Many of my favorite books have been adapted into films and many beloved movies came from an amazing book. I have laid out some of the best films to have been adapted from various forms of literature, for you to watch.
1. Moonlight
Adapted from Tarell Alvin McCraney's theatre piece by the title In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. Easily one of the best movies I've ever seen, possibly the best. This movie has the power to not only transform lives, but change the world.
Directed by: Barry Jenkins
Starring: Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, Naomie Harris, Alex R. Hibbert, Jaden Piner, Ashton Sanders, Jharrel Jerome, André Holland and Trevante Rhodes.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Released: 2016
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
2. In the Bedroom
Adapted from Andre Dubus' short story Killings.
Directed by: Todd Field
Starring: Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek, William Mapother, Marisa Tomei and Nick Stahl.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
Released: 2001
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
3. The Color Purple
Adapted from Alice Walker's classic novel of the same title.
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Margaret Avery, Willard Pugh, Akosua Busia, Desreta Jackson and Oprah Winfrey.
Released: 1985
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG-13
4. It Happened One Night
Adapted from Samuel Hopkins Adams' short story Night Bus.
Directed by: Frank Capra
Starring: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert and Walter Connolly
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
Released: 1934
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Rated: N/A
5. Mean Girls
That's right! This hilarious, iconic movie was adapted from the non-fiction, self-help book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman.
Directed by: Mark Waters
Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tim Meadows, Ana Gasteyer, Lacey Chabert, Lizzy Caplan, Amanda Seyfried, Neil Flynn, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%
Released: 2004
Genre: Comedy
Rated: PG-13
6. Casablanca
Adapted from the play Everybody Comes to Rick's by Murray Bernett and Joan Alison.
Directed by: Michael Curtiz
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Released: 1942
Genre: Drama, Romance, War
Rated: PG
7. Jackie Brown
Adapted from the novel Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard.
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Bridget Fonda, Chris Tucker, Michael Bowen, Michael Keaton and Robert De Niro.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
Released: 1997
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Rated: R
8. The Martian
Adapted from Andy Weir's novel by the same title.
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Starring: Matt Damen, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Sean Bean, Kate Mara, Donald Glover and Chiwetal Ejiofor.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Released: 2015
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Rated: PG-13
9. Fried Green Tomatoes
Adapted from Fannie Flagg's novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.
Directed by: Jon Avnet
Starring: Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise Parker.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 73%
Released: 1991
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
10. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 
Adapted from a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, of the same title.
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Fuane Chambers, Elle Fanning, Taraji P. Henson, Mahershala Ali, and Tilda Swinton.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%
Released: 2008
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance.
Rated: PG-13
11. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
Loosely adapted from Peter George's novel Red Alert.
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Starring: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn, Slim Pickens, Peter Bull and James Earl Jones.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%
Released: 1964
Genre: Comedy, War
Rated: PG
12. The Shawshank Redemption
Adapted from Stephen King's Novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.
Directed by: Frank Darabont
Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman and Bob Gunton.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
Released: 1994
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
13. Mary Poppins
Loosely adapted from P.L. Traver's book series of the same title.
Directed by: Robert Stevenson
Starring: Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Glynis Johns and David Tomlinson.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
Released: 1964
Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy.
Rated: G
14. Argo
Adapted from the Tony Mendez's book The Master of Disguise and the an article for Wire magazine by Joshua Bearman titled "The Great Escape: How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran."
Directed by: Ben Affleck
Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Victor Garbor, Tate Donovan, Clea DuVall, Scoot McNairy, Kerry Bishé, Kyle Chandler, Chris Messina, Zeljko Ivanek, Bob Gunton and Alan Arkin.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
Released: 2012
Genre: Biography, Drama, History.
Rated: R
15. Shrek
Directed by: Andrew Adamnson and Vicky Jenson.
Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Vincent Cassel and John Lithgow.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Released: 2001
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy.
Rated: PG
16. Breakfast at Tiffany's
Adapted from Truman Capote's novella of the same title.
Directed by: Blake Edwards.
Starring: Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard and Mickey Rooney.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Released: 1961
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance.
Rated: N/A
17. Fences
Adapted from August Wilson's Pulitzer-Prize winning play by the same title.
Directed by: Denzel Washington.
Starring: Denzel Washington, Viola Davis and Stephen Henderson.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
Released: 2016
Genre: Drama.
Rated: PG-13
18. The Virgin Suicides
Adapted from the novel of the same title by Jeffrey Eugenides.
Directed by: Sofia Coppola.
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, James Woods, Josh Hartnett, Scott Glenn, Danny DeVito and Kathleen Turner.
Rotten Tomato Score: 76%
Released: 1999
Genre: Drama, Romance.
Rated: R
19. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Adapted from Ken Kesey's famous novel of the same title.
Directed by: Milos Forman.
Starring: Jack Nicholson.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
Released: 1975
Genre: Drama.
Rated: R
20-28. The Harry Potter Series
Adapted from the wonderful series by the fabulous J.K. Rowlings.
HP and the Sorcerer's Stone
Directed by: Chris Columbus.
Starring: Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrone, Daniel Radcliffe, Ian Hart, Ruprint Grint, Emma Watson and Alan Rickman.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
Released: 2001
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy.
Rated: PG
HP and the Chamber of Secrets
Directed by: Chris Columbus.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Richard Harris, Bonnie Wright, Robbie Coltrane, Maggie Smith, Matthew Lewis and Alan Rickman.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
Released: 2002
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy.
Rated: PG
HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Directed by: Alfonso Cualrón.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, Michael Gambon, Timothy Spall, Robbie Coltrane, Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
Released: 2004
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy.
Rated: PG-13
HP and the Goblet of Fire
Directed by: Mike Newell.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Timothy Spall, Robbie Coltrane, Robert Pattinson, Jason Isaacs, Maggie Smith, Gary Oldman, Michael Gambon and Alan Rickman.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Released: 2005
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy.
Rated: PG-13
HP and the Order of the Phoenix
Directed by: David Yates.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Timothy Spall, Robbie Coltrane, Jason Isaacs, Tom Felton, Maggie Smith, Gary Oldman, Michael Gambon and Alan Rickman.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%
Released: 2007
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy.
Rated: PG-13
HP and the Half-Blood PrinceDirected by: David Yates.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Timothy Spall, Robbie Coltrane, Jason Isaacs, Tom Felton, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon and Alan Rickman.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%
Released: 2009
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy.
Rated: PG-13
HP and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Directed by: David Yates.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Jason Isaacs, Tom Felton, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman and Ralph Fiennes.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%
Released: 2010
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy.
Rated: PG-13
HP and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Directed by: David Yates.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Jason Isaacs, Tom Felton, Maggie Smiht, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman and Ralph Fiennes.
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Released: 2011
Genre: Adventure, Familyl, Fantasy.
Rated: PG-13
29. Chicago
Adapted from the hit Broadway musical.
Directed by: Rob Marshall.
Starring: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, Taye Diggs, Queen Latifah and Richard Gere.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
Released: 2002
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Musical.
Rated: PG-13
30. The Maltese Falcon
Adapted from Dashiell Hammett's novel by the same name.
Directed by: John Huston.
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George and Peter Lorre.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
Released: 1941
Genre: Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery.
Rated: N/A
31. Silver Linings Playbook
Adapted from the novel of the same title by Matthew Quick.
Directed by: David O. Russell.
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles and Robert De Niro.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Released: 2012
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance.
Rated: R
32. Forrest Gump
Adapted from Winston Groom's novel of the same title.
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis.
Starring: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Mykelti Williamson and Sally Fields.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%
Released: 1994
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance.
Rated: PG-13
33. 12 Years A Slave
Adapted from Solomon Northup's slave-narrative memoir by the same title.
Directed by: Steve McQueen.
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Fassbender, Sarah Paulson, Paul Giamatti, Taran Killam, Scoot McNairy, Kelsey Scott, Dwight Henry, Quvenzhané Wallis and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
Released: 2013
Genre: Biography, Drama, History.
Rated: R
34. Sin City
Adapted from Frank Miller's neo-noir comic series by the same title.
Directed by: Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller.
Starring: Jessica Alba, Devon Aoki, Alexis Bledel, Powers Boothe, Jude Ciccolella, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Jason Douglas, Michael Clarke Duncan, Rick Gomez, Carla Gugino, Josh Hartnett, Rutger Hauer, Jaime King, Nick Stahl, Michael Madsen, Brittany Murphy, Nick Offerman, Clive Owen, Bruce Willis and Mickey Rourke.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%
Released: 2005
Genre: Crime, Thriller.
Rated: R
35. The Wolf of Wall Street
Adapted from Jordan Belfort's memoir by the same title.
Directed by: Martin Scorsese.
Starring: Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Mathew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Crime.
Rated: R
36. The Secret Garden
Adapted from the novel by Frances Hogson Burnett of the same title.
Directed by: Agnieszka Holland.
Starring: Kate Maberly, Heydon Prowse and Maggie Smith.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
Released: 1993
Genre: Drama, Family, Fantasy.
Rated: G
36. Slumdog Millionaire
Loosely adapted from the novel Q & A by Vikas Swarup.
Directed by: Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan.
Starring: Freida Pinto, Irrfan Khan and Dev Patel.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Released: 2008
Genre: Drama.
Rated: R
37. The Princess Bride
Adapted from William Goldman's novel of the same title.
Directed by: Rob Reiner
Starring: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Peter Falk, Fred Savage, Robin Wright and BIlly Crystal.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Released: 1987
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy.
Rated: PG
38. The Revenant
Loosely adapted from the novel of the same title by Michael Punke.
Directed by: Alejandro G. Iñarritu.
Starring: Tom Hardy, Will Poulter, Forrest Goodluck and Leonardo DiCaprio
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
Released: 2015
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Thriller.
Rated: R
39. Fight Club
Adapted from Chuck Palahniuk's novel of the same name.
Directed by: David Fincher.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter, Jared Leto, Meat Loaf and Edward Norton.
Rotten Tomatoes: 79%
Released: 1999
Genre: Drama.
Rated: R
40. Philomena
Adapted from the book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee by Martin Sixsmith.
Directed by: Stephen Frears
Starring: Steve Coogan, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Mare Winningham and Judi Dench.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Released: 2013
Genre: Biography, Drama.
Rated: PG-13
42. Goodfellas
Adapted from the non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi.
Directed by: Martin Scorsese.
Starring: Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Blacco and Robert De Niro.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Released: 1990
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama.
Rated: R
43. An Education
Adapted from a memoir of the same title by Lynn Barber.
Directed by: Lone Scherfig.
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike and Olivia Williams.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
Released: 2009
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG-13
44. The Odd Couple
Adapted from Neil Simon's play of the same title.
Directed by: Gene Saks
Starring: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
Released: 1968
Genre: Comedy.
Rated: G
45. Revolutionary Road
Adapted from Richard Yates' novel of the same name.
Directed by: Sam Mendes.
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 67%
Released: 2008
Genre: Drama, Romance.
Rated: R
46. Trainspotting
Adapted from Irvine Welsh's novel of the same name.
Directed by: Danny Boyle.
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremmer, Johnny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle and Kelly Macdonald.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
Released: 1996
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
47. Captain Phillips
Adapted from the book A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea by Richard Phillips and Stephen Talty.
Directed by: Paul Greengrass.
Starring: Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener and Barkhad Abdi.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
Released: 2013
Genre: Biography, Drama, Thriller.
Rated: PG-13
48. Freaky Friday
Adapted from the novel of the same name by Mary Rogers.
Directed by: Mark Waters.
Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray, Stephen Tobolowsky and Harold Gould.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Released: 2003
Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy.
Rated: PG
49. Beasts of the Southern Wild
Adapted from a one-act play called Juicy and Delicious by Lucy Alibar.
Directed by: Benh Zeitlin.
Starring: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry and Levy Easterly.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
Released: 2012
Genre: Drama, Fantasy.
Rated: PG-13
50. Holes
Adapted from Louis Sachar's novel of the same title.
Directed by: Andrew Davis.
Starring: Shia Labeouf, Khleo Thomas, Tim Blake Nelson, Dulé Hill, Patricia Arquette, Jon Voight, Sigourney Weaver and Eartha Kitt.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%
Released: 2003
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama.
Rated: PG
52. Winter's Bone
Adapted from Daniel Woodrell's novel of the same name.
Directed by: Debra Granik
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
Released: 2010
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
53. Minority Report
Loosely adapted from Philip K. Dick's short story of the same name.
Directed by: Steven Spielberg.
Starring: Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Steve Harris, Neal McDonough and Max von Sydow.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
Released: 2002
Genre: Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi.
Rated: PG-13
54. The Social Network
Adapted from the book The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal by Ben Mezrich.
Directed by: David Fincher.
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Rooney Mara, Andrew Garfield, Rashida Jones and Justin Timberlake.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
Released: 2010
Genre: Biography, Drama.
Rated: PG-13
55. In the Heat of the Night
Adapted from the novel of the same title by John Ball.
Directed by: Norman Jewison.
Starring: Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger and Warren Oates.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
Released: 1967
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery.
Rated: N/A
56. Alice in Wonderland
Adapted from the Alice book series by Lewis Carroll.
Directed by: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson and Hamilton Luske.
Starring: Kathryn Beaumont, Ed Wyn, Richard Haydn, Sterling Holloway, Verna Felton, Pat O'Malley and Bill Thompson.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%
Released: 1951
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family.
Rated: G
57. Precious
Adapted from the novel Push by Sapphire.
Directed by: Lee Daniels.
Starring: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique and Paula Patton.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
Released: 2009
Genre: Drama.
Rated: R
58. The Graduate
Adapted from Charles Webb's novel of the same name.
Directed by: Mike Nichols.
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft and Katharine Ross.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
Released: 1967
Genre: Comedy, Drama.
Rated: N/A
59. Romeo + Juliet
Adapted from the one and only William Shakespeare, of course!
Directed by: Baz Luhrmann
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%
Released: 1996
Genre: Drama, Romance.
Rated: PG-13
60. Adaptation
This meta adaptation came from The Orchid Thief, a non-fiction book by Susan Orleans.
Directed by: Spike Jonze.
Starring: Nicholas Cage, Tilda Swinton, Chris Cooper and Meryl Streep.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
Released: 2002
Genre: Comedy, Drama.
Rated: R
*Remember, the standard rating system for films has changed many times and in many ways since the beginning of Hollywood. Take the year that the film came out into consideration if you are thinking about watching any of these great films with little ones.
