Films for Writers: Write Better with These Literary-Themed Films
From the Film Ruby Sparks, via Fox Searchlight
I have a soft spot for literary themed films, because I admire watching a movie that is able to entertain as well as inform. Films about writing are often fun ways to get writers out of a funk and back into writing. When pushing that pencil across the page, or pecking away at the keyboard seems to be a source of frustration, perhaps a little time away from your novel may serve your inner writer well.
A Few of My Favorite Literary Themed Films
1. The Magic of Belle Isle
Morgan Freeman is a favorite actor of mine and this film is delightful. The Magic of Belle Isle follows Monte Wildhorn, a cantankerous writer who refuses to do precisely what writers are supposed to do: write. Monte finds himself doing more drinking than anything, but as the film progresses, he falls in love with the people of Belle Isle, taking on a young student, Finnegan O’Neil, who has her own creative flare. Watch and see how Monte Wildhorn discovers the magic that inspired him to write in this charming film.
Why writers will love it: Characters are often their own worst enemies, but watching them learn from others in films will teach you how to develop character growth in your own stories.
[VIDEO] The Magic of Belle Isle via Magnolia Pictures
2. Ruby Sparks
[VIDEO] Ruby Sparks via Fox Searchlight
Have you ever wondered what it’d be like if a character you’d written came to life? Ruby Sparks is a film that explores that imaginative question. Many films have approached the idea of creating the perfect woman, think Weird Science, or in a more quirky sense, Lars and the Real Girl, but Ruby Sparks has done something different.
Calvin Weir-Fields played by Paul Dano, is a writer struggling with his newfound literary fame, which forces him into a sophomore slump. Ruby Sparks, played by actress Zoe Kazan, leaps right off the page and into real life, leaving Calvin to begin to question his sanity. Come along for this wild ride and see if the truth really is stranger than fiction. You can even make your own real life Ruby at Make Ruby Real, just for fun.
Why writers will love it: Sometimes doing something unbelievable in a story can bring a dull story to life, making it a literary leap of faith.
3. Liberal Arts
[VIDEO] Liberal Arts via IFC Films
Josh Radnor plays Jesse Fisher, a recent grad who is finding life in the “real world” not as exciting as he’d thought it would be. Jesse misses the glory days of being in college, and when a favorite professor calls him to return to his Alma Mater, Jesse jumps at the opportunity. The fun truly begins when he meets Zibby (Elizabeth Olsen), a smart, attractive, young college student who reminds him of what he’s been missing since leaving college. Liberal Arts is a romantic comedy that’ll remind you of your own college days, and why the things you learn in college are not just in the books you read.
Why writers will love it: Coming of age stories may be the oldest trick in the book, but they seem to prevail nonetheless. There’s a reason they still retain their popularity: they share similarities with our own desires to discover ourselves.
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Literary themed films are a fun way to get inspired and take some time to relax when you’re against a deadline, or just facing a typical case of writer’s block. Besides, writers are complex characters themselves and sometimes a night with a movie is a welcome reprieve from the often difficult life of writing.
What are some of your favorite literary themed films? Did we miss something? Let us know in the comments section below.
Pencil Joke of the Week:
What do you call a wild feline who only writes with a pencil?
Answer: A ferrule cat.
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