Birthday Project for Stephenie

ATTENTION ALL TwilightMOMS, TwilightTEENS, and Twilight20Somethings!!! 

TwilightMOMS is putting together a Happy Birthday video for Stephenie Meyer in conjunction with our other fansite friends out there! 

What we need for from you:

• A 15 second video telling Stephenie Happy Birthday AND why Esme and Carlisle Rock! 
  
• Or a photo from a time you met Stephenie and we will include it in the video!
  

Each of the fansites is taking a couple, group, or character from The Twilight Saga and we have Carlisle and Esme. Let’s wish our favorite author a happy birthday by thanking her for these great characters!

But HURRY! We need to have all these in by the 20th! 

Send videos or pics to twilightmomsnewsblog@gmail.com 

HURRY! HURRY!

Want To Be Heard? Write Summit & Go See Twilight Tomorrow

I'm getting lots of emails from fans who have some definite opinions about some of the different reports that have come out regarding the filming of New Moon: Replacing Catherine Hardwicke, film budget, replacing Taylor Lautner, rushing to get the film into the theaters, etc. Though opinions on these different issues vary with individual fans, the one thing that everyone agrees on is that the movie should stay true to the book Stephenie Meyer wrote. Everyone expresses that they want the film makers to "get it right."

It is the responsibility of the fans to make sure film makers "get it right" and preserve the integrity of Stephenie Meyer's stories and the characters which fans all love so deeply. Most emails I get are from people who want to "do something," "send them a message," or "be heard." The most effective way to do this is to write directly to Summit and share your concerns or kudos with them in a letter sent through the mail... like on real paper and with a stamp on it and everything! 

Summit Entertainment 

1630 Stewart Street, Suite 120 

Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA

How is this effective? 

• Online petitions are a farce and do not work. 
  
• Emails are easily deleted and do not work. 
  
• Using profanity does not enhance a message (nor your IQ). 
  
• Death threats or threats of bodily harm definitely do NOT work and are illegal. 

Taking the time to write your message down and send something tangible to the film makers will be taken seriously. It sends an underlying message that you are a human being who cares about something and you deserve their respect. The more letters they receive from individuals, the more they will realize that fans do matter. 

Imagine if you were going out to get your mail and you had the usual couple of bills, some junk mail in the box, and a giant bag as tall as your waist full of letters from thousands, even millions, all over the world sitting there waiting for you? What if you got that same sack of mail, or even 2 or 3 bags of that mail every day from individuals everywhere? You couldn't simply ignore that people are trying to tell you something. That makes a definite impact!

• Use a tone of respect and courtesy. 
  
• Include your name and country/state.
  
• Be professional. 
  
• Get to your point(s) right away. 
  
• Lengthy letters are less likely to be read completely. 
  
• Don't be afraid to write again.

Prove that fans matter on 12.12.08.

On TwilightMOMS.com we are planning a TwilightMOMS Night at the Movie. We've passed this on to other fan sites and are hoping that all fans everywhere will take part by going to see Twilight in theaters Friday (tomorrow) 12.12.08, which was the original release date set for the movie. 

It doesn't matter what time you see it, or if you go alone or with a group, the point is... on 12.12.08 JUST GO. With enough people participating we will bump up the movie earnings on that particular day and $how Summit just how much they need and want fan support in order to succeed. 

To sum it all up: 

• Writing and mailing letters to Summit is effective, writing to me is not. 
  
• Going to the movie Twilight on 12.12.08 and letting the almighty dollar send a message is effective, doing nothing is not.

Twilight has a very unique fandom and when we work together for a good purpose we can accomplish amazing things! We made Twilight a hit at the box office regardless of the fact that no one in the movie industry took the film seriously. We brought the movie millions of dollars! We set a new record for the biggest opening weekend for a female director! We took relatively unknown actors and put their names into the industry everywhere! We took "known" actors and made them into international superstars! 

Sounds to me like if fans had something to say... the wise thing for Summit to do would be to listen.

Twilight Christmas Spoof LOL!!!

For Moms EVERYWHERE!!!

New Moon: Formula For Success

I would like to clearly distinguish myself as a Stephenie Meyer fan. I am a fan of her writing. For whatever reason my brain says, "This is good stuff. I want more." This is a seriously amazing feat due to the fact that I have never been a reader and have never been a fan of fantasy or science fiction. I am not a literary snob when it comes to books because I haven't read very many of them, to tell you the truth. I get bored easy and will suddenly realize I just read a whole chapter and have no idea what I read b/c I was thinking of something else more entertaining. I actually made it out of high school without reading any more than maybe a couple of books. I actually used to make up books in my head and do book reports on them and get A's and B's. So, for me to be enthusiastic about a book, let alone 5 of them from the same author, is a miracle in and of itself! 

I just connect with the stories Stephenie Meyer tells. And so I do not consider myself as much a fan of movie translations of her books by other individuals so much as I classify myself as a fan of her written stories. They are my favorite form of entertainment and it is nice to be able to enjoy something that was written just for the sake of entertainment and enjoyment on her part as much as they are for me as a reader of them. 

All that being said, there is such an astronomical amount of hype going on about the movies part of The Twilight Saga. (duh. it's everywhere.) I was extremely thrilled beyond belief at the prospect of seeing Twilight brought to life physically on screen. The buzz was immediate for all of us in the fandom. The fans began marketing the movie even before it began filming! We wanted to know anything and everything about the movie! Set's, wardrobe, hair, the most seemingly minute details, you name it! The cast and crew literally had no idea what they had gotten themselves into. We are a very close-knit fanbase, and we are perfectionists about getting it right! Why? Because it is the story and the characters that we love passionately and only want justice done to them in the way Stephenie Meyer brought them to life in her books. 

The fans were lucky beyond belief that Catherine Hardwicke was the director of Twilight. She "got it" right away. She connected with the fans and acknowledged that it was the fans who would make it a success so it was the fans she would do her best to satisfy. She didn't have much to work with but she pulled it off! She caught the vision and gave us a movie that depicted the essence of Stephenie Meyer's story and characters honorably. 

Melissa Rosenburg managed to accomplish something few could ever do... condense Twilight yet preserve the essence of it. She not only did it, but made it look effortless! 

When you break it down, it seems like we have a proven formula for success in the box office... 

• Stephenie Meyer's story preserved with integrity, 
• Melissa Rosenburg to condense that story in a way that preserves its integrity, 
• Catherine Hardwicke to direct the filming of the story and actors' portrayal of characters in a way that preserves the story's integrity, 
• the pleased fans to market (maintain and build hype) for a movie they trust will honor the integrity of the story they love. 

The product of this formula is: a box office success. 

You'll notice, I didn't put any of the stars of the movie into that formula. Some would argue that the success of the movie was due to Rob Pattinson's excellent portrayal of Edward. I personally disagree with that. I believe the hype surrounding him is because young girls are confusing Rob Pattinson, the person, with Edward, the character. (Of course that doesn't mean the film makers won't use that to their advantage while filming NM.)

It is the character created by Stephenie Meyer that they are swooning over. The truth is, Yoda could have been cast in the role of Edward and we'd still love him, because... it's Edward! They could change out the whole cast (aside from Peter Facinelli and Billy Burke, who were flawless in their portrayals; and possibly Jackson Rathbone, who I'd like to see more from before forming an opinion) for New Moon and it wouldn't bother me. I dare to even suggest that they could replace THE Robert Pattinson and THE Kristen Stewart, and if the integrity of the story is still intact, the fans would still deliver and make it a success. 

*Please don't throw things at me! I reiterate, I'm a fan of the books more than of the actors involved in the movie. 

I, for one, am disappointed that Catherine Hardwicke will not be involved with New Moon. I can't even begin to presume what the whole negotiation situation between Summit and her was but I will give a little personal speculation here that she had the integrity to basically say, if they weren't gonna let her do it right... she won't do it at all. Once again, that is pure speculation on my part. 

The fans had faith in her as the director for Twilight and then had no doubts with her at the prospect of directing New Moon. So it's not surprising that many of us would be nervous about rushing the sequel and putting it in the hands of someone who may not have the same level of commitment and appreciation to "getting it right" that Catherine Hardwicke was proven to have.

However, if the film-making-powers-that-be keep the following simple formula in mind, I think we'll all be satisfied with the outcome.

• Stay true to Stephenie Meyer's story and characters, and work WITH her on this.
  
• Through every process, acknowledge, appreciate and involve the fans who will make it a success.
  
• If the director isn't going to be Catherine Hardwicke, then at least let the director be a woman. Women "get" this story... it's just a fact. And it's women who made this story a success.

So there you have it... the controversy! Seriously, I just wish Stephenie Meyer had a new book coming out. I'm so ready for yet another literary masterpiece of fun just from her!!!  

 

How To Be Miserable

This was a great lesson I heard at church today. I just loved it. It made me really think about what a wonderful life I have regardless of all the difficulties I'm going through. Christmas time in general has become increasingly excessive. The shopping, the decorating, the eating. It seems like we're just not satisfied unless it's even more lavish and grand than the previous year. This holds true for my own family. After realizing just how much this applies to us, I just don't like the idea of my kids (or me and my husband for that matter) getting too comfortable with having "things". 

I was laid off from a job I truly, truly loved about 6 months ago. My husband and I agreed that I would be the breadwinner until he was through school. I wasn't too worried about getting another job and just starting over as a warehouse grunt or a temp from an agency. There was always a need somewhere nearby, however, soon the economy crumbled and along with it the job market. Now, my searches for jobs have been turning up nothing more than "opportunities" in Asbestos Removal or Pipe Welding, which I would gratefully try for but they are in cities approximately 3 to 4 hours away from me and I only drive my car long distances when it is absolutely necessary because it will be literally dying on me any day now... poor little Bessie. 

I could be miserable and complain about not having a job, or I could be miserable and worry myself into physical illness. I could spend the days crying "why me" and look for pity. Those are some "choices" I could make, but I can also choose to enjoy this time with my children. I can choose to say, "Yeah, our Christmas is gonna be very small, but off the top of my head I can think of LOTS of other people whose situations are FAR more tragic than mine." (... and far more deserving of God's blessings!) There is always someone worse off and in need of help. 

I may not have money, a good functioning car, or the "good" stuff in my cupboards, but I and my family are healthy and able bodied. My kids laugh everyday. My husband only has a little over a year to go in school instead of 3 or 4 years, we've got family nearby, wonderful friends all around us (near and far), and we are able to give our service to our friends and neighbors who desperately need the help of others right now for reasons which I know I would never make it through if it were me in their place. 

And so, whoever you are, whatever your situation... you have a choice. That can NEVER be taken from you. Viktor Frankl, author of Man's Search For Meaning (my favorite book), learned  this while he was a prisoner and slave in the worst concentration camps during World War 2. He, along with millions of Jews, were stripped of all they had... freedom, job, home, family, food, the very clothes on their backs... and their own given name was even replaced by a new "identity" they were forced to go by... a number branded on their arm. Though everything humanly possible was taken away, Viktor Frankl realized he still had choice. He had his mind, his memories, and his ability to choose to hope for a better day to come, or to let despair overcome him and end his life. Be strong or give up. 

We can all list things that make us happy or ways to be more joyful, but consider these instructions on how to be miserable as well. I pondered on each point and realized I've gotten my lists mixed up because I'm guilty of all these items!!! (There are also some very insightful quotes to go along with each item.)

How To Be Miserable

Daily, constantly, we choose by our desires, our thoughts, and our actions whether we want to be blessed or cursed, happy or miserable.  ~Ezra Taft Benson

1. Believe That Things Will Never Change

• Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change. ~Norman Vincent Peale
  
• Tough times never last, but tough people do! ~Robert Schuller
  

2. Think About Your Problems

• Everyone can be discontented if he ignores his blessings and looks only at his burdens. ~Thomas S. Monson
  

3. Worry About Things You Can't Control

• He who worries about calamities suffers them twice over. ~Og Mandino
  

4. Complain About Your Blessings

• I complained because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet. ~Sign in a shoe shop
  

5. Think About Yourself

• Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves: the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others. ~Gordon B. Hinckley
  

6. Put Yourself Down (and/or Compare Yourself To Others "Better Off")

• Our doubts are traitors,  And make us lose the good we oft might win... ~William Shakespeare

7.  Hold Onto Grudges

• There is no peace in the nursing of a grudge. There is no happiness in living for the day when you can "get even." ~Gordon B. Hinckley
  

8. Put Deadlines On Your Happiness (i.e. "I won't be happy until __________ happens.")

• Happiness is a decision, not a destination. It's and attitude, not an event! ~John Bytheway 
  

9. Always Want More

• Remember that in the end, surely God will be looking only for clean hands, not full ones. ~Jeffrey R. Holland
  

10. Postpone Prayer

• Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. ~Matthew 7:7
  

11. Recycle Regrets

• The past is behind; learn from it. The future is ahead; prepare for it. The present is here; live in it! ~Thomas S. Monson

The Christmas Tree Is Up

We finally got Christmas out of the boxes and storage totes from the basement! The kids did a great job cleaning their rooms so they could help decorate the tree. And here it is...

The Hansen Family Christmas Tree

It's a six foot fiber optic lighted tree. It's nice but with the vaulted ceiling I want to go for the slim twelve footer I saw at Walmart the other day... *sigh* someday. 

The biggest laugh of the whole evening goes to my son, Caleb, who being the dutiful 6 year old boy he is, followed directions to the "T". While I was busy going through items in the other room, I yelled for him to fan the tree out while they were waiting for me. I walked back into the room to find the tree just the way I left it, standing up looking like it just came out of the box... except now with a small fan aimed directly at the tree... plugged in and running. 

You have to give it to the boy... he knows how to do what he's told. =D 

Finished The Wizard of Oz

I finished reading The Wizard of Oz to my kids the other day. And all I have to say is... what was he smokin'? No, I'm just kidding... (but not). If you've only seen the movie then you've seen a very different version of the L. Frank Baum classic. My son really enjoyed the story and looked forward to it every night (for more than a reason to prolong going to bed). 

It was such a crazy adventure! When the scarecrow gets his brains they are nothing more than a big ball of needles (like actual sharp needles) mixed with a cup of bran (as in the fiber). And when he thinks the needles start poking out of the burlap sack that is his head. (I know! I know! Crazy!) And the flying monkeys? Well, they are under the power of the person who holds the "golden cap". The witch had this cap at first and then Dorothy melted her like brown sugar while trying to mop the floor while the witch was messing with Dorothy who was her kitchen-slave (which I find an entirely relatable situation). Dorothy then takes the cap and has the winged monkeys at her command. (But the keeper of the cap can only summon them a total of three times.) Their adventures also lead them to a whole town made of fine china. The people, houses, and animals are little figurines who have to be very careful or they might break themselves. (cuckooooo! hello!)

With today's technology, they could absolutely remake a more accurate movie version, but... it might freak me out a little. My kids, on the other hand, would LOVE it! Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of fantasy in general. (Yes, I realize vampires and werewolves are "fantasy" and aliens are sci-fi. My two least favorite categories yet also where some of my most favorite books fall under. But those books are more "real-life" based so I have a hard time with the classification sometimes. :P ) But I don't want my kids to be as picky as me with books so I'll read them anything that will stimulate their imagination even if that includes some pretty freaky wacked out stuff, man! 

Up next is probably Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites by Chris Heimerdinger... we just choose from what we have around our house, and since this is MY house we're talking about... the choices are very limited. (I'd rather read Where the Red Fern Grows or Super Fudge and I'm really close to scouring the house for loose change just to go purchase one or the other.) What about the local library? you ask? Bwahahaha! First off, I live in Springville,  Utah: ie Crappy Libraryville. And second, the anxiety I suffer from borrowing a book from the library and bringing it into my home... where my children, my very own over-caffeinated flying monkeys live is just far too much to ask of me. I have more respect for public library books than to endanger them in that way. 

I'm kidding of course! I do take my kids to the library sometimes and let them mess up the book displays in the kids section, or act like I don't know whose unruly children they are when I see them stand entirely too close to someone in deep concentration trying to use the computer until they are just so uncomfortable that they leave and my child then takes the empty seat while simultaneously clickclickclickclicking the mouse to make something, anything, happen on the screen. It's loads of fun! And sometimes they even get to pick 2 books (only!) to check out. 

Anyway, getting back to the point... Dorothy's shoes aren't even red! They are SILVER! And my kids and I would never have known the truth if we hadn't read the book together! 

Flattering Friend Request

I just got this friend request on myspace. I was laughing so hard I could barely breathe... but I'm SO flattered!!!!!!! I guess I picked a good picture for my profile because I KNOW I don't look anything near as beautiful as Elizabeth Reaser in real life!!! (read the message to me as pointed out by the pink arrow-click on pic to see larger)

4 Days of Thanksgiving

I'm finally back from my four full days of non-stop eating! Yes, I shamelessly stuffed my face with all that fabulously fattening food each and every day of the holiday weekend and enjoyed every minute of it! All I have to say is... thank heaven for family, friends, and cream cheese! If I ever left my husband, it would be for a brick of softened cream cheese... I kid you not! 

Now that Monday is here and life is somewhat back to normal, I was able to finally get caught up on my emails... somewhat... and I have been working on putting my house back together after the long weekend. Although we weren't home for a very large portion of it, for some reason just the simple fact that my kids and husband don't have school automatically makes my house dirty and disorganized. It's one of those unexplainable, but accepted anomalies of my life. 

I've got dinner already done for the most part, which is super exciting for me. And I will probably attempt to tackle mount wash-more next, but now that the kidlets are home I have a feeling that I should stop trying to go down my to-do list before the inevitable frustration sets in from the feelings of lack of accomplishment with the last items. It's best just to bask in the glory of sense of accomplishment from the items I did get to cross off and then just "go with the flow" after 3:30pm for me. So, here I go... 

More Twilight LA Premiere Photos

More Red Carpet Twilight Premiere pictures from Georgia Cranston/*gypsy wings*. 

Justin Chon

All photos are the sole property of Georgia Cranston/*gypsy wings* and are posted here with permission. 

Bampire! (Twilight Spoof) LOL!

Red Carpet Birthday Wishes From The Cast Of Twilight

Special Thanks to Endless Twilight, ~kirsten~, *gypsy wings*, Sarah from TwilightTEENS, and to Mike Harmon for lending a hand to his daughter and her crazy friends!

Twilight Movie Premiere Photos by *gypsy wings*

More amazing photos by Georgia Cranston/*gypsy wings* from the Red Carpet Premiere of the Movie Twilight.

Peter Facinelli and Jennie Garth

*All photos are the sole property of Georgia Cranston/*gypsy wings* and are posted here with permission.

Twilight Movie Premiere Photos by *gypsy wings*

More amazing photos by Georgia Cranston/*gypsy wings* from the Red Carpet Premiere of Twilight in Hollywood!

Rachelle Lefevre

 *All photos are sole property of Georgia Cranston/*gypsy wings* and are posted here by permission.

Twilight Movie Premiere Photos by *gypsy wings*

More amazing photos from Georgia Cranston/*gypsy wings* from the Twilight Movie Premiere in LA! 

Anna Kendrick

*All photos are the sole property of Georgia Cranston/*gypsy wings* and are posted here by permission.

The Boys Have Been Busted!

I just got back from my 4th and NOT-final time seeing Twilight and found the most amusing sight in the theater... I have to share! The boys have been busted! Big time! I went to a matinee, and I kid you not... guys are going to see this movie in the daytime matinees alone so they are not caught! There was one right in front of me and one 2 chairs down. Both completely alone hunched down in their seats then leaving the theater faster than Edward out of Biology once the credits began and before the lights went up. I wondered if maybe I was the only one to witness this but after getting home and telling some friends about it, one of my friends (in another state) exclaimed that she had witnessed the same anomaly in a theater she was in for a Saturday matinee!!! 

Now the question is... Are they closet fans? Or just trying to see what their wives/girlfriends have been going on about relentlessly for the past 9 months? And the next question is... What did they think... honestly... ? Hmmmm... 

Happy Birthday TwilightMOMS.com

All day I've been so overcome with emotion and just so thankful for one of the greatest experiences of my life. I never anticipated the growth and joy that something I created could ever have reached this level. I'm at a loss for words and my heart is just full. I just want to say THANK YOU to all the women who have helped and continue to help make TwilightMOMS the fun and heartfelt community it is. I hate to label it as an "online community" because it is SO much more than that. We raise awareness to worthy causes and charities, we build friendships that are lifelong, we enjoy organizing parties and events just to be with each other and meet each other's families, we laugh and support each other and we LOVE STEPHENIE MEYER AND TWILIGHT!

The past year has been one of the best in my life! I have met more amazing women than I ever would have any other way and each of them inspires me to want to do more and be more. I love you guys! 

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY TWILIGHTMOMS.COM!!!!

Keep an eye out all next week for birthday fun on TwilightMOMS.com!  

Here's just a little Birthday Wish from someone who has the "special ability" to give us all warm fuzzies when he's near!!!(p.s. More to come!)

Twilight Movie Review Part III

Bella Swan

The hard part about critiquing Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart is that we've all seen so much already. We all KNOW she freaking ROCKS as Bella. She nails the strong willed yet frail human so well! She was fabulous. I loved the interactions between Bella and Charlie. Their relationship was captured perfectly. Likewise, the few interactions she had with Jacob were very worthy of their relationship in the book. 

The only problem I could see with her character translated to screen is that, unless the viewer has read the books, they won't understand Bella's lack of fear with Edward. It's just kind of pronounced and thrown out there but a movie-goer who has no knowledge of all the inner workings of Bella's mind will likely find this strange. But, again, how in the world do you squish ALL of Stephenie Meyer's essential intimate details of Bella's mind into one movie... how many pages is the novel? That's a difficult project for anyone to take on. 

The Problem With Critic Reviews

I already know the critics will not get this movie. They lack the perspective and insight into the characters and the depth of the story that only the book Twilight can give the viewer. Without the proper perspective they won't have the appreciation for the Romeo and Juliet-esque love story that fans of the books will. They are going into the theaters with their notepads and just saying "okay, impress me". They are judging the mechanics of the movie and just turn their noses up in the air at anything without some sort of controversy, scandal, and politics. 

For fans, it's about the book. It's about seeing the characters they hold dear to their hearts manifested physically. For fans it's about the greatest love story of all time. It's about fun. Critics can't appreciate a film that caters to something so meaningless in life as just having something to jump up and down and squeeee over. Stephenie Meyer's books do that to us but in a very deeply emotional way that has changed our lives dramatically and the movie Twilight is just an accompaniment to the thrill her world of vampires brings us, but don't expect the critics to understand that.

Twilight Movie Review Part II

The Cullens

The cast were each brilliant but the sparkliest stars for me were Peter Facinelli and Jackson Rathbone. I know Stephenie Meyer's characters only exist in the imagination and I'm not a believer in reincarnation, but Peter gave me reason to believe that in a past life he actually was Carlisle. Dr. Cullen has always been a point of interest for me in terms of his history... as opposed to his hotness. Seeing him on screen in the flesh was a dream come true for me. I so admire the patriarchal wisdom and pure humanity (for lack of a better term) that this particular character possesses and none of that was lacking. Dr. Carlisle Cullen may be immortal, but it was Peter Facinelli that brought him to life! 

Jackson Rathbone though quiet and tense for the majority of his scenes made Jasper Hale's uncomfortable presence amidst humans intense. The strain of self control was evident on his face at all times but was not over done in any way. I found a renewed appreciation for Jasper and his daily struggle in the "vegetarian" life he chose to live though it goes against everything within his vampire instincts.

Poor Nikki Reed. She is such a perfect Rosalie that I hate for fans to dislike her on a personal level because they cannot separate the actress from the character. Nikki did an amazing job. I think she gets Rosalie. She gets the jealousy and the over protectiveness. She gets that Rosalie has a past and was greatly impacted by certain events that took place. Without possessing any of Rosalie's harsh personality traits herself, Nikki was able to portray the scorned beauty to a tee!

Kellan Lutz is the embodiment of Emmett. Enough said!

Ashley Green is the perfect petite pixie-like Alice. I look forward to seeing the dynamic in the relationship between Alice and Bella develop in the future. 

And Elizabeth Reaser captured Esme, the matriarch of the Forks coven, with all her kindness and maternal presence beautifully. 

And now to the legend that is Robert Pattinson. (I say that jokingly.) What am I supposed to say? I was a doubter in the beginning... and I was proved wrong in my doubt. He was an amazing Edward. He was funny, angsty, intense, vulnerable. He is an excellent Edward. And that's all I'm gonna say because fans will find out for themselves. 

The Quileutes

I can't say enough about Taylor Lautner's portrayal of Jacob. I adore this kid! I'm as much a Jacob lover as I am an Edward lover and to see justice done to Jake was just icing on the cake! New Moon can't come soon enough!

Gil Birmingham as Billy was a perfect fit. And though the intro to Sam and the rest of the wolf pack was brief, Solomon Trimble made an impression. Again, can't wait for New Moon! 

THE Kiss

"Don't forget to breathe" is my advice for viewing this scene in its entirety. Have mercy! The first kiss between Edward and Bella was the most AMAZING kissing scene I've ever in my life witnessed. It left me (and every female in the audience) wide eyed and death gripping the drink holder because of the severe intensity and passion. Catherine Hardwicke could have just sandwiched that scene between "once upon a time" and "the end" and I would have walked out of that theater a fully satisfied woman! Seriously, bring a fan along cuz the theater is gonna heat up!

Over All

I really enjoyed the movie. I loved the indy feel to it (even watching the credits was fun!) I loved that it was true to the most important elements of the book. Was it better than the book? No. Stephenie Meyer's imagination is larger than life and will never be sufficiently captured on film. But they sure did a great job capturing what they could. Twilight the movie had the difficult job of condensing an enormous amount of content and character development into just a small space of time without deflecting from the overlying love story and did so on a relatively miniscule budget. And I think they did a fabulous job! The best part about having the personalities of key players of the story established and out of the way in this film is that following sequels will not have to deal with that and will be able to focus even more on story line which gives me even more confidence that it's only gonna keep getting better!

*gypsy wings* Photographs the Cast of Twilight On the Red Carpet

Mike Welch

*All photos are the sole property of Georgia Cranston/*gypsy wings* and are posted here by permission.

*gypsy wings* Photographs the Cast of Twilight On the Red Carpet

Edi Gathegi

*All photos are the sole property of Georgia Cranston/*gypsy wings* and are posted here by permission.

*gypsy wings* Photographs the Cast of Twilight On the Red Carpet

Solomon Trimble

*All photos are the sole property of Georgia Cranston/*gypsy wings* and are posted here by permission.

Twilight Movie Review Part I

Fan Perspective vs. Critic Perspective

For fans of the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, the issue is: Does the movie live up to the books? For the critics the issue is: Does the movie live up to the outrageous hype its getting as one of the most anticipated films of the year?

I see only one problem with that. The movie is more of a "compliment" to the first book in the four book series, rather than a "book made into a movie". Obviously, I am with the fans. So, that's the perspective with which I viewed the film and it will differ from the critic perspective. 

Twilight, in movie form, does not translate seamlessly into the best selling novel on screen. But few, if any, book-to-movie films have ever managed to accomplish that daunting feat. Realistically, if movie makers wanted to attempt to do that with Twilight, I think the movie form would end up being 2 weeks long rather than 2 hours! (Not that ANY fans, including me, would complain in the least!)

I went into this never expecting ALL the wonderful scenes penned by Stephenie to make it into the movie. Likewise, I went into it expecting changes and alterations. This way, I was sure to not set myself up for disappointment. And my game plan worked, I'm happy to say! 

As a fan of the novels I enjoyed the movie because so many scenes left me on the edge of my seat with anticipation, left me completely breathless and even, many times, made me laugh out loud. 

If the cast members were able to bring about the imagery that I had in my head of the characters, then I was thoroughly impressed! And many of them did this! Some cast members did such an impressive job that I am having a problem even figuring out how to finish this sentence in a way that would adequately express just how cool they are in my mind after seeing the end product of their dedication to the exactness of the character they portray.

Billy Burke managed to bring to life the endearing traits of Bella's father, Charlie. Mike Welch did an awesome job as Mike Newton. I actually look forward to more "Mike Newton" in the coming sequels (and there had better be sequels!) Anna Kendrick was fabulous! Absolutely perfect! Edi Gathegi, I was already partial to, but now my partiality is justified. He will ROCK the screen in New Moon! I can't wait to hear more of that accent! Rachelle LeFevre... I don't even think I have words for. Her sultry voice alone gave dimension to the nomads' ominous presence. Her portrayal of the vindictive Victoria is very worthy of fan praise and it would freak me out to meet her in a dark alley if I wasn't already comforted with the knowledge that Rachelle was a fellow crazy Joey MacIntire fan back in the day. (I think I have a girl crush.) And I would be amiss if I didn't mention a certain extra in the movie who was AWESOME! I nearly jumped out of my seat every time I saw her! Hooray for my favorite extra!!! She was the best movie extra in the history of extras in movies!

The Sparkle Effect

Few questions throughout history have boggled the mind of fankind  as disturbingly as, "How will they make Edward sparkle in the sun?" The thought of using glittery makeup made me cringe to think about. The fans will be anticipating Edward's big diamond-like skin reveal to Bella as he steps into the sun.  I don't think they will be disappointed. The CGI was excellent! I give it a "thumbs up"! Along with a big "thank you" for not slathering Rob with body glitter. Brilliant work! I loved it! 

The Music

Carter Burwell... Inspiration be thy name! His music catered to and intensified viewer emotion. I experienced  the same emotions that I feel while reading the book. If Twilight were a packaged gift to the fans, then Carter Burwell's movie score and the Soundtrack songs are the ribbon wrapped around it. The music enhanced the beauty, thrill and/or intensity of each scene and the fans will be able to relive the excitement of seeing the movie for the first time again and again through the music and it will compliment Stephenie Meyer's playlists wonderfully. So, make room on your iPod you're gonna want it! 

Watch for Part II of my review. I will talk about each of the Cullens, the Quileutes and THE Kiss! There is much to write about!!! I will do my best to get that written up asap! 

 

I Just Saw Twilight!!!

So, I just got back from seeing a little film called Twilight... heard of it? Yeah, it pretty much ROCKED!!! It was a relatively small group in the theater full of press and radio dj's from various stations, but there were squeeeees aplenty by the lucky fans who were able to attend this special prescreening! I kept wondering what these poor press people were thinking as I watched them shake their heads and laugh, then scribble on their notepads. LOL! 

Well, I know what I thought... and I have been sufficiently dazzled! The CGI was great! The emotion and intensity of the characters and the story translated to the screen far better than I had imagined! There is just so much to say but unfortunately I'm not a Cullen and I desperately need sleep right now so I can get up to get my kids ready for school in the morning. I will get a review up soon and don't worry, I won't reveal too much! I want you to be able to savor watching it your first time like I did! Catherine Hardwicke, you caught the vision and you delivered! 

For now enjoy this little blurb from the guy seated in front of me: 

http://screenrant.com/twilight-review-for-men-vic-4303/

Reelz Twilight Premiere Footage

Pass the smelling salts... I'm about to pass out!

Twilight Dailies

Twilight Premiere Coverage Update

Just a quick update for everyone... I got a call from our admin team who were in LA for all the excitement as they were headed back to the hotel for much needed showers, food, and bladder relief and I could feel the electricity between all of them! So much so that I had to shut myself into my kitchen pantry to help muffle all the squeeeeeing and shouting and jumping up and down as they told me about all the stars coming up to them and giving them some love on their way down the carpet! 

~kirsten~ even got a little kiss on the cheek from Jackson Rathbone (Jasper) for offering him her bottle of water. And *gypsy wings* was able to ask Rachelle LeFevre how she liked her one of a kind Gypsy Wings butterfly wing necklace. To which she replied that she wears it all the time. 

The admins got plenty of great footage and photos of all the cast of Twilight on the red carpet, as well as coverage of the Twilight Live Podcast and afterparty. Don't worry, I've already started begging for them to get it all ready asap and throw a few pics my way if possible. So, keep checking in and I'll keep scouring the web for other great Twilight Premiere pics and info! Also, I'll be seeing a special prescreening of the movie tonight so be on the look out for my review sometime late tonight! 

And just one last thing... ummm... What the heck are we all gonna do after this week is over???   

10) More Twilight LA Premiere Photos

Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie & Pancho

Peter Facinelli & Jennie Garth

Kristen Stewart

9) More Twilight LA Premiere Photos

Jaime Foxx

Kim Basinger & daughter Ireland

Frances Bean Cobain

Frances Bean Cobain

8) More Twilight LA Premiere Photos

7) More Twilight LA Premiere Photos

Kellan Lutz

Taylor Lautner & Edi Gathegi

Jackson Rathbone

Elizabeth Reaser

Mike Welch

6) More Twilight LA Premiere Photos

Taylor Lautner

Rob Pattinson

Taylor Lautner

Taylor Lautner & Nikki Reed

Solomon Trimble