2013 MTV Movie Awards Spread the Love

Ooops, we forgot to post the results of the 2013 MTV Movie Awards.  We found this at the MTV website - the winners with a summary of why they won:

2013 MTV Movie Award Winners:

Movie Of The Year:
Marvel's The Avengers
Directed by Joss Whedon

An epic ensemble of superheroes, including Captain America, Thor, Iron Man and The Hulk, join forces to stop villainous Loki from subjugating the world.

Best Musical Moment Winner:
Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Alexis Knapp, Ester Dean and Hana Mae Lee
Pitch Perfect
Directed by Jason Moore

The Barden Bellas break outside of their comfort zones and step up their performance with an a capella cover of "No Diggity."

MTV Generation Award:
Jamie Foxx

Each year, the MTV Movie Awards recognizes an esteemed actor with an honorary Golden Popcorn for the Generation Award. The distinction is given to an artist who has shown us a variety of impressive roles, a personal and professional flair and of course, an awesome level of talent.

Best Villain Winner:
Tom Hiddleston
Marvel's The Avengers
Directed by Joss Whedon

Tom Hiddleston's Loki is an evil mastermind out to destroy planet earth with a swift stomp of his iron-heeled boot.

Best Shirtless Performance Winner:
Taylor Lautner
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2
Directed by Bill Condon

Taylor Lautner left Team Jacob drooling into their popcorn buckets with his silver screen stripdown in 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2.

Breakthrough Performance Winner:
Rebel Wilson
Pitch Perfect
Directed by Jason Moore

The Aussie export kept the outrageous a capella adventure down to earth as Fat Amy, a girl whose confidence and personal pizazz provided some of our favorite LOL moments of the movie.

Comedic Genius Award:
Will Ferrell

Throughout his long and illustrious career, Ferrell continues to keep things super fresh. He pushes boundaries with his creative characters and keeps us guessing with his witty one-liners. Best of all, he shows no signs of slowing down.

Best Kiss Winner:
Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper
Silver Linings Playbook
Directed by David O. Russell

Cooper and Lawrence had us believing there was no room for romance in Pat and Tiffany's mutual misfortunes. But, after a steamy dance routine in a swanky hotel, the pair finds love in a hopeless place.

MTV Trailblazer Award:
Emma Watson

The MTV Trailblazer Award returns for a second year to highlight a phenomenal young talent in the biz. The award is given to an actor who, despite their age, has managed to inspire others with a diverse portfolio of work and a transcendent reputation in the public eye.

Best Fight Winner:
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeremy Renner
Marvel's The Avengers
Directed by Joss Whedon

Downey Jr., Evans, Ruffalo, Hemsworth, Johansson and Renner team up as a fully-assembled superhero clique to save the world from a Manhattan-bound nuclear missile.

Best WTF Moment Winner:
Jamie Foxx and Samuel L. Jackson
Django Unchained
Directed by Quentin Tarantino

In an excruciating sequence, Foxx's Django blasts servile head-servant Stephen, played by Jackson, and sets the Candieland mansion ablaze with the strike of a match.

Best Male Performance Winner:
Bradley Cooper
Silver Linings Playbook
Directed by David O. Russell

Bradley Cooper charms as Pat, a bi-polar man living with his parents who befriends a beautiful-but-equally-disturbed neighbor named Tiffany.

Best Female Performance:
Jennifer Lawrence
Silver Linings Playbook
Directed by David O. Russell

As Tiffany, a troubled young woman who forms a friendship with bi-polar Pat, Jennifer Lawrence is bewitchingly beautiful and intensely relatable.

Best Scared-As-S**t Performance:
Suraj Sharma
Life of Pi
Directed by Ang Lee

Sharma shines as 16-year-old Pi, whose life is changed forever when a startled zebra jumps into his lifeboat, forcing the pair overboard during a powerful storm.

Best On-Screen Duo:
Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane
Ted
Directed by Seth MacFarlane

The destructive pair encourages each other when it comes to just about everything unethical, and yet, you can't help but admire the unique understanding between John (Wahlberg) and his crude, rude and lewd little bear, Ted (MacFarlane).

Best Hero:
Bilbo
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Directed by Peter Jackson

Bilbo Baggins, The Shire's furry-footed hole dwelling hero, uses common sense and courage to take on Gollum in a tale of bravery on an unexpected journey.

Last "Twilight" Film Dominates 2013 Razzie Awards

by Leroy Douresseaux

The Golden Raspberry Award or, as it is best known, the Razzie Award, is basically the opposite of the Academy Awards (the Oscars). This award honors the worst achievements in film in a calendar year, as determined by the paid membership of the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation.

The nominations for 33rd Annual Razzie Awards were announced on January 8, 2013, and the 33rd Annual Razzie Awards were announced Saturday, February 23, 2013, one day before the Academy Awards ceremony. This is the tradition, although the previous awards ceremony (32nd) was held on April Fool’s Day.

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 won 7 of the 10 categories at the 33rd Annual Razzie Awards.  Adam Sandler continued his recent reign as a performer at the Razzie Awards, winning "Worst Actor" for That's My Boy.  I am a fan of the Twilight films (though I've only read the first two books in the series), and I think the Razzie voters are just haters when it comes Twilight.  In fact, I think they're haters in general.  The Razzies are the mirror image of the Oscars.  Why?  Both focus, for the most part, on the Hollywood industry - highlighting big names to serve their own self-interests.  Anyway, here are the winners/losers...

Here, are the nominees and winners of the 2013 Razzie Awards, with the winners in bold and with “WINNER” next to their name or title:

Worst Picture:
Battleship
Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure
That’s My Boy!
A Thousand Words
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 WINNER

Worst Actress:
Katherine Heigl, One For The Money
Milla Jovovich, Resident Evil #5: Retribution
Tyler Perry (In Drag), Madea’s Witless Protection
Kristen Stewart, Snow White and The Huntsman & Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 WINNER
Barbra Streisand, Guilt Trip

Worst Actor:
Nicolas Cage, Ghost Rider 2: Spirit of Vengeance & Seeking Justice
Eddie Murphy, A Thousand Words
Robert Pattinson, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
Tyler Perry (Not in Drag), Alex Cross & Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds
Adam Sandler, That’s My Boy! WINNER

Worst Supporting Actress:
Jessica Biel, Playing For Keeps & Total Recall
Brooklyn Decker, Battleship &What To Expect When You’re Expecting
Ashley Green, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
Jennifer Lopez, What to Expect When You’re Expecting
Rihanna, Battleship WINNER

Worst Supporting Actor:
David Hasselhoff (as “Himself”), Pirannha 3-DD
Taylor Lautner, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 WINNER
Liam Neeson, Battleship & Wrath of the Titans
Nick Swardson, That’s My Boy!
Vanilla Ice (as “Himself”), That’s My Boy!

Worst Screen Couple:
Any Combination of Two Cast Members from Jersey Shore, The Three Stooges
Mackenzie Foy (as “Little Renesmee”) & Taylor Lautner, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 WINNER
Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
Tyler Perry & His Drag Get-Up, Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witless Protection
Adam Sandler and either Leighton Meester, Andy Samberg, or Susan Sarandon, That’s My Boy!

Worst Director:
Sean Anders, That’s My Boy!
Peter Berg, Battleship
Bill Condon, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 WINNER
Tyler Perry, Good Deeds & Madea’s Witless Protection
John Putch, Atlas Shrugged: Part II

Worst Screen Ensemble:
The Entire Cast of Battleship
The Entire Cast of Oogieloves inThe Big Balloon Adventure
The Entire Cast of That’s My Boy!
The Entire Cast of Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 WINNER
The Entire Cast of Madea’s Witless Protection

Worst Screenplay:
Atlas Shrugged: Part II
Battleship
That’s My Boy! WINNER
A Thousand Words
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2

Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel (selected by the general public via the Razzie Award website):
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 WINNER
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection
Piranha 3DD
Red Dawn

http://www.razzies.com/

Review: "Twilight: Breaking Dawn - Part 2" is a Wonderful Finale

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 89 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012)
Running time: 115 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of violence including disturbing images, some sensuality and partial nudity
DIRECTOR: Bill Condon
WRITER: Melissa Rosenberg (based upon the novel by Stephenie Meyer)
PRODUCERS: Wyck Godfrey, Karen Rosenfelt, and Stephenie Meyer
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Guillermo Navarro
EDITOR: Virginia Katz
COMPOSER: Carter Burwell

FANTASY/DRAMA/ROMANCE

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Mackenzie Foy, Julia Jones, Chaske Spencer, Alex Rice, Cameron Bright, and Maggie Grace, with Michael Sheen and Dakota Fanning

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 is the fifth film in The Twilight Saga film franchise. Like the previous films: Twilight, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn – Part 1, Breaking Dawn – Part 2 is based upon the wildly popular Twilight book series by author, Stephenie Meyer. Each of the first three films is based upon one of the first three books in the series; however, the fourth book, Breaking Dawn, has been adapted into two movies.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 continues the love story a young human woman, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), and her vampire boyfriend, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), who were married in the previous film. The story begins as Bella opens her eyes to find her senses sharpened. The transformation is complete; she is now a vampire. Still, all is not perfect.

Bella is shocked to learn that her recently born infant daughter has imprinted on her friend and former love interest, Native American werewolf, Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner). Bella must also find a way to explain her new situation to her worried father, Police Chief Charlie Swan (Billy Burke). Meanwhile, Bella and Edward’s daughter does not stay an orphan for long. Renesmee Cullen (Mackenzie Foy) is undergoing a tremendous growth spurt, which leads to a bigger problem. When a false allegation puts their family in front of the Volturi to likely face a death sentence, the Cullens gather other vampire clans and old allies in order to protect Renesmee.

I enjoyed Breaking Dawn – Part 1, but I found the film to be mostly joyless, even dour and morbid. Breaking Dawn – Part 2 is quite the opposite. It is joyful and celebratory. Like Renesmee, Breaking Dawn – Part 2 is fresh and new and curious about the world. It almost seems like a brand new thing, unconnected to the other films, although it is.

I think this is the result of having a director like Bill Condon, who is not just good with character drama. He is also a standout, and he did not get enough credit for what he did with Dreamgirls, getting so much more out of the material than it offered. Here, in his second Twilight movie, he gives all the supernatural characters mortality, not just Edward and Bella (who have seemed forever on the edge of demise in this series). Mortality for the immortals means that not only do their actions have real consequences, but also that those consequences can mean the end of them. When everyone has “skin in the game,” conflict is rich and complicated.

However, the sense of death does not dampen this movie’s themes of hope and happiness. Who knows how many days lie ahead for each character? There may be many days (or not), but they will be happy days, with family and friends. There will also be dark days, as in any human’s life. In fact, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 is about loving family, close friends, and new friends and allies made.

For Twilight as a whole, the franchise gets something that escapes even the best franchises, a superior ending. Compared to The Dark Knight Rises, the end of Christopher Nolan’s so-called “The Dark Knight trilogy,” Breaking Dawn – Part 2 is Oscar-worthy.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, November 25, 2012

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"Abduction" is a Broken Star Vehicle for Taylor Lautner

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 9 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux


Abduction (2011)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour, 46 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of intense violence and action, brief language, some sexual content and teen partying
DIRECTOR: John Singleton
WRITERS: Shawn Christensen
PRODUCERS: Doug Davison, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Dan Lautner, Roy Lee, and Lee Stollman
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Peter Menzies Jr. (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Bruce Cannon
COMPOSER: Edward Shearmur

ACTION/DRAMA/MYSTERY/THRILLER

Starring: Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Alfred Molina, Michael Nyqvist, Denzel Whitaker, Sigourney Weaver, Antonique Smith, Jason Isaacs, Maria Bello, Roger Guenveur Smith, and Dermot Mulroney

Abduction is a 2011 action thriller starring Taylor Lautner, currently best known for his portrayal of Jacob Black in The Twilight Saga film series. The film is about a teenager who sets out to discover who he really is after discovering a baby picture of himself on a missing persons website. Abduction is also the first feature film that John Singleton has directed in six years.

Nathan Harper (Taylor Lautner) is an ordinary teenager who lives with his parents, Kevin (Jason Isaacs) and Maria (Maria Bello). Nathan partners with longtime friend, Karen Murphy (Lily Collins), for a high school sociology project. One night while doing research on the Internet, Nathan and Karen discover a baby photo that resembles Nathan on a missing persons website.

The website also has an age-progression program that allows users to see what the child would look like when he is older. When he ages the photo of the baby who is named Steven Price, Nathan is shocked to see a picture of someone who looks exactly like he does. Then, an innocent call to that missing persons website leads to the end of the life Nathan knows. Now, he and Karen are on the run, as shadowy figures chase Nathan, insisting that he has information they want. And some of them are willing to kill for it.

Abduction tries to be several things: a suspenseful character drama, an action chase movie, a lost identity mystery, and an international espionage thriller. As any one of the four, the film is weak. As all of them together, Abduction is still weak. The premise: a high school boy discovers his picture on a missing persons website, is interesting and has real-world implications. However, that premise ends up being just a tease because Abduction wants to be an espionage thriller with international implications, but it mostly ends up being a middling action movie.

Taylor Lautner is not a terrible actor, but he doesn’t accomplish much here that would make people think that he is a good actor. Watching this, I could tell that Lautner is sincere and is making an effort to be good and to make people buy into his character and the obstacles and dangers Nathan faces. In the first half of the film, his efforts come across as overacting. In the second half of this film, Lautner really sells, especially when Nathan is forced to directly confront a character that is trying to kill him.

In early 1992, John Singleton earned two Oscar nominations for his debut film, Boyz n the Hood (1991). I am actually saddened that 20 years later, Singleton has directed a film that seems like nothing more than a straight-to-DVD version of The Bourne Identity. Still, I have to give Lautner credit for his efforts, which is why I’m giving Abduction what I consider to be a generous grade.

5 of 10
C+

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" Actually Dark and Moody

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 99 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux


The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (2011)
Running time: 117 minutes (1 hour, 57 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for disturbing images, violence, sexuality/partial nudity and some thematic
DIRECTOR: Bill Condon
WRITER: Melissa Rosenberg (based upon the novel by Stephenie Meyer)
PRODUCERS: Wyck Godfrey, Karen Rosenfelt, and Stephenie Meyer
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Guillermo Navarro
EDITORS: Virginia Katz
COMPOSER: Carter Burwell

FANTASY/DRAMA/ROMANCE

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Julia Jones, Chaske Spencer, Gil Birmingham, Boo Boo Stewart, and Michael Sheen

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 is the fourth film in the Twilight Saga film franchise. Like the previous films: Twilight, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Breaking Dawn – Part 1 is based upon the wildly popular Twilight book series by Stephenie Meyer. Each of the first three films is based upon one of the first three books in the series; however, the fourth book, Breaking Dawn, is being adapted into two movies.

Breaking Dawn – Part 1 continues the love story a young human woman, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), and her vampire boyfriend, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), as the two join hands in marriage. Not everyone is happy about the nuptials, especially Bella’s friend, the Native American werewolf, Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner). Jacob vehemently objects to Edward’s honeymoon plans for the couple, as he believes what Edward plans could kill Bella. The couple honeymoon on the private island of Isle Esme in Brazil, but Bella makes a shocking discovery that puts a strain on her relationship with Edward. That discovery also threatens the Cullens’ treaty with Jacob’s tribe and Bella’s very life.

Although I enjoyed it, I don’t have as much to say about The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 as I had about the previous movies. Most of this film is joyless, but it isn’t slow. The story deals with the darker side of romance and family; even the wedding is filled with omens and portents. This is a jarring difference from the rest of the series, which depicted young love growing stronger and more confident. I would be lying if I did not admit that I wanted more of that. There were times in this movie that I was begging for the unhappiness to hurry up and end.

For those hungry for more vampire vs. werewolf action, that dominates the second half of the Breaking Dawn – Part 1. This physical, tribal, racial conflict offers an energetic anecdote to the gloomy Gus that is most of this film. Also of note: I don’t know if it was because of the theatre in which I saw Breaking Dawn – Part 1, but there were times in the film that the musical score was so loud that I could not hear the dialogue.

Anyway, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Breaking Dawn – Part 1 is, thus far, the least of the series, but it is not at all a bad movie. It tells a good story, but it does come across as weird (even weirder than vampire stories normally are) and wonky.

6 of 10
B

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Review: "Eclipse" is Best "Twilight" Film... So Far

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 50 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Running time: 124 minutes (2 hours, 4 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some sensuality
DIRECTOR: David Slade
WRITER: Melissa Rosenberg (based upon the novel by Stephenie Meyer)
PRODUCERS: Wyck Godfrey and Karen Rosenfelt
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Javier Aguirresarobe
EDITORS: Art Jones and Nancy Richardson
COMPOSER: Howard Shore

FANTASY/DRAMA/ROMANCE with elements of action, horror, and thriller

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Bryce Dallas Howard, Xavier Samuel, Julia Jones, Chaske Spencer, Gil Birmingham, Boo Boo Stewart, and Dakota Fanning

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the third film in the Twilight film franchise, arrives with a bang. Like the previous films (Twilight and The Twilight Saga: New Moon), Eclipse is based upon a wildly popular and bestselling novel by Stephenie Meyer and continues the love story of high school student, Bella Swan, and her vampire boyfriend, Edward Cullen. Now, their romance is complicated by a love triangle that comes in the form Native American werewolf, Jacob Black.

As Eclipse begins, Seattle, WA is in an uproar over a string of mysterious killings, which the citizens believe is the work of one or more serial killers. However, the murders are part of diabolical plan hatched by Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard), a malicious vampire set on destroying Bella Swan. With the help of her pet, Riley Biers (Xavier Samuel), Victoria is building an army of vampire newborns – that are unruly, hungry, and messy in their feeding habits.

In Forks, WA, Edward (Robert Pattinson) continues to broach the topic of marriage with Bella (Kristen Stewart), while she continues to demand that he turn her into a vampire. Bella also tries to repair her friendship with Jacob (Taylor Lautner), but Jacob wants more than friendship, which causes friction between Edward and Jacob who are already natural enemies as a vampire and a werewolf, respectively. As Victoria and her army heads to Forks, the vampire clan, the Cullens, and the werewolves of the La Push are forced to consider a truce in order to confront a common enemy. Meanwhile, Bella faces with the most important decisions of her young life.

The first proclamations regarding Eclipse that I came across said that this was the best Twilight film… thus far. Like the earlier films, this new one does what the series does best – brooding, oh-so-serious, teen melodrama. Bella and Edward’s love has reached an idealized fevered pitch with her willing to go all the way and he ever more determined to protect her. It seems as if Victoria is indeed dangerous to Bella, but not so much as Bella is to herself.

This time Eclipse also offers the audience action that is just as hot as the romance. The battle between Victoria’s wild pack and the Cullen-La Push coalition offer a more elegant version of the Underworld franchise’s vampire/werewolf battles, but are no less invigorating. The battle is so well shot and edited that the audience will lose itself in the reverie of fighting.

Much credit should go to Eclipse director David Slade (Hard Candy, 30 Days of Night), because it isn’t a coincidence that in this film, more than in the first two, the emotions are more potent and much more authentic. There is a scene in the film in which Bella’s father, Forks Police Chief Charlie Swan (Billy Burke), insists on discussing “being safe” and teen pregnancy with his daughter. The conversation is so awkward, but at the same time, it is good-natured with a sense of familiarity that would be expected between parent and child.

That entire sequence with Bella, Edward, and Jacob on a mountain and in a tent is a thing of power and passion, which is what David Slade brings to this movie. If The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is the best of the bunch, it is because of Slade, along with screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg. They took teen angst, horror, supernatural romance, love triangles, and vampires vs. werewolves and squeezed the best out of them and distilled it all into a damn good movie.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, July 04, 2010

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Review: "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" is Down with Love

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 12 (of 2009) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Running time: 130 minutes (2 hours, 10 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some violence and action
DIRECTOR: Chris Weitz
WRITER: Melissa Rosenberg (based upon Stephenie Meyer)
PRODUCERS: Wyck Godfrey and Mark Morgan
CINEMATOGRAHER: Javier Aquirrearobe
EDITOR: Peter Lambert

DRAMA/FANTASY/ROMANCE with elements of action and horror

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Kellan Lutz, Nikki Reed, Sam Uley, Michael Sheen, Dakota Fanning, Anna Kendrick, Michael Welch, Rachelle Lefevre, Justin Chon, Christian Serratos, and Edi Gathegi

In the 2008 smash hit film, Twilight, movie audiences saw romance bloom between high school student Bella Swan and her vampire boyfriend, Edward Cullen. Now, in the follow-up, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Bella and Edward’s star-crossed romance crashes to earth.

New Moon opens on Bella’s (Kristen Stewart) 18th birthday, a day about which she is not particularly crazy. That evening, Edward’s (Robert Pattinson) family, also vampires, throws a birthday party for Bella, which starts nicely, but takes a shocking turn. Following Bella’s ill-fated birthday party, the Cullens abandon the town of Forks, Washington, in an effort to protect Bella from the dangers inherent in their world. The most shocking blow: Edward breaks up with Bella.

Heartbroken and depressed, Bella sleepwalks through the first half of her senior year of high school, totally shutting out her other friends. When her father, Forks Police Chief Charlie Swan (Billy Burke) demands that his daughter make a change, Bella goes on a date night with a girlfriend. It is on that night that Bella discovers that Edward’s image comes to her whenever she puts herself in jeopardy. Determined to see this vision more often, Bella begins to concoct ways that will put her life at greater and greater risk.

Bella seeks out childhood friend, Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), a member of the local Quileute Native American Indian tribe. A gifted mechanic, Jacob refurbishes an old motorbike that Bella will secretly use to put herself in danger. Something else surprising happens when Bella finds herself drawn to Jacob, a formerly scrawny boy. He is literally growing taller and more muscular (with killer washboard abs) every day and right before Bella’s very eyes. Jacob, however, also has a shocking supernatural secret of his own, which causes a rift to grow between him and Bella. Then, Edward’s sister, Alice (Ashley Greene), returns, seeking Bella’s help in saving Edward’s life, and the rift grows wider.

Like Twilight, New Moon is based upon a novel by Stephenie Meyer (The Host). Obviously, in the translation from novel to film, plot elements and scenes from the book are left out or changed in the film. However, screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg (who also adapted Twilight) retains the central themes, as well as the spirit, of the source material. The novel asks probing questions, such as: after the euphoria of new love, what is real about this relationship? What do Bella and Edward want of each other? What are their motivations, and how much are they willing to fight for their relationship? Just how deep and strong are Bella’s feelings for Jacob? The screenplay keeps those questions at the forefront of the narrative.

And speaking of fight, director Chris Weitz, an established Hollywood filmmaker (About a Boy, The Golden Compass), doesn’t fight the love story at the core of this franchise. New Moon may be filled with thrilling chases and riveting hunts in the forests around Forks. It may carry viewers breathlessly across the world, only to drop them in the mysterious world beneath a rustic Italian town. Weitz still manages to emphasize the ache and yearning of a young love blazing so brightly that it threatens to burn itself out.

The reported increase in the production budget for New Moon (as compared to Twilight), is evident in the flashy visual special effects. The werewolves are in a word – awesome. The spectacular cinematography is pitch-perfect in capturing the right mood and look for every setting in the film: from the forests surround Forks to the murky nights of Port Angeles. An improvement in the art direction also makes even the Swans’ humble home seem cosmopolitan.

New Moon is not perfect. Under Weitz’s direction and Peter Lambert’s editing, the film often moves too fast, sometimes hopping around like someone high on stimulants. Still, this film works. In the intimate moments when the actors, especially Stewart, Pattinson, and Lautner, convince us that they know these characters and that they are going to make the story real for us, New Moon seems less like a fantasy and more like a real love story.

7 of 10
B+

Monday, November 30, 2009

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