Best/Worst Movies Based on Books

[Dj]

AndrewP wrote: "Best: I will go with LotR and The Martian.
Worst: World War Z
Best Good but Different: Ready Player One"

I haven't seen World War Z or read the book. Nothing I have read here makes me feel that I should watch the movie. Jury still out on reading the book. Zombipocolipse isn't usually my thing. I like the Marian movie right up to the end. Well, I was going to say way, but figured it might be too much of a spoiler.

[CBRetriever]

I'm not into zombies, but the book was written as oral history and is pretty good

[AndrewP]

I put it in the worst category because the book and the movie only have the title in common.

[Dj]

AndrewP wrote: "I put it in the worst category because the book and the movie only have the title in common."

Sometimes that isn't such a bad thing. Although if the movie is bad then it does comes as something of a surprise if you break down and read the book.
And I have heard little enough good about the movie at this point to make me feel any need to commit the effort to see it. Even when I watch most of my movies either streaming or on disc from Netflix. So I have a lower expectation level than if I went to the theater.

[Kateb]

after a quick think
Worse:
Constantine
Dune
Eragon
The Queen of the Damned
Lord of the Rings
The Hunger Games
Golden Compass.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
I Robot
Ender's Game

and so many more

Best:


The Boys from Brazil
The Crow
Firestarter
How to Train Your Dragon
Iron Man
Limitless
Men in Black
The Princess Bride
Solaris (both)
Soylent Green
The Martian

i think my most horrified moment was watching Enders Game, one of my fav books and one i gave to my grandkids to introduce them to sci fi/ fantasy

[Dj]

So with the holiday seasons coming up another good moving based on a book, although this would also be one that followed the book, somewhat loosely, The Muppets A Christmas Carol.

The scene with Michael Caine asking...'How would the Scribners like to be UNEMPLOYED!' Is classic and spot-on for Scrouge. Might not be a line from the book, but Man did it nail the character.

[Bargle]

A tough call for me on many, but here's a few.

Good
Hunger Games
The Andromeda Strain (orig.)
The Godfather
Divergent

OK, but could have been better
Harry Potter 3 and up. I think the changing directors really hurt.
Dune (orig.)
Ender's Game
The Maze Runner

Bad
Divergent 2 & 3
The Maze Runner 2 & 3
Both sets of sequels suffered from dropping too much of the original stories. The Maze Runner ones were especially bad about this.
Lolita (Kubrick) I thought James Mason was too old for Humbert, though Shelley Winters and Sue Lyon were both fine choices for their roles. It bothered me that the movie started with what is the end of the book. I know it was Nabokov's idea, but I still don't like it. The movie was really hampered by the time period it was made in. Too many changes were necessary for general acceptance in theaters.

[Dj]

So I just watched the trailer for Chaos Walking and realized, I am reading this book. Although the title of the book is The Knife of Never Letting Go. It is clear from the trailer that they are taking some liberties, but so far it looks like it might be worth while.