(Now, there’s another five words I have never imagined myself saying.)

I admit—back when Twilight rose to fame among teenage girls, I was quick to shrug it off. Back then, I was convinced that vampires and teeny-bopper love stories just didn’t mix. Add to that the fact that most of the addicts of the novel were girls (who are wont to be overly jumpy when talking about cheesy love stories), and you can imagine my aggressive indifference (if not distaste) for it.

Apparently, the capitalists of the movie industry, spotting the sizable demographic Twilight appealed to, decided to go ahead and convert the book into a movie for the silver screen. Oh boy, were these capitalists ever any happier—despite a fledgling global economy, Twilight the movie raked in something like $20 Million 20 minutes after it hit the Box Office. The movie aficionado in me finally caved into all the hype surrounding this (oh, clever marketing and teenage girls!), so this afternoon, a few friends and I headed down to the local cinema and caught a screening of Twilight.

Twilight is the story of Isabella (“Bella”, she insists) Swan and her romance with Edward Cullen, a cunning vampire, which occurs in the damp town of Forks, Washington. Edward’s family’s enemies take a bloodlusty liking to his girlfriend, jeopardizing her life. Edward goes through every hell on Earth to ensure the safety of Bella’s life. Soon, Bella’s mother is implicated into the situation, and she goes to save her—even if it means having to die.

The cast of Twilight. Credit: http://www.filmonic.com/

The movie was made to appeal mainly to the teenage female demographic, and it did so very well. The uniqueness of the love story sets it apart from other teenage love dramas, although the vampire aspect of the movie may (and has) turned off some film buffs who have labeled it the “worst vampire movie ever”. Don’t be mistaken, though—although the story wouldn’t be what it is without the vampire element to it, it shouldn’t disqualify the movie for those of us out there who don’t like Nosferatu-type flicks. (It has been noted that the “vampire-resisting-human-blood” element of the movie may be a sort of metaphor for something more real, which I will discuss later.) My friend Marielle (who, like me, has not read the book and dissed the novel instantly) may have a point when she said that the movie was a bit too teeny-bopper, but then again, as I said, that’s the demographic it appeals to. Certain scenes in the movie can stir both women and men (well, at least me), and if you know how to listen, you can learn a pickup line or two from Edward to use in your dating misadventures.

(Okay, about the whole “I’m a vampire, and I could very well bite you in the neck” thing, I came across something on the Innarnetz (link forgotten; sorry) that said that Edward’s lust for Bella’s blood could be likened to a man’s sexual lust. As easy as it would be for Edward to simply suck Bella bone-dry, he kept himself back from temptation because of his love for her—something guys undoubtedly have difficulty doing (with some people *cough*classmateofmine*cough* failing to keep their pants on).)

For those of us who have not yet read the novel, the movie can ignite your interest in its novel version, and even the whole Twilight series in general. It’s the quintessential love story—something we all once liked, but have grown tired of, thanks to Hollywood—reengineered.

For its beautiful storyline and interesting uniqueness, but for its just-a-bit-too-cheesy teeny-bopper-ness, Twilight (2008) receives a Deantastic A-.

(Now, if you will be so kind as to give me a full set of the novels in the Twilight series, you may kindly ask for my shipping address by reaching me through my contact form. [Hey, it's worth a try!])

If you’re a teenage girl who knows how to read, you will probably already have read at least one of the books in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, known every little random tidbit about Robert Pattinson, and cried in front of your parents to seek permission to catch the film interpretation of the first book in the series, which premiered on November 21, 2008.

Twilight is a series of novels (composed of Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn, in that order) which tells the story of Bella Swan, a handsome vampire named Edward Cullen, and the romance they form and share in the rainy town of Forks, Washington. Apparently, the story has not failed to capture the attention, admiration and addiction of people (mostly teenage girls) the world over. It might be the shriek-inducing love between them, it might be the thrill of being the object of a vampire’s affection, it might be the fact that Robert Pattinson is (and I quote) “hot”. Whatever it is, it’s raking in money for Meyer—25 million copies have been sold worldwide,says Wikipedia. The movie adaptation of Twilight, the first book in the series, took in $69,637,740 in the US alone [source], and that number is expected to rise as the film keeps on showing in theaters worldwide.

Marielle and I, bookworms though we are, didn’t really get the whole craze surrounding Twilight. To be more precise, I think we (or at least I) gave it a quick once-over and shunned it at the mention of “vampire”, “teen”, and “love”. My indifference to the novel was only aggravated by my Twilight-addicted classmates’ incessant chatting (squealing, actually) about the story, about how hot that Cullen vampire was, and about how they would storm the local cinema once the movie went out. (Apparently, that kind of stuff ticks me off.)

The cast of Twilight. Credit: http://www.filmonic.com/

Well, last Wednesday, when Twilight finally moved from “Next Picture” to “Now Showing” on our local mall’s Program List, two of my classmates, Misty and Arbee (along with a few boys, I think), rushed over there right after school. It should go without saying that they absolutely loved the film, regardless of whether or not it was actually great.

So, Marielle and I were kinda like, “Dude, the Twilight movie’s out, we’ve got the afternoon off on Friday, and I miss popcorn.” We finally decided to reevaluate Twilight by seeing the movie and then judging whether or not it’s really worth our time. So tomorrow (today, by the time this post goes online), I, Marielle, Misty, Arbee (yes, they’re going to re-watch it—certified Twilight addicts, no?), Zia, and a few other friends will troop to Gaisano Cinema, buy popcorn and Coke, and get as much Twilight as we can.

Shoot me now.

Well, to be honest, I’m not usually this irrationally condescending of literary works, so we’ll see how it works out. When I’m back and fully recovered from the PTSD (Post-Twilight Stress Disorder) that will surely ensue, I’ll try to write an honest critique/review of the film for you.

Toodles.