Friday, November 20, 2009

New Moon Director Chris Weitz Pouts As Barrage of Negative Reviews Rolls In Read more: New Moon Director Chris Weitz Pouts As Barrage of Negative Rev

When Summit Entertainment surpisingly canned Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke from New Moon in favor of Chris Weitz, who just so happens to be a penis-having dude, many predicted that the franchise would take a disappointing turn. Aside from the fact that the second entry in the four-part Twilight franchise features very little of Edward Cullen, that sparkle-chested hunk of lustful vampire meat, many feared that Weitz would not be able to tap into that same sort of "crazy in love" teenage-girl vibe that Hardwicke did so successfully on the first go-round. And now, with the nationwide release of New Moon less than twelve hours away (ZOMG you guys!), not only are prominent film critics like Roger Ebert and Kenneth Turan trashing his work, but Weitz himself has revealed that he might just trade in his director's chair for some Mr. Zog's Sex Wax and a surfboard.

Weitz has been on the defensive with this movie ever since the film's first trailer came out in May, which was when people first began railing on him for the general crappiness of his cartoony CGI werewolves. However, he recently conducted an interview with MovieMaker magazine that seems to indicate that he's just not cut out to make big-budget Hollywood blockbusters. When asked what he'd like to tackle now that New Moon is in the can, Weitz replied, "I’d really like to read some books," before adding, "You know, it sounds ridiculous, but I’d really like to be a better surfer. I'd like to learn to speak Spanish fluently; I’d like to travel around, live in Italy; I’d like to learn kung fu… It’s nice to make movies, but it’s also really hard."

Heck, we'd probably say the exact same thing if we read the following reviews:

"Director Chris Weitz proves that The Golden Compass was no fluke: He really is a non-master of action. His CGI werewolves, who look like they were designed by the animatronics crew at Disney’s Country Bear Jamboree, go at it in about three semi-OK bouts."—Kyle Smith, New York Post

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon takes the tepid achievement of Twilight (2008), guts it, and leaves it for undead. You know you're in trouble with a sequel when the word of mouth advises you to see the first movie twice instead. [...] Since they know it all and we know all, sitting through this experience is like driving a pickup in low gear though a sullen sea of Brylcreem."—Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

"A smooth professional whose credits include such adaptations as The Golden Compass and About a Boy, Weitz makes the vampire trains of Melissa Rosenberg's capable script run on time, but he almost seems too rational a director for this kind of project. This lack of animating madness combined with the novel's demands give much of New Moon a marking time quality."—Ken Turan, Los Angeles Times

"Firing Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke was a lousy idea, and so was getting Chris Weitz to take her place. I don't know what tricks Hardwicke used to make Twilight play as well as it did, but I do know that Weitz isn't nearly as good with this kind of material as she was. Twilight is to New Moon as Star Wars is to Return of the Jedi, or even The Phantom Menace. I mean, it really blows."—Vulture hero Jeffrey Wells, Hollywood Elsewhere

Pattinson Dodges Romance Question, MTV Says ‘New Moon’ Rocks

Robert Pattinson tried to dodge questions about his relationship with Kristen Stewart on the Late Show with David Letterman but did he give away more than he intended?

Letterman held up Harpers Bazaar magazine with the smoldering cover of Rob and Kristen. Robert Pattinson told Dave:

I‘ve been so cryptically avoiding this question throughout the entire press tour.
If you’re trying that hard NOT to say anything—the reason has to be because they are dating! Tell me I’m wrong!

New Moon Delivers
MTV says New Moon delivers! MTV has a spoiler-free list of reasons why The Twilight Saga: New Moon will meet fan expectations!

According to MTV, every returning actor is better in this film than in Twilight.

Most notable is Taylor Lautner — who displays incredible screen presence and physicality in his first true starring role — and Kristen Stewart, who perfectly conveys the heartbreak and insanity of Bella’s fractured mental state with every scream, sob and adrenaline-fueled wicked grin.
The look of New Moon has an epic quality:

This plays perfectly for a saga about centuries-old vampires and “Romeo and Juliet”-esque sweeping romance.
The MTV review claims that New Moon pays off for fans and sets up the story perfectly for Eclipse. Read MTV’s review of The Twilight Saga: New Moon.


Watch Rob Pattinson on Letterman, it’s funny—and we get to hear Rob’s accent. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=equReyVAanE)

Review: 'New Moon' a definite improvement

By LAREMY LEGEL
FILM.COM

From the start of the moody and brooding opening title cards you know you're in for a better experience than the last go-round. Director Chris Weitz has delivered a treat, a legitimate artistic expression on love, loss, and the obsessive qualities of initial attraction. Sure, it has a few flaws, but New Moon succeeds on a level that few films have this year. It gives the people exactly what they want, but with an artistic flourish. If you've read the books, it definitely works. If you haven't? I'm not so sure. It's hard to unknow things, and you won't find me speaking for those so casually dismissive of what's clearly a generation's love mythos.

Remember that first person you dropped an "L-O-V-E" on? The guy or gal who made you feel angry, sad, manic, and wanted all at once? That's the vibe of New Moon, the eternal theme of first love mined for maximum effect, the vulnerability and desperation that comes with caring about someone more than you could possibly care about yourself analyzed and laid bare onscreen. Weitz has tapped into that phenomenon here, and he balances well the feelings of suffocation and giddiness that come with the realization juxtaposed with the awful dread of losing it. When Bella is supposed to look distraught she does, when Jasper is in a scene he doesn't just scrunch his face up for unintended comical effect. The film moves along well, and there are real moments of beauty here too, a crow flying at a third the speed of a vampire running, delightful overhead camera work showing off gorgeous visual spectacle.

The plot (for those non-book readers hoping to read some tea leaves) involves a quasi-love triangle between Jacob (Taylor Lautner), Bella (Kristen Stewart), and Edward (Robert Pattinson). The setting is again Forks, WA. The supernatural takes center stage with werewolves and vampires battling it out for Bella supremacy. So then, Bella Swan and the gang are back, only this time they've clearly been given solid direction and are up to the task. They're asked to carry a ton of emotional weight, and they generally come through. Little moments about this film stand out, and the interaction between Bella and Edward feels a little more subtle, a little more nuanced. There's a moment early on where Bella reacts to something Edward doesn't say, a huge improvement from the monster telegraphs of the first film. The obsessive and seemingly limitless first love of your teenage years feels very well thought out, even if it's with a vampire, even if you happen to run with a few werewolves.

Chuck Klosterman recently wrote a strong essay (in his new book, Eating the Dinosaur) about ABBA where he discussed the song "The Winner Takes it All." Klosterman felt, within the confines of a couple breaking up:

"The individual leaving takes everything with them."
And that's heartily apparent within Stewart's portrayal of Bella. She's left with nothing, dispatched to a world that is all sharp angles and pain. Klosterman, in his essay, goes on to expose the fallacy of rejecting something you find "cheesy" on those grounds alone, pointing out that ABBA's lyrics and style set them apart (in a good way) from almost every band in history. Somewhere in there you can find an analogous comparison to New Moon. Those who would reject the cheese do so at their own peril because the message and concepts presented are ubiquitous and viral. People (myself included) respond to the material for a reason. Acting as though that reason isn't valid simply points to a global and shared hypocrisy, namely, that it's fun and easy to taunt the romantic and idealistic. But I'm not so sure there's any honor or joy in doing so.

Now then, there are three elements I have to knock New Moon on:
* Without knowing the source material this might be tougher to relate to. Having read New Moon it seemed extremely well executed, but I know not everyone will have that experience going in.
* Director Chris Weitz uses music to cover almost everything in the film, to the point where it's tough to say what's pulling on your heart. Is is the actors? The dialogue? Or the persistent and haunting noise in the background? As a sucker for music I don't quite trust myself with a film this drenched in tunes.
*There are points where the melodrama is a beat too long. For minutes on end things feel authentic, but there are a few cringe-worthy moments too. You'll know them when you see them, the audience I was with chuckled a few times when things went a little too far.

That said, this is the film you've seen in your head if you've read the books. The film comes by its earnest love in an honest manner, it does the work to make the characters relatable and dynamic. The notion of how we hurt the people we care about is fused tautly with the supernatural. The werewolves look great, and the slowed down (yet styled up) action clearly elevates the work.

There are people here who won't "get it." And that's fine. They don't connect with the stories, and this clearly isn't for them. But the movie looks tremendous, the dialogue works, there are numerous well placed jokes, the acting is on point. The fact that certain folks won't be moved is irrelevant as this isn't the way they relate, and they're too far past that moment of having your heart shattered into a thousand pieces. In a way you've got to envy them, as they've already taken the Death Cab for Cutie song to heart. For me? The film worked surprisingly well, and I'm interested to see the direction they'll take with Eclipse. So long as there are people there will be love stories, I hope they all feel as lush and lively as this one.

Add to favorites Examiner Bio 'New Moon' reviews - what are the critics saying?

'New Moon' reviews - what are the critics saying? -- Now that the hype machine is winding down for publicity for The Twilight Saga: New Moon, the focus shifts away from the actors a bit and on to the ever-important audience--both fans and readers of the book by Stephenie Meyer from which the movie was adapted and professional movie critics who will judge this movie with an eye toward where it fits with the hundreds of other movies they have watched this year. So, how is New Moon, starring Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner, doing with the the professional movie critics so far?

Well, so far, not so hot. At RottenTomatoes.com, a review collector, the overall score so far is a disappointing 29% out of 100 with 115 reviews counted. The movie fares a bit better among Top Critics at 37%. Here is a sampling of their comments (click on the link at each to read the full review):

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times:

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon takes the tepid achievement of Twilight, guts it, and leaves it for undead."

Nancy Gibbs, Time Magazine:

"Twihards will appreciate director Chris Weitz's faithfulness to the source text even as he improves on it."

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone:

"I can't comment on the acting because I didn't catch Pattinson, Stewart and Lautner doing any. They basically primp and pose through the same humdrum motions they did before."


Michael Philips, Chicago Tribune:

"Wisely New Moon brings back screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, who continues to prove she has a much better way with English than the author of the books, Stephenie Meyer."

Manohla Dargis, New York Times:

"The big tease turns into the long goodbye in The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

Ella Taylor, Village Voice:

"Alone of all the earnest players in this turgidly euphemistic melodrama, Sheen seems to grasp that the only way you can keep a straight face through this choked-up virginity is to carry it way into camp."

Claudia Puig, USA Today:

"Though an improvement over the first Twilight film, this sequel (both based on Stephenie Meyer's best-selling books) drags and sputters, even in scenes meant to be infused with passion."

The movie opened at 12:01 a.m. Friday, November 20 with many theaters hosting double-features with Twilight showing first followed by New Moon.

Critics have their say, to be sure, but audiences, in the end, have the last word on every movie, and they speak loudest through the money they put down to see a film in the box office. On that score so far, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, is rising.

'New Moon': The Reviews Are In!

It's Friday morning, and the opening midnight screenings of "New Moon" have come and gone. But it's not just devoted vampire lovers and werewolf fiends who got early looks at the film. Premieres and screenings have taken place across the country, and loads of folks have already been able to see this sequel to Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" vampire series.

Now, let's be honest, if you're a committed Twilighter, you surely already plunked down some cash for an opening weekend trip to the cinema and are counting the minutes until showtime. Or maybe you're sitting on the "Twilight" fence, unsure if all the breathless enthusiasm for Edward and Bella can possibly live up to the hype. Well, the "New Moon" reviews have flooded in to help you decide. Agree or disagree, here are what the critics are saying about the film.

Perhaps the most notable difference between "Twilight" and "New Moon" — aside from Taylor Lautner's new muscles — is the look and style of the film after a new director came on board the franchise. "Director Chris Weitz ('The Golden Compass') has crafted a film with visual flair and polish, particularly in the action sequences of werewolves vs. vampires," writes USA Today's Claudia Puig. "Fortunately, he is more sparing with the tight close-ups and swirling shots that typified 'Twilight' director Catherine Hardwicke's dizzying style."

And then, of course, there are the film's three leads. Not all critics were taken with their performances, but many gave them props. "Kristen Stewart is a little twitchy ('Can't she get through one scene without playing with her hair?' a friend of mine sniped afterward) but her antics and moody moping are perfectly appropriate to the troubled-teen character," declares Stephen Whitty of the New Jersey Star-Ledger. "As for her co-stars — well, they do exactly what they need to do, which is embody two separate kinds of wish-fulfillments for the fans. A newly buff Taylor Lautner is hunky, often shirtless — and very much the Bad Boy (complete with motorcycle and delinquent friends) every girl is warned about. And Robert Pattinson — all tousled locks and malnourished torso — has all the troubled anguish of the Sensitive Soul No One Understands."

Our own Kurt Loder was thrilled to see Lautner take over from Pattinson for the large part of the movie. "Last year's sensitive hunk, with his pasty face and glum, mopey demeanor, is no match for this year's actual hunk; and Jacob — vibrant, funny, and madly muscular — romps off with the picture," he says.

The supporting cast come in for especially high praise. "Michael Sheen takes a break from playing historical figures like David Frost and Tony Blair and gets to overact shamelessly as Aro, the head of the vampire council known as the Volturi," says the Boston Globe's Ty Burr. "Better yet, there's Dakota Fanning, God bless her, showing Stewart how it's done in one nifty scene as a vampirette with sadistic mental powers and old-school movie presence. Anna Kendrick also walks away with her one scene as Bella's tart high school pal, Jessica."

While many critics acknowledge how the film serves its base, they argue that "New Moon" won't hit home for those less familiar with franchise mythology. "[E]xpect this film to satisfy its fans," explains Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle. "Everybody else, get ready for a bizarre soap opera/pageant, consisting of a succession of static scenes with characters loping into the frame to announce exactly what they're thinking. Then they spell out their personalities for us. Here is an emotionally tortured vampire. Here is a perky, friendly vampire. And don't forget the vampire who is a dedicated physician."

So while not every critic may get the "Twilight" phenomenon, fans undoubtedly will. " 'New Moon' is not all love and hisses," says the Toronto Star's Peter Howell. "Although tangled romance is more the emphasis this time out — 'Romeo and Juliet' allusions are driven home like a stake through the heart — there are action set pieces designed to thrill genre movie lovers. They'll likely scare the daylights out of everyone else."