Upcoming Books to Movies

I don't know about you, but if I'm going to read a book-turned-movie, I've gotta do it before I see the movie, or I just can't ever seem to get through the book. So, I thought I'd highlight a few books that will soon be hitting the big screen and might have floated under the radar in the wake of the big name releases like Breaking Dawn and The Hunger Games--check them out if you haven't already!

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Snippet from the Publisher's Synopsis: Seemingly as different from one another as can be, [three] women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.Would I recommend the book?: YES. Please read it immediately if you haven't already.
Big Screen Release Date: August 12, 2011




The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
Snippet from Publisher's Synopsis: Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.
Would I recommend the book?: Yes, I did enjoy them though the first was a bit slow in parts.
Big Screen Release Date: December 21, 2001




The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Snippet from the Publisher's Synopsis: This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.
Would I recommend the book?: I loved this book as a teenager, but it's been years since I've read it, so I'm not sure whether or not my recommendation would still stand. I can tell you that its one of the most controversial books in recent history and so its probably worth a read for that reason alone. I can also tell you that my favorite quote from a book ever comes from Perks of Being A Wallflower.
Big Screen Release Date: Sometime in 2012


We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
Snippet from the Publisher's Synopsis: Eva never really wanted to be a mother—and certainly not the mother of the unlovable boy who murdered seven of his fellow high school students, a cafeteria worker, and a much-adored teacher who tried to befriend him, all two days before his sixteenth birthday. Now, two years later, it is time for her to come to terms with marriage, career, family, parenthood, and Kevin's horrific rampage in a series of startlingly direct correspondences with her estranged husband, Franklyn. Uneasy with the sacrifices and social demotion of motherhood from the start, Eva fears that her alarming dislike for her own son may be responsible for driving him so nihilistically off the rails.
Would I recommend the book?:  Yes, but with reservations. This book deals with some heavy-duty subject matter. HEAVY. I seriously thought I might throw up on several occasions while reading this book. So, it's a good and important book, but not for everyone.
Big Screen Release Date: This movie was a golden-child of sorts at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. I'd bet it will release in the US in 2011 or early 2012.


What do you think? Any books-turned-movies you're looking forward to seeing on the big screen?