Keeper”. I always wished I read “White Oleander” before seeing the movie… have heard the book is really good but still have not read it. Can’t wait to see “Dear John”… love Amanda Seyfried! Channing Tatum… yummy! I will definitely need to bring a box of tissues with me! Just like Ruthie cried more than ever when I saw the Notebook for the first time, still do! Thanks Lincee!
Kind of dreading watching the movie… Loved the book, love the actors, but feel like it’s going to be cheesey. Um, that being said, I live 4 hours from Charleston and I’m going to see if I can go to the premiere.
Has anyone seen the previews for “letters to juliet”? Yeah…the preview alone made me tear up/squeal!
I just a week ago got Twilight to read…read it in 2 days, watched the movie, got New Moon, read it in 2 days, saw the movie, read Eclipse in 2 days, and am now waiting to start Breaking Dawn! I am a late starter but equally obsessed!!! :0)
Oh, this movie trailer looks like something I would TOTALLY enjoy (in a tear-jerker kind of way!). I like Nicholas Sparks books, and did read The Notebook before seeing it on screen. . .typically, I try not to do that too close together, as I don’t like to compare the two, but enjoy each on their own merit.
Channing Tatum! Yum!
Also, I really liked the book “Dear John” and as far as Nicholas Sparks’ books/movies go, my fave is “A Walk to Remember”
I try to read books right after I watch the movie. I was let down by Memoirs of a Geisha and Twilight this way. Almost every time i’ve read the book first, i’ve been disappointed with the movie, but I always enjoy the book after watching the movie. Except for Pride and Prejudice– you could read/watch that in any order. Atonement is a good example of this– I would have never read the book if it weren’t for the movie, and it’s one of my favorites.
I am actually not as much a fan of Nicholas Spark’s books as much as the movies they make out of them–ie the Notebook movie– I liked it much much better.
I have to say, the book Dear John brought me to tears and it is one of my favorite Sparks books because it’s not your typical love story with a boxed up ending.
Plus, let’s talk about how hot Channing Tatum is. Maybe I’m the only one, but I absolutely love him and his down home country boy good looks.
I put up with GI Joe just for him… so I can’t WAIT for this movie. 
Looks like it’s definitely worth the book and the movie!
The book ‘White Oleander’ if FANTASTIC.
The movie isn’t nearly as good, but the book is a must read.
And of course, The Princess Bride. Fantastic book and movie, both.
The book ‘White Oleander’ “is” fantastic, sorry.
The only book I have ever bought due to the trailer was “Atonement” by Ian McEwan. The trailer gave me goosebumps every time I saw it, and then one day I was in the store and saw the book sitting there…and the rest is history. The book is beyond brilliant, and the movie was pretty good, too.
I’m a Nicholas Sparks fan, but lately I’ve found that most of his books have the same plot and characters running through them over and over and over. I wasn’t a huge fan of “Dear John”, so I’m not sure I’d pay to see this in the theaters – but I’ll definitely rent it!
This movie will never be as good as The Notebook. No movie ever will. Sorry.
That being said, I am a HUGE Channing Tatum fan and hope that this movie will at least be good.
I actually live in NC where most of NS books come from, Im sorry but the last few have not been that great. I expected to hate The Last Song bc I despise Miley (who the book was written for) but loved it.
So maybe NC fans will give it a chance. Other than the notebook, the Wedding was the best ever written and no movie was made of it. Read it, it will bring tears!!!!
Also (side note) LOVED S Meyer books, hated all of the movies, HATED Them.
This girl, the one from Mama Mia, is in two upcoming movies. I can’t remember the name of the other one but it looks interesting also. I know this because I have also seen New Moon twice in the last week. Both because my 13 year old daughter dragged me there, of course. Team Jacob.
Lincee – have you read ‘The Last Song’? I think it’s Nicholas Sparks’ latest book, and it is turning in to a movie as well – I saw the preview over the weekend; it has Miley Cyrus in it. I had read the book and couldn’t put it down. A little reminiscent of ‘A Walk to Remember’ – but still very good!
As for movies I bought the book for in anticipation… ‘P.S. I Love You’ – book was so much better!!!
Looks like a real tear jerker. I LOVE romantic movies. Look forward to seeing the movie.
Ok, First- I ALWAYS read the books before watching the movie. I usually like movie versions of books, but I think my problem is that I see the preview and can’t stand the waiting to find out more about the story so I go out and buy the book before the movie makes it to the big screen. I guess you could say I’m an instant gratification junkie.
Second- this movie looks good. Will probably not read the book since the only Nick Sparks book I have ever liked is The Notebook. But WHY do they insist on showing the entire movie in the preview??? I’m so sick of seeing half the preview, thinking this looks like something I would like to see, and then the following 2 mins pretty much tells you what will happen. Then it’s just like, well, guess I don’t have to watch the movie now. They seem to do this more on romantic, chick flick movies. Why? Do they think we will not watch them unless we see the entire plot first? Give us a break! A preview should show us who is in the movie, what type of movie it is (i.e.- sad, action, comedy), and maybe a few clips that intrigue our senses. That’s it!!! Anyone with me on this??
My sister and I were discussing what in the world happened in Nicholas Sparks life to have him write the way he does. I saw Nights in Rodanthe and wasn’t the least bit surprised to see something sad happen. Yikes! About books and movies – I was appauled to learn that my sister went to see New Moon on opening weekend withOUT reading ANY of the books. BLASPHEMY! Then she was frustrated why it took a girl (Bella) 4 months to recover from the break-up. Now she doesn’t want to read the books because she knows what will happen. HELLO! Can there BE (Chandler Bing accent) any better series to read FIRST?!?
I agree with most everyone…. books are usually better than the movie. I am very much enticed by the Dear John trailer and like you, will probably read the book first. The Notebook I did read before the movie- loved them both, equally. Nights in Rodanthe- loved the book, hated the movie, even though Richard Gere and Diane Lane had great chemistry. I read A Walk to Remember before the movie and liked the book, again hated the movie. I finally read Marley & Me this summer so I could see finally the movie- loved them both, equally… and cried just as much as the Notebook for both!! Still refuse to watch The Guardian since I have not read the book. I recently read The Reader (in less than 2 days) just because I wanted to rent the movie, the book was very good but have not rented it yet.
The Kite Runner. I’d read it before there was movie talk…and re-read when I heard a movie was coming out. While it was a good movie..the book was a MILLION times better. There were a few things they left out of the movie that were in the book that kind of disappointed me. I’d recommend the book over the movie for that for sure.
I’ve read Time Traveler’s wife and actually really enjoyed it. I’d planned to see the movie (love Rachel McAdams) but never got around it. Will have to check out the DVD.
I read the book “My Sister’s Keeper” before it came out. And since I heard that the movie completely changed the ending of the book then I couldn’t watch it. The book was so amazing that I wouldn’t want to see how they botched it.
Saw the trailer. I am also a super sucker for a book turned into a movie, so when I saw Dear John in the bargain bin I picked it up. I loved it. Can’t wait to see the movie. I like both actors, so I am hopeful it won’t veer from the book too much.
Maybe I am a weird, but I LOVED The Time Traveler’s Wife book and thought the movie wasn’t as good. (Which is usually the case for me.) I’ve heard a lot of people who didn’t like the book.
I always read the book before the movie. I’m also a sucker for Nicholas Sparks even though it is pretty much the same story: guy meets lady or vice versa, tragedy of some sort that might keep them apart, someone dies. Either way, I cry like a little girl every single time.
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