The Twilight Eclipse Movie Trailer

The Twilight Eclipse movie trailer is finally here and we've got lots of juicy tidbits from the Eclipse book featured here.



(1) Of course, there are the Edward / Bella moments:



(2) And then there's Jacob making a love triangle out of things:




Cutest Jacob picture by far, in my opinion ;)

At the latter portion of the trailer, Jacob tells Bella he's gonna take care of her till her heart stops beating - which is a very appropriate thing to say considering his disdain for the idea of Bella being turned into a vampire.


(3) And then Jacob Black and his... abs??(?)

Is it just me or has Jacob Black's abs vanished or lessened? Perhaps he got depressed and ate one too many Ben and Jerry's thinking about Bella Swan? None the less, he still looks fine ;)



(4) The Volturi make an appearance, and red-eyed Dakota Fanning (Jane) warns Edward and Bella that she must be turned real soon or else:







(5) Finally, the grand entrance of the new Victoria, now played by Bryce Dallas Howard. Personally, she doesn't look as fierce and elegant as the previous actor, Rachelle Lefevre, but let's wait and see how she delivers when the Eclipse movie shows:






One more leaked Eclipse movie screen shot can be seen here!

Eclipse IMAX to show 30 June 2010 + movie poster

Here are two reasons why Twilight fans should rejoice!

1. Eclipse will be shown on IMAX which means that we can experience the epic werewolf-vampire battle more dramatically (hopefully, the movie will not disappoint in terms of the battle scenes)

2. According to IMDB, The Eclipse movie will grace the theaters on June 30, 2010. Yep! you read right, that's just a few months away from now. Of course, we should expect some delays here and there, but suffice to say, they're working on the movie as we speak. In fact, the director even tweeted last December 11 that they have "200 days to go", which is roughly 6+ months :)

The Eclipse movie will be directed by David Slade, who's also done some music video directing in the past (notably for Stone Temple Pilots!) but aside from that, he's done just a few projects here and there (based on his IMDB at least), so I'm actually pretty excited (okay, maybe a tad anxious too haha) about what he's going to bring to the table for the third Twilight movie.

I'm surprised Chris Weitz didn't stay on for the second movie, seeing as he did quite a good job for the New Moon movie, but I'm hopeful this new guy will do just as well.

Some tweets of his to whet your appetite:

"Jacob & Bella are matching with intensity, & it's all even with the action sequences. Right now we are in a great state of balance."
11 December 2009 10:46 AM, PST

"As we cut. Edward seems to be a really strong presence, the intensity of the love story & rivalry between Jacob is in the driving seat."
11 December 2009 10:43 AM, PST

I agree with him, the rivalry between Edward and Jacob is a crucial part of Eclipse, and is something I'm looking forward to. With the intensity Jacob showed on the New Moon, I'm sure I will be pleased with how he delivers this next movie.

Last but not the least, here is a look at the Eclipse movie poster!

New Moon Songs Played during the Movie

The New Moon Soundtrack, which debuted in October, has received platinum status, so I figured it will be perfect to feature the New Moon soundtrack list. I'm sure most of you wonder "When was played in the movie again?" or "What was the song playing during the Victoria chase scene?" or "The song during the cliff diving scene?" or even better, "What was the song playing when Bella and Jake were fixing their bikes and Bella asked Jacob to turn off the song (which Jacob said he liked) because she wasn't into music anymore?"

You need not wonder anymore. Here you go!

1. Death Cab For Cutie – Meet Me On The Equinox
Played during the end credits

2. Band Of Skulls – Friends
When Bella decides to walk to the biker boys in Port Angeles, much to Jessica's dismay

3. Thom Yorke- Hearing Damage
Played during the kick-ass Victoria chase/hunt scene

4. Lykke Li – Possibility
This was the song played during Bella's depression when she was just sitting down in her room as the months passed by (literally - September, October, November, December...)

5. The Killers - A White Demon Love Song
Played at the start of the New Moon movie credits

6. Anya Marina – Satellite Heart
Edward is driving Bella back home, after her birthday mishap.

7. Muse - I Belong To You (New Moon)
Bella and Jessica on their "Girls Night Out"

8. Bon Iver and St. Vincent – Rosyln
My personal favorite! This was played the days after the birthday mishap, her doing her scrapbook, wondering where Edward is, and the moment when Edward finally appears outside her house to take her on what will be the most heartbreaking walk of Bella's life.

9. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Done All Wrong
Bella and the pack of wolves head over to Emily's cabin for some uberly huge muffins.

10. Hurricane Bells – Monsters
This scene was when Bella was driving to school on her birthday and Edward was doing that slow mo walk through the school parking lot towards Bella.

11. Sea Wolf – The Violet Hour
Birthday party scene

12. Ok Go- Shooting The Moon
Played during Bella and Jacob's bonding moments, rebuilding the bikes, one of my favorite New moon movie scenes! Great scene for Jacob/Bella ship supporters!

13. Grizzly Bear - Slow Life
Bella's dramatic cliff diving scene, when Edward's visage appears beside her

14. Editors – No Sound But The Wind
At the latter part of the movie, after the whole Volturi scene, Edward is driving Bella home and Jacob Black stands on the road.

15. Alexandre Desplat – New Moon (The Meadow)
Opening credits. Also played during the time when Bella goes to the meadows where she first laid eyes on Edward Cullen's sparkly self, trying to revisit her past.

And last (but definitely not the least!):
New Moon Soundtrack (OST) BONUS TRACK! All I Believe – The Magic Numbers & Amadou & Mariam. Song that was playing when Jacob and Bella were fixing motorcycles and Bella told him to turn the song off.

The soundtrack made the New Moon movie that much more enjoyable.

New Moon Movie, Team Jacob, Twilight vs New Moon

The long wait is finally over and by now most Twi fans have probably watched the movie. I think it's pretty safe to say that a lot of fans have been swayed to the werewolf Jacob team after watching the second movie!

Proof?

1. Jacob is winning the shirtless battle poll BY A LANDSLIDE

2. Is it safe to say that in every cinema that aired New Moon, there was a very audible gasp heard when Jacob took off his top to help bleeding Bella? No gasps when Edward did the same in Italy.

3. The awws and the giddy giggles from people who saw that scene when Jacob Black looked at the dreamcatcher hanging on Bella's bed

4. A huge avalanche of Facebook posts (at least in my network) asking Santa for Jacob, or shouting "Team Jacob!", some coming from people who were die hard Rob/Edward fans who I've actually argued countless times with trying to defend the werewolf!

Most of my Edward supporter friends said they're Team Jacob only in the movie but remain loyal when it comes to the book. To other Edward supporters out there, do you feel the same way? To the new Team Jacob supporters, is it more a preference based on the physical appearance or on the person as a whole? Comment please!

Personally, I've been a Jacob fan ever since the New Moon book came out, so this might have been one reason why I loved the New Moon movie more than the first Twilight movie. I was so glad to see Taylor Lautner doing an incredible job of portraying Jacob Black the way I had imagined him to be. I'm glad his hotheadedness showed in the movie - this is one of the aspects of his personality that I find very crucial because it highlights the difference between Edward and Jacob, and because I think temper is the very essence of a werewolf. I also saw great chemistry between Bella and Jacob and most times I felt like they looked and acted better as a couple than Edward and Bella (Join my Jacob/Bella vs Edward/Bella debate here!)



Other things I loved about this movie:

- More action! Loved the whole wolf fights and Jacob's wolf transformation.
- More Jasper screen time! I'm glad we got to see more of him and his charms this new movie, and I am excited for his appearance on the third Twilight movie, where he will have a much huger role.
- Direction and overall quality of the movie was just nicer in my opinion
- Loved the dynamics between the werewolves, the scene where they were eating those huge muffins at the cozy cabin. Almost depicted how I had imagined it to be and makes me want to be there and be a part of the pack!
- Alice was charming as always. That part where she said "As soon as you let the dog out" was hilarious
- The Volturi did not disappoint. The fight scene between Edward and the brute Felix was intense, Aro, Jane and Demetri did a good job as well, Marcus, Caius, and Alec did not get enough screen time so I will reserve my judgments for the Eclipse movie.

To everyone, Twilight Movie VS New Moon Movie -- Did you enjoy the second movie more than the first? Comment away!

CONFIRMED! Dakota Fanning is now Volturi's Jane!

It's now confirmed! Dakota Fanning has earned the role as New Moon's Jane, the small vampire who creates illusions of pain. The rest of the Volturi has yet to be confirmed, but please try checking out my dream Volturi cast here.

Can't wait for November 2009 when the New Moon movie gets released!

New Moon Casting Updates! No Leah Clearwater, Dakota Fanning as Jane...

Some New Moon Movie Casting Updates!!!

Not only will Vanessa Hudgens not take on the role of Leah Clearwater, it seems that Leah Clearwater won't appear on the second installment to the Twilight movie series at all. No loss there since Leah doesn't really have quite a definitive role on the second book anyway. It seems that the popular choice now, based on http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/01/new-moon-castin.html is Gossip Girl Jessica Szohr and Vanessa Hudgens, but I don't see it. At all. Yeesh. I'm still rooting for unknowns to play the role, eg. Skyla Solomon

***** EDIT MARCH 9, 2009: Dakota Fanning as Jane has been CONFIRMED! *****

In other news, Dakota Fanning is one of the possible candidates as the frightening Volturi guard, Jane. She's perfect for the role! When I heard of the rumors that Dakota Fanning had been picked to play in New Moon, I immediately thought of Jane. According to People.com, Chris Weitz seems to agree with me. Surprisingly though, Dakota Fanning has not read New Moon! Another casting rumor for Jane is Jodelle Ferland but Dakota seems to be the better choice.

Who should play Jane's twin brother, Alec? People are considering Draco Malfoy actor, Tom Felton, and it seems to be a good fit as he looks a bit like Dakota Fanning. There's also the possibility of choosing the Edward Cullen candidate, Gaspard Ulliel. I'd absolutely LOVE for him to be cast in this movie in one way or another; however, I'm not 100% convinced he'd be perfect for Alec, because of his age. I might be wrong, though. It might work. Certainly though, his looks and acting are a great fit to the show.

Finally Watched the Twilight Movie

And it was pretty good, all things considering. I was quite terrified that the movie was going to disappoint me tremendously, with stale or overly cheesy acting, or scenes that didn't depict the book enough. I was surprised to find out that the movie actually did a good job. The baseball scene was as fun as I pictured it, and Edward Cullen was as charming as I wanted him to be. This is considering I wasn't a Robert Pattinson fan in the beginning.

A lot of people argue that Robert Pattinson wasn't perfect enough, but I have to disagree profusely. First and foremost, note that he was perfect in Bella's eyes, not perfect in everybody's eyes. So personally, he was perfect in his flaws! The scene where Robert attempted to make conversation with Bella was pretty cute, or the way he was having a hard time reading Bella's mind. His pained expression was very endearing, and his short temper was also quite intense. The way he smiles is also <3 I must say that I am now a Robert convert :)

Bella did a good job of acting as well. I imagined her to be like that: Stubborn, rebellious, but inherently clumsy and weak. And like her father, she has a hard time showing her emotions, so Kristen Stewart depicted it correctly in my eyes.

And Jacob Black? While I still cross my fingers that Steven Strait is going to replace him in Movie #2, Taylor Lautner was not half bad :P The only problem with Taylor playing Jacob, really, is that he is way too young, and since I always had a crush on Jacob in the book, I find it hard to translate it in the movie.

The way the vampires regarded Bella was pretty amusing. Alice's weakness towards Bella's blood during the battle was particularly humorous. The actress behind Alice really did a good job of making Alice as likeable as she was in the book. The human cast was also a very good bunch. They were very lively and fun. I surmise Eric's actor is going to be in Harold and Kumar 3, should there be one ;)

If I were to be nitpicky however, I'd point out several flaws and irks in the film:

1. The meadow scene was a bit too awkward for me.
The diamonds shining on Edward Cullen's chiseled, pale, vampire face were a bit too odd, those few seconds where they just looked at each other kinda seemed too forced and out of place.

2. The development of feelings between Bella and Edward was kinda hurried.
Somehow, Bella fell in love with Edward too quickly, but I guess this was because the movie could only be so long.

3. The action scene was as disappointing as the one in the book.
I hoped... no, expected actually, that the action scenes in the movie were going to be far more gripping and terrifying than how they were written in the book, but instead, I get this really short fight between Edward and James, which just showed the two snarling at each other. The blood and the whole crunch sounds Bella experienced were good, Alice breaking James' neck was pretty cool, but that's pretty much it.

4. Spider Monkey?
Nope. Didn't like that line at all. Haha.

5. Rosalie isn't pretty enough.

6. Jasper Hale = Edward Scissorhands?
Seriously, that look Jasper had during the majority of the film was a bit too quirky, if you ask me.




All in all, I'd give the movie a 7/10 :)

Wanted

When I first watched the Wanted trailer, I had an inkling that the show was just going to be about mindless killing and kick-arsery. And I was all for that when I went to watch this movie. The show delivered... and then some.

The show revolves around Wesley (James McAvoy), a guy who hates his boss, hates his job, has a best friend who sleeps with his annoying girlfriend, a guy who has to take anxiety medications... a guy who pretty much thinks his life is f*ed up. When Fox (Angelina Jolie) suddenly appears in his life, he realizes that there is more to his life than living it aimlessly - that he can actually be something more than an account manager. And after rigorous, painful training, he becomes a highly-skilled professional assassin and earns a purpose in life.

In the end, however, it's not the fact that he is an assassin that saves his existence. Instead, it is the gained knowledge that he can take control of his life - something that struck a chord in me. It makes you wonder if you really are doing what you want to do, or if you're just living life one routine at a time. Clearly, the movie made me ask myself: "What the f*ck have you done lately?"

Twilight Movie -- 7 months away!!! Thoughts on the cast, Gaspard Ulliel, etc.

The movie version of Twilight is going to hit the silver screen by December, 2008! I started reading Twilight only a few months ago, thanks to a friend of mine who raved about it profusely. I must say that after reading the first two books, I am quite impressed.

What I like most about the Twilight series is the way Stephenie portrayed the characters. While the vampire and werewolf theme have been used extensively, she was able to explore a different way of looking at these two mythological creatures, setting aside the cliches of garlic, dying from sunlight, and turning during the full moon. If it makes any sense, the writer was able to put some human qualities to the vampire and werewolf making them a lot more interesting and meaningful.

Stephenie Meyer's writing isn't detailed, like most novels are, leaving a lot to the reader's imagination -- a trait of hers that can be both her bane and boon. I still cannot discern which one outweighs the other. Regardless though, once I start reading a Twilight book, I can't stop!

Of course when the cast for the movie was announced, I had my own images of the characters in my head, that I hoped would be perfectly like the cast. These are my comments about the cast:

Edward Cullen -- Robert Pattinson (8/10)
After looking at a movie poster of him as Edward Cullen, I started liking the idea of him portraying the golden-haired god. Physically speaking, he is quite attractive and his face structure is vampire-ish in a way. However, if I was given the chance to choose, I would have gone for the French cutie, Gaspard Ulliel.

Why? Check out these two images I saw in www.gaspardulliel.net and I think you'll get my point:





He just has this certain vampire quality to him that I see lacking in Robert Pattinson (as of this moment - I am open to learning to love Pattinson). For the non-Twilight readers, Edward Cullen happens to be a pianist, so this was just another hint that he should have been chosen for the role.

Isabella Swann -- Kristen Stewart (10/10)
Perfect. I can't imagine anyone else being a better candidate. She has that pale face going on, that air of mystery, and that sense that she's fragile.

Jacob Black -- Taylor Lautner (7/10)
I love Taylor Lautner per se. I loved his acting in Shark Boy actually. The only reason I prefer Steven Strait over him is that I am completely in love with Jacob Black, and having a 16-year-old play him rather than a 22 year old (Steven Strait could have been so perfect!!!) is just disheartening for me, for selfish reasons. Minus that fact, I give Taylor a 10/10

Peter Facinelli -- Carlisle Cullen (8/10)
Would have wanted him even more handsome, but I guess he'll do.

Nikki Reed -- Rosalie Hale (6/10)
Rosalie in the book is portrayed as the most beautiful woman in Forks, and Nikki Reed isn't living up to that just yet.

Jackson Rathbone -- Jasper Hale (9/10)
Thank you! I love Jasper so I'm glad they got a good-looking guy for him.

Elizabeth Reaser -- Esme Cullen (6/10)
Not motherly looking enough, as my friend pointed out

Ashley Greene -- Alice Cullen (8.5/10)
Had some doubts, but after seeing this in google images:



I can see her being Alice!

Kellan Lutz -- Emmett Cullen (10/10)
Perfect!

Ratatouille Take 2!

So I was never 100% satisfied with my first attempts at making ratatouille, because it didn't look exactly like the scrumptious dish Remy served Ego in the show. After watching this delicious movie five times, it finally hit me what I needed to do to make the dish mimic the movie's more - pureed tomato-yellow peppers!

I noticed that when Remy was preparing the dish, I saw a plate of tomatoes, zucchinis and yellow peppers. But, when they popped the veggies in the oven, I noticed only the tomatoes and zucchinis. Which lead me to believe that the yellow peppers may have been involved in the thick, creamy-like sauce that lined the bottom of the dish like a lovely painting.

I don't know if this was what the creators of the Ratatouille movie had in mind, but I know one thing -- the pureed yellow peppers really gives the dish added flavor, texture and character! What I did was to sautee these colorful peppers with some garlic, onions, a couple of cherry tomatoes, and a heaping full of extra virgin olive oil. After the yellow peppers got very soft (almost to the point of getting brown), I took them out of the pan and pureed it. The result was this creamy, bright yellow-orange mouth-watering goodness.

Then I followed with the rest of the recipe as I had before - cooking, the zucchini and tomatoes in EVOO, some more garlic, and the majority of the onion rings. (In the movie, they baked these veggies, but I was too lazy to get the oven out). Once they got soft enough and coated in the oil mixture, I proceeded to plate it similar to the show's.

This is the result:



It doesn't look perfect, but I was extremely proud of the result :)

I am officially in love with Iron Man

Count me as one of the many who were skeptical about the controversial actor's success in playing the dashing billionaire genius that is Tony Stark. Robert Downy was never one of my favorite actors, never an actor I despised either. I was always lukewarm about him, although I recognized his talent and uniqueness in "Hearts and Souls". Perhaps it was his past battle with drugs and rehab that swayed that emotion.

All lukewarm feelings are now gone, however, with the box office hit that is Iron Man. I've always been ignorant of the Iron Man's past. I knew only that Tony Stark was a billionaire who decided to create a near invincible robot to help mankind. That was it. Iron Man was never one of the popular favorites. Spiderman, Superman, and Batman always seemed to be the obvious choice for the "favorite superhero" category.

This is why I was so pleased with the movie. I got a glimpse of who Tony Stark really was - A debonair genius with a reckless tendency who made a complete metanoia when he realized just what his weapons were doing to the world. After a near-death experience, which lost him his physical heart, he ironically, but befittingly gained a heart (in the more meaningful sense), while still retaining his charming, over the edge personality. Much of the movie focuses on how the Iron Man we have come to know of (The yellow and red robot suit) was created, and the visual effects were so mouthwatering that there was no dull moment, even as he spent a considerable time on his lab tinkering away.

And then there was the chemistry between Pepper and Tony - which is, hands down, the only pairing I have ever appreciated in these marvel superhero-type movies. The attraction between the two is undeniable, but what is more enthralling is their need for each other - how one is pretty much the only person in the other's life. It is such an overwhelming emotion that was thankfully not downplayed by the cool action sequences. The magic that was created by combining the kick-ass with the poignant is what truly made this movie an enjoyable one, a magic that could not have been created without Robert Downey's infinitesimal talent.

I will be suffering very much as I anxiously wait for the second installment!

Penelope - A brilliant execution of an otherwise cliche plot

The premise isn't very new. Save for the pig snout, the movie is founded on your basic fairy tale elements of unconditional love and a prince charming.

Once the movie begins however, you will realize that the execution of the movie creates the magic, and excuses the simple plot. Humor peppers many scenes, the direction is entertaining through and through - doesn't ram life lessons down your throat, or make you gag at the cheesiness of the lines and situations. Instead, everything is quaint, almost surreal.


The acting was a primary moving force in the movie as well. Christina Ricci's charm contributed greatly to the ambiance. James McAvoy made for a great unconventional modern prince charming and his own journey of freedom was poignant. A lot of characters were explored, instead of focusing mainly on Penelope, and everyone really contributed to how colorful and animated this movie was.

All in all, I do believe that this show is an underrated viewing pleasure. I would watch this over and over. It is the type of movie that leaves you smiling hours after the end credits. It is a movie that reminds us of striving for our personal freedom, and of accepting ourselves for who we are first and foremost.