I thought I'd write a few of my thoughts about the Twilight movie that was just released last Friday on DVD (and sold more than 3 million in its first day of sales.)
The Good: I don't have much good to say about the film. I did like the casting of Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson, see his April 2009 GQ spread below) and Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart). The acting isn't great, but I don't think these actors had much to work with. Alice Cullen (portrayed by Ashley Greene) is also a nice fit. And, when I stop and think about,I didn't have any problems with the casting of Charlie Swan (Billy Burke) either. That's pretty much all I can come up with.
The Bad and the Ugly: Where to start? The script is TERRIBLE-- some of the dialogue is ridiculous, and the movie is hard to sit through. My sister and I mildly enjoyed ourselves ONLY because there were so many things to laugh at in this movie and it's not supposed to be a comedy, folks! They're bringing in a new director for the sequel, New Moon, which seems to be a wise decision indeed. The exchanges between the characters are excruciating to listen to and the scenes don't portray what we need them to. Bella and Edward are supposed to be hopelessly in love, but we just don't get that from the movie (or their chemistry for that matter). What makes matters worse is the terrible casting. Rosalie Hale is supposed to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. What do we get? Actress Nikki Reed, who is girl-next-door pretty as a brunette, but downright frightening with her awful fake blonde hair in the film. She's also NOT lithe like her character is supposed to be(with a rather large backside, as I noticed in one scene). I think they could have cast a model, or a MTA (model-turned-actress) for the role, since Rosalie doesn't figure largely in the books, and she is supposed to look otherworldly, after all. The rest of the Cullens and Hales are largely forgettable (but maybe future films will show a bit more of their mettle), although, I take issue with the casting of Dr. Carlisle Cullen (Peter Facinelli), who looks really young, and again, has really awful dyed hair. I know brunettes from Jean Harlow to Marilyn Monroe and Lisa Kudrow to Madonna have been going blonde with fairly successful results-- is it too much to ask that they get it right on the set of Twilight? Or better yet, find a natural?
The Book: I just have a few thoughts on the books. I really did enjoy the series, and can attest to the fact that they are quite addictive. That said, the writing and editing can certainly be improved (but who am I to judge?). I guess my biggest criticism is that Stephanie Meyer seems to hold her characters a little too dear. Unlike J.K. Rowling, who kills off some of her most popular characters in the Harry Potter Series, Meyer seems to be unable to part with any of her characters. I realized that early on, which made the plot all too predictable. Maybe I am a bit dark, but having popular characters die (and the mourning process involved) seems to add to the experience of reading. Moreover, although Meyer tries to introduce conflict in the guise of Jacob Black who is fighting for Bella's affections, you never really believe that Bella will actually go for him.
GQ: Robert Pattinson is the cover boy for the April issue of GQ. I thought you might want to see the boy that is currently driving the teen population crazy. He doesn't make a bad Edward. Now, why couldn't they find someone as nice looking to play Jacob Black?
WHY I PICKED IT UP: I was a huge fan of the Harry Potter series. I saw this title at the library, and had to check it out. Looks to be a quick read-- should be interesting!
WHY I PICKED IT UP: I keep hearing about the fabulous Mitford sisters-- first over at Liebemarlene, and then from my friend Sara who reported that Love in a Cold Climate is one of her favorite novels.
WHY I PICKED IT UP: This was recommended by my friend Amy. I've never read anything by Stephen King before, but apparently this one is helpful to aspiring writers.
WHY I PICKED IT UP: This is another author I've never read, as my tastes tend to run to the classics. But, I've been spending a lot of time in the paperback section of Walmart these days (first buying the Twilight series, and now reading the Sookie Stackhouse books), and this one caught my eye. I didn't seek it out at the library, but when I saw it on display there, I snatched it up. I'm definitely going through an easy reading phase.
WHY I PICKED IT UP: The most recent installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series (with another coming out in May), this one promises to be as deliciously addictive as its predecessers. It's a vampire mystery series that I just heard about from my sister who watched the HBO series based on the books.
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