Aylmer to Zazzoo and Beyond: Stephenie Meyer

Showing posts with label Stephenie Meyer. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Austenland - Review

Austenland
(2013 - August 16, 2013 [NY, LA])
Comedy | Romance
1 hr. 36 min.

Rated: PG-13 Innuendo and Suggestive. Common Sense Media says OK for kids 12+. Read more
Grade: C-

Director: Jerusha Hess
Writers: Jerusha Hess (screenplay), Shannon Hale (screenplay), Shannon Hale (novel)
Stars: Keri Russell, JJ Feild, Jennifer Coolidge | See full cast and crew

Socially awkward Jane Hayes (Keri Russell) is obsessed with the works of Jane Austen and fantasizes about the character of Mr. Darcy. She scrapes together as much money as she can and takes off for Austenland, a British theme resort where guests immerse themselves in a romantic fantasy worthy of Austen herself. However, because Jane's limited funds do not allow as many privileges as other guests, her chance at a fling with her very own Mr. Darcy may be limited as well.

I was the only one in the theater when I saw this film and it soon became apparent why. It's a total 'chick flick' but where were all the chicks?

Austenland is Twilight author Stephenie Meyer's first foray into film producing with this romantic comedy about a thirtysomething woman whose lifelong obsession with all things Jane Austen leads her to an eccentric theme park based on the writer's work, and into the company of a handsome young suitor. It is also very predictable, completely forgetable, uniremarkable, and a not very amusing comedy. I thought at least Jennifer Coolidge would be worth a few laughs but he lines and delivery fell flat.

Jane Hayes (Keri Russell), for as long as she can remember has been a fan of the classic writings of Jane Austen, she has turned her apartment and her life into a shrine, she eats, drinks and sleeps Jane Austen and and fantasises about her future with the heroic Mr. Darcy. For years she has been squirreling away money to pay for a dream-trip to Austenland, a fantasy land resort for die-hard fans to completely immerse themselves in the elegant world of their beloved author run by Mrs. Wattlesbrook (Jane Seymour) [an aside: I was once cast to play Jane Seymour's little brother on Broadway but the project lost it's funding and was never staged], anyway, she sells her Toyota Tercel for the extra cash and with great expectations, packs her bags and books a room at Austenland.

When she first arrives the fantasy resort is everything she had ever imagined. Every detail is as elegant and exquisite as the Jane Austen novels. She quickly discovers, however, one small disappointing detail: Due to her limited funds she could only afford the 'copper package' meaning that she wasn't entitled to the same luxury experience as the other, wealthier bachelorettes who were booked at Austenland. There were only two other guests, Miss Elizabeth Charming (Jennifer Coolidge) and Lady Amelia Heartwright (Georgia King), but she decides to make the most of her trip anyway. Later, when Jane falls into a romance with an 'off limits' dashing young servant, Martin (Bret McKenzie), her lifelong dreams suddenly begin to be realized, but there are complications with her dreamy yet seemingly unattainable 'Mr. Darcy', in the form of Mr. Henry Nobley (JJ Feild). What will happen when the two resort actors begin to vie for Jane's hand? (The outcome is so easy to predict).

The are a few things for which I can give Austenland kudos, it doesn't stoop to the common sex, nudity and profanity of the standard Hollywood offerings, which could so easily have been inserted, and the film was filmed partially in Utah. The screenplay was co-written by Utah athoress Shannon Hess (based on her book) and Utah director Jerusha Hess (a BYU girl like Stephenie Meyer). Austenland debuted at Sundance where it was acquired by Sony Pictures Worldwide.

Shannon Hale: In 2007, (Twilight author and Austenland producer) Stephanie Meyer, who is a writer friend, we were talking about what fun it would be to make it into a movie. “We’ll just rent a camcorder and go to England and rent a house and make the movie and ha ha ha, it will never happen.”
Then two years later, I met Jerusha Hess who I didn’t know was a fellow Utahn and she’d read some of my books and we went to lunch and I gave her 'Austenland.' She called me 24 hours later and said “let’s make this into a movie.”
The next day Stephanie called me and said, “I know we used to joke about it, but I really do think 'Austenland' would be a great movie,” and I said, “It’s so funny because Jerusha Hess just called me and wanted to make it into a movie.”
That was 2009 and we got together, the three of us, and started making plans and Jerusha and I started writing the screenplay together and then we shot it in 2011.

Behind the scenes with director Jerusha Hess

The ladies of Austenland

Most of the cast clowning at a publicity event

Cast

JJ Feild Keri Russell Bret McKenzie

Mr. Henry Nobley Jane Hayes Martin

Jennifer Coolidge Georgia King Jane Seymour

Miss Elizabeth Charming Lady Amelia Heartwright Mrs. Wattlesbrook

James Callis Ricky Whittle

Colonel Andrews Captain George East

Friday, March 29, 2013

The Host - Review

The Host
(2013 - March 29)
Action | Adventure | Romance
2 hr 5 min

Rated: PG-13 Some sensuality and violence
Grade: C-

Director: Andrew Niccol
Writers: Stephenie Meyer (novel), Andrew Niccol (screenplay)
Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Max Irons, Jake Abel | See full cast and crew

When an unseen enemy threatens mankind by taking over their bodies and erasing their memories, Melanie will risk everything to protect the people she cares most about, proving that love can conquer all in a dangerous new world.

Let's say for novelist Stephenie Meyer it's a hit, hit, hit and a miss. Whether you liked the Twilight franchise or not, the one unequivocal thing that can be said about them is that they were a financial success.

The audience with whom I saw The Host was mostly women. Pretty much what you would expect from a Stephenie Meyer movie. I also expected that they would be appreciative fans. That perception was blown away very early on in the film. As soon as Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan) started having a conversation inside her head with Wanderer (also Saoirse Ronan) the tittering started. As the film progressed the they moved on to chuckles and giggles that they attempted to keep amongst themselves but soon there was outright laughter.

Here's a basic rundown of the plot:

Parasitic aliens called 'Souls' have invaded the Earth and have begun to possess the minds of their human hosts. Melanie Stryder's is critically injured while trying to escape the Seekers (humans who have already been possesed) her body is implanted with a Soul named Wanderer, but she refuses to fade away. Wanderer assignment is to call up Melanie's memories so that the Seekers can locate the hold out humans. Wanderer sees in Melanie's memories, her loved ones and eventually finds a connection with them, too. Melanie and Wanderer are trapped inside the same body, speaking to each other mentally and vying for control, when both decide to set off and find Melanie's loved ones. Melanie wants to get back to her little brother and the man she loves, meanwhile Wanderer falls in love with another man.

How does the old song by Mary MacGregor go? "Torn between to lovers, feeling like a fool, loving you both is breaking all of the rules."...well.

This scenario in The Host is just begging for a parody on Saturday Night Live. It's really the dreadful dialogue between the two women Melanie/Wanderer that leads to the laughter from the audience. It could also be bad acting but when the lines are so ludicrous it is hard to deliver them in a manner that isn't embarrassing. I don't think The Host is quite as bad as the critics say it is and it has been panned almost unanimously and I give it credit for not dragging traditional morals through the mud and Meyer (just a little pun) and for keeping the profanity to an couple of hells and damns, Bravo!

I confess that I have not read the novel and I am told that the book is intriguing and deals with the material in a far superior manner. However, I was also put off by the seriously over done eyes of the possessed humans. It immediately brought to mind crazed eyes in the cult classics, Reefer Madness (1936) and Trapped by the Mormons (1922). The Host has the feeling of a Broadway drama that needs another month (or two) of rehearsals and revisions before opening night.

With a budget of $40 million it has the look of a bigger budget made for TV movie or Mini-series. The southwest desert scenery is awesome.

The major blame for The Host's short comings rests on the shoulders of Writer/Director Andrew Niccol.

The Host, like Stephenie Meyer's other chick flick movies has a lot of eye candy in its leading men and this film is no exception. In this video (below) they talk about casting the male roles and includes some fans opinions on the "Men of The Host".