Update: Smallville, Supernatural and Vampire Diaries

My TV viewing for this season has been a little off. If my best friend won’t watch a show with me (i.e. Glee, So You Think You Can Dance, The Bachelor, etc.), then I have to record it and watch it on my own later. Unfortunately, this means I’ve fallen behind on “The Vampire Diaries” and “Supernatural” this year. Amazingly enough, I manage to watch “Smallville” not long after it airs.

Now that we’re approaching or already on hiatus for these three shows, it will help me catch up soon, but after catching up on some of the recent episodes of Vampire Diaries and Supernatural, I thought I’d make a few updated comments about these CW shows I’m fangirling over.

Vampire Diaries. I wasn’t sure I’d stick with this one, but it’s gotten a lot better the past few episodes I’ve watched, which means I’m probably hooked now. Stefan has grown on me, but I still prefer the much snarkier Damon simply because of his wicked sense of humor. The addition of witches and more vampires has injected the show with fresh blood (pun intended), and I can see now why people are talking about this show so much. It’s really not bad at all, now that it has found its legs. I’m still not caught up, but the previews for the next episode I have to watch showed some serious skin between Elena and Stefan. Or was it supposed to be Stefan and Katherine? Hmmmm….

Supernatural. I still say this is the best show on television, and it’s not because I’m a tad bit obsessed with Jensen Ackles either. It’s really, really good. I mean, I went from laughing my head off during two recent satirically funny episodes to bawling like a baby in another more dramatic episode. Did you see the episode mocking Supernatural fans at a Supernatural convention? Hilarious. And did you see “Abandon All Hope,” the last episode before it went on hiatus? OMG. Heartbreaking. I tear up just thinking about it. I still can't believe they killed Jo and Ellen. And how! RIP, brave Jo and Ellen. Rest in peace. I mean, that look on Jensen as Dean and Jared as Sam's faces when the building exploded. Oh gosh, I'm crying again. Jared and Jensen do a bang-up job as worthy of Emmy nominations as more mainstream actors, but it’ll never happen because they’re buried on the CW. And the storyline this year has just been compelling. God is a legitimate, although MIA, character on the show now, and so is Lucifer, but the focus is still on the relationship between these two brothers and the few who stand beside them in a full-on fight against evil. I admit, even if it is wrong to say, I love me some Castiel. He’s one hot angel, and he has terrific chemistry with Jensen Ackles. So glad he was added to the show as a regular this year. Three terrific actors. Three hot pieces of eye candy. I used to just “like” Supernatural and Sam and Dean. I realize now that I’m quite emotionally attached to these two characters, so much so I can’t bare the thought of the show ever ending, which is a distinct possibility this year. I’ll try not to think about it until it actually happens. I refuse to abandon all hope just yet. :-P

Smallville. Holy smokes, Superman. I am still totally loving the full-on Lois and Clark action this season. I did a happy fangirl squeal at my TV set when the last episode ended with Lois and Clark holding hands after agreeing to try dating. I really, really loved the episode where Lois got transported to the future. I had to keep reminding myself this is a show for a young audience because I was really tempted to scream at my TV for not showing enough skin when future-Lois and future-Clark hit the sheets. It was a nice shout-out to all the Superman comic and Clois fans out there and made me very, very happy. But I didn’t like the bleak ending to Lois’s future, where Clark, Chloe, Tess and Oliver all died in battle against Zod, but thank God Clark now knows what happened (even if Lois doesn’t remember) and can prevent that future from happening. I hope. I’m still not enthused about the overall darker tone of the season, but I won’t start on and on again about how Superman isn’t Batman nor is he a dark character. For the most part, this season has been really good. I’m psyched for the 2-hour Smallville/Justice League movie in February. Even if it doesn’t have Wonder Woman or Batman, it looks like it’s going to be awesome!

All eyes turn to Breaking Dawn now

It seems I'm not the only one chomping at the bit to get official confirmation from Summit Entertainment of The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn, the movie. After The Twilight Saga New Moon broke box office records on opening night, the question I heard posed most from reporters was, "Will Breaking Dawn be announced soon?"

The good thing is that, in interviews I've listened to or watched, Kristen Stewart has said she is frustrated it will take so long to make this movie because she's wants to make the movie NOW. Robert Pattinson has echoed that sentiment, as have Taylor Lautner, Kellan Lutz, Michael Welch and Nikki Reed. That's a good thing. That's a very good thing, because the cast is so popular and well known now that any one among them could easily pull a diva hissy fit and opt out of the project since, from all accounts, no one has yet to be signed onto the project. There have actually been conflicting reports on this, so I could be wrong. Variety reports they've all been signed onto one film, but not two, for BD. Yet Dakota Fanning, Kellan Lutz and Michael Sheen have all said in interviews that they haven't even been contacted about doing one BD film, let alone two. And I won't pretend to know why KStew an RPatz and the gang are so gung ho to get this movie finished. It could be because they want to put all things Twilight behind them, or maybe they just love working together that much. I'm just glad that they've all publicly committed to seeing the project through.

Variety had a great article on the dilemma of The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn, the movie, from Summit's perspective. It basically listed all of the problems I foresaw two weeks ago when New Moon was such an immediate hit. For one, the cast will likely and understandably request massive pay raises now. If Summit had locked them all in from the beginning, this wouldn't be a problem for the studio now. I think Ashley Greene's response on Ellen yesterday kind of exemplifies this. Ellen said, "I bet you're making a lot of money off of Twilight," and Ashley Greene laughed and said, "We're working on it." Yep, very telling.

The studio also has the problem of deciding whether to split the book into two films, or try to condense the massive book into one film. If they're smart, they'll make it into two. You know they'll both be hits and do well at the box office. Why make one movie and pull in $300 million when you can make two films and pull in $600 million? It would also extend the Twilight pandemonium even longer for fans, which equals more profit from merchandising, etc. Oh yeah, they would be stupid not to make two films. I can even predict how the first BD will end - with Renesme's birth. Edward turns Bella. Jacob goes down the stairs to kill Renesme. Rosalie sends him a fierce protective look and braces for a fight. Jacob glances at Renesme for the first time. Taylor Lautner's face morphs from angry to amazed. He freezes. The music swells. Cut to Edward crying over Bella's body. Zoom in to Kristen Stewart's face. Her eyes open. Zoom into her eyes. Red eyes. Fade to black. Roll the credits. I guarantee you that's how they will end the movie. I'm jotting this down now so I can direct you back to it when the movie comes out. Mark my words.

The next problem is finding a director. Fans want Chris Weitz, who did such an amazing job with New Moon. The cast wants Chris Weitz, because he was so easy to work with and did such an amazing job with New Moon. Chris Weitz, however, has publicly stated that he needs a break from filming now, and that he wants his next project to be "The Gardner." And if Summit did convince him to hop on board to BD before the cast gets any older, would he commit to two films shot back-to-back?

And of course, the biggest problem the studio probably has with this project is getting approval from author Stephenie Meyer before going into production. The studio very wisely has given Stephenie A LOT of control over the films, which is highly unusual with book-to-film translations. The benefit from this has been that the movies have been fairly true to the books and totally kickass. But the negative, if there is one, is that she has always said she didn't think Breaking Dawn could be turned into a film. So she might not allow it, when all is said and done. Melissa Rosenberg is reportedly working on a script for BD right now, but if Stephenie doesn't like it, it could hold things up.

I tend to agree with the actor Michael Welch, who said there is no doubt in his mind that BD would be made. I think the fans would riot if it wasn't. But the question is, when, and with what cast members?

Personally, I hope it's soon. I'm looking forward to The Twilight Saga Eclipse, but The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn is the movie I might sell my car to attend the premiere for.

Review: "New Moon"

I think I’ve made it pretty clear “New Moon” is not my favorite book in the Twilight saga, right? I mean, I get enough of seriously depressed people doing reckless and crazy things in my own life. I don’t want my fictional BFFs, Edward and Bella, to drown me in it too. And yeah, I’ve re-read “New Moon” to see if my reaction was different. It wasn’t. I loved the beginning, and I loved the end. The stuff in the middle of the book — not so much.

I only expected and hoped for a few things going into the movie based on this book. I wanted and expected to see my girl Kristen Stewart display some serious acting chops being depressed and forlorn, I wanted to see the reunion scene, and I wanted to see the Volturi. Well, I saw it all and then some.

I completely watched the movie with the mindset that “Ok, I know they’ve had to cut and change some things. I won’t let it bother me.” And it didn’t. Not one bit.

*Warning: Spoilers ahead.*

From the opening credits — awesome full moon slowly turning black as the movie title appeared — and the much-improved music score, I knew this movie was going to be epic. And with the first scene, taken straight out of the book, I knew director Chris Weitz understood the passion we fans have and was going to take great care in handling this movie for us. Lord, I hope that man directs “Breaking Dawn.” Please, God?

The things I liked about this movie? No rain. Rich colors. Charlie and Jessica were hilarious scene-stealers. Loved them. Kristen Stewart rocked it as Bella, depressed without Edward but playful around Jacob. And grudgingly I have to admit, Taylor Lautner made me like Jacob. Damn him. He wasn’t at all as arrogant as he was in the books. I can see now why Bella feels so torn in future installments.

I also loved that the movie wasn’t nearly as depressing as the book. They cut out a lot of the depressing stuff. There’s still plenty, but they cut out a lot of it. Thank goodness.

The scene where October, November and December pass as Bella looks out the window — expert filmmaking. I wondered how they would pull that off. Wonderful blending of the soundtrack to create the tone of the scene. That song is haunting.

The e-mails to Alice were a nice touch. Great way to narrate the story for fans craving the intimacy of the book. Great way to get inside Bella’s head and fill in the gaps for those who’ve never read it.

The Volturi. My goodness, the Volturi was awesome. Dakota Fanning was excellent as Jane. Michael Sheen was great as Aro. Italy was awesome. Loved it.

Things I didn’t like? Jasper and Rosalie’s hair. Obvious wigs, and they both looked retarded. Edward’s makeup. He looked sick throughout most of the movie. I actually preferred his look in the first film over this one, clothes notwithstanding. And the special effects (yes, I’m talking about the wolves and Sam’s cliffdiving scene) were horrid. The effects with Victoria were pretty awesome, but they dropped the ball everywhere else.

I also like the soundtrack so much better after seeing the movie. Thom Yorke’s song, “Hearing Damage,” is now a favorite.

I can’t wait to see this movie again, and probably again. It is so much better than the book in my opinion. So much better. I didn’t like the movie as much as “Twilight,” but it lags not far behind. I am now totally psyched for “Eclipse.” Can’t wait!

Chris Weitz, you are my new hero. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In defense of Twilight: A REALLY long post

“Ang, I just don’t get it.”

How many times have I heard this over the past year? Countless.

Ever since I came out of the closet about my Twilight obsession, my friends who haven’t read the books or seen the movie or liked the movie say, “I just don’t get it.”

Of course you wouldn’t. You haven’t read the books, or seen the movie, or liked the movie if you’ve seen it. Most often, it boils down to one thing. YOU HAVEN’T READ THE BOOKS!!

Read the books, then you’ll get it. Until then, we’re going to be at an impasse.

There is something about the Twilight books and the movie together that have the power to make a 30-plus-year-old woman go ga-ga over anything having to do with Twilight. Yes, I have a picture of Robert Pattinson hanging in my cubicle. So what?

I've been getting a lot of flack from my friends and co-workers lately because I love Twilight. I guess I stirred things up when I went in search of someone to go see New Moon with me at midnight when it opens. I have a zillion friends who are just as obsessed with Twilight as I am, but unfortunately for me, they all live in other cities or states.

I go to the mall and I see somebody wearing a Team Edward t-shirt. I go to the park and inevitably I see two or three...or four or five...people reading one of the books. I think, "Wow, I should be friends with her. She gets it, too!" But sadly, it never comes to pass.

Mythical haters?
Of course, I know there is actually a legion of haters out there that have read the books and don’t get it, but I’ve only seen them online. To me, they are almost like mythical creatures, like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. I hear about them. I see their comments posted on forums. I talk to people who’ve actually SEEN them, touched them, even. But I have never been in the same room with such a person myself; therefore, a part of me is doubtful of their existence. Here’s my theory: it’s one person — some bitter, misguided fool, who can’t feel a thing except bitterness and hate, sitting alone in a room in front of a computer, who read the books and hated them, saw the movie and hated it — posting negative comments online about Twilight under a thousand or so pseudonyms trying to fuel an online war of words with the million or so of us who are mildly (okay, majorly) obsessed with this franchise.

No, I’m not crazy.

Well, I’m crazy about Twilight, obviously.

All snarkiness aside, hmmm, I do have a friend who loves to read who said, if I remember correctly, that she hasn’t read the books. She tried but she couldn’t get into it, so she never finished the first book. Her daughter loves the books, but, eh, my friend just doesn’t get it either.

Well, again, I argue, read the books! Finish the books, and then make a judgment. Honestly, I was a little bored during parts of each of the books myself. Stephenie Meyer does love to describe things in detail, perhaps a bit much sometimes. But what writer doesn’t?

Yeah, I think I've heard all of the complaints about Twilight from people who've read the books and the ones who haven't read the books but who just hate it on principal.

It's Christian propaganda disguised as a love story for today's teenage girls.

It's anti-Christian because it romanticizes vampires who are demons.

It's poorly written. The characters are terrible. The plot is weak.

Bella sets a bad example for young women because she is too obsessed with a man.

Whatever.

Never mind the fact that it's gotten a lot of people reading books who wouldn't normally read. Or that it's given mothers and daughters a common interest, something to talk about and enjoy together. Nevermind that its underlying theme is "abstinence is good." I'm sure the council for the prevention of teenage pregnancy loves Twilight, just for that.

Why is Twilight so popular? Heck if I can put my finger on it.

It's exciting to read about forbidden love affairs. Twilight at times mimics Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice and Romeo And Juliet — all books I loved in high school. And what teenage girl hasn't longed for a forbidden romance of her own? What woman doesn't remember the excitement of her first love? The way Stephenie Meyer writes these books, you ARE Bella when you're reading them.

I felt like a teenager again by the time I got to reading “New Moon.” It was a nice, comforting feeling. To feel young again. To be adored by both Edward Cullen and Jacob Black.

Personally, I didn’t get obsessed-obsessed with the Twilight saga until I finished reading “Breaking Dawn,” the last book. Don’t know why. It just happened that way. I had the movie, which I loved, bad camera angles and all, to help fuel my obsession further. And sure, Twilight couldn’t have come at a better time in my life, when I was desperate for an escape from a lot of really bad things happening to me, or around me.

Maybe if I had read Twilight or seen the movie five or six years ago when my life was much calmer, I would have thought, “Eh, that was OK” and never thought of it again.

But I doubt it.

The fandom itself
It’s a strange thing, this Twilight fandom. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it. Not in the Superman universe or Buffy or whatever that I’ve been a part of.

The Twilight fandom seems to be a battleground of judgmental and obsessed fangirls and, yes, fanboys constantly bickering over their likes and dislikes of the series. It drives me crazy. Even people who love the series (or so they say) fight about it online. You can’t even go to a Kristen Stewart or Robert Pattinson fansite anymore without trapsing across some comments about what sucky actors they are. On their own fansites!!

And then there are fans of the books.

The Team Jacob fans hate the Team Edward fans. And vice versa. Quite vocally, I might add.

Either you’re a wolf pack girl or a vamp fan. There is no in between.

And then there are the fangirls obsessed with the series that absolutely loathe its heroine Bella Swan.

Bella!?! Seriously, folks?

You think she’s too whiny? Too self-absorbed? Um, take a look in the mirror, fangirls. You’re lying if you’re a teen who isn’t whiny or self-absorbed. I don’t care who you are. I’m a 30-plus-year-old woman, and I can be whiny and self-absorbed at times.

Don’t be such haters.

And the movie wars. Lord have mercy. I mean, the venom that has been spewed forth online toward Kristen Stewart the past year is seriously mean. And mostly unjustified, which is the worst part. When supposed fans start criticizing an actress for the clothes she wears in her personal life, that’s off grounds. Totally rude.

And my other girl, Nikki Reed? Wow. Whoever argues that she’s not pretty enough to play Rosalie is just plain blind or deluded. I’d give my right pinky — and maybe my whole right hand — to look like that girl. But the backlash against her on fansites hasn’t been much better than it has for Kristen Stewart.

But when all is said and done, whether you’re Team Jacob or Team Edward, whether you think Kristen Stewart should be replaced as Bella in the movie or if you think she’s the best actress in Hollywood, you’re a Twilight fan. You'll defend the series against non-Twilighters until the end.

Even if you're a 30-plus-year-old woman who should know better.

Vampire Diaries, Smallville and Supernatural

Fear not, great people of the Internet. I have returned to rescue this-blog-that-no-one-reads from limbo. Well, I figured I would at least update it with my thoughts on the current TV season, which I am now caught up on thanks to a flu-like illness that kept me down for a week and a half! Not that anyone cares, besides me, and possibly my cat. But still.

The CW’s Vampire Diaries. I had all of these episodes recorded and finally got to watch them all in the same day. It’s by no means my favorite new show on television, but since I was expecting it to be horrid, I was pretty surprised that I kinda liked it. I enjoyed the premiere episode better than any that followed, though, which worries me. I like the actor who plays Damon better than the actor who plays Stefan, too. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? I’ll keep watching to see what happens, but I won’t be surprised if I eventually grow bored with this one. Hopefully they’ll kick thing sup a knotch soon.

Supernatural. I have one word for you. Wow! After watching the first four episodes of this season back-to-back, I reassert my opinion that these writers are some of the best on TV today. Hands down. I definitely never got bored with any of the episodes, and the way the stories from past seasons have overlapped with current ones now is pure genius. I mean, Sam, that idiot, was tricked into starting the apocalypse?!? Archangel Michael needs Dean’s body to defeat Lucifer, who needs Sam’s body to kick things into high gear? My favorite warrior angel, Castiel, fell from grace to help save Dean and Sam. And God is missing? Not even the angels know where He is? Holy cow, this is some good — and downright terrifying — stuff. I am on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next episodes to air. How in the world are Sam and Dean gonna save us all from this one? Even more pressing, will they ever be the same two brothers we know and love again?

Smallville. Ah, Smallville. My love-hate relationship with this show continues, but I admit, the love is outweighing the hate this season in a big way. How wicked funny has Lois been, huh? And seeing Tom Welling, I mean, Clark with the S symbol on his chest has been oh so bittersweet. I almost cried when I saw the S symbol in its flaming glory after Clark saved Lois in the opening scene. But gone is the red-blue-blur this year, replaced by a black costume that just screams “Batman” to me. Seriously, people? How many times do I have to tell you that Superman is all that is good and light in this world. Stop trying to cash in on the success of The Dark Knight already by making him “dark” and “moody.” Stay true to the character, for God’s sake. But that aside, I’m loving the Lois and Clark stuff. It’s so…Lois and Clark. And Oliver’s “second-coming speech” to Clark gave me chills. Good writing. I am hopeful this season is going to be the BEST EVER when all is said and done.

Smallville and Supernatural return

So, to get away from Twilight for a little while (I hear it's healthy to distance yourself from your obsessions) ...

I am only now catching up on my Comic-Con news for my favorite fandoms, mainly Smallville and Supernatural. Wow, only a month away from the premieres? Where does the time go? But, I'm psyched. Especially after watching the crummy-quality, bootlegged promo on YouTube for season nine of Smallville that was shown during its panel. Gasp! Is that actually Lois and Clark in the throes of yummy passion?! Wha? Not that I'm complaining. Zod looks like a hottie, too. That should be interesting. And did I mention Lois and Clark doing the deed? Happy fangirl squeal here. And was that actually Tom Welling at Comic-Con? The same Tom Welling who hardly ever does any press or publicity for Smallville? The Tom Welling who plays Clark Kent/Superman? The same Tom Welling who refuses to send me his autograph for my Superman collection? And oh my gosh! Was that Clark wearing a version of the suit in the promo?!? I am so excited for this season, I just can't tell you. So excited!!!!

As for Supernatural, I cannot believe Paris Hilton is going to be a featured guest star this coming season. That hoebag had better stay away from my future husband, Jensen Ackles, while she is on the set is all I can say. She'd just better stay away from him. I'm bigger than her. I could break that little stick woman in half without breaking a sweat. And I have an uncomfortable suspicion about who she's going to be playing too. Remember when Alanis Morisette played God in "Dogma"? Yeah, they'd better not pull that publicity stunt crap by casting PH as God. The show is still excellent. It just gets better and better each year. That would make it jump the shark in 3 seconds flat. She'd better not even look lustily at Jensen while she's on the set. Hoebag. What is Eric Kripke thinking??? He's a genius though. I'll choose to trust him...for now.

TwiTour Experiences, Day 2

Saturday at the convention was much more crowded, and there were lots more teens in attendance on this day, I noticed. I'm sure the appearances of Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene had something to do with that.

The Hillywood folks were the day's hosts again, and Kellan was the first Q&A. When he came on stage, I thought my eardrums would burst from the deafening screams - much stronger than any from the day before. Kellan looked amazing in person. Very buff and very tall. After five minutes of listening to him talk, I was dazzled. Kellan really has an awesome personality. This guy is fun to listen to. He shared his love of The Lion King (he'd love to have been the voice of Simba), board games and his family, and I thought he gave a great answer when asked who, living or dead, he would most like to meet: he said he should pick Jesus, but he thinks he would be too in awe of Him. So, he'd rather pick Abraham or Paul or Job -- because he could actually ask them questions and learn something tangible instead of just sitting there staring at Jesus in amazement. He also talked about rescuing his dog, Cola, from a really bad animal shelter in L.A. and how much he loves taking her on hikes. He's very playful and quite the prankster and seemed to enjoy poking fun at Robert Pattinson. He said that Rob was such a quiet intellect that whenever Kellan would say something simple, like a knock-knock joke, Rob's response would be a confused look and "I don't get it." Kellan reminded me of a puppy - adorable, fun, and full of mischievous energy. He really won the crowd over when he said he wished Stephenie Meyer would write 20 more books so they could make 20 more movies because he loves playing Emmett that much. He said they all hope they'll get to film Breaking Dawn, but he's especially looking forward to filming the fight scenes in Eclipse most of all.

Next, Ashley Greene came on stage after an auction that saw someone bidding $500 on an autographed photo of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.$500!!! Wow! All I can say is, Ashley is stunningly beautiful in person. She also had her dog with her - although not on stage. She said Kellan was playing with her little dog upstairs while she did her Q&A, which I thought was awesome. She said her movie with Kellan, "Warriors," probably won't be ready for theaters until the end of the year at the earliest, and she talked enthusiastically about driving the yellow Porsche in New Moon. She really enjoyed taking driving lessons for it and almost drove the Porsche into a wall during one scene, but she said, "It looks really great on film!" She and Kellan both said they are very excited to begin filming Eclipse next month, and Ashley talked about how much fun they all had filming in Italy. She said those scenes are going to be action packed and that she gets to rumble with the Volturri a little. She joked that she will probably take another role someday simply because it films in Italy. She said her wire scenes in Twilight made her itch to do an action film, and that's the type of film she'd most like to do next. A parent also thanked Ashley for being a positive role model for her daughter, and Ashley later said that it was something she took seriously now that she's in the spotlight so much. She doesn't want to set a bad example for the young fans of the series. You go, Ashley.

After Ashley's Q&A, they began the autograph session with Kellan and Ashley. This time, our wait didn't seem as long -- only a 2 1/2 hour wait made more pleasant because we knew what to expect and were able to entertain ourselves better during the wait. First, Ashley was at the entrance end of the signing table. Her dog's little kennel was beside her, but he was sleeping (or seemed to be) so I didn't get to meet him. I think they draw out the autograph sessions so fans will be too tired to talk to the stars much when they eventually get up to them. I had a dozen things I wanted to say or ask both Ashley and Kellan, but when I actually got face-to-face with them I was both tired and nervous, so I only thanked Ashley for coming and told her I thought she was amazing as Alice, to which she shyly replied, "Awww, thank you." When I asked her to personalize my autograph, she said they'd been asked not to and handed it back to me, which bummed me a little, I admit. But while I was waiting on Kellan to finish with the fans in front of me, I looked back and saw Ashley watching me. She signaled me to return the photo and she signed my name without a word, only a little smile -- such a nice gesture that she didn't have to do. I will always be grateful to her for it though! Then Kellan was next. He too said he'd been asked not to personalize autographs or give hugs, but I swear he has so much charisma in person, it didn't matter one bit. He looked me in the eyes and thanked me for coming, and I swear his sexy smile made me feel special. I think it made my niece feel the same. When Kellan told her he really liked her shirt (it was a Dr. Seuss shirt), she got tongue-tied and said, "Um, it's a Dr. Hooose--" and Kellan smiled and said, "A Dr. Seuss shirt, I know. It's great." And then Brittney nearly tripped over me backing away, she was so dazzled by the amazing Kellan Lutz too. The boy needs to bottle that charm. He'd make a fortune.

Sadly, we didn't get pics with either of them, but I would have really loved to. Maybe next year. I'd love to get my arms around Kellan, even if its only for two seconds!

We left the hotel and convention exhausted and wishing we'd planned to attend Sunday's events too, but sadly, we had to return home. I'm already looking forward to next year!

My TwiTour Atlanta experiences, Day One

We got to Atlanta a little late on Friday, but it was all good. As soon as I walked into the hotel, I felt I had finally found a place where I belonged!! Sad, but true that my 19-year-old niece was not nearly as enthused as I was to be there. I have to say, most of the fans who attended seemed to be around my age, with a few preteens and teens thrown in for good measure. Everyone was decked out in Twilight t-shirts and carrying Twilight bags and books and talking about my favorite subject of current -- Twilight! We visited the vendors on hand -- a photo/poster booth, a t-shirt booth, the Hillywood folks, Kimbra (the model whose hands were used for the Twilight book cover), and a Twilight props exhibit.

The Hillywood folks opened the convention by showing their online parody. If you're a fan of Twilight, I'm sure you've seen it by now, but here's the link. They talked later about the parodies they film and how they got started. They put a lot into their shows, and they all impressed me, especially Hilary and Hannah, who are sisters pursuing this filmmaking venture using their own money, time and talents. And the guys look waaay cuter in person as Edward and Jasper than they do in the parody video. Let me just say that. :)

Billy Burke was the main reason I wanted to attend Friday's events. I looooove him as Charlie Swan. Love him! He came on stage and looked way hotter in person, although he was wearing a hat and sunglasses during most of his Q&A. He seemed very much a doting dad, talking about his 1-year-old daughter. A fan asked if he would want his daughter to date Edward or Jacob, and he analyzed them both and said, "Neither!" and "I want her to be a nun" (because he knows how boys that age think). Awww. He joked about going out for drinks with Rob, which "was an experience," and being irritated that the press hadn't turned that outing into an affair between the two of them since Rob seems to be dating everyone from the cast but him. Other tidbits he shared: he’s starting to grow his stache out for Eclipse, which indicates he has it in New Moon too. He thinks the Twilight cast is made up of very genuine, nice and talented people. He spoke very highly of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart and said he did not envy Rob the attention he’s been getting.

Peter Facinelli came on stage for his Q&A to deafening screams, and wow, did he look HOT! I always loved Carlisle in the books more than I was a fan of Peter Facinelli, but Friday's experiences turned me into a diehard Peter fan. During his Q&A, Peter’s cell phone kept ringing, and he kept answering it. One time his wife called. That’s right, Jennie Garth herself was on the phone. Their exchange – which Peter put on speakerphone – was pretty hilarious. Prior to this Peter spoke often of his daughters and wife in nothing but glowing terms, and it was obvious he’s very much a family man. He did share the fact that the Cullens had filmed all of the Cullen scenes from the New Moon book and said he’s very proud of the stitching scene between Carlisle and Bella. He said he practiced stitching on a chicken for days and even took the chicken to the set. When he bragged about stitching the chicken to Kristen, she took one look at it and said, “Yeah, I’d never let you near me with a needle.” He thought this was hilarious. He also spoke very fondly of Rob and Kristen and cleared up a magazine report that claimed he’d made fun of Kristen. He said the magazine had taken what he’d said out of context and that he adores Kristen because she’s such a sweet kid. He also joked that Rob hadn’t returned his text from last week because “I guess he’s with his new dad now, Pierce Brosnan.”

Taking a photo with Billy and Peter. This was definitely a highlight of the trip. My niece and I waited in line and, although it was a bit rushed because of the number of people waiting to take pictures, I was quite dazzled by them both. I asked to be in the middle, and when I walked up, Billy murmured that I was very tall but beautiful and said that our picture was going to turn out beautiful. My niece, on the other hand, said Peter squeezed her close to him and said, “Hey, sweetheart, how are you doing?” to which she was speechless because he is 10 times hotter in person than on TV, after all. I HAD PETER FACINELLI and BILLY BURKE’s hands on me!!! I am still burning from the sensation.

The ladies from the Twilight Lexicon were also on hand all weekend, and I really enjoyed their panels. I wanted to thank them for the awesome website they offer, but I didn’t. My biggest regret from the weekend, probably.

Oh, autographs!! We waited almost FOUR HOURS to get Billy and Peter’s autographs. I think the reason why is because Peter was talking to everyone, personalizing all of the autographs and giving hugs to anyone who asked. When I say Peter is gracious to his fans, I can’t stress the meaning of that enough. Billy was also very nice, but I’m sure he was very tired by the time we made it through the line. After meeting Peter, the FOUR HOUR wait seemed like nothing. I totally love Peter Facinelli now. I hope to get to meet him again someday. To see my autographs, visit my autograph blog here.

Coming soon: Day Two, Ashley Greene and Kellan Lutz.

Vampire Baseball

I'm taking a moment to post about a really cool event I just heard about. Yes, it's Twilight-related, and yes, it's going to be totally awesome! I'm hoping things will work out so I can go, either this year or next (assuming they have it).

The event will include a variety of events throughout the week of June 29-July 5 in Portland, Oregon -- the location where the first Twilight movie was filmed!

Here's what the event includes:
Vampire Baseball™ played by cast and crew of the Twilight movies
July 4th evening of Portland Beavers’ professional baseball and fireworks
Quileute Tribal Nation resort and themed activities
Private tours of Forks, LaPush, Hoh Rainforest, and Port Angeles, WA
Access to privately owned film locations
Exclusive discussions with film industry representatives
Private tours of Columbia River Gorge
Private tours of St Helens, Oregon and other film locations

Now, does that sound awesome or what? For more information, go here:
http://fantrips.travel/twilightfantrips/vampire_baseball.html

Official NEW MOON Photos

Wow, first the trailer, and now more official photos. I loved seeing them. My favorite is from above because I'm hoping/assuming it means my favorite scene from the New Moon book is actually going to be included in the film. It's the scene after the birthday party where Carlise is tending to Bella's wound and they have the discussion about God and whether its possible that the vampires can earn forgiveness and have souls. Love that scene in the book.

Anyway, I just had to post this. Peace. Out.

The NEW MOON Trailer and response

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON trailer in HD


OMG.

I've watched this thing more times than I care to admit (seriously, I need a life), and it's starting to grow on me. When I first saw this thing during the MTV Movie Awards, I was so excited they gave us a tease of Bella's birthday party. Loved those scenes. Loved Edward and Bella in the woods. Loved Laurent and Bella in the meadow. Then...Jacob transformed into this hideous CGI fake-looking wolf and I was like, "No! No! No!" That last shot totally ruined the trailer for me. But like I said, I was super psyched by everything that came before it. My worst fears about the special effects seemed to be confirmed. Chris Weitz has once again used awful CGI for the animals. I like Weitz, but the effects in "The Golden Compass" were retarded. But we'll see. Maybe it will be cleaned up a bit before the movie hits theaters. And if it's not, I'll just have to close my eyes everytime the wolves are on camera. :)

We have our big-screen Gambit - finally!!!

Gambit: "Who? To my friends, de name's Remy LeBeau. To my enemies, it's Gambit! You can go on ahead an' forget dat first name right about now."
- Uncanny X-Men #361

So I saw the new "X-Men: Origins: Wolverine" movie today. I would have seen it anyway because 1. I love the X-Men movies and 2. Hugh Jackman is hot as Wolverine, but I was literally chomping at the bit to see this one because someone finally wised up and gave us a big-screen version of Remy LeBeau, aka Gambit, aka the most AWESOME X-man ever! Seriously. I have been so mad at Bryan Singer and the powers-that-be since the first X-Men movie because, for one thing, it didn't have Gambit, and for another, it had Rogue minus Gambit. Seriously. Where's the fun in that?

Rogue plus Gambit equals fun. Heck, just Gambit by himself equals fun. I have been a diehard Gambit fan since I was in high school and first discovered him as a cartoon character on television. I loved him and Rogue together on the freakin' cartoon show so much that it led me to actually buy comics with them in it to get more of 'em. Remy was my type of man in a nutshell. A sexy, wise-cracking bad boy with a good heart that melted when the right woman took notice. Mmmm, yummy.

I won't lie. I was disappointed in "Origins: Wolverine" because it just lacked that something the first two X-Men films had. I can't even put my finger on it. And truth be told, as much as I loved, loved, loved Taylor Kitsch as Gambit and now want to have his love child, I was disappointed he didn't have Gambit's trademark thickened Cajun-Creole accent. I mean, he barely sounded southern. I'm not sure this was because of Kitsch or because some smart-aleck producer or director decided he'd be best portrayed without it. I mean, come on. Get your act together, people. Gambit is proud to be Cajun! It was almost easy to overlook the lack of an accent though given the fact Gambit's role in the movie was very small and he had hardly any lines at all. Oh well. Hopefully next time. Hopefully next time we'll get to see Gambit plus Rogue on screen together and dump this whole Rogue and Iceman nonsense. Grrrr. Don't even get me started on the Iceman.

Anyway, overall, the movie was a must-see for any fan of comic books. It wasn't bad. It just wasn't great. I'll see it again though, if for no other reason than to see the awesome scenes with Gambit chunking cards at Wolverine, jumping off the roof with his staff and those eyes, oh those beautiful red eyes!

Did I mention I'll see this movie again, just because of Gambit? Thought so. :)

New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn news

This picture of the Wolf Pack was released this week, and I am still impressed. An hour or two of hot boys with their shirts off? If I wasn’t already chomping at the bit to see “New Moon,” this would have totally won me over — and I am not that big a fan of the wolves in this story! Not to mention, the preview clips Entertainment Tonight have been showing all week have me totally psyched! If you are as obsessed with the Twilight saga as I am — and even if you aren’t — be sure to watch Entertainment Tonight today for its exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the filming of “New Moon.” This will be the first time they’ve officially released interviews and on-set exclusives to the public. I’m sooo excited. Insert fangirly squeal here.

Onto the next major Twilight news of the week. Director David Slade has been officially announced as the director of “Eclipse,” due to start filming this summer! I was personally hoping the rumors that Spanish filmmaker Juan Antonio Bayona would direct it would turn out to hold truth since his film “The Orphanage” was both stylish and effective in a way I think the story of “Eclipse” needs. But since I liked “30 Days of Night” (although not a lot of people did, mind you) and it was also a vampire flick — granted, a very violent, bloody and dark vampire flick — I am going to wait, wish Slade the best and see what happens. My only reservation is that both Catherine Hardwick and Chris Weitz have been very vocal about the fact they were fans of the books and respected the source material before they started filming, and I know a lot of “30 Days of Night” fans were angry with Slade because they felt it fell short of the graphic novels on which that movie was based. Hopefully he learned his lesson. Twilight fans don’t seem to be a very forgiving bunch, and he’d be wise to consider that before starting production. Got that, Slade? Good.

Finally, since the media seems to enjoy twisting and turning my hopes for a “Breaking Dawn” movie — one day it’s reportedly greenlit, the next day it isn’t, ugh! — I have decided to send Summit a letter begging them to go ahead and make the film already! The fourth book is my favorite, largely because I like the sci-fi elements, and well, I am Team Edward, by the way. :P *BD SPOILER ALERT* Stephenie Meyer seems to be worried that “Breaking Dawn” could not easily be made into a film because of certain scenes and the length/complexity of the story. My opinion? There’s nothing in that book that can’t be overcome. For instance, when Bella gives birth, the scene in the book is very vivid and gory with Renesme literally ripping her way out of Bella’s stomach as Edward helps tear her out. Did anyone see “Alien”? It’s already been done. No problem. Considering Renesme herself, I don’t understand why a large toddler or small child couldn’t be used for the role and then CG effects applied to move her mouth with a voiceover whenever she talks. I’ve seen that done plenty of times too. As for the length of the book, make the movie 2 ½ hours, cut out some of the middle book (it is only Jacob’s point of view, after all :p ), compress some of the ending and voila, you have your movie. It’s not rocket science. If they doubt whether people would be interested in seeing it, just look at the fervor over “New Moon,” viewed widely as the least popular book in the series! Fans are going crazy for information about it. ET’s website has crashed every day they’ve posted preview clips of tonight exclusive! Does that not tell you anything??

What I'm listening to:
Twilighters Anonymous podcast: At first I wasn't a big fan of this podcast, most likely because they were anti-Kristen Stewart as Bella until recently when they announced a change of heart and are, mostly, on Team KStew now. That open-mindedness combined with their wickedly fun sense of humor now has me listening to this one as soon as a new episode is released.

Team Edward, Team Jacob or Team Switzerland?

Sorry for the absence of posts lately — I just checked and realize I actually have three whole followers for this blog! Whoa! Three! When did that happen? Just a friendly warning: I’m pretty certain my blog from now on will be dominated by Twilight and Superman, since I’m pretty devoted to these two fandoms more than any others. Of course, I won’t overlook Supernatural either, so you’ve been warned.

Speaking of Twilight, my topic for the week is Team Edward, Team Jacob or Team Switzerland? I’d love to see your comments posted below about which team you fall on, especially since Team Jacob fans are coming out of the woodwork in preparation for the release of the “New Moon” film.

Which team am I on? Team Edward, of course!

Why? Here’s my logic. How could you possibly read “Twilight” without falling for Edward? And Edward in the movie? Dreamy. I know a lot of fans call him “the perfect man,” but I have to disagree. Edward has flaws — control freak, anyone? — and he has a pretty negative view of things until “Breaking Dawn,” not to mention, he is a vampire, so I hardly think he qualifies as perfect. But once he falls for Bella, it’s obvious he would do anything for the girl he loves. Plus, he truly loves and is devoted to his family and has a lot of old-fashioned qualities I find attractive. And Bella loves him so darn much, why wouldn’t I be on Team Edward? I know. I know. “New Moon.” Edward does something pretty horrible to Bella in the beginning of this book when he leaves her. Of course, he’s only trying to protect her, but did he really have to tell her he didn’t love her? Did he really have to tell her she wasn’t good enough for him? And the way he says it is so cold-hearted. Diehard supporters will argue it was the only way to keep Bella from following him. I know. But no wonder poor Bella sinks into a borderline suicidal state for the next several chapters. Stupid Edward bashed her self-confidence and made her feel the size of a crumb. At this point in the series, I was off of Team Edward and had defected to Team Switzerland (for those who aren’t aware of what that means, it means I didn’t want Bella with Edward, Jacob or anyone at that point. I was completely neutral). I almost stopped reading the book, but didn’t. This was a prime opportunity for Stephenie Meyer to convince me Jacob was the man for our Bella. I was open-minded. I actually liked Jacob in the first book and saw the potential. But by the time Jacob accompanied Bella and Mike to the movies halfway through “New Moon,” I was getting pretty irritated by Jacob’s immature, cocky attitude. Then he morphed into a wolf and became too arrogant for words. His constant and pushy claims that Bella loved him, she just didn’t know it yet grated on my nerves. She was still mourning Edward and needed more time and sensitivity from Jacob. Granted, Jacob was 16 years old and probably didn’t understand that. Thankfully, Edward returned by the end of the book and Bella and Edward had a shaky reconciliation that lasted through the beginning of “Eclipse.” But Jacob still loomed in the background. Bella’s BFF got on my nerves as his arrogance turned to outright jerkiness — seriously, tricking Bella into making out with you by telling her you’re going to kill yourself if she doesn’t crosses the line, wolf boy. Not that Edward was a patron saint either in this book. But at least Edward’s motives when manipulating Bella are always selfless. Edward wants to protect Bella. Period. Jacob only wants Bella and doesn’t care that her heart and happiness belongs with Edward. He’s determined to lure her aware from her true love, even after she punches him in the face and breaks her hand trying to send him the clear message that she’s not interested. Edward is clearly the more mature of the two rivals in “Eclipse.” And I know some ladies find arrogance a serious turn on, which is why I think Jacob has so many fans on his side, but I just can’t tolerate it. Sorry. I prefer self-sacrificing and devoted. That makes my choice easy. Team Edward, all the way. By “Breaking Dawn,” I’m firmly on Team Edward again, and thank God, Stephenie Meyer rewards me for it. Love that book. Love it.

So, again I ask, what’s your team, and why? Don’t get me wrong. I have a new appreciation for Jacob thanks to cutie pie Taylor Lautner who plays him in the films. I didn’t hate his point of view chapters in “Breaking Dawn,” so I’m about to re-read “New Moon” and “Eclipse” to see if I like Jacob any better now that I know how the story ends. I’m not holding my breath, but we’ll see.

If you’re a fan of Twilight and have an MP3 player, I’m starting a new feature by adding podcast reviews to each post. Want to suggest a podcast (Superman, Twilight, Supernatural or anything else) for me to review? Post it in the comments and I’ll check it out. Until next time…

PODCAST REVIEWS:

Mind Over Matter: A Twilight Podcast — I have to give to the hosts of this podcast. These ladies are very animated and entertaining, but I’m afraid their podcast overall is way too immature and negative for me to enjoy. I listened to three scattered episodes to be fair and doubt I’ll listen to any more. On their last podcast, they complained about the movie and movie’s cast (I’m sorry, did they actually comment on Rob looking gay holding the apple? I thought that scene was a smart nod to the fans of the books), bashed other vampire books on the market (hello? Reading is good), and mocked fans who planned to attend the midnight release parties. I think these ladies are mostly fans of the Twilight books, and I even questioned that sometimes. I know I’m not going to agree with every fan out there, and these ladies are quite funny — but their humor just borders on the immature and seems too disrespectful at times, which turns me off. It’s a fairly high-rated podcast, so check it out for yourself. Maybe you’ll be of a similar mindset. This one’s just not for me.

Twilight Series Theories — This podcast is by far my favorite Twilight podcast out there. Sisters Kassie and Kallie are hilarious, and I think they’re around my age, which makes them more relatable. Unlike other podcasts on Twilight, this one is more intelligent and the discussions are both mature and stay on the positive side (never heard them say a bad thing about any movie cast member — many of whom they’ve met, by the way, lucky devils), they really bring up some interesting book-related topics and they’re very interactive with their listeners, which helps balance their opinions quite nicely. If you like Twilight — book or movie — then you definitely need to hear this podcast. I’d almost bet my next paycheck you’ll subscribe after hearing only one episode.

More "Twilight," WB puts DC superhero movies on hold, and "Smallville" returns

I'm totally psyched that "Twilight" is being released on DVD March 21. I was afraid it wouldn't be released until late April. The DVD cover looks awesome. Can't wait. You can pre-order your copy today here. As I've said before, I can't believe how much I liked this movie. Yep, I jumped right on that Twilight bandwagon without much effort and am officially a TwiHard, ladies and gentlemen. Now, I've read all four books by Stephanie Meyer, and I am eagerly awaiting filming for "New Moon" to begin, although, I have to admit it wasn't my favorite book in the series. I'm sure Kristen Stewart will have no problem pulling off a depressed and tortured Bella though, but I will never believe she actually falls for Jacob, even if Taylor Lautner is one cutie patutie.

Apparently Warner Brothers has decided to put a hold on all of its DC superhero projects for the time being. This means no new Superman film, no Wonder Woman film, no Green Lantern film, etc. etc. for a while. On one hand, I'm pretty P.O.'d. I mean, just make the next Superman movie already. Cast Routh. Get Geoff Johns to write a killer script. Make the movie. How hard can it be? Then again, projects tend to fail when they're rushed under pressure from money-hungry execs (i.e. "New Moon"?). Hopefully the next Superman film will be worth all of this turmoil.

Finally, "Smallville" is back with a new episode this week. I can't believe this season has been so awesome and it will probably be its last. Oh well. All good things must come to an end.