The book might be better, but these adaptations come pretty close to capturing the original magic.
Some books, like Harper Lee’s belovedTo Kill a Mockingbird, have an equally beloved film adaptation.
And yet, overall, it’s all still as charmingly chaotic as the source material intended.
Elijah Wood in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’; Constance Wu and Henry Golding in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’; Whoopi Goldberg in ‘The Color Purple’.Credit:Pierre Vinet/New Line; Sanja Bucko/Warner Bros. Pictures/Everett Collection; Everett Collection
What can we say?
The film offers a winning early-careerAnne Hathawayopposite the always elegantJulie Andrewsas her grandmother.
Both page and screen offer the crowning jewel of great storytelling: plenty of heart.
Anya Taylor-Joy in ‘Emma.'; ‘Emma’ book cover.Focus Features; Dover
They’re a truly regal Genovian pair.
They’re both well worth your while and both will haunt you well after you’ve finished them.T.A.
In the book, there is no comeuppance, no reformation, no reading-the-riot-act for these self-obsessed snobs.
Daniel Day-Lewis in ‘Lincoln’; ‘Team of Rivals’ book cover.David James/DreamWorks; Simon & Schuster
finding their heroes may change as the story unfurls.
In the Hulu miniseries adaptation ofNormal People, those insights translate into stolen glances and pained silences.
Aciman’s descriptive prose is translated into a highly sensual film about love and loss.
Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay in ‘Room’; ‘Room’ book cover.George Kraychyk/A24; Little, Brown and Company
The book is unflinching and can be at times a difficult, emotional read.
The book has been adapted numerous times, most recently being the2020 film starring Harrison Ford.
Lester Fabian Brathwaite
Are You There God?
Anne Hathaway in ‘The Princess Diaries’; ‘The Princess Diaries’ book cover.Everett Collection; Harper
It’s Me, Margaret.andAre You There God?
It’s Me, Margaret.
(2023)
Lionsgate/Everett Collection; Delacorte Press
Are You There God?
Jack Nicholson in ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’; ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ book cover.Everett Collection; Signet
Abby Ryder Fortson delivers a charming performance as tween Margaret, whileRachel McAdamsis wonderfully empathetic as her mother.
“They are the dream cast,“Blume raved to EW.
“It couldn’t get any better.”
Angela Bassett in ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It’; ‘I, Tina’ book cover.Everett Collection; William Morrow and Company
DuneandDune(2021)
What does it mean for a book to be unfilmable?
For directorDenis Villeneuve, that’s nothing but a challenge one both he andDavid Lynchattempted, to varying results.
This expansive approach suits a story with as much depth and scope asDune.
Michelle Pfeiffer and Daniel Day-Lewis in ‘The Age of Innocence’; ‘The Age of Innocence’ book cover.Everett Collection; Signet
And that makes the ending all the more heartbreaking.
Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet in ‘Little Women’; ‘Little Women’ book cover.Wilson Webb/Sony; Puffin Books
Gregory Peck in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’; ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ book cover.Everett Collection; HarperCollins
Chris Evans and Jamie Bell in ‘Snowpiercer’; ‘Le Transperceneige’ book cover.Radius/The Weinstein Company; Casterman
Scarlett Johansson and Nicholas Reese Art in ‘The Nanny Diaries’; ‘The Nanny Diaries’ book cover.K.C. Bailey/Weinstein; St. Martin’s Press
Gary Oldman in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’; ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ book cover.Jack English/Focus Features; Penguin
Aidan Turner on ‘Poldark’; ‘Ross Poldark’ book cover.Robert Viglasky/Mammoth Screen/MASTERPIECE/PBS; Sourcebooks
Zach Galifianakis in ‘It’s Kind of a Funny Story’; ‘It’s Kind of a Funny Story’ book cover.K.C. Bailey/Focus Features; Disney Press
Rosalind Chao, Lauren Tom, Ming-Na Wen, and Tamlyn Tomita in ‘The Joy Luck Club’; ‘The Joy Luck Club’ book cover.Buena Vista Pictures/Everett Collection; Penguin Books
Constance Wu and Henry Golding in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’; ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ book cover.Sanja Bucko/Warner Bros. Pictures/Everett Collection; Corvus/Allen & Unwin/Doubleday
Sam Heughan and Caitríona Balfe on ‘Outlander’; ‘Outlander’ book cover.Aimee Spinks/Starz; Random House
Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones in ‘Normal People’; ‘Normal People’ book cover.Enda Bowe/Hulu; Random House
Dylan O’Brien in ‘The Maze Runner’; ‘The Maze Runner’ book cover.Richard Foreman, Jr./Twentieth Century Studios; Random House Children’s Books
Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet in ‘Call Me by Your Name’; ‘Call Me by Your Name’ book cover.Sayombhu Mukdeeprom/Sony Pictures Classics/Everett Collection; Picador
Whoopi Goldberg in ‘The Color Purple’; ‘The Color Purple’ book cover.Everett Collection; Harcourt
Harrison Ford in ‘The Call of the Wild’; ‘The Call of the Wild’ book cover.Twentieth Century Studios; Scholastic
Keira Knightley and James McAvoy in ‘Atonement’; ‘Atonement’ book cover.Alex Bailey/Focus Features; Knopf Doubleday
Frances McDormand in ‘Nomadland’; ‘Nomadland’ book cover.Joshua Richardson/Searchlight Pictures; W. W. Norton & Company
Elijah Wood in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’; ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ book cover.Pierre Vinet/New Line; Mariner Books
Abby Ryder Forston in ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.'; ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.’ book cover.Lionsgate/Everett Collection; Delacorte Press
Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson in ‘Dune’; ‘Dune’ book cover.Chiabella James/Warner Bros.; Ace
Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall in ‘One Day’; ‘One Day’ book cover.Ludovic Robert/Netflix; Hodder & Stoughton
Cillian Murphy in ‘Oppenheimer’; ‘American Prometheus’ book cover.Universal Pictures; Vintage Books
