Breaking Dawn: An Intimate Epic Film

 

Today Mom and I went to go see "Breaking Dawn." I'm giving my review with as much detail as possible (or as much as I can remember), so if you don't want any spoilers, just skip this.  If you don't care either way, keep reading.  

My first impression was that it was fast-paced, but not quite rushed, at the same time.  And, if you are not into Twilight, you will not get this.  Let's just get that straight right now.

The wedding scenes were very good.  It wasn't just a wedding straight through.  It was cut nicely.  Bella's dress was beautiful.  Yes, I was honestly starting to tear up.  (Mom was like, "Are you crying?")  The speeches were funny, and fit the characters giving them (honestly, they could have done without Jessica's).  The honeymoon was okay; not as flashback-needy as I thought it was going to be.  

The Twi-nostalgia is still here.  If you listen very carefully to the music, you'll notice "Bella's Lullaby" is woven through the whole film.  During the wedding you see flashbacks from the other films.  

There were some very slight plot changes from the book, which worked out okay by adequately tying ends up.  Irina, one of the Cullens' "cousins" is still mad at them for the wolves killing her friend (this takes place in New Moon, and *should* be explained in pt. 2).  This was actually pretty plausible.  (In the book Irina completely skips the wedding.)  The filmmakers also switch around some of the wolves' story elements.  This still works in favor for the movie.  The wolves' voice-over sequence was kept very short, so this was one time where the editing worked in the film's favor.  One scene that actually was really cool was the nightmare sequence, which was altered from the book.  But it still gets the point across, and visually it stands out the most.  Really well done.

(I still wish they'd included Rosalie's "dog food" sequence.  Oh well.  We wait for the DVD.)  

The birthing scene was more graphic than I thought it would be.  At one point I was like, ewww.  From interviews I had seen of the actors discussing this scene, it seemed to me like the effects weren't going to be that good (in terns of the baby), but they were.  

Imprinting- Just. Perfect.  Exactly how I thought it was going to be.  Maybe someone read my comment somewhere. 

The ending- It was also perfect- just what we wanted. (It's another light-filled scene.)  I was like, yay!  The thing Mom and I both agreed on was that it left us wanting to see part 2.  In two or three weeks we'd like to go see it again to get stuff that we might have missed.

The parts that I'd hoped would be good, were good.  I wish they'd slowed down just a smidge, but it would have been worse if the movie dragged on.  All in all, I'd give it a B+.

My Breaking Dawn Wish List

Back in June I made a list of what I wanted to see in "Breaking Dawn."  So, a couple of days before the film opens, I thought I'd share it with you. 

A great wedding- based on what we've seen in the trailers and pictures, it looks like we're going to get it.

The birthing scene- maybe it could be, stylistically, like a flashback/life-flashing thing.  (Like when Edward's taking the venom out in Twilight.)

Imprinting- Maybe it could be in the same tone, just for Jacob.  (Think: the sequence for "Armageddon" when Bruce Willis detonates the nuclear bomb.)

The last scene- Bella opens her eyes as a vampire, close up.  (Like "Avatar")

And, while we're at it, let's talk about Part II...

Bella- Please, please have her as the confident, "I-am-vampire-hear-me-roar" wife/mommy.  Although, when I think about it, she's not really that way in the book.  But oh well.  

Bella arm-wrestling Emmett.  From what I've heard, we're going to get this.  

A "rock music montage" during the fight-training sequences.  

Call me crazy, but I've always thought that The Band Perry song "If I Die Young" would be a good fit during the Volturi confrontation just when Bella's about to send Renesmee off.

And.... this is one of my "goodies" that I talked about.  I'm pretty proud of it.  My other idea just totally bombed.  I've got the lion charm (for Edward), the wolf (for Jacob), and the stone is for Bella. 

Six Days to Go

OK, folks!  We've got six days to go until "Breaking Dawn"! Yay!  We got a little tidbit from the director that we might not want to leave right after the movie's over [all together now: Ooooh!].  He's been really great about keeping the fans informed during the whole process with "teaser" pictures and stuff like that.  One of the fan sites [TwilightersAnonymous] even got to see it, and gave a little review.  She (the reviewer) didn't give too much away, and it made me more excited for the movie.

The soundtrack came out.  I love Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years" and Bruno Mars' "It Will Rain".  I also loved the musical piece "Love Death Birth."  I have a thing about movie scores.  But that won't play on my computer.  Have to wait until the score's released next month.  

Getting my Twi-Goodies ready to go for the big day... I'll post pictures as soon as they're done.  And of course, I'll post my review. 

I do have one small gripe, though...  I've been to Hobby Lobby, been to Michael's... how come there isn't any Twilight scrapbooking stuff??

Cake Pops Bombed

This week I'd had the bright idea to make cake pops, after having some great ones at Starbucks. 

I guess there's a reason they have theirs shipped in. 

I used french vanilla cake mix with vanilla frosting.  One recipe I used said to use 1/3 cup frosting, so I did.  It didn't seem like enough, so I doubled that.  This was probably my first mistake.  I mixed the two together, let it chill, and used about a tablespoon of "dough".  You then roll them into balls, and let them chill again in the fridge.  Finally you dip them into the melted chocolate/candy, etc., and harden in the fridge again. 

The next to last stop was where I got frustrated.  (This is not a recipe for the easily frustrated.  And I get easily frustrated.)  I guess the cake balls were too heavy, and the candy coating was too thick, and when I *really* tried to dip the pops into the coating, they came apart.  (And yes, I pre-dipped the sticks).  I just finally gave up and rolled them- without the lollipop sticks- in the coating. 

They do taste good, though.  But they're kind of a hassle. 

Worst Movies Ever

"Down with Love"- This had Renee Zellweger in it.  I don't remember why it was bad.  It just was.

"Vampires Suck"- As you know, I am a "Twilight" fan.  And I'm sure there was a good way to spoof our Twilight love.  This just wasn't it. 

"The Fourth Kind"- This movie has an agenda against owls.  It makes the "Independence Day" aliens look like humanitarians.

"2001: A Space Odyssey"- This is *my* pick for my worst movie.  It could have been a good movie.  A movie that made sense.  My apologies if you liked this.

Autumn in New York- just plain, stinkin' sad.  I don't think Nicholas Sparks wrote this.  My apologies if you like Nicholas Sparks.  (Spoiler alert: He tends to kill off people.)

The Core- this makes Mom's list.  To me, it's not that bad.  I guess it didn't help that I watched this film once or twice during a trans-atlantic flight.  Just your typical disaster movie that kills its' heroes in "new" (if not drawn-out) ways. 

The Happening- Even though this is an M. Night Shyamalan movie, and I usually like his movies, you just can't make a movie about suicide and expect it to be good.  Major creep factor here. 

North- I watched this old Elijah Wood flick after a several-year "hiatus."  Unfortunately I remembered why.  The movie depends on stereotypes for survival.  Oh, wait, I guess it didn't.  Survive, that is.   

Deep Impact-  Also depressing.  It barely even tries to be an uplifting movie.  Maybe it's not supposed to be.  "Armageddon" was way better.

Twilight.

(Made you look.)

Abduction (AKA 3 Degrees of Taylor Lautner)

I saw "Abduction" this past week; it was pretty good.  Taylor Lautner was good in it; it was a fast-paced film.  I think he can hold a lead role (you know, apart from the Twilight franchise). 

Oh, yeah, speaking of.... they showed the "Breaking Dawn" trailer!  I was happy, as I was hoping to see the trailer on the "big screen" before actually seeing the film.  It came on *just* when I was about to leave the theater to inquire as to why "Abduction" was starting late.  It's a good thing I didn't leave; I would have been pretty mad at myself. 

I also got Taylor Swift's DVD "Journey to Fearless" and got my T. Swift overload until her live CD/DVD next month.  "Journey's" a really good deal- two (or more) hours of songs and footage.  I had originally seen it on the HUB network.  It's what made me a fan in the first place.  (She and Taylor dated at one time- hence the connection.)

If Hollywood Ran the Government

This entry was inspired from an article in Entertainment Weekly, called "Obama Asks Hollywood for Help."  So that got me thinking... What if Hollywood ran the goverment?

Ok, here's my lineup.  This is just meant to be a funny, tongue-in-cheek thing. 

Bill Pullman- He can be the President. We know he can do the job, and fight off aliens at the same time! (See Independence Day)

Bruce Willis, as Secretary of Defense.  Good at fighting crime and terrorism (plus he stopped an asteroid). Backup: Will Smith.

Meryl Streep, Vice President. (Two words: Manchurian Candidate. Countries would suddenly leave us alone. Like that.)

Surgeon General: Peter Facinelli, aka,Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Talk about a lifetime appointment. Backup: Dr. Quinn, aka Jane Seymour. If we need a board, there's the entire cast of ER.

Ben Affleck- head of the CIA. His achievement: stopping nuclear war at the 11^th hour. (See The Sum of All Fears) 

Anyone else have any picks?