Archive for the ‘New Moon’ Category

• Movie Review: ‘Twilight’ Parody ‘Vampires Suck’ Lives Up to its Name

  August 19th, 2010 by Rachel

  Vampires suck? That’s a matter of opinion.

  But here’s what inarguably, unequivocally does suck: “Vampires Suck,” a painfully unfunny “Twilight” spoof that arrived in theaters Wednesday, at least a year too late to seem even semi-culturally relevant. (”This ‘Twilight’ phenomenon has gotten out of control! Vampire movies and TV shows are everywhere!” Hey, thanks for the news flash from 2008.)

  Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer — the writer-directors who have participated in a parade of movie-genre parodies, including “Scary Movie,” “Date Movie” and “Meet the Spartans” — have set their comedic crosshairs on the most obvious of targets: the hugely successful film franchise based on the novels by Stephenie Meyer, all of which have already been dissected, debated and, yes, satirized ad nauseam. Before it even makes its first Team Edward/Team Jacob joke — a gag that involves a bunch of tween girls bashing one another in the head with shovels — “Vampires Suck” already feels burdened by the weight of the numerous “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and MTV Movie Awards sendups that have preceded it.

  The plot, for lack of a better word, is a pastiche of moments from the first two “Twilight” films. Becca (Jenn Proske) — the “Vampires Suck” version of Bella — moves to a glum little Pacific Northwest town called Sporks — the “Vampires Suck” version of Forks, Wash. — where she listens to teen angst mixes on her iPod, engages in desperately awkward conversations with her single father (Diedrich Bader of “The Drew Carey Show”) and eventually finds herself torn between Edward (Matt Lanter), a vampire who “looks like he’s constipated” and sparkles improbably in the sunlight, and Jacob (Chris Riggi), a kindhearted werewolf who brings her balloon bouquets and is contractually obligated to remove his shirt every 10 minutes. Twi-hards will get all the in-jokes, from the riff on Edward’s ability to swoosh speedily through the forest (an effort assisted here by the use of a Segway) to the ridiculous performance of “It’s Raining Men” by the members of Jacob’s cutoff-jean-shorts-wearing wolf pack. But they still probably won’t laugh much.

  As for non-”Twilight” fans, “Vampires Suck” does its due diligence by tossing in a few more general pop culture gags, riffing predictably on everyone from the Kardashians to Chris Brown. Again, nothing worth busting a gut over here, although perhaps the filmmakers deserve credit for their one show of restraint: No jokes in this movie have been made at the expense of Justin Bieber.

  Another bright note: Proske’s turn as Becca, in which the newcomernails the nervous pauses, frequent lip-biting and twitchy behavior that characterizes Kristen Stewart’s portrayal of the perpetually conflicted Bella. Proske has clearly done her homework. She deserves better material, and so do a couple of the talented actors who (wisely) appear briefly in “Vampires Suck”: Ken Jeong of “The Hangover” and Dave Foley of “The Kids in the Hall.” These individuals know funny. And they should have known better than to spend time in a flick that wouldn’t recognize funny if it came up and sank both of its fangs into its uninspired neck.

  Thanks WashingtonPost

• ‘Twilight’ sequel cleans up at MTV Movie Awards

  June 7th, 2010 by Amy

  By SANDY COHEN (AP) – 9 hours ago

  UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — The hunks from “Twilight.” A girl-on-girl kiss. Katy Perry and Christina Aguilera in skimpy costumes.

  The MTV Movie Awards were all they could be Sunday.

  The irreverent pop-culture celebration, which honors the year’s films in quirky categories such as best kiss was a bleep-filled bonanza, as presenters and winners let loose with four-letter words.

  “Twilight” was the night’s big winner, taking five trophies.

  “I guess ‘Twilight’ is really awesome, and I agree,” said star Kristen Stewart. “Woo!”
  (more…)

• New Moon Nominated for MTV Movie Awards

  May 6th, 2010 by Rachel

  

  Twilight movies have been hot from the first release. Now with the third movie Eclipse on the cusp of release here comes the movie awards. New Moon (second movie) and it’s stars have received several MTV Movie Awards nominations across the board. These include:

  Best Female Performance:

  Kristen Stewart in The Twilight Saga: New Moon

  Best Male Performance:

  Robert Pattinson in The Twilight Saga: New Moon

  Taylor Lautner in The Twilight Saga: New Moon

  Best Movie:

  The Twilight Saga: New Moon

  Thanks Gather

• New Moon’s End-Of-Run Domestic Total at $296.6 million

  April 9th, 2010 by BabyCullen

  

  Box Office Mojo is reporting that at the end of it’s theatrical run (US domestic), New Moon totals at $296.6 million.

  The Twilight Saga: New Moon, The Princess and the Frog and The Wolfman and other high profile pictures officially ended their box office runs on Thursday, April 1. In other words, their distributors decided to stop tracking them, even though they may still be playing at a handful of theaters. For instance, New Moon, which has been out on video since Mar. 20, continued to show on at least five theaters, while Wolfman still haunted over 100 sites.

  Winding up with $296.6 million in 133 days, New Moon was the fourth highest-grossing movie from 2009 and ranks 34th on the all time grosses chart (though it doesn’t crack the Top 150 in terms of estimated attendance). It also stands as the biggest teen romance and vampire movie on record, eclipsing the first Twilight for the title. New Moon impressed by building significantly on Twilight’s turn-out, which was $192.8 million. When a predecessor is that popular, it has been historically uncommon for a sequel to surpass it.

  New Moon still holds the record for biggest single day with its $72.7 million haul on its opening day, Nov. 20, 2009, as well as the midnight showings record ($26.3 million). It also logged the third highest-grossing opening weekend of all time, $142.8 million, but has the distinction of being the most front-loaded blockbuster ever, making 48 percent of its total gross on its first weekend alone. One has to go down to No. 72 on the all time opening weekend chart, Valentine’s Day, to find a more front-heavy performance, while the first Twilight’s opening weekend accounted for 36 percent of its final tally.

  The greatest growth for New Moon came on the foreign front. It has pulled in $413.1 million thus far, more than doubling what Twilight made. That puts its worldwide total at $710 million versus Twilight’s $385 million. New Moon’s initial DVD sales, though, haven’t trumped Twilight at the same rate: its first weekend reportedly sold an estimated 4 million units versus Twilight’s 3.8 million. Fans won’t have to wait a year for the next movie like they did for New Moon as the third entry, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, is scheduled to be unleashed on June 30.

  Thanks Team-Twilight

• ‘New Moon’ and Robert Pattinson Set to Dominate MTV Movie Awards Nominations

  March 30th, 2010 by BabyCullen

  The dust has barely settled from the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, held last Saturday, March 27, yet the nominee voting process has already begun for another fan-voted event, the 2010 MTV Movie Awards. The network will be holding the annual awards show on Sunday, June 6 in Los Angeles, but before the winners are announced, MTV is asking fans to pick the films, celebrities, and movie moments that will vie for the coveted golden popcorn.

  Among the favorites to win nominations this year is the mega-blockbuster Twilight Saga: New Moon, which has a good chance of winning the title of Best Movie (after its predecessor Twilight swept last year’s show). Academy Award contenders Avatar, UP, The Blind Side, and The Hurt Locker (the Best Picture Oscar winner) are also included in the nominee pool. Based on the popularity of New Moon’s stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, their respective films Remember Me and The Runaways could also walk away with nominations in the top category.

  The MTV Movie Awards added a new category this year called Global Superstar, which includes such A-listers as Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, and Drew Barrymore. Being this is an MTV event, however, it’s almost guaranteed that Pattinson will get nominated. The British actor could go up against his toughest competitor yet – himself – in the Best Kiss category. Both Pattinson’s kissing scenes with Stewart (in New Moon) and Emilie de Ravin (Remember Me) are both eligible for nominations.

  Viewers will have until Friday, April 9 to select their picks for MTV Movie Awards nominees.

  Thanks Examiner

• Could “Eclipse” actually make less than “New Moon”?

  March 30th, 2010 by BabyCullen

  One of the films expected to battle for the summer box office crown or at least place in the top five is the third “Twilight” feature, “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.”  The second installment, “New Moon,” broke the single day all-time opening record with $72 million, is currently the third biggest 3-day opening of all time with $142 million and ended up with $296 million domestic and $707 million worldwide.  And that was all in November when many of the franchise’s younger fans had school on Friday (although let’s assume many of them cut out early).  “Eclipse’s” June 30 release should find those young tween girls out of school and flocking to the theater. Adding more intrigue to the box office gross is that “Eclipse” will also be released in IMAX theaters which feature higher ticket prices.  So, a larger opening weekend is guaranteed right?  No doubt, but what happens after that?

  Part of the reason “New Moon” grossed so much was that non-fans interested in the pop culture phenomenon and who hadn’t even seen “Twilight” hit the multiplex to check it out.  And yes, a lot of boyfriends were dragged along too.  Will those moviegoers be as eager to return for another go around?  Or, even taking the more lucrative summer season into effect, could “Eclipse” be blinded by a somewhat lower gross than “New Moon”?  One thing’s for sure, if “Eclipse’s” reviews are stronger than “New Moon’s” it shouldn’t be a problem.  If they are worse?  Watch out.

  “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” opens nationwide and in IMAX on June 30.

  I know people who’s favorite book in the saga is Eclipse. What do you think?

  Thanks HitFlix

• DVD REVIEW: ‘Twilight – New Moon’ … Kristen Stewart twitches, Robert Pattinson broods and Taylor Lautner shines in this overwrought melodrama‏

  March 26th, 2010 by BabyCullen

  RATING
  

  So ‘New Moon’ was just recently released out on DVD and as I’d yet to see it, I thought I’d give it a whirl.  Anyone who’s been reading the Z-Report knows my thoughts on Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson’s acting abilities, or rather lack thereof, but I felt to be thorough, I should really inform my opinion to the fullest extent. Alright, so now I’ve seen it and I can honestly say with  absolute and total confidence – they both suck donkey schlong. You may call my assessment harsh, sophomoric, and lacking in finesse, but I can’t really think of any more sophisticated way of summing up their performances in this overwrought, convoluted, cheese-fest. Now, that being said, it doesn’t mean I thought the film itself to be totally lacking in any merit whatsoever. For the most part, it was pretty goddamned unbearable, don’t get me wrong, but there were one or two bright spots. First though, let’s start with the unbearable.

  If I had to describe this film to a friend, I’d break it down thusly, “Picture Twin Peaks, with none of the whimsy, fun, unique characters, or fascinating plot twists. Now add werewolves and vampires, an overriding malaise, laughably amateurish Harlequin Romance dialogue, and the unfortunate fact that no one dies.”

  That’s pretty much ‘New Moon’ in a nutshell.

  Kristen Stewart scrunches her shoulders, furrows her eyebrows, bites her lip, stutters and stammers, while Pattinson spends the entire film desperately trying to maintain a three quarter profile in order to hide the fact that his face is flatter than Ke$ha’s ass. The story unfolds at a clunky, creaky pace, playing out like the masturbatory fever dream of a 12 year old girl. If I was a pre-pubescent young gal, there would be a lot in this buffet I’d enjoy. I mean, it’s really a plain girl’s fantasy when you think about it, with its hoard of shirtless, buff young men, scads of powdered dandies smeared in red lipstick, and even the tertiary geeky ‘funny’ friend, all of whom place their entire focus on the uninteresting, twitchy, scrunchy, needy, clingy Bella.

  This is the basic premise of the film, everything in the town somehow revolves around Bella.

  In this sense, I get it. I mean, I WOULD get it, if the audience for this thing was relegated to the tween set. What I don’t understand is how anyone over the age of 13 could find anything remotely interesting about it.

  After watching this, I can really say with impunity – screw you Twi-Moms, you pin headed muldoons!!

  Ok, wrapping it up, here’s what I thought wasn’t half bad about it – Taylor Lautner. He brings some genuine tenderness and charm to his role, and I liked the werewolves, they were furry, snarling and kind of cute. So, the CGI werewolves and Taylor Lautner saved this film from being UTTERLY irredeemable.

  So to re-cap:

  Pattinson and Stewart – hell no!

  Twi-moms – SUCK IT!

  Taylor Lautner and CGI werewolves – Pretty damned good.

  That is all.

  “Everyone has their opinion, However my opinion is that New Moon was incredible!”
  

  So to re-cap:
  Pattinson and Stewart – Heck Yes!

  Twi-Moms – Are Awesome

  Taylor Lautner and CGI Werewolves – Pretty Good

  Thanks ZeitGeisty

• Taylor Lautner Stops in Paris and Promotes New Moon DVD

  March 22nd, 2010 by BabyCullen

  Taylor Lautner spent Saturday on a boat ride in Paris accompanied by a lucky young woman who won a contest to meet the star. ICYMI — we had a similar giveaway recently, and you can watch our winner interview Robert Pattinson! Taylor left LA headed to Europe on Thursday, so he missed out on the New Moon midnight madness, but he’ll be in NYC this morning to stop by Live With Regis and Kelly and chat about the DVD release. Fans were eager to get their hands on all the extras that came with certain editions, some of which featured more shirtless Jacob Black and cute moments between the cast members between takes.

  Thanks PopSugar

• Chris Weitz Says He ‘Lucked Out’ In Getting To Direct ‘New Moon’

  March 20th, 2010 by BabyCullen

  ‘Pretty much a chimp could direct the second movie to do well,’ director said at a ‘New Moon’ DVD release party Friday.

  SANTA CLARITA, California — Die-hard fans of “The Twilight Saga” showed up at various retailers across the country Friday night, waiting to get their hands on a copy of “New Moon.” The second installment of the series, which hit theaters back in November, comes out on DVD and Blu-ray Saturday (March 20), and many retailers held midnight release parties to celebrate the event.

  Those lucky enough to live in the Los Angeles area were given a treat when director Chris Weitz and actress Nikki Reed showed up at the local Wal-Mart to commemorate the release. Weitz took a minute to sit down with MTV News and look back at his year spent with “The Twilight Saga.”

   

   

  “The first question I always get asked is, ‘Did you feel a lot of pressure coming in doing the second movie of the franchise,’ ” said Weitz. “And I actually didn’t even think about that until people started asking me.”

  Weitz has made a point not to claim the series as his own. Even after the popularity of “New Moon,” he repeatedly said he would not return to direct the final film(s), “Breaking Dawn.” Still, he acknowledged his role in making the series reach an even higher level of popularity.

  “I lucked out, man,” he admitted. “The first movie was terribly popular and pretty much a chimp could direct the second movie to do well. So I was like, ‘I’m on Easy Street. There’s a good cast, and I’ve got some great people working on it, so I’m fine.’ ”

  The directing gauntlet has since been turned over to David Slade (”Hard Candy,” “30 Days of Night) for the third installment, “Eclipse,” due out June 30. Many directors have been suggested to direct “Breaking Dawn,” though Summit Entertainment has yet to confirm anyone for the task. The latest short list includes Gus Van Sant (”Milk”), Sofia Coppola (”Lost in Translation”) and Bill Condon (”Dreamgirls”).

  Check out everything we’ve got on “New Moon” and “Eclipse.”

  Thanks MTV

• ‘New Moon’ DVD release brings (lots) more merch…and free stuff!

  March 19th, 2010 by BabyCullen

  To get pulses racing over the release of New Moon on DVD tomorrow, Walmart has opened Twilight Saga-themed pop-up shops inside stores around the country. In addition to the chain’s exclusive New Moon: Ulimate Fan Edition DVD, which features a seven-minute sneak peek at Eclipse, the shops are hawking Twilight Saga merch including messenger bags, clothing, blood-red candles, trivia games, wolf- and vampire-themed jewelry, and even “New Moon Nacho Doritos.”

  Excessive? Yes. But excessive (more like obsessive) is pretty much what the franchise is all about, so who are we to stop you from indulging? In fact, as someone who wore cheap costume jewelry (and, possibly, a tiara — I’ve blocked it out) for her home Oscars viewing party the year Titanic took Best Picture, I can’t even judge you. Be in it to win it, I always say.

  *In case you’re wondering, Walmart didn’t pay us for this post. We just know how … um … enthusiastic we Twilight fans we are!!!