If I haven’t read the book,
(a) I might probably still appreciate the movie Twilight. But I might just see it once.
(b) I will find it definitely unnecessary to scream and/or swoon when some of the Cullens (family of vampires living in Forks) made their first appearance at the cafeteria.
(c) I will find it really, really odd why the Cullens are uberly white and Edward’s lips are so red.
(d) I might notice the missing link, somehow lost, why Bella and Edward are suddenly obsessed with each other and why they can never be apart since then and when.
(e) I would find it impractical that Bella went to Port Angeles just to buy the book about Quilete Legends wherein she can just google related things about that, just like what she did after buying the book.
(f) I would have unanswered points like why the Cullens decided to be vegetarian vampires (i.e. drinking only animal blood), why Rosalie is so unwelcoming of Bella while the rest of the Cullens approved of her, etc. (Please refer to letter F below).
(g) I will find the flying and crawling from one tree to the other and fighting scenes at the ballet studio entertaining.
(h) I will assume that there will be a sequel because of the ending.
(i) I might decide to read Twilight book (just like my officemates) after watching the film.
Because I have read the book,
(a) I find so many discrepancies between the book and movie. Though I promised myself I wouldn’t compare, it was the normal thing to do when you see it the FIRST time. In general, the book version will probably outshine the movie’s. How can you effectively squeeze 434 pages into less than two hours flick? However, what I’m concerned about is that the important points should not be omitted.
I watched the film again simply because. I just knew that I would do that. Especially when my fellow Twilighters advised me that it would be better the SECOND time. They were right. And at the third time, what I did mostly was to analyze their characterization, faces, etc. as described in the book. Though I didn’t picture out Rob Pattinson while reading Twilight, he IS so Edward in the film. I think he prepared well, like he isolated himself for a while in real life and his reading of Midnight Sun’s partial draft absolutely helped. He had felt and saw it in Edward’s point of view.
(b) I was so mesmerized when the Cullens entered the cafeteria one by one. It’s like seeing the characters in the book into flesh. I instantly knew who is who. (I didn’t really indulge much in reading the promotional interviews). Eric, Charlie, and Billy Black were a surprise for me. They’re much better in the movie.
(c) Though I am long oriented that the Cullens are vampires, I was still initially distracted by the make-up. It’s exaggerated, especially the super red lipstick in Edward’s. Eventually, I got used to it. Alice is the hippest for me.
(d) I believe that the biggest omission from the book is the build up of love and obsession between Edward and Bella. In the movie, suddenly they are in love with each other (appeared so rushed). But despite the omission of that essential part, the intense care and passion could have still been fairly executed if Kristen (playing Bella) did better. Don’t be mad. Yes, she eventually got into characterization. But not so Bella. She needs to improve her facial expressions and delivery of lines. Did you notice some of her lines did bear too much air? Saving grace is that Rob and Kristen look good together as Edward and Bella.
(e) It surprised me that Bella was using a Mac. In the book, she has an outdated desktop in her room instead. Wherein she researched about ‘vampires’ and not Quilete in particular. The googling included a search result about Danag in the Philippines. In the movie, that was omitted.
(f) Though I instantly found discrepancies and omission, I never had a missing link just because I’ve read the four books already. In Book 1 (Twilight), there were some points that kept us wondering, too, until we’ve found the answers in Eclipse in particular. So, don’t feel like there are too many inherent flaws in the film.
(g) To be fair, the movie was better in the sense that it has reduced the mushy lines from the book. Also, by reading we only imagined the hunting and the vampire’s speed and extra abilities. Here it was visually entertaining (flying, crawling, fight scenes, etc.). Most importantly, some characters came out as better in flesh (i.e. Charlie is so fatherly in a unique way and humorous, Jessica is not so bitchy, etc.)
(h) I love the ending and the pre-ending (i.e. when Jacob conveyed his father’s message to Bella to break up with Edward. I remember a group from the audience swooned. Haha. Team Jacob. Honestly, I can’t wait to see a different Jacob in New Moon. And Taylor (playing Jacob Black) is very good in delivering the lines. I think Rob has to improve his, because he inherently has British accent.
(i) In three times that I saw the movie, the audience consistently swooned in the cafeteria scenes, Biology class, Edward and Bella’s kissing scenes (why is it very short? I think they’re so concerned about the PG 15 rating), when Bella curled up to Edward while asleep the first time they kissed, and when they were at the mountains and Edward confessed to Bella, “The lion fell in love with the lamb”.
My most favorite part? The first day they decided to go on public as a couple. The few seconds scene that Edward put his arm around Bella while all the students in Forks High School were staring at them. And well, all those moments of brooding smiles that I was just imagining while reading the books, were perfectly executed by Pattinson.
The movie is good. It is not superb, it is not overwhelming. You may even get disappointed depending on your level of expectation (if you’re not too willing to depart with the book). It is entertaining. No question about that.
What did you think of the movie?
witsandnuts 
0 thoughts on “After seeing it thrice, I’d say…”
iluvgreen
First, hello to you jo and to the twilight shoes!
i watched the movie last night and it isn’t bad as what other say, maybe because i haven’t read the book so I have no basis of comparison but as always book is better than the movie. I find it so kilig, how edward is so protective of bella it reminded me that it is nice to be in love despite every obstacles, though you are right the movie had not strongly established how they become so in love and obsessed with each other. I’m bothered too with edward’s red lips and bella’s wearing one facial expression all through out the movie but in fairness the made me kilig, lol
iluvgreens last blog post..brought to you by letter H
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upto6only
hehehe so you’ve finally watched it. Yes, for those who havent read the book, the movie is great. But for those who have read it well, there is really a big discrepancy. There is a sequel na for the new moon. have you seen Stephenie?
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rhea
Waaaaah! Well said Miss Jo. I have a short list too of some of the discrepancies that I noticed in the film as compared to the book. Like when Edward saved Bella from the crashing van, in the book Edward took Bella in the hospital while in the movie he left her. Plus the first Biology class scene, Edward’s facial reaction was funny..its like Bella has a body odor 🙂 And I didn’t see the airport scene when Bella should have escaped from Alice and Jasper not while they were in the hotel. And also in the last part during the prom, Jacob should have told Bella the message during the dance not outside.
Like what i mentioned before, Bella needs to improve her acting..I don’t like her delivery of lines especially when she was at the hospital (the scene when Edward was telling her that it would be better if they would just split up), her acting was kinda over. And during their supposed to be kissing scene…it should’ve been a kiss, not making out. Haha. Aggressive pala si Bella! 🙂
My favorite scene was the baseball game! I love that!!! And yeah, I really felt kilig with the first day Edward and Bella went to school together as a couple. Yay!
Jasper is funny. Alice is pretty! And Carlisle is oddly beautiful (ang puti nya ha! nakakadistract!)
It was an ok movie. Looking forward to New Moon. 🙂
rheas last blog post..Achooooooo!
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witsandnuts
I think the airport scene was taken out to cut on the cost. I enjoyed the baseball scene, too. It’s interesting to see how the vampires play that they need thunder for a baseball game. 🙂
That kissing scene (in Bella’s room) was actually a re-take. The first one was allegedly toooo hot. In the book, that first try should have been JUST a kiss. With a too conservative Edward Cullen (that would very obvious in Book 3) and aggressive Bella.
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G
hello sis! good review of and reflection on the movie. 🙂 What i think about it? hmmm… let see…
well, would you believe it? I have yet to go to manila to see it! yup… 😦 🙂
Gs last blog post..Wil’s Tag
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G
i mean “let’s see”… lol
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kayni
i haven’t seen the movie yet, but i was smiling and thought of you when i saw a guy, in full military uniform, got off at the Pentagon, and clutching a copy of “eclipse.” i couldn’t take that image off my head.
kaynis last blog post..Alone Again…Naturally
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sheng
Jo, great comparison, uhmmmm, well, it was better in the movies yes, I enjoyed it because it was uber kilig, and what I only wore during that time I watched it was my 8 Twilight badges stuck in my bag and in my shirt, hahaha… Coolness, I loved the movie, I want to watch it again and again…
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ibyang
hi jo,
i just realized that Twilight will be showing here in Sydney tomorrow 🙂
for some reason, i’m more looking forward to the movie than the book. so when i learned about the movie, i decided to finally read the book so I’d know something about it. okay naman ang book, i mean it wouldn’t be a bestselling novel if it’s not good and i’m still excited to see the movie even if i’ve read a lot of reviews about it. 🙂
nice review you got here jo, a very nice way of comparing the book and film.
ibyangs last blog post..My Christmas Wish List (2008)
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kitty
hello fellow, twilighter!!! thank you sa bisita! nag enjoy ako dito sa mga posts mo lolz pati mga twilight archives mo, pareho tayo ng mga iniisip, tugma lahat hehe. hindi rin ako nag compare nag promise ako sa sarili ko di ako mag cocompare at maiinis kung bakit ganun nila kincondense yung mga scenes. grabehh read the 4 books plus partial draft ng midnight sun saw the movie how many times grabehh may twilight fever pa ren ako, kelan kaya lilipas to? natuwa ako sayo eh kasi dami talagang binago sa movie ano, natawa ako dun sa part na may laptop sya, akala ko nga dapat lumang desktop, yung mabagal pa! pwede naman mag google pero kinailangan pa nyang mag punta sa isang bookstore para sa isang libro, hehee. at saka dun naman sa movie na cut nila yung:
“this is wrong, edward! she’s not one of us.” by emmett, yung sa trailer lang pinapakita yun.
anyhoo, hindi rin ako mapakali nung unang nakita ko mga cullens na dumaan sa binatana para bang woooo hahahaa, kilig part when edward cullen came in *swoon* hahaa but yeah exaggerated make up! good Lord… bagay na bagay kay rob pattinson as edward, I love how he looks as a vampire, dangerously beautiful hahahha!
I agree, I can’t wait to see a new jacob black sa new moon, coz jacob.. I mean taylor lautner is still a baby, kelangan bulked up yung character, mas malaki kay bella diba? at saka si catherine hardwicke mejo she needs improvement sa directing skills nya, maraming points na kelangan sa movie, hopefully sa new moon maging mas ok at bigyan nila ng malaking budget dba? anyways, haba na nito, I just can’t help but talk with fellow twilighters hahahah…
kittys last blog post..twilight fever
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pinoycontests
Can’t get enough of Twilight? Here’s a contest to satisfy your cravings for Twilight stuff! http://pinoycontests.blogspot.com/2008/12/win-twilight-tote-bag-and-keychain.html
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