Chris Weitz, 2009 -
"Sometimes you have to learn to love what's good for you."
This is so true. See, statements like that are why you should always listen to your dad. And how much do you love the dad in these movies?
By the way, missy, when you go turn yourself into a vampire, what's going to happen to your dad? What are you trying to do, break his heart?
Sorry for getting all Jewish grandma on you, but, you know: old lady.
So since it seems de rigueur to state what "team" you're on here, I will say this much: the werewolf would make a much better boyfriend. (And this, coming from someone who has something of a track record with pasty skinny English dudes, is saying something.) Aside from the fact that he's the only one to stick around and protect her, a werewolf is only crazy a few days out of the month (Just like a woman! Rimshot!) whereas being a vampire is a full time, eternal thing. My friend also pointed out that if you date the werewolf you run the risk of getting your face mauled, at least you get to keep your soul. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the whole conception of the soul but I leave it to you, gentle reader, to decide.
Oh, and the werewolf doesn't want to drink your blood.
The general consensus around this movie seems to be so overwhelmingly negative that I'm kind of ashamed to admit I liked it. But I went in expecting Velveeta; you could almost say I was craving it. Stephanie Zacharek, who I almost always agree with, maintained that while Catherine Hardwicke's first picture was a compelling tale of teenage love and sexual desire, whereas this one was just schlocky. I agree that the first one was more realistic, this one was more sexually charged. The one upside of dating someone who basically wants to eat you is that any physical contact is going to have an intense energy; I was pleasantly surprised by how electric the kisses were.
And you know what? This story is not realistic; it's a melodrama. Now I love melodramas, so I may be biased, I think Weitz's decision to amp it up to 11 paid off for the most part. Unfortunately, the acting is sometimes so over-the-top that we get something to corny to be considered a great melodrama, but I was entertained nonetheless. And I for one enjoyed the melodramatic flourishes; there's some borderline rambunctious camera movements, and -- as opposed to the washed-out look of Twilight -- there are lovely colors saturated to an almost Sirkian degree. (Interestingly enough, Weitz's mother, the actress Susan Kohner, played the maid's daughter in Sirk's Imitation of Life.)
The acting does have it's moments. I was far more impressed with Kristen Stewart in this one. Or maybe I just like the aspect of her character displayed bettwe. She does do more of that mopey, slouchy thing when she's in her post-breakup grief, but for the rest of the film she displays a kind of blushing, tentative vivacity. Weitz gets some wonderful expression out of her. Considering he was probably hired more for whatever's coursing through his veins than for any acting chops, Lautner acquits himself decently. He's far better and more charming in the comic, lighthearted moments; when he's called upon to be serious he veers into Blue Steel territory. However, I completely agree with Zacharek that good ol' RPattz only works with about two dour expressions.
Lastly, the Volturi are far and away the best part of this film. I would totally watch a TV show where they play billiards, muse on philosophy, and solve crimes. But the stunt casting of Dakota Fanning proved to be a huge mistake: her face doesn't have that 18th century look and her delivery is too straightforward rather than fey and fanciful to match the other characters.
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