Twilight

I watched this move twice this weekend. While I wasn't planning on seeing it at all, late previews and a bit of a story description from a friend led me to believe it might be worth a chance. Even from a cynic and teenage romance hating viewer like myself. It had everything stacked against it. Teenage romance, minus Kristen Stewart, actors I had never really seen or liked, an underground director, and most of all I attended a midnight showing with every girl in Boston who had read the books. Unfortunately the ones I was sitting next to that I didn't know, where pretty low on my scale of informed and intelligent. I won't go into how I decided this, but it was shocking.

Ok, so I've watched the movie, walk out of the theater, and I am truly shocked that I enjoyed almost the entire thing. It was nothing spectacular. Thats to say it wasn't an Oscar winning performance from anyone, it was just an enjoyable movie. The plot was a bit weak, but from what I understand, thats expected from a book lacking true plot and more about human interactions. So the attempt they made to put it on screen I would consider successful. There is plenty of teenage angst, but with the cinematography and considerably good acting, the considerably in place for my low expectations, it never seems cheesy, or over done. Even though in the back of my mind I'm aware it is slightly over bearing and close to being stupid, but it rides the line and does not cross it.

There are a few scenes in which the cinematographer had a little bit to much fun, but it mixes well, again, with the song choice and short length of the scenes. The only thing that might have been touched up would have been some of the dialogue from Edward, Robert Pattinson's character. He felt a little to childish in some ways for a guy who has been around for 100 years.

Other than that, there wasn't much really wrong with the movie. It was what it was, did it well, and expanded its appeal beyond just the books, without really disapointing the hardcore fans. The other actors were very good in their respective parts, but could have used an extra 30 seconds each of character development. You get the feeling that they are extremely pimp, but very little is done to actually prove this. Having not read the book I can only hope the sequels will expand on this a bit.

While critics are being mean, other public ratings forums are rating it low, presumably because of hard nosed dicks who would rather have seen a stupid vampire slasher movie (of which they still would have rated low), this movie is worth watching. A small production company, with low key very talented actors, and a good director who makes film for love and truthfulness to the story, has succeeded in making a movie much better and more worth your money than half the shit the big guys pump out constantly.