So, last night I arrived at Marcus Elgin Fox Theatre at 6:30, five and a half hours before the premiere of “New Moon!” There I sat with several thundered other fan girls (and maybe 5 guys). All together, I LOVED it!!!!

The basic plot of “New Moon” is that there is Edward the vampire who doesn’t eat humans, Bella the human who is desperately in love with Edward and whom Edward is also desperately

in love with, and Jacob the werewolf and Bella’s best friend.

Now, if you haven’t read the books, or at least seen the movie, stop. I am going to have spoilers from the book and movie, so be prepared.

First off, Jacob comes to Fork’s High and gives Bella a dream catcher for her birthday. Now, I know that this is not in the book, but I thought it fit very well. Jacob acts like a dream catcher for Bella later in the book. Plus, I happen to love dream catchers (I have 14 in my room). I think they could have taken this scene and put it later in the movie. It was a really good idea, but it needs to be somewhere else.

Something that I missed from the book was where Edward reads Romeo’s line’s to Bella while watching “Romeo and Juliet.” It is just too romantic to be left out.

The forest scene where Edward leaves Bella was not miserable enough, nor was Bella acting how she should have been after he left. Throughout the book, she talks about how she has to hold her arms around her so the whole that Edward left won’t open up. Bella didn’t do that in the movie. Also, when Jake and Bella were working on the bikes, he had music playing and she went and turned it off. Well, Jake didn’t need to be told that Bella didn’t like music because it reminded her of Edward. I thought that adding that took away from the naturalness of the relationship between Bella and Jake.

Now, the werewolves in general had good sound effects, but I thought that the visual CG could have been better. I have no idea how exactly, as there are no real werewolves to film, this is to be done. But I thought with the increased budget (thanks in part to my gracious donations) that they could have done better with them.

The chase scene between Victoria and the wolves was very well done though. Thom Yorke’s song playing in the background added to the visual effects, which were best here. Victoria looked amazing flipping and jumping off every available surface. The wolves acted like real wolves here (as in not jumping off of every available surface as they do in other parts of the film.)

I liked that they took Bella’s hallucination of Edward from auditory to a primary visual form. I think seeing Edward would be more shocking than just hearing him. They were all together well done.

Throughout the time Edward is gone Bella writes emails to Alice. Now, I understand why they did this, but at the same time I didn’t particularly care for it. Bella in the book shut off all thoughts of the Cullens, Alice included. Plus, Bella is not very technologically adapt, so I don’t understand why she would do this.

Now, they did add in a shot of Edward in Brazil finding out about Bella from Rosalie, which I thought was well done. He’s in a dirty little room, with a city behind him and you can watch his face fall as he comes to terms with Bella’s death and crushes the phone.

Alice and Bella’s trip to Italy was rushed, but that’s understandable. Alice’s line of “I didn’t think you’d be opposed to grand theft auto” was really underplayed. It is such a great line that lost all of its power. The trip up to Volterra was too short. It took them a lot longer to get around the cars and get up to the city. Also Volterra was a walled city, which was not shown in the film.

Once Bella got Edward out of the sun, he proclaims his love for her and tells her that he did love her and that when he told her that he didn’t want her he was lying. Now, in the book, he doesn’t tell her this till after they’re back in Forks. I didn’t like him telling her now, because all through the encounter with the Volturi and the trip back to Forks, Bella is freaked out of her mind that Edward is going to leave. I thought that they should have left this encounter how it was, just Edward kissing Bella and then the arrival of the Volturi.

The Volturi were amazing. They added in a fight scene in the Volturi’s central room, which I thought was amazing. Edward got banged around a bit, but they showed cracks in his skins, like you would see in granite. This was a way to show that there is a way to kill vampires.  I loved Aro’s giddiness, which fit so perfectly. I’m very curious to know what was written on around the rotunda of the room, but as I might be seeing this movie multiple more times, I’m sure I will find out.

Once Edward and Bella return home, things start going off from the book. Now, Bella is supposed to go to sleep, wake up in the middle of the night and then get told by Edward that he loves her and that when he said he didn’t that it was the “blackest form of blasphemy.” There were several other lines that I really missed from this scene that I thought would have fit perfectly. Then Bella wants to go to the Cullen’s to discuss her future and Edward is supposed to carry her. On the way there she is supposed to realize that Edward really does love her just as much as she loves him. I missed this scene most of all. It is one of the best in the book and it definitely belonged in the movie.

Now Edward and Bella are driving along and there’s Jacob. Well, in the movie, Jake was supposed to drop off the bikes so Charlie saw them. This final scene was a little shook up, but the way it ended was superb! I think I’ll let you go see it, so that we can discuss the amazingness!!!

Let’s just say that I cannot wait for June 30^th 2010, when “Eclipse” comes out!!!!!

Once again the winter solstice draws near. In the manner of old men who like to reminisce, my mind turns back to some stupendous events that occurred more than 40 years ago. Let me identify myself so that you may know my credentials.

 I am Hilary, a Christian priest, who for a brief glorious time served as the confidential secretary to Bishop Hosius of Cordova. He was the ecclesiastical adviser to Constantine, mighty emperor of the Roman Empire.

To me fell the task of assisting Constantine’s efforts to bring the worship of the one true God into the empire on an equal footing with the pagan gods. With Hosius and other advisers, I heard what Constantine said as he explored ways of Christianizing some of the pagan festivals. A perfect case in point was his effort to establish December 25 as the date to remember the birth of the Lord Jesus. If I remember correctly this happened early in the 330s A.D. for Constantine died in the year 337 A.D.

Our task was difficult, for the Romans traditionally celebrated two separate pagan festivals during December. The first was Saturnalia, which began December 17 and was often celebrated for seven consecutive days. It was without doubt the most joyful and wildest feast of the empire. Primarily an agricultural festival, it was dedicated to Saturn, the god of seeds. Roman people always celebrated Saturnalia with exuberant spirits.

Law courts were closed and all business, even war, was suspended for the days of merry making. Temples were decked out with greenery and flowers. People danced and gambled and sang in the streets or Rome. Often they chose a mock king to reign. Revelers merrily exchanged seasons’ greetings and often small gifts as well – gifts of wax candles and little clay dolls.

During Saturnalia, slaves were allowed to make their own pilleus, which is a small felt hat that symbolized freedom. For one day of the festival, slaves were given a small allowance by their masters and the entire day to do as they pleased. The pilleus was traditionally given to a slave once he had been freed.

The second pagan festival was the ancient feast of the Unconquered Son (Sol Invictus). This December 25 celebration honored the birth of the sun god, who gave warmth and light. This mighty feast signaled the new birth of the sun at the winter solstice, the time when sunlight begins again to drive away the powers of darkness.

This sun god was created by Aurelian in 247 A.D. as a symbol of the power of the emperor and the importance of the Roman religion over that of the “paganism” of middle-eastern religions. We could compare this sun god to that of the Egyptians (Ra).

Both Saturnalia and Sol Invictus featured fires and light – the eternal symbols of warmth and everlasting life. In all truth, we Christians had to struggle to find an alternative to those popular feasts.

But finally it occurred to us that much symbolism surrounding the feasts also fit with the birth of Christ. Take the symbolism of light attached to Sol Invictus for instance. For Christians, this applies very naturally to Christ. Therefore, with Constantine’s approval, plans were advanced for a festival to celebrate Jesus’ birth on December 25, and in planning the first Christ-Masses, we combined the sacred readings for the kinds of passages which might appeal to Romans accustomed to the pagan winter festivals.

We found passages that spoke of Christ as the rising sun, the light of lights, the one and only true son of righteousness. With the prophet Malachi, we praised Christ as the sun of justice and the only true light of the world. We spoke of Jesus’ birth as the inauguration of a new age bringing eternal light to all human beings.

 This fictional account was based on history in the Dec. 23, 1983 Criterion by Katherine Bird and edited by O. Happel.

Hey Now!  

Its that wonderful time of year again, when malls are rolling out their Santa’s (a quick side note:  David Sedaris wrote a memoir of working as a mall elf entitled “Santaland” READ IT!) and college students are picking their spring classes.  

This spring I plan to take:  economics, Italian, foundations of civilizations, and a study of Marx!!!  

So after doing a music review, I thought I might do a quick movie review!!!! 

Into the Wild 

I know this movie came out several years ago, but I just now got around to seeing it. The basic plot is that this college graduate gives all his worldly possessions away and starts traveling the U.S. He ends up going to Alaska, where he encounters some rather interesting events. Now, unfortunately I knew the ending before I watched it, so that ruined it a bit for me. All in all, I think that the movie was a good testament to his life (this was based off a true story). But I have some issues with him. 

1. He never let his parents know what he was doing. For 2 years his parents sat around not knowing where their son was. Now they had issues; he had issues. But still, I don’t think I could ever be so cruel to my parents as to just disappear on them. While parents can make mistakes, that does not give a child the ability to treat their parents like dirt. So, I think that he should have at least told them he was alive, he was ok, etc. 

2. When he wanted to return to civilization, he didn’t go about it the right way. He rushed out, which only lead to more disastrous events. It took him a good bit of time before he was prepared enough to go up to Alaska, so it just doesn’t follow that he would rush back.  

This was a really good movie though. Kristen Stewart (aka Bella) was in it, and she did a great job. Also Emile Hirsch, who played the lead, did a very good job. Plus he is pretty much gorgeous. The music is also great. . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZbiZxA9b5k&feature=fvw

Check it out!!! 

New Moon will be out in two weeks!!!! I’m hoping to do a book vs. movie blog about that, so look forward to it.  

Only 20 days left!!! Till New Moon comes out that is!

So, as promised, here is part two of my album review! My musical knowledge is not nearly as big as I would like it to be, so if you know something that I should know please tell me! Please remember that I have SPOILERS in here. . .

8. Rosyln Bon Iver and St. Vincent

St. Vincent is one of my favorite singers. Both of her albums, “Actor” and “Marry Me” are amazing, and you should definitely check them out. I had heard of Bon Iver before this album, but I had never actually listen to him before this song. For the most part, I hear more of Iver than St. Vincent. There are certain parts where I can hear her influence though. There are two things that I think relate to New Moon. The lyrics seem to be about drowning, so there is the obvious part where Bella is indeed drowning because she decided to try cliff jumping. But there is also the metaphorical drowning that Bella experiences when Edward leaves, which seems to fit this song better: “Sea and the rock below/ Cocked to the undertow/ Bones blood and teeth erode, with every crashing node.” All in all, I think this is a beautiful song, but not so easy to sing.

9. Done All Wrong Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

I have never heard of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, but I liked this song. I enjoy the vocals and acoustical guitar on this song, but I find that the lyrics do not seem to have much of a meaning, except that someone has done wrong. The moaning harmonica and rustic percussion make it seem like something that you might hear on the reservation. The male vocal does a good job at sounding mournful, which leads me to believe that the lyrics are about Edward mourning his decision to leave Bella. The song is not very catchy, however it is a good fit for the album.

10. Monsters Hurricane Bells

Hurricane Bells is another band that was unknown to me. This song has very strong electrical guitar, which I think fits well. The drums could be turned down a little. The lyrics are obviously about Edward and his issues with himself: “Deep into the darkness where I hide/ The monsters all dig down deep inside/ You never know when they're satisfied/ Buried down deep where the sun don't shine/ The monsters are buried down deep inside.” Edward pretty much despises himself, which brings up the topic of the angsty vampire.

Now, Anne Rice had Louis, Joss Whedon had Angel and Spike, and Stephenie Meyer has Edward and the rest of the Cullens. The biggest part of the angsty vampire is the search/need for a soul of some sort. Louis raised Claudia as a vampire instead of killing her. Angel was cursed with a soul and felt the need to kill other vampires. Spike killed other vampires for Buffy’s love and won his soul back for her. Edward, and the Cullens, do not eat people, in fact Carlisle goes so far as to help them. Vampires fall into two categories. They either accept their vampiric nature and eat humans, or they deny this nature and continue trying to be human, even though they are not. But I could spend all day talking about vampiric theories. Let us move on.

11. The Violet Hour Sea Wolf

The wonderful Pandora introduced me to Sea Wolf. I really like this song. The vocals and music go together very well and make it very catchy. I think this song is about Jacob’s love for Bella. It has several nature references as well as ones about scent. Both of these relate back to Jacob. The sea reference do this especially: “You love all sailors/ But hate the beach/ You say "Come touch me/ But you're always out of reach.” This seems to describe Jacob and Bella’s relationship perfectly. She sends him signals, but is not ready for a relationship with him. Of course I do not think that Bella and Jacob would have worked out, for several reasons. One, Jacob imprinted on Renesme, not Bella. Two, Bella was sad without Jake. She was nearly dead without Edward.

12. Shooting the Moon OK Go

I think most everybody knows OK Go from their amazing video with the treadmills. I cannot remember the song name, but I loved their antics with going from treadmill to treadmill. . . Anyways, this song is definitely different, much slower and calm, but still very catchy. I think this song is about Edward in Volterra. Perhaps when he is reunited with Bella and they go before the Volturri. He has to rescind his wish to die: “What can he tell them now/ Sorry I let you down/ Sorry it wasn't quite true.”

13. Slow Life Grizzly Bear (with Victoria LeGrand)

I do not know Grizzly Bear or Victoria LeGrand, but I think that their voices sound great together. The only problem with this song is that the lyrics are somewhat hard to understand. I think this song is about how Bella feels toward Jacob: “Even though you're the only one I see/ It's the last catastrophe/ Place your bets on chance and apathy/ From the wind in front of me.” Jacob is the only light in Bella’s life, but she is still so in love with Edward. She may love Jacob, but she will never act on it because he is not her Edward.

14. No Sound But the Wind Editors Editors is completely unknown to me, but it is obviously a Bella and Edward love song. It just makes me smile. I love the piano and the deep vocals. I do not know what else I can say:

We can never go home

We no longer have one

I'll help you carry the load

I'll carry you in my arms

The kiss of the snow

The crescent moon above us

Our blood is cold

And we're alone

But I'm alone with you

Help me to carry the fire

We will keep it alight together

Help me to carry the fire

It will light our way forever

If I say shut your eyes

If I say look away

Bury your face in my shoulder

Think of a birthday

The things you put in your head

They will stay here forever

Our blood is cold

And we're alone, love

But I'm alone with you

Help me to carry the fire

We will keep it alight together

Help me to carry the fire

It will light our way forever

Help me to carry the fire

We will keep it alight together

Now help me to carry the fire

It will light up our way forever

If I say shut your eyes

If I say shut your eyes

Bury me in surprise

Where I say shut your eyes

Help me to carry the fire

We will keep it alight together

Help me carry the fire

It will light our way forever

15. New Moon (The Meadow) Alexander Desplat

This piece is simply piano, but it is very beautiful. It almost sounds as though Desplat has taken some of the themes from Bella’s Lullaby by Burwell, which was featured on the Twilight soundtrack, and changed them for New Moon. There are darker and lighter tones to the music, which I assume will be played when Bella finally discovers the meadow and Laurent. From what I can tell from the previews, I think she is also going to find out about the wolves here too. I am glad that they decided to do a variation off of Bella’s Lullaby, because the meadow her and Edward’s spot. Eventually that’s where he asks her to marry him!

I would like to start off this week by apologizing for posting a day late. Some weeks life just gets INSANELY crazy. . .

So I know I mentioned the New Moon Soundtrack last week and after listening to nothing but it, I though I would do a music review for you. If you have not read the books, then I highly doubt that you will understand my references. So go read them!!!! Spoiler alert!!! I make mention to events in all of the Twilight Books, so be prepared!

1. Meet Me on the Equinox Death Cab for Cutie

This song is something that you could fine on any Death Cab album. But it still is very good; I would say that it is much closer to "I Will Possess Your Heart" that to a song like "I Will Follow You Into the Dark." The lyrics reference light and darkness, which is something that Bella deals with in New Moon. “Everything ends” is repeated over and over; this is a fact that we all have to deal with. Everthing will eventually end.

2. Friends Band of Skulls

I have never heard of Band of Skulls before this album, but I really enjoy this song.

All my life I've been searching for something

Something I can put my finger on

Maybe I've been living for the weekend

Maybe I've been living for this cyber soul

Every Friday just about midnight

All my problems seem to disappear

Everyone that I miss when I'm distant

Everybody's here

I think that these lyrics point out some of the happy moments in New Moon. So much of the book is Bella moping around and crying, but she does gain friends, especially on the reservation. In the book, I think Charlie says that if Bella had had more good friends besides the Cullens, then when they left, she would not have been so heartbroken.

3. Hearing Damage Thom Yorke

Thom York is another artist that I had never heard of before. The music is too artificial and techno for me. I am very interested to see how it is used in the movie. The lyrics are quite obviously about how Bella fells toward Edward. Yorke repeats the phrase “you can do no wrong.” Even after Edward leaves her, when they are coming back from Italy, she is just worried that he will leave again. If I were Bella, and trust me I have thought about this quite a bit, I would have been furious with Edward for leaving me. Of course I would take him back, but he would have to earn it.

4. Possibility Lykke Li

Once again Lykke Li was unknown to me before this soundtrack. This song seems to be about several things. New Moon begins with Bella dreaming of her grandmother and Edward. This causes Bella to begin pondering her fate and how Edward will play a part in it. It also sounds like Bella lamenting after Edward leaves. She also has a “possibility” that Edward will return throughout the book. So she has a possibility that all she had before he left was all she was ever going to have. I enjoy this song, but it also is very techno and out of reach.

5. A White Demon Love Song The Killers

 Finally a band I know and like! This song sounds like something off of Sam’s Town, very natural with a lot of piano, which I really enjoy. The white demon here is obviously Edward, remember kiddies vampires are technically demons even though Stephenie Meyer may want you to think otherwise. “She hears it coming after all this time” probably refers to Bella’s dream of her grandmother again. She knows that Edward may very well one day leave. In fact in Twilight, he says that he will be there not forever, but as long as it is good for Bella. Also, when they return from Italy, she is so freaked out that he is going to leave again, which I can totally understand. Edward is the center of Bella’s life, which is not right, but I will not make you listen to that this week. So when her core is taken away, she breaks down and starts living as a hollow shell of Bella. It is only when Jacob begins to give her some of his love/friendship that she begins to feel better. But when Edward returns, he returns the core of her being, so it makes complete sense that she should be worried that he may once again leave.

6. Satellite Heart Anya Marina

Anya Marina is new to me, but her voice is excellent. She is talking about how Bella is after Edward leaves. “I hear you're living out of state, running in a whole new scene/ They say I haven't slept in weeks, you're the only thing I see.” So Bella is all sorts of messed up, but of course she still loves Edward above all else. This song is very typical. While it does express how Bella feels, I do not know that it is as accurate as it could be. The song is good in the end though.

7. I Belong to You Muse

Muse is a band that I like, but I have not listened to that much of them. I Belong to You is talking about Edward to returning to Bella after Italy. He is confessing his love and devotion to her. She is the center of his world, which I do not think Edward tells her enough. But here comes the debate, does Edward love her more by leaving her so that she lives a normal human life and eventually dies, or does he love her by making her a vampire and living with her forever??? I understand how people (aka my mother) say that he would love her more by letting her live her life without him, but the romantic in me really wants to say that he should have made her a vampire after James attacked (that is just my idea).

Next week I will do the other half of the album. . . Thanks guys!!!

You’re back! Welcome to the second week of my musings!!!

I am of the personal opinion that The Beach Boys are the ultimate expression of California. Because I was born and lived in California for ten years, plus visiting at least once a year, I feel qualified to make this statement. As I have previously stated, I enjoy all type of music, with The Beach Boys rock (not sure if you could call it rock, but let’s stick with rock for the moment) being no exception. Their music is something you would expect to hear at a luau or barbeque or in a sixties movie. However, when the snow is two feet high, the cars are gray with salt and junk from the street that you don’t really want to know the composition of, The Beach Boys bring you back to the sun on your face, the sand in your toes, and your surfboard in your hand. That’s pretty cliché, isn’t it?

Oh, wait, you probably have no idea, or only;a Hollywood idea of how the act of surfing is performed. Well . . . it just so happens that I have been surfing and boogey boarding (which is for our discussion a shorter, fatter surfboard). So, your chillin, its August, so you put on your swimsuit, a 15 SPF sunscreen, put a bit of wax on the board (wax is put on the top of the board, so when you’re on it, you don’t slip off), grab a towel and head on down to the beach. Now, you have to find your way through all the tourist, but you’ll find a spot, probably one with a bunch of seaweed, which tourist think of as the sewage of the sea but Californians just deal with it. Toss your towel and your flip flops off (that is if you actually took the time to put them on). Then grab your board and head on in!!!!

Ok, so don’t run. Tourist run, they also squeal when the water, which really isn’t that cold, hits them. If you want your cool points with absolute strangers from Michigan to go down, well then go ahead and act like a tourist, but if you don’t care then go ahead and run and squeal. Do put the leash on your arm or ankle. It really will help, especially if you are surfing in a rip tide.

A rip tide is when the current is sending the waves in at an angle and it tends to pull you out and away from shore. So once you get out in the water pick a unique umbrella or large tourist to set as your base. Make sure that you keep lined up with it so you don’t end up having to be saved by one of the super hot lifeguards.

Now you’re out in the water. You’ll notice that carrying the board is rather awkward. Well, you can go ahead and put it down, but wait till you get out up to your waist. Then when the waves are starting to come in harder, and are beginning to knock you over, use your board to help you. Put the board in front of you and push yourself over the wave or you can push the board over the wave and you can dive under the wave. Depending on your skill, chose what you are comfortable with.

Then, once you get out, turn around. If you are on a boogey-board then be ready to jump when a good wave comes. A good wave is one that will carry you to shore. So when it hits you, if it hasn’t broken, it isn’t good. If it is breaking, hold your breath. If it has just broken, push off the bottom just as it hits you and hang on!!!!

If you are on a surfboard, then get up on your board. Sitting in the middle-ish works well. Now when a good wave comes, having recently broken and gaining momentum, start paddling. The wave should pick you up, but sometimes they don’t. So, if it doesn’t, wait for another. If it does then start slow and try to kneel at first. Then put 1 foot up, then another. You’re surfing!!!

Please keep in mind that I am not an expert. This is just my experience.

Anyways, The Beach Boys had it right:

Catch a wave and you're sitting on top of the world

Don't be afraid to try the greatest sport around

Everybody tries it once

Those who don't just have to put it down

You paddle out turn around and raise

And baby that's all there is to the coastline craze

You gotta catch a wave and you're sittin' on top of the world

Not just a fad cause it's been going on so long

All the surfers going strong

They said it wouldn't last too long

They'll eat their words with a fork and spoon

And watch 'em they'll hit the road and all be surfin' soon

And when they catch a wave they'll be sittin' on top of the world

Catch a wave and your sittin' on top of the world

So take a lesson from a top-notch surfer boy

Get yourself a big board

But don't you treat it like a toy

get away from the shady turf

And baby go catch some rays on the sunny surf

And when you catch a wave you'll be sittin on top of the world

Catch a wave and you'll be sittin' on top of the world

Catch a wave and you'll be sittin' on top of the world

Catch a wave and you'll be sittin' on top of the world

I think the format is set. . .Yay!