Book to Movie: Breaking Dawn, Part I

Yes, this series is a guilty pleasure, not because I'm a Twi-hard, but because I'm a Cullen-ite.  I can tolerate the Bella of the books (I'm not a fan of Kristen Stewart), but I completely understand her desire to move in with the Cullens.  I think they are some of the most fascinating vampires I've ever read about; I'd want to take up with them too.

The movie sticks very closely to the book, as well it should for breaking the book into two films.  I think it might not be as interesting to those who haven't read the series, because there isn't a lot of action or plot progression.  This film is essentially plot exposition for the next film.  It's also a love letter to the fans who would have gone ballistic if any of the romance was cut in an attempt to squeeze Breaking Dawn into a single movie.  The only thing missing for me was some of the interactions between Jacob and Rosalie... and I would have liked to have seen more of the Cullens in general, but of course, I can never get enough of them.

I loved that they musically quoted the previous films.  I don't know how obvious it is to those who aren't as fanatic about music as I am but I thought it was an elegant way of referencing other plot points without beating us over the head with flashback scenes.

The ending was ...disjointed.  In a style reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino, strange block letter credits rolled before the final scene and more than half of the people at the showing I attended missed the last scene because they thought the movie was over.  Without spoiling anyone, let's just say if the last image you saw in the film was someone opening their eyes, you missed the final scene.

I'm a little dismayed that the release of Breaking Dawn Part II isn't until the fall of next year.  I think the franchise is dragging things out a little, but it is a far more complicated plot, so perhaps extra time is needed.  This next part is where finally get to see a strong Bella, my favorite part of the books, so I think I will enjoy the last note of this series.

Book to Movie: Eclipse

I saw Eclipse the week it came out, but I haven't been able to get to writing the review until this week. It's not a reflection of the quality of the movie, but a crazy summer busy, tons of company, my entire household has been sick for a week and a half thing. I don't know if I can quite do it justice from this distance, but I couldn't let the occasion go by without marking it on the blog.

I thought this was absolutely the best of the three movies. This is the first time I've gone to see a book-to-movie without re-reading the book beforehand, so that may have influenced my opinion somewhat. The action sequences are amazing. The rest of the cast, underused especially in the first movie, really gets a chance to shine (and all that screen time for everyone else means less for Kristen Stewart, which makes me happy). Although Eseme/Elizabeth Reaser was barely present in the film, Eclipse is not about her, Breaking Dawn* will give her more screen time. Billy Burke is warm and funny throughout, showing why he was perfect for the part of Chief Swan. Even the change in actresses for Victoria from Rachelle Lefevre to Bryce Dallas Howard seemed smooth.

The parts that dragged in the book, such as Jasper's back story, though still a little slow onscreen, were easier to accept on the big screen. For me, all the important scenes and dialogue were there. Some of the competitive games Edward and Jacob play throughout the book had to be skipped for time sake ~but they kept so much in, especially the all important cave conversation between Jacob and Edward. The only conflict that I missed was when Edward doesn't react and Jacob knows it's only because Edward is playing it cool for Bella's sake, so Jake loses again.

The scriptwriter even added some dialogue to a serious conversation that I thought was crucial. I remember when reading this book that I was seriously concerned that Bella wanted to throw her mortal life away for Edward. In the book the conversation is all about assuaging Edward's fear that Bella's choice is about immortality, not him. She assures him, it's all about him. The movie clarifies this a little. It's also about never fitting into her world, but actually fitting into his. I know that's how Meyer intended it, but the extra dialogue here made it so much clearer.

I wish I could revisit this in the theatre, but I probably won't get a chance to watch it again until the DVDs come out. If you are a fan of the books and were turned off by the first movie, give them another shot; they keep getting better.

*Breaking Dawn will be separated into two films.

Book to Movie: New Moon

I've really been looking forward to this movie. Although I promised myself I wasn't going to re-read the book prior to seeing it, I couldn't help it. The anticipation was too great.

I have been hoping that the interpretation of this book comes off better on film than Twilight (my review of the first film) where I think they removed too much of the romance from the story and as a result Bella comes off as a manic, love crazed teenager and Edward a slightly scary stalker. I was not disappointed.

I think this is one of the best Book-to-Movie translations I've seen. It's right up there with the Sorcerer's Stone in that it made an effort to include EVERYTHING and created a magical world. The pervasive blues and greys of Twilight were replaced by the lush color that Meyer so vividly describes. I even thought the 'voice' of Edward in Bella's head was done well, with ghost like apparitions of him.

Were there things excluded that I missed? Of course (Alice & Charlie's conversation when Alice returns, Alice & Bella's conversation on the plane, Edward & Bella's final conversation in her room (which is severely truncated), Bella's fight with Charlie). But many things were inserted elsewhere or even rewritten better (like Harry's heart attack). In truth, you'll always miss something but they left out nothing that was essential to the plot. They even went back and picked up the conversation that was skipped in the first film that was necessary plot exposition for this film, Carlisle's history.

Though I'm still not a huge Kristen Stewart fan, I think the rest of the movie brilliantly makes up for her. The only scene that was truly cringe worthy for me was her solo scene after Edward left her in the woods. (Interestingly enough, in one of her recent interviews Stewart claimed that this was her favorite book in the series because of the emotional gamut for the character of Bella; I found this amusing, because it certainly isn't portrayed on film. ~I have serious doubts that she will be able to pull off Breaking Dawn, the fourth and final film). However, she was the only dull spot in an otherwise sparkling film (pun intended) and even that was almost something to overlook.

I thoroughly enjoyed it ~even with a 'Team Jacob' teen sobbing behind me and a teen a few seats over, who had obviously never read the books, remarking loudly at each new development. I'd even go see it again in the theatres before it hits DVD ~which is already on my wish list... ok, well, at least signed up to be notified of when it becomes available to put on my wish list...

Final take: 4.75/5

Book to Movie: Twilight

Okay, it took way too long for me to get around to seeing this movie. I really wanted to see it on the big screen, but it just didn't happen. Luckily, I received the DVD as part of my Mother's Day gift!

I think this is one of the few instances where the movie really sticks close to the book. That's not to say that things aren't left out; obviously it needs to be trimmed down to make the big screen. Unfortunately a lot of what has gotten cut are all the enchanting, lovely scenes between Bella and Edward that help build their relationship. As a result Bella comes off as a love crazed teenager and Edward a slightly scary stalker. I know that's how critics of the Twilight series see them anyway, but truly, that's not how Ms. Meyer wrote them.

As far as casting is concerned, Cedric, I mean Robert Pattinson, is the perfect Edward. He's dark, handsome, and mysterious. On the other hand, Kristen Stewart is just not how I envision Bella; I thought that when the trailers first started to circulate, and I still think that after seeing the movie. It's not that her acting is bad... I don't know, maybe it's just the way the screen play was written, she's just a little off to me. Charlie isn't quite what I imagined either, but there really isn't enough of the other characters in the movie to really put forth much of an opinion. I kind of missed the stories that belong with the supporting characters, but I understand why they were cut in the grand scheme of things. Really, scenes of Edward and Bella getting to know each other were the far more valuable loss, with perhaps the exception being that of Rosalie's back story. Rosalie comes off rather incomprehensible without a little plot exposition.

That brings me to the story itself. As I mentioned, I think this is a fairly accurate translation from book, but I find it a dark, brooding interpretation of Meyer's story. This is helped along by cinematography that makes the entire movie seem gloomy. I know that Fork's is supposed to be a gray, rainy, dreary place, but the pervasive blue lighting was overkill in my opinion. Even my husband, who knew nothing of the story and only caught a few minutes here and there of the movie, mentioned it. I realize it was done for effect, but it was too much.

All in all, I am glad I own the movie; I'll certainly watch it again. It's an important part of the Twilight saga. I look forward to the next movie but I hope they do a little re-tooling of their approach (the next leg of the story is difficult enough). Do I recommend you see it before you read it? No, you might find it off-putting. If you haven't read it but saw it and liked it, by all means go back and read it; it's far more fascinating on the page.

3.75/5

What did you think???

My Review of the novel: Twilight

Jenn's Review Part Deux: The Host

In skimming other reviews of The Host over the past week, I've come across criticism suggesting that the female characters are weak. This bothered me enough to want to refute it in a post of my own. I will try to do this while being as "unspoilery" as possible.

While I think it is a somewhat valid assessment of Bella in the Twilight series, weakly written females are hardly the case here. Melanie is so strong, she can't let go of a body she no longer fully possesses. Wanda cannot tolerate violence of any kind, but that doesn't make her weak. She makes the decision to live in a way that is completely inconceivable to others of her kind. And what about The Seeker? These are not weak women.

Jeb created his own society (in a space he practically carved out himself), and he gets to make the rules. That's not chauvinistic to me, that's a benevolent dictatorship. (And as for a body belonging to it's family members, I completely understand that too.) True mostly guys go on the raids, and the women stay home and care take, but this is a time of war, and in our society, it's mostly the men who go off to fight.

As for Petal, she was chosen by Jamie, someone who knew the host best, and saw her for who she was... not to mention the choice also made sense from a tactical stand point. No matter the body, the spirit is still strong.

I can see, to an extent, that the non-central female characters come off as pale in comparison to Melanie and Wanda, but that's a literary device. Where I can concede that there was weakness in Bella (though I think she overcame it by the fourth book), I feel that those who find it here are seeing what they want to see.

Am I off base? I'd love to know what you think, so please leave a comment!

My Full Review of The Host

Jenn's Review: The Host

Summary: The author of the Twilightseries of #1 bestsellers delivers her brilliant first novel for adults: a gripping story of love and betrayal in a future with the fate of humanity at stake. Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.

Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind. Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves-Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring what may be the first love triangle involving only two bodies, The Host is a riveting and unforgettable novel that will bring a vast new readership to one of the most compelling writers of our time.


Review: While I enjoy fantasy, I've never been a huge fan of science fiction (save The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). Actually, I had no intention of reading this book until I passed it by on a sale table... and when I went back to get it, it was gone and I had to confess myself disappointed. I was hearing good things about it. My curiosity about it was apparently getting the better of me, so I finally broke down and bought it. Good decision.

This is an absolutely beautiful story from start to finish. Well, okay, it took me fifty-ish pages to get into it, but after that I was so drawn in that I couldn't put it down. It was a surprising refreshing read. The reader empathizes with the Wanderer and with Melanie. Though the Wanderer is thousands of years old, in some ways she is still a child, and though Melanie is 20, she is wise for her years due to living on the run. They have much to learn from each other and in their coexistence, they learn tolerance and empathy. But this makes them a danger to both of their kind, and a misfit everywhere. Their species are still at war. If they find Melanie's family and Jared, how will they convince them that they mean no harm? And more importantly, how will they convince them that both Melanie and Wanderer dwelling in the same body.

Meyer has woven a beautiful love story into a genre I would otherwise ignore. As a writer, she has matured into a master of emotions and hopeless (hopeful?) love stories. She left this book lightly open ended (no cliff hangers) and I truly hope she picks up this thread again. I would certainly read the next installment.

Rating 5.0/5.0 <-- and those don't come readily for me

The Host Review Part Deux

Jenn's Review: Breaking Dawn

Summary: When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?

To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife have led her to the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs.

Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life -first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse- seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever?

The astonishing, breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions.



Review: I really thought Stephenie Meyer had backed herself into a corner at the end of Eclipse. Apparently, I wasn't the only one questioning the moral fibre of the series (MSN article), but I think Meyer pushed the envelope and fought her way out of it with the only satisfactory resolution. We were left at the end of Eclipse with Bella's impending death. The only way to gain the moral high ground on this front was to make the question of Bella's immortality the necessary recourse to save Bella from the brink of death. It can't be the impending threat of the Volturi, the self serving ruling coven of ancients from the old world, because that thread must be saved for the climax of the book, as hinted in the final chapters of the penultimate book. [***SPOILERS AHEAD, ~you have been warned!***] How can Meyer make Bella's death/near death the ultimate sacrifice, giving it as much credence as possible while fueling the imminent battle? By making her a mother, of course. The willing sacrifice on behalf of her unborn child is heart wrenching (especially being new mother myself).


The existence of her enchanting, half-breed offspring is the impetus for the climax of the book, essentially the ammunition the Volturi have been waiting for to come after the Cullen's with a vengeance, apocalyptic wrath, if you will. The role of Jacob in this book is a little bit of a stretch, but it was a necessary stretch to keep the well oiled plot in motion. But I can see where Jacob's place in this new story is disturbing to some. I loved meeting all the covens and learning of the innate powers displayed by individual members (and if you have trouble keeping it straight, Meyer even provides a chart at the end of the book). It was intricate but well designed. This is not the Bella of New Moon who has control over nothing in her life, this is a Bella who is stronger and has more will power than perhaps all her fellow immortals. (I think this is at least partly due to being a mother, as Bella had a way to hold on to her consciousness during her transformation, thinking about her daughter.) Finally we see Bella be the strong heroine, that we all knew she had in her.

I have heard from teenagers who have loved this book and those who have hated it (although my niece has yet to weigh in on this). You can tell the Meyer is a mother as it is definitely written from a mother's point of view. (Perhaps another reason it is hard for some teenagers to accept the storyline?) For me, this is the perfect ending to an enticing series. I thoroughly enjoyed this finale and it resolved all my nagging qualms from my review of Eclipse.


Please feel free to add your point of view in the comments. (I would be really interested to hear from someone who hated it.)

4.75/5.0

Stephenie Meyer & The Twilight Collection

Okay, so I sent the Stephenie Meyer Twilight series to my high school graduate niece for her birthday this winter and now she's more informed about what's going on with the series than I am!

I've been awaiting the release of the third (oops, FOURTH! Thanks, planetbooks, I've read all three but apparently I can't count either!!!) book, Breaking Dawn, on August 2 and I had heard rumblings about the first book becoming a movie but it's way farther along than I realized. The movie is set to be released December 12th and you can catch a trailer here if you haven't already seen it in a theatre: http://www.twilightthemovie.com/. Harry Potter fans will immediately recognize the actor who won the role of the heartbreaking Edward, Robert Pattinson (AKA Cedric). I am truly excited to see how this translates into film and will certainly review it for our site.

Apparently, Ms. Meyer is also rewriting Twilight from Edward's point of view in a novel called Midnight Sun to be completed after she has finished the series.

Many thanks to Crystal for bringing her Aunt up to date...

Jenn's Review: Eclipse

Summary:
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. But which is which?

Review: Death or Death-by-Immortality is perhaps the bigger question...

It's been more than a week since I finished this book and I hoped that in that time I would gain a little perspective on it. I've read and re-read bits and pieces of it, but I'm still torn in my opinion of it.

As an adult, former teacher, and soon-to-be-parent, I'm struggling with the message of this book... it was in the corner of my mind nagging me a little while reading New Moon and I set it aside, but I'm afraid I cannot ignore it any longer. Yes, as a purist, I understand the axiom "true love conquers all" but at what cost? To what end?

Then, I must think of it as a novel for the sake of a novel. Would I have such an issue with this is if weren't labeled young adult? I think the answer here is 'no.' As a whole this was a well written book, showing the most maturity in writing styles of the three, and it was a solid plot. There were times where I actually felt a little bogged down in the plot exposition, which is unusual for Meyer. The struggle to choose a path when the heart is divided, adversaries as allies... all told in a sensual manner - very compelling.

Meyer left the end of this one open, and there is a fourth book planned. I'm not sure where Meyer will go from here, but I am interested to find out.

Overall Rating: 4.7/5

Jenn's Review: New Moon

Summary: New York Public Library

Recovered from the vampire attack that hospitalized her in the conclusion of Twilight, Bella celebrates her birthday with her boyfriend Edward and his family, a unique clan of vampires that has sworn off human blood. But the celebration abruptly ends when the teen accidentally cuts her arm on broken glass. The sight and smell of her blood trickling away forces the Cullen family to retreat lest they be tempted to make a meal of her. After all is mended, Edward, realizing the danger that he and his family create for Bella, sees no option for her safety but to leave. Mourning his departure, she slips into a downward spiral of depression that penetrates and lingers over her every step. Vampire fans will appreciate the subsequently dour mood that permeates the novel, and it's not until Bella befriends Jacob, a sophomore from her school with a penchant for motorcycles, that both the pace and her disposition begin to take off. Their adventures are wild, dare-devilish, and teeter on the brink of romance, but memories of Edward pervade Bella's emotions, and soon their fun quickly morphs into danger, especially when she uncovers the true identities of Jacob and his pack of friends. Less streamlined than Twilight yet just as exciting, New Moon will more than feed the bloodthirsty hankerings of fans of the first volume and leave them breathless for the third.


Review:
I really feel that this second novel from Meyer flows much better than the first. There is no waiting around for the story to begin and much more development of non-central characters. Some of this due in part, I'm sure, to the fact that Meyer expects you to have read the first book and she feels that she can start in the middle of her story. Also, without Edward, Meyer is forced to focus on other characters.

To me, this story feels far more complete from a writing standpoint. Although, I find the incident that sparks Edward's decision to leave Bella is rather tame in comparison to his reaction, it gives us a chance to explore Bella's world without him. Meyer beautifully depicts "going through the motions" and the attempts at regaining some sort of semblance to a shattered soul. Should Bella let herself get romantically involved with someone who obviously loves her more than she could ever love him, if only just to feel again? And is her penchant for danger going to kill her even without being involved with Edward?

My only objection is that I really feel that the blurb's on the back, and to some extent the prologue, give us too much information on where we are headed. I'd rather be pleasantly surprised when I get there. All in all, this was a very solid read for me.

Overall Rating 4.8/5

Jenn's Review: Twilight

Summary: book jacket

When Isabella Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edward Cullen, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With his porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerizing voice, and supernatural gifts, Edward is both irresistible and impenetrable. Up until now, he has managed to keep his true identity hidden, but Bella is determined to uncover his dark secret.
What Bella doesn't realize is the closer she gets to him, the more she is putting herself and those around her at risk. And it might be too late to turn back....

Review:
This is a young adult series that I'm starting to hear a little buzz about, so I decided it was time to check it out for myself. My initial reaction to Meyer's writing style is that it is slightly pedestrian, but of course I'm coming off of having just re-read the entire JK Rowling series a few months ago, so maybe I'm subconsciously making an unfair comparison.

Meyer's preface takes you to the end of her novel, near the climax, before she returns to the beginning in her first few chapters to give you the plot exposition and character introduction. While it's been a while since I've read a book that is in the first person of a high school student who wasn't attending Hogwarts, I found she came up with a very likable main character with whom it is easy to identify. Her minor characters, and this is where I feel I might be a little unfair in comparison, are a little underdeveloped for my tastes. She takes her time with her exposition, and I wish she'd been able to encompass more than just surface interaction with her surrounding characters. Then again, Bella is in high school, so a lot of her interaction is on the surface.

I knew where the story was headed, it's clearly stated on the back of the book ("About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him –and I didn't know how dominant that part might be– that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.") so it was almost a little frustrating that it took six chapters of exposition to get us there. If it wasn't for Meyer's blurb on the back and her foray into the future in the preface, a less seasoned reader might be tempted to put the book down before it gets going.

Ah, but then it gets going, and all is forgiven. Her main characters are enchanting, no enthralling. Girl-meets-Vampire and they fall hopelessly in love is nothing new to those who are familiar with Buffy lore, but here Meyers gives it an original spin that is both refreshing and inviting. This is no slayer, but a mere mortal girl who recognizes things, humans, and vampires for what they are without question. Edward, the non-human feeding vampire, has a centuries worth of wisdom and a conscience that is endearing. In the end it is Bella's honest acceptance and altruism (beyond her seemingly delectable aroma) that continue to draw Edward to her, though he is aware of how impossible their relationship continues to become.

There is just the right mix of danger and romance... and even a little humor. Meyer leave you thirsting for more adventures for Bella and Edward, whether they be in this realm or the next...

I look forward to continuing this series.

Overall Rating: 4.6/5