So, like roughly any other girl I went to school with, I grew up reading the American Girl books. While I never owned a doll, I loved the stories, which were about brave and resourceful young ladies growing up in different eras in United States history. When I was little, Samantha was my favorite; now that I'm older, I might like Felicity best. I even had the completely hilarious in retrospect computer game, American Girl Premiere. In any case, I know that when I think about these books, I do so with a nostalgia filter firmly in place.
During the past several years, I found out that there have been movie versions of some of the stories, sweet, inoffensive films I enjoy watching when I come across them. I saw the Felicity movie when I was still living at home, and the Samantha movie shortly thereafter, but it wasn't until this weekend that I finally got around to seeing Molly and Kit. Some are better made than others; Kit's was the only theatrical release, with an appropriately laudable cast (Abigail Breslin of Little Miss Sunshine as Kit, with supporting roles played by Stanley Tucci, Joan Cusack, Wallace Shawn, and Julia Ormond), whereas the rest have been TV movies with generally lesser-known stars. After having seen them all, I think Molly's was probably the worst. She was played by Canadian Maya Ritter, and while I certainly have nothing against Canadians, it's a little jarring to see a movie set in a heavily patriotic World War II-era United States that was obviously filmed in Canada with a mostly Canadian cast, the younger members of which have not been taught the U.S. way of saying "sorry," for example. (Though I must admit, I do rather like the Canadian way, and always grin when I hear Gilbert Blythe using it in the Anne of Green Gables films). As for Felicity and Samantha, I think I need to watch their movies again to decide which I liked best. I do remember, however, that Felicity is played by Shailene Woodley, who would go on to star in The Secret Life of the American Teenager (cringe) and The Descendants (which is actually getting her a lot of buzz), and Samantha by AnnaSophia Robb of Bridge to Terabithia fame.
If you happen to feel as nostalgic about these books as I do, I have included links to all the trailers for your viewing pleasure: Samantha, Felicity, Kit, Molly. It's been a lovely weekend for a nostalgia trip; I hope you feel similarly.
