Seven Great Movie Adaptations of Books

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An amazing book is truly a gift. The moments spent reading and enjoying it are treasured one. Then, if that movie becomes a book that you love as well, then this is just too good to be true. Sometimes movie adaptations of books miss the mark, but when the movie is as beautiful or poignant or well-received as the book, this is a match made in pop culture heaven.

There are two high profile movie adaptations of books coming out in the next few months, so in honor of this, here is a list of great film adaptations of books. These movies became classics right alongside the books and are beloved and well-received. The first two are the high profile flicks which will soon hit theaters and will most likely become adored films as well.

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Gone Girl (2014)

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (hey, it happens!), you probably know that Gillian Flynn’s massively successful best selling novel has been made into a movie and that it’s release is right around the corner. The thrilling book has become a thriller, directed by a master of the genre, David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club). Flynn herself wrote the screenplay for the movie, which stars Ben Affleck and the lesser-known actress Rosamund Pike, which is awesome casting. The story centers on a man who’s wife’s disappearance becomes the focus of an intense media circus, with him as the main suspect. The movie opens this Friday, October 3!

(Photo credit – IMDB)

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Wild (2014)

On December 5, the movie adaptation of the incredible memoir Wild will hit theaters. Wild stars Reese Witherspoon and it is sure to be a tour de force for the actress. Award season will most likely be a busy one for her, as she is alone on film for much of the movie. Wild was written by Cheryl Strayed and tells the true story of Strayed’s solo hike along the Pacific Coast Trail in California and Oregon. Most of the book was just Strayed and her enormous backpack, who she refers to as “Monster.” Strayed decided to hike after her mother’s death, a divorce, and drug use and the hike brings her back to life, so to speak.

(Photo credit – IMDB)

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The Notebook (2004)

There have been countless movie adaptations of Nicholas Sparks books turned into movies. But, without a doubt, the best one is the tear-jerking romance The Notebook. And not only is it one of the best book adaptations ever but it is also one of the  best romance movies of all time (Five Best Romantic Movies). Ryan Gosling became a household name and started a chain reaction of women swooning everywhere when he romanced Rachel McAdams in this flick based on the popular novel. The duo starred as a couple who fall in love in the 1940s. They come from different worlds, particularly socioeconomic classes, but they can’t be apart no matter who believes they should (including themselves at some points!). The Notebook is already a movie classic thanks to Sparks’s beautiful tale of love.

(Photo credit – Facebook)

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Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Ang’s Lee heartbreaking story of star-crossed lovers Ennis and Jack was a short story by Annie Proulx. The film went on to win an avalanche of prizes for the story of two roughneck Wyoming cowboys in love. The movie tells the poignant story of their forbidden and secretive love that ripples throughout their lives over the years. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal starred and were both magnificent.

(Photo credit – IMDB)

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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)

There were two movie versions of the first of the trilogy of crime thrillers by Stieg Larsson. The American version was very good but the Swedish version, directed by Niels Arden Ople, was fantastic. Noomi Rapace wowed as heroine Lisbeth in this story about past crime and present revenge. Lisbeth, a computer hacker, works with the book’s hero, journalist Mikael Blomkvist (an excellent Michael Nyqvist), to investigate a sex-trafficking ring. Lisbeth is then accused of three murders, causing her to go on the run while Mikael works to clear her name.

(Photo credit – Facebook)

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The Godfather (1972)

This sweeping epic about family loyalty and the violent crime ties that bind is actually considered a better movie than it was a novel. It didn’t hurt to have an outstanding cast, including Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, and Diane Keaton. The story revolves around an aging patriarch (Brando) of an organized crime dynasty who transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son (Pacino). The book was written by Italian American author Mario Puzo and the movie was directed by none other than Francis Ford Coppola. 

(Photo credit – IMDB)

(Lead Image credit – Amazon)

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