Emotionally abusive relationship? Check! Shirtless boyos? Check! Must be a New Moon...

I was very pleased to attend the first day screening of New Moon yesterday... why was I very pleased?  Because all the Twi-hards appear to have attended midnight screenings across the country meaning that my session was delightfully scream-free.

Being my least favourite of the books, I wasn't all that excited about seeing it on film.  I won't sport with your intelligence by rehashing a plot that you can find with a simple google search except to say not a lot happens as it's mostly backfilling the Bella/Jacob relationship and foreshadowing the events that transpire in the 3rd and 4th books. But what a difference a new director makes! Okay, the fur-splosions still redline in the ridiculous zone but I did enjoy myself.  The film is looooong.... That said, the performances were good, the special effects were, for the most part, well executed and it has the right balance of suspense and mush.  The sparkliness is much improved and gone is the blue filter from Twilight.  This one has a warmer tone to it - ironic given the coldness of the subject matter.

I really liked the visual injection of Edward's character as the voice of Bella's conscience.  I had wondered how they'd illustrate that.  There were a few shots I really loathed simply for their lack of originality - e.g. the passage of time through changing seasons (come on... been done... so boring!) and lots of circular dolly shots gave me vertigo... or maybe I was just nauseated by the frolicking run through the woods shot.  C'mon, really??

However the issues of tacky lighting and art direction appear to have been overcome.

Kudos must go to Billy Burke for his (again) great performance as Charlie.  He really nails the daggy but adorable concerned father.

I will say that having watched this really laid bare the manipulative side of Edward's obsessive overprotection - Tell someone that you don't want them and then later tell them you lied to protect them and get defensive that they believed it so easily??  Total emotional abuse!!

Totally freaked at one of the early scenes when I had a pavolian reaction to a shot reminiscent of Gmork from Neverending Story. Still have recurring issues from that same wolf eyes shot and to see it repeated here means I am unlikely to put the bin out after dark ever again.

PS - Also enjoyed the montage of Victoria's escape from the wolves, Bella cliff diving and Harry's heart attack.  Very cool musical interlude and the right way to show speed without SHOWING speed.

PPS - I also suggest that putting when young actors in a scene with Michael Sheen, they better up their game!
xx