THE FAULT IN OUR STARS on the Silver Screen

So, it seems they are making a film adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Can anyone say score!!

My book club (I know, members, I know. I need to email you.) read this one a while back with some interesting discussion about the book. I think I was actually the most critical, which perhaps is why I'm so excited for the film adaptation.

As we all know, when moving a book to the silver screen, changes, deletions, and additions must be made for a new medium. It's the beauty of adaptations--a new vision sprouting from the same idea. I did have some issues with the book (though not to say I didn't enjoy it very much--I definitely did! It was excellent overall.) that I'm interested to see what producers and directors do with. Green's story could translate very well to film and has the potential to really dig even deeper and in an even more accessible way into the hearts of its audience.

It seems our heroine has also been cast already. Set to play Hazel is Shailene Woodley, according to Entertainment weekly, via GalleyCat:

The Descendants actress Shailene Woodley has been cast as Hazel Grace Lancaster in the upcoming film adaptation of John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, Entertainment Weekly reports. 

As of this writing, the announcement has attracted 240 “likes” on Facebook. Green himself has endorsed Woodley in a blog post: “I am very excited about this. Here’s the thing, tumblr: Shailene Woodley loves The Fault in Our Stars. She really does, and in her audition, she just was Hazel—at least to me.” 

The Golden Globe-nominated actress has taken roles in numerous book adaptation projects. 

We previously reported that she will portray Beatrice “Tris” Prior in the Divergent movie. According to Yahoo! Movies, she will also play Mary Jane Watson in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. 

See the original post HERE

Shailene was brilliant in The Descendants (and I'm not gonna lie, I am a secret fan of her former ABC show The Secret Life of the American Teenager) and must be doing something to right to by landing so many fantastic roles in upcoming adaptations.

Looking forward to buying my ticket in advance!

P.S. I would totally go on a Divergent squee-ing spree right now, by the way, but I'll save that for another day.

HUNGER GAMES Film Chatter

My excitement for the film adaptation of The Hunger Games is mounting now that it's less than two months away.

*runs around flailing arms and cheering*

It seems I'm not the only one steeped in anticipated, though. Jill Slattery over at Heroes and Heartbreakers even posted a great piece this week about "the five things The Hunger Games movie needs to get right":

It’s almost here! We’re officially just two months away from finally seeing The Hunger Games movie! In some ways it feels like it was just yesterday that Lionsgate announced they were producing a film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’s wildly popular dystopian YA novel. In other ways, it feels like we’ve all been waiting an INTERMINABLY LONG TIME to see Katniss Everdeen wield her famous bow and arrow on the big screen.

But book-to-movie adaptations can sometimes be a tricky business. For every Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, there’s a Golden Compass and a Scarlett Letter (Demi Moore as Hester Prynne, ’nuff said). The Hunger Games novel is beloved by legions of fans from around the world, so the film version has some very big shoes to fill. Here are five things that I think The Hunger Games movie absolutely needs to get right in order to make a truly successful leap on the big screen.

1. The Girl Who Was On Fire
This one seems obvious but it bears saying all the same. For the Hunger Games movie to work, the character of Katniss Everdeen must work. When Jennifer Lawrence was cast in the highly coveted role there were plenty of detractors—she was too blonde, too old, too round. I understood the naysayers, to a point. All they had to go on was the image of Katniss that they had built up in their minds, and Jennifer Lawrence didn’t look like the girl from the Seam that everyone had imagined. But all of those early casting complaints will be forgotten if Lawrence can embody the vulnerable courage and the fierce determination of a girl who incites a rebellion with just a few berries. The strength of the Hunger Games movie (and of the future of the series) hinges on Jennifer Lawrence—so let’s hope her performance is just as accurate as Katniss’ aim.

2. The Violence
Depicting violence in movies can be like walking a stylistic tightrope. Action sequences, so full of quick, stylized cuts and pulsing soundtracks, can sometimes look, well, pretty. Death can seem cool. But that’s exactly the kind of thing that The Hunger Games movie should avoid. Because it is this stylized portrayal of violence, packaged and sanitized for your viewing pleasure, that Suzanne Collins is criticizing in her novel. At its heart, The Hunger Games is a story about a barbaric government that forces children to kill other children on live TV. That violence, so heartbreaking in its brutality in the novel, must also be viscerally palpable in the film. But it should always feel ugly. Likewise, Katniss’ skill at killing (and boy does girlfriend have some skills), should never seem cool. One must always remember that The Hunger Games isn’t just the story of one girl from District 12—it’s also the story of a bunch of kids who never make it out of the Arena.

3. The Peeta Puzzle
A confession: I didn’t really care for Peeta Mellark when I read The Hunger Games. I know, I know, everyone loved the boy with the bread and I was a weirdo because I preferred poor angst-ridden Gale. But setting aside those personal preferences, I’m really interested to see how Peeta translates onto the big screen. The Hunger Games is told from Katniss’ point of view, so the reader is never quite sure what Peeta is up to; there’s a flashback of him giving her bread when they were children (which Katniss considers to be an act of kindness that saved her life), then he confesses his feelings for her in a televised interview, then he appears to side with the Careers in the Arena before he is badly wounded.

That’s a lot of emotional gymnastics to go through, and I’m very interested to see how Josh Hutcherson plays the character’s arc over the course of the movie, not to mention what kind of chemistry he has with Jennifer Lawrence. Can Hutcherson live up to the image of The Boy with the Bread that millions of Hunger Games fans have in their heads? He better, otherwise the next two movies are going to be...rough.

4. The Capitol’s Cruelty
In the lead-up to The Hunger Games movie release, there has been a lot of press about the costumes, hairstyles, and make-up of the Capitol. There was a Hunger Games themed line of nail polishes from China Glaze (with a coal black color called “Smoke and Ashes,” natch) and there’s a style website called Capitol Couture that promises, “Whether you’re a Capitol fashionista or a style-crazed District citizen, there’s only one place to turn for all the tips, tricks and trends you need to look your best.”

None of this is really surprising—The Hunger Games is a big studio movie, so there are bound to be lots and lots of product tie-ins (Hollywood studios will slap a movie’s name on just about any product if they think they can make a quick buck). But I really hope that this glamorized, aspirational take on the Capitol is strictly for promotional purposes. Because the Capitol of the novel is anything but glamourous and aspirational. It’s full of surgically altered monsters and pampered, oblivious souls who watch with glee as children kill other children. The Hunger Games promo machine can keep it’s “Capitol fashionistas”, but I’m crossing my fingers that the movie gives us a Capitol that is just as grotesque and insidious as the one portrayed in the novel.

5. Haymitch Abernathy
The drunk District 12 mentor could easily become a caricature and, quite frankly, the brief glimpses that we have seen of Woody Harrelson as Haymitch have me a bit worried. I mean, what on Earth is going on with his hair?! This is a man who has survived a Hunger Games and has watched the children from District 12 die year after year, for twenty-five long years. This is a man who, when a terrified Katniss asks him for advice, merely replies, “Here’s some advice. Stay alive.” He has no time for perfectly coiffed tresses! But I’ll ignore the long blond locks as long as Harrelson’s Haymitch is every bit as acerbic, wry, and broken as he is in the book.

See the original post HERE

I've gotta say, I agree with all of the things Jill points out in this post. I'm all for film adaptations being a new vision of the original, taking some risks and making necessary changes for the medium, but the essence of the project--the tone, the characters, etc.--must remain in tact.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how they handle the world of Panem itself. The districts and the arena, all of it. It truly will set the scene, not only physically but thematically and tonally. Rue and Prim are two other characters I think are important for the film to truly capture--they aren't big roles in actuality, but they provide so much of the inspiration and motivation for the Katniss's actions that we need to really feel and believe it.

"The Hunger Games" goes Hollywood--Finally!

So, it's official. Suzanne Collins's bestselling Hunger Games trilogy is being adapted for the silver screen.

I, for one, have been laying in wait for the casting to be announced. I've gotta say I'm intrigued by the choice: Jennifer Lawrence.

Nominated for an Academy Award this year for her leading role in Winter's Bone (which was pretty awesome and powerful, btw), Lawrence wasn't exactly who I expected for the role of Katniss. But I think she'll do a good job with the role--that is, as long as her acting range is as wide as we all anticipate. In Winter's Bone Lawrence really didn't have an opportunity to show us her ability when it comes to puppies and rainbows--aka happiness and love. WB is a dark, tormenting film, and while Lawrence was brilliant in it, Katniss's character will be a very different, somewhat more expansive, role for her. I'm excited to see what's to come from this newcomer.

TheWrap.com tells us more:

Academy Award nominee Jennifer Lawrence has landed the coveted lead role in Lionsgate's new franchise "The Hunger Games," TheWrap has learned.

The role caps a meteoric rise for the 20-year-old actress, who was barely known to the public a year ago when she came to prominence in a tiny film at Sundance 2010, "Winter's Bone."

The film, which won the festival's top award, went on to become a sleeper hit in the heartland states, and nabbed Lawrence an Oscar nomination for best actress for her performance as gritty young girl defending her family in a hardscrabble country landscape.

The lead in "The Hunger Games," based on the best-selling novels, was one of the hottest roles in town.

Lawrence was tipped as the "clear frontrunner" four days ago. She got the offer on Tuesday, and the details were hammered out for two days until the deal closed on Wednesday, according to an individual with knowledge of the deal.

Details of the deal were unavailable Wednesday night, but the actress presumably has signed on to stick with the franchise.

The studio plans the franchise as a trilogy which will include "The Hunger Games," "Catching Fire" and "Mockingjay," based on the best-selling young adult books by Suzanne Collins.

Lawrence will play the role of Katniss, a girl who joins a survival contest in order to save her community. The story takes place in the future, where teenagers are chosen by lottery to compete to the death in gladiator-like spectacles, the Hunger Games.

Lawrence, who was nominated for best actress for the 2010 "Winter's Bone," was one of about 10 actresses seeking the role. They reportedly included two other Oscar nominees: "True Grit's" Hailee Steinfeld and "Little Miss Sunshine's" Abigail Breslin.

Chloe Moretz, Lyndsy Fonseca, Saoirse Ronan, Emma Roberts, Kaya Scodelario, Emily Browning and Shailene Woodley also were reported to be under consideration.

Lawrence recently completed another franchise, "X-Men: First Class," in which she plays Raven Darkholme/Mystique.

She also has a role in "The Beaver," which debuted at the SXSW festival on Wednesday night, and in this year's Sundance winner, "Like Crazy."

Alex Pettyfer, who plays John in "I Am Number Four," is rumored to be under consideration for the role of Peeta Mellark, as are Josh Hutcherson ("The Kids Are All Right," "Bridge to Terabithia") and Hunter Parrish ("Weeds").

Gary Ross ("Seabiscuit") is directing the movie, which will debut on March 23, 2012.

Billy Ray ("Shattered Glass," "State of Play") wrote the screenplay. Nina Jacobson, Jim Miller and Alli Shearmur are producing.

See the original post HERE

What do YOU think about this casting choice? Who do you think is best for the part?

Ready, Set, Action!

The much-awaited film adaptation of Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen finally began filming on May 20 (I'm a little behind, I know). See my previous post on the subject for more details.

Locked down for the role of young Jacob is Robert Pattinson (elderly Jacob will be Hal Holbrook) and the character of Marlena will be played by Reese Witherspoon (though this casting has been in place for months). Sean Penn, who had been rumored to play August--Marlena's absuive husband and Jacob's sort-of boss--will not be involved, however. The role was instead filled by the Viennese Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz of "Inglorious Basterds" fame.

I will admit once more that I was skeptical about Robert Pattionson's ability to pull off this role, but after hearing about his admirable performance in "Remember Me" (it's in my Netflix queue) and seeing some on-set pictures of R-Patz, as Perez Hilton is wont to call him (pictures courtesy of PerezHilton.com), I'm starting to get quite excited to see him as Jacob.

Hopefully the flick will be as fun as the subjectmatter lends itself to. Guess we'll have to wait until 2011 to find out!

Katherine Heigl as Stephanie Plum? Eh...

The bestselling Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich is finally coming to the big screen.

A film adaptation of One for the Money, the first book in the beloved romance/mystery series, had been in the works for over 15 years and just finally is making headway now that its leading lady is cast--Katherine Heigl--according to the Daily News:

What do you get when you mix Katherine Heigl, lingerie and bounty hunting? A chick flick that guys are sure to enjoy.

The "Grey's Anatomy" star has signed on for the lead role in "One for the Money," based on the first book in the immensely popular Stephanie Plum series of novels by Janet Evanovich, Variety.com reports.

Heigl will play Plum, a lingerie buyer who takes onwork as a bounty hunter to make some extra cash, setting off a series of adventures that has lead to 19 books so far, the most recent being "Finger Lickin' Fifteen."

In "One for the Money," Plum learns the ropes of bounty hunting by chasing down a wanted cop named Joseph Morelli, who happens to be the guy who took her virginity back when she was 16 and wrote about it on the bathroom wall of Mario's Sub Shop.

Read more HERE

While I agree that this series will make a very fun movie (I've only read the first two books in the series myself), I'm iffy on the casting again. I love Katherine Heigl in "Grey's Anatomy" and in some of her films--I was OBSESSED with "Wish Upon a Star" when I was a kid--I don't think she's quite right for this role. I also didn't think she was right for the role of Izzy Spellman in The Spellman Files adaptation, which is was rumored to play and is a very similar role. I don't know--I just can't see her as a gun-toting, tough-as-nails (but sarcastic and hilarious) sleuth. She has too much innocence and not enough chutzpah. But who knows, maybe she'll surprise me.

If I were casting this film, I'd go with someone more like Kristen Bell, whose role as Veronica Mars in the television series of the same name was kick-ass. Or maybe someone with a darker, sexier look like Sandra Bullock (though she's a bit too old for the role now, I think) or Rachel McAdams.

Tough (casting) call.

Also, check out these polls on Grupthink.com. Some of the nominees are hilarious:

Who makes the best Stephanie Plum? and Cast the Stephanie Plum Movie

Who do YOU think would be best?

Rosie the Elephant on the Big Screen

It looks like Rosie the elephant is going to get her close-up. Water for Elephants, the novel by Sara Gruen, has been picked up for the silver screen.

And according to Variety.com, the cast will likely be star-studded:

Robert Pattinson and Sean Penn are circling Fox 2000's Depression-era drama "Water for Elephants."

Reese Witherspoon has already boarded to the film, which will be directed by Francis Lawrence. Scribe Richard LaGravenese is adapting for the bigscreen.

Based on Sara Gruen's best-selling historical tome of the same name, story centers on a Cornell U. veterinary student who leaves his studies after his parents are killed and joins up with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, working as a vet for the circus. Witherspoon will play Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August (Penn), the charismatic but twisted animal trainer.

Studio, which is eyeing a June start date, wouldn't confirm details of the project. Gil Netter, Erwin Stoff and Andrew Tennenbaum are producing.

"Twilight" star Pattinson has been on every studio's wish list. His deal is expected to close. Penn, who is in Haiti on a humanitarian mission, is the bigger question mark. He has an offer from the studio but is still mulling the role.

See the article HERE

I think this novel will translate quite well to film. While the writing was my favorite part of the book, the story is incredibly entertaining, powerful, and moving. I could see Penn, Pattinson, and Witherspoon (the only one currently signed) taking on the roles of August, Jacob, and Marlena in a very general sense. But I'm only convinced that Sean Penn is absolutely PERFECT for the role.

I'm not a huge Pattinson fan in general and would prefer someone else personify the character, though I'm interested to see his real acting chops in some of his upcoming films. Jacob is a young, redhead in the historical part of the play and a 90-year-old (or so) man in the present day. It'd be ideal to find an actor who could be aged to play both roles and I just can't see Pattinson being able to pull that one off. I'm imagining Tobey Maguire a la "Seabiscuit"--though he might be a little to harsh. Jacob needs some naivete, though Maguire can do that too I suppose--when he plays Peter Parker, for example. Another good choice would be Ryan Gosling.

Also, while I think Witherspoon is a great actress (check her out in "Walk the Line" if you don't believe me!) and I can see her playing the role of the female in a love triangle and even see her standing atop a galloping horse, Marlena's character is exotic (I have whitewashing on the brain after yesterday's topic). I see her more as Marion Cotillard.

Who do YOU think should play Jacob and Marlena?