Let me begin by saying that when I went to see the movie I was on very little sleep so I was feeling a bit loopy, and I had a stomach full of Mexican food, so I was very content. I was also among friends, which put me in a great mood, so I was more agreeable about things than if I'd gone with a stomach full of, say, badly made tuna casserole and was sitting by myself next to a really annoying person eating popcorn with her mouth wide open and opening really noisy candy during the movie.
I went to the movie with very low expectations. I figured it would be really sappy, really poorly made, and the acting would stink all around. I still wanted to see it, of course, and I was quite pleasantly surprised. If you have read the book, you know that the book is a romance novel full of teen angst and melodrama. You also know that it is aimed at girls around age 16. It follows that a movie based on the book, if it is going to be faithful to that book, will also be full of teen angst and melodrama, and be reminiscent of TV shows aimed at 16-year-old girls. And that's exactly what it was. My point is that the movie captured the mood of the book perfectly. I'm going to break down aspects of the movie to organize my opinion and how they compared to the book:
THE CAST:
I thought Kristen Stewart was perfect as Bella: twitchy, uncomfortable, pale, awkward around everyone. I admit after an hour of her twitching and fluttering eyelids I got a little annoyed, but then I remembered that it was how Bella was described, and I got over it. I thought she was excellent at expressing her disdain for the stupidity of the goofy teenagers that surrounded her, using just her facial expressions and body language.
Robert Pattinson was always a bit of a strange choice to me. I still think of him as Cedric Diggory (which was a perfect role for him, really), and I struggled to enjoy him as Edward throughout the movie. I thought his acting was fine, although I thought his voice was totally wrong. In the books, Edward's voice is described as velvety and hypnotic, and I thought Pattinson's was a little girly. He didn't seem as suave as I had imagined him, either. There were moments, however, that he managed to look dangerous and intense, and almost hot. For example, the scene in Port Angeles where he swoops in and rescues Bella from the creepy guys. He could pull it off in short spurts, but not through the whole movie.
I loved the kid who played Jacob (I can't remember his name now, but he was Sharkboy in the movie Sharkboy and Lavagirl). He is cute and has a brilliantly white smile. My concern is that he is kind of short and petite, and somehow they will have to make him super tall and brawny for the next movie. Hmmm...
I thought Charlie was perfect. Rough around the edges, abrupt with conversation, and a little bit country.
The kids at school were great. The girl who played Jessica was perfect, and all the other kids reminded me of kids I went to high school with. Mike was pretty over the top, but overall, I was pleased. It's like Harry Potter--their acting will improve with each movie. Remember Ron in the second Harry Potter movie? Yikes.
I thought the casting for Alice, Jasper, Dr. Cullen and Esme was perfect. Jasper looked a little too intense all the time, though. His eyes were constantly bugging out like someone was poking him in the bottom with a stick. But once he gets some lines, maybe he'll cool it a little and show a bigger range of facial expressions. I thought the girl that was cast as Rosalie was pretty, but not tragically beautiful. She wasn't anything like how I imagined her physically, but I thought her acting was good. Her evil glares at Bella were perfect. Emmett was also not at all how I imagined him. Too puny. I imagined someone much more beefy and intimidating. He didn't act intimidating at all. They both seemed like strange choices, but I'm guessing budgeting had a little to do with their choices in actors.
SPECIAL EFFECTS/COSTUMES/MAKEUP:
Okay, this is where it fell a bit short. It's not fair to a low budget movie to show an awesome preview for a high budget movie like Harry Potter right before it starts. I'm sure they did the best they could with the resources they had, but the shots of Edward jumping around in the trees were a bit laughable. Anything computer generated was jumpy and clearly not part of reality. Maybe all the money they made from Twilight will help out the special effects for New Moon. Let's hope so. The fight scenes and the vampires' superpowers should be spectacular, not laughable.
I thought the costumes were great. The high school kids didn't look overly trendy, just normal. I thought the vampires would look a little more superior than the kids than they did. I thought they fit in a little too much, but I don't really know that much about fashion, so that's all I really noticed.
The vampire makeup. Oh dear. Dr. Cullen looked like a mime with too much makeup caked on. Edward looked like he had gotten into his mom's lipstick. Sometimes the vampires' skin looked normal, and sometimes it looked like caked on makeup. There's got to be a better way to make them look pale. Edward's appearance in the sun was disappointing as well. It looked more like he was just kind of wet. So I'm hoping they'll get that worked out before New Moon wraps.
THE WRAP-UP
So it was a lot like an episode of 90210, with the longing glances and the melodrama ("Say it." "You're a vampire." Intense stare and deep breathing.), but I found it very enjoyable. I think they captured the main essence of the book, and, since I enjoyed the book, I enjoyed the movie. I think one of the things that I enjoyed was watching parts of the book and thinking, "That's just how I imagined it!" Of course, certain parts were changed or left out, and that's just how it goes when switching from one medium to another. Not everything in a book works well on the screen. I try not to analyze what is missing, just how well it flows and whether or not the story is the same. And it was. It was no Oscar winner, but it was a perfect girls' night out movie. It was clearly done on a smaller budget, and, with all the hype it's getting, I'm guessing that they will make enough to use more quality materials for the next movie. The only part of the movie that I really wish were different is the casting for Edward, and now that he's been in the first movie, that won't change for the next three. So, if you haven't been to see it, if you have read the book, you should give it a try. Just don't go expecting perfection. Go expecting a low-budget TV-episode-like drama that is fun and silly.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
Things I've Done
I've seen this on a few friends' blogs, and thought it was kind of fun. And it made me realize I've done very little that involves donating money or doing charity. Shame on me! So, this is kind of like the game "I've Never" only in reverse. Change the color to red on the ones you've done:
1. Started your own blog--ta da!
2. Slept under the stars--when I was little. Now I think too much about bugs crawling around in the grass.
3. Played in a band--does marching band and symphonic band count?
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain--Mount Timpanogos every year for about 10 years. I don't think I'd make it now.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch--as long as you consider duct tape purses art.
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty--I only made it to the toes. Wimpy.
18. Grown your own vegetables--they weren't edible, though.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person--from New York and Canada
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community--the lovely town of Intercourse, PA. True fact. It's a real place, and I have the pictures to prove it. Good pretzels!
36. Taught yourself a new language--Southerner language. The other ones have been taught to me.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied--ah, to be single and carefree with money again!
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke--in Korean with some RMs that had been there on their mission.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted--if caricatures done by a street artist count.
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar--so gross.
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone--try 7.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican (I don't know if standing outside the walls counts, but I did see the Pope from a distance.)
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House--Like the Vatican, I was on the outside looking in because I didn't want to get up at 5am to get in line. So, I've sort of visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous--I was 10 feet away from Bon Jovi, Christina Agulera, Harry Connick, Jr. (who looked at me after I accidently screamed, "It's Harry Connick Jr!" really really loud), and NSYNC. But I have actually met a few General Authorities that came to different concerts I was in, so I think that really counts.
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby--not just one, but TWO!!!
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake--gross. Don't ever want to.
97. Been involved in a law suit--I was the secretary for a company that did accident reconstruction for law suits, so I think that sort of counts, since I had to do all the scheduling surrounding their involvement in the law suits.
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument
So, it looks like I have some things left to do in my life, like bungee jumping and publishing a book. But I think I've had a pretty great life, looking at all the fun things I've done!
1. Started your own blog--ta da!
2. Slept under the stars--when I was little. Now I think too much about bugs crawling around in the grass.
3. Played in a band--does marching band and symphonic band count?
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain--Mount Timpanogos every year for about 10 years. I don't think I'd make it now.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch--as long as you consider duct tape purses art.
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty--I only made it to the toes. Wimpy.
18. Grown your own vegetables--they weren't edible, though.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person--from New York and Canada
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community--the lovely town of Intercourse, PA. True fact. It's a real place, and I have the pictures to prove it. Good pretzels!
36. Taught yourself a new language--Southerner language. The other ones have been taught to me.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied--ah, to be single and carefree with money again!
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke--in Korean with some RMs that had been there on their mission.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted--if caricatures done by a street artist count.
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar--so gross.
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone--try 7.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican (I don't know if standing outside the walls counts, but I did see the Pope from a distance.)
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House--Like the Vatican, I was on the outside looking in because I didn't want to get up at 5am to get in line. So, I've sort of visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous--I was 10 feet away from Bon Jovi, Christina Agulera, Harry Connick, Jr. (who looked at me after I accidently screamed, "It's Harry Connick Jr!" really really loud), and NSYNC. But I have actually met a few General Authorities that came to different concerts I was in, so I think that really counts.
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby--not just one, but TWO!!!
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake--gross. Don't ever want to.
97. Been involved in a law suit--I was the secretary for a company that did accident reconstruction for law suits, so I think that sort of counts, since I had to do all the scheduling surrounding their involvement in the law suits.
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument
So, it looks like I have some things left to do in my life, like bungee jumping and publishing a book. But I think I've had a pretty great life, looking at all the fun things I've done!
Monday, November 10, 2008
1995
First, a warning: Mom and Dad, this post may seem boring to you, because I will be referring to a bunch of pop culture that you most likely either don't remember or wish you didn't remember.
You know that song by Bowling for Soup, "1985," that talks about a woman who is stuck in the 80s? Well, I came to a realization a few days ago, while riding in the car with my husband. We were listening to the radio, the same station I've been listening to since my freshman year of college, and a song came on that neither of us had ever heard, by someone we'd never heard of. We are old fogies. I am that woman from that Bowling for Soup song, except that instead 1985, I'm stuck in 1995. Here is proof:
1. My husband and I recorded all 5 hours of VH1's 100 Best Songs of the 90s, then stayed up all night watching it and reminiscing about back in the day when music was good. Back when people still knew who Pearl Jam was and when REM was touring. We knew all of the songs on the list. We even noticed which songs were missing that should have been included. If they do the same thing for this decade I may get lucky and recognize a few songs that made it into movies I saw.
2. The radio station I used to listen to (101.9, the End, which I was true and faithful to) had their flashback lunch, and I was expecting some early Depeche Mode, but got "Champagne Supernova" by Oasis instead. Which came out while I was in college. They referred to Oasis as a classic band. Remember the line from "1985" "When did Motley Crue become classic rock?" That actual lyric popped into my head when the DJ said Oasis was classic. I actually switched stations to X96 (my brother will be amazed, I think, that I listen to that station, because I am a fogie) because they play more 90s alternative than my old station. And they just call it good stuff, not classics.
3. My friends that are younger than me (and not by that much, actually) talk about bands all the time that I've never heard of. For example, I have now heard of Dashboard Confessional and Panic at the Disco, but I feel completely out of the loop, because I don't know their music at all. I used to pride myself in college for knowing who sang what song and being up on all the new stuff. Actually, my husband and I kind of make a game of it with songs from his iPod, which are all from the 90s. Yeah, we're fogies.
4. I still wear Gap jeans and T-shirts and the same sweaters I wore in 1995. And I have 6 pairs of Doc Martins. If you are wondering what Doc Martins are, look up 1995 fashion.
5. I feel betrayed by Bon Jovi, because I found out a while back that he was releasing a country album. Country!!! This is Bon Jovi, whose concerts I have attended, who thought I was a crazy stalker at the Olympic closing ceremonies because I was standing on my chair in the orchestra pit 10 feet away and screaming "I LOVE YOU!" I don't feel that way anymore, Mr. Jovi. And I just haven't connected like that with any of the more recent singers. Because I don't know who they are.
6. Some younger friends have commented in the past on my funny prom dresses. Funny as in old and out of date. I still don't get what's funny.
7. I still use the word awesome a lot. And I am not opposed to the use of the word rad. Like, I think "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is an awesome song, but not as rad as anything on U2's Joshua Tree album.
8. When someone tells me their car was made in 1995, I still think of it as kind of new. Not 13 years old and ready to retire. I saw a Mazda Miata in the parking lot at Walmart the other day, and I'm pretty sure it was a model from around 1995. It looked old, and not so hot anymore. It was kind of a shock.
Is anyone else with me? I am totally stuck in a time where music was the best, good movies were still being made, and clothes were totally cute. (I don't tuck in my shirts and puff them out, though--I know better.) And I realize that my tastes all froze 13 years ago whenever I hear that song "1985." Or when I look around and I'm the only one in Doc Martins in the room, and everyone else is groovin' to a song that came out 3 years ago that I've never heard of.
You know that song by Bowling for Soup, "1985," that talks about a woman who is stuck in the 80s? Well, I came to a realization a few days ago, while riding in the car with my husband. We were listening to the radio, the same station I've been listening to since my freshman year of college, and a song came on that neither of us had ever heard, by someone we'd never heard of. We are old fogies. I am that woman from that Bowling for Soup song, except that instead 1985, I'm stuck in 1995. Here is proof:
1. My husband and I recorded all 5 hours of VH1's 100 Best Songs of the 90s, then stayed up all night watching it and reminiscing about back in the day when music was good. Back when people still knew who Pearl Jam was and when REM was touring. We knew all of the songs on the list. We even noticed which songs were missing that should have been included. If they do the same thing for this decade I may get lucky and recognize a few songs that made it into movies I saw.
2. The radio station I used to listen to (101.9, the End, which I was true and faithful to) had their flashback lunch, and I was expecting some early Depeche Mode, but got "Champagne Supernova" by Oasis instead. Which came out while I was in college. They referred to Oasis as a classic band. Remember the line from "1985" "When did Motley Crue become classic rock?" That actual lyric popped into my head when the DJ said Oasis was classic. I actually switched stations to X96 (my brother will be amazed, I think, that I listen to that station, because I am a fogie) because they play more 90s alternative than my old station. And they just call it good stuff, not classics.
3. My friends that are younger than me (and not by that much, actually) talk about bands all the time that I've never heard of. For example, I have now heard of Dashboard Confessional and Panic at the Disco, but I feel completely out of the loop, because I don't know their music at all. I used to pride myself in college for knowing who sang what song and being up on all the new stuff. Actually, my husband and I kind of make a game of it with songs from his iPod, which are all from the 90s. Yeah, we're fogies.
4. I still wear Gap jeans and T-shirts and the same sweaters I wore in 1995. And I have 6 pairs of Doc Martins. If you are wondering what Doc Martins are, look up 1995 fashion.
5. I feel betrayed by Bon Jovi, because I found out a while back that he was releasing a country album. Country!!! This is Bon Jovi, whose concerts I have attended, who thought I was a crazy stalker at the Olympic closing ceremonies because I was standing on my chair in the orchestra pit 10 feet away and screaming "I LOVE YOU!" I don't feel that way anymore, Mr. Jovi. And I just haven't connected like that with any of the more recent singers. Because I don't know who they are.
6. Some younger friends have commented in the past on my funny prom dresses. Funny as in old and out of date. I still don't get what's funny.
7. I still use the word awesome a lot. And I am not opposed to the use of the word rad. Like, I think "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is an awesome song, but not as rad as anything on U2's Joshua Tree album.
8. When someone tells me their car was made in 1995, I still think of it as kind of new. Not 13 years old and ready to retire. I saw a Mazda Miata in the parking lot at Walmart the other day, and I'm pretty sure it was a model from around 1995. It looked old, and not so hot anymore. It was kind of a shock.
Is anyone else with me? I am totally stuck in a time where music was the best, good movies were still being made, and clothes were totally cute. (I don't tuck in my shirts and puff them out, though--I know better.) And I realize that my tastes all froze 13 years ago whenever I hear that song "1985." Or when I look around and I'm the only one in Doc Martins in the room, and everyone else is groovin' to a song that came out 3 years ago that I've never heard of.
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