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.