I went to New Moon

Last night, Wednesday at 8:43 PM, I threw my cell phone into my purse, zipped up my puffy light blue jacket as I wiggled into a pair of shoes, grabbed the car keys and kissed my husband goodbye. I had just agreed with a friend to see a 9:00 PM showing of "New Moon" at a theater 15 minutes away.

I made with two minutes to spare, and watched my breath as I waited for L to show up. It was chilly chilly chilly.

So it was a good thing L smuggled in a bottle of red and a couple of cups. We got warm and comfy along with the slightly older than us (Italian?) couple in front of us and the two African American men a couple rows behind us. This series has really surprised me with the range of audience it's attracted, I've got to say.

So up come the previews. Four of them-- all the exact same Romeo/Juliet, guy+girl formula. One with RPattz, "Remember Me." TWO with Amanda Seyfried-- one a Nicholas Sparks based movie (ick, I think his stuff is way too schmaltzy) and one that literally invokes Juliet. And a fourth that I don't remember but was another lurv story.

Hmm. I guess Summit Entertainment is sticking with the formula it knows works on its core Twilight audience. Much as I have enjoyed being part of something mainstream for once, I don't think I'm going to be shelling out tons of money to see any of those.

Ok then. On to the movie. I won't recap but will offer some highlights:

- RPattz's American accent was a little wobbly sometimes, wanting to teeter back to British. I am totally ok with the wobbliness-- I like it.

- Like others, I liked the circling camera to symbolize the passage of time but the absence of growth or change for Bella.

- Taylor Lautner! Dear God, those white teeth could blind a person.

- This is a small point that I don't know if others saw or cared about, but I thought it was so creative: at the start of the chase scene with Victoria, the camera is positioned way up in the trees looking down. We see a black bird (crow?) flying across the corner, its wings flapping slowly. It's an elegant way to indicate speed, how fast they're moving so that even a bird's flapping wings seem to be slow motion.

- Thought the ghost Edward was funny, like a 70s era special effect

- Think Jasper's ramrod stiff back is too much

- The costumes were WHA--? Not even a little fabulous. Disappointing.

- I really connected with the parents in this one. Charlie, what a devoted dad! Getting up every time his 18 year old daughter has a wake up, as we say here in toddler-land. That's devotion. I bet he was thinking "DAMN I thought this ended!" Maybe parents are always just a little sleep deprived. :)

And Esme and Carlisle (the fancy Charlie, I like to call him), taking care of Bella in their own ways.

- Oh Italy. So glad I live in Northern CA, which is very like you, you beautiful countryside, you land of the olive trees and rolling hills.

- Oh Porsche. How I wish I could drive you one day.

- Dakota Fanning. Not scary to me. Just Dakota.

- Love the actor who plays Aro. He was also a great Tony Blair, and also amazing in "Dirty Filthy Love."

After the movie, I came home and remembered how great it feels to be all intensely in love like that, the way you feel when you're sixteen seventeen eighteen ish, and there's nothing more you want than the love you imagine, to be REAL. But now I'm married and it IS. And, ok, it's a big Hollywood mainstream movie, the kind I never see, but I think that reminder was worth the price of admission.