Alice in Wonderland - Walt Disney Pictures
The past decade did not give birth to the craze of adapting kids' books into film. But it sure has fueled it beyond belief.
If you have kids, you know the drill: they only want to read a book when they hear the movie is coming out soon. But why complain? At least they're reading. And for the curious parent out there, here's a list of the top 10 movie adaptations of juvenile fiction made in the last decade.
- Harry Potter, dir. by Chris Columbus, starring Daniel Radcliffe (2001 - present): This as-yet-unfinished series signaled the birth of a multi-million (billion?) dollar franchise and the resurrection of the "midnight release." While the seventh book might have come out several years ago, do not expect to see the end of Harry Potter for quite a while.
- The Golden Compass, dir. by Chris Weitz, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig (2007): This first book of the popular sci-fi trilogy featured talking animals, alternate worlds, and a mystical element known simply as "dust." Unfortunately, even the author's dream cast could do little to keep this movie afloat. Watch at your peril.
- The Chronicles of Narnia, dir. by Andrew Adamson, starring Liam Neeson and James McAvoy (2005 - 2008): Half-way decent CGI and charismatic child-actors made the moral message behind the whole plot easier to swallow and at least somewhat intriguing for kids. What parent could ask for more?
- Twilight, dir. by Catherine Hardwicke, starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner (2008): This novel and its subsequent film single-handedly spawned the new genre known as "YA", or "young adult. The sexual objectification of almost every male character also made feminists everywhere cheer for joy.
- Inkheart, dir. by Iain Softley, starring Brendan Fraser (2008): Brendan Fraser stars as young father who discovers the ability to bring story-book characters to life. The entire premise is imagination at its most colorful.
- Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, dir. by Chris Columbus, starring Logan Lerman, Sean Bean, and Uma Thurman (2010): Rick Riordan's 5-part fantasy epic actually convinced some kids to pick up a book on Greek mythology. Keep an eye out for his new series on the mythology of ancient Egypt.
- Alice in Wonderland, dir. by Tim Burton, starring Johnny Depp and Helen Bonham Carter (2010): Despite the title, the film is actually based on the Alice sequel, "Through the Looking Glass" and Lewis Carroll's iconic poem "Jabberwocky," which in turn defined the unique literary device known as portmanteau.
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid, dir. by Thor Freudenthal, starring Zachary Gordon (2010): Like Harry Potter, Wimpy Kid speaks to the awkward adolescent in all of us, for better or worse.
- The Hunger Games, "in production" (2011): Imagine a society in which kids compete in a televised death match. Expect the film to be rated PG-13, if not higher. But also prepare for hearty doses of courage, wit, and hope. It's the best heavily-themed teen book since "Ender's Game."
- Incarceron, "in production" (2013): A sheltered young "princess" and an imprisoned adolescent work together to escape their mutual prisons. It's a story about freedom. And a prison that can think for itself.
Kids are the future, ladies and gentlemen. Never forget that.
Copyright Christine Hernandez. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
Christine Hernandez - Christine Hernandez is a recent graduate of Vanderbilt University where she earned a bachelor's degree in English and European History. ...
