Books seem to always make really great movies and this year has been no exception as some of the finest movies have been adapted for the big screen.
As we celebrate the end of 2012, and what it has been a year for films, we take a look at some of the best book adaptations.
One of the most highly anticipated book adaptations of the year came this summer in the form of The Hunger Games.
The movie was based on the novel by Suzanne Collins and the series of stories had already got a big and loyal following.
Katniss Everdeen was one of the greatest heroines of 2012 and Jennifer Lawrence played her perfectly - a young woman who is both tough yet with a large heart who just wants to protect her family.
Gary Ross was in the director’s chair for the film and he really did capture the excitement, the spirit and the heart of this book - mainly through the depiction of the leading character.
The Hunger Games was both a critical and commercial hit as it has taken in excess of $686 million worldwide and thrilled audiences in ever country it has played.
Filming is currently underway on The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and the second instalment will be released at the end of next year - it is already one of the most highly anticipated movies of 2013.
From one movie everyone was getting exited about to another as The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey saw Peter Jackson take movie go-ers back to Middle Earth for the first time in almost a decade.
Tolkien created such a vivid and extraordinary world in his novels and Jackson has translated that onto the big screen with this incredible movie.
Forget criticisms that it is too long or that there are characters that feature that are not in the book as this is just a wonderful film from start to finish.
An Unexpected Journey very much sets the foundations for what is to come and introduces us to the array of wonderful characters - you just know that the next two movies are going to be bigger and better than what we have already seen.
The Lord of the Rings was always going to be a tough act to follow but Jackson delivered a movie that mixed excitement, adventure and humour as he mixed all of these elements with such ease. I am already looking forward to the next film but we have twelve months to wait for that.
Great Expectations is a story that has been adapted for the big and small screen many times over the year but this autumn saw director Mike Newell put his stamp on the popular Charles Dickens novel.
And he really has brought this period to life as London looks simply fantastic and there is something very real about it.
Of course with a story such as Great Expectations there are not too many changes that you can make to it and while you know what you are going to get it is still a film that can really be enjoyed.
It is the acting that is the real strength of this movie from Jeremy Irvine as Pip to more experienced stars such as Helen Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes who are fantastic as Miss Havisham and Magwitch.
Silver Linings Playbook is a movie that everyone has been talking about since it appeared on the festival circuit in Toronto earlier this year.
The movie is based on the novel by Matthew Quick and sees David O. Russell back in the director’s chair for the first time since The Fighter.
This movie is a triumph from start to finish and it really does deserve all of the awards attention that has been coming its way of late.
Silver Lining Playbook is a movie that is packed full of family drama, family dynamics and black humour as well as a lot of heart and warmth.
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence both deliver knockout performances and don’t be surprised if they both pick up an Oscar nomination for their work.
This is a charming, moving and incredibly funny movie that has a very real feel to it with characters that we can all believe and, in many ways, relate to.
Some of the book adaptations that we have seen this year were guaranteed hits before they even hit the big screen but there are some that came as a total surprise.
And one of the unexpected hits of 2012 came in the form of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel which is an adaptation of the novel by Deborah Moggach.
The movie brought together one hell of a talented cast as Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson and Bill Nighy all starred and shined in this terrific movie.
This is such a super charming movie that is not just about old age but it’s about accepting the past, having faith as well as self-forgiveness.
This is a whimsical look at getting older and Dench, Nighy and co are on fine comic as well as emotional form - there is a real life affirming feel to this movie that you cannot help but get swept away with.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a movie that has something for everyone and it enjoyed huge success when it was released earlier this year.
And there are more great adaptations on the horizon in 2013 as Cloud Atlas, Les Miserables, The Great Gatsby and Gangster Squad are all set for release.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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