It’s almost that time of year once again! I mean, sure, yes, it’s Christmas, that’s fine. More importantly, it’s award season.
We’ve been making lists of all the must-see films, checking them twice, and today, we have a new list for you.
One of the most important categories at the Academy Awards is Best Adapted Screenplay. After all, a movie is nothing without a decent script, right? Some of the biggest Best Picture hopefuls come from novels and plays, and the bar is high. Not only does an adapted screenplay have to make for a good film, but it also has to do justice to the source material.
Some notable winners in recent years include The Father (2020), based on Le Père, a play by Florian Zeller, Moonlight (2016), based on Tarell Alvin McCraney’s unpublished semi-autobiographical play. In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, and The Big Short (2015), based on the 2010 non-fiction book The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis.
For a true Oscar devotee, or anyone who lives by the “read the book before you see the film” rule, it’s time to crack open some of the books being adapted for the big screen this year. As a bonus, they make for great Christmas gifts as well, so you can combine award season with the holiday season for the cinephiles in your life.
So let’s get into it. Here are six of this year’s top contenders for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Dune
Author: Frank Herbert
Dune is an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic 1965 sci-fi novel. It follows the son of a noble family entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset and most vital element in the galaxy. The film stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa and Stellan Skarsgård
Buy it now on Booktopia.
The Lost Daughter
Author: Elena Ferrante
Adapted from Elena Ferrante’s novel, The Lost Daughter follows a woman’s beach vacation, which takes a dark turn when she begins to confront the troubles of her past. The film stars Olivia Coleman and Dakota Johnson. Plus, it’s Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut.
Buy it now on Booktopia.
Macbeth
Author: William Shakespeare
It’s time for a high school English class refresher, because the classic Shakespeare play is back, back, back again. The play is about a Scottish lord who becomes convinced by a trio of witches that he will become the next King of Scotland and his ambitious wife supports him in his plans for seizing power. The new film, which has been adapted by Joel Coen, stars Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand.
Buy it now on Booktopia.
Nightmare Alley
Author: William Lindsay Gresham
This adaptation of the novel by William Lindsay Gresham is Guillermo del Toro’s return to award season following his 2017 hit The Shape of Water, which snagged Best Picture and Best Director, as well as Best Production Design and Best Original Score.
Nightmare Alley follows an ambitious carny with a talent for manipulating people. He hooks up with a female psychiatrist, who, as it turns out, is even more dangerous than he is. The film is jam-packed with stars, including Rooney Mara, Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe and Toni Collette.
Buy it now on Booktopia.
Passing
Author: Nella Larsen
Based on the 1929 novella, Passing follows the unexpected reunion of two high school friends, whose renewed acquaintance ignites a mutual obsession that threatens both of their carefully constructed realities. Passing stars Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga.
Buy it now on Booktopia.
The Power of the Dog
Author: Thomas Savage
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch and real-life lovebirds Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons in Jane Campion’s first film in 12 years, this modern western is based on the 1967 Thomas Savage novel.
It follows Phil Burbank, a rancher who inspires fear and awe in those around him. When his brother brings home a new wife and her son, Phil torments them until he finds himself exposed to the possibility of love.
Buy it now on Booktopia.
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