Books

Stephen King's It

I think everyone knows about a certain part in the book by now...

Drive. The book isn't bad, but the relationships between the characters are better handled in the movie, and Driver's background was better left unexplained.

Brand New Cherry Flavor! Loved the show, so I read the book and I've never been so disappointed lol. Just straight up trash.

Predator.

I don’t particularly like the movie — no idea why, as it’s right up my alley — but back when I was a teen I saw the book and read it.

In comparison the movie is a freaking masterpiece.

I later learned the book was written based on the movie, and poorly.

Def Jaws.

But also No Country for Old Men. Great book by a fucking legend, but I just think the film is absolutely flawless, so it technically qualifies

Fletch. Movies are hilarious!! Books are okay. The new Confess Fletch is a more faithful adaptation but still comes across funnier on screen, even without Chevy Chase’s cocaine-fueled improv.

Edge of Tomorrow by Hitoshi Sakurazaka. Felt like it was written by a teenager. Women are described by their curves, and everything is “badass”

Fight club

Almost anything involving Philip K. Dick.

Matilda. Great as a children’s book but the movie is incredible. Trunchbull is iconic. And DeVito as the shitty dad- one of the best performances of his career!

Vampire Diaries - not a movie but a tv show. I absolutely love the show so I decided to read the books and was utterly disappointed. Didn’t even finish the first book of the series. The plot and characters were a disaster from the get-go.

I Am Legend. I loved the movie so much I got the book and was super disappointed that it was so very... philosophical? Kind of? Anyway I did not enjoy it.

American Psycho. In the book, the satire is hammered home until you're bored to tears.

Godfather

OH MY GOD! I clicked on this post because I'm so adamant about Children of Men but I thought no one else would say that. And then it turns out the very post is about it!

The book was so off-kilter. It didn't at all have a grasp on how people would react to the youngest generation. The film was absolutely perfect.

I'm so happy I have kindred out there who experienced the same book letdown.

Jojo Rabbit is based on a book called 'Caging Skies.' Up to a point, the plot is the same, but Hitler is never Jojo's imaginary friend, there is no equivalent for Sam Rockwell, and the main character ends up lying to Elsa about the war being over and keeps her a prisoner for years. It's just... awful compared to how excellent the movie is.

Crazy Rich Asians.

The book was all about the excesses and indulgences, but the movie gave the main character agency, where she was incredibly flat and uninteresting in the book.

I feel kinda bad for this, but... Lord of the Rings for me. Also most Stephen King adaptations. Mostly Shining and The Mist. I prefer the movies.

Any movie based on Philip K. Dick books. I mean the book are fine, but then you have masterpieces as Blade Runner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), Total Recall (Total Recall), Minority Report (The Minority Report)...

And maybe 2001 A Space Odyssey. The book is great as well (they were written together!) but the movie....

American Psycho. Aside from the first chapter (which is great and certainly worth a read) it's forgettable

Not a movie, but the books that Dexter was based on are pretty awful.

I thought the tv version of Man in the High Castle was better than the book

Forrest Gump.

Station Eleven. The mini series has more nuanced characters and heart. However, book Kristen is better than show Kristen lol

A walk to remember. I thought I'll like the book as much as the movie but I didn't. I didn't even feel teary reading it. I found it kinda dull. I also think the movie Love, Rosie is better than the book just because I like that they got together younger in the movie rather than the ending in the book. Lovely Bones I also found dull and mc was annoying in the book.

Stardust. I don’t think the book is bad by any means, but the movie version was much more enjoyable. More recently I’d say Daisy Jones and the Six. The mini-series was superior to the book in practically every way.

My same two answers are always Fight Club and The Godfather

The Count of Monte Cristo

Stardust the movie is great. I love everything about it. I hated the book. It almost put me off Neal Gaiman.

I thought Stardust was better as a movie than a book.

The Godfather.

A movie can be better than the book if the director or script-writer adds stuff that isn’t in the book.

Arrival.
The book goes much more into the concepts but the presentation of the aliens is pretty lackluster. The movie is much better at conveying a sense of awe.