Warm winter greetings, Books on Screen lovers! And while warm might be looking like a frozen pipe dream as we gear up for the chillier winter months, we at the very least can distract ourselves with the season’s various award shows --- broadcast from the only warm physical place on the planet right now: Hollywood! Or, if you need more immediate relief, just Google “Channing Tatum in a tux.”

Many of our favorite books on screen from 2014 are already getting awards show attention, including Gone Girl (available on DVD this month), Foxcatcher and Wild. Julianne Moore already took home a Best Actress Golden Globe for her performance in this month’s Still Alice, an adaptation of Lisa Genova’s bestselling novel of the same name about a brilliant 50-year-old woman’s sudden and heartbreaking descent into early onset Alzheimer’s. Mortdecai looks like just the sort of latter-career Johnny Depp romp that gets buried at the end of January, so if you’re looking for a star-packed ensemble alternative, check out The Humbling instead. And for kids, the beloved bear Paddington is getting a CGI update this month in a movie that also boasts an impressive A-list roster (making it more bearable for parents, if you know what I mean).

Our favorite books on the small screen are returning this month: “Arrow” and “The Flash” will keep comic book fans inside for a change, and “The Vampire Diaries” is still going strong in season six, proving that vampire trends are immortal, too. “Backstrom,” based on the G.W. Leif series, will be premiering on Fox, and will star Rainn Wilson (who played Dwight on “The Office”) as the misanthropic detective. And don’t forget about NBC’s “About a Boy,” a show that has only gotten better since its underrated first season (read: MINNIE DRIVER IS A TREASURE).

So whether you’re willing to brave the cold January temperatures, or you just want to put on your fuzzy TV-watching socks and stay inside, there’s plenty of books on screen to watch this month!
 

--- Written and compiled by Emily Hoenig

In Theaters: 

The World Made Straight
Cast: Jeremy Irvine, Noah Wyle, Adelaide Clemens and Haley Joel Osment
Director: David Burris
Distributor: Millennium Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: January 9th
Based on: THE WORLD MADE STRAIGHT by Ron Rash

In a rural Appalachian community haunted by the legacy of a Civil War massacre, a rebellious young man struggles to escape the violence that would bind him to the past.

Paddington
Cast: [voice of] Ben Whishaw, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi and Julie Walters
Director: Paul King
Distributor: StudioCanal
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: January 16th
Based On: A Bear Called Paddington series by Michael Bond

After a fatal earthquake destroys his home in the rainforests of Peru, a young bear makes his way to London in search of a new home. The bear, dubbed "Paddington," finds shelter with the family of Henry and Mary Brown. Although Paddington's amazement at urban living soon endears him to the Browns, someone else has her eye on him: taxidermist Millicent Clyde has designs on Paddington's rare Peruvian hide.

Still Alice
Cast: Julianne Moore, Kristin Stewart, Kate Bosworth, Alec Baldwin
Director: Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland
Distributor: Sony Classics
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: January 16th (following an Oscar-qualifying limited release in Dec.)
Based on: STILL ALICE by Lisa Genova

Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children, is a renowned linguistics professor who starts to forget words. When she receives a diagnosis of Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease, Alice and her family find their bonds thoroughly tested. Her struggle to stay connected to who she once was is frightening, heartbreaking and inspiring.

Spare Parts
Cast: Alexa PenaVega, Marisa Tomei, Jamie Lee Curtis, Carlos PenaVega, Aubrey K. Miller, Esai Morales, George Lopez
Director: Sean McNamara
Distributor: Pantelion Films
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: January 16th (limited)
Based On: SPARE PARTS: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream by Joshua Davis

With the help of their high school's newest teacher, four Hispanic students form a robotics club. Although they have no experience, the youths set their sights on a national robotics contest. With 800 dollars and parts scavenged from old cars, they build a robot and go up against reigning champion M.I.T. Along the way, the students not only learn how to build a robot, they learn something far more important: how to forge bonds that last a lifetime.

Cymbaline
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Ed Harris, Milla Jovovich, John  Leguizamo, Penn Badgley, Dakota Johnson
Director: Michael Almerey
Distributor: Grindstone Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: January 23rd
Based on:  “Cymbeline” by William Shakespeare

This is a gritty story of a take-no-prisoners war between dirty cops and a drug-dealing biker gang. When extortion, betrayal and fiery passions threaten his criminal empire, a drug kingpin is driven to desperate measures in this explosive film based on Shakespeare's “Cymbeline.”

The Humbling
Cast: Al Pacino, Diane Wiest, Greta Gerwig, Charles Grodin, Kyra Sedgwick, Dan Hedaya, Nina Arianda and Billy Porter
Director: Barry Levinson
Distributor: Millennium Films
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: January 23rd
Based on: THE HUMBLING by Philip Roth

The Humbling tells the story of aging, suicidal stage actor Simon Axler and his struggles to find passion for life again. Near his breaking point, he finds motivation in the form of a young and lustful lesbian, Pegeen Stapleford, who has had a crush on Simon since childhood. As their relationship heats up, Simon has a hard time keeping up with the youthful and exuberant Pegeen. He feels more alive than ever before but with many disapproving people protesting their relationship, Simon must decide where his true passion lies.

Mortdecai
Cast: Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor, Gwyneth Paltrow, Olivia Munn and Paul Bettany
Director: David Koepp
Distributor: Lions Gate Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: January 23rd
Based on: The Mortdecai Trilogy by Kyril Bonfiglioli

Armed with only his good looks and special charm, an art dealer travels the world to find a stolen painting that is rumored to contain the code to a bank account filled with Nazi gold.

On TV:

“Eye Candy”
Cast: Victoria Justice, Harvey Guillen, Casey Jon Deidrick, John Garet Stoker
Network: MTV
Air Dates: Premieres January 12th; Mondays at 10pm ET
Based On: EYE CANDY by R.L. Stine

Lindy is a 21-year-old hacker with a gift for seeing clues and connections in the digital world that others can't. Persuaded by her roommate to try online dating, Lindy begins to suspect that one of her suitors is a deadly cyber stalker. When the local cyber-crimes unit uncovers a potential serial killer in Manhattan, all signs point to this mysterious stalker. Teaming up with the cyber unit and some hacker friends, Lindy leads the charge to solve these murders while unleashing her own style of "justice" on the streets of New York City.

“Backstrom”
Cast: Rainn Wilson, Peter Niedermayer, Nicole Gravely, John Almond, Frank Moto, Nadia Paquet, Beatrice Rosen, Genevieve Angelson
Network: Fox
Air Date: Premieres January 22nd; Thursdays at 9pm ET
Based On: Series by G.W. Leif

BACKSTROM centers on an offensive, irascible detective, as he tries, and fails, to change his self-destructive behavior.

“Grantchester”
Cast: James Norton, Robson Green, Morven Christie, Tessa Peake-Jones
Network: PBS
Air Dates: Sundays at 10pm ET
Based On: The Grantchester Mysteries by James Runcle

“Grantchester” is a detective drama set in a 1950s Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester near Cambridge, where local Anglican vicar Sidney Chambers develops a sideline in sleuthing --- with the initially reluctant help of grumpy Detective Inspector Geordie Keating. The series is based on The Grantchester Mysteries books written by James Runcie.

“About a Boy”
Cast: David Walton, Minnie Driver, Benjamin Stockham, Al Madrigal
Network: NBC
Air Dates: Winter premiere January 6th; Tuesdays at 9pm ET
Based On: ABOUT A BOY by Nick Hornby

After writing a hit song, Will Freeman was granted a life of free time, free love and freedom from financial woes. He's single, unemployed and loving it. So imagine his surprise when Fiona, a needy single mom and her oddly charming 11-year-old son, Marcus, move in next door and disrupt his perfect world.

“Constantine”
Cast: Harold Perrineau, Charles Halford
Network: NBC
Air Dates: Winter premiere January 16th; Fridays at 10pm ET
Based On: The Hellblazer series from DC Comics

Based on the wildly popular comic book series Hellblazer from DC Comics, seasoned demon hunter and master of the occult John Constantine (Matt Ryan, "Criminal Minds") is armed with a ferocious knowledge of the dark arts and a wickedly naughty wit. He fights the good fight --- or at least he did. With his soul already damned to hell, he's decided to abandon his campaign against evil until a series of events thrusts him back into the fray, and he'll do whatever it takes to protect the innocent. With the balance of good and evil on the line,Constantine will use his skills to travel the country, find the supernatural terrors that threaten our world and send them back where they belong. After that, who knows...maybe there's hope for him and his soul after all.

“The Flash”
Cast: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Rick Cosnett, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, Tom Cavanagh, Jessie L. Martin
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Winter premiere January 20th; Tuesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: The Flash: DC Comics character created by Robert Kanigher, John Broome and Carmine Infantino

“The Flash” follows the adventures of scientist Barry Allen, who is a superhero with incredible speed.

“Arrow”
Cast: Stephen Amell, Colin Donnell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Susanna Thompson, Paul Blackthorne
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Winter premiere January 21st; Wednesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: DC Comics character Green Arrow created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp

After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. When he returns home to Starling City, his devoted mother Moira, much-beloved sister Thea and best friend Tommy welcome him home, but they sense Oliver has been changed by his ordeal on the island. While Oliver hides the truth about the man he's become, he desperately wants to make amends for the actions he took as the boy he was. As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow --- a vigilante --- to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society and restore Starling City to its former glory.

“The Vampire Diaries”
Cast: Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, Steven R. McQueen, Kat Graham, Candice Accola
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Winter premiere January 22nd; Thursdays at 8pm ET
Based On: The Vampire Diaries series by L.J. Smith

Months after this devastating tragedy, everyone is dealing with the loss of their loved ones in different ways, some more destructively than others. What happened to Bonnie and Damon, and if they can even be saved, remains a mystery. Meanwhile, their beloved hometown of Mystic Falls continues to be a magic-free zone, protected by a mysterious new community watch program. If there’s any hope of salvaging their former lives, our heroes must find a way to push through their grief and band together. This season will explore themes of loss, denial and what it means to move on in the face of immortality, ultimately begging the age-old question --- can you ever really go home again?

On DVD:

Atlas Shrugged: Who Is John Galt?
Cast: Kristoffer Polaha, Laura Regan, Peter Mackenzie, Greg Germann
Director: James Manera
Distributor: Atlas Distribution
MPAA Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: January 6th
Based On: ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand

Approaching collapse, the nation's economy is quickly eroding. As crime and fear take over the countryside, the government continues to exert its brutal force against the nation's most productive who are mysteriously vanishing --- leaving behind a wake of despair. One man has the answer. One woman stands in his way. Some will stop at nothing to control him. Others will stop at nothing to save him. He swore by his life. They swore to find him. Who is John Galt?

Gone Girl
Cast: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Kim Dickens, Patrick Fugit, Carrie Coon, David Clennon
Director: David Fincher
Distributor: 20^th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Release Date: January 13th
Based On: GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn

GONE GIRL --- directed by David Fincher and based on the global bestseller by Gillian Flynn --- unearths the secrets at the heart of a modern marriage. On the occasion of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) reports that his beautiful wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike), has gone missing. Under pressure from the police and a growing media frenzy, Nick’s portrait of a blissful union begins to crumble. Soon his lies, deceits and strange behavior have everyone asking the same dark question: Did Nick Dunne kill his wife?

A Walk Among the Tombstones
Cast: Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, Boyd Holbrook, Ruth Stevens Sebastian Roché
Director: Scott Frank
Distributor: Universal Pictures
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Release Date: January 13th
Based On: A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES by Lawrence Block

Private investigator Matthew Scudder is hired by a drug kingpin to find out who kidnapped and murdered his wife.

The Two Faces of January
Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen, Oscar Isaac
Director: Hossein Amini
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: January 13th
Based On: THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY by Patricia Highsmith

A thriller centered on a con artist, his wife and a stranger, who flee Athens after one of them is caught up in the death of a private detective.

The Drop
Cast: Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, James Gandolfini
Director: Michaël R. Roskam
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
MPAA rating: R
DVD Release Date: January 20th
Based On: THE DROP by Dennis Lehane

Bob Saginowski finds himself at the center of a robbery gone awry and entwined in an investigation that digs deep into the neighborhood's past where friends, families and foes all work together to make a living --- no matter the cost.

Before I Go To Sleep
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Mark Strong
Director: Rowan Joffe
Distributor: Clarius Entertainment, Eagle Films
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Release Date: January 27th
Based on: BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP by S.J. Watson

A woman wakes up every day, remembering nothing as a result of a traumatic accident in her past. One day, new terrifying truths emerge that force her to question everyone around her.