Ender on camera

I spent last night at the premiere of Ender's Game at Grauman's Chinese Theatre! It was such a fun experience. I saw Asa (who is so tall in person), Harrison, and a handful of (until now) unknown kids. I'm not going to say much about the movie because I don't want to influence anyone's opinion. It was an interesting experience having finished the book just a few days before seeing the movie. It made me realize just how difficult a project it would be to adapt Ender to the screen.

I will mention two things. 1. Remember this? The kids look like kids (not 6-11-year-old kids, but they look young). I think we're so accustomed to seeing 25-year-olds play teenagers, that when you see actual teenagers, they do look young. So it didn't bother me like I thought it might. 2. The effects are impressive. It looks fantastic.

Be sure to talk to me when you've seen it and formed your own opinions.

"I believe and believe that a good movie can be made of Ender’s Game, but it won’t be the book. It won’t be identical to the book. So if you go there expecting that please don’t be angry that it’s not just like the book. It can’t be. I don’t want it to be. You don’t want it to be, ok? You want it to be a good movie which the book would not have been. So we’ll all find out whether they’re successful or not, but I know everyone involved in this movie is doing their very best they can to do this."

"If you’d like to see some of the much more filmable works from me, go to ‘Ender’s Game’! Go often! Bring friends! Because if ‘Ender’s Game’ does not do well, you know how Hollywood works [...] They’ll say Orson Scott Card books don’t work on film. [...] Do us a favor, go to the movie even if you’re going to throw fruit! Just go! Pay your admission, don’t sneak in. I really have high hopes for this to be a good film. I think you’ll like it, so we’ll find out. You’ll let me know."

        -Orson Scott Card, at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (btw, this whole interview/panel is really interesting)

Go see it!