The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Let me say, I LOVE the "Twilight" books. Like, REALLY LOVE them. I love to read, and I usually read the classics. I'm a Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, Bronte Sisters kind of girl. My friend insisted for two years that I should read "Twilight", but I kept thinking, "Teen vampire romance? Not my kind of book." Finally, this 29-year-old mother of three was on a flight by myself with some time to read, so I bought "Twilight". I absolutely DEVOURED it--I read one book a day until I had finished the entire saga in four days. Luckily, "Breaking Dawn" had just been released, so I didn't have to wait. The "Twilight" books are my absolute FAVORITE guilty pleasure--I love the fluff, the cheesy dialogue, the LOVE--all of it.

For me, "New Moon" really needed to redeem all that was wrong with the "Twilight" movie. After watching "Twilight" last year, I was SO disappointed. Catherine Hardwicke had just taken our beloved series and turned it into a made-for-TV movie. I laughed at all of the wrong places. How Bella and Edward fell in love was completely rushed. I could go on. Melissa Rosenberg butchered the book and everything that made me obsessed with it. Sure, "Twilight" was fun to watch because it was "Twilight", but the portrayal was so, so, so wrong on so many levels. My favorite book had been reduced to lines like "spider monkey."

WELL, "NEW MOON" JUST MADE UP FOR EVERY CATHERINE-HARDWICKE WRONG! FANS OF THE BOOK WILL ADORE THIS MOVIE. Edward actually smiles! The acting was SO much better, the visuals were stunning, and the dialogue was much, much improved over "Twilight". I honestly didn't want it to end. It stayed so true to the book we all love, and the little additions were perfect. I really felt like I was watching Bella on screen--Kristen Stewart was spot on. Every expression, every sad word was perfect. AND THEY SAID, "I LOVE YOU," something that was blaringly absent in "Twilight". Chris Weitz has made a stunning, gorgeous film that lovers of the book will adore! **I secretly wish he could remake "Twilight". This is what "Twilight" should have been!** This closet Twilighter was pleased beyond belief.

It seems like most of the critics' negative reviews have problems with the plot, the story, etc. Well, if you like the book and, therefore, like the plot and the story, you will love the film because Chris Weitz is true to the book beyond what I could have imagined or hoped for. This movie felt like it was made for the fans, so I can understand that if you're not a fan of the series how it may feel like a laboured effort to watch "New Moon". But if you love Bella and Edward **and even Jacob--Taylor Lautner was FANTASTIC in this!**, you will leave wanting more!

Chris Weitz for "Breaking Dawn"!

So personally I'm a fan of the Twilight books, and while this film is much better than Twilight (not that this is saying much), it still waters the novel down to the point where it's rendered a shadow of its "paper and ink self." I actually feel kind of sorry for Bella-the-book-character because her depression is portrayed as solely the result of getting dumped and, as several reviewers have already noted, is doused with all these teen angst themes when in the novel it's much more complex. She's a young girl who's always related poorly to most people, and Edward and his family are among the very few whom she feels on the same wavelength with; they've essentially become her family and she's already made the choice to become one of their kind one day, and when he leaves her she loses all of that and to her mind, it really is "like she had died." To me that makes her emotional state understandable within the context of her one-track mind and marked lack of cynicism, but of course all that gets glossed over in the film and it's just this blank character with no ambition other than to be with Edward in some way. What's more, Kristen Stewart's empty expressions through it all made me gag, but at least they were somewhat better there than in Twilight.

Still, I thought Taylor Lautner did very well in both films, especially for his age, and all of the actors playing the Quileutes more than made up for Bella's lack of acting skills. However Michael Sheen took the cake with Aro: he portrays the creepily manic, greedy, utter-know-it-all of the books to a "T" and for me his hysterical laugh when Jane failed to torture Bella with her mind was the best part of the whole movie. It has its good bits and its decent bits, but the script is crap and sounds even crappier to viewers unfamiliar with the novel, since for most of the cast the most clumsily delivered lines come straight out of it.

All in all, the film is an okay rendition of the book, but far too manipulated to suit the commercial preferences of ninth-grade girls to appeal to much of an adult audience outside the Twilight fanbase.

I wasn't expecting to like it very much but I found New Moon to be very nearly perfect, however I cannot speak to how the movie comes off to those who did not read the books. This movie is a gigantic improvement on Twilight. Thank you Chris Weitz! Can we re-do Twilight now?

This assessment includes, of course, accepting that the movie was 2 only hours long. We can argue around in circles whether the movie should have been longer, but in the standard 2 hours that it had, the movie covered everything that had to be covered. If you found yourself wanting more of a scene or an extra scene, what would you have cut to include it? I would have liked to see Edward smile more, see his sense of humor, and to have been reminded of how happy he and Bella were together up until the fateful birthday party, but alas there was no time. I will be very irritated though if we don't get a longer director's cut on the DVD.

My assessment also includes an acceptance of the source material as it is. The plot is the plot and if it's boring on screen to those who haven't read the books, I understand, but as a visual representation book, the movie was terrific. Also, as intriguing as Stephanie Meyer's characters are, there is sometimes a lack of depth to their thoughts and motivations which readers fill in for themselves. I thought that the actors did a great job filling in the details with the scenes that they were given which, in part, goes back again to the time restriction issue. Bella in the books is, to some degree, a blank canvas. While Bella describes Edward's every facial expression and tone of voice, she does not delve too deeply into herself as far as how others might see her. This is a choice that the author made and we are left with only what thoughts Bella chooses to share with us as readers (And I don't think that she shares everything with us). Kristin Stewart manages to give Bella three-dimensional life in this movie just as she did in Twilight. Kristin's Bella might not be the Bella that you have in your head but she creates a viable version of the character.

I, for one, did like the minor changes to the plot that were made. Most of them were done as necessity to summarize the plot, and I thought that they were well executed. One change in particular, however (the secret twist at the end) was a departure from the book, but I thought that it fit exactly with the direction that the story is going in. I actually thought (yes, this is blasphemy) that the end was an improvement on the book and a better set up for what is to follow in Eclipse.

Overall, the acting was much improved. Bella was still Bella, Edward was no longer shy and creepy, and our little Jacob was all grown up. Taylor L. was wonderful and captured Jacob's transition from a happy boy to an intense werewolf very convincingly. I was looking carefully for over acting from the three main leads but I didn't find any. At least nothing that was outside of the over sappiness of the books themselves. I actually found the blush worthy things that Edward says more palatable coming out of Rob's lips than I had when I had read them to myself. Here again is an actor breathing life in to a character and making those corny lines sound believable.

The supporting high school cast was still a bit silly but I think that the movie was playing to the younger crowd with them. There were things to laugh at but most were intentional and the book had it funny moments as well. However, the little house on the prairie scene (Alice's vision) should have been re-thought. That was painful and it didn't convey what it was supposed to convey anyway unless you happened to notice Bella's newly golden eyes.

Aro and Jane were great and Felix gets a bit more action than in the book, but overall the Volturi were not well-developed. The Cullens were barely seen and I didn't like Jasper's new hairdo but the story's not about them anyway.

I didn't like how the soundtrack was used in the movie except for a few songs that were well placed, like Possibility. Most of the others were fuzzy background pieces. And as a HUGE fan of DCFC and was very unhappy that their wonderful song was relegated to the second song over the credits. In my mind this song needs to be played dramatically as Bella runs wildly through the woods after Edward: EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING ENDS (Sing it with me folks).

The visual effects were great, not revolutionary but believable and that's fine by me. My only requirement was that the effects did not distract from the movie as they did in Twilight. This is not an action film.

So, in my opinion, the movie was well worth seeing.

New Moon had the benefit of a bigger budget, more action scenes, and more suspense. The same cast we love are back playing the same characters. Edward is still gorgeous, and thinking of what's best for Bella. Bella is prettier, more mature, and when her heart was breaking, mine was too. Jacob is looking good with a new body, a new haircut, and finds out he really IS descended from wolves. Alice is still sweet, Carlisle is still kind, and Charlie is still the loving dad. There are some great scenes from Italy, and the vampires really look like vampires.

BUT...

There are no special touches this time around. No cool blue lighting. No beautiful music. No Bella's lullaby, or flightless bird. No Robert Pattinson singing or playing the piano. No Stephanie Meyer making an appearance. No romantic, peaceful dreamy feeling. Also, there will not be any commentary from Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson on the DVD.


So if you loved the look, the sound, and the feel of Twilight as I did, then you might be disappointed in New Moon. I know I was.

In the second installment of the The Twilight Saga Collection, "New Moon," director Chris Weitz religiously sticks to author Stephanie Meyer's plotline to deliver a film of which fans--preteens, teens and Twi-Moms alike--will definitely approve. Others not of the Twilight persuasion may have a bit of trouble relating to the Bella/Edward/Jacob triangle as this film assumes you are already well versed with and feeling the magic from the books rather than pulling out all the stops to conjure up a little more multi-faceted chemistry between the three lead characters.

Weitz and screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg also assume that their audience is well aware of the various physical and mental talents of the Cullen vampire clan as no introductory synopsis of the goings-on of the first film is offered as a starting point for the plotline driving the second. Quite obviously, this is a film created for and by the fans as testified by the satisfied squeals of approval, barks of laughter and spontaneous applause emitted by the mainly teen audience each and every time they felt the film successfully reproduced the action in their beloved books to perfection.

As a standalone film, `New Moon' portrays a lot of teen angst. When Edward Cullen, vampire pretty boy extraordinaire, (Rob Pattinson's quiet smoldering mannerisms attempt to emulate a Rebel Without a Cause with a twist--he has lived long enough to understand the sad loneliness of an eternal life) decides that his continued presence in the life of his soul mate, high school senior Bella Swan, can only insure her premature demise, he and his family leave the Washington state scene of their established home. Left behind Bella is bereft, barely able to function, until amazingly buff Jacob of the Quileute Indian Reservation thankfully fills the theater with his blazingly white smile and more than adequate ability to manage whatever comes his way with a competent efficiency. Sadly, as much as she enjoys Jacob's company, Bella doesn't find him distracting enough--even without his shirt. Instead she orchestrates ways to filter Pattinson's archangel face back on the screen where thousands of teenage girls feel it belongs; the more reckless her behavior the more consistent his reappearance as some sort of swirling protective figment of her intuition.

In her novel, Meyer more than flirts with the theme of choosing death rather than living without the constant presence of your star-designated soul mate. At eighteen, just like Shakespeare's Juliet, Bella wants to know only Edward despite the fact that she comes from a broken home. Sweet to believe that in our world of helter-skelter emotions, short-termed relationships and finance breaking divorce that something so pure and iconic can exist for a lifetime let alone eternity. Those who have read the novels understand Bella's predicament and her idealistic uncontrolled drive towards an unknown from which she should run. From the books, we know that Edward realizes this as does Jacob who like an actual flesh and blood man desires nobility but selfishly wants for himself and his chosen woman the warmth and safety of his hearth and home.

Of the three film characters, the only one who is able to convey his motivation is Jacob. Look past the desire for the filmmakers to show off an attractive body with mega shirtless reveals and capitalize on his ability to infiltrate the dreams of a multitude of women as the ultimate American Indian Dreamcatcher. Despite some corny dialogue--not the fault of screenwriter Rosenberg as the clumsiest lines are straight out of the book--that did elicit some laughter from the audience, somehow Taylor Lautner manages to make a solid case for what he can offer Bella and her future. Yes, supernatural elements abound for this character also, but the promise of a good life with warmth and love is evident to the extreme.

Not so with Pattinson's Edward, although most of `New Moon's' story focuses on the Jacob/Bella leg of the triangle and the vampire hero gets less screen time. Perhaps, it is the desire for the filmmakers and Meyer herself to depict the chalky-faced, amber-eyed and tossed-salad haired mega-hunk Edward as an old-fashioned guy who for the most part controls his emotions with a stilted turn-of-the-century sensibility. I can rationalize Edward's actions and desires with regard to his Bella, but somehow, despite Pattinson's obvious beauty, I fail to feel any of the heat that I would associate with a modern day Romeo especially since Meyer's definition of vampire includes a rocklike coldness that unfortunately forces me to think of frigidity. (Check out Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo & Juliet--the exuberance of young love unchecked is extremely evident in the performances of the then young stars.) In addition, I sorely missed the presence of a key melody; there were none of the haunting strains of "Bella's Lullaby" by Carter Burwell that enhanced and reminded the audience of the moodiness of the lovers' dilemma yet reinforced their commitment no matter what.

Admittedly, if I were to choose sides, I would most definitely lean towards Team Jacob. Not only do I prefer the heat to the cold, I find Edward's pained expression and inability to seemingly relax--whether from his forced composure around Bella's blood-filled veins or his slightly stilted century old sensibilities regarding love and romance--a little off-putting. Part of the problem arises from the novelist's intentional misconception regarding what girls or women in general expect their men to say and how they desire them to act. Unfortunately, most men do not follow such a script and sadly the young adults reading such sentimental lines by these most quintessential young men will inevitably be disappointed by reality. Nonetheless, I, too, love a fairytale, one in which the damsel in distress is loved and protected without limits or self-aggrandizing reluctance by her knights in shining armor. For me, the warmth of fur far outweighs the iciness of stone, especially in the rainy northwest.

As for our heroine, Bella presents a mixed bag for me. In the first film and as warranted by the book's narrative, Bella has a reluctance like many teenagers to get involved in anything that will end in disappointment. She is a bit hardened by her parents' divorce, anesthetized by her disinterest in girly-girl activities and displeased by her innate clumsiness. In `New Moon,' Edward's love does not seem to have had much of an effect on her other than to further her insecurities and avoidance towards emotional disaster and push her into a fast decision regarding lifestyle choices that will reverberate for an eternity. Bella's subdued maturity--she acts as cook and housekeeper for her sheriff father--her smug desire to kiss Edward until he shudders with unrequited passion and insistence to join the Cullen clan suggest little growth. She is like driftwood moved by the Cullen and Quileute tides. Accordingly, in compliance with the abbreviated amount of time spanning all four of the novels and the two supernatural storms that assault Bella's natural defensiveness, Bella remains the same. Kristin Stewart's image conjures up an instant association with the Bella character. However, in `New Moon,' she appears overly manicured and stylized with her too perfect eyebrows, head-banded hair and lip glossed pout. Meyer's Bella self-deprecates with a much more relaxed sense of grooming despite the efforts of the well-meaning Alice. Without the first person narration, Stewart plays the depressed Bella with a mute melancholy that gets old fast. Indeed, it is amazing that the two attractive leads are interested in her at all.


Techinically speaking, the film boasts some great special effects. The Quileute wolf pack is rendered with great fun as computer-generated-images of massive bulk, expressive liquid eyes and frothy flawless pelts. The `phasing' sequences realistically convey the anger and angst of yet another brand of the adolescent coming-of-age made popular by the Smallville - The Complete First Season television series. Action scenes abound, as the audience gets spectacular bird's eye views to the supernatural occurrences that overshadow the normal life happenings in the woodland surrounding the town of Forks, Washington. As with all such stories, the plot is driven by threat: threat of vagabond vampires with glowing red blood-filled eyes trespassing on Cullen and Quileute territory and that of the Volturi vampire rulers who ascertain that the secret existence of their kind remains contained within a closed set.

Bottom line? Director Weitz successfully brings the second installment of the young adult Twilight saga to the big screen. However, his true-to-the-letter adaptation, at times, fails in the same way that the novel does--not in creating a modern look at Romeo and Juliet and then crossing it with the competitive love triangle found in Bronte's Wuthering Heights (Barnes & Noble Classics)--but in not really succeeding in creating a tangible feel for the chemistry between the characters. The overt cuteness of Meyer/Rosenberg's dialogue may work in offering a lighthearted young adult presentation of a melancholy theme that depicts an unsure girl unprepared for the big questions brought on by supernatural circumstances, but it falls short in its portrayal of the depth of the connections between the three main characters except in regard to Jacob's hot, out-of-control feeling for Bella. Recommended for the consummate Twilight fan.
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc"

I'm in my 30's and read the Twilight series. I am not typically a reader, but I watched the movie Twilight and felt like I had to know the backstory and the details... I was so hooked I ignored my family for a whole week while I blew through all 4 books. Twilight was not the best movie ever made, but for the budget, it captured the book's essence, and got people like me sucked in.
New Moon was a huge step up in film making. I was a little disappointed at first because of course I felt like there were so many important parts cut out or dwindled to insignificance, but honestly it just fueled the obsession again and I just wanted to watch it over and over...and I did. I'll agree that the vampire looks were campy and lacked their initial charm, but otherwise, the production was way better quality, acting was way better, and they preserved more of the humor that Stephanie Meyer portrays in her characters. New Moon stayed very close to the book and visually fulfilled all the readers' fantasies. I would have loved to see more of the Voluri, Aro was so amusing! I even really liked the Jacob Black thing despite I'm team Edward. So I say big thumbs up!
However... The major problem I had with this film that was so instrumental in setting the mood and provoking emotional ties to the film that Twilght got so right, was the music! Twilight's soundtrack and particularly it's score were phenomenal! The music sucked me into each scene and really provoked an emotional experience that mirrored the story and characters perfectly. With the exception of "Hearing Damage," New Moon's soundtrack and score sucked big time, actually painful to listen to at times! I was so looking forward to the music, loving it so much from Twilight, it was a huge let down. I really hope for Eclipse and Breaking Dawn they turn back to the original composers and make some better song selections.

Just got back from the movie I have to say that I was set to be disappointed, I was anything but. This was a fantastic movie and perfect representation of a wonderful and creative book. I re-read the book before I saw the move to remind me of what to expect. I must say that all the content was there, and Kristen Stewart was a wonderful Bella, and how can you go wrong with the very handsome Robert Pattinson playing Edward and Taylor Lautner represented the evolving character of Jacob, I love this cast. There was plenty of heartbreak and action for my favorite book in the series. I as an adult fan of the books can't wait till its out on blue ray and can't wait for Eclipse in theaters June 30, 2010. My husband even enjoyed it, that is saying a lot.

One: The wolves could have been BETTER!! NO the wolves SHOULD have been BETTER!!! Where's the guy who did the wolves from Underworld. Hell i'll settle for the guy who did the wolf in Harry Potter!!

Two: The soundtrack for this movie......REALLY? Did you NOT HAVE ANY idea of what songs to pick for this movie.

Three: The Quileute Pack.... Those boys/men could not have been any better. Although i never made above there chest, sooooo.

Four: The scene with Bella and Alice in the Yellow Porsche (which was vital in the book), was just plan sad. Well the part where she is SUPPOSED to be driving crazy fast, is just sad.

Five: Chris Weitz should have known that he was out of his league for CERTAIN parts of this movie and just been a man and asked for help. I mean when your out of your league, then your out of your league.....simple.

Six: I only went to see this movie ONCE, i figured i would just wait for it to come out on dvd, instead of wasting money in the theatre to see it. In other words i went to see avatar about 5 times instead of going to see New Moon. I thought it would have been the other way around.

Seven: I personally would have liked to see more scenes strait from the book. I did like how they added to the movie, which kind of made up for the lack of cgi(i mean really? i can't get over the wolves). The Volturi was pretty dead on, especially compared to the book. They added a little, but overall, not bad with the Volturi.

Eight: You are NOT going to like the ending. IT IS NOT HOW THE BOOK ENDS. Chris should have stuck to New Moon's (THE BOOK) ENDING NOT HIS!! Again, why Chris Weitz? Why?

Nine: OVERALL!!
I am a fan of the series therefore i support the movies even if they are not the best. I just hope Eclipse is better. I am the same way about the Harry Potter books and movie. I was disappointed with The Half Blood Prince, but i still bought the movie. It is vital when you have already started buying the series (movie or book). I feel the same way here. I loved Twilight, New Moon was OK, which means Eclipse better be AMAZING or at least GOOD.

I am a Twilight fanatic and have seen the movie at least a dozen times. This film is nothing like Twilight. I don't feel that Chris Weitz was a good choice to direct this film. It is really lacking the emotional intensity that Catherine Hardwicke brought to Twilight. IMO, she did a brilliant job and I didn't feel the same connection between Bella and Edward that I did in the first film. Honestly, wolves or no wolves...that's what it's all about, isn't it?

I also didn't like what happened to the Cullen's. They actually aged more than the humans! Only Carlisle and Emmett seemed like themselves. Rosalie looked terrible and the wig was just ridiculous. And what is up with Jasper's hair, and his voice?? I really missed the old Alice too. Everything about her seemed different and kind of strange. Not cute and perky like the first movie.

I think Taylor Lautner did a fine job as Jacob, and even though I will always be on "team Edward", he was one of the more positive things about New Moon. I really expected better cgi with the wolves, so was a little disappointed in the quality of the special effects.

The scene with the Volturi was very exciting and probably the highlight of the movie, but it wasn't enough to make me watch again and again like Twilight.

The Music was also disappointing, especially since the Twilight soundtrack was absolutely perfect and the songs were so well chosen.

I knew going in that Edward would be absent for a large part of the film, and knew that would be a drawback, but it was more than that. Again, I think it comes down to direction and the poor choice of using Chris Weitz and trying to get the film made on such a tight deadline. Quicker was not better in this case. I am certainly hopeful that David Slade can redeem Eclipse and bring the series back to what it should be.

I have gone to see New Moon 4 times in theaters, each time hoping that I'll like it... and I still walk away disappointed!! New Moon was all about heartbreak, being alone and then finding happiness again. I wanted to cry and die inside when Edward left, I wanted to fall in love with Jacob along with Bella (like I did with Edward in Twilight)... but I didn't feel any of that. The music doesn't move me to tears like I expected it should. When the trailers were put together, they blew me away (actually cried in the 3 second beak up clip!)... BUT, they were put together with the music from the first film. Carter Burwell did his homework, and based ALL of the music from Twilight around "Bella's Lullaby". It was mysterious, just like Edward, and created a feel for the emotions of the characters... In New Moon, the music is all over the place, and doesn't blend well with the script or the scenes. When the wolves phased and fought... I honestly felt like I should have been watching a cartoon (Like "Tom and Jerry" should have been chasing each other on the screen) with the corny music they put to it. Same with the birthday scene when Jasper attacked Bella, it sounded more like a cheesey horror movie. I was seriously BORED with New Moon. The script comes straight from the book, for the most part. The dramatic pauses in the script were way too long though... crickets were starting to chirp while I waited for them to finally spit out the rest of the lines. And the whole Jacob and Bella story was watered down BADLY! That's 90% of the book, and most of it was simply left out and rush through to make more "Edward" time. (He isn't in over 300 pages of the story guys... sorry, but get over it!) I wish they would have put Rosenberg on a shorter time limit for her script. She wrote Twilight in 6 weeks, she didn't have time to go back and change a lot of things, and it was so much better that way!!! The costumes were terrible (Alice would NEVER have worn the clothes they put her in!!), the contacts they used were more of a "cat's eye yellow" than "liquid butterscotch"... and the hair styles were just flat and all wrong! I will say this though... the CGI of the wolves was the best part! Sam could have been a little more realistic looking, but the rest of the wolves I thought were amazing!! I blame the poor music choices and rushed Jake and Bella story for New Moon being a HUGE let down.