Eclipse: The movie

Since Mason was born, I've seen three movies in the theater. The hubby and I went to Iron Man II (not as good as the first, but a good, fun movie nonetheless) for our first date post-baby; the girls and I saw SATC II (also not as good as the first, but I'm sorry, I just love the girlfriend power of those four ladies. The movie could completely suck and I'd still love them all). And then, because grandma is always willing to babysit, I was able to make it to Eclipse as well. It took me about a month, and it was killing me that I couldn't get there sooner (thus is parenthood, though, and we're OK with it. Toy Story III looks like it'll have to be a rental). Wow - summer of sequels I guess!

I was extra excited for Eclipse because this was my most favorite of the four books in the series. There was ACTION in this one. Fighting! Vampires being ripped to shreds! Blood suckers and smelly dogs uniting together to fight! Unlike the other books, there wasn't any 'let's talk this out... OK, we'll let you live...'... there was violence and killing, and I liked it.

The movie didn't disappoint. The werewolves looked better than in New Moon. The actors weren't so teenage-angsty, though Taylor Lautner could still use some help in the acting area. I loved Charlie even more in this movie. The newborns were totally frightening. So like the third book, the third movie was definitely my favorite. I'm unsure how the two-part fourth installment will turn out, though, and the fact that we have to way TWO YEARS until it's over? Stupid.

(Next up, Harry Potter. I get goosebumps in anticipation.)

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

OK, Twilight fans, we're in for another treat. Stephenie Meyer announced that she's releasing a short story called The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner. Bree was a newborn vampire in Eclipse, so this 200-page story tells about things from her perspective. Meyer says that the short story came in handy for the writers, director and actors in Eclipse, the movie, when they were trying to really get a feel for what newborn life was like.

The physical book will be available for purchase June 5, but Meyer is also offering an electronic copy for free to fans during the month of June. It comes out before Eclipse does, so fans can really learn about Bree before seeing the movie.

Two years ago when I was devouring the Twilight books, I would have about dropped dead from excitement about this news. I'm still excited, but I can tell my fervor over the books has definitely decreased a bit since then. But this book and the movie both coming out in June - makes for a fun month!

Eclipse Movie Trailer

Coming June 2010!

New Moon: A study in male aggression

I saw New Moon last night with my two bffs in a theater packed with females. (Case in point: When Jacob first took off his shirt, the gasps and sighs were louder than the movie.) Reviews about the movie have been mixed. I was surprised to see Entertainment Weekly give it a B+, but other reviewers have said the movie was slow. It was a touch slow, but so was the book. However, the second book plays a very important role in the series. The werewolves have to be entered into the story somehow and there has to be set up for the love triangle between Jacob, Edward and Bella.

I thought the movie was very well done actually. You could instantly tell there was more money to work with this time around. When I first saw the previews, I wasn't sure about the werewolves - I couldn't tell how big they were. But watching the movie, I thought they were actually perfect. They were huge and they were scary, but you could also see the cuddliness of the humans on the inside. I'm glad they weren't depicted like the werewolves in Harry Potter, which are more based in fantasy and very creepy. All the main actors have wonderful chemistry with each other, and once again (as reviewed from last year), Bella's dad just makes the movie. Billy Burke was fabulous. One disappointment however is Victoria. I think Rachelle Lefevre does a fabulous and beautiful job as bad vampiress Victoria in both Twilight and New Moon (if I could only have hair like that!), and while I do enjoy Bryce Dallas Howard, I think it's a mistake to change the actress in the third movie.

The theme that really stuck out to me throughout the movie was male aggression. It makes me wonder about the men in Stephanie Meyer's life. Does she know many aggressive men? Maybe not. Maybe Edward and Jacob's anger and angst is based on pent up teenage emotions, but I don't think so. After all, Edward is far from a teenager. I found it interesting that several times during the movie, when the men become angry they turn into their worst part (and they warn people, too: "don't make me angry," "I might not be able to control myself"). Is this a message that all men have a monster (vampire) or an animal (werewolf) inside of them? A part of them that they always have to work to control so as not to maim or attack loved ones or potential competitors? And are females always supposed to put up with it, always supposed to be the caretakers who reassure the males that they're worthy and that everything is going to be OK?

This isn't a criticism of the book, but an observation of how the gender roles are portrayed. (I can only imagine the awesome Women Studies classes out there using these books as resources!) While I do believe the series of books is about Bella's journey...and self denial, and good and evil...I think it's just as much about the journey of Edward and Jacob becoming the men they're supposed to be. And as in real life, it usually takes a woman to help a man figure it out. :)

Twilight: The Movie

Last night I saw Twilight with one of my best girls. And we loved, loved, loved it. It actually surpassed my expectations. Sure there were some cheesy lines, but I expected that since the first book is full of them. Sure the special effects weren't stellar, but they had something to prove with this movie and its small budget, and New Moon will be done even better (bring on the werewolves!).

But, looking past those little things, the movie was like a dream I didn't want to end. The actors were brilliant. Robert Pattinson was nearly flawless, making even this 28-year-old married gal swoon just a bit. Kristen Stewart had down pat the combination of angst and head-over-heels in love. The whole movie - as did the book, but the movie even more so - brought me back to high school, to what it felt like to be so crazy about someone that's all you thought about, that's the only person you wanted to be with. You wanted that person in your bedroom at night, and here Bella gets that with one sexy vampire.

And the Cullens. Sigh. I love that family. They too were beautiful. My girlfriend and I audibly gasped when Carlisle (Peter Facinelli) entered the movie for the first time. Esme was just as I pictured her in my head. Emmett was handsome and silly, Alice cute as a button, and Rosalie beautiful yet seemingly unattainable like a super model. Jasper was a little Edward Scissorhands-like to me, but I can understand his vacant stare since he's new to this "vegetarian" thing. I also thought one of the best characters, and the actor who did one of the best jobs, was Billy Burke as Bella's father Charlie. He played the perfect version of a father who doesn't quite know what to do with a teenage daughter, but he tries really hard. And he's supportive and protective and sarcastic. Loved him. The supporting cast was great, too. Bella's friends Mike, Jessica and Eric were hilarious and very real, and I'm excited to see more from Jacob in the second movie.

But in the end, it came down to Bella and Edward for me. They had great chemistry on screen and I felt they were true to their characters. Very true.

All in all, hands down, great movie. It made me rediscover my love for the series. I don't know how they make teenage girls feel (I can only imagine all the Robert Pattinson posters lining bedroom walls all over the world), but for me the stories are nostalgic and sweet and a wonderful escape.

Forks, Washington

I absolutely loved this story on CNN about how, ever since the Twilight series hit the shelves, the little, rainy town of Forks, Wash., has seen an increase in visitor activity. Forks is where Bella moves to live with her sheriff father in the beginning of the first book. It’s where she meets Edward and Jacob. It’s where the books end.

When researching real towns for the setting of her stories, Meyers was looking for a specific place. What did this place need? Well, for vampires to be comfortable there and able to walk around amongst mortals, it needed to be a place with the least amount of sunlight possible. In truth, Forks is one of the rainiest places on the planet—more than a foot of rain falls each month. Ideal for vampire inhabitation.

At the time, Meyer couldn’t have known what her books would do for Forks. She had no idea Twilight and the following sequels would be so popular, but ever since those books first started topping the charts, Forks, a town that was losing steam and watching its citizens leave for brighter horizons, has seen an influx of new life.

Thousands of visitors have traveled to Forks, hoping to see in front of their very eyes, some of the magic they read about in the books. And town residents are taking notice. As the article says, one guy has taken it upon himself to find houses that match the description of Bella’s and the Cullens’, found a spot on the beach that matches that of Bella and Jacob’s favorite hangout, and the local hospital even has a spot reserved for Dr. Cullen. How frickin’ cool.

As someone who has a large understanding of hospitality and tourism because of my job, I know how important it is for small towns to find that specific draw. I know how important it is for local chambers or visitors centers to hype themselves in an effort to bring in more tourists. Tourists = $$$. So, because of this understanding, this story touched my heart and made me so happy for Forks. So proud for this little town I’d never even knew existed before two months ago. Maybe someday I’ll be able to check out Forks, too. For Meyer’s personal experience during her first visit to Forks, and a slideshow of photos, see here.

(Map courtesy of Stephenie Meyer's Web site.)

Breaking Dawn

I wasn't sure I'd have the time to buy and read Breaking Dawn this weekend, but I couldn't put it down. And I couldn't go to bed last night until I finished it. Trying to get through today waiting to finish it tonight just didn't seem bearable. :)

This was a great final book to the series. I read last week that Meyer thought about putting a warning on the book, because it was a bit more adult than the other three. And that's the truth. Much more gory, much more sexy - and very good. The book held some surprises for me, most definitely, which I'm always happy about. Meyer also detoured a bit; the middle section of the book was narrated by Bella's bff Jacob, instead of by Bella. When I got to this part, I was a little disappointed (I stand firmly on Team Edward), but in the end I thought it was a great storytelling technique, particularly for that section of the book. Jacob is the funny sidekick who can lighten any mood, so him as narrator just worked.

Danger and secrets were around every corner of the book, which made it that much more suspenseful. The reader gets to meet many more vampires from around the world, many with special powers of their own (Edward can read people's minds; Alice can see the future, etc.). I really enjoyed meeting these new characters as they gathered in Forks for a very important reason. The book ended perfectly, in my eyes, tying up loose ends and truly providing a happily after after conclusion. I'm extremely glad I gave these books a try this summer; it's been a very entertaining two weeks.

UPDATE (same day): I just listened to a brief interview with Meyer on B&N. She talks about her inspirations for each book and other stories these books circle around. Twilight: Pride & Prejudice; New Moon: Romeo & Juliet; Eclipse: Wuthering Heights; and Breaking Dawn: A Midsummer Night's Dream and one more book she wouldn't mention, afraid to give something away. OK, Twilight saga readers, what do you think it is? I'm not sure...

Twilight series

An article in today's local paper (and I'm sure in every other paper in the country, too) focuses on the love for the Twilight series. However, this article takes the twist of why adult women, not teenagers, love these books. If you want to know why I fell in love with them, too, read this article. I can totally relate. Some highlights:

Julie Price is 35 and single and loves them "because they remind you of being young again, of how intense your feelings are when you're a teenager. It makes your heart race."

Price also voiced a common refrain among Twilight's older readers: She had never before read a vampire story, only to find herself hooked. "There's something very appealing about the culture of the vampire," she said. "They're so beautiful and untouchable. And how Edward is overcoming his vices, his natural tendencies, makes him even more exciting. He could kill her, but he loves her."

And:

Stacey Erickson, an Eagan mother of three and Twilight Mom, at age 35, has found herself head-over-heels in love with -- well, love. Meyers, she said, "just captures that feeling of having such a crush on some boy, that if he ever even brushed against you, you would shiver."

I was talking with my friend Em about these books yesterday and I mentioned that another reason I love them is because in the first three books, despite their utter infatuation with each other, Bella and Edward have abstained. I think this is a very important message to send the teenage audience (and probably makes moms very happy). Author Meyer is religious (she's Mormon, doesn't work on Sundays, etc) and has said in interviews that she was a very good girl when she was growing up. I definitely appreciate her drive to keep these two apart physically. While I also love the Traveling Pants series, I couldn't quite get onboard with a few of those girls having sex in high school. These books prove that teenage girls (and even women) don't need to read about sex to enjoy a book. Romance comes is all shapes and forms, and oftentimes it's about much more than the bedroom.

Eclipse

I finished New Moon over the weekend and finished Eclipse last night. The fourth and final book comes out at midnight on Friday, so I'm back to reading a non-vampire book until I can get my hands on Breaking Dawn sometime this weekend (No, you won't find me at a release party dressed in vampire garb).

I liked this book just as much as the others. New Moon ended with danger still on the horizon for our main characters, so Eclipse opened with some tension from the start. Bella has found herself torn between two loves, a serial killer is on the loose in a nearby city and a significant deadline is fast approaching. I don't know how she gets anything done with so much on her mind.

What I enjoyed about this book was the evolution of Edward and Bella's relationship. While I mentioned previously that I don't quite agree that an 18-year-old girl should be so in love and broken without a certain boy, I got over it. Edward has been on Earth for more than 100 years and it's a bit refreshing how mature he is compared to the other boys Bella could be dating. While it doesn't hurt for her to experiment, have fun and learn who else is out there, I can see why other boys might pale in comparison (ironically) to Edward, who rarely throws fits, controls his jealousy and is willing to let Bella go (whether for an hour or forever) if that's what would make her happy.

The two of them also worked on compromising a lot in this book, which if you're set on being in a relationship, is the most important thing to understand and learn to excel at. They held rational discussions, came to terms with the struggles of a human/vampire relationship and made decisions both of them could be happy with. I enjoyed these parts of the book. While Edward's need to "protect" Bella would get to me sometimes - she's not a child! - I do think that as a girl who took care of her scatterbrained mother for her entire life, letting Edward hold the reins in their twosome might be a bit of a relief.

The entire book led up to a battle scene that I thought would be the "epic" battle of the series. It wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be and wished for a bit more action. But that part of the story was important in its own way. Maybe the big fight will come in the end, ala Harry vs. Voldermort or the Fellowship and the Battle for Middle Earth. I can't wait!

New Moon

I started New Moon, the sequel to Twilight, on Tuesday. I’m nearly finished. I love when I read books I can’t put down. Plenty of books are good and fun to read, but it seems rare that a book keeps you thinking about it and wishing you were reading it when you weren’t (or can’t because you’re driving, eating or working). I don’t feel this way about the Stephenie Meyer books because they’re so intriguing necessarily, but because they’re so fun.

I didn’t know what to expect from New Moon, but I figured it would be similar to Twilight. Bella and Edward’s romance will grow, something life-threatening having to do with mythical creatures will happen and they’ll fight for their love. All the basics of a good romance. Well, so far the book hasn’t turned out quite that way; it took a different turn. I was surprised at first, but soon I figured out what was going on and I predicted exactly what was going to happen. However, this didn’t bum me out like it might with other books. I actually was glad Meyer took the story a different way for the second book. Usually that’s something you wait a few more books for when you’re writing a series. (J.K. Rowling waited until Goblet of Fire to really heat things up.)

New Moon takes Bella through all sorts of emotions: heartbrokenness, depression, risk-taking behavior, new love, relief, sadness. Poor girl - I had to feel for her. Granted, normal teenaged girls don’t fall in love with vampires and experience near death on a regular basis, but you can’t disagree that they do go through every single one of the emotions above. That’s why I think these books are so popular. Meyer speaks to all the issues teenagers (boys get their fair share in here, too) go through, just in a different way.

I apologize if my obsessive consumption of these books is boring to read about – especially if I continue to read them all in a row – but I’m sure it’ll be out of my system soon enough.

So, what books have you read that you just couldn't put down? (I've been trying to think of some besides Harry Potter. I'll let you know what I come up with.)

Twilight, Final Bite

I finished Twilight last night, if anyone had any doubt. I really enjoyed it. The story captures you from the first page and holds on to you throughout the story. I found myself captivated by the vampire family, which is weird because I never thought I was into vampire stories. I know there are readers out there who just love vampire books - so maybe I've been missing something? Or maybe Harry Potter and the LOTR trilogy opened my eyes to fantastical story lines? Whatever it is, I liked the book for the romance, the suspense and the action.

There are so many people out there who love these books. If you peruse B&N customer reviews, nearly everyone gives is five stars. I do agree with some of the semi-negative things I've read about the book. Meyer tends to repeat aspects of the story; the characters seem to have similar conversations or arguments throughout the book. However, this seems to be a similar event with other teen books, especially series (Harry Potter, Traveling Pants, Sweet Valley Twins, etc. all "review" throughout each book and/or the series). I don't know if publishers think teens need the reminders (I don't think they do), but I'm not sure it should be considered bad writing necessarily.

I can also see the point that the all-consuming romance between Bella and Edward is a little unhealthy. If she were my daughter, at 17 I wouldn't feel she's ready to devote her life to a boy. However, we've all been teenagers ourselves and felt that pull toward friends or boyfriends or girlfriends. It's the hormones and I'm not sure anything can be done about it. (Fortunately, though I'm only through one book so I don't know for sure, I don't think the two can get too close and mistakenly have a little half-vampire baby!)

All that aside though, if you read this and just let your real-world thoughts leave your mind and don't think too hard about the logistics (I had to do this with The Time Traveler's Wife, too, before I could enjoy it), Twilight is a wonderful escape. Plus, it's gotten kids to keep reading after Harry graduated. I'm all for that.

Twilight

The cover story of my Entertainment Weekly a few weeks ago was about Stephenie Meyer, creator of the Twilight series. Being a pop culture nut and a reader, I'd obviously heard of these books, but I didn't know much beyond their existence until I read the story in EW. The story lines intrigued me, and learning Meyer's story also interested me. She published Twilight, the first book in the series of four, when she was 29 years old. I mentioned to the hubby that I might want to read these books. I searched the libraries and, with the highly anticipated fourth and final book about to hit shelves, all of Meyer's books were out. Thursday he made a stop at the bookstore and brought home the first two books for me.

I was in the middle of another book, but I couldn't wait to start. I picked up Twilight yesterday morning and consumed nearly the whole thing. I have about 100 pages left, and it's almost killing me to have to wait until tonight to finish it.

These books are meant for teenagers, but like Harry Potter and the Traveling Pants series, that's not stopping me from enjoying what is some really talented writing and imaginative, fanciful storytelling. Bella is a junior in high school who moves to a new town in northern Washington. She meets Edward, a beautiful creature, who has a pull on her she can't escape. One little problem: Edward is a vampire. This first book mostly describes their courtship - it's not that easy, for obvious reasons - but there's plenty of action to come. I can feel it.