BLOGS
First things first: I realize that no matter what I say about this movie, the Twi-hards are going to go see it. So if you fall into that category, go. I'm sure you'll love it (and you already got your tickets a month ago anyway), though I did hear quite a number of not-so-young ladies at the screening I attended complaining about the distinct lack of Edward (and Robert Pattinson's hair) in this film. But I'm guessing that most Twi-hards have read the books and are aware that this is the Jacob-centric installment. However, for the rest of the world that reads on here, be warned that spoilers abound.
On the plus side, I found New Moon marginally better than Twilight, so that's something, right? I understand this whole phenomenon and why these films are popular and whatnot, but let's just say there's not a whole a lot of subtlety involved here. Everything is broadcast a mile away; every line is delivered in the most earnest and cheesy way possible. It's fine to appeal to fans that aren't looking for much complexity in their vampire-themed love triangles, but does the actual presentation have to come across as this silly? At certain moments, it even seems like everyone involved is in on the joke, which is actually refreshing and allows the movie to occasionally work in a campy sort of way. But when it's trying to be serious? Man, it's rough. I wish I was just joking for the sake of joking, but at one point there are disembodied ghost Edwards floating around. How can we take that seriously? Even the opening credits, with big drums pounding as a moon goes through its phases to reveal the title, was laughable.
The new film picks up shortly after the last one. Edward (Pattinson) and Bella (Kristen Stewart) are trying go about their high school lives, even though she's having panicky nightmares about the fact that she's getting old and will eventually be a crinkly grandmother while he still looks 17 and beautiful. It's all tied to the fact that her 18th birthday is imminent and that Edward staunchly refuses to turn her into a vampire. While she desperately tries to avoid the big day, people insist on showering her with gifts, which she's all ungrateful and annoying about. She even puts up a fight when the kindly Cullen family of vampires throw her a party. Admittedly, she had a right to be skeptical about that, since a paper cut tempts Jasper's (Jackson Rathbone) bloodlust and she ends up getting tossed across the room like a rag doll. Not the way most teens would choose to spend their birthday. This whole scenario (and a lot of talk about souls or lack thereof) leads Edward to ditch her. In fact, the entire family decides to pack up to leave. So naturally Bella sinks into a funk and just sits in her chair for months before finally going out with her hysterically entertaining human friend Jessica (Anna Kendrick). Bella then realizes that Edward still invades her mind when she does reckless things.
She buys some beat up old bikes and visits her friend Jacob (Taylor Lautner) down at the La Push reservation. They flirt and rebuild motorcycles as he grows from a skinny kid into a beefy muscle-bound 16-year-old, while she tries to find new ways to cheat death. After a disastrous evening at the movies, in which Jacob tries to hit on Bella and she tells him that she's broken, he disappears for a while. But when dreadlocked vamp Laurent (Edi Gathegi) tries to kill her, a wolf pack appears out of nowhere and rescues her. It turns out that the giant wolves are Jacob and his pals. They are werewolves, and their leader once got angry and clawed his girlfriend's face by accident. So Jacob's been hiding out to protect Bella from a similar fate. Wow, she just has the best taste in guys, doesn't she?
Through a series of ridiculous events, Bella ends up unintentionally attempting suicide by cliff-diving, having a run-in with her nemesis Victoria, taking an impromptu trip to Italy and snuggling with her werewolf friend before she ends up reunited with her one true undead love. I know that sounds like a massive spoiler, but 1) it is a love story, 2) this is pretty close to the books and 3) all those crazy RPattz fans need to assured that while he is missing (or a floating head) for 75 percent of the movie, he does eventually return. Have faith.
For all the talk about a new director coming on board for New Moon, I'm not sure it resulted in a vast improvement. Chris Weitz seems obsessed with shooting people from odd angles in order to force perspective: shooting down on Bella to make her look small; shooting up on Jacob to make him look bigger; shooting Edward in such a way that his jaw just looks peculiar. And the spinning. Oh, there is so much spinning. From the scene showing how Bella broods for months, in which the camera just circles her for five minutes, to the fight scenes that are just dizzying and hard to follow (especially the one between the wolves and Victoria), the camera work is shaky throughout. If I ever see the movie again, I'll have to take some Dramamine first. As for the wolves... wow, that's some truly bad CGI. They are laughably big when they first appear and so cartoonish that you start longing for Underworld. And I was hopeful that they would have found a way to make the sparkles more convincing this time around, but... that was not to be.
Granted, there are some decent elements to the film: The scene in Italy with Bella running through a town filled with red-cloaked revelers is stunning. Rachelle Lefevre (who got canned after this film) looks fabulous running through the woods with her enormous red hair flowing as she stops along the way to kick some butt. She doesn't actually have to do much acting -- I don't think she says a single word of dialogue -- but she looks fantastic. And while I still don't think that Nikki Reed is cast properly for her gorgeous vamp Rosalie, she only has maybe three lines in the film. And Elisabeth Reaser talks even less. So that's a bonus. I'd mention Dakota Fanning, in her highly hyped role, but her part amounts to little more than an extended cameo in which she looks pissed off and constipated. If that's what they were going for, she excelled.
As for the leads, while Stewart does this weird shaking thing any time she's trying to be upset (or maybe she was just cold on set), she's actually better here than she was in Twilight. She looks great, her hair is super shiny and she seems to have more of a sense of humor about things. Pattinson is... just what he is. I don't particularly get his appeal, but he's fine, though he makes some truly odd choices like not looking at people when he talks to them or staring directly at them so intensely that it's uncomfortable to watch. It might suit the character, but it comes off as weird. Finally as for Lautner, while I admire the work he did to physically transform himself, I'd have been far more appreciative if he had taken an acting class or two between films. He's perfectly okay as the sweet puppy dog who follows Bella around, or when he's being goofy and hanging with his friends. But when he's tasked to appear intense or serious, it just doesn't work at all and that's a major issue since much of this film rests on his newly filled out shoulders.
What did you think? Sound off below.
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Great review and I agree with it 100%! Did anyone notice the scene when the werewolves were fighting and they "knocked the camera over"? That was STUPID! lol
Very well put..couldn't agree w/ you more.the movies suck.big time! I know that movies are made to entertain us.geez..where all the good movies go?..I missed Underworld even more..sigh..
All I can say is that I waited over a year for this?!? It was seriously the most boring movie I've ever seen. It could have been so much better....Three of the worst actors I've ever watched.
I'm not sure what y'all were expecting.
I totally agree about Rosalie/Nikki Reed! Terrible casting in an otherwize bang up job.
Good Lord that was the longest 2 hours I have ever spent at a theater. And I have read the books! Simply awful. If it was any slower they would have had to stop the projecter entirely.
I'm going to wait for the (probably) inevitable Rifftrax. They skewered the first one so well I can't WAIT to see what they'll have to say during THIS one...
I get your complaints, I mean I enjoyed it, but my tastes are not exactly elite. It was fine and it didn't seem to drag for me. I agree that Kristen was much better in this movie, although he eyebows were distracting in their shortness and it was really funny in the theater with all the girls screaming whenever Jacob appeared without his shirt on(half the movie).
Good review, although you misspelled "Twi-tards".
Twilight is shit. Books and movie.
Oh thank god I wasn't the only person staring at K-Stew's eyebrows for the entire movie wondering why they ended halfway across her pupils! What was up with that?! I kept on wanting to draw them in. Very distracting!!
Bahahaha, best and most entertaining vampire comedy I have seen in a good long while. A fantastic array of stupidly stupid things happened, and the whole thing just amounted to tons of fun, me laughing nonstop, and half the people in the audience occasionally joining in!
A rundown of my top three most hilarious moments, in chronological order:
(1) The kiss between Edward and Bella outside her truck after the Incident at his place. Involved Stewart saying "kissmeeee" and then strange, awkward gruntings/ pain noises. Wtf?
(2) The water part. She swims backwards into the cliff, falls unconscious, and sinks towards Ghost Edward. Bahahaha, stupidity to the max!
(3) The vision. Michael Sheen's red-contact eyes get a nice xtreme close-up. And then..... Edward and Bella running in a happy forest of sunlight? The entire theatre was laughing at that. Not entirely sure if that was bad on purpose or some strange attempt at humour.
I despise the "Twilight" series and have no interest whatsoever about seeing the films, so I'm prejudiced against them. But anyone must agree (and I'm judging from the trailers) that the werewolves look awful in this movie. One, they look like big dogs, not real werewolves and two, the F/X is pathetic. You'd think for all the money they're making from these films, they'd at least invest some of it in improving their effects budget.
I agree with Lyna, the Rifftrax is going to be delightful. Case in point: a huge chunk of the film consists of the characters staring at each other with looks of angsty constipation.
Robyn, the "pain" noises Kristin makes when Bella kisses Edward I think are supposed to be groans of desire, or whatever. That's why they always both look like they're trembling when they are barely even kissing, in the books Bella is supposed to be pretty much overcome with desire whenever Edward so much as holds her hand. SO ridiculous!
I thought that the movie was fine. In fact, I loved it. I don't understand people that hate twilight for whatever reason, but to each their own, right? Franlly I disagree with the review and find that Taylor Lautner's acting was good. Robert Pattinson has a strange face shape, but is stilll handsome and a great Edward Cullen (ie. I imagined him looking very similar ti that as I read the books). I do agree, however, that Kristin looked much prettier and did a pretty good job compared to the first. If any of you were Twilight fans, you might undertsand, if not, I don't care. I just don't see the point of bashing a movie for something so ridiculous.
A huge amount of people happen to find that these movies and the whole Twilight phenomenon are complete garbage. It's okay to feel one way or the other. But you can't be surprised if someone finds this to be garbage. I don't see how anyone could think this is a "good" movie or a "quality" one. People enjoying it isn't what puzzles me though, it's people thinking it's the best thing ever that does. I don't have a problem with this movie though. I have seen it. But the overwrought emoting and the "epic" feel of it were driving me freaking nuts. Just dial it down a few notches and it would be easier to take. The movie just takes itself so damn seriously. Overall, I can't complain that I was roped into going. I feel the same way about it that I did with the first movie. It was horrible and a decent way to pass the time but I can't mistake it for a good movie. I did enjoy Taylor's performance I must admit. He was alot more lowkey in most instances and had more of a sense of humor which I enjoy. Too bad he was just a glorified place holder for the whole damn movie.
"she ends up getting tossed across the room like a rag doll. Not the way most teens would choose to spend their birthday."
Actually I'd argue that most 18-year-old girls go out of their way for that kind of treatment on their birthday!
Kristen Stewart is the weak link of these films. She's utterly joyless, humorless, and graceless. She acts like a bratty asshole to everyone, including Edward, Jacob, her father, her "friends", etc. The movies could be a lot of fun if she weren't such a sour wet blanket.
Great review. Can we have more Anna Kendrick in the next movie? She was awesome. Am I the only one on Team Mike?
I saw [i]Twilight[/i] about 2-3 months ago and I thought it was just okay. As such when I went to see [i]New Moon[/i], I knew exactly what I was getting and I was not dissappointed. Overall I thought [i]New Moon[/i] was better than Twilight, BUT I never expected a masterpiece. Going in with those expectations, I enjoyed the movie.
The movie was as dull and cheesy as I was expecting. I weep every time I see Michael Sheen in a crappy film. He is so much better than this.
One thing that I did find entertaining though, was that the only real sexual tension in the entire film was between Bella and Carlisle. So much for the Pattinson/Stewart chemistry that people bang on about.
I've never understood the point of film critics? one person's sh4t is another person's gold, so their views are as valid as everyone elses so who cares what they think whether its good or bad???
Don't get any of the hype on Kristen Stewart. Close your damn mouth girl! Emmy Rossum cornered the market on that move long ago. Same with R-Patt, he desperately just needs to wash and tone down the crazy eyes.
I've never read the books but got cornered into watching the first film. One of the worst films ever... but maybe it was the bad book writing? Bella is a spoiled, bratty, depressing character and Edward is a creepy stalker (and no girls, that's NOT romantic, it's just creepy). Jacob is too good for her anyway as far as I can see.
I think I'll stick to True Blood!
no way to describe the many ways that the entire twilight saga fails.
The movie was about as stupid as the source material - I watched with similarly minded people and actually had quite a good time giggling at the ridiculousness of it all.
I was touched by one love scene though - the teenaged boy who had nobly accompanied his girlfriend sat behind me.
If there were such a word as ohcrapgetmeoutofhere, his picture would be next to it in the dictionary.
When I first read the books, I really liked them. I was never under the illusion that they were well written. It pained me even then to hear them mentioned in the same vein as the Harry Potter books.
As more time passes since I read the books, I find myself liking them less and less. I think the books do a real disservice to tweens and teens. What the books portray as love is actually the furthest thing from it. It's obsession, jealousy, possessiveness, and none of those things should be found in a healthy, truly loving relationship.
If I had kids in the book's target age group, there's no way that I'd let them read them. Kids that age don't know enough to know that that isn't love, and just to enjoy the books as a trashy good time, and to let it go at that.
I went with my girlfriends the other day to see New Moon, and I found myself sitting and thinking, "what a bunch of tripe."
"I just can't live in a world where you don't exist." What kinds of message does a line like that send to kids who don't know anything about love anyway?
MW:
I have one thing to say about your Kristen Stewart comment. If she is acting as you described her then she performed the role magnificently! That isn't her, thats how the character is in the book. Bella is joyless, humorless, and a bratty asshole who only cares about herself. Stewart just playe dthe rolle perfectly.
I haven't read the books but the movie was infinite times better than Twilight. I wasn't bothered by the overall slow pace and Bella's moping around because I knew that's what the book is about. The only thing I'm bothered by is the lack of chemistry between Edward and Bella. I mean Pattinson plays Edward so solemn and stiff that it is hard to understand Bella's fascination with him.
It was a pretty average movie TBH and the cheesiness was downplayed much more this time around. The underwater scene was stunning. My favorite part of the movie by far. Kristen was alright, much better than in the last one, much more natural.
ALL the actors very great. I found it very good and entertaining! People who didn't read the book say that all Bella/Kirsten is doing is moping around!
They haven't read the books so they don't know what IS happening: Bella is sad and lonely without Edward around. In the movie/book she desscribed it as a 'hole in her chest'. They just are watching the acting and the way they talk and move. Ever listen to the WORDS people?
Its just my way of putting it.
Three Words: BEST! MOVIE! EVER!
Just saw the movie, and I've read the books, and I just kept thinking, "It's not over yet?!?!?" The movie just kept dragging and dragging, but it was much more watchable than the first one, which I kept groaning every time that Stewart and Pattinson were in the same scene in...
Overall, pretty disappointing, but expected at the same time. I'm just waiting to see how they ruin "Breaking Dawn", basically.
I can't wait for Breaking Dawn. If they follow the book faithfully then the birth scene will be one of the most cracktastically hilarious things ever committed to celluloid.
“Kristen Stewart is the weak link of these films. She's utterly joyless, humorless, and graceless. She acts like a bratty asshole to everyone, including Edward, Jacob, her father, her "friends", etc. The movies could be a lot of fun if she weren't such a sour wet blanket.”
Sadly, that is pretty much Bella in the books. I think the movies have actually made her MORE tolerable, hard as that is to believe.
We were making fun of Kristen’s weird blinky acting. WTF? Also the werewolf CGI was shit.
I actually like Twilight better, but that probably has something to do with the fact that I don't give a shit about "team jacob" and spent the whole time waiting for the volturi.
The Twilight saga continues with New Moon, the second installment in the wildly popular Stephenie Meyer vampire series. Now teenie-boppers and anyone else really into this whole vampire thing New Moon comes out Nov. 20th, and there are already New Moon reviews out. The consensus among critics is that the film – you’ll have to pardon the pun – really BITES. (How am I not supposed to make that joke?) Rotten Tomatoes along some of the really big reviewers have decided that the novelty has worn off, and are giving the film a hiding. If you got payday loans for camping gear to wait days for tickets, it might have been a waste.
I agree with your assessment of RPattz's acting choices in this movie, especially his interaction with Bella. Unfortunately those are his only scences. It is distracting when he doesn't look dirctly at Bella when he is speaking to her. Rob was probably trying to convey intense guilt but it just came across as scattered. Also, he looked half asleep throughout the film as well. Rob probably wanted to show Edward's utter dispair at losing Bella but he just looked tired. Who know's maybe he was. Also, he needs to stop looking like he smells a fart. I like Rob Pattiston for the role but really, this shit has got to stop.
I'm not sure that liking or disliking this move has anything to do with having "elite" or "sophisticated" taste. I'm a total snob about books, but I'm not all that picky with movies. I had a perfectly good time at Harry Potter and I spent my Halloween watching The Orphan and Underground. I tried to watch Twilight and was just bored out of my mind. The extent to which nothing happened was almost impressive. I got two-thirds of the way and turned it off. How does anyone find these movies entertaining? They are gloomy, slow-paced blah -- at least as far as I could see.
Given the box office success of last year’s Twilight, it was inevitable the next installment in Stephanie Meyer’s series The Twilight Saga: New Moon would soon be coming to a theatre near you. Bella Swan and vampire Edward, her true love, are back for another adventure. This time things get off to a bad start. Read my full review Read my full review.
every person is entitled to their opinion in anything. But because you like doesnt mean everyone has too and if you dont like it doesnt mean everyone else has too. everyone who blogs and talks shit about anything are mad because they cant direct a movie or as always think and i mean THINK they can do better. everyone needs to get over themselves and just enjoy a pretty good movie. you people are too full of yourself and have aspirations and dreams you couldnt fulfill in someone elses shoes let alone yours. so let the movie be what it is. ENTERTAINMENT. dont take it so serious. i guess everyone expects the world to revolve around them and their opinions
I'm a fan of the books, and Rob and Kristen. I enjoyed both movies but my expectations were low going in, knowing how closely they follow the books and that the dialogue is of course cheesy. Aside from that, I mostly agree with your review. Taylor Lautner needs acting classes, though he makes a more likable Jacob than the one in the book, and some of the scenes were just ridiculous. I thought Kristen and Rob were both fine, actually - his makeup was weird, but his scenes during the climax in Italy were unbelievable. I thought the CGI for the wolves was mostly fine, aside from the first few seconds of the first wolf coming out of the woods, where he looked like an animatronic bear. They were too big, but in the books, they were basically the size of horses, so they were just sticking with that I guess. Overall, enjoyable, met expectations, could have been better, looking forward to more Robsten and a little less Taylor for Eclipse (if only because he really doesn't do intense drama very well).
I watched the movie and was disapointed, but i was not surprised. There were some awkward moments, where i laughed when the movie was attempting to be serious, like when we first see Edward walking towards bella in the school parking lot. I found the acting decent, and i also think that Jacob is more likable in the movies. I didnt find the movie depressing or slow paced, as many have said. The things i didnt like were that they took out a lot of important dialogue that was in the book, dialogue that would have better explained everyones emotions, and without that i think it confused people who hadnt read the book. I was excited to see what the director would bring to this movie, but in my opion, he brought nothing, i didnt like the new "colors" of the movie, everything seemed so light and bright, while the book/movie isnt supposed to have that tone.I also agree the contacts/make up was terrible. And unlike alot of people, I liked twilight better. Overall I enjoyed it new moon but that's only because I am a loyal fan. Hopefully David Slade will do Eclipse better justice.
Jakob is cool he is my favorite chacter but i like his hair short
My daughter has cajoled me into attending both movies. I want to smack Bella in the face. I agree with a previous poster, she's just rude and whiny and ungrateful to everyone around her. I have 3 teenagers, I think I know my way around some teenage angst, but this was freakin ridiculous. No teenager would be lying in bed screaming in pain for months after her boyfriend of - what? - 3 months? - dumped her. My biggest issue with the movie is that it treats the audience like we're idiots. They should make a big "FORESHADOWING HERE" stamp at put it across the scenes where the two of them are watching the Romeo and Juliet movie at the beginning of the film. Also, Bella sits in her room and pouts for 3 months? How do I know it was 3 months? Well, the handy dandy month apppeared in the corner of the screen! The cliff with the 3 werewolf/boys goofing around - when we were first introduced to it - it was WAYYYY obvious that would play a part later in the movie. Sigh. I agree, however, with the reviewer about the filming of the scene in Italy. The red robes and bright sun was a nice contrast to Bella's "bat outta hell" run through the city streets.
I've read the books and found the comparison to Romeo and Juliet and Catherine and Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights to be truly audacious. I think if that comparison was going to be made then there should be some follow-through and Edward and Bella should either have died, or been separated forever by misunderstanding and spite; alas I was disappointed in that respect. I can see why the books are so popular, but it is definitely geared toward sappy, angsty young teens (especially girls).
As far as the movie New Moon goes; I went to see it somewhat ironically with a friend who had similar opinions to mine about the books. I'd say it was a little better than Twilight, but it seriously felt like the longest movie I'd ever seen; I kept looking at my watch wondering when it would be over. The wolves were rather ridiculous looking, but they grew on me as the movie progressed; in fact I felt more sympathy for Jacob when he was all sad in wolf form than I did for him in human form. In general I prefer Jacob to Edward, but I think they are both possessive, manipulative and annoying. As other people have said, Bella is whiny and selfish; but that's actually the way she is written, so it's in character. I like Dakota Fanning so I liked her part even though the reviewer wasn't off on the description of her role. Also, I found it disturbing to have to watch an underage kid running around all buff and half naked for the entire movie; for those of us well out of our teens it was kind of an uncomfortable experience. Despite my lack of enthusiasm for them, I will continue to see the movies; if for no other reason than to have something to mock and gripe about--After all, that's how I made it through the books!
Undeniably the CGI for the wolves was pitiful. But it fit in with what Hollywood has deemed "appropriate" CGI content. I felt the same watching I Am Legend. The story is a bit tiring, like Back to the Future II it felt like filler to get to the next movie.
I won't say the acting was terrible, but Taylor Lautner needs classes to get some range into what he does.
Thankfully this one didn't have a cameo from the author, who I thought looked just like a chubby Sandra Bullock. I will be satisfied when the series is done and on my DVD shelf at home.
Im sorry but im one of those ppl who love Vampires ok. my mom got me started w/ vamps but she doesnt like the Twilight Seris k. And ppl who LOVE Twilight are not Twi-tards they are Twi-hards so get it straight and one of my friends who is a Twilight Freak would agree w/ me.....
hmmmmm...... I am not allowed to see the movies I only 13 but ive read the books I bet the books are better but idk. they prob did mess up the movies though.