These nine films are structured to make a waves, either with their bold casting choices or glamorous cinematography. How well they fare at the box office remains to be seen, but all nine book versions are currently available. Stock up, read up, then carry that notebook and pen to the theater and take some notes! (Just me? Fine.)
Side note: Don't recognize the name of an actor? Want a peek of what the character will look like? Click on every actor's name for their IMDB page!
Book by Isaac Marion
In Print: 2011
In Theaters: February 1
Goodreads Synopsis: A zombie who years for a better life ends up falling in love--with a human.
R is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He doesn't enjoy killing people; he enjoys riding escalators and listening to Frank Sinatra. He is a little different from his fellow Dead.
Notable Cast: Nicholas Hoult (X-Men First Class) is R. Also starring Teresa Palmer (I Am Number Four) as Julie, John Malkovich (Burn After Reading) as General Grigio, and James Franco's lookalike brother Dave Franco (21 Jump Street) as Perry Kelvin.
My Prediction: There looks to be enough action, gore, and humor in this film to offset any Twilight/paranormal romance comparisons it could attract. I'm not usually one for zombies, but this story might have just the right amount of heart. See it.
Book by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
In Print: 2009
In Theaters: February 14
Goodreads Synposis: Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever. Ethan Wate, who has been coutning the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them. In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.
Notable Cast: Relative unknowns Alice Englert (Lena) and Alden Ehrenreich (Ethan) join Hollywood powerhouses Emmy Rossum (Ridley), Jeremy Irons (Macon Ravenwood), Emma Thompson (Sarafine Duchannes), and Viola Davis (Amma).
My Prediction: The trailers make this film look super-creepy and dark, but the book is fantastic and utterly epic. I would definitely recommend reading the book first, just to have a grasp of the world this story lives in. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy this phenomenal cast. See it.
Book by Nicholas Sparks
In Print: 2010
In Theaters: February 14
Goodreads Synposis: When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautfiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her...a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's emphatic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety or one of riskier rewards...and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.
Notable Cast: Josh Duhamel (Alex), Julianne Hough (Katie), Cobie Smulders (Jo), and David Lyons (Kevin).
My Prediction: I'm getting a smidge bored with Nicholas Sparks stories. I'm becoming even more bored with the film adaptations. They should have stopped after creating classics out of A Walk to Remember and The Notebook. I'm not convinced the acting chops of Duhamel (who can do better than this) and Hough (who I still only see as a dancer) will stand up against those two. Skip it.
Book by Jean Hanff Korelitz
In Print: 2009
In Theaters: March 13
Goodreads book synopsis: For years, 38-year-old Portia Nathan has avoided the past, hiding behind her busy (and sometimes punishing) career as a Princeton University admissions officer and her dependable domestic life. Her reluctance to confront the truth is suddenly overwhelmed by the resurfacing of a life-altering decision, and Portia is faced with an extraordinary test. Just as thousands of the nation's brightest students await her decision regarding their academic admission, so too must Portia decide whether to make her own ultimate admission.
Notable Cast: Paul Rudd (John Halsey), Tina Fey (Portia Nathan), Michael Sheen (Mark), and Wallace Shawn (Clarence).
My Prediction: Paul Rudd and Tina Fey. A comedic combo made in heaven. The end. See it.
Book by Stephen King
In Print: 1974
In Theaters: March 15
Goodreads book synopsis: A modern classic, "Carrie" introduced a distinctive new voice in American fiction -- Stephen King. The story of misunderstood high school girl Carrie White, her extraordinary telekinetic powers, and her violent rampage of revenge, remains one of the most barrier-breaking and shocking novels of all time.
Notable Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz (Carrie) takes over the role made famous by Sissy Spacek in 1976. Julianne Moore (Margaret White) steps into the role as Carrie's manicly religious mother and Judy Greer plays the compassionate gym teacher Miss Desjardin.
My Prediction: If you've never seen the 1976 version of Carrie, check it out before heading to the theater for this remake. Better yet, read the book. There is nothing creepier or scarier than what this girl is capable of. The book pushes you right into the middle of Carrie's mind and knowing the details of the story will help understand the overarching themes throughout the film. See it.
Book by Stephenie Meyer
In Print: 2008
In Theaters: March 29
Goodreads book synopsis: Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Earth has been invaded by a species that takes over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind. Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.
Notable Cast: Saoirse Ronan (Melanie Stryder), Max Irons (Jared Howe), Jake Abel (Ian O'Shea), and Diane Kruger (The Seeker).
My Prediction: This is a tough one. While The Host is an arguably better and more substantial story than Twilight, there are so many intricate plot twists and turns in the novel that may not translate well onscreen. Similar to Twilight, which consolidated many of the novel's endearing scenes into one awkward jumbled mess, The Host may also find itself victim to an underwhelming film adaptation. Skip it (and read the book instead).
Book by F. Scott Fitzgerald
In Print: 1925
In Theaters: May 10
Goodreads book synopsis: Self-made, self-invented millionaire Jay Gatsby embodies some of
his country's most abiding obsessions: money, ambition, greed, and the promise of new beginnings. Gatsby's rise to glory and eventual fall from grace becomes a kind of cautionary tale about the American Dream. It's also a love story, of sorts, the narrative of Gatsby's quixotic passion for Daisy Buchanan. The pair meet five years before the novel begins, when Daisy is a legendary young Louisville beauty and Gatsby an impoverished officer. They fall in love, but while Gatsby serves overseas, Daisy marries the brutal, bullying, but extremely rich Tom Buchanan. After the war, Gatsby devotes himself blindly to the pursuit of wealth by whatever means--and to the pursuit of Daisy, which amounts to the same thing.His millions made, Gatsby buys a mansion across Long Island Sound from Daisy's patrician East Egg address, throws lavish parties, and waits for her to appear. When she does, events unfold with all the tragic inevitability of a Greek drama, with detached, cynical neighbor Nick Carraway acting as chorus throughout. Spare, elegantly plotted, and
written in crystalline prose, The Great Gatsby is as perfectly satisfying as the best kind of poem.
Notable Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio (Jay Gatsby), Carey Mulligan (Daisy Buchanan), Tobey Maguire (Nick Carraway), and Isla Fisher (Myrtle Wilson).
My Prediction: I'm rather pleased with the casting of this film, and I'm interested to see what kind of grit Leo DiCaprio brings to the arrogant and tortured Gatsby. Tobey Maguire seems tailor-made for Nick, and Carey Mulligan is a throwback to the classic and classy Daisy we all imagined while reading the book. I don't think there will be a middle ground with this film -- it will either be astounding or awful. I'm leaning toward the former. See it.
Book by Cassandra Clare
In Print: 2007
In Theaters: August 23
Goodreads book synopsis: When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know.
Notable Cast: Lily Collins (Clary Fray), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Valentine Morgenstern), and Jamie Campbell Bower (Jace Wayland).
My Prediction: Lily Collins is really making a name for herself in Hollywood right now, as is Jamie Campbell Bower. On paper, they feel like the odd couple of paranormal adventure/romance. The books, however, have a huge following, so you can expect rabid fans to show up in droves. However, there have been so many films like this one released in recent years, so City of Bones will need to embody something extraordinary to ensure it doesn't become just more paranormal white noise. See it if you read the books, but wait until the DVD if you didn't.
Book by Suzanne Collins
In Print: 2009
In Theaters: November 21
Goodreads book synopsis: Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.
Notable Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth are back to reprise their roles as Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. They're joined by new faces Philip Seymour Hoffman (Plutarch Heavensbee), Sam Claflin (Finnick Odair), and Jena Malone (Johanna Mason). Other returning favorites include Donald Sutherland (President Snow), Stanley Tucci (Caesar Flickerman), Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinket), and Woody Harrelson (Haymitch Abernathy).
My Prediction: The first movie in The Hunger Games trilogy played extremely close homage to the book, satisfying and pleasing millions of fans. It's already been hinted that Catching Fire will stray a bit from the written word. It's all good with me -- any concerns I had about this film franchise were put to rest after watching Lawrence, Hutcherson, and Hemsworth not just embody but become their iconic characters. Add in a bunch of fresh faces (go easy on Sam Claflin, people - remember, no one liked Robert Pattinson in the beginning either, and Claflin is positively yum) and you're going to have a pretty fantastic and pulse-pounding sequel. See it.
Thanks to GoogleImages for the movie posters!
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