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Movie Review: New Moon
Published by Clay Cane on Friday, November 20, 2009 at 3:00 am.
Summary: The pale folks of Forks, Washington are back. This time around, Bella’s teenage romance with Edward (the vegetarian vampire) ends because his life is too dangerous for the melancholy teen. Bella falls into a deep music video-like depression and her heart eventually connects with a werewolf. However, Bella must save the day when Edward’s life is at risk on the other side of the globe — thankfully Virgin Airlines is available in Twilight land!
Review: Let’s be clear, New Moon is for a very specific audience. If you are out of high school, a person of color, don’t have teen daughters, a feminist, or a heterosexual male, New Moon will probably disappoint. But, does the film perfectly appeal to its audience? Yes! Is it a good movie? No!
Twilight is a media phenomenon. No amount of bad reviews will taint the tons of success this movie will achieve at the box office. On the other hand, I am sure when most of the Twilight fans grow out of adolescence, they will say, “Oh my God — this movie was terrible!”
The first Twilight was directed by Catherine Hardwicke but this time around we have Chris Weitz, who is known for movies like The Golden Compass. While the original is no work of genius, Hardwicke did manage to inject some John Hughes-like realism in a teenage vampire flick. Weitz, who I am sure had the best intentions, seemed more concerned with Hollywood polish and shirtless boys than a solid film that might even appeal to those who weren’t Twilight fanatics.
Filled with plot holes and bad script patch-up jobs, the plot of New Moon isn’t the most troublesome. What gives the flick a stake through the heart is the tacky melodrama with lines like, “You give me everything just by breathing.” Or this gem: “You’re just warm. You’re like your own sun.” Even the teen girls next to me giggled at that one. Consistently cheap dialogue dumb the movie down to something that would be brilliant for a 14-year-old’s diary entry, but not a full script.
Even worse are the one-note performances form the leads, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. Their version of acting consists of squinted eyes, long stares and monotone monologues. According to the tabloids, these two are a couple, but they must have saved the chemistry for offscreen. The Moviefone guy has more personality than these yawners.
There are some comical and needed performances from their teen friends, who lighten a film that takes itself too seriously. Then there is Taylor Lautner, who is half-naked most of the time and might be a good actor, but the focus is more on his abs than his character. Oh, there is a cameo from the always sensational Dakota Fanning, but she is gone right when you start to enjoy her.
At an unnecessary two hours and ten minutes, there is too much to find wrong with New Moon. Some necessary trimming and a little less sap might have resulted in a fun movie. But, what do I know – this is the same audience who appeals to Miley Cyrus.
New Moon is in theaters today.
Watched new moon on firday…im not a twilight fan but i was actually kind of good and the ending was done really well
I didn’t go see new moon in theaters and i didn’t do the same with twilight. I waited for a friend to by the movie because the previews sucked. The books are waaay better than the movies and from my experience, my friends who love the movies have never read the books as opposed to us who did read the books and hate the movies. The movies don’t tell enough detail just from watching it. Like most movies, they leave out a lot of details and if you’ve never read the books you would think that your right on track. In no way am I bashing Twilight, I love it. But if you haven’t read the books, then your cheating yourself on the real story.
I am black, no kids, female and 32! I went to the film with to black males all over the age of 20 and another black female also 32! Met up with my other Latina female friends over the age of 20 and their lil brother who is 10! We all liked the film! Could it have been better yes, did I enjoy it? yeah cause I got to see the book I read come to life.
Living Brooklyn growing up books and movies was my outlet. Cause in a book I can image anything i want while reading its called escapism! Did that help me from getting bored to do dumb things that could have lead me to get knocked up or in jail? heck to “f” yes, so don’t knock the movie as something urban people wouldn’t watch!
I am total surprised by the review that was given for this movie..I am black and 34 and I enjoyed this movie very much. I got into the Twlight movies from listening to my co workers talking about it, but I am surprised by how much I loved the movies. I love the fact that it is about being in love (teenage love) and sex or cursing isn’t in the movie. I see so many movies, teenage programs, music by teenagers and its sex sex sex sex, and we back those movies and artist, but we can’t back a movie that is clean of all that because the native americans aren’t dark enough..There are many shades of color to a certain type of race..I have seen people who are native american the tone of Jacob in the movie.. The truth is that there are many african american people who do like this movie, unless you have went to each and every african american person and they told you “no” So this review gets a two thumbs down..
If you didn’t like it in the first place then why go see it. I 16 and black and I love Twilight. Obviously the movie didn’t suck becasue it was number 1 in the box office weekend. Who listens to Miley Cyrus anyway like she is any kind of role model. Kristen Stewart did really good of playing a depressed teenager. You should also keep your comments to yourself if you did not like it.
I think thtat you should keep the comments to yourself because I’m 16 and a black teenager and I love the Twilight Saga. This movie was aobviously good because it is number 1 in the box office. If you don’t like then don’t go see it. Also the moivie appeals to women so why wouldn’t they put hot guys without shirts on in the movie. the actors also did really good. Who listens to Miley Cyrus anyway she is not a good role model for anyone.
THIS REVEIW IS A BUNCH OF CRAP. I WENT TO THE MOVIES AND THERE WERE OVER 200 BLACK KIDS THERE AND PROLLI 100 ADULTS JUST TO SEE NEW MOON. I AM BLACK FEMALE SAW TWILIGHT AND COULDN’T WAIT FOR NEW MOON TO COME OUT.IF U NEW ABOUT TWILIGHT U WOULD KNO THAT JACOB WAS A WOLF AND THEY BODY STAYS HOT AND THEY TRANSFORM INTO WOLVES.EDWARD WAS PROTRAYED THE RIGHT WAY. THE MOVIE IS WORTH GOING TO WATCH AGAIN I SO LOVED IT AND ITS FUNNY CAUSE I’M NOT INTO THESE TYPE OF MOVIES BUT THE TWILIGHT SERIES HAPPEN TO INTREST ME.SO I ADVISE U CLAY TO NOT BE RACIST AND HATIN ON THEIR WORK.LETS SEE U DO A MOVIE AND SEE IF IT TOPS NEW MOON!!!
this movie was the best of the year they reaii did a great job i loved every momment of it it was hard to look away from not that i wanted to anyway i believe this saga will be just as great or even better then the harry potter series even tho i love thoses movies too but new moon was monderful i would go see that over and over and over again.
I’m Blacxican and have to say I’m TWILIGHT FAN…..and my color has nothing to do with it because when it really come to it, it’s a love story it’s a version of Romeo and Juliet… and whoever wrote the review… good luck falling in love, a TRUE love… Everybody loves Romeo and Juliet. My true respects to STEPHANIE MEYER author of the books I love her and have respect for her books. Try siiting down and stop thinking of stereotypical thoughts… and read Twilight and tell be you won’t drawn it…when you read…LET ALL OF KNOW THE REASON WHY THE BOOKS ARE NEWYORK”‘S BESTSELLERS…….love and respect for my fellow twilighters…..
im black 17 and loved both the books and the movies go twilight!!!!!
I love how the previous people decided to leave their “AGE” and “RACE” in order to make your review look retarded.
But I agree 100%, this movie was retarded and a waste of time. Basically the only people who would love the story are those who don’t get laid, don’t have a boyfriend, hopeless retarded romantics, so on. basically people with no lives and in depth intelligence.
Just because the “series” got “new york’s best seller” doesn’t make them a good series either. I mean come on now, the girl falls in love with a vampire.. vampire leaves.. vampire comes back .. impregnates the girl? I would love to see them make the last book of the series.. and how the teenagers react to that. How do vampires impregnate girls?
Anyways, I’m really disappointed in the people who like the series and the movies.. they obviously don’t have an ounce of intelligence in their brains.
* I don’t give a butt licking care that you got a college degree and you enjoyed this book, obv you didn’t deserve that degree
this is a blog. Most blogs are about ONE person’s perspective.
So this reviewer doesn’t have to consider what anyone else may think about Twilight. It’s his opinion.
I haven’t seen Twilight so I can’t speak about how good or bad it is, but my college education in Marketing tells me that this film is Definitely aimed at a certain set, no matter who ends up enjoying it or not.
I know I’m probably in the minority, but the first movie was boring. Even my 9 year old son was like,” is this a vampire movie?” The main two characters can’t act. I have to agree with the person who wrote the article. Their acting consists of squinted eyes, long stares and monotone monologues. Now this new movie does look better, but I will wait till it comes to video.
i love edward he is so cute
Read the books and hated them so I am definitely not going to watch the movies. I will stick to Harry Potter. The Harry Potter movies do leave a lot out but they are much better than Twilight in my opinion.
It was just an innocent movie. I’m glad that the movie had the absence of fornication, profanity, and everything else that the average movies today portray. Its a family movie that you can watch with your kids and you can bring your boyfriend/ girlfriend. Any persons who hate the movie because they didn’t get hot and horny are ignorant anyways. I’m not gonna state my age to prove a point its irrelevant. Really every movie has some type of secular (sinful) activity anyway so complain all you want about any movie. why does anyone waste their time watching any movie because we’re stupid little lambs in this world.
This review made me laugh! In a good way. I completely agree. I saw it last night, and me and my friends just laughed the whole time. It was so cheesy!! In the right hands, this movie could have been amazing. If you go on Stephanie Meyer’s website and see who she WANTED to play Edward, Bella, and Jacob, its depressing to see who was cast instead. They have ZERO emotion. Bella just stutters her way through the movie, and Edward his full of awkward pauses and creepy looks. And the ending????? Could it be any more of a lame TV show? Are they forgetting that everyone has read the book?
But judging by your feedback on your review, you don’t wanna mess with a twi-tard.
Loved the books, hate that its been murdered. Hoping in 20 years there will be a remake.
I am a 21 year old male and i really do like the books, the first movie was ok but new moon sucked even though it did have potential. I dont know why the whole movie had to be about bella crying when they could have put more scenes with jacob shapeshifting into a wolf not becoming a werewolf like the movie says…once again slaughtering a good book. The only good parts of the movie is the when the wolfs fight and when edward and the volturi.
Right on Sir. One of the most offensive movie experiences I’ve ever had the displeasure of enduring. I don’t care what effin color you are, if you liked this movie you are what is wrong with this country and a testament to the effectiveness of the dumbing down of general public through mass media and public schooling.
people don’t understand that twilight is a good thing thats happened to our generation if it was’t for twilight i would not even dare pick up a book as big as the bilbe and yeah i black so news flash it appeals to anybody