The Article below was published in Vol. 136, Issue 3 of the Lake Forest College Stentor on November 13, 2020.
By Lauren Gantt ’21
A&E Editor
Over the years, book to film adaptations have flourished in the age of widespread movie theaters and streaming services. This year has been no different with many exciting movies and shows releasing, many directly on Netflix, HBO, or other online platforms. Here are three of the top adaptations of 2020!
1: To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You
This Netflix sequel to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the adaption of the second book in the trilogy by the same name by Jenny Han. Starring Lana Condor and Noah Centineo as well as a host of other stars. While the film does take some creative liberties, as do most adaptations, it carries the heart of the book and overall storyline. Overall, it was an exceptional follow-up to the first movie, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and one that makes me excited to see how the third and final movie adaptation will go.
2: The Witches (2020)
This newer adaptation of the Roald Dahl book of the same name came right in time for Halloween. This revamped movie features an all-star cast that includes Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, Chris Rock, and many more. Excellent cinematography, humorous scenes, and wonderful special effects bring this classic book to life in a way that all viewers can enjoy. While the original movie was certainly a solid adaptation and this one does take some creative liberties, this version of The Witches was wonderful and so much fun to experience.
3: Dolittle (2020)
Robert Downey Jr. portrays Dr. Dolittle in this take on the character from the beloved book series by Hugh Lofting. In addition, Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, and Selena Gomez are just a few of the stars who helped bring this cinematographic masterpiece to life. Between beautiful imagery and an exciting adventure, this movie was wonderful. While it does take way more creative liberties than some of the other adaptations on this list, it was such an amazing movie and I had to include it in this list.
There are, of course, many other adaptations that came out this year that I have yet to see but could very well top these three. Some other exciting adaptations I’m looking forward to watching in the upcoming months include The Call of the Wild, The Personal History of David Copperfield, and Bridgerton.
