2014 is shaping up to be a big year for films, and there will be plenty of fodder for book lovers as well. Here is a list of ten not-to-be-missed movies that are set to hit the silver screen this year, all of which got their start on the beloved page. It’s generally accepted that the book beats the movie every time, so start reading!
1. Labor Day by Joyce Maynard
Kate Winslet stars as a troubled single mom who harbors escaped convict (played by Josh Brolin) in the home she shares with her 13-year-old son. Set in the 80s, it chronicles the Labor Day weekend during which the police search for the fugitive. Release date: January 31 2014
2. The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel
An all-star cast (George Clooney, Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bill Murray) bring to life a forgotten tale of WWII. As a team of art enthusiasts they are on a mission to save precious works from destruction at the hands of the Nazis. Release date: February 7 2014
3. Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin
Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, and Russell Crowe lend their talents in this unconventional love story. An attempted burglary goes awry as the perpetrator and the would-be victim find themselves in a romance complicated by his past and her terminal illness. Release date: February 14 2014
4. Divergent by Veronica Roth
In a not-too-distant future Chicago society is strictly regimented and anyone not conforming is in danger. A young girl (Shailene Woodley) is faced with a choice: stay with her family or rebel against a system she does not agree with. Release date: March 21 2014
5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
This heart-wrenching tale (also starring Shailene Woodley) follows two young cancer patients as they attempt to come to terms with their illnesses, their teenage lives, and their feelings for each other. Release date: June 6 2014
6. The Giver by Lois Lowry
This classic book is brought to life by actors Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Alexander Skarsgrd and Taylor Swift. In a future society free from pain and suffering only one individual bears the painful knowledge of the past, and a 12-year-old boy has just been chosen to inherit the troubling truths. Release date: August 15 2014
7. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
The first of two movies this year based on the novels of Gillian Flynn, “Dark Places” tells the story of a troubled woman (Charlize Theron) whose mother and sisters were murdered when she was seven years old. Decades later she is persuaded to revisit the crime and seek the truth about her older brother, who was found guilty and sent to prison for the murders. Release date: September 1 2014
8. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
This recent bestseller will hit the screen backed by the talents of Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. The two play a married couple, Nick and Amy Dunne, who have just reached their fifth wedding anniversary when Amy goes missing. Nick slowly becomes the focus of the investigation, and a host of thrilling plot twists will keep audiences guessing until the very end. Release date: October 3 2014
9. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Based on the true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and WWII airman. When his plane crashes in the Pacific he is left adrift and fighting to survive. The film is directed by Angelina Jolie. Release date: December 25 2014
10. Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Actress Reese Witherspoon brings life to the memoir of Cheryl Strayed’s 1,100 mile hike up the Pacific Crest Trail. Strayed embarked on the solo journey as a way to deal with the loss of her mother and her marriage, and the movie is sure to be packed with emotion. Release date: TBA 2014
(Flickr photo by Enokson available via Creative Commons Attribution License)