Sometimes movies are better than the books they are based on. But are there movies that would be better if they had been a book?
This month Steve and JJ following the story of Sidney Hall, a young novelist who writes a book that impacts a generation and soon after, he disappears. Steve and JJ discuss non-traditional storytelling, YA novels, tropes and cliches, and emotional manipulation. This film should check all the boxes for Steve, but it doesn’t. JJ was wary due to a low Rotten Tomato rating, but he came out on the other side having enjoyed it.
The Vanishing of Sidney Hall may not have been the film we thought it was going to be. A cast of familiar faces in a film that was released into theaters on only 10 screens?! Steve gives his lowest rating ever to an A24 film – and one that focuses on high school students?! What is going on?!
Film Sundries
- Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • YouTube
- Script Transcript
- Original theatrical trailer
- Original poster artwork
- Flickchart
- Letterboxd
