Filmfeline

by Chinny Bini

I’m not going to wait until Breaking Dawn to review the Twilight Saga. I waited long enough! 

Any Twi fans out there? Ha! I am, of course, joking! $30mil opening night for Eclipse pretty much says you folks are die hard fans. Count me in. I am one of you!

Directed by the talented Catherine Hardwicke, inventive Chris Weitz and the latest, Eclipse, by David Slade, brilliant  in action and dark mood on screen. Melissa Rosenberg’s three scripts, based on Stephenie Meyer’s work, steal our hearts with a timeless love story of Edward and his Bella. Yes, Stephanie Meyer can write and she not only conjured up a truly beautiful story, she also found an untapped market, but I don’t think the books are a literary masterpiece (from a technical point of view). The work is popular. It made a lot of money, because the ‘right’ kind of demographic took to it, therefore, anything Twilight is admired.  It’s not great literary work, but it’s a fabulous story. Even I, an absolute Shakespeare freak, am a fan. Fantasy has never been hotter. It’s ‘in‘ to be undead. Sugary, glistening in the sun, ice cold skin is hip. Werewolves are cool. Undying love that transcends all rules the world. Then again, it always has.

Twilight is for all ages. Twilight is R & J of the new millennium. New star crossed lovers have arrived. As beautiful as Romeo and Juliet may be, Twilight is easier to understand. Many can learn to recite Shakespeare’s work, but few truly understand the meaning of the beautiful prose that lies beyond the words. Perhaps words aren’t everything. Twilight is emotion, passion, love that transcends, a bond that is unbreakable. Words are not necessary. These films are very well cast, the cgi is amazing, I applaud the art department and the action, especially in Eclipse, is very nice. Even tough there may be a love triangle, the love story carries Twilight Saga to victory. Twilight is beautiful. My reviews are straightforward and honest; I must say I honestly love this story.

Bella Swan is uncoordinated and clumsy. She is not the most beautiful girl in school and she’s not even the smartest, but Kristen Stewart is idolized by young girls all over the world. It is her love for her character that shines through on screen. Stewart is an great performer, even with that - come on and beat it out of me – way of speaking. Working with fabulous actors like Meg Ryan and Jodie Foster in her childhood years, Stewart learned from the best in the biz.

Bella is in love with two magical creatures, a vampire and a werewolf. Robert Pattinson is what Dracula should look like; captivating and alluring. The first ten seconds of his screentime prove it. The great thing about him is that this kid can truly act. First, he proved himself as Salvatore Dali, then in How to Be, playing an awkward teenager begging for attention. Most of all, in his latest film, Remember Me, Pattinson truly captures the inner struggle of his character exposing his emotions for everyone to see. Bella loves Edward, the bloodsucking seventeen year old vampire who’s been seventeen ‘for a while’. Their love is unconditional. Not even Jacob, her dear friend, can brake that bond. Team Edward or team Jacob? I myself have a very hard time thinking of Taylor Lautner as a sex object, since I’ve seen him at martial arts tournaments, when he was just a little boy kicking butt for team Paul Mitchell. I study traditional, non competitive martial arts, but I attend some tournaments to cheer on my faves. The wolf pack’s little BooBoo Stewart is another martial artist. Their skills must have come to good use on Twilight Eclipse. I wish screen time allowed for more than the forty scenes of a 120page film script. I would have loved to have seen more of Rosalie’s story, Alice, Esme…Edward’s life before he was turned.

The Volturi are truly captivating and Dakota Fanning plays Jane well. I strongly urge you to see the Runaways, where both Dakota and Kristen deliver top caliber performances. In New Moon, Edward leaves his love, to give her a chance at a normal life. They both realize that it’s an impossible task. Jacob never stops fighting for Bella, but in Eclipse, it is clear to him that Bella can’t be more than a friend, a friend who cares for him very deeply, but not deeply enough to leave Edward.

The Jacob and Bella scenes were very emotional. Everyone on team Edward must admit, it’s difficult not to care for Jake (for me, especially when he is in wolf form). The Twilight Saga art department is brilliant! Amazing cgi people! The wolves are sensational. Wolves are beautiful magical creatures that should be respected, protected and loved. I despise Palin for what she’s doing to wolves!! Twilight Eclipse wolves are cgi, but they are graceful and stunning. I was completely captivated by them. (The wolves pictured here are real. Wolves are suffering. Please do a little research online to find out how you can help them.)  

Well, Edward and Bella are engaged. We await Breaking Dawn.

by Chinny Bini 

There are many reasons why Up in the Air is a perfect title for this film.  It is a story about relating, relations, cutting ties and binding them together. What is love anyway? We all have our heads in the clouds until reality drags us back to Earth.

I will bet good money writer/ director Jason Reitman  had George Clooney in mind for the lead  when he co wrote this film with Sheldon Turner.  Why Clooney? Ay, there’s the rub! It’s simple. George makes a perfect Ryan. Well, the guy refuses to settle down, right? Committed only to his job. Is George Clooney  really as he appears to be? One may think he is against marriage, I like to refer to it as ‘comiphobic’, clearly that is the perception George Clooney lets on and perhaps it makes for a really great tabloid story, but is it really so? Is he really the eternal bachelor? Good looking, a nice Italian villa and lots of money to his name, hangs with his funny buddies, likes to ride a motorcycle and always with a young gorgeous girl on the back seat, yet, he refuses to settle down. In fact, he makes it very clear to every gal that marriage is out of the question. What if the truth is the exact opposite? What if he is a one woman man, who simply got burned very badly the first time around? What if he’s just protecting his feelings? Aren’t we all just a little mean when we’re afraid? Clooney’s first marriage was to Talia Balsam, a daughter of an Oscar winner and an actress with one heck of a long resume. This was no stupid lady. I bet she was no Betty Crocker either, sitting at home waiting for her man, baking him cookies. The 1920’s flare most women had back then is lacking in the modern woman. A one woman type guy who likes to wear the pants in the home is just going to have to deal. Clooney is an old fashioned fella, I think anyway. With that he may have dug himself a hole. A man like him can’t date stupid women, so what’s left? Ugly smart women or pretty dumb chicks? A smart woman his age isn’t going to be an eye candy, can be, but let’s get real, he’s famous, he can’t exactly date just anyone. So when the search is off,  the much younger than he gals, George just happens to cross paths with have the privilege of getting to know him a little better. I wonder if making this film gave him a moment to ponder about the big picture (no pun intended)? Perhaps the conversation he has with Natalie on the deck? George Ryan is a man cheating himself out of love, by being afraid of commitment.  He loves his job, because his job carries a lot of perks. It doesn’t even matter that day after day he has to fire people, watch them cry or even jump off bridges. Apparently, Ryan has miles to go and miles to earn. Yet, to deny the need for love is to deny happiness around him. Ryan is forced to examine his life when his young protege, Natalie, joins on an excursion, questioning his ways. At his sister’s wedding, Ryan realizes he wants it all. He wants what his sister has, all that Natalie talks about and certain that his ‘trophy’ is only a flight, one ride and hop away, he ventures forth. But is it really all there for him? Vera Farminga plays Alex, who is just like Ryan, except, with a vagina (she says). What is it with Farminga and nudity in every film she works on? Must she? Indeed, there are very funny moments in Up in the Air when these two get together, comparing plastics and what not. They have great chemistry,  however, it is Anna Kendrick that kicks ass in this picture. As much as I love Clooney, the film would be a bore without Natalie. Anna Kendrick is great. Yeah, yeah, I know, I have to say that because I’m a die hard Twi fan, but come on! If you see Up in the Air and you like it, you will agree with me that the one thing you’re sure to remember is the spunky little hard candy Natalie Keener. I didn’t expect Anna to have such a big role in the film, but she rocked it. She held her own. Way to go Kendrick! Good job. Now, please go collect your things, you’ve been ‘let go’!  (just kidding)

PS: I have a feeling Clooney would have married once more if Michelle Pfeiffer was single when they shot One Fine Day. Those two were barely on screen at the same time, but they had such chemistry! Look, you can’t win ‘em all George, but if it’s any consolation, I know a girl who is exactly like Ms. Pfeiffer in character and looks! I’ll hook you up!