We went to the first Saturday morning show of Twilight. We got there an hour early to make sure we were in line and it turned out that we didn’t need to. The theater was almost empty. It was great and we were able to get Jamba Juice before we went in so it worked out perfectly.

I’ll be honest, the first 1/4 of the movie I really disliked it. The set, the sub characters were awesome I just couldn’t stand Kristen Stewart as Bella. I really felt like even the simplest of phrases were overacted. Not at all how I pictured Bella. As the movie went on though I guess I kind of grew numb to her because in the end I really enjoyed the movie. I still didn’t buy her as Bella but I bought everything else.

My favorite part of the movie is when Bella is on the phone with her mother and she turns around and Edward is standing there. The reason I love it is because they play music and just show them in bed talking and I feel like you don’t get that from the book. The quiet moments. The ones where they are really getting to know each other and falling in love. In that instance I felt the movie was better than the book.

I loved the cameo of Stephenie Meyer at the diner. I’m so glad she got to be a part of the movie. I love seeing her. I love it because she created not only Twilight but The Host as well and I am a huge fan almost turned stalker when I first finished the series. Seriously you guys, I almost got on a plane and went to AZ just so I could talk to her and tell her that I love her work. It’s funny that I should feel this way when I feel no attachment to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien is dead so I didn’t have the option with him at all.

Anyway, back to the movie. I have no problems with the story line. I think the movie moved well. I love the entire cast especially Charlie (except of course Kirsten). Bella’s friends at school are so well cast. They look and act so well. My only beef is with Jacob’s hair. I hate it long and I can’t wait for him to turn into a werewolf so we can see his cute face. I’m nit picking there so obviously I liked the movie. I’m definitely going to go experience it again and I think I’ll come away from that loving it. I can’t wait for New Moon!

And yes, I was wearing my I am Switzerland T-shirt. I wore it to Forks, I wore it to the Breaking Dawn Concert. Of course, I was going to wear it.

Alisa

REVIEW #2

I liked the movie more than I’d expected to. Based on what I’d seen in the trailers, I was a little nervous… so overall I was happily surprised. The previews had shown so much of Edward and the vampire action that I figured a lot of Bella would be lost in the movie, but I actually thought they developed her story pretty well for a movie adaptation. Unlike Alisa and Laura, I thought the actress did a decent job. She definitely had a few moments (that hospital bed scene was so overacted I cringed) that made me wonder. Overall, however, I thought she did a good job of balancing Bella’s awkward reserve and perceptive wit/opinions. Her inner conflict definitely came across as well. Maybe a little too much in some parts…

So I was most surprised by just how dramatic and intense the movie made the relationship between Bella and Edward. Not that they’re not passionate in the book, but their falling in love and being together seemed so HEAVY and dark in the movie that it was kind of hard to enjoy. I realize there’s absolutely no way to include all the Bella-Edward dialogue from the book, but couldn’t they have put in even a little light banter or happy conversation? Even a few more good kisses would’ve made them seem like more of a couple in love.

That said, I enjoyed how the movie script infused humor in parts of the story that didn’t have so much in the book. Like the school friends: I don’t remember Eric or Mike being that funny in the book. I loved them along with all the other minor characters in the movie. The Cullens were super fun to watch. Loved the making-dinner-for-the-human kitchen scene and REALLY loved the baseball scene! Oh man, that was great. Mentioning that scene reminds me of how much I liked the music, too–maybe I’ll get the soundtrack.

All this writing about it has me ready to see the movie again, and it hasn’t even been twelve hours. So fun.

Julianne

Review #3

Ok sorry guys- it’s my fault this review is taking so long to get published, I’m totally slacking for some reason.  I really liked the movie- not loved, but I thought it was decent.  Edward and Bella were not MY Edward and Bella, but I sort of expected that.  I did think the movie was filled with a little too much teenage angst for my liking- although I know they only had an hour and a half to pull in “the many moods of Edward.”  I thought the rest of the cast was spot on- I especially loved the Rosalie character.  In my head I always pictured her as Head Cheerleader pretty, with the attitude to match, and I was really happy they went in that direction for her.  I was really afraid they would turn her into a stick figure supermodel, but Rosalie had some curves on her!  The movie cinematography was also a little random for me- I have extreme motion sickness, and there were a few scenes where the camera angles just kept turning and turning.  I had to put my head down for a minute to clear it.  I just thought some of the direction was a little unnecessary-  do we really need to see every Edward and Bella from every angle in every scene?  Especially in some of the kissing scenes, but maybe I’m just getting a little old?  All that being said, I thought it was great to watch the book come to life.  I wasn’t at all disappointed in any of the direction they took the movie away from the book- except for the meadow scene (and the CGI didn’t do Edward any favors- he just looked freakish in this scene).  So yes, I will be seeing the movie again, and I may bring my husband this time since they clearly didn’t take it in the direction of a chick flick.

Laura