2. I, Robot - Author Isaac Asimov is considered by many science fiction enthusiasts as one of the most recognizable names in the genre, especially when the topic of robots and technology are emphasized.  The extreme reverence that is reserved for the author is likely why so many steadfast fans loathed the Will Smith vehicle of the same name that was released in 2004.  The film is notoriously known for inserting ideas and concepts from Asimov's works as an afterthought, rather than structuring the film around these admittedly fascinating stories.  It is for this reason that the adaptation alienated so many of Asimov's most ardent fans.  This is certainly a shame, for despite the strong lack of similarity to the original text, this film still yielded a highly entertaining viewing experience.  Thanks to the fascinating direction by Alex Proyas (who had established a unique style with The Crow, and the film that was so gloriously ripped off by The Matrix, Dark City) and the considerable action star appeal of Smith, the film provides an interesting twist on the classic "man vs. machine" tale.

3. Blade Runner - Not only did this 1982 Philip K. Dick adaptation largely differ from the original source material, but the title of the film is also different. In fact, the term blade runner does not even appear in the book the film was based on.  But then again, the original title, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, doesn't sound nearly as impressive now, does it?  In transitioning the material into the celluloid world, director Ridley Scott made countless changes to the text: the film is set in Los Angeles instead of the San Francisco setting of the novel; the motives of the replicants are also slightly different between the novel and the film. The book occurs many years after the events of a nuclear fallout, an element that is never even suggested in the film.  And yet despite these differences, it still does not discount the fact that Scott still managed to create a science fiction masterpiece.

4. Forrest Gump - This Best Picture Academy Award winner from 1994 found both creative and critical success by placing some of the most admirable qualities of Frank Capra's classic films in a new and modern context. While those qualities made for an outstanding film, it still stands as a poor adaptation of Winston Groom's novel of the same name. Groom's book was even more wildly satirical than the film had been, and had little in the way of heartwarming, touching moments;  in fact, two of the prominent characters who perish during the course of the film are alive and well at the conclusion of the book.  Even the character of Gump himself is quite different;  in the novel, Gump is much more profane and also has a considerably more rotund appearance than in the film;  he also embarks on a number of other adventures not in the film, such as pro-wrestling, chess, and space exploration.  While an accurate presentation of the novel in silver screen format would have certainly made for interesting viewing, the drastically altered film version is an excellent work in its own right.