Eclipse Available for Pre-Order

Eclipse is available for pre-order at Amazon.com.  I personally cannot wait.  It is the strongest of the three films so far, in my opinion, and I can't wait to see it again.

-Deb

Eclipse: Movie Review

Loved it.  Absolutely the best in the series so far, it stayed true enough to the book to follow the story, but improved on a lot of the weaknesses (in my opinion).

I won't post a detailed review until more time has passed, but if you have seen it and want to discuss particulars, let's do it in the comments.

-Deb

Review: The Secret Life of Bree Tanner (SPOILERS!!!)

(If you haven't read it yet but intend to, this is full of spoilers and plot points.  Remember that the book can be purchased for around $10 ($1 of which goes to the Red Cross) or read online for free until July 5.)

I just finished The Secret Life of Bree Tanner (Hereinafter referred to as SLBT) and it made for an enjoyable morning's read.

As we all recall, Bree was a very minor character in Eclipse.  She was one of Victoria's newborns, spared by Carlisle only to meet her death at the hands of Jane.  For Bella, Bree is something of a cautionary tale, a final warning before she takes the step of becoming immortal herself.  Since Eclipse is narrated from Bella's point of view, all we know of Bree is superficial.  Bella doesn't know her, or her thoughts.  Edward, however, does, which we learn in SLBT.

I confess that, for me, Bree has always been a character who caught my imagination.  Who was she?  Did her parents miss her?  She appeared to be about 15, younger than any of the Cullens, so what was it like to be made immortal when still so young?  I learned some of the answers in SLBT, but I confess that in some regards, Bree's story left me unsatisfied.

SLBT serves an interesting function in the Twilight universe: it gives us some information that was factually lacking in Eclipse.  We had the Cullen's suppositions, and Alice's visions, but they (and we) never got hard confirmation of the events that led to the invasion and battle.  Like the promised (but still absent) Midnight Sun, SLBT provides us with a new narrator, but Bree is one (unlike Bella) whose vision isn't clouded by feelings of guilt or inadequacy; she also lacks the self-loathing that mars Edward's point of view.  Bree is a completely unrepentant, non-conflicted newborn vampire, which I have to say is really refreshing.

Some of what we learned: the Volturi, specifically Jane, knew of Victoria and her plans in advance.  Just as Edward hinted, Jane timed her arrival to give Victoria a chance to wipe out the Cullens.  The timing of Victoria's attack was in fact dictated by Jane, which explains why Alice had the few days' warning she was able to see in Eclipse.  The conversation between Alice and Jane was witnessed by Bree, who then "thought" it to Edward, which prompted Edward's unsuccessful plea for her life.

In addition to Bree, Riley, and Victoria, we also met others, most notably Diego and Fred.  Diego is a newborn, but older than the others, and something of a right-hand-man to Riley.  Fred is an utterly repulsive, disgusting vampire, but his repulsion is a result of a supernatural power: he repels others, which Riley sees as a valuable gift.  In the course of the story, both Diego and Fred play a crucial role in Bree's life, but in completely different ways.

Something I don't care for in fiction generally (or life, for that matter) is a woman who values a man because he can protect her, or a man who wants a woman he can protect.  Bree, however, is in a world in which protection is vital, as the newborns routinely attack and kill each other over the slightest issue.  Initially Bree takes protection from Fred, braving the nausea and discomfort of his presence and sitting near him, which makes her as invisible as he.  I like that Bree doesn't plead with Fred, or cozy up to him: she simply grabs a book and sits close to him.  In time, his effect on her fades, but we learn that Fred is at least partially responsible for that, because he likes having her around.

When Bree meets Diego, it isn't quite love at first sight, but we all know where it is going.  Diego is older (both in human and vampire time) and wiser, stronger, and more cunning.  He takes Bree under his wing and a romance blossoms, but is cut off by Diego's disappearance when he decides to talk to Riley about some of the inconsistencies and lies they are being told by Victoria through Riley.  When Bree realizes that Diego has been killed as a result, she loses all will to live in a very Bella-like train of thought.

Bree's star moment in Eclipse, retold from her perspective in SLBT, is also interesting, because we see the Cullens, the characters we know and love so well, through new eyes.  To Bree, they are a fascinating window into a world she had no idea could exist.  She quickly realizes that Edward is the "mind-reader," and she sends him the full version of the edited confession she offers Jane under duress.  This prompts Edward to speak up for her, but as we all know, Jane is incapable of mercy.  Bree closes her eyes and prepares to die, but she never really harbored hope for life, because her beloved Diego is gone.

On a scale of one to four, I would give this book a pretty solid three.  It filled in some holes, provided some badly needed perspective (after four books of Bella's voice, tempered only occasionally with Jacob's, it's nice to get a different narrator), and gave some extra dimension to the saga's most interesting (in my opinion) chapter.  I'm interested to hear what all of you thought.

Secret Life of Bree Tanner?

I just finished it, but I don't want to spoil.  If you want to read, but don't want to buy, check it out for free at http://www.breetanner.com until July 5.  I'll post a full, spoiler-rich review in about a week, okay?

-Deb

Surprise! Meyer Writes Novella

A new novella based on the newborn Bree is coming this summer.  It is supposed to provide more backstory and reference to Victoria's newborn army.

The novella will be available as a free download, but a physical edition (with part of the profits to go to the Red Cross) will also be available.

Check the details here: Stephenie Meyer: Official Website

Eclipse Preview

Squee! Eclipse Trailer!

Eclipse is coming!  June 30 release date!  New Moon almost out on DVD!  The world is wonderful!

Movie Review & Reflections: New Moon (Spoilers, if you haven't seen!)

I saw my wonderful Aunt Amazing today, and she said, "Deb, I was disappointed not to see your thoughts on New Moon!"  So, in honor of Aunt Amazing, here are my thoughts on the movie.  I'm anxious to get yours.

1. Better.  I thought this one was better in almost every respect than the movie version of Twilight.  The actors seemed a bit more comfortable in their roles, especially Kristen Stewart.  However, since Bella is supposed to be in an emotionless fog for most of the film, perhaps this one just played to her strengths.  I don't know.

2. Better than the book.  I actually think the film improved on the book in several ways.  Some of the (minor) changes they made allowed the story, for me, to make more sense and have more emotional resonance.  (I should say New Moon has always been my least favorite in the series.)  Most notably: the visual hallucinations of Edward, which I know was done to keep Rob Pattinson visible, but I thought it really added to the story.  I also liked the twist on Harry's heart attack, having it brought about by Victoria during the hunt.

3. Team Jacob.  I now understand how someone could prefer Jacob to Edward.  Jacob, in the books, has always been a completely unappealing character.  I had no idea how Bella could possibly want him, even a little bit.  Now I know, thanks to Taylor Lautner's performance, which I think is what makes the film.

4. Music.  Like Twilight, New Moon had a great soundtrack that really, really enhanced the movie for me.

5. Disappointment: I wanted more of the Volturi sequence.  I know, they did it nearly verbatim, but that was one area where I really wanted more.  They picked amazing actors to play just about everyone, had a big buildup, amazing location, all for a scene that ended far too soon.  I would have loved to see about 10 minutes of angsty Bella cut in favor of an extra 10 minutes of red-eyed Volturi action.  Oh, well.

I thought it was good.  I saw it with Momz and we each commented on how fast it went by; it didn't seem like a two-hour-plus movie.  Overall, this movie made me hopeful that the films will continue to improve.  Eclipse, from what the director has said on Twitter, is in the can and set for a summer release.  Breaking Dawn is set to be two movies.  I predict they will cut it at the point in which Bella "dies" and begin the second half when she opens her eyes as a new vampire, but that's just my prediction.

And, my friends, what then?  Will we ever get Midnight Sun?  Will we even want it by that point?  I'm not sure.

Team Edward Vs. Team Jacob

Watch Taylor Lautner hamming it up as a member of Team Edward.

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Twilight Spoof

Check this out, if you haven't seen it already:

The Host Movie

I don't know if any of you have read The Host, but Stephenie Meyer announced on her website today that it's being made into a movie. I really enjoyed the book, so I'm curious to see how the movie turns out. Sounds like Meyer's keeping herself busy!

The Twilight Saga: New Moon Trailer in HD

In Case Anyone is Still Reading...

I was talking to Momz the other day, and she made the following observation:

"I'm so glad I've gotten past the whole Twilight thing."

It made me think, as Momz comments most often do. Am I over my Twilight obsession?

No. Not really. I'm not continuously re-reading the books, but I just re-read New Moon, and am lazily re-reading Eclipse.

I am visiting the New Moon Movie site as well as Entertainment Weekly's Special Twilight Coverage section to see new pictures from the film.

(In case you want to know, it's looking good. Volturi look awesome. Edward makes me want to weep gently. I'm even feeling warm about Jacob. I'm very excited.)

I have finished a draft of my own "vampire novel." (Not fanfic, not based on Twilight at all, but thought I'd mention it. 97,000 words. Anyone know an agent?)

I have a rough sketch of an upper-level high school/college-level course called "Twilight and its Impact on American Culture." If I ever get that Ph.D, I'll be rarin' to go.

But all is not lost! I have not invested hundreds of dollars in the officially licensed Twilight dolls and have dismantled the scale model of Forks/LaPush in the basement. I did not bid on the Authentic Certified Copy of Bella's Engagement Ring on eBay. And when my son appropriated my Lion and Lamb keychain, I let him keep it.

So I suppose I'm getting better. How about you?

New Moon Movie Site

The New Moon movie site is up, and though there's not much there now, there should be more to come. At least you can watch the trailer repeatedly...

New Moon Movie Site w/ The World of Twilight

Imprinting

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the series is the way some werewolves find their mates: imprinting.

Imprinting takes the idea of "love at first sight" to a completely different level. Of course, the primary criticism of imprinting comes from the three major imprinting storylines:

1. Sam & Emily: Sam imprints on Emily, Emily rejects him, Sam grievously injures/disfigures her, she accepts him. The implication here being that the abuse theme begun with Bella/Edward is being carried to a conclusion: women should love their abusers so they stop abusing.

2. Quil & Claire: Quil is physically mature, Claire is two. If imprinting is primarily sexual, how can this not be an endorsement of pedophilia?

3. Jacob & Renesmee: Jacob is physically mature, Renesmee is a newborn. See the above criticism.

Again, I believe most of these criticisms stem from people not taking into account the alternate reality in which this story is told, but I'll admit that the imprinting aspect has really been the only thing about the series that has given me pause, upon reflection. (When I read them the first time, it didn't bother me at all.)

The Sam/Emily imprinting didn't bother me, and still doesn't. I frankly don't see what the fuss is there. The werewolves unpredictability is documented thoroughly throughout the story, it is entirely possible that Sam could genuinely lose control and injure Emily. It is also possible that bonding would take place between them during her healing process.

I don't believe the relationships between Jacob/Quil and Renesmee/Claire are abusive, but these make me more uncomfortable. I don't believe that imprinting is only sexual, though naturally it has some sexual component. What bothers me is the idea that all a woman really needs from a relationship is complete adoration from a man. I don't have my books to hand, but Jacob, explaining it all to Bella, says something like, "Why wouldn't she want him, in the end?" and "That kind of adoration is hard to resist." My personal experience has been that love has to be much more mutual, so the idea that a completely one-sided infatuation can blossom into a meaningful and lasting relationship is hard for me to swallow.

Of course, we never get any perspective from the female half of the equation. Renesmee seems devoted to Jacob from the beginning: is there a "magic" at work on the female half as well? And did Emily just resist it out of loyalty to her cousin, Leah? If the imprinting impulse worked both ways, it would explain a lot.

And put my mind at ease.

Nitty Gritty: Edward

Continuing in our discussion of the characters and controversy of the Twilight series, let us consider:

In my opinion, Edward is certainly the hero of the series. Some would disagree. If he isn't, then who is? Jacob? Hmm...

Edward is certainly where a lot of the controversy regarding the series lies. The most common claim, of course, is that Edward is abusive. Some of the actions cited:

1. He grabs her by her jacket collar to prevent her from driving herself home after she fainted in Biology (Twilight)

2. He sabatoges her car, follows her, has Alice take her, etc. to keep her from Jacob (Eclipse)

3. He withholds sex from her as a punishment (Eclipse)

4. When they finally do become physically intimate, he is so rough with her it leaves her severely bruised (Breaking Dawn)

I find most of these criticisms ridiculous, because I believe those who espouse them are holding Edward to a double standard. They expect him to behave like he's a wise, mature, experienced being (like a 110-year-old vampire) while also expecting him to have comparable behavior to a typical teenager. In other words, when he behaves like a vampire, the criticism is based on him not being exactly like human 17-year-old boys, but when he behaves like a human 17-year-old boy, he's criticized for behaving like a vampire.

One of the things I love about Edward's character is this very dichotomy. He has been frozen, emotionally, at a stage in which he had not experienced a serious relationship. Emotionally, he is just as inexperienced as Bella. He makes mistakes, the same mistakes a guy in high school would make in his first relationship.

Take the first example: he grabs her by the jacket collar to prevent her from leaving. I don't want to go into too much detail, but I had several male friends in high school that would have (and did, frankly) treat me just like that. It was playful. It was flirtation. Sometimes it was annoying, but we were all learning how to behave like men and women. Why can't Edward experience this?

The "stalking" in Eclipse is very realistic, to me. The intensity of a first love often prompts people to behave irrationally. The fact that Edward recognizes his mistake, admits it, and changes his behavior despite his continuing jealousy says volumes.

I have to say, I believe that Edward is being victimized by the extreme hypersensitivity of today's society. Think about characters in some of the "classics" of romantic literature: Mr. Darcy, Mr. Rochester, Heathcliff, Romeo...by today's standards, are any of them truly admirable men? I don't think so. Some of the very criticisms leveled at Edward apply to these classic characters, but because we are able to view them through the lens of their time, we excuse their flaws. I think Edward needs the same consideration: one cannot judge Edward's actions and motivations unless one accepts Edward's reality.

I love Edward. I think he's a good person. And a fine hero.

Nitty Gritty: Bella

I'd love to get some discussions going about some of the criticisms leveled at the Twilight series and the characters therein. I thought we could start with:

Bella Swan, our heroine.

I'm going to list some of the criticisms I've heard, and my opinion of them. Feel free to comment on them, or share your own criticisms.

1. Bella is shallow; she only likes good-looking people. Her relationship with Edward is based solely on her opinion of his looks.

My comment: The fact that Bella describes people in positive and negative terms doesn't make her shallow. Saying that someone has "bad skin" isn't a nasty, shrewish criticism, it's a fact. She's 17. Many teenagers, boys and girls, are very concerned with appearances. (Add to that, she's the narrator, so if she didn't ever describe anyone, we wouldn't know what anyone looks like.) Edward's looks do play a huge role in her initial attraction to him, but how is that abnormal or bad?

2. Bella is rude and spoiled, especially where her parents are concerned.

My comment: I've never gotten this one. She calls the father she barely knows by his first name sometimes: how terrible. She calls the irresponsible, scatterbrained mother she's practically raised by her first name: rudeness beyond compare. She complains about moving to Forks: again, not seeing it. This is one I really think is reaching. I've never known a teenager to be 100% respectful and polite 100% of the time, especially in their private thoughts (which is what we're getting with Bella's narration). Nope, I think Bella handles the adults in her life pretty well, considering how they've handled her.

3. Bella is a bad friend who only likes people when it is convenient.

I imagine this criticism extends to three people: Mike, Angela, and Jessica. Certainly Bella's post-breakup breakdown in New Moon isn't really conducive to good friendship, but other than that, I'm not sure. Bella seems to be an introvert who doesn't make close friends easily, and her friendship is taken up with Alice and Edward himself. I think Bella and Angela are fairly good friends throughout. Mike and Jessica were never really her friends to begin with, so I discount them.

4. Bella's acceptance of Edward's treatment of her is tantamount to condoning abuse.

Ah, here it is. The primary reason some people are screaming for this series to be banned, burned, or whatever you do with books you think no one should be allowed to read. I've read this series several times, and I have to say it: I don't believe Bella and Edward have an abusive relationship. Each of them make mistakes, but that happens. No one enters their first serious relationship and performs perfectly. Edward does cross the line into controlling during Eclipse, but recognizes his mistake. Unfortunately, I think too many read things into this relationship that simply aren't there.

If you have time, leave a comment below!

-Deb

Some Food for Casting Thought

Here are some of the rumored "front runners" I've found for the parts of Seth and Leah. We can assume that they would be in both Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

For Leah:

This is Q'orianka Kilcher. She played Pocahontas in that Colin Farrell movie a few years back. Her resume on IDMB is very impressive.

This is Sage Galesi. I saw her on the TNT miniseries Into the West, where she briefly played Margaret Light Shines. (If you haven't seen Into the West, I really enjoyed it.) It looks to me like she's got Leah's face: it's beautiful, but you can see the potential for meanness there.

For the role of Seth:

This is Tyler Posey, a young but experienced actor. I think he has a very sweet face, and has that sort of gangly, rumpled look I associate with Seth.

This is Raviv Ullman. There is a big push for him at the Twilight Moms website, who say that Tyler Posey is the producer's choice for the role of Seth. There is an online petition. I think he's a good looking kid. The only thing I've seen him in was an episode of Law & Order: SVU (he was the kid who raped the Britney-Spears-alike because the shock jock said it would be neat, but his mother was campaigning to take the shock jock off the air and shot him. Not that I watch that show obsessively.)

With the exception of Ullman, all of the above actors have at least partial Native American heritage. (Ullman is Israeli.)

It will be interesting to see what happens! If one of the above ends up getting the part, someone owes me a Coke.

:)

-Deb

Your suggestions?

They are now casting the roles of Seth and Leah Clearwater for the movie version of "Eclipse." I had heard that Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical) was being considered for Leah, but that hasn't been confirmed.

I think Leah will be very challenging to cast. She's supposed to be pretty and nice, until she discovers her hidden traits, and then she's pretty and nasty.

Thoughts?

Recommendations?

I don't know about the rest of you, but I've been going through Vampire Withdraw. I thought it might be neat to recommend some of our other favorite vampire books and movies. Here are some of mine:

1. The Sookie Stackhouse books (by Charlaine Harris). Book 9 in this series was just released, so it will keep you occupied for a while. Sookie is a twentysomething waitress in a small northern Louisiana town. Sookie is a telepath, so life has been hard for her, since she always hears the thoughts of everyone around her. When the world's vampires go public and ask for recognition under the law, Sookie is thrilled to discover that she can't read vampire minds. Romantic entanglements and Southern stereotypes ensue.

2. True Blood (HBO, based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels). Season 1 of this series has just been released on DVD, with Season 2 premiering next week on HBO. It's just like Twilight, except 13 hours long and with way more nudity, swearing, sex, graphic violence, and naked people. I'm absolutely disgusted and will stop watching it soon. Stars Anna Paquin (The Piano) as Sookie.

3. Let The Right One In (DVD): This is a film from Sweden. The DVD offers you the option of viewing it dubbed in English or in Swedish with English subtitles. This is quite a film. A young boy named Oskar is the butt of schoolyard bullying. He has no friends, until one night he meets a mysterious girl who has moved in next door. Lots of snow. (Rated R)

4. Interview With the Vampire (DVD): This is an amazing cheesefest from the star-happy blockbuster '90's. I watch this film and think this is what Twilight might have been. I'm so thankful it was not! Stars Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas, Kirsten Dunst, and many, many others. If you've watched it, think of the following quote from Steve Martin's "Bowfinger" when you watch it again:

"Did you know that Tom Cruise didn't even know he was in that vampire movie until a year later?"

5. Dark Shadows Revival (DVD): This series, a casualty of the 24-hour news media's coverage of Operation Desert Storm, was amazing vampire romance set in the gloom of coastal Maine. Starring Ben Cross as Barnabas Collins, Jean Simmons as the family matriarch, and other late '80's/early '90's talent. I have heard rumors that there is a Dark Shadows movie in the works, with Johnny Depp developing the role of Barnabas.

Yum, yum.