Sometimes a story is so entertaining that just reading it is not enough. When I find out a recent read has been turned into a movie, I cannot help but get excited. However, book-to-movie adaptations do not always work. Some miss the mark: ignoring important plot points, casting characters poorly or changing too much about the book that the movie feels like a different story entirely. This is a list of some of my favorite book-to-movie adaptations that not only do the books justice, but also enhance the magic surrounding the tale. 

Pride and Prejudice (2005)

Both my favorite book and movie of all time, this adaptation has no notes from me. I grew up watching this movie every year and while it took until the age of around 10 for me to understand the flowery language, I have a deep love for this film. The movie follows Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley), one of five sisters as she navigates the world of young adulthood in early-19th-century England. For those of you unfamiliar with the general plot, Elizabeth or Lizzy is introduced to a rich man named Mr. Darcy, whom she initially dislikes. However, over time, she begins to see his true character and the two fall in love. This movie captures the desperate love of the original novel. Much of this is due to the chemistry between the two main actors and Knightley’s own excellent and accurate characterisation of Lizzy. With whimsical scenes of English countryside (my favorite being the seaside cliff scene), a strong and bookish female protagonist and a man who knows how to yearn, this movie hits all the marks. 

The Hobbit 

Although I read The Hobbit many years ago and loved it, I did not watch the movies based on the book until this past month. Similar to what I remember about the novel, the movies are chock-full of random side quests and fantastical characters that add intrigue and amusement to the larger plot. While I will say watching these three movies is quite the undertaking as they are each roughly three hours, I still found myself engaged, which is saying a lot as I often grow bored of movies about half way through. The depictions of elves, dwarves, orcs and other magical creatures was greatly enhanced by the more modern special effects in these three movies compared to The Lord of the Rings movies. These movies bring the fanciful scenes and characters of the books to life and enhance the fantasy of the book without straying from the original story. 

Harry Potter 

Likely one of the most popular book-to-movie adaptations of all time, I had to mention the Harry Potter movies in this article. My personal favorite of the franchise is likely the fourth movie Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, as we not only get all the magical elements of Hogwarts but also an introduction to other schools for wizards and witches. Similar to the books, I grew so attached to the characters and thought each one was casted excellently. Emma Watson is just the perfect Hermione Granger. Hogwarts itself is also so beautiful and the setting has me yearning to get my acceptance letter. My one critique of these movies is that the later ones get very dark. This is also true of the books and objectively necessary for the plot, but I felt like the movies took a somewhat jolting turn around the sixth movie. Nevertheless, I have to rewatch these movies every year to get into the fall spirit. 

Forrest Gump

One movie that you might not know was adapted from a book is the beloved Forrest Gump. Perfect for all ages, this movie truly feels like a novel in the manner that we get to experience all the different eras of Forrest Gump with him. Tom Hanks does an excellent job at portraying Gump as an imperfect but at his core good character who allows life to take him wherever it may lead. My personal favorite aspect of his movie is when Forrest enters the shrimping industry as he promised his friend Bubba during the war. I also love Forrest’s family home with the large front porch and expansive yard that just feels so serene. This is another long movie by my standards, but I again found myself happily entertained and rooting for Gump throughout its entirety.

The Hunger Games

Last but certainly not least on this list are the four Hunger Games movies. Unless you have been living under a rock, you have seen at least one or two of these films. They do an excellent job at depicting a dystopian world in a very realistic way while also portraying the strong interpersonal relationships seen in the books. Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen is one of my favorite castings of all time as she is able to show the full range of complex emotions anyone in Katniss’s situation might feel. The arenas themselves are also beautifully and savagely depicted. The new prologue movies Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023) and Sunrise on the Reaping (releasing November 2026) dive into  the backstory of characters from the original trilogy. This is one movie series that I have to binge watch as the action just does not stop.

Hopefully this article reminded you of some favorites that you can rewatch (or even reread) in the coming cooler months. The nostalgia certainly hits hard for me whenever I start any of these movies.

‘Are You Still Watching?’ is a column spotlighting what the Cornell community has been streaming. It runs every Wednesday.

Emma Robinson is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at elg229@cornell.edu.

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