Movies Of Books 11 Films That Are Better Than The Texts They Are Based On

After months of anticipation, Ang Lee's film adaptation of "Life of Pi" opened this November. The critically acclaimed novel of the same name by Yann Martel left Lee withbig shoes to fill -- many questioned whether the dreamy adventure novel could be properly adapted for film. Lucky for Lee, "Life of Pi" was released to both positive critical reception and strong box office numbers.

Next May, after multiple delays, Leonardo DiCaprio will star in Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby." The film, which has already benefitted from some stunningtrailers, hits theaters May 10, 2013.

Adaptations of books have long been a box office staple. Some, such as 1939's "Gone with the Wind," live up to the celebrated original, while others, such as 1995's "The Scarlet Letter," fail to do the books justice.

On the rare occasion however, the movie manages to outshine the book. Click through below to vote on your favorites and let us know your top film adaptations in the comments.