That’s right boys and girls, we now live in a world where the above film does more business than this:
NEW MOON has officially taken down THE DARK KNIGHT as the biggest opening day in the history of cinema. $72.2 million is the new mark to beat, which is up from the previous $67.2 million set just last year. I guess that gives the third installment of the Christopher Nolan directed franchise something to aim for.
As if there was any doubt that this would happen, its now official; THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON is now the highest grossing midnight showing of all time. The previous record was held by this guy:
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE took the record from THE DARK KNIGHT with $22.2 million over the summer. After taking the pot with its $26.3 million NEW MOON is now settings its sights on the next record of $67.2 million in one day, which is currently held by THE DARK KNIGHT. I don’t know who we are all kidding, this record is as good as broken with the swarm of fans young and old going out to see it tonight. We will update you tomorrow and let you know its status.
Mandi and Kristina saw the movie, without their guys, and offered up their opinions.
Mandi writes: We got to the theater early because we didn’t want to risk not getting a seat. (Getting a good seat was a nice reward for being there 2 hours early.) We were 5th in line and everyone was very nice and reading magazines all about NEW MOON, or had the books themselves that they were reading. We chatted with several people and everyone was excited. Security was very high, which kind of heightened the excitement for everyone.
Once we got into the theater (about 30 minutes before start of the show) you could feel the excitement build. There were lots of young ladies there, but there were several sets of guys there as well, besides the ones that were drug there by wives and daughters! As the lights started to dim, everyone cheered and you could hear the little giggles from everyone with anticipation. (I know that all the giggling didn’t come just from me!) We were afraid that there would be lots of noise and swooning but were very surprised by the lack of it. There were several whistles and hoots when first looks of the new and improved Jacob took his shirt off, but that died down quickly and we went on with the movie.
Overall, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON was great! So much better then TWILIGHT that there really is no comparison! Where TWILIGHT kind of felt disjointed and there was no chemistry at all between any of the characters, NEW MOON just rocked with that kind of lusty feeling that you wanted Jacob to have for Bella. My friends and I have talked a lot about why TWILIGHT was just not the movie it should have been and now having seen NEW MOON, which had the same screenwriter and the same actors, the only thing we could come up with is the difference in directors.
Chris Weitz did an amazing job making the movie stick to the book. I could count only a few places that diverge from the book. These didn’t feel out of place at all. It was like you could see this having happened in the book as you read it. Making a movie based off of a first person narrated book must be very difficult. The Alice e-mails were a great way to put you into that feeling you got when you read the book. You got to hear her thoughts just like you were reading and it was much easier to feel her pain and heartache.
The wolf transformation was wonderful! Not cheesy or overly CG at all. You could almost feel the ground shake when they all transformed. At times, they were even kind of scary. They fit in perfectly with the surrounding area and they never looked out of place in all the nature shots. They were pretty much exactly like what was described in the book and the way I pictured them in my head. Jacob (Taylor Lautner) did a wonderful job. He played his part well enough to “almost†make me change from Team Edward to Team Jacob, at least for the movies!
If there was one bad part of the movie I would say it would be all the close-up face shots all the time. I got kind of tired of having to literally look back and forth on the screen in order to see both people on it. That could have been because we were sitting pretty close to the front of the theater and we were in the MegaPlex. It also made me feel kind of like we were intruding, instead of just watching.
Overall, I thought this was a win-win for everyone. It was a pretty good stand alone movie, it way out-shined the first movie so, as a sequel it was tremendous, and as for following the book, it did great!
Kristina writes: So, after waiting for months and months, I’m finally sitting in line to see the preview of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON. I have arrived two hours in advance to ensure a good seat in the theater (we were fifth in line) and I am glad I have come prepared with popcorn, candy, and a wonderful friend to chat with. Minutes pass and a few more people wander into the line. It wasn’t until about an hour before the show when the mass crowds started to show up. Even though I felt a little old as well as tall, it was nice to know that I share the same affection for The Twilight Saga with so many different people. Just minutes before letting our line into the theater, the sound in the lobby was deafening by all the excited fans. Once in the theater, we were impressed by the selection of seats available (all made possible by getting there two hours early). Once the lights came down, I was so giddy with excitement that I could hardly stand it!
The NEW MOON movie definitely passed my expectations. As a die hard fan of the books, I was worried at first that the movie would be dull and drag on. I was also worried that as someone who is “Team Edwardâ€, the movie would be lacking with the absence of one of the main characters. Director Chris Weitz did a wonderful job of incorporating Edward as an image in Bella’s head when she would come across danger. However, as much as “Team Edward†I might be, I couldn’t explain the excitement I had once Edward had left Bella. Most of “Team Edward†can’t stand reading this portion of the book but I was ready to see Jacob as well as the rest of the wolf pack. The actors did an amazing job buffing up for their roles. Even the CG of the wolf transformations was astounding and in some portions of the movie, the wolves are almost scary! The movie ended with a “cliffhanger†(unless you’ve read the books) and I’m sure the next seven months until ECLIPSE will seem like forever!
As for the actors, I felt that the chemistry between Bella and Edward was a little lacking, even before the big birthday scene. I know there is a huge struggle within Edward between loving Bella and protecting her, but I was just hoping for a little more emotion from Edward. Once Edward left, I was able to feel Bella’s heartache. As for Bella’s growing relationship with Jacob, that could not have been hotter! The chemistry between Bella and Jacob was exhilarating and did a great job of swaying me to “Team Jacob†for the majority of the film.
So, I have asked myself… with both Twilight and New Moon being wonderful books, what makes the NEW MOON movie so much better than TWILIGHT? My only answer is the director. Twilight is a wonderful story, but unfortunately I don’t think Catherine Hardwicke knew what she was getting into and missed a lot of opportunities to get creative with the film. In my mind, Chris Weitz has redeemed The Twilight Saga. By sticking well to the book but also enhancing some things, I believe he has made his fans (at least this one!) very happy. Now I believe the pressure is on for David Slade and Eclipse. Only seven more months!
Coop: Let’s get one thing out of the way here, although it may be obvious considering my genitalia: I am in no way, shape or form a TWILIGHT fan. I have not read any of the books, nor did I dare watch the first film. All I know is the general concept and the fact that Robert Pattinson’s head is freaking huge.
Leah: Hey! I know some male TWILIGHT fans; don’t be such a hater. As for myself, I’m on Team Edward and have been from the start! Sure, R Patz has a huge head but his chiseled abs and sparkly skin make up for it. NEW MOON was absolutely true to the book in every way, shape and form. That said, I hated the book when I read it. The movie perfectly encompassed Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) pining over Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), looking for any outlet to fill the void he suddenly leaves in her life. That’s all it was, to be blunt. Bella whining for 2 hours out of the 2.5 hour running time.
Coop: We’re talking about the second book/movie. NEW MOON. Correct?
Leah: Correct.
Coop: Then maybe you can elaborate on something for me, which I heard grumblings about after the first film’s release. Does anything actually happen in the novel? Because Chris Weitz’s film is loaded with such an unbearable sense of inertia it never goes anywhere. I could be referring to the endless slo-mo shots of Cullen that pepper the film, but really the whole thing feels that way: drowning, or at least, barely treading water.
Leah: The fact that Edward leaves Bella, his “one true love,” is the main conflict in NEW MOON. They were supposed to be the couple to stand the test of time, but after a bloody mishap, he hits the road. So, Bella is left to fend for herself and naturally, she goes to her best friend for help: Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) and his pack of warm-blooded mutts. The werewolf stuff is supposed to be the big shocker in NEW MOON. But that’s no surprise if you A) read the book or B) saw the trailer. By the time we adjust to the fact that “vegetarian” vampires are running around trying to save the inhabitants of Forks, WA from the regular vampires we are then thrown a curve-ball … there are more monstrous creatures that have only been spoken of as folklore! It’s high school drama at it’s best.
Coop: They should have hired you on their marketing team. I will say that I didn’t despise the film for everything it’s worth, but it’s just sort of there. And I didn’t dislike it for the reasons I thought I would, either. Robert Pattinson was fine. And after watching Kristen Stewart in ADVENTURELAND, I got myself into a mindset of acknowledging her as a decently talented performer — I love that film. The problem here really isn’t hers, it’s just that she’s given nothing to do throughout the film. Her character is a hollow shell to be filled with the lonely desires of preteen girls. Which isn’t inherently a bad concept, because escapism is totally fine. But this isn’t truly escapism: the screenplay leaves Bella to sit in a chair and rot away once her stoic lover leaves her side. The message here is awful. The downfall of the film is in the screenplay, along with Taylor Lautner, whose level of acting is flat as a pancake.
Leah: As a faithful member of Team Edward, I have to say that I despised how much Jacob was on the screen. It’s not just the fact that he can’t act, it’s that he can’t do anything. He can’t even stand there without looking like a lost puppy. In the book, Jacob is supposed to be strong, handsome, and captivating. In the film, he fell short and came off as a lonely, misguided teeny-bopper. I know you’re a fan of Ms. Stewart, but I don’t think the role of Bella is the issue. I think she’s been type-casted as the awkward little plain Jane who somehow always seems to get boys to fall in love with her despite being so painfully ordinary. Don’t get me wrong, she does a great job at being exactly that! But I have to agree with you entirely on the escapism front. Stephanie Meyer only manages to convince the pre-teen-girl audience that without a boyfriend, you might as well just sit in your room for months on end, watching the seasons change.
Coop: Don’t get me wrong, there are redeeming aspects to an otherwise flat film. Michael Sheen from FROST/NIXON runs circles around everyone else onscreen in his brief appearance, while Edward’s sister Alice (Ashley Greene) is cute as a button. And despite looking fairly made-for-TV, there’s one sequence scored to great Thom Yorke vocals that’s pretty visually superb. In the end, though, it doesn’t matter what we say — the fans will devour it, just as I blindly devoured STAR WARS EPISODE III years ago. Everyone is allowed their franchise. What’s your final verdict, as more of a fan?
Leah: I couldn’t have said it better myself. Everyone is going to see this movie. All of the helplessly devoted fans that read the books are currently in line waiting for the midnight release to start. Their friends, who may not have read the books or seen the first film will go anyway just to see Edward and Jacob without their shirts on. Boyfriends will be dragged to the theaters, and it will certainly be at the top of the box office this weekend without a doubt. All in all, I’d say it’s definitely worth checking out. I give it a solid 6/10.
Coop: 4/10 for me. Not worthy of being average, but not offensive enough to drive me up a wall.
Evidently $383 million worldwide against a $37-million budget just isn’t enough for some studios. Summit Entertainment announced today it will be re-releasing TWILIGHT, the first film in the franchise, into theaters on November 19th. The film will play this date, the day before the release of the second film, NEW MOON, on select theaters around nationwide.
Even though TWILIGHT has been tearing up DVD players for months, expect it to rake in some major cash from this re-release, as well. Fans of the series are sure to be frothing at the mouths to get back into theaters to prime their engines for release of the new film.
Be sure to check your theater listings before slapping in your faux fangs and heading out the door. Oh, right. I almost forgot. These vampires don’t have fangs. And they can go out during the day. And they don’t drink blood. Which makes them…not vampires?
Anyway, in related news, director David Slade also announced via his Twitter Page that the third film, ECLIPSE, has wrapped production. Expect official stills to come soon from that film, as well, I’m sure, as a trailer that is sure to run in front of NEW MOON upon its release on November 20th.
Entertainment Tonight debuted this new clip from THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON last night, and, thanks to the wonders of YouTube, we have it right here in all of its “Jacob without a shirt”ness.
Enjoy:
The clip was presented at the 2009 Scream Awards, which airs on Spike TV on October 27th. NEW MOON is set for release on November 20th (hint: that’s one month away).
Watch it while you can because this wont be up for long!
We just knew three character posters wouldn’t be enough to fend you ‘Twilight’-grovelling heathens away, so we’ve got some new images for you right here. Today, courtesy of Summit Entertainment and Coming Soon, we’ve got two more character posters. These feature Christopher Heyerdahl as Marcus and Cameron Bright as Alec. We’ve also got three new stills from the movie featuring different members of the Volturi.
Check ’em all out:
That should quench your thirst for anything ‘Twilight’/’New Moon.’ At least for a few days. ‘New Moon’ comes out on November 20th.
We’re at that stage, just three, short months away, where ‘New Moon’ is on the horizon and posters, images, and trailers start to seep out of the woodwork. For some of you, there is no such thing as “too much ‘Twilight'” coverage, and, for you, we will make every attempt at getting all the ‘New Moon’ related items we can get our grubby little paws on posted. For the rest of you, I’m assuming the majority, these next, few months might be quite dreadful. For you, I can only give a slight apology.
Today, however, we do have some new items from the ‘Twilight Saga’ universe for your viewing pleasure. They appear to be images for character posters that I’m sure will be released fairly soon. There is no text on these images, so I can only assume they are not finished. Each one features a different member of the Volturi, the evil group of vampires from Italy who make up the new movie’s villains.
The first comes from Yahoo! Movies, and it features Michael Sheen as Aro, leader of the Volturi. The second comes from the Trailer Park on Myspace and features Dakota Fanning as Jane. The third and final one comes to us from MovieFone, and it features Jamie Campbell Brown as Caius
Check them out:
‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ is set for release on November 20th. Expect a dozen or so more character posters to come out between now and then.
We know all you fan girls out there are taking note and savoring every little morsel of Bella, Edward, and Jacob that is released in these months before ‘New Moon’ actually hits theaters. Perhaps this is why Summit has only released 16 seconds of footage for the new film. They know they can create news from less than half a minute of new footage.
The new trailer comes out this Friday in front of ‘Band Slam,’ but you don’t want to wait for that, do you?
Well here are those 16 seconds. Enjoy:
And, honestly, take away the hair, the abs, and probably some of the dreaminess from Taylor Lautner’s eyes, and what have you got? You got me. That’s what.
You’re stupid, vampire movie comes out on November 20th.
