So I'm writing this review out(and now typing it out, like, three days later) in the middle of the night because I'm nocturnal/insomniatic. After watching Twilight, I felt....the same. Exactly the same. Maybe because my Twilight obsession was quite fleeting. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it. I do. I just feel like I have a life outside it. I'll still buy whatever I can, and see the movie again. Because, I enjoyed it. A lot. I really did. Catherine Hardwick did a great job. Not that I didn't expect her to. She did some scenes so differently. Angles all weird, zooms done inaccurate, very reminiscent of Thirteen. But it was so...elegant. I was transfixed. Then the teenies would do something and I'd roll my eyes. I almost ended up hating the movie because of them.
While the story was slightly changed, the screenwriters did an excellent job of getting all the scenes that were important. The dialogue was...par. I really loathe the lamb/lion exchange. I wanted to kill myself, frankly. I don't care how many Twihards get mad, IT DIDN'T FIT. Some loyalties must be demolished in order to make the movie better.
Then, the actors. Real actors. I'm glad they took this seriously. Every vampire actor clearly researched. Mannerisms, quirks, voice. Very loyal. (Examples: Jackson Rathbone's always in pain movement, Rosalie's icy demeanor, Emmett's big teddy bear quality) I even enjoyed Kristen Stewart, who I was very unsure of. She wasn't a fake character. She played the character real, and true. Her stammering in the hospital, for example. Not many movies continually let an actress just stammer for a while. But a real person would. It showed the confusion and speed her mind was going at. I was impressed.
But the real and obvious star. Robert Pattinson. The devotion and seriousness he took was refreshing. That character consumed him. Method acting is always a treat to watch. Movements, words, breathing, everything was planned. He made Edward enjoyable again. I felt there was a broken strength in him. Example? When he is completely losing it in the forest. The sheer power behind Pattinson's eyes was enough. He just played this character not like an enigmatic being from a recent book hit, but like a person who has a lot of issues. I really can't wait to see Pattinson in Little Ashes. I have no doubt there is an Oscar nomination in his future(highly unlikely for Twilight, though).
What is so interesting about Pattinson is that he's anti-Hollywood. No, not normal. Normal is what, say, Taylor Swift does sometimes. Stays away and tries to live a normal life. No, it's a little obvious, to me at least, Pattinson loathes his fame. I think that's why he is slowly destroying his image of teen heartthrob. He reminds me of an early Johnny Depp. The passion is acting, not fame or money. They enjoy what they do. Just not the fame, press involved. I feel like Pattinson is semi-thankful for his loads of fans, but also despises them. Because they like him for the wrong reason. Because he's Edward. That's why in any interview, he stresses his devotion to the character and the disgustingness of himself. To be unliked. He's 22, let him do whatever he wants. He doesn't want to be the Twilight golden boy(no pun intended). Let Taylor Lautner do that. It's just all these teenies have clung to Pattinson like a fourth Jonas Brother. Clearly there'll be a Twilight sequel. It was announced the day after the first premiered. I'm afraid that I do not want one.
See, the real lacker in the movie was....the story. And not just the movie, the books too. Oh, if you don't want to hear me back she story/get retrospective(Finnish Spitz, you're not allowed to read until you read the first book), just skip til I say so.
Anyways. It isn't like I don't like the books. They(meaning 1,3,4) never seemed real to me. Enticing, yes, but I felt no reality. I hate romance. While I'd love to have some great romance, I doubt I will. It's too cliched for my liking. I'm a cynicist, a pessimist. I'd rather live in reality than fall from the clouds. With my expectations(usually) everything is up. Yes, I have had some high expectations of things, but I generally try to stay down on the ground. This gets me in trouble. Especially since I talk. So, if you're too high in the clouds to read this, or deal with my shit, simply leave and watch some Cinderella. That shit never ends badly. ;)
Anyways(again), I never believed Edward and Bella as in love. The movie heightened this notion. No doubt Stewart and Pattinson have chemistry, but I refuse to believe the characters are in love. Fascination is not love. I mean, Edward was fascinated with Bella for her scent, and he couldn't read her mind. Bella was fascinated because he was fascinated(and because he was a fucking creeper). I seemed to have missed the love part. I shall blame Stephenie Meyer. She began writing from those two in love, and wrote to the end, then filled the background.(She also was crazy. She would converse with Edward and Bella and they did things because they were "strong characters." Hmm, no. I never saw either as strong. They wish-washed, did random things, and were...by the ending, annoying. I've stopped Breaking Dawn because Bella is a dumbass and Edward is a pussy. Until Pattinson, I never really understood Edward. I finally was given insight). Meyer simply never developed the love part. Fascination, yes, but not love. And the movie did less. It moved too quickly. Two months to be in love and give up your entire life? Well, congrats to you Bella. Up until the vampire thing, we were similar. I can deal with the vamp thing, but to be in love? Go fucking live life. You don't start aging until like, 21. Four years. Live you fucking life, you stupid anti-feminist damsel.
See, the reason I think I loved New Moon so much because it felt real. Meyer described the pain wonderfully.(About her writing: no, it's not great. But it's not horrible. The POV is a 17 year old girl. Of course it won't be amazing. Cut the girl some slack. For one dream, crazy lady wrote pretty decent). I felt connected to Bella. After that, slowly out the window.
If you were skipping, start reading here. Twilight is a good series, a good movie. It could be better. You know my reasons why. I could elaborate on this all day long. Seriously. But, I want to hear your opinoins. Don't just skip this.
Comment. Please???
Oh, overall grade: B
Story: D
Acting: A
Filming/Directing: A-
Those get me every time.
