Kaylee: You're nice, too. Mal: No, I'm not. I'm a mean old man.

'Serenity'


Buffista Movies 6: lies and videotape  

A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.


Cashmere - Nov 21, 2008 4:15:13 pm PST #8726 of 10000
Now tagless for your comfort.

I'm totally going to see it.


Barb - Nov 21, 2008 4:24:13 pm PST #8727 of 10000
“Not dead yet!”

But are you going to squeal?

ETA: In all honesty, I'm curious-- but I can't cope with the thought of going to see it in a theatre with the screeching adolescents. Maybe in a few weeks after the fervor and the T-giving holidays have passed.


Laga - Nov 21, 2008 4:54:07 pm PST #8728 of 10000
You should know I'm a big deal in the Resistance.

Yes, in our local school district the kids are off all week. Your best bet is waiting until Monday the 1st.

I've liked Hardwicke's other films and I haven't read the book. I'ma go see it.


Cashmere - Nov 21, 2008 5:08:18 pm PST #8729 of 10000
Now tagless for your comfort.

But are you going to squeal?

I don't think I could if I wanted to.

I suspect I'll go to a matinee. Mayhap fewer tweens, since going to an afternoon movie would be LAME.


sj - Nov 21, 2008 6:14:00 pm PST #8730 of 10000
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."

I really want to go see it with a bunch of buffistas and snark and laugh.


Cashmere - Nov 21, 2008 6:18:12 pm PST #8731 of 10000
Now tagless for your comfort.

It wasn't until reading E's review that I realized that sparkly is literal.

I'm sure there will be snark when I go.


Barb - Nov 21, 2008 6:25:55 pm PST #8732 of 10000
“Not dead yet!”

Oh yeah-- one of the reviews I read called it a cross between being dumped on by a truckful of glitter and a mob armed with Bedazzlers.


tiggy - Nov 21, 2008 9:34:01 pm PST #8733 of 10000
I do believe in killing the messenger, you know why? Because it sends a message. ~ Damon Salvatore

I have seen it and i did not like it. there is this one scene where Edward is telling Bella the history of his family coming to Forks and they cut away to a flashback. i thought i was going to pee my pants i was laughing so hard. if i had had some of the hardcore fans around me, i'm pretty sure i wouldn't be typing this now.


Gris - Nov 22, 2008 3:44:08 am PST #8734 of 10000
Hey. New board.

I'm going in about 75 minutes, because pre-noon movies are half price ($6) at the AMCs in NYC. I'll get back to you. I've even read the books.


Gris - Nov 22, 2008 9:00:04 am PST #8735 of 10000
Hey. New board.

So I actually kind of liked it. It's pretty rare that I find myself nodding along with Entertainment Weekly reviews, but I thought many parts of this one were spot on, especially the praise for Hardwicke's "treat[ment of] teen confusion without a trace of condescension." I actually thought it did a good job of acknowledging that the angst-level was completely ridiculous, while also acknowledging its importance to the characters and helping us respect that.

The weak points of the film (ignoring, for the moment, the ridiculous and disturbing "I like to watch you sleep" plot points that must be blamed on the book) are the pacing - it's often pretty glacial, then skims right past some of the most promising things - and Pattinson (or at least his direction.) I mean, I get that Edward is brooding and angsty and all, but he's also supposed to be HAPPY occasionally, at least once he gives into his So-Pure Love. Bella never smiles, either - she's about as "Cheer Up Emo Kid" a character as ever written/performed - but Stewart manages to let happiness shine through her eyes and awkward gestures and occasional tiny half-smile anyway. Actually, I was really impressed with Stewart's performance, especially given how much I dislike Bella in the books. Somehow, I felt a lot more sympathy for her issues in this version. (Admittedly, it probably helps that I actually get to see her, and she's totally pretty - very much my type. Which may explain why most of my audience compatriots didn't seem at all disappointed by Edward.)

The supporting cast is also pretty excellent. The Cullens are exactly as weird-looking as they should be, though I wish I had seen more of them, especially Alice. Bella's school friends are well-cast, too, if astonishingly diverse for a high school in Forks, Washington, which I expect is actually pretty darn white. I adore Anna Kendrick from Camp (and a 13-year-old Tony nom for High Society) and Michael Welch from Joan of Arcadia, so it was great seeing them again, and young Taylor Lautner, who plays Jacob, really appealed to me as well. If they somehow manage to make the second movie not totally suck, it will be because of him. Finally, I really liked Billy Burke as Bella's dad - he totally sold the part.

So in sum: I liked it a lot more than the book. There's still a little ick-factor there, and the glowing is still silly, but the movie glossed over it pretty well and let me enjoy my silly-teen-angst-true-love-melodrama without worrying about it.