Based on the Book
This category is for those movies which have been adapted from works of fiction or traditional stories from myth or legend.
21st Century Take on Grendel 
Gunnarsson's Beowulf and Grendel isn't your English teacher's Beowulf, but it's entertaining cinema and a heck of a lot better than the Zemeckis film. 3 Scarlett Johansson Films
This 3-movie DVD of Scarlett Johansson is a mixed bag: Girl With A Pearl Earring, A Good Woman, and American Rhapsody. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
If there were an award for Most Over-rated, I'd say that 3:10 to Yuma would be the most deserving winner. A Simple Twist of Fate (1994)
Steve Martin does an exceptionally clever job of modernizing George Eliot's novel Silas Marner. It's the fault of our bankrupt modern culture that in doing so he strips the original story of its morality. Atonement (2007)
Atonement, based on a novel by Ian McEwan, got a lot of attention at the 2008 Academy Awards ceremonies. Maybe the book is better. Beowulf and the Elephant
Nobody expects a movie-maker to reproduce a book on film, but some do a better job than others. Considering the extreme alterations to the source material, Zemeckis would have done better to change the characters' names and the title of the story to something else entirely. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
This is the film that won or was nominated for more than 50 prestigious awards in 2005. It's billed as a "love story," but it makes uncomfortable viewing. Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
Charlie Wilson's War (2007) is the story of a hard-drinking, coke-sniffing libertine who diverted nearly a billion tax-payer dollars to support a secret war. Between Wilson and Alaska senator Ted Stevens, one can only wonder what other unprincipaled crooks are running this country. Cocteau's Fairy Tale Masterpiece
Filmed under the most trying conditions, Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast (1946) is movie-making at its magical best. Depends What You Mean by Adapted
David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button certainly deserves an Oscar for BEST MAKEUP, but BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY is something else. Writers Roth and Swicord kept the title and the premise, but have made up a different story with different events and characters. Great Film for An Election Year
This film featuring Andy Griffith in the part of a bad man didn't receive the attention it deserved in 1957. It remains a powerful movie, throwing light on ways in which a wealthy elite shapes American politics by manipulating a gullible public. Indian Movies
For someone who grew up watching white dudes play the Indians, Smoke Signals (1998) is a viewing treat on many levels. Iris (2001/I)
If you're looking for information about Iris Murdoch, Eyre's film Iris does not provide it. If you appreciate fine acting, you won't want to miss it. Iron Man (2008)
With plenty of special effects and a little social commentary, Iron Man (2008) is an entertaining action flick. Jason and the Titans
Both Jason and the Argonauts (1963) and Clash of the Titans (1981) are entertaining films, but Titans is more satisfying overall. John Thaw as Mr. Tom
If your only impression of John Thaw is as curmudgeonly Inspector Morse, you may enjoy this film in which his Oxford accent is replaced with a Devonshire drawl. He's still a curmudgeon. Ladies in Lavender (2004)
Judi Dench and Maggie Smith are probably two of the most gifted actors of the 20th and 21st century. Seeing them together is a treat. Musings on Spiderwick and Golden Compass
Two films much compared by Christian movie reviewers, The Spiderwick Chronicles and The Golden Compass are apples and oranges. One is based on a series of books for very young readers, while the other is said to vie in complexity with The Lord of the Rings. My Man Godfrey and Wall Street Woes
Sara Vowell is looking to the Thirties to find comfort in our own miserable economic times. Maybe it's time to watch old movies like My Man Godfrey (1936). No Country for Old Men (2007)
In a medieval morality play, Chigurh would be called Death. The Sheriff might be Moral Rectitude or Religion. Llewelyn would be Everyman. Seal Morning (1986)
Not many movies are suitable for family viewing. This one is worth whatever trouble you may encounter in finding a copy. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Slumdog Millionaire appeals to American audiences with its story of true love and rags to riches theme, but it also packs a critical punch when it comes to American cultural shortsightedness and the shallowness of celebrity. Sophie's Choice Not My Choice
Both Sophie's Choice and Schindler's List depict scenes of the Nazi Holocaust. Schindler's List, however, is a great film, while Sophie's Choice is an unpleasant experience, start to finish. Summer of My German Soldier (1979)
Although 30 years old, Summer of My German Soldier is a film that has retained its timeliness. It deals with prejudice and the fact that not all familes live in Leave It To Beaver bliss. The 13th Warrior (1999)
Based on Michael Crichton's retelling of the Beowulf story, The 13th Warrior is a fun film, but don't think it presents an accurate portrayal of tenth century Europe. The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Ron Howard does the best he can with a book that relies on word puzzles and the thoughts of the characters to advance the plot. One can only wonder what all the fuss was about. The Dark Knight Too Dark
Although it reprises several roles with top actors, and spotlights Heath Ledger's remarkable acting ability, The Dark Knight (2008) does not measure up to Batman Begins (2005). The Golden Compass (2007)
Based on the first book of a trilogy called His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass is a beautiful film that sends viewers to the novels for more. The Non-Movie Beowulf
The sweeping changes Zemeckis and his screenwriters have made in the storyline of Beowulf transform a Germanic hero into a 21st century lying thug. Here's what "really" happened. The Reality Behind The Sound of Music
We all love Julia Andrews as Maria VonTrapp, but the reality behind The Sound of Music is quite different and far more interesting. The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
Based on the novel by Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees is a woman's film. Fourteen-year-old Dakota Fanning shows that she is no fleeting child star, but a gifted actor with a distinguished career ahead of her. Sophie Okonedo shines in a supporting role. There Will Be Blood (2007)
This movie starring Daniel Day-Lewis received eleven Academy Award nominations, despite the fact that it's missing a coherent story and has no characters a viewer can identify with.
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