The Oscar nominations are out! And while we are usually partial to the book, every once in awhile Hollywood manages to catch some of the magic of the text on screen. Here are the films adapted from books that caught the eye of the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences this year. There’s still time to read them before the ceremony on March 4th, 2018!
Oscar Nominated Works Based on Books
Best Supporting Actor: All the Money in the World based on Painfully Rich...
While today the name Getty is most commonly associated with philanthropy, there is a less than rosy past lurking not too far behind. Beginning with the patriarch J. Paul Getty, two generations of the family embodied the idea that money cannot buy happiness. Be it drug addiction, suicide, kidnapping or disinheritance, the Gettys self destructed in the public eye. John Pearson’s book is an in depth look at the trials and tribulations of this famous family.
Jamie McAllan and Ronsel Jackson returned from World War II as heroes, but neither man escaped the war unscathed. And, for Ronsel, the fight is far from over. As he confronts the deeply ingrained racism of rural Mississippi, Jamie must find the courage to stand up against friends and family to protect his brother-in-arms.
Ferdinand the bull does not want to fight. While the other young bulls butt heads, he is content to sit under the trees and smell the flowers. But when he is stung by a bee, his fearful running and jumping is confused for aggressive vigor and he is sent to the bullfighting ring in Madrid. What will this peaceful soul do in the face of such violent sport? This tale of defying stereotypes and being true to one’s nature is a beloved children’s classic.
This baby knows who’s boss. Boss Baby knows what he wants and how to get it. But when his usual ploys for special treatment stop working, he must figure out a new way to dominate the household.
A movie based off a book about a movie. “The Room” was an underground classic written, directed, and produced by Tommy Wiseau. With seemingly no knowledge of filmmaking and a confusingly abundant supply of funds, Wiseau created what has been referred to as “the Citizen Kane of bad movies.” Greg Sestero, a former classmate and friend of Wiseau’s, provides a first hand account of this cinematic feat.
True story of how a 26 year old woman built and ran the most exclusive underground poker game in the world. And how it all came crashing down around her.
August Pullman may look different on the outside, but he’s your classic fun-loving, rambunctious kid at heart. Born with mandibulofacial dysostosis, Auggie has been homeschooled and protected from the stares his facial differences draw. When his parents decide to send him to public school for the first time in 5th grade, he is scared to be the new kid, scared of other people’s reactions. But along with the bullying, he discovers true friendships and his presence forces the school to confront their own attitudes and prejudices. Palacio’s New York Times bestseller has won the hearts of readers everywhere.
Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve’s beloved classic gets another silver screen adaptation. Kind and generous Beauty agrees to take her father’s place as captive in the Beast’s castle. Unbeknownst to her, the Beast is actually a cursed prince, who must find true love to break the spell and return him to human form. Villeneuve’s timeless tale shows us all that real love looks beyond appearances.
Abdul Karim met Queen Victoria as a servant waiting tables at her Golden Jubilee. Within a year, he was one of her closest confidantes and her advisor on Indian affairs. This unlikely friendship caused great controversy at court at a time when the independence movement was gaining strength in India. Shrabani Basu’s Victoria & Abdul chronicles the true story of an intimate friendship that flouted social conventions.
