I have never seen a pop culture phenomenon as polarizing as "Twilight," and based on the reviews for the second installment in the series, "New Moon" is no exception. Personally, I enjoy the "Twilight" books. Yes, they're poorly written. Yes, they're extremely cheesy. But to me they are fun, escapist entertainment. That's what "New Moon" sets out to be, and director Chris Weitz's adaptation actually succeeds more than the book.
In "New Moon," human high school student Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) are just as in love as in the first installment. But when Edward's brother Jasper (Jackson Rathbone) almost attacks Bella, a guilt-ridden Edward fears being with him is too dangerous for Bella. Determined to keep her safe, Edward leaves town, where a broken-hearted Bella feels the sting of losing her first love.
Completely numb for months, Bella finally starts to heal when she grows closer to her friend Jacob (Taylor Lautner), who quickly makes it clear he's interested in more than just friendship with her. But just when Bella is getting used to supernatural beings not being in her life, Jacob discovers the legends that his Quileute tribe is descended from wolves are actually true (spoiler alert unless you've been living under a rock for the past few months) - Jacob is a werewolf, sworn to protect the tribe's land from vampires.
The change in Jacob sets in when Victoria (Rachelle Lefevre), one of the nomadic vampires from the first film, returns to Forks, Wash., in search of Bella, who she's determined to kill. Bella has to adjust to her friend's new-found identity, avoid crossing paths with Victoria and try to forget the Cullens, who re-enter her life in a dramatic way.
From a filmmaking standpoint, "New Moon" improves on "Twilight" in every way, largely thanks to Weitz's direction. Catherine Hardwicke's directing in the first film was uneven and the story very disjointed. The script borderlined on over-the-top cheesy even for "Twilight" fans, and the acting was wooden for the most part.
But with Weitz in the director's chair, the story is much more cohesive and the directing is solid. Gone are Hardwicke's unnecessary extra shots and the first film's odd blue tint. The book's trademark teen angst is still present, but screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg inserts enough extra humor to counterbalance it. The story moves at a slow and steady pace, but that's the way the books are set up.
Though the dialogue is still a bit cheesy, the actors seem much more comfortable in their roles this time around. The two standouts in the film are the hilarious Billy Burke, who plays Bella's dad Charlie and also stole the show in the first film, and the always wonderful Michael Sheen, who plays the creepy leader who enforces the vampire laws.
The special effects are also a huge step above those of the first film. While they're nowhere close to the quality of the effects of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," for example, they suit the film's needs. I was satisfied with the werewolf transformations, and the other effects look much less fake than in the first film.
Alexandre Desplat's score is a little odd at times but is solid overall, and the rest of the film's soundtrack is strong, featuring bands like Death Cab for Cutie, The Killers, OK Go and Muse.
In a nutshell, "Twilight" fans should find "New Moon" to be a huge improvement from the first film, while people who hate "Twilight" will probably hate this movie too. If you're one of the few people not on either extreme who was indifferent to the first film, I'd suggest giving "New Moon" a shot. Fans will be satisfied while the haters will continue to hate. B
The U.S. release of "Pirate Radio" has been delayed for months, and when it was finally released Nov. 13, it was dumped quietly at the beginning of awards season. So given its release date issues, I was worried the second film from director Richard Curtis (after 2003's "Love Actually") would be a disappointment. But though the film has its flaws, it's actually quite enjoyable.
"Pirate Radio," originally titled "The Boat that Rocked," is a period comedy set against the backdrop of 1960s rock n' roll. Mainstream British radio stations refuse to play rock music, and pirate stations like Radio Rock broadcast 24 hours a day from boats. When young, inquisitive Carl (Tom Sturridge) gets expelled from school, his mother (Emma Thompson) sends him aboard the Radio Rock ship to stay with his godfather Quentin (Bill Nighy).
Aboard the ship, Carl meets the station's popular DJs like flamboyant Gavin (Rhys Ifans), flirtatious Dr. Dave (Nick Frost) and rebellious American broadcaster The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Along with the rest of the station's crew, the men introduce Carl to the rock n' roll lifestyle.
The movie chronicles Carl's coming of age experience on the ship and the eclectic gang's day-to-day misadventures. All the while a conservative government official, Alistair Dormandy (Kenneth Branagh), tries desperately to shut down Radio Rock.
Overall, I really liked this film. The music in fantastic (ranging from The Who to Dusty Springfield), and Curtis captures the rock n' roll atmosphere of the 1960s very well.
Everyone involved gives great comedic performances, but the standout of the bunch is Hoffman, who, since "Capote," has quickly become recognized as one of the best actors around. He could sit in front of a camera for two hours with a paper bag over his head and I would still watch it. But the entire ensemble works well together, each character hilariously unique as individuals and as a group.
One of my biggest complaints actually has little to do with the film itself and more to do with its U.S. marketing campaign. The poster and trailers prominently state "inspired by true events." Elements are loosely based on actual pirate radio stations that existed in 1960s Britain, but other than that, the story is completely fictional. It's a great story, but it shouldn't be marketed as fact when most of it is fiction.
Another complaint is the film's running time, which at 2 hours and 15 minutes is a bit lengthy, especially for a comedy. It's bearable because the characters are all so much fun to watch, but it nevertheless feels too lengthy at times. The story is also a bit incoherent sometimes, but overall it's a fun time at the movies. B
What happens when you open the box? In the case of Richard Kelly's new film, you get a talented cast wasted in an uneven movie.
The latest sci-fi thriller from the writer-director of "Donnie Darko" and "Southland Tales" centers on Norma (Cameron Diaz) and Arthur (James Marsden), a married couple who are experiencing financial difficulties. One day Arlington Steward (Frank Langella), an ominous man who is missing half of his face, stops by their house to deliver a box with a single red button inside.
If Norma and Arthur push the button, two things will happen: They'll receive a cash payment of $1 million and someone who they don't know will die. Arlington tells Norma they have 24 hours to decide before he will retrieve the box, reprogram it and make the offer to someone else.
As Norma and Arthur try to decide if they could live with being responsible for someone's death in order to provide for their family, they begin meeting a number of strange characters who appear to be in a trance-like state, flashing them the peace sign with blood trickling from their noses. They discover nothing with the box is as simple as it seems as they investigate Arlington's mysterious employers.
My biggest problem with "The Box" is that it felt like two different movies. The first half is more what I expected from the trailer. The box is introduced almost immediately, so there is instantly a sense of foreboding and dread. There is a slow yet suspenseful build to the moment when Norma and Arthur decide whether or not to push the button, but that's when the movie takes a turn for the worse.
I expected more of an understated brand of suspense, more reminiscent of Hitchcock or "The Twilight Zone" (the same urban legend that inspired this movie was used in an episode of the series). It started out promising, but halfway through the film the story transforms into over-the-top gimmicks. The story gets progressively weirder and veers further and further from the more subtle tone established earlier in the film. People in the audience at my screening actually laughed out loud at the film's increasing absurdity.
Kelly showed such promise with the cult classic "Donnie Darko," which although it was extremely convoluted was also fresh and creative. Audiences go into that movie knowing it will be bizarre. But "The Box's" out-there second half feels out of place because the story isn't set up for such outrageously excessive twists. Its offbeat tangents come as a complete surprise, and as a result the story feels uneven.
Kelly seems to be turning into the M. Night Shyamalan of sci-fi - he had one brilliant film before heading progressively downhill with his follow-up efforts. Only time will tell if Kelly's next project will be more promising.
There were a few positives to the film in addition to its stronger first half. Marsden and Langella turn in strong performances as usual, while Diaz is decent except for her attempt at a Southern accent. The film also has a wonderfully eerie score courtesy of Win Butler, Regine Chassagne and Owen Pallett of Arcade Fire. And even though the film ends poorly, it does raise some interesting moral questions.
So what do you think about "The Box?" Would you press the button? Sound off in the comments section. C-
I'm a reporter with The Sanford Herald and huge film junkie. This blog serves as a means for me to combine my two primary interests: writing and arts and entertainment.
