The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) - Is it Possible to Please the Fans?

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009).

After the release of "Twilight" in 2008, a common refrain from many fans was, "It's not enough like the book!" Movies are very time-limited, so it's difficult to cram a long and winding story into just a few films, a heretofore typical trilogy. Given the huge success of that first movie, though, Summit Entertainment quickly revised its plans and added a couple of additional sequels to the two that it had planned originally. This resulted in a total of five "Twilight" films in all. These, the executives figured, would be sufficient to satisfy the fans and tell the story of Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and (Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). This was a daring decision: if the screenwriter (an overworked Melissa Rosenberg) couldn't plot out a somewhat faithful version of Stephenie Meyer's remaining books in four more films, well, she just couldn't be trying that hard. Most people think she succeeded. However, expanding the series had its risks: if public interest in the saga flagged, it also could turn into a disaster.

Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

The studio thus hurried out the films one after another on a rigid annual schedule, hoping to capture the mania before it faded like all manias do. Due to this decision, many fans think that this sequel, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" (2009) is much more faithful to the source material than was the original film. Based on the successful business results of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," Summit's decision to expand the series was wildly successful.

Ashley Greene and Kristen Stewart in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

This time around, Bella is worried about getting older while her love, vampire Edward, always stays young like Dorian Gray. With her feelings already shaky, an accident at her birthday party causes her to bleed, sending Edward's brother, Jasper (Jackson Rathbone), into a feeding frenzy. Seeing where this was all going - or not going - Edward abruptly ends the relationship and the Cullen clan leaves Forks, Washington.

Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart.

Edward's departure sends Bella into an orgy of self-pity, and she secluded herself and lost all of her zest for life (or what passed for that, for Bella as played by Stewart is a singularly dour person even in the best of times). After a threat of banishment from her dad (Billy Burke), Bella agrees to go out. Unfortunately, every time she does anything remotely dangerous, she sees visions of Edward warning her to be careful.

Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) becomes Bella's special friend as she responds to his cheerfulness and astonishing good looks. Unfortunately, though, Taylor becomes a werewolf, the deadly enemy of vampires and begins avoiding her, though he still wants her. There is one benefit to Bella of his transformation, though: he and his pack are constantly protecting Bella from Victoria (Rachelle Lefevre), a vampire who wants to avenge herself on Bella for the death of her dead vampire beau, James. This, incidentally, is Lefevre's last appearance in the series despite the fact that her character continues, as she is replaced in the later films.

Rachelle Lefevre in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

Edward, meanwhile, hears a rumor that Bella has committed suicide. Distraught, he travels to Italy to provoke the Volturi into killing him (the Volturi being like the Murder Incorporated of vampires, sort of led by Aro (Michael Sheen)). Bella finds Alice (Ashley Greene), Edward's sister, and rushes to Italy to saver her love. However, Bella's human state proves a problem for this plan.

There are many exploitative scenes in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" (2009).

Catherine Hardwicke bowed out after having directed the original, so Chris Weitz ("The Golden Compass") took over that duty. The two films were released so quickly, one after the other, that she didn't have time to do both.

Like the first film, this was a huge financial success. It broke the record for the highest domestic one-day gross at $72.7 million. Many theaters sold out two months before the premiere. As usual, though, reactions were mixed. Some important scenes and even entire relationships had to be left out. Anyone looking for a scene-by-scene filming of the book will be disappointed. However, many would agree that it is much more faithful to the book than the first film.

One could quibble with some of the acting, and non-fans might have some difficulty catching all the nuances, especially if they didn't see the first film. The fight scenes were better than in the first film, though too short, and overall the pacing was better. Pattinson and Stewart may be in love off-screen, but their chemistry on it is debatable. 

There are many colorful costume scenes in The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009).

Some of dialogue is a bit precious - "I didn't want to live in a world where you didn't exist" may just make you gag if you aren't a fan - and what little heat got generated was between Stewart and Lautner. The score by Alexandre Desplat was good enough (the soundtracks for these films automatically go to No. 1, and if you think that's because the songs are so timeless, well....), and the CGI was above-average.

The producers of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" know their audience, and appeal to it.

The general sense is that "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" was intended for emotionally sensitive people. All others without that sensibility are likely to feel bored. It is all about how Deeply these folks feel about each other, how Intense and Passionate and Throbbing their relationships are. It's all So Important. This is the film version of a 1970s romance novel.

So, if you want to feel deeply about Bella's pain, if her deep love resonates with you, if this intense commitment is what you want to experience vicariously, then "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" will be a ten out of ten for you and you should run, not walk, to rent or buy it. Otherwise, you likely will be bored stiff by "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" and start  making snarky comments about all the shirtless guys and the wildly emoting females. Make your decision whether to see "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" and you'll be happier in the long run.

2017

Twilight (2008) - A Lonely Girl Finds Love in all the Wrong Places

"Twilight" (2008).

"Twilight" (2008), directed by Catherine Hardwicke for Summit Entertainment based on a Melissa Rosenberg script, is based on the best-selling Stephenie Meyer book series. It is difficult to exaggerate the popularity of the "Twilight" series : when each new novel came out, stores around the world set up special tables to sell eager fans copies. It was a marketing phenomenon along the lines of "Harry Potter," and that has carried over to this "Twilight" film, which was a smash success. The "Twilight" film series also is unique in an unusual way which I will get to below, but first let's take a look at this film.

Bella and Edward. Note that, early in the "Twilight" series, Edward (and Bella) still have reasonably normal skin tones. This shows we have not yet left reality.

Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is a high school girl who lives with her father (Billie Burke) in the tiny town of Forks, Washington. She never fit in with her classmates at her old high school in Phoenix, but makes friends at her new school. She is attracted to one in particular: handsome Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson).

Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) is a unique figure who draws Bella's attention.

Cullen doesn't seem to like Bella very much, which confuses Bella. However, one day Bella is walking in the parking lot and gets in the way of a van. Edward steps forward and somehow stops the vehicle with his hand, saving Bella. Afterwards, he remains aloof and tells he that he does not want to be friends.

This intrigues Bella, and she starts investigating Edward. She learns that he is a vampire, though he does not attack people, only animals. Eventually, the two start an affair, and Edward introduces Bella to his family, who are all vampires as well.

Three wandering vampires - James, Victor and Laurent - visit the Cullens and meet Bella. James (Cam Gigandet) decides he wants to feast on Bella and starts tracking her. She hides in Phoenix, but James sets a trap for her. Lured out into the open, Bella is attacked. James bites her wrist, and the Cullens arrive only just in time to prevent him from killing her. Edward sucks the blood, which contains vampire venom, from Bella's wrist, but Bella secretly wants to become a vampire herself. She still, though, has a lot to learn about her new love.

The film tries to stay true to the book, but a lot is left out. Stephanie Meyer was closely involved in production, and fought to preserve the integrity of the project.  The book is almost 500 pages, so not all of it could be included, but Meyer reportedly was pleased with the outcome.

"Twilight" should please fans of the novels. It also should please fans of teen romances in general, vampires or no vampires. Vampires are in, and this series exploits that to the maximum, but the vampirism really is just the obstacle between these two attractive kids falling in love. It is easy to dismiss the film as merely a romance novel turned into film - which, basically, it is - but at least "Twilight" is true to what it tries to be, a tale of a young girl's journey into strange love. If box office figures are any guide, many, many women can relate to Bella and her attraction to the strange and intimidating Edward.

Some complain that the chemistry between Bella and Edward is somewhat lacking, but that is part of the tease.  If Edward just jumped at Bella, there wouldn't be much drama!  Another criticism is that Bella is portrayed as too serious by Stewart and is funnier in the book, but that is understandable given how dangerous her situation becomes.  As the series progresses in the sequels, Stewart lightens up a bit, at least by the concluding chapter.

The real issue with this film is inherent in its source. This is "dangerous romance" muted and de-fanged so that it is family-friendly. Vampires are portrayed as kindly beings who will satisfy all of our natural urges without doing anything to invade our privacy - except for the bad ones, who have to be beaten off with a stick. It's a slick product perfect for girls afraid of sex, or who wish love was exciting and noble, or who want some kind of "pure" love that doesn't require sex until, you know, the time is right and all that. Edward is so wonderful that Bella can't resist, and all she has to do is take it, without any coercion or prodding from him in the slightest - which is what everyone wants to find in life, isn't it? A passive love interest who is just there, providing excitement and drama and feeding our mating urges and especially our own narcissism. Or at least a very, very large section of the population wants that. Evidently.

Bella with an ear bud - real life, real emotions in "Twilight."

I mentioned at the top that the "Twilight" series is unique in an unusual way. Obviously, this is only my opinion, but the unique aspect of the "Twilight" saga is that, creatively at least, it gets worse with each film until it completely loses touch with where it began. This film, the first in the series, has a freshness and air of reality that is squeezed out of each succeeding film like air out of a slowly deflating balloon. We begin the series here with a firm grasp of reality, a lonely and reasonably authentic girl lonely for love like so many others, that is slowly eroded during the course of the film, but still retains some semblance to the real world when these "Twilight" end credits run. As the series proceeds, the real world recedes at an accelerating rate. Eventually, school and ordinary things like that become nothing but a backdrop, a sort of backing scrim for the increasingly baroque vampire plots. One could argue convincingly that, say, the James Bond film series holds steady in its relation to the real world over its run - maybe not very realistic in certain ways from the very beginning, but at least it does not grow completely separated from life as we know it. In the course of the "Twilight" series, though, the real world eventually all but disappears and - I'm not giving anything away here - you really do enter a sort of twilight world, a sort of alternate universe. Here, we start off firmly in reality for the first and last time. For that reason, this original "Twilight" is the film in the series that, to use a trite but apt phrase, best examines the human condition despite the corny vampire plot. For that reason, this "Twilight" is the most interesting film in the series despite also being the most prosaic.

This beginning of the "Twilight" series actually contains intriguing interactions that might take place in the real world despite the growing air of unreality.

Yes, there are four sequels to this film (only two were originally planned, and I bet Summit Entertainment wishes they had expanded it even further), each more successful than the last. The Twilight saga finally concludes in 2012's The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2. The popular book series that fascinated the world also started a firestorm in the film world, and that storm burst out with this film. If you want to understand the "Twilight" phenomenon, you can either read the books, or start watching here. This is a good place to start.




2017

Scrooged (1988) - Spend the Holiday with Bill Murray

"Scrooged" (1988).

Bill Murray was in between "Ghostbusters" movies and had some time to kill, so he decided to star in a modern take-off of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Being Bill Murray, the project had to have his unique brand of wise-guy humor, so Paramount called it "Scrooged" (1988) and relied on his unique personality to sell the movie.  The result was one of the classic holiday comedies of all time.

Murray plays Frank Cross, a (what else) wise-guy television executive. He has become wealthy and famous, but at the cost of becoming alienated from all those around him.

Bill Murray doing his best Arnold Schwarzenegger impression in "Scrooged."

Anybody seen these two in the same room?

It is a few days before Christmas, and Frank is working hard into the holiday. His assistant, Grace Cooley (Alfre Woodard), is overworked and has to break plans to be with her family, which includes her mute son Calvin. Frank misses his long-lost love, Claire Phillips (Karen Allen), but he never lets things like personal feelings get in the way of his work. As usual, he intends to ignore the holiday except insofar as he needs to include it in his job.

One of his underlings, Eliot Loudermilk (Bobcat Goldthwaite), unwisely criticizes one of Frank's decisions and is summarily fired on Christmas Eve. Frank's career, though, is in full swing, and he organizes a live broadcast of "A Christmas Carol."

Carol Kane makes a flighty appearance in "Scrooged."

Unfortunately for Frank, his life suddenly starts mirroring that story. He gets a visitation from a dead colleague who had been a mentor to him(John Forsythe), and then visits from the famous ghosts of Christmases past, present and future.

The characters of the three ghosts give the film its punch. David Johansen, Carol Kane and Pat McCormick show Frank in humorous but telling ways where he went wrong in his life.

The film did not do particularly well on release, though it ultimately showed a profit. The film has an abrupt shift from being a typical Murray light comedy to quite dark reminiscences.  Murray himself is known for disliking the film while he was making it, but that is not unusual for him. Perhaps he felt that the light tone should have continued throughout. As is often the case with him, he fought with director Richard Donner. Donner, of course, was more of an action director, so Murray and his comedian pals who wrote the script (Mitch Glazer and Michael O'Donoghue) may not have thought the comedy part was emphasized enough.  It still is a very, very funny film.

Anne Ramsey of "Throw Momma from the Train" made a cameo appearance

Fans of the '70s and '80s will spot several celebrities of the era in "Scrooged." These include Lee Majors, Michael J. Pollard, Mary Lou Retton and many others. Basically, whoever was in the studio canteen that day wound up in the day's footage.

The message of "Scrooged" is very positive, and many consider this their top holiday film. Danny Elfman did the score, and the ending will grab you. "Scrooged" is worth watching when you need a few laughs during the holiday season. 

2017

Iron Man 2 (2010) - Another Brick in the Wall

"Iron Man 2" (2010).

"Iron Man 2" (2010), directed by Jon Favreau for Marvel Studios with a screenplay by Justin Theroux, continues right where its predecessor "Iron Man 1" left off. As the film begins, the global media swarm all over Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) revelation that he, and nobody else, is Iron Man. Meanwhile, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), whose father was deported by Tony's father and who lusts for revenge, starts building his own reactor so that he, too, can be a man of iron.

Robert Downey Jr. in "Iron Man 2."

Stark uses the suit to maintain world peace, but he refuses to turn it and all related technology over to the government. Stark has a secret, and it is that he is slowly being poisoned by his own invention. Fearing his impending death, he appoints personal assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) to head his company. To replace her, he chooses promising Stark employee Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johansson).

Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. in "Iron Man 2."

Vanko, meanwhile, has had some success in building his own arc reactor, and uses it to power deadly weapons. He attacks Stark during an auto race, but is defeated. Another rich arms dealer, Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), spirits Vanko away and puts him to work fashioning competing armored suits.

Robert Downey Jr. and Don Cheadle in "Iron Man 2."

Stark still thinks he is dying, so he gets drunk and makes a nuisance of himself in his armor. His friend, Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes (Don Cheadle, who replaces Terrence Howard from Iron Man I), puts on another suit and the two do battle, which ends in a draw. Rhodes then steals the other suit and gives it to the military.

The man in the iron suit always gets the ladies in "Iron Man 2."

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) of world peace organization S.H.I.E.L.D. then turns up and reveals that Stark's dad helped found the organization, and that Rushman in fact is an undercover operative. Fury gives Stark some of his father's documents, which provide a solution to the palladium problem that has been poisoning Stark.

Gwyneth Paltrow has a thankless role in "Iron Man 2."

No longer worried about dying (at least from poisoning), Stark is free to go after Vanko. Stark and Rhodes confront Vanko, all three wearing suits of armor, but Vanko's is the most powerful. They duke it out in a final, epic confrontation.

Scarlett Johansson as an undercover Black Widow in "Iron Man 2."

"Iron Man 2" is a continuation of the first "Iron Man" in every sense of the word. The beauty of the Marvel universe, in fact, is the pure continuity that flows from film to film, and from film series to film series. A problem in one film, even one devoted to a completely different set of characters, still exists in the next film.  Here, we see Nick Fury appear, and it creates great anticipation for 2012's "The Avengers." Meanwhile, Natalie Rushman is introduced doing some fine stunt work, and she will play an increasingly important role as the sequence of Marvel films plays out.

Scarlett Johansson in "Iron Man 2."

"Iron Man" 2" is essential viewing if you wish to fully enjoy the entire Marvel universe of superheroes. The plot is straightforward, primarily one of loss and remembrance. The emotions are clear and easy to understand, there are no murky motivations or anything like that.

Scarlett Johansson in "Iron Man 2."

If the film has a weakness, it is that some of the characters are a bit too straightforward. Of course, that is an inherent problem with comic book superhero characters, but it is more so in this film than in other Marvel efforts. More time for character development would have helped, especially for Rourke's Whiplash and Rhodes.

Scarlett Johansson in "Iron Man 2" with Robert Downey Jr.

The drawback to Marvel's master plan is that each film does not feel like a whole, but rather a brick in an ever-ascending wall.  Now, with so many of the films in the sequence out there, that becomes almost a benefit. You can slip in the next DVD right away and immediately enjoy the masterly progression of events towards the climax of "The Avengers." No need to wait six months or a year, just go out and get the next instalment. However, if you are starting from the beginning, it is a long way to the end. For modern audiences used to bingeing on entire film series from Netflix or Hulu, though, that is not too unusual.

Scarlett Johansson in "Iron Man 2."

The real secret to enjoying "Iron Man 2" is to appreciate the women. It's all well and good for Downey to strut around in his little robot outfit, but the real draw to this film is the women wearing black. By the end of "Iron Man 2," Scarlett Johansson struts around nicely in her skin-tight catsuit, turning her back on us once in awhile (which, believe me, is greatly appreciated), lying on the floor with her legs spread, that kind of thing. There is nothing very subtle going on. If you want to see Scarlett in top-notch form, watch this film and then "The Avengers" back-to-back. Scarlett undoubtedly will do the same thing in "Iron Man 3," but that is not out at the time of this writing, and besides, what more could she really add to the character that we haven't already seen? Gwyneth Paltrow is OK as well, but only as a minor distraction. One of the behind-the-scenes aspects of "Iron Man 2" is that Paltrow went into the filming as a big star, but Johansson came out of it a superstar.

Scarlett Johansson in "Iron Man 2."

Overall, "Iron Man 2" is entertaining, if a bit lightweight. It is no "Avengers Assembly," with that film's clash of civilizations. Within the Marvel universe, "Iron Man 2" is almost a small, introspective film which exists mainly to establish a backstory and characters. Johansson looks terrific, and Downey is his usual cocky self. The one who steals the film, if anyone, is Sam Rockwell as the sleazy financier who causes all the trouble and enjoys every minute of it. "Iron Man 2" is highly recommended, but do yourself a favor and see it in sequence with the other films handy to watch before and after it. If you don't, "Iron Man 2" loses a lot of its impact.

"Iron Man 2" (2010)

2017

The Avengers (2012) - Top Superhero Flick to Date

The Grand Culmination of Earth's Battle Against Invaders

"The Avengers" (2012).

Marvel Studios has been on a roll for many years now churning out its comic book films, and Disney's purchase of them at the end of 2009 did not slow it down at all. "The Avengers" (2012) (since renamed "Avengers Assemble"), the first Marvel film distributed by Disney, is also the first film of any kind to gross $200 million in its first three days in the USA, and the first Marvel film to make $1 Billion. Obviously, 'The Avengers" hit a nerve with the public, and several other potential blockbusters such as "Iron Man 3" and films devoted to Captain America and Anti-Man that were in development also looked likely to capture the public's imagination.

Captain America leads the team into battle in 'The Avengers."

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) heads S.H.I.E.L.D., which patrols the world to keep the peace. The Asgardian (sort of an alternate universe) Loki (Tom Hiddleston) wants to subjugate the earth, and he thinks he has the chance after the Other (leader of an extraterrestrial race known as the Chitauri) gives him an army in exchange for a favor.

The Incredible Hulk helps out in "Avengers Assemble."

The favor that Loki intends to do for the Other is retrieve the Tesseract, a powerful energy source of unknown potential.  S.H.I.E.L.D. has the Tesseract, and doesn't intend to give it up.  Loki, however, manages to grab it with the help of Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner), whom he has enslaved through mind control, and Fury calls up Avengers Assemble, ordinary people who turn into superheroes in moments of crisis.

The main villain, Loki, in "Avengers Assemble."

Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.),  Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), and Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) manage to capture Loki.  Loki's adoptive brother Thor (Chris Hemsworth), though, arrives and frees Loki.  However, Thor agrees to take Loki to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters on a flying aircraft carrier called the "Hellcarrier." "Avengers Assemble" then try to recover the Tesseract.

Black Widow making sure her hair is ready for some alien ass-kicking behind the scenes in "Avengers Assemble."

Barton and some other Loki comrades manage to disable the Hellcarrier, and he escapes after killing Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), though Black Widow recovers Barton. Loki then commences his invasion using a portal created by the Tesseract to bring down the Chitauri fleet.

The main characters are either muscular or pretty or both in "Avengers Assemble."

The battle then takes place around New York City, and the Avengers battle to close the portal and subdue Loki. The battle rages as the Avengers fight to save their home.

"I've got my cat moves...."

The acting in this film is superb.  Robert Downey, Jr. is quite amusing at times, and Scarlett Johansson livens things up with her skin-tight catsuit.  Tom Hiddleston is very scary as Loki, and the Avengers themselves squabble amongst themselves as they try to figure out the best way to defeat Loki and his army of mercenaries.

Behind the scenes at "Avengers Assemble."

If you follow the various Marvel films, you will know that "Avengers Assemble" is the culmination of the story that began in the original Iron Man and continued through the various Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America movies.  This film ties everything together and is a grand climax of a string of blockbuster films.

The Black Widow prepared to do battle in 'Avengers Assemble."

"Avengers Assemble" is fast-paced and just over 2 hours. Director Joss Whedon, better known for his television work, injects his usual clever banter and air of mystery into the proceedings.  Everybody gets their fair share of screen time, and some exposition is given to characters such as Black Widow that might have been under-developed.

Black Widow in "Avengers Assemble."

The visuals in "Avengers Assemble" are what make it special. You get all sorts of wonderful views of destruction and devastation, giving a real feel for what war is like.

Thor and Captain America survey the destruction in "Avengers Assemble."

"Avengers Assemble" is full of great characterizations, and the grand finale is one of the great action sequences in film history.  Any fan of comic book characters will want to see this film, though it will be even more enjoyable if you first have watched the other Marvel films mentioned above.

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff in "Avengers Assemble."

In "Avengers Assemble," Scarlett Johansson transforms nicely from Natasha Romanoff to the Black Widow. One can follow the characterization from the "Iron Man" films and see great continuity.

Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in "Avengers Assemble."

Of course, the real draw to Black Widow is the fact that Scarlett fills out her catsuit quite nicely. That's something they can't really teach in acting school.

 

Hawkeye and Black Widow in Avengers Assemble."

The characters all interact together well. If you have read the comic books, you can see that the spirit of Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye and the rest really infuses the characters in "Avengers Assemble."

Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in "Avengers Assemble."

"Avengers Assemble" certainly isn't "My Dinner with Andre." Things get blown up, characters do battle, it is a real action piece, the culmination of several different threads into one great coming-together. Nothing like this ever has been done in Hollywood before, and it may be a long time before they try it again. But it works here, marvelously. :)

Hawkeye thinking things over in "Avengers Assemble."

"Avengers Assemble" was so successful that it led to the television premiering in fall 2013 called "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." starring Clark Gregg. Any fan of comics, or the characters, or just of modern action movies has to see "Avengers Assemble" at some point. It is an epic period on the superhero age, the ultimate superhero movie, and its like won't be seen again for a long time.

2017