【ALL OUT: AJ RAVAL】

Ah,ALL OUT: AJ RAVAL books, the original movies.

From fairytales and folklore to YA and graphic novels, written (and drawn) stories have inspired Hollywood for years. The upcoming Ghost in the Shell, starring Scarlett Johansson, made some serious miscalculations in casting, but its original manga series captivated fans around the world. Instead of that mediocre sample, we picked 10 of our favorite page-to-screen movie adaptations -- films worthy of their stellar source material.

Holes

Louis Sachar's novel about a boy sent to dig holes in lieu of juvenile detention is a genius novel. We have our protagonist, Stanley Yelnats, his mysterious new friend Zero and the lost boys of Camp Green Lake -- and then we have the story of 19th century outlaw Kissin' Kate Barlow and wonder how these worlds could possibly meet. The 2003 film stayed true to the book's twisting connections and clever details and also dropped a dope beat.

Where to watch: Rental or purchase on Amazon/iTunes/YouTube

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1

Deathly Hallowsgets a bad rap for "all the camping," but it only comprises about 20 percent of the movie (yes, I have done the qualitative research). The "tremendously grand" film removes us from the comfort of Hogwarts, of teen romance and classroom spellwork and thrusts its characters and viewers deep into the wizarding war (with a brilliant score from Alexandre Desplat). There's an airborne battle sequence, Ministry infiltration, a gorgeous animated story and an old lady who turns into a murderous snake. Who still calls this a children's series?

Where to watch: Rental or purchase on Amazon/iTunes/YouTube

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

This two-hour movie journeys through all six of Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novels with a devilish charisma no director besides Edgar Wright could have handled. There are minor tweaks that make more sense on screen and a fabulous cast, from Michael Cera as the title character to Brandon Routh as a superpowered veganex-boyfriend of Scott's new squeeze Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). The movie came out before the sixth novel released so it ties things up a little differently, but with as much satisfaction.

Where to watch: Rental/purchase on Amazon/iTunes, YouTube

Brokeback Mountain

How do you take Annie Proulx's 60-page short story and turn it into a beautiful film? With Ang Lee, for starters, and with Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger as steadfast leads for the heartbreaking story of Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar.

Where to watch: Rental or purchase on Amazon/iTunes/YouTube, free streaming with Showtime subscription

The Shining

Stephen King's creeptastic thriller about the Overlook Hotel has endured largely in conjunction with Stanley Kubrick's chilling 1980 adaptation. The music and cinematography complete the chilling isolation of the Overlook and Jack Nicholson's transformation from family man to deranged killer is a thrill to behold.

Where to watch: Rental or purchase on Amazon/iTunes/YouTube, streaming on Netflix

Omkara

This modern Indian adaptation of Othellois as excellent as it is unexpected. Shakespeare's characters speak thickly accented Hindi and use cell phones and the update is seamless. Othello becomes Omkara, a political enforcer both feared and regularly shunned for being a bastard of mixed caste. Director Vishal Bhardwaj doubles as writer and producer, as well as composer of the film's stirring soundtrack.

Where to watch:HD streaming with ads/subtitles at Einthusan

Clueless

Amy Heckerling's adaptation of Jane Austen's Emmawas a bizarre and wonderful choice. Not only is it a classically adored comedy but it's deftly feminist and true to the material, including Cher's characterization as a well-intentioned but oblivious busybody. Also, Paul Rudd!!!

Where to watch: Rental or purchase on Amazon/iTunes/YouTube, streaming on Hulu

The Adventures of Tintin

Hergé's delightful adventures about a young sleuth and his adorable dog were first adapted as a successful cartoon series. In 2011, Steven Spielberg took a crack at directed this motion-capture feature with a screenplay by Steven Moffat, Joe Cornish and Edgar Wright (hey, he's good at this!). It draws on some of the best Tintin comics with spectacular if slightly creepy motion capture (the characters are very real but not quite real enough, and a breathtaking single take in the final act.

Where to watch: Rental or purchase on Amazon/iTunes/YouTube

The Godfather

It's tough for movies to match their source material and rarer still for them to outstrip it. The Godfather continues to be remembered for its cinematic legacy -- to the point where the existence of Mario Puzo's novel will shock the unfamiliar. Puzo collaborated on the screenplay, which led to a worthy adaptation -- even in the sequels.

Where to watch: Rental or purchase on Amazon/iTunes/YouTube

The Little Prince

You might remember Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's short story from having to translate it in a French class where it turned out to be surprisingly poignant. The story gets a lovely adaptation with the 2016 film, distributed by Netflix, in which an overworked little girl meets the Aviator, who tells of his friendship with a little prince. Beyond heartbreaking beats about childhood and adventure, the animation of the Prince's world is simply marvelous.

Where to watch: Netflix