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Books on Screen

Each month, our Books on Screen feature spotlights movies, television shows, miniseries and specials that are based on books of various genres --- including novels, memoirs, comics, children's books, short stories and poetry --- along with the latest DVD releases.

Reading the Oscars

Which was better: the movie or the book?

Film fans and book lovers have just about three weeks to make the ultimate assessment, before the Oscar ceremony takes place on Sunday, February 26th.

The question is even more relevant this year as six out of nine Best Picture Academy Award nominees are based on books --- Hugo (which leads with 11 nominations), War Horse (6 nominations), Moneyball (6 nominations), The Descendants (5 nominations), The Help (4 nominations), and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2 nominations).

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February 2012

This month, the big screen is filled with adventure, romance, thrills and chills. From tiny people under the floorboards to a family of whales in the Arctic, heroes of all shapes and sizes are sure to warm your hearts.

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January 2012

A number of exciting movies are ringing in 2012. The first month of the new year brings old classics and contemporary favorites to the big and small screens. From Shakespeare to Janet Evanovich and John Grisham, there’s sure to be something for everyone. 

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December 2011

This month, the festive season brings with it a multitude of long-awaited films based on books. Although it’s “the happiest time of the year,” the big screen is primarily featuring dark, twisted tales. But you’re guaranteed to be entertained by thrills and suspense, and there are a few heartwarming stories in the mix to carry the holiday spirit.

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November 2011

On November 18th, the long-awaited next installment of The Twilight Saga will finally be released. Although BREAKING DAWN concludes the book series, all you “Twihards” out there know that this final novel will be split into two different films. In Breaking Dawn – Part 1, Bella Swan and Edward Cullen are finally married, but an unplanned pregnancy sets a deadly chain of events in motion. And hitting the big screen on the 23rd is Hugo, directed by Martin Scorsese and based on Brian Selznick’s THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET. Hugo is a young orphan boy who is secretly living inside the walls of a busy Paris train station in the 1930s, and a mysterious mechanical man draws him into a thrilling adventure.

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October 2011

This month, the big screen features dynamic trios, battles, bird watching, sci-fi adventures, and an overall cross-section of eccentric gentlemen.

The Big Year is about three obsessive bird watchers who compete to spot the largest number of rare birds in a year, each with his own outrageous approach. An equally devoted yet slightly fiercer trio unites in The Three Musketeers, adapted from the timeless classic by Alexandre Dumas. Here, the Musketeers must battle a seductive double agent to protect the French throne and save Europe from war.

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September 2011

These early days of fall will be full of action, drama, a dash of golf, and an expected source of temptation. That last bit comes into play in I Don’t Know How She Does It, based on the bestseller by Allison Pearson. With two kids, a husband and a job with a Boston-based financial management firm, every day is a non-stop balancing act for Kate (played by Sarah Jessica Parker). Complicating matters even more is her charming new business associate. Oh dear!

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August 2011

One of the most highly anticipated films of the summer, The Help, graces the big screen on August 10th. Based on the widely-read and deeply moving novel by Kathryn Stockett, the story is set at the dawn of the Civil Rights movement, as three Mississippi women are about to take one extraordinary step that will put them all at risk. 

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July 2011

There's no shortage of big-screen offerings this month, but we know what most moviegoers are anticipating: the final Harry Potter movie! In this epic ending, the battle between good and evil in the wizarding world will escalate into all-out war. The stakes have never been higher, as Harry draws closer to a showdown with Lord Voldemort. You won't want to miss a second of it!

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June 2011

Summer is  here, which means blockbusters are on the way. When it comes to blockbusters, nothing beats the superhero film --- it's practically a summer staple. This month, X-Men: First Class and The Green Lantern are traveling at light speed to a theater near you.

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