Comments on: The ‘Twilight’ Zone

By: My Twilight Experience « The Armoire

My Twilight Experience « The Armoire — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:11:20 +0000

[...] Trent was right. The music in this movie is TERRIBLE. In Trent’s review of the movie, he said that the music in it was absolutely horrible, and the only song he [...]

By: Meagan

Meagan — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 05:42:18 +0000

PPS I just read some of the comments from above… if anything, this series is a good, fun way of easing the pain of the loss of Buffy and Angel. It shows a younger, more cheesy version of a love like Buffy and Angel’s, which I feel is one of the greatest ever on t.v. Both are so unconditional and it’s nice to see that again, unlike in True Blood where no one really knows who they love. Sigh… I need to get myself a vampire boyfriend like Edward or Angel!

By: Meagan

Meagan — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 05:28:33 +0000

Oh, and that GOD AWFUL guitar rift had me begging out loud for it to end. I felt like cheesy 80s movie ninjas were going to pop out any minute to start fighting.

By: Meagan

Meagan — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 05:25:55 +0000

Finally saw this tonight. I must say, I was disappointed overall. I agree with you that they included most of the important parts well, but I did not feel any chemistry between Bella and Edward at all. Other than that the movie was decent, however, the love is the central aspect of the storyline and it just wasn’t believable, nor was it played out very well. In the book it seems to have developed whereas in the movie they are suddenly in love. I suppose it’s hard to convey 1st person thoughts into action though. I’m not a huge fan of Kristen Stewart. She needs to spit our her sentences without the awkward, shy pauses and jerky movements.

By: Belle

Belle — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:23:00 +0000

I thought the movie was cheesy, and pretty funny. I enjoyed the experience, but I can’t say the movie was really good. I thought Kristin and Rob’s portrayals of their characters were fine, their characters are just annoying. And I loved me some Cam Gigandet!

By: WOW....

WOW.... — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:19:55 +0000

It was so GOOODD……..so so so good.

By: It's Trent, Bitch!

It's Trent, Bitch! — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:37:53 +0000

I think it very silly to say that just because I love Buffy that I can’t like any other vampire-themed anything. I also like watching ‘True Blood’ on Showtime — which is nothing like BtVS. For the record, I never said that I loved the Twilight saga … I was entertained by it and I can totally understand the appeal that it holds for many. Just because some folks don’t understand the “why” doesn’t mean it’s bad. A lot of folks do not understand some people’s enjoyment of goss and pop culture … doesn’t make it bad at all :)

By: Klate

Klate — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:33:31 +0000

I haven’t seen it. And won’t…I hated the book. I know I’m in the minority and will probably be crucified for saying so. But, just wanted to chime in to say that I’m surprised you liked this series, Trent, given your love for Buffy. Buffy did all of this so much better and with so much more wit. And, not to politicize…well, maybe a little…but how much of the moolah that Ms. Meyer has made off of this series do you think she tithed to the Mormon church who just passed Prop. 8? I guess “romance” is OK as long as it’s straight and chaste. Sorry to be a hater…i know people love the books as is their right…I just don’t understand why!

By: tina

tina — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 04:16:15 +0000

IT WAS GOOD.

By: Jo

Jo — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 02:49:56 +0000

LOL, oh Trent! Your review has been the funniest I’ve read yet. I have to say I agree 100% with what you said.

If one take the books for what they are, then you pretty much have to like the movie. It is what it is. That is Twilight. It was a really good adaptation, IMO. =/

(You got me at the “go-go boy dancer” reference, LOL)

By: Grace

Grace — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 23:03:53 +0000

Grievances:

Narration, unless a film is a drama, is a sign of laziness and lack of imagination. Not to mention that the narration was only inserted to start off the film and disappeared altogether half way through. This is my fist example of many illustrating the level of inconsistency and lack of direction.

The Character Development: limited and nonsensical. We knew Charlie’s friend who was Santa Clause one year when Bella was four yours old better than other key characters.

Is Robert Pattinson playing Edward Cullen or Edward Scissorhands? For about 35 minutes of the film I was utterly frightened for Bella – His strange erratic behavior being more like a version of Hannibal Lecter in a wet dream than a strange dazzling vampire bewildered and intrigued by a human girl. Then, suddenly they’re walking to class with his arm casually slung around her like he’s Freddie Prinze Jr. and She’s All That. It was one extreme to the other – it felt like two different films, neither twilight. Poor Rob never had a chance; I actually believe the poor man did what he could with what he was given.

Vampires Who? The ethereal beauty one comes to expect from the cold and undead turns out to be layers of tacky white makeup extremely visible to the camera lens – while Bella (Kristen) remains the “fairest” of them all. I have respect for the thespians in this film and believe many of them to be talented but was it truly an impossible task to find fair skinned actors, or natural blonds for that matter. We all know Nikki Reed (plays Rosalie) is a hot brunette beach babe under all that bleach and chalk. I have to wonder if anyone took time to sit down and discuss the qualities, mannerisms, definitions of what a twilight vampire should be like. Mostly, the only reason why I knew them to be vampires was the excessive makeup and eyes. Jackson Rathbone (plays Jasper) , even though I just read a review commenting on his constipated appearance, seemed to be the only one that gave real thought to his character as a vampire trying to be humanish. Though, with the obvious limited direction given to them I feel that they did okay with the personalities of their individual characters.

I found myself thinking really hard about the book to make sense of what I was seeing on screen. In other words I wonder if I hadn’t read the book and seen this film, would I have understood what was going on? It was like connect the dots. They gave some dots, like a random walk, connecting and stumbling to the finish.

Effects: Fast Food – Cheap and Unsatisfying! I am ignorant to the expense of such things, but I have to assume that the price was so ungodly high that all they could afford was the poo I witnesses. Okay, well, did Catherine Hardwicke (whos been a key player in many fantastic films) make Lemonade? – Unfortunately, no. This is the one place where a movie like this could have been totally wild – It’s limitless, vampires ya’ll! Yet, what we got was miniscule, inconsistent, and weak. The biggest trick up their sleeve, it appeared, was that silly “magic carpet” and yet they even managed to belittle that.

Fight scene: If my head was about to be torn off and thrown in a fire you bet I would have taken at least a couple of Alice’s fingers with me! For about 45 seconds they’re throwing each other around and breaking glass then the dude just stands there and lets the Swiss Family Robinson dismember him. What! Is hiring a choreographer too expensive too?

I don’t even know how to describe the filming. It was more like a college student in film school and this was his senior project. There were large quantities of close ups which are usually fine but these were exceptionally “in your face” close. Then other times it was like some drunk picked up the camera and wobbled around people practicing lines. It simply lacked imagination and only assisted to further handicap the films potential.

Overall, the whole movie was overwhelmingly Awkward and Inconsistent. There were a handful of scenes where they nailed it (Esme in the kitchen), but most of the time I spent hunkered down in my seat hoping to make it trough the next hour. That said, the quality you can expect to get is that of a made for TV movie. And no excuses for Hardwicke, Spiderman had heaps of cheesy lines and yet still managed to be good entertainment. I feel bad for saying this but it was like watching one of those fan made YouTube videos. Plucking scenes from other movies resembling those described in Meyers book, interjecting a quote here and there and all the while irrelevant music streams along in the background – except for 2 hours rather than 2 minutes. I wasn’t expecting anything Oscar quality, I wasn’t even expecting it to be like the book – I was just hoping for a good peice of entertainment. It was a caboodle unrecognized hopes and dreams. This truly couldn’t have been Mrs. Meyers wonderful tale realized, could it?

Go to the movie, watch it, make your opinion – it might be different from mine.

Hopefully “New Moon” will be symbolic for Summit also as they begin anew.

Tough Love,

By: catherine

catherine — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 22:34:13 +0000

LOVED the movie… it was actually better than what I thought it would be. I thought it would be really cheesy.. and frankly, the trailers made me doubt about Kirsten Stewart’s acting skills. But really, she wasnt half bad! Rob got Edward to perfection IMO, exactly how I pictures myself when I read the book (I guess I’m lucky lol). During the movie, everyone gasped and laughed, Oohs and Aahs all the time.. it was great! That first scene where Edward enters in the cafeteria all the girls just went crazy XD For my part I was just .. yeah you guessed it: *DAZZLED*! Man, Robert Pattinson sure is HAWTTTTTT. :)

By: amanda

amanda — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:58:28 +0000

i thought it was great…any complaints I really have are about ‘not enough’ whether it be not enough explanation of how deeply bella and edward are truly connected or not enough of the cullens (they made me NEED more)—but this was inevitable in an adaptation like this…there was no way to include all of this and keep it at a decent running time…this leads to my concern for people who never read the books…i had to explain a lot of reasoning and actions to my friend cause there were a lot of things we learned in the books that weren’t so obvious on screen. Dont get me wrong she loved it…but i left trying to explain the feeling that ‘its so much more than that’

overall i think it was awesome….robert pattinson blew me away as edward and i looooooved the cullens (each and everyone of them) And the first scenes with Jacob? i had my doubts…but that last scene? THAT was Jacob

By: Ashley Michelle

Ashley Michelle — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:47:59 +0000

I went to see the movie last night with a couple friends ( we are all in our 20′s) an the place was filled with little teen girls an there parents they all were soo excited to see the movie some were jumping up an down other were taking pictures of themselves with the pics it was fun…
I actually really liked the movie I went in there with an open mind knowing that yeah some things would be cut an others would be added but just knowing that the story would still be same I thought they did a really good job!. My friend did keep commenting on Jaspers face though cause it was kinda funny!! I just cant wait for New Moon they left the ending wide open for it!!!
Did anyone else catch the jab “Edward” made about he leaves her alone for 2 seconds an the wolves come down to play or something..

By: vanessa

vanessa — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:54:58 +0000

I loved my theater experience. All the screams when Edward came in. So much fun…i never read the book but the movie exceeded my expectations. So much fun….the made robert (edward) so hot and creepy. it was fun.

ready for sequel….beginning to read book now!

By: Laynie

Laynie — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:38:20 +0000

also our theater was totally OBNOXIOUS! everytime ‘edward’ came on everyone was all “OHHHHHHH” which only added to my giddy manner

but i hate when i read a book and then see the movie and all the names are different then i pronounced in my head

By: Laynie

Laynie — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:33:26 +0000

for some reason the whole show was like a total comedy to me

By: shelby

shelby — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 05:11:48 +0000

the movie sucked balls.

By: alejandro

alejandro — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:47:51 +0000

I HAVE NEVER READ THE BOOK. and watched it jus to see what the hype was all about.
XD god the first half was HILARIOUS!! lol, so dramatic. i didnt find any of it cheesy but WAY dramatic like a telenovella :P

but once the kiss happened i found to actualy enjoy the movie better, cuz u cant deny that that was one freakn hot scene :P
but i wish there would have been more jacob too cuz i so was rooting for TEAM JACOB, but theres not much to root for u know. overall, worth watching though :D
pretty much a realy good parody :)
(said with the best intentions :P)

By: Stacey

Stacey — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:58:04 +0000

Hi Trent! I saw the 8pm ArcLight last night and let me first say I was most impressed that the crowd was filled with adults! As I am an “adult” I was “giddy” that I was joined by peers. I too think the movie did a nice job of trying to capture as much of the book as a movie can in 2 hours (I realized later that I would probably watch a 4 hour version of this movie so they could get it all in!). I love the casting (Nikki as Rosalie might be slightly off as she’s pretty but not the prettiest girl alive). But, I too agree that THE SCORE was the most AWFUL theatrical score that I have EVER heard!!!!! SERIOUSLY! Didn’t anybody listen to that shit? It was worse than soap opera score and it tried way to hard to “be dramatic” and this would have been a great time for LESS is MORE.
Lastly…Kristen Stewart on Letterman was just nervous (to comment on one of your other reader replies). Poor girl! She’s working ’round the clock now and who wouldn’t be nervous under all this pressure! I felt bad for her, but she’ll get it right someday…

By: aimie

aimie — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:32:13 +0000

i loved it. i love that bella was stronger in the movie than in the book (as i am sure you did too, trent). i didn’t like that jasper constantly looked constipated and they never really explained his “powers” so it just seemed off. to me… (no flaming)… it seemed they were down playing jacob’s part in the “discovery” of the cold ones… and he was barely in the movie (he is barely in the book too but…)perhaps they will be recasting that roll in the sequels??? i HATED his wig!!!

all in all i think the movie was 90% true to the book and about 75% of the book made it in the movie. pretty good percentages all the add ons were good to the plots. i loved the ending!!! there HAS to be a 2nd and 3rd and maybe 4th

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:12:25 +0000

I think if I hadn’t of read the book I would have really liked the movie. But I feel that they left out some important stuff…oh well none the less it was good but the book is a million times better.

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:01:21 +0000

Just saw it a couple hours ago…wish I could say I really liked it. I mean, it wasn’t bad…not at all. I just thought it seemed rushed …I get that it’s a movie and things have to move fast paced but it just seemed like they pasted a few scenes from the book into the movie, you hardly got to see Bella and Edwards relationship progress that much. Idk…maybe I’ll realize I liked in in a couple hours. It was OK…room for improvement. I thought Roberts acting kinda sucked in the beginning but got better towards the end, and I still don’t know how I feel about Kristen Stewart.

By: Emily

Emily — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:00:22 +0000

Yay! I can’t wait to see this movie! I hope I love it like you did!

P.S. Trent I like you better with dark hair. Pink is the New brunette!!!

By: patchyboy

patchyboy — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:36:57 +0000

its getting not so great reviews, its a vampire movie, they always suck…