It is rare that a film-adaptation is as good as the source material. Most of the time they fail to live up to the source material. Some adaptations are from books that don't need one. And sometimes a concept is so good it practically leaps of the page, and onto the screen. But a concept is not enough. You need visionaries who are willing to translate the idea into a film. You need a director who will bring the movie to life. You need actors who will give it their all to the role. You need a composer who will tell the story through the music. If you somehow manage to put all these crucial roles into one film, you've got a fantastic film. And Jurassic Park is that. What Michael Crichton wrote in his groundbreaking novel Jurassic Park, a tale of an island filled with dinosaurs, was to large to be contained in a book. It was bound to get an adaptation. But its a dinosaur island movie, the movie sells itself. They didn’t even need to try. All they had to show was dinosaurs and call it a day. And while the sequels fell into this trap, the first Jurassic Park is something else. Steven Spielberg saw the film as much more. He knew that if done right this could be a spectacle beyond anything audiences had ever seen. He worked on a script that takes the very best parts of the novel, along with a few new elements, and crafted a masterpiece. One of the new elements was the characterization of John Hammond John Hammond in the novel, is a greedy business man, out to make a profit. The Hammond in the movie, is an eccentric, but compassionate man. He didn't create the park to make a profit, but to make people happy. In the film he say's "I wanted to show them something that wasn't a illusion. Something that was real. Something they see, and touch" Spielberg needed to find a cast who would help bring his and Crichton's vision to life. For the role of the reluctant but heroic Alan Grant, Sam Neill was cast. The courageous, and kind Ellie Salter, was portrayed by Laura Dern. Rounding out the cast was Jeff Goldblum as the brilliant and charismatic Ian Malcom. After gathering the cast he worked on bring to life the other main characters, the dinosaurs. He used impressive practical effects, that utilized animatronics, people in prosthetics, and clever lighting. Some scenes use some CGI but the majority of the dinosaurs were done entirely practical. After finishing filming, and rendering the few CGI dinosaurs the film was ready to released. They film was a resounding success, grossing over 1 Billion dollars worldwide. It is current Spielberg's highest grossing film to date. And while other adaptations, like the Shawshank Redemption may be better films, they don't compare to the sheer awe that Jurassic Park brings to the screen. That is why it is the greatest book-to-film adaptation.

STRIKE FIRST! STRIKE HARD! NO MERCY! If you are looking for a show with hard hitting action, gorgeous choreography, and powerful emotional beats, I've got the show for you. Cobra Kai is a amazing followup the the original karate kid trilogy. This show follows the washed up ex-bully Johnny Lawrence as he reopens Cobra Kai and trains the next generation of students in the way of the fist. Meanwhile the successful Daniel LaRusso is drawn back into the karate world and opens his own rival dojo Miyagi-Do. Both Ralph Macchino and William Zabka reprise their roles as well as many of the other original cast members. There is also a plethora of new teenage actors who bring their characters to life. Throughout the five seasons both mentor and mentees fight amongst each other and learn discipline, respect and how to win a fight. They also face off against villains old and new. Martian Kove returns as John Kreese in the standout villain role. The show has many large scale set pieces, that make for intense and fun karate brawls. The fights are well choreographed, easy to follow, and practical. Some special effects are used for items in the background, but cobra kai leans on its well trained actors who make the action feel grounded and real. No cgi battles or sky beams here. Just amazing action delivered by characters who you empathize and care about. The soundtrack is filled with many fantastic beats, new and old. In addition to the action, Cobra Kai delivers many powerful emotional moments, that humanize its character, and you will be cheering along with the characters during action scenes. Some episodes are funny. Some are triumphant. Some are incredibly sad. Be sure to have a box of tissues on hand for season 2 episode six, because you will be balling your eyes out. I certainly did. The show delivers many shocking plot twists, that you will never see coming. There is also many cool easter eggs for hardcore fans, but the show doesn't require homework. It helps to have seen the past films, but the uninitiated will have just as much fun as the diehard fan. The show currently has five seasons available to stream, with the sixth and final season currently in development. Each season has 10 episodes which run for 20-40 minutes. Just watch one episode. I watched half of one episode and I was immediately hooked. So give it a watch. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.