It’s one of those unanswerable questions like what came first, the chicken or the egg? Is the book really better than the movie it’s made into? I say, why cant’ both be equally great?

One of my favorite Chuck Palahniuk books will be released as a film next month, “Choke”. The trailer seems promising:

But what about all those other great movies that was spurned from fantastic books? They’re never exactly the same, which should always be the goal when a filmmaker tackles such a project.

Here are my favorite flicks based on novels:

Fight Club: Even more Chuck Palahniuk for your enjoyment. The brilliant performances of Edward Norton and Brad Pitt made this movie. While you start to catch on in the book that Tyler Durden isn’t real faster than the movie, it still doesn’t spoil anything. There are different endings in each one, I’m still not sure which one is better.

Rules of Attraction: A Bret Easton Ellis novel (who also wrote “American Psycho”). When I first saw the movie, I didn’t know it was a book as well and immediately got it. College students all coked out, sexed up and disillusioned. Makes you feel better than you’re not one of them.

Everything is Illuminated: Both versions are equally fantastic and incredibly different. In the book, you learn more about the grandfather and his back story as well as Jonathan’s (the character a portrayal of writer Jonathan Safran Foer) while in the movie it’s strictly about his journey to find the woman in this picture. What the two have in common is the interesting look at different cultures and languages.

The Shining: Having seen this movie God knows how many times kind of ruined me for the book, even though it was still entertaining. The visual gore is a plus, but in the book you get to know Jack Torrence better and feel bad for him. You’re not supposed to feel bad for the villain! Whatever.

High Fidelity: I’ve expressed my deep love for “High Fidelity” on several occasions…this is no different. The movie and book are brilliant and you’re a sucker if you haven’t had the pleasure of either of these. If you’re even a little anal retentive about music and pop culture, you’ll enjoy this.

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