Robert Pattinson said he doesn’t really like Edward & Bella’s relationship. Twilight,New Moon,and Eclipse movie star, Robert Pattinson recently chatted with GMTV during the “Twilight Saga: New Moon” promotional tour,and he revealed quite a few things,which include not really agreeing with Edward and Bella’s relationship.
Robert Pattinson said that he really enjoyed filming “New Moon” because everyone was so relaxed,and Chris Weitz, the director was great and very calm. He talked about how amazing it is that they’ve already filmed two sequels within a year of the first “Twilight” movie coming out.
He said he didn’t really quite agree with Bella and Edward’s relationship because it’s the type that sort of alienates everyone else around them . They’re so caught up in themselves,that the friendships around them sort of drop off. He said he did quite a bit of his own stunts in “New Moon,” but not as many in “Twilight” because he got injured on the very first day.
He also revealed that he would never want to be a vampire in real life. However, the running fast ability is appealing to him. He also said he doesn’t like putting on that pale white make-up everyday. He talked about how his family feels about his career. He was also in a band. He wasn’t a fan of school or homework.
He talked about all the media attention. He said, it’s great to go back to England because no one even bats an eye at him over there. He feels normal again when he’s there. He concluded, by talking a little bit about the Volturi vampire clan and their history. He appeared to get a little confused,though.
“Twilight Saga: New Moon” is in theaters now. “Twilight Saga: Eclipse” hits theaters on June 30,2010.
SOURCE
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Twilight Saga Cast responds to Britanny Murphy's Death
Sadly, Hollywood actress Brittany Murphy passed on Sunday, December 20th at the age of 32 from cardiac arrest.
Of course, the news hit home for a great many people, as the young woman was a fantastic actress who made a name for herself in films ranging everywhere from Clueless to Girl, Interrupted.
Murphy co-starred with several actors in the Twilight series films, and they've reacted to the news in their own various ways.
For instance, Peter Facinelli - who worked with her in Riding In Cars With Boys - took to Twitter to express his grief over the news.
Brittany Murphy... U were Bold, Brave, and Beautiful. Thank you 4 being the free spirit u were, and always putting a smile on my face.
Murphy also worked closely alongside The Twilight Saga: New Moon star Dakota Fanning in Uptown Girls back when Fanning was just a little tyke. Fanning issued a statement about the loss to E! Online, saying "Brittany had such a warm child-like spirit that drew people to her. With her goes a piece of my heart and I will miss her terribly. I know how strong Brittany's love was for her family and my heart goes out to all of them, especially her mother Sharon. I love you Brittany."
SOURCE
Of course, the news hit home for a great many people, as the young woman was a fantastic actress who made a name for herself in films ranging everywhere from Clueless to Girl, Interrupted.
Murphy co-starred with several actors in the Twilight series films, and they've reacted to the news in their own various ways.
For instance, Peter Facinelli - who worked with her in Riding In Cars With Boys - took to Twitter to express his grief over the news.
Brittany Murphy... U were Bold, Brave, and Beautiful. Thank you 4 being the free spirit u were, and always putting a smile on my face.
Murphy also worked closely alongside The Twilight Saga: New Moon star Dakota Fanning in Uptown Girls back when Fanning was just a little tyke. Fanning issued a statement about the loss to E! Online, saying "Brittany had such a warm child-like spirit that drew people to her. With her goes a piece of my heart and I will miss her terribly. I know how strong Brittany's love was for her family and my heart goes out to all of them, especially her mother Sharon. I love you Brittany."
SOURCE
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Twilight Saga : Eclipse News Kristen Stewart Incredible to Work With
While her entry into The Twilight Saga: Eclipse was under rather unsavory circumstances, Bryce Dallas Howard has been putting her best foot forward for Twilight fans by showing complete respect for her predecessor in character portrayal Rachelle Lefevre.
Recently, too, Howard paid some much-deserved homage to co-star Kristen Stewart in an interview with MTV.
"Kristen is fantastic and so, so passionate about this role and this character," she said. " Kristen was incredible to work with, incredible."
Click here to watch the video...
Recently, too, Howard paid some much-deserved homage to co-star Kristen Stewart in an interview with MTV.
"Kristen is fantastic and so, so passionate about this role and this character," she said. " Kristen was incredible to work with, incredible."
Click here to watch the video...
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Twilight Star Bryce Dallas Howrad Says Twilight has An Extraordinary Finale
Twilight actors from Ashley Greene to Nikki Reed have already weighed in on their favorite scenes in the upcoming "Eclipse." And like many of the saga's stars, newcomer Bryce Dallas Howard's favorite scene to film was the movie's epic battle sequence.
"There's quite an extraordinary finale," Howard told MTV News of the scene that took weeks of intense fight training to prepare for. "That was very fun to do."
Those well-versed in Stephenie Meyer's fantastical world of vampires and werewolves know that the third "Twilight" installment focuses heavily on elements of love and war. In addition to the love triangle involving Edward, Bella and Jacob, "Eclipse" follows the actions of vampire Victoria, who creates an army of newborn bloodsuckers to avenge the death of her mate James in "Twilight."
Howard was careful not to reveal any details about the pivotal scene, but she did concede that the battle will likely trump the ballet-studio fight in "Twilight" and the Volturi rumble in "New Moon."
"The producers were saying it's the biggest spectacle filmed thus far in this franchise," she said. "There's a newborn army that's been raised for battle. It's a true battle scene."
Howard replaced actress Rachelle Lefevre as Victoria weeks before production began on "Eclipse" due to what the studio claimed was a scheduling conflict. Audiences will see Howard's take on the embattled character when the third "Twilight" film hits theaters on June 30. The 28-year-old can also be seen as a 1920s debutante in the independent drama "The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond," opening in New York and Los Angeles on December 30. Based on a Tennessee Williams screenplay, the film also stars Chris Evans, Ann-Margret and Ellen Burstyn.
SOURCE : MTV.com
"There's quite an extraordinary finale," Howard told MTV News of the scene that took weeks of intense fight training to prepare for. "That was very fun to do."
Those well-versed in Stephenie Meyer's fantastical world of vampires and werewolves know that the third "Twilight" installment focuses heavily on elements of love and war. In addition to the love triangle involving Edward, Bella and Jacob, "Eclipse" follows the actions of vampire Victoria, who creates an army of newborn bloodsuckers to avenge the death of her mate James in "Twilight."
Howard was careful not to reveal any details about the pivotal scene, but she did concede that the battle will likely trump the ballet-studio fight in "Twilight" and the Volturi rumble in "New Moon."
"The producers were saying it's the biggest spectacle filmed thus far in this franchise," she said. "There's a newborn army that's been raised for battle. It's a true battle scene."
Howard replaced actress Rachelle Lefevre as Victoria weeks before production began on "Eclipse" due to what the studio claimed was a scheduling conflict. Audiences will see Howard's take on the embattled character when the third "Twilight" film hits theaters on June 30. The 28-year-old can also be seen as a 1920s debutante in the independent drama "The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond," opening in New York and Los Angeles on December 30. Based on a Tennessee Williams screenplay, the film also stars Chris Evans, Ann-Margret and Ellen Burstyn.
SOURCE : MTV.com
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Twilight Saga: More vampire books!
It’s official now. If the central character looks stunning and can bite, the story is a hit. Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series has opened doors for loads of vampire-ish stories and no other teen book except Harry Potter, in the recent years, has acquired such an unconditionally loyal cult following.
As Twilight’s sales went rocketing (over 20,000 copies off the shelves, at only two leading bookstores) in India, both kidults and adults have set eyes on other books with similar girl-in-love-with-vampire storylines.
“House of Night series by PC Cast and Kristin Cast comes only second to the Twilight series now. Three books from this series— Marked, Betrayed and Chosen are doing well. So is the Vampire Academy series, especially, Frostbite,” says Sivaraman Balakrishnan, marketing head, Crossword bookstore. “More than 1,700 copies of these books have been sold already and this is a good figure, considering they entered the market only a month ago. Most of these books are being re-ordered as more and more people come looking for them,” adds Vatsala Bisen, assistant buyer and planner, Crossword bookstore.
“There’s definitely a clear rise in the sales of books on vampires and werewolves. Books like the House of Night series and the Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz are the most-ordered vampire books after the Twilight series. People who didn’t know about these books earlier, are now more aware and curious,” said a spokesperson for Landmark bookstore.
“Not just young girls, but boys too, are neck deep into these books. Vampire books are being exchanged and borrowed between friends. Needless to mention, that aspiring authors are taking advantage of the trend set by Meyer,” said Judy, a 19-year-old student.
The movies did boost sales of these till-now-ignored books. “I went looking for books on vampires and werewolves with a list in hand. I wanted the Night World series, Vampire Academy series and Prom Nights from Hell,” chirps 16-year-old Nimisha.
It’s time to rejoice for the book vendor on the streets too. “Apart from Chetan Bhagat’s 2 States and Dan Brown’s books, I have people coming and asking for Twilight and House of Night all the time. In fact, I sell more than 30 copies of Twilight per day,” says a street vendor in Colaba. He also remarks that House of Night will soon be a bestseller too, pointing to a copy of Marked.
Guess, until some other creature, worthier and queerer than Edward Cullen and Jacob Black, enters the scene, vampire-werewolf-love stories will continue to provoke, interest and seduce readers.
Top selling books
House of Night series: Marked, Betrayed, and Chosen (Rs 295 each)
Vampire Academy Series (Rs 299 each)
The Southern Vampire Mysteries: Sookie Stackhouse series (Rs 350 each)
Blue Bloods (Rs 280 each)
Prom Nights from Hell (Rs 299)
Source: Crossword bookstore
Popular vampire series
Night World by LJ Smith
Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith
Vampire Beach by Alex Duval
Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber
Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan
Bloodsucking books for teens
Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne
Full Moon by Rachel Hawthorne
Need by Carrie Jones
Shiver by Maggie Steifvate
Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith
The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinx
Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Persistence of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Evernight by Claudia Gray
Stargazer by Claudia Gray
SOURCE
As Twilight’s sales went rocketing (over 20,000 copies off the shelves, at only two leading bookstores) in India, both kidults and adults have set eyes on other books with similar girl-in-love-with-vampire storylines.
“House of Night series by PC Cast and Kristin Cast comes only second to the Twilight series now. Three books from this series— Marked, Betrayed and Chosen are doing well. So is the Vampire Academy series, especially, Frostbite,” says Sivaraman Balakrishnan, marketing head, Crossword bookstore. “More than 1,700 copies of these books have been sold already and this is a good figure, considering they entered the market only a month ago. Most of these books are being re-ordered as more and more people come looking for them,” adds Vatsala Bisen, assistant buyer and planner, Crossword bookstore.
“There’s definitely a clear rise in the sales of books on vampires and werewolves. Books like the House of Night series and the Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz are the most-ordered vampire books after the Twilight series. People who didn’t know about these books earlier, are now more aware and curious,” said a spokesperson for Landmark bookstore.
“Not just young girls, but boys too, are neck deep into these books. Vampire books are being exchanged and borrowed between friends. Needless to mention, that aspiring authors are taking advantage of the trend set by Meyer,” said Judy, a 19-year-old student.
The movies did boost sales of these till-now-ignored books. “I went looking for books on vampires and werewolves with a list in hand. I wanted the Night World series, Vampire Academy series and Prom Nights from Hell,” chirps 16-year-old Nimisha.
It’s time to rejoice for the book vendor on the streets too. “Apart from Chetan Bhagat’s 2 States and Dan Brown’s books, I have people coming and asking for Twilight and House of Night all the time. In fact, I sell more than 30 copies of Twilight per day,” says a street vendor in Colaba. He also remarks that House of Night will soon be a bestseller too, pointing to a copy of Marked.
Guess, until some other creature, worthier and queerer than Edward Cullen and Jacob Black, enters the scene, vampire-werewolf-love stories will continue to provoke, interest and seduce readers.
Top selling books
House of Night series: Marked, Betrayed, and Chosen (Rs 295 each)
Vampire Academy Series (Rs 299 each)
The Southern Vampire Mysteries: Sookie Stackhouse series (Rs 350 each)
Blue Bloods (Rs 280 each)
Prom Nights from Hell (Rs 299)
Source: Crossword bookstore
Popular vampire series
Night World by LJ Smith
Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith
Vampire Beach by Alex Duval
Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber
Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan
Bloodsucking books for teens
Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne
Full Moon by Rachel Hawthorne
Need by Carrie Jones
Shiver by Maggie Steifvate
Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith
The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinx
Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Persistence of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Evernight by Claudia Gray
Stargazer by Claudia Gray
SOURCE
Monday, December 14, 2009
Twilight Saga : Eclipse Promotional Picture
Check out below a high quality photo for THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE featuring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse will be released to theaters on June 30, 2010.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Twilight Saga : Eclipse in IMAX
IMAX Corporation and Summit Entertainment announced today that The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the third film in the studio's "Twilight" franchise, will be released to IMAX(R) theatres simultaneously with the film's launch on June 30, 2010.
Directed by David Slade and starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of "The IMAX Experience" with proprietary IMAX DMR(R) (Digital Re-mastering) technology.
SOURCE
This is good news right?
Directed by David Slade and starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of "The IMAX Experience" with proprietary IMAX DMR(R) (Digital Re-mastering) technology.
SOURCE
This is good news right?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Twilight Saga: Eclipse Synopsis
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is a fantasy film. It is based on Stephenie Meyer's novel of the same name and will be the third installment of the Twilight film series. Bella and Edward have been reunited, but their forbidden relationship is threatened to be torn apart again with an evil vampire still seeking her revenge.
And Bella is forced to choose between her true love for Edward or her friendship with Jacob Black as the struggles between vampires and werewolves continues. But there is still another choice for Bella to make, mortality or immortality?
After the vote about her becoming immortal, Bella realizes graduation isn't too far away and starts to panic. But she has bigger problems arising, her feelings for Jacob, his feelings for her and Victoria. The vampire who is trying to take revenge on her for Edward killing her James.
SOURCE
And Bella is forced to choose between her true love for Edward or her friendship with Jacob Black as the struggles between vampires and werewolves continues. But there is still another choice for Bella to make, mortality or immortality?
After the vote about her becoming immortal, Bella realizes graduation isn't too far away and starts to panic. But she has bigger problems arising, her feelings for Jacob, his feelings for her and Victoria. The vampire who is trying to take revenge on her for Edward killing her James.
SOURCE
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Pattinson may end up with a multi-million pound share
Robert Pattinson may end up with a multi-million pound share of earnings from the latest project in the hit Twilight series.
The 22-year-old, who plays vampire Edward Cullen, was said to be set for a double treat from the series based on books by Stephanie Meyer.
Bosses at Summit Entertainment were allegedly mulling splitting the final novel, Breaking Dawn, into two parts after the latest film, New Moon, raked in the nearly 300 million pounds in just two weeks of its opening.
“It’s an extraordinary cash cow and the company wants to keep it going for as long as possible. They’re giving very serious consideration to the idea,” the Daily Express quoted a source as saying.
The source added: “A lot of cheque-waving and glad-handing would have to happen if the plan goes ahead. No one is locked into a fifth movie so the key talent could be looking at multi- million pound pay days.”
Terence Doyle, editor of British Film Magazine, also said: “Pattinson is central to the franchise and could basically name his price. Right now he’s the biggest star of his generation.”
Source
The 22-year-old, who plays vampire Edward Cullen, was said to be set for a double treat from the series based on books by Stephanie Meyer.
Bosses at Summit Entertainment were allegedly mulling splitting the final novel, Breaking Dawn, into two parts after the latest film, New Moon, raked in the nearly 300 million pounds in just two weeks of its opening.
“It’s an extraordinary cash cow and the company wants to keep it going for as long as possible. They’re giving very serious consideration to the idea,” the Daily Express quoted a source as saying.
The source added: “A lot of cheque-waving and glad-handing would have to happen if the plan goes ahead. No one is locked into a fifth movie so the key talent could be looking at multi- million pound pay days.”
Terence Doyle, editor of British Film Magazine, also said: “Pattinson is central to the franchise and could basically name his price. Right now he’s the biggest star of his generation.”
Source
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Another Vampire Movie from Summit Entertainment
After exploring the romantic angst of vampires in "Twilight," Summit is developing an action-oriented take on the most famous of the fanged: Dracula.
This one already comes with its own heartthrob in the form of Brad Pitt.
The company has picked up "Vlad," a script by actor Charlie Hunnam, and is in negotiations with music video and photographer Anthony Mandler to direct the project. Pitt is producing, not acting, with Dede Gardner via the duo's Plan B Entertainment production shingle.
"Vlad" centers on Dracula as a young prince; he is known to history as Vlad the Impaler, the man behind the Dracula myth.
Summit picked up "Vlad" awhile ago, developing it quietly, but when execs saw Mandler's reel, the project got a shot in the arm.
Mandler is a music-video director who has worked with Rhianna (helming 10 of her videos), the Killers and Eminem. Execs were wowed by the reel he prepared, which drew comparisons to Zack Snyder and his work on "300"; Summit tried to land the latter project before it ultimately was made at Warner Bros.
With "Vlad," Summit hopes to make a visually edgy and radical period movie that also will break a new talent.
Mandler will oversee a polish of the script.
Summit president of production Erik Feig and vp production Meredith Milton are overseeing the project. Jeremy Kleiner will oversee for Plan B.
Hunnam stars in FX’s “Sons of Anarchy,” recently picked up for a third season, and is shooting “The Ledge,” which Matthew Chapman is directing and stars Peter Sarsgaard, Evan Rachel Wood and Terrence Howard. He is repped by WME and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
Mandler, repped by UTA and Management 360, is also developing "Allegra" with Gregory David Roberts, the author of "Shantaram."
SOURCE
This one already comes with its own heartthrob in the form of Brad Pitt.
The company has picked up "Vlad," a script by actor Charlie Hunnam, and is in negotiations with music video and photographer Anthony Mandler to direct the project. Pitt is producing, not acting, with Dede Gardner via the duo's Plan B Entertainment production shingle.
"Vlad" centers on Dracula as a young prince; he is known to history as Vlad the Impaler, the man behind the Dracula myth.
Summit picked up "Vlad" awhile ago, developing it quietly, but when execs saw Mandler's reel, the project got a shot in the arm.
Mandler is a music-video director who has worked with Rhianna (helming 10 of her videos), the Killers and Eminem. Execs were wowed by the reel he prepared, which drew comparisons to Zack Snyder and his work on "300"; Summit tried to land the latter project before it ultimately was made at Warner Bros.
With "Vlad," Summit hopes to make a visually edgy and radical period movie that also will break a new talent.
Mandler will oversee a polish of the script.
Summit president of production Erik Feig and vp production Meredith Milton are overseeing the project. Jeremy Kleiner will oversee for Plan B.
Hunnam stars in FX’s “Sons of Anarchy,” recently picked up for a third season, and is shooting “The Ledge,” which Matthew Chapman is directing and stars Peter Sarsgaard, Evan Rachel Wood and Terrence Howard. He is repped by WME and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
Mandler, repped by UTA and Management 360, is also developing "Allegra" with Gregory David Roberts, the author of "Shantaram."
SOURCE
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Twilight Saga: Is the movie successful for the wrong reasons?
Cynical of the Twilight books for their pre-teen target audience and resulting exploitation of young girl idealism, I scoffed last year when my newly found college friends told me they were huge fans of the series. Insisting that I would love the stories if I read them I eventually accepted their challenge and to my embarrassment and surprise I found they were right.
Though the poor writing constantly ticked me off, the hopeless romantic in me was ultimately won over and I read each book within 24 hours. The Romeo and Juliet-esque love story of all consuming love between these two teens pulled me in and never let go. My reaction was similar to the first movie of the series, Twilight.
I was completely unimpressed with the movie itself; from the bad acting, awkward moments and unrealistically intense love between Bella and Edward. Despite its obvious flaws, however, I left the theater positively giddy over Edward and fantasizing at having a boyfriend like that.
Upon viewing the second installment of the series, New Moon, I had a comparable experience. Once the initial excitement from the movie wore off, I realized the movie was pretty bad and I only liked it because it played on my own stereotypically female weakness for love stories. This exploitation pervades the books and the movies and is the sole reason that either have been so successful — the fantastical almost Cinderella like story of an average girl stumbling into wonderfully unreal situations and living “happily ever after” with her “Prince Charming” Edward.
To be blunt though, the whole thing is porn for girls. Bella is utterly ignorable in her basically average appearance and personality, leaving the focus free to be the eye candy of Jacob and Edward and their assumption of the roles as perfect boyfriends. Both are sensitive, romantic, incredibly attractive and most importantly are head over heels in love with Bella. New Moon’s reliance on Jacob’s amazing physique to hold interest is undeniable as the plot certainly leaves something to be desired. Twilight’s ability to hit on and exploit young girl’s emotions in the tender scenes between Edward and Bella is exchanged for more fighting scenes and awkward moments in New Moon. The sensitivity and naivety that Twilight almost captured could have been seriously utilized in New Moon to its advantage.
The film pretty much requires a familiarity with the first film, if not with the entire book series. I can only imagine what the long awkward pauses and Bella’s nonsensical behavior would have been like to endure without some prior insight. Beautiful beach scenes and other cinematographic moments were at times note worthy but overall left something to be desired.
Bella’s complete dependence on Edward’s love, while meant to be romantic, is really just pathetic. Granted at the end Edward is shown to be just as helpless without her, but the whole thing would probably make women’s rights advocates like Elizabeth Cady Stanton roll over in their graves. Jacob is the only thing that seems to help Bella deal with her loss, and that is by playing the macho man by fixing Bella’s bike. Perhaps this could be seen as a metaphor for trying to fix Bella’s broken heart. Subtly in the plot is also an unbending stance against premarital sex and a rebuke of female expression of sexuality. If Bella attempts anything too racy with Edward her life is at stake by rendering him out of control and thus risking a slip in his control over biting her. Bella’s request in the first movie to “kiss me” is met with Edward ending things before they went too far — how realistic…
Thus the movie is successful for all the wrong reasons and it really makes me sad, but I found myself reeled in just like the rest. Such idealistic portrayals of romance belong amongst the fairy tale creatures they include in Twilight; New Moon. Hopefully the next two movies will hit a bit more closely to reality and a little less on stereotypes.
SOURCE: New Twilight film an exploitation of youthful idealism
Though the poor writing constantly ticked me off, the hopeless romantic in me was ultimately won over and I read each book within 24 hours. The Romeo and Juliet-esque love story of all consuming love between these two teens pulled me in and never let go. My reaction was similar to the first movie of the series, Twilight.
I was completely unimpressed with the movie itself; from the bad acting, awkward moments and unrealistically intense love between Bella and Edward. Despite its obvious flaws, however, I left the theater positively giddy over Edward and fantasizing at having a boyfriend like that.
Upon viewing the second installment of the series, New Moon, I had a comparable experience. Once the initial excitement from the movie wore off, I realized the movie was pretty bad and I only liked it because it played on my own stereotypically female weakness for love stories. This exploitation pervades the books and the movies and is the sole reason that either have been so successful — the fantastical almost Cinderella like story of an average girl stumbling into wonderfully unreal situations and living “happily ever after” with her “Prince Charming” Edward.
To be blunt though, the whole thing is porn for girls. Bella is utterly ignorable in her basically average appearance and personality, leaving the focus free to be the eye candy of Jacob and Edward and their assumption of the roles as perfect boyfriends. Both are sensitive, romantic, incredibly attractive and most importantly are head over heels in love with Bella. New Moon’s reliance on Jacob’s amazing physique to hold interest is undeniable as the plot certainly leaves something to be desired. Twilight’s ability to hit on and exploit young girl’s emotions in the tender scenes between Edward and Bella is exchanged for more fighting scenes and awkward moments in New Moon. The sensitivity and naivety that Twilight almost captured could have been seriously utilized in New Moon to its advantage.
The film pretty much requires a familiarity with the first film, if not with the entire book series. I can only imagine what the long awkward pauses and Bella’s nonsensical behavior would have been like to endure without some prior insight. Beautiful beach scenes and other cinematographic moments were at times note worthy but overall left something to be desired.
Bella’s complete dependence on Edward’s love, while meant to be romantic, is really just pathetic. Granted at the end Edward is shown to be just as helpless without her, but the whole thing would probably make women’s rights advocates like Elizabeth Cady Stanton roll over in their graves. Jacob is the only thing that seems to help Bella deal with her loss, and that is by playing the macho man by fixing Bella’s bike. Perhaps this could be seen as a metaphor for trying to fix Bella’s broken heart. Subtly in the plot is also an unbending stance against premarital sex and a rebuke of female expression of sexuality. If Bella attempts anything too racy with Edward her life is at stake by rendering him out of control and thus risking a slip in his control over biting her. Bella’s request in the first movie to “kiss me” is met with Edward ending things before they went too far — how realistic…
Thus the movie is successful for all the wrong reasons and it really makes me sad, but I found myself reeled in just like the rest. Such idealistic portrayals of romance belong amongst the fairy tale creatures they include in Twilight; New Moon. Hopefully the next two movies will hit a bit more closely to reality and a little less on stereotypes.
SOURCE: New Twilight film an exploitation of youthful idealism
Twilight Saga: Robert Pattinson, one of the richest stars in Britain?
FANS of Britain’s latest Hollywood heart-throb Robert Pattinson are in for a double treat.
The 22-year-old Londoner, who plays vampire Edward Cullen in the popular Twilight movies, is set for a multi- million pound bonanza from the latest project in the series.
The films are based on books by Stephanie Meyer. Executives at Summit Entertainment are considering splitting her final novel, Breaking Dawn, into two parts, meaning a double pay deal for the star.
They are keen to cash in on the success of the latest film, New Moon, which took nearly £300million at the box office in just two weeks.
An industry source said: “It’s an extraordinary cash cow and the company wants to keep it going for as long as possible. They’re giving very serious consideration to the idea.”
If the plan goes ahead, the company would be following the precedent of the Harry Potter filmmakers who have split the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, into two films, due for release in 2010 and 2011.
First, though, they need to secure the blessing of author Meyer and renegotiate contracts with the cast, including stars Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.
Pattinson, already one of Britain’s biggest transatlantic exports, could see his earnings soar. He is already in the top 10 of the fastest earners on America’s Forbes List. But if he agrees to an extra film, taking the tally of Twilight movies to five, he could become one of the richest stars in Britain.
SOURCE: ROBERT PATTINSON SHARES IN £300M TWILIGHT BONANZA
The 22-year-old Londoner, who plays vampire Edward Cullen in the popular Twilight movies, is set for a multi- million pound bonanza from the latest project in the series.
The films are based on books by Stephanie Meyer. Executives at Summit Entertainment are considering splitting her final novel, Breaking Dawn, into two parts, meaning a double pay deal for the star.
They are keen to cash in on the success of the latest film, New Moon, which took nearly £300million at the box office in just two weeks.
An industry source said: “It’s an extraordinary cash cow and the company wants to keep it going for as long as possible. They’re giving very serious consideration to the idea.”
If the plan goes ahead, the company would be following the precedent of the Harry Potter filmmakers who have split the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, into two films, due for release in 2010 and 2011.
First, though, they need to secure the blessing of author Meyer and renegotiate contracts with the cast, including stars Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.
Pattinson, already one of Britain’s biggest transatlantic exports, could see his earnings soar. He is already in the top 10 of the fastest earners on America’s Forbes List. But if he agrees to an extra film, taking the tally of Twilight movies to five, he could become one of the richest stars in Britain.
SOURCE: ROBERT PATTINSON SHARES IN £300M TWILIGHT BONANZA
Special Twilight Saga Surprise
Summit Entertainment's official "Twilight" twitter page has reached a whopping 200,000 followers and have promised them a "Twilight Saga" related surprise. They wrote on via Twitter: "Thanks for getting us over 200K followers! Stay tuned...we are preparing a very special Twilight Saga surprise for you. I'm actually quite curious as to what they're going to do. I mean, what can they do? "New Moon" is already in theaters and the next film in the franchise "Eclipse" doesn't hit theaters until June 30, 2010. Perhaps a new poster for the movie? Maybe a very short teaser? Who knows what the studio has up their sleeve, but you'd better stay tuned to find out and that's coming from the mouths of the folks at Summit themselves.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Search for the Best Director
Now that we're clear of all the 'New Moon' opening mayhem and publicity tours and since there's no Vancouver set to visit, fans are left with enough time to ponder whose name should be printed on the back of the director's chair (or chairs, if 'Breaking Dawn' is broken into two movies, as has been the rumor) if Chris Weitz is either unable, unwilling -- or unasked -- to return.
Considering the massive box office success (and the fans' overwhelming approval) of 'New Moon,' the lucky director who bags 'Breaking Dawn' will have some big shoes to fill, and should be ready to face the challenges behind this final chapter. It's clear Summit Entertainment needs to secure someone who isn't a stranger to the world of makeup and special effects -- and to the undying love between a teen girl and a vampire -- so who will be the perfect fit?
Read on for our list of five directors we think could tackle 'Breaking Dawn.'
Tim Burton: Burton has a known fondness for Gothic love tales (see: 'Corpse Bride,' 'Beetlejuice' and 'Sweeney Todd'), and his imagination expands far beyond most minds. Even 'Twilight' cast members Jamie Campbell Bower and Ashley Greene are crossing their fingers in the hopes that he'll sign onto the project. Maybe they're hoping he'll bring along his male muse, Johnny Depp.
Catherine Hardwicke: She brought the first movie to life and set the stage for other directors, so it might seem fitting and nice that she tie it all together in the end and reunite with the original cast as the curtain closes. However, her lack of experience in special effects -- and the general sense that the first 'Twilight' film didn't meet expectations -- makes her a long shot.
Peter Jackson: Best known for bringing 'The Lord of the Rings' novels to life on the big screen, he is a master behind the lens. His ability to turn a simple conversation between characters into a highly detailed scene could take 'Breaking Dawn' to the next level. Jackson's background in the fantasy genre would be a perfect fit for the Bella transformation plot of the final novel. Just imagine the power of 'Twilight' and 'LOTR' fans united.
Quentin Tarantino: His signature style mixes gore with humor, captivating the minds of audiences all over the world. His quirky take and sarcastic edge would be a great asset in bringing out Jacob's snarky behavior in the final book. Tarantino is one of the more off-the-wall directors, but perhaps that's what 'Breaking Dawn' needs. It might not hurt to have his input on the screenwriting process as well. But could he put out a PG-rated film? Umm ... we'll get back to you on that one.
Len Wiseman: He's certainly no stranger to the vampire vs. werewolf story line (the 'Underworld' films), and his affinity for the comic-book world could come in handy. He may have to tone down his darker side for the 'Twilight Saga' tween audience, but he's directed 'New Moon' star Michael Sheen before (and lived through his own romantic triangle, with Sheen and now wife Kate Beckinsale -- guess that makes him Team Edward).
There's no shortage of talented directors for Summit to choose from -- who do you think would be the best fit?
Moviefone is excited to feature the writing of several dedicated 'Twilight' fan bloggers to our readers. Please join us in welcoming What the Forks co-creator Betsey Denberg to the Moviefone family, and expect to find lots of cool original 'Twilight' content from her and her fellow Twihards in the coming weeks.
SOURCE: 5 Directors Who Could Tackle 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn'
Twilight Saga Facts
The Twilight Saga: New Moon has been in cinemas for almost a week. So, depending on your feelings towards sparkly vampires and extremely buff werewolves, you will either have seen it three times already (ZOMG RPattz!) or avoided it altogether. Either way, the pandemonium has subsided enough for us to look to the future. It's just seven months until Eclipse, the third installment of Stephenie Meyer's popular book series, hits the big screen. RT caught up with the cast in LA's Four Seasons hotel during their manic New Moon press tour to get the latest on the eagerly anticipated film. We learned that Robert Pattinson hates pranks, that Nikki Reed loves werewolves and that we may just see a fifth film.
Fact #1: It's Darker
The brand new poster for Eclipse hints at a darker tone with its brooding storm clouds. With 30 Days of Night director David Slade at the helm, it's unsurprising. "Every movie is different because we work with a different director on each one, which I love," Taylor Lautner tells RT. "David Slade is perfect for the third film because it's darker. Eclipse was my favorite book."
Ashley Greene, who plays vampire Alice, tells RT that Slade isn't just a prince of darkness. "David is actually hysterical," she laughs, "He has such a dry sense of humor that sometimes you don't know if he's kidding or not. Eclipse will be amazing because he has made it far edgier and more dramatic. It's going to look very cool."
Fact #2: There Will Be Less "Love Story" and More "War"
"Eclipse isn't as intimate as Twilight or New Moon," Robert Pattinson explains to us. "We're at war, so I get to interact with more characters, not just Kristen. You'll also find out more about the other members of the Cullen family. It just feels bigger." But -- fear not, Twihards -- that isn't to say the love story is cast aside altogether. "New Moon set up a love triangle with Bella, Edward and Jacob," says Lautner. "So we explore that further in Eclipse. It's a tough situation for all of them because Bella is torn between two guys, Jacob can't get the girl that he loves and then there's Edward, with all of his issues."
Fact #3: The Werewolves Will Crank Up the Sex Appeal
"We all know the appeal of the vampire family," says Nikki Reed, who plays vampire Rosalie. "But the werewolf boys are on a whole different level. They interact with a youthful, playful, comfortable warmth. It's very sexy."
As for Pattinson, he admits that his personal jealousy about Taylor Lautner's newly-ripped physique actually comes in handy for the role. "In Eclipse, Taylor and I have lots of scenes together where we have to be jealous and petty with each other," he says. "So it helps that I actually do feel inadequate when I see his body, especially because he's younger than me. He fulfills every criteria of what teenage girls want, physically, in a guy. I felt like a had to prove myself against him
Fact #4: There's More Action
"Filming Eclipse actually changed my life," says Nikki Reed of the arduous training regime the cast had to endure. "I have never been so fit -- this is the first time in my life I have actually had a bicep. It's bizarre to compare how we look now to how we all looked in the first movie. The entire cast turned up on set for Eclipse looking super-buff."
New cast member Bryce Dallas Howard tried to play a prank on the crew during one stunt, but she didn't count on Pattinson's awkwardness. "We had a fight scene where Bryce had to grab my hair," he laughs. "So she took a clump of hair from my stunt double's wig and was going to pretend she had pulled it from my head. She told me to scream and storm off set, but it was so embarrassing. She had this huge clump of hair in her hand, and I was like 'oww,' really unconvincingly."
While the rest of the cast were having fun with stunts, spare a thought for poor Taylor Lautner. "Eclipse is a lot more physical for my character," he explains, "but any time I have any kind of action, I'm a wolf, so it's all done with CGI. It's a bummer."
Fact #5: The Ending Will Be Nicely Set Up For a Fourth - And Perhaps Fifth - Film
There are four books in The Twilight Saga: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. But Ashley Greene gave RT the strongest indication yet that there might be five films. "We have finished filming Eclipse and one would assume that, if New Moon does as well as Twilight, then we'll start filming Breaking Dawn next year," she says.
"The only thing is, Breaking Dawn is a very large book so it would be a really long movie. We're thinking they might decide to split it into two parts, like they did with Harry Potter. Either way, we need to get on with shooting them because, unlike Harry Potter, vampires don't age. So we all need to look the same!"
Source : RottenTomatoes.com
Fact #1: It's Darker
The brand new poster for Eclipse hints at a darker tone with its brooding storm clouds. With 30 Days of Night director David Slade at the helm, it's unsurprising. "Every movie is different because we work with a different director on each one, which I love," Taylor Lautner tells RT. "David Slade is perfect for the third film because it's darker. Eclipse was my favorite book."
Ashley Greene, who plays vampire Alice, tells RT that Slade isn't just a prince of darkness. "David is actually hysterical," she laughs, "He has such a dry sense of humor that sometimes you don't know if he's kidding or not. Eclipse will be amazing because he has made it far edgier and more dramatic. It's going to look very cool."
Fact #2: There Will Be Less "Love Story" and More "War"
"Eclipse isn't as intimate as Twilight or New Moon," Robert Pattinson explains to us. "We're at war, so I get to interact with more characters, not just Kristen. You'll also find out more about the other members of the Cullen family. It just feels bigger." But -- fear not, Twihards -- that isn't to say the love story is cast aside altogether. "New Moon set up a love triangle with Bella, Edward and Jacob," says Lautner. "So we explore that further in Eclipse. It's a tough situation for all of them because Bella is torn between two guys, Jacob can't get the girl that he loves and then there's Edward, with all of his issues."
Fact #3: The Werewolves Will Crank Up the Sex Appeal
"We all know the appeal of the vampire family," says Nikki Reed, who plays vampire Rosalie. "But the werewolf boys are on a whole different level. They interact with a youthful, playful, comfortable warmth. It's very sexy."
As for Pattinson, he admits that his personal jealousy about Taylor Lautner's newly-ripped physique actually comes in handy for the role. "In Eclipse, Taylor and I have lots of scenes together where we have to be jealous and petty with each other," he says. "So it helps that I actually do feel inadequate when I see his body, especially because he's younger than me. He fulfills every criteria of what teenage girls want, physically, in a guy. I felt like a had to prove myself against him
Fact #4: There's More Action
"Filming Eclipse actually changed my life," says Nikki Reed of the arduous training regime the cast had to endure. "I have never been so fit -- this is the first time in my life I have actually had a bicep. It's bizarre to compare how we look now to how we all looked in the first movie. The entire cast turned up on set for Eclipse looking super-buff."
New cast member Bryce Dallas Howard tried to play a prank on the crew during one stunt, but she didn't count on Pattinson's awkwardness. "We had a fight scene where Bryce had to grab my hair," he laughs. "So she took a clump of hair from my stunt double's wig and was going to pretend she had pulled it from my head. She told me to scream and storm off set, but it was so embarrassing. She had this huge clump of hair in her hand, and I was like 'oww,' really unconvincingly."
While the rest of the cast were having fun with stunts, spare a thought for poor Taylor Lautner. "Eclipse is a lot more physical for my character," he explains, "but any time I have any kind of action, I'm a wolf, so it's all done with CGI. It's a bummer."
Fact #5: The Ending Will Be Nicely Set Up For a Fourth - And Perhaps Fifth - Film
There are four books in The Twilight Saga: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. But Ashley Greene gave RT the strongest indication yet that there might be five films. "We have finished filming Eclipse and one would assume that, if New Moon does as well as Twilight, then we'll start filming Breaking Dawn next year," she says.
"The only thing is, Breaking Dawn is a very large book so it would be a really long movie. We're thinking they might decide to split it into two parts, like they did with Harry Potter. Either way, we need to get on with shooting them because, unlike Harry Potter, vampires don't age. So we all need to look the same!"
Source : RottenTomatoes.com
Twilight Saga Rumors : Final Twilight Film Might Be Split
There are rumours that Breaking Dawn, the final installment in the Twilight Saga, may be split into two films.
Following the box office success of New Moon, it's come as no surprise to hear that filmmakers Summit are weighing up their options to see if they can split the final instalment of the Twilight saga.
A precedent has already been set with Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows, the final films of the Harry Potter series.
With David Slade having already finished shooting Eclipse the third film in the Twilight saga, Summit are reportedly keen to get New Moon director Chris Weitz to call the shots again on Breaking Dawn.
The studio just need to make sure they can tempt Weitz away from his next project, the low-key drama The Gardener, and make sure they can get their cast of now A-list stars to commit to the project.
SOURCE
Following the box office success of New Moon, it's come as no surprise to hear that filmmakers Summit are weighing up their options to see if they can split the final instalment of the Twilight saga.
A precedent has already been set with Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows, the final films of the Harry Potter series.
With David Slade having already finished shooting Eclipse the third film in the Twilight saga, Summit are reportedly keen to get New Moon director Chris Weitz to call the shots again on Breaking Dawn.
The studio just need to make sure they can tempt Weitz away from his next project, the low-key drama The Gardener, and make sure they can get their cast of now A-list stars to commit to the project.
SOURCE
Twilight Saga : Eclipse New Poster
In the third movie, Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) have been reunited, but their forbidden relationship is threatened to be torn apart again with an evil vampire still seeking her revenge.
Bella is forced to choose between her true love for Edward or her friendship with Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) as the struggles between vampires and werewolves continues. But there is still another choice for Bella to make, mortality or immortality?
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse hits theaters on June 30, 2010.
WHAT DO YOU THINK of the Eclipse poster?
Source
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Twilight Saga: Ashley Grene poses for Maxim's December Issue
NEW MOON'S Ashley Greene has cemented herself as a Twilight sex symbol with a racy cover shoot.
New Moon actress Ashley Greene, who stars as Alice Cullen in the Twilight Saga, sent pulses racing when she made a stylish appearance at a New York bash to celebrate her new magazine cover.
Despite frequently being eclipsed by Twi co-stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, the gorgeous 22-year-old has been earning serious fashion points during the promotional tour for New Moon.
Posing on the red carpet, the brunette wowed in a sexy navy-blue mini-dress with a plunging neckline, complete with striped cap sleeves and a slashed racer-back.
Ashley, who was attending the launch of her Maxim December issue, teamed the look with smouldering eyes and nude lips and cheeks.
The actress appears on the lads' mag cover in a sheer wet vest and unbuttoned denim shorts on a beach.
This article is from http://ok.co.uk
Twilight Saga: Miley Cyrus comments on Twilight
In an interview with The Morning Mashup, Miley Cyrus disses Robert Pattinson and confesses her infatuation with Zac Efron. After being quizzed about People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive," Cyrus conceded that Johnny Depp did deserve to be called sexy, but if she had her way, Efron would top the list.
"...Zac Efron is the hottest person in the world. I really, really like him. And it's weird, I've kind of talked about it before and been like, it's weird because he's my friend."
However, the Disney sweetheart sang a different tune when it came to the subject of the Twilight movies.
"I think it's a cult. I think it's bad. I think it's like, just, people get too into it and like, for me I think it's like, I don't know, it's like when guys look at supermodels and they're like, that's the perfect girl. That's what those kind of movies do to us."
This article is from http://www.dailyfill.com
"...Zac Efron is the hottest person in the world. I really, really like him. And it's weird, I've kind of talked about it before and been like, it's weird because he's my friend."
However, the Disney sweetheart sang a different tune when it came to the subject of the Twilight movies.
"I think it's a cult. I think it's bad. I think it's like, just, people get too into it and like, for me I think it's like, I don't know, it's like when guys look at supermodels and they're like, that's the perfect girl. That's what those kind of movies do to us."
This article is from http://www.dailyfill.com
Twilight Saga: New Moon Director Chris Weitz ignores film critics
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON director CHRIS WEITZ has chosen to ignore what film critics say about his latest movie - because he's more concerned with the opinions of the series' notoriously hard-to-please fans.
Weitz was brought in to replace Catherine Hardwicke for the Twilight sequel after she was sidelined by studio executives, but his take on author Stephenie Meyer's fantasy franchise was still met with mixed reviews.
But, now that he's managed to thrill Meyer's devotees, Weitz is happy - and he insists he doesn't need the opinions of film critics.
He tells Entertainment Weekly magazine, "Nothing surprises me in terms of reviews... If one could imagine their biggest fears, it would be complete rejection of the movie by the fans.
"What I've realised over the last week is I won't necessarily get good reviews for this movie. Having swallowed that, this was made for the fans, and if you don't get it, then you don't get it."
The Twilight sequel made a staggering $140.7 million (£87.9 million) in its opening weekend (20-22Nov09) in America alone to become the third biggest debut in American box office history.
This article is from http://www.contactmusic.com
Weitz was brought in to replace Catherine Hardwicke for the Twilight sequel after she was sidelined by studio executives, but his take on author Stephenie Meyer's fantasy franchise was still met with mixed reviews.
But, now that he's managed to thrill Meyer's devotees, Weitz is happy - and he insists he doesn't need the opinions of film critics.
He tells Entertainment Weekly magazine, "Nothing surprises me in terms of reviews... If one could imagine their biggest fears, it would be complete rejection of the movie by the fans.
"What I've realised over the last week is I won't necessarily get good reviews for this movie. Having swallowed that, this was made for the fans, and if you don't get it, then you don't get it."
The Twilight sequel made a staggering $140.7 million (£87.9 million) in its opening weekend (20-22Nov09) in America alone to become the third biggest debut in American box office history.
This article is from http://www.contactmusic.com
Twilight Saga: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner use Twitter to thank fans
Written by: Monica Stern-Morales
The latest "Twilight" movie, "New Moon," was a huge success. It reached the top of the box office instantly, and earned over $140 million, possibly becoming the top-grossing film of the year, according to People magazine.
And the cast is thankful. Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner are using Twitter to show their fans just how grateful they are for such success.
Pattinson, 24, also known as vampire Edward Cullen to his fans, tweeted "Thank you for making NEW MOON #1...It's very exciting to be a part of something embraced by so many people.
Stewart, 19, thanks her fans for supporting her character, Bella Swan, by saying "You have all proven you're the most amazing fans in the world once again."
And Lautner, or werewolf Jacob to his fans, tweeted "Thanks for your incredible support of New Moon."
And the Twilight saga is not over just yet. The cast looks forward to the next movie in the sequel, Eclipe.
This article is from http://www.thecelebritycafe.com
The latest "Twilight" movie, "New Moon," was a huge success. It reached the top of the box office instantly, and earned over $140 million, possibly becoming the top-grossing film of the year, according to People magazine.
And the cast is thankful. Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner are using Twitter to show their fans just how grateful they are for such success.
Pattinson, 24, also known as vampire Edward Cullen to his fans, tweeted "Thank you for making NEW MOON #1...It's very exciting to be a part of something embraced by so many people.
Stewart, 19, thanks her fans for supporting her character, Bella Swan, by saying "You have all proven you're the most amazing fans in the world once again."
And Lautner, or werewolf Jacob to his fans, tweeted "Thanks for your incredible support of New Moon."
And the Twilight saga is not over just yet. The cast looks forward to the next movie in the sequel, Eclipe.
This article is from http://www.thecelebritycafe.com
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Twilight Saga: New Moon earned $72.7 million across the United States and Canada on Friday
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" smashed the record for a single-day opening at the North American box office, and was on track to score one of the biggest weekend tallies of all time, according to preliminary data issued on Saturday.
The vampire romance sequel earned $72.7 million across the United States and Canada on Friday, a figure that includes record-breaking midnight sales of $26.3 million, said the film's closely held distributor Summit Entertainment.
The old record for a single-day opening was $62.2 million, held by last year's "Batman" sequel "The Dark Knight," which went on to become the second-biggest grossing movie of all time in North America before accounting for inflation.
Such heights could be difficult for the "Twilight" sequel to attain. Still, industry observers expect it could finish up with upwards of $125 million for the weekend once Saturday sales data and Sunday estimates are issued early on Sunday.
That would place the film at No. 4 in the record books, behind "The Dark Knight" ($158 million), "Spider-Man 3" ($151 million), and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" ($136 million), and ahead of "Shrek the Third" ($122 million), according to tracking firm Box Office Mojo.
The previous record for midnight sales was held by "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which kicked off its run with $22.2 million in sales in July.
The "New Moon" predecessor, "Twilight," released exactly a year ago, ended up with $193 million in North America after an opening weekend of $70 million.
The sequel revisits the dangerous romance between high school student Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson).
After falling in love with each other in "Twilight," Bella and Edward break up in "New Moon." Bella finds solace in her friendship with Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), an American Indian who is also a werewolf. Jacob protects Bella from vampires who kill humans, but she still longs for the gentle blood-sucker Edward who got away.
This article is from http://abcnews.go.com
The vampire romance sequel earned $72.7 million across the United States and Canada on Friday, a figure that includes record-breaking midnight sales of $26.3 million, said the film's closely held distributor Summit Entertainment.
The old record for a single-day opening was $62.2 million, held by last year's "Batman" sequel "The Dark Knight," which went on to become the second-biggest grossing movie of all time in North America before accounting for inflation.
Such heights could be difficult for the "Twilight" sequel to attain. Still, industry observers expect it could finish up with upwards of $125 million for the weekend once Saturday sales data and Sunday estimates are issued early on Sunday.
That would place the film at No. 4 in the record books, behind "The Dark Knight" ($158 million), "Spider-Man 3" ($151 million), and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" ($136 million), and ahead of "Shrek the Third" ($122 million), according to tracking firm Box Office Mojo.
The previous record for midnight sales was held by "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which kicked off its run with $22.2 million in sales in July.
The "New Moon" predecessor, "Twilight," released exactly a year ago, ended up with $193 million in North America after an opening weekend of $70 million.
The sequel revisits the dangerous romance between high school student Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson).
After falling in love with each other in "Twilight," Bella and Edward break up in "New Moon." Bella finds solace in her friendship with Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), an American Indian who is also a werewolf. Jacob protects Bella from vampires who kill humans, but she still longs for the gentle blood-sucker Edward who got away.
This article is from http://abcnews.go.com
Twilight Saga: New Moon became the highest-grossing in the history of Spain
The Twilight Saga's second installment may satisfy hardcore fans of the series, but outsiders are likely to be turned off by its slow pace, relentlessly downcast tone, and excessive length.
The film, New Moon, directed by Chris Weitz, - New Moon become the highest-grossing in the history of Spain
New Moon took over 10 million euros at the box office on its first weekend. The film New Moon, based on the blockbuster trilogy by Stephanie Meyers, attracted over 1.6 million viewers in three days, exceeding the success of its first instalment by 150%.
The chaste romance between the otherworldly vampire played by teen heartthrob Robert Pattinson and amorous teenager, Kristen Stewart has not only lured Spain movie goers, but has grossed $ 140 million (93.5 million) in U.S. and $ 260 million (173.5 million) worldwide.
Until now, another multibillion-dollar franchise, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" from Walt Disney, had been the most successful in Spain with 9.6 million, followed by another adaptation of a best seller, The Da Vinci Code, with 8.8 million.
This article is from http://www.barcelonareporter.com
The film, New Moon, directed by Chris Weitz, - New Moon become the highest-grossing in the history of Spain
New Moon took over 10 million euros at the box office on its first weekend. The film New Moon, based on the blockbuster trilogy by Stephanie Meyers, attracted over 1.6 million viewers in three days, exceeding the success of its first instalment by 150%.
The chaste romance between the otherworldly vampire played by teen heartthrob Robert Pattinson and amorous teenager, Kristen Stewart has not only lured Spain movie goers, but has grossed $ 140 million (93.5 million) in U.S. and $ 260 million (173.5 million) worldwide.
Until now, another multibillion-dollar franchise, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" from Walt Disney, had been the most successful in Spain with 9.6 million, followed by another adaptation of a best seller, The Da Vinci Code, with 8.8 million.
This article is from http://www.barcelonareporter.com
Twilight Saga: Ashley Greene tells about fighting in Twilight Eclipse
She commented on what she’s looking forward to seeing in “Twilight Saga: Eclipse.” She said, she’s really excited to see her fight sequences,and the playful moments between Alice and Jasper (Jackson Rathbone). She also said that they took parts of her character and put them into her fight sequence,so her scene is sort of a circus olayish sequence,and she really wants to see it.
Their current film, “Twilight Saga: New Moon,” which is in theaters now,just recently broke a couple of box office records over the weekend for most midnight screening sales and opening day sales. If you haven’t seen it yet,go check it out.
This article is from http://ontheflix.com
Twilight Saga: Interview with Taylor Lauther
In our latest issue, Taylor Lautner reveals how he went from a skinny martial arts kid to starring in the blockbuster Twilight franchise. In this bonus Q&A you won't find in the issue, he examines the love triangle that drives Stephenie Meyer's stories.
Don't you think that when some fans see New Moon, they may be disappointed, because you're kind of the villain in a way.
I have some pretty passionate team Jacob fans [laughs].
Right. But you're also the obstacle getting in the way of the great romance between Bella and Edward.
I can see where you're coming from. The thing is, Jacob and Edward are two completely different guys. They are opposites. And it's just what kind of girl you are. If you like that more mysterious, dangerous type, then that's one guy. I personally love Jacob and Bella's relationship, and how they began as friends. They are so much more open, and can tell each other anything. And Bella and Edward's relationship, it's always tense. It's always serious. But Jacob and Bella's friendship starts growing stronger and stronger and you just wonder if they can go past friends. It looks like that at some points.
But when your character hangs up on Edward in New Moon, it sets off the whole chain of events that almost lead to a major tragedy. That's something a villain would do.
Yes. that is part of Jacob's character. He can't really control himself. When he gets mad, he gets mad. And all Jacob has on his mind is on Bella. That's who he cares for. That's who he loves. If somebody gets in his way, it's not good. And he will explode. So I guess you could see that either way.
And then Bella is always lying to Edward so she can see you. This is supposed to be like true love forever, so why can't she just be honest?
You know, she's serious with Edward and then she meets best friend Jacob. She gets confused.
But you're not really her friend. You have an agenda with her, and you're always making snide comments about Edward.
If I was Jacob, and I feel like I have lived as him, it gets so annoying. Because she's in the car with you one moment, about ready to kiss you and then she leaves and is with Edward. And then she's back with you, you know.
This article is from http://www.rollingstone.com
Don't you think that when some fans see New Moon, they may be disappointed, because you're kind of the villain in a way.
I have some pretty passionate team Jacob fans [laughs].
Right. But you're also the obstacle getting in the way of the great romance between Bella and Edward.
I can see where you're coming from. The thing is, Jacob and Edward are two completely different guys. They are opposites. And it's just what kind of girl you are. If you like that more mysterious, dangerous type, then that's one guy. I personally love Jacob and Bella's relationship, and how they began as friends. They are so much more open, and can tell each other anything. And Bella and Edward's relationship, it's always tense. It's always serious. But Jacob and Bella's friendship starts growing stronger and stronger and you just wonder if they can go past friends. It looks like that at some points.
But when your character hangs up on Edward in New Moon, it sets off the whole chain of events that almost lead to a major tragedy. That's something a villain would do.
Yes. that is part of Jacob's character. He can't really control himself. When he gets mad, he gets mad. And all Jacob has on his mind is on Bella. That's who he cares for. That's who he loves. If somebody gets in his way, it's not good. And he will explode. So I guess you could see that either way.
And then Bella is always lying to Edward so she can see you. This is supposed to be like true love forever, so why can't she just be honest?
You know, she's serious with Edward and then she meets best friend Jacob. She gets confused.
But you're not really her friend. You have an agenda with her, and you're always making snide comments about Edward.
If I was Jacob, and I feel like I have lived as him, it gets so annoying. Because she's in the car with you one moment, about ready to kiss you and then she leaves and is with Edward. And then she's back with you, you know.
This article is from http://www.rollingstone.com
Monday, November 23, 2009
Twilight Saga: New Moon in DVD
The film reels are barely warm on this just-released film, but Chris Weitz is already issuing information on the inevitably forthcoming DVD for The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
In a recent video interview with MTV, Weitz discusses the fact that there'll probably be DVD commentary with himself, Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner as a special feature.
Also, there'll be about twenty minutes of deleted scenes - though this is information Weitz revealed back in the beginning of the month.
Can't wait to see what the four have to say to and about one another in the commentary? Anyone up for seeing The Twilight Saga: New Moon again?
This article is from www.examiner.com
In a recent video interview with MTV, Weitz discusses the fact that there'll probably be DVD commentary with himself, Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner as a special feature.
Also, there'll be about twenty minutes of deleted scenes - though this is information Weitz revealed back in the beginning of the month.
Can't wait to see what the four have to say to and about one another in the commentary? Anyone up for seeing The Twilight Saga: New Moon again?
This article is from www.examiner.com
The "Twilight" saga is headed to FX
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The "Twilight" saga is headed to FX.
The network has acquired the ad-supported TV rights to the four "Twilight" movies in a package deal with producer Summit Entertainment that also includes the indie studio's Oscar hopeful "The Hurt Locker," the Nicolas Cage thriller "Knowing" and action feature "Push."
Under the pact, FX will start running last year's "Twilight," the first movie in the franchise, beginning in late 2011. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," which shattered box-office projections and opened at $142.8 million domestically this past weekend, will be available in late 2012. "Eclipse," which is slated for a June 30 release, will have its premiere on FX in early 2013. Summit has yet to green-light production on "Breaking Down," an adaptation of the fourth book in Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series.
"Locker," "Knowing" and "Push" will debut on FX in mid-2012.
All seven films are set to go to FX after completing their pay cable window on Showtime, which last year inked a four-year output deal with Summit.
The license fee for the movies is based on their North American box-office performance. If the third and fourth "Twilight" movies continue to do well and each reach the $200 million mark domestically, FX could end up paying close to $100 million for the quartet. (For a marquee film title, ad-supported networks usually shell out about 12 percent of the domestic tally and as much as $24 million if the movie's receipts total crosses $200 million.)
FX's deal with Summit mirrors similar output deals the cable network has put in place with Marvel Studios and DreamWorks Animation.
This article is from www.reuters.com
The network has acquired the ad-supported TV rights to the four "Twilight" movies in a package deal with producer Summit Entertainment that also includes the indie studio's Oscar hopeful "The Hurt Locker," the Nicolas Cage thriller "Knowing" and action feature "Push."
Under the pact, FX will start running last year's "Twilight," the first movie in the franchise, beginning in late 2011. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," which shattered box-office projections and opened at $142.8 million domestically this past weekend, will be available in late 2012. "Eclipse," which is slated for a June 30 release, will have its premiere on FX in early 2013. Summit has yet to green-light production on "Breaking Down," an adaptation of the fourth book in Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series.
"Locker," "Knowing" and "Push" will debut on FX in mid-2012.
All seven films are set to go to FX after completing their pay cable window on Showtime, which last year inked a four-year output deal with Summit.
The license fee for the movies is based on their North American box-office performance. If the third and fourth "Twilight" movies continue to do well and each reach the $200 million mark domestically, FX could end up paying close to $100 million for the quartet. (For a marquee film title, ad-supported networks usually shell out about 12 percent of the domestic tally and as much as $24 million if the movie's receipts total crosses $200 million.)
FX's deal with Summit mirrors similar output deals the cable network has put in place with Marvel Studios and DreamWorks Animation.
This article is from www.reuters.com
New Moon shattered box-office records selling $70m (NZ$95m) of tickets on its opening day
Have you been bitten? If you're over 20, or happen to own a Y chromosome, the answer is probably not. But if you talked to a teenage girl at the weekend, or stepped into the crowded foyer of a cinema, you'll almost certainly have been touched by the all-conquering vampire phenomenon that is Twilight.
New Moon, the second instalment of this remarkably-successful series, began selling out cinemas on Thursday, and promptly shattered box-office records. In the US, it sold $70m (NZ$95m) of tickets on its opening day, more than any other film in history. By Sunday night, it had clocked-up global earnings of roughly $260m (NZ$355m, an opening-weekend figure only bettered twice.
Millions of "Twi-hards" with their T-shirts proclaiming allegiance to "Team Jacob" or "Team Edward" are duly turning this teenage fantasy into the biggest youth entertainment franchise since Harry Potter, with an overall value estimated to be in the tens of billions. British actor Robert Pattinson, the film's square-jawed male lead, may not be competing for Oscars any time soon; but he is nonetheless suddenly one of the most valuable men in show-business.
"What's refreshing is that it has not just drawn the usual audience of horror fans, but also appealed to a teenage girl sensibility. It has managed to draw much more widespread acknowledgement," said Ali Jaafar, the international editor of Variety in London. "The first in the series was big but this second one has built its success on new fans."
Setting the box-office showing in context, Tim Richards, chief executive of Vue Entertainment cinemas, one of the UK's largest commercial chains, said simply: "These were the largest attended midnight shows we have ever done. We were adding extra shows right up to the last moment to cope with the demand."
Not bad, you might say, given that the books that spawned Twilight, by US author Stephanie Meyer, were mercilessly panned by literary critics, with one British newspaper declaring them: "astonishing, mainly for the ineptitude of prose."
Not bad, either, given the lukewarm critical reception for both films: New Moon garnered just 37 per cent positive reviews on the filmranking website Rotten Tomatoes, which dubbed it "too long" and complained of its "clunky" storyline.
But who is making all the money? The most obvious first answer, of course is Ms Meyer, a devout, somewhat reclusive, 35-year-old Mormon who lives in small-town Arizona and claims the idea for the Twilight novels first came to her in a dream in 2003. Her four-book series, told from the breathless, girly perspective of Bella, has since sold more than 85m copies, and been translated into 37 languages, netting her an annual income that was recently estimated by Forbes magazine at $50m (NZ$68m).
This article is from www.nzherald.co.nz
New Moon, the second instalment of this remarkably-successful series, began selling out cinemas on Thursday, and promptly shattered box-office records. In the US, it sold $70m (NZ$95m) of tickets on its opening day, more than any other film in history. By Sunday night, it had clocked-up global earnings of roughly $260m (NZ$355m, an opening-weekend figure only bettered twice.
Millions of "Twi-hards" with their T-shirts proclaiming allegiance to "Team Jacob" or "Team Edward" are duly turning this teenage fantasy into the biggest youth entertainment franchise since Harry Potter, with an overall value estimated to be in the tens of billions. British actor Robert Pattinson, the film's square-jawed male lead, may not be competing for Oscars any time soon; but he is nonetheless suddenly one of the most valuable men in show-business.
"What's refreshing is that it has not just drawn the usual audience of horror fans, but also appealed to a teenage girl sensibility. It has managed to draw much more widespread acknowledgement," said Ali Jaafar, the international editor of Variety in London. "The first in the series was big but this second one has built its success on new fans."
Setting the box-office showing in context, Tim Richards, chief executive of Vue Entertainment cinemas, one of the UK's largest commercial chains, said simply: "These were the largest attended midnight shows we have ever done. We were adding extra shows right up to the last moment to cope with the demand."
Not bad, you might say, given that the books that spawned Twilight, by US author Stephanie Meyer, were mercilessly panned by literary critics, with one British newspaper declaring them: "astonishing, mainly for the ineptitude of prose."
Not bad, either, given the lukewarm critical reception for both films: New Moon garnered just 37 per cent positive reviews on the filmranking website Rotten Tomatoes, which dubbed it "too long" and complained of its "clunky" storyline.
But who is making all the money? The most obvious first answer, of course is Ms Meyer, a devout, somewhat reclusive, 35-year-old Mormon who lives in small-town Arizona and claims the idea for the Twilight novels first came to her in a dream in 2003. Her four-book series, told from the breathless, girly perspective of Bella, has since sold more than 85m copies, and been translated into 37 languages, netting her an annual income that was recently estimated by Forbes magazine at $50m (NZ$68m).
This article is from www.nzherald.co.nz
Sunday, November 22, 2009
"Vampires are metaphors for sexuality, but one of the reasons they're so popular in the Twilight universe is that they're safe," says Melissa Rosenberg
Edward, the undead hero of the Twilight movies and books, broods and simmers like a James Dean starter kit. Jacob, his werewolf foil, sports six-pack abs and looks as if he's been bench-pressing pickups. But they might as well be hanging out in a nunnery for all the action they get. Their chaste love interest, Bella, can only pine.
Then there's Sookie Stackhouse, the spitfire waitress at the heart of HBO's cult series True Blood (based on novels by Charlaine Harris). As Bella chills in the Pacific Northwest, Sookie gets hot and heavy with her vampire beau Bill in steamy Louisiana. No repression here: The deliciously campy True Blood, which enters its third season next year, just says yes. (It also indulges in every last one of HBO's relaxed content allowances. As the ads say, it's not TV.)
Sex was at the root of vampire mythology even before 19th-century novelist Bram Stoker sent unwitting Jonathan Harker off to Eastern Europe to close a big real-estate deal with that mysterious Dracula fella, only to find the Count was after his woman.
But desire can be handled in different ways.
And as Twilight creator Stephenie Meyer has discovered, along with the Twilight film team, vampire chastity means big business with teenage girls. The Twilight books have sold more than 70 million copies. The first movie, released last year, made $384 million worldwide. And the second one, New Moon, took in $72.7 million on Friday, its first day, to break the single-day domestic box office record.
"Vampires are metaphors for sexuality, but one of the reasons they're so popular in the Twilight universe is that they're safe," says Melissa Rosenberg, the screenwriter for the first two Twilight movies. "They're safe but tantalizing in their sexuality. Edward protects Bella from her own raging hormones."
Yes, one of the hunky stars (Robert Pattinson) plays a vampire, and the other (Taylor Lautner) is a werewolf. But sex appeal knows no such species boundaries in the Twilight world. And the Twilight world, not coincidentally, knows no sex.
Ah, repressed desire. Ah, unattainable monsters of my dreams.
Bella has to stifle her urges because she's a good girl. In Twilight , a reflection of Meyer's Mormon faith, sexual impurity is a no-no. The hot boys are vampires and werewolves; you don't want to get them too excited or who knows what might happen. Best not to find out. Even kissing is a dodgy proposition.
Past vampires might scoff at the Twilight gang's restraint. Vampires, after all, are known for their libido; when they drink blood they're not just quenching their thirst. Witness Dracula's three comely brides in the classic 1931 Bela Lugosi movie.
"That sexual connection has been there from early on in vampire stories," says Sean Griffin, an associate professor in Southern Methodist University's cinema-television department. "Our fascination with vampires has always been tied to a fascination and repulsion over sex."
How that fascination plays out depends on the vampire story. It can be as subtle as the admiration of a luscious neck in Werner Herzog's Nosferatu. It can be comically lurid: Recall the "Oops, I spilled red wine on my white shirt" scene that precedes Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon's hook-up in The Hunger. It can be the point of the whole movie: The European erotic vampire film (West Germany's Vampyros Lesbos, the Dutch Daughters of Darkness) is a subgenre unto itself.
Women looking for a good time in True Blood frequent a vampire bar. (The subsequent encounters don't always end well.) Guys looking for a boost in the bedroom can score a vial of illegal vampire blood, or V, which makes Viagra seem like Kool-Aid. One of the show's non-vampires, Sookie's hot-to-trot brother Jason, drinks too much V and suffers consequences that should ring familiar to anyone who has seen a Cialis commercial. There's also the legal version, sold over the counter and at bars, which gives the show its title.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is Twilight's "No sex please, we're vampires" stance. Sure, other bloodsuckers want to sink their teeth into Bella. But they're bad vampires. Edward is a good boy. He even spends most of New Moon in a far-away world that plays like a series of outtakes from The Da Vinci Code. That way, he can't even touch his beloved.
"It is chaste," says Rosenberg. "But there's always a smoldering sexuality under the surface. To me, anticipating the act is more tantalizing than actually seeing it, and more erotic."
Maybe Twilight and True Blood say as much about us as they do about vampires. America's sexual attitudes are conflicted to say the least. On the one hand, we cling to puritan notions of virtue. Meanwhile, the commercial culture of beer ads, sitcoms and Viagra sales pushes libertinism to extremes.
The middle can be a lonely place. Even for a vampire.
The sexual attitudes of Twilight and True Blood extend to other differences between the franchises. For instance, both franchises deal with notions of assimilation, or what it's like for vampires to live in a human world. "True Blood creates a more complicated view of what assimilation means," says Griffin. "For Twilight it means white family, white clothes, white home, playing baseball. But True Blood is trying to make the metaphor to actual social situations very explicit."
The vampire population of True Blood has "come out of the coffin," as the show puts it. Characters are white, African-American, Latino, straight, gay. Bill's vampire friends ask where he's been keeping himself; he explains that he's been "mainstreaming." Vampire rights advocates debate anti-vampire missionaries on talk shows. The show's opening credits show a sign that reads "God hates fangs," a reference to real-life anti-gay propaganda. Assimilation and identity are explored as political issues.
Tensions and blood run thick on the show – as thick as the repression in Twilight and its universe of idealized purity. As Twilight plays it safe, True Blood keeps engaging the outside world – a world where sex isn't a four-letter word.
This article is from www.dallasnews.com
Then there's Sookie Stackhouse, the spitfire waitress at the heart of HBO's cult series True Blood (based on novels by Charlaine Harris). As Bella chills in the Pacific Northwest, Sookie gets hot and heavy with her vampire beau Bill in steamy Louisiana. No repression here: The deliciously campy True Blood, which enters its third season next year, just says yes. (It also indulges in every last one of HBO's relaxed content allowances. As the ads say, it's not TV.)
Sex was at the root of vampire mythology even before 19th-century novelist Bram Stoker sent unwitting Jonathan Harker off to Eastern Europe to close a big real-estate deal with that mysterious Dracula fella, only to find the Count was after his woman.
But desire can be handled in different ways.
And as Twilight creator Stephenie Meyer has discovered, along with the Twilight film team, vampire chastity means big business with teenage girls. The Twilight books have sold more than 70 million copies. The first movie, released last year, made $384 million worldwide. And the second one, New Moon, took in $72.7 million on Friday, its first day, to break the single-day domestic box office record.
"Vampires are metaphors for sexuality, but one of the reasons they're so popular in the Twilight universe is that they're safe," says Melissa Rosenberg, the screenwriter for the first two Twilight movies. "They're safe but tantalizing in their sexuality. Edward protects Bella from her own raging hormones."
Yes, one of the hunky stars (Robert Pattinson) plays a vampire, and the other (Taylor Lautner) is a werewolf. But sex appeal knows no such species boundaries in the Twilight world. And the Twilight world, not coincidentally, knows no sex.
Ah, repressed desire. Ah, unattainable monsters of my dreams.
Bella has to stifle her urges because she's a good girl. In Twilight , a reflection of Meyer's Mormon faith, sexual impurity is a no-no. The hot boys are vampires and werewolves; you don't want to get them too excited or who knows what might happen. Best not to find out. Even kissing is a dodgy proposition.
Past vampires might scoff at the Twilight gang's restraint. Vampires, after all, are known for their libido; when they drink blood they're not just quenching their thirst. Witness Dracula's three comely brides in the classic 1931 Bela Lugosi movie.
"That sexual connection has been there from early on in vampire stories," says Sean Griffin, an associate professor in Southern Methodist University's cinema-television department. "Our fascination with vampires has always been tied to a fascination and repulsion over sex."
How that fascination plays out depends on the vampire story. It can be as subtle as the admiration of a luscious neck in Werner Herzog's Nosferatu. It can be comically lurid: Recall the "Oops, I spilled red wine on my white shirt" scene that precedes Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon's hook-up in The Hunger. It can be the point of the whole movie: The European erotic vampire film (West Germany's Vampyros Lesbos, the Dutch Daughters of Darkness) is a subgenre unto itself.
Women looking for a good time in True Blood frequent a vampire bar. (The subsequent encounters don't always end well.) Guys looking for a boost in the bedroom can score a vial of illegal vampire blood, or V, which makes Viagra seem like Kool-Aid. One of the show's non-vampires, Sookie's hot-to-trot brother Jason, drinks too much V and suffers consequences that should ring familiar to anyone who has seen a Cialis commercial. There's also the legal version, sold over the counter and at bars, which gives the show its title.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is Twilight's "No sex please, we're vampires" stance. Sure, other bloodsuckers want to sink their teeth into Bella. But they're bad vampires. Edward is a good boy. He even spends most of New Moon in a far-away world that plays like a series of outtakes from The Da Vinci Code. That way, he can't even touch his beloved.
"It is chaste," says Rosenberg. "But there's always a smoldering sexuality under the surface. To me, anticipating the act is more tantalizing than actually seeing it, and more erotic."
Maybe Twilight and True Blood say as much about us as they do about vampires. America's sexual attitudes are conflicted to say the least. On the one hand, we cling to puritan notions of virtue. Meanwhile, the commercial culture of beer ads, sitcoms and Viagra sales pushes libertinism to extremes.
The middle can be a lonely place. Even for a vampire.
The sexual attitudes of Twilight and True Blood extend to other differences between the franchises. For instance, both franchises deal with notions of assimilation, or what it's like for vampires to live in a human world. "True Blood creates a more complicated view of what assimilation means," says Griffin. "For Twilight it means white family, white clothes, white home, playing baseball. But True Blood is trying to make the metaphor to actual social situations very explicit."
The vampire population of True Blood has "come out of the coffin," as the show puts it. Characters are white, African-American, Latino, straight, gay. Bill's vampire friends ask where he's been keeping himself; he explains that he's been "mainstreaming." Vampire rights advocates debate anti-vampire missionaries on talk shows. The show's opening credits show a sign that reads "God hates fangs," a reference to real-life anti-gay propaganda. Assimilation and identity are explored as political issues.
Tensions and blood run thick on the show – as thick as the repression in Twilight and its universe of idealized purity. As Twilight plays it safe, True Blood keeps engaging the outside world – a world where sex isn't a four-letter word.
This article is from www.dallasnews.com
Twilight Saga: Interview with Edi Gathegi
Edi Gathegi made quite a major impression in Twilight, providing plenty of creeps as the almost-gentlemanly yet dangerous vampire, Laurent. As fans know, Laurent only makes the briefest of appearances in The Twilight Saga: New Moon, but it's as memorable as it is short, with Laurent bumping into Bella (Kristen Stewart) in the woods of Forks, then having a close encounter with a few of Bella's werewolf friends. PopStar snagged a few minutes of exclusive interview time with Gathegi -- who was born in Kenya, raised in Los Angeles, and counts among his credits a recurring role on House M.D. and the films Gone Baby Gone and My Bloody Valentine 3D -- just hours before New Moon's spectacular Nov. 30th debut. Read on to hear Gathegi's thoughts about the Twlight experience, his big New Moon moment, and the reality that his work on Twilight is complete.
You couldn't have had a clue how popular Twilight was going to become. What has it been like to be along for that ride?
It's been a rollercoaster. A lot of ups and downs and mostly just thrilling. It's rare that any actor at any level will get to be a part of a pop culture phenom like this, so I'm feeling really blessed.
Based on your interactions with fans, based on your convention appearances and your Mall of America visit, what's your sense of the anticipation/mania for New Moon?
I've been getting a lot of tweets from fans letting me know how wrought with anticipation they are. It's the topic of a lot of conversations right now. When I say fingers crossed for this weekend, people laugh at me and give me a hard time.
In general, what's intrigued you most about Laurent as a character and how much of that have you been able to put across in the two films?
I've never really been a vampire fan, but I love the new mythology. It is exciting to play a character with super-human qualities. That's just cool.
Give us a feeling for shooting your big New Moon sequence? How long did it take? You had Kristen with you, but what else were you dealing with? Blue screen? A tennis ball? How did Chris Weitz guide you through the sequence?
There were a lot of technical elements that were new to me regarding the CGI, but we had the best people in the field guiding us. Kristen is great and we had a lot of fun doing that scene. The non-action part of the scene was shot in a day or two, I believe, and the second-unit action sequences, we spent over a week on them.
It's a really strong duet between you and Kristen. How did the two of you work on the scene and what was your sense of how she'd matured as an actress from one film to the next?
She knows her character very well and is constantly challenging herself, which is nice to see. My goal was to try to make her as uncomfortable as possible and I think that happened only once. But it did happen.
Assuming that you've seen the finished film by now, how satisfied are you with the way it's turned out?
I think it is everything that the fans expect and I think they are going to be repeat customers. Chris did a wonderful job.
How do you feel knowing that your Twilight ride ends with New Moon?
It's sad not being able to be with the gang again in that capacity, but the good thing is we all became friends. So hopefully these friendships will outlast the saga.
Written By Ian Spelling (Contributing Writer)
This article is from news.popstar.com
You couldn't have had a clue how popular Twilight was going to become. What has it been like to be along for that ride?
It's been a rollercoaster. A lot of ups and downs and mostly just thrilling. It's rare that any actor at any level will get to be a part of a pop culture phenom like this, so I'm feeling really blessed.
Based on your interactions with fans, based on your convention appearances and your Mall of America visit, what's your sense of the anticipation/mania for New Moon?
I've been getting a lot of tweets from fans letting me know how wrought with anticipation they are. It's the topic of a lot of conversations right now. When I say fingers crossed for this weekend, people laugh at me and give me a hard time.
In general, what's intrigued you most about Laurent as a character and how much of that have you been able to put across in the two films?
I've never really been a vampire fan, but I love the new mythology. It is exciting to play a character with super-human qualities. That's just cool.
Give us a feeling for shooting your big New Moon sequence? How long did it take? You had Kristen with you, but what else were you dealing with? Blue screen? A tennis ball? How did Chris Weitz guide you through the sequence?
There were a lot of technical elements that were new to me regarding the CGI, but we had the best people in the field guiding us. Kristen is great and we had a lot of fun doing that scene. The non-action part of the scene was shot in a day or two, I believe, and the second-unit action sequences, we spent over a week on them.
It's a really strong duet between you and Kristen. How did the two of you work on the scene and what was your sense of how she'd matured as an actress from one film to the next?
She knows her character very well and is constantly challenging herself, which is nice to see. My goal was to try to make her as uncomfortable as possible and I think that happened only once. But it did happen.
Assuming that you've seen the finished film by now, how satisfied are you with the way it's turned out?
I think it is everything that the fans expect and I think they are going to be repeat customers. Chris did a wonderful job.
How do you feel knowing that your Twilight ride ends with New Moon?
It's sad not being able to be with the gang again in that capacity, but the good thing is we all became friends. So hopefully these friendships will outlast the saga.
Written By Ian Spelling (Contributing Writer)
This article is from news.popstar.com
Twilight Saga: NewMoon beats the previous $14,331,000 record set by Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince
The Twilight Saga: New Moon has blitzed the Australian box office, taking a record $16,010,000 on its opening weekend.
The film easily beat the previous $14,331,000 record set by Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince.
"What a phenomenal result," said Robert Slaviero, chief executive of Hoyts Distribution.
"This is way beyond our expectations and confirms that the Twilight franchise has well and truly arrived."
The teenage vampire love story, which stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, opened on November 19 on 530 screens across Australia.
It became the third-highest opening day Australian release with just over $5 million in ticket sales, beaten only by the Lord Of The Rings part two and three.
The third instalment in the Twilight franchise, Eclipse, will be released in July 2010.
The films are based on a series of four novels by Stephenie Meyer.
- ABC/AAP
This article is from www.abc.net.au
The film easily beat the previous $14,331,000 record set by Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince.
"What a phenomenal result," said Robert Slaviero, chief executive of Hoyts Distribution.
"This is way beyond our expectations and confirms that the Twilight franchise has well and truly arrived."
The teenage vampire love story, which stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, opened on November 19 on 530 screens across Australia.
It became the third-highest opening day Australian release with just over $5 million in ticket sales, beaten only by the Lord Of The Rings part two and three.
The third instalment in the Twilight franchise, Eclipse, will be released in July 2010.
The films are based on a series of four novels by Stephenie Meyer.
- ABC/AAP
This article is from www.abc.net.au
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Twilight Saga: Ashley Greene in Naperville
"Twilight" and "New Moon" star Ashley Greene received what is now the standard greeting from fans when she appeared Saturday at a Naperville movie theater.
"Wooooooooooooohh!!!!!"
After the opening scream, Greene sat down and signed books, pictures, DVDs and other items for the "Twilight" faithful, who waited in a line that snaked outside the door of the Hollywood Palms Cinema.
"Oh my god, I'm shaking!" said Romeoville resident Margaret Osborne after getting Greene's autograph. "I told her what a great job she did in these movies."
Greene plays Alice Cullen in the films based on the wildly popular "Twilight" saga, a series of four novels by author Stephenie Meyer that chronicle the romance between sweet everyteen Bella and handsome, mysterious Edward Cullen, who is part of a family of vampires.
"The Twilight Saga: New Moon," the movie adaptation of the second novel in the series, opened this weekend to astounding business, setting a new single-day domestic box office record by taking in $72.7 million in its first day.
Osborne, one of a group of friends who made the trip to the Hollywood Palms to meet Greene, said the character of Alice Cullen is one of her favorites in the "Twilight" universe. Alice, a vampire, is the adoptive sister of Edward.
"I really do feel like (Alice) could totally be my best friend," Osborne said.
Plainfield resident Annissa Reyes was left giggling and practically speechless by her quick meeting with Greene.
"I love her character because she's so different," Reyes said.
Naperville resident Karen Declan saw "New Moon" at its midnight opening and planned to see it again after getting her copy of the novel signed by Greene. As she waited near the end of the line Saturday, she talked about what draws her to "Twilight."
"It's such a romantic story," she said. "And the characters are so vivid. I can see parts of myself in Bella. I can also see parts of myself in Edward. It's so dramatic."
The line of fans included the usual contingent of tween and teen girls, but it also had plenty of moms and, yes, even men.
Osborne and her friends Christy Zeigler, Julie Massaro and Andrea Anderson said they are moms who have become even bigger fans of the "Twilight" saga than their children.
"I don't think the kids love it the way we do," Osborne said.
Greene is scheduled to do another signing at Hollywood Palms from noon to 6 p.m. today. Her co-star, Kellan Lutz, who plays Emmett Cullen, is scheduled to appear at the Hollywood Blvd. theater in Woodridge from noon to 6 p.m. today.
This article is from www.dailyherald.com
"Wooooooooooooohh!!!!!"
After the opening scream, Greene sat down and signed books, pictures, DVDs and other items for the "Twilight" faithful, who waited in a line that snaked outside the door of the Hollywood Palms Cinema.
"Oh my god, I'm shaking!" said Romeoville resident Margaret Osborne after getting Greene's autograph. "I told her what a great job she did in these movies."
Greene plays Alice Cullen in the films based on the wildly popular "Twilight" saga, a series of four novels by author Stephenie Meyer that chronicle the romance between sweet everyteen Bella and handsome, mysterious Edward Cullen, who is part of a family of vampires.
"The Twilight Saga: New Moon," the movie adaptation of the second novel in the series, opened this weekend to astounding business, setting a new single-day domestic box office record by taking in $72.7 million in its first day.
Osborne, one of a group of friends who made the trip to the Hollywood Palms to meet Greene, said the character of Alice Cullen is one of her favorites in the "Twilight" universe. Alice, a vampire, is the adoptive sister of Edward.
"I really do feel like (Alice) could totally be my best friend," Osborne said.
Plainfield resident Annissa Reyes was left giggling and practically speechless by her quick meeting with Greene.
"I love her character because she's so different," Reyes said.
Naperville resident Karen Declan saw "New Moon" at its midnight opening and planned to see it again after getting her copy of the novel signed by Greene. As she waited near the end of the line Saturday, she talked about what draws her to "Twilight."
"It's such a romantic story," she said. "And the characters are so vivid. I can see parts of myself in Bella. I can also see parts of myself in Edward. It's so dramatic."
The line of fans included the usual contingent of tween and teen girls, but it also had plenty of moms and, yes, even men.
Osborne and her friends Christy Zeigler, Julie Massaro and Andrea Anderson said they are moms who have become even bigger fans of the "Twilight" saga than their children.
"I don't think the kids love it the way we do," Osborne said.
Greene is scheduled to do another signing at Hollywood Palms from noon to 6 p.m. today. Her co-star, Kellan Lutz, who plays Emmett Cullen, is scheduled to appear at the Hollywood Blvd. theater in Woodridge from noon to 6 p.m. today.
This article is from www.dailyherald.com
Twilight Saga: The Roman Catholic Church calls Twilight series a "moral vacuum with a deviant message"
The Roman Catholic Church has expressed concerns over the growing popularity of the Twilight series, as Vatican officials have called the vampire franchise a "moral vacuum with a deviant message".
The worldwide hype of the series has drawn criticism from the Vatican, with officials urging parents to be more vigilant about the type of films their children are watching, reports imdb.com.
"The theme of vampires in Twilight combines a mixture of excesses that as ever is aimed at young people and gives a heavy esoteric element. It is once again that age-old trick or ideal formula of using extremes to make an impact at the box office. This film is nothing more than a moral vacuum with a deviant message and as such should be of concern," said Monsignor Franco Perazzolo of the Pontifical Council of Culture.
The second film in the vampire series, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, hit cinemas worldwide on Friday.
Vatican officials previously criticised the Harry Potter film franchise for its themes of magic and wizardry, as well as Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons for their depiction of the Catholic Church.
This article is from www.hindustantimes.com
The worldwide hype of the series has drawn criticism from the Vatican, with officials urging parents to be more vigilant about the type of films their children are watching, reports imdb.com.
"The theme of vampires in Twilight combines a mixture of excesses that as ever is aimed at young people and gives a heavy esoteric element. It is once again that age-old trick or ideal formula of using extremes to make an impact at the box office. This film is nothing more than a moral vacuum with a deviant message and as such should be of concern," said Monsignor Franco Perazzolo of the Pontifical Council of Culture.
The second film in the vampire series, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, hit cinemas worldwide on Friday.
Vatican officials previously criticised the Harry Potter film franchise for its themes of magic and wizardry, as well as Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons for their depiction of the Catholic Church.
This article is from www.hindustantimes.com
Twilight Saga: Moms love New Moon too
Early Friday morning, I dropped a carload of kids at school and pretended I was going to work as usual. But I drove madly back to Tempe Marketplace, where I met up with a group of 40-something friends outside Harkins Theatres.
We had a date with a vampire.
We were an hour and a half early for the first daytime showing of "New Moon," the second movie in the "Twilight" saga about teenage Bella Swan and her love for vampire dreamboat Edward Cullen, but the theater already was packed with women our age. The air was thick with pheromones. (Is it hot in here - or is it just me?)
OK, technically, we're a little old for "Twilight," a series of four books and now two movies geared toward teenage girls. But moms got sucked in, wanting to know what their daughters were devouring so voraciously. Next thing you know we brought it to book club and were wearing T-shirts emblazoned with "Team Edward" and necklaces that say "Bite me."
We remember what it was like to be 17 and madly in love for the first time. "Twilight" lets us relive it. It's the kind of story a girl can sink her teeth into. (And, as grown-ups, we can go to the movies on a school day and edge out the teenagers for the best seats.)
"I'm so excited!" coos Stacy Nelson of Tempe, an otherwise normal, 40-year-old mother of two.
She started reading the books last summer after hearing her teenage niece and sister-in-law go on about them, and saw "Twilight" at the top of the New York Times best-seller list for weeks. She got the first book, "Twilight," at the library, read it in a day and half and then went right out and bought the next two, "New Moon" and "Eclipse."
"I was addicted," Stacy says. She told her husband to take the kids out for dinner without her and read late into the night. She says, "For me, it was just a nice reality escape. Sometimes life is just so serious and so busy."
We've got jobs and kids, and we're happy with the women that we've grown to be. But "Twilight" lets us travel back to that time when all that mattered was whether our lab partner was cute and if someone (please) would ask us to the prom. Yes, we know it's corny, but it's also so much fun.
Jennifer Howell, 32, of Queen Creek, understands us. She and her friend, Esperanza Lumm, 33, of Phoenix, are obsessed with "Twilight." They met a year and a half ago at Arizona TwilightMOMS, a book club of women dedicated to the series.
"All of us remember first love and how it's all-consuming," says Jennifer, a mother of two who has been married to her high-school sweetheart for 12 years. (Her husband gave her "New Moon" pajamas for her recent birthday.)
She and Esperanza are "Twi-hards," among the most hard-core fans, following the author and cast on Twitter and going to cast appearances, conventions and book-release parties. Seems there is safety, if not sanity, in numbers.
"We talk about them like they're our best friends. That's how obsessive we are," Jennifer says. She and Esperanza saw the movie at its midnight release.
Esperanza likes the romance and that the books are written by local author Stephenie Meyer, a Cave Creek mother of three.
After reading "Twilight," Jennifer and Esperanza began reading other young-adult fiction and now write reviews and host author chats on their Web site, L8bloom eronline.blogspot.com.
In the new movie, Edward leaves Bella, thinking she'll be safer if he moves away.
Bella, near zombielike from the abandonment, spends time with her very cute friend, Jacob Black, who turns out to be a man-wolf. In the end, Bella must save Edward from doing himself in after he mistakenly thinks she's dead. (Shakespeare, what are you doing here?)
Edward (played by actor Robert Pattinson) is insanely dreamy. Don't grimace; this is not a case of robbing the cradle. Edward is 109 years old despite his youthful appearance. So, technically, he's more than twice my age.
(However, I gasped along with the rest of the audience when Black, played by 17-year-old actor Taylor Lautner, took off his shirt. I felt so dirty.)
My friend Shannon (last name withheld because she should've been at work) is into vampire Jasper Cullen (played by Jackson Rathbone), who can regulate the emotions of those around him, bringing peace when things get tense. Shannon, a Maricopa mom of three, settles into her seat and says, "I told my husband I'm going to see my movie husband. He knows not to bother me about my Jasper obsession."
Her real husband, Merle, decided last minute to join us and showed up just before the movie started.
"I at least have to be here to revive her," he says.
Shannon read the first "Twilight" book in one night. Merle bought her the next two books the next day. When the fourth book, "Breaking Dawn," was released in 2008, Shannon lined up early at Costco, even though she had preordered it on amazon.com. She couldn't wait.
At Jasper's first appearance on the screen, Shannon let out a breathy "Whoo!" Merle just chuckled.
When the theater lights go up and our heart rates go back to normal, we glance at our cellphones for a time (and reality) check. Edward will have to go on without us. Heavy sigh. The kids are calling to be picked up from school.
This article is from www.azcentral.com
We had a date with a vampire.
We were an hour and a half early for the first daytime showing of "New Moon," the second movie in the "Twilight" saga about teenage Bella Swan and her love for vampire dreamboat Edward Cullen, but the theater already was packed with women our age. The air was thick with pheromones. (Is it hot in here - or is it just me?)
OK, technically, we're a little old for "Twilight," a series of four books and now two movies geared toward teenage girls. But moms got sucked in, wanting to know what their daughters were devouring so voraciously. Next thing you know we brought it to book club and were wearing T-shirts emblazoned with "Team Edward" and necklaces that say "Bite me."
We remember what it was like to be 17 and madly in love for the first time. "Twilight" lets us relive it. It's the kind of story a girl can sink her teeth into. (And, as grown-ups, we can go to the movies on a school day and edge out the teenagers for the best seats.)
"I'm so excited!" coos Stacy Nelson of Tempe, an otherwise normal, 40-year-old mother of two.
She started reading the books last summer after hearing her teenage niece and sister-in-law go on about them, and saw "Twilight" at the top of the New York Times best-seller list for weeks. She got the first book, "Twilight," at the library, read it in a day and half and then went right out and bought the next two, "New Moon" and "Eclipse."
"I was addicted," Stacy says. She told her husband to take the kids out for dinner without her and read late into the night. She says, "For me, it was just a nice reality escape. Sometimes life is just so serious and so busy."
We've got jobs and kids, and we're happy with the women that we've grown to be. But "Twilight" lets us travel back to that time when all that mattered was whether our lab partner was cute and if someone (please) would ask us to the prom. Yes, we know it's corny, but it's also so much fun.
Jennifer Howell, 32, of Queen Creek, understands us. She and her friend, Esperanza Lumm, 33, of Phoenix, are obsessed with "Twilight." They met a year and a half ago at Arizona TwilightMOMS, a book club of women dedicated to the series.
"All of us remember first love and how it's all-consuming," says Jennifer, a mother of two who has been married to her high-school sweetheart for 12 years. (Her husband gave her "New Moon" pajamas for her recent birthday.)
She and Esperanza are "Twi-hards," among the most hard-core fans, following the author and cast on Twitter and going to cast appearances, conventions and book-release parties. Seems there is safety, if not sanity, in numbers.
"We talk about them like they're our best friends. That's how obsessive we are," Jennifer says. She and Esperanza saw the movie at its midnight release.
Esperanza likes the romance and that the books are written by local author Stephenie Meyer, a Cave Creek mother of three.
After reading "Twilight," Jennifer and Esperanza began reading other young-adult fiction and now write reviews and host author chats on their Web site, L8bloom eronline.blogspot.com.
In the new movie, Edward leaves Bella, thinking she'll be safer if he moves away.
Bella, near zombielike from the abandonment, spends time with her very cute friend, Jacob Black, who turns out to be a man-wolf. In the end, Bella must save Edward from doing himself in after he mistakenly thinks she's dead. (Shakespeare, what are you doing here?)
Edward (played by actor Robert Pattinson) is insanely dreamy. Don't grimace; this is not a case of robbing the cradle. Edward is 109 years old despite his youthful appearance. So, technically, he's more than twice my age.
(However, I gasped along with the rest of the audience when Black, played by 17-year-old actor Taylor Lautner, took off his shirt. I felt so dirty.)
My friend Shannon (last name withheld because she should've been at work) is into vampire Jasper Cullen (played by Jackson Rathbone), who can regulate the emotions of those around him, bringing peace when things get tense. Shannon, a Maricopa mom of three, settles into her seat and says, "I told my husband I'm going to see my movie husband. He knows not to bother me about my Jasper obsession."
Her real husband, Merle, decided last minute to join us and showed up just before the movie started.
"I at least have to be here to revive her," he says.
Shannon read the first "Twilight" book in one night. Merle bought her the next two books the next day. When the fourth book, "Breaking Dawn," was released in 2008, Shannon lined up early at Costco, even though she had preordered it on amazon.com. She couldn't wait.
At Jasper's first appearance on the screen, Shannon let out a breathy "Whoo!" Merle just chuckled.
When the theater lights go up and our heart rates go back to normal, we glance at our cellphones for a time (and reality) check. Edward will have to go on without us. Heavy sigh. The kids are calling to be picked up from school.
This article is from www.azcentral.com
Friday, November 20, 2009
Twilight Saga : Eclipse will be a Major Box Office
TORONTO, CA (Hollywood Today) 11/19/2009 – If you think “New Moon” is going to do major box office, wait till you get a bite of “Twilight III,” also known as “Eclipse,” this coming summer.
It will be a full five-day opening that includes the Independence Day holiday weekend, compared to “New Moon’s” measly three-day opening on a non-holiday (Thanksgiving isn’t until next week).
“Eclipse” will also be a summit of vampire vs. werewolf action as Bella (Kristen Stewart) must choose between toothy Edward (Rob Pattinson) and furry Jacob (Taylor Lautner), as well as mortality vs. immortality.
With lines already formed for “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” set to be unleashed today, bloodthirsty teenage fans will no doubt turn their attention and wallets to the third installment of the vampire romance franchise sooner rather than later.
It’s been known in industry and extreme fan circles that Summit Entertainment is planning on releasing “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” June 30, 2010 in conjunction with the Independence Day holiday weekend. The release date for the third film breaks the consecutive streak of pre-Thanksgiving weekend openings for “Twilight” and “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.” Despite the hype and anticipation that has built over the past year for the sequel, Summit Entertainment’s decision to release “Eclipse” only seven months after “New Moon” is a crafty one. The 2010 pre-Thanksgiving weekend has already been claimed by “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows (Part 1),” which meant that “Eclipse” would either have to go head-to-head with the first part of the final film of the Harry Potter series or wait until 2011 to regain its pre-Thanksgiving weekend timing. As it currently stands, no other potential blockbusters are scheduled for release June 30, 2010.
“As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob – knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death.”
SOURCE : Hollywoodtoday.net
It will be a full five-day opening that includes the Independence Day holiday weekend, compared to “New Moon’s” measly three-day opening on a non-holiday (Thanksgiving isn’t until next week).
“Eclipse” will also be a summit of vampire vs. werewolf action as Bella (Kristen Stewart) must choose between toothy Edward (Rob Pattinson) and furry Jacob (Taylor Lautner), as well as mortality vs. immortality.
With lines already formed for “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” set to be unleashed today, bloodthirsty teenage fans will no doubt turn their attention and wallets to the third installment of the vampire romance franchise sooner rather than later.
It’s been known in industry and extreme fan circles that Summit Entertainment is planning on releasing “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” June 30, 2010 in conjunction with the Independence Day holiday weekend. The release date for the third film breaks the consecutive streak of pre-Thanksgiving weekend openings for “Twilight” and “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.” Despite the hype and anticipation that has built over the past year for the sequel, Summit Entertainment’s decision to release “Eclipse” only seven months after “New Moon” is a crafty one. The 2010 pre-Thanksgiving weekend has already been claimed by “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows (Part 1),” which meant that “Eclipse” would either have to go head-to-head with the first part of the final film of the Harry Potter series or wait until 2011 to regain its pre-Thanksgiving weekend timing. As it currently stands, no other potential blockbusters are scheduled for release June 30, 2010.
“As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob – knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death.”
SOURCE : Hollywoodtoday.net
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Twilight Saga: "...[New Moon] this angst-ridden mush is best-suited to 13-year-old girls"
The new Twilight film comes with a new director (The Golden Compass's Chris Weitz), and an increased budget.
Gone is the indie feel of director Catherine Hardwicke's original, in favour of a more cinematic, action-packed approach: a wise move, in fact, since it effectively enlivens and condenses the excruciatingly protracted dialogue of Stephenie Meyer's second book.
This time, our vampire Romeo, Edward (Robert Pattinson, left with not much to do but pose – no bad thing), has broken up with his mortal Juliet, Bella (Kristen Stewart), because he thinks it'll be sensible.
Of course it's not; she gets depressed and seeks adrenalin rushes by jumping off cliffs and tearing around on motorbikes.
Waiting in the wings is Jacob Black (newly buff Taylor Lautner, proudly whipping off his T-shirt every two seconds), who cheers Bella up and wants to be more than a pal until... doh! He finds out he's a werewolf.
Which is OK, because she's used to weirdos and doesn't love him like that.
It's sweet enough, with Stewart and Pattinson's chemistry still a potent force on screen, but this angst-ridden mush is best-suited to 13-year-old girls or those seeking hot flushes from all the bare-chested eye-candy.
And don't get too excited about the posters advertising appearances by Michael Sheen and Dakota Fanning: both are woefully underused.
This article is from www.metro.co.uk
Gone is the indie feel of director Catherine Hardwicke's original, in favour of a more cinematic, action-packed approach: a wise move, in fact, since it effectively enlivens and condenses the excruciatingly protracted dialogue of Stephenie Meyer's second book.
This time, our vampire Romeo, Edward (Robert Pattinson, left with not much to do but pose – no bad thing), has broken up with his mortal Juliet, Bella (Kristen Stewart), because he thinks it'll be sensible.
Of course it's not; she gets depressed and seeks adrenalin rushes by jumping off cliffs and tearing around on motorbikes.
Waiting in the wings is Jacob Black (newly buff Taylor Lautner, proudly whipping off his T-shirt every two seconds), who cheers Bella up and wants to be more than a pal until... doh! He finds out he's a werewolf.
Which is OK, because she's used to weirdos and doesn't love him like that.
It's sweet enough, with Stewart and Pattinson's chemistry still a potent force on screen, but this angst-ridden mush is best-suited to 13-year-old girls or those seeking hot flushes from all the bare-chested eye-candy.
And don't get too excited about the posters advertising appearances by Michael Sheen and Dakota Fanning: both are woefully underused.
This article is from www.metro.co.uk
Twilight Saga: Students love New Moon
Reyven Williams walked into a social studies class at San Gorgonio High School on Thursday with a well-thumbed copy of the fantasy romance novel, "New Moon" under her arm.
At lunch and in breaks between classes she hoped to finish the book in time for the release of the movie of the same name, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," in theaters today.
Districtwide, San Bernardino middle and high school students could barely contain their excitement that the second movie in the Twilight series had finally arrived on the big screen.
"Girls like romance and being in love and I like that the main character falls in love with a vampire," said Williams.
"New Moon" is the second movie based on one of the four Twilight novels penned by Stephenie Meyer.
In this installment, Bella Swan, played by Kristen Stewart, is upset after breaking up with the vampire she loves, Edward Cullen, played by Robert Pattinson.
To try and forget, she seeks comfort in her friendship with Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) who is in actuality a werewolf.
Students were not the only ones counting down the minutes Thursday. People of all ages started lining up early to see the movie at the Krikorian Premiere Theaters in Redlands and other Inland Empire locations.
Indeed, the series is so popular that the books fly off the shelves of libraries in San Bernardino City Unified School District schools.
Teenage girls around the same age as Bella are particularly drawn to the books, which have a message of both romance and abstinence.
San Gorgonio student Denise Morales, 15, said she was eager to see the movie because she has a big crush on Jacob.
"I think he is so cute and I can't wait to see the movie to find out what happened where the last one left off," she said.
deborah.pfeiffer@inlandnewspapers.com
(909) 386-3879
At lunch and in breaks between classes she hoped to finish the book in time for the release of the movie of the same name, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," in theaters today.
Districtwide, San Bernardino middle and high school students could barely contain their excitement that the second movie in the Twilight series had finally arrived on the big screen.
"Girls like romance and being in love and I like that the main character falls in love with a vampire," said Williams.
"New Moon" is the second movie based on one of the four Twilight novels penned by Stephenie Meyer.
In this installment, Bella Swan, played by Kristen Stewart, is upset after breaking up with the vampire she loves, Edward Cullen, played by Robert Pattinson.
To try and forget, she seeks comfort in her friendship with Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) who is in actuality a werewolf.
Students were not the only ones counting down the minutes Thursday. People of all ages started lining up early to see the movie at the Krikorian Premiere Theaters in Redlands and other Inland Empire locations.
Indeed, the series is so popular that the books fly off the shelves of libraries in San Bernardino City Unified School District schools.
Teenage girls around the same age as Bella are particularly drawn to the books, which have a message of both romance and abstinence.
San Gorgonio student Denise Morales, 15, said she was eager to see the movie because she has a big crush on Jacob.
"I think he is so cute and I can't wait to see the movie to find out what happened where the last one left off," she said.
deborah.pfeiffer@inlandnewspapers.com
(909) 386-3879
Twilight Saga: Online scammers use Twilight/New Moon
Fans of “Twilight” and “New Moon” already have plenty to be scared about – vampires, werewolves, a swirling debate over the feminist values of Stephenie Meyer’s hit series.
But what about malware? According to reports from the around the Internet this morning, the Twihard set was recently targeted by a group of online scammers, who sought to profit off the “New Moon” hype.
Here’s how it went down: If you searched for “Stephenie Meyer” on Google yesterday, one of the results that popped up was a listing for “Stephenie Meyer at 365Multimedia.com.” Sounds fairly innocuous. Clicking on the link launched a security scan, which told users that their computer was at risk of malware infestation.
Of course the whole thing was a scam, and those unlucky enough to click through the prompts were asked to purchase a cleanup program for $80.
80 bucks! That’s a lot of movie theater tickets. Or a lot of copies of Stephenie Meyer’s books. Either way – it’s a bad way to lose a hefty chunk of change.
So how can you avoid falling prey to this kind of stuff in the future? In an interview earlier this year, Dave Marcus, director of security research and communication at McAfee Avert Labs, told the Monitor that the best precaution is common sense. Don’t click on strange links, and don’t download anything from an unfamiliar website.
Marcus also suggested a list of precautions all users should follow: run regular antivirus scans; invest in prepackaged security suites marketed by companies such as Symantec, McAfee Avert, and Panda; pay attention to site advisories, and track reports of new viruses.
And stuff some garlic in your shirt sleeves.
This article is from features.csmonitor.com
But what about malware? According to reports from the around the Internet this morning, the Twihard set was recently targeted by a group of online scammers, who sought to profit off the “New Moon” hype.
Here’s how it went down: If you searched for “Stephenie Meyer” on Google yesterday, one of the results that popped up was a listing for “Stephenie Meyer at 365Multimedia.com.” Sounds fairly innocuous. Clicking on the link launched a security scan, which told users that their computer was at risk of malware infestation.
Of course the whole thing was a scam, and those unlucky enough to click through the prompts were asked to purchase a cleanup program for $80.
80 bucks! That’s a lot of movie theater tickets. Or a lot of copies of Stephenie Meyer’s books. Either way – it’s a bad way to lose a hefty chunk of change.
So how can you avoid falling prey to this kind of stuff in the future? In an interview earlier this year, Dave Marcus, director of security research and communication at McAfee Avert Labs, told the Monitor that the best precaution is common sense. Don’t click on strange links, and don’t download anything from an unfamiliar website.
Marcus also suggested a list of precautions all users should follow: run regular antivirus scans; invest in prepackaged security suites marketed by companies such as Symantec, McAfee Avert, and Panda; pay attention to site advisories, and track reports of new viruses.
And stuff some garlic in your shirt sleeves.
This article is from features.csmonitor.com
Who would enjoy a series of books about a whiny teenage girl (Bella Swan) desperately in love with a vampire minus fangs (Edward Cullen)?
Stephanie Meyer awoke from sizzling fantastical dream of a girl accompanied by a sparkly vampire in a beautiful meadow. Her dream was so vivid that in the midst of a hectic life of motherhood, she wrote a book. And then another.And then a third and a fourth. The result is the Twilight Series.
Who would enjoy a series of books about a whiny teenage girl (Bella Swan) desperately in love with a vampire minus fangs (Edward Cullen)? Apparently every other whiny teenage girl and their mother. It became a cultural phenomenon overnight and has been turned into two full-length feature films that have surprised the box office.
The second book, “New Moon,” starts out where Twilight left off. Bella still loves Edward with all of her soul and believes they could not survive apart. She gets a very rude awakening when after his brother (still adjusting to the “vegetarian,” or no human blood, diet of the Cullen clan) attacks her at her birthday party and Edward decides for the both of them that Bella would live a lot longer if he wasn’t around.
They had me at “Goodbye Bella.” I hate to admit it, but Meyer had me crying like a baby and feeling that heartbreaking angst right alongside Bella. It’s amazing when a book can draw you in and I found myself never wanting to put it down during those first few chapters.
People ask me what makes Meyer a good writer, and when I read “New Moon” I realized it’s that she refuses to play it safe. She didn’t just make Bella pine for her lost love, but she created an entirely new character for the book. Bella went coo-coo and became a totally different person. She keeps Bella in her head, thinking about Edward, having visions of him, rarely ever letting anything else intrude in her mind, even hunger.
“I knew this was the stupidest, most reckless thing I had done yet. The thought made me smile. The pain was already easing, as if my body knew that Edward’s voice was just seconds away.” Bella convinces herself that the reason she can see Edward in her mind is because of adrenaline. To prove it, she dives off a cliff. This behavior is too extreme for impressionable teens. Okay, your boyfriend dumped you so hey, jump off a cliff. You can have a mental breakdown and have your happily ever after in your head.
The issue of Jacob Black, Bella’s wolf/best friend, was expected because the groundwork was laid out perfectly in the first book. I didn’t think he was going to turn into an actual wolf who’s in love with a whiny teenage girl and color blind. He doesn’t see a single red flag Bella throws at him. It’s all more groundwork for the third book, “Eclipse.” Once you read that book, it will all make sense and the sad part is, you know it and it makes it really difficult to keep reading “New Moon.”
I had a hard time finishing the book and I started scanning a few chapters in the future to see if Edward ever comes back. I was having withdrawal and the book was starting to lose my interest.
Meyer anticipated this and knew I was developing a case of A.D.D. and flipping through the pages searching for my, I mean Bella’s, Edward. The book transitions back to focusing on the vampire aspect of the Jacob-Bella-Edward love triangle. It becomes what’s described as a modern day, human/vampire, Romeo and Juliet-esque type story. This is how it goes…boy saw girl commit suicide in dream…boy is torn apart…girl is saved…boy doesn’t know it…boy wants to die because he see’s no reason to live if girl is dead. Insert a clan of very, very, very…very old vampires and boy should be able to get what he wants easily. Except there’s a third and fourth book of the series so do you really think anyone dies?
I have a serious problem with the layout of this book. I understand that every story has a beginning, middle, and an end. However, this book seemed more like a placeholder. I enjoyed getting to know Jacob better than I did in “Twilight” and I also got a kick out the new vampires introduced in “New Moon.” Compared to the other three in the series, it didn’t have enough substance though. Meyer could have easily split it in half and included the first part at the end of “Twilight” and the second part in the beginning of “Eclipse.”
Overall, I enjoyed the book and it set me up perfectly to start reading “Eclipse.” Meyer sends her readers into a direction that unequivocally creates the path she intends them to go down in order to understand the last two books of the series. And I guess this generation did need a hot vampire; after all, I had Lestat (Interview with a Vampire, by Anne Rice).
This article is from www.advocate-online.net
Who would enjoy a series of books about a whiny teenage girl (Bella Swan) desperately in love with a vampire minus fangs (Edward Cullen)? Apparently every other whiny teenage girl and their mother. It became a cultural phenomenon overnight and has been turned into two full-length feature films that have surprised the box office.
The second book, “New Moon,” starts out where Twilight left off. Bella still loves Edward with all of her soul and believes they could not survive apart. She gets a very rude awakening when after his brother (still adjusting to the “vegetarian,” or no human blood, diet of the Cullen clan) attacks her at her birthday party and Edward decides for the both of them that Bella would live a lot longer if he wasn’t around.
They had me at “Goodbye Bella.” I hate to admit it, but Meyer had me crying like a baby and feeling that heartbreaking angst right alongside Bella. It’s amazing when a book can draw you in and I found myself never wanting to put it down during those first few chapters.
People ask me what makes Meyer a good writer, and when I read “New Moon” I realized it’s that she refuses to play it safe. She didn’t just make Bella pine for her lost love, but she created an entirely new character for the book. Bella went coo-coo and became a totally different person. She keeps Bella in her head, thinking about Edward, having visions of him, rarely ever letting anything else intrude in her mind, even hunger.
“I knew this was the stupidest, most reckless thing I had done yet. The thought made me smile. The pain was already easing, as if my body knew that Edward’s voice was just seconds away.” Bella convinces herself that the reason she can see Edward in her mind is because of adrenaline. To prove it, she dives off a cliff. This behavior is too extreme for impressionable teens. Okay, your boyfriend dumped you so hey, jump off a cliff. You can have a mental breakdown and have your happily ever after in your head.
The issue of Jacob Black, Bella’s wolf/best friend, was expected because the groundwork was laid out perfectly in the first book. I didn’t think he was going to turn into an actual wolf who’s in love with a whiny teenage girl and color blind. He doesn’t see a single red flag Bella throws at him. It’s all more groundwork for the third book, “Eclipse.” Once you read that book, it will all make sense and the sad part is, you know it and it makes it really difficult to keep reading “New Moon.”
I had a hard time finishing the book and I started scanning a few chapters in the future to see if Edward ever comes back. I was having withdrawal and the book was starting to lose my interest.
Meyer anticipated this and knew I was developing a case of A.D.D. and flipping through the pages searching for my, I mean Bella’s, Edward. The book transitions back to focusing on the vampire aspect of the Jacob-Bella-Edward love triangle. It becomes what’s described as a modern day, human/vampire, Romeo and Juliet-esque type story. This is how it goes…boy saw girl commit suicide in dream…boy is torn apart…girl is saved…boy doesn’t know it…boy wants to die because he see’s no reason to live if girl is dead. Insert a clan of very, very, very…very old vampires and boy should be able to get what he wants easily. Except there’s a third and fourth book of the series so do you really think anyone dies?
I have a serious problem with the layout of this book. I understand that every story has a beginning, middle, and an end. However, this book seemed more like a placeholder. I enjoyed getting to know Jacob better than I did in “Twilight” and I also got a kick out the new vampires introduced in “New Moon.” Compared to the other three in the series, it didn’t have enough substance though. Meyer could have easily split it in half and included the first part at the end of “Twilight” and the second part in the beginning of “Eclipse.”
Overall, I enjoyed the book and it set me up perfectly to start reading “Eclipse.” Meyer sends her readers into a direction that unequivocally creates the path she intends them to go down in order to understand the last two books of the series. And I guess this generation did need a hot vampire; after all, I had Lestat (Interview with a Vampire, by Anne Rice).
This article is from www.advocate-online.net
Twilight Saga: New Moon better than Twilight
Sexier, darker and funnier, "New Moon" rises well above the anemic 2008 film version of Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight."
New director Chris Weitz ("The Golden Compass") injects more humor and visual style than Catherine Hardwicke did in the original, but "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" sags and lags like the first one as it senselessly runs on for more than two hours.
The film especially stumbles when the friendship between that vampire-lovin' Bella (a strong Kristen Stewart) and wolf-boy Jacob (Taylor Lautner) starts to heat up.
With sullen Edward (Robert Pattinson) literally out of most of the picture -- in an attempt to avoid his Bella bloodlust -- the romantic burden falls on the insanely broad shoulders of Lautner to perform pretty boy duties.
Lautner looks spectacular shirtless, and will undoubtedly make many tween hearts flutter. But he might have considered spending more time beefing up that acting muscle rather than perfecting his impeccable six-pack abs.
He and Stewart do have a nice chemistry at the start, but when Jacob reveals he's actually a wolf in tight clothing the script requires the actor to show some range of emotion, and it's no longer pretty to behold. Lautner doesn't have the acting chops of Pattinson.
Weitz and screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg ("Twilight" and TV's "Dexter") do their darndest to spruce up the material with clever references to "Romeo and Juliet" and "Little Red Riding Hood."
They even poke fun at the "Twilight" story. WhenJacob exp lains to Bella why he's hanging with his buff wolf buddies, who frolic shirtless together, he emotes: "It's not a lifestyle choice." Cute.
When Bella hops on a plane to chase after Edward in Italy, she's on Virgin Atlantic. Nice.
These touches, along with key supporting performances from Michael Sheen ("Frost/Nixon) as head of a vampire mob and scene-stealer Anna Kendrick as Bella's verbose friend, make "New Moon" shine bright.
"The Twilight Saga: New Moon"
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Dakota Fanning, Michael Sheen
Director: Chris Weitz
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Where: Opens midnight today at area theaters
**1/2
This article is from www.mercurynews.com
New director Chris Weitz ("The Golden Compass") injects more humor and visual style than Catherine Hardwicke did in the original, but "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" sags and lags like the first one as it senselessly runs on for more than two hours.
The film especially stumbles when the friendship between that vampire-lovin' Bella (a strong Kristen Stewart) and wolf-boy Jacob (Taylor Lautner) starts to heat up.
With sullen Edward (Robert Pattinson) literally out of most of the picture -- in an attempt to avoid his Bella bloodlust -- the romantic burden falls on the insanely broad shoulders of Lautner to perform pretty boy duties.
Lautner looks spectacular shirtless, and will undoubtedly make many tween hearts flutter. But he might have considered spending more time beefing up that acting muscle rather than perfecting his impeccable six-pack abs.
He and Stewart do have a nice chemistry at the start, but when Jacob reveals he's actually a wolf in tight clothing the script requires the actor to show some range of emotion, and it's no longer pretty to behold. Lautner doesn't have the acting chops of Pattinson.
Weitz and screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg ("Twilight" and TV's "Dexter") do their darndest to spruce up the material with clever references to "Romeo and Juliet" and "Little Red Riding Hood."
They even poke fun at the "Twilight" story. WhenJacob exp lains to Bella why he's hanging with his buff wolf buddies, who frolic shirtless together, he emotes: "It's not a lifestyle choice." Cute.
When Bella hops on a plane to chase after Edward in Italy, she's on Virgin Atlantic. Nice.
These touches, along with key supporting performances from Michael Sheen ("Frost/Nixon) as head of a vampire mob and scene-stealer Anna Kendrick as Bella's verbose friend, make "New Moon" shine bright.
"The Twilight Saga: New Moon"
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Dakota Fanning, Michael Sheen
Director: Chris Weitz
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Where: Opens midnight today at area theaters
**1/2
This article is from www.mercurynews.com
Twilight Saga: More details on New Moon
NOW that television is screening Alan Ball's True Blood, the vampires in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga seem more anaemic than ever.
True Blood's vampires have sex. Twilight's brood about not having it - which for their fans, of course, is an integral part of their appeal.
Meyer's hero, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), is a gentleman vampire. Having been brought up on animal blood, he's sworn off the human kind. He and his mortal girlfriend, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), dare to kiss but whenever they do, Edward quivers delicately, preserving the possibility that smooch could suddenly deepen into love bite.
New Moon, the second film in the series, finds Edward and Bella settling into life as high school sweethearts in Forks, Washington, although she's already worrying about future complications. She wakes on her 18th birthday from a dream in which she's turned into her own grandmother, while 108-year-old Edward has remained his perennially youthful undead self. This scenario has become common lately. We've seen variations on the theme of time playing tricks and ageing men and women at differing rates in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Time Traveller's Wife and Dorian Gray. Welcome to the Botox generation's defining nightmare.
In Bella's case, this fear has strengthened her curiosity about what it would be like to join Edward's team and become a vampire. He doesn't think it's a good idea. Noble as ever, he wants only to protect her and we're not far into the story before he and the rest of his family decide that they must leave Forks. For him and Bella, it's the end, he tells her. She will not be going with them. Instead, she will stay behind to subside into a chronic sulk. Admittedly, this means no more than a slight adjustment to Stewart's performance, which is already arranged around her pronounced gift for slouching and mumbling, but the prospect of watching her carry a large chunk of the film without her co-star is far from enticing.
There is help at hand, however, in the shape-shifting form of Bella's friend Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), a son of the local Native American tribe, the Quileute. He has long fancied her and, with Edward out of the way, he sets out to show her what a nice guy he is. And for a while all goes well. Stewart produces a few flickering smiles of appreciation as well as squeezing out one or two sentences of at least six words. Things are looking good - up to the moment when she discovers she's been dating a werewolf.
The film is a lot more ponderous than the first one, which was directed by Catherine Hardwicke ( Lords of Dogtown). Given the extreme lassitude of her two leads, Hardwicke did have some trouble with the story's potential for co-ordinating a little black comedy with its purple passion but her successor, Chris Weitz ( The Golden Compass), hasn't a clue. For long stretches, it seems as if Edward's sister, Alice (Ashley Greene), is the only member of the cast who has been licensed to laugh. And while the high camp elements haven't been eliminated, it's impossible to tell if Weitz can see them.
Jacob and his fellow wolf men, for instance, are pretty funny, with their buffed bodies and fondness for wandering bare-chested through the forest while lustily picking fights with one another, but I suspect that we're meant to take them seriously. The only certainty is that they make a change from Edward, who can't venture into the sunlight for fear of being coated with fairy dust and made to melt away.
The werewolves occasion a few computer-generated brawls as they go hunting a team of bad vampires but it's not until the denouement that we see any real action. This takes place during a brisk trip to Tuscany, where Bella and Alice head off in pursuit of Edward, who has gone to consult the Volturi, an ancient family of vampire aristocrats. Their leader is played by Michael Sheen, who's done a lot of shape-shifting of his own recently, having been cast as Tony Blair in The Queen and David Frost in Frost/Nixon. This time, he's in 18th-century court dress with white facepaint and red contact lenses. He looks like a hung-over pixie who's spent too long at the bottom of the garden.
There is one thing to be said about the way Weitz handles time travel. He can make two hours and 10 minutes seem like a thousand years.
This article is from www.smh.com.au
True Blood's vampires have sex. Twilight's brood about not having it - which for their fans, of course, is an integral part of their appeal.
Meyer's hero, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), is a gentleman vampire. Having been brought up on animal blood, he's sworn off the human kind. He and his mortal girlfriend, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), dare to kiss but whenever they do, Edward quivers delicately, preserving the possibility that smooch could suddenly deepen into love bite.
New Moon, the second film in the series, finds Edward and Bella settling into life as high school sweethearts in Forks, Washington, although she's already worrying about future complications. She wakes on her 18th birthday from a dream in which she's turned into her own grandmother, while 108-year-old Edward has remained his perennially youthful undead self. This scenario has become common lately. We've seen variations on the theme of time playing tricks and ageing men and women at differing rates in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Time Traveller's Wife and Dorian Gray. Welcome to the Botox generation's defining nightmare.
In Bella's case, this fear has strengthened her curiosity about what it would be like to join Edward's team and become a vampire. He doesn't think it's a good idea. Noble as ever, he wants only to protect her and we're not far into the story before he and the rest of his family decide that they must leave Forks. For him and Bella, it's the end, he tells her. She will not be going with them. Instead, she will stay behind to subside into a chronic sulk. Admittedly, this means no more than a slight adjustment to Stewart's performance, which is already arranged around her pronounced gift for slouching and mumbling, but the prospect of watching her carry a large chunk of the film without her co-star is far from enticing.
There is help at hand, however, in the shape-shifting form of Bella's friend Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), a son of the local Native American tribe, the Quileute. He has long fancied her and, with Edward out of the way, he sets out to show her what a nice guy he is. And for a while all goes well. Stewart produces a few flickering smiles of appreciation as well as squeezing out one or two sentences of at least six words. Things are looking good - up to the moment when she discovers she's been dating a werewolf.
The film is a lot more ponderous than the first one, which was directed by Catherine Hardwicke ( Lords of Dogtown). Given the extreme lassitude of her two leads, Hardwicke did have some trouble with the story's potential for co-ordinating a little black comedy with its purple passion but her successor, Chris Weitz ( The Golden Compass), hasn't a clue. For long stretches, it seems as if Edward's sister, Alice (Ashley Greene), is the only member of the cast who has been licensed to laugh. And while the high camp elements haven't been eliminated, it's impossible to tell if Weitz can see them.
Jacob and his fellow wolf men, for instance, are pretty funny, with their buffed bodies and fondness for wandering bare-chested through the forest while lustily picking fights with one another, but I suspect that we're meant to take them seriously. The only certainty is that they make a change from Edward, who can't venture into the sunlight for fear of being coated with fairy dust and made to melt away.
The werewolves occasion a few computer-generated brawls as they go hunting a team of bad vampires but it's not until the denouement that we see any real action. This takes place during a brisk trip to Tuscany, where Bella and Alice head off in pursuit of Edward, who has gone to consult the Volturi, an ancient family of vampire aristocrats. Their leader is played by Michael Sheen, who's done a lot of shape-shifting of his own recently, having been cast as Tony Blair in The Queen and David Frost in Frost/Nixon. This time, he's in 18th-century court dress with white facepaint and red contact lenses. He looks like a hung-over pixie who's spent too long at the bottom of the garden.
There is one thing to be said about the way Weitz handles time travel. He can make two hours and 10 minutes seem like a thousand years.
This article is from www.smh.com.au
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Twilight Saga: What's New Moon About?
Starring Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Michael Sheen and Dakota Fanning. Directed by Chris Weitz. 130 minutes. At major theatres on Friday. PG
It's fangs for the memories in The Twilight Saga: New Moon, as the love between human teen Bella and her vampire beau Edward becomes even more of the mind than the body.
There's no sophomore slump here, quelling fan fears that a controversial switch of directors from Catherine Hardwicke to Chris Weitz might bite into the emotional continuity of this unorthodox romance.
The stakes are higher and the intensity deeper this time, despite a plot that approaches the ripest of melodrama – and which occasionally provokes unintended laughter, as does the terribly twee soundtrack.
Strong acting across the board and a convincing bond between the two main lovebirds override any objections to the script.
Picking up where franchise starter Twilight ended, and sure to earn as least as much box office gold when screenings begin at selected theatres Thursday (the full rollout is Friday), New Moon's main drama begins at the 18th birthday party for Bella (Kristen Stewart).
A seemingly innocuous accident provokes an unforeseen and potentially fatal response, prompting Edward (Robert Pattinson) to move his vampire kin out of the soggy town of Forks, Wash.
As in movie romances of old, serious gentleman Edward has the best of intentions, nobly choosing to separate from his undead heart's desire rather than facing the grim possibility of her destruction by forces beyond his control.
Just when it seemed that he and Bella might be able to cross the divide between the shadowy vampire realm and the fragile human domain, Edward is forced to confront the limitations not only of their risky love, but of his own weaknesses.
As he grows increasingly confused and depressed, Edward decamps from the northwestern U.S. for Europe, seeking a violent destiny of his own choosing.
The split is the catalyst both for heartbreak and the deepening of desire. An emotionally crushed Bella discovers she is able to connect with Edward on an astral plane whenever her heart rate is peaked by perilous pastimes, but another distraction weakens her focus and her resolve.
Her native American friend Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), briefly seen in Twilight, becomes entangled in both a love triangle and an progressively more volatile supernatural world, in which werewolves rise to do battle with the vampires.
Lautner obviously prepared for his beefed-up role, since he now sports pecs that the Wolfman himself would envy.
New Moon is not all love and hisses. Although tangled romance is more the emphasis this time out – Romeo and Juliet allusions are driven home like a stake through the heart – there are action set pieces designed to thrill genre movie lovers.
They'll likely scare the daylights out of everyone else. The CGI creatures aren't always first-rate, but they get the job done.
Edward's trip to Europe brings him to a postcard-perfect Italy and into the dangerous company of an ancient coven of vampires called the Volturi, led by a suavely evil royal bloodsucker named Aro (Michael Sheen). When Aro discovers what Edward has been up to with the humans, he is not amused.
But the scariest figure may be, no joke, young Dakota Fanning, who is no longer a kid. She's Jane, a ruby-eyed Volturi guard who uses illusions of pain as an instrument of torture.
With the exception of a new fight scene created for the movie, Weitz (The Golden Compass) and screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg remain for the most part very faithful to the story by Twilight creator Stephenie Meyer, whose best-selling novels started this latest vampire craze.
They well serve an evolving and involving love saga that gives us a lot more to chew on than the typical teen romance.
This article is from www.thestar.com
It's fangs for the memories in The Twilight Saga: New Moon, as the love between human teen Bella and her vampire beau Edward becomes even more of the mind than the body.
There's no sophomore slump here, quelling fan fears that a controversial switch of directors from Catherine Hardwicke to Chris Weitz might bite into the emotional continuity of this unorthodox romance.
The stakes are higher and the intensity deeper this time, despite a plot that approaches the ripest of melodrama – and which occasionally provokes unintended laughter, as does the terribly twee soundtrack.
Strong acting across the board and a convincing bond between the two main lovebirds override any objections to the script.
Picking up where franchise starter Twilight ended, and sure to earn as least as much box office gold when screenings begin at selected theatres Thursday (the full rollout is Friday), New Moon's main drama begins at the 18th birthday party for Bella (Kristen Stewart).
A seemingly innocuous accident provokes an unforeseen and potentially fatal response, prompting Edward (Robert Pattinson) to move his vampire kin out of the soggy town of Forks, Wash.
As in movie romances of old, serious gentleman Edward has the best of intentions, nobly choosing to separate from his undead heart's desire rather than facing the grim possibility of her destruction by forces beyond his control.
Just when it seemed that he and Bella might be able to cross the divide between the shadowy vampire realm and the fragile human domain, Edward is forced to confront the limitations not only of their risky love, but of his own weaknesses.
As he grows increasingly confused and depressed, Edward decamps from the northwestern U.S. for Europe, seeking a violent destiny of his own choosing.
The split is the catalyst both for heartbreak and the deepening of desire. An emotionally crushed Bella discovers she is able to connect with Edward on an astral plane whenever her heart rate is peaked by perilous pastimes, but another distraction weakens her focus and her resolve.
Her native American friend Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), briefly seen in Twilight, becomes entangled in both a love triangle and an progressively more volatile supernatural world, in which werewolves rise to do battle with the vampires.
Lautner obviously prepared for his beefed-up role, since he now sports pecs that the Wolfman himself would envy.
New Moon is not all love and hisses. Although tangled romance is more the emphasis this time out – Romeo and Juliet allusions are driven home like a stake through the heart – there are action set pieces designed to thrill genre movie lovers.
They'll likely scare the daylights out of everyone else. The CGI creatures aren't always first-rate, but they get the job done.
Edward's trip to Europe brings him to a postcard-perfect Italy and into the dangerous company of an ancient coven of vampires called the Volturi, led by a suavely evil royal bloodsucker named Aro (Michael Sheen). When Aro discovers what Edward has been up to with the humans, he is not amused.
But the scariest figure may be, no joke, young Dakota Fanning, who is no longer a kid. She's Jane, a ruby-eyed Volturi guard who uses illusions of pain as an instrument of torture.
With the exception of a new fight scene created for the movie, Weitz (The Golden Compass) and screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg remain for the most part very faithful to the story by Twilight creator Stephenie Meyer, whose best-selling novels started this latest vampire craze.
They well serve an evolving and involving love saga that gives us a lot more to chew on than the typical teen romance.
This article is from www.thestar.com
Twilight Saga : New Moon Review
Here's the New Moon review coming from Tim Robey of telegraph.co.uk.
On one level, the appeal of the Twilight franchise is obvious: heartache sells, sexy vampires are on trend, and there’s something about the unattainability of Robert Pattinson’s Edward Cullen (and by extension, R.Pattz himself) which gives his fans the sense of ownership they demand.
For the non-Robsessed, connecting with the mythology of Stephenie Meyer’s series is a different matter -- it’s a pick ‘n’ mix of watered-down fantasy concepts in chalk-white emo styling. The middle hour (of what feels like three) will induce not just heavy R.Pattz withdrawal in the key audience -- Edward dumps Bella (Kristen Stewart) and disappears for her own safety -- but catalepsy in anyone wanting stuff to, you know, happen. She falls in with newly-buff Quileute neighbour Jacob (Taylor Lautner) and they fix up motorbikes, until he finally comes out as a werewolf.
Under Chris Weitz’s direction, the actors have gained some confidence, and this chaste love triangle among creatures of the night has all the requisite looks of tortured longing. What it misses is any animating pulse: we just wait and wait for the bleeding obvious. The movie is best enjoyed for its dowdy sops to teen culture -- vampires with email addresses, lycanthropes with six-packs -- but for anyone on the outside looking in, the insulation of the characters from real danger makes it a bit of a drag.
On one level, the appeal of the Twilight franchise is obvious: heartache sells, sexy vampires are on trend, and there’s something about the unattainability of Robert Pattinson’s Edward Cullen (and by extension, R.Pattz himself) which gives his fans the sense of ownership they demand.
For the non-Robsessed, connecting with the mythology of Stephenie Meyer’s series is a different matter -- it’s a pick ‘n’ mix of watered-down fantasy concepts in chalk-white emo styling. The middle hour (of what feels like three) will induce not just heavy R.Pattz withdrawal in the key audience -- Edward dumps Bella (Kristen Stewart) and disappears for her own safety -- but catalepsy in anyone wanting stuff to, you know, happen. She falls in with newly-buff Quileute neighbour Jacob (Taylor Lautner) and they fix up motorbikes, until he finally comes out as a werewolf.
Under Chris Weitz’s direction, the actors have gained some confidence, and this chaste love triangle among creatures of the night has all the requisite looks of tortured longing. What it misses is any animating pulse: we just wait and wait for the bleeding obvious. The movie is best enjoyed for its dowdy sops to teen culture -- vampires with email addresses, lycanthropes with six-packs -- but for anyone on the outside looking in, the insulation of the characters from real danger makes it a bit of a drag.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Interview with The Twilight Saga : New Moon Star Robert Pattinson
Seemingly overnight, Robert Pattinson went from playing Voldemort's roadkill in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to being the immortal half of one of the hottest screen couples of all time. He spoke with TIME about how he landed the role of Twilight's Byronic vampire Edward Cullen, what it's like to be a generational crush and how to walk unmolested along the streets of Vancouver.
TIME: You took on an edgy vampire movie and it's become this. Did you know what you were signing up for?
Robert Pattinson: I had no idea it was going to be like this. I really had no idea until... I guess I still don't. The time that it hit me really was when we were shooting in Italy and the emotional reaction — it wasn't just screaming. It was like people were so intently listening and watching. After every take there was polite applause. And it wasn't hysteria. It was literally devotion to the characters. It was amazing. I haven't felt that in any other situation.
Casting Edward was crucial to the franchise. What did Catherine Hardwicke see in you?
I don't know. I was a little intimidated by Kristen in my audition. So I played it like a guy who is beating himself up a lot about everything. I don't think anyone else did it like that. I think they concentrated on the confidence aspect. If you read the book, you know he's the perfect man, ideal man. If you're a guy you have certain ideals about what you think is attractive. And that's why I didn't go into it for ages, because I thought I'd end up being silly in the audition. I'd be posing. I guess I tried to ignore every aspect of the confident hero of the story. And I played the extreme opposite. It didn't end up being that in the film.
If they'd cast the other guy for Edward, would the franchise have been as successful as it is today?
I honestly don't know. No matter how famous I get as an individual, it's always evened — or even surpassed — by the fame of Edward Cullen. That's got to mean something. I don't mind that. That's just the way it is.
Why are America and the world so mental about it?
I was just in Japan, but when I first went there in February, the people who went to the fan events there were mainly people who went to American schools. This time it was entirely Japanese the audience. No one could really speak English, but they reacted in the same way as they have around the world. Even the distributor was saying, Japanese audiences don't react like this. And they were stunned by the whole thing.
There must be this weird, primal thing in people that they react to. There are so many love stories that come out. So many vampire stories that come out. Even the load of vampire stories coming out now have the exact same story line. This doesn't have the same reaction. I think it's all about being part of a club. People used to say it was a guilty pleasure. But I don't even think it is that anymore. I think people genuinely appreciate that they are part of something.
How can it continue at this level?
I have no idea. It kind of feeds on itself by the looks of things. It seems to have got from the beginning of this year to now. I was just talking to the head of the studio who said they are only 25 percent through the campaign for New Moon. And the tracking on the movie is ridiculous. Even random celebrities are asked, What do you think of Twilight? It's insane. I remember saying at Comic-con last year that I didn't know where it could go from there. I didn't know how much bigger it could get. I guess this time they are getting guys to watch it. Guys were the only other place left to go
Yes, man is the Twilight growth market. They shoot the movies very quickly for a lot of reasons — momentum for one, but also because vampires don't age. Does that throw pressure on you to, well, look exactly the same?
I don't really think about that. I think I definitely look older in this one. But then I look younger in the third one, which is just weird.
A whole generation will remember you as Edward. You're a generational crush. Is that hard to live up to or difficult to accept?
There's no living up to it. I think the major fear is just fighting too hard against it. Most people who have a downfall from a like situation is when they do try to fight, and fight and fight: I'm not this teeny bopper person, blah, blah, blah. Even if a lot of people see me and the franchise as like that, I never have, at any point. But I don't feel the need to fight against it. I've never tried to pander to any kind of audience. I've tried to make the films as intelligent and uncheesy as you could. And I've tried to make them the best they can be. I've never thought about it any other way. So I hope that pays off.
A lot of celebs use disguises to escape their bubble. What's been your worst?
In Vancouver, shooting New Moon, I tried something. They have this thought that no one there wears hoods except for problem people. It's the only city in the world where hoods are not fashionable. It's like if you're wearing a hood you're going to mug people. So it's a boring disguise, but it worked when I wore a hood. And then I'd sort of spit on the ground a little bit and do a little bit of shaking around as you're walking. Everyone moved around to the other side of the street.
Can you go out of the bubble?
You can go out. The only difficulty is when there are people waiting outside the exits where you are going. You will get followed. It's the following that's the worst part. If it's just getting a photo taken outside the exit, that would be OK. But it's the following that takes away your freedom.
SOURCE
TIME: You took on an edgy vampire movie and it's become this. Did you know what you were signing up for?
Robert Pattinson: I had no idea it was going to be like this. I really had no idea until... I guess I still don't. The time that it hit me really was when we were shooting in Italy and the emotional reaction — it wasn't just screaming. It was like people were so intently listening and watching. After every take there was polite applause. And it wasn't hysteria. It was literally devotion to the characters. It was amazing. I haven't felt that in any other situation.
Casting Edward was crucial to the franchise. What did Catherine Hardwicke see in you?
I don't know. I was a little intimidated by Kristen in my audition. So I played it like a guy who is beating himself up a lot about everything. I don't think anyone else did it like that. I think they concentrated on the confidence aspect. If you read the book, you know he's the perfect man, ideal man. If you're a guy you have certain ideals about what you think is attractive. And that's why I didn't go into it for ages, because I thought I'd end up being silly in the audition. I'd be posing. I guess I tried to ignore every aspect of the confident hero of the story. And I played the extreme opposite. It didn't end up being that in the film.
If they'd cast the other guy for Edward, would the franchise have been as successful as it is today?
I honestly don't know. No matter how famous I get as an individual, it's always evened — or even surpassed — by the fame of Edward Cullen. That's got to mean something. I don't mind that. That's just the way it is.
Why are America and the world so mental about it?
I was just in Japan, but when I first went there in February, the people who went to the fan events there were mainly people who went to American schools. This time it was entirely Japanese the audience. No one could really speak English, but they reacted in the same way as they have around the world. Even the distributor was saying, Japanese audiences don't react like this. And they were stunned by the whole thing.
There must be this weird, primal thing in people that they react to. There are so many love stories that come out. So many vampire stories that come out. Even the load of vampire stories coming out now have the exact same story line. This doesn't have the same reaction. I think it's all about being part of a club. People used to say it was a guilty pleasure. But I don't even think it is that anymore. I think people genuinely appreciate that they are part of something.
How can it continue at this level?
I have no idea. It kind of feeds on itself by the looks of things. It seems to have got from the beginning of this year to now. I was just talking to the head of the studio who said they are only 25 percent through the campaign for New Moon. And the tracking on the movie is ridiculous. Even random celebrities are asked, What do you think of Twilight? It's insane. I remember saying at Comic-con last year that I didn't know where it could go from there. I didn't know how much bigger it could get. I guess this time they are getting guys to watch it. Guys were the only other place left to go
Yes, man is the Twilight growth market. They shoot the movies very quickly for a lot of reasons — momentum for one, but also because vampires don't age. Does that throw pressure on you to, well, look exactly the same?
I don't really think about that. I think I definitely look older in this one. But then I look younger in the third one, which is just weird.
A whole generation will remember you as Edward. You're a generational crush. Is that hard to live up to or difficult to accept?
There's no living up to it. I think the major fear is just fighting too hard against it. Most people who have a downfall from a like situation is when they do try to fight, and fight and fight: I'm not this teeny bopper person, blah, blah, blah. Even if a lot of people see me and the franchise as like that, I never have, at any point. But I don't feel the need to fight against it. I've never tried to pander to any kind of audience. I've tried to make the films as intelligent and uncheesy as you could. And I've tried to make them the best they can be. I've never thought about it any other way. So I hope that pays off.
A lot of celebs use disguises to escape their bubble. What's been your worst?
In Vancouver, shooting New Moon, I tried something. They have this thought that no one there wears hoods except for problem people. It's the only city in the world where hoods are not fashionable. It's like if you're wearing a hood you're going to mug people. So it's a boring disguise, but it worked when I wore a hood. And then I'd sort of spit on the ground a little bit and do a little bit of shaking around as you're walking. Everyone moved around to the other side of the street.
Can you go out of the bubble?
You can go out. The only difficulty is when there are people waiting outside the exits where you are going. You will get followed. It's the following that's the worst part. If it's just getting a photo taken outside the exit, that would be OK. But it's the following that takes away your freedom.
SOURCE
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)