All things considered, 2024 has been a great year for movies. Multiple exceptional films have been released over the course of the year so far, many of them adaptations. Of video games, of other movies, or—of course—of books. Some of the greatest movies of all time were based on books, and keeping with tradition, this year saw the release of numerous page-to-screen adaptations that turned out wonderful.
From films based on true stories, like Disney’sYoung Woman and the Sea, to ones based on iconic fictional novels, likeWicked, 2024 has been a great year foravid bookworms who love seeing their favorite literature turned into equally high-quality cinema. Indeed, translating the magic of a great book into the medium of moving pictures isn’t easy, but a few films from this year have achieved the task with flying colors.
10’The Bikeriders'
Based on the photo book ‘The Bikeriders’ by Danny Lyon
The mainnarrative ofThe Bikeridersis fictional, but it’s also inspired byDanny Lyon’s very much real experiences with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, which he documented in his 1968 photo book of the same title. The film is about a member of a Midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals. As the club transforms into a dangerous underworld of violence, he must choose between his beloved and his loyalty to the club.
Not many people would countThe Bikeridersas one ofthe best movies of 2024,but that’s only because there’s so much strong competition. In fairness, this is a gritty, fascinating slice of Americana that takes a deep dive into American motorcycle culture. The visuals are excellent, the star-studded cast does a phenomenal job (Jodie Comerin particular), and although the script isn’t quite as strong as the movie’s style, it’s still a great portrayal of Lyon’s original story.
The Bikeriders
9’Young Woman and the Sea'
Based on the biography ‘Young Woman and the Sea’ by Glenn Stout
Originally planned as a Disney+ exclusive release,Young Woman and the Seawas then given a theatrical run because of how much people loved it at early screenings. It isn’t hard to see why. It’s a gripping biopic about competitive swimmerGertrude Ederle, who became the first woman to ever swim across the English Channel in 1926.
One of thebest and most underrated biopicsof the 2020s so far,Young Woman and the Seaisn’t just your typical “Wikipedia article come to life” kind of biographical movie. It’s a rousing family-friendly tale of perseverance and female empowerment, anchored by a powerhouse performance byDaisy Ridley. It’s a little by the numbers in certain respects, but all in all, every element works great.
Young Woman and the Sea
Watch on Disney+
8’Small Things Like These'
Based on the novel ‘Small Things like These’ by Claire Keegan
Right after becoming one of thebest Oscar-winning actors of the 21st centuryforOppenheimer,Cillian Murphywent straight to an Irish-Belgian indie movie, the outstandingSmall Things Like These. It’s a historical drama based on a historical fiction novel about a devoted father living in 1985 Ireland. He discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent and shocking truths of his own.
Murphy andEmily Watsonare riveting in their roles, delivering a pair of knockout performances that deserve to be talked about a lot more. In fact,Small Things Like Theseas a whole seems to have flown under many people’s radars, despite being one of the year’s best dramas. Its quiet, slow-burning tone will certainly not appeal to all tastes, but patient viewers will be rewarded with a complex, deeply powerful commemoration of all the women and girls who suffered in the Magdalene laundries, a shameful chapter of Irish history.
Small Things Like These
Watch in Cinemas
7’The Count of Monte-Cristo'
Based on the novel ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ by Alexandre Dumas
Alexandre Dumaswas nothing short of one of the most important writers who have ever lived, and as such, cinematic adaptations of his work always have big shoes to fill. These shoes aren’t always filled all the way up, but every now and then,movies as exceptional as the nearly 3-hour-long French dramaThe Count of Monte-Cristocome along. It is, of course, based on Dumas’s legendary book of the same name, about a man who escapes prison after spending 14 years wrongfully locked up, keen to exact revenge on the men who betrayed him.
Both a masterful condensation of Dumas’s 1,000+ page book and an incredible swashbuckler psychological thriller in its own right.
One of the few 2020speriod movies that are pretty much perfect,The Count of Monte Cristoserves as both a masterful condensation of Dumas’s 1,000+ page book and an incredible swashbuckler psychological thriller in its own right. It is, of course, not a replica of Dumas’s classic masterpiece, but it never pretends to be. It’s visually stunning, thoroughly exciting, and briskly paced, making those three hours feel like half that much at times.
The Count of Monte-Cristois currently not available to stream, rent, or purchase in the U.S.
6’The Room Next Door'
Based on the novel ‘What Are You Going Through’ by Sigrid Nunez
The renowned Spanish auteurPedro Almodóvaris perhaps the most popular filmmaker from his home country, and although he had tried his luck in America a couple of times with a pair of incredible short films,The Room Next Doorwas his first-ever Hollywood feature. It’s about two women who were close friends in their youth, but after years of being out of touch, an extreme yet sweet situation brings them back together.
Room Next Doordoesn’t quite live up to Almodóvar’s best Spanish work, but it’s not too far behind.Tilda SwintonandJulianne Moore, two of the best actresses of their generation, deliver two ofthe best performances of the last few years, and Almodóvar’s colorful and provocative direction is as amazing as any fan of his might have expected.Sigrid Nunez’s bittersweetWhat Are You Going Through, which the film is based on,feels like a match made in Heaven for Almodóvar, so it’s no surprise that the result was this good.
The Room Next Door
Based on the novel ‘Wicked’ by Gregory Maguire
Mostly based on the legendary Broadway musical of the same name, which is likewise based onGregory Maguire’s book of the same name,Wickedhad high expectations to fulfill, and it did so greatly. It’s a revisionist prequel toThe Wizard of Oz, focusing on Elphaba, a young woman misunderstood due to her green skin. She befriends the popular Galinda, and together, they set out to meet the Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the hopes that both of their dreams will come true.
A rousing musical, a hilarious comedy, a beautifully romantic drama, and a surprisingly potent social critique,Wickedis everything that fans were hoping it would be, and then some. It changes a few things from the musical, and itdefinitelychanges more than a few things from the much darker and muchless family-friendlyWickedbook, delivering a magic all of its own that’s sure to help it age as one of the most beloved movies of this decade.
4’Nickel Boys'
Based on the novel ‘The Nickel Boys’ by Colson Whitehead
Nickel Boysis based on a Pulitzer-winning novel byColson Whitehead, and it’s the tale of the friendship between two young Black men navigating the harrowing trials of a reform school based on the historic Dozier School, a Florida reform school that operated for over a century and was revealed as highly abusive, going so far as having numerous unmarked graves for unrecorded deaths.
One ofthe most powerful Black-led filmsof the 2020s so far,Nickel Boysis emotionally searing, butdirector RaMell Ross’s radical style and ability to empathize with his charactersmake the whole experience a little easier to digest. The idea of a movie seen almost entirely from the point of view of its characters may sound potentially exhausting, butNickel Boysis such a unique display of filmmaking prowess that its gimmick feels much less like a gimmick and a lot more like the only conceivable way of telling this harrowing story.
Nickel Boys
3’The Wild Robot'
Based on the novel ‘The Wild Robot’ by Peter Brown
With the success of movies likePuss in Boots: The Last Wishand this year’sThe Wild Robot,it truly feels like we’re in a new Golden Age of DreamWorks Animation. The studio’s latest masterpiece is based on the first installment ofPeter Brown’s sci-fi book trilogy for children of the same title, about a robot that’s stranded on an island inhabited only by animals. To survive the harsh environment, she bonds with the inhabitants and tasks herself with caring for an orphaned baby goose.
There are some, including reviewers on IMDb and Letterboxd, who are already confidently callingThe Wild Robotone ofthe best animated movies of all time. It’s a deeply touching love letter to motherhood, nature, and bravery that’s unlikely to leave any dry eyes in the house, with some of the most jaw-dropping animation ever seen and a perfect understanding of what makes Brown’s books a trio of beloved classics.
The Wild Robot
2’Conclave'
Based on the novel ‘Conclave’ by Robert Harris
Faith-based movies don’t always turn out great;but when they do, they can only hope that they’re as exceptional asConclave. It’s a conspiracy psychological thriller where a Cardinal is tasked with leading the selection of a new Pope after the old one unexpectedly dies. He finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could shake the foundations of the Catholic Church.
With its stunning cast, its many psychologically complex characters, its pulpy yet enthralling tone and pacing, and its surprisingly intelligent twists and themes,Conclaveis by far one of the best dramas of 2024. Thought-provoking and full of suspense, it’s a loving yet critical exploration of the Catholic Church in modern times, as well as a timely political allegory that captures its source material’s charm flawlessly.
1’Dune: Part Two'
Based on the novel ‘Dune’ by Frank Herbert
Frank Herbert’sDunenovels, the first one in particular, are some of the best, most important, and most influential works of science fiction in history. The fact that Canadian auteurDenis Villeneuvewas able to translate the masterful book to the big screen as magnificently as he did is the kind of filmmaking achievement that only comes along once in a generation.Dune: Part Twois perhaps the best film of 2024, continuing the story of Paul Atreides as he unites with the native people of Arrakis to go on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.
Enough time has passed to set recency bias aside and still call this one ofthe best sci-fi movies ever made. It’s a rousing space epic with some of the coolest and most thrilling action sequences of any film of the 21st century, but the anchor of its strength lies in Villeneuve andJon Spaihts’s screenplay, a nearly perfect adaptation of Herbert’s book.Dune: Part Twois an engrossing character study and an all-too-timely cautionary taleabout charismatic leadersand the exploitation of the many by the hands of the powerful. It’s fun, it’s complex, it’s deeply philosophical, and it makes for one of the most unforgettable cinematic experiences of modern times.
