Books and the Big Screen

I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS and TWILIGHT. What do these two books have in common?

Both are going to be major motion pictures released at the end of the year or early 2009 and both have come to my attention recently. Beyond that, they couldn't be more different.

TWILIGHT is one of those young adult stories that gets the grown ups excited, too. Everywhere I go, I see table displays of Stephanie Meyer's books (including her new adult release, THE HOST), posters for the movie and as of this week, the trailer. It's a paranormal thriller about vampires, love and high school. The movie is scheduled for a December 12 release.

I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS is a completely different animal. A remarkable true love story set in Texas about a man, Steven Russell, who falls in love with his cellmate, Philip Morris. When Morris is released from prison, Russell breaks out several times to be with him.

I read MORRIS shortly after it came out in 2003. It's sweet, charming and funny, despite some pretty sad elements (they were in prison for a reason). The movie stars Jim Carrey and Ewan MacGregor and comes out early next year.

Some other movies coming out this year based on books are:

• THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2, Ann Brashares, August 8th (http://sisterhoodofthetravelingpants2.warnerbros.com/)

• NIGHTS IN RODANTHE, Nicholas Sparks, September 12th (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0956038/)

• BLINDNESS, Jose Saramago, September 26th (http://www.blindness-themovie.com)

• HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU, Greg Behrendt & Liz Tuccillo, October 24th (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1001508/)

• QUANTUM OF SOLACE (007), Ian Fleming, November 7th (http://www.007.com)

• HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, J.K. Rowling, November 21st (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417741/)

• THE ROAD, Cormac McCarthy, November 28th (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898367/)

• THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE, Audrey Niffenegger, December 25th (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452694/)

• MARLEY AND ME, John Grogan, December 26th (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0822832/)

I am not usually that big on big screen adaptations (or even little screen). But I am looking forward to quite a few of the ones listed above. Are you? Sound off in the comments.

Nicole