January 2016
Books on Screen
January 2016
We're glad it's not summer because this month's Books on Screen options are going to leave you wanting to stay as far from the waves as possible. First there's The Finest Hours, the remake of the book of the same name by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman, which follows members of the Coast Guard attempting to save 30 sailors in one of the worst storms in New England's history. Turns out waves aren't just in the ocean, though --- they come in the form of alien invasions, too, at least in Rick Yancey's bestselling book THE 5TH WAVE, which is hitting theaters towards the end of the month. Read below to learn more about January's books on screen, including some great TV offerings (like one based on Cassandra Clare's THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: City of Bones!)
In Theaters:
The 5th Wave
Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Alex Roe, Maika Monroe, Liev Schreiber, Ron Livingston
Director: J. Blakeson
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: January 22nd
Based on: THE 5TH WAVE by Rick Yancey
Sixteen-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an alien invasion that has already decimated the population and knocked mankind back to the Stone Age.
The Finest Hours
Cast: Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Graham McTavish, Holliday Grainger, Eric Bana
Director: Craig Gillespie
Distributor: Disney
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: January 29th
Based on: THE FINEST HOURS: The True Story of a Heroic Sea Rescue by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman
In February of 1952, one of the worst storms to ever hit the East Coast struck New England, damaging an oil tanker off the coast of Cape Cod and literally ripping it in half. On a small lifeboat faced with frigid temperatures and 70-foot high waves, four members of the Coast Guard set out to rescue the more than 30 stranded sailors trapped aboard the rapidly-sinking vessel.
On TV:
“Shadowhunters”
Cast: Katherine McNamara, Dominic Sherwood, Alberto Rosende, David Castro
Network: Freeform (formerly ABC Family)
Air Dates: Premieres January 12th, 2016; Tuesdays at 9pm ET
Based On: THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
On her 18th birthday, a woman discovers that she's an angel-human hybrid who hunts demons. After her mother is kidnapped, Clary must venture into the dark world of demon hunting in order to find clues that can help her find her mother.
Cast: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Rick Cosnett, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, Tom Cavanagh, Jessie L. Martin
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Mid-season premiere January 19th; Tuesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: THE FLASH: DC Comics character created by Robert Kanigher, John Broome and Carmine Infantino
Following the defeat of Barry Allen's arch-nemesis Eobard Thawne (a.k.a. Reverse Flash), Team Flash quickly turned their attention to the singularity swirling high above Central City, which fans last saw consuming everything in its path. Armed with the heart of a hero and the ability to move at super speeds, Barry charged into the eye of the singularity, but will he actually be able to save his city from impending doom?
Cast: Stephen Amell, Colin Donnell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Susanna Thompson, Paul Blackthorne
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Mid-season premiere January 20th; Wednesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: DC Comics character Green Arrow created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp
After defeating his most formidable foe to date and riding off into the sunset with longtime flame Felicity Smoak, Oliver Queen (a.k.a. The Arrow) left Starling City with the hopes of beginning a new life. But will Oliver ever truly be able to leave behind his past as the Arrow, and, if so, what becomes of the team he has worked so hard to assemble? Will Diggle, Thea and Laurel be left to continue Oliver’s crusade without him? And with Malcolm Merlyn having ascended to the top of the League of Assassins as the new Ra's al Ghul, is anyone really safe?
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Premieres January 21st; Thursdays at 8pm ET
Based On: DC Comics characters
Cast: Shohreh Aghdashloo, Cas Anvar, Wes Chatham
Network: SyFy
Air Dates: December 14th
Based On: The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey
The case of a missing heiress brings a hardened detective and a rogue ship's captain together to solve what turns out to be a conspiracy spanning the solar system in this thriller set 200 years in the future.
“Childhood's End” (miniseries)
Cast: Daisy Betts, Charles Dance, Osy Ikhile
Network: SyFy
Air Dates: December 14th
Based On: CHILDHOOD'S END by Arthur C. Clarke
Benevolent aliens create a seeming utopia on Earth, but at a cost.
On DVD:
The Walk
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Guillaume Baillargeon
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Distributor: Sony
MPAA Rating: PG
DVD Release Date: January 5th
Based on: TO REACH THE CLOUDS by Philippe Petit
Everest
Cast: Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emily Watson, Keira Knightley
Director: Baltasar Kormakur
Distributor: Universal Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: January 12th
Based On: INTO THIN AIR by Jon Krakauer, AFTER THE WIND by Lou Kasischke
