Twilight's Moment of Truth

I have to be honest, I’ve been dreading this blog since I finally got to see the movie with Professor H on Thanksgiving weekend.

I’m completely torn on how I feel about this movie. On the one hand, I love the fact that one of my favorite books has come to the big screen. I no longer have to fantasize about what the characters look like; they’re right in front of me acting out my favorite parts. There’s Edward with his snow white skin and dazzling eyes and Bella with her shy looks and witty remarks.

But on the other hand, actually hearing the dialogue brings me to the sad realization that this book has to be THE cheesiest thing I’ve ever read and by far the worst written. I feel so terrible for having these conflicted thoughts but there it is. Sorry, no way to sugarcoat it.

Here are some of my favorite and not so favorite moments:

#1 I love the scene when the Cullen family walks into the cafeteria and Bella sees Edward for the first time.

#2 The scene in Biology when Edward gets his first whiff of Bella-- not a very high moment for the film. Not only did he look like he was about to regurgitate all over his biology book but his acting, in my opinion, was a little overkill. I guess it just didn’t seem that exaggerated in my head when I read that part in the book.

#3 I love when Esme and Carlisle try cooking dinner for Bella and Rose has a little, pretty-girl temper tantrum. Freaking hysterical! (Side note: Super cute the way Edward looks totally embarrassed by his family’s display of kookiness when they meet Bella—Kind-of like a normal guy would. Good Job Robert!)

#4 Another scene that’s really terrible is when Edward shows her just how different he is in the sun. All I saw was his hairy dazzling chest. Ew, gross.

There are many more scenes that I both love and hate but nothing is going to stop me from buying it the first day it comes out on DVD.

Feel free folks to leave a comment and tell me what you thought of the movie. Love it or hate it I have to say its still an intriguing story. Can’t wait for New Moon.


V.

Twilight Women

There's been a lot of talk over at the university where I work about the value (or in most cases, un-value) of TWILIGHT. Most arguments against the novel center on Edward's possessiveness and Bella's apparent passivity. Nevertheless, all these profs are reading the series, talking about it in their classes, analyzing it via a feminist lens, and overall, creating new fans of the series among the students, though unwillingly, I'll bet.

As we wait for V.'s review of the film (we watched it together over Thanksgiving and squeed with the best of them. I'll let her tell the story), I offer Sarah Haskin's Target Women episode on Twilight. I think the argument she's trying to humorously create here is at the center of Twilight criticism. Enjoy!



Prof. H