NEW MOON REVIEW By Veronica Blake

New Moon, the second movie in the hugely popular Twilight Saga, had to fulfill great expectations.  The first movie, Twilight, was immensely successful, but with a different director, Chris Wietz, for the second installment, there has been a lot of speculation about the outcome of this new movie. 

Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan opens the movie with a heart-wrenching scene as she dreams that she is introducing her vampire boyfriend, Edward Cullen, to her grandmother.  But, she is looking into a mirror and the woman is not her grandmother; she is looking at herself as an old woman.  Standing at her side, Edward is still young and vibrant.  When she wakes up, it is the day Bella has been dreading – her eighteenth birthday – she is now older than Edward, who will be forever seventeen. After a tragic mishap at her birthday party, Edward decides that he must leave to keep Bella safe.  The grief that Bella suffers after losing Edward is agonizing to watch and the passing of time is dramatically represented by the changing seasons outside of Bella’s bedroom window as she sits unmoving in a chair.  Although, it is understandable that she would have terrible nightmares because of her deep depression, her hoarse-sounding screams in these scenes are just annoying.

The realization that she can see images of Edward or hear his voice whenever she does something dangerous sends Bella on a series of reckless escapades in her quest to keep his memory alive.  One scene has her hopping on the back of a stranger’s motorcycle, which seems senseless and completely out of place.  Yet, another scene where she cliff dives in an attempt to glimpse his illusion again, you are immersed in Bella’s desperate quest so deeply that you feel like you are drowning, too.

There is plenty of eye candy in the form of the half-dressed ‘wolf pack’ and especially in the nicely developed muscles of seventeen year old Taylor Lautner, who plays sixteen year old Jacob Black, Bella’s childhood friend from the local Quileute Reservation. Jacob’s hopeless devotion to Bella and his unwanted werewolf affliction will definitely tug relentlessly at your heart-strings. The transformation of the pack from human form to wolf form is spectacular and action scenes with the wolves are exciting and fast-paced.  A scene where Jacob and Paul are fighting one another in their wolf forms will have you biting your nails!

Robert Pattison is perfect once again as the tortured love-sick hero. His expressions of pain speak a thousand words in every glance as he portrays 109 year old vampire, Edward Cullen.  For Edward fanatics like myself, his anguish over leaving Bella was pure torture and seeing him through most of the movie as only mist-like images was done well enough that I could endure his absence.   One scene, however, showing Alice – Edward’s vampire sister – having a vision of the future where Bella and Edward are running through the forest dressed like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever was too far-fetched for even a hard-core fan like myself.

If you have not read the books, parts of New Moon will be hard to follow.  I am an avid reader of the series, so I thoroughly know the plot, but seeing the action on the big screen is an added bonus.  As described in the book, but not mentioned in the movie, vampires have skin that is as hard and smooth as marble.  The final fight scene in Italy with the Volturi - the terrifying vampire royalty – shows Edward being thrown against the hard marble floor, causing his cheek to develop cracks just like the floor he has crashed against...a stunning and unexpected special effect that left me breathless.

Being an ‘older’ woman, I do not fit into the target audience for the Twilight books or the movies.  Stephanie Meyer wrote the books for teens, yet, the overpowering love story spans all ages. It has reminded me, and probably other mature women like me, of long forgotten dreams that we all had as young girls about love – true love, the kind that is so powerful that it will last for eternity – a love that you would die for if necessary.  The Twilight Saga is a fantasy...it is a romantic escape interlaced with unspeakable dangers and ancient legends, and we love it!

Review by author Veronica Blake author of BLACK HORSE.
Was there any warrior more handsome, more virile than the powerful young war chief bathing naked in the river? Meadow was certain she'd never forget the sight of his lean hips, his sinewed thighs and bronzed chest. He was all that a Sioux maiden could want in a mate. But though she'd been raised in the village, Meadow was not really one of the People. Her parents had been white, and her past would bring unexpected disaster upon her band of Oglala.

She was his to love, her flaxen hair shining like gold on the furs as he stroked her sweet body. But when she was ripped from his arms after a single night as his wife, Black Horse swore he would rescue her from the pony soldiers. Even if he lost his own freedom, his life, he would gaze one more time into the beautiful jade green eyes of the woman who possessed his soul.
Find out more or buy the book from AMAZON.COM  
Black Horse (Leisure Historical Romance)

Twilight Movie Review by Terry Kate

Alright I confess I might be having a little bit of an obsession with this film.  I truly must be in the mood for teen angst.  I mean really!  Is this a great film - shite no.  I went into watching it with low expectations even though I enjoy the actors Kristen Stewart (Bella) and and the very handsome Robert Pattinson (Edward).   So Enjoyment 5/5 Car Horns, film wise, I will be generous and give it 3/5 Car Horns.
 
Okay, sometimes the cheese factor is high, the glowing skin looked goofy.  Edwards whole I am a killer/predator speech, well rivals velveta.  So why do I love it?  I have read the first book and all I could think was that Bella was annoying in her low self esteem and well she has some whine to go with her cheese in the books.


In the movie her moments of self doubt play as cute and funny.  The make out scene is hot - in the book, "I wanted him to kiss me forever", like we have never read that line before - Not an exact quote.   Our stars have great chemistry though Robert Pattinson just makes puppy love very believable, I thought so with Cho in his role as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter, boy gets two iconic literary roles. 

I found family moments between the Cullens added to the story such as when they cook for Bella and he lets them know she already ate.  Their thunder storm baseball game, and friendly banter is a nice touch.  Their world, which Bella is entering just happens to be entirely separate from that of the other students and really, who would choose to be in high school over and over and over?

Soundtrack is a great enhancer to the movie and my fave song is actually performed by our star Rob Pattinson.  Another song in the film is actually sung by Rob's sister also.  Hot and talented, sigh.  I might have to clear my schedule and run to the movies to see New Moon tomorrow.  I have a soft spot for this boy, though I hear he is only in the film for the first 15 min or so.  I am not sure if the watching her sleep is sweet or stalker-ish.  Either way they did a great job with Bella's hair color, divine and I want. 
If you want teen love and obsession look no further.   It is all right her in the Twilight Movie.
Listing to Backseat Movie Talks radio show on the subject with author A.E. Rought here...    

Hot Fuzz Rules!

I have said this before in more then one location.  Hot Fuzz is awesome.  the more I watch it the more I love it!  For real.  There are so many layers of humor going on that they are difficult to grasp the first time through.  So here is the description of the movie if you don't know.  Okay I could not find a good synopsis so just watch the Preview.




The Short Trailer

The Long Trailer

Now the Trailer makes you believe it is action packed from start to finish like an American film would be, but it is not.  I builds to a hilarious ending in the way a lot of British films do though thankfully not as slow as some.  
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost wrote it and star and make me laugh throughout.  There is not little comment that doesn't come back to be tied in and worked out - to repeat and enhance the joke.  Smart, funny, and understated. 

There is an interesting Homo-erotic element to all the films those boys write and my dad even mentioned that there is not love interest there to which I had to point out the love interest is filled by their relationship.  I can not recommend it highly enough and might even buy it myself.  It is one of the few films that if it comes on cable me and the Boyfriend never switch the channel.
Review by Terry Kate
Romance in the Backseat
http://www.romanceinthebackseat.com

Monday Movie Meme - Life Changing Films

I feel like I blinked and it was Monday - Seriously!  Now the Bumbles have asked us this week what movies changed our lives?  That is hard stuff.  For real.  Got a few though.

The Red Violin - If you have not seen it you must.  It is a fabulous story of interwoven tales and showed me how truly great a film could be.  Should I ever make a film half so good I would die happy.







Here are a few a lot of people will not think of, for less monumental reasons.

Real Genius -  I quote it all the time and if it changed the way I speak it changed my life. 

Labyrinth - Bog of Eternal Stench is forever a part of my discourse and it proves that muppets and humans can live together in harmony some place other then Sesame Street.  Oh and David Bowie...

The Princess Bride - If you can honestly say this is not a great film I can honestly say I no longer trust your movie opinion.

South Park - have any of us ever looked at cartoons the same way again?  Ever time I meet someone named Kyle - Cartman tries to slip out in my voice.  I walked into a classroom and had a High School freshman ask me if I had a soul since I was a ginger - I said I am a bottle ginger so yes - yes I do.  

I another student floored me when he came out with a hugely astute observation while discussing South Park and the Simpsons - We were discussing how very contemporary South Park is with current events and bless his little heart this thug of a boy turns to me and says "It makes me wonder if South Park will be as funny years down the line when people rewatch it since in is so very contemporary and dependant on current events for it's humor.   Without the context behind the joke will younger generations still follow the show. "  Floored me after haveing had the kid in class all week as his sub.

Plus it is true - Will Cartman going into PF Changs to find out about the Chinese Invasion plan dressed up in a rediculous outfit and saying, "Hello fellow Chinks," ever NOT be funny?  

The Pillow Book - Introduced me to Asian film and it is stunning - also had my first full frontal male nudity - now I have HBO - Love Rome - but Marc Antony is forever showing his junk - not that I mind.


The three films that I have thought the strongest through High School and that made it through 4 years of film school without slipping just flip flopping order 


American Psycho


American Beauty


American History X

Hope you all enjoyed I managed a few this week.
Good movie watching to you all.