Just saw Twilight....

[rockinhamburger]

and fuck people aren't kidding when they call this shit sexist drivel. It was fucking awful, and that's one of the nicer things you can say about it.

Observation 1) Edward Cullen is the epitomy of the creepy, possessive boyfriend. He follows Bella, sneaks into her room to watch her sleep for god's sake, makes decisions about what she can and can't do, and is unreasonably jealous of other guys around Bella. There's this scene where Bella is being surrounded by this gang of guys who are undoubtably going to do unkind things to her, and Edward shows up to save the day. Problem? I honestly don't see much of a difference between the potential rapists and Edward, apart from the fact that Bella welcomes and reciprocates Edward's feelings for her.

Observation 2) Bella is a goddamn lovesick teenaged girl who can't see past Edward's physical allure, and in the process, misses the violent and dangerous aspects of his character - the only aspects of his character. At no point in the film do we actually see any redeeming qualities in Edward. What is he besides dangerous and obsessive? Not a whole lot, in my view.

Observation 3) Bella is only seventeen years old, and she wants to die so she can spend the rest of eternity with Edward. Forget graduating from high school or university, having a career or a life perhaps?? Her life now revolves around Edward. I mean - fucking hell, that is a horrible message to send to young women.

Other things that made my head spin:

- She arrvies at the hospital with a broken leg, several gaping, bleeding wounds, and a fucking bite mark on her arm, and her parents just accept the Cullens' explanation of, "she fell down two flights of stairs and crashed through a window"? This is after her father has pretty much stated that he finds Edward creepy and has given Bella Pepperspray, just in case. And they just accept this ridiculous explanation of her injuries. WHAT THE FUCK!?

- She has to hurt her father to help him, so she uses the words her mother used when she left him, and this is apparently "the only way he'd let her go"? Riiiight. Fuck, that was such a painful scene. The only redeeming character (besides Jacob), and he gets this suckerpunch of an insult just for looking out for his daughter? So awful.

- Edward's a fucking douche. Jacob (the other redeeming character, and a much more appropriate love interest for Bella) can't even talk to her without him coming to her rescue? Warning sign, dude...

- DID YOU KNOW THAT VAMPIRES PLAY BASEBALL DURING THUNDERSTORMS BECAUSE THE FORCE OF THEM HITTING THE BALL WITH THE BAT SOUNDS LIKE THUNDER? DID YOU KNOW VAMPIRES PLAYED BASEBALL!? TRUFAX!! I LEARNT THAT IN TWILIGHT.



Ugh. K. Gotta stop or start getting really frustrated...

Comments

[everysecondtues.livejournal.com]

Ohhh, I didn't realize you didn't realize that it was sexist with creepy overtones. What I'd liked about the movie was that it seemed to illustrate (to me, at least, and a few other people in the theater who laughed at unintentional moments) the sheer absurdity of Edward as the "good" romantic lead and how intensely Bella's parents seem to be failing at their jobs. Let me warn you, though, that Jacob gets some major problems as the books proceed, so will probably have those same problems in the later movies.

I honestly don't see much of a difference between the potential rapists and Edward, apart from the fact that Bella welcomes and reciprocates Edward's feelings for her.
And while Bella could escape from them, she'd never be able to get away from Edward, and though she was a person of convenience for them, Edward spends all his time stalking her and watched her sleep in her bedroom for months (haha, warning signs, what?), and--it just continues like that. In many ways, Edward's worse.

I think in the dance scene, Edward was the voice of reason for once. I think that the messages the movie's sending aren't the messages it thinks it's sending. Edward's been stuck as a seventeen year old for a very long time, and in that time he's not matured at all. He's had to go through graduation again and again and again (remember the huge thing of caps?) but he always ends up back in high school. He has poor impulse control, a horrible temper, all the awkwardness of a teenager still struggling his way through changing hormones and brain chemistry, and when he tells Bella that she really doesn't want to be a vampire at her age, he seems to be speaking with the voice of experience. It's one of the few times the actor (who seems to be of the opinion that Edward is one messed-up vampire, for which I salute him) plays the line with utter seriousness and a lack of the usual side crazy.

So the movie to me seems to be all about the whims of youth, obsession, and the negligence of parents rather than any sort of "true love."

Of course, I doubt teenage girls are looking that deep into it, which is unfortunate. Here's hoping their real parents aren't as negligent as the movie ones.

[rockinhamburger.livejournal.com]

Well, I had been warned about Twilight's sexist nature before I went to see it, so I knew it would be bad from the start. I wanted to see it so I would be able to tell people about its crappiness and back it up with evidence. One key thing I've learnt from studying film in school over the last year and a half is that the general populous is not critical enough when viewing films. We're trained in how to analyze and critique literary pieces as early as grade school, but film is rapidly becoming the dominant media form, and we have to teach young people how to watch films and television with critical and analytical eyes. Otherwise, they will become passive viewers, accepting whatever's given to them. Those who like Twilight and think Edward and Bella are perfect for each other, often say that we're reading too much into the film. That's not it; they're not reading into it enough. This is bad.

That whole scene where he said he'd been watching her sleep for months chilled me to the bone. So fucking creepy! I mean, he said it himself. She would never be able to get away from him if she wanted to - not that she would. He's far too strong and fast and powerful.

I do like the actor, my friend showed me a great interview where he basically said he felt uncomfortable with the notion of Edward, in some ways being Stephanie Meyer's sex fantasy. I just think what bothered me so much about that scene was her admission that she wanted her life to end then and there so she could be with him forever. Her life has barely started!!!!

Another terrifying scene was in the hospital when he says it would be safer for both of them if he leaves (finally making sense for the first time) and she FLIPS THE FUCK OUT at the thought of him leaving. That's... not normal. I've been in a relationship where I felt that, and it's not healthy at all. It's all kinds of bad, and women have got to learn how unwise and dangerous this sort of thought is. I really think this movie is going to do a lot of damage on young women are going to be taking their romantic cues from this movie.

It's the same crap we dealt with growing up. Well... actually, I don't know what you watched growing up, but I certainly watched all the Disney princess movies which gave us young, growing girls these unrealistic expectations of love with Prince Charming, who's going to waltz into our lives and transform us into the Princess we deserve to be. It's a form of brainwashing same as Twilight, and that's why it's important for people to learn how to be critical viewers of film instead of passive ones!

/endrant/

Thanks for reading and commenting! I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on Twilight!

[rawkenr0ll.livejournal.com]

One key thing I've learnt from studying film in school over the last year and a half is that the general populous is not critical enough when viewing films. We're trained in how to analyze and critique literary pieces as early as grade school, but film is rapidly becoming the dominant media form, and we have to teach young people how to watch films and television with critical and analytical eyes. Otherwise, they will become passive viewers, accepting whatever's given to them. The really scary part is that it was a book first and they still didn't look at it the right way. LOSE/LOSE SITUATION, MEDIA.

[tresa-cho.livejournal.com]

I love you. I cannot get my sister's brain around these concepts. She loves the series and went to the movie and was talking about how awesome it was. UGH!

[rockinhamburger.livejournal.com]

Hahaha. I know, it sucks when the people we're close to don't understand these concepts. For example, last night I posted a "Things I Learnt From Watching Twilight" list on Facebook, and one of my friends responded by posting her own list of "Things I Learnt From Reading Harry Potter"... to get a rise out of me I suppose. It's clear she sort of missed the point of my list, though, and also clear that she likes Twilight.

HOW IS IT THAT SMART PEOPLE CAN LIKE SUCH CRAP??

[deadlybride.livejournal.com]

See, I've managed to avoid Twilight, thank god. An obsessed friend had a copy of one of the books and I read a few segments here and there. It was so terrible I had to struggle not to horf on the book. Therefore, I've also avoided the movie.

Howe'er, I am getting a lot of perverse satisfaction out of how much everyone seems to loathe the movie. Even though I realize that many, many teenaged girls and their grandmothers are going to it and (overall) are thrilled, it pleases me that critics and non-fans go and hate it. Maybe that's mean. But it does satisfy that enormous elitist part of me: "You went to see dreck and expected gold? Bwaha, sucka."