If you're like most bookworms, you either get very excited or very worried when you find out one of your favorite books is being made into a movie! It can be perfect (The Silver Linings Playbook), terrible (The Time Traveler's Wife) or "eh" (The Last Song). We've been seeing a lot of book to movie adaptations lately, so I got together a list of nine films that will be released before the end of 2014. Check it out after the jump!
1. This Is Where I Leave You (in theaters now)
- based on the 2009 novel by Jonathan Tropper
- starring Jason Bateman, Jane Fonda, Tina Fey
- four siblings reunite at their childhood home after their father dies
- In the book, the family's last name was Foxman. They had to change it to Altman in the movie because there are real people in Hollywood with the same names.
I loved this when I read it, and I am really looking forward to seeing it on the big screen! Jason Bateman is a perfect choice for the narrator, Judd Foxman Altman.
2. Gone Girl (release date: October 3)
- based on the 2012 novel by Gillian Flynn
- starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike
- Nick Dunne comes home on his fifth wedding anniversary to find his wife Amy is missing (accompanied by a huge mess and a lot of blood), and is immediately targeted as a suspect.
- so far has gotten some pretty great reviews
This is definitely one of my most anticipated movies of 2014. If you've read the book (and if you haven't yet... what are you waiting for??) you know this is going to be a twisted, psychological thrill ride!
3. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (release date October 10)
- based on the 1972 children's book by Judith Viorst
- starring Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner
- 11 year old Alexander experiences a terrible day, and comes to learn that everyone experiences bad days
- Alexander's brother, Anthony, is played by Dylan Minnette - you might recognize him as the little boy who was trick or treating for ears on Grey's Anatomy way back in season 4!
I hadn't seen the full trailer until just now, but this looks hilarious! Steve Carell always provides tons of laughs.
4. The Best of Me (release date October 17)
- based on the 2011 novel by Nicholas Sparks
- starring James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan
- High school sweethearts reunite after 20 years apart
- this is the 9th novel by Nicholas Sparks to be adapted to film - the 10th will be released in the spring of 2015 (The Longest Ride)
Young love, misunderstandings, kisses in the rain? Yup, sounds like Nicholas Sparks to me. Bring your tissues!
5. Mockingjay - Part 1 (release date November 21)
- based on the third book in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
- starring Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson
- As the movie industry has been prone to lately, the last book in this dystopian series is being split into two movies. Part 2 is scheduled for a fall 2015 release.
- These are the last two movies that Phillip Seymour Hoffman filmed before his accidental drug overdose at age 46 in February 2014.
Mockingjay - Part 1 has been constantly listed as one of 2014's most anticipated movies. Make sure you check out The Hunger Games and Catching Fire before going to see this one!
6. Wild (release date December 5)
- based on the 2012 memoir by Cheryl Strayed
- starring Reese Witherspoon
- Cheryl decides to take a life-changing 1,100 mile hike on the Pacific Coast Trail after her mother's death and a brief but destructive abuse of heroin.
- Author Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, About A Boy) helped adapt the book to a screenplay.
I will admit that I struggled through reading the memoir. However (and I very rarely say this), the movie looks like it might be better than the book. I'm very eager to see how it turned out.
7. Paddington (release date December 12)
- based on the children's book Paddington Bear by Michael Bond
- voiced by Ben Wishaw, also starring Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins
- A young bear travels to London from Peru and is lost until he meets the Brown family, who notice the "please take care of this bear" tag around Paddington's neck.
- Nicole Kidman, who also stars in the film, said she will not allow her children to see it because her role is too "vicious and awful" (she plays the taxidermist!).
I'm not too sure about this one, but it looks somewhat funny, so it might be worth a shot.
8. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (release date December 17)
- third and final film based on J.R.R. Tolkien's novel The Hobbit
- starring Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, and Elijah Wood
- Being touted as an "epic finale" to the series
Personally, I have never gotten into The Lord of the Rings. I may have seen the first movie in English class back in high school (I remember trees that had faces and were on fire), and I've never read any of the books. However, from everything I have read about this movie, it definitely will not disappoint the die-hard fans of the franchise.
9. Unbroken (release date December 25)
- based on the 2010 novel by Lauren Hillenbrand
- starring Jack O'Connell, Garrett Hedlund, and Domhnall Gleeson
- After WWII hero and Olympic track runner Louis "Louie" Zamperini's plane crashes in the Pacific Ocean, he spends 47 days in the water and is subsequently captured and taken to a Japanese prisoner of war camp.
- This film will be the second directed by Angelina Jolie.
Despite a critic calling the above trailer "cheesy," I still think this promises to be an inspirational tale. Anyone who has served in any war earns my respect!
I am very much looking forward to seeing almost all of these movies! Which are on your list to check out? But remember, always do your best to be just like hipster Belle!
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