The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1

Directed By: Bill Condon

Written By: Melissa Rosenberg (screenplay), Stephenie Meyer (novel)

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner

Rated: PG-13

MY RATING:  B+

Romantically wild and over the top fun for fans of the series!

Breaking Dawn Part 1 begins with Bella’s (Kristen Stewart) marriage to Edward (Robert Pattinson). Of course Jacob (Taylor Lautner) is not happy about the event and noticeably missing from the festivities. Later on their honeymoon Bella and Edward finally consummate their marriage. Defying what is known, Bella becomes pregnant which puts her life in danger and the lives of everyone around her. With the impending birth all bets are off, including the treaty, and it’s werewolves versus vampires. Everyone has choices to make in this film and you’ll have to check it out to see the paths they take.

Now I must admit that I am a fan of the series so my opinion is not completely unbiased. To be a fan of the Twilight series you have to put aside reality, good dialogue and sometimes good acting and just go on the romantic journey with Bella, Edward and Jacob. We know it’s silly but we don’t care and this time around I was not disappointed.

I wasn’t overly impressed with the wedding scene, visually or otherwise. Also there were moments when Bella looked as if she was terrified but yet she went through with it and we’re supposed to believe it was romantic. Um not so much. The honeymoon even got off to a shaky start for Bella (Stewart) but the scenery made up for it. Beautiful location! Then I was disappointed again when it came to the love making scenes. Not much was shown so they leave a lot to the imagination. But when Bella (Stewart) reflects on some of the moments with Edward (Pattinson) I thought it was beautifully done.  

The story really begins to take off however when Bella realizes she’s pregnant, 2 weeks into their honeymoon. From that point on I enjoyed the story and got a lot of what I was waiting for in some of the other Twilight films. The tension between Edward and Jacob (Lautner) was great as always. And I loved the werewolves! I think they do a great job capturing their essence!  The last 15 minutes of the film were the best and of course I won’t ruin them for you.

All in all it was one of my favorites of the series, maybe my favorite but I’m still trying to decide. Can’t wait for Breaking Dawn Part 2!

(Note to Parents: The scenes are very sexual and in my opinion more for children 16 and older.) 

I'd say if you’re a fan of the series then definitely see this one!

Eclipse

Directed By: David Slade
Written By: Melissa Rosenberg
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke and Xavier Samuel
Rated: PG-13

MY RATING: B

Finally, werewolves and vampires together, oh my!

Eclipse picks up with Bella (Kristen Stewart) finishing her senior year of high school with plans to marry Edward (Robert Pattinson) and become a vampire soon after.  She's also walking a fine line trying to maintain her friendship with Jacob (Taylor Lautner), Edward's natural enemy.  At the same time mysterious killings begin happening in Forks causing the werewolves and vampires to team up against this new threat.  With Edward and Jacob both willing to fight for and protect Bella, her final decision could do more harm than good.  But for now they must all get along to take down a common enemy then the saga shall continue.

Much better!  This third film in the saga was a culmination of what the first two were building on and I enjoyed the payoff.  This one offered lots more tension within the love triangle between Bella (Kristen Stewart), Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner).  The gloves came off and all cards on the table, leaving Bella with a choice to make.  It's getting good!  The action was brought back to the story too!  This time there was a nice battle amongst werewolves and vampires.  I never get enough of the effects used to create the hulking, menacing werewolves either!  It was also helpful to learn the backstories of Jasper (Jackson Rathbone) and Angela (Christian Serratos), they added more depth to the story. 
Then of course there was the addition of the "newborns," humans newly transformed into vampires, and they proved to be great adversaries in this third film.  I pretty much enjoyed this one all the way through.  I did feel like the love triangle was a bit over the top but I guess that's to be expected from a vampire romance.  I just feel like not too many people would put up with the things that Jacob did but I understand Edward (Pattinson) at the same time. 
Overall I really enjoyed this one and Twilight redeemed itself after New Moon.  Still Team Jacob!

So I'd say definitely check this one out!

New Moon

Directed By: Chris Weitz
Written By: Melissa Rosenberg
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and Billy Burke
Rated: PG-13

MY RATING: C-

Second time around, disappointing.

New Moon picks up with Bella (Kristen Stewart) preparing to celebrate her 18th birthday.  So the Cullens throw Bella a small birthday party at their house.  This proves to be a bad idea.  During the party Bella accidentally cuts herself throwing Jasper (Jackson Rathbone) into a blood thirsty rage that threatens her life.  Of course Edward (Robert Pattinson) is there to protect her but the event is cause for concern for the Cullens.  Bella is assured it was a one time incident but Edward takes precautions and he and his family decide to leave town ... and Bella.  With Edward gone, Bella falls into a deep depression that only the companionship of Jacob (Taylor Lautner) can break.  Just as she and Jacob get closer he begins to act strange and disappears on her too.  Later Bella learns that his secret is a family lineage of werewolves which is passed down to him.  She decides to stick by her friend, whom she's now come to depend on.  Then Victoria (Rachelle Lefevre) returns for revenge leading Edward to take drastic measures for his true love, Bella.  This begins the infamous love triangle.  Whose side are you on? 

Sad to say but I was let down by this one.  I mean it wasn't a total bust, the werewolves were definitely worth seeing but there wasn't much else.  I'm sorry but the entire middle section of the film just dragged.  Maybe it reads better in the novel but on screen I didn't want to watch Bella's (Kristen Stewart) depression drag on and on.  It just wasn't the same without the vampires, especially Edward (Robert Pattinson).  Also the dialogue was even more ridiculous this time around.  I laughed a lot at the sheer silliness of the things that were said.  I actually felt too old to be watching this movie.  However I certainly peeked at Taylor Lautner's abs.  Other than the eye candy and the werewolves, things did not pick back up until the end of the film.  I know the relationship between Bella and Jacob had to be established but it just wasn't as fascinating as the one that bloomed with Edward. 
All in all it's worth seeing to stay on top of the growing Twilight story but the first one was definitely better. 

So I'd say see it so you keep up with the story but there's no rush.

Twilight

Directed By: Catherine Hardwicke
Written By: Melissa Rosenberg (screenplay) and Stephanie Meyer (novel)
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Taylor Lautner and Cam Gigandet
Rated: PG-13

MY RATING: B

I'm sure the book is way better but this first film is sure to please as well.

In this first Twilight movie Bella (Kristen Stewart) moves to the town of Forks, Washington to live with her dad, Charlie.  She starts high school and learns about a strange group of pale faced foster siblings known as the Cullens.  One in particular, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) is mysterious and sexy and catches Bella's eye.  She's told not to waste her breath however because the Cullens pretty much keep to themselves.  Fate takes over putting Edward and Bella side by side in biology class and it becomes apparent that Edward has a reaction to Bella too.  An event draws them closer until they cannot deny their chemistry for one another.  But Bella (Stewart) notices things about Edward (Pattinson) that lead her to question his existence.  She digs deeper, does some research and realizes she's not dealing with a mortal man but instead a vampire.  The two become entangled and fall head over heels in love which puts everyone at risk.  The question then becomes, can a human and a vampire have a relationship without anyone getting hurt?

Now when I saw this film I was not trying to become a Twihard and only wanted to see what all the hype was about.  I got roped in by the publicity but this first film actually kept me interested.  I got drawn into the character of Bella (Kristen Stewart) and wanted to see how her life would change in the town of Forks.  So by the time the weird Cullens were introduced I was just as intrigued as Bella.  When Edward (Robert Pattinson) walked in I was mesmerized by him as well.  Sure things get weird for awhile but you're along for the ride, waiting to see what's going to happen next.  The music takes you away as well and keeps you on the journey.  Then there's action too!  A trio of nomadic vampires enter the town and they are not there to play nice.  They definitely gave me what I was looking for!  But of course Twilight is mainly known for the romance between Bella and Edward and this film was a great introduction to that.  Yes it's hard to relate to their whirlwind romance but we're not dealing with ordinary circumstance. 
I mean this is just the type of film that you either fall in love with or you hate it.  Nothing about it is realistic so you can't be too critical.  Also all of the human characters are supposed to be teenagers so don't expect the best dialogue.  Leave that to the ancient vampires.  I think this is a nice, youthful, romantic, vampire love story set against beautiful scenery with some pretty good effects added in. 
At the end of the day after seeing this film I hate to admit it but I'm now a Twilight fan.  Team Jacob!


So I say if you're into romance and vampires then definitely check this out!

Jumping the Broom

Directed By: Salim Akil   
Written By: Elizabeth Hunter and Arlene Gibbs
Starring: Paula Patton, Laz Alonso, Angela Bassett and Loretta Devine
Rated: PG-13

MY RATING: B +

Surprisingly good!

Jumping the Broom begins with Sabrina Watson (Paula Patton) at the end of a relationship with a no-good man.  She vows not to give up her goodies again until she meets the man she's going to marry.  So she prays to God to send her a clear sign when she meets the next man who's "the one." Enter Jason Taylor (Laz Alonso), a handsome, successful, great guy who sweeps Sabrina off of her feet.  After six months of dating, Sabrina accepts a job offer that will relocate her to China.  Jason doesn't want to lose her so he proposes and she says yes.  Now it's time to prepare for their wedding and bring the Taylors and the Watsons together for the first time on Martha's Vineyard.  Sabrina's family comes from wealth and her mom, Mrs. Watson (Angela Bassett) is very pretentious and snooty and dead set on having their wedding go perfectly.  But she's up against Mrs. Taylor (Loretta Devine), the blue collar worker who's overprotective of her only son Jason (Alonso) and not happy about the rushed nuptials.  Bringing the two families together proves to be very interesting and even unlocks a family secret that could jeopardize the big day. 

Let me say I was pleasantly surprised by this one!  It got off to a little bit of a shaky start for me when we were introduced to Sabrina (Paula Patton) and Jason's (Laz Alonso) relationship.  We were just thrown into one of their date nights and the next thing you know he's proposing.  I would have liked a little more background on their relationship but once the wedding weekend begins all is forgiven.  Also Paula Patton's acting started off too fairy tale princess-y for me.  All she needed in the beginning was a ball gown and a wand.  But like the plot, she smoothed out once the initial setup was done.
Angela Bassett was great as the bougie mother, Mrs. Watson and just perfect for the part!  Of course Lorette Devine was not to be messed with either as Mrs. Taylor!  The best scene between the two of them occurred during the wedding rehearsal dinner.  Great dialogue and verbal sparring between the two of them!  But I will say I was surprised by how funny this movie was!  I was cracking up!  Of course Mike Epps who played Willie Earl, was responsible for the majority of my laugh out loud moments.  But I also thought he did a good job as the wise uncle who could put Mrs. Taylor (Devine) in her place. 
Overall this was a sweet story with morals and values.  I loved that Sabrina (Patton) and Jason (Alonso) were abstaining from sex until they were man and wife, a great example needed these days.  Also Jason was a true gentleman which we don't always see but I'd love to see more of ... especially sexy ones like Laz Alonso. 

I was very entertained by Jumping the Broom and would actually watch this one again!         
 
So I'd say see it!

How Do You Know

Directed By: James L. Brooks
Written By: James L. Brooks
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson and Jack Nicholson
Rated: R

MY RATING: C-

How do you know when you're in love?  Not by watching this film.

In this newest James L. Brooks film Reese Witherspoon plays Lisa, a softball player on the USA olympic womens softball team.  After helping her team win a gold metal she is cut from the team because of her age.  She also starts dating Matty (Owen Wilson), a cocky, womanizing star baseball player.  Meanwhile businessman George (Paul Rudd) is dealing with legal problems at his father's (Jack Nicholson) company and a recent breakup.  One of Lisa's teammates had given George (Rudd) Lisa's number so he decides to give her a call and she finds herself in a love triangle.  Now she must figure out "How Do You Know."

I was so looking forward to this film because it's written and directed by James L. Brooks who also did As Good As It Gets, one of my all time favorite films.  But it was no where near on that level, even with Jack Nicholson.  The dialogue was great!  Brooks has a way with the english language but as a romantic comedy the romance fell very short for me.  I don't know what it was but something was missing for me.  There was no chemistry between Reese Witherspoon and her two leading men (Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson).  The guys were great!  Paul Rudd's character reminded me of his role in Clueless, I just loved him.  He was adorable and his usual funny self.  Owen Wilson was no surprise either and stole the show delivering some of the funniest moments.  But I wasn't a fan of the Lisa character Reese Witherspoon played.  She was emotionless throughout the entire film.  By the end I didn't think she needed to be with anyone and actually could use some therapy.  George (Rudd) was too good for her and Matty (Wilson) was too much of a jerk.  So what did I enjoy about this film?  Again, the dialogue, Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson.  But as far as romantic comedies go, this would be towards the bottom of my list.  I can't say that I would watch it again but it held my attention enough the first time around.

So I'd say eh this is one you can wait for t.v. to see if nothing else is on.

Beastly

Directed By: Daniel Barnz
Written By: Daniel Barnz
Starring: Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Hudgens, Neil Patrick Harris, Lisa Gay Hamilton & Mary-Kate Olsen
Rated: PG-13

MY RATING: C+

This is a modern day take on Beauty and the Beast for the teenagers of the 21st century.
In this version high school student Kyle (Alex Pettyfer) is very arrogant and egotistical and believes looks are everything.  He's the most popular in his school and treats everyone as a means to an end.  Despite rumors that one student named Kendra is a witch (Mary-Kate Olsen) he treats her like dirt anyway and she gets revenge.  At a school dance she puts a curse on Kyle (Pettyfer) that makes him "beastly" looking.  She tells him that he has one year to get someone to fall in love with him and tell him they love him or he'll be stuck with his new gruesome looks forever.  As a result Kyle goes into hiding.  He wanders the streets at night and one night spots a girl from school named Lindy (Hudgens) who he's suddenly taken with.  He follows Lindy home where she gets involved in an altercation between her father and two muggers.  Her father shoots and kills one guy and the other promises to have his revenge.  Kyle steps in and offers to hide and protect Lindy and her father agrees.  So Lindy (Hudgens) stays with Kyle (Pettyfer) believing he's a friend of her father's along with Kyle's maid (Lisa Gay Hamilton) and blind tutor (Neil Patrick Harris).  Now the clock is ticking for Kyle to get Lindy to fall in love with him before it's too late.     

This movie was predictable of course but it was also sweet, sappy and romantic.  I wasn't crazy about the beginning but luckily that didn't last more than 10 minutes into the film.  Director and Writer Daniel Barnz did a good job of quickly getting to the meat and potatoes of the story.  Beastly is like a watered down version of Twilight sans the vampires and werewolves of course.  Yes the reason for Lindy (Hudgens) to be trapped in the house with Kyle (Pettyfer) is pretty ridiculous but once you get past that you can enjoy this movie.   
Neil Patrick Harris brings humor and wit to the film as Will, Kyle's tutor but his blindness wasn't a hundred percent believable.  Sorry but he's no Al Pacino.  Same goes for Lisa Gay Hamilton, hit and miss.  She definitely delivers the heart and maternal guidance as Zola but her island accent went in and out.
Beastly was a little sluggish in the middle but other than that it was pretty good.  I loved the make-up job they did on Alex Pettyfer and I surprisingly liked a lot of the dialogue in the script. 

Overall I think tweens and teens will like this film and it has a good message.  Women who love romance novels and other sappy love stories will also enjoy this one.  Men if you're forced to watch this with your girlfriend or wife ... I'm sorry. 

This is one to catch on t.v.

Letters to Juliet

Directed By: Gary Winick
Written By: Jose Rivera and Tim Sullivan
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Egan and Gael Garcia Bernal
Rated: PG

MY RATING: C +

Amanda Seyfried plays Sophie, a researcher and writer on vacation in Italy who stumbles upon an unanswered "letter to Juliet" that captures her heart.  Sophie becomes determined to find the two lovers in the letter to see where life has taken them.  She's joined on vacation by her inattentive fiance who's too wrapped up in his love for cuisine that he doesn't mind her setting off on her own adventure.  Charlie (Christopher Egan), now in Italy with his grandmother because of Sophie's interference, finds Sophie (Seyfried) and tries to convince her to leave well enough alone.  However Sophie makes her way to his grandmother Claire (Vanessa Redgrave) and they immediately have a connection.  Claire tells Sophie of her plans to find her long lost love Victor, and the three set off on a road trip around Italy to help Claire find her true love.  Naturally there's nothing like a road trip to bring two people closer together, despite Charlie and Sophie's attempts to avoid their chemistry.  In the end, who will find true love?

With a backdrop like Italy who cares about the rest!  Such a beautiful place and it immediately sets the right tone.
Letters to Juliet was a cute little film though!  "Cute" meaning it had a "they lived happily ever after" ending and nothing too complicated in between.  It had the usual predictability but very few romance films are surprising these days.  But we're not looking for suspense are we ladies?  We want romanticism, beautiful lines spoken by the lead actor that make you say "awww" and of course lots of chemistry.
Letters to Juliet got the job done but I wouldn't put it at the top of my list.
I loved Vanessa Redgrave in her role but I also just love her.  She puts you at ease so for her to play the sweet, passionate, laid-back grandmother in search of her long lost true love, it was a perfect fit.  Such a sweet story!  Then she's joined by her handsome grandson Charlie, played by Christopher Egan, who's her protector and companion.  I was wondering where did this charming actor come from?!  Mmm mmm!  He did a great job as the cynical but kind-hearted leading man.  Hell I fell in love with him!
But Amanda Siegfried, I'm not sure why but I'm not a huge fan of hers.  For her to be an actress she comes across very emotionless a lot of the time.  There were moments between her character Sophie and Charlie where I wanted to shake her to get a bigger smile out of her.  She's cute and has the big doe eyed thing going on but that's about it for me.  I'm not quite sure what makes her such a great actress, sorry.  I feel like someone else could've done a better job with the role.  Nonetheless I was still able to enjoy the movie.  Nothing was bad about it but it wasn't terribly impressive either.  It was very simple, sweet and cute.  The locations were beautiful and they all lived happily ever after.  Bellissimo!

So I say check this one out but there's no rush.

Love and Other Drugs

Directed By: Edward Zwick
Written By: Charles Randolph and Edward Zwick
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Oliver Platt and Hank Azaria
Rated: R

MY RATING: A -

Funny, romantic, sexy.

Love and Other Drugs follows a womanizer named Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal) as he enters the pharmaceutical sales world and uses his charm to succeed.  Along the way he meets Maggie (Anne Hathaway) who's a solitary free spirit.  They decide that putting their two personalities together will be the perfect recipe for a no strings attached relationship.  Of course they realize things aren't so simple and end up on an emotional roller coaster that leads the two of them to grow up and face life and love head on.   

What a nice story!  Very well written!  I like what the Writers did using the pharmaceutical industry and pitting it against the patient.  What happens when a pharmaceutical rep falls in love with someone who relies on drugs to fight their illness?  Very fascinating! 
 Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway were great together!  Boy was there chemistry between the two of them!  They had some hot, hot scenes!  Don't expect a timid Anne Hathaway this time around.  She certainly showed versatility and much more strength and vulnerability.
Everyone was great in their roles.  I laughed out loud quite a few times.  Of course comedy giants, Oliver Platt and Hank Azaria as expected were good and added nice flavor to the film.  I was even surprised that Azaria took more of a backseat role and didn't steal the show like he normally does.  Also pleasantly surprising was actor Josh Gad who played Gyllenhaal's brother in the film.  He provided the majority of my laugh out loud moments.
Oh and Gyllenhaal delivers a speech at the end of the film that'll just melt your heart, ladies. 
This was my kind of movie for sure!  Love and Other Drugs shows how love can evolve in the real world.  Sometimes the niceties aren't there but you learn to wade through the muck together.  Yes the endings are sappier in the movies but we wouldn't have it any other way. 

This is a film I'd surely like to see again!

So I say see it, you'll enjoy it!