Twilight
I went to see Twilight tonight, and okay when I think a little too much about it, I get the giggles because sparkly vampire!!, which I knew about before going in, but My Little Vampire much?, but I can see where the generally positive reviews from grown up (male) critics are coming from. It has it's own conviction and power, even if there's stuff to, well, giggle about.
It lived up to my expectations, and exceeded some. I hven't read the books, don't mean to, knew about the series from fandom. With all the introductions of newish girl Bella to the locals, I kept being aware that book fans would be judging every casting. Stewart and Pattinson did have chemistry. I liked his take on Edward, I think I heard somewhere he thought he was a bit manic depressive? Certainly the volatility worked and added a bit of gravity to the Mysterious Dangerous Pale Stranger/Emo Boy, although there were references to that, and the whole film made me think of an 80s pop video. Stewart had conviction as Bella, who, yes, is an idiot. Or a teenage girl In Love. And that forbidden love aspect and all the inherent angst of the vampire-human trope makes me giggle when it's played straight. I don't quite grok vampires, not quite my thing. But still, going to the ballet studio alone in the hope that James would swop her for her mummy armed with pepper spray??? Oh Bella. Suze Mediator could eat you for breakfast.
Anyway, I should say that my most visceral response was to the trees and the scenery (tree-climbing vampires = fab!) and the Cullens' house. I also liked the depiction of Bella's relationship with her dad and mum. On the other hand, the Cullens are all clearly mental. (Or Meyer is). I mean, the fake parent-child dynamic, the coupling off, the perpetual highschooling...WHAT? (And I didn't think this was played up, because apart from Edward having angst, they're the Good Vampires, but it was there). I should have found Alice more irksome than I did. The black vamp's um, neighbourliness was convenient for the plot, no?
It did a great job of channeling the burgeoning sexuality with enough critique in there if you wanted to look for it, though for the main it was played straight (and as a result the looking, the pushing-pulling, the danger of touch or kissing or intimacy was all really really intense). Nothing I've seen Chris Weitz do makes me think he'll get that, so boo on Summit for not being more respectful of Catherine Hardwicke and insisting on keeping her for the sequels as long as possible.
But yes, fun. Silly and yet oddly powerful. With sparkling vampires playing monkeys. Which girls loooove. Especially when they look like rock stars. (but yay for the pubescent female gaze!)
It lived up to my expectations, and exceeded some. I hven't read the books, don't mean to, knew about the series from fandom. With all the introductions of newish girl Bella to the locals, I kept being aware that book fans would be judging every casting. Stewart and Pattinson did have chemistry. I liked his take on Edward, I think I heard somewhere he thought he was a bit manic depressive? Certainly the volatility worked and added a bit of gravity to the Mysterious Dangerous Pale Stranger/Emo Boy, although there were references to that, and the whole film made me think of an 80s pop video. Stewart had conviction as Bella, who, yes, is an idiot. Or a teenage girl In Love. And that forbidden love aspect and all the inherent angst of the vampire-human trope makes me giggle when it's played straight. I don't quite grok vampires, not quite my thing. But still, going to the ballet studio alone in the hope that James would swop her for her mummy armed with pepper spray??? Oh Bella. Suze Mediator could eat you for breakfast.
Anyway, I should say that my most visceral response was to the trees and the scenery (tree-climbing vampires = fab!) and the Cullens' house. I also liked the depiction of Bella's relationship with her dad and mum. On the other hand, the Cullens are all clearly mental. (Or Meyer is). I mean, the fake parent-child dynamic, the coupling off, the perpetual highschooling...WHAT? (And I didn't think this was played up, because apart from Edward having angst, they're the Good Vampires, but it was there). I should have found Alice more irksome than I did. The black vamp's um, neighbourliness was convenient for the plot, no?
It did a great job of channeling the burgeoning sexuality with enough critique in there if you wanted to look for it, though for the main it was played straight (and as a result the looking, the pushing-pulling, the danger of touch or kissing or intimacy was all really really intense). Nothing I've seen Chris Weitz do makes me think he'll get that, so boo on Summit for not being more respectful of Catherine Hardwicke and insisting on keeping her for the sequels as long as possible.
But yes, fun. Silly and yet oddly powerful. With sparkling vampires playing monkeys. Which girls loooove. Especially when they look like rock stars. (but yay for the pubescent female gaze!)