I’ve read three of the four Twilight books. Like many, I finished them quickly but unlike many, I found them quite average. Not that I didn’t enjoy reading them while I was reading them, they kept my interest easily enough. But I didn’t see anything phenomenal or particularly redeeming about the story. Maybe it’s me, maybe I am a cynic or too harsh of a critic (most of you have experienced my harshness via my “Juno” review from last year), or maybe i am too picky due to the fact that i have seen all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer at least 17 times. Don’t get me wrong, these books are entertaining enough (I’m assuming that there is at least one person reading this who hasn’t read the books), their simplistic writing style masked by a forbidden love story that no doubt is what captured reader’s hearts so intensely. Much to my surprise these books have become somewhat of a pop culture phenomenon, creating this huge four-headed (or four-"parted") monster that has left fans of all ages completely smitten and begging for more. Comparisons to J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels continue to baffle me, as I consider that series to be a work of literary genius, while the Twilight saga remains, to me, a work of teenage fiction. This is to be my attempt at a impartial review of the movie I saw last night (at midnight, no less, amongst "Twihards" and Twilight Moms, "Team Edwards", and "Team Jacobs", and even a few "twiGUYS"). I’m trying not to be too judgmental, given the fact that I don’t love the books, and really can’t stand the casting director’s choice for Bella. Also, I don’t want to sound too cynical or harsh or bitter or anything like that since i am not any of those things. I do want to make a small disclaimer that I really like Stephenie Meyer and I am happy for her success. I also would like to add that I was excited for this movie, as I have been making a cast list in my mind/on my blog since last august. With all that being said, on to the reviewing…
The movie starts out exactly like the book does, with quiet, awkward Bella Swan moving away from her mother and her home in hot, sunny Phoenix (which apparently no one who had a part in this film has ever been to, as the depiction of Phoenix was LAUGHABLE and stereotypical and just... incorrect, not to mention, filmed in parts of California) to live with her dad in cold and rainy Forks (just in case viewers didn’t know what Phoenix is all about, Bella takes a mini cactus with her to Washington. Because, you know, we’re drowning in them here). Bella’s (played by the bothered and monotone “actress” Kristen Stewart) voice narrates throughout the movie, which is the screenwriter’s way of taking quotes directly from the novel, I’m sure, but after a while, her voice began to grate on me. Stewart does a good enough job of portraying the awkwardness of Bella, tripping and/or slipping several times (taking lessons from Sandra bullock, I’m sure) and stumbling and stuttering through conversations with other students. I was impressed with the performances of her classmates, Jessica, Mike, and Eric. They were surprisingly endearing and often scene-stealing. When we first see the Cullen clan in the cafeteria, I though “Really? That’s the Cullen’s?” i mean, aren’t these kids supposed to be hauntingly beautiful and mysterious? Edward’s “siblings” and “parents” definitely earn the title of “most poorly cast”. I just didn’t like anything about them… they were awkward in their roles, the blonde hair on Carlisle and Rosalie looked cheap and fake (it was, but come on), most of them were over-acting to compensate for what? I’m not sure. And I’m sorry, but Carlisle was just creepy. I actually really like the actor who portrayed him (Peter Facinelli) and I am happy he’s getting work, but he wasn’t Carlisle to me at all. He is Italian, so he has olive-toned skin and dark hair naturally. So when they slap all this makeup on him and dip his head in peroxide it just seems… cheap i guess? Silly? Were there no good looking blonde actors available? I have the same problem with Rosalie, played by Nikki Reed who is Mexican in real life, but pale and blonde in the movie. The blonde hair was just rusty colored and fake looking. It would have been better to (gasp!) stray from the book a bit and leave them dark haired or, you know, just cast actual blonde actors. Kellan Lutz was cast as Emmett and was neither scene stealing nor offensive as such, and Jackson Rathbone has to be the most puzzling cast member to me- he is straight up weird looking and awkward throughout the whole film (luckily he only had a small amount of screen time). Alice (played by Ashley Greene) who I really loved in the novel is miscast as well, and comes off as very annoying (have I mentioned yet that none of these actors are beautiful as the Cullen’s were? I think i have). Billy Burke and Taylor Lautner both had redeeming roles as Charlie swan and Jacob Black. I really look forward to seeing Jacob’s character develop in the next movie, I thought he was great. Billy Burke had a few scenes with Kristen Stewart that were quite good, actually. He really made me feel bad for Charlie. The best casting choice was obviously that of Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen. He is quite beautiful and easy to watch. I also loved the casting of Cam Gigandet as James. He was great and chiseled and beautiful and not in the movie anywhere near enough. That's what a vampire looks like, folks. Yum.
My main problem with the movie was the script. I’m sorry, I know they were going off of the book here, but it was harder for me to get into than the book was, and at times, I was bored. Bland lines spoken monotonely by Kristen and Robert failed to impress me or engulf me in their forbidden love. I wasn’t convinced at all that they were falling in love with each other. When she first tells him she loves him I just thought “Really? You don’t even know him” whereas in the book, I believe it. If a story is told well, it doesn’t matter how long the characters have known each other, I get involved in their lives together. I just really didn’t feel like these characters were developed well enough throughout the script, I didn’t feel like I knew them at all. The only reason I had any sense of who they are is because I’d read the book. (Side note: they should have had Robert wax his chest… vampires are chiseled and do not have chest hair, especially 17-year-old ones). I also felt like the first half of the movie was just shots of Bella’s face, then Edward’s face, then Bella’s face, then both faces together, then Edward’s face. I don’t know, the filming seemed choppy to me, the flying/running at the speed of light scenes were ridiculous, as I knew they would be because, well, flying is ridiculous. Many reviews I’ve read have commented on the cheesiness of those scenes but come on people, It’s fiction. How real can you be? Also, the special effects are the least of the movie’s issues. The lack of character development, camera shots, and choppiness of the film were much more annoying to me than how Edward looked when he “sparkled” (which actually, wasn't bad).
There were scenes I was fond of. The scene where the two are lying in the meadow, the scene in Edward’s bedroom (they got the Cullen’s house spot-on), the scene where Edward is in Bella's room and they kiss for the first time, the scene where they talk all night and he watches her sleep and she pulls herself closer to him and wraps her arms around him- I loved those scenes. Those scenes were the only scenes where I felt any chemistry at all between the two actors. Those scenes made me want them to be together. Aside from those scenes, there is no chemistry at all between the two actors, which can be witnessed perfectly in the interviews they've done together to promote the movie.
Overall it was the lack of character development, boring script, the jumps from monotone acting to extremely dramatic overacting, and the choppiness of filming that left me with a feeling of “meh, whatever” at the end of the movie. I actually left the movie shrugging my shoulders. Nothing particularly offended me, but certainly nothing dazzled me either. Fans of the book will LOVE this movie. People who haven’t read the books will leave the theater wondering what the big whoop is, which is sad to me because I really thought this was a good opportunity to get everyone to fall in love with their story. But what can I say when even I wasn’t convinced and I’ve read the books. Oh, and I must quickly add that it had as many cheesy lines as HSM3, at one point Edward even calls Bella his “spider monkey”, much like Gabriella calls Troy her “wildcat”. If you're debating whether or not you should see the movie, you definately should give yourself the chance to fall in love with a vampire. As for me, my heart and neck still belong to Angel. (If you don't know who that is, please do some "Buffy" research. He would kick Edward's butt!)
p.s. my pics from the midnight show will be posted at a later time.
11.19.2008
the best things in life are free... well, sort of.
the holidays are coming up, yay! for me, this means the following: days off of work, holiday shopping, time spent with family, time spent with friends, pumpkin cheesecake, christmas music, movies with the fam on thanksgiving and christmas, holiday smells (a la christmas tree, pumpkin, cinnamon), yummy food (i.e. turkey, my dad's smashed potatoes and gravy, mom's stuffing, pumpkin cookies, sugar cookies, gooey popcorn), late night board games, and looooots of photo ops. with all the crazy that is about to come up i just thought i'd take a few minutes to write down some of the simple moments that make life GRAND! so, here it is. feel free to add your own "yessssss" moments if you see fit.
1. laughing so hard your face hurts.
2. a hot shower in the morning.
3. no lines at target.
4. getting mail (ok, fine, i'll modernize it. getting E-mail/text messages).
5. long drives with good music.
6. having your favorite song come on while you're shopping in a store.
7. the sound rain makes when it falls.
8. warm laundry.
9. finding the shirt that you loved but couldn't afford is now half price... AND they have your size.
10. chocolate milk.
11. a phone call from a friend- without you asking them to "please return my call".
12. bubble baths in big bathtubs.
13. the beach.
14. finding a $20 bill in your hoodie from last winter.
15. laughing at yourself- even when no one else is.
16. phonecalls that wake you up in the middle of the night.
17. running through the sprinklers.
18. naps on the front lawn.
19. getting the giggles for no reason at all.
20. getting a sincere compliment.
21. inside jokes.
22. accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
23. waking up and realizing that you have a few hours left until your alarm clock goes off.
24. waking up thinking it's a monday when it's actually a sunday.
25. making new friends.
26. spending time with old friends.
27. puppies.
28. late night talks with your mother (or daughter).
29. having someone play with your hair.
30. a good dream.
31. road trips!
32. swinging at the park.
33. watching a good movie (bonus points if you're with someone you love while you watch).
34. wrapping presents.
35. song lyrics printed in the booklet of cds so you can learn all the words.
36. going to a really good concert (bonus points if you can make your way through the crowd to the front).
37. making eye contact with a cute guy you'll (probably) never see again.
38. baking.
39. a good hug (bonus points if it's from someone you have a crush on).
40. the expression on someone's face when you give them the gift you picked out for them.
41. sunrises/sunsets.
42. falling asleep with someone next to you.
43. fudgesicles.
44. disneyland.
45. getting off work early.
46. laying out.
47. a good haircut.
48. going for a run.
49. christmas lights.
50. babies (bonus points if you are a nuttall baby).
51. afternoon movies in your jammers.
52. pepsi from the fountain at 7-11.
53. tangy taffy.
54. hsm dance parties.
55. taking photos with friends.
1. laughing so hard your face hurts.
2. a hot shower in the morning.
3. no lines at target.
4. getting mail (ok, fine, i'll modernize it. getting E-mail/text messages).
5. long drives with good music.
6. having your favorite song come on while you're shopping in a store.
7. the sound rain makes when it falls.
8. warm laundry.
9. finding the shirt that you loved but couldn't afford is now half price... AND they have your size.
10. chocolate milk.
11. a phone call from a friend- without you asking them to "please return my call".
12. bubble baths in big bathtubs.
13. the beach.
14. finding a $20 bill in your hoodie from last winter.
15. laughing at yourself- even when no one else is.
16. phonecalls that wake you up in the middle of the night.
17. running through the sprinklers.
18. naps on the front lawn.
19. getting the giggles for no reason at all.
20. getting a sincere compliment.
21. inside jokes.
22. accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
23. waking up and realizing that you have a few hours left until your alarm clock goes off.
24. waking up thinking it's a monday when it's actually a sunday.
25. making new friends.
26. spending time with old friends.
27. puppies.
28. late night talks with your mother (or daughter).
29. having someone play with your hair.
30. a good dream.
31. road trips!
32. swinging at the park.
33. watching a good movie (bonus points if you're with someone you love while you watch).
34. wrapping presents.
35. song lyrics printed in the booklet of cds so you can learn all the words.
36. going to a really good concert (bonus points if you can make your way through the crowd to the front).
37. making eye contact with a cute guy you'll (probably) never see again.
38. baking.
39. a good hug (bonus points if it's from someone you have a crush on).
40. the expression on someone's face when you give them the gift you picked out for them.
41. sunrises/sunsets.
42. falling asleep with someone next to you.
43. fudgesicles.
44. disneyland.
45. getting off work early.
46. laying out.
47. a good haircut.
48. going for a run.
49. christmas lights.
50. babies (bonus points if you are a nuttall baby).
51. afternoon movies in your jammers.
52. pepsi from the fountain at 7-11.
53. tangy taffy.
54. hsm dance parties.
55. taking photos with friends.
11.12.2008
song of the day.
well, nothing else is happening in my life worth writing about so i am just going to keep recomending songs to listen to, because songs are what's getting me through the day these days.
song: "ender will save us all"
artist: dashboard confessional.
album: the swiss army romance.
It's just like you to contest,
you wear it like a label on your breast.
don't you see what this takes of me?
A certain callousness complies
with your charm & in your pride
a hopeful look draped in despise.
I want to give you
whatever you need.
What is it you need?
Is it what I need?
I want to give you
whatever you need.
What is it you need?
Is it within me?
It's hard to explain how I am getting by
on so little from you.
It's hard to believe that I would let myself
get so wrapped in you.
There's got to be something that would
be worthwhile for me to give to you.
We need a connection but you
seem to push me far away from you.
The harder I push the further I fall.
Well you don't mind me being headstrong.
But you don't want to sing along.
Maybe it's trite but I can always be wrong.
Try not to be wrong.
song: "ender will save us all"
artist: dashboard confessional.
album: the swiss army romance.
It's just like you to contest,
you wear it like a label on your breast.
don't you see what this takes of me?
A certain callousness complies
with your charm & in your pride
a hopeful look draped in despise.
I want to give you
whatever you need.
What is it you need?
Is it what I need?
I want to give you
whatever you need.
What is it you need?
Is it within me?
It's hard to explain how I am getting by
on so little from you.
It's hard to believe that I would let myself
get so wrapped in you.
There's got to be something that would
be worthwhile for me to give to you.
We need a connection but you
seem to push me far away from you.
The harder I push the further I fall.
Well you don't mind me being headstrong.
But you don't want to sing along.
Maybe it's trite but I can always be wrong.
Try not to be wrong.
11.10.2008
lame.
so, this is kind of a lame post, but i'm doing it anyways. i have so much music, more music than it seems i could ever listen to in my lifetime, but somehow it works out that i listen to it all. but sometimes because i have so much, songs/albums just get lost in the shuffle of things. so lately i have been listening to my ipod (name: hubble, respectively) on shuffle just because i am bored of everything and can't make up my mind, and i came upon a song i hadn't listened to in a long while. it was really quite interesting because it is from an album that i absolutely love, and it was most definately my top 10 of 2004 but this song just took on a whole different meaning for me when i heard it yesterday. i don't know if it makes a difference that i had my headphones on, i know sometimes that makes me listen a bit closer, but the lyrics just seemed crazy good and perfect to me. so i'm gonna post them, along with a suggestion that you stop what you're doing and pay 99 cents to download this song from i-tunes. it is worth every penny, i promise you. if you really wanted to go all out, you could buy the whole cd, because that wouldn't disappoint either.
(side note: i realize these lyrics are from a male p.o.v... doesn't mean i am actually thinking of a girl when i hear them, i'm just able to relate to the person who is singing/writing.)
song: "cheers, darlin' "
artist: damien rice
album: "O"
cheers, darlin'
here's to you and your lover boy.
cheers, darlin'
i got years to wait around for you.
cheers, darlin'
i've got your wedding bells in my ear.
cheers, darlin'
you give me three cigarettes to smoke my tears away.
and i die when you mention his name.
and i lied, i should have kissed you
when we were running in the rain.
what am i darlin'?
a whisper in your ear?
a piece of your cake? what am i, darlin?
the boy you can fear?
or your biggest mistake?
cheers, darlin'
here's to you and your lover man.
cheers, darlin'
i just hang around and eat from a can.
cheers, darlin'
i got a ribbon of green on my guitar.
cheers, darlin'
i got a beauty queen to sit not very far from here.
i die when he comes around
to take you home.
i'm too shy,
i should have kissed you when we were alone.
what am i, darlin'?
a whisper in your ear?
a piece of your cake?
what am i, darlin'?
the boy you can fear?
or your biggest mistake?
oh, what am i? what am i, darlin'?
i've got years to wait....
(side note: i realize these lyrics are from a male p.o.v... doesn't mean i am actually thinking of a girl when i hear them, i'm just able to relate to the person who is singing/writing.)
song: "cheers, darlin' "
artist: damien rice
album: "O"
cheers, darlin'
here's to you and your lover boy.
cheers, darlin'
i got years to wait around for you.
cheers, darlin'
i've got your wedding bells in my ear.
cheers, darlin'
you give me three cigarettes to smoke my tears away.
and i die when you mention his name.
and i lied, i should have kissed you
when we were running in the rain.
what am i darlin'?
a whisper in your ear?
a piece of your cake? what am i, darlin?
the boy you can fear?
or your biggest mistake?
cheers, darlin'
here's to you and your lover man.
cheers, darlin'
i just hang around and eat from a can.
cheers, darlin'
i got a ribbon of green on my guitar.
cheers, darlin'
i got a beauty queen to sit not very far from here.
i die when he comes around
to take you home.
i'm too shy,
i should have kissed you when we were alone.
what am i, darlin'?
a whisper in your ear?
a piece of your cake?
what am i, darlin'?
the boy you can fear?
or your biggest mistake?
oh, what am i? what am i, darlin'?
i've got years to wait....
11.04.2008
things which haven't been said.
i have truly avoided writing blogs such as this one because i don't want to offend anyone, and i don't want to come off as sounding pompous or pious or judgemental, but i really and truly can't be silent anymore. it's not that i think that i have a supreme influence over people, because that is not the case. if my intentions were to influence then i would have written this a long time ago. i just feel that if people in my life are to know anything about who i am and what i believe, this is the perfect time to step out in defense of certain things. let me also preface this by saying that i love and appreciate everyone in my life, regardless of their beliefs or who they are voting for today. by coming out and making a statement i am not hoping to alienate any of my friends who believe differently than i do, it's quite the opposite. it's my hope that in times such as these we find strength in our differences and use them to bring us closer together, not further apart; and not only do i wish this for my personal relationships, but also for our nation as well. the truth is, things are about to get bad. they are about to get really bad. and if we use this election to break our people further apart then we will be in more trouble than anyone can imagine.
i have an odd feeling right now as i am getting ready to go vote, almost a feeling of despair. this is my first major election that i am able to vote in, and i am so excited. (there is a story that goes along with the 2004 election, which i waited in line for 2.5 hrs to be turned away, but that is a whole other blog entirely.) it's hard for me to put a label on what i am feeling right now... am i nervous? sad? scared? unaware? naiive? maybe i am everything. maybe i am nothing. i just know that i had a similar feeling a little over seven years ago, in september of 2001. yes, i am frightened, yes i am confused, yes i am worried. the future remains a mystery, as it always does, and the unknown is always what is most scary. it has always been a sort of "rule" for me to not discuss two things in my blogs: politics, and religion. i am breaking both of those rules today for the first, and hopefully last time.
i wonder who we are as a nation, as americans. i wonder what this election will say about us. it scares me to think that we aren't the "good guys" anymore. i want for us to succeed, for us to do good, for us to be right. i want my country to grow and prosper, and to become a place where i am not afraid to raise my children, a place where i am not afraid to raise myself. i want to be proud of where i live, proud of the people i live among. for the most part, these are silly dreams, wishes upon stars, childish hopes; but they are real, and in the coming years i will have to remind myself not to let go of them, because things are going to change.
"Yea, ye will lift him up...and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him.
Yea, we see that...because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people...to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them."
it is interesting to me the amounts of people, both known and unknown, people who are icons of our society, and people who live next door to us; who rely so much on the "change" that is to come. people who cling so much to this hope for a better tomorrow, people who believe that the change that is coming is a good one, one we need. it's true, there is a change coming, but it isn't necessarily going to be for the better, and for the most part it isn't the change that we imagine in our minds and wish for in our hearts. these are selfish motives of an evil man disguised by words like "hope", and "better", and "change", magical words that keep people from digging further and seeing what lies beneath. this is a book with a very appealing cover, a cover that promises all sorts of things for what lies within the pages of the book. it is such an enticing and amazing cover, in fact, that the majority of people haven't even opened the book yet, and so many of us don't know what is written on those pages inside. what amazes me is the amount of people who refuse to look, who refuse to see the writing written so boldly on the walls.
i know there are friends of mine out there who are voting differently than i in this election and i hope i haven't offended any of them. you are people who are important to me, and who are a valuable part of my life. please do not think that because i've said how i feel that anything between us has to change. there are lots of people in my mind and heart today. i am thinking of most everyone that i know. i won't take the time to list them personally, just know that if you are reading this, you are one of them. i wish the best for you and your families. you are all in my thoughts and prayers, and i care about you all.
please remember to vote. and once this is over, please remember to stay good, and stay happy. i also want to encourage everyone to take a moment at the end of today to write your thoughts about this election in your journal. i promise you that you will be greatful down the road when you have your thoughts to share with your children and grandchildren, and to remind yourself that you made it. this is history, guys, and we're a part of it. you are a part of it. don't forget that.
love,
gabrielle.
i have an odd feeling right now as i am getting ready to go vote, almost a feeling of despair. this is my first major election that i am able to vote in, and i am so excited. (there is a story that goes along with the 2004 election, which i waited in line for 2.5 hrs to be turned away, but that is a whole other blog entirely.) it's hard for me to put a label on what i am feeling right now... am i nervous? sad? scared? unaware? naiive? maybe i am everything. maybe i am nothing. i just know that i had a similar feeling a little over seven years ago, in september of 2001. yes, i am frightened, yes i am confused, yes i am worried. the future remains a mystery, as it always does, and the unknown is always what is most scary. it has always been a sort of "rule" for me to not discuss two things in my blogs: politics, and religion. i am breaking both of those rules today for the first, and hopefully last time.
i wonder who we are as a nation, as americans. i wonder what this election will say about us. it scares me to think that we aren't the "good guys" anymore. i want for us to succeed, for us to do good, for us to be right. i want my country to grow and prosper, and to become a place where i am not afraid to raise my children, a place where i am not afraid to raise myself. i want to be proud of where i live, proud of the people i live among. for the most part, these are silly dreams, wishes upon stars, childish hopes; but they are real, and in the coming years i will have to remind myself not to let go of them, because things are going to change.
"Yea, ye will lift him up...and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him.
Yea, we see that...because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people...to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them."
it is interesting to me the amounts of people, both known and unknown, people who are icons of our society, and people who live next door to us; who rely so much on the "change" that is to come. people who cling so much to this hope for a better tomorrow, people who believe that the change that is coming is a good one, one we need. it's true, there is a change coming, but it isn't necessarily going to be for the better, and for the most part it isn't the change that we imagine in our minds and wish for in our hearts. these are selfish motives of an evil man disguised by words like "hope", and "better", and "change", magical words that keep people from digging further and seeing what lies beneath. this is a book with a very appealing cover, a cover that promises all sorts of things for what lies within the pages of the book. it is such an enticing and amazing cover, in fact, that the majority of people haven't even opened the book yet, and so many of us don't know what is written on those pages inside. what amazes me is the amount of people who refuse to look, who refuse to see the writing written so boldly on the walls.
i know there are friends of mine out there who are voting differently than i in this election and i hope i haven't offended any of them. you are people who are important to me, and who are a valuable part of my life. please do not think that because i've said how i feel that anything between us has to change. there are lots of people in my mind and heart today. i am thinking of most everyone that i know. i won't take the time to list them personally, just know that if you are reading this, you are one of them. i wish the best for you and your families. you are all in my thoughts and prayers, and i care about you all.
please remember to vote. and once this is over, please remember to stay good, and stay happy. i also want to encourage everyone to take a moment at the end of today to write your thoughts about this election in your journal. i promise you that you will be greatful down the road when you have your thoughts to share with your children and grandchildren, and to remind yourself that you made it. this is history, guys, and we're a part of it. you are a part of it. don't forget that.
love,
gabrielle.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
