Reviews

[MSFixR]

The vampire flick Twilight may be critic proof -- hundreds of theaters will be posting "Sold Out" signs before it even opens at midnight tonight (Thursday) -- but that hasn't stopped many critics from sinking their fangs into it. One of them is Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times. "If there were no vampires in Twilight," he writes, "it would be a thin-blooded teenage romance, about two good-looking kids who want each other so much because they want each other so much." He gives the movie two and a half stars, but not without acknowledging, "But I understand who Twilight appeals to, and it sure will." Claudia Puig in USA Today makes the same acknowledgment: "Despite questionable casting, wooden acting, laughable dialogue and truly awful makeup, nothing is likely to stop young girls from swarming to this kitschy adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's popular novel," she writes. Rafer Guzman in Newsday predicts many future midnight shows for Twilight "with crowds repeating dialogue line for line. That would be fitting: Twilight already seems like a work of camp." Michael Phillips in the Chicago Tribune is kinder, calling it "a film of intelligent strengths and easily avoidable weaknesses." Michael O'Sullivan in the Washington Post observes that the film contains some "good stuff," and that while he has some "quibbles" about the film, "on the whole Twilight works as both love story and vampire story, thanks mainly to the performances of its principals." And Peter Hartlaub in the San Francisco Chronicle concludes: "Although you may not get sucked into the world of Twilight, after watching this movie, you will at least understand what all the fuss is about."

Source: IMDb

[Plastic Flute]

Fix did you read the book?

[MSFixR]

Yes, it was a quick read. Not your typical vampire story, it is a romance told from the view point of a high school girl.

[MSFixR]

"Twilight" might have been the most successful show ever on the CW network, a fitting companion piece to "Supernatural," with its attractive leads, high school setting, snappy dialogue and lack of big stars.

Instead, it will have to settle on being this weekend's box office winner and the biggest vampire romance movie of all time.

If only there were more to the highly anticipated film than what's here. Not that its teen fans will mind, or even realize, that this defanged vampire tale is lifeless.

In "Twilight," dreamy vampire Edward (winning British actor Robert Pattinson, missing an upper lip) falls for Bella (Kristen Stewart, also good), a new student shipped from Phoenix to live with her father in the small town of Forks, Wash.

Bella and Edward's attraction has a bumpy start but intensifies quickly, even as she notices he's a little different. His skin is ice cold, his eyes change colors, he's unusually pale, he has superhuman strength and speed and he has issues with daylight.

Such dead giveaways, and some help from Google, lead Bella to the conclusion that Edward is a 90-year-old vampire.

He confesses deep in the woods, which is where you want to be with a vampire who has just admitted he thirsts for your blood and doesn't know whether he can control himself. Instead of bolting, Bella rides piggyback as he climbs sky-high trees in an effects-driven sequence that's not very special.

If their situation wasn't complicated enough, they also have to contend with a rogue trio of bloodsuckers, and one wants to drain Bella.

Director Catherine Hardwicke ("Thirteen") took the easiest route possible with this surprisingly low-key effort that's a bit of a snooze. None of this, however, will get in the way of its intended audience.

By Kevin C. Johnson
POST-DISPATCH POP MUSIC CRITIC
11/21/2008

[Plastic Flute]

TY Fix nice read.

[Bynesrules]

Thanks for the info!

[MSFixR]

By Chuck Wilson, The Village Voice
Wednesday, November 19th 2008 at 10:34am

Stephenie Meyer’s wildly popular novel, Twilight—the first in a four-book series about a 17-year-old girl who falls in love with the hunky vampire who sits next to her in biology class—bored me silly, but that’s clearly a minority opinion. In the novel, Bella and her cold-to-the-touch lothario, Edward, talk and talk and talk. For the beautifully photographed (by cinematographer Elliot Davis) film version, screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg (bless her) has pared the couple’s blather down to the essentials, as when Edward (Robert Pattinson) says to Bella (Kristen Stewart), “You’re my own personal brand of heroin.” Poor girl. How could she not succumb? Actually, Bella’s in love/lust the moment she walks into her new Pacific Northwest high school and sees Edward, who shuns her, and then loves her obsessively. Eventually, he introduces her to his progressive vampire family—they eat wild animals, not people—and invites her for a game of bloodsucker baseball, where they encounter a vampire thug (Cam Gigandet) who begins stalking Bella. Director Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen, Lords of Dogtown) has drawn strong, star-making performances from her two leads, but in the end, she’s clearly no more interested in vampires than Meyer herself. In the 17-million-copy land of Twilight, the calling card isn’t blood and fangs, but the exquisite, shimmering quiver of unconsummated first love. By that measure, the movie version gives really good swoon.

[MSFixR]

Dying is easy, living is hard. This will be the creed Bella Swan shall have to endure in regards to her relationship with the mysterious Edward Cullen. A newcomer to town, Bella is just girl trying to disappear and not be noticed. Its on her first day at a Pacific Northwest high school when she encounters the Cullen family. She becomes entranced with Edward Cullen her Lab partner. Who wouldn’t? He has breathtaking good looks and only has soul piecing eyes for Bella Swan. Sounds too good to be true, huh? Well the fact that he and his family are vampires doesn’t stop cupid’s arrow.

Ok I admit it I read the twilight series and loved them. I was so excited to learn they were making a movie. Like a cult, anyone who reads the first book begins to recruit anyone they can to also read and discuss how great the book is. I myself have never read the Harry Potter books so I missed that whole frenzy.

So what am I going to tell my fellow Twilight fans? Go see the movie with an open mind. Enjoy the parts of the book that were so beautifully and faithfully done in the movie. Seeing Bella and Edward flying thru the trees and Edward sparkling in the sun is awesome. Don’t let the fact that some of the scenes are not on the correct time line or location as the book ruin your cinematic experience.

As for the performances….I thought that all actors were suited to their roles. I did find that Kristen Stewart (Bella) was a little to angsty with the delivery of some of her lines

One of the real stars of the movie is the amazing soundtrack. I can see how the sound track went number one before the movie came out. Author Stephanie Meyers has talked at length about music and how it inspires her writing. All the songs matched the mood and pace of the film. Having read the book, Bella’s theme is even more haunting and lovely then I imagined it would be.

I did find it a little annoying how clownish the vampires looked in the film. After reading how exquisite Edwards face and skin is, his varying shades of red lips was distracting and disappointing. I think that a more consistent make-up artist could have done a better job.

Speaking of inconsistencies, the direction and choppiness of the film made me hope for a different director and editor in the next film. I know that there were re-shots done so maybe that might have been why. The next story needs someone who can be darker and grittier but still be gorgeous and absorbing.

However I did like the ending of the movie, it left you with that, “can’t wait to see what happens next” feeling I love. To those not sporting a team Edward or a team Jacob tee shirt to this film (hint: this series is primed for a film franchise) this is a good date movie or a night out with the girls (I can’t imagine many hetro-dudes coming to this movie solo.)

Stephanie Meyers dreamt of these two characters one night and had to start writing about them. In the words of the author, “Overall, it's been a true labor of love, love for Edward and Bella and all the rest of my imaginary friends, and I'm thrilled that other people get to meet them now”.

Film Geekz [Julie Daniel]

[MSFixR]

Edward Cullen: And so the lion fell in love with the lamb.
Isabella Swan: What a stupid lamb.
Edward Cullen: What a sick, masochistic lion.

A young man and young woman from feuding families fall in love with each other; forbidden love (Romeo and Juliet). A successful, rich businessman falls in love with a prostitute; unlikely love (Pretty Woman). A super sized gorilla falls in love with a beautiful blonde stage actress; impossible love (King Kong). Now we have a vampire and a regular girl that fall in love with each other. It is a forbidden, unlikely, and impossible love but they strive to keep it alive. This movie is mysterious and romantic with a dab of charming. It delves into the world of Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Bella (Kristen Stewart) and their awkward relationship which is both bizarre and painful. This is what gives the film its edge; the peculiarity of the story. It really is more of a romance than an action or sci-fi type picture. The focus is on the awkward relationship and less on the whole vampire concept. Because of this, it is a lot tamer than you might think. There is no gore, no horror, and no elaborate transformations when it comes to the vampires. It’s all about the mystery and the romance.

This was an enjoyable movie to watch but the fun started even before the movie began. You see, the screening I attended had about an 80% to 20% ratio of women to men, if I had to take a guess. It was like being in a Claire’s store. (Yeah, I have a teenaged daughter so I know what it’s like to be in a Claire’s). Actually it would be more accurate to describe it as being in a hot popular boy band concert. Let’s just say that the screams and shrieks from the ladies were a plenty from before the movie even started to the very end and plenty in between. It is obvious to me now as to whom this movie appeals to. Yes, you can consider this a chick flick but it has enough action and intrigue that the guys might enjoy it too. The special effects were decent but not over the top so as not to distract from the intention of the story. The cinematography and the various locations used in the film were distracting but in a good way. The bulk of the story takes place in Forks, Washington. The typical cloudiness and grey skies were more than an appropriate backdrop for the vampires but even so, the Pacific Northwest is beautiful territory and this film does a nice job of presenting it to you. The music used in this film is also pretty good. I’m a big fan of Claire de Lune by Debussy. The script was relatively simple, but direct and mature. It blended very well with the current scenario, so if the current scene was awkward and weird between the characters, so was the script. If the scene was loving and romantic, so was the script. What probably impressed me the most, besides the story itself, was the acting. Considering that no larger than life actors were cast in this film and that for the most part the cast is young with limited cinematic experience, they all did a good job. It was a very good looking cast too. I could tell by the screams from the audience. Of course the superior performances were given by the two stars of the movie, Robert and Kristen. Director Catherine Hardwicke (Nativity Story, Lords of Dogtown, Thirteen) has done some pretty good work and I think she topped them all with this latest endeavor.

By Cine Marcos (Smartcine)

[MSFixR]

Listen very closely. Twilight. Did you hear it? When I typed the word Twilight, thousands of teenaged girls screamed simultaneously. It is a natural phenomenon. The new film Twilight, based on the best selling book series by Stephenie Meyer, is the most anticipated film this fall. For some. For others it is a complete mystery. Not having read the books I went into the movie with a totally open mind and no preconceived ideas. I could believe all the hype from my friends who read the books, telling me that this was going to be an amazing film. But, I simply waited, let the film speak for itself. And I am still waiting.
It is hard to summarize the plot without it sounding comical or plain idiotic. Basically 17 year old Bella (Kristen Stewart) moves to a small town in Washington state where she meets and falls for the local high school hottie, Edward (Robert Pattinson). Edward is not like the other guys. It isn't so much that he has a face as white as Casper the ghost or that he stares off into space like Edward scissorhands on Quaaludes. There is something else. Oh, yeah, he is a vampire. But no one knows. These aren't the living dead who sleep in coffins or can’t see themselves in a mirror. In fact they do not sleep at all and are far too pretty not to have a few mirrors around. When Edward’s love for Bella puts her in mortal danger decisions have to be made. And love drives it all.

The bottom line is this. This film, like the books, was not made for me. So to set here and tear it apart would not be totally fair. I wasn’t expected to like it. In fact it might be a little strange if I did. Like collecting American Girl Dolls. It was obvious at the screening who the film was created for and even more obvious how it was received by that select group. They loved every minute of it, apparent by screams, giggles and cooing noises. An easy way to figure out if you will be in that select group is this. If you are old enough to actually drive yourself to the theater, you might be a little too old to fully get it and appreciate it. Though the film is based on high school characters I see this being huge for the 13-15 female set. And glad of it. They need a film to rally around. Young boys are always getting films like Iron Man and The Dark Knight.

As a film it falls short in a few areas. One, it feels, moves, sounds, acts and breathes like a Tuesday night prime time TV series. Not once does it simulate a big screen production. I like the characters. And the humor of a human mingling with a family of vampires had modern day Adams Family moments. The ensemble cast worked well with the story and script. But again, like they were doing Television. And there is a big difference. This movie gives you a glimpse into the characters, makes you like them, but doesn't allow them to evolve. If I could watch them on TV each week, get to really know them, I might like it more. The love story is cute. Though at times I felt like I was watching Anakin Skywalker and Padme all over again. Edward being whiney and pouty and Bella constantly telling him to suck it up.

Twilight is Rated PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality. It is totally safe for those 10 and up even though the mushy love scenes might drive some late bloomers to roll their eyes. Edward is dreamy, even with his Christopher Walken hair, and that will be a draw for most females. You know your kid better than anyone and if they are into the books at all then just try and keep them from seeing this. You will lose that battle for sure, but it isn't a battle you should try and win. Those who have no connection with the books and just want a decent love story in a well made film need not bother. This is not the one for you. I could go ahead and give it 2.5 out of 5 blank stares but what would be the use. Again, I’m not expected to like it. And as a film to spend hard earned, sweaty, wads of movie cash on, didn't.

Matt Mungle (11/19/08) The Phantom Tollbooth

[MSFixR]

First of all, disregard what most of the professional reviewers are saying about this film; as usual they have their heads up their a$$es. Twilight is a romantic tragedy; the vampire thing is irrelevant. This film screams Romeo and Juliet - unrequited but unattainable love.

I read the first novel by Stephanie Meyer before seeing the film. Usually I am then disappointed in the film because I have preconceived ideas about the characters and story. In this case I was a bit dismayed that director Catherine Hardwicke did not spend more film time on the secondary characters such as Alice and Jasper and the history of the Cullens. However, I wasn't expecting to have to tax my grey cells based on Hardwicke's previous efforts. I think she nailed the teen romance thing though. I swear I didn't recognize Nikki Reed as a blonde in the role of Rosalie!

I'm sure that the film's target audience - female, 12-16 years old - are responsible for the solid 10/10 score on IMDb, and I'm also sure that that audience will be plucking down the requisite cash to see the next installments especially if Robert Pattinson is reprising his role.