Every year we see a plethora of books get a movie makeover and 2014 is no different. Was your favourite book made into a movie this year? If so, did it live up to the original source material? In some cases, it will be a resounding no, while other books have been faithfully adapted.
Gone Girl
There really have been some terrific book adaptation over the last twelve months, and we take a look at some of the movies we have really enjoyed - and believe me there were plenty for us to choose from.
- Gone Girl
Gone Girl is one of Gillian Flynn's most successful and loved novels and it was brought to the big screen this autumn by director David Fincher. Fincher has been behind films such as The Social Network, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Zodiac in recent years, but this was his first film since his adaptation of the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo back in 2011.
This was the first of Flynn's novels to be adapted for the big screen and it was the author herself who penned the screenplay. The movie follows Nick Dunne, who becomes the focus of the police and the media when his wife disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary.
Gone Girl really is one of the best crime dramas of the year, as it is dark and intelligent with two great central performances from Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike as Nick and Amy Dunne. This is one of those movies that really does get under your skin and sends a real shiver down your spine. Fincher is a master when it comes to this genre of film with the likes of Fight Club and Se7en under his belt, and really does great a chilling atmosphere in a movie that is full of exciting twists and turns.
While this is another good performance from Affleck, it is Pike that really does shine in the role of Amy - she has already picked up a Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress and is tipped to also be in the Oscar running when the names in the running are announced later this month.
Gone Girl is a dark, twisted, and powerful that is a terrific adaptation of Flynn's most loved novel and really was the standout psychological drama of 2014.
- A Most Wanted Man
Anton Corbijn made a splash when he made his directorial debut with Control back in 2007, before following it up three years later with The American. He returned to the director's chair this autumn with his third feature film A Most Wanted Man, which was an adaptation of the novel of the same name by John le Carré.
We haven't been treated to too many political thrillers during 2014, but A Most Wanted Man was one that you couldn't miss if you are a fan of this genre as it really was a terrific watch. The film follows a Chechen Muslim who illegally immigrates to Hamburg, where he is caught up in the international war on terror.
I have always been a big fan of Philip Seymour Hoffman and he has given some truly wonderful performances during his career. A Most Wanted Man is no exception, but it is a film that is tinged with sadness as it was one of the final times that we were going to see this wonderful actor on the big screen. However, he did not disappoint, as his performance will grip you from the opening moment to the closing credits. This movie really does belong to the Oscar winner.
On top of a terrific central performance from Hoffman, the supporting cast of Robin Wright, Rachel McAdams, and Daniel Bruhl are also on top form. Along with great performances, A Most Wanted Man is also beautifully shot by Corbijn, who has made the transition from photographer to director with the utmost ease - you would not know that this is on his third feature film as a director.
A Most Wanted Man is has a classy script that is a slow burner and really grabs hold of and keeps your attention. It is one of those slow burner political thrillers that notches up the tension frame by frame. Everything about this movie oozes class and style and the audience are rewarded with a suspenseful and exciting ending. This is a movie that really should not be missed, as it was a truly terrific watch.
- The Maze Runner
We have seen a handful of young adult novel get the big screen treatment this year, and The Maze Runner was one of the new franchises to arrive. The Maze Runner is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by James Dashner and saw Wes Ball make his feature film directorial debut.
The movie follows Thomas, who wakes to find himself in a community of boys with no memory of how he got there or where he came from. Soon learning they're all trapped in a maze that will require him to join forces with fellow "runners" for a shot at escape.
I know that we have seen a few dystopian society movies hit the big screen in recent years, but The Maze Runner is a dark, exciting and quite gripping movie from start to finish. Having read the book, I was keen to see how the maze was going to look on film, and I really wasn't disappointed as I thought the film as a whole looked terrific.
The Maze Runner is a movie that is fast paced and packed with energy, which is largely thanks to the young cast. The movie is the breakthrough film for Dylan O'Brien, while Will Poulter, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee, and Kaya Scodelario are the band of youngsters that are battling to survive - the dynamics of the group also push the story forward and add some further intrigue to the film.
Wes Ball really has laid some good foundations in The Maze Runner for the rest of the franchise and has built anticipation for the next instalment. The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials is already in the pipeline and will see Ball back in the director's chair.
- The Fault In Our Stars
2014 has been another great year for Shailene Woodley as her star continues to rise, and The Fault In Our Stars is just one of the leading roles that we have see her shine in over the last twelve months. The Fault In Our Stars is an adaptation of the John Green novel of the same name and see Woodley team up with director Josh Boone for the first time.
Hazel and Gus are two extraordinary teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them - and us - on an unforgettable journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous, given that they met and fell in love at a cancer support group. Woodley takes on the role of Hazel while Divergent co-star Ansel Elgort is on board as Gus.
This may be a movie about cancer, and yet The Fault In Our Stars is a funny and wonderfully uplifting story about first love and living life to the full and it really doesn't wallow in sentimentality - I am glad the Boone kept that aspect of the book as that it what makes it a wonderful read.
There is just something that is so touching and real about the story and the central performances from Woodley and Elgort. Together they have a wonderful chemistry that makes the relationship between Hazel and Gus to genuine and heartfelt.
The Fault In Our Stars was one of the biggest hits of the summer and was a welcome break from all of the big budget blockbusters that come our way at that time of year. Only someone with a heart of stone could not be moved by this emotional and yet very funny movie.
- Snowpiercer
Now, Snowpiercer is not a movie that has been released in the UK, and yet it is film that just about everyone who has seen it is raving about. It is also a movie that I have been talking about and looking forward to for AGES!!! Snowpiercer is the English-speaking debut of director Joon-ho Bong and is based on Le Transperceneige by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand and Jean-Marc Rochette.
Set in a future where a failed climate-change experiment kills all life on the planet except for a lucky few who boarded the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe, where a class system emerges. A great cast has been assembled as Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Tilda Swinton, John Hurt, Ed Harris, and Octavia Spencer are just some of the great names on board.
If you are a fan of the sci-fi genre then Snowpiercer is definitely a movie that you should check out, as it is an absorbing watch from start to finish. This dystopian thriller is beautifully crafted and looks fantastic - Joon-ho Bong really has put his very unique stamp on this wonderful film.
I suppose you could argue that we haven't seen too many original movies this year, but I think that Snowpiercer is one of them - it is dark, violent, thrilling and the political undertones really do make it incredibly rich.
The wonderful cast are on top form - this is a bit of a departure for Chris Evans, while Oscar winner Octavia Spencer really is on top form.
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